Social Connectivity Domination

I've added a new social networking site to my online presence (as if it isn't large enough already): Pinterest!

My sister told me about the site weeks ago, but I've just gotten around to signing up today.  It's a cool way to organize my online finds, and a great way to find inspiration.  Definitely check it out, and follow me if you like!

Did I mention...

...I made my first Etsy sale this month?  Well, I did!


I know it's only one sale, but it's still exciting.  It's nice to know my hard work is paying off (no matter how slowly).  This, Treasury mentions, and hearts from fellow Etsy users are a wonderful little pick-me-up when I'm feeling down.  They also inspire me to keep creating.


So THANK YOU to my online support system!  :)

Signed, Sealed, Delivered

Recently I placed an ad through my local Freecycle group for cancelled stamps.  I honestly thought it was a futile request in the age of e-mail, Facebook, and cell phones.  Who gets actual mail these days, and who would take the time to save the stamps?

Imagine my surprise when I got two responses from members!  So far one envelope has arrived, and I've already incorporated some into a greeting card:

I received some lovely Nativity-themed stamps from Australia.

There are many others as well, and I've been having fun coming up with ideas for some cheeky note cards:

I'm thinking something along the lines of "Good on ya, Mate" or a simple "G'day" for this card.

Oh, Canada.  "Hoser"?  "Canuck," maybe?

I don't know much about the Netherlands.  Any suggestions for a Dutch-inspired greeting card?

Pride Week!  

(They're queens.  Get it?)

Thanks so much to Martha for sending me these!  I look forward to my second envelope from Joan, which should arrive any day now.  :)

i ♥ this blog

I have a new favorite blog!  Please check out a girl & her polaroid, and then look around Jen Gotch's website.  I promise you won't be disappointed.  :)

(Photos from a girl & her polaroid)

Back to reality

I've been home for two days, and I already miss Australia. I had a great time, despite the rain that poured during most of my visit (which I was repeatedly told never happens). Photos of my trip will be posted soon, including some fun Lomography shots I'm getting developed.

In the mean time, I'd like to share my favorite souvenir, frankie magazine!


This Aussie publication covers a variety of topics: arts & crafts, photography, cooking, fashion, entertainment, politics, travel. I absolutely love everything about frankie, right down to it's matte pages. Unfortunately, an international subscription is quite pricey. While, I don't think I'll be subscribing as a birthday gift to myself, I might be able to afford it by Christmas.

The next issue hits newsstands June 23, so maybe I'll sweet talk my boyfriend into bringing me a copy when he visits in August.

You can't find this on iTunes

Olympic Fever

The 2010 Vancouver Olympics are underway, and I absolutely love Canada's design sense. While a lot of attention is paid to the medals, I'm more in love with the podium:

(Photos courtesy of ben hulse's Flickr photostream.)

Love is in the air...

Valentine's Day is right around the corner! To celebrate, I've started working on some fun recycled cards. I started saving the address flaps from my Netflix rentals awhile back, but wasn't sure how I was going to use them. Then a few weeks ago I stumbled upon Netflix Origami, and got some much needed inspiration.

I already have some fun ideas using the heart and swan designs.




I also attempted to make a box, just for fun. Unfortunately it didn't turn out right, so I used that sheet to practice the starched shirt. Since dress shirts don't really scream "Valentine's Day," I may make it into a paper doll for my cousin.

Tilt-Shift

A friend of mine posted this on her blog a while ago, and I thought it was one of the coolest things I'd ever seen. With a bit of Photoshop tweaking, you can make almost any photograph look like a mini-model, a la the opening credits of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood.

(More photos & instructions here.)

I decided to try it out for myself today, and had some moderate success:




This is my best attempt so far. It was taken from Tokyo Tower in Japan a few years ago. The angle and distance make it a great candidate for this sort of manipulation, but I wish I had a photo taken closer to midday with a clear blue sky (it was pretty hazy that day). I may play around with the saturation a bit more to see if I can compensate for this. I do love how the brake lights on the cars resemble tiny LEDs.




This image was taken in Shibuya, one of the busiest areas Tokyo. The angle isn't ideal (it should really be a downward shot), but I wanted to try anyway because I love the colors. The left half of the photo does look like a model (especially around the tree), and boosting the saturation levels adds to the "fake" look.

I will definitely be scouring my photos for more tilt-shift candidates. I'm also hoping to get some good shots in Vegas next weekend to play with.

100th Post Fun & News

It's my 100th post-- I can't believe it! Since the recent SoCal rain has kept me from photographing my latest work, I'll share something fun instead.

I found this creative Flickr photo by wandaaaa, and have already set it as my computer background:




I also have some personal reasons for not updating the blog:

First, I'm working on setting up shop at Etsy. I've spent the last few rainy days making some bowls and designing some new creations. I hope to have things listed by February (fingers crossed).

Secondly, I'm headed back to school! This summer I'll be working toward a certificate in Web Graphics. I've debated furthering my education pretty much since I finished by BFA, but haven't felt up to it until quite recently. I'm a bit bummed I didn't make a firm decision before the spring semester, but at least I have some time to save up for books and supplies.

Oh... I think it's time to sign off. I just saw a flash of lightning, and the thunder clap wasn't too far behind it. Last thing I need right now is a fried computer!

Trim up the tree... Part 2

My love of arts and crafts definitely comes from my mom. She always came up with great craft projects for my sister and I, especially around the holidays. Here are a few of my favorite ornaments from Christmases past:


My mom sewed this simple star ornament using scrap fabric. I love the Indian feel of it, and think sari fabric would make beautiful home decorations for any season. Now that I can sew, I can't wait to stitch up more of these cute ornaments!



For awhile my family was all about the Country-Western look (well, everyone except for Dad). My mom made this Cowboy Santa using wood and acrylic paint. I'm not sure if she designed it herself or used a pattern from a magazine, but I do know she cut the shape herself using a jigsaw.



This simple ornament is a great recycling idea. The silver disc is a lid from a frozen juice can. We punched designs (with parental help, of course) into the lids using an awl and hammer, and then attached some lace to the backside. Stars, evergreen trees, and snowflake patterns would also make for some lovely lid ornaments.



This European Santa is one of my favorites, as it's one of the first ornaments I remember making almost entirely by myself. Mom cut the wavy Santa shapes from wood, and helped draw his face. We used a wood burning tool to trace out Santa's face, and then painted his hat, beard, and face.

Please enjoy this post responsibly

I'm always on the lookout for recycling projects that also make fun, unique gifts. For her birthday, my sister received these bottle cap magnets that I absolutely love:




They're simple to make, and depending on how/where you acquire the bottle caps, fairly inexpensive as well. Of course, if your gift recipient is under 21, you might want to opt for soda bottle caps instead. I even did a bit of brainstorming, and thought it would be fun to make similar magnets from Scrabble tiles or large buttons (Again, for the non-alcoholics in your life).

A photo of the complete collection is below. I need to ask Sister's friend how long it took her to collect all of these!

One Awesome Road Trip

I've been neglected the blog lately due to my holiday retail job. The money and discount are great, but my art time has taken a bit of a hit. Still, it's nice having some extra moola lining my wallet this time of year.

One of the (many) things I'm saving up for is travel. While I'm primarily saving for some international travel, I love exploring places in the US as well. I've always wanted to visit more of America's National Parks, and photographer Ian Shive's work is definitely inspiring:




I hope to post again tomorrow with a whole mess of updates: sold items, Social Vibe stats, and maybe even a counter update.

An Early Halloween Treat!

I'm not the biggest fan of hard candy, but I do love the way it looks! Check out the candy makers at NYC's papabubble in the video below. Who knew candy making could be so artistic?

Let the wild rumpus start!

(Image from Hunt Famous)

When I was a kid, Where the Wild Things Are was my favorite book. According to my mom, I brought it home from the library several times before she finally broke down and bought me a copy. Unfortunately, she did not enjoy Maurice Sendak's classic as much as I did. She found the illustrations scary, and couldn't understand why her five-year-old daughter loved a book filled with such "creepy" monsters. Whenever I wanted WTWTA read to me, she'd suggest I ask my dad, who fortunately found reading it to be a fun experience.

Time eventually changed Mom and Dad's perspective of the book. Mom eventually sat down to really read it, and now loves it. Dad has completely forgotten he ever read WTWTA to me, and cannot remember a single thing about the book (to be fair, the last time he cracked it's cover was close to 20 years ago). Which is why I saw the movie with my mom while dad was at work.

(Image from Movie Crunch)

Here's my short review:
The Where the Wild Things Are movie is a beautiful adaption of a classic children's book, though it is definitely not for kids. There's no language or sex, and minimal violence, but the themes of loneliness and feeling life is beyond your control will likely be lost on younger viewers. Which is funny, because these concepts are exactly the sort of thing kids need to be reassured about. What child hasn't felt lonely at some point growing up, even when surrounded by people who love them? What kid doesn't act out at a situation beyond their control? WTWTA speaks to those kids, though they may not realize it until they're a bit older.

The Art of Elysium

A couple weeks ago I added a Social Vibe widget to my blog, and have gotten 38 clicks so far. These widgets are popping up all over Google hosted blogs, and help raise money for worthy causes. So when you see one, please click it!

I chose to support The Art of Elysium, a non-profit that provides creative workshops for children battling serious medical conditions. These kids are given instruction by professionals in the fields of the visual arts, acting, music, and creative writing during the most difficult time of their lives. Programs like these distract children from the anxieties caused by illness, and provide them with a creative outlet for expressing their hopes and fears.

Please check out The Art of Elysium website, and make a donation if you can. You can even send art or beauty supplies, books, costumes, or musical instruments. If you're in the Los Angeles area, you can also volunteer your time (as little as four hours a month).

Goodbye, Irving Penn

(Photo from Yahoo! News)

Photographer Irving Penn died today at the age of 92.

I was introduced to Penn's work just a few short weeks ago after attending the Small Trades show at The Getty. Penn has since become one of my favorite artists. I've spent countless hours viewing his lovely black and white photos, which range from high fashion couture to everyday laborers.

I've also been inspired by Penn's amazing work ethic. He worked right up until his death, and was constantly in pursuit of the perfect print. Whenever I feel too tired to work on a project, I remind myself that Penn was 92 and still working hard. Certainly a healthy 25-year-old can do the same.

To honor Penn's memory I'm putting his book A Notebook at Random on my "To Read" list (I use the verb "read" a bit loosely here; the book is more visual than textual), and am planning another Getty trip before his show ends in January.


Autumn Distraction #1: The Getty (9/14/09)

Modern Knight

Another inspiring pod about a great artist. This time it's NYC based Ted Riederer, who makes armor and skulls from records:



As for my own artwork: I've been working, but I haven't been photographing. I hope to have some shots up by the end of the week.

J-E-L-L-O!

This little pod is just delightful! Artist Liz Hickock works in JELL-O, making moulds of San Francisco's Mission District buildings, and casting them in the famous snack food:



I really love how Hickock's choice of medium allows for fun expression of color and light. It reminds me of childhood, though I admit I didn't eat much JELL-O growing up. Maybe I'm reminded of watching The Cosby Show with my grandparents. Still, good memories!

Autumn Distraction #1: The Getty

Summer is finally starting to feel like it's over. It's often hard to tell when summer is finished here in Southern California: We don't have the lovely Fall foliage of the north, and the temperature seems to hit ungodly heights even after Labor Day. However, the temperature has begun to drop, and I'm starting to think about packing up my shorts and breaking out the sweaters.

Even with Autumn weather just around the corner, I still find myself being pulled from my work. So instead of the fun summer distractions I shared over the past months, you can look forward to some Fall ones!

First up: I visited The Getty Museum this Saturday for the first time in about five years. Museums are some of my favorite places. I love the quiet, the dim lighting, and the thrill of discovering a "new" artist or art form. This visit introduced me to photographer Irving Penn, who is famous for his work in Vogue magazine.

The Getty exhibition, Irving Penn: Small Trades, focuses on Penn's work during the early 1950s, documenting the uniforms and work tools of skilled tradespeople in London, Paris, and New York. His photographs are visually stunning, but even more special as they capture a moment in time that is nearly lost. Many of the trades depicted in Penn's photos no longer exist in this modern age (milkman, street sweeper, rag and bone man), and many that have endured are slowly dying.

A Parisian Busboy. (Photo from The Getty website.)

I encourage anyone who can make the trip to Los Angeles to check out this exhibit. It is a very beautiful, interesting, and funny show (I would really like to know how Penn found a deep sea diver in NYC...). The exhibit runs until January 10, 2010, and I may even try for a second visit myself!