Thank You

I will always be grateful for a Snow day.

Best Wishes.

The List Update

So a couple months ago, I randomly wrote a list 

of goals that I set to accomplish before May of next

year. This post is to keep me kinda on track.

Goals that were accomplished:

Clothing Project

Trip to Boston

No Media Day

One Thesis

Goals that are left:

1. Learn to Play the Ukulele

2. Record Myself Playing a Song

3. Trip to Canada

4. Make a Scarf Tutorial

5. A Concert

6. Draw Everything in My Purse

7. One More Mini Thesis

8. Make a Guide to Omaha

9. Draw My Bike

10. Donate Hair to Locks of Love

11. Make a Three Layer Cake

12. Make a Bread From Scratch

13. Bike Ten Miles Non Stop

14. Make a Collaborative Postcard

15. Learn About Mask Making

16. Finish Reading Permaculture Handbook

17. Ushili 2013

Daydreaming of the Indigo Tour

The last concert on the Indigo tour finished Saturday for 2012. 

I couldn't make it out this year to see Nevershoutnever in concert,

but that doesn't stop the day dreams.

Here's a treasury of items that I could not resist to make. I daydream 

that any member of the band as they traveled would have or an 

enthusiastic fan on their way to see a show.

Best Wishes.

Reclaimed Anthropology Catalog

Anthropology is an amazing brand, store,
powerhouse, and creative force. Everything
is very well done. Even when the things are
not in my taste, I admire the company's taste.

So I am also a sucker for their beautiful
catalogs. I couldn't bear to throw it out to
the recycling bin. Instead the catalog became
two pamplhelt books. By dividing the catatlog in
sections, it highlights the art that goes into this catalog.

Best Wishes.

Local: Wag

Wag is a small local pet store and spa
in downtown Omaha close to Rosenblatt
Stadium.

It has great healther options of pet foods, treats,
and shampoo four dogs and cats. A huge amount
of goodies and other services to offer.

Its a beautiful shop and Omaha is blessed to have
it. Plus this shop has its own cats and dogs that
easily sweep away any heart.

Best Wishes.

Book Club: Wildwood

Regardless of popular wisedom,
I do judge a book by its cover
(but not people). And I have
to be honost when I say I picked
the book for its red hue.

The wonderful story and delicate
illustrations were a complete surprise.

I cannot recommend this book
enough. Its just so good.

And my hat off to the illustrator.
The work is beautiful.

Best Wishes.

Other People's Art: Cardboard Sculpture

I saw these great cardboard scuplture
around the University of Nebraska
as I head to their library a while ago.
The product of the hard work of
busy scruplture students

I especially love this teapot. It
would be incredible if little stream.
poured out of its sprout. Maybe a
small chunk of dry ice in the sprout
would do the trick, but might be
too wet.

Either way, best wishes.

Snapshots from a Letterpress Studio

Here's some snapshots from a letterpress studio
of the University of Nebraska.

The world of letterpress is quite beautiful.

There's something about beautiful tiny little
letters that have to be put together that is
wonderful.

Best Wishes.

Skill Honing

I believe in skill building. New
skills that push beyond what you
have been able to do so far. New
skills from basket weaving to figuring
out complex algorithms can only enrich
the soul.

I set out in September to understand and
be more capable in the field of graphic design.

This is not my area of expertise which
has made some areas of my life a bumpy road.
But I am so excited about learning the history,
new adobe skills, and just self editing skills.

I might not become a professional designer
but the experience was well worth it.

Cheers to a new skill.

Best Wishes.

Sketchbook Sunday: "Sold My Soul"

Welcome back to sketchbook Sunday.
I miss this little Sunday tradition.
I am thinking about offering some of
these sketches as mini digital prints.
But more of that later.

I am starting to see a pattern. Music is
(especially of Nevershoutnever) is an
constant inspiration for sketches. This is
a hand-lettering inspired by the song "Sellout."

Its a poignant little song about the music
industry, the band itself, and the issue of making
art vs. money and the forced complacency that
comes with that.

Best Wishes + Happy Sunday

Book Club: Poppy

In order to enjoy fall instead of watching fly away, I made a fall bucket

list. Part of my fall bucket list was to reread a childhood favorite book.

As a child, I was much of a reader til the fifth grade when I hit the 

ground running. From that time, I became a reading machine.

 

I totally did not appreciate the pencil illustrations when I was young.

They are wonderful.

Poppy was one of the books from there on I would enjoy. Poppy is the

story of a little unassuming mouse trying to save herself and her family.

I really enjoyed this part of my bucket list. Tempted to reread others.

Now that the fall is over, it is time for a winter bucket list. 

Best Wishes.

I'm Going Down

Fall is in hyper drive right now. In one week, our tree went from full to bare
butt empty. I am not be going down but the leaves sure are. I hope the snow
will take a few weeks to get.

Best Wishes

Fall Morning

This is the view from window a few mornings ago. It is so beautiful and misty
each morning now. I hope you are enjoying your fall.

Best Wishes.

New Paints

I love new paints. Hooray for new supplies.


Best Wishes.

Imperfections

I wanted to share some of my printmaking student 
work. It was my final project for the class. This project 
had its challenges since it required juggling and layering 
two colors or more and the theme of "magic". I wasn't 
happy about the theme, so twisted the sense of the 
word "magic" into the "magic of exploration, childhood, 
and adventure". A very aloof take on this word.

It is a cute and slightly cheesy print. I am not an expert 
at printmaking yet or color.

It was a great note to end the class on.

Best Wishes.

Sketchbook Sunday: Sold My Soul

It is quite obvious who is my favorite band. This 
is another sketch inspired by the song "Sellout" by 
the band  Nevershoutnever. Music is a big inspiration 
for me. And as I continue to explore and experiment 
with hand-lettering and lettering, I love using lyrics as 
content for these experiments.

This sketch is no different.

I guess in a way everyone in the world sells their soul 
(whole or partially) for a paycheck at least once in their 
life. Meanwhile there are others whose whole life is sold. 
I find that bizarre and interesting at the same time.

Best Wishes.

Process: Stone Lithography

Stone Lithography involves a stone (special stone),
chemicals, inks, and elbow grease.

It is fun way to work but it does require a great amount 
of time. This is a print form my first time working with a 
litho stone. I love the print but it was not "gallery ready" 
or "sellable" due to my inexperience. That means I got
fingerprints all over the prints that where decent.

There is a lot of mistakes in this work, but somehow I 
still find it totally beautiful.

Best Wishes.
 

Sketchbook Sunday: Trouble

Another sketchbook Sunday inspired by music. 
This sketch is a twist on the Nevershoutnever
song, "Trouble". I would recommend anybody and 
everybody to listen to this little band from Missouri.

Best Wishes.

Book Club: "The Earth Knows My Name"

"The Earth Knows My Name: Food, Culture, and Sustainability 
in the Gardens of Ethic Americans" by Patricia Klindienst is
beautiful.

Simply beautiful.

It is now my to buy list. It is a perfect read for any history buff, 
gardener, newbie gardener, wanna-be gardener, nature lover, 
permaculture geek, sustainability geek, and anybody that can 
read should love this book.

It is open and sincere. It tells the stories of all types of people. 
From recent immigrants to native Americans to the descendents 
of European immigrants.

It is not a manuel of what to do in your garden, it is an inspiration 
for your garden.

It inspires you to love the land you live on regardless of its size 
or where it is at. It is truly a book worth reading.

Best Wishes.

Local Color: Tiny Shed

I love my city regardless of its imperfections.
During a recent trip to the local zoo, I spotted this little
beauty. The orange faded red color of the wood
is amazing.

Best Wishes

Sketchbook Sunday: Anxious

Worries can be bothersome and a bit overwhelming.

But worrying too much about anything never does

get anything accomplished. Action is the cure to worry.

Best Wishes. 

Cupcake Love

For a good two years, I had a love affair

With this Cupcake shop here in town.

I love the décor, atmosphere of the shop,

I love the cupcakes (the most beautiful

Cupcakes I have ever seen), the coffee,

and chai tea.

Basically I had fallen in love with the

Shop. The shop had become my special treat.

 I think I basically talked people’s ears off about cupcakes. 

But word to the wise, Sometimes good

things must end. The shop started to

change. They got new employees, They

become focused on quantity not quality,

and the straw that broke the camels back:

they change the cupcake recipe. They did

something maybe a shortcut or loss of quality.

The cupcakes were alright not the dreamy

goodness it once was.

Our love affair came to an end. One good

thing that came out of this love affair is

some of my favorite photos of food I have

ever done. Enjoy.

Best Wishes.