Most Inconsistent Blogger Ever: ME!

Sooooo... I have been battling the idea of setting a pseudo-schedule for myself recently, because the craziest thing started happening in December... I GOT BUSY. There were days where I was spending five or so hours just packing and printing orders! Insane. This is what I've been working for and granted I have the holiday season to thank, but it's still amazing. Aside from Etsy orders picking up, a lot of other cool things have been going on around here lately....

On December 1, I did my first arts festival!!

After having a near meltdown (okay... a total meltdown) on Thursday night when my printer started to malfunction, everything came together on Friday and Saturday turned out to be one of the most amazing days ever. Aside from selling some things, I met people who completely blew me over with their encouragement, support, and kind words. Kind of shaking my head sitting here and thinking about it... it was a day the restored my faith in humanity. At least for a while :)

I don't know if the positive energy from that day was recognized by someone or something, but after that is when sales started taking off. Thanks to the amazing thing that is called technology, I was obsessively checking my iPhone constantly for email from Etsy notifying me of a sale. There are probably a lot of people milling about Columbus who witnessed this happening while I was in my car... and there was yelling and fist-pumping involved. And sometimes dancing. 

Also over the past few weeks, I started babysitting once or twice a week for a family who has three boys: they are three, 21 months, and three months. I was feeling like I needed something fun but schedule-based to do to add to my days, preferably something that also paid :) The boys are so sweet and BUSY. Good lord, they keep me on my toes. But I think I started to forget how rewarding it is to spend time with young children. They are like little sponges. I often call things "ridiculous" and the other day when I was trying to explain to the three year old what snow pants are, he shook his head and said, "That's ridiculous." They are so much fun and I'm happy to have them to shake things up... which they are very good at!

Then, I had the honor of doing an interview with Kim of Joyful Roots. Firstly, I must say how incredibly grateful I am to have met her through the amazing online creative community. Even though we have never met in person, I honestly feel like I've known her for ages. She's just one of those people who is a beautiful soul, and you can feel it by reading her words. I mean come on, her website is about adding more joy to your life. It doesn't get more awesome than that! Anyway, she asked some very thought-provoking questions and did an amazing job piecing everything together. You can read it HERE. 

Aside from all that, I've been making new things whenever possible. Here is a new style I have been experimenting with: 

They are really fun to make and kind of almost a zen-like experience. The one on the left is made using bits from wallpaper and pattern books. The one on the right is made from lots of pieces of maps. A perfect cure for my paper obsession!! I'm already scheming up what I can use to make another. A huge one could be really impressive. Or a black and white... decisions decisions.

So many things happening lately. I have another piece being featured somewhere in January, which I hope turns into something great. My mom has quickly become my biggest cheerleader and it's an amazing feeling. I've been doing so much thinking lately about what is important in life, and especially after yesterday's tragedy in Connecticut. Spreading love and joy is such an important thing and we need to surround ourselves with people who agree. If something is making you unhappy, do something to change it. If someone else is unhappy, do something to make their day. One of the random acts of kindness that a complete stranger showed me at the arts festival made my day, weekend, month, year. If you are capable of doing that for someone, do it. We need to stop focusing on the bad and making the good a priority.

Until next time, whenever that may be (hehe), I hope everyone is having a joyous and love-filled holiday season. Ten days until Christmas!!!

Post-Thanksgiving Thangs

Oh my gosh. Where do I even start? So as of last time, I had fallen off the wagon with my 40 Works in 40 Days project... due to stress, worries, self-doubt, blah blah blah. Life is a learning experience and I feel like sometimes we get this picture in our head about how certain things will go. Then when they don't go that way, we get upset. Angry. Disappointed. We dwell. We kick and scream. When I started that project, I envisioned 40 perfect days, creating a new original every day and all the while smiling and knowing that art is what I am meant to do in life. Well, then life happened. But instead of kicking and screaming and feeling like a failure, after many days of not following my plan, I simply started again. Expect the unexpected. When things don't go the way you thought, make it work the way they end up going. Getting mad and frustrated solves nothing. I sometimes babysit for two little girls; they are four and two. Last Saturday when I was watching them, they asked me, "Why don't you get mad?" So I asked them, "Does getting mad fix anything?" And at four years old and two years old, they both actually thought about it and both said, "No." So come on adults, let's remember that.

Anyway,  I rant a lot lately. So last Wednesday, the day before Thanksgiving, I started my project again. Here is Wednesday's (Day 19) piece:

After creating that, I drove home. To my parents' house. To the knowledge that I had to drop the bomb on them that I quit my job back on September 6th in order to pursue a career in art. It was honestly all I could think about. I didn't know when I would tell them, or how. So Wednesday night went by, then Thanksgiving morning, then the cooking of the amazing Thanksgiving dinner that my mom prepares (my mom is the best cook in the world... sorry other moms. she is unbeatable). Then we had dinner. 

Then after dinner, my dad and brothers started clearing dishes as my mom and I talked and the words just flew out of my mouth... "I quit my job." My mom blinked, looked shocked, and said, "What?" And I repeated, "I quit my job." And she said, "Oh... Like this week?" And I said, "No... like on September 6." She asked a couple questions, I gave a couple answers, and she kind of smiled and shook her head and said, "You know what I tell people about you? I tell them you are like the wind. That wherever life takes you, you will make something of it. I don't worry about you." And of course I cried. Like a lot. I don't know why I had all this fear and these doubts and horrible visions of being kicked out of the house on Thanksgiving day. Even though we are different in a lot of ways, my mom is my mom. She knows me in ways that no one else does, in ways that I probably don't even know myself. And she will always support me, no matter what. I love my mom. 

Yeah so I could ramble about that for about 20,000 words, but instead, let's jump to Day 20, which was the Saturday I came back home. Honestly, speaking, I was out of glue and had to improvise on what I was doing. Here is what I came up with:

If anyone is looking for some beautiful music to listen to, check out A Fine Frenzy. My two favorite songs (I am new to them so haven't heard everything) are You Picked Me and Ashes and Wine. Their music is so beautiful and haunting, and they just build and build and build. Great art-making music in my opinion. They are the inspiration for the text in Day 20's work.

Day 21 was Sunday, and after honestly kind of half-assedly drawing a henna-embellished earth, I got an idea for a new piece which I just finished tonight. Here is Day 21:

Okay, yes. I was still out of glue on Sunday. I have never paid such close attention to money and what I spend and what I need as of lately. It honestly makes me wonder what in the hell I used to waste my paychecks on when I was working the 9-5. Again, thing #3423423432 I have learned from quitting my job and doing this. So yeah, no glue. And I really like how little things like that force you to change your process. Because let's face it, I usually glue anything within reach to my work to make it as busy as possible. This was not possible on Sunday. After drawing the earth, little lightbulbs went off and sparked an idea for a new piece. I just finished that piece tonight and I'm not gonna lie... I love it. I don't hang my own art in my home because for some reason it seems weird to me. But I want to hang this print somewhere:

Simply put, most people walk outside to their cars, to the store, to the mailbox, wherever. And they don't notice anything. They just know they are going to the mailbox then going inside. They don't notice that on their way, the leaves on a tree have started to change, or there are baby birds in a nest, or there are particularly beautiful clouds in the sky. There are a countless number of little things that anyone could notice if they would just pay attention and look. The world is so beautiful and whatever I can do to help people to look closer is a win in my book :) 

Of course all this stuff is available in my Etsy shop.

Confessional.

So, remember The Real World? On MTV? I'm not talking about nowadays, where it's full of, um, sexually focused early-20-somethings who look like they just stepped out of a modeling shoot and could really use a sandwich. I'm talking about the early years of The Real World. You know, when the people were... real. And they had that convenient little room where everyone could go and talk to a camera, spill their guts, free their mind: the confessional. I always loved the idea of the confessional, as I think a lot of artists do. For some artists, their work itself is their confessional. They can depict in-your-face pieces that practically scream the point that's trying to be made. Or, they can create a cryptic type of message that only they understand, and that art every art critic who analyzes their work will read a different way. Or perhaps they have art journals. Sketchbooks. Diaries. Places that they can really spill anything, everything, or nothing. And not have to worry about anyone seeing... ever.

I feel like my 40 Works in 40 Days project has been my confessional since I started it. My way on channeling my constant and relentless angst/doubt/worry about whatever the hell it is that I'm doing. I quit a job that had a comfortable salary, one that not only paid my bills but allowed me to have a decent-sized cushion to go out, have dinner, buy drinks, live life. I left that in order to pursue an art career that is still in its infancy with no guaranteed income whatsoever. I did it because it just felt right. It felt like something I was meant to do and I have never been one to question instinct, especially not when it's this strong.

Then last week, well, I fell off the wagon. After day 18, I just kind of stopped. Not because I was out of ideas or because I didn't feel like creating anything; in fact I believe the new prints I added to my Etsy shop over these past few days is as many as four? I can't explain it, but since my reasoning and feelings behind this project were all about perseverance and believing in your dreams, the fact that I was doubting mine created an instantaneous brick wall that stood between day 18 and day 19.... then just didn't budge.

And at first I felt guilty and like a quitter, but now I'm seeing this as just another bump in the road. I guarantee that if you interview any successful artist, their story will have pitfalls. Pitfalls that deserve to be recognized, learned from, and moved on from. If this stuff, going out on a limb and trying to live your dream, was easy then everyone would do it. So cliche, but so true. And not that I wouldn't appreciate the outcome of living my dream if the path in fact was easy, but the fact that it's been so damn hard will make that end results even more amazing.

Uhhh so yes I am being melodramatic. Fully aware. I think I've done more thinking in the past couple months than I have in the past couple years. In any case, I'm picking myself up and dusting off and I'm going to keep going. I'm going to create 40 works in 40 days, they just won't be consecutive! Tomorrow will be day 19. I am going to make some art, then drive home to my parents' house. At some point, I am going to tell them I quit my job to pursue an art career, which they will not be happy about. But it's time to face the music and come clean. This is my dream and I'm not going to be ashamed of it. Then I'm going to eat a lot of amazing food because my mother is arguably the best cook on the face of this planet. Don't even get me started on her gravy; it's to die for. Hopefully she is not too mad at me to let me help her make it like I usually do. Then I'm going to come back to my apartment and my studio and Friday is going to be day 20 and I'm going forward. Where the second half of this will take me? I honestly have no clue. Here's what I know:

1) I am participating in my very first arts festival on December 1; I have my own booth and am SO EXCITED. I even got one of those Squared credit card readers. The thought of mingling with other artists/members of the handmade movement?? Amazing.

2) I'm still looking for a bartending/serving job because the one I got called me Friday saying they overhired and did not need me anyone (example 342342342 of what caused my mental breakdown this past week). But things happen for a reason, and that reason will be revealed at some point.

3) On Sunday I'm meeting the kids of an awesome couple looking for a twice a week nanny. They have three boys, all under the age of three! I worked at a preschool during and after college, so the thought of potentially helping this family makes me crazy happy.

4) I am scared to death to tell my parents about quitting my job. No matter how independent and self-sufficient you are (I'm both to the extreme), you still want your parents to be proud of you. I just want them to understand that I'm trying to do something great.

5) I know that I appreciate the encouragement and support of the people I have met through Blogger, Etsy, Flickr, Instagram, and Facebook more than words could ever say. It makes me get all emotional to talk about it in depth, so just know that I appreciate you. It's an electric feeling that just cannot be described, aside from powerful and surreal. I'm just some crazy 29 year old from Ohio who has some crazy big dreams and an impulsive and intuitive nature... yet there are people who I have never met in person who support me. I'm smiling and shaking my head right now just thinking about it. Thank you.

6) I know it must be close to Thanksgiving because I'm more melodramatic than usual! Hope everyone has a beautiful Thanksgiving, please be safe if you are battling the Black Friday crowds (I will be doing so with a girl I used to babysit when her mom did Black Friday!!), and remember to be thankful for every silly little thing that you can possibly think of :)

These Days

Oh yes, that happy little print is the direct result of me feeding my Photoshop addiction for about three hours today. I have so many scraps of patterns and small illustrations that I have been working on lately (which is awesome... my studio is bursting with art) so why not combine a bunch to make a cute print with a good message? Prints available HERE.

So it's Wednesday. Usually in my mind, Wednesdays were good, especially Wednesday nights. More than halfway through the work week. You can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Now Wednesday is just Wednesday. It's another day, another opportunity, to make something beautiful. I love that.

But... speaking of jobs... I got one. Yes, I bit the bullet and interviewed for a bartending job at a fun Irish pub that's just about a ten minute walk from my apartment. It kind of annoyed me that the ad said that they were hiring bartenders, yet when I was interviewed I was told that everyone has to start as a server first, pretty much to prove themselves. I get that, but say that in the ad. In any case, I'm excited for a lot of reasons. Firstly of course because it will be nice to have a guaranteed source of income that comes from a (hopefully) non-stressful workplace. Secondly, it gets kind of lonely around here sometimes. I see my friends a lot in the evenings, and I love being able to hang out in my yoga pants and paint and draw all day, but I'm a social person and just miss having people to constantly chat with. Thirdly, I honestly miss working in the service industry. Sure it can be thankless work and you get the occasional people who treat you like you are the dirt on the bottom of their shoe, but after a while, that stuff doesn't bother you. So if anyone reading this happens to live in Columbus, you can come and find me at The Three Legged Mare in the Arena District :)

I'm starting to get nervous about Thanksgiving. That's when I'm planning on telling my parents about quitting my job. Maybe they already know; I'm not sure. I may have to tell them before that because I start work on Monday and don't know if I will have to work Wednesday night. Ugh. The fact that a handful of people who I know very well and are generally open-minded individuals have made a few backhanded comments to me about how I'm "not really working" makes me nervous. If they don't understand, how will my insanely conventional parents handle this?

Oh well. Can't worry about that now. All I want to be focusing on is success and doing what I have to do to make this work. 

Days 17 & 18

Wow... it has been a busy weekend. I honestly have not yet started on today's work! It's 12:39am, to technically it's Day 20... whoops :)

BUT, lots of great things have happened. I joined a gym. My will to go running every day has been severely dampened by colder weather (although it was 65 today!!). I am an admitted fair-weather runner. Therefore if it's not early spring or late fall, chances that I actually make it on a run are pretty pitiful. If I am paying for a gym membership (which I probably can't afford, but the gym I joined is only $21 a month... check out Planet Fitness if you are looking for a cheap but non-ghetto gym) then that might be better motivation to actually go. Due to my ramen noodle 100% carbs all day every day diet, my pants have tightened up a bit. Sweet. Hopefully a few weeks at the gym can remedy that issue... since I also cannot afford new pants.

Since it was beautiful outside today, the decision was made to finally pull up all my flowers. This year was a little different though... because last year after my flowers were pulled out, I created this art journal page spread:

It's kind of hard to read, but in the green part at the bottom it says, "I always get so sad when the time comes to pull out my flowers for the season... But today all I could think about was where I'll be when I plant next seasons!" At this time last year, I was already planning on quitting my day job. Wasn't exactly sure how it was going to happen, but I knew that art would make a way. June 1 was the date I had initially made my cutoff date. A summer off sounded lovely :) Of course then life happened, things got delayed, and when I was planting my flowers in May I kept telling myself, "When these babies come out of the ground, my job will no longer be sitting behind a desk for 8 hours a day, fielding complaints, getting bitched at, feeling unsuccessful and stuck... but my job would be sitting in my studio, flourishing. 

So I got a bit emotional today, and did a lot of random smiling too, while I got my garden ready for the winter. While the money definitely is far from flourishing, the art is. I'm going to another interview tomorrow, this time at a really cool Irish pub that is a ten minute walk from my house and in a very safe and nice part of downtown Columbus. My fingers are crossed about this one, something feels right about it. 

Anyway, enough rambling. I need to wrap this up so I can get to work. Here are days 17 and 18....

Day 17

Day 18

Again with the fanciful/embellished/pretty stuff. People can say what they want. I love it all. Give me flowers and lace and jewels any day; that stuff will never disappear from my artwork. Tonight's work will probably look fairly similar, as I have a pile of "leftovers" from the past few days that are begging to be brought to life. Hope everyone had a beautiful weekend, happy Veterans Day to those who have served, and here is to another amazing week of doing our thing, whatever that may be :)

40 Works in 40 Days - Days 14-16

Heeeeere we go....

Day 14. I've been really into portraits lately. When you start exploring the different ways to embellish them, there really are an endless number of possibilities. I've been doing work like this since college; I'm not too sure what it is I love about making them. Perhaps simply a love for fancy things :)

Day 15. I honestly just let this one create itself. Sometimes it's funny to see what the mind comes up with when you just don't think and start working. I wasn't too sure how I felt about it at first, especially after gluing the circles... but then decided to just go with it and that whatever manifests will be beautiful because it was borne from the subconscious. Looking at it now, it seems kind of sad, gloomy, rainy... or maybe calming? Not too sure. Pretty sure tonight's work is going to follow this same idea... just start working and see what happens.

Day 16. This was Thursday, and for whatever reason, that was one of those days where my mind is just all over the place. I took a long, nighttime walk and thought about a lot of things. Then I went out with a friend and partied like a 21 year old. When I was little, I was pretty fascinated with the idea of the phoenix. I was a cheerleader (sshhh... don't tell anyone) and one of the teams from a nearby town (Phoenix, NY) was called "The Firebirds." Their uniforms were orange and black and I remember being sooo jealous of their name because it just sounded really cool. In college, I babysat for a family with two kids who were waaaaay above average when it came to intelligence and both were insanely artistic, especially the older child, Rebecca. I have a drawing from when she was maybe 5 that you wouldn't believe. I should share it sometime. But she was also fascinated with the idea of the phoenix... a bird that burst into flames and then is reborn from its own ashes. It's a cool idea, right? Maybe I'm just a huge dork. But when I sat looking at the fiery colors I had laid down as the background of this page, the subject of the drawing seemed obvious. 

Today is Day 18. Hard to believe I am almost halfway through, and even harder to believe the growing pile of crazy art I have sitting on my table. And even harder to believe that soon it will have doubled in size! 

I love art.

Kitties & Wine

Constantly keeping the creative flow going has my head filled with a million things I want to get down on paper. I have always loved art nouveau/art deco vintage prints, like those of Alphonse Mucha, Leonetto Cappiello, and Henri de Toulouse Lautrec... So I decided to create one of my own featuring two of my favorite things: kitties & wine :)

8 x 10 prints available for $18 HERE

11 x 14 prints available for $25 HERE.