paper wren

Happy 2012

2012-01-08T10:19:00.004-05:00

I am pretty sure I did not have a single blog post in 2011. I am not making any promises that 2012 will be much better, but here I am today with some photos of vintage dresses that I took for my mother-in-law. She wanted pictures before she turned them into a new Communion dress for my niece. My niece will get a dress that is made from her mother and two grandmother's dresses, which brings reduce, reuse, recycle to a whole other level of meaningfulness.

First Frost

2010-12-11T19:07:00.002-05:00

Rockport

2010-11-06T12:47:00.004-04:00

Last weekend my husband and his parents went up to Rockport for the day. It was a beautiful, clear crisp day and being Halloween weekend, and out of season, it was relatively quiet (we didn't have it in us to try Salem). I can't imagine how crowded it gets in Rockport in the summer. It was filled with little shops (literally, small. We felt like giants.) and galleries.

We visited the Rockport Art Association. I really liked the exhibition of Zygmund Jankowski's work. These were two of my favorites:

We walked around, ate veggie dogs (and cheese fries!) at Top Dogs and took some photos. Here are some of my photos from the day:

Dahlias

2010-10-25T06:46:00.001-04:00

I picked up some dahlias yesterday. One of my favorite flowers - they almost glow.

Cozy Sunday

2010-10-24T15:42:00.003-04:00

Vanilla cinnamon black tea and a fresh cider apple donut. My kind of Sunday.

Mirror, mirror

2010-10-17T09:54:00.000-04:00

I felt inspired, by fall, halloween and a poison apple to create a treasury. I was thinking more spooky - Grimm not Disney - Snow White.

Organized

2010-10-16T12:45:00.003-04:00

We finally went through our closet and dressers. We have 2 gigantic bags of clothes to donate, and now my closet doesn't give me an anxiety attack when I open it. So satisfying.

Sweet Holiday

2010-10-11T15:04:00.008-04:00

My husband and I went down to New Jersey this holiday weekend to visit friends. Not only did we get to meet their sweet, baby boy, but we indulged in some seriously good local sweets. We really took advantage of what La Rosa's had to offer. The red velvet cupcake (above) was divine. The frosting was cream or cream cheese based and not-too-sweet, and the cake was fluffy and most.

But the other big star was the ice cream cannoli. I did not think it was possible, but I liked them better than regular cannoli. I can't even describe the deliciousness that was the ice cream filling. You'll have to make the trip yourself. It is well worth it, even if you live hours away. It is probably a good thing I have 4 hours separating me from the La Rosa's.

Friday Find: Whoopie!

2010-10-08T07:04:00.000-04:00

I have Halloween treats on the brain, and these Halloween Whoopie Pies look divine. You can find them in SinnersSaintsSweets's shop. Everything in the shop looks so good - being sinful can't really be that bad, right?

Spooky Greetings

2010-10-07T07:18:00.000-04:00

Halloween is just around the corner, but there is still time to order some spooky postcards. You can purchase these in my shop and spread ghoulish cheer this month.

Sneak Peek

2010-10-06T07:43:00.000-04:00

Here is a little sneak peek of what I have been working on for my shop. In addition to this color combo, I also did some in red and navy. I am excited to finally have something new! They should be ready son.

Yum

2010-10-05T07:20:00.000-04:00

A seriously delicious sandwich. Peanut butter, celery and raisins. It was in Real Simple recently and I couldn't believe I had never thought of it before. So good.

Ink Pot

2010-10-04T07:38:00.000-04:00

I mixed a bunch of ink yesterday. Getting ready to reprint my lace cards in time for the busy holiday season. Keep an eye out, they should be ready in a couple of weeks. Next weekend I'll visiting friends and their new baby boy!

The Nest: Before and After Part 2

2010-10-03T10:56:00.007-04:00

You may remembers, part one of our home project, the bathroom. This spring we finished up work on the kitchen. It is very satisfying to see the before (from the home inspection) and the after. I am glad the ripping up of linoleum, tearing down drop ceilings, sheet rocking, mudding, sanding, painting, and counter instillation are all behind us now. We were very grateful and appreciative of all the help our family gave throughout the project, and I am happy that I finally got to display the lovely gift I received a couple of Christmases ago.

Sale - Help Me Clean House!

2010-09-26T09:35:00.005-04:00

Hello there, you probably thought I had fallen off the face of the earth, or moved to Siberia. But lo and behold, I am still here and I have been working on some new cards.

The house is in order and I have turned my creative energy back to my gocco. Every new card I print is bittersweet for me because it means I have made a new card (yay!) but it also means I have even fewer supplies left (boo!). I was a good pack-rat when the last of the gocco supplies were being sent out, but I will run out eventually and I am still working on my plan B.

But for now, I am in business and I would like to make some room in my shop for my new cards so I am having a sale. Buy 2 get 1 free! For a limited time, buy any two single cards, and get a third single card free. Likewise, buy two packs of cards, get a 3rd pack free. Check it out!

PS - that is just a gratuitous photo of my cat Mr. Sparkles...

May Day

2010-05-16T19:21:00.004-04:00

It was gorgeous today. I saw these while I was walking around Boston. I love spring so much!

Adventures in Stitching

2010-05-14T07:23:00.004-04:00

I made my first little quilt! I hadn't sewed this much since Home Economics, but this winter I fell in love with Moda's American Jane, Recess collection and I had to make something with it. Lucky for me I found out a friend was going to have a baby, so I decided to make a baby quilt for her shower.

I got some help with the backing and binding from my mother in law (Thanks P!). Seriously, fabric is a dangerous thing. Especially the vintage inspired and reproductions of fabric from the 20's, 30's and 40's. Not to mention all the new, bold graphic patterns. If I let myself, I would have a huge stash and I don't even really sew very much!

If anyone else out there has fallen desperately in love with a fabric, I definitely recommend a baby quilt made with charm squares as a great starter project. Here are a few more pics:

Sweet Treat

2010-05-13T22:05:00.004-04:00

I came home to a lovely surprise today and found that a friend sent me a box of macarons from Little Oven for my upcoming birthday. So beautiful and so good! The Caramel Fleur de Sel are divine. Thanks L!

Yes, More Tea

2010-02-21T19:40:00.007-05:00

Before you call me obsessed when it comes to afternoon tea, you should know I am not alone. I found this great resource for sampling tea services around Boston, The Boston Teacup. After reading their review, a friend and I celebrated her birthday in style at the swanky Taj Lounge.

After settling into our decidedly posh surroundings, we enjoyed a wonderful afternoon sipping, chatting and snacking. We were not in the gorgeous sunlit windowed room at the front, but our corner was cozy, and time flew by. They were very accommodating to vegetarians, I gave them a heads up when making reservations.

If you are celebrating a special occasion, be sure to let them know when making reservations. Because it was my friend's birthday, we were treated to complimentary Champagne and a candle lit plate of chocolate desserts along with a mini serenade by the violinist.

My New Etsy Store!

2010-02-04T07:12:00.004-05:00

I decided to try my hand at another shop. PinholePix is now open for business! As you can tell from the name, I will focus on my pinhole photos. I may expand to include some Holga photos too, but I am not sure. Stop by and let me know what you think!

The Minsk

2010-01-30T18:58:00.005-05:00

While trolling around on the internet, my husband Greg discovered this illustration by UK artist Dale Bowers, which is inspired by one of Greg's poems "The Minsk". It is so cool! It is amazing that through the internet artists across the ocean can connect and be inspired in ways that used to be almost impossible. Love it!

I have always wanted to do some kind of companion piece or series of photos inspired by my husband's poems, but haven't yet. I am glad that someone has because they are ripe with images. If you want to read more of my husband's poems, you can read his blog or his book, I Thought I Was New Here.

Clutch

2010-01-23T11:13:00.004-05:00

I just had to share this gorgeous clutch that my very talented cousin made me. He is an excellent knitter and the proud owner of a "Real Men Knit" bumper sticker. He made this felted clutch on his own and worked up a pattern for it that I believe you can find at Knit or Dye in Brattleboro, Vermont. A great shop if you are in the area or want to shop online.

I love the organic lines and square button clasp. Thanks B!

Friday Find: Inspired by Tea

2009-11-27T16:06:00.008-05:00

I have tea on the brain as you can see from my last post, so I decided to pull together some super cute, teapot themed items from Etsy sellers. A great way to spend black Friday, cruising around online (sipping tea of course) instead of in the stores bumping elbows with the crowds.

Check out these seller's shops because all three have really great stuff and offer plenty of potential gifts for the upcoming holidays!

Mini Wall Hanging Clock - Tea Pot by decoylab

Teapot by sollinero

Silver Tiny Whimsical Teapot Studs by ANORIGINALJEWELRY
(free shipping through 11/30!)

Afternoon Tea

2009-11-22T20:35:00.007-05:00

Today we had some friends over for afternoon tea. I have been dying to make it since I enjoyed the full spread with a friend at our nearby tea house. And of course, who could forget the Four Seasons back in March?

I would like to say I made everything from scratch, but I am no Martha Stewart. I made the sandwiches and bought the baked goods. It was a great way to spend the afternoon, snacking, sipping tea and talking. I highly recommend it. It is such a fun excuse for gathering and trying new things. I'm hooked.

The Nest: Before and After

2009-11-17T07:33:00.001-05:00

I have finally gotten to a point where I can start to show some before and after photos of our place. I figure I have been using the house as an excuse for not blogging and printing, so I better show that I haven't been sitting on my duff this whole time.

The bathroom is officially done. We had a professional (well, more like semi-professional as we found out) do the tile floor. But the rest was done by me and the team (my husband and I have gotten help from all of our parental figures - thank you!).

The kitchen is the next big project and there are all sorts of finishing touches in the other rooms, I will keep you posted!

Fall Pinhole Photos

2009-11-15T08:07:00.004-05:00

A while back, when we were at Carter Hill Orchard, I took a lot of pinhole photos. It has been rainy and cloudy for a few days and seeing the blue skies and bright sun makes me wish we weren't just starting to get into the cold, winter weather, and that spring was just around the corner.

Yikes, it's going to be a long winter. At least we have a cozy place and a cozy kitty to help us survive the long winter days. Anyway, here are a few pinhole photos from the orchard, you can see the rest on flickr.

Season of Donuts

2009-11-14T16:13:00.005-05:00

In my absence I have been very busy. Eating donuts. We went to Wilson Farms for fresh cider donuts, not once, not twice, but weekly for about 6 weeks. Lucky for me, the craving has largely passed (or at least I can occasionally say no when we are there for produce). Here are a few photos of the glorious donuts and other fall ephemera there. Mmmm, donuts...

Wedding Suite

2009-09-22T07:07:00.000-04:00

Over the summer I made a set of invitations, response cards and thank you cards for a friend. I showed you the save the date a long time ago. The invitations were the last thing I printed before moving and I have not printed anything since.

I am in the process of setting up my printing space in the basement and have been thinking about some designs. But honestly, all my creative energy has been going into the house. We are nearly done with the bathroom. Just one more coat of paint on the trim, and some last finishing touches. I can't wait to share some before and after shots!

So, since I haven't done anything new lately, I can at least share my last big project with you.

Apple Picking Heaven

2009-09-20T18:48:00.004-04:00

Saturday was the most gorgeous day for our annual trip to the orchard. There were so many apples! I have never seen such an amazing crop. It even looked like some trees/branches broke under the weight of the apples. We also came across two beautiful plum trees.

My husband and I roamed around the grounds and I took a lot of pinhole photos. I ended up taking 6 rolls this weekend and you will see some of them in the next week or so.

Anyway, here are some regular photos from the day. I wish every day could be like Saturday - sunny, breezy, and rounded out with giant homemade peanut butter cookies...

Brimfield Antiques

2009-09-19T07:05:00.001-04:00

Last weekend I went to the Brimfield Antique Show. It is so massive it is a little overwhelming, but if you relax and realize you can't possibly see everything, it's fun to just explore.

This is the second time I have gone and both times I have gone on the last day of the week-long event. If you are not scoping out a specific rare and hard to find piece, I don't think it is necessary to wait in line on the opening morning. On the last day the vendors really want to get rid of what they have left rather than lugging it back with them, so you can find some good deals.

I did buy a large white pitcher and washing bowl, which I love. Other than that I just took some photos, had some fried dough, and enjoyed hanging out with my mom and a friend.

Seattle: Art

2009-09-18T09:37:00.014-04:00

My final installment of my Seattle trip round up is about some of the great art I saw while in Seattle.

One of my absolute favorites was at Suyama Space. It was Andreas Bee's work - Raumgreifend

When I first walked in and saw the light, moon jelly like pieces floating in air with the sun streaming into the gorgeous space - it was almost magical.

I was also lucky to tour a space that is not usually open to the public and saw Dale Chihuly's boathouse where his crew blows the glass for his pieces. The workshop ran like a well oiled machine and was impeccably clean and organized. It was also a treat to see site specific work installed around the boathouse in addition to some of Chihuly's collection of Americana and other art.

Glass rods for coloring glass.

A site specific installation in the corner of the studio.

Molds for shaping the glass.

Instillation detail.

Another detail.

Lap pool with installations above and in the pool.

Gigantic 96 foot long table made from a solid piece of wood with tons of Chihuly chandeliers overhead.

I also very much enjoyed the Settle Art Museum, the Olympic Sculpture Park, and the Seattle Public Library.

Another highlight of my trip was learning to "crochet" with Mandy Greer and helping make a river. I say "crochet" because it was lucky for me that Mandy didn't mind, lumpy, holy bits in the piece. Her project Mater Matrix Mother and Medium sounded like such a great project that invited anyone to contribute and used art to draw attention to an environmental issue. I am bummed I did not get to see the actual installation myself.

All in all I really enjoyed Seattle and look forward to going back someday. There are more Seattle pics on Flickr.

Seattle: Food

2009-09-03T06:48:00.007-04:00

Fair food, market food, street food - call it what you will, I love it all. I am a sucker for food from a stand or a stall. Which is part of the reason 90% of my meals were had near Pike Place Market, which had a nice mix of stalls and restaurants. But also, if like me you are short on time and short on cash it is a good place to be. Here is my "best of" food list at or near the market, in no particular order:

1. The "world's best" mac and cheese at Beecher's. While I don't know if it is the world's best, it was really, really good and had a little red pepper or something to give it a lift out of the ordinary.

2. One of the lightest, fluffiest, airiest croissants I have had in a long while from Le Panier.

3. A maple butter smothered crumpet and good Irish tea from The Crumpet Shop. A perfect way to start a cool, grey morning!

4. Piroshky Piroshky! This was probably my favorite. The potato, cheese and onion filled piroshky was completely divine. Potato filled bread. How can you go wrong?

5. Gelato from Bottega Italiana. I loved mixing Pannacotta with anything citrusy. It was like a rich, fancy creamsicle. I am pretty sure I had gelato every day, and twice on at least one day. It is a good thing I was walking a lot.

6. Veggie Combo at Pan Africa Market. A delicious arrangement of cabbage and potato stew, red lentil stew, curried split peas, greens, carrots & green beans served with injera. I really wanted to try the curried corm but knew I couldn't eat that and my combo. The food was good and the price was great. The same dish would have cost me almost twice as much at home.

As you can see, I ate very well in Seattle. If I go again I hope to spend more time in the neighborhoods surrounding the downtown. This time I had limited time and a limited ability to get around. That leaves me something to look forward to (aside from another piroshky!).

Seattle: Market

2009-09-02T07:13:00.002-04:00

Pike Place Market was crowded and touristy, but like everyone else there I fell in love with the stalls filled with fresh produce and gorgeous flowers. The market also ended up being one of my go to places for lunch, but more on that later. I don't know if peonies always grow in the Northwest, or if it was their season, but there were millions at the market when I was there in June.

Here are some photos that I took. There are more on flickr.

Greetings From...

2009-09-01T07:05:00.005-04:00

Aside from a week recently spent at the shore, my summer "vacation" wasn't actually a vacation at all. It was probably one of the busiest summers of my life with work, moving, remodeling, and everything else. One of the highlights though was going to Seattle for 5 days for a conference.

I had never been to Seattle and was very happy to have the chance to go. My intention was to post every night from the hotel, but if you have been to a conference you know how busy they keep you and how wiped out you can be at the end of the day.

Luckily I did have time to explore the downtown area at least and I took a bunch of photos. So the next three posts will be: Market, Food and Art. Below is my obligatory tourist shot of the space needle. When traveling, I embrace my inner tourist...

Long Lost Summer

2009-08-31T19:28:00.004-04:00

After a hiatus of, oh 3 months, I have returned. I told myself that I would keep up with the blog during my move and everything else the summer threw at me, but alas, I did not. So picking up where I left off, I wanted to share some pinhole photos I took in the spring of the flowering trees before the fall completely takes over. You can see more on my flickr account.

Then, while kids everywhere go back to school, I will join them in their first essay assignment and over the next few days I will share with you what I did over my summer "vacation."

Library Cards

2009-05-23T09:09:00.005-04:00

Links:
Poeteic Home
Catalog of Love
Card Generator

Good Enough to Eat

2009-05-04T21:59:00.004-04:00

Every so often I browse through the numerous and talented Somerville artists and crafters on Etsy. Today I found ConfectionaryClay and it was love at first sight. I adore the shapes and scalloped edges, the delicate imprinted patterns, and the sweet colors. I can picture serving afternoon tea in a bright, sunny room when I look at the dishes. Sigh.

Visit her shop and support my local economy!

Moving Sale!

2009-04-30T10:08:00.006-04:00

I love danitashop's Moving Away print, check out her other lovely creations in her shop.

Her print is the perfect inspiration for me right now because in order to get ready for the move I am having a buy 1 get 1 sale in my Etsy shop.

After May 15th I will be closing the shop for about 6 to 8 weeks to settle in to the new place and hopefully work on some new designs. In the mean time, come buy and help make my move easier!

Treats from the Yucatan

2009-04-25T10:28:00.014-04:00

Lorena of Hungry Gringos has finally returned from Mexico. And she came home bearing gifts! I was so happy to get a package last week that contained a number of treats from Yucatan. This embroidered panel was one lovely gift, and then there were the edible gifts.

I already ate the Língua de gato and I think the packaging might have been the best part about them anyway. But last night I cooked up my fresh from the field gift of squash seeds.

I tossed the seeds with olive oil, salt and pepper and then baked in the oven. They were warm, delicious, and addictive when they came out of the oven and they made noises like Rice Krispies as they cooled. My husband and I ate about a million before looking up the nutritional value. At least I got 150% of my protein at the same time as 150% of my fat!

The other charming and old world treat in my care package was an adorable package of table chocolate. I haven't tried it yet, I'll have to wait for a cool night to curl up with a cup of hot cocoa.

Thanks so much for all the great gifts Lorena! I am glad you are home, happy and healthy! I am about to brew the hibiscus tea to enjoy iced today...

The big plans this weekend include checking out paint colors and floors at Home Depot, and hopefully taking some pinhole photos of the flowering trees before they are gone for another year.

Through the Pinhole

2009-04-23T19:53:00.004-04:00

Over the long weekend we were in Pennsylvania visiting family and I took advantage of the time and weather and took some pinhole photos of our environs. Here are a few of my favorites, you can see more here.

Where I've Been and Where I'm Going

2009-04-11T15:57:00.004-04:00

OK, I know it has been a long time since I have posted. You probably thought you would never hear from me again. I have all sorts of excuses about why I have been too busy to write, but the only one worth sharing is that my husband and I just bought a place to live in Waltham, MA.

The photos above were taken during the inspection (with the current owner's stuff still in it). We are very excited. It is technically a condo, but it is really just half of a two family that we will own separately from the downstairs neighbor. It is 100 years old and very charming. I can't wait to paint and pull up the carpet, etc.! We are super excited.

We close in mid May and will move in June some time, so I may disappear a lot this spring and summer, but rest assured I will post a lot of before, during and after photos. It has been crazy, but now I feel like it is really happening and can safely daydream about redecorating.

La Vie en Rose - Yvette Inufio

2009-03-30T07:33:00.004-04:00

I can't get over how gorgeous Yvette Inufio's photostream is. The above mosaic is just one of her amazing sets, called La Vie en Rose. I also love her set of Still Lifes at Home. Best of all - she also has an Etsy shop. This is my absolute favorite photo. If all goes well, we will be moving in a few months (more on that later). I might need to get a print as a house warming present for myself!

"Friday" Find - Kelly Neidig

2009-03-28T21:10:00.004-04:00

I love all of Kelly Neidig's paintings in her Etsy shop kelcan. I generally love square art, whether it is a photo or painting- a square is infinitely more satisfying to me than a rectangle. Add to the shape the gorgeous colors and the subject matter and my heart goes pitter patter.

Creek

Incoming

Canary

I Thought I Was New Here

2009-03-21T20:55:00.013-04:00

I can't express how excited I am that my husband's first book of poetry is coming out this year! It is being published by BlazeVox Books and now has a page on their site.

I helped my husband set up his blog/website today, where you can find most of his poems, reviews, and information about the book. Now, instead of a running list of his work on my sidebar, you will see a new button that will take you right to his site. In addition to his site, I also got to design the cover of the book using a photo from NASA that my husband liked, which was so much fun.

I will keep you up to date about the progress of the book. It will be on Amazon and some other places when it comes out. I can't wait to hold it in my hands!

Friday Find - Liz Mathews

2009-03-20T22:02:00.008-04:00

I love these! Clean lines, bright colors and modern, nature inspired graphics. Perfect. These gems are from Liz Mathew's shop.

Clockwise from top left: Field Teardrop Pendant, Vines Teardrop Earrings, Scallop Oval Pendant

And she's having a spring sale, 40% off!

Day Tripping - Salem

2009-03-17T19:37:00.009-04:00

While the rest of the country celebrated St. Patrick's Day today, here in Boston we observed Evacuation Day which meant no work for me! my husband, his mom and I went up to Salem, Mass to poke around and enjoy the bright (yet brisk) day.

I took this photo in Derby Square Bookstore. Stacks and stacks of books filled every inch of space, with just a trail through the piles. We walked away with 4 half priced books and a 5th free book. There is just a little crack between the books to make your purchase. A must-visit for any bibliophile visiting Salem.

In addition to shopping, we did a little historic site seeing. We went to the burying point and saw some very old graves. The skull and wings was a very popular motif. That and vases with willow branches.

We has some lunch (I got a great sweet potato and caramelized onion soup) and popped into the gift shop at the Peabody Essex Museum, but were too out of steam for a full visit. Next time. You can see some more salem photos in my photostream.

Back to work tomorrow. I love evacuation day. Funny how it happens to fall on St. Patty's day in a city where 20% of the population claims Irish heritage (the most in any city in the country). What a coincidence! ;)

Afternoon Cuppa

2009-03-16T18:00:00.010-04:00

Just for fun, me, my husband and his mom went to have the afternoon tea at the Four Seasons in Boston since she was visiting. We all love tea, and I am crazy for tiny sandwiches. It was super fancy and extravagant, but so much fun.

There were scones and banana bread on the top plate, which I meant to photograph as well, but I was flustered because right before the food came, Dwyane Wade walked in and sat down at a table near us. Now, obviously I am a Celtics fan (even though I don't watch a ton of basketball) but Dwyane Wade is one of my favorite non-Celtic players and I stared at him with my jaw on the table as he walked by, completely star struck and bright red. I guess if you are going to bump into a celebrity it would be at the Four Seasons.

Anyway, after deciding not to bother him while he ate I refocused my attention on the amazing tea treats. There are some more photos of the tea sandwiches and amazing desserts below. If you have a birthday or special occasion coming up, I highly recommend finding a fancy pants hotel that serves afternoon tea to celebrate. It feels like a real treat!

Pinhole Happy

2009-03-15T21:13:00.006-04:00

These are a couple pinhole pictures I took last weekend. It has been a while since I used my pinhole camera. I broke it out because I have been in a card funk and haven't liked any of my designs lately so I thought doing something different might help.

It was fun walking around my mom's house taking pictures. Sometimes the snow was up to my knees if I fell through all the way. Now most of it must be gone, thankfully. For years all I did was take photos, and then I got to a point where I was so critical of myself, such a perfectionist, and put so much pressure on myself that I couldn't take pictures anymore. It became so cerebral it wasn't fun. It was like I strangled the creativity out of me when it came to photography.

What is that anyway? I am better now about creative stuff now and take it easy on myself, but I am just now getting back to photography a bit. It is fun again, which is nice. Have any of you ever done that? Over thought your art and/or craft so you just had to walk away for a while?

Anyway, you can see more pinhole photos at my flickr photostream. I will be working on some wedding photos to match the save the dates I did recently, and I am excited about them. That will also help get me out of my card funk. That and spring!

Talking 'Bout My Jen-eration

2009-03-09T21:29:00.016-04:00

I just got around to catching up on a few blogs and saw Design*Sponge's post on jen11. I found this particularly interesting:

...each artist will be sharing their work, as well as contributing to a visual dialogue about this particular generation of women born with the same name (more than a million children were named jennifer in the course of 15 years, leading business publications to refer to them as “the jennifer demographic”)

I had no idea I was "part" of a demographic. I knew there were a lot of Jennifers. The name Jennifer was the most popular name in 1978, the year I was born. But I am not a Jennifer I am a Jenifer. The answer to the prompt "First name?" given by the pharmacist/customer service representative/phone company/etc is "Jennifer with one n" and then I wait for them to back up and delete that second n which they automatically typed when they heard Jennifer.

I am simultaneously of a group but set apart. Its an odd sensation, maybe only because my name is a derivation of such a popular name. When I asked my mom why one n, she said she just wanted my name to be different. The irony which I point out is that in being different she picked the most popular name of my generation and took out one letter. But it makes me smile thinking of it. I can almost see it as a desire by her for me to be someone that would fit in and be well liked, but just unique enough to stand out from the crowd.

I like my name, despite spellcheck telling me it's wrong every time. And surprisingly I am not the only one with one n. There is even one in the jen11 show, Jenifer Altman. I have met at least one other Jenifer in person and, oddly enough, there is a hallmark across the street from my work called "Jenifer's Hallmark Shop." I was so excited the first time I saw it I went in and I asked the woman behind the counter if she was Jenifer with one n. She was not. Nor were the other three women I have asked since. But I still hold out hope.

So what's in a name? What's in a name that is simultaneously rare and shared by a demographic? I don't know for sure, and in the end it may not make too much of a difference since everyone knows me as Jen. And that is something I do share with jen11 and all the other Jennifers. Unless of course you're a Jenn. Jenn with 2 n's? Now that just doesn't make any sense ;)

PS - given that one of the three show locations is in New Hampshire, my home state and current neighbor to the north, you can bet I will be checking it out this April. It looks like a great show!

Friday Find - Sick/Feel Good

2009-03-06T16:51:00.007-05:00

Todays finds reflect my current state and my aspirations for the near future. They are my yin and my yang, they are yellow, and they are both very fun.

Sick Plate from trixie delicious

Feel Good pill bottle from LoucheLab

Lemonade Award!

2009-03-05T19:26:00.003-05:00

I have had a bit of a challenging week. I am sick, work has been busy, and I have not been wearing my crafty pants. But on Tuesday, Kerry at tryst totally made my day by awarding my blog a lemonade! Yay! Thanks so much, that was the boost I needed to bet my but in gear and back into my crafty pants.

Rules for the award:
1. Put the logo on your blog or post.
2. Nominate 10 blogs that show attitude and/or gratitude.
3. Be sure to link to your nominees within your post.
4. Let them know they have received this award by commenting on a post.
5. Nominate your favorites and link to this blog.

Now to spread the love...
CarrieCan - inspiring design observations
The Peach Tree - gorgeous jewelry and impeccable taste
poetic home - vintage decor inspiration
The Hungry Gringos - adventures in food and tasty recipes
oline in the city - witty and wry observation
oh, hello friend - lovely finds and designs
Celestefrittata - beautiful bookbinding
The View From Here - curator of craft and art
Oh So Beautiful Paper- everything paper
tryst - pretty things that make everyone smile
I don't know if I am allowed to nominate my nominator, but I am doing it anyway ;)

Thanks to Kerry for the moral boost and to all the people I am nominating for providing daily inspiration!

Printing Away the Winter Blues

2009-03-01T14:57:00.003-05:00

After not doing any printing for almost a month, I got back to business and printed a friend's save the dates today. On yet another grey day with 10 to 15 inches of snow in the forecast (after all the snow had just about melted!) printing these bright and fun cards cheered me up.

Every year I forget how tired and gloomy I am by the end of winter. These cards reminded me that brighter, sunnier times are ahead.

Tilt Your Shift

2009-02-28T15:54:00.011-05:00

I learned about tiltshiftmaker.com on Modish yesterday and had to try it with some of my photos. So fun! Don't they look like miniatures? The boats kill me. You have to try it.

OK, I'm messing with you, the third photo is actually of a miniature room. All this talk of miniatures reminded me how awesome the Thorne Miniature Rooms at the Art Institute of Chicago are. My mom took this photo there when she was visiting me once. Check out these other tiny rooms. Another thing I will go see when we finally get to go back to Chicago. Hopefully soon!

"Friday" Find - dozi workbooks

2009-02-21T21:04:00.005-05:00

I have not been the most regular blogger of late. It has been a busy month or so and I haven't been able to spend as much time as I would like on crafty things. But my day-late Friday Find was made easy when I saw dozi's workbooks on Etsy's front page yesterday.

I am not sure how I have not seen her shop sooner, I love everything in it. All the products truly are simply delightful. These sets of three workbooks are sublime. I couldn't decide which I liked better, sea or field. Hmmm, how about all of the above! They would be perfect to have on hand as last minute gifts, or to just covet yourself.

The House pocket jotter - summer is also too cute! Be sure to check out dozi if you haven't already.

Natural Fit

2009-02-16T19:00:00.008-05:00

I finally made it to the Harvard Museum of Natural History over the weekend. I was really looking forward to seeing the glass flowers and the sea creatures in glass and wasn't disappointed.

The above is a photo I took of a snail shell. The funny thing is I was so excited to see as much as possible I forgot to check and see if it was real or if it was glass. You wouldn't think it would be so hard to distinguish between the two, but the amazing thing about these pieces of art/science is that it is truly impossible to tell. The flowers are botanically accurate beyond comprehension. You can only wonder at the mind and creative focus that could create them.

Here are some photos that in no way do them justice. For a real close look (if you can't make it to Cambridge to see them) I recommend The Glass Flowers at Harvard.

And here is one of the glass jellyfish:
You have to go see them all yourself if you are ever in town. Sunday mornings are free for MA residents, but be prepared for a crowd. You can see some more photos in my photostream.

New Favorite - Greenward

2009-02-10T07:42:00.006-05:00

On Sunday, when it warmed up to a balmy 50 degrees, my husband and I went for a long walk. While walking we stumbled upon a great new store on Mass Ave in Porter Square, Greenward. It is filled with gorgeous, modern eco-friendly products. From coasters made out of reused tile to children's toys made out of recycled plastic. And they have a wonderful selection of cards.

The photo above is from their website. You should visit the store at 1764 Mass Ave or online. I have a new go to for gifts! See what happens when it is warm enough to venture outside, I find all sorts of new things.

Lovely Owls

2009-02-08T10:55:00.002-05:00

My husband and I went back to Portsmouth this weekend to visit our friends B and E. B has the cutest collection of vintage owls!

Friday Find - Miniature Chicago

2009-02-06T07:40:00.005-05:00

I have not posted much this week. It was one of those weeks at work that's completely draining. I haven't had much going on upstairs except "get through this week," "I'm tired," "uhg" and I knew you didn't want to read 5 posts about that. The other thing on me and my husband's mind lately is going back to Chicago for a mini vacation. That is where we met and we have been swept up in nostalgia lately.

Since we won't be going anytime soon, and I needed to escape right now, I was thrilled to find James Spicer's alluring Miniature Chicago Neighborhood Scenes. These are three photos from his set of 5. Check out all his other great, tiny worlds.

I want to be there now. Oh well, at least it's Friday.

Pretty Polaroids

2009-02-03T07:14:00.002-05:00

I love these gorgeous polaroids from kristiana parn's photostream.

Chambers Street, NYC

Autumn Flowers

Finally on Flickr

2009-02-02T07:30:00.002-05:00

OK, so it took me a while, but now I have a photostream on Flickr. I spent the day uploading older photos, and I am pretty much caught up now. From here on out you'll see new photos of my Etsy stuff and my other adventures. Visit me at flickr.com/photos/paperwren.

This is a photo of my Remington (pre cleaning) that you will see on Flickr along with some other shots of it.

Bread Pudding

2009-02-01T11:18:00.004-05:00

I mentioned yesterday that my husband and I were going day-tripping up to York, Maine and Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Well, we didn't make it to York because we were short on time, but we did cross over the border into Kittery to visit When Pigs Fly Bakery.

Even though there is a location just up the road from us in Davis Square, it always feels like a treat going to the Kittery location. We got some delicious olive bread, seeded multigrain, and a special treat - blueberry lemon bread pudding.

The bread pudding tastes as good as it looks. It is dense and moist and not too sweet. This morning I took it to the next level and whipped up some whipping cream with a little sugar and vanilla. Oh, sweet, sweet bread pudding. It is a good thing you are so small in size or else I would be in trouble. Plus I have to save room for Super Bowl junk food tonight. I am making vegetarian cilli nachos. I will be rolling out of this weekend into the coming week.

Good Sunday Morning

2009-02-01T09:07:00.003-05:00

I was very excited to find my red and pink "you float my boat" card on the front page of Etsy this morning! It always makes me so happy!

Progress

2009-01-31T09:25:00.005-05:00

One month into the new year, I think I am about 1 and a half resolutions into my five crafty resolutions. This week, on the same day I broke 100 sales and 400 hearts on Etsy. Selling 100 things before March was one of my goals, it felt good to do. Maybe I will try to sell 200 things in my second year on Etsy. It might be a little dangerous picking a resolution that is partly out of my hands. I can make all the cards I want, but I can't necessarily make a horse drink.

I think I will work through The Etsy Seller Handbook to see if there is anything I can do to attract customers or improve my shop. This ties in to one of my other resolutions, reorganizing my shop. That is my half. I have re-photographed some items, made a sale section, and as some listings expire, I will make some other small changes.

I think I will also have a crazy sale to celebrate my 1 year anniversary on Etsy in March, I will keep you posted. For now I am off to some of my favorite places - York, ME and Portsmouth, NH.

Cards for a Song

2009-01-24T10:04:00.009-05:00

I am working on my new year's resolutions, slowly chipping away at them each weekend, and have been organizing my Etsy shop. I have a new sale section where you can find some cards for a song.

Speaking of deals, gypsy and twink is offering seven (yes seven!) adorable lithographed owl cards for $10.00! What a deal! I am desperately trying to come up with a witticism involving hooting (cards for a hoot?) but it is a little too early on a Saturday morning, and I will spare you all this time...

Friday Find - Simmer

2009-01-23T07:30:00.004-05:00

Primordial elements stewing. My high-school lab project on diatoms. Lichen, rain drops and fungus. All of this comes to mind when looking at yellena's art. Especially my favorite print, Simmer.

I love the incredible detail and colors. Be sure to visit yellena's shop. I just bought my 2009 calendar from her, I can't wait to get it!

My Poor Tooth

2009-01-22T18:05:00.005-05:00

I just had a very long and arduous root canal. According to the dentist my 4 roots were long and lean like me. While I appreciated the compliment, I was really wishing they were short and stumpy. I have feeling back in my face now, and am on the road to recovery. I'm just glad it is over.

Etsy is the best distraction from pain. So, in honor of the ordeal, and since I have teeth on the brain, I found these adorable little Tooth Fairy Tooth Pillows in VetrinaGirl's shop. These teeth definitely look much more cuddly than mine. Check out the other cute items in her shop!

New Freebies - Gift Tags!

2009-01-21T07:30:00.002-05:00

One of the many fun things about Etsy, is that often when you buy something you get a free little gift with your purchase. I had been printing out little business card sized thank you cards, with tiny envelopes. But, I was glad that I ran out recently because I really didn't like them (hence no photo of them).

For Christmas I bought my husband a card from sushipot. I was inspired by the cute little freebie she included in my purchase. It was a little gift tag punched out of a bit of vintage ephemera.

When I print cards, I almost always end up with a few that are not quite good enough to sell. Whether it be because on spot smudged, a bare spot in the print, or that I printed the card upside-down (it happens more than I'd like to admit), I have been accumulating less than perfect cards for quite some time.

Now we get to the "ah ha" moment. I decided to make use of these cards by punching them out into tags and including them as the freebie with purchases. Something free for my buyers and I get to reduce, reuse and recycle - it's a win win! These are a couple of the tags I made this weekend:

Bits of my "You float my boat" card.

Bits of some wedding invitations.

President Obama!

2009-01-20T18:15:00.011-05:00

No, I am not in DC getting ready for an inaugural ball. But today made me wistfully remember April of 07 when I saw Obama speak in Boston and got to shake his hand. Twice. I am really tall and so is he so we shook hands over a mass of crushed undergrads. I caught him at the beginning of the line and then one more time for good luck at the end of the line. This is a photo I took during my encounter.

Today was amazing. At work I helped organize a pizza/viewing party. The internet was overloaded and so we ended up listening 1930's style around a radio. I made some truly patriotic cupcakes for the occasion.

I have never been so proud of this country or so hopeful for the future. Hearing the national anthem was more meaningful today than ever before. Now let's get to work!

---------------------------------
PS- Be sure to read Skinny laMinx's post about Shine-Shine's commemorative Obama cloth. I followed a link from that post to another commemorative cloth posting of hers and learned a lot about the tradition of African commemorative cloths in politics. Very cool and very interesting. Thanks Skinny laMinx!

New Card - Valentine's Day

2009-01-19T16:54:00.004-05:00

I have a new card up in my shop.

Ask someone to be your funny valentine!

ICA Between the Acts

2009-01-18T14:01:00.004-05:00

Last week my husband and I went to the free Thursday Night at the ICA. I love the building and the space, the only bad thing was that we picked a night between main exhibits. They were taking down the Tara Donovan and didn't have the Shepard Fairey up yet.

So we ate ate the cafe and then explored the permanent collection. I have been before and as always, my favorite was Cornelia Parker's Hanging Fire. This is a photo of it by Charles Mayer from the ICA's website. It is really stunning up close, it is fire frozen and suspended.

I have a very love hate relationship with some contemporary art sometimes. I guess my internal response is that if the description is more interesting to me than the piece itself, then I don't find that piece as successful as others where the reverse is true.

I want to go back soon and see the Fairey exhibit. Next time I also want to get a fancy dessert from the cafe. Food and art, you can't go wrong.

Friday Find - Queen Anne's Lace

2009-01-16T20:18:00.005-05:00

Wow. Has it really been a week since my last post? How did that happen? I had more good intentions than I knew what to do with, and at least three things I wanted to blog about, but daily life got the best of me. I think this 3 day weekend and a new president will help recharge my batteries.

Anyway, I fell in love with this fabric the moment I saw it. Gorgeous...

It is Queen Anne's Lace by Cicada Studio. Really, all of her fabric designs are beautiful. Be sure to see the others in her shop.

I think I am back on the blog wagon, so check back soon for some more posts.

Friday Find - Emma Klingbeil

2009-01-09T07:30:00.008-05:00

I love, love, love Emma Klingbeil's art. I usually feature an item in a seller's shop for the Friday Find, but I couldn't pick just one so I decided to feature several of her pieces. They speak to me in dream language, or some kind of vague childhood memory of a story that was read to me as I was falling asleep.

And I love the people and animal's tiny teeth.

Check out her Etsy shop and website. These are three of my (many) favorites...

The Mycologist

My Junkyard Robot

Sending a Letter

Blue Cape Cod

2009-01-07T07:50:00.003-05:00

I was at the Cotuit Center for the Arts yesterday and saw the Arts Foundation of Cape Cod's exhibit ROY G BIV. The exhibit features over 50 artists, and there were many wonderful pieces. But one of them stuck with me and I am still thinking about it now.

John Dowd's piece (I think it was called Summer Night) was really amazing. It was of two cottages next to each other on a summer night, and you could just tell there were some lights on inside. But what was amazing was the atmosphere of the painting. You could smell the air, feel it, almost hear the sounds. It reminded me of renting tiny little cabins in York, Maine in the summer and after a day at the beach, the cabin was quiet and cozy. I'd have on PJ's and have that happy, worn-out feeling after a day of swimming.

I couldn't find the exact painting online, but I found this similar painting, Summer Night, East End, on the William Scott Gallery's website. They have a lot of his work, you should check it out. All of his paintings have an amazing quality of light. You can really feel the place in them.

A New Year

2009-01-06T07:30:00.002-05:00

A new year means new resolutions. This year I have a few crafty resolutions:

Reorganize and clean up my Etsy shop (and re-photograph some items)
Sell 100 hundred items by my 1 year Etsy anniversary
Try a new art/craft (traditional screenprinting?)
Take one of the classes I have been thinking about taking
Make time to design/print at least once a week

I think that should keep me busy in 2009. Do you have any crafty resolutions you'd like to share?

Sweet Christmas

2009-01-05T09:32:00.015-05:00

Christmas was a while ago, I know, but I am finally back among the blogging and back home unpacking. I had a great Christmas with my husband, family and friends. We were in New Hampshire, Pennsylvania and New Jersey over 11 days. I am definitely spoiled and got more great stuff than I can mention here (books, a beautiful wrap, a sweet card, etc.), but I wanted to share some of the handmade and vintage items I received. I am one lucky lady!

My mom gave me this vintage turquoise bird cage and a Remington Rand Model 1 1930's typewriter (like this one). The typewriter is in the black case under the birdcage, it is for me and my husband since he is a writer. I am bringing it in for cleaning and repairs today and will post some before and after photos later.

My mother-in-law gave me one of my favorite prints - melissakate's Colorful Kingfisher Linocut. I can't wait to frame it and hang it. She also gave me some beautiful earrings from Cymbaline's Designs. She has given me a number of earrings from her shop and they are all well worn.

My sister-in-law gave me a handmade purse featuring these sweet little fabric yo-yo's and my 3 and 1/2 year old niece painted this little birdhouse for me. So cute!
When we were visiting our friends L and J from Hungry Gringos we were well fed and well gifted. L gave me a gorgeous canvas print she found at an estate sale. The photo doesn't do it justice, I want to frame it or stretch it over a frame, and will post photos once I do.

I had such a wonderful holiday, I can't believe it is already over. Thank you everyone! Next I work on my New Year's resolutions...

Three Days of Snow - A Retrospective

2008-12-22T07:31:00.006-05:00

I was beginning to think snow was a permanent condition. Here is how I whiled away the past three days. The good and the bad...

The Good

Grilled cheese and tomato soup
Wrapping presents and Christmas music
The Illuminations tour
Hot chocolate
Naps
My hoody and sweatpants
The holiday spirit
Resisting the urge to save our parking spot with folding chairs
Working from home on Friday
Winning Yahtzee

The Bad

Cabin fever
Digging the car out (twice)
Not being able to get the Patriots game on TV
Snow, wind and cold
Cabin fever
Not being able to do laundry
Regretting not saving our parking spot with folding chairs
Did I mention cabin fever?
Losing Yahtzee

Somerville Illuminated

2008-12-21T09:04:00.007-05:00

The Illuminations tour was illuminating. I went through parts of Somerville I have never seen even after 2 and a half years here. The tour also shed some light into human behavior since we were squished onto a packed trolley and half of our fellow travelers were actually lit up themselves. I do appreciate the festive, were-in-this-together banter now and then, but the commentary wore me out a little.

Tour guide: "We are about to pass the tallest decorated tree in Somerville."
Upon passing said tree, passenger: "I agree."

I guess one can agree with a statement of fact if they want, but since it is a fact, it is kind of unnecessary. Imagine this kind of running commentary for 45 minutes.

Anyway, the lights were amazing, elaborate and had a touch of madness about them. Think holiday themed, circus-fever dreams. I highly recommend either going on a tour sometime, or doing a self guided tour using one the the maps the Somerville Arts Council provides. Taking photos from a moving trolley with foggy windows was a challenge, but here are a few pictures I took last night:

Setting the Holiday Mood

2008-12-20T10:10:00.005-05:00

So the answer to my question is yes. There will be snow adding to the spirit of the holiday season on tonight's Illuminations Tour. Very nice.

Seeing as I am one of the many "non-essential" state workers, the governor told me to stay home yesterday. I went in anyway for a few hours but then got home before the snow and worked from my cozy abode the rest of the day. Yes we had snow. Yes, I am glad most people weren't trying to commute home in it. But no, it was not the blizzard of '78.

It is getting me in to the spirit of things. Finally.

Friday Find - Giving Thanks

2008-12-19T13:01:00.006-05:00

It might be too late to order presents for the holidays, but it is the perfect time to order some thank you cards in anticipation of all the holiday booty. These are a few of my favorites:

Dutch Door's Thank You Tulips

Paper & Inkling's Thank You So Much Note Cards

In-vita Paper Studio's So Nice of You - Thank You Cards

All Lit Up

2008-12-13T09:17:00.005-05:00

We got our tickets for the Illuminations Tour! When we got our tickets at the Blue Cloud Gallery on Thursday they were almost sold out. This popular holiday tour is offered by the Somerville Arts Council. I am very excited, this is the first year I have been able to go. I will bring my camera and share the glory with you all next weekend.

I wonder if there will be any snow to set the mood? So excited!

Free Handmade Goodies!

2008-12-11T18:58:00.012-05:00

Check out the great giveaway that oh, hello friend is offering. I was very excited to participate by offering up my lace stationary set as part of a prize. There are 4 great packages being offered so make sure you enter for a chance to win.

There are a bunch of really great Etsy sellers involved like TheArdentSparrow, jessicajane, craftyfolk, Space Dog Studios, and too many more to name. See all the participating sellers here. Have fun!

Faired Well

2008-12-07T20:14:00.011-05:00

I just survived a busy weekend with a little over 12 hours spent at a two day craft fair at the Somerville Museum. It went really well. I met a bunch of nice people, the space was lovely, and I sold some cards. I had learned a few things from my last craft fair and went to this one a bit more prepared. I brought a cushion to sit on and knitting to keep me busy.

I was not thrilled with my table set up, it was a bit uninspired. I need a bit more space and a better way to organize/display my cards. But it did the job. It was nice to make a little money for the holidays. I am thinking about getting genealogy software for myself (not really in the holiday spirit, I know).

Its kind of geeky, but after a trip to the New England Historic Genealogical Society last year, I became a member an have periodically been digging around in my family history. Have I mentioned that I am the great (say it 27 times) granddaughter of King Edward the I of England? If you have spent any time with me you have probably heard that a number of times. My husband hears it every time I want to be pampered or want something done for me...

Anyway, I think I will do this fair again next year if they'll have me even though I will be sore for a few days from sitting on my keister for so long.

Resurfacing

2008-12-05T07:51:00.006-05:00

I am resurfacing from a weekend away filled with Tofurkey, stuffing and other delights, as well as a busy week of not unpacking, my last drawing class and my last basketball game of the season. Tomorrow is day 1 of the craft fair and my husband's birthday. Pancakes in the AM, craft fair, and then off to bowl and dine with friends. Then Sunday is day 2 of the craft fair.

As the holiday season approaches, I really enjoyed Poppytalk's list of 101 Reasons to Buy Handmade. Check it out.

Sweet Thanksgiving Greeting

2008-11-23T18:54:00.006-05:00

We got this adorable Thanksgiving greeting from my husband's mom! Handmade of course. Very cute and very clever!

I have craft night tomorrow and then my husband and I will leave for PA on Wednesday to spend Thanksgiving there with family. We are both very excited for a long holiday weekend. If I fall of the radar for a while, have a happy Thanksgiving!

Craft Fair Postcard

2008-11-21T08:35:00.004-05:00

Arpitha sent me an email that the postcards advertising the holiday craft fair are ready. I am very excited, I have never been on a postcard before. You can see the front and back on her blog.

I have a lot less prep to do for the fair this time around, which is nice. And I will be inside, which is even nicer!

Tipetty Tap Tipetty Tap

2008-11-16T08:57:00.007-05:00

I felt inspired the other night and made a treasury. I was able to get a spot yesterday. Check it out before it comes down on Tuesday morning.

Holiday Mission Accomplished

2008-11-15T12:01:00.004-05:00

I finally finished all of my holiday cards. They are all posted in my Etsy shop as well.

Crafty Update

2008-11-15T09:57:00.003-05:00

The Somerville Museum updated their website for the craft fair. If you watch long enough you will see one of my cards.

The Other Lawless

2008-11-12T07:31:00.000-05:00

You may have noticed a new addition to the sidebar on the left dedicated to my husband's published poetry. I decided this is as good a place as any for me to glow about my talented husband and share his work. As his poems get published I will link to them here. This also makes the blog a one-stop shop for friends and family to keep up with us.

Right now we are waiting for some of his accepted poems to appear in Drunken Boat, Memorious, Blood Orange Review, H_NGM_N, and the Cortland Review. Keep checking back, I will post them once they are up. Happy reading!

Almost Defeated by Snowflakes

2008-11-11T16:17:00.008-05:00

After burning 2 screens and trying two inks I give up on the bird holiday card design. I could not get what I wanted out of the colors or the snowflake background so I went back to the drawing board. I switched the background and foreground and also switched from pool blue to the bluebell blue. This is the new and improved and hopefully more printable version:

Of course, it couldn't just be a matter of changing the design and merrily continuing on my way. This cards has been strewn with obstacles. My printer ran out of ink. Instead of 1 trip to Staples (to photocopy the design so it would be the necessary carbon based image my Gocco craves), it meant 2. It took one trip to Staples to by ink, and then home to print the background, then back to Staples to copy the print out, then home to finally print.

Not so fast. Because I had a light, poor exposure on my screen last time, I opted for a darker design copy to burn my screen this time. But I over compensated and the carbon was so heavy that the paper stuck to the screen blocking the holes. I inked it anyway, hoping I had gotten off all the paper (using tweezers and a steady hand), but there were big blobs of paper messing up my snowflakes. Uhg. Aside from that I loved the new design and color.

I was about to burn the 4th screen but decided to heavily clean the screen with my giant tub of Gojo. Lo and behold, saturating the screen with Gojo and lightly scraping the screen lifted off the last bits of paper and now I have a usable screen!

Now I am just waiting for the clean screen to dry before finally printing these cards. Sigh. It will feel good. Nine out of 10 times the stars align and printing is a breeze. This is that 10% of the time that my Gocco is in a foul mood. But I will prevail and you will see some finished cards soon enough.

A Fairey in Union Square

2008-11-10T10:44:00.009-05:00

I just found out that the new mural in Union Square was done by artist Shepard Fairey, who did the vote poster, the Obama Hope poster, and is well know for his Obey Giant stickers. The mural is on Somerville Ave, on the side of Grand. Here is an interesting interview with Shepard in SuperTouch. I love the small Fairey sticker(s?) on the emergency box nearby. The piece is a great addition to the area. He is going to have a show at the ICA, which I want to check out when it opens.

Etsy Treasuries

2008-11-09T18:28:00.003-05:00

I have some cards in a treasury called yellow and grey put together by katedowding who makes really great sock monsters. It comes down on Tuesday afternoon.

I also just found some of my holiday cards in another treasury called Winter Ice, put together by poshpretties who makes fun hair accessories for kids. This treasury will be up until late Tuesday night.

Check them out while they're up!

Today I Gocco

2008-11-09T08:16:00.008-05:00

Really, today I will finally finish my holiday cards. I am determined. I other crafting news, I found out that my application to be in the Somerville Museum Holiday Sale was accepted. Craft fair take 2. This one is indoors (yay!) and is actually for 2 days. It is much, much smaller than the stART on the Street and is held in at the same time as a few other happenings in the Ville. This one does not require much prep since I did so much prep last time.

I will bring a book and welcome any visitors who happen to be in the neighborhood. I am not making my husband sit with me all day, even though he is so great that if I asked he probably would. My not asking him to come is his birthday gift since the first day of the craft fair is on his birthday. Last year I was in Baltimore on his birthday, and this year I will be at a craft fair all day. Next year I will do better.

One last news item, I gave a pack of cards to a fellow crafty blogger, ohhellofriend, to use in her holiday giveaway. When they go up and she starts promoting the giveaway I will let you know. OK, I am off to Gocco land...

A New Day

2008-11-05T07:31:00.004-05:00

Honestly, I woke up today with You're a Grand Old Flag stuck in my head. I fell asleep smiling last night. I feel so proud, hopeful and relieved. What I really love is that the first and only thing that a whole generation of children will know is life under an African American president. It is not a "what if?" or "when?" anymore, it is a reality.

Get Out There And...

2008-11-04T07:40:00.002-05:00

art by Shepard Fairey

Stalled Out...

2008-11-03T19:44:00.003-05:00

Last weekend I worked on my holiday cards (not the weekend that just slipped away with no real crafting, but the one before). I printed 2 out of 3, but had trouble with the third. It’s the bird card. I was planning on printing a pool blue background on a white card with the snowflakes being the white paper showing through. I know that the Gocco is not the best at printing large swaths of solid color, but I was looking forward to the distressed look.

Something wasn’t working for me though. The pool is too much and too heavy. It is also a thick, mixed ink and came out too distressed, and almost faux finished. And one corner had poor exposure. So after printing these two, I called it quits to sort out my next step. And a week and a half later, that is where I still am.

I think I might expose another screen (yikes, not when they are such a precious commodity!), and use the metallic blue ink right out of the tube since it is a little more fluid, smoother and a cooler color. There is an upcoming holiday, which I might turn into a 4 day weekend since it falls on a Tuesday this year. So let’s hope I get back in gear then and can finish these up!

Red Lentil Sunday

2008-11-02T17:58:00.022-05:00

I didn't quite get as much done this weekend as I would have liked, but I did make an important discovery. I have been craving the red lentil soup with lime that Lorena turned me on to (and which is in the amazing vegetarian cookbook she also gave me). As I cruised around the insanely busy Stop and Shop with everything I needed in my cart except the lentils, I remembered that split red lentils aren't easy to find in regular grocery stores.

Not that finding Indian specialty stores in Somerville is a challenge, it's just that all the ones I know about are in Union Square and, since I hadn't eaten for 3 hours and had already spent over an hour running errands, I did not want to deal with the traffic and parking situation in the square.

I had essentially given up hope and was on my way home thinking I might get lentils tomorrow. But my street is full of little shops, and while they are almost all Brazilian, Italian, or bakeries, I decided to try one on my way up the hill. And that is when I made my big discovery. A small Indian grocery store 3 blocks from my apartment! Seriously, how long have I lived here and never noticed?

I got a giant bag of red lentils and some fun frozen Tandoori breads. They had a ton of spices - so I plan on evaluating my spice supply at home and then restocking. Needless to say I am very excited and love Somerville that much more. Where else can you find a martial arts studio, a Brazilian bakery, an Italian sub shop, and Sir Hare's Salon, and an Indian grocer living in such close quarters?

I made the soup for dinner and it was exactly what I needed. Yum.

Another Great Card...

2008-10-31T20:43:00.006-04:00

...handmade by one of the family. Thanks P - we love it!

Friday Find - Full Moon Halloween Card

2008-10-31T19:43:00.006-04:00

I know it might be to late to buy a Halloween card, but it is not too late for me to celebrate Halloween by sharing this wonderful art card from sushipot's Etsy shop. Fortunately there is plenty of time to buy any number of sushipot's great holiday cards like her Season's Greetings card.

Happy Halloween! Watch out for things that go bump in the night and crazy kitties in costume...

Holiday Cards on Parade

2008-10-25T18:06:00.007-04:00

I spent part of yesterday and most of today working on my holiday card designs. I think I finally have them figured out. Tomorrow I will start printing and then I will try and get them up in my Etsy shop as soon as possible since the time to buy and send holiday cards is limited. Today I also realized there are a couple cards I never posted to my shop! I am a bit behind I guess. It has been super-crazy-nuts this fall.

These are the 3 designs I will be printing. I decided to do all flat cards this time around instead of folded, but 2 of the 3 are the bigger A6 size instead of the A2 size I usually print in.

I am still hooked on the bird silhouette with a pattered background as you can see. I think this is my last variation of this card. This is the smaller A2 sized one out of the 3.

I loved these brocade/swirly designs and thought they would be good snowflake/holiday starbursts.

You can't go wrong with a pine tree and pinecones. This is the most Christmassy of the three but I think it is a different enough perspective that it doesn’t scream out Christmas tree. This is also the most “manly” of the three. I have had a couple of male customers on Etsy, but mostly women.

I will try to post some photos of the printing process. Oh, and tomorrow I will be making some carrot cake cupcakes for Monday’s craft night. I’ll let you know how that goes if I am not in a cream cheese frosting stupor by the end of the day!