sketchy artists

Happy New Year!

2007-12-29T10:31:00.000-08:00

Hi All,

Well, we are all totally quite over the past months, we must be all creatively diverted?!

I know I am...I got two new jobs, both part time, the one at the chocolate company has finished last week, then we have glided quietly and peacefully through Christmas. My other PT job is at a local furniture store two days a week, fun but I need a couple more days on the floor, so I can get more opportunities to make sales and then commission... but for now it's fine and dandy.

Meanwhile I am working on developing a greeting card line for a local company, my next to final presentation to them is scheduled for next Friday, it is very cool in concept and hopefully I can get it all expressed in paper form, and will let you know how it pans out.

We have had full fledged winter here in NH, lots of snow, except the last week we keep getting rain, so it is washing away the almost 20 inches that had fallen sine the beginning of the month. I love the snow, my new year's resolution is to go out in it more this winter and cross country ski.

Happy New Year let's get back to sharing our creativity soon, I miss you all.

Yup Fall here too

2007-10-05T13:10:00.000-07:00

Well, I am back from Miami and the HD Boutique Show, and it is 80 degrees here in SW New Hampshire. Summer! The leaves are slowly turning, and for the first year in the 7 we have lived here, there is actual variety in color. One of the sugar maples over my studio is going into oranges. I guess that's what very little rain does.

I have a project featured in a book written by Carol Cypher called How We Felt. She highlights a number of feltmakers and we each submitted a beautiful object and supplied her with the recipe for the instructions. I must say it looks great.

This week was my Birhday and Annies' anniversary! Happy days for each of us.

Though, that said we had a hard week. Our little bunny girl Babette, broke her back in the garden Saturday afternoon. She got xrayed and pain meds, and we brought her back in the AM, none of our bunny vets were availbale so we were recommended to take her to Tufts in Wooster MA, their exotic Dr was on vacation, so the intern suggested we go to Boston to Angell, MSCPA. 5 hours later, our bunny girl was admitted, over night to start. We got a hotel room, and went back the next morning. She was xrayed again and she has a small fracture in her back that most likely pierced her spinal cord. Everyone at Angell were wonderful and we had lots of other guidance during the stressful event. This story is longer so I will keep it short...She is home, we are keeping her safe, she is eating and trying to scoot about. She can do the side to side, a bit forward and circles. She gets frustrated and pushes off too hard a few times and turns her self upside down. But we think she is going to get the hang of it. We are going to get a bunny mobile for her, and strap her up! Bionic Bunny here we come!

Also other news I am taking a part time job dipping chocolate at Burdicks. It is a seasonal thing and I just keep seeing visions of Lucy and Ethel in the chocolate factory. Except it will be my girlfriend and me!

AND...Annie, did you check out the Fall issue of Country Living? The Keene Pumpkin Festival is featured in it. We are going this year. We have never gone but I have made a promise to do it this Fall, and very excited about it!

2007-09-18T13:55:00.000-07:00

I have done nothing. Nothing, I tell you. Kate is a whirling dervish- crawling, climbing, almost walking, charming, silly, wailing, teething, giggling, babbling- you name it, she's doing it! Oh- but not sleeping. She still isn't much a fan of sleeping. Drat.

My beloved old Necchi bit the dust this summer, but it was resuscitated by a gem of a man named Harold. Harold is a sewing machine repairman from Idaho Falls, and at a mere 80-something years old, he still makes the trip to Jackson once a month to fix machines. He said it was a treat to work on an oldie but a goodie- I grinned and forked over $60. Hooray!

I've been writing a bit, researching agents and publishers for picture books, and getting fairly no where with it. But I've had fun thinking visually. I've been fairly uninspired, otherwise- but horray, fall has settled in Teton Valley and the October issues of Country Home and Country Living have arrived, so my head is buzzing again! Those October/Halloween issues rock my world every year, and I don't even care about Halloween much- go figure? Buth they are consistently my most favorite... aaahh, pumpkins, glowy warm colors, recipes for pies and spice cakes, visions of sweaters and toasty socks dancing in my head...

I think I'm going to make a square wreath for our front door made of sticks and felt leaves. Our door is an orangey-ish stained wood, so I'm thinking plain sticks wouldn't show up very well, so I'm thinking that I will spray paint the sticks a nice chocolate brown- don't chocolate dipped sticks sound nice? And since the only fall color here is the yellow that the aspens go out blazing in, I'll just do yellow leaves. I really do miss oranges and reds... we do catch glimpses of some nice reds along the creek banks from the willows, but it just isn't enough for me.

Miss Lovely's new favorite book is The Mitten- you've probably heard the story somewhere along the line. A little boy asks his grandmother to knit him some snow white mittens, but she tells him that if he drops one, it would be really hard to find in the snow. But she knits them anyway, and lo and behold, plop a mitten goes into the snow. A mole crawls in the mitten, then a rabbit, next an owl, then a badger snuggles in, next a fox, a grizzly bear, and finally a mouse- yup, the mitten is stretched 38 times its original size. The mouse tickles the bear's whiskers, the bear sneezes, and all the animals come flying out. The mitten shoots into the air, and the little boy catches it. Phew. The last page of the book shows the grandmother holding the two mittens- one boy-sized, and the other all stretched out.

Miss Lovely is also obsessed with putting things inside other things lately, so I was thinking I should make her a mitten and all the little animals that go in the mitten- how darn sweet would that be? Now if I would just get around to making it...

Happy fall! Happy raking! Happy log-splitting!

Annie

It is starting to feel like Fall!

2007-09-14T14:13:00.000-07:00

Most of the leaves on our trees are still green but they are taking on that yellowy orangy tinge of early fall. Because we had no rain here for over 6 weeks, (we just had a nice 2 days finally) I think the leaves will be very colorful. Some had a hard time with the hot weather and no rain, but...I keep picking up little gems like the ones I scanned here...this is what I love about Fall...

ALSO:

sweaters

Wool

Toasty fires

One pot meals

The smell of the heat coming on in the house (after I stop sneezing!)

Seeing my breath in the air

The ideas of apple picking

making apple pies (or any pies)

waiting for my butternut squash to rippen

My birthday - coming up soon...happy anniversary to Annie (the same day as my birthday)

Halloween and doing goofy things for when the kids come asking for treats

So as I list these great things I also am heading to Florida to a trade show next week. I will stay with my sister and her boys, who are almost men now, we visit the middle nephew in college, he's a freshman and loving it so far. They are taking me to Islands of Adventure for the day. I have never done anything like that kind of theme park so it should be fun. My sister also says there is a tropical stoorm brewing so if it builds to anything it will probably be when I am ready to get on the plane and go back! It is hurricane season in Florida after all!

Have a great week everyone, drop a line when you get a change too, let us hear what we all have been up to...I know crazy busy...but at least you aren't alone!

No sketching going on here at the moment...

2007-08-20T05:47:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone,

boy summer sure has taken over our lives it looks like! (This is what I imagine is going on in our fantasies!!!) By the way the stout floater on the left is me with my cutie new hair cut, and I am so on the verge of dyeing my whites away and going dark red and funky...

My August is F.U.L.L and it is half over. I taught a 3 day workshop last week called a "Split Personality" workshop some gals made a Rug and some made ottomans. They were all outstanding! I had two gals from Australia, one from Florida, Georgia, Boston and Surry, NH right down the road! As I geared up for that I am also getting ready for a week long felting 'symposium' called Felters Fling which I am one teacher of many. There are over 50 people coming in from all over the world and I teach two tracks, one is Color and Design for Interiors the other is designing and making an ottoman. 18 students in all. I am especially excited about the Color and Design class as it is 2/3rds theory and 1/3rd felt making. As I get my teaching items together for the C&D class I am thinking this could make a really good book.

I buzzed down to NYC the other day to see the NY Home Textiles Show (in conjunction with the NY Gift Show) to see if it would be an outlet for NCD Designs, (Not until I have product) am also gearing up to go walk the HD Boutique show in Miami in September and see if this is a better suited market for my new business...I know it is, and I should get a clearer picture in my mind as how best to present my new company's services. I am also realizing that I need to show at the Licensing Show come next June in NY. *** Anyone want to share a booth with me?

OK I also know it is back to school time with a lot of kiddies so I hope your last week (or week and a half) is productive and school routines are set again as we step into Fall. I love Fall...brisk, cool sweater weather....mmmmm

Check in soon, I miss you all

New Issue of Dwell Magazine

2007-07-20T07:03:00.000-07:00

I got my Sept Issue of my Dwell Magazine yesterday, and only got not even half way through when I stop to share the cutest things with you all. Isn't the doll house by Sparkability so cute? I actually make a house for my bunny girl Babette out of cardboard boxes. She can go in and hang in a dark protected place, and pop out her bunny hole for snacks! She even eats the cardboard, and when I was a good recycle-er and compost-er, I would compost the cage stuff for my gardens, now talk about recycle! And then check out the cutest woolie stuffed animals, oh so sweet.

I am dyeing fiber like crazy for two big workshop the middle and end of August. And the rain here has stopped for the day, I want to get outside and paint a few flowers...I have the most amazing deep red day lilies, the most delicate petite purple poppies, the end of some glorious purple irises, and a pint of gooseberries I picked last Sunday that I plan on turning in jam or preserves. So I think I will take my paints and set myself up outside and paint. Oh yes and finish reading my magazine.

New Banner Please

2007-07-10T09:02:00.000-07:00

And, please someone else make a new banner, I see tangled lino, or cutie duckies or some picnic themes here!!!

Trip to West Virginia

2007-07-10T05:51:00.000-07:00

Well, I am back from a teaching trip to the mountains of West Virginia. A beautiful place. I taught at a fantastic place called MountainMade, great studio space, students came from OH, FL, MN, VA, and WV. We stopped at my mother-in-law's on our ways down and back, a 12 hour drive which we broke up into 2/4, 6 hour days. We went to a ball game in Philly on our way down, fun. By the end of the 3 days teaching I was pooped...I finally got to relax on our last day. The night before we left, the town celebrated Mountaineer Days, with a fireworks display, a beauty pagent and a dog/pet competition, best dressed, best trick, look like owner, that kind of goofy thing! (sponsored by the local ASPCA-pet contest not beauty pagent) The local eatery and music place, The Purple Fiddle, was equally cool, though I must confess I didn't stay for music, just ice cream. The town we stayed was on the tip of a beautiful state park, and on our last day I tried painting, finally getting to the furthest vantage point in the park, what a view, just a few people and 4,000 feet up on a point...this is what I saw.

2007-06-29T15:23:00.000-07:00

It was hot and I had a glass of wine in a pint glass with 3 ice cubes in it last night. Even my cheap wine was sweating it was so hot. And my head was empty, empty empty- no inspiration. But look at what I ended up making! I love carving. I am really getting into this lino thing...

Annie

Personal DNA

2007-06-25T13:03:00.001-07:00

Hiya! Just saw this on Eva's blog - super fun- wait, am I alone in loving quizzes?? I love filling out forms at the doc's office, too. Am positive I'm alone on that!

At any rate, I'm feeling bold. Here ya go, check out my insecurities, one and all! Funny thing, I kinda felt better about myself after taking this and reading the results. I've been having a tough few days (cried like a child all through church last night- silliness, and rather awkward because there were maybe 30 people there), so it was nice to see a few of the things I'd like to think are true about me in print. And here is what my dna looks like- would love to see anyone else's- I wonder if there are any common traits???

Have a great day!

Annie

Helping hands

2007-06-21T22:49:00.000-07:00

Here are little helping hands at my table. Trying to help me choosing right colors for my next project. I don´t remember, if it was really helping but I felt warmth in my heart seeing my boy fiddling with threads :) Is n`t it amazing to see others are interested in your work too? Why is that? Why is it not enough to please yourself and go on with whatever you like it? Why do we need audience, others who feel the same about you and your creations? Creating something is opening your personality, your inner most your dreams, wishes and hopes. How come we are not talking about these things, but sending messages through our creations?
Well, I don`t have answers to these questions, but already figuring out the right question can be half of your answer.
Are you wondering about these things too? Or am I alone here...

So, what I`m trying to say is - do what do you feel is right to do. For yourself, for others, for all people. Bring them your dreams and inspiration. It makes us all feel better and become better. Better people altogether.
Thank You!

May/June Issue of Cloth Paper & Scissors

2007-06-16T11:33:00.000-07:00

I know I have professed my attraction to this zine before but, I spent last night drooling over great things, techniques and vendors. A majority of vendors in the back of the zine (this mention mostly for Eva in Estonia) are companies that sell stamps and scrapbook things so ever so creative. Like this one for all you "Stitchy" gals..

http://blockheadstamps.com/

Look at thes cutie stamps designed by Debra Cooper! I see cute little birdies! and for more stitchy things below...

look at what you can stitch, oh I mean stamp!!! How cool-e-o! Annie and Eva, these are for you.

More FOOD FOR THOUGHT? They have a recipe card swap I think is pretty interesting sounding http://www.quiltingarts.com/cpsmag/extras/artful_ingredients.html

Would it be fun to do this with eachother? I can be the hostess, which means you all send the cards to me, and I will redistribute them amongst us, as well as post the scans of each card (front and back) Let me know if we would like to do this? I also am asking Leslie, Jill and Kelli.

Painted Plate!

2007-06-14T11:24:00.000-07:00

I got my painted plate from TopTop Pottery today, and boy does it look awsome! Sooo CUTE!

I have taken the picture of it sitting upon its inspiration, Annie's DRIP Tea Coasters.

I am so pleased with it I plan on doing a whole series, and use fun food quotes. The one here is a line from the musical Carousel.

Can't wait to eat off it!

Watercolor Nature Studies

2007-06-12T07:31:00.000-07:00

Well Girls, I've been busy with my watercolors. And have plans for lots more. I love this little size painting idea, they are all about 5"x7". And I have to paint fast because some of these flowers are so tender. I want to do more poppies, later in the summer, I will have little purple poppies coming up. I had been sitting in my garden, but the black flies and mosquitoes are H.U.N.G.R.Y! So now I am cutting them (the flowers not the bugs) and bringing them into my studio. Oh - and my studio has a new addition. I have a BIG pin-up wall, and my overhead lighting is full spectrum florescents shining up to the ceiling. I have wanted my halogens for so long, so I took a strip from my show booth corner, and tied them to a ladder hanging on a cross beam, shining down onto my pin-up wall. So now I have GALLERY LIGHTING!!! Every time I bring my sweetie in the studio to show him the newest water color, I preface the trip in by saying, oh, let me go first so I can turn on the gallery lights!! It just cracks us up!!!

what a joke.

2007-06-07T11:22:00.000-07:00

I'm sorry- what is the date again? Is it not JUNE 7th?????? Why is there 2" of snow covering my house? That "bush" by the driveway on the left is actually a tree. And it is - er, was - kinda tall. And it had the prettiest little white blooms all over it... till this morning. And see the little flash of orange on the porch? That would be my brand new, ready for summer adorable metal watering can, meant to quench the thirst of the strawberries & chocolate mint I just planted in the hanging baskets.

3 steps forward, 8 steps back....

aaaarrrrgh!

Silkscreen project rethink

2007-06-06T09:32:00.000-07:00

Okay so, I got my kit in the mail a week or so ago and I got to thinking about my tablecloth and I realized that perhaps it's a little too ambitious of a project to start off with, especially since I have no idea what I am doing.

So I decided that I would start with a one screen easy image that doesn't have to be matched up with anything else. First thing was to whip out the sketchbook I have devoted to craft projects and I came across an idea for a face on a dream pillow/sachet I scribble a few years ago:

I think it was initially meant to be embroidered, but I thought this would be a good project to start with. After a couple of hours in Illustrator it morphed into a moon:

The little cheek moon on the left is missing an eye (it must have been locked or something when I selected it) but I think you can get the gist. I am hoping that this doesn't have too fine detail, but I guess the only way I will find out is to try it.

I still haven't figured out how I am going to shoot, or expose my screens, not to mention where in the world am I going to print them. I should have thought of this before I jumped in and bought the kit, but I am like that sometimes. Just DIVE IN! I also need to buy a bunch of supporting supplies in order to even begin so....oh man...already overwhelming!!

a new one

2007-06-04T00:24:00.000-07:00

She has yellow flowers, cream berries, closed green eyes and a word "sunshine" written over it. What is it? You guessed - it`s my new bird:) A bigger one this time , somehow it feels more like an "adult" bird. Yet at the same time I know, mothers call their small babies like that. Because of their sweet and sincere smile that overwhelms everything :) So it is for babies too.
It`s weird, but the more I do birds, the more I want to make them. I have so much inspiration coming in from I don`t-know-where. So many color combinations, images, words and themes! I only hope that you don`t get tired of birds and I can still positively surprise you with each one of them.
I also posted a fragment of my sketching sheet here, so , yes it`s all mine! And don`t try to read it, it`s in Estonian :) Sometimes I write in Estonian, sometimes in English, it depends on my mood...
Enjoy the Sunshine!!!

2007-06-01T11:04:00.000-07:00

Last night I went to a place in White River Junction called http://tiptoppottery.com/.

Thursday nights they do a ladies night you paint any ceramic shape they have in the place. The studio time is half price for the gals, so like $4.00 for the evening and then the piece I painted was a plate, $9.00. The $9.00 includes the bisque piece, all the glazes and the firing. There is a restaurant next door, that bring tables service into the pottery studio, so all these gals were sitting around eating on china drinking their BringYOwine, and a cutie patootie brought their dinners right in to their pottery tables! How could you go wrong? (My girlfriend and I brought yogurts! that's how!)

OK Now back in Feb I did a pair of plates. I never took their pics to show you, but I am so excited about last night's plate. I will take it's picture when I get it next week, along with the inspiration, and I will also include the pair I did for Valentine's Day. You all will LOVE my most recent plate and it's inspiration. I already see a line og dish ware I have to draw out!

I mentioned a little local store called http://rugglesandhunt.com/ . The web site doesn't do it justice even thought they have in-store shots. The owner has a real fun eye. So, Annie, send me the set of 3 key rings I ordered and I will bring them over to her and get your order going. One suggestion. Laminate the cardboard before stitching, for a little more longevity? I love the word stamped in it. And babe there is nothing wrong with "sketching" out your ideas in real time real finished product!

Gotta love the mechanisms in our art spaces that help us visualize something post-concept!

i guess i don't sketch

2007-05-29T10:55:00.000-07:00

You know, it's true- as much as I'd like to sketch my ideas out, I'm just too impatient. It's faster to dive in and figure it out and see it than it is to sketch, plot, think, make a plan and then do it right. I know the latter is the better way, but it jsut isn't as fun. Or as satisfying. Sometimes I go back to sketching, and I probably will for this little project.

I don't know what even got me on this brainwave, but something about the empty white cheddar cheezits box folded flat just screamed "cut out a shape over this fold here and stitch it almost closed and slap it on a key ring, dammit!"

And you know what, I love this key ring thing! And of course now I want to make 843 of them- leaves, more houses, some should be painted, some should have maps on them, others should be fabric! Some should just say home. Or maybe 'mine'.

Perhaps I should grab a piece of paper, now...

Does anyone else busy themselves with such silly things? Like cardboard key baubles that no one will ever use? Eva is right, of course- it is no matter what you are making, silly or not so pretty, so long as your hands are happy. And indeed, my hands are happy.

xoxo, Annie

something simple

2007-05-27T03:23:00.000-07:00

Hi !
I remember my first crafty projects - at the age of 10 something...They were big and colorful and quite advanced...in my mind! They didn`t turn out not like I dreamed though. But the fantasy was flowing, so vivid and real that I just kept going.
When I started to create again as grown-up, my first projects were quite opposite - small, simple and in very modest color choice. Yet I found the same thrive as in childhood! I felt pure joy just sitting on the couch with my fabric scraps and pins. It really means a lot to me - being to make something out of nothing, creating beautiful things and my joy is even bigger when these things turn out to be practical too! It does n`t matter if they are most beautiful things that I have ever seen.. It`s enough to know - I made it!
I hope that you too find simple joy in creating something. May it be small or something totally useless, made just for having nice things around you, or made only because you love the feel at your fingertips when you touch interesting fabric or paper. These things carry a little piece of you in them and maybe, just maybe from the best part of YOU!

The picture above show the work from my "beginner" phase. I wanted to make my son`s shirt a bit more interesting , so I chose little birds. I did n`t want them to turn out too girlie though so I took gray fabric ( old t-shirt) and stitched it with blue and green thread.
It makes me smile when I see him wearing it - without question its my favorite shirt now!

2007-05-25T11:20:00.000-07:00

You know what town I love? Salt Lake City. Just came back from a mini-trip, and I like it even more than I did the last time I was there. Oh- get this- they have an Ikea! Brand spanking new, happened to be the grand opening. I do love me a little Ikea...

Went here and bought a very cool old mirror (sans frame, with the silver chipping off) and some old flash cards (can't wait to show you what I'm doing with those!) for Miss Lovely's room. Also went to Liberty Park and checked out the aviary- I don't mean to be a bird dork, but I have to tell you... I loved that aviary. There were peacocks strutting all over the place, and they were tame enough that a little boy was stroking one's feathers. If I knew where my camera was (still not completely unpacked, eek), I'd be posting all 83 pics I took of the peacocks. It was ridiculous!

But here now is my sketchy item. I was planning on making an alpahbet quilt with sketchy patches for a friend's baby shower, but the ink is bleeding a bit more than I think is cool on the fabric. So now I regroup and figure out an alternate design for the quilt. Did I mention that the shower is on Sunday? Yup, just like me. So out the window go these fun letters... but I'm thinking about turning them into a book for Miss Lovely. We'll see.

Have a great holiday weekend!!! Get setchy and do a little posting, would ya? :)

xoxo

Annie

My next project

2007-05-18T14:40:00.000-07:00

I have been wanting to try my hand at screen printing for a very long time and now that I am going to have some more free time this summer I am thinking it's about time to give it a go. It's seems hard and intimidating!

I am mainly inspired by Peach Berserk. Oh how I wish-o-wish I could go to Canada and take the silk screening class in person, but I am going to have to settle with the instructional DVD I purchased from them about two years ago and has just been sitting around gathering dust.

So! my first project is going to be a tablecloth for my dining room table. I sat down one day and sketched up an idea:

If you can read my chicken scratches is a picnic scene where a dog has stolen a turkey leg and is being chased by the picnickers. Some people are just standing around watching the mayhem. I also thought it would be cute to make some matching napkins.

I know little about silk screening, but I know that I am not going to want to get too detailed and intricate with thin lined and colors so I am thinking it will be an ivory linen fabric with red lines. If I am feeling super fancy I may add another color like a mustard yellow or something. At any rate, I decided to get sketching the players of my picnic scene. Here is the dog:
This is my first mother, I am not sure if I like her or not. Next to her is an innocent bystander:
Here is the Mother version 2. I am thinking I am liking a younger looking mom, not so dowdy.

Once I get everyone sketched, I am going to take them into Illustrator and redraw them to get thicker lines that will (hopefully) print well.

I think I am going to start with this screen printing kit from Dharma Trading, and I will probably get my linen there as well. I am pretty excited to start. And a little scared. Anyone ever tried screen printing before? Got any advice?

"- Where is Estonia? - Who cares?! "

2007-05-12T07:47:00.000-07:00

(That was a line in some advertising spot in early 90`s.)

Well, I do and probably there are more people who are interested now.
I´m pretty bad in "official" text, meaning - lots of facts about given issue.
Therefore I´m going to "loan" someone else`s words.

With an area of 45 000 sq. km, Estonia is larger for example than Holland, Denmark
or Switzerland; a little smaller, in other words, than New Hampshire and Massachusetts combined. Estonia stretches 350 km from east to west and 240 km from north to south.
Conversely, Estonia's population ranks amongst the smallest in the world:
an estimated 1 361 242 people live in Estonia — a density of only 30.2 people per sq. km.

Estonia, on the coast of the Baltic Sea, is at the same latitude in Europe as central Sweden
and the northern tip of Scotland. In North America, the middle latitude of Estonia
passes through the Labrador peninsula and southern coast of Alaska. However, due to the influence of the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf Stream, the weather in Estonia is considerably milder.

Some useless funny stuff, just to help you to figure out who is Estonian :)

What do the Estonian names mean?

Eha
Kaja
Laine
Leelo
Tuuli
Õie
Kalju
Koit
Lembit
Meelis

- dusk
- echo
- wave
- folk song refrain, singsong
- wind
- blossom
- rock
- dawn
- beloved
- agreeable, pleasant

Some Estonian proverbs:

- Beauty does not fill your tummy.
- Make fun of the man, not of his hat.
- You shall have as good as you bring.
- Man is after money, but money is after his soul.
- Don't put off today's work till tomorrow.
- The mouth is the interpreter for the heart.
- Where there's work, there's bread.

What Estonians compare things with:

- As moody as the April weather.
- As big as a horse.
- As cold as a wolf's stable.
- As fierce as the juniper's flames.
- As unexpected as a bang from the broom handle.
- As fitting as a saddle on a pig.
- To sleep like a sack.

The Cunning Keeper
of a Threshing Barn

The nature of a nation is revealed in its fairy tales.
They document truths and store them in crystallized form
for centuries.

Let us have a look at Estonian fairy tales, which nearly
always have a barn-keeper and a shrewd man called Ants.
We do not find brave noble heroes fighting dragons and
liberating imprisoned princesses from castle towers. There
are no kings and powerful wizards, beautiful elves,
or legends about everlasting love. The heroes are neither
rich nor famous, and will never become king.
Nor are they knights swinging their battle-axes on a
battlefield.
In fact, they never commit heroic deeds. Moreover, they
hardly bother to leave their homes!
They sit by the fire, puffing at their pipe or lie down
somewhere with their toes pointing towards the sunshine.
They can be chums with both the Creator and Satan.
Sometimes they meet Old Nick or some other evil spirit,
but they do not reach for their sword or cross. Instead,
they have a nice little chat together, but there's always an ulterior motive.
They may even enter the service of Lucifer himself, to do
nothing particularly useful.
Quietly, however, they'll pinch their master's things, and
rip off their superior at the first opportunity.
They are also familiar with all kinds of witchcraft, and
use it for the sole purpose of amassing wealth and fortune
for themselves. To that end, they may conjure forth treasure-bringing goblins, or turn into a whirlwind in the
shape of a fly that crawls out of someone's nose;
or charge off in a trough to a neighbor's barn for grain.
After walking around a grey stone they may turn into werewolves.
Once in a while, an enraged neighbor or landlord appears
as a whirlwind, to claim the hero's treasure instead! But
not to worry - the barn-keeper knows a remedy for that
too - he hits the greedy intruder with a mountain ash
branch and cripples him. And life goes on.
Finally, the Prince of Darkness or the Grim Reaper
comes to claim his soul. He asks the visitor to take
a seat on a tar-covered bench, or pours some
hot pitch down his throat.
The enemy flees while the barn-keeper or Ants sit in front
of the fire and puffing on a pipe as if nothing had happened.
For ever after.

These fairy tales portray Estonians as a cunning thicket of
alders under the high and mighty timber forest.
They're not afraid of either storms or an ax; they are
here to stay.

And now it`s time for you to come visit Tallinn right here!

Rubio's

2007-05-11T14:36:00.000-07:00

Ok, again- not at all sketchy- but it is FINALLY feeling like spring, practically summer even! And you know what that puts me in the mood for? Fish tacos from Rubio's- I was addicted when I lived in San Diego- I am jonesing bad!

Remember all those cute bright fabrics I posted a while back? Yeah- I need a kick in the pants on that project. Miss Lovely is still without curtains and a bumper for the crib-ola.

Does this happen to any of you? Start, stop & languish, I mean, with projects?

At least the fabrics look pretty on my table!

Happy Mothers Day weekend everyone!

2007-05-10T14:47:00.000-07:00

Today was my weekly art task for our church, I have told you before that I volunteered to do cover art for my church's weekly bulletin, so today, I was inspired by "Mother", rather than the normal route I take. (which is read the coming Sunday's scriptures and do something accordingly) I love Native American Storytellers. http://www.collectorsguide.com/fa/fa014.shtml

Tom gave me one for a special day, along with a book about their history, recent - started in the 50's, but the image is just engaging, and resonates with my feelings about motherhood, (I am not one, except to our bunny girl, but know many mothers intimately!) Mother Earth, the universe and God. So I did an illustration that was my interpretation of these potteries.

Isn't she cute and happy?

I also met my girlfriend's and our blog's challenge and painted today. I painted the trillium flower from my wooded hill right up behind my studio, in a watercolor, and e-mailed it to Annie for her to use as the banner. For a 30 minute nature study intensive, I think it turned out pretty good, though (if you must know) I intentionally ignored the stamen and pistol parts!

Have a great weekend all

how 'bout a little help?

2007-05-07T13:40:00.000-07:00

i've been goofing around with a little lino cutting, and... well, see how its not going so well? i bought little cutters, the blocks, and some very permanent black ink, which i am too afraid to try. cause its, you know, permanent.

i've been thinning out acrylic & swiping it onto the blocks, and i really like how you can see brush strokes with this 'technique'... but any suggestions for me for getting more even color? and of course i decided it would be really fantastic to try and figure all this out for the mothers day cards i'm making that have to go in the mail tomorrow.

i don't think i've ever done any printing at all in any form in school- am realizing, though, that specifics of classes 10 years ago (egads) are... gone. *sigh*

i love this lino thing- i loved carving when i used to be a furniture girl (though i sure hated carving for a long time). this is bringing back memories of when i used to be cool and listened to soul coughing and the squirrel nut zippers over and over and over in the studio...

Hi, my name is Eva

2007-05-07T00:07:00.000-07:00

I´m new here and I consider myself as an amateur amongst you guys... Ahh, a rookie!
But I try to give my very best.

I guess, when you meet someone first time, you will ask - where do you come from? And we answer - from there and there or even from there!
So I`m gonna answer you politely - I come from my parents. And my grandparents. And grandgrandparents.... I have history, I belong to somewhere! My love to create, my preferences, my memories to what I turn back now and then - these all have beginning. I do have roots. Roots, that give me the feel of belonging somewhere. I know, where I begun. There is a source of ME. Geographically, mentally and culturally. It`s comforting to feel that your soul has a home :)
My grandmother has been crafter for all her life. She is 82 years old now and still crocheting and knitting. She used to do lot more - sew, embroider etc, but her eyes are too weak now. And she says that she doesn`t need any new dresses - she has a whole closet full of them! (I have seen it, it`s true! :) ).
The pictures above show details of a plaid, what my grandmother crocheted 2 years ago.When I look at these squares I´m surprised about her great sense of color. I would never come up to put those together, but she did and the result is amazing! Those subtle, soft colors, even boring, but together here, they create harmony.
I like to think that there is something in me from her. A corner of my heart that comes from her, a gift that will last as long as I . . . Thank You!

PS I will show you my geographical home some other time, yes?

fair trade fashion

2007-05-06T14:50:00.000-07:00

how cool is this?! fair trade apparel. i think i need a pair of no sweat sneeks.... and probably an organic tee or two. not sketchy, but so worthwile i just have to share!

http://www.nosweatapparel.com/index.html

via carlene.

-annie

annie who?

2007-05-04T10:05:00.000-07:00

Ahem, yes, well then. I'm back.

Sorry for the long silence- a bit ridiculous, I know. We were gone for several weeks, came home sick... and Miss Lovely has her first tooth!

Here is a pattern I picked up while on our trip, along with 2 fabrics and Chicken Boy's paws. He isn't feeling so hot (a little surgery is coming up on Monday, poor baby), so he is shadowing me all over the place. Tripping over 95 pounds isn't fun... silly old boy. I love him.

The dress will be whipped up for the wedding season- plan on doing the sleeveless/long length version. Haven't followed a pattern in years, so this oughtta be interesting. Went with a creamy butter but not quite yellow linen- 5 yards is h-e-a-v-y! The numbers are for something for Miss Lovely, don't know what yet. Maybe a smock of some kind? Oh, am hoping that there will be enough linen left over to make a little dress for her too, since she will also be attending nuptials this season. I cannot BELIEVE I am dorking out like this, thinking of making her a dress out of the same fabric as mine to be worn to the same parties. I have grown old and sappy! Next thing you know I'll be insisting on having mother daughter portaits done every year at Olan Mills. (nooooooo!)

Nothing sketchy on my mind today.

Kelli? Anything you would like to chat about? Hmmmmmmmm??? How 'bout that needle sketch? Pretty please put a picture of it up, even if it is unfinished! And what is happening with Book? Did I tell you I got an email from Mr. Oliver Jeffers himself?!?!

Erica- re:sketchbooks, I use 8.5x11 paper and cardstock exclusively now. Can't bring myself to mess up a perfect new sketchbook, and I have too many 1/2 finished books- they make me sick to my stomach with guilt. Instead of binding my pages at the Kink, I just have a bunch of black 3-ring binders that they get 'filed' in. Note that I use the term file veeerry, very loosely.

Nic- I am so jealous of your friend. I wish it was the old days when you & I were taking tea at Burdick's. And you have some packages heading your way, my dear, with prizes inside...

Leslie- Loved seeing your first post- want to see what you've been looking at lately. Tell us about the new digs, too!

Jill?! I see in your new blog on your revamped site that you are off to NY- lucky girl! Please pop in when you have a chance and share the highlights of the stationery show. And hooray that Joy is joining you! I'm a faithful lurker of her blog. Tell her congrats from sketchy :)

2007-05-01T11:46:00.000-07:00

Well, Spring must have sprung, this Blog is quiet! My digital camera is in a funk, so not very reliable but I still have my scanner and I HAVE PLANS!

Two days ago I went to coffee at Burdick's with my girl friend. Annie you know Burdick's very well. She is a studying painter and getting very good. She is in a group, 6 women large, and they exhibited their art at the restaurant. The walls were full of their art. I wanted to have coffee there with her and see her pieces and then, inspire each other. Well, she was very good at inspiring me! She has been challenging me to get my easel out of my closet for months. (It is actually Tom's that Igave him for Christmas or something years ago, that he never even set up) So I brought it to the loft in my studio and it is partially set up. The back leg is confusing me...can't quite figure it out.

As we were sharing ideas...You know Annie this is just why you started Sketchy Artists...she said something that shook the cobwebs in my brain to remember something I had previously thought about and pushed aside. I had thought a couple of years ago that I would paint, small pieces of art, postcard to 8"x10" pieces, and sell them on my web site $75.00-$200.00 prices, unframed. Heck I have a web site already set up and a mailing list of over 2000 admirers, and an in-stock page for my fiber art, but why not add an art gallery page where I can create small paintings and mixed media pieces and post them there to sell! So I am going to begin by painting a Trillium growing on my hill. The Pulminaria, Myrtle and Daffodils are blooming, and the tulips are next. So I will take out my water colors and acrylics and paint small "Snap Shots" from my garden. I will scan and post them as I start getting a few.

I have also asked her to ask me to join her doing plein air painting when she goes out.

Wish me luck girls!

Recent Sketches

2007-04-11T09:36:00.000-07:00

These sketches are for my Color and Design class final project. We have to show sequential images that "explore the influence of color on mood through the use of contrasting color schemes". In addition, at least one of these images has to explore warm/cool contrast in lighting. Oi. My head hurts thinking about that.

It's been a while since I have drawn anything. My poor sketchbooks are feeling neglected, I know. My problem is that I have too many sketchbooks and I am definitely one of those people who is afraid to just dive into a sketchbook and fill that sucker up. I am intimidated by the pristine of the white pages and am afraid to put anything in my sketchbook that is not PERFECT. So, more often than not, the sketchbooks lie empty. I also do not sketch everyday like I should.

I recently ran across an artist (who I cannot find right now) that found a clever way to circumvent this issue. He doesn't use sketchbooks, but blank pieces of paper. He'll buy a whole ream of paper and use it for sketching. That way he doesn't feel intimidated by "messing" up his sketchbook and he can just throw away the crap he doesn't like. At the end of the year he takes the good pages to Kinkos and gets them bound so he ends up with a beautiful book of sketches. I really, really like this idea and I think I am going to try it.

Another one of my problems is that I feel the need to have different sketchbooks for different ideas. It's like I can't put craft sketches in my illustration book, or fabric pattern ideas in my craft sketchbook, or comic book ideas in my illustration book, so you can see that I put myself in a bit of a pickle. I have too many sketchbooks lying around that are half-empty. It drives me nuts but I do it to myself. So....I want to hear how you all deal with your sketchbook(s):

Are you afraid to put "bad" ideas in your book? Or messing it up? If so how do you deal with it?

Do you sketch everyday? If so, do you have a specific time you do it, like writing in a journal before bed etc?
Any other tips or ideas you do with your sketchbook?

collage

2007-03-27T09:45:00.000-07:00

The World Has Weary Hearts, Lisa DeJohn

between Nic's post about collage and Kelli's link to Oliver Jeffers' collaborative Book... holy crap, we are collage crazy.

http://www.sitemason.com/page/diPBza (via whipup.net)

go there! I went nuts.

xoxo

Annie

hellllloooooo

2007-03-24T23:24:00.000-07:00

i'm so sorry for the delay in posting, i've also got the excuse of having my mom in town for the past few weeks. thanks so much for inviting me to join in though, i'm really enjoying reading what inspires everyone (i'm a huge magazine addict too so it was great to see that someone has a bigger problem than me!). i thought i'd continue the inspiration theme and share some images i recently took while down on the great ocean road here in australia. i find the colours and textures of the beach endlessly inspiring - gorgeous muted tones and unexpected combinations of smooth and rough, light and dark...

natural sand movement creates such amazing patterns...

amazing textures in this rock...

naturally frosted sea glass, seaweed and coral...

smooth seaweed in an unbelievable array of colours, shapes and sizes...

my favourite colours...

more incredible rock patterns...

Needles Schmeedles

2007-03-22T14:34:00.000-07:00

Where the heck have I been!? Sick. So sick.
I'm working on a card order right now for a fancy chocolate store here in Vancouver, Chocolate Arts. Getting ready for a trip to San Francisco, can you say Britex Building! That place is so cool. My favorite is the 3rd floor - all those buttons! You can buy lunch in a fancy hotel for the cost of just one button at Britex. You can also find a bag of buttons for the quarter you found on the street on the way there. Something for everyone. Too much for me, I go into debt just thinking about it.
Ok, so the traveling book. I will admit now that I got the idea from this guy. He wrote that super cute book called Lost and Found. Anyhoo, navigate yourself around and you'll see the collaborative book he did with four artists. Go to Exhibitions, then click on Book. The urls are funky so I can't provide direct links.
First email me (info@artistgirlfridaydotcom) to let me know who's in for sure. We'll exchange information and I'll get the books. My idea is to get one book for each participant, so we can all have one when the day is done; no fighting over who gets to keep the darn thing. More details later but in a nutshell, everyone contributes to each book, although each book will be different, in theory, it might be nice to do similar things to each book, so they're all roughly the same, and we all come away with a similar product.
And the needle drawing. I knew the word needle would come back to haunt me...I'm not naming any names. I can't find it anywhere. Those darn needles. This week: a banner and a needle drawing. Maybe they're the same thing.
Kelli

falling off the radar

2007-03-21T10:34:00.000-07:00

Sorry about falling off the radar... my mom was in town from Chicago. We were busy enjoying the incredible weather- 60s & sunny in the mountains in March, what a treat! We're usually still burined up to our you-know-what's this time of year...

Here is a peek at what was accomplished while she was here:

I'm finally getting going on a crib bumber and curtains for Miss Lovely's room- hooray! I saw a great little tutorial at the Purl Bee (Purl Soho's blog)... so I thought I'd use up a bunch of the random fabrics I have around and give the triangles a go. (pssst! I really want to do this over Miss Lovely's dresser, too- I know, it's been blogged 843 times, but it is still super cute) Clearly, Miss Lovely & I are Purl Gurls.

I am having a TON of fun with these squares. Will post pics when it is done!

Also- thank you for your thoughts & prayers for Matt's dad. He did incredibly well with his brain surgery, and now he is heading into major rounds of radiation for the lymph & lung involvement... we will be spending 2+ weeks at home in April to be with his parents.

xoxo
Annie

Confessions of a Magazine Junkie

2007-03-20T12:07:00.002-07:00

I just realized how much of an admitted mag junkie I am. There was a thread on another group I belong to asking what the magazines we read, here's my list....ready?

Paid subscriptions (This does change every year too):
Selvedge
Echoes/memebrship
American Craft/membership
Architectural Digest
Mary Engelbreights (I never spell her name right) Home Companion
Rachel Ray's Every Day
Domino
O (a gift subscription)
Vogue
Western Interiors & Design
Casual Living (not so interesting, and free)
Dwell
Metropolis
Metropolitan Home
Interior Sources
Cloth Paper Scissors
Yankee
Fiber Arts
I am waiting on other free subscriptions to arrive in my post box as we speak! (mostly trades)

Pick up from the news stand on a regular basis:
Country Home
Home
Cooking Light
Belle Amoure

Twice a year I go to Borders or some such place, even better if I am NYC, and load up my arms with anything interiors and foreign, I love the Australian Elle Decor, English and Italian

And the truth is, when I get subscription specials in the mail for ...like...Elle Decor one year for 7.00US$ I ask you how can a girl say NO!

See what I am up against?! Oh and what about those family members who are enablers? My parents just recently gave me 10 years worth of my dad's Saveur's he had been saving. I thought, O, I will cut that up too, but as I started devouring it, the beautiful photography and recipes I realize they must have their own shelf as well.

I am sure there are more that I have forgotten, and will see them laying by my bed tonight, and I will say "oh yes, I love you too!" ZZZZZ

Oh and then there are catalogues...I won't go there...yet

More Juice for the Brain

2007-03-13T08:29:00.000-07:00

I also wanted to share a really cool website I have gotten some major inspiration from. I have been trying to expand my art into mixed media-collage. The more I do this the more I realize it is more for me than to "sell" and certainly not as Festive Fibers or Nicole Chazaud Designs. When I went to art school (graduated in 83) the funky collage that is around now was not even a blink then. and then using the computer as an aid was also just pitiful. So I have been getting the coolest magazine for fun inspiration and finding very cool artists and "clipart" stuff in its back pages.

The magazine is called Cloth Paper Scissors, http://clothpaperscissors.com/
and in it I saw the cutest ad for the funkiest clipart thingies by a gal who goes by
artchixstudio.com
I bought four sheets from her, Crowns, Party Hats, Hearts and Mermaids. It is so much fun and freeing, I did Valentines (Annie did you get yours?) and a few other things. Of course I look at this kind of stuff and say to myself, self, I can do this, can't I hook up with someone like this and license my fun drawings for this market? (brain is always chugging and I am planning on pursuing the likes of this) Along the same line of collage, I was playing with the animated gif files, that you tried putting on the blog. I want to combine both ideas. I tried figuring out how to upload the animated file so they "run" on this blog but to no avail. I bet Erica, your illustrations would be great animated?! I see a whole story about that funny frog doing something funny already! Like a reverse of the princess kissing the frog.

There's tons more fun stuff in the back pages of that mag. and the one to dream for is a workshop/retreat called At Home with Art & Soul. There are two this year, one in Italy and one in Virginia. Couldn't quite figure it out to make it happen for me this year, either retreat. But will put it on my wish list. artandsoulretreat.com

I hope this has been a bit of inspiration for you guys. My problem is not lack of inspiration (at the moment), but rather pulling myself away from the EVIL TV at night. I get sucked in at around 6 or 7 and stay glued in till around 9 or 10. I keep thinking I could get so much done those 3-4 hours each night, like my downstairs bathroom. And I don't have kids either, so what's my excuse?

Kisses from melting NH.

Funk?

2007-03-12T11:05:00.000-07:00

OK Artistically speaking, no pity parties babe! This is what this blog is for. Excitement and inspiration, right? Love your suggestion to get back into your old sketchbooks Erica. I use mine all the time. The funniest thing I see, since my sketch books are mostly receptacles for magazine clippings of things I love, is that gee, my taste is consistent!

I am going to share one of the exercises I do with my color theory groups. It is really the culmination of the session but it is also a great exercise to inspire.
1. Find a great picture from a magazine.
2. Interpret it into a colorful collage. You can either reinterpret it in textures and color mixed media collage, or use the image as the base to embellish. I have included the one I did. I loved the red and green use in the photo (pure complimentary colors) and I loved the action of the model. The little color bits were cut from paint chips.

I am sorry to hear of Matt's dad, and will keep him my prayers.

Feeling Funky

2007-03-10T09:46:00.000-08:00

Creative funks SUCK! I know how you feel Annie. Whenever I get into one of these spaces (which happens more than I would like) I think about something that Steve Martin once said. He said that he, as a writer, loved getting writer's block. To him it meant that his brain was asborbing and taking in new thoughts and ideas rolling them around and turning them into something new. He knew that one day, when least expected, his brain would spit out a result of that time he took just taking things in, and creativity would begin again. That is totally paraphrased, of course. I take a lot of solace in that because I really think it's true. Try not to get frustrated and force yourself into creating - I find that only makes it worse. You need to charge those batteries.

Another solution to creative funks is experimenting. I am currently feeling like I am going through some sort of evolution and I haven't quite figured out what I am supposed to be doing. I know I am an artist, but I also feel like I need to grow. That was a major factor in me deciding to go back to school. But in the mean time, while I am making value charts and color wheels, I have been going back through my old sketchbooks and remembering how "free" I used to feel. I feel like I have lost that a little bit so I have been experimenting with the old and the new:

The frog is from an old sketchbook and I drew him in Illustrator which is also an old technique. The new is bringing him into Photoshop, which I don't normally use in my illustrations. I shaded him and added some scanned textures I created and I am really happy with the result.

P.S. Annie, I will keep your father-in-law in my thoughts and prayers.

creative funk

2007-03-08T13:38:00.000-08:00

Hi all. I am in a creative funk. Caught me by suprise, because last week I was in a complete creative spin. It was a friggin deluge, I tell ya. And now... I've got nothing. I've been poking around my favorite blogs, and they aren't even doing it for me.

Kelli, how is the needle sketch coming- how about an in-progress peek? Talk to us about this traveling book, please! Erica, what are you working on for school? Leslie, Jill, write soon! Nic, I love the sea of paint chips.

On the up side, it has been beautiful here- in the 40s, so crazy warm I'm taking Miss Lovely for walks without a coat. Me, no coat. Little Miss is bundled. I think the thaw has begun...

And Matt's father will be going in for brain surgery on Monday- they only just diagnosed him with lung cancer, and then immediately found out it has metastacised to his brain. Please keep my sweet husband, his father, our family in your thoughts.

-annie

Color Theory Class

2007-03-05T12:16:00.000-08:00

Here is a pic from the Color Theory class I taught a couple weekends ago. My primary source of color for this class is good old paint chips. I constantly raid HomeDepot, and other local paint stores for my stash, now two big shoe boxes full. I don't know if I said this in my profile, but I am a self-confessed magazine-holic. I usually tear images for my "notebooks of inspiration", but since I began teaching this class, the pile grows faster, and the class images now have their own box. These magazine clippings are the visual tools I use to demonstrate an example of theory or for student inspiration for exercises in the class.

2007-03-02T08:27:00.000-08:00

Hi All
Boy I feel like I have been away for ages, but I swear I have been creating. The bummer of the moment is that my hubby moved my scanner in the house and I want it here so I can show you little things I have been doing, (a little whining here, sorry) so for now I will tell. But first things first, welcome Kelli.

This past weekend I taught a color theory class in MA. We only had 4 students, it was joined by a second day of fiber dynamics (a felting class) and all very good. I did a little collage as a last synopsis of the color day and love what I did. (Scan to follow) I have done this color theory class a few times and usually have about a dozen students, but this time we had time of year, winter weather undependable and it was a joint class, both more technical rather than project classes.

I am working on felt orders, dyeing fiber, I finished fulling a rug that won't shrink down enough- whew!, and waiting for more fiber to arrive in the door to finish another order. Gotta pay the bills! Oh yeah and the tax thing (Tom did most of it over the past month, but there was a lot of running and finding bits of papers and numbers, finished yesterday and mailed to my accountant, yeah) BUT... While I am doing these things I am also working hard on my next incarnation, Nicole Chazaud Designs
I am painting my favorite Festive Fibers designs onto paper in a new coordinated color palette. I am planning to take them to manufacturers who will commit to produce my patterns as licensed properties. As the line comes together and becoming really tangible, I am getting great response from some manufacturers, and have two appointments next week. One a wall covering company and the other a floor covering company. I am so excited I can't paint fast enough!

I have also taken on an interesting challenge. I have offered a drawing idea to my church. Congregational. Their weekly bulletins have had very plain covers. So this year I suggested that I would like to contribute illustrations for each week. I have done 5 or 6 so far. Each one is either a seasonal image or related to the scriptures read that Sunday. I must say this is a very interesting exercise, as it is all B&W, and I am working in pen and ink with grey washes. I have always loved pen and ink, and I have always also loved making caricatures for cards and the like, so this is very fun for me. But also challenging, drawing people that look like their anatomy is doing the right thing. Oh, I've had life drawing years ago (there's a funny story there), but I AM RUSTY. But I must say so far the congregation is enjoying seeing these covers. My final goal for my church is fund raising. When I get the whole year, I will put together DVDs and sell them at church conferences and hopefully sell them to a company who produces liturgical clip art, and have the royalties go to my church.

Dance for Joy
(Or God's Hoedown :) )

The Irish Blessing

"Follow Me"

"God's Glory"

(These images are copyrighted)

OK now I feel like I've caught up

Oh - Annie, a few things, how do I get my photo on the comment screen or in the artist profile, and can you e-mail me your little copyright symbol? And the coolest thing about the Picasso theft is that I have a cousin who is a detective in Paris who works specifically recovering stolen art. When I read about this I wondered if he was working on this case?

Funny just went to post this and an error came up saying that explaination points are not allowed, weird.

This one girl...

2007-02-28T11:17:00.000-08:00

Hi again- here is the contributor update I mentioned earlier-

Leslie of onegirldesignwrks will be joining sketchy! She creates some lovely stuff. What really resonates with me is that she is not content to do just paper, nor jewelry, nor fiber. Nope. She just has to take it all on. And photography too. And probably lots of other stuff, if I had to guess! Check out her wares at her etsy shop.

Now you probably think I like her work just because I'm obsessed with raw edges lately... well, you're right. But I'm also loving this, so there. It reminds me of Michael Kenna's Calais Lace series, which is simply stunning. I have his book- a gift from my friend Pami.

Can't wait to hear what is on your mind, Leslie- write soon!

-A

please, mr. thief, steal this crap

2007-02-28T08:13:00.000-08:00

So I know I'm no Picasso, but it would be a bit of a relief if some kind thief would help me out with my storage issues.

ta ta for now,

Annie & Mlle. Cranklee McStinkbottom

PS- I have news on the contributor front! Will post about it soon!

pins: needles and stripes

2007-02-26T22:37:00.000-08:00

i'm in! or on! holy mackerel, i knew i was always one or two steps behind the latest, (why, yes, we did only recently get voice mail) but this is just out of reach for me as it is all so foreign, time-consuming and abysmal. i would have signed on earlier but i got caught in the vortex, visiting all kinds of super sites, wishing i had made this, thinking i had made that, wondering when i would make anything at all.
i'm honored to be included here - thank you, and i shall now fill you in on me: mom to lovebug, aka bug, aka emi kiyomi rebecca stephens. she's 2 and 4 months. when you ask her what color her hair is, she says 'orange.' and it's true. the girl is 1/4 japanese for crying out loud. we live in vancouver, british columbia with the best dad and husband ever. we see bald eagles on the way to the grocery store. and we all love to wear stripes.
i'm thinking of a book project - a travelling, collaborative book project. details to be announced. who wants in?
drip is amazing.
kelli
needle sketch soon.

how products happen: head to object

2007-02-26T20:18:00.000-08:00

Erica, I am ripping you off. Totally.

I don't have an art director- I don't have a boss. I sometimes get a thumbs up or thumbs down from Matt, but usually I get "it's interesting". Hm. Ambivalence.

I never think in a straight line, and I rarely do all my thinking at once. Usually I don't even realize I've been thinking about something, but clearly I have been, because suddenly a solution comes to mind based on what I have been problem-solving without really problem-solving. Does that make sense?

I realized it was happening today- I caught myself in process. Whew!

I was wanting a coaster other than the kleenex on my desk. I thought a lot about the old flour sack towel. I did some work for the tax man. I liked round. I thought about the coffee table we might someday have (I hate coffee tables, but I want one, or something loosely based on a coffee table to go in front of the couch), if I ever find something I like, and how I probably will want to protect the surface from scratches (unless it turns out to be something like this, which I really want for in front of the wood stove). So soft is it. And machine washable- heck yes, thumbs up! Which reminded me that I need to do a machine-washing test on something for these recycled materials for a dog bed that I've been thinking about. And you know, we don't really have super-sweaty glasses here because it is typically bone dry, so I don't really need anything that will act as an impenetrable barrier (Matt suggested I pop in a layer of Gore-Tex- better than "interesting"). More attractive and lasting than the kleenex, but not marble with cork backing (yarf).

Back to the old towel, back to my exposed seams, thinking about the drips becoming the design, and then I kind of laughed thinking how I'm a total drip for thinking about a mini-quilt to catch my coffee drips. And the word drip stuck. Real drips with the word drip hand embriodered. Buh-bye, excel spreadsheets, huhllo embroidery hoop, coffee colored thread and the once-again rescued flour sack towel.

And here we are- I have 2 of these little puppies. Obviously I didn't take the time to switch out the foot on my Necchi, so these are rough, and they haven't been washed yet to fray the edges, but hot diggity it was a fun 45 minutes! And the photographing was fun, too. And Miss Lovely slept through it all! Hooray! I'm looking forward to making more... AFTER I get those stupid spreadsheets done, I swear.

I highly doubt that I am alone in this kind of wandering, start/stop then go for it thinking. And usually these ideas take a while to stew- this was just a lucky nooner of an idea.

Also exciting? I got my paper napkins up on my site. Fingers crossed, please please please God I won't find them at Target or Pottery Barn (worse yet, Kohl's or Walmart) for Back To School next year. I have been afraid to put them out there for years....

Speaking of, I really need to get a move-on with that stinking site. Vision has been so hazy and photography is such a killer for me... I don't naturally think in 2d.

And go check out the darling shoes Matt gave Miss Lovely for Valentine's Day- you will die!

-Annie

I need a coaster...

2007-02-26T10:17:00.000-08:00

I drink a lot of coffee. Correction: I used to drink a lot of coffee. I have cut myself back to the 4-cup mark on my coffee pot a day. Not easy. Especially since Matt (husband) enforced a strict caffeine ban on me many months ago for my own good and the good of the one who was in utero. I hate it when he is right about something.

This recent reduction was done by me, for me. Better to savor the bit that I get. What I really love is the ritual- making it, smelling it brewing, pouring it into my favorite cup(s), walking upstairs with it... and promptly getting the inevitable dribbles all over me and my desk.

Actually, I hate the last part. I am in love with these coffee cups (begin, create are my favorites), but unfortunately the lip is a little wonky, and one always get drips down the side, no matter how carefully one sips. These drips are currently being caught by a kleenex 'coaster' on my desk. Not attractive. (I promise it isn't a used kleenex)

So I need a coaster. I am thinking about my undying love of muslin, but also feeling inspired by the ratty towel project I undertook for the february whiplash for whipup. I'm feeling guilty about the remains of that towel- since I started to recyle it, I should finish recycling it, right?

I think I want a round coaster, and the design will be all about the stains becoming the design.

but what i really need to be doing is working on spreadsheets for my tax man. yuck-o. thinking about this coaster issue has been a fantastic distraction from the task at hand!

xoxo

annie

WOW

2007-02-26T09:10:00.000-08:00

Hi- via whipup.net, check out Shiso Mama. WOW.

Oh, self-discipline, where art thou? (Somewhere checking out the oscars gowns and baubles on people.com, I'm afraid)

- sigh -

Annie

Evolution of a Image

2007-02-20T11:14:00.000-08:00

First post for Erica! Yee-haw! Here it goes:

The creative process can be extremely frustrating, especially when you are dealing with other people's thought and ideas (i.e. clients, art directors, publishers....) Details you would never think about changing if you were creating this image on your own suddenly become sticking points that have to be dealt with. It would be nice if one would get a "Perfect! It's just what I had in mind!" every time you create something but that is just not the reality. It makes me wonder if I am too lenient on myself when I create an image just for me. Where is my inner art director to guide the image to become better than what I had originally envisioned? Is she out to lunch? I am going to have to find her I think.

Here is an example of an initial sketch:

This is about version 4 I think. Notice the change in the faces and hand postion of the middle girl:
Here is the approved sketch (about version 6). The girl on the right has completely changed.

Final! Even more changes, note the addition of the blue ball of yarn.
The most important thing I have learned is to stay flexible and do not under any circumstances take requests for changes personally.

i stink at drawing

2007-02-16T23:39:00.000-08:00

Part of why I should be sketching 5 minutes a day is because I stink - stink! - at drawing. I don't have the patience. It's not a natural thing for me. If I could just get comfortable with it, get over the self-consciousness, I think I'd be in better shape.

The biggest best thing in my art arsenal is my wacom tablet. Its just not scary like a blank piece of paper, you know? Undo, delete, erase, asta luego to whatever stupid thing I just did, and I can just move on without record of my lameness. I have the pleasure of forgetting my blech, and I can just sigh a happy sigh of contented denial and move on...

Here are 2 things I've been wanting to make that I keep chickening out about because I don't really know how to sew:

And the horse I rode in on:

Goodnight!

Annie

'Conversations at the Kitchen Table'

2007-02-16T07:41:00.000-08:00

Well, here is the wall hanging I have been working on. I think it looks great. But, boy did it take it's sweet time felting down to size. I used another fiber person's wool fober for the ground and the rate of shrinkage wasn't quite what mine was, so for a piece that was to finish 72 inches long (it started 90") it wouldn't go below 7' for the longest time. I had to call in Tom to the rescue! He slapped the felt silly and it shrunk to 6'4", do-able for the customer. Whew.

I have two more runners to do by the end of nextweek, fiber should arrive any second. The funny thing about the next two, is they are almost the same design, and almost the same colors.

Also, we had a Valentine's Day Blizzard. I love how our house and garden looks all covered in 18 inches of snow.

OH! and I keep forgetting to mention that I am trying accupuncture for my allergies. I go this morning for my 3rd session. Very interesting...very interesting.

just have to share

2007-02-14T14:33:00.000-08:00

http://sparkwest.blogspot.com/2007/02/spit-up-smock-cont.html

I love the photo all the way at the bottom of the post. The graphics are just so darn cool, don't you think?

contributor update!

2007-02-14T08:24:00.000-08:00

The talented Jill Bliss from blissen.com will be joining us in March... should be great! I've been a big fan of that sweet blissen for a long, long time...

More later!

xoxo & valentine's love to ya

annie

i shouldn't be doing this

2007-02-13T21:16:00.000-08:00

I'm supposed to be putting my whip up spit up smock together. but the red thread was just too tempting...

annie

2007-02-13T09:35:00.000-08:00

we went & looked at this house yesterday- fell madly in love with it. it is just out of reach. if i could quick get a great job with a salary that would afford primo in-our-home childcare, we'd be all over it. we'd finally get to talk seriously about bringing horses into the family! but... not yet.

i am still having creative issues with vday. i make matt cards every year, and this year... i'm stumped. this is the best i've got:

Matt used to be a race car driver- road racing. None of that nascar nonsense (he is a racing snob- i.e. nascar is dumb because they only turn left), he is an F1 man. His car was so cute- early model VW Scirocco, painted bright yellow. I never cared about cars or racing until he took me to see a vintage rally- now THAT was cool.

Nicole's Post

2007-02-12T09:58:00.000-08:00

So here's the wall hanging I am working on, this picture is unfelted, and it will shrink when finished. I love the colors and action. I am ready to wet and begin felting now. The piece is called Red X's, and I have done it now three times, all different sizes but all similar color palette. For some reason today it is reminding me of Chocolate!!!! Hmmmm wonder why?

Oh by the way Annie,
I just had someone from The Mission Mountains in Montana ask if I would consider do a workshop there? Maybe we can get a western mountain tour for this summer? OK, now I am thinking about it - more.

I'll post a photo of the piece finished!

Hypnotizing Babs

2007-02-11T09:47:00.000-08:00

Happy Sunday! You know I did not like that movie. I was expecting funny not sad.

OK, so my brother and new sister-in-law came to visit yesterday. They live in San Diego, and were visiting my parents in SOPO, ME...drove over for the day. I made a de-lish-us lunch. Chicken and potato hash, and prosciutto wrapped asparagus (then broiled so the prosc. is crispy) and then made a very yummy cake. None of the foods I made I had ever made before, and they were all quite tasty. Get this, the name of the cake I made, and this is the only reason I made it, is the St. Louis Ooey Gooey Berry Butter Cake, kind of like a white sour cream cake topped with a cheese cake topping, and yummy as well.

The most interesting thing about their visit is my SIL showed me how to hypnotize Babette. I have never been able to do this and have read about people being able to do this to their bunnies. She did it once to show me and then I tried, and it works! I am going to practice it with Babs. It apparently is reminiscent to baby bunnies mommies carrying their babies and really zones them out, you can lay them on their backs! and they just lay there! In case you don't remember Babette she is angora grey and white spots with black Cleopatra eyes. She is 8 years old this month and I can't believe we haven't been able to do this to her or her brother their whole lives! Our princess......

Oh well, I gotta get a felt laid out, it has beautiful fall-ish colors and very linear and splashy type motifs, and will be used by the customer as a wall hanging. I'll take a pic when it is done.

troubles with l-o-v-e

2007-02-10T09:42:00.000-08:00

I have to create some sweetsie lovey table decorations for the red & pink dinner I'm putting together. I am planning on cutting big-ish hearts out of brown craft paper, then loosely painting them with polka dots, etc. Needs to be quick, not a big time investment... and I started doing some quick little sketches to get the old juices flowing, and clearly, I am just not that sweet. Like, I hate Easter decorations. Love Easter, like lambs & bunnies & chicks just fine, but i hate Easter decorations. They are so... splenda.

So this sweetsy heart thing for a surly girl is just not easy- or at least not easy today. Maybe because Matt brought home the Break Up last night? I was so glad they didn't get back together at the end of the movie. And I was SO glad that Matt & I never had to break up- I just could not bear doing that with him, which is, I guess, why we're married.

So I'll just be sucking it up and being uninspired. Unless a lightning bolt strikes.

And I am definitely looking forward to making these for the Pink Potluck. I told everyone that dessert would be a pink potluck, so good luck & get creative...

I'm totally not sure about the Pam. Will they be slimey? But if I don't Pam, could I get them out of the tin? Slimey jello would be gross, but stuck jello would be a bummer.

Much, much LOVE,
Annie

Figured out the image thing!! WooHoo!

2007-02-09T05:36:00.000-08:00

HEY!!!! I did it! I consulted with my IT guy and needed to remove the pop-up blocker, and voila bebe, je suis ici!

So here's a great shot of me showing off my new black and white 'do. I have to say it was months and months of careful and very special highlighting that acheived this effect. And these are my current specs (They are from Target, Nicole Millers and irredecsent). I love their look but they are over two years old and the plastic is turning and I have lost one of the bling spots in the corner, and the lenses are getting funky. Oh yes and, this is the most important thing ...I need bi-focals. Yup I hit 45 this past year and I have to either take them off to work up close (like drawing and painting) or look over or under them...and that's getting old! I do love the black and white glasses look and think they will go great with my new specialized haircolor. You know I have had big black glasses back in the 80's. They were "eyebrow" glasses, and like everything else in the early 80's BIG! Too funny to put them on now.

I heard from the gal who is trying to sell my felt work to a big client in Massachusetts. Unbelievably, she presented 40 artists . I was one. And they were very excited about my work. Though I designed a BIG installment for the space, it is a less travelled space in their complex, so they are now thinking they wouldn't necessarily put as much $ into that one piece. This gal has a lot of juggling to do, and will be meeting again with them in the next few weeks, to hopefully get more specific. The rendering represents a space of 8' H x 20' W. Needless to say I think this will be a long process, like all of my custom work.

copyrighted 2007

am i a pointer sister?

2007-02-08T15:24:00.000-08:00

i mean, cause i'm so excited?

erica and kelli will be contributors!

erica, are you somewhere in the vicinity of the strait of juan de fuca? kelli is in that vicinity.

nic, i'm just going for it and sharing the yak test photo since you were having upload issues- i hope the animation works, cause that is the best part! (drat. not working.)

tom & nicole

!!!

Annie

Feb 8

2007-02-08T13:07:00.000-08:00

Howdy! Nicole here... I have no idea if this will make it to your-our delish blog. I hope so, I am still trying to figure it out. Today will be day one for me just to say hi and to try to get a picture of me on. Keep your fingers crossed!

So far I have successfully posted and am now editing but still trying to figure adding a picture to the post...Not successful yet...I keep clicking the photo icon and am not getting another window to select images from my data base. Do I have to download Picasa? TaTa for now

spit up smock

2007-02-07T12:12:00.000-08:00

I am sending to a post I just put up on my other blog for explanation of this sketch...

http://sparkwest.blogspot.com/2007/02/whip-up-challenge-february.html

Thoughts?

-Annie

My view this a.m.

2007-02-06T06:43:00.000-08:00

Good morning!

Two things:

1. The view out the upstairs window this a.m. - the peak of the Grand (Teton).

2. A thing I did late late late when I couldn't sleep the night before last. Would be interested to hear about other people's color obsessions and/or soundtracks...

Miss Lovely has her 4 month check up this a.m.- can't wait to find out just how much she's grown! But scared to death of the shots... we had a bad experience with the last round at 2 mo checkup- there was blood. Her sweet, precious blood. I sobbed, got very dizzy, and the nurse made me put my head between my knees. Humiliating.

Have a great day!

Annie

[lame] inaugural sketch

2007-02-05T13:42:00.000-08:00

Here it is, the very first sketch. The blue sucker from the hospital, my tool of choice this past week with a sick Miss Lovely, forever immortalized. The mini tot stapler is a true vintage, from my mother's desk... I have one little box of staples that I have moved with me everywhere since I was in college. And the goldfish... yum. Can't believe Miss Lovely will soon be eating these right along with me?

Sketching with a wiggling babe on your lap adds a whole new challenge- kind of like drawing with your non-dominant hand. They should do this in Drawing 101... it would promote the use of birth control among art students across the country, as well as remind these students that their art is not the center of the universe. There are other forces, such as drool and spit up, that clearly deserve attention and resolution.

-Annie

Day One

2007-02-05T12:25:00.000-08:00

Aye yi yi... I hope this flies.

Here's the deal: I am totally, completely pathetic when it comes to independently maintaining creative momentum. There is a darling baby girl to take care of, loads of laundry to be washed, dishes to be done, delicious distractions... and truth be told, I am a performer. I thrive on being depended upon and do my best work for other people. Working/doing/taking care of me? Finishing my website?

Sigh. Not so much.

I'm also marooned in a tiny town on the western side of the Tetons. My creative peeps are all a plane ride away from sharing a pot of tea over our sketchbooks. What I'd love to have in my life again is thoughtful, supportive, hilarious dialogue with like-minded people engaged in creative pursuits. I'd love this little blog to be a spot to post a little sketch or idea a day, share and find inspiration, feedback, encouragement and supportive critique. I always feel guilty about not taking just 5 minutes each day to do a little sketching/journaling- if I knew people were holding me accountable for participating, well shoot, I just might have to do it!

I have a long list of people I admire that I would love to do this with- some close friends, some mere acquaintances, some complete strangers... and I am 100% positive that all of these people will think I am a huge dork for proposing this.

But what the heck? Maybe it'll be great. Maybe it will bite the dust. Maybe it will turn into an experience that will inspire a sitcom (I lived in Santa Monica and worked in West Hollywood as a designer for a while- in a wacky way I was shocked that none of my clients ever proposed I star in a sitcom based on my life. I mean, come ON!). Or maybe not. The point is, I don't know what life this idea will take on, but I have nothing to lose besides being labeled a creative geek, so I'm just gonna hang it out there and send some invitations...

Here's a quick list of people I admire that I will send invites to just to get started:
[eeeegads! so scary to make this public- I feel like I'm a 7th grader begging to be friends with the cool kids, know what I mean?]

http://shimandsons.typepad.com/
http://www.anh-minh.com/weblog/
http://lauranormandin.com/
http://www.goodonpaperdesign.com/About/About.html
http://www.ericamulherin.com/
http://weewonderfuls.typepad.com/wee_wonderfuls/
http://www.rosylittlethings.com/
http://www.festivefibers.com/
http://www.lisacongdon.com/index.html
http://www.artistgirlfriday.com/index.html
http://www.papage.com/index.html
http://www.jillbliss.com/

There are so many more neat-o people to invite, some are missing websites... I'll post about them at a later date.

Obviously, there will be ground rules-

1. You can't be mean. Ever.

2. You have to be funny, or at least willing to acknowledge how funny everyone else is (an appreciative audience is indispensible, don't you think?!).

3. You have to contribute a quick sketch or link or musing of some type at least once a week, and you have to leave at least 2 comments a week. This will only work if we have dialogue!

4. You have to be willing to be cast as a character in the sitcom, should Hollywood come a-knockin'.

5. MOST IMPORTANTLY, YOU/ME/WE MUST TREAT EACH OTHER WITH THE UTMOST RESPECT AS ARTISTS. THIS INCLUDES GIVING CREATIVE CREDIT WHEN/WHERE CREDIT IS DUE, CONDUCTING ONESELF WITH INTEGRITY, AND HONORING THAT ALL SUBMISSIONS ARE COPYRIGHT OF THE SUBMITTING ARTISTS. This needs to be a safe place to bounce ideas around and share inspiration without fear of being ripped off. Capiche?

So be looking for your email invitation! It appears that I can set up lots of people as authors (I'm new to this blog thing, veterans, please email suggestions how best to execute), so as soon as you let me know you're in, I'll set you up.

Ok. Fingers are crossed. I'm going to click publish and see what happens... really. I am.

!!!!!

-Annie

sketchy artists

Happy New Year!

Yup Fall here too

It is starting to feel like Fall!

No sketching going on here at the moment...

New Issue of Dwell Magazine

New Banner Please

Trip to West Virginia

Personal DNA

Helping hands

May/June Issue of Cloth Paper & Scissors

Painted Plate!

Watercolor Nature Studies

what a joke.

Silkscreen project rethink

a new one

i guess i don't sketch

something simple

My next project

"- Where is Estonia? - Who cares?! "

What do the Estonian names mean?

Some Estonian proverbs:

What Estonians compare things with:

The Cunning Keeperof a Threshing Barn

Rubio's

Happy Mothers Day weekend everyone!

how 'bout a little help?

Hi, my name is Eva

fair trade fashion

annie who?

Recent Sketches

collage

hellllloooooo

Needles Schmeedles

falling off the radar

Confessions of a Magazine Junkie

More Juice for the Brain

Funk?

Feeling Funky

creative funk

Color Theory Class

This one girl...

please, mr. thief, steal this crap

pins: needles and stripes

how products happen: head to object

I need a coaster...

WOW

Evolution of a Image

i stink at drawing

'Conversations at the Kitchen Table'

just have to share

contributor update!

i shouldn't be doing this

Nicole's Post

Hypnotizing Babs

troubles with l-o-v-e

Figured out the image thing!! WooHoo!

am i a pointer sister?

Feb 8

spit up smock

My view this a.m.

[lame] inaugural sketch

Day One

The Cunning Keeper
of a Threshing Barn