Friday, December 28, 2007

Merry Christmas!


Here is the link to last year's cards.

Posted by Beth Howard @ 11:01 AM :: (2) comments

Monday, December 24, 2007

Extracurricular Activities


I had the local screen print shop in my hometown make this screen for me. I'm so proud because it's my first original Beth-Drawn design that I've made into a screen for fabric patterns. And I'm really happy with it.

I printed it this morning with thickened dye on an old sheet I bought at and estate sale--truly the best place to get awesome white fabric. It takes dye really well because they've been washed a hundred times and the thread count is usually really good, too.

Merry Christmas!!

Posted by Beth Howard @ 11:30 AM :: (1) comments

Sunday, December 23, 2007

It's the most wonderful time of the year


And the weather was awesome last night. It's amazing how much more snow and actual winter weather they get just a few hours north of Nashville. One of my friends mentioned to me how much Missourians are ob sessed with weather. It's because it's not unusual to have the temp change 30 degrees in a day and go from 60 and sunny to 30 and so icy you can't get out of the house fro 3 days!

The snow falling last night was so beautiful--huge flakes blustering around everywhere. Hopefully it won't stop us from going to my grandmother's for a Christmas celebration today. And I'm going to pick Jason up from the airport in St. Louis.



I just love Christmas. I'm really excited about the gifts I gave everyone. Let it be said, though: i HATE wrapping presents. I mean hate it. Doesn't that seem really counterintuitive on my part? It's the 5 seconds of fun before someone rips it to shreds that really bothers me. And I feel like I should at least try to make them pretty since that's just the kind of girl I am. I just try for cute paper, all one kind, a nice ribbon, and this year a tag from Amy at Angry Chicken. What a grand idea!


My favorite gift idea is the stocking stuffer for my Dad's family: Spice based dip mixes! I put them in these little Ikea Jars with the recipe. Believe it or not, I got the recipe from Better Homes and Gardens. If you haven't read that mag in a while, you should check it out. They have some really great things in there and are slightly more practical than Martha.

Here are the spice mix recipes that I used:

Mediterranean Dip: (one recipe for each jar)
1 Tbsp. Dried Lemon Peel
1 Tbsp. Sweet Basil Leaves
1 tsp. Ground Cumin
1 tsp. Coarsely Ground Sea Salt.

Pesto Dip:
2 Tbsp. Basil leaves
1 tsp. Garlic Powder
2 Tbsp. Toasted Pine Nuts
Dash of Red Pepper Flakes
1 tsp. Coarsely Ground Sea Salt.


On the label for the jars write: Mix with one cup dairy sour cream. Set for 5 minutes and serve.
And here is the tag I used--adapted from Amy's tags.

I have some really fun projects lined up for the week--and actual time to blog! Hooray!

Posted by Beth Howard @ 8:05 AM :: (3) comments

Tuesday, December 18, 2007

Meet Chuck (aka Merry Christmas to me!)





Most people didn't react with proper awe and amazement when I told them that Jason bought me a LETTERPRESS for CHRISTMAS!! Holy crap! Not very many times in one's life do you get so surprised by the most excellent toy of a present. I mean, really!

Here is a list of things I've gotten for gifts and been truly hugely excited-jumping-up-and-down happy about (and mom, I'm sure I'm forgetting some, no offense intended)

** a Fisher Price Star Stage microphone with real lights and and echo effect brought on with 2 pedals (age 7)

**TV for my room/studio (age 16)

** a full mini kitchen set in avacado green (age 3)

** a set of Fimo clay from my great aunt--it's the first "crafty project" that I really remember being obsessed with (age 5)

And I've gotten lots of other cool and artsy things, but this press, which I'm naming "Chuck" temporarily--suggestions welcome!--is seriously exciting. Jason says he should have known how obsessed I was going to get--it's all I've been looking at on the internet. It needs new rollers, and I don't have even a letter of the actual "letterpress" typeface, but I really want to print my wood blocks, and eventually I might get into lettering, etc. For right now, I'm just playing. Watch your back, Shona!!! Haha. I seriously called Shona within 5 minutes of opening it. She has a great set up and talent for printing. I'm going to stick with the sewing for now, and dabble into the printing. I'm hoping to somehow use the press for printing fabric.

So, anyway! Whoo-Hooooooo!!!!! I'll have to share some of my letterpress-related finds.

Posted by Beth Howard @ 9:57 PM :: (10) comments

Tuesday, December 11, 2007

You're bugging me

You know how sometimes you read or see something, and just have to get it out of your system? This bag is the perfect example of that.



I saw a room on Decor8, I think, and the colors were just like this. Since I love nothing more than to toil for hours on something to the point of only earning mere pennies for my time, I thought I should employ the patchwork technique and then quilt it up.


I actually am quite pleased with the outcome.



This is a large patchwork messenger bag. Here 'tis on my Etsy shop!



I have a hard time judging the perfect length for messenger straps, seeing as I'm giantly tall and have immodestly large ta-tas. Can't help it. Wish I could. Member of the Itty-Bitty-Titty-Committtee, I am not. Oh well.




Here are some other things that are really bugging me and will probably be made soon.
1) These fabric trees from Soule Mama

2) Soldered glass collage pendants

3) I keep reading Kaffe Fassett's book and drooling. I want to make half-square triangles all day long. Just lock myself up with some really odd Kaffe fabrics and go to town.

Posted by Beth Howard @ 10:04 PM :: (1) comments

Thursday, December 06, 2007

Merry Christmas to Me! (and you--WINNER)

While at the Chattanooga Market last weekend, I kept sneaking away from my booth to go check out this incredible ceramicist. She had such beautiful forms and the glazes were amazing. I wanted a little of everything. I came home with only these 2 pieces. They're each about 3 or 4 inches square. They little pic part is a depression in the surface, which she put an image in and covered in resin. Brilliant!!

Sadly, this talented woman doesn't have a website (and no blog, shockingly enough) but she does sell at Blue Skies in Chattanooga. I think she works there, too. That's all the scoop I have on it.


















AND the WINNER IS!!!

Thank you all for your kind comments--and I know, I know. I wish I had 2 hours everyday to blog. But if I did--I wouldn't have time to actually make art. Or go to my real job where they give me health insurance.

So, if your name is called, please e-mail me your snail mail address, and a color preference if you have one (meaning pastels, no lime green, lots of red--etc.)

Drumrollllll.....
Paula, Tisra, Momma Mueller, Pink Almond, Susan, and Freshie--you get one for being my inspiration. Send me those addresses, y'all!

Posted by Beth Howard @ 9:15 PM :: (4) comments

Tuesday, December 04, 2007

SHEESH!


Oh, for Pete's Sake! I can't seem to catch a break. I'm at work right now helping out a friend--and it's almost 10 at night! So while I'm waiting for my animation to render, I'll give you guys a quick update.















The Chattanooga Market went well--I met some awesome Spicy girls and made some great trades. Oh, and the other pathetic thing about my blogging practice of late is my lack of camera mojo--i tried 3 TIMES to get batteries--once the woman at the check out didn't take them out of my basket, another time I forgot, and the last time I was so tired that I bought triple A's instead of the standard double. So I have very few pics.

So anyway, I got some incredible art work there--I'll try to post it tomorrow or whenever I next get a breath of air. It might be Thursday, let's face it.

There was one woman who thought that because she did fabric art also she could come into my booth and be rude and boss me around. She flat out told me that she used to make coffee warmers like mine "But mine were better. They were decorated. You'll never sell these. I got $15 for mine. You'll never sell any of these." Oh, yeah? Screw you, lady! I sold about 10 of them and that was pretty good considering the rest of the show.

I'll be drawing the names of all my CUFFEE winners hopefully tomorrow, and who ever wins, you'll have to send me your addresses via e-mail soes they don't get posted all over tarnation.

So please bear with me, friends, I'm coming up on some crazy 3AM working shifts, 3 separate freelance projects, and life in general. Here's to having finished all my holiday shopping online! Woo0-hooo! (and a little at the market this weekend)

Posted by Beth Howard @ 10:17 PM :: (3) comments