Wednesday, July 30, 2008
the gallery at NewsChannel5
This is my office wall. Those are my remaining paintings. And all of them except for the large aqua and gold one have sold. And there were twice as many that sold before I got the chance to photograph the phenomenon.
A little inappropriate, yes. I guess since the General Manager came down and browsed, I'm not in too much trouble. So many people said "You have to make me a painting before you leave!" That I said I would send them a photo of the existing paintings. Then I just decided to bring them all in.
I sold all the paintings I own, including a few prints, some that have been hanging in my bathroom, and assorted long forgotten works. Nothing like liquidating your assets. Let's just say we're now staying in a PRIMO hotel in Rome. I'm so glad that they all went to good homes, to people I love, and that they'll remember me whenever they see the painting.
Like my co-worker Terrence says "This just goes to show you that artists really never make money on their artwork till they're dead." Let's hope this is as close to dying as I'm going to get for a while.
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
The post I've been procrastinating
I'm not sure how to say this, so I'm just gonna blurt: I'm moving. I got a new job and I'm moving to Missouri. This is such wonderful news in so many ways. I'm devastated to leave some of the coolest people on the planet who work with me at NewsChannel5, and it's been so hard and sad to tell my dear friends in Nashville that I'm abandoning them. Everyone has been so good because I'm so happy about it myself.
...but I'm thrilled to pieces to be starting a new journey in a familiar place. Drum roll please....
I'm going to be the Art Director at the largest U.S. national farming magazine--Farm Journal! right up my ally, right? Well I certainly hope so. I'm so excited to start out in a new field--and if you could see the stack of magazines I've recycled in the moving process you would understand how much I love magazines.
The office seems really wonderful, and did I mention it's only 15 minutes from my parents' house? Yeah. Pretty perfect. It will be so wonderful to just be home. Like taking a deep breath. And besides, no offense to all you Southerners, but you just can beat the work ethic and honesty of the Great Midwest.
My last day at NewsChannel5 is tomorrow, and my first day at my new job is Thursday. I'm moving the whole house, including the business. Oh yeah, and did I mention I'm getting MARRIED at the end of the month? Oh, sure. No stress.
So that's the news. I promised Shona that you wouldn't be getting a message from me like "Um, blogging just isn't fun for me anymore." Not at all I'm still here, and will be. I pledge solemnly to post at least once a week, and come September, look out for some spectacular wedding/Italian honeymoon/farms in the fall photos.
To my dear Nashville friends: I'll miss you so much, but we'll always have the InterWeb! and maybe I'm still in denial, but I know I'll see you all soon. And you'll be able to stalk, I mean, keep up with me through this blog.
Thanks for the good times!
Monday, July 28, 2008
The Final Invitations
Here they are! The final, printed and addressed invitations. The addressing went much faster this time around because I wasnt' scrambling for addresses. I'm not as thrilled with the outer envelope calligraphy, but I'm pretty sure that some of the Save the Dates didn't get where they were supposed to because of my crazy calligraphy.
The inner envelope names, however, I was ENTHRALLED with. I went the informal route, used first names, and covered a lot of real estate with my gouache and split nib writing. That 3 hour calligraphy class I took in college was totally worth it. Not that I used a real official alphabet, but it's the style that counts.
The invitations were the one part of the wedding I felt like I could go OCD about and not impose my craziness on others. I did them exactly how I wanted them. And I wouldn't change anything about them!
One of my crazy friends said: "Yee haw. It's like a hoe down!" To which I said "That's right B*tch! I will hoe you down here in a minute."
Hoe down my ass. Sorry. That's just rude.
Labels: printing, weddingness
Monday, July 21, 2008
Quiltfest 2008
Quiltfest was as usual a hootenanny of a good time. In the midst of major life chaos, which I'll get to later this week, I took off for East Tennessee--Jonesborough to be exact--for my 3rd annual Quiltfest with 10 members of my extended family.
It's the most wonderful time of the year. We all eat, cook, swim off the dock, and generally craft our little hearts out. The younger generation is known to stay up till 2:30am laughing and sewing. I'm a little tuckered out, I don't mind saying. There's my log cabin quilt in all it's glory. I sent it home with the craft fairy for the blocks to be assembled. I think I'm going to use it to decorate at my wedding reception.
Here's the scene at Tennessee Quilts. It's the very best quilt shop I've ever been in. 2 Stories of glorious fabrics, and such a wide variety! Here's the gang trying to help the newest member of our group, Erin, decide on border fabric for her One Block Wonder. You should go to my flickr pages and see how many One Block Wonders you can count in the photos from this year's quiltfest. It's such a good beginner pattern. We all took turns helping Erin with hers in an effort to get her to come back next year! I think she's hooked
We all have our little stations with our machines set up and ready to go, and we work on our own projects until someone doesn't know how to sew a Y seam, and then you take on their project. It's a lovely system.
Gran, Elaine, and Lauren try to pick out fabric for next year's challenge quilt. It's very tricky!
I'm so lucky to have such great gals in my family! Here's to many more Quiltfests!
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
the client/designer relationship
I'm having some problems with my photos right now, so please stay tuned!
I have this horrible client right now. Very picky, wishy-washy, and impossible to please. She can't decide on colors, so I printed 3 colorways. Then she keeps saying things like "um, I can't really read that tiny print." "Why isn't the background pattern more even?" "why don't the die-cut papers and the printing plate line up"
All very good points, but I mean, really? I'm not good with bridezillas. Too bad this one is me.
It is so unbelievable hard to design for yourself. And the invitations were one thing I just felt like I could really obsess over since they didn't involve me being rude or type-A to anyone else, just myself. Hence it's now 7 weeks to the wedding (ACK!) and I'm just now getting ready to send them out.
Labels: weddingness
Monday, July 14, 2008
Bridal Brunch! and a new Painting!
Here are some pics of my bridal brunch at my friend Michelle's house! Isn't her house gorgeous! And my latest painting of the Nashville skyline is there hanging above her fireplace.
I used a lot of fabric as the background, then painted over the top of it.
It was a boy/girl party, so Jason joined us. That artwork above his head is by our good friend Joe Moore. It's historical Nashville buildings, collaged and printed together. It's pretty amazing!
MMMmmm. This was truly some of the best food I've ever had at a bridal shower. And I got lots of great stuff from my registries. Now if I was only done with printing the invitations, I could put all those gifts to good use in the kitchen. Soon!
Wednesday, July 09, 2008
The time has come
I have a penchant for organizational devices. And a nasty habit of starting to be organized, then abandoning the effort. "I can just remember 1,000,000 things because I have the best memory ever." Ahem, not really.
The time has come in this bride's life where I'm drowning in details. Which cake? which songs? which gifts for which people? Holy crap, there are lots of details. Most of which I'm very "whatever" about, but then you know, I at least have to decide which things I care about.
Enter Russell+Hazel. I read about them on Brooklyn Bride--fabulous read, by the way! They have all these awesome inserts--like different sized, pretty colored post-it notes, and stickable clear pockets! AND--They have free downloadable worksheets for all kinds of wedding stuff, which I really need at this point. Then after the wedding I can use it for something else totally different. Like organizing the rest of my crazy life.
During my low-blood sugar and high-stress time of the day I freaked out and purchased a whole system. Hey, my other option was Cheetos from the vending machine. What's a girl to do?
I'll post when I've got it in my hot little hands, all filled out. Ahem.
Labels: weddingness
Friday, July 04, 2008
YARD SALE
I'm trying to sell at least 1/2 of my worldly possessions. Tomorrow. Saturday, July 5th, 7am-noon. 1215 Catina Drive, Nashville, TN 37217.
I was going through stuff last night, and I have 8!-- EIGHT!--tubs!--TUBS!!! of FABRIC. Please come get you some. I mean it. If I think you're going to use it wisely, I'll give you a VERY good deal on it.
We also have assorted posters, artwork, furniture, size 11 shoes, nice bedding, old Martha Stewart magazines and an amazing amount of outstanding...crap.
Please come!!!
Wednesday, July 02, 2008
Introducing. . .
http://www.1canoe2.etsy.com
My friend Carrie and I have started a little shop to sell our prints in! There will be collaborative efforts as well as a place for us to sell prints separate from our other etsy shops, where I sell mostly sewn type things, and Carrie is working on setting hers up as we speak (right, Carrie?)
We're pretty excited about it, and there will be much more to come. Go check it out!