More stuff up in my Etsy shop...

 

I've been dying to get back to doing some decoupage under glass work, but things have been too busy. Sadly, that means that my Etsy shop has been languishing -- until this morning, I only had seven pieces posted! Many of my favorites -- like the conjoined twin skeletons are gone, and while ideas spin in my head, there hasn't been enough time to execute them. I guess it's a good problem to have, but frustrating, too, since it feels like I've been letting my etsy space slowly die.

After a lot of thought, I've decided to add large-scale photography and reintroduce handknit baby hats. Think of it as widening the net. I'll also add smaller photographic prints, including some macros and small pieces from instagram and, eventually, some more decoupage under glass pieces.

I hope you stop by and take a look!

July. July.

We had an amazing time in Massachusetts. Amazing. Our second year at Solid Sound was phenomenal (even drenched) and I've developed a deep love for Thurston Moore's solo work. Also, a deep love for Western Mass. Surprise, surprise, I took tons of photos of decay and rust and chickens and people, and came back ready to make stuff again (I was a little worn out.)

One of the things I love best about rural Massachusetts? People don't ask what you do. In the DC area, within the first five minutes, most conversations wind up at "Where do you work? What do you do?" There, I asked people twice, but no one ever asked me. Refreshing, especially since I always feel like a fish out of water. It's hard to explain what I do, beyond "I make stuff". I think that if you aren't constantly trying to validate your position, it's a lot easier to get on with actually doing. I aim to find out.

And I want to figure out how to cobble together some sort of career that I don't need to explain to anyone. That's my new goal. Also, I want a pony. Or a really big dog.

I have to step away from the wax and paint fumes for a bit...

Getting ready for Handmade Mart and the opening day of Cheverly Community Market and I think I need either a nap or food. And probably a bath, since I seem to have coated a good part of my left hand and arm with silver wax.

And here's my big confession: I've never been in a craft show before. I'm a little (lot) nervous. Selling stuff through third parties (stores, etsy) is no problem, but the whole people interacting with me thing? That sends me right back to middle school, where I was painfully shy. Funny, since I blog in three places and take thousands of photos of everyone else. What can I say? It's a quirk.

Have I mentioned that I'm getting excited about Sunday and Handmade Mart? Look for my banner between 10am and 5pm on Ellsworth Drive in Silver Spring -- there are a ton of great artists who will be represented, and I can't wait to get a look at their work!

Here's my vendor profile...

I'm excited about a lot of things right now!

The next three weeks are crazy. Crazy I tell you! Spring break is over for the kids and there are only a five weeks left before summer, and I'm fairly certain that every minute is going to be a whirlwind...

* Cheverly Community Market kicks off an exciting new season with a potluck this Saturday night. Details here. You'll be hearing a fair amount about the Market from me this year...and I'm glad to be part of it again.

* ChvProm is next Friday! This is one event that makes Cheverly a magical place to live. Our group has big plans this year...big plans. I can say no more.

* Cheverly Day is next Saturday. If you've talked to me in the past month, you know I've been sort of preoccupied with getting the program ready -- it's a big one. I think that the very best thing about this program is that there are so many stories of people who live here, why they came here, why they stay. And a bunch of stories of families who have been part of Cheverly for multiple generations. Can't wait for everyone to see this!

* Cheverly Community Market opens the 2011 season on Saturday, May 21.

The thing I'm most excited about? I'll be in my very first craft fair on Sunday, May 22. Silver Spring's Handmade Mart is a juried fair of super cool vendors, and I'm thrilled to be part of it this year. Please come visit me there!

My Thing-A-Day 2011 Map.

Now...what to do next? Hmmm....

I made it all the way through Thing A Day 5!

There were times when I really didn't think I would make it this year. For some reason, this February has been a creative void and I've really had to push myself to do anything. Except knit socks. Four completed pair and two well on the way...maybe February should be known as Sock-A-Day.

I'd planned to finally learn to silkscreen, do some embroidery and some metal work, and some sewing, but it was pretty much socks and photography and cooking this time. Maybe March can be New-Thing-A-Day.

I'll put together a map of everything I made this month, but in the meantime, click on any of the links to the right to see what I made this month.

Thing-A-Day 2011...It's Alive!

Well, February 1st is here, and you know what that means...it's Thing-A-Day! I'll be posting links to my projects over there on the right, but you really should go to the main site and take a look at all the cool things that people are doing. It's definitely an inspiration.

Today, I was a little lazy -- just detail on the sweater I was already working on. Actually, I don't think "lazy" describes my state, so much as exhausted. I spent a few hours with Paul's fourth grade class today (Teacher Appreciation Day), and knitting a few inches is really all I have left in me. Honestly, I don't know how Miss Hall does it day in and day out.

Things I learned about 4th graders today:

1. The boys and the girls do not sit together at lunch. Duh.

2. The girls coordinate their tag day (out of uniform) outfits. It entails a lot of discussion.

3. No one wants to sing. Again, duh.

It's almost February...and that means Thing-a-Day!

Brrr...it's so cold! And it's been cold for a long time...we've been below freezing for days in the DC area. You'd think we'd at least get some of that sweet, sweet snow, but no. I digress.

Whether you're burrowing under covers wearing multiple sweaters and socks (so sexy!) or enjoying t-shirt weather (I hear you, happy Californians), February is the time to make stuff. Thing-a-Day 5 is here to goad you into doing just that. For the fifth year, hundreds of artsy/craftsy types will pledge to make one thing every day and post about it online.

This is my third -- maybe fourth? -- year of Thing-a-Day. Twenty-eight days of creativity shouldn't be a challenge, but believe me, it is. Sure, you could just do the same sort of thing every day...you know I'd be tempted to knit every single day...but the fun is learning new skills and stretching your abilities. Having said that, I'm definitely going to knit. And bake. And paint. And make plates. And, and, and... You get the picture.

Here are a few postings from my other TaD projects -- I'll post the link to the posterous site on February 1!

pricklygirl Thing-a-Day 2010

pricklygirl Thing-a-Day 2009

I hope a few friends register this year. Hint. Hint. Hint.

Like my new socks? I'm on a kick...

Etsy Treasuries -- Buy Handmade

Do you know about Etsy treasuries? Sellers curate collections of their favorite work by other Etsy artists and it's an interesting way to see what others are looking at. I started making lists only this month -- you can see mine here -- after being featured in nearly 20. Believe me, every time I'm in one, I'm absolutely thrilled -- and honored -- to be in such amazing company.

This holiday season, consider using the Etsy treasuries to find handmade, unique gifts. When you buy handmade, you have a connection to the artist. You contribute directly to a small business. You get something very special.

Learn more about the Buy Handmade movement here. And get 15% off anything in my etsy shop when you enter "Buy Handmade" at checkout.

Curse you, Martha Stewart.

Dangit. Why do I get that newsletter? Why do I ever go to that site? Why? Why? Why?!

Okay, now that the MarthaHaters (or MHers) have moved on to another blog, I have a confession to make: I really like Martha Stewart's staff, even if they scare me a bit (not intimidate. Scare.) A lot of it is over the top, and frankly, Martha is never going to do the kind of bedroom I'll love (I get a kick out of the subject line in the emails, though, so thanks for that.) There are some fantastic recipes and great crafts for all levels of craft expertise, and I've picked up a lot of basic ideas and tooled them into something I like even more. And, to her credit, she published my all-time favorite kid's magazine. (Which is now defunct. Bad choice, Martha. Body & Soul totally could have gone.) Also, my friend Scott (of Eat With Me) won her cookie contest a few years ago, so the woman obviously knows something.

Niceties aside, I hate that the site loads ridiculously slowly. (Why do you seem to hate photo optimization, friend?) I hate that her face is on my tool bar when I visit the site. (Logo, okay. Face, not okay.) I hate the tone of writing on that site. They do a very good job of capturing her voice, which grates. (A lot.)

This is a real love/hate/love thing.

My new favorite website

I visit the Craftzine site every day (honestly, more than once a day -- it is that good.) Today, they had a great post about Agence eureka, a site devoted to vintage graphic stuff. It's great inspiration for anyone who loves the art of craft.

Thing-A-Day 2010 has come and gone

So another month-long creative binge has come and gone. This year's Thing-A-Day felt very quick -- usually I'm wracking my brain for projects during the final week. And yes, if you count the blocks, there are more than 28. I made two things a few times...I blame the snow.

If you haven't looked at the Thing-A-Day 2010 site, you really should. There's all sorts of stuff there, from illustration to writing to metal work...some great, some not so great, but the idea of a whole bunch of people commited to doing something creative appeals to me.

Now, on to the next project...

Shameless Self-Promotion: New Plates in my Etsy Shop

At long last, I've added four -- count 'em four -- new plates to my nearly year-old Etsy shop. There's a pair of lions, an organ-filled torso, and two plates with beautiful red corral and starfish. With any luck, more are on the way this week. I hope you'll take a look...

And now, back to your regularly scheduled program...

This Is My 200th Post and It Is Awesome (but not because of me...)

Have you seen this video? I think I've watched it a dozen times since finding it last night...

Until last night, I'd never heard a Lady GaGa song. I still haven't heard her -- this is all I need. At the end of the credits, there are a few links, and, being very curious about the talented people behind this... Jark and Mason. Very cool blog with links to other very cool projects. Can you tell I'm intimidated by the sheer awesome here?

This post comes close on the heels of my birthday -- 43rd, thank you very much. It's been one of those years where, if I look back and ask if I'm better off now than I was a year ago, honestly I have to say no. I'm not glum or anything, just stating facts. I'm hoping things improve soon. Creatively, it's felt like a year of stabbing in the dark, sometimes hitting, mostly missing. It's not for lack of ideas, but accidents in execution. Literally every craft project I've started this fall has been a disaster. Knitting that doesn't quite work, felting that looks like blobs, painting that...ugh. And the plates -- I don't know what's happening, but it is not good. Isn't this sort of thing supposed to happen before some sort of giant cathartic breakthrough? I could really go for that...

Shameless Self Promotion

Hi everyone...I know you normally come here to read about...well, I don't really know why you come here, but I'm glad you do!

Anyhow, I've decided to celebrate the onset of actual lovely spring weather in the DC area by having a sale in my etsy shop. Six pieces are marked down: get plates with Buddhas, a snake, a human body...or small bowls featuring sharks or turtles for (relatively) cheap.

And now, back to our regularly scheduled doodling and ranting...

Something cool happened...to me!

I know. I'm just as surprised as you are. It seems like cool stuff happens all around me, but never actually to me. Well, today is the day that changed. And I'm going to commemorate it with a glass of port. In a minute.

The cool thing... I got interviewed for a really, really, really cool online art publication, The Artery Magazine. Here's an excerpt (many, many thanks again, Laura!):

Her work is such an unexpected mix of household and sci-fi; from mushrooms to deer remains, the metallic silver discs are the perfect serving platters for an artist’s party. Kathryn has held strong against selling out by gluing puppies to the plates in order to make a few bucks, although she did do a classy butterfly ware for her mother-in-law, and she’s a completely approachable seller.

They're actually talking about me! Wowee wow wow!

(If you're curious, visit my etsy shop...)

Exciting news!

If you've become bored while reading these posts (completely understandable) and your eyes have wandered over to the right of the page, you've noticed that I've spent the month of February doing thing-a-day 2009, wherein you create something new every day. I had a list of projects I wanted to work on before the month started: knitting (lots), sewing (some), embroidery (nope), quilting (nope), painting (a bit), silkscreening (not so far), metal work (not so far) and decoupage under glass. Well, this week has been pretty much devoted to decoupage under glass, and I've had really positive feedback. Positive enough that I've decided to start selling my work -- a big step for someone with a hefty lack of self-confidence. I hope to show at local craft festivals (Crafty Bastards, Richmond Craft Mafia, Charm City Craft Mafia) as well as opening a shop on etsy. Etsy is a really cool website that allows artists to show (and, hopefully, sell) their handmade wares to a wide audience. Starting Monday, you can visit my etsy shop to see what I've been working on. Take a look at other artists, too -- there's a lot of great handmade stuff out there!

The other exciting thing that's been happening in pricklygirl land is that Andrews&Dunham Damn Fine Tea is fully up and running. The first series -- Nepal, Dragonwell and Ceylon -- are doing very well, and I'm going to the post office to ship new orders every day.

Okay, enough advertising. Just thought you might like to know what's up.

thing-a-day 2009 Day 1

Thing-a-day has started, and I am on the ball!

February 1 (day 1):

* Red Velvet cupcakes for Maggie's Tea Party (and the SuperBowl ... the tea party was really just a cover to make childish cupcakes for grownups)

* Chocolate-cherry bread pudding for brunch with my mother-in-law, who also went to Tot soccer and witnessed Maggie actually kick the ball into the goal twice, which is more than Paul ever, ever managed

* Spicy white bean stew for the SuperBowl, which doubled as a knit-in (thanks, Kelly & Monica -- I love traditions!)

* Tea party cut-out paper doll chains, which Maggie and her friend decorated. They were all princesses. Big surprise, that. The girls also played lots of pretend games, all of which seemed to center around a mother and child going on an airplane and being left alone. I have no idea what that was about.

* Finally, progress on Charles' new hat. This is a replacement for the first one I made for him -- a long overdue Christmas present that I had planned to complete during homework in December. Unfortunately, it was comically large. I hope it fits my dad!

So that's Day 1. On to Day 2...I think I can finish the hat today!

Thing-a-day Is Coming!

Are you a artsy fartsy sort of person? Creative? Do you like a challenge? February is thing-a-day 2009 month.Each day during the month of February, I pledge to make one new thing, and this year I'm planning to try silk screening, metal work and quilting (in addition to knitting, painting, decoupage, cooking, baking, candy-making, sewing, embroidery and whatever else I can think of). Everyone chronicles what we produce on thing-a-day, and I'll be posting updates here as well. Last year was great -- and a real challenge. See some of the cool things that participants created last year on the flickr site.

So...anybody else in?