a day of mixed news
I'm feeling pretty lousy. When I get a sore throat, the rest all sort of goes downhill. So I stayed home from school today. I was awakened by my boss, asking if I could work a few extra hours on saturday. I told her sure, but that I was sick today, and she gave me the night off. So that was a bonus, even though I'm losing money.. it's finals week; I can't afford to get any sicker!
Then I got a text message from my brother. My favorite author, Kurt Vonnegut Jr., has passed away :( I feel so sad, even though I know he lived a long and full life. I started reading his work when I was in middle school, beginning with
Welcome to the Monkey House, a book of short stories. He remains, to me, the best writer of short stories. I went on to read a few of his books. My favorite is probably
Breakfast of Champions because he pulled out a literary move that just BLEW MY MIND. If you haven't read it, I don't want to spoil it, and if you have you probably know what I mean :) It takes place in a bar, I believe. Anyhow, I don't think I'd have been so into writing and reading if it weren't for dear old Kurt. He was just one of the best of the best of the best. So it goes... Rest in Peace dear Kurt <3
Another text message revealed that my friend Mark is on the cover of a local weekly paper with his pet rooster, Mister Clucky. Mark is one of my "regulars." I work in a gallery, and because I am a captive audience, I'm often privy to the musings and dreams of strangers. There a few local eccentrics who visit often, telling stories of their lives (one guy, Nick, lived in NYC in the heyday of awesome music, spotting David Bowie at a record store before he was famous... Mark once drove a schoolbus with no brakes down from Vermont to Key West in the company of a crazy girl and a talking greyhound who was so enormous and so powerful he could jump over a car in a singlebound, and so fearsome that Mark slept with a baseball bat next to him in case the dog should attack him in the night). Mark visits almost every day, and often accompanied by Mr. Clucky. So Red and I went for a walk and scooped up the newspaper.
When I came back, this wonderful painting by
Matthew Feyld was awaiting me. I already hung it up, and it looks amazing, even more beautiful in real life. I took a photo, but my camera died, so I'll have to wait to post it in its new home.
Now it is time for me to make a huge, steaming bowl of Cream of Wheat, slather it with butter, salt, & pepper, then curl up on the couch with Red to watch
Amelie on this rainy, mismatched day. I've been craving that movie for a while, and now seems a good time for escapism.
cutenesses & quilting
I prefer to think I have simple tastes. Refusing to buy new clothes on ethical (feeling too guilty about sweatshops) and financial (you want HOW MUCH for that shoddy junk?!) grounds, I end up with basically whatever I can find. Luckily, a lot of those finds are interesting-- like old dresses and skirts, or weird enormous t-shirts which I alter into something weird and my size. I don't usually spend money on non-thrifted extras like jewelry or purses, and if I do, I try to get something that will match a lot of what I have; something simple and maybe even a little timeless (or at the very least, timeless in my own hodgepodge, out of date wardrobe).
But every now and then I come across something on etsy that makes me want to abandon all my visions of quaint vintage finery and go sugary, sweet, jaw droppingly CUTE. I mean, toothache-inducing sweet. Things that make me want to dye my hair cotton candy pink, paint my walls bright aqua, and throw on some petticoats, a la
FRUiTS fashion:
If I were brave enough, or bold enough, to dress to the nines, these would be my accomplices:
Kup Kup's
etsy shop.
wallet by the very rad
Tinymeat.
Mister Cumulus brooch by etsy's adorable
Smeeta.As for me, I am currently engaged in making non-cute but very addictive projects. My class final is a quilt. That's right: a quilt. I am in love with this fiber-based painting class I'm in, and sad it's ending. I chose to make two quilts, out of my hand-dyed and printed fabrics, one for each of my little sisters. It would be nice to have some family heirlooms, and I don't think my great grandma's quilts are ever going to see the light of day again. They have a permanent residence in the uppermost region of my mom's closet. The quilting process, although time-consuming, is extremely pleasant when coupled with internet streams of
This American Life or iTunes' bluegrass radio station (makes me feel in touch with my roots-- I imagine it's the 1930s, and I'm sitting out on the porch, listening to my pappy and brothers play bluegrass tunes as I alternately gaze down at my hand-needled quilt or across the soft slopes of distant mountains). Especially if I am lucky enough to be alone in the studio. Just a girl and her quilt and her imaginings of an ancestral past.
one of several printed cloths that I am quilting.
Labels: about me, art by others, craft
I can't stop making these!
They're too much fun :)
The last one, the deer, already sold(!) but the others are available in the
shop. I am so happy these are getting a really positive response!
By the way, most of the photos I post here are from Flickr. So if you click them, you will get to a page where you can view them larger in exquisite detail.
Labels: craft, etsy, grayanimal
a little something fancy I made today
MINE, all mine! Although I may make a few similar ones for my
shop...
BEARS!!!
I have an obsession with U.S. National Parks, which is now carrying over into my jewelry choice... seeing as my favorite pin is
this one. I wear it almost every day and every day, people express feelings of envy and admiration for it.
Labels: craft, etsy, grayanimal
Shiny happy artwork
Rings
Originally uploaded by Amy Burhoe.An army of beautiful rings by Amy Burhoe. Do I sense a birthday present for my dear ol' sister Tash?
I am in love with the patterns of Aimee Wilder. (link from design*sponge.) I am working a lot with pattern right now in my fiber design class, but more on that later-- taking photos of some work at studio tomorrow!
And of course, a rainbow volcano mindblowing piece by artist Jen Stark.
Labels: art by others
new goods + sunday morning comin' down
I spent my sunday doing this...
and this.
The bag is in the shop.
I also went to the symphony, courtesy of my school. Hate to say it, but I fell asleep for a minute... what a cretin.
Labels: about me, craft, etsy, foods, grayanimal
