Sounds like a plan

The other day I was with my 12 year old nephew while he was doing his homework (some sort of massive biography, family tree/history sort of thing). He covered the screen and told me it was private but then later called me over and showed me this paragraph. Then he had to call someone to mop up the puddle I had melted into. (of course when I was his age I was going to be an architect :) )

My Future Plan

My future plan is to be an artist. My parents say I have a touch for art, but I say it just comes to you. I am planning to accomplish this goal by taking art classes, visiting some artists, do some doodling and art when ever I can, and read some books about art. I think this will help because I can get information from artist to help me be a better artist, learn at art camps I will attend too, and by reading books about art. When I read the books I can learn some great art to make and/or learn about. With all this information I will store it and when I take out a piece of paper and a pencil I will produce some fabulous artwork for all to enjoy and love.

Samplers old and New

Several months ago Jessica Burko hosted a get-together at her South End studio to send a Boston Handmade member off in crafty style. While rummaging through her stash of paper ephemera I happened upon a page of notebook paper with a small stitched sampler attached and was so completely charmed that Jessica gave it to me (thanks Jessica). I can't be sure when this was stitched but it seems young Wilhemina received a grade of 92 for her efforts

Recently I reinterpreted the sampler for a workshop I taught at the BCAE using some awesome "by the yard" toweling that I picked up at Gather Here in Cambridge. I had a great time teaching the class and hope to do so again. In the meantime I will be posting a tutorial on how to create a tea towel stitch sampler of your own so stay tuned.

Happy Mothers Day

No waxing poetic here ... it's just not my style or reality. I will be giving mom this dragonfly pin when I see her next weekend, but only because she offered to buy it when she saw a similar one that sold over the holidays. While I was at it I made a few more for the shop :).

West Medford Open Studios

Please join me and other members of Boston Handmade this weekend for West Medford Open Studios. Over sixty visual artists and artisans will participate along with musicians, writers and community organizations. We'll be at "site #8" 56 Bower Street hope you'll stop by to see what's been keeping us busy.

Hint number two

I met this artist when we both worked here


only it wasn't a furniture store ...

Can you guess what it was? Just kidding - It was the Allston home of the Boston Food Coop (Now Harvest Cooperative Market)

mural The potluck by David Fichter

I don't get to Allston much these days (or to Central Square for that matter) so I took a little walk to see what had changed and what hadn't. I'll share some pictures and perhaps a story or two soon.

First hint -

Okay maybe it's obvious, maybe not but since I announced the contest on Boston Handmade, it seems only appropriate to let you know that this artist was born and raised in Boston and was working here at the time that the items pictured were created. Because we all like pictures in our blog post here's one of the bowl I was happy to receive from BH'er Arthur Halvorsen at our
"holiday" swap back in January. (filled with Red, White and Blue potato salad - scary looking but yummy) Yay for local artists.

Name that artist - a little contest

I announced a little contest over on Boston Handmade. If you didn't see that post the deal is that I thought I'd have a little fun and post a picture of some very early work by a now very established ceramic artist who I had the pleasure of working a "day job" with many years ago. I loved his/her work then and now and through all of the intervening developments and changes in the ... wait for it ... 20 plus years since then (gosh I feel old). The first to guess whose work this is will receive $5 toward a purchase from Boston Handmade member and ceramic artist Karen Mahoney's shop. I will be posting a hint a day for at least 3 days, possibly more if no one gets it by then. I'm also running a little experiment, as I wonder if this artist would recognize his/her work from so long ago so ... if you know people working in ceramics who this might be ... point them to this post I'd love to hear from them.
Enter by commenting here - on this post

More Testing

A pattern this time. Jen of Zooguu, maker of the cutest plush creatures, recently introduced her first pattern for sale in her etsy shop. For some reason I've always wanted to be a pattern tester, and Jen needed one so ... there you go. I won't be changing my career anytime soon, although my nephew who is one of Jen's biggest fans and to whom I gifted "Marion" thinks I should. I think the horn, or actually tooth, on my version came out looking like those hats (sans veil) that medieval maidens wore when going to the fair.

Next up (finally) some new work of my own!

Making Book and other testing adventures

This past week was a whirlwind of "crafty" activity with only a small portion of it spent on my own solitary endeavors. I've feel so lucky to be included in a group of artisans who meet up in person every month over various hot and cold beverages with no expectations other than to share experiences, advice and (sometimes stuff) and to provide support and feedback on life as an entrepreneur in this particular market.

In addition to the regularly scheduled meeting hosted by Melissa and Mimi, I also volunteered to be a tester for (another) Melissa and Jen.

This was by no means a sacrifice - they are both so talented in their respective fields: Mel as a maker of handcrafted books and journals and Jen as the creator of a fantastical world of plush toys for children of all ages.



Five of us (including Jen pictured above) gathered to help Melissa test a workshop she will be offering on making travel journals. The workshop like her other work was meticulously well thought out, organized, presented and executed. For the first time in quite a while, I got to be the one in the class everyone had to wait for: That's what happens when everyone is a professional crafter I guess. But I figure this was good research material for Melissa, cause somebody's gotta be last, right? We made a set of 4 pamphlet style notebooks and a case for them and then building on that experience a 4 signature expandable book with various pockets and a closure. I learned so much from this workshop. Now I just need to plan a trip, but my first stop was at my sister's house to show off (she's been yearning to learn how to make books and well it's just a sister thing). I touted Melissa's workshop to her and to you, if you are in the Boston area or can get there. I highly recommend the experience.

In

In my head I blog all the time

... but it never seems to make it here. Is it that I a) am lazy and undisciplined? b) have a life that lacks interest? c) something else and if so what?

and now that I've said it maybe I can move on cause I actually want to blog for so many reasons.