Category Archives: General

revving

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I don’t know what it is about January.  I feel like I spend the whole month revving my engine… I seem to spend my time thinking- I could do this… or, well, I could do this other thing… well you probably know how it is…

I am doing a lot of sorting out in my studio, moving piles around and hopefully clearing some things out that I’ll never use.  I am slowly getting a few things done…

hopefully I’ll have something to show in the next few days.

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And I am slowly starting to think about some new ideas and taking baby steps toward working on them.

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Thanks so much for all your input on the “Buy Handmade?” question!  Hopefully, if anyone asks me again, I will have a better  answer.  I like thinking about the connection that happens when you buy or sell something handmade.  Interesting.

sweet birds for Artstream

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My piece for the Artstream Gallery Lovely Hearts 2 show, to benefit breast cancer research.
not quite finished…
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and done-

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and then I put it into a shadowbox frame, which was more of a puzzle then I’d expected.  The finished artwork (unframed) is approximately 7 1/2 x 9 1/2.   I wrote in the artist statement, something along the lines of- it is a traditional valentine image interpreted in wool applique and embroidery.

Something I’ve been mulling about- when I was down at Etsy, I was put in front of a camera to do a clip for their series- Your Handmade Stories.  I was suppose to say who I am, what I do, and why people should buy handmade.  Well, I was stumped.  I am still stumped.  Why should people buy handmade?  … I don’t know.  I couldn’t come up with anything that I felt was sincere except, well, buy MY handmade, because I need to get it out of the house!

I can not think of why someone should buy something just because it is handmade.  Buy something because you love it, need it, it will haunt you if you don’t.  Buy art because it makes you think every time you look at it.   Buy things that are beautifully crafted because you appreciate the design, the workmanship and using something that is so well made will enrich your life.  There is a lot of handmade crap out there… along with all the manufactured crap.  I’m going to have to watch any videos that they post to see what other people say.  I’m really curious.

New York trip

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pictures out the train window-

1/14- leaving Boston
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and into Connecticut-

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to New Haven- where there was very little snow.
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and then it was too dark for photos.

I will start with the most fun thing- On Tuesday afternoon, I visited the Etsy Lab– it was great! I was very unsure about the whole expedition, wondering if it was going to be totally weird, but everyone was very nice and welcoming. I guess what I should have done was to take photos of me with all the people that work there… but I didn’t. Instead-

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this is what greets you when you come in the door-

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A wall of artwork from Etsy people. I left an atc to add to the wall.
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Outside the offices, there is a giant poster with everyones avatar… I couldn’t find mine and I did look for a while!

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Other stuff I did- I went to the Museum of Art and Design and saw Pricked, Extreme Embroidery. There were a few pieces that stuck with me- one by Paul Villinski of wings made of gloves. Another by Shizuko Kimura that was sketches done with thread. Also, Andrea Dezso. I have a hard time getting past the fact that this used to be the American Craft Museum and they felt they had to change their name. Please!

Across the street is the American Folk Art Museum– I love that place! They have a permanent collection that I always enjoy. When I visit, I feel like I am seeing old friends. They are having a show that included some amazing papercuts. I’ve been seeing a lot of papercuts in the greater internet world and was primed to really enjoy what was on display.

On Wednesday I went to the Metropolitan Museum– which is totally overwhelmingly huge. I did find the costume show I was looking for, but I think I had to ask 5 different people and it took 20 minutes to get there from when I started out. Wow.

Also, lots of walking, people watching, window shopping, fun, fun fun. Oh, such tired feet!

And then home. This is Penn Station, as we were leaving-

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and out the window of the train again-

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And home again, very late. I think I’ve been catching up on the computer ever since!

Amazing days!

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Wow- I should go away more often! What an amazing few days it has been!

We had a wonderful time in New York but more about that in another post. We left Boston on Monday morning in a snow storm.

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That is Mass Ave, and if you know the area at all, you know it is very unusual to see it so empty at 9:30 am on a Monday morning.

When I checked my email on Tuesday morning, I discovered that I’d been mentioned by Kathreen of Whip-Up fame, in her role as Guest Blogger on Design Sponge. Yikes! I was floating for the rest of the day! and then Craftzine! I got many more of comments, emails and Etsy convos then I normally get- and unfortunately was not able to reply to my emails from the hotel- emails in- yes, out- no. I’ve come home to an enormous backlog of correspondence to catch up on, packages to get out, and ideas in my head that need working on- A great way to start a new year!

Thanks for visiting any one who is new here!

I’m going to New York

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I’ll be in New York City next week.  Any ideas for meet-ups or shows I shouldn’t miss?  I haven’t been paying attention and now I am only remembering interesting shows that are over.

I got some treasure yesterday-  lucky me!  Now for the picking over and sorting fun.
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I have put some stuff into my Etsy shop.  Some of it is artwork that came back from Craftland.  Other things are of the -clearing out for the new year- category.  Those include felted ball pincushions and also bug pins.  I’m not finished posting yet… hopefully the bug pins will go up later today.

and another make-do

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and another present that got finished-

This make-do is made on an old glass match holder-

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The bottom of the container has a rough surface for striking the matches.

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I made this for a friend. The match holder had belonged to her mother, but my friend didn’t have any use for it so I told her I’d make it into a pincushion.

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I think I’m caught up now on my gifts and can start thinking about Valentines. And getting those tutorials finished that are half written in my drafts.

Artwork of 2007 mosaic

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most of it anyway… There is such a feeling of accomplishment to see it all together like this.

I’ve been working on some blog housekeeping- things I’ve been meaning to do for many, many months. I’ve put most of my links onto separate pages (still working on that), have started an “about me” page, am making a link list for podcasts- one of the best things that I got into in 2007, and have added some new categories for my posts. Yesterday, I went back to the beginning (2004- whoo!) and am rereading and re-categorizing. I haven’t gone back to the beginning in a long enough time that I’m not sure I ever did it. It is very interesting to notice how my blog “voice” took shape. Also, how soon it was before anyone began to read it and leave comments- I was and am still so grateful for that early support.

I guess getting to work on this stuff has to be the first, unstated New Years resolution that I am actually acting on. I remember that last year, I had very clear ideas in my head of what I wanted to try and do- this year, not so much. Mostly, I am thinking along the lines of More of the same. 2007 ended up being a great year for me- so bring on 2008!

the last day of 2007

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Two dolls that I got for Christmas. Lucky me!

A beautiful EFA doll from Bettsi at Tender Arts.

And, a Wren doll. She came from the Boston Bazaar Bizarre.

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I have been working on my links. I am moving them to link pages. If you see anything that doesn’t work or is spelled wrong, let me know and I’ll fix it. Also, it is showing up as I am working on it- ie, I’m not done yet.

Did you see these amazing 3-d women/doll illustrations (?)- linked today on Drawn.

I just went back and read my January 2007 post about what I hope to accomplish this year. Here is the list-

-write up and publish at LEAST one pattern.

well, I wrote some tutorials, but not a doll pattern… maybe that is step one.


-make cards, probably through cafepress shop

Yes! I made cards! They are available in my Etsy shop. Hopefully more in 2008.


-go back and finish the many unfinished dolls sitting around my studio- they are all untouched since I showed them here and here. For the most part, they need clothes.

not really. The only doll that got finished was done right after I wrote that last January.


-teach a class- wool dolls

Yes! I taught 2 last summer and I am planning on doing it again.

-more linking, more commenting, spend less money, make more dolls, go on a real vacation, laugh more, garden more, make a new friend, worry less… I’m sure there is more but that’s all for now.

?, maybe, probably not, yes!, yes- Ithaca NY and Chicago,

maybe, yes- I think I got excited about gardening again this year, friends?- yes and yes! and probably not… I am good at the worrying thing.

At this point, all I can think of for next year is to hope to get to the end and not be so totally wiped out. I will probably post some more thoughts about this in a few days though.

Okay, enough for now. Happy New Year everybody!