angry chicken

right on time.

This clock hardware made it home with me from the craft store months ago and had been haunting me, but I was ignoring it. I got all excited to make a clock and then forgot and then remembered again—and last weekend I finally made it.

I showed it to Pete and he said "Now we can say it's half-past soup." Awesome. I drew these little sketches for another project and then just placed them in a circle when I needed some numbers for the clock. There is no rhyme or reason to them—but now looking at it I see all these meanings in the images for each hour.

So I was thinking about including this artwork laid out like this and directions to make a clock in the new e-mailorder. Cool? It wouldn't be the main project just an extra paper project. It was so fun to make, addictive actually. How many clocks do we really need? I guess a few more.

you can click on it for a bigger view

letter folding and doane paper **update: the fold is here! thanks stacie!

a valentine and other stuff

I cut this for Pete for Valentine's Day. But he hasn't seen it yet. Honey, stop reading.

After a total sugar freak-out I am limiting my intake to weekends only. And not all binge-y either, but a normal amount. It all started with the caramel corn incident, which I will blog about very soon. It's a lot of words to type. And then the chocolate experiment, also forthcoming, and then ice cream cake. Ugh. I have had so much sugar lately my eyes hurt. So I need a break. But, I did make brown rice pudding for breakfast, but I don't think that really counts exactly.

I got the new Alison Krause/Robert Plant album and it is really good. I kept hearing it was—and it is. It's very restrained so I was happy because he does get all Robert Plant on a few songs. He's like William Shatner, you know? You just can't keep the Shatner in. I love hearing this album and then imagining Robert with his jeans all freaky low ala The Song Remains the Same. Not that I really like this image, it's more like I find it very amusing. My mom saw a part of that movie and declared his jeans "obscene" which is hysterical coming from my mom.

three sisters.

Some holiday catch-up:

My brother received his paper cut, framed for Christmas and my mom got this one. She was surprised, she didn't know one was also made for her. It was cut at the 11th hour, at 2 am, with not enough light, but I just couldn't stop working on it. It was framed in white, wrapped, and put under the tree—so I realize, seeing it now, I had forgotten exactly what it looked like. I found this very cool super thin crepe-like paper that was wonderful to cut and has a very small wrinkled texture. (Here locally at paper zone, portland peeps.)

It's framed in an 8" x 10" white frame with very little breathing space, the paper cut almost goes up to the edge. I'm not sure if I need to float these more and give them more room. Framing them floating with more space makes them seem more precious and I am not sure if I want this folksy craft style of work to take on a precious capital A arty feel when framed. . . I need to experiment more. At any rate, I love drawing and cutting these, so I will have plenty to frame and experiment with. I changed blades on this one—the sisters there are small, the smallest is about the size of a dime.

Inspiration of late:

I just found Little Circus Design (via Bloesem) and her work is making me very happy. It's not paper cut, I don't think, but has the bold graphic look I am obsessed with right now. Please look at this one. Amazing.

moist dirt.

Santa (my husband) gave me this insanely cool terrarium for Christmas. He got it here in Portland at Pistils and I love it so much. I have been admiring terrariums for a bit now (who doesn't love these things!?) and now I have one, which is perfect because I officially got rid of my 4 remaining houseplants right before Liddy was born. Long story. Something to do with yellow withered leaves making me crazy days before I went into labor. (It's the little things, right?)

I have seen several styles of these cool terrariums around but never seen this orb style that hangs.edit-I just saw one very similar in the new CB2 catalog. I need to stress again my love for this. There's an air cactus in there, which is so funny to me—because it looks all modern and cool but I associate air cacti with 1970s pet rock/Mexican jumping beans/chia pet fads. I am not sure why. Couldn't you buy air cacti in the check outline at the grocery store about 20 years ago?

There is so much out there in webville about these, how to make them, inspiring photos, etc. Here's a short list that makes me super happy.

-Hello Yarn's Flickr set with great info about her terrariums. I love her blog and shop so much and I want to be 1/8th as good at knitting as she is when I grow up.

-Stephanie's brilliant terrarium party favors

-The succulent terrarium Mellisa made Mariko (which I was tempted to steal. That would be funny, right? I'd give it back in a few months. I should really do this.)

-this really sweet and informative how-to video

-terrarium flickr group (only for pants, not lizards/frogs, etc.) edit-pants!!!!! okay, it should say plants, but this is too funny to correct. can you imagine tiny pants in terrariums?? Wow. That would be awesome.

-Martha Stewart kids terrarium project

-Ann Wood's amazing terrariums (just added this one, thanks cal!)

-very very small (eek! so cute!) terrarium at Cottage Living with nice how-to (thanks chelsea!)

more jen love.

I was alerted by Josie (thanks!) that tiny showcase has a Jen Corace print up right now. I freaked and bought it right away--so surprised it wasn't sold out. It's actually an unlimited edition available through this friday (11/30) to celebrate the opening of the rad sounding craft show, Craftland, that I can't go to because it's across the country from me.

I actually received a postcard version of this print (and got all giddy when it came, you rock, Sarah) but had to buy this print version too, cause, you know, it's Jen Corace. And paper dolls. Good god, could it get any better? And what would I do if she actually made a paper doll book or something? Just die right away? That would be so sad for the girls--for me to have a heart attack over Jen Corace paper dolls. I did not buy an original piece this year by Jen, I opted for a significantly cheaper gift for myself, a desperately needed new winter coat, which is on it's way and better fit, dangit.

Okay, links here:

-Jen's current show at Giant Robot
-tiny showcase jen corace print
-craftland show I can't go to

if you happen to in NYC. . .

Jen Corace is having an opening at Giant Robot in NYC this Saturday, the 17th. You can get the details here. I sure wish I could go.

This new body of work is titled, Told you so.

I wrote the gallery right away asking about online sales and the works should be available about a week after the opening. So you collectors of Jen's amazing work (like me) can pounce all over that. Early Christmas gift to myself?

fall.

These leaves on our block.

Helpers. Delia is still wearing her Halloween Sally dress, by the way.

We forget to compost two really big leaves.

Unrelated, our conversation this morning-

pete: "I'm going to do recycling now before work."

me: "cool."

pete: I'm also going to throw away this old grilled cheese sandwich in my pocket, here."

me: "you're crazy like that."

the season of the witchy

I don't remember why I was researching herbs for kids, but I was, and found this book, A Kid's Herb Book, which I just bought. I love it. It's simple and easy to read because it's meant for kids but is perfect for adults learning about using herbs and plants for the first time. It has an overview of about 15 herbs that are safe and perfect for children. Then it includes recipes (teas, baths, salves, etc.) for each of them. Over the summer, the girls loved gathering basil and thyme for cooking so I thought they would also dig learning about using herbs for medicinal purposes. I need to find a good Portland shop for herbs (any suggestions?) because I didn't grow many of these this summer, so don't have any dried herbs on hand. I think I might get some dried herbs, muslin bags, and beeswax from Mountain Rose Herbs in Eugene if I don't find a good Portland shop. (There must be one.) I love this kind of stuff and love the idea of being able to make my own non-creepy vapor rub for little colds this winter.

In a similar theme, I just got this lovely print from the Tiny Showcase by Katy Horan and it's called The Healers. Perfect! I have loved Katy's work for a bit now and was super excited to see it for sale. (It sold out.) Pete suggested that the bison (?) which looks dead, is a tad creepy and the spooky masked figures might freak out the girls. I suppose he's right, but there's bunnies there too, see? It will probably go in my art pile of "too freaky for the girls" art for a while, anyway. I actually might put a bunch of prints in an album, so we can look at them whenever instead of stashing them away. Hey, that's a good idea! okay, I am going to do that.

Katy's work is so crazy cool and witchy-pagan without being too hippie/acid-ish. Sorry. That was probably the least elegant art description I have ever written--but there you go. It's Friday and I haven't had coffee yet.

Auction next week-One in Ten

This art print Dusty is Busy, (which sold out last year) is going up for auction starting Sunday, August 19th. You can find all the details about the auction on the One in Ten site.This is an auction is for Eireann's mother, and I am so happy to be helping anyway I can. (See her side bar for the complete story.)

It comes framed. More information will be listed about this piece over on e-bay. There are some truly amazing handcrafted items that will be auctioned. The direct link to this piece for bidding is here, and you can link to all the other pieces at the One in Ten site.