Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Thank You and Goodbye

This summer has been so incredible.
I had an amazing job that widened my eyes and expanded my hopes and horizons.
I was offered so much more clarity as to what I want to pursue, and what brings me joy.
I learned how my brain, body and fount of inspiration work, and how to manipulate them so that I can work at peak productivity and peace.
I learned how to rest in God, and how to draw strength and boldness from Him.
Most of all, I learned that I do truly love to share---to teach.
My weekly tutorials bloomed of their own accord and turned into a stringed series of vignettes--people's lives that I dipped and poured into.  
I watched startled grins and shouts of triumph, I answered questions and sent others on missions of their own.  
The perfect bow to this summer was the black one wrapped around my dot-making paint brush--a gift from a grateful new friend, whom I look forward to continue teaching and learning from.

To all those who touched my life this summer through cups of tea, cooked meals and movie nights-- and who so humbly allowed me to teach them in turn--I love you and am so glad to call you my friends.

Sunday, July 22, 2012

An Imaginary Voyage

Just completed an order for a friend who wanted two journals to catalog his beer and tea sampling.

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

The Gibson Girl

Arguably the first American standard for female beauty, the Gibson girl was created by pen and ink illustrator Charles Dana Gibson.  
Sleep eyed, long necked, tall, voluptuous and hair piled atop her head, the Gibson girl was the favorite character of Gibson's many satyrical vignettes.  
She was always portrayed as being independent, confident, powerfully seductive in her innocent femininity and the woe and desire of all men surrounding her.  
I found three books of Gibson's work at the High today while conducting inventory and melted into a puddle when I saw his gorgeous and witty illustrations.






Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Vanilla Cream Soda Pops

Ingredients:
20 oz cream soda
2 cups water
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla (I added more, which made a nice syrupy coat on the pops)

Tools:
NOT a cupcake tin
NOT spoons

Directions:
1. Pour cream soda in bowl and whisk until no longer bubbly.  Don't play games, cream soda is especially creamy and fizzy--use the whisk.
2.  Heat water and sugar in sauce pan until the sugar is dissolved (a few minutes).
3.  Pour into NOT cupcake tins and add anything but plastic spoons.  
4. Freeze for a delicious treat.

Rainy Night In

 Tonight Cam and I are spending the evening camped out in the Study Center.
In front of rows and rows of great big windows we watch a thunderstorm batter the panes while we work quietly and share dark chocolate and headphones.  
I love work nights.
I've got two orders I'm sketching and planning now.  

Monday, July 9, 2012

Christyl Boger: The Figure and the Ceramic Object

Ceramicist Christyl Boger says of her work, "It draws an equation between the figure and the decorative ceramic object."  
I was initially drawn to Boger's work because of the gorgeous and entrancing effect she had made by
seemingly dipping her figures' fingers and toes in gold and wrapping their skin in vines of filigree and Meissen porcelain.
Interesting that we are drawn to examine and appreciate the fine details of the porcelain, as well as the commanding and elegant idealized figures when their expressions and postures look quite vulnerable and fearful of the viewer's gaze.
They make me think of startled and kicked cupids who can't help being beautiful, who are abused for it and wish that you would leave them alone.  

Treat Time

 I've been scribbling away in preparation for this week's tutorial.  
I'm making a bunny apron, and I wanted to make a cute, skinny and softly squeezable looking bunny clutching a kitchen utensil.

Saturday, July 7, 2012

Friday, July 6, 2012

Screen Printing Tutorial Save the Date


Swirls & Dots

Last night's Art if for Everyone project was my favorite so far (although it seems that each succeeding week becomes my new favorite).
We did confetti-dipped & marbled drinking glasses.
The guys loved it and made some really beautiful marbled glasses.
If you want to try either project on your own check here for a confetti tutorial and here for a marbled tutorial.  
We ended up using colored nail polish with a clear coat on both projects with cheap glassware purchased from Goodwill.   
I love how my two confetti tumblers turned out.  
I'm going to make 8 so that I'll have a complete set.  
Georgia Tech colors!
 The guys played a great deal with the air bubbles and spots made from the oil and water interacting.
Here it the bottom of one of my confetti glasses!

Sunday, July 1, 2012

Dr. Bombay's Underwater Tea Party

Cam and I have had Dr. Bombay's Underwater Tea Party on our datey-date list for a few months now, and we finally got to visit after church this morning.  
Hot tea and hundred degree temperatures may not be the wisest combination, but Cam and I thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.  
Dr. Bombay's is a small local business that boasts an expansive collection of different tea leaves.  
It has all the snugness of a coffee shop paired with all the peace and quiet of a library.
You drink surronded by$1 books, and Cam and I spent a happy two hours pouring over different volumes while munching on scones and feeling quite quaint.  
Cam brought home this:


While I snagged these:
 This was SO interesting.  
I love mythology and folklore, and this book is set up like a standard dictionary.
It's huge.
I got this one for the sweet little sixties illustrations. 
Love the fox.

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