Treasury Tuesday!

It is my opinion that we could really make a difference in the world if more of us learned to stop thinking of "handmade" as just an option for gifts and started working it into our daily lives a bit more.  That's what today's treasury is all about.

These are all items that many of us use on the daily basis and most of them are things that get "used up" (like soap, detergent, and make-up) or are generally intended to be disposable (like facial towels and diapers).  That means that you have to purchase them regularly anyway, so remembering to consider "handmade" as an option before picking them up at the local big box store could really make a difference.

Handmade items tend to lack the harmful and unnecessary chemicals that are so often in manufactured products and so are safer for you and the environment.  Also, when you buy handmade, you are helping to support a person... a family in your own country, rather than a wasteful corporation that has shipped its jobs overseas.

It may seem like a such small thing... just a drop in the bucket... but I know how grateful I am for each and every customer.  Also, I have worked for a number of small businesses and have seen firsthand how the loyalty of the local community keeps things afloat.  When you vote with the almighty dollar, it truly has an impact, so choose wisely. 

http://www.etsy.com/treasury/OTYwNjQ2N3wyNzIzMjMzODQ4/handmade-essentials-personal-care?ref=pr_treasury

Front Page Feature!

Today, I woke up to discover that I had been featured on Etsy's front page early this morning.  That's always exciting!  Here it is:

Treasury Tuesday!

I did a little something different this week.  This treasury is geared more toward Etsy sellers than our our customers.  However, it might be interesting for shoppers and fans of Etsy shops to have a look at some of the things their favorite shopkeepers have to consider and invest in.

As you can see, we must create (or pay someone else to create) a shop banner, avatar, and perhaps even a logo.  We agonize over the perfect packaging, trying to balance presentation, the protection of our merchandise, and cost so that our customers will have the best experience possible.  Then there are photo props, craft fair displays, and the hundred-and-one extra little touches that make everything personal and special.

It's a lot of work.  A lot of work.  And there's a lot more involved in running a successful shop than just creating the artwork or craft, which a lot of people don't seem to realize.

But.  When someone leaves feedback or writes us a message gushing about how thrilled they were with their experience, we are reminded why all of our hard work is worthwhile.   

Treasury Tuesday (late... again!)

How Inspiration works... sometimes...

Yesterday, my Pandora station played Mumford & Sons "Little Lion Man."  I was curious about something and went to look up the lyrics, which lead to my discovery of this video... which I could not stop watching.  Of course, I like how it sounds, but I also thought that the video was really beautiful... very lovely, moody lighting, tons of emotion (look at their expressions)... just a perfect combination of elements.  Take a look (language warning, for those at work or in the presence of young, impressionable vocabularies):

Before long I had a paintbrush in my hand and that video turned into this:

For additional photos, you may check out the listing in my Etsy shop.  I may end up doing another version of this because I'd like to work some of that fantastic blue-green shading into it, but this is what I have for now.  It usually takes me a couple versions to get a painting right, anyway, so no big deal there.

The moral of this story is that sometimes inspiration comes pre-packaged and ready to go.  It almost feels like cheating.

And then there are the other times...

"And so it goes."

So.  I adore Kurt Vonnegut.  Actually, he's kind of my hero.  I read Breakfast of Champions back in 1999, when I was a senior in high school, and it changed my world.  A number of years passed before I started digging into more of his work (dual majoring in English and History in college really cut into my "pleasure" reading time) but, by now, I've read most (though not all) of his work.

For those of you who haven't read any Vonnegut... you should.  You don't have to read much... even a book or two will help you look at the world in a new light.  I suggest starting with Breakfast of Champions and then A Man Without a Country (which is a memoir, rather than a novel).  After that, I also highly recommend Slaughterhouse Five (arguably his most well-known piece and the one from which I borrowed this post's title) and Mother Night.

He just wished that people would take better care of each other and the planet.  It's a pretty simple idea... be helpful... be kind... be compassionate... and his work shows both how essential that is to our happiness and how the very structure of our society makes it difficult to do so.

He was also a great supporter of the arts.  Though this is a theme is several of his books, his view is probably phrased the most succinctly here:

“The arts are not a way of making a living. They are a very human way of making life more bearable. Practicing an art, no matter how well or badly, is a way to make your soul grow, for heaven's sake. Sing in the shower. Dance to the radio. Tell stories. Write a poem to a friend, even a lousy poem. Do it as well as you possibly can. You will get an enormous reward. You will have created something.”  

- Kurt Vonnegut, A Man Without a Country

So.  Because I adore him, and because his explicit permission to do it badly made me brave, I attempted to paint his portrait.

Kurt Vonnegut, 8x10 acrylic on birch board

It's not perfect... trust me, I know... I can pick out the flaws as well as anyone.  However, I am unreasonably proud of it!  You see, I almost never paint people.  They are just too darn difficult for me.  I screw up the proportions, the colors, everything... and forget about making a particular person.  I didn't think I could do it, but here he is.

The painting is based on a photograph taken by his daughter, Edith Vonnegut.  A brilliant artist, she is much more comfortable representing the human form than I shall ever be.  If you explore her website, you will understand why I admire her work... the people she creates are so free and expressive... a moment in life saved for all time.  Comparatively, my work is incredibly rigid.  I must learn to relax!

Her photo is published on the back cover of Armageddon in Retrospect, which is where I first saw (and fell in love with) it.  Here are the two, side by side:

My painting beside the reference photo on the back cover of Armageddon in Retrospect.  Original photo by Edith Vonnegut.

Really.  Read some Vonnegut.  You won't regret it.  

It's Treasury Tuesday!

Since I missed last week, I've created twin treasuries that feature offerings from the same shops, in the same order.  One is in cool grays, the other, a bit warmer.  Enjoy!

Snack Time!

While I normally love to cook, I hate cooking for myself.  If there's no one there to share the food with, cooking seems sort of pointless and almost lonely.  So, when I am facing a meal alone, I generally just grab a handful of this and a bowl of that out of the cabinets and refrigerator and call it dinner. 

However...

I do make the occasional exception.  Like for this quick and easy concoction.  These dry fried mushrooms make a great snack, side dish, appetizer, or light dinner.  

Just grab some fresh shrooms... these are crimini, which are the same price as white but more flavorful.  Plain 'ol white mushrooms will work as well, as will portabellas and probably some other types.

Pop out the stem (and reserve for other uses if you wish), wipe any residual dirt off, and place them on a skillet on med-low heat. Sprinkle whatever seasonings you wish into the cup.  I LOVE these with tarragon.  For some reason, to me, mushrooms and tarragon just belong together. I also add some garlic powder, pepper, and perhaps some salt.  If you wish, add a bit of cheese (colby jack is pictured) or butter to the cups.  Feel free to experiment with the seasonings and add-ins (and share the winners in the comments)!

Cook them until the juices well up in the cup and bubble a bit.  If you are using cheese or butter, you'll want to cover the skillet so that melty goodness can occur.  If not, you can leave them uncovered for a drier product.

And then...

 
Serve with a glass of wine for a delicious snack!  Perfect for sharing, but quick, easy, and decadent enough to be worth the while for one.

I think I want some more...

It's Treasury Tuesday!

A summer treasury I created for your viewing pleasure.

Logo Design (Things are getting serious!)

One of the lovely things about residing somewhere in the Etsy community is the warm and fuzzy knowledge that if you can't make something yourself, you are sure to find someone else who can.  Of course, like most things, that first step... admitting that you have a problem, that is, admitting that I actually can't do it myself, is often the hardest.  

I've needed a logo for a good, long time now and kept thinking that I would eventually come up with a brilliant way to create one on my own.  After all, I can draw, paint, and edit photos on the computer.  Creating a good logo can't be that much different, right?

Wrong.  So very, very wrong.  For one thing, my style is highly detailed and depends on these details for visual interest.  Good logos, however, convey the "feel" of a business without too much fuss.  Another big roadblock is my inability to conquer computer graphics programs (there is a reason why I use picmonkey rather than Photoshop to do my photo editing). 

So, the short story is that Meredith from Jack and Molly is going to make a logo for me.  I've already filled out her very long and detailed questionnaire (which was a great study in introspection and a true reflection of how much effort she puts into matching her logo to the business it represents) and am super-excited to see what she does with it!

I'll definitely keep you posted on its progress!

Maker Envy

I make things.  All sorts of things.  All the time. And I like to look at things that other people have made.  And it seems that all of this making and all of this looking has made me... jaded?  No, that's not the right word.  Over-saturated.  That's better.  I didn't notice it as it was happening, but it seems I've started to become desensitized to the sheer brilliance of other makers.

There are so many of us, after all, and the Internet makes it so easy to scroll through hundreds (or thousands) of images so quickly that we just don't give ourselves a chance to digest one amazing creation before we move on to the next... and the next... and the next... until we can't really remember any of them at all.

But then, if we're lucky, we'll stumble upon something that just impresses the crap out of us... something that makes us stop... something that we'll retain, internalize, remember.   

As you probably guessed, this recently happened to me.  I'd love to share a photo, but they're locked down pretty tightly (understandably) and, since this is my first blog, I think it would be pretty audacious of me to contact her and request permission to use one.  But here's a link:

Jessica Joslin's Gallery

Ok, so it's odd.  It's not everyone's style.  But it is undeniably interesting and well-executed (that combination alone is a bit of a rarity).  And it is my style.  And it is something I would never have thought of or imagined... and even if I had, I couldn't pull it off... not like she did.

That's all.  I just wanted to revel in the feeling of being really impressed, intrigued, and downright fascinated by some art that I found on the Internet.  I hope you can all do the same!