An Inspirational, Quick Update

I have finally listened to myself and started planning and planting a garden!  This past weekend was full of purchasing plants, soil, and tools.  The BFF and I are dead serious about growing our own food.  It's still a working list, but here is what we've planted so far:

Top, Left to Right: Parsley, dill, oregano, and basil.
Bottom, Left to Right: Meyer lemons, satsumas,
cherry tomatoes, and strawberries

Left to Right: Amaryllis flower (a gift), chocolate mint, rosemary, cilantro, and lavendar

...and that's not all!  There is a brick bed we are utilizing, as soon as we get all of the ferns out and the soil cleaned up a bit.  LOTS of work still ahead.

I must say, by doing what we've done so far.....just that stuff.....has put me in an incredibly awesome mood the last two days! It is going to be a vegetarian's dream back there!  The energy in the yard is different....even in the house!  I cannot wait until our fourth of July party!

My excitement trickled into my art too! In addition to my doodles, I started sketching vegetables.  The Things That Nourish is what I'd like to title it, if it needs a title.  Simple pen sketches that just may evolve into something more.

I feel different lately. Nothing negative at all, but something has certainly shifted. I feel it both mentally and physically.  I really wasn't paying too much attention to it for the first two months. March is waking me up to something special. There is a lot I'd like to accomplish this year and for the first time, I actually feel it can all happen. My social choices may have something to do with this. I've set aside more time for myself,    brushed off a few draining individuals, bought a few things to improve my living conditions, and - well - the garden!

I started applying to out of state art events. Yes, I've already been rejected to a large arts and crafts festival, but so what!? It only fuels me to keep trying.  My artwork will still progress and the projects I'm working on will still be finished. I have a few more I'd like to submit an application to.

 
I HAVE to encourage this positive shift to stick around! I should probably start meditating again to get my mind focused and prepared to deal with the incredible amount of amazing things to come. I don't want to anticipate too much, but I can't help myself!

I'll post another update this weekend.  I'm planning to expand the nourish sketches and work on my Maps series prep work.

Marching Into Spring

I cannot believe it's already mid-March....

A few things are going on right now. I've sold almost every single one of my marbled monotypes! I know! It's a corporate client and I really don't feel at liberty to speak too much about it at the moment because, well, the transaction is still going on through this month. It's been in the back of my mind for awhile, but I've had this idea that my work may go over better with corporate sales.  I'm going to look into this further.

So with a nice pay day on the horizon, I've decided to apply to the Renegade Craft Fair in Austin, Texas.  I know a few artists that have set up there in previous years with great things to say about it.  I think it's time to take my art and products to a wider audience. The event is in May, but I won't find out if I am going until later this week.  I also applied to share a space with AxiomNOLA, mainly because it's going to be our first rodeo and we want to be sure (for future Austin fairs) that it's worth our time and money. The space is not that big (6'x6'), however, if we are smart we should be able to use it wisely. Fingers crossed.

Some new lovelies from AxiomNOLA.

Darcy and I are taking AxiomNOLA to Biloxi THIS weekend for Coastcon 38, a sci-fi, fantasy, & gaming convention. It is crunch time, folks! We will have comic bead bracelets, necklaces, handcrafted wire-work pieces, and gorgeous chain maille for the body. Honestly, the line has shifted in concept over the past year and we are focusing more on the chain maille, slowly phasing out the wire-work.  The comic book paper beads will be a comic convention-only item.  The regular paper beads will still be in production, but sold through me at Dollhouse Press.

Which brings me to Dollhouse Press.

I mean, I've grown to like the name. It's listed with everything I do. However, one thing to keep in mind is that I have other products that do not necessarily fall under "printmaking and paper arts", such as the garlands and handmade hair sticks that I make occasionally.  The magnets are good; made with leftover scraps from marbling. The paper beads even fall under paper arts.  I don't know what I'm trying to say here.  I do know that I doubted even using DP because as of right now, I fail to physically have a press in my house/studio.  But really, it is such a minor thing to the average citizen and only printers are going to give me shit about it.  Oh, and I'm currently in the market for a decent press anyway so there's that. You know what, screw everybody else.  I'm gonna do what I'm gonna do.  I hate it when I start worrying about what others think!!!  DP stays!

I've been doodling a lot on Post-It notes. What is showing up on those tiny square pieces of paper is pretty awesome. I think I'm going to use them for another body of work...at least in a layer of many layers.

                     

I like them.

The map series is still in sketching/drawing phase.  I've started printing the backgrounds (marbled paper), but there will be a lot of these that do not make the cut.  I need to get the metal plates soon too.

Oh, and I've phased out the marbled notecards.....set of 4.  They will only be sold in sets of 10 now, which I think is more bang for your buck!

Off to make more bracelets!

Love & Light,

TD