And We're Back

So, as you can tell from my last blog entry that I have been MIA for over a month. Taking winter break to a new level I guess. I have been busy however, developing some new pieces, working on prints for a print exchange, filling up a sketchbook for a gallery tour, and filling out paper work to be a substitute teacher this semester now that I am only teaching in the mornings. Hopefully subbing will lead to a full time job once again since I up and left my old one in Fairfax, VA. C'mon suburbs of Des Moines, show some love! So, I used to teach my elementary students different cut paper techniques and I should mention that they taught me some cool ones as well. I also showed them how to make cut paper butterfly molas that required layering paper that would be cut smaller and smaller each time revealing some of the underlying color. At the time I did a little bit of research and there are a lot of artists that do this in a number of ways, with different colors and patterns. One artist stacked paper and cut away at it to look like a topographical map. Another, one of my faves, Jen Stark uses stacks of paper that she cuts into. I guess this is my homage to what some of these artists do. I would like to take mine even further, making sure to completely make it my own and just using these artists as inspiration. I used rectangles and circles cut from cardboard cereal, cracker and tissue boxes to reveal some of the color and mostly texture. I would also like to keep symmetry and repetition in numbers in these peices. In this piece I used the number 3, three circles, three rectangles. Most people don't know this about me but when I was a kid I had these little ticks, like a lot of kids do. I used to clear my throat and make little sounds in 3's, take 10 steps and count again in 10's. The number 10 is actually my favorite number to this very day, huh : ) This is how my first one came out but I think for my next piece I would like to take a saw to the bigger stacks and cut sections out or cut them in half to reveal the inside. I thought about weaving strips on top of strips too. I believe I will expand on my original wallflower idea through cardboard layers as well. Ok, well it's bye for now and I promise to not go missing for another month : ) Toodles

Gingerbread House Fun!

Last night I was invited to a gingerbread house making party. It was so much fun. I was told to bring the pre-made kits they sell at the grocery and craft stores but hey, I'm an Art Teacher, man! They might take away my Art Teacher badge of awesomeness if I bought any kind of kit. I also decided that I was not going to make the traditional gingerbread house. Oh no. I set out to create my own inspired by the great architect, Frank Lloyd Wright. This was going to be a modern style gingerbread house. So I compiled chocolate grham crackers, frosting, boston baked beans, good n' plenty, and fruit by the foot! I used the good n' plenty candy for a cool tiled roof. The boston baked beans, which I loved to eat as a kid, were used as cobblestones. If you don't know, boston baked beans are a candy coated peanut that I used to buy at the gas station up the street from me on my walk home from school. The fruit by the foot, which is made really weird nowadays, was used as super modern striped paneling on the sides of the house. However, the other gingerbread house goers thought it looked more like bacon, haha. I agree. I just used frosting to "glue" everything together and it seemed to work really well. The way I situated the grham crackers made a nice skylight on the roof that I left open. I think if I were to go further I would make a stained glass (sugar candy glass) window panel. Maybe next year. For now, it is sitting on top of my toaster oven. Every time I walk by it I think of Frank Lloyd Wright, and also think about taking a bite : )

Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act

So, on February 10, 2009 independent toy makers, crafters, jewelry makers, and clothing makers will have to have mandatory testing for lead and other health hazardous materials. It may sound like, oh this is so great, our Government is actually taking measures to protect children under 12 years of age from harmful poisons and chemicals but there's a catch that will prove to be detrimental to the incomes and careers of many independent crafters all over this country. I get it, if I had a kid I would want to protect my munchkin from any harmful toys and objects that they wear and play with. Here's the thing, this testing will cost $4,000 per item and for an independent crafter who may rely on what they sell as thier sole source of income, this will put them out of business. I think it's a complete blindsight of the Government and our legislature to not even take into account small businesses when it's these businesses that are extra careful to steer clear of using hazardous materials and contribute to the economy and the GNP (gross national product). We are the ones who have an exemplary record in safe, environmentally friendly products. I just don't get it. They say a lot of this is because of imports from China, well, hello quit importing from China until they meet the freaking guidlines! I've written to my Congressman and my Senators in the state of Iowa and I hope they will help make changes to this unfair law.

Throwing Bread and Talking to Myself

Now, since I check my site meter once in a while, I have come to realize that I'm basically talking to myself out here in the big old world of blogs. Oh and to my one friend/follower Nfall2rt checks it out once in a while, thanks Nfall2rt! That said, I would like to find a way to get more followers. I had more people reading visiting my art blog that I basically ignored for months on end. Am I boring? Is my biggest worry in life actually coming true, that according to my bro I'm the only one who thinks I'm funny? Thanks bro. Anywho, I'm going to continue to post if not only to amuse myself, which is my MO anyway : ) Maybe along the way I'll find a way to gain some readership.

Ok, on to the throwing bread part of the ramblings! Ever since I moved back to the great state of Iowa, I have been invited a number of times to Friday night dinners put on by a very kind family. I've been a few times since being back and must say i'ts always really fun. There are a lot of them and I think that makes it extra fun. Last night I decided to join them for dinner again and I've come to expect two things that will always happen at this dinner. 1. The Challah (a jewish twisted delicious bread) will be torn apart, dipped in salt and tossed to you like a baseball. You must catch it without letting it hit the full wine glasses on the table and you must aviod any of the salt flying to hit you in the eye! It's truly what I look forward to, so fun. And 2. The grandmother from Israel will always pull me aside, give me a kiss on each cheek and tell me I will find a man soon! Last night it was, "you will get married next month!" Hahaha, I think she's getting impatient! lol. But sadly no, I won't be getting married next month (sorry mom).

Something Old Something Blue

I wanted to post a large bowlflower I made about a year ago that got auctioned off at a charity in Albuquerque, New Mexico. If you notice, it's the giant image I have at the top of my blog. The thing was pretty big, about 17" x 17". That's a lot of cut up cardboard boxes. I've been making smaller more manageable ones lately but I think I would like to create a few bigger ones again. Since I am in a house now I actually have space to store these. I remember the dark blue outer layer was made mostly from old beer boxes my friends gave me. Better get on it again if I'm going to crank one of these out!

I Want That

I just found this awesome Monster Take Out kit by Kate Dowding on Etsy! You choose your sock color along with stuffing and a little stitching instruction kit to complete your sock monster. The kit also provides you with a keychain so your keys can be scared all the time! I thought this was the coolest idea and so cute. Check it out at: http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=16606182

Allergies are the devil and I love cheese!

So, it's 10:30 on a Saturday night and i'm back at home. I left at 7:00 to go to a wine, cheese, and chocolate party a friend was having that I'd been looking forward to all week. I was having such a good time when my allergies started acting up because they have 3 cats. I totally forgot they had cats (haven't been over there in a while) and I was just dying because I didn't take an allergy pill. I'm really really sensitive. I was kind of embarrassed that I had to leave only 2 hours after the party when the wine was flowing and everyone was having a good time. My throat was closing up and I was sneezing all the way to my car. I just hate when allergies interfere with fun. Anywho, while I was there I had some awesome cheese and wine. It was funny, everyone went to the Gateway Market to get their cheese but no one brought the same cheese! I got assistance from the cheese man who was quite knowledgeable and kinda cute too! I personally brought prarie breeze cheese made from cow's milk. It was quite tasty! I do love cheese. In undergrad we were assigned to write a 3 page paper on anything we did over the summer, anything. I went to Italy and ate tons of cheese, and drank a lot of wine too. I love cheese so I wrote a paper on all the cheese I tasted and people thought I was crazy. I maintain it's a masterpiece to this very day : )