Shop Update!

 

 

 

 

I have 10 or so new journals posted in my etsy shop and my prices are now lower. I'll explain more about that in a different post, but long story short - I've found a way to wholesale my highest-quality-writing-paper-ever and I'm working much more efficiently. So after my month of thinking business in January, I've realized I'd rather price my books for a little less to sell them more often, than price them higher and store them for (sometimes) months. Hope you'll take a peek. There are some fun ones in there! xo

wonderful day

 

 

 

We had one last-minute cancellation, so our Here Comes the Sun class was even cozier than I planned. A great day though with two of the loveliest women. The next painting workshop will be about painting plants. It will be called Houseplants are for Lovers - details coming soon. Wishing you wonderful weeks! xo

Scene from the Art Room

* I have two journals due today for two of our school's auction baskets. So when did I finish them? Today. Deadlines - so important.

* Have you discovered washi tape? Faith and I love it - I first read about it on Geninne's blog, but now it's everywhere really. So fun.

* There is still plenty of room in my Here Comes the Sun class this Sunday. Can't wait!

Happy Weekend! xo

Something's cookin'...

I've been posting a bit less and hardly checking my stats. I am delighted when 100 people check into my blog each day. Well, imagine my surprise when I saw that more than 300 people have looked at my blog today. What's going on? Kyle turning eight is momentous, but, really?

It turns out my cousin Erin's wedding is featured on Style Me Pretty - ooh la la! Style Me Pretty was so sweet to link to my blog. Welcome if you are just checking in for the first time!

If you happen to live in New Mexico and need an amazing photography company, all of the photos in the link are by husband and wife Kitty and Craig of Twin Lens Images.

To my fam - that's Faith in the photo up there! So fun! xo

Eight

It feels impossible really, but our Kyle is eight today. Happy birthday Ky - you are another nature boy in this family and I also think of you as our "child of yesteryear". Our kids are always amazed when we talk about children in the past receiving an orange and maybe a small toy or a new scarf at the holidays. But because of you we all "get" what joy and delight can come from the small. You can play with a model for hours, you can fill a day in the yard with one stick as your companion. Faith bought you an old radio at the Goodwill Outlet this year - $1 and hours of entertainment as you take it apart and figure things out. We hope you will continue to figure, and tinker and imagine. We love you buddy - you are creative and brave and articulate and loving. Happy happy day. xo

Happy Valentines Day!

We copied them from Amy and Alfredo, who saw them on Danyelle's blog. Kyle's a bit older, so he designed his own. He drew the jar and wrote his message and then I photocopied his valentine on kraft cardstock. 

He cut out the jars and added his classmates' names in red. Then we worked together to tie the bugs to the jars. This was harder than I thought it would be, but since there were only 15, it was manageable. He picked out a different color embroidery floss for each friend - sweeter than sweet. See that roach down there? So gross, and it was carefully selected for Kyle's best friend, who he assured me would use it, "for jokes for years and years..."

A perfect handwork activity for an almost-eight-year-old. He was very proud of them which is so wonderful to see. 

 

Joey woke up early to bake banana bread for his class. Again, sweeter than sweet. Faith didn't want to do anything specific for Valentines day although it's spirit week at her school so she's doing all kinds of fun extras all week. And for our middle school daughter to not be too focused on this holiday of love? Fine by me. Fine by David. Fine, just fine. (wink wink)

Hope you have a lovely day! xo

wah wah wah [and I'm in a show]

See this lovely journal? It's not posed...it won't close. This has been the past three days of my studio time. Ugh. Ugh, ugh, ugh.

I'm in a little home show this weekend and really want to include these next four journals - they've taken a funny turn if I do say so myself. I usually don't show faces on my books, but these water ballerinas were irresistible. (I know we don't call them water ballerinas.)

Anywho - if you're looking for a valentine for your sweet, please stop by! There will be ceramics, and handmade cards and jewelry and scarves and journals and much much sweeter moods than the one I'm showing here. (wink!)

Carla Mash Duncan - Duncan Designs

Jewelry Designer

6170 McPherson

(off of Skinker, close to Wash U.)

Friday 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Saturday 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

100 journals

One of my goals for 2012 is to make 100 ephemera journals - or whatever you wanna call them. I'm trying to think of a new name for them, because trust me, the word "ephemera" does nothing for people. I'm leaning towards calling them fortune cookie journals. Here's why: You know when you open a fortune cookie and even though you don't really expect it to reflect your life, you secretly hope that it does and that it is going to give you some optimistic insight that you'll say was just a coincidence and "fun" to see, but deep down, you get to believe a little bit that the hope, dream, issue, challenge that you're thinking of might indeed be about to make a turn or get even better...all because of this little slip of mass produced paper? Well, I think my journals have a little speck of that magic in them too - between the collages all being one-of-a-kind and the beautiful mess of vintage and recycled papers that are on the inside, not to mention the writing, sketching, doodling, journaling that each owner will complete...well, I'm leaning toward "Fortune Cookie Journals".

 What do you think? I'm not totally sold on the name yet, very open to suggestions.

Anyways, they're not my big money maker, but they are my work through and through going out into the world. I sold every one I made in 2011, so I'm going to try to make 100 and see how they do. They will cost $42 each. I'm also going to wholesale a group of them. Do you own a little shop? Would you like to carry them? Wish me luck! And if you need a journal, please stay tuned...

I am in a little Valentines show this weekend - details tomorrow. xo

Here Comes the Sun {mixed media class}

Here Comes the Sun

Sunday, February 26th

1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

The Art Room

$50 + $12 supply fee**

10 spaces available

The sun will be our muse in this introductory mixed-media class. No previous painting or art experience necessary. In our four hours together, we will learn to prepare a canvas, determine a composition, integrate various art supplies into our work, and make "mistakes" that will be beautifully included in our work. Class fee includes everything you need to create one 12" square wood canvas. Very light refreshments will be served. Please contact me with any questions: corinne@goodnessrecycled.com

**We will be using 12x12 wood canvasses from Dick Blick - $12 is my cost. If you would like to purchase your canvas on your own, just let me know!

The Art Room is located in my home in South St. Louis - close to Grand and Hwy. 44.

Hope you'll join us! xo

Twelve

There was bowling, there were doughnuts. There was tuna noodle casserole and peach cobbler. There were gifts - so many gift card gifts (can't believe we've crossed over to that!) and eggs benedict the next morning. A quiet-ish birthday - food and family. Happy birthday Joey - you are hilarious, you are smart as they come, you are kind, you are our delight. We love you so. xo

February is the new January

Curly Girl said it first and I couldn't agree more! Hi! How are you? Are you still with me? THANK YOU for checking in! We had a great month over here - lots to share.

First though, I wanted to share my sale. I spent A LOT of January thinking about my business and my art. When you're new to this, what do you do with the stuff you make? My skills are not so honed that I can just stop when I have inventory and not practice/make more. But I also want my work out in the world. Is selling it for less to get it into homes and hands "selling out" by artists' standards? At this point - for me - I just don't think so. I will be asking artists this throughout the year (yes, I'm working on my studio tour thursday lineup). But in the meantime, I know that I want my books and my paintings out there. Out. There.

So from now until they're sold, all of my 2011 journals and paintings are 50 percent off in my etsy shop. They are in perfect condition.

I'm so happy (and thankful) to be back here! xo