Post HolidayRest catch-up.

Well Hello!

Things have been busy and restful and I took some time off (mostly off, not completely) to spend time with family and friends for the holidays and to ring in the new year.



We were in NH and MA for four days of Christmas and then went up to Vermont with friends to say happy new year. I've only been to Vermont a handful of times but should probably visit more regularly. It's is so beautiful up there.



Now we are officially home and my to-do list is a mile long.



I have some contract work to do in the next week along with some class-planning and of course, wedding tasks. It's a lot but it's good. Time to get back to work.

I'm guessing there won't be time for new personal and painting work until mid-month but that's okay! A fresh new year is a great time for planning and working and getting all kinds of things done.



I hope your holidays were fun and relaxing and I hope that you have some great fun lined up for 2013!

xo
Sarah

September September

Oh September2012. We are a busy one, aren't we?

I took last week off from the old day job to paint (and I acknowledge and appreciate how lucky I am to be able to do so, thank you office work for PTO). Here's how it went...

Tuesday we drove to NH (by way of Salem and the Peabody Essex Museum) to pick up plants from my dad and to have dinner with my mom and stepdad (and see their new in-progress home).



Wednesday - Friday were spent, as I've mentioned before, hunched over the dining room table painting.



Also, framing.



Saturday evening was the Dream Team show opening!
The Washington Street Art Center was the show-place for our happy little group exhibit. Megan Mary Creamer, Alex Feinstein, Lauren Leone and I have our work up through the end of the month.

Alex


Megan


Lauren


Me


This is the show I've been drawing all of the medicinal botanicals for. I picked three helpful plants and painted them full, painted/inked portraits of some details, displayed a specimen of the plant and, on tiny shelves (made by Megan!), had samples of the finished product. My dad preserved two of the plants for me and gave me samples of the finished medicines he makes from them (St. John's Wort oil and Boneset tincture). I harvested the Rose Hips myself and found some Rose Hip tea to show.



It was incredibly satisfying to hang the show and see my vision come together just as I had hoped. Usually what I have in mind for a body of work changes over time and the end result, although good, isn't exactly in-line with my original idea - BUT this time it looked in the real world just as I had seen it in my head. I am very happy with this little collection.
It was great planning and plotting with Lauren, Alex and Megan and I'm super honored they asked me to be a part of this show! (more photos here)

Sunday was an art-free day. Curtis and I did the Jimmy Fund Walk with Jen and Amy (and a few thousand other people). It's a long day of walking/strolling/trudging and it's so rewarding. We had perfect overcast breezy weather and we all made it through in good shape.

Monday I slept and watched tv with my feet up. The cats appreciated that and kept me good company. Tuesday, my last official day of vacation was punctuated with a delicious lunch out with Curtis at Trident on Newbury Street.



And that's the story of my Art-Cation. I have one more full weekend before Open Studios and should finish lots of new things before the big event. I've been planning a new display and my 2013 calendar is THIS CLOSE to being fully realized.
I'm so excited!

xo
Sarah

Let's Make a List...

It's funny.
I've chosen to not vend at any fairs this spring/summer (though I just saw the application announcement for Picnic and I'm TEMPTED) but I still feel like a million and one things are going on and I can't get a handle on them all at once.
So here are some photos and a list. The photos are for you, the list is for me. But we can share.

More photos of spring springing around Boston...






Things going on / Things coming up

- Friday 4/20: ExPlanets at PAs
- Saturday 4/21: Terrarium building with Megan!
- Monday 4/23: Union Made application judging with the BBB ladies
- Tuesday 4/24: Arbor Day walk in the Arboretum (of course)
- Saturday 5/5: Horse Feathers concert!
- 5/13: Hosting giant Mother's Day brunch
- 5/29: Radiohead concert!

- June: Ryan's birthday / Union Made / Jury Duty!
- July: CAMP CAMPING
- September: WSAC show / JP Open Studios (should be working on these now + forever) / Jimmy Fund Walk

Other/All the time: working on new product / looking into more consignment/wholesale / staying motivated / running around outside / working in my garden / taking walks with Curtis to get snacks / petting the cats / being a better friend to those I've been neglecting as I've been hibernating / seeing my family sometime? / getting rid of some stuff / getting sort of organized maybe? / EVERYTHING

And here are some more photos of my world lately...


*





And how have YOU been lately?
xo
Sarah

*awesome baby of a friend modeling for Egg-A-Go-Go!

Life lately...

Hello.
Spring is here and I'm feeling a little swamped. Lots of new (wonderful) projects popping up like pushy spring shoots. I need to make a master list because amongst all the painting and craftwork there are concerts and bike rides and friends and family and oh maybe sleeping.

Here are some photos...


Spring!




Working on a project with Curtis! Kind of top secret.


Workspaces from above. Taxes on the left, art planning on the right.


A moon phases mobile prototype. I'm not sure where this is going yet.


Ah breakfast.

xo
Sarah

Post-BBB wrap-up

Hello Friends!

Well, I can't believe it's over.

The Bazaar Bizarre Boston has once again come and gone. I had two full 24 hour days of preparation before the big event (as well as full days here and there and post-work days as well for months prior).




I spent Friday and Saturday printing and pressing and packaging as well as eating and taking walks to the post office and for chai to keep me sane.

Sunday was incredible. A total blur but a great success. We got to the Cyclorama at about 7am ready to rearrange tables, hang signs and get things set for our vendors to arrive.


The BCA Cyclorama is one of my all time favorite all time buildings of all time. It's so lovely. And it's such a treat to be there early in the morning as the sun starts to peek through the giant skylight.

When I had done my morning duties I set up my own table just in time for the Early Birds to start arriving. Shortly after the first shoppers got settled in the doors were opened to the public and the giant room quickly filled up!






[photo stolen from Amy of ABCowls!]

To see so many folks there, spending their Sunday waiting in line, paying the $1 admission and then shopping from some of the most talented and charming people in this little community is humbling. It gives me hope for humanity, hope for handmade.

The day was a great success for Egg-A-Go-Go. Wolf onesies, cards and beard&glasses shirts were hot sellers once again and I received a lot of great feedback on my display and products. Some of my favorite people came to shop or volunteer and the whole day was over in a blink.



Usually I get some time to slow down and BREATHE after the BBB but this year I'm still catching up with orders for my Blue Mason Jars Apron! Did I mention? It was featured in the Dec/Jan issue of Country Living! And the response has been incredible!





Such an honor! Thank you Country Living!

SO! Here we are. Post-BBB, Pre-Holidays. I feel like things will be crazy until the new year starts which is fine by me. Come January I hope to focus on painting and maybe taking a class if my work allows. I feel like I've been neglecting art for craft lately and I need to find more of a balance. I hope to post the results here. (As well as that home silkscreening tutorial I mentioned! COMING SOON!)

Hope you are well!
xo
Sarah

Studio Shots

I've been working.
Every day after work. Every weekend day in between errands and friend/family time.







I am on top of some tasks and behind on others.
There is just so much to do.
I need to figure out who needs what and by when. Deadlines.

xo
Sarah

p.s. I just came across this post by Maeg of Edison Rex. I need to remember this.

Everything! All at once!

Every single month I take a deep breath and think "at least THIS month won't be as crazy busy as LAST" and I did it once again at the beginning of September, I blinked and now the month is more than half past in a whirlwind of busy-ness.

This past weekend was no exception to the busy overload!
- Friday night Curtis and I went with Jen to dinner and to see the movie Contagion. Both were good.
- Saturday my folks came to town on the train. We picked them up at North Station, went out to brunch, did a little South End Open Studios, wandered, had tea/espresso, wandered some more and dropped them back at the train.
- Saturday night Jen spent the night since we had to be up at FOUR AM Sunday to head out to Hopkinton for the Boston Marathon Jimmy Fund Walk! (The walk was great. I'm exhausted but so happy we did the whole thing again this year. What an event! Friends and family and snacks and laughing and WALKING.)

Mid walk:


Post walk:


Do you mind if I use the rest of this post to make a big list or two? No? Thanks. You can read it if you want.

Upcoming ART Deadlines:
* Oct. 18th : WSAC/SHC art due
* Nov. 1st : Artworks! (New Bedford) art due
* First week in November : Craftland work due
* Dec. 4th : Bazaar Bizarre Boston 2011

Upcoming EVENTS:
* Wednesday - to Storm King! (more about that later!)
* Thursday - Storm King + Curtis's Birthday! + driving to North Adams
* Friday - Mass MoCA!
* Saturday & Sunday: JP Open Studios, Beantown Jazz Festival, MICE
* 9/26 - Elbow concert
* 10/1 - Tangled show opening

I know there's more stuff in there but if I don't remember it, I don't have to worry about it, right? These things don't WORRY me, really, it's just so much running all over, neglecting my chores and having fun. I'm very lucky. But I do need to find some time in there to pack orders and build up stock for upcoming fairs and the holiday etsy selling I'll hopefully be doing. PHEW.

Man, this post sure has a lot of words.
More pictures soon!
xo
Sarah

Pre-Autumn Rushes

Hello!

Things have been a bit nuts here. Hurricanes and Earthquakes and Camping and Parties!

The Providence Art Festival is the day after tomorrow and I feel a little under-prepared. I'm sharing a book with Miss Ryan Marie of Maisonwares and we're collaborating on a bunch of new items! I'll be cranking out cards and onesies until the last minute (minus a few hours on Friday to step out for my beloved friend Jen's birthday celebration).


Shirts and onesies fresh from American Apparel for printing.


Some card design experiments using screens I already have.

Oh and when I'm not printing and packaging and selling and shipping I will be nose first into Wildwood by Colin Meloy (pictures by Carson Ellis - one of my most favorite illustrators out there!) The book itself is so incredibly beautiful. So much attention to detail and lovingly published.


Busy busy!
I hope you are well and I hope to have some more regular posts next week post-Provi Fair madness.
xo
Sarah

One fair down...

...one to go (before my trip)!

Here are some photos from Saturday's Garden City Center Art Festival in Cranston, RI.











It was a rainy day but warm enough for visitors to be out. The fair was expertly run by Festival Fete and I would love to participate in another FF-run event in the future.

I'm scrambling around trying to tie up loose ends and start packing and another fair on Sunday. And on Monday morning I fly off to destinations of the very northwesterly variety.

Business note:
Anything ordered from the shop after Friday June 17th will not ship until AFTER JULY 4TH WEEKEND.

xo
Sarah