Temporal Millionaire goodies are now in NYC!

Yes, yes it's true! Flushing Council on Culture and the Arts has invited me to share my little world with Queens. I couldn't have been more happy to join the fun. Here is a little more information about FCCA:

"Flushing Council on Culture and the Arts (FCCA) is a revitalizing force for its community, and a creative catalyst for developing and promoting the arts throughout the Borough of Queens in New York City. Each year, FCCA presents an array of high quality arts and educational programs at Flushing Town Hall (which it operates on behalf of the City of New York), as well as providing vital services to local artists, arts organizations and community residents."

Currently they have a student art exhibit in their gallery until June 14th and will be hosting the Queens Jazz Orchestra on May 29th. You can also take a trolley ride through neighborhoods where Louis Armstrong, Count Basie, Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald and John Coltrane lived. I also recommend going to the Asian market right next to the FCCA building for some grocery shopping while you are there (great prices and fresh food). Don't forget to stop buy the gift shop for your Temporal Millionaire goodies though. I'm one of about 20 Queens and Long Island based artists. It's a really nice assortment of handmade goods. A big thanks to Ellen, the director, for reaching out to community artists and giving us a great place to showcase our work.

I've decided not to wear shorts this summer

I've decided to wear cool skirts (and some capris for days when I really have to get to playing wiffle ball). I figure I can make a whole bunch of cute skirts for very little money. So, that's that. I'm well on my way to getting things on my list of goals started. I just bought this book, Sew What! Skirts, a few days ago. It explains how to make a whole bunch of skirts and design your own patterns, which should be a cost savings over buying a bunch of patterns...they are quite expensive these days. I've been searching through photos of cute skirts on flickr and this book had a lot of good comments, and from the photos I saw the skirts turned out very well. I also saw these three other patterns I may try down the road. Two were on Get Crafty in this post and I also saw a lot of happy looking skirts made with this pattern from Favorite Things. I'll be reading for a few days before heading off to the store for fabric, so stay tuned. I also need to get a few other sewing projects off the list before starting my first skirt for the summer. Maybe you will want to make a skirt with me? Let's read on...

Happy boy!

This was another picture from the arbor day festival we went to last week. Eli was running through huge fields of flowers with us. It was happy in a whole new way.

I made this photo using my new favorite toy, poladroid.

Hoodie boy and his lamb

This is my entry for Moral Plush . It's suppose to convey an emotion.

I think sanguine-- cheerfully optimistic, hopeful, or confident.

Well, at least that's how I'd feel if i had on a cozy hoodie and my favorite little guy.

What do you think?

Spring!

I spent most of the weekend outside which was wonderful. Here are a couple of the cherry blossom pictures I took while we were at an arbor day festival.

I also started working on making a patch of our yard into a garden. It is still under construction. The seedlings are planted though, and hopefully I'll be ready to transfer them in a few weeks.

Oh, how far I am from being a temporal millionaire

I started this blog over two years ago when I published my first zine. It was a strange time. I was on leave from my job and was home taking care of my little guy. I had taken the first step toward allowing myself to enjoy the spare time I had to be creative, to embrace the idea that life without a paying job could be rewarding, and that cooking and cleaning didn't have to define my success. While the spare time seemed sparse with a little guy to love, each moment was appreciated. I allowed myself to participate in the art world in a way I had been too intimidated to do before. I wanted to create something during this period of temporal freedom that I would actually allow other people to see, and that zine was my first happy step. I did a lot during that time, things I never thought I would do. I wrote and drew, painted and sewed, I made things, and thought things that excited me everyday. The time has zipped by, moving to NY and starting to work part-time again has limited my creative time without me even really being aware it was happening. I have just recently started the torturous process of searching for a full-time position and now realize that this creative period is on the verge of ending to some degree. (I will go back to work full-time in September). So, with that in mind I wanted to share some of my creative goals for the the next few months so that I can make the most of what free time I do have left.

1. Draw everyday for one month
2. Write Temporal Millionaire Issue #3
3. Finish the baby gift for my sister
4. Make 5 hip skirts for the summer
5. Send work to Renegade Handmade in Chicago
6. Make photo books of Eli
7. Apply to four art exhibitions (plush you!, wall graphics, womenmade gallery, mortal plush, )
8. Finish little bear project for shop
9. Finish Hoodies for shop
10. Update the TKP site
11. Update this site with new graphics

That's it for now. Eleven is my favorite number so that seems like a good place to stop. What about you? Have you reassessed your situation lately? I am more appreciative for this time after looking at what happiness it has brought my way.

Happy Monday to you.

The move from Wordpress to Blogger

It was about time. There are many reasons for making the switch...but for now a little time working on setting up again and making this feel like home. Sorry Wordpress...you drove me nuts. I will tell you all the great reasons and how I made the switch after getting reorganized. For now enjoy the first 50 posts I brought over, the rest are coming tomorrow.

Super cute moss garden

I heard about moss gardens somewhere and had it on my list of things to do with my little guy. I did a little looking on the internet and found this post by Ciao Birdie helpful. Like everything these days I wanted to do this project on the cheap and I did! I took my little helper to the thrift shop to see if we could find suitable containers and we did. We each picked our favorite container ($2 for both). The only other thing we need was something to keep the dirt from going through to the rock. Ciao birdie suggested horticultural charcoal, but fearing that something that sounded fancy might be expensive, I bought a small bag of sphagnum moss ($3.50). We found the rest of the needed supplies in our yard. I took a few containers and we started our collection. One bowl of pebbles, one of dirt, and then one of assorted moss. I was amazed at how many different kinds of moss we found in our yard. I had never looked at it that closely before. I think we found six different kinds. We brought everthing to the table and got to work putting in all the layers. First pebbles, then sphagnum moss, dirt, and finally the moss. He really enjoyed making his garden and so did I. Here is my finished product. The bowl is about the size of my palm...it's super cute. Oh, and I went with bowls that did not have a top because I knew my little guy would want to "take care" of his moss. I gave him a mister to spray it whenever he wants. It evaporates at a rate that keeps it from getting too wet with all the misting. Just right! A good project for about $5.50.

Hoodies

I drew these little guys in my sketch book the other night. Today I drew a couple on 4" x 6" matte board and added some collage. The green guy didn't scan as well, maybe that's why he looks kind of bummed out.

Vote for Love! Laslow Kiss #175

This little Travel Kitty got all dressed up for Valentines day and the folks over at Etsy thought he was pretty cute. He's in a special poll called "Which lovey dovey makes you say awwwww?" Does he make you say awwww? If so, give him your vote...here's the link:

www.etsy.com/voter_list.php?ref=voter&room_id=30

(voting ends 10am EST on Feb. 16th)