10.28.2009

Holiday shows


{The milkshake booth.}

Here's my holiday show list so far. Hopefully I'll be adding a few more in the next couple of weeks. I would love to see you at one of these! (If you have any questions, contact me through my website here: milkshake crafts.)

MamaCita Holiday Show
December 4, 2009
Location to be announced
Jenkintown, PA
MamaCita (click here for the website)

Abington Friends Craft Fair
December 5, 2009 (10-3)
575 Washington Lane
Jenkintown, PA

Fine Art & Craft Benefit Show
December 6, 2009 (10-6)
Elstowe Mansion
1750 Ashbourne Road
(if using GPS, type in 750)
Elkins Park, PA
Show benefits Nancy's House (click for website)

Watertower Craft Show
December 12-13, 2009 (10-5, 11-4)
Watertower Recreation Center
Germantown Ave (go east on Hartwell Lane)
Chestnut Hill, PA 19119

10.23.2009

Bella pendant


Remember a while back, when I created the bird pendants? I had started posting about each woman the pendants are named after, but somehow only got around to doing three of them.

Here's what the pendants are all about: Birds represent freedom, as does each woman these pendants are named after. Each woman made a significant contribution to feminism in the US, thus granting certain freedoms for me, my daughter and future generations. 


Each pendant is an original design: the pattern starts out as an illustration done in ink on paper, then is scanned and colored on the computer.

• measures 1.25" round
• sterling silver or gold jumpring
• 20" black cord (made with local, thrifted materials)
• to reduce the use of unnecsesary materials, cord is tied instead of using a clasp
• printed on recycled, acid-free paper made with wind-power
• laminated on both sides (lamination extends slightly beyond image).


The Bella pendant is named after Bella Abzug, who is known for saying, ""This woman’s place is in the House—the House of Representatives", during her 1970 campaign. She won, became the first Jewish woman in the United States Congress, and served from 1971-1977. She introduced (along with Ed Koch) the first federal gay rights bill known as The Equality Act of 1974.

The pendant is available here for $15.

10.20.2009

Rare Bird Finds


Thank you to Shari for featuring my dancing circles clock on Rare Bird Finds this morning!

10.16.2009

First lost tooth


{See?! I lost a tooth!}


{The very same tooth fairy pillow I used when I was a kid.}


{The tooth fairy is crafty.}

The tooth fairy visited here last night for the first time. Did you know that in some houses she leaves $5?! She left one dollar here, but it was a pretty, crafty dollar. Also, some people may not think so (I'm looking at you, Jimmy!), but it's a good thing I like to save stuff. Thanks to my reluctance to throw anything away, Malayna got to use my tooth fairy pillow from when I was a kid. See? Being a hoarder saver comes in handy sometimes.

She was so excited this morning to find a fancy dollar bill in the pocket. (Of course we'll save this dollar and I'll give her a different one to use on a special treat.) My little girl is growing up. Sniff, sniff.

10.14.2009

Enthusiasm



Even though she had a rough start, Malayna loves school. She's excited about going each day, likes doing homework (most of the time), and has made lots of new friends. When we asked her what her favorite part of school is, she said, "learning time." She's starting to read and often interrupts us when we're reading her a book to point out words she knows. We read to her all the time, so I had a feeling she'd catch on quickly, but this is amazing! I certainly didn't expect her to be reading and sounding out words only a few weeks into the school year. It's so cool to watch her realize she can do it. She's a tiny bit obsessed with it, too. Everywhere we go, she's reading. Every time she looks at a book, she seeks out the words she knows. She's writing things on her drawings in "kid writing"(spelling things without a grown-up correcting it). She gets them so close! The other day she wrote "astronaut" as "astrnat." She tells everyone that she can read.

Before Malayna started school, Jimmy and I used to talk about what kind of student Malayna would be. So far, we were right. We thought she'd be excited about learning new things, being with other kids her age, and that she would follow the rules. We also knew she'd have trouble transitioning in the beginning and hoped that she'd get over that fast so she could see how exciting school could be.

Her teacher told me that yesterday, during a group activity, Malayna said, "Wow! This is so exciting! We've only been in school for a little while, but we already learned so much stuff!" Oh, how I wish I could bottle that enthusiasm and keep it forever.

10.12.2009

On the dining room table every day…


{Worn-down and much-loved crayons, paper and bits of nature.}

10.09.2009

Surrounded by creativity



Rutgers-Camden in New Jersey is hosting an exhibition called “A Complex Weave: Women and Identity in Contemporary Art” through December 18. I'm heading over there today with a friend for the symposium “Women and Identity in Contemporary Art.” There will be a keynote speaker, and  presentations by some of the exhibiting artists. I love stuff like this - an exhibition featuring women, talking about women and featuring a wide variety of art. I expect to be inspired - one of the perks of seeing art and being surrounded by other artists.

Speaking of being inspired, I started a new job yesterday at a friend's clay studio, and it was great! We cleaned up, organized and got the studio ready for Philadelphia Open Studio Tours (POST), which is happening this weekend. Oh, and I also got to cuddle her new puppy - a nice little bonus! Next week I'll probably be getting my hands dirty, helping her to create some clay tiles that she'll use in a big project. What a great job, right? We also have a lot in common, so it's nice to be able to talk about all that while we're working. Did I mention the puppy?

10.08.2009

Make stuff



I drew those words yesterday while Malayna was in school. Before she came home, I put it on the dining room table where she does her homework. She sat down to start her homework after school, I went into the kitchen to get her a snack, and the next thing I know my paper is covered with her drawings. I guess she took that literally, huh? (She drew an art table with crayons and paint palettes on it. Those lines around the table are the legs.)

In other news, I'm starting a fun new job today. A friend of mine read my post from the other day where I wrote about looking for a job. She emailed me and asked if I wanted to help her out with a few big projects she has coming up. Wish me luck!

10.05.2009

Restless



Do you ever feel like you're just not doing enough? Like you're wasting your free time? It's not just me, right?

I've been looking for a part-time job since the summer, but nothing's come up. I have six hours to myself five days a week and I feel like I should be doing something Important with a captial "I". I want my daughter to look up to me and want to be like me. Am I sending her the right message by being home and not having a job? Being a stay-at-home mom is not what I thought I'd be doing six years ago. In fact, I still hate saying those words - they bring up such negative feelings for me. It means I'm a housewife - home all day to clean, take care of the house, run errands and look after kids. Booooring. I want more! I want a successful art career that brings in money. Enough money so that we can go out for dinner, or meet friends for drinks, or buy new clothes every now and then, and not have to think twice about it. I want to buy this, just because it's pretty.

I know some people are happy with being home, taking care of house chores and children. It's just not what fills me up. I don't want to send Malayna the message that men work and women stay home. She should know that she can do or be anything she wants. I'm not exactly sending her that message right now.

I'm feeling restless…

10.03.2009

Changes


I've been wrestling with this decision for a few months now: I'm going to stop making clocks. They're so time-consuming and I can't really sell them for the price they're worth. I want to create work that doesn't require special supplies. Also, I've had a few people ask me to replace the clock mechanism because it has stopped working, which means I'm out the money it costs to buy a new mechanism. Not good. I don't have much of an inventory left; just some desk clocks, which I'll sell at the shows I have lined up for this season.

I've got some new things lined up (in my head, that is) to make. Stay tuned!

{PS: I've had a few requests for specific clocks on my site. I will still honor those requests!}