it looks like this now!

i’m so excited with my little ikea cart, which i put together without any power tools (and was tempted to post when it was finished along with the caption, “look what i made!”  except. . . yeah, i didn’t make it).  it fits perfectly in the space between the wall and the sink.

the only think i have yet to figure out is frames for the artwork (both are prints i swiped from the student example archives from my college when i graduated.  the one on the left was by another student, the one on the right by my professor from her days as a student in italy).  i will either frame these and keep them there, or hang them elsewhere in the house because for this space i am also thinking of a vintage poster.  there is a bookstore downtown that always has posters from world war 2 about rationing bread and growing victory gardens that i think would be nice in this spot.  the electrical outlet is in such a silly spot–and it’s the only one the kitchen!  oh, well.

i made the sink skirt out of sturdy gray cotton (because of my current obsession with gray) and used sew-on velcro–the soft side–on the fabric, but had to buy industrial strength sticky velcro for the rough side, which is attached to the underside of the sink.  the first time around, i used the rough side of the sew-on velcro and hot-glued it in there.  however, there is a radiator under the sink and the heat from it softened the hot glue and the velcro kept coming undone.  the industrial strength works better.  anyway, any time i need to wash it (and maybe iron it?  nice wrinkles), i can just pull it off the sink and throw it in the laundry.  i didn’t want to deal with gathers, so i put two big pleats, on on each corner of the sink.

except on the left side, where the pleat is actually a split!  aha, tricky, right?  easy access to the garbage can and cleaning supplies.

this is my most recent print.  i made it at the end of the year, commissioned for a gift.  since then, my projects have been of a more administrative or home variety, and i am anxious to get back into the studio and be making prints again.  fortunately, this desire coincides with some good project deadlines, AND the beginning of what i consider to be biking weather (i have not yet tackled the idea of biking in winter in minnesota).  i will say that i feel like this photograph leaves something to be desired.  i am really jonesing for a dslr to really be able to manage my own art photography (which is harder than most people imagine, i think).  however, i’m also jonesing for a computer with a screen that doesn’t randomly go dark or shut off by itself, and for an edition of photoshop that doesn’t quit without notice.  ah, well.  maybe one of these days. . . .

also, but unrelated:  a couple of weeks ago, ladysmith black mambazo was in town and performed on mpr.  having grown up with their music, it was so interesting to hear them talk about their group and their music.  it brought me to tears more than once.  and that’s all i’m going to say about it. just go listen! and find out more about them and their new album.

i’ve been enjoying this project, probably mostly because i have some really good help.  since it’s been on my brain CONSTANTLY, i was also really excited (and a little envious) to see jenny’s thrift score/upholstery makeover.

also, today is my sister’s birthday.  i love you, heather and hope you have a restful, wonderful day.  and that you take state AGAIN tonight at the poetry out loud competition!

a well-loved, sturdy sofa.  faded and kitty-scratched (not to mention a wall completely devoid of art).

super-cool, perfectly-colored upholstery.  11 yards (thank you, mom and dad).

it can’t be *that* hard, right?  i guess i’ll find out in february!!

i have been thoroughly enjoying my privacy this winter, living in my very own space, changing it, improving it, deciding who comes into it and when i leave it.  i’m loving the quiet.  i think it is making a big difference in my ability to enjoy (and not be so depressed by) winter.  at least so far.  i have been having dreams about riding my bike on warm summer nights.

other things on my mind recently have been the songs of the ericksons, a pair of sisters and local musicians.  super-duper love their harmonies and songs.  listen here.

my parents have had these bookshelves for as long as i can remember.  they housed my dad’s book collection, or at least part of it, a long time ago (he has *so many* books.  currently filling EIGHT of those tall ikea billy bookcases).  anyway, they’ve been through a lot and have lots of scratches and nicks and don’t exactly match.  but now they are mine, and they look like this!:

encouraging, right?  so then.  these are the projects i’m thinking about these days, as i spend my winter days hibernating in my apartment:

1.  reupholster beloved little sofa and two newly thrifted chairs.  has anyone done anything like this before?  any advice appreciated (photos to follow)!

2.  find the right rug for my living room.

3.  add art to my living room, bathroom, and bedroom.

4.  decide what to do with my grandmother’s very cool wedding china.  plate walls are so in these days, i’m contemplating ways to display these.

5.  get a little butcher block for added counter space and storage for my kitchen.

number five will be the easiest, since this one will fit perfectly into the space.  i’m planning to paint it to make it a little more unique, but i haven’t decided to paint all but the top white (like this) or to just paint the legs in a different color, like a darker version of a robin’s egg blue to give the kitchen a pop of color and sort of coordinate with the curtains.  here is a (rather hastily-taken, sort of old) before photo of the kitchen.  i have since made a skirt for the sink, hiding all the stuff underneath.  the butcher block cart will go where the little drawers are:

my pennies are all saved up and friends with a car are coming to town next week specifically for an ikea trip, so this should be taken care of soon, yay!  that seems like enough for today, it feels good to have my list down and action items decided.  i have a photographer friend coming over today to take photos of my recent artwork, which is exciting and necessary.  more updates soon!

having the internet (and changing my calendar and having a birthday) get me thinking about life–not that it really takes much to do that–about what has brought me to this point, and what lies ahead, what i want to do with my life and with this blog.  a lot of it feels too personal (or to boring?) to share here, but to suffice it to say, i think i am back.  i didn’t want getting the internet to be a given “now i’m going to blog every day”, but i have missed my network of internet friends and i think i’m ready to give a little more time and energy to practicing my writing and sharing projects, inspirations, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera.

the waiting part of this post is referring not only to trying to be patient about the seasons changing, but also to my current state of generally being in limbo.  having applied for some different residencies, grants, and other career-furthering opportunities, i’m waiting to hear back.  more than usual, my getting them (or not getting them) will have huge bearing on what this year holds.  and honestly, whichever way it goes, things will be great.  but until i find out. . . .

oh, and also:  i really enjoyed this ridiculous new show (um, i watched it twice). i think it’s one of those love it or hate it things.  i laughed really hard both times.

anyway, i guess i’m just saying hello again.  i’ll be around.  probably with dilemmas surrounding the minutia of apartment projects.  or maybe my hair.  or maybe news about new art projects.  or maybe all of the above.  yes.

and like this:

and then like some other stages i forgot to photograph.  and finally, like this.  this is everything–the chapbooks, the artist books, the postcards, and the broadsides.  i can literally say, this is what i did this year (things have since been packaged and addressed; mailing of kickstarter backer rewards will begin this week!!):

(parenthetically, i can also show you one of the cutest things about my apartment, the eating nook, right off the kitchen):

and even more parenthetically–or should i say, completely unrelated–a little something we laughed over today at the food shelf where i volunteer.  pretty awesome, huh?:

so it is this time when i choose to update the blog (and it took me nearly forty-two mintues to resize six photos–no joke.  another thing that makes me anxious is my *very* slow computer).  anyway, i saw these at the book arts center the other day and i just fell in love with them.  i’m not generally a fan of altered books (usually because they tend to be some kind of gesso + drawing + whatever affair, with some weird commentary about the written word, blah blah).  but these!  these are a “i wish *i* had thought of that” kind of thing.  like, for reals.  i love them.  and i thought taking a photo of them (and subsequently the tag with the artist’s name) would be enough help in remembering who made them, but i now see that that information is missing.  so sorry.

i really should get out of the studio for a few minutes.  the beautiful day and fresh air will probably help the little anxious butterflies in my stomach.  something will happen.  it always does with these deadline things.

curtains in the kitchen.  this started as one of those quick “i’ll just use that fabric i already have” projects, but somehow went wrong in the cutting of the fabric and the first set of curtains ended up too short.  and horrible, even though i like the fabric.  it just didn’t work, so in keeping with the big current theme of going-for-what-i-really-want, i tried out two more options before finding (and more carefully measuring/cutting) these.  and i love them.

pillowcases!  i had my eye on this fabric at crafty planet for at least a year, always trying to think of what to make out of it.  it’s so bright and busy, i knew clothing wasn’t an option, but i couldn’t resist it.  it was in the running for the kitchen curtains, until i hung it up and the entire kitchen was glowing magenta.  then i remembered how much i wanted eliza gran’s liberty pillowcases last summer, and bingo! they are perfect.  they brighten up my very white bedroom, and when i wake up in the middle of the night, i remember them and fall back asleep so contented that i have pretty pillowcases like no one else.  it also occurs to me that pillowcases might make one of those great wedding (or christmas, or anytime) gifts that are unique and pretty, but also totally affordable and a snap to make.