Happy Halloween!

Oh, I am so excited for Halloween this year! I've always wanted to be a peacock except I was stuck on the fact that the beautiful blue and green peacocks are actually male. Then I decided, screw it- I can cross dress-  it's Halloween!

So this year I am a peacock. I made a dress out of recycled t-shirts and a bunch of fabric I had in my studio.  I sewed and cut ALL the feathers on the tail... My poor fingers had blisters from the sewing scissors, but it was worth it. I got to test run my costume at a Day of the Dead themed party over the weekend.

Unfortunately I didn't get any full body or tail shots, dang it. But tomorrow I'm dressing up too!

If you're wondering who's in the photo booth with me on the left is zombie Steve Jobs (AKA Brad, my boyfriend), on the right is a Japanese Gothic Lolita (AKA Megan).

Social Media

The past two weeks I've been trying to get a little more savvy in the social media department. I've had a Twitter account for ages (@ reloveprojects) but I barely did anything with it.  I just never really got it. But according to my research a Twitter account is crucial to a craft business. It's a way to constantly remind people that you're around and making things. So- you'll notice a little 'follow' icon off there to the right. I'm going to play around with it and see what happens.

I've also just finished creating a Facebook page. It still needs work, but it's up and running.

In celebration of my social media advances, next week I will be offering discounts and giveaways to those that are 'following' and 'liking'!

PS- Twitter and Facebook took me waaaay too long to do, and part of that was that I couldn't figure it out. I'd be happy to help anyone else who's struggling with this! Email me at reloveprojects@yahoo.com.

New Listings! Yay!

I am so excited to be making stuff again! Here are some new listings in my Etsy shop. They are all one-of-a-kind, so if you love it then get it before someone else does! Click on the caption to be directed to the item.

Medium Dog Collar- Bright Blue with Blossoms

Large Dog Collar with Orange, Yellow, Pink, Blue....

Purple Paisley Large Dog Collar

New things!

Stepping away from my computer and phone the other day was very good for productivity- I finished a bunch of collars, a few whale ornaments, and I almost finished wrapping a branch in yarn. My idea is to use it to display my goods (hopefully in a holiday market, if I'm accepted!).

My boyfriend, Brad Nielson, helped me photograph all of my newly completed things:

Look for new listings in my etsy shop over the next few days!

I am going to do this

This is another great addition to the world by Miranda July... "A Handy Tip for the Easily Distracted". I think I might have to do this! Then I will make coffee, then I will finish some dog collars I started, then I will paint a shelf for my studio, then I will wrap a branch in yarn, then I will photograph my finished dog collars, and then I'll post them on Etsy, no wait, can't do that (not only will my computer be trapped, but I also can't find my camera cable ANYWHERE), um, so then I'll clean my room and change my sheets (don't you love a bed with clean sheets?), and while cleaning my room I'll find the camera cable, and maybe by then the grape juice will have evaporated and I can post my new collars on Etsy!

New Dog Collar

I'm getting back into sewing dog collars... For awhile I felt like I was a one-person assembly line robot just making collars and I lost the creative drive to do it. So I took a break. This is the first one I've made in months! I'm back in a place where I'm really enjoying sewing them again, so I'm going to crank out a few more. I haven't listed this one yet in my Etsy shop, so as my blog readers you get first dibs! If you're interested in purchasing let me know and I'll reserve it for you! 

Do you go through lulls when you just don't feel like creating? What do you do to recover from your burn out?

PS- Better photos are coming soon!

White Box

This is such a beautiful, creative video! I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

White Box from makoto yabuki on Vimeo.

(found HERE)

Inspiration: Kristin FitzGerrell

 The first and second weekend of October Open Studios are happening in Boulder. It is a FABULOUS event that's been going on for 17 years. 135 artists open up their homes/studios to the general public and are there to answer questions and show people around. Every time I go I leave feeling so inspired!


On Saturday I went to the home and studio of Kristin FitzGerrell of Studio 22. She makes wall pieces out of reclaimed wood, though that description doesn't do her work justice! I really love her artist statement (found on her website, www.studio22art.com):

In this studio the scrap bin is the supply closet. My mixed media collage and assemblage work justifies my complete and chronic infatuation with cast-offs. In my artistic practice I elevate the simplest of scrap to pedestal status and encourage you to see beauty where it had not been evident before. I find shape, color, and form inspiration in the most ordinary of places. My art materials come from an alley, a salvage yard, a recycle bin, a dumpster. I work and re-work these precious bits right down to the part that is left over from the part that was left behind.

It might be a weathered piece of wood, a fabric scrap, or sign letter that I find too irresistible to pass by. I am forever drawn to the bits and pieces that have become useless to us in our busy, important lives. I am most enamored with the ones that have lost a mate, worn through a layer or have passed their prime. I choose my scraps and sometimes, even when I think I can walk by, they choose me.

‘Tis a scrappy love affair to be sure.


This is what I think artist statements should be like- storytelling, personal, funny, revealing. 


Kristin's house was AMAZING. And it brings me to why Open Studios is so fun. Kristin's home is the kind of place that you'd walk past and think, "Hmmm, I wonder what it looks like inside". And you might even walk by at night hoping that the curtains were left open. It's a remodeled home, modern and custom, different from the ranches and track homes on either side. Its obvious that someone creative lives inside. The one bedroom that was open to the public had a chair in the corner that was a knobby gnarled stump of wood that was lacquered and gorgeous.... I was inspired and did a search on 'wood stump chairs'.  This is what I found:

Arbor Chair by Peter Jakubik found here

Solid Wood Furniture by Denis Milovanov

Found here


The one I found that is the most similar to Kristin's is HERE....

Kristin's art was everywhere- Forms made from probably 20 different chunks of wood that were stained and painted and pieced together: elephants, cows,  little birds on branches, typography, bulls eyes.... Even though it was on display for sale all of the art looked like it was placed permanently. None of it looked out of place or temporary. She has a distinct style that flirts with being modern, rustic, crafty, and fine art.

There is a great article in The Daily Camera written by Julie Hagy HERE if you'd like to know more! And if you live in Boulder definitely check out Kristin's amazing studio and home. 

*I also visited Catherine Cleary's home and studio but thought it would be more fitting on my ceramic blog at www.mudwhimsy.blogspot.com.