Doing things differently today!

Oh hey there! Doing things a bit differently today enjoying a nice work day breakfast at the ever so scrumptious Lamplighter Coffee. Needed to pop put of my office today. I've recently been messing around with screen printing WHICH! I probably have not done since 2005-06. No not probably literally. I recently purchased a starter screen printing kit from DIY printshop and embarked on the photo emulsion process.

oh hey there buffalogo.After multiple print tests I've come to the conclusion that I need to redo the screen little bits were not exposed long enough. This set back is okay. And as far as not having done this in almost 10 years I'll give myself a pat on the back. I had set the project aside briefly as a move to a bigger office was vital.

My bigger little warehouse. So on top of that and making some fun little jewelry pieces. See below.

Screen printing has been itching the back of my brains. I wasn't quite ready to dark room proof my new office but wanted to get on a t shirt design I had been thinking about this involving a scavenger hunt around Richmond town to build some screens and try out the "positive method" of screen printing. Made some pretty impressive screens! Still got it! First drawing fluid attempt

Which led to this first print attempt

Gaaah! Literally the same issue I had with the emulsion method.. Little bits missing. I want this print to be great. So I had to strip the screen and start over. Attempt two:

And now I wait at the Lamplighter for the screen filler to dry. Certainly not complaining about it

Egg break.

Today I'm in the spirit of egg decoration. Hard boiled a near half dozen last night shew! And this morning the blank eggshell canvases staring at me upon opening the fridge door was enough to take a little break an have a little fun. Why not.

Even tried out a fancy yet sophisticated nail polish technique from Pinterest.

Circa 2008-ish

Wow! Was searching for some old notes and came across some incredibly OLD sketches and doodles. I'd say most likely from circa 2008-2009. Most of these were saviors to my boredom at a hostessing job I had which seems AGES ago!

Older Doodles

Some older work I wanted to share, Suessical

A while ago I interviewed one of my friends, in Suessical the musical, playing at Theatre IV in Richmond, VA for RVA Magazine. Thought process...Dr. Suess, Richmond... my conclusion... hipster thing 1 or 2. Final Image Below. and Link to the interview for RVA Magazine [HERE]

Filling the gray days - No Bull Shit.

I am growing quite impatient to the cold days in Richmond Town. Weather is a tease here. A big sunny warm one day, cold and chilly gray the next. What's that constant saying I hear all the time? "If you don't like the weather here wait a few minutes" I don't know. Something like that..ANYWAY. Countless brothy pho bowls have been my warm hug these chilly like times... and all I need are some happy fun tunes to enhance my midday home office dance parties. (if you do not do this please give it a whirl.. it feels so damn good) One fantastic example of super happy fun tunes come from one of my favorite local bands NOBS brass band A no bullshit way of you getting up out of your swirly office chair and dancing success.

About a year and a few months ago, one the the band members and my friend Reggie Pace, had asked me if I could do a NOBS comic. Time had passed and until a couple months ago after venturing out to The Camel to see NOBS, when my lovely friend had reminded me about said comic and I kicked myself! I love opportunities for exciting personal projects and especially something really fun. I thought about campy batman comics and just all silly good fun. Since Reggie had approached me about the idea I felt it appropriate to have the first page have Reggie on it and if he liked it, make following pages of each band member fighting the evil naysayer of music lurking in Richmond. (Below)

GASHCAT - The Morning Sun

I am... Diggin on some Gashcat. I feel the need for it to be played when I wake up to swiftly and naturally kick my butt into gear after those 4.5 minutes of staring blankly before my alarm goes off. Make sense? Please view video below from the violitionist sessions. Now it sounds VERY VERY similar to Neutral Milk Hotel to which I am a big fan of. But I think the charm that sets Gashcat ever so slightly different is ... well I can't place it. Perhaps a tad faster? why not. I'll take it. On another fun note... Below. Me. No facepaint. yesterday from an all super April fun work weekend working on some layout design. (it is incredibly cold in my apartment sometimes... as I have no control over the heating functions.)

Listen While You Work.

As I've previously mentioned, and this will probably not be the last, how much... I LOVE the NPR APP! I cannot contain myself, I will shout it from the rooftops or at least from my front porch. I have a playlist, set up of the most random topics or shows, ranging from 1 minute and 32 seconds to 45 minutes and 17 seconds. If you have not downloaded this fantastic app you must. While working in a home office, and the only living employee is...well Clementine the cat... I need other voices in the background and though music hits the spot just right sometimes, NPR saves the day. I cannot stress enough, if you have the capabilities to listen to your headphones at work, or in the same boat as me working at home...NPR is like a friend stopping by, and sitting in the corner contributing to your work. It reminds me when I was a wee lass in art school at VCU, first starting out I used to be so self conscious about other people around me while I work and which of course there is a time and a place. I eventually began to find solace in working or painting with others around me. Not necessarily talking the whole time, occasionally critiques were vital, but having others around and painting and doing inspiring things you could really feel it while you work. And now not everything I listen to on my NPR is inspirational worthy as it is educational... one of my most favorite shows to listen to is... Snap Judgement. The Host Glynn Washington has become my buddy that stops by my office from time to time, setting up an episode filled with individually narrated themes. I am mentally sitting on a teeny carpet square on the floor listening to storytime. Today's episode I'm catching up on is #319 Monsters.... MONSTERS! YES!! Please see below from Snap Judgement's facebook page. HA! I love this guy!

Current Darlings

Good Morning! I find myself in everyday moments overwhelmed with thoughts and ideas and projects stemming from inspirations leading back to things that have been on the back burner of my brain for quite some time. And yes! oh yes these will eventually get done, These thoughts and ideas and projects are merely goals that I just haven't finished yet... or begun... [Anywho, thank goodness for Pinterest and Evernote for seriously being my organizational charms.]

For proper inspiration searching frenzy, my typical setup allows maximal inspiration hunting, NPR/music app playing from my ipad. My larger moniter extending my laptop screen for ample space of at least a billion windows and tabs and applications[And my employee Clementine, she is usually...most likely always up in my face]

I've got NPR's first listen Thao & The Get Down Stay Down "We The Common" playing. Perfect twangy, jangly, and sweet tunes for this abnormally normal rainy-warm weather bomb January RVA weather.

Also, I'm working on a few projects simultaneously:

• a painting series dedicated to my grandmother who passed away this month with dementia
• the start of a comic series(hopefully ongoing if received well) for a local brass band:)
• conceptual business cards for two different equally awesome people and their businesses
• research and concept for a children's book I hope to self publish
• breaking the world record of most coffee consumption in one sitting

shoo!! and with all of this going on as well as obsessing over my new blog crushes SFgirlbybay, How About Orange, and The Styling Dutchman

Desperate Measures

Had the exciting opportunity to help design the Slum Lordz album Desperate Measures for Dan Anderson ie: Damaged Andy, using Desperate Measures the movie poster for inspiration. And now for the chance to actually listen to it! Great stuff, chill, especially for my background music in the office today on this glum, rainy day.

To Listen: Bandcamp

For More info: Facebook

Happy 2013!

Hello there! Finally getting things rolling in 2013, new website, new ideas, perfecting old ideas and filling brains with inspiration every single second.

A few things I wanted to share, towards the end of 2012 I had the exciting opportunity to help my friend Jamie Rivers Gonthier, owner of Retrospect {Vintage Rentals} on a project for a fall photoshoot by Ellen Bucher Photography. I was asked to design invitations and a menu. The fall shoot can be found on The Lovely Find Website, located below!

The Lovely Find

On a side note, I find the website incredibly inspiring: beautiful vintage pieces are showcased in the most darling way. love.

**Photo from The lovely Find Beautiful Photography by Ellen Bucher