The Pursuit of Creative Happiness

Reason #546.2 That I'm...

2011-10-31T00:51:00.000-07:00

...getting married to this guy.

But I digress. I'm real excited about matrimony and being Mrs. Neckers. Also looking forward to the wedding, mostly because I get to be married at the end of it all (and I'm pretty sure I'm going to live through the stress). Also, I think it's going to be a really fun expression of Jeff and I- who we are as individuals and as a team. It's going to be a little bit eccentric, but that's alright (and "in vogue" these days).

This post isn't really about the wedding, except to announce that it will be fun to post pictures and DIY stuffs here at the end. It's mostly to say that I've decided for my own sanity (and to prevent every waking moment of my life to wedding planning) that I'm going to try to finish Les Miserables by the time I am wed. I'd also like to run my half marathon, but I'd rather commit to a sitting-on-my-duff activity based on my current over-frequent work-out schedule (running four days and then yoga-ing, climbing, dancing, or shredding the rest of the time).

Also,

2011-09-13T23:08:00.000-07:00

If you follow my blog here (which is pretty dormant, but whatever) check out this blog for updates involving India:

http://chennaichai.blogspot.com/

I'll try to start making both blogs more interesting, I promise.

But seriously, I'm trying to go back to India and it's really important to me. That's all.

Dirty Dishes

2011-09-13T22:46:00.000-07:00

I saw these guys for the first time at Terminal 5 and didn't care for them at all (although the fact that they were wearing sundresses was pretty entertaining).

Now this song speaks heavily to my heart, and Mr. McCauley is my favorite-rocker-who-can-open-a-beer-bottle-with-his-teeth (on the subject of teeth, he has a gold tooth). If I could describe him in two words I would say he was "uncharmingly charming," if that makes sense. No, I'm not crushing.

I give you "Dirty Dishes:"

And I cried all night
You created a stream and it flows forever
it's made of dreams that didn't come true
And I'm sorry, there's nothing more that I can do

When we get together
Take apart my fantasy
And we are done
We'll work on you
As we lie motionless, staring at the ceiling
Back turned up against the wall

And now I can barely see
Straight to the back of my skull
And i'm shivering all night long
Yes, my skin is clear and you can see what I'm thinking
I'm thinking hard about all the things I've been dreaming
I've been dreaming about you and only you

turn the land into waste
And bury it in parking lots
I'm constantly turned off
by the look of the flock
And it's turning in an hour from tonight
I've got nothing to look forward to
Cause I killed all the flowers

And that cold wind will blow
Tear the skin off your nose and you've got nothing to be grateful for
It's your list of wishing

It's some dirty dishes and you wanted more
And you got left, and it hurt
Oh but it could be worse
Yeah, things could be so much worse

Life feels heavy these days, but it could be a lot worse.

I Make.

2011-05-25T01:44:00.001-07:00

Exercises in Donutry.

2011-05-22T13:41:00.000-07:00

My favorite donut is a vanilla cake donut with pink cherry frosting from Winchell's.

Donuts were the only gluten-filled food that I had to say my "good-bye's" to. Of course, I cheat a lot. Like, pretty much every week at church. But if I could develop a PERFECT allergen-free donut, I would never have this problem again.

I got some donut pans in the mail today that I purchased with my tax refund (wooooo!). I took a basic donut recipe and substituted the flour for a blend of rice, coconut, and garbanzo flour... and a pinch of almond meal.

They turned out pretty great, although they still had eggs, another food I'm supposed to avoid. The glaze was probably the biggest flop. It's hard to make something sweet without sugar or dairy, DANGIT. Basically, I made a concoction out of rice flour, rice milk, coconut oil, vanilla, honey, and dried cherries. Not the worst thing ever, but as you can see from the last photo, it never really emulsified.

Here's to donuts.

"Donuts. Is there anything they can't do?" -Matt Groening

The Life.

2011-04-24T01:47:00.000-07:00

I think that this is the life. I think that I am finally reconciled to the could-have-beens and the maybes and the oh whys. I think that regardless of the pangs of wonder or sorrow I feel sporadically that cause me to question my existence or my current place I am okay. And it is so lovely to be here.

I want this blog to become more of a merging of my old writing/thinking blog and this (my creative) blog. Indian blog will stay on its own (chennaichai.blogspot.com).

You'll be happy to know that I'm collecting copious amounts of bottles and cans for that. To get my sorry butt back to Chennai, that is. To see and teach children that make me feel alive.

2011-03-28T01:29:00.000-07:00

I made a dollar with Taylor not-even-trying-to-busk in Capitola while we were practicing music. If made it all feel worthwhile in a strange way, even though the music I create is ultimately just my own, personal, creative process.

But sure, if you want me to record an album and open for Sufjan Stevens on his next tour I'd be glad to.

Aside from that, today was simply a series of thought-provoking events on creativity, including but not limited to:
-The conversation that I had with someone in which I was asked about my recent work and challenged to invite people to any open mikes I play at (which I don't do).
-The interview I listened to of Jonathan Saffran Foer on "Everything is Illuminated" on tape. He wowed me with what inspires him (he basically said, "Art- no, just life really, I'm a normal human being") and that he was raised on television but still managed to discover that the medium in which he best expresses his inner thoughts is writing.
-The "busking" in Capitola. A lady came up to us and asked us to play her some nice songs and then went on to explain that she was on her way to rehab. Whew. To interact with a stranger and comfort them with a song or word is such a lovely thing!

"Jesus is Still Alright with Me." -DC Talk.

2011-01-06T21:18:00.001-08:00

But seriously. The man loves you.

A VERY NICE, VERY CREATIVE GIFT.

2011-01-06T20:49:00.000-08:00

From a VERY creative person. I figured I'd share it here. For Christmas, by boyfriend and I made each other hand-made gifts. He recovered a cookbook for me (and adhered a spoon to it!) and designed three great little notebooks with some of my favorite song lyrics on them. Just saying. Definitely worthy of being featured on this blog.

Family.

2010-12-28T23:11:00.000-08:00

2010-11-07T18:19:00.000-08:00

Thursday, October 28th. LazypantsUSA. A dream I had- poorly interpreted.

Friday, October 29th. Chelbell.

Saturday, October 30th. OchoOchoOcho!

Sunday, October 31st. Boo.

Monday, November 1st.

Tuesday, November 2nd. Small group.

Wednesday, November 3rd.

Thursday, November 4th.

Photo-A-Day.

2010-10-29T21:41:00.000-07:00

Thursday, October 21st

Friday, October 22nd

Saturday, October 23rd

Sunday, October 24th

Monday, October 25th

Tuesday, October 26th

Wednesday, October 27th

Week One. This was harder than anticipated.

Photo-A-Day Keeps Forgetting Away.

2010-10-22T23:12:00.000-07:00

Or maybe not.

Anyway, I've been wanting to do this project for awhile.

I always come up with excuses not to take my camera places. The past few years have been a really uninspiring time for me in terms of photography. Actually, once I purchased a digital SLR it all went down from there. Prior to that, I had a point-and-shoot digital and I had played around with my parents' old AE-1 SLR. At some point after investing in an expensive camera, I began to feel disillusioned with my purpose as a photographer. Watching everyone around me taking pictures all the time was disheartening because I started to see how snapping a picture can distract from a memory. Does smiling falsely with a group of friends really capture a moment? Will the sunset ever really look as beautiful in pixel-form as it does to the human eye? Why take a picture that the five people are capturing right at this moment and will subsequently load to Facebook as soon as they get home?

As much as I have these thoughts, I really do want to see my life documented. Not in excess, but perhaps in one snapshot a day.

So, that's what I'm doing. I'm on day two. On day seven I'll edit and upload my pictures. I'm still deciding if I should only commit to taking a single picture per day (so if it doesn't turn out, I have to treat it as if I took it with a film camera) or I can take a few pictures and pick the favorite, deleting the rest. I'm also thinking about assigning a "theme" to each week. Maybe a word or an idea. Maybe not. Maybe I'll just focus on life as I know it.

Look at it.

2010-10-16T00:15:00.001-07:00

Holy crap.

So I had this dream that I saw the moon set and it was HUGE (if anyone wants to interpret this please proceed). I didn't see the sun in my dream but I know that when it rose it was normal. The moon was CRAZY though. I could see all of its textured valleys and craters behind a silhouette of black trees on a hill.

I want to draw my dream now, so I've been studying the moon a bit (online, and outside just for funsies). As my friend Liz would say, "I'm buggin'" (Liz wishes she was Liv Tyler in the 90's, which is one reason of many that I love her so much). Looking at the moon this close makes me wonder if we were ever intended to see it so closely (thank you, science and industry). I don't know how to process the intricacy and perfection of nature- let alone draw it.

In other news, I had a pretty flawless conversation on the phone with a robot from AT & T today. That was awesome.

Buttons in the Ground.

2010-10-08T20:50:00.000-07:00

Shameless plug for a friend who I believe in.

My friend Andrew just told me that he's working on a film called "Buttons in the Ground". One of the first times I connected to Andrew was when we were in college and I walked by his room on the way to visit another friend. As I passed his room, I stopped dead in my tracks because I noticed something AWESOME on his wall. He had painted a gigantic action shot of his roommate Gabe on a hand-made canvas in high contrast black-and-white (with some bright color as an accent). I picked his brain extensively about it that day, and even tried to replicate it at one point. I think it was around our senior year that Andrew produced a film called "My Suburban Tea." This is probably my favorite student film that came out of Biola University. I think it's brilliant, especially in lieu of the fact that he and his crew had 48 hours to write and execute the ENTIRE thing.

This is that one. Bloody brilliant.

So there's that. Now, here's this.

http://www.buttonsintheground.com/

This is the new film that Andrew is directing with a few other friends I went to school with. It has SO MUCH potential to be incredible! Help them by donating to Kickstarter before October 18th. They need a lot of funds to back this film. If you can't give money, and you live in Southern California, consider donating goods for them to use in the set production. Specific needs are listed on the film's website.

Help this project to thrive.

This Inspires Me to the MAXIZZLE.

2010-09-28T01:24:00.000-07:00

I was looking up School House Rock videos and I discovered these jems. Jazzy Spies. I think this was before my time. I love the colors, patterns, concepts, and action in each of these videos (they have them for numbers 1-10). I guess what I'm trying to say is I love everything about them.

I'll Find Something to Put Here.

2010-09-09T01:19:00.000-07:00

I love the work I do at work (in the Kitchen). I wouldn't be there if I didn't like it. I'm not really a "foodie" or aspiring chef or anything like that- but I'm passionate about the camp I work at and it's ministry and purpose. The other day I explained this to a dear friend as we were lobbing juicy, disgusting bags of trash into a dumpster at camp. If I did this at any of my past places of work, I wouldn't have lasted long (generally, I didn't). At camp, I'm (90%) immune to trash juice, crazy people, and the general intensity of the job. In edition, Christ is my strength- but that's a whole different edition. I don't think that I can give God's goodness any justice in writing right now- just put that in your pocket. In my life, God has been good by changing my heart and reinforcing me with patience and perseverance in all situations.

So, I love what I do. I already said that.

I recently got commissioned to paint a piece for the youth group I just started volunteering with. In fact, when I was in the middle of my "interview," the high school pastor suddenly changed the subject from whatever we had been talking about, saying (and I paraphrase, for I seldom remember a quote), "say, you don't happen to be artistic, do you?"

For one of the first times in my life I answered this question without hesitation: "Yes."

From that point, it was history. I started getting too many ideas (as usual) and emailing my friend who works with the youth group every hour on the hour with some kind of commentary about the project. Poor guy.

I've probably put in 10 hours, and I'm nowhere near being finished. But honestly, I'm happy as a clam. Like, really happy. The only time I feel like this happens to me is when I'm inspired to create. There have been so many instances in my life where I've had a project idea or an opportunity to beautify something. These have been the times when my brain goes crazy (in a good way) and I feel a strong sense of purpose in what I'm doing.

God created me and everything else. As I was painting the other day I realized in my creativity, God's attribute of creativity is bleeding into everything I do. It's kind of like I'm Alex Mack and that chemical (whatever it was) is pumping through my veins and gives me some kind of silly side-effect like powers (okay, stupid analogy). And if his creativity (which I see all around me) is a million times more concentrated and, well, creative- how can I not be excited to do what I do best? It's from God, and it is God.

Book Cover.

2010-08-19T23:18:00.000-07:00

I made a cloth cover for my honking big ESV Study Bible. I figure it's a good way to get in to my arting and crafting post camp. My project for fall is a stop-motion film, so I figured I'd start small.

Side note: I'm so excited to have a new computer. I've been without for about five months and it's been totally fine. But man, nothing beats a new laptop that has Photobooth. Small victories.

5-500.

2010-05-23T20:28:00.000-07:00

So, Five to Five Hundred, the project that my buddy started up is off the ground and on a blog. Here be the link: http://fivefivehundred.wordpress.com/. I'm proud to say that I've posted a story every week, save one. That week was crazy. It's really challenging and enjoyable to write with constraints, I say. If you're interested in joining us, feel free to do so!

Five to Five Hundred.

2010-04-11T09:52:00.001-07:00

For the past few years, I've written a lot of disjointed, scattered beginnings to stories, smatterings of songs accompanied by a guitar or banjo, and shoots of tales that I recall from my own life, and hope to someday connect into some sort of non-fiction piece, specifically about Christian spirituality. I'm a very easily distracted person though, and as soon as I have an idea and start to run with it, I slow from a sprint to a jog, a jog to a stagger, and a stagger to a nap on the concrete.

My friend Brad just started a writing group with a few friends and I where he basically gives us five random words from the dictionary on a Sunday and we have to turn them into five hundred words by Wednesday. I have a long way to go with my writing, but this project is great because I enjoy working with a bit of structure and some sort of constraint. Five words helped me to regain my focus and finish a project this last week- although, five hundred words only got me to the introduction of the story. I may write another completely unrelated piece this week, but I'm also considering taking the five new words Brad sends and using them to write the next five hundred words of the story. You'll see next week. Here's what I wrote last week:

I still know little about Charlie Dobbs except from where he came. I met Charlie when I worked as a concierge at an old upscale apartment complex in Back Bay. I was saving up for law school while juggling another job, hoisting myself paycheck by paycheck out of debt only to lower myself back into a newly established pit of loans for Boston University. My despondence towards work seldom afforded me any interest in conversing with my co-workers until the afternoon my boss walked Charlie over to the counter and said in his short banal manner, “Taylor, this is Charlie Dobbs. He’s training with you today. Get acquainted.”

I eyeballed my new co-worker with interest. Charlie was tall and wrinkly with slightly serpentine features. I imagine he looked pretty dapper as a young man, but time had altered him; he was a foreboding and weathered presence. “Hi, Charlie,” I said, “How’s it going?”
“Oh, alright. Can’t complain. It was a nice day today.” The sound of his voice was warm, esculent, and diplomatic. Perhaps it was just that he sounded like someone from an old movie, say in the fifties. There was an infinitesimal trace of old-time novelty that made me feel like he had a lot of wisdom under his belt. I have a theory that if people my age talked like that we’d all sound older and wiser by default.
“Where are you from, Charlie?”
“Here.”
“Boston?”
He grunted and nodded his head. “But I spent most of my life in New York City.”
“If you don’t mind me asking, what brings you to this job? In all due respect, shouldn’t you be retired?” I asked bluntly.
“Well, I most certainly was.”
“Yeah? So you’re coming back out of retirement?”
“I suppose I am.” He shot me a big, picture-perfect smile.
“What did you do?”
“I had a few business ventures.” He waved his hand nonchalantly, as if these words didn’t mean millions and millions of dollars.
“Sorry if this feels like twenty questions. You’re more interesting than most of my co-workers.”
“You can still have a few more questions, son. I don’t mind.”
“Well, I look at you and I see someone I’d expect to see on a golf course or a retirement neighborhood. No offense. What are you doing here, training to be a concierge?”
Charlie looked out the window, eyes flickering as they followed passing cars on the street. “I woke up on Monday and I was tired of being in these shoes. After seventy-two years, I was finally tired of it all. I’d rather be a social pariah than what I am today. I decided to return to where I used to be, for I would rather be the concierge I was at twenty than the weary monster I am now.”
He turned his head away and began to weep as a child would over a broken toy. As he sat, crooked and weeping, I feared the life that I should lead.

Okay, so that was that. Go back up to the top of this post, click on the link that says "Brad" and go to his blog. Read the "Writing Experiment 2" (or any) post. If he is Jonathan Saffran Foer, I am Stephanie Meyers (as writers go). Well done, Brad.

Oh Hey, I Knitted Something for My Head.

2010-02-27T23:33:00.000-08:00

This definitely is nowhere near perfect, but I'm so proud of it because I followed and finished my first knitting pattern ever. I got the pattern for FREE from Brooklyn Mercantile after purchasing a ball of yarn (and needles, but if I had already owned them I would have only had to buy the yarn).

Along the way, I found out that I was purling wrong... that was fun to realize. It made sense though- my knitting has always had a strange slant to it. I sat in BM for nearly two hours with one of the ladies who literally eyeballed my every stitch to make sure I was doing things right. It was incredibly kind and helpful of her.

I chose to adorn the ear warmer/headband with a matching brooch and earring I inherited from Mom Hennessy through Grandma Larsen. A lot of Brooklyn-ites are sporting the big knit flowers on their headbands, but that's just not really my thing. Maybe sometimes, but not this time.

In sum, this venture (in my book) was a full success. So was my trip to 30 Rock tonight when I got to see J-Lo on SNL. Irrelevant but equally awesome.

Olive You to Love Me.

2010-02-17T20:26:00.000-08:00

Over the past week and a half or so I have really started to question who I am and why I do the things that I do. The things that I choose to do with my time started innocently and became mineralized and attached to my being. I wonder sometimes why my dad consistently wakes up at six am, goes golfing on Thursdays, and hates George Clooney with a passion. The fact of the matter is, he has had years and years of life to fall into his preferences and the routine he's accustomed to.

I too, am a creature of habit. I drink coffee every morning (I've switched to decaf), default to Paul Simon "Graceland" when I don't know what else to listen to, and obsess over Valentine's Day. Yeah, you heard me.

By all accounts, it doesn't make sense.

I'm not dating. I'm not looking to date. I'm not bitter (anymore) about past circumstances and experiences that have callused my poor little heart. I have to also add that the callusing isn't just because of others- I've just as often hurt myself because of fear or uncertainty. YIKES. What a mess I am. But I LOVE Valentine's Day, my friends.

I'm not as attached to the idea of romance as I am to the concept of LOVE. Love, Love, Love.

Last Valentine's Day I drew Valentines for my friends that were heart-shaped and either had a robot, David Bowie, a tea cup, or Thoreau's cabin at Walden Pond. Each one had a cheesily-wonderful phrase that tied (however distantly) to Valentine's Day. For example, the Bowie cards said, "Oh! You Pretty Things! Happy Valentine's Day." Cheesy, fun, something I gave to as many friends as I could to let them know that I cared. So, I guess that's what attracts me to Valentine's Day. To paraphrase what was said in the excessively-cast-highly-acclaimed-mainstream-holiday-film "Love Actually"- Christmas is the time to tell people that you love them. So is Valentine's Day, and it's much more straightforward because of all the cupid dyecuts on bulletin boards and cheap milk chocolate candy boxes on the shelves of drugstores. Even my cold un-romantic heart can't deny that I have love for people. All kinds of people.

Back to Valentine cards. This year I took on a new feat: carving linoleum to make a stamp. I had a little too much fun with this. And took a few too many nicks out of my fingers.

If you want one, I can send you one. Just email me your address.

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way Back From Red Hook...

2010-02-02T13:10:00.000-08:00

So today I went to the Red Hook Recreational Track near the Ikea that's under the BQE circa my apartment. I love Red Hook, but that's another story. The track is great in its own right- framed by the big blue Ikea warehouse, a bunch of wispy sad winter tree skeletons, and a rusty old factory that must have manufactured paper or canned goods at some point. I went on a pretty emotional walk on account of I'm recovering from food poisoning and I didn't have the energy to run (whenever I don't run I have a little too much dead time to think about life). I made up an incoherent song about the feelings while I was walking which reduced me to near-tears. Setting the stage, my friends, setting the stage. Erin is emo-tastic.

I don't generally eat my feelings, especially since I don't eat gluten anymore. Gluten paired with sugar is the culprit of all feeling-eating, I say. I mean, I don't know many people that eat a whole head of raw broccoli when their significant other dumps their boot.

One of the coolest and most irrelevant things about where I reside is that it's pretty close to a shared Dunkin Donuts/Gas Station. These are two things I absolutely don't need to fuel my gluten-free, car-less New York lifestyle. But boy, they epitomize this city, don't they? I mean, "AMERICA RUNS ON DUNKIN" (or so I've seen advertised on the subway), and New York, if I may be so bold, is the premier American city. They run on Dunkin right by my house.

Segway. Not the transportation device. I don't completely understand what triggers the "gluten-cheating" chemical in my head. Today was a normal day. I wasn't craving a doughnut. I had gluten-free pancakes for breakfast, a cup of decaf-coffee (trying to get off caffeine), half an apple, and some rice and beans for lunch. No problem.

So, I'm walking under the BQE towards home like I've done twenty or more times post- run/walk. Oh NO. My body should be veering left, no, it's teetering right into the gas station. I'm standing at the counter in a zombie-like state. My internal voice is reasoning with me. Okay, Erin, you can just look at the donuts from the focal point of the cash register. The lady comes to the counter. "Do you have any frosted cake donuts?" I ask. She shakes her head. "No? I'll get the raised one with the white frosting and sprinkles, then." Erin... you can just have a bite. You have to promise to throw the rest away. Don't forget your gluten policy. I walk out of the Dunkin Donuts, hurling my inner voice to the curb, take a sharp right, and 30 seconds later I've polished off the doughnut. I can still hear silly inner voice screaming after me. I'm not even a raised doughnut enthusiast (my poison: white cake doughnut with cherry frosting w/ sprinkles) but MAN, that was DELICIOUS.

So, this may have been a moral failure of sorts. Sue me.

My point is this: the other 97% of the time when I maintain my gluten-free lifestyle, I like to experiment with recipes and make things that I CAN eat and enjoy. I think that's an important part of living. We eat food everyday, and we generally pursue the foods that we like. Of course, everything in moderation, but as someone who doesn't get very many pastries these days, I've taken it upon myself to have a little fun (and even make some things that other people want to try!). Here's one recipe I recently concocted:

Gluten-Free, Blueberry Oat Pancakes (with a hint of Apricot White Stilton)

3/4 to 1 cup Pamela's Gluten-Free Pancake Mix
1 egg or 2 tbsp. applesauce
1/4 cup of water (or until desired consistency is reached)
dash of nutmeg
1/2 cup rinsed blueberries
1/2 cup crumbled Stilton cheese (I got mine at Trader Joe's)

Mix Pamela's with the egg, nutmeg, and water. Cook like you would normal pancakes. Keep pan over medium heat, spray it well with Pam or use butter (especially with gluten-free mix). Pour about 1/4 a cup batter onto pan, then add the blueberries and Stilton. Make sure you give the pancakes sufficient time to solidify before flipping (probably a minute per side). The savory flavor of a bit of cheese with the fruit in the pancakes is great with syrup! Enjoy.

For the record, that was my first doughnut from DD. Someday I won't even be tempted to eat there because I'll have invented the perfect gluten-free doughnut and it will be about ten times better.

Insomnia-tastic.

2010-01-31T00:05:00.000-08:00

So, it's 3:07 am (as I type this, but probably not when I post it). I went on an amazing hike upstate for the second time this week with my peeps from TCPS (Trinity Grace Park Slope, although we've never actually called it "TCPS"). It was a relaxing day. It was my 12th day of unemployment in New York City (Give or take a few days). I painted. I drank tea. I thought about running in the 18-degree fridge that is Brooklyn, NY.

I'm anxious, can you tell? My brain is sweating from all the circles it's running in.

New goals for this blog: I want to start posting my writing. NF and Fiction. Also, I'd like to be as consistent as I was when I was a part of NaBloPoMo. Okay, maybe not every day.

Updated painting. I have much farther to go (sigh).

New Year. New York. New Work.

2010-01-15T02:41:00.000-08:00

So, I went from posting every day (ish) for a month to taking a serious blog hiatus. I'm back in action.

My church (Trinity Grace in Brooklyn) is "commissioning" artists in the church to create art for the next few months. The topic? "I am the..."

1. I AM the bread of life. John 6:35: Then Jesus declared, I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty. John 6:48: I am the bread of life.

2. I AM the light of the world. John 8:12: When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. John 9:5: While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.

3. I AM the door. John 10:7: Therefore Jesus said again, I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep."

4. I AM the good shepherd. John 10:11-14: I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand is not the shepherd who owns the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. ?I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me...."

5. I AM the resurrection and the life. John 11:25: Jesus said to her, I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies."

6. I AM the way, the truth and the life. John 14:6: Jesus answered, I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

7. I AM the true vine. John 15:1, 5: I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing."

I'm excited for the opportunity to submit art! At some point in our protestant churches there was an unnecessary break from religion and creativity. I don't fully understand how this came to pass- but I will say that we have a lot of catching up to do, church.

Not much to look at just yet. This is the start of my depiction of John 15:1. The orange paint is fruit. Yessir.

Currently Reading:

2009-12-30T09:30:00.000-08:00

Let me tell you why this pertains to my pursuit of creative happiness. After reading this book (I'm almost done) I'm at a point where I've hit a wall. I've now been forced to reconsider every food I eat (or have eaten). Food is our livelihood. It's directly linked to our other lifestyle choices. Or at least, it should be.

Up until I found out about my food allergies I didn't really worry much about what I ate. I value health and get a fair amount of exercise, and I figured I didn't really need to worry too much about what I was consuming. Generally speaking, I scoffed at vegans. Sorry, vegans. I always thought that they came off as being really pretentious. Then I found out that eggs are one of my food sensitivities. AND realized that almost anything I wanted to eat that was gluten-free would most likely have to end up being vegan too (because of the egg factor). I felt like it was my return karma for making fun of vegans for so long- but as it turned out, I really liked their food.

It's been a long journey over the past year, and it's certainly not done. I'm not a vegetarian or a vegan at this point in time (if I so much as mention it in my house during the holidays my dad just rolls his eyes and offers me more steak) but I'm more and more keen on the idea. It's becoming a more manageable lifestyle in our society. We have so much other food we can enjoy besides meat.

Give Eating Animals a bit of your time.

Today's Task. Un atasco. Kidding. No Disasters Here.

2009-12-29T17:05:00.000-08:00

I've been relaxing today in Sammamish, working on my first quilt (pictures someday), altering a dress, watching an SNL Anthology of the first five years (wishing I had been there, living in the chaotic, lovable dormitory that used to be the 17th floor in Rockefeller Center), and drinking good espresso from Brooklyn. Also watched Made of Honor with Mom Hennessy. Don't judge.

Song #2.

2009-12-28T22:15:00.000-08:00

A holiday song that Jess, Jon, Josh, Meg, Janelle and I recorded. It's the one that Jon, Josh, and I added verses to.

White Christmas.

Song #1.

2009-12-27T21:45:00.000-08:00

Not the one I posted some lyrics to a few days ago. And no, I don't wish to comment on the fact that my last post was several days ago. I have really failed, NaBloPoMo.

This song is called "The Gift." In a nutshell- my friend Greg Stump wrote it and we recorded it last year for Sufjan Stevens' Christmas song contest. Josh, Jon, and I re-recorded it this year, which was super fun (especially being a choir in the bathroom at their apartment in Harlem). It's here on Senduit for the week. Then it expires, and you can't have it no more. Just kidding. Let me know if you want to download it. Email me. erinmhennessy@gmail.com.

Song description: It's about unrequited love at Christmastime. It's more WHAM! than The Carpenters, if you know what I mean. You know what I mean? "Last Christmas, I gave you my heart..." Yeah, that's what I mean. Enjoy. This song is near and dear to my heart. You know what I mean? JK. Merry Christmas.

The Gift.

First Snow, cont.

2009-12-22T21:34:00.000-08:00

Much Farther to Go.

2009-12-21T03:38:00.000-08:00

Finished picture of East New York from my window at work.

New Verses.

2009-12-20T19:27:00.000-08:00

Jon, Josh, Janelle, Jess, Meg and I recorded a rendition of "White Christmas." The boys and I each added a verse. I'll post it as soon as I get it.

This is the verse I wrote.

FIRST SNOW.

2009-12-19T11:14:00.000-08:00

I'm sitting in Gorilla Coffee. The windows are fogged and something like the Violent Femmes is playing as the snow crashes delicately into the ground outside. Rosemary was just with me, and now she's going to see family. I'm thinking about how great it is to have Rosemary here, and how much I miss camp (where I lived with Rosemary last summer). Camp was a big source of creative and spiritual inspiration to me. The peace, the people, and the place itself are amazing.

So, there you go. No, not quite.

Also swimming around in my head is the the teaching program I just applied to, the knowing that I'll braving the beautiful but frigid snow in a half-hour, the wanting to travel to far off lands like Miss Rumphius, the present Jess left for me under our tree, the want to create things that will benefit other people somehow- even the things that I make that just hang on a wall, like the fox painting. I want everything to have a purpose.

I'm having some sad health problems these days. As I write, my gums are covered with this gooky gum-like cast that goes over my teeth because I just had gum surgery the other day. It's not looking so good for my teeth. Why am I writing this...

Surgery scares me. It makes me anxious, makes me wish I had a job that paid more so I could pay for my medical bills. It makes me want to just choose a practical job. But I keep being inspired out of doing this. I know I'm capable of finding a livelihood that is in line with my passions, gifts, and self. The more I realize how fleeting all this is, the more I want to live with passion- or die trying.

Favorite Coffee.

2009-12-17T03:29:00.000-08:00

Mind you, this is with the exception of Stumptown, a Northwest favorite of mine. Stumptown has the Carroll Gardens market under monopoly, due in part that it's brewed in Red Hook and the owners of Cafe Pedlar, Prime Meats, and Frankie's all serve it (so maybe they don't have a monopoly, but it certainly feels like it because I go to all of these places and they're all on Court Street). But seriously, they distribute to a bunch of other restaurants on Smith Street.

Gorilla Coffee.

It's robust. It's got Brooklyn pride. It's fair trade. It's on 5th Avenue right across from one of the churches I attend (TOO CONVENIENT).

I think my favorite thing about Gorilla Coffee is their marketing. They have a very bold and intentional design to their labels, t-shirts, coffee bags, etc. They ALSO give you a sweet box with the Gorilla screen-printed on the front when you buy three 1-lb bags of coffee. So good!

The point is, this place inspires me in its own right. There's a lot of other things I could say about this place- but I have to go to work. And you have to go check it out. ASAP.

Chalkboard Breaks @ Work.

2009-12-16T16:48:00.000-08:00

Favorite Mediums.

2009-12-15T20:30:00.000-08:00

Painter's tape, leftover paint, pieces of wood found on the sidewalk.
This picture is donezo, actually. I'll post the final product when I finish another painting. It's one based off of our new apartment name... "The Fox Box." I'm really excited about the new project. Anyway, here's the beginning stage of a painting I did of the view from my window at work in East New York. It's pretty much inspired by Ezra Jack Keats.

I Have This Idea.

2009-12-14T19:55:00.000-08:00

It's really silly in some respects, and probably more trouble than it's worth.

I make paper bag envelopes. In fact, I think I have an earlier post that shows how to make them.

I see paper bags everywhere in this silly city. They're everywhere on the ground, blowing around like tumbleweed in a ghost town. They're the sad little bags that only have a distant memory of the bodega food or liquor they contained.

The point is, these babies are in excess (along with plastic bags, but that's another story). My thought is this; if I could collect enough of them and expedite the alteration process (Ford assembly line?) I could re-sell them on Etsy and make money for the perfectly good FREE paper bags I find on the ground.

In other random news, I just had a dream that my work was supposed to take me to London, and I forgot to pack anything because I went to the community pool before I got to the airport. Then a salesman tried to fit me for shoes while I was freaking out about not having anything to wear for a week. The end.

More Holiday Cheer.

2009-12-13T18:23:00.000-08:00

Lamp shade + snowflake = Sufficient Christmas decor.

The Charlie Brown tree of all Charlie Brown trees. This baby is crafted out of branches Meg and Jess found in the street.

Jon sat for twenty minutes trying to remember how to make a snowflake. He said it would turn out real bad. Lies.

Better picture of the aforeposted treebranchmobile, only taken with a Nikon instead of a camera phone. Jess also included.

Studies in Paper

2009-12-12T18:22:00.000-08:00

I hung this paper on the wall because I wrote a giant thank-you card out of it. Then, I ended up taking pictures of the paper. I really liked the texture, folds, wrinkles, and relationship the paper had with the shadows on the wall. Silly, but it's just the way I see things. I worked at a paper store for almost a year. Sue me (don't really, I'm poor).

Ezra Jack Keats.

2009-12-12T08:03:00.001-08:00

I love love love his work. I appreciate his passion for art and storytelling. His style is really inspiring me these days.

I first learned about him because he's kind of an icon at the elementary school I work at. He went there when it was still a junior high, after all. We one of his books, "Apt. 3," to a few classes for our "Bringing Books to Life" unit. A lot of my co-workers didn't like the premise of the story (about little boys becoming friends with a blind stranger in their apartment complex) but I was really captivated with the artwork, and I think that was what improved my view of the story itself.

I feel like Ezra and I have a lot in common. I was reading a bit of his biography, and he was out on his own in Manhattan when he was 23 (his parents lived in Brooklyn, though! Mine live in Washington State). He had some good friends but he seemed like the kind of person who enjoyed his solitude. He also went to Paris in his mid-twenties and worked there for almost a year as a painter- one of my ambitions is to live in Paris, perhaps studying art. He had budgeted to be there for three months and then he ended up being able to stay for a year because his art was so popular. Maybe I'll be as lucky?

I still haven't read "The Snowy Day" but it's on my reading priority list. The illustration I've seen from it are simply delightful.

Family Photo.

2009-12-11T12:58:00.001-08:00

This was taken at Thanksgiving. The holiday ended up being spread out over about 48 hours, because most of us arrived at the Harlem apartment the night before and left the afternoon after. We all brought something to the table. (Left to right, clockwise) Jess brought the bratwurst and cooked the turkey, Wingo purchased and delivered the turkey, Adam concocted the cranberry sauce and mulled wine, Meg made the sweet potatoes, Josh constructed the green bean casserole, Jon crafted the pecan pie, Katy assembled the no-bake pumpkin pie, and I (not pictured) attempted to re-create my mom's dinner rolls with spelt flour. Can you tell I was trying to diversify my word choice? We had several other lovely guests who dropped in throughout the night (also not pictured).

I apologize for not posting something more substantial. I still can't find the USB cable for my camera. I have projects I want to post, but not without the aid of pictures.

Why Christmas is Stressful (Cont.)

2009-12-09T03:24:00.000-08:00

This is one of the things I constructed for Christmas that helps to counterbalance the crazies I see everywhere. It's a tree branch mobile with snowflakes.

Last Night.

2009-12-08T03:31:00.000-08:00

Another fail. Does it count that I didn't have time to blog because I was doing exactly what this blog requires of me (pursuing creativity)? I think it's okay. I was playing music with friends! No matter what city I live in, and no matter what place in life I'm at- I hope I always play music... and most especially with dear friends.

In other excuses, I can't find my USB cord for my camera. I've been meaning to upload some pictures. I'M SORRY.

Why Christmas is Stressful.

2009-12-06T19:16:00.000-08:00

Tonight I saw the gaudiest of gaudy fake Christmas trees, decked out with speakers in their branches that played "Carol of the Bells" loudly. Ew. I understand what how Charlie Brown felt when he and Linus went to pick out a tree at the aluminum Christmas tree lot.

My friend Jon said the other night that part of the reason he's always been kind of wary of the holiday season was due to the fact that he'd go over to friends houses when he was younger and his friend's mothers would decorated their houses hideously- with ugly Santas and snowmen and all that yuck. You know the stuff.

I think that sometimes the reason Christmas feels insincere or fake to me is because I only see the gaudiness- and that is a complete facade, isn't it? This year, I hope to find more meaning in this time of year. This not only means remembering the reason it's important to me- the birth of a man who symbolizes perfect love in my life- it also means that I must create out of celebration and act intentionally to enjoy everything going on around me. Step one? Find some good Christmas music. I just purchased David Bazaan's "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day." Good start. I couldn't find it online, but I found a similar cover. I think this guy has the right idea. He kind of has a beard like David's, too.

Tomorrow I'll try to post pictures of a fun mobile I created. But now, I sleep.

Failblog.

2009-12-05T08:30:00.000-08:00

AKA I failed NaBloMo. I'm sorry. Just like this:

see more Epic Fails

Today is Saturday. I'm going to do my laundry, work on my French, play some music with friends, and maybe work on a window installation in my apartment, because Meg, Jess, and I are having guests over tomorrow for brunch!

I'll post it. And maybe brunch photos too.

Stuff I Do at/to/from Work.

2009-12-03T19:55:00.000-08:00

During the commute- I crocheted this hat. I'm pretty proud of it. I didn't use a pattern.

I made this sign at work- It's forwards on the front and backwards on the back of the arrow (as pictured). It really confused the kids. I'll post more of my work "look and feel" (artwork) soon. I've really enjoyed the fact that my job is an artistic outlet.

Goal: Stop. Motion.

2009-12-02T03:42:00.000-08:00

I am awake. I slept later today after a terrible train mishap last night during my journey from Washington Heights where my buddy Sharee lives back to Brooklyn. NEVER, EVER make a bad train call after ten- you may not make it home. I came up with a very crass and fairly clever slogan for my evening involving the letters of the trains I was supposed to be catching to get home (as a lady, I will not post them here- rather, if you want to know what I came up with, I'll tell you via email or in person if you know me...). I overshot my stop on the A (I thought it was running on the F track) and as I sat on the verge of tears at the Lafayette Station (I have to note that Paul Simon was taunting me with this fact on "That Was Your Mother" at the moment I was sitting in the station) it occurred to me that I could sleep on the bench I was sitting on, wake up at 7 am, and head to work. But I ended up going home, because the train did finally show up.

During the time I was sitting and pouting, I started to think about this stop-motion project I wanted to do about a year ago to a song called "Keep on Running" by Cat Power. I think I'm going to start working on it... soon.

Remember: This blog is called the "pursuit" of creative happiness. Pursuit sometimes feels like a snails pace. And sometimes like the ideas I have are never going to escape out of my brain. I keep on pursuing what I enjoy, slowly but surely.

Stone-Cold Brew. Ski.

2009-12-01T02:21:00.000-08:00

First post of December! Woooo! I'm locked in to posting every day for a month with NaBloPoMo. Good accountability. Check it out.

In other news, it's 5:25 am and I'm kicking off my day with a new obsession- cold brewed coffee. I LOVE this stuff. I read about it in Readymade Magazine a few months ago (my favorite mag since the death of Blueprint- RIP Blueprint! There are hardly even any online remnants of this magazine to link to).

Essentially, you brew the coffee with cold water. Der.

I take an old 16 oz. peanut butter jar and fill it with delicious tap water. It would probably be smart for my roommates and I to filter our water... but we've made it this far, eh? I think the water's pretty good here. And you know what? If my inattentiveness to my water source makes me a bad coffee connoisseur, I don't want to be a good one, you suckers. Yes, suckers. I'm feisty at what is encroaching on 5:45 in the morning. Moving forward...

I put about 3-4 tbs. of ground coffee into the water, pop the lid on, and agitate the water a bit (in other words, shake it like a Polaroid picture). Leave it in the fridge for a few hours; I usually keep it there over night.

When it's ready, run it through a paper coffee filter to ditch the grounds. I just place the coffee filter in my coffee maker and run the coffee through the front filter like you would normally. As you can see, you don't really lose any steps here in brewing except for the heating of the water before it runs through the filter. Rinse the grounds out of your jar and pour the filtered coffee back in.

Voila! Cold coffee! It should be the color of the normal coffee you brew- perhaps a shade lighter. I don't add anything to it. I find that it's less bitter than normal coffee so I'm pretty content to drink it as-is.

Let me know what you think. Oh, and have a good morning!

Wish I Was An English Muffin...

2009-11-30T02:36:00.000-08:00

About to make the most out of a toaster.

(This is completely off topic, but if you haven't listened to Punky's Dilemma by Simon and Garfunkel, please do. In fact, let me save you some time)

If you want to be 10X more enlightened, stare into Art Garfunkel's eyes while you listen. I'm just saying.

Bunny trail! I'm back.

I made a gluten-free, (almost) vegan boysenberry and walnut scone last night (which Paul and Art would have been proud of, if you listen to what they have to say about boysenberries in the song!). I enjoyed it terribly- in fact I'm glad I just made one because I think I would have stuffed myself full of them if I had made more. This morning, as I scarfed my scone and cold-brewed coffee (more on that magic later!) It occurred to me that I'd enjoy sharing these gluten-free magic bits with the world- or at least my church and neighborhood.

What I'm trying to say is this: I'll keep working on my recipe. If anyone has any leads on a market in Brooklyn I could sell them at (possibly in the spring) give me a shout.

I'm curious if anyone out there knows how one goes about securing a spot at a farmer's market or like function.

Gluten-free life was somewhat thrust upon me almost a year ago- I found out about my food allergies on the morning that my friends and I were preparing a breakfast of Eggs Benedict (everything I'm supposed to avoid rolled into one). I've been constantly learning that this lifestyle doesn't need to be a punishment. It's a unique opportunity to enjoy what I can eat- and bless others with it too!

Book-making.

2009-11-29T07:36:00.000-08:00

I'm thinking this will be today's task. I still want to sell a book on Etsy with proceeds going to the Panzi Hospital. What I'm trying to say is volunteering 50 hours a week doesn't allow for very much time to work on hand-crafted goods. Sigh. Anyway, on the subject of books, here are some pictures I took from the time I re-made a book for my bff:

Step One: Find an old book about horses from the library
Step Two: Tear it to shreds
Step Three: Water color and customize it
Step Four: Put it back together to make a story about bff.
Step Five: FUN.

Get Trashed.

2009-11-21T07:37:00.000-08:00

DUMPSTER DIVING, SILLY.

My friend Ayzsha started going a few weeks ago. She basically tried poking a garbage bag with her toe at F-Line Bagels by the Smith and 9th Station. She was astounded to discover that several sealed bags full of old bagels were just waiting for her on the curb. She now has a freezer full of bagels, which will definitely go a long way for an EBT-toting Americorps volunteer.

The other night, Ayzsha and I were leaving a work function and decided to hit up my favorite gluten-free bakery. I'm not going to tell you which one it is for the sake of anonymity, but let's just say it's the one that pretty much has the corner on the market with gluten free baked goods in New York (and in my heart). They weren't even closed yet and we found a trash bag full of pastry waste, including cupcakes that had been thrown out- I still have no idea why. They had a little bit of raspberry filling on them, but other than that they have fulfilled my gluten-free food hankerings for the time being.

We were pretty jazzed at that point, so we decided to hit up Trader Joe's. My roommates came along for the adventure too. Unfortunately for us, a lot of "freegans" frequent TJ's. It's so interesting to see the demographics of people that go digging through dumpsters. While there are some who are truly destitute, the majority of people are just thrifty/hipster/intellectual types. We met a guy who was an artist in Brooklyn and not only got most of his food from dumpster diving, but also lived with people in exchange for artistic projects he would create for them. We're talking hard-core freegan.

The problem with Trader Joe's is that the store has started to bring out their trash cans right when the garbage truck arrives, which I'm sure is in anticipation of freeloaders like myself. It was a brutal snubbing. OH! the despair I felt watching perfectly good food being thrown into that trash truck!

Upon the recommendation of the freegan artist, we moved on to a smaller market down the street where I ended up unearthing a trash bag full of romaine lettuce, tomatoes, and a recently expired container of sealed cottage cheese. I just ate the cottage cheese for breakfast and I've gotten three sizable salads out of the lettuce. I'm not supposed to eat tomatoes, and Jess treats tomatoes like the bubonic plague, so I've gifted them to Meg.

Now this must be said in case a very important woman in my life reads this blog. Mom, don't worry about me. I'm NOT starving to death.

Here's why I believe in this form of thrift, whether or not I continually practice it in all stages of my life- simply put, it's less wasteful. Sure, it also saves me money and is a means of thumbing one's nose at greedy Capitalism (somewhere in a city called Sammamish, my father is groaning as he reads this). But what matters most to me is that I waste less.

Benjamin Franklin said, "Be industrious and frugal, and you will be rich." I want to learn to be more generous and giving, and I see that this is even more possible if I learn how to be frugal with my own habits.

Home is Where You Paint Your Walls...

2009-10-31T09:40:00.001-07:00

But first, these are my roommates. We three share many ambitions, including but not limited to composting, recycling, thrifting, crafting, creating, cooking, and acquiring free campers (that last one is mostly Meg). We dream of travel, graduate school, language learning, WWOOFing, making music, learning how to really love, and seeking God and what he has for each of our lives. Without further adieu, roommates:

Since we moved in to our place in Brooklyn, we've definitely hit the ground running with "nesting" and overall decor. Taking advantage of the fact that our landfamily lets us paint, almost every room in the apartment is a different color than it was two months ago. We chose a slate grey for our main walls, and our bathroom is a turquoise (pool) color. Last night my friend Josh and I painted the final wall in our main living area; it's a dark brown that's accentuated with two large windows and window seats that we left white, and it really makes them stand out. The only walls we still have to paint are in our bedroom, and we plan to paint those an avocado-ey green. I'm stoked.

Additionally, we're planning to wheat paste in the front entry area because there isn't any drywall and by the back door because it's completely tiled. We're re-covering couches, making curtains, and really making this space livable.

Sure, there's a chance we won't be here in a year. Jess and I are vaguely thinking about graduate school and Meg is plotting to take the country by storm (this girl- who KNOWS where she'll be! My bet is Portland). We all agree that in light of what we hope to do here (especially artistically) we desire to make the most of the space we're in, treating it with the significance it deserves. It's a wonderful place, and it will be filled with wonderful memories in nine months. It's already happening.

Jon, jamming on the Banjo, the night of Jessica's birthday. The guy from Wings looks on.

This is when Wingo (Matt) walked to Lowes, bought us a new shower head, and installed it! What a man. It replicates rain fall, you know.

This is when Meg and Mike (our visitor from California) and I brainstormed a list of ten places we'd want to WWOOF. We covered them up and revealed them all at the same time (very climactic). We agreed that if we decide to register for WWOOFing (you can get group rates) we would try to be in the same places at the same time should our locations overlap (I think Mike and I had Canada, Meg and Mike had Iceland, and Meg and I had France, to name a few. I should have taken a picture of the lists so I could remember).

Here's what our place is becoming. I LOVE where I live.

Home, sweet home.

2009-09-29T18:52:00.000-07:00

My first knit hat.

It looks much better here than it really is... I have a tendency to blaze my own trail rather than following instructions and patterns. In other words, some kid (I made it pretty snug and it will most likely only fit a 7-year-old) is going to have a VERY unique hat that can never be replicated. HAH. Seriously, I just hope it keeps someone's head warm.

Check out Nest Maine here. Learn to knit and send your stuff to them! Good practice, good cause.

http://nestmaine.blogspot.com/

Starting soon...

2009-08-29T11:22:00.001-07:00

Etsy Site- most likely with roommates Jessica Howen and Megan Svensson. I would like 70% of my proceeds to go to this http://www.panzihospitalbukavu.org/. More to come.

Save Save Save.

2009-08-20T13:14:00.000-07:00

Saving plastic cups, lids, straws. Sorting paper from trash. Keeping all of my leftovers. Considering and reconsidering what I need and don't need. Making lots of paper bag envelopes. Buying groceries in preparation of eating out less and less. Avoiding clutter. Baby steps to better stewardship.

These are some of the things I'm focusing on right now in my (very) new life in Brooklyn.

I'm Making a Chalkboard Today.

2009-04-13T09:28:00.000-07:00

The clouds are foreboding and I'm hiding inside. I'm listening to MewithoutYou and painting my own chalkboard. I was going to buy new plywood but found to my dismay that it has TRIPLED in price since the last time I purchased plywood (I think I paid 5 bucks, whereas now I would have to pay almost 15 for a small sheet!). I took a piece of an old shelf out of the garage, pulled most of the nails out, and painted it. I'm going to paint a border on it too. I hope it turns out nice. I'll show you when it's done. I'm hoping to use it to memorize scripture (write it down and erase it word by word like in VBS). Either that or I'll make some venn diagrams or brainstorms (first regarding what career I should pursue: Glass blower or French translator for a consulate??? Set Design for SNL or Missionary in Southeast Asia (my new diet is most accommodated by rice noodles and Vietnamese delicacies)? Farmer's wife or Jazz Club singer? One by day, one by night?

Spraypaint. Bottles.

2009-03-15T16:53:00.000-07:00

I love to spraypaint, mostly because I haven't learned how to screenprint or letterpress (yet). I also have kind of a love affair with painters tape. Here's what I've made so far- I spent about three bucks for the paint and I already had the tape:

(This one is based off the song "Summertime" by The Fire Theft. Angle One)

(Angle Two)

("When we roam/faded rumors that outlast the century")

(Crooked Rays)

(I spraypainted my wallet too- just because I can)

This takes a lot of time. You get a lot of tape stuck all over the house. But... it's fun. And lovely sometimes. I'll show more as I make them.

Failure is Sweet.

2009-03-02T11:49:00.001-08:00

I love experimenting. I make cookies and banana bread without measuring anything. Sometimes everything goes to you-know-where in a you-know-what-kind-of-basket. But... once in awhile, things go great. And I don't have to thank Betty Crocker for the help.

Same thing goes with crafting.

I took a lampshade I found at a thrift store and cut triangles out of it. Then I covered it with tissue paper. Then I put it on a lamp. After about ten minutes I threw it on the closet shelf and replaced the old, attractive, Urban Outfitters Clearance lampshade. Let's be honest, the one I made was pretty darn ugly. But you know what? I'm so glad I got my hands covered with glue and went through the creative process. I think I'd rather waste my time doing something than never doing anything at all.

How to make...

2009-02-16T16:51:00.000-08:00

Giant Paper Bag Envelopes! YAY! Honestly, I need to do my research and check to see if these are compatible with the postal service. I use these babies to hold cards and small papers- just because. Yeah, you can get file folders, OR you can make your own kind of folder. All you need are scissors, glue, and a large (or any size) paper grocery bag.

Step 1: Cut the paper bag at the point where it naturally folds... you'll basically still have the bottom third of the bag.

Step 2: Cut down the side seams- just follow the natural folds! Easy peasy.

Step 3: See?

Step 4: Think of the bottom of the bag as the back of the envelope (where you would put the stamp and address). Fold down the side triangles. To fold the bottom portion of the envelope, just fold in the sides where you think it looks best. I usually line up the seam (that used to be attached to the side triangles) with the bottom of the envelope. See picture if this is too confusing.

Step 5: Fold bottom of paper to the seam. This basically just makes the envelope look more finished.

Step 6: So, it should look like this.

Step 7: So basically, you do the same thing to the top as you did to the bottom- although you might want to vary the top flap by making it more pointed or angular or awesome because it's ultimately the part that people will see. You will end with something like this!

VOILA.

Don't forget you have to glue the different components in place. Also, to seal it you either have to use a few drops of glue, a sticker, or some double-stick tape. I usually make these out of small paper bags, which should be sendable, although as a precaution I sent them in plastic envelopes just to make sure they got where they needed to go. Make sure you at least get the envelope flat and take care of anything that could catch in a machine, because that's the biggest qualm the post office has with obscure letters.

In my experience, people really liked them. I sent one to Sufjan Stevens and he wrote me a letter back. Yay:) I'd like to think he wouldn't just write back to any run-of-the-mill letter.

First Post.

2009-02-12T05:11:00.001-08:00

Here's the hallway that leads to the room I share with my roommate. It's small. I figure it's a good place to start. Welcome.

Straight ahead is our closet- we have a good deal of jackets, so we chose to hang them there for practicality's sake. Above is a shade I made out of a wicker trashcan. I spraypainted it avocado green to turn it into a bright accent in the hall. It's nice because it defers the light from our room (right) if one of us wakes up early and has to turn a light on. On the left we have a few concert posters and special things (aka. a gift from Jess' boyfriend and my good friend, Josh). It's important to us both that the pictures and items we hang on the wall have some sort of significance or credit an important part of our lives. But I'll get into that later. Oh, and maybe it's more important to me... Jess is very patient with my compulsive control of the hammer and nails. I'm always switching things around and trying new configurations for pictures. I think I've finally found one I like.