Works in Progress Society

May 7, 2010

I’m often more interested in process rather than product when it comes to art.

I love to know how things are made.

There’s so much that can be understood by just learning about the process of a work.

So, this morning I was quite excited when I stumbled upon the Works in Progress Group on Flickr.

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It’s inspiring to see the process of all these different works.

There’s painting, embroidery, collage, book arts, jewelry, metal, ceramics, and so much more.

You name it, and it’s most likely there.

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A lovely collection to browse through!

Gilded Bookends

May 6, 2010

I’ve been trying to incorporate different elements into my show display.

I want to add texture and color while still having the focus be on the books themselves.

So, the other day I decided to gild some bookends.

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Well, not really.  I used decorative gold paper as a covering since gold leaf was way out of my budget.

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I’m still not sure how I feel about these, but maybe they’ll work well in the setting.

I’ll find out at the show today!

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Free Paper Packs!

May 5, 2010

Today while spring cleaning, I came upon the realization that my collection of decorative papers

has become much too extensive. (and not in a good way!)

A lot of it is leftover from various college projects

and has been sitting in my studio/various apartments for up to five years.

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So, I decided to pack them up into nice neat collections,

and give them out for free at my shows this week!

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So, stop by and pick one up!  They’re free!

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I’ll be at the Artist Beyond the Desk’s Spring Craft Fair at MIT this week.

Tomorrow I will be in the Stata Center and Friday I’ll be in Whitaker Atrium.

On Saturday I’ll be at the May Fair at the Belmont United Methodist Church on Common Street.

More information can be found on my show page.

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Guess What?

May 5, 2010

To Boldly Fold is on Flickr!

I always love to see what goes on inside To Boldly Fold books after they leave my studio.

So, I started up a Flickr Group where you can post your pages!

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This is where Mark’s currently lives.

Fitting in flawlessly between some external hard drives and a Batmobile iPhone dock!

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I’d also love to see where your books have traveled, and anything else having to do with them!

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Can’t wait!

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Happy May!

May 4, 2010

I know, it’s already a couple days into the month.

Anyways, it’s been a busy couple weeks,

but I’m very excited to have a full season of shows lined up for the next three months!

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One of the items that I sell only at my shows are little pocket books.

They come with either paper or wood covers, and have Ingres charcoal paper on the inside.

I love keeping one around for notes, shopping lists, and doodling.

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At my show last weekend I sold my last little pocket book with a robot cover (eek!),

so I’ve been working on some new ones the last couple days.

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Paper Source had some great decorative papers in stock,

including this amazing fish themed paper.

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I also like to sneak little envelopes into the middles of these books.

I often get asked what they are for.

Why, secrets of course!

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Happy May!

New Packaging

April 26, 2010

Earlier this month I made the decision to sell my work at outdoor craft shows and farmers’ markets.  I had been extremely apprehensive about this type of venue mainly because of the unpredictable New England weather.  My work is so easily damaged by water that I didn’t want to risk it.  It was also largely a monetary decision, because it would mean buying a tent, more tables, and anything else that I would need for a outdoor setup.  Then, my wonderful mom decided to buy me a tent as a gift!  So, that cut out a big part of my decision against it.

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The other part of the problem was the books themselves.  I really couldn’t risk them getting wet or damp at all.  This type of damage wouldn’t even leave the books salvageable.  So, I had to come up with packaging that could at least fend off a bit of water if it started to rain and I had to pack up quickly.

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I decided to invest in some clear, resealable cello bags.  They keep my books water-resistant and still accessible.  They also keep away sticky fingers and protect my books from scratches.  A win-win for all!

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Next up, I wanted something that would easily provide a descriptive list of attributes to the customer.  Since my books are now plastic wrapped, I needed an easier way of getting the information to the viewer without opening them.

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The nice thing about these information tags is that they can be placed on either side of the button depending on where the button placement is.  Also, I perforated the price tab at the bottom so that it can be easily removed if the book is given as a gift.

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Lastly, I wanted to included a couple websites so that customers could send me feedback and share what they were doing inside their books.  (More on that soon!!)  This inner strip allowed me a space to place this information.

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Mark did an amazing job working on these with me.

We had a great time figuring out the perfect combination between aesthetics and functionality.

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What does handmade mean to you?

April 22, 2010

It’s a good question, and an important question.

Handmade means many things and means different things to each person.

One of the things I struggle most with the handmade community is quality.  I’ve had a lot of people say to me that they don’t like handmade goods.  They find that they fall apart or don’t function well.  Just like with manufactured goods, you have to be a discerning buyer.  The world of handmade goods has a huge spectrum of quality levels as well.

Handmade only has one regulation, which is that it is created by a person and not a machine.  That regulation can be interpreted in many ways.  Some handmade goods are produced by hand from start to finish.  Some handmade goods are simply a collection of mass produced goods that have been assembled by hand.

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For me, handmade is synonymous with well made.  I believe that if you are taking the time to make something with your hands, you should be making it well.  It’s not about making it faster or cheaper.  It’s about quality.  If I didn’t believe that what I was making was of the highest quality, I wouldn’t be making it.

It’s also not just about a product.  Handmade also means that there’s a direct connection to the creator.  It’s amazing to be able to go to a craft show and talk to the person that made what you’ve just purchased or chat with them to discuss different options.  There are few other situations between buyers and sellers in which this is possible.  It’s exciting and makes that object have so much more importance.

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Whatever  your definition of handmade may be, I hope that if nothing else, it makes you think about where your objects are coming from.  What journey did they take before they got to you?

Now, I throw the question to you: What does handmade mean to you?

SOWA Open Market!

April 19, 2010

I’ve been accepted as a vendor to the SOWA Open Market in Boston’s South End!

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SOWA is now in it’s 7th Season and includes farmers, crafters, and antiques.

It’s a fantastic open market that was originally based on London’s Portobello Market.

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I’m really excited to be a part of it this year!

I’ll be there on

Sunday, June 13th, 20th, 27th

& Sunday, July 11th, 18th, and 25th.

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See you there!

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Hello

April 16, 2010

Hi there.

Hope everyone is having a lovely Friday.

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It seems like spring can be an awfully stressful time

even when everything outside is so beautiful.

I worked on a couple projects for myself today to counter the stress.

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Also, some talented friends

should be receiving some artsy packages today.

Sometimes you just need to send some presents out in the mail.

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Uppercase Magazine

April 13, 2010

This morning and last night have been a bit of a mess.

Trying to figure out my show schedule has been tiring.

It’s difficult to plan an entire year and spend so much money on shows all at one time.

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After feeling pretty gloomy all morning, I remembered something that makes me very happy.

I thought I’d share it with you too.

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A cup of tea,

my sketchbook,

and

Uppercase Magazine.

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Mark got me a subscrption for my birthday this year,

and my first copy came in the mail the other day.

This magazine is by far the best magazine I have ever read,

and I’m barely halfway through.

It also feels nice in your hands.  No cheap magazine paper here.

Only lovely thick pages.

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“a magazine for the creative and curious” is what is says on the front.

It’s chock full of articles about type, artist residencies, books, fabric, and so much more.

Check it out.  It’s amazing.

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