Aug 17th 2010 11:37:09 am

I am not a religious person, but I have an unshakable faith in the power of love.

…and in the power of sweets!

(I woke up in a terrible mood and I am doing everything I can to shake it, including doodling donuts running away with hearts…)

2 Comments » Categories: Art, Cute Things, Food, Just for Fun, love

Aug 13th 2010 12:30:44 pm

This is my last BlogHer-related post, I promise!

The BlogHer conference last weekend included two large expo halls where companies had booths to promote their brands and new products – very common for large conferences. The companies in the expo halls were giving out lots of free samples and swag. And by lots, I mean more than you could carry home!

I toured the expo halls twice. I met some really nice people, got my photo taken with the Jimmy Dean Sun, and tried my best not to pick up too much free stuff. Despite my best intentions (I try hard not to be a greedy swag grabber), I came home with two large bags of product! I managed to collect everything from NyQuil to tuna fish – a very random assortment!

The company reps were all extremely sweet and informative (that’s their job, right?) and none of them required any of the conference attendees to commit to blogging about their product. The free stuff really was “no strings attached,” so why am I having an ethical dilemma? I probably shouldn’t be, but I feel guilty for taking the free swag! I tried to only accept things that I truly thought I could use, but I still feel guilty. Should I be feeling this way? Do the big companies know that we will feel guilty about the free product and feel compelled to reciprocate in some way? Am I a sucker?

There is no way I can blog about all of the companies I met, plus, I don’t want to. I have never done paid or otherwise compensated product reviews on this blog (although, I have received some free product that I have reviewed for Craft Critique) and I only write about brands that I really, truly like.

I do not plan to change my style just because I received some free product, but I do feel some pressure to acknowledge my gratitude for the companies’ generosity in some way… So, I would like to highlight some of my favorite things that I received at the BlogHer Expo. Is that an acceptable combination of integrity and reciprocation? I hope so!

My favorites of the BlogHer swag:

• TheYellowUmbrella.org is an organization created by Christine Baze to help educate women on how they can prevent cervical cancer. I received an actual yellow umbrella from Christine and promised I would help spread the word about her cause. Check out the Yellow Umbrella’s sister organization, Say Something!, to learn about how you can help spread the word about cancer prevention.
• The Bounty paper towel area in the P&G House at the Expo was co-hosting a collage art project table with the Rush Philanthropic Arts Foundation. I actually use and like Bounty paper towels (they are thick & sturdy) and I was impressed to see them supporting and promoting a NYC nonprofit arts organization. The Rush Philanthropic Arts Foundation was founded in 1995 by brothers Russell, Danny and Joseph “Rev. Run” Simmons and is dedicated to providing disadvantaged urban youth with significant arts exposure, access and education as well as providing exhibition opportunities to early and mid-career artists and artists of color. Very cool!
• The one piece of free product that I was most excited about was my new pair of Assets underwear. Yes, underwear! I know that is extremely weird, but Assets are the new, less-expensive line of Spanx undergarments and the company was handing them out to us at the conference. (Don’t worry, we got to choose the perfect size!) Ladies out there know how incredibly popular, but how terribly expensive Spanx are, so I am excited to see the company offering a more “value” version. Assets will be sold at Target.
• PUR Water Filters handed out free aluminum water bottles and hosted water filling stations all over the conference. BlogHer was trying to go more “green” this year and not providing bottled water was one step they took. PUR sponsored the water stations as an alternative. I actually love my new aluminum bottle (it isn’t too large and it has a little carabiner hook on top that you can use to attach it to a bag…) and I filled it up many times throughout the weekend.
• The new Jimmy Dean French Toast Griddlers that they were handing out at their booth were truly delicious – plus they use turkey sausage. I would honestly recommend them and will probably purchase them in the future. (And the actor who plays the sun is really sweet.)
• You already know that I love S’mores! Or at least you should, because they are one of my favorite foods. So I couldn’t resist the Hersheys + Honey Maid + Jet Puffed suite at BlogHer. You could visit the room anytime and make delicious S’mores over their mini fires. I only had one, but it was fantastic! I also picked up a little S’mores backpack and plan to use it and show my devotion to the treat.

For those who went to BlogHer, what were your favorite swag items?

9 Comments » Categories: Art, Fashion, Food, Thinking

Mar 8th 2010 10:45:16 pm

I met my friend, Suzanne, at the Whitney Museum on Saturday to see the 2010 Biennial. The Biennial, for me, has been a somewhat mythic art event ever since I learned about it as an art student in undergrad. It was always touted as a crazy, contemporary, magical exhibition where artists’ careers were made – If you can get into the Biennial, you are golden. Collectors will be knocking down your door. That is the myth, anyway…

There was no way I was going to miss viewing this year’s show in person! I considered this first visit with Suzanne as a preliminary scouting mission. I wanted to browse the entire show (consisting of 55 artist – less than in the past) and get a general feel for my likes and dislikes without stressing over studying every single detail. My plan was to get an overall impression. I was excited to learn that for the first time ever there were more women than men represented in the Biennial. As I expected, there was a lot of video, installation, and performance pieces, but also plenty of paintings, photography, and textiles. There was only a handful of sculpture.

I may be old fashioned, but I liked the paintings the best. My very favorite (at least after this first viewing) were three pale oil paintings by Julia Fish of the floor, entitled “Thresholds.” (The two paintings above are hers, but not the exact ones in the show.) They are nearly abstract paintings, showing transitional spaces between two types of flooring. They reminded me of Agnes Martin – one of my favorite painters. I am drawn to washed out palettes. I think they calm me. I also loved the small, simple landscape paintings of Maureen Gallace which were displayed in the same room with Fish.

I was excited the see Ellen Gallagher in the show. Gallagher’s “DeLuxe” was one of my favorite contemporary pieces when I worked at the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art in Oregon, but I must admit that I did not understand the collaborative installation she created with Edgar Cleijne for the biennial… Something about space inside a big plywood box with a hologram of JFK’s head in the middle… I may need to revisit that one.

I also enjoyed the full room of flower paintings by Charles Ray. I had kinda thought he was a sculptor – he has been in the biennial before with sculpture – but the full room of flowers was pleasing. There were more than a dozen of them and I think they may have been drawn with magic marker…

Other favorites included the beautiful, wall-size tapestry by Pae White and the watercolor/drawings by Storm Tharp. I think my favorites represent the most tame pieces in the show. There was plenty of much more controversial, heart-wrenching, and strange items… and maybe I will grow to love them in time. Each and every piece was definitely thought-provoking! I’ll let you know if my favorites change after a second, more in-depth viewing.

1 Comment » Categories: Art, NYC Museum Review, New York, museums

Mar 2nd 2010 12:37:55 pm

When we ventured out to Soho on Saturday, one of my intended stops was the Kate Spade flagship store on Broome St. I had heard about a cool neon tape art installation by Rebecca Ward and wanted to check it out in person. Rebecca Ward is an installation artist who creates colorful, site-specific environments using mostly tape. (btw: I loved the installation in the store, but it wasn’t as extensive as I had anticipated.) The Kate Spade brand sometimes feels a little too ladylike for my current style, but I have always loved its playful use of color and pretty designs. For a long time, Kate Spade was my very favorite designer, mostly because she is from Kansas City, like me, but also because her designs were always so simple, but unique. It is exciting to see the brand supporting such a hip, young artist in such a public way! In addition to the cool installation, I also loved all of the corresponding displays throughout the store – so beautiful!

After the stop at Kate Spade, Travis and I continued our stroll over the the Madewell store. (my favorite!) I was totally caught off-guard by the awesome airmail-themed windows and displays there.

Vintage airmail envelopes and mail packages were everywhere! I think that they were all reproductions – not actual old letters – but I was still tempted to swipe one to take home… I love anything mail related because it reminds me of Swap-bot. Don’t worry, I didn’t end up stealing any of the envelopes, but I couldn’t resist taking a few photos of the displays. Three cheers for snail mail!

And in a serendipitous turn of events, Gilt Groupe was having a sale on Kate Spade accessories on Monday! With my “free shipping” coupon, I scooped up this airmail-themed cosmetics case at a nearly-free price. I am going to use it to carry my Swap-bot arsenal to crafty events. Who knew that fashion and the postal mail went together so well… Swap-bot is so stylish!

3 Comments » Categories: Art, Fashion, Lovely Things, New York, Swap-bot, design

Feb 11th 2010 11:06:07 pm

I am still working on a big birthday wrap-up post, I promise. I know all of you want to see photos of me opening presents, but for now you will have to settle for my 11th creative thing-a-day. My parents sent me a very cool sketching pencil/pen and I was eager to try it out. Now, I haven’t drawn without a computer for quite a while and I am out of practice, so forgive my quick, simple sketch. The subjects of my still life were two of the fabulous birthday gifts sent to me from Chelsea & Scott. I love them so much and have no idea how Chelsea read my mind and got me the two make-up items I was wishing for. I really liked using the sketching pen. It kept my hand clean and is comfortable to hold… now I just need to do more sketches!

1 Comment » Categories: Art, Birthday, Make-up & Beauty

Feb 6th 2010 04:13:05 pm

Already done with my thing-a-day creation for today! I had been planning to make downloadable Swap-bot Valentines this year and I am so happy that I actually made the time to do it. I designed two cute Valentine cards – one with Ernie, the Swap-bot logo/mascot, and one with Crusher – and a little matching envelope. The PDF file is totally free and you simply download it, print it out on card stock, cut out your Valentines, and give them to your friends!

Download the Swap-bot Valentines PDF here.

There are some basic instructions on the PDF, but assembly is really easy. Cut just inside the black lines, then score and fold the envelope on the grey lines. Fold in the shorter sides of the envelope, then the bottom. You can glue these parts together. Slip your Valentine card inside the envelope, fold down the top, seal it, and give it to someone you love!

I hope that some of our Swap-bot users enjoy them. Crusher was so excited about the cards that he already started handing his out!

6 Comments » Categories: Art, Crusher, Cute Things, Projects, Swap-bot, design

Feb 3rd 2010 10:16:31 pm

Well, I have done it. I have dived into the world of Artist Trading Cards. I have always wanted to start making ATCs, but I always imagined painting them with acrylic paints… and I never wanted to get out all of my painting supplies, so I never signed up for any ATC swaps. Finally, I just decided to go for it when hollandcox decided to host the Inaugural Craft Social ATC Swap in honor of the first Craft Social tweet-up. I am glad that I signed up, not only because I had a great time at the tweet-up*, but also because I can count this ATC as today’s creative thing-a-day!

I didn’t end up using any paint on my ATC. Instead I used paper, pen, ribbon, and glue. It definitely looks like my style. I didn’t really mean for it to, but I guess you can’t escape your creativity personality. The sparkly gems make it a bit 3D. I had a lot of fun making it and hope that my swap partner enjoys it… hopefully she doesn’t mind pink!

*btw: a “tweet-up” is sort of like a meeting on Twitter

4 Comments » Categories: Art, Crafts, Swap-bot

Nov 19th 2009 11:49:47 pm

I played hooky for one more day and went to the Whitney Museum of American Art with my friend, Alli, today. Georgia O’Keeffe is Alli’s favorite artist and the Whitney currently has an exhibit on view focusing on her abstract work. It was a wonderful show with with more than 130 O’Keeffe paintings and drawings from all over the world. Even more than seeing the paintings, I liked reading the biographical information about O’Keeffe and seeing the photographs of her taken by her husband, Alfred Stieglitz. O’Keeffe was so passionate about art and she had such a long career – painting into her 90s. I studied O’Keeffe in school, but the exhibit was a great reminder of what a strong, intelligent woman can accomplish.

It really shouldn’t be this way, but it was extremely refreshing to see the career of a woman, an older woman even, celebrated. Lately, I think my brain has been saturated by television commercials for “reality” shows that are only interested in 19-year-old boobs. I needed to see a REAL person celebrated for REAL reasons.

I highly recommend seeing the show before it is over on January 17th.

1 Comment » Categories: Art, Friends, NYC Museum Review, New York, museums

Nov 17th 2009 10:51:53 pm

I went to the Metropolitan Museum of Art today with my friend, Alli. I love that place. This is a photo of the Roxy Paine sculpture currently on the roof deck. We also checked out the 20th century paintings, some Modern Art, the American sculpture courtyard, the Egyptian section, and we made time for a Crumbs cupcake at the cafeteria. Yum.

4 Comments » Categories: Art, NYC Museum Review, New York, museums

Oct 9th 2009 08:10:01 am

I have a (kinda long) article reviewing Sakura gel pens on CraftCritique.com today. Sakura Gelly Roll pens are my very favorite, so I had a lot of fun trying out all of their products. I used the pens to create all of the elements used on the scrapbook page seen here.

No Comments » Categories: Art, Crafts