I was sick, and now I'm better, but I didn't get a whole lot done this weekend...

I'm still alive, I'm just always working!
For proof, here is an update on that etching plate I showed you before...

Also, I got some nasty bug from my boyfriend. I made him chicken noodle soup on Wednesday night, had a cough by Thursday and then it all went downhill from there. Friday I tried to stick it out, but by dinner, I was miserable. I spent all of Saturday with several boxes of tissues and my butt firmly planted on the couch feeling gross. Sunday was a little more productive, but i still feel like I lost a lot of valuable work time.

In other news, KCUR is on itunes radio!!!!! Woo! I'm pretty sure they probably have been for a while, but I just discovered this today... So even in Baltimore I can listen to NPR from home in Kansas City. What is also great about KCUR, they don't carry the Diane Rehm show. Not to dump on Miss Rehm, she's a wonderful talk show host, it's just that Baltimore and dc NPR affiliates carry her show for TWO whole hours in the middle of the day. Usually when I am free to listen. So there is no mixing up what you hear every single day... Even though Diane Rehm is out for three weeks for a cruise with NPR listeners or something. See, I listen to her everyday because I have to... because I love NPR.

 So, thanks KCUR! You brightened my day by being on Itunes!

doing lots of work and making ramblings about pretty things

Woah! Last week really got away from me!
This weekend + Monday (today) and Tuesday are fall break, and I haven't been doing much by way of taking a break. A friend did come to visit from sunny Los Angeles, so we've been around the DC Baltimore area a bit, but other than that, I've been working like a busy little bee. No update photos on the etchings yet (the plates are all in their acid baths now! They're a work in progress!) but there will be soon. So today I will leave you with some beautiful things I've found today that I'm coveting...

graham and green

anthropologie

anthropologie - just got this yesterday!!

anthropologie

anthropologie

design*sponge

camille soulayrol

booxx

shelter pop

Halloween Costume for this year

I spent most of the day, when I wasn't really busy at work, trying to think of a clever costume idea for Halloween. Last year I waited till the very last minute and my costume was not so hot. So I just purchased everything I need online for something I hope will be cute, nostalgic and clever as my costume for this year. I won't tell you what I'm going to be just yet, so you'll have to wait until the end of the month for pictures. I will tell you that I'm going as a character from one of my favorite books as a child... I feel obligated to have something good. I mean,  I do go to art school, and clever Halloween costumes are like a badge of honor here...

These two ladies are so classy!

Plush House and Pumpkin Patch

Sunday was a busy day for me. I spent most of the early afternoon on a group outing and all of the evening until pretty late last night making my plush house.
I do get a little bit of a break this morning though.
Open studios are today on campus, so I'm catching up on blogging in my studio as it's all clean for visitors and I don't want to muss it with making things. I'm trying to enjoy the quiet and be un-obtrusive to my visitors.

This is my plush model house. The line work is all embroidered on natural muslin with three strands of a really dark navy color embroidery floss. I wanted the house to have a similar line weight and feeling as my prints do. Hopefully I achieved that at least a little. It's about 15 inches long x 8 inches wide x 6 inches tall. I really love it, and I hope I can make more soon. I have plans for different types of plush model houses if I can only find the time to create more!

Also as promised, here are pumpkin patch pictures!

In total, seven of us went. We got pretty medium to small sized pumpkins (We all live in row homes, so where do you put a jack o lantern? On your fire escape?). I'm excited for our carving party this week... I'm also excited for roasting the seeds. Delish!

What a great Sunday.

Killing time productively with Flickr!

I was brain storming today, thinking of things I could make to supplement my print work for my thesis. I was also killing a little time because my right ring finger has a huge blister on it from carving a wood block, and I needed a little recoup time.
So I was trolling through flickr, and found a couple of AMAZING home structures. I hope you enjoy these as much as I do.
Just to tempt you, tomorrow will be an update with pictures from a group trip I'm taking with friends to a pumpkin patch (same farm as the apple picking!) and hopefully some adorable plushy houses I'm working on.

Back to the flickr finds:

verhext's flickr

anonymous angle's flickr

anonymous angle's flickr

pyramis' flickr

this house is just blocks from my parents house in kansas city! look at those windows!

from moderns_r_us flickr

Robert and Shana ParkHarrison

Almost three years ago, in my very first fall semester of art school, I had the pleasure of hearing a lecture from a really great husband and wife artistic duo. Robert and Shana ParkHarrison make wonderful, etherial photos. Their style is collage like, I remember them saying that each piece was 80+ layers thick with photos, transfers, printmaking processes, drawings, paintings and other things. These are some of my favorite images, from their Architects Brother collection of work. The husband is the figure in all of the work, acting as a solemn and anonymous character. I've seen a few of these in person, and they are gorgeous! I have always admired their collaborative image making process and the beautiful images they make.

I have a tote bag obsession

I love this tote bag!

It's celebrities by state. So clever and cute.

I think I have a problem with having too many totes, but this one will be mine!

find it at melangerienyc

Have to say, I'm planning a few of my own totes for a holiday art sale coming up at MICA.

More news on that soon.

I can't believe it's OCTOBER!

Working on some new etchings today.
I have a thesis board (basically a critique that decides my grade for the semester, by way of a jury of mixed faculty) on November 16th. That means I have 41 days to get the best work possible pumped out. This lovely picture is of the very first stage of the copper plate etching I'm working on right at this very moment.

I look crazed, but really I've just spent too much of today with printmaking chemicals.

Also, I went apple picking this weekend!

We got excited and accidentally bought 19+ pounds of apples. Oh well. I all ready made an apple pie and an apple crisp. I have plans for stewed apples, apple sauce, apple butter and pork tenderloin with apples.