the fringe belongs to us

my right hand is so cold, i'm in the midst of freezing to death here at the workforce, wondering if the fifth floor is slowly becoming the north pole. i have been very busy all morning, attempting to get things together to end the month. along with the fact that there have been some very important etsy matters, flickr matters, selling and producing matters i needed or thought to take care of. no buys! i want to make things more tempting and allow for all kinds of christmas magic to happen. yeah right.

i'll wait to throw the trash out until the garbage can is all the way full. to the top of the bag with junk mail, coffee grounds, and empty soy milk cartons. compositonally the garbage can & bag looks like the devil to me. so yesterday i mention somethings that might be going on around town:
i've mentioned,

a. mule magazine, the third issue has come out, and their presently work on volume 4. number 3 includes people, places and events i've never heard of for instance; versionfest '06. be sure to check out the online web selections when you're there. looks interesting, can you imagine chattanooga being there-apart-facilitating a versionfest of it's own?

b. check out the dramastore found via looking for meg vinson with google. i like what the virginia based org/co-lab the drama is supporting, representing, presenting and promoting. it's not in chattanooga but for all the artists...

who would love to add "published/press" to there blogsidebars, here's yet another op. you all know to that you can contribute art to mags like, juxtapose>see reader art.

c. 3x3
offers attention to new up & coming artists try out getting into their new talent gallery.

d. there's SEED

e. the barking legs theatre RENTS! anyone interested in an exhibit?

f. Rivoli Art Mill is seeking starving artists of all stripes and media to join its community of working and hobbyist artists using the inspirational creative workspaces. The Rivoli Art Mill is a 1910-era former garment mill with post-and-beam timber construction, 16-foot ceilings, 1940s Art Deco facade with glass block and diffused natural light. Several cheap spaces remain and include use of shared woodshop, kitchen and gallery/event/teaching area. Call (423) 265-4287 for appointment to see the workspaces.

that's all i've got for now. this weekend i'm working. saturday evening i might actually get around to making somethings, mapping out the month of december. i wanted to encourage you all, let you know that if you don't fit where you are {as in: you're not a landscape artist and you love graffitti-street art et cetera}, that the fringe is as much of a place to fit as any and it belongs to us.

thrilled to moo!

they came in the mail the day before yesterday! it wasn't until last night that i got a chance to sort amoungst them and find a few to share. the moo experience was great, such a learning process it has become, because now i know...some are dark, some are more pixelated than others, some are perfect, some are a little too blurry, some are gorgeous, some are well redundant, some are small treasures that turn my thoughts upside down!!! awh!!! and because i tend to make collage, these add yet another realm to my creative ambition-that is lacking right now-sort of.

i assure you though i've got a plan(s). i actually sat and wrote them all up last night. my christmas 2006 lists: how i love the perfect list. i have decided to make my own christmas cards this year, they will be similar to the postcards i'm going to send out. and i made a list of the people and gifts i'm going to buy for, along with a budget for each and every single one. i made a baking and making list too. this year is going to be the best, i'm already looking forward to resolutions, the new year's goals {laptop, walking everyday, no more smoking, ava membership, personal website, dietary changes, donating more stuff, et cetera}


today i'm putting my christmas wreath up for sale on etsy! i took better photos and would like to sell it, today, tomorrow, before xmas! heck! it's worth every penny! a nice alternative to the tradional wreath...so go shop, browse, find, share, collect and inspire.

yesterday, whilst here at the workforce i spent a good amount of time surfing. i'm looking for and at the alternative art scene in chattnooga. i have always complained about what chattanooga seems to lack in the way of alternative/urban/fringe like artists and/or art. i think i'm finally finding the sorts of things and events i've been looking for and could see myself participating. it's hard work. tomorrow or next week i'll share some of my findings. it's getting too long for today. rainy day.

surrender sightings

things around my apartment have looked a little like this lately. i cleaned so much, so well, that i haven't felt like messing everything up in the evenings to do the things i really need to do. so i've been making hot chocolate and watching very meaningless televison.

i haven't gotten any feedback about putting art up for sale {50% off} in my etsy shop. except for one special request...i'll be holding on to der hund until she and i come up with a way to trade/deal/swap/sell/purchase the piece. so the only price i've marked down is One Growth. it was 450 bucks, now it is only 250 bucks. i 've gotta charge that much otherwise i won't make a profit on the framing. i just wish i had better photos. my moaning and groaning isn't helping i know but one thing is for sure, i uploaded better photos, more recent photos, so that you can see the car has been replaced by the bicycle.

i also added one christmas card to the shop. it's an extra, i thought i'd put out there. i'm willing to come down on the price if someone really wants it. i also want to sell my christmas wreath. it is in excellant condition. i made it last year and it needs a home this year. but i've not got the greatest pics up yet. so until then check it out. especially if you're a freak about paper!

okay: so i'm going to post a birthday-christmas wish list over the next couple of days and weeks. i hope that's alright with everyone...i've never really just come right out and done this sort of thing before, but i think it's actually very helpful for my family. i'm really excited about this one though! my mom and dad are going to have my carpets cleaned for me! i know it's dorky but after having been in my place for five years i think it's nice fresh start...carpet wise!

1. a subscription to B/D magazine

2. this is my very favorite calendar though!!! a calendar, either from here, here, here, or here. this is a good selection and mom usually gets one for me every year but if i happen to get more than one i'll have a nice one for work too. so don't hestitate to communicate amoungst yourselves...haha!

3. i love this but it's $190 dollars, wait! lara's handmade jewelry is very similar and i'd love to support another beautiful artist. it's more affordable too! i'm in love with the circle shaped beads both in the necklaces and the black pair of earrings! check out her moo cards too! makes me so crazy to get mine in the mail!!! can't wait!!!

4. i'm a huge fan of stationary, lovely design has some of my favorite, only because there are way too many places to mention!!!

5. how can i resist this? it wouldn't fit on my bird tree that's 2 feet tall, but i'm thinking, thinking about purchasing a real christmas tree this year. yipes!!!

this does it for now i'm needing a break from this surf.

heart i choke

after all of this and that, i am back to phantomcrimes, refreshed, thankful, and more than ready to get things going, finished, and sent. i've got my work cut out for me.

everything with my family, on thursday morning-noon went really nicely. i decided that i wasn't going to get stressed out or unnerved about one thing, anything. the breakfast cassarole was easy and delicious! mmm! mom made the very best carmalized french toast ever, and the fruit tarts from rembrandt's were delightful. my apartment was as clean as i could get it, without washing my curtains or dusting my baseboards. i barely even mopped the kitchen floor, but it was alright. the sunlight was perfect and our family walk around the block was a unprecedented pleasure. considering it was a warm day and we needed the circulation after such a calorie rich meal.

i'll update more tomorrow or the next day...

give thanks & praise

happy thanksgiving!

plan.project.proceed

over the weekend i decided i had better come up with a plan for this week. most likely i will feel bombarded at one point or another but if i'm prepared the crazy feelings might not take hold. this thanksgiving i'm having my entire family over for thanksgiving. we're going to do the traditional thing on friday at my aunt's home. so my mother and i have planned a lovely brunch. that means between working and crafting i will also be doing some baking. for all of you who are curious about how i work two jobs and get enough sleep, get enough me time, get enough fam & friends time, well this is part of how it is done. the simple check off {box} list:

monday:
work uoha 9-5
work cvs 6-9
deposit checks
drop off banana republic shirt to mom
postcard project/ornament project after 10pm
sleep @ 12-12:30am

tuesday:
work uoha 9-5
grocery shop for baking ingredients
clean bathroom
dust entire apt.
vaccum
work on postcard/ornament projects
until 12. {this should be a good day to
get a whole lot of stuff completed!}

wednesday:
work uoha 9-5
work cvs 6-9
spot clean
decorate/layout all thanksgiving brunch

thursday:
8:00 am wakeup drink nice cup o' tea
bake breakfast cassarole
spot clean
watch the macy's day parade
12 noon give thanks with family
clean up will be easy
evening time: prepare piecrust
bake 2 pumpkin pies

friday:
sleep in
3pm or earlier hop over to
aunt c.'s home
6-9 work cvs

saturday & sunday: sleep in, no work except to finish postcard/
ornament projects to mail out before dec 01.

my goal: to stay cool, get sleep, finish these crafty projects, enjoy the family, see the knutson family, give thanks above all!

moo.gifts.ornaments.postcards

i have come down with the evil illness going around, that which includes: scratchy throat, marathon running nose, drippy and droopy eyes, headache, and backache. by all means keep me in your thoughts, but remember less my complaint. i am really very fortunate that i have plenty of sick time available to me here at the work force. in addition, my dear friend at the rx called to tell me i didn't need to come in again tonight. what a blessing to beable to stay at home and rest.
last night i began the process on both of the swaps i've signed up for. you might think i'm running behind but i really am not. i've got the two swaps perfectly under control. i'm also very excited about getting my moo cards in the mail!!! i picked around eighty seven of my photos to be transformed into these cropped sort of baby pics. 100 of them for awh well $24.95. i hope to use them as both business and gift cards for christmas. originally i had a lot of problems with getting the photos into the correct section, finally i decided to add my photo selections by sets and then drag and delete the photos i didn't want from each group into the trash can. after that it was smooth sailing. i thought this might be a very cool alternative to the regular promo material. i have so desperately wanted a business card, but never have the time to create one, via altavista or wherever.
when i got home from new york i had a pile of fun mail. no perfect packages, but several december issues of martha steward, fitness, and domino! i thinking of doing some different sort of things for thanksgiving, i'm actually having my entire fam over to my apartment. woohoo! and then there is christmas. i was totally inspired by this simple polka dot garland. i'd like to try. i also have some great felt pieces i'm going to put together before all is said and done. after the holidays i'll get back to the painting.
***i am wondering about having an etsy sale, anyone have any thoughts? if i put the work that is in my shop right now up for sale at 50% off, would you all purchase??? please let me know. i'm totally willing to discuss other options and or best offers, trades, or commissions.***

have a nice evening, try and stay warm and cozy wherever you are.

tidal wave extravaganza

there was so much that i wanted to share about my trip, the small things that i saw, a growing discomfort about how few photos i took. on tuesday we found the bxl cafe in the rain, we actually walked a little too far and past it, can you believe it. we shouldn't have missed the red entryway. i decided on maui maui and leffe blonde. and for dessert well the best we had all we long the greatest pot o' chocolate ever!

the rain on wednesday soaked us through and through. we survived and head up to david letterman's theatre. we actually signed up for free tickets and got a call back! can you believe it? we declined because we didn't want to leave out our other sister n law. that night we went to the bodies exhibit. if you haven't heard about the bodies or been to see the exhibit, i'd recommend that you do. it is not entirely disgusting nor should it make your stomach turn. it isn't worth going into all of the details here and now, i work in an oncology office, seeing the breast, lung and colon cancers were very interesting. did i retain? i found out that babies are born with 300 bones in their bodies and adults have 206 bones in the bodies. semi-meaningless facts.

on thursday laurie and i went to canal street, awh the blur. we had the secert backroom knock off bag purchasing experience, yipes! we didn't stop, just came walking. hit all the places i mentioned yesterday. and on thursday night i went out with erin and jerah. on friday we went back to canal and up through tribeca and into soho. we three bonded as sisters, special conversations and times. plus officially i can announce that l.c. and brother aaron are happily awaiting the birth of their very first children. plural? yes! yes! most of you may already know by now, but now it is safe to say with permission from aaron to tell. aaron and l.c. are going to be the proud parents of twins. l.c. had an ultra sound today and they are 4cm long. yikes! growing so fast. she's due in june, around the third i believe, correct me if i'm wrong. so next year around this time the collier fam will have grown by another "three." we'll have ethan and mary's baby boy: caleb and aaron and l.c.'s twins! yippy! i'm going to be an aunt for real! so it makes sense that we have this great journey to celebrate life before the new phase.

i'm off tonight-doing laundry, working on the ornament and postcard swap.

how could i

today: i have no idea how to pick just the right photo, after having returned from a vackay in new york on saturday evening. i am back, really back, back with a bounce, back with a vengence, back with my head and heart full. back to work, back to craft, back to making and painting, back to the daily grid, back to familial activity and accountability.

the thirty third floor of the mariott in times square quickly became our refuge for peace, rest and relaxation. it seemed that we were constantly surrounded by people on all sides and at all times. does anyone go home at night? and the square became more and more insane as the night got later. we were so happy to have great recommendations from shashi and erin, incredible guides and suggestions. we hit up the bxl cafe, schillers, the bodies exhibit, soho, canal street, wooster st. (wooster collective), kidrobot, prosport, parableink, and much much more. anthropologie hit heart strings along with baby diesel and element clothing/bags {eden}. all of these places i just love love love. but i'm so completely thankful to be at home, less than surrounded by the materialism.

i went and spent a whole bunch of moolah at kate's paperie. woohoo! a brand new baby blue 2007 pocket calendar! how bad can you get? angela adams stationary, amy ruppel, and much more. i was entirely excited about taking my first digital photos on the airplane ride home. they are beautiful. i call them g.o.d. pictures, even if you don't believe it's sort of funny to call them that. the bodies exhibit was awe inspiring, black lungs, breast cancer, colon ca. you name it. i can't believe everything i saw. there is no photography allowed so...

i worked and completed my first christmas project yesterday. my stampin up xmas card exchange is tonight and i completed my ten identical cards. see them on my flickr {sidebar}. i have two more to go, first the ornament swap and then the postcard swap. i've got ideas for both and they should be top notch. i'll have more for you tomorrow. thank you for all of your well wishes, i'm so glad to be back, phantomcrimes is home.

not quite yet

early sunday morning i was too easily caught up in the annie leibovitz retrospective, thus began the trial and error of digital black and white.

i will be voting tomorrow before i leave to go to nyc. i am going to pack as soon as i get off from work, unless of course i get a suitcase from my parentals.

i am so excited about this trip, to see erin p. and leave chattanooga for a little while. see you when i get back.