no new clothes

I am thinking of a rather radical pledge...no new clothes for 2010.

No more buying crap. Time to prove that you can really be stylish without spending money.

Of course I can alter existing items or wear gifted clothes. I have decided if I absolutely need something, I'll buy secondhand.

I'm saving up to do some more travelling so why not?

thanks

Thank you big things. Thank you University of Florida for my undergraduate and now graduate degree. Thank you for giving me options! Thank you Penland. I'm saving up my pennies to come back. I promise! Thank you learning. I'm so grateful.

Thank you friends who are scattered all over. Thank you Sigma Kappa friends, Erica in New York City, Katy in Texas, Jen in Orlando, Amy in DC, and all my other girls. Thank you old friends - Jillian, you make me so proud. Thank you new friends and new people that are almost-friends. I look forward to new adventures. I look forward to missing you when you aren't around. I love you all!

Thank you Gainesville. If you haven't come to visit yet, get over here! I have a futon you can sleep on. I love my little house on third. I love riding my bike. I love our teeny downtown. I love the Top. I love meeting new young people who are inspired by Gainesville. Thank you for Satchel's. Thank you for awesome pizza! Thanks to the boyfriend for always being kind and tolerant and a great cook. Love you.

Thank you to small things. Thank you hulu. Thank you thift store sale craft supplies. Thank you cuddly cat and fluffy dog. Thank you needle. Thank you thread. Thank you $1 refills at Maude's. Thank you nutella.

GLAM

Gainesville's local art market was yesterday. I am so inspired by the people that were featured there that I am going to write a little post about them, especially the women who organized it and my lovely booth neighbors!

Chinese Dreams... collages that I will revisit

the life of a "working artist"

me: should I enter this art contest? It's for starving artists.

mom: NO sounds like a scam, send $20 is a red flag.

me: Hm. Arthouse co-op is not a scam! most show submissions are 20-40 dollars. It's just a long shot. Am thinking about pretending to be psychic and setting up a table downtown. Can throw chicken bones and wear turban. Isn't it great that I went to college?

I cannot believe I haven't posted these yet:

hard at work

more funny boyfriend quotes

While looking in our fridge:
"I can't believe we have I can't believe it's not butter! I can't believe it!"

me: What do I wear to an interview at a bookstore?
him: Business casual!
me: What's business casual?
him: I dunno...

I'm looking up reviews of The Box, the movie we just went and saw. In one is a picture of James Marsden, the male lead in it.
him: Hey!
me: What?
hm: I know that guy!
At this point I think he's kidding until ---
him: I think I've seen him at the gym!
me: Garrett, that's James Marsden.
him: Is he famous?
me: Garrett....he was in the movie we just saw... half an hour ago
him: Oh. He looks like a guy at the gym.

another reason for me to love SMG

I make things with my hands.

I make things with my hands. This in itself is becoming a radical act.

I am just as serious in making my "craft" items as I am working on an oil painting. They are different media sure, but I work just as hard in both. I do not think one is more important than the other. They just serve different purposes.

Things that are skillfully handmade do possess a power, a kind of grace. I do not worry that these things will become obsolete in a technologically driven world. Rather, I think technology will always have to look back and use craft if it is ever going to have any kind of permanence. And craft can utilize technology in unique ways. Recently I have seen a lot of work with soft circuits in fabric. These circuits are sewn with conductive thread. Besides looking cool, putting lights on your clothes could be useful at night if you were riding your bike.

We as crafters and artists must learn to look back at traditional crafts and forward into what technology can offer.