Final Letterpress Class

Monday is the last day of class... and the day that I finally get to print! Since it was only a four-week class I opted to not do an ultra intensive design and just went with a clean Christmas card that Peanut and I will be sending to our friends and loved ones. (If you want one, drop me an email to kathy at bluebeancreations dot com.) I'm really excited to see how they come out but even more excited that the end of this class means I'll finally be able to turn ol' Gertie on and start working on my own press!!!!

In the meantime, I need your opinion on the holiday card. I'm debating between doing a flat card or a folded card. We plan on doing a simple little end of the year wrap up that will be printed and stuck in the envelope along with the card, so would it be ok to just do the flat card and save paper (and a tree or two)? I don't want to spill too much about the design, but it will be mailed in a #10 envelope.

I'll post pics of the final product next week! SO excited!!

Swing Doll

There's a chain of stores on the west coast (mainly Seattle area) called Fireworks that sell amazing goods produced by local artists; everything from jewelry to paintings to furniture to fun knick-knacks. One of my absolute favorite things are these dolls/figures that look like they are flying! They are so whimsical and have a bazillion different forms, activities, looks, etc., some even with fairy wings. I had fully planned on outfitting my someday-daughter's room with a number of these until I looked at the price tag... Not to say that I'm sure they aren't worth the asking price, but as a small business owner and someone who is hoping to buy a house in Southern Cali (Lord help us), it's just not cash that I have easily on hand. No matter how incredibly talented the original artist.

So I decided to give it a whirl myself just by making it up as I go. I've been feeling the need to do some real crafting, not just paper designs, and today was they day I laid out all the goods, plotted, cut, folded and hot glue gunned to my hearts content. Not too bad for my first ever attempt, don't 'cha think? (By the way, she is wearing a bandana, although you can't really see it in this pic. Still trying to figure out the best way to do the head.) I put her on a swing because that was always one of my favorite things to do! Legs pumping, world so far beneath you as you climbed into the sky!

Break in

My car was broken into last night. Parked behind our house, as usual, but not per the norm, I left my cell in the car. It was one of those "I'm making a number of trips between the house and the car, so I'll grab my phone in a minute." But then of course I forgot. And now it is gone. And I feel like a schmuck.

I also feel a bit helpless. I mean, what the heck was anyone doing BEHIND our house? That was actually one of the features I liked about this place, thinking, well, most people won't bother to go back there. I hate the feeling a break-in leaves you with. Utter helplessness. It really, really bites.

Two Years Later

Two years ago today Peanut and I were on our way to our honeymoon after an incredible wedding the day before (anniversary is August 14). Have I mentioned how much I love this man?

Unwelcome House Guest

Yesterday one of my friends came over use my computer for some work stuff and while she was scanning I decided I better get started on some letters I've been meaning to send. I keep some of my letter writing papers in a wooden crate that I've had for years and have the crate resting on shelves in my office. I go over to pull the crate out and just about dropped the entire thing when I noticed two extremely long tentacles wiggling around at the back of my papers.

Typing away at my desk, my friend calmly says, "Oh, you have a cockroach." Having never seen one before (we don't have them much in Washington), I don't know what to think. There's no food in the office and I am not a very messy person, so I have no idea what attracted him to that spot. He was HUGE though - like almost three inches long without the antennae! I carefully took out all of my papers (without touching him - gross!), took the box outside and hoped he would be smart enough to find his way out through the very large opening (there is no lid on this crate). Guess Mr. Roach didn't graduate from high school because three hours later he was still there.

All night last night and today I've been on the lookout for anything remotely resembling my unwelcome house guest. Ew!

First press class!

Yesterday was my first letterpress class at the Armory Center for the Arts and, wow, am I excited! This is going to be such a great few weeks and hopefully by the end of it I'll actually be able to not only power up Gertie, but also know how to use her! Turns out that the instructor for the class lives not too far from me, so she has promised to come by and take a look at Gertie and all of the supplies I have so far. I hope I haven't gotten in too far over my head! I was a bit aprehensive when she said that it will take years for me to know what I'm doing... I'm hoping that I'll be able to still be learning, but also pump out my work in the meantime. I can just hardly wait!

On the business side of things, more word-of-mouth has been spreading about the excitement of my designs, which makes me feel quite nice. I have received my first official request for catalog, which I am putting together now. Still have to work on the website and I am also thinking again of re-doing the logo. I'm actually debating a business name change all together in favor of something not so cutesy. What do you think? Is Blue Bean Creations too - oh, I don't know - frilly? scrapbookish? More and more of my work is leaning toward graphic design, so I want to sound fairly professional but also have some flair and fun. It's in the back of my mind for the moment, but I need to figure it out soon, especially since I have to print up new business cards before too long. I am also starting to think about renting out studio space/work area; someplace I can meet with clients, run the press, assemble all of my goodies, and whatnot. Of course, there isn't a whole lot of cash flow, but all I'm looking for is something quite simple and not too large. Should be an interesting couple of months!