Wednesday, May 30, 2007

etsy

Hello! I have my etsy page running! It is so exciting to put somethings out to the world and seeing what happens. I am going to do this with an open mind, and post all sorts of differnt things that I make, hopefully someone will take interst in some of it. Give it a visit www.anaslayers.etsy.com

Tuesday, May 29, 2007

flowers and touch







Lately I have been busy working on things to put onto a website called etsy.com. I am going to see if I can sell any of the things that I love to make. I am excited about this site because it is a way for me to put my work out into the world. I love the site and already have things from other peole that I would like to purchase. It is a great place to check out if you are intersted www.etsy.com, and my specific one is www.anaslayers.etsy.com. Above are some pictures of some pillowcases that I have made to post on there, my goal is to have things up tommorrow evening.

Saturday, May 26, 2007

love and art

I was reading an article in Vogue recently about a woman and how she met and married her husband in a few months time. There was a qoute in there that stood out to me, that made me smile, it is how I feel on the subject.

"Love is not science, like physics or biology. Lovesis more like art. You see a painting and you know weather it works right away. You don't have to stare at it for years...."

Thursday, May 24, 2007

spring cleaning.

The other day I went looking for something in one of my closests and could not find it, although I did find plenty of other things... most that I no longer needed or wanted. I also relized that I had no more room in my closet to hang up a new shirt. All this made me frustrated, for one that I have so many things, and two that they were cluttering my mind and home. Yesterday I went through every closet, nook and crannie, and compiled 8 bags of things to donate, and 4 bags of trash. Ridding my home of the clutter and only leaving the things that I really love, which is plenty- trust me, really makes me feel better.
One of my favorite shows comes on tonight on the home and garden network, its called Small Space Big Style, at 6:30, it is a great show about spaces under 500 square feet and what people have in them. I love the idea of small spaces, and do not want to ever live in one of those hideous mini-mansion things. Pulling ideas from this show is always great, and it reminds me that there is plenty that one can live without. The main reason behind my clensing spree. I am off to enjoy the sun outside, it is a beautiful day!

Tuesday, May 22, 2007

green tomatoes and colections







I picked up the lint project today and finished sewing together the first batch of 'squares'. I am really liking the shape that it is taking, and it is neat to build up the shape of them depending on how many pieces I layer. While sewing I turned on the movie "fried green tomatoes" I had seen this movie before, but never paid such close attention to how beautiful certain aspects of the movie are. The fabrics in the bedrooms, are beautiful small florals, and stripes, fresh cotton, the look is overall soft and worn.. which I love! There is also the bedroom where the older woman lives, with the rose wall, it had been pointed out to me once before, but it is so beautiful that it is her view into her old life. I guess this is one of those movies that would fall under the-feel good movie- category.
So colections, I have been reading some articles lately on how colecting certain things can inpire creativity. This is nothing new to me, I have been colecting things for a while. One of my favorite colections are my vintage and antique sewing notions and boxes. I have to agree with the article any time I look through my things or go to find something to use, I see something new, and it does inspire something in me. I would love to hear about anyone else's colections and what makes them tick... if you want to share.
The plant in the photo above is a happy surprise. Last summer I thought that I had killed my calla lilly plant, but somehow never cleaned the dirt out of the container it lived in. I was walking out to work the other day and relized that there was something budding from that pile of dirt. My calla lilly plant is alive and well, and it looks like a strong start. I will try not to kill it this time!
Otherwise, things around here have been well, busy with work, and tryign to find a way to balance all my projects. That can be a challenge sometiems, finding the time and energy to make all the things in my brain. Day by day I find a little time to make something, and if nothing else at least a small part to add to my blanket.

Saturday, May 19, 2007

hook and loop to a calm mind

There has been a lot on my mind lately, the idea of balancing art and busines, a career and a passion. Last year when I recieved my negative graduate school letters I was terribly upset and it took me a long time to not feel bad about it. In college I worked so hard, spent all of my time making, or thinking about making. I had a well put together portfolio, and great recomendations... Even though everyone kept telling me that most peolpe do not get into art-grad school on their first attempt, I could not get over it. I could not help but feel inadequate worst than all the other emotions- angry... Well it took some time but I did realize that graduate school was not in the cards for me at the moment, and I am glad that I did not go at the time, because I am glad to not be in school at the moment. I have toiled with the idea of business and art for a while now. I love both. Creating and using inspiration and ideas to better understanding of the world and showing it through my eyes. Business, well... what can I say I love the competitive aspect in it, and how rewarding it can be to reach a goal and set a new one... as far as retail and business go, I love that there is constant change, people, problem solving, ideas, and goals to exceed. I am working to find a way to mesh these two worlds into my universe. Little by little I am finding the "adult" inside and it is happening. I am seeing that what I have been working towards for a few months is right in front of my eyes.

HOOK, HOOK, LOOP....
I have been crocheting lately, the lint project is in progress but I am waiting on more lint to proceed. I want to make two of these crochet blankets by the end of the summer, so that there will be something to keep my toes warm in december. I am making this one out of some yarn I had laying around my art bins, but I want to use organic cotton for the next one. It is so much softer and the softer the more luxorious in my eyes. (I have a thing for 600 thread count sheets...)
It is so unlike me to make something utilitarian, but I am having fun making something that is so repetitive and "fun" that it clears my mind of clutter, and lets me think so that I can really concentrate on making more intersting things.





Tuesday, May 15, 2007

books and things

This weekend I finished another one of Joanne Harris' books, 'Holy Fools'. Her books are almost intoxicating, they consume me within the first 20 pages and I can't stop reading. She writes beautifully and brings in strong female figures, sets her scenes in europe, and manages to write about food in her books, mixing it in to the plot in a gorgeous manner. She also writes stories that take places in other times in history this last one was in the 1600's. If you want to find out more about her and her books visit her site here-www.joanne-harris.co.uk/
I recomend her books for a weekend trip or a time when you can really sit and inhale them.

Thursday, May 10, 2007

re-newable, re-usable, re-cyclable

www.youtube.com/watch?v=EPXKvXPRlqE

a great clip on green products for the home.

Wednesday, May 9, 2007

A few of my favorite things.

I love spending the afternoon in my studio making. The best way to make all the "noise" in my life go away and to clear my mind so that I can really think about what I am making instead of all the other "clutter" in my mind. Today I got to sit here and start sewing my lint project. The small delicate, hand stiches I mentioned are looking great... But they are time consuming so it will be a while before this one is done. Not to mention the fact that I have to collect enough lint for the 4 foot 11 inch 'panels'. Good thing I dont mind doing laundry. One of the setbacks in the project, that I am starting to find out is that lint is mostly, dust, and when working with dust there is only so much that the eyes can take at one time. However my whole apartment smells great!

When I went to grab some thread to begin stiching and opened my "sewing box"...which could be my whole studio, an art closet, my wall... well it goes on and on. One of my favorite collections is my sewing box colection. I go to estate sales, yard sales, antique shops, thirft stores, anywhere that might have an old abandoned sewing box. The boxes are sometimes great, but the treasures that I seek are the things inside the boxes, the memories that these women (yes they have all belonged to women so far however I would LOVE to find one that belonged to a man) some of the boxes have pictures in them, newspaper clippings, odd bits and ends. I am mezmorized by these treasures, the colors of the thread once I have pulled off that first layer of dust, the glass buttons, silk hem tape, rich velvet ribbon, scissors that cut like chef knifes, stocking repair kits... you name it I have probably found it in one of these boxes. I clean them out, usually discard the box because they are too dirty or old, and put them in my "sewing box". Which makes me happy any time I need to use something, and I must confess sometimes I open it just to see marvel in my treasures and be seduced by the color. Below are a few pictures of a few of my favorite things, keep in mind this is only a fraction of my obsession.... a healthy obsession!













Tuesday, May 8, 2007

perspective 101



In all the art classes, lessons, and studies I have done there has always been that dreaded perspective lesson... I have dis-liked, who am I kidding, have HATED perspective since I can remember. I think that a huge part of the reason that I have not liked perspective all this time comes from the fact that it has somewhat to do with math, and well I do not think in numbers. The other reason is that I do not think that I have ever fully understood perspective. Well with the new computer, that moves with me around the apartment, I have finally (after how much art schooling) figured it out by sitting on my couch looking at my coffee table from differnt angles. Usually I sit with the computer on my lap and it has made me look at the table from the bottom to the top and the top to the bottom, and I think that if I were to sit and draw it I might finally be able to get it right. Isn't it funny how sometimes it takes looking at things on your own time to understand them. Maybe I will do that drawing and mail it to Heidi, my professor in college that despite all her efforts could not get me to do it properly.

Monday, May 7, 2007

layers...

One of the things that I always seem to go back to in my work is layers. The layers that make up life and help the passage of time. Layers exist in anything and everything sometimes it can be literal the layers of fabric but in my case, those layers usually hold something in them. A story, a secret a hidden meaning. The layers are what I use to contain my thoughts and desires, regrets, fears. The way that I tell enough but not too much. Well the lint project has taken on the layerd appearance. I started pinning it together today to form a layered, piece. I am going to sew it together by hand, soft meaningful stiches. I want to make a few of these "panels" (lack of better words) and I want them to be 4 feet 11 inches tall... hmm I wonder what I am getting at here. Well I better stop before I give too much away.
Here are some progress shots.











Penelope tried to print my plate today (the one I drew on my trip) sadly I drew the image on too lightly and it did not print well... lesson one in printmaking a heavy hand helps!

Saturday, May 5, 2007

balance

The further away I get from the day I graduated college, the more that I ask myself what do I want to be when I grow up? Funny that it has taken me two years to relize that I am a "grown up" and that I can start doing the things I have always dreamed of now. Working in retail is something I enjoy, and it provides me with time to make, but I need to start showing, an artist can not live solely in their studio for eternity. I want to morph the job and the making together and hopefully I am working towards that. Most retail enviorments have visual coordinators, people that make the flow of the store make sense, the elfs that put christmas together and make spring look soft. I have been thinking about this for a while now, since last summer. Currently I am in a class at work that could be a stepping stone into that kind of work. I guess that what I am rambling is that I am a grown up and need to start taking steps to the life that I dream of and have since I was a little girl with my first paper mache ballon sculpture. I want making to be my world. In my studio and in the outside of it.

Thursday, May 3, 2007

i heart great deals

I believe that I have mentioned before that I work in a large well known retailer, Nordstrom. The past few years I have wanted to be a visual coordinator at a retail location, and am working on some steps to get to that. I could hardly contain my excitement when I walked into work today and they were having a "prop sale" in the visual office. Below is a picture of everything I got. 500 yards of ribbon!!! for $10 how could I pass that up?!? It was a really fun and exciting adventure and it just makes me want to do it more seeing their workspace and all their "props".

All of my new found things, for under $40

Wednesday, May 2, 2007

I can hardly contain my excitement!

Today I went to Barnes and Noble to pick up the new Blueprint magazine, and I came upon this great fiber magazine. I had never seen this one before and am so excited@! It is filled with articles of process from animal/plant to yarn... fabulous! I will share more after I sit and actually read it.

p.s. I heart my new scanner/copier/printer!

Tuesday, May 1, 2007

Memoirs of a Geisha

Today I started watching the movie "memoirs of a geisha" I thought I would just keep it on while I did some other things, however I got sucked in really quikly because it is such a visually inspired movie. The scenes and quality of the images is spectacular. Lately when I watch movies this is something that captivates me. In todays society we are so influenced by image and we are almost in overload with them, that it takes a spectacular scene to captivate an audience. This movie did that. I put off watching it for a long time because I thought I would read the book but I finally caved in and have to say that I am glad I did.
Other movies that are visualy inspiring:
Memoirs of a Geisha
Marie Antoinette
Nanny Mcphee- thanks for the recomendation on that one
Pans Labrynth



Here it is the brand new machine...I love the way apple packages things, and as we all know packaging is so important.


The lint pile keeps on growing, and the taller it grows the more I am thinking about creating a piece that is structural to allow for the layers to come through. I am aslo going to do some surface design with embroidery on it.


I relized that these do not photograph very well so I tried scanning in a piece to show what they look like a little better.

The new i-mac book pro!

Happy May! It is my first day off in 9 days of working straight, I almost don't know what to do with myself. Yesterday I got a new computer--the imac-pro labtop! I am so excited to learn how to use it. The graphics are amazing and its portable!!! I also got a free copier/scanner/printer with my computer, it is great! I love having the capability of copying things and scanning them in! Oh there are endless possiblities! ...Now I have to learn how to instal my external hardrive for backup, so I do not loose things.
The plan for today is to pick up then lint project again. I need to try a few differnt surface treatments on the "pouches" and see what works the best. I am also going to have to find some time to spend time outside it is a gorgeous today.