Crumbs In The Butter

Fun Was Had

2010-05-23T09:44:00.000-07:00

Char and I took our "Crumbs In The Butter" action out to Walnut Creek yesterday and had a great time selling art and making friends. The wind presented some challenges but we managed to keep it together. Mic almost blew away as she held down two shade structures that tried to fly away. Good thing she's so strong! Here are a few snaps from the day.

Off To The Beach!

2010-04-30T06:26:00.000-07:00

When Charlotte entered Kindergarten (6 years ago!!), I met the most interesting group of moms. We couldn't be a more mixed bag of nuts but our friendship has deepened and evolved as the kids have gone from little 5 year olds to 11 year old 5th graders. It's our last year "en masse" at our elementary school and our dear Abby is hitting 50 so we've decided to take our show on the road and have a weekend away at Dillon Beach-- just the ladies.

It promises to be great fun what with the extensive menu, movies to watch, games to play and possibly Karaoke (I don't know if there will be enough Champagne to fuel my foolishness!).

So. here's to Abby on her b-day and all the lovely Havas (long story)-- I can't wait to get my groove on with you guys!

I've Been Printsy-ed!

2010-04-25T18:18:00.000-07:00

My interview is up on Printsy. Thanks, Amie! Love the blog and your energy!

http://printsy.blogspot.com/

A Giant Egg

2010-04-16T14:53:00.000-07:00

The 5 hens are laying 5 eggs a day now. I heard poor Vesper squawking her heart out around
11 am. I ran out to see what all the fuss was about and the poor girl had just laid the biggest egg I've ever seen. Seeing it made my girl parts hurt! Here's a picture of it. The smaller egg in the foreground is typical for our flock.

FUNDRAISER FOR CHRYSALIS SCHOOL IN MADAGASCAR

2010-04-14T09:58:00.000-07:00

MARTHA!!

2010-04-08T11:47:00.000-07:00

That darn Martha-- yes, that Martha. She gets 100 eggs a day from her flock of hens. We are getting 3 one day, 2 the next, and so on. Maybe today will be a "4". I am making frittata for dinner (gruyere, red onion, broccoli, and baguette croutons) so come girls, get to work!

EGG COUNT = 48

The Easter Bunny brought me a bag of vivid blue CHOCOLATE CARAMEL EGGS. They are going fast...

Mudd Hens!

2010-04-08T07:07:00.000-07:00

Mudd Hens is a wonderful boutique located at 1348 Lincoln Avenue on Calistoga's quaint main street. They are now selling my screenprints and paper house assemblages. Stop in next time you're in the wine country. Amy has a great selection of bath and body stuff, too.
http://www.muddhens.com

Gilman Retread

2010-04-03T11:31:00.000-07:00

I know that I've already posted these Gilman Street prints BUT these two with their bright backgrounds are really great. They are listed in my Etsy shop but I may frame and keep the pink one--it is too fun. These are the only ones-- the screen will be reclaimed and gone for good very soon.

EGG COUNT = 37

We'll be dying some of the darling little eggs for Bunny Day. Can't wait!

Text Message Series

2010-04-01T15:13:00.000-07:00

I added a few pieces from my "Text Messages" series to my Etsy shop (click on the thumbnails located in the side bar to view). People who know me are well aware of my ineptitude with sending or receiving texts. I have done it twice. Here is some art as comment on all that. I like old books and paper. I like real letters. I will answer the phone sometimes... like if you're calling!

Studio Chaos

2010-03-27T16:21:00.000-07:00

I pumped out a bunch of my sunset chix prints in anticipation of the next few art sales and my studio is in shambles. I do love to see the prints drying on the line.

Art and chickens, what else?

2010-03-27T16:16:00.000-07:00

EGG COUNT = 21

The 5 hens are reliably laying 3-4 eggs a day. We are so proud!

I guess we'll stop counting at some point...

Spring's first Strawberry Shortcake

2010-03-20T21:05:00.001-07:00

Our beautiful Berkeley weather inspired me to make Strawberry Shortcakes last night-- boy they were delicious. The berries weren't as good as they'll be in a few weeks but the essence came through and ignited spring fever!

EGG COUNT

2010-03-20T20:59:00.000-07:00

Our egg count is: SEVEN!!

We ate scrambled eggs for breakfast and they were incredibly tasty. Truly superior to store bought. Mike coined a term for us "Ultralocs"-- like locavores but our protein originates less than 50 feet from the freakin' stovetop.

The hens are doing well and seem very proud of their efforts. Much brock, brock, brocking and strutting around the coop immediately following an egg lay. I am head over heels for these feathered darlings.

New Paper House Assemblages

2010-03-20T20:51:00.000-07:00

I spent a productive day in the studio making little paper house scenes for the forthcoming art sales. The only problem is that I am so in love with the finished products that it may break my heart to sell them. The mat cutting went smoothly -- I didn't screw up a single one. I worked slowly and thoughtfully with no rushing.

I have a few of these up for grabs in my Etsy shop. Also, remember that I can customize these with initials, numbers and special phrases. What a super gift idea! The mats are sized to fit into standard 8 x 10 or 9 x 12 frames.

More Good TImes at Nizza

2010-03-18T15:32:00.000-07:00

Man, we had such fun at Nizza La Bella last night (827 San Pablo Ave. Albany, CA). I think Champagne is the best beverage for a truly bubbly St. Pat's. We took a bunch of pic's but you'll have to visit Lyra's blog to see them as she snapped 'em: http://www.fix-8.blogspot.com/

Lyra brought me the most darling little bag of super fresh Swedish Fish. Needless to say, they've been consumed. Weird thing-- I also received an e-mail from the Visit Sweden council this morning?!? And the movie version of "The Girl With A Dragon Tattoo" was released stateside this week. Coincident? You tell me.

Our First Little Egg!

2010-03-17T06:52:00.000-07:00

Darling Astrid popped out the first egg yesterday afternoon. What a good girl! It is a gorgeous, perfect little brown egg. I whooped and called out to Mike and Char when I discovered it in the nesting box. Astrid stood by and watched us take it. Sort of weird but all the books says that quick removal of a fresh eggs leads to greater productivity. We'll see! We should be deep in the scrambles before long. I can't believe she laid it right in the nesting box. I expected these crazy ladies to set down their treasures any old place. I guess that chicken's have good instincts!

Here is Astrid keeping her eye on us as we take her tiny treasure!
Send me your egg recipes!

Chop, chop!

2010-03-14T11:45:00.000-07:00

Here is a new print inspired by the gorgeous quilt that Gayle made and donated to the wheelchair basketball fundraiser. Her quilt featured a warm white background with strips of newsprint-type fabric in black and red as the focal point. My print attempts to capture the feel of the rows of script and pattern play. I used dirty teal and rosy red inks instead of black and red. I feel like I resort to black too often and I wanted to avoid the xerox-y look that sometimes infects my letterform designs. I haven't named it yet but perhaps an idea will strike today.

I've got to get down to business with the wine country prints. Mic and I are heading up in in a little over a week to secure some "accounts" and I am as of yet empty-handed! Time to chop, chop.

I have another couple of graffiti prints to kick out and then my brain will be free to toy with the chickens, barns and vines that I have floating around in my mind's eye. Finger's crossed and all ideas are welcomed.

Gilman Street Grafitti Print

2010-03-08T14:59:00.000-08:00

I created a transparency using one of my photos of an old broken down building down by the Gilman Street tracks. Great graffiti--I particularly love the name "Edgar" that is evident in the close up shot of the piece. I'm not sure what to do with this series but I am having fun working out the layers and colors.

New Show at TIQUE Salon

2010-03-08T14:49:00.000-08:00

Michelle helped me hang a new little show at Tique Salon in Martinez this morning. It looks great and I am so pleased! There will be a little art, wine and cheese night on May 8th with old town Martinez throwing open it's shop doors and letting artists mingle and schmooze the crowds. Maybe even sell a few things!
TIQUE SALON
631 Main Street Martinez, CA across from Starbuck's.
Lisa the owner does beautiful hair cuts starting at $35-- very reasonable!

Also, my stuff is still up at Tresses Salon 1734 Solano Avenue (above Sweet Basil). All the work is framed and ready to be hung on you walls ($20-60).

"True Stories" New Screen Print

2010-03-07T14:48:00.000-08:00

I finally scratched this itch and printed out these weird little prints. I sliced up strips of words, maps and old hand written journal pages and here's what shook down. I don't think I'll sell these but I've got about 8 prints if anyone's interested. I feel lighter--like a dumped a bunch of stuff that has been rattling around in my head onto the page. The story's been expressed and can be put to rest.

RFTB's 44th b-day party

2010-03-07T14:44:00.000-08:00

We hosted a fun little birthday party for our dear friend Rick last night and, while I lost big at the poker table, a great time was had by all. The girls entertained us with a stuffed animal circus--hoola hoops and lots of string. Gougeres and pizza and Lyra's beautiful cake rounded out the eats. Here's to you, Mr. Full Tilt!

Chickens, Marbles and Big Mike

2010-02-27T12:52:00.001-08:00

My sweet spouse had his lucky 43rd birthday last week. 43 is my lucky number so certainly Biggie M will have a wonderful year. He's tops and deserves all kinds of happiness. We hit Pizza Delphina (the BEST) and enjoyed lots of laughs with our best buds.

The chickens are growing fluffier and wider by the day. Still no eggs but I'm sure we'll see some within the next two weeks. They are 5 months old and happy little creatures.

I am burning some new screens today and will have new prints up tomorrow if all goes well. Here are some marble pics I snapped this morning-- note the cool reflections.

Happy Valentine's Day!

2010-02-14T08:58:00.001-08:00

We had a fun little V Day party last night complete with poker and champagne and few episodes of LOST. I made these dear tiny ice cream sandwiches and cherry-iced sugar cookies (my mom used to make these when I was a kid). It was nice to relax with my favorite peeps and enjoy some giggling and bluffing.

The sun is out today and the chickens are running around happily hunting for bugs in their fresh straw.

Just Do It

2010-02-06T09:07:00.000-08:00

Thursday night I attended a reception at UCB for Gloria Bowles, the founder of Cal's Women's Studies Department. Hearing a bit of the story behind the evolution of the program reminded me of how much I take for granted in my own life. Not to diminish our ongoing struggles but the progress made thus far is remarkable.

Ms. Bowles read from her new memoir and I was moved by her description of trying to maintain a lucid train of thought amid daily matters of home and heart. I battle this as well--the need to justify time given over to introspection as "important." Even time spent on art has to be borrowed (or stolen) from one's real work or daily chores. I appreciate anew the need for self expression and the importance of following through with intellectual and artistic urges.

Off to do something about it!

Mr. Phoenix's WIld Ride

2010-02-01T08:36:00.000-08:00

Master Phoenix has been delivered to his new home. An hour in the car with a rooster? One for the record books. Here are his new friends:

TOMMY:
PEEPS & TUCKER:

And many more who were less than thrilled to pose for my camera. Rooster problem solved and now I will get on with my life!

It's A Boy!

2010-01-22T07:13:00.000-08:00

We've determined that dear Phoenix is actually a rooster. He crows at 6:30 am quite reliably and again around 7:30 am and often fires off around 2 pm. We are going to find him a new home in a rooster rescue facility out in Dublin. I'm sure the neighbors will appreciate it! We'll be sad to lose him but we can't have a million little chickies running around.

Here is Vesper, she is a hen:

New Stuff Posted!

2010-01-15T15:09:00.000-08:00

At long last, I have posted some new pieces in my Etsy shop! Let's hope some fellow chicken lovers are shopping around for some new art. I am busily at work on a new series of prints featuring strips cut from old books and adverts. Also, I am going to burn a few screens using the photos snapped during the Gilman tracks crawl a few weeks back. Should be great!

"Prinsty"

2010-01-07T06:54:00.000-08:00

A fellow Etsyian, Amie Roman, has created a blog specifically for Etsy's print making artist community. She was nice enough to invite me to join and I am just thrilled. My interview will be posted in April. Her Blogroll is a great resource for both inspiration and great prints.
Check it out:
http://printsy.blogspot.com/

Hell's Bells, it's 2010!

2010-01-05T10:36:00.000-08:00

I'm back with a renewed pledge to post with more frequency! The holidays are past and it's back to reality and...ART (let's hope). I entangled myself in a conversation about New Year's resolutions at a party a few weeks back and ever since I've been pondering my lack of resolve. Past resolutions have included: Have Better Posture, Be Nice and Keep Clutter at Bay. None of these little promises have really taken hold (though I'm mostly nice). This year, I think I'll keep it simple with "Make More Art."

Here are the chickens feasting on cottage cheese and oats:
Phoenix is still in charge and has begun asserting her status as head of the pecking order with 6 am "crowing". Being a hen, she is not truly crowing but I suspect the neighbors might not like her noise making.

2009-12-10T06:05:00.000-08:00

I couldn't sleep so I got up at 5 am, made a pot of coffee and here I am creating a monster TO DO list. I am working backward from Xmas Day and jotting down everything that is flying around in my head --just a day by day, blow by blow list of what needs to happen when. I feel like things are going to fall through the cracks if I don't get it written down NOW. I'm fine with all the planning and party-having but the shopping just kills me. iTunes gift cards for everyone!

Snow in the Berkeley Hills

2009-12-08T09:34:00.000-08:00

Yesterday morning we woke up to snow! OK, not a lot of the stuff but enough to ball up and throw. It was a gorgeous, chilly morning. 3 of the chickens stayed in the nesting house for the night and 3 stayed on the roost out in the run. Crazy birds! They seemed happy as could be to have their feathers fluffed up by a little snow.

The sun is out today but it is still cold and crisp. The newspaper mentioned that it snowed at this elevation back in February of 1976. My family moved to the East Bay in May of '76 so I missed that snow fall. Wouldn't it be spectacular to have snow for the holidays?

Here are some photos from last week's picture-snapping jaunt down by the train tracks near Gilman Street. I am so pleased with how the pics came out. I love the rough and tumbleness of the images. I am planning to use some of the backgrounds and graffiti for some screen prints. Stay tuned!

Prepping for Thanksgiving

2009-11-25T07:50:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving is the best of all holidays. Food, Scrabble, fine wine and pie. Leftover stuffing is my raison d'etre. I don't eat turkey but with my love of all starches, it promises to be a delicious day. I have a lot to be grateful for--let's hope I can focus on that in my carb-induced stupor!

Several Things and chickens

2009-11-23T13:27:00.000-08:00

From this:

To This (in 9 short weeks):

THING ONE:
The wheelchair basketball fundraiser was a huge success! Lots of $ raised for an excellent cause and it was totally fun evening. What a great group of kids and grown-ups! I can't wait to go to their big game in December.

THING TWO:
New prints up in my Etsy shop. Trees, trees, trees. Also, I hung several new pieces at Tresses on Solano Ave (at Ensenada above Sweet Basil). These prints are already framed up and yours for a very reasonable price (20-60 bucks). One of my "Good Wood" prints is hung back by Becca's station and might be an inspiring gift for a husband--wink, wink.THING THREE:
The chickens had their first taste of pasta this morning. They loved it and gobbled it all up in record time. Just now, I gave them a bunch of slightly wilty basil and, again, they snatched it up with great relish.

THING FOUR:
Char e-mailed me this picture of a purple chicken. It's what you find when you google "purple chicken". 10 year olds are awesome!

The Coop is finished

2009-11-15T19:03:00.000-08:00

Phoenix, Astrid, Dot, Vesper, Piper and Harper are spending their first night in their new digs. They aren't babies anymore and at 8 weeks old, they've been pushed out of the nest and into their nice cozy coop. What a relief!

Some new prints!

2009-11-15T17:43:00.000-08:00

"Joel's Tractor" I love this one! It is a visual representation of the male mind.
"Vesper and Piper" Come on--you love it!
"Vesper and Piper" with a periwinkle composition book-like background.
As of yet untitled but reminds me of my time in Vermont. The orange really pops in person.
Smooth trees with pistachio dots and the yolky sun.

More trees with a minty background.

I'll post these to the Etsy shop later this week.

Trees and Tractors

2009-11-12T07:16:00.000-08:00

I burned 5 new screens and the printing has begun! The trees are printing wonderfully. I am having some issues with the tractor but I think if I thicken the ink up a bit I will have better luck. Chickens are up next!

Rockin' the poulets! or les poulets...

2009-11-11T08:01:00.000-08:00

I continue to blur the line between chicken and art. Chicken silhouettes? It promises to be amazing and very chic. Printing today...stay tuned!

ARTS & CRAFTS SALE!!

2009-11-04T07:13:00.000-08:00

I will have some of my prints, paper assemblages and gift tags at this swell art fair on Saturday, 11/7-- see below for the deets. Here are some pics of my offerings. Please stop by!

Pre-holiday Open House
Hosted by Nan Mervin & Lisa Fontaine
Saturday, November 7
10am to 3pm
Nan's House @ 1090 Keeler Ave. in Berkeley (cross street Brett Harte)
Crafts, jewelry, children's and baby clothing, art, vintage, paper goods, yummies, & drinks!

La Coop

2009-11-03T07:21:00.000-08:00

Biggie M is just about finished with the Chicken Coop. It is going to be so nice to move our wee barnyard girlfriends outside. The chickens need to stretch their little wings and peck and poke around the backyard. The brooder is just too small for the darlings and it is making me a little crazy (crazier?) listening to the squeaks and squawks from Mike's office.

NOVEMBER 22

2009-11-02T10:46:00.000-08:00

November 22, 2009 Sunday 3-5pm REBECCA RIOTS
Youth Wheelchair Basketball Fundraiser CONCERT
Please come and help us send these incredible kids to their games!
Great music, silent auction and all kinds of fun-- I promise!

Halloween Round-Up

2009-11-02T09:49:00.000-08:00

CHAR'S PRINCESS LEIA PUMPKIN!

The candy wrappers have been swept up and the pumpkins are collapsing in on themselves in the compost bin. We had a great time trick-or-treating with our usual Oct. 31 gang down in Albany. Then we feasted on Minestrone and tiny candy bars up at our house. It was a gorgeous night!

The Best of Both Worlds

2009-10-31T08:55:00.000-07:00

Tim Gunn and Iron Man? NFW! So much to look forward to-- make it work, people!

Happy Halloween! Perfect day for plunging knives into pumpkins and eating tiny Twix bars.

FIrst Gig Poster COMPLETE!!

2009-10-26T15:48:00.000-07:00

Hey! The Wheelchair Basketball Fundraiser poster is complete! 4 screens and lots of ink-- I'll still be cranking them out for a few days but the design and first run is ready. Also, save the date-- Sunday, November 22 3 pm - 5 pm at The Ashkenaz-- the fabulous band Rebecca Riots plays a fundraising gig for Matthew and Koda's most excellent wheelchair b-ball team.

Work Space Chaos

2009-10-21T15:40:00.000-07:00

I think this guy goes to my gym:

My damn desk is a mess. I am trying to cobble together some more paper houses for a craft show/party and my studio is adrift in tiny scraps of paper. Bits of glue and book dust are everywhere. I can't wait to move into a bigger space but that is at least a year off. The larger the space, the larger the mess, I'm sure.

one month old lady belles

2009-10-21T15:35:00.000-07:00

Here are some pics of the darling peckers at one month. Doesn't it look like our lovely lady Phoenix might end up being a rooster? Her comb is much bigger and far more pronounced than the other henny pennies.

The BEST granola

2009-10-19T11:13:00.000-07:00

In order to thwart my urge to make Rice Krispy Squares, I made a batch of Mark Bittman's Granola. It is super easy to make and the house smells great. I added salted almonds this time-- it should hit that salty/sweet thing pretty hard.

It is too humid to screen print but it's a perfect day for baking or soup making. Also, a good day to work-- for pete's sake-- gotta bring home the bacon, too.

I'm still craving the RK treats...

Big Black Boots

2009-10-17T12:05:00.000-07:00

Clearly, I am nobody's fashion maven and I am loath to even speak of style matters. I am widely regarded as Queen of the Man Blouse. But, there is one wardrobe element that has the power to change your outlook-- a pair of kick-ass black boots. They can be nose-bleed high heeled boots (think: spicy, sexy) or they can be clunky chunkers that make you feel as if you can take on the world and win. I almost have too many pair. Each has a place in my arsenal. If I find myself in an acquisitive mood, I hop onto the web and google "size 12 womens black boots" (don't be alarmed-- I'm 6'1" so I need giant feet). There is something to be said for adding a 4" heel to my bod and turning into a 6'5" tower of power (OK maybe just in my own mind). My latest pair are Frye Motorcycle-types with tough looking harness and buckle embellishments. I feel like I should be starring in an episode of "Alias" when I wear these things-- kicking down spies and stomping on bad guys.

2009-10-16T17:15:00.000-07:00

Big Mike is rowing his heart out in Boston -- good luck, gents! Char and I miss him like crazy but are managing to have a lot of mommy/daughter fun. Lyra took us over to a used clothing store this afternoon and we found most of the elements for Char's Bellatrix costume. Bellatrix is a very naughty witch from the Harry Potter series in case you've been under a rock for the last few years. It promises to be a perfect Halloween!

xmas lists

2009-10-14T15:20:00.000-07:00

Does your family publish xmas wish lists? Char got us started on ours (yes, I know it is a bit early) and Mike's list is hilarious. Good luck to Santa.

just humor me

2009-10-14T15:10:00.000-07:00

Here's a look at the girls...3 weeks old and getting feathery. They fly into a tiny pterodactyl panic everytime I reach into the brooder. Cheeping and squeaking and flapping. They stretch their weird little necks up, up, up-- asserting their dinosaur connection. I put a piece of sod in with them and they stood around staring at it for about 30 minutes. Astrid was the brave lady of the flock and finally gave the clump of grass a hard peck. She pulled a blade free and minced around the brooder with her prize. Immediately, the other 5 belles got in on the action. Damn cute!

New Collages

2009-10-11T15:57:00.000-07:00

I finished two collages today as replacements for some stuff that sold at my Tresses show. Maybe the crazy eyed kitty will spark someone's spooky Halloween interest. The other piece features my ever lovin' Suicide King riding atop a page from The Feminine Mystique and an old Camel ad complete with a lecherous magician-- love it! $30.00 framed--what a steal!

Tresses Salon (above Sweet Basil on Solano Avenue, in Berkeley) Weds-Sat 11am - 5 pm. Check it out, Baby!

Screenplay Writing Retreat

2009-10-11T09:33:00.000-07:00

Lyra and I had a very successful evening at our screenplay writing retreat. We worked hard, got about 1/3 of the first draft worked out and skeletized. The idea for the second script is fleshed out (still on paper scraps) and taking shape. I am so proud of us! It is satisfying to be on our way with something we've loosely talked about for so long.

We stayed at The W Hotel and I can totally recommend it for any SF rendezvous you might be planning. A young vibe-- a bit too aware of trying to be hip-- but very clean and quiet. Our 11th floor room had a neat view of the city. The hotel is next door to SFMOMA and a short walk to great eats and shopping. Pool, Bliss Spa and workout room-- we didn't check out these amenities because we were so hard at work but maybe next time!

We noshed at Two (formerly Hawthorne Lane) and it was a great spot for talking and sipping. Tho' I am still craving the wood fired pizza which we did not order.

Almost time to get an agent!

XXX Fresh Laid Ladies XXX

2009-10-05T14:32:00.000-07:00

Maybe I'll get an uptick of hits on the ol' blog with my spicy post title. I suspect that Gayle and my dad are my only readers. Thanks guys!

My auto-vinyl chicken sticker arrived in today's mail. I wonder if people will think I'm involved in a cock fighting club (ooh, another few googlers probably just found my site). If you see me cruising around town in a hen obsessed stupor, give a wave!

Here are a couple pics of the delicious darlings with their new wing feathers.

Happy October!

2009-10-01T08:11:00.000-07:00

My favorite month is upon us. Soup making weather, I like to call it. I get a surge of energy and clarity when the days shorten and begin to cool. It was a gorgeous summer and I do appreciate the longer, lazy evenings that August gives us. But as a home-centric nesting type, I have to celebrate the onset of autumn.

Wing Feathers

2009-09-27T19:09:00.000-07:00

The darlings have sprouted little wing feathers. I couldn't be more proud of their industriousness! Eggs = 5 months and counting

Magic on a hot fall's night

2009-09-27T18:21:00.000-07:00

We threw a little house concert/poetry reading last night to honor our old friend Scott Ezell's forthcoming book "Petroglyph Americana". The book is an extended narrative poem that reads like a ripping travel adventure. It's a gorgeously crafted and spot-on study of the joys and constraints that our human behavior has wrought upon the planet.

The musical portion of the evening was rich and lovely with Scott's friends Doug Newton and Kia accompanying him for a rousing set of tunes. Marc and Philip Batchelder provided spice on the mandolin and violin, respectively. Everyone enjoyed the blend of music and poetry all performed against the backdrop of a late September night sky-- Jupiter winked at us from above as the sun sank into the bay.

The Baby Chicks Arrived!

2009-09-22T13:10:00.000-07:00

Our new brood arrived via USPS this afternoon after a post-hatch overnight flight from Connecticut. 3 Buff Orpingtons and 3 Austrolorps are busily eating and chirping in their new digs. They are just so cute and curious. The Austros seem feistier and smarter than the Orps. One of the Austros even ate a bug that flew into the brooder! Char is going to be thrilled when she gets home from school. She has been counting down the days since we ordered them. Eggs laying will begin in about 5 months. They wobble and bob like wee drunkards and then fall into a sleeping heap.

Poor old Happy Face

2009-09-12T10:43:00.001-07:00

My friend Cherry, who is 6 years old, took a picture of her dolly "Happy Face" and gave me a copy. Happy Face has a lazy eye and no clothing. Cherry and her mama rescued poor little Happy Face from Thrift Town and put her through many cycles in the washing machine. This did not improve HF's wonky eye. I love Happy Face so I immortalized her in a faux half-tone screen print. Sweet dolly!

Sweet Victory!

2009-09-08T10:55:00.000-07:00

I fired up the ol' light exposure unit and all is well! I coated and burned 5 new screens in my make shift dark room and the results are wonderful. I am so relieved that I am able to push through the entire screen printing process in my home studio. Here is the latest piece-- a four color print of a city scape. As of yet unnamed but I'm working on it. The first photo shows the inital two layers and the second photo shows the piece with it's people added. There are also some strips of words and numbers over-layed in yellow--it pops in person but is hard to capture with my sucky phototog skills.

BFF BDAY

2009-09-08T07:39:00.000-07:00

We hosted a super fun b-day party for our sweet Lyra this past Saturday night. Roulette, poker and our old favorite Cranium's Pop-5 were played with much hilarity. The guys beat us up in Pop-5 which is always a big surprise due to the gals' clear expertise in all that is celeb gossip and trendiness.
Lyra reigns supreme in the realm of friendship and I was so pleased to throw her this little party. She and I will be off to our Screenwriting Retreat in early October--promises to be productive and entertaining. Our ideas will finally be pulled out of the bottom of our champagne glasses and put down onto paper!

Art on Display!

2009-08-31T07:18:00.000-07:00

Tresses Salon at 1734 Solano Avenue in Berkeley has been kind enough to let me hang a bunch of screenprints and paper houses in their fabulous hair studio. They are open Wednesday through Saturday from 11 am to 5 pm. Stop by and take a look!

Tresses is aboue Sweet Basil Cafe on the corner of Ensenada and Solano. Becca and Jackie do wonderful things with hair, if you are in the market for a new 'do.

paper house assemblages

2009-07-26T13:25:00.001-07:00

I finished up the tiny paper house assemblages for Silvia to take with her to Italy. I am so pleased that she asked me to put these together as gifts for her mom and sister. I hope they like them! I added two sets of houses to my etsy shop. Fingers crossed that someone out there will fall in love with them, too.

I am anxious to begin printing the new set of images over the next few days and have some super fresh work to share with my peeps. These scenes should be fairly modern and tell an urban tale. We'll see!!

2 things

2009-07-15T20:03:00.000-07:00

1. Mavis sunning near the sunflowers. She has not chewed on them yet.

2. Cute packaging! If you have a gift need--let me know and I'll include a hand crafted gift tag on your order with your special message. Your present will arrive with gifty style! This one is destined for Nashville--one friend welcoming another home using my screen prints as featured in my Etsy shop.

The Next Big Thing

2009-07-09T08:36:00.000-07:00

This pile of stuff will soon be transformed into a 4 layer screen print. We are moving the exposure unit from Thilde's studio into our house tomorrow--I am beside myself with anticipation. It promises to be a very productive situation.

the last hurrah

2009-07-09T08:31:00.000-07:00

Here's a pic of the whole gang down at Nizza La Bella, helping me seal the deal on turning 40. It was the last of the b-day stuff and it was totally fun! I lost count of the number of bubbly bottles consumed but it out paced the plates of fries and aioli by a lot. I have the nicest circle of friends. Miss Libby even made a cake! I may or may not have kissed the bartender--"what happens at Nizza, stays at Nizza!"

The Top of the Hill

2009-07-05T09:32:00.000-07:00

Well, here I sit at the top of the hill. Not quite over the hill but certainly headed that way! Mike threw a great little party on Friday night and the celebration lasted 'til 3 am. Oh lordy-- forty year olds are not made of such tough stuff. Luckily, none of the neighbors complained but I'm sure they were silently seething at the loud music and shouts of victory from the roulette table. Having a b-day on the 4th of July is such a treat!

Today will be all about the art and I am hoping to have some new stuff to post tomorrow.

tiny berries

2009-07-01T13:45:00.000-07:00

Char picked out these baby blueberries at the market and they as sweet as they are gorgeous. The little bowl is about 1 1/2" wide-- I usually use it to hold just a bit of salt on the table-- so you can imagine how teensy these berries are--yum!

Also, art flash!!! There are several new prints up in my Etsy shop. The colors are nice and bright and really pop off the paper. Fingers crossed for a few bites!

The Gents

2009-06-25T17:41:00.000-07:00

I burned six screens last night in record time. The reclaiming went smoothly, no issues with clogs now that I've discovered Holy Cow Pink Degreaser, and I was dried, coated, dried, burned and rinsed zippity split. Here are some shots of the first go-round with the big dots and the line-up of old time Gents. I love they way that the Clooney-esque one is checking out his friend. Too cute!

2009-06-24T07:24:00.000-07:00

I had a grand time out with Miss Lyra last night. We had quite the wide ranging discussion: life at 40, families, to travel or not to travel, party planning, how to hang on to our optimism in these trying times, etc. It was lovely to be out with my BFF enjoying the summer light down at Nizza. If only I had said no to that last Mojito...

The Perfect Father's Day

2009-06-23T09:11:00.001-07:00

We spent a gorgeous Father's Day with my folks and the wee Atlas pup. Good food, lots of laughs, a few g & t's and a sound trouncing at the poker table for me. Char made a nice lunch for Big Mike and we honored his most excellent fathering style. Here he is playing catch and managing not to spill a drop! Nice balls!

fresh art--fire red rocks!

2009-06-21T13:21:00.000-07:00

Speedball's "Fire Red" is the real deal. Deep, rich and very opaque--if you go for that sort of thing!

Candy Land

2009-06-21T12:09:00.000-07:00

Have you popped into Powell's Candy Store? It is on the main drag in Lafayette and it is dreamy. Not only do they carry just what the kiddies love but they also have incredible gelato. If you need a kid-centric activity for one of these long summer days, head through the tunnel and check it out. Oh, and bring me a bag of Bit O'Honey--dental work be damned!

"Hot" Background

2009-06-19T12:56:00.000-07:00

Here are the process shots of the new "hot" background. I call it hot because it is a way enlarged image taken from an old 1950's Heat Exchanger Manual. It features air molecules heated and cooled and bouncing all around in a delicious friction soup. I don't know what the hell it all means but I love the design elements.

the tomato

2009-06-17T14:29:00.000-07:00

Our foggy Berkeley weather seems to have squelched our tomato plants. On each plant hangs exactly one tomato. One lonely green tomato. Perhaps it is too early in the season to worry.

Sticker Nation

2009-06-16T10:14:00.000-07:00

Do you know about Stickernation? It is a great resource for all kinds of custom stickers. It would be fun to do a bumper sticker as a party invitation and stick it to a doodle of an old bumper. Remember Peechee folders? The old dirty yellow paper files with the weirdo sports drawings on them? Great place for a sticker.

This is a picture of the mini bumper sticker I had made to include with my screen prints. The font is called "cat scratch"-- oh lordy, I love it!

www.stickernation.com

Birds-revisited

2009-06-16T09:54:00.000-07:00

I read somewhere on the internet that bird art is totally over and so "last week"--what does that say about me? My bird urges are still going strong. I am considering a rework of the bird & house thing. More graphic less homespun. I saw a great graffiti black bird swooping down against a dribble of orange paint. Street birds a go-go!

Joel's roses

2009-06-14T07:46:00.000-07:00

Mike's guitar and rowing buddy, Joel, brought us a jar full of these crazy, candy-cane colored roses. They almost look fake with their gaudy, show-offy red and white splatters. I love real garden roses. Lusty and disorganized.

more "Train" spotting

2009-06-14T07:40:00.000-07:00

I've been working with the 5 "Train" screens and here are the results. Some process shots are in the earlier post but here we see the color and placement variation. My head is spinning. I don't know which combo works best. The pea green and primrose yellow are interesting together but I love the dirty commie feeling that the black and red prints evoke.

5 color print "Delicious Train"

2009-06-08T06:59:00.000-07:00

I pulled prints and watched ink dry yesterday. With 5 colors, there is much waiting and carefully testing each color before proceeding to the next step. I am not a patient gal so it wasn't easy! The results are wonderful and I am so glad that I didn't rush the process. I should have these posted to my Etsy shop later today.

zucchini blossoms

2009-06-08T06:56:00.000-07:00

Our dear friend Silvia brought us these gorgeous zucchini blossoms from her stint at the Ferry Building's Farmer's Market. Mike fried them up in a light batter and they tasted lovely--grassy and sweet. The color of the bloom knocked me out.

Mavis

2009-06-05T10:47:00.001-07:00

My littlest darling pointed out to me that I have neglected to post a picture of the cat on my blog. Here is the cat. She is very nosy and is my "mostly companion" -- as Eloise would say.

English Comp.

2009-06-05T10:36:00.000-07:00

I've burned a new set of screens and here are the results so far. This is a 5 layer screen print and I've only printed 3 layers but I am pleased with what is happening with this project. The phrases are pulled (sliced I should say) from a 1953 English Composition book. Chipper little sentences that make me laugh. The background layers are enlargements of a b&w photo of an old french castle. I am anxious to see how this all plays out. I will vary the color combos and alternate the layers and see what kind of trouble I can get into with this print.

Scribble swirl process shots

2009-06-01T19:44:00.000-07:00

Here are some photos of the latest screen being printed and the initial results. The image is better as I add more colors-- though my original idea was two colors overlaying to create a third color. Also, my tiny committee has determined that a background is necessary. I may have to revisit some of the text backgrounds to make these crazy balls pop (can I say that??).

Atlas

2009-06-01T19:42:00.000-07:00

O.K., I know, but he is so cute! My folks got a new puppy, a papillon, and he is the most dear little creature. Very even tempered and kind. He plays with great energy and then puts his head on his little pillow and takes a nap. Good baby. His name is Atlas and we are all in love.

tiny houses--paper assemblage

2009-05-26T15:33:00.000-07:00

I've completed several new "tiny houses". Using vintage ephemera, chip board and acid free adhesive, I cut and paste and play until the little house tells me it is complete. I am planning on matting them and throwing them into the etsy shop. I just love them!

poker chip eyes

2009-05-19T07:19:00.000-07:00

I just love this picture. It captures the wonderful kind of crazy that happens at our little parties. I tried to melt the edges of the pic in photoshop. Weird but cool--like us!

suicide king

2009-05-17T15:32:00.000-07:00

I want to create a screen print using this image of the ol' suicide king but I don't know how to go about it. I think he would look fabulous up against a background featuring a brick wall or a bank of windows. What if he could be rendered in tiny red dots and pop off of a gray backdrop? We shall see...

New Prints

2009-05-14T07:01:00.000-07:00

Jeez-- It's harder to come up with new posts than I thought! Coming up with new art is not as hard. I've been working with some vintage bingo card images and that ever lovin' old truck that I can't seem to get enough of. I am pleased with the result. The second print features an old ad from a 1940's gardening mag. The ad is for Cherry Tree varieties-- don't you long for the old days a little bit?

Largesse

2009-04-30T13:22:00.000-07:00

Though Mr. Warhol is likely spinning in his wee grave, I present to you the 4 panel screen print du jour "Scratch" in blue and green. I like working big!

...The Feel of the Ocean and The Taste of Champagne

2009-04-30T11:17:00.000-07:00

I'm thinking ahead to summer and our Rupert Holmes anthem is at play in my head. What is going on with the roses? Blousy, blown out blossoms and it isn't even May. The weather is all over the place. I suspect Dick Cheney is somehow to blame. The thyme has already flowered. Things are strangely paced this year and I wonder what the next few months will bring. Better to skip ahead to August and some serious beach time.

New art should be up this weekend! Check back then!

My Main Man M. Ward

2009-04-27T17:41:00.000-07:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjkH40Mx0bc

My super-fave alterna-folk singer-songwriter-sweet lickster, M. Ward, playing the beautiful "Chinese Translation" on Letterman. Check it out and fall in love. I tried to embed the actual video but my neophyte blogger status foiled my efforts.

Dinner is almost ready. The internet tells me not to blog about what I'm eating but I cannot help myself. Roasted Eggplant, Potato, Red Onion, Tomato Pasta and a sexy salad. Good dinner companions, too.

2009-04-27T13:00:00.000-07:00

Dotty Bird print--possible Thousand Oaks Carnival donation? I am still so tickled by these little bird brained screen prints.

Lyra and I had a super fun evening sipping champagne, eating fries and talking about everything under the sun. After dinner, we drove over to Zellerbach to see David Sedaris. He did not disappoint! He was just as smart, funny and wacky as his writing. It was a treat being with my BFF, eating Dum-dums, and taking in the Cal crowd. I hope the woman seated next to me recovers from her wretched cough soon and that the gropey guy who sat in front of us ended up getting lucky after the show.

New Art is UP in my Etsy Shop!

2009-04-26T15:48:00.000-07:00

I've added several new screen prints to my Etsy Shop. It was a grand weekend of pulling prints and I am quite pleased with the results. Let's hope the customers come rolling in...or at least take a look-see.

The address for the shop is: http://kelokeefe.etsy.com

Here are some pics of the new work for your review and comment.

I am off to see sweet, funny David Sedaris speak at Zellerbach tonight. It promises to be great fun!