Voll Krass!

Okay, so I really should be doing school work right now and I know I'll regret it in the morning after sacrificing my sleep but I am so excited and it's 4.30am in the morning in Germany so I can't call you to share it over the phone. This way you guys can read about it before I get home from lunch tomorrow and I can finally call you!

So as the previous blog post explained, I've been experimenting with "Bauernmalerei" (I really wish I could remember the english term for it!). It was just for fun and a possibility for christmas gifts. Anyway, my boss has this tradition that he gives his daughter a little jewelry box every year for christmas so I gave him one of the little one's I made yesterday. I had all 3 samples on the desk at work when one of our patients came in. She asked me what they were and expressed how much she liked them. I felt flattered. I also was wearing some ear rings I had designed and we talked about some other things I've made (e.g. floral hair clips etc.). After a few min! She told me that she is in charge of planning and organizing an annual Bazaar/Boutique/Holiday Market where artists and other local sales people offer their goods in preparation for Thanksgiving and Christmas. It's like a farmers market or fair, and pretty local (put on by Hyde Park City). She asked me if I'd be interested in selling the boxes, jewelry and the hair accessories and have my own booth there. I told her I'd think about it and asked for more details. The event is on the 20th of November (less then 2 months away!!!). All I'd have to do is supply the goods, price them and be there to sell them. The participation fee is only $25.00 and apparently it's been a big thing for the Hyde park community and very successful for a few years. Now, I'm trying to figure out if I can handle making them in addition to school, work and my calling and all the other things going on. I think I can, even though it'll mean a lot of extra work. The great thing is that the initial cost of these projects are very low. It'll add up, but hopefully I can make a little profit by selling them. That'd be sweet for Christmas! All I need now is time. Anyway, the whole office heard the conversation and all of them encouraged me to try it and everyone else I showed the samples to, said they are good enough to be sold (I hope they aren't just polite! But I like my work too). I feel like there is a lot I need to learn like try to perfect my technique, come up with enough designs and make sure that I make it high quality, so the products can last long...

I was so motivated that I started on the big box I hadn't attempted yet! Here you go!

Nostalgic Creativity

My Mom is a genius when it come to home making, music and artsy crafts. She had painted some antique furniture - lavender in color with "Bauernmalerei" style (a very traditional German style, similar to the outcome of my projects) . I remember the furniture in my room when I was wee little wench. Being the unappreciative child I was I wrecked all of them by drawing on 'em with pencil and sharpie's, beating them whilst playing with my rough brothers... you get the picture! I now mourn the loss of those beautiful pieces. Every time I see anything with that style I remember my mom's talent and my earliest child hood memories. Today I wanted to do something creative that was inexpensive. I have never tried drawing/painting in the style before. I came up with a game plan to teach myself. I was pretty happy with the outcome especially when considering this to be my first try. I wish my Mom was here and could show me how to really do it. It would be a lot easier than to fudge my own way through it.

Plan A (it worked satisfactory, otherwise you'd get Plan B):

1. Visualize the outcome

2. Look up You tube technique and research images of similar projects

2. Summon materials and set them up

3  Prepare damage control (you're gonna mess up or/and make a mess, if you're anything like me)

4. Turn on a great Soundtrack (I chose my favs. of the Beatles and Simon & Garfunkel and after a while turned to classical in preparation for the RS Broadcast and to finish my music assignment)

5. Apply base coat of color and let dry

6. Sand first coat down, to achieve a smooth end result

7. Apply 2nd coat of color

8. Mourn over ruined shirt, then instead of washing it out, get over it and continue while purposely splashing on your shirt just our of spite

9. Draw an outline of visualized design with white paint to create a base for vibrant color outcome

10. Add main layer of colors on top of white

11. Add shade and light effects and add different color facettes 

12. Add trimmings and little details, clean up smudges

12. Take a break and be embarrassed because you can't get paint off of hands before RS Broadcast even though you've scrubbed them red

13. After returning from the broadcast, touch up and apply overcoat spray to make paint more durable

14. When necessary sand down edges to take off thick layers that prevent you from fitting the lid to the box

15. Enjoy the result of your rare creative outburst

16. Take pictures and blog about it for posterity's sake and validation :)

17. Go to bed!