Thursday, October 30, 2008

Mecca

I feel as though I just found the embroidery mecca.

Stitch Spectacular

xoxo,
*M*

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Future Projects?

Earlier this week I sent in my headshot and resume to Circle Theatre here in the grand land of Chicago. They are holding auditions in December for their production of Charles Mee's play A Perfect Wedding. It's basically his version of A Midsummer's Night Dream. I would love to be in a Mee play, so here's to hoping I get a call with an audition time. :)

I'm also debating on whether I want to join in on this art project with Art House in Atlanta, The 10,000 People Project. I really love what Art House does for the arts, but there's only one catch. If I sign up for a project they gain the rights to my work. They can distribute my images anyway they want. Not that I think they'd do anything malicious with it or anything. I'm just not 100% comfortable with the idea of someone else owning the rights to my work. I mean...it's my work, ya know? So, I'll have to sit on this for a bit and decide if it's worth it to me.

Thoughts, m'dear readers?

*M*

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

BADGES!

I'm pleased to announce that I now have badges (pins, buttons, whathaveyou) for my Etsy store!

Mama Sass Designs Badges

I've been meaning to have some made since I opened the store back in June, but didn't have the means (either financially or mentally) to place an order. Low and behold I finally got it together. I'm planning on using them as freebies on Etsy and for the Handmade Market Chicago Craft Fair.

I highly recommend the Etsy seller I got them from as well: Badge Town. Jon, the seller, was really responsive and worked with me to make sure I had the best badges possible. He's also new to Etsy and for the time being his prices are extremely reasonable, so if you're looking for promotional stuff for your store or party favors or just something fun check him out. :)

xoxo,
*M*

Sunday, October 26, 2008

Finished! Woo Hoo!

Dear Readers,

I finally finished my pieces for the Art Whino show. Now all I have to do is gather some hardware for hanging everything and then I can ship everything, which I'll probably do tomorrow. What a weight that has been lifted!
From Art Whino Show Nov. 2008


I also counted up my inventory for the Handmade Market Craft Fair and I have a total of 35 shirts. I was rather surprised, but delighted that now I can pretty much make more items without rushing myself. Phew and phew!

If that wasn't enough, today is the last day for my play Land of the Free. We close tonight and have strike right after. I've had a lot of fun working on this show, but with everything else that is going on I could really use the break. Now that all of these projects are coming to close I can start to focus on my Halloween costume...a Domestic Goddess. I'm pretty excited about it. Pictures to come!

Happy Sunday Folks!
*M*

Thursday, October 23, 2008

Top Five Albums of 2008

Just because I'm a music nerd...

In no particular order:


1. The Dutchess and The Duke: She's the Dutchess, He's the Duke (I've said it before and I'll say it again, thank you Jane for this little gem. I can't stop listening to it and it just makes me want to pick up the guitar again specifically so I can learn these songs. "Strangers" and "I Am Just a Ghost" are high on my list of favorites songs from the year.)


2. Los Campesinos: Hold On Now, Youngster (Shake Shake Shake your fanny all night long! Thanks Uncle Jim!)


3. Eli "Paperboy" Reed and The True Loves: Roll With You (I have a tendancy to buy whatever the guys at Laurie's Planet of Sound in Lincoln Square tell me I should buy. Thus I met Mr. Reed and his True Loves. G Damn it, this album is magic and makes me want to sing.)


4. Juno: Soundtrack (This one just gives me simple warm fuzzes. Thank ya Kimya Dawson.)

5. Pete and The Pirates: Little Death (Once again thanks to Uncle Jim for this one. There are mornings where I find it difficult to listen to this album and not break out dancing on the 147 bus to work. If these boys ever make it to Chicago I will stop everthing to see them. And I'll drag you with me. Oh yes. YOU.)

Runners Up:

- Sharon Jones and The Dap Kings: Naturally. (Didn't make the list only because it was not released in 2008)

- Flight of the Conchords: Flight of the Conchords. (For as much as I love it, I don't feel 100% right about including a comedy album in the top five. Although "Leggy Blonde" is rather pricless.)

- Slow Club....I can't seem to locate a full album, therefore they don't qualify this time around, but rest assured if an album appears before the year is out I have no doubt that one of the current top five might get booted.

- Hot Hot Heat: Happiness Ltd. (Effen awesome album, but I find myself listening to only a couple songs on thier own rather than the album as a whole, but still....fucking brillant tunes.)

- Long Blondes: Couples. (Very different from their first album Someone To Drive You Home. A little more eletronic, a little more clubby, but still something to shake your fanny to. Too bad they just broke up. Sad face.)

- Radiohead: In Rainbows (...why the "f" isn't this in the top five? Just on principle...)

5a. Radiohead: In Rainbows
(I don't want to be your friend
I just want to be your lover
No matter how it ends
No matter how it starts

Forget about your house of cards
And I'll do mine
Forget about your house of cards
And I'll do mine
-House of Cards)


xoxo,
*M*

Twenty Done. One To Go!

I am pleased to say that I have only one piece left to make for the Art Whino show. ONE! It's mostly done actually. I have to sew the pieces together and voila! The second half of the pieces are very simple compared to the first set. Basically, they are canvas on canvas with some thread and a stencil. I feel like a huge weight has been lifted. Once I have the last piece finished all I really have to do is pull together hardware to hang everything and stuff them in a box to ship. Phew!
From Art Whino Show Nov. 2008




Aaaaaand...I looked at my inventory list yesterday for the craft fair and I'm apparently farther along than I thought I was! Woo hoo! Everything's coming up *M*!



My show,
Land of the Free, closes on Sunday, which also happens to be my mom's 70th birthday. It's going to be a busy weekend of stage combat, politics and birthday phone calls. :) So, as my mom would say "Onward and upward!"



xoxo,


*M*

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Lola

Even though I'm under the gun with the Art Whino show and the Handmade Market Chicago fair I decided that a night of good ol' Halloween fun was in order.



I spent the evening with some friends, just relaxing and carving pumpkins. It's been years since I've been to a pumpkin carving party. After two cups of mulled cider, some garlic roasted pumpkin seeds and way too much candy, Lola was born...


Photobucket
Photobucket



She's a terrible flirt.



xoxo,

*M*

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Ugh

Two things:

1. I just got word from the Art Whino folks that they are moving the show to a different space with more room, higher ceilings and are keeping the show hours from Noon to 8pm seven days a week for a month. Pretty effen sweet if you ask me.

2. They are moving our deadline up by about a week. Crap-a-lap-a-ding-dong. I'm about half way done and now I have to speed through my plan B. Plan B will work out nicely I think, but I'm a little nervous now about getting all the pieces done in time. I know it will happen. Somehow it will happen. Well, I guess it's a good thing I'm not really all that used to a full night's sleep anymore, right?


Right?


xoxo,
*M*

Friday, October 17, 2008

Art Whino and Handmade Market Chicago

Dear Readers,

Life is insane. Why, you might be asking? Because I have a problem saying "no" lately.


For the past few months I've been working tirelessly to make inventory for the Handmade Market Craft Show here in Chicago for Nov. 8th. I've been making patches for shirts and crocheting my little heart out. On top of that I was accepted into a stencil art show in Maryland which requires me to make one 20x20 stencil piece and 20 "found object" pieces. Boy howdy, I..am...insane! I have most of the inventory done and a good amount of the pieces for the art show done. I've given myself the deadline of Nov. 7th to have everything done and ship whatever I need to ship to MD, but damn....I'm running on fumes at the moment. I'm currently in a show with my theatre company, Babes With Blades, and we have one more weekend of performances after this week. I've been working 9-5 Mon-Fri, sewing in the evening Mon-Wed and then performing Thurs-Sun. How I am still alive is a miracle. I feel that the end will justify the means though. I'm really proud of the work I'm pulling together and I'm setting new goals for myself thanks to all this madness. So, within the next few months I hope to have lots of new stories to tell.

In the meantime, here is one of the pieces I'll be submitting to the Art Whino show in November:

Margaret
"Margaret" (Materials: Scrap fabric, thread, canvas and brown Sharpie marker.)

I think once I have all the pieces for the two shows done I'll be making more of these scrap fabric panels for my Etsy store. So far everyone who has seen them thinks they're pretty nifty. Might as well spread the love to the world!


xoxo,

*M*