my vision

Although it's been a little blurry getting the Studio set up this year, I think my vision is becoming clearer.
My original intention in opening the studio was to have a space that people could use to start, further, master or share their creativity. A place to take a workshop, host a workshop, swap creations, sell creations, find local art and the occasional unusual supply.

I think that the process of demolition, rebuilding, designing the space with the structural walls (in the way) in place and filling the studio left me a little blurry, and certainly tired.

I'm excited for 2010 to be here and the Holiday to finally be over. Opening the Studio in mid-October was NEVER my intention when we started working the last week of June. While the supporters have come out in droves,

Thank you all from the bottom of my heart - you know who you are :)

it's been quite a challenge to get "on the map" during these dark days of fall and winter and competing with the holidays.

Things are starting to shape up, energy is high, the sun is out (one can wish), and it's getting warmer outside (still wishing)!

Stop by and see what's happening Tuesday thru Saturday 11am to 6pm!
The Studio blog will also help to keep you in the loop :)

Yay! My Favorite!

This is one of the best, most diverse and fun events in Seattle. Find me there as a Vendor, too!


Your $1 admission fee goes towards LIHI (the Low Income Housing Institute).

Come on by!

Holiday Open House at
Black Door Studio!

When? Saturday and Sunday November 28 &29

Where? 237 Elm St Everett, WA 98203

Why should you come?
Beautiful offerings from many Local Artisans, holiday decor, gift items and more.

Shop Local and Shop Handmade this holiday season!

Find me here:

Did you notice the words, "Swag Bags"? Yes, I know it's only for the first 50 people but that's the first 50 people EACH DAY!!!

Not just that! You also get to bring a piece of new or gently used winter clothing for a foster kids. ( not required but it would be nice :)

There will also be a raffle to benefit the kids and 4, yes four, lucky winners will win a basket filled with full size products made by our very own Local Artisans! I was the "collector of the stuff" for these baskets and let me tell you, I'm buying some raffle tickets! Now come on down!

the progression

Who knew?

Who knew I could get so excited over something like this?



Of course, the one I'm excited about is Black and 6ft wide to fit over a door.

See a related info HERE

The NEW Studio Store / Art Space!

Coming soon!

Black Door Studio
237 Elm St. Everett, WA

For more info:
follow the blog here

• Watch the progress of reconstruction/remodeling
• Be the 1st to hear about new treasures and Vendors in the Studio Store.
• Read the features about current vendors and workshop instructors.

Join the network here

• Connect with others who use the art space.
• Find out what classes and workshops are coming up by checking the calendar.
• Show off your artwork by uploading photos.
• Learn about special deals and "friends" Events.

The Adventure - Part 1 Everett, WA 9:30am

Hmmmmmmm, where to begin?
Maybe our first night, Billings, MT.

Looks like a nice enough place in the daylight. Downtown Billings, on the river. Clean, tidy, historic neighborhood. Coffee shop slash kayak rentals at the back of the parking lot. But at night. Oh! Night! Cars parked on both sides of the streets, one ways, roads under construction and dead ends.

We rolled in at 3am. Two of the big 28 foot Penske trucks, one pulling a car on a car dolly. No big deal, you say. BUT. Add 3 drivers new to this size vehicle, the same drivers that have little to no experience backing up with a trailer that you can't see. Add in an L-shaped, unmarked, dead end, one lane with cars parked on both sides of the street and no place to turn around. Did I mention that it was 3am? Well, one hour, lots of yelling over the sound of the truck (no frustration or anything) and lots of zig-zagging and we made it to our rooms just after 4am. Nice rooms :) Up and out at 9:30am to hit the road, dreading Butte and the mountain pass.

sidenote: one of the trucks (truck 2) started acting up on Snoqualmie pass. Yes, less than 100 miles from home. Dash lights started flashing, things were beeping. As we pulled off the highway to figure it all out... it died. Being the make-do girl I am (possibly a bad choice this time) I said, "turn the key off, let it sit a minute and start it up again." Vwa-la! Lights were off, crazy-loud beeping had stopped and we were off on our adventure again!

My oh my!

I'm finally home.
This adventure will never be topped!
I have a severe case of sleep deprivation, overload, burnout and over stimulation all at once. I’m just not the multi-tasker I used to be. When did life become so simple that I forgot how to juggle 8-10 projects at a time?

Highlights of the "Great Adventure" to follow.

an Adventure!

There are two of these and three drivers.
The plan was to leave last Sunday. I've been packed, perched at the phone and ready to go. Tomorrow, tomorrow, tomorrow has become Friday. I haven't started anything as I needed (wanted) to be ready to go. I've finished quite a few things though. :) We've changed the flight once.
Looks like we might be changing it again.

Cool new program!

Make a Smilebox postcard

Search and Negotiation UPDATE:

I think we have a solid YES from one of the 2 spaces!
Meeting today to walk thru and discuss changes.
Crossing my fingers.

Update to the Update:
Yay! I have a space! There is most definitely some interior and a bit of exterior work to be done. We should be moved in no later than August 1st!!! Not sure if the space will be arranged with retail open to the public but it will be, should be, ready for Workshops, ATC swaps, and WCW!

The search and negotiation

Well, here we are, already mid June.
In the perfect little world inside my head, the search and negotiation for the new studio space is complete and I'm all moved in.



In the real world, there are 2 places I want badly and neither owner is motivated enough to finalize the details and get me paying them rent. At first I thought maybe it was me. Now I realize that they really are not motivated.
At all.
It's killing me.
The long lazy days of summer are the perfect time to paint, prepare, decorate and promote a new location.
Soon.
Yes, soon.

love it!

My 1st day walking upright again (after the plague)

What I needed to do for the upcoming shows (one tomorrow):


What I did instead:

Yay Sunshine!
Still don't feel that great but vitamin D is a good start.

Frogs!

The frogs are back!

We had a good freeze on Friday night but woke up to sunshine!

Getting up into the sixties Saturday and, I'm sure, breaking 70 degrees on Sunday brought them back.

For the last six years these little guys have been singing us to sleep. Sometimes, just an aria under our window and sometimes the entire deafening choir. They love my lush mini-garden and regularly visit from the little pond a couple of hundred feet away. We were amazed when we caught one and found out how small they are. They could easily sit on a quarter, but the sound they make is enormous!

Right now, frogs mean SPRING to me!

Boy, am I ready. Next is leaves on trees and flowers blooming. Wouldn't it be wonderful if it was always Spring?

March 9 10am-ish

Well, here we are again.

This photo is the view from my window workbench.

Sitting and playing with alcohol inks, I'm able to look out at the snow coming down. It is pretty, but it's also only the 1st day.

No panic this time. I don't have anywhere I need to be until Friday. Yay!

The panic and claustrophobia shouldn't set in till about Thursday morning if this doesn't go away. For now, I'll happily enjoy the quiet, play cd's and fiddle with paper crafts while it continues to snow.

THE UPDATE ~>>> 3-10-09

It snowed, and snowed, and snowed. Nearly 7 inches. Then, *cue angels singing music* the sun came out. Clear Blue Sky. The contrast against the freshly snow covered roofs was beautiful. 3:00pm and the snow started to melt. Of course it didn't melt all the way before evening came and the temperature started to drop. A cold, clear night left us with a crunchy, icy roadway in the neighborhood and black ice on the main streets. I'm stuck in the garage but hey, the sun is out so I don't mind :)

UGH!

So, I did a show yesterday at a local Middle School. I usually try to avoid schools as they have never been that great for me. I stayed up late two nightes in a row making jewelry like crazy. Well, as crazy as I could with a low motivation level. The show was a bust. I made my fee and less than $100 for the day. It also snowed. That likely impacted our attendance.

So today I'm back to what has made me happy lately. SWAPBOT! Yay!

Don't laugh. I'm actually hosting a couple swaps on the open boards. I have done a few within the safety net of my groups but these two? These two are for everybody!

Come join!

Inchies by Color - Blue!

http://www.swap-bot.com/swap/show/32495

and

ATC - I found it in the Newspaper!

http://www.swap-bot.com/swap/show/32494

Come on... do it.. you know you want to :)

Really!?!

Those of you that know me, know I'm a Reality TV junkie.
I'm not proud of it, it's just a fact. I'm coming clean.
I haven't yet tried to figure out what sick little part of me enjoys these things. Maybe it's the loose script as opposed to the super-fakey script of the sitcoms or the over-acted script of the many prime time shows. Maybe it's that the often totally crazy, sometimes trashy "Stars" (I say loosly) make me feel more normal. Maybe it's the opportunity to be smug and judge without feeling guilty...

Regardless,

The Bachelor finale.

Really!?!I can't hold back what a Tool I think this guy is. I've felt all along that Jason was the type of guy that RSVP's to everything with a "maybe" in case something better comes along. This ending was really no surprise, I guess. It was just a fickle Kirkland guy with his daily case of "what if's".

For those that don't watch: This guy from Seattle Area, MY area, dumped Girl 1 on National Television, asked Girl 2 to marry him. Went home alone (as the show requires to keep the secret till airing), changed his mind, DUMPED the girl he picked, again on National TV, then asked Girl 1 if she would go have coffee. Really!?! What a Tool. I predict he will be staying "in" more once he's back to Seattle from the show taping. That or he needs to wear a big hat and grow out his facial hair for a disguise.

Honestly, he kept saying "Ty (his 4 yr old son) is my number 1" and "Ty will always be the most important" and "What really matters is Ty". Then why did he put the little guy through this; Dad being gone, being flown all over the world and staying with family members, meeting multiple women (3 in all)? Neither of these final two women deserved to be number 2 to this guy. They both deserve better.

Also, They said he was from Kirkland. Yes, Kirkland. I'm from Seattle and the Sleepless in Seattle parallels they were portraying made me throw up in my mouth a little. PLUS, that S-in-S style houseboat was certainly not in Kirkland. His home in the Bachelorette season were HE was Dumpee, was an average 50's Kirkland house. Did they really think the regular Bachelor viewers wouldn't catch that? Lot's of creative license taken here.

Rant over. I feel better :-)
Don't judge me. LOL

Artist Trading Cards

I can't stop making these silly things!

ATC's (Artist Trading Cards) are all pieces of original artwork that are exclusively 3.5" x 2.5", the size of a trading/collecting card.



It all started with my burnout on jewelry making from the great holiday build-up. Now, it's a quick (sometimes) and mindless (sometimes) way to release stress, make a mess and be creative. As you can see, I found my package of black paper that I have been looking for (for just about ever).

Here is some of my Sunday afternoon messy, stress relief :) Alchol Inks!

More to be found on my Flickr page: Julia's ATC Set

ATC's - Swap-bot fun!

Quick post with last nights ATC's for a swap.
The theme was postage stamps.











I relied on natural light as I didn't want to get the whole light set-up out. The pictures could have been better but hey, I remembered to take them :)

In honor of my Dad 1-11

We lost my Dad 2 years ago today.

He was a strong, supportive man that always had a smile, a song and kind word for everyone. He taught me to always make a true effort, start every day fresh carrying over only the lessons from the day before, that "happy" and "positive" is a choice and that even the most annoying, difficult person had good qualities if you took the time to look. He was right and I miss him.

Dad holding my son Joel

Dad holding my son Joel's, son Dylan

See Dad peeking around the right side?

My new addiction

This website has been so much fun for me while we were buried in the frozen, white rain.
It has brought me back to making the ATC's and Inchies that I love so much.

Swap-bot has also been a great break from jewelry making. The frenzy of holiday "stocking up" for the wholesale orders, consignment shops, live shows and my own websites had really wore me down.

Check out Swap-bot. You can start small or just jump right in. When you get the mail, it feels like your birthday. Every day!

Nooooooooo!

Sunday
Jan 4th
9:40pm




I don't want to talk about it.

It's almost time

New Year's Day (and the snow) has come and gone and it's just
about time to get back on schedule.

I haven't decided if it's a relief knowing structure is just around the corner or if it's just a little bit sad knowing that routine is going to come rushing in on Monday January 5th.

Either way, winter solstice has passed and the days are getting longer. Yay!