Snow Day!

It's been coming down steadily all day.  Thankfully I've been able to appreciate the snow storm from behind my studio window.  I've been busy photographing and editing and brainstorming since breakfast - and man, does it feel good!

I built a makeshift lightbox the other day for photographing my ceramic figurines, and am pleased to report that it's really getting the job done.  It wasn't hard to make at all - all it took was a blade, an empty cracker box, a few pieces of printer paper and some tape.

As you may have guessed, that's one of the gnomes in there.  His name is Jonas.  He's from Sweden, and is a voracious reader.

I know I said just the other day that I would be putting these little fellows up for sale on my Etsy shop soon, but I've since been inspired to undertake a new project involving the gnomes - which is still super secret, but I will say that I'm VERY excited about it!

I'll be sure to update again soon.  Until then, I'm going to crawl back under the electric blanket.  Brr!

Fun With Ceramics and New Shop Items!

I've had such an exciting weekend!

Saturday was a red-letter day for two reasons: First, because I got to read to a bunch of cute kiddies during storytime at the local children's museum.  And second, because the clay figurines I'd made a few weeks earlier had finally emerged from their final firing in the kiln!

The idea originated after I sculpted a few gnome friends out of polymer clay.  Evan had just repotted some of the plants my dad had given him back in August, and I thought it might be nice to have a groundskeeper around to keep an eye on things.

But of course I couldn't stop at just one...

So then came the traveling gnome.

The polymer clay was very easy to work with, and it afforded some great texture and detail.  But the pieces felt too fragile, and the acrylic paint and finish just not fit to withstand life in moist dirt, let alone on the road.

What I really hoped for was a gnome better suited for a life of adventure.  Durable enough to tag along in a pocket, and with a waterproof glaze that could tolerate the elements.

Thankfully, the nice lady at the paint-your-own pottery shop in downtown Winchester was kind enough to indulge my gnome fantasies by selling me a pound of clay and tediously loading and firing all of my tiny creations (twice!).

I now have eight, one-of-a-kind ceramic gnomes, ready to venture out and see the world!

There are, however, a few minor details to which we must tend before I can send them on their merry ways (personal identification cards, travel documents etc.) ...But I'm hoping they'll be ready for their Etsy debut by the end of the week!

In the meantime, you can take a look at these other ceramic friends I made.  They are available now at my Etsy Shop!

Here's Bonnie Bluebird.

 

And this is Sprinkles.

 And here's a tiny house.  Just because :-)

Thanks for stopping by, and be sure to check back soon for more gnome updates!

Valentine's Day Linocuts

The past few weeks have felt so stressful.  

It's been 3 months since I packed my things and flew across the country to make a new home in Virginia.  I'm really in love with where I live, and feel so grateful to be here.  But it's definitely proving to be an adjustment.

My life has undergone so many dramatic changes over the past few years, I think it's easy for me to underestimate sometimes just how challenging these big transitions can be.  

So when the adrenaline from the move has worn off and I still find myself struggling to find work, make friends, get my life together! - I sort of freak out and get down on myself for not being more adaptable, self-sufficient, completely perfect and awesome in every way...

It's good to pause and take a step back to notice these things.  Especially since my tendency to expect super-human performance from myself can really hinder the creative process!

Last night I was able to let go for a few hours and just surrender to the flow of creation.

 I love carving block prints.  It's such a meditative process.

These cards and more are available for purchase at my Etsy shop!

Drop by sometime and take a gander :)

The little things

 I found a pink-petaled mug covered in Siamese kitties at the hospice thrift shop down the street.

It might be my new favorite thing.

Or at least its' currently tied for first with homemade dark chocolate peanut butter cups. 

The cold snap hasn't been good for much, but it's certainly made hanging around indoors easy.

I've been working on some doodle illustrations for a fun new project.

Here's a little sneak peek:

Last night I sat drawing at the kitchen table for hours, wrapped up in an electric blanket.

So I guess winter isn't so bad :)

And in case you're eager to give them a try...

Here's my (highly unscientific) "recipe" for peanut butter cups:

- Unsweetened Baker's Chocolate

- Coconut Oil

- Sugar

- Vanilla Extract

- Salt

- Peanut Butter

- Paper cupcake cups

1. Chop/shave chocolate and place in small sauce pan

2. Add about 1 tablespoon of Coconut oil for every ounce of chocolate.

3. Add about 1.5 tablespoon of sugar per ounce of chocolate. (All I had in my cupboard was sugar in the raw, so I ground it very fine using a mortal and pestle.  Store bought powdered sugar would probably also work, but I can't recommend a dosage so you'd have to just add to taste).

4. Add a pinch of salt.

5. Place pot over low heat and stir until all ingredients have melted.

6. Remove from heat and stir in a teaspoon of vanilla extract.

7. Pour a thin layer of melted chocolate into cupcake cups (it may help to place cups in a cupcake pan if you have one, but I didn't and I managed just fine).

8. Add a dollop of peanut butter to each cup

9. Cover peanut butter with remaining chocolate, and place cups in freezer to cool.

Enjoy!

Trying My Hand

So I got all excited the other day and decided to try my hand at papercutting.

I've been playing with some fun designs, attempting to mimic the quaint antique papercuttings of yore and working to improve my technique.  It's an art form that will take some time to master, but I didn't fare too poorly after just a few hours of slicing and clipping.

I think I may need to get my hands on some finer, higher quality paper.  These were cut on plain ol' inkjet printer paper - which seemed surprisingly thick and difficult to cut.   

I love the look of the white paper against a vibrant background.

This one was really fun to design.

I see many hand cut Valentine's appearing in the New Year!

Wuv Birds.

New Inspiration

I've mentioned before how I love poking around antique shops for inspiration.  Well, over the weekend I got a big dose from these whimsical German papercuttings I spied hanging in the stairway of a cute little store in Purcellville:

I love the intricacy and symmetry of these designs.  It feels like a whole world in there!

Always eager to experiment with new artistic mediums, I decided to try my hand.

I didn't have the best materials - just a standard (not very dextrous) blade and some inexpensive colored construction paper.  But for a couple of cute and original Christmas Cards, they got the job done!

However, after a considerable period of time browsing Pinetrest and taking in some of the breathtaking work being featured at All About Papercutting, my eyes were opened to all that papercutting can be.  So I decided to invest in some better tools.

I picked up a fine-tipped razor blade and green rubber cutting mat, and harvested some paint swatches from my local hardware store.

I'll be experimenting today.  We'll see what develops :-)

Poppies in the Kitchen and Reverse Glass Painting

While exploring Purcerville over the weekend, Evan and I happened upon a Re-Store on its final day before moving, selling everything at 90% off.  Yes, ninety percent.  

Oh, I was excited.  Especially considering how bare the inside of our new little home is still looking. 

I found this adorable vintage chair with poppy print cushion for one dollar.

I also took home a great window for just $2.50, and proceeded to try my hand at reverse glass painting. 

Golden California Poppies, Naturally :-)

Not a masterpiece by any means, but it was a valuable experiment and will certainly brighten up the kitchen.

I also brought home a second piece of glass from the Re-Store - one that's over six feet tall!  I have something in mind for it, but would like to improve my technique a bit before diving into that project...

Hello again.

It's been so long!

After a year of posting only a few sporadic entries over at Untie & Unite, I'm thinking it may be time to revive Small Fox Press.

First, to bring you up to speed:

After Vermont, i took a little road trip.

And we ended up in the California redwoods.

Where I tried my hand at carving some scrap wood.

And got into pyrography a little.

Now I'm living in a cute colonial town in Virginia's northern Shenandoah Valley.

And we'll see what else unfolds :)

Home again, home again.

So now I live in a cozy cabin and have a work space with a big desk overlooking beautiful Lake Champlain.

I cannot express how grateful I am to be here.

It's so peaceful.  And there is so much space for creating!  

So I've been playing guitar.  And teaching myself violin.  And cooking and baking and compiling original recipes.  

Then just yesterday, I started playing around with Illustrator and some of my beloved hand drawn doodles.

These two are my favorite so far:

I think they do a pretty good job of expressing how I'm feeling these days :)

Fall Fire

Such an inspiring time of year.

Vermont, I think I love you. 

Doodle Meditations

Spontaneous.  Free-flowing.  Childlike.

Doodles present a little window into what's just below the surface of our consciousness.

And might just be my favorite kind of art to make. 

The process helps me ground in the moment, and gives a helpful indication of the type of energy currently moving into and influencing my life.

Always full of surprise symbols and insights.

 

It's fun when new totems present themselves.

Groundhog was the first to emerge today.  

He carriers some surprisingly powerful archetypal energy for such a humble little rodent.

Who'd have thought?


For those eager to experiment with the process for themselves, I present to you:


Requirements for successful doodling:

1. Low-quality pen and piece of paper. 

2. Opposable thumbs.

3. No expectations.


Let it flow.

And then use words to describe what you see.

Have fun :)

Bikes and Bridges

Yesterday I had a lot of energy to burn, so rather than hang around the apartment, I took my bike out for a long ride.  It was nothing I bothered to plan, but ended up being a great route, complete with beautiful views and challenging hills.

Afternoons like that get me to thinking I could probably spend my whole life exploring the world on a bike.  

And maybe that's exactly what I'll do.

In just a few days, we'll be moving out of our lovely sublet here in San Francisco to kick off a  summer of travel.  Saturday we fly to Cancún to attend my sister's wedding.  The following week we'll spend in Texas visiting family.  And the latter half of the month will be spent making preparations for an extended bicycle trip scheduled to begin May 31st.

At least, that's when our flight is set to arrive in Finland.

I'm so excited to be heading back to Estonia to visit all of the wonderful friends I made while teaching English there two years ago. 

Since first moving out of my parents' house at age 17, I have believed myself to be somewhat of a gypsy traveler.  Now, ten years and more than 20 countries later, it's still not looking like a phase I'll be growing out of any time soon.

But something in me finally feels different.

A new inner sense of freedom which was previously lacking.  

It's a perspective that manages to shift the whole psychological and spiritual dynamic of travel.

No longer driven by a feeling of lack, but by a feeling of fulfillment. 

There is nothing to escape from.  Nothing to seek.  I am not answering a calling to "find myself."

And getting to this point did not require any kind of miraculous discovery or painstaking assembly of all the right pieces. 

It simply meant a sloughing off of all those stale, oppressive layers of who I thought I was or needed to be.

(Which is an ongoing process, really.)

Onward, ho!