Monday, August 31, 2009

Back in the Studio

I spent most of my Saturday and several hours of my Sunday in the studio and it felt great! I didn't realize how much I missed my studio time. It was wonderful to listen to my ipod, get in the zone and print some fabric! I printed three yards of fabric for a piece for my senior critique class. Its hard to believe that our first piece is due a week from Wednesday- there's nothing like hitting the ground running! For our first senior crit class, we were asked to bring in our favorite piece- we critiqued everyone's favorite pieces and then we were asked to remake the piece, taking our individual critique into consideration. I brought in this piece"


For my piece due next week, I plan to vary the size of the circles that make up the large form and to have three layers of the large forms made out of circles. I am making many other changes that are hard to describe, so you'll have to be patient and wait for next week's post on the final piece! Here are some photos of the fabric I printed:


Friday, August 28, 2009

Happy Friday!


Photo is courtesy of pretty good.

Happy Birthay, Emma!


Today is my lovely step-sister's 24th birthday! I want to send many happy birthday wishes her way!

Thursday, August 27, 2009

Dave Newman

Last Summer ('08), I interned at HA Gallery in Nashville, Tennesse and helped with the show the put on in conjunction with the NAMM conventions (National Association of Music Merchants). The show showcased artists whose work was about music, whether it be made of guitar parts, photographs of influential musicians, paintings of musicians, etc. One artist that we showcased was Dave Newman. Dave Newman lives in Prescott, Arizona and his work is captivating. My favorites of his work are his mixed media pieces which are collages of things he finds from junkyards. He states on his webpage:
"My motivation comes from a concern for preserving the past by searching through discarded treasures and documenting old buildings, motel signs, and structures through my photography. I create spontaneously planned combinations of balanced images, colors, and objects.

'These art works become virtual time capsules of American Pop Culture.'

I use acrylic paint, collaged original photos and vintage periodicals, 3-D wood and metal objects attached with staples, rivets and screws on hand built wood 'canvases'."




Newman also has been commissioned by Fender to cover guitars in his artwork. His guitars are completely playable and are incredible!



Newman also collaborated with 70 other artists to create two 10 foot tall Fender guitars that he donated to Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Arizona, (an organization near and dear to my heart), raising $18,000!


And if all of this other stuff isn't enough to keep him busy, Newman is currently working on an '77 Chevy pickup art car to drive around and promote his work. I can't wait to see the final prouct!

Fun Fabrics

Last night, I was complaining to my friend Grace about how the zipper broke on the beautiful dress I bought for my step-brother, Timothy and his fiance Katharine's September wedding, and that I've had the worst time finding one since... Grace so graciously volunteered to make me a dress! This couldn't be more perfect! I have one of her originals that I absolutely love and am completely obsessed with. So, we started shopping for fabrics last night and she introduced me to fabric.com, a website that has a w-i-d-e variety of styles and materials for reasonable prices! There are so many great fabrics that I can't seem to make a decision. What are your thoughts?

My very own Grace DuVal original

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P.S. I've blogged about Grace in the past but be sure to check out her website! And don't forget- which fabric do you like?

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Congratulations Martha and Jesse!

Two of my closest friends Martha and Jesse are ENGAGED! I couldn't be happier for them! They are both wonderful people and are great together. Freshman year of High School, I told Martha she'd marry Jesse and I have stayed true to my word ever since. Looks like I was right! It has been so much fun growing up with them and watching them grow as a couple. I have many wonderful memories with them... from proms, to movie dates, to concerts, to night swimming, lacrosse games, dance recitals, trips to Busch Gardens, etc., the memories are immense. They are in a great place and I know that they will live a very happy life together! I can't wait to see what the future holds for them! Congratulations Martha and Jess, December 30th will be here before you know it!

After a friend's wedding

Brad Paisley Concert

Martha and I's senior homecoming

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Dining Out?

While I love to spend time in the kitchen cooking and baking, I also really enjoy going out for a yummy dinner. Its nice to be in fun, different environments and have someone else do the cooking. Today I came across restaurant.com, a great website where you can buy $25 gift certificates for $10, there is usually a minimum of $35 dollars to be spent at a restaurant but, you're still saving $15, or even more, considering different restaurants have different deals. And, the best part about this website is that you type in your zip code and it gives out tons of local listings (not just your chain restaurants); many of my favorite Richmond restaurants were included! You definitely don't wanna miss out on this!!

Magnetic Knife Rack


I saw this on The Farm Chicks' blog and thought it was such a fun way to liven up your knives while adding color to your kitchen. Its a really simple process, click here for the "how to".

Monday, August 24, 2009

Cure For Natalie

Natalie is the sweet three-year-old cousin of a family friend. She was recently diagnosed with Juvenile Onset Diabetes (also known as type 1 diabetes). Her family is trying to raise money for research and every little bit is so helpful! Watch the video of this sweet girl and at the end there is a link to donate to the wonderful cause.

Fun Mugs!

I found this fun mugs at orange and pear, a cute website that sells everything from accessories to home decor. Check it out!




Cute Punches!

While reading decor8, a fun blog all about home decor, I discovered this awesome new Martha Stewart punches! I wouldn't necessarily use something like this, but I am pretty excited about the fun, delicate shapes that would make a great border on homemade invitations, place cards, etc.


P.S. At checkout, you can enter code PUNCH20 at the Martha Stewart Craft Store online to receive 20% off of your purchase- but I don't know how long this will last so hurry and get your punches today!

Sunday, August 23, 2009

LOVE these shoes!

I found these adorable shoes on sale at Boden! How cute are they?!



au revoir


Friday night I said goodbye to Jeb and Mosby, the sweetest boys in the entire world. I have babysat for these sweethearts for the past year and I absolutely adore them. Their father's job is moving them to Paris, France, and I couldn't be happier for them as I know this will be an incredible experience. But- I can't help but be a little selfish; no child has captured my heart in the same way these boys have. I will miss them dearly and will think of them often. They always seemed to provide some sort of comic relief, even in the most stressful times. I count down the days until December when I get to experience Paris at Christmastime with them. How lucky I am!

Friday, August 21, 2009

Best Friends Day!

This weekend marks Richmond's 8th Annual Best Friends Day! Best Friends Day started out at a small event eight years ago and has grown into a weekend long event including several different events such as bowling, over 30 bands playing, a day at Hadad's Lake, a scavenger hunt, and much more! Last year was my first Best Friend's Day and I had a blast! I only attended Hadad's lake but I cannot tell you how much fun it was! People come from all over the country (or even the world) to celebrate their friends and the end of the summer. If you'll be in the Richmond area and don't have plans, you should definitely come by, its a guaranteed good time! For more information, check out BFD's myspace and webpage. Now here's a Best Friends Day 8 promo video created by RVA magazine:

BEST FRIENDS DAY 8 PROMO from RVA TV on Vimeo.

Refinishing Project

I refinished this table a few weeks ago for a "client" (I guess that's what she's called). I was super excited to have the opportunity to get my hands on such a beautiful table that was crying for help. The table top had a cheesy light blue, white, and gold painting of angels and other decorative designs that looked like it had been painted by a 5th grader. Then, someone had painted the inside of each groove light blue. Sheesh! After lots of sanding and tireless use of a dremel, I got all of that ugly paint off! The client wanted the table to look as if it had some character and a few years on it. So, after restaining the table top to look like the rest of the table, I covered the whole thing in a nice beeswax finish. Voila!


Ta-Da

A few weeks ago I posted about an easy, affordable, and oh so cute DIY project that the author of ish & chi created and blogged about. Her post reminded me of a similar chair I recovered and refinished last semester. For my chair, I hand printed and hand dyed then fabric, after rinsing the fabric I did some embroidery to accent my printing. After I finished the fabric, I recovered the cushion and refinished the chair, adding accents of red. Unfortunately I don't have before pictures, but the chair was pretty gross to begin with. I'm pretty happy with the outcome, thoughts?


An upclose detail shot, can you see the blue and yellow embroidery accenting the flowers?

Venturing Out

As an art student, I spend most of my time on the northern side of campus, rarely crossing over Floyd Avenue unless I'm heading to the commons. This morning I made the trek to Oliver Hall for a Children's Literature Class I'm taking. It is truly incredible how different people look on my side of campus versus the more southern side of campus (southern as in directions, not southern belle). Art students have the stereotype of looking more artsy, i.e. a little grungier, more eclectic, more body modifications, etc., while I constantly fight this stereotype as I tend to be more clean cut, there is definitely truth to it. Its always fun for me hang out in the academic buildings for a bit and people watch all of the "normal" people. Today was especially enjoyable as I watched dozens of confused freshman walking around with huge pieces of paper in their hands looking for their classes- I don't miss those days. Aside from the timid freshman and the disgusting humidity, I found myself both amused and excited by my surroundings. I plan to throughly enjoy my last year as a college student!

Thursday, August 20, 2009

Sarah Seven

I discovered Sarah Seven's romantic custom dresses and had to share! Sarah Seven will be attending NYC's 2009 Fashion Week, so you definitely should keep an eye out for her. She has a great Etsy page that you should definitely check out, especially after Fashion Week as her collection is her priority now, not her Etsy page. Regardless, she creates beautiful romantic dresses, I am particularly obsessed with the light blue ruffled one. Enjoy!





Senior Year

Today marks the first day of my senior year of college... crazy! Its hard to believe I only have one short year until I enter "the real world". Yikes! Aside from being in disbelief, I am excited to start a new year! This year I will have more freedom to create what I want. As Seniors, we are assigned fewer assignments and encouraged to focus more on body of work. All summer I have been thinking of ideas of ways to combine my love for both furniture and textiles, and now that I know how to reupholster, the options are endless! Stay tuned this semester as I shift gears in both my work and my blog. I hope to blog more about the thought process of my work along with preliminary sketches, progress photos, and the final pieces! This should be a fun ride!

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Jonny Cardboard

An old friend e-mailed me Jonathan Ro-Schofield's (Jonny Cardboard) and I was immediately taken by his work! All of Johnny's work is created by cardboard. His work has been used for window displays for stores such as Tiffany & Co and Hermes. I'm especially impressed by his furniture, not to mention his impeccable craftsmanship. Please take the time to appreciate his work, it is truly beautiful!

Grand Central Terminal Desk

desk detail

window display for Tiffany & Co.

William Kent Table

table detail

Window display for Hermes

More window display for Hermes