tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41620791875923159332024-03-20T19:07:28.384-04:00Found Beauty StudioA blog about DIY projects, upcoming events, the journey of taking a hobby and turning it into a business, and all the other fun stuff behind the scenes of Found Beauty Studio in Burlington, VT.Found Beauty Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04782636708553577871noreply@blogger.comBlogger75125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4162079187592315933.post-5438976523245619092013-07-18T13:38:00.000-04:002013-07-18T15:11:35.536-04:00Forced Down TimeI am not one who does particularly well with taking it easy. I end up feeling useless and bored if not constantly on the go. But sometimes the universe steps in and smacks you upside the head and forces a little down time. I've been having some health problems for the last month and a half and it's started to take its toll. No need to dig into the details, but essentially I'm dizzy every time I move and often fully pass out, and thought it's something I've always had, it's become progressively worse in the last few weeks. I come from a long line of people with heart defects, and I'm headed in to our local hospital for cardiology tests soon. I'm not excited about the whole experience, to say the least. It's something I'm sure can be corrected, partly because I am not emotionally equipped to even begin to think about this being permanent.<br />
<br />
I've been housebound for the last few days because, honestly, it's not that safe for me to drive myself around what with the dizziness and all (you're welcome, Burlington drivers and pedestrians) and my wonderful and loving partner has to work (hooray for someone who can handle stable employment and has health insurance!!) so I've been relatively stuck in my own little world. At first I was, shall we say, not pleasant to be around. I can't garden because leaning over for more than a few seconds equals passing out cold upon standing. And, you know, the neighbors worry when they see that kind of thing. I can't go out and drive around looking for discarded objects on the side of the road or go thrift store hopping since I need to be driven around. I can't even pop over to the grocery store 10 blocks away because it's 90 degrees outside and heat makes me faint big time.<br />
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I'm scared. Every day I'm able to do less and less. I know that my doctors care, but they're busy and I'm just one of several patients, and I have to keep bugging them to get what I need done. I have to rely on others for every day tasks I was able to do just two months ago and that's extremely difficult. I don't like to ask for help, and I like getting it even less. I hate feeling weak. But this is a lesson in humility and gratitude. I'm surrounded by people who are willing to help and that is a beautiful thing. <br />
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I'm trying to embrace this experience for everyone's sake. Forgive me if I fail every once and awhile. I can still make and create, and as long as I can do that, I'm going to be just fine. <br />
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<br />Found Beauty Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04782636708553577871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4162079187592315933.post-88927683955735635662013-06-14T11:36:00.000-04:002013-06-14T11:36:27.133-04:00Vacuum Brewing Rules the Coffee WorldI have a personal blog that I've kept for many years, and as I was going through old posts this morning, I found all of my "ode to coffee" posts I've made while experimenting with various brewing methods. I thought I'd repost a couple here: <br />
<br />
Ok, fine. I admit it. I'm a coffee junky. One of my driving passions
in life is to collect every odd method of roasting and brewing coffee in
existence. One of my more recent acquisitions was a Silex <a href="http://www.coffeekid.com/coffee/vacpots/vacpotfaq">vacuum brewing pot</a>
from the mid 1950's. Sure, they make modern versions, but what's the
fun in brewing without wondering if shoddy wiring will burn your house
down?<br /><br />Here's how I spent my Sunday morning. Please forgive the shaky photography - this was pre-caffeination after all...<br /><br />The silex in all its glory:<br /><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh440DZWcfrG2blosCf0IeKjFPlvhYsmnf3Phw_xCWnCQXIxAhISq7S-pZtVai6F6o1ETAR2p2BbaIVNI3fxiIGegcFlGYyHFrTqlugB5wO7g03dHO3YgalnprylWs0SZNBmV8tEDAXAnsI/s1600-h/fun+with+coffee+1.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5126745991785709730" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh440DZWcfrG2blosCf0IeKjFPlvhYsmnf3Phw_xCWnCQXIxAhISq7S-pZtVai6F6o1ETAR2p2BbaIVNI3fxiIGegcFlGYyHFrTqlugB5wO7g03dHO3YgalnprylWs0SZNBmV8tEDAXAnsI/s320/fun+with+coffee+1.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" /></a></div>
<br />Coffee goes on top, water goes on the bottom. Antiquarian plug goes out the side into my wall...<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyMF0-16knfUF4DUT-Dsi4HhKkFzK3anCJHxwPUuRmsy9IqWle4qVFn2miY9rjnsf4hdzcfWicCGt4TKUYsa5lV1BMzWtJTVFgWYue1P1kP3KpidDoWOxsfTLKNP6BtVGov_cX-E-j-I2I/s1600-h/fun+with+coffee+2.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5126745618123554962" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyMF0-16knfUF4DUT-Dsi4HhKkFzK3anCJHxwPUuRmsy9IqWle4qVFn2miY9rjnsf4hdzcfWicCGt4TKUYsa5lV1BMzWtJTVFgWYue1P1kP3KpidDoWOxsfTLKNP6BtVGov_cX-E-j-I2I/s320/fun+with+coffee+2.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" /></a><br />One
of my favorite bits is how the heating element can be seen through the
bottom of the pot. It comes up looking like a warm orange glow of
happiness that will soon bring life giving coffee:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP6FHv8iJYs0YwCxUN6Op1-wFogUO9M90F7FvFRl6PTsHJ3y7cqV44PL9rTuc0R4s83-ZTUYieiidPzzzauNaaSjxM69I078Yc3LJREnKqMTeYpEzr2jHcWeTPrE0A4CEjd-qOlj6gzWNa/s1600-h/fun+with+coffee+3.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5126746185059238082" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP6FHv8iJYs0YwCxUN6Op1-wFogUO9M90F7FvFRl6PTsHJ3y7cqV44PL9rTuc0R4s83-ZTUYieiidPzzzauNaaSjxM69I078Yc3LJREnKqMTeYpEzr2jHcWeTPrE0A4CEjd-qOlj6gzWNa/s320/fun+with+coffee+3.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVlKlKHpnjXtFvjSo1dx-mwkDNPA2ExRaz6IX6KbeP1Y7PmeCORchm9ISudRszWTzZ9WuVQ7nza_o0UDJ_r46IEwPGt8XeHN1qd1UQJZZbt_JdK59OEI3NPn08icXkuSjR7fKLQLFRGEUq/s1600-h/fun+with+coffee+4.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5126746661800607954" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVlKlKHpnjXtFvjSo1dx-mwkDNPA2ExRaz6IX6KbeP1Y7PmeCORchm9ISudRszWTzZ9WuVQ7nza_o0UDJ_r46IEwPGt8XeHN1qd1UQJZZbt_JdK59OEI3NPn08icXkuSjR7fKLQLFRGEUq/s320/fun+with+coffee+4.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHV3ExHi-c6fZA_Q0_axVTiKS8NHcC4Hpam-l56bgRZKkyQ3BiB2WBhok8WVCksE-UWEaEoTcbcwpkj3zc816OqJBr5doEQ2N7j51jCb2aL8klohVgsAjnzLTjy13YQK64QtBDtGB1bH8B/s1600-h/fun+with+coffee+5.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5126747026872828146" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHV3ExHi-c6fZA_Q0_axVTiKS8NHcC4Hpam-l56bgRZKkyQ3BiB2WBhok8WVCksE-UWEaEoTcbcwpkj3zc816OqJBr5doEQ2N7j51jCb2aL8klohVgsAjnzLTjy13YQK64QtBDtGB1bH8B/s320/fun+with+coffee+5.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAlBdWnvKm5h0D9OJD0uVEWJTFoft6jtgdmZAIYtZ7Nr9FrZh9wYUnYm0hfPjdk0yCEkIxIPOpcWXTNUCCrZfY1eZsuueo-ldeyl6f7jVn5tjEmlJP5CkIQMj3lGP-YQ1TY61ZDHVVQa7E/s1600-h/fun+with+coffee+6.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5126747280275898626" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAlBdWnvKm5h0D9OJD0uVEWJTFoft6jtgdmZAIYtZ7Nr9FrZh9wYUnYm0hfPjdk0yCEkIxIPOpcWXTNUCCrZfY1eZsuueo-ldeyl6f7jVn5tjEmlJP5CkIQMj3lGP-YQ1TY61ZDHVVQa7E/s320/fun+with+coffee+6.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" /></a><br />And
just when your head is screaming in agony from coffee withdrawal and
you can barely muster up the energy to revel in this most marvelous of
experiences, the water finally reaches the ideal temperature and is
sucked via vacuum to the top chamber where the grounds are
waiting...waiting...<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6wJISclFJG3DicShnfjaU1kVS1qpIfoh-yRqPGr9_fAdYoGER9KS1HSqGjlOQCnA5Wt5fNYz-sM0ircEORSNllM3KhieZ_8SlHvvZW5xW0Kh5UqtcrpB24lq7FERUtan2ZHGAvSYg0xBc/s1600-h/fun+with+coffee+7.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5126747817146810642" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6wJISclFJG3DicShnfjaU1kVS1qpIfoh-yRqPGr9_fAdYoGER9KS1HSqGjlOQCnA5Wt5fNYz-sM0ircEORSNllM3KhieZ_8SlHvvZW5xW0Kh5UqtcrpB24lq7FERUtan2ZHGAvSYg0xBc/s320/fun+with+coffee+7.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" /></a><br />At
this point I tossed the camera aside in favor of a large mug. You'll
just have to trust me when I tell you that the resulting dark elixir was
full bodied, lacking bitterness, and much smoother than brew from a
french press. It is indeed a spectacular cup of coffee. I highly
recommend it.
Found Beauty Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04782636708553577871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4162079187592315933.post-77147519137466591642013-06-06T14:09:00.001-04:002013-06-06T14:09:19.805-04:00When You Hit a Wall, Climb ItMoney. Perhaps my least favorite topic and my least favorite anxiety trigger. I hate thinking about it, I hate worrying about it, and I hate tracking it. But we all know it's a necessary evil, so I'm facing it head on. Making a living as an artisan is HARD. No joke. I end up pouring most of what I make in sales right back into materials for new work or paying the bills needed to keep me alive and housed. Most months, it's totally fine. But slow months come along, and that's when I panic. <br />
<br />
May was slow for me. There was no rhyme or reason to it. It was just a slow sales month. March and April were fantastic, so I did have my sights set a bit high, but I definitely didn't reach my sales goals or do much more than break even. It's demoralizing. I work my behind off and barely scrape by. In the past, this has been the moment when I break and go back to a day job. But not this time, kids. Not this time.<br />
<br />
Instead of looking at this situation as a big ol' brick wall of failure, I'm looking at it like it's a window and I can see through to the other side. I'm not sure whether I can just open the window or have to smash the glass out to get there, but I'm going to do it. I've signed up to teach two workshops in July and will most likely teach in August through October as well, and I've started dabbling in event consultation for people who want to have a DIY wedding or other special event, but need a little help either in design, material sourcing, or creation. I'm also looking into making larger pieces (furniture, perhaps? My beloved restored furniture passion?) and consigning them to overcome the lack of storage space here in my tiny home. And the brainstorming is just beginning!<br />
<br />
Instead of getting depressed, I'm getting creative. I'm not giving up this time. Found Beauty Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04782636708553577871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4162079187592315933.post-85833628049669997732013-05-26T10:57:00.002-04:002013-05-26T10:58:31.739-04:00Geeking Out About WorkshopsEarlier this week, I taught my first workshop on selling through Etsy. It was a little odd putting the presentation together, thinking "who the heck am I to teach others on etsy?" but as I kept outlining and writing I realized that I do, in fact, know a ton about selling on etsy. Who knew? Ok, apparently the people who asked me to teach the workshop knew. But it was a great moment for me to see how far I've come since dipping my toe in the massive pool of etsy back in mid-2009. <br />
<br />
See, I love teaching workshops. LOVE it. I love gathering my thoughts into a coherent presentation, I love creating informative handouts, I love the anticipation of getting a group of interested people together to geek out over something I find fascinating, and I love the interactions between all of us for a few hours as we share knowledge. Love. It. My favorite part, though, is getting others excited about a topic and encouraging them to get out there and give something new a shot. <br />
<br />
So tell me, friendly readers, what makes a good workshop experience for you?Found Beauty Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04782636708553577871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4162079187592315933.post-7123137681561214282013-05-10T11:50:00.001-04:002013-05-10T11:59:44.765-04:00Backyard Foraging: Sweet Dandelion Flower FrittersI'm a workaholic. I mean, I'm a serious, card carrying member of the workaholics club. It's not something I'm proud of. All it has given me is a debilitating case of perfectionism and stress. But I've slowly been peeling back the layers of a self-imposed need to reach my impossible definition of success, and part of that process has been to engage in non-Found Beauty Studio projects. Did you realize you can take on DIY projects that don't result in a sale-able product? You probably did. But I'm just starting to remember. In my effort to step out of work world and add a little fun into life, I've decided to spend a few hours a week working on non-studio projects. This past weekend was the first in hopefully a long series of workshops that have absolutely nothing to do with business.<br />
<br />
So what did I do with that sacred free time? I went on an edible plant ID walk! Plants for food have always meant vegetables I've grown in a garden to me, so it was flabbergasting and amazing to see how many not just edible, but delicious and vitamin packed foods were growing in my back yard. I love science. I mean, I LOVE science! Science is awesome and amazing, and realizing that nature and science had teamed up to lead me to free and healthy food was pretty flippin' awesome. I've been running through the woods foraging for several kinds of greens this week like a kid in a candy store, but I'll stick to a very easy to find green for this post: dandelions. Next week, stay tuned for garlic mustard. <br />
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Like dandelions? You may not have an answer to that. But, like fried food? Your answer is probably "yes, yes I do", because fried food is frickin' delicious. So let's use fried food as the gateway to trying dandelions. Dandelions- those lawn weeds that large companies have made billions of dollars creating pesticides to kill - are incredibly good for you. They're readily available, and they're nutrient dense. And delicious! Be careful where you gather them, though. If they've been exposed to pesticides, roadside chemicals, or contaminated soil, just say no. If they've been growing in your own back yard and you've lived there for years and know you keep that baby pristine and chem free, go ahead and gather!<br />
<br />
Greens are best before the plant has flowered because they can get a rip roaring case of bitter later on in their life cycle, but the flowers are wonderful right at their peak of blooming. Pick them during the day when they're nice and open, and store in the fridge till you plan to use them. They're mighty perishable, though, so best to pick them the same day you plan to eat them. I harvested the flowers around 1pm and fried them around 6pm with no problem. <br />
<br />
Many thanks to <a href="http://www.mountainroseherbs.com/" target="_blank">Mountain Rose Herbs</a> for the inspiration for this recipe!<br />
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<b>Sweet Dandelion Flower Fritters</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcYjU0MgXleiN0PfQQggnIRegL5f5A7DCgtdCr1dH8vDd-za3TldNHFrkhEYbBDPl5ssEr_LdFtYSJ3FtJ-WP3RM3_1UTsOHcJcKrn6Phb_xcRwVTMPeuvGKQ1YxMK0GSPChJaKZQQMWWF/s1600/finished+fritter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcYjU0MgXleiN0PfQQggnIRegL5f5A7DCgtdCr1dH8vDd-za3TldNHFrkhEYbBDPl5ssEr_LdFtYSJ3FtJ-WP3RM3_1UTsOHcJcKrn6Phb_xcRwVTMPeuvGKQ1YxMK0GSPChJaKZQQMWWF/s320/finished+fritter.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br />
<b>Ingredients</b><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>30 - 40 dandelion flowers with approximately 1" of stem attached</li>
<li>1 large egg</li>
<li>1 cup soy milk (or milk/milk substitute of choice)</li>
<li>1 cup brown rice flour (ap flour can be used too, if you can handle gluten)</li>
<li>1 tsp vanilla extract (the imitation stuff will not work here, folks)</li>
<li>1 Tbsp maple syrup </li>
<li>1 tsp ground cinnamon</li>
<li>1/4 tsp ground nutmeg </li>
<li>a pinch of salt</li>
<li>enough oil to coat the bottom of a skillet with approximately 1/4" of oil (I used olive oil but you can use whatever oil you want!)</li>
</ul>
<b>Instructions</b>:<br />
<br />
1. Pick your dandelions and give them a good wash in cold water. There
may be dirt and a few tiny critters hanging on to them, so you may want
to let them soak for 15 minutes to give everything a chance to clear
out. Rinse them off and put them flower top down on either a kitchen
towel or paper towel. Let them dry while making the batter.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZtvc_suk5B6JzfLRRwfPJt_HJkXdEUSxZoWBfXzwE5t49_xZ1g_vVoqJA5jJh1fas6ZonmopZLPRAUAOciuWDxEMJPHHBdyBdZEy5WJOEMa-gmeAonuh65bsU6JFHQrgAzqoIo1X-HGqe/s1600/drying+flowers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZtvc_suk5B6JzfLRRwfPJt_HJkXdEUSxZoWBfXzwE5t49_xZ1g_vVoqJA5jJh1fas6ZonmopZLPRAUAOciuWDxEMJPHHBdyBdZEy5WJOEMa-gmeAonuh65bsU6JFHQrgAzqoIo1X-HGqe/s320/drying+flowers.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />2. Whisk together egg, soy milk, flour, vanilla extract, maple syrup, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt till it thoroughly combined and smooth. The batter should be a little thinner than pancake batter, so feel free to add more milk if it looks too thick, or a smidge more flour if it's too thin. You want it to be able to coat the flowers, but not completely overwhelm them. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGVjX5LdbEByp6V5AL0_mUlBCdBJn4rbd_8x14mYsUNnFWWf_wE18q3Dw9YDKdQCBA2ua4Fy5Rf9HVrwp2kSdfL5glkAtRxVpgY9aZRNMihowSL2FzkROhea63cHYpyDI27Wyh4OlHH0xC/s1600/batter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGVjX5LdbEByp6V5AL0_mUlBCdBJn4rbd_8x14mYsUNnFWWf_wE18q3Dw9YDKdQCBA2ua4Fy5Rf9HVrwp2kSdfL5glkAtRxVpgY9aZRNMihowSL2FzkROhea63cHYpyDI27Wyh4OlHH0xC/s320/batter.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />3. Add the oil to a large skillet and let it heat till a few drops of the batter start frying immediately when added. You don't want the pan so hot that the batter burns, but you also don't want it cool enough that the batter droplets just sit there without cooking. Too hot burns, too cold gives you oily fritters. Fiddling with the heat till it's the right temperature is 100% worth the effort.<br />
<br />4. It's battering time! Hold the flower by the stem, dip it into the batter, swirl it a few times, shake the excess batter off, and immediately place it, stem up, into the oil. Work in batches of 10 flowers so you can keep an eye on them while they fry up. It happens quicker than you think!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvDOL1yO5qrOoJ0xT0GVaY82oVzfWcojqe6uzk3y1Y_ET5-RzPcCU8VL3twch89miTf8d-nIVLoK4IGipapYdJDRduDnwojJ_PSLKBcUv18tCKmxlJo-b8xiGbdCBI1dbqt3yIfbTpNuRo/s1600/frying+fritters.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvDOL1yO5qrOoJ0xT0GVaY82oVzfWcojqe6uzk3y1Y_ET5-RzPcCU8VL3twch89miTf8d-nIVLoK4IGipapYdJDRduDnwojJ_PSLKBcUv18tCKmxlJo-b8xiGbdCBI1dbqt3yIfbTpNuRo/s320/frying+fritters.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />5. As soon as they are golden brown, remove them and leave them on a paper towel over a drying rack to cool. You can sprinkle them with a pinch of cinnamon as soon as they hit the paper towel for a pop of extra flavor goodness. You can serve them with a dipping sauce, or eat them on their own (I totally eat them on their own).<br />
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<br />These are best eaten immediately. They can be kept in a warm oven before serving, but after an hour they get a little soggy. Honestly, though, they're too tasty to last more than an hour...<br />
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I highly recommend giving these a try. And, as I found out, left over batter is a very handy thing to keep around, especially if you slice bananas, dip them in the batter, and pan fry them for breakfast!<br />
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<br />Found Beauty Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04782636708553577871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4162079187592315933.post-10446867024037164842013-04-26T16:42:00.001-04:002013-04-26T20:35:13.515-04:00Abandon Your Art!I'm having one of those weeks where so much seems pointless and hollow, marketing my work is exhausting, and all I want to do is hole up in my studio, retreat from the world, and make things. So I did just that. Instead of feeling guilty, I decided to see what good I could create from my agoraphobic episode. Turns out, a lot of good was just waiting there in the wings. <br />
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Have you ever heard of the <a href="http://michaeldemeng.typepad.com/art_abandonment/2012/06/art-abandonment.html" target="_blank">Abandoned Art</a> movement? I hadn't until a month or so ago, and I've been so intrigued by it. The idea is that the world needs more art. People need more joy. So folks like me who are going to obsessively create can put all that art to good use and leave it out in public places for others to find and love. And I've been abandoning a ton! <br />
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It's strangely cathartic to leave a piece of work out in the world without knowing what will happen to it. I like to imagine that each has at least made someone smile when they came upon it. Maybe my little creations have found new happy homes. Maybe they were tossed aside and stepped on. It's out of my control. No matter what, it's been good for me. I'm really, really skilled at losing touch with the world when I feel overwhelmed. But this idea of reaching out anonymously to others with art has kept me firmly planted in the realm outside my door. I've made it a point every day to go out and abandon at least one work somewhere random. It's helped me see the sidewalks and crevices and little tiny hollows just waiting for a little piece of art with new eyes. Every trip is a scavenger hunt for a new location. Thank goodness for it. Bringing a little beauty into the world has helped save me from myself.<br />
<br />I highly recommend it. Found Beauty Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04782636708553577871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4162079187592315933.post-24585674869482994502013-04-18T15:44:00.001-04:002013-04-18T15:52:34.304-04:00Lessons Learned from Seven Years of BusinessI've gone mad with the desire to organize all of my paperwork, which is a minor miracle if you've ever seen my desk, and realized that April is the 7th anniversary of when I started Found Beauty Studio. I've been a maker my entire life, but April 2005 was the first time I sold a piece to a stranger. This business has at times been the only shelter of consistency for me through a marriage, a divorce, selling a house, losing everything, having a complete nervous breakdown, moving an hour away, moving back, transitioning through four different day jobs, renting apartments, buying another home, and getting married again. It has been such a long, terrifying, satisfying, and often exhausting journey and I thought I'd share some of my lessons learned for those of you that may be thinking about running your own creative business.<br />
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1) If you can handle having a day job, keep it. Running your own business is a sure fire way to go broke for the first few years. Be realistic about your operating costs, as well as your personal bills you need to cover, and how much stress you can actually handle during the time you'll be pouring every cent back into your business. If you're making $50,000 at your office job, know that you may never see that kind of paycheck again. Can you deal with that?<br />
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There were a lot of times that having a day job saved my butt. I've spent a great deal of time experimenting with different lines and it's taken me years to find what sells. If I hadn't had that steady paycheck, I would have been homeless. It's not a mark of failure to have steady employment. It's a mark of understanding your needs and making smart choices. I, I have learned, cannot handle having a day job. It feels soul crushing and triggers my depression like nobody's business. For me, it's worth struggling with bouts of poverty and exhaustion to have the freedom to do what I'm cut out to do.<br />
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2) Ask for help. I don't know everything and neither do you. There are a lot of people out there who all have pieces of knowledge and experience that will make your life so much easier. Seek them out. Ask questions. Listen carefully and keep an open mind when they suggest something different than what you're doing.<br />
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I have struggled with this. I have often had a terrible fear of asking the wrong questions, looking dumb, feeling stupid, and opening myself up to criticism. In the last few years, though, I've turned that around and I talk to everyone I can. If there's a workshop, I take it. If I'm stuck on something, I find someone who does it well and take them out to coffee and pick their brain. If there's a professional who has a particular skill that I need (eh hem...accounting) then I pay them to do it. I took me a while to get it through my stubborn mind that asking for help is not a sign of weakness.<br />
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3) Kill your darlings. If you think a particular thing you make is awesome, but after a whole lot of marketing and effort it doesn't sell, let it go. In the world of owning a business, it's no longer just about what work you want to make - it's about making work that you enjoy and that people want to buy from you. Making a living does not mean you need to compromise your artistic integrity. But it does mean that you need to listen to your customers.<br />
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As I mentioned before, I'm stubborn. I hate criticism. I have a habit of taking things incredibly personally. Watching my work sit on store shelves and online and go nowhere was so painful. It felt like a rejection of me when in fact I was just making the wrong products and selling them in the wrong markets. I used to make bags. I made gorgeous, intricate bags. Each one took days to make and they were pretty darn expensive. And they didn't sell. And I needed to pay my bills. So I had a serious talk with myself to figure out what I found satisfying about making those bags and how I could have that same experience making something else. Turned out that my favorite part of making bags was seeing what I had imagined come to life. The bags weren't actually an essential part of the equation. I regrouped, figured out the materials that really excited me, and started experimenting. And I realized what I had always done as a hobby was the answer: working with plants. You know what my biggest sellers are? Planters. You know what I do when a particular kind of planter stops selling? I invent a new style. Lesson learned.<br />
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4) Don't undervalue yourself. This is a biggie. For many of us, selling our work evolves from something we've loved doing in our spare time and we're trying to recoup the cost of supplies. It's so easy to only consider the cost of materials when pricing your work and nothing else. Sometimes it's about just being so darn thrilled that someone wants to pay you for something you made that you'll take anything. Other times it's about thinking the answer to having more sales is to lower the prices. But here's the thing - your time and your talent are expensive. You are worth being paid for your work and not just your costs. The cheaper you price your work, the less value it has to your customer. If you're selling handmade earrings at $7 a pair, your customer will equate them with mass produced jewelry from a mall kiosk. Don't undervalue yourself!<br />
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I raised my prices a few months ago and I was TERRIFIED that I was getting too full of myself, that I'd fail, that my sales would disappear, that I was going to be laughed at. You know what happened? Nothing. No change in sales, no backlash, just an extra $200 a month from the same number of sales I was making before. No one batted an eyelash. It was all in my head. I also figured out that by always trying to price my work as the lowest, I was undermining my fellow artisans. It's death by 1,000 cuts. If we all keep lowering our prices, eventually we'll run ourselves out of business.<br />
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The biggest lesson of all that I've learned is that I'm better at this than I think I am. Until I took myself seriously, no one else would either. I'm making a living off of selling my work and I'm really proud of myself. It's been some of the most fulfilling work I've done. For those of you out there taking the leap, I wish you a ton of success, if you find yourself getting stuck, I'm happy to be one of those people you ask for help :)<br />
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<br />Found Beauty Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04782636708553577871noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4162079187592315933.post-6369833412034760812013-04-11T17:50:00.000-04:002013-04-11T19:28:08.446-04:00Before and After: Vintage Chest Restoration<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I love refinishing furniture. It's one of those activities that is just so incredibly satisfying. The progress is so obvious step by step and when it's complete? Oh, oh the joy! My friend Susi of <a href="http://www.thefeltedgnomeknows.com/" target="_blank">The Felted Gnome Knows by Susio</a> generously gave me a vintage chest that I believe belonged to her friend's mother. It had originally been wrapped in rattan woven fabric, but that had been removed some time long ago and left was the dried glue and broken bamboo molding. But the bones were beautiful, and it deserved to be treated with love and kindness. Here's the before: </div>
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My favorite tool for knocking off old heavy finish is a cabinet scraper. It's magic. It's a scraping blade attached to a handle and you just give it a lot of muscle and drag it across the wood to scrape off layer after layer. Not only is it a great workout, but it's also really effective. Here's the top of the chest after a few rounds of scraping:<br />
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You can see the dark spots around each of the nails where the blade couldn't get to, but with a thorough follow up sanding with 150 grit sand paper, it was down to beautiful bare wood:<br />
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Whenever I refinish old pieces, I always start the restoration process with a few coats of danish oil to saturate the dry wood. It gives the wood more resiliency and it fills the pores so that it doesn't soak up the final finish unevenly. You can see the difference in the color just with the oil:<br />
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Now, bear with me a minute while I give you this safety announcement. It is incredibly important to wear a mask while doing any of the sanding, scraping, and finishing, and this is why:<br />
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See the difference in color between the bright white bottom and the brown sides? Yeah...it all started as bright white. Had I not worn that mask, all of that junk would be in my lungs. Safety PSA over. Back to the chest!<br />
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Because the sides were originally covered, they used different wood on the sides than they did the top and the colors just did not match. I don't often use stain, but in this case it tied everything together.<br />
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It was about this time that I realized the bamboo molding just wasn't salvageable, so I took a pry bar and a nail remover and took it all off. I really dug the look of the nail holes left behind so I kept them, but they could have easily been filled in with stainable wood putty.<br />
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If I had been thinking ahead, I would have done the repair work before putting on the stain, but I was impulsive and wanted the immediate gratification of seeing the color, so at this point it was time to go back and complete those repairs. When I took off the bamboo from the bottom right corner, part of the bottom came off with it, so I added wood glue to the joint, and then used small nails to reattach it. <br />
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The other repair needed? Nothing big, just, you know, the two front feet :) They were really loose to start with, and after the pressure of the scraping, they both came off. They were held on with long rusty screws that wouldn't come out of the curved feet, so I used a hack saw to cut off the protruding parts and drilled a hole for a new screw:<br />
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With a shiny new screws in hand, I reattached the feet and then gave them a nice coat of stain to match the rest of the chest. Welcome back, feet!<br />
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At this point there was nothing left to do but give it a nice sealer coat, and I used my favorite water based polyurethane. I have the best success by putting on a light first coat, waiting for it to dry and then sanding it down with 220 grit paper. I repeat that a few times until I build up the finish to the shine I want. In this case, it took 5 coats to complete.<br />
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And...drum roll please... here's the finished chest!<br />
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I must say, I'm in total love with the result. Not bad for a few days work, a set of clothes so fully embedded with dust and stain that they're now only suitable for in-house projects, and a little sweat equity :)<br />
<br />Found Beauty Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04782636708553577871noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4162079187592315933.post-91152596937774072482013-04-05T20:39:00.000-04:002013-04-05T20:39:32.903-04:00DIY Tutorial: Turn an Old Teapot into a PlanterIt's no secret that I love plants. I mean, I make planters as a major part of my living. Plants make me happy. They're living, breathing pieces of nature that can miraculously live inside our homes. I don't particularly love, however, buying generic plant pots. There are so many fabulous household items that would make such interesting planters, it's almost criminal not to use them! Today I'll give you a quick and dirty tutorial on how to turn an old teapot into a happy home for a fern. <br />
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What you'll need:<br />
<ul>
<li>teapot</li>
<li>electric drill</li>
<li>glass, tile, and masonry bit</li>
<li>gravel</li>
<li>potting soil</li>
<li>fern (or plant of choice)</li>
<li>optional - center punch </li>
</ul>
I started with a small green teapot that had once had a lid and strainer attached, but they both rusted and I was at a bit of a loss as to what to do with a teapot with no lid. Easy answer - planter!<br />
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It's a pretty simple process. While you could just add gravel and soil and stick your plant on in there, it's SO easy to overwater a plant in a pot without drainage. I've been growing and caring for plants for over 20 years and I still kill off plants without adequate drainage. Trust me. It's worth the time to drill the hole in the bottom.<br />
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The first step is to turn the pot upside down so that the bottom is facing you. Make sure it's on a sturdy non-slip surface. The last thing you want to see is your pot flying out from under you and smashing on the ground!<br />
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Choose your spot for your hole close to the center and mark it. This is where I use the center punch to leave a small indent so that the bit has something to grab onto, but you could also just use a marker and run the drill as slow as possible to get it started. It will dance around for a bit before it starts digging into the surface, so keep it as straight up and down and steady as you begin. <br />
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Step 2: Drilling! Drilling through ceramics can run the gamut from super easy to tedious, depending on how hard the clay is. I've drilled through terracotta in less than a minute, but for something like this teapot, it took me a good 45 minutes to get through. Any time you drill through a surface that can crack - ceramic, glass, acrylic, etc - low and slow is the way to go. You don't want to put too much pressure on the drill. You just want to let it do its job. And unless you want to bang your head against the wall in frustration, it's really, really important to use the right bit for the job. In this case, I needed to get through a thick fired glazed surface so I chose a bit made for cutting glass and tile. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifgxdCHwubk6B4oMwwwnEepvQ9IkLrGTbe0XWj101SJTUZoUx30T105ndzNfyhE5Go4le1Pwe2bykTOhzyBJhTiwPVdGNaHd3nmwaE0vYaNjAmgeqXevhL85_zlN-pv6JwVTlm2qf6qCu9/s1600/IMG_0079.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifgxdCHwubk6B4oMwwwnEepvQ9IkLrGTbe0XWj101SJTUZoUx30T105ndzNfyhE5Go4le1Pwe2bykTOhzyBJhTiwPVdGNaHd3nmwaE0vYaNjAmgeqXevhL85_zlN-pv6JwVTlm2qf6qCu9/s320/IMG_0079.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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As you drill, the material you're grinding up will clog the hole, so it's a good idea to stop every few minutes to rinse it under the faucet. I also add a little water to the surface to help lubricate the drill and cut down on the amount the bit will heat up. Remember low and slow? Good. Because this is where you'll probably get inpatient. <br />
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Drill on.<br />
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Keep drilling, rinsing, and drilling... It took about 25 minutes to get to this stage. <br />
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Finally I made it through! <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_smQcDaG9yILKMWoID92jZt95OjrIupyfCMKHAIPNULjU4OlJZq8C9Ar1U7ftmlE-c6w3dD-vhCxWwQ7uZDXHGLG0XdFarYIklHIH5FkwMv4kIp_TC73Na2v_ZtoBSSqwPutgyvRvAbWg/s1600/IMG_0088.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_smQcDaG9yILKMWoID92jZt95OjrIupyfCMKHAIPNULjU4OlJZq8C9Ar1U7ftmlE-c6w3dD-vhCxWwQ7uZDXHGLG0XdFarYIklHIH5FkwMv4kIp_TC73Na2v_ZtoBSSqwPutgyvRvAbWg/s320/IMG_0088.JPG" width="320" /> </a></div>
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Then, the fun part - PLANTING!! I always add a 1/2 inch or so of gravel to the bottom of my pots to make sure everything drains smoothly, and then I add potting mix halfway up the container. Then place the plant in and fill around edges so that it's completely surrounded by soil. </div>
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I clearly work very cleanly :)</div>
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<img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOHQf-gF75xr0GMtQHlzinCQXK83RfnFxUkqXEvVXz_RB94JOBeQhYEsjngQVtOkaJv8Q92H4eGrhq4sfLYUHQNDVfAMKkLH4Yu4N4Nx6OGeiU5sGzPYnkZq3qxo-Z42HeEzsfMFFFB01C/s320/IMG_0107.JPG" width="320" /> </div>
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I chose a favorite plant of mine - the asparagus fern. Its fronds feel like feathers when you run your hand along them, and I loved the contrast of the sleek base against the softness of the fern. </div>
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Always give your plant a good drench of water after planting, and unless you want a big ol' water logged mess, I recommend letting it drain for at least a 1/2 hour before putting it on a wood surface. I chose the extremely technical "sitting it on top of a glass" option. We stay classy in our household. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilKWz77eX6l7RG9fXWII-AB3CFaef8Un2zbRZHh_zlx-Dsj0zpK7_DgpRb3b6wpnwFXHOyUCGz-qo4N_p5x86s5K9tOrTrWAOhE01MIn08NIKlJJqNGG6hKh_7zSqQJ9kCB9Q3KIH2j1bb/s1600/IMG_0110.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilKWz77eX6l7RG9fXWII-AB3CFaef8Un2zbRZHh_zlx-Dsj0zpK7_DgpRb3b6wpnwFXHOyUCGz-qo4N_p5x86s5K9tOrTrWAOhE01MIn08NIKlJJqNGG6hKh_7zSqQJ9kCB9Q3KIH2j1bb/s320/IMG_0110.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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It's always a good idea to give your plant a 24 hour rest out of sunlight so it can adjust to its new home, and once it's ready to make its appearance, follow the care instructions for your plant and enjoy!!!<br />
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<br />Found Beauty Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04782636708553577871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4162079187592315933.post-78095578869351422252013-03-29T12:00:00.000-04:002013-04-05T21:01:23.800-04:00Behind the Scenes of a Photo ShootToday I thought I'd share a little behind the scenes look at how I photograph pieces for etsy. I'm a DIY kind of gal, and if i can do something with a home grown solution instead of a lot of expensive equipment, I do it. So my process for photographing my work to sell online is decidedly low tech. Here's my photo studio - my kitchen :)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0hB3ql-imcTyttk5yHqRL7CBV8BE7Z-rH3nHUTJNpiXSWT0m0BFCoD2tlVP6gxSZozfCAceGbAQrYKcBNu-GleYNCHYF-D5w_2POt-1zZdcqXnz5KZzvsCAeqZWb-bhnnUwCJuQPTsK4A/s1600/photos+for+blog+011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0hB3ql-imcTyttk5yHqRL7CBV8BE7Z-rH3nHUTJNpiXSWT0m0BFCoD2tlVP6gxSZozfCAceGbAQrYKcBNu-GleYNCHYF-D5w_2POt-1zZdcqXnz5KZzvsCAeqZWb-bhnnUwCJuQPTsK4A/s320/photos+for+blog+011.jpg" width="240" /> </a></div>
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It has a small north facing window to the left of the table, and between 10:30am and 1:30pm, the light is perfect. It's not too bright, it's not too dark, and it doesn't cause a lot of glare. But, just sticking a planter on my messy table isn't exactly going to bring in the buyers, so I do a little rearranging:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR1UAULVLP94noizYS_8dBUuu-BTsvUqQ76U2lVurZOAgon7g-Jd1HtQ069MuYJ3_Ax5EsRkxjYkH3pahPHhGTuv8U-En0Z-YPd7QivK_7U4me8KsjsjMcZD4IgskVYzDcsBRbPTw22u93/s1600/photos+for+blog+012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR1UAULVLP94noizYS_8dBUuu-BTsvUqQ76U2lVurZOAgon7g-Jd1HtQ069MuYJ3_Ax5EsRkxjYkH3pahPHhGTuv8U-En0Z-YPd7QivK_7U4me8KsjsjMcZD4IgskVYzDcsBRbPTw22u93/s320/photos+for+blog+012.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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I found out the hard way after photographing a ton of work that the colors in the mahogany table really mess with the color balance in my camera (a canon photoshot elph point and shoot) so I cover part of it with a plain old piece of foam core I found in my closet:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivz-2JOh-XSazy23FNqBhcEx_pGWTKElsllnE7V_qQUdV3k18EeacWKzKJ7y7hAyPTld5G8gyNke_jUPCCYtaUeDSJKhU5caRuOX6n7RqVzMKZoPVDsVDF4JInS26_oQIt7fixwT_SY4E6/s1600/photos+for+blog+013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivz-2JOh-XSazy23FNqBhcEx_pGWTKElsllnE7V_qQUdV3k18EeacWKzKJ7y7hAyPTld5G8gyNke_jUPCCYtaUeDSJKhU5caRuOX6n7RqVzMKZoPVDsVDF4JInS26_oQIt7fixwT_SY4E6/s320/photos+for+blog+013.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Next, the subject:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp-W9TeCLqz7a42I7yumHGdwUpCXsIUzgF_lZK0TDtcD8Hy4M1Dd-meoNrSUQIYJoiAYt-dwNRSEf5e6vTh2F4Kt0UXnQ-HdX3eEXWVSOBA52Wk9AlUgqgpiscknJKcaLlOrcqu0v2gxo8/s1600/photos+for+blog+014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp-W9TeCLqz7a42I7yumHGdwUpCXsIUzgF_lZK0TDtcD8Hy4M1Dd-meoNrSUQIYJoiAYt-dwNRSEf5e6vTh2F4Kt0UXnQ-HdX3eEXWVSOBA52Wk9AlUgqgpiscknJKcaLlOrcqu0v2gxo8/s320/photos+for+blog+014.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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As soon as I get a close up shot, the setting works rather well:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKgniHiPBNO-E9ak8cSkpviHH-dpqt3fLJhEfpnmi3pgiPYSuND8V_Kzv12k7gDAnx5TFD8Ze0fFGM4JgbTqCYg8po6uLpVlptBiRA3gGMVBM5kWk6tDoZA7kUk8YPM05tdBnhSnITKB42/s1600/photos+for+blog+015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKgniHiPBNO-E9ak8cSkpviHH-dpqt3fLJhEfpnmi3pgiPYSuND8V_Kzv12k7gDAnx5TFD8Ze0fFGM4JgbTqCYg8po6uLpVlptBiRA3gGMVBM5kWk6tDoZA7kUk8YPM05tdBnhSnITKB42/s320/photos+for+blog+015.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I could use any inexpensive photo editing software at this point, since really all I do is crop and dicky around with the contrast, but I use photoshop since I'm comfortable with it and have been using it for years. After tweaking, here's the finished product:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgep-UJGrRW6Vqr-51OLqLe6MP9wUN-0x1y8qRTtqkNM1QY66lVFVshsMN9p8lCETQkmH7syRvr8gGkWBcWPT6kQMl7DUFpaV8gLf6cwqKpK6rgRMNQeewNs5Id2JZ8uxxjTL-hQv66pEjG/s1600/silver+gold+gorilla+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgep-UJGrRW6Vqr-51OLqLe6MP9wUN-0x1y8qRTtqkNM1QY66lVFVshsMN9p8lCETQkmH7syRvr8gGkWBcWPT6kQMl7DUFpaV8gLf6cwqKpK6rgRMNQeewNs5Id2JZ8uxxjTL-hQv66pEjG/s320/silver+gold+gorilla+1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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You can check out all the photos I used in the <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/127878369/upcycled-toy-planter-large-silver-and" target="_blank">etsy listing</a>!<br />
<br />Found Beauty Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04782636708553577871noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4162079187592315933.post-40507171203724977892013-03-21T19:54:00.001-04:002013-04-05T21:01:59.102-04:00Working at Working from HomeThis is my second go around with working from home in the last two years. The first time I tried it was during a 3 month stint from October through December. I had been laid off of a job I really loved, thanks to a cut in government funding, and was smarting from the loss. My self-esteem was in the gutter, but I was determined to stay off of unemployment and make a living through Found Beauty Studio. Too bad I was completely unprepared. I was undercharging for my work, over-extending myself by selling in 3 brick and mortar stores and online during the holiday season, barely turning a profit, and on the verge of a particularly bad bout of depression. Let's just say, this was not a resounding success. I essentially holed myself up in my house as the days were getting shorter and colder, and sat in my living room producing as much as I could. I was also selling several different kind of products, so there was no streamlining anything. I was a one-woman crazy factory. I'm pretty sure at some point my husband must have considered leaving town until I re-entered the world of the sane and rational. Needless to say that when I was offered a job out of the blue in January, I jumped at the offer. I was important again! I had a reason to get dressed! I had a nice fat paycheck and big executive's desk! I finally felt like I could breathe. <br />
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It only took a few months before I realized how incredibly stressed out I was by trying to work a full-time day job, which ended up taking 50 - 60 hours a week, and run this business with the remaining time. Plus, here's the thing - I really hate rigid work schedules. Having to be in one place day after day for a predetermined amount of time makes me want to scratch my eyes out. So I bailed on that job, took two months in the summer to run Found Beauty Studio full time again, and then was offered what seemed like an incredible opportunity at another organization. Again, the siren song of a steady paycheck won out. It turned out not to be a good fit for me (see above for my hatred of rigid work schedules) and at the beginning of last month I went free range again. Seeing a pattern here? Yeah, me too.<br />
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So what do I expect to be different this time around? Thankfully, quite a bit. I know what my downfalls have been and I have a pretty good idea how to avoid them. They include:<br />
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<li><b>Leaving the house every day. </b> Sounds funny, right? But I'm dead serious. It's so easy to get caught up in the strange and all-consuming world in my house and I need to be reminded of the outside. Plus, it makes me feel better to talk to other people and not just my cats (and myself)...</li>
<li><b>Socializing</b>. For real. I have friends and we're all busy, so I make a concerted effort to schedule coffee dates, mini road trips, and impromptu social gatherings. This was the hardest part of my first work from home experience. I went from supervising 30 people and being constantly surrounded by coworkers to seeing maybe one or two people a week, one of whom was my husband. It was so isolating. </li>
<li><b>Having a work plan.</b> I'm like a magpie around a bunch of shiny objects. It doesn't take much to distract me, so in order to get things done, I need to have goals set out for each week. I don't give myself time of the day deadlines as that would violate my no rigid work schedule rule and I'd hate life, but I do know what I want to have done by the time Saturday rolls around. </li>
<li><b>Giving myself a break </b> This one is by far the hardest for me. I'm a workaholic and a perfectionist and I have a tendency to set completely unrealistic goals and then beat myself up for not reaching them. So I'm trying to be kinder and gentler to my psyche. It's a one day at a time approach, but it's working. If I'm my own worst enemy, working for myself by myself is a bad idea. </li>
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So far, so good. Two months in and I'm really enjoying my life. But if you see me staring crazily out my window and yelling at kids to get off my lawn, feel free to intervene :) Found Beauty Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04782636708553577871noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4162079187592315933.post-67751618865610190222013-03-14T17:16:00.000-04:002013-04-05T21:01:23.798-04:00The Ethics of SellingI'm broke. I mean, not flat-broke-can't-pay-my-electric-bill kind of broke. I've been there and thank goodness I'm not there anymore. But pretty much every penny I make goes right back into the business. It's almost like a magic trick. As soon as an order comes in, I need to buy more supplies and the money just disappears. POOF! Now you see it, now you don't. Because I know what it's like to be a small business owner and sole employee, I don't judge the decisions that other small business owners and sole employees make. But it's tempting.<br />
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There's an incredible project in Colorado called <a href="http://www.womensbeanproject.com/" target="_blank">the Women's Bean Project</a>. Here's their description of their program: "Since 1989, Women's Bean Project has been dedicated to helping women break the cycle of poverty and unemployment.<br />
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Women’s Bean Project strives to break the cycle of chronic unemployment
and poverty by helping women discover their talents and develop skills
by offering job readiness training opportunities.<br />
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With this stepping stone toward success, the women will be able to
support themselves and their families, and create stronger role models
for future generations." </span><br />
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<span class="text_exposed_show">Essentially they employ women in poverty to make food products </span>like "Bean Soup Mixes, Dips, Bread Mixes, Organic Fair Trade Coffees, Cookie
and Brownie Mixes, Instant Iced Tea, Salsa Mixes and Fajita Marinades,
Spice Rubs, Sweets, Gifts Bundles, and Gift Baskets". <br />
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I DEEPLY admire the work that they do. I'm working on building the social enterprise wing of a local business to train young women to grow local edible plants that will help repair the landscape, and I look up to the work that the Women's Bean Project has done. It's not easy. It's not the typical profit focused venture. But last week they announced a deal selling their products through Walmart, and all hell has broken loose.<br />
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I also received an offer this week to work with a large retailer who is know for ripping off independent artists and who's CEO contributes heavily to anti-gay movements - something I do not agree with. So what do we as makers, sellers, and small businesses do? We're all just scraping by. For the Women's Bean Project, the incredible exposure that Walmart offers could give them the funds to employ hundreds more women in poverty. But Walmart's strategy of paying people substandard part-time wages with no benefits is one of the reasons people end up in poverty. You can work full time at Walmart and still qualify for welfare. WTF? Does one good deed outweigh the bad deeds? I honestly don't know. In my case, would selling my work through a company that has cheated so many others, but would probably bring in enough profits for the rest of the year, make any ethical sense? Could I live with myself? Could I, who has a business based on reducing consumer waste and creating a connection between people and the things they own and use, sell my work through a company that sells so many products designed in the US by artists, ripped off, and then reproduced in third world countries? I don't know. But I doubt it.<br />
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I don't begrudge any artist or charity the opportunity to to raise funds to further their work. It's a completely personal choice and one that none of us can make for them. Will I kick myself if I turn this offer down and then can't keep my business going, all because of my conscience? Maybe. Since I'm the only one affected by the decision, I'll probably turn it down so that I can sleep soundly at night. But, then again, I don't have employees depending on me for their livelihood. That would be a different story all together.<br />
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I hate that this is an issue. I hate that we as a society support the kind of companies that rip people off, create artificial poverty, and exploit third world labor. Its a catch 22. The people that Walmart employs can only afford to shop at Walmart, which keeps them in business. Prices stay artificially low. The culture stays focused on the disposable. The lowest price wins, even if it came at the cost of 1/3 of our society and countless people in slave labor conditions around the world. I know this blog post isn't going to fix any of it. All I'm asking is that everyone who reads this just thinks for minute before you buy your weekly groceries, or that new lamp, or that $10 shirt. Just, please, think about it. Nothing changes if we don't change it. <br />
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<br />Found Beauty Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04782636708553577871noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4162079187592315933.post-33015174635063010362013-03-07T10:41:00.002-05:002013-04-05T21:01:23.792-04:00Why Yes, I Did Make that Myself. Thanks for Asking.Yesterday, in a hardware store, I had what has come to be an oft repeated conversation. It happens so frequently that I can practically psychically predict when it will happen. It always occurs when I'm intently looking through either tools, lumber, fasteners, or plumbing supplies. A male sales person will come up to me and politely tap me on the shoulder and say, "Do you need help finding something, ma'am?". First misstep - calling me ma'am. I'm 34. Knock it off. I reply, "Nope, I've got it. Thanks.". He'll stare at me with a slight hint of disbelief. He'll look me over and decide that I do not fit the mold of someone who knows what they're doing with tools, lumber, fasteners, or plumbing supplies. I'm usually in a dress, because I like dresses. They're comfortable. Second misstep - judging me by my appearance. He'll say, "Are you sure? Are you picking up something for your husband?". Third misstep - expecting that I'm picking up something for my husband. This use to really make me chuckle before I was married. I'll say, because now he's ticked me off, "Actually no. It's for me. Can I ask why you assumed it would be for my husband?" At which point he usually stammers and wanders off. One sales person actually said, "Sorry, didn't realize you were one of those feminists". I made sure to make a comment to his manager on the way out after that particular trip. <br />
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The thing is, this doesn't just happen in one particular hardware store. It happens in all of them with varying degrees of similarity. Some ask me if I'm looking for something for my husband, some ask me if I'm picking something out for someone else, and some just don't listen when I say I don't need help and continue to probe me about my projects. I've watched what happens when my husband shops in those same stores. They usually just nod at him and say hello. He, apparently, looks the part.<br />
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And - drum roll please - my least favorite thing? When someone asks me who helped me with my projects. It's like I'm a kid at a science fair who couldn't possibly have completed my exhibit without my parents stepping in. I get it. I don't look the part. I really don't. I wear dresses and dress shoes. I like long wool coats as opposed to the heavy duty outdoor gear most people around here sport. My bag is bright blue and has a hummingbird appliqued on it. I never, ever, look like I'm wearing anything weather appropriate. None of this fits most people's assumptions of a woman who likes to build complex biological based plumbing systems in her home. Or fix her own car. Or wire her own electronics. But I love doing all those things. Figuring out how things work is one of my great joys in life.<br />
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I've been a tinkerer since I was quite young. After age 9, I lived alone with my mom in a big, rambling house just outside of Boston. After school, I would hole myself up in the living room and watch PBS. This was the golden time when I'd religiously watch Julia Child, the Frugal Gourmet, Yan Can Cook, This Old House, The Victory Garden, and - my very favorite - NOVA. I learned ALL OF THE THINGS. When our vacuum cleaner broke, I took it apart and figured out which belts had slipped and replaced them. When the toilet ran, I knew how to tweak the float so that it shut off when it was supposed to. I fixed the washer when it broke, and replaced the thermostat on the dryer when it wouldn't heat up. I knew more about how to choose insulation than any 10 year old should have. And in our basement, I found my ultimate treasure, and perhaps one of the most defining influences of my childhood: The Encyclopedia of Crafts. 26 glorious volumes of projects covering everything from how to make your own sandals out of scrap leather to how to install a greenhouse. I went methodically through each one, completing every project I could. Since it was just my mother and me, there was no one around to tell me that these weren't typical projects for girls. <br />
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What bothers me the most about all of this is not that I don't fit in the template expectations people have for me. It's that occasionally I buy into it. When someone tells you enough times that your husband should check over your wiring work, you start to believe them. Luckily those moments are few and far between, but I worry about all those kids out there who didn't have my unfettered childhood. How many of them could be incredible tinkerers and makers, but don't feel welcome in stores, or don't have the confidence to take something apart? <br />
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Do the world a favor, everyone. Let every kid tinker, regardless of gender. Don't hover, don't fuss, just let them take something apart and see how it works. And while you're at it, take it apart yourself. Consider it an act of rebellion in a world of pre-made things and stubborn stereotypes. . Found Beauty Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04782636708553577871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4162079187592315933.post-33409053314914840282013-02-28T19:32:00.002-05:002013-04-05T21:01:23.794-04:00Self-Doubt is a Real Pain in the ButtWord on the street has it that to be successful in the art world, you need a thick skin. I must have missed that job requirement. My skin is paper thin. Practically transparent. A few weeks ago I sent my first ever wholesale order half way across the globe, and found out earlier this week that a few pieces arrived damaged. In the grand scheme of things, this is really not a big deal. I can replace the pieces, and things like this happen all the time. The store I shipped them to was not upset in the least. But I was devastated. All of my insecurities and deep rooted need to please others came rushing in a ball of anxiety and shame. For a solid half an hour I mulled over how I could have possible been so stupid as to not pack the order well enough, and how I could have ever thought I was good enough to sell my work. Seems like a complete overreaction in hindsight, but in the moment, the panic and self-degradation were all consuming. <br />
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The thing is, I take everything personally. As an adult in my early 30's, I've learned to re-frame the situation when I hit complete panic mode over something that I can intellectually identify is just not that big of a deal. I can now get over it in a day instead of a month. But it's still there. That ball of insecurity is a figure on my shoulder, hovering in the background. Sometimes the voice is whisper soft. Other days it screams. Most days it's an ever-present hiss - a really, really crappy soundtrack to life. That voice is a total jerk. <br />
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The work I put out into the world is so incredibly personal. Every single piece I make passes through my hands dozens of times as I tweak and perfect it. I am not someone who can ever utter the phrase, "eh, it's good enough". It's perfection or nothing at all. <br />
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But failure and criticism are part of the package. When you put intensely personal work out into the world, you open yourself up for criticism and pain. Some day I hope to disassociate my self-worth from strangers' reactions to my work. Today is not that day. But tomorrow could be...Found Beauty Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04782636708553577871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4162079187592315933.post-81543231470647858352013-02-23T20:52:00.001-05:002013-04-05T21:01:23.802-04:00On Growth and UncertaintyI admit it - I've sucked big time at blogging for the last few months. Ok, perhaps more than a few months. Many months. I took a day job (an office job! EEEK!) around the time my blogging trailed off, and I was knee deep in stress and madness. As I've stated before, I am not cut out for the 9-5 office job world. I think, fingers crossed, that I've finally convinced myself of this and won't second guess and embrace fear and doubt when people question me on what I "really" do for a living. That question always cuts me to my core. It hits at the heart of my self-consciousness and insecurity. If I'm not working in a way that most people see as actually working, what I am really doing with my life? How can my version of success actually be capital S success? But, damn it, this is what makes me happy.<br />
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I do not - I repeat, DO NOT - need to be sleep deprived, miserable, and stressed out to be successful.<br />
I do not - I repeat, DO NOT - need to fit myself into the mold of other people's vision of my life.<br />
I do not - I repeat, DO NOT - need to work traditional hours to satisfy conventional views. <br />
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I do - I repeat, DO - need to work in a way that is fulfilling and productive.<br />
I do - I repeat, DO - owe it to myself, my loved ones, and my community to use my gifts the best I can.<br />
I do - I repeat, DO - need to manage my time in a way that is healthy, and not value myself by how busy I am.<br />
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So true confession time: I undervalue my work and my time. I have a complex about being a maker and not an artist. I have undercharged for the things I make and put out into the world because I've been afraid they weren't good enough. As a result, my business has been handicapped. You know how most of us artisans and crafters make a living? By consigning and wholesaling our work. You know what that costs? Anywhere from 20% - 60% of our retail price. You know what you can't do if you keep your prices incredibly low? Afford to consign and wholesale. And so my business has been handicapped. Forgive me, friends, but I'll be raising my prices as of March 1. I deserve to be compensated for the incredible amount of work I put into each piece that leaves my hands. I deserve to not work myself into the ground for a profit of $5 a piece.<br />
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I deeply believe in breaking down the barriers to everyone owning handmade work instead of imported, mass-produced pieces that were made on the backs of poverty stricken children. I use reclaimed materials to keep useful things out of landfills and to combat our disposable culture. I try to create joyful, durable pieces that connect people to the everyday items they use and increase the value they see in them, so that those pieces stay around for years, instead of ending up in a garbage can every year. To that end, I make things in a variety of price ranges. I still want someone to spend $20 and have a handmade soap dispenser made from vintage, eco-friendly, and responsibly sourced materials. I want them to keep that for years and enjoy it every time they see it. But I can't afford to sell a robot lamp for $50 that has taken me over a week to hand craft and wire.<br />
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It was easy for me to undervalue myself for the last 4 years. What really hit home was when I realized that by underpricing my work, I made it hard for all of my fellow makers to fairly price their work. And I NEVER want to be responsible for that. What can I say? I'm a giver :) <br />
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I hope you all understand. And for all of you craftspeople out there, value yourselves! Found Beauty Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04782636708553577871noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4162079187592315933.post-9626960150389578942012-09-03T13:05:00.000-04:002012-09-05T18:28:33.774-04:00The Ever-Changing Definition of Success - UPDATEDThe one piece of running Found Beauty Studio that I can never put my finger on is what I consider "success" to be. Is it an arbitrary financial goal? Is it a particular lifestyle achieved? Is it some level of recognition from outside sources? I honestly don't know. <br />
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I've lived with bouts of severe anxiety and depression for most of my life. It's not something I usually share publicly and many people who know me professionally would be surprised by it. My inner circle of amazing and supportive friends and family know (kind of a hard thing to hide, long term), but other than that I've kept it to myself, mostly just disappearing for a few weeks at a time from society until I can muster the energy to leave my house again. I've hidden it out of shame and stigma. It's only been in the last few months that I've finally come to understand that I have nothing to be ashamed of. My brain operates with a different level of chemicals than other people's do. It's not my fault and the stigma can go to hell. I have it well controlled thanks to medication and behavioral therapy so that it doesn't keep me from living a full and rich life, and I consider that successful. I'd like to thank people like <a href="http://thebloggess.com/" target="_blank">The Bloggess</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/johnmoe" target="_blank">John Moe</a> for showing me that honesty can be extremely freeing. Hiding it keeps me sicker and makes others who also struggle feel more alone. Screw that.<br />
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It does mean, though, that the traditional definition of American success - status achieved by money and power - is often at odds with the reality of my life. I'll admit that part of me really wants that status. Part of me wants to be seen by society as successful, with a job that demands respect and creates lots of expendable income. Part of me wants to be traditionally normal. But when I have anxiety attacks that keep me from walking into an unstructured social situation without wanting to vomit and burst into tears, and a need to be able to set my own schedule because working 9-5 behind a desk sets off my depression like nothing else, the traditional office job is just not for me. I keep trying, and keep realizing it over and over again that I do not fit into that mold. And then I feel like a failure and a loser for not being able to do what others seem to excel at, and I go down that rabbit hole of depression and shame and self-loathing. And the guilt. Holy moses the guilt about not having to wake up to an alarm is excruciating. Sounds great, right? Bet you're a little jealous right now.<br />
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So here I am, thinking about success. Found Beauty Studio is not a cash cow. I think anyone who runs a small art business will tell you the same. The average salary for an independent craftsperson in America is a whopping $13,000 a year. That's $4,000 less than you'd make working full-time at minimum wage. I'm fiercely independent when it comes to being able to take care of myself, so the economic reality of falling short on income kills me. I am married to an absolutely amazing and caring partner who supports whatever I do, and yet I've just begun to be comfortable after 5 years together with the idea that the income we bring in is "our" money, not my money and his money separately, and that he doesn't give one hoot how much I make. I've been pretty proud of the fact that our salaries were comparable for most of our years together, even when I was completely miserable in my job, and now I have to wonder why. We're not wealthy by any stretch of the imagination, but we own our house (well, the bank owns most of it), we have no debt outside of our mortgage, we have savings, we own our cars, and we have health insurance and retirement funds. I think it's time for me to stop obsessing about the amount of income I contribute. Perhaps the amount of money I earn should not be so deeply tied to my self-worth. If I keep that as a measure, Found Beauty Studio will never make me "successful".<br />
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I think what I'm going to aim for as a measure of success for the next few months is to wake up without dreading the day. I want to wake up and feel like the next 24 hours are full of promise and not torment. I want to stop feeling guilty about setting my own schedule and apologizing for the times I feel fulfilled. I want to stop hating myself for enjoying creating full time. I want to embrace the positives of running an art business and not continually obsess over the pitfalls. In short, I want to be happy. <br />
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<b>UPDATE</b>: I'd like to thank the flood of people who have reached out to me with their own stories in the last few days. I'm awed that so many of us have the same struggles, and saddened that so many of us feel we have to hide them. To all of you who suffer in silence, please NEVER hesitate to contact me. I know what it's like to feel completely alone even when you're in a room full of people. Found Beauty Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04782636708553577871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4162079187592315933.post-84274008900816985182012-08-09T11:10:00.000-04:002012-08-09T19:24:33.101-04:00Taking Matters into My Own HandsI'm a bit of a stubborn, head-strong, take charge, be-the-change-you'd-like-to-see kind of person. It has served me both very well and incredibly poorly at different points in my life, but I am who I am and I'm at peace with it. I do not do well sitting on the side lines waiting for other people to do what needs to be done. So when I realized that Burlington - my home for the last 12 years - was in desperate need of an affordable and stable venue for artists to sell their work, I decided to step in. After months of planning, I'm pleased to announce that I've found the <a href="http://www.oldnorthendartmarket.com/" target="_blank">Old North End Art Market</a>! <br />
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The thing is, all of us artists, artisans, and crafters who have sold our work at shows have been there. You spend a fortune and entire days where you may or may not make a dime all day. And not only did you have to pay the vendor fee for the show (and sometimes an application fee...yikes), you had to buy a table and often a huge tent. Plus you have to schlep all of your stuff to the show. Don't get me wrong. I'm not anti-show. I'm starting a monthly one for pete's sake. But I don't like the investment and risk that it takes to be involved in shows. It takes a lot of time, a lot of money, and there's a huge learning curve. There are so many incredibly talented people who have a bad experience the first time out and then give up on them. And then they lose out on the benefits that shows can offer - exposure, sales, and meeting other artists.<br />
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Mostly I now know what it's like to try to slog it out making a living off of your creations. It's tough. Really tough. Here in northern Vermont, there's no place you can try out a new design or have a location where customers can expect to buy from you unless you have a studio, which I can't afford to rent, or going the wholesale or consignment route, and I can't afford to take the 40%-60% cut in price that requires. And since a lot of my work is really difficult to ship, I can't easily sell it online. It's been discouraging. I look at cities that have weekly or monthly markets and I drool with envy. Ok, that's a bit of a graphic image. Mostly I shake my fist angrily at the heavens that I don't have that opportunity.<br />
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So here's where the head-strong, take-charge part comes in. Instead of sitting around and bemoaning my lack of options (which I did for a few years, don't get me wrong), I'm starting that market. I'm creating what I need, and what I imagine a lot of other artists around here need. The farmer's market is great, but you have to be able to be outside vending weekly all summer long, and have liability insurance, and afford the price, and have your own table, tent, and set up. It works really well for some artists, but not for me. I have a delightfully awful heat intolerance and I can't be outside in 85 degree or over temps without passing out and making a scene, so the outdoor market doesn't work for me. I also can't commit to selling weekly. I don't have the kind of time or inventory to make that work. So my market is going to be monthly, from 10am- 3pm, and at a beautiful indoor location that provides tables and chairs so that all you have to do is bring a table covering and your work and you can sell away. I think of it as an incubator space. I want to provide a place where all those fabulous artists and makers who have been too intimidated by the world of shows to try them out can come down on a Saturday, pay $30 for a table (that's the affordable part! I'd rather make significantly less for my efforts as the market organizer and make it accessible to artists), and give it a go. Also, I really want to bring opportunities to my part of town - the Old North End - which is incredibly vibrant and diverse, but not a usual tourist destination like Church St. in downtown Burlington. <br />
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Mostly, I'm really excited about all of it. I want to support the arts in my community. I want to create an opportunity for people to make money off of their creations. I want to connect buyers who are looking for unique and hand-made items with those amazing people making them. I also want to save other people from going through the isolation I went through trying to figure it all out on my own. I'm planning a series of workshop to go along with the market on how to start your own home-based food business, marketing tips, setting up a booth, etc. so that no one has to go it alone.<br />
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It's exciting! I'm excited. I hope you are too. So follow the art market on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/OldNorthEndArtMarket/" target="_blank">facebook </a>or on <a href="http://twitter.com/ONEArtMarketBTV" target="_blank">twitter </a>if you feel like it and if you're nearby, you should be a vendor if you're a maker, or be a shopper if you want to support the makers. You won't be sorry. <br />
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And to those of you who read through the end of my rambling post, thanks :)Found Beauty Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04782636708553577871noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4162079187592315933.post-62547862733513031252012-07-11T10:31:00.002-04:002012-07-11T13:10:47.783-04:00Anthropomorphism: or why robots are awesome.I've discovered a new art form that is 100% where-have-you-been-all-my-life awesome. It's building robot sculptures out of scrap metal. It's ok - I'll wait a second for the sheer weight of its awesome to sink in.<br />
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Seriously awesome, right?<br />
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The thing is, I've basically spent my whole life waiting to discover this robot making talent. I'm an anthropomorphizer extraordinaire. Also, forget you, blogger.com, for not recognizing anthropomorphizer as a word. It's totally a word. And if it wasn't before, it is now. But as I was saying - I've been giving inanimate objects personalities for years. I used to take all of my silverware at dinner and secretly give them names and act out tragedies of Shakespearean order determined by who had to touch what food. It always ended with the knife dying a bloody and horrific death. I've also been known to carry around bags of googly eyes and stick them everywhere. All the fruit in the fruit bowl? Googly eyed. Cans of beans at the grocery store? Googly eyed. Shriveled potato that I convinced my friend to crochet a small hat for? Googly eyed. Similarly, when my husband and I were dating, if I was bored and in his apartment I'd go to his workbench where he kept all of his soldering equipment and rearrange the tools into robot-like shapes. Then I'd place them all in a circle and pretend they were having a conference on ending world-wide nuclear proliferation. True story. <br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Aren't you secretly a little glad I found a photo of the potato?</i></span></div>
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So for some reason it took me all this time to realize that my true calling in life is to turn scrap metal and discarded household items into robot sculptures. And now that I've found this calling, I've already made 9 robots in 11 days, and you can see them all on my facebook album aptly named "<a href="https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150920175803041.418383.113931538040&type=1&l=3daad5e772" target="_blank">Robots</a>!". Essentially I gather all sorts of metal bits from thrift shops and the second hand building supply store, lay them all out in front of me, and start playing. Then I get out the tools and start poking, prodding, drilling, cutting, and bolting until I have a finished robot friend. Plus, when the store clerks see the bizarre haul of unrelated metal pieces I bring to the counter, they inevitably ask me what I'm doing with all of it, and I get to answer "make robots" which I think we can all agree is the best answer ever. <br />
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This is what I start with:<br />
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And these are some of my creations:<br />
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This, friends, is just the beginning of my robot making adventure. I'm teaching myself how to wire multiple bulb lamps so you can expect some robot lighting fixtures soon. And did I mention that some of these will end up as planters? It's true, and will be just as awesome as you think. <br />
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</div>Found Beauty Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04782636708553577871noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4162079187592315933.post-17933382658934338742012-06-18T21:01:00.000-04:002012-06-18T21:01:51.089-04:00A Dear Friend is GoneMy dear friend and constant champion, Ed Beckwith, died suddenly on Sunday. He was one of the kindest, sweetest, jolliest, and most compassionate people this earth has ever seen. Ed had confidence in me when I had none in myself. He was a kindred spirit.<br />
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Knowing my love of all things geeky and plant related, he surprised me one day years ago with a book on composting. I loved the book (still use it, actually), but more importantly I loved the note card he included. I still keep it in the book, which has a very prominent place on my bookshelf.<br />
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Ed, wherever you are, I hope you that you know just how much of a difference you made in this world. I'll make that bumper sticker and display it proudly. Found Beauty Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04782636708553577871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4162079187592315933.post-78218259894417410252012-04-22T17:57:00.002-04:002012-04-23T08:34:17.664-04:00The Balancing ActBack in early January I got an email from my friend and former co-worker letting me know that a job in community organizing was opening up in my old division of city government. I missed that division. My job had ended due to federal funding cuts and it always felt like I left my work there unfinished. A week later I got a call from my wonderful and amazing former supervisor asking me if I was interested in filling the position on an interim basis. At first I laughed. Out loud. For far longer than was polite. It's a tough gig and I remember how miserable the previous occupant of the job had been toward the end of her tenure. And I was now running Found Beauty Studio full-time. It seemed like failure to abandon my business owner life. Was I giving up? Was I quitting? Was I retreating to the familiar world of meetings and offices out of fear? Or was I following my intuition that said another few months of house-bound isolation were going to do me in? My former supervisor gave me the weekend to think it over, and by Monday I was in. I longed for a regular paycheck and for the opportunity to interact with other humans besides my husband. The conversations I had with my cats were getting very extensive and I was a tiny bit worried for my sanity. Luckily, I haven't gotten to the point where they talk back...yet.<br />
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So back I went.<br />
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Back I went to pretty pretty city hall with the lovely marble floors and the grand views of Church St. Back I went to a feeling of importance and value that I never quite mustered working by myself for myself. Back I went to engaging brainstorming sessions with colleagues and community members. It seemed magical. I had a reason to get dressed up again. I felt like I had value and purpose again. I also, as I was soon to find out, had a 50-60 hour work week that regularly included night and weekend meetings.<br />
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I do not mind hard work. I happily jump in to the projects that involve long hours and difficult meetings. The more challenging the better. But this one was tough. Being "the human pincushion", as my supervisor put it, sucks. My job involved constant backlash about development projects and leadership that I had no involvement with, angry emails about the distribution of funding and resources that I again had no involvement with, being stopped any time I left my house by people with beefs against the city, and - my favorite - quite a few verbal and written personal attacks. It took over everything. It seeped into every conversation. It seeped into every thought. Slowly I noticed the toll the stress was taking on me. First it was the constant stomach aches. Then it was the overwhelming desire to sleep every second I wasn't working. Then it was the relentless recurring nightmares. Then it was the moment when my husband told me how bad he felt that I was always sad and angry. Then it was when I realized I no longer had the time to talk to my friends and family or make time for them while they visited. But much like any dysfunctional relationship, I kept at it thinking that things would get better. If only I stopped doing whatever it was that was making everyone so angry, it would all change!<br />
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And because that's crazy talk, it didn't. So out I went.<br />
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Everyone was shocked that I was leaving. I was so good at the job, they said. I was made for that work. I apologized profusely. Worst fear realized - I was letting everyone down. As I reconsidered my decision to leave over and over and over again, I had a revelation. I have the right to say no. I don't need to please all of the people all of the time. I love building community and networks. I love helping people find the resources they need. I love coordinating projects that bring a ton of people and partners on board and creatively problem solve. Love. It. But I also love free time, and Found Beauty Studio, and all of the volunteer projects I devote myself to. I don't think I'm alone in having a continuing battle with creating balance in my life. We all joke about first world problems (can we retire that hashtag, btw? Please?), but this is a biggie. We deserve to not work ourselves into the ground in order to make a living. We deserve to be treated with respect and dignity by those we work for and with. <br />
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I don't know where my path will take me. Who does? But I do know whatever I chose to do, I will do it knowing that it must involve carved out space for all of the wonderful people and rich experiences that make me happiest of all. No job is worth that kind of sacrifice. <br />
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Oh, and it has to involve making things out of other things. Because that is what makes me happy. <br />
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<br />Found Beauty Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04782636708553577871noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4162079187592315933.post-26358527133338225412012-04-16T15:40:00.001-04:002012-04-16T15:40:15.418-04:00Queen City Craft Bazaar: Be There.This time last year I was entering my very first craft show: the Queen City Craft Bazaar. Well, a year later I've quadrupled my online business, have had my work for sale in three galleries, and raised my studio income from 2010 to 2011 by 2600%. It's been one heck of a ride. And now it's time for another Queen City Craft Bazaar. I'm so excited, I can't stand it. I love this show. It's fun, it's affordable, it's low key, and there are a ton of amazing vendors spread over two floors of a beautiful old train station. This year Kacey, the organizer, has lined up a band to play. So flippin' awesome. <br />
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This year, after reviewing my successes and challenges from all of the shows I participated in last year, I've come to a happy conclusion: my planters are the hit of my craft shows. So, instead of lugging bags, pet beds, earrings, luggage, and the bazillion other things I make, all the way to the craft show, I'm bringing all planters. I'm really, really excited about this. Not only will it allow me to make a fun, planter focused display, but it means that I have to schlep 1/3 of the staging materials. Plus, the upcycled planters are the star of the show anyway. After having so very many people say "oh, do you make this stuff too?" after stopping to see the dino planters and then looking around at the rest of my displays, I realized that everything else is an afterthought. So I'll sell everything else online where it sells really well, and sell the planters (which I hate shipping anyway) in person at shows. Win win, people. Win win. <br />
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So come down to this year's Spring Queen City Craft Bazaar and see my expanded collection of fun and funky upcycled planters! You won't be sorry. I promise. Here's the facebook event page: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/108759249258489/">https://www.facebook.com/events/108759249258489/</a>. You'll thank yourself for going. <br />
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<br />Found Beauty Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04782636708553577871noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4162079187592315933.post-66931269237984270952012-02-16T22:37:00.001-05:002012-02-16T22:37:36.124-05:00Painting a SofaI love <a href="http://www.designsponge.com/" target="_blank">Design Sponge</a>. It's one of my favorite go-to blog reads. And as someone who spent the majority of undergrad in a costume and scene shop (that's right - theater majors of the world unite!!!), I'm thrilled that they covered painting a sofa in this post. The truth is that almost anything can be painted with the right kind of prep and paint, and fabric is no exception. I really just HAD to share this post! Oh, and if anyone tries this at home, I will require before and after pictures :)<br />
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<a href="http://www.designsponge.com/2012/02/before-after-painted-sofa.html">http://www.designsponge.com/2012/02/before-after-painted-sofa.html</a>Found Beauty Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04782636708553577871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4162079187592315933.post-10639067403257800312012-02-14T17:48:00.001-05:002012-02-14T17:48:32.827-05:00My Funny ValentineHappiest of Valentine's Days to you, friends! May your life be full of light, laughter, and love, no matter who you're spending the day with :)<br />
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<br />Found Beauty Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04782636708553577871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4162079187592315933.post-1347784468266282672012-01-16T16:27:00.000-05:002012-01-16T16:27:25.895-05:00When Mold and Mildew StrikeDo you hear that? You're probably an hour or two late, but I thought you might be able to hear the echo of me screaming at the top of my lungs. Why? Because my post-college fine artwork that I've meticulously cared for through 9 moves in 12 years is covered in mold and mildew. When my partner and I bought our top half of a house from the 1800's, it didn't occur to me just how much of our place would be unheated, and thus a breeding ground for mold and mildew when the cold air outside mixes with the warm air inside. <br />
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I stored my artwork in the closet off our living room because it's large and accessible. Seems like a good place, right? Turns out that three of its walls, plus the floor are backed by our staircase entrance, which is unheated. Mold and mildew city. Here's what it looks like AFTER I spent a few hours scrubbing with bleach:<br />
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Did I mention I'm allergic to mold and wake up sniffly much of time here? Mystery solved. And my artwork. My beloved art work. <br />
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My heart literally hurts over this. Thankfully a friend pointed me to this link:<br />
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_249830613"><br /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.art-restoration.com/damage.htm">http://www.art-restoration.com/damage.htm</a><br />
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Here are the instructions for salvaging paintings:<br />
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"<span style="font-family: Times New Roman,Times,serif;"><b>Paintings</b> - make sure there is no water inside the framing -
turn it upside down and all around to drain any sitting water behind
the stretcher bars,etc. No need to remove the canvases from their frames.
The paintings may become white and heavily discolored looking hopeless,
but do NOT discard or give up on them. They're surprisingly resiliant
and that white is like the ring on a coffee table - it's moisture trapped
between the painting and the varnish and can be removed. Again, they're
fragile so treat them gently until they can be stabilized.</span>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman,Times,serif;">To deal with the MOLD growing
the on the paintings, lightly spray (do not saturate) the canvas, front
and back, with Lysol spray (not the liquid). This will help arrest the
mold growth, and you may need to repeat this a few times. When the mold
is dry and powdery it is now dormant. You can then take the canvas outside
it and the residue can be brush with a clean dry paint brush. Remember
to wear a mask so as not to inhale the airborne spores, and be sure
to remove all the debris from the back and not to allow it to accumulate
under the stretcher bars! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman,Times,serif;">Do not wipe the mold off,
do not use anything stronger than Lysol, and above all do not use BLEACH
or TILEX or anything with bleach in it, as this will cause more damage
than the mold will cause and is not reversible.The paintings may still
need professional cleaning and conservation, but this will help stop
the mold from getting any worse until that time.Frames - remember that
alot of them CAN be restored. Do not discard them until they have been
examined by a conservator and let us make the determination. Water is
the enemy of gold leaf and the plaster covering the wood, so it's important
to allow them to dry as well and remember that it's in a particularly
fragile state so don't be rough with it or it can completely fall apart
before it's stabilized."</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman,Times,serif;">My next move today is to go buy out all the lysol in my local grocery store and then start the anti-mold procedures. I'll let you know how it turns out. </span>Found Beauty Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04782636708553577871noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4162079187592315933.post-43243131122917640242012-01-14T19:10:00.000-05:002012-01-15T10:37:56.301-05:00Super Simple Fleece Mitten TutorialI live in northern Vermont and I don't know about where you are, but here it is C-O-L-D cold. In fact, according to the Burlington Free Press right now, it's this cold:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh90cZycHYysuAJvmBGHWPgz8Qothrm_YYOdBQWYze0WUtJYJWgxXV9hM0Ijn_a6hPL_fYuJz2vzQyZu4LUXHasfPg_X1ZotYopVh1mb9b-iNvtma1bSFrvCF7XS5gwWs88GPzc64RnsCZd/s1600/it%2527s+cold.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh90cZycHYysuAJvmBGHWPgz8Qothrm_YYOdBQWYze0WUtJYJWgxXV9hM0Ijn_a6hPL_fYuJz2vzQyZu4LUXHasfPg_X1ZotYopVh1mb9b-iNvtma1bSFrvCF7XS5gwWs88GPzc64RnsCZd/s1600/it%2527s+cold.jpg" /></a></div>
That's right, 1 degree outside and feels like -13. So it seemed like the perfect time to use up fleece scraps and put together a quick pair of mittens. You see, I lose things. A lot. And my major triumph of the last several years has been my ability to hang on to my super warm purple fleece mittens. But alas, this year they mysteriously vanished between May and October, and so I've been mittenless this winter. But today, it was time to fix that. 1 flippin' degree, people!<br />
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I googled the heck out of mitten patterns and finally settled on this: <a href="http://www.barlowscientific.com/technotes/home/mittens.htm">http://www.barlowscientific.com/technotes/home/mittens.htm</a>. I'm afraid I don't know who Barlow Scientific is, but it does clearly state that this pattern was adapted from a free pattern for oven mitts this person found at a Hancock Fabric store. I like the mystery of it all. I also liked that these suckers would be big enough to double as oven mitts. Did I mention it's 1 degree outside? <br />
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I had approximately 1/3 yard of anti-pill fleece kicking around and it was enough fabric for two pairs, so my guess is that you could make this with 1/4 yard for a single pair. Here are the three pattern pieces. They make mittens sized for a women's large/men's medium or <br />
<ul type="disc">
<li>Hand girth: 9"
</li>
<li>Hand length: 8-3/4"
</li>
<li>Thumb length: 3-1/4"
</li>
</ul>
When I saved them from the Barlow Scientific site they were small jpegs, so I scaled them up to the recommended 1" x 1" per square dimensions. If you click on the images here, they should open in the correct size. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLQY9NU4gWX_hPS9nNUa7Z8dFseHmIHD5Y6FaLo2mI8GZ-3th4OlH25bntRDBVYsG2zkQnXdbVrACNdNOMduy9wcbml1OA9IUCTrfGxZOsr8XJmsQ2W3RYv_5cfDNK79NkOalnvDvrcIvt/s1600/mitten+pattern+top+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLQY9NU4gWX_hPS9nNUa7Z8dFseHmIHD5Y6FaLo2mI8GZ-3th4OlH25bntRDBVYsG2zkQnXdbVrACNdNOMduy9wcbml1OA9IUCTrfGxZOsr8XJmsQ2W3RYv_5cfDNK79NkOalnvDvrcIvt/s320/mitten+pattern+top+copy.jpg" width="211" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK4ogsldz6wo-IbQ0utABz58jKuaVPFNZdbceQ2flATW6MLmxhzzdWmNHo5rY5Om5bgxDmBKgatVj8rJYfzd3J2uWPsv_sXTP39IvW8Bo8_gdWN2Uo-YgUxgtEtQwIluuEvMJcZcKupRsy/s1600/mitten+pattern+back+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK4ogsldz6wo-IbQ0utABz58jKuaVPFNZdbceQ2flATW6MLmxhzzdWmNHo5rY5Om5bgxDmBKgatVj8rJYfzd3J2uWPsv_sXTP39IvW8Bo8_gdWN2Uo-YgUxgtEtQwIluuEvMJcZcKupRsy/s320/mitten+pattern+back+copy.jpg" width="223" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTGBlmt9Gog57n0T0FT_C5VaYkhKz-w_jQJ9Q2uu6hytbrgYss3P4eX5TnAYsM-LvJNQaoWVa2PmRBpxhzw5v7I6nQywV-Umb0ypqmqHojJspP46D_PHeSwB9Ov1GpjWh57rXkamvz26Ke/s1600/mitten+pattern+thumb+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTGBlmt9Gog57n0T0FT_C5VaYkhKz-w_jQJ9Q2uu6hytbrgYss3P4eX5TnAYsM-LvJNQaoWVa2PmRBpxhzw5v7I6nQywV-Umb0ypqmqHojJspP46D_PHeSwB9Ov1GpjWh57rXkamvz26Ke/s320/mitten+pattern+thumb+copy.jpg" width="226" /></a></div>
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My hands are the size of a 10 year old's hands. No, seriously, they are. At the Museum of Science in Boston they have an exhibit that shows the size of human hands at different developmental ages and mine match up perfectly with the 10 year old's - stubby fingers and all. So I chopped an inch off the top of the mitt and the top of the thumb pattern pieces for mine and it worked out really well. You'll need to cut two of each pattern. Because my fleece didn't have a right and a wrong size, I folded the fabric over and laid out the pattern pieces so that I'd have two of each automatically.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFCtDiggcG2M2UPvFqp-IH6fu47WMUUJm9niYWXXfIFK5VQ4afA1Ov4DfB0sCnLYueCUP9r5ROxJPpPLdRhST_ozaVpgCwuS4FSmujplQnxH1hRRerjamqpY5IksyLE1Fkn2Aivf6jjsNt/s1600/mittens+tutorial+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFCtDiggcG2M2UPvFqp-IH6fu47WMUUJm9niYWXXfIFK5VQ4afA1Ov4DfB0sCnLYueCUP9r5ROxJPpPLdRhST_ozaVpgCwuS4FSmujplQnxH1hRRerjamqpY5IksyLE1Fkn2Aivf6jjsNt/s320/mittens+tutorial+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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For convenience's sake, I've numbered them and I'll use the numbers
from here on out instead of piece-with-the-thumb-sticking-up or
something to that effect. You're welcome.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih7qKNLJ6Zr0a9ud3311CEDvUlfnUYchy-E9WDbT_qRrQbX2eCaDlA24fc7U1LC3oZ1Cs7HKogTY6isozKzq69Gn9nOCsTlmZ8P0uI_nau91YVnrI3I4387bECNf8VzJWz7UBXE1uwnRZH/s1600/mittens+tutorial+3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="141" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih7qKNLJ6Zr0a9ud3311CEDvUlfnUYchy-E9WDbT_qRrQbX2eCaDlA24fc7U1LC3oZ1Cs7HKogTY6isozKzq69Gn9nOCsTlmZ8P0uI_nau91YVnrI3I4387bECNf8VzJWz7UBXE1uwnRZH/s320/mittens+tutorial+3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Step 1: Match pieces 1 and 2 together and sew around the top using a straight stitch, stopping at the black diamond. I've highlighted the seam in yellow.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9de3u3dx-RgFtAo6MvGTnxVUF0_5wWKnUhKRc7KovWjZ2KsfDjXjNjGqVcx2X8QSIO7OGiZd_lk9ltcDT5TPFORZvpBUXxozmMZX6flYR-CyTa1VNFXIhItDz6d11B9qHP_8jnruTEg0o/s1600/mittens+tutorial+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9de3u3dx-RgFtAo6MvGTnxVUF0_5wWKnUhKRc7KovWjZ2KsfDjXjNjGqVcx2X8QSIO7OGiZd_lk9ltcDT5TPFORZvpBUXxozmMZX6flYR-CyTa1VNFXIhItDz6d11B9qHP_8jnruTEg0o/s320/mittens+tutorial+4.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
Step 2: Flatten out the sewn together pieces so that the silhouette matches up with piece 3. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHjzAGc7gbxqkctdY8FBGXkop8fSWE6-NRqGMdYraBkC89KKe75T6wa7Vcx_q6lc4CdCxTfZm7fc6kjGlbP9SDERHWIstna6Q1Ss6m6iONBmBaMFPYQVPLsxqVtfIM7HLSR4JRazrCyKYe/s1600/mittens+tutorial+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHjzAGc7gbxqkctdY8FBGXkop8fSWE6-NRqGMdYraBkC89KKe75T6wa7Vcx_q6lc4CdCxTfZm7fc6kjGlbP9SDERHWIstna6Q1Ss6m6iONBmBaMFPYQVPLsxqVtfIM7HLSR4JRazrCyKYe/s320/mittens+tutorial+5.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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Step 3: Pin together with piece 3 and sew around the outside using a straight stitch. Again, the seam is highlighted.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisyWY26F9PO259DXl63D7yyJIE7jnf6znJOmz3Hybg0TrTznB591W99MxhyphenhyphenXbfXPCtQATx9czn47KIsXjMaDZ9_hEqLHcw6wq7gf2QhCX9mucgjUzzCa5Yc1kAqtuuaFah65zm1Xlq-fhO/s1600/mittens+tutorial+6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisyWY26F9PO259DXl63D7yyJIE7jnf6znJOmz3Hybg0TrTznB591W99MxhyphenhyphenXbfXPCtQATx9czn47KIsXjMaDZ9_hEqLHcw6wq7gf2QhCX9mucgjUzzCa5Yc1kAqtuuaFah65zm1Xlq-fhO/s320/mittens+tutorial+6.jpg" width="246" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLQihFIXowT06XPMQObhDKwwrE7aj46Tu-ao-htCXc7FSx7-4uQu-XkoWR3YOZ0rJFxcOwwVjUMBppQBfJx9pMphCECOIwgmGKfIte2lwSP4JLx_SZ6QQ5vA9CgnVJT2ox_2cO9nSImHxl/s1600/mittens+tutorial+7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLQihFIXowT06XPMQObhDKwwrE7aj46Tu-ao-htCXc7FSx7-4uQu-XkoWR3YOZ0rJFxcOwwVjUMBppQBfJx9pMphCECOIwgmGKfIte2lwSP4JLx_SZ6QQ5vA9CgnVJT2ox_2cO9nSImHxl/s320/mittens+tutorial+7.jpg" width="214" /></a></div>
Step 4: Fold up the unfinished bottom cuff 1/2 inch and sew with a zig zag stitch so that it will stretch.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4aY2bW4_irjQACO3U_p1bqdvwSrRC7j8jre3w2tSDyi3Vr0ZDuq1_0SOXgOxBrGnmifVx8BZ2GB865yKExdvUB-ugpXpSyi23dyF-OhhZgF3C9z1i3qV6Z1Tws4CZEXYrXwydcIyGQKdi/s1600/mittens+tutorial+8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4aY2bW4_irjQACO3U_p1bqdvwSrRC7j8jre3w2tSDyi3Vr0ZDuq1_0SOXgOxBrGnmifVx8BZ2GB865yKExdvUB-ugpXpSyi23dyF-OhhZgF3C9z1i3qV6Z1Tws4CZEXYrXwydcIyGQKdi/s320/mittens+tutorial+8.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Step 5: Repeat with the second set of fabric cut outs to make the mitten for the other hand. <br />
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Congrats! You've made a pair of mittens! Turn those beauties right side out and enjoy warm hands all season long. Want to make them extra warm? You can make a second pair 1/4" smaller, keep it wrong side out with the seams visible, and then place it inside the slightly larger pair and sew them together along the cuff with a zig zag stitch.. The slight decrease in size will keep it from being too bulky - just make sure to trim the seam allowance down as much as possible. The second layer of fabric will also make them more wind-proof, which - trust me - is incredibly helpful!<br />
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Enjoy them! As my partner always says to get me to wear winter gear when I don't want too, frostbite is significantly less cute than wearing appropriate clothing. Words to live by, people. Words to live by.<br />
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<br />Found Beauty Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04782636708553577871noreply@blogger.com1