If you're wondering why I haven't posted for awhile, it's because I'm getting ready for this:

And that's all I can say for now.

Screenery

I'm finally back to work! I recently realized the limitations of my gocco and accepted the fact that I need to have some larger screens for printing on my scarves and napkins and other fabric whatnottery. So, I farmed out a service. I'll admit it: I don't know how to make a big screen. I've read books on it and studied the diagrams. It looks really tedious and detail-oriented, and that's just not how I roll. Besides, my basement is already filled with a giant easel, a waxing/collaging table, a sewing table, and a dying area not to mention countless abandoned knick knacks and empty cat food bags. There's no room for an exposure unit!
Wow. can you tell I feel guilty about not making my own screens?
So, back to the point, I had screen-burner extraordinaire
zengirl.etsy.com burn my designs onto screens for me. They look awesome and the turnaround and shipping were fast; she also supplied me with tips and advice, which was helpful. I tried out the first screen this morning:

(Feel free to note the super clean sink area. Obviously a neat freak, I know.)
I printed in cyan on some extra long jersey scarves:


So that's working out nicely. Good for me.
And, in case you're wondering what I'm working towards lately:

Bitter Fruits (Group) Exhibition
January 31-February 28, 2008
Altered Esthetics Galley
1224 Quincy St NE
Minneapolis, MN 55413

North Dakota Museum of Art's Annual Silent Benefit Dinner
February 2, 2008
ndmoa.com

MAKE-OUT GOODS!! Be My Valentine Show! (A Handmaiden's Craft Spectacular)
Sunday, February 10th
VFW on Lake/ Lyndale.
10am to 6pm
The Handmaidens' Blog

And then there's Craftstravaganza in St.Paul on April 26th. I'd put the link up, but it looks like their site is under construction.

OK, I'm going to go wait by the window now for the UPS man to bring me more ink.

That was nice.

I bet you were all so worried that I'd decided to never come back from Jamaica, on account of I haven't posted in so long. Not to worry, I'm safely back in the frozen tundra that is my home.
I spent 5 days lying on the beach, swimming, eating and consuming cocktails, and I have the photos to prove it. You see, I value the merit of adventure vacations and eco-tourism, but this trip was not in the name civic responsibility, it was in the name of Michelle: a girl who likes to lay in the sun. ( On a side note, Jesse did look up our resort, and apparently they do contribute to Jamaican communities using local produce and offering "average" wages.)

The first day there was kind of cloudy, and I think that made some of the retirees and honeymooners crabby. But not me, I pulled up a towel and made myself a sand goatee:

I found it to be very becoming on me, refusing to rub it off, but finally relented when it was time to eat again (no one wants sand in their food.)
We dined on at a lovely Jamaican restaurant called Bluefield's named after a nearby town. When we were finished eating, we were attacked by these crazy Jamaican jungle birds:

I know that might just look like a blackbird to you, and it's possible that they weren't so much attacking us as hunting for breadcrumbs on the abandoned table next to us...but it's my memory. And there was a jungle nearby.
Next up, we enjoyed viewing the ancient Jamaican art of towel-folding:

simply exquisite. The towels were unfolded and beach frolicking took place. Then it was time to take some beachy photos. This is the best one of me:

I love how the Jamaican sunlight makes my skin look so flawless.
On Saturday, It was my friend Jeni's Birthday, so her husband Chad hunted down some Jamaican Guinness. I think the yellow label makes it look more tropical, don't you?

Here's how happy we were after we drank all the Guinness:

I had to upload that one small because it's entirely possible that there's food in my teeth.
On the last day I got stung by a jellyfish. I couldn't see him in the water, but I'm guessing he was just as cute and innocent looking as this one by chimeracrochet:

I think he just accidentally floated into me.
Finally, on the last day, I took a picture of this fish stand from the window of the bus that was taking us to the airport:

So, as you can see, we had an authentic Jamerican experience. I really miss my spot in the sun. Especially because it's Zero degrees right now. It's so cold, there's not even a temperature.

Jamaica me a Valentine

Check it. I made some Valentine's Day cards. Notice the usage of recycled paper bag envelopes. Smart and chic.
But seriously, I'm always torn at this time of year...we all know that Valentine's Day can be painful, expensive and sometimes nauseating. Valentine's day weaseled it's way deep into my heart way back in elementary school. We'd spend extra hours in arts and crafts...making the perfect desktop mailboxes decorated with glitter and glue and glitter glue. Then the boxes would be filled with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle professions of love. And candy. So that's the part I like. The box part.
Anyway, I'm going to Jamaica tomorrow, so I need to go try on my swimsuit again.

Jamaica me Crazy

So I christened the first day of the year with a trip to a super-fabulous fabric store. I've never been to one of these fabric-outlet-type-warehouses before, and it made me feel very hip and designery. If you look closely in the above photo, you can see the fabric I chose for some new curtains in the bottom left corner, it's a nice neutral circle print that's reversible. I found a chunk in the remnant section, which totally made me feel like the Indiana Jones of S.R. Harris, which, by the way, is the name of the store I went to. Nice segue. I also bought myself copious amounts of linen, with which I plan to make same table runners, scarves and maybe even coasters. So that was a good New Year's day.
Then I decided it was time to roll out some new note sets in my shop. A few Personalized ones:



And some new springy thank you notes on this fancy new linen finish paper I got:

I'm pretty pleased with the way they turned out, and also bonus-happy because since I had to make samples for the photos, I get some fancy stationery of my own. I also listed a bunch of new scarves.
Then, last night, JoJo came over with her brand new PG-5 gocco and officially joined the ranks of the thermal screen elite. I broke out my sewing machine and made a scarf out of the linen I spoke of so fondly just paragraphs ago; Jesse watched football. A good time was had by all.
So, now you're all caught up.
AND...I'm going to Jamaica on Wednesday! For 5 days of glutton and lounging, with maybe some snorkeling and a riverboat ride in between. I plan on not sweating the entire time. Optimistic? Perhaps.