Only a few hours left in 2011 and I wanted to get the last of the pictures posted for year-long coaster project with Bending Design.
Feels like I just posted July + August and here I am closing out the year! Thank Cherylyn for the beautiful designs, they were a joy to print! Thank you Sharon for such a fun and inspiring project!
September + October
Goodbye 2011... hello 2012. Happy New Year everyone!
Target teams up with Hamilton Wood Type and Printing Museum for a line of clothing, 'Vintage Varsity'. Read more about it here.
September and time to change my desktop wallpaper. Went to my regular places and was uninspired. Stumbled across arnoKath's photostream on Flickr. Awesome!!
I just finished printing the September + October coasters for Bending Design last week. Before I post those, I figured I better get July + August up. Not sure how these warm months manage to fly by so quick, but they sure were lovely! Here they are... just like summer in Chicago.
Wasn't that quick. I'll be back in a few weeks with September + October.
If you're interested in custom letterpress coasters, please contact me here or email me at hello (at) ladybird.com.
It was a struggle for me, but I finished up The House on First Street by Julia Reed. If it hadn't been for joining the online book club (and it being my first book), I would have abandoned it.
Here are the questions from part II:
1. From the first go around it seems there was a general negative feeling towards the author. Do you feel any guilt for criticizing an author who was brave enough to put part of her life in writing for the world to see?
No, and should I? My comments weren't a personal attack on the author. I simply didn't think she had the best writing style for the type of book she was asked to write. I was honest. Saying I don't like something doesn't mean I'm being hurtful.
Being a creative myself, I know that rejection is part of the process. Not everyone is going to love me. It's a risk I take when I put myself out there. I can choose to ignore negative comments, some are not worth the time. Other comments, however, can help you. Learn from them and grow.
I'm not sure I'd call her writing the book a 'brave' act either. She was an established writer for Vogue and a publisher came to her and asked her to write the book. She knew there was a paycheck.
2. What surprised you the most about the details of the aftermath of Katrina?
How quickly some of the locals bounced back, re-establishing their restaurants and businesses so they could survive. Things weren't 100% perfect, but they made it work and provided a little comfort and security the community desperately needed.
3. Did it surprise you how much money Julia spent on food for the relief workers?
Very much so! She wasn't totally self-absorbed, this was very generous of her.
4. After reading about Julia's acts of service and coverage of Katrina in the second half of the book, has your opinion of her changed?
No, not really. Like I said, the publishers came to her. She knew there was a paycheck. What did help me to understand a little better was that she was robbed and lost her original manuscript. I lost files before and had to recreate them, luckily never on that scale. So I know what it's like when you're doing it the second time over. It's more of a process, automated. I think that shows in her writing. There was something lacking, maybe her first draft had it.
I do believe I gained something from reading Reed's book and joining this club. I would have abandoned the book normally, but this forced me to finish. Reflecting and identifying just what it was I didn't like, was a good thing. I learn subtle things from great authors who develop story lines and characters effortlessly. In Reed's writing, I saw what a different a journalist's style made and identified some things she shouldn't have done.
Critical thinking is a good thing.
Thanks for sharing Cherylyn!
I love living near Chicago. It's far different from where I grew up though. I was born a country mouse and when I first moved out here... I knew I was missing something and couldn't put my finger on it. Until I drove out into the country and remembered it.
The sky.
Big sky! Suburbs and cities can't deliver miles and miles of sky. I got my big sky fix Friday when I drove out to DeKalb for the Na-Da Farm Event with my amazingly creative and inspirational friend Cherylyn.
First we did some shopping. We lost track of time in the Cracker Jax. That store was amazing! Tons of jewelry, vintage, stationery, and clothing. Every time I thought we were done, I realized there was another room.
After dinner, we decided we really had to get to the farm before it closed. We made it in time and I'm so glad we did. The displays were beautiful. I was especially floored by the baby chicks. Yes, baby chicks!
Outside there were several vendor tents and one set aside for bloggers. We were a tad late and missed the other bloggers. No worries, we chilled in the blogger tent for a moment and shopped a bit more.
Thanks Cherylyn for driving out to the country and hanging out with me!
My first attempt at a book club! I love to read. Going back to school for a masters and reading only books required for my classes, made me crave leisure reading time. I decided to join on online book club and patiently waited to jump in. The House on First Street by Julia Reed looked like a good start so I downloaded it to my reader, set aside the book I was already reading (Freedom by Jonathan Franzen) and dug in.
It's a short book and to start, we read up to chapter 8. I have to say, so far, I'm not enjoying it. 
The description from 'GoodReads':
Julia Reed went to New Orleans in 1991 to cover the reelection of former (and currently incarcerated) governor Edwin Edwards. Seduced by the city's sauntering pace, its rich flavors and exotic atmosphere, she was never entirely able to leave again. After almost fifteen years of living like a vagabond on her reporter's schedule, she got married and bought a house in the historic Garden District. Four weeks after she moved in, Hurricane Katrina struck.
I think it's Reed's reporter style that isn't working for me. It wasn't what I expected. But, it's a short read and an easy book for me to start off with for my first online book club. So here it goes...
1. Have you visited New Orleans before? Do you think a visit to the city is necessary to connect to this book?
I visited New Orleans years ago. I think having been there once did help me connect to the book (although I do believe a good writer should be able to make you feel like you've been to a place without ever leaving your home). Reed mentions things about the city and I was able to make connections. She describes New Orleans as a place 'where you are considered an upstart, or worse, if you call a hotel by the name that it currently goes by, as opposed to the one it hasn't had in more than forty years.' It's an old city who's history is alive today. New Orleans survives on tourism, but the locals are not transient and are proud of that fact.
2. What are your thoughts on Julia's writing style? Do you like the way she tells stories?
Reed's style is probably better suited for editorials. She has some interesting characters (Antoine for example), but she doesn't develop a real story. She's reporting the facts from one source: herself.
3. To me Julia took a laid back approach to the evacuation warnings and even devastation. What was your reaction to her approach? How do you think you would have handled a flood of such proportions?
She was laid back in her approach. Not because that's her personality, but because she was so wrapped up in her own issues. The remodel of the house consumed her. She didn't have any energy left, she wasn't able to see beyond herself and missed the signs of the approaching danger. Having gone through life events that consumed me, I can see myself being oblivious too. Under normal circumstances, I'd probably pay closer attention to the media and try to prepare. However, I'm not sure anyone anticipated the destruction of Katrina and it was mishandled on so many levels.
4. Julia instantly was solicited by her editors to do pieces on the disaster. Do you think she gave an accurate portrayal?
So far, I'd have to say no. In chapter 7 she evacuates and is staying with her parents. Not only do they set her up with new cell phones, but they also open and load a bank account for her. The scope of the disaster in New Orleans is just becoming clear and while she's worried about her house, they are inconvenience by the town selling out of booze. A sign that things are bad. Luckily they are able to escape their misery through food therapy, they dine out several nights. Reed uses her pull as a journalist and is able to return to New Orleans. There she does see some horrible things, however, she spends more time talking about cleaning out her nasty fridge. She tells how her editor at Vogue insists she cut that out of an article she wrote for them because it's a "Marie-Antoinette" moment. You'd think she'd learn from that advice, but she didn't. She uses this book to describe her refrigerator horror and justify why it's worthy of more mention than Vera, the dead body covered with a sheet that says "HERE LIES VERA... GOD HELP US ALL."
Off to read the second half of the book. So far, my impression of Reed is that she's a self-absorbed journalist living a bit of a privileged life she part worked hard for and part was handed to her. I'm hoping she's an incredible writer and set this up on purpose so that when she has a revelation later in the book, I'm impressed with how far she's come.
I can hope, right?!
If you want to read more, visit Book Beginnings and Bookends!
A year-long letterpress project for Bending Design has turned into a fun way to watch the months go by! Every other month, I look forward to receiving the next two files from designer Cherylyn. I'm always amazed by what she comes up with.
May + June. I was really ready for some spring colors and they delivered!!
Can't wait to see July + August. Except 2011, you can slow down a little now. This year is just flying by and I'm okay with the warmer days taking their sweet old time.
If you're interested in custom letterpress coasters, please contact me here or email me at hello (at) ladybird.com.
Remember the ginormous estate sale of Anna May "Babe" Ahern I went to a few weeks ago? I didn't buy that $5,000 coral necklace, but I did get another piece. Pictured below left, it was a simple beaded necklace with a very ornate pendant. Something about it caught my eye. When I got it home, it just wasn't working for me. Too heavy and the delicate gold pendant didn't work with the heavy silver beading. Why don't I see things like that before I buy? I just go with my gut.
I haven't done jewelry work in years, but I decided to give it a go. My results are on the right. Three shorter chains, all antique gold and a mix of rose quartz and tiny jade beads. I salvaged two tiny orange beads and the pendant.
ahhh, much better. My gut didn't let me down! I'll salvage the remaining beads from the old necklace, just not sure how yet. And I certainly won't be waiting years to do this again.
