Gee How Quaint

You know you want to see the elephant with the decoupage flag

So far we've got ourselves to 10 comments.  I know what you're thinking.  That American flag elephant must must MUST make it to the bedside table.  Well, there's only one way you can make that happen. 

You can comment on each days posting if you like.  Tell your friends.  Tell your neighbours.  Let's make this happen.

Thanks.

*Update for 29th of Dec - We have reached 40 comments!  Bring on the Flagephant.

What's your next step? #Reverb10

What's #Reverb10?  This is #Reverb10

December 13 – Action When it comes to aspirations, it’s not about ideas. It’s about making ideas happen. What’s your next step?

My next step?  That's a good question.  After I recover from the crazy of the festive season, I need to get back onto work for the art tour.  My next step is to create lots of rough sketches for the rest of the sheets, pillow cases and tea towels.  I then need to take these ideas and reduce them down to small scale and create the bespoke prints and artworks that I must make for some delightful, wonderful and amazing contributors that helped fund this mammoth project.  I'm definately not short on the 'doing' end of things.  I don't really suffer from having lots of ideas and never making them happen.  I suffer from the lack of ability to carry out a basic maths equation and possibly a restraint when it comes to buying fancy coffee drinks. 

What about you?  What's your next step?

Remember, for every 10 comments I get from now until December 30th, I will glue a piece of tat to my husband's bedside table.  If you have no idea what this is about, hop down to the entry for Dec 11th. So please, PLEASE leave a comment.

Thanks.

Things - #Reverb10 (mildly funny)

December 11 – 11 Things What are 11 things your life doesn’t need in 2011? How will you go about eliminating them? How will getting rid of these 11 things change your life?

Hmm.  Does it have to be something physical?  I think I will mix it up a bit with tangible and intangible, even if it may not be in the rules.  Cause I like breakin' rules.  I am THAT rock and roll.

1. Trying to figure out other people's expectations of me and trying to live up to those.  It's disappointing to myself and it's disappointing to the people in question.  Forget it.  I will just be the person I am sure God (yes, I am one of those) created me to be. I will combat these sneaky thoughts by standing back every so often and asking what my motivation is behind the crazy behaviour.

2. Socks with holes in them, as well as their sad and left behind mates.  These will be relegated to the bin.

3. Clothes that I haven't worn in 3 years or that make me look like I live on a sidewalk.  Obviously, send em on to charity, but only if they are still nice.

4. The rest of my Gee How Quaint stock, as I have decided to focus on my artwork.  These will just gradually sell out.

5. Great books that I will  never read again because I never re-read books.  I will donate these to friends or to charity.

6. The three wicker baskets of yarn currently accumulating spiders in my garage.  After shaking the creepy crawlies free, I will give these to friends (after warning them about a possible spider infestation.  Actually...is that very kind?  It probably isn't).

7. The big box of random crap that follows me around from house to house.  I have no idea what is in you, but it can't be very needed as I haven't opened you since 2007.  Not sure why I am even referring to said box as 'you'.  See how attached I have become to it, you...it.  Argh!

8. Old bedding that is not so lovely anymore.  Because, well, I'm running out of things to get rid of now.  I may go back to the intangible list now. I could create some sort of rug with this.  Like what they made in the 'olden days'.  How do you make these rugs?  Anyone?  Anyone??

9. Getting easily offended when people don't ask me questions about what I do/am doing/how I'm doing.  I mean, I ask loads of questions to other people because I am actually genuinely interested.  And when I say 'people' I am really actually only talking about one person in particular.

10. Cushions I bought 8 years ago that don't match anything, even in the way that it's uncool to not match.  I'll make puppets out of these.  Yeah.  Puppets.  With wiggly eyes.  Then realise it was all a bad bad mistake and chuck them in the bin.

11.  (Thank God!!) My husband says I should get rid of all the tat I use to decorate the house.  I won't get rid of them...just pile them onto his bedside table...glue them down with super glue...and laugh laugh laugh.  Mwahahahahahaha!

 

The End.

Or is it?  I am currently running a little contest.  For every 10 comments I receive, I will glue one item of tat onto my husband's bedside table on January 1st, 2011.  What will you give up in 2011? This can be tangible or intangible.

 

 

The window display at the ESPC

Just in case you haven't heard about it or seen it enough.

Because, well, I haven't really been talking about it, have I?  Oh.  I have?  Endlessly.  Oh dear.  Well, I'm sure this won't be the last you hear.

Also, each one of these artworks are for sale.  Each small tenement is £35 and the large, long tenements artwork is £120.  Please email me at mailATcassandraharrison.co.uk, or visit the website at www.cassandraharrison.co.uk to leave a contact message or you can even comment on this post if you are interested in purchasing one of the works.  Or two.  Or all.  I'm not picky.

Wisdom #Reverb10

Not sure what Reverb10 is all about?  Click on this for more info: This

December 10 – Wisdom Wisdom. What was the wisest decision you made this year, and how did it play out?

Now this is going to be super romantic.  Get your nice cup of something warm and nestle down to read this.  The wisest decision I made this year was.....to....use Twitter to meet people.  Totally romantic.  I bet you're swooning now.  I also wanted to be informed about what was happening in my new city, so have used Twitter as my Guide To Edinburgh.  It has been rather amazing.  These are the good things that have happened because of this very clever decision:

I met a funny and wonderful friend I like to call @whoopdedoo.  She eventually used her own cleverness to be instrumental in putting together a wonderful community that can be followed at @greensnightout.

I saw on the Twitter grapevine that there was a new shop opening up in the Grassmarket and then proceeded to pester the owner of the shop.  Enter @HannahZakari and her boutique of goodness.  I was then picked up on the @crafthconcept radar and am now selling my artwork through these two venues.

Then of course there are all the people that I carry on a good banter with in the Twitterverse.  I find out about gallery events, openings, exhibitions.  I hear about book groups.  There is also work in progress and updates to catch up on.  Right about now I am probably sounding like a big fat sad-o, but I tell you, it has been key in helping me to settle in my new town and venture out to see and meet all sorts of interesting things and people.

So.  There you go.

Party - #Reverb10

December 9 – Party Prompt: Party. What social gathering rocked your socks off in 2010? Describe the people, music, food, drink, clothes, shenanigans.

My mother-in-law's 65th birthday party was ace!  She hired out the local town hall in her wee little village.  A Shadows tribute band played the night away as people were kept tipsy and happy by the offerings of a tiki bar in the back of the room.  There was dancing.  A hog roast.  It was the biggest birthday celebration I have ever attended.  Everyone seemed to be in such high spirits (or high on spirits).  My most loveliest Aunt Barbara was in attendance as were my other relatives (all on my husband's side of the family, of course).  Plus, I got to wear my pink patent leather, ribbon tied shoes from Kurt Geiger.  These babies rarely ever make an outing.  Ta da!

Deciding to jump on the reverb10 bandwagon a bit late so this is a catch up (breathe!)

As I am logged onto Twitter for most of the day, I tend to get a good dose of banter, news, and gossip from the Twittercooler. That's my name for it.  I work from home.  There is no water cooler.  And as fun as it would be to just hang out by the sink and chat to my dog, I do need some sort of an arm reaching from my solitary work space out to the world beyond my door. 

I kept seeing #reverb10 all over the place, had a nosey, and have decided to join it.  These are daily blogs about reflecting on this year and manifesting what is next.  Oh what fun.  It all kicked off on the 1st of December, so without further delay, here are my very brief responses to the prompts.  If you want to join in please visit Reverb10.

December 1 – One Word. Encapsulate the year 2010 in one word. Explain why you’re choosing that word. Now, imagine it’s one year from today, what would you like the word to be that captures 2011 for you?

Ch-ch-cha-changes. This was the year I finally embraced the reality that in order to grow our family, we would be going through the route of adoption.  It took several months to think about, worry, consider then eventually move forward with this decision.  We also moved from Newcastle to Edinburgh, leaving behind my friends that I had worked so hard to find.  A lot of work had gone into nurturing those relationships.  It was gutting to have to leave everyone behind.  I must say, though, that moving to Edinburgh did turn out to be a very wonderful and exciting change and I anticipate more good things to come from this. 

What would I  like for my new word to be for 2011?  Rooting.  Which leads to growth.  I want to put my roots down so that good things can grow from my new foundation. 

December 2 – Writing. What do you do each day that doesn’t contribute to your writing — and can you eliminate it?

Well, I'm not a writer so I don't feel like I must write everyday.  I will instead substitute 'write' with 'create' as I need something a bit more broad.  To be honest, I don't think I need to create everyday, either.  Sometimes you need to step out and do something completely different or even waste a bit of time in order to re-energise for the next creative task.

December 3 – Moment. Pick one moment during which you felt most alive this year. Describe it in vivid detail (texture, smells, voices, noises, colors).

Scaling Arthur's Seat for the first time.  My husband, Josey and I walked up and around to the peak, then stood in appreciative silence as we looked out onto our new city.  The old city.  The view, of course, is amazing.  We were bundled up and cold, yet feeling refreshed and healthy and happy.  Josey just ran around, sniffing and rooting, running and being her usual crazy, doggy self.

December 4 – Wonder. How did you cultivate a sense of wonder in your life this year?

Not sure how to answer this one.  I think it's always there.  Possibly attending the Maker Faire in Newcastle is a big help for this.

December 5 – Let Go. What (or whom) did you let go of this year? Why?

I have already mentioned a bit of this for the Dec 1 prompt.  I have let go (and am in the process of continuing to let go) of the fact that I will not have kids.  Instead, I'll have some one else's.  Which will be an entirely different, new and exciting adventure, to be sure.

December 6 – Make. What was the last thing you made? What materials did you use? Is there something you want to make, but you need to clear some time for it?

The last thing I made was an artwork of an Edinburgh Tenement.  I make loads of these.  They are rather a lot of fun.  What would I like to make?  I would like to make more of these little beauties, using LEDs in different ways.

*man this is getting long...*

December 7 – Community. Where have you discovered community, online or otherwise, in 2010? What community would you like to join, create or more deeply connect with in 2011?

Due to the frequent moving in my life, I find that it is essential for me to find a community straight away after moving to a new city.  I have been really lucky this year in that two have popped up without me having to seek them out.  The first community is Granny Greens, a gathering of creative, wonderful, brilliant people that meet up in the Grassmarket at the Lot every Monday night.  The other community is my drum thumping community...Edinburgh Samba School.  The mix of people in this music making group is incredible.  There are Doctors of this and that (none medical as far as I can tell), a lady that measures the earth's magnetism, artists, NHS staff, students.  A wonderful, wonderful mix. 

December 8 – Beautifully Different. Think about what makes you different and what you do that lights people up. Reflect on all the things that make you different – you’ll find they’re what make you beautiful.

Hmmmmm.  Different.  Well, in this land I'm foreign.  And from Nebraska.  I haven't buumped into anyone else from Nebraska (but did find someone that once worked there!) so not only am I an American, but one from a place where  not many people have been.  I'm from farming folk, but I prefer the city.

And this here ends my catch-up session.

Shop window in central Edinburgh

Okay. For those of you following me on Twitter, I really do apologize for the over tweeting on this theme.  It's just that, well, I am obviously quite excited.  It was such a lucky thing, this.  And this is how it happened.

I like Twitter.  Dig it, really.  I like showing people what I'm up to, works in progress, endless photos of my dog.  She is totally cute.  Sometimes the cuteness that is in the room when Josey is here is so intense that I swear it is going to explode.  I also like to use a bit of tweet action to, dare I say it, market myself.  Oh no!  How dare I.  What an awful person.  Well, we live in a world and a time where that thing is just kinda necessary, espc when you are working for yourself.  (Do you see what I did there?) So what happened is, I was promoting my 'I'll make a tenement for you for only £35 woot woot' offer, trying to think of interesting ways to put forward the idea, when I received a bit of a hand slap about a certain comment I made.  Perhaps I had gone too far.  Perhaps I had misjudged my audience.  Whatever the case, that was followed up by a really great offer.

So.  I have been busy.  We had a little meeting.  My brain started whirring, clanking along in this cold weather.  And by jove, I think I've got something clever up my sleeves.  I'm not going to spell it out for you just yet who this is for as it's still needing a final approval.  But yet.  Come back and visit this space in a few days when I will have the window display ready for all the world to see.

Now where did I put my soldering iron?

Easyjet Magazine, October 2010

I'm a destination for October 9th...read on in the Hannah Zakari article.

 

Commissions and Exhibitions 2010 - 2011

(photo taken from the list website)

I have been busy tidying up my work space, buying files and sorting, adding messages to my calendar and planning, plotting, scheming.  The rest of 2010 and all of 2011 are going to be incredible in a very fun, busy, creative way.  I think that I will most certainly have to leave my comfort zone behind as much of what I am going to do is stepping far beyond those boundaries and dragging with me all the confidence I can muster.

Here is my list of so far:

October 2010

9th - Create bespoke artworks at Hannah Zakari

Begin printmaking for Art Tour pieces

Begin work on New York artwork commission for a nice man named Tom

Create small artworks for Craft House Concept (found here)

Create small artworks to be used in jewellery for collaborative work with jewellery designer

November - December 2010

Finish New York commission

Continue work on Art Tour pieces

Update all websites and blogs so that they look like they all belong to the same person

January - Februarly 2011

Begin and complete work on 3 piece commission for nice baker lady from Berlin

Continue work on Art Tour pieces

April 2011

First preview showing of exhibition, Mushroom Works, Newcastle

June 2011

Exhibit art tour work in Exeter then Dudley

July 2011

Exhibit art tour work in Nebraska

August 2011

Add details to work created for The Lot for upcoming exhibition

September 2011

Display art tour work in Newcastle

October - November 2011

Set up art tour exhibition at Centre for Life in Newcastle

Set up exhibition at The Lot (display until January 2012).