If you would just stop touching it…

“You” being “me” and “it” being my blog (and me…depending). I turned 32 the other day (July 2nd) and I still haven’t learned that things will be less irritating if I leave them alone. This goes along the lines of “things become complicated when you forget about their simple, individual parts” or “…the little scratch on the roof of your mouth that would heal if only you could stop tonguing it”.

As I wrote in my last post from June-freaking-13th (nearly a month ago!), I created a self-hosted WP blog at a subdirectory at ItDoesArt.com and was trying to decide if I was going to keep this one and that one, or ditch this one, blah blah blah. Overcomplicated. Just…overcomplicated. I like this blog. I like you guys/gals that subscribe to it, and comment and what not. That other one was far too much of a pain in the ass for what I wanted it to be. Which was (get ready) a BLOG. It was slow. Posting to it was a nightmare. Really, there wasn’t any major benefit considering… I get why people do the whole self-hosted thing and it makes total sense for them. For me…not so much.

So, like most things I repeatedly attempt/redo/reorganize/overthink, I’m simply going to use this lovely one and nothing more. The rest is unnecessary. My site is still accessible from this blog, just as this blog is still accessible from my site. It’s just much faster and less complicated.

As I’ve been writing this, fireworks are being set off outside and it’s really pulling my attention away. I’m going to go hunt them down (I’m not sure which direction they’re in and the trees block most views) and admire them. Happy 4th.

Wonderful Little Things…

I have nothing of interest going on so I wanted to tell you about something/someone that interests me

A few months back I met Courtney, of Wonderful Little Things. I was on Craigslist hunting for the perfect seating to use in my home studio and she was selling this attractive, simple daybed that I just had to get my grubby mitts on. Which I did. In the process I not only gained some seriously kick ass seating, but also met a fellow creative cat and that just bumped the whole deal up to Awesome.

Courtney has an Etsy shop featuring several of her hand-painted ceramic dishes (multi-purpose what!), a couple hand painted wood frames, and a hand painted pendant. The point is everything is hand-painted. My favorite bit is not only are the paintings free hand, but they have a mehndi look to them and, really, when does that ever go wrong in home décor? It doesnt, thats when.

Because I can be somewhat of a tightwad, I enjoy reasonably pricedeverything. Her items are really reasonably priced (possibly under, in my opinion). The bases are structurally unique on their own, so having ornate designs well placed on top really makes for attractive pieces.

Earlier this year, Courtney began collaborating with Green Market Girl on Eco Cuffs. Courtneys designs appear in the Muse collection and adorn these eco-friendly, attractive, and well priced wrist cuffs. Love it!

So, while youre surfing the webs, hop over to each link I posted and see whats up I kinda, sorta think youre going to dig what you see

The art that exists within catalogs…

I just came back inside from checking and mail and I was pleased to find the April catalog from JCPenney waiting in my mailbox. I am someone that HATES (seriously, you guys, HATE is the word) receiving catalogs or any other similar bullshittles in the mail. I hate it! However, a few months ago (January, I think) I opened my mailbox to find this slightly heavy book inside. When I opened it up, I saw a JCPenney logo and instantly fell in love with all of it. I had a pretty serious Willy Wonka moment (Yes, the snozzberries taste like snozzberries, but does this woman’s bracelet taste like tangerines? Because it sure as hell looks like it.) and became all sorts of giddy. These are not the things I do when I see a catalog in the mail.

I was and am intrigued by this new look for JCPenney. They redesigned their logo (a super clean red, white, and blue) and really seemed to do an overhaul on their entire image and pricing. While the price changes and all of that is excellent for those that regularly shop there, I am far more impressed and interested in the design work! That first catalog was so beautiful and simple – it sort of became art-porn for me (Dick Blick catalogs are my own personal sort of “Hustler”, if you’re picking up what I’m throwin’ down). February was sweet chalky, pepto pink, but it was so fun! The March catalog was a woman’s hand holding onto a kite against a brilliant sort of blue sky…frankly, the whole thing is just sexy. And now today for April, the cover is coated in shades of pastel blue with a little boy reaching for a pink egg (totally snuggle worthy).

Seeing advertising go this way is really refreshing. Or maybe I’m just not paying enough attention. All I know is that rarely do my eyes perk up when it comes to the designs and layouts from any retail company (most are so similar that they completely pass boring and venture into torturous territory), but with this new design, my eyes bugged out of my head like an animated cat-calling wolf.

Rethinking the blog design…

Those that know me are familiar with my inability to keep things the same. Whether it’s my name or my furniture, I get the urge (maybe compulsion would be a better choice in this situation) to do an overhaul and I don’t feel “right” until it’s complete (or I’m distracted for a while).

I love the simplicity of this theme “Coraline” (the one I’m currently using). It’s basic, the options are good, the header is the perfect size; it’s just a great theme! Because I have a few ideas mulling around in my brain of where I want to take the blog, I’m not entirely sure if this theme will work with them. Sometimes when I feel like a change is necessary, and I put all the work in to create the change, I eventually find out that a bit of tweaking was really all that was needed. I’m sure that this situation is no different.

So tweak I will and if things get wonky, now you’ll know why!