~Making and Mending~

We had a mild conflagration last weekend. During a filmmaking session a halogen light was leaned up against the big puffy pillow that goes inside of Sylvan's Huggle Pod. It was noticed pretty quickly, but not before a hole had been burned.

So I thought: what would Kim do? Make a mushroom patch for all that green, of course!

I have not very gracefully been learning and playing with the New Camera. I am not very patient with myself and easily frustrated. But I still feel lost sometimes and annoyed with myself that I am not wildly overjoyed every minute I am using it.

The light outside this time of year is less than inspiring, mostly gray. Occasionally there are beautiful moments that I see on my way to or from work, but I don't always have the camera, or if I do I am usually rushing. I am taking the New Camera with me more often and trying (trying!) to leave a little early in the mornings---already early enough at 7 am!

The Lacy Baktus is coming along well. I am adoring the Good Karma Yarn: a delight to handle and the colorway is gorgeous. And for all of you knot-haters out there, I can tell you that I haven't had a single one in this whole skein. I have decided to keep on knitting, past the 23" the pattern specifies (before beginning the decreasing), because I want it long enough to be drapey and wrappy.

Oh and this bag? Adorable, yes? From dear Joanie, purchased at Nest, which looks like a must-visit destination. The fabric is light, like a pillowcase, with these sweet embroidered birdies on it. Perfect knitting bag because I can sling it over my shoulder and knit on the go, or sling it over the arm of my chair by the fire.

Like right now. At home, on my very first snow day as a teacher!

announcing: a small offering

But a big step for me: my postcards for sale (http://www.etsy.com/shop/irisdagmar). Somewhere along the way I think someone told me that being paid for something I love to do, like art, wasn't possible.

Um: What. A. Lie.

Actually my paid working life is pretty excellent at the library (teaching people, learning every day, information matchmaker, and the other day, someone just gave us a brand new Kindle---see? excellent!). And my unpaid working life at home, also is excellent.

And now, the hard part: accepting payment for my art. The part that is uncomfortable and awkward and strange. So, there you have it, me, pushing myself out there beyond my comfort zone. Anyway, four separate sets of cards, on Etsy: Kids, Food, Favorites, and Clotheslines.

Also, according to Blogger, this is my 301st post. Thank you for reading.

photography and me

Mary Nanna keeps asking about how I learned to take photos, and I wasn't being cagey in not answering, but I have been thinking about how I would answer.

Well, OK, here it comes. I was a professional transfer student during my undergrad years. I have plotted my five various schools on a Google Map, which took me to both coasts and in the middle too. Along the way I studied Russian language and literature (but I never actually really wanted to go there) and also art. I did two years at the #3 spot on my map (Greenfield Community College), which had a lovely and small and really good art department, and got all my foundation courses out of the way. During this time, I took some photography classes and liked telling visual stories. But I really loved woodblock printmaking.

After this wonderful start, I went on to School of the Art Institute of Chicago to continue with my printmaking interests. Art school (at both schools) was great---so amazing to be surrounded by all that talent! But during the year I was there, I took a 3-D design class and a performance art class that sort of cemented what I already knew from the previous two years of art school: that words were always part of my best work. My work was always narrative and incorporated words.

(And then, the best surprise: In the spring, I became pregnant with Jonas and DIDN'T HAVE TO GO BACK TO SCHOOL IN THE FALL. It was what I had always wanted all along.)

Much as I was happy to learn things (officially and about myself) along the way, I always knew that really, I needed to be a mom before I would know my direction. This was not really in the program for me (white, middle class, daughter of educated parents) though and I felt a little pushed to just go someplace and study anything. Which I did. But I always tell my story to parents because I think it's important that they encourage their children to consider other options like travel or internships or just plain old work, before college.

So back to Mary Anna's question: Where did I learn how to take pictures?

Part of it is all that art training. Part of it is that I am observant to the world around me. And inspired by beauty and good light. Part of it is that I read your blogs that have photos that inspire me and give me ideas for composition and lighting. And part of it is that I am taking many more photos now, with this blog, and through practice there are necesarily more pictures that are good ones. So this blog has, without me realizing it, become a place for me to express myself through the photographic medium as well.

My camera is a Sony Cybershot H-10, if you care. I like it a lot, especially the "action" setting (good for boys who are fast-moving) and the macro setting (good for close-ups).

(Um, if you're wondering about these photos: I took them in the reflection of the window through the winterizing plastic that was covering it.)