Your Custom Text Here
Tis the season for toys and fun!
One of my favorite things I did this year was visit the Toy and Miniature Museum in Kansas City, MO.
The collection of dollhouse pieces is especially impressive. Spend at least an hour here unless you're like me and want to read everything than make it about 3 hours.
My booth set-up at one of my shows this last month. This was in Siren, Wisconsin.
I've been adding new things to my shop as I prepare for my next craft show. You can see them here: GirlyGeekChic.
Prep for the holidays seems to be in full swing though without snow here in Minnesota it doesn't feel like it yet for me.
I hope we get some flakes soon. Behold!
Thank you for looking!
I am always looking for the less known spots in my adopted state. Not that I don't love plenty of popular spots but the dusty corners and lesser known nooks tend to be where the unusual and unexpected stories live. Caponi Art Park is no exception. I had learned about this park from a friend who has family that lives nearby. I've lived here 15 years + and had never heard of it till this year. I looked into the history a bit to learn that the founder had passed away not all that long ago at the age of 94. He immigrated to the United States at the age of 15 from Italy. Anthony Caponi served as a translator in World War II and graduated from the University of Minnesota. He was employed by MacCalester College in St.Paul for nearly 42 years, having a big impact on the art department there.
He bought the land that eventually became the park not too long after starting to work there and did all the labor on the park himself.
He accomplished a great many more things which you can read about here.
This is a perfect example of finding great accomplishment in the everyday person.
The park hosts many events throughout the warm months and I recommend heading out for a picnic. Be sure to bring a camera, there's lots you'll want to remember.
Some of my pictures from my visit:
Happy Exploring!
I went to this year’s Art in Bloom and of course, love being surrounded by the art and flowers.
But it also sparked a curiosity as to where gardening came from and how it started. So I did a little poking around and found a few interesting bits.
Gardening was first used for food and later moved to growing plants for medicinal purposes. The first known being called Forest Gardening. Generally near water sources. Hazardous plants, shrubs and vines would be identified and removed by whoever was tending to the area.
Moving into places like Ancient Egypt, gardens were built to honor gods and please deities.
Wealthy Egyptians also planted gardens to create shade around themselves and their homes.
Indoor planting began to take place as a way to clean the air of spirits. Filling temples with flowers and plants to please the gods and goddesses.
Growing vines became popular to create wine for the wealthy leisure class of Egyptians.
Assyrians were well-known for their magnificent gardens in ancient times as well.
The Black Death is responsible for the rise of gardening in the 13th century as so many people died more land became available for gardening.
The biggest difference between gardening and farming tends to be that gardening is done for beauty as opposed to purpose.
Some pictures from Art in Bloom at the M.I.A.
I've been happily restocking my little ETSY shop with what I've decided is my contribution to the world of wearable oddities. I've used so many new types of materials. Well, not new actually, some are very old. New to me I suppose.
Objects made with real scrimshaw bone fragments, replica compasses, heavy weight Druzy Crystals, vintage rosary beads, keys that are nearly 100 years old, jade, onyx, quartz, Rhodochrosite, Vintage German Lucite, stone skulls, black sand and all things to make unique, conversation starter jewelry. (You'll also find some Blade Runner inspired and Sherlock Holmes) More details at: GirlyGeekChic.
Last Thursday I stopped into the Casket Arts building in Minneapolis. I had not been there before. It's super cool. Filled with artist's studios and unique spaces.
They were hosting a Unicorn Art show. The second one to happen there apparently. I am sad to say I missed the first one but this second one full of sparkles and glorious manes was magic(of course).
I need to get better at keeping my eyes open for art invites. I love going to see art but since I'm not an art "insider" as it were it's not always something I know about happening. There is a huge art scene here. It's something I like a great deal about the Twin Cities but it's also something that is hard for me to be apart of. I nearly always find some gems at these shows. If only I had endless money and space...
My 5 year ETSY anniversary is coming up on April 11th.
To celebrate I am offering 25% off in my shop with coupon code: HOORAY25
It runs until April 16th.
Visit my shop here: GirlyGeekChic!
When I said I wanted to do my first craft show I really did not know what to expect. I tried not to hope for too much with the exception of myself getting a lot done. This got a bit sidelined with a serious elbow injury but somehow and with some great help I managed to pull it off. GeekCraft Expo turned out to be a great experience. It helps that it was in Madison, Wisconsin which is a great place all on it's own. I met nice people, I sold lots of jewelry and books(I even signed a few) and I saw old friends. I'll do a separate post on Madison later because the food is always amazing. Some snapshots from the weekend.
I hope to do more shows in the future and I am currently basking in the happy afterglow.
Happy Geekery!
For the first time this weekend I am hauling a bunch of things I've made and written to sell at the GeekCraft Expo in Madison, Wisconsin.
I have never done a show other than an Open House in my own home. This will be a whole new experience. I have a booth and business cards and the whole deal, like a grown up crafter.
If you find yourself in Madison this weekend head over to the Masonic Center from 11am-7pm on Saturday and Sunday to check it out.
I've been making a few pieces everyday for my first show at the Geek Craft Expo. I've also been planning out my booth in my head and now have started to gather the materials to put it together. I'll be back to travel posts shortly. I have lots more to share!
Some sneak peeks of things to come:
I stopped in at Rachel Girard's sculpture exhibit at Rogue Buddha. I actually hadn't been back to Rogue Buddha since we had our NYE event there about 8 years ago. I rather forgot what a little gem it is as I not only saw Rachel's incandescent creatures there was also: Micheal Thomsen mixed media pieces filled with symbolism worthy of a DaVinci inspired mystery, playful, candy-colored pieces by Rudy Fig, creepy fairy tales by Alex Kuno and Nicholas Harper's Neo-renaissance fem paintings that fill a tiny dark room floor to ceiling. A room for reading with a tea surrounded by peeping eyes and whispers. I am especially swooning over the red haired black wing fairy. I desperately want her to come haunt my house.
Rogue Buddha's hours are Wed.-Sat. 3-8 p.m. and the show is up until March 12th.
Another great place to visit in San Jose is the Jade Museum. I did not get as much time here as I would've liked but I am glad that I got some time to look around. I had no idea that Pre-Columbian artifacts included South American Jade carving. There is a pretty extensive collection of beautiful artifacts that are displayed in bilingual arrangements. Some of the displays are quite creative lending a great deal to the atmosphere with lighting and backdrops including a map of Central America you can walk on to explore the routes of jade trade and mining. There is a HUGE collection of every shape and size of ocarina you can think of and a really cool Shamanism exhibit. I would suggest having at least 2-3 hours here if you like to read all the information. The building is so well-kept and adds a modern line to the older city. There is a charming little cafe inside as well. You can take photos too. (I always appreciate that!) Fair warning, some of the art has nudity. Actually, I found it both interesting and funny.
This particular edition of Fangirl is over someone I admire a great deal and wouldn't mind being a little more like her. She's a vegan artist who rescues animals. Her name is Cynthia Von Buhler. She's a gorgeous painter, writer, illustrator, producer, etc..seriously there's not much creatively she does not do. She's kind enough to have added me to her Facebook page and has on occasion even commented to me on there. I would love for her to someday illustrate one of my story books. She travels the world and encourages people to be kind to one another. For her 50th birthday she wore a dress that was an actual cake! A CAKE! I mean honestly, how awesome. I might add her apartment and other home is gorgeous. She's very much a DIY person which I really love.
I have a Pinterest board dedicated to her. Her next venture after doing a show the last part of 2015 is to host The Illuminati Ball and oh how I wish I could go.
Here are some pictures of her in her cake dress, her paintings and other projects. I encourage you to look her up, she's lovely.
*images from her blog, Amazon and Pinterest
Massive house clean out which happens every January is underway. It never fails to lead to some funny rediscoveries. My 5th grade art project I made when I was bored. Won 1st place in the Art Fair at my school. Noah's Ark. The following year in 6th grade I was president of the dinosaur club and a library volunteer wherein I read every book in the library. Also, secretary of the Model Rocketry Club. Noah lost, Science won.
A little post to share my happiness over selling my 400th piece of jewelry this holiday season. This actually happened a couple of weeks ago and I have sold more since but I was pretty excited.
It was shipped to New Mexico!
You can stop in my shop here: GirlyGeekChic.
I am starting to list things for my Christmas and Holidays update. I love how some of my pictures are coming out with my crystals, stones and antique Jet charms...
I would love it if you stopped by my shop GirlyGeekChic.
I am about to start a goofy house project but before that I will leave you with this gorgeous little video of Florence Welch's home. Filled with memories and flowers and books, it is lovely. I am sure when she moves onto something larger as superstars tend to do it will also be charming.
I have a great admiration for people who deeply immerse themselves into one style and way of life. Especially if it's far outside the norm. When I was a kid growing up I had a friend whose father was crazy about Coca-Cola collectibles and Star Trek. As such most of the house was obsessively decorated with hundreds of items and pieces of art from those two things. Now a fair number of people have an obsessive collection of one kind or another. Though it often starts out with someone noticing one thing in their house like a cat knick-knack and then everyone starts buying them cat knick knacks and that's all they ever get. Or the Star Wars person. We all have one in our lives. We all buy them Star Wars stuff. Most often these people don't get a choice about such things. That's not what I am talking about. I am talking about people who pick something themselves and then make their life that. One good example of this is people who get into the sub-genre of Steampunk. Or what a lot of my friends joke as being : Goths who discover Brown.
The official internet definition of Steampunk is as follows:
Steampunk refers to a subgenre of science fiction and sometimes fantasy that incorporates technology and aesthetic designs inspired by 19th-century industrial steam-powered machinery.
This tends to be a group of people who don't do things in half-measure and I suspect if they all could afford it would go ever further with the style.
As someone who feels like my personality is scattered all over the place and not immersed deeply enough into one thing, I find myself in awe over the commitment. I pulled some pictures of home decorating examples off of Pinterest where there is a wealth of Steampunk photos. I'll do a post of steampunk clothing next.
I thought I should start with Guillermo Del Toro on my Friday Fandom since the movie I am most excited to see this year is Crimson Peak. Seriously, I love his movies and adore his book. His Bleak House work/storage/art museum is somewhere I wish I could go. Also, I certainly wouldn't mind my own extra house filled with my own whimsy. Hellyboy 2: The Golden Army is pretty much perfect. If you don't think so, I don't know what's wrong with you. If you're not familiar with Mr. Del Toro's work you should look him up. You will not be disappointed. The house in the trailer for Crimson Peak looks like somewhere I wouldn't mind living and the costumes! ::SWOON:: He's so good at telling a scary story without an overabundance of gore. Sans, possibly the show The Strain. But I've even watched some of that and will likely finish it.
You can get his book for endless inspiration. As someone who has no truly deep imagination and who struggles to create anything, I greatly admire people who are deeply gifted with such talents. Especially when they use it to make marvelous things.
Pictures from the Legendary movie site as well as Pinterest. Though I can tell you some come right out the book. LOOK HIM UP!!
