Gifting

Came across this great blog today. - Design For Mankind.

It is outlining some artTASTIC gift ideas. Alas, my Christmas budget is currently non existent. I like to imagine my life ten years down the road...

I'm a professional. Co-owning/operating a design/production company with friends from undergrad. It will most likely be called Lumberjack Design. (Garrett and I have already brainstormed this name). We will have a broad range of clientele and a prospering online store. I will be making money instead of having to spend every cent that I earn on food, housing and that ever-so-persistent credit card bill from this past summer when I decided to tramp around the UK.

When this day comes I will be able to purchase fantastic gifts for all of my dearest friends and relatives. Here are a few unique items that I found on various sites introduced to me via Design For Mankind.



$10 - Nifty pixel colored pencils found at fredflare.com. They are flat and will not roll away from your artsy workspace! I know that I wouldn't be able to put these bad boys down.





$32 - These umbrellas look like people! Fashionable people. With the amount of rain we got this past summer in Northern NY a cute little umbrella is probably a fantastic gift idea. Also found at fredflare.com.












$28 - Thomas Paul cell phone holder! If this isn't retro hipster I don't know what is. I want one...but I also have a few friends that I know would appreciate it also. :)



$10 - and nothing says Merry Christmas like some self adhesive MUSTACHES! This is truly "the gift that keeps on giving"!








These are some of the gifts that I would give to people if my financial status were less flimsy. However, not having money has encouraged creative gift giving. Handmade items are surely just as special if not more so than things purchased. As a striving artist I am using this time to create precious items for my dearly loved ones. I'll post some pics if I get a chance!

I just wanna DANCE!

It is that time of year again - FINALS. People are getting stressed and the work load is heavy with exams, final projects, presentations, etc. I tend to not get stressed out as a general rule, but I often put myself in the position where my anxiety is heightened due to the simple fact that I am physically unable to do work until moments before it is due. I know I am not alone in my shameful actions, because my friends most definitely enable and encourage them.

One of the many ways that I like to take my mind off of the mountains of work that are piling up is by DANCING.

This semester Liz (my amazing apartmentMATE) and I have been fortunate enough to have my old boom box in our living room. We have also been blessed with an abundance of blank CD's that are ideal for burning hot funky mixes!

I am going to use this space to highlight some of the songs that have been making their way out the speakers and into my life. These tunes get my feet tappin' and heading boppin'!

"I Feel It All" - Feist
"Your Cover's Blown" - Belle & Sebastian
"Fascination" - Alphabeat
"Kids" - MGMT
"I Don't Feel Like Dancing" - Scissor Sisters
"Take Me Out" - Franz Ferdinand
"Just Dance" - Lady Gaga (What can I say?..guilty pleasure)
"Intergalactic" - Beastie Boys
"No Diggity" - Blackstreet
"Daylight" - Matt & Kim
"Bonkers" - Dizzee Rascal
"Mercy" - Duffy
"Chelsea Dagger" - The Fratellis
"Silly Boy" - The Blue Van










I recommend that if you are feeling a little tense as the semester draws to an end - follow the above links, search for the beats, find a friend (or NOT) and bust a move. Dance your cares away!

Let's start again.

I need to start writing again. I need to share my thoughts and inspirations and questions.
I'm currently trying to decide where my life as an artist is headed. I'm praying for direction.

Here are some pictures from a beautiful day walking by the river over Thanksgiving break.