Friday, October 30, 2009




Dear Dave,

Shitty start to my day today. Can't write details, but the whole mess really bummed me out, and threw me off.

Had another fun photo session with Dave (and Nana). Went to the Cathedral again, and I think that was a good move. Thinking it's time to get into longsleeves. Henleys turned out fun. All in all a success.

Spent most of the rest of the day revising my site, and licking my wounds. Fridays are never as productive as I expect them to be. The time just drains.

Tomorrow is another Corcoran saturday. They come up so fast. I don't know what I do with my time. Squander it? Have ideas for prints, but once again, I am so unprepared.

Yikes to everything. Yikes.

Thursday, October 29, 2009

Dear Dave,

Busy day doing nothing (really). Feel unproductive. Not much to show for it.

Submitted a design to Threadless, to test the waters. REJECTED! I'm sort of shocked. I'm just not their style. Oh well.

Worked on Show postcard, which took much longer then expected. Much longer...

Need to get some shirts ready for Dave tomorrow. Behind as usual.

Meeting Inga tonight to do the Pug exchange. A long time coming!

Hopefully I can be more productive in the next few hours. I'm not feeling so optimistic.

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Friend of the Week (11)



MJM - thanks for your support!
dear Dave,

Back to my routine of work, which feels good. Anxious to get printing again, and drawing, but I keep stalling. Like I'm not ready, or am afraid I will fail, and get frustrated.

Happy to be in the studio, working on my website. Pieces are coming along. Its a lot of fun. But must push harder, and get more up.

Shirts are sort of on the back burner again. Maybe the time of year. I'm really happy working with Dave, but need another girl right away, since Allie is busy with school. I'm stalling on this too. I had a few other guys, but never seemed to be able to schedule them. I'm not up for endless email loops, and all the anxiety about the shoots. So maybe it's just best to keep my schedule as is, and move forward on screen printing.

Today I taking down Baked & Wired (installed July 21st!). Had no idea it would become so important to me. Sad to end it, but understand. MUST find other outlets for my prints. I'm afraid I'm too married to that model. I had it made there.

Nice to have sold 2 prints at the end of the show.

Lucy continues to heal. Two steps forward, on backward. But still progress.

Tuesday, October 27, 2009



Lucy (in better times)


Dear Dave,

Things getting better overall. Had a productive day yesterday, working on show invite, and t-shirts. Learned a sucky lesson, that I can't work ahead so much on the shirts. Oh well. Live and learn. Glad the henleys are coming out well.

Lucy seems to be on the mend. We are feeding her boiled chicken to settle her stomach. Probably 1000 x better then her kibble. She is living like a queen with us. Hex wants to keep her.

Feeling a bit off in terms of BRANDDAVE. How to proceed? I guess I will figure it out over the next few days. Maybe my priority should be to print. But that just puts off the selling. Im torn. Sales trickle in, but that is not nearly enough to sustain me.

Thinking about ETSY, but not so psyched about it. Does it really work? Maybe I should do a survey. Threadless is also sort of unappealing, but maybe an option. My experience last year left me a bit sour on the whole thing. Not sure it's my scene.

Probably will just try everything and anything, and see where i go.

Monday, October 26, 2009

3rd annual pumpkin carving contest



tied for third - my ass!!
dear Dave,

What a CRAZY few weeks its been. Just when I think I'm up, I'm down again. Now we have Lucy's (parent's dog) health to deal with.

Last Monday I volunteered to take her from Jimmy, since giving her all her medicine was going to be a big job. Just when she seemed to be getting better, she took a turn for the worse Sunday, scratching her face up like crazy, and throwing up her food (all night long). Then her eyes swelled.

This morning she seems more stable, and a call to the vet was sort of reassuring. She will be off her antibiotics and on boiled chicken and rice for a few days. Hope this helps, and that she is able to recover soon.

Back to the studio today, after another late start. Life is ROUGH. Seriously rough lately. Baked and Wired comes to a close Wednesday. Traffic on the site is WAY down--to a trickle. Print sales down too. I've hit a major bump in the road again. Its up to me to find a way over it.

Chin up.

Friday, October 23, 2009

dear dave,

Back at the studio today for a few hours. Need to get out of the house, away from this past week. Need to run away HARD from this flu, and all the doom and gloom that surrounds it.

Luckily I didn't miss or cancel too much. Also luckily I cancelled my week at utrecht. Oh well, I can't look back.

Tomorrow is another Saturday class i feel like Im going to waste. Hopefully I can pull things together for next week, and pull myself back on track.

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

sitting in bed, waiting (to feel better)

Lucy has been staying with us for a few days, recovering also. It's nice to see her improving. Hex too. Dr. Quiley told Hex he thinks he has swine flu, so maybe that's what I got too. Feeling really sick of being sick. The total shutdown gets old really fast. Really old.

All I can do is continue to rest, and hope I feel better tomorrow.

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

dear Dave,

I need to get healthy, this has just gotten ridiculous.

Felt great Sunday afternoon, only to succumb to another cold (!!) Sunday night. GRRRRRR.

I will survive, and be stronger for it. (please) Poor hexy sick too, which is miserable.

FLU go way.

Friday, October 16, 2009



dear dave,

FRIDAY!

Another rainy day, so this morning Dave and I mostly shot indoors, which worked out so so in terms of the lighting. Bu I'm really happy with my new shirts. JACK needs a bit of refinement, but I like the claw and crest.

Not so happy at all with the blanks, so I ordered a new style today, and hope it's an improvement. This summer the AA shirts were fitting Dave well, arms and length. But I've gradually noticed they are getting shorter and wider, which is NEVER a good thing in shirts. I've been really unhappy with the way they are fitting him, and am sick and tired of it. So hopefully the change will work. I'm pretty sure it will.

It's late in the day, and I'm beating myself up for not going to the Corcoran. Fridays are turning into office days, especially after I take 1,000 pictures in the morning. Naturally I want to go thru them all, and USE them. Which leads to very guilty feelings about not printing. I'm constantly feeling guilty about that. but I have a lot of things to get done here, and maybe will draw.

My computer is still a HUGE distraction. I guess I'm just saying that so I will stay aware to stay away from the internet. Stay away.


Thursday, October 15, 2009

dear dave,

gloomy day (again)

yesterday was the shits, ending in a big upset at Baked & Wired. Stuff was just in the air. Sort of resolved, but not completely.

I'm putting a lot of pressure on myself to maximize what I show there, but I'm fighting with Hex about what to keep and what to take down. I'm so sensitive to balance and proportion. In the end, I did what I thought was best - but can't help the constant second guessing. Ended up with just two framed pieces in the back, and the same set up by the bar. We'll see how that works over the next few days. Plan to refresh the front after I see what i accomplish at the studio.

Funny, because my printing schedule caught up with me. After Baked & Wired I just tanked - and didn't go into the Corcoran studio after all. Its taking a lot of planning to keep the production cycle going. new wood, new positives, new ink, more screens, more paint, more nails, extra paper to wrap them in. I think I have the cycle down, but every once in a while I just need to stop, and see where I'm going. Hopefully today will be my stop. And I can get back to work on printing tomorrow (long open studio hours)

Blah blah blah, this is all inside baseball. Nobody should care about this but me.

---------

For a few weeks now I have been working towards paying off my $2000 visa bill, run up on show framing and class expenses. Happy to say that I easily payed it today. It was a goal, and I accomplished it. Feels good!

Goal for today, drawing! I need new content to work with. Shoot planned with Dave tomorrow...

Wednesday, October 14, 2009



dear Dave,

Gloomy cold day. I got a grande ZEn tea, which totally brings me back to catalog struggles at BSUR. Working sick in my little corner, while activity buzzes around me. Jeremy and Adam wanting to get on the computer. Endless rounds of printing and reprinting. All the photo angst. Its really funny to think how hard all that was. How hard it was made to be. I LOVE having that off my shoulders. LOVE

I'm getting into a print-a-day schedule. Sort of crazy. Today the Corcoran is open later in the afternoon, so I have some more time at the studio to work (waste).

Bickered with H about my Baked & Wired set-up. My days are numbered there, so I want to make sure to maximize. But I don't want to gut my balance and rhythm. Today I'm going back to replace a print I took down yesterday. SOOOO happy to have movement. Movement is great.

I decided to cancel UTRECHT, after visiting this morning. I think the set-up won't work well for me at all, since the window is tinted. Glad to make the quick change, and to get my whole week back. Super glad. Feel like I'm getting into a work groove, and don't want to mess that up.

Tuesday, October 13, 2009



Dear Dave,

feeling good (still). Had a good day yesterday, after a few purchases finally went through. I let myself get too anxious about making sales. I need to realize people are on their own time lines, and chill out a bit!

Excited to sell Gorilla Arms to SB. Feels like an accomplishment. Love all the angst surrounding out.

I finally got major work done on Pugsly, which makes me happy. Now I need to think about whats next. My show at Baked & Wired will be coming down soon, so I need to make another move. Feeling anxious about that. and Hex and I need to start the snowmen. How will we get that accomplished?

So much to do. So I better get doing.

Monday, October 12, 2009



dear dave

The weekend was good.

Finished new print for Baked & Wired. Sold a few things. Had a WONDERFUL birthday party at Sheons Saturday, and made pumpkin pie with Jimmy on Sunday.

Still getting over my cold, but feel improvement.

Today I have plans to get to baked & Wired to switch out prints, and then to the corcoran to FINALLY work on Pugsley print for Inga.

Got a late start because Hexy and Remi and I decided to have coffee together before work. A wonderful, calm morning, enjoying each other's company.

Friday, October 9, 2009



I have lost my mojo, and can't seem to find it.

FUN morning with Dave and Nana. Shooting around the neighborhood (totally distracted by the hysterical Nana) then Pho for lunch. Super fun taking pictures of them together-- esp. on the bike.

So cool.

The rest of the afternoon - BUST. maybe it was the pho. all I wanted to do was nap. and check my email.

Thursday, October 8, 2009



You Disappoint Me, 2009.

screen print on wood board. 24" x 48"
dear dave,

sales trickle in, which is always a good thing. I wish it was more of a flow, but who doesn't?

Feel good with what I have to do today. Settling back in to work, after many days of non-productivity. Makes me shudder.

Last night (birthday) was funny. I S-T-I-L-L don't feel over my horrendous cold, so I wasnt so into going out. Hexy made me a great soup, and we watched lots of Bravo tv together, and made chocolate chip cookies. I felt super content, being alone with him -- inside, safe and secure. There is time for being social, and time for staying in, soft and cozy.

I'm so happy hexy can be just as flexible as I am. It turned out to be the perfect birthday night after all.

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

dear dave,

today is my birthday! (again)

I've tried to find a horoscope for the year, like I posted last year, but I can't find anything like it. Weird.

I guess it's up to me to make one for myself:

This year you will find continued success, but not without struggles. It's important for you to keep trying new things, and expanding your horizons. Think outside the box, so to speak. You will find that your friends are always there to support you, and help you, but you need to expand beyond your circle, and be willing to meet new people. In doing so, you will open yourself up to new, exciting opportunities that you never thought possible.

Your work will grow, and you will discover that being true to your vision will be to your advantage. Don't compromise.

Your relationships will grow and flourish, but it won't always be easy. Be willing to compromise, and see things from your partner's point of view. Relationships within your family will test you, and stretch you in ways they haven't before. Remain open to the changes, and you will be successful in helping out as best you can.

Most of all, open your heart! To your friends, your partner, and your family. They are there to help you, love you, and support you. You are blessed.

Tuesday, October 6, 2009





blowfish lanterns from the moon party this past weekend.


dear dave,

the light and air has shifted dramatically. Feels so much like fall this morning. The birds and crackling leaves. And hoodies. I like it, but feel a little pushed into it. I wish the days could slow down a little bit, because I feel behind. Loosing a week didn't help.

Feeling lighter today. Not as burdened. But none of the big things have resolved, so it's just a feeling, not reality. My biggest concern is Sue, and will always be. I'm afraid for her, and worry about her constantly. But I don't know how to help her, or what she needs.

Plan to go back to the Corcoran today, to work more on the pug print for Inga. I feel so lucky to have all these free studio hours this fall. Need to use them up as best I can. And make new stuff. Fun stuff.

Monday, October 5, 2009

dear dave,

I'm bogged down this morning in worry and concern for my family. I wish I could lift myself out, but these problems are not easily solved. Days go by that I don't worry, but I think I'm just fooling myself. It's a lot to absorb.

yesterday I had a wonderful time in Great Falls with Remi. I felt really at peace, walking our old loop. I felt really comforted in the familiar. All sorts of happy memories came back, and I really felt like i was doing well, and happy.

I wish I could KEEP that feeling, but it so easily fades away. This morning I feel the opposite. Anxious and upset, and not at all reassured. My stomach is in knots, and I'm having such a hard time concentrating.

GRRRR.

Friday, October 2, 2009

blah! feel better, then worse. Hoping tomorrow is that much better.

Thursday, October 1, 2009

dear dave,

Still home / still sick. Sucky couple of days spent moving from couch to bed to couch to shower to bath to bed to couch to bed. Being sick really sucks!!

I don't have much more to say. Expected to work on shirt designs, print a few days at the Corcoran, work on my site, and push along on my projects. Instead, nothing. NOTHING. Cancelled Dave and Nana tomorrow. Cancelled new Dave today. BOO!

So Im feeling down, and blah. But I know I'll feel better soon, and pick myself back up. Thank God it works that way. (usually!)