forming thoughts and making work

I've been doing a lot of reading lately about the process of design, not actually designing, but just the way we go about thinking, drafting, planning, and creating in the design world. Way too often I get wrapped up in having so much to accomplish, so many projects to finish that I don't really allow myself the time to just think about the design. My mind goes on autopilot, pulling inspiration from god knows where, and I end up churning out a design I am only halfway pleased with. The articles and posts I've been reading lately have inspired and challenged me to go about this whole process differently. To put the time into letting inspiration grow organically so your results don't feel like a hodge-podge of ideas you've seen somewhere before; and to just think about the early steps of design as being just as important as that moment when you sit down at the computer to execute an idea. I feel like this way of processing information and inspiration will also lend itself to a little more balance between life and work. I have a hard time processing inspiration I encounter on a day to day basis because I'm so rushed to instead be working, but now I plan on giving a little more breathing room to the simple acts of idea creation, sketching, and reflection.

Here are the readings that I am referring to, see if you can find the quote that I did the design below from.

AIGA: Beyond Craft & Tools

Inspiration vs. Imitation

The Fresh Exchange

Also a great video interview with Paula Scher.

What are your thoughts on finding inspiration, waiting for ideas to strike, and getting to work on any of your creative endeavors?

finding the light

 

The last month has been spent navigating the waters of this new schedule and new lifestyle of mine.  I've lost track of dates and have been working harder than I ever have before, but somehow enjoying every moment of it.  There is a feeling of calm and freedom that I have never enjoyed before; no matter how busy I am get; and that is priceless. 

Here are a few moments from the couple of last months, shot with my new 50mm lens that seems to discover in the most beautiful light ever.

28 & 2013

Yesterday I turned 28 and officially started the new year.  I was a little behind getting my 2013 started because a lot of big changes have been happening; good, life-affirming types of changes.

This month I quit my job of full-time art teaching to pursue a career in art and design. It's been a change that I have been needing, wanting, craving, working towards, and hoping for for far too long now.  It's taken the mister and I years to get to this place where we feel comfortable and settled and ready to take this big step, I'm so lucky to have his support in my life.  And it wasn't until yesterday that I felt ready to sit down and reflect on the past year and look towards the future ahead of me, because my last day of work was the day before my birthday, hence the new year and birthday joint celebration.

Before I talk about goals and plans to come, let me take a step back.  As 2013 started I was transitioning from being a full-time teacher to a part-time student and part-time freelance designer.  I was working 40+ hours at my job while also going to new classes in graphic design and still working on projects for various clients.  The last few weeks were crazy, a whirlwind of tasks that were so spread out I didn't know where to place my focus or my energy.  While teaching was a wonderful opportunity for me, a job that paid my for school the first time around and an experience that took me from being a child to an adult with a real career, it just never felt like the right fit.  My heart and creative mind were always somewhere else- making, planning, aching.  So with this switch into a new phase of my life I am finally able to slow down and think and gain a little more perspective on what I want out of the future.

My plans in the next month, year, and years to come are not set in stone yet but I know that I will be more fulfilled in doing something I can truly enjoy, the exact thing I was trying to teach my students over the last 6 years!  So now I'll be working on expanding my own design and illustrations, building my etsy shop into what I've long wanted it to be, sharing my work here with you as well as on various client projects, and most importantly, I'll be gaining more knowledge as I put some time, money, and effort into my own education.  I can't tell you how excited I am for all of this and I'll be sure to share the journey here with you.  It feels good to do something good for yourself every once in a while.

xo- kat

instagram photo from my pre-birthday weekend with a dear friend at Wrightsville beach. 

why hello there, 2012

Two-thousand and eleven was a big year for us. In addition to several trips with friends and family, some major work to the shop and our brand, participating in four craft markets, and work and school we also got married! It's been a whirlwind of a year with lots to do and very little downtime in between, but we wouldn't have had it any other way. It's been fun looking through some of our memories of the past year and here are a few of my favorites:


I am proud of where we've come and what we've done in the last year. I am starting this new one with a clear head and a clean studio space, all while being healthy, happy, and loved-which is more than I could ever ask for. And just like I did for 2011, I will not make a list of resolutions and goals for 2012 but will go forward with anticipation and excitement for some big changes, big work, big fun, and big ambitions. Bring it on '12!

a little lens flare

Both the end of summer and these lovely photos by bri inspired me to do a little photoshopping of my own today. It is always fun to play around with your photos, especially when the end result is not too achieve a perfect image. Plus I am getting really good at not getting started on those back to school responsibilities.

first day of summer!

The summer season has officially started and as the first day drifts towards dusk I thought it was a good time to share some of my summer plans with you. I am off of teaching for two months in the summer, you see, and this is when the "real" work begins for me. I choose not to take on another job during the summer, even though money can get tight as we are living off of savings for two months, because I really want to devote myself to my shop, blog, and other projects that bring me so much joy.

*studio time accompanied by raspberry lemonade with fresh herbs

It can be hard to balance my time when things like sporadic pool or beach trips pop up or crappy reality tv somehow finds itself playing in my living room (though I swear I would never turn on Bravo while trying to work....) In addition to adding new items to my shop, blogging, and finishing some around the house projects I do want to make sure that I find some time for all of that fun stuff too. And that is when the battle begins, I can literally guilt myself into doing nothing but work (which I of course enjoy) and doing nothing else all day. It is just that I so badly want make some changes in my life that mostly consist of working for myself and sharing the things I love with the rest of the creative world. So I take these months in the summer to dive into that and immerse myself into as many projects as possible. Luckily I have a creative husband, a supportive sister, and a bunch of artistic friends that are happy doing these same sorts of things- with some pool parties and cookouts thrown in for good measure.

custom projects for special orders

With that long-winded explanation, here are some of my plans/goals/routines for this summer:

• Blogging- on here and also now happily sharing some of my thoughts and ideas over on prettysouthern.com
• Creating- some projects for the site, lots of work for my shop, and some other personal fun projects as well
• Collaborating- with the mister on some fun design projects, with my sister during our "studio time" several times a week (quickly becoming my favorite activity), and with some dear friends on things like entertaining, hosting dinner parties, and creating a NC craft cohort
  
• Gardening- ok this is only with the help of my sister since I have come to the conclusion that I have absolutely no real talent here (remember the failed seed attempts from last year?)
• Vacationing- with the fam at the beach, tubing down the river, lakehouse trips, and maybe a big city adventure to NYC to visit some people who are truly missed
• Planning- putting some plans in place so that this "work" I love doing so much can hopefully become a more permanent part of my life
• Relaxing and having some good fun here in Greensboro- this is the one I will really have to work on- remembering how much good stuff goes on right here at home

new work up in the shop

I will most certainly be sharing all of these adventures with you here on the blog as the summer flies by, but right now I would love to know-- what are your big summer plans?

days off

Five in a row. I can hardly believe it! Thanksgiving is by far my favorite holiday and I fully plan on enjoying the good company, good weather, and great food. I also plan on spending all waking moments that I am not eating on enjoying myself. Some of those enjoyable activities for today will include:

• Enjoying coffee and strawberry-jam toast (currently enjoying)
• Catching up on laundry and cleaning- not quite as enjoyable but certainly satisfying
• Baking up some yummy holiday treats complete with chocolate and peppermint
• Finishing some dainty new garlands for the shop
• Starting some holiday crafts- can't wait!
  
• Going home to see my family, complete with grandparents and little sister who are in town!!

image.

...

S0 completely exhausted from the past few days of getting ready to go back to school. So tired I couldn't even think of a title for this post. Today- the students came- and I talked and talked and talked. Syllabi and schedules and supplies and grading and procedures and rules and attendance and so many un-art-related words that I cannot even think. The first few weeks are really tiring until we get in to a routine and started on some real work. I am hoping to be inspired by my day job this year, inspired by my students to be more enthusiastic about my own art work. That means come home from a long day job and try to put some love and time into something of my own. That is very hard sometimes. Photos from the weekend still sit unedited and I am currently skipping my pottery class- not a good start.
On a unrelated note- how gorgeous are these handmade fixtures by KAM lamp company, the currently featured etsy seller? I need that little light bulb of inspiration right now.

Been totally slacking on here this week and I am sorry. I am trying to get through this week so we can go on our weekend vacation!!! And to make the vacation even better, I get to come home from it to a week off of work. I am so excited as it has seriously been four years since we have gone on a vacation by ourselves. I look forward to exploring an unfamiliar (yet somewhat close by) city for a few days.

So how did I do on the weekend goals?
Gardened and grilled. Did not do much crafting or photography unfortunately. I'd say that is ok since we also did a lot more stuff. I am still trying to get the perfect shot of Eva before she is debuted on here, so hopefully this weekend will yield some better results.

Next week's (spring break) goals:

• sketching
• printing some cards
• listing some ceramics on etsy
• cooking and lots of eating
• being creative since I haven't remembered how to do that in some time

I don't know that putting goals on here will make me any more accountable- as I can be incredibly lazy when given a good amount of down time- but I am hoping it will. Here's to productivity!

clear headed

Sorry for the lack of posts around here, but I finally feel like the in the last week the fog has been lifted. It is as if my new year did not start until February 8th and the goals and resolutions I had set for myself could not be put into motion until now. And some of those goals need to be revisited and revised. I am feeling some balance between work and life and creative pursuits, but I guess my blog suffered the new found freedom this week. It is funny how letting go of a few things really opens you up to enjoy more, but at the same time I am still a perfectionist and want to be able to fit everything in, especially my time here. I have been thinking and collecting my thoughts for this and just need to take some time to sit down and do it. Until then (February 22), I will be getting back into my routine here.

New:new year's resolution #1:
1. enjoy my job, the more i can enjoy it the better i can be at it.

a little torn up

Been feeling a lot like this lately- a little beat up. I see beautiful things all around me but have been unable to produce a damn thing of my own that is worth anything in so long. I can see so much but cannot do and it is getting terribly frustrating.

Image by the gifted cari ann wayman. See more on her blog and her flickr.

so this is the new year

Inspired by this post, I have made my own list of to-d0's for 2010. It is not a list of resolutions, rather goals to aspire for in the coming year. 2009 was wonderful, most notably buying and moving into our home, taking a ceramics class with my mom and sister (which will continue), growing a garden (thanks to my sister), selling some of my jewelry and ceramics at a local shop, hiking a state park, and continuing my workout routine even when I was sick of it! So many friends and family members helped make some wonderful memories- at home and away.

Here are some of the things I will look forward to over the next 365 days:

• remodeling our kitchen
• opening my etsy shop (hopefully in the next month!!)
• learning to use my nikon more effectively
• taking more small trips with the mister (mountains or beach?)
• cooking more- using more from the local farmers market and my own gardens
  
• meeting more fellow bloggers and expand my place in this wonderful community
• finishing painting the house- a blue hallway?
• taking up screen printing in my home studio
• setting up a home accessories etsy shop in addition to the first one
• expanding my workout- more variety and more outdoor activites
• bike rides
• finishing decorating the bathroom- orange walls!
• starting my 4th year of teaching (and maybe the last)
• creating more and study how to make a career of it
• using less and trying to be a more conscious consumer
  

I am excited to work towards these things and see where 2010 leads!

weekend revisited

Halloween was wonderful, we attended two great parties and saw lots of amazing costumes. But the highlight of the weekend was definitely our little day trip to Hanging Rock State Park for a quick hike and some fun (yet cold) playing in the waterfalls. The weather and leaves are changing so fast here that even though it was rainy and damp, I had to get in one quick trip before all of it is gone for the winter. It was certainly worth it!

pics by me and the mister

weekend revisited

An amazing weekend with loved ones and great friends, complete with::

a sister's birthday...



fresh flowers from my parent's garden, in my mom's homemade vases (so sweet)...




evidence of the changing seasons...




fireside time in the backyard.

good stuff.

best medicine

Sick day # 3. Day 2 out of work. It is raining, gray, and overall drab around here. The only good news is that the mister has the day off too. So I get to sit around and cuddle in tons of blankets and he is making me a grilled cheese! One of the only things I could eat while feeling this gross. I guess it is also good news that I have had more time to blog. And hopefully I will be feeling better for pottery class tonight!

sick day

Home sick today. Half my sickness, half the mister's tooth infection. Note too self: don't take anymore generic allergy meds. I have had a very hard time getting things going today.

In the mean time, while I am wasting away on the couch, I am looking for all things to remind me of fall. Here are couple I came across at Alicia Bock's etsy shop. How I would love to be up in a hot air balloon today! But I will be sipping tea and making trips to the dentist. And hopefully we can fit one to the pumpkin patch in as well!

where you rest

We spent most of the rainy Saturday last weekend completing the decoration of our room. Thanks to my lovely mister we got new curtains hung, new comforter out, new pillow; all combined with a lot of old goodies- bed made by my dad, birdies on the wall, favorite lamps, rocks from beach walks, and lots of love. It finally feels right, and if you know me you know how hard that feeling is to achieve. I lived in my last apartment for three years and the bedroom never felt "right". This is cozy and cool with a mix of the best textures- corduroy, flannel, and soft linen. All in the most unassuming gray. I have to take pictures when the lighting is better but here is an adorable Parisian loft bedroom to tide you over until then. Hope you are cozy and content this fall weekend!

too tired

Too tired to think this week. Work is getting the best of me, I think I am getting sick, and I am home alone because I am so busy that my boyfriend has to go out without me to get in any social time. Feeling worthless and lonely and blah. In need of some inspiration and some time to think/work/create.

And I didn't even get to celebrate the first week of fall. Sad.

autumn setting

This looks like the perfect setting for these cooler pre-fall weekends. I need to be picking a date for a camping trip soon, come to think of it. Only a few more weeks until it will be to cold around here.
So many busy weekends coming up: dog-sitting (yay!), two weddings, visiting family, putting some artwork up at my alma mater, and hopefully a trip to IKEA. So it has been nice to have a relaxing weekend, we have been spending time with friends and family, playing some bocce and drinking beers, and soaking in some design star! Hope yours has been just as nice.

Happy Camper photo found here.

project

So here is a preview of the project I spoke of a couple days ago. I assigned my photo class a "photo a day" project to get them back into the habit of using the cameras and being creative on a daily basis. I decided to embark on the project myself and am taking three photos a day. On day 3 there is not much to report, though I can tell it will get harder as time goes on. I have only photographed objects around the house so far and here are a few of my favorites. unedited- don't judge.