please stand by

You may have noticed, I haven't posted in awhile. Forgive me, it hasn't been intentional. Does it count if I think about posts that never get written? Hmmmm, probably not. I have been distracted. Focusing on new project which we hope to launch soon...

World's Largest Gem Sweater in the World

Happy Friday the 13th!

In honor of Friday the 13th, please watch a cheesy horror or B-monster movie tonight with your loved ones and keep America strong. It's a great family tradition - every Friday the 13th.

Changing Channels @ Creative Growth

Changing Channels opens THIS Thursday March 12, 5-8pm

The first ever Creative Growth exhibition dedicated to the artwork made in the Video Production Workshop. Including multi-media work made using cell animation, motion graphic animation, puppet video and live action. Join us for 'first look' screenings! DVD's of this new work will be for sale, as well as the storyboards, three dimensional puppets and sequential layer drawings used in the creation of each work.

Creative Growth Art Center Gallery
355 24th Street, Oakland CA 94612
510.836.2340 x 15

Regular gallery hours: M-F 11:00-5:30
The show will also be open Saturday, March 14, 11am-4pm

Creative Growth is an art studio and gallery that serves artists with developmental, mental and physical disabilities. An environment for artistic instruction, gallery promotion and personal expression. Works by Creative Growth artists can be found in collections and museums around the world.

William Scott's Good Person opens in NY

William Scott - Good Person

A solo exhibition of William Scott's paintings and text works
March 10 - April 28, 2009
Opening: March 10, 6-8pm
White Columns, New York
320 West 13th Street (Enter on Horatio Street, between Hudson & 8th Avenue)

If you are in the area, please go check out the amazing drawings of William Scott @ White Columns in New York - You're in for a treat.

William is a self taught artist @ Creative Growth and is constantly drawing and sculpting. All of his projects are ambitious & deeply optimistic. He creates incredibly beautiful & strong female figures out of clay and paper mache. Looking at them, you can feel the admiration he has for these individuals. For many years William has been working on an ongoing urban planning project that re-imagines & rebuilds the city of San Francisco as a city of hope. His drawings are meticulous in detail with incredible accuracy despite being filled with imaginary buildings and idealized landmarks. Looking over the drawn plans you can immediately identify where you are standing. Public and private realities are combined seamlessly into a single landscape as he strives to create peaceful environments for everyone with hope and good will. The stories he tells are fantastic and the cities he builds are wonderful to visit.

Based in Oakland CA and established in the early 70's, Creative Growth is an art studio and gallery that serves artists with developmental, mental and physical disabilities. An environment for artistic instruction, gallery promotion and personal expression. Works by Creative Growth artists can be found in collections and museums around the world.

Grrr! and Arg!

Grrr! and Arg! Two of the best words EVER! And they can now be worn with all your girly pride - brought to you by finestimaginary. You can pick up yours on etsy today!

Classic Monster Cupcake Toppers

These classic monster cupcake toppers would be perfect for celebrating Friday the 13th or any other special occasion. You can get your set on etsy from Bake and Destroy who is helping "the domestic terrorist in all of us."

The Budos Band is on tour!

The Budos Band is on tour!

Mar 13 2009 8:00P	TLA (Theatre of Living Arts)	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Mar 14 2009 9:30P	Union Pool	Brooklyn, New York
Mar 20 2009 9:30P	Maxwells	Hoboken, New Jersey
Apr 9 2009 8:00P	Neumo’s	Seattle, Washington
Apr 10 2009 6:30P	Mississippi Studios	Portland, Oregon
Apr 11 2009 10:00P	Richards on Richards	Vancouer, British Columbia
Apr 12 2009 9:00P	The Garibaldi Lift Company	Whistler, British Columbia
Apr 13 2009 8:00P	The Nightlight	Bellingham, Washington
Apr 14 2009 9:00P	Moe’s Alley	Santa Cruz, California
Apr 15 2009 9:00P	The Independant	San Francisco, California
Apr 16 2009 8:00P	The Echo	Los Angeles, California
Apr 24 2009 7:30P	Heineken Transatlantic Festival	Miami Beach, Florida
May 2 2009 11:00P	Terrace Club	Princeton, New Jersey

Canbot & Canrex

These tiny bots are made from soda cans! Look how cute they are.
You can get one on etsy or visit their website to see more.

first broccoli

Look what I found hiding in the garden today! Our first broccoli of the season. As a mid-western transplant, I LOVE being able to have some sort of vegetables growing in the garden year round. It never cease to amaze me. Growing broccoli is one of my favorites. It's fun to watch and taste so yummy. So far I've only been able to find heirloom varieties in the garden. And they taste SO MUCH better. Maybe someday soon they'll start showing up at the farmer's markets like heirloom tomatoes. A few of my chef friends have told me some of the fancy restaurants in San Francisco have started reviving heirloom varieties of broccoli, so keep your eyes open when you read those menus and ask at your local farmer's market. This year we planted "Diplomat" and I can't wait to taste it. One of my favorites is "Di Cicco" - it grows well in Northern California, disease & mildew resistant (something of a concern in our damp climate), plus it sends out many side shoots and taste divine.

animation made out of DICE

Fujiya & Miyagi Ankle Injuries
Totally geeking out on this animation made out of DICE! Check it out.

Say it ain't so

CRAFT: Volume 10 is their LAST issue in print. Say it ain't so. Sigh. Yes, I know it's rough time for magazines, but I had deep hopes that CRAFT could hold on. As a reader of both the printed & the on-line versions, the experiences are not the same and there is room for both. That said, I do understand the decision. With mixed emotions, I look forward to seeing their new 'n improved digital format. For now all the issues can be accessed here. I do wish them the best in their new venture, but this printed little 'zine will surely be missed. It seems like only yesterday...

hugga wugga

not to be worn as a sweater

"Small sweater looking scarf. Winding around the neck it maybe used as a muffler. Not to be worn as a sweater." Can't even express how much I am loving these knit pieces by Tou! Doesn't it make you smile? Please visit the website to see more of these "not to be worn as a sweater" designs. You can purchase one (or two or...) here.

DIY: Rob Ryan skirt from Clothkits

For a quick DIY girly fix, try one of these Rob Ryan skirt sewing kits from Clothkits. Available in lots of color combos, but I am particular to the black on pewter.

bricks that hold beer

1963 - Heineken beer bottle design

Alfred Heineken and architect John Habraken designed these wonderful “bricks that hold beer” in 1963. An eco-design well ahead of its time: A beer bottle designed in the shape of an interlocking brick to reduce waste and provide building materials. Brilliant. It is too bad this concept didn't take off. Perhaps we're ready today and with any hope more companies will revisit this reusable packaging concept.

Aren't they beautiful?

(you can learn more here.)

Vimobot Design Contest Retrospect

A MIMOBOT is a little USB flash drive with a whole lot of personality. I've had one for years - it goes with me EVERYWHERE and never ceases to make people smile. This little video showcases some of the artists from around the world who hand painted their own custom DIY blank Vimobot pure vinyl toy for the Vimobot Design Contest last year. Check out some of the amazing entries that vied for the top spots in their first community-designed MIMOBOT flash drive collection, the VDC MIMOBOT Series. Way cool and lots of fun. I love it when design products reach out to their fan base and involves them in the creative process. Hopefully they'll have run contest again this year!

Chiquita Banana The Original Commercial

Get Up Close & Personal @ Creavite Growth

Up Close & Personal art opening @ Creative Growth THIS THURSDAY!
Featuring the artwork of John Martin, Ron Veasey, Kerri Damianakes, and George Wilson. Join us as we take a look at new and historical drawings, paintings, woodworking and ceramics.

Creative Growth Art Center
355 24th Street, Oakland, CA 94612
510.836.2340

Opening Event: THIS Thursday, January 29th 5-8pm
Show runs: Jan 29th - March 6th, 2009, Monday through Friday
Also open:
• Saturday Jan 31st 11-4pm
• Friday, Feb 6th 11-9 pm for Oakland's Art Murmur gallery walk.

Creative Growth is an art studio and gallery that serves artists with developmental, mental and physical disabilities. An environment for artistic instruction, gallery promotion and personal expression. Works by Creative Growth artists can be found in collections and museums around the world. In June 2008, Creative Growth opened a new art gallery in Paris, exhibiting the artwork of artists with disabilities, self-taught artists and contemporary artists from around the world. Come check us out!

Freaks of Nature

"Freaks of Nature" by Elaine Bradford

Crochet and taxidermy: who doesn't love that combo? INSTANTLY feel for these pieces and can't stop thinking about them. My favorite being the larger pieces; how the colors and shapes twist 'n turn while still being grounded with familiar form. These are brilliant! Be sure to visit her webpage to check out more of her work.

This new exhibit entitled Museum of UnNatural History will be displayed at Art League Houston from January 9th until February 20th in Austin, TX. Please go check out the show if you are in the area and send me email about it, preferably with more photos...

source: lime & violet

Miniature Knitter

I am am truly in awe at the detail in these knitted pieces by Althea Crome. Makes my hands hurt just watching the video...Wow.

forgive me for not posting in spell - I got lost in facebook for a while...

Creative Growth Tour

An inside look at the studio. I am lucky to be a volunteer. If you are in the bay area, stop by for a visit.

Creative Growth Art Center
355 24th Street
Oakland, CA 94612

When the going gets tough, the tough get crafty

Pick up your button now to show your support. Available through Hasenpfeffer's etsy shop.

Unintended Consequences of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act

After last year's scare over contaminated toys made in China, Congress responded with a new law to require all products aimed at children under 12 years old to be certified as safe and virtually lead-free by independent testing. The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) was passed in August, 2008. This law requires testing and certification for ALL toys, books, clothing, art, educational supplies, materials for the learning disabled, bicycles, and more. Any uncertified item intended for children under the age of 12 will be considered contraband after February 10, 2009. The burden may be manageable for big manufacturers and retailers that can absorb the costs. Less likely to survive are hundreds and hundreds of small businesses and craftspeople.

While we applaud the CPSIA for responding, in their haste they simply forgot to exclude the class of children's goods that have earned and kept the public's trust: toys, clothes, books and accessories made in the US, Canada, Australia and Europe. As a result, unless the law is modified, is that handmade and used children's products will no longer be legal in the US. You won’t be able to sell or give away any children's products that have not been independently tested by a third-party lab and certified compliant with this law. Further more, this over reaching law will impact our schools and public libraries. Existing (safe) items will be required to be needlessly destroyed.

To anyone who has not READ the entire text of the law, and to those who have merely "skimmed" it: READ the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 before dismissing the very real concerns and issues raised.

The Act is very confusing and we want to be mindful that others need to be given enough context to understand the issues. It is not about being anti-child-safety or anti-testing. It’s not about politics. It is about dealing with the fact that this over reaching law is far too vague and neglects to consider the impact of its words. For small American, Canadian, Australian and European toy-makers, and manufacturers of all children's products the costs of mandatory testing will probably force them out of business. That said, even larger companies are demanding more clarification.

Please read this excellent article written by Holly Jahangiri. I was touched by her elegance in making her points and her appeal to all people who will be impacted to unify their efforts.

I have no doubt the law will be amended, but how long will it take? And will it go far enough? During that time, how many independent designer and small business we have grown to love will be forced to closed their doors? As a crafts person, small business owner, children's product designer, book reader, consumer, etc, etc- I feel VERY deeply about changing this law. It impacts all of us. Please make your voice heard by signing a petition, writing or calling your congress representative, send a letter to talk show hosts like Oprah, Ellen, Rachel Ray, Martha Stewart, contact your local news stations - anything to get the word out. You help is GREATLY needed.

Sign the petitions!

• http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/economicimpactsofCPSIA/index.html
• http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/RepealCPSIA/
• http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/reform-cpsia-hr4040.html

Write letters to your senator and your congress representaive.
Here are some sample letters:

• http://www.handmadetoyalliance.org/how-you-can-help
• http://capwiz.com/toyassociation/issues/alert/?alertid=12265226
• http://www.learningresources.com/category/id/104605.do

Vote to influence Obama’s economic policy on change.org.

To learn more:

• CPSIA regulation
• This great article on ETSY with updated info & links.
• Handmade Toy Alliance
• National Bankruptcy Day
• updated info on Buy Handmade
  

Holy Toast

"Holy Toast" by Shalene Valenzuela

Check out more of Shalene's domestic ceramics on her website & don't forget to stop by her esty shop.

Legend: Myth & Memory TONIGHT @ Creativity Explored

If a picture is worth a thousand words, what is a picture covered in words worth?

In the case of Creativity Explored’s studio artists with developmental disabilities, some of whom do not speak, making art that brings images & text together can become a powerful way to communicate stories that often remain untold. Legend: Myth and Memory offers a compelling glimpse into the interior worlds & memories of many studio artists through works that feature personal snippets of text incorporated into paintings, drawings & works on wood

Opening Reception is tonight: Thursday, January 8, '09, 7-9pm
Dates: January 8 - February 25, '09

Creativity Explored
3245 16th Street, San Francisco, CA 94103

PIPEROID: Paper robots

All you need is a pair of scissors, and with a little assembly you can build your own paper robots . These fun little DIY robots are called Piperoid. Built out of just six paper "pipes" with pre-drilled holes and marks to cut & fold, you connect the pipes (no glue or tape required). Pretty simple. And pretty fun!

The Piano Has Been Drinking - Tom Waits (1977)

eye popping monsters

Anyone know more information about these guys? My searching on-line has turned up very little. They're called "i pop monsters" and are from Schylling. Aren't they fantastic? They make me laugh.