1/25/2021 - How to Frost a Cupcake

1. In the spirit of the most excellent Beatrix Potter, I turned my attention to detailed studies of an animal persuasion. While I don’t currently have any animals at my disposal, I did save a chicken bone from my dinner and spent some time studying it.

2. This video unexpectedly resurfaced last week and transported me back several years to my life as a full-time cupcake froster and trainer. Man, I really loved frosting cupcakes.

3. Benjamin’s been busy on concepts and planning for a makeover for the Lucigraph!

4. Listening: The Pure Moods albums have really been the perfect accompaniment to keep my energy up while working. I’ve been most especially feeling the vibe from the DJ Dado X-Files Theme remix.

5. Reading: How to Think Like Leonardo DaVinci: Seven Steps to Genius Every Day by Michael J. Gelb.

6. Podcasts: I loved this two-part interview with Austin Kleon on The Futur with Chris Do.

   • Part 1

   • Part 2

anatomy lessons made possible by a chicken leg bone from my dinner.

1/18/2021 - A Porch Possum!

Highlights from last week!

1. Lynda Barry has a porch possum and I am enchanted.

2. I’ve been up to my eyeballs in acrylic paints and colored pencils doing varied color studies and experiments. It’s my first foray into acrylics and I’m loving them.

3. Reading: I’ve been slowly savoring Mason Currey’s Daily Rituals: Women at Work and it’s getting me all kinds of inspired. I particularly love seeing women set boundaries around their work to make sure they have the time and space they need to create.

4. I started my first typewriter refurb this weekend. I love the wondrous feeling that comes from working with a machine that you can tell hasn’t been used in years. I’m enamored with the personal connection that is created across time when I handle these well-used machines. This one came with a handwritten cheat sheet taped on top for easily aligning envelopes.

5. Listening: The housemates gathered for a workday in preparation for the launch of our online shop. We jammed to Lynda Barry’s playlist to keep our energy up as we crafted our wares.

6. When I last visited my parents, I rediscovered some favorite old books. Now I’m distance-reading Sam the Cat Detective in chapter installments to my parents as a lighthearted way to hang out and feel closer as we shelter in place. (And I recently discovered there are more books in this series, including this one, which is so terribly punny, I may just have to add it to our distance-reading list!)

Upcycled envelopes cut, folded, glued and ready for the shop launch.

1/11/2021 - Mr. Paint Pig

Highlights from last week:

1. I took some weeks off from my usual work during the holidays but jumped right back in with color theory studies. After getting mired down in the history and science of light and color, I found myself longing for the days of yore when color was as pleasant as Mr. Paint Pig! (Man I loved that book… my childhood copy is well-worn and held together by packing tape).

2. Speaking of Mr. Paint Pig… if you want to feel joy, cheer, and delight, Richard Scarry’s website is a must see. I headed over there for some project research and came away feeling like I’d been on the loveliest little vacation!

3. One benefit of living in an artist’s collective during a pandemic is having friends to hang out with in person. We recently had a game night, and I can heartily recommend Marrying Mr. Darcy for lots of amusement and laughs.

4. We celebrated 10 years in the Pacific Northwest this week. I’ve grown through so many different versions of myself in those years - I’m amazed at how we’ve aged and evolved and all that we’ve experienced.

5. Listening: Marley Carroll’s album Flight Patterns is the most surefire way for me to kick off each workday. After finishing my morning routine, I load it up and it gets me going!

6. Watching: We’re late to the game, but we’re loving The Mandalorian on Disney+. I won’t be the one to give away any spoilers… so I’ll just say, I’m super into the diminutive star of the show. I really just can’t get enough of that face!

Well-loved and held together with packing tape.

1/4/2021 - A Vintage Mystery Machine!

Highlights from last week!

The Lucigraph!

1. We reprised last year’s New Year’s Eve entertainment and watched When Harry Met Sally again. For the second year in a row, we timed the NYE ending with our own NYE and I was most gratified by that small delight.

2. For our New Year’s Day meal, I made a pared down version of Rice Cake Soup (Tteokguk, 떡국 - the traditional ‘must have’ food for NYD in Korea) with the ingredients I had on hand (Korean rice cakes, homemade chicken bone broth, leftover chicken, and collard greens). I’m such a sucker for those delicious, chewy rice cakes!

3. Initially undeterred by the rain, we attempted a birthday trip to the coast - but it proved too windy and rainy after all. We instead stopped short at Grays Harbor Wildlife Refuge and bird-watched through the windshield in the rain. There were plenty of wet birds to be seen - a real bright spot in the rainy, gray day!

4. A lucigraph arrived in the studio this week and it’s the coolest thing I’ve played with in a while. I’ve been learning all I can about graphic design in the pre-digital era.

5. I finally finished Crash Landing on You on Netflix and it was fantastic.

6. Austin Kleon has an Owl named Coconut living in his backyard and I’m eagerly anticipating updates about this lovely bird!