trying to stay focused.

i would tell you about the rainbow cupcakes joe made me for my birthday...

or the recycled booklets i have been making...

but instead, i have to take a short break.

things aren't going well right now.
(everything is fine with joe and i, so don't worry!)

it's about so many things, i can't really explain right now.
.........
mom, if you are reading this- things will get better one day. if you cry at night just know that you are not alone in doing so. he'll be the same again one day...won't he? i hope so. i miss him too...the way he used to be. i know people change, but what the hell has come over him? {i love you.}
.........

apple apple apple.

no words for now...maybe later?

okay okay, so i suppose i can post some links to make this post look a little nicer-

this belt buckle that i love

a neat etsy shop with lots of pendants

a hoodie that i would love to wear

something new

2 posts in one day...unless i wait 23 more minutes, then it will be tomorrow!

--

joe came and visited me at work tonight...it was a nice surprise.

--

i picked up another shift for tomorrow night. the guy who asked me to work gave me a pound of coffee beans in return. that was cool of him- i've been drinking coffee lately. sorry tea- i still love you.

--

after work i felt like making something. this is what i came up with.

don't worry--i'm not keeping it in that frame! i wish i had some better lighting, dang it.

-

5"x8"

bristol

archival glue

india ink

green paint swatches

prisma colors--poppy red

colorbox ink

--

time for bed.

another coptic mini

i created another journal for my "coptic mini" series. this one features my tree design. i think next i will do an anatomical heart journal and then maybe something new. i really need to come up with some new designs, but the ones i have will do for now!

there's really not a whole lot on my mind right now. i work tonight at 4:30, i picked up a shift. for awhile i wasnt working many nights. and for awhile before that, i was working only nights (for the most part.) well, i talked to the lady who does the schedule and i told her that i would rather work during the day. at first it was great. i got to see joe every day when i got home from work and i was able to spend the evening with him. but it's gotten to the point where i go to work, come home, and just hang out with joe all night. well, that isnt really working (for me) because i have a really hard time with self discipline when he is home--meaning, i hardly ever work on things that i should be doing. so, about 2 weeks ago i decided that i am just going to start picking up a couple of shifts every week, and i want to try to make them night shifts. so far it is working- i am getting much more accomplished and i am finally finding a balance.

------

oh yeah, so the dentist told me that i have 8 cavities. well, 8 that need to be fixed right now. they are all between my teeth, meaning that if i would have been flossing my whole life, things would have been fine! but he said that if i start flossing right now, i should be in good shape as far as my OTHER cavities go- the ones that are okay to leave alone for now. so i am getting 6 filled on one day and 2 on another. i'm thrilled.

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okay i am going to go make some lunch now. i'm thinking roast beef and cheddar on toast. take care!

10 things i love

hello everybody. how are you? i am okay...i have a dentist appointment today- i do NOT want to go. i have never been afraid of the dentist before, what happened to me?! anyway...

i have had spring on my mind. i want it here now- i am tired of winter, even though our winter hasnt been bad so far, i just dont really like it. so since i have had spring on my mind, i have been thinking about new things. new things for the apartment and new things for myself. i am usually a warm color person, but you know what- after our wedding i am warm-colored out almost. so i think that's the reason for my recent love for cool colors. i've been on a blue and green kick- perfect for spring.

if i could buy anything...

i would buy this screen print by dan mccarthy.

this vintange newspaper rack.

this print by eric swanson.

this book that is out of stock.

these fabulous green heels.

this sweet photo by alicia bock.

this lovely pillow from west elm.
these awesome notecards by erinzam.
this cute shirt by animal sleep stories.
this sold out alabaster deer head.

i hate when things are out of stock. i knew i should have swooped up that deer head when i had the chance...oh well, something even better will come one day, i'm sure.

take care everybody.

new journal

i made something new today...a mini coptic bound journal.
















i am finally starting to come out of my creative rut, but i figured it would be best to come out with something simple at first. so, i created this journal. it's made of 100% recycled materials. yep- everything that went into this journal came from remnants of another project. heres the list-

*the dark red waxed linen thread that i used was the last bit off of that particular spool. it was just barely long enough!
*i go through a LOT of 24"x18"artist drawing pads...the pad has a very sturdy cardboard backing, which has come in handy so many times- such as this time...that's what the covers are made of :) so i keep all of my thick cardboard backings from the sketch pads
*i just cut lots of paper for my "small" journals...i always end up with really nice sized pieces of leftover paper after all of the cuts are completed- the best part is that they are already almost to the size i need them for these journals, so it makes cutting the paper to the right demensions super quick!
*the beetle print came from a pocket book that i messed up a long time ago. so the image was used here :)
*the orange cardstock came from an end paper scrap from a previous journal.

so that's the list- it's cool for ME because it was super easy to make, and i do plan on making lots more, and also because i'm big into recycling. it's cool for the BUYER because i can offer it at a much lower price than my regular journals since not as much work goes into it. yay!

okay, i better go join our company in the living room! take care, friends!

{DE}LURKING

well, it looks like i missed "de-lurking week" but i wanted to post this anyway, mainly because i have been meaning to tell you more about myself for some time now.

my name is erin and i will turn 22 on january 27.

i recently got married, it was a beautiful september day. i wore a handmade dress and a handmade necklace. my shoes ran me $6 and i didn't waste money on a hairdo. i wanted things to be as natural as possible, because i wanted people to feel comfortable and welcome to have a good time.

one day i want to live in a house with lots of land. once i have that, i would love to have a tree farm and breed alpacas. oh, i will need a horse or two as well.

i started binding journals a little over a year ago.

i have brown eyes but i wish they were green and i have light brown hair but i have dyed it black for about 5 years now. pretty soon i am chopping it all off, and eventually it will be dark brown rather than black.

i work at a restaurant as a server. i dont really like it but it pays the most money for the least amount of hours. i also have a small business called "operation paper cut".

when i was younger, i was a morning person. now i dislike the mornings greatly, but i get up with my husband, joe, at 4:30 a.m. every day to tell him goodbye. then i check my email and some blogs and i go back to bed around 6 and sleep until 9ish.

i collect zines.

soon i will begin screen printing.

i love cashews and my favorite color is green.

i have a brother named kevin who is 15. he was very sweet when he was younger. i don't know what happened to him because part of that sweetness has faded away, but i really hope he comes around one day. i miss the old kevin a lot.

my mom drives a school bus and my dad just recently changed professions- he used to be a mechanic, but now he drives a garbage truck. my mom is outgoing and is a very strong person. i admire her for that, i have no idea how she does it sometimes. my dad is quiet but will talk and talk if given the chance, haha. they have helped me and joe out in so many ways, i will never be able to thank them enough!

i used to wear a lot of black and grey and red. now i wear every color. except purple...i dont like purple much, unless it's an accessory like a hat or a pair of mittens. i love mittens. i dont have enough.

right now i am listening to gordon lightfoot.

a little cleaner...

i decided to go with a new template...something a little more crisp and clear. so far i really like it!

i dont have anything too exciting today (what else is new lately?!) but i do have a question for you- are you up for helping me pick a new hair cut? i created this new blog just for the sake of letting people help me pick one, because i am having a much harder time than i should be!

to make this post a little bit more interesting, here is about half of my zine collection:

have a good one, i will be back in a couple of days with some new journals!

.................

today joe is at his parent's house watching the football game. i was supposed to be cutting paper for some new journals, but that didnt happen. i dont know what is with me- i thought i was ready to get back into the groove, but i'm having a hard time with that. maybe tomorrow.

i did manage to make a few valentine's day things, though (even though its a month away and i'm not fond of the holiday) nothing new here, this is an old design.

i made a list of everything i need to start setting up my screenprinting area, i'm hoping that i will be able to show the world my first print by march 1. i know that seems kind of far away, but first i have to save some money to buy supplies and then i have to figure everything out (i am thinking that there will be a lot of trial and error!) and THEN i get to print. yay!

sorry for a boring post today...i guess that's what happens when you get lazy like i have been lately! take care, friends!

west elm goodness

yay! my new west elm cheese boards arrived yesterday!

lots more to come from west elm in the next few months, hopefully!

today i am going to attempt to organize my office...should make for an interesting day.

i'm thinking about ordering some loose tea from here. they seem like a great company- and they are a member of "1% for the planet" which is awesome.

have a great day, friends!

resolutions

hello there!

i have been visiting lots of blogs lately and reading all of the new year's resolutions. i've seen some really great ones!

so now it's my turn. i've been wanting to post this for a while now, but it took a little longer than i had hoped.

this year joe and i decided to keep a clean house. this is a huge task for me, because i just have so many odds and ends without homes. i'm sure you all know about the little things that scatter themselves around the house...paper scraps are the worst, aren't they? so far we have kept the living room, kitchen, and dining room in tip top shape. we clean every night before bed and i have been doing the dishes while my coffee brews in the morning.

i have cut back on my time spent online. time flies when youre reading blogs!

i have been wanting to keep a journal for some time now. i used to when i lived at my parents- i would lay in bed with my desk light on and just write and write until i was finished thinking and imagining. i can't really do that anymore now that i share a bedroom and a bed. i mean, i could if i wanted but i really liked my old set up. sitting at a desk and journaling isnt really the same to me. so instead i have decided to keep an illustration and short caption moleskine, which will be inspired by illustration friday. i have always wanted to participate, but i just never did, and i think it's about time that i do. (this weeks illustration topic is "buzz"- i can't wait! i would also like to keep an everyday moleskine, just to draw, write, etc. whenever i want. i'm thinking about asking malisonian to make me a custom order- i really want a little case that i can keep my moleskines and pens in. i havent talked to her yet, but i plan on doing so really soon.

and i finally did something that i knew i always had to do...i tore out all the inspirational pages from my huge pile of design magazines and i am going to tape them into a real journal with captions and such. i just have to make the journal (that's the hard part! making myself the perfect journal!). but this will be a really fun little project for me :)

contacting people about consignment is in the works.

and my biggest thing for 2007? setting up a screen printing press. i've been wanting to do this for a while too. i mainly want to focus on things for the home- prints, placemats, etc. but of course i will be printing some shirts and such as well. i would love to eventually work with bands and create gig posters, but i think i will save that for another year!

and lastly- i want to start playing my bass guitar again. i havent played in so long, so i cant wait. this isnt a top priority at all, but just something i would like to do. we'll see what happens.

so that's what i want to do this year. i feel like all i did last year was make custom journals and stationery sets! while it is very fulfilling to do these things, i want to spend more time on doing the things i wish i had more time for. eventually i'll balance it all out!

(ooooh yeah- and my new rule for myself is "up by 9 every day"...next year i'll shoot for 8:00)

have a great day everybody!

real quick

i have to get ready for work in 10 minutes, but i wanted to blog first.
i've been reading a few blogs- great new years resolutions, everyone! i have a list of them too- i plan on sharing later on tonight or maybe tomorrow morning.
for now, here is a photo of that great blanket i told you about in my last post...you know- the one my mom got me...with the trees on it! also pictured is a tiny wholesale order. 10 pocket books are being sent off to kentucky today. i hope to do a lot more consignment and wholesale in 2007. but you'll have to wait to find out all of my other plans, for now i have to go get ready.