: Gallimaufry Arts :

A lesson in the art of ignorance.

2008-03-18T09:32:00.000-07:00

Today I was at the store, buying Easter goodies for my kids. I started to go down an aisle where one of the employees was stocking the shelves, just at the same time as an old coot. I waited for him to go, and he said, "No you go ahead, I'm waiting for him to get out of my way...I mean her." (Referring to the male employee who looked as normal as could be save for a pierced eyebrow.) Then he said, and I kid you not, "We used to shoot things like that in Vietnam."

WTF???

I was so absolutely stunned, it took a couple of minutes for the weight of what he'd said to sink in. Probably a good thing, because when it did sink in, I had a nasty fury going on.

I should know to expect comments like that, especially living where I live, but it doesn't make it any easier to hear. The fury moved on to sadness, and I was thankful that my kids weren't with me to hear such dickheaded idiocy.

Dada child

2008-03-08T15:51:00.001-08:00

I think my five-year-old daughter is a budding surrealist. Today she proclaimed,

"My hairdo is very compassionate."

I'm so proud...*sniff*

Maybe I don't work so well under pressure...

2008-03-03T15:08:00.000-08:00

...I didn't make the challenge deadline. Life showed up and you know how that goes. It's not a complete failure though, I'm still working on my space and intend to finish it for my own well-being. I'm gonna do Amy proud!

There are some new magnet sets, framed glass pendants and ever-cool steampunk rings slowly being added to the Etsy shop, and the clearance sale is still on! Lots of goodies are still available for 40% off.

It's nice to be warm and surrounded by blooming trees...

I'm taking the organization challenge!

2008-02-26T09:13:00.000-08:00

My dear friend Amy over at Purple Pink and Orange is having an organization challenge, where you pick a messy space in your home and clean it up! (I picked my studio/workspace.) Unfortunately, mine is beyond messy, and into the realm of disastrous. Quite frankly, I'm horrified for anyone to see it, but I'll be brave! Okay, deep breath, here we go...

Cee-ripes man. I have to fix this in a mere two days...can I do it? Luckily I work well under pressure. Check back in a few days for the after pics!

Clearance sale!

2008-02-06T15:55:00.000-08:00

I'm trying to clear up some studio space for new items and ideas, so discontinued items are marked down up to 40%!

Come check out what's left at either Gallimaufry Arts or my Etsy shop.

Favorite Things No. 01 -- Magic Jelly

2007-12-28T11:03:00.000-08:00

Hope everyone had/is having a lovely holiday, and getting ready for an amazing 2008! This year I want to start sharing some of the things that I love, starting with this cool pocket mirror that I bought yesterday from Magic Jelly. (I've been wanting a pocket mirror for a long time, and this one is too perfect--I can't wait for it to arrive!)

Check out more of her awesome work at magicjelly.etsy.com !

Hiatus

2007-12-05T16:14:00.000-08:00

Hello my friends! Please forgive my absence in posting anything here. I've spent the past few months exhaustively searching for a car, and Friday I finally found the perfect one! I can't tell you what a relief it is. I've also been spending some time getting back into personal art--mixed media/assemblage/collage, and a bit of photography. It feels good to be doing it again.

I'll be announcing some changes to Gallimaufry Arts after the new year, so check back for that!

Everything at both Gallimaufry Arts and my Etsy shop is 20% off through December. Please be sure to let me know you're placing an order so I can send you an updated invoice. Thank you for your support and have a wonderful holiday!

New magnet sets!

2007-08-05T14:05:00.000-07:00

I've finally posted my new magnet sets! Four glass magnets in a window tin, made with ultra strong neodymium/rare earth magnets--make your fridge pretty! Find them here.

Dog days...

2007-07-18T20:04:00.000-07:00

Sorry I haven't posted lately, it's been a hectic summer, and kind of a weird year all around now that I think about it.

Hope you're all having a lovely summer so far. I've still been having trouble posting new items at my website, so they've all been going in my Etsy shop for now. Pictured is an example of the new brass line I've been tinkering with. I'm working on some cool new magnet sets that should be available sometime next month, and there are a few other ideas spinning around as well.

Till next time!

End-of-Spring Sale! (Already?!)

2007-05-22T18:16:00.000-07:00

Since Spring is all-too-quickly winding down, I thought, "It's time for a sale!" So through the end of this fabulous season, save 20% on orders of $25 or more (excluding shipping)! Order $75 or more (excluding shipping), and get free Priority shipping too! Offer good till the Summer Solstice, June 21.

*Please be sure to email your order to me at info@gallimaufryarts.com so that I can send you a revised invoice. Or if it's through Etsy, please mention the sale at checkout.*

I'm slowly starting to add some new cool glass pendants (pictured) to both Gallimaufry Arts and my Etsy shop too! Only $14.

(Have you been to Purple Pink and Orange yet? Hurry!)

Enjoy the rest of Spring!

Malcontent

2007-05-10T18:16:00.000-07:00

There's a reason I put "creative malcontent" under my name on my business cards. It's because this crazy process of discovery gets so flippin' frustrating sometimes! Does anyone else experience this? The birdcage idea I was talking about didn't go quite like I'd hoped, but I'd still like to work on it. For now I have a new obsession, but I don't want to talk too much about it because I might jinx it like the birdcages! It's an idea for a stunning new jewelry line, and I'm hoping to introduce it no later than the Fall.

Don't forget to check out Purple Pink and Orange's last days in business, there are some fabulous deals!

Big cool sale!

2007-04-30T14:46:00.000-07:00

By the by, my beloved Purple Pink and Orange will be closing up shop at the end of May (*sniff sniff*), so now is a great time to scoop up some fabulous deals from all sorts of amazing indie designers! I wish owner Amy many successes in her coming endeavors!

Les cages des oiseaux

2007-04-27T14:25:00.000-07:00

Lately I've developed a borderline obsession with birdcages. Not the kind you buy at the local pet store to house parakeets, but cool, beautiful, decorative birdcages. And the older, the better. My online searches have come up fairly empty-handed, as I can't possibly afford most of them, so I've decided to try making my own out of wire and found objects. I have some grand visions of what I want them to be, and I'll post pictures if they turn out blog-worthy!

Along the bird lines, if you haven't checked out the lyre bird on YouTube, it's completely amazing.

Viva la vino!

2007-03-19T15:54:00.000-07:00

So last Wednesday I had the pleasure of visiting the stunning Napa Valley and touring a few of the wineries that are affiliated with the winery that I work for. It was amazing and informative, and just the break that I needed!

This is the beautiful Sutter Home Inn, where we had lunch and played the Aroma Wheel of Fortune! (It's harder than you think.)

Here is the amazing lunch I had, prepared by Jeffrey Starr! I can't even describe how good everything was.

Do not leave your wine unattended!

Okay, so I don't get how to post pictures and put them where I want them to go. What of it?

Oh, and I do get to see Woven Hand in Berkeley next month! I am giddy as a little girl.

Bless the Woven Hand

2007-03-09T19:52:00.000-08:00

Back in the day, I got to go to quite a few shows. It was good, I saw lots of cool bands. I'm not entirely sure, but I believe the last show I saw was Bardo Pond, probably about 5 years ago. But one of my favorite bands (16 Horsepower) somehow slipped through, and I never got to see them, and now they're gone. *sniff* They have, however, gone on to form other bands. One of which is Woven Hand, and I found out today that they are coming to the Bay Area in April. It's a good 2-3 hours away, but I must go.

I must go!

Ah Spring...

2007-03-07T17:25:00.000-08:00

...is there anything better? Today I noticed the first wildflowers along the road, and the very first blossoms on our plum tree made their appearance. Everything is radiant green, and the sun feels so good I can barely contain myself! Autumn has always been my favorite season, but as I get older, I can't deny what Spring does to me. I never feel better than getting my hands in the dirt, breathing the fresh air (if I can with all the pollen!), and warming my chilly bones. It's truly the season of possibilities, when I feel like there's nothing I can't do. Now if I could just bottle that bliss...

Spot of tea?

2007-03-05T09:25:00.000-08:00

Bringing joy and inspiration to tea-lovers everywhere, I finally posted my gorgeous new tea infusers! They are stainless steel, with a beautiful hand-blown Murano glass bead and handmade flower chain. More styles are available at my site, only $24 each.

March sale!

2007-03-03T13:40:00.000-08:00

This is a good place to mention that I'm running a 20% off sale through March! This includes everything but shipping costs, and is good at both my website and my Etsy shop. I'm requesting that orders are emailed to me, rather than using the shopping cart, as I'm still working on a new cart, and don't have time to change all the prices manually! I'll send you a new invoice.

Be sure to sign up for the newsletter (on the main page) to stay up-to-date with new products and special sales!

Happy shopping!

Take two.

2007-03-03T09:28:00.000-08:00

I'm going to try this again. I feebly and fumblingly tried to start a blog last summer, and quickly pushed it out of my routine, because I had no idea what I was doing. Well, I still have no idea what I'm doing, but hoping this time around it will develop on its own. I hope for it to be inspiring and entertaining, but sometimes it might just be a bad day, and I'll need to vent! I'm open to showing amazing handmade items, or sharing inspiring stories, or any other suggestions.

I've had on my mind lately thoughts of giving up my business. For lots of reasons--feeling like my work is inadequate, spending more on it than I make, not wanting it to take too much time away from my family--but the concrete truth of it is that it is not only what I want to do, but it is just what I do. I don't know what I would do if I didn't. I've learned way too much to just give it up, and when I look back at it, I'm in a better place with it than I was at the beginning, so logic dictates that another year or two should work wonders. Hopefully. Right now, it's barely a shadow of what I dream it to be, and that motivates me to move forward with it every day, even if it's just a little bit. I have a couple of years before both kids will be in school all day, so this is my chance to make a go of it. And I think I can.

Fire!

2006-07-06T18:19:00.000-07:00

From the bottom of our driveway.

The super-awesome fire crews!
(Steep bank!)

Okay, fires are super scary--this one was about an 1/8 of a mile from our house! I could hear the flames crackling! Helicopters and planes flying around. I grabbed the kids and surprisingly had the presence of mind to grab the carseats, and headed down to the end of the driveway. I don't have a car during the day so I had to call my mom, who lives half an hour away, to come in case we needed to get out. Totally scary, and I'm still a little wound up about it. I feel safe though, as the guys are actually still down there working on it. Whew! That's enough for one day!