Jesus Christ I'm horrible at maintaining a blog.

Update: I've been doing the things I've set out to do. However, I don't take the time to write about it. Over the next few days I'll post all the albums I've listened to, recipes I've tried (god bless pintrest) and review some books.

The two areas that I'm having trouble with are the New Place/Things and selling 42 pieces of work. I'm having trouble defining New Place/Thing to be honest. 

As for the selling... you can buy stuff here. 

New Place/Thing #3: Filling an online store; properly.

I've always tried to add a few of my pieces to Etsy here and there. I never really had what I would consider an inventory. I made this a goal to do and completed it.

First, I invested in a little lighting studio. It's OK, I wish the lights were brighter, but the price was right. I then decided what I was going to sell from all the things I've been making. It took me a bit to figure out where the best lighting set up would be, but once I did I shot everything, uploaded and then edited for size and cropping only. I had to re-shoot some stuff but I rather do that then mess with the colors and such.

I split up my stock between 2 web-stores, one on WePay, and the other on Etsy. I think the hardest part was coming up with prices and descriptions.

Adding all those items at once felt a bit overwhelming. I hope to learn from that and add stuff as I make it. I think I came up with a good system for organizing pictures and product though.

My next major goal for business is to sell at an art fair before the year is over. I'm aiming for one in late November, early December. This gives me time to see what's selling online, and also to make things. I also figure holiday fairs get the most business. Downside is that those cost a lot of money to be a part of and some of them have lengthy application processes. I'm going to try though. 

New Album #10: A Joyful Noise by The Gossip

So far I have to say this is my favorite album by The Gossip. With each album they grow and evolve. They aren't scared of trying new things, and it always pays off.

I think after a few more listens I could choose a few tracks to add to a mix tape, because all the songs are great. So far "Casualties of War" and "Into the Wild" stand out as favorites.

I'm looking forward to owning this album when it comes out. Listen to A Joyful Noise for yourself.

New Album #9: Making Mirrors by Gotye

I thought this album was OK, good for background music. I'd be willing to give it a re-listen, maybe in the car. A few songs stick out, but nothing amazing. 

The music kind of reminds me of some B-sides from The Police mixed with something I can't quite figure out. 

New Place/Thing #2: Fulfilling an order

For the past few months I've been teaching myself how to complete a large order. I took on the task of creating  200 necklaces. I've never really made more than 3 of the same thing so this was out of my comfort zone. 


I learned that it's all about planning and most important discipline, which I have learned I have none (I'm easily sidetracked and discouraged). Mixed in with all that nonsense there is a perfectionist problem. I made closer to 300 pendants because I didn't like a lot of them.


I actually thought I would never want to make another pendant after all this, but I find that I have a knack for it and it combines my 2 favorite things; working with clay, and making jewelry. 


The necklaces are for swag bags for an event, I hope people like them. It's a way of getting my brand out there and hopefully making sales. Which will bring me to my next new thing, properly filling a my web store which will lead to selling 42 pieces of artwork. 


I'm proud of the end product, and the things it taught me.

Back Burner... update.

I haven't given up on this challenge, I think I just forget to track things and post about them. For example...


on February 18th I did New Place/Thing #1: NY Hall of Science. I went with Brian to see Bjork's Biophilia residency there. It was absolutely amazing. I've never been to such an intimate show before. As for the museum itself it was kind of cool. I think it's a great place to take kids. I did enjoy making very large soap bubbles though.


I've tried a few recipes from pintrest. 


Sadly no new books. I'm kind of weirdly worried about my lack of reading this year. 


I think keeping up with this blog is a challenge in itself. 

Book Report #2: The Mountain and The City, Part V by Brian Martinez

I really enjoyed The Mountain and the City, Part V. Although TMaTC Part 1 is my favorite, this one is a close second. There's a lot of action, and more Munies. I liked the ending of the story as well. I felt it was fair to the reader and true to the characters.

Now I want to know how it all started, and am really interested in Part Zero coming out.

New Album #8: Sea of Cowards by The Dead Weather

I like Jack White. Even more so when I read this about Sea of Cowards:


"The album title refers to the way the internet allows people to spit venom and knock people in a cowardly way using fake names. It seems to me that people aren't teaching this generation anything about responsibility. The internet allows people to make a statement that the whole world can read and listen to-but they're too much of a coward to leave their actual name."


So I gave it a listen, and enjoyed it. Not quite an album that I would put in heavy rotation, but the tracks "I Can't Hear You" and "The Difference Between Us" might make it on to a mix tape or two.

New Album #7: Angels With Dirty Faces by Tricky

As a fan of trip-hop I thought I'd give Angels With Dirty Faces a try. It was an interesting album, lots of layers and some lovely female vocals. It was released in 1998 so it doesn't quite have the sound I was looking for.

I'm definitely going to check out more of his earlier albums, especially Maxinquaye, which has the track Hell is Around the Corner, it samples from Portishead, and makes it onto a few of my mix tapes.

New Album #6: Reign of Terror by Sleigh Bells

I didn't like it. Kind of a bummer too since I liked their first album Treats so much. I feel like there was no growth between albums. There was maybe one track that I liked, but it was just so I could like something off the album.

New Album #5: Blue by Joni Mitchell

Joni Mitchell has been cited as a major influence in a lot of music. I've heard bits and pieces of her work over the years, but have never sat down to listen to a whole album.

Apparently she wrote this album after a tough break up. It's not whiny but rather melancholy. It has a feel of regret, loss and a lot of honesty. The sadness in the song "Blue" cuts deep.

It's a great album and I get why it's on a lot of the Top lists, I'd be willing to check out more of her stuff.

New Album #4:Kind of Blue by Miles Davis

This album was good. There is so much talent behind every note. It's easy to see why this is in the top 20 of Rolling Stones Top 500 albums of all time.

I don't really consider myself a jazz lover, I'm more of a blues kind of girl. However, there was a certain similar melancholy to the music. Makes you think of things that are long past. I'd be interested in discovering more jazz, but maybe more piano than horns. Sad to say but listening to 2 hours of horn heavy music kind of brought on a migraine.

New Recipe #4: Tagliatelle with Smashed Peas, Sausage, and Ricotta Cheese

I tried another Giada De Laurentiis recipe. The recipe 

was from one of her comfort foods episodes.I'm starting 

to really like her show and the things she makes. 

The pasta was pretty good. Adding a bit of the cooking water to the ricotta cheese made a very interesting sauce. I opted for the sweet sausage instead of hot, thank god I did because the sausage was still spicy (but delicious).

I'll definitely be making this again. 

New Recipe #3: Potato, Leek, and Feta Tart

 

Since I've been on a cooking spree I decided to try another recipe last night. This one comes from Real Simple, a magazine that's actually worth getting in the mail. I omitted the zucchini since I'm not really a fan, and just added more leeks and an extra small potato. Mine didn't look like the picture, but it was damn delicious. 

I've never used leeks in cooking, but found it tasty. I think I might try a potato leek soup soon, since the flavors seem to mix well. 

New Recipe #2: Spinach and Pancetta Strata

 

Decided to make this from a recipe I got by Giada De Laurentiis. It was good. I made the mistake of making this for dinner instead of a lunch, which is what I think it's better suited for. I think next time I'll make this in a muffin pan to portion it out better.

Book Report #1: Electric Kiln Ceramics (a guide to clays and glazes) by Richard Zakin

Two and a half years ago I quit my retail job in order to pursue learning an art. I took a pottery class because it was something I've always wanted to do. I immediately took to it and found that I had a talent for it. I started reading all the books I could find on the subject, and found they were a bit out of my league. So for a time I stayed away from some of the more technical ceramic books

The other day I picked up Electric Kiln Ceramics from the library and read it in a day. I found it informative and exciting. I know its weird to describe something that's almost like a textbook exciting, it wasn't because of how it was written, but because I realized how far I've come in the past 2 years. Not only did I understand the book, I felt encouraged by it.

As I'm starting to plan out my own studio, this book has given me ideas on to what I want and may need for it. I may check out more of his books and even buy this one to keep in the studio as reference.

The Art of 42... thus far.

So far listening to new music has been the easiest part of this experiment of mine. There are so many opportunities to add a new album into ones life. While driving, at the studio, or even while dicking around on the computer. At the end of the year I'm going to make a mix tape of all the songs that I've really liked.

The new recipes are a bit tricky. I think the problem is I have to sit down and start planning them out. I found that even though I'm in the mood to cook, I might not have all the ingredients needed. Also I need to define what a new recipe is. If I make it up as I go, it doesn't count... that's just me being me. In order to introduce new foods and flavors into my life (and my husbands), it has to be a recipe from a book or a TV chef. I think it also needs to include an ingredient that I've never tried or normally don't use.

New places/things is slow to start. I feel though that with a few weekend trips planned out it'll be a few at once.

I am currently making new things to sell. I need to set aside a day to photograph and upload things into my etsy store.

Surprisingly reading has been the hardest. I thought it would be the easiest since I love to read and am a fast reader. However, I picked a book that is long and boring the shit out of me.

There's still 341 days left to complete things so no worries yet. Or 331 days if Mayan doomsday happens, in which case none of this shit really matters ;)

New Album #3: Attack & Release by The Black Keys

I'm not blown away by this album. It has a real radio safe sound to me. Not bad, just not holy shit awesome either.

The song "Lies" might make it on to a mix tape.

I'm willing to check out more of their stuff because what I do like is the blues vibe throughout Attack & Release. 

New Album #2: Ágætis Byrjun by Sigur Rós

As I finish the album, I'm asking myself why I haven't been listening to this for the past 10 years. It's wonderful. Svefn-g-englar is a song that movies and TV have used and I always like it. I never knew I was missing out on so much more.  


Ágætis Byrjun is a 71 minute foreign landscape that the language can't be understood, but the meaning and soul of it are quite clear.    


I'm hitting repeat.

New Album #1: Swoon by Silversun Pickups

Gave Swoon a shot this morning in the studio. I enjoyed it. It wasn't too distracting while I was throwing on the wheel, but it wasn't totally white noise either. Gave it a second listen on the way home since its not too long and there was some traffic.  There was a nice flow to it from start to finish.  I'd be willing to listen to their other albums.

I really enjoyed the tracks "The Royal We" and "Catch and Release". I can definitely see these tracks making there way on to some mix tapes.

Silversun Pickups

New Recipe #1: French Madeleine's

From Julia Child's Kitchen 

by Julia Child

2 large eggs, beaten
2/3 cup sugar
1 cup unbleached, all-purpose flour
4 ounces unsalted butter and 1 1/2 tablespoons for buttering the molds (total of 5 1/4 ounces)
Pinch of salt
1 tablespoon flour
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Grated lemon zest from 1/2 lemon
3 drops of lemon juice (or 2 of lemon and 2 of bergamot)

2012

The Art of 42 is a challenge for the new year.

I will read 42 new books.

I will try 42 new recipes.

Listen to 42 albums I haven't heard before.

Sell 42 pieces of artwork.

Go to and/or try 42 places/things I haven't been to before or done. Can include museums, restaurants, stores, beaches, parks, new activities... all the places and things one sees and says "hey, I should check this place out and try this."