A Fancy Door

EBCOLab can't just have any ordinary door. We found this one laying around EBCO and adapted it to fit our doorway. We added some OSB to the bottom and some street signs (aqcuired legally, of course.)

Let's Get Some Shoes

The pair of boots on the left I got off ebay and although they are stylish, solid, and affordable, they don't quite fit. I found the pair on the right at the Salvation Army and they're comfy and sturdy. I think I'm gonna call it a day.

HAIR

Since I started 'Nothing New' all of my purchasing habits have come under scrutiny, even my hair products. Must I always shampoo, condition, and then add large amounts of styling product? Is there another way?

I picked up a bottle of 'Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps: 18-in-1 Hemp Lavendar Pure-Castile Soap,' thinking I could use it for everything. Although it works great as a body soap, it doesn't cut it as a shampoo and it's too oily to use on my face. So I still have to use shampoo and conditioner, but I discovered I can get away with only washing my hair every few days. When I washed it every day, it would dry out because it's curly. And I can get away with not using a styling product. I think next time I'll just get the bar soap and try to use it on my face as well.

My new quest is for the perfect shampoo; one that's made of natural products and not tested on animals, (and still a good product!)

EbcoLAB Launch

This week I arrived in Sheboygan, Wisconsin to launch the municipalWORKSHOP's next project, EbcoLAB. Artist Richard Saxton has been completing public art projects that involve and enhance communities under the name municipalWORKSHOP, whose home base/studio is in the Ebco Venture Center Building in Sheboygan. EbcoLAB will occupy its own space in the building and will operate as a creative laboratory where creative reuse ideas are generated and tested. In the afternoons, the studio will be open for local students, namely ones that are considered at-risk, to drop in and work on projects. My title is 'EbcoLAB Site Supervisor' which puts me in charge of making sure everyone has something to do.

This month is to be spent constructing our space, scavenging for materials, and recruiting students. The actual "lab time" will begin in January.

Yuletide 2007

Only 11 more shopping days until Christmas!

If you're looking for something unique and handmade and you are in the Cincinnati area, Yuletide 2007 at the 1305 Gallery is a must. In addition to plastic bag purses hand knit by yours truly, you'll find jewelry, mittens, ornaments, dolls, magnets, candles, etc, etc, all made by local artists. Each item purchased also includes custom gift wrapping provided by the artist. For directions and gallery times, check out the 1305 Gallery's blog.

post-Enlightenment strategies

"...We 'know' about climate change, but there has been no en masse abandonment of cars, no mass migration to dense urban centers to shrink our carbon footprint, no sudden antishopping spree-in fact, no significant lifestyle changes. A fundamental conceit of the Enlightenment is that knowledge leads to action. And it is the artists who are producing the post-Enlightenment strategies."

-Natalie Jeremijenko, from her article 'Artspeak' in Seed magazine, Dec/Jan 2007

Welcome to Wisconsin

Saturday was spent driving across the Midwest from Cincinnati to my new home in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. It's much smaller and it gets dark much sooner and everyone has a great accent, but it's pretty much the same. I miss my friends but am excited to meet new characters (small towns tend to produce "characters").

No pictures yet as I'm still unpacking equipment and getting settled but I have exciting news to report: I have not yet gone to Wal-Mart! Or any other large corporate giant. Mallory Feltz and I had a conversation once about how when you move somewhere, upon arrival you need a handful of things and Wal-Mart is always the easiest place to acquire them. Yesterday I went to the Salvation Army, a local bakery, Trilling Hardware, Pick 'N Save, Hobby Lobby, and finally Walgreens to aqcuire necessities. I did have an unfair advantage though; since I spent two months here this summer, I knew where all these places were. The real challenge will be moving to an entirely new city and avoiding the Wal-Mart.

Thirty-six dollars

is all it costs to get ready for winter in Wisconsin (that is, when you buy nothing new).

And again with the watch...

The T-shirt watchband wasn't as practical as it seemed. After a few days, the ends started curling and I had to tie it really tight for it to stay which left imprints in my wrist. This model is a strip of knitted yarn with buttons that is comfortable to wear. However, I think I'm just going to stop wearing a watch daily. If I need to know the time I can just look at my phone.

Scrap House

AWESOME house made entirely out of Recycled Materials!


I bow down in respect.

Softcore Punk

by Amy Bogard

It's hard to take crocheted spikes too seriously.

Pete Moss

by Ashley Hollingsworth

There's just something extra warm and fuzzy about a handmade gift.