diana d darden: Something or is it someone new in the studio...

diana d darden: Something or is it someone new in the studio...: Last week my goal was to blog once a day for the week.  I met my goal, really enjoyed writing, but was anxious to get back to my work table ...

Something or is it someone new in the studio...

Last week my goal was to blog once a day for the week.  I met my goal, really enjoyed writing, but was anxious to get back to my work table because my latest Floras Adoras design had arrived from my metal cutter.

hmmm..what is it?

 BUT...my weekend was booked with so many activities that i could barely sneak into my studio. ( I am usually one to stick close to home and my studio, but working hard on venturing out and playing...BALANCE).

Saturday, we celebrated my sisters' birthday by taking a Mississippi cruise. The temps were in the 90s, so it was a good day to be on the water. I have lived in Minneapolis for 40 years and actually learned more history about our beautiful city in the time we were on the river, than I had in the other years combined.

nonnie and deb 

After the cruise, we went to lunch at a yummy divine Indian restaurant, then to a bookstore, because Nonnie needed to restock her reading materials (she reads about 5 books a week, it is true!).

The day ended at Whole Foods.....cookies!

When Steve and I got home - sun kissed, tired and hot,  I thought that I could get into the studio for a few hours, but when I went up to change into studio clothes (a different blog someday),  I actually gave in to being exhausted. I am not one to give in, but was in bed by 8:30, asleep by 8:32.

Sunday, I got up and thought that I would have a few hours in the studio. I finished my computer stuff, was ready to take the 5 steps to my work table to begin.....Ohhhh..I better go up and get another cup of coffee before I get all painty and gluey. Immediately got distracted in the kitchen. Steve was cooking breakfast !!! Then Flora time!

By now, it is getting close to the time when my friend of a zillion years, Chris will be arriving. We are both so busy, we commit to seeing each other every few weeks or so and get a pedi. I do not require a lot of maintaince ( if you have seen any pics of me, you know that!!!), but this is our ritual! First we go thru the drive thru at Starbucks, get to the nail place, pick our color of polish, get settled in the big massage chairs...and the blabathon begins! No phone interruptions, no pets, noone else. This is usually, an hour of pure laughter and even when we have sad news to share, we manage to find a piece of silliness in that situation. Better than therapy!

Home...have a gathering at Rachel Awes. (but, I actually  managed to get in the studio, and paint the base of my newest design before getting ready to go out). Rachel happens to live very close to my sister, so back in my car, Saint Paul bound. I might as well stop and see my sister and nonnie. Deb was baking a cake, and that is always motivation to visit! Well, cake not done, but had a nice visit.

Time to go to Rachels! Rachel Awes has a new book out...THE GREAT GREEN OKAYNESS, and the gathering was to celebrate this! It was so much fun.

gathering!!!

Saw old friends, met new ones, great food, so much laughter, and a common thread that kept running thru the evening was art, color, and other joyful things. All of this art and color talk  made me think that I could get into the studo for a few hours when I got home, the new piece was calling to me!!!

But, once again, I was so tired..up to bed for me!

Monday morning arrives. I was excited, knowing  that I would spend the day in the studio...Steve off to work, Flora sleeping.

Readysetgo!!!!

I was giddy to be painting, layering papers, looking at the elements  that I would be adding...but, time to get Flora up, adore her for a bit, feed her...

flora adora

...... and get back to the studio....loving my job. Spent the day, trying to focus, not rushing the process, and holding needy Flora now and then..my toddler pup!

I worked through the day, with the normal interruptions and distractions - watching the rain, looking at my messy table that I really am still cleaning and organizing,  but had to take a slight detour in that plan to make something new!!

Ta Da.....she is finished and photographed.

LOVE ALL

Her opportunity to be so many different things are endless; angel, santo, or become anyone she tells me to make her be!!!

Onward....more to make!!

Thank you for taking the time to read this!
Grateful always.

diana

p.s. this girl will be heading to Gallery 360, in Minneapolis this afternoon!

diana d darden: hooray...its friday!! and studio follow up!

diana d darden: hooray...its friday!! and studio follow up!: Ok...this is it for the daily blog...maybe! But when I post this, I will have met my goal of doing one a day this week! Today, I will shar...

hooray...its friday!! and studio follow up!

Ok...this is it for the daily blog...maybe! But when I post this, I will have met my goal of doing one a day this week!

Today, I will share my process and progress of cleaning the studio....

Started my day, the way I start everyday...coffee, checking email, Facebook, Etsy..this happens early in the morning. I like getting up before Steve and Flora to have some uninterrupted time.

I start looking around the studio...

Where to start..where to start...???

Oh..look, I need to pack some orders!  This means, I have to clean off the packing area, but first I see some some letter canvas's  I had made a while ago and meant to put in the other side of the studio. But this happens... I start seeing what words i can make with the letters I have.

Onward.

Back to cleaning off packing table and time for Flora to get up. This involves about 10 minutes of me rubbing her tummy and telling her how beautiful she is, and then give her breakfast.

Back to cleaning.

 Realized that I want another cup of coffee. Go upstairs. Out of coffee. Must go to Starbucks.

Now I really need to get busy. Focus. ohhh ding...got a message on ETsy, better check it. Flora decides that she is being neglected and I feel guilty and hold her for a few minutes. (we are both looking a bit on the scruffy side today!)

Clean off table, pack orders.

Back to cleaning the messy studio...better get some water first.

ohhhh...better refill the container with waters for visitors. (not that anyone is coming over today!)

Cleaned some of the mess on the floor, and then I thought, that I should just run the orders to the post office, instead of scheduling a pick up. Also, I had forgotten to get coffee beans when I was at Starbucks in the morning, so back to Starbucks.

Get home, and pick up more messes...Steve gets home early. Decide that I  need to hit my goal for today with the blog gig, so here I sit. 

My weekend is full, so I won't be cleaning very much  in the studio...Monday, I will REALLY try and finish! I will make a follow up video when the studio is in order.  I have to get back to my work table and make art!!

Thank you for reading these snippets this week!! 

diana

p.s. About 30 years ago, a doctor told me I would be a perfect canditate for Ritalin. I ignored him.

diana d darden: day 4..artist blog

diana d darden: day 4..artist blog: Today is the day, I will be sharing my studio....video and pics! This is round 2!!!! I had one all ready to share, and do not know what ha...

day 4..artist blog

Today is the day, I will be sharing my studio....video and pics!

This is round 2!!!! I had one all ready to share, and do not know what happened to it!

My studio is a small space, with many functions. It is presently a hard hat only area!!

 Even Floras' perch is full of my stuff. Thankfully, she has another rest-stop in the other part of the studio. That part being the place where people come in and shop and visit.

Half of my studio, is a designated space where gallery owners, and people come to view and shop. I keep this area tidy, except when I am packing for a show.

I have my "office" area, which is a table with my computer (that obviously out smarts me and taunts me, since I am always "misplacing" stuff). Generally, I try to keep this area tidy.  Right now, this area, like the rest of the studio is refered to as....Dysfunction Junction. Piles of papers, and I hope that there aren't any important ones, or bills in the stack, and various other important things....my bottles of waters (not safe to use a glass, because of "landslides.)"

On the same table, I have my packing area. This too is usually tidy, because when it is a mess, as it is now, I end up packing orders on my chair! Grateful that most of my work is small.

There is a section for my Etsy Store. I really keep that in order! It might not look like it to some, but I know what is where!!

Now...my work area. Right now i am working on a 2" space. Keep in mind that I have been busy with shows, recovering from surgery and running back and forth to my sisters and moms' helping them move...and visiting. I would never say that my work tables are neat and tidy. That would be a big fat lie, especially since I do not have my unpaid assistant any longer!! It is usually functional at least!


Today is the day it will become workable! And as I think about it, I think about my sisiter in law, Kelly ( one of my heroes). Kelly is the most organized person that i know! She is married to my brother, Mark, and they love to travel with their 2 children. Sometimes, I try and think of ways to convince Kelly that coming here and organizing my studio, would be more fun than going to Europe, taking a cruise and their other adventures. You will not see pics of Kelly organizing my studio, however, her travel pics are great. She is a motivator for me to get my place in order (they are part of the July 4th celebration!); I have seen "the look"  that Kelly can give, and thankfully, it has not been directed at me (that i am aware) and I do not want to experience it...other than seeing her give it to others!!! It is almost worth getting it, just to see it!

so..readyset go....studio!! I am brave, I am determined, and I make no promises...I get so distracted!

thank you for reading my blog this week. So far am staying true to writing daily this week!!

diana

diana d darden: the two new saint paulie "girls"...

diana d darden: the two new saint paulie "girls"...: I think it was January when i got a phone call from my sister Debbie...."my dream job is that the University of Minnesota Hospital.  De...

the two new saint paulie "girls"...

I think it was January when i got a phone call from my sister Debbie...."my dream job is that the University of Minnesota Hospital.  Dead silence was my response.

My sister and my mom (aka Nonnie),were living in Richmond, Va at the time. A million thoughts went thru my mind...

How is Nonnie going to tolerate winter (she has lived in the south for so long, and she is Italian with that hot Meditteranean blood).

Where are they going to live?

What? what? what?

This is where i need to venture back into a bit of our family history before I move forward with this.

I was raised in a family with a Dad and Mom, my sister who is a year older than I, and four younger brothers. There were times when my Auntie lived with us, and for many years, our Grandma. Overall, we were a silly bunch.

I often felt admiration (never spoken), of my parents. My Dad was a military officer (at work) and like one of the "kids" at home. My Mom, who had the respondsibility of 6 children, 7 if you count daddy, and being an army wife...
6 kids = 6 passports, 6 school records, 6 little yellow immunization booklets, etc.
Part of her role, was leaving one house, every 2 years or so, and within a minute, set up another, sometimes half way around the world and be ready to entertain the way an officers' wife had to back in those days....and keep track of all of us!

Quite honestly, my mom and i did not see things eye to eye very often. I was always glad that my sister was born first...she was well behaved, good student and helpful and gave my parents that false sense that parenthood was going to be a breeze. I am surprise that my mom had any more kids after me, i was "strong willed", tested everyone, and distracted. I think my father was amused at times, usually giving me the look....why did you have to get caught, my mom was not as amused! It was when I had my son Beau,  that i understood a bit of what my mom was feeling. Beau in so many ways,  is like me.

I left home at 18 after a year of collage (a different blog perhaps), and looked for a place that I thought noone in my family would ever move......MINNESOTA! I had a one way ticket.

I have spent my entire adult life here. Was married, had a child, was homesick more often than not, would travel to Virginia to see family, divorced, lost my Dad, met my perma date, Steve, had cancer, recovered, and continued to live in my own world with Seve and Flora and my happy art studio..

Then the call....

So, Deb comes here for an interview. Got the job, and things happened fast. Found a place to live, sent Nonnie to California to be with her siblings during the move, pack up her black lab, Bella D (since she moved here, i have given bella her middle name...diana), plants, and coffee maker (we are sisters) , and she and her youngest daughter, MiMi drive out here...in a rental SUV. (deb has a habit of giving her cars to others).

deb..just arriving to her new home.

Steve and I meet them at the new townhouse. Right away, we are noticing...lots of street noise, steep stairs to the 2nd floor where the bedrooms are  but, thankfully, a Starbucks, and a Whole Foods so close to her place! All is well. We hauled things in that they might need until the next day when the movers arrive. I must backtrack here. Deb had come to our house when she was in town for her interview, and was saying, "wow, you have a lot of stuff." Then proceeded to tell me that she hardly has anything...I should have known better. (she has a bunch of my work, I knew she loved her books, and shoes and knew she wouldn't get rid of that..and that is just a small piece of her world).

Movers show up...Debs' townhouse is a very nice size...after hours of the movers bringing in boxes etc, Steve and I left. I return the next day to help...WHAT? Her entire place is filled floor to 5' high with boxes. She was overwhelmed. I don't think we did much that day. I kept thinking to myself..she said she didn't have much stuff. Liar.

A few days later, we go furniture shopping. Bad plan. The store where we went, the owner was a rude woman. My sister ended up buying things anyway. Regret and worry sets in. OH..sofa too big, Ohhh what am i going to do with this and that...I just kept saying...no worries, it will all be fine.

The day the funiture arrived, I went back to St. Paul and helped her arrange it, and unpack more stuff. Everything fit...alll was fine.

Before, my sister moved to town, I rarely ventured across the Mississippi River from Minneapolis to St. Paul. I don't like driving (get distracted, but do not give away my cars). Everytime I go over there, more road construction. In  Minnesota, that is not just patching a hole in the road, this means 2 lanes closed, and major work. So a ride that should take no longer than 15 minutes, usually takes 45. I have a horrible sense of direction, and when my route changes almost daily, I stay in a perpetual place of being lost. Thankfully, no fear.

So now Deb is settled. Time for Nonnie to arrive from her visit to California. Her flight comes in at about 9 pm. I had not seen my mom for a lot of years, she is 81 now, and I stupidly expected to see a withered up Italian woman. Nope. I got as close as I could to "help" her, and the security people were worried I was going to try and break through! I told them that I knew the rules, but ask if they could  see a little old Italian woman in a pink sweater? "yes ma'am"..then I thought he said, "she looks better than you!" All of my childhood came rushing back into my world. I said " did you just say she looks better than me?"  "Oh, no, I would never say that, I said, she is doing good." yep..she was peppy and looked great!  Gather her 2 suitcase - 80 pounds each (I guess she needs something differerent to wear, shoes, matching lingerie, handbags and scarves ..all to go with the outfit du jour.) Not judging, I am usually in jammie type of clothes.

Steve and I take her home, and Deb has baked lemon pound cake and has coffee ready. At this point, I am so grateful that Steve just goes with the flow ( he had no idea, that having a coffee and  a sweet before bedtime is our norm when we are together). We make plans for them to come to our house for dinner that weekend, giving Nonnie time to rest after traveling. Deb said, she will need to rest to look at all the stuff in your house anyway. WHAT?

So now my family, or part of it, is close in vicinity. I am having fun with the St. Paulie "girls", we go to dinner, have coffee. We usually go to Whole Foods, there is a restuarant there,  and the cookie bar Sometimes my friends go with me...I think Steve likes that I don't expect him to go with me ( I am sure that the chatter is amusing to him, but he doesn't know what we are talking about sometimes)  even tho he likes everyone. Flora Adora has fallen in love with my sister and Nonnie. Deb is very active and take the dogs on longs walks ( i am not an active participant), and Nonnie is generous with treats. Flora makes weird noises (sounds like a monkey) when I tell her we are going to see them, because she gets so excited. They have been keeping Flora when I am doing shows etc. Flora is smitten with Nonnie, she follows her everywhere and lays at her feet.

Fourth of July weekend, most of my family will be here. I just hope and pray that I do not revert to my 16 year old self !!! And if my sister has her way...they all will be moving here.

mothers day, st paul, 2016 

diana d darden: how do prep for a show, and how it really is!!

diana d darden: how do prep for a show, and how it really is!!: I have done 3 shows and a couple of pop up gigs since the end of February..that may not seem like a big number, but the amount of prepping t...

how do prep for a show, and how it really is!!

I have done 3 shows and a couple of pop up gigs since the end of February..that may not seem like a big number, but the amount of prepping that goes into a show is amazing.

Applications...usually done a few months to a year ahead of time. Remember dates, remember dates.

Photos...must have good photos to apply..this is where my skills are less than wonderful, however, I seem to get photos clear enough that people know what I am showing.

If the show is out of town (usually in a smallish town), ...book motel. This is often dicey...study reviews. I always check out if there is a Starbucks close, and mentally prepare myself if there is not one.

Where will FloraAdora go, since Steve will join me for the weekend?

Product...this is interesting for me. Demographics study involved. Past history of show, location, and target market.

My products range from very affordable art, to kind of spendy pieces. The bigger, spendier pieces are the draw, so you have to pack them, but know that the smaller pieces are what you will be selling more than the bigger ones (some I swaddle in layers of bubble wrap! they  can take up a half of a big plastic bin).

Display...and layout. I was used to flying by the seat of my pants...then Anne Davidson and I realized our work looked good together so we started sharing booth spaces. Anne is the organizer. She will sketch booth display, measure things, and have the layout planned. This is great, but it usually changes when we get there. I am a bit on the dyslexia side, and start setting up backwards from "the plan." Thankfully, Anne is patient.



I will use our last show, at THE OLDE DEPOST JUNCTION,  in Brainerd, Mn to share how we operate.

Once we decided to do this event, we started prepping.  I was in the middle of finalizing some new pieces, my sister and mom had just moved to town (maybe tomorrows blog), so I was running back and forth to St. Paul, and I was still recovering from surgery.

Anne and I met several times to go over things, booth set up, what displays to use, coffee, and traveling logistics. 

Day before loading, wrap and pack and hope you remembered to price things.Take Flora to St. Paul to stay with my sister and Nonnie. This involves dinner with my sister and mom (Nonnie), and cookie shopping at Whole Foods after that. They have a great new Whole Foods next to their townhouse with an amazing cookie bar. By the way, St Paul is not far from Minneapolis, but the amount of roadwork, makes this a full time job to get there.

The evening before we left, our friend came over to load some of the displays in his car,  he was working at the event. Time to pack my clothes, etc and put by the door and hope that Steve will remember to put in his car, since there will be no room in Annes' rig. (she even threw her overnight bag in Steves car).

Morning of departure. Load, even remembered our presentation boxes since we both we doing presentations.

Put traveling crown on dash. 1st stop, Starbucks drive thru.  Time to hit the road. Within 5 minutes, we took the wrong turn. Thankfully, we are amused with ourselves!

Anyway...as we are getting closer to our destination, we (Anne) realize that the address we have in the google map phone thing is for a different destination. We were warned, because our friend who had our displays, called because he ended up in a different town in a warehouse area. We found where we needed to be, and of course, as we arrived, rain. Thankfully we were setting up inside and had great help to haul. 

We get the basics up..table and coverings, and decide we needed lunch. Took the wrong turn out of the parking lot, ended up driving all over the place and at the point we didn't care what kind of food we were going to have. so.Hardees drive thru (weeping). The guy on the speaker said this...would you like *%&()%%$$ (in audible), and Anne said we cannot understand you, but no. We ended up with what we ordered...not so sure this was a good thing. Back to work.

Got lost.

Found it.

We start setting up, and all of the layout gets switched...I end up using Annes displays, she used mine. It worked.

By now, we are exhausted, hungry again and tired. Steve arrives, we go to eat...Anne and friend go out together.

Shower - sleep.

First day of show..Steve up early to take me...my heart starts pounding...there is a Starbucks!

Anne and i were busy all day...in between customers, the topic was...we need to find decent food. I kept saying, that i just  didn't want to eat food wrapped in paper for dinner.

Steve picks us up and we go to a restaurant...the first thing I do, is unwrapped my silverware from the polyester napkin and the silverware looked gross. The perky waitress comes to our table, and I said, "i think Ineed new silverware"..she just rubs her fingers over the fork and says," oh no, its ok...just waterspots" and hands me back the fork. As the meal progressed, we were feeling like everything was sticky in the place.The waitress came by and said, "wow, everything feels sticky."  Time to go.

Next day was a short day of selling, a tv interview (omg, looking so frazzled) then packing up and heading home. The packing up is always a challenge. Our work pieces are smaller, but our displays take up the whole car.  It is good to remember how you got everything in there to begin with, so you can repeat on the return. People kept walking by saying we would never get it all in. Ha, we did.

It was not pretty, and I spent the whole ride home with a huge tray poking me. This is because as we were leaving, we heard a thunk and Anne just said, "oh that is the tray I forgot on top of the car". Backed up and went down the road to get it, and found the only place it would fit.

We managed to get home in one piece, but our pitiful travel crown had seen better times! 

But, we had this amazing rainbow with us for miles!

Decided to wait to unpack the car for a day or two. 
Hot soak, dinner on real dishes, and sleep!! 

Not doing another show until september. 

diana d darden: diana d darden: Denial..with a capital DI found ou...

diana d darden: diana d darden: Denial..with a capital DI found ou...: diana d darden: Denial..with a capital D I found out in December ... : Denial..with a capital D I found out in December that I have to h...

How to name your collection..

Yikes...haven't written since  February, before I had that surgery on my hand ! So much has happened...my goal is to write once a day this week... designing, family, shows and upcoming events,  gardening ...

Today tho, I am writing about how I created, and "named" my new collection...

Since last fall, I have been revisiting my love of designing. I have enjoyed every minute of it, even when some ideas never make it past my sketches.

I already have written how this all started for me. My most unhelpful studio mate (Flora Adora) and i had so many messes in the studio, it was time to clean it! Flora had about 24 toys, 5 socks of Steves' (she steals them from the laundry room if i don't remember to shut the door), chewy bones in various stages of icky, and papers, beads etc, that she had stolen from me, and "hidden" in her bed. She also hids the dustpan and whisk broom in her bed. She is sneaky...hides them under her blanket.

M work table was worse...I was working in a 2" space.. so, back to how I created this collection. While I was suppose to be cleaning, I got inspired "distracted" by the different elements on my table. I found it more fun to make things from what was there, than to clean it! I gave myself a challenge to design this way, and began to see a pattern. One  piece lead  to another, and I changed my own rules to try just to use thingsI have in my studio other than the metal bases.

I had my amazing metal cutter, and my stashes of vintage bits and pieces, but still no name for the line. Flora Adora, was too busy being adorable to bother with helping me, so I continued to refer to this as everyday bits and pieces, (mostly because the designs are not holiday specific, but can be used for holiday decor).

I asked experts in one of the business groups that I am in, I whined to my friends and family, and nothing...no name.

This whole time my head was full of ideas about designing; woodland animals, more angels, bigger pieces...still no name.

 I really feel that a name is so important..this is like naming your child, 4 legs or 2, or naming your boat (don't have one) or naming a wine...you can't just say.., dog, son, water thing, or grapey goodness..you need something more defined.

It finally happened one day, when 2 of my friends, who are also artists, and I were going someplace. I  had them trapped, because we were zooming down the freeway on a "road trip" (anything longer than 15 minutes driving in my world is a road trip). I started whing again about naming my new line..I think my friend, Anne of Mixed Up  Designs, was tired of it. She said, we are going to brain storm right now! Our  sweet friend and driver, Nicole of Captivating Designs was throwing out ideas, anne was listing things and I was in the backseat saying ..ok.I didn't want anything cutesy, trendy, and words were flying...then Anne came up with a great idea!

It was so obvious.....FLORAS ADORAS!!!!

everyday angel

butterfly

fox

owl

bird

queen bee

squirrel

raccoon

bear

Hedgehogs

flower

angel pendant or ornament

heart

Ta da!
A name!! Hooray! This leads into a whole world of pondering branding etc... that will come too! But for now, Flora Adora and I will joyfully keep making our studio messes! I have new designs started!!