I have long been obsessed with Charlie Kaufman films. The screen writer / director / producer has such amazing talent that stretches boundaries and gives us new ways to look at cinema and even human creativity in general. I find his work to be so inspiring and often thought provoking.
THIS movie, however, struck me with a force ten times that of all his other works. I know not everyone agrees with me, but I think this movie is a work of pure genius. Charlie worked with the brilliant minds of Michel Gondry (who was also the creative director for more than one Bjork music video and much more) and Pierre Bismuth to bring this masterpiece to life. I sit in awe of their skill and vision every time I watch this movie, and I watch it fairly often!
In tribute to these great minds is this Etsy treasury which features fan art and items which reminded me of certain scenes, quotes, or just looked like something that Clementine would pick up.
Meet me in Montauk...
Monday, February 7, 2011
Monday
It's the start of a brand new week, and I think New makes a great theme for my work today. So far, it's been very successful. I've made new discoveries, new commitments, and am learning new techniques which will hopefully bring my shop more success and my personal life, more fulfillment.
My Monday morning discovery:
http://www.etsy.com/shop/MODERNART999?page=2#
This artist shares my passion for pushing artistic boundaries and creating what's never been seen. I must say, he does it far better than I do. Thank you, MODERNART999 for the inspiration!
My new commitments for the week:
1) Per an agreement I made with my husband, I'm going to finish the book "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance" by Robert M. Persig. This will be challenging for me, as I've come to cringe at the language of Taoism and Zen, the fluffy, stream of consciousness musings. I do enough of that already by myself - in fact, it's an integral part of my creative process. What I like and what balances me is linear, hard-hitting, left-brain kind of stuff. That's why I'm having him read my all-time favorite book by Ayn Rand, called "Atlas Shrugged" in return. I'll be sure to post more on this when I'm finished with my end of the bargain! Our goal is to learn to speak each others' languages better, and this should help. There are always new ways to get to know the one you love.
2) I will prepare my supply list, jewelry ideas, themes, and marketing campaign for March. I'm sorry to have missed February trends like Valentine's Day and Amethyst because I wasn't prepared. It won't happen again! From now on I'll always be a month ahead.
3) I will take a few inches off of this couch butt I've developed from sitting down all day. I experienced a brilliant paradigm shift recently: I realized that my body image was largely set in my mind by a Cathy cartoon strip I saw in the papers when I was still a pre-teen. Somehow I got it in my head that like her, I would always have big thighs and a saggy gut. So I never made the lifestyle changes that would free me from that unnecessary flabbage. With this new realization, I'm able to consider my decisions and weigh them against my new self-image: I DON'T HAVE TO be overweight. This paradigm works for me because every time I go to the pantry, I'm thinking, "I don't have to make decisions that add to my gut. I GET TO choose an apple instead. I like apples." I actually feel privileged to be the one in control and not some flabby cartoon character. It's exciting!
For anyone else who's looking for ways to lose some of their holiday pounds, here's a resource that I've found inspiring!
http://www.bodyrock.tv/
My New Techniques:
I've been experimenting with photography to get the perfect images of jewelry that would make you want to buy them. There are so many details to take into account, and I've found it to be pretty challenging. Most of it is experimentation. So this week's experiment is with a white sheet and a rolling pin. Let me know what you think!
My Monday morning discovery:
http://www.etsy.com/shop/MODERNART999?page=2#
This artist shares my passion for pushing artistic boundaries and creating what's never been seen. I must say, he does it far better than I do. Thank you, MODERNART999 for the inspiration!
My new commitments for the week:
1) Per an agreement I made with my husband, I'm going to finish the book "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance" by Robert M. Persig. This will be challenging for me, as I've come to cringe at the language of Taoism and Zen, the fluffy, stream of consciousness musings. I do enough of that already by myself - in fact, it's an integral part of my creative process. What I like and what balances me is linear, hard-hitting, left-brain kind of stuff. That's why I'm having him read my all-time favorite book by Ayn Rand, called "Atlas Shrugged" in return. I'll be sure to post more on this when I'm finished with my end of the bargain! Our goal is to learn to speak each others' languages better, and this should help. There are always new ways to get to know the one you love.
2) I will prepare my supply list, jewelry ideas, themes, and marketing campaign for March. I'm sorry to have missed February trends like Valentine's Day and Amethyst because I wasn't prepared. It won't happen again! From now on I'll always be a month ahead.
3) I will take a few inches off of this couch butt I've developed from sitting down all day. I experienced a brilliant paradigm shift recently: I realized that my body image was largely set in my mind by a Cathy cartoon strip I saw in the papers when I was still a pre-teen. Somehow I got it in my head that like her, I would always have big thighs and a saggy gut. So I never made the lifestyle changes that would free me from that unnecessary flabbage. With this new realization, I'm able to consider my decisions and weigh them against my new self-image: I DON'T HAVE TO be overweight. This paradigm works for me because every time I go to the pantry, I'm thinking, "I don't have to make decisions that add to my gut. I GET TO choose an apple instead. I like apples." I actually feel privileged to be the one in control and not some flabby cartoon character. It's exciting!
For anyone else who's looking for ways to lose some of their holiday pounds, here's a resource that I've found inspiring!
http://www.bodyrock.tv/
My New Techniques:
I've been experimenting with photography to get the perfect images of jewelry that would make you want to buy them. There are so many details to take into account, and I've found it to be pretty challenging. Most of it is experimentation. So this week's experiment is with a white sheet and a rolling pin. Let me know what you think!
Friday, February 4, 2011
Birthday Bash!
Well, it's almost my birthday, and I'm not sure how to celebrate it this year. I'm relatively new to celebrating my birthday, as it had never been a big deal to me in the past. Now I see it for what it is: a good excuse to celebrate! But how? I don't know. I thought maybe you might know better.
I'd love it if you'd comment with your fun, creative, original ideas for how you'd make your special day special. What are some of your favorite birthday memories? The best answer will receive a coupon code for 30% off any item in my shop!
http://www.etsy.com/shop/erinh2o?ref=pr_shop_more
I'd love it if you'd comment with your fun, creative, original ideas for how you'd make your special day special. What are some of your favorite birthday memories? The best answer will receive a coupon code for 30% off any item in my shop!
http://www.etsy.com/shop/erinh2o?ref=pr_shop_more
To all of my fellow February Babies, here's a treasury shout out and perhaps some gift ideas for your Pisces and Aquarius friends. Happy Birthday!
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Bold Fashion!
I've just come out with a new line of funky chain mail accessories, called Fuzzy Armor.
http://www.etsy.com/listing/66637241/fuzzy-armor-pink-and-orange-chain-mail?ref=v1_other_1
http://www.etsy.com/listing/66636317/fuzzy-armor-yellow-orange-chain-mail?ref=v1_other_1
http://www.etsy.com/listing/66637241/fuzzy-armor-pink-and-orange-chain-mail?ref=v1_other_1
http://www.etsy.com/listing/66636317/fuzzy-armor-yellow-orange-chain-mail?ref=v1_other_1
I guess the thing to do with those winter blues was to let them run their course. Suddenly, new inspiration springs forth! I'm delighted!
Friday, January 21, 2011
Mid-Winter Blues
Every year, about this time, I find myself wandering around with lots to do and not one iota of motivation to do them. And every year, about this time, I remember, "Oh yeah, I do this every year!" So what am I doing this year to make up for it, to make this year different? Well, while I'm taking a break from my usual routine for a couple of weeks, I've found a renewed passion for writing. Yesterday I picked up my pen and haven't been able to put it back down! I've written letters to friends and family (yes, real paper-and-ink type letters), I've used up several pages in my journal, found new friends online to chat to, played Tug-O-War on online philosophy forums, and now I'm landing on this blog. What I had assumed was a creative rut is turning out to be a redirection for my creative process. It's really nice!
I know that winter blues are a very common experience for a lot of people. I wonder if a bit of refocusing would bring that summer spark back!
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Zen and the Art of Jewelry
No, I'm not actually going to write about the Zen of jewelry making or selling. I just wanted to abuse a title format which is already overused. "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance" is a fine title on its own, but when do we humans not make too much of a good thing? We lift our noses to the air and follow the craze like blind rats. Now there are more "Zen and the Art ____" titles than actually have real meaning.
All examples of this human copycat tendency bother me. Any movie that does well in the box office is repackaged with new actors and maybe slight variations in the plot or writing and then sold again to the bored masses. We had a penguin movie craze after The March of the Penguins and Happy Feet. UK films and TV shows are rewritten with loud American humor which, I've always thought, have detracted from and sometimes even insulted the original masterpieces.
Now, on the one hand, I am willing to embrace this unfortunate tendency. Evolution has encouraged the reproduction of good things, and in many ways this is vital to our existence. But a great many of us abuse this and forget that innovation is also a boon to evolution. We have so much potential! Why waste it?
So to Creators of Book Titles, Movie Ideas, and Jewelry Makers: Do your own thing. If you don't think you have your own thing to do in whatever field looks glamorous to you, try this: Find the field in which you have something unique to contribute. That way, instead of surfing page upon boring page of nearly identical wire wrapped jewel earrings while sitting through yet another cliche penguin flick, consumers like me can browse a variety of well-thought-out pieces of usable, wearable art while watching that awesome new film you wrote because you weren't wasting your time following the herd.
I did put Zen in the title, so here are my two cents on that: It is my goal to Be... Be present at every moment. Aware of reality, my strengths, weaknesses, tools, limitations. Unique art will come of it.
All examples of this human copycat tendency bother me. Any movie that does well in the box office is repackaged with new actors and maybe slight variations in the plot or writing and then sold again to the bored masses. We had a penguin movie craze after The March of the Penguins and Happy Feet. UK films and TV shows are rewritten with loud American humor which, I've always thought, have detracted from and sometimes even insulted the original masterpieces.
Now, on the one hand, I am willing to embrace this unfortunate tendency. Evolution has encouraged the reproduction of good things, and in many ways this is vital to our existence. But a great many of us abuse this and forget that innovation is also a boon to evolution. We have so much potential! Why waste it?
So to Creators of Book Titles, Movie Ideas, and Jewelry Makers: Do your own thing. If you don't think you have your own thing to do in whatever field looks glamorous to you, try this: Find the field in which you have something unique to contribute. That way, instead of surfing page upon boring page of nearly identical wire wrapped jewel earrings while sitting through yet another cliche penguin flick, consumers like me can browse a variety of well-thought-out pieces of usable, wearable art while watching that awesome new film you wrote because you weren't wasting your time following the herd.
I did put Zen in the title, so here are my two cents on that: It is my goal to Be... Be present at every moment. Aware of reality, my strengths, weaknesses, tools, limitations. Unique art will come of it.
Monday, January 10, 2011
No Snow Days
I was delighted to wake up this morning to 4 inches of beautiful snow outside and threats on the news of a coming blizzard. At 7:00am, the pristine powder had barely been touched by any tires. It looks like the workers of my neighborhood were celebrating their snow day with a lie in. No such luck for me, however, as my work doesn't involve driving anywhere. So, just like every other morning, I made my first (of what would become at least half a dozen) cup of tea and sat down to my computer where I would check my online shops and continue researching market optimization and things I consider far more boring than making the jewelry. How I wish it was a snow day! I'd send myself home.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)