2010 September Archive at Inspiration Junkie robayre.com

Archive for September, 2010

new globe

Published

on September 28, 2010

. 2 Comments

I was driving home and spied a cool world globe in the thrift store window. I went in and bought it for $2. Not too bad, especially when the good ones that have caught my eye online were $40+ and another $20 in shipping. I love the colors and I could tell it was vintage, but just how vintage?

Using this site, Dating Globes, I was able to first narrow it down to 1957-1961, because Tanzania was Tanganyika and Egypt
& Syria were the United Arab Republic. Now I’m pretty sure it’s from 1960 because it shows Congo, Chad and Nigeria which were all formed then. That was fun, but wouldn’t you think it would be easier if they had just printed the date of the globe? There’s a whole area devoted to the company (Rand McNally) so why not just add four numbers? There’s probably some very sensible explanation and I’m sure my dad could rattle off the answer from the top of his head.

I now have two globes. I just read on a blog recently where someone said if you have three of anything, that is a collection. So, now I need at least one more, but I’m thinking maybe two more, smaller and about 6″ in diameter. I just remembered a pencil sharpener globe (tiny) my parents had, or was it my sister? Yeah, I think one of these little guys is in my near future.

I took this picture on my camera phone and adjusted it for fun using picnik on flickr.

Congratulations and to-do lists

Published

robayre

on September 27, 2010

in Artomat, Cool Links, etsy and life

. 3 Comments

Congratulations to Shelly of Green Chic for winning the stationery and print giveaway over on Bicoastally! And great thanks to Claire for offering the giveaway. I’m so glad to have crossed paths with her and her wonderful, inspiring blog. She has out-done herself, time and time again, in support of my Etsy shop. Hugs ((Claire))

It’s been a whirlwind month. I can’t believe it’s almost over. I have so many things on my to-do list and I’d like to post some of them here to share with you:

-I bought fabric to make a halloween costume this year. It’s a HUGE project and we’ll see if I actually get it done. I’m horrible about costumes and usually wait till 6 p.m. on halloween to start constructing something. And while that has worked in the past, that will not work this year.

-I have so many things to list to my etsy shop. Including, more paper pendents, my yoyo zipper pouches, and hopefully, if all goes well, a poster (yay!) I’m pretty sure I have other things to list as well, but I’m drawing a blank right now.

-I really, really, really want to finish my second zine. The two things that are holding me back are the comic and the “interview a stranger”. I know both of these things are a challenge and that is why I HAVE to do them. The comic, because I feel a lot of pressure that it has to be PERFECT, and live up to the previous two. AND the interview, because I’m pretty shy, and introducing myself to a stranger, and also asking them if I can interview them and publish that interview is a terrifying thing.

-For my birthday my sister bought me a complete letterpress set. So, I’ve been doing some research on letterpress plates. This has been a dream of mine since I was in high school. My grandma used to have a subscription to Victoria Magazine and she would give me her old issues. I remember reading and saving an article in Victoria about a woman who started her own niche business of designing and printing invitations and cards on letterpress. At the time I was taking all sorts of graphic arts classes and really just obsessed with everything PRINT. At the same time letterpress was seen as an absolutely obsolete method. That got me even more excited because I always want to learn all the old obsolete ways of everything. Since then, wonderfully, letterpress has made a big comeback and now I finally have my own chance to design and create my own work.

-It’s also been a long while since I produced and contributed for Artomat and have been itching to begin a new series. ONLY, if one series (50 pieces) wasn’t a large enough undertaking, I actually have plans for 3 different series. One would be my mini canvas paintings, one would hopefully incorporate the above mentioned letterpress and the last would be another printmaking series, but in a different method.

-I also need to complete this painting of a dinosaur that I’m painting on my nephew’s wall. He’s inspired by the apatosaurus, aka the brontosaurus. He’s part Jurassic Park, part Land Before Time, part stuffed animal my brother had as a child, and part roadside attraction :)

First Day of Fall

Published

robayre

on September 22, 2010

in Cool Links, General Update and etsy

. 4 Comments

Last weekend I made a bunch of new Paper Wrapped Spiral Pendants for my shop. I’ll probably add them to my shop over the next week or so. I had to do this one first because it was my favorite. I think it would be perfect for a bookworm, the paper is all text from a retired library book.

Fall has been in the air here for a couple weeks, but today it is official. Today is the first day of fall, and it also happens to be my birthday :) This is great because a lot of the time my birthday falls on the last day of summer. Who wants their special day to be on the last day of anything? Plus, fall is the superior season, in my opinion ;)

I’m already starting to see next year’s calendars and planners popping up all over the place. Earlier this year I had an idea, a kind of spin on the daily 5 gratitude journal thing, where I would just try and commit writing one sentence down each night before I go to bed. It didn’t need to be a gratitude, but could be anything about the day, even if it ended up being “today I went to work”. Of course, I haven’t taken this plan into action yet. But, this week I saw two different websites that really inspired me with similar ideas.

Jennifer Johner posted this “one line a day-5 year journal” and she notes “it’s like facebook in a journal form”. I like the idea, but it looks like each line for each date, shares the same page for all 5 years, which would mean that each day I would see what I wrote in the previous years. This might be appealing to some, but lately that idea leaves a rock in my stomach. Long story short, I think a better version of this book, for me, would be a single year. So that way, looking back in the past would be an intentional action, not a daily obligation that might bring back bad memories. In the last few years I’m all about looking forward, and not back. At the same time, I think it’s important to be thoughtful, and reflecting at the end of each day can help make us grateful for today and prepare us for tomorrow.

Then, this week I came upon this wonderful blog jillstodayisaw. This is more along the lines of what I was thinking of for my own personal project, sans the drawing. This is a blog where Jill documents her daily project of writing and drawing something she saw each day. And if that wasn’t awesome enough, each “thing she saw” is then turned into a postcard that she mails to someone! Now, we all know how much Robyn loves getting mail. I’m adding this to my current blog crushes.

And quickly, while we are still on a fall theme, I will leave you with this awesome recipe/tutorial for mini caramel apples. I have already bought the goods and will be making these today. And if you have a bit more time, and are inspired by creative cooking, I encourage you to check out the rest of ChristyRobbins blog, woah! Holy Cupcake Batman!

Giveaway!!!

Published

robayre

on September 20, 2010

in Cool Links, Coverage, General Update and etsy

. 2 Comments

I’m dropping in to share some GREAT news today :D

1.Claire from Bicoastally is going to be giving away one of my Bunting Stationery Sets (pictured above) AND a reproduction print to one person through her blog. Visit this post to enter (it’s really simple, and you have 3 chances to enter. Subscribe to her blog, add my facebook fanpage, AND/OR tweet or blog about the giveaway to promote it, then comment about how you entered, on her post here.) Claire is such a sweet-heart and was the person who brilliantly gave me the idea to turn my bunting notepads into a stationery set. So hop on over to her blog and enter to win!

2. Last week was a trip. First my bunting notepads were featured in an Etsy article by themogulmom. That was pretty exciting, and garnered lots of hearts and attention to my shop. After being open for 4 years, my Etsy shop finally reached 1000 shop hearts. This was a goal of mine from the beginning of the year. Then that same article was used in an Etsy Sellers email, where my notepads were featured top and center. Woah! This was my first time being featured in an Etsy email and I was so honored and so excited. That feature resulted in a handful of sales! I had over 10 sales in one week, and that is HUGE for someone who usually averages 1-2 sales per week. I got a mini taste of what it would be like to run Robayre as a full time business, and that was a delicious taste, mmm.

Thank you for letting me dork out about my good news.

Renegade part II

Published

robayre

on September 13, 2010

in Artists

. 8 Comments

Okay, back with the last few items from my shopping spree at Renegade Chicago. See the first part here.

I bought four of these tree magnets from iamhome.etsy.com,

and now, gah!!! I picked up tons of business cards, but I still have two more products that I bought, but can’t figure out who the sellers were. If you know who sold these items please leave a comment and let me know.

These hilarious Double Rainbow pencils, and lastly,

I bought a bunch of these mini projector slide books. So tiny, so cute, so inexpensive at only $1 each=so irresistible to buying a ton.

Okay, so that raps up Renegade for this year. Fun times.

Renegade 2010

Published

robayre

on September 13, 2010

in General Update

. 2 Comments

As annual tradition dictates, my sister and I hit up Renegade Chicago this weekend. Last year we went on Sunday and there were vicious, pushy crowds, while vendors were left with little variety in product. So, this year I vowed to make sure and go early. It worked. For better or worse, I dropped almost $200 bucks.

(the pictures below are all credited to the sellers, and items can be found by clicking on links AND pictures)

Highlights:

The digital photobooth, provided by Renegade. They had a suitcase of props. I can never pass up a photobooth opportunity.

I got this t-shirt by gnomeenterprises.net,

one of these chalkboard quotes from RedVelvetArt,

a cute shoulder bag by Gerbera Designs. It is not this bag, but uses the same strawberry fabric, and has the coolest pockets and is reversible,

a brass necklace from RagTraderVintage.com (once again, not this particular necklace, it’s filigree instead),

A Bent Feather Ring from EricaWeiner.com ,

dork-dance by Zoo-Mouse-Key, but my book is handbound and an original intaglio print book,

a couple prints from Paul Friedrich (onionhead monster).

Okay, check back later for part two of the things I got at Renegade. Dinner is done and the Mr. is getting restless.

Etsy Favorites (treasure post)

Published

robayre

on September 5, 2010

in General Update and etsy

. 2 Comments

Here are some lovely items on Etsy by other sellers. Click on each image to take you to the listing page and buy.

Pushing Daisies

Published

robayre

on September 4, 2010

in General Update

. 0 Comments

I’ve been working on my most recent yoyo zipper pouch and re-watching the final season of Pushing Daisies. It’s been over a year now, but I missed a few episodes while it was airing originally and am enjoying it so much all over again. I was just looking at the wikipedia page, and saw a couple things I had to share. 1. It’s described there as a “forensic fairytale” and that truly captures the entire show in only two words. and 2. It was originally meant to be a spin off of Dead Like Me, which makes so much sense and why I love both of these shows and lastly, 3. The Set Designer’s goal was to make it look like an illustration or a story book come to life. Everyone that watched and loved that show has one wish and that is to live in that world. Since that’s not possible, it definitely makes me look back at myself. If an entire show could be so well put together it really shouldn’t be that hard to make my little wardrobe and living space a bit more organized and pretty.

If you haven’t watched Pushing Daisies, you can watch it online at netflix, and here is the wikipedia page I was talking about.
Also here’s a memorable post about Pushing Daisies by pal Bri on her blog The Craft Begins.
AND if you have seen and love Pushing Daisies, but not Dead Like Me, then you should check that one out as well.

And unrelated - Since I got my phone I’ve been taking a lot more camera phone pictures and uploading straight to my flickr. My new phone is 2 mp, as opposed to my last phone which probably wasn’t even a whole mp. Tonight it got me thinking, why don’t they make regular digital cameras that can hook up to wireless and transfer picture files? They wouldn’t be used for phone or surfing the internet, but just could transfer the files directly from your camera to your email or a website. This way, I wouldn’t have to compromise quality for the ease of quick transfer. Rather than having to hook up my camera to the computer, transfer files there, then upload them, I could do it all straight from the source. Maybe they already have something like that and I’m just out of the loop?

fall is here

Published

robayre

on September 3, 2010

in General Update

. 1 Comment

fall leaf, originally uploaded by robayre.

I know, technically it isn’t here for another 20 days or so, but I just experienced fall first hand.

It’s almost 10 p.m. Friday night. My best friend Erica was over watching a dvd with me. Okay FINE! So we were watching Mama Mia, sue me. Matt is out doing fantasy football stuff (blah, blah, blah). When Erica steps out to leave, we both shudder at how cold the evening got. She walks to her car and halfway there calls back “Do you hear that?” I step out onto the porch and hear a marching band playing, and she points to the high school. It’s just a few blocks away.

I grabbed a light fall jacket and decided to walk down to the football field. It’s kind of mysterious to me, because when I went to that high school, (ahem, cough years ago) all of our football games were played at the university’s stadium across town. But sure enough, the from the actual high school and down the block to the field had become a giant parking lot and there were crazy lights, tents, game announcers and temporary stadium seating. I don’t even care about football, but this seems like a party and I wanted in.

As I walked in the dark wet field, I could smell fall. My nose was freezing and I could feel fall. Helmets crashed, the crowd & cheerleaders cheered, and the band played and I could hear fall.

That was all I needed. A brief taste. I don’t need to sit in the stadium, although I would have liked to been close enough to take pictures of the band. I got to experience Fall’s introduction. It’s moments like this one that make memories.

Come on feel the Illinoise

Published

robayre

on September 1, 2010

in General Update

. 3 Comments

Recently Mim posted weheartit images from her home state.
Inspired by Mim’s post, I present to you my home state, Illinois, in picture form. I’m shaking it up a bit, since the images of Illinois on weheartit were basically limited to skyline shots of chicago and cloudgate, aka the bean. So, I’m doing weheartit, flickr and google image searches. Click on each picture to find original source.