places you'll go

I've become a fan of podcasts. Yes, I'm about 5 years late to that party.
Doomhouse is a new podcast by Twitter/Etsy pal Tinaseamonster and two her friends. A random topic is presented with a story by one of the hosts or a listener. The second episode's topic regarded which country do you love other than your own. It made me think...

In September of 2007 I went to Montreal with my cousin. We only stayed overnight but I fell in love. I even blogged about it when I came back. I don't speak French at all. I'm not a huge fan of living further north than Connecticut (where I currently live). But Montreal calls to me. It was a milestone trip for me: first time out of the country, first time on a trip without parents or older people because...we are adults now. That revelation was both cool and empowering with dashes of 'Holy Hannah! Say what?!'

Our intention was to go the clubs, another first for homebody me. That was kind of a fail. But I just enjoyed looking around and seeing new things, riding in a minivan taxi, listening the French conversations I didn't understand, taking the metro and eating one of the most delicious sandwiches I've ever had in my life. (at Cafe L'etranger)

It's not a I-hate-America-I'm-going-Canada thing. The city has a sort of old-world/new-world vibe that isn't as present in America...at least not the parts I've visited. So maybe it was that foreign-ness, the bilingual-ness of it all that intrigued me. Or maybe it was that moment of magic when I was standing in the Notre Dame Cathedral. I had put together a jigsaw puzzle of the same view that I now saw for myself. I was in a photograph. It cemented for me that the places I see in magazines, pictures and movies do really exist, people really do live there just as normally as I live in Connecticut. Going there changed my perspective a little, widen it, grew me up.

I'm not sure if I would move to Montreal. Again...you know, the whole cold temperature thing. But I want desperately to go back. I want take my mom and my camera since both had to stay home on that first trip. (So I have only memories, a coffee mug and a keychain to remember the trip.) She's an artist and knows French and I know we'd have a good time. I want to see if it still feels culturally different but in a sort of welcoming way. Until then, I will content myself with loving it from afar.

thisnext:: betterthanjam

Asymmetry is a fave design feature of mine. I adore it. Huge collars are a hit with me as well. All the more to pin cute buttons to. So this little dress has me won over. With a print motif that can cross seasons...it'd make a great new addition to any wardrobe.

From betterthanjam

As always, if you want to follow my picks between Tuesdays you can check them out here or subscribe.

from me to you

day 61- mod.emo
Originally uploaded by becca.elpy

HI!
Had a small home show to do and a bunch of school projects to finish. Now I have some new things to share. The creative life never ceases to amaze.

Post Picture: Cards from Adele of Modernemotive. Her shop's in hiatus but you can read her blog.

falling behind

I have a lot of reading to do for school. Today was a snow day. (Commuter colleges have those) It didn't end up snowing much. I didn't end up getting much reading done. Tinkered with my code here. (Notice how the background is white again?) Uploaded pics to my Photo a Day collection. And I bought a ton of supplies and new business cards for a home show I'm doing with my mom for a friend of the family.

Still I feel like I'm falling behind. No matter how much I do, there's always more to do. Blogging and journaling are the first things I abandon, though they should be the things I cling to. I know I will want to look back on these days, to remember where I've been. I need that record. And writing has always been cathartic for me. (It's why I tweet so much.)

So I have a couple of post ideas. I will try to get to them in the next few weeks. I have a lot of ideas in general. *sigh* I need to take one of those breathers I mentioned a few posts ago, to push irrelevant things to the side and focus on what's important. I also want to learn to appreciate the journey more. Things take time...sometimes more than I'd like. But that's okay. It's okay.

Post Picture: Me studying...while tweeting, and reading blogs, and playing Farmville, and editing pics...and on and on.

thisnext:: valentine's

Sweet picks for your sweetie!

I chunky rings. This is a lovely heavy metal style. Adore!

From Missy Industry

Little handmade heart sachets filled with lavendar! If only there was smellevision for the interwebs.

From Mireio

Puns and word play rock my socks!
I love Tamara's clay works, her prints are fab, too! This one has...a lot of heart. :)

From Block Party Prints

obliterate

In last week's Seller Tips post I wrote about Tara Gentile'sBlogging Your Passion e-book. I said I was working through the book myself. I had gotten hung up on week 3, with the restarting of school and an admin snag I ran into there. Plus I wasn't sure how I should delineate my BYP posts from the non-BYP posts. I can be almost painfully thoughtful sometimes. Then I realized...what does it really matter?

If the opening paragraph isn't proof enough, the biggest obstacle facing my craft life and life in general is how much I think. Even with this post and the subject of overcoming obstacles, I was debating which obstacle to choose. Most days it doesn't seem like I've overcome anything. I'm still trying to figure out my style and what techniques I want to continue to use, which techniques I'm willing to let go. I'm still trying to figure out where to promote, how to promote. Marketing is a challenge because funding is a challenge...it's a cycle.

It all get piled onto my worry wheel...as I posted about earlier. I get carried away and stress myself out and get nothing done and write long run-on sentences that leave my gasping for breath but I just can't stop until I have...FIGURED IT OUT!

This is an obstacle I have to take on daily. I have analyst genes. At times I need to let it go, like at the beginning of this post even, and say, 'What does it matter?' Too often the things I think about don't really matter. And for the decisions that are weighty...I can call in reinforcements. Yes, there's the 'too many cooks in the kitchen' cliche. But one person (me)can't figure out everything. I have to remind myself of this. It's acceptable even preferable to ask others who've worked with Gallery XYZ what they think, how the curator handled their work, what the traffic in the area was like; or who advertised on Blog Art/Craft/Design, Etc. how it went. I don't need to mirror others, but involving myself in the community of artists/crafters/designers who are willing to offer help and insight builds the community. (I believe the business term is networking.)

So I will continue to work through the e-book. The posts inspired by it will be tagged BYP. (see below) I will also endeavor, as often as the need arises, to slow down my thought process, to choose action instead. If I mess up, which is my biggest fear, I will try again. And I'll share it with you, dear readers, here.
:)

thisnext:: shihar

Swathed in beauty

I'm not normally a dressy girl, but this one is so dramatic, I had to share it here. I love the drape along the back and flarey flowiness of the skirt. (Click through to see other pics) It's beautiful.

From Shihar

As always, if you want to follow my picks between Tuesdays you can check them out here or subscribe.