I took a few photos for the Wintergrass “Passport” and for the Bellevue Art Fair application this morning. I love the way my work looks on a white background. I might do it more. I ended up with a few extra surprises in my light box, too. One of these surprises is now trying to eat my lunch. Anyway, enjoy.
The non-leather ones are Astrophel and Stella, two Siberian Forest Cats from Tormodkot Cattery. Love these two little kitties, and their very large personalities!
xo
c
Every once in a while a wonderful customer will send me a photo. With permission from Carole, here is the Plume Mandolin Strap on her mandolin. Doesn’t it look fantastic?
Thanks Carole! You rock! (or bluegrass?)
xo
c
I had an extra “platinum” colored 3’ tall fake Christmas Tree. It was a pre-lit tree, and the first one I bought, the lights didn’t work. So they sent another, and I had two.
I decided to cut one apart with a wire cutter, and bind it to a pretty, sparkly, slightly binding wreath:
Not my favorite photo of it, but I think it turned out pretty well. Next year I’ll add stars or bells or lights or something, but by two days before Christmas, nobody had decorations anymore, just wrapping.
I did, on my holiday adventures, manage to find this beauty in a vintage store (for only $20! I couldn’t pass it up!):
I love the happy deer! Maybe next year I should just glue toys to my sparkle wreath? Sparkle toys?
Back to leather…
xo
c
I have to write an artist statement. I didn’t realize how short they were supposed to be! Here’s my first take:
I never wanted to become an artist. I wanted to be a lawyer. While working at a law firm, and deciding how and where to apply to law school, I found myself in need of a belt that was both work-appropriate and durable. After a fruitless search of department stores and boutiques, I reached back to my childhood experience tooling leather at family reunions, and bought a blank belt, and taught myself the fading art of leather working. For the last seven years I have been proudly producing durable leather goods in my home studio in Seattle, Washington. My work embraces my love of nature, geometry, and sometimes a little tongue-in-cheek humor. I delight in creating pieces that are functional, beautiful, and can bring an artistic flair to an item that would otherwise be overlooked, such as a belt, the band of a watch, or the strap on a purse.
Thoughts?
xo
c
I went out Wednesday to take some photos. I always love peoples artsy blog photos, but mine never turn out that way. When I went to college I genuinely wanted to be a photographer (I’ve actually worked as a wedding/event photographer before, but haven’t kept up my skills… I turned the darkroom into the dying room). There’s probably a reason I didn’t get in to the photography program. They always told me that my photos weren’t abstract or “artsy” enough. Of course, I always argued about that. Isn’t the beauty of a photo the ability to capture reality, through someone’s eyes? So maybe I should listen to my younger self, and embrace my photographic style. On that same note I should probably be glad I didn’t get in to photography school. I am relatively certain that if I had, there would be no Moxie & Oliver.
So, with a long introduction, here is the progress on the studio, in my style:
I’m told that the walls are now up on this little frame. I’ll go check on it tomorrow. If it isn’t snowing too hard.
xo
c
Today I’m taking a sick day. I didn’t sleep much at all last night, just a few 15-minute segments here and there. I stayed in bed late, missed my coffee date, and was trying to do something productive today. Like buy Mike Doughty’s “The Book of Drugs” and curl up under a blanket, reading about, quite possibly, my favorite musician ever.
When I was in high school I was really into music, and going to concerts. And boys. I think those all kind of went together, especially if you take into account that I was (and still am) more than a little on the tone-deaf side. This was a source of constant annoyance to my high school boyfriend, a talented guitarist who would play little pieces of songs in different notes (keys? I’m not sure honestly) and ask which I liked better. I would say they both sounded the same. “No, listen,” he’d say, and play them again. They still sounded the same; they always sounded the same.
So with this bit of a musical obstacle, I always find it somewhat ironic that I ended up making guitar straps. And I make a LOT of guitar straps. I tried playing when I was a kid (again, I think that this had something to do with boys, or being cool, I’m not really sure) and it was a complete disaster. My guitar teacher was hot. That’s all I remember.
Every year when I prepare for Wintergrass I stock up on straps. I had three (!!) left in stock at the end of December, a record low. I should have 60 in stock by the end of February. Some will be new patterns, some old in new colors, and they generally come easy to me. There is one pattern, though, that has been giving me trouble for years. I’ve wanted to make a Clarke strap with my plaid on it, but could never get the layout right. Then the other day I saw a picture of Mike Doughty fixing his plaid tie, and it suddenly all made sense.
So here it is, dedicated to Mike Doughty, the very first plaid strap. And Mike, if you’re reading this, the strap is yours if you want it. Just say the word.
For everyone else, it is available at www.moxieandoliver.com.
xo
c
They’re getting big, and naughty. They spent yesterday stealing dog treats and trying to eat packing peanuts. But they are good company. Do you think they’d like to go with me to my new studio? I will just take them, and the two dogs, with me every morning. Cats like car rides, right?
xo
c
