We.

We sled.

We play in the snow.

with our friends.


We sticker.

We wear hats.

We play dinosaurs.

We even lose teeth!

And everyday we design. Something. xx

DESK.

I took on the task of designing my own hang tags, cardbacks, and other fantastic branding elements. I've been sitting at this very spot for days on end....!!!

I am not a graphic designer. It is in no way my forte. I am more of a free spirit shaper of materials or something. Not "click, insert, shift, align, background, foreground, measure, borders...." at one point I screamed. It was midnight and the image I loved kept MULTIPLYING!!!! on my final proof.
My vegan bbq riblets were still on the plates at the dinner table. That made for a yucky morning. I never leave dishes overnight.
More fun, Max and I had a moment- We sat on the floor and and checked out some real cloth label samples. (my current ones need altered, and I'm going super-pro.)I picked one I liked. I have no idea what this tiny black satiny embroidered label will cost. Those I have to also design. OMG.

but I managed to do some felting. and that was lovely as always.

Mimi and Max and I have managed to spend some nice time together. Picnics on the floor....


helping with writing...peeling and eating oranges, and sweeping up things (cheerios, strings, tiny bits of wool).

Remember when working at your desk just meant crayons and deciding what color to make your Mom and Dad's shirts and hair?

I breathed easier tonight after I submitted my order for the hang tags.
An hour later, I had tidied entire first floor and whipped up a felt flower. Ahhhh.

Girl of Many Hats

I am not only obsessed British Wensleydale wool felter (and British tweed accessory maker), but I keep it local by working as the weekly Indie artist bookkeeper for The My Aunt Debbie Shop at 310 North Queen in Lancaster. Yes, Debbie pays her artists WEEKLY! Love her. Each week I log in the latest pieces and email each vendor telling them what sold.
It's rather an ideal situation for which I am grateful for. I get a weekly pay from my bookkeeper work, and get to pop in and drop off my new pieces each week while I pick up the weeks' paperwork- saying hello to my friends and owners Debbie, and Alicia of Mommalicious. Here's today's stop at shop:

I've hardly left my house this week (well besides today)...but I've been so busy~!!!
Alicia's vintage wool sweater on folky chair...

I am re-branding myself, and that means designing and ordering new cloth labels, designing and printing new product cards, and emailing companies for pricing. Check out the cute knitty bun card at the shop, so cute!

The work will continue as I finalize my sample pieces for NYC, and create a pricing sheet and bio. Then I thought of new business cards. SIGH. Check out Debbie's new Pocket Dolly Pendants- which she made in her (very cool) studio this week.

Most dreamy is the making of the sample pieces themselves, which puts me one moment in cloud nine, the next with pencil and paper in hand writing down components I need to source. (and order). I really don't need much, but it does add up. And here comes the postman with another little supplies parcel from Etsy...
and there I am running out again, with baby on hip to shop for, gluesticks! or string! or tulle!!!
My friend Maggie's dolls- aren't they great?

Debbie, fixing the new headband display (cuz I brought her some new ones:))




It's a lot of busyness over here.



Hope your January is going well so far. The date says January 11. I think I have been productive. xxxxx

Happy New Year 2012- Big Aspirations

Our 2011 ended on a mentally energized, but physically exhausted note. I spent New Year's Eve keeping an eye on Mimi who had a bad ear infection and Max who was worn out from six days of visiting relatives. I was still working on my My Aunt Debbie vendor paperwork at 3pm.

An hour later, I had made myself presentable (above me in Izzy Lane scarf XXXXX).
We went to Jo Ellen's house down the road to do our gift exchange, have a bite to eat, and celebrate the end of the year, with kids:) I made Opal a felted caplet made from a cashmere sweater- that I sewed little felt things to.

When we got back home (by 7:30:) ), I worked on new branding- which included designs for card backs for some new clips and bobby pin sets. I was emailing printers to ask if they had recycled cardstock at 10:30pm.

By Sunday, I had decided I'm going to New York early this spring to talk to a potential buyer. As a Mom of two, this is easier said than done. But it's come down to it, and it's the right time now. I've spent some time looking at train schedules- which aren't agreeing with my plans so far, hotels in case it comes to that, although my favorite is already booked, youtube videos, and shopping for odd bits and pieces this week.
Then my cold seemed to turn into some sort of bronchitis situation.

I did not write resolutions this year. I know them so well they are just my own visions. When I think of them, I am so used to them, they are almost boring now (even though some of them are exciting and absolutely not boring.) They are the same dreams for myself as the last few years, but I think evolution is now in my favor. I'm so tired of writing down things anyway, only to throw them out later, embarrassed someone would find what I wrote, read it, and go, "Whaaaa?" In many of the visions I am wearing really good shoes. And I'm a frequent traveler. Both out of new necessity. I'll give you that.

Please enjoy, for I am Andie. - perhaps you need to stop the music on my playlist first:


Big aspirations. Sort of grown up and scary.
I hope yours are simply to lose 5lbs!