HARDER, BETTER, FASTER, STRONGER

It's that time. The time where we put all of the things together and collaborate for an online store. All that effort comes together this week, one item listing at a time. It kind of reminds me of a song I know:

It was either that or Britney Spears 'Work B*tch'. Either way, the point is made. T.O.N.C. is growing!

The Original Notions Co. has broadened her horizons out to etsy.com. It is a shop for gorgeous things. And I happen to make gorgeous things. :D shameless plug! GO. Click. Enjoy!

Pendants, Necklaces, Bracelets and Earrings! OHHHH MYYYY!

Also to come, engraving. Yes, children. I have an engraving machine and can draw on metal. It looks like a skinny version of a tattoo gun (of which I used to wield), and the concept is basically the same. It's very cool and very fun! Pics to come.
However, I've misplaced my camera. Anyone seen a red camera lately? It's a Kodak...they don't even make them anymore.

Jeez, I just dated myself. Good job, M.

More to come.

-M

Valentines

I have found the most amazing valentines. Sweet Lord, these are hilarious and the comments afterwards are well worth the read.

I am currently making my own.
D, you are warned.

New jewelry over at the Flickr page. Be sure to check it out. Here's a taste:

That's a Black and Red Acrylic Bead Bracelet with Black Wire and a Handmade Clasp, for your viewing pleasure.

Valentine's Day approaches, (As well as my son's birthday) and with the change comes the header and button change over. Does anyone like what I do to the blog every month? Just checking.

On a hopeful note for this year, I'm up on the calendar for the Depot Coffee House down in Urbana for August. Which, for me, is pretty perfect because it gives me time to do new stuff. I've got a couple of paintings 'roaming the halls' if you will and I'm excited to get going on them. Hopefully, also, the street fair in Urbana in the summer. Should be freakin' sweet and I can't wait! Pam down at Cosmic Charles' Breads and Threads convinced me to try for it, so we'll see. I love love love the breads she creates.

mmmmm local organic.

Currently loving and reading the March issue for Romantic Homes, celery green people. I feel it. I feel it move through the crowd like a wave. Like a little baby unicorn that draws the masses to universally 'd'awwwwwwwwwwwww' all over it. Just watch, people. Celery green.

..........celery.............greeeeeeeeeeennnnnn.....

-M

P.S. On a more personal note. Philip Seymour Hoffman is one of my favorite actors of all time. Almost every film he has made, I've seen and right now it goes without saying that 'Capote' is masterful. Although, the first time I saw PSH was on 'Twister' as the lovable Dusty,('windy? that's intense', 'tasty cow, aunt meg') he reminded me of guys my brother and I would hang out with. It seems the older he got, the darker, more twisted characters he played lending to the idea that maybe this man was not as happy as one 'would seem' be in Hollywood. But who am I to know? I'm just a fan in mourning of a beloved actor, trying to reason the whys of his most untimely death. Philip was an actor's actor, and a god among the cinephiles. I will miss him much.

Radiant Orchid and the Engorgement of Turquoise

Holy crap it's a Flickr account!!

There will be many uploads over the next several days, (without work and life impeding my ability to do so, of course) and you can browse, scroll and drool over to your hearts content.

So, according to Pantone the color of the year is a pruple-y color.

*romantic whisper*...Radiant...

It's a beautiful color, don't get me wrong, but does anyone else feel that it will be plastered onto everything like turquoise blue? Are we going to get a thousand and one radiant orchid chester drawers, coffee tables and bookshelves? I ask you. I. Ask. You.
The color for last year was a very pretty emerald green, and I did see a couple of those at the trade shows but they were still supplanted by all the turquoise. WHEN WILL THE ENGORGEMENT OF ALL THINGS TURQUOISE END?!? ((...i still really like turquoise jewelry though...))

We'll see for the year how it all turns out. For right now, I am concentrating on the trend going through jewelry and it is rainbows. With all the 'My Little Pony' merch coming back in style (yes, pinkie pie) and even guys getting on the MLP bandwagon it doesn't really surprise a lot of us that the PRISM effect comes into play once more. As long as we don't see a surge in the Lisa Frank colors and combinations come back I think we'll be fine.

And does anyone else watch Project Runway? Because I am addicted to that show.

-M

To Everything Turn, Turn, Turn

Sweet Lord, where has this year gone?

I'm pretty terrible at blogging, but I think we've already established this fact.
Well, first, I think we must address the issue of the Art Show and why it didn't go well. I think it can be summed up in one word: SNOW. Freakin' snow, man. It was every where. The roads were coated in black ice by the time the show started and the city virtually shut down. My many and abundant thanks to the few brave souls who trekked out to get some good coffee and see strange artwork. Speaking of strange, here's a few of mine:

They're slightly crooked. It's true.

There are some of my graphic design posters, as well.

I'm going to try to find a suitable thumbnail system so you fine folk do not have to scroll forever to find my stuff. Next on the 'things to do' list is to get some type of etsy going so you can actually purchase prints, if you want!!

My kids had not one but two Christmas mornings; one with their cousins on Christmas Eve and then one for just us on Christmas morning. They were like little islands in a sea of toys, clothes and wrapping paper.

I really have super cute kids.

So with that I have to say that 2013 was a pretty good year. I got an art show, a few craft shows, branched out into furniture rehab and took risks. And I will continue to do so on into 2014. Things are lovely and I like it. Goodnight 2013, Good morning 2014, let's do this thing.

-M

Thanksgiving

Knock, knock.
Who's there?
Gladys.
Gladys who?
Gladys Thanksgiving. Aren't you?

Many Happy Thanksgivings, everyone. Now, in saying that, I have to a second out of furious grocery shopping/baking/cooking/cleaning extravaganza to say what I am thankful for.

It may be cliche that I am thankful for my parents but I am completely sincere when I say that I am. If it wasn't for my parents I have no idea where my children and I would be. Mom and Dad have bent over backwards to help us; making meals when I had my surgery, watching my kids while I recovered, taking them to school, to church, to the park , etc. There are too many things to list that I am grateful to them for. Just last night Mom and I stood in the kitchen chatting about movies, people, christmas presents, etc. until 1:30 in the morning. It's not surprising really. Mom has become one of my closest and dearest friends. And Dad and I get along better than we have in years. Grateful.

I am thankful for my faraway friends, all who sent their love and faith from afar while P & J and I were settling here in Ohio. Their words of encouragement have meant more to me than any other time before. I needed my friends and my family (be they related or no longer related) and they've had my back ever since I took a fateful leap and came back home.

(I am thankful for a certain awesome man from the North who makes frequent trips down here to see me and the kids. He is a rock of goodness, kindness and strength that I have not seen in many other men. One of the smartest guys I know, and funniest, he is the sweetest man. Period. He loves my kids and me and wants to be here with us and for us. I don't think I can ask for much better... I don't think 'better' exists. I love you D)

My kids. My kids are the funniest kids I know. Their sense of humor can range from dry and witty to silly and weird. P is an artist/dancer/singer/current archeologist while J is a builder/mechanic/astronaut/mummy-finder. They are my light in the dark, and they can pull me out of a bad mood just by being themselves. They both help me through the pain, they comfort me in ways I didn't know they could. And they love snuggles, movie-night and sleepovers in the living room. In short, P & J are the greatest gift (aside from the Heavens above) to me. I hope they grow up knowing that.

Love and Cranberry Sauce,
M

Art Shows! Things!

Art show, Art show, Art show, Art show.... It's like a mantra that I've been repeating for the last few weeks. The time is upon me, and I must show my stuff.

Art shows are incredibly personal, I think. You're really putting yourself out there in a way that is akin to being naked. Not that I'm going to show up to my art show naked, although that would be something Dali would do, but I shall be clothed nonetheless. Un Mundo Cafe in Beautiful, Downtown Springfield - December 6th @ 7pm. If you haven't seen the gorgeous banner.... here's a reminder:

isn't it pretty?

I'll be putting forth my works of watercolors, acrylics and graphic design posters. Perfect for the holiday season! Perfect for the unbelievably hard to buy for person! Who doesn't like art, I ask you!?
Besides people who have one dimensional personalities.... but we won't go there. Not today anyway.

*clears throat* moving on!

Yet another hint of things to come.
<3 Mellissa

New Things and Such

Well, I said pics up by Sunday--I just didn't let on which Sunday that would be. Today is the day. New Things and I am excited.

Theme change! Thanksgiving nostalgia coats the blog for the month! I wanted the header to be a little different so I snagged a vintage Macys Thanksgiving Day Parade picture featuring the Pink Panther. I'm a little in love with it! I could only imagine how cool it must be to be living in Manhattan and watching the floats go by as a kid.

I've been working on some graphic design goodness; my art show in December is looming before me and I'm getting my graphic savvy on. They're fun and odd and ... I really am a sort of warped mind. I feel like I am really putting myself out there for display, not only with designs but with my paints as well. The nerves are starting to get to me but pushing it down and shoving on is basically what must be done.

It's just a matter of time before there's more.

Is anyone going to go see Thor 2? My beloved mom and I are going... there will be chocolate bars involved while looking at Chris Hemsworth, not to mention my not-so-secret love for Tom Hiddleston. He's adorbs. Because of the first movie I actually got into reading the comics! I actually wish the writers of the film would incorporate more Old English, (you know, with the Thee's and Thou's thing going on.) or at least a larger fusion of old-speak. A moderate attempt, I believe, was giving for the first movie with Odin's character ("In the name of my father and his father before, I, Odin Allfather, cast you out!").

'You think me strange?'
-M