Blog Hop

I've joined a blog hop!  Click on the links below to discover some new favorite blogs, as I have.  You can also join up, too, for the next day or so.  Just don't get too lost in all the greatness out there and forget to do all that other stuff you are responsible for. . . No, I wouldn't know about that at all.

New Look for 2012

 I've finished the new graphics for the blog and my Etsy shop!  If you are viewing this in a reader, pop on over and take a look.  I went with a bit simpler design this time around, and a much more subtle color scheme.  Also, I traded the pinstripes for herringbone.

There are also two new domain names that will point you here: http://design.audzipan.com and http://anthology.audzipan.com, which are sub-domains of my http://www.audzipan.com domain, which sends you to my Etsy shop.  Thanks to my brother Tom for the help with that.  Here is the matching banner I did for the shop:

I love being able to do all my own design.  I'm so glad I got the Adobe suite while I was still in school.  It's been invaluable to me over the years, although my version is getting a bit outdated.  I'm loving this new look, and getting excited about a bunch of new projects this year.  I'm right in the middle of finishing a new batch of place mats, so until they're done, I will be sewing like a machine!

Blogger Mashup: Blog It Forward

Today is my day to participate in the Blog It Forward project run by SFGirlbyBay.

The topic: What inspires me?

Ok, honestly, I think this is a loaded question. Start thinking about it for too long, and your list will never, ever, ever end. Ever.

With that said, I would like to share with you some of my current muses. Here's my virtual inspiration board:

This guy.
Couldn't do any of this without his support. Thanks, Chris, for being the most inspiring husband ever.

This gal.
She is the funniest, most surprising, and hilarious little thing.
This room.
This is one of those projects where everything went right from the get-go. I love to spend time in my girl's nursery, and I can tell that I keep it a lot cleaner.
This birdcage.
Have always loved it, and the stack of books is also conveniently protected from my girl.
Moss.
Totally in love. Totally. Found this moss letter here at Simple Sweet Design.
Vintage Easter.
Found this rabbit at Toad Briar.
Peonies.
Love them. Get this print at Amelia Kay Photography. Also, (spoiler alert!) one of my new screens is based on some peony photos that I took. So this is totally current.

I try to keep a real bulletin board updated in my craft room, but I have such a hard time keeping that room clean that I hardly ever get a chance to mix it up, and my crafty mag supply is seriously lacking as of late.

But never fear! I am working on cleaning out the craft room, hoping to turn it into somewhere that I can work on craft and entertain my daughter at the same time. Progress is being made.

Also, rumors exist that the dear husband of mine is subscribing me to fresh crafty mags. Steps are being taken to get the ball rolling on that. . .

Stop by Atoms at Work to see yesterday's post and Automatism to see tomorrow's Blogger Mashup from Group 1.

New Tabs Up Top

I have added a couple of new features to the blog. Underneath the header, you will find tabs that will take you to different parts of the blog. I now have quick-access pages for Tutorials and Recipes.

Also, if you look to the right, you will see that I have added a search bar for the blog.

Hope you enjoy these new features!

Feature: Clothed Much

I was recently introduced to Elaine from a blog called Clothed Much. Elaine describes herself as follows:

"Hi. I am Elaine. I am LDS. I am a poor, married college student. I like clothes, but don't have much...as you can see from my closet. So this blog is here to help me be more creative with what I already have."

Elaine shows us how she pairs the unexpected, then she tells us where she got it all!



I really like reading blogs that inspire me. This is one of those kinds of blogs. Great photos, great writing, and a great gal behind it all.

I loved her blog so much that I decided to advertise with her on Clothed Much. Look for my button on the right-hand side of her blog near the top.

Blog Carnival: Touching Art

Today I am guest-posting on Dirksen Dabbles, participating in her blog carnival. Here's how it works:

"A blog carnival is formed by putting together thoughts on one issue from several different bloggers in one blog post. Each blogger has individually made an entire post on the subject in their personal blogs. I have gathered together the best of each for some fantastic views and opinions. Please visit the participants blogs to read their full thoughts (photos have links to etsy shops as well)."

So here is my piece. The topic is Touching Art.

Screen printing is really a hands-on kind of art. A lot of my products are printed onto clothing, accessories, or homer decor, so they have to be able to stand up to repeated washing, wearing, and general use. People want to get a feel for how the ink will feel while they are wearing a t-shirt or sitting next to a pillow on the couch, so touching is completely encouraged for my particular art form.

I try to take close-up shots of my work so people can get a virtual feel for the different aspects of the pieces online. Many of my items are multi-dimensional, with different types of materials and processes all blended into one thing, so even close-up shots have a hard time depicting the intricacies of some of my work.

My Cherry Branch Messenger Bag, for instance, is actually a piece of fabric with the cherry branch design printed onto it and appliqued onto the bag, instead of a two-color print that it can look like in far-away shots. Also, I take photos at an angle to show off the textures a little bit better.

I use three different methods for printing:
1. My tabletop mini-printer, known as a Riso Gocco. These machines have been discontinued, and they will only print a small-sized project (about 4"x6"). I use this machine to print my Wooden Decor Blocks. These screens are made for repeated use.
2. I have a four-color single station screen printer that I use for printing my t-shirts, messenger bags, and pillows. I normally use a 20"x24" screen with this printer. Each color of each design requires its own screen, so these are usually general designs that I can use over and over again.
3. Cardstock stenciling. I have a digital craft cutter that I will soon be using to cut stencils for personalized shirts. This is a little bit different than my usual methods, but it is the only feasible way to do personalization.


I hope you enjoyed my piece. Visit Dirksen Dabbles to read the rest!