Last of the "Rejects" (for now)

I got my last package of "rejects" from Kristen of Milo and Molly, who came up with the idea for the swap. She sent so many cute cards and bookmarks and magnets that I couldn't even fit them into one photo!
 

I love all the bright colored paper and inks. I've already used some of the baker's twine to pack up an order, and I sent one of the thank you cards to a family member. I should really send one back to you, Kristen, haha. Thanks so much!! :)

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Rain Room

Have you guys heard about the Rain Room at the Barbican in London? It's an experimental artwork by Random International, a studio made up of designers who often do digital art installations using light and movement.

When I first saw news about this exhibit, I'll be honest, I sort of glossed over it. This might have something to do with the cheesy press photos which featured dancers backlit in the rain, which unavoidably brings up images of Flashdance to me. Anyway, I don't think those photos did the exhibit justice, as I've since seen many more interesting photos and read blog posts of people who've been, who've all said that waiting up to two hours in line was worth it.

Apparently, you're meant to move about the space and experience a downpour without getting wet. As you move about the room, the rain moves also. I've heard it described as if you have a magnetic field around you that pushes the rain away. That sounds pretty cool to me. Then again, I'm always intrigued by experiential art and interactive exhibits.

What do you think? Has anyone been to the Rain Room?

(Click on image to go directly to source.)

More Rejects!

A few days ago, I opened my second package from the reject swap to find a box full of lovely, sparkly things from Paige. Once again, I am shocked that these are "rejects" because everything is so pretty. Paige is crazy enough to have two jewelry shops, Little White Chapel and Oh, Nostalgia. I can barely manage one!

Paige, if you're reading this: Thank you! And thanks to everyone who got in touch after my last post about wanting to do something like this in the future. I will keep you posted! :)

Package Full of "Rejects"

Kristen, aka Milo and Molly, came up with the brilliant idea to organize a swap amongst a few Etsy sellers of "rejects," things that didn't sell in our shops or items that weren't quite perfect enough to list. We all have projects that start out amazing in our heads but fall short somewhere between idea and execution. My first package of rejects arrived from Ayla, aka Eyelah, and everything is so cute! She sent me an embroidered pouch, an adorable little coin purse, some face scrubbies, and pretty dangly earrings.

I have to say, if these are Ayla's rejects, the clutches and pouches she sells in her shop must be perfectly sewn and gorgeous in person.

I'm sending out a few packages to some lovely ladies today. And if anyone reads this post and would like to do a similar swap in the future, let me know! I've recently started (again) sending photos off to a lab to be professionally printed, and editing photos for print is entirely different than editing them for viewing online. I frequently have to make them so bright they look "wrong" on my screen to get them to print correctly, and it's a bit of a crapshoot. This process of trial and error will inevitably lead to some prints that won't be perfect enough to list but might still be a nice freebie to get in the mail.

Clockwise from top left: "Hydrangea" by Gallery Zoo Art - Catherine Jeltes; "Seed Cages 1" by Shortwork - Justin Short; "As Time Goes" by Karen Webb; and "The Wallflower Who Never Could" by Dreamer Fine Arts - Andrea Meredith.

This week's collection is just about nature at it's simplest and most beautiful. If you have an area of your home that you're not quite sure what to do with, you can rarely go wrong with black and white nature photography, particularly gorgeous pieces like these. What do you think? Are you a fan of black and white?

A Day at the Museum

Last weekend, we went to the Roy Lichtenstein retrospective at the East Building of the National Gallery. It was fantastic! I loved the pieces they chose to include; and the curators did an excellent job of representing all periods of his work.

I particularly like to go to retrospective exhibits because I get to see how an artist evolves over a lifetime, how subject matter changes and styles become refined.

Unfortunately, photos weren't allowed, but I did snap this one before heading inside. The exhibit ends tomorrow, so if you're in the area, I highly recommend checking it out. Lichtenstein is one of those artists whose work really should be seen in person. In fact, I didn't even buy the catalog after the show because looking at these paintings in a book just isn't the same experience.

Afterwards, we walked around the museum to look at a few old favorites.

Alexander Calder mobile

Chuck Close

Chuck Close

Bruce Nauman

detail of Wayne Thiebaud's Cakes

another detail

Robert Motherwell

This is Leo Villareal's Multiverse, a light sculpture installed in the Concourse between the East and West Buildings. I blogged about it a couple of years ago, and posted a video I took on my phone. I should really go back and take a video with my camera at some point. It looks different every time I go. In fact, with 41,000 computer programmed LEDs, it's unlikely you would ever see the same pattern twice.

And here's Peter after a long day at the museum. :)

What are you guys up to this weekend? I'm thinking I should take advantage of the relatively mild weather we're having and go out exploring...maybe take some photos.

Also, I wanted to say thank you to everyone who left a comment on my last post. You offered many helpful tips and also gave me a lot to think about.
xo, Mary