I had intended to write a post last week introducing the new banner/masthead at the top of Knitnut.net, and asking for your feedback. But all that layoff stuff took over my brain and I didn’t do it. In the meantime, some of you sharp-eyed readers noticed the new banner and left comments about it on various posts. Thank you for that.
The banner was designed by the creative and talented Schmutzie, whose blog I love. Schmutize creates clever new mastheads for her own blog all the time, so I asked her to see if she could do something with my sheep.
What do you think? Do you like it? Can you think of anything that might make it even better?
Front view of Crow teapot and mug
Back view of crow teapot and mug
After the pottery show I went to the Ottawa Mixed Media Artists opening last night at the Britannia Gallery, and bought a newspaper dress. Yes, I know I’m unemployed and it was a crazy impulsive purchase, and this is not the best time to suddenly become a crazy impulsive shopper.
I woke up at 3:00 in the morning and worried about this for an hour or so. Eventually I realized that the reason I bought the newspaper dress is because in my heart I believe everything’s going to be okay. It was an act of optimism, an act of faith in myself. It was an act that asserts that I’m still me, and I’m not going to end up penniless in the gutter if I buy a piece of art I love.
But I also decided, at 4:00 in the morning, that I won’t buy any more newspaper dresses until I get another job.
You should see it! It’s called Fashion is Fleeting, and it was created by Patricia Gordon. It’s fabulous. It won the award for the best piece in the show. It’ll remain hanging on the wall at the Britannia Gallery until the end of the month if you want to go see it.
In Halifax one of my neighbours was a self-employed artist. She had a variety of different art-related gigs that she worked at which somehow kept her and her son housed, clothed and fed. And she always had money for a couple of vacations every year and for buying interesting or quirky artsy clothes or dishes or bits of furniture. None of her gigs were guaranteed, so one month she might have next to no money coming in and another month quite a bit money. She never hesitated to spend though on something that she loved. Her feeling was that as long as she kept spending money, more money would come in. As soon as she started hoarding it or saving it, the income dried up. She says that’s how it’s been all her life.
Oh heck. I can walk to the Britannia Gallery! I have three favourite coffee mugs with crows perched on the inside rim and visible to me only when the cup is in the cupboard. Darn right-handed designers.
Love the new banner. It just tickles me every time I look at it. Absolutely perfect!!!! Oh the glasses, the best, must be an age related thing.
I agree. Sheep with glasses are the thinking coyote’s snack…
Love the new banner. And can’t wait to see photos of the newspaper dress!
How perfect – crows AND cats.
I think that part of mindful living is being willing to spend money on what matters to you – buy local, buy art, give change to people on the street. These things will NEVER impoverish you.
I like this reasoning very much:
“Eventually I realized that the reason I bought the newspaper dress is because in my heart I believe everything’s going to be okay.”
what is a newspaper dress?
Newspaper dress, huh? Sounds nice
Also, love the new banner. Sheep always make for good blog reading.
XUP, that’s an interesting philosophy. I’m happy it worked for her, but I’ve seen plenty of people who spent themselves freely into depths of debt. (I’ve always been a saver myself. I don’t like spending unless I have a buffer zone between myself and poverty.)
Grace, if you get a chance, pop by the gallery and let me know what you think of my newspaper dress!
Lissa, thanks for the feedback on the banner.
Coyote, the older sheep might move a little slower, but at least he’ll see you coming.
Lynn, I’ll post photos of the dress at the end of the month, once I get it home. It’s worth waiting for!
Mudmama, I agree with you, especially about giving money to people on the street. As soon as the layoff talk started at work, I started giving more. I wasn’t sure why, but it had something to do with what you’re talking about.
Julia, I felt much better about the purchase once I realized that was what lay beneath it.
Deb, it’s three-dimensional art. It’s a cocktail dress made of newspaper – comic strips, actually. It’s not wearable – it’s not life-size, and it’s just the front of the dress, and it’s mounted on canvas.
Chris, thanks for the banner comment. I’m happy you like it.
I’m off now to an all-day art journaling workshop. I’ll blog about it later.
As I said before, new banner=beyond awesome!
Optimism is a good thing! THAT must be why I keep buying more yarn… Yes… Optimism… That’s right *shifty eyes*
Ya, so I the mudmamma philosophy is what my artsy friend was into as well. She never went into debt, just spent what she had. I used to be terrified for her. I need a buffer too. Much as I love the concept of being self-employed I think it would drive me crazy
[…] that mixed media art show where I bought the newspaper dress? Well the show ended and I’m now in possession of the […]
i always use Ceramic Coffee mugs because they are quite tough, i dropped them on the floor without breaking;””