Sunday morning waffles

Self-closing wrapper (left) and slipcase (right) from "The Outer Layer" class

As a treat on Sunday mornings, I like to have a couple of waffles with my coffee. I eat them with Gedney's State Fair "Doubleberry" jam (blueberry and raspberry combined). They're the multi-grain kind, so it's really not too indulgent...except for the butter...but it's different than my weekday fare and feels special.

Each student's workspace is ready for them.

Today is a catch-up day for me. I taught my first class at MCBA yesterday (called "The Outer Layer") and I've been preoccupied all week with creating the structure for the class, writing hand-outs and preparing materials. I went into the studio two hours early yesterday to set everything up, and I'm glad I did. If you were in my class, thanks so much for your patience with me!

An "Outer Layer" student

The Center was a lively place yesterday. In addition to my class, Lin Lacy was teaching an intro to marbling next door and my Craftsravaganza partner was teaching letterpress in the press room. And, they were getting ready for the opening last night of the new exhibition Situations.

Gluing up the multi-use box (the slipcase is in the foreground)

I have no commitments today, so I can luxuriate between activities. Somehow a full list of things to do and no pressure to get them done is my favorite way to greet the day.

Beautiful marbled paper hanging to dry.

I nearly completed a hat-trick of appliance malfunction last week. First my dishwasher had to have major surgery, but survived. Then my dryer gave up the ghost...permanently. But it was when my sweet little iPod (vintage 2004) started to skip around its playlist without finishing a song that I really got worried. I love that little thing. Compared to the current iPods, it's quite dainty. It has no color screen, much less video. But buying it was something of a turning point in my own understanding of the evolution of technology. It was when I got my iPod and started to understand the concept of creating your own playlist and downloading just one tune (and not an entire record) that I really understood how the music world had changed, virtually overnight. It had a huge impact on my professional work and still affects how I understand and watch new technology. Fortunately, however, the skipping was only a scary moment for my iPod and it now seems to be working fine. (I did spend more than a few moments online looking at the Apple iTouch and iPhone...just in case.)

Marianne spatters color.

So my list includes going out to look at dryers today but no Apple products. I also want to get started on some boxes in red and pink for the shop at MCBA. They already have a fabulous collection of unusual items for Valentine's Day, including some wonderful new posters by Amos Paul Kennedy.

Craftstravaganza

Pronounced: Craft-stra-va-gan-za
Craftstravaganza is an annual alt- (as in alternative) art and craft sale held on the Minnesota State Fairgrounds in St. Paul each spring. My friend Allison, who does beautiful letterpress printing and her own books through Igloo Press, and I put together an application for the one-day sale and last night we were notified that we were accepted!
The alt-craft current is having so much fun with craft. Many of the crafters seem to be in their 20's and 30s and are having way more fun with craft than I've seen in a long time. Vintage styles are favorites, images are as diverse as flowers or skulls, and everything, really, is fair-game for someone's imagination. Crafters use the web to promote much of their work, find great central locations for sales and fairs and don't invest in much of an all year 'round presence. It's sort of dive-bombing for craft sales. The New York Times took notice in December and looked at the unique business models of these artists.
I visited this sale last year. For 355 days of the year our beautiful fairgrounds are mostly quiet. There are weekend shows in a few buildings, but nothing like the madhouse of our State Fair in August. Craftsravaganza holds its sale in the Fine Arts building on the fairground campus and allow just 75 exhibitors. Arranged in two rings to make it easy to wander through, you see everything without feeling overwhelmed. Last year, there were beautiful felted rugs, patchwork diaper covers, great dresses and skirts, silk-screened T's with fabulous graphics and of course, lots and lots of jewelry.
Allison and I will be having coffee soon to discuss the specifics of our table: banners? twinkle lights? It's all very fun. If you live in the Twin City area, put April 26 on your calendar!