A Good Weekend

Friday night was very exciting because Fyrefly Photography opened up their new studio! It looks absolutely beautiful. Lots of friends came out to say hi and have a drink and celebrate how far the business has come in just a little over a year. We think of Nathan and Edie and their kids like family, and now Nick is second shooting weddings most every weekend with Nathan. Also, I do some blogging/ childcare/ bag-making for him. So we feel like it's the family biz. It was a fun night.

Here is a little peek of the space. I think I'll have to show you more of it later this week, because it is full of great vintage styling you will love. Too bad I'm not a photographer myself, but you'll get the idea.

That night was a monthly event here in our neighborhood called "Oakley Afterhours," where all the businesses on the square stay open late and have special things going on. So Nick played some tunes for Red Tree Gallery and Coffee Shop, just around the corner from the new studio. Yeah, he's pretty good.

And my monsters also made their debut at Red Tree that day! Besides the really good art they have on the wall each month, they also sell lots of very cool handmade goods from local artists. I'm excited to have them for sale "in the flesh."

And lastly, my friend Kara just informed me that one of the monsters was included in an Etsy Finds collection on their blog and daily email. WHAT? The crazy thing is, my other friend Olivia from Palette Theory has an item in the same collection! I think she is the only other person I know with an etsy shop. There are only like a gazillion different items on etsy- what are the odds of that?? See it here. (Scroll down to the bottom.)

Toddlers just gotta dance.

So we don't watch TV in our house, but have recently introduced Hendrix to the wonders of youtube (not all of the wonders, mind you.) It's a double edged sword- a quick video here and there is a great distraction when I need him to, um, be distracted. But then when video time is over he has to be distracted again or else a big tantrum ensues. Also, he now thinks every computer and iphone in the world exists exclusively for him to watch videos, and he starts dancing and whining as soon as he sees one. (Cue all parents marveling at how babies these days can use phones and computers... then we all realize what geezers we are for saying it.)

This is by far the best kid's video I have found yet on youtube. HG goes nuts for it, and I don't find it terribly annoying- the perfect combo.



A close second-




Anyone know any other good ones? They are hard to find. The annoying techno gummy bear song, however, is easy to find in a dozen languages. SO WEIRD.

Henrietta is back.

She was my first Etsy sale, (thanks to this crazy guy) and I missed her when she left. So I've conjured her back.

This is Henrietta. She likes rolling down hills and catching frogs. She does not like when her little brother monster comes into her room. She keeps a bird named Paul in her mouth to keep her teeth clean.


I'm working on a batch of brand new monster faces today for peddling at Red Tree Gallery. I will show you tomorrow, and after that, more new listings in the shop. 

Back in the Furnace

Made some more bride bags and thought I'd show you. It's nothing new, but at least I'm sewing in the hot box again.

It's hot.

I have a confession to make. I haven't touched my sewing machine in 2 weeks. That is a pretty long time for me. But what is really shameful is the reason for this. My sewing room is upstairs on the third floor of this very old house and it is like sewing in a furnace. Right now the thermostat is set at 70 and the air seems to be working hard to keep the downstairs a balmy 80. Up there it feels like 90. I did have a fan in there, but my husband stole it for some very worthy purposes. It's not like it would be that hard to buy a new one. But we haven't.

I hate this, because I have about million ideas swirling around in my head, but as soon as I go up there they melt or something. I lose all motivation. (How is keeping the room hot supposed to be good motivation for sweat shop sewers??) I had big plans to make a dress tonight for a wedding we are going to tomorrow, but as of now, I might have to go in a burlap sack or something. Or nothing.

So instead of sewing I sat down here on my dumb ol computer and tried my hand at the whole treasury- making thing on Etsy. (Happy 5th bday to them today!) That seems like a giant waste of time you say? Well, yes. But it is pretty fun if you get excited about pretty handmade things like I do. And it's not such a waste of time if it helps any little sellers get some exposure.

You can see the listings of "Black Summer" here and "Ode to Chucks" here. 

(I just realized I need to make a blog signature. Coming soon.)

Father's Day Gifts

... that I wish I were getting Nick this year. I did get him something, just not any of these. Is it kind of mean to show him all of these things he won't be getting? Oh well, if nothing else, my MIL can get some new gift ideas for him. Goodness knows she is ALWAYS looking for gift ideas... She collects them like baseball cards. I wouldn't be surprised if she had them all filed like the dewey decimal system, neatly waiting until December when they can make her Christmas shopping much easier. It's just one of the things that is so sweet about her.

And so-

Leather Camera strap by Loray:n

Anatomical heart billfold from In Blue

Epic western style vintage shirt from Streynj Muffin

Roctopus T by Dowdy Studio

Clipper ship linocut print by Perla Anne

NYC Skyline belt buckle by City Cowboy

Nautical tin art by Black Rabbit (I know, boats again, but he's really into them right now.)

Amazing tankard stein from Hughes Pottery

It's so fun to pretend shop on Etsy, but I should stop. What are you doing for your fatherly dudes this weekend?

Street Art

Katie's post about street art reminded me that I have been wanting to show you guys the brand new Shepard Fairey (of iconic Obama campaign poster fame) murals that went up in our neighborhood just a couple weeks ago. Hendrix and I got caught in the rain walking home from taking these pictures tonight...  soooo yeah, you're welcome :)

You can find this one down Brazee Street off Madison in Oakley. 

I love this one because it is right on Madison Rd. on a very nice clean business building. I can just imagine most people driving by it and thinking "What the $#*% is that ugly zombie thing?" There is one just like it on Shake-it Records in Northside, but the sight is more expected there. It's called "Obey Fiend Skull." Kind of Banksy-ish.

There are more murals that went up back in February throughout downtown and Northside as part of his exhibition at the Contemporary Arts Center. (The following pictures are from here.)

These are on High Street Design on Reading Rd. downtown.  (Which is so swanky and cool. I might have to do a whole post on it some day.)

This one is right on the corner we used to live on in Over the Rhine.

And this one is on the side of Shop Therapy in Northside. 

The Shepard Fairey exhibit is at the CAC through August 22, so I'm glad we still have some time to get down there and see it. When we do, I will show you their really fun children's art center. 

And in other street art news, the Banksy documentary is screening at the Esquire June 18th. I CAN'T WAIT! I think I should put my craftiness to more subversive use... what should my street art name be?

A Couple More Softies

Things have been sparse around here lately because our internet is being spotty. Which is perfect for the week you decide to open an Etsy shop. 

This weekend Hendrix's little buddy Campbell had her first birthday party, so I made some very last minute gifts Saturday morning and took some very very last minute pictures of them.

I've made this owl shape before, but I just made up the duck pattern. It's ok, but it's head came out a kind of square... looks a little special.

A heart on the booty is unnecessary but cute.

Poor square-headed duck. You're still pretty. Maybe you will grow up to be a swan.

Hey! I finally did it. Shop open.

I have an Etsy shop now. Geez, those things are a pain to set up! It was fun though, and I'm excited to get it going. Since starting this little blog, the monsters I made have had some of the most positive reactions, so now there are 8 one-of-a-kind plush monsters for sale at the shop, also called A Little Gray. Although, I don't think there is anything gray in there :) So anyway, thanks for all your positive comments and encouragement, or else I never would have done this! That, and my husband and friends constantly telling me to get my head out of my arse and do it.

Thanks to Nathan for taking the amazing pictures. Go look around the shop here!