this weekend i got to see a chicken eat a mouse.
that is my second mouse filled weekend in a row.
what will happen this weekend?

(maybe i should start shooting for mousse instead of mouse?)

oh the green agony!
i just spent about 30 minutes trying to figure out which new checks to buy. being the penny-pincher that i am (and because i am not yet fully switched over to a bank that provides me with free checks, and almost out of checks from my old account...) i researched how much they would be to purchase through my bank, and then did some wonderful google work to see how much checks are elsewhere. these are the conclusions i came to...
1. my bank checks are at least $5 more expensive.
2. i can buy just one box (200 checks, w/o duplicates) of cheap checks with an over-the-top design for $9.95 including s&h.
3. i could buy environmentally friends checks at the check gallery. this third option really interested me, and i checked (no pun intended) it out. they have a special offer for new customers of $9.95 for the first box of checks, and only $.95 for the second. i got excited...but it turns out they have a two box minimum. plus $4.50 for the first box and $1.50 for additional boxes in shipping, plus $1.50 per box handling fee.
my conscience had quite a debate (can it have a debate, or can it just be challenged). here are the things i pondered.
a) recycled, soy based inks are great...i should support that.
b) i don't need two boxes of checks. it takes me about 8 years to use a box of checks, so a second box would be wasteful. what is the value of one box of conventionally produced and printed (and possibly made with recycled paper, not sure) checks versus a wasteful 2 boxes of guaranteed recycled, soy-based ink boxes. how do i even start to weight that.
c) the enviro checks required shipment through dhl, which i would consider to be more wasteful than the usps, which the conventional checks offer (for free). i love the usps.
d) yes, price $9.95 versus $19.90.
i will leave you in suspense readers...and i will return in some days with my answer.

it's getting cold here, and it's almost like there is a permanant mister hitting the city. ok, it just feels like that today, probably because i spent most of the day outside shoveling, forking and hauling chip and leveling out land, and it was great and i am tired. so all i want to do is listen to the indigo girls (sigh, i know) or watch alias and eat fudge chocolate ice cream and drink hot chocolate and curl up with a blanket and be cozy. which is fun. but first i will bike to the store and buy some pork, because i need it for this fantastic recipe i will be making for dinner. oh, that's right, it's the night when everyone goes out to celebrate halloween. my costume will be "pajama party" and i will celebrate in my living room. no body latex paint or french maid costumes or sugar candy for me...just a good night of sleep and some delicious food. and tomorrow a choir perfomance which i am quite excited to go to, and work...because i like work. and if you haven't checked out the bag of the week, you should do it now...because it's coming down tomorrow (because it already sold). ok, i should probably practice my coherence before i write anything publicly. time to turn the compost in my hot rubber boots!

oh geez! life is so exciting.
this morning i had a great meeting outside, and then i spent all day cooped up (oh how i wish i could be a mother to some urban chickens) rolling out 5 different versions of the mysterios new 'joy bag' for the upcoming fall/winter line. the design for this bag came to me in a flash of smoke and lights (ok, not really, but it did come from nowhere, instantly) and i was so excited to finish putting it together today. the shape and style is cute, and the detail work (in my own self-impressed opinion) is very cute. i'm so excited. if it's sunny tomorrow i'll take some pictures and be one step closer to having the new website completed...but no sneak peeks on the new items until the website re-launch, which should be the first week of november (just in time for the new duct tales newsletter). the new bag is just so cute, and i hope every duct tape lover in america feels that way. tomorrow i get on to prototyping the smaller pieces (joy cuff, coin catcher, new id wallet-envelope clutch and checkbook holder) i'm so excited. alright, back to work for me.

oh, and this is going to be the best week ever. (for you and for me)

does anyone have any chocolate?

there is something so wonderful about being out and about in nature, even if it's just for a day or two. i was lucky enough to spend the weekend camping in a snowshelter with this wonderful view at lake Timpanogas. ahhh, fresh air and water, it's the best.

this week will bring the finalization of the new website and the fal and winter line. also, lots of new items for the ruby martini show in two weekends. and, if my math is correct, meri will be in town which is very exciting. i also get to give blood and see sarah vowell, what could be better.

i am so excited about the pieces that will be coming up soon. one imparticular, it will have a certain girlish flair that has been missing on the site for a while.

it feels like there is so much to say, but i can't summon any of it right now. so, back to work for me. happy week!

at least i am back to posting weekly, instead of every other month. here is the run down...things are getting busy in the studio for the holiday season, i can feel it coming on. business is getting busier around town too, now that i am a bit more plugged in to the scene and have a wider network of amigos. i'm very excited to put together a nice collection for the ruby martini show on november 5th (at core source from 11 to 4pm) in ne portland. leave me a message for more info. shows are a nice way of meeting people and getting the word out, showing the new line (yay) and getting rid of old pieces that seem like they are going to live in the studio forever. and, it's going to be sarah's first show. i'll be in a class all weekend, so the goods will be managed by her. it's nice to have the added (and much appreciated) teamwork around the studio. i am also so excited to keep developing the website. the new front page is up at vanessajean.com, so check it out and report back about how you like it. it should be running by the end of the week, depending on how many more orders come in (it's so hard to prioritize web design when there feels like more pressing work to do!) either way, it's a good time. also, the fall/winter line should be out in no time, just trying to pare it down to a sturdy collection instead of a few (but great) mishmashed designs. i'm going to be introducing a duct tape pin (you know, a brooch, but trendier) and the stationery is going to come back...although this time it will be much cooler.

as for me, i'm still plugging along at all the other important things in my life! i finally feel like i have a social situation here that i am incredibly happy with (saturday plans for the past two weeks!) and i am moving in the educational and professional directions i want. the benefit of having a work-for-yourself schedule is that you can volunteer on all sorts of projects, which i am trying to maximize. right now i am doing (ok, just starting) some classroom based learning for the psu FEED program, and hopefully getting to work on the farm space more too. i am also taking some permaculture courses with the portland permaculture institute which is incredibly exciting! i am also still riding my bike alot and enjoying the last few sunny days before the need to build an arc sets in here. oh well. also, i have discovered the wonders of acupuncture, and i recommend it all around. ok, back to work...

ok, now it's really been a long time. this is the effect of not having wireless internet in the house or studio, which is prohibitively expensive...and i can't get an unprotected connection in my apartment...oh well. so, here's the run down. pictures of fall prototypes online now. the home page will be redone in the next day (finally!) and then the rest of the facelift for the website will commence. so exciting! the fall/winter line is wrapping up splendidly, and it's just a matter of getting everything up on the site, and all should be superb for a holiday-time re-launch. maybe we'll celebrate with a sale! i've been awash with inspiration lately, from pins (to come) to all kinds of crazy new scissors and hole-making devices, to chinese food to throw-back pendants. it feels great to get some down time to just design. and the bag of the week goes up tomorrow too. i will give you a sneak preview of the items right here...right now...right below...

unfortunately there wasn't superb light by the time i finished them, but i think they will clean up ok, or hopefully it will be sunny tomorrow. on left...polka meri: kelly green with a case of the pink polka dots. on the left: meri sophisticate: olive with pink circles. the dots are hand punched into the duct tape, and they look fantastic.
other things we are working on..re-formating some of the pages on the site that have been a mystery until now (the item detail pages) and developing our environmental policy that will be posted on the site. we are well aware that duct tape is not good for the environment, and we do our best to make up for it with our intense waste reduction, recylcing, re-use and renewable energy policies. more to come on the website.

on the personal side, i have spent the first 4 days into my 25th year of life as a happy woman who has enjoyed a couple extra naps, a couple extra hours to sleep in, a couple extra miles on the bike each day, and a belly full of gluten free birthday treats (thanks gals!). lots more personal stuff, but we'll have to save it for another day.

oh, and vanessa jean is celebrating its 3rd birthday this november...that's a great reason to have a sale!