my newest role….

Posted on by

0

mother.

(woah…)

It’s incredible, exciting, challenging, exhausting, hard, and wonderful all at the same time. And on top of it all it’s demanding.

I took my 12 weeks off from the day-job so I could focus on this tiny new human being that I created. We got to know each other, we played, we tried to figure out a schedule (haha), we tried to get enough sleep to not resemble zombies all of the time, we watched a ton of day-time tv, I was lucky if I had enough time to myself got a shower every other day much less anything else, and I wish it could have been longer. So time has been hard to come by for the past 3 months. I somehow managed to have a booth at the Belmont street fair when she was 5 weeks old (major kudos to the hubster for helping me pull that off). I think she got more attention than anything I was selling, but she is pretty freaking cute so I totally understand.

But my 12 weeks have run out and life is expensive, even more so with a child, and so I must return to the world of the working. Which means even less time. On weekdays I usually only get about 3 hours with her after work, before bed time so I try to squeeze in all the cuddles and giggles and playtime and loving I can. I mean I have a 3 month old and I miss her… working sorta sucks. But c’est la vie… We make it work.

My point here is that I have very little time for the things that I need to get done, much less the things I want to do… like painting, and making jewelry, and tending to my etsy shop… blogging.  So my plan (before our little girl joined us) was that I would just re-up the new years goals that I set for myself here last year, this year. That seemed realistic… until it became November and New Years is only two short months away and wholey cow where has the time gone!?

But no, I can do this. They were simple goals. I just need to pace myself, and realize that I am now doing it for someone else too. This little girl needs a role model who pursues her dreams, no matter how hard they may be.

Boy, I am rambly when I do get a chance… clearly I need to get back here regularly. So look for it, new years I will try this again. (try… I make no promises these days.)

Oh, and in case you were curious, here she is in all her heart melting adorableness, holding Daddy’s hand.

Adorable, no?

Adorable, no?

Advertisements

One of the Two Foxes

Posted on by

0

Here it is and February is almost over already. I know it’s the shortest month, but it has flown by. It’s almost March… I’m almost 30… THIS weekend is the SE Area Art Walk… and in just 5 short months I will be a flippin’ Mom!

February has gone too quickly. I am not ready for any single one of these things much less all of them! Oh, and that Mom thing? Yeah… That is the big time personal project I have been working on lately. And the project to soon consume my life, I am sure. So, for now, lets focus on what is coming before August, shall we? Namely the Art Walk?

SE Area Art Walk is happening THIS weekend. March 2nd and 3rd, that’s Saturday and Sunday, from 10am-5pm. You can walk around the whole inner SE area (within certain limits) to visit artists in their home studios! See where they work, how they create their art, maybe get a glimpse of their process, even poke around some pretty impressive old houses in Ladd’s Addition…. But that is just a fun bonus, the ART WORK is the focus here. So come out! Brave the weather, or enjoy the sun, whichever happens, it is Portland afterall.  And support some local artist! Buy some art. Meet some neighbors, and get to know the area in a whole new way! It’s a great time, really. More maps, links and a complete artist list is available on the website at www.seportlandartwalk.com

Aaaand if you come to MY house (#32 on that handy little map here) you may even get some homemade treats!

The Map (especially important is #32)

The Map (especially important is #32 -1812 SE 11th Ave.)

As a way to focus my energies and very scattered brain these past few weeks I have been working on a new painting. Something fun and new to debut this weekend at the art walk. Something to relax me and give me a few minutes to just release instead of think and worry and stress… so I let go this time and just painted. Also a little bit inspired by a dream. I love that, don’t you? I mean what more organic and wholly your own can something be than straight from your subconscious?

So here is just a sneak peek.

One of the Two Foxes...

One of the Two Foxes…

If you wanna see the whole piece you should come out and do some art-walkin’ this weekend. See ya there!

Push

Posted on by

0

As in I need to Push myself more often. I set some seemingly simple goals for myself at the beginning of the year and I have already NOT done them. I am a stereotypical resolution-er. (sigh)

Let’s start over. How about a painting feature. The painting was the whole goal of this endeavor anyways. Plus, I plan on painting something tonight when I get home tonight, so why not get into the mood now. This is one of my favs… right now. The tree that was in the backyard of the house that I grew up in. The house is now someone else’s to grow up in and I am told the tree is no more. But it will always been in my childhood.

Push

Push

 
When I was little it was a simple request for some fun ups and downs… back and forth… those ups and downs have changed. And now I kind of hate being pushed… and secretly love it too. Pushed. Tested. Challenged… I don’t like it, but it seems to always lead to better things I never dared dreamed of myself… things that others seem to see in me as they shove me higher and higher kicking and screaming…
 
 

************************************

Push can be found for sale in my etsy shop, along with some jewelry featuring the print. Look for a feature on Push’s counter part Pull coming soon.

Happy New Year (and one week)

Posted on by

1

clink

Happy New Year!

I am a little late with this… and by a little late I mean both a) new year’s was a week ago and b) I haven’t posted since October!

I am a terrible blogger. If I even count as one.

Anywho. It is the new year and a lot is changing for me. Personally, big things are coming together. And for KatMariee…. well, I need to get my behind in gear.

At one point last year I was super-duper excited to be able to claim that my jewelry was being sold in THREE shops around Portland. Sadly in early November, the lovely mini-shop in the Clinton/Division area decided to shut its doors with the hopes of finding a better and more independent location somewhere else in town. As soon as that happens I will let you know! (we miss you Tangible Gifts!)

Then this year right after Christmas I was hit with even sadder news. The very first shop to take me under its wing, the first shop to sell my art and jewelry, AND the first place to honor me with my own solo art show will also be closing its doors in just one week. Be*Mused was a fantastic gift shop on East Burnside, which featured over 50 local artists. The owner of the shop opened a huge door for me when she began me on my retail way. I will be forever grateful to her and wish her well on any and all things that lie in her future.

So here I am, in a brand new year, with a tiny fledgling business. On the up side, we are actually comfortably in the black and no longer owing my personal bank account anything! Yet at the same time, are down to just one last shop featuring my work.

SIDE NOTE PLUG** Elevation Trade at 1520 SE Bybee Blvd. in Sellwood, go see them. They feature local Portland makers and also have some lovely fair trade items from Nepal.

So new year, new start, new list of goals!

This years to do list:

  • Get list of retailers back up to three by October (at least one every three months).
  • Participate in at least three street fairs this summer. (Belmont without a doubt, love it there!)
  • Participate in SE Area Art Walk in early March (this is exciting, explore SE Portland on foot, by bike, or however you wanna get around to see/purchase artwork and other creations in the artists homes and studios where they create it!)
  • Blog at LEAST 2x’s a month.
  • Paint more. This past year the jewelry has kind of taken over, and while I love it, the goal of all of this was for me to paint more. So let’s paint more.
  • Approach a new coffee shop/restaurant for an art feature.
  • Participate in and help out graphically with the new PDXEtsy team show.

Yes, there is MUCH more that I would like to accomplish, but being aware of the other things coming for the rest of my time in my personal life and boring day job… I want to keep it simple and realistic.

So, happy New Year everyone, let’ get to work!

only 66 more shopping days!

Posted on by

0

No.

I don’t do that.

No one should do that.

I hate when people do that.

I love Halloween (see all of my spooky ‘dead’ trees for proof).

And I love Thanksgiving!

I mean sweet potatoes, roast turkey, pies of all kinds,  and everything pumpkin flavored that you could ever imagine?! Yes please!

I do not believe in the glossing over of these holidays just so we can rush the arrival of the most expensive and hectic of them all. All family members, even those you can’t remember, as many meals in one day as possible, wrapping gifts and opening gifts and cleaning up the gift wrap, more eating, more family ahhhhhhhhhhh! Now, understand I do love me some Christmas time… really and truly I do. But let’s just wait for Christmas time to enjoy it, shall we?

With all of that said I have been accepted into my first holiday season craft show and I am pretty excited about it! It is the Hip Happening Holiday Bazaar… and they suggest you kick off your holiday shopping there… but I say lets just all come together to support local vendors, buy some lovely handmade goodness (maybe for others… maybe for yourself) and quite possible share a few pumpkin lattes 😉

Hope to see you there!