Tales from Studio Mailbox

Wunschzettel

Today is First Advent.  My husband says his family tradition is to set the children's wish list outside the door where it magically disappears overnight.  The kids then hope for weeks to see their wishes appear at Christmas.

My 2yo can interchangeably use the words "wish list" and "Wunschzettel"  yet I sense that because every single thing he's chosen on his list is made from plastic means that he is secretly more American than German.  This seems blasphemous knowing that we're in the the land of the world's most coveted wooden toys. 

Maybe this can be justified since Lego being Danish and Playmobil being German are local companies and therefore his wishes are not contributing to Santa's sleigh emitting excessive carbon footprints. 

Or maybe I'm just a dreamer.

Frida Sorry For Me

How tragically cliche am I to lay around watching Frida with an ice pack on my face?  It's actually embarrassing.  As if a couple of teeth can even compare to lifetime chronic pain.  This must make it official.  I am Germany's hugest pain weenie. 

The hubby who's lost teeth by kissing hockey pucks on three different occasions has been very compassionate and helpful but now that we're on day 6 he's kind of wondering when I'll pull myself together.  And I'm like, "I passed out watching you get a tattoo."  And he laughs because this is actually true and the thought of how I woke up to the concern of a giant biker man is enough to cut me some more slack. 

And just for the record, pierced-up tattooed biker guys are the some of the greatest people on earth.  If you were on a deserted island or your car is broken down in the middle of the night on the edge of a desert you could pray to the heavens that one comes by.  Some of the scariest "looking" people are the smartest and gentlest creatures.  It's just one of the world's unexplainable phenomenons.

Not having anything other than a blue Rollerball pen at my disposal, this is what came out on my page.  Maybe I'm influenced by all the Ed Hardy merchandise out there or maybe the blue ink just has me thinking about tattoos or whatever.  In every instance I promise to snap out of my pain induced stupor soon.

 

Wisdomless

Monday I had the first 2 of my 4 wisdom teeth pulled.  The lower remaining one is so impacted that Doc Lothar strongly suggested we take this whole procedure in steps.  (I was naively hoping for the whole shebang.  You know -  full anesthisia and all 4 choppers magically absent from my jaw with a nice bottle of refillable narcotics as a parting gift).

Instead I got to be awake for the saga and sent home with measly 400 mg ibuprofen tablets.  (And let me tell you folks, when I was struck with the realization that Doc Lothar and I had completely different visions for my recovery is when I did break down in the dental office). 

Anyway, I'm coping although mentally and physically wiped out.  I had a big creative relaxation planned; a bunch of flat sheets prepped and ready for journaling.  Fat chance.  When I sit up with my chin tipped forward it's not a nice experience.

So for now, here's my self portrait get-well card.  It's not exactly the creative genius I had hoped for but then again I had assumed I'd be really high.

Mail Art Wishes

 I'm entering a drawing for a new book that's come out here in Germany by Eberhard Holders titled, Sketch and Scrap Book.  The give-away is hosted by a company named Boesner who happens to be the single most amazing art supply store that saved my creative soul when I moved here.

As a their long standing customer, all I had to do was send in a postcard before the 15th of December.  It didn't say anything about the drawing being "random" so I'm secretly hoping it's perhaps a contest.  If not, then my backup plan is leaving all my threads hanging so it gives me a better chance for my card to get drawn from the hat.

Of course the message is very subtle, letting them know I'm open to the possibility of winning the awesome book...!! I mean a girl doesn't want to beg...wish me luck!

Rise up!

1st attempt to post from mobile phone...



Sent from my iPhone

Lucky Sighting!

Despite having more internet router problems, I spotted one of THESE!!

The universe is bringing me luck for sure...

I'll need it since I'm trying to master the ability to post from my iPhone!

As an aside, it is a bit creepy that German chimney sweeps dress in total black.  My first reaction is, "Cripes call the cops.  Someone is breaking into the neighbor's house!!"

Then when you realize what's actually going on and you get up close you see them wearing a strange metal ball on a chain with spikes. It looks completely medieval.  This of course brings your thoughts back to a scary place.

I'll have to formulate a good Schornsteinfeger interview and get back to you with the results.

Fun with Ferns

Last fall I made a collection of Leaf Me Alones and this year I've been having fun with ferns.  The first time I tried this was years ago when I would paint orders of terra-cotta pots for greenhouses.  Spending some time in the woods inspired me to do it again.

It was the kind of crispy cold dry day where the paint dried nearly as fast as I could dispense it from the cans.  The fast results are why spray painting is so fun and what makes it so easy to keep layering colors.

It's best to press your leaves flat for a day or two but to still use them when they are green and flexible.  Dry brittle leaves move too much under the force of the spraying paint.

Ferns are just so prehistoric and cool. I like when some of the arms curl a little bit as if the plant is trying to wave at you.

Then again, it's possible that it's curling in an attempt to wave a white flag and get me to stop suffocating it in coat after coat of paint...

Eleven Eleven at Eleven Eleven

Today is the 11th day of the 11th month.  And at precisely 11:11 today is the official start of the Fasching season.  Fasching is the German equivalent to carnival or Mardi Gras.  A good historical explanation in English is here. 

Although most of the parades aren't until the end of February (they're scheduled to be the "last chance" to go wild before the start of Lent), today marks the begining of the club meetings and plans for the big event. 

Some of the hats and masks belonging to the clubs are so amazing (historically and artistically), I always look forward to fun photo opportunities.  I've often thought of finding one of these clubs and attempting to get some "behind-the-scenes" info and photos, perhaps learning their age-old secret knock and such...

Here is a canvas I did over the summer, spray painting pretzels over a collage of German playing cards, adhering a sewn photographic digital collage as well as felt dots for confetti.  Although I was really happy with this and can completely and fully transport myself to the filthy street and loud atmosphere, this canvas got less that favorable reactions from my loved ones.  :(

Polar Fleece Duvet Cover

Our internet router crashed and I've been offline for a few days.  Our heating crashed too and instead of calling the German heating/plumbing man, I first went downstairs and finally slapped together two huge pieces of polar fleece to cover my 2yo's down comforter.  Nothing like motivation to learn how to sew a zipper.

Can I just say that polar fleece with appliques all over it is really difficult to cut squarely?  OMG.  Something that should be so simple was sort of a nightmare.  I knew enough to make sure I cut the front side with the "stretch" going one way, and the backside with the stretchiness going in the other direction, yet I really struggled to get straight edges. And despite using my machine's largest stitches, the fabric is so stretchy the thread just wants to break (even after sewing it pulled a bit taught).  Grr.

Whatever the trials, the end result was a happy, warm, boy.  And never fear dear readers; both the heat and the internet are back on.  But then the dishwasher didn't drain, a light bulb blew and I've just kind of laid low and stuck my nose in a book!

Pulsatilla ATC

I made an ATC for a homeopath at my local pharmacy... it made me think I should hang all kinds of cards from my twisty sticks!

When I presented this to the pharmacist she asked if I was interested in dressing one of her shop windows after the holidays. 

I was so pleased by her offer and grateful for her gesture to help integrate me in the community.

I've already hatched a design plan...