Tales from Studio Mailbox

Happy New Year

Here's to 2012, whatever it may bring.  Just having a little fun here, love you guys!!  xx tj

Ghost of Pretzels Future

Since I've stopped blogging regularily, I've been thinking a lot about how to move forward with everything I've built up over here. 

And although I know I cannot continue to post as I have in the past, I do hope to do a few fun things in the upcoming year to celebrate the twisted form. 

So for those of you who've stuck with me, thank you!  I suppose it's not easy to change from a committed relationship to an open and undefined one.  I'm feeling like a creepy boyfriend who only calls late at night for some booty.

Rest assured that I'm right here and will let you know where and when and how I'm ready to begin again.

Here's wishing you a fantastic, happy and healthy new year full of creativity.  Wherever you are on your journey, I hope you're twisting!

*An ATC made from one of my last German bakery bags repurposed along with scraps of drawer lining from my German kitchen cupboard!

Ghost of Pretzels Present

If you can't find one, make one.

I wanted to invent the peppermint pretzel, but I got so enthusiastic with my shading that it turned out more like a wildly embroidered or yarn-bombed pretzel!  (Now that my friends is an idea worth exploring...)

Ghost of Pretzels Past

Would it be Christmas without pretzels?  Here's a little sample of papers past, that I've been saving just for you...

All were bought at a German drug store called Müller.  Surely this is enough twisty evidence to prove what an important form the pretzel is during the holidays (and always)! 

Like we needed to be told!

If you're lucky enough to get a gift wrapped in twisty goodness this year, post a photo to your site and link up in the comments below or post your picture on the Studio Mailbox facebook page and win a special edition ATC!

That's right folks...a puppy pretzel.  Happy Holidays xxx tj

Telling Santa

This is going to be my first Minnesota Christmas in many years.  And although I don't have any plans to return to blogging, I still wanted to get back in here and share something really special with you.

If you look at the young TJ in the powder blue over-sized robe on the floor you might be wondering what I was playing with.  The second I looked at it, I remembered exactly what it was.

That was my very first printing press!! 

Did anybody else have a Fashion Plates Toy that kept them busy for hours on end?  I can still remember peeling my crayons and breaking them to the desired length to fit into the little plastic “brayer” that allowed you to rub over the paper that was laying on top of the 3 interchangeable printing plates.

The crazy part about finding this picture is that I recently applied to become a member of the Artist's Cooperative at the Minnesota Center for Book Arts where the possibilities of paper and print are pretty much endless.

I kept it mostly to myself.  I didn't come in here and tell you.  I simply waited.

And when my German son was a little skeptical of Santa, I had no choice but to demonstrate the whole process, and while I was at it, I told Santa my wishes...

And apparently he was listening because I got an email welcoming me to the organization...

Dang.  That fella really is magic!!

Did you tell Santa your dreams this year?  There's still time...

Tschuss

Seventeen large boxes are all that’s left of Studio Mailbox.  They’re nestled tightly in a garage storage unit.  I’ve been contemplating what to do about this and I still haven’t come to any conclusions. 

I came across these photos which made me want to say goodbye to my old space.    I’m pretty sure these are the last pictures taken there.  I remember being very stressed while sorting and getting rid of things.  I selected each and every tiny thing very carefully before deciding if I should pack it or not.  I put as much effort into it as if I had been asked to save the human race.  I worked among half-filled boxes, chaos and indecision for a long time.

Some of the stuff was really hard to let go of.  I wouldn’t exactly call myself a hoarder, but I do make attachments to the strangest things.  You can’t believe how tough it was saying goodbye to my paint cup, so much so that I clearly felt the need to do a photo shoot before I threw it away.  Years and years of watery glue was stuck to the lip, which had a way of enclosing layer after layer of paint drips.

So now that you know how hard it was to let go of a cup, image how hard it is to tell you that I think I'm done here.

I've been kicking this around for awhile, and I'm pretty sure it's time.

When I moved to Europe all those years ago I waited anxiously for the container with all my worldly belongings to arrive.  And when it got there, I had dishes that didn't fit in the cupboards and pans that didn't fit in the oven.  I had sheets that didn't fit the bed and I had appliances that couldn't convert to the electricity.

Right now, this blog feels exactly like one of those things that isn't going to fit into my new life.

I'm letting you know because I think it's horseshit to disappear on people and not let them know what's up. You've all been so good to me, I'm not going to leave you hanging. 

There's no question that I'll miss you. 

"Tschuus" is the informal goodbye in German.  It's not the dramatic, embracing, wipe tears away "Aufwiedersehen."  It's just "see you later."  

That's all this is, a casual "cheerio" until our paths cross again.