Wilder

Yesterday my nephew turned one! This year was absolutley amazing for a variety of personal reasons but none as fantastic as the birth of this little guy.

His parents are doing a bang up job of raising him. He never sleeps and I cannot imagine the pain my sister must endure at three in the morning when Wilder just wants to hang out. Being an aunt is terrific. Although living almost 4 hours away, I don't get to see him as much as I would like. With his big blue eyes and a two tooth smile he is just too cute! I wish I could kiss those cheeks everyday.

Wilder with my brother. Both have those ice blue eyes!

Being an aunt has made me think about my own family. Parenting seems to be a lot of fun but also really, really exhausting. Millions of people have been doing it for hundreds of years, but it appears that one is never really prepared, each family is unique and you never know what the day will bring. To be a parent you must rise to the occasion and I must say, my sister and brother in law are doing a remarkable job.

We love you Wilder. Happy Birthday!! I love being a part of your life.

Do any of you have nieces or nephews? Any advice? Thanks for looking. Love, Ms. Kate.

gratitude

Day after thanksgiving and I am still stuffed!!

Pat and I decided to stay home and enjoy a quiet turkey day. Just the two of us. We went for a long walk, wrestled a turkey breast into the oven, and watched Charlie Brown.

Although part of me was a bit envious of all my friends with their driveways full of cars and thirty people sitting around the table... it was fantastic to play some records, drink some wine and enjoy some quality time with my husband. Our lives have been so busy and it was nice to simply hang out. No agenda (except eating) and no place to be. We turned the phone off, turned John Denver up and relaxed.

Also, I finally got to use the china that was passed down to me! It was my great grandmothers which she purchased in the 1920's. They are wonderful with little red fruit and tree branches. The back of the china has a stamp that says "oven safe" but nothing about microwaves or dishwashers. That is because the china was around before the microwave was invented! So cool. It is so neat to have a tiny bit of my mother's history. 

This year has been such a whirlwind and there is so much to be thankful for. I love our home, our family and the life we have made together. My mother told me she was "so happy that I lived such a creative and busy life" and I have to agree. To always be moving towards art, culture and love has made me so grateful and so aware of how lucky I am. Hope you all had a fantastic holiday. Thanks for looking. Love, Ms. Kate.

and the winner is.....

I won! I won! I won! It has been such a stressful month! I have been preparing like mad to get ready for the RAW semi finals show and it paid off! Holy crap! I am so happy.

This competition forced me to push myself artistically and emotionally in a way I have never experienced. I learned a lot about my creative process and how to fight the urge to give up. In the beginning, there were many nights when I wanted to throw up my hands. I had been working so hard, with each piece taking over 40 hours to create and I wasn't sure if I wanted to be judged. I didn't think I  was secure enough to compete with other amazingly talented people. I wasn't sure if putting myself out there was worth it.

This show was a huge investment of time and energy and there were days when I wanted to sleep so badly and thought about quitting.  I am not one to just quit but I was in a place of mental exhaustion and with school taking a back seat, I was investing all the energy I had into this competition. Finally, I stopped thinking about the competition... about being critiqued, and decided to focus on creating pieces that I could sell and that I was proud of. I forced myself to stop trying to figure out what the judges would like and began focusing on what I loved to make.

I have pushed myself at work and I have pushed myself in school but I had never pushed for my art. Designing has always been a hobby and I have never consumed caffeine in the middle of the night with the intention to just be creative. To look into myself and my creative process was an all consuming experience. Taking the time and not just squeezing my hobby into my busy schedule was stressful (the rest of my life was literally put on hold) and mind blowing because I could focus on MY art.

I am so glad that people appreciated my work enough to vote for me and the judges were able to see a potential I was unaware I possessed. I am so grateful to all my family and friends that came out and supported me and my designs. The competition was insanely tough and I am over the moon with relief and gratitude.

my "display" with my super fine models.

blue stickers = votes (which counted for 50%, the judges vote was the other 50)

My brother and I trying to teach my mom "duck face" while we waited for results.

This year has been amazing and the Raw show was the icing on the cake. I am so happy at the progress I have made. I am ready for things to calm down now and look forward to a quiet winter with my family. Thanks for looking and supporting me on this journey. Love, Ms. Kate

Gone Til November

November...can you believe it?? Where has the time gone? There is so much to do before it snows. I have all these plans for "winterizing" my gardens and the house but who knows if it will get done. There are just not enough hours in the day. We have been so busy!

We recently put a new roof on our house (just in time for Hurricane Sandy) and are in the process of painting it. Since the rain has been so screwy we have been painting the house in patches....one side looks amazing and the other well....not so much.

The house would be finished if I wasn't distracted by other things. What are those other things you ask?

Well, you may remember when I participated in a RAW art show? The show was amazing and I was so happy to be a part of such a creative group. The night was perfect and after it ended I thought life would fall back into the normal routine.....

A few weeks later the, RAW held a competition on their website. Basically, people could go to the web and vote for their favorite local RAW artists in a variety of categories. I didn't write about this or promote myself because I seriously thought I didn't stand a chance. There are so, so, so many amazingly talented people that I didn't think I should try. Turns out, I won a spot in the competition anyway!!! I couldn't believe it!! I still can't. I am so flattered that people believe in my art enough to take the time to go online and vote. It has been a very humbling experience.

So now I have to compete in a Semi Finals competition. I am not a competitive person and the idea of a competition has been overwhelming. I have to create three new pieces, hire models, make a "visual aid" about my art and then invite all the people I know to come out and support me.

I am really sensitive to the idea of people judging my art. It is a little unnerving to think about and I am trying to keep a clear head. I am very amazed that people believed in me enough to help me win a spot in the semi finals and it will be interesting to see how this whole thing plays out.

Like I have said, I am not one to put myself out there and promote my stuff so the idea of competing may give me a mini heart attack. I am trying to breathe and realize that no amount of judging should steer me from what I love to do. Plus, there will be a lot of people there which is great publicity. Either way, I have come so far this year!!

Almost a year to the day a family member guilt tripped me into buying business cards for myself. This "tough love" was just the boost I needed to get me started and on the path to where I am today. Thank you to everyone that has helped me on this journey. Without the support I wouldn't be here. Love to all. Thanks for looking. Love, Ms. Kate.

"You're dressed like Bob Dylan"

I have been trying so hard to be trendy and to dress up but every once in awhile I resort to my old ways. Basically, I dress like a boy. I have been on vacation this week so my outfits have become a little uh....relaxed.
I hadn't really noticed until my husband turned to me and told me I dressed like Bob Dylan. I think it was the messy hair. It was too funny so I thought I would share. This weather has been cold and rainy....perfect weather for reading books, creating art and dressing like Bob Dylan.

Polyvore is so fun! If you haven't checked it out you should! Hope you are enjoying the fall weather. Thanks for looking. Love, Ms. Kate.

My art show!

Recently, I had the pleasure of showcasing my jewelry at a RAW event. I am not the type to network or "put myself out there" but RAW is an organization that I really wanted to get involved with.

It is super neat! Basically you sign up to showcase your work with a bunch of other artists. RAW rents out a really neat space, the artists invite all their friends and have an awesome collaborative night of art!! It was great! I got my picture taken and I was interviewed as part of an "artists portfolio" package.

Now if I want to submit my work to another gallery I have a neat little video on Youtube (I am such a nerd!) While the interview was kind of embarrassing it is an awesome thing to have. RAW was a great time and I would love to do it again (I just have to make more jewelry...) Plus, quite a few of my friends came out and it was so nice to see so many people. I am very grateful to have so much support in my life. Things are great! Thanks for looking. Love, Ms. Kate.

confusion

 Hello all! My last post got me thinking about my goals for this blog. Honestly I am not sure which direction this blog is heading I thought it was fashion but I have come to terms with the fact that well...Im not very trendy. I love writing and I love documenting the world around me but sometimes I feel guilty for my sporadic post schedule and my lack of a theme. I have some things to think about. In the meantime I have created a tumblr. Yep! and it is just my photos! As I rediscover my love for photography it is a simple space where I can share my photos and interact with other photographers. Take a look and tell me what you think. Thanks for looking. Love Mrs. Kate.

sometimes I take photos.

As an artist I have dabbled in several mediums. From painting to pottery I have struggled to find my niche. The ways I choose to express myself have changed over the years and unfortunately I am not really, really good at one thing but sort of okay at a variety of different things. One of these mediums is photography. I studied photography in school and really loved the creative processes found in the dark room. While dark room printing is a thing of the past I am becoming more and more interested in Photoshop and other ways of warping and changing my photographs.  Of course, this means that I have been playing with my camera again and taking a lot of self portraits. Picking up my camera has been a difficult and lonely road but I am excited to reacquaint myself with the medium.

I used to take pictures of other people but since I am sort of new to my digital camera I have been taking a lot of self portraits. I hate it when you go to take someones pic and you have to struggle with the exposure settings! So until I am comfortable I am focusing on myself and my surroundings.

Black and white will always be my favorite. Growing up, I used to carry two cameras around, one with color film and the other with black and white. It is so fun to simply take a photo with a digital camera and then decide later if it should be in color....HA! This makes me sound so old!
Thanks for looking. Love, Ms. Kate.

Where have you been?

 Oh Hello!! Sorry guys...I disappeared! I didn’t mean to but I realized that sometimes life
is just too good and you have to enjoy it. With the schedule of blogging, I get caught up in trying to document everything and this summer I just stopped. I did not intend to vanish but the sun was so bright, and everyone was having such a great time, and I became overwhelmed with love and happiness.

No depression, no sadness. I purposely surrounded myself with happy, creative people and had a blast! After searching for a community in Connecticut I have found it! This may not be the artistic mecca but I have found my roots and am finally happy to call this place home.

My house is awesome, my husband is superb and now the community and friendships we’ve been building have magnificently blossomed. I feel so blessed.

When I was little I used to dream of moving to the city and living as a struggling artist. In all its romantic appeal, I dreamed of living with painters and peddling art to make food money. Now that I am a little older the idea of living off the grid like that has lost its appeal. Yet the notion of surrounding myself with creative people continues to be important to me. Between the play I was in, the art shows I was a part of and exploring the artistic scenes of Connecticut I was constantly inspired this summer. Life is good. It feels good to be inspired and to laugh. I’m finally home and am so grateful.

I’ve been taking lots of pictures, reading a ton, studying and designing. I plan on blogging when I can so please keep in touch! Thanks for looking. Love, Ms. Kate

so much news!!

Phew! There is so much going on in this neck of the woods. Besides the play (and work) my mom came to visit, we have been going out A LOT and I am getting ready for an art show!! Yep! I am in a designing frenzy!

I signed up to be a part of this national gallery association called RAW. Basically it is a gallery show that gets several artists to showcase together! There are painters, musicians, fashion designers etc. and we all show up in one place, on one night and have a GIANT art show! So fun!

Well, I will be participating in next month's show in Hartford, CT. This is my first show in a while and I am very excited. Not only am I excited to be participating but I couldn't believe that all weekend my profile was on the front page of the RAW website! Not just the Connecticut branch but the national website, along with artists from all over!! Holy Crap!

I have a lot to do between now and September but I am very excited! Thanks for looking. Love, Ms. Kate

Abandoned Camp Sunrise (photo heavy)

Recently Pat and I went on a little adventure to an abandoned resort. Camp Sunrise was a HUGE summer camp located in Connecticut. There are cabins, mess halls, a pool, all abandoned and slowly rotting due to weather, animals and trouble makers.

 This place calls to mind memories of my childhood; of summers spent swimming, campfires, eating popsicles and sleeping in a tent. This sweet nostalgia was jumbled with feelings of sadness which forced me to walk lightly in this deserted place.

The place was enormous. Every door and window were busted open or smashed. People must be squatting here and I kept looking over my shoulder for signs but I never saw or heard anybody.

I think when Camp Sunrise closed the staff had full intention of reopening. Everything was still there including theater props, beds, stoves, tables and chairs. All the rooms still had the furniture but slowly things are being trashed.

Pat and I kept saying if we had a million dollars we would totally buy the place. It was a gorgeous spot and I was very sad to see it in such shambles.

Are there any strange abandoned places near your home? Any you would recommend? Thanks for looking. Love, Ms. Kate.

fashion friday: dresses!

 It is official! I am addicted to dresses from Target. In the last month I have bought five (eeeeep!) It is a great way for me to add trendy things to my wardrobe without spending a fortune. I have been living in this dress! It is t-shirt material and wicked light!
I have a new stitch fix coming so hopefully I will find a few more pieces to add to my collection. Happy Friday! Thanks for looking. Love, Ms. Kate.

sweet silence

So, so, so, nice to have a morning off!  Cookie Dog and I are going to enjoy the garden. There is nothing better than basking in the sunshine, with a good book while the butterflies play in the flowers. Isn't our cottage cute?!

In the butterfly garden we have black eyed Susan, echinacea, bee balm and butterfly bush. Behind it we have a fence with climbing grape vine.

 

This tree is a Rose of Sharon and has grown well over 8ft tall! 

Cookie would sleep on the deck all afternoon (if I'd let her but she gets a sunburned belly.) Ahhhh....enjoy your day! Hope you get to savor the weather. Thanks for looking. Love, Ms. Kate.

heart of saturday night

Sigh....last night was opening night of the musical and I have to say it went really, really, well!! It is so fun to sing and dance again! Plus I am meeting all sorts of amazing, talented people. Today I have to work and then warm ups are at 7. I am pretty exhausted but I have nothing to do on Sunday (except maybe, clean my house) so I plan on taking it easy! Hope you are having a good weekend. Thanks for looking. Love, Ms. Kate

4th of July 2012

Ok, so Friday's post is not about fashion. I thought I would back track and share the adventure we had on Independence Day. Although we didn't see any literal "fireworks" we had a wonderful Fourth together. Pat and I visited The Book Barn and wandered among the thousands of books stock piled in various barns, wagons, carts and outdoor shelving. The place is magical and our favorite spot in Connecticut.

We spent a few hours at "the barn" picking out all sorts of new (to us) books to read. After we had exhausted our eyes and our book budget, we headed to the shore for seafood. We sat on the pier and ate way too much fish!! This is a yearly tradition and the weather was perfect.

Dinner was winding down right as the sun was setting. We don't see the sun set at home because we have a mountain blocking the view so it was a treat to sit and bask in the afternoon light.

Of course we stopped for dessert on the way home. While enjoying our ice cream we saw two baby skunks! They were loitering around the picnic tables and were really cute!

 It was a glorious afternoon and we didn't want it to end. Since we only have one day off together it is rare for us to do anything but chores and yard work. The fourth of July was a treat and we defiantly enjoyed ourselves. How was your holiday?
Thanks for looking. Love, Ms. Kate.

A few words on Ellen Foster

 Ellen Foster is a tiny book written by Kaye Gibbons. This little gem was written in 1987 and was a part of Oparah's book club (which has its pros and cons) I consider myself well versed in the ways of American fiction and was surprised that I had never heard of this book. Having been compared to Salinger's Catcher in the Rye I thought I would give this book a shot and I was not disappointed.

Ellen Foster is a spunky 11 year old living in the deep south and the story is from her point of view. It takes a minute to acclimate to her phrasing but once you do, it's just you and Ellen. This book was heartbreaking and due to the way it was written it felt like I was taking Ellen by the hand and she was whispering her secrets to me. Ellen Foster was a very believable character. She struggles with the mind of a child while trying to cope with abuse, neglect and death. It was a fascinating read and only furthers my desire for helping children and pursuing a career in counseling.

Maybe everyone has read this? As with The Bell Jar (which I read last year) Ellen Foster is a book I should have read when I was in high school but (for some reason) it never crossed my path. Although it is no Catcher in the Rye I am happy I read it. What are you reading? Any suggestions? Thanks for looking. Love, Ms. Kate