February 4, 2010
So, clearly I’m trying to make up for being a little bit of a teenager this morning, being all whiny and what not. So, I decided, for my own well-being and ‘get over it’ I think I deem today (Thursday) to be ‘feature’ day here on my blog because, well, I need to get over myself and admit (duh!) there are AMAZING artists and artisans out there and I’m going to share them with you (every Thursday!). So, to begin, as you can see with the image on the right up there, I start with an Upcycled 1960’s vintage fabric Messenger Bag from Zingaling. Yes, true, I don’t ordinarily do the pink, but, seriously, it’s the cutest messenger bag in existence, and since I won’t be carrying anything but a diaper bag from now until eternity, I can dream;)
Zingaling also has a WIDE array of different size purses and pouches in their Etsy shop that are so pleasing to the eye, to say the least. She also has another Etsy store (and blog) that I just found whilst perusing Zingaling and man, if I still had hair I would totally go for one of those headbands. Hmmm. Maybe it’s time to start growing the hair out again anyway. Don’t want Griffin to always just remember me with suburban housewife hair now do we? Just kidding. My hair is hot!
February 4, 2010
So, get out of that rut Talia, I tell myself, and I am. And, it’s silly because, making these books and cards, whether or not they ever sell, is cathartic for me in a time when I desperately need catharsis. So, there. I start cutting/tearing some paper to work on a new book, made with some reclaimed leather- something I’ve never done, and we’ll see how it works out. Pictures soon. Promise.
February 4, 2010
I think that sometimes, I spent too much time online looking at other’s wares. Sure, I tell myself I learn from them, that I can make myself better because of them, but really, they kinda just make me feel like shite. Sorry, it’s true. It’s pity party time here on Conduit Press and that’s never really happened before. Why now? Because I suppose the winter weather is getting to me and it’s getting around to Spring Craft Fair season and I simply don’t feel good enough. That’s all. Not good enough.
Prowling around etsy today I found this store and I don’t even know where to begin. Honestly, I really try not to look at other bookmaker’s shops on etsy because I know it just gets me down in the dumps, but when books ever so occasionally show up on the front page treasuries, I always take a gander. Sometimes, not often, I just nod and say, ‘yeah, that’s cool, but so is what I make’ and other times I just want to stop doing what I’m doing because, well, there are so many other people out there that do it so much better. I’m not sure what gets me more though, the sheer perfection of her product (I don’t even know that it’s a her) or the fact that she’s had 223 sales! I think it’s that really. Maybe it’s both. Maybe it’s just that, like I tell my mother all the time, I (we- my mother and I) don’t value my (our) work. Grr. I don’t know. Maybe it’s just that I know I can do better. Perhaps. That’s what I’ll tell myself anyway.
Ok, enough of that. That’s no fun at all. I’m not creating anything new lately because, well, I’ve been in the middle of listing everything I made for the holiday craft fairs and trying to write in Griffin’s baby book AND his letter book- which, reminds me, I need to write his Six Month Newsletter. Better get on that. Priorities and all! 
January 22, 2010
On a complete and utter whim, I made these cards the other day. See, this was one of the first ‘tree’ lino’s I had attempted back in the day and I didn’t really like the way it turned out. I hadn’t sketched it out beforehand and thus, the way it resembles a heart, was totally an accident. It was just supposed to be a swirly tree. Anywho, I’d never used it before and since V-day was/is coming fast upon us, I figured, hey, why not use it? And I did. And within moments my first set sold! Amazing. I’ve never had anything sell so quickly before. And then, this morning, while Griffin was playing happily on his mat, I made two more sets and listed one just after 10 and lo and behold it was sold by noon. I’m excited. I know V-day is a CARD holiday, so, I’m thinking I should make a few more . . . it’s a nice change of pace from gluing and binding all day;)
January 17, 2010
I’ve been thinking a lot about the cohesiveness (or lack thereof) of my shop as of late, and I’ve decided I’m going to ‘discontinue’ all my knitted items because, well, simply put- they don’t fit in with the rest of what is going on there. Perhaps I’ll list them all for the next month at a greatly reduced price, and then just get em outta there. Who knows. . . .
Until then, I’ve been really thinking about how to broaden my horizons – what does fit? And I’ve decided, I guess, that ‘paper’ is simply the common theme when it comes to conduit press. So, with that being said, along with the various ways I’m learning to recycle, upcycle, repurpose, and reclaim old books, I’m also going to be posting some new buttons with pages from those awesome old vintage books, some photography that will eventually grace the covers of some books, and maybe even a few ‘newish’ odds and ends here and there. You just never know do you;)
