Batman and his flapper sidekick...

Happy Halloween, everyone! PRH just took Batman and the flapper to school, so I snapped a few [grainy] photos before they headed out the door. After all of the costume choices, EZ E decided to wear his old standby Batman costume. I'm pretty sure the switch was motivated by the fact that his best friend at school is also planning to be Batman today. It's awesome to match when you're 4. I finished the headpiece for Kicky's flapper costume last night...you know, the part she hates the most. I'm going to try to take more photos later today, but given the earlier reaction to her costume, I'm not sure it'll happen. Ah, the joy of 2-year-olds.


At least Batman played it cool this morning.

This weekend...

It's been a super busy week, so we're planning to lay low this weekend and hang out at home. I'm REALLY behind on Kicky's Halloween costume and also have to make treat bags for EZ E's preschool class (20 kids). Yowza! These cookies were a crowd pleaser last year, so we may make them again. What are your plans for the weekend? Have a happy one and I'll see you on Monday!

Buffalo plaid gals...

It's snowing at our house and it's making me crave cookies and wool- in that order. While the cookies were in the oven, I went on a search for wool and found this pretty coat from BadChollaVintage (above), an incredible stadium blanket from Now Vintage...

a plaid coat (and cute bearded man) from nothing to wear vintage...

a perfectly minimal blanket from trampoline...

another minimal beauty from The Wild Plum...

a smart way to fancy up a plaid shirt from Nickey Vintage...

and a black + white bomber from tree and kimball market...

Wool/plaid has never gone out of style around here, so we're set. I think I need to make a trip to the thrift store.

A Space of My Own...

As much as I love art books (and I LOVE them), shelter books are really where I find the most inspiration. I keep them all in one place and pore over and over and over them, trying to glean new ideas. PRH and I were telling friends the other day that we're still in emergency-mode as far as the farmhouse goes; almost everything we've done so far has been done in order for the house to simply survive (roof, mold abatement in mudroom and bathroom, gas line, etc). The end of emergency-mode is in sight, so I went ahead and bought myself some 'happy end of emergency-mode' shelter books. A Space of My Own: Inspirational Ideas for Home Offices, Craft Rooms and Studies by Caroline Clifton-Mogg is one of my favorites so far. Every page makes me swoon. Gorgeous photos, brilliant styling, interior shots I've never seen before...AND the very idea of a space of my own. Oh, yes! Now you're speaking my language. Any favorite shelter books/magazines? Do share!

3 people talking...

With the exception of a girl sleeping comfortably in the front row, our artists' talk at SUNY Brockport went pretty well yesterday. Rachael, PRH, and I spent a lot of time beforehand hashing out ideas and talking about where we're at in our careers/personal lives- what's happened since we finished undergrad and how it's happened. It was kind of an eye-opener (for me, at least) to sit back and look at that trajectory. Some of the topics we touched on were ones that I think you all may like to hear about. I want to take a little while longer to think about it, but here's our general outline:

• Be nice + be prepared: getting started
• Be a do-er or make friends with do-ers: making + maintaining contacts
• Go big or go home: deciding whether or not to leap
• Feed your other interests: a multidisciplinary approach
• The juggling act: setting up your life

I'm going to post some of the key points we made related to these topics. In the meantime, feel free to leave any questions you may have in the comments.

The best part of the day, besides seeing so many people we adore in one room, was meeting readers! You know when you meet someone and want to be friends with that person instantly? Last night: Jen, Megan, and Dan. I wanted to squeeze them...oh wait, I did. Consider them sufficiently creeped out by me. ;)

Trust me, I'm flinching as I write this, but I forgot to take a single photo. Not.Even.One. I know! Duh, Abbey. Thankfully, artist Megan Charland saved the day. Head over to her blog to see some photos from the exhibition. I left the talk last night feeling contemplative, so I'm off to think and get our day really rolling. Have a great one!

Before and after...

Did you all see this amazing gold-leafed fiberglass chair by okay art? Talk about love at first sight. I was obsessing about it and then it hit me! We had a yucky old fiberglass chair languishing in our mudroom, just waiting for a gold paint job. I considered for a moment that it might be a real Eames side chair, but then I thought, "It's not marked and, honestly, even if it is a real Eames (I don't think it is), it's sitting unused and gross in our mudroom". 1 can of gold spray paint + 1 can of red spray paint later...we have a gold PARTY chair! It's missing the incredible texture of the inspiration chair, but I'm OK with that for now. Party chair!

Razzle Dazzle winners...

We couldn't let Monday end without announcing the winners of the Scholastic Razzle Dazzle Ruby giveaway, now could we? No way! The winners were drawn using random.org and they are...

Nissa and Meaghan!

Yay! Congrats, you two lucky ducks! I'll be in touch to let you know how to claim your prize.

Exhibition + talk...

If you're around Rochester, NY, PRH and I, together with our friend Rachael Hetzel, will be giving an artists' talk at SUNY Brockport's Tower Fine Arts Gallery tomorrow afternoon at 3 PM. The opening reception will follow from 4 to 6 PM. We installed the show last week and it's looking good!

A little more background for those of you who can't attend the talk: all three of us attended and received undergrad degrees in fine art from SUNY Brockport at the same time. Rachael and I actually met on our first day of college, bonded over a terrible drawing class, and have been collaborating ever since. At one point I switched schools and ended up working at a restaurant where PRH and I met. He and I moved back to Brockport to finish our undergrad degrees and to hang out with Rachael, of course! Then we all went on to grad school (PRH to UMass Amherst and Rachael and I- at separate times- to the University at Buffalo). Now PRH teaches in the art department at Mansfield University and works at a winery; I'm a freelance artist/crafter and write this blog; and Rachael designs and prints stationery for a living and is set to open a retail shop in a couple of weeks. To get an idea of what you'd be looking at: Rachael's work here, mine here, and PRH's work here.

Phew! Did you get all that? So back to tomorrow...the three of us will be talking a bit about our artwork, but perhaps more importantly, we'll also be talking about making and maintaining connections, and the eccentricity of our individual career paths. As students, we always want to ask visiting artists meatier questions: How'd she get that job? How does he juggle a career in the arts with family and home life (hmmmm...how do we do that?!)? What are you doing next? Trust me, the three of us addressing questions like that is a far greater alternative than listening to me ramble about Susan B. Anthony and Matilda Gage (I could). We hope to see you there!

I should also mention that artist Ben Entner's work is in the exhibition as well. He's traveling and won't be at the exhibition, but you won't want to miss seeing his pieces.

This weekend...

Kicky and I picked up these cheerful vintage pipe cleaners at a rummage sale the other day for 10 cents. I love rummage sales that still sell things for 10 cents, don't you? This weekend we're finishing up the potting shed, cleaning the chimney, and continuing work on the mudroom. Lovely. I'll see you again on Monday. I hope you all have a happy weekend!

Bird lover...

Look at what came in the mail the other day!!! My friend, Sosser, made this beauty and I couldn't resist. She has more available in her shop...you know, just in case you can't resist either.

Calendar season...

Did I tell you that my lovely friend Rachael and I made a new calendar? Well, we did! Printed by Pistachio Press and designed by yours truly, each 4" x 11" calendar has a hole punched through the top and is bound with ribbon. Once the month is over, you can trim it to make a 4" x 6" print to frame or give to a friend. That's 13 prints, including the cover print. Love that! Hurry over to Pistachio Press and grab a calendar while they last. Oh, and don't forget...we also collaborated on a whole line of cross stitch cards. Isn't it about time you wrote someone a note?

If you're a retailer interested in carrying Pistachio Press products, please send them an email at: info [at] pistachiopress [dot] com.

Found...

Check out this surly character. I found it during operation shed clean-out, part 2. After a few days, I worked up enough nerve to try cleaning the shed again, only to have even more mice jumping out all over the place. What's with me and mice?! Ugh. I'm going to give it another try though. Third time's a charm, right? The best part about this bird is that it's a planter....a planter on the verge of freaking out. What do you think it's thinking about? I think he's thinking: "Get that plant off my flipping back!". Your turn.

2 today...

Our very best girl is 2 today! PRH and I were so thrilled when we heard we were expecting a baby girl. Getting to know our Kicky over the last two years has been even more of a thrill though. She's everything I imagined in a daughter...fiesty, smart, funny, and fabulous. She loves stripes, animals, coloring, picking up stones, tagging along after EZ E, and this is her favorite doll (she calls it Abbey when it's naughty). What more could a mama ask for? We're absolutely crazy about this little girl and it's hard to believe this moment was captured 2 years ago...


Happy 2nd birthday, Kicky! We love you so much!

Potting shed...

When it came to us buying this property, the outbuildings were a definite draw. On the other side of ownership, however, taking care of said outbuildings is a bit intimidating. The big barn roof is leaking like crazy, it's packed full of stuff (including rodents), and just generally stinky. The other two buildings are at about the same stage of atrophy, but they're much smaller. So starting small seemed like the best plan this weekend. We cleaned out this white building (it's not actually connected to the big barn) and PRH tore off a hideous and ineffective lean-to (you can see it peeking out from behind the white building in the photo above). I was helping until I pulled up part of the roof (see below...gross!) and a mouse jumped out on me from underneath. No more Abbey! PRH took one for the team and finished pulling off the roof. He spent yesterday putting a roof back on, straightening up the exterior, cleaning up the floor, and getting the interior walls ready to be painted. The goal is to use this building as a potting shed, so we're well on the way to making that happen. I'll share after photos when it looks a little more 'after'. Next step? Party barn! OK...maybe not quite yet.

This weekend...

EZ E spent yesterday covering his sock monkey in paper and orange masking tape. This was the first iteration. Today is pre-k picture day and he left with a little storm cloud over his head because I wouldn't let him cover himself in paper and orange tape for his school photo. Maybe next year. This weekend, one of us will be covering his sock monkey in tape while the others prepare for Kicky's birthday and finish up projects around the house. Have a happy weekend and I'll see you on Monday.

Happy birthday, Emily!!!

Giveaway...

The folks at Scholastic sent over the prettiest picture book! It's called Razzle Dazzle Ruby by Masha D’yanss, and Kicky and EZ E adore it. It's beautifully illustrated and most of the pages are either pop-ups or have some sort of moving element. I read it to the babes a couple of times, but the most interesting thing has been watching them make up their own story using the book. Scholastic is offering a copy to two Aesthetic Outburst readers. Each winner will receive a copy of Razzle Dazzle Ruby and a pair of red & white striped tights! Cute, right? The giveaway is open to US mailing addresses only. To enter, just leave a comment about the most Razzle Dazzle person you know. Comments will be open until Friday, October 21st. I'll randomly draw two names and announce the winners the following Monday. Here are a couple interior pages:



Good luck, everyone!

Pruning...

This photo was taken this summer, after the roof was finished, but before we actually owned the house. I'm sharing it because the hydrangeas are today's project. I read that, in order to encourage growth if they're very old, or if they're out of control, you should prune them back in the Fall. They obviously thrived on neglect, but they're enormous and something's living in there. Here's a shot from the yard. ENORMOUS!

I have no idea what's living in there, but Velma the cat is afraid of it and, by default, so am I. I'm pretty certain that they're Annabelle hydrangeas and have read a bit about maintaining them. Any hydrangea-lovers out there with expert advice?

Thanks to Wolfie & the Sneak for sponsoring today's post

Inspiration...

At this time of year, all of the thrift stores around here put their vintage clothing on the Halloween rack. We found this fancy outfit while strolling through the thrift store last week. Kicky let out a loud, "Oooooooooo!", and I couldn't resist the $3 price tag. For now, it's hanging in our dining room, serving as inspiration for Kicky's costume. EZ E wants me to start (and finish) his costume today, but can't make a decision. He's waffling between Fantastic Mr. Fox, a sock monkey, and superman. What's your vote?

Thanks to Wolfie & the Sneak for sponsoring today's post