If you want to fly a kite, you have to think outside the box …and then all you need is wind.
Can you connect the 9 dots without taking your pen off the page using only 4 lines?
Gottschaldt Figurine hint: “think outside the box.”
Most everything in life requires very little creative thinking so “outside the box,” is rarely needed. I could write a lot about why so much of art is not outside of the box related. It seems that many artists consider much of what they do as creative outside of the box stuff, but I say no. If you are an artist then it’s not outside the box. Outside the box thinking is for non-artists to think more like artists.
What happens in art is in the mind of the artist, so you could say it’s “inside the box” thinking. …Not very interesting at all. What makes good art is the wind, the lift, or even magic that you experience in the presents of good art.
Please see my “Make Something Real” theme, episode-two about some local friends and good art.
Although almost every day at Six Apart is Take Your Dog to Work Day, Friday was extra special because it was the official Take Your Dog to Work Day! Plus, as lovers of blogs and animals, we think it's great that active blogger and Human Society's President and CEO, Wayne Pacelle, thinks having dogs around the office is a good reminder of "who we're working for."
We realize some people have it ruff and aren't lucky enough to be able to bring their dog to work, but hopefully these pictures taken at Six Apart last Friday will get your tails wagging... And let me tell you, it's harder than it looks to get all the doggies and their fetching owners in one picture.
For those of us in the northern hemisphere, today is the summer solstice. For ancient civilizations, this day was akin to our modern day New Year's Eve and was viewed as a time to reflect and renew. So why not kick off your summer celebration with a new theme?
See all of our themes in the Design Area.
Or choose from one of these brand-new themes. (Available under "New.")
A couple of months ago, we told you about Blog It powered by TypePad, the first cross-platform blogging application for Facebook the enables you to post to your Vox blog - and ALL your blogs - with a single click.
Within a week, Blog It had nearly 4,000 active users posting tweets and creating blog posts, as well as updating their status messages with the title and link to the published post. Today, Blog It's Facebook application has nearly 10,000 users. But here's the thing: You're not always sitting in front of the computer when the inspiration to blog strikes. And at Six Apart, it is our goal to provide you the tools you need need to blog where you want, and when you want.
Which is why this week we introduced Blog It for iPhone, a free web application just like the one we introduced for Facebook - only now - on your iPhone. Built specifically for iPhone's Safari browser, Blog It for iPhone enables you to post blog entries or status updates from wherever you are to more than a dozen different online services. And just like the original Facebook version, you can choose to share your posts with the people you know across various social networks.
To start blogging with Blog It for iPhone, go to http://blogit.typepad.com with your iPhone's Safari browser and install the Blog It icon onto your mobile desktop. Then, all you have to do is click the Blog It icon and start creating posts!
Whether you're riding the bus to work, cheering on your team courtside, or enjoying a picnic by the lake, now it's easier than ever to Blog It.
DIY
Gleeful Things
Amigurumi designs
Julie and her brand of amigurumi toys, Gleeful Things, are amazing. They are so cute and within reach for anyone interested in DIY. I contacted Julie and asked a few questions about her ideas to Make Something Real.
EL CAMINO: All of your designs are fun and happy, have you ever considered making dark and creepy animals from pop comic books or would that mean changing your brand name?
Julie: I don't know about dark and
creepy but I definitely have some crazy characters in mind that aren't cute and
happy, just a little twisted. Gleeful Things is actually sort of an ironic
name, so to me, these designs would fit perfectly. I have a strange sense of
humor that so far, I've had a hard time getting to show through my work but I
think it'll eventually become more obvious. You can see it starting to emerge
with a couple of my designs like the Nut Sacks and the Moldy Cupcake. I have a
hard time getting away from cute things though. Sometimes I'll make something
with the intention of it looking scary and people will still think it's cute.
So I guess it's just something that comes naturally.
EL CAMINO: How long does it take you to make a Berry the elephant? How long should it take a newbie?
Julie: It's really hard to say how long it takes me to make any particular thing. I have a really sort attention span so I never finish anything in one sitting. I also usually have multiple projects going at once. I bounce back and forth between them as the inspiration strikes. The Elefoof is probably one of my more time consuming patterns though. I don't recommend it for a newbie, it's too advanced for someone who's new to crocheting.
EL CAMINO: What would you like to make that you have not figured
out the pattern yet?
Julie: So many things! I have a huge list written down and a mental list that I'm always adding to. My head is constantly bubbling over with ideas. I'm really into the idea of large scale amigurumi! I'm really excited to give that a try at some point but have no idea what I want it to be.
EL CAMINO: What is your favorite my little pony?
Julie: My favorite pony that I've made into a plushie? Probably Galaxy. She's one of the simpler ones that I've made but also one of my favorite ponies in general. I haven't had a chance to make any of my all time favorites into plushies yet. All of the ones I've made so far were done as custom orders. Some of my all time favorites are Bowtie, Cocoberry, Barnacle, Tex, Honeysuckle.. to name a few! Hopefully they'll all get turned into plushies at some point!
EL CAMINO: You sell instructions for anyone to make your designs at home, but you don't want anyone to sell what they make. Why is this so important to you?
Julie: I don't like the idea of anyone profiting off of someone else's idea/design. I think it's important for people to come up with their own ideas when they want to sell something. I encourage originality and I think your customers will appreciate your work more if you can say that it's your own design, not someone else's.
EL CAMINO: You have a music player on your blog, I think, with all Green Day songs. If you could hang out with the guys in Green Day, what would you do or talk about?
Julie: I'd never have to guts to approach them but if I did, I'd probably start raving about how much I loved them back in Jr. High in the days of Dookie & Insomniac! Then I'd probably beg them to play for me since I've never had the chance to see them live.
EL CAMINO: If I want to make amigurumi but I'm afraid of screwing it up, or maybe I do screw it up, what would you tell me to do?
Julie:Just give it a try and keep trying even if you screw up! Everyone has to start somewhere. Your first ones might not be perfect (mine weren't!), but practice makes perfect in this case.
EL CAMINO: You have a cool idea, you make cute amigurumi stuff, it's a real business, what else would you like people to know or think about?
Julie: I'll also be selling plushie patterns in the near future! :)
Please check out Julie's designs on her website or etsy.
Website: gleefulthings.com
SHOP: glee.etsy.com
Email: NocturnalCreative@gmail.com
I hope you like my M.S.R. conversation with Julie and her gleeful things.
You can also find me on www.MySpace.com/msrpelcamino
In the future I plan to make more time for interviews with people that Make Something Real so check up on me at least once a month.
We will be performing scheduled maintenance on Vox tonight (Friday, June 6, 2008) from 11:00 p.m. - 11:30 p.m. PDT. Although we don't anticipate this maintenance to be highly disruptive, we always like to give you advance notification when there is a slight chance of some downtime.
As always, thank you for your patience - and have a great weekend!
Update: There WILL be downtime between 11:00 p.m. and 11:30 p.m. PDT. so please plan accordingly.
Get your closets ready because the 2nd Annual SHOP SF Event is less than two weeks away, and Gen Art is offering Voxers an exclusive 25% discount on VIP and General Admission to this one-of-a-kind shopping fête.
The event will showcase over 40 local designers specializing in stylish clothing, jewelry and accessories for both men and women. These local designers were culled from the Gen Art alumni, local art schools, as well as the Bay Area's hottest emerging designer boutiques. With so many amazing looks to choose from, you'll be sure to find head-turning styles perfectly tailored to your individual taste. After all, that's what we think being a Bay Area resident is all about, don't you?
When: Saturday, June 14th
VIP Preview Hour: 12:00 - 1:00 P.M. (Includes access to the VIP lounge, Shu Uemura Lash Bar, complimentary coat check and a gift bag.)
General Public: 1:00 - 6:00 P.M.
Where: 511 Harrison Street (at 1st Street0
San Francisco, CA 94105
RSVP for the event at Gen Art and enter offer code VoxShopSF to save 25% off VIP or General Admission.
Wondering how you can say "Thank You" to Gen Art for their generous offer? Raid the closet of your boyfriend, husband, father, or best male bud, and bring a paper bag full of menswear (in good condition) to donate to The Saint Vincent de Paul Society. Donations will go to help more than a thousand people trying to overcome poverty, homelessness, substance abuse and domestic violence in the Bay Area. Plus, for your kind offering, you'll receive a Goorin Bros. hat or accessory.
Let us know in the comments if you'll be attending this exciting event. We can't wait to see you there!
The Purple Ribbon Project is an international project with the long-term goal of bringing an end to all interpersonal violence. While none of us can hope to stop interpersonal violence on our own, the Purple Ribbon Project encourages us to change our own behavior by being a responsible role model, setting an example, and promoting violence awareness and respect.
The Purple Ribbon Project believes in order to stop the violence, we must first see to it that every man, woman, and child is aware of the problem. We must ask them to consciously stop tolerating, enabling, or engaging in this self-destructive epidemic among humans. Stopping violence is everyone’s responsibility.
What can you do to participate in this effort? First, you can answer today's QotD, "What could we do to create a world with less violence?" or respond to today's Vox Hunt and "Show us something purple." You can also wear a purple ribbon or tie one to your car or find ways to be a positive role model.
Learn more about how to get involved with the Purple Ribbon Project and let us know about your efforts to make the world a more peaceful place in the comments.
Not that you need a reminder to go shopping, but just in case it somehow slipped your mind, we wanted to make sure you didn't forget about the Billion Dollar Babes Spring/Summer Sale this weekend in Los Angeles. Stock up on all the hottest designer styles at up to 80% off retail prices.
When: Friday, May 30th & Saturday, May 31st
Why: Well, we already mentioned the fabulous deals and steals, but on top of that, the lovely ladies at Billion Dollar Babes are offering a very special offer exclusively for Voxers. Visit http://www.bdbinvite.com/ and enter voxvipla in the promo code box to receive an early start time and first look at the sale!
San Francisco Voxers: Mark your calendars. The Billion Dollar Babes Spring/Summer Sale will be here Friday, June 6th and Saturday, June 7th. You, too, can register for an early start time and first look. Visit http://www.bdbinvite.com/ and enter voxvipsf in the promo code box.
Happy Shopping!
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