Where to even begin? I went to the Craft Con in San Francisco, which is a series of conferences that are specifically geared toward professional or aspiring to be professional crafters. It was a 2 day conference, April 5th and 6th, with a little tour of San Fran’s craftiest spots and a cocktail hour sponsored by ReadMade. I went with Cathy Pitters of Crafty Wonderland. We had a great time!

The conference covered everything from theory based subjects like art-craft vs craft-craft to specific topics like how to get published and how to get sponsors. I should really mention here that THE most fun presentation was put on by Garth Johnson from Extreme Craft. I am not really sure I can clearly explain what he does, because you have to see it to believe it. I would have to say that he is a collector of some of the most unusual arts and crafts that I have ever seen. His presentation had a few general themes one of them was called, “Craft Extending It’s Middle Finger.” So funny.

It was so great to be in the company of so many other creative business people from all over the country and have an opportunity to share stories and learn new things together. We arrived on Friday, April 4th and got a tour of San Fran’s crafty spots. Here is a pic of a couple of places we visited on our tour, like Stitch Lounge, which is somewhat similar to DIY Lounge except that they do sewing classes:

The guy in the pic is E.J. a member of the Craft Congress.

Here is another pic of a scissor mobile at a shop called Rare Device, owned by Lisa Congdon and Rena Tom:

I spoke at the conference about Teaching Your Craft. It was little old me with Jackie from the Craft Gym and Nicole Vasbinder of Queen Puff Puff and the newly opened sewing class space called StitchCraft, both are located in California.

After the tour we went to a bar to have a drink on ReadyMade. I thought we were just getting one drink, but the drinks just flowed and flowed. I don’t have any pics from the bar, but here are some pictures that others took at the Gala event that happened Saturday, April 5th.

Here is a pic of Rachel (with the dreads) the main person who busted her butt to make sure the Congress met, she is talking with Autumn. Autumn did a presentation on crafting green, which living in Portland Oregon, I thought I already knew everything about green practices, but she raised so many interesting points and ideas that were new to me. It was fascinating!

Here is a picture of Rev Callie from the Church of Craft NYC. Left - Callie is posing in an adorable costume at the Gala. Next to her is Katy as Pippi Long Stocking. She was one of the members of the Congress, who makes these cute aprons like the one she is wearing. I like these pictures so much I decided to put them in triplicate on the blog:

One of the many great things about this conference was that most meals were included so we didn’t have to go around looking for food. We were able to sit, eat and discuss topic or whatever we wanted to chat about. Everyone was so cool and friendly!

If anyone would like to learn more about this conference. I heard they are planning to do podcasts of the main conferences as well as links to other member’s blogs and pics . For more info go here . To become a Craft Congress member you go to the same website .

I know this is really long, but I just can’t stop without mentioning Kelly and her FUNK BAND. While at this conference we stayed with Cathy’s long time friend Kelly, who is such a cool chick! She has many great attributes, but the thing that really knocked my socks off was her funk band. I couldn’t stop taking pics, so I will include a bunch of them. The line up is 3 girl singer, dancers who all do synchronized dance steps together, with a guest singer too. They had a horn section and a girl base player (so cool!).

Kelly is the one with her finger in the air. While we were there she was talking about moving back to Portland and getting a funk band going here. If she does, you all have to see her. Here is more Kelly and the Funk:

Tip #2 from Dayna Collins of Matchbox Shrines

The Traps of Perfectionism and Expectation

I’m still learning, but I know very well how perfectionism and expectation can interrupt my creativity. If what I’m working on must be “perfect,” it disrupts my creative flow and most likely brings the creative process to a halt. I find myself stuck rather than productive and it is far easier to be stuck than creative. The other potential trap is expectation. Once I have an idea and get started on a project, I often try and “steer” the outcome, to direct it in the direction I “think” it should go. The result is often frustration and again, I allow myself to get stuck..

Both perfectionism and expectation stem from my inner critic, that internal voice that is judgmental and critical of whatever I create. When I hear that voice, it catches my attention and I begin to believe it. So how do I break through the chatter of my inner critic? An effective tool is to tell myself that I am PLAYING, not making “art,” especially art with a capital “A.” Somehow just thinking of my creating as playing dulls the voice of my inner critic. When I’m playing, there is no need to be judgmental and I certainly have no expectaton of where I’m going. The idea of playing takes me back to being a child and allows me to just have fun.

Whenever I’m teaching a class or workshop, I always begin each class with a reminder for each person to leave their inner critic at the door. It is my goal that we view our time as playtime and to enjoy the process, wherever it may take us. We don’t judge our work, we don’t even critique each other’s work, and we definitely don’t decide in advance exactly what we will be doing. It is my hope that we will let loose, experiment with whatever materials we have before us, and above all, allow ourselves to BE BOLD.

Here’s an idea you might try if your critic has been particularly noisy lately: Take a piece of paper or a page in your journal and begin writing everything your inner critic is saying to you. It might start off with something like this: “You’re not an artist, why do you pretend you are . . . .” Once you have filled the page, get out some paint and cover all of your writing. Yes, cover it all. Now take a bright color of paint or a pen, and write over the top of the paint whatever you really are. For instance: “I am a brilliant and creative person who loves to play.” You have just written a creative affirmation - now begin to believe it!

I really wanted to post earlier, but I have been so busy over the last week that there hasn’t been a spare moment to write anything. Here is a brief overview. Weekend before last DIY Lounge was filmed by OPB’s Oregon Art Beat, which was so great. The executive producer, Jessica Martin interviewed Nicole Cipriano and I. They also filmed Nicole’s woodblock class. It was to great to even talk about with the same old words I always use. It was better than great, cool, rad, amazing and awesome put together. Here are a couple of images. The first is of Nicole and myself and a picture of the woodblock students getting their crafty groove on:

Here are some images of finished woodblock prints made by the students in this class:

The majority of the the students in this class said they weren’t artists and considered themselves beginners. Totally amazing - especially for novices, don’t you think?

So, after I was filmed by OPB, I was filmed again last Monday for an independent local show called Pirate Satelite TV.

I did a demo on t-shirt reconstruction, turning two old t-shirts into a cute, sexy tank top. As if that weren’t enough to write about I also went away last weekend to the Craft Congress! It was so wonderful. I met so many incredible people and I have so many new ideas. I will have pictures and stories to share, but I need to wait until I have a little more time to write about this.

Teacher: Lorna Nakell from The Art of Exhibiting 101

Tip #1

Handling Rejection:
Being an artist can be difficult in many ways. For some of the students in my class the hardest part is just putting themselves “out there.” Artists can get very attached to the art they are making. The art often becomes a very personal expression. As one student put it, her work is very “precious.” So, of course, the thought of having the general public scrutinize it and potentially reject it is not something she relishes having to do. To a professional artist this can be a dilemma seeing as it is your job to continue putting your art out into the world for all to see.

Here is one strategy I use for managing rejection:
1) Although you may end up with a full folder of rejection letters don’t allow yourself to get discouraged. You have to keep thinking positively. Eventually you will have a file of acceptance letters as well. When you get an acceptance letter post it up on your wall as a reminder that you are on the right track and doing a good job.
Read more Lorna’s Blog

There are about a hundred reasons that I haven’t started a blog before now and all of them have to do with lack of time. I spent the weekend reading other people’s blogs and it feels like it’s the right time to begin the DIY Lounge blog, so here we go.

A little history:

I started DIY Lounge almost 3 years ago to both help artists in my community receive additional sources of revenue and to provide really creative classes to the community. DIY Lounge has grown so much over the last year and now I spend most of my time running from commitment to commitment. Fortunately I love what I do, so I don’t mind being so busy : )

Here is a really brief history of how I got here. I was a super creative, very poor child who wasn’t interested in any subjects in school except art, music and gym. I spent most of my free time sewing, crocheting, knitting, singing, climbing trees or dreaming ways to make the things I couldn’t afford to buy. Fast forward to my 20’s, after graduating with a double major in Psychology and Sociology, I went to work as a social worker. I enjoyed helping people, but found the constant red tape maddening. I would go home each day and make something to reduce my work stresses. Eventually, I decided I needed to leave my job. I stayed home with my son for a few years and even became a foster parent for awhile (those who know me know that I am always trying to “save the World”). I started crocheting again and had way too many hat piles around the house. Everyone I knew already had at least four of them, so I needed to find an outlet for getting rid of all of the hats. My long-time friend Regina encouraged me to try selling my hats and hosted a party for me. I decided to call the business Knot Ugly Designs. It cracked me up every time I said it (it still cracks me up after all of these years). Then I met “crochet Kim”, who is totally amazing! No one can crochet like this gal can! She is the fastest crocheter I have ever met. Her precision is excellent and her hands almost never get tired! She has been such a great person to work with over the years. Fast forward again to a couple of years into Knot Ugly. I was doing the craft sale circuit and meeting all of these outrageously talented artists. I would get way too excited about what others were doing and realized that I love other people’s creativity as much as my own. I thought I could host a place where artists could teach their creative aspirations to the community.

Something to know about me is once I set my sights on something, it is really hard for me to think or talk about anything else. I was hooked on the concept of DIY Lounge. I was like a broken record, talking to anyone who would listen. Two people who listened were Ali and Angie the owners of Frock (one of the stores I sell Knot Ugly Designs at). I told them about my idea and they told me they had a tiny space in the back of Frock where DIY Lounge could set up shop (Frock has moved since this time). We operated out of that space for about a year and a half and then the building was sold. At that point DIY Lounge was displaced for awhile. Maria Raleigh, the owner of collage contacted me and said she needed help running her classes because she was so busy with her store. This is how we ended up at collage and it has been a great union! Maria and I get along famously!

Nowadays:

Today, we are 27 teachers strong at DIY Lounge at collage. Maria and I are about to open our second location at 4429 SE Woodstock, which is sort of unbelievable to me. When DIY Lounge was in it’s infancy I never dreamed this big for my “little idea.” My thought was that I would teach classes along with some other artists I knew and we would slowly grow over time, but before long tons of teachers wanted to teach at the lounge. I am so busy running the DIY Lounge system I have no time to teach. I feel that I am drifting further away from Knot Ugly too, which is really unfortunate because my hands and mind need to make things to be the most satisfied with life. I think of both businesses as my children. DIY Lounge is younger, requiring much more hand holding and supervision. Knot Ugly is a latchkey business, receiving far less parenting on my part. Finding ways to make more time for Knot Ugly is a priority for me along with keeping all my other hats on my head (okay, bad pun).

These days DIY Lounge has a class on almost everything! We have great arts and craft classes for all ages, many creative business classes, kids art camps and we host Birthday parties too. I am going to be bringing a slew of new teachers in the near future and I can’t wait for you all to see the classes we have in store for you! One of the classes that I am really crazy about is a DIY painting series taught by a number of different artists/teachers. In one session students can learn how to stretch canvas or fabric and in another students can learn to make their own paints. We are talking mortar and pestle style - making oils, acrylics, watercolor and more. Why make your own paints? Well aside from the fact that knowledge is power, the color is much more pure without additives and fillers and it is way cheaper than store bought paints. I am hoping to teach at the new location when it opens. I would love to teach some wardrobe reconstruction classes. Reconstructing clothing is my current passion. Don’t get me wrong I love the needles, hooks and yarn, but making old junk into fabulously cool and useful is really exciting to me.

It has struck me as humorous that I sit behind the DIY Lounge website running the system with only a glimpse of my huge personality here and there. I am so busy being the woman behind the curtain, pulling the levers and buttons of the DIY system that I don’t have time to properly introduce myself to everyone. My hope is to use this blog as a way to communicate myself and my life to you all as well as a way for DIY Lounge teachers to talk about what they are up to also.

Here is a picture of me from a few years ago not doing as my mother warned me - I’m running with giant scissors.

More to follow soon!

The DIY Lounge at collage now has a blog and we’re so excited!