hello blog, it’s been a while!

I had to take a wee bit of time off after the holidays. Things might have gotten a little crazy!
We spent 10 straight days working on the house, I thought I might collapse. Sadly, not enough got done, but isn’t that always the case?

Anyway, a few new designs popped themselves into my head over the past week. They all went into the Etsy shop, even the ones I wanted to keep for myself. Again… isn’t that always the case?? lol.
I signed up for a project called 52 Crafts with the goal of using that as a reason to make things I don’t give away or put up for sale. Let’s hope it works! One of my New Year’s resolutions is to keep a few of my things for myself, and to buy more stuff from other crafters I admire.

anyway… new stuff!

This is the Punk Roctopus. He makes me squee, even if punks don’t squee. There’s a tiny safety pin poked thru the metal on the open edge. Punk Roctopus!! (I know, but I couldn’t help it)

I also started a Time Traveller’s series of necklaces and earrings.
So far I’ve done London, Morrocco and Paris. More coming I think. I’m sort of becoming obsessed with travel and places-gone-by.

More stuff can be found either on Etsy, or in the gallery section at lorigami.com

 

vanished!

One of the things I wish I could change about Etsy is the ability to sell something locally but still have a record of it in your shop. Right now, when someone buys something, you can only delete it, and then it’s gone forever.
I guess I understand why they do it, but I’d love to have a record/gallery of some of the pieces.

So I’ll put the last few here until my web designer gets around to making me a gallery (lol).

 

Nurturing Mother Nature

When we first decided to buy and renovate this house, one of my top priorities was going to be making the renovation as green as possible. I had visions of solar roof tiles, rain barrels, greywater recovery systems, recycled glass kitchen and bathroom tiles…
And then I really looked around at how difficult it could be to find these things, and how out-of-reach many of them were pricewise for the average person. Thankfully, I found sites like The Victory Garden and NoImpact Man and the 90% Project for continued tips on how to make a difference, even if I couldn’t do the really big things just yet.

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On that note, my friend Becky and I were talking about clothing and sweatshops and other consequences of our material world. Becky pointed me to a PBS Documentary called China Blue about conditions in the factories that make our clothes. Almost in the same breath, we lamented how difficult it was to try and live in a world where one is expected to dress and makeup like a magazine page, and where the tempations of “fast fashion” like H&M and Forever21 are veryvery real.

Then, this morning I read the blog of a long-time online acquaintance to find she started up a new site called the GreenGirlGuide where she and her partners talk about these very problems of fashion and beauty products and showcase people trying to make a difference and give people a more socially-conscious alternative.

Green Girl Guide™ showcases companies that regularly make conscious choices in a realistic way. Just as we can’t eat organic all the time and love mineral makeup but won’t part with our waterproof (and probably mildly toxic) mascara, the Green Girls are about calling out companies that make socially and environmentally conscious choices and share the belief that small, individual actions can add up to big change.

Well now, what perfect timing! I hope lots of people regularly tune into the GreenGirl blog, as I know I will. Sometimes it’s easy to get overwhelmed when trying to change your habits, but I think these girls are going to make it a teeny bit easier.

 

why it’s been so quiet around here lately…

I’ve been working on two new projects, one of which is really big and something I’m incredibly excited about. Since we’ve got our venue and our model and it’s all a go, I can finally let the kitten out of the bag!

I’m bringing Dr Sketchy’s Anti-Art School to Atlanta!

When many artists think “life drawing,” they think of sterile rooms, bad lighting, and bored, silent models with nary a hint of personality. Dr. Sketchy’s Anti Art School is here to change all that.
Dr. Sketchy’s Anti-Art School is the little New York art event that became a movement. Started in 2005 by artist and burlesque dancer Molly Crabapple, the concept is simple. Artists draw glamorous models, compete in contests and win wacky prizes. From its humble Brooklyn beginnings, Dr. Sketchy’s now has 25 branches around the globe, including Hollywood, London, Tokyo, Rome and Melbourne.

Now, Dr. Sketchy’s is taking over Atlanta, with our preview event at Sutra Lounge!

That’s right folks, this gorgeous gal from BigCityBurlesque is going to be Dr Sketchy/Atlanta’s first victim model!

She’s hot, she’s sassy, she’ll make your pen stand at attention! So come out and draw this lovely lady and her fabulous feathers Monday May 21st at Sutra Lounge. We’ll be cozied up in the VIP area, 15$ advance tickets.
It’s 10$ at the door, but we can’t guarantee you a seat behind the glass unless you reserve.

Join our MySpace friends at drsketchysatlanta for updates and more info

Or email us for a reservation at drsketchyatlanta@gmail.com

These monthly events will move to the Star Bar in June and feature the city’s hottest Burlesque Dancers, Fetish Models and Rollergirls! Stay tuned for more details! Brought to you by Lori vanVoorhis and Will Lawless.

 

The bunnies are romping in the backyard.

 

around the house

Here are two non-work-related projects in progress.

This is the start of a collage piece. I found my boxes of old prints the other day and felt sad that they were just sitting there, unloved. I have a horrible habit of never making (or keeping) art for myself, and that’s something I really need to change. I’m not sure where this piece is going, but I’m sure it will tell me when it’s ready. The pages are from a ratty stack of antique books I rescued from a dumpster, and the base is leftover wood from when my husband replaced the floor joists underneath our bathroom. Someday when there are actual “after” photos, I’ll make a post about the nightmare bathroom project.

This next item is something else I snagged from a trash pile. It’s hard to get a good photo where it’s hanging, but it’s got a great rusty finish. I was undecided between attempting to re-wire it and sealing the rust, or simply turning it into a candleabra.

I think candles might be winning.