open for business!

alright friends. 

here it is live!

http://www.etsy.com/shop/niemer

I am MOST excited about my custom made items!

please pass along any feedback. thoughts. ideas etc. 

Anyone have suggestions on a name... currently I wrote "kniemer knick knacks" but I am not sure if I like it. 

and I don't like the banner... but it is up for now. 

shop away!

so here goes being 24!

so here is the summary..

1. Read Nick Hornby's book, Juliet, Naked

2. Plan/Orchestrate a dinner OR craft party

3. Wardrobe Purge (get rid of a bunch of old stuff)

4. Read the Hunger Games

5. Revamp my blog

6. Find a new fun eye shadow

7. Make a SHORT stop motion picture animation film

8. Go to one new restaurant (this appears four times on the list ) (1/4)
9. Read Catching Fire

10. Scrapbook (specifically get started on Senior Year of College)

11. Read Mocking Jay 
12. Explore watercolors
13. Go to one new restaurant (2/4)
14. Go to Hot Yoga for one week straight!
15. Go to one new restaurant (3/4)
16. Run 5 miles

17. Explore Gouache painting

18. Go to one new restaurant (4/4)

This rest are all for my big goal (#24)

19. Organize Linoleum prints

20. Make ipod hoodies.. 

21. Organize Cake Topper Description

22. Make Wreaths

23. Make Bracelets

24. Open up my own ETSY shop

comments on a few...

#10... sadly the scrapbooking really took the back burner and didn't get completed... there is always next year.
#20... i had some ethical issues about this... so instead created a painting for the shop
#23... still in beta on this so i substituted in some linocut prints i had done in recent times (matted, ready to be framed)

as for the shop... well it is to be released later today! (i gotta keep you on your toes a bit).

No body likes you when you are 23...

well... almost done be 23. and almost ready to update you on my progress... so here goes.

my first ever

pathetic attempt

at stop motion animation...

i really wasn't feeling or getting any good ideas. so i decided to showcase my collection....

the password to view is 24x24

gouache painting

another thing off the list.

17. Explore Gouache painting

Click ME for more (wikipedized) information.

At first I HATED working with this new material... probably because it was, well, new and different. But in the end I liked it...

Some thoughts

• I love how vibrant the colors are
• I enjoyed having flexibility in it's transparency. 
• It dries really quick.
• I need some new paint brushes. 

And for this painting I was inspired by the incredible LORAX!

Gouache Paint on Multimedia board.

 A bit whimsical, eh?

ceramics!

Our bowls came back from the kiln! Hurray! 

I am so excited about them!

It was certainly a learning experience (like white glaze needs more than three coats) BUT we had a ton of fun... I wish my dad could see the LIVE final products! But for now the pictures will have to suffice. 

bowls. bowls. bols.

more bowls.

nice glaze!

armadillo cooler

I didn't want to go to the art car parade empty handed....

I brainstormed.

I googled.

and I got to work....

blank canvas!

I love new tools... this is my riveter!

And this was the final product... my armadillo cooler.... who wants to name it!

some randoms.. for a random monday...

This is what my classroom looks like when everyone is working really hard! They were working on their self portraits which they finally finished!

I thought these wooden postcards were super neat when I was in Big Bend, Texas. They even said "Can be mailed with regular postage" My parents got theirs shortly after I sent it... but Sadly Pat and Fran did not.... they had to PAY to pick it up!

Brownie pops for Tomás' birthday.

25 of them for the old guy! Each with a candle!

We saw this GIANT hummer on our way to Galveston!

We spent the weekend in Galveston to celebrate Dan (above) and Rachel's birthday!

Tomás loves to do table stunts.

an imaginary place

this Saturday I visited an imaginary place...

Where shells jump from the ocean onto an old car.

And cars can drive in ANY direction...

And radio flyer wagons are larger than I remember...

And if you need to go on the go... you can!....

And if you love tacos so much you can ride in one.

and all the happy meal toys you ever got get attached to your car...

and this scary chicken clucks at night...

Yes. Art Car parade day is a magical place!

JohnG Comes to Houston

For a whole great week, my dad came to Houston! We did all sorts of things but we mostly did a special ceramics unit with my students.

We got REALLY lucky as a lot of things were donated to us...  the clay and kiln use by Saint Thomas High School. The tools and the glaze by my brother AND my dad's time and talents (and all the numerous last minute items that we needed).

So happy!

Mackenzie working the wheel.... in heels!

Some students got messier than others.

But all of them love being in pictures!

This guy should teach classes more often!

And we even went to the art car museum.... my new obsession!

And a visit to Houston can only be complete by  riding the bull at Rebels Honky Tonk!

 

 How many of you can say you got your dad to ride a bull?

All in all it was the MOST marvelous week. I feel so lucky to have a dad that would just fly down to Houston to hang out with me and my students. Working with clay can be so many things... messy, invigorating, dusty, creative, chaotic and peaceful... we really are lucky ducks!

happy birthday Tomás Castillo...

another year older. but still just as cute.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, TOMAS!

He really is the most awesome guy..

Even as he is finishing a triathlon he keeps a smile on his face!

By far my favorite triathlete!

 Those pictures were taken at his last triathlon at the Kemah boardwalk.

And last night we went to his favorite restaurant... Yard House!

And he got some presents!

And to hang out with me... what more could you ask for!

happy mom's day!

Happy Mother's Day to the GREATEST Mom EVER!

 She truly is the greatest mom someone could ask for. I feel so lucky to have her in my life. And I miss her SO much. Have a great time celebrating your special day!

And another cross-off!

6. Find a new fun eye shadow

This one I didn't even have to do because...

My AMAZING mom did it for me (and didn't even realize it was on my list). When my dad came to visit (photos to come) my Mom sent him along with this wonderful kit from Clinique!

 Isn't it great. It came with all sorts of goodies... Lip stuff, fancy mascara, make-up remover, strange blush thing that I am still trying to figure out AND a new set up eye shadow!!! With instructions (I love that)!

keep crossing 'em off

Well... I certainly need to keep crossing them 24 x 24 off. And I am a little worried as the clock is ticking (I am a tad behind)... but hopefully things will calm down (and I'll stop creating side projects for myself).


5. Revamp my blog



 As you can tell I have made some changes to the blog. What do you think?

Small changes are as follows:

• Got rid of the crazy background... thought we could try less chaos for a bit
• Made a new header... gotta love photoshop.
• Added Advertisements
• Made "pages" 
• an about me section
• AND a 24x24 section

I think there is a bit more I would like to do... but I feel OK about crossing it off the list.

Any other ideas or thoughts? Please share.

busy bee

i apologize for my absence. i hope to get organized and get back to blogging soon. but in the mean time an adorable meme... thanks for the info cara pavlak...

Image Source: Babble.com