I have been really enjoying the first few month into my mission for Spring which is to do a show a week until it gets too hot to be outside (which in Texas could be any day now!). So far, the weather has been perfect and only reached the 90's one of the weekends that I had my tent under a tree...lucky me!
I started the goal with a bang by doing two huge events during South By, so I think the little outdoor markets feel so relaxing in comparison that it makes them more fun. I am also getting quicker at packing, setting up and breaking down each time too and that makes each week feel easier as well. The only downside is that the day after, I am pretty shot. Usually this falls on a Sunday, but as I was down on South Congress yesterday, today I've been pretty sluggish. My studio is filled with boxes still and every time I start to unpack them, I come up with a reason I must stop...like blogging.
The past few weeks can be summed up pretty well as this: work, talk about work, learn about ways to make work better. I have been prepping my tush off for this past weekend with the Texas Style Council (TxSC) Blogger Conference and this coming weekend for , the fashion component of SXSW.
TxSC was amazing. I was so proud to be a sponsor and participant in the weekend. I met amazing women who are so passionate about their blogs, their brands and what they share, be it profession or just a way to be creative at night. I am thrilled to know that so many driven women are out there living their dreams. I set up a Necklace Borrowing Booth for the party on Saturday (think How to Loose a Guy in 10 Days) and had so much fun watching everyone play dress up! The next party I set up at will def have this concept again, such a fun idea for the night!
Sunday was a day of panels speaking on a variety of subjects for bloggers and brands. I took copious notes which I am still processing all of the information from. The most important concept which I took away from that day is that my goal to have almost entirely photos which I have taken on the blog is right on target. Original content is far more important to me than curating what is already out there. My goal has also been expanded to using my camera and stop relying on my phone for all of my photos.
Monday it was time to jump right back into things and I have been spending the last two days preparing for the huge show this weekend. I have been working on my booth a bit too and am really excited to be adding 18x24 photos of models in my jewelry for the walls...oh so fancy! If you are in Austin this weekend for SXSW, stop by the convention center for (its free to the public!) and make sure you say Hi!
Here is my first attempt at a video from the Manic Trout studio! A peek at the progress on the upcoming Bridal Line. Please excuse the learning curve here as its the first try.
Hope you like it!
p.s. if you cannot see the video, click to watch it on youtube.
The round up is not as adventurous this time...November and December are my biggest months of the year for Manic Trout, so I work 15 hour days almost entirely from November 1st until December 22nd. I try to take breaks for a fun things, but it happens infrequently, so most of my photos will most likely be in the studio for the next two months...or of food...as its one of the few things I break for....well if that's not the worst into ever, I don't know what is!
A few minutes of sky gazing at the October sky.
From our special "hair cut edition/new outfits that we bought together" date night at . We absolutely do not look like the normal versions of Adam & Sierra here. What is up with Adam's hair? Speaking of hair, I look like a completely different person with straight hair. Truth be told, with the sequined dress, gold shoes and straight hair, I look more like my sister Gillian then like me...as she said...weird.
I am OBSESSED with this dish at I have no exactly what it is...but I love it and always get it amped up to spice level 3...although I feel 4 coming along soon.
I wish more then anything that I could wear my Wonder Woman costume every single day of the year. If you missed it, I did a whole post on Halloween and one on just the costumes...hmm, obsessed much?? Oh and ps...we own these bad ass costumes, so if you think our super powers are needed on a random day, just give the word!
I was a bit lazy when I made the samples for the new and only sewed two each of the scarves for each Which meant I had a daunting pile of cut up silk glaring at me in the studio for about month before I finally spent two days machine sewing the tubes, flipping them inside out and hand sewing the ends. It was not a task I looked forward to, but one that I am SO HAPPY is done. Here they are waiting to be hand sewn.
I collect random pretty bowls and eat almost everything out us usually 3 at a time. This one is my current favorite. Let me share that even after the move where I got rid of boxes full of dishes, I still have three full sets and countless random others. I have a problem with dishware. The contents are my all time favorite snack. My mom asked yesterday on FB what it was. I almost fell out of my chair when I read it as its been my favorite snack for oh, I'd say 33 years and she was the one who introduced it to me at the tender age of 1 (is that when kids eat solids?). In my world apples and peanut butter = awesome.
New earrings! I have been obsessed with Wonder Woman my entire life. Big shocker there. My sister Holly has given me WW gifts over the years for Christmas, and I have quite the collection! This beauty is a Burger King cup from the 80's and I received it just last year. WW has quite the sassy booty here, doesn't she?
ok, that was all much wordier then intended...see, I knew I should be writing in the evenings!
I have been enjoying a luxurious day in the studio with few interruptions...yay!! This morning the first official Christmas order came in (I have been receiving orders to be gifts already, but this one specifically has a Christmas message attached so I'm declaring it the first) and I am so excited for the Holiday season! I love the feeling as orders increase each day we get closer, knowing that on the morning of December 25th, that silver and pink boxes all around the world are being opened to sequels of delight...shhh, let me enjoy the fantasy! The only down part of my day is that I have to spend it sewing. I really do not enjoy sewing. Yet I love jewelry that combines fabric with metals and glass, so there you go. Today I sew. The best part is that I have the screen door open and its so pretty out today...I love that I now live in a place where its 80 and sunny...in November! So what are you up to today?
Moving my studio out of the main living area of my home has been taking up more and more of my thoughts recently. I have been dreaming for years of living in a little cottage with a separate little building in the yard for my studio. I would love to be able to paint in there as well, but I'm happy to just have Manic Trout set up...and that does not require all that much space. One of the main reasons I want to separate is that I do not want to have interns and customers in my home if I don't live alone. I've actually been saying for years that if I ever co-habitat again, that its not fair to have my work space where we live...to them. I also would really like to be able to "go to work" and enter a different building. Not having a day job means that I have to try REALLY hard to not work ALL OF THE TIME.
I have 5 months to figure out how to do this. When I first got an apartment, I basically went with a 6 month lease in the biggest one bedroom I could find in all of Austin (it's in a complex, yuck). But I have options with a house! They are for the most part, pretty little in the city...and affordable, you have to know where you want to live though and drive around the neighborhood. I have the time, I have the area...now I just need a little building...or a plan on building one...with an AC. The beauty of the south is that you don't need heat...however without at least a window unit ac, I would die. No, for real. As you can see...there are so many thoughts, just swirling around in there!
I snapped a few photos of the new digs today...the bedroom is not done yet as I haven't hung the art yet, so more will come once I get around to it...so we'll call this Round 1. My favorite aspect is the ledge around the top of the main room...I think every home should build this in, its great to stash books up that high (at least until my red bookshelves arrive from NY!
Oh and yes, that is a fireplace. I've been told that there might be one or two days in January where this will come in handy, lol.
I have forgotten to post recent Instagram photos, oops! Most of the last two weeks have been consumed by moving in and setting up my home and studio (those photos will be their very own post). However, I still have found time to do some fun things, including going to ACL (Austin City Limits Music Festival) for the day last Sunday...and that was a whole lotta fun! So here is a wrap up of most of the past month...
A show I did in early September, Saturday Vintage Market.
Proof that Fall has officially arrived...oh and fyi...I have gone back to a healthy candy free existence. Back on the wagon...for now anyway.
What I'm doing 90% of the time...when I'm not in my studio anyway.
Adam caught the planking bug!
Random Train Cars.
A rare break for happy hour. Herradura Margarita with Strawberry Puree. Yum.
A little bird joined us for breakfast at Austin Java. He was polite and didn't beg...much.
Adam's nieces coolest toy.
It tried so hard to rain and rescue Austin from the drought.
At ACL...I think we were at The Broken Social Scene here.
Tati and I went out for a girls lunch on her birthday!!
Yay, my inspiration boards are back!!!
I've had more fun than O thought recently...woo hoo!!! Have a great week-end friends!!
