Yesterday, my stomach was finally at ease. The 2nd Annual Craft Lake City was a long day event and a first experience for me and Emily. I’ve never set up a booth before that wasn’t already figured out. I had imagined this in my head for some time and though it came close, I learned a lot of techniques that would better our display. Also, I definitely need to start earlier. I had new pieces I premiered that were very time consuming – animal head magnets, moleskines, a blackbird cut out the same process as my animal heads – and I wished the quantity were bigger so we didn’t run out. Also new are our letterpress printed cards – which I enjoyed seeing people smile after reading them. I also enjoyed explaining my mounted pieces to intrigued people. It’s a 6 step process:

1) Carve out the image on 1/4″ birch plywood

2) Ink the wood block and roll through press with rice paper

3) Cut out shape

4) Glue paper to 3/4″ birch plywood

5) Scroll saw exact image

6) Sand edges

Thanks to friends and family who came and all those who shared kind words. And big thanks to the boy who gives me 100% support!

By the end of the day I felt encouraged to continue this project and apply for future festivals. Firstly, I’m hoping to rework this website and start an online shop – but after I deep clean my apartment.

Yesterday I woke up at 6:30am, drove a half hour to North to Ogden to grab my animal head wood blocks. I then went on to drop off Di’s wedding invitations and forgot to tell her Happy Birthday, like a jerk (sorry Di!). Then another hour drive to Logan, where I went to school. I got myself and Emily special permission to use the print studio for the day. I haven’t been able to find a rolling press in Salt Lake City that fits my moose and buffalo (has to be at least 35″ wide!). We’ve been really busy working on products and prints for Craft Lake City which is now exactly two weeks away! Oy. It’s been pretty stressful being it’s our first real event. We’ve talked all year long about how we could make FMP work, a real business. Finally we stopped talking and got to doing. But the most stressful thing is that MisterArt.com forgot to put my 2 rolls of rice paper on their shipping truck for 3 days and didn’t do anything on their end to help a girl out and get it by Thursday! Needless to say my paper didn’t get here on time and I will never be ordering from them again. Two of my former classmates were very gracious to let me borrow their roll or what they had left of their roll. I would not to have been able to get any animal heads done with Brandt and Matt! Thank you boys.

Emily and I didn’t leave the studio until 7:00am. We got a lot done. We wanted to do more, but we had been awake for more than 24 hours on top of her niece is getting married today up in Burley, ID and I have to work back in the city for the rest of today. I dropped Emily off then my pup Sheila and I headed back. After a half hour in the canyon I was dangerously drifting asleep. I took a 40 minute nap in the Brigham City Walmart parking lot as Sheila barked at any noise. She’s such a good watch dog when situations are strange to her, but a horrible listener when I yell, “Quiet! Mommy needs sleep.”

I want these next two weeks to be over with, but take as long as possible to go by at the same time.

Lots of stuff has been going on and it’s kept me from blogging here. I don’t know where to begin, but lets just start with Friday. It was an art-filled day, a perfect day. My third post went up on the Boxcar Press blog with a very motivating interview with Ladies of Letterpress. This internship has been a dream. Conversing with letterpress artists, hearing how they started especially, has been really encouraging. And getting to know the Boxcar folk has been awesome as well. They are good people.

I then worked at Signed & Numbered. It’s exciting every time I work at the store because I’m surrounded by fantastic limited edition prints the whole time. And ever since they were featured in The New York Times, a lot of people have been coming in with interest. In the afternoon I went over to their new, still in construction, gallery to caulk, prime, paint, whatever needed to get this ready for inspection. Just as I wiped paint off my hands, I got a phone call. An amazing phone call with not one, but TWO exciting news for me. The only downside, I can’t tell anybody! I have been sworn to secrecy for about a week which has been so hard! But all I can say is I’m stunned and flattered.

Friday was also gallery stroll night. I have only been in the March Gallery Stroll so it was exciting to be apart of it again with The Holga Show. However, I have to be honest here. It was a little disappointing. Each 5×5 photo was $70, unframed, and the artist gets 60% if sold. They published a book with all the selected entries (I had 3), but the book was $70 as well and the artist gets nothing from those sales. I would rather buy the book to have everyone’s photos than a single photo that I have to pay more to get framed. And I couldn’t even convince myself to buy the book because the book cover wasn’t even designed well. I probably will not be entering next year.

My friend and co-worker Andy and I then strolled over to the Salt Lake Art Center where I was blown away with their exhibition, Contemporary Masters Artist Designed Miniature Golf. It is up, free, and fully playable until September 16th and I highly recommend it!

Then I went over to my friend Travis Bone’s house to help him print a very limited edition of Portugal. The Man gig posters. It was the perfect way to end an art-filled day by watching Travis print and his whole process. He’s amazingly talented and becoming very well-known. Even though we met last year and he’s been doing his thing for much longer, I am proud of him. He inspired me the first time I printed with him and continues to do so today.

(Photos above courtesy of Lauren Brady, host of Amore Lounge)

I celebrated Valentine’s Day yesterday with an awesome breakfast at Ruth’s diner, snowshoeing up Big Cottonwood Canyon, the most amazing onion rings I’ve ever had at Red Rock, a massage, dinner at The Copper Onion and attending the most well-thought out themed party I’ve ever been to. Lauren (in photo) is so adorable. She mailed out invites that were letterpress printed for her Amore Lounge party. Cocktail attire required. Her gorgeous apartment was decked out with hand made paper and wooden hearts, a custom sign, stringed lights, delicious food, an open cocktail bar, a guest book, party favors and great people! I can’t wait to see the photos on my holga. I only took a few until some technical difficulties crammed my film (the sponge that held the film in place, rolled with it).

Last night I threw a real adult party. As I mentioned I hardly even let anyone know it’s my birthday, let alone actually celebrate it. But when I realized that this would be the only way I could get everyone to dress up like they’re straight out of Mad Men, I had to do it.

Thanks to all who came!

Yesterday was a great day. Usually January 21st is a low key day spent watching Sundance films with strangers who have no idea I am one year older. The day is so consumed of inspiring and amazing films that I don’t realize my brother is also one year older and I need to call him. But this year the festival doesn’t officially start until tonight.

So what else could I do? I went to the SLC AIGA’s event where Debbie Millman, the National AIGA President, was lecturing on the psychology and evolution behind Why We Brand? Why We Buy? Yes, I went to a lecture. And I loved it!  It was a really fascinating talk.

I bought 2 copies of her latest book, “Look Both Ways,” and 1 is being sent to that redhead I talk about so much. Her birthday is the day before mine and this seemed to fit the perfect gift from me to her. I was able to get it signed and everything. And I don’t know what Ms. Millman was thinking but she wrote, “For Emily PS- You are lucky to have the best half-Asian friend there is!” I have to say, Ms. Millman is a fine lady and knows what she’s talking about.

I had many friends, some I haven’t talked to in a long long time, all wish me a great day. It’s so nice to know people are thinking of you. Then Tracy the boy brought me yummy Thai food for dinner and Jaci surprised me with cupcakes! A pretty fulfilling day!

I don’t sew. I want to sew. But I don’t.

A couple of months ago, I snuck behind my friend Jen of Sparrow Original’s back and bought some patterns from her shop. She is amazingly talented. While I was visiting in Logan last October she let me stop by with my sewing machine and fabric from Yellow Bird Fabrics, an amazing local fabric store in SLC, and gave me a one on one sewing session. Once again, I don’t sew. Time ran out and she had to go to work as well did I have to hit the road. During my hour drive home I decided to make it a goal to finish it that day.

Well, today I actually finished it just in time to have it carry 2 holgas (one for color film and one for black and white) as we journey to The Renegade Craft Fair tomorrow. Not too shabby for never sewing something from scratch before, but you can totally tell it’s handmade. I think it’s what makes me love it more too.

Thanks Jen!

Last night I drove the hour and a half to my old college town. My home for 4 years. I got to say, I love where I’m at right now – location and in life – but it was a bit somber being back in Logan. I hugged and high pitched my voice whenever I would say, “Heeey!” because that’s how long I haven’t seen everyone, and that’s how much I’ve missed them. It was overwhelming for sure. And not only because of the people, but the prints. I felt a little bias because I didn’t get to see the work in process and develop, hear the background story or even know who made them. And not to sound like I think the world revolves around me, but having been apart of this event with these people for the past 4 years was weird to see as an outsider. They’ve moved on without me. Dumb, right? The best I can describe it is as much like a break up and seeing that person has moved on. You’re happy for them, for sure, but what you had with them is gone and it ain’t comin back sister.

Needless to say, I will miss that part of my life. Good ol’ college.

On to lighter news, here are the amazing prints I walked away with.



Adrienne Smart. Yes, she’s a seamstress too.



And Sunshine Cobb.

I have a few prints for sale as well and the sale goes on until the end of today at Utah State University in the Chase Fine Arts Building, room 106.

Both my brother and my father told me about a movie I might be interested in. It sounded so familiar when they each explained it to me- a married couple who collected art throughout their life. Little did they know they were housing some of the most famous pieces of art over the years. It sounded like Herb & Dorothy. I learned about them in my Art History Seminar class this last semester. In this class I met and befriended Alexa Hall. Alexa taught me how to live, or rather how not to live. She told me about Fred Perry, Ray Bans, and how I look like Karen O from the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. She drinks bubble gum frappe if you buy it for her, she feeds you when you cry (and makes you drink lemonade with vinegar…for funny) and she accompanies you when you cut over 15 inches of hair. Then she tells you how her mom dated all of her friends’ dads before I find out her mom did actually date my dad (why they broke up is sealed in both of their lips).

Alexa also taught me how to ditch class. How to ditch class, during class. How to ditch class on a day we learn about Herb & Dorothy. How to ditch class, immediately after learning about Herb & Dorothy. How to ditch class and talk about how cute the couple is and how that class shouldn’t be 3 hours long. Well, now we can watch their cuteness for a full 2 hours at the Tower Theater in SLC. I won’t go with anyone else but her. You hear me Alexa??

Why are all the people I love so dearly, so far away?

Allison is in Boulder, CO

Emily A/B. is in Atlanta,GA

Emily W. is in Brooklyn, NY

Steve is in Australia (exact location unknown – he is touring with Mojo JuJu!)

And the family. Oh the family. They’re at least an hour away in every direction.

Woe is me.