leaves

Sometimes when I spend all day working on production, it can seem a little hard to find things to blog about.  Though I guess today I could mention how I sat down to work and my oxygen tank was COMPLETELY empty.  Which meant a trip to the welding supply shop before I could do anything.  

There you go, I did have something to blog about.  But the picture is probably similar to something I've shown before.  Lots of leaves on my bench.

And speaking of leaves, Janick of neawear was nice enough to post about my work on her blog, Creativadoration.  Thanks!

desktop camping

I love camping AND paper models - so there's nothing I'd like more than to have this paper camping set on my desk.  

via Design*Sponge

And speaking of Design*Sponge, thanks so much to Grace for posting about my new work this week!

25 things

Corey, Jan, and Lulu have all tagged me on Facebook to play the 25 things game, but I have a confession.  I don't like Facebook that much.  So I decided to list them here instead:

1.  I hate groundhogs.  I'm terrified of them.  When I was little, my mother told me they were vicious and could chew my leg off.  She denies it - but it obviously stuck with me.

2.  I live exactly one mile from the house I grew up in.

3.  Growing up, I wanted to be a writer, a teacher, an artist, a marine biologist, a business owner, the first woman President, and an architect.  I would still happily have any of those jobs, except marine biologist.

4.  I would go to school forever if I could go for free (and if I thought Joe wouldn't kill me for becoming a perma-student).

5.  I don't feel like I'm old enough to have kids yet, even though several of our friends already have children, and my parents were younger than I am now when they had me. I'm not sure I'll ever feel old enough.

6.  Sometimes I think I like the idea of coffee better than coffee itself.

7.  My house is always a mess, which makes me sad.  I'll probably never have one of those beautiful houses decorated with art by fabulous people.  This also poses a problem when you're trying to photograph your new home collection.

8.  I love my house, but I constantly browse real estate listings.  Its sort of a sport in my family.

9.  I married someone who is the complete opposite of me.  About the only thing we have in common is that we both like the Eagles.  (The football team, not the band.)

10.  If I had my way, I would have a home at the beach in Delaware, an apartment in Manhattan, a house in Marin County, CA, and my house in Jonestown.

11.  I come up with a new business idea about once a week.  If I had any money, I would be a serial entrepreneur.  

12.  I have zero graphic design training, but I always end up doing the design stuff for every non-art group I've ever been affiliated with.

13.  I can hold a grudge for a very long time.

14.  I don't like movies that much because I have a hard time when I don't know the ending.  I get very stressed.  I recently learned in Made to Stick that this is because knowledge gaps cause us pain.  I must have an extremely low threshold when it comes to knowledge gaps.

15.  I'm really good at math but really bad with money.

16.  I'm 27 and I'm already starting to worry about turning 30.  I don't think I've accomplished enough yet.

17.  I'm a big chicken.  I'm scared of heights and airplanes and elevators and groundhogs.  (Did I mention the groundhogs?)  But I think riding my bike makes me braver.

18.  I would rather be outside.  Except when its snowing.  Or when I'm at a craft show (No more outdoor shows for me, thank you).

19.  I don't want to limit myself to designing one type of object.  I'm pretty happy now that I've figured that out.

20.  Yesterday I was thinking I want to run the half-marathon again.  I must be a glutton for punishment.

21.  In the past five years, running has caused me a knee surgery and a stress fracture.  But no activity makes me happier.  (Riding my bike is a close second, possibly followed by making paper models.)

22.  I already have a mental list of the things I need to buy for when I have kids.  Like a new record player and an Xtracycle.  

23.  I am cold all the time.

24.  I can listen to the same album over and over again.  I'm doing it right now.

25.  I feel pressure to say something profound for this last one, but I've got nothin'.

I'm not tagging anyone, but feel free to play along.

cozy/cuff

My latest Ponoko creation in black wool felt - a coffee cup cozy that doubles as a bracelet!  Available here.

happy weekend

A funny little video to kick off your weekend.  Funnier if you've ever lived in PA.

a little secret

Pssst - the new home pieces are starting to make their way into the shop.

if only I lived next door to a J.Crew model

I was a little stuck on how to photograph the ottomans when Annie and Juliet suggested I use a model.  (Hooray for Twitter!)  Since I didn't have anyone around to model for me, I thought I'd enlist Grizzly:

Unfortunately, Grizzly isn't very cooperative when it comes to photo shoots, so I had to go to plan B:

 me!

props

Its so sad that Domino has gone the way of House & Garden - but I'm glad I kept all my old magazines.  They make great props!

PS - I'm working hard to get all the photography done on the new home collection so I can make everything available for sale online.  You should see them in my shop soon!

what I’m reading: the art of innovation

For a long time, I always thought that if there was one company that I would absolutely love to work for, it would be Pixar. (Lately I’ve been obsessed with watching the behind the scenes footage on all my Pixar DVDs.) But after reading The Art of Innovation by Tom Kelley, I’ve changed my mind. The company I’d most love to work for is IDEO.

Truth is, my goal is actually to run my own company, but fortunately for me, The Art of Innovation gives you insights how you can incorporate the IDEO methodology into your own business.

It’s also wonderfully insightful for anyone who designs objects that are used by people. One of the best chapters was the one on direct observation, which really resonated last week at the gift fair as I watched people interact with my products. Sometimes as designers, we become so familiar with our own products that we forget to consider how newcomers will respond to them. Utilizing IDEO’s observation strategies, its easier to consider the needs of our potential customers.

The chapter on hot teams made me dream of the day when I can afford to hire fabulous employees and surround myself with good people. Which reminds me of one of the concepts in Good to Great – first who, then what – meaning that the people you have in a company are more important than the products you’re making. (Actually, a lot of the ideas in The Art of Innovation paralleled the concepts in Good to Great – which only solidifies IDEO’s ability to understand what it takes to create a great company.)

And after reading the chapter on creating a workplace that facilitates innovation, I can’t wait to go home and reorganize my workspace. Plus, I’ve now got grand plans to steal space in my parents barn to set up a big space to play and test out new ideas.

The book is easy to read and full of inspiring ideas and useful action items. I’d highly recommend it.

a shameless plug

My brother Tim has joined the blogosphere, and I promised him a little mention here.  I love how he moves between computer art, animation, and film production - with lots of other things thrown in.  Check out his blog for all his inspiration and process shots.

(Perhaps in exchange for the shout out, he'll let me have one his "Roots" prints to hang in my kitchen.  Hint, hint.)

the groundhog lies

The groundhog was obviously lying, because rumor has it that its going to be nice this weekend.  Its been forever since I've been for a nice, long bike ride - and I'm looking forward to it so much I thought I'd do a little round-up of some great bike stuff I've spotted around the internet lately.

Normally, I'm such a chicken - but bike riding makes me brave - and lately I've been feeling the urge to go careening down a mountain on my bike.  Which is totally fueled by this folding bike the Bergmonch.  A folding bike thats also a backpack that makes it easy to hike uphill and bike down.  Ridden by a monk!  Watch the video for yourself and tell me you don't want one:

Bergmönch from Thomas Kaiser on Vimeo.
via TreeHugger

I love that people have been using design as a way to make bicycling more accessible.  And I love that multiple people emailed me about this light lane - a rear bike light that creates an instant bike lane behind you. 

Sadly, its only a prototype, but I'm betting a production model would sell like crazy.

Until that time, I might have to satisfy myself with the Knog Skink - such a simple, elegant solution to bike lighting.  No crazy, ugly plastic clips here.  I love it when good design meets bike accessories.

via Bike Hugger and available for purchase here.

gift fair wrap-up

I took yesterday off to decompress and relax after a long gift fair week (not to mention a stressful few weeks getting ready for the show).  

Now that I'm back, it seems like I've got even more work to do than before.  I didn't write the number of orders that I was hoping to (the show was painfully slow) but I feel like I really learned a lot in the process.  In fact, I was amazed at how much I didn't know when it came to the difference between selling jewelry and selling the new home collection.

So here are some of the things I've learned or am considering for next time, in no particular order:

Give people visual cues about the way a product is used - Buyers really didn't seem to understand what some of my items were, or how they were meant to be used.  What I think is so obviously a basket or a wall panel was not so clear to others.  I need to do a better job of staging the objects so that people immediately recognize how they can be used.

Use the booth space to create an experience/tell a story - Even though my booth was visually clean, it didn't really communicate anything special about my brand or my products.  In addition to better staging my objects, I need to create an environment for them.  There are two directions I could go with the booth - one being a home/domestic environment and the other being a focus on design.  I certainly think one commands a higher price point than the other.

I need to do a better job of communicating the ideas behind my brand - there are certain values that are important to me as a designer, such as producing goods locally in small batches.  These things make the prices higher, but can also command a higher price when communicated to the right audience.  I need to figure out a way to communicate these ideas without cheesy "made in the USA" stickers.

Make a catalog - everyone wants a catalog they can pick up and carry around with them.  The fact that I haven't done one yet is bad.  On the flip side, members of the press seemed totally ok with me sending them a digital press kit once I was home.

Ship my work - this is absolutely the last show that I drive and deliver my own work to.  It was a nightmare!

Speaking of which, I guess I should finally go unload the car...

your opinion wanted

Quick question for all of you out in blog land-

if you were to attend a little art/craft/design business gathering, what sort of topics would you like to see presented? And how much would you be willing to pay for a 2 or 3 hour event? What if it included food or drink?

And because I love your feedback so much, I'm going to pick one commenter at random and send you a laser cut coffee cup cozy.

flocks

I'd seen the flocks pouf online before - but seeing it in the sustainability display at the Gift Fair really makes me want to buy one.

my "wow" moment

Day one at the gift fair - I think I finished setting up about an hour after the show opened!  But at least its finished.  Then I spent most of the rest of the day thinking about how I could redesign the booth.

Traffic was a little slow today, but I generally got a good response to the work.  Not a lot of orders, but I really think right now people want to look around the show before they buy.

This afternoon, I walked by the Jonathan Adler booth, and Jonathan Adler was actually in it.  It was such a crazy "wow" moment - I'm exhibiting in the same section of the show as Jonathan Adler.  Now if only Tord Boontje would pop by the Artecnica booth, I might just die.

setting up at the gift fair

I spent all day in the Javits Center setting up my booth, and I'm still not quite done.  (And the show opens tomorrow!)  Here are some pics to show the progression of my setup.  I spent the extra money to get the package booth, which included hard walls and lights.  It saved so much hassle - all I had to do was paint the walls.

I'm not 100% happy with the outcome - I think the platforms in the front of the booth are a little low, and in retrospect, the black and white seems a little boring.  But this is my first booth with this new work, and I know how long it took me to get a booth I was happy with for my jewelry.  So now I've got lots of things to think about for next time.

and we're off

and we're off
Originally uploaded by megan auman

I'm on the road to the gift fair today. I'll try to blog the show as much as I can.

Thanks for all your positive comments about the new line. Hopefully its as well received at the show!

new postcards, too

Speaking of promo materials - my new postcards just arrived!

hang tags

I'm wrapping up some last minute gift show prep before I head to New York on Friday morning, and it feels like I've still got a million lose ends.  

Its no secret I love promotional materials, so I made these little hang tags for the new home collection.  They are actually business card size, cut in half on my paper cutter and then rounded with my corner punch.  I purposely kept them simple - just my name, web address, and a space for my retailers to put price info.

our new president

I've been so busy with gift fair prep that I didn't even have a minute to watch the inauguration yesterday.  But I'm so happy to wake up this morning to a new president, and busy as I am, I think its important to take a moment to commemorate that.

I am just so proud.

the final result

Thanks to everyone for your wonderful comments on my new collection.  I feel like it was a momentous effort, and I've got so many more pieces I'd still like to make, but I'm really happy with the results so far.

Today I pulled out the good camera to take a few promotional pictures of the new collection.  I've got lots more pieces to photograph, and a lot more work to do to launch the new collection on the web, but that will have to wait until after the gift fair. 

For now, you'll have to settle for these few pictures.  

Oh, and if you're going to be at the gift fair, please stop by my booth (Accent on Design #4055) to see the new work and say hello!

a little light

on this gray Sunday morning.

new pieces powder coated

...in matte black and gloss white.

sneak peek

Sorry I've been a little MIA this past week, but the Gift Fair prep was really starting to stress me out.  That is until this afternoon, when I went and picked up my new stuff at Laserfab.  Now I'm jumping up and down excited!

So here's a little sneak peek video to kick off your weekend:

last call

I'm officially discontinuing my fine silver on steel line - but I wanted to give you one last opportunity to pick up that piece you've had your eye on.  I'm double checking my inventory and listing anything I still have - like this large pendant - in my etsy shop.

If there's something you'd like but don't see, let me know and I can probably make one for you.  (Except for rings, unfortunately those are totally gone.)  You can email me - meauman(at)yahoo(dot)com - or convo me on etsy.

But hurry, because as of January 31, this line will be gone.

booth model

I'm having a hard time figuring out my display for New York Gift - especially because I haven't gotten my pieces back from the laser cutter.  So I made a scale model.  Which still isn't quite helping me - hence the jumbled pile in the front.  

I guess its back to staring at my model...

gold leaves

...waiting to be welding.

steel and gold

This week I ordered steel and gold for some new jewelry designs I'm working on.  They both arrived yesterday.  This is over $700 in gold wire sitting on top of two 12" x 24" sheets of steel.  The cost for both sheets of steel - $14.  Sad.

hello, old friends

After spending most of December on my computer, working on designs to be laser cut, its nice to get back to my studio and some of my favorite hand tools.

what I'm reading: outliers

I just finished reading Outliers: The Story of Success - the newest book by Tipping Point author Malcolm Gladwell.  It was one of about a dozen books I got for Christmas, and I chose to start with it because I knew it would be an easier, enjoyable read.  Just as with the Tipping Point, Gladwell looks at the world around us and comes up with new reasons for why things happen the way they do.

In Outliers, he argues that success is not so much a product of personal achievement, but occurs by a combination of circumstance, opportunities, and culture.  It is often factors beyond our control that create the opportunities for some people to be enormously successful.  While its difficult to disagree with Gladwell's arguments, I find them a bit frustrating.  It really seems like so much of success happens by chance, and while Gladwell gives examples of how society's can increase their peoples chances of success, there doesn't seem to be a lot you can do on an individual level.

The most interesting concept for me was the idea that it takes 10,000 hours to truly become proficient at something.  Gladwell sites examples ranging from professional Canadian hockey players, to Bill Gates, to the Beatles - all of whom had opportunities to get in 10,000 hours before their peers, thereby making them more successful.

The 10,000 hours concept makes me curious about the students I teach.  Every semester that I teach beginning jewelry/metals, I always have one or two students who seem to have a natural affinity for the material - an innate set of hand skills.  After reading Outliers, I wonder if this is actually the case.  I'd love to know more about the childhoods of my students.  Did the ones with the "natural ability" spend more time building and making things and just using their hands as children?  Were they already closer to 10,000 hours of manual dexterity than their peers?  Is there a way to predict which students will be the most talented metalsmiths based on their childhood experiences?  

I'm already interested in understanding the growing lack of hand skills among my students.  Now, I'd like to apply the theories in Outliers to see if there really is a way to predict which students might be the most successful metalsmiths and if there is a way to help all my students become more successful.

24 miles

Today I rode 24 miles, my longest ride to date.  It was cold and windy, and my legs are tired now, but it was worth it to be out in the fresh air and scenery.  I have to remember to bring my camera on a ride soon, because the farmland that I ride through is absolutely picturesque.  Here's my route, courtesy of MapMyRide:



And no, I didn't ride on the Interstate, the road I was on runs right next to it.

congrats!

Thanks to random.org, the winner of my contest is...

ikkinlala!

Please email me at meauman(at)yahoo(dot)com so I can mail you your bag.

Thanks to everyone for commenting on my post.  I love contests and giveaways so there will be plenty more in 2009.

my very first

After watching this great video essay by Sarah Vowell about her part in The Incredibles, I was inspired to start documenting my creative process by video.  I picked up a little Flip video camera (because I'm all about the instant process and portability) and this is the result.

In a late night, vector drawing induced moment of insanity, I ordered some stuff from Ponoko.  My pieces arrived today, and it seemed like the perfect opportunity for video.  So without further ado - my very first video of my first Ponoko pieces.

happy new year!

Just a reminder that today is the last day to enter my contest!

Wishing everyone a happy and healthy 2009.

sunshine, fresh air and exercise

Its such a beautiful day here - even though its cold, the sun is shining.  I already met my mother-in-law for a bike ride this morning (which included a stop for coffee).  

I'm finally getting to go out and use my new bike and I'm in a better mood than I've been in months.  Yesterday I rode halfway up a mountain and I'm still feeling the buzz.  

Last night we were over at my parents house, where my mother got a Wii Fit for Christmas.  While I'm in favor of anything that gets people to exercise (and it is pretty fun), it certainly doesn't give you the satisfaction of getting in a quality run or a nice challenging bike ride.  (Both of which I did yesterday.)

I'm so happy to be back on my feet - I'm a much happier person when I'm getting in regular exercise.  (And Grizzly's much happier now that he gets to go for runs again too.)

Since New Year's is always the time when people set fitness goals, I thought I'd share my plans for 2009.  No half or full marathons in the works (I'd like to stay injury free this year) but I'm going to do a 5k every month.  (I didn't do any last year, and I miss them.)  I'll be doing the Mt. Gretna triathlon again in May, and my mother-in-law and I are planning a three day bike trip on the C & O Canal in June (with our reluctant husbands in tow).  

Anyone else have any fun fitness goals for 2009?

happy holidays + giveaway

I hope everyone is having a wonderful holiday.  I've certainly enjoyed taking a break from work to spend time with my family.

After all the stress about gift giving, I decided to give an additional gift to some of my family.  I ordered these fantastic, recycled soda bottle bags from Enviro-Tote and hand drew this design on them.  Giving out a reusable shopping bag seemed to be a great way to start the new year.  Of course, I kept one for myself, and I love how roomy and sturdy it is.

So, I've decided to give one away here on my blog.  Just leave a comment on this post between now and Friday, and I'll draw one lucky winner and send them a bag (with some goodies inside for an extra surprise).  

Have a good holiday and safe and happy new year!

cubes

More paper models - I can't help it, I'm a little addicted.

my brother's Etsy shop

I've posted about my brother Tim's videos before (you can check them out on YouTube) but I'm excited to announce that he's opened an Etsy shop selling his digital prints!  You can check it out right here.

laser samples

Thanks for all your encouraging comments on my last post!  It's good to hear that I'm not the only one struggling with these issues, and I think its important to keep the discussion going.  Its something I'm going to continue thinking and writing about as I prep my new collection for New York Gift.  

There's a lot of value and importance to making things by hand, and I love doing so, but I don't think that everyone can make a living that way.   I'm struggling to find a balance between the values of handmade and the practicality of manufacturing as both a designer and a teacher. So for my new collection, I'm also exploring small, local manufacturing options like laser cutting. 

And speaking of, I picked these up from my laser cutter this afternoon:

They're just the start of the objects in my new collection.  (And no, I'm still not telling you what they are.) 

the trouble with buying handmade

Last year, along with ten thousand other people, I happily signed the Buy Handmade pledge. Then came the stress and the guilt. Some of my family made following the rules easy. I gave my jewelry or jewelry made by friends to my mother, sister, mother-in-law, and sister-in-law. My brother Tim was easy - I had planned on getting him one of Tina Seamonster's "sometimes I worry about zombies" t-shirts since I first saw them. More challenging were my 17-year-old, soccer obsessed brother, my dad, my father-in-law, and of course, my husband. I scoured Etsy for hours, worried about it at every craft show I was at last season, and in the end only bought handmade for one of the four. I felt like a horrible person. A horrible person who gave my family members gifts they really wanted and used.

I've never really liked Christmas much. I find the entire gift giving (and receiving) process stressful enough without imposing a vague but strict rule on the whole thing. So this year, I swung the other direction. Like someone on a restricted calorie diet who finally gives up and eats the entire chocolate cake in one sitting, I bought an assortment of mass-produced goods. The process was relatively easy and stress free. And once again I feel like a horrible person. A horrible person who is going to give my family members gifts they want and will actually use.

After a year of running a business making things by hand, I'm tired. I'm frustrated by this rosy facade the handmade community is hiding behind. Making stuff by hand is a hard way to make a living. Don't let anyone tell you it isn't. If it wasn't hard, we never would have had the Industrial Revolution. I'm not exactly living the dream here - I work in a garage with no heat, I'm broke, and I'm stressed. And I'm guessing I'm not the only one.

I'm tired of the blatant copying. Artists work hard to develop a signature style or design, and if you're lucky enough to be a successful Etsy seller, there are twenty people waiting in the wings to rip you off. And every blogger who showcases one of these copycats and every person who buys from them is just making the problem worse.

I'm tired of people looking to handmade as a place to score a bargain. Making things by hand isn't cheap. If it was, we never would have had the Industrial Revolution. And I understand that everyone is feeling the pinch of the economy right now. But you shouldn't expect to get things more cheaply because they are handmade. The next time you think of something as expensive, imagine how long it would take you to make that. And what you would want to get paid for your time while making it. Plus, what its going to cost you to pay the mortgage, heat, electric, and your student loans. Suddenly that item probably seems cheap. Perhaps you should offer to pay more for it. If money's tight, but you still want to gift handmade, make something yourself.

"Handmade” is a slippery term to define anyway. In The Nature and Art of Workmanship, Dave Pye asks, “Is anything really made by hand?” All he comes up with are baskets and coil-built pots. Everything else requires a tool of some sort – whether that tool is a crochet hook or a power saw. Is my jewelry not really "handmade" because I use tools? And what about a computer and a laser cutter? Where do they fall on the handmade continuum? Today's technology blurs the line between handmade and manufactured. And its getting fuzzier everyday.

Instead of handmade, I think small is a better criteria. Items produced in small numbers - by hand, tool, or machine. Items purchased from local sources. With original designs and quality materials. Where the artist receives a fair price for her work. And if you can't afford any of that, than making things might just be the solution.

So for next year I'm thinking about starting my own pledge. The Buy Small/Local/ResponsiblySourced/OriginallyDesigned/FairPriced or Make it Yourself pledge. It doesn't roll off the tongue like Buy Handmade, but perhaps I'll get through Christmas without feeling like a horrible person.

the creative process

There's nothing nicer than a Sunday afternoon by the fire making paper models.  Especially with Grizzly lending a paw (or sitting on top of my work).

I've been using the computer to design a lot of new (non-jewelry) pieces for 2009, but making models is still an important part of my process.  It helps me get a feel for scale, proportion, etc.  Plus, its just fun.

Saturday in the city

Yesterday, along with my mom, brother, and my brother's girlfriend, I took a bus to New York City for the day.  I had originally planned to go to MAD, but after the bus arrived two hours later than expected, I decided to shelve that plan until I'm back in January.

After unsuccessfully trying to find what is supposed to be a really cool flea market, we walked down Broadway towards Union Square.  On the way we stopped in DWR, where as usual I dreamed about one day having enough money to own a Barcelona chair.  

From there we wandered into Fishs Eddy.  I'd never heard of this store, but it was amazing.  Dish-ware of every shape and size was piled from floor to ceiling.  But instead of looking cluttered, the displays were amazingly detailed and stunning.  Clearly a lot of thought goes into the arrangement of those plates.




After stopping in the Virgin Megastore (at Union Square, we weren't stupid enough to attempt the one in Times Square this close to Christmas) we headed to my destination of choice, Strand Books.  Can you believe I'd never been there before?  I could have spent all day just browsing and exploring.  But for everyone else's sake, I tried to reign myself in, and left with only six books (two by William Zinsser) and a new tote bag.

Finally, we took the subway up to Rockefeller Plaza.  The crowds were insane, but I did love this amazing display in Anthropologie.  After that we grabbed some coffee and hopped back on the bus heading for home.

I can't wait to go back in January for the Gift Fair, when hopefully I'll have more time to see things (without having to fight the holiday crowds!).

what I'm (re)reading: writing to learn

Its no secret that I wish I was a writer.  (Partly because then I could devote more time a day to reading.)  I have a few favorite books about writing that I like to re-read from time to time, and anything by William Zinsser tops the list.  If you want a classic guide on clear and precise writing, I highly recommend Zinsser's On Writing Well.  (I own two copies.)  Currently I'm reading Writing to Learn.

In Writing to Learn, Zinsser explores the idea that any subject can be made accessible through good writing, and that those with a fear of writing can be taught to overcome that fear by writing about subjects they love.  This certainly makes the book a must read for any teacher.

What I love most about Zinsser is that he clearly loves to read, and Writing to Learn is filled with examples by excellent authors.  I added many of these authors to my holiday book wish list, including John Muir and Rachel Carson.  In fact, my favorite chapter in the book wasn't the one on art, rather it was Earth, Sea, and Sky - the chapter on the environment and ecology. 

Which got me thinking, I'll happily read a book on any subject if the author is good.  I would count Sarah Vowell among my favorite authors.  Even though I don't have any particular interest in Presidential assassinations or Puritan society, I know I'm going to enjoy the story.  The same goes for Michael Pollan, Barbara Kingsolver, or Annie Dillard.  (Or, of course, William Zinsser.)

Sadly, I often find myself ordering books because the topic is interesting to me (such as craft theory or alternative transportation) only to find myself struggling to get through the book.  In Writing to Learn, Zinsser is heavily against jargon and academic speak, and the craft theory books I've been reading lately are some of the worst offenders.  As is the case with many craft academics, there's a strong desire to show just how smart you are.  Yawn.  I wish someone would read Writing to Learn before setting out to write the next craft theory book.

Hmmm, maybe that someone could be me...

jewelry + ornament

I've decided to run a little special - from now until December 18, if you order any piece of jewelry from my Etsy shop, I'll send you one of my pressed metal ornaments, FREE!  That's right, something to give and something to keep.  Or something to give and something else to give.  Or two things to keep.  Whatever works for you!

But I only have a limited number of ornaments left, so order soon!

PS.  You can also buy ornaments at my other Etsy shop - megan auman home.

a good weekend

On Friday, I went to my doctor and got some really great news.  (Don't get too excited, it was my FOOT doctor.)  Not only is my foot healing well, but he cleared me to run!!!  So on Friday night, I picked up a new pair of running shoes, and on Saturday morning, I took Grizzly for a short run!

Also on Saturday, we finally got our fireplace up and running.  It made the house so nice and toasty.  I could get used to that.

Now its back to work... on my new computer!  (I picked that up on Friday too, and have been working away on it ever since.)

blogging evangelist

The Daily Show With Jon StewartM - Th 11p / 10c

Arianna Huffington

Barack Obama Interview
John McCain Interview

Sarah Palin Video
Funny Election Video

One of the best parts about working from home is that you can watch The Daily Show in the middle of the day.  For those of you who may have missed it, enjoy this little clip of Arianna Huffington and Jon Stewart discussing blogging.