Heather Smith Jones

Just a reminder, my blog has moved!

noreply@blogger.com (heather smith jones) — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 18:30:00 +0000

Hi! Popping in here to remind you if you still subscribe to this space that my blog is now found on my website, here. Thank you for your continued readership and support! :)

My blog is moving!

noreply@blogger.com (heather smith jones) — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 17:36:00 +0000

Popping in today to say that I'm closing my blog here at blogspot. I'll now be posting HERE at my new website. It's all very fresh and unfinished with lots more content soon to come. Now my blog will be right on my website, something I've been wanting to do for a long time. Please update your readers and come on over! Thanks!

My handmade cloud costume

noreply@blogger.com (heather smith jones) — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 21:34:00 +0000

Usually for our preschool costume party I borrow something from one of the other teachers, and for the past several years I've been a scarecrow. Not sure what got into me but this year I decided to be a cloud.
So I found some cotton fabric leftovers stashed away. After washing it I splattered the fabric with watered down acrylic paint. After it dried, I ironed and cut a scalloped edge. The wispy scarf is a remnant of cheese cloth from when I made my own damar varnish for oil painting. The tulle came from who knows where. For the rain drops I painted dark blue paper with silver and blues and then cut them into shape. They also have a few silver sequins for sparkle and a layer of clear contact paper on both sides for durability. Silver cord ties them to the hem of the "skirt". You can't see the rain drop strand in my pony tail and silver ribbons but they're there. The porcelain cloud pin is made by Kylie Johnson.
Since I'm not someone who sews, the fabric is all held together with two safety pins, three velcro tabs, and a little fabric glue. I'm calling it good.

In other news:

My new letterpress Personalized Note Sets are in the Blue Sparrow Press Shop! And there's free shipping on orders of $50 or more on anything in the shop when you enter coupon code OCTBDAY.

Plus Blue Sparrow Press has its own facebook page now. You're invited to go like it. (:

Enjoying lately

noreply@blogger.com (heather smith jones) — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 18:04:00 +0000

Enjoying the gomphrena, autumn joy sedum, zinnias, and marigorls before we anticipate our first frost this week. Plus acorns and crunchy leaves to walk through are everywhere. Autumn is around us for sure.

So I've been taking alot of pictures (see just a few here) and working on personalized stationery designs for Blue Sparrow Press. And I'm happy to be a new guest contributor at Poppytalk doing a column called Sharing the Process. See how Maria Roth of Hold Handmade makes these beautiful felted bowls. Just stunning!

To read: A Woman Of Photos And Firsts, Ruth Gruber At 100 and Canning To Remember The Past, Welcome The Future

Life is full

noreply@blogger.com (heather smith jones) — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 20:37:00 +0000

Life is full. While it's been quiet here, I have written here a little, and here, and a little here too. I have been taking pictures, printing, teaching, going to the art museum, visiting with friends, discussing new ideas, working on new projects, walking, going to the lake, baking cookies, enjoying garden salads, riding bikes, noticing the autumn leaves are changing quickly and... how about you?

Film in review [no. 2]

noreply@blogger.com (heather smith jones) — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 21:57:00 +0000

Since today is the last day of summer, I chose a few summer shots. All taken in the evening while riding bikes.

A little inspiration from my week:

+ I made these zucchini pancakes. Instead of parsley I used thyme. (Thank you for the link Shari, they were yummy!)

+ Movies: Georgia O'Keeffe and a Hitchcock classic, Spellbound.

+ The poetry of Jane Hirshfield, The October Palace.

+ Yesterday afternoon, our sedum plant was buzzing with activity in the late summer sun. Swarms of honeybees, bumblebees, tiny white, yellow, and buckeye butterflies, moths and three monarchs. I clicked away with my film camera.

Film in review [no. 1]

noreply@blogger.com (heather smith jones) — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 20:47:00 +0000

For a while I'm going to post film shots that I don't think I've shared here before. Sometimes at the end of a year we look back over images we've taken. Well, I feel like reviewing now. There's a number of pictures sitting quietly on my discs and I will share them as they interest me. These are from spring and I grouped them together with "morning" in mind.

At my table

noreply@blogger.com (heather smith jones) — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 21:41:00 +0000

A few looks at my table this week, sketching, writing, printing.

The new wood block card is finished.

And talking about delicata squash at tend.

Saying hello

noreply@blogger.com (heather smith jones) — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 16:14:00 +0000

When life and schedules get busy I try to counter it by slowing down. Teaching is beginning again and with it the re-entry into a different routine. Lately I've had a desire for new things, nothing huge, but details like trying my baking hand at sourdough, sprinkling cinnamon on popcorn, and non-food things too. I want to be online less, paint in my sketchbook and hand-write letters more. I'm thinking about what matters and am trying not to waste time.

And I'm working on a new card, here's a preview.

That's all for now, thank you for stopping by today!

Backwards and Forwards

noreply@blogger.com (heather smith jones) — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 16:05:00 +0000

While browsing through some of my photo archives last night I found these from a trip to Charleston two years ago. Looking at them again, I can take an imaginary vacation. And somehow this morning, with these images before me, I can move forward. Perhaps it helped. But I can't deny I'd still really like a vacation! It makes me wonder, do you think looking at your family photos or places you've been helps set your course, maybe resets you? When we were growing up, during visits to our grandparents, we'd look through boxes and drawers of family photographs. My Granddaddy always kept a camera in his shirt pocket and took gobs of pictures. And there were of course, stories shared and relived while passing pictures around. I often think about the value of those photographic records and those times.
Well here's some great photos of day trips, picnics, weekend visits, and some excursions that I find inspiring. And something about this one has me wanting to be a tourist, seeing new things, and collecting bits to carry home.

Yesterday I sent my quarterly newsletter. If you didn't receive and would like to read it, you may do so here.

Plus, I plum forgot, my blog birthday the other day. It's now four!

Along the path

noreply@blogger.com (heather smith jones) — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 13:35:00 +0000

Along the path where we bike and walk. In July, when these wildflowers were blooming.

The Blue Sparrow Press shop is open!

noreply@blogger.com (heather smith jones) — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 21:01:00 +0000

After many hours of preparation and much anticipation (on my part) the Blue Sparrow Press shop is now open! I'm so excited and tired and hungry right now that I cannot even think of what to say. Except that I'd love for you to take a moment and have a look around. Let me know what you think!

A little bit lately

noreply@blogger.com (heather smith jones) — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 16:13:00 +0000

These echinacea have now gone to seed. In the mornings goldfinches sit on top of the heads and eat the seeds, something I enjoy watching. Well I just spent part of this morning in the garden spraying the okra for aphids, using the recipe Natalie posted. We've never had trouble with aphids on the okra before. Then I walked over to the squash, harvested about ten squash, some of questionable size, and noticed we're getting squash bugs. Drat! Now I need to research how to handle those. Anyway, I didn't intend for this to become like one of my tend posts but I suppose I've gotten in the mindset of writing about the garden on Thursdays. Have you seen the great lineup of guests at tend this week? We're so grateful for their time in writing thoughtful articles about their gardening experiences. Stop on over. There's even a post scheduled for Saturday you won't want to miss!

A few links:
Aimee's new series: in the drawing room.

Recently watched: Waiting for Superman

Yesterday's sneak peek journal post at Blue Sparrow Press. The Shop opens Monday!

Weekly Roundup

noreply@blogger.com (heather smith jones) — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 14:12:00 +0000

Last night while M. and I were out on an evening stroll I said how can it be possible that it is almost time for the new school year to start? Weren't we just doing that for last year? And it seems we were just enjoying dinner with Alicia, Rachel and families. Yet it was already 'way back' in June. (pictured above)

Here's what has been interesting to me this week and a bit of my current projects:

Stephanie's project, 12 Countries in 12 Months. The first stop on her tour of Europe is Vienna, and she shares some inspiring views. You can also take part, find out here.

Silk screen prints by Nick Butcher and Nadine Nakanishi at Sonnenzimmer. Namely the tenth poster down on the page, work entitled "The Pains of Being Pure at Heart."

I've been looking at and reading about the work of Judy Pfaff. I'm especially interested in the prints she did in the early 1990's at Crown Point Press.

Slowly I've been working on the website for Blue Sparrow Press. And by slowly I mean it takes me forever to make tiny changes. However yesterday I took what felt like a big step and announced the shop opening date of Monday, August 22. Gulp. I mean Yay! There is lots to do to get ready but I am excited to have a fixed date.

This week I have had the opportunity to work on a really enjoyable commission, using these colors. While lately I have been focused on printing I didn't realize how much I needed to work in watercolor. It is so important to draw often, daily, and this project hit that point home for me all over again.

Have a good weekend!

A two hour vacation

noreply@blogger.com (heather smith jones) — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 15:27:00 +0000

Last weekend on a whim we took a little picnic. I packed a simple lunch of egg salad sandwiches, cherries, grapes, strawberries and homemade chocolate chip cookies. Looking for a wildflower field on west campus, we wandered dusty trails. I spotted a few fallen hedge apples along the way, a sign of coming autumn and picked up a couple feathers but we never found the field. We suspect it's been covered by new buildings that didn't exist when we were in school. So we decided to just find a place to eat. We spread the blanket near a pond under the shade of a locust tree. Even though the temps were in the nineties, a cool breeze skimmed the water and under the tree it was quite comfortable. After we ate M. dozed a bit and I tip-toed about to take pictures. When I walked up to the pond I startled some frogs that yipped as they hopped into the water. Then a blue heron flew off. I suspect my presence chased his frog lunch away.

When we left I said with a sigh, well, that was a nice two hour vacation. And back into our hot un-air-conditioned truck we went home.

Revisiting May, part one

noreply@blogger.com (heather smith jones) — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 17:34:00 +0000

Yesterday I got a roll of film back that I began in late May, during our trip to visit Erin. It took me two months to shoot that roll, good grief. It is fun to see moments from the trip, which really, how could it have been that long ago already? One day for lunch we went to a favorite restaurant of Erin's, El Mundo. The gentleman behind the bar intrigued me in these surroundings. I remember sitting with camera in hand as he moved from the bar to helping customers, and waiting for him to return. Rach and I both took photos of each other's cameras, and I'm sure you recognize the camera strap above. And of course I really like seeing the pictures of Rach and David.

Revisiting these photos makes good friends seem less far away.

A quiet morning

noreply@blogger.com (heather smith jones) — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 15:29:00 +0000

It is quiet this morning, only a few sparrows and wrens are darting about, and the veil of white cottony clouds seem to be softening the intense heat. Today is supposed to only reach the low nineties. And although I'm moving slowly this morning, after printing late last night, I do want to take advantage of the slightly cooler day and pull a few weeds in the garden. Then later I will return to printing. Yesterday I worked on a card, which I think will be kind of special. Not that the card itself is what is special, but for what it will be, if that makes sense. Hopefully I'll share it soon at the Blue Sparrow journal.

And somehow today is the last Friday in July. Less than a month until school begins again. Summer, why do you slip so quickly?

Oh, I'll be closing my Etsy shop for good Sunday evening, so this is the last chance to take advantage of my sale!

Have a good weekend,
H

A list of ups and downs

noreply@blogger.com (heather smith jones) — Sun, 24 Jul 2011 23:15:00 +0000

Friday night we picked the first (small) harvest of edamame and Saturday a handful of okra. Somehow in the sweltering heat, those plants stay strong. Last night M. fixed stuffed peppers for dinner, something he likes to make and I love to eat!

Two good films we have seen lately: Temple Grandin & Faces of America.

Staying hydrated: ice water with lemon, strawberry smoothies, seltzer water, and of course, iced tea.

A snack I have been making almost daily is (freshly popped on the stove) popcorn. Amy's tend post inspired me to add herbs to it, so I went out and picked a few sage leaves (her recipe uses basil) and stirred them into the popcorn. So good! (I missed posting at tend on Thursday due to an awful migraine, sorry about that.)

Last week we took our cat Jack to the vet. He's been having unusual muscle spasms, which of course, raised our concern. Right now, we are waiting on more test results, checking for various things in his blood work. So at this point, these seizures remain a mystery. Thankfully he isn't in any pain.

An upside to the 104°F heat? Laundry dries on the line in about thirty minutes flat. Thankfully today (Sunday) is a bit cooler.

Did you know I'm keeping a journal at Blue Sparrow Press?

It's great to see a new handmade shop in downtown Lawrence. Welcome made! Aimee visited the shop and posted some great pics on her blog.

Have you seen Stephanie's new e-course, Creative Courage? I can think of no one better to lead a course, it looks amazing.

Here's some photos of a new project, an artist's studio, that my husband and his company designed and built. It is fantastic. I'm so proud of them!

I'm glad we're starting a new week. Last one was tough. I'm ready to move on!

Moving Sale!

noreply@blogger.com (heather smith jones) — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 15:15:00 +0000

Thank you for your recent feedback and comments about my new letterpress venture Blue Sparrow Press! I have also made other decisions lately. At the end of July I will be closing my Etsy shop, which I opened in March of 2008. It's been a good three years, but no longer will I be selling my art (paintings, prints, watercolor etc.) on Etsy or Bigcartel. My work will be available only through select galleries and my website. I have thought about this for a while. Since I will be opening the Blue Sparrow Press shop soon, I want to make all transitions at the same time.

So how about a sale? Save 20% right now in my Etsy shop when you enter coupon code MOVINGSALE711 upon checkout! It's the last chance to get some items; either they are about gone or won't be making the move. So go pick up some letterpress goods and mail something fun!

Welcome to Blue Sparrow Press™!

noreply@blogger.com (heather smith jones) — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 18:11:00 +0000

For a while I have been mentioning here and there that I am establishing a letterpress business. This summer I am setting up and busily printing away. And I have been waiting for "the right time" to announce and share this news with you, but hey, how about today?! I think now is as good a time as any to introduce you to my new letterpress business, Blue Sparrow Press™. (insert cheers here!) It's not easy to convey my feelings about it all here in a blog post, but I would love for you to visit and let me know what you think. You can read the story and inspiration behind Blue Sparrow Press™ on the About page and get a few sneak peeks of works in progress in my Journal. More to come, soon! Follow me on twitter so you'll be sure not to miss the official launch. Thanks so much!

Hello July

noreply@blogger.com (heather smith jones) — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 16:47:00 +0000

It's July already?! The summer, as usual, is flying by fast. I've been busily working on different components of my new letterpress business. I hope to share a little bit with you next week about it!

It's been a full week at tend, we hope you'll visit. Our garden is doing well, and these 100 degree temps I think are helping our first tomato to ripen! We've been eating golden raspberries, beets, kohlrabi, baked kale crinkles, purple onions, and are watching the green beans and green peppers form. The garden changes daily!

Ok, back to printing for me. But first, leftover roasted veggies for lunch and a glass of iced tea. Have a great long holiday weekend!

Installation shots from my solo show at Signs of Life Gallery

noreply@blogger.com (heather smith jones) — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 01:45:00 +0000

Friday night was the opening for my solo show at Signs of Life Gallery, here in downtown Lawrence. It was a great summer night to be out and about touring the galleries for Final Fridays. Lots of nice folks came through and I enjoyed talking with them about my work. It's always amazing to me when people take time to look, are interested, and ask thoughtful questions. Above are a few glimpses of the show. Thanks to you Lawrence friends who attended on Friday and if you didn't get the chance, my show will be up through the summer. :)

Summer sounds

noreply@blogger.com (heather smith jones) — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 15:29:00 +0000

The other night after arranging my work at the gallery I went for a bike ride with my film camera. I had seen a few patches of wildflowers blooming and wanted to catch them in early evening sun. At the end of my ride, when turning back onto our street, I rode with my face looking up to the sky, watching the trees stream together, listening, enjoying the breeze, freedom. Have you done that? You can feel summer.

Lately I've been drinking tazo's Awake, Green Tips, and Passion varieties which I drink on a regular basis, hot or iced. But I'd also like to venture out. So, a question for you tea connoisseurs, what kinds of tea do you get?

Sounds for today: the wrens chattering while tending to their babies, wind blowing through the big elm, and classic R.E.M. in the studio.

Hanging a new show

noreply@blogger.com (heather smith jones) — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 15:18:00 +0000

I arranged my paintings, drawings, and pinhole pieces yesterday in the gallery. It is always an interesting exercise for me to move my work around, trying various configurations, relating stories and formal elements from one piece to the next, thinking about how the viewer might move about the room. While there, the a/c temporarily went out, so we worked with the lights off. That space gets such great natural light. I'm going to have over forty pieces in this show, which opens this Friday 6-? at Signs of Life Gallery so Lawrence friends, come on out! Remember, it's Downtown Final Friday, so lots of galleries and show spaces will be open!

Do you ever think about what remains, the residue of something, what was once there, a memory, a shadow, a trace? The color markings on my pastel box lid made me think of that.

Our bachelor buttons are blooming now. We have a little patch of them, next to a row of cosmos, sedum, and a sprinkling of herb plants. I made a few bouquets to place around the studio.

It's a new week

noreply@blogger.com (heather smith jones) — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 14:39:00 +0000

It's a new week, with a new show to hang (opening on Friday), with good friends moving to new places, new flowers blooming, new things to think about, a new porch we're building, a new letterpress business and brand I'm starting(!), and what else? What's new with you?

More soon,