Another layer of fun this year was the addition of new folks selling their wares: Cincy Apparel, Deadstar, Southpaw Prints, Rockit, and Allscreen set up for the first time. And returning there was Park + Vine, Alternative Motive, Donkey Ts, Anonymous Skate Shop, Unheardof Boutique, Able Projects, Ski Cincinnati and Proforma Albrecht.

Top it all off, there was a Reds game and music from You, You’re Awesome, Pop Empire, Flux Capacitors, The Western.

Days like this and  we’re proud to have such a vibrant downtown.

Alright, enough with the words, here’s a whole slew of pictures from the day.

Chris snapped this picture of me with his new iPhone 4. This is the photo, with not a bit of retouching, which only added fuel to the fire to my current internal debate. My point and shoot that I keep in my bag at all times bit the dust, so I was contemplating a new pocket camera. But with the new 5 megapixel camera, it makes me think maybe one device can serve two purposes. I’m all about having less stuff. But maybe I’m rationalizing.

See what all that fresh air does to a person?

When the very talented Erin of Inky Winke agreed to do a one week course, we happily jumped on board.

I’ll share a few photos of our classmate John putting his work on the press, and when we’ve had a chance to breathe, Tom and I will share what we’ve cobbled together.

If this is you, you’re not alone! We constantly have friends and family asking us how to adjust for low light or take a better-than-average portrait. A little know-how can get you a long way, so we’ve decided to put together a workshop for the person who’s ready to take the next step and start fiddling with the settings on their cameras.

In our three hours, we’ll cover:
- how your camera operates, including ISO, shutter speed and aperture
- composition and shooting techniques
- an overview of post-processing using Photoshop Elements

In order to ensure the quality of the experience, we’ll be limiting the class to 12 participants. We ask that you bring your camera and the accompanying manual to the workshop. Feel free to bring a laptop if you’d like to follow along during the Photoshop portion, but it is not required.

Saturday, June 26th, 1–4pm
The Wire & Twine Studio (Oxford, OH)
$30/person

Register online to reserve your spot. Hope to see you there!

But the other thing we couldn’t live without? Our local library.

When the recession hit, it made most of us examine how we were living. As the headlines got gloomier, I looked around at our house, full of far too many things. I began to think how we could have the same rich experiences, but without acquiring as much and spending far less.

Which made me think about our library, which we frequented for story hour and occasional borrowing, but never really fully utilized. It’s just a tiny building, your standard red brick fare. No impressive columns or historical significance, it’s a bit like a geode. Rather unassuming on the outside, but you should really crack it open and see what’s inside.

We have three children. They often grow tired of things in short order. There are their cherished toys, books, and movies, but most other items are relegated to a dark corner after a few play sessions. But at the library there are countless books and DVDs to borrow. There’s even a huge selection of puzzles, stuffed animals, and puppets to check out. And after a week or so, when we’ve grown tired of them, we return them for someone else to use.

The inter-library loan is another phenomenon I find nearly as magical as the internet. If our library doesn’t have an item you need, another branch likely does. And if another branch doesn’t have it, they have connections to other bigger library systems. A few clicks and several days later, a bundle of things are waiting for me on the hold shelf, ready to be checked out. The other day I left the library with an 18″ mammoth puppet, a comprehensive book on felting, an obscure Japanese children’s movie, and the complete set of Elephant and Piggie books.

And once we find that perfect microscope for the kids this summer (suggestions welcome), I’ve heard rumors that I can check out slides of tissues and cells for study and examination.

So that little red basket that sits in our hallway? Quite possibly the best used real estate in our house these days. Hooray for the library!

When a friend called asking us to put in a bid on a project for the local senior center, we knew we had to be a part of it. As a small public entity that strives to remain affordable for the entire senior community, the Senior Center had few funds to develop their brand. When they won a small grant, they had limited means with which to reestablish their identity.

With some hard work and a fantastic working relationship, we were able to develop an identity, collateral, and signage. What was most exciting about this project is that it involved several skills we tuck under our creative umbrella. Not only did we design all the materials, but we were responsible for all the photography used in the collateral.

Oxford Seniors officially launched their new identity last week at a lively party with nearly all their members in attendance. The seniors, who had been a part of the design process, were excited about their new brand. “There’s new excitement in the air—you can just feel it!” one person commented.

The kids heard there was going to be lots of snow, but they had a hard time understanding what that meant. To give them a visual example, we set up a Gnome-o-meter. Our 14″ friend would help us with a visual representation of how much snow we were really getting. All day the kids were to delighted to check on his progress.

If the weather folks get it right, when we wake up tomorrow all we’ll be able to see is his hat.

Today we met up at Holiday Junction in the Cincinnati Museum Center to catch the trains, peek at the Egypt exhibit and share some lunch. We also met a fine gentleman using an old printing press in the Over the Rhine section from the 1900′s. He cast some type out of liquid metal right on the spot and gave us the letters are souvenirs! So much packed in, we’ll have more to share.

But for now we’re closing our laptops to enjoy the holiday.

Thanks for your visit and we hope you have a Merry Christmas!

While digging around online, there’s a fantastic and in-depth article that digs into the history of his work at Ford Times. This particular bit caught my eye, but the entire article on Charley Harper Prints is a trove:

By 1951-2, Charley was an increasingly regular contributor to Ford Times. With his first cover we also see his first forays into illustrations of nature, to become the hallmark of his later career. However, it was not yet a specialty, or focus.

– A Charley Harper Ford Times Retrospective by Terry Wright [ link ]

Everyone at the studio is enamored with Charlie’s work and we turn to it for inspiration, often. Below? A few more scans from our collection that weren’t found in this super awesome Flickr pool.

For more on Charley, visit the studio site maintained by his family:
The Charley Harper Art Studio.

Name: Kelley Deal

Location: Dayton, OH

Website: kelleydeal.net

Why did you start making handmade goods?
A friend had a birthday, and I was thinking of something handmade to give her. That’s when I started making bags. Then I saw these beautiful old sweaters, and I knew I had to do something with them. That’s when I started making scarves.

Where do you find inspiration?
Everywhere. The ocean. Magazine advertisements. Two colors sitting next to one another. From the sweaters themselves. Kim (Deal) is instrumental in naming. Whatever makes us laugh is the name the scarf gets. They kind of name themselves!

What is the best part of your day?
When I’m done running around and all my obligations are met. I’m able to go up to my Pull Room, stand there, and start creating. My Pull Room is where I keep all my raw materials, laid out according to color and pattern. At that time of day, I feel like I have the leisure to work as long as I’d like.

What have you been listening to lately?
Christmas music on the AM stations! I sing my heart out along with those songs.

What don’t we know about you?
Nothing! I put it all out there, baby.

–

We should mention, Kelley’s stuff sells out pretty quick. And this time around she’s made some pretty innovative variations on her scarves with some short ones (as seen on TV) and “collars” – Check ‘em out!