Balzer Designs

Around Here: May 2019

Hello, friends!  Here's a little bit about life right now:

What are you wearing?

This Marimekko mumu dress.  It has pockets and I love swishing around in it!

What have you bought?

I bought this dress from Amazon:

My original plan was to paint it for the MFA Summer Party, but I like it so much I'm wondering if I should just leave it alone?  

What are you reading?

I recently finished How to be Good by Nick Hornby and was very disappointed.  He's a good writer, but it was such a deeply depressing take on the world that I found myself quite unhappy every time I picked up the book. Anyone else read this one?

Current art crush?

Rainbow Village and Rainbow Grandpa who painted every single building in the village.

It reminds me a bit of some of Yayoi Kusama's intensely patterned paintings.

So, there you have it!  That's the scoop on life around here at the moment.  If you'd like more behind-the-scenes real life fun, here is the most recent vlog (and the last for a few months -- I'm taking a break for personal reasons):

Thanks for stopping by!

Around Here: April 2019

Hello, friends!  Here's a little bit about life right now:

What are you wearing?

Purple!

Purple dress!

Purple tights!

What have you bought?

I've made several donations this month to charities I love:

• My Life My Choice: A group that helps girls avoid/get out of/return from the commercial sex industry.  These girls are exploited at ages as young as eleven!  And often by people they trust.  It's horrifying and it's in America, in our own neighborhoods.  Some of the girls come from at-risk background, but many are normal middle class girls who fall in with the wrong people.
• The Watertown Boys & Girls Club: The Boys & Girls Club offers children a space to play sports, do homework, learn computer skills, make friends, and more.  Children who cannot afford to pay for programs -- including summer camp -- are given assistance by the club.  The Boys & Girls Club is more than a building, it's a community and home away from home for many children who would otherwise go home to an empty house.
• Women's Lunch Place: A day shelter for homeless and impoverished women, Women's Lunch Place offers education, social services, fine food, medical services, and dignity to women in need.  They have a very active art program and often showcase the lovely artwork the ladies create on calendars and greeting cards that raise money for the Women's Lunch Place.

What are you reading?

I am obsessed with the book, Building a Story Brand.  I'm 2/3 of the way through the book and I've already taken about 6 pages of intensive notes and redone my website to reflect the lessons I've learned.  If you have a business of any kind, I highly recommend this book. It's easy reading and it's blowing my mind.

Current art crush?

Lisa Bardot.  If you have any interest in learning how to use Procreate to create digital art on your iPad, Lisa is your girl.  She posts fantastic tutorials.  A lot of fantastic tutorials.  I love her.

Watch a few of those tutorials.  They'll make you believe that you can do it too! 

So, there you have it!  That's the scoop on life around here at the moment.  If you'd like more behind-the-scenes real life fun, you can always check out my vlog.  I post a new vlog to my YouTube channel every Wednesday!  This is the most recent vlog:

Thanks for stopping by!

Around Here: February 2019

Hello, friends!  Here's a little bit about life right now:

What are you wearing?

This sweater over and over and over again:

I'm blaming the weather and laziness.  (PS: I know I love food, but look at how I look at the food!  LOL!)

What have you bought?

Well, I haven't bought it yet.  We are shopping for kitchen cabinets and I really loved the ones in this photo, but they were out of my price range.

But I think I found something else fab that I really love and that is half the price...crossing my fingers that it works out!

What are you reading?

Just finished my first Nick Hornby novel, Funny Girl, and really enjoyed it.  So, I'm about to start a new one: How to Be Good.  It's not beach weather, but they really are perfect beach books. Quick and easy reading.

Current art crush?

My current art obsession is stitching and painting mixed together.  So, it's no surprise that when I found Tansy Hargan, I freaked out.  Her work is so exciting and inspiring!

I love her sketchbook too.  It's so fascinating to me!

I hope to own a piece of her work some day! 

So, there you have it!  That's the scoop on life around here at the moment.  If you'd like more behind-the-scenes real life fun, you can always check out my vlog.  I post a new vlog to my YouTube channel every Wednesday!  This is the most recent vlog:

Thanks for stopping by!

Around Here: January 2019

Hello, friends!  Here's a little bit about life right now:

What are you wearing?

I bought this black kimono for $5 with plans to do something to it. 

But I can't decide what?  Paint it?  Sew something on it?  Embroidery?

What have you bought?

I haven't had a chance to use it yet, but I just bought the Sweet Sugarbelle Magnetic Stencil Frame.  It's supposed to make stenciling on cookies easier.

I'm looking forward to trying it out!

What are you reading?

One of my resolutions at the beginning of the year was to replace my phone with a book.  Much to my shock, it turns out that I have tons of time to read now.  I've finished five books so far:

• Elinor Oliphant is Completely Fine: A Novel -- The story of an awkward and abused young woman coming into her own -- fascinating and well written -- couldn't put it down.
• Bitter Orange -- The story of an awkward young woman told through a combination of current day and memory -- well written with plenty of twists.
• The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency (book 1) -- Perfect for picking up and putting down because it's kind of a series of short stories.  I understand that there are many more books in the series and I look forward to reading them.
• Big Magic -- Eh.  I understand why people like this book -- I don't disagree with the content -- but the writing was a little YA for me.
• The Coincidence of Coconut Cake -- I knew how it was going to turn out almost from the beginning, but the pleasure was in the journey.  Cried real tears while reading this book. Twice.  It's a rom com in a well written book.

Looks like I was wasting a lot of time on my phone....

Current art crush?

I really like the work of Mary Zeran.  I've been following her for several years and she creates beautiful colorful collages.

She often posts process photos, which I really appreciate.

So, there you have it!  That's the scoop on life around here at the moment.  If you'd like more behind-the-scenes real life fun, you can always check out my vlog.  I post a new vlog to my YouTube channel every Wednesday!  This is the most recent vlog:

Thanks for stopping by!

Around Here: December 2018

Hello, friends!  Here's a little bit about life right now:

What are you listening to?

I cannot stop playing the Hamilton Soundtrack.  Over.  And over.  And over.  And over again.  It's so good.  It has been a very long time since I've seen a show and been unable to stop thinking about it.  I think the last soundtrack I fell in love with was Side Show.

What are you wearing?

Chicken hoodie!

Cheryl Sleboda (in the purple hoodie) showed how to make "casual cosplay" hoodies on Make It Artsy.  I fell in looooove with the chicken hoodie and so she gifted it to me.

I've worn it a few times and oddly enough, no one has said a word.  Perhaps it just suits me?

What have you bought?

A lot of very expensive holes...

Renovations are under way at the new house.  We've already run into our first (but probably not our last) major issues.  The foundation of the house is bowed and crumbling.  Welcome to home ownership!

What are you reading?

I just read Steal like an Artist and it's fantastic.  I'm probably the last person on earth to read it -- it came out in 2012 -- but it's a super quick read (like 20 minutes) and I found myself nodding my head the entire time.  I read it on my Kindle, but I kind of want to get a paper copy because there are so many bits of text I want to paste up on my wall!

Who are you stalking...er, admiring from afar?

Current crush: ashleymaryart

 I love her work!  I love the polka dots.  I love the bright colors. I love the mix of painting and collage.  I want to swim in her art!

So, there you have it!  That's the scoop on life around here at the moment.  If you'd like more behind-the-scenes real life fun, you can always check out my vlog.  I post a new vlog to my YouTube channel every Wednesday!  This is the most recent vlog:

Thanks for stopping by!