Balzer Designs

Around Here: September 2021

Hello, friends! Here is a little bit about life around here right now: What are you working on? I am leaning into my sketchbook practice at the moment. It's nothing profound, but it feels good to be doing some directed explorations. What are you loving? I look forward to a new episode of Ted Lasso every Friday. The writing is great. The characters are complicated and interesting. The show is full of pathos. If you haven't watched it yet, give it a go. It lives up to all the hype. How is the baby? He's not much of a baby... Read more →

Around Here: August 2021

Hello, friends! Here is a little bit about life around here right now: What are you working on? The hardest, most difficult, and most stubborn project on earth: me. In all seriousness, pandemic fatigue has set in around here and I'm trying to figure out how to prioritize my own self care while still giving as much as possible to my child, my partner, my clients and students, my friends, and my family, and so forth. If you have any tips, feel free to share! What are you loving? I bought refills for my tape runner for the first time... Read more →

Around Here: July 2021

Hello, friends! Here is a little bit about life around here right now: What are you working on? I'm about to launch "ScanNCut Club" on YouTube. I'll have more details once everything is in place. It's something that I've been meaning to do for a long time and I finally made the time to get things started! What are you loving? I have been marathoning Say Yes to the Dress and I find it fascinating! I never had that wedding dress salon experience and I find it both tempting and frightening. Also, I need to know more about these people... Read more →

Around Here: May 2021

Hello, friends! Here is a little bit about life around here right now: What are you working on? I'm almost finished with the online Sketchbook class that I mentioned last month. Hopefully I'll finish filming the last few videos this week or next and then open registration mid-June. Yay! What are you loving? The Summer weather, of course! This is my Mom's porch. Unfortunately, someone drove their car into her house (thus all the plywood), but it doesn't stop us from hanging out outside! (It happened more than a year ago, but we are hopeful that it will get fixed... Read more →

Around Here: April 2021

Hello, friends! Here is a little bit about life around here right now: What are you working on? I am putting together a new online class (planning to release it this summer) all about developing a sketchbook habit. The format is going to be 30 short videos over 30 days. I've filmed the first few videos already and I'm really excited about it! Let me know your sketchbook questions in the comments section! What are you loving? This week we moved this bench/chair hybrid from the upstairs foyer to the downstairs front hall. I wasn't sure about the scale (it's... Read more →

Around Here: March 2021

Hello, friends! Here is a little bit about life around here right now: What are you working on? I have been trying to do a bit of outdoor sketching once a week. Just a quick scribble or two while on a brief neighborhood walk. Nothing finished or epic, but some gathering of new ideas/imagery. I'm using a black pen and a grey marker in a simple little book I stitched together. What are you loving? The relationship between him & his Grandma: Both sets of my grandparents lived far away and so my whole life I only saw my grandparents... Read more →

Around Here: February 2021

Hello, friends! Here is a little bit about life around here right now: What are you working on? I am working on a tutorial for the paper birds I shared last week (using either a cut file or a PDF for hand cutting). It takes about four times as long to make the tutorial as it does to make the project. So hopefully I will have that finished by next week. What are you loving? Steve shoveled out a tiny snow maze for the baby in our driveway. He loved it and so did I! Of course, it's nothing compared... Read more →

Around Here: January 2021

Hello, friends! Today is my birthday... Opening birthday presents circa 1984. My brother is in the red overalls. ...so it seemed like the perfect time to share a little bit about life around here right now: What are you working on? Me. I feel like 2020 was a year to survive. I'm hoping 2021 can be a year to thrive. Or at least focus on taking care of my own needs. I shared this poem to instagram and facebook last week and it really resonates with me in my current season of life: I also ordered new business cards and... Read more →

Around Here: December 2020

Hello, friends! Here's a little bit about life around here right now: What are you working on? Every single day I record and edit videos for my "Year of Gelatin Printing" online course. It's an absolutely epic course. Each month is packed with tons of videos and tons of content. (19 videos in February alone.) A highlight: I've finally mastered intentional printing with watercolor on the gelatin plate. Instead of blobby marks, I can actually get lines and dashes and even spray-inked stenciled designs to print. I'm so excited about it! (And I'm so excited to share it with my... Read more →

Around Here: October 2020

Hello, friends! Here's a little bit about life around here right now: What are you working on? I am working on a "proper" sketchbook. I know. I know. I hate terms like "proper" too. Any sketchbook is a good sketchbook. But, I'm very interested in doing a whole lot of reference work at the moment (color charts, product explorations, design ideas). And so I'm working on a sketchbook that is truly just for me (that's why there's no photo here). Definitely not finished art. Something like a personal bible of ideas and techniques. I'm really hoping that it will become... Read more →