Jarfly

Jarfly

Coffee Shop Etiquette 101-Part 1

Coffee Shop Etiquette 101-Part 1

New Site For Realsies

Please visit my new website/blog for new updates, antidotes and doodles at:

Jarfly: cards, prints, ideas and general nonsense

Official New Blog site

Alright Ladies and Gents!

I've finally got my new blog set up. It's a bit meager right now, but keep checking back in coming months. It will soon fill with my signature annoying rants, prose and general observations on life.....not to mention function as a store in which you can buy greeting cards and prints directly.

www.jarfly.typepad.com

Well if that post didn't convince you to skip on over and start following me I don't know what will....

Cheers,

Jenni

Thoughts from the Jar Moving

Thoughts from the Jar will be moving to a new blogging site....address to come....

KUZA

In my spare time I started interning for a small non-profit called KUZA. Check it out kuzaprogram.com
It gave me a little drawing inspiration....the patterns are taken from traditional Ugandan fabrics and baskets. Took forever to draw them :)

Hobbies, Habits and Hobbits?

 My brother David has dedicated his life to the game of basketball. It's his entertainment, his source of income, and passion. It always was, it always will be. And he works damn hard at it. My friend Beth practically runs the local church where she is the children's pastor. She keeps the office moving, writes curriculum and acts as a leader day in and day out. And ya, she works hard because that church...well it's her life. And she's good at it. My mom is a gardener. I can promise you this is true because I spent the greater part of my child hood hiding in bushes when it was time to do yard work. My brothers and I also grew to hate the "garden center" of Fred Meyer and til this day I get a strange headache when I walk by it. She works at a Nursery in town handing out plant advice and stocking the home/garden center with it's various knick knacks and decor. She's good at her job, she likes her job (mostly) and basically she's the queen of plants. My friend Lavenda searched around for awhile trying to find her niche, but when she finally settled on photography she never had to look again. She must have been meant to do it all along, because her work is beautiful. She has a successful photography business and I wouldn't be surprised to see her work in Vanity Fair someday. It's true, I'll be sitting in the doctor's office when I'm 50 about to get a mammogram and there her pictures will be, staring back at me from a magazine while a nurse squishes my boob.

I digress.

Me? Well I'm what you call a hobby hobbit. I creep around my little apartment (when I'm not working) sorta wondering what to even do with all the thoughts in my head. Do I put them on paper? Do I put them on paper and then burn them? I have a box containing every card or note that's been written to me in the last 6 years. I'm a bit of a dress whore, I own far too many. I'm interested in becoming a labor doula or midwife. I make greeting cards. I write nonsense. I'm decently good looking and a little overweight. Okay, now I sound like Bridgett Jones.

My boyfriend is the same way. He's saving money to buy a flying machine one moment, and the next moment grinding flour in his apartment to make homemade bread. All while writing a screenplay and brewing beer simultaneously. He calls this liking variety. It seems to work for him and I love him for it. 

However, my cycle of never ending unfinished dreams, projects, and goals leave me feeling paralyzed.

 The question is....should I paint, sketch, write....or just scream? I don't have time to paint because aren't I suppose to be out helping people or selling all my clothing to buy a small community in Tibet a yak? How about I just watch hulu.com instead? And it's like that. I can't quite get myself together or figure out exactly where I fit in this world. 

And maybe....just maybe....that's how most of us are. We are decent enough at a few little things. And those few little things will bring us great joy every once in awhile on a peaceful day, in a work free moment of quiet. Maybe that's how it is for all the people who seem to have it all figured out and excel at one thing. I don't really know. 

I would be lying, however, if I said I didn't feel like I'm letting some unspoken loveliness pass me by. I can taste it, smell it....but I can't name it. It whispers at me.

Oh....I'll find it, but damn....it's annoying.

Yo Moms!

If you are a mama and think you're child would benefit and possibly become a better human if they had a drawing of mine on their wall....then contact me!

Jenni@jarflydesigns.com

Feisty Pixie Gremlin

I've been a nanny for about 8 years. That's much longer then I originally anticipated, but hey...that's how it goes sometimes. So while I wonder around Portland trying to figure out what the hell to do with my life...I tend to sketch. Having become a little burnt out on greeting cards I've started doodling out ideas for a possible self published children's book. I take care of a little girl named Abby, she's what I would describe as a 1 year old feisty-pixie-gremlin. No joke. Anyway, I made this for her room over the weekend. Hopefully she'll like it...and not...eat it.

Cards to take a Vacation

It's official, I'm burnt out making cards and selling none :)

I think it best to take a bit of a vacation from the card business for a time. With summer wildly approaching and trips on the horizon...some as far as Africa, I think it only wise to let the hobby (as it were) go for now. I will no doubt gain lots of new inspiration over the summer.

However, for the few of you who do read this blog I will continue to conjure up little antidotes and ridiculous thoughts on society from this soap box. For better or worse...that will not change.

That's the long and short of it :)

Fold.

Be afraid Hallmark. Be very afraid.  Take thy perfectly folded creases and cliche' verses and shove it!

Fast Breaking News Story

Make that $135 dollars profit on cards...due to the amazing sales skills of Katie Presting :)

BOOM. Nice.

I happen to like my cards...

After a year of substantial work and money...I have made approximately 100 dollars selling my greeting cards. The buyer? My mom.
(sigh)
I have not one sale other than that, I admit rather sheepishly. You see, I had this grand idea that the public would enjoy my cards, but I'm gathering that nobody thinks the baby Jesus expressed in the form of a tiny stick figure surrounded by sheep is....funny. Let's break it down: The cards are locally made, hand painted, cut, folded and packaged with as much care and attention to detail as possible with the resources I have available. And so I stand by them. (pausing to think)
Ya, I think they are good. 
Generally, I make fun of myself. I don't take my "art" or really any part of my life all that seriously. However I would be lying if I said I hadn't high hopes that these cards would wind up on shelves somewhere. I could even be content with little or no profit...if only to have reached that goal...cards are on the shelves.
Rejection aint fun ladies and gents. I've certainly had my share of it. I'm no tragic figure with a great knack for painting water lilies or writing grand novels while I pondering my hatred for women and love of bull fighting. I'm just a bored girl who figures she should turn all that doodling during math class into some good. 
And good it shall be. If even just for myself, 


Here is what my cards will NEVER be:


1. covered in glitter
2. pop out into a stand alone vintage kitty wearing a hat
3. say "bringing sexy back" on them with a picture a nude stick figure on the front...wait...
4. okay number 3 was actually a great idea
5. just kidding
6. cost more than a pair of earrings
7. cost less than a pair of earrings from forever 21
8. have owls on them
9. make political statements
10. Hooray for Obama!
11. be covered in glitter


Other than that I just may shamelessly pull out every stop in the book. Maybe. Hopefully not.
PEACE OUT 

Simple Things....

Finely breaded chicken, some nicely poured wine, friends, family and a little laughter.....makes for a lovely evening indeed. Oh, and it doesn't hurt to have a goldendoodle puppy.

I'm punny.

Here is my newest birthday card design. It's inspired by my kitchen which contains more mushrooms and 70's inspired items than I'd like to admit. And of course I have a lifelong love of gnomes (before it was cool people, before it was cool...but that's what we all say). Clap your hands if you get the "pun". Hilarious, yeah? Maybe not...

You Can Buy Online Now!

http://www.artfire.com/users/JarflyDesigns

http://www.etsy.com/shop/jarflydesigns

My Little Space

I have spent the better half of this week admiring the carefully calculated walls of my new little space. If Target, IKEA, various antique malls and the year 1978 all married, divorced and then remarried….the love child would be my apartment. It’s amazing what you can do when you buy used items on websites like etsy.com or simply create a lot of the décor yourself.

Respectfully, will my apartment earn a featured spread in Real Simple magazine? Nah. But it’s not too shabby considering the lack of funds in my wallet and the ugly smell and layout of the place. I guess I’m attempting a shabby/sheek/retro/70’s look….but if I’m being honest (as Simon Cowell would say, not that I watch that show...) I don’t even know what shabby sheek means.

So let’s just say my theme is teal and birds. There, wasn’t that easier?

The long and short of it? An imperfect apartment makes for a cozy space…for which I will continuously be updating, changing and feeling thankful for.  Here’s to many top raman filled evenings at my little kitchen table…with hopefully, some good company…like a ceramic owl.

oh........

It's about time to pimp this blog out and finish my very rough and incomplete website folks. Bout time. I reckon.

New Jarfly Design

Custom Invitation for Brittany Schult's Bridal Shower

beef jerky inspiration

While gnawing on a piece of beef jerky I eat only due to necessity, I came to the brief and certain conclusion that I will finally pursue finishing and self publishing a children's book called, "Bethany Wants it to Rain".

Based on a conversation I had with my best friend years ago, I've never fully embraced the idea that I'm actually capable of completing it. I know far better artists than myself. In fact my drawing do not so much posess a spirit of natural gifting or technical ability as much as they have wit.

You can't learn wit. You can't fake it either. So while I suck at most things in life, I'm attempting to capitalize on one major thing I've got going for me: my smart ass attitude.

And I'll teach it to the children! And learn they will!

Because really...do we need another book about a little boy flying in his dreams or a little girl who learns to eat her vegetables through a series of ridiculous moral antidotes like, for instance, the green bean speaks up saying, "go on, kill me! I'm good for your body!"

No. We do not. Our society has dumbed down children's ability to pick up on subtle humor enough already...when actually they are masters of humor in general.

My favorite children's book is "Olivia" by Ian Falconer. He's given me hope that kids actually do like to read about quirky everyday things. Just ask Dr. Suess. It's true :)

So...now to, uh, make the time.

Plastic Chairs from Sweden

Having become fearfully lost in an IKEA showroom, I found myself weeping in a postmodern gray scale bedroom. It contained simplistic small furniture made for thin yuppies to snuggle on while they talk on their iPhone..... to grandma...who has been put away in a care facility. Thankfully, after wiping my tears I made it to the kitchen section, where I knocked on different sets of overpriced (yet still cheap) badly made tables...trying not to get in the way of the young engaged couple who was clearly on a mission to register for the huge portrait of Audrey Hepburn before anyone else. I wanted to say, "Don't worry guys! There's plenty more pop culture knocks offs that way! So just back the hell up!"

How does one...

How do you become a famous blogger? Does anyone know?

Genesis Chapter One

I remember all the beauty

I remember all the pain

There was a time before rain

and there will be again.

$9.99

I have yet to resist a purchase for $9.99. The other day I bought a black hat that could only be appropriately worn at the horse races circa 1927 or maybe on an exotic beach somewhere...if I was jLo. Unfortunately I do not often find myself in either two of these scenarios and so there it sits, in my closet, as lonely as the number one.

But $9.99 is SO enticing. Today I purchased a dress I have plans to wear in Hawaii after having lost an impressive 50lbs.....I mean come on a deal is a deal, right?

Right.

What a Good Blouse Can Accomplish

I had, what you could call, a "great blouse night". If any ladies are reading you know what that means. It sat right on your figure, no busting, slouching, tugging or adjusting. It complimented you and decided to be at peace rather than at war with your frame. And for once, in a very long while....you felt, well....hot.

It's been awhile since I've felt attractive due to my ever expanding collections of various sweat pants. The application of make up has become even more daunting as I start to notice the very first signs of aging while approaching 27. Yes, that's right....I have reached my late twenties.

The twenties don't appear like what I thought MY late twenties would look like. I suppose I always assumed I'd be married by now, traveling the world with my patient, loving, strong, confident, poetic, athletic, charming, sensitive, kind, sexy, hardworking, handsome, rugged, adventurous, spontaneous, sensible, financially secure yet willing to be poor, spiritual, artsy, tall, stable, mysterious, good listening, attentive husband. Together, we would single handily save small island clusters from poverty.... making Oscar winning documentaries and writing love letters to each other. Upon completion of these endeavors, we would begin construction on our summer home for all of our 5 children to grow up in, listening to Jazz and living the "simple life".

But, as luck would have it (shockingly) I have learned that life doesn't always turn out as you would have planned. Instead I find myself changing up to 20 diapers a day working as a nanny and extremely part time office assistant/greeting card designer. In addition, I am UN-married...and potentially more single than I would have hoped.

Thus, I've laid in bed for the last few nights feeling a little sad at a life less lived than is healthy. I've felt disappointed in myself.

However, the beloved polka dot blouse hath saved me from such a fate. A future filled with many sleepless nights overflowing with "shoulda coulda wouldas" weaving in and out forming a dark tapestry of despair that would eventually smother me....hath been put out with a quickness like the flickering of a candle. (what a lovely dramatic sentence... a run on, I believe. My 8th grade english teacher told me I had the worst habit of run on sentences she'd ever seen. Sorry Ms. Cox)

At approximately 8:15pm on Friday, February 5, 2010 I looked in the mirror and felt a very simple joy in each and every dot on that blouse. I felt at ease in it's delicate fabric, and for the first time in a very long time....felt sincerely happy.

If a little blouse (which I purchased on sale, might I add) can drudge up such alien feelings in my heart, I wonder what a life lived with gratitude and wonder could bring? Perhaps a richness I have yet to experience. A life rooted in love, contentment and dare I say....worship?

On Monday morning, February 8th at around 10am I will turn 27. I will go to work like usual. I will no doubt be thrown up on and change a record amount of diapers during my 12 hour shift. I will be wearing sweat pants and dreaming up little card ideas as I fold other peoples clothing. Humming to myself I will wash dishes, mop the kitchen and pick up an endless amount of toys. Strangely, I actually feel okay with that.

And just maybe, learning that contentment paired with even harder work, will finally lead me towards some of those other dreams I've had put away in boxes for so long.

In the meantime, I'd like to point out that the Oscars are overrated and too long :) Especially the Red Carpet Pre-show.

Haiti Earthquake