Poor Queen meets Fresh Prince.

Last night I spent the evening in, puttering around my home while on the phone with another putterer. I went to bed full and at a surprisingly reasonable hour considering it was a Friday night with a work free weekend to follow. This morning, my favorite morning of all the weekdays, I got up with the rising sun to make coffee and clean my bathroom and plan out my day at the studio. Mich called and we decided on a Stella's breakfast before hitting up Martha Street. I had a semi rosey face when a blaring NSF smacked me in the face and reminded me once again that times are tough and the reality of paying the bills as an independent art maker are even tougher. I can't even afford a nine dollar breakfast? Are you kidding me World??!?! Don't get me wrong, I love my life and my general disinterest in money will probably not change over the years, and I quite like my relaxed work schedule, but seeing a few flashes of cash in the wallet's of my pizza slinging/bartender friends this past week was heartbreaking. I can't afford to be generous these days and I hate that. I don't want to serve and I really have NO desire to come home with two hundred dollars in tips every night and not have a life outside the walls of goddamned Tony Roma's or where ever. Seriously. But to not be able to pay for this person's coffee or my own infinite grocery list blows. This is a rant. I am in the red.

But. Today I had the most brilliant day at (not) work. After my credit card paid for my breakfast, Mich and I traipsed over to Martha to start ripping gitch. Not literally, just in terms of speed. Thursday was such a frustrating day with inks and a loosey goosey screen in comparison to the breezy day I had today. I signed, numbered and sent off my series of 15 prints for the Portland art swap and managed to coat, dry, shoot, redry, tape off my new screen for another series of 35 "Victorian Hutch" 10X14" prints to hand out to whomever wants one. Jer, I have a growing stack of prints to be shipped to you, but the Mennoneach in me keeps stockpiling to cut down on postage. Lord knows I am pathetically poverty stricken. It is only on days like today when that heartbreaking message is a bitter reminder of the life that I choose to live. ANYWAY, expect something soon. You too dear Liza, Loco and JJ. My province away recipients. It is so fun to crank. I don't have any other word for it. Lil Mama (Jill Z) stopped in for a quick minute turned all afternoon (I am sorry for keeping you!) and lent a hand in my printing process which shaved off a shit tonne of time for me in the long run. Even having her tape off and run prints to the drying rack saved so much time. It felt awesome to finish two giant series (over 300 pulls, which is bananas!) and another drawing for our baby clothes and another entire series of fresh prints. Fresh prince. Hey, that's a good name; I am going to use that. So things are running smoothly again. I drew up a new piece inspired solely by Nils Vik and Abi from Bar Italia. If you know either of these boys then the drawing is obvious. If you don't, patience is a virtue.

Shira is on her way and that means one thing! We are off to an Italian inspired dinner/birthday party for Miss Atnikov a la Sula and Rich's place and I couldn't be more thrilled.

Poor as piss, but happy all the same.

Here is a gross scanned print that I made just two days ago for the art swap. "Victorian Hutch" 3 color silk screen on 11X14" cardstock. Enjoy. Here is a hint to the above sort of quiz, I am really into inspiring furniture design lately.

The poorest Queen in all the land.