I’ve mentioned before that the weather controls my artwork. If it’s too windy, the paint goes everywhere. If it’s too cold, the paint clumps on the water.
But I’m the type of person who doesn’t feel like the day is complete if I haven’t finished something. I make to-do lists every day, and I need to check off at least half of them to feel productive.
With the weather not cooperating — in the way that Florida “winter” sometimes doesn’t — I had to find other things to focus on over the last month or so.
That ended up being things like testing products, making new business cards, planning for craft fairs, and finally taking care of things I’d been putting off.
One of those things was getting a new mouse pad for my computer and a new notebook for all my to-do lists and recipe ideas.
I checked all the usual sites and stores, but nothing made me want to spend my hard-earned money. Everything felt the same — functional, but not something I actually wanted to look at or use every day.
And while I was browsing mouse pads, I remembered print-on-demand products.
I already knew, from working on a website that sold them, that I could make my own instead of settling for something I only sort of liked.
And once that thought hit, it was hard to ignore.
Why settle for something I only kind of liked when I could make something I actually wanted to use?
I already had digital prints made from some of my canvas art hanging on my walls — why not use those same pieces for my new mouse pad and notebook?
I’ve always leaned toward making things that are both functional and a little more interesting than what you’d normally find. This just feels like another extension of that idea, just in a different form.
If I’m going to use something every day, I’d rather it be something I actually want to see.
I’ve got some test products now, and while the notebook was smaller than I expected, the art looks great on both — and I’ve already gotten a lot of use out of them.
This isn’t something I’m finished with by a long shot. I’ve only got one design for each so far, and I’d actually like to create new designs specifically for things like this when the weather allows.
This doesn’t change my main body of work or my philosophy when it comes to glass. It’s just another way to take something ordinary and make it vibrant and flowing.
Because even the most ordinary things can still have personality.
