Tuesday, December 15, 2009
define: Brand... Smart.
Read a short blog post by Seth Godin this morning that describes the situation I have been watching unfold the past 6 months... thought I would share this found insight (which I agree with) on how you define: Brand.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Ashley Brooke Toussant House Concert
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Customize
As you may have notice... there has been no "Summer Release" on the TreeBed Design shop site. This is mostly due to a new gig I am working in the city (San Francisco). It has been about 2 months since I started (about the last time I posted), and things are rolling along. I am rounding out my "start up" experience (I think I have now worked for 5), and the latest is an impressive concept called Horatius. If you are in the city... stop by for a cup of Ritual coffee or a tasty meal (or both).
Even though I didn't do a release of new items for summer on my site... I have been busy with a few custom projects for friends. The first being a t-shirt design for friends living on the big island (everyone should have house t-shirts!)
The second project was for an online friend (she once got me to post a photo of me in my undies), that I recently had the lovely opportunity to meet in person. She was then kind enough to include me in a very special event... HER WEDDING!!! The wedding was decked out by turning to Etsy (a wonderful site for everything hand made), and she enlisted me to make some custom magnets for the occasion. Pretty cool!
So... if you have a special occasion, or just some fun idea that needs a little creative design to help make it a reality... let me know.
Even though I didn't do a release of new items for summer on my site... I have been busy with a few custom projects for friends. The first being a t-shirt design for friends living on the big island (everyone should have house t-shirts!)
The second project was for an online friend (she once got me to post a photo of me in my undies), that I recently had the lovely opportunity to meet in person. She was then kind enough to include me in a very special event... HER WEDDING!!! The wedding was decked out by turning to Etsy (a wonderful site for everything hand made), and she enlisted me to make some custom magnets for the occasion. Pretty cool!
So... if you have a special occasion, or just some fun idea that needs a little creative design to help make it a reality... let me know.
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
TreeTweets
There will now be little "tweets" coming from the Tree. Yes... I have joined the ranks of Twitter. What is Twitter? It is a form of social networking that caters to short (140 characters) blasts of information/connection.
Twitter is being used in all sorts of functional & creative ways... from announcing new blog posts or product launches, to informing customers where the local creme brulee cart is going to be tonight.
I am hoping to use Twitter for a diverse burst of quick and useful information. Tweets (Twitter posts) seem to be at their best when adding value for your followers (or getting valuable feedback)... that might mean connecting to what I'm working on, sharing a coffee that is worth checking out (or avoiding), or perhaps something that I think might just make you smile ;-)
Twitter is being used in all sorts of functional & creative ways... from announcing new blog posts or product launches, to informing customers where the local creme brulee cart is going to be tonight.
I am hoping to use Twitter for a diverse burst of quick and useful information. Tweets (Twitter posts) seem to be at their best when adding value for your followers (or getting valuable feedback)... that might mean connecting to what I'm working on, sharing a coffee that is worth checking out (or avoiding), or perhaps something that I think might just make you smile ;-)
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Slow Money
Tonight Josh and I had the opportunity to go down to the Ecology Center (Berkeley), and listen to Woody Tasch talk about his new book, Inquiries Into the Nature of Slow Money: Investing as If Food, Farms, and Fertility Mattered. The book (which I will soon be reading) is in some ways the large brochure for what he is involved with at the Slow Money Alliance.
This event seemed to be timely food for thought in regards to conversations Josh and I have had about root coffee. I asked Woody about how his organization's goals (which is focused on changing the way we think about money... and where we send it) fit into the world of small business entrepreneurs who want to remain local and small (thinking... Small is Beautiful here)? "Slow Money" envisions communities that have avenues for people to invest in their community... rather than invest in markets supporting systems that slowly (or sometimes quickly) erode (destroy) our very existence (yup, I said it). His answer was less about the structures that would be used to help those entrepreneurs, and more about the need to change the conversation... a conversation that would include not only how much money an investor can make, but also what kind of social return is that investor going to see in his or her community from that business.
One of the standout lines of the night was something to the effect of equating GMO (genetically modified) food, to the crazy financial derivatives that have caused so much damage in the current economy. Think about it... those derivatives were created to minimize risk and maximize return (yield)... just like GMOs were created to do the same for our food system. What will the global crash of the food systems look like if we experience the same sort of downward spiral? You can't print more food... SCARY?!? Yes. However, there are ways to begin to fix this... NOW! Go find a CSA ... by joining a CSA (community supported agriculture) you are investing in your local food systems. Problem solved. Ok, maybe not all problems... but it is a damn good start (and it will taste good too). The point is... know where your food comes from, know where your money goes... make your community a happier/healthier place to live. I don't know many people (ok, ANY people) who feel like they are safe, and/or taken care of by this current economy... we CAN have economies of scale (local, bioregional) that work with people (and planet) as a part of the equation (not just something to extract from). The idea of a Slow Money movement can help us create healthy (and even enjoyable) economies for our communities... go find a farm and help make it happen soon.
This event seemed to be timely food for thought in regards to conversations Josh and I have had about root coffee. I asked Woody about how his organization's goals (which is focused on changing the way we think about money... and where we send it) fit into the world of small business entrepreneurs who want to remain local and small (thinking... Small is Beautiful here)? "Slow Money" envisions communities that have avenues for people to invest in their community... rather than invest in markets supporting systems that slowly (or sometimes quickly) erode (destroy) our very existence (yup, I said it). His answer was less about the structures that would be used to help those entrepreneurs, and more about the need to change the conversation... a conversation that would include not only how much money an investor can make, but also what kind of social return is that investor going to see in his or her community from that business.
One of the standout lines of the night was something to the effect of equating GMO (genetically modified) food, to the crazy financial derivatives that have caused so much damage in the current economy. Think about it... those derivatives were created to minimize risk and maximize return (yield)... just like GMOs were created to do the same for our food system. What will the global crash of the food systems look like if we experience the same sort of downward spiral? You can't print more food... SCARY?!? Yes. However, there are ways to begin to fix this... NOW! Go find a CSA ... by joining a CSA (community supported agriculture) you are investing in your local food systems. Problem solved. Ok, maybe not all problems... but it is a damn good start (and it will taste good too). The point is... know where your food comes from, know where your money goes... make your community a happier/healthier place to live. I don't know many people (ok, ANY people) who feel like they are safe, and/or taken care of by this current economy... we CAN have economies of scale (local, bioregional) that work with people (and planet) as a part of the equation (not just something to extract from). The idea of a Slow Money movement can help us create healthy (and even enjoyable) economies for our communities... go find a farm and help make it happen soon.
Friday, March 20, 2009
Spring!!!
Today is the first day of Spring and what a beautiful day it is. I have been pretty busy the past few weeks... working in a garden (as well as the Hammac Hostel farm), doing some design work for a yoga studio, and trying to create some fun "Spring" additions to the TreeBed Shop.
Much of what I have made in the past months has been in a spirit of "Spring Cleaning". Over the years the studio had been collecting many partially finished projects, "test pieces", and random artifacts. In one case, Chad had carved these neat little clay reliefs, but the glaze had not "popped" as intended... I found them tucked away in the studio, forgotten... and a little dusty. I decided these beautiful pieces needed a second chance, and so they got a glaze touch up, mounted on a piece of "wine wood" and some wire accents as a TreeBed touch. It was actually quite a therapeutic process to bring this old piece to new life. I found acceptance in seeing the unfinished projects around the studio (which I often viewed as my failures) as opportunities... reminders of my own need to be present, and see the work as a progression... a path.
I hope you take a little time to browse through the shop, and perhaps even pick up something for your next special gift to give. Enjoy the beginnings of Spring!
Much of what I have made in the past months has been in a spirit of "Spring Cleaning". Over the years the studio had been collecting many partially finished projects, "test pieces", and random artifacts. In one case, Chad had carved these neat little clay reliefs, but the glaze had not "popped" as intended... I found them tucked away in the studio, forgotten... and a little dusty. I decided these beautiful pieces needed a second chance, and so they got a glaze touch up, mounted on a piece of "wine wood" and some wire accents as a TreeBed touch. It was actually quite a therapeutic process to bring this old piece to new life. I found acceptance in seeing the unfinished projects around the studio (which I often viewed as my failures) as opportunities... reminders of my own need to be present, and see the work as a progression... a path.
I hope you take a little time to browse through the shop, and perhaps even pick up something for your next special gift to give. Enjoy the beginnings of Spring!
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Spring...
Spring is right around the corner... and so is new growth from TreeBed Design.
Much of the winter has been spent organizing and cleaning the studio, 3 years of being on the road had taken its toll. However, the work flow is becoming clearer and there are new creations coming along. I have been sculpting in clay again, painting, and developing my Intentional Light series. I have also been working to line up some collaboration with other artists... look for more on those projects soon.
Hope you are seeing signs of Spring in your neck of the woods... it will be here soon!
Much of the winter has been spent organizing and cleaning the studio, 3 years of being on the road had taken its toll. However, the work flow is becoming clearer and there are new creations coming along. I have been sculpting in clay again, painting, and developing my Intentional Light series. I have also been working to line up some collaboration with other artists... look for more on those projects soon.
Hope you are seeing signs of Spring in your neck of the woods... it will be here soon!
Friday, January 9, 2009
House Clay
This fall we planted some bamboo in the back yard... when we dug the giant hole... we had the pleasure of dealing with clay. As we dug (and cursed) we managed to save a trash can full of clay chunks, and now I am attempting to make some items for the house.
This was made with basically no processing... meaning, I soaked it, dried the slurry, wedged it, and put it to use. I was pretty happy with the results. There were some tiny rocks, which made for nice little flecks in the red, but also caused a small chip to fracture off the bottom (not to big a deal, but could cause issues).
Hopefully there will be some more pieces to come...
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