Cutting-Up’s Artist Blog

Well shiver me timbers!  Cutting-Up is indeed honored to have been selected by Sabrina James, Editor in Chief, as an “Editor’s Pick” for her Central Florida’s Hip & Sophisticated Parenting Magazine, PLAYGROUND! Sabrina placed us on page 10 of the Fall 2008 issue of PLAYGROUND. Big thanks to all the magazine’s staff in Orlando, Florida for seeking, finding, selecting, and highlighting the Cutting-Up Road Warrior T-shirt!  You can find a higher quality of the article that includes our tee via the link below by selecting page 10 of their publication. Here is a direct link to download a high-resolution PDF of each page in the magazine of this issue of Playground Magazine.  A small copy of the page is below for you to see!  We are so happily honored, PLAYGROUND!  

Cutting-Up hopes to assist in elevating all the Hip Moms of perpetual motion, united by coffee lines and carpools everywhere!  With your gift of keen intuitive natures, there’s no doubt you’re channeling into our collective good vibe which lies beneath the creation of each of our designs, and most assuredly, all your good mothering routines. You’re true Road Warriors!  Like go mom, go!   

At first glance, understandably, bats are not easy to fancy.  Faced with the challenge of creating a new Halloween tee for Cutting-Up, I decided on a bat.  As I worked, however, a creative impass arose and I phoned my wise mother for help.  Mom said, “You don’t love the bat.  You need to learn about the bat.  They truly are nature’s little helpers.” With her encouragement, I set out to learn about bats.  I didn’t expect to appreciate and fall head over heals for the little creatures and wrote two poems about the bat… one for the website and one for the back of the tee:

Bats are cool, not that scary.

Flying mammals with fur, but not too hairy.

Bats help the earth as they fly through the night,

In just one hour they can eat 600 mosquitoes - that’s outta’ sight!

Don this design and boast the bat,

And you’re sure to be the talk of all the Halloween chat.

On the tee, the poem is about a bat who has learned to appreciate her gifts no matter how she’s percieved:

Loving herself uniquely

Gigantic wings genetic,

Acrobatically she flew,

Her joy a pure aesthetic.

Surfing the web, I discovered the worlds largest bat experiences is as close to as Austin, Texas! Near the bat experience is a bat sculpture called “Night Wings” created by Dan Whistler an artist and Austin-local. The bat story of Austin’s Congress Avenue Bridge is quite fascinating. The site has bat trivia, bat stories, bat links, and bat quizes.  

As fate would have it, the generous universe arranged an opportunity for me to personally experience the bats of Austin.  Accompanying my friend on a work conference, I was overjoyed as we drove right to the hotel with the fabulous rotating bat sculpture that I had seen on the web.  And, along with bat fans from all over, we walked down a small portion of Austin’s hike and bike trail and joined others sitting under the Congress Avenue Bridge at dusk.  Many more observers gathered atop the bridge and we waited to watch the colony of one million bats head out for their evening of ridding the evening of bugs and pests.  It’s truly a site to behold, an amazing, unique experience.  Personally, I was brought to tears as the bats emerged and loved how the crowd rose and cheered as the bats began to take flight.  I hope you too can learn to love the bat!  BOOYA!

The best hugs are on top of a mountain!  Here a special moment is captured of my friends, Amy and Chris, soaking in the day atop this beautiful mountain, Little Matterhorn, a 13,000 foot peak in the Rocky Mountain National Park in Estes Park, Colorado.  Mountains and music seem to shape my best most unforgettable memories and this day included both… As we hiked, Chris serenaded us with Ben Harper’s “Waiting on an Angel”… priceless.  This photo reminds me of many fortunate days spent exploring, hiking, and working in Estes Park, with extrodinary souls, through the amazing people at Cheley Colorado Camps… the kind of place where, thankfully, like these photos, time stands still.

Here Chris and I are signing the Little Matt’s register found on the mountain’s summit for hikers to log their name, thoughts, or dedications.  I wish I could remember what we wrote by our names.  These photos are from 2004, my last visit to these amazing mountains.  ”I love the mountains… I love the rolling hills… I love the flowers… I love the daphodils…”

Today Pink Floyd, one of the greatest bands of all time, lost it’s beautifully soulful and talented keyboardist, Richard Wright at age 65. According to the Associated Press Richard Wright died today at his home in Britian after a battle with cancer. Richard Wright wrote some of the most beautiful music for Pink Floyd like “The Great Gig in the Sky” and one of my personal favorites, “Us and Them”.  The BBC quoted Dave Gilmour saying “He was such a lovely, gentle, genuine man and will be missed terribly by so many who loved him.”  Anyone desiring to connect and comment may express and share via Dave Gilmour’s blog.  Richard is certainly performing his ultimate Great Gig in the Sky… To the band and to Richard’s family… may the saddness of this day be soon overshadowed by the beauty and memories of the times unique to you. Your music continues to move and inspire me. I can only imagine God could wait no longer for the only keyboardist he could place in his band. Richard, thanks for the music. I love your soul. (more…)

I was so happy to snap these few quick pics the other day at the office of Brent, April, Wendy, Netty, & little Ava Marie!  Everyday these beautiful people work closest to the details and play a huge role in the running of things - in their own very talented ways!  You guys are the best!  Thanks for all you do everyday! (Ava Marie is the token addition to the ‘cute’ factor, thank you, April!)

If you like special, full-circle, heart-warming stories (that I fall in awe-love with God over when he allows me to witness them) then you may enjoy this account.  In 2005, Colleen encouraged me to visit a market where I aspired to be… the New York International Gift Fair (NYIGF).  In 2005, Colleen and I made just enough revenue to send me for an overnight stay, and she didn’t bat an eye as I had a desire to visit this reputable market to visit vendors to see if our Cutting-Up line would fit the New York Market.  

As fate would have it, I was led to an angel-incarenate, BB Becker. I stumbled into his booth, overwhelmed by the process, and vulnerably asked this complete stranger for his guidance and advise.  BB Becker took a deep breath, shook his head, and with his BB Becker smile… told me his story and encouraged me to absolutely follow my path.  I’ve never forgotten his account, his beautiful words or his works as he took a moment in time to generously encourage me.

(more…)

My dad shared some very cool information with me recently from one of his recent National Georgraphic Mags in which the Peace Symbol’s origin was described.  Click on the highlighted here for the National Geographics thoroughly published article about the origin of this amazingly popular symbol that’s become an iconic image in just 50 years time.  Here’s the nitty-gritty in a super-condensed nutshell:

To credit the artist of origin, the symbol was conceptualized and created by the British designer Gerald Holtom on April 4, 1958.  The simplicity of this far reaching emblem is truly one of mind-boggling proportions. National Geographic, only to outdo themselves, has also published a book suited for anyone’s holiday gift list called “PEACE: The Biography of a Symbol”   Thanks for giving, sharing, meditating, practicing, and desiring Peace!

The talent, energy, and beauty of these women’s spirits at a dinner table in NYC was inspirational!

Amy Peters, Katie, Michelle Allen, April Sytsma-McCrumb, Colleen Cooper

Perhaps we were a little discombobulated from the unexpected overnight in North Carolina due to delays in airline travel.  But, Colleen and I finally arrived in New York City refreshed and ready to work… sort of… well, not really; ok - but, we did pull ourselves together quickly.  At best, we certainly proved ourselves a resiliant duo. Sure Market began the day we arrived, at 9 a.m.; but, we didn’t check into our hotel until 10:30 a.m., giving new meaning to “WHACKED!” (whacked: Just…not right. Meaning crazy, weird, odd, interestingly funny, etc.)

Example: That joke is really whacked.  

I love this first taxi pic with Michael Phelps on the billboard in the background, as we traveled in the midst of the 2008 Olympic games.  

Minus one set of luggage, we spruced ourselves up and headed to the Javits to set-up our display…. (to be continued…)