Midnight Musings

Tools I Can’t Live Without {Redux}

Posted on June 18, 2018 | 2 comments

As part of restructuring my blog – and deciding what subjects to focus on in future posts – I came across my “Tools I Can’t Live Without” posts. I enjoy writing these and often get feedback about them, even years later.

These posts are also taking on a special meaning as Greg and I talk about possibilities for retirement. We’re probably 15 years out but we’re planners by nature so we’re already having those discussions. One of our ideas is selling everything and traveling by RV Van for a few years. Just the thought of a very small space both thrills and terrifies me. I love the idea of not much to clean and no room for clutter. I do not love the idea of cleaning out my studio and of trying to figure out which art tools are so important I must take them and which are not necessary.

I told Greg, “Maybe I’ll retire when you do.” He laughed and pointed out that making art is for me like breathing. He’s right. I’ll make art until I not physically able.

So I am looking at my art tools a bit differently. I often find myself thinking about the tools I’ve used that day and which I could do without. Fortunately I have a lot of time to think about this. In the meantime, here are the past “Tools I Can’t Live Without” posts.

Tools I Can’t Live Without: Teflon Bone Folder

Tools I Can’t Live Without: Kutrimmer

Tools I Can’t Live Without: The One I’m Embarrassed to Admit (to)

What tool(s) do you use in your art that you can’t live without?

Look for more “Tools” posts soon.

~Ginger

2 Comments

Posted in Art, Business of Art, Personal Stories, The Business of Being an Artist, Tools, Uncategorized

Tagged Ginger Burrell, Kutrimmer, Retirement, scoring board, Teflon Bone Folder, Tools for Art, www.gingerburrell.com

Finding a Balance

Posted on June 11, 2018 | 4 comments

Image result for scale

Hello again. It’s been a long time. I have been blogging in fits and starts and, for almost a year, not at all. I think about it all the time. I’ve got dozens of blog posts written in my head. But none of them made it to the computer or your inbox.

One of my biggest challenges, and I suspect yours as well, is being able to say, “No.” I enjoy helping people and making people happy and I am quite good at over committing myself out of the best intentions. Unfortunately I often fall short and feel sad/frustrated/guilty for not living up to my own expectations or promises.

After more than a year of falling short in too many places, I’m in the process of re-balancing my time as an artist and teacher (and wife, daughter, sister…). One of my priorities is to get back to regular blog writing. I’ll share more about that soon. And more about my work. And tools I can’t live without. And events of note. Looking forward to chatting with you soon.

~Ginger

4 Comments

Posted in Art, Business of Art, Personal Stories, The Business of Being an Artist, Uncategorized

Tagged art, Balance, Blogging, Ginger R. Burrell

The Bibliophile Mystery Series

Posted on April 11, 2017 | 2 comments

Well hello again. Still working like crazy from Codex orders (this is a good thing!) but I thought I’d tiptoe back into blog writing with this quick post. My friend Marilyn S. asked if I’d ever heard of the mystery books by Kate Carlisle that have a bookbinder as the main character. Nope. I hadn’t. So I requested them from my library and they’re so fun!

Brooklyn Wainright is the main character in the Bibliophile mystery series. She’s a bookbinder, book restorer and just generally crazy about books in any form. These mysteries are light and fluffy and easy reads. They fit in what I’d call the girlfriend mystery genre. The main character, her girlfriends and her family are the center of the stories (after bookbinding, artists books, and wonderful book details, of course) and there is a handsome man or two or three in every story. And a cat.

I’ve read the first two books and think they are so much fun I’ve ordered the rest of the series from the library for my trip to San Diego next week. I love the careful details about the condition of the books, what will need to be done to restore them, mentions of book structures and Brooklyn’s passion about books. Bookbinder tools as weapons, why not? Bonefolders, blades, awls, goodness knows we injure ourselves enough while working with them! She even teaches an accordion book making class in the second story.

If you’re from the Bay Area you’ll find them especially fun. Brooklyn lives in San Francisco, comes from Marin, and even mentions the San Francisco Center for the Book and the Bay Area Book Artists!