New coffee shop \ studio

Everyday when Ned go to the gym, I go out, sit in a coffee shop and do some drawings, sometimes it's stuff I later sell at the etsy store, sometimes it's stuff for the sketchbook. I listen to an audio book and focus really hard on drawing, usually, I don't even notice when Ned comes into the shop until he sits next to me or touch me.

In the summer, I usually went to the blackbird parlor, on Bedford street, which though pretty crowded, we eat at quite often, so I didn't feel so bad about hogging a table for 2 hours while only having one cup of coffee, but since it got colder and darker, I can't really sit there after 4:30 or so, it just get too dark and the place, though lovely with it's romantic lighting, isn't really practical for drawings and paintings.

So, I was out to find a new place around the neighborhood where I can work in. And while looking for one, I tried to comply a list of demands from a coffee \ studio space (surprisingly enough, good coffee isn't so far up the list).

1. Need to have good lighting!
2. Need to have more then 3 or 4 tables, or I feel too guilty about taking other paying costumers.
3. I don't like it when the tables are on the way to the counters so that any person passing by can look into my sketchbook - it's a little strange cause I like drawing in public places and I don't mind an occasional look or question - but when it happens all the time I feel too strange.
4. It's great if it's one of those places where other people sit with laptops or work, and then I don't feel so strange about sitting on my own.
   
5. This is a bit of a pet peeve but I'd rather not have to drink from paper cups.
6. Also, counter service is better for working environment then table service - I put all my socializing effort in the beginning and then I feel OK about not talking to anyone else for the rest of the time.
7. If possible - I don't like those huge American coffee mug and rather drink from a smaller cups - it's more a matter of aesthetic then anything else, but still...
8. and last - good coffee is always nice!

So today, giving a new spot a chance - the top 6 things on my list were fulfilled perfectly, I think I've found my new office, I might have to talk to the person in the counter to give me coffee in the cappuccino cups, but it was well lit, full of working people, and even had cool music and nice people, and I met an ex urban rustic waitress that I really like, so I didn't even feel like a stranger.

Also, it's really cool that the name of the place is El Beit - the home in Arabic.

Trade Up!

2 new books arrived in the mail in the past couple of days and I wanted to show them off! I approached two book artist a couple of weeks ago and offered to trade, it's a nice way to move stocks about and also to get wonderful stuff from people that i don't know how to make myself.

I'm so glad I offered the trades, I really couldn't be happier with what I get, also, seeing how other etsy seller wrap their stuff and what they send the package with is very inspiring and educational.

So, without farther a due, my new books!

AnneClarkDesigns




This books comes from a beautiful jewelery makes and a book artist called Anne, this book is made of beautiful marbled paper that i love, I've never seen this binding before, it's a cross between long stitched and regular European style binding with the stitches exposed. I really love it, it's inspiring me to learn more binding method and already gave me a cool idea for a book.

The end paper is beautiful red pattern and the pages inside are nice and soft. I knew it was going to be a nice book but really, I never expected it to be so awesome! This is going to be my Trip-to-Israel sketchbook, I hope I can fill the whole thing in the 2 weeks I'm going to be there next month.

Really, I can't stress enough how awesome this book is, you should all get one at Anne's store

Painted Fish Studio


This is the second book I got, the price on it was really really low, and I couldn't understand why, I thought I might be reading the measurement wrong or something, however, it turned out that i didn't, this is amazingly made, the materials are really top quality and the whole thing is so awesome I still don't understand why she doesn't charge 5 times more at least for it.

This is a beautiful old fashion style album made from black paper and bound in beautiful mustered. the end paper is cool yellow on mustered dots. I'm especially excited about how amazing this is because Ned's going ot use it for a small version of his portfolio to take for meetings with Model, so I'm glad it's going to look great (well, unless I decide I'm taking over).

Jen's store have beautiful books, albums, art prints and other paper craft, her pictures are beautiful and the whole store have a beautiful clean look. Visit painted fish studio!