2009 Art Car Photo Calendar IS HERE!

Just in time for calendar sales for 2009!
The ART CAR CALENDAR. I photographed all of
these cars and trucks in New Orleans and Houston
over several years. Most were in my neighborhood
in the garden district or lower garden district
(yeah Camp St.!) and some I shot at Art Car Day at the New Orleans Museum of Art.

I'm selling them for $30 each since landscape printing something 40" long is pricey, but really, that's not much to pay for a one of a kind colorful calendar unlike any other out there! They are for sale now on my etsy site:
allisonostertag.etsy.com

I could only find the names of some of the artists through Art Car websites or "Art Cars" a book by Harrod Blank, the art car king, so if you know any of these people, please contact me! (I'll be happy to cut the artists in on the proceeds or send them a free calendar)

This calendar took me years to finally complete
and I am so psyched it's finally designed, printed and assembled!

New Etsy Treasury with My Red Leaves Rising (center bottom)

Favorite Etsy Sellers

Krista Peel from SanFrancisco

Junk Prints from Brooklyn

Invisible Fountain from Easthampton

Ralph Nuara from Minneapolis

Cyrus the Potter from Pine River, Minnesota

Jack Procter from Vancouver

ClayLab Detroit

mck254 from Arlington, MA

redsonja designs from Ottawa

Fretz Fotos for Cystic Fibrosis

Second Line Frames from Orange Beach, Alabama

Montagyoo from Hattiesburg, Mississippi

Mariposa Avenue from Salt Lake City, UT

Bonnie Jones from San Angelo, West Texas

Pearson Maron from Southern California

Kinchi from Rotterdam, the Netherlands

Snappy Shop from LA, California

John Heinz Wildlife Refuge

You probably haven't heard of it or you haven't been there, but John Heinz is an awesome nature space in Philadelphia. A large round trail surrounds a lake and surrounding wetlands are home to great blue herons, egrets, barn swallows, owls, wild turkeys, shore birds, ducks, geese, plus the woodland trails and birds like black capped chickadees, juncos, nuthatches, downy woodpeckers, goldfinches. They keep a list at the desk of birds sighted that day. They have a huge education center that won many awards for green and sustainable design and they have nature walks every weekend. You can bring your dog, use the new wheelchair accessible part of the trail across the boardwalk/bridge, or hike all the way around, which takes quite a while, especially if your stopping to look at things on the way, which I recommend.

Today I stopped by to drop off my photographs at the gift shop (stop by and support the refuge!) and take pictures. The sky was beautiful and the winter takes away the foliage and the big birds, but you can suddenly see the architecture of the trees, the fungus growing on decomposing trunks, the rocks on the beach, the seed heads of dormant plants and the icy water reflects the blue sky.

ETSY TREASURY

My orange and blue branches painting got included in this awesome treasury!

Finally A Break From Craft Shows!

I'm enjoying my first weekend without a craft show in weeks and I was out enjoying the sunshine and shopping today. Last week I was at my friend Carrie's house for a holiday crafting party (see photos), last night I was at the zoo photo club's holiday party and tomorrow I'm headed to a Philly Etsy Team holiday craft swap, which could be really cool. I keep ending up at potlucks, too, but I have no time to cook (or even grocery shop, I've been out of milk for over a week and now I'm out of oatmeal, too).

The Prescience of Desperately Seeking Susan and Read Beans And Rice Make Everything Better

I came home feeling really sad, mostly I think because the weather's so cold and grey and there won't be any more craft sales for a while and the garden's done with for several months and I started making red beans and rice while listening to 80's new wave and eating the read beans is making me feel so much better. And it's Monday, traditional red beans and rice day in New Orleans. There must be some metabolic reason why read beans are so perfect for dinner at the end of a miserable back to work day.

I was watching Desperately Seeking Susan yesterday, a movie I had a birthday party around when I was probably 10 and I haven't watched since, and I can't believe how many famous actors are in the film, from the bell boy to the cigarette girl to the sunglasses salesman on the street, even Dez's ex-giflfriend's new boyfriend, all actors who went on to bigger and better roles (as in the coroner on CSI NY or a supporting role in a Spike Lee film).

"Lust for Life" was playing from Jim's Band's van.

Susan is Madonna, Roberta is Rosanna Arquette, Dez is Adian Quinn, even John Tuturro is Ray the magic club mc in his second movie role where his character actually had a name.

Then there's the 80's night at the Shim Sham crowd in the mini Madonna video "You Can Dance." The whole movie is like an advertisement for Madonna's persona, but I loved it and I remember I had a zippered hat box I painted to match the one with skulls she carries around in the movie. I was so cool.

Philly Made Crafts Holiday Sale

I'll be at my last (I think) Holiday craft sale at Studio 34 Yoga this Sunday from 1-6ish at 45th and Baltimore Ave. I'll be selling new photos (gardens, animals, parks), new cards, Philly card sets to buy for your friends or send to far away relatives, magnets and original paintings! Scroll down to the item on Vix Emporium and Made in Philly sale.

It will be great!



Then I'm running off to the Mill Creek Farm fundraiser at the Ethical Society on the Rittenhouse Park square. Five Philly Etsy team members donated items to their silent auction including necklaces, card sets, framed photos and vegetable prayer flags. The event was great last year with plenty of free food, awesome auction items like acupuncture, dinners, art, etc. and live music and free beer. Tickets start at $20 and it's from 3-7 pm.

Book Paper Scissors Show at the Philadelphia Main Library

My New "Other Side of the Paper Journals"

Purgatory Press from NY

Team Meeting Friday, Nov. 21

the Mew Gallery Philly Etsy Team meeting.

Ruby Red Etsy Treasury! My Red Poppy Photo!

Find me this weekend at book paper scissors with art car calendars for 2009 and photos and handmade books and cards! There will be activities, handmaking and lots of cool vendors!

Why Being Broke Makes You More Creative: ART CARS!

I was scanning old pictures of art cars into my computer today and wondering why you don't ever see them, at least here in Philly now a days. When I was broke and living in New Orleans, I made alot of really creative stuff, and creating your own art car is all about making your own fun. I spied a volvo on the way home that would make a great base for an art car. I was trying to think what my art car could be and I thought I could do a skeeball ramp on the back of the car and have parts of arcade games and foosball guys attached to the top of the car. I'm not a huge arcade fan, but I love skeeball.

What would your art car be?

I'm putting these into a calendar for the Books, Paper Scissors sale next saturday at the free library, main branch.

Rittenhouse Square Park

If you haven't visited the park lately, now's the time to go. I stopped by on Sunday because I'd noticed the leaves were changing and it was gorgeous out and the colors were fantastic. It's hard to take a bad photograph in the park, because there are so many different sculptures and lanes and features to focus on and beautiful old trees. There are plenty of benches and lots of local coffee shops to pick up a cider, hot chocolate or coffee to keep you warm while you read a book or just people watch. Kids were climbing all over the sculptures and playing tag in the dry fountain and old ladies were being pushed in wheel chairs by their aides, admiring the mini doggies with studded collars. It's nice to take a break and sit down for a while instead of running around like a crazy person all the time!