Author Archives: Sparkbark

Diaper Drive for Emergency Infant Services

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It’s been a busy year and a particularly busy month — but not as busy as the month Cole graduated and getting him off on his mission to Manchester, England!  That was insane!  But one of the highlights of August 2014 has been the Tulsa, Oklahoma Stake Relief Society Women’s Conference where we, with our fearless leader, held a preparedness conference which I will post about later with downloadable graphics, etc.  As part of this conference, though, we held a diaper drive for a Tulsa non-profit called Emergency Infant Services.  We collected diapers and packaged them up in bags of 20 or so according to size and will be delivering them this week.  Hooray for clean bums!  It was an easy, effective, and necessary service project and one that everyone seemed to wholeheartedly support.  I love getting out in the community with service projects outside of our own little homes, wards, and stakes.  So fulfilling!

What I Designed Today: A poster for Lemon Tart by Josi Kilpack

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It’s been a long time since I blogged.  Almost a year, in fact.  I’ve missed it!  In my time away, I’ve done many things and learned quite a bit.  Let’s see how much of that I can get documented down the road but, for now, here’s some recent work I completed for Theater Bartlesville — even though I’m no longer serving on their board this year.  Last year was so much fun, not to mention meeting some pretty amazing people, but I simply don’t have time to do it again.  I won’t be doing most of their items but as a huge Josi Kilpack fan, this poster design I just couldn’t resist.  Can’t wait to meet her at the fundraiser. And, for all you font nerds out there like me, the font is My Aunt Celia and you can buy it at MyFonts.

What I Designed Today: Boo Juice – FREE Download – Halloween Ghost Stickers for Capri Sun & Pouch Drinks

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FREE DOWNLOAD. So easy and cute. I was making 20 for Ben’s class party but we had two extra packages of Capri Sun drinks and I knew I might run short at the church trunk-or-treat tonight so I fixed them up! Good thing, too, as we ran out of goodies and all the Boo Juice went first! They were a hit! If you click on the pic of the file, you can download the file from Flickr.

What I Designed Today: Banner Ads for The Artful Ewe

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I love knitting. I love banner ads – so small and easy, right? Well, sometimes the small size can be really constraining. I left the ribbon-like banner at the top of one of the ads so perhaps the white space above would set it apart from other banner ads. Anyway – it’s yarn! What’s not to love?

What I Designed Today: Billboard Artwork for “The Real Inspector Hound” for Theater Bartlesville

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Final billboard.

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Final poster.

I ran a test vote on Facebook with my 777 friends and the red poster won out over the sideways-text white one by a thin margin. We’re using the red poster with the spyglass from one of the others. Good combo. This made the billboard much easier to do!

What I Designed Today: Poster Artwork for The Real Inspector Hound for Theater Bartlesville

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Theater Bartlesville’s next play is “The Real Inspector Hound”. These are my first drafts. Which would you choose?

What I Designed Today: Steam Train Tickets

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A steam train engineer requested tickets for an upcoming birthday party for a local Steam Train No. 940. He wanted a punch card for the kids to use for the party. I love trains!

What I Designed Today: Play Titles

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The artwork for the next three plays at Bartlesville Theater hasn’t even been started but I needed to get the play titles in the brochure and I didn’t want plain, old, boring text, so I whipped these up as fast as I could this morning. Which is your favorite? I love Illustrator more and more each day (the more I actually learn how to use it!). I finally gave in to Adobe Illustrator CC and I am loving it.

Baby Cashmerino Newborn Knitted Booties

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It’s very difficult to get knitted things, in my opinion, that will fit a small newborn. My babies were all ginormous so this wasn’t an issue for me but as I try to make gifts for friends, it’s been difficult. The neon booties are one of my favorite booties ever but since they are worsted weight yarn (the only bright neon stripes I could find), they fit about a 12 month old. These sweet, minty booties, however, fit a newborn perfectly! I can’t wait to put them on her tiny toes. They are made with 55% wool, 33% microfiber, and 12% cashmere yarn — some of the softest yarn Debbie Bliss has to offer. It was a dream to work with but the ends would split when I tried to tuck in my ends with a darning needle. Nothing problematic, really, just have to be a little careful. The yarn was not easily split, however, while knitting. If you like these, go by my Ravelry page and give them a LIKE! Thanks!

Knitted Neon Mary Janes

by Sparkbark | 2 Comments

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Knitted Neon Mary Janes. Could they get any cuter?! I packaged them up for a baby shower in a plain kraft box, printed a label, and added a ribbon. JUST MY LUCK — I forgot the shower was for a boy. That’s okay, though, because I actually had made these for another baby girl and was using them in a pinch because the shower is today! I might have to just do booties just to keep up with baby shower gifts for church. If you click on the template for the label, it should take you to Flickr where you can download the file as a free printable. If you like these, please give them a “like” on Ravelry.

Radio Interview for The Trip to Bountiful

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Left to right: Joe Sears, Charlie Taraboletti, Marilyn Johnson (along with Amity Hollenbaugh in the background, who really runs everything)

I arranged my first radio spot for Theater Bartlesville with Bartlesville Radio KWON — 1400 AM or 100.3 FM on the dial. I wasn’t nervous until it was OVER. I chose to sit in the back and not say anything but when the interviewer, Charlie Taraboletti, asked for dates, nobody else had them so I had to step up to the microphone. I had a frog in my throat (of course!) but I think it went well and, more importantly, I hope Bartlesville peeps will turn out for the show and buy some tickets! Many are thinking the theater will be sold out this year, so be sure to get your tickets while you can at 918-336-1900. Online ticketing at www.theaterbartlesville.com is not available but will be coming soon.

UPDATE 9/6/13: I’ve been told the radio interview is recorded and available online at Bartlesville Radio! Hallelujah! We can all bask in my frog-in-the-throat moment. Oh, well, at least Marilyn and Joe sound great!

More Stupid Husband Tricks

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Many of you remember my original post in 2008 here with the ladder. Welll, it was about time for another round. This time with scaffolding, bailing wire, and rocks.

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What I Designed Today: Theater Bartlesville’s The Trip to Bountiful – Billboard Design Progression

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I thought you might like to see the progression of this particular billboard. The artistic director, Joe Sears, of Greater Tuna fame (Aunt Pearl? Tony nominee? Ring any bells?), created the yellow background and silhouette with watercolors on vellum and I scanned the artwork in and adjusted everything for print. It’s been 20 years since I designed a billboard. That makes me sound really, really old but the first time I did one, I was only 22. You do the math. I’m not a dinosaur…yet. Billboard design can be tricky but it’s nice to know the technology has improved enough to where an accurate color proof is available on the same vinyl they use to put up on the actual billboard. It was only $35 extra for the proof, and yellow can also be tricky, so I figured it was worth it. If all went well, we’d have an extra 2.5 x 4′ banner for the front window of the theater. The yellow turned out fine so it was a win, win!

In other news, I’ve been elected Marketing Director for the local community theater: Theater Bartlesville. It’s going to be a fun way for me to make more local connections in the printing and publishing industry, as well as the arts. It’s a great board this year so I’ve already met some fantastic, intelligent, kind people. This won’t kill me for a year term, right?!