Anahata Katkin

Fun at Work

(Above: Book of Days, Dateless Planner)  It's seems rare these days that those of us working behind the scenes in the design department have a chance to spend time together while working.  We usually are solitary in various offices and on different computers. But today we had a chance to spend some goofing around with new products and taking some casual snap shots.  I am the teams worst photographer. 
They all show me up with their lenses and fancy settings.  Something I'm really starting to realize I have to change.   So I was on hand for simple fluffing and spiffing. 
  I like that. A big thank you to the masterminds who I get to work with.  They make it all possible and pretty!

Rose Tattoo

This picture was sent to me from the recent Stationery Show in NYC.  A very sweet fan showed off her Rose tattoo in the PAPAYA! booth.  Love seeing what the artist did to adapt it for skin.  I'd love to know who this belongs to.  (So if you are a reader here- give a shout out.)  There couldn't be a better compliment than permanently tattooing an image on your body.  I'm ready for a new tattoo as well.  Probably a giant asian peony on my forearm.  Just have to save up for an asian tattoo specialist to do a realistic rendition since I want it to be visible.   Scary but fun!
And speaking of peonies I hope you are taking advantage of them at farmers markets!  If you are lucky enough to live in the city maybe you can even get your hands on tree peonies!   The best flowers of the year by far!  We have some gorgeous wine colored one's in our yard but it's so well tended I have to sneak out there to pick some without my landlord/ neighbor seeing me.  But it's an uncontrollable urge I'm afraid.  (peony photo courtesy of Liquidskyarts)

Love Who You Are

 Still some lingering inspiration from our recent trip to China. 

PAPAYA LOVE:

 
I'm feelin the love for our baby who is quickly growing up.  We are at our 7 year, PAPAYA! anniversary.  We've accomplished so much and triumphed in so many ways. We've been working hard to learn as fast as we can how to be a positive company, how to nurture our creativity, how to be true to an ideal, a vision, care for employees and fans.  This image reminds me of some of my earlier designs.  (But of course it's new) I wanted to tread on that initial spirit for a minute to reflect back.  I feel newly invigorated and ready for the changing face and heartbeat of our company.  It's a wonderful life that I have thanks to the people who believed in us from the start, when not everyone  "got it".  We've been able to stay true to our wacky ways and find balance in our ambitions of art, beauty and business.  And we see no end to our madness.  We are so pumped to be tinkering away on oodles of new things for people to enjoy in the future.  Thank you for being there (and here) for all of us at PAPAYA!

Office Redo:

As promised I finally snapped a picture of the new office nook redo.   I got to pillage my warehouse office for things like these pretty curtains (from Anthro) and the ikea desk.  The nook already has built in wooden hanging rods and there's glass shelving behind the columns.  Cool features I was previously using to hold dumb bells and hide pillate's balls.  What was I thinking?  Now they are full of stationery, journals and handmade books.  Way better.  And far more inspiring for me.  
Claiming a new space for myself here at the house feels like a fresh start.  I feel more excited to start my new projects and facing out the window I get to see rhodies in bloom and not starve myself of natural light.  
It's nice to get a new perspective at home.  
 

Fish Fro- Current Stage...

This painting took a turn for the darker lately.  I got annoyed with all my tightness while I wa working. something if you've taken classes with me you know well.  I just hit a point and can't take it and attack it with ink or paint.  In this case it was muddy paint water which made the muslin-ish texture.  I accidently turned her head into a fish too with some cool marbled paper.  Next phase will be white organic shapes and plants and doing something about the fish fro.  But having a good time with it.  I have no wall space for the gigantoid pic either.  This one may end up at the warehouse.
My son took this picture today while practicing his new photography skills.  Kinda the same as mine.  Point and click, repeat.  Good thing I have a really fancy camera and no clue about photo settings.  June is the month I think I'm destined to get my butt in a photo class!!  It's about time eh?    

Spring Cleaning

Summer is hiding from us here in Southern Oregon.  My Belizean sweetie is beginning to think it's a myth that we actually have a summer.  For two months I've been promising T-shirt weather, and we've still got the heat cranked, movies on order, and hearty food on the stove.  I haven't even braved the farmer's market to get cinnamon rolls in the chilly rain.  No thank you.  
 So it means we've also been cooped up in the house longer than I'd expected.  And as much as I love my treasured things the house is losing it's luster after roaming around in it for the past seven months.  I'm feeling stuck in old ways and wondering if the house smells like old cooking.  
I've been hauling out old pillows, putting away artwork, bringing some back out.  Rolling up the heavy rugs and trying to reinvent without buying anything.  Easy enough since I have way too much stuff.  Tomorrow is office day.  I'm giving my bungalow nook a makeover and giving myself a proper work space.  My "studio" room has turned into a shameful pit of doom that I can't even work in.  So I'm tossing out the studio idea and reclaiming the pretty space the treadmill only lives in.  Sometimes I just have to choose form over function- since I can't seem to function the way I thought I would!  I'll just paint in the dining room like I do anyways!  How's your spring coming along?  Time for fresh air?  Me too...

Happy Mother's Day

My little monkey doodle, Rowan, makes the world go round.  My magical little man is such a blessing and stirs my heart every day.  He's my reason for motherhood and the joy in it's unfolding.  
A creative soul, a busy mind and a heart so big it bursts.  It's a joy to be his Momma.  
And my own mother, Gina has literally made miracles in my life.  Changed the course of possibilities, accepted me at every turn, and encouraged all my dreams.  She has been at times too selfless, too loving and a constant touchstone.   It's almost impossible to find words that shed the light of appreciation that she deserves.  Happy Mother's Day Mom...I love you.

Neil Krug: Simply Amazing!

 Neil Krug!  A fantastic and trippy, vintage infused, photographic perspective.  Krug has a wonderful FLickr site where you can see all sorts of wild stuff.  It's always refreshing to see pieces with a lovely soft feel infused with dramatic edge.  And loving the Zeppelin album cover feel in the photo below.
  
 His editing makes these images really moody and convey such a story teller's tone.  I am really inspired by the layering over them.  To see more of Krug's photo's visit his website or flickr site.   

Bunny Love

Spring has been going on for far too long in my neck of the woods.  I've been bumbed about it for weeks.  But this baby bunny just lifted my spirits at a friends home.  I couldn't resist this little ball of fuzz-love.  My God!  What a treasure! I've had a weird desire to have yard bunnies for a couple years now.  But I would want them loose and playing around.  Free Bunnies!  Couldn't ever figure our how to do it without them getting eaten or lost.  
But this bunny and her equally cute little sister get to live in this lovely garden for their coming years.  They've had bunnies before and they made burrows in the yard and lived happily ever after! But the woman who they belong to is pure magic herself.  Making a sanctuary for all kinds of critters.  So go figure.   Makes me want to turn into a bunny too...