Full Name: carmen m. dyar
Business Name: minglewood studios
Description of Business: hand painted clocks and objets d’ art
website: minglewoodstudios.com or etsy.com/shop/minglewoodstudiosemail: carmen@minglewoodstudios.com or facebook Minglewood Studios
A little into your biz:
how long have you been living your dream? I started out with a design/commercial sign studio in 1996 and produced my first clock in 2001.
is this your full-time job? During show season it’s practically 24/7.
what would you do if you weren’t doing what you do now? Knee deep in an Airstream adventure pen, paper and martini in hand.
best thing about your job? Working together with wonderful creative clients to create a personal and hopefully, heirloom, timepiece.
worst thing about your job? Being home based, it’s difficult to get away from it, but that said I’m always so grateful to be home from traveling shows.
favorite place you’ve ever displayed your work? Without a doubt, within homes throughout the region.
what inspires you? Tradition with a twist.
where would you like to be in 10 years? Finally off on that Airstream adventure following some yellow brick road.
motto in business? (and in life!) No rest for the wicked (let’s not look at the last year of my life too closely, eh?)
Personal Reveal:
tell us a little bit about yourself (nicknames, age, hobbies, likes, dislikes) I’m a “country mouse” and no domestic goddess, it’s creative chaos around here. I tend to be tunnel visioned when I get into my production mode, yet ideas never stop spinning, a creative soul’s blessing and bane. I hate to speculate what nicknames I might not be aware of, other than “clock girl” (yawn). Likes and dislikes? That list is long I’m sure. I’m peeved by pretension and a “keeping up with Jones mentality” so I truly appreciate encountering people brave enough to color outside the lines in expressing their original style and sensibility and and in turn enhancing their lives, ideas and homes in that spirit.
tell us about your family (kids, husband, pets, etc) I reside with Pete, my collaborator, companion, clock-cutter, and chef extraordinaire husband of nineteen years, a delightful butterball Yorkie, sometimes sweet, sometimes snarky Miss Olivia and the grand dame, Prudence (Prudy), our 20-year old Siamese who is always, always a kitten at heart.
what was the last movie you watched at home? We channel surfed into Rob Roy not so long ago.
i would be speechless if I met? Ooh, how many people would be grateful to see me without words? Hmmm. If I were to meet my heros of literature or art I’d have so many questions. As cliche as it may be, I can only imagine being rendered speechless by the beauty of nature or an act of gracious humanity (can we see more of that in the news please?).
one celebrity i’d like to punch in the face? I’m no fan of any of the social climbers of reality television
what is the last thing you spent money on? Vitamin D supplements. It’s been a long winter.
what makes your heart happy? My truest friends, they yank me through, prop me up, cheerlead, sympathize, inspire, advise and believe.
biggest fears? Rejection on a personal level; and the hatred and indifference threatening humankind.
scariest thing that ever happened to you? I’ve been lucky in many ways, my scariest moments have come from dealing with personal demons.
pick anywhere to go on vacation, where would you go? Listen, give me a couple of days at the history filled family cabin on Lake Superior’s North Shore and I’m able to cure woes, wars and wistfulness. This place fills my heart and I’m sure I leave a little heart there when homeward bound.
a perfect way to spend a saturday afternoon? Sipping an extra dirty vodka martini in either of the Airstreams (we’re nutty and have two) anywhere, any time and you’re all invited!
i love…and imagine, and hope, and dream, and see, hear, taste, touch, smell and could go on and on…
top 5:
books: The Book of Laughter and Forgetting (Milan Kundera), The World According to Garp (John Irving), The Year of Pleasures (Elizabeth Berg), The Velveteen Rabbit (Margery Williams), The Joy of Cooking-7th Edition (Irma Rombauer).
things on your bucket list: to clean out my closets–literally and figuratively; to be more grateful and forgive more readily; to read a fair share of the “classics”; to write a classic; to learn to love the skin I’m in
things you would want to be remembered for: originality, generosity, grace, wit, good intentions
t.v. shows: Oh, this will be sad, our television is always on but I generally escape with a book, so here goes… Big Bang Theory, Rules of Engagement, The Daily Show, Everybody Loves Raymond (it’s so spot on!), GMA (see, I’m digging here…),
what i would love to scream to the world: Oh be nice and don’t run with scissors.
how you share peace and love: Honestly? I try to embrace and live within The Golden Rule, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you”. A principal not easily forgotten but a struggle to maintain in modern times with modern standards, distractions and rhetoric. In remembering my blessings I try to pass them on.
1. Become a fan of Minglewood Studios on Facebook (tell her “the moms” sent you if you’re feeling nice)
2. Share our blog on your facebook page to spread the word and to share her amazing product to your friends…you can either share on our Art Moms facebook or there is also a SHARE THIS BLOG button on the right side of our blog.
3. Answer Carmen’s personalized question and leave your comment in the blog comment box below….Winner will be announced on Monday Morning April 18th…..
Here’s the question one more time:
What does beauty mean to you? (I have my tissues ready….and go…)
oh wow….what does beauty mean to me….first and foremost…seeing myself thru my daughter’s eyes….and many many other things….butterflies, a penny on the ground, a child’s giggle, generousity, support, lunch dates with wine and martinis, inner beauty, strength, my mother, uncontrollable belly laughs, dessert…..and anything pink!
hmmm…good question…beauty, of course, is in the eyes of the beholder…beauty means many things to me…my family (dah), memories, a great glass of cab with a great friend (or many glasses with a few friends), accomplishments, home, a long soak with a great book…feeling healthy, wealthy & wise…beauty is being able to handle any situation with kindness
beauty is….contentment. believing in yourself. and shining so bright is makes others squint.
loved getting to know you better “clock lady” ..how about chantel’s little pixie! you carry quite the charm lady…now throw around that glitter!
Beauty is…. a pink and purple sky at sunrise, my dog curled up sleeping on my lap, the comfortable silence that can occur between the best of friends and lovers, carribean blue waters and white sandy beaches, lime green, naps in the middle of the afternoon….. beauty is all that makes me, well me….
Beauty is:
)
Waking up next to my best friend, my daughters smiling face as I play peek a boo with her first thing in the morning, her holding my hand which she doesn’t do often because she’s lil miss independence, her precious hugs and sweet kisses, sleeping in on the weekends while my hubby gets up with her, date nights, a plate of yummy food and good conversation, silence, family, calling/texting my Mom at the end of the day to chat, memories, beautiful weather, vacations, purses, shopping…and oh so much more
Beauty makes me smile
Beauty, to me, is based on miracles. I used to think miracles didn’t happen anymore. They were the thing of parables and Bible stories – something long gone. One day I realized miracles are EVERYWHERE. Now I can’t find a day without a miracle. It might be a bud of spring, or watching the Decorah eagle cam babies in their nest with their parents, or seeing my daughter put on glasses for the first time and tell me the world is now “HD,” or seeing a butterfly hatch, or knowing God gave someone the intelligence to create the machine that is defeating my dad’s cancer. There are miracles everywhere. That’s true beauty – to me.
Yep, the tissues have been called into play. It is so good to recall and embrace the beauty in the world and I, for one, sometimes forgets to do so each and every day. Thank you for sharing your touching and thoughtful beauty-ful reflections and for making life’s journey so colorful!
Beauty can come in so many things…first for me would be looking at my incredible “miracle” twin girls….after trying to have them for over 2 years we were blessed with them and I couldn’t be more thrilled. Everything they do is amazing (to me of course) and I am so lucky. Beauty is also in watching my students “bloom” before my eyes and seeing how much they learn throughout the year. I am so excited to see them change from little caterpillars to beautiful butterflies at the end of the year. It is truely amazing. Beauty is watching flowers pop up their heads after a long winter, ice cream dripping on the ground on a hot summer day, laying in the grass and watching the clouds roll by, listening to my dad sing on his CD’s and missing him more than anyone can imagine….Beauty can be seen all around and I am so lucky and blessed to be able to enjoy it.
Beauty to me…kindness in everything, giggles from littles, hearing a little say “mommy”, knowing who your true friends are, enjoying the little things, the sunset, lunch & wine or beer with friends & family, finding a feather on the ground, recalling good memories, dancing in the rain, Spring flowers blooming, so many things I can’t even think of! It was so great to meet you Carmen & find out a little bit more about you…you seem like an amazing lady with great use of words
Beauty to me…. something that makes my heart smile! Beauty is seeing God’s wonderful creations, especially nature, babies and children, Spring flowers, birds and butterflies and a whole palette of colors!