Impossible Ain't No Word

I’ve talked about how it’s time for me to grow up and give into my childish dreams. About crossing the line of commitment to do rather than dream. Now that talk has turned into….well…doing. What does this all mean??? Well......

"Case Of The Nomads" is in full motion. Thanks bro for helping me finally figure out a name for this adventurous project. As you know I will be on the road traveling for the next year to connect communities. Which will all start this summer. I’ve created a IndieGoGo campaign to raise funds in exchange for fun rewards from the road. Like a post card sent to you from any of the 49 states or a rad necklace made outta nature herself by me for you. Even a Case Of The Nomads bandana or sticker and a bunch more stuff.

“For me success isn’t about making or having money, success is defeating something you thought you couldn’t do.” Jeremy Limn

Being an artist I sometimes struggle to make money so I’m looking to trade what I lack for what I have. We all are good at something so why not leave your lesser talents to others, let them do what they do, then trade each other for the goods. That’s all money is right? A good you trade for another.

This fundraiser is to help get me out the door. When you check out my campaign you’ll see that I’m starting to line up shows, workshops and other events to help support myself along the way.

Case Of The Nomads IndieGoGo Campaign Link
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/case-of-the-nomads/x/10098121

What I need from you???

#1 : If you can contribute or trade your goods for my goods than decide which level works for you. There are 20 to choose from.

B: Help me get the word out. Post my indiegogo link to facebook, forward this email and  just get crazy with your social media…write an old school letter too if ya want, have at it! The heart and soul of this project is connecting communities. Help me connect with others in our communities.
 
Lastly : Let me know of any must see places on the road, people to meet, art to see, what ever. If you think of someone that would be cool to ride with, a place I should show my work, an art center that is looking for someone to teach a workshop or if you want me to stop and see you, just let me know. I’ll do a complete background check and if you pass through my security, an intense in depth interview session with my mother followed by India’s own beasty test than I’ll stop!!! Girls gotta be safe, right!?!?!?
   

Thank you:

Matthew Graham
Aaron Sheppard
Sam Shaw
James Ashley
 
You are the first to contribute and trade your ducats for some killer goods. Thank you!!! 

Give Backs  

To show my appreciation and to give back a little more there will be Give Backs which will change every few days.

Today's (Monday) Give Back: 3 Case Of The Nomads stickers, for all levels of contributes.  

Thank You for your help and support.

Stopped Motion

Bikes and Dog, Dog and Bikes from Casey Sheppard on Vimeo.

It happens only every once in a while, which seem too often. It's like adult time out. You aren't sure what you did to end up having to sit still all day but you aren't happy about it. This was me last week. Yep, that's right, I had the good ol' fashioned flu or maybe it was just a cold. Not sure and doesn't matter the outcome was the same. I was stopped with all motion and forced to stay in bed for the entire day. Sitting still is a weakness that I've battled all my life. So in between unconsciousness I tried to keep busy with reading one of my favorite books and by messing around with a stop motion app on my phone. I'm working on a project which includes a short video (more details to come later) and I wanted to see if I could use this app. I ended up making this goofy fun 4 second clip and thought I'd share it with y'all. Just goes to show that even when you are down and out, feel like crap and can't get outta bed that there's still a little bit of magic in a piece of paper and a sharpie.

*I'd love to hear from you, have questions? Comments? Please contact me at casey [at] caseyshepparddesigns [dot] com Thank you again for reading*  

Day 30: Down & Dirty

#YourTurnChallenge was a 7-day blogging challenge started by Seth Godin's Special Projects Lead Winnie, which I was honored to take part in. And I'm gonna keep going!!! I've decided to extend the challenge to 30 days. I will blog everyday from Jan 19th until Feb 17th. Wish me luck and happy reading. 

Holy shit, we made it!!! Put on your prettiest panties, pop the champagne and light the fireworks in celebration of this awesomeness!!! So how was it, blogging for 30 days in a row? Well….Damn tough.

At the beginning I was excited and nervous to share my thoughts. Once I got past the nerves I felt that my writing ability really started to kick ass. It became easier to write but then outta no where it became hard to separate my thoughts from ideas. WTF? At one point I was so caught up in my head that I was mentally writing about what I was doing at that moment. Was I becoming a psycho???  This would be a massively overwhelming time for me and I was super excited that it didn’t last long. Soon after I felt that my head started to filter my thoughts differently and I was back on track. Phhheww that was a close one.

Trying to convince myself that I wasn’t crazy may have seemed like the biggest challenge to this blog-a-thon but in reality it was finding the time to post. I have a super intense schedule in LA and just to survive I’ve made so many sacrifices, especially to my passions/trades. This means working all the time to just barely cover my bills, no time for anything else. Recently I’ve changed things up and I’m not subjecting myself to unhappiness anymore. The only thing I am willing to give up now is sleep (oh, money too) which is not easy. After a super intense long ass shift at the beast I would come home in the early hours of the am and sit at my desk to finish my day’s post. Most often then not I would fall asleep at my computer while typing which really sucks when you sit on a ball instead of a chair. Let’s just say I have fast Bruce Lee type reflexes, thank god. 

 
Was it worth it then?? Hellz yeah!!! By dropping my guard and putting it all on the table I let y’all in to see the real me. And you were listening. Who knew?!?!  I never thought I’d hear from anyone during this challenge and I knew for sure that no one would read my words besides my family but I was wrong. I received so much love and support over the past 30 days. I’m so damn lucky to be surrounded by such a kick ass community who cheers me on. It makes me feel like I can do anything. It’s amazing what can happen when you have the love of others to help you along the way. This love kept me going when I didn’t want to write and just give up. And still keeps me going on the days that I think this project of traveling the US is the dumbest idea, wondering why I just don’t settle. This is when you guys step in with the confident reassurance that what’s important to me is important to you because you believe in me. That’s worth it all.

Thank you!!!!

*also a big shout out to my Gma for her daily support and insight over the last 30 days, luv you*

*I'd love to hear from you, have questions? Comments? Please contact me at casey [at] caseyshepparddesigns [dot] com Thank you again for reading*  

 

 

Day 29: A Pictures Worth

#YourTurnChallenge was a 7-day blogging challenge started by Seth Godin's Special Projects Lead Winnie, which I was honored to take part in. And I'm gonna keep going!!! I've decided to extend the challenge to 30 days. I will blog everyday from Jan 19th until Feb 17th. Wish me luck and happy reading. 

 

Being a Jack I gotta add another trade to my plethora of passions….photography. As a kid I was always around a camera, one of the perks of your Dad being a pretty awesome photographer. He showed me different ways to alter a photograph to make the shot your own. This gave me the freedom to think opening about my approach to taking photos.

I won’t really explore this art until I was living in NYC where I worked at a modeling agency. As part of my assistant gear I was given a Polaroid camera which meant I was in charge of taking pictures of new models that didn’t have photographs. This was so clients could see what the newbies looked like on film. Just cause someone looks good in person doesn’t mean they will on film or vise versa. Being surrounded by the best of the best in this world gave me the opportunity to corner photographers and pick their brain on how to shoot. This was a huge help and tool to developing my eye. Another was practice, practice, practice.

Every weekend I’d take the camera home with a bunch…more like a TON of film, which I was sooooo not allowed to do, and I’d shoot everything, my friends, drunk parties, time at the beach, the street, everything. I actually created a wall of shame in my loft of a bunch of Polaroids stapled to the wall. After a weekend my friends would be eager to see what photos I put up. It became an honor to make the wall, which I kind of geeked out that everyone got into it so much. Over the years the wall actually grew large enough to become the wall. 

       A Polaroid that survived the Wall of Shame, great sunset after a day of sailing. Beautiful.

Since I thought photography could have been my career I learned how to develop film and prints. I even had a darkroom in one of my apartments. What a blast, I’d spend hours just playing. I still have a great bond with shooting it’s just not the same as hammering or forming metal. To my surprise I actually use photography all the time with metal smithing. I have to document most of my work so it’s super handy to know how to shoot. 

 

Currently I shoot mainly with my Iphone but I am taking my Holga film camera on my US tour. It’s a plastic camera that is medium format and is known to leek light which creates some great artsiness to pictures. The Iphone is good for quick instant photos and to help set up a shot so I won’t waste film but there’s no way I could take this trip without sticking to my roots of film. I gotta do it for me and my dad. Just not right any other way. Some people say film photography is a dying art ‘HA!’ I say, when something is made to last, it will last which means someone will always be shooting film and of course listening to vinyl.  

 

*I'd love to hear from you, have questions? Comments? Please contact me at casey [at] caseyshepparddesigns [dot] com Thank you again for reading*   

 

Day 28: Ties That Bind

#YourTurnChallenge was a 7-day blogging challenge started by Seth Godin's Special Projects Lead Winnie, which I was honored to take part in. And I'm gonna keep going!!! I've decided to extend the challenge to 30 days. I will blog everyday from Jan 19th until Feb 17th. Wish me luck and happy reading. 

As kids we fought.

When you wanted to play all I wanted was an adventure. I would try to escape your late night clasps until you would finally win and I would collapse in exhaustion. When I was forced to be with you I would be so annoyed and wish you would just disappear. In my mind we were not friends.

I grew up a bit and things would change. We hung out a lot when I was a teenage. We spent most of our time together on weekends or after a party, sometimes during class but always on Sunday afternoons. You were my faithful companion while watching late night movies. These were the years where we truly bonded.

Now that I’m an adult we’ve become so distant. I never have time to play or watch late night movies and you disappear right as I make time for you, which is usually in the middle of the night. Where do you go? It’s as if you tease me with the thought that we are still friends. As I lay alone waiting for your return I envision our times as kids together. I’d take back all those nasty thoughts to have just one more minute with you. I miss you sleep. 

*I'd love to hear from you, have questions? Comments? Please contact me at casey [at] caseyshepparddesigns [dot] com Thank you again for reading*  

Day 27: Which Way?

#YourTurnChallenge was a 7-day blogging challenge started by Seth Godin's Special Projects Lead Winnie, which I was honored to take part in. And I'm gonna keep going!!! I've decided to extend the challenge to 30 days. I will blog everyday from Jan 19th until Feb 17th. Wish me luck and happy reading. 

‘Raising The Bar’ by Gary Erickson is one of my favorite books that I find very inspiring. It’s the account of how Gary created Clif Bar and his challenge to keep his unique vision in a massive growing corporate food industry. I stumbled across this gem in one of my usual trips to my safe haven, the public library. As I flipped through the pages I saw Gary was not only an entrepreneur but also a cyclist, I snatched the book up immediately and couldn’t put it down.

Gary writes about the parallel of life in business and life on the bike. I agreed with his philosophies even before I had read them, it was my view on life and I found it heartening that someone of his caliber would share my eyes. But there was one philosophy I hadn’t realized and it has stuck with me since, the Red Road, White Road. In biking you have a choice to take the direct path of the red road that is mapped out, fast, predictable, safe and you know exactly where you are headed. The red road is only about a destination. The white road on the other hand is less traveled, may be dangerous, not mapped out, length unknown but there’s the possibility for adventure and a sense of accomplishment. The white road is about the journey. Gary uses the same comparison in business. Clif Bar is a white road style of company. I knew I was the white road kind of girl on the bike but in business I wasn’t sure. My gut said white but society said red. After reading Gary’s words I found it easier to go with my gut. It was as if I found someone to ride with on the lonely, undiscovered road.

*I'd love to hear from you, have questions? Comments? Please contact me at casey [at] caseyshepparddesigns [dot] com Thank you again for reading*   

 

Day 26: ROTHNOTHAGAR

#YourTurnChallenge was a 7-day blogging challenge started by Seth Godin's Special Projects Lead Winnie, which I was honored to take part in. And I'm gonna keep going!!! I've decided to extend the challenge to 30 days. I will blog everyday from Jan 19th until Feb 17th. Wish me luck and happy reading.

Well it has finally happened. The day I’ve been in total denial about my entire life. The day that I would become like many before me, I’d become….well…put in my age. I feel that I should start this tale of woe with “it was a dark and stormy night” since it was dark and the tears in my eyes felt like a storm. *Breath* As I was closing up the bar last night a young wine stuart was closing up his area next to me. A must dance to song broke out and he started to bust some moves. As I sleeplessly laughed I called out for him to pull a David Lee Roth, ya know the staple spread eagle jump. The cute little dancing machine stopped to reply with “Who?” I repeated myself as did he. At that moment I felt like the earth was becoming a strange and unusual place, where was I? Who was I? Am I in an alternate universe? Who doesn’t know Diamond Dave. After picking my jaw up off the ground I once again said David Lee Roth just incase the stuart, who for some reason was becoming less cute, was so tired he was having a mental lapse or a massive aneurism, please say aneurism, please!!! Nope, nothing registered. Still in disbelief and almost in disgust I rambled out “Ya know, Diamond Dave!! Just a Gigolo, Hot for Teacher….pre Sammy Hager!!!!” He looked even more confused. Now in rage I shouted out “VAN HALEN!!!!” “Oh yeah, I don’t know anything bout those guys I’m a 90’s baby.” My rage and shock instantly dissolved and as it was about to turn to bitterness I realized, yep, it was an aneurism. 

 

*I'd love to hear from you, have questions? Comments? Please contact me at casey [at] caseyshepparddesigns [dot] com Thank you again for reading*