Musings on Life and Art

Gotta Share this Beading site and Link!

2010-06-23T07:07:00.001-05:00

Robin Atkins is an incredibly productive beadworker and her blog is a delight!

She's also incredibly generous: When she "retired" her first book, One Bead At A Time, she set it free. By which I mean she made it available as a free download. Rather than loading the book with a multitude of projects, she walks you through her process and frees you to create original pieces for yourself that reflect you, rather than the author. A few pages in the back with techniques and you're ready to set out on your own exploration of beading creativity.

Robin's other books are also available on her site, as well as hard-to-find resources that she uses in her work (beading needles, specialty beads, specialty cords).

Go Robin!

(and thank you Virginia for telling me about the chord/cords boo-boo!)

Steampunk for April

2010-03-25T07:02:00.000-05:00

I'm ready to finally start on my Steampunk outfit for an April 14th library play date.

First up: Foam Falls a la the Anachronaut. He's not making them anymore (all his stuff in dA is from the early Oughts and his old sales website just went dark, like, YESTERDAY!). He's got his Masters and has moved on to bigger things, so I had to scour the 'Net to find any detailed pics of his work. There's LOTS of bad copies out there! *Gawd but he's a sexy boi!* He was in his mid 20's in the photos...

Mine are going to be a cool brown foam with bronzy squares painted on it, and black foam accents. Using blue painters tape I masked off the sheet of foam in 1" stripes and lightly slapped on the paint so that it would look patchy and worn. May still go back and sand/distress it a bit before I cut the strips apart. Don't have any tubing so I think I'll cut some of the strips in skinnier widths for variation. I like his hole punched strips, one of those things the knockoff peeps don't bother to do, as well as his wrapped 'bundles' and the eyelets and rivets that accent them - adds a bit of steamy flash.

http://anachronaut.deviantart.com/

Photoshop Content-Aware Hoodoo

2010-03-25T06:52:00.000-05:00

This is going to stomp the crap out of the photo illustration/advertising/design community. If you don't buy the new version when it's released, you might as well close up shop...

Some favorite sites I’ve visited over the weekend…

2010-01-10T17:49:00.008-06:00

It’s been a great weekend for textile eye-candy! I’ve discovered some wonderful blogs, artists, and websites; hope you enjoy them too!

http://srithreads.com/ - From their site: Sri is a by-appointment textile gallery specializing in antique Japanese folk textiles, highlighting the indigo-dyed cotton utilitarian fabrics and boro--or patched and mended--textiles of old Japan.

They also have a wonderful blog with even MORE links to textile goodness. I love the current appreciation of Japanese boro fabrics.

I reached Sri from another wonderful blog, Art Found Out. From their site: his blog is committed to artists who are informed by the world around them or driven by a highly personal artistic vision. Many respond to and reinterpret traditional culture. Others create works from an internal world. These are artists who do not look to New York or other art capitals for inspiration and direction. At times, this blog will also examine lesser-known non-western art forms, both contemporary and historic that will enhance the understanding of the artists presented.

I got THERE from Hand Eye Magazine’s article on the Nui Project, an embroidery workshop for the mentally disabled. Do click on the slideshow to see some of this awesome work. I tried to imagine the thought processes of each artist as they worked on each piece.

I also followed their link to the blog Yoshiko Iwamoto Wada, where I was able to purchase the companion book to the 2003 Oakland, CA exhibit of these textiles (Hint, there’s only 10 copies left). I also tried to purchase their DVD “Arimatsu Narumi Shibori”, but the PayPal link was bad. Will have to email them next week about that one. They included a link to Wada-san's short video with Andrew Galli on Boro fabrics, which I really enjoyed (see below).

Wada on Boro: Japanese Rag Textiles Go from Shabby to Chic from Andrew Galli on Vimeo.

Have a great day!

A good song to start the year with...

2010-01-07T15:39:00.003-06:00

I love lastFM! This little gem popped up almost a year ago, and I find I look forward to it coming up in the queue...

http://www.jonathancoulton.com/songd...0with%20George

About the song:
Thing a Week 23 – A Talk with George

Chapter 23 in which you are visited by the ghost of George Plimpton and he relays to you an important message about life.
It was Jim Hanas who told about the song contest going on at The Plimpton Project, an organization dedicated to getting a statue of the man erected somewhere in the city. George was a hell of a guy, and he deserves about 10 or 15 statues, but I guess one would be a good start. I met him at a Paris Review party once, and he was pretty charming for a Harvard man. The song: A Talk with George

Happy New Year!

2010-01-01T19:29:00.001-06:00

Hoping that 2010 brings EVERYBODY better times!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidaze!

2009-12-25T14:54:00.001-06:00

There's still a bit of snow on the ground from yesterday.

Hope EVERYONE has a Safe and Happy Holiday!

More Conductive resources arrived!

2009-12-24T16:52:00.008-06:00

Yesterday afternoon I checked the mailbox and there was my package from http://www.fine-silver-productsnet.com/! Yay!

Opened it up and it was chock full of every imaginable size of conductive thread, from gossamer to multi-ply sewing threads. TOTALLY worth the $15 plus shipping ($11 shipping for both kits together)!

I was disappointed to find the conductive fabric samples weren't in the package and have posted an email enquiry... which I'm sure they'll take care of soon as they can after the holiday.

Here's a piccie of the loot, uh, contents of the sampler...

The closeup lets you see just how much of a 'sample' you get...quite a bit actually! I could use these to knit up some conductive patches quite easily, or even try weaving a Soft Circuit... Click on either piccie to zoom it bigger.

Here's a start on uses for conductive threads over at Instructables:

http://www.instructables.com/tag/?q=conductive&limit%3Atype%3Aid=on&type%3Aid=on&type%3Auser=on&type%3Acomment=on&type%3Agroup=on&type%3AforumTopic=on&type%3AforumTopic=on&sort=none

Yep, It's been forever!

2009-12-23T16:30:00.014-06:00

Things have been busy getting ready for the holidaze and I haven't posted in forever, ah well!

What have I been up to? I've been wanting to learn more about 'interactive' pieces, so I've assembled my goodies and will be playing with them during the Holiday break:

Switch Craft: Battery-Powered Crafts to Make and Sew - This is what REALLY got me off my duff. I already had the Fashioning Tech book (see below) and was mildly interested. Then I saw THE PROJECT: Interactive Voodoo Doll... OMG! It 'shivers' when you stick a pin in it...what fun! I've already gotten a dozen or more "I want one when you make them" responses... we'll see how many I feel like making before it's on to the next project... I already have several mods I want to do to the original project.

Here's a pic from her blog:
http://iheartswitch.com

GADGET GLOVES, VOODOODOLL, & PETAL SHUFFLE

With my goal in mind and the book in hand, I then went after the materials. I ordered the sample kit from http://www.fine-silver-productsnet.com/, but it was going to take a while at first class mail, so I checked out the Makezine blog's shop, Maker Shed, and picked out the following two kits with 2 day delivery (got them in yesterday! Yay!):

From the Maker Shed:
Smart Materials Kit - Inspired by our Fashioning Technology book, we decided to create a starter kit of smart materials. This is designed to be an affordable way to sample materials that are often available only in much larger quantities. Create designs that only show up under certain conditions; heat sensitive, glow in dark, color changing under different light conditions. Sculpt the polymorph plastic into whatever shape you'd like. Have fun and re-make your world!
Features

Fashioning Technology, by Syuzi Pakhchyan (a $29.99 value)
¼ oz Phosphorescent Powder (it glows in the dark!)
10g of Photochromic powder, Blue (it changes color in different lights)
10g of Photochromic powder, Yellow (it changes color in different lights)
10g of Thermochromic powder (it changes color at different temps)
2 feet of shape memory wire (it contracts when heated)
5 crimp beads (to control the shape memory wire)
2 ounces of polymorph plastic (heat it in hot water - mold it into whatever you want)

Conductive Booster Pack - Inspired by our Fashioning Technology book, we decided to create a starter kit of conductive materials. This is designed to be an affordable way to sample materials that are often available only in much larger quantities.

Features

Conductive fabric
Conductive thread
Conductive tape
Conductive hook and loop (you might call it Velcro, but we can't)
Coin Cell Battery
Assorted LEDs

Considering the amount of fabric in the conductive kit, it seems to be a very good value. As I said above, I've ordered from another source and will have to be looking at comparative costs when I reorder.

I got the Smart materials kit mainly for the shape wire, but was disappointed in how fine the gauge was...will have to double or triple it up to get the effect I want. The powders will be fun to play with (especially the Thermochromic - from Black to White!).

That's it for now...

Take THAT Low Fat diets!

2009-11-02T07:02:00.005-06:00

Dave Mendosa's blog on Living with Diabetes is chock full of info that can give you a much better Quality of Life, or even save it. And that's not hyperbole. I get his monthly newsletter and highly recommend it to anyone who is diabetic, pre-diabetic, or has a family member or friend who is.

The current newsletter has an article that caught my eye and justified a long held belief of mine that we should just ignore the majority of today's nutritional 'experts' and go with what Grandma (or Great-Grandma, for you chillins) used to provide: a balanced-diet of minimally processed protein, fat, carbs, and fiber. Balanced here means not too much of any one thing, and not too little either!

I've copied out the two paragraphs that really caught my attention on this. Take THAT Low Fat diets!

http://www.healthcentral.com/diabetes/c/17/90729/comparing-glycemic

Foods high in carbohydrate are the main stimulus for insulin secretion. But protein-rich foods also elicit a significant insulin response. On the other hand, adding fat to a carbohydrate-rich meal limits how high our blood glucose level goes, while not affecting the insulin response.

Those meals with the highest protein and carbohydrate content -- and therefore the lowest fat content -- produced the highest insulin responses. The fat content of the mixed meals used in the study showed a significant inverse relation with the insulin responses and "was a more reliable predictor of insulin demand than the amount of carbohydrate."

Comparing the Insulin and Glycemic Indexes
by Dave Mendosa

The food insulin index is a valuable supplement to the glycemic index and glycemic load. But nobody knows yet whether it will replace the glycemic index and glycemic load.

Some foods have little effect on our blood glucose levels but a big effect on the amount of insulin in our blood. This could be good, because the rise in insulin can bring down our blood glucose levels. But maybe not, because it could lead to beta-cell burnout.

Years ago I reviewed the first article about the insulin index on my website. At that time only 16 peer-reviewed articles in MEDLINE even mention the term "insulin index." By comparison, 244 peer-reviewed articles mention the glycemic index. Now, MEDLINE says that 71 articles mention the "insulin index" and 1,372 the "glycemic index."

But scientists have published only two peer-reviewed papers on the insulin index. The first one, which my earlier article summarized, came out in 1997. This month the second paper appeared. Both are the work of Dr. Jennie Brand-Miller of the University of Sydney and her team. At the same time, Dr. Brand-Miller is the world's leading researcher on the glycemic index. (Full disclosure: She was the lead author of The New Glucose Revolution: What Makes My Blood Glucose Go Up...and Down?, which I co-authored.)

Only the abstract of the new insulin index study is free online. But Dr. Brand-Miller sent a PDF of the full-text to a correspondent, who thoughtfully sent it on to me.

"We are still trying to prove (one way or the other) that an insulin index is superior to the glycemic index or glycemic load," Dr. Brand-Miller wrote my correspondent. "It may not be. We have just published a second paper on the subject. There is nothing else published as far as I'm aware."

Generally, glycemic and insulin index values are close -- when we can measure them. However, the methodology of glycemic index testing doesn't let us measure the GI of foods that have little or no carbohydrate. Consequently, it can't give us a guide to the insulin response of a large majority of the foods that we eat, including high-protein foods such as meat, fish, poultry, eggs, and cheese.

Foods high in carbohydrate are the main stimulus for insulin secretion. But protein-rich foods also elicit a significant insulin response. On the other hand, adding fat to a carbohydrate-rich meal limits how high our blood glucose level goes, while not affecting the insulin response.

The new study included only 21 subjects and 13 different meals. The subjects were all lean and young. These are significant limitations, and as usual the study concludes that, "Further research is needed."

But it may drive the last nail in the coffin of carbohydrate counting, which medical professionals commonly recommend for matching insulin dosage to insulin demand for people who take insulin injections. This is because, as the study says, "Mixed meals with similar carbohydrate content produced widely disparate insulin responses."

Those meals with the highest protein and carbohydrate content -- and therefore the lowest fat content -- produced the highest insulin responses. The fat content of the mixed meals used in the study showed a significant inverse relation with the insulin responses and "was a more reliable predictor of insulin demand than the amount of carbohydrate."

MakeDFW meetup was loads of fun...

2009-10-26T00:04:00.004-05:00

We met at a sort of Open House for the forthcoming Neighborhood Workshop, which will be debuting in 2010. There will be a lot of standard large equipment, as well as some more exotic offerings like a Laser cutter, Vinyl cutter (as in vinyl signs, wall words, custom cut vinyl graphics for cars, etc), and a computerized embroidery machine.

The star attraction today was the laser cutter. Many of us brought materials to try out and I had some plywood blanks, samples of countertop laminate, leather scraps and aluminum samples.

I forgot to take the camera, so I have no action shots, but here's the laser 'etching' on leather and polyester moleskin fabric. The laser burned away the fuzzy moleskin part and left the underlying knit fabric. It is totally usable as a clothing fabric even after this! Note, both were photographed at an angle.

I also forgot to eat before I went over there, so when I left I forgot to bring the other box, leaving behind my samples etched on wood and countertop laminate... I'll show them tomorrow after I pick them up!

Heads Up... History is being made here...

2009-09-25T08:27:00.004-05:00

With the launch of 100kgarages.com, we now have an ad hoc community of digital makers ALL OVER THE WORLD. Ponoko.com has formed an alliance with a network of owners of Shopbot CNC routers worldwide to make this happen.

This means I can upload a digital file and make the design available to customers worldwide via in the 54 different countries where Shopbot digital tools have been set up (to-date).

For fabrication in their location.

No shipping charges from here to there, only from the local fabber to the end customer. How green is that?

Soon the coalition will extend to laser and 3D printers.

From the 100kgarges website:

During the 2007 US Presidential debates, Tom Brokaw asked candidates Obama and McCain whether our challenges would be best solved by ... "funding a Manhattan-style project or by supporting 100,000 garages across America to encourage the kind of industry and innovation that developed Silicon Valley?"

From WIRED magazine:

More from Ponoko

By Bruce Sterling
September 17, 2009 |
2:30 pm |
Categories: Uncategorized

*I don’t run every press release I get from these Ponoko guys, but everybody who knows anything about fabrication knows that scaling up fabbing has always been a big deal. A thousand fabricators are lot more than a thousand times one lonely fabricator.
*Got a fabbing strategic alliance here. Hmmmm.
September 16, 2009
MEDIA RELEASE
Ponoko and ShopBot announce partnership
More than 20,000 online creators meet over 6,000 digital fabricators
San Francisco, CA – The launch today of www.100kGarages.com begins a new chapter in how things are made and distributed, enabling anyone with an Internet connection to get almost anything custom made and delivered from local state-of-the-art digital makers.
The website is a partnership between Ponoko, the world’s easiest making system, and ShopBot, a world leader in the design of affordable, high-performance digital making tools.
Using the 100kGarages website anyone can get their ideas made locally with the click of a mouse, and delivered within just a few days. It is powered by Ponoko’s online ‘click to make’ system and ShopBot digital fabricators in 54 countries around the world.
For the innovators who President Obama called “the risk takers, the doers, and the makers of things”, 100kGarages is an exciting new service for everyone who wants to get things made – by making it yourself or finding someone to make it for you. (((That’s awful patriotic of a bunch of guys from New Zealand.)))
People are creating a wide range of products like tables, chairs, cabinets, car parts, signage, boats, musical instruments, gaskets, sheds, housing and all of those impossible to find things made from wood, plastic, metal and composite materials.
“Ponoko’s making system gives our ShopBot owners the ability to receive a new stream of work from a wide range of customers,” says ShopBot’s President Ted Hall. “Our partnership also means everyone now has easy access to their own local 3D fabricator. This is the first step to providing a solution for the doers and makers out there who want to join in re-building America, one garage at a time.”
To date over 30,000 DIY, hard to find and consumer goods have been made using Ponoko. “Our online making system makes it easier than ever before to turn ideas into real things,” says David ten Have, Ponoko’s CEO. “And by partnering with ShopBot we bring together more than 20,000 creators and over 6,000 fabricators to use a powerful online service to design, make and deliver goods locally”.
From today, anyone can visit www.100kGarages.com to get things custom made by searching a map for a local garage workshop, or submitting a request and choosing from bids placed by a range of ShopBot owners to make almost anything. It’s free for everyone to search and submit requests, and for fabricators to post profiles and bids.
ENDS
Ponoko
Derek Elley
Strategist
+1 415 335 4471 or +64 4 473 0031
derek.elley@ponoko.com
ShopBot Tools
Dave Minella
Communications
+1 919 680 4800
dave.m@shopbottools.com
About Ponoko
Ponoko, the world’s easiest making system, is an online marketplace for everyone to make real things. It’s where creators, digital fabricators, materials suppliers and buyers meet to make almost anything. More than 30,000 user-generated designs have been instantly priced online, made and delivered since Ponoko was selected to launch at TechCrunch40 in 2007. Ponoko has reinvented how goods are designed, made and distributed leading to profiles in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, BBC News, Financial Times, The Globe & Mail, WIRED Magazine, The International Design Magazine and more. (www.ponoko.com).
About ShopBot Tools
ShopBot Tools designs and manufactures low-cost, high-value CNC tools for digital fabrication of wood, plastic and aluminum products. With more than 6,000 ShopBots in thousands of shops in the US and 54 countries around the world, ShopBot is one of the largest producers of CNC routers in North America. (www.ShopBotTools.com).

Spoonflower Rocks!

2009-09-17T20:18:00.004-05:00

I've written before about the new fabric printing service, Spoonflower, and how much fun it's generating. Up until last month you could only order fabric designs you'd uploaded yourself, and selling your fabric involved ordering it and offering it at eBay, Etsy, or the like. Then, when they began their Beta Marketplace I jumped on the chance to order some fabric designs I'd been eyeing. All my orders have now come in and I have to say that I'm thrilled!

The first order was Amor de Los Muertos, by Lisa Jonte (Arcana-j). I just love how clean and fun this pattern is.

My second order included some coordinating fabric for Amor, as well as Victoria Lasher's Raining Hedgehogs, with a coordinating pocket design. To round off the order, I got an 8 x 8 in sample printed of my Japanese Mon design I created using three Dover patterns.

Unlike their designs with plain backgrounds, mine had a lot of texture and color, so I was curious to see how it would come out. I have an ancient CRT monitor that isn't calibrated in any way, so what I see on the screen is a real crapshoot vs. what I might see on a calibrated monitor. If I do more of this I may have to invest in a new one! Having received the sample, I have to say that I am pleased with the brightness of the colors, as well as the crispness of the detail. One thing that helped a great deal was saving the Photoshop file in RGB mode, then CMYK, before finalizing in LAB for the Spoonflower upload. This effectively removed all the out-of-gamut colors with minimal effort. Shifting out-of-gamut colors are what surprised a lot of early designers Spoonflower when they got their first samples back.

Looking first at a 2 x 2 in area of the design that I colored myself (it was originally just an outline), you can see that the fabric texture darkened the design a small amount, and the colors are richer (at least from what I can see! LOL!). The medium tone on the flower and leaves essentially disappeared, and the background pattern is much more textured and vibrant.

The crane closeup shows part of the design that was originally a scan of a Japanese woodblock print, and I multiplied the colors in Photoshop. The sample shown is also a 2 x 2 in square and the design was printed on off-white quilting cotton. The golds were a bit darker than I was expecting, so I'll lighten that up for the next try.

I really like how the background texture works on this design, but now I want to take the three individual units and rearrange them so the repeat is a bit nicer, as well as design a pillow front. I've already created several coordinating two-color 1/2 in stripes that can also be presented as checks, giving a lot of variations to play with, and will follow with just the background texture, which should make a nice backing for the pillow, or even a coordinating pillow front. Once that's done, I'll have a full suite of custom coordinated fabrics guaranteed to work together. Schweet!

Adorable Biddles...

2009-09-05T14:45:00.003-05:00

Just received this from my neighbor on the other side of the 'cul de sac.' I didn't realize what a jungle my balcony has become. The Virginia Creeper, now on its second year with me, has gone absolutely berserk!

Biddles obviously approves of the cover...

I've been a bit distracted lately...with good reason!

2009-09-01T21:46:00.009-05:00

Seeing some really exciting stuff happening over at Spoonflower.com... the textile DIY company that allows you to upload your own textile designs and have them printed and shipped to your home...and they're starting up their Beta Marketplace testing (sorry, it's not public...yet!). I signed up as a guinea pig and ordered a yard of the cutest little skully fabric. Can't wait to see it when it gets here!

While I intend to design some of my own patterns, many artists have already done some amazing work. There are also a lot of really, really awful patterns posted, so don't blame me if your eyes start bleeding!

Two of my current fave designers are Victoria Lasher and Arcana-j.

Victoria does sweet, beautifully rendered repeats (that's a big thing!) and her "raining hedgehogs" are the cutest. She's a mom, so I have to wait patiently while she makes time to create some coordinating fabrics we've discussed (me? patient? HA!)

Arcana-j has the cutest Skully, Halloween, and Goth type patterns (as well as purple hippos with hearts). She's even adding some coordinating fabrics that will let you mix and match patterns on a garment/bag/pillow/quilt...be still my heart!

If you're interested in all of this, get on over to Spoonflower and get signed up. Even if you can't draw, you can use any of the Dover Publications Electronic Clip Art designs, as well as personal photos you've taken. Check out their Flickr site to see what awesomeness has already happened.

SHWEEET!

To Vent or NOT to Vent?

2009-07-27T22:23:00.002-05:00

There are times when Family (capital "F") will absolutely get on your last nerve and make you contemplate having to hide a body or two. You want to spew your frustrations at whoever comes into range...rant and rage until even casual acquaintances will cross the street to avoid you.

And you get tempted to blog those feelings too - but should you?

You may have guessed it, yes, I am caught in the tines of that devil's pitchfork. And when it comes down to it, I may even go so far as to draft a snarky post or two and save it.

However.

I then apply the 90 day rule: Would I cringe at strangers reading this 90 days from now? Or worse, the Family in question reading it, Ever? So, I sigh and hit the Delete button.

On the other hand, I'm totally OK with them finding out that I WANTED to post some snarky comments!

It's the middle of Summer...wasn't it Spring just a few days ago?

2009-07-08T09:32:00.002-05:00

I just hate it when the voices of the old farts start playing in my head:

"The older you get, the faster time flies by!"

Meh!

I've been roasting for the last few weeks - it's amazing how many days of 100+ weather we've had...this year has been a total scorcher. I'm watering my potted plants twice a day in some cases, and the allysum just doesn't like the heat and is pouting until October. The virginia creeper is ecstatic...I think it's growing inches by the hour. The morning glories are abundant...

I love lots of green on the balcony - even if I need to have a fan on me to even consider sitting out there. The cats love going out to roast too.

The Haircut: Update

2009-04-13T11:51:00.004-05:00

Okay, I HAD to pull the front back for work...tried it loose all weekend and had enough! The cut DEFINITELY brought out my waves!

The Haircut

2009-04-12T18:33:00.007-05:00

Okay, here's my post about "the haircut," which is my first in two years. To start with, the salon is in a cool, older part of Dallas, upstairs from the La Madrid restaurant. I didn't check them out, but they are probably a Tapas restaurant, from the name.

Here's the Goggle Maps link. Facing N/NW, the salons upstairs are accessed via the door with the curved top.

My appointment was at 2pm Friday, April 9, and when I got there the parking was still full, so I snuck in across the street to the shared parking for Grange Hall/some swanky Spa

Grange Hall location

http://www.urbanflowergrangehall.com/ A gallery with exotic candles, incense, lotions, and art pieces ranging from bats in apothecary jars to skulls, collage pieces with optometrist's implements and defective doll heads dug up from a defunct doll factory's trash heap. And art books. Anyone coming to Dallas must go there.

So I parked the car, popped into Grange Hall for a quick boo to see what was new, then set off across the street to the salon.

Up the stairs to a hall with five doors to five salons and mini spas. Michael Motorcycle Salon was the first on the left. Note: so named because he sold his motorcycle to pay for startup on the salon.

The place is decorated in early Feng Shui funky, with Tibetan-style prayer flags, scroll paintings, huge-ass crystals and 'gong bowls' (huge cousins of Tibetan singing bowls), fountains and plants. My good friend Virginia has had her uber curly hair done here for years. I've wanted to see just what could be done with mine; it was finally time for me!

After changing into the smock, we chatted about my hair, the fact that I've NEVER had a cut that I liked, lots of metaphysical here-there-and-everywhere. The conversation pinged off the walls and all over the Universe. It was grand. In the process, Michael declared that I was 'an Idea person' and 'Dominant' (ya THINK? LOL!).

The wash was, as expected, exceedingly wondrous. The scalp massage was the best ever, there was a Tibetan scroll hung over the chair (see the next piccie below, between our heads). He kept sounding these huge gongs. I was a bit surprised when he placed one in my lap as it rang away, but it was fun. A lady came in crying they were going to have to put their dog to sleep, which set me off (see my previous post on Ski). Michael took it in stride, even changing the music from classical to Dixieland funeral marches...the jazzy joyful ones, not the dirges. You haven't lived until you've heard "Amazing Grace" sung and played to the tune of "House of the Rising Sun."

Since I wanted to donate to Locks of Love, we began by figuring out how long it had to be. The magic number was 12 inches, so that's where we started.

Hair is wet: Just before we start the Cut (Amy, non-toxic hair colorist, took this with her iPhone. The rest were from my Nokia N75)

This is Michael (alas, the braid is gone...*sigh*)

Beginning the initial Cut...That halo of red hair is Virginia. Note: at my feet is a HONKING HUGE quartz crystal! I'm taking the pictures via the huge ass mirror set up in front of me.

THERE's the bowl I mentioned (middle left below)

Virginia with the Offering. I WANT that chest behind her!

Only 2:45 and the initial cut is complete. Michael is now shaping the front. Virginia is next, so she's getting her shampoo in the back.

More discussion on where we're going with the cut. The stained glass panels made a kaliedoscope of passing traffic.

3:00 and some final tweaks

That was the cut, but the fun wasn't over. While waiting for Virginia to get her cut, I got to talking with Amy, the gal on the right above, who was giving her Mom a cut. We were continuing to ping off the walls of the Universe, it was an ADD info-orgy. When I mentioned I had my 16th C Italian Ren outfit in the car, everyone of course wanted to see it. Amy's sister-in-law, Emmy (above in the doorway on the phone) was offered a chance to try it on and jumped for it. Much hilarity ensued. I didn't get pics of in-progress, but when it was finally on her skinny little bod we got a piccie, which I'll post when I get it. What you won't see is me behind her holding the stuff tight so it doesn't hang on her like a sack (I was about 1/2 again her size when I could wear it. SNARF! LOL!).

Demonspawn has left the building...

2009-04-07T23:47:00.005-05:00

I've had Ski (aka Demonspawn) since right after I moved back to Texas in '92. I was in a pet store picking up some ear mite medicine for Mom's cat and there he was, in a rescue display, top crate, looking me square in the eye. Handsome devil; slim, black, sleek. Another gal pulled him out and cuddled him, but he never took his eyes off of me (I'd swear he was saying "It's about TIME you got here!). I was still couch surfing with Mom and Dad, so I had no business even looking at a cat, and I had lost my beloved Ski the previous year to Feline Leukemia on Labor Day weekend. I got the medicine and left.

Two weeks later I was unpacking in my new apartment and kept feeling the most annoying "something is just out of sight, right at my heals" feeling. I called the pet shop and asked if that black cat was still there? He was. Hold him for me, I'll get him tomorrow. So, after work I drove over to get him. The shop boy says "I'm so glad you're here. He hasn't shut up all day." I asked if he was always like that and the boy replied, "No, just today." I pulled him out of the cage and held him for a while. He clung to my shoulder and purred like a freight train. Yep, he was mine. Put him back in the cage and went around the store getting supplies, chatting with the shop boy.

An enraged yowl broke out from the front of the store and we rushed up front to see this VERY angry black cat with his arm stretched as far as possible out of the cage, claws fully distended, waving madly, "Get me the F___ out of here NOW!"

I looked at the shop boy and said, "We're done, ring me up." As he was finalizing the transaction, I looked at the papers. Name: Moonshadow (okay, I can live with that). Birthday: Labor Day weekend, '91. (slightly creepy feeling between my shoulderblades.) Over the next few weeks, try as I might, the only name that came out of my mouth was Ski, so he became Ski Too. He was nothing like the original in his temperment - he was cranky, short tempered, and threw up hairballs all the time. Over time he acquired the nickname of Demonspawn, which truly fit him for most of his life. But he would drape himself over my shoulder and chest, purring madly. And he forced me to pet him in the mornings, when my Fibromyalgia made every movement an excruciating ordeal. He was mine.

So when he was diagnosed with a hyper thyroid, I shelled out the bucks for the surgery. And when the other one started swelling, even though I'd been laid off, I got that one done (but only could because Dr. Fred did it at cost and let me pay it out). And when they swelled again and he was too old for surgery, I pilled him morning and night, because he was MY Ski and I wasn't going to give up on him just because it was inconvenient (yes, I'm stubborn). And he did well for another 8 or 9 years.

But he was doing pretty poorly this winter, so I've been working hard to get him back in shape; his fave canned foods, extra feedings if he was interested, even a pill to help his appetite. But he was still acting feeble and frail, and wasn't grooming himself, so I took him in last Friday to get checked up again. I was crying while I was waiting for the test results. fully expecting bad news and thinking that I really, really didn't want this to happen on the weekend before my birthday (the next Monday). Instead, he got a clean bill on the set of tests for his thyroid and kidney functions, so I thought that we were good to go for a while. But Sunday he cried weakly all night, and didn't stop till 4am, so I took him back to the vet's to get checked out again.

When I got to the vets after work they said Dr. Fred wanted to meet with me in the surgery. At first I just thought that meant the other rooms were full. He's that good of a vet. But, as I waited, I realized that there was probably another reason. One of the helpers brought Ski out to me so "we could visit while we waited for Dr. Fred." That was when I knew what had to be up. When he finally came into the surgery, the look on his face, I knew I was right.

He told me that the thyroid was malignant and had metastasized, filling Ski's chest cavity, making it difficult for him to breathe and swallow. There was no outwardly visible sign. Up until now, none of the vets ever acted like the thyroid might have been malignant. He'd had two surgeries on them and they weren't malignant then, but it's been 8 or 9 years since then. I thought his weight loss was just 'skinny old dude' syndrome - after all, he was 17 years old. When I think about it now, at the end he really looked just like some poor end-stage cancer patient, all skin and bones. Dr. Fred offered to give him a shot that would calm things down a bit, so I could have a few days to say goodbye, but I told him that I've been saying goodbye for the last year or so, when he started doing poorly, and it wasn't fair to him to keep him over just because it was my birthday. I was selfish with my first Ski and kept him long after I should have let him go. I wasn't going to make that mistake this time. So Dr. Fred gave him the shot and I stroked him as he left. I wasn't surprised that he gasped a few more times after Fred said he was gone. Ski wasn't a quitter by any means.

I'm having a tough time adjusting to not having him around. He's been with me since '92 and he saw me thru some very tough times in my life. I'm sorry that I've lost him, but I'm happy that I was able give him a good, long life and to let him go when he needed to go, instead of being selfish and trying to hold on longer.

The many faces of spam (not the Luncheon Meat!)

2009-02-28T16:01:00.004-06:00

I've been rather amused over the last year, watching the changing face of the spam in my junk folder.

This time last year I was primarily being offered various pharmaceuticals, mostly for enhancing body parts I don't even have, as well as job offers from Mr. Vincent (whom I am pointedly ignoring). Then I was getting offers of discount gas. For a short time Brazilian property was the new investment opportunity, and my Timeshares have always been in top demand, but then I started seeing ads for reworking my mortgage, lots of those, to the point that the pharmaceutical offers were practically shouldered out of the way (amazing). Then I started getting lots more job offers (Criminal Science! ack) as well as offers of mortgage assistance and low interest loans.

Most recently the junk box was full to brimming, twice as much spam as I usually get in a day. And it covered the full spectrum, though with a large percentage of job offers and mortgage advice. Maybe even the Spammers are feeling the pinch?

I wonder if anyone is doing a thesis on the correlation of spam subject lines to current events?

What do Yudu?

2009-02-18T22:39:00.004-06:00

Looks like a come-on line, doesn't it?

Well, I came across this phrase yesterday at the local Joann supershop...

Remember those cute little Gocco screen printers that used a photo flash bulb to develop the screen design that was only big enough for a greeting card or some such? Yah, the ones that are going the way of the Polaroid and everyone's going all WAAAAH about...
Well, Yudu is a slick big-boy version that can even print on Ts. It's put out by Provo Crafts, the makers of Cuttlebug and Cricut scrapbooking die cutters. At $299, it's got a big-boy price compared to a Gocco setup.
For a little perspective, a Speedball beginning screen printing kit for either printmaking or fabric will only set you back about $75 (on sale I see it as low as $34!). Now, this kit uses a film emulsion that you spread on the screen, let dry, then expose to a bright light with a black and white pattern blocking the light and will give you exactly the same results, it's just not in a slick little chassis that's gonna get shabby looking real quick once you print on it...it's starting OUT looking a little shabby! Oh, and the consumables (ink screens, etc) are about the same price.

For $299 vs $75($34) and a little extra effort? I'll stick with Speedball...but I might check out Yudu's inks and other consumables!

Oh, and if you just HAVE to skip the messy smearing of liquid emulsion, you can buy photo emulsion sheets...which is what the Yudu uses!

MOST interesting Blog I've just tripped over...

2009-02-16T12:33:00.003-06:00

Very articulate blog, this is one I've added to my RSS listings.

http://www.openthefuture.com/

PS: what he's got to say also scares the pants off me.

Bio

Jamais Cascio

Jamais Cascio writes about the intersection of emerging technologies, environmental dilemmas, and cultural transformation, specializing in the design and creation of plausible scenarios of the future. His work focuses on the importance of long-term, systemic thinking, emphasizing the power of openness, transparency and flexibility as catalysts for building a more resilient society.

Cascio's work appears in publications as diverse as Metropolis, the Atlantic, Technology Review, and ForeignPolicy.com. He was featured in National Geographic Television's SIX DEGREES, its 2008 documentary on the effects of global warming, and on History Channel's SCIENCE IMPOSSIBLE, its 2009 series on emerging technologies. Cascio has spoken about future possibilities around the world, at venues including South by Southwest Interactive in Austin, Texas, FuturShow3000 in Bologna, Italy, the Singularity Summit in San Francisco, and the TED 2006 conference, "The Future We Will Create," in Monterey, California.

Cosmic Cornucopia: Bumper Stickers, Apparel and Plushies, Oh, My!

2009-02-15T09:16:00.004-06:00

I have always loved a good bumper sticker. And Pegasus Publishing is my favorite place to get some.

The site's been unavailable the last few times I checked and I was afraid they were defunct, but a new check shows my old fave is still here!

http://www.pegasuspublishing.com/

These guys are an institution at any N Texas Con or other such function. They started out selling bumper stickers and T's and have branched out to Hats (Harry Potter, Alice in Wonderland, Monty Python, Pirate, etc.), Lab Coats, Steampunk goggles and other apparel, Books, Lyric sheets,music and videos, patches, pins, mugs, etc. Oh, and plushies! How about an Elvis Cthulu? Or a Vorpil Bunny (Holy Grail)? Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch? They have it!

Their bumper sticker racks are amazing, especially considering that each time they are customized to the show, be it Trekkies, Anime, Irish Fest, whatever. This is where I get my "Ladies Anarchist Sewing Circle" and "Who says Goddesses Have to be Anorexic?" stickers, which are due for replacement, which is how I found out the site had been down...

The online bumper stickers are arranged by Categories:

Book
Celtic
Cephalopodic
Cephalopodic (Cthulhu-Lovecraftian)
Coffee, Chocolate& Caffeine
Coffee,Chocolate & Caffeine
Computer Related
Dance Related
Dance Stickers
Decals
Feline
Food Related
Gaming
Gun & Freedom Related
Kinky
Literary
Miscellaneous
Miscellaneous Stickers
Newest
Pagan
Politcal
Political
SCA
Science & Education
SF & Fantasy

More on Needle Felting

2008-12-19T23:44:00.003-06:00

Cattycat commented that she wasn't sure how the process was done. I found a free tutorial on the web at thesilverpenny.com that shows it better than I can explain. Make sure you check out the rest of her site - LOTS of inspiration!

http://www.thesilverpenny.com/FreePr...leFelting.html

Here's some more resources to whet your appetite:
eye candy and tutorials:
http://www.livingfelt.com/
http://www.needlefelters.com/
http://www.feltalive.com/
http://www.thefeltedewe.com/index.html

Resources for mail order materials and books:
http://www.hookedonfelt.com/forms.htm
http://www.spinnerschoice.com/felting.htm
http://www.woolery.com/Pages/booksfeltfiber.html
http://www.woolery.com/Pages/felting.html

Down to the wire for the Holidayz

2008-12-19T15:38:00.003-06:00

Well, we're down in the thick of it now! Of course, I haven't gotten near done what I wanted to - same as last year, and the year before.

I just can't get into the swing of creating Holiday gifties until after Thanksgiving, then there's always extra work at work getting ready for the end of the year...which cuts into crafting time.

But I HAVE gotten a few pieces finished, and I'm working on a few fun ideas using needle felting with new tools from Clover:

Can't say what I'm planning to do till after the prezzies are opened. SHHHH!

Fix My Movie, Please!

2008-12-08T10:50:00.002-06:00

If you saw my post about last weekend's activities, you may have been a bit queasy from my video-without-benefit-of-tripod...

You should check out what happens when that video is run through the algorithms over at http://www.fixmymovie.com

Here's a link to the movie itself...

http://www.fixmymovie.com/movie/mMt9S-/

One cool thing is to click on the icon to the bottom right of the frame, which shows you a side-by-side version of the original and the fixed versions. I ran mine through on Auto the first time, then ran it through on Remove Jitters a second time.

If I wanted to spend a mere $1.99, I could download this clip with an upgraded resolution of 4x!

Cool! Since just about everyone these days has a camera phone, and those now have video for the most part, this service is actually quite brill...

Serendipity strikes again...

2008-12-06T21:04:00.002-06:00

Got a call from friends yesterday to see if I wanted to go with them today to see a free exhibit in Dallas, "Texas Collects Asia: Contemporary Asian Art," at the Crow Collection of Asian Art. When we got there, they were just warming up for a lion dance by a local Kung Fu dojo - unfortunately I didn't get their name...nor did I remember my cell had video till after they'd started (please forgive the fuzziness!):

It certainly was fun to watch...love the little girl who walked up and 'fed' the lion at the last bit!

Thoroughly enjoyed the tour, then, in the cultural interaction area, some kids were learning about Noh Theater:

Other kids got to make a pendant with asian symbols or decorate a 'kimono'. This is what I just love about the Crow - their emphasis on teaching the culture as well as showing the art. Their Asian New Years celebration is not to be missed!

As we left the building, we crossed over to the bamboo garden by the Nasher Sculpture center. The light was shining juuuuust right! (Once more, taken with my Nokia N75)

A Bittersweet Thanksgiving

2008-12-01T06:23:00.005-06:00

This Thanksgiving holiday was unexpectedly bittersweet.

The nieces and nephews brought their dudes, dudettes friends and friends' kids with them and you could feel the young energy surging through the room. I didn't even realize we'd lost that in our generation, but seeing it there once more, I realized we had. Mom had a great time listening to all the chatter.

It was a wonderful mob of new faces and old. Luckily we'd somehow brought enough to feed an army, because it certainly looked like we were being invaded! When all the various bellies were full to bursting, there was just a spoon of green bean casserole and a spoon of Sherri's New Mexican creamed corn and NO mashed potatoes (made with cream cheese, these always go fast)! Poor Bob didn't get hardly anything but roast pork to take home, but he didn't complain.

My niece Chrysta seems to be the Gatherer in her generation...staying in touch and getting all the various sibs and cousins together on the weekends. I worry a bit about Mary (the Girly Goth niece), but she's got to make her own mistakes right now...while she still 'knows everything'.

I got home and wished a little wish that those smiles are all still there next year.

I actually WON something!

2008-11-20T20:26:00.003-06:00

At the end of October they had a fall themed contest, which I entered with this card:

The card has a simple three color palette: Burnt Sienna, Quinacridone Gold and Quinacridone Magenta (on the leaf). It's the first watercolor I've been happy with so I'm pleased it was well received.

Anyway, I posted it in the contest on a lark, not expecting much. To my surprise, not only was my card very popular in the anonymous voting, it was in 1st or 2nd place for most of the contest, which ended with a tie for first. They tossed in a few more goodies and split the prize between me and "Crafter412" with card (#10).

I just received the prize package and it included:

Got this:

with a sample card showing what each one does!

And this:

And this!

aaaaannddd three packs of these!

WOOT!

It was a WHOLE lot of fun and I look forward to playing with my new toys!

Sleep? What is this Sleep you speak of?

2008-10-04T21:30:00.003-05:00

I've spent the last few weeks in the fruitless pursuit of that elusive and underappreciated state of being: Sleep

I've had difficulties in the past, but most recently it seemed that my brain was a 25 screen multiplex that NEVER closed. I haven't been able to get anything accomplished at work without massive quantities of caffeine, which, of course, aggravates the whole situation.

I've gone the whole gamut from prescribed drugs to OTCs to herbs and supplements. So far nothing has worked well and the only combo that worked at ALL was my version of Tylenol PM: Ibuprofen/Benadryl plus some of my magnesium at bedtime.

Most recently I am trying St. John's Wort to lift my mood a bit (the evening shows could get a bit morbid! 'nuff said...) and it seems to be working very well. I especially note this at work, where things can get a bit tense. My cranky factor has definitely been lower.

Note: though it works for mild to moderate depression, studies have shown it is no better than placebo for severe depression...and abuse coupled with other prescription anti-depressants can be fatal. You have been warned!

So, St. John's Wort, plus my IbuprofenPM, plus a homeopathic remedy called Calms Forte have given me one semi-restful night. I shall continue to test this combo thru the remainder of pills in the bottle and see how I feel after that.

I really have to get this under control. My production at work is sub-par (for me) and I have art commitments I have to meet.

Snarf!

PMS + Menopause = Dammit!

2008-09-22T21:02:00.002-05:00

Massive mood swings this evening. REALLY don't need this. Feeling absolutely useless. Crying my eyes out.

I know this'll pass, but it's a real crapper right now.

So I decided to share it with y'all too.

Actually, I guess you can't call it a mood swing if it's only going in one direction.

Fun! My first blog upload via my cellphone and folding bluetooth keyboard!

2008-09-21T19:48:00.003-05:00

Okay, so I told you earlier this year that I was looking for a portable/folding keyboard for my phone. After searching high and low I can honestly say there's nuttin' to be had except discontinued models on Overstock and Amazon. I decided to go with the Think Outside Stowaway, whose company has morphed into iGo and is only doing portable power solutions now. You can still find their support pages and download drivers, but that's it. No technical support - if you can't make it work, you're SOL.

I got it in very quickly and already had the driver downloaded and ready to go. It's working fine, as this entry demonstrates.

The whole thing makes me wonder whether I'm the only person on the planet who wants this capability, or whether they've decided the phones with thumb-boards are the way things are going. I'm a touch typist and I want to be able to use that skill to get the characters input. That said, I wouldn't mind the luxury of both. The whole idea, after all, was to be be able to have blog mobility.

I already have my Flickr uploads maximized with ShoZu, which is an excellent mobile product, by the way.

I'll be experimenting with posting remotely and see if the process is too cumbersome.

Ciao for now!

Thereby Hangs a Tale...

2008-09-08T04:30:00.002-05:00

Worked on a birthday present for my Girlie Goth niece. I've had the various bits around for a while so I decided to finally try one of those glass pendants with solder around the sides that have been popular lately. Mary (The Niece) at one time had pink and purple striped hair, so I decided to go with that color scheme plus, of course, black.

I wanted to do a more Illustrative style picture, so I went with the "big-eyed waif girl" look that is also popular right now. This was also partially inspired by an ATCard I received in trade from altermyworld at ATCsForAll.com.

Click on the picture to see a detailed photo of the finished piece...

I was working with 1" x 1" glass squares, so the painting was officially an "Inchie". The painting took about two hours start to finish - turned out alright for my first attempt at the genre. I do wish I'd thought to put in a mini-mat to keep the glass off the paint...the white gouache is probably going to lift at some point. But then again, with Mary's penchant for losing things, she may never see it happen!

Once the watercolors were dry, I sandwiched the pic between two craft squares and added the metal tape that the solder is applied to. Then I went out on the balcony to solder. Ten minutes later I was back inside trying to figure out why the solder wouldn't stick to the metal tape. It literally beaded up and fell off! Crap! I had used a silver colored tape, so I decided to try some copper colored tape that I also had.

This time it worked. However, the soldering iron had a heat-up, working temp, cool-down, heat-up cycle that made it take FOREVER and I accidentally applied too much solder. It was hideous to say the least! (no, I didn't take pictures).

So I checked a few magazine articles (you know, those EVIL articles that make it look like you could do this in five minutes and sucker you in...) and decided that the extra solder just had to go. Trying NOT to scorch the painting in between the glass, I set it up in the third hand and tried to time the next working temp cycle, then slid the tool down the side of the square and literally swept the excess solder off onto a wet sponge. Woot! This could work!

However, with the wonky soldering iron it took waaaaay too long to get the job done and I finally said, 'good enuf" and used the Dremel to give the remaining solder a brushed finish.

Handed it off today and was please with the positive response! (She especially liked the cleavage...go figure!)

To everything there is a Season...

2008-08-25T06:33:00.004-05:00

While catching up on a friend's blog (http://goatgoddess.wordpress.com), a comment she'd made stopped me in my tracks. A piece she was working on included a tape measure as her 'timeline' and she stated she was "more than a bit past my half way mark".

She's my age.

And THAT got me thinking: How does your age affect your art?

When I was a kid (4th grade I believe) I had this dread of dying before I'd 'done anything', because then nobody would even know I'd been alive. (Is that morbid for a 4th grader? I dunno.) Looking back, I've been pretty lax (for me) about 'getting things done'. There was always plenty of time 'later' and I could make mistakes or putz around and not wind up with diddly to show for it, and that was OK.

But now, even if I DON"T up and die suddenly as some have done recently, the time I have left is less than the time I've spent getting here and now. So, what am I gonna do with the time I think I have left?

What's on your list?

More creative fun! It's All About the Chunky!

2008-08-24T21:34:00.011-05:00

Today, well, actually it was last night, anyway... I was playing with my woodburner on some scraps of craft micro plywood and a coffee stir stick. Just doodling a bit but very happy with the results.

Also working on some "chunky" pages for a Vintage Halloween swap being hosted by Andreananda over at ATCsforAll.com. These are 4x4 heavily embellished pages that are later bound into a book, sometimes with special covers, sometimes just the pages. It's my first time making chunky books so I'm already suffering all kinds of performance anxiety... I'm such a ditz sometimes!

Andrea gave me some pointers this morning and showed me some of her books...yeah, I can do this!

Here's a scan of one of the base pages (Hint: click on any of the pics to see a larger shot).

I've started off with some printed craft foam I picked up last year on clearance, backed it with a 4x4 piece of cardstock and sandwiched in between some fringe yarn. Punched holes for some long chunks of yarn - very popular on chunky pages. Besides the color, this yarn is almost sinfully strokable...

The next scan is a page that doesn't have its long fringe yarn yet, but I've put together a cut from a vintage Halloween postcard printout with a new piece of cardstock and applied that with 3D foam dots.

It's allllll about the Chunky!

I have simply GOT to designate a time to blog!

2008-08-21T06:26:00.007-05:00

It's simply amazing. I look up and it's been weeks and months since my last post. Now, it's good that I've been so busy, but all the wonderful little things I meant to share are lost in the fog of time. Drat and Pooh!

Okay, what have I been up to artistically? I've been playing with China Markers, aka Grease Pencils and it is really interesting what you come up with on a limited color palette (literally RGB plus B&W in this case! I've managed to track down some yellow at a WONDERFUL local independent hardware store, Turners Hardware in Farmers Branch, TX). The markers are very pigment rich and stable, since they are designed to withstand up to 750 degrees F without burning off. The first one is also topped with a medium layer of UTE (Ultra Thick Embossing Powder) that has a lot of texture AND pumped up the colors. The second is sealed with good ole Workable Fixative. NOTE: all but the last are regulation ATCs (2.5" x 3.5"). The last is just a scrap I was playing with.

So, I played with these 'crayons' and also pulled out the Prismacolor colored pencils.

(Chop Translation: I know too Much to be Sure of Anything.).

Then I played with some Water Soluble Oil Pastels - messy and not so hot for details...the fine details here were Prismacolor pencils.

Next I pulled out the ole sumi-e inkstick, brushes and chops for an Asian Summer themed card.

(Chop translation: If Everything is Art, then Art is Nothing):

And, lastly, I was playing with Watercolor on Yupo (plastic sheets). Bright color but the slightest goof and it slides right off the surface. May have to try sanding it lightly to see if it will stick better! NOTE: this 'scrap' is about 2" x 2"

Soooo, I've been busy. And that's not even going into the Computer going on the fritz, or the car on it's last legs, etc.

What's everybody else been up to?

Ever heard of a Zentangle?!?! Neither had I!

2008-07-07T06:56:00.004-05:00

A few months back on the ATCsForAll site I was looking thru the gallery listings and came across some ATCs that were doodles called "Zentangles." Don't get me wrong, they were cute doodles and all, but I was thinking...why the fancy name?

So I started looking online and see there's a couple who, with the help of some savvy marketing and New Age psycho-babble, have made doodling into a business! Yep, they sell books, materials and give seminars on how to doodle in a meditative sorta way, with names for their different patterns (or 'tangles', as they style them), special official, specifically-sized doodle cards cut from fancy heavy paper, which they will $ell you in kit form, including a special pen! Special Corporate rates available! They've even got a special gallery for the art that various alumni have come up with. Ain't THAT special?!

That said, I was invited to join in an AFA member's first hosted swap (the first three swaps anyone can host are limited to 12 participants, kinda like Swapmeister training wheels.) - and the subject was (drumroll) Zentangles!

Erm...okaaaaaaay! I'm game for anything once! So I check out what's being posted Zentangle-wise and add my own spin. The primary difference is I don't have the overall pattern totally abstract, instead I start with a theme I can hook it into. And ya know what? Once I get past the original bad taste I got from the merchandising, it's an interesting exercise. I'm pretty happy with the results. Here's what I came up with (all are regulation 2.5" x 3.5"):

Wait! What's this?! I am not alone! While Googling "Zentangle" to see what others might be saying about this marketing phenom, I found another blogger with a similar take: Lisamarina: art in ink & watercolor + cool links & art info.

Nice to know I'm not always out by myself in left field.

GeekZone: PortableApps.com

2008-06-30T00:18:00.000-05:00

As I shared in "Tales of the Obsolete parts I and II," I have an ancient laptop that can barely run XP and has a whomping big 4 Gb hard drive. I immediately tripled it's capacity with the addition of an 8 Gb thumb drive. I could have gone for a larger portable HD, but I'm trying to keep it lean and lightweight.

Now, the real problem was that, when I'd loaded all the software I wanted/needed, I had no space left for temp files while I was editing/composing. Rut Roh! Surfing the web, looking for an answer, I found this: PortableApps.com.

I've always loved the concept of Open Source software and other freeware packages. In fact, I use Art Weave r to create some nifty digital pieces.

I've wanted to get into Open Office, but every time I've looked into it, and other Open Source software, there's this confusing array of files, "compiled" and not, and I just don't know where to go from there. Don't know the secret handshake. Don't have time to learn it. A true Windoze Slave though I rattle my chains on a regular basis. But I miss the days when I carried my apps on diskettes and used them on whatever computer I wanted to. (Yes, I'm OLD. Hush.)

Enter PortableApps.com. This site offers a truly impressive array of FREE open source apps, soup to nuts, with an easy to navigate menu, ready to go right out of the box! The real kicker? They not only FIT on a thumbdrive, they are PORTABLE! You carry your software with you and work off of any computer with a compatible Windoze OS. Nirvana! (and did I mention FREE?!?) They leave no footprint/cookies/files on the host computer. When you use the included Firefox Portable browser, all of your links, history and cookies are on the thumbdrive. They are kind enough to include donation buttons for both the Portable Apps website and the individual programmers/orgs. So after you download, show your appreciation, OK? I've downloaded the majority of these apps and when installed on my thumbdrive they take up less than 650 Mb. I'm burning a mirror to CDs to give to friends with pitiful slow dialup.

Below, I've cribbed their current apps listing. Click on "Applications" to go right to the webpage. Impressive, huh? With my aging eyeballs, the magnifier is pretty sweet.

Applications

Accessibility

Firefox Accessibility Extension - Make Firefox more accessible
On-Screen Keyboard Portable - Easily access an on-screen keyboard
Virtual Magnifying Glass Portable - A full-featured screen magnifier

Development

Notepad++ Portable - A full-featured text editor with syntax highlighting
Nvu Portable & KompoZer Portable - The easy-to-use Nvu web editor
XAMPP - Apache, mySQL, PHP, phpMyAdmin, etc in one package

Games

DOSBox Portable - classic DOS games to go
Jooleem Portable - simple and addictive puzzle game with great music and visuals
LBreakout2 Portable - breakout-style arcade game similar to Arkanoid
Mines-Perfect Portable - a classic hunt-for-mines game with advanced features
PokerTH Portable - classic Texas Hold Em style poker at its best
Sudoku Portable - the wildly popular and addictive puzzle game

Graphics & Pictures

GIMP Portable - Photo and Image Editor

Internet

FileZilla Portable - the full-featured FTP client
FireFTP Extension (for Firefox) - a lightweight extension
Miranda IM Portable - chat with AOL, MSN and Yahoo users in a customizable interface
Mozilla Firefox, Portable Edition - the award-winning web browser that's safe and secure
Mozilla Thunderbird, Portable Edition - the handy email client
Nvu Portable & KompoZer Portable - the easy-to-use webpage editor
Pidgin Portable - chat with AOL, MSN and Yahoo users in an easy-to-use interface
PuTTY Portable - lightweight telnet and SSH client
Sage Extension (for Firefox) - A full-featured RSS extension
WinSCP Portable - SFTP, FTP and SCP client

Music & Video

Audacity Portable - A simple audio editor and recorder
BonkEnc Portable - extract, convert, and encode audio
CoolPlayer+ Portable - Lightweight, fast, easy-to-use audio player
MPlayer Portable - Full-featured movie player with support for most video formats
VirtualDub Portable - video processing and capture utility
VLC Media Player Portable - An easy to use media player that plays most audio and video formats

Office

AbiWord Portable - a lightweight word processor compatible with Microsoft Word files
GnuCash Portable - accounting, expenses and financial management
Lightning Extension (for Thunderbird) - A lightweight extension for your calendar and tasks
Mozilla Sunbird, Portable Edition - Calendar and task management with a familiar interface
Mozilla Thunderbird, Portable Edition (Address Book) - Email client's built-in address book with import/export functions
OpenOffice.org Portable - word processor, spreadsheet, presentations with Microsoft compatibility
PDFTK Builder Portable - split, collate, watermark and password protect PDF documents
PNotes Portable - stick notes to go
Sumatra PDF Portable - a lightweight PDF viewer
Task Coach Portable - to do list and task manager

Operating Systems

Mac-on-Stick - Run Mac OS Classic 7 portably

Utilities

7-Zip Portable - File archiver and compressor
ClamWin Portable - Antivirus on the go
Command Prompt Portable - Simple link to a customizable command prompt
Eraser Portable - securely delete files and data
InfraRecorder Portable - full-featured CD and DVD burner
KeePass Password Safe Portable - Secure, easy-to-use password manager
PeaZip Portable - Easy to use file archiver and compressor
PortableApps.com Backup - integrated backup utility bundled with the platform
PortableApps.com Menu - integrated start menu bundled with the platform
Toucan - backup, sync and encrypt for advanced users
WinDirStat Portable - disk usage analyzer and cleanup tool
winMd5Sum Portable - check md5 sums to verify files on the go
WinMerge Portable - file comparison and merging

Creativity and Anti-Anxiety Drugs

2008-06-29T00:01:00.001-05:00

Update on the whole Zoloft scenario:

As I said previously, my Rx meds saved me from losing my job, but they flattened me out creatively. I'm back at the home office, that particular stressor is gone, so I figured it was safe to wean off the med and go find out what is going to be 'normal' for me during my menopause. You have to wean off of these types of meds, or else the ride gets REAL bumpy, just like any form of "Cold Turkey".

Well, I've been on a half dose for about a week and a half and can already tell a big difference. That little 'spark' is back and I feel clearer headed, like I've been thinking and seeing thru a fog for the last year. I'm ramping down to the 1/4 dose for a week and then I'm free of this med!

Update on the Trashed Elm from the Storm

2008-06-28T11:52:00.006-05:00

Well, they took the poor old Elm out completely last week, and today, wallah! we have a Pampas Grass. Poor trade, if you ask me! (and even if you don't!)

Summer has set in with a vengeance and I find that I've let my watering go for too long...I almost lost my Lady Palm and wild violets - just label me Plant Abuser!

I decided I needed some time away from work (this magically coincided with the accumulation of enough PTO to do so) and taking advantage of the holiday I'm taking next week off for a grand total of TEN CONSECUTIVE DAYS. Be still my heart.

I want to do some photo shoots around town that I've been mentally noting, as well as rearrange the apt and work on some digital art, so it's gonna be a full week!I've uploaded some of the pics I took of the tiny little waterfall I found at a strip mall in Carrollton.

I'll be visiting it again to see how it fares in this summer heat. The wall faces the West so I'll bet the fern and strawberries have a tough time in July.

More pics to come!

Long Time, No Talk To!

2008-06-14T14:38:00.007-05:00

Okay, so I've been MIA for over a month!

First, I was getting READY for the First Annual DFW ATCsForAll Sleepover...

Then, I was AT the Sleepover!

Then, I was RECOVERING from the Sleepover! LOL!

Sooooo, What did I accomplish? Nadalatta.

I was pretty bummed after I got home. I felt like I'd just taken up space...not really accomplished anything. Then I didn't want to Blog about it because I didn't want ANYONE (and you KNOW who you ARE! LOL!) to think it was THEIR fault or that I was blaming anyone but myself!

While chewing thru the whole process, I wondered why I was ragging on myself for not leading the pack and came to a few hard realizations:

Not even keeping up makes me feel OLD...
I felt like my creativity was about flatlined for the first half of the time I was there. Even after that, I was only going half-speed.
I was jealous of others ping-ponging from one project/technique to the next with gay abandon and cranking out art like nobody's business.

Whew! THAT was hard to say!

After stewing about it for another day I had a tiny, mollifying AHA moment...my Zoloft prescription, which handily keeps me from going all Rambo at work and thus losing my gainful employment, also "flattens" my creativity. Like most artists, my mood/creativity swings are a bit more extreme than the run-of-the-mill "normal" types. Up until I hit peri-menopause, I was able to deal with it and really did some amazing work on my up-cycles.

For the most part, that made it worth dealing with the down-cycles. Mostly. Until recently. Then I had to decide which was more important...paying rent or being a creative, vital, HOMELESS artist. It's no big surprise that I went with paying rent.

I really hadn't been creating that much in the last year, so I didn't notice the flattening that much. At the sleepover, I noticed. A lot.

So now I have to answer the question: Where do I draw that line? When do I decide that it's better to have my life a little less level and embrace that roller-coaster ride once again? I'm fortunate that my cycle is not so severe as to require the heavy duty meds, and I have friends who will sit on me if I start acting too loopy (which I never have done, well, yet anyway!).

It's something I have to think about.

Okay, I'm pretty proud of this one!

2008-05-12T21:46:00.002-05:00

Here's my first original ATC sized watercolor (I did two others from tutorials in a book so they don't count!). Pretty fun, huh?!

What's really pathetic is, I made her as a hostess gift for a swap and now I can't give her up! I'll probably make another of the same pic and send that in her place...

Off to paint some more...

Tales of the Obsolete...Part Deux

2008-05-05T19:17:00.002-05:00

Well, the old dinosaur is up to the task! A memory upgrade and installation of XP SP2 did the trick!. There were a couple of rounds getting the "USB<->serial" port driver set up and configured. Modified the KNK software presets for the correct COM Port (Lucky 6!) and "Wallah!" the KNK hummed right thru a test cut! Life does NOT suck entirely!

Well, it is sucky just a little bit as the car ate my laptop funds today: Waterpump, belt, labor, bleh!

But then again, bless Murphy for making me wait to get that laptop...hmmmmm, could BIGGER forces be at work here? I dunno, we'll have to see...(cue the creepy music!)

Tales of the Obsolete...

2008-05-01T21:24:00.009-05:00

My cheap, er, frugal nature has been battling my spendthrift nature (spendthrift usually wins) and we'll see how the battle of the Titans goes.

The cause of all this strife is my Klic-N-Kut cutter plotter. It entered my life last December and I've shown off what I can make with it, but I want to be able to take it with me for craft days. That, however, would require a laptop, which I didn't have (well, not really).

You see, I wasn't really counting the Toshiba Satellite my Dad gave me last Christmas. After all, it's a Pentium II with only 32 MB of memory and an "Enormous 4.1 Billion byte hard drive" (yes, that's 4 GB...I have thumbdrives with more capacity) It was a screamer when Dad bought it...in '99. And he kinda neglected to give me a power cord. Did I mention the battery is dead? Anyway, the real kicker is that KNK Studio, the software for my new toy, won't run on '98...gotta be XP at the minimum.

Soooooo, I set my sights on a 'real' laptop and saved up my money. But every time I found what I wanted, there was an unexpected expense that ate just enough of my funds that it was out of reach. Realizing that Murphy was playing with me (I'm Murphy's poster child...don't get behind me in line...ANYWHERE!), I reassessed my options.

In my stash of semi-obsolete computer bits and pieces I found an IBM laptop power source that worked with the old Toshiba. I got my Windows XP disk out and checked the laptop's resources. Rats, XP requires a minimum of 64MB of memory. A quick trip to TigerDirect.com actually turned up the correct laptop memory to max it out (160 MB, be still my heart) and it arrived today. I couldn't wait till 5:30 to hotfoot it home. Stopped off on the way to pick up a USB hub because this dino only has the one USB port and the KNK uses a USB to communicate as well as a USB dongle to unlock the software.

Install memory. Check.
Run XP pre-check. Check.
Result - Barely dooable. So I started the upgrade and crossed my fingers.
An hour later...we got's XP! Woot!

Couldn't wait to share progress so far (AND it's getting late!) so I'll let everyone know soonest if the poor old thing can run the KNK.

Fun with collage

2008-04-20T14:56:00.009-05:00

Since the "scare the lights out of me" storm (still getting used to all that light on the balcony), I've been working on my 'art doll' ATC swap submissions. Have been wanting to do something fairy themed, so I chose to focus on flower fairies (in part because Joann's was having a wicked cool sale on all things Spring-faux-floral). Have also wanted to make some pieces not 100% digital, so this was a nice change.

My drawing skill still isn't where I want it to be without a reference pic,

so I went trolling on the WWWeb for inspiration. I've always loved Rackham's illustrations, and I found a pose I liked so I cribbed the
pose and proportions and took it from there. Many revisions later, I had my base fairy, ready to be cut out and 'dressed'. I had some ancient inkjet transparency media that worked just fine for fairy wings...adding nicely to the 3D effect I was looking for. The trial run went to Jenn (aka Blueskysunburn) as a thank you for another swap I was in.

My next four were for the actual swap with one for the swapmeister, Artedar. The whole process has been a blast and I will probably be making more to share...I might even offer these on my nascent etsy site.

EEEEK! Wild Weather this Morning!

2008-04-10T05:47:00.006-05:00

Here's hoping that everybody in it's path made it through fine. We just had a terrifically strong storm front roll through the area at 60 mph with hail, sideways rain too thick to see through, and winds up to 87 mph (UPDATE: Some light poles rated for 120 mph blew down!!! OMG!!!).

I was awakened just before 4 am by the terrifying "train rumble" that we all dread in Tornado Alley. Tore out of bed with Ski in my arms and headed for the bathroom. Fell over a small table and dropped Ski so I wouldn't squish him (I'm seeing Feng Shui in a new light!). There wasn't time to even THINK about rounding up the cats after that. Just as I made it to the bathroom there was an enormous CRACK!CRASH!

When the sound died down enough to even think about coming out of the bathroom, the rain was still sideways and a blank white - you could not see through it. The storm was coming in from the West, so my SE facing balcony allowed a (relatively) safe view of the carnage.

The first thing I saw was that the large Elm outside my balcony is probably kaput. More than 3/4 of the total canopy is broken off, right at the level of my balcony (explaining the CRACK!). There will be some VERY unhappy squirrels! (The sap in the spring is sweet, so they were nibbling the new growth as last year's acorns begin to run out. Ownership of the tree was valiantly enforced by the resident pair of squirrels, but poachers did occasionally get by for a snack.) The cats will miss the 'Reality TV' that these turf wars gave them. Alas, Alack, Alay!

Once the rain let up I checked out the view from my other windows. What is amazing to me is that all the carports are fine, even the huge old Live Oak that is in the same path as my Elm made it. No shingles down, just this one tree thrashed in the immediate vicinity. Looking out across the parking lot I do see some more foliage debris that will block us getting out, but it doesn't look too big to move out of the way.

Start to finish it was less than an hour.

I got the TV turned on and started calming the cats down (this, of course, involved a can of food!). We had a scary time but I'm praying for those up in OK and beyond that have already had a very full scary day of storms, now this - we were very lucky here.

My heart is still racing. The birds have begun the morning 'all clear' and life goes on...

Girl Scouts Rock!

2008-03-30T23:28:00.003-05:00

This is short but I gotta go to bed!

I had an absolutely fabulous time this Saturday talking fibers to a great bunch of Girl Scouts working on their Renaissance Badge (which I hadn’t even HEARD of until this year, LOL!)

In addition, I made up some sample Ren garb for the braver ones to try on...it was a hoot! No pics, I was too busy!

Several girls and moms were interested in learning more about spinning, so I pulled together the following and sent it to them:

There’s a magazine just for spinners (and you can get it off the rack at most Barnes and Noble AND Borders!)

http://www.interweave.com/spin/Spinoff_magazine/default.asp

A website alllllll about Handspinning!

http://www.joyofhandspinning.com/spindle-types.shtml

Abby Franquemont of abbysyarns.com gives a video tutorial on hand spindling:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=drXid5cT0y8

http://abbysyarns.com – excellent blog with lots of good info!

Instructions for Handspinning with top whorl spindle (top whorl is my personal fav kind of spindle!)

http://www.handspinning.com/lollipops/spininst.htm

I love their disclaimer: WARNING!!! Spinning reduces stress and promotes well being. It can also be habit forming and lead to obsessive behaviors such as, but not restricted to: caressing and hoarding all fibers; dying them with food colors and things from your garden or whatever you have laying about; spinning the fluffy bits of the weeds in your fields, the cotton wad in your vitamin bottles and even the lint from your dryer! Proceed with extreme caution!

Mielke's Fiber Arts, LLC: Instructions for bottom whorl spindle spinning

http://www.mielkesfarm.com/spndl_inst.htm

Additional sites:

www.woolery.com

www.kendigcottage.com

www.knitty.com/ISSUEspring03/FEATwheelspinbeg.html

www.hatchtown.com

spinweave.org

and finally a listing of yahoo groups just about spinning and weaving!

dir.groups.yahoo.com/dir/Hobbies___Crafts/Crafts/Spinning_and_Weaving

Life's been busy...

2008-03-17T21:15:00.007-05:00

Can't believe it's been almost a month since I posted!

A lot happened at the evil necessity that must be endured (aka Work) that interfered with Art. Crossing fingers and hoping it settles down.

I'm learning several new drawing programs, several of which are free, the rest are free for older versions:

Project Dogwaffle is seriously cool. The top pay version has the neatest programmable brushes - you can actually load multiple images to use with it...the best use of this is in landscapes... the only drawback is that there are no layers, just good old traditional slap it on top of what's already there. We'll see if I plunk down the dineros for this one!

Art Weaver, from Germany, is one awesome piece of software, completely free. The interface is very Photoshop-ish, so I was able to jump in and create the following in my first session:

I have to go back and see if there is a donation 'button'...it's worthy of showing some appreciation!

The third application I'm looking at is Pixarra's TwistedBrush. Can't say anything about it yet...stay tuned!

All this started when somebody recommended Ambient Design's ArtRage to me in the WetCanvas! Digital forum. While I was able to quickly work up a piece that was acceptable, it's got more of a "kiddie" interface with stencils and virtual glitter. Art Weaver's interface is so much more sophisticated and flexible, that I really think it's going to be my core app.

More as it happens, or when Life stops interferring with Art! (whichever comes first!)

Life returns to 'normal'

2008-02-23T10:19:00.006-06:00

Ski, though gaunt, is on the mend and cranky.

ATCsforAll totally rocks. The site which must not be named will not be missed.

I continue to be inspired to try new things!

Life is GOOD!

Yea! ATCs for all is up and running!

2008-02-21T07:14:00.007-06:00

Man, moving day is a crush - even when it's electronic! I posted one ATC I did this week...can't wait for this evening when I have some time to say hi to everyone...

The Dust has Almost Settled...

2008-02-17T22:46:00.007-06:00

...and there should be a new home for the shipwrecked ATCards peeps: www.atcsforall.com

With all the angsty thrashing about, I decided to make some positive statements, so I'm making a whole new set of ATCs centered on Rebirth, Renewal, Moving and Starting Fresh. Let's see if anyone even notices, LOL!

I posted my first one, Rebirth, just now. If it looks a little lame, it's because I'm learning how to use a drawing program called ArtRage...
Limited compared to Corel Painter, but it only costs $25...WOOT! I used a photo as a reference, but otherwise it's all my scribbles.

So, things are settling down online, Spring is just over the rise...

Lookin' Good!

When in Trouble, When in Doubt...

2008-02-14T22:44:00.005-06:00

...Run in Circles, Scream and Shout!

Geez! I gotta wonder if some peeps don't need to up their meds or something! The soap opera at (the site which must not be named) is like that bunny, going and going and...

While one group continues to negotiate/plan a new site/whatever they come up with, it's fine by me - on the other side of the coin there's been finger wagging, tongue wagging, recriminations, shouting matches, general snarkiness... it's like Thanksgiving with the family! (Sherri, if you read this I'm just kidding, really, I didn't mean it... ah nuts!)

So we wait and see, see and wait. Meanwhile, I've been playing with Photoshop some more...click on my Flickr slideshow and go have a looky-loo. Go ahead, I'll wait while you take a look!

Fun, huh?

Oh, and Ski is doing better, but I still have to pill him to keep him eating. Worrysome, that.

One last item...my package FINALLY arrived in Ketanning, WA, Australia! It only took a MONTH! Honest, I mailed it 1/16!

Bummer

2008-02-13T22:03:00.003-06:00

Well, well, well,

Just as I was reeeeeeeally enjoying the ATC swapping, the site owner is having a meltdown (probably well deserved!) and says the site is gone after 2/29/08.

I only have this to say: [expletive deleted]!

[expletive deleted] [expletive deleted]!

[expletive deleted] [expletive deleted] [expletive deleted] [expletive deleted] [expletive deleted] [expletive deleted] [expletive deleted] [expletive deleted] [expletive deleted]!

Now that I've got THAT off my chest, here's hoping they (the other soldiers who were helping police the joint) can convince the owner to keep it going and share the load with us.

[expletive deleted]

Okay, now I'm done.

A Decent Day all around!

2008-02-10T21:01:00.001-06:00

Got to meet some of the local ATCards traders at the Scrapbook Pad in Colleyville. Traded for some very nice cards from electablu, teri and blueskysunburn AND I have a new mission (in addition to all the others): Figure out how to convert a page protector to display "inchies".

I already have an idea for an inchies book you can switch them out in (out in? well, you know what I mean!). The primary request was that you be able to see both sides of each inchie.

Got home and Ski was still with us...it's been iffy this weekend as he's still not eating and I finally broke down and started force feeding him baby food in a syringe (it's what they told me to give him last time because his stomach was so upset from his thyroid pills). This evening he felt good enough to growl at me so that's a positive sign.

The weather was glorious and the cats lounged on the balcony as long as I let them...I finally had to drag Biddles in, whining all the way.

Got to finish up a trade to Chilliwack, BC, Canada and then it's off to bed.

I just HATE Deja Vu!

2008-02-08T07:22:00.000-06:00

It creeps me out. Really.

This time, I'm reading a graphics tutorial on the WWWeb, Ski in lap, and BAM out of nowhere this intense feeling that I've been in exactly this position, doing exactly this same thing, before.

(Que the Twilight Zone music)

Ski's appetite is down again. Rats.

Oh, and I figured out what I did to my foot...I have a habit of resting the middle (2nd Metatarsal) on the base of my task chair. Shoeless, that equals a sore spot! Mystery solved, now I just have to break that habit.

Playing with Photoshop some more and finally learning how to use the graphics tablet I've had for several years. Serious coolness has ensued!

Happy Lunar New Year! Gung Hay Fat Choy!

2008-02-07T20:54:00.000-06:00

Welcome in the Year of the Earth Rat!

A bit stodgy, very traditional, this should be a good-but-boring year for me.

One of my fav places to check horoscopes is actually produced by a Vietnamese gentleman in France, Master Rao. He even compares Western and Eastern signs and gives you a blended horoscope. Very nice!

Just be careful where you click, as the site is wild with ads - they are even interspersed among the 'meat'. It is humorous to me that his blurb promises the site is free of 'annoying ads.' I guess he feels that all the ads are wonderful and in no way annoying!

http://asiaflash.com/rao/horoscopes.shtml

BTW, I'm an Aries Fire Monkey, born in the hour of the Dragon, if you're curious.

Middle Age is when products with a Lifetime Guarantee start to wear out...

2008-02-06T06:20:00.000-06:00

Like feet.

Went to a podiatrist for the first time in my life with a sore spot in the middle ball of my left foot.

Diagnosis: I'm an old fart and things are starting to fall apart!

Sidenote: I amused the doctor's assistants to no end taking cameraphone shots of my x-rays.

Nothing pathologically wrong, just a general thinning of the allowed my 2nd metatarsal to get bruised. Now I have to make surepadding there I've got extra padding (yup, I'm Gellin')... I'm one step (literally) away from orthopedics.

Meh!

Feline of the Apocalypse

2008-02-06T05:56:00.000-06:00

After a tense week it appears that my grumpy old man in a fur coat (aka Ski) will pull thru. I finally had to get some pills to stimulate his appetite - he'd sniff the bowl but not eat. He got as gaunt as Don Quixote's noble steed. And more than a bit wobbly. The other two have been giving him the 'you're strange, there's something wrong with you' sniffs & stares...

I could have taken him to the vet for an IV, but that would be just as likely to push him over the edge - it stresses him so much. And offends his 'dignity,' which is very important to him.

So I've coaxed and coddled and today he's eaten a decent amount for a convalescent old fart. I don't think I have to say goodbye yet.

This Bites...

2008-02-01T06:44:00.000-06:00

Well, my first international ATC trade has gone awry... drat, darn and poo!

The Aussie half of the trade came in straight away. Lovely cards by an artist who goes by 'ylfnogard'. (You can see some of her work here)

Mine was mailed on 1/16 and she's still not gotten it. I'm giving it a few more days and then I'm sending another package.

Ylfnogard likes to trade 'rolos,' which are, essentially, decorated Rolodex cards. I was also trading with her Tweener daughter, Angellips. This is the card I made for her...

*SIGH*

Going to the V-E-T

2008-01-28T07:08:00.000-06:00

Ski (aka Demonspawn) hasn't been doing well lately. Been pretty poorly, in fact. Sooooo, it's off to see Dr. Fred - and hope he comes home.

Getting old is not for sissies.

P.S. Had to PRY his skinny butt from under the bed. He did NOT want to go!

UPDATE! It was his hyper thyroid acting up...the new Rx transdermal wasn't trans-dermaling enough so his thyroid was through the roof. No wonder he felt awful! We're cutting back the amount of med per ml and will see if that fixes it.

ATC Crazy

2008-01-27T17:55:00.002-06:00

Over the holidays I discovered a great site for trading ATCs (Artist Trading Cards). I'd read about ATCs for several years but whenever I searched for more info it emphasized trading in person...and I couldn't find anything locally. The few sites with International swaps...welllll, I just didn't like the 'art' that was being swapped. To be honest, most of it was cr@p!
http://www.artist-trading-cards.ch/index.html

I think running into Cedarseed's site really fired me up to get started, though. So when I found www.ATCards.com (note, that site is defunct and has been replaced with an improved site: ATCsforall.com), I jumped in with both feet. I had a backlog of images I'd created with Photoshop, so I mined those to get started.
I was surprised at which cards got the most attention. I was surprised, also, at a distinct bias against digital works, like it's cheating or something. Looking at some of the 'handmade' stuff on offer, I'll stick with my digital!

That said, there are plenty of members who are into digital or just open to trade for digital, so I'm not constrained by someone else's shortsightedness. Now that I've been participating for a few weeks, I'm signing up for a few swaps...

What I like most about the whole enchilada is that I'm doing a lot more work right now than I was before.

And art is just like photography. You have to do it a lot to get good at it.

Remembering Rackety

2008-01-27T17:46:00.002-06:00

I'm currently using this shot on my ATCards profile page, and I was asked about the fellow on my shoulder.

This shot was taken back in the summer of '72 (yes, I'm an Old Fart. If you're real lucky, you will be too, so hush). We'd taken in Rackety as an orphan. He had to be the luckiest coon baby that year because he got the old kid's playhouse for his 'cage.' He especially liked to jump up on the lintel of the doorway and hop on your shoulders as you ducked to come inside. His non-stop chittering gave him his name.

He was with us through Halloween, when some twit unlatched his door and we never saw him again. I've always hoped he learned quickly enough that not all humans bring grapes, and went on to live a long life making lots more little Racketies.