Happy New Year!

Bigger IS Better

I don't think you can get too large when it comes to rings, for instance, this is a good size with turquoise band and diamond quartz stone. Loving this anvil and inlaid safari ring, Turquoise Tile Ring, Adamas Stackable Ring, I would love this big beauty - Victorian antique diamond square ring.

Kitausagi

I am continuing clean out my email and revisit some sites that I found and blogged about before. I am always so surprised how much I like this site and their products, it is like a little puff of fresh air. Kitausagi photo gallery. I love this clock. This and this are adorable! Hakkadrops postcards.

Stamp Swap And Many Thank Yous

Have been so busy with holidays then rushing back to work, I have been remiss in mentioning a few wonderful items coming in the mail. First I received the Carved Stamp Swap (hosted by Moki ) package full of wonderful stamp goodies. Here are a few on my inspiration wall. Sorry that I did not take photo of all of them, I did use many on packages. Thankfully, Moki documented the swap here. Thank you everyone, that was much fun!



Cassi sent me a special gift! Thank you.



Wonderful cards from Amy and Kathleen.



And a ornament from Amy, I think I will leave it out all year.



New fun things for our tree from Duane and Susan.



David received a couple of new ornaments, the salmon wreath and bear with salmon rowing boat (bad photo).

Call for Artists

Baskerville Hound has a Call for Artists for The Collaborative Art Journal Project.

Digging The Art Dorks

I am totally digging Art Dorks site. You can get sucked in and never emerge! This is wonderful work from Nicole. Justin Degarm's Krampus & St. Nicholas and his website. Jared Joslin wonderful paintings. World Domination by Ryan - The Profound Sadness. Nicholas Deakin.

Web Economy Bullshit Generator

I really do love this.

Many Faces And Talents Of Aaron Tang

Interesting self-portraits of Aaron Tang. His wall of stairs.

Inspirational words about the design process:

absorb, research, observe, understand, indulge, become, inspire, imagine, collaborate, ideate, think, consider, question, innovate, wash, create, sketch, generate, develop, crave, communicate, cycle, innovate, present converse, recognize, reveal, see, identify, rinse, evaluate, cleanse, edit, question, expand, solve, dry, create, see, feel, touch, oppose, approve, wear, combine, try, squint, spin, ponder, realize, share, hear, inform, change, understand, know, think, define, refine, relate, subtract, tweak, replace, stain, observe, establish, present, reveal, conclude, appreciate, smile...

Why Couldn't I Have Thought Of That!

By Peter Graff December 29, 2005 via boston.com news
LONDON (Reuters) - If you have an envious streak, you probably shouldn't read this.

Because chances are, Alex Tew, a 21-year-old student from a small town in
England, is cleverer than you. And he is proving it by earning a cool million
dollars in four months on the Internet.

Selling porn? Dealing prescription drugs? Nope. All he sells are pixels, the
tiny dots on the screen that appear when you call up his home page.

He had the brainstorm for his million dollar home page, called, logically
enough, http://www.milliondollarhomepage.com/, while lying in bed thinking out how he would pay for university.

The idea: turn his home page into a billboard made up of a million dots, and
sell them for a dollar a dot to anyone who wants to put up their logo. A 10 by
10 dot square, roughly the size of a letter of type, costs $100.

He sold a few to his brothers and some friends, and when he had made $1,000, he issued a press release.

That was picked up by the news media, spread around the Internet, and soon advertisers for everything from dating sites to casinos to real estate agents to The Times of London were putting up real cash for pixels, with links to their own sites.

So far they have bought up 911,800 pixels. Tew's home page now looks like an online Times Square, festooned with a multi-colored confetti of ads.

"All the money's kind of sitting in a bank account," Tew told Reuters from his home in Wiltshire, southwest England. "I've treated myself to a car. I've only just passed my driving test so I've bought myself a little black mini."

The site features testimonials from advertisers, some of whom bought spots as a lark, only to discover that they were receiving actual valuable Web hits for a fraction of the cost of traditional Internet advertising.

Meanwhile Tew has had to juggle running the site with his first term at university, where he is studying business.

"It's been quite a difficulty trying to balance going to lectures and doing the site," he said.

But he may not have to study for long. Job offers have been coming in from Internet companies impressed by a young man who managed to figure out an original way to make money online.

"I didn't expect it to happen like that," Tew said. "To have the job offers and approaches from investors -- the whole thing is kind of surreal. I'm still in a state of disbelief."

Plant A Seed

I planted a couple of seeds last night at ecomagination. Found on the every entertaining and informative Ample Sanity. (The middle flower is mine ... I think I am "peony").

Big Much Bouncing Fun

Found this bouncing bunch of fun and the movie at bigmuch.

New Voice

Becca has a wonderful New Year message for us all.

D-Flector

My Christmas present arrived today. Now I just need to sign up for that photography class soon.

You've Got Mail (From You)

I send myself tons of email. I look at the mail and think what in the heck is this or this. This butter sculpture, I want one!

Drumm angels measuring spoons, Ala Jaron mixed metal peapod pin, Leandra Drumm dancing moon and ballerina fairy switchplate, Haugh triangle pendant (with rocks - my favorite) and abacus pendant.

This little book, Antologie Stocastiche, Volume 1.

This was an eye opener: Walrus is an interactive visualization tool that allows the analyst to view massive graphs from any position from visual complexity. This is fascinating and more images here!

Where does my money go and a to-do list and some pretty wallpapers.

Then I open it and realize why I sent it to myself. So now you know my email is just as messy as my handbag!

Rocks Bowled Over

I have this wonderful bowl of collected rocks and such in the bathroom. I had it put away while the hydrangeas were there. I stacked them and move them around.

School-O-Fish Wall Growing

One of my best buddies gave me some more fish for the Wall-O-Fish.

Silly Presents Present

Santa brought mom "Wash-Away Your Sins Healing Handcream", I got a recycled paper vase, Santa brought David two more barking dogs (because the two he has are not annoying enough), a Lone Ranger lunch box tree ornament, tin toy Santa, Oaxacan moose woodcarving and a 'Cow Pony' (from the 'Trail of Painted Ponies' series) ... and many more silly things.

Thirteen Moons Gallery

Found several very interesting artist in Thirteen Moons Gallery. Pat Chapman, assemblage artist.



'144 Hooks and Eyes' by JoAnne Russo. Lanny Bergner.'s sculpture is a testament of his love of the natural world, 'Tall Bud' being my favorite. Amy C. Clarke Moore bead embroidery.Teri Greeves Conversely Beaded. Jon Eric Riis 'Senses' is unbelievable.

Claudia Kunin 3-d ghosts and photography art, wonderful interview with her here.

Christmas Wishes

I found this unique photo display thingie (kind of like this) at Storables. We used it for holding our Christmas Wishes (written on some of Kathleen's wonderful papers). My S-I-L's global wish: DEMOCRATS, DEMOCRATS, DEMOCRATS.

Christmas Us

Christmas us. It is always wonderful spending time with family. Santa brought Matt a guitar and he has not put it down!

Illustration Friday - Santa Needs A (Holiday)

Illustration Friday is Holiday. And Santa needs one!

Merry Christmas Dear Friends

You all have added so much to my life this year in fun, treasures, knowledge and friendships. Thank you one and all! Wishing everyone a wonderful holiday.

Creative Directors Of Christmas Past

I do miss seeing him everyday, but here I can see his wonderful Christmas cards any day of the year (and family photos with very funny captions).

Self-Portrait Tuesday 12.20

Self-Portrait Tuesday - reflections of self. What else could I use! And I didn't have to comb my hair ;)

Christmas Around The House

I think I bought my last present today. This has not been a pleasant Holiday. I hate to rush and try to find the 'perfect' present in a rush. Have spent more time trying to FIND a parking place at the mall than spent in the mall finding SOME present. Not how I envision Christmas. Family is here tomorrow and still lots to do. Next year will not be this terrible (wait, didn't I say this last year?)

Cork Reindeers Ornaments

I knew all of those wine corks would come in handy some day soon. I made some reindeer Chistmas trees ornaments. A favorite is for my neighbor's cork (she gave me that wine and I used the cork). She will love that. Sad to think this is the only 'craft' I have had time for!

1. Drink lots of wine 2. Cut one in half for head 3. make your holes with an ice pick 4. trim off top of toothpick for legs 5. the hardest part is getting the legs right so the litte deer will stand up! 6. cut a little piece of fabric for scarf 7. Cut off red and white pins with a snipper 8. add little eyes with marker.

Busy Making

Mom and I have been busy the last few days trying to get our Christmas presents together. She has been busy making oodles to these chocolate wreaths that she heard about on Oprah. She also made a artichoke/roasted garlic bread dippers. We found some fantastic Califorinia (very plump) grapes, pears, apples, tangerines, wasabi peas (at Mom's favorite local vegetable/fruit stand - Star Market), mom made a infused salad dressing and then added a bottle of good red wine we found on sale, chocolate truffles and my hand-made cork reindeer ornaments. So we decided to put together some baskets for neigbors and co-workers. The putting together of those items is the fun part!

Beware: Teenager Present

See that sweet child in my avator? Where has he gone? This is what happens when you ask our 14-year-old to stand still for a photo. What happened to that very sweet little boy? BTW, it took him 5 hours to clean his room and another 3 hours to dust four surfaces in the family room. (did not quite get around to vacuuming or putting away his clothes.

Morning Moon

Without the rain, we are having spectacular mornings of pink Olympics, little things you miss when the sky is constantly covered in clouds and fog.

Illustration Friday - Imagine

Illustration Friday is Imagine. John Lennon and his wonderful song are my first thoughts. Imagine if we lived in real peace and cared about each other, then we could focus on what is really important like global warming, AIDS, hunger, proverty. Just imagine that!

Interview With An Honest Boss

Lord, I laughed when I watched this. Now, MY boss is nothing like that! ;)

Peeping Friday

Peeping Friday - a look inside your purse. And my husband will tell you my is always a nightmare. And I carry most of my stuff in my coat pockets. In my pockets I have keys, security card-key for work, 2 thumbdrives, lots of trash, lots of change, money, cell-phone, tissues, receipts from Kinkos. Camilla has lots more links and you can take a peek in hers.



Wallet with lots of receipts I need to throw away, two toothbrushes, powder, pieces of paper with names and phone numbers, notes to myself and to-do list (from last month), two month calendar, two little post-its (why are those in there?). DayQuil (I have been sick), a packet of drawing pens, an old lotto ticket (did I win?), a airline ticket jacket from my trip in October, thumbdrive, those little hand-cleaning thingies (my mother gave them to me), a small japanese note-keeping pad that I keep any ideas I have in, cough drops, a free movie ticket someone gave me (have not used it yet), a little catholic thing my mom gave me, flashlight (really belongs in my car), two used check registers just floating around, a pill box for my vitamins so I can take them at work (I have really been trying to keep up with my vitamins), a little bottle of tylenol, address book, a bag full of change and another little pocket full of change (why do I have two?), a bag full of makeup that I never use and about 7 lipsticks. Now aren't you sorry you looked? I am!!! You now know what most all ready do, I am a out of control mess. LOL. Except, now it is a little cleaner.

Erica Made

Look what Erica made. Very nice!

Light The Trimmed Trees!

More than 12 hours later! The trees are done. Wish you were here, Ruth!





I used Camilla's Santa she sent me in the berry frame.



This tree has all ornaments.



This tree trimmed with all balls, snowflakes from last year ceiling, and paper snowflakes. I changed things up this year.

Do Not

For those of you that do not own a chihuahua, word of warning (I tell my house guest all the time). Do not wake a sleeping chihuahua, can be very dangerous.

Off The Christmas Track

Where did I get off the Christmas track? I have taken a couple of days of vacation to get back on. In one short week, my in-laws are here, I must get some presents. So this morning with all my panic buttons pushed, I am in major xmas mode. In 8 hours I will have these trees trimmed and the house decorated! We decided to bring out the big tree this year (so big the top piece will not fit in the room). Some furniture re-arranging had to be done to accomodate.

The Cook Blogged Again

Mom has finally found time to blog. She posted my favorite meal - Blackened Chicken Recipe. I love it in salad, by itself, in a sandwich. It is great to cook up and take to work the next day, although there is never enough left for that. She also discovered a little trick in the making of Honey-Roasted Almonds. (Mom says she looks like Barbara Bush in that photo...but it the newest one I have, sorry mom.)

Self-Portrait Tuesday 12.13

Self-Portrait Tuesday - reflections of self. I quickly explored a couple of ideas today. I always feel rushed, and didn't even brush my hair.

In my wardrobe.



Someone's glasses left in the kitchen.



My mom has had this since I was a little girl.



Reflected in a wonderful piece of art D bought for me - The Secret Garden.

December Inspiration Wall

Thank you Camilla! Received the most wonderful selection of Christmas cards today.

Flaking Out

It was a year ago when I really started blogging all the fun stuff that I had stored up in my tons of emails to myself - this was from last year at this time 'snowflake maker' thank you, lookandfeel.com for giving us some chilly thrills! You can even save them out as pdf's ... now that is a useful tool! Another joyful ap for creating snowflakes at from Popular Front.



More snowflake patterns, templates and all out fun at papersnowflakes, more here, and Frosty Mini Snowflakes.

And some additions: This is such a great site, Guide to Snowflakes with a classification chart. More inspirational instructions here and these are worth checking out here.

These are a must see, wonderful snowflake photography from Mark Cassino. Amazing snowflake imagery from Wilson Bentley.

Montessori World has some nice design and a great "cut" tree. And a good folding directions here with some patterns.

Lots-o-Crochet Snowflakes with patterns. Fractal Snowflake Generator from a-i-studio.

I must have these - Firelit Flakes, snowflake nesting buckets from uncommon goods.

Illustration Friday - Surprise

Illustration Friday is surprise. I can remember twirling the little handle on a jack-in-the-box toy as a child. Knowing the jester would pop out but still always being surprised when it did. This is an old illustration from my newspaper days. Santa-In-The-Box is my offering for surprise.

Christmas Card Production

I think this qualifies for Studio Friday's "What was I thinking?" series. I shot my card this year (vs. some art production) but then decided instead of printing the back, I would hand-stamp it! "What was I thinking?" So on top of a little cold, ear ache and trying to get the house holiday-ized...I am spending my time with some stamp pads.



It is folded and a ribbon added for hanging!