Studio Friday - Time

Studio Friday is about Time. Times flies when you're having fun.



Sometimes I feel like there is a TIME bomb in my head, so stand back.



And this is my REAL secret about managing TIME!

Happiness Is ...

Happiness is ... having an image that I think is good enough to submit to Photo Friday's challenge, "Happiness is...". Viewing large a must. (I know I am bordering redundant on this photo.) More poppy pictures here.

Dear Daisy

Visual-Voice, always a visual treat to behold. Oopsa Daisy and Yummy Pink. A couple of flowers I saw yesterday.

Tiny wonders by Leslie Shannon. Sandy's flower's in My Garden. Reflection Through The Seasons. Garden Voices. Carol's My Garden and Decorations.

House Guest

Meet Abigail, she is staying with us for a week. She is smart, an expert escape artist and a ball full of energy. She watches every move you make and I swear she is memorizing. Is it good to have a dog that is smarter than you? You can literally see the little wheels in her head spinning when she is in the backyard trying to find an escape route. The only look I have ever seen on Scooter's face is "I was thinking of something a minute ago, but now I can't remember what it was now". Needless to say, Pica is none to happy about the situation.

I just gave her a little walk, rather, she walked me. How can those little legs move so quickly (that is what I kept asking myself as she pulled me around the neighborhood). While she sniffed at soiled grass, I got to get a nostril full of summer fragrances - grasses torched by the sun, dank water from the creek, honeysuckle at dusk. I miss walking, looking into bright windows at night and imagining what that room looks like, the smells, the sunset, my neighborhood. Maybe Abigail and I will make that a habit all week.

Making My Mess and Creating In It

Open studio for Inspire Me Thursday, show a creation and where it was created. This is a new piece I started and have not finished, Buddha of the Sea. I really love this one. Sometimes I go too far and I really am trying not to do that with this one.

Now for the studio, which has been a bloody mess since I took up assemblages and shrines. Tara and I were talking about all of the little bits of stuff one collects to make these that literally take up your living space. I have a problem with making a mess in my art work. I love to make messes, I love to clean them up. But with my present work load, there is more making mess, than cleaning and my family gets a little frustrated with me because of it. My husband also built this area in the garage and before the last screw was installed into the door, I had the whole thing covered up with JUNK. On Sunday, I stopped to clean, reorg, put things away, sweep up wood chips and sanding mess. I wish I could get over the guilt I always feel about making a mess...I would probably make more art, I even went to a therapist one time to deal with my little making a mess/not making a mess dilemma.





I cleaned the garage area, then cut all the framing at once for about 10 boxes. All ready to be glued and hammer together.





Turn away if you get queazy at the sight of real disorganized, filthy mess. The other studio spaces I see look so neat and organized. I am piling crap upon crap. My studio has seen cleaner days.

Flower Girls?

My multi-talented, quilting, self-reliant M-I-L is getting married! We are all so happy for her. I think she was nervous to announce this news to her children. My S-I-L and I although delighted said please don't ask us to be the flowers girls! S-I-L wrote a wondeful piece on her mom's second marriage - Heavy heart lightens with a late-life beau.

Self-Portrait Tuesday 06.27

I am about "popped" out of ideas for Self-Portrait Challenge. As it took me three days to come up with an illustration idea for work, I am having the same brain-block dilemma with Pop Art series. Is there a boot camp for creativity? If so, please sign me up. "Seeking to find the door to my creativity".

Yellow Rose Of Texan

Poppy Love

100,000 And One Slap On The Wrist

Today Something To Say exceeded 100,000 visits. Weird! That is a small number for most blogs but for my little part of cyperspace it feels like an achievement. The 100,000th visitor was from Liege, Limburg. I wish I knew who you were, I would send you some token commemorative gift.

I turned off my comments yesterday after an exhaustive exchange with someone I offended on flickr. I posted something in a pool late night, after work, when I was tired. I thought I knew the pool "the rules" when I did it, and realized later that I had forgotten. I said something flippant in my own comments about what had happened and the comments started flying. The long and short of it is that meaning sometimes get losts and distorted in comments and emails. I know majority of you do not know me personally, but I am far from a rude, in-your-face person. I usually go the extra mile to be nice, pleasant and non-confrontational. I was trying to figure out how to turn off comments in flickr...it all left me exhauseted and disgusted. It felt like someone woke on the wrong side of the flickr page. I really don't post things for the comments, I post words and pictures really for myself, because I discovered in the beginning of my blogging journey that it made me more aware of the sweetness of my life. Comments, exchanges and making new friends are the cherry on top of an all ready delicious dessert. ;)

This the final mail I received from the disgruntled person and I thought it was very mean-spirited.

"I left this as a comment, and then realized that I really didn't care to have any more of the inane back and forth, and deleted it. A word of advice: anybody who reacts that badly to having their completely off-topic photo removed from a group (with an explanation, so they even know why!) has no business posting to groups. I'd advise against it until you're prepared to receive comments that aren't 100% ass-kissing. Your art recipe was cool. Too bad you aren't. My comments to your last comment:

"... and that negates calling me rude and disrespectful?

I read the whole thing. I only felt the need to respond to the insult."

You've been blocked. I prefer only to communicate with non-passive-aggressive folks who can take criticism (and it wasn't even of your friggin' art, only your ability to follow directions), and who don't think their shit smells like roses. Good riddance!

Beautiful Sunday - 06.25

Illustration Friday - Rain (Barrels) And Texas Thunderstorms

I am not a native of Washington state but I have lived here long enough to know that when it quits raining in March that is cause for concern. I didn't need this study to tell me that our weather is changing. The last 3 or 4 years have - and sunny March, April, May, have confirmed that for me.

So I am thinking rain Illustration Friday and hoping that it comes back to us in Washington!



My son and I experienced a blustering Texas thunderstorm several years ago. Watching the approach, sky darkening, lightning, thunder, change in the ozone, wonderful "dust settling" smell, change in the temperature. We were at my sister's house in the middle of "nowhere's-ville Texas" - the perfect place for perfect storm viewing. He was fascinated since he had never seen anything like it before. When we returned home I told him I thought we should recreate that storm so we would have a little piece of Texas in our dining room. With a large piece of masonite, framing and house paint, we set off to do just that.

Perfect Pears

Historic pear watercolors resource, beautiful!

Then Comes Marriage

This interview with Stephanie Coontz, author of Marriage, A History, was so interesting, heard on it KUOW. A review.

Skirting The Ordinary

Susan Mitchell’s sister has very cool stuff! Would love to own a skirt and a pair of leggings.

Bling Bling Pendant by Frank Tjepkema. Marni sewn fabric necklaces (they are very expensive). Dosa Clothing - Miao wrap top.

Esperanza Bringas jewerly could be a companion piece to my ringas.
Dash MacDonald has a wonderful use for a g-clamp. Studio Mold wonderful and fun lotus lamp.

Sam Johnson tea-light holder. And speaking of tea lights, I heard about these Glassy Baby, my friend loves them. I thought they sounded very expensive, but I have to admit, after seeing them at her house, they look good.

Feast your eyes on these quilts by Ian Hundley via Karin, Ian Hundley video via Cool Hunting, via Moco Loco.

And these incredible pastic chairs from Studio JSPR. How loud can I scream BRILLIANT! May I have 6, Please!



I got lost in all of my clicking but I think it went something like this: Lena Corwin, Karin and Hoping for Happy Accidents ... not even sure what order!

Ethereal

Work by Agatha Katzensprung. Amazing photography portfolio of Andrzej Dragan and photography of Jan Saudek. The site design is as interesting as is the work. Michal Bartezko photography. And these photoshop collage portraits by Fiona Watson (a great flickr find).

Worth super hero contest.

One Word

Too much pressure for me, but I know many of you out there that would be great at this.

Studio Friday - Family

Studio Friday, explores family and the role they have in our creativity. I don't think I can be more eloquent than Ellen on this matter.

My grandmother was creativity to her bone, like me, I see now that she felt the need to be constantly busy making something. My aunt Lucy took all that Harkins creativity to a new level, not just making dolls (in a kiln), and stitching elaborate clothing, but also rebuilding her house on the side, sewing, painting, crocheting. She is the woman in our family with extraordinary talent. My dad has his share, of course, and has passed that on to me, my sister and my brother. More than fine artist, I think we were meant to be crafts(wo)men. And I often wonder if it originates from Choctaw roots, craft for survival, carrying on tradition, recording events, crafting art for Gods, for self-ornamentation. I often think the style of art that attracks me speaks to my American Indian gene.

And like Ellen, I too feel a strong bond to the past through photographic images. Imagine what character, look deep into their eyes and estimate who that person really was through the detail of their clothing, shoes, surroundings, car, dogs, flower gardens - "Was this a happy life?"

Delightful

I added my blog to Delightful Blogs. Other art blogs listed (why don't you list yours?) - Design Boom, Cadence, Atelier 455, Ramblings of a Hungry Mind, Tatteredge, MBC Design Studio and Anahata Katkin. I need to add the "Delightful blog" icon to my sidebar and a bunch of favorite links, soon.

Illustration Friday - Dancing

Illustration Friday gets me thinking about dancing! The two-step, Waltz, Cotton Eyed Joe (one of my favorites!)....I love country and western dancing and did quite a lot of it when I was younger. Other old favorites, Waltz across Texas, A Very Special Love Song by Charlie Rich, any song by Bob Wills. It has just been so long, I can not think of my other favorites! Do you have favorite country and western dance songs? I will think about it and add more later ;)

Senses Sensing Summer

I always wanted to write the 5 Senses that dearest Liz does so well. I think of it every day and tonight all my senses were intensified. The first day of summer. The sun just setting near 945, darkness falling quickly at 10p. Streets alive with kids roaming around with a new sense of freedom. It is comforting to know some trends never change. When I was in high school we would hang out at Dairy Queen on hot summer nights. Sitting on the hoods of cars, laughing, joking, being together. I noticed a group of kids hangin' in the QFC parking lot, doing much of the same and giggled to myself. Remembering what it was like not to have any heavy burdens weighing on me. The freedom of youth.

{see}
Kids, laughing, together, being kids.

{hear}
A small dog barking in a back yard as I headed home.

{smell}
The air full of a combination of perfume, the sweet, resin frangrance of cedar trees and roses at my friends house.

{taste}
A little touch of vodka infused with lemon liquer.

{touch}
Touching an old piece of a Yew, having been honed into a mantel with the rough outer dark maroon bark visible, ready to be hung in my friend's house.

Jengas As Ringas

I had to post my ring creations. I could not wait any longer. I have been working these for about a month. Still in the process of figuring out what design works best. Have destroyed many little blocks of wood in the process. It started out with me making pendants out of wooden pieces until D pulled out the drill press one night while he and M were working on a skating ramp. Wheels started turning and I saw rings. Using lots of beads and stuff I have hanging around, needing to be USED. Some have words. Will definitely make them for my culinary group "Chow Babes" and I think while I have the drill press out will cut blanks for ArtFest trades, just incase I go next year.

I have worn a few of the larger ones during a days work and they were comfortable. I will probably sell a few. Making a bunch for friends. Please tell me what you think, would love your feedback. Might add some soon to Something to Sell, keep you posted.

Why?

Why do I do art? What drives me to create? What makes me want to pick up a hammer, glue, paint and put something to together? It is built into my DNA to make things and I am trying to figure out why. I have been having this conversation in my head lately. Meggiecat and I agree, that most of my enjoyment comes from the process of figuring it all out. The calculating, thinking, dreaming of the finished project. That is probably why I am not able to do the same process over and over, once I have accomplished my mission, it is time to move on. So that leads me to the question I have with myself, why? Why do I do art if I am not going to sell it? What am I doing with the art I make? Why make the big messes, spend my time off working on it? Why don't I continue to do one process that I have conquered and figured out. These are the thoughts that fill my head the last couple of weeks, especially since I am spending all of my time off working on art now. The house is going to hell, my life is pretty much in a big mess, and I continue to run downstairs at every opportunity, forsaking all else.

With that said, I am so close to having all of my pieces finished. "Buddha prays for Peace" is something I created for a friend of mine, finished! Thank you Tara, for encouraging me and talking me into to using the beeswax. I learned a new technique and it added a new dimension.

Why do you create? Is it the process for you? The idea of making money from something you made? Is it an innate need to create? An "artistic gene" designed into your DNA?

52 weeks of asslemblage art by Jason A. McHenry from Tara.

Self-Portrait Tuesday 06.20

Third week of Self-Portrait Challenge pop art. Do I see life as it really is? Or is my life spinning out of control? Click here to see the answer.

Graphing Your Website

Saw this on Maureen's blog. Websites as graphs and here is the applet.

Blurking Again

Color Week allowed me to happen upon so many wonderful blogs. Also "blog lurking" again ;) Can't help myself. What dear ada did when her tulips were gone.

The Glass Doorknob, Mary Beth as a great thing going at Thrift Barter Buy, many wonderful color week entries at Pink Chalk Studio.

Finding lots of fun stuff at hippyxic, Caroline Zoob via Vintage Pleasure. They once were lost but now they are found at Funky Finds where I found adhesive tape with golden frame pattern and Frizzel Stixs which I have blogged about before but had forgotten. And simple beauty at Simple Me.

Sad

The chickadee chicks are dead, I am sure of it. I sat here at my computer all spring and watched them build their nest, clean it out, move things in. I heard the chicks in there several times. Then a two days ago I saw a squirrel trying to chew the entrance larger. I was stunned. I ran it off and warned everyone to keep an eye out for that evil squirrel. Today I checked, the entry hole is larger and the nest is quiet. The parents either abandoned the nest because of the invading varmint or he/she was able to stick a head in there. I did not know that a squirrel would eat baby chicks. And I am sick to my stomach. That squirrel in now my enemy. Watch out Squirrel! my Pica will be after you on command, my enemies are Pica's enemies. How do you think I keep the feral cats out of my yard? I will take the house down as soon as I know the chicks are dead for certain and burn it.

My Scooter is requiring constant attention for his groomer malfunction. I must clean his wounds constantly, cover them so he will not be able to scratch it. Will have to take him to the vet tomorrow.

Beautiful Sunday - Father's Day

Studio Friday – Ah Ha Moment

Studio Friday A-Ha Moment, I have had a few. But I the most exciting moment for me happened many years ago. I asked the photo editor at work to help me set up an idea I wanted to photograph for a project, with one of our many photographers to help me. He in turn said his department did not do those custom “styled” photos. At first I was furious that I had been pooh-poohed over my idea of creating some original visual content. I was so determined to try out my idea that I decided to shoot it myself. I wasn't a photographer, but what did I have to lose? I took a book, cut a square in the pages, took some plastic grass and away I went. That was really the beginning of me discovering my ability to photograph what I saw in my head. It was fun, exhilarating. I felt the power of MY vision and determination. I am still not a skilled photographer, but that does not stop me from having fun.

This was not how the final art turned out but it is close to the idea.



This is how it started out. The idea of summer books washing up on the beach in a bottle. So I tried rocks, shells, a real bottle. Also had the idea of putting letters in ice cubes, and having the ice cubes floating around in pink lemonade. That was a disaster.







And this was the mock up.




Liked the idea of the small wheelbarrow, but ended up using just the clump of dirt with flowers, seemed more appropriate, simple.





Something so simple as shooting my books, or running out and catching D racking for a fall clean-up photo. Something I could manipulate instead of always using purchased stock art. And then of course, it all led to shooting my flowers ;)

Do Nothiner

D was watching The Colbert Report (I was on the computer just listening) when I heard this exchange, I turned to my husband and said is this for real? Read more here about the do nothiner.

AFI's 100 Most Inspirational Movies.

I have to deal with logos all the time in my line of work, trying to fit them into our design elements without losing their intregrity. I did scratch my head when I saw the World Cup (after watching this - I am starting to enjoy soccer) Logo. Erik Spiekermann says World Cup Design "Just Embarrassing", I agree, via Newsvine.

Spamrecycler via pixelisten, via Google blogoscoped.

This is a Must Watch! For those of us constantly trying to learn Flash, Animator vs. Animation by Alan Becker is priceless, via pixeleye - multi-talented Dirk Behlau's Daily Design Blog.

Red Friday

I know I will not have time in the morning to shoot something new, so I have scanned my archives for something appropriate for Red Friday in the Color Week. My most beloved ram horns wrapped in red berries.



Red (love) in an envelope.



A field full of red tulips can make you giddy.