Friday, September 30, 2011

The Thing ... again!

A new The Thing is coming out this October! How lucky can one girl be? One of my all time favorite movies, I hope they done right by John Carpenter's version .... the best! I love the way they have kept the heart beat score. Oh, it is a prequel ... how exciting. 

 



Boring and predictable

Mom said this morning ... sadly ... this cartoon reminded her of me. Time for a road trip? Red hair color and a mohawk? 

Thursday, September 29, 2011

Visually bewitched

Sometimes I get totally bewitched by Flickr ... here is why, Leslie Avon Miller (and her wonderful website). And this beautiful flora! by voigtf64.

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Béatrice Coron

Paper cutting perfected by Béatrice Coron.

Margo Klass

Beautiful work of Margo Klass via Pinterest.



Something with wings

I love this, lots and lot of wonderful butterflies at Two Dresses Studio Butterfly Project. So many to love, but this and this are my faves.



And ... speaking of ... I am always complaining that we don't have many moths here, but today I found a Hummingbird Moth (Hemaris thysbe) caterpillar crawling on the deck. After some research I found out that it feeds on snowball bush leaves, and I have two snowballs. This is how it looks as a moth. More about this moth at Encyclopedia of Life. So why haven't I seen it? A mystery!

Buzzle.com and Naturally Curious with Mary Holland is a must see.

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

RadioUnited Records

RadioUnited Records has a new music video, "This Time I Meant It". 

Spirit Cloth

I am always so inspired when I hop over to Spirit Cloth! I love the feathers. The Magic Feather Project, I want to participate!

Monday, September 26, 2011

Self-oscillating

Self-oscillating gels are materials that continuously change back and forth between different states — such as color or size — without provocation from external stimuli. These changes are caused by the Belousov-Zhabotinsky chemical reaction, which was discovered during the 1950s. 

Sunday, September 25, 2011

Inspired by a phone call to Laurie, (a good Flickr friend), I shoot some remaining flowers today. 




Hibiscus

Friday, September 23, 2011

Climbing for perfection

Mom picked some climbing Hydrangeas yesterday. And the last of the roses. Why are the last roses of summer always the most delicious, most perfect ones? The other hydrangeas are turning a lovely shade of fall. I need to cut and bring them in to dry. I do wish I had thought through my climbing Hydrangea a little more so it was attached to the house in a better way. Of course, having the house covered in vines would be ideal.

I really want this ‘Invincibelle’ Hydrnagea for the yard but would have to sacrifice something to bring it into the fold.
Wow, floral images index for reference, is really something!

Got lots of work to do. A friend of mine commented I haven't been blogging much lately. Working on Brantlers in my extra time. Will be displaying them at Chocolati Café in October. So excited and have lots of work to do in the meantime.



Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Goodbye, Summer

It is hard to believe that our summer is almost over. 



goodbye


David worked so hard on the new grass, I wish we could enjoy a little more before fall. It is picture perfect!

grass2

grass1

Terada Mokei

I LOVE these 1/100 ARCHITECTURAL MODEL ACCESSORIES SERIES by Terada Mokei. Aren't they delicious! I think putting them together would be sooooo much fun. Found via Cally Creates



Tuesday, September 20, 2011

EtsyRain Meetup

Tonight I undressed from my usual mismatched paint sweatpants and T-shirt - and dressed into "real adult clothes" to go to an etsyRain meeting at Chocolati Café (you must have the Dark Vader hot chocolate if you go - dark chocolate with raspberry - just make sure you don't get it all over your face). 

I opened my Etsy shop last year but haven't fully embraced it. I forget about it most of the time. I thought becoming a member, an engaged, active etsyRain member might help me along my path. It is difficult for me to go out there in the "big world" and meet new people but I thoroughly enjoyed tonight and I am so glad I went.  


I talked about my rings with strangers that I have never done before and got some great feedback. Tried to describe Brantlers and how much fun I was having in my studio this week with power tools and paint! I made 15! more Brantlers yesterday, keyholed, cut, belt-sanded, painted ... well, I am still painting them. I made five 8-inch versions ... can't wait to see what comes of those! Trying to work on/design/figure out the website at night. I updated my Wordpress theme today and thought I had lost all of the formatting. Argh. Need to photograph the newest Brantlers I finished up a couple of days ago. But 'real' work keeps getting in my way.

Met some very lovely artist and bloggers tonight:

Leigh Pate's lovely travel photos and travel blog 

Marin's ReDeFind Vintage, Seeing Vintage in a New Way  

Allice B Creative 

Beautiful watercolors by Sydney Palmer of Chavah's Garden
 
Photographer, Rachel and her wonderful blog, No Mark At All

Thank you all! That was fun. 

Friday, September 16, 2011

Kees Goudzwaard

Kees Goudzwaard via But Does It Float. Can I say, I LOVE this!



Foraging

My neighbors internet went out yesterday and I had to walk across the street to talk to him instead of skyping. Whew, what an inconvenience! ;) But I made good use of my time "outdoors" and foraged in their backyard. 

Sometimes I feel like I have a split personality! Running from power tools, creating, to making it happen on the web and css and trying to learn how to add paypal button, to contacting places to show and possibly sell my Brantlers. And that is in the 'off-hours', the rest of the time working to make money. ;) And of course, add in there, applying for jobs. Brainstorming with Rick about how to make this freelance existence happen in a profitable way.

tiny tiny moss?


Something for Brantlers:

lichen


Delicate pages in a mushroom book.



with a little surprise attached below



Just saw a humming bird at the honeysuckle.


I felt the weather turn from summer to fall the other morning at 5am. I was sitting at this computer when I felt the air turn cold, breeze rattle the blinds. The tree began weaving in the wind. I shivered and  thought ... goodbye sunny days. And that was it. Two weeks of summer. My lunch-time tan is fading.

Back to gray skies and cold mornings. (Not complaining ... I talk to my Texas friends and here how hot and dry it is there and am thankful for our weather.)

Thursday, September 15, 2011

Change the channel!

Thank God, Mom and I channeled away from "Entertainment Tonight" and found something sensible to watch after the news … The Climate Reality Project, "24 Hours of Reality" on Current TV. (I mean, who can stomach any more news about Taylor Armstrong and her black eye?)

I know people call me a snob when it comes to watching TV ... people that I know and love me, people that I worked with. With my mom's illness ... we have been watching more TV after the news (Nightly News and CBS Evening News) shows we like are over. And that is a challenge. After we have watched Midsomer Mysteries for the third time (on Netflix). What do we watch? There are some TV series that we enjoy, Castle, Luther, anything on PBS (History Detective, Antiques Roadshow, NOVA, Masterpiece Mystery), Suits , The Hour ... and others. I do not like reality TV shows except David and I like Project Runway. I don't give a shit about the Housewives of ... (plug in your city) ... (sorry about the language). My husband told me the other day that they are remaking "Dallas" and "Charles Angels" and I was speechless. 

Sorry about the rant. But I find myself throwing up in my mouth at those entertainment news shows. I don't care what movie star (reality-TV-recent-star with their new book release) has whatever problem, admitted themselves in some sex-addiction re-hab center, or are behaving badly.  I DON'T CARE! When I sit in front of the TV ... I want to 1.) learn something, 2.) be truly entertained, 3.) be scared silly, laughably so (I love to watch really silly scary movies like, Piranha and looking forward to Shark ... my family does understand this part of me), 4.) feel good (anything Jane Austen).


Sorry. I get really worked up about network TV. I really only wanted to  say whay a great program that 24 Hours of Reality was to watch.

Cutest Dog!

Vote for Sophie for the cutest dog (ever)! 


Tuesday, September 13, 2011

A Face A Day

Nelleke Verhoeff's A Face A Day challenge for herself. Fun!


Monday, September 12, 2011

Anna Laurent

A beautiful case of seeds --photography by Anna Laurent. This post is for Gerrie! Wonderful!!!! Makes me want to take a long walk in nature in search of such treasures.

Catalina Viejo Lopez de Roda

Catalina Viejo Lopez de Roda collages. And love the personal letter collages made from color bits of paper. The two below, Letter to Summer and Letter to Barack Obama. Aren't those fantastic? 


Her Etsy shop. The September 11 letter is lovely. Via Emma Lamb.

Bee-cause

Rosie Bussard's Bee Cross Stitch designs are wonderful! (And affordable!) 

Paul Schick

I adore Paul Schick’s twig constructions found via Leslie Avon Miller

Sunday, September 11, 2011

Ueli Hofer

Remarkable work of Ueli Hofer of course via Pinterest

Saturday, September 10, 2011

Fun day

If I actually made money on my Brantlers, it would be criminal because I am having so much fun making them this week. I made 8 more today, larger versions (5-inch-tall), more distress (the rasp), different color combos. I have one more day - computer-free-work - before I need to go look after my work obligations.



Pixel's "illness" (anal-gland-problem ... that is all the details I am sharing) is making everyone closer today. Pica is obviously very worried about his buddy because he is usually not this friendly with Pixel.


Discovering

These seeds look like Chrysanthemums petal configuration. I love this time of the year of discovery.  This one came from my neighbor - she will need to tell me the flower.




Speaking of ... loving this Chartreuse Green Chrysanthemums Accordion Chinese Lantern.

Poor Pixel

Poor, poor Pixel had an emergency vet visit today. Poor Sophie doesn't know what is wrong with Pixel. 



Share your list

Share you list via this beautiful blog, The New Victorian Ruralist

Here's mine. What's yours? 


Friday, September 09, 2011

Garden colors




Thursday, September 08, 2011

Branching out to have fun

Step over to my Something from My Studio to see what I have been up to this week. ;) Hint: it is not computer-related.

Heartbreak

The fire destruction in Bastrop County and the drought are breaking my heart!

Nigel Buchanan

I love the illustrations of Nigel Buchanan, especially this portrait of President Obama. Via Abduzeedo

Wednesday, September 07, 2011

Close Pixelate

Close Pixelate - David DeSandro, very cool.

crumpled envelope...

And I love crumpled envelope...

Tuesday, September 06, 2011

Domino

Repurposing an Icon: Carbon’s Domino Clock. How do they do that? 

Monday, September 05, 2011

Hidden treasure

My favorite time to look inside the hydrangeas. 

Thinking wreaths

It is getting to that time of the year that I become obsessed with wreaths
 
Canning jar lid wreath!

Making a Coffee Filter Wreath and Tree and Things of That Nature via Pinterest.

Maybe a brown coffee filter wreath? Or one that is painted?

Steel Ruler Mirror

The School House Series

Sunday, September 04, 2011

Flowerium

Now I want an iPhone so I can use Flowerium... by Makoto Hirahara


Flowerium PV from HR2 on Vimeo.


Flower drawing test from HR2 on Vimeo.

Michael Fleming

Michael Fleming Designs Adrift (his blog), works his magic in driftwood via New York Times.

Joe Bartholomew

Loving Joe Bartholomew work found via Dear Ada

Discover his blog.  


"Girih Extended: These designs are based on girih tiles, a medieval Islamic patterning system. They extend the girih system, deviating from tradition by exploring the potential of asymmetry and self-similarity".

Saturday, September 03, 2011

The gift

This morning, a friend gave me a box of 12, small, delicate, ceramic Piet Stockmans teacups? Glasses? (Mom is calling them aperitif glasses). I love them. The blue rim is the darker hydrangea blue center color. Hydrangeas are turning lovely blue to green. I didn't have as many blooms as I normally do as I pruned so hard in the spring. I am just thankful to have them.



I have been completely absorbed in Facebook business pages the last two days. For Friendly Foam and BYOB Websites. It is giving me a little headache. It makes me wonder what we are all becoming in this social-media-obsessed-mash-up. But I know as a business, you need a FB presence. Follow the leader (s). I also started making a font, finally, for real.

It is the most delicious fall-like day. A cool breeze and warm, glittering sun. The dogs are following the sun spots around the room, napping in warmth. Mom is resting, watching cooking shows. We are trying to decide what we could cook tonight. Since Mom has been ill, I have been eating crackers and cheese. This morning, I had (I think it was moldy) humus and pita bread for breakfast. I forget to eat until I am starving and head for the easiest item in the pantry to sate my hunger. David brings food home on his way from work. We also realized without the kids here, cooking is not really an event now. We buy far less than before ... so weird not to have a complete meal cooked every night.

This morning I got lost in some blogs, different blogs that I haven't visited before. A link off of a link off of a link ... you know the drill. It scared me a little because they all started looking the same, the same beautiful blogger photo, with the same beautiful family, the perfect meal, the perfect blog, the perfect home ... I know that is not all as it seems but I did start feeling a bit inadequate. I had to quickly remove myself from reading anymore. Perfect blog after perfect blog, was making me a little queasy.

I decided yesterday, I am going to refer to this last year as "the year that wasn't". A year that I don't remember doing much, forgetting to celebrate birthdays, not leaving my computer. Not going any place notable or doing anything memorable. A bland, blah, blank year. And I decided yesterday, that must change. Okay, off to the studio for the weekend ... note: leaving my computer. ;) Have a wonderful holiday weekend!



 

Jelli-licous

Medusae Pendant Lamps by Roxy Towry-Russell 


These beautiful paper jellyfish by Dame Belette 



Miwa Koizumi makes beautiful art from PET

Friday, September 02, 2011

Duane Hoffman & the good ole days

Duane and I have been working together for a couple of months on a freelance gig. He is a great talent and it is nice to work with him again. We have worked together for almost 19 years!  We have a couple of weeks off at present. We also worked with Ben Garrison and Steve Greenberg in the Seattle PI art department ... of course, I worked with many others, too many to mention here. I am allowed to say, "those were the good ole days"?


Have also been finishing up graphics for Rick's BYOB Website Facebook business landing page (that is a mouth-full). If you need to learn how to build your own website using Wordpress-Thesis ... Rick is your guy. Lots of videos, Live Question and Answer sessions (which I participate in all the time). Rick is the best teacher I have ever had (and patient).

Tom Haney

Fun, fun, fun! I love Tom Haney's work and reading his blog, giving us a little insight to the makings of his work. Via Device Gallery.

Pruning casuality

The 5 ft. tall Brazilian Verbena did not make it through the pruning. I wish I had lots more of them

Thursday, September 01, 2011

Hard pruning

I shouldn't have spent the money but I hired Arborist (Evergeen Tree Care - they were great!) to prune our trees and privacy hedge that had gotten completely out of control. That was a full day of a crew trimming, cutting trees and reducing hedges! The Sweet Gum is now so beautiful with the cathedral effect when you look up ... the tree even looks happier! One sad part, I had them prune the snowball almost 3/4 of it's size. It had just taken over and was killing the maple. Will see if it survives that big cut.

The guys also told me they had never seen a Sweet Gum like this and I should have it listed as a heritage tree because it is so unusual. 


Nick Sayers

Nick Sayers' spheres make me giggle. Via Recyclart showing his incredible lampshade sphere made from 270 upcycled playing card. 

Poker cards sphere