PBWindow

Nature Gets Even

2012-02-06T00:00:00.002-05:00

Love Remains Behind

2012-02-05T10:42:00.001-05:00

Finding Art

2012-02-02T21:35:00.001-05:00

The last two days have been pretty interesting, 1000 Cards Project-wise. I think all last month I had so many doubts about what I'd gotten myself into that I was focusing more on the stress than my vision. Once I finished the 100th card I felt different -- like I could leave that all behind me and just run with it.

So yesterday and today that's exactly what I did, and the ideas just poured out of me. As I am committed to recycling as much as possible, I decided to play with more things I have on hand, and made all my cards from stashed paper, leftover beads and saved/found objects.

This China Doll card was inspired by the tiny face on the button that I used for my doll's head. I found it in an old jar of buttons and always wanted to make her into a proper doll. Which she is now, stuffed and sewn at 1-3/4" tall, which also makes her the tiniest toy I've ever made:

I found a copper metal disk in a box of junk left behind by the previous owners of our house. I don't know why I kept it; it was in pretty sad shape; but so many things I'm attracted to are scratched, damaged or in need of repair.

When I took out the disk this morning I thought, "If you can make this beautiful, it was worth saving all these years." The shape and size was roughly equal to that of an abalone pendant I once sewed onto a crazy quilt, so I tried the same technique with a dark holographic Sulky thread. This was the result:

I deliberately chose the dreary background paper to highlight the object and the threads, and the play of the light shining on it made it look like something precious:

Finally I hauled out my spare bead box, in which I have mismatched and leftover beads from just about every beaded piece I've ever made. I never know what to do with pearls or bugle beads as to me they're not as versatile as other shapes, so I have tons of them. I decided to challenge myself to make them into something unexpected, and came up with a centipede and a spider:

This project seems to be opening up things inside me that I've locked away or ignored. These past couple days I've felt the same rush I used to get when I was in art class in high school, maybe even stronger because it's been so long since I've let myself be as innovative (and strange) as I want to be. I definitely want more of that.

The First 100

2012-02-01T01:07:00.001-05:00

Before I posted any photos or updates on my progress on my 1000 Cards Project I wanted to see if I was going to be able to handle it, and I set a goal of finishing 100 cards by the end of January. About a half hour ago I put the last stitch in card #100, so here's a look at the first 100 finished cards:

Here they are spread out a bit more on my dining room table:

So far the project has required a lot more work than I expected -- up to an hour a day -- but it has been a endless fountain of inspiration, self-expression and satisfaction for me. One thing I love is that each time I finish a card and log it into my card catalog, I get that excellent "finished that" feeling. Normally I have to wait weeks or months for that when I work on much bigger projects.

Since I'm a series writer it's probably no surprise that I'm doing series of cards. One of my favorites was rescuing the last seven pieces of a painting I cut up, turning them into cards and making an interesting holder for them:

I made eight ATC-size mini quilts, which were a lot of fun, especially when I broke out the beads and embellished some of them (also something that takes forever with larger projects):

I didn't try to innovate too much, as I felt like I should get into a work rhythm first before I started experimenting, but I had fun with a couple of new ideas. I took some old souvenirs from Metro Zoo and made a bagged card out of them; I put together my first piece of mixed-media collage art, played with clip art, and also sewed beads to handmade paper:

My favorite cards out of this bunch are the ten I made for my favorite poem, featuring old pages from last year's calendar, hand sewn to some antique yakuta cloth. I was so delighted with how they came out that I took another day to design and make a special quilted pouch for them:

There were only two cards I didn't care for in how they turned out, but I didn't throw them out or remake them. I think it's just as important to include the mistakes, mishaps and misfires in this project as it is to show off the successes (I also learned things from them, like never try to sew heavy glass beads directly on flimsy card stock.)

I thought I'd make a lot more photo cards than I did -- I figured about half the cards would be photos -- but I ended up making only 26 for the month. I did those on days when I just didn't have the time to do something more elaborate, but as photography has become so important to me over the last couple of years I do feel they are just as much an art form for me as my quilting or painting (so I'm not cheating.)

I recycled so many things in making the cards -- leftovers from other projects, cardboard, tissue paper, calendars, odds and ends that really had no purpose otherwise. This is one of the great things about working in mixed media, as it's such a green-friendly way to create art.

I also found some moments when I got very personal in the creation process. I wrote one new poem, three notes to people I needed to say things to for various reasons, and celebrated with photo card sets a couple of moments from last year that were very important to me. I told one card a secret about myself that no one knows, and wrote a mini-manifesto on another. I never really planned anything in advance with any of the cards except my favorite poem; I simply went along with my mood at the time and the materials at hand.

When I set out to take a new photo every day back in 2009, I started looking at the world differently. I was constantly searching for interesting things to shoot. Now that I'm making the cards, I'm looking at almost everything around me as to how I can make a card about it.

I'm only a tenth of the way toward my 1000 card goal for the project, but I'm working ahead of schedule and I'm not tired of it (I was worried I'd get bored, but that hasn't happened.) I think about the types of card series I'd like to make at times, and occasionally wonder if I can handle less traditional materials (metal, wood, glass, that sort of thing) in making them. In February I'd like to start trying some new techniques from all the mixed media art magazines I've saved over the years, and see if I can discover some new types of art I like.

I was keeping the cards in a gift box at first, but they quickly outgrew it, so I'm using an old chest now. Storage is going to be a challenge, especially with the dimensional art cards, but I'll figure it out.

Every time that I work on this project I feel rejuvenated, and that's the most important effect of all. Doing this like being able to recharge your batteries whenever you feel like it without having to stay plugged in (or unplugged) for hours. Sometimes a card only takes a couple of minutes to make, but even the easy ones give me that terrific sense of satisfaction that boost my spirits and helps me go to back to work in a better mood.

Ladybug Ladybug

2012-01-23T00:00:00.002-05:00

I found this tiny lady taking shelter on the porch screen tonight:

She's pretty tough to still be hanging in after all the cold weather we've had.

I love finding little things and using the camera's zoom to see new details about them. For example, I always thought ladybugs had perfectly round spots, but as you can see, they're more like splotches:

I had to relocate her to the woodpile, as me noticing her meant the clean-up crew also became very interested in making her acquaintance:

Please Don't Break the Internet

2012-01-18T00:00:00.000-05:00

I'm not a group-joiner, but I despise censorship, so to show my support for those fighting to protect the internet and our freedom of speech, here's a video to watch:

PROTECT IP / SOPA Breaks The Internet from Fight for the Future on Vimeo.

Toy for Me?

2012-01-17T10:12:00.000-05:00

Whenever a package arrives at my house Cole believes it's for him, as evidenced by this conversation we had the other day:

Cole: Woof! (translation: Is that a toy for me?)
Mom: It's Lisa's new book.
Cole: Whine. (But I'm not allowed to play with books.)
Mom: The books are not for you, pal.

Cole: Whimper. (You didn't buy me a toy at all?)
Mom: No, sorry, boy. Next time.

Cole: Arroooo. (Okay, so next time, can I get two toys?)

Tiny Web

2012-01-13T00:00:00.003-05:00

While walking the dogs I almost stepped on a shiny little patch of ground, which turned out to be this:

No spider occupied the tiny web, which was only two inches across. While uploading the picture I decided to crop and enlarge it, to see if I could bring out more detail:

I couldn't believe how tiny the dew drops were on each strand of the web. So I cropped and enlarged it again, hoping to see a bit more detail of that cluster of silvery light in the center:

Just light reflecting off the dew, I guess. Beautiful thing, to think I might have crushed you under my sneaker!

Bokeh Pine

2012-01-12T00:28:00.002-05:00

I'm playing with the bokeh technique of photographing something with a blurred background. Here's an original photo:

I liked the look, but I thought stronger colors might give it more wattage, so I darkened the exposure about 25%:

Now I can't decide which I like more. How about you?

Found It

2012-01-11T00:00:00.001-05:00

I've been looking for an unusual fountain to use as a model for one that will be part of the story in the third Lords of the Darkyn novel. I needed something very simple/primitive that still had great visual impact, but I wasn't having much luck. I've discovered most fountains are very ornate, and those that aren't are kind of clunky-looking.

During a recent road trip I got off the motorway and stopped at a little mall in a strange town to pick up some lunch, where I saw this:

It may only be a mall fountain, but for my story the design is absolutely perfect. I love when stuff like this happens.

Cherubic

2012-01-10T00:00:00.000-05:00

Where the Butterfly People Dine

2012-01-09T23:30:00.000-05:00

Another shot of a portion of the tea room where we celebrated my kid's birthday. I could spend a week in this place and never get tired of shooting it.

Cards So Far

2012-01-08T00:00:00.005-05:00

In response to popular demand, here are all the cards that I've made so far for my Thousand Cards Project, along with more details than anyone probably wanted to know:

The majority are photograph cards, which I do on days when I'm too busy to attempt something more complicated (and since all the photos are originals I've personally snapped, I feel they do represent part of my artistic ability.)

These two were made with a couple of toys my daughter outgrew; they're two tiny stuffed animals dressed as a bride and groom. I couldn't let her throw them away and have been saving them for a couple of years. That they are a cat and a skunk must have been some designer at the manufacturer getting a bit cheeky. The ball and chain each is cuffed to was totally my idea, though.

I'm really proud of this card, the first in a series of ten poetry cards I'm making. The front was cut from last year's calendar, which I'm recycling, and sewn to a piece of antique yakuta cloth left over from a quilt. The blanket stitch around the edges was hand-done. The fragment of poetry is the first two lines of my favorite poem (somewhere I have never travelled by e.e. cummings) and I plan to make cards for the rest of the poem and then place them in order in a quilted holder, which will create a new way to read the poem. I've been very leery of trying mixed media, and as a first attempt I felt this was a real leap for me.

Pendantive

2012-01-07T08:15:00.000-05:00

The second steampunk-inspired pendant I've made; this one was a gift for my daughter on her birthday.

Thousand Cards Project

2012-01-06T00:00:00.006-05:00

The Japanese have long believed that folding one thousand origami cranes is a labor of love as well as a way to get a wish. I happen to love origami, and have folded quite a few cranes in my time, but I've never attempted a thousand of them.

While we were out with our daughter on her birthday, I saw this display of a thousand cranes (and I apologize for the poor quality of the shot; I was shooting through a dark screen):

Seeing the cranes and recalling the legend behind them made me wish I could create a thousand of something. I thought of quilts first, but they're very time-intensive, and I wanted to do it in a single year. I might be able to paint a thousand watercolors, but I suspected I'd get very tired of painting. I have stacks of magazines with creative projects and techniques that I've been wanting to test drive, but most require a lot of time, too.

Then I thought of a project that would allow me to use virtually any technique I wanted to try; one I could work on easily every day. I even had a book in my collection to give me at least a thousand ideas:

ATCs, or artist trading cards, are miniature art works that have become very popular with artists, crafters and other creative folks. The only restriction is the size of the card, which must be 2.5" X 3.5" (63 mm X 89 mm.) You can make the card out of any material using any technique you want, which allows for endless possibilities.

Since I'd already started making ATCs this year for my story prompts project, I decided to run with this as my annual art project. Thus my goal for 2012 is to make 1000 cards, or about three per day. I'm really excited by this challenge because I think it will help me acquire some new skills, give me a daily reason to rediscover art, and result in a neat collection that won't take up ten closets in my house.

Koi

2012-01-05T00:00:00.003-05:00

It Was All A Blur

2012-01-04T00:00:00.002-05:00

Found this on my camera this morning. Don't know exactly how it got there, but it pretty much sums up the holidays.

Spider Light

2012-01-03T00:00:00.001-05:00

Water Lily

2012-01-02T00:00:00.003-05:00

Same flower, different angles:

Wishing You

2012-01-01T00:00:00.003-05:00

Best of PBWindow

2011-12-31T00:00:00.002-05:00

I didn't get a lot posted on the photoblog this year, but I'm glad I didn't give up on it. I have some art projects in mind for 2012 that will help nudge me into using my new camera more often.

Most memorable shots of 2011:

and my favorite shot of the year:

The Art of Lunch

2011-12-26T00:00:00.002-05:00

A gorgeous dish I ordered when my daughter and I have lunch at a very chic Victorian tea room. Believe it or not, it's chicken salad.

I loved this hat collection display in one of the foyers. Makes me wish we could still wear silly hats and get away with it.

Christmas lights strung behind ribbon "clotheslines" hung with old bits of vintage lace. Gorgeous effect.

Wishing You

2011-12-25T00:00:00.002-05:00

New Camera, Old Birdhouse

2011-12-19T00:54:00.000-05:00

Last month I dropped my Canon, and despite the fact it was in a case the fall destroyed the lens stabilizer, which is why I haven't been posting any photos -- I needed a new camera.

I went out and bought another Canon PowerShot, this time a SX150IS model. It is almost identical to my old Canon, works just about the same but has some different buttons and more/better features. Will take me a while to get used to it, but I'm already working on that:

This is the old platform feeder in our backyard that we inherited from the previous owners (and I took this photo a while back with the old camera.) It's never been in great shape, but this fall one of the roof slats snapped in half and one of the sides began to sag, so it seemed like the end was near.

My guy and I really love this feeder, so we decided to take it down, clean it up and see if we could repair it. After pressure cleaning the wood, we discovered the feeder is made from beautiful cedar (which you couldn't see due to the weathering) and just needed some TLC.

My guy removed the old roof, thoroughly cleaned the rest of the feeder and repaired some of the rickety joinings. He also sanded down and sealed the wood to keep it from weathering gray again. He then cut new roof slats, painted them a pretty dark green (my idea) and together we fit them like shingles to the platform. Here's the end result:

Wishing You

2011-11-24T00:00:00.000-05:00

No Snow Yet

2011-11-14T11:42:00.000-05:00

One of the places in the mountains I passed on the road trip. Lots of beautiful fall colors, but no snow while we were there. For which I was eternally grateful.

Fyre

2011-11-12T00:00:00.002-05:00

Milady's new pet phoenix, acquired from the wonderful puppet makers of A Midsummer Knight's Dream. She's named her Fyre.

Flowery

2011-11-11T00:00:00.001-05:00

I've never been one to put flowers in my hair, but this young lady at the renfaire made me wish I was.

Feathery

2011-11-10T06:30:00.002-05:00

Another dewy find in the grass. I'm fascinated by how the droplets act like little magnifying glasses to show structure details of the dove feather.

Owlish

2011-11-08T07:32:00.000-05:00

I had my first close encounter with an owl this past weekend at the Renfaire:

I couldn't believe how precious this little guy was; only about 6" tall.

He kept falling asleep while I was snapping shots (I spared him the flash.) Definitely a night person.

Bonnet Envy

2011-11-06T00:00:00.003-04:00

I could wear a hat like this while I walk the dogs and no one would stare, right?

Cat on a Hat

2011-11-05T10:53:00.000-04:00

I'd try this but I'd never get mine to stay put.

Sans Paddle

2011-11-04T00:00:00.001-04:00

All the boats down by the lake are being dry docked now. I guess I have to accept that Summer is officially over.

Sunny Moment

2011-11-03T07:01:00.000-04:00

Dewy Eyed

2011-11-02T09:46:00.001-04:00

As you might have guessed, I really love to photograph morning dew. Especially when I can get a great closeup.

Batik Madness

2011-11-01T08:37:00.000-04:00

These days it's become difficult to find abstract batiks, so I'm starting to horde them. This is a beautiful piece that came in my last order from Keepsake Quilting:

Must resist new quilt idea it gave me, though -- at least until I finish the Spoonflower yardage quilt.

Wishing You

2011-10-31T00:00:00.001-04:00

Updo

2011-10-30T09:06:00.000-04:00

At the beauty salon, watching my Rapunzel getting an updo for a school dance.

Art Journaling

2011-10-28T13:01:00.001-04:00

Reason #999 to add art to your journals: the day every now and then when you paint or draw or collage something that actually turns out half-decent.

Design Time

2011-10-27T08:54:00.000-04:00

The additional fabric I ordered for the quilt I'm making with the Spoonflower yardage I designed finally arrived, and I put together my fabric palette:

Now it's time to decide on which patchwork design I want to use. I had three or four ideas, but the one that's been sticking with me is a Shimacho quilt pattern by Susan Briscoe:

I like the way the Shimacho design showcases the fabrics. They seem to float against the neutral back fabric, and also look a bit like windows in a lattice:

This pattern requires a lot of precise cutting and piecing, though, so I might do a small practice pillow cover first to see if it's going to drive me insane.

Why I Love Steampunk

2011-10-25T07:23:00.000-04:00

I've had this little trinket box for years, but never quite knew what to stow in it:

Then I discovered steampunk jewelry, which seemed like the perfect match:

This way cool pocket watch pendant is my latest addition. The tree is almost identical to the old massive black oak that shadows my back porch:

Why I Love Tea Rooms

2011-10-24T00:00:00.003-04:00

The chick factor:

Dining al fresco:

And (best of all) the gorgeous food:

On a Pedestal

2011-10-23T08:57:00.002-04:00

October Sunset

2011-10-17T00:00:00.000-04:00

Back to one of my favorite spots to snap the sunset:

Feathered Angels

2011-09-15T13:19:00.002-04:00

Out of all the pictures I uploaded to my latest JAlbum, these three are my favorites:

This little guy kept following us as we walked down by the water (probably hoping for a handout) but he was so snowy-white and pretty.

Most birds won't sit still long enough for me to get a decent close up. This grey heron practically posed for me.

This ghostly fellow wandered into the frame as I was focusing on the reflection of the grasses in the water. Wandered right back out and flew off before I could take another shot, too.

I saw so many birds the day after my Dad passed away. Makes me wonder if birds are really little angels in disguise.

Remembrance

2011-09-11T08:46:00.014-04:00

I know this is supposed to be a moment of digital silence, but I do want to explain the photo. This is a place where my guy and I went after my dad passed away, and the beauty and quiet helped with the grief.

I hope everyone out there somehow finds the same today.

Elegant

2011-08-09T08:40:00.002-04:00

Proof that even a small balcony doesn't have to be boring.

Baby Aquarius

2011-08-08T00:00:00.001-04:00

For the record, I did not sneak into someone's garden to get this shot. I just hopped one step inside their open gate, snapped it and hopped right back out. Honest.

Sunny

2011-08-07T08:15:00.002-04:00

While out and about I came across these hibiscus flowers, which were so brilliantly colored I thought they had to be plastic. But nope, real.

Girl on a Horse

2011-08-03T08:06:00.003-04:00

Another drive-by snapshot I had to take very quickly as we passed a garden courtyard. I'd love to know the story behind the sculpture, but that will have to wait until the next trip.

Frog It

2011-08-02T07:26:00.002-04:00

I discovered this fountain during my last research trip:

The fantastic architecture all around it distracted me for a bit, but then I moved in and saw it was (literally) surrounded by some kind of critters:

At the base of the fountain, four spitting turtles:

All around it, frogs that were spitting back at the turtles:

Weird, but cool.

Beach Birds

2011-08-01T00:00:00.000-04:00

We made a pilgrimage to the shore today, and I snapped some pics of the locals:

These little guys are very shy, and tend to run away, but I managed to sneak up on this one:

This one sums up everything I feel when I get back to the beach:

Yep. Free as a bird.

Red Returns

2011-07-31T10:49:00.004-04:00

This is admittedly a terrible shot. It's just that the subject -- our resident male cardinal -- refuses to be photographed (at least by me) so I'm always delighted to snap any pic of him. This is the new bird feeder I got from my loved ones on Mother's Day, and he's taken a real shine to it. Might be the black sunflower seeds I keep stocking in it.

One note on the feeder -- I know it looks empty, and it almost is. In summer I have to keep only a minimal amount of seed in all the feeders or the heat and rain cause the seed to germinate. But I do add a little every morning to keep our feathered friends happy.

I Want One

2011-07-30T11:42:00.001-04:00

Saw this on the car in front of mine while I was running errands the other day. Why can't I ever find cool bumperstickers like this?

Lady Rose

2011-07-24T11:30:00.003-04:00

I have this one rose bush I've nicknamed Lady that produces delicate blush-pink flowers and blooms steadily for most of the year. She also buds in threes, which none of my other bushes do.

Unlike my other bushes, Lady's roses only last a day after they open, so I never cut them for the house.

She has spectacular buds, though. Next to my cranky old rosebush I think she's probably my most frequently-photographed bush.

Fire Sky

2011-07-23T00:00:00.001-04:00

The sky went Technicolor the other day, with these huge clouds backlit by the setting sun:

Really gorgeous. Must use in a story.

Summer Shots

2011-07-22T06:51:00.003-04:00

Some interesting things I've seen this summer:

The center light fixture in a bakery filled with chandeliers.

My Don Juan rose bush's first bud flowering. Made me wait forever for it, but there are two more buds that have just popped up.

A pair of very friendly, talkative ducks. They were so charming and funny that I had to discourage my guy from trying to pet them.

I loved the look of this fountain, and used it as a back drop for some family portraits.

Wishing You

2011-07-04T00:00:00.000-04:00

Little One

2011-06-23T11:09:00.002-04:00

This morning Cole ran out to the pine trees and starting sniffing at something that made him retreat (which Cole doesn't really do, not even with snakes.) I went over to investigate and found this little one tangled and upside-down in the pine needles:

Little one is a gopher tortoise hatchling. I have two adults living on my property, so she could be the offspring of either one. These tortoises are endangered, too, so it's important to do what we can to protect the few that are left.

I detangled the little one, put her in this basket and brought her onto the porch to have a look. It's best not to handle wildlife if you can avoid it, so I just inspected by observation.

Little one seemed fine; as soon as she felt safe she tried to climb out of the basket. Btw, the sex of a baby gopher tortoise is determined by the temperature of the soil in their burrow while they're incubating -- warmer temps produce females, cooler temps produce males. Since we've had some very high temps and not much rain lately, I'm going with girl.

I released her in the grass about a foot from the bed of needles where she got tangled up. She trundled off, no worse for the experience.

Wishing You

2011-06-19T00:00:00.000-04:00

A bit of backstory: My mom actually took this picture of Dad last month when they were visiting my nephew, who has a new chihuahua puppy. The pup is extremely skittish and doesn't let strangers touch him -- all except Dad. Every time Dad took a nap, Mom told me, the little one would climb up and cuddle on his shoulder.

Happy Father's Day to all you dads out there.

Wishing You

2011-05-08T00:00:00.000-04:00

Wishing You

2011-04-24T00:00:00.001-04:00

Today this young lady also turns one year old:

Happy Easter to all, and Happy 1st Birthday Skye!

Hello, Super Moon

2011-03-20T16:19:00.002-04:00

We went out to watch the full moon at perigee (explanation here) and it came up right one schedule:

It seemed just a little bigger than usual, maybe 10% at most, so I was a bit disappointed. It was much brighter, however, and the hot pink color deepened to a fiery tangerine as it reflected the sunset:

Finally it turned bright gold:

My camera stopped focusing at that point, so we'll have to try it again in eighteen years.

Kat's Tiny Piano

2011-03-16T09:08:00.003-04:00

The high school kid is taking 3-D art this semester, and one of the class assignments was to make a small paper mache project. This was how hers came out:

Why she chose to make a piano is anyone's guess, but her teacher liked it so much she decided to exhibit it during open house:

The bench seat has a working lid, and you really can hold both pieces in the palm of your hand:

When I asked the kid how she was able to write the sheet music in such a small space (each page is about the size of a postage stamp) she told me she sharpened a mechanical pencil by rubbing the lead against some paper until it was thin enough.

Rain Days

2011-03-10T08:34:00.004-05:00

Some people hate stormy days
but not me

the showers wash the air
and bejewel all we see

rain even makes a new rosebud weep
ever so quietly

First Spring Roses

2011-03-08T08:32:00.002-05:00

I've been neglecting the photoblog, but I have a good excuse -- taxes!

In the meantime, today Miss Skye decided she wanted to walk around the house a few times before she selected the blade of grass upon which to tinkle, so we passed what's left of the rose garden, and spotted these:

Yes, the cranky old rose bush is the first to bloom again. Why she's chosen to do so in forty-degree weather is anyone's guess. Judging by the color of the buds I can see, looks like this year she's going with blush pink for her blooms (I swear, the color changes every season):

I also noticed that for once she does have some competition, as my red Don Juan has also decided to bud early:

That or I've stumbled onto some kind of weird rose courtship going on between the two of them.

Same Sky, Different Angles

2011-02-16T08:02:00.004-05:00

More photos from the lake:

With this one I wanted to show the reflection of the sunset on the water, so I walked to a spot along the lake where there was nothing between me and the lake.

Same spot, just zoomed in on the horizon.

Here I moved to a spot to capture the pier and some local flora as a frame for the sky and water. If you wait for the right moment at sunset, everything in the foreground turns into a silhouette.

Wishing You

2011-02-14T00:00:00.000-05:00

Not Alone

2011-02-12T21:58:00.005-05:00

I am captain of my little craft
and its only crew
I sail along without a raft
so sinking will not do.

I write a letter every day
and toss it to a wave.
The words I hope will reach you say
Don't be afraid. Be brave.

To whom my letters go, and when
they get there? I've no clue.
But sometimes (every now and then)
I'll catch a note from you.

--Lynn Viehl

Wrought Rose

2011-02-07T00:00:00.001-05:00

I have walked past one particular wrought iron gate a couple dozen times over many years, and yet today was the first time I noticed this detailing:

I noticed it only because I was obliged to stand next to the gate for a few minutes while waiting for someone.

I love little architectural details like these, and I can't believe I never noticed it before now. Makes a good visual metaphor, though:

Stop and see the roses!

The Littlest Picasso

2011-02-06T11:15:00.003-05:00

Just when you start to think all kids care about are television and video games, you catch a glimpse of the next generation of artists.

Smudged Sunrise

2011-02-02T07:45:00.002-05:00

The air seemed to be golden pink when I got up this morning to walk the dogs. The clouds slowly turned peachy, too, so I stopped on the way home from school drop-offs to watch the sunrise:

The pink wasn't showing up on my display, so I tried a different angle:

Which didn't work, so I took another few steps, and promptly fell on my face, thanks to this:

Luckily I didn't land on the wrong hip or knee. Next time I think I'll check the ground before I put my head in the clouds.

No Flu Shot

2011-01-30T00:00:00.000-05:00

You might remember my daughter refusing to get a flu shot last year. This would be the daughter who caught the flu three times in twelve months, and once it was the Swine flu.

Well, just like clockwork:

She got the last laugh this time, though. Turned out what I thought was the flu was actually a very bad sinus infection.

But still!

Skye's (New) Quilt

2011-01-28T17:26:00.003-05:00

Miss Skye finally outgrew her little puppy quilt, so she got a new one over the weekend:

I told her that if she really liked it she'd strike a funny pose for me and the photoblog. She simply stared back at me with the I-don't-understand-you-humans face:

Of course, actions speak louder than silly pet poses, and a few minutes later . . .

I Don't Think So

2011-01-24T00:00:00.000-05:00

My guy eats a bowl of cereal every night before he goes to bed, and it's usually Kellogg's Froot Loops. I know, I know, but it's one of those little guilty pleasures I can't deny him. It's got a little fiber in it, what the heck.

About a week ago he was pouring the cereal into his bowl when out tumbled a large, dirt-colored lump, which broke in two:

I had to confiscate this immediately (I swear, men will eat anything) and examine it myself. Since there aren't any gray Foot Loops, I was concerned about the customers who usually eat this product (kids being the target market.) If some kind of dirt that had gotten into this batch, Kelloggs needed to know. So I contacted the company via a product concern form on their web site, gave them the product info from the box and described the lump.

The first time there was no response, but after I filled out the prodoct concern form a second time they replied a few days later. They were very apologetic, and promised to send me coupons for a free box (which I didn't ask for, btw) and gave me an address to send the product to if I still wanted them to see it. Which I do.

It was this paragraph in their e-mail really intrigued me:

The item found in your package is believed to be as caramelized sugar. This accumulation of food and sugar particles may have become overcooked. Although our company takes many precautionary measures in screening the product, the information that you have supplied suggests that this object may have entered the finished food stream. We are sorry that this occurred and have reported the incident.

I bake -- a lot -- so I know that caramelized sugar can be any color from light tan to very dark brown, depending on how long you heat it. Never have I once seen it turn gray. Also, I didn't send them a picture of it, I just described it as I've done here. Dirty. Gray. Lump.

So now I'm going to write them a letter and mail the box with the remaining cereal and the lump off to them. I don't want more free coupons, or another apology, or even damages for our pain and suffering (my guy is fine and eating his way through another box as I write this.) I'm not trying to be a pain in the ass. I just want someone in quality control to see this lump and then tell me it's caramelized sugar.

Guild Upcycling Challenge

2011-01-23T00:00:00.003-05:00

This year I and the ladies of my guild voted unanimuosly for an upcycling project as our annual member challenge. Upcycling, also known as repurposing, is the practice of taking items that already exist and remaking or refurbishing them in some way to make them into something new (think of it as creative recycling.)

The challenge rules: the used quilt or quilted object can be of any size or dimension, but it must come from a thrift shop and cost no more than $10.00. The materials we use to upcycle it must also come from our existing supplies; no purchasing new notions, fabrics, embellishments or any other supplies for the project.

I like the Hospice thrift store in our town, which gives all its proceeds to Hospice patients and their families, so I went over to talk to the ladies there and see if they had any donations of old quilts that had come in. They had only one old, musty summer quilt/throw made of taffeta, lame and velvet and what I thought might be flocked lame. It badly needed washing and frankly, smelled to high heavens, but something about it grabbed me. They sold it to me for $5.00, and I threw in an extra $5.00 as a donation.

I handwashed it, kind of expecting it to fall apart in the process, but it cleaned up much better than I anticipated, and displayed some very nice, rich wine colors:

My guess is that it was once an import throw sold in a specialty gift shop ten or fifteen years ago. They had a lot of mock-crazy quilt type stuff for women who wanted the look but couldn't make or afford the real thing.

Most of the fabric is cheap import stuff, and it's a bit shabby in places, but the velvet has a surprisingly nice hand to it, and all the beading appears to be intact (it has very sparse gold sequin-and-seed-bead accents along the stitch lines, and a pink beaded fringe, none of which I like.)

What appeals to me is how the quilt still catches the light and seems to glow.

I'm getting a very distinct Roman vibe from this one, but I'm going to let it hang in the workroom for a few days and look at it while I think about what to do with it. I'll post updates after I start upcycling.

Moon Over Flag

2011-01-22T10:05:00.004-05:00

I was trying to focus on the beautiful, almost-full moon last night but couldn't get a steady close-up. I zoomed back out and clicked this, which is probably the best shot I could get for how dark it was. For a second it felt like I was on the moon.

Street Views

2011-01-21T08:33:00.002-05:00

Giveaway Stuff

2011-01-18T09:04:00.003-05:00

I had to photograph some giveaways for guest posts I'm writing for two other blogs this week:

Frostfire gift basket, which includes all three Kyndred novels signed by me plus a big coffee mug (can't see it), hot cocoa, teas, and nibblies. I used a winter theme for this one.

Asian tote (made in Japan) with signed copies of all seven Darkyn print novels. The black and floral fabrics of the tote are really interesting.

More details about the giveaways will be over at the author blog as links become available.

Cuddle Spots

2011-01-17T00:00:00.000-05:00

When it's chilly Skye likes to curl up in small spaces close to someone. Her favorite place when I'm working is next to my feet:

Cole prefers a quilt spread in a sunny spot in my office (but of course sits up the minute I try to take a picture of him):

When we humans aren't around the pups cuddle up together, always near a window:

I'll Be Watching You

2011-01-15T12:28:00.003-05:00

My mom finds the strangest things at garage sales and junk shops. Like this recent acquisition:

Yes, the pancake has an eye. The artwork appears to be a cheap print (like the stuff they sell at Wal-Mart now), and from the condition it's probably from the sixties. I don't recognize the artist. This is the backing:

Not sure what the writing means, but here's a close-up of that:

I don't know that I'm ever going to be able to go back to the International House of Pancakes without thinking of it. I did try running an image search but since I don't have a title to work with no luck there.

Does anyone recognize the art, or is this probably just another anonymous surrealistic knock-off from that era?

While I was Holding

2011-01-13T21:09:00.004-05:00

Another Zentangle I drew while waiting for customer service, information and myriad other bits of vital stuff on the telephone at various times over the space of two days. I got the news about Frostfire somewhere in the midst of all that, hence the 32!

Methinks I spend too much time on hold.

Oops Mystery

2011-01-11T00:00:00.001-05:00

I was downloading some photos this morning when I found this mysterious shot on my memory card:

I have no idea who took it (wasn't me.) At first I thought it might be an accidental snap of our Christmas tree -- until I checked the date, and discovered it had been taken the day after we took down the tree.

Did the tree leave a ghost behind, one that was haunting my camera? The horizontal lines in the back of the image seemed to suggest a window, only the one behind our Christmas tree wasn't that large. Then I remembered I'd been fiddling with the camera's setting while sitting on the end of the couch that night and might have accidentally taken a shot. I went back to the same spot, lifted the camera to about where it had been, focused the lens this time, and then nailed the ghost's identity.

To see what it really was, click on the image.

Nemesis

2011-01-10T00:00:00.000-05:00

Meet one of my dietary nemesi: chocolate-raspberry cake from our favorite tea room. It is dark, and sweet, and sinfully delicious, and it whispers, "Go on. I won't clog your arteries and kill you. This time. Maybe."

So, no more of this for me until I can use something like my birthday as an excuse to have a piece (a much smaller piece. Think like a third or fourth of this. Minus the icing.) If I can stop weeping over it long enough to inhale it.

God, I hate dieting.

Recovering

2011-01-09T00:00:00.000-05:00

My latest journal, recovered (the original cover can be seen in this shot on the left, under the book marks.) I went with a photo-realistic paper for the optical illusion because in a way journals are windows, too. No fancy application involved; I simply pasted the new cover over the original with some no-wrinkle glue.

Backseat Driver

2011-01-08T00:40:00.001-05:00

I want this bumpersticker. And I don't even like dragons. Hee hee.

Winterblooms

2011-01-07T00:00:00.001-05:00

These are some paperwhites I grew as a gift for my daughter's 16th birthday (a week later, just now beginning to bloom, but when do forced bulbs ever behave?)

Fallen

2011-01-06T09:27:00.004-05:00

My pointsettias are finally beginning to fade. I've been bringing them inside whenever a cold front blows through, but it's a losing battle.

This morning when I went to water the plants on the front porch, I looked down and saw some of the leaves the pointsettias has shed during the night. This one caught my eye because the rain made it sparkle.

I know it's just a dead leaf, but it was still so lovely that it mesmerized me. I started composing in my head, and came up with this haiku:

mist of morning rain
spangles the leaves night blew free
all crystal quiet

So that's the first poem of 2011. :)

Le Bain

2011-01-02T16:02:00.004-05:00

We decided our first project for 2011 was to update/renovate our smallest bathroom, which has always felt a little claustraphobic and dingy. My guy painted over the yellowish white walls with swiss coffee, an antique white that has violet and taupe undertones. I removed a black wire rack I'd been using for towels; that added more room (I can store the towels in the cabinets under the counter.)

We also got rid of the previous dark blue and gold sun/moon theme and went with Target's Home Southern Palm Collection for the linens, which are white and a medium light green. I didn't like the coordinating counter stuff, which were clear glass and chrome with etched palms on them, so I picked out some antique-styled bottle green glass and bronze accessories.

The room now looks about two times bigger and feels much more spacious. Very happy with the final results. But can you tell what's missing from the picture?

Wishing You

2011-01-01T00:00:00.001-05:00

Best of 2010

2010-12-31T08:45:00.005-05:00

Most memorable shots of the year:

We were at the pediatrician's getting checked for the flu (again), and I snapped a photo of my needle-phobic kid as she indulged in a little drama.

While trimming trees in the backyard we made this elegant creature (temporarily) homeless. He was not harmed and eventually took up residence in one of the smaller oaks.

Rather than take a photo every day in 2010, I tried to focus on using my camera more proficiently and think more about the type of shots I want to take (and lots of experimenting in between.) This snap of a perfectly round raindrop was the result of that new attitude.

Anyone who has seen my author blog already knows this, but of all the photos I took in 2010, this one was my favorite:

Hope 2011 brings much love and light into your lives.

Wishing You

2010-12-25T00:00:00.000-05:00

I Want One

2010-12-19T12:44:00.002-05:00

Spotted while out looking at lights. He's about 6" tall and (I thought) would look lovely guarding the door to my office. No one would help me steal him, though.

Got My Red On

2010-12-18T08:08:00.003-05:00

Just Following Directions

2010-12-17T08:55:00.003-05:00

The girls and I are working on Keri Smith's Wreck This Journal, and one of the directions is to give away your favorite page. This is mine, and I gave the original to my daughter.

I wish I could say the art is mine, but the trees and leaves and stuff are simply a bunch of stickers I found at Jo-Ann's. I thought my interpetation of the directions was clever, though.

Ghost Reader

2010-12-15T00:00:00.000-05:00

Came across this little lady at night. Took a minute for me to realize she was a sculpture and not an apparition.

From Above

2010-12-14T00:00:00.000-05:00

I was about five stories over this Christmas tree when I snapped ths shot. Looks a bit like the head of a bird from this angle.

Ruffle My Feathers

2010-12-13T12:14:00.001-05:00

It would have been a perfect shot . . . except for that dratted feather sticking up!

Lake Lights

2010-12-12T10:36:00.003-05:00

Red!

2010-12-06T00:00:00.000-05:00

I think my pointsettias are ready for Christmas.