Inspiration....

... Comes in the smallest ways. Last night my Dad was telling me a story - he's the ebst story teller. His boss was asking him why something had happened - why was this____ broken. And since there was no logical reason for it being broken my Dad simply said "Well... Why did God make little green apples" and I lost it. I thought it was the best darn thing he ever said and than proceeded to spend this entire morning creating prints totally inspired by this little passing comment. And yes, that's my Dad and his very BIG attitude.

And since blogger sucks I'm only showing off one print...... Is anyone else out there having an intensely hard time uploding jpg's??

Self Portrait Tuesday!!

Self Portrait as........ Vectorized. Since this is one of my newest obsessions, I figured I should do a self portrait. I think I have just figured out posting on Self Portrait Tuesday, I even got my handy dandy SPT button over there. So we'll see how it goes.... If only Blogger would cooperate, AHHHH!

A poppy kind of weekend

It was such a beautiful weekend. It was actually hot here. We made some huge changes round here. We cleaned house this weekend. I think believe the amount of junk you can aquire over just couple of years. We have done our first round of discard, there will be at least a couple more rounds before we move. When you your moving 3,000 miles away you only want to bring the essentials, moving is bad enough even when your moving around the corner. After all this I decided to paint a new painting on a very large canvas and I just hate it. So much so I can't stop thinking about going home and painting over it. I attemped an abstract kind of thing. You see, at the office the walls are so bare and dead and I have three huge canvases at home that are either not painted on yet or just need painting over. I thought I could just do something easy and abstract, nothing too invasive and hang them in the office. Well for so reason during the painting process I deviated from my original abstract design and was feeling very inspired by a digital piece I did early (above). Lets just say it just kept getting worse and worse. Oh and also I'm using a limited color palette because I wanted to use up all our old tube paints (cleaning out). So things we just getting muddier and muddier. It was horrible, I hate looking at it or even thinking about it and it's huge. AHHHHH!!! I feel like I wasted so much time.... Why did I change my mind right in the middle of the painting.... Bad idea! Now I have to fix it, darn it.

I see vectors when I close my eyes

Megan

Heather

Me

Courtney

That may sound strange to anyone who doesn't play with graphic programs. Since one of it's definitions is - An organism, such as a mosquito or tick, that carries disease-causing microorganisms from one host to another. Than there is - A bacteriophage, plasmid, or other agent that transfers genetic material from one cell to another. And yet another - A force or influence. Boy, Vector has many meanings - A course or direction, as of an airplane. But this is the one I'm talking about - A one-dimensional array. I certainly am a dork. But what am I talking about? Above are what I have been making all week and lovin it. It's just that when I close my eyes, I see all the little vectors that it takes to make just one line of all the tons of lines it takes to make just one girl.. But look what you can get.

A new Blanket for a new Boy

Walking home

There's a new baby in the family!
Andrew's brother and his wife just had a little boy (about a month ago) named Maxwell... pretty cute huh? I have been wanting to make this darn blanket since months before he was born. But it took a while to get started, I had to order the fabric since I was feeling so picky and then there were other projects that needed to be finished first. I'm happy to say that it's going out to them tomorrow. I'm getting good at this finishing thing.
The fields outside our home have been so beautiful lately - golden wheat and amber colors, so during our evening walk we decided it would make a good place to photograph the blanket..

Fun with Inkscape

Our album cover

Super Sqrl and Her Sidekick Doctor Bunsen

These will be pins one day.......

Nothing new (that's acutally interesting)

Not a digital collage but an old collage I did by hand. I just recently came across it in an old folder. I just love the story it tells. I called - Midsummer Nights Dream - Of course..

Lots of new things at work though. Things that make my job 10 times easier, less stressful and even more boring. I can deal with the boring part now that I have my fancy dancy computer that I take to work. I'm discovering digital collages and re-discovering Gimp and it's wonderful tricks. I have been in Inkscape land for so long because that's where the web design magic happens, that I kind of forgot what Gimp can do. I'll show off eventually, but not yet. We're currently working on two sites - Humboldt Herbals and Gina's Holistic Nutrition. I love that so far everyone we've worked with have been so much like us - lifestyle, I mean. I am sure that will change though when we move away from Humboldt County.
If you've never been here, you should visit because there is no where on Earth like this place. The people, the land, the weather, the attitute and the beauty - as much as I complain about the seemingly endless fog, when the sun does grace us with his presence it is simply beautiful here and almost untouched. It never gets hot here (by the ocean, of course) and it never really gets that cold either, jsut damp. But if you visit at the right time of the year (which seems to change from year to year) you'll never forget it. Enough selling, the issue I have is that it's like void - even most cell phones don't work here. This void can be great thing if you're trying to run away from the rest of the world, than this is your place. But to grow and learn of the world, this is not the place. There are almost only one color (I personaly prefer all kinds of color)of people here and almost everyone is a least a particle green Earth lovin' hippy - this is not a bad thing but it's like 'preaching to the choir' here. I think we would be better off if we all spread out and covered more territory. We could reach more people, teach more people and open more minds than just just northern California. This is why we are leaving. I had already been thinking along these line when a friend and may be futrure family member - Jenny came up from LA to shoot a movie and stayed for about a month and got to know the area a little. She came for dinner one night and told us that she thinks we are wasted here. Our views, our beliefs and lifesytle are wasted here. There is no one for us the teach no change to be made. Well.... That set the ball rolling - thank you Jenny. And here we are planning our next move. Now since I moved to California all I ever wanted to do was move back to the east coast (northern) that is where I most resonate in this country, just never felt right on this coast. And since we know people in the Philly area that is where we are landing first. This is a little scarey because I left there a girl just married for two weeks and now returning with my own life and my not so very 'normal' views on life. Hummm..... This is quite a little stressful venture. First needing to convince Andrew that we weren't moving to the east coast just to be near my family - to him that is a big deal and I should want to go there for myself not for anyone else because I want to, not because someone else (Mom) needs me to. This was settled in my head but, he needed convincing alas though, I think only time will prove that. Than I have to continue to be my own person (of course) but I've only really done that here and with Andrew's family and my more recent friends so I'm wondering how that will be around my family and old close friends. It's the unknown that we usually wonder (worry) most about. This I know is the back of my head that everything will be just fine, I'm not moving 'in' with my parents and they're not the kind of people who smuther either. Just me worrying about the future. Then there's the little things - where exactly to live, will the truch make the trip, what the hell do we do with the truck when we get there, Jobs (the worst part) and stuff tons and tons of stuff that has grown over the years. I think I want to live in Manayunk/Roxborough area, I'm putting that out in the universe... That way may be someone out there is listening and will get us there. It's just outside the city, but still very city-like, old industrial area that is now very artsy and fun, but expensive. Keep your fingers crossed.

Happy 4th of July!!!!

It's good to be free!

No red, white and blue here, don't really dig that color combination. But, sunflower are about as American as you can get.

Things I've been up to lately

This is a little backpack made from old jeans for my Sister-in-law, Zuri. She is 8 (I think) and is the artist who drew this drawing of herself and the one down below of Kai (my and her nephew).

I've been going embroidery crazy lately. It's becoming one of my favorite things to do.

This pillow, which is filled with lavender and cotton and this bag is for my Mom for her birthday. The bag is made from an old favorite pair of corduroys. Gotta love recycling.





A bag for Brooke, Kai's Mom, my Sister-in-law ans very good friend.

I've been participating in the 'finish what you have' month. I think it was for a month - June. think your supposed to have a flicker account and show off your finished pieces but for some reason I don't really want a flicker account. Don't know, may be because everyone has one. But anyway it's such a darn good idea - this finish what you have concept - that I'm continuing to do it into July (and hopefully forever). I always have way too many projects going and always needing to finish something. I've actually been able to get caught up recently, I can't believe it but it's true. And here are some of the finished pieces. It feels so good.

On a Sad Note.......

This little girl is no longer with us. She has gone off to Kitty heaven. This is Scratch aka 'Bip'. She was Andrew's childhood pal, a very wise and gentle kitty who knew just where it hurts and bo bo's were and just how to nurse them. She will be well miss and we're hoping that her little spirit comes back to us one day. Good bye Miss Bip.....

Us

What feels like just a memory since this morning it's back to the usual cool and foggy. This is us being silly and enjoying our sunny Sunday evening under the "villa".

Harvest Day

Bee's potatoes.... We've never grown potatoes before. Only had them this year beacause we had couple old potatoes and the Bee decided to put them in the ground and let them figure it out. Well... We were certainly surprised to pull out so many yummy little russets. We'll be doing that again, that's for sure...



I can't believe how beauttiful this garlic is, I didn't even peek on it once as it was growing so I was quite surprised. I pulled 17 big beautiful garilcs today.

And this is what became of it (some of it at least). Roasted potatoes with fresh sage and oregano, onions and garilc all harested this morning. On a bed of wilted spinach from the farmers market. We are truely rich.

We had a lovely day today, actually the whole weekend was grand. I decided it was time to tackle the back garden with the sage taking over the world, the oregano was getting up of hand again and the garlic decided it was time and fell over and the potatos started to look not so good. This could be because we haven't been watering lately. You get so used to all the rain we get 3/4's of the year that when it stops you don't think about it, I mean how could the Earth need anymore water with all the rain we got this year. But it does...
This was such an amazing weekend, what a little sun can do for the soul. This is one of those weekends where it feels ok to go back to work. I mean, of course I would rather not, but I feel refreshed.. It's good.

Oh My Butt hurts!!

The Bee found a bone--->

Let me give you a little advise...... If you haven't ridden your bike in a couple of months, don't go and ride to the beach which is at least 2 miles (may be more) away. I think I bruised my butt. Today was an absolutely beautiful day, the sky was clear, the sun was bright and the air was warm.. Perfect. So we did our usual Saturday morning shopping at the farmers market and other errands, came home had a darn good lunch under the "villa" (a sheet of fabric we use as an awning) and than took a nap, one of my absolute favorite things to do is nap outside preferably in broken sun, under a good (Maple) tree. No tree here, so the "villa" does the job fine enough. Than off to the beach to collect drift wood pieces to build a mobile gift for Andrew's Dad. Oh My Gaud! the sand was SO hot! Holy moly! It got to a point when we first go there and were walking toward the water than I got this major panic feeling like a fight or flight response thing going on. It was SO hot my heart started beating fast and I quickly threw off my bag, jumped onto it and had a little freaked out moment.

---Skirt hiked up, scavaging for drift wood---

After that (as you can see in the pictures) it was shoes on for me for the duration of the adventure. But besides the panicy situation we had a very lovely day, got a vitamin D over dose and are now completely wiped out. This feeling always makes me think of when I was a kid, summer days and I would play outside all day until the sun set and than crash. Today was a good for the soul kind of day, a day where you don't get anything done but it doesn't matter.

Happy Summer

I think we are going to celebrate the beginning of summer this weekend when we go to the beach to collect drift wood to make a mobile. I think that's a nice way to celebrate the solstice. Let's hope the Sun agrees and decides to join us. Happy Solstice everyone!!!

A Little Late Happy Father's Day

This is to my very cool Dad.. Ya know, my a very lucky girl to have such good parents. My Dad is an exceptional Dad. I swear he knows everything, he says he's full of useless information but I don't agree. He's one of the best story tellers ever, I could listen to his stories and never get tired of hearingt them. He's an extremlly hard worker (too much so somethimes)he always provided us with whatever we needed (and more). He wasn't around so much when I was real young because he was working so much so that my Mom could stay home with us and for that I am very grateful. But there was always "beat up Sunday", he was always home on Sundays and after church we would come home and he would wrestle with my brother and I. Of course I was the one who always got hurt but that didn't really make me want to stop. He was there for all the dance recitals and softball games, birthday slumber parties at his house - a weekend full of 7 or so little girls staying all night eating cake and pizza and giggling. Just putting up with that every year makes him a pretty super Dad. Always gives the best advise, true advise, not exactly what he might want us to do but what is the best to do. I am very excited about the possbility of living closer to him 'cause than I can spend some "regular" time with him instead visiting time (that goes for both parents). I told him when I called on the actual Father's Day that I'd make a list of all his attributes, I was joking of course but I found this picture and thought I'd let the world know just how cool my Dad is........

My very own Computer

Well... I'm sitting here at work typin' away on my very own brand new computer. No more having to share with the Bee. Now I can get work done at work. I am quite excited about this. The amount of time I sit wasting time at work can now be filled with actual work. Your thinking don't you actually work at work... Well, yes of course but, I get all my work done so fast and efficiently that I have so much time left over. We aren't as busy with sales as we should be so I stitch and draw and surf the net. But now I can design, I can create all graphicy things I've been wanting to do and never had enough time in the day to. This is the problem with having too many interests or hobbies.. You see, during the week days I make myself do "homework" everyday after work; I take classes online at Clayton College of Natural Healing, studying Holistic Nutrition. I'm almost finished and I will in the end receive a BS in nutrition. It's an alternative way to do things but thats me.. And I really don't like school, never did don't I ever will. It makes my stomach just thinking about it. Anway back to the subject, than on the weekends I try with all my might to get to the creative projects I've either dreamed up during the week days of slaving over work and homework or try to finish what I started the weekend before. And than of course, there is the work I actually like doing - all graphic and web design jobs that are slowly starting to flow in - this I try to fit in between all the other stuff. So this brings to how I got this lovely computer and if I may say it is quite lovely.
Well Andrew's Dad was wondering why some thing were taking a while with some of the work we were doing for him.. And Andrew told him the truth..... I have no time except a half an hour here and there to get my work done. He asked how can we fix this? Andrew said well she needs her own computer to take to work so can work there (lot of working going on here). He said how much is the computer that I would need? Andrew told him about the one he was dreaming about. And his Dad more or less said the check is in the mail. Well at first Andrew said no, not wanting to put his Dad out of that much money (because to us that's a lot of money) and of course he hates (like all of us) to be in debt with anyone. But after much talking and convincing he said yes to the offer and in a couple days ordered it from HP and it arrived yesterday, yeah!
So I am a very lucky girl here and very happy. I haven't officially thanked Stephen yet because I want to do it right, I want to make him something to show how much we appreciate this gift. So I'm thinking and thinking and not sure what I want to make him. I was thinking of a mobile. I know he likes apple turnovers but I'm like 12 hours away from him although I could over night them. But that's not enough anyway..... It's got to be something good.
Eventhough I haven't posted in a week I have been working on some stuff. The girls being here really thr me a bit and I didn't get much done last week with my "finish what you have" projects. Although actually I did finish something that's been waiting to be sent out for like months. So, yes I did finish something and got it out in the mail yesterday and it felt SO good. It is a traveling art journal. Over at MaryJanesFarm on her forum, a bunch of us were doing mail art and sending little bits of art all over the world. In the beginning I was the "leader" of this group (Sisterhood of the Traveling Art) and starting a "round robin" journal. It first went out last September but got stuck at a certain persons hourse and I had it sent back to me and the book needed fixin and the such. So it got off to the slow start and since it had been so long, I started a new list of people. But this was back in Janurary and things got so busy with me I never got it out to the people on the list. I thought of giving up on it realizing that I'm not very good a keeping track of this kind of thing. But that felt worng and unfinished and I hate unfinished, half-assed jobs so.... I made a new list, it's much smaller now because many people are now not interested. This is good though because gives the ladies freedom to use many pages. So the book is finally fixed, a new list, I even got to do an entry and shipped it out yesterday to a lovely lady Eileen in Washington. Yeah!!

Sqrl's Lsit

Bug Fabric - Their selection is so good, more than just bugs. It's hard to find this much cute fabric all in one place. Good cutomer service too.
Lotta Jansdotter - Good Stuff.
Mighty Foods - Ooh I just found this one. A good place to check out what's new with natural foods.
Vegan lunch Box - Now, I'm not vegan but a lot closer to being vegan than a meat eater. This gals got some great ideas.

Goddesses