alchemical journey

ahhh...

2010-07-25T17:02:00.001-04:00

molly again...

2010-07-18T20:22:00.002-04:00

Molly the Owl's second clutch is streaming live right now...don't know how long it will be going for, but this is nice ;-).

i can has seeds too???

2010-07-15T23:04:00.002-04:00

Not that there's much I could do to stop them ;-). What a perfect place to hang out!

And, even though Carlos and Donna are still trying to get on their vacation after Molly's first successful clutch, we do get some peeks into her second clutch from time to time. There are now 4 eggs in the owl box, and Carlos is asking for guesses as to how many she might have this time around. I'll say six, since I know nothing about what the possibilities are, and I think that six is plenty anyway. You can watch the latest recorded video of Carlos speaking...go to the 19 minute point if you want to see Molly and her eggs...http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/8301189

my neighbor's cat...

2010-07-15T01:29:00.000-04:00

...loves chairs!

ours especially...

a smattering of images...

2010-07-12T23:32:00.000-04:00

I set up a new bird feeder today. We haven't had one up in a while, but I plan to make up for that now. Last week, my neighbors had a crew come in and take down all of their trees and shrubs so that they can redo their landscaping. It was quite a shock for all of us, since our neighbors are very uncommunicative, and we had no warning and no information about what they were doing except for what I could find out from the work crew. It's pretty crummy (those trees were quite old and very healthy)...but in response, I am giving back to the birds for what they (and we) have lost...

Some of those bird photos were taken by my son Michael. He also photographed this chipmunk in another neighbor's yard...

And here's a bit of what we have growing in the garden...

heat wave...

2010-07-07T23:55:00.000-04:00

Third day of @ 100 degree heat...what a year of weather this is turning out to be!

Does he look a bit tired?

Maybe just confused as to what to do.

He did jump right up when he heard two chipmunks chasing each other, but then found another spot to lie down in.
The sun seems to be good for the flowers though...

We're supposed to cool down to the low 90's tomorrow with some thunder showers. I'm actually looking forward to 90's!

working on...

2010-06-09T18:01:00.002-04:00

...through many distractions...

So many pieces have to come together as I work out the details, but this is somewhat of a prototype for one of the designs I am working on.

philly again...

2010-06-09T15:14:00.004-04:00

Just a link to a very nicely written article about my son's tournament on Saturday, from the perspective of the opponent who's gracious loss in the 10th round led my son on to the quarter-finals. (Even if he did think he was from New Jersey ;-)).

"Saturday 10:00 pm

Shaking the seventeen year-old’s hand, I say “Congratulations on making top 4. I hope you win it.” I’m half a mess; I’m actually happy for my opponent, Michael Ragusa, who just knocked me out of the SCG Philly Standard Open."

most useless machine...

2010-06-09T00:07:00.002-04:00

Love this! Just saw it on the Colbert Report...
(instructions will be in the next issue of Make magazine)

funny day...

2010-06-07T22:38:00.005-04:00

It seemed that every step of the way today something came up that added an extra, unwanted dimension to whatever I was trying to do. I knew it had to be some kind of planetary transit, and so I just tried to relax into it. I just checked my horoscope at astro.com...this is part of it for Mercury squaring my Uranus...

"If you are not flexible, this could be a very nerve-wrecking day, full of little surprises and upsets that overtax your nerves. The plans you have made for the day may not work out at all, and the more you are counting on precisely one set of conditions to be fulfilled, the more upsetting this influence will be."

Now, I started noticing it when my computer started going extremely slowly, and my son started a complete scan and defrag of my hard drive that lasted several hours. Then, among other things, I took a ride to the bookstore after dinner, just a half hour before closing. Of course I had to wait at the red light while the train passed through the station (not even at my intersection, but that's how the signal works there). I took a different route home, and had to backtrack because there was a nasty car accident on the corner which probably happened just moments before I got there (I consider myself quite fortunate with that one!)

I had started to pick up on the idea that I was meant to go slow and appreciate things today, rather than just trying to get anything done...always a good message, just not always put in front of me in just that way!

So, on the whole it was a good day, just very interesting in some unusual ways.

Oh, and I am reminded now that Ustream, where I am watching the last few days of coverage of the owl box before the last two leave the nest, was down for about an hour and a half as well. I'm sure there were many more little things, and probably more to come...maybe I should make a list :-).

For now, I'll just post a photo of one of the owlets from today...I think it's Austin trying to stay cool, and wish me luck at getting myself a nice cup of tea :-).

One more note, why not, it's that kind of day ;-). The youngest owlet, Wesley, is not ready to leave the nest just yet, maybe tonight, but his sibling, Austin, could have left a few days ago. Yet, he stays, and keeps Wesley company every day...so sweet!

yesterday in philly...

2010-06-06T15:16:00.006-04:00

My son Michael came in third place out of 521 players in his first big Magic the Gathering tournament!
He had decided a few weeks ago that he wanted to enter this tournament. Top prize was $2000, and the top eight players get an invitation to an even bigger tournament in Virginia in December.
It was a good day...he took the train into the city with his brother and a few friends who were also entering the tournament. He played in 10 rounds of matches from about 11 am to 10 pm, and then moved into the quarter-finals and semi-finals...I think he was quite amazed that he made it so far in his first Open Tournament!
I was able to follow his progress through Ustream, as the list of top players was scrolled across the screen after every round, and I watched in happy amazement as his name kept coming up in 10th place, fifth place, third place, wow! I'm happy that it turned out so well for him, he's worked hard for this.

I took many, many screenshots :-)...here's one that came up towards the end of the evening...the guys at the top are the commentators...

He also played one match on camera, which I didn't get to see, because at that point I had decided to drive into philly to pick him up. I was hoping to see the last matches in person, but the Convention Center's doors were locked by that time. We picked him up and drove him home, very happy and very tired. Today I take it easy, and he's gone back on the train to be there for one more afternoon, proudly wearing his 'top eight' pin on his shirt.

someone's having a giveaway!

2010-05-27T01:03:00.005-04:00

1. embroidered notebook, 2. revamping my shop, 3. Untitled, 4. Untitled

Head over here to The Little Red House blog and read an interview with Brooke Schmidt, and leave a comment for a chance to win some clay magnets like the ones in the photo. (comments will be accepted until midnight tonight)

I've been enjoying Brooke's blog and flickr photos (which is where these four photos are from) and she has some wonderful offerings in her etsy shop.

*mosaic made with flickr toys*

poladroids for a cold, wet day in May...

2010-05-19T00:19:00.002-04:00

1. warm kitty, 2. rainy day guitar, 3. snuggles, 4. b + w kitty

http://www.poladroid.net/

Unity Wave Coalition on the Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill

2010-05-18T15:18:00.003-04:00

http://www.unitywave.com/

On Friday, May 21, 2010, at 11:00 PM (UTC +0), join the Wave to Restore the Gulf. This fifteen minute segment features the words God and Love sung in many languages. Everyone is welcome!

Those who spoke before are speaking again in one voice. This is the time of power and transition. This is the Time to gather as one Voice, one Heart and one Mind.

Many compassionate hearts are already dedicating intention, prayer, meditation, service, mass, circle, dance, chant and song. In harmony all can come together in one universal Wave.

Streaming via satellite from:

Exiled Broadcasting Network — http://www.exiledbroadcasting.com

Streaming online, live from:

BlogTalkRadio — http://www.blogtalkradio.com

first one out!!

2010-05-16T03:44:00.001-04:00

This was so much fun to see! The video was recorded, you can watch it here...
http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/6960929

from the oven...

2010-05-15T21:40:00.002-04:00

The toaster oven that is...

I made one more mold (see the original two here), from the other side of the shell piece, the one that looked like it had poppy seeds on it :-). You can see that on the left side in the top photo. Then I molded some polymer clay with some scraps that I had. One is white with a little ecru mixed in, the other may be black mixed with silver, I'm not sure. These are just straight out of the oven, no sanding or painting. I just wanted to see what I could make with the molds and show the results here for inspiration.

One thing that I found myself doing when trying to get the right amount of clay into the mold, was to squash the clay in, and then take it out and tear off the excess and remold it until I was happy with the back of the piece. In the future, I would probably also texture the back or add some other detail to it. For now, I just wanted to see how it would look and feel.

after the storm

2010-05-15T01:47:00.004-04:00

after the storm
Originally uploaded by cindyjean

unmolded...

2010-05-14T18:52:00.001-04:00

These are the molds after popping the shell pieces out of them, after the mold sets for 25 minutes. The light is fading, spring thunderstorm coming in...yummm ;-).

making molds...

2010-05-14T16:45:00.002-04:00

Inspired by Shannon's post at ArtBeadScene to pull out some beach finds and my molding putty...

just in case...

2010-05-13T22:18:00.001-04:00

Not trying to promote anything ;-), but the Molly the Owl e-book that is being produced to document the barn owl box experience will be going up in price on Friday at 5pm PST. The preorder price is $4.99 right now, and it will go up to $9.99 tomorrow night. I wasn't sure if I wanted it, but I decided that it would be a nice memento to have, and it seems to be something that will be very nicely put together. It also benefits wildlife as well as helping Carlos and Donna to recoup their expenses from the investment in the owl box, cameras, etc. I think they've done an amazing job with all of this!

The link to merchandise is here,

and this is a video interview that Carlos did with the illustrator of the book...

all four owlets...

2010-05-12T20:12:00.002-04:00

The Owl Box

bluebells...

2010-05-12T15:55:00.004-04:00

I am testing out Picasa's capabilities for uploading photos...

I found these growing in the garden recently. I was surprised to see them there, but now that I have looked them up, I find that it's not so much of a surprise. They seem to be Spanish Bluebells, also known as Wood Hyacinth. Very pretty, even the names are pretty, but also a plant that can grow anywhere and could possibly spread all over the garden! My plan is to get some large pots to transfer some of the herbs and flowers that seem to want to overgrow our garden space. There won't be any room for veggies otherwise! The weather's been so unpredictable, hopefully I'll be able to get something planted before the summer heat takes over.

drawing and thrifting...

2010-05-11T16:28:00.004-04:00

Picking up the pencils again...I finally decided where to start in my moleskine journal that I've had for awhile...

I'm enjoying Steven Aimone's book, Expressive Drawing. It has to go back to the library very soon, so I will put in a request again, and keep looking for a good price for it online. It's a beautiful book, and very motivating for me.

Yesterday I went to the thrift store, hoping to find some good frying pans and maybe some dishes and bowls...things keep wearing out and breaking here :-). Instead I found these...

My guys had a friend over yesterday. He brought his amp and guitar, and they got to see how it feels to practice together (Mike on drums, George on guitar)...wish I had some photos, but didn't want to spoil the energy that was happening between them...next time.

steppin' out...

2010-05-09T02:00:00.006-04:00

This is the latest from the Owl Box...see my previous post here if you don't know what I'm talking about. The owlets are just about about ready to start making forays out of the box. Carlos has set up the outside camera differently so this will be easier to see at night.
This video was recorded May 8th and is about 12 minutes long. At about 2:50 the owlet steps onto the edge of the box. Not very exciting maybe, but a first for this brood of owls, and so very sweet to see ;-)
[Click on the play button at the bottom to stay here, or the screen itself to jump to the Ustream site. ]
You may want to set your volume down low, as the owlets are very close to the microphone so they sound quite loud.

http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/6786961

some Flickr favorites...

2010-05-03T19:30:00.001-04:00

1. [122/365] You can't get a cup of tea big enough or a book long enough to suit me., 2. mon cheri amour, 3. tea & clovers, 4. Stair decorations in Cordoba.

Molly the barn owl

2010-04-13T18:00:00.002-04:00

Molly the barn owl
Originally uploaded by cindyjean

Getting wise to us?
She started pecking at the camera and then I was able to catch this look with a screenshot.

mcgee...

2010-04-12T23:38:00.002-04:00

First visit from McGee to the Owl box tonight (@ 8pm California time), while the owlets wait on the inside (inset photo)...
Very lucky screenshot! I should be finishing my tax return ;-), but how often do you get to see things like this?
He looks ghostly, but that's just because it's dark outside and the camera doesn't pick up the image as well as in the daytime...

See the live stream here...http://www.ustream.tv/theowlbox
and more about this in my previous post.

One more...
this video was captured by a Molly/McGee watcher of McGee bringing food...

Original Video - More videos at TinyPic

carlos and molly...

2010-04-11T15:08:00.004-04:00

Ever since I read about Molly the barn owl on Penguin and Fish's blog, I've been a regular viewer...I've heard the word addicted come up...I try to keep a handle on it :-)...but I'm amazed myself at how important it's become for me to at least check in on the progress of this barn owl family.

The best part of it all has been the community that is growing up around this live streaming webcast of the inside of an owl box. The other best part are the people who started it all, Donna and Carlos Royal of San Marcos, CA.
The little dramas that occur in the course of watching are like a slice of life...people coming into the chat sounding irritated, being put back on course by the others in the chat and leaving with a new attitude and lots of well wishes from others on the chat...Carlos himself playing games with the webcast...dangling owl and mouse toys in front of the screen late last night while waiting for McGee to show up with food for the babies and Molly...(the outside camera is being fed into Ustream through a camera aimed at a laptop in Carlos' kitchen, so he can do things like this without affecting the owls)...

The main thing, actually, is that Donna wanted an owl box on their property two years ago, Carlos eventually agreed and an owl box was built and set up...and they waited. This year, two barn owls moved in, Carlos attached a camera (he had practiced this beforehand, so he could do it quickly while Molly was out) so his family and friends could see it over the internet...and now the whole world is tuning in to see the four owlets and Molly, with nightly visits from McGee, along with Q&A sessions by Carlos with school children during the day!

Here's a short and sweet interview with Carlos on Good Day Sacramento (uploaded by a Molly fan here)...

There are two sites to watch the live stream from...each has it's own 'flavor'...
Live Owl Nest Box Cam (two separate videos, sometimes one has the view outside the box, larger view of the main video, links to more info and more webcams, and a live comment stream below)

The Owl Box, Ustream.TV (smaller view, live chat and social media stream on the side, Carlos will sometimes join in the chat on this page, also, previous videos and snippets from the owl box)

Other links...
Carlos' YouTube channel
stuff you can buy to support this project
Molly's box-the blog
Molly's Facebook fan page

Beware, if you watch for any length of time, you may not want to stop!

Oh, and beware #2...if you don't like seeing the occasional feeding frenzy or headless rabbit, than you may not want to watch, at least not during prime feeding time for owls late at night...though it is nature, and it does become easier to watch when you realize that this is the way baby owls get to be big and strong, this is the cycle of life that happens all around us all the time.

chi c'è?

2010-04-06T16:27:00.003-04:00

...or 'who is?' according to google translate...

I hope you can access the video at this link...I think it's pretty amazing!

spring finally!...

2010-03-31T19:19:00.000-04:00

The latest issue of Selvedge magazine is available now. I saw it yesterday at the bookstore. At $25 an issue, sometimes just looking through it at the bookstore is enough for me ;-). There is a preview here if you'd like to browse through it. The reason I am posting about this, though, is that there is a free pattern for a stuffed chick that you can download here.

The chick was designed by Tamar Mogendorff of Brooklyn. I love her work! You can see her website here. She's also got a blog right here.

I've printed out the pattern for this chick, and I'm working on it....I'll post a photo if it works out well enough. I'd love to see what anyone else might make with this...let me know if you give it a try!

what a day!

2010-03-14T00:29:00.006-05:00

After a day of water seeping into my basement, and a tree falling in front of my house, I thought I'd post something fun...
(and since I don't like the title much, I'll post what it says on the sidebar...
"This is Baby.
She has a very creative way of drinking water. ")

Here's a nighttime photo of the tree as the crew was cutting it up...

Fortunately, no one was hurt and no cars were damaged...and the cable and phone wires were untouched...pretty amazing actually! It sounded like a garbage can falling over to me, just a slow tumbling sound, since the branches of the tree in front of my house caught it and slowed its fall. I was hoping that March would be less eventful than February was, but it's not to be, I suppose. Maybe this is all for this year? I hope!

I found this online...
Ducks in N.Wildwood, NJ - Submitted by Ray

It was a happy day for ducks at least ;-)

spiral dreams...

2010-03-11T17:20:00.003-05:00

My hand stamped spiral heart has been included in a treasury by Lizard's Jewelry!
Check it out here...http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=118287

melting away...

2010-03-01T23:59:00.001-05:00

I took a walk into the backyard today. It's actually been quite awhile since I have. It was quite peaceful and mild. Funny how 40 degrees F. can feel so nice! The snow is melting away, there are patches of brown that are spreading. I'm sooo ready for spring, or even just little indications that it's on its way.

Can you guess what these next two photos are of?

Maybe without a sense of perspective it's not so easy. I believe that they're squirrel tracks. You know how they run around and zig-zag all over the place? I've been seeing some small squirrels lately, newbies. So when I went out into the back the first one ran like something was after it. And then I was surprised by the second one overhead, squawking up a storm. I tried to get closer to get a photo, but that just freaked him or her out even more and it took off into the treetop, never to be seen again by me. I say newbies, because these guys acted like they'd just seen the largest animal ever ever in their lives, and they didn't like it :-). I'm assuming that the extreme fear will pass, as others of our species appear to them as winter melts away.

fluffy stuff

2010-02-25T16:25:00.002-05:00

It's been quite a month!
Three snow storms, two power outages, head colds for me and my two sons...
I am ready for spring now ;-)

The forecasters had predicted something much worse than what we are actually getting so far. I read that this snow is wetter and heavier than usual, so that means that there's not as much to show for the amount of precipitation. Normally snow is about 10 inches of fluffy stuff to one inch of water, but this is closer to 7 inches per inch of water. In any case, it's not piling up much so far. There were also predictions of hurricane like winds, and we don't have that. So...here's a bit of fluffy stuff from today...

I'm happy to still have our power on.
Yesterday, so much of the last snow was melting away, and I was able to see the daffodils starting to sprout, and later spotted a flock of robins, so spring will be here soon!

fire and ice...

2010-02-15T01:43:00.011-05:00

I couldn't resist using that title, since it fits so well.
These were the views that I had yesterday...

#1...fire!

I went out to the store just before sunset, and the sun was just amazing. It was directly at the end of my street, and as I drove away it only became even more amazing. So, I headed back home for my camera and was able to capture this. Not the glowing orange puddle of light that I originally saw, but you can still get the idea of how large it looked. The entire roundish shape just above the cars is the sun!

and #2...ice!
This is the view outside my kitchen window...they're getting bigger by the day!
Here's another perspective...and more snow is on it's way!
You can see some of my snow photos and short videos in my Flickr album.

thrift store find...

2010-02-03T14:07:00.003-05:00

I'm on the lookout for anything with an interesting, deep pattern that I might use to make molds out of for polymer clay. My plan is to find some Sculpey Super Elasticlay Moldmaker and use it to make flexible molds. (For some reason, the two craft stores near me are both out of stock of it.)

So, yesterday I had a chance to stop at a local thrift store, after going to the dmv for my license photo (which was actually fun for a change), and I found this bread warmer for $1.

It's got a nice variety of images in it, and I just like it in any case, so we'll see if it works when I get the molding clay.

Meanwhile, I'm keeping my eyes open for patterns and designs. I think it's something I'll have to develop over time, finding where to look, and what types of patterns I'll want to use. Once I get the molding clay, I'll have a better idea of what works.

tomato soup and abs...

2010-02-01T22:48:00.005-05:00

I'm so glad I got my Art Bead Scene entry in for January. Heather Powers was really sweet to make a collage of her favorites, and to include mine...it made my day, along with the kind comments that I received! And thank you, too, to Maire, for encouraging me and helping to keep me on track ;-).

Now, on a different theme, I had suddenly decided that I wanted to make some tomato soup. I found this video and thought I'd share, because even if you don't make the soup, it's fun to watch! (well, it is if you like to watch people cook ;-))

(I made a much lighter and quicker version of this without the crust, but I think the crust would be a great addition...I'm keeping this in mind for the future.)

This is Tomato Soup En Croute from Bistro Jeanty restaurant in Yountville, California...you can find the instructions on the sidebar (click 'more info') if you go directly to YouTube at this link.

january art bead scene challenge...

2010-01-31T23:07:00.006-05:00

I am squeaking in just under the wire here...
the Art Bead Scene challenge for January ends at midnight tonight.
(You can see all the entries here.)

This month's challenge was based on the painting La Pie [The Magpie] by Claude Monet. I was very drawn to the soft colors of the snowy landscape, and wanted to create beads from polymer clay that would echo that. There's a bit more brown in these than I had envisioned at first, but I liked them anyway...and I think they coordinate nicely with the colors in the copper.

This bracelet slowly evolved over the course of the month. I wasn't sure if I wanted a copper focal piece or not, and by chance I created this one and I was happy with it.

Then the matter of putting it all together had to be decided. I had already put the polymer clay beads onto the leather cording, so all I needed to do from there was link it all together.
But it felt a bit unbalanced, so I came up with the spiral charm and linen yarn/seed bead combo.
All in all I'm happy with how it evolved. I don't think it's at all what I started out thinking it would be, so it's a happy surprise for me!

I don't always enter the challenges...I'm not good with deadlines and time constrictions...but lately I'm finding that the challenge itself becomes a journey for me. The process itself leads me to create something that I never knew that I could!

trees and wires...

2010-01-27T16:18:00.009-05:00

We've had a strange start to the week this week. On Monday our power went out, came back on for about a half hour and then toggled on and off for a minute before going out completely.

Dead trees and electric wires don't mix very well.

This pup would probably tell you that...if she could...

and I know for sure these guys have a story to tell...

Maybe they're still in shock, or worried that the one tree still standing might be coming their way next...
It's holding up the moon for now...
but you can see below how the tree's mates have fallen...one to the left, the other on the ground to the right (maybe you can't see that one)...

They were all part of a tree with three trunks. There's an x on the trunk that's still standing...hopefully that means the tree is marked for removal soon, otherwise we'll be without power for a few days again when the next strong wind blows...

And this was only the beginning of the story. The tree that landed on the wires must have pulled on them enough that two telephone poles, further up the street, were brought down as well (I was told that one cracked in two). So we spent Monday waiting for the tree to be taken off of the wires, and then Tuesday waiting while PECO or Verizon (they both own the poles) set new poles into the ground and set the wires back up. All things considered, we didn't do too badly to be out of power for about 28 hours. And we're very fortunate to not be in the middle of that arctic blast of cold weather that we had recently.

It does kind of reset your priorities, though, when you can't just turn on the computer or even the lights (or the heat!). It's peaceful and brings you back to basics, which is actually nice to do. It was an odd feeling though, when my cell phone battery was ready to give up, and the home phone stopped working...one of those chargers for the car would have been nice to have at that point...
I felt pretty disoriented for a bit...everything that was part of my normal day had changed...so things tend to feel a bit weird. The funny thing is, that I enjoy not being dependent on so much technology...how did it all creep up on me so insidiously? Well, I hear the heat cycling on now, and that's definitely a blessing...but I do want to start limiting my computer time and finding more time out in nature and back to my own natural rhythms.

I'm still feeling disoriented...it could have something to do with the planetary transits this week, too.
As Robert Wilkinson says...
"We've now made it through the first opposition [The first opposition of Venus to Mars falls on January 26-27], with Sun opposition Mars still occurring between now and Friday's Full Moon. This is the eye of the storm, with heart strength and a greater sense of higher purpose the rewards for those who persevere."

Funny how the words just seem to fit the situation, not that planetary oppositions mean power outages...but that was just my experience with this one...and also it's all part of a larger movement of the planets, each step being part of a larger whole.
What I feel that I've gained from this one, seems to relate pretty well to Venus as the representer of all things artistic and beautiful, in relation to Mars, representing action, but in retrograde the action is curtailed, so there's a sense of taking time to 'stop and smell the roses' ;-). Always a good thing to do!

snow day #2...

2009-12-20T18:26:00.006-05:00

So, I did get myself outside for just a bit. It's pretty cold out there! I guess I'm just not totally ready for this.

As Maire mentioned...it's not really winter yet, not officially anyway, not till tomorrow...
here's my evidence...

and the Christmas tree waiting on the covered porch...I bought it before the storm to keep it out of the snow...hmmm...

dried seed heads in the garden...

my arctic tundra shot...actually a close-up of the back driveway...

berries in the snow....
the earrings i made for myself from a set of berry beads by Mika Collins of Pinocean...
i love these beads!

and a late flock of geese...see, they didn't realize it was winter yet, either!

snow day...

2009-12-20T00:39:00.005-05:00

late Saturday night...

The snow is still coming down. There's at least a foot of it on the ground right now. We spent a quiet day indoors. Nobody seemed to want to go out in it today. I did look pretty wet! I'm hoping to get out tomorrow and take some photos. I did step out onto the back porch, and was reminded of the sweet sense of silence and stillness that deep snow brings with it. I'll have to search out my boots and take some photos tomorrow. For now, here's a bit of what I can see through my front window...our icicle lights, with a bit of a natural icicle added in by the storm in the second photo...

self-appreciation...

2009-12-17T18:14:00.004-05:00

Deep inside of us all, there is a place of peace and stillness that is pure and restorative to our psyches and souls.

How often are we pulled away from this? In fact, how much have we forgotten about it's existence in the first place?

I am reading the book The Vortex, by Esther and Jerry Hicks. I have read a few of their books, and have listened to cd's and seen them on dvd as well. The Vortex that they refer to is this place inside that is always there for us, always available, and yet we forget that it is there, forget how to get back to it...all to our detriment.

Today's society, at least in the U.S. where I live, generally sees this as new age fluff, not to be trusted or believed. I think it has a lot to do with what you call it and how you talk about it. I think everyone can relate to the idea of being able to feel peaceful inside at certain times, to feel uplifted by music, by beautiful photographs, whatever works for each individual...but I think we tend to believe that it is the object outside of ourselves that does this to us.

In actuality, it is something that is within each and every one of us, always there, always waiting for us to tap into it again in some way.

I started writing this because of the chapter at the end of the book about self-appreciation, and hence the title of this post, but in looking for a way to describe and demonstrate this, I ended up going in a slightly different, but related, direction.

I found this on YouTube...it's not really a video...just a still photo with the sound of Esther Hicks' voice speaking for Abraham...I think it's a helpful one to listen to...just remember that 'vortex' is that place inside where you feel your best...and it is from this place that all good things come to us in our lives...

***

getting started on etsy...

2009-12-11T00:23:00.005-05:00

Sometimes you have everything that you need to get something started, but for one reason or another you just don't. It takes a little push from someone who's been where you're going to get over that last hump that keeps stopping you.

That's what's happened to me with my etsy store. It's been set up for months. I've been playing with all kinds of techniques and materials, but no one thing seemed to be the one to get started with. And then, there are all kinds of distractions...other things that need doing that have nothing to do with creating. How to find the opening that says, hey, it's time, this is where you start? Well, that opening for me came from a friend that I've met through blogging and email. Maire , who creates wonderful, innovative and soulful jewelry, gave me the push that I needed...list 5 things in your shop by Wednesday! The timing was right, I was ready for the challenge, and I also felt that it was now or never...so I went for it!

Some things were already made, some just needed finishing up, and I also wanted to make a pair of earrings that I had an idea for. By Tuesday night I had what I needed, but no photos yet.
It rained all through Tues night...but the next day was gorgeous, just right for taking photos. I'd say there was a lot of help going on in this venture!

And so, I've got my five creations in my shop...it feels good. Now I know what the process involves and how it looks to have the beginnings of an etsy store (one that actually has items in it for sale!). Next step, to keep creating, keep taking photos and keep listing items...I'm looking forward to it.

And I know who'll be reminding me if I don't!

Thanks, Maire!

library humor...

2009-12-08T18:12:00.002-05:00

Oftentimes, when I put in a search term on my library's online catalog (which i love!) it responds with some really odd alternatives, just in case i didn't type in what i really wanted...

Searching for: Pir Vilayat Inayat Khan Did you mean pier Volta Uniat Khan?
Searching for: freeman zachary Did you mean freeman scary?
Searching for: Hazrat Inayat Khan Did you mean hazard Uniat Khan?

I don't quite understand the reasoning behind coding the program this way, but it is funny sometimes. And, if I click on the new spelling and link I get...

No titles found (0 hits) - Try these tips

...which is a bit of a letdown...why offer a new option if it's not viable? :-) but definitely adds a bit of humor to my day!

hawk visitor...

2009-12-02T15:49:00.004-05:00

There and gone within about five minutes of my spotting him/her...

to be by your side

2009-11-26T19:55:00.002-05:00

a bit of beautiful music and visuals from Nick Cave and the movie Winged Migration...
happy thanksgiving!...

Across the oceans Across the seas, Over forests of blackened trees.
Through valleys so still we dare not breathe, To be by your side.

Over the shifting desert plains, Across mountains all in flames.
Through howling winds and driving rains, To be by your side.

Every mile and every year for every one a little tear.
I cannot explain this, Dear, I will not even try.

Into the night as the stars collide,
Across the borders that divide forests of stone standing petrified,
To be by your side.

Every mile and every year, For every one a single tear.
I cannot explain this, Dear, I will not even try.

For I know one thing, Love comes on a wing.
For tonight I will be by your side. But tomorrow I will fly.

From the deepest ocean To the highest peak,
Through the frontiers of your sleep.
Into the valley where we dare not speak, To be by your side.

Across the endless wilderness where all the beasts bow down their heads.
Darling I will never rest till I am by your side.

Every mile and every year, Time and Distance disappear I cannot explain this.
Dear No, I will not even try.

For I know one thing, Love comes on a wing and tonight I will be by your side.
But tomorrow I will fly away, Love rises with the day and tonight I may be by your side.
But tomorrow I will fly, Tomorrow I will fly, Tomorrow I will fly.

more creations...

2009-11-22T19:07:00.001-05:00

I've been knitting and crocheting shapes to felt...the top one is not felted yet, the other two are...
I think they could become pendants with some additions to them...
My son Mike's polymer clay with mica schist garnet stone, collected from Wissahickon Creek Park some time back...

Here's what i made with some of the mokume gane...

and a new idea (for me anyway)...I wanted to create the look of an old tablet...just a start I think...black clay with Pearl Ex powder...

I am discovering wet sanding for finishing the polymer clay beads...it's fun...i thought it would be tedious, but the clay gets this super smooth feel to it that's really gratifying. I've also been playing with different sealers and haven't been totally happy with them...spray sealer leaves an odor that I don't like, and acrylic varnish seemed to leave a residue. I'm going to try the varnish made specifically for polymer clay and see how that is.

More to come...(soon I hope)

working on...

2009-11-20T22:08:00.001-05:00

I've been experimenting with polymer clay for a few weeks now. I've got a pile of pieces that I don't quite know how to categorize just yet. I think that's part of the experimental phase for me...I tend to move from one idea to another just to get a feel for how the process works, and then I can start to make some sense out of what exactly I want to make.

In the meantime, here are some photos of my experiments with the mokume gane technique..

I made these (above) a few days ago, so they look a little less sharp then when I first made them.

These I did last night, with the addition of a bit of silver leaf foil in the layers. I think I may need to slice the pieces a bit thinner, or maybe make more impressions in the clay, since they seem a bit too uncomplex...not sure, I'm still playing with this technique. After the slices are made they can be used to cover a round bead, a flat pendant, etc.

Here's a preview of my work-in-progress for this month's Art Bead Scene challenge...

I haven't worked it all out yet, but I think I should be able to get it done by the end of the month.

Here are two videos that show the mokume gane technique in two parts. She does a lot more colors and an extra step of plugging in white pieces that I didn't do.

halloween witch by george...

2009-11-07T15:52:00.001-05:00

Halloween Witch by ~Jioruji-Derako on deviant ART

inspiration...

2009-11-06T23:59:00.003-05:00

I got the Anthropologie catalog in the mail today...what a fun issue!
Just look at this...

You can see the whole catalog online here.

happy halloween!

2009-10-31T19:49:00.001-04:00

Borrowing Vonda the Witch from my son's wip for a halloween contest to say Happy Halloween...

wallpaper...

2009-10-27T17:24:00.004-04:00

A gift...
I took some photos yesterday in beautiful autumn sunlight, today it is overcast and rainy, how quickly it changes from day to day.
I made this one into wallpaper for my computer and thought I would share it with anyone who wants it. I've added my blog name, unobtrusively I think, just so you'll know where it came from.
Click on the photo to get a larger view, and then right click and click on 'set as desktop background' (for pc's...don't know how it works for a mac)...even better, though, is to save it to your computer and then do what I said, so it will be there if you need to redo your wallpaper later. Does that all make sense? Leave a question in the comments if there's any problem with it.

Happy Autumn!

p.s...you can even just right click on this photo without enlarging it, and you may need to set the properties to 'stretch' to fill your screen.

vitamin d to avoid the flu...

2009-10-26T01:00:00.000-04:00

From Dr. Joseph Mercola, D.O.:

Read more here.

And more info and videos about the swine flu vaccine here.

a couple of finds...

2009-10-23T16:25:00.007-04:00

First is a glue...
I use E6000 for glueing jewelry components together, but I hate the smell of it. I noticed in Laurie Mika's book, Mixed-Media Mosaics, that she recommends Weldbond for her projects. She said that it was hard to find, and it probably was when she wrote the book, but it just showed up in my local Michael's store. It's non toxic and odor free, yay!

Next, I had an idea to use ribbon for necklaces that I could embroider or otherwise embellish. I wanted something natural, that would feel good on the neck (and in the hand!) and be soft and flexible. One possibility is japanese silk ribbon, and I'm still looking into that. In the process of researching I came across hand-dyed organic cotton ribbon and purchased a few pieces to try. They are available here from Near Sea Naturals. I bought one yard of 3/8 inch wide ribbon in chocolate, and one of 7/8 inch in blackberry, plus a yard of cotton twill tape that I'm thinking of tea-dying. I photographed it on top of a 1/2 yard piece of the thickest, softest organic flannel also from Near Sea Naturals.

And I'll throw in a bit of music to round things out. I first heard the sounds of Tegan and Sara emanating from my son's room, and was intrigued and a bit unsure of how I felt about their sound (this song). This new-to-me song came up last night on my Pandora station, and I find that I'm hooked :-)...

sometimes my kids amaze me...

2009-10-20T17:21:00.002-04:00

Jio's Art Process: Setup by ~Jioruji-Derako on deviant ART

stitching and more...

2009-10-20T15:52:00.004-04:00

I've been experimenting with a lot of different crafts lately. I have books piled by my bed on needlework, jewelry, art journaling and more. I've been in a very expansive mode, but when I think that some particular form of handwork is going to grow into a major focus for me, I find that I move on to something else and then start to combine the different results and ideas. So, that makes it hard to know what to share here, since nothing is really finished. The following photos show two projects that I ended up putting together.

I found it somewhat challenging to photograph in any way that really brought out the colors and textures, so I feel the need for two ;-).

One inspiration for this was the book Patchwork Folkart by Janet Bolton. My result is not much like her technique, but it gave me the inspiration to use scraps and some very textured objects to make a design. The idea for the wirework came from many sources. One of my favorite books on this is Wirework by Ellen Wieske. An online inspiration is the work of claire Rougerie of De Beaux Souvenirs. She has a blog here and another one here, and a facebook page as well. Oh, and can't forget the etsy site! Debeauxsouvenirs.etsy.com

This all reminds of another project from a little while back...oh so hard to photograph as well!

At some point I fell in love with Calder's works. The way that he and his family lived was very inspiring to me. This book is one I'd love to own someday...Calder at Home: The Joyous Environment of Alexander Calder. When I first saw his mobiles, a looong time ago, I didn't understand them at all! How much I've changed over my lifetime so far!

my walk today...

2009-10-19T23:59:00.000-04:00

A little photo essay from a short walk that I took today. The temperature is starting to warm up a little after our nor'easter this weekend. The backyards are full of acorns, so the deer are coming in pretty regularly to eat their fill. I startled this one and she left to head for the woods, over the tracks, where I went as well.

must.get.this.book....

2009-10-18T22:50:00.004-04:00

I am practically buried in books, ones I've collected over the years, ones that I have out from the library. When I consider buying a book, it has to be something that is a 'must have' for me at this point. I has to have something special about it. Well, this one I knew would be special before it was even conceived, and I don't think I was wrong in that.

Here's a link to the book:
http://www.interweavestore.com/Beading-Jewelry/Books/Enchanted-Adornments.html

and a video that was just posted today of Cynthia Thornton showing how her inspiration evolves into her fantastic works of art. She's so adorable! (can I say that about a grown woman?). I think it's the kind of adorableness that comes from living out your creative dreams.

Cynthia Thornton - Enchanted Adornments on Howcast

p.s....this is nice...I can even embed the book preview here...cool!

Enchanted Adornments

new moon in libra...

2009-10-17T23:52:00.004-04:00

We are in the 'dark of the moon' this weekend. This can be somewhat of a relief, if our emotional nature needs a bit of a respite, while the Sun and Moon join their energies temporarily and give us new insights into our emotional nature. It's a good time for meditating, or just taking time for quiet and centering.

I dip into a lot of different resources at different times to understand the effects of the planets on me. I think my favorite is the podcasts by Kim Marie. They are very practical and easy to follow.
Here's the link to the site: http://www.evolutionaryastrology.net/astrology-readings-podcast/

Look for this title...2009-10-15 *SLSR - New Moon in Libra and click the symbol to either listen or download to listen later. It's the first listing right now, as it is the latest podcast.

Here's the description:

Late October will help us to evolve our relationship issues that appeared or re-surfaced with Sun in Libra. We all make the necessary adjustments that allow us to listen beyond hearing and look at relationships from the other's perspective. Hard aspects involving Pluto and Uranus will want to help us breathe deep and respond to the situation instead of reacting once again.

I'm a Sag with Libra rising, so relationships are so very important for me...I'm always learning!
Here is Kim Marie's 'mantra' for Libra energy:

I balance a diversity of relationships with my own initiative.

Also, some interesting information specifically on the 'dark moon' here.

waxing crescent moon...

2009-08-23T20:11:00.002-04:00

...so pretty and delicate looking....just a few days of 'growth' after the new moon..

images of august...

2009-08-22T14:37:00.000-04:00

I struggle to find days that really feel like summer this year. Maybe it's only in looking back that I will really see it. I'm glad that we planted a garden this year, there's been lots of cucumbers and tomatoes, even though it's been a bit overcrowded with other plants and weeds. I do love the way it looks, though, so wild and fertile.

...tomato after the rain,

...my favorite coffee mug,

...black-eyed susan, basil, mint in the garden,

...zucchini blossom,

...butterfly.*all photos were altered using the new version of Poladroid*

lascaux unicorn...

2009-07-27T23:12:00.006-04:00

My entry for the Art Bead Scene July challenge. The theme is anything having to do with the Lascaux Cave paintings. The challenge guidelines are here and all the entries can be seen here at the Flickr group.

My pendant is a photo that was actually taken from the Wikipedia article that I linked to above. Fortunately the photo is considered to be in the public domain, since I really love the colors and the design itself. In the book, The Cave of Lascaux, The Final Photographs, by Mario Ruspoli, there is a small mention of it by Brigitte and Gilles Delluc. Here's some of what they say:
"The 'Unicorn' remains an enigma."
"It is the first important figure the visitor encounters on entering the cave...
...It is the symbol of all that we still do not know about the Cave of Lascaux..."
They give several hypotheses as to what it actually represents, as it is not clearly any one recognizable animal.

I printed the photo onto inkjet shrink plastic, and shrunk it until it was not quite flat. I wanted it to retain some of the look of the cave wall (flatness didn't seem to fit the image, in my mind.) Below it is a wonderful piece by Lisa and Tony Blackwell of ZoaArt (Shibuichi Spiral in Hand)...I came across this in my stash while I was looking for ideas, and thought that I couldn't possibly not have this in this design! Hand paintings and stencils are a prominent feature in the caves, and the hand is so important in anything human created.

The rest of the necklace is some hand forged (by me) copper wire that's been patinaed and polished to bring out highlights, along with dark steel wire, leather lacing, and two green opal jasper nuggets.

I very much enjoyed the process of making this. I didn't have a clear plan, it formed itself as I went. Ideas would come to me and it just seemed to grow itself through me, which is a lot of fun!

birthday preparations and stuff...

2009-06-25T01:14:00.010-04:00

It's been so difficult to feel focused enough to write lately, so I decided to just post some random bits of what I've been doing as I can.

I just finished baking two cakes for my son's 21st birthday tomorrow (or later today I should say). For quite awhile, baking anything was too much for me to do, so here I am happily doing two at a time! One is from an old stand-by NY cheesecake recipe from the 'Frugal Gourmet', lots of blending and then pouring, I like the ease of that.

The other was brand new for me, Molly Wizenberg's Winning-Hearts-and-Minds Cake. Also an easy one, the only way I'd be baking two cakes in one night, I think.

I had to photograph them...they look so good...not bragging, just looking forward to the birthday celebration, and satisfied at the accomplishment.

And for a 21st birthday...a 12 pack of beer...I admit to using this opportunity to try something new for me ;-). I'm not much of a beer drinker, and had to search to even find where I could buy this beer, but we have it now...
This is the Summer Scene Variety pack from Magic Hat Brewery. In PA, beer distributors can only sell by the case, and I didn't want $33 worth of beer! So we found this in Wegman's supermarket (I don't know why they sell beer, but apparently they have a large selection from all over the world), along with a 6-pack of Corona, just in case no one else wants weird microbrews.

And the birthday boy actually requested scones...so I do plan a little more baking for tomorrow.

What else...some daylilly photos from yesterday...

These were actually quick shots, I was curious about the effect of the low sun behind the flowers. Now I'd like to spend a little more time and play with this effect some more. That will definitely depend on timing and whether or not the deer that I saw bounding away comes back to eat them all! A photo of the deer would be nice too, I'll try. Oh, and I almost forgot about the nest of wren eggs on my back porch! Mama wren moved into the old clothespin bag hanging next to the back the door...I really didn't think she'd stay with all the activity of the door opening and closing, but she's sitting on them quite a lot now, so I'm hoping for the best.

I've been reading a lot, too. I am really enjoying the books of Haruki Murakami. I read The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle first, then Sputnik Sweetheart, Norwegian Wood, and now South of the Border, West of the Sun...I think I may just keep going, too. I guess they are just what I am needing at this time, kind of like comfort food for the soul.

Along with those, I've been working my way through jewelry and fiber arts books from the local library. I feel like I am absorbing a whole new way of creating, and everything seems to want to work together with everything else (beadwork, crochet, bookbinding, photography, etc. etc.)...no wonder I'm finding it hard to focus! I hope to have some photos of works in progress on here soon. I've had to squeeze my creating time in with so many other necessary things...home-ed paperwork, shopping, cooking, trips to Guitar Center for George and Mike, I'm looking forward to life settling down into a rhythm where creating takes more of a priority....I'm working on it.

One more thing...for anyone wanting to follow the continuing exploits of the Franklin Institute Hawks, there is a blog here with photos of them now, as they have left the nest but are still in the area learning what they need to learn to survive...Hawkwatch.

hawks in philly...

2009-05-30T15:52:00.004-04:00

The 'baby' hawks are getting ready to leave the nest very soon. I wonder what they're thinking as they survey their domain and watch all the cars go by?

more...

2009-05-30T15:07:00.001-04:00

4:40 pm...itching to use those wings!

live webcam of baby hawks...

2009-05-15T19:59:00.002-04:00

more here:
http://www2.fi.edu/hawknest.php

(dark at night, since there's no artificial lighting)

bits and pieces of life...

2009-05-12T19:11:00.001-04:00

...teaching myself to crochet lace...experimenting with turning it into jewelry...
painted and stiffened...

a collaboration between my son and myself for a friend's sweet sixteen birthday gift...

(she loved it!)

cherry blossoms...

2009-04-30T16:47:00.007-04:00

22nd spring by soczi

2009-04-06T12:09:00.001-04:00

22nd spring by ~Soczi on deviant ART

signs of spring...

2009-03-24T17:17:00.008-04:00

UK Handmade magazine...

2009-03-20T02:03:00.003-04:00

I just came across this online magazine...wish I could curl up in bed with it, but will have to sit at my pc and read it thoroughly tomorrow, it looks wonderful!
Here are a few links...
one...the winter 2008 issue of the magazine in pdf format,
two...the website,
three...the blog.

Enjoy!

p.s....here's where I came across the link, in the sidebar of this lovely blog.

macroday illustration...

2009-03-19T19:15:00.001-04:00

This one was tough. I actually knew the exact illustration I would use as soon as I read the challenge details, but choosing the right photo was hard. This illustration is artwork that was created for me by my friend Cathy Farrell. I was so amazed by what she did with this, it is my favorite piece of art. The subject is dark and light and thoughtful and intriguing all at once and the details are incredible. Initially, I photographed just one part of it in incandescent light. I liked how it came out, but decided to try it in daylight since I so much prefer the effects of natural light. I had so much fun focusing on all the details, and then I had a whole lot of photos to choose from! I chose this one, because it feels mysterious to me and I like the way the window light casts shadows in parts and totally washes out in other places, echoing the themes of the drawing itself.

If you want to see more of the photos that I took, there's a Flickr set of them here. More of Cathy's artwork can be seen here.

I also want to say thank you to those people who voted for my Tools entry and put it in third place!

images from my walk today....

2009-03-16T23:59:00.000-04:00

...in the cemetery behind my house. I've been wanting warmer days and long walks with my camera, but I tend to get too distracted with everything else and forget. Even though today wasn't exactly warm, it was a great day for a walk. I had forgotten just how cold my fingers could get, though!

Lot's of browns and patina greens here. Not exactly spring colors, but I tend to gravitate towards these very earthy colors and textures.

spring inside and macro challenge...

2009-03-13T23:59:00.001-04:00

I clipped some forsythia branches a few days ago, and brought them inside. They are so amazingly in bloom now! You can see the brown backyard outside through the screen, what a contrast! It feels a little strange, it is still winter, but it surely makes me feel good, too!

Forsythia is another flower that brings the motivation for change and transformation, similar to the effect of snowdrop. I think I am needing these energies around me now. I am too tired right now to expand on this, but hopefully will post an entry about the uses of flower essences soon. They've been life savers for me!

At the same time that I was photographing these rays of sunshine, I decided to attempt to photograph something that might fit the theme of 'the movies' for the MacroDay challenge this week. I'm very happy with the results. I submitted the first one through flickr, and wanted to share another one here as well (two, now). I love the way the dvd reflected the flowers and added it's own rainbow too.

snowdrop saga...

2009-03-12T16:29:00.001-04:00

The snowdrop flower signifies hope and joy and anticipation of a happy future. As a flower essence, it can help us to put the darkness behind us, let go of what we don't need anymore, and move on to a happier inner space that can lead us into a happier outer place in whatever way is appropriate for us.

What a wonderful way to usher in the coming spring and let go of the dark, cold days of winter! Which is probably why I find myself looking for my little patch of snowdrops sometime in February. They are the first indication that spring truly is on its way, after the beige and brown and white of winter.

At the end of February, since there were still a lot of dead, dry leaves in my front yard, I couldn't see them. I went outside and pushed away the leaves where they normally would be, and there were the shoots just coming up. Maybe they couldn't see much sunlight, and so they weren't in a hurry to blossom yet. A day or so later, though, they had made great progress. This is how they looked on March 1st...

...like little papooses all wrapped up!

If I could, I'd insert a photo of thick snow here, because they were underneath that within a day.

By last Thursday, the snow had mostly melted away...

...and by Saturday this is how they looked.

Ready to fly into spring, I think!

moon, cloud, airplane...

2009-03-07T18:37:00.005-05:00

You'll need to click the photo to see the airplane, it's there just above the cloud, a little to the right.

macroday tools...

2009-03-06T15:03:00.004-05:00

My submission to Macroday of a macro photo of a tool that I made last night while waiting at the aikido dojo for my sons. I think it's nteresting that I used tools to make this, and now it becomes a tool itself.

More on creating stamps in another post to come.

new guitar + art...

2009-03-04T13:55:00.002-05:00

Nothing Else Exists by =Jioruji-Derako on deviant ART

In Your Own Little World,
Nothing Else Exists
But That Which You Choose
To Allow Inside.

noises...

2009-03-03T13:41:00.003-05:00

Yes, I'm hearing beautiful drumming sounds coming from my basement...he's getting the hang of reading music and playing beats...it's good.

But I woke early this morning to the sound of a helicopter overhead, one of those continuous drones for at least 20 minutes that said that something must have happened. I checked the news to find that the local train had hit a car and sent it flying into a nearby house, though with minimal damage as far as I can see.

This photo was taken by Action News' helicopter...

It is an intersection where there are no gates for the crossing, because it is such a wide intersection, it wouldn't be possible or useful to have gates that would do any good. The commenters on the article that I found wrote about people trying to beat the train at that crossing, but I was hearing that it was also very icy this morning and I think that maybe the driver just couldn't stop. The train pulls into the station there, so it is going very, very slowly. I'm sure it could have been a lot worse otherwise. Hopefully the driver is ok, there's not much info except that he or she was taken to a nearby hospital.

a link to my son's blog...

2009-03-02T21:22:00.005-05:00

This is George...well, he doesn't actually look like this most days...or any days...but he likes to play with Photoshop...

(lets balance this out a little bit)...

and his new-ish blog...Shards of a Broken Infinity.

musical beginnings...

2009-03-02T19:29:00.003-05:00

Just a quick post here of the results of today and yesterday, before I head out into the cold and snow to get food for us.

Mike setting up his just bought used drum set in our basement...

...and George yesterday checking out his new lefty electric guitar and amp...just a really short 25 seconds...

More to come!

one more (#3) for today...

2009-03-01T19:17:00.001-05:00

Who is this?

my etching experiment....

2009-03-01T17:24:00.006-05:00

In between lots of interruptions and distractions...good ones, but still...(see last post), I did manage to get a piece of copper etched and patinaed. I didn't go to great lengths to do it perfectly. I wanted to try different types of resists, stamps both commercial and homemade, as well as writing with a Sharpie so I could see how it all worked out. It wasn't exactly my first try, I did one piece a little while ago using salt water and a battery. It's pretty time consuming and I was more drawn towards using the PCB etchant solution from Radio Shack when I finally found it, so here it is:

This is the piece with the stamping and writing on it. Probably all needs to be more sharp, but I do also want to try to get a more scrumbly look at some point...

Here is one part after etching and cleaning...

and the same one after liver of sulfur patina and heating with a butane torch...

and the one with my favorite new stamp...

It's a start, and I'm so very happy to actually have done it and gotten some finished pieces of copper that I can play with. Next time I want to make the etching deeper, I wasn't sure how long to keep it in for at first, and wanted a baseline result to begin with. I also want to carve some more stamps of my own designs and see how that works, too.

I have so very many ideas...I write them all down and hope for a decent stretch of uninterrupted time to actually accomplish some of what's in my head! I do love this life, with all it's twists and turns, and I so much love being able to create what I love. This is just a beginning! Soon there'll be lots of drumming and electric guitar happening...maybe it'll give me more time to create...or less :-) ...we'll see!

music...

2009-03-01T14:54:00.005-05:00

We are on a mission to find the 'perfect' drum set for my 16 yr old son lately. He's been doing tons of research and has changed course from wanting an electronic set to wanting an acoustic set now. He was worried about the noise of the acoustic set and that we might all get upset with hearing banging all the time :-)...I think it will be great....and I'm glad the warmer weather is coming, I can take lots of walks.

Perfect means a good quality set that he can build on to, as well as fitting into a limited budget. We are going to see a used set tomorrow that I think may be the one for us. Meanwhile, my older son is going to get an electric guitar and amp, so who knows where this all will lead us!

On that note, I thought I'd put up another video from Evelyn Glennie that I think shows a wonderful way of looking at sound and all the possibilities in that realm. It's a short clip and fascinating! My previous post about her, with two videos and her jewelry is here. Here's a link to some of her jewelry (or jewellery ;-)) as well.

Oh...and I forgot to mention, but I think it's worth saying, how they've gotten so enthusiastic about music lately. The funny thing is, I tried to be very non-technological at home when they were young, hoping for lots of art and music without the distraction of tv, etc. What happened, though, was that they got into video games at some point, built their own computers for gaming, and recently got the game Rockband 2, which comes with a 'guitar' and 'drum set' that are made for the video game only and not real, stand alone instruments. It was this that led them to research 'real' instruments and get really enthused about music and playing. So, just in case anyone worries that video games will preclude anything else in life, they are an example of the opposite. I did get a very negative response from one local music store owner...and I do understand the prejudice since it does seem that the two are not compatible, but it really just depends on the people involved. Sometimes what seems like a not so good thing actually becomes a stepping stone to opening up a new way of seeing the world!

so inspired...

2009-02-19T14:36:00.013-05:00

...by etsy artisans who make receiving packages fun!

It's always fun to get a little extra bitty with an order,

to get a little card

or special handmade gift bag or box,

or even just a fun colored tissue paper wrapping!

Susan Lambert in Charlotte, N.C....etched blue beads and textured copper washers, plus a bonus disc bead...see her blog here, too.

Lynn Davis in St. Louis, MO...Asian connector beads, plus an extra bead, and a handmade box and little paper goodies as well!...her blog is here. (The hare was just curious and had to investigate.)

...and Tony and Lisa in Inman, S.C......Shibuichi component thingies and Tony's handmade mixed fiber bag....their blog is here.

I think it's kinda funny that I'm like the kid who wants to play with the box that the toy came in rather than the toy...but I'll get to that too. I just love the photo opportunities that these treasures afford me along with the treasures themselves.

macro nuts...

2009-02-17T17:32:00.004-05:00

I ran across a bunch of sites that have photography challenges each week. I got really enthused about the MacroDay "nuts" theme and wanted to do some outdoor photos of hardware that happens to be around my house, but the days got so cloudy I had to wait. I finally decided to photograph some nuts inside the house, like almonds in case you were envisioning other ways of portraying nuts ;-), and was pretty happy with the results, but now I see that the theme has moved on to "tags"! Oh well, here's my "nuts" photo anyway ;-).

Maybe I'll have better luck with tags.

clouds

2009-02-11T17:16:00.003-05:00

coupons for michael's...

2009-02-10T14:37:00.007-05:00

You can subscribe to Michael's ads and coupons at Michaels.com. I just received an email with a link to these coupons which I'll share here. I've seen these on other websites, and I don't see any restrictions on posting these except for the one that says they don't accept reproductions on the coupon itself...yet these are meant to be printed out on your printer and brought in to the store where they do accept them...so that doesn't make much sense. Here they are...click to make bigger and save to your pc and print, or go to the link and print the page. They're only good for this week, Feb 9 to 14.

taking it slow...

2009-02-10T11:53:00.008-05:00

Two sick boys on my mind...making soup, lots of tea, pots of steamy chamomile and eucalyptus for breathing in...trying not to run my self down in the process. (oh, and this, too seems to be helping alot... Hyland's Flu, a homeopathic remedy for the flu)
Here they were a few days ago in the snow...

...I look forward to seeing them in action again!

We've had unseasonably warm temps lately. That always seems to do it...just when you want to be out enjoying the day...although with the snow melting down that means a lot of wetness. Probably contributes to the tendency to get sick. Pre-spring fever, I guess.

While they were sledding, there were two Turkey Vultures overhead, and yesterday's sun lit up a little teacup set on my windowsill...they all came together in this...

I'm enjoying playing with Photoshop lately. So easy to put ideas together and get something strange and unusual!
I plan to use the bottom black part for a quote inspired by Neil Gaiman in Neverwhere. Here's the original, which stuck with me as soon as I read it..

"He had gone beyond the world of metaphor and simile into the place of things that are, and it was changing him."

I've been working on something like that myself, so it seemed very profound to me when I read it.

snowng today...

2009-02-03T16:51:00.004-05:00

Very fluffy!

fossil necklace...

2009-02-02T17:09:00.010-05:00

A beautiful, sunny day today, just right for taking a few photos.

[cropped original to the right, Photoshop'd photos down below]

I've been working on this necklace lately. I've had the focal bead for a looong time. It's called Fossil and was made by Kaye Husko (KoregonBeads). I found it on ebay one day and it spoke to me and I had to have it. I think Kaye had described it as something that looks like it might have washed up on the beach, and I like that imagery.

I just purchased some silver findings from Cathy Dailey (dotted bail and s-clasp) on etsy and the idea for this necklace came together for me. I love it, simple as it is. Today I photographed it on a cedar shingle that Trader Joe's was getting rid of awhile back. They had been re-doing the look of the store's interior and had the old cedar covered fixtures outside. When I asked, they told us which pieces they wanted to get rid of and my husband did the heavy work of taking them all apart and carting them home. Most of the cedar ended up on our treehouse.

Anyhow...this photo was taken with the board balanced on my windowsill which faces south, and then I cropped in close and sandwiched it with two different through-the-lens textures from Flickr. (white ttv and mirror) There's a tutorial here.

So here's the results...I like them both, but I think the first one keeps more of the effects of the sun and shows the colors better.

The little silver charm at the bottom came from a bead show seller...I don't remember who it was, they were fairly new and hadn't even been able to get set up to take credit cards in time for the show...I do wish I knew who it was, but anyway, the charm is Hill Tribe Silver and so sweet. It reminds me of a fossil, so it's been hanging out with this bead for a long time, just waiting for the right setting to be used in.

I also might add some wire wrapping on the strap with some beads, but I wanted to get it photographed today while I could.

Comments and observations are much appreciated. I'm not too sure about the wire wrapping on the ends. I didn't want to cut the ends too short, but I don't know if I like them sticking out as they are. I'm wondering if I should have put a little glue inside before wrapping. I eventually want to set up my etsy shop, but this one is for me...I'm too attached to the bead at the moment to think of selling it.

etsy favorites again...

2009-01-26T14:54:00.004-05:00

...a more static view, thanks to a suggestion from Llynn. I like it both ways, but I don't like to have an ever changing post that will be meaningless later on!

some etsy favorites...

2009-01-25T23:21:00.001-05:00

Wondering how well this works for a blog post. Will it go away when my favorites are updated?

Etsy: Your place to buy & sell all things handmade
AlchemyofLife.etsy.com

poladroids from today...

2009-01-23T23:59:00.001-05:00

Get a free Poladroid maker here.

susan lenart kazmer video...

2009-01-20T14:45:00.009-05:00

I found this video (see it below) on Susan Lenart Kazmer's website a few days ago. It was perfect timing for me, as I have been collecting supplies for metalworking but have been worried about what I have heard about how easy it is to break saw blades while cutting metal, so I have not yet tried it. This video set my worries to rest, and I can't wait to try it out. The video is fun, too. It was created by Susan and a filmographer who worked on the movie "The Secret", so there are some nice touches that make it fun to watch.

I have been wanting to get Susan's book, "Making Connections" for awhile now. Last month I requested it from my library to see if they would purchase it, and they did! It arrived last week, but when I went in on Friday to pick it up, it was nowhere to be found. We've been searching ever since and I don't know if it will show up or not. It is strange. It is very possible that it was inadvertently filed on a shelf somewhere in the wrong place, but I've been looking. Yesterday I thought maybe with the title and the cover illustration it might have been put in the electronics section, but it wasn't there. I'm hoping it wasn't stolen, but that is always a possibility. Time will tell.

Enjoy the video!

(p.s. the video can be downloaded here for Quicktime and the quality is soo much better!)

year of the fractal...

2009-01-20T00:12:00.003-05:00

...a 2009 calendar by my son Mike, available to preview and purchase on lulu.com!

who does she think she is?...

2009-01-05T14:21:00.004-05:00

On my wishlist to see, when it's available...

From the website...
Synopsis:
In a half-changed world, women often feel they need to choose: mothering or working? Your children's well-being or your own? Who Does She Think She Is?, a documentary by Academy Award winning filmmaker Pamela Tanner Boll, features five fierce women who refuse to choose. Through their lives, we explore some of the most problematic intersections of our time; mothering and creativity, partnering and independence, economics and art. The film invites us to consider both ancient legacies of women worshiped as cultural muses and more modern times where most people can't even name a handful of female artists.

moon and venus...

2008-12-31T14:54:00.004-05:00

This was taken yesterday after sunset. If you click on the photo to enlarge it, you can see Venus up high in the branches to the left of the moon. The moon will be heading in that direction for a conjunction tonight. Not sure if I'll be able to see Mercury and Jupiter down low on the horizon unless I find a flat field somewhere, but it's pretty darn cold today ;0)

Here's some expanded info on these transits from Aquarius Papers.

And if the first photo is too hard to see, here's a bit more zoomed in shot.

photo opportunity....

2008-12-29T15:53:00.002-05:00

from SpaceWeather...

NEW YEAR'S EVE: What a way to end the year. On Dec. 31st, Venus and the slender crescent Moon will gather together high in the southwestern sky for a beautiful conjunction visible for hours after sunset. The two brightest objects in the night sky can be seen through city lights and even fireworks--so everyone can enjoy the show. Meanwhile, closer to the horizon, Mercury and Jupiter are converging for their own Dec. 31st conjunction. This one is not so easy to see, but rewarding for those who make the effort to find the two planets shining through the rosy glow of sunset.

driftwood jewelry...

2008-12-28T01:01:00.007-05:00

I found this website and blog(s) in a round about way. I just spent at least ten minutes trying to retrace my steps to see how I actually did find it ;-).
Jewelry and other pieces all made from driftwood found on the beaches of Alanya, Turkey (map to the left from Wikipedia.)

There's not a lot of information on any of the sites, but lots of photos.
First, the website YALOS,
the first blog YALOS ALANYA and the jewelry blog ALANYALOS.

And, how I got there? a little link under a photo at this blog Karin's Style Blog, which I found from a link on this site Lines and Shapes Connect Us, which is the latest project from one of the makers (mav) of the year long photo blogs 3191 a year of mornings and 3191 a year of evenings (stephanie is the other blogger.)

Lots of links for lots of inspiration!