Email Frustration: No Email Since Late Last Thursday!

Just in case anyone has sent me an email and I have not replied  - our email service provider has  experienced a catastrophic server failure. We have had no email service since late in the evening last Thursday! When I had no email on Xmas I thought that it was odd - but then again I thought that just maybe it made sense. When I still had no email on Saturday I knew that there had to be something wrong. I was just hoping that it was not on MY end! After a long wait I got through to a real person - who was pleasant despite what I am sure must not have been a great day.  All customers are affected and they had no estimate on when it would be back in service!

Today I opted for an email 'chat'. I waited patiently online - I was the 47th person in the queue. I opened a new window and surfed while I waited. 45 minutes late I 'chatted' with another customer service person who told me that they hoped to haves ervice restored Tuesday. "Tuesday??!!",  says me???  "How can that be". "Well", says she, "Monday it may be - we really don't know".

Since we have just started a new Mercury Retrograde  that lasts until January 15th I figure I just need to hope that anyone that really needs to find me will either call, post a comment here or find me on Face Book or Twitter.  Although I know that many people  consider mercury retrograde to be too woo woo, I have found it to be quite accurate in my world.  I don't think that I have ever been without email for this long since I have been using a home computer. I wonder what they will say to their customers when all is said and done. At least the hi-speed internet has not been affected - that, in itself, is a blessing!

I will be uploading some photographs and actually have a couple of posts in mind - I can't believe that I have been so lacking in the posts - I'll just blame it on a cold !

Did you know that this coming New Year's Eve we will have a Blue Moon? It's amazing when you consider that the next time we will have a blue moon on New Year's Eve will not be until 2028!! Additionally this Blue Moon on New Year's Eve will also feature a partial lunar eclipse! In North America we ill not be able to see it but still it could be a rockin' rollin' New Year's Eve - so celebrate but be careful too !

My Very First Customized Pen by John Mottishaw

As a nob to my continuing search for the perfect pen for myself, I recently sold several pens to finance what I had hoped would be my first ever custom nibbed pen. I chose master nib-meister John Mottishaw of Classic Pens.  Finding a pen that I both liked and could afford was the most difficult thing - but since I had wanted to try out a Falcon anyway I decided to try one. My next decision was whether to have it made into a cursive italic or an oblique both of which I like - one of which, the cursive italic, I had never tried. After some gentle hand holding by John's colleague, Jonella, I chose a Falcon  by Namiki with cursive italic. I love it! Now I am having a very difficult time waiting to order  an oblique nibbed pen as well. I'll probably have it on either a Pelikan or another Falcon since I have found it to be such a pleasing pen. Having a customized nib is an experience that is worth the wait - it's such a genuine pleasure to write with! It's rather a holiday gift to myself - but I don't feel too guilty because I did sell some pens in order to be able to get! Thanks to those of you who helped me finance this little gem!

Doesn't this side view really look like a falcon's head?!

Ah! Near perfection in a writing instrument!

My Continuing Fondness For Small

For the last few days I have been making cards. These are a few of them. I am not sure why I get such satisfaction out of making them - but they are gratifying to both make & to send. This group of cards are ear-marked for a lovely person who asked me to make some cards for her. It's been, as always a pleasure to do. Making cards affords me a real opportunity to try out new techniques and hone my skills in others.

'Clarity' was made using a base of cotton that I had painted with color washes with an over lay of an image printed on silk organza. 'Dream' was made in much the same way but the base is kimono silk.

The landscape below was is a small painting using acrylics, watercolor & inks on muslin. The cats were made much the same way and with the same sort of materials.

The little piece below, made on a whim, is acrylic on lutradur. Lutradue has become a surface that I am having a great time experimenting with to a greater extent than I have in the past. It's lots of fun! I would really like to ask for your opinion. Could you take a moment and tell me which card strikes you the best?  Which would you like to receive? Thanks !

"One Yard Wonders" By Rebecca Yaker & Patricia Hoskins

* * * *

Please remember that you can double click on photographs to get a better view

I was not quite sure just what I would think of this book when I first saw. I think I was leery of the title - only because I tend to dislike titles like ' fast, fun easy' or fun & quick'. Don;' get me wrong we all need a quick fix at times and more or less instant result can be a very good thing sometimes too...I am just one of those people who stills likes real letters and finds more comfort in slow cloth than quick and easy.

Although it is difficult to see in this photo - 

the pattern pieces for some of the projects are happily 

ensconced in a nice pocket on the inside front cover.

This is a cross post from my book blog - but I thought that it would have relevance here -Enjoy!

The first thing I noticed about this book is it's quality. It's a nice size, the paper is high quality and the cover spiral binding is very well made - these are things that I so look for in books - and yes, I am a page 'sniffer'. I love the smell of ink on paper - and I can be critical of paper color and paper quality - the latter especially in hard-covered books or those books that are made to get a lot of use. Of course the next thing that I looked at were - what else?! - the patterns. The patterns are divided into sections with titles such as "On The Go" (bags, lunch bags, lap top covers etc), "Household Affairs" (tea cozies,aprons, hot& cold packs), "Outfit Your Small Wonder" (obviously geared to clothing for your own little one). There are patterns for dog couture items, toys for children, great shopping bags and a wealth of small projects that really can be made with just a yard of fabric. Also included are things like sewing fundamentals - good for beginners or as a refresher for those of us with older cloth fixations. A couple of the 'patterns' are more like instructions for doing things like covering a cork board or scale with fabric. No necessarily sewing projects but they can be done with a yard or less of fabric.

Some of these projects are for things that we could all probably figure out how to make. I don't know about you , but there are times when I am thrilled not to have to re-invent the wheel - and enjoy the fruits of what others have made pattern for so that I can save my brain cells  for the more involved projects that I barely have to complete as it is. Simple and right in front of me with a "how-to" can be a real time save.

Have a look at this! 

You can enter to win free yardage for a year.... now that's a cool thing!

 

I really liked this project for an obi inspired hot and cold pack

This little 'catch all' holder called an 'Origami Organizer'

is a very interesting project that I am going to have to try.

 

 

have been on a kick to find good looking alternatives to to the now ubiquitous grocery store provided 'green' bag. This book includes two patterns that are good. The one above is a bag that will fold in on itself for easy storage - making it easy to always have a shopping bag with you. The photo on the bottom is just a regular shaped bag and it is one of those patterns that I am glad is included so that I don't have to go and do the measuring to make the pattern myself. Easy!

 

Dog couture - how cute!

I thought this little apron or smock for a wee one was just adorable.

All in all I really like this book a lot and will highly recommend it. It seems to have something that will please everyone and is one of those books that will be a good resource and reference book - and yes, it does hold a lot of things that could be termed "fast, fun and fabulous" ! Give it a try - I don't think that you will be disappointed.

Note: This book was provided to me by the publisher for reviewing purposed. No other remuneration.

Revisiting Block Prints- Learning Curve

For some odd reason I got the bug to revisit block printing. I had only tried it once before and I thought of some patterning I wanted to try - so block printing came to mind. I carved the blocks & then printed. I was using some watercolor paper and using only a ink pad so the prints came out rather light. It was one of those "Duh!" moments - using heavy papers and not knowing what in the heck I was doing to begin with!

I had a fun afternoon and made a few ATC's to play with. Since this time I questioned what inks I should use and what sort of applicator. Thanks to the suggestions from some friends on the  QuiltArt list I have been able to get much better results today and I will post those results - hopefully side-by-side. Today, rather than water-color paper I used Bristol & muslin, and rather than applying acrylic paint with a brush I used a sponge brayer. I am here to tell you that the sponge brayer made a huge difference - though a foam brsuh would, I think, work too.

Here are the first day's results - too light bit fun none-the-less. I so enjoy just seeing where the day's interests take me sometimes. I have a quilt to art tomorrow - an art quilt - it's time to return to fabric and thread.

A Heavy Heart : In Memoriam

Sunday morning here in the Seattle area four Law Enforcement Officers were shot down in cold blood as they prepared for their day shifts by stopping at a local coffee shop. The shop, owned by a former officer, was well known as a gathering place for Law Enforcement Officers from a variety of nearby towns & from the State Patrol. I am so unbelievably saddened by this senseless tragedy. Four good people lost  - for nothing other than  one person's sheer, unexpurgated,evil insanity (and  do not get me going on the insanity plea!). Yes, I do believe that some people are just born evil. These shooting come on the heels of another murder of a Police Officer on October 31st in which a second officer was badly wounded as well.

Law Enforcement Officers have affected my life and always for the better really. My first experience with a police officer was when I was six years old and a drunken family member began to shoot people at a dinner party. Several other children and I had been asleep in a back bedroom when this began and it was the calming voice of an officer who helped all of us youngsters understand what happened  and why the house was filled with police. It was a difficult time, but he helped make it less so.

The second time was when I was about 15 years old. Feeling older than my years and having more freedom than most kids did I had felt no compunction about attending a night a concert at the Fillmore East in New York City - in the cities East Village. It must have let out around midnight and I was waiting for a bus to come to take me back uptown when an officer came up and asked my what a young girl was doing out so late and in that part of town. I am sure I answered with far more bravado than I felt - and I am also sure that I had felt invincible at that point in my life. That kind man waited with me until the next, safe, bus arrived to take me home. His kindness and words of caution remained with me - and I have been grateful to him all these years.

I was a part of the 'Woodstock generation' as I have mentioned in the past. Although I was not the sort to get into any trouble I felt my generation's ubiquitous distrust of Law Enforcement & I managed to do my best to stay clear of any situations that would warrant police presence! That was a good thing I suppose. I am not saying that I was an 'goody two-shoes' rather I am saying that I was a careful adventurer! My career in aviation manged to keep me on the straight and narrow - and I am always grateful that it did! I am sure that I managed to avoid a lot of potential heart ache by being in aviation with it's inherent drug and alcohol testing programs & it's relatively strong code of ethics in general. Despite what you may hear in the news, people in aviation are generally quite conservative and most pilots that I knew take their responsibilities very seriously.

My next exposure to Law Enforcement came at a very difficult time in my life when an ex was causing difficulties. Once again, it was two special officers who managed to help me hold it all together and get through it all.

Fast forward a bit. I married a deputy! Now, this caused some of my oldest friends to react with a moment of dead silence and an overheard 'gulp' when I told them that I had remarried, a police person but they all gradually have come to accept my more mature, conservative nature. I have been happily married to a wonderful, kind man who happens to also be a career Deputy for many years now. He never brings the work home.

What I am trying to get at, I suppose, is that for a great part of their time Law Enforcement Officers are the peace keepers, the ones who mange stressful situations on our behalf, the ones who offer a calm voice & a helping hand. For most of their careers, thank God, most officers are not involved in daily dealings with hardened criminals - but evil people are out there lurking - and so is the potential for danger. Sometimes, like today, brave men and women do pay the ultimate price for keeping us all safe, for holding our hands and for dealing with the stumbling down drunks and misdemeanor offenders. It sickens me - it really does.

So many families are now forever changed. The holidays will always bring sadness and the children will grow up with scars from the loss of their mothers and fathers. All death is sad. All death brings heart ache & pain. I know that people are killed senselessly in car accidents, sports accidents, odd quirks of fate but no one should die the way these officers did - preparing for work at a local coffee shop.

I am not generally a person who wishes ill on another - nor do I generally wish anything bad to happen to another person if I can stop myself. I pray however that they capture the perpetrator of this heinous crime right away and that the full extent of the legal system is brought to bear against this insane , evil criminal - and that the system works quickly & effectively.

No person, no law enforcement officer should have to risk their lives by buying a cup of coffee and preparing for work. No one should have to pay this price and it speaks so horribly about our society. I abhor violence - perhaps that's why this incident has left me with such a heavy heart today.

In another bit of sad personal news. Our 'boy', 'Chance' left the house after Thanksgiving dinner on Thursday and never returned home. We don't know if the raccoons or fox got him, or if he slipped and went into the rushing creek. We are bother very sad and find it difficult to understand how we can be the 'parents' of only one cat - after having had 9 cats and our big, fluffy dog all at once not too long ago,

I named him "Chance" because he came to the vet I was working at at the time as a kitten. Someone had found him in their driveway. He had been poisoned - but the vet did not know by what. Possible anti-freeze. We did not expect him to last the night - but he did. I couldn't turn him away after that and so he joined my family which at the time consisted of 4 other felines. He became the special 'boy' for my spouse and they enjoyed many evenings together watching TV.  It was mutual admiration I think! It's oddly much more quiet without him and I think we both half expect him to see him walk in the door - but after this long & this much cold & rain - we know it won't be happening. He was 16 and, having lost a lot of his sight as a result of the poison he still managed to be the stellar hunter of the group. His claws were very sharp. He will be missed.

Scraps" By Elsebeth Gynther & Christine Clemmenson: A great Addition To Your Mixed Media Library

 * * * * *

Every once in awhile I will find a book that is worth cross-posting from my book blog. "Scraps" is one of those books that needed to be here too. Hope you will find it as interesting as I did !

Second to my love of historical fiction & history books  is my love for all books art & craft. I thrive on looking at a variety of different books for inspiration.

"Scraps" by Elsebeth Gynther & Christine Clemmenson is a captivating new title from Lark Books about mixed media & collage. The subtitle of this book is ' an inspirational field guide to collage' and I think that about sums it up. The authors walk you through all of the basics of collage; what materials you need, where to find materials, the qualities of paints & other coloring methods, how to 'loosen up' & free yourself to begin your work - and finally they answer the question "when is a collage finished?" - see page 71!

The table of contents :

I have found several things in this book that I really want to do. I have a very special journal from Jenni Bick Book Binders that I have been hoarding for a special purpose - and I found it in 'Scraps'... make an alphabet book ! What a great idea !

Another captivating project from the book  is  creating envelope art- this is  especially relevant to me since I have been making & mailing art cards a lot lately!

The book guides you through issues that always come up when making collage & mixed media art. What do I do if I don't want to glue or cut a special item? Answer: sew it in! What kind of glues are best to use with special, treasured items? Answer: acid free. There is a lengthy discussion of what sort of glue is best for what & what each glue is best used for. Other sections of the book discuss paper types, composition, "first aid for collages in distress" and on & on. This is one great "go to" book for collage and mixed media enthusiasts.

 

There are several pages in the book with inspired ideas for jump-starting your work; creating patterns,  & a wide variety of theme ideas. Fun things that just gets your mind in gear to make art

 

I really went over this book and tried hard to think of a reason to NOT give it five stars - but I could not think of anything the books lacks, nor anything that would have made it better or more inspiring. This really is a 5 star, gotta have book for anyone who wants to improve their collage & mixed media art work. I feel in love with this book without really meaning to ! It's an addition to your library that you won't regret!