Wednesday, April 30, 2008

1.2.3.4.

Another day, another art journal page.


I did some printing on fabric for this page. (I used the kind of fabric a lot of people use to do needlework and cross stitch) I simply taped it down securely to a plain piece of printer paper and ran it through my printer. My friend Suzi and I were talking about some new digital products from Golden Yesterday. I think they'll be fun to try on foils and what not, but I find that I like the way most fabric takes printer ink already. It does sound like the new Golden products will seal parts of the fabric and provide a crisper image...they show an example on their site using cheese cloth, and that seems really cool. Unfortunately I can't get my hands on the product yet, since it's not available in any stores around here. I'll probably have to take a trip up to the cities to hit a real art store.....oh, and Ikea...if I must, lol. (it's a sick addiction!)......oh, where was I---yeah, the art journal page--well, I think I really only like the way the right page turned out (the clown kids). I was excited about the multiple wallet sizes of the pictures on the left page--but they just didn't end up the way I was hoping...oh well, you live you learn.

Tuesday, April 29, 2008

pretty petals

I'm really having fun playing in my art journal--trying new techniques and getting my fingers really really dirty. I picked up a new thing of gel medium (golden) today. I've been using the regular matte gel, but decided to pick up some of the soft. I'm glad I did...it spreads a lot easier and I need to lose quite a bit less. I just wish the gel mediums weren't so expensive--considering how fast I go through them. (although today I used the 50% coupon at Michaels so I got the gel for $10)

I stopped at the thrift store at the way home and picked up a couple hardcover books to tear the pages out of for collage work, one of them is an illustrated version of Aesop's Fables so I'm pretty stoked about that. And at 25 cents, you can't go wrong.
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Monday, April 28, 2008


Today's art journal entry, "Flutter-by, Fly Free" I hope to see some butterflies soon, but the weather here in Minnesota has been uncooperative. It was a beautiful weekend home in Chicago, the high 70's on Friday and 60's on Saturday. So, it was disappointing to come back to Minnesota only to find out it had both rained and snowed over the weekend, and the highs this week are only in the 40's. Jason's hops are growing inches a day in their temporary pots in the dining room, itching to get into the ground. We can't till and plant them until the weather turns and there's no chance of a frost.

I saw Margaret Cho on saturday night with my good friend Al in Chicago. We enjoyed some shopping on the north side and some yummy eats at EarWax Cafe before the show. After Margaret brought down the house, we met up with my brother and his boyfriend again on the north side for hours of fun and drinks. (I'll share some pics when Al and/or my brother send me some....I know I know, it's crazy--but I didn't bring my camera!!)

Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Kermit said, "it's not easy being green," but really, it is!!! Today is Earth Day....what did you do to reduce your carbon footprint and be kind to the earth? I needed a few things from the grocery store, but instead of jumping in my truck, I jumped on my bike and road to the grocery store (it's only a bit over a mile). I remembered to grab a cotton sack for my groceries, so I don't have to debate between paper and plastic. Once at the grocery store, I bought as much organic as I could (remember, if local produce is available that's even better! Unfortunately local isn't available yet in Minnesota...and if you can shop at a Food Coop that's ideal--but that's for another blog)
I stocked up on my chocolate soy milk, tempeh and a bunch of produce. I have a great Topeak bag on my bike, and it has drop down saddle bags that are perfect for lugging groceries. (they fold and zip up when I don't want them down)

Going green doesn't have to be hard, and certainly not costly! Going green can save you money! Turn your lights out when you're not home, have a energy saver switch installed on your air-conditioning, go vegan (try it for a week even), walk or bike whenever possible instead of driving, carpool or use mass transit, buy local, buy organic, recycle everything possible, use cloth sacks when grocery shopping, turn the water off while brushing your teeth, reduce your shower time by a couple minutes, stop using bottled water and put tap in a reusable bottle, only cook what you intend to eat (or save for leftovers), change your light bulbs to energy savers, start a compost pile, check out books from the library instead of buying new ones, read your magazines on-line....and so much more. Remember, every little bit adds up!

Here's today's art journal entry in honor of Earth Day.

Tuesday, April 15, 2008

the sheer joy of shopping

This has been LONG awaited! (you know I'm right Kerri!) Finally, my favorite store in the WHOLE ENTIRE EARTH, Paris to the Moon, Now has an online store!!!!!!!!!!! You've probably heard/read me rave about Paris to the Moon plenty--it's a great little shop (as is their evil twin shop, Paris Underground) in Costa Mesa, CA. I only have the joy of visiting once a year--but when I do, Kerri is just so wonderful and welcoming! (I heart Kerri) The site is still under construction, and they're continuously adding new items (cough, cough--Kerri--PULEEEZE get the treasures from the sea up soon--you know how I love my mermaids!!!). And of course-if you get the chance--DO DO DO go visit them if you're in southern california!!!!!!!

Monday, April 14, 2008

14 magazines, 2 books and a couple 5 pound weights

or 23 pounds....in other words, the amount of weight I've lost so far. (I'd share a picture of me doing the happy dance, but a picture of me dancing, let alone with no make up on is not pretty) I've got plenty to go still, but I'm pretty psyched so far. I've been enjoying going to the gym lately, but I know I'll be enjoying my outdoor workout far more as spring has finally decided to reveal her finicky self.

Here's my issue with the gym lately. It's a small, happy little gym...yes, it's a national franchise--but it's the smaller of the two Anytime Fitness centers in town, and on the edge of our residential community (unlike the other which is large and downtown). People are catching on to my happy little gym though...good for the gym owners, bad for me. It's bustling, it seems, whenever I want to be there. And I'm talking about bustling with the kind of people that make me feel a great deal of anxiety when I use the equipment adjacent to them; the skinny girl casually wearing nothing but her sports bra on top, showcasing her perfectly perky twins, and tiny shorts on the bottom, ensuring that we know that yes, indeed, her legs do go all the way up. So, while I'm trying to ignore Bufffy the Treadmill Slayer and boost my own confidence, pumping up my ipod with tunes of Mika, "Big girl...you are beautiful," the tunes are being overpowered by what appears to be someone training for a local strongman competition (based on the intensity of his grunts, and his spotting partner, saying "c'mon dude 2 more!") All the while, there I am sweating like a potroast and looking anything but haute. I fear that I'll have to start going to the gym in the middle of the night now, just to avoid possible interaction with Mr. and Mrs. Universe.

Thursday, April 10, 2008

Art Journal entry


Because sometimes I want to be a messy 5 year old again
Because these hands were made to create art
Because I don't always want to make a pretty scrapbook page
Because art is more than a hobby
Because I feel alive when I create

Wednesday, April 09, 2008

Monty, super greyhound

I have paint slopped hands tonight--well, part paint, part gesso, part gel medium. I tried to get it all off, but sometimes you just have to let it dry all the way and then peel it off later, as in tomorrow morning. I was playing with paint again today, and decided to let Monty get involved. No, I didn't put a paint brush in his paw, but I did put his picture down on the canvas on top of some collage layers and paint, and then added some more paint.....I kind of wish I had left the photo like it was, but you live you learn--it's just a little fun piece of my favorite subject.
and here's a happy tune for you. :)

Monday, April 07, 2008

Arty Fartsy, the painting Tartsy

I was feeling rather artsy fartsy today, and decided to play around with some paint....I don't usually paint---well, that's not true, I paint alot, but I rarely paint things that are discernible, like people or places or figures...I'm more of a Pollach type of painter--happy messes. But, inspired by Suziblu (my favorite youtube art vlogging goddess) I decided to do a "self portrait"......it's an old vlog of hers and I've watched it a bazillion times--but I was afraid (yes, me, chelsea morning no fear art princess was afraid-make a note)...so my self portrait doesn't look like me, andi t isn't exactly a beauty....but it's beautiful because I did it (or atleast I'm telling myself)--and yours will be beautiful when you do it. :) There's lots of happy layers--most of which you can't see because they're hidden under gesso and paint, but they're there. (it's like a little secret)

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random thoughts on a sunday evening

well, technically monday morning--but, it's still Sunday somewhere--like California. :)

Let's see....well I had a migraine a good deal of the day today and spent most of the daylight hours in bed. My doggy was a good snuggler and tried to make his mommy feel better. Unfortunately I didn't get to have my weekly Sunday chat with my Dad. He called but I think I shooed him away in a semi-sleeping pained state. (sorry Daddy..I'll call tomorrow)

Oh, a miracle! When I finally did get my arse out of bed, the little cleaning bug crawled up my behind again and I went downstairs and started to work on the studio-yeah! Now, don't go thinking that's it's actually clean yet--but I did manage to clean off my work space/desk/old kitchen table from when I was a kid (and apparently used as a ping pong table when my stepmom was a kid...so if you ask me I have one cool ass work space), anywho--since that's cleaned off, I'm like 1/100th of the way done, lol (seriously people, it's Messy, and we're not talking hot ghetto mess--we're talking "what the hell happened in here, I hope I don't find someone dead under any of this" mess) So, I'll keep working.

I bought a new Holga...and I'm hella excited about it. (yeah, I'm goin old school and throwing the hella in there, cuz I'm a dork like that, deal.) I also bought a cheap tripod from ebay (one of my vices--god help me)...it's nothing great, but I wanted a cheap back up one, it'll be good for doing long exposures, as long as it's not inclement conditions, because it's not the sturdiest thing. I have a heavy duty one--but it's just that, heavy duty--and heavy, and not the most convenient for travel. I'm planning on getting a gorilla pod for slr's soon--because they're awesome--and I need. (please note fine line between want and need)


Al and I are going to see Margaret Cho again at the end of the month in Chicago--I'm psyched about that--because she's awesome. Unfortunately, it's the same day as the sox game my brother wanted me to go with. :( I hate missing out on a Sox game, especially with my family. Hopefully there'll be a different time this spring or summer that me and Buddy can go together. Speaking of Bud, we've been playing phone tag all weekend--I promise we'll talk soon bro!

Wow, that was a lot of rambling and not a lot said---well, I'll start posting photos and art soon, as I'm beginning to see spring and my studio again, both very very good things!

Thursday, April 03, 2008

This, that and other such things

The snow is finally starting to melt up here in the frozen tundra. As a matter of fact, it's supposed to get into the 50's this weekend, so I'm sure half the population will be out barbecuing in shorts. (hey, 50's tropical to Minnesotans!) I'm looking forward to the coming of spring weather so I can finally do some outdoor activities, instead of limiting all my workouts to the gym. The one great thing about Minnesota is once the weather warms up, the access to the outdoors is amazing. There are three beautiful bike trails, all within a couple miles of my house....I kayak on a lake only about 8 minutes away...I live in the river valley, which means there's some great hills to climb up and down ("go go gadget thighs!")

Speaking of the gym, I've been a good little gym rat lately and have been really good on my dietary changes. I stopped drinking beer during the weekdays (and for those of you who know me, that's a BIG DEAL....this girl likes her beer), cut out about 90% of the dairy from my diet, and god rid of almost any processed (i.e. boxed and bagged)foods I was eating. Even being a vegetarian for 12 years now, I still needed some improvements to my diet, and god knows my waist line! That being said, I've lost 18 pounds so far! I'm pretty stoked about it, and can't wait to keep going.

Let's see...what else...oh, I'm planning a photography road trip with my best friend Erik for next month. I'll be flying out to California, and then we'll do old route 66 through New Mexico. I've never really explored the southwest, so I'm really looking forward to it! (and spending time with Erik--so we can sing ridiculously loud in the car together and laugh until we nearly wet outselves!)


Jason and I are getting ready for our trip to Europe this summer. I just bought a language translator, which sounds like it may come in handy, especially in the Czek Republic! (we'll be in Germany, Austria, Hungary and the Czek Republic) We'll be traveling with my parents, which I actually quite enjoy. (unless my dad drags me to a ridiculous amount of military forts (his favorite) or castles (I'm putting a trip max on them)) I think my Dad and Jason are most exciting about drinking their way through Europe! A friend and former co-worker of my Father's lives in Prague. She's a native to the area and moved back after living in the US for the majority of her life. I'm really excited that a local will be showing us around, not to mention that her husband is a photographer and I can pick his brain!

Oh, I keep meaning to mention it, and suggest it for your own blogs....do you have a blog tracker? I do! Not only does the tracker cover the basics of how many people came to your blog, and where they came from (direct address, search engine, link from another blog/page), it also gives you the IP address of all your visitors and geographical locations! It's a great tool, to know what's going on behind the scenes. So, "anonymous" might not be so anonymous after all, lol. All jokes aside, it's not so much a "spy tool" (although it can be), as much as it's a fun way of getting to know your blog and your readers a little better. (and if you see they are linking from someone else's blog--you can thank the other blogger for hot linking you!)

I've been actually cleaning! and I don't mean just straightening and dusting--I mean cleaning out--gotta go--no room for you sort of cleaning. My walk-in closet is so perfectly organized I could live in it---well, if there was a bathroom and kitchen in there (note to self for next house). I did the large closet in the spare bedroom today...only adding to the mass of things to get rid of at the garage sale. (yes, I'm giving into suburbia and having my first ever garage sale some time this spring) I even took EVERYTHING out of the pantry and reorganized it. If I'm doing that, I'm obviously getting desperate and avoiding cleaning my studio at any cost! I really have to clean out the studio and the basement--otherwise we'll never get a contractor in there for an estimate, let alone to do any work....but the thought of tackling all the stuff I meticulously threw around the room, in the perfect spot where I'd never be able to find it again, scares me. (although cleaning my studio always feels like christmas--because I always find things I forgot about or didn't even know I bought!)
So, if you're wondering why I haven't posted any art lately--um, that's why....seriously, I'm working on it...or will work on it....soon.
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