Friends

( You are about to view content that may not be appropriate for minors. )

( +11 )

Long day! Got the brushes out maybe 9:15 this morning and
crawled home after six, with a short lunch.

Worked with some students, will ask tomorrow if I
can show off their work here. I have a group
of regulars and they are now past playing with the
art supplies to see what they can do; they are wondering
what I might ask them to do or help them to do,
if they let me. Which is awesome.
It's easy to teach someone who is feeling it to learn!

Worked on collage/working in layers with one student, charcoal sketching
from photographic source material with another,
and a third I tormented with everything from timed sketches to blind contour
drawings because she's a sport and because she had already built up a repetoire
of skills from drawing during all her classes for the past 10+ years.

None of them have art classes yet, which
is why they have the time to sit around and paint and draw. The advanced art
students like to discuss content and technique but they have projects due shortly;
if they are painting, it is for an assignment.


Today was more parrots, and turning the crows into house crows,
and researching UAE birds to identify the type of egret I see every day,
I want to fit it in this piece somewhere.


Guess I get to fix the wing attachment point on the top bird in the morning.
Added Arabic text into city skyline, painted in around buildings.




Tinkered with the sky in response to some feedback. Will see what it looks like
tomorrow but I think I will be tinkering more, it wants another layer.
Preferably when I am not grumbling at the painting I think you should
be done already. They take as long as they take, and I cannot grumble
and paint nicely at the same time.

So a long time ago, ( my aunt gave me this prom dress.... )

It's in very good shape. There are a few tiny tears at the hem where once upon a time my cat decided that he was going to sit in the closet and chew on hanging things (don't get me started). It hasn't yellowed as much as i thought it has, which is good.

So...how could I freshen this up? It smells a bit musty from being wrapped up in plastic in my closet, and I'd like to maybe see if I could get the color a little brighter (although that really isn't a huge deal if I can't).

I want to avoid bleach, as I think it might turn out rather badly. I'm considering tossing it in the gentle cycle with some vinegar, maybe some baking soda (not sure which).

Do you all think this would work or is there something better for it that I've not heard of?

Wanna see some pictures of my wackiest sewing project yet?
 ( Read more... )

TweetGlide App for Twitter. NEW! http://tinyurl.com/y87rwvx via drop.io

( +3 )

http://www.ebsqart.com/ArtOfTheDay/cmd_20091229_ArtOfTheDay.htm

After all this time, the sun never says to the earth, YOU owe me

The Seven Year Itch (Wilder, 1955)

Richard: You don't have to worry about me. Just remember that although I have tremendous personal magnetism I also have tremendous strength of character.
Helen: And, tremendous imagination! Lately you've begun to imagine in CinemaScope, with stereophonic sound.

Hello

Well, Christmas is pretty much over and if you are lucky and generous relatives gave you cash for Christmas, your thoughts may be turning to……shoes, naturally!

Here are some of my current favourites:

Mina Perhonen, I saw these in Japan, but they were way out of my price range, Im never certain about Western boots, but these had butterflies

( Read more... )

I've never added a lining to a garment before and could use some pointers.

I want to line a pair of wool pants that I am currently working on. When I'm cutting out the lining, should I make it the exact size and shape of the outer layer (without pockets and other details)? Or do I need to modify it in any way? I know I will want to hem it a tiny bit shorter, and I won't cut a waistband. I am planning on attaching the lining to the waistband facing, and slipstiching it to the back zipper, which the directions say to do for the facing. Does that sound about right?

If it makes a difference, I'm making view A of this pattern.

Jan
We have entered the six weeks before Liv's birthday time frame.

Feb
I just did our taxes and we only owe $2k!

March
February is so looong. It seems like Liv's birthday was months ago...

April
Fiction:
March--Geraldine Brooks~ I read this for a book group that is going to meet next week.

May
Laying in bed this morning, I was listening to the noises come from the kids room. An occasional very soft rustle. Not the sounds of a first grader getting dressed, rather the quiet sound of pages turning. I knew what it was.

June
know it has been awhile, but since last monday!

July
Summer, summer, where are you?
I want to go to the wading pool. I want to swelter upon walking out the door.

August
In a different time zone, my body still wakes up at 7MA CDT. So I got to see the sun rise over the hill on the other side of town.

September
Liv's first day of school

October
Not really running, as I have not been to the gym now in over a week. I skipped cycle class this week, felling I really did get an extensive amount of exercise this past weekend.

November
Halloween photo

December
Need to write the Holiday letter.

Earlier today I was thinking about expanding the children's dvd library.  I've kept it really small so far.  Voltron, The Electric Company (TOS), PeeWee's Playhouse, G-Force, My Neighbor Totoro and Kiki's Delivery Service. Between these and whatever PBS or Nick Jr shows are available On Demand at any given moment we've done okay.  But I think it's time for some new stuff.  I got them the re-mastered Wizard of Oz for xmas because it's a classic, even if it is guaranteed to scare the bejeezus out of sensitive little kids the first time they see it.  And the next dozen thereafter. 

But what else?  I need a list of shows and movies that are excellent and timeless, even if they are very much of a particular time and place.  Classics.  For example, The Electric Company is so deeply 70s.  There is no other era that could have produced it.  And it is fabulous.  My unsophisticated kids don't care about the no longer state of the art computer graphics and special effects, they just like the skits and songs.  Mr. Earl is learning to read from watching it.  PeeWee's playhouse is the 80's through and through.  My kids love it.  What else can I give them?

So far I've thought of The Adventures of Pete & Pete, but I know there's got to be more, just waiting for me to remember and get them.  Suggestions?

Thank goodness it is Monday and I get to be at work. I also hit cycle class and the scale at the gym. Not as bad as it could be!

My children, man.
We went to a new friend's house yesterday. she has a five year old. and somehow, my kids were just not as good as I had hoped they would be. But, in retrospect, they were fine and I was touchy. For lots of reasons the main one being that is was Sunday afternoon of a four day weekend. Including Xmas. Wow.

So, we survived the blizzard of the decade. It wasn't that bad, really, but it did snow a lot. and sleeted. and rained. and then froze. So first there was snow, then slush and now ice.

The kids slept on Xmas eve, Santa came, we didn't even have to construct anything this year, just wrap and then Xmas morning was pretty relaxed. Everyone got what they wanted. Xav got many legos, including three new power miner sets, one space police set and one "normal" one that made a car. Liv got her pillow pet, some Webkinz and some castle legos.

Jim got computer games and bourbon. And I got bath bombs and purple dice from the kids and the two CDs I really really wanted from Jim. It was good all the way around.

Then we headed off to Alice's over very slushy roads. Jim drove. We took all our cookies and some booze. Wine, sparkling wine and Hot Buttered rum mix, with the rum.

I have had every person I have given a Hot buttered Rum to this year say "I have never had this drink before!" Has no one besides me grown up with this drink? I mean, I know coconuthead drinks them, but what about the rest of you?

And on Xmas night, I got to go out and see Sherlock Holmes. Yes, he is as hot as we expected. it is true. Yummy. And now there are so many good movies to go an see. I am sure I will not get to see lots of them, but they are there!

The rest of the weekend was not bad. We cleaned, we built legos, we played computer games. Played in the snow and read (one more book to finish before the end of the year!)

Sunday, we played games. I got to play Agricola, which was quite fun, though I lost miserably. But that is generally the case when I play games. I think I like to play board games, but I am beginning to think maybe I don't. It would be nice to lose by a close call now and then.

Anyway. I am very happy to see the butt end of Xmas. I like New Years better.

Started a new piece today, that is the black canvas in the middle. Did another
interview with a student, and had some nice conversations.

This blog has anonymous UAE readers! I have been told
about you! Fear not, you were not named by name. But I know
you exist because I found out about you today
in the faculty lunchroom. :))) Leave a comment or email me or something--
as you know, this (blogged) residency is kind of a new thing for the uni
(and me). If reading about it is working for you, it is nice to know.
If it is not working for you, I want to know that too.

Really aware I have
only three days left to paint-- I don't know what I can get done, rushing the
work won't help-- wanting to make the most of the time.


Students have been using the studio space even when I'm not there, which
is awesome-- I walked in to find another four canvases drying under the
stairs. The students however are messier than I am. At least the drips are
acrylic and dry fast, so I'm not tracking paint down the hall. :)


I figured out how to get this angled shot sitting on the stairs through the
banister bars.


I mostly painted parrots. I did not get a detail shot so no
parroty details for you.


I wanted to see if uni tired would photograph. It is a strange
tired, I've been hearing about it for years from people who teach.
Basically your brain quits working and your body says loudly how it wants a nap.
It threatens nonspecific but dire illnesses.

I'm not getting the full expression of university tired since my
interactions are all informal, no meetings or lectures, and I get to paint.
In my case it's about trying to be there for people/conversations because the
chance to have them won't necessarily come again, but having no brain.
Wishing to say something witty or kind or helpful or just-right but
there is only static where the words should be. Nodding and smiling
inanely. Feeling intense sympathy with tongue-tied students, but they
have the excuse that they are managing in a second language, and I am not
managing all that well in my first one.

Mornings are pretty good though.

I got a new (used) sewing machine for christmas. The problem is, it did not come with the manual. I am trying to find the manual to purchase online, but I don't know what specific machine I have. It says Husqvarna Viking, and then on the gold thing on the bottom right it says "300" and on the top left it says "Embroidery".

I've tried googling endlessly and I'm only finding the model "Scandinavia" that has 300 along with it but it doesn't look like my machine. Halp??!

here is what it looks like: http://photos-c.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs213.snc3/22059_650808063467_20602128_37744317_7717184_n.jpg

http://www.ebsqart.com/ArtOfTheDay/cmd_20091228_ArtOfTheDay.htm

Takes 2 seconds, just hit that "vote" button and confirm it!

Fabulous Pet Names Sponsored by The Limited

Trying to decide between these three for my bedroom.
Tell me what you think, please! (Unless it's that you hate them all, and I have terrible taste. Feel free to keep that to yourself.)

P.S. They're all really inexpensive. First two are from Lowes and third is from Home Depot!

1.

2.

3.