Resting

All of my wisdom teeth are gone! I assume. I refuse to check.
General anaesthetic was a very good idea! The doctors were so super nice and I got to nap in a dark, quiet room upon waking.

There was a moment of panic when I arrived at the office and it was closed. Ha ha! ha. And then again when the nurse neglected to weigh me, saying "Oh I'll take your word for it!"

Crazy girl! I don't know how much I weigh, I just put down a number that sounded right!

And so today I discovered that I am 160lbs. Woot woot. Not awful, not great.

Okay, so, it's hard to do anything productive when I've been holding ice on my face for the past... five hours. BUT! Painting inspiration has struck at least so I will have something to work on when I am better.

Submitted for a group exhibition in Delta, wish me luck!

ps: I would really like some ice cream. Should I?

Waiting and Fretting

Today has not been a productive day and I think I'm just going to let that one go. Weird, because it's nice weather out for once and I don't even want to leave the house or sit at my desk where the pretty sunlight is coming in.

So today there has been no journaling, no painting, no sketching. Though I did send out the newsletter this morning, and wrote a hefty cheque for the city licensing department (etsy shop could be open soon! Good thing too, because now we're poor lol).

I think I am just too distracted by the fact that I'm about to get all of my wisdom teeth removed tomorrow and never really realized the gravity of such a thing. I thought maybe it would be just achy and swollen and now I'm hearing that I will be unable to work and there are risks of "dry sockets" and other unpleasant sounding things that I wasn't warned about before. Shucks!

Sucks to be my employers right now - heh. Ah well. Oh please let me be one of those people who shrug it off, NOT one of those people who are bedridden for a week!

Journal Post 2/24/12

I haven't been writing in my journal lately so I'm about four pages ahead. Oh well!

(Perhaps this is why things keep chasing me in my sleep...)



One of the things I FINALLY wanted to try was foam printing using this technique. Mine didn't turn out very well, but then again I am using paint and a brush instead of ink and a brayer. And an uneven surface. I'm sure it makes a huge difference, lol.

Well anyway, apart from having the wrong tools and surfaces, it's a pretty easy project to do!

Custom stamps

What an awesome mail week!



I ordered this custom return address stamp from modernartstamps a while ago. I fell in love with these designs and wanted one for myself. After all, writing the return address gets a bit tedious after a while. And it never involves adorable flowers.



There were so many cute designs to choose from... I think the only reason I settled on the mod flowers is because I was worried that more complicated designs would become too large for small envelopes, and the postal service is easily confused.



This one is unmounted and doesn't (according to the shop) cling to mounting blocks. I haven't actually tried yet because it's sturdy enough that I can stamp it without using any additional tools.

Obviously, I'm going to have to get an inkpad in some colour other than light blue, lol.

I love surprises!

I got something completely unexpected in the mail yesterday. In fact, after its arrival I decided to gaze at it suspiciously instead of read it.



Creative Quarterly sent me their most recent issue of their magazine! I don't know why and I'm afraid to ask. Perhaps this is the first issue that I submitted to (and failed to be included), but I didn't keep track of it. It seems unusual that non-winners would get a copy, so I don't know if this is awesome or a mistake! lol Whatever, I'm happy.



You know what automatically gets them in my "good" books? The fact that canadian selling price is only a dollar higher than american. Hell yes. When novels are DOUBLE the price in canada (for political reasons, not good ones), this is a refreshing change! You rock!



The only other mag of theirs I've seen is the 3x3 issue I bought a few years ago. And the art in this magazine is almost identical, actually. Do they keep publishing the same artists over and over? I don't know.

Anyway, it was a lovely surprise! And the artwork inside is fantastic. I don't know about other places but it's a struggle to find magazines like this here. It's like stores skip from photography tips right into country-time scrapbooking without ever acknowledging large categories of fine art! It's puzzling to me. I only ever saw one single copy of Creative Quarterly (3x3) in a store and I snatched it up, even though it cost $25 and I was even poorer then, haha.



One thing: I think I spend too much time on the internet because reading some of these artist profiles and opportunities reminded me of how posh and exclusive the professional art world can be. I couldn't help but feel way out of my league when reading the artist profiles. Seeing the qualifications I may never have. Reading the answers to the questions and feeling suddenly inadequate.

Am I inadequate? Am I supposed to be fond of reading essays? Are my parents supposed to be the most influencial people in my life? Should I only watch classic films? Should "travel" be how I spend my free time? Should I joke about religion and politics in my answers, if only to show how smart and educated I am?

It seems like a completely different world when visiting galleries and reading magazines. It's really no wonder why I was so discouraged from art careers before.

Does this mean I am naive now that I have a bit of hope?

I'd prefer to think that the world is being turned up over its own heels, that ideas and beauty and opportunities and fulfillment are no longer reserved for the upper class! I'd prefer to think that someday we are going to take it all back...

Step by Step - Feathered Pair

Super quick step-by-step today! Taking a chance with my brain to see if anything will happen.



Ok, so I played with the bubble wrap, but it got a bit lost (and smeared) under the white paint. Shucks. I also lost all of the lovely text, too. Sometimes when there is an interesting sentence on the page I will preserve it. Oh well, there will be other paintings.



I had a brief discussion yesterday about crows, and about how I personally suspect that they mate for life. That might not be true, but it seems that way to me. They are very sweet with each other!



Didn't care for that blue underneath so I added warm layers of watercolour. It reacts kind of funny on top of acrylic.



Think I'm done with it, really. I kind of like it! It was pretty brief, maybe an hour at the most. Hoping this will work up to something bigger later...

Journal Post 2/20/12

I went to Michaels on the way home today just to wander around and look at things. I ended up buying these cute paper tags for dating my journal pages! They're double sided, maybe there is some other use for them that I don't know about.



This week's Journaling Deep encouraged us to look for patterns in real life (ie: photos) and I am struggling a little bit with it. I went with a piece of chinese writing as a pattern, but I don't think that really counts, heh.



Not a lot has been happening because I've been so distracted by regular life events - learning about running a home business, wondering where I stand on the "marriage" issue, & trying to find time for friends/family between dentist and driving appointments... ugh!

Scatterbrained.

Sketching - Snakes

Ahem, so today I am practicing drawing snakes.

Yes.



I'm sure this is what you've been waiting for.

Me, I think snakes are adorable. Though I suspect they might be better loved if they were warm blooded creatures. They have cute little faces.



I actually really didn't feel like drawing snakes (or anything at all) today. And when I don't feel like drawing, I tend to rush through it and ignore details. But I can forgive myself that... it's only drawing after all.



Most artists will tell you to draw and paint every day even if you REALLY don't want to, if only because you're less likely to come up with anything by NOT drawing. That is true, but I never come up with anything good when I don't want to. That's okay.

I think a better approach is to visit an art gallery. There's something about seeing art up close. And to see art get positive attention rather than just be used as a tool to sell products. I bet you'd feel like drawing then.

Journal Post 2/16/12

I really like the page on the left as it was so I didn't do a lot to cover it up.



I found out today that I can't purchase light packet shipping online! Why, Canada Post, why?

Inspired: Book of Notes

I was inspired by this post on Oh Hello, Friend and thought about making one for my friend and pen pal in the states.







Also, need a local small business mentor - STAT! I'm not used to strangers calling me on the phone. Ironically, I can't seem to get ahold of any useful accountants at the moment...

Valentine's Day

Somehow I managed to finish my valentine (though I originally wanted there to be more hearts) despite forgetting about it all last week. Whoops. But this is fine. I can always add to it later or start something new.

My S.O isn't the thoughtful type, so if there is any valentine's day giving of any sort, it's gonna have to be me!



I need to think of something yummy to cook tonight!

Journal Post 2/13/12

I'm just casually checking in today. It's so nice outside but I'm stuck at home waiting for a phone call that probably won't come. Oh well! It's quite relaxing!



There's just something amazing about clear days. The window is open so I can hear signs of life outside, which turns the cats into happy, active kitties!

I watched this video for the first time which is also amazing... love that loop pedal!



I'm also pretty sure that anything Canal+ touches is magic.

Yummy Cupcakes!

This is the result of this recipe!

They're pretty good! I don't know if they are particularly... Amaretto-y. But they're pretty tasty. Sweet, too. I was mostly excited to try a vegan frosting because I haven't yet found a good one. But this is pretty good! It's more of a crusting buttercream, I just used vegan margarine instead of butter.

Man, it's a bit "grittier" and sweeter than a meringue buttercream, but still so yummy.

Vegan Fondant Flowers

It's kind of a lazy flower, actually. Just roll out some fondant and cut out some flowers with a flower cutter. Then I like to roll a tiny ball and press it against the surface of a sieve, to get a bumpy texture for the middle of the flower!

The vegan fondant was extra sticky and has a weirder texture... kind of like a Japanese mochi. It's definitely odd.

To make this, buy some marshmallows (or vegan ones, in this case) and melt them down however you like. Add a tiny spoonful of glucose (or corn syrup, because who has glucose?) and a whole bunch of icing sugar.

(Sugar isn't really "vegan" depending on how strict you are... Though if you get your sugar from Ontario, you're good.)

Just keep adding icing sugar until you get a nice dough, not too soft or sticky. Wrap it in plastic and store in an airtight container. It has a pretty good shelf life at room temperature! The decorations will harden if left uncovered.

Journal Post 2/8/12

Oh no, the rain is falling. This week I am tidying up and making cupcakes for guests on Friday, I guess to distract myself from the fact I have to drive a car again that morning... eep.

I can't believe I'm more worried about driving than I am about getting all of my wisdom teeth removed. More worried about driving than taking care of business related stuff. Or being social. I think the worse part is knowing that the fear is not about driving but about being judged for my driving. So dumb.

So these are the cupcakes I'm making! Except using vegan margarine for the frosting and probably soy milk for the coconut milk because coconut is always iffy in a crowd. Well, so is ground almonds, but people with almond allergies wouldn't be consuming amaretto anyway. SO THERE.

Wanted to make some little flower decorations so I'm trying to melt vegan marshmallows on the stove. So far, these are the stickiest of marshmallows and very stubborn. It's been 45 minutes and they're only halfway melted. Upwards and onwards!

Photo A Day Project

Somehow I am still kicking with the daily photo thing. It's still hard to remember and even harder to think of something to photograph (because I don't really go anywhere), but I've only missed a couple of days. One of the "photos" this week was actually a screenshot.

I saved up a bunch of images and arranged them all on a sheet of paper (to be printed out as 2x2" squares) kind of like a grid. A very colourful grid. They were printed on a laser printer at the college! So they're super colourful and kind of shiny!

I thought they actually looked awesome as a full page grid, but I committed myself to paste them into this book so that's where they're going! So far it is working out pretty well. They're already dated in photoshop so I don't have to remember any details after a month of image collecting.

So far, this project is very very cool and can only get better with age. You should try it!

Journal post 2/5/12

It seems that spring has sprung early this year! Not only has it been sunny and clear for a week, the heavy chill seems to be gone.

It's not warm, or anything, but last year it was winter right up until June and then suddenly it was summer. So this is nice.



There is still so much to do. My driving instructor has resorted to calling me to see if I am still alive. Consultation for my teeth is tomorrow. Most of all, I am waffling over the idea of throwing myself fully into being an artist.
Huh. It sound so strange to hear myself say that. Would it be complicated? Would it be motivating? To start taking myself a little more seriously? I don't know, and I can't seem to take the first step forward.

And I am too afraid to book a driving test! Ugh! I'd love to be done with this, but that means having to actually do it!

Cross stitching

I'm doing a super secret project with cross stitching! I haven't done cross stitching since I was fourteen, and even then I never finished a kit because I always ran out of thread.

(I didn't know I was supposed to separate each thread... or even really how to properly stitch for that matter)

Cross stitching has kind of a kitschy reputation; Instruction books tend to feature country style imagery that really doesn't interest me, and online it seems to be a bunch of licensed characters thrown through a Mosaic filter on Photoshop.

But every once in a while I see some cute, contemporary designs like these ones!

And the Regretsy samplers will make me giggle on occasion.

Journal Post 2/1/12

I have a package to send to my mum so I thought, wouldn't it be a good way to test online shipping? It went swimmingly up to the point where I had to print out the label. My printer refused to print anything in black.

Well, except for a particular useless chunk of the label, actually, but it was a new ink that worked last week. I think I spent two or three hours trying to fix it.

If you go online and find some dubious looking suggestion to soak the cartridge in a shallow layer of hot water, it totally works and you should try it if nothing else does. Because it does. Huzzah.



I don't think I've had this much difficulty typing before. Who moved all of my keys??

Today I'm playing with photoshop templates from the lovely PuglyPixel, who has lots of super fun things - you should check it out.