Illustration Friday - Broken

This is one of the Pecan trees in our backyard....I noticed what a huge knot had formed where a limb must have been broken off years ago....I also played with some watercolors here for the first time so forgive the lack of technique ;)

Not much broken in my world right now so I didn't want to think to hard on this one and jinx myself!

productive weekend

check out new uploads on Flickr for updates on the Xmas ornament and wall hanging, also got the back room slightly cleaner, straightened out the back of the house, grilled on the new pony keg cooker I got at the auction last Tuesday and enjoyed a fire outside....and played around a little with a set of water colors I found in the art bench this morning, I'll post tomorrow when I can scan....oh and best of all found somewhere we feel comfortable get our cut at...

Happy Halloween Eve

Halloweens from years past

Things I should be working on...

1. Family Xmas ornament - still no real solid ideas, Em - the snowman thing is still in my mind, kind of a s'mores thing (like the mug Bethy sent me that year) but I can't decide on how to make it dimensional and that's really important
2. Blocks for the new baby - the niece (actually both nieces) in ATL are pregnant and baby blocks have been specifically requested by the one I would never say no to...got the wood, got the saw, always wanted to make a set, just need to cut the pieces
3. Wall hanging for Roo - girl at work just had baby, I'm supposed to make a wall hanging to match her nursery set (she's perfect), I've had the design for a while - undersea things - individual pieces are traced out, needs to be cut, I have to do the background and paint...no where close to being done, said I'd have it by the first time she visited....so I have a few weeks at least, right?
4. Christmas drop-in invitation for work - I have to remember I (got) volunteered for this and it could be good since it goes to so many people...big intentions here and not the usual Illustrator stuff they're used to (from girl with baby above)...need to find out what is realistic by talking to printers soon - very soon - maybe tomorrow or Friday
5. Ebay
6. Cleaning out dog/work/storage/laundry room
7. Coming up with something great for J's 50th birthday next year
8. Anticipating my dad and stepmother's move to this side of town - and that they're moving into a house that needs lots of the kind of things I'm good at, but probably won't get asked to help since I'm a girl
9. Yard Decorations for Xmas - we want different this year and need to figure out what that means

okay, so I could go on for another 100 or so, LOL......

Snoopy Character

You are Rerun!


Which Peanuts Character are You?
brought to you by Quizilla

what's funny about this - is that a math teacher I had for three years in high school used to call me this because of the pants I used to wear (really - not b/c I had his classes for that long, they were different courses I swear ;))...funny guy, he had an autographed picture of the Cooper River Bridge

it's getting cold

and I truly hate cold weather...yeah, I know it's SC and cold really isn't cold compared to truly cold places, but I hate to be even the least bit chilled which can happen anywhere below 75 or 80 degrees (Fahrenheit of course ;)) so, it's finally hitting that time of year when I dread the task of staying warm...an especially important task in bed where my feet are always ice-cubes and I cannot sleep if I'm freezing...

we are big flannel sheet fans and while I'm not ready for those quite yet...it is definately appropriate to have warmer bed stuff out starting this week with temperatures hitting the 40's at night...our electric blanket pretty much died last spring and tonite we decided to hit the Ryans Grazing Bar for dinner (my issues with buffets are a whole different post entirely) and head to Kmart afterwards to see what kind of heated blanket we could find.....

this is what we decided on - Heated Mattress Pad - I'm a little concerned because it's only got one control (couples that sleep on full mattresses evidently don't need choices) and because it's not heat from above and because I'm wondering if I'll be able to feel the wires on my back....but the idea of sleeping on a big heating pad is appealing....more importantly, I'm wondering if we really love it, will we be able to add an electric blanket once it hits the 20's and 30's and I'm miserable beyond words?...and just how much of a death ray do these things really give off while we're laying there toasting?

I hate the cold.

catching up

lots of stuff happening lately, real-life interfering with my online time, but I've been trying to read and keep up and there are a couple of things that I've wanted to toss some thoughts around about and just haven't taken the time......

National Coming Out Day was last week, Denise posted about it and TW posted a funny story about their kids in church on Pride Sunday (that just makes me laugh to even think there is such a thing) and then I read this post by Colleen Keating on tolerance....and with all that in mind, I come back to the fact that I don't want a special day or to be tolerated - I just want to be who I am and respected for whatever that means....no small thing and I say that knowing full well people aren't generally respectful and I say that having toned way down with the in your face politics that I hid my share of anger in...but mostly it just frustrates me that we have to create special events or avoid the most routine in order to prove how normal we are and how worthy of tolerance we should be....

less serious but just as important - Norah is hysterical...her entries make me laugh...I think we must have similiar jobs so that makes it even better..."The Woman Who Won't Say Hello To Me" is extremely funny and worth the scroll down :)

If there were SAT novels when I was in high school I sure didn't know about them, but Michelle wrote up an interesting review about this one (Vampire Dreams) that I may have to find at that place with books called the library, if I ever get there again...and since it is almost Halloween - this is Marcus the Carcass (and the blog itself is fun if you like Halloween)

Got to remember to take the Nightmare before Christmas soundtrak to work! Halloweentown has a blog - who knew?

and lastly - I promise - there are new flickr entries from the fair and more to come (I really intend to upgrade that account now that I am realizing the possibilities) sorry not everything is captioned or described yet....

This makes me want to cross stitch

I've never been fond of any type of needlework but this is inspirational...Subversive Cross Stitch :)

pointless tidbit

here's a little secret about me....I've always organized address books and lists alphabetically by a person's FIRST name....and if it's an entry based on function - it goes under title (i.e. mayor, dentist, etc...)...I don't know exactly why I do this, but it works for me.....I spent an inordinate amount of time this afternoon looking for a number in my old, inherited, work address book, I can hardly use the book at home b/c half is done my way and half is done J's way.....I can remember most of the really important stuff but when it comes to using other methods of record keeping - I'm lost....

in a fog...

that's how I've felt this last week....not much to do but wait it out....I am going to make an effort with Illustration Friday this week and hopefully we'll get back to the fair and I'll take a camera with batteries that are charged this time, LOL....

we found the first pecans on the ground today...the trees are really loaded so we will be shelling from now till spring I imagine...just in time for holiday baking...speaking of which I need to get Marcus the Carcass out soon and maybe actually cut him a tombstone this year....we have some neighbors that do incredible Halloween decorations and I'm tired of being outdone ;)....

speaking of the holidays, I have to get started on my yearly Christmas ornament that I've been making for the family for years....I have no ideas this year - none, I've done trees, angels, a palmetto tree strung with lights, santas, elves...all the usuals....but no inspiration so far for anything yet....I'm taking suggestions!

Fair weather

The SC State Fair starts on Thursday...it's fair season all over, Em went last week (the rooster part is scarey ;))...Cindy sketched some cool animals at her fair(her blog is great in general)...and I am looking forward to this Friday nite when we are planning on heading over for a first taste of this year's event.

The Fair was always a big deal growing up - we'd go 3 or 4 times at least - sometimes with the family, sometimes with friends, usually my grandfather and I would always go by ourselves one afternoon (he loved the livestock)....but there always seemed to be a good reason to go no matter who was involved.

The Midway was strictly forbidden since there was alcohol, gambling and generally no count sorts that hung out there...like that wasn't the first place I headed when unattended ;)....the big, colorful, handpainted signs outside the freak shows were a big fascination for me...I always wanted to go inside and see the bearded lady or the lizard man but never did...carnival and circus freaks hold a special place in my heart to this day....

I also have weird memories associated with the Fair - my parents marital problems blew up one nite that my mom was supposed to pick me and some friends up, leaving us all stranded for hours until my dad finally showed up and explained what happened...another year the same friends were riding some death trap and a few light bulbs exploded, cutting them up pretty badly....

But overall, I am still excited this time every year because it's a chance to see things you don't get to see except at the Fair....I may even smack a cow's ass for Em and hope it doesn't kick me in the process.