confessions of a blueberry bandit

Rogue Blog...

So I logged into my faithful blog this morning to publish a comment from a kind reader, and I noticed that the text on my "about me" page had been mysteriously jumbled at some point.  (I'm assuming it happened during one of the countless TypePad format changes.)  I was horrified to discover that many of my "likes" and "dislikes" had been through the old switcheroo... and it appeared as if I LIKE people who are mean to animals and putting away laundry, and as if I dislike many of my favorite things.  Yikes!  How long was it in that state?  I am hoping not too many readers have taken time to look at that page, but I wanted to set the record straight just in case.

So.  The real About Me:

LIKES: reading, photography, sewing, drawing, doodling, gluing, musing, documentaries, swimming, roller-skating, moonlight bicycling, music that makes me feel, windows with sunlight pouring through them, long face-to-face conversations with a good friend, animals who do bad things, animals with three legs, dogs with beards, cats with funny faces, birds who bathe in dirt, old men with bushy eyebrows, old ladies with pastel-hued hair, eye patches, undies (yes, undies!), gold teeth, sincerity, that delicious crunch of a stepped-upon pinecone, people with twinkling eyes...

DISLIKES: the word "blog", cell phones, putting laundry/dishes/groceries away, waking up to the harsh cry of an alarm clock, stepping in gum, people who are mean to animals, people who are mean to other people, public toilets, the human need to compartmentalize and label everything and everyone.

Thank you for indulging me in that.  I feel much better now!

♥

 

p.s.  Dear TypePad, please stop changin' stuff all the time!

Escape to New York!

Andy & I hopped our train to New York and had a fabulous time! 

I left my "real" camera in my suitcase for the entire trip and only photographed with my iPhone.  I have to admit it was really liberating...  This is coming from someone who used to lug around a large-format (film) camera and tripod and all the accoutrements.  Now I have been completely seduced by digital technology.  It's funny, but getting an iPhone (after resisting it forever) really reignited my love of photographing.  How amazing is it to take a photo and instantly share it with the world?  (Hello, future!  It's so nice to meet you!)

Anyway, it was a lovely & inspiring trip overall.  Please join me (and forgive the ridiculously long post)...

I really loved the unexpected deco lettering on the train station door...

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We had a sleeper car on the way up... It was tiny & expensive, but sooooo worth it!  If you ever travel by train, I highly recommend the upgrade.  (The 19-hour return home in regular seats was miserable...)

  

Am I the only one who gets excited about things like folding sinks?

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There was no lack of graffiti on the train ride... You tend see the skeeziest parts of each city you pass through.  My favorite graffiti was simply the word "crotch" scrawled across a wall. Sadly I did not get a picture.

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 Lovely sunrise view from the train.

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Breakfasting in the diner car.

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Somewhere in Virginia?

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Washington, D.C.

 

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And finally in the big city...

Have I mentioned that I love Hipstamatic?  Yeah, it's trendy, but it makes everything look so great.

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Sake at a Brooklyn sushi joint.

(I ate so much good food, not to mention cupcakes and rice pudding... Why didn't I take more pictures?)

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Henry Darger exhibit at the American Folk Art Museum!!!  Most of the exhibit featured Darger's personal collection of art & ephemera, but there were a couple of his (amazing) large panels.  It was a small-ish exhibit, but great nonetheless.

 

Kasia's a little unsure about what's going on here...

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Somewhat creepy wooden dolls, also in the folk art museum...

And an even creepier hair wreath.  I was fascinated by this.

We also spent some time in the MOMA, one of my favorite museums, but I think I had killed my phone battery by then, so no pictures...)

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And on to the wedding, the whole reason for the trip!

Smokestack in the park where my friends had their wedding.  I can't remember the name of the little park... somewhere in Williamsburg, right by the water.

Chris & Annie getting hitched... It was the windiest day ever, but a really lovely wedding.

 

   The happy couple!

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Amazing view from the park.

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Wedding party jump!

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Andy & me & my amazing wind-blown hair...

Weddings are just like roller coasters!

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That's my man...

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After the ceremony, the bride & groom and most of the wedding party hopped on bicycles and rode to Aurora, where we enjoyed a lovely dinner, and then on to The Richardson, a speak-easy bar where I had an amazing drink called a "Scottish Dew."  All I can say is whiskey and cucumber.  Yum.

Post-wedding sparklers at the bar!

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My last full day in the city I was able to spend some time with my uncle & aunt & cousins who live in NY.  I don't see them often, so I was really pleased that it all worked out.  We had lunch together in a great  Turkish restaurant in Brooklyn, and then just the gals broke off and traipsed around Manhattan.

 

 

They took me to Dylan's Candy Bar, a child's dream-come-true (but potentially a parent's nightmare!), and had frozen hot chocolate.  And cupcakes.  And immediately lapsed into sugar comas.  It was great.

The gumball tabletops and peppermint-striped seats were such a nice touch!

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We spent a long time walking along Central Park and did the customary carousel ride... I love the Central Park carousel so much!

 

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We also explored the High Line, which was new since I was last in NY, and was a really great way to see the city.

It was sad to say goodbye... 

But it was also nice to return home to my little house and my animals.  I'm feeling recharged and ready to get back into makin' stuff.  Hopefully I will have something to share soon!

♥

 

Before December slips away from me...

Sigh...  I really do have the best intentions when it comes to blogging.  I just don't know where the time goes!  Actually, I DO know where quite a bit of the time has gone these last few weeks:

• Workin' the full-time job (& spending long hours in front of the computer).
• Stressing endlessly about the full-time job & the long hours in front of the computer (though feeling very grateful to have a job in these troubled times!).
• Suffering through an absurd number of migraines (and fantasizing about throwing the computer out the window).
• Playing a fun show with Cryptacize  & Danielson at the Fabulous 40-Watt.
• Spending Thanksgiving with my sweet Andy for the first time in a few years... we had a lovely day with family in Hotlanta!
• Planting lots of bulbs for spring & tidying up the yard with my mom.
• Getting ready for The Holidays (which unfortunately means dragging listlessly through stores full of crotchety humans and not wanting to buy anything...  but fortunately also means decorating my tiny tree & listening rather obsessively to the Vince Guaraldi Charlie Brown Christmas soundtrack).
• Crossing things off my to-do list... because I realize there just isn't enough time in the day.
• Pushing my bladder to its very limits to accommodate the warm feline (a.k.a. center of the universe) constantly sleeping on my lap.
• And... um... chillin' with my new friends in Animal Crossing!  (Andy surprised me with the Wii version of the one-video-game-made-for-me.  It pains me, but I'm keeping this to a minimum).

I'm having some of my lady friends over tomorrow for hot cocoa & cookies, which should be fun.  Otherwise I'm planning to spend every other second sewing & tying up loose ends, as I have all sorts of projects that are in limbo.  Hopefully some of them will be ready in time for the holidays!   I will definitely be adding a couple of bunny pouches to the shop this weekend.  And those postcard packs I keep talking about.  Maybe a softie or two next week.  We'll see...

Hope everyone has a lovely Friday!

♥

Wednesdays and Cybele

I love you, computer.  Just trust in my love, and everything will be ok...

As you can see, Andy & I have resolved our computer issues, at least for the time being.  Hooray!

And I can finally introduce you to Cybele and her tiny goose!

She is named after one of my very favorite films, Sundays and Cybele (Les Dimanches de Ville d'Avray).  She is nearly finished, and I just couldn't wait to share her.  I think, this time around, I am going to attach a tiny piece of velcro to the goose's belly so that she can perch wherever she likes!   ***UPDATE:  The velcro didn't quite work out, so Cybele's tiny goose is permanently attached to her arm

I will be listing Cybele in my shop shortly.  They're in the shop!

I am working on some other friends of the plush sort, but they probably won't be finished until sometime next week.

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In the mean time, I would like to take a moment to promote a few crafty ladies who are relatively new to Etsy:

1- My friend Rizzie's shop, Made by Rizzie...  Rizzie makes super-cute, amazingly crafted vinyl bags, drawings, and even customized shrinky-dink portraits.  Pictured here, Fat Reggie Tote, Shrinky Dink Portrait, and Mexican Wrastlin Sasquatch Friend:

2- My mom's shop, Sendai Jewelry Designs...  My mom works with polymer clays and precious metal clays to create her own jewelry pieces, and she has also started making really cool purses out of vintage fabric and neckties, as well as some super-quirky drawings.   Pictured here, Valentine Necklace, Apple Turquoise Brown Tote, and Windy Day with Lion Print:

3- My sister Lori's shop, Cherry Matador... Lori makes really lovely earrings, necklaces,  and other jewelry, among other things.  Pictured here: Moonbeam Earrings, Dragons Flight Deluxe, and Enchanting Blue Blossoms:

Creative people of the world, unite and take over!!!

Well, I'm off to attach some velcro.  Enjoy the rest of your Wednesday, and be creative!

Computers of the world, why do you hate me?

Hello.  (If you & I were interacting in the real world, that would have been a bit of a grumbly, forlorn hello...)

In a past life I must have committed some terrible atrocity against Technology...  Andy & I are, once again, having some computer problems.  Why, oh why, did I let myself become so dependent on technology? 

Despite the fact that I am so abhorred by my computer, I wanted to keep up my posting momentum.  I'm working on a couple of new friends who will hopefully be finished in the next couple of days.  I will share pictures as soon as I can.   Meanwhile, I'm off to make a very passionate plea to the gods of technology to forgive whatever is causing this run of terrible luck with electronics...

Cross your fingers for me!  (My toes are crossed so that I can type...)  And, of course, have a lovely weekend!

I Want...Cookies

Portrait With a Cookie...

Once upon a time when I worked in the hospital ICU, I was instructed to check on a little lady who had been buzzing desperately for help all afternoon.  Thinking something must be dreadfully wrong, I raced in and was told in a tiny, sweet voice, "I want... cookies."  Sadly, she couldn't have any cookies, and I had to be the one to break her heart with the news.  Fortunately for this bunny there were no unrequited cookies!  He still seems to be sad, though, as he is all alone in my shop! 

As you can see, I did manage one step in the direction of Progress, though I have to admit that the studio is still unusable.  Sigh... I think I will miss the ache of hours spent slumped on the couch with a project in my lap!  Said projects will have to wait, as I felt a strange need to martyr myself to the cause of a 6o-hour work week.  Sigh (again)...  Not only am I unable to say NO, but I readily volunteer myself with no prompting.  What is wrong with me?

Thanks to unusually blustery winds, I lost electricity for most of the day and have to make up some of my endless work hours tonight.  But I will be back soon!   Have a delightful week!

p.s.

Burst My Bubble...

Yesterday I was enjoying the peaceful serenity of a shower in my new bathroom, when suddenly I both heard and felt a deafening, dreadful rumble that could only be a tornado...  My heart pounded in my chest as I frantically jumped out of the shower, only to realize that it was just Andy testing out his beloved new surround sound!  I really could have killed him.  Really. 

Until very recently, Andy & I lived a simple life free of all the ridiculous, expensive shackles that the rest of society seemed to need so desperately... Now we have cell-phones and high-speed internet and surround sound and fancy speakers everywhere you look and... a sub-woofer.  (Can someone please tell me what the hell a sub-woofer actually is?)  I'm sure it will be fun to watch that opening scene of Lord of the Rings eight-hundred times, but do we really have to destroy the loveliness of the place where ceiling meets wall?  And will I ever get over that strange, disorienting feeling that the sound just isn't coming from the TV?  Sigh...  The whole issue has been such a point of contention that I finally just had to give in.  And now this is what I gaze at, terrible hateful thing!

An old friend of mine had this theory of life that basically said each person inhabits their own personal bubble that grows and grows (and weakens in strength) depending on the number of things and responsibilities taken on.  Well, I'd say our little bubble is nearly to bursting point!  But I'll get over it.  I'll probably be a surround-sound addict before long.  And besides, Andy is just so darned proud...  Is it just a guy thing?

On a more positive note, I do have some promised pictures, little glimpses of my new world:

Previously-mentioned bathroom that I love almost as much as Junebug!  I should mention that my last bathroom had wood paneling and exposed pipes and rusty water and an unusable bathtub...  (Note the curved shower rod... I thought Andy was crazy, but oh, how it has improved our quality of life!)

And some items recently-acquired for my new kitchen, also a vast improvement over the old one ( wood-paneling and midget-level counter-tops, among other things).  I have always wanted a mortar and pestle, which I will rarely use, but still.  I found this one at IKEA for five dollars.  The pretty Squircle plates and my new favorite mug courtesy of Urban Outfitters.  Andy just had to have the magnetic spice-rack from Target!  (Does he even use spices?)

My new kitchen sink is not encrusted with rust and stains.  Can you believe it?  Oh, and the oven actually works... hence my very first-ever cookies made from scratch.  Oatmeal cookies for everyone!  Every day!

And, oh the tremendous amount of sunlight!!!  My last two or three homes were terrible, dark, dank caves.  We have an overabundance of windows and so much light in the bedroom that we had to buy these flocked curtains from IKEA so Andy will be able to sleep in the daytime.  I'm not sure about them in the context of our bedroom, but they are pretty special.

The studio is still a terrible mess, but we have taken steps toward making it functional (a.k.a. spending lots of money at IKEA...)  We found a computer desk on super clearance, these cute rolly-chairs, and these little boxes which, in true IKEA fashion, had to be assembled, screws and all!

Who is a decision-maker?  I am!  Well, at least I decided where to hang this portrait of Andy & me (painted by  a very good egg for my second wedding anniversary...) and this ice-cream lamp from some other good eggs...

As if I wasn't busy enough, I am also trying very hard to nurture my (inept) love of gardening. Again, the inability to make decisions tends to interfere, but I have been doing what I can. The recent cold-snap pretty much destroyed all the lovely things my mom and I planted in the yard, so pictures will have to come later!   (Just imagine pink hydrangeas, gerbera daisies, and lavender...)

All the recent spending has begun to make me physically ill, so now it's time to relax a bit (though we are still searching for our soul-mate in the form of a sofa...).   Also time to focus on the studio and getting back into productive mode, which means I need to end this endless blog-post!!!  I will continue sharing pictures of my bulging bubble... and hopefully it will remain intact! 

Have a simply lovely weekend!

p.s.

Home Sweet Home

Just a quick update...

We got the house!!!!!!!!!

Everything went well with the closing (and the super-cool new job).  Emily (aka unpaid slave-labor) has been helping me paint the living room a lovely color called Aquatic Edge.   Today we'll start on the bedroom.  Then it's packing/moving/cleaning crunch time!  I will post some pictures ASAP.  My current Gocco project has been shelved temporarily (what was I thinking?), but I will resume all creative endeavours as soon as I get settled!  I promise!  Wishing a lovely weekend to all!

p.s.  I hope my inspirational card in the previous post did not offend anyone with delicate sensibilities!

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Here's a little teaser picture of the amazing tree in my front yard!  Sorry it's a bit blurry...

I Love Technology...

In the midst of purging last night, I recovered what I believe to be the most valuable item I have ever owned...

This little treasure was lost to me for far too long... I don't remember where it came from, but I used to carry it around in my wallet for emergencies.  I am one of those unfortunate people who simply cannot say NO.  I tend to don other people's problems like underwear, and this has taken years off my life...  But no more!!!   I would like to share this gift with all of the other sweet and caring doormats out there.  Come on, print one.  Print several!  And next time you find yourself in a potentially life-draining situation, all you have to do is present your ruthless attacker with this!

I took a little purging break last night and embarked on a new Gocco project... Chances are,  the results will be disastrous.  The process itself is not really that difficult, but the knowledge that the materials are so scarce and expensive gives me terrible performance anxiety.  I agonize over even the simplest of line drawings and often end up with designs that don't look at all like my own work.  We'll see what happens, though.  I will try to share some pictures in the next couple of days.

Now I would like to share some exciting news about my exciting new job!  In a very serendipitous turn of events, I was offered a position working for a stock photography company... based in Paris... working from my own home... with my favorite cousin...  who lives in Paris!   All of this is possible only through my new best friend, Technology.   Tomorrow morning I will begin special personalized transatlantic training via the internet.    I am completely astonished and giddy...  Wish me luck! 

Now back to the business of laundry and printing and selecting paint colors and (gulp) packing... Have a lovely week!

What's in a Name?

Greetings to all of my fellow TV lovers... All the nice comments dancing around in my head made me feel almost smug as I watched the movie Road Trip on TBS the other night.  I had never seen it, but was always mildy curious as parts of it were filmed on the UGA campus, just outside of my beloved library.  I was late to work one day because they were in the middle of a scene and wouldn't let me walk into the building!  Sigh...  what a gem of a movie.  (I am being sarcastic here...)

In honor of Emily's special Valentine's Day contest, I thought I would share a few of my favorite names.  Now these are real, mind you-- you just can't make this stuff up!

1. Zippy Morrocco  - Andy & I saw this name on a sign just the other day... it was either a real estate agent or someone running for obscure political office.  This will be the name of my next pet...
2. Durwood LaRue - Working in a hospital, you inevitably encounter all sorts of elderly, southern people with the most endearing names that have been retired...
3. Dewene (as a first name) - I cannot remember her last name, but Dewene was a recent contestant on Family Feud, and she had a lot of spunk... and a bubble-cut hairdo.
4. Heidi Peppermint - I checked library books out to this girl for years before I worked up the courage to inquire about her name... She and her husband elected to create a new surname and, voila!  Peppermint!
5. Knuckles McGillicutty - OK, so this one is made up, but it's mine.  Did you know I was once in a gang?  We were called The McGillicutty Special.  Mostly we made empty threats about Fat Lip Tuesdays and Black Eye Thursdays...

That's all I can think of at the moment.  I'm officially barring myself from the contest, as Emily sends me home with an armful of goodies every time I see her.  So these are all up for grabs if you like them.

Well, I'm off to have my morning coffee (at 2pm) and try to roust Andy out of bed.  It's a beautiful day outside, and we have plans for a nature walk.  (I'm hoping the smell of trees and earth will inspire me to get back into creative gear).  Then dinner with the lovely Emily.  I hope to post some new progress soon... I sort of bribed myself in advance with this print from art and ghosts.  If I don't finish a project soon, does that mean I have to send it back?