DITSYCHICK'S HOME

Guacamole, Ole!

2010-04-07T12:24:00.000-07:00

I don't know...maybe I was hungry...but when the Illustration Friday theme came up 'dip', this was the first thing that came to mind. Yum!

The Firefighter

2010-03-28T14:01:00.001-07:00

Goodbye Kitty

2010-03-23T13:25:00.001-07:00

What happens to kitties when they expire (or pass their sell-by date)? Surely, they must go to Kitty Heaven.

Another in the 'mini' series. The tiny brushes arrived too late for this one.

Mrs Mole Gets On With Her Knitting

2010-03-15T11:44:00.001-07:00

This is another of my friend Kate's mini-canvas challenges. She gave me the tiny canvas last week--and what it taught me is I need much smaller brushes! Good fun, though.

We've decided to do an exhibition of minis early this summer at work and sell the paintings for charity.

Grow On!

2010-02-21T12:26:00.001-08:00

Is it springtime yet? I'm ready. Painted this on a Graffiti board in an online game.

Message in a Bottle

2010-02-16T04:40:00.001-08:00

Another artistic challenge from my dear friend Kate. She brought me a canvas and easel last week for me to use for this week's Illustration Friday theme 'adrift'. I thought a message in a bottle might be nice.

Kate suggested that I could paint over the same canvas every week, but, no, that's not for me. The canvas dimensions are 1.5" x 1.5".

Watch This

2010-02-08T13:27:00.000-08:00

This is 'Alma'...as someone said, 'Pixar meets Twilight Zone'.

Alma from Rodrigo Blaas on Vimeo.

The Things We Do for Love

2010-02-08T13:06:00.001-08:00

When we were wee lassies, we played with mud pies (pretending to cook and serve dirt from the back garden mixed well with water!). So it should come as no surprise to anyone that we're still playing in the mud...because, we say, it makes us beautiful.

I confess, I was surprised by the Illustration Friday theme of 'muddy'. This past week, I have been learning to play MUD1, one of the first multi-player online games. It's text-based, meaning there are no graphics, but your imagination will get fired up in no time. Try it here.

Focused Four-Eyes

2010-02-01T15:46:00.000-08:00

I know, I've been watching too much TV. But did you ever notice that when they want to make somebody look really smart (or really stupid), they put them in giant glasses that are too big for their heads...so they look like aliens...or maybe ants.... I know, I know, I should focus on something else.

Not all faeries are beautiful...

2010-01-25T12:37:00.001-08:00

They're not all thin...or perfectly co-ordinated. Sometimes they lose their faerie wands in the tall grass or drop their faerie flowers. They scrape their elbows and skin their knees. Sometimes they cry and ruin their mascara. But none of that makes them any less magical.

WILDERNESS

2010-01-18T11:10:00.000-08:00

I've been changing a lot in my life...for the better, I hope. So much has changed in my world lately that Illustration Friday's 'wilderness' theme left me flooded with concepts about what's out there, all around me, the big 'unknown'. This morning, though, I thought, 'There's one thing I DO know...'

Happy New Year, Everyone!

2010-01-04T14:56:00.001-08:00

A new decade. (Where did the old one go?) Just as with birthdays, there are some numbers I like and some I don't. 2010 seems to me to be an auspicious decade--one that allows, even encourages, us to be the best human beings we can possibly be. It feels like a time of renewal, a decade-long spring. Let's see what we can make of it.

Pioneering Apple Trees

2009-12-26T21:33:00.001-08:00

I've always liked the story of John Chapman, often referred to as 'Johnny Appleseed', who travelled the American midwest, planting apple trees. Such a peaceful thing to do. Maybe I like the story because I love all the different varieties of apples so much. Or maybe I like it because we all had to be in a second grade school play, dressed up as pioneers, with the boy cast as Johnny wearing a pan on his head. I wonder where he is now?

No Matter What They Get for Christmas, They Play in the Box

2009-12-20T02:36:00.000-08:00

Just a quick 'hello' and 'goodbye' in the run-up to Christmas. I had such good intentions for a quiet festive period, but I'm coming unstuck, undone--still candy to make, presents to wrap, cards to write....

I've been thinking I should just keep going straight through January and finish next Christmas now.

:o)

Where's My Mum?!

2009-12-14T11:30:00.001-08:00

"The moment a child is born, the mother is also born. She never existed before. The woman existed, but the mother, never. A mother is something absolutely new."

--Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh, Indian spiritual leader (1931-1990)

More Month Than Money

2009-12-14T11:04:00.001-08:00

I haven't had much time to think about this week's topic, as I've been scrambling to meet my 'Crimbo' deadlines...and think up some cheapo prezzies...and bake. (Have had some outrageous kitchen disasters!)

Anyway, here's one of the wreath candies I literally threw together for hungry nieces and nephews last weekend with no attempt to make them look pretty. You melt a lot of butter (in the US, one stick; in the UK, maybe 125gm) (margarine is OK), toss in the contents of a big bag of Campfire marshmallows (in the UK, two small bags of whatever you can get) and stir until they melt, too. Remove from heat and colour the mixture dark green with food colouring-- bit of a problem here, because half the marshmallows in the packet are pink! Then you toss in all the Kellogg's corn flakes the mixture will hold, coating them completely with the marshmallow mixture (as I did not bother to do). Working quickly, scoop them up with a big spoon, drop them onto greaseproof paper or waxed paper and poke a hole in the centre. You want them cookie-sized, round and wreath-like. In the US, you could use 'red hots' (candies) for berries or cut-up candied cherries here. When they're all made, just let them dry a bit and then wrap in cling film. Warning: They don't last long!

And a Carrot for Rudolph

2009-12-08T12:36:00.001-08:00

You'd better watch out! Somebody's coming to town....

Crochet: The Final Countdown

2009-12-08T12:13:00.000-08:00

Apologies all round. I've been 'aff ma heid' (off my head) just lately in the final countdown to Christmas, attempting to finish three afghans for Crimbo gifts. The true colours are much prettier than these photies: deep purple, moss green, dark rose. The above pattern is called Willow.

This is the first time I've tried to crochet with ribbon--and I've made quite a hash of it--but, again, the colours are very pretty 'in the real'. If I remember correctly, this is called Monet's Garden. Just granny squares. Am still putting it together.

This was very quick to crochet in Sirdar Yo-Yo, which makes its own stripes. The colours go from deep navy through magenta to almost-shocking pink. For crocheters, the pattern I finally decided on was double crochet (single crochet in the US), chain one, over and over, with two chains at the start of each new row. Super fast and easy!

Wish me luck. There aren't many days left and I still have so MUCH to do!

Ivy with Celtic Connections

2009-11-28T06:18:00.001-08:00

The Choristers

2009-11-22T10:56:00.001-08:00

Christmas just wouldn't be Christmas without all the old familiar carols.

Make Yourself a Merry Little Label

2009-11-22T10:52:00.000-08:00

Christmas is coming...and I am so not ready. At least, Inspire Me Thursday reminded me that I'll have to make some labels, too!

W-O-M-A-N

2009-11-16T11:18:00.001-08:00

As we say here: "Been there, done that, got the T-shirt, starred in the video." Whew!

TREE OF MY LIFE

2009-11-16T11:08:00.001-08:00

This afternoon, I painstakingly drew a Shaker-style tree of my life, decorated with teapot, cups of tea, fresh fruit, mismatched socks and so on. It was OK, but I guess I was feeling just a little bit boring, so I jazzed it up a bit....

Shaggy Dog Shaking Off

2009-11-09T02:38:00.000-08:00

When my dog shakes off, she's a blur of fur and water. Don't come anywhere near till she's done!

Spanish Windows

2009-11-07T09:12:00.001-08:00

The colours of Spain, combined with mosaic tile, and a little bit of voyeurism. What's going on in there?

Skinny Legs and All

2009-11-02T04:15:00.001-08:00

Beautiful flamingos...perched atop the skinniest legs. Why is it that they don't collapse...or fall over?

Playing in the Dark

2009-11-02T03:55:00.001-08:00

It's so easy to forget how much fun it can be to play with 'nothing'--like this wee lassie making shadows in the dark.

Cogito Ergo ZOOM

2009-10-24T15:23:00.000-07:00

'My car.' (That's what we say when we see the car of our dreams.) 'My car' has always been the Lamborghini Super Countach--red, of course. I swoon over the design of it. Saw one parked on the street about a year ago and stopped dead in my tracks. If I had one, I'd just have to park it in my living room to admire it. If I had one, I'd have to live it it--it costs much more than a house!

The good news is, I was watching an automobile show on TV where they demonstrated that it's almost impossible to drive this car in reverse (you can't see where you're going without opening the door, which opens up, not out). So I think I can live without it.

Still, a part of me is bound together with Automobile magazine's old motto: Cogito ergo ZOOM (I think, therefore I go fast).

Mademoiselle Caroline Riviere

2009-10-24T13:33:00.001-07:00

With apoligies to Ingres...

The Frozen North

2009-10-19T08:26:00.001-07:00

What could be more frozen than the far north. But it can have its blessings....a warm fire, a good dog and the Northern Lights for company.

Faerie Wings in the Wings

2009-10-19T08:23:00.001-07:00

This wee faerie is just waiting her turn to go on stage.

Up, Up and Away

2009-10-12T03:03:00.001-07:00

What could be more fun than taking to the air in a hot air balloon on a beautiful, sunny day? (It sure beats standing on a street corner in the pouring rain, waiting for a bus to work!)

Zest and Juice of One Orange

2009-10-12T01:56:00.001-07:00

I have been baking over the weekend and leave it to me to need juice when I don't have any sort of juicer at all. It's amazing what you can do with your bare hands. (Use the back of a spoon, if necessary, to get all the juice out.)

A good opportunity for a still life, but I needed the time to bake, so this is a photograph turned into a 'watercolour' using Serif PhotoPlus. And here are the recipes:

Orange Cranberry Nut Bread

3 cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 cup sugar
zest of one orange
2 large eggs
juice of one orange
1-1/4 cup cream or milk
2 Tablespoons melted butter
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour two 4" x 8"-ish loaf pans. Have all ingredients at room temperature.

Mix flour, baking powder, sugar and zest in a large bowl. In a smaller bowl, beat eggs well. Add orange juice, cream and melted butter. Blend the wet mixture into the dry mixture. Add nuts and berries. If batter seems too heavy, add a scant slosh of milk and beat in well. Pour into loaf pans and bake about 45 minutes. (Check sooner: Bread is done when a toothpick inserted into the highest point comes out clean.)

I used cream here because I had it left over from the ice cream, below.

Lemon Ice Cream

This recipe is from Nigella Lawson's book How to Eat and--everybody says this about Nigella--it really works.

3 lemons
170g icing sugar ('confectioner's sugar' in the US)
420ml double cream

Add zest from two of the lemons and juice from all three to the icing sugar and let sit for 30 minutes. Whip the cream with two tablespoons of ice water until it forms stiff peaks. Beat in the lemon-sugar mixture. Pour into a shallow container and pop into the freezer. (The end. No further beating.)

This makes a very lemony, very sweet soft-serve style ice cream. I would use just two lemons and maybe half the sugar--it's something to play with. Nigella says to defrost this about 40 minutes in the fridge, but in my little freezer it never gets rock-hard.

Clueso - Gewinner

2009-10-12T01:52:00.000-07:00

Here's a beautiful piece of music with an unusual swimming video: Clueso - Gewinner on YouTube.

Yellow Cake by Nick Cross

2009-10-06T11:42:00.000-07:00

Not to be missed...a stunning wee film by Ontario animator Nick Cross. I love it!

Yellow Cake from Nick Cross on Vimeo.

Ditsy and the Seven Germs

2009-10-04T11:24:00.001-07:00

Achy, Coughy, Dopey, Grouchy, Sneezy, Sniffy and Doc

'Kisses blown are kisses wasted. Kisses aren't kisses unless they are tasted. Kisses spread germs and germs are hated. So kiss me, baby; I'm vaccinated.'

--Anonymous

Ohio is a Piano!

2009-10-03T03:29:00.000-07:00

Well, gosh, golly, wow. The US state of Ohio has 88 counties. A piano has 88 keys. Now some bright spark (uh, Andy Woodruff) has put them both together online. Go play 'The Entertainer' just for fun. If you're really adventurous, write your own song! Ohio is a Piano

I Wouldn't Want to Run into That!

2009-10-03T01:30:00.000-07:00

'Newspaper'--this week's Inspire Me Thursday topic--left me no choice at all. I've been working on a monstrous new project involving HippyHoppy, the wind-up bunny, on tour. (I say monstrous because it's gotten completely out of hand--much bigger, more complicated and more time-consuming than I ever anticipated when I started. Story of my life!)

To catch you up quickly, HippyHoppy belongs to Mrs Hall, the mother of one of my friends, who took him on a world tour some time ago and made a scrapbook of his travels, which I turned into a little music video. We all thought it would be fun to do it again, so Mrs Hall sent me the original HippyHoppy, now in his kilt and Glengarry bonnet (as he'd just attended a family wedding), and I took him on a wee tour of my own.

The creative problem right now (other than far too many photies) is that I still can't decide what to do about the music, which I have been attempting this week to compose myself. It is, as we say here, 'mince' (a hash, a mess, just awful). (Story of my life, part two.) Not to fret. I'll get there!

In these two photos, HippyHoppy is reading the newspaper on the train when he discovers the story about a pet cat.

Job Interview?

2009-09-27T09:07:00.000-07:00

Interviewing for a new job? Here's corporate comedian Greg Hahn to help you get over some of the stress. Posted on YouTube by bananascomedy.

Patterns of Glasgow

2009-09-26T10:44:00.001-07:00

I've always liked the colours, shapes and textures of Glasgow's old stone buildings. So, loosely in keeping with this week's Illustration Friday theme ('pattern'), here are two different watercolour sketches of the same neighbourhood--a street view and an interior--featuring the patterns these buildings make on our lives.

Never Get into a Fight with a Pig

2009-09-26T10:06:00.000-07:00

When I saw Inspire Me Thursday's 'open topic' this week, I was at first a bit adrift. What to do?! Then I realised it was the perfect opportunity to illustrate one of my favourite mottoes:

'Never get into a fight with a pig. You both get dirty...and the pig likes it.'

This is acrylic on board with an acetate overlay. so it doesn't photograph very well, but I think you get the picture.

I also adapted a crockpot recipe for pulled pork and made it in the oven while I was working. (If you can't beat 'em, eat 'em.) Yum!

Sand Animation - Absolute Must-See

2009-09-21T11:18:00.001-07:00

Further to my previous post on the 2009 winner of Ukraine's Got Talent, here is the 8+ minute stunning version of the video which has already been viewed by over two million people on YouTube. Please take the time to watch this.

Kseniya Simonova - Sand Animation...posted by iamlikeasea

Stripes with Plaid...to Infinity and Beyond

2009-09-20T01:22:00.000-07:00

"Once you can accept the universe as being something expanding into an infinite nothing which is something, wearing stripes with plaid is easy."

--Albert Einstein

Did Albert Einstein really say this? (Sound more like a line from the comedy film 'IQ'.)

However, it's in the book Advanced Banter, The QI book of Quotations, by John Lloyd and John Mitchinson, so maybe he did.

I like their Studs Terkel quote, too: "I always love to quote Einstein because nobody dares contradict him."

Stripes with plaid it is then.

And as long as we're being esoteric: "The infinite is in the finite of every instant."--Zen proverb

Tartan Sheep

2009-09-20T00:44:00.001-07:00

Well, here in Scotland, when we think of 'plaid', we think of tartan. In fact, we don't think of 'plaid' at all.

And where does tartan come from? From tartan sheep, of course!

They're out there, roaming aboot our hielands and glens. Come see--and we'll go on a haggis hunt, too.

To my great surprise, I discovered that I could actually combine this week's topics (Inspire Me Thursday's 'Plaid' and Illustration Friday's 'Infinite'). You can see how in the universe that would be possible by clicking here.

Och, to be fair, you should see some real tartan. So here are the European Pipe Band Championships 2009 at Battery Park, Greenock, Scotland, featuring Inverclyde District and Grampian Police Pipe bands. A YouTube video by JOE90.

And here's Fife Constabulary at the same event with some great closeups. Posted on YouTube by dronechorus.

Finally, here's Highland Cathedral--music by the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards--posted on YouTube earlier this year by glenzboyz. (If you like this, see more of glenzboyz on YouTube.)

Is that 'plaid' enough for you?!

'Life Is Short, So Draw a Giraffe'

2009-09-13T11:23:00.000-07:00

Ola Helland in Norway is attempting to collect one million hand-made giraffes from around the world. You can create your giraffe and upload it, send it by e-mail, via link or Twitter, or just put it in the post. The only rule is that you cannot use a computer to make it.

I've just sent mine in. How about you? Come on...you can do it!

To find out more and see giraffes already submitted, go to www.olahelland.net/giraffes/

The Present

2009-09-13T04:15:00.001-07:00

Amish Hospitality

2009-09-13T03:48:00.001-07:00

Amish hex signs are 'wonderful good' things...circular, decorative and possibly useful. (Who knows?) They have signs to welcome, signs for love and fertility and prosperity and everything you could hope for. You might find big ones on barns, but smaller versions are popular in the homes of the 'English' (non-Amish) who live near them.

To make my hex sign, I drew a circle with a plate, folded the paper into 16ths, drew the border with a bottle cap, then added my distelfinks (birds), flowers, leaves, hearts and Willkommen ('Welcome'). Not at all scientific, nor geometric, but quite good fun and I might try it again more seriously.

Here's something I didn't know until just now, thanks to Wikipedia. Distelfinks are stylised goldfinches, representing happiness, good fortune and the Pennsylvania German (Pennsilfaanisch Deitsch) nation.

In Good Company

2009-09-13T03:23:00.000-07:00

When I saw the Inspire Me Thursday theme this week ('In Good Company'), I thought about a lot of different things before I realised I had done a little painting years ago that would be exactly right. (No, this isn't it.) I have torn my whole house apart, looking for that painting which is still safely stashed away in some secret place. The good news is that my home is much tidier than it was before.... What I did find was a box of photographs I haven't looked at in years, which led me to this.

Fishermen seem to me to be always in good company and I think they're fun to watch. This river runs right through the centre of the town where I stay and these anglers are out to get whatever they can from it (eels, old boots, shopping carts--I'm not sure what's in there). What I like best are the fly fishermen who put on their waders and walk into the river to cast their lines. That is beautiful to see!

One Thing Leads To Another...

2009-09-10T10:59:00.001-07:00

This interesting little 'creation' animation was produced by William Newroe and Kathleen Newroe in Santa Fe, New Mexico, in the USA. It tells the story of Kokopelli, the flute player.

We Have Been Listening To...

2009-09-10T10:50:00.000-07:00

This is Avalanche from the Kokopelli album by the UK band Kosheen. Lovely vocal. The bass and percussion are really good, too! More videos on YouTube. Read more about Kosheen here.

Ukraine's Got Talent 2009 Winner

2009-09-09T11:29:00.000-07:00

Tired of the same old 'got talent' shows? Looking for inspiration? Then don't miss this: Kseniya Simonova - Sand Animation

The Power of Love

2009-09-05T23:58:00.000-07:00

My All-Time Favourite Chair

2009-09-05T23:45:00.000-07:00

This chair came to me second or third-hand many years ago when one of my neighbours moved away. It was a bit shabby, but I didn't mind because it was covered in a beautiful rose brocade. It sat in my living room for several years and later, when it became too well worn, I moved it into the bedroom where I would sit and read books after the kids went to sleep. It was everything a chair should be--comfortable, nicely designed and well made.

The One That Got Away

2009-08-30T02:39:00.001-07:00

"It was a fish THIS big!!!"

"HOW big?"

Putting Up Pears

2009-08-30T02:24:00.001-07:00

Where I come from, people can their own fruit and vegetables. (It's called 'canning' even though the food is preserved in glass jars. Locally, they say they're 'putting up'.) In addition to being useful, canning is a highly competitive. There's blue-ribbon judging at street fairs, county fairs, state fairs--and it's very important that the produce is artistically arranged. I remember seeing a jar of green beans where each little bean was perfectly cut and stacked! They take it all very seriously. Winning these prizes is an indication of how good a homemaker you are.

Hooray for Bollywood!

2009-08-30T01:25:00.000-07:00

I'd never seen a Bollywood film before I came to Scotland. I didn't even know India had a film industry. (How ignorant is that?!) So one evening I was watching late-night TV when this Indian film, 'Baazigar', came on and I decided to give it a go. At one point, my husband asked me: "Aren't you coming to bed?" And I said: "I'll be right along. It's almost over." (Ha! Little did I know that Bollywood films can easily be four hours long.)

'Baazigar' is really good--and I don't want to spoil the film for you, but let me tell you just a wee bit about it. Shilpa Shetty made her film debut in 'Baazigar'. (You may remember her from the UK Big Brother fracas with Jade Goody and others, after which Shilpa was the most gracious woman on the planet and also the winner of the show.) The handsome lead actor, Shahrukh Khan, definitely makes the film worth watching, too. Anyway, in 'Baazigar', everything is going along quite well until the hero shoves the heroine off a roof...and that's just the beginning. I was in shock. I couldn't believe it. And I could not stop watching.

'Devdas' is another Bollywood film that appears on TV from time to time. You can see clips of it on YouTube. Isn't the Internet wonderful?

Here You Go, Cupcakes!

2009-08-25T11:38:00.000-07:00

I promised you cupcakes and here they are, shot today through the window of Vanilla Black on Sauchiehall Street - a nice place to go for a coffee. It was a bright sunny day and the man who was enjoying his coffee at a table outside thought I was completely mad, squeezing in to take a photie of cupcakes. Was a bit disappointed, though, because sometimes they're sprinkled with metallic-coloured sugar that sparkles like glitter. More frosting than cake, these cupcakes cost the earth:
£1.90 each.

Across the street at Bradford's, one window display featured a cupcake wedding cake, which is all the rage here now.

I don't want to know what that costs!

The big idea is that brides have better things to do than stand around all day cutting their wedding cake.

A lady at work makes extra money baking these for weddings in her free time. (You could, too.)

The shop window on the other side of Bradford's door is typically Scottish. They love their sweeties! When I first arrived, I was absolutely dumbfounded by the vast array of cream-filled pastries everywhere...and strawberry tarts. I had never seen anything like it.

These are brought out for visitors with tea. Another dangerous custom is that when people at work leave for their holidays, they bring in cakes for those left behind. Och, the calories!

You'd Better Watch Out

2009-08-23T02:55:00.001-07:00

In Scotland, if the police 'caution' you, you're in deep trouble. (It's their version of Miranda...anything you say can be used against you in a court of law.) Luckily, these wee lassies are only getting a warning.

Fairy Cakes and Milk

2009-08-23T02:20:00.000-07:00

Learning English is hard enough, but move to Scotland and you have to learn a whole new language. (Several, in fact.) Some things you expect: motor (car), lorry (truck), petrol (gas). Some you don't. I rapidly discovered there were no cupcakes here. No. Only 'fairy cakes'. What was that all about? Did the fairies help them make the cakes? Did home bakers leave the cakes out for fairies to eat in the nighttime? Another great mystery. I still don't have a 'scooby'.

Fairy cakes are lovely, though--beautifully decorated with 'hundreds and thousands' (wee coloured sugar sprinkles). I just put cherries on mine.

But here's a nifty little trick. After you bake your fairy cakes (cupcakes), slice off the rounded tops. Cut the tops in half, into semicircles, and set them aside. Spread a thick layer of whipped cream over each of your cakes. Then, on each cake, plant the two semicircles of the cut top into the cream in a 'V' shape like wings. Very pretty. (I know, I should have drawn a picture!)

Now that I've learned about fairy cakes, guess what? They have 'cupcakes'. Big trend on the high street. Huge. If it's not raining this week, I'll take photies of bakery shop windows and show you.

Wrapped Up in Style

2009-08-17T02:59:00.001-07:00

Pretty in Pink and Orange

2009-08-17T02:57:00.000-07:00

God Is a DJ

2009-08-10T10:58:00.000-07:00

My husband found this on YouTube, posted by qqgh6. It's amazing!

Where There's a Will, There's a Way

2009-08-10T10:43:00.000-07:00

Reward: Lost Dog

2009-08-10T10:40:00.000-07:00

Three legs, one ear, one eye, recently neutered. Answers to the name of 'Lucky'.

Thuggish Ruggish Bone

2009-08-06T11:54:00.000-07:00

This week I've been watching videos by Bone Thugs-N-Harmony. This was posted on YouTube by BoneThugsMusic.

Tha Crossroads

2009-08-06T11:34:00.000-07:00

Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, posted on YouTube by OGCEnterprise.

Simon's Cat 'Let Me In!'

2009-08-02T02:24:00.000-07:00

I must be the last person on the planet to have discovered Simon's Cat on YouTube. This episode is called 'Let Me In!'. There are LOTS more.

Mutton Dressed as Mutton

2009-08-01T14:15:00.000-07:00

We have a derogatory expression in Scotland--'mutton dressed as lamb'--which is used to describe an older woman who wears clothes designed for women much younger. Oddly, it's very difficult for older women to shop here because the stores all seem to focus on what young people wear.

In this painting, I thought it would be funny to 'modify' a sheep, turning it into an OAP (old age pensioner), appropriately dressed, standing by the roadside, holding her bus pass, waiting for a bus.

God, Please Fix This Sign

2009-08-01T13:18:00.001-07:00

My home is 10 miles away from my work, but my commute is an hour and 15 minutes each way, door-to-door, via public transport. On the last walking bit, I pass by a church that has a long blue sign against the railings, offering a healing service and free meals to the needy. It's a very popular sign. Thugs--we call them 'neds'--are always ripping it apart.

On my walk to work this Friday, 'healing' was the only piece left. It wasn't what I expected to find as inspiration for the Inspire Me Thursday theme 'holes'. But the sign itself is now very much in need of healing....

My Cat as a Warrior

2009-08-01T12:38:00.000-07:00

Craving

2009-08-01T12:31:00.001-07:00

WORLD PREMIER: J'Eat Paris

2009-07-30T11:29:00.000-07:00

This is a bit of fun...Adam Roberts (The Amateur Gourmet) and his friend John eating their way through Paris.

1. You'll need a QuickTime viewer to watch this. If you don't have QuickTime, download it free here.

2. Now...go to the Amateur Gourme t and click on the first picture under 'WORLD PREMIERE'. After the video downloads, the player will appear on your screen (upper left on mine) on that page.

David Lebovitz's Malted Milk Ice Cream

2009-07-30T11:13:00.000-07:00

Here, the Amateur Gourmet Adam Roberts extols the virtues of David Lebovitz's Malted Milk Ice Cream.

For the printed lyrics and a lot more fun, go to the Amateur Gourmet.

Adapt

2009-07-28T10:44:00.000-07:00

“The wise adapt themselves to circumstances, as water moulds itself to the pitcher.”

Chinese proverb

Cracked

2009-07-28T10:43:00.000-07:00

BROKEN BRITAIN

Contagious

2009-07-28T10:42:00.000-07:00

There’s been some debate around here over which is worse, swine flu or the media flu that engulfs it. One unfortunate soul who contracted both said he was immediately quarantined and surrounded by people wearing masks. “All I could see were eyes,” he said.

Warrior

2009-07-28T10:39:00.000-07:00

This is a story about the creative process. The Inspire Me Thursday theme: ‘Warrior’. What to do? I went to the costume shops in Second Life, trying out viking, indian maiden, angel, ninja, Darth Vader and didn’t like any of them. Pieced together a costume (so like Halloween) with parts of Darth Vader, a light sabre and some black angel wings I had stashed away. Went to the new Tahoa Mountain Ski Resort to take a picture (black against snow). Ran into Kira Teodosio, who didn’t give a fig about my costume, but wanted to know where I got my cat. Took some photies. Then decided to take a hot air balloon ride before I left. Several stops into the ride, this guy got on…and I thought: “Whoa…Warrior!”

Petals

2009-07-28T10:38:00.001-07:00

Altered Ancestors

2009-07-28T10:34:00.000-07:00

This is a piece of clip art from Karen’s Whimsy, which I ran through Serif PhotoPlus 8.0’s Instant Artist feature on the Impressionist setting. I like it much better than the original of girl violinist with boy playing piano. I also tried it with a paper doll.

Karen’s Whimsy is an excellent resource: http://karenswhimsy.com/public-domain-images/

Serif offers free and low-cost versions of its older software for graphics, photography etc so you can try before you buy–and it’s very easy to use. Visit: www.freeserifsoftware.com/software/photoplus/

The Lost Art of Letter Writing

2009-07-28T10:28:00.000-07:00

DEAD LETTER OFFICE

SCOTLAND–In what has been described as an “unprecedented” find, undelivered mail–some of which appears to be centuries old–has been discovered at one of the most remote points in the nation.

Postmaster Angus Dufus of the Seeyoujimmie Post Office in Ayerightshire, near Backofbeyond, said: “We wis jist movin some old Bucky crates tae see if there wis eny left when oot a crick in the wall fell this packet. Ah cannae read, but ma deputy said it might be somethin stolen so we handed it over to the polis.”

Ayerightshire Police Constable Tam Dolittle, who took receipt of the find, said: “It would appear that a disused area behind the main post office building was popular with staff due to the large quantity of a certain alcoholic beverage which had been stored there, the drinking of which may have caused various postmen to neglect their appointed rounds.”

Const Dolittle continued: “Every effort is being made to trace the rightful owners of this undelivered mail, which appears to have been stashed over a long period of time. However, being limited in our resources, we are now requesting assistance from the public. If you can identify any of the following items, please contact our office immediately so that we can make arrangements to redirect these missives at the earliest possible opportunity.”

In Some Other Life

2009-07-26T02:57:00.000-07:00

In some other life,
I will live in a tent by the shore
with no doors that lock and
no neighbours anywhere nearby
and I will wear pink jammies,
with feet,
as children do,
and drink fresh-squeezed
orange juice every morning
with buttered toast
and jam
and read the papers
all day
and play with my cat Spot
and hug my bear Bo
for company.

In some other life, I will
have a big soft bed,
hanging from the stars,
with down pillows for my head
and thick duvets
in case I get cold
and I will put Bo to bed
and wrap up tight
in my granny-square afghan
and we will fall asleep together
as night creeps in around us,
listening to the gulls
and the waves lapping
on the shore,
and awake to another day
and do it all
over again
when I am idle
in some other life.

The Lighthouse

2009-07-26T02:54:00.001-07:00

Their lighthouses don't look like our lighthouses. But if I were a passing ship, I'd welcome them all the same.

DITSY'S DOLLS

2009-07-24T14:45:00.000-07:00

I have been caught up in a frenzy of dollmaking over the past two weeks in my very limited free time. (Real life always gets in the way.) The Inspire Me Thursday theme hasn't been posted yet, and I can only hope that it's 'doll' so I can get some much-needed sleep!

This is a long story, but I'm going to tell it to you anyway. My friend Kate, who is enormously creative and talented, always seeks to inspire me. Years ago, she issued a Christmas card challenge and I still haven't made a single card while, of course, she has...every year...and they're always brilliantly done.

Three or maybe even four years back, I started making some dolls (with no idea of how to go about it) and for my birthday that year--along with some very nice presents--she gave me two things that have haunted me ever since.

One was a packet of disgusting-plastic body parts (stretchy, with sort of a slimy feel to them). As if that weren't bad enough, they weren't exactly useful--there were two right ears, two left feet, a very big nose and two hands (identical) with fingers that were pliable enough to interlock them together. Very amusing. And the challenge was to make a doll with them.

The other was a beautifully hand-knitted doll-sized sweater in luscious colours. I set about making a doll that could wear it.

An experienced dollmaker could probably have done this in 10 hours, but, since I didn't know what I was doing, it took me forever...she just did not WANT to be made...and we had countless setbacks. I'd try something that didn't work and have to take her apart and start all over again or, more often, just put her back in the box and go make something else!

One of the things I made was a wee doll from a wooden ball and wire. She didn't have shoes and went into the box as well.

This year, Kate gave me some woven wool samples she brought back from her holiday on Orkney, which I'll show you another time, along with tiny balls of dyed unspun wool, saying 'maybe you'll think of something to do with that'.

And then when she gave me BIG TUB MOULD-A-FOAM, I knew I had to get busy!

Priscilla

2009-07-24T14:04:00.001-07:00

Priscilla's hair is in a bit of a state here, but I trimmed the loose ends and tidied her up before giving her away as a 'minding' (remembrance gift).

Her feet are made the same as her hands. I solved the shoe problem by painting Mary Janes on with blue Pebeo paint, adding little gold spirals for decoration on the toes.

(Mary Janes are flat shoes with a crossover strap, like schoolgirls wear.)

She's wearing a lace bonnet, tied in the back with a wee satin bow.

Sofia

2009-07-24T13:39:00.001-07:00

This doll was delivered to Kate in a shoebox yesterday. She's quite tall, but bendable, thanks to her aluminum wire upper arms and legs, so she sat in the box with all her accessories, just waiting to be discovered. Kate will have to name her, but, in my mind, she's a Sofia.

Her beads are glass. Her earrings have three gold metal balls on each hoop--two parts of a charm from a bead store. And her hair came from a porcelain doll I found in a charity shop. (That doll is now in the box, awaiting some sort of cure for her premature baldness!)

Isn't the sweater beautiful?

Sofia's Accessories

2009-07-24T13:12:00.001-07:00

Sofia comes with an Orkney wool braided stole for cool summer evenings ... designer perfume ... new shoes ... another necklace ... a sparkly handbag with mirror, lipstick and credit cards ... and a Groovy Chick shopping bag, made from the original gift card and bag in which the sweater was delivered to me.

I never, ever thought I'd get this project finished!

The Challenge Doll

2009-07-24T12:47:00.001-07:00

I used the Mould-A-Foam to create my challenge doll, which came out looking like this. She's not the prettiest little girl in town, but I like to think she has a good heart.

Yesterday, I also gave Kate a small package, wrapped in brown paper. On the outside, written in black marker, it said:

Ah cannae tango.
Ah've got two left feet.

United Breaks Guitars

2009-07-23T11:44:00.000-07:00

Nearly four million people have seen this five-star video on YouTube. If you've missed it, please scroll to the end of this page and watch!

(Dave plans to make two more videos of his disastrous experience with United Airlines. See Taylor Guitar news. And United has hired him to make a customer service video for its staff.)

Tango: If you can't say it, sign it.

2009-07-19T10:58:00.000-07:00

Everybody's doing the 'tango' at Illustration Friday this week--and what great fun. I've studied new dance steps and found out a lot about the tango that I'd like to share with you.

The best quote comes from 'Six reasons you shouldn't dance close embrace tango'--item number six: It can be addictive. Uh-huh. And the text reads: "Dancing close embrace can put you into a drug-like state of mind in which you experience extreme ecstasy and perfect bliss interspersed with moments of frustration and loathing. This will only lead you into a depraved state of mind in which you are constantly seeking more and longer 'tango highs'."

And the problem with that is...? I could do with some 'tango highs'.

In the news: Finland may be tangoing into the Eurovision Song Contest 2010 in Oslo. The press release states: "The winner of the popular Tango song contest and festival, Tangomarkkinat [in its 25th year], will be offered one of the invitations for 12 artists to take part in the Finnish national finals." I've never thought of the Finns doing the tango--something to do with their weather, I suspect--but I LOVED Lordi, so I hope the tango entrants sing and dance all the way to Oslo!

On a Purdue University (US) forum, krsmith recommended this site for tango music that's free to listen to. Karla also said: "If you loved me, you wouldn't step on my feet...."

The dancing is sensational. The costumes are wonderful. The rose is a great trademark. But maybe the best thing about tango is that it's such a good excuse to buy new shoes.

Now, to get yourself in the mood, watch 'The Best Latin Tango' on this site.

Later, listen to Cinco razones para continuar, also here.

And, finally, if you're mad for pets, go see Cat Loves on Dog with Tango Music.

Must See: 'The Best Latin Tango'

2009-07-19T10:51:00.000-07:00

On the subject of 'tango', you absolutely have to watch this YouTube video by CosioJ, posted 21 November 2006. The music is incredible and the dancing will make you...well...phone for lessons. But there's much more--including some fabulous on-the-street tango--to be found at Visit Tango Buenas Aires. Go! Now!

Quasar J-01: Cinco razones para continuar

2009-07-19T10:15:00.000-07:00

I found some beautiful music in the Creative Commons archive whilst researching 'tango'. This is the 10th album by Quasar J-01 and the title means 'five reasons to carry on'. It's described as 'five dimensions of life and music, spirit, love, universe, society and the music inventors: the birds'. Artist/composer: Christian Alvarez Rojas. CC licence--attribution, non-commercial, no derivative works 3.0.

Playlist:
1. Aun oigo sus voces
2. Princesa de las aves
3. Cuidad vacia de alma
4. No merecemos este sin sentido
5. El todo no existe porque si

Coke Bottle Glasses

2009-07-19T09:37:00.000-07:00

Unlike last week, I knew exactly what I wanted to do with this week's Inspire Me Thursday theme 'glasses'. For those not old enough to remember, spectacles (or 'specs') used to be made from glass, not plastic. And the poorer your eyesight was, the heavier the glass. Which made your eyes look really weird. The heaviest were called 'Coke bottle glasses' because the lenses looked like they had been cut from the bottoms of old-fashioned glass Coca-Cola bottles. Plastic is SO much better!

Technical note: My favourite support for pastels is black sandpaper from the hardware store--the gritty paper used to smooth wood. It grabs the pastel and holds it really well, but it's hard to get here. Either the pieces are too small or you have to buy far too much at one time. However, I've found a product I really like that is made by Golden. It's called Micaceous Iron Oxide, comes in a jar, and is a gritty charcoal paint that can be applied to almost any surface. I paint it on watercolour paper I don't like, using an old brush, and the gunky brush cleans up easily with soap and water. The paint dries quickly, provides a great surface to draw on and, no, they're not paying me to say this.

Watch This

2009-07-15T12:30:00.000-07:00

Royal Scots Dragoon Guards

2009-07-13T11:15:00.000-07:00

Just as with Inspire Me Thursday this week, I found nothing coming to mind with the Illustration Friday theme 'hollow'. Drew a blank! Things I thought of in terms of 'hollow' were things I didn't want to illustrate--and things I wanted to illustrate weren't hollow. Over the weekend, which was full of boring business, I came up with a few ideas, but couldn't be bothered to lift a pencil. This afternoon, though, I was looking at 'hollow' in the dictionary where it mentioned an echo, such as with a drum. And then it all came together.

I had been fortunate, last Friday, to see the Scots Dragoons lining up for a parade. (I was unfortunate in that I did not get to see the parade itself.) They looked so smart in their uniforms! (Why do women always fall for men in uniform? I knew then. I was in love.) So here is my hollow drum...and the drummer who marched along with it.

***

'Hollow' quotes:

Better than a thousand hollow words is one that brings peace. --Buddha

Water continually dropping will wear rocks hollow. --Plutarch (Confucius said much the same thing centuries earlier.)

May the road rise up to meet you. May the wind be ever at your back. May the sun shine upon your face and the rain fall softly on your fields. And until we meet again, may God hold you in the hollow of his hand. --Irish blessing

Owl Be Back

2009-07-13T11:07:00.001-07:00

Confessions: I wasn't at all inspired by the Inspire Me Thursday theme this week (owl) and had so much real-life stuff to do over the weekend, I thought I'd give it a miss. Today, however, I sketched an owl on a paper towel, then tried to see how 'minimalist' I could be with it.

Dr Duck Strikes Again

2009-07-05T05:40:00.000-07:00

The Illustration Friday theme this week is 'shaky' and this just popped out--no doubt because I'd been thinking overmuch about hotwiring (see previous post, Baby Likes To Hotwire...).

Baby Likes To Hotwire Cars (Remix)

2009-07-05T04:54:00.001-07:00

I've been hotwiring cars this week, musically speaking, remixing MF Foster's 'Baby Likes To Hotwire Cars Blues' (Public Domain--www.archive.org) by adding a little more drama to the low tones, as well as 'Promo (1) with SackJo22 and Briareus' from ccMixter.org You can hear it at the box.net box at the end of this page. Autobahn photo by rolve at www.sxc.hu

People, Let's Stop The War (Unmix)

2009-07-05T04:37:00.000-07:00

Image by jlbruno via Flickr

This week, Brad Stanfield issued a challenge to ccMixter.org users to remix his 'People Let's Stop The War', providing 12 tracks. I used his PLSTW with tracks 1 and 3(2), adding bits from track 6 for the intro/outro. My 'unmix' is in the box.net box at the bottom of this page. Let's stop the war.

Does my bum look big in this?

2009-07-05T02:45:00.000-07:00

This week's Inspire Me Thursday theme is 'cheeks'. The first thing I thought of was mooning--for those in translation, that's showing your naked backside, bottom or 'bum'--for example, out a car window--but I couldn't get anyone to pose for me. (Sigh.) Then I realised I think about cheeks all the time!

Son of the Job Evaluation Blues

2009-07-05T02:23:00.000-07:00

I work for a large organisation that undertook a 'job evaluation' project as part of an equal pay scheme. During interviews, I was asked questions like, "Does your job involve thinking?" (Whose doesn't?), "Do you operate a chainsaw?" (No, but I could learn.), and "Do you work with dangerous or aggressive people?" (Well, my boss, but that wasn't what they meant.) SIX YEARS later, their computer spit out the answers (I have a horoscope program that works better than that) and the outcomes were more bizarre than the original questions. Instead of thinking about it, I decided to make some music. (The Job Evaluation Blues is at the bottom of this page.)

Help me out here. Tell me about your job.