Intentions! My Jar is Working!

Yesterday as I was sitting at my desk contemplating life.  I looked over at my intention jar.  I was happily shocked and a little frightened to realize that it is indeed working! When making an intention jar it's imperative to be specific and make sure the things you place there are things you really want.  and understand the ramifications of your intentions/desires.

My jar was mostly about things I'd like to have in my life and things I like.  So of course kitties ended up on my jar. It wasn't my "intention" to get more kitties, just to appreciate them and their cuteness.  A happy little kitty face.

Happy Little Kitty Face!

Item One:  Kitties! Little did I know this was going to throw the universe into action and I would become the care taker of 2 more kitties.  Bringing my total back up to 4. Which is dangerously close to 5.  5 is the legal limit here in Portland and also the number that indicates you are indeed a crazy cat lady.  I will spare the details of this nutalicious story.

Cheese on the jar

Cheese in my tummy

Item Two:  Cheese! I love cheese. Can't seem to get enough of it.  Side note: While in Italy a couple years back I extended my trip literally the night before I was to come home. Which meant I carried an additional 8 lbs of Parmesan cheese around in my backpack for two weeks. If you know anything about backpacking, 8lbs is a lot of extra weight.  Well worth it.  I follow @TillamookCheese on twitter, I like them on facebook, I even applied as their social media voice.  Then a couple of weeks ago I entered a little contest they had and won!  Yes! I won cheese!

2010 Model SOMA Mixte

Item Three:  Bike.  Last year I ordered a bike frame I loved.  Sadly, it was out of stock. When I tried to reorder the price went up and money wise things were looking sketchy.  I decided not reorder.  I continued riding the bike that didn't fit and needed a new bottom bracket.  A year later I placed the mixte frame on my jar. Thinking that it represented a bike that fit me properly.  A couple weeks ago my cohabitant found the frame in a lovely graphite color for less then last years model!  I decided not to replace my table that was damaged in the break-in, but, instead order said frame. I'm excited to get back riding, insurance or not!  Much better for my health to ride a bike than sit at a table.

ART all year long!  A happy year indeed!

Item Four: Art. On my jar I placed the words "ART all year long" and photos of paintings.  This week I received a commission piece! Should have put some printmaking items on it!  Does this also explain why I didn't get the job a couple weeks back? Hmmm...

 

Italy has lots of art and cheese!

I type all this to say: Intentions. Set them. Understand them.  Enjoy them! Extra kitties and all!

To Blog or not to Blog...

Another weirdo face.

Bad photo! Expression and all! haha

That is the question!  The last couple of weeks have been a black hole of time sucking activities that have nothing to do with art and very little to do with unemployment.  I'm the VP of Fundraising and Sponsorship for IIDA's Oregon Chapter.  Last Thursday night was the annual fundraiser!  Phew! Am I glad that is over!  It's our only fundraiser and it always involves a theme and awesome raffle prizes!  This years theme was High School "Clicks".  I went as myself, in circa 1987.  Died black hair and all.  My ears still hurt from all those earrings and my feet still hate those dyed to match pumps. I'm also pretty sure this black hair is making me look old.  Oh 1987.  I won the below light in the raffle!  It's going to look great over my table! Yay!

Louis Poulsen PH 5

Sunday I looked at a studio space share potential with a letter press gal!  The space is perfectly located for me with a small store front and workshop space.  The trouble is money of course.  There is a potential to make some there, but you know the old saying "you have to spend money to make money" . Sad but mostly true.

Recently I also visited Atelier Meridian!  Now, they have some presses!  Their Friday Ink and Drink seems to be well attended and a good time!  I'd like to visit again! 

Last Monday was Valentines day. Previously I had made a linocut of a box of chocolates for the occasion but also wanted to finish a drypoint I sketched. I got as far as getting it on the plate!  Better than still being on paper I suppose.  I'm planning to print it Sunday at the workshop I'm running.

I'm hoping to get back on track creating! I have a couple of projects up my sleeve, but more about them later. 

Thanks for taking the time to spend with me here in my virtual world! :)

Sunday Crafternoon at Powells

Christine Answers Questions

If you live anywhere near Portland you know what Powells is.  If you don't know, it's city block of books.  New books, used books, signed books, collectors books and more!  They also offer pick up of orders, shipping, ebooks, and you can sell your books there or online too.  They feature book signings and readings and sometimes just a good time! 

Yesterday, at Powells, Christine with Yellow Owl Workshop was there.  She did have her books and wares for sale, and she was signing them. But the fun part was she did a short demo on how to make your own rubber stamps and turned the crowd loose to use her creations!  Yellow Owl Workshop creates rubber stamps for the average person to use.  They are thoughtful, creatively fun and surprisingly made in the USA!  Try to find craft items or anything else not made in China sometime.  But that's another ranty blog post all together.  I feel confident in using her supplies that no one was harmed in the making of and no one will be harmed using them.

Making Fun! 

Everyone had a really great time making cards and valentines with the supplies Yellow Owl Provided!  The event was co sponsored by I Heart Art: Portland, if you don't know who they are check them out!

My Valentine!

I made this!  I must say her stamps are much more thoughtful and pertinent to me than a lot of the ones I've seen in craft stores.

Yellow Owl Workshop offers other items beside the stamps, please take a look! There is stationary, pendants and cards. One of my favorite things are these LCD Write Your Own Message embossed cards. 

Thanks Powells, Yellow Owl, Christine and I Heart PDX!

Lazy Weekend Post!

I'm excited my Etsy Story was featured on Handmadology! I'm not excited that I didn't proof my writing a bit more! :) 
Happy weekend everyone!  I'm hoping to get some printmaking done! I'm late with a special Valentine / February Heart Health Month drypoint I'm working on! 

Art across the Sea!

Is there a proper term for internet friends? Frinets?

Lately I've met some lovely people online!  Last week I met Amanda from Mangle Prints. She's across the sea in Norfok, England.  We decided to exchange prints and this is what arrived in the mail (post as they say) yesterday!
I'm very excited to frame this and hang it in my kitchen!  The cats love red birds and so do I! 


You too can own these lovely birds by shopping at Mangle Prints on Etsy!  She also have a lovely Mangle Prints blog!

Thanks Amanda! 

February's Print of the Month!

Learn more about the 6 month Print of the Month subscription on my etsy page! 
January and February are out, but you can still be surprised by March, April, May and June!:)

Happy February!

Focus and...the...uhm, hmm, what was I saying?

I've noticed that lately I'm having trouble with focus. My mind is racing almost as often as my heart.  Sleep is fitful at best.  Saturday night I woke up screaming, in my dream someone was breaking in the front door and I was getting out of bed yelling at them. This middle of the night screaming did not make the kitties very happy.  Nor anyone else in the house.

Week 15 day one. I really need an app for this. 
Due to lack of sleep my brain isn't working properly. Not good.  I'm frustrated and frazzled.  I need to get some exercise too.  Since I don't have health insurance I'm afraid to ride my bike, plus I have no where to go.  I was an avid bike commuter the 4.5 miles both ways to work. When I worked. 

I have yet to follow my best intentions of having a set schedule. For the 2 weeks after the break in I had the excuse of getting multiple bids and trying to get the adjuster to see eye to eye with me.  My window is ordered but I'm still looking at the plywood owl scene.  Repairs should start this week.

I feel unmotivated to get dressed or go out of the house. But honestly pajamas are warm and when you can't spend money, the reasons to go out diminish.

Superb Owl

The positive side is I'm still motivated to create! Yesterday, for Superb Owl Sunday, I whipped out this crazy owl mom and baby! Not my finest work but I only had about 45mins to spare.  I've also mailed out all of the February PoM's and can't wait to post them later this week!

I finally finished these little blocks for my friends children.   

 

E is for Escher

T is for Tupelo (honey)

A Giveaway Keeps the Doctor at Bay!

Happy Superb Owl Sunday Weekend!  What a great time for my first giveaway!  Especially when the item is a Superb Owl hand carved linocut, printed, signed and dated by me!  :)

Please fill out this lovely Google doc form.  Follow me on Twitter @almostmonday for another entry, just make sure you  message me about this giveaway!  I ask 3 little questions in the below form. Visit my Etsy Store to answer question number #3! Don't forget to subscribe to my blog! :)

Life Update #47

To be honest, I really don't know what update number this is.  Tomorrow starts my 4th month on unemployment. November, December and January on the dole.  I'll spare you the unemployment mumbo-jumbo of new claims and waiting weeks.

Wednesday I received the nicest rejection letter known to man. And kitties.  Basically I'm awesome (as I'm training my self to say/believe) but there were people who actually had worked with the particular product and proprietary systems. They received over 250 applicants and only 5 people made it to round 2.  I feel pretty dang good about that.  They will keep my resume at the top of their pile if something opens up in future.  That makes 2 very well respected and great places to work that will hire me as soon as this "current economic crisis" , aka GDII is over.

My February Print of the Month block is carved and ready to go! I will spend today printing it and tomorrow packaging.  By the end of next week all subscribers will have received theirs and I'll post February's print for the general public!  Here's the photo of January's if you didn't see it! Also available as part of the Print of the Month Subscription or separately in my Etsy store! :)


I, for one, am happy the year of the Tiger is over!  I love kitties, but this Tiger was something else. Out like a Tiger in like a rabbit.  Happy year of the Rabbit friends!  (Year of the Cat in Vietnam) Whiskers and soft fur either way - Let's make if a good one!
Hmmm, next weeks print will probably involve a rabbit!

How do you feel about the year of the Tiger?  Do you feel there is more press about the Chinese New Year this year?  I do!

Superb Owl Sunday! Sunday Feb. 6th 2011

This Sunday is my new favorite holiday! Superb Owl Sunday!  I'm pretty sure it involves owls, eating, drinking, family and friends!  And of course no sports!  Here's my print in honor of Superb Owl Sunday!  Get yours now! :) Or at least plan your Superb Owl Party! I'm planning mine now!

PS. Every Superb Owl Sunday should include and Owl exchange.  Let your imagination run wild with the owl you'll bring to the party! The best owls are handmade owls!