October 14, 2006
October 14, 2006
Because this is a truly amazing city I live in, I took a break from studying the other day to buy groceries and ran into a breakdancing show. It was a Saturday evening in Union Square, so unexpected things weren't entirely, you know, unexpected. But this is what I love about this place.
Also, I've been taking some photos for The Turning House, which is the student journal at Union. My debut will be some shots from the Marcus Borg lectures this weekend, which is pretty sweet in itself. Also we might see some of my other random Union pictures. So that's fun, and is a great excuse to pick up the camera, which is languishing under my busyness, as with everything non-school-related. I believe next up is the Day of the Dead celebration...
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September 23, 2006
I gave in to the temptation, the succulent lure of the Apple company, and bought myself a new MacBook. It is pretty much amazing, though I haven't gotten to experience its full glory — the extra RAM I bought for it is languishing in the UPS facility in the Bronx, because apparently they fail at delivering things. I should have it on Monday, though.
Anyway, this is my convenient excuse for not updating. The new baby (her name is Deborah - gee, I'm not taking Old Testament 101...) is having a tough time handling herself with 512 MB. Let alone iPhoto or Dreamweaver, or (YHWH forbid) both. So, that and my insane amount of work. Because, you know, that wouldn't be enough of an excuse. Assuming that I even need an excuse, which is debatable.
BUT one of my classes is "Christianities and the City," and our homework last weekend was to go to Queens and wander around. Observe, take field notes, note instances of Christianity, and (for me) take pictures. There was this wonderful warehouse covered in graffiti, which I believe is home to the art collective 5 Pointz (as seen here — PS1 was unfortunately closed when I was there, so probably I'll have to go back soon.) It was really gorgeous, and sort of a religious experience for me, in a way; actually the same way as when I went to see the Fort Thunder building before they tore it down to build the Staples. I was standing in the parking lot on a rainy evening with this boy Kevin I barely knew (he works at Tealuxe now, go say hi!) just overcome with emotion at this beautiful instance of totally organic creative energy, chained off and empty. (Empty of people, anyway. I'm sure they left a lot of stuff stapled to the walls.)
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September 4, 2006
Crazy! So in the last two months since I've written here, I've moved to New York and started grad school. Yayyy Union Seminary, WHAT! (And a ton of other stuff, but that seems to be the major thing.) I'm having lots of fun with the NYC street photography, because really, there's just so much going on. I really want to get my LC-A fixed so I can carry that around too — it's really better-suited to random pictures of people &c. It's just missing a few of the tiny screws in the front, but it's making it so I can't really open the lens shade thingy. Must email the lomography.com guy again.
So, hopefully my school schedule will allow me to update more regularly. I'll try and schedule these things in... Anyway, here are some of the aforementioned NYC street photos, along with a few Providence pictures I didn't get up before I left.
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July 3, 2006
I'm chilling out in Delaware this week with the folks, having just returned from West Virginia where I was a chaperone at god camp. I took some fun pictures too, but because I am pretty much awesome, I left the cable for my camera in RI, along with my extra battery and charger. So I'm hoping I can talk the boy into bringing it with him when he comes down in a few days to meet the aforementioned folks.
In the meantime, here are some pictures of my neighborhood because I kind of miss it.
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June 14, 2006
I'm taking a little bit of a break this week. My one job is done for the school year, another job is done for a month or so, and the other job is fairly low-key. So, I'm applying for some more jobs and resting up from this weekend; I did a triathlon! Check out the pictures here, taken by my sweetie. It was pretty awesome, and I'm psyched for my next one, which looks like it will be on 7/30.
Part of this mini-vacation will hopefully be doing more art and taking more photos. And being nervous, because I should hear from Union in the next few days... Oh, and I've got some roller derby photos that should be up soon.
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May 27, 2006
The utter busyness continues, but it's getting to that part of the year (that I love) where the work-related busyness is tempered by the fun busyness of Roller Derby, outdoor concerts, biking all over the city, training until I hurt... The first Derby bout was rained out last night and will happen tomorrow, which means dressing up in something fun and/or ridiculous and taking lots of pictures and probably getting beer spilled on me again. (tough girls on roller skates + beer on the side of the track = wet pants)
I've been doing a bunch of work lately on the Federal Hill Pizza site, which is looking hot. There's still much work to do, but they're trying to open on Wednesday (5/31) and I think mostly it's ready for that. Apparently the owner's already talking me up to some of his restaurant-owner peers, and it looks like I might be able to turn this into a proper freelancing-business deal. Perhaps it's time to get some business cards printed. Anyway, if you find yourself in Cranston and hungry, check them out. 100 East St. They're good people.
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May 7, 2006
Goodness. I am tired.
I've got a lot of stuff going on, and unfortunately the things that I get paid for and that are going to determine my next 3-4 years have taken precedence over the fun stuff like photography and so on. To summarize: I've got 3 jobs, two of which involve teaching and are awesome and tiring, and the other of which involves website fun and (eventually) some photography; I'm applying to divinity schools; I'm doing a triathlon in August. Sometimes I take pictures. Sigh.
Anyway, the photos I just put up are some of my experimenting with my Lens Baby. I got one a couple months ago, but I haven't played with it nearly enough. So I took it out with me the other day, walking to the boy's house. I think I need to do it that way and not have any other lenses with me, because I actually use it that way. Same with my LC-A... I think once the Roller Derby season starts up again (hey, only a few weeks!), I'll do a lot of playing with the Lens Baby. I feel like that would work really well...
I think tomorrow morning before work, instead of going to the gym, I will wander around with my camera. This will be good.
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April 23, 2006
So, after a brief sojourn to visit the folks in DE (and a bit of school vacation), tomorrow will pick up the busy life again. In the next few days I assume control over this site, so keep your eyes peeled for some awesome (and frequently-changing) pictures of pizza/sandwich specials, and also info on their new location. Plus my dear sweet children will be back from vacation and will demand some hands-on science experiments.
Project Digs went well. Last night featured a saw-guitar duet, which is the current photo above. The journals section is in progress -- the 4"x6" page and the 7"x10" page are done, so check them out. The others will be done... soon. But not yet, because I'm pretty well exhausted.
Oh hey! I just remembered another cool thing. While I was in DE, my dad asked if I'd be interested in his old Canon T70, and of course I said yes. He's pretty sure there's a problem with the light meter or something, so I'm going to take it to my local camera dude and see what I can see. I'm not sure how serious of a problem it actually is, but I should at least go say hi to the camera guy. He's fun, and I haven't been by in forever because I've been shooting almost all digital. I think I might even have a roll from the end of last year that I never got processed... that should be a fun surprise.
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April 16, 2006
One of the downsides of teaching yourself Dreamweaver is that sometimes, it is moody and you don't quite know what particular quirk you need to mess with. Very soon, there will be some awesome blank books for sale on the Buy page (where you can currently buy prints!), once I figure out how to get things to stay where I want them.
The Project Digs show is pretty sweet. I got some lovely compliments on my photos, which are a selection of my lomos from this past summer. They got shoved into the closet when I moved, before I got around to scanning them, so once the show closes I'll scan them in (along with a bunch of other ones I found) and those will be for sale too. I think possibly once I scan in everything, I'll start doing some journals with photos on the covers. Since the film ones are doing nothing but sit in the closet anyway, they might as well live again on someone's notebook! And I'll be able to take orders for journals done with prints of any other photo, too.
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April 15, 2006
Much more significant update later on, but at the last minute I'm in a giant group show called Project Digs! I've got a collage, a crazy mixed media thing, and a bunch of photos in it.
So if you're around, you should come check it out. 89 Courtland St, today and next Saturday (4/22) from Noon to Midnight. There's an opening party thing from 6:00 on, which is when I'll be there.
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April 12,
2006
So, finally an update, and I've reached #100! It's a big day.
I've been up to some interesting arty things lately; worked on a lot of blank books/journals that will theoretically be up here for sale really soon, acquired a bunch of cigar boxes which will get prettified, was gifted a sweet knitting book which has inspired a project or two so far. Some ages ago (probably only a year, but you know) I knitted a bag out of some nice teal/blue wool, weaved in some bright red vinyl strips and was planning to felt it, but then I didn't really have a way to felt it and it sat under my bed until last week. I pulled it out and decided it was much too big for anything I'd want to use right now (I've already got a giant bag!), so I ripped and ripped and re-knitted, and now I have an only-slightly-modified "PDA case" from said book. Of course it probably won't ever hold a PDA, but will be a nice size for keys/phone/ID. Hopefully I'll remember to take it with me to visit my parents next week and felt it in their washer (which is free.)
And have continued taking fun pictures in the meantime, so I'll try and not suck at updating.
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March 25, 2006
Photo Friday this week is "smooth," and while I thought about the 8-year-old Romeos I put up recently, I've gone with this one, of my car crusted in ice. It's from back in the Colorsplash days, which feels like forever ago, but actually I think that picture is from Christmas '04. Weird.
I've gotten to thinking, though, that I really really need to dig out the LC-A again! I stopped carrying it around because I was having trouble with losing some of the tiny screws, but I tightened them up and then never put it back in my bag because digital is just so much cheaper.... I really love the quality (or lack thereof, sometimes!) of shots I get with film. Plus, it's a lot easier to take pictures of people without them noticing, so it might come in handy for the portrait project I mentioned.
In other news, I have secured Job #3, and it is photo- and web-related! Some dear friends of mine are opening a lunch place (to be pimped out once it opens), and I'm going to be taking pictures of their food for a pretty dynamic web-based menu. Also maybe for decoration in the shop? We shall see. I'm pretty excited about it, anyway.
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March 13, 2006
Well, still sick, but trying to make the most of it. Read an amazing book today, Shane Claiborne's The Irresistible Revolution. You should all read it, but more to the point, it's inspired me to start out on a portrait project. I've always liked portraits, as I've always liked people-watching. As a rebellious high-schooler, I was the only one of my friends who actually didn't mind going to the mall sometimes, because it meant some weird people. And some pretty regular people too. So when I took up photography, one of the first things that drew me in was taking pictures of random people on the street. I've always liked Walker Evans as a photographer, for his work generally, but especially for his book of candid photos of people on the NY subway.
"When we have new eyes, we can look into the eyes of those we don't even like and see the One we love. We can see God's image in everyone we encounter." (SC p. 266) This has pretty much always been my take on it, but it was the inspiration for this project. I'm sure the theme will evolve and narrow itself over the course of things, as always happens (and should, I think), but it will start out based on the idea that we've all got God's beauty in us.
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March 8, 2006
I've been weirdly busy lately, but today I am sick and don't want to get out of bed, so I have finally curled up with the iBook and finished the monster truck photos. There are a lot of fun ones, but for now I'm going with "People of Monster Jam," because otherwise I'd get sick of truck pictures. And the people are more interesting, anyway! Perhaps I'll do an album in a day or two, if I have time.
The sickness may or may not be related to choking on an entire tortilla chip in front of a room full of elementary-school kids this afternoon, but I think it's more likely associated with spending a weekend with a sick friend and then laying awake last night fantasizing about working at an Apple store. (Uhhh, yeah, I'm a dork. We knew that.) Either way, it is nice to have some quality time with Bridget.
In other news, I was doing a little bit of site publicity at bible study this morning, and one of the women who works at Mathewson mentioned that perhaps I could do a show in the church's chapel gallery! That would be doubly awesome because the church is open on Gallery Night, for organ concerts upstairs as well as the gallery itself! I will have to look into that. Also, get moving on having business cards printed.
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March 3, 2006
Predictably, "masculine" last week was followed by "feminine" this week, so for pure irony's sake (also because it's a great picture), I've entered this one, of one of my favorite gender anarchists. (Also find her here.)
I do enjoy making stuff for people, so I'm starting on some random projects for friends. A stuffed vagina may be necessary, so if you know of any good patterns, do pass them along!
Amazingness of the day: going to a monster truck rally tonight! Unless something atrocious happens, like the apocalypse or my camera breaking or them not letting me take pictures, I plan to have some ridiculous and/or fabulous photos. I know I'm excited.
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February 27, 2006
So the theme for Photo Friday this week is "masculine," and of course that set my mind whirring as to the many things I could use. I was over at J's house when he and his roommate were cooking dinner the other night, and when they decided that the best option was to beat the chicken with an iron skillet, I figured that was "masculine" photo gold! Sadly I couldn't get any photos of that I was pleased with (though I did get a cute one of J brandishing the skillet) and I went with a lovely one of collard greens in progress. I think it fits the theme well -- I love the wrist.
My neighborhood Viking celebrated a birthday yesterday, and I got some lovely photos of those people who were in my line of sight at one point when I was sitting there talking about cameras, so those will be up soon. You might want to bate your breath now.
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February 20, 2006
The superfantastic knitting surprise was gifted to my sweetie today, so now there are pictures! Presenting heterosexual bias for your viewing pleasure. *The links work now, too! Check out all 3 photos.* Perhaps I'll be able to sneak a picture of him wearing it. I already had to chase some crazy Brown students out of my light when I was trying to take pictures at White Electric the other day... (and by that of course I mean I politely asked if I could move the chair they had their feet on.)
I made a ton of journals this weekend, and they are awesome. Tomorrow's project is going to Kinko's to print up some mildly professional-looking labels for them, and taking pictures to put up here for sale. Also, more journal-making. (Kinko's takes credit cards, right? Right.)
AND, oh man! I finally cut apart the stamps I got from Mandy a while back, and they are pretty much amazing. (I must order more! And remember to pay for those as soon as I have money!) I got the Shopkeeper's Alphabet, and now I sort of want to stamp/type on everything. I've been experimenting with inks, as the inkpad I have works nicely but then takes forever to dry and I smudge it all to hell. Liquid inks are no go, for the sheer messyness factor ("hey, that's an R-shaped blob!"), but maybe I'll try mixing them with some gel medium, for I've got a great iridescent green ink I'd love to use. I bought some gouache with my (best gift ever) Utrecht gift card, which seems to work well in conjunction with a tiny paintbrush, as long as I can keep it from drying too fast. I got a pearlescent copper that will be pretty fantastic if I can make it work.
And then I dropped the j down the sink, and was sad. On the bright side, it's definitely my least favorite letter from that font. I've still got a capital J, at least...
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February 18, 2006
I've just put up a bunch more photos, which make up the Valentine's Day, Providence Style! album. Much goodness was had at the anti-valentines sweetness party, including these cupcakes. I've got a "recipes" page in the works (which will be found on the links page) for all the exciting new vegan things I've been experimenting with, and they'll definitely be there. Yup, good stuff.
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February 15, 2006
Today's featured photo (this one) stars some awesome folks from my weekly Bible study. They're pretty cool. She's got the tiniest Bible I've ever seen— easily pocket-size, even front pocket of girl pants–size. (You can see it behind her coffee, sorta.) He's sort of on another planet, in what is probably a really sad way if you're his wife or close friend, but is a pretty rockin' old-guy way if you haven't known him long. [Hey, join us if you'd like. Wednesday mornings at 8 at Tazza café. Free coffee! And Jesus! Or at least the gospel of Mark!]
I forgot to mention, I entered this photo in Photo Friday this week, for "blur." (Actually by accident I entered this one first, but I think in effect I entered them both...? Somehow?)
Also! There is a fabulous *secret* knitting project going on. I'm super excited about it. I think it will be really sweet, and I think its recipient will dig it. Once it is gifted, of course, there will be pictures.
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February 11, 2006
Eventually at some point I will have photos of knitted/crocheted things, but for now we must content ourselves with photos of knitters/crocheters. Love them, for people who play with string are some of my favorite people.
Speaking of people I'm fond of, this is going to be a lovely evening of staying inside making soup and cookies and hot chocolate and cuddles while it is snowing like crazy. I'm pretty excited.
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February 4. 2006
I've put up some of my awesome old Colorsplash photos in order to enter one of them (this one) in Photo Friday's "disguise" challenge. They're some of the first photos I took that were meant to be pretty, not just "hey look I'm in Europe!" And I still think they're pretty sweet, so here they are again. Yay.
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January 31, 2006
Immediately after I updated last, my computer died a horrid and bloody death (or that's what it felt like—actually I just needed a new RAM chip), and I only just got it back. Thankfully, I didn't lose any of the awesome photos I hadn't backed up yet! *runs backup again*
We had some lovely new people at the last Stitch & Bitch, and I got to talking to one of them about crochet, and how it appeals to her sense of not-counting, not-working-from-a-pattern, making-it-up-as-you-go-along crazy artsyness. And I said, hey, that sounds like me. A lot. So when the next day I was sad that I don't own a good black cardigan that actually fits me, the only logical next step was to dig around in my yarn stash for a sufficient amount of black yarn and grab my giant plastic hook. (Not sure what size it actually is, but it's a lot like sz. 17 needles...) I figure, I know what my torso's shaped like, and I know how I want this sweater to fit, so how hard can it be?
It was an interesting follow-up to a conversation I had with the boy the previous night wherein he asked me to explain the difference between knitting and crochet, and pretty much the conclusion was, why am I "a knitter" rather than "a crocheter"? Because though I'd consider myself a good knitter (when I actually try to make complicated things), the whole idea of patterns and counting is sort of contrary to the way I feel about art in the first place. Obviously it's possible to be an "artsy-fartsy knitter" and never use a pattern and whatnot, and I do that, oh indeed I do, but I like the way that with crochet you can start out with one thing in mind, and have it go in an entirely different direction at a moment's whim. (Speaking of my artsy-fartsy knitting habits, I'm really sad that I didn't get pictures of my mom's Christmas present. Of course it isn't really done, so I suppose there's still time to get pictures when I actually finish it.)
I'm really intrigued by the question of knitting "types" and types of artists in general. There are certain habits of mind that make me the kind of artist I am, and are why I do art in the first place (e.g. my love of color and texture, my "But why do I have to use it that way?" approach to materials, &c.), and it's sort of fascinating to me that people have such a wide range of reasons for doing art, or for knitting and crochet without considering it art. Why do you do what you do? What brought you to it?
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January 21, 2006
Sometimes Saturdays are not fun, but today was a good one. Much joy, and also fruit and veggies.
Tomorrow: productivity and art and new friends!
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January 16, 2006
It's been a long time coming, but the new design is here! Please, click around, check it out!
I've got some lovely new stuff up (also some old things I can't get rid of) and there will be plenty more. There are a bunch of photos vying for site time, and I'll definitely indulge them. Also I've got at least 3 projects really close to being done -- my big square collagey pieces for my bedroom, my awesome soft earflap hat, and the placemats I'm making for the kitchen (which will all rock.)
There will be other things on the Buy page as well, when I get that together. I'd like to sell some blank books, so I'll have pictures of the ones I've made already and I'll also take custom orders (because there are a lot of books that still have naked covers...)
Also, I've got some lovely new things on the Links page; I went through all my bookmarks and found a bunch of awesome sites that I marked and then forgot about. And that is exciting.
Peace.
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January 3, 2006
Welcome back! After resolving some [enormous finger quotes] "technical difficulties," The Scarlet Ampersand is back online!
I've uploaded everything the way it was before our little snafu, but I'm planning to take this opportunity to do the awesome redesign that needs to happen. So, updates will be fairly sparse for the moment while I work on that. Also, I've got some last-minute future plans to effect, and will be busy. But it'll be awesome, I promise.
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December 7, 2005
Many many things! All happening at once!
There is a site redesign in the works, to incorporate my photography somehow, and probably also so that I can feature photos on my home page. There's also some transition in the job world right now, of which the goal is for me to be more creative; whether that means having more time to do my own art, or working in a theater or something. I'm hoping that as part of that, I'll be able to start selling things over this site, like knitted things and nice journals and that sort of thing. So, if you have any suggestions, make them!
Also I've been working a lot on my four square collage pieces. As I go (probably because i'm thinking a lot about what I want to do with my life), it's become more and more about the things that have influenced me thus far. So, I've decided to call it "polyptych: a self-portrait in four," which I like for its sheer pretentious ridiculosity. And the word polyptych (like a triptych, but four or more pieces) is a happy one.
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November 19, 2005
Work has begun on my big square crazy pieces! I think they will be mostly collage, but right now I'm getting past the giant-blank-canvas frame of mind by doing an interesting ground on the foamcore to collage on.
So far they are mostly me playing with acrylics and gel medium and fingers and water. I think for the next one I want to get some newspaper and do a layer of that covered in some interesting color, or perhaps I will type something interesting and do the same. I could do one of each, I suppose...
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November 14, 2005
The sweater is finally done! It needs blocking, but here it is! [pictures no longer online]
Also, there's my new hair. Because it had been much too long since I did anything to my hair besides cut it.
I'm in a really good mood right at this moment, for whatever reason. I've been dancing around my apartment to Abba for the last few minutes, which is always a sign that things are relatively good.
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November 13, 2005
Perhaps I'm tempting fate, but it seems like maybe the insanity that has been my life recently is settling down a tad...? Why yes, clearly I'm doing just that -- the power just went out in half my apartment, the half that includes my bedroom and space heater. Well, at least we've got extension cords.
Anyway, there is art in the works. My awesome headboard idea isn't happening just yet (the only way to fit it in my room would be to block the window... yeah, I need my sunlight...), but rather will be a couple of pretty bookcases, which got their primer tonight and are drying in my dining room. But, because of that, there's one wall in my room that won't have any furniture against it, and which needs ART!
At this point, I'm planning on four square pieces, arranged in pretty much a square, which will be some sort of crazy mixed-media collage nonsense. The other day I found an awesome piece of goldfish paper at Figments (which is a cute store, you should check it out) which will definitely be in it, as well as some neon green caution tape I rescued from the trash (more on that in a second.) But I bought some thick foamcore, so tomorrow I'll cut that into squares (at least 30" square, I hope) and see where the spirit leads me. I also bought some acrylic gel medium, which I'm totally looking forward to experimenting with. And I'm planning on playing with the stamps I bought from Mandy (and still owe her for, note to self...), so it's all just exciting and lovely!
Speaking of lovely, I've done a bit of work on notebook covers which is super fun, but that's a bit of a surprise, so SHHH. Aaand, the Blackberry is so very very almost done; I'm just weaving the ends in now, and then hopefully I want to add a little detail on the arms in lieu of the bobbles, which I cut out for sheer creepiness. But it totally fits and will be amazing and there will be pictures.
And madness! I went to my dear ex-neighbor's last night for Bad Movie Night, and she had hung my painting! It looks fantastic, but of course I didn't bring my camera with me, so I don't have pictures yet of its new home, but those will happen. I got some lovely compliments, but the best one was from Sarah, who wants to commission a painting for her and Elizabeth's living room! I'm super excited about that.
But now, because I am still sort of sick though feeling a lot better, it's time to take some NyQuil and pass out.
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October 30, 2005
In the midst of all this chaos, my favorite local camera shop had a giant sale on just about everything, so I took advantage and bought myself a beautiful new lens. And let me just say that I am totally in love with it.
It's a macro lens, which initially doesn't seem like a great investment for me as a first decent lens, but it's equally fabulous as a standard 105mm lens; with the autofocus on, I can take a really tight macro shot, then immediately turn and take a shot across the room. Sweet.
So, like I said, totally enamored. And thus I've taken a slight departure from form and posted an album of some of my favorite shots so far with this new baby of mine. (But, so as not to get too far off, I've started out with a shot I just love of these quick little mittenish handwarmer things I made the other day out of the Chunky Print I got 40% off. I also love them.)
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October 24, 2005
Yes, yes, total lack of updates... all that. I'm moving across town in just about a week, and it will be amazing and excellent -- but I'm stressed and exhausted and busy with things that unfortunately have nothing to do with art.
This week, Photo
Friday is "retro":
And I realized
I never posted my previous entry, which was "conspicuous":
October 15, 2005
Concept of the day: Mayhem!
Live it. If you have a good story, comment and share it!
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October 14, 2005
So while I'm distracting myself from the sweater, I made up this yarn into a really quick punk-rockish hat that I'm totally enamored with. AND the pattern was totally made up on the fly ("I feel like doing a cable row now. Oh, maybe I'll decrease here.") which is the best kind of pattern, so I was thinking about submitting it to Knitty. But it seems I've missed the deadlined for any cold-weather issue, and now they want spring patterns! Grr.
So we'll see. Maybe there will be pictures, assuming I won't ever want to submit it. But on the other hand, I might just write up the pattern and post that here along with pictures. Which might help my chances of getting published when I actually get around to writing a sweater pattern... which I've decided I will do. I've had to rewrite those sleeves pretty much entirely, and in the process I realized that it wouldn't be nearly as tough to design a whole sweater as I've made it out to be. I think I'm going to post the revised sleeve pattern as well.
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October 12, 2005
I spent about an hour tonight sewing up the last seam of my sweater before realizing that I had in fact sewed the entire seam inside-out. And I couldn't even pretend it was meant to be like that, because I did the whole rest of the sweater the right way. So, I started pulling out the seam, reached for the scissors, and cut the wrong bit of yarn.
I don't think the damage is too bad, and even if it is, it's on one of the front panels, which are the quickest part to knit anyway, if I did have to scrap it. But, I stuffed it back in the bag and I'm not going to look at it for at least a day because it will stress me out, and I don't need that right now.
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October 8, 2005
The observant folk among you will notice that my sub-pages are no longer fucked up and/or weird; they've also all got the logo which links back to the home page. This took way more work than it should have.
I've put up a few new lomos, here, from the 4th of July. I'm still quite behind, I know. Working on it.
And, I entered Photo Friday this week, for "five." Please ogle here.
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October 7, 2005
So the other day, I bought some fabulous stamps from Mandy (well, "bought" because I still owe her the money!), who I realized I'd left off my links page; so now she is on there, along with Kate, who is now updating her blog again. I am quite excited for these stamps. I have a plan for a big headboard/bookshelf contraption, to be realized in my new apartment, and these stamps will be incorporated. I bought the Shopkeeper's alphabet, so I'm going to "type" out some text I like in decorative ways on the sides of it.
Tentatively, that'll be something from Judith Butler, possibly some of the introduction to Bodies that Matter. (yes, yes, the intro is as far as I've read in that, but that's only because it's all that's printed in the collection I have. I've been meaning to buy the book itself...) Partly, I love Butler's theories on things, plus I've been thinking a lot about gender/sexuality lately, but also her text itself is visually exciting. She uses such interesting/bizarre combinations of words, and she's one of the only writers now who actually uses all the punctuation they've got available. One example that jumps out at me: "And if "sex" is a fantasy, is it perhaps a fantasmatic field that constitutes the very terrain of cultural intelligibility?"
Also, triple bonus obscurity points.
On the sweater front, I finished the first sleeve today, only to try it on and realize that it was a good 3 inches too short. Lesson? When you're making up your own pattern / bit of a pattern, measuring is an important thing. Luckily I could just rip out the armscye shaping and keep knitting -- all is well.
I was knitting in an excellent little coffee shop in Cranston today on my lunch break, and one of the guys working sat down to chat. We talked about knitting, the fact that he sucks at sewing, &c. &c. and then he said, "you know what looks really tough? looming." And obviously he meant weaving, but it just occurred to me that "looming" is an excellent name for some kind of craft. It reminds me of my friend Kathy from high school, who had a bit of a thing for monsters, and when she was bored would stand behind you and wiggle her fingers and make loomy monster noises.
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October 3, 2005
I am so excited to move at the end of the month. I don't even have a place yet (note to self, call one of the landlords tomorrow), but I'm really craving the possibilities and creative energy of a new space. I had those when I moved in here, but boy-at-the-time sort of crapped all over any kind of decorating/artistic urges in favor of the white/beige/poop/touch of pink color scheme of the apartment as it was. So now, of course, I'm still living here and he's gone, leaving his poop/beige behind and me without the motivation to change it.
My current desire is to happen on some fabulous antique maps (maybe I should talk to my father about that...) and frame them and put them on a red wall. I also sort of want at least one red wall in my bedroom, but I like red living rooms too...
Also! I want to make fantastic pins for my Blackberry! There will be at least one knitted flower, made from one of the many gorgeous-but-silly yarns I have lying around, and maybe a beaded one, and hopefully one out of shellacked paper (I'm feeling newsprint? or... yellowish paper that's been typewritered? or... the cover of the free zine I picked up at AS220?) and some collagey flat ones... so many possibilities.
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September 30, 2005
The painting! Finally!
Carrie has seen it & loved it, so I can share pictures finally! There will be more when she picks a place for it -- you've got to see it in its new home, too!
The title is "cuadros, cuadrados," which superliterally means something like "squares, squared." But I love the word "cuadro" because it means square/rectangle, but also "painting," commonly, or pretty much "anything with corners," really. And the verb cuadrar has meanings like "to put in order," or "to arrange," as well as the verb form of any of those meanings of cuadro. So my title is meant to have all those ambiguous translations, because I heart ambiguity.
But today, today was yarn day. And what a glorious one it was, too.
The Blackberry will officially be made from Cascade's EcoWool, in a lovely charcoal color called "night vision." I'm told that the "Eco" part means that it's unbleached and undyed, which is cool, but oh damn it's cozy. I'm excited to have a sweater from it, especially because my dear, dear charcoal-colored cardigan died an unpleasant stretched and armless death right about the time i graduated from high school, and I haven't had a similar one since. [Plus, it comes in enormous skeins and was on sale, putting the yarn cost for the sweater at a whopping $24!]
I also got some fabulous Alpaca for my striped not-for-a-baby hat, which makes me want to roll around naked in a big pile of yarn. And, because I am incapable of going yarn shopping without coming away with a new project, some Filatura di Crosa 127 Print which will be a cozyawesome winter hat.
The next few weeks will be knitting-tastic.
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