Cats do find interesting places to sleep!:
Can you figure out what this is that I've photographed? No, there's no prize if you get it right. :-)
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
random stuff I haven't posted yet
This was the day earlier this month when I made two batches of apricot jam and one batch of strawberry jam all in the same day:
Cats do find interesting places to sleep!:
Can you figure out what this is that I've photographed? No, there's no prize if you get it right. :-)
Cats do find interesting places to sleep!:
Can you figure out what this is that I've photographed? No, there's no prize if you get it right. :-)
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Thursday, July 15, 2010
July 15 work in progress
It's 1 inch tall and 1-7/8 inches long. I'm still thinking about the title. This is something that's been on my list of "drawings I should do" for quite a number of years. The horse is one that I photographed about a zillion years ago, and the background, well, you'll see! Anyway, if it can be drawn it can be scrimmed! And what I need now is to do a lot of scrim. ;-)
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
I'm blogging in the morning!
I hardly ever blog in the morning, but here I am. Because I'm sitting here with too many things to do, and not sure which to do first, so I'll just procrastinate on all of them and blog instead. I've been meaning to write something the last couple nights but it gets way too late and I get way too tired and then I simply go to bed instead. So, totally disjointed thoughts for the day:
1) Whoever invented the electric sander should probably be sainted. Try polishing some rough-cut ivory, you'll agree with me.
2) I was working on a "reverse" scrimshaw. It was going to be white ink on a black surface. I was experimenting with black buffalo horn. I HATE it. Not the reverse idea, but the horn. Even when it's polished smooth the fibers are still visible, so it's not a solid dark color, and it's soft and mushy anyway and the dots kept disappearing. Ugh! So I scrapped that idea. Too bad, it was going to be my entry for Draft Horse Classic. Now I'm up a creek and won't be entering. I can't exhibit there anyway (conflict with Jackson Hole show) but wanted to put in a piece anyway. It's probably just as well, I need to focus on having stuff for the Jackson show. So, I'm adding horn to the list of surfaces that I won't work on. Yuck.
3) I finished hatching chicks and turned off the incubator yesterday. Just three batches this year, wow! I don't know how many I have, 75ish??? Could be more. I won't be showing in the fall. I will show at 1-3 shows in early 2011. Oh, I am showing at State Fair in a couple weeks, if that counts. Mostly these days I just enter so I can get a parking pass and entry ticket. It's cheaper than getting in as a non-exhibitor! Anyway, I need my yearly cinnamon roll.
4) I added about 100 more photos to the album "The Cross Country Adventure" (see link in right side bar). When I first put them up I was in a hurry to get it done, and having seen all that scenery in person, I thought "these photos don't really capture it as well as real life." Now, looking back, they're all I've got, and I took them for a reason, so I added a lot more. It's mostly scenery, but some people too. Should have done it all right away, oh well.
5) Angus has a play date today. Fun!
Okay, I'd better resume chipping away at the list of things to do today. Next stop, post office...
1) Whoever invented the electric sander should probably be sainted. Try polishing some rough-cut ivory, you'll agree with me.
2) I was working on a "reverse" scrimshaw. It was going to be white ink on a black surface. I was experimenting with black buffalo horn. I HATE it. Not the reverse idea, but the horn. Even when it's polished smooth the fibers are still visible, so it's not a solid dark color, and it's soft and mushy anyway and the dots kept disappearing. Ugh! So I scrapped that idea. Too bad, it was going to be my entry for Draft Horse Classic. Now I'm up a creek and won't be entering. I can't exhibit there anyway (conflict with Jackson Hole show) but wanted to put in a piece anyway. It's probably just as well, I need to focus on having stuff for the Jackson show. So, I'm adding horn to the list of surfaces that I won't work on. Yuck.
3) I finished hatching chicks and turned off the incubator yesterday. Just three batches this year, wow! I don't know how many I have, 75ish??? Could be more. I won't be showing in the fall. I will show at 1-3 shows in early 2011. Oh, I am showing at State Fair in a couple weeks, if that counts. Mostly these days I just enter so I can get a parking pass and entry ticket. It's cheaper than getting in as a non-exhibitor! Anyway, I need my yearly cinnamon roll.
4) I added about 100 more photos to the album "The Cross Country Adventure" (see link in right side bar). When I first put them up I was in a hurry to get it done, and having seen all that scenery in person, I thought "these photos don't really capture it as well as real life." Now, looking back, they're all I've got, and I took them for a reason, so I added a lot more. It's mostly scenery, but some people too. Should have done it all right away, oh well.
5) Angus has a play date today. Fun!
Okay, I'd better resume chipping away at the list of things to do today. Next stop, post office...
Thursday, July 08, 2010
cuteness!
I think it's my duty, every now and then, to point out that my niece is the cutest thing on the planet. I can't believe she's 15 months old already!!! Criminy. It's so amazing to me to watch her turn into a little walking and talking person. I don't understand most of what she says though! :-)
Wednesday, July 07, 2010
blackberry season begins!
I just realized that to a lot of people the word "blackberry" probably brings to mind the cell phone thingy. Heh.
After the morning dog-walking session I figured I'd better suit up and start picking blackberries. It's easy to miss out on them, they can go from perfect to raisin-ish instantly in one of the stupid hot spells that we are so prone to around here. And by suit up I mean put on jeans and boots, no fun when the weather is hot! I take blackberry picking seriously, because the best ones are always just out of reach (to normal people). I tend to go stomping into the blackberry bushes (hence the boots) and get all scratched up and get thorns stuck in my clothing, but hey, I get a lot of berries!
Ten cups in about an hour this morning in just a short section along the creek behind the barn.
Exactly enough to make and freeze two pie fillings for later. There is nothing better in the middle of the cold gray winter than to have a fresh-baked pie full of summer fruit!
I'll throw myself into more blackberry bushes tomorrow some in hopes of getting a lot more. :-)
In other news I started work on a sketch for an upcoming chicken drawing tonight. Yeah, a chicken drawing! First one I've done in a year, wow. Good to know I've still got it. ;-) There will be pics when the sketch is approved and squared away and I start the colored pencil work.
After the morning dog-walking session I figured I'd better suit up and start picking blackberries. It's easy to miss out on them, they can go from perfect to raisin-ish instantly in one of the stupid hot spells that we are so prone to around here. And by suit up I mean put on jeans and boots, no fun when the weather is hot! I take blackberry picking seriously, because the best ones are always just out of reach (to normal people). I tend to go stomping into the blackberry bushes (hence the boots) and get all scratched up and get thorns stuck in my clothing, but hey, I get a lot of berries!
Ten cups in about an hour this morning in just a short section along the creek behind the barn.
Exactly enough to make and freeze two pie fillings for later. There is nothing better in the middle of the cold gray winter than to have a fresh-baked pie full of summer fruit!
I'll throw myself into more blackberry bushes tomorrow some in hopes of getting a lot more. :-)
In other news I started work on a sketch for an upcoming chicken drawing tonight. Yeah, a chicken drawing! First one I've done in a year, wow. Good to know I've still got it. ;-) There will be pics when the sketch is approved and squared away and I start the colored pencil work.
Tuesday, July 06, 2010
July 6 work in progress
This is from earlier today:
It's actually quite a lot farther along right now. In fact, it's just about finished, just needs my signature and a few finishing touches, and it looks a lot different than it did earlier, but since it's sooooo close to done I'll just keep you in suspense a bit and show you the finished knives when I get a chance to take some good photographs!
Ah, speaking of photos, over there in the right sidebar I've put a permanent link to my picasa albums. All two of them... If I ever find myself with a bunch of spare time (ha!) maybe I'll put some of my old adventures into a picasa album (like the trip to London and the trip to Idaho/Wyoming). That stuff is all on the blog, but I know it's easier for people to see in an album. Don't hold your breath though, I have a zillion things to do.
It's actually quite a lot farther along right now. In fact, it's just about finished, just needs my signature and a few finishing touches, and it looks a lot different than it did earlier, but since it's sooooo close to done I'll just keep you in suspense a bit and show you the finished knives when I get a chance to take some good photographs!
Ah, speaking of photos, over there in the right sidebar I've put a permanent link to my picasa albums. All two of them... If I ever find myself with a bunch of spare time (ha!) maybe I'll put some of my old adventures into a picasa album (like the trip to London and the trip to Idaho/Wyoming). That stuff is all on the blog, but I know it's easier for people to see in an album. Don't hold your breath though, I have a zillion things to do.
Monday, July 05, 2010
July 5 work in progress
This is not all from today!
Almost everything I've ever done goes through an ugly stage. I hate to admit that, but it's true, whether it's scrimshaw or drawing, there's a window of time in there where I look at it and think "that looks awful." It always works out, and I'm so used to it that it doesn't worry me much when I'm part way through something and think it looks terrible. This one had a bad ugly stage. There were three colors on it at this point, but because the brown had ended up drying so dark, it almost looked like a b/w scrim, and that was soooo not what I wanted.
I had a hunch that when I added the gold colored ink that would solve the problem and revitalize the browns, and it sure did! Ah, now that's more like it!
I still need to do all the foreground. This is going to look a LOT different by the time I finish. It still looks super weird to me right now because I know how much it's going to change.
In case anyone's wondering, the weird lines going across at the ends of the ivory scales are just the lines where the tape is covering the bolsters (the metal parts).
Almost everything I've ever done goes through an ugly stage. I hate to admit that, but it's true, whether it's scrimshaw or drawing, there's a window of time in there where I look at it and think "that looks awful." It always works out, and I'm so used to it that it doesn't worry me much when I'm part way through something and think it looks terrible. This one had a bad ugly stage. There were three colors on it at this point, but because the brown had ended up drying so dark, it almost looked like a b/w scrim, and that was soooo not what I wanted.
I had a hunch that when I added the gold colored ink that would solve the problem and revitalize the browns, and it sure did! Ah, now that's more like it!
I still need to do all the foreground. This is going to look a LOT different by the time I finish. It still looks super weird to me right now because I know how much it's going to change.
In case anyone's wondering, the weird lines going across at the ends of the ivory scales are just the lines where the tape is covering the bolsters (the metal parts).
becoming cute and fuzzy
The second batch of chicks hatched this weekend. One more weekend to go. Talk about a short hatching season, lol!
Anyway, this little dude was running late and was on the verge of hatching when I took all the other ones out of the hatcher and put them in the brooder this morning. Most hatched yesterday. So I let it hatch in my hand under the brooder lamp. I'm sure a few of you will think "ewww gross" but it's really pretty darn cool. Trust me, I'm kind of an "eww gross" person myself, and this is neato!
Chick says "whew, I'm tired!"
I put it back into the hatcher for a while to dry out, and by this evening, cuteness!
In other news, sometimes Angus doesn't quite grasp the concept of a bed (yes, admittedly Angus also doesn't fit on most dog beds):
Anyway, this little dude was running late and was on the verge of hatching when I took all the other ones out of the hatcher and put them in the brooder this morning. Most hatched yesterday. So I let it hatch in my hand under the brooder lamp. I'm sure a few of you will think "ewww gross" but it's really pretty darn cool. Trust me, I'm kind of an "eww gross" person myself, and this is neato!
Chick says "whew, I'm tired!"
I put it back into the hatcher for a while to dry out, and by this evening, cuteness!
In other news, sometimes Angus doesn't quite grasp the concept of a bed (yes, admittedly Angus also doesn't fit on most dog beds):
Thursday, July 01, 2010
I've been jammin'
I will resume regularly scheduled work in progress pics very soon (it doesn't look like much right now, have not inked anything!), but it's been a disgustingly domestic diva-ish last few days. I don't love cleaning house, but I can't have everyone knowing what a slob I am, so there has been much tidying to do in various areas of the house in preparation for holiday weekend shindigging.
I've also been in full Betty Crocker mode. Apron, scarf in my hair, spoon in hand, boiling water on the stove...yeah, the works... Summer has arrived, and brought ripe fruit with it! And when it's ripe, you kinda have to deal with it. If you wait, you waste it. So, since Monday I've made 48 jars of jam. That brings my season total to 75 so far. Apricots are officially done. It was a small crop this year compared to last year. And the peaches and nectarines won't be ripe for another month! The blackberries out along the creek are ready for the first picking, but dang it I can only deal with so much fruit in one week!
Olin, meanwhile, maintains his usual level of enthusiasm. ;-)
It's July. Son of a biscuit. This is insane.
I've also been in full Betty Crocker mode. Apron, scarf in my hair, spoon in hand, boiling water on the stove...yeah, the works... Summer has arrived, and brought ripe fruit with it! And when it's ripe, you kinda have to deal with it. If you wait, you waste it. So, since Monday I've made 48 jars of jam. That brings my season total to 75 so far. Apricots are officially done. It was a small crop this year compared to last year. And the peaches and nectarines won't be ripe for another month! The blackberries out along the creek are ready for the first picking, but dang it I can only deal with so much fruit in one week!
Olin, meanwhile, maintains his usual level of enthusiasm. ;-)
It's July. Son of a biscuit. This is insane.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)