Tagged

As I understand it, I'm supposed to come up with 6 interesting things about myself to tell you folks...so here goes:

1. I used to work for J.Peterman. Yes, that J.Peterman. And guess what customers? Asking if Elaine was on her break or if Seinfeld was around was just as funny the 1076th time as it was the first. Go ahead....ask me again!

2. I met my husband on an afternoon blind date...and disliked him at first sight. I thought he was a huge stuck up snob. However, after a second blind date that day which was even more disastrous, I went to meet my pals at the local Irish Pub to commiserate about the sorry state of my love life...and who did I bump into but: Yup, you guessed it, a rather more drunk and much more fun future husband. After we left the pub that night I:

1. talked our way into the gallery where an 8 foot by 3 foot painting of me was hanging (more on that later) by pretending that I worked there
2. walked 2 miles home and didn't remember any of it, cause all I was paying attention to was him
3. flushed an opossum out from under a neighbor's pick-up truck cause he had never seen one.

It was meant to be....

3. I worked for several years as an artists model. (See #2). It was great motivation to stay in shape and I got to participate in the artistic process in a totally new way.

4. I hate to have people watch me eat. Particularly Cheetos. I can only eat Cheetos alone. Sorry. I think it has something to do with the obligatory finger licking.

5. I have actually had cat scratch fever. It is no fun. Did you know that the lymph nodes in your head that run along the back of your skull can swell to the size of small plums? I do! I have Herbert to thank for this. Want to check Herbert the Killer cat out? Peruse my Flickr stream.

6. I teach forensic science in my "real" life. So watch it. My students are convinced that I could get away with murder....and I like it that way. My favourite topic is blood spatter analysis....soooooo much fun! Nothing like combining math and mayhem! Of course, the kids love it when I do my Miss Cleo routine and do handwriting analysis. I can read them like an open book from a handwriting sample. It is a totally creepy and illogical talent that I have always had, and I could probably make a fortune, but I don't exploit it.

Tag...I'm it!

Goodness! I just got tagged! I suppose that I shall have to think of 6 interesting things about myself to share with you folks tomorrow...hmmmm. Interesting...and publicly sharable, this might be tough.

Tooting someones horn: Artistic Detour

This chica is relatively new on Etsy, and I just wanted to give her a little love. She is Artistic Detour. She is currently holed up in her island lair off the coast of California, making incredible stuff for you to peruse! She mainly works in fused glass, but also is selling some pretty prosh kimono fabrics from her shop. Her glass pendants are generously sized and feel great on the skin (trust me, I know). She has an amazing eye for color and creates pieces that just make me want to eat them up. Check her out!

Collaberative Challenge #2

I guess this is kind of the reverse of what I did before. I issued a challenge to someone else, now I am asking you to do it for me! I was playing in the studio, making some felt beads for a commission, and wanted to try a new technique that I had seen in a couple of felting books I had gotten from Japan (more on those later). I wanted to make a change purse, and what I ended up with was this:

It is really cute, about 3.75 inches (9cm) across and 3 inches (7cm) high. What I didn't think about was having a purse frame to fit the top....which I don't. And after some looking, don't seem to be able to find. The inside is totally hollow and a great shade of pink. (Very um....organic...nudge -nudge)

Here is how I made it for those of you who might be interested:

I wet felted several layers of roving around a Styrofoam ball, then cut it open, put in a ball of Styrofoam that was slightly smaller (which I had to cut down from one the same size as the first), then I wet felted it some more with the decoration applied. After that, I put a ball of soft foam inside and needle felted the decoration on again for a little added security.

So, my crafty friends, the question is: What does it become now?

Help me out, I have no idea. Because when I look at it right now, all I see is a change purse...

As promised but late

This is the problem when you are a teacher...you make promises to lots of people and then you have to prioritize them. Yesterday I promised some students I would stay after school and work on metric conversions with them after they gave me the puppy dog eye...hence the no pictures of the gorgeous necklace. It was the day before a four day weekend, and I would normally run out of my classroom like a bee after honey on a day like that, but who can resist the puppy dog eye in connection with a request for extra help? I love you people {those folks who for some strange reason continue to come back here and check out what I make and say}, but sorry, those kids will almost always come first.

So here it is a day later, and the skies are blue and lovely with tiny puffy clouds that remind me of just why all those artists came out here to Long Island to live and work. The air is crisp with a tiny hint of a moist fall to come, there is a dead opossum in the street in front of my house (we bagged it, and yes, I felt bad cause I think it is the one that I saw waddling across the yard at dusk from my perch on the deck many nights this summer; and I generally feel bad when things die in untimely ways; I'm human like that) and I have fired up the camera. So here:

It is one of the necklaces that Leah (Kneek) made in response to the collaborative challenge. (see posts below). It is silver and the little object inside is a bit of amethyst. Aren't you jealous? Don't you want one? I have one. he he he he (evil giggle)

NOTE: Kneek just opened an etsy shop where you can have one of her creations for your very own! Please go check her out!

Mid Week Too Tired Blues

It's too late to take good pictures and I am way tired after a long day of teaching but I just had to crow. My good friend Leah over at Kneek (Homework) sent me the sweetest surprise package and you are all going to be madly jealous. Leah honey, if you are reading this...you could be making a fortune, a FORTUNE DO YOU HEAR ME, selling these on Etsy! This is exquisite!

I promise pictures tomorrow. The light is gone for the day and I want you to really be able to SEE this beauty!

Let me just say that my blogger pals ROCK!

All Apologies

I want to give sincere apologies to all my loyal readers who were unable to load my blog due to the craptacular gymnastics going on at Etsy yesterday. I don't know what is going on over there in Brooklyn, but for the time being, I have {sob} taken down my Etsy minis from the side bar so that this blog will once again load smoothly. When they have gotten their collective merde together, I will return my Etsy links to their rightful places.

Read on my handsome and beautiful friends....read on.