I don’t have the tree up. I haven’t started my cards (don’t even have the photo taken yet). And everytime I’ve been out shopping I’ve gotten MYSELF something. I could say that I’m doing my husband a favor by doing his shopping for me, right? I spent the entire day wrapping and labeling, and getting packages ready to ship (so many loved ones who live far away!) I was totally planning on making the trek to post office today when I got a call that school was let out early – snow and ice storm. So I ran around picking up kids and pizzas and didn’t get the one thing crossed off my list I needed done today. Drats!
I do have some good things to show you. I just scored this book on ebay. I have been trying to get a copy of this book for years. It’s the same one my Mom still has and I swear it is magical. You know when you see something from your past and the visual tips off powerful and sentimental feelings? THIS book does that for me. I love the illustrations. I could lick them. I wanted to grow up and have a home like this one with a tree like that one. I am pleased the book is on it’s way to me so that I can tuck it away with the holiday stuff in January and then be delighted all over again every December when I come across it.
Yesterday I got Sam to sign 20 Chicken Soup books that we are giving as gifts. He was so cute doing it – such a super star!
Jenny and I came across this dude making some spray art. It was awesome to see him in action. I’ve seen some youtube videos of guys doing this kind of thing but seeing him work the cans on the sidewalk was really cool. I’m not interested in making this kind of art myself but I did pick up a few tricks and I had to buy a piece. Yes, I’ll tell you about the spray tricks later.
Some of you asked for a close-up of the yarn necklace Jenny made me – here it is, with her permission. Someday I will show you the felted purse she gifted me with – when you see it you’ll know she GETS me.
Recently I had a kindness exchange with two women I have never met. First is Jolene – what a sneak she was to surprise me with her cool tiles using my own artwork. I think I made out better in the deal than she did. Jolene, do you honestly think I’ll be putting my coffee cup or diet coke on these? Not. Thanks for the surprise!
Next is from Marlynn Likens. She visited Massachusetts and stayed in the Lizzie Borden Bed and Breakfast. I not only scored brick dirt from the house, but this wonderful and thoughtful book too. You can’t see it but my favorite part is under a picture of Lizzie is "What was she thinking?" Again, I made out better in the exchange than she did. (Looking forward to meeting you at the workshop in May!)
And now the Not So Good. Not really bad. More like bummers.
So you probably already knew House and Garden is over. Do you also know Blueprint is done? Done! Come on! I loved this one. It was so refreshing to see edgier layouts and graphics. I was doubley impressed that a Martha mag was so hip, (not that she’s incapable of being hip). I’m so over every magazine looking like each other. Aren’t you sick of it? Let’s pick on Victoria. I will admit I raced over to the site when there was an announcement that it was coing back and got in line to have one mailed to me. I don’t know what I was thinking…..I guess I was hoping for a little update. I was hoping they have been paying attention to what’s when going on since they went dormant. I’m sure the die-hards are thrilled with this issue since it looks like any other Christmas issue they published. There will be those that are so glad it hasn’t changed…..but I’m yawning. Try Artful Blogging and Somerset Life. I think they really hit the mark with a fresh approach – visually very appealing.
Another bummer: So how can I rant about Victoria being stagnant and then turn on my heal and start a new complaint regarding change? Is change good? We say change is good. But not always. Not when it isn’t something we are ready for. I guess we can convince ourselves of anything depending on how we choose to view it. In this case I’m not saying that change is bad….it’s actually handsome. But it’s not the same. It left and I didn’t get a goodbye visit. The renovation of the Royalton Hotel was a surprise. I didn’t know it was coming so I was very upset. The new look pays respect to the original lobby in that it still has a mystique because it’s dark and non-traditional. Some of the views in the re-do make you feel like you are IN a Louise Nevelson sculpture. That part was cool even though I wanted to hate it.
It certainly is a case of You Had To Be There back when The Royalton opened. I think it was 1988. The owners were Steve Rubell and Ian Schrager of Studio 54 fame, and it was designed – down to the very last piece of hardware, by Philippe Starck. Swoon. I spent a New Year’s Eve there. I was engaged there. It was OUR special place. It’s part of my history. I took Jenny there last weekend. We had a terrific lunch, tucked away from the hustle of the street. It is still The Royalton, just not royal blue. I felt so strongly about it I had to write to Mr. Starck in France. It won’t matter if I never hear from him – at least he’ll know he matters to me.
Gotta end on a good note.
Very often I’ll get emails asking how I do things on this blog. "Slight Of Hand" is my answer. I’m on post number 202, and it took a while to find my way. Just look at the archives….proof that it took some time to hit my stride with figuring this out. All my graphics are done in Photoshop. I’m self-trained, and still use 5.5 (even though a sweet friend gave me a later version, I haven’t been able to make myself install it!) I was curious about how to make things digitally and stumbled around and found out things through play and practice. No magic tricks. Just doing the work. When I finally discovered custom brushes there was no stopping the fast train I was on.
I’m currently writing an article about brushes to be in the debut issue of Somerset Digital Studio. If you bribe me enough I may share a tutorial here. In the meantime I’ll leave you with a link to the font many have requested:
Found at DaFont.com. Lots of great (free) fonts there.
I guess I’m not so bad….just procrastinating, and snowed in. How much is checked off your to-do list?
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