I took a soldering class yesterday. I knew how to solder before but had not used my tools or created anything for about 2 years. Showed up at Garden of Beaden in Upland, CA with tools to create a decorated old bottle. Being the over zealot art freak that I am I decided to do 2 bottles at once.
My soldering iron was on the blink and then got so hot that I melted the copper tape that is put down first to solder onto. Not my best day but I was creating. There was electric problems and a class of 6 women had false starts but great endings. The participants took away at least the start of a decorated bottle or a complete with "necklace" donned bottle. My are just starts and you can view them on Facebook.
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
New Art Books
I just bought some new art books. Not too exciting for you maybe, but for me it was. One is titled "A Daily Creativity Journal 365 Make Something Every Day And Change Your Life". The author gave himself a task of creation an original artwork every day for a year. He chose to make Skulls. And he challenged his readers to do the same. You can make it anything you want. It could be a poem, short story, small piece of artwork, even a skull. The most well known is the Julie/Julia Project. Another is Noah K. Everyday. Photographer Noah Kalina has been taking photos of himself every day since 2000.
I have not committed to anything yet. This kind of project could take over. Just think of poor Julie. And I tend to drop things when I get in over my head. I will say that I am thinking about it.
I have not committed to anything yet. This kind of project could take over. Just think of poor Julie. And I tend to drop things when I get in over my head. I will say that I am thinking about it.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
I can see that life can get too too busy. I get on the ball that is my life and keep rolling along as if something would happen to me if I just stepped off. I could. Don't know why I don't.
I remember a time when I first had my skate board. In the 60's. I was rolling down the sidewalk like I was gas powered. Down hill and around the corner. I knew I was going way too fast but wasn't sure how to slow down or even get off the darn thing. As I came to another corner I saw a large viridian (green) lawn. I just leaned over toward the grass and rolled into the yard. My skate board kept going around the corner and down the street into a car.
I'm now going to try and roll into that green grass again and let the skate board go...
In need of a rest.
I remember a time when I first had my skate board. In the 60's. I was rolling down the sidewalk like I was gas powered. Down hill and around the corner. I knew I was going way too fast but wasn't sure how to slow down or even get off the darn thing. As I came to another corner I saw a large viridian (green) lawn. I just leaned over toward the grass and rolled into the yard. My skate board kept going around the corner and down the street into a car.
I'm now going to try and roll into that green grass again and let the skate board go...
In need of a rest.
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Birthday blues
I did not want this birthday. I knew it would still come, but I thought that maybe I could stop it or head it off for a year or two I'd feel better. Deep down I knew it was coming and there was not a thing I could do. So I mourned. It is what we do when we lose things in our lives. We cry and grieve. And there is a process that we go through to come out the other side. There's some pain and feeling like we have not slept well for awhile. It seems a sand storm has pelted our eyes and they are scratchy. Our mouths and brains are parched. It's sometimes hard to put thoughts together. And our stomachs and chests ache with loss. This is mourning.
So I was morning my birthday? Yes. Silly? Yes. It's a big one. I am not saying what the number is but it's like the one before you're 30, or 40, or the the other big ones. Yes I was blue and I could not stop the birthday just like I could not stop the blues. It seemed that I was "misting up" with every comment my husband made and any little puppy or cat that I saw. I was hurt that my kids were not calling with plans to celebrate even thought I didn't feel like celebrating. This was the blues big time.
Mother's day came first and my wonderful daughter-in-law came over and cooked brunched for our family. We were all together. I was happy and just forgot about the birthday. It was a good day, good food and lots of laughs.
There is this thing called Facebook. You must have heard of it. Well the birthday wishes started coming and they have not stopped. It feels so good to be remembered. On my birthday my daughter-in-law took me to dinner. A great young woman. I will have dinner on Friday with my son and his girlfriend (just as good as being a daughter-in-law, another great young woman also). On Saturday I have a date with my husband for dinner and maybe a movie.
I love this birthday. After going through all the blue days and having the wishes for a good day and year, birthday cards and time with my family, I am through with the mourning.
This year will fly by as all the others have but I feel better and stronger.
Good by blues. And Thank You for all the best wishes.
So I was morning my birthday? Yes. Silly? Yes. It's a big one. I am not saying what the number is but it's like the one before you're 30, or 40, or the the other big ones. Yes I was blue and I could not stop the birthday just like I could not stop the blues. It seemed that I was "misting up" with every comment my husband made and any little puppy or cat that I saw. I was hurt that my kids were not calling with plans to celebrate even thought I didn't feel like celebrating. This was the blues big time.
Mother's day came first and my wonderful daughter-in-law came over and cooked brunched for our family. We were all together. I was happy and just forgot about the birthday. It was a good day, good food and lots of laughs.
There is this thing called Facebook. You must have heard of it. Well the birthday wishes started coming and they have not stopped. It feels so good to be remembered. On my birthday my daughter-in-law took me to dinner. A great young woman. I will have dinner on Friday with my son and his girlfriend (just as good as being a daughter-in-law, another great young woman also). On Saturday I have a date with my husband for dinner and maybe a movie.
I love this birthday. After going through all the blue days and having the wishes for a good day and year, birthday cards and time with my family, I am through with the mourning.
This year will fly by as all the others have but I feel better and stronger.
Good by blues. And Thank You for all the best wishes.
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Locked Out
The benefits of hiding a key outside are many. You can be gone and know that the cleaning people will get in. You can be out to lunch and know that the contractor can let himself in and keep working on the house. AND the biggest benefit is when you get locked out you can get in and not have to break down a door.
My story...
Monday night I was tired. I decided I was not going to cook and ordered out. Going to pick it up seemed a lot easier. I fed our 3 cats and 1 dog in the garage, Lara, Fivel, Abe and Wilbur. But what I did not know was that I must have hit the button on the door from the kitchen into the garage.
Every other door was locked and only the very small window in my son's old room was open. If I did go in that way I would have had to gone head first and with nothing to break my fall I thought better of trying that.
So the only thing I could do was break the lock on the door. WELL let me tell you it was one strong lock. I did try to get the door off the hinges but with it so close to the garage wall I could not pry it off. So I drilled, hit the knob with a hammer and wedged a screwdriver under the flange but nothing worked. I began to drilling at the wood around the knob. Blasted thing. I was using the crow bar and hammer and things would not budge. By the way, Sears' screwdrivers are in-destructible. I used a large one and the shaft of it was bending but it held. After 45 mins. I poked through to the inter workings of the lock part and then broke it out of the wood with the mighty screwdriver. PHEW!
I was hungry and more tired and needed a drink of water. Or something stronger.
But I forgot that I had taken the pins out of the hinges and the door, yes very heavy as it is a fire door, fell on me and I caught it. But I was in. I had royally freaked the cats out and as soon as the door was free Fivel and Abe were hiding in the loft of the garage. My husband came home from work to put the door back up at 9 pm. Hubby just chuckled and told me I was a force to be reckoned with. He said that he was glad that I hadn't found the axe!
Yes I'm sore and my wrists and neck hurt. Oh boy do they. I could not sleep so was a bit out if it the following day. I start next week working for Dan, our contractor, on his demolition crew. I have to wait until my wrists are back to normal. Not really, I would not want to work like that every day.
Our good friend David, from Dan's crew came and put a new door in with the same kind of lock. Today I will hide a key outside. {:>)
Lesson learned.
p.s. Yes I did get my dinner. After I ate I had an upset stomach. Guess all that adrenaline and spicy pasta don't mix.
My story...
Monday night I was tired. I decided I was not going to cook and ordered out. Going to pick it up seemed a lot easier. I fed our 3 cats and 1 dog in the garage, Lara, Fivel, Abe and Wilbur. But what I did not know was that I must have hit the button on the door from the kitchen into the garage.
Every other door was locked and only the very small window in my son's old room was open. If I did go in that way I would have had to gone head first and with nothing to break my fall I thought better of trying that.
So the only thing I could do was break the lock on the door. WELL let me tell you it was one strong lock. I did try to get the door off the hinges but with it so close to the garage wall I could not pry it off. So I drilled, hit the knob with a hammer and wedged a screwdriver under the flange but nothing worked. I began to drilling at the wood around the knob. Blasted thing. I was using the crow bar and hammer and things would not budge. By the way, Sears' screwdrivers are in-destructible. I used a large one and the shaft of it was bending but it held. After 45 mins. I poked through to the inter workings of the lock part and then broke it out of the wood with the mighty screwdriver. PHEW!
I was hungry and more tired and needed a drink of water. Or something stronger.
But I forgot that I had taken the pins out of the hinges and the door, yes very heavy as it is a fire door, fell on me and I caught it. But I was in. I had royally freaked the cats out and as soon as the door was free Fivel and Abe were hiding in the loft of the garage. My husband came home from work to put the door back up at 9 pm. Hubby just chuckled and told me I was a force to be reckoned with. He said that he was glad that I hadn't found the axe!
Yes I'm sore and my wrists and neck hurt. Oh boy do they. I could not sleep so was a bit out if it the following day. I start next week working for Dan, our contractor, on his demolition crew. I have to wait until my wrists are back to normal. Not really, I would not want to work like that every day.
Our good friend David, from Dan's crew came and put a new door in with the same kind of lock. Today I will hide a key outside. {:>)
Lesson learned.
p.s. Yes I did get my dinner. After I ate I had an upset stomach. Guess all that adrenaline and spicy pasta don't mix.
Monday, September 14, 2009
Art and words
"Leave my loneliness unbroken!"
~The Raven
I was a big scardy cat when I was a kid. Many things would set me off. A fear would run through me and no amount of talking to myself could calm me down. Most of the time it was at night. The house was still, the parents turned off the tv and shut things down for the evening. And fears took off.
One year I was worried about witches. It seemed everywhere I looked, or anything I read had a witch. I pushed my bed up against one of the walls so there would be no way that anyone could come up behind me as I slept. I would make sure that my back was to the wall or I would sleep on my back. If "they" did get into our house, that was locked and blotted because of my dad's fears, they couldn't sneak up on me.
I was still awake when my parents went to bed one evening. Everything checked and re checked by dad, even the heat was turned off. As I tossed around from my back to my side I heard the "rapping, rapping at my chamber door." My door was not shut and the more I listened to the rapping, it sounded more like stepping, stepping walking down the hallway to my room.
The steps were very deliberate. Not fast, not slow. Even.
I listened to these steps for what seemed like twenty minuets. The hallway was only twelve feet long, so the person coming down the hall would have had time to come into my room, clean it, grab me, walk away slowly into the night and then cut me into little pieces.
I made up my mind that I need to time the steps and see if they were coming for me or just walking up and down the hall. I got my little alarm clock and watched the time go by.
"Only this, and nothing more."
"Darkness there, and nothing more."
"Merely this, and nothing more."
'Tis the heater cooling and nothing more.
It took many days before I mustered up courage, got out of bed, went into the hallway, then to the cooling wall heater where it rapped and tapped it's stepping sounds.
~The Raven
I was a big scardy cat when I was a kid. Many things would set me off. A fear would run through me and no amount of talking to myself could calm me down. Most of the time it was at night. The house was still, the parents turned off the tv and shut things down for the evening. And fears took off.
One year I was worried about witches. It seemed everywhere I looked, or anything I read had a witch. I pushed my bed up against one of the walls so there would be no way that anyone could come up behind me as I slept. I would make sure that my back was to the wall or I would sleep on my back. If "they" did get into our house, that was locked and blotted because of my dad's fears, they couldn't sneak up on me.
I was still awake when my parents went to bed one evening. Everything checked and re checked by dad, even the heat was turned off. As I tossed around from my back to my side I heard the "rapping, rapping at my chamber door." My door was not shut and the more I listened to the rapping, it sounded more like stepping, stepping walking down the hallway to my room.
The steps were very deliberate. Not fast, not slow. Even.
I listened to these steps for what seemed like twenty minuets. The hallway was only twelve feet long, so the person coming down the hall would have had time to come into my room, clean it, grab me, walk away slowly into the night and then cut me into little pieces.
I made up my mind that I need to time the steps and see if they were coming for me or just walking up and down the hall. I got my little alarm clock and watched the time go by.
"Only this, and nothing more."
"Darkness there, and nothing more."
"Merely this, and nothing more."
'Tis the heater cooling and nothing more.
It took many days before I mustered up courage, got out of bed, went into the hallway, then to the cooling wall heater where it rapped and tapped it's stepping sounds.
Saturday, September 5, 2009
After A Long Trip
The trip was a "long and winding road." I will now be writing and continuing making art.
The road that I've been on has included writing and art but the path took me many places.
I will write. I am committed to Creative Infusion. It has been said before. And the commitment has been here before also. Life needs to be somewhat guided for me. To fit everything in that I want to do will look like a class schedule for an over achiever. My parents would laugh.
This will look a bit different as I will add all art related info. Said that before.
We need to help and connect now more than ever.
I have friends that have lost their jobs and still trying to create. When you don't have a day job it's hard to keep the creative juices flowing. Paying the rent or mortgage becomes more important.
So, to try and keep the juices flowing and lend a ear, Creative Infusion is back.
Here are some lists of art shows and the like. If you would like your show added or info listed please contact me. We will spread the word.
Associated Artist 25th Annual Show -- Sept. 25th - 27th @ Victoria Gardens Community Center
National Collage Society's 25th Annual Exhibit November 6th - December 31st @ Mason Murer Fine Art, Atlanta, GA
Art Box Studio Art Show November 21 2:00pm - 9:00pm @1302 Monta Vista Ave unit 9
Upland ,CA
Cabrera's: An Eclectic Art Gallery 637 W. Second St., Pomona, CA (909) 230-1926/carcari@hotmail.com (she also does affordable framing)
Want your info here? Let me know.
Have a great week.
~ aleta
The road that I've been on has included writing and art but the path took me many places.
I will write. I am committed to Creative Infusion. It has been said before. And the commitment has been here before also. Life needs to be somewhat guided for me. To fit everything in that I want to do will look like a class schedule for an over achiever. My parents would laugh.
This will look a bit different as I will add all art related info. Said that before.
We need to help and connect now more than ever.
I have friends that have lost their jobs and still trying to create. When you don't have a day job it's hard to keep the creative juices flowing. Paying the rent or mortgage becomes more important.
So, to try and keep the juices flowing and lend a ear, Creative Infusion is back.
Here are some lists of art shows and the like. If you would like your show added or info listed please contact me. We will spread the word.
Associated Artist 25th Annual Show -- Sept. 25th - 27th @ Victoria Gardens Community Center
National Collage Society's 25th Annual Exhibit November 6th - December 31st @ Mason Murer Fine Art, Atlanta, GA
Art Box Studio Art Show November 21 2:00pm - 9:00pm @1302 Monta Vista Ave unit 9
Upland ,CA
Cabrera's: An Eclectic Art Gallery 637 W. Second St., Pomona, CA (909) 230-1926/carcari@hotmail.com (she also does affordable framing)
Want your info here? Let me know.
Have a great week.
~ aleta
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