implements of destruction
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Thursday, November 5, 2009
fun at work
This is hilarious. Apparently, some bookstores know how to have fun. Don't get me wrong, we did have some fun way back then. It did not involve Stormtroopers, however. At least not while I was on the premises. How hard would it have been to arrange for some costumed folk to show up and start swingin' light sabers? Really.
These fellas showed up at some location to promote the DK Lego Star Wars visual dictionary. Aside from a private jet, this book is the only thing I want for christmas. Have a nice weekend! Wish you were here.
These fellas showed up at some location to promote the DK Lego Star Wars visual dictionary. Aside from a private jet, this book is the only thing I want for christmas. Have a nice weekend! Wish you were here.
Saturday, October 31, 2009
happy halloween
Half my halloween day was spent on my bike riding around lucky town in this weird semi-summerish weather. It's not totally summery, just warmish for what you'd expect. Anyhoo, I've been meaning to make my way to Mount Olivet Cemetery because local cyclist types have been encouraging me to do so. I fully expected to have to ride on Market and then down sorta towards the mall thus having to deal with car traffic but, that was not the case. Mount Olivet cemetery has an entrance at the end of Court Street. How freaking easy is that?
The cemetery is sort of on the large side and it's situated such that you can see the Costco and Harry Grove Stadium as well as other urban sprawl. Interred there are both Francis Scott Key and Barbara Fritchie as well as Francis' parents and other notable local dignitaries. It's got a visitor's center and chapel but I didn't make a study of those things. Alls I did was ride around and look for decent shots in this lousy light. Found a few but nothin' much. I'll be back though. Have a spooky holiday! Wish you were here.
The cemetery is sort of on the large side and it's situated such that you can see the Costco and Harry Grove Stadium as well as other urban sprawl. Interred there are both Francis Scott Key and Barbara Fritchie as well as Francis' parents and other notable local dignitaries. It's got a visitor's center and chapel but I didn't make a study of those things. Alls I did was ride around and look for decent shots in this lousy light. Found a few but nothin' much. I'll be back though. Have a spooky holiday! Wish you were here.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
twinkly lights
Hi. Okay, clearly this is a place holder. It's not even a picture taken by me. This picture was taken by Miss March when she made off with my camera at a party. I'm a fool for twinkly lights so finding this picture on my camera was nothing short of delightful. Plus, it was taken inside Ande's house which makes it even more delightfuller. A person could do an entire blog on the interior of Ande's house. It's located no where near Frederick but she would love it here so it's allowed. Have a grand and glorious day. Wish you were here.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
even more metal
Anyhoo, here's another thingy I made on Wednesday, October 21. It's an example of what's called a hot twist. That first silvery thingy (in a previous post) was done by way of the controlled twist. The hot twist is all blacksmithy and such. You take a torch and make metal red hot in one spot only, then you can twist the hell out of it because it's so darn soft. The rest of the metal does not twist as it is cold, relatively speaking. So, you see how part of it's twisty and part of it is less twisty? Well done. Teacher's pet.
The ends are curved slightly and flat. Much like the junior high version of myself. The flatness is achieved by means of hammer and anvil that sits atop a tree stump. This is true. There are several tree stumps in the classsroom. They're set upon carpet squares. An anvil on a tree stump on a carpet square makes for quieter hammering and less annoyed administrators on the floor below. Have a jolly day. Wish you were here.
The ends are curved slightly and flat. Much like the junior high version of myself. The flatness is achieved by means of hammer and anvil that sits atop a tree stump. This is true. There are several tree stumps in the classsroom. They're set upon carpet squares. An anvil on a tree stump on a carpet square makes for quieter hammering and less annoyed administrators on the floor below. Have a jolly day. Wish you were here.
Thursday, October 8, 2009
more metal
Here's more show and tell from jewelry class. This is the stuff I made today (not the little leaf ~ I made that last week.) Techniques pictured include: taking a straight piece of brass wire and turning it into a spiral; making serpentine-type curves without the use of a jig; making a pin and clasp on a spring; flattening the crap out of wire; pounding texture into flattened wire; twisting two wires together to make one long strand from which you create other things; flattening said twisted wire; fashioning one bracelet from the aforementioned twisted/flattened wire ~ and wearing it home.
The cool thing about that bracelet up there is that a person could make one of those from stuff you can easily get at a hardware store. In about 10 minutes (not including the shopping.) All you need is the wire, a sturdy door knob, one pencil, a hammer, and wire cutters. I guess when I look at the picture again, it kind of looks like something somebody made from stuff from a hardware store. But hey! Whoohoo for metal!
The cool thing about that bracelet up there is that a person could make one of those from stuff you can easily get at a hardware store. In about 10 minutes (not including the shopping.) All you need is the wire, a sturdy door knob, one pencil, a hammer, and wire cutters. I guess when I look at the picture again, it kind of looks like something somebody made from stuff from a hardware store. But hey! Whoohoo for metal!
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
metal
One of the benefits of working where I work is that I get to take classes for free (provided the class isn't full.) Intermediate Jewelry had one available spot so, guess who took it. Not that I am, by any means, intermediate ~ the instructor figured I was pretty okay at cutting things so she let me in. So far, I have learned to cut metal with a saw. Behold my tiny oak leaf half liberated from a slab of copper.
And here are my feet, safely encased in proper footwear lest an anvil or pot of acid drops on them. The wooden contraption gets clamped to a work bench and allows you to support your chunk of metal with one hand while you saw up and down with the other. Kind of like a sewing machine except things come apart in the end rather than get put together.
Anyhoo, in addition to the metal cutting, I've also learned how to melt metal into a puddle using a propane torch, poke tiny holes through metal using a drill press, and buff the crap out of metal using a flexible-shaft dremel-esque drill. Yay metal!
And here are my feet, safely encased in proper footwear lest an anvil or pot of acid drops on them. The wooden contraption gets clamped to a work bench and allows you to support your chunk of metal with one hand while you saw up and down with the other. Kind of like a sewing machine except things come apart in the end rather than get put together.
Anyhoo, in addition to the metal cutting, I've also learned how to melt metal into a puddle using a propane torch, poke tiny holes through metal using a drill press, and buff the crap out of metal using a flexible-shaft dremel-esque drill. Yay metal!
Monday, October 5, 2009
street party
Saturday was one big street party and this is what the end of 4th street looked like all day. Market was closed to traffic from the creek all the way up to 7th. Thank the gods for off-street parking. Anyhoo, I spent the entire day taking pictures, some of which you can view---> here!
The weather was stupendous as were the food smells wafting about. I ate my lunch at home, however, and saved my cash for another day. Next year, my plan is to not run around so much but to sit around and enjoy the music. Oh, and to not work in the evening.
The weather was stupendous as were the food smells wafting about. I ate my lunch at home, however, and saved my cash for another day. Next year, my plan is to not run around so much but to sit around and enjoy the music. Oh, and to not work in the evening.
Sunday, October 4, 2009
open
Thursday, September 3, 2009
closed
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
blue skies
It's starting to feel fallish in lucky town. Not that the weather is cooling off all that much but kids are back in school and the words "end of summer" keep popping up in storefronts and other random signage. Sitting around watching movies is more on my mind. And sweaters. Some one sent me a "save the date" art show postcard recently that had a pumpkin on it. Anyhoo, have a happy Wednesday. I hope the skies are blue over where you are.
Monday, August 24, 2009
food again
This is (was) my salad. I've decided there's no such thing as too much spinach. Or shrimp. Or garlic. Today, I'm on a quest for free dirt. The plant that Deana gave me as a housewarming gift is in serious need of dividing and the clipping that I stole from upstairs neighbor guy has roots as long as my arm. The gardens at the old mill are a work in progress and I doubt they'd miss two or three yogurt containers worth of top soil. There, it's been decided: more stealing. Happy Monday! Wish you were here!
Friday, August 21, 2009
ten dollars
There's a tiny farmers' market on East Street every Thursday from 3 to 6 pm that I've managed to miss on a regular basis. The farmers themselves are normal size, it's just that there's only four of them. I took ten dollars there to see what I could get and this is what came home with me.
I skipped the piles of zucchini because, quite frankly, I'm not a fan of zucchini. Tomatoes are missing from this collection also as a coworker recently sent me home with several from her garden. Anyhoo, all of the above was sliced, diced, and frozen and will be eaten by me during the winter when said market is long gone. I've sworn off convenience eating.
That little loaf of whole wheat brioche was baked by Cakes for Cause. Pictured below is Elin, executive director of Cakes for Cause and her helper friend whose name I forgot to ask. Clearly he has moxie.
I skipped the piles of zucchini because, quite frankly, I'm not a fan of zucchini. Tomatoes are missing from this collection also as a coworker recently sent me home with several from her garden. Anyhoo, all of the above was sliced, diced, and frozen and will be eaten by me during the winter when said market is long gone. I've sworn off convenience eating.
That little loaf of whole wheat brioche was baked by Cakes for Cause. Pictured below is Elin, executive director of Cakes for Cause and her helper friend whose name I forgot to ask. Clearly he has moxie.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
art exchange!
First of all, I love getting mail (that isn't bills.) Maybe that's one reason for my free art giveaway promotion currently underway in lucky town. The first person to take me up on this fabulous offer was one charming young lady from Minneapolis who happens to have the same name as me. Never in a million years did I expect the self-addressed stamped envelope to contain artwork! It did, however, and now I am the proud owner of the delightful little pencil drawing pictured below. Recently, I joined Kelsey's Australian mail art adventure. My name and address are going on a list emanating from Brisbane and I'll be painting envelopes and mailing them to creative persons unknown to me who will, in turn, send me painted or otherwise decorated envelopes, too. I think. Then the task is to throw them up on flickr at some point for the world to peruse and marvel at. Hello Kizzle.
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