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Tag: January 2011

Yay New Year
sat 1 jan 2011

Permalink: http://www.static8.com/journal/2011/110101.html
Entry #1 on this page (tagged: january)


Happy New Year Beautiful Peoples!

Every year I use my January 1st blog entry to review the past year and think about the next one.

My New Years Resolutions for 2010: Reinvigorate the Paper Journal (nope), Get Serious About Drawing (nope), Learn ASL (started, then nope), Re-Engage my Vegan Soul (not really), and Reduce the 28 Book Backlog (which is now at 48, big nope).

Laughs!

Other 2010 projects:

  I read 38 books and I kept on top of all my magazine subscriptions. (in 2009, I read 30 books)

  January, April, May, and November were all daily blog posting months. I typed 156 blog posts this year. (in 2009, I did 205 entries.) Also, I made the sunflower page design, my first website design in many years.

  I kind of adopted the   Snuggles Project Website and was the unofficial welcoming person there. I wasn't very active, but I visited the site about once a week or so, for most of the year. Also, I met AJ there and we have become good friends! *waves at AJ*

  As for actually crocheting... Not much got done. I am proud of the scarves that I made for myself and Significant Other. But only 2 Snuggle Blankets made (and not yet sent), and the two scarves I'm gifting did not get finished. bleh!

  I joined an art journal round robin and I made art in all five (or six?) of the journals and sent them on in mostly decent time. Unfortunately, not all the mailings in the group went well and I think only two players actually got their journal back. *sighs* Probably won't try anything like this again.

  My ongoing postcard project has gone well. I did take a six month break from PostCrossing, but I'm up to 216 postcards exchanged there (I was at 130 for 2009). And I've sent out my homemade postcards every month except december. My mailing list has grown considerably, and I've joined SendSomething.net and thought about joining The Letter Exchange.

  I am quite disappointed at my Gardening efforts this year. Significant Other spent much time at our garden plot, but I just couldn't be bothered. And as a result of my inattention, we did not get many vegetables, only a few happy flowers, and we both thought about giving up our plot next year.

So!

With all my resolutions as "failures" and the several disappointments in my other projects... 2010 feels kind of "eh". But that only means that 2011 will be so much better!

  Read like crazy!
  Try some Amigurumi crochet!
  Put real effort into the Garden plot!
  Create Create Create!





gifts for me
sun 2 jan 2011

Permalink: http://www.static8.com/journal/2011/110102.html
Entry #2 on this page (tagged: january)


Yep, spending money by the hundreds, and this is just the beginning!

*laughs*: I have a serious procrastination problem... which fortunately extends to buying things for myself. Thusly, it is past time that I got some stuff that will help me. Creatively and Otherwise.

  Starting with a new scanner. My old scanner did not make the transition to the new computer I got in Oct 2009. And I really need a scanner. Mostly for postcards. But it would be nice to scan in my art work as well. (just need to make some ART now!) :)

(and granted, the computer also needs a new track ball and a new graphics tablet. and the "new to me" printer isn't working out so well.) (sighs.)

  Next on the list: a faster Internet connection. The only thing I need a faster connection for is LaLooFah's website... she just cannot restrain her photos! ;)

  Keeping in mind my 48 book backlog... A Kindle reader is on the list of stuff to buy, but I'm going to procrastinate buying this. at least until I've got my new Internet connection, and hopefully a bit longer as well. Those super cheap Kindle books are really hard to avoid!

  So. I've got 2 computers, 2 printers and a flat bed scanner on the way... (all of which I use or will use on a regular basis)... and I ran out of space for these things about six months ago. I seriously need some industrial sized shelving!! I have researched and am researching, but I'm not sure about what I want. But! I do know I want to get organized soon! ha.





Update
sun 9 jan 2011

Permalink: http://www.static8.com/journal/2011/110109.html
Entry #3 on this page (tagged: january, art)


oof! First week of the year: wow! :)

Internet-free
Yeah. It wasn't really a conscious decision, but this past week I have mostly stayed off the computer. And this weekend I have been a bit overwhelmed with everything I need to catch up with... I owe everyone a few emails, plus I missed a birthday! (so sorry!) But I did get some reading done, so that's kinda good.

If I decide to do that again... just shoot me, okay? Not really worth it!

Intermediate Copic Certification
*big eyes* YES!! I am mostly certified! :) The Intermediate Copic Certification on the 6th of January was a small class taught by Sherrie Siemens and Debbie Olson, and I was able to attend all but the last hour or so!

It was a basic art class, which did not require any drawing, but focused on colouring shadows (and all that is involved with that) and some design skills.

Having taken a few art classes, I already knew everything that was taught. But it's good to return to the basics every once in a while. Got me thinking about art again.

Scanner
I installed my new Epson Perfection V300 Photo scanner. Yep. it's a scanner. I am not impressed. But. I'm not disappointed either. so: it's good!

If you have this scanner: do NOT use the "full auto mode"... the scans are horrendous! Go to "professional mode", unclick the "unsharp mask" and click the "backlight correction" at low. That'll be a good scan!

Journal Classes
I'm taking the free Visual Journal Strathmore Workshops. The first workshop (1st of 3), running during January, is focused on collage... which I am not a big fan of. But it's free, ya know?!

I'm actually waiting for the third workshop, which is also about collage, but will include sketching and artsy observing.

thing is: I didn't realize that the classes would be based on videos... and I'm still on dial-up. Not really working for me!

(waiting patiently for faster Internet. Maybe next weekend?)





Sun, 09 Jan 2011 17:24:03 PST... Book Reading Update
50 Books on the pile
Finished this week: 3 books
Bought this week: 0 books
YAY!

Not so fast
sat 15 jan 2011

Permalink: http://www.static8.com/journal/2011/110115.html
Entry #4 on this page (tagged: january)


Our new "high speed" DSL Internet connection is all connected. Just a few minor bumps in the install, but it was much easier than I thought it would be! Yay Internet!!

We do have the slowest DSL on the planet... even tho we live in the city, the house is too far away from a hub. Granted, it's much better than the dialup -- d/ling 1 meg in 15 seconds whereas dialup 1 meg took 4 minutes. We can't watch videos in real time.

But that's okay... it's easy to work around, since I'm not used to watching videos anyway!

Unfortunately, this morning I just realized a major problem!! I can't print my postcards!

The new printer is constantly running out of ink, so I've pretty much abandoned it and gone back to printing my postcards on the old reliable printer. The old printer is connected to my old computer, and I was transferring the postcard files from the new computer to the old computer through our home network. The home network is disabled now because I'm using the cables for our DSL modem.

So my two computers have no way to talk to each other any more!

*annoyed* It would be great if the new computer had two ethernet connectors, then I could have DSL and my home network. No such luck.

I guess I could put the old computer on the DSL, then, what? email myself the files?

Sheesh. Undoubtedly, there's an easy way to get home computers to network across the Internet. But my networking skills are not up to par! and Like I have time to do research when I have so much web surfing to do!

... hmm. wonders about a USB to ethernet cable conversion to get my home network back up... yep, looks like 10$ to 30$ on Amazon! yay!





Productive Saturday
sat 22 jan 2011

Permalink: http://www.static8.com/journal/2011/110122.html
Entry #5 on this page (tagged: january)


Yay, I'm gettin' things done!

I started the day with my home network project. I honestly thought I would be able to plug in my new USB to Ethernet cable and have the new computer talking to the old/printer computer without any troubles. Sadly, the DSL install of last weekend erased all the LAN settings on the new computer.

Which scared me for about an hour. But after studying the settings on the old computer and applying them to the new computer, then much rebooting of both computers, and some unplugging and replugging of the LAN hub, a little bit of cussing and... *phew* the computers are chatting again! Yay!

So, I'm back in the good with postcard printing.

Next project of the day: Left Side Shelving. Not very exciting, but Complete, and I'm quite happy with the relative tidiness over there. Makes me eager to figure out a shelving situation for the (much more messy) Right Side of the room!


Okay. Along with the shelves project... I also need to do serious Spring Cleaning in my closet. Would be nice to GoodWill a bunch of my clothes.

Also. My books? gack. I hate to think about it. But I do have a lot of books that do not have to be kept.





Art Links
sat 22 jan 2011

Permalink: http://www.static8.com/journal/2011/110122_.html
Entry #6 on this page (tagged: january, art)


Want to mention a few things that I'm thinking about...

  Daily Doodle
A fundraising project by a professional illustrator, raising money for the British charity, Shelter.

Oh my gosh! Her little doodle creatures are Soooo! Terribly! Cute! My Favorites: 290 sleeping demon robot, 250 rat, 244 pig, 193 snail, 108 patchwork elephant, 85 giraffes, 74 star machine, 33 abstract fish. (But actually I love all the little creatures!)

I wish I could make drawings like hers! of course, that might actually have to involve some drawing time. Which is currently at Nada. *shakes head*

  Creative Every Day: full wolf moon...
huh. a DreamBoard?
A dreamboard is a collection of words and images of what you want to invite into your life; it can be done in any way with any thing. It can be simple or complicated. It's up to you.
Why?
Putting our intentions into tangible form helps both us and the Universe get really clear on what it is that we want. The Universe responds to what we put energy into. Let's put our energy into our dreams!
*** from Full Moon Dreamboards FAQ

And speaking of dreams, a link from the day job...

  An Awesome Book
You can read it online... And also read the Awesome Book of Thanks. :)

Dream Big.

Dreams of me, making art every day?
This is my Big Dream.
But it scares me...
and I don't do it.

sighs.





Hair Cut!
fri 28 jan 2011

Permalink: http://www.static8.com/journal/2011/110128.html
Entry #7 on this page (tagged: january)


Yay Weekend! Yay Hair Cut!

A few hours ago my hair was about 12 inches long. Now it's about 2 inches long. hm. *pulling out hair* *measuring hair* ah ha! it's exactly 1.75 inches long, at the longest!

*grins* It was just time for something different.

(unfortunately, I left my camera at the day job. arg! so no photos this weekend, darn it.)


Okay. Here's the deal, people. I have exactly four time-sensitive projects I need to finish. And I want to start a new daily project because I'm crazy that way.

  Time #1: Crochet the Scarves. it's still january, right, and it's going to be cold for at least a month or so! right?!

  Time #2: xmas Thank you cards. um. yes. I know. gettin' kinda late for these. But! I'm going to do it!

  Time #3: Mom's homemade bday present. Her birthday was at the beginning of January. But she understands. heh.

  Time #4: My new LOVE vegan pen pal needs a letter and some postcards.

Thing is: finishing any one of these projects is maybe two hours. Would it kill me? And yet, I've been ignoring them all!

But now that I have short hair? I can do anything!!

  and Daily #1: um, more about this later, if I actually do it. heh.





daily project #1
sun 30 jan 2011

Permalink: http://www.static8.com/journal/2011/110130.html
Entry #8 on this page (tagged: january, art)


Okay! Excellent! Time-Sensitive Project #2, xmas Thank You cards: Done and in the mail! And Time-Sensitive Project #3, Mom's handmade bday present: Started and moving forward!

So! Here is my idea for Daily Project #1...
100 Daily Drawings.

Yes. 100.

In the past, I have done daily drawings for a month, several times over. At the end of the month, I think, "Oh, I'm tired of drawing. I will take a break for a few days. and then I'll get back to drawing. Because drawing is cool after all." And then I never actually get back to the drawing.

So, I've decided on 100 daily drawings.

I started today.

Deciding what to draw is always a problem when you're staring at the blank page. "Draw what's right in front of you!" But I've drawn my stuffed animals a million times. heh.

I like nature, I should draw some nature. But I have stared out my bedroom window quite enough, thank you very much. But I do have some house plants...

oh hey. My favorite, the Nerve plant... I could put a cutting in some water and bring it to my room so I could sketch in a familiar environment. And also find out if nerve plants will propagate via cuttings.

okay. the cutting is in some water on the window sill! me with my lap desk! pencils sharpened! 4x6 index card ready!

omg. can I do this?
*deep breath*
*make first line*
look at cutting and the jar of water.
realize my line is COMPLETELY WRONG!!!
erase.
Repeat

*laughs*

Eventually...

nerve plant drawing

copic colours: G12 Sea Green, YG67 Moss, C1 and C3 cool grey, B95 Light Grayish Cobalt

99 more...





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