Need for CDs!

Still no word from Netflix

I need a source, or multiple sources for thousands of old, damaged or just defective or unwanted CDs and DVDs. Any size, and condition--even pieces and parts--they will be drilled, so no one will ever use them again even if they were good. Also old dead motherboards, ethernet cards, modems, hard drives, any interesting looking bits and pieces are welcome, but mostly the discs. My goal is 4000, so please contact me if you have any to donate to this art project, or know any place that might have a LOT to dispose of in a creative manner.

Secret Sundays

Seth Apter has several inspiring projects going through his blog- The Altered Page.

"Secret Sundays" just ended--18 weeks of wonderful "secrets" from artists all over the place.

"...Over 150 (!) artists have answered a series of questions which make up The Pulse. Their responses will be presented as a series of online and print projects. And the first begins right now!

Beginning today, join the The Altered Page every Sunday for "Secret Sunday." Here the secrets of all your favorite artists will be revealed. It could be a technique, a product, a secret source, a little-known website, a hidden shop, an inspiration, just about anything!..."


Next up is the Book Guild "...The Book Guild will meet every Sunday, rain or shine. So stop by to be introduced to a whole new library of art-related books. The Guild will be more than just a list however. There will be links, book reviews, giveaways, and interviews with many of your favorite authors. And I promise you that there will be some major events that are guaranteed to knock your handmade socks off!!..."

Come along and join the fun!

New Spring-Summer projects Project

Ok now I'm stepping away from all the swapping, which is a fun thing to do, but takes up a lot of art time. I've just about finished my 400th swap, so it's a good time to stop for a while and do something else.

I've been sewing quilt blocks most lately, you can see some of them here I've sent all of these out so far, and now just wait to get blocks back in the mail. I'll assemble the most likely ones into a scrappy type quilt top.

I have plans for three quilts now--the scrappy swap quilt, a string quilt (sample here--not mine,
but a basic idea of what they look like), here is one of my blocks:



and a dutchman's puzzle variation

this is a virtual quilt of the pattern, created in Photoshop. The dark blue pinwheels are a fabric with celestial images in blues and yellows and touches of white, the yellow is a yellow-on-yellow geometric pattern fabric, the white is just white with fine sparkles all over, and the outer blue border is a sponge-looking blue on blue pattern, and the light blue squares has also a celestial sort of pattern with little yellow moons and yellow and orange-red stars, with dark fine scroll design over all.





The other projects I'm looking at, besides cleaning out the garage to make studio space, are more paintings, and the Secret CD Project.. Of the 4000 required old cds and DVDs I need for this one, I have now acquired about 900. I'm also looking for dead motherboards, hard drives, old RAM chips, and any other components that have the green circuit board parts. Once I get at least 2000 parts, I'll start assembling. I recently wrote to Netflix to ask if they'd like to recycle their old DVDs through me--that could bring my totals right up! I hope they consider it!

We Have a Winner!

Susan of http://piecesoffatesusan.blogspot.com/ is the winner of the Wire & Bead Heart Pin that's my giveaway for the One World, One Heart Blog event!

Congratulations Susan!

One World One Heart Giveaway!

Once again, I'm participating in this fabulous Global Blogging Event!

I'm giving away one Wire and Bead Heart Pin:

Assorted gauge and color wires curled and twisted with glass beads to form a two-way brooch--it's fastened onto a pinbacked piece of grosgrain ribbon in Navy Blue with a stitched point at the bottom, but can be removed and pinned on directly to a loose-weave fabric garment--the wire making the pin part is a little soft--hence the backing to protect it. It was my second effort in making wire jewelry.

Please leave a comment here and I will choose a winner according to the rules of the event--Happy Blogging!

Cyn

Sashiko Pin Cushion--Finishing steps

This is the back, the embroidery finished and sewn to the pin cushion and lining (that's why it's lumpy)










This is the pin cushion side--one square of blue flowered fabric the same size as the embroidered back, and another square of the same fabric, turned 45 degrees, appliqued on and stuffed with polyester fiberfill. I made the stitches as invisible as I could, using a sort of hem stitch.







Two opposing points are folded in and stitched down, the other points will be the "cover" and "needlebook"
With a button and loop to hold it closed when not in use.

Here it is all buttoned up.

and from the back.









And here it is open and ready to use. The needle is tucked into the left side, and the pins in the middle.

My problem now is that I really like this little thing, so now I have to either make another one, or something else for the swap!

Progression--embroidering the straight lines

Here, I've drawn out the pattern with the soapstone pencil. The ruler came in handy, as did the lid form a spray can I had handy to trace the biggest circle. The inner ones I just did by hand in roughly thirds of the space.







I began the embroidery with the outline, then planned to work all the straight lines and do the circles last so they'd be on the surface. I'm using the perle cotton and the quilting basting needles. The eyes are smaller than the soft sculpture needles, and they're a little shorter, but I'll try the others on another project. This needle is working out fine so far.

I don't know if there is a rhyme or reason to the traditional methods of this embroidery, I was too impatient to start to look up any more detailed instruction. I does help to pay attention to where you go with the pattern, as you can end up cutting thread and moving around too often. I tried to look ahead for the next direction when I started out and it has worked ok so far.



It's kind of like following a maze. Or one of those puzzles where you have to trace every line without running over any twice. I have to admit I ran into a couple of dead ends and had to take out the stitches and re-think my route.








Here, I'm beginning the last of the straight lines, the corners. I should have somehow worked them into the rest of the outer squares or triangles, but, hey, it's my first time! I have two remaining longer straight lines to fit in and then I'll do the circles and be done with this part of the project.

Sashiko pattern

This is the pattern I'm starting with for the project for the Swap-bot Swap--it's the back of a pin cushion that folds like a furoshiki bundle--a variation of the Yotsu Musubi

I found the idea on this page the third item in their list on this page. I'm looking now for the lining fabric, undecided whether to use a floral pattern or a geometric, like the striped one in the picture. I drew it out onto the piece of fabric with the soapstone pencil--a very cool tool! It brushes off easily, but not so easily that I lose the pattern as I work.

The next post will be pictures of my progress with the embroidery.

Sashiko Embroidery

I'm starting yet another new project--

Sashiko embroidery is from Japan and is done with heavy cotton fabric and fairly heavy cotton thread, long needles and a choice of many lovely patterns. I found this tutorial and decided to start a Swap-bot swap for beginners to get myself to actually make something of it.





This is a picture of the two fabrics, thimble, soapstone pencil, washable fabric pencil, perle cotton and two types of needles I found--3" soft sculpture needles and quilter's basting needles. I'm working out a pattern which I'll post soon.

Time to get more serious about Art

I wake up sometimes with ideas in my head, and sometimes they fall out of my printer, unsuspected. This time, I was printing out an application for a juried show for my friend Frances, my art mentor, and I decided I could apply, too! it's for small pieces, and that's what I seem to have a lot of lately.

I've been painting almost regularly for the first time in my life. They may not be good, but I like them, Fred likes them and it makes me happy to do them, so I'm going to keep painting. The new stuff is like and unlike anything I've every done, so it's a sign of evolution, growth, or something. A little freedom and right-brain activity.
We'll see.

The other thing that's happening is the Baking! Autumn demands that I bake! Biscuits, cakes, cookies, brownies, and PIES! This morning I made, with the help of a good group of people, a ton of apple pie filling for the Thanksgiving Pie Sale for St. Augustine Church in Canterbury. We worked for several hours, peeling, coring, slicing, cooking and bagging the fillings for pies we'll be baking the Monday and Tuesday before Thanksgiving as a fundraiser. Apple, Pumpkin and Pecan! Yum! We're hoping to sell and then bake 100 pies! Wish us luck!...and if you're in the area, order some pie! www.staugustine-canterbury.org


Also, the moon is full, and things also seem to happen at this time of year. I also just got asked to do another bookmaking workshop out of the blue--no pay, but opportunity to see what other creative people can do with the things I play with! I love other artists! I want to be around them, talk to them, play with them--it's such a good thing!

Pumpkin Patch Primitives Fabulous Fabric Giveaway

I was just waxing a bit of nostalgia about the One World One Heart Giveaways, and skipped over to a new Artexplorations Group member who had posted about this one on her blog, --and that's how it works--you go there, get the URL, and post it on your blog, then make a comment on hers and you could win something--in this case, 27 fat quarters of primitive art fabrics--look pretty snazzy! So, here's hoping I win!

Pumpkin Patch Primitives Fabulous Fabric Giveaway

Back to painting again

Sunrise Through the Storm

So, I made this small (5"x7") acrylic on linen canvas for a lovely person who sent me a good package of old, no-good cds** (very much desired by me right now!) and we did the exchange as a Swap-bot swap, so I read her profile and saw that she liked modern art, and pink, so I sat myself down and worked this one out for her.

I've been pondering a series of paintings in this sort of style, so it got me going. I've finished two more, one on canvas-11"x14", and another on well-gessoed birch plywood, about 14"x14", and have started three more small ones--all just smaller than the 5"x7". I really need to get up into the garage and get some larger canvases!

It's difficult to settle into a series if it takes too long for me, even with the Strattera, my ADD is a daily obstacle. I'm still working on the Peeks, as well as knitting a scarf, working on small things for Swap-bot swaps, like ATCs, and planning a fundraising Holiday Pie Sale, for Thanksgiving, at the church I work for part time. I'm just a little bit concerned about having enough help for the baking days, but if I absolutely had to, I could bake 100 pies by myself in two days. I'd be exhausted at the end of it all, and with a little luck, I won't have to actually do it! We'll see!

** The cds are needed for a HUGE art project I'm also working on! I need about 4000 to complete it, along with a few dead motherboards, some floppys, and some of the nini cds, too. More on that later...

Vaughn's Zazzle

My late son had a lot of fun creating the stuff he sold on Zazzle.com. I'm keeping it up to make a little money for his daughter, and it's doing so-so. Every little bit helps. I'm learning the ins and outs of how the whole thing works and found this nifty gadget to embed into my blog here--please check it out and maybe you'll find something fun to buy!


buy unique gifts at Zazzle

all hail His Noodly Appendage!!!

back to art...

Here's the last of the first three "Peeks" it and the No. Grosvenordale mill are in the Landscape exhibit at the Silver Circle Studio in Putnam.

Swap-bot Rocks!

There's a giveaway going on at Swap-bot.com's blog, and all I have to do to enter is to post here about it--easy peasy! The original post for it in their comments section is below:

http://blog.swap-bot.com/2009/08/30/huge-giveaway-for-atc-lovers/

My favorite ATC is a folded japanese-looking envelope type thing with a beautiful image inside–the folding and everything is fabulous and I can never open it up and close it in one try! Very interesting and a challenge everytime I show it to someone!

Swap-bot has been the source of all that is beautiful in my house right now! I’ve had so many terrific swaps with interesting and talented people all over the world–one of my favorite little treats is a tiny llama figurine from Peru, stuck into the package by the mother of my swap-partner from Argentina because she was so excited about the whole thing!

Living in rural northeastern Connecticut, we don’t have much going on here that encourages or even makes meeting new people possible, and my new world of artistic and creative friends through Swap-bot keeps me going!

Thanks Rachel and Travis for opening this virtual, and “postal” gateway to the world for me and everyone else!

Cyn

Good News!

I got a couple more calls from local Boy Scout leaders who heard from the original district person about my request, and one presented the idea to his next troop meeting and actually got a positive response and a couple of the boys and their parents were going to talk to my friend to see what she needs!

My faith in people is restored a little more today!

Nation of Nancys??

My son used to talk about a "Nation of Nancys" meaning the state of affairs in this coutry whereby no one lets kids do anything anymore that might result in some liability issue--no running around free in the woods or neighborhoods, no treeforts built on a whim, no exploring without adult supervision. Many things that, as a mother, I understand, but still...I remember my own childhood and the many things I did that could have resulted in injury or worse, but I survived, learning some valuable life lessons that I wouldn't have from merely being told the possibilities. As kids, we humans have a sense of invulnerability that make it possible to try new things without fear. Sometimes we get hurt, but with luck, it's not serious and we go on, a little more carefully.

I know there have also been serious crippling injuries and death--a young man from my teen years dove off a pier and broke his neck--he lived, but is in a wheelchair to this day. There are many stories of bad injuries and deaths from childhood accidents, so I know it's not something to take lightly.

My main complaint today is the liability issue. I also remember my brother in Scouts and the troop had adopted several elderly folks who lived in their own homes, but couldn't take care of the lawn and outside work anymore. The boys would go weekly to mow the lawn and weed the flowers, and everyone was happy. One boy tripped and skinned his knee one time, but no one sued the old homeowner who helped him wash the scrape and put a band-aid on it. The boy got back up and continued raking the leaves.

As a Girl Scout, we did similar things and no one got sued. We actually helped people who needed help.

This week, I ran into a friend who hasn't been able to mow her significant yard--the weeds are three feet tall. Both her knees are swollen with arthritis and she can barely manage to keep her job, much less manage the grounds of her small farm. She'd be happy to just have a path mowed to her fenced garden patch so she can grow some veggies to supplement her food budget. I thought of the boy scouts and went to considerable effort to track down a nearby troop--I had to eventually leave a message with the district leader--finding that person was like pulling teeth, virtually anyway, but they responded quicly to my message.

Unfortunately, they don't do personal assistance things anymore, due to liability issues. They are restricted to community services like cleaning up and taking care of public parks and things. They also have trouble finding a place for the troops to meet because of liability issues--none of the businesses want to have that responsibility of having Boy Scouts meet in their buildings.

While I'm glad they are still out there doing community service in some way at all, I think it's such a sad thing that we've come to this situation in the world.

Maybe out there somewhere is a group of adults who still do personal service volunteering--I'll keep looking. But I wish we'd find some way to get rid of the sue-happy attitudes and learn to (and teach our kids to) take responsibility again for our own actions.

Meanwhile, I think I'll take the weedwacker over to my friend's house and trim away some of the weeds for her. I can take a first step towards not being a "Nancy" (no offense to all you real women named Nancy out there--it's something someone else came up with!)

Disintegration...last?

...Maybe not, but the bundles parted company again, and I think I'll leave the two packets where they are, draped over the flowerbed fence. The bundle of tubes still hangs out, looking none the worse for wear after a winter and spring of typical New England weather.

















Disintigration

Newest member of the family...Pepper

We were really missing having a cat around since our old calico queen, Sassafras, left us for the great hunting ground in the sky, so I started by posting a message on our local Freecycle looking for a calico kitten, and within a week we found Pepper, who is a little over 2 months old, and settling in fine.