As Few Question Marks as Possible.

I went to an ostrich farm recently.

My last post was on Christmas Eve! And here it is the first day of spring!

I was on the road all of January. At my parents, out to California to stay with my aunt and grandma, up to Bakersfield to see about miniature trains and ostriches, back to my parents, delayed by weather, delayed by car repairs, delayed by quilt-finishing, but I finally packed up my cat and headed home to the mountains.

I got back to North Carolina, ready to make stuff and get back into internet business. The making stuff happened, but the internet happenings didn't happen because I finally spilled a cup of tea all over my laptop.

oops.

It could have been a lot worse. However, I am left without a functioning question-mark key, or an enter key.

Which is problematic in formatting blog posts or asking questions in emails.

So how am I managing this???

I finally got my hands on another keyboard, plugged it into my laptop, and I am using it ONLY for the question-marks and to "enter."

True story.

February I was mostly in the printmaking studio, getting my life in order the way you can when you're temporarily seasonally unemployed, and learning everything I could about honeybees, as fast as I could. (much more about that later.)

THEN we reopened the gallery, and I turned off my creative brain and put on my bookkeeping pants, and have been tense in my shoulders, jaw, and eyes ever since. But it's okay; I am working hard to find the balance again, of 'working' and working. What? Oh, you know.

Oh, I also went to Kentucky last weekend to see some people I like.

Enough words; more pictures!

Apple Pie, circa January 1, 2014

I went out to California. Again.

In California I took myself to the Huntington Library and felt woozy all day.

But there were camellias blooming, so that was nice!  

Amongst numerous adventures, Yvonne, Liz and I found ourselves at a model train club in Bakersfield.

Like ya do...

We also found ourselves in Tehatchapi.

 Very much more soon.

A few from Californialand.

At an antique store in Orange.
If this miniature light display wasn't $250, I may have bought it.

I meant to take this picture many times when I lived there.

Somewhere blurry.

Somewhere else blurry.

New Years Day. Movies in Cerritos.

Somewhere else.

Somewhere festive.

Damn beautiful california oak.

Plenty of this.

Farmers market tangerines smuggled home in my suitcase.

Backyard and farmers market goodness.

Little things from a very big year.

 A lot happened this past year, most of it resulting from my choices.

And that's nice.

I'm looking forward to 2012. I have plans, and things to look forward to...and nothing so dramatic as a cross-country move. 

I made a conscious choice in the spring to step away from blogging and internet business, because I was occupied with packing/moving concerns, making books for two big handmade events, and the stress/anxiety/teeth grinding of that time.

But until my little camera quit on me, I was taking pictures. Here is a sampling of some little things I have seen this year, and evidence of some little adventures...

Crane on Los Feliz Blvd.

Some good looking chairs in Downey, California.

Santa Anita, Arcadia, California.

Pickwick Bowling Alley, Burbank, California.

Crab Cooker, Balboa, California.

Hollywoodland, California.

The road to Visalia, chaperoning some teenagers.

California Grand Bethel, JDI, Visalia, California.

Sequoia on a whim with my girls.

Beautiful breakfast with Yvonne, at the Village Bakery.

Colorful carrots at the Hollywood farmers market.

And a fancy cake I made.

I said goodbye to my goofy students at CSUN.
(and we all wore ties.)

I said goodbye to a wonderful ol' couch, now re-covered at
my grandma and aunt's house. Glad we didn't have to move it. 

I said goodbye to a beautiful apartment in Los Feliz.
This was the little brass peephole in the front door.  

 Next....books of 2011.

Clouds.

This was the day before my birthday. Taken in Downey, California in my Grandmother's back yard.

Pollyanna in Hell.

By the tone of my last post, you can hardly tell that California is a raging inferno at present.

'Tis the season.

I've only faintly smelled the smoke the past few days, and surprisingly it hasn't bothered my breathing or eyes.

But today there was delicate ash floating in the air, both in Los Feliz and Northridge.

And as horribly destructive as these wildfires are, you must admit that the smoke is spectacular:



In non-destructive-forces-of-nature news, I noticed that I have a pomegranate bush! As if I needed another reason to love my apartment.


I won't be harvesting a crop worthy of the farmer's market this year, but it's still a wonderful surprise. The plant needs some attention...seems to have some suckers, and could stand some pruning when it's done doing its thing.

But I have a fruit tree! Thank God, right?!

Better than Fine.

Every post needs a picture.....


Today is my two-year Californiversary. I am proud of myself for being capable of maneuvering around this metropolis, and I can drive in traffic without freaking out.

I can do all kinds of things without freaking out, folks.

I also know the bits and pieces of Los Angeles (and California) that I love, and am continuing to make discoveries.

I love my apartment, and am looking forward to "settling in" in the coming months. Its good to be home. I am pleased to report that my plants miraculously survived their recent neglect.

Everyone wins!

Today has been good: It was surprisingly cool and grey for August, and I even saw a few (a very few) raindrops. I walked to the grocery store, and the post office, and the bank. Then I drove out to CSUN to turn in some paperwork and get my parking tag, and other start-of-the-semester business. Now I need to get to work on the actual planning for my classes.....

Say, I reopened my Etsy store, although I have yet to post any new work. Soon, dear friends, soon.

And now I shall see about a cup of tea.

All the new.

I've been very busy lately. Already a month into classes at CSUN and LMU, and I'm pretending it's autumn in Los Angeles, even though it's still too dang hot. But I'm wearing plaid, so....it must be fall.

The images above are of the work I mailed to the Art House Co-Op in Atlanta, Georgia for their "Collecting Objects" project. Today I signed up for what sounds like another fun adventure, their "Scavenger Project."

Here's good stuff: I actually found Lost Found Art while teaching my 2d design class. Who knows what I was talking about at the time.

My friend Ann Flowers has started a blog, haunted by pretty ghosts. Check out A Beautiful Party.

CSUN has wireless internet everywhere, which leads us to my next recent discovery: how fantastic is Pandora Radio? Why didn't I discover this sooner?

Here's a breakthrough moment in the history of the universe:



Well, actually like most things in the universe, this breakthough is rather a looping-around of something I was doing years ago......


So, I've made 115 sales to date in my Etsy shop. I listed some new things on my birthday...check 'em out.

I'm working on a stack of applications, proposals, and entries.

I'm also working on etching big zinc plates, and taking out some of my agression on a litho stone.

Californiversary.

One year ago I wandered into Los Angeles. I know my way around better now.

To celebrate, this evening I baked honey raisin bran muffins. I am looking ahead to commutable breakfasts, as I will start teaching next week.

When I was an undergrad in ol' Kentucky, my brother and best friend and I had a "MUFFIN OF THE WEEK". We three were living together at the time, and took turns making muffins. Another part of this responsibility was to make the obligatory sign to advertise the muffins...in our kitchen. My brother would make his in the middle of the night, and they were almost always chocolate.

Gosh. Muffins are interesting.

Studio Channel Islands.

You love printmaking! Tell your friends! This will be at the Studio Channel Islands Art Center on the beautiful campus of California State University Channel Islands, Camarillo, CA 93012

In non-printmaking news, I have begun crocheting doilies for my best friend Jenni, who needs at least thirty-seven doilies before she gets married in October. Because of course, "it would be perfectly impossible to keep house with only thirty-six doilies."

I have new pieces to post for sale in my shop....just need to scan them.

Print Matter(s).

I forgot to write a post about the "Print Matter(s)" exhibition at Studio Channel Islands Art Center! It's a beautiful exhibition of California Printmakers, curated by my friend Jennifer D. Anderson. The exhibition will be up 'til August 9, and if you're around California, you should check it out!

My work for this show consisted of many many layered book-ish things, expertly arranged by Jennifer whilst I was frolicking on the Atlantic Seashore.

The pieces incorporate etching, lithography, monotype, drawing, typing, and a lot of sewing. They are attached to the walls with T-pins.