June 30

Added another row to this one.  The real significance of this is that this means I've officially been doing this for six months.  I'm not quite sure how half a tear has passed but here we are.  I'm glad I have taken this project on, even if there are days that I really don't feel like being creative, I'm always glad I did something in the end.

June 29

This one I'm less happy with.  The texture inside the pepper was such that i really didn't know how to sketch it so the inside is completely wrong.  The overall shape is fine, the shading just got me.

June 28

Tomato time.  I think it came out pretty well.  I'm happy with it.

June 27

More haikus.  They're mostly about being tired.  I'm hoping to catch up on sleep this weekend.

1.  Too tired today
     The stress has caught up with me
     Can I take a nap?

2. Tired of the rain
    Can we please have the sun back
    The heat you can keep

3. Give me a blanket
    A quiet dark place to rest
    Teachers need naps too

June 26

Quickie sketch because I'm tired and ready for bed.  Not horrible, but definitely rushed.

June 25

Photography time.  Since I'm driving more now I do notice that I taking less time to just wander and look at flowers and things around me.  Add that to a walking boot and it equals less photos.

June 24

Still knitting this piece.  I'm really not sure how long to make this piece.  I just keep knitting.  I figure at some point I'll either know it's done or else get completely bored with it and want to use the needles for something else..

June 20-23

This sums up this weekend.  I have put four days all together because they were spent at an event called Tribal Revolution. It is a weekend of (mostly tribal) belly dance workshops and lectures by fantastic teachers from around the country.  I was lucky enough to take workshops with Rachel Brice (pictured above), Elizabeth Ashner, Kami Liddle, and Mira Betz.  There were also three nights of shows and hanging out with lots of dance friends.  There was a lot to take in.  I also saw just how much I have not taken care of my own dance of late.  After I finish school that is something I definitely want to work on.

June 19

Time for a new pot holder.  At some point I'll actually use them.  Right now I like them too much to get them dirty.  I am not gentle on pot holders.

June 18

Haiku time again.  They are as follows:

1.  Craziness abounds
     Preschool is not for sissies
     They are funny though

2. Bad throbbing headache
    They won't stop calling my name
     I still love my job

3. Oh blessed nap time
    Some days much too slowly comes
    I long for quiet

June 17

It's been too long since I've been painting.  This is the first in a long time that hasn't had a reference picture.  I'm longing for a vacation and this looks like a little slice of heaven right now.  The swing's scale is a little off, but that's OK.

June 16

 

Second attempt at in-home mosaics.  My first attempt did not go well.  The grouting I used cracked horribly.  The glass still adhered, but the aesthetics were ruined.  It was something akin to a fallen cake.  Hopefully this won't suffer the same fate.

June 15

Finally a free Saturday.  Time to weave!  It's not as long as I would've hoped, but overall I like how it came out.  And I'm going to gift it.  Time to share some of my creations.

June 14

Not my best work.  Scale is off.  I didn't make it long enough.  I rushed it because I had homework to do.  I can't wait for that to not be a complication.

June 13

Time to have fun with tie dye.  I prefer cotton socks.  Problem is cotton socks generally only come in white.  White socks are boring.  Tie dying them is time consuming.  I was all for it when I started.  Then at about the 1 1/2 mark I was tired of it.  It became more chore than fun.  I like the results, but next time I may just do solid colors.  Multiples are too much work.

June 12

Got some nice shots today.  I love catching flower with water drops.

June 11

Lilies are pretty.  Not overly complex to draw either.  I'm feeling confident with simpler varieties.  I went to try to draw a butterfly and gave up.  It was looking rather like something one of my preschoolers would make.  So I erased it.  Not ready to take big risks yet I guess.

June 10

Another row added.  I like the aesthetic of how this is crocheting up, but the yarn itself is disappointing me.  It's a single ply acrylic and this is the second time it has just pulled apart, leaving me with two pieces.  Disappointing.

June 9

Pansy time.  I love pansies.  Shading petals is difficult.  They just look like I give them dark patches.  I think I need more work on gradation.

June 8

 

 

New photographic challenge.  Fast motion, low light.  Mostly failed.  Deleted so many blurry images.  However, learned how to control shutter speed manually and how to use sport mode.  The show was fantastic and all these dancers did a fabulous job.  This took place at the studio I study at and teach at.  www.arabesquechicago.com .

June 7

 

I'm going to be so sad when all the flowers go away.  I think they really are my favorite thing to photograph.  At least right now.

June 6

Never drawing a strawberry again.  When you look at a strawberry, the seeds are actually very neatly organized.  However, if you draw it like that it will just look ridiculous.  Randomize them and it looks even worse.  Shading is a headache.  Never again.

June 5

More flower photos.  I'm having to play with contrast after the fact.  I'm having a hard time convincing the camera not to over expose, even while turning down the exposure value.

June 4

Worked on the scarf again today.  This is it as it stands now.  I'm not sure how long I should make it, but I'm going to keep going.

June 3

I only had time to add a few rows on here.  I've been trying to manipulate the scarf a little to get stitches to even out.  It's weird how it's working up.  My stitch tension will be even, my stitches seem even, but then a couple rows down I'll notice it's not.  I think it might happen in the shifting from knit to purl, but I'm not sure how to fix it.

June 2

The rose it definitely my favorite out of the two.  It's nice when people decide to set out their sprinklers first thing in the morning.  Makes for pretty pictures.

June 1

While not the most amazing mosaic, I have officially found a purpose for the beach glass I love to collect.  I hope the mortar compound I bought works.  The thing about using beach glass and not having any cutting tools is that I'm limited by the shapes of the pieces.  I'm also considering getting larger base tiles; 4X4 is rather limiting.

May 31

I have always liked haiku's.  I'm not sure why.  I don't always understand them, but there's something about the limitation of 5,7,5 that appeals to me.  While riding the bus I saw an ad for Domu, a local apartment hunting business.  The ad was written in haiku format with one problem.  The writer wrote it in 5,7,6.  It really bothered me.  If you're going to pretend to be clever and write your ad in haiku format at least know what you're doing.  I sat there trying to rephrase the final line until it fit the proper format.  That lead to me sitting down and writing my own.  I'm not exactly sure what makes a good haiku.  Mine are probably simple and silly, but I love the challenge of finding the right number of syllables to convey the meaning in the restrictive pattern. Sitting there and figuring out how to word the sentiment with more syllables because you've only got four or less because you've gone to eight.  This is what I came up with.

1.  The NAEYC clock ticks ("nay-see" don't know what it is google it)
     Teachers worry, much to do
     Vacation come soon

2. The burning candle
    Consuming wick at both ends
    Too quickly burns out

3. Deep sweet peaceful sleep
   Too long have we been parted
    I long for my bed