what i do for fun

when i'm not sewing (which isn't much lately), painting or drawing, i like working in a visual journal. somtimes it's just a paste-up of inspiring images or stuff i want. sometimes it's more scrapbook-y. i started this one at the first of 2008 and it's rather large and in an existing book - 9" x 12". later i'll share some of my 5" x 8" ones. i have books and books filled. the heart sticker on the cover is from wolfie and the sneak.

carrying on AKA macro monday

the above is a little case/pouch i made for my ipod nano last year. it has a a swirly embroidered pattern that extends around the side to the back. i drew it on paper first so i could tweak it then drew it directly on the muslin. the inside fabric came from purlsoho or reprodepot, i *think*. i made the case because i needed a place for earbuds to fit, too. that's one of my main complaints about ipod/mp3 cases on the market - no place for earbuds and their tangle of wires when you want to toss the whole thing in your purse or gym (yeah, whatever) bag. perhaps they expect people to never take the earbuds out, just like the plugged-in people in the commercials. hmmmm.

normally my ipod also has a skintight black bodyglove case on it as well so it fits the pouch a little more snug than it looks in the picture. however, the bodyglove case wasn't as photogenic as the pretty blue. ;)

i completely forgot about taking any photos yesterday. oops. it was just a lazy, take-it-as-it-comes sunday. guess i'll not beat myself up about it but i'll try to do better.

i'm very saddened about the olympic torch situation. on the one hand, i feel for for the people of tibet. but i'm also disappointed for the athletes who had a once in a lifetime opportunity to carry the OLYMPIC torch for crying out loud and the rest of the relay in paris had to be cancelled because of protesters. it's a no-win situation.

sketch

just one of my favorite little sketches from the ones i've worked on the last couple days.

booklover at heart

i absolutely love books. love reading them. love buying them. love the feel of them in my hands. love the look of them on my bookshelves, stacked on my endtable, on my desk, on my art table.

when i have spare money, i buy books. if i love it, it joins the shelves of my favorites. if i don't, i donate it to the library. in this small town sometimes our library doesn't have the budget for books that aren't on the bestseller lists.

i put my very favorite fiction books and my art/craft books in my libraything catalog (see right column). maybe one day i'll catalog the other books i have like the j.d. robb "in death" series, the science fiction ones by asimov and pohl, etc.

the books above are my favorite ones related to mental illness. except the jhumpa lahiri one. the title just seemed to fit so well. :D they are:

Touched with Fire: Manic-Depressive Illness and the Artistic Temperament Kay Redfield Jamison

Interpreter of Maladies Jhumpa Lahiri

An Unquiet Mind: A Memoir of Moods and Madness Kay Redfield Jamison

The Bell Jar Sylvia Plath

i especially recommend an unquiet mind.

spring is here

i didn't post a challenge photo yesterday as it was an unplugged day for me.

thank you for the wonderful compliments. i'm still trying to figure out the best way to respond to comments. i didn't have to worry about that before. ;) when i got my first bloglines subscriber i was so geeked i told my husband i was going to make a button for the blog that said "serving 1 bloglines subscriber". hehe then if i ever got any more i could just put an X over it and make it a 2.

okay, enough babbling. off to enjoy the beautiful friday evening. hope you're doing the same wherever you are.

day 2 of photo challenge

my palette is a rectangular lid to an enamelware box. it's a wonderful old thing i found thrifting. this is my favorite brush even tho it's just a cheapie and the tip is a bit bent from sitting in the water cup too much.

accidental flowers

one of the irises my mom gave me several years ago that keep coming back every year no matter how hard i ignore them.