Blibber Blabber

No rhyme, no reason

 

Items O' the Week... and Flowers

I'm so sorry, Blog, for neglecting you.  Things have been hectic, and I've been running around like a chicken with its head cut off trying to get things done so I can RELAX.  I also know I owe miss funnyshoes an email-- it's coming, girl.

Lists have become my best friends.  Lists save lives.  I find that I get everything done if I write it down and keep it next to me.  If I don't, forget it-- outta sight, outta mind.  I now have ONE thing left on my last list, and when it's done, I can do... NOTHING!!

Ah.  That sounds good.

Anyway.  Fruits of my labors, to be found in my Etsy shop. I do hope anyone who peruses this blog goes and visits my store- if you love art or kitschy things, I'd sure appreciate a sale.

"A Study in Orange Curiosity" (Limited Edition of Ten)

"Frosted Flakes Retro Jewelry"

"The Princess and the Pea-Colored, Pea-Sized, Pea-Brained King" (open edition print)

There's plenty more stuff, including a new notecard.  Click my Etsy banner to be taken to my shop!

****

And just so this isn't all about my sales, I'll post a few pictures from around my garden yesterday morning. 

A tiny grasshopper strolling around one of my gladiolis:

Inside of the above gladioli:

The first red zinnia of the season:

And the first polar bear white:

I tell you, I was so happy to see those two zinnias.  I love them.  There are a bunch of heads in my flower patch, just about ready to peek out and face the world.  Can't wait for the butterflies and hummingbirds to arrive soon....

Lastly, in the greatest news of all, YD picked up a book BY HERSELF and read it in two days.  Then came in and asked me if I had another book she could read.  She's halfway through that one.

She's extremely proud of herself for getting into books.  I am, too. :)

posted by: athenawj at 08:31 | link | comments (2) |
art , photography, gardening, kids, summer

Walden's Puddle called back, and Mr. Calm and OD took it in right afterward.  Turns out the baby bird was a baby cardinal (aawwwww).  He seemed okay and they didn't find any puncture wounds, so I think everything is going to be all right.  It was a busy morning for the place; a fledgling bluejay and baby bunny had also been brought in.  By the way, this is the only place in the state that will take baby bunnies.  Thank goodness they're close, because we've had to do that before.

I tried feeding the birdy while Mr. Calm was getting ready.  You can mush up a piece of cat food in water and use a toothpick to feed them. At first, he was breathing so hard and fast that I think he was too nervous/scared to eat; then a couple of minutes later, he was too sleepy.  Aw, poor baby.  OD said by the time they got to WP, he was ready to eat.

***

I spent yesterday finishing a couple of "face" pendants I'd made out of polymer clay and backings, and making vintage cereal earrings with dangles (using pictures of vintage cereal box fronts).  I've got Crazy Cow and Frosted Flakes, among a couple of others.  While I'm definitely using my shop to sell my art, I also really love retro pop culture (you should see my dishes), and I'm enjoying incorporating that into jewelry.  I'll post links when I put them in my shop.

Can't bead things myself, though.  Haven't studied up on that, yet.

Anyway, I'm going to get back to drawing today.  I have a couple of ideas that I think will turn out really well.  One of them made me think of Hurricane Katrina after I finished the details in my head.

***

I almost started crying about Granny at dinner yesterday.  Funny, how you're just talking along and it hits you like that.

 

posted by: athenawj at 06:51 | link | comments (2) |
art , animals

I cleaned yesterday.  It's amazing how good a few clean rooms will make you feel.

Like I said before, I've been experimenting with polymer clay.  I would like to make a Dia de Los Muertos statue, but I'm not sure I can get the structure right.  I've done it before, but on a much smaller scale, and that was damn hard enough.  Plus, my hands have been hurting for a couple of months now- the muscles below the thumbs.  I do what I can to exercise them, but I think that ice is going to be my friend from now on.  I do worry about what I'll be able to do with my hands ten years from now... if this is the tradeoff for being an artist, it's a shitty one.

Yes, I know I gripe-- I even get tired of myself sometimes.  But I've had a lot of tendonitis pain since my mid-twenties, and it's frustrating that it keeps raring up.

I've sold sixteen canvases so far in the show.  I priced my stuff so I'd get at least $20 a picture, so HELL yeah, I'm happy with my total.  It's all going into my supply fun, but I'm trying to be frugal with it so I'll have money for our Disney trip.  I'm shooting for a certain number; don't know if I'll hit it but at least I'll have pin money. :D

My one-artist show is scheduled for June of '08.  Others might get antsy waiting that long, but I'm so happy that I have a year to plan and make stuff.

We are waiting on a call from Walden's Puddle, an animal rehab place nearby.  There's a baby bird that Salem got ahold of last night, and he's still in the same spot that we returned him to.  I guess Mama's gone or isn't looking for him.  He's very little, and doesn't even have all his feathers.  We've got the cats inside until we get the call.  I know it's feeding time, so I wish they'd call SOON (baby birds don't eat at night).

My gladiolis have bloomed. :)

posted by: athenawj at 08:16 | link | comments (2) |
art , animals, dammit

Trippy

Our weekend trip was pretty good.  I'm happy to report that my ankles didn't swell even a centimeter-- I guess drinking a lot of water and staying away from anything overly salty helped.  Mr. Calm enjoyed his birthday trip, and when we went to a diner for dinner, he found they had coconut cake- the ultimate birthday cake for him.  So, it was all good. ;)

The aquarium was great and quite lovely.  Chattanooga has a really world-class aquarium in two buildings: one for ocean critters, and one for river (it sits on the banks of the Tennessee River).  The highlights for me were the penguins (I do have to say though, the New England Aquarium's penguin habitat was much better), the jellyfish, getting to touch sturgeon and stingrays (I am so not squeamish about playing with animals... except dogs), and one hilarious stingray.

This little guy would swim to the top of the three-story tank, then freefall to the bottom, and start all over again.  I don't know about their brains, but this guy sure looked like he was having fun.

Sunday we shined on Ruby Falls and went to Rock City.  What a great place.  I especially loved all the cool spots between the rocks. Because of my fear of heights, I did NOT like being up at the top, and definitely didn't like it when YD wanted to pose for a picture by sitting on the railing on the cliff.  Um, NO, child!  And I was a bit disappointed that you really couldn't see seven states because of all the haziness, but that's unfortunately the Smokies these days.

Most of my aquarium pix didn't turn out because of lighting, but I'll post the few I have from both places to my Flickr account soon.

***

We had a ton of rain yesterday, and might get more today.  This is a wonderful thing.  We're in the middle of a severe drought right now.  Most of my gladiolis have just bloomed (red and white), and they're thankful.  Ooo, it just started raining!

***

Ollie got a cold.  We took him to the vet and the vet said a lot of cats are getting sick because of the extremely dry weather.  It's the cutest but saddest thing to hear a cat cough.  It's just like a baby's cough.  Anyway, he got his shots, and pretty much conked out the whole evening and night.

***

I have been visiting the craft store a lot lately.  Wish I lived closer to one that restocked more frequently, but oh, well.  They're having a sale on polymer clay, so I made some tomato earrings last night, in honor of the Tomato Art Festival in August (yes, I'm submitting... I would like to get in.  It'd be fun to make some tomato art and photographs).  Next up will be bananas, lemons, limes and carrots.

***

YD is reading "Animal Farm" for the summer, and I started reading it again last night.  I'm on Chapter Eight.  I loved this book in eighth grade, and I love it now.  Hate those pigs, though.

 

posted by: athenawj at 07:31 | link | comments (2) |
art , family, summer, crazy kitties, vacation

Of Sludge and Balloon Parents

I have two new limited edition 8x10 prints for sale: "Taking Out the Sludge" and "Tenuous Parenting".  These are recreations of two canvases of mine.  Numbers 2-10 are available.

They're both available at my Etsy shop.  Happy Shopping!

posted by: athenawj at 17:58 | link | comments (2) |
art

Didn't sell my "Hippie Without a Cause" print at the Untitled show last night, but I had a good time while I was there.  Another artist/photographer was interested in doing a trade.  I'm letting Mr. Calm pick one of hers out for a birthday present; if nothing grabs him, we'll just pass.

Several weird/odd things: as I was going to get my print off the wall, I heard someone who'd been looking at it say, "Except for the American flag t-shirt, everything's right." Um.  I just love it when people are WRONG.  I took the shirt idea from my dad, who WAS a hippie, and YES, had an American flag t-shirt.  In fact, he still has it.

I bartended from 6-7.  Since I rarely drink, I was glad to see the corkscrew was easy to use.  Most people were really friendly and I got to meet a few people I'd heard of or seen around on Myspace.  There was one woman though (and isn't there always one?) who was just... well, I don't rightly know.

First she comes in complaining about how "they" sent her all over the place before she found the location, and that we needed a big balloon.  She seemed disappointed that the show's only once every three months, and frankly, seemed a bit on another planet.  When she came back for a refill of red, her face had turned sour, and she was grumbling about being pushed into something.  Or hell, maybe she was mad "they" kicked her off the spaceship.  She further soured when I asked her if she'd asked for red, and started fiddling with the ice tongs.  I said, "I'll get that for you," and she just dropped them back in the bowl.  When I asked if she wanted ice now, she said in an even angry tone, "I just want my red." I got it for her, gave her a napkin, and turned away, wondering why she was examining her glass like I had cooties (I do NOT).  Apparently, according to the woman I was talking to, she flung the wine on the floor!!!  I couldn't pick out the stain, but the woman with me was horrified.  I just shrugged it off.  Don't bitch about stuff if it's free.  I wish she'd been there for me to point out to Mr. Calm and the girls when they arrived.  What a fruit.

Seems like a bit more of a social gathering than a show where things actually sell, because only a handful of pieces sold.  Flowing booze, food, music- you get the idea.  I think I'll keep on doing it, though- it's good exposure, and I know my piece got noticed.  And I like looking at what people come up with.

***

We're off to Chattanooga for the weekend- a combo mini vacation and to celebrate Mr. Calm's birthday (today) and Father's Day.  Going to the aquarium and Ruby Falls/Lookout Mountain.  I'll post pix from the show and our trip when I get back.

Happy weekend!

posted by: athenawj at 07:03 | link | comments (3) |
art , writing, mrcalm

Art & the Loss of Memory Cells

Yesterday was a weird one.

It would have been a lot better if I hadn't lost my ability to remember important things by being distracted.  8:45 a.m. rolls around, I'm busy trying to get together my jewelry to take over to the co-op, and Mr. Calm pops his head in the door.

"Weren't YOU supposed to take OD to the ACT test?"

HOLY SHIT.  And yes, said with emphasis and a little bit of pissiness (which he later apologized for).  Yeah, the test she'd been studying all week for, the test we'd both helped her study for, she'd now missed.  I apologized to her when she later got out of bed (hrm...), but she's okay and looked at the bright side.  Now she has a couple of months to study even more and bring up her math scores.

Yes, a Very Bad Parenting Moment.  And I'm going back to hanging big signs with CAPITAL LETTERS in obvious places to remind myself of important appointments.

***

I had lotsandlotsandlots written down here about the opening reception last night, but this is my blog.  I keep it for things I want to remember as well as my feelings on things, but at the same time, I'd rather remember the good over the bad/uncomfortable about this in particular. 

I arrived at 6:45, fifteen minutes before Opening, for my shift as Cleanup Gal.  That mostly entailed me wandering around and occasionally escaping outside for a cig and refreshing breeze.  When I got there I found that I'd already sold three pieces.  I was happy and surprised to hear that, not only because now I made back my money for the canvases I bought. ;)

A lot of people were constantly in and out.  I met a few other members, chatted quite a bit with one of the curators, learned how to fill out the sales slips for my upcoming stint in the gallery, talked at length with the other curator about the area (which I love and would like to move to), and around mid-shift was approached by a woman who asked if I was me (hee).  Yep.  She said she procures artists for one-artist shows at a Starbucks in a neighboring town (you may laugh, but coffeehouses are great galleries), and asked if I woud like to do a show there next year.  One month of just me, baby.  I said yes-- I'd seen her announcement a few days ago and had been thinking about it anyway.  Plus, it gives me a year to come up with stuff, which my mind agrees is a good idea.  She was so effusive about my work... it quashed my insecurities a bit, and I told her that, as well as thank you a few times.

YD and her boyfriend and his mom showed up, and YD told me she'd been worried but was now so happy for me.  She also told me that if no one bought my "El Diablo" glittery canvas, it was hers.  Unfortunately for her, someone did. 

At 8:45, Mr. Calm showed up to take me home.  I finally had something to eat, and we left with the one piece of artwork that we got-- a cool painting with a carton of milk on it (I like food art). I think by that time I'd sold ten canvases.  Some of my favorite pieces sold, and I'm happy about that.

So, a good first show for me.  The following are some pix I got before the show opened.  My little wall space is the last picture.

 

posted by: athenawj at 07:25 | link | comments (3) |
art , kids

A few things seen around the yard...

A baby robin, attracted by the sound of the weed eater (and thankfully not eaten along with the weeds):

A woodpecker, (IMO) pointlessly pecking at one of the trees yesterday:

My first sown-from-seed flower of the season, found in the garden yesterday morning:

Somebody in the know-- know what it is?  My guess is a cosmo, but I'm not well-versed in wildflowers.

posted by: athenawj at 08:28 | link | comments (2) |
animals, gardening, summer

Stick a Fork in Me

I turned in all my canvases last night.  As I was taping my title/price tags to the top (NOT to the front!  I will NOT voluntarily possibly fuck up my art!), I noticed that I'd forgotten to wire one of them.  The hooks were in, just no wire.  So, I trek back over there tonight to do that one simple thing.

I would post some examples of what I've done, but my nose is running.  See, I friggin' have something going on in my sinuses.  It's lovely.  Sometimes I'll just be sitting there doing nothing and the faucet starts.  It's especially lovely when I'm actually involved in an activity and I start to dripdripdrip.  A combo of sinus and allergy meds doesn't even completely help.

ARGH!!!!!

Anyway, if you want to see examples, go here.

posted by: athenawj at 08:29 | link | comments (2) |
art , sicky

New in Shop

Like I said, I've been busy.  These are some of the new products in my shop. 

Welch's Grape Soda Pendant

Nehi Red Soda Earrings

Miss Lucy Art Earrings

Dreamgirl Dia de los Muertos Pendant

Yes, I love me some kitsch up there.  And I've found that the bottlecaps and bezels are another fine way to showcase my artwork.

Check out Miss Millificent's World's Etsy Shop for a few more pieces, as well as all my available artwork. :)

posted by: athenawj at 06:28 | link | comments (2) |
art , jewelry

When we moved here eight years ago, it was after a series of not-so-nice neighbors-- so not nice that I didn't go around introducing myself here, and welcomed our seclusion.  Several of my neighbors came to me and introduced themselves, and I did talk to them, but I really wanted to just keep to myself.  Burn me once, shame on you, burn me twice... well, you know.

Friday I decided to introduce myself to our new neighbor.  Maybe I'm tired of being alone.  Maybe it's because YD said how nice the lady was, how friendly, so when YD and I saw her out in her yard with her dog, we went over to say hello.

Within one minute I found that she's one of those people who have no filter; who will spill things that most people take some time-- a few coffees or teas, say-- to reveal. Things that you know what, honey?  I don't particularly want to know about you a minute after I meet you.

Within two minutes, I found that she's a stereotype.  Put together perfectly-- coiffed hair, lean and mean, manicure and pedicure, tanned, a drink in her hand and a smoke in her pocket. It's all in the presentation, babe.

And within five minutes, I found that she's a bigot.

I'm not one for confrontation.  I was when I was growing up-- I'd put you in your place if you offended someone or me-- but.... burned a few times and all that.  I have to live here.  But I won't laugh along with someone if I'm offended, and I'll give you the stony look o' death.  She got that when she called the mothers of the special ed students she drives what Don Imus called those basketball players.

God, someone slap me if I ever decide to go introduce myself to a neighbor again.  'Cause I sure as hell don't know how to pick 'em.  I'll stick to church and other artists and writers.

posted by: athenawj at 06:34 | link | comments (2) |
dammit, people are just plain stupid

My Life Right Now

I wish I had more exciting things to blog about.  Then again, I didn't really set up this thing to entertain. ;)

I can feel the end coming.  I'm not a person who copes well with the feeling of being harried; the kind that looks at the clock and is dismayed to find that it's nine-thirty in the evening and I haven't even gotten half the stuff done that I wanted to.  The last two months or so have been filled with productive stress, and then the stress that you never want in your life, but after the ninth it'll come to an end, and I'll be able to relax, get into a more normal swing of things.  I look forward to it.  I'm already trying to insert little pockets into my days right now-- sitting outside with the cats, getting up a little earlier to putter around here... making myself go to the wave pool today for an hour or two and just sitting at the water's edge to enjoy the water and people-watch.

I know part of this is empty-nest anxiousness, and knowing I have to be something other than "mother" soon.  I mean, I'll always be Mom, but... I don't think Mr. Calm wants me to smother him when the girls grow up and do their own thing. ;)

I was surprised to find that on my doctor's visit the other day, my diastolic and systolic pressure have dropped ten points.  My lower number-- whichever one that's called-- hasn't been 70 since my early twenties.  I can't tell you how pleased and happy I was to hear that, especially since high bp is what caused my mom's stroke (220, anyone?).  So, let's hear it for regular exercise and cutting down on smoking. :)

Oh, I just remembered I'm supposed to pick up Lasic/Lasik (sp?) from the pharmacy.  The doctor seems to think my vacation swelling of the ankles/feet/calves isn't because of the car ride, but a combination of too much salt/diet changes/standing on my feet too much/change in altitude.  I'm not sure if having to pee a lot is a good tradeoff when you're on vacation, but I'll try it.

YD has a new boyfriend.  His name is M.  He's 15, going to be a junior (she'll be a sophomore), and is a bassist in the orchestra.  When I met him, he had long hair with dark, tight curls.  Now he's cut his hair and yes, it is a Jimmy Neutron cut.  I knew he was YD's boyfriend before she told us; when we picked the girls up after their orchestra trip to Atlanta, he came over to say hello and shook Mr. Calm's hand.  And it's of my mind that boys don't do that unless they want to impress someone, heh.

Anyway.  He's a nice kid.  I took a liking to him right away.  He's polite and says "ma'am" and "sir", and actually acts like he wants to talk to us.  He's told YD that he likes us, too.  He lives in a big blue house with a white picket fence, and his father is a producer/astrologer.  Yes, I know.  YD says his parents want to get together with us to have dinner.  I told her that it wasn't something I was comfortable with, since I get so much food stuck in my braces.  So maybe we'll meet for drinks, although we rarely drink.

We are now the owners of a Saturn Vue hybrid.  It's not a BIG SUV- I refuse to have that, and it's only a little bigger than my beloved Cruiser.  I'm really happy that we can finally get a hybrid, which we've wanted for years.  The only thing I'm not happy about is that Mr. Calm's car had to be totalled to do it.

I've found that I can make jewelry.  It's weird, thinking something is extremely hard for years, and then finding that you're adept at it.  I will post pictures tomorrow or the next of some of my creations.  I'm also waiting on some supplies to arrive to make something else, and I'll show you those when they're done.  Cryptic much?  Ayuh, as they say in Maine.

I have an idea, from start to finish, for the story I need to write for the antho.  And I am pleased.  Let's just hope the editors are, too.

If we don't get rain (we had a few spatters last evening, but it's been two weeks since our last rainfall), we will soon be in a severe drought.  Seriously, I feel bad for the farmers and the cows, and the trees, and the grass...

OD and I went to one of the international markets yesterday so I could search for some things.  We found Milky candy, which is Mr. Calm's favorite, but something he hasn't found for years.  An early birthday present for hubby. :)  We also found a ton of varieties of Pocky.  They even have Pocky for Men.  Hmm.  Someone's going to find a way to put Viagra into that stuff.

I have twenty-three canvases done for the art show on the 9th.  And that'll do, Pig- that'll do.  It has to.  I have other commitments, like writing and... not doing canvases.  Heh.

Finally, last night found all four of us hanging out in the living room, a rarity it seems these days.  I was tired and tried to lay down on the couch with my blankie.  The girls decided it would be fun to wrap me up like a burrito, something I used to do for fun with them when they were little.  Sometimes the best fun is the fun you get for free with your kids.

P.S.- I ran across this saved link of mine yesterday.  I came across it years ago when I was doing Civil War research for a story.  It's a first-hand account from a Confederate soldier, written back in the early 1900s for a newspaper.  It's long, and I shudder at some of the things he says, but it's wholly fascinating.  I'm always fascinated with what doesn't make it into our school history books.

Civil War Memories of Robert C. Carden

posted by: athenawj at 06:40 | link | comments (4) |
record