tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41416274185364481882024-02-07T22:56:03.918-05:00MaraZineRimahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11147436585136313287noreply@blogger.comBlogger134125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4141627418536448188.post-81420718035654211022008-07-12T19:44:00.007-05:002008-07-12T20:22:40.624-05:00Thelonious Monk & Franks'n'beans<div align="left"><span style="color:#330033;">That's what we had for dinner. Apparently an inspired combination, since I find myself with (weee!!!) enough time to post a quickie.</span> </div><div align="left"></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5222296301318400386" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT9W7avyTEpDy2toY8ZS2bXqR10_tC0a4fG3EbR8HNzq8BM6VjmoVda36MuYFIiSCbxD8QzOyIMGtpdLnRMbCEOVcgV1SK6_WJldPHjoFYz1F6b7bqeMpiJdAAtVoVEva3RDKzm2FD05Ms/s400/Come+out.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="center"><em><span style="font-size:85%;color:#336666;">" you can come out now"... © F. Barrage, 2008</span></em><br /></p><p align="left"><span style="color:#330033;">I've been hiding behind the daisies in my new garden, but some kids found me the other day. Oh, well... </span></p><p align="left"><span style="color:#330033;">Almost finished unpacking (I've moved house, in case you haven't heard). Found my laptop too. Yay me. Just in the nick of time too, now I need to pack a couple of suitcases and go check on what </span><a href="http://papierscolles.blogspot.com/"><span style="color:#cc33cc;">Ms. Cut'n'Paste </span></a><span style="color:#330033;">has been up to in the <a href="http://www.destinationlebanon.gov.lb/eng/index.asp"><span style="color:#cc0000;">Land of the Neverendum Conundrum</span></a>.</span> </p>Rimahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11147436585136313287noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4141627418536448188.post-47944437803962985832008-05-11T07:51:00.006-05:002008-05-11T13:21:37.349-05:00If Mothers Ruled The World...<div align="center"><span style="color:#996633;"></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlVff-F1XiNpim7MsKwDvXV2jpUv-iOJcugin1U1wqPTr1sxReCjho6lyNglDg1_xDspDo22c5_ZPdZUFsDErZpTCthNmloM5535Z_WXGZV9O8MFxXj2AhlAyh4u3LP2w7lVJJd-LlI16V/s1600-h/mother's+day.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5199103595815160146" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlVff-F1XiNpim7MsKwDvXV2jpUv-iOJcugin1U1wqPTr1sxReCjho6lyNglDg1_xDspDo22c5_ZPdZUFsDErZpTCthNmloM5535Z_WXGZV9O8MFxXj2AhlAyh4u3LP2w7lVJJd-LlI16V/s320/mother's+day.jpg" border="0" /></a><em><span style="font-size:85%;color:#cc9933;">( digitized from Dover - will acknowledge properly later)<br /></span></em><br />... <span style="font-family:verdana;">instead of the</span> <em><span style="font-family:lucida grande;font-size:180%;color:#cc0000;"><strong>mother<span style="font-family:webdings;color:#ffcc99;">....</span>s</strong></span></em> who dominate this <span style="font-family:courier new;font-size:130%;color:#ff9900;"><strong>mad hatter's universe</strong></span>, we would put our <strong><span style="font-family:georgia;">children</span></strong> first - not <span style="font-size:130%;color:#666600;"><strong>hatred</strong></span>, <span style="font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;color:#33cc00;"><strong>greed</strong></span> and <span style="font-family:arial;color:#663300;"><strong>big-dog rules</strong></span>.<br /><br /><strong><span style="color:#993399;">Happy Mother's Day</span></strong> for all the moms in <span style="color:#ff0000;">Lebanon</span>, <span style="color:#336666;">Burma</span>, <span style="color:#336666;">Zimbabwe </span>and everywhere else...<br />I think </div>Rimahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11147436585136313287noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4141627418536448188.post-85100663295525148112008-04-13T20:12:00.009-05:002008-04-13T21:00:28.549-05:00Isabella's Syndrome<div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKzxBPhP2GOAlW21sEF8WyMemE5d5hf-y-jC4GZTpmlD9MXAP9TR0_dPp4rF3ElCsVIEuDA7E3EsBBrzVyIYA29w0yWXlFwyioGZ-72opHdfDsjSAotmos5GAnYl1PBXzVRq2RfBdcQ2d1/s1600-h/botticelli's+ghostblog.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5188904589218839346" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKzxBPhP2GOAlW21sEF8WyMemE5d5hf-y-jC4GZTpmlD9MXAP9TR0_dPp4rF3ElCsVIEuDA7E3EsBBrzVyIYA29w0yWXlFwyioGZ-72opHdfDsjSAotmos5GAnYl1PBXzVRq2RfBdcQ2d1/s320/botticelli's+ghostblog.jpg" border="0" /></a> <em><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="color:#336666;">Botticelli's Ghost, Digital Something - © R. Koleilat, 2008</span><br /></span></em></div><div align="left"><span style="color:#663366;">Do you know the <a href="http://www.gardnermuseum.org/"><span style="color:#336666;">Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum</span></a> in Boston? It’s one of the many pleasurable finds in that amazing city. Gardner was an avid art collector, and she bequeathed her vast treasure of works by the Old Masters for all of Boston (and the world) to enjoy – with strings attached: The precious collection was to be housed in her mansion, also part of the legacy, and no object in the collection or the mansion could ever be moved or removed; or else the whole kit and caboodle would be sold and the proceeds would go to Harvard University.<br /><br />I recently came across dear Isabella again in a book that had nothing to do with art but everything to do with transition and change. The authors<span style="font-size:130%;color:#cc33cc;"><strong>*,</strong></span> both eager de-clutterers, use what they delightfully term the “The Isabella Gardner Syndrome” as a parable for (the sometimes irrational but still perfectly understandable) fear of change. In a cheeky aside to a chapter about "finding a good home" for no-longer-relevant belongings, they talk about Isabella’s obsession thusly: <span style="color:#336666;"><em>“Needless to say, everything in the [museum] has remained unchanged, even to the blank space on the wall where a Vermeer painting hung before it was stolen. In her final years, she would sometimes rear up in her bed and cry out, “You there! Don’t touch!” to imaginary strangers. Her ghost is said to return to the museum once a month to make sure everything is exactly as she left it.”</em><br /></span><br />Don’t we all have a little bit of Isabella in us? When faced with the unfamiliar, when a new path has to be taken, we often wish we could be as imperious as her and decree that nothing shall ever change. Luckily for me, I’ve learned that change is almost always for the better – or at the very least, I can will it to be so. </span></div><div align="left"><span style="color:#663366;"></span></div><div align="left"><span style="color:#663366;">And now, a profound profundity to end this post: if things never changed, all we'd have would be caterpillars and not even one butterfly. So there.<br /><br /><em><a href="http://www.amazon.ca/Scaling-Down-Living-Smaller-Space/dp/1594860939/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1208129966&sr=8-4"><span style="color:#cc33cc;">*Culbertson, J. and Decker, M. – “Scaling Down”<br /></span></a></em></div></span><div align="center"></div>Rimahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11147436585136313287noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4141627418536448188.post-27943322840115079402008-03-27T09:03:00.004-05:002008-03-27T09:15:28.273-05:00My Feelings Exactly<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QexF-uLgX5s/R-uqYKwidxI/AAAAAAAABmY/ycc_m1_TNFw/s1600-h/Fawzan1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5182423128401409810" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QexF-uLgX5s/R-uqYKwidxI/AAAAAAAABmY/ycc_m1_TNFw/s320/Fawzan1.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;color:#993399;">See? I'm not the only one who thinks he's <span style="color:#cc0000;">the cat's meow</span> - check this </span><a href="http://www.bestofartists.com/fyc-art-blog-reviews/2008/2/20/top-blogs.html"><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;color:#ff6666;">blog</span></a><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;color:#993399;">, then go and visit <span style="color:#663366;">Zan the Man </span></span><a href="http://artezan.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;color:#cc33cc;">here</span></a><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;color:#993399;"> and </span><a href="http://photozan.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;color:#cc66cc;">here</span></a></div>Rimahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11147436585136313287noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4141627418536448188.post-57101405578601344362008-03-23T10:52:00.014-05:002008-03-23T20:33:22.887-05:00Random Thoughts, As Gilda Gets a Pink Martini<object height="373" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/yHZ2qWTDsw4&color1=0xcc2550&color2=0xe87a9f&border=1&hl=en"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/yHZ2qWTDsw4&color1=0xcc2550&color2=0xe87a9f&border=1&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="373"></embed></object><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">I love Rita Hayworth. She embodies the ineluctable allure, fragility and tragedy of mythical figures. Behind the indelible, flaming-haired beauty, there was the customary compromise of Old Hollywood, a complex life and enormous sadness. That's not her singing above, btw - it's China Forbes of </span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/%3E%3Cspan%20style="><span style="color:#ff6666;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">Pink Martini</span></span></span></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">, who performed in </span><a href="http://www.masseyhall.com/home.cfm"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="color:#996633;">Massey Hall</span> </span></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">last week.<br /><br />Rita Hayworth is the mother of Princess Yasmine Aly Agha Khan, President of the Alzheimer's Disease International foundation, and a board member of the </span><a href="http://www.akfc.ca/"><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#006600;">Aga Khan Foundation</span></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">.<br /><br />On a dreary, wet afternoon in Ras-Beirut - the spiritual Manhattan of Lebanon - I found a small exhibit of one (European? American?) artist's hommage to Hayworth. This was more decorative art than anything else, a series of huge paintings of her stunning face, à la Warhol. I tend to forget a lot of things, but I remember how shy and anxious I was that afternoon, when all I wanted was to sit there and <em>look</em>, and how both the elegant, pretty-blonde of a gallery owner and the smiling moustached artist thought it was all too cute - an awkward kid in love with the idea of art. Haha. What I was in love with then was Old Hollywood and chimerical creatures. I was a teenager who spoke and thought mostly in French and Arabic, and was imbibing the French's love affair with all things mythically American - jazz, musicals, diners and Edward Hopper.<br /><br />I still love myths. More precisely, I love the exploration of myths - the various myths that provide the self-delusion that drives our lives. Self-delusion is pervasive, individual and collective. Sometimes, it's a good thing (a spoonful of Nutella eaten directly from the jar has zero calories), sometimes not so much (war equals liberty, and the "greed -for lack of a better word- is good" school of ethics).<br /><br />One myth I never want to see dissipate is this one, which blends (a little) fantasy with reality. Blogging has brought out some of my self-delusions to the surface as well as a lot of self-actualization. Wait, don't go yet, I'm not diving into (a shallow pool of) psychobabble with this. Be patient, this is entitled Random Thoughts after all. Blogging as a path to self-discovery - a tired exposé that we've read and written about ad nauseum. But it's true. I like to pretend I can do this blogging thing with impunity, but I can't. There's a price to pay - can't hide from my own self-created myths.<br /><br /></span><a href="http://papierscolles.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#993399;">Ms. High-Falutin' Intellectual </span></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">once told me, "If you write it, they will come. If you don't ramble on, they will come back <em>(or stay - I forget which)</em>". So I will stop right here, and get back to intransingent realities like peanut butter sandwiches that need to be whipped up and tears of frustration that need to be kissed away.<br /></span>Rimahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11147436585136313287noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4141627418536448188.post-49197694341641437352008-03-11T08:16:00.011-05:002008-03-11T09:28:35.907-05:00Nepotistic Announcement<div align="center"><a href="http://www.b21gallery.com/invite/Nadine%20Kanso%20@%20CAF.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://www.b21gallery.com/invite/Nadine%20Kanso%20@%20CAF.jpg" border="0" /></a><em><span style="font-size:85%;"> Publicity Shot for Nadine's Exhibition</span></em></div><div align="left"><br /></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="color:#663366;">Was I complaining about the <span style="color:#33ccff;">snow</span> in Ontario? It's much worse in Québec. I know because I'm spending the week in <span style="color:#cc0000;">Montréal</span>, and this city, usually able to weather (hah!) winter storms without batting an eye, is now impossible to navigate - on foot (normally a great pleasure), by bus (always running and on time) or on four wheels (a nightmare at any given time). It's aggravating, really. I was so looking forward to walk-abouts in my beloved downtown streets, but it's too much of a hassle with the kids and, strangely, shopping underground is not their idea of fun. Darn. Now we just have to luxuriate <a href="http://www.fairmont.com/queenelizabeth/Recreation/"><span style="color:#339999;">indoors</span></a> until we head out to the museum to catch the <a href="http://www.mbam.qc.ca/fr/index.html"><span style="color:#ff0000;">sizzling hot exhibition</span> </a>there. More on that tomorrow.</span></span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="color:#663366;"><br /></span></span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="color:#663366;">I've received this email from my friend </span><a href="http://www.ahlanlive.com/hot100/hot100cat.php?catID=17&nomID=338"><span style="color:#663366;"><strong>Nadine</strong></span></a><span style="color:#663366;"> who now lives and takes pretty pictures in the UAE:</span></span></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"><em><span style="font-family:georgia;">"Dear Friend,<br /><a href="http://www.b21gallery.com/invite/Opening%20Reception%20Invitation,%20SMALLER.jpg"><span style="color:#000099;">B21 Gallery</span> </a>is pleased to announce its participation in the second Creek Art Fair at Bastakiya from the 15th to the 31st of March. B21’s house will feature photography, video and an installation by Lebanese artist <strong><span style="color:#cc66cc;">Nadine Kanso</span></strong>, and the work of Belgian sculptor Arnaud Rivieren.<br />In her exhibition, ‘Fi al Qalb’ (In the Heart), Kanso seeks to expose the troubled character of her cherished Beirut - often masked today by the cosmopolitan buzz of the city - through a presentation of her own black and white photography, accompanied by the lyrical musings of poet <strong><span style="color:#993399;">Nizar Qabbani*</span></strong>.<br />Rivieren’s three giant stainless steel pears on display in the courtyard of XVA reflect the artists unique approach to the rough medium of steel, which he recovers from the scrap heaps and steelyards of the UAE and transforms into elegant interpretations of the everyday objects.<br />Please join us for the Creek Art Fair vernissage on Saturday, the 15th, from 7pm. E-Flyers containing additional information can be found below.<br />B21 Team"</span></em></div><div align="left"><em></em></div><div align="left"><br /></div><div align="left"><span style="color:#993399;">* celebrated poet and my mother's cousin</span></div>Rimahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11147436585136313287noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4141627418536448188.post-11986089462136997322008-03-08T17:01:00.002-05:002008-03-08T17:08:12.117-05:00Hug An International Woman Today<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUdr18IYJ1uS06wgtLxrCS5GPjB-PRB34uofjX6UwIUyclxo-gFqSVbF3i_eyDWOzbiGsfIXmcPuR-zII0NCPUfrHMTaSUMTSSx2OPDATvgaREbfMGccc9t2w_QC4VEz1R771nXhPzNQBy/s1600-h/women's+day.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5175495957317321890" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUdr18IYJ1uS06wgtLxrCS5GPjB-PRB34uofjX6UwIUyclxo-gFqSVbF3i_eyDWOzbiGsfIXmcPuR-zII0NCPUfrHMTaSUMTSSx2OPDATvgaREbfMGccc9t2w_QC4VEz1R771nXhPzNQBy/s320/women's+day.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-size:85%;color:#cc6600;"><em>Women's Day 2008, Mixed Media - © R. Koleilat</em></span></div><br /><div align="center"><em><span style="font-size:85%;">(photo source: <a href="http://wetcanvas.com/"><span style="color:#3333ff;">WetCanvas</span></a>)</span></em></div><br /><div>The Canadian motto for <strong>Internation Women's Day</strong> this year is "<strong><span style="color:#993300;">Strong Women, Strong World</span></strong>". </div><br /><div>Ya think?</div>Rimahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11147436585136313287noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4141627418536448188.post-15307669512619185422008-02-24T08:51:00.007-05:002008-02-24T09:34:40.075-05:00Mama's got a brand new bag?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD1t84PuyqltraDaKhSi1C36EYSkJrzwtfN_I_OLyh4_6RTSnxkIuZ5_0KhcHJT0oTxQOtbgSnokKBuSCwPlQWyyBtZykuILOd0IyKVrH6tO_j58Kza7dDO7ysdROWCeA0hJlwn4fx7l9H/s1600-h/handbag2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5170553685658819410" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD1t84PuyqltraDaKhSi1C36EYSkJrzwtfN_I_OLyh4_6RTSnxkIuZ5_0KhcHJT0oTxQOtbgSnokKBuSCwPlQWyyBtZykuILOd0IyKVrH6tO_j58Kza7dDO7ysdROWCeA0hJlwn4fx7l9H/s320/handbag2.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div align="center"><em><span style="font-size:85%;color:#663366;">Baggy Tag, Digital Drawing - © R. Koleilat, 2008</span></em></div><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#6600cc;">A handbag meme from <span style="color:#663366;">Andi's</span> new </span><a href="http://listsgalore.blogspot.com/2008/02/bare-necessities-really.html"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#6600cc;">blog</span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#6600cc;"> where I have to list the contents of my handbag (this is what happens when you're felled by a bum knee, you dream up <em>more</em> blogs and memes). </span><div><div><br /><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#6600cc;">Since Andi was a good sport on the book meme, I will be one too - even though I really should be working instead. </span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#6600cc;">Be grateful that I am sparing you details on lint and cookie crumbs, and list only objects larger that a chocolate chip:</span></div><ul><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#6600cc;">A bottle of Tylenol Quick Release</span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#6600cc;">A pair of tiny scissors</span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#6600cc;">An empty gum wrapper (not mine)</span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#6600cc;">A toy from an unidentified fast food joint</span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#6600cc;">A tube of lipstick <em><span style="color:#999999;">(a tube of lipstick? when did I buy this one? what a weird colour...)</span></em></span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#6600cc;">A pen, a pencil, 2 permanent markers, half a silver ballpoint pen with a logo on it</span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#6600cc;">A $5-off coupon for a Cranium game <em>(ah, goodie - activity idea for tonight</em>)</span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#6600cc;">The other part of the toy from the unidentified etc..</span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#6600cc;">An empty zippered pencil bag</span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#6600cc;">A tiny sewing kit (almost intact)</span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#6600cc;">A button (mine)</span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#6600cc;">2 silver rings <em>(from before I had to wear gloves to step outside)</em></span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#6600cc;">An American penny</span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#6600cc;">My huge and ugly black wallet <em><span style="font-family:courier new;color:#cc33cc;"><strong>(hint to hubby: let the kids choose my mother's day present this year)</strong></span></em></span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#6600cc;">An empty bottle of hand sanitizer</span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#6600cc;">A receipt from the chiropractor <em>(first session last Friday - apparently, I have a very unstable spine. Now that would explain the excruciating pain between the back of my head and my knees)</em></span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#6600cc;">My dead cell phone</span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#6600cc;">A green <span style="color:#009900;">"green"</span> zippered bag ( I usually forget to put it back and end up going home with plastic bags anyway)</span></li></ul><p><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#6600cc;">I feel like tagging .... <strong><em><span style="font-size:180%;color:#993399;">you</span></em></strong>! If you want me to, that is. </span></p><p><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#6600cc;">Mwah</span></p><p><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#6600cc;">Moi</span></p></div></div>Rimahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11147436585136313287noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4141627418536448188.post-32006715391353314102008-02-19T13:48:00.003-05:002008-02-19T13:53:01.111-05:00On the way there, I had to stop and show you* this<span style="font-family:courier new;color:#cc0000;">because </span><a href="http://lostluggage.typepad.com/the_land_of_lost_luggage/2008/02/the-feed-lesson.html"><span style="font-family:courier new;font-size:180%;color:#ff6600;"><strong>Julie</strong></span></a><span style="font-family:courier new;color:#cc0000;"> does it much better than anyone else.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Courier New;color:#cc0000;">*you is SuperHarry mostly (aka Apothecarian of Thorts)</span>Rimahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11147436585136313287noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4141627418536448188.post-74572363457631607102008-02-18T13:51:00.007-05:002008-02-18T15:17:33.978-05:00Gone Fishing<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0JTn8UVxwCrmpCHZp6LyvwXnRuPEeEWF9eJb1j2MAAtVwnuBl-Fzmad9s71lRMTCaBT3aeteCDPsfKZqjHAXloN0j31-z-YstCHytUS1RiUZ8le10gbkJR4WLUIZUIX5pAdDFrPUfYbzW/s1600-h/fishing3.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5168416948018993954" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0JTn8UVxwCrmpCHZp6LyvwXnRuPEeEWF9eJb1j2MAAtVwnuBl-Fzmad9s71lRMTCaBT3aeteCDPsfKZqjHAXloN0j31-z-YstCHytUS1RiUZ8le10gbkJR4WLUIZUIX5pAdDFrPUfYbzW/s320/fishing3.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div align="center"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QexF-uLgX5s/R7nX2a3H2xI/AAAAAAAABlo/MI1ZT8ct2k4/s1600-h/fishing3.jpg"></a>Fishing, Digital Collage - © R. Koleilat, 2008</div><br /><div align="left"><br />Every once & again, I feel obligated to take a break from blogging/blurfing to do some serious housekeeping (both figuratively and in the alternate universe we know as real life). Be back soon. </div>Rimahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11147436585136313287noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4141627418536448188.post-41642878832712610242008-02-12T15:49:00.007-05:002008-02-13T11:14:18.718-05:00Book? What Book?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn-Lui6PpCUjLEJKEKrgedjkXsP5jaewLuglaGj3HRVepvx7gSplPdvSAE0hgepdhF0rKPDOdvSxT0pYsfWOu8FrQqoQT8t2h0bXBcFgTw_50J5h3wYCyg_7FMF022bPYN-hMa6s-M7BHC/s1600-h/bookmeme.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5166486501953362674" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn-Lui6PpCUjLEJKEKrgedjkXsP5jaewLuglaGj3HRVepvx7gSplPdvSAE0hgepdhF0rKPDOdvSxT0pYsfWOu8FrQqoQT8t2h0bXBcFgTw_50J5h3wYCyg_7FMF022bPYN-hMa6s-M7BHC/s320/bookmeme.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Thank you , dear <a href="http://holycarpet.blogspot.com/2008/02/book-meme.html"><span style="color:#660000;">Frances</span></a> for tagging me. Here are the rules for this not-a-meme-book-meme.</div><div><span style="color:#993300;">Pick up the nearest book of 123 pages or more. (No cheating!)</span></div><div><span style="color:#993300;">Find Page 123.Find the first 5 sentences.Post the next 3 sentences.Tag 5 people.</span></div><div></div><br /><div>I wish I had cheated, because this is what I have for you today, honest to goodness:</div><br /><div></div><div><span style="color:#336666;">"What am I going to do?</span></div><div><span style="color:#336666;">'I expect you'll whip through these in no time!' she says gaily. 'The ironing board's just there', she adds with a nod."</span><br /><em><span style="color:#003333;">from Sophie Kinsella's The Undomestic Goddess.</span></em> </div><div></div><div>What? Did you actually expect me to have <em>A Dissertation on the Dialectic of Neo-Hegelian Nihilism</em>? Don't worry, I didn't pay for it - I picked up a copy at the library because it was on display near the check-out. I haven't started this faschinating book yet, but it was the nearest 123-plus-page book underfoot. Literally. See picture. I am sure <em><span style="color:#cc33cc;">Martine ballerine</span></em> or <em><span style="color:#ff6666;">Junie B. Jones, First Grader</span></em> would have been considerably more interesting. But rules are rules. And so, I hereby tag <a href="http://thethinksithink.blogspot.com/">Andi</a>, <a href="http://www.bmtyson.com/creativecogitations/CC_Main/CC_Main.html">Brian</a>, <a href="http://artezan.blogspot.com/">Fawzan</a>, <a href="http://thisjoyofart.blogspot.com/">Joy</a>, and <a href="http://apothecaryofthoughts.blogspot.com/">Mazen</a>. </div>Rimahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11147436585136313287noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4141627418536448188.post-18746143377303039332008-02-12T10:01:00.000-05:002008-02-12T15:43:53.203-05:00Random Thoughts And Things To Build On<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRP6fJXvdUDfK81efmWjxVlsXStjag1-1N-rZC3yVyRA7zYxSj5BuGdarYL9GMDg5UbZuNRzr3rGtzkoM_u9Ds8qYmkBNIuTa6-RlS3paN7BQnoe7nlKEjkFYeuCRfXV6SJbVtprXvzGJO/s1600-h/sleepingarmchair4.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5166193224406522594" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRP6fJXvdUDfK81efmWjxVlsXStjag1-1N-rZC3yVyRA7zYxSj5BuGdarYL9GMDg5UbZuNRzr3rGtzkoM_u9Ds8qYmkBNIuTa6-RlS3paN7BQnoe7nlKEjkFYeuCRfXV6SJbVtprXvzGJO/s320/sleepingarmchair4.jpg" border="0" /></a> <div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKktCW7osF75MJKD78txd1ErSCR5ygOeySltjji5BcVsoHppTYYtYpV0jcRxISqU0TLsh6Je3EjzgYGeLpA2Auhw6sfoju7DxboIIvEUY0QJVXIkh2JRjQQJleU36LpAvD7MRFNpLde9W2/s1600-h/sleepingarmchair3.jpg"></a><em><span style="font-size:85%;">Dreaming of a Love Bird in Paradise, Digital Collage - ©R. Koleilat, 2008<br /></span></em><br /><div align="left">In a column entitled "Be the Change: Living the Me to We philosophy" in <a href="http://www.canadianliving.com/life/">Canadian Living Magazine</a> (Feb. 2008), <a href="http://www.freethechildren.com/aboutus/index.html"><span style="color:#cc0000;">Craig and Mark Kielburger</span></a>, two very amazing young Canadian humanitarian activists and authors of <a href="http://www.amazon.ca/Me-We-Finding-Meaning-Material/dp/0470153644/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=gateway&qid=1202829526&sr=8-1">Me to We: Finding Meaning in a Material World</a> write:</div><br /><div align="left">"... how should we define success?... researchers compared Forbes' 400 richest Americans with the Maasai of East Africa - traditional herding communities with no electricity or running water, who live in huts made largely of mud and dung. The two groups were found to be almost equally satisfied with their lives."</div><br /><div align="left">So, for all you thousandaires out there (or in my case, pennyaires), take heart: money really does not buy happiness.</div><br /><div align="left">I urge you to find out more about Craig Kielburger - he's the kid who made headlines a few years ago, when he was all of <em><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">twelve years old</span></strong></em>, by organizing other children to <span style="color:#990000;">fight child labour</span> world-wide. He founded <a href="http://www.freethechildren.com/index.php"><span style="color:#cc0000;">Free the Children</span></a> in 1995 and hasn't looked back since. I love Canada.</div><br /><div align="left"><em>Illustration:</em> <em>This is my contribution to this week's <a href="http://2thingsphotochallenge.blogspot.com/"><span style="color:#000099;">2 Things Challenge</span></a>, <span style="color:#000099;">Love/bird</span>. Not only did I actually manage an entry, I also got inspired by <a href="http://holycarpet.blogspot.com/2008/02/lovebird-love-noregrets-2-things.html">Frances' </a>entry, who in turn was inspired by <a href="http://sacred-circle-mandalas.blogspot.com/">Sue O'Kieffe </a>and <a href="http://starsandprayers.blogspot.com/">John (copyright-dude) Mora</a>, and their fun puzzle-play. If you visited earlier today, you saw a different picture. I had to fix it because<a href="http://papierscolles.blogspot.com/"> Ms. Know-it-all </a>said it could be better. And of course, she was right.</em></div><br /><div align="left"><em>Image Sources: WetCanvas, Gimp-Savvy, my own photographs.</em></div></div>Rimahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11147436585136313287noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4141627418536448188.post-82253047254194701872008-02-08T23:16:00.000-05:002008-02-09T08:12:22.386-05:00Brrr....<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif_zFU-b9Z5LqZZa3_ME9OHao6XFIooBfrsPpOeLUejPiLqArQI82yqkISZRya_etZokR8E4EFTCQ7awlLQrPsHAsg-Ezf6trdk95OAin38LbR1otHyIm4IiXbayqIoAGLDyd9kpX6RTkC/s1600-h/snow+dragons.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5164831934522055362" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif_zFU-b9Z5LqZZa3_ME9OHao6XFIooBfrsPpOeLUejPiLqArQI82yqkISZRya_etZokR8E4EFTCQ7awlLQrPsHAsg-Ezf6trdk95OAin38LbR1otHyIm4IiXbayqIoAGLDyd9kpX6RTkC/s320/snow+dragons.jpg" border="0" /></a> <div align="center"><em><span style="font-size:85%;color:#3333ff;">Snow Dragons, Digital Collage - © R. Koleilat, 2008</span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-size:85%;color:#3333ff;"></span></em></div><div></div><div><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#000099;">I've been trying to dig myself out from under the snow in my driveway since last Wednesday. My neighbours, who all seem to own very un-PC snowblowers, zoom by, wave and smile at me as if I'm having a good time futilely waving that stupid shovel around. That face I had on wasn't me <em>having fun</em>, folks, it was me <em>crying</em>!</span></div><div><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:#000099;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:#000099;">I had fun creating these "snowflakes" on this very cute <a href="http://snowflakes.lookandfeel.com/">website</a>* (they let you save and download your creations, so you earn extra points with your kids). I used a copyright-free photo from <a href="http://gimp-savvy.com/">Gimp-Savvy</a> for the background and played with it on photoshop.</span></div><div><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:#000099;"></span> </div><div><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:#000099;">And speaking of playing, go check out this <a href="http://elizabethbunsen.typepad.com/be_dream_play/2008/02/snow-queens-par.html?cid=100801868#comment-100801868">fun party </a>that Julie told me about. While you're at it, also check out Julie's <a href="http://lostluggage.typepad.com/the_land_of_lost_luggage/2008/02/bloglandia-pola.html">icy beauty </a>too (hmmm, our last two posts have dealt with the same themes. Coincidence? twilight-zoney... ♫toodoodoodoo♪... )</span></div><div> </div><div><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:#000099;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:#000099;">* <em>There are lots of sites that let you create really sophisticated flakes (fractals, anyone?), just google snowflake generator to find them. </em></span></div>Rimahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11147436585136313287noreply@blogger.com27tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4141627418536448188.post-49682679522150025822008-02-07T14:31:00.000-05:002008-02-07T14:36:19.672-05:00GUNG HAY FAT CHOY, EVERYONE!<div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv2yppg_QtS9EIlq4ERm1MlIgJWKzA2NLvf-4c-GZsjXTDOaA6Kkj0Hs9xUzHe_S_NZrZC7GRskfDRcwuNnrHnAIjH4GoPSu72Il58h6e_1CeKk-Q68EVi0-8e071cbbMw6pgoCvgXUIAB/s1600-h/lily+in+the+snow.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5164323773419813474" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv2yppg_QtS9EIlq4ERm1MlIgJWKzA2NLvf-4c-GZsjXTDOaA6Kkj0Hs9xUzHe_S_NZrZC7GRskfDRcwuNnrHnAIjH4GoPSu72Il58h6e_1CeKk-Q68EVi0-8e071cbbMw6pgoCvgXUIAB/s320/lily+in+the+snow.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><em><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;color:#660000;">Lily in the Snow, Digitized - © R. Koleilat, 2008</span></em></div>Rimahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11147436585136313287noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4141627418536448188.post-34481779367680351512008-02-06T08:55:00.000-05:002008-02-06T13:27:38.886-05:00Diane's Big HeArt and Sue's Joy of Play<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrLfmR36nih1S0hYBmpVjm6lzwQv29m9Mf9meMTRPhm5QrdnkNyDZYc8HGB3gv0a2PR1ag2QPOvUt-OAo7BoaTrn9ZBFX_R0KjH7M3vZ-31cRdX7KG7kAsQHY0cKVfLj_gZkWIhBrwgDdZ/s1600-h/Sue+%26+John.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5163891072644610594" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrLfmR36nih1S0hYBmpVjm6lzwQv29m9Mf9meMTRPhm5QrdnkNyDZYc8HGB3gv0a2PR1ag2QPOvUt-OAo7BoaTrn9ZBFX_R0KjH7M3vZ-31cRdX7KG7kAsQHY0cKVfLj_gZkWIhBrwgDdZ/s320/Sue+%26+John.jpg" border="0" /></a> <div align="center"><span style="color:#003300;"><em>Sue & John Soup (Images used by permission) - © R. Koleilat, 2008</em></span></div><br /><div><span style="color:#003300;">Digital Artitsts/Prestigidators Diane Clancy and Sue O'Kieffe are both prolific and generous. But you knew that already. This week, they each wrote two great posts I would like to highlight here.</span></div><div><span style="color:#003300;"></span></div><div><span style="color:#003300;">First, </span><a href="http://sacred-circle-mandalas.blogspot.com/"><span style="color:#993300;">Sue O'Kieffe </span></a><span style="color:#003300;">is extending </span><a href="http://sacred-circle-mandalas.blogspot.com/2008/02/i-remember-first-discussion-i-heard.html"><span style="color:#cc6600;">an invitation to play </span></a><span style="color:#003300;">with her - very exciting. I can't wait to see what comes out of it. Her collaborations with other artists (not all of them digital artwork) have been jaw-droppingly <a href="http://sacred-circle-mandalas.blogspot.com/2007/07/mandalas-du-jour.html">beautiful</a>. Sue has an incredible eye and the end result is always synergetic.</span></div><br /><div><a href="http://www.dianeclancy.com/blog/"><span style="color:#990000;">Diane Clancy</span></a><span style="color:#003300;"> , besides being indefatigable and inspired, is always on the lookout for worthy causes, and she's pointing the way towards the </span><a href="http://www.dianeclancy.com/blog/2008/02/04/one-world-one-heart-give-away/"><span style="color:#996633;">One World, One HeArt Giveaway</span></a><span style="color:#003300;">.</span></div><br /><div><span style="color:#003300;">Last, but certainly not least, Diane is also collaborating with art marketing expert </span><a href="http://www.onlineartsmarketing.com/blog/"><span style="color:#993300;">Chris O'Byrne </span></a><span style="color:#003300;">(a man with </span><a href="http://www.onlineartsmarketing.com/blog/2008/02/01/neda-doany-and-papiers-colles/"><span style="color:#003300;"><span style="color:#ff6666;">impeccable taste</span> </span></a><span style="color:#003300;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJJBor8PcG94RH-hnA5vOQlLHJ4503PwwFKEu1Taf6z81ah5jnDDJGoDq57nfZPikcgcJVPgW5eF24kDysX8nDxNnFPkDzzV1CGez_v5OaLMI0TGuHe5UYTFf0OdiwXrTSkIyPo4fLYBN4/s1600-h/smiley_d.gif"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5163895530820663858" style="WIDTH: 25px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 26px" height="30" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJJBor8PcG94RH-hnA5vOQlLHJ4503PwwFKEu1Taf6z81ah5jnDDJGoDq57nfZPikcgcJVPgW5eF24kDysX8nDxNnFPkDzzV1CGez_v5OaLMI0TGuHe5UYTFf0OdiwXrTSkIyPo4fLYBN4/s320/smiley_d.gif" width="29" border="0" /></a> )to create a fantastic resource for artists and wanna-bes: It's called </span><a href="http://www.yourartmarketing.com/forum/"><span style="color:#ff6600;">YourArtMarketing.com </span></a><span style="color:#003300;">and is a website/forum/information hub. This repository will incorporate all the information they both have been working so hard to put forth on their own sites, to make it much more easily accessible to all. Isn't absolutely brilliant? I think it's the beginning of something very exciting. I haven't had time to add my 2 cents there, but I will as soon as I read all that there is already there.</span></div><div><span style="color:#003300;"></span></div><div><span style="color:#003300;">Now, if only someone could give me a hand to finish up the work on my own website (hint, hint, Ms. Paper&Scissors)...</span></div>Rimahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11147436585136313287noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4141627418536448188.post-72755270179246200822008-02-04T16:38:00.000-05:002008-02-04T17:34:25.308-05:00Yay For Scrapbookers (And The Retailers Who Love Them)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKKA46ZvTa1Z_nPXqI89yFFUPiuHtVMttZnXYMWbsnwvaDnTk4WQY9kqdUErLFkdVfNbkFriPjb6LujKXEwVUd0GdQWpkiEk-xTRuJMoZr6uX2MiPhLI2XI_ctRjBLEy-KRl8kug7mHBZ3/s1600-h/fiskaruhu.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5163249318631242242" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKKA46ZvTa1Z_nPXqI89yFFUPiuHtVMttZnXYMWbsnwvaDnTk4WQY9kqdUErLFkdVfNbkFriPjb6LujKXEwVUd0GdQWpkiEk-xTRuJMoZr6uX2MiPhLI2XI_ctRjBLEy-KRl8kug7mHBZ3/s320/fiskaruhu.jpg" border="0" /></a> I am not a scrapbooker. You have to be way too organized, focused and mature to get into it and do it properly, and for some unfathomable reason, I am one or two of those things from time to time, but never all three at the same time. So, even though I, like, totally dig a bunch of talented scrapbookers, this is not exactly my cup of tea*. <p><br />But scrapbooking <span style="color:#333399;">tools </span>are! Now that entire sections of stores are devoted to paper arts and equipment, there are many, many delightful discoveries to be made for those of us who straddle the creative divide of art/hobby/kids' crafty hour. And this year, I have three new <span style="color:#993399;">favourite</span> tools (sorry, no links, it's really hard to find any additional info about the first 2 online, just take my word for it): <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QexF-uLgX5s/R6eMBjPK-hI/AAAAAAAABkE/M3O84-AT4w0/s1600-h/elmer1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5163249456070195730" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QexF-uLgX5s/R6eMBjPK-hI/AAAAAAAABkE/M3O84-AT4w0/s320/elmer1.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><ul><li>First, this <span style="color:#cc0000;">ergonomic cutter</span> (x-acto knife), above, made by Fiskar, which works like an extension of my finger, brilliantly precise <p></p></li><li>Even better, these <span style="color:#993399;">glue dots and glue tape dispensers </span><span style="color:#666666;">(above and right)</span> - well, not both dispensers actually. I only really like the UHU tape roller, works great for me and my 4-year old equally. The Elmer contraption which is supposed to pump out glue dots turned out to be a complete dud. It's quite clunky and as you can see, it ended up disemboweled because it's so much easier to just pick up the individual glue dots by hand. Still, I love the idea of the glue dots: no more mess and everything lays absolutely flat. <p></p></li><li>And last, but not least, my trusty <span style="color:#999900;">microfiber cloth</span>: this, I didn't find at the art supply store, but rather at the grocery or dollar store. Microfiber cloths are amazing, they clean everything - <em>everything</em> - with just a tiny bit of elbow grease, or a few drops of water. What does a housecleaning rag have to do with an art supply list? While <a href="http://marayagalleries.blogspot.com/2007/09/sticky-fun-with-gel-transfers.html"><span style="color:#339999;">playing with gel medium transfers</span></a>, I discovered that rubbing the outer paper layer with a microfiber cloth to expose the print underneath saved me from all those painful blisters I was about to get. It does a great job of that annoying rubbing chore with much less effort and much neater results: just wrap a slightly damp cloth around your fingertip and rub. There are many more uses for this miracle cloth in the studio, but I need material for other posts so stay tuned. <p><em>* I know I'm going to be eating my words soon, because I'm preparing another post about a great scrapbooking/digital art resource</em></p></li></ul>Rimahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11147436585136313287noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4141627418536448188.post-51531910198495827482008-02-03T11:25:00.000-05:002008-02-03T15:40:00.040-05:00Sunday Funnies<div align="center"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QexF-uLgX5s/R6Xr3zPK-YI/AAAAAAAABik/ifQz5Qb1kLk/s1600-h/book+cover001.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5162791891729316226" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QexF-uLgX5s/R6Xr3zPK-YI/AAAAAAAABik/ifQz5Qb1kLk/s320/book+cover001.jpg" border="0" /></a><em><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;color:#cc33cc;">Julia Cameron: How to Avoid Making Art (or Anything Else You Enjoy), </span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;color:#cc33cc;">illust. by Elizabeth Cameron © 2005 - Tarcher (Penguin Books) paperback. </span></em></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#663366;">Aaaahhh, <span style="color:#ff6666;">Sunday mornings</span>.... leisurely brunch, brainy-enlightened weekend newspaper, adorable cherubs with freshly scrubbed faces ensconced in quiet but creative play, kitties fed, groomed and satisfied, curled up on the comfiest armchair.... sighhh....</span></div><p><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#663366;">YEAH, RIGHT!! Not at MY house this morning, or like, ever! Consequently, no artwork, no updates for you today. How about some <span style="color:#ff6666;">funnies</span>, though?</span></p><p><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#663366;">Here are some edited quotes from this </span><a href="http://www.amazon.ca/How-Avoid-Making-Julia-Cameron/dp/1585424382/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=gateway&qid=1202056896&sr=8-1"><span style="color:#663366;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="color:#cc33cc;">cute little book</span> </span></span></a><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#663366;">pictured above by Julia Cameron, famed author of </span><a href="http://www.amazon.ca/Artists-Way-Spiritual-Higher-Creativity/dp/0874776945/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1202058385&sr=1-9"><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#cc33cc;">"The Artist's Way"</span></a><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#663366;"> tomes. I'm not crazy about her writings, but I found some of these little thoughts funny and pointed enough to be worthy of repeating here. </span></p><p><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#663366;">So, how do you actively avoid making art or anything else you enjoy? Among other brilliant (and oh-so-recognizable) ploys:</span></p><ul><li><span style="color:#663366;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">by telling yourself you can only work in absolute <span style="color:#cc0000;">quiet</span></span></span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#663366;">by going for the royal family's official portrait in your <span style="color:#cc0000;">first</span> year</span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#663366;">by <span style="color:#cc0000;">throttling</span> your joie-de-vivre every time it crows, </span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#663366;">by <span style="color:#cc0000;">talking</span> about it so you don't have to do it</span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#663366;">by considering the odds of <span style="color:#cc0000;">selling</span> your book/artwork/whatever you're making</span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#663366;">by demanding that what you do be absolutely <span style="color:#990000;">original</span> and totally brilliant</span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#663366;">by telling yourself your <span style="color:#cc0000;">job</span> prevents you from doing art and then working overtime to prove it</span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#663366;">by demanding fifteen free <span style="color:#cc0000;">hours</span> to create and ignoring the 15 minutes you've got</span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#663366;">by deciding you can't <span style="color:#cc0000;">afford</span> a drawing class, and buying new jeans to console yourself</span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#663366;">by telling yourself you don't want to be <span style="color:#cc0000;">typecast</span>, and turning down that acting job</span></li></ul><p><span style="color:#663366;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="color:#993399;">Are you laughing or crying?</span> <span style="color:#990000;">What do you do to yourself to hold yourself back?</span> Care to share and get it out of your system? <span style="color:#993399;">Want to shine a light on one of these self-sabotaging schemes and bannish it from your life forever?</span> <span style="color:#ff0000;">No time like the present, my friends.</span></span></span></p>Rimahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11147436585136313287noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4141627418536448188.post-51757079128697543572008-01-30T15:44:00.000-05:002008-01-30T18:49:37.556-05:00"Hold On To Your Children and Your Cat"<div align="center"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QexF-uLgX5s/R6D2xDPK-VI/AAAAAAAABiM/Un5kQTsiZvY/s1600-h/SnowdayRima.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5161396495509551442" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QexF-uLgX5s/R6D2xDPK-VI/AAAAAAAABiM/Un5kQTsiZvY/s320/SnowdayRima.jpg" border="0" /></a> <em><span style="color:#663366;">Rima's Snowday, circa 1969?</span></em></div><p align="left"><span style="color:#330033;">That's what the weatherman told me today on the radio - and boy, was that ever good advice! Boreas (wind dude with serious anger issues) has been huffing and puffing and blowing real hard all day. Kind of reminding Ontarians that this is still Canada, eh? </span><br /><br /><span style="color:#330033;">Well, anyway... NO, I have not been abducted by aliens or joined an internet-free commune. I've just had a bunch of hard-pressing issues to deal with, and could not juggle things fast enough to get back to blogging. <span style="font-family:lucida grande;color:#990000;"><strong>Apologies all around</strong></span> for not following up quickly on the Glass Apple challenge. That's why I put a picture of me on a snowday somewhere in Lebanon about 40 years ago, 'cause who can stay mad at such a cutie pie, huh? huh?</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#330033;"><span style="color:#ff6600;"><strong>Special groveling</strong></span> also to some newcomers to our Digital Re-Imaginings<span style="color:#cc33cc;"><strong>*</strong></span> - like the very wonderful </span><span style="color:#6600cc;"><em>bmtyson</em> of </span><a href="http://www.bmtyson.com/creativecogitations/CC_Main/CC_Main.html"><span style="color:#6600cc;">Creative Cogitations</span></a><span style="color:#330033;">, a really good graphic artist/collagist who just started blogging. Go take a peek and stay for a visit - he doesn't have a lot of entries yet, so you can catch up on his musings in one sitting. I love his style and look forward to seeing more of his work.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#330033;">Another cogitative newcomer is an </span><a href="http://www.apothecaryofthoughts.blogspot.com/"><span style="color:#6600cc;">apothecarian of thought</span></a><span style="color:#330033;">, an old friend of our dear </span><a href="http://hala2.blogspot.com/"><span style="color:#6600cc;">Hala</span></a><span style="color:#cc33cc;">**</span><span style="color:#330033;"> who has sent me a funny and kind-of-sardonic entry. He's also just started blogging, and thinks aloud about the meaning of life, bikini veils and undo buttons. Not in that order, necessarily.</span><br /><br /></p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5161396499804518754" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzpqCIw6oB24Tg8ckJyO-60wjMQHwNsb5uQBEPi-A_NWBJfx79s6W4o5TSMEUoXcSCmQQAEd9u026wvzrczX-Epf_3_cEEqpaBoGYdPEUIdTtFSM_dCNjLznBIMTZ3Rc_yrh7KUODePyxa/s320/magicapple.jpg" border="0" /> <div align="center"><em><span style="font-size:85%;color:#993399;">Magic Apple, Digital - © R. Koleilat, 2008</span></em></div><div align="left"><br /></div><div align="left"><span style="color:#330033;">Soooo... what now? Well, all I can do at this point is to promise not to disappear without a word again - and to make up for my rudeness, I will definitely accept any new Apple entries (if you're still interested, Irene!). Not good enough, you say? Well... I would have offered that you pick my punishment, but like the man said - I may be crazy, but I'm not stupid (all evidence to the contrary notwithstanding)! </span></div><div align="left"><br /><span style="color:#330033;">Oh, did I mention how lovely all the entries were? You guys never cease to amaze... Thanks for putting up with my unevenness. I'll give proper credit and link-backs on the "wall" at Maraya. ASAP.</span></div><div align="left"><br /><span style="color:#663366;"><em>PS: Thanks, Bobbie and Debi - you were the only ones who got<a href="http://marayagalleries.blogspot.com/2008/01/salade-dapples.html"> it </a>right!</em></span></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"><span style="color:#330033;"><span style="color:#cc33cc;"><strong>*</strong></span></span><span style="color:#993399;"> <em>I'll come up with a proper title for this series one of these days. In fact, I think I'll put up a poll to see which would be everyone's favourite.</em></span></div><div align="left"><em><span style="color:#cc33cc;">** Another friend of Hala wrote a rant/poem I liked <a href="http://nemrabboud.blogspot.com/2008/01/zee.html">here</a></span></em></div>Rimahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11147436585136313287noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4141627418536448188.post-48192522710258236052008-01-09T13:53:00.000-05:002008-01-09T14:32:07.468-05:00Salade d'Apples<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYpB6HT4BXX53NizxgB8g415TD7F0w0sHMTxggKl5L-PULKQqqtvA7UNNI5dIV58G1GSQfDX_OPKiepTTzJh8OaAPgBw4yAJR2EKAc1o3kh8jtjHEnNLIma7egwr00YZPNA_Xj7UOX0-d5/s1600-h/Paris+Crunch.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5153560759885333090" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYpB6HT4BXX53NizxgB8g415TD7F0w0sHMTxggKl5L-PULKQqqtvA7UNNI5dIV58G1GSQfDX_OPKiepTTzJh8OaAPgBw4yAJR2EKAc1o3kh8jtjHEnNLIma7egwr00YZPNA_Xj7UOX0-d5/s320/Paris+Crunch.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QexF-uLgX5s/R4UgFNVbglI/AAAAAAAABh8/NPlHE0MEvWA/s1600-h/FawzanGlassApple2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5153560622446379602" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QexF-uLgX5s/R4UgFNVbglI/AAAAAAAABh8/NPlHE0MEvWA/s320/FawzanGlassApple2.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QexF-uLgX5s/R4UfYdVbgkI/AAAAAAAABh0/tsMz_gC55o0/s1600-h/Glass+Apple7.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5153559853647233602" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QexF-uLgX5s/R4UfYdVbgkI/AAAAAAAABh0/tsMz_gC55o0/s320/Glass+Apple7.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-family:lucida grande;color:#660000;"><em>One of these was made by me, one by Fawzan and one by Neda. Can you match the names to the artwork?</em></span> <div></div></div></div>Rimahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11147436585136313287noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4141627418536448188.post-15598442874581711842008-01-08T16:20:00.000-05:002008-01-08T16:48:57.363-05:00Apple Turnover<div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8DLBMLncN_-WRBWX2MFAzP5FJMPDK5D3ebZZrIFy1DBtqrzFfOjAZVq6bUMLZTx0FJTtglkY9DRu6d_8lDzz51FgvKfII_i3VQFF_cZ04Bn4PVk1igFobVR9rveyUND7lL6Yxjy1tRVhW/s1600-h/Glass+Apple1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5153221466058883618" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8DLBMLncN_-WRBWX2MFAzP5FJMPDK5D3ebZZrIFy1DBtqrzFfOjAZVq6bUMLZTx0FJTtglkY9DRu6d_8lDzz51FgvKfII_i3VQFF_cZ04Bn4PVk1igFobVR9rveyUND7lL6Yxjy1tRVhW/s320/Glass+Apple1.jpg" border="0" /></a><em><span style="font-size:85%;color:#663366;"> Rotten, Digital - © R. Koleilat, 2007</span></em></div><br /><br /><span style="color:#330033;">Bad, bad pun... but hey, it's better than my initial "apple-for-teacher" choice.</span><br /><span style="color:#330033;"></span><br /><span style="color:#330033;"></span><br /><span style="color:#330033;">Here's my first entry, just so you know I'm working on this too. I'll be showing all the participating entries I am made aware of (hint! leave a comment! Frances!), starting in a couple of days. Four so far, and counting...</span><br /><span style="color:#330033;"></span><br /><span style="color:#330033;"><strong>How-to</strong>: I can't even follow my own directives! I forgot some of the steps because I didn't think I would end up with anything useable - so I didn't make notes, mental or otherwise. For which I was punished by losing a <em>really</em> good one later that day to the memory monster that lives in my laptop - and forgetting the steps there too. </span><br /><span style="color:#330033;">Anyway, here's some of the steps on Photoshop 6:</span><br /><span style="color:#330033;">- I distorted the initial image with Spherize, and by Transforming parts of it (skewing/distorting I think)</span><br /><span style="color:#330033;">- I used a couple of gradient and lighting effects in the background and the central figure (is it still an apple? dunno)</span><br /><span style="color:#330033;">- also used painterly effects, a bunch of them... watercolour as the last touch gave it such a good light, I decided to save it and use it.</span>Rimahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11147436585136313287noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4141627418536448188.post-30722727810789324662008-01-07T09:58:00.000-05:002008-01-07T10:31:46.637-05:00Sophomore Class (Digital Makeover)<div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgohznTKfaMzi4qsX9f3xtAm7-CVQuOwYZZ3liXpZs58FJdnC3xTGUpsX1Tuycxc3sXMz-0X5q9jgXWHrnv3TY5-QlQJqjwYEk_T4fs_afk1u-BdNVowyXU3MqKOkZc4PP6mH_5pDKgtCWz/s1600-h/Glass+Apple.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5152749728325927442" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgohznTKfaMzi4qsX9f3xtAm7-CVQuOwYZZ3liXpZs58FJdnC3xTGUpsX1Tuycxc3sXMz-0X5q9jgXWHrnv3TY5-QlQJqjwYEk_T4fs_afk1u-BdNVowyXU3MqKOkZc4PP6mH_5pDKgtCWz/s200/Glass+Apple.jpg" border="0" /></a><span style="color:#336666;"> <em><span style="font-size:85%;">Glass Apple - Royalty-free image from </span></em></span><a href="http://www.sxc.hu/index.phtml"><em><span style="font-size:85%;color:#336666;">Stock.XCHNG</span></em></a></div><div align="left"><span style="color:#336666;"></span></div><div align="left"><span style="color:#336666;"></span> </div><div align="left"><span style="color:#666600;">This is a bit of a teacher's revenge (curator's revenge?) - I'm offering you a more difficult picture to work with for this Digital Workshop (is it our 4th only?). But you guys have been resting for a while, so it's time to challenge those eyes and brain cells. </span></div><div align="left"><span style="color:#666600;"></span> </div><div align="left"><span style="color:#666600;"></span></div><div align="left"><span style="color:#666600;">No rules, no restrictions - just flex those creative muscles. Anyone can participate, and for those of you who haven't tried this before, here is what you need to know:</span></div><div align="left"></div><ul><li><div align="left">Click on the picture and copy it to your end (this is a royalty-free image, so you don't have to worry about altering it)</div></li><li><div align="left">Use any digital graphic programme to alter the image - It can be Photoshop (any version), GIMP, PainBox, anything you have. Remember to tell us what it is.</div></li><li><div align="left">It would be nice if you could remember some of the steps, and share with the rest of us how you got to your end result. If you can't keep track, focus on what you feel are the interesting effects.</div></li><li><div align="left">Don't forget to email me a copy of your work - but if you prefer not to or don't know how, point me to your work and I'll copy it off your site if needed. My email address is somewhere on my profile.</div></li><li><div align="left">By participating in this workshop, you are implicitly allowing me to use the image here and on my gallery website, no ifs, ands or buts - and no whining.</div></li><li><div align="left">I reserve the right to choose what ultimately goes on the "wall" (the page on my gallery website). No hurt feelings, ok? </div></li></ul><div align="left"></div><div align="left"><span style="color:#666600;">Start your engine! You have until next Sunday to submit.</span></div>Rimahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11147436585136313287noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4141627418536448188.post-61700828229859005352008-01-04T11:28:00.000-05:002008-01-04T11:38:42.844-05:00Trying for Democracy<span style="color:#cc0000;"><span style="color:#660000;">Quick post/poll thingy: Would you guys prefer</span>:</span><br /><span style="color:#cc0000;"></span><br /><strong><span style="color:#cc0000;">A. - A regular Photoshop/OtherMagic challenge, where I choose a picture and give guidelines for digital manipulation (as usual and more or less)</span><br /><span style="color:#cc0000;"></span></strong><br /><span style="color:#cc0000;"><span style="color:#660000;">or</span> </span><br /><span style="color:#cc0000;"></span><br /><span style="color:#cc0000;"><strong>B. - A combination of Photoshop/Whatever and real-world art supplies?</strong><br /></span><span style="color:#cc0000;"></span><br /><span style="color:#660000;">Please let me know in the comments section by Sunday aft (N.Am. time), so I can set something interesting or fun or tedious up.</span>Rimahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11147436585136313287noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4141627418536448188.post-18847114219735144672008-01-01T13:25:00.000-05:002008-01-03T11:03:42.044-05:00Tags, Labels and Stickers<div align="left"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT6ZOF_-jWHp-RUbXIdRkmJSpoNYxETOPbSNm-siVJQ5KgYjnid6dmB8A2Cw4vuTIdvRaWFMtsdSZOjB9Y7sVII2nFeuwHak0Qsg-8iwpAlZD1uZrL5YSTGCNga_tqnmFUUlflebT6hYi_/s1600-h/post002.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5150584149980709378" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT6ZOF_-jWHp-RUbXIdRkmJSpoNYxETOPbSNm-siVJQ5KgYjnid6dmB8A2Cw4vuTIdvRaWFMtsdSZOjB9Y7sVII2nFeuwHak0Qsg-8iwpAlZD1uZrL5YSTGCNga_tqnmFUUlflebT6hYi_/s400/post002.jpg" border="0" /></a><span style="color:#000066;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#009900;"><strong><em>fine print: ©Peacemonger.org (559) 799 9901 moveon.org internationalanswer.org truthout.org </em></strong></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#009900;"><strong><em>Proceeds will benefit humanitarian non profit organizations</em></strong></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#009900;"></span> </div><div align="left"><span style="color:#000066;">Happy New Year, everyone! Hope this new year brings all good things to all good people. </span></div><div align="left"><span style="color:#000066;"></span></div><div align="left"><span style="color:#000066;">I've been tagged by</span><span style="color:#009900;"> </span><a href="http://grannie-blog.blogspot.com/"><span style="color:#009900;">Bobbie</span></a><span style="color:#000066;"> for this post. Speaking of tags, this great sticker above is my absolute fave holiday present this year.</span></div><div align="left"><span style="color:#000066;"><em>Here are THE RULES:</em></span></div><div align="left"><span style="color:#000066;"><em>1. Link to your tagger and post these rules on your blog.</em></span></div><div align="left"><span style="color:#000066;"><em>2. Share 5 facts about yourself on your blog, some random, some weird.</em></span></div><div align="left"><span style="color:#000066;"><em>3. Tag 5 people at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blogs.</em></span></div><div align="left"><span style="color:#000066;"><em>4. Let them know they are tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.</em></span></div><div align="left"><span style="color:#000066;"></span></div><div align="left"><br /></div><div align="left"><span style="color:#000066;">So, 1. is done. Here's 2.:</span></div><ul><li><div align="left"><span style="color:#000066;">I can't pronounce the name "Rufus Wainright" to save my life. It always comes out "Wufus Rainright" no matter how many times I try, generally with an audience hiccuping through tears of laughter.</span></div></li><li><div align="left"><span style="color:#000066;">I have a really weird single black hair growing out of my arm. Every time I pluck it out, I think of Geena Davis doing the same to whatshisface in "The Fly".... shudder....</span></div></li><li><div align="left"><span style="color:#000066;">I love watching "How It's made" on the Discovery Channel. Also "Myth Busters". Waiting for "Lost" to come back. Hooked on "Heroes".</span></div></li><li><div align="left"><span style="color:#000066;">I have totalled two vans - one I was driving, and the other belonging to the lady driving on my blind side.</span></div></li><li><div align="left"><span style="color:#000066;">I want to retire in the South of France - but I would miss Canada way too much.</span></div></li></ul><p align="left"><span style="color:#000066;">I, I, I.... now have to come up with 5 bloggers! How about <a href="http://hala2.blogspot.com/">Hala</a>, <a href="http://thethinksithink.blogspot.com/">Andi</a>, <a href="http://sandollar107.blogspot.com/">Barb</a>, <a href="http://papelustro.blogspot.com/">Belinha</a> and <a href="http://lostluggage.typepad.com/the_land_of_lost_luggage/">Julie</a>.</span></p><p align="left"><span style="color:#000066;">On to 5.</span></p><p align="left"><em><span style="font-family:courier new;color:#993300;">Sharpen your mice and tune back in folks - photoshop challenge coming next week. </span></em></p>Rimahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11147436585136313287noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4141627418536448188.post-28321581036676775452007-12-23T11:28:00.000-05:002007-12-23T14:00:20.153-05:00Basic Books<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEZzhI8UoN0p60ODObdjU_i4glvRz4W_LWhvdbPzG0Jg7btzu8xqEHq6OtD0T4J1WCdJy0H0ugWy922FW_DhLSRUEnT6GnvfMm_AlRbueUusYOiNRGdUmjjj1ab98fANHpqqBzqBAnqQTu/s1600-h/artbks.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5147226121210397170" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEZzhI8UoN0p60ODObdjU_i4glvRz4W_LWhvdbPzG0Jg7btzu8xqEHq6OtD0T4J1WCdJy0H0ugWy922FW_DhLSRUEnT6GnvfMm_AlRbueUusYOiNRGdUmjjj1ab98fANHpqqBzqBAnqQTu/s400/artbks.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>I love books. All kinds, any kind. I find them to be the one constant in life - everything else changes, but a favourite book is always a wonderful source of comfort and pleasure.</div><div></div><br /><div>I will be adding a new folder to my gallery website, dedicated to art books we like and recommend. Meanwhile, here are some <strong>basic</strong> technique or reference books and book series I find reliable and a better read than others. </div><br /><div></div><div>Lorraine Harrison's <em><span style="color:#000066;">Artist's Materials: All the Materials You Will Ever Need to Make Art :</span></em> a good basic presentation of all kinds of different art materials. It's not all-encompassing, since no one can reasonably do an exposé of every single use and/or availability of every single art tool, but this book does give you a good basic list to help you make some decisions at the art store.</div><br /><div></div><div><span style="color:#000099;"><em>The Encyclopedia of Colored Pencil Techniques</em></span> is part of a series of art technique books. The series itself is mostly hit or miss (mostly miss), but I kind of like this one for a younger reader. It explains clearly and visually some basic ways of using coloured pencils, and gives some ideas on how to work on pencil techniques. Since I haven't yet found a book I love unconditionally for this medium, this is the one I would recommend borrowing from the library.</div><br /><div></div><div>Another series is the <span style="color:#336666;"><em>Teach Yourself Visually</em></span>: this one, I highly recommend, whatever your interest may be. I really like their basic Photoshop manuals as well as the ones in other fields of interest (like the TYV Knitting, it's great).</div><br /><div></div><div>On the fundamentals of art and painting, Charles Dunn's <span style="color:#663366;"><em>Conversations in Paint</em></span> is a terrific addition to any library. This is more than just a basic tome, it really is a pleasurable read - a keeper.</div><div></div><br /><div>Stay tuned for more in the new year.</div>Rimahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11147436585136313287noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4141627418536448188.post-64609514738161680402007-12-17T17:23:00.000-05:002007-12-17T18:21:02.268-05:00Not Too Late for DIY Redux<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO_AoX18tatNQnmXvR-Wwi3t_q85DABVdWInmzM3MysdHpQKgIkm3VcP-t7hG26pK6tEKXkSZlgwFnq_vn3r0oT6_dshumont6Qxae702ZkZq04A44_RFqToJHztjiJ59HCh6O5cGrHITk/s1600-h/Diy+xmas.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5145073771364450786" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO_AoX18tatNQnmXvR-Wwi3t_q85DABVdWInmzM3MysdHpQKgIkm3VcP-t7hG26pK6tEKXkSZlgwFnq_vn3r0oT6_dshumont6Qxae702ZkZq04A44_RFqToJHztjiJ59HCh6O5cGrHITk/s320/Diy+xmas.jpg" border="0" /></a> <div><span style="color:#330000;">This one's for all you <span style="color:#336666;">skeptics</span> out there, who do not believe that something can be home-made (or home-assembled) and compete with store-bought "stuff".</span></div><div><span style="color:#330000;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="color:#330000;">Here is one of my small gifts, comprising of:</span></div><ul><li><span style="color:#330000;">A cute mug (from </span><a href="http://www.michaels.com/art/online/home"><span style="color:#330033;">Michaels</span></a><span style="color:#330000;">- cost: around $3 with coupon and tax)</span></li><li><span style="color:#330000;">A cellophane bag with a silver twisty and filled with my </span><a href="http://marayagalleries.blogspot.com/2007/12/chai-this-instead.html"><span style="color:#990000;">Chai </span></a><span style="color:#330000;">concoction (cost: around $0.50)</span></li><li><span style="color:#330000;">A printed recipe (no real cost)</span></li><li><span style="color:#330000;">Assorted gift-wrap trimmings (cost: around $0.10)</span></li></ul><div><span style="color:#330000;"></span></div><div><span style="color:#330000;">Grand total: $3.60. It did take me a while to get it done - the tea prep, the wrapping, etc..., but I think it looks nicer than a lot of similar things I've seen around the stores. So? Not too bad, eh? </span></div>Rimahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11147436585136313287noreply@blogger.com5