Praterposte

Doktor Pfeffer Makes Something Monsterous

2009-10-11T18:49:00.008-05:00

Deep in the bowels of his hidden bunker, underneath the brick and steel of a nondescript building, Doktor Pfeffer is making something truly monstrous. Until now, his carefully guarded research -- the formula to create life -- was only a theory. Now, the culmination of his life's work is coming together, at long, long last.

Features emerge.

Doktor Pfeffer observes his work and decides it's time for a body.

First he constructs a skeleton.

Then, through careful grafting, he adds the Sculpey skin.

Ahh, yes, coming together, now to bake this creature and bring him to life...

Beezle in the Boneyard

2009-09-27T20:14:00.007-05:00

These are my adorable and much missed nieces: Hollyn & Lexie. Hollyn put in an order for a skelly beezle a few months ago and I promised her she'd have one in time for Halloween. Good thing I gave her a deadline.

This doll is sculpted from polymer clay and paper clay. The head is made from Super Sculpey, the body is paper clay over foil wrapped stryrofoam, the legs are paper clay over wooden dowels. I like this method because I can build a body around an already-baked head and let the body air dry. The paper clay is great, but for the heads where I put most of the detail, there's no substitute for Super Sculpey. The porous bone texture on the skull was achieved by gently pouncing a foam brush into the clay before baking.

This piece represents two new techniques: the fabric collar and anklets antiqued with a spray of walnut dye and the use of ground green foam mosses on the base. That mossy stuff is awesome and better yet, I didn't even have to buy it.

I found it in a long forgotten box of Mark's old train stuff in our attic. Jackpot. About three dozen baggies of the stuff in gorgeous landscape colors, course to finely ground. I saw Mark eyeballing those baggies with interest. I have since buried them where only I can find them. In the boneyard.

In honor of Talk like a Pirate Day

2009-09-20T11:37:00.002-05:00

As seen in the Fall issue of Art Doll Quarterly.

This Pirate is one of six Beezles featured, many thanks to Jenny Doh and Jana Holstein at ADQ.

Looooong overdue post: Random Arts

2009-06-28T19:47:00.006-05:00

Debbi and I had a blast at Random Arts. Debbi taught Good Girls dolls:

We met lots of awesome women:

That's me with Constance Vahoulis.

Debbi and Jane with some Good Girls.

This was the yearly bee I give Debbi for her birthday.

Royal Skelly Arrives & other news

2009-06-08T20:55:00.010-05:00

Look what washed ashore!

It's the Queen of Skelly Island, the Under the Sea swap lovely I got from my swap partner Marie Patterson. Ain't she a beaut? Be sure to go to Marie's blog and check out her Etsy shop too. I got an added bonus of one of her darling Spooky Spinners! Marie was a great swap partner and I am so glad that Zan matched us up! Zan, she's like eHarmony for art dollers. The Queen is now displayed in a place of honor on my Halloween shelf. Thanks, Marie!

And while we're on the subject of wonderful artsy stuff that arrives in my mailbox (if anyone else wants to send me presents, just email me for my physical address) I threatened Debbi and she sent me my very own Good Girl doll. Debbi will be teaching a Good Girl workshop this weekend at Random Arts I'll be too busy talking and eating Almond Macaroons and getting ready for my workshop to make one this Saturday, so good thing she sent me this one, huh?

All the Good Girl Dolls that Debbi makes have a little blurb under their skirts. Get your mind out of the gutter, it's not what you think. See, it's the bookbinder in Debbi that drives her to it. As she has said: "All good books have words." It only follows that all Good Girls should too.

And finally, to round out this mish mash post, here are couple little guys I made recently. A departure from my usual. I just went into my studio and started playing with clay and this is what came out. The Mouse Prince is about an inch and a half tall and the Bunny with the banner is about three inches tall. I'm diggin the little ruffled collars. I've seen Flora do them on her Wumbles with crepe paper and had to outfit a couple of my tinies, too. The mouse's is made from copper wire mesh and the other is wired ribbon.

Maniacs at Random Arts

2009-05-27T20:42:00.023-05:00

Consider yourselves warned.

June 13th, Saturday
Random Arts
Saluda, NC

Two mini Mixed Maniac workshops!
And a book signing!
And wine while we sign!*

From 10am - noon Debbi Crane, my illustrious co-author, will be leading a larger scale version of the popular project she taught at MIU this year: a "Good Girl" fabric doll. She just sent me one and it is adorable. All materials supplied for just $25! How's that for a stimulus package?

From 1pm - 3pm I will be teaching how to sculpt a character of your own making from polymer clay, a la my Beezle in the Box . Yours might be a bat or an elf or a chicken. It's all good and it's all up to you. Again, you only need to bring your creativity and $25. If you'd like a discount, and who the heck wouldn't, $45 buys you a seat in both classes.

Debbi and I will both have works for sale available throughout the day, including some of the original works featured in our book, Mixed Mania.

Book signing and wining (but no whining) from 3pm - 5pm. What? It's the weekend. Drinking hours don't apply.

Call Random Jane to register for the workshops: 828-749-1165 or email her at randomarts [at] charter [dot] net

Class space is booking up fast, book signing is open to everyone including paparazzi. Hope to see you there.

*There may also be some almond macaroons too, as is the tradition.

Peter-Peter Trick-R-Treater

2009-05-26T21:21:00.008-05:00

Cooky is organizing a fundraiser for her library in Massachusetts and asked if I could send a Beezle to be auctioned off for the cause. This is Peter-Peter. (Hey Flora - thanks for the collar inspiration!)

He's about 9" tall including the base. Made of polymer clay, paper clay, wire, fabric and wood finished with acrylic paint and chalk pastels. The collar is made from 2' wide wire ribbon.

The little beanie on his head cracks me up because the boys had hand knit caps like that when they were babies, see?

Here were are in Cooky & Larry's back yard a million years ago with Hannah and Katie and Lily. The punkin hats have come full circle. Yes, I still have them, packed away with the dino suits.

Sea Beezles

2009-05-23T17:56:00.002-05:00

Remember this swap organized by Zan Asha? I made two sea creatures and let my swap partner Marie Patterson pick the one she liked more. She picked the pink one. I can't wait to get the piece that Marie made. I'll post pix when I get it.

Bird Bath

2009-05-10T18:50:00.019-05:00

The robin that built this nest abandon it Easter weekend after a terrible storm. It was empty so she probably found somewhere more private than next to our driveway. We waited to see if she'd come back but she never did. Mark got it out of the cherry tree for me today. A very nice Mother's Day gift. I put the twin quail eggs in it and put it in our guest bath with my other bird themed goodies.

I added a mommy bird to keep watch over them.

Here's a little tour of my bird bath.

Happy Mother's Day to all you mommy birds everywhere.

2009-05-01T10:59:00.006-05:00

Trumpet has been in a bit of a funk lately. Some of you may know that Trumpet and Miss Maggie of Dear Daisy Cottage have had a bit of a falling out. Maggie's moved on. Maybe you saw the comment Trumpet left on the post that broke his heart.

Fickleness thy name is Maggie.

I thought we had something special. That we understood each other. Sure, these long-dog/long-distance things are seldom smooth, but now I see you have a new hound in your life. Flowers, Maggie? I never knew you like flowers. I thought that the occasional stick and dead chickadee was romantic AND original. But you sold me out for some lousy tulips and some soul full eyes.

Well, I hope you two are very happy on your little walk. Really. I'm not bitter. There are other dogs in the park.

If you want me I'll be listening to Sade on my iPup or watching The Notebook over and over and NOT THINKING ABOUT YOU. Or your cute little bandanna. Or the way your ears look all fluffy when you're napping.

Posted by: Trumpet | April 24, 2009 at 10:34 AM

I've been trying to cheer him up, get him "back on the horse" so to speak. I'm thinking of posting this for him on one of the dating sites, maybe PetChemistry.com? Let me know what you think:

Single Black & Tan male seeks female companion who enjoys napping, chewing, and long walks. Chivalry is not dead, I will supply the plastic bag for pick up. I enjoy footwear, dead birds, and rolling in foul-odored, decomposing material. I majored in Liberal Arfs. My philosophy on life is that edible is a state of mind.

I'd like to share my perfect, romantic dinner with you. We'd begin with a flip-flop appetizer by candlelight followed by licking the remnants out of a Lean Cuisine tray with a side of Legos. For dessert: I would love to feed you a very collectible and expensive Yu Gi Oh card. We can finish with two clear pink marbles swallowed whole.

Sense of humor and aversion to Basset Hounds and tulips a must.

peek -a - BOO

2009-04-13T12:55:00.004-05:00

I shipped off four boxes today to Art Doll Quarterly. I can't show all of you what was in the boxes, but I can give you a peek and tell you to be on the look out for some Beezles on your newsstand this August.

Just in time for Halloween.

Spoooooooky.

Happy Easter

2009-04-12T08:37:00.004-05:00

He paid our debt to set us free.

And the dead are no longer dead.

Happy Easter! Christos Anesti!*

For pix of some of my favorite Easter goodies, click here.

*(a week early to the Eastern Orthodox contingent)

Age of Aquarius

2009-04-10T14:29:00.009-05:00

(singing to self) "This is the dawning of the age of the Under the Sea Swap hosted by Zan Asha at Wild at Heart Art, the Under the Sea Swap hosted by Zan Asha......"

Oh. Hi. Um. Didn't see you standing there. So. Have you heard about the Under the Sea Swap Zan Asha is hosting? What? You don't know Zan? Why, she's a new art dolling friend of mine with a super cool name. Sounds like she might be part anime or something, maybe related to this guy?

Anyway. You can click on the badge below for all the details but basically, here's all you need to know: if you like art dolls and swaps, sign up at Zan's site before May 8th, ok? I've already jumped in. Yep. I'm swimming in my first swap ever. Debbi is off the deep end too. Come on in -- the water's fine!

Here's a sample of Zan's work, it's an adorable Sea Kitten. Not to be confused with these.

You can get you some of Zan's cute creatures at her Etsy shop here. And remember: you should always wait at least 45 minutes after eating before signing up for any water-related art swap.

UPS = Unexpected Package Surprise!

2009-04-08T19:21:00.009-05:00

I gotta tell ya. The only thing better than meeting cool & talented people on the interweb is meeting cool & talented people on the interweb who are gracious and generous and prone to shipping gifts! See that little guy eye-ballin ya in the picture above? He's just arrived at his new home - a place of honor on my studio wall.

This creation is courtesy of the proprietrix of Kristen Beason Designs. Did you note the custom printed ribbon? The professional and elegantly designed business card? Well, that's just the wrapping. Wait, there's more....(you following me camera guy?)

TA-DA!

The bunny is mounted in an 8 x 8 shadow box and is even more wonderful in person than he looks hare, um, here. I can hardly stand it: the eyebrow that arches and then ticks up and down. The heart shaped nose and twitchy little whiskers. The watch face on his little cottontail. All that AND the clock on his belly is right twice a day!

This one is mine, but you can get some of KBD's Sunday Best just in time for Easter here.

Thanks, Kristen. He will be treasured.

And Mom always said extortion would never pay off.

hmph.

And the winner is.....

2009-04-07T17:13:00.003-05:00

Flora Thompson at Bone Head Studios!

Thanks to everyone for following my blog.

2009-04-03T18:52:00.009-05:00

I received this lover-ly award from my new cyba-sistah, Kristen Beason. I found Kristen through another blog that I had found through yet another. I then cyber-stalked her until she finally replied to my comments and emails and FB pokes - I guess friending me was cheaper than getting the attorney to file the restraining order.

Kristen Beason Designs 2009 - March STJ Piece

For those of you who don't know Kristen, you will soon. Kristen is an active member of the American Holiday Artists, EHAG and Spooky Time Jingles. It seems as though these doll and holiday folks are all very talented and unnaturally nice. They willingly share their tricks and treats, providing lots of eye-candy for we blog cruisers knocking on their doors, looking for something sweet. I have added several of them to my link-o-rama and added even more to my Google reader.

Kristen Beason Designs 2009 - March STJ piece

If you are like me and love chasing links down virtual rabbit holes and finding yourself in new wonderful worlds - do what I did: when I went to Kristen's blog to collect my award, I followed the link to the blogger that gave the award to her. I saw who he nominated and who nominated him and as a result found several more wonderful blogs I wouldn't have found otherwise. It's way more productive than taking yet another stupid quiz on FB to determine what type of salad dressing you are. (Yes, I'm Green Goddess, duh.)

AND, while I'm giving out unsolicited advice on how you spend your surf time, if you haven't done so, I encourage you to subscribe/follow blogs you enjoy and build your own custom, virtual, on demand magazine. I have so many that I follow now, I can take a five minute break, go into my reader, and get lost in the creations and musings of my artsy pals.

This award is to be paid forward to 7 more blogs, I have chosen ones that are either new to me or my link-o-rama. Do yourself a favor and go visit these bloggers:

In honor of these Halloween-enamored and/or doll-making friends, here is a skelly Beezle who's a little of both. Enjoy your blog tour!

Bee Balm

2009-03-31T20:40:00.006-05:00

I felt like the Bumble Beezle needed something, she looked incomplete. Or as Debbi would say "unresolved." She needed a little oomph. Some addition that would build her narrative and give her context. That idea took root and bloomed.

The grass tuft, stem, and flower center are made from polymer clay, the petals from a silk flower. I inked the petals up a bit.

Bulletin Bored? Try this.

2009-03-29T12:47:00.011-05:00

The bulletin board over my studio desk was so beat up and fugly, I was sick of looking at it. I almost threw it in the yard sale pile. But then I thought: hmm, I have some of that wonderful Tula Pink charm pack left and some decoupage medium. A couple hours later here's what it looked like. No way it's going in the yard sale now.

And here are a two sculpts I'm working on, now re-energized by my colorful inspiration board:

This is my first attempt at sculpting something humanish. Her head is Sculpey, the up-do is paperclay painted with watercolor. Still working out the body. So far its a Diet Coke bottle, one of those miniature glass ones that are so cute.

This is a Sculpey Bumble Beezle. I used very high speed film to capture her in flight. Thinking about adding a flower for her to hover over. Gonna let it sit a while and ferment first. This was the first piece where I used wire armature for the legs-- that's how I got the bend in them. I think more flying Beezles are in my future.

Pop Goes the Beezle Give Away

2009-03-27T20:32:00.014-05:00

I know, I fall off the grid. Go dark. Wander off the reservation and don't blog for weeks then twice in one night. Some call me inconsistent and unreliable, I prefer spontaneous and unpredictable!

I've been spending all my available time toiling away in the studio cranking out bunches of Beezles. I have the cracked cuticles to prove it and everything. Here's a sneak peak at some stuff I've been working on....

An unbaked head in progress.

A baked head being fitted for atennae.

Some thimble-sized goody buckets to fill with teeny-weeny candy.

Now, I'd like you to meet Nikolai: a Vampire-Beezle-in-the-Box. He vants to come live with you. He's actually not at all dangerous, despite his Nosferatu fangs. His collar and sleeves are cut from real leather. His head and hands are made from paper clay. I stamped his fabric body with the signature Beezle x.

Nikolai likes long flights after dark, sleeping in till after sundown, and type A positive women. Turn offs are wooden stakes, garlic breath and daylight. Think you might be a match? Well here's your chance to find out.

I'm going to give him away to one lucky follower.

Here's the deal - if you are already follow my blog, you are automatically entered in the contest. If you're not a subscriber and would like a chance at winning Nikolai, then for Beezle Pete's sake: subscribe! Just join in the right hand margin under "Mixed Maniacs" or add www.praterposte.blogspot.com to your blog reader. I always love your comments, but to enter the drawing you have to follow, ok? Cyber-stalk me. Here's more info on following if you need it.

In a week or six (kidding, kidding, just a little blog humor there, ha ha, it won't be six weeks, five maybe, but six?) I will chose a winner at random.

The first time I did something like this was in honor of my 100th post and I shipped the blog candy all the way to Norway. For my 200th I gave away a copy of Mixed Mania. However, considering the infrequency with which I've been posting I may not hit 300 before I'm too old and arthritic to type, so might as well give something away while I can still point and click.

Good luck and thanks for stopping by! Promise to fill you in on the mystery Beezles soon. I know, a real cliff hanger, try to cope.

Greeks Bearing Feta. And Fabric.

2009-03-27T17:02:00.014-05:00

My mom, Barbara, aka World's Greatest Cook and honorary Greek, won a recipe contest! We are so proud of her, but to those of us who have dined at her table, this is no big surprise. My mom can look into a near empty fridge and whip up something fabulous. It was hardly fair for the other mere-mortals who competed.

Having mastered many Italian and Greek Delights, Mom even took some Cordon Bleu classes back in the day. While other kids were eating sloppy joes and mac n cheese and fish sticks - the Karounos kids were dining on homemade Chicken Kiev. In the 70s ok? You couldn't drive over to the warehouse club and get them frozen back then. That is unless you were driving Michael J. Fox's Delorean and time traveled forward a couple decades to Costco. But then you would have had to have known about a movie that hadn't been made yet and it all gets very Mobius Strip-y and circular and self-reflexive and none of that has anything to do with Chicken Kiev. Look. The point is Mom was ahead of her time cuisine-wise and we ate really well, ok?

Anyway, (try to focus here, will you people?) there were over 100 entries -- the winner is pictured above and looking cute as a button in her red capri pants, wearing the glasses we gave her for Mother's Day. She was awarded a gift certificate AND..................wait for it.......her Athenian Pasta recipe added to the menu!

The chef added shrimp to Mom's recipe, but for those of you looking for a great vegetarian dish, especially during Lent, here's her original formula for Athenian Pasta.

1 lb. angel hair pasta (prepare in pot as directed on package)

Use a large frying pan to prepare the following ingredients:

1 Pkg (10 oz) ready to use (cut and clean) fresh spinach

1 lge can of petite diced tomatoes incl. liquid

1/2 cup crumbled Feta cheese

2 tbsp. grated Romano cheese

1/4 cup pitted Calamata olives (for that unique touch)

2 small cloves of crushed garlic

salt, pepper and basil, olive oil

Sauté garlic in olive oil, add pkg. of fresh spinach and cook until limp (drain some of the liquid from frying pan)

Add diced tomatoes to pan and stir to mix

Lightly salt to taste, pepper, sprinkle basil and grated cheese over mixture

Cook down (about 15 minutes), then add Feta cheese, Romano cheese & quartered (pitted) Calamata olives

Stir, leaving feta not completely melted

Add mixture to cooked pasta and blend

Serve with more feta and Romano sprinkled over pasta and spinach mixture

Ok, now that your tummies are full, how about a feast for the eyes? Something to satisfy your creative hunger? And this second course is still in keeping with the Greek theme - some hot mezes, if you will. Heck, this is like saganaki hot, only without the cheese. Or the singed hair.

Vintage Cate, or YiaYia Katina (did I translate that correctly?), that nice Greek girl over at A Charmed Life (also Features Editor at Cloth Paper Scissors and author Mixed Media Self-Portraits and a whole bunch of other impressive stuff) is giving away some delicious fabrics. And you thought we only gave wooden horses.

Just follow the link and comment. It's a win-win: you get a chance at the yummy fabrics and I won't be in deep ca ca. Make sure you tell her I sent you or it won't count and she'll think up some way to (ahem) repay me.

Kali orexi!

Beezle Adoption Center Now Open!

2009-03-09T19:00:00.003-05:00

Etsy shop has Beezles.

You can click on the little Etsy badge in the right margin.

What? Stop looking at me like that. They'll go to a good home.

Dinos may be extinct, but they never go out of style

2009-02-27T18:28:00.014-05:00

My mother-in-law, Carol, made a quilt for her dear friend Betty's grand-baby. All of her friends at My Quilt Shoppe in Hendersonville loved the carnivorous quilt. In fact, they are going feature it on their website. But I scooped them and posted it here first. (I am married to her only son and the mother of her grandchickens so technically I have that right.)

The quilt, that I saw in various states of doneness, turned out fantastic. Grandma Carol sure is a whiz on that Bernina. And look at the colors from the wonderful Moda Fabrics!

Here it is on the clothesline at her cabin in the mountains of North Carolina.

Hard to tell from the pictures, but the teeth really jump out at ya. (What is it with Praters and teeth?)

Carol has sewn so many wonderful things for the boys over the years, their first snowsuits that made them look like white quilted starfish, duvet covers for their nursery, she even made Christening gowns with little Scandinavian sailor hats for them from the train of my wedding dress. But the most beloved of all handmade things would have to be the boys' dinosaur Halloween costumes when they were three years old.

The above photos are scanned from my scrapbook. I hand-tinted the photos using oils and Qtips. Real high-tech. The tails were stuffed. Connor, who was dino-obsessed, wore it for years, until he couldn't fit into it anymore. Yes I still have the dino suits in a bin upstairs, no I won't ever get rid of them.

Here we are in front of our house in Homewood with Nana.

Reesie with our dear Winona in the background.

Jonah's Beezle

2009-02-21T18:31:00.002-05:00

This blue Beezle is for Jonah, who is scheduled to be born into this world sometime in April.

Tiffany Blue & Zombies Too

2009-02-19T17:55:00.006-05:00

I wish I had taken a picture of Tiffany (above) next to Giselle for scale, but Tiffany is at her new home now so it's too late. I'll just have to live with that regret and you will have to live with my whining about it.

You would have seen, had I the foresight, patience, and photographic talent, that Tiffany is actually less than half the size of her Beezles ancestors. She stands about 4.5" tall while the others are 11 to 15" each once mounted.

I thought, in my giddy Sculpey-stupor, that somehow smaller would be quicker and easier and more fun. Uh-doy. But did turn out really cute.

The other big diff is that instead of being mounted on a block she's standing on a mound of clay. Kinda like it.

Here's what I don't like: The new American Idol format. Excruciating. Why oh why did they have to mess with the formula? Anyone?

And finally, here's something that I'm not sure if I'll love or hate, but it's one of two extremes seeing as it's the long awaited union of my two great loves: Austen and Sci Fi.

Darcy vs The Undead.

Really.

Breeding Beezles

2009-02-01T15:06:00.000-05:00

Vivian and Shelby

2009-02-01T12:28:00.006-05:00

Vivian has a wool scarf.

Mary Janes were by request.

Happy Deb?

Shelby - a two piece ensemble.

Beezlemania

2009-01-28T22:23:00.010-05:00

Debbi suggested covering the dowel legs with clay. Good advice. Now they're much more like my sketches and paintings with the lumpy, misshapen legs.

This is the finished Beezle Pete on his pedestal.

Drilling the dowel holes into the blocks is so gratifying.

I love seeing all the wood shavings come out.

Giselle now has a heart on her frock and cotton candy colored tights.

Someone wants to adopt her.

Don't know if I can part with her yet.

Giselle and Beezle Pete

2009-01-25T20:43:00.003-05:00

I'm addicted to Sculpey. The first shot is Giselle, my first Sculpey Beezle attempt. I learned a lot putting her together and made some orthodontic and engineering improvements on the second one, Beezle Pete. In the works: a Spicey Cyborg: half Sculpey Robot, half metal assemblage.

Budget Beezle

2009-01-18T20:38:00.006-05:00

I have been playing with the idea of making a 3D Beezle for a while. I thought I might make a plushy at first, but then a couple of things changed my mind:

1. I am too lazy heave my dang Viking out of the closet and onto the table

2. Judy Wise has been cranking out a whole fabulous Sculpey sorority

3. Said Sculpey is on sale at Michael's for $1

Number three did it. I got a Beezle in the oven. Gestation is about 15 minutes per 1/4 inch at 275 degrees.

I'll keep you posted.

Great Works of Art

2009-01-17T13:28:00.001-05:00

Wrapping and a Rug

2008-12-28T15:25:00.005-05:00

Instead of tagging the boys' gifts, this year I color coded. I'm sure a lot of twin moms do this when their twins are infants, it helps keep pacifiers in the right mouths and is a courtesy to those who can't tell the babies apart. Reese was red-baby, Connor was blue-baby. So this year it looked like Christmas in July under the tree.

While I fell miserably short of my 52 canvases for the year, I took on this last painting project today. I was tired of looking at the bare concrete, so I painted a rug onto my studio floor. It's just acrylic and graphite. It was a fun project, but man my knees are killing me. I now have the urge to sing the theme from Aladdin every time I walk in there.

Georgia Snowmen

2008-11-30T15:58:00.003-05:00

If you got the most recent Cloth Paper Scissors magazine, maybe you have been itching to try your hand at Sue Pelletier's snowmen too. I finally gave in and broke out the mica flakes. Using only what I had rattling around the studio (and emptying out some syrup bottles) here's my bunch. If I can stand to part with any of them they may end up being hostess gifts. I got about 8 snow ball heads out of one little package of Delight paper clay.

The one with the green wings is made from a shot gun shell. It's mounted on the lid of an ammo can. That one's for Mark.

Now I want some hot chocolate.

Last Call, Aunt Sandy

2008-11-16T18:09:00.003-05:00

Well, our lucky winner hasn't contacted me with her mailing address yet. If I don't hear from Sandy soon I will be forced to draw an new winner for an autographed copy of Mixed Mania.

Today, a new Beazlebot for ya.

Lucky Winners Announced!

2008-11-03T13:09:00.003-05:00

Sandy alias Aunt Sandy - you won the drawing for an autographed copy of mine and Debbi's Mixed Mania!

Julie has won Cate Prato's MM Self Portraits!

Please email me your addresses so I can ship your books out to you!

You can send it to c.prater[at]comcast.net

Congratulations and have fun media mixing!

Prato, Prater, Repartee (not a Latin verb conjugation)

2008-10-31T07:51:00.013-05:00

Update: Leave a comment to enter a random drawing for a copy of Cate's Book!

Today I am interviewing Cate Coulacos Prato, aka Vintage Cate, author of Mixed Media Self Portraits, a wonderful compilation of art, techniques and inspiration featuring me, Cheryl Prater, and lots of other great artists you may know.

Is it true that you have the same initials and a similar sounding name as I, Cheryl (Karounos) Prater, co-author of Mixed Mania, now available at all major book stores and online booksellers?

Yes, Cheryl Karounos Prater and Cate Coulacos Prato, are similar names but that's not really surprising considering we are Siamese twins connected at the Acropolis.

How much fun was it working with me, Cheryl Prater, for your book?

It was wonderful working with you, as always, especially when I could get you to focus on MY book, Mixed-Media Self-Portraits, instead of your book with Debbi Crane, Mixed Mania, which you were producing at the same time. I especially enjoyed the part where I had to threaten to send Photoshopped pictures of you with Bill Clinton to Mark to get you to meet the deadline.

Cate, why is it that you didn't go with the title I suggested: “Cheryl Prater and also a bunch of her Mixed Media Friends Make Self Portraits and Stuff"?

I was tempted. Really. But aside from Debbi Crane who is also featured, the 21 other artists in the book are not your friends.

Many popular films have been based on books, for example, The Secret Life of Bees is out right now, who do you think will play me, Cheryl Prater, in the movie version of your book?

Michael Chiklis.

Aside from me, Cheryl Prater, who are your influences?

Cheryl Praton, Sherry Prado, Cherry Potato, and Edith Wharton.

Why do you love and admire me so much? Because we share a Greek heritage? Because I'm so funny and talented? Because I'm co-author of Mixed Mania with Debbi Crane? (I know it's difficult, but due to space constraints keep your comments brief. Limit 50,000 characters.)

Um. Okay.

Finally, what response do you have to the rumors that your youngest daughter is promised to one of the Prater boys?

I would say, save the date: May 23, 2018. Zeus and the Olympians have already been booked for the reception.

Well, enough about you Cate, let's talk about me for a change.

Sure. Buy Mixed Mania by Cheryl Prater and Debbi Crane. You'll find it at quiltingarts.com and Amazon.com, ranked right below the best-selling book in the category, Mixed-Media Self-Portraits by Cate Coulacos Prato.

Thanks Cate. As always, it's been a pleasure talking with me.

Don't Hang Up!

2008-10-14T12:02:00.008-05:00

You know how you have a friend that you think about all the time. You plan to call or email them everyday but for some reason you don't. And then inertia sets in and so much time passes since you've contacted them that you're kinda embarrassed to even call?

Um, yeah. Hi! It's me! I have a really good reason for not checking in sooner but you'll just have to take my word for it. I'm better. I'm fine. And no, for those of you speculating, I was not forcibly institutionalized, but thanks for your confidence.

Now that THAT awkwardness is out of the way: This is my 200th post. So in honor of that nearly missed occasion and the upcoming release of Mixed Mania here's the deal:

Flip through the pages

2008-07-02T20:08:00.011-05:00

Last year, Debbi made me a gorgeous book for my birthday. It took me until last week to get the guts up to make a mark in it. Now I can't stop.

This is the doodle on which I based my lino cut.

Then I started practicing my drawing techniques from "Right Side" and drew and watercolored this topiary that sits on my mantle.

Then some doodles and faces and other things, including a cat that looks like the kind of creature Katie Kendrick might draw.

These faces are sort of androgynous, but lean toward the masculine to my eye. These were freehand with a reference.

I have always admired Judy Wise's paintings and tried my hand using one of hers as a reference. Nowhere near the level that Judy works, but it was fun to do. On 6x6 canvas.

This last one is a painting over a collage based on one of the sketches above. I really enjoyed this method. The marks were made with a General Pencil, the kind that writes on glass, drawn over acrylic and caran d'ache on a 6x6 canvas.

Next post: 200

Pix from our trip to Florida

2008-07-02T10:42:00.008-05:00

We were all packed, the dog was wet and smelling up the car, kids were in the backseat fighting. We even rolled out on time: 7am on the dot. First time ever.

Didn’t even get out of the neighborhood when I discovered the boys forgot the books I told them to bring 47 billion times. Back to the house, unlock the door, get books, pile in again.

Mark: Wha—hey, the key won’t turn.

Cheryl: What?

Mark: The. Key. Won't. Turn.

{Insert fifteen minutes of jiggling the key, shimmying the steering wheel, rocking the car, stomping the brake, wiggling the gear shift, pounding head against dashboard, swearing, praying.)

Cheryl: Let me try my key.

No dice. The laws of physics did not change despite my getting into the driver’s seat.

A quick bit of Google research uncovered that it’s likely the ignition lock. We'll probably need a new key lock, key lock housing and possibly a new park lock cable assembly.

Needless to say, Lucy and Desi won’t be going to Florida and the Yukon has gone to the shop.

Note skid marks from the truck being forcibly dragged onto the flat bed.

Bye! Thanks for scraping the foot of the driveway!
See you in about $500.

Eavesdropping on the Praters

2008-07-01T08:28:00.004-05:00

Mark: You know, Atlanta just isn't freakin' hot enough in July. Isn't there a way we can get closer to the equator without leaving the contiguous US?

Cheryl: Hey! I know! Let's visit my folks in South Florida. We can pack up the boys and the dog and burn about $400 in gas by driving 20+ hours round trip! Oooh....maybe Trumpet will vomit!

Mark: Great idea, but I'm worried about gaining weight while we're at your folks'.

Cheryl: Yeah, my Mom's a great cook.

Mark: True, but it's not that. I'm concerned about the empty calories in all the beer I'll have to drink to get through the visit.

Copycat

2008-06-29T13:55:00.003-05:00

Looking at your reference upside down is the next exercise in "Drawing Right." I admired Juliana Coles' self-portrait the current CPS pictured below. That cowgirl's got skills, y'all. See more in her etsy store.

I followed it loosely and this is my result.

Not a great facsimile, I gave mine curly hair and made a couple other edits - some intentional. On the whole, it doesn't stink. I think my portrait looks a little like Linda Hamilton in T2, you know, when she had the killer biceps?

Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain

2008-06-28T17:02:00.012-05:00

Didn't know I'd been drawing on the wrong side, but I have. I am packing up and moving out of the left side of my noodle in an effort to improve my drawing skills.

I have reached a point in my art where I want to express things that I don't have the ability to accomplish, so I've decided to take a drawing class. The class starts in September and is for Intermediate to Advanced drawers. I have never taken drawing, so I tapped Bets y and asked her what I should do to prepare. She suggested Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain by Betty Edwards.

I got the book last night and am very impressed with the approach, now over forty years old, but it's new to me. Here are two before and after self portraits of students of Betty's -- the before completed before instruction (5 day intensive, 8 hours a day) and the after on the end of the fifth day. Remarkable. Even better than a Proactive ad.

See more gallery pictures here.

The book recommends that you complete three drawings before beginning the study to benchmark your current skills: your hand (non dominant as model), a self portrait, and a person from memory - no visual reference. I have completed two of the three and have posted them here. I hope to see the dramatic results the two students above accomplished. We'll see.

I've never really tried a self-portrait and was a little surprised that this one came out as well as it did. I am pretty happy with the nose. The eyes are too big, the irises too. I look like one of the victims of that plague in the X Files movie, or like this baby, only grown up.

Reese and I went to APS for orientation today. So exciting! More on that later.

For those of you keeping count, only 5 more posts till the bicentennial blowout.

Extra! Extra! Get your Embellishments!

2008-06-26T14:02:00.010-05:00

If you aren't a subscriber to Cloth Paper Scissors' free e-newsletter, you can sign up for Embellishments here.

Today's mailing is of particular interest, pasted below for your viewing pleasure, as well as my own self-serving purposes.

Pre-order now & Save!
Mixed-Media Self-Portraits and Mixed Mania

We're publishing two new mixed-media books this fall, and you're invited to preview them and pre-order now at a special savings. We're publishing two new mixed-media books this fall, and you're invited to preview them and pre-order now at a special savings.

Mixed-Media Self-PortraitsInspiration & Techniques
By Cate Coulacos Prato

Filled to the brim with a wealth of inspiration, creative prompts, techniques and compelling artwork, from many of your favorite artists, this book is an artistic guide to representing the self creatively in mixed-media, featuring a range from art quilts and assemblage to art dolls and collage. Makers of all skill levels and media--collage, mixed media, art quilt, paper craft, and book arts--will enjoy the focus on this very popular art form.

Click here to pre-order Cate's book.

Mixed Mania: Recipes for Delicious Mixed Media Creations
By Debbi Crane and Cheryl Prater

Frequent Cloth Paper Scissors contributors Debbi Crane and Cheryl Prater have whipped up this book featuring 20-plus smart and sassy projects divided like a cookbook into appetizers, main courses, and sweet treats for a fresh perspective on creating mixed-media projects. From artist books to assemblage, art quilts to art dolls, it's all here, plus how-to instructions on a variety of mixed-media, collage, and surface design techniques.

Click here to pre-order our book. Click it, you know you want to.

The Quilting Arts Book
by Patricia Bolton

This is Art Quilting 101 in a book! Patricia Bolton, founder and editor-in-chief of Quilting Arts Magazine, has assembled some of the most popular topics, articles, and artists from past issues of Quilting Arts Magazine--plus innovative new techniques offered by today's most respected contemporary quilt artists--in this definitive art-quilting technique and inspiration book.

Click here to pre-order Pokey's new book.

I am rapidly closing in on 200 posts. The prize? An autographed copy of.....wait for it.......Mixed Mania! Signed by BOTH authors. OoooooOoooooooooo.

Get ready to stop lurking and start commenting.

And you thought a pasta machine was weird?

2008-06-23T21:13:00.003-05:00

Susan Rostow and William Jung, the creators of Akua ink, used a steamroller. Really. Just think of the size of the ravioli you could get with that thing.

Check out the slide show, even their son Jarrett got in on this collaborative print - with his skateboard.

Pasta Prints

2008-06-23T20:24:00.002-05:00

I am still experimenting making lino cut prints on my pasta machine. I am getting the hang of carving the lino and really having fun doing it. The Akua is awesome. The pasta machine is proving to be heck on the carvings, though.

Linos are a bit tricky to ink up. It's easy to over ink or under ink the block, so I have to do a lot of pulls to get a few decent prints with my make-shift printer. The problem is that after about 20 or 30 pulls, the lino is breaking down.

Because the pasta machine only opens so wide, I can't put in a kind of "printing bed" that would keep the block flat as I crank it through and as a result I think there's too much torque on the block. (Or maybe my lino is just too al dente?) The samples below were all printed on different types of paper, which accounts for some of the differences, but take a look at what I mean:

This is an early pull. A proof to see if the block needed more cutting and if I liked the border I left as a frame. I knew I wanted to clean up the carving around the cloud and thought that the lino may feed more easily if the border were removed.

Ok, this second example is mostly over inked and a patch under inked on the far right. This print is showing the stress fractures I was talking about. Look at the base of the ear on the right, the wrinkles around either eye, the X on his sweater is starting to crack. Bummer. I really liked this carving, too.

Here's the final example in our forensic study. The hairline (hare-line?) cracks are much more pronounced. I have some ghosting in the cloud from where the paper probably shifted mid-print. Back to the drawing board.

Possible solutions I am toying with:

Using a different kind of lino? The kind I'm using is softer than the traditional battleship gray variety.
Printing on Japanese paper and using a baren instead of a noodle maker.
Buying a scratch-off lotto ticket, winning millions and purchasing a press
Joining the APS.

There are a lot of talented printmakers who work at the Atlanta Printmakers Studio that I would love to ink up next to. Check out Laura Bell's lovely, lovely work as well as Marie Weaver's gorgeous prints. I want to party with those chicks.

On the Menu: Intaglio with Akua

2008-06-21T17:49:00.011-05:00

No, Itaglio is not a fancy noodle and Akua is not some exotic fish, but if you are interested in trying your hand at printmaking (and who isn't, I mean that's what Mixed Media is about, right? We do it because we have short attentions spans and like new new new!) Here's the recipe for setting up your own little print shop at home.

First you'll need a press, they're pricey and take up a lot of space, but a pasta machine is an inexpensive way to dip your toe in the ink. You can print acrylic drypoint etchings and lino cuts about the size of an ATC very easily on a cheapie-Charlie noodle maker.

Now you need ink, right? Oil based is the standard among printmakers. But Cher, you say, I'm lazy and messy and afraid of solvents. Me too, but check it, baby:

Last week, I was having so much fun mixing colors and printing at Arrowmont, it made me want to experiment with printmaking at home. "Why can't someone make a water based ink?" I lamented aloud. (Shocking, as usually I don't say what's on my mind.)

"Someone does." said Diane Fine, my printmaking instructor. She told me about Akua water based inks, but they sounded too good to be true. I had to try them as soon as I got home. I googled Akua and Susan, of Rostow and Jung fame, hooked me up! Thanks, Susan! I received my box of goodies and got to carvin lino.

The colors are deep and gorgeous, clean up is a breeze, and best of all, they are virtually odorless which is great news if you get headaches from prolonged exposure to solvent based inks (Debbi). The inks are so smooth and rich. You can't believe they aren't oil based until you go to wash up.

You can buy Akua here.

I printed this bird in two colors, Red Oxide and the Phthalo Blue. And if mine look this good, imagine what a really great carving would look like. Now go order some Akua and get cooking!

ps Here's my weekly art. A Blue Beazle Bunny. Who cares, I'd rather be printing. : )

Dead Bird Knitting

2008-06-19T14:03:00.003-05:00

If you've been reading my blog or Debbi's for the last few days, you may be curious about some of the comments and allusions to dead birds. I'll let you all in on the inspiration for this as well as those remarks. A picture is worth a thousand words, and in some cases inducement for waking up screaming in the middle of the night, so here you go:

While at Arrowmont, one of the instructors showed a slide of an installation by an artist that had inspired her. It was the above: "Boarders at Rest (Le Repos des pensionnaires), 1971-72. Taxidermized birds and wool, each approximately 4 3/4 x 4 x 1 1/4 inches" by French artist Annette Messager. View more fodder for your nightmares here.

Re-Entry

2008-06-15T16:43:00.011-05:00

Back to real life after a wonderful week with Debbi and Lori at Arrowmont. In addition to checking myself in to self-imposed food rehab (we were spoiled with homemade hummus, farm fresh tomatoes and various fabulous baked goods and desserts including Chocolate Macaroons! Y'all know how I feel about macaroons) I have to get back in the habit of doing things like going to work and wearing a bra and making eye contact with my kids.

I borrowed these pix of the campus from Lynette Andreasen, a lovely young woman who is blogging about her experiences at our favorite oasis in the Smokies. Above you see the Red Barn, we stayed in what used to be the hayloft.

Here's the Staff House where we took our fantastic meals, made all the better because I didn't have to plan them, cook them or do the dishes. Did I mention the Chocolate Buttermilk Cake? Oh yeah, and we made artsy stuff in between feasts.

Our instructor and world-class storyteller, Diane Fine, led us in collaborative printmaking and bookbinding. The "opus magnum" was our Roy G Biv Accordion Book. There were four of us in the class and each was assigned a part of the color spectrum. We printed a whole bunch of monotypes in various shades of our color and then swapped them with each other so each of us had a rainbow of prints when the book was unfurled.

I had the reds.

Debbi had Orange/Yellow.

Jane had Greens.

Emma had Blue/Violet.

So after the swap, I had four of each to put in my book. Aren't they beautiful?

Here's a detail of a completed book.

You can open these accordion books and arrange them into sculptures.

We also made collaborative pamphlet books with the linos we cut.

Jill Greene, photog extraordinaire, was kind enough to take our picture for The Book, which reminds me, you can look inside and get the flavor of Mixed Mania due out Nov 2008 here. Look, there are the authors now! Unretouched photo, we're really that adorable. Debbi is wearing a glass pendant necklace she purchased at Arrowcraft.

Be sure to virtually check out Vintage Cate's book too, Mixed Media Self Portraits.

And finally, here's my weekly art

Dead Bird in Blue Sweater
It's a long story.

Live Blogging from Arrowmont

2008-06-09T22:58:00.011-05:00

Well, I'm here and having a great time with Debbi and Lori and lots of innocent bystanders. I just wanted to let y'all know I'm here safe and sound even though "them Google people caint tell die-rections."

It is a little know fact that "Arrowmont" is the Cherokee word for "molten lava." The term originates from the days when Native Americans would do crafts such as basket weaving and oil painting before retiring to a sweat lodge for the evening.

Maybe you saw it on The Weather Channel? It was approximately 67000 degrees Calvin on the second floor of the Red Barn yesterday. It is cooler today and we have moved to a different room. Thankfully, this one is much more comfortable as it is only a bit warmer than the surface of the sun. I've sweat off seven pounds while cleansing my system of dangerous toxins! Just two of the many benefits of sleep away art camp.

More later, it's kinda hard typing when your left index finger has been violently stabbed with a #3 lino cutting blade (bandages are included in the lab fee). Besides, I can't run the laptop and the box fan at the same time without causing a brown out in Pigeon Forge.

Beazle-Bots

2008-06-02T16:42:00.005-05:00

Each lives on their own asteroid like Le Petit Prince on B612.

Maybe I should have called them B612-Bots?

Countdown

2008-05-26T14:20:00.004-05:00

Less than two weeks till I make my annual pilgrimage to Arrowmont. Despite Debbi's encouragement to "go in cold," I am experimenting with lino prior to Diane Fine's class. Above is my first effort inked with a dye ink pad and run thru my pasta machine. I am very excited about experimenting and getting more proficient.

While we were in Nashville over the weekend, my aunt, Betsy Karounos, gave me a short tutorial on basic lino carving. See some of Betsy's award-winning prints here. I wish I could spend a month under her instruction.

Lori E, Debbi and I will all be roomies in the barn. Anyone else goin to Gatlinburg?

Top 10 Reasons I Don't Like it When Mark's Out of Town

2008-05-20T12:01:00.002-05:00

10. The dog was without water for at least a day before I noticed.
9. I have been doing all the laundry.
8. Our grass is higher than the neighbors'.
7. I don't like touching the garbage can.
6. No one is here to make me a protein shake.
5. My car is dirty.
4. The kids don't fear me.
3. The bananas are going bad before I can eat them all.
2. I don't know how to work the grill.
1. There's no one to open the pickle jar.

The Drought's Over

2008-05-18T16:35:00.011-05:00

Just when I was convinced that The Book had drained me of every last creative impulse, every corny, alliterative pun, every urge to pick up a caran d'ache and scribble with joyful, reckless abandon --- I'm back among the media mixing.

Haute Couture

And now that I'm back, I have an announcement to make. There's been a lot of heated debate, name-calling, and controversy over just what exactly these green thingies are. Debbi, Courtney and Whitley all insist they're bunnies, my dad calls them "toothy trolls" and I've always thought of them as partially evolved lizard/dino creatures. Over the last several months the Praterposte Doodle Kingdom has grown to include all sorts of dentally-challenged misfits, so a phylum has been created in the hopes of laying this issue to rest at last.

Beazles.

They're Beazles, ok? I have no further comment and will leave the rest of the kings playing chess on fine grained sand for another post.

Well, I'm glad we've got THAT out of the way.

So. I bought a lovely charm pack of fabric yesterday. The line is called Flutterby and it's designed by some chick who calls herself Tula Pink. With a handle like that, you know she's gotta be some kinda dang surface design genius.

Anyhoo, I incorporated this yummy Flutterby stuff into a few paintings in two ways: as clothing as seen above and just below, and as a background element in the last two. (Sorry about the blurry pix, but my camera got stolen in Jamaica a couple of months ago. I know, you really feel for me having been the victim of crime while vacationing in the Caribbean in the dead of winter.) The iPhone ain't the greatest for taking snaps and I can't scan these either because of the 3-D stuff poking out of them so just squint and pretend they're in focus. See, that's not so bad.

Hannah's Mary Janes

These last two pay homage to Tula Pink and her bugged out designs.

GloBug

*****STOP*****

!!!!!!ATTENTION DEBBI CRANE!!!!!

SPOILER ALERT

Ok, this is the part of the program where Debbi needs to log off or be clobbered with an image of her birthday present. I know. This is silly. As if Debbi reads my blog.

Deb Bee

I never did show y'all what Debbi made me for my birthday. Know why? Because the pix were blurry, but now that we've all got this squinting and pretending routine down I might just do that.

Mother's Day

2008-05-11T17:00:00.008-05:00

I know the boys look very small in this picture, but they were a whopping four pounds a piece, almost double their birth weights, at nearly two months old. I have eaten burritos larger that.

The white wires coming out of their clothes hooked up to monitors that alarmed when their hearts would slow down or when they'd stop breathing. The little Christmas outfits they are swimming in are actually preemie sized. That look on my face? Terror tempered with lipstick.

Today's painting was inspired by the above photo:

And here are our attempts at a Mother-Sons picture outside of IHOP this morning......

I saw a woman in the restaurant with twin baby girls. When my boys were little like that people always said to me, "Wow, you have your hands full," and I learned to reply, "Better full than empty."

Happy Mother's Day to all of you with full hands.

Planning a Visit in 4 Steps by Nana & Popou

2008-05-05T12:21:00.008-05:00

Plan for weeks that you are coming from South Florida to visit us Mother's Day Weekend
Call 10 days prior to said visit and cancel due to another obligation thus crushing grand children's spirits and brightening son-in-law's
Call one hour later and announce you may be coming THIS weekend and will let us know
Call six hours later and say, "Sheerel, we're 40 miles out of Tampa."

They got in at 1am Friday morning and left before dawn this morning. Do other people's parents arrive and depart under cover of darkness or just mine?

So. I took my mom to Wal-Mart for some new prescription sunglasses for Mother's Day. There was a LIVE Mariachi band playing next to the Food Court in anticipation of Cinqo de Mayo. And because everyone knows that Mexican Polka music is much better enjoyed with a sinus headache, you can imagine my elation. THEN this woman in a lavender jersey pantsuit totally wiped out in the lobby of the Vision Center. She said she was trying to sit down on one of those rolling stools but I think it was actually a Chicken Dance accident. Ever watch AFV? It happens.

Later that day, only somewhat recovered from what will from now on be referred to simply as "the Vision Center Incident," Mom and I went to Costco to buy a beef tenderloin. We came home with a 42" flat screen TV and a case of wine. Some people buy packs of gum or magazines on impulse. These people are amateurs.

Sunday evening, in preparation of their departure, Dad went through his usual ritual of filling up his two ginormous coolers with ice for the drive home. He proceeded to dump EVERY cube from our ice maker into his coolers, making a several minute long ruckus during Masterpiece Theatre. I looked over to Mark who was already staring in my direction, bewildered.

Mark: What does he need all that ice for? We never travel with ice.

Me: Mom, is Dad transporting human organs across state lines? If you guys need some gas money just say so.

Of course, she doesn't understand our amusement. This is a woman who once walked off a four-hour Air Tran flight with several servings of Eggplant Parmesan in her purse.

So, as of dark:thirty today:

parents are dispatched
monster television is precariously/temporarily set up on the mantle
the children are suffering withdrawal from lack of candy, presents and attention

Mom and Dad will be back in a couple of months. Hopefully the ice maker will have replenished our supply by then.

Sidewalk Chalk

2008-04-28T19:33:00.005-05:00

Some days it's just too hard to sit inside. Last week the 4th - 7th graders and I took Art to the streets -- well the parking lot at least. See some wonderful talent here? I take full credit.

A world of pink walruses and daisies would be a pretty nice world of stuff, indeed.

Remember when I had a blog?

2008-04-23T10:41:00.003-05:00

So we've been travelling. And after all our vacationing and cruising and eating and drinking and weight gaining the last few weeks, Mark signed us up for a 12 week "nutrition program." He made our appointment and sent me an email that read like this:

Tomorrow
5:30
Fat Farm

The first day on the plan we were watching TV with the volume cranked up in an effort to drown out the sound of our growling stomachs -- Top Chef was not the best viewing choice -- and he looked over at me and yelled:

"You know in the cartoons when two characters are stranded on an island, starving, and one of them looks at the other and sees a big fried chicken leg?"

"Yeah. What do I look like to you right now?"

"A chocolate Entenmanns donut."

Aside from starving, also on the plan is cardio! And stretching! Last week, at the advice of my fitness coach (who will hereafter be referred to as The Exer-Sadist) I went to a "PiYo" class at the gym.

I thought PiYo stood for "Pizza and Yogurt" a strange combination but I like one of those things, so I went. There was no buffet because apparently it stands for "Pilates and Yoga." If you do this stuff maybe you can tell me: was Joseph Pilates a Nazi?

I've Been Busy Painting....

2008-03-23T14:26:00.005-05:00

.....our bathroom. Ack. But it's done. . Two weekends of taping and rolling and boring. Sparkling Sage. It's pretty, but I hate painting walls and cutting in around the trim and all that. No fun. The boys' rooms recently got painted too, thankfully Grandma Carol took that grenade while she was here.

The weekly art for the last two weeks have been their initials and will hang in their new rooms and complement the new color schemes. Much more graphic and surface designy than my usual. The circles are courtesy of the bathroom remodel: I saved the old shower drain -- it makes a great stencil.

The image below on the right is my weekly art from two weeks ago -- I'm not happy with it. I really loved the doodle on the left, which is about 1.5" square. When I tried to replicate it on the 6 x 6 canvas the scale went wrong and the cuteness of my little doodle got lost in the size translation. My bird also seems to have become hydrocephalic. Generally catywampus.

One good thing came out of this failure: this was where I first discovered that the old shower drain made a good stencil -- see the sun in the scene on the right? So it wasn't a total loss. I think the acrylic vs watercolor has something to do with it not being as successful too -- any real painters out there that can help me?

Please look for Grace

2008-03-18T08:06:00.004-05:00

UPDATE: I received an email this evening that they found her! Great news. She was in San Francisco, her dad has retrieved her. This could have ended so differently. Whew.

The girl pictured above is the 15 year-old great niece of a good friend. Her name is Grace Belson-Hudson and she's been missing since last week. You can read more here. Grace is from Sacramento but is believed to be in the San Francisco bay area.

Here's an excerpt from the article:

"Grace was last seen on Tuesday, March 11, 2008 at her high school in Sacramento, CA. She is 15 years old. She's 5'5", and her hair was recently dyed black. She has pierced ears and no tattoos. She sometimes wears glasses. She has had braces but they are removed now. She was last seen wearing black jeans, a green t-shirt over a dark long-sleeved shirt and vans shoes.

"Grace may have met adult men on myspace and facebook. She is in serious danger. We have reason to believe that she was in the Bay Area. She may be with another 15-year-old named Mary Catherine Gallant, also known as Masha or Jo, pictured below. "

I am extremely diverted!

2008-03-03T22:53:00.003-05:00

I just this minute closed Pride & Prejudice and came to check my regular blogs. Cate had this posted so I had to try......

Best part? That makes Mark this:

Even though I know he much prefers the dry wit and humor of Mr. Bennett.

Yipee Doodles & Week 8

2008-02-24T20:12:00.007-05:00

17, 41, 22

2008-02-17T09:54:00.004-05:00

No, those are not my measurements.

Today is the 17th as well as our 17th wedding anniversary so the weekly art reflects that occasion.

41 is how old I am today. This is the first and last time I will admit that for the next year.

22 is how many jelly sandwiches [in various stages of decomposition] I found in Reese's backpack yesterday. A couple had grown green beards. And sideburns.

And oooooh, just wait till you see what Debbi made me for my birthday!

Be Mine

2008-02-14T15:14:00.004-05:00

Here are some sweets guaranteed not to rot your teeth. Go make your own candy hearts here. According to the manufacturer they are "available in six different flavors, including: Banana Chalk, Grape Dust, Nappy-Citric, You-Call-This-Lime?, Pink Sand and Fossilized Antacid." Go check out the demotivators, too. I laughed out loud and was cured of all hope and ambition.

Arrowmont 08

2008-02-13T11:44:00.007-05:00

Debbi and I registered this morning for our second-annual-sleep-away-art-camp-printmaking-palooza. The instructor is Diane Fine, hers is the piece pictured above. Can't wait. Last year was so great. Here are a couple of shots from the journal of my maiden printmaking voyage. On a loosley related note, be sure to treat yourself and go to Debbi's blog and read her essay "The Green Spine." Lovely.

Manic-Cure

2008-02-04T13:23:00.000-05:00

Many of you know about my struggle with patience. Here's a product that was designed with me in mind. I love having my nails all pretty and polished but HATE sitting to have them done. When I polish them myself, I ALWAYS futz them up b/c I don't let them dry between coats. This is a lot of work and aggravation, not to mention expense if getting a professional manicure, just to turn around and stick my fingers in gel medium, dye ink and paint.

They are not tips but real polish made into a kind of rub on!

I have tried it on one nail with awesome results. I'm doing a whole set tonight. Go here to see a video. Best part? $5.99.

Trading Spaces

2008-02-04T09:10:00.000-05:00

Here are a couple of shots of the new studio space. I traded in the Dining Room for the guest bedroom and just don't know why I didn't do this sooner. I love it. The armoire hides almost all of my junk. Still left to do is clean out the closet and move my bookcase. I plum ran out of steam last night.

Week 5: Pony

2008-02-03T20:55:00.000-05:00

A collage this week. I've missed it. Paper and fabric on canvas with gel medium, dye inks, watercolor and caran d'ache. The ghosty-looking cowboy is my daddy at about nine years old.

So I tore out the carpet, pad and tack strips, broke down the daybed, lugged all that stuff to the garage and moved the studio today. Too bushed to blog about it, how about some pix of the process to holdja till tomorrow?

More Bucky Boo-Boo Bunnies*

2008-01-29T19:37:00.001-05:00

I can't stop myself. These are ink and watercolor on cardstock cut out and arranged on the scanner bed. What should I do with them? They're breeding like, um, well, you KNOW. The one on the far left looks like a demented Winnie-the-Pooh with a wicked overbite.

Mark wants me to write a story about them. About what exactly? Their orthodontic issues, lack of trousers and the challenges of living with asymmetrical limbs? Hey! Maybe I could license the images for Orthodontist Appointment reminder postcards!

*copyright pending.......or not

Trumpet ate a bird.

2008-01-29T19:12:00.001-05:00

A chickadee. It got trapped in our screened in porch and he caught it. Mark and Conn chased him and tried to get him to give it up, but Trumpy ran fast and chewed faster. *gulp*

Just when I think I have anthropomorphized him completely, attributing to him all sorts of complex emotions and thoughts, he does something so dang dog-like. Eats a bird. Then chucks up the feathers.

I hope he feels guilty.

Week 4 - Astor

2008-01-26T19:30:00.000-05:00

Studio Move

2008-01-21T13:25:00.000-05:00

I've decided to move my studio from our Dining Room to our little guest bedroom. We call it the green room - it's the girliest room in a house full dirty shoes and Prater men.

Here's the rationale - I'm messy, the DR has no door and is visible from the entry. It spills into the kitchen and living rooms and never looks settled. Besides, it seems like better use of the green room to use it daily as a studio space than for a weekend every couple of months. Carol loves the couch, right?

So I am going to get rid of the day bed, pull up the carpet, paint the concrete underneath and move in. The armoire is stuffed with miscellany, so I will have to cull it out to use it for my supplies. Same with the closet.

Here are the before pictures. If you're in the neighborhood and feel like pulling up tack strips, come on by, I'll put on some coffee.

Blind Date

2008-01-19T17:52:00.000-05:00

I did these two last night. Each is on a 4 x 6 canvas panel. I don't like how thick the outline is around their heads and limbs, but I got impatient and wanted to finish them. I used the only Permapaque marker I have which is pretty thick.

I experimented with the background painting it first with acrylic then putting a wash of dye ink over it and finally scribbling some caran d'ache on top and wetting it to blend.

They met on DinoMatch.com. (I've decided they are sort of evolved dinosaurs.)

I gotta tell ya, weekly art is giving me more time to play with other things. My total amount of studio time per week is probably about the same, but I spend more time experimenting/learning.

Family Portrait

2008-01-19T17:41:00.000-05:00

I realized after I'd painted the mom and dad that they should have been holding, um, limbs and the kids should have been beating each other senseless. Oh well, next time. I like how they're so happy even tho they have serious dental problems and bad posture. They are on a 12"x 6"canvas.

Anybody know what fine tip permanent (waterproof) marker will work on acrylic paint? My Sharpies and Microns keep giving out on me. Permapaque? Help.

It's love

2008-01-18T20:39:00.000-05:00

He looked lonely. Her name is Phoebe.

Week 3: Sunny

2008-01-18T19:01:00.000-05:00

I have been playing with these chubby, orthodontically challenged lizard-people in small doodles and watercolor for a few weeks. This one is much larger - acrylic, marker, and caran d'ache. Less busy than my usual. I kinda like it.

Snow on the Kudzu

2008-01-17T10:28:00.000-05:00

I used to live up north, so I know this is what spring looks like up there, but down here? This is pretty unusual. In the nearly six years I've lived in Georgia, this is only the second time we've had snow and the first time it's stuck for more than a couple of hours.

The streets didn't ice over so school wasn't called off, much to the boys' disappointment and my relief.

Trumpet seemed to like the slushiness. Here he is, looking regal as always. Ironic, since he's such a goofball. What a poser.

Week Two: Save

2008-01-10T22:12:00.000-05:00

I think this weekly thing is going to be much more doable for me - I have the freedom of more time to complete my assignment as well as more surface area to work with - twelve times more.

I've noticed after two 6"x 6" pieces that my image choices and scale are very different in the bigger size. Next week I am going to try to replicate the proportion from some 1.5" squares and see what happens.

The folks in the photo are the Gareys: Baby Tony, Bob, Kay, Carol (my mother-in-law) Cooky, and Mickey. Bob and Kay's thriftiness is the stuff of legend.

Week 1: Tough Guy

2008-01-06T18:14:00.000-05:00

So here is week one's effort on my new size: 6 x 6, fully 4 times the area I had to work with last year. I wish I were more disciplined. More regimented. Dependable. I wish I were more like Debbi who just began year 5 of daily art. I'm just too easily distracted. Or lazy. Or flaky.

The photo is printed on muslin, adhered to the canvas with a skim coat of gel medium under and over the photo. Done in acrylic with a collaged Greek word (TraHEES meaning rough or tough) and Caran d'Ache.

The man on the bottom right is my Popou Maki, he was very strong, very rough and tough. He was from Crete and lived well into his nineties. My dad used to tell us Popou Maki could pull a tree up out of the ground with his bare hands. Roots and all.

Happy New Year!

2008-01-05T15:48:00.000-05:00

We rang in 2008 in South Florida with my folks. No, we didn't get another kid for Christmas, the extra boy you see on the right is my nephew Nick.

No gator heads or windchimes under the tree this year, but I did get an iPhone. I love it more than one should love an inanimate object. I also got knitting needles and yarn. I am going to knit a lens cloth for the iPhone.

I am doing weekly art this year, still square, but much larger: 6" x 6" and canvas.

Some resolutions:

Learn to knit
Read the complete works of Jane Austen (halfway through Emma)
Write more
Worry less
Join a choir
Drink very good Chardonnays (no more $5/bottle swill - life is too short)

2007-12-18T11:21:00.000-05:00

Christmas Cookie Workshop

2007-12-16T16:13:00.000-05:00

This is the time of year I channel my mother and Grandma Lena, and my great grandmother and probably her mother as well, and make our family's traditional Christmas cookies. Reese was a huge help on the Pizzelle Iron. Last year I broke down and bought a new-fangled Cuisinart model. The one I had prior, purchased from the estate of a recently deceased Italian lady in Chicago Heights, had seen at least 50 Christmases. Maybe more. I just got tired of holding the iron shut manually. Nothing says Christmas like carpal tunnel.

Reese ready with the hand mixer. Grandma Carol made the apron.

Yes, you read correctly. Seven eggs for a half-batch. I guess the full recipe fed the whole village in Sicily. I substitute almond extract for the anisette/ouzo my mother uses. I was never a fan of that black licorice flavor.

Grandma Lena taught us the trick of keeping the spoons in a mug of water so they don't get too (technical term alert) "glumpy."

Reese had this routine down by the third try. I drizzle melted chocolate over the Pizzelles or dust them with powdered sugar. These are great with black coffee. They smell like Christmas to me.

Also made today: Dark Chocolate Truffles, four dozen Pecan Tassies, about six hundred Pumpkin Chocolate Chips and Sugar Cookies.

No. I'm not making dinner.

p.s. If you are wondering where Conn was -- he and Reese spent the night at their buddy's house. Reese passed out about 1am. Conn and John pulled an all nighter, playing XBox 360. Their secret for keeping the sandman away? They split a 2-liter bottle of Mountain Dew. Conn was sleeping it off. Still is.

Merry Christmas - this year's card

2007-12-11T11:45:00.000-05:00

In order to make up for Mark being the snowman last year, I made him a buff GI Joe. His head is still the size of a 5 gallon paint can, but hey, he's my bucket-head. Love ya, honey.

Cranky Doodles

2007-12-09T19:23:00.000-05:00

I have a confession to make. I fell off the daily art wagon a couple of months back. It was so hard to keep up with my square-a-day with the book projects and writing and general life. So, after about nine months I unofficially stopped. As a result, I did accumulate a wonderful stash of 1.5" collages, many of which have been incorporated into other pieces, framed in a series, or hung on a necklace. One even went to Norway. The experience gave me even more respect for my pal and co-author Debbi. She's as reliable as the sun and moon and hasn't missed a day in what? 5 years?

I have been doodling lately and toying with the idea of making doodles my art for 2008. Yes, I am going to get back on the horse next year, but I think I may do weekly art instead. I'm just not as disciplined as Debbi, or Jeanne Williamson, or this guy. It's a fact. I'm proud of myself for having kept at it for almost nine months, given my nature. I mean, I wasn't even pregnant for a full nine months, I cut it down to just over six. When you look at it that way, it's a huge achievement.

Here are some of my cranky doodles. I think I was inspired by Reese's upcoming orthodontics.

I call this one: Ian and his Puppet.

Gift tags for Christmas presents, arriving daily from Amazon.com.

And since Mark doesn't read my blog (I bet he doesn't even know the address) here is one of the two doxie themed presents he has coming.

Frozen Hot Dog

2007-12-07T11:38:00.000-05:00

"You'll never believe what she was wearing....."

2007-12-04T22:52:00.000-05:00

My dolls are paying homage to my pal Lori E's Creepy Dolls, while gossiping amongst themselves.

Season's Greetings from me and Debbi

2007-11-29T13:42:00.000-05:00

Jingle here.

News

2007-11-15T09:48:00.000-05:00

Lots of exciting things happening this week in our happy, colorful, over-the-rainbow world! There are some common threads in these current events, see if you can spot them:

Vintage Cate launched a blog. Go through the gate and partake of her Charmed Life. Close it behind you, don't want the dog to get out.

Season 4 of Project Runway premiered complete with little vignettes of Santino tooling around LA in Saturn supplied vehicles. Yay. What writer's strike? We need to dish on Elisa later. Not sure if she's the ambassador of "mixed media" I would elect.

Last but not least, Anna Maria is going to be on Martha Stewart. TODAY. Just in time for her daytime TV debut, AM has a new website. I have a suggestion for her FAQs: How is it that Anna has time to conquer the world while raising five kids and looking adorable all the while?

If the common threads you spotted were nice Greek girls, Tivo worthy events, and internet eye-candy you win!

1999

2007-11-10T19:24:00.000-05:00

Today, I came across this photo taken at O'Hare airport almost exactly eight years ago. Reese, Connor and Mark were there too. We were leaving Chicago for New York. For good. I had gotten a job there and we were off on a big adventure. One that ultimately led to Atlanta and who knows where from here. Like my carry-on? That's our beloved Winona. I still miss that girl.

2007-11-07T11:16:00.000-05:00

When I found out this summer that my doll, 13:13, had been accepted in Lark's 500 Handmade Dolls I was really thrilled. The book was jurored by Akira Blount whose work I've since seen in person - it's fabulous.

I was inspired to try my hand at making a doll after seeing Laurie Mika's doll in Beyond Paper Dolls. In fact, it was Laurie who told me about Lark's call for submissions and encouraged me to give it a shot.

I received my complimentary copy on Monday. If I was thrilled before now I'm TOTALLY STOKED! There are so many wonderful artists' works featured -- it's really flattering to be in their company.

Of course you should order the book , but in the meantime here's just a short list of some of the artists whose work I really found compelling:

Kerry Kate - October Effigies

Black Monday

2007-11-06T19:03:00.000-05:00

Our home computer crashed and we had to do a system restore. This is basically starting over with a blank slate, as if you just pulled the CPU out of the box. We are having to reinstall EVERYTHING. Hardware, software. Start from zero. Life altering catastrophe? No. Big huge annoying time waster? You betcha.

PC, don't you know me? It's me, Cheryl. Say you remember something, anything. An email address, a web favorite, a font setting, a custom icon. Anything! Here, look at me. Familiar? Don't you remember the way I type? More backspacing than letters, see? Say you know me. Say you remember.

Nothing. Just default wallpaper. Total amnesia.

I backed up my photos about 6 weeks ago so at least I have everything to that point. Luckily, I had emailed a draft of book stuff to Debbi the night before "the accident" so she was able to send it back to me so THAT wasn't lost.

I'm getting a thumb drive. Backup is my new middle name.

Boys will be Gouls

2007-11-01T13:35:00.001-05:00

Ready or Not

2007-10-30T09:35:00.000-05:00

No, I'm not hiding, just trapped under several deadlines.

Tomorrow is going to be extra sad. It will be the first Halloween since The Carmens moved away. Every year Carmen and I would drag our chairs, bowls of candy, and libations (!) down to the curb to greet the Trick or Treaters, thus saving them the trip up our killer driveways.

Speeders Beware! I've been known to whip Laffy Taffy at cars that are driving too fast.

The Viking Flu

2007-10-22T11:45:00.000-05:00

I was humming along on my machine, furiously free-quilting when I ran out of bobbin thread. I wound a new bobbin, dropped it in the well and tried to raise it. Done it lots of times. No dice. I tried new bobbins, checked the needle, rethreaded the machine, lit a candle to the Patron Saint of Swedish appliances, mustered a magical incantation: bibbity-bobbin-y-boo, all in vain.

I even called the Husqvarna Help Desk in the form of my M-i-L , Carol, who generously gifted me the Viking. She is really more of a Bernina expert, as her new one has a thumb drive with more computing power than the space shuttle. But all to no avail. I shut the machine off and took a nap thinking fresh eyes and some REM sleep may be able to solve the problem. So much for that idea, I had a dream that, oh never mind, don't want to give the prosecution more ammo for the sanity hearing.

I reluctantly took my ailing appliance to the sewing machine ER, plopped it on the service desk and watched the nice lady write up my ticket and immediately raise the bobbin thread. I felt REALLY stupid, but then it's not like I unwittingly left my car running for four hours, well, not today at least.

I left it for service anyway. Seeing as we were there, a checkup seemed like a good idea. (M-i-L should stop reading here.) Though I don't use it terribly often, my machine does get a lot of abuse. As you can imagine, not all of my substrates are fabric and I have been known to use the carrying case as a cradle for a hot glue gun, as is evidenced by the melted hole in the top. (Ok, Carol, you can look now.)

So my machine is in the shop till Wednesday. I guess I'll have to resort to working in paper in the meantime and find another place to prop my hot tools.

Beeeep

2007-10-19T11:47:00.000-05:00

I know. I KNOW. Just popping in here for the last couple of weeks and leaving a couple of pictures (albeit mostly cute ones) is kinda like calling someone when you know you're going to get their voice mail -- that way you can leave a message to let them know you're thinking about them without really having to talk.

Lots has transpired in the last several weeks, but here are the highlights:

Trumpet is now a finished champion - yay Trumpy! No more shows!
The boys turned 12 and celebrated with Whirlyball and Halo 3 (Warning: The next person who says "Oh, and next year they'll be 13!" is going to be punched in the chops for their crackerjack math skills as well as for not letting me adjust to the idea of my babies being 12 before aging them a whole year.
I lost my ability to make coffee and park a car.

Number 3 illustrates the actions of a person who has too much to do and not nearly enough brain power to accomplish it.

So. The coffee. My parents and my aunt were in town for the boys' birthday. The guys had an 8am soccer game that day -- apparently some people get up that early. On purpose! I found my way down to the kitchen around, oh, dark:thirty and made a 55 gallon drum of coffee to premedicate for the game.

My dad wandered in and asked for sugar in his. To normal people, this request would be simple enough to accommodate. But, alas I don't take sugar in my coffee, just half-n-half, and neither does Mark. Mark drinks his with fat-free, hazelnut, non-dairy, yuck-yuck which is too long to say so I just refer to it as "stinky creamer" for short. I accidentally drank out of his cup once and almost sprayed that nastiness right out my nose which would have been tragic because I'd still be smelling it. It's synthetic and super foul - if hazelnuts really smelled and tasted like that I wouldn't love Frangelico, ok?

Back to "the coffee incident." The day prior to our company arriving, I got out all my cute fall decorations and chatchkies, including a small ceramic pumpkin bowl that was filled with sugar. Sugar doesn't go bad does it? I mean, it had been in the buffet for a year, but no bugs were evident upon inspection. Good enough. I heaped 4 spoonsful into Dad's coffee. Bleary-eyed, we all piled into the car with our travel mugs and headed to the soccer pitch.

Given the hour and the amount of wine consumed the night before, we were driving in relative silence, when my dad asked me:

"What kind of coffee is this?"

"Starbucks Verona blend."

"Did you put sugar in it?"

"Yes, Daddy, I put sugar in it." Sheesh.

(long pause)

"Cheryl! You put salt in my coffee!"

Oops. It seems I had put salt in that little pumpkin last year, not sugar. Who can remember that far back? Must be why the bugs left it alone. Reminds me of that Greek urban legend dad used to tell us about the old lady who put rat poison on her cookies instead of powdered sugar and killed the whole village. Too bad I wasn't there, I could have made the salty-coffee to go with the killer kourabiedes.

Honest mistake, you say. Not such a big deal? Heck, if that's the worst of it, you might still be sane and relatively functional, Cher. Please reserve judgement, kind reader, and let me admit exhibit B for your consideration.

At quitting time on Monday, after a particularly stressful day in the world of recruiting, I was eager to get home. I rounded up my cell phone, purse, sunglass and, hey.....wha.......where are my keys? Y'all seen my keys?

I looked under my desk, in my pockets, dumped my purse out. No keys. My cube just isn't that big. And my keychain is. They were nowhere to be found. I reluctantly came to the conclusion that I must have locked them in my car and went downstairs and out the lobby already dreading the call I'd have to make to Mark -- "Hi honey. could you come to my office in rush hour traffic and unlock my car for me cuz I'm an idiot." But guess what? I didn't have to make that call - you wanna know why? Because although I left the keys in the car, in the ignition no less, I had left the car unlocked and RUNNING. For. Four. Hours.

Take that Al Gore.

Frankly, I'm shocked I put the car in park. I mean, what was preventing me from absent-mindedly rigging a bungee cord to the steering wheel and let it circle the building until 5pm?

Makes you kinda long for the posts with the cute pictures, huh? Next time, let your voice mail pick up.

Go Trumpy, It's your birthday

2007-10-19T07:47:00.000-05:00

Seen above with two of his littermates.

Triplets

2007-10-17T09:38:00.000-05:00

And you thought having a baby was painful. Try popping three of these out.

Click here for more ridiculously cute pix and silly captions.

How to tell you're not Mom's favorite

2007-10-17T09:28:00.000-05:00

Wanna Be

2007-10-03T10:22:00.000-05:00

Am I too old to be wearing cropped, stretch leggings? What's the cutoff?

Maybe I'm on the Borderline.

Used to play this LP in the morning when I got ready for school. (Kids, ask your Mom or Dad what LPs are, um, were.) It gave me fashion inspiration.

The leggings make me nostalgic for the 80s when my hair was big and my butt was still defying gravity.

ARghhhhh.

2007-09-30T21:01:00.000-05:00

If I were my mom I'd say, "This computer hates me!" because Blogger is giving me fits. If I didn't know that everyone has these blankity-blank Blogger problems, I guess I might be more like Mom and take it personally.

I tried to post pictures of both Betsy's and Marilyn's projects, but Blogger kept kicking me out!

UPDATE*UPDATE*UPDATE

Me and Blogger made up and the pix are now posted. Huzzah!

Linda must be too busy hunting down bad guys to email me photos of her pieces. *sniff* And Lynn? Well, there's only a little time left till her mom's birthday and then I'll start publicly nagging her for pictures, too.

Hero Worship

2007-09-28T09:51:00.001-05:00

I watched the first ten episodes of Heroes season one last night. It felt great to escape the grinding stress of the job and the book deadline and life in general. My brain got to go out and play and today I feel totally refreshed, even though I had half the sleep I usually get. Mental vacations: cheaper and less fattening than taking a cruise. No sunburn or stomach virus either.

Heroes is the kind of story I wish I had written. Like Firefly, the characters are as rich and vivid as the multi-layered plot and special effects. Season two of Heroes premiered last Monday. I have to finish season one fast so I can catch up with real time viewing. I need a TIVO. Or the power to bend space and time.

I have always loved science fiction. It's like fairy tales with lasers and cyborgs. (You know our twins are named after the two good guys from the Terminator dontcha? Kyle Reese and John Connor. If they had been triplets? Neo, Trinity and Morpheus.) I read I Am Legend (The Omega Man) in fifth grade. I devoured everything by Harlan Ellison I could get my jr. high school hands on - we even met him once at Iowa. Remember that, Dad?

Pending Apocalypse, precognition, time travel, and explosions/implosions as a back drop for (ooh, here comes the girly-gratification part) love, drama and relationships. What could be better than that?

Last night was not the first time I retreated into a comic-book colored world when life was pressing in on me. It's sort of a reoccurring self-defense mechanism. The first time it happened it nearly prevented me from graduating high school.

It was May 1985: the Saturday before finals week. I picked up a hard cover copy of Stephen King's The Stand at a yard sale. A bargain at $1 because the dust jacket was missing. I made the dire mistake of opening it that same day and barely slept for the next six.

I read for hours at a stretch, until the panic of flunking an exam or not finishing a paper would overwhelm me enough to eclipse the threat of total nuclear destruction. I would then reluctantly pound out a few pages of a term paper on a borrowed typewriter (it had a navy blue ribbon) before returning to my adventure in post-apocalypse America. Can you blame me? I mean how could I concentrate on trivial stuff like earning a diploma when the ENTIRE WORLD was in Peril? I aced my finals and the world was saved. It was a good week.

Hair Apparent

2007-09-27T08:25:00.000-05:00

In what appears to be a show of solidarity for the GM auto workers, my hair has gone on strike.

It is refusing to style, do anything cute or arrange itself in something resembling organization until....what? WHAT? There's no ransom note. No list of demands to be met. Just tell me what to do and I'll do it!

I made a frantic phone call (she's on speed dial) to Denise, my fabulous, Aussie, hair diva but had to leave a long, explanatory voice mail for her at the salon. She won't give me her cell number. What's with that?