thelittleprints

teal zeal

2011-04-06T07:29:00.000-07:00

Teal Zeal is the super cheesy name of this paint color that I love so much.

Monthly stuffs check-in

2011-04-02T21:53:00.000-07:00

Well, I have been painting. Almost daily, in fact. It's been really great and awful and frustrating and cathartic and useless and wonderful simultaneously. Just like it always is when starting up anything new (jogging, anyone?), but that's difficult to remember...I'm hoping to fully realize at least one painting this month. Who knows if it will be one I have already started or not. We are in between houses at the moment, so right now I have a corner of the parents' pool room. The sunlight is wonderful.

Illustration Friday: Warning

2011-03-06T18:25:00.000-08:00

Painting number 1 of March....and have already started on number 2. Feeling pretty good about the new goal so far. But that's always how they start out, right?

Illustration Friday: Swarm

2011-03-03T16:55:00.001-08:00

After making this illustration I looked up "swarm", and apparently only bees, eels, and locusts can swarm. Hmpf.

Illustration Friday: Layer

2011-02-24T11:30:00.000-08:00

After only completing a handful of paintings last year, my new goal is to make three per month in 2011. I guess I got to take January off since I just made this new rule. And most of them will probably be crap, but that's okay. I just have to get back to it.

Space

2010-10-07T07:08:00.001-07:00

I have carved out a space in the house for the sewing and the painting that happens not often enough. But having things out to work on is amazing!

Illustration Friday: Linked

2010-04-09T09:46:00.000-07:00

"Linked" for Illustration Friday....Just so happens to go right along with the paintings I'm working on right now. Love it when that happens.

Illustration Friday: Adrift

2010-02-15T13:23:00.000-08:00

Molly's mind was adrift in a sea of possibility every time she wore her red skirt.

Illustration Friday: Germs

2009-10-05T14:52:00.001-07:00

Nothing gets past robot #529, not one single germ.

IF: Pattern

2009-09-27T13:39:00.001-07:00

IF: Strong

2009-09-07T16:33:00.000-07:00

Robot number 837 makes one strong martini.

Magnify: Illustration Friday

2009-08-31T18:47:00.000-07:00

All I know about her is--her name is Harriet, she likes to drink at the beach, and she makes a great meatloaf.

*Edit: this has nothing to do with 'magnify', but i created her 2 weeks ago and just wanted to share her.

Illustration Friday: Tango

2009-07-21T21:17:00.001-07:00

For some reason, the word tango summoned up party invites to mind. Not that I have ever been to a tango party, but maybe they exist?

Illustration Friday: Hollow

2009-07-15T13:21:00.000-07:00

Collage for Illustration Friday. Paper on paper on paper.

Unfold: Illustration Friday

2009-06-16T22:27:00.001-07:00

for illustration friday: unfold. not much came to mind with this word, hmm. just umbrellas and dress patterns.

Craving: Illustration Friday

2009-06-11T22:25:00.000-07:00

Late this time, oops! This theme was "craving". Used some new color pencils, which are really soft and lovely, but will be better on smooth paper.

Three weeks, and counting.

2009-05-10T21:05:00.000-07:00

The weekend went as planned, which included 2 birthdays and of course Mother's Day. I can't believe I finally got to give Zack his gift. I am the world's worst at keeping presents a surprise, so for the past few months I have BEGGED him to let me tell him. The gift was a trip for us to the Rockies in June, which is now in the close distance. Thus begins the countdown to summer, which is now at 14 days. Of real actual schooldays that is...that's how teachers roll ya know.

Fleeting: Illustration Friday

2009-04-10T19:38:00.001-07:00

A little sketch from my parents' house last weekend. It just happened to fit with the "Fleeting" topic for IF.
Out of sorts lately, and hoping some time away from The Computer will help. It always seems to.

Poise

2009-03-28T20:43:00.000-07:00

For Illustration Friday's "Poise". My Photoshop package finally came in and I played around with her some. And decided a class this summer in PS may come in very handy.

Patterns

2009-03-22T21:02:00.000-07:00

I finally broke out my "Seams to Me" sewing book that I received for Christmas and tried one of the patterns. It was very, very satisfying. I normally don't use patterns, mostly because I'm scared of them, but it wasn't as bad as I'd anticipated. Pictures of the bright springy bag using the Taxi Tote pattern....

Legendary: Illustration Friday

2009-03-14T16:49:00.000-07:00

This was done a while ago for the new Umbrella Tree dvd and album cover, and I thought it went well with "Legendary". There will be several prints of it available on my Etsy.

Illustration Friday: Intricate

2009-03-08T20:57:00.000-07:00

Tried to edit this post and ended up deleting it. So....like I said, huge aversion to computers. Guh.

Easy Peasy

2009-03-08T19:47:00.000-07:00

Well it is finally, really, truly here. Spring Break is hurr, fo rurr. My top priorities are drawing, painting, and reading, in that order. Other to-dos are in the plans but nothing too pressing.

Speaking of dos. While messing around tonight in sketchpadland I created a personal hairstyle retrospective. I will let the hair speak for itself.

Breezy

2009-03-02T20:21:00.000-08:00

It was a breezy weekend, good for
bread and piemaking.

Instinct: for Illustration Friday

2009-02-21T18:06:00.001-08:00

Back to collaging today. I've missed it! Experimenting with inks is fun, but paper makes so much sense.
Two more weeks until my spring break, which I'm pretty sure I've mentioned already. It's just that it's on my mind basically every moment.

Reconstructing.

2009-02-16T11:21:00.000-08:00

This morning, the bread dough didn't rise, so I made it into some very successful breadsticks, hoorah!

This may have led to the following-- a reconstruction of an old boring top, which I added more sleeve length and cut it up the middle as a cartigany-sort-of-top. I am going to add a button or two I think, but havent got the right ones around. The color is still horribly boring but that's okay for a top layer, I think.

Beatz

2009-02-10T19:51:00.000-08:00

Over the past few weeks (months?), I have lazily been learning how to drum. The zacker has been showing me the basics, and is delighted to finally live with someone he can mic up and record, even if it is random and awful on a Tuesday night.

So far, Ive learned that what I want to drum is much too difficult at the moment, but the White Stripes is about the best place to start out. Meg = awesome yet attainable.

Illustration Friday: Time

2009-02-08T11:47:00.001-08:00

Making this got me into spring-fever-time!

Only a month until spring break, actually....

Illustration Friday

2009-01-27T19:59:00.000-08:00

For IF: Climbing

After much procrastination, finally my first entry to Illustration Friday!

Some change

2009-01-11T21:30:00.000-08:00

Trying in the new year to embrace change, seeing as we will hopefully have a lot of it in the next few years. In the process of looking at schools, mostly far away from home, for the husband. I am excited but there are of course many things to consider and wonder about.

In the meantime, there are nights at home with some controlled change, such as finding old nasty clothes to dye. Strangely satisfying.

Winter is officially here

2008-12-21T19:57:00.000-08:00

...and knitting seemed appropriate. There was inspiration from a friend who made fingerless gloves last weekend, and so I went to find myself an easy pattern. I used what I had at the house, so mine turned out much shorter. But hey, I like them. Well, it, rather. I'm still working on the second one. And I am loving the name of the yarn, which is Urban Camo. I like the idea of alpaca yarn being tuff.

Cramming in the holidays

2008-12-15T17:13:00.002-08:00

December is so wonderful, mostly because there are so many parties and friends everywhere.

Also because, as a teacher, snow days can come at virtually any moment. Such as today, when the secretary announced at exactly 11:02 for teachers to "go check your e-mail", which told us all that we would be leaving two hours early for inclement weather. If a cold rain is inclement weather, I'll take it. I was able to sew and hang with the dawgs all afternoon, and imagine what I would do if all my afternoons were so leisurely. As soon as I felt like napping, I made a press of coffee...this free time can't be wasted....

Secret Agent Agenda

2008-11-24T20:04:00.000-08:00

Haven't been at the house much lately, until this past weekend. It was nice to be home and enjoy some piddling. This week includes a trip to Virginia; next weekend is NYC. Zack will be reading a paper at a conference in NY. I'm trying to figure out how I can discreetly take photos during the reading. I think a secret agent disguise is the way to go....

Update*

Neither of us thought taking pictures would be very pro, so I took photos of Z merely in the building he presented in. Hmpf.

Fall Break come, gone

2008-10-18T13:30:00.000-07:00

This fall break included mom and I taking a trip to Utica, NY to visit family, including a cousin who loved playing "beauty parlor". My hair was her plaything for the week.

The rest of break was holding the twins, sewing, visiting friends, and a little sickness.

Monday is back to work. No comment.

Miles and Miles

2008-10-06T06:04:00.000-07:00

Today is our 1st anniversary. Funtimin and funlovin all around!

old/new

2008-08-20T17:03:00.000-07:00

Having old friends around is just about the best thing on the planet. Sigh sigh sigh sigh.

All finished.

2008-07-12T23:21:00.000-07:00

Well. It seems I am up for review to become a Master, as of this week. My portfolio will be reviewed and *hopefully* everything goes thru and I pass with flying colors.

Speaking of flying colors. My cabinet is fully painted, tiled, grouted, and with new hardware. Purty!!

So close.

2008-06-26T11:34:00.000-07:00

So. I have a couple weeks left until I'm finished with school, and the homework and research is over, and ohhhhh I can't quite believe it yet.

In between papers and reading I've been sanding this old but potentially fabulous cabinet. I can't wait to slap paint all over it.

A work in progress:

2008-06-18T06:30:00.000-07:00

So I started reupholstering our big fluffy chair last night. The stripping-to-nakey-chair part didn't take as long as I thought it would....However, I did injure my foot in the process. By "process" I mean "desperate forceful pulling with various tools". I'm hoping the pain in my hands is bearable enough to work further by tonight.

Rodent Warr

2008-06-01T18:57:00.001-07:00

So, this is the beginning of two months off. I know it will pass by so quickly....but right now it feels like an eternity. My last 2 classes start (ONLINE!!) tomorrow, and then Z and I leave for San Francisco on Thursday morning. Woot woot.

On my list of things to do this summer is frame some of my art work. I'm also framing a drawing I found in my classroom last year that is just about the best visual I've ever seen. An instant classic. The kid called it "Rodent Warr". It's going in our living room.

paper dreams

2008-05-04T12:17:00.000-07:00

After collaging for a long time, I sometimes dream in paper. My favorite was a dream of Zack in a purple paper outfit, very David Bowie.

I am still learning how to collage and make sense of paper. The artist Peter Callesen has perfected paper sculpture. These are life-size stairs made of paper and glue.

::sick day::

2008-04-15T17:44:00.000-07:00

Today was a sick day, complete with sinus infection & steroid pack. But hey! It's that time of year. And to prove it, there are lotsa flowers growing out in front of the house.

After starting the medicines, I became obsessed with getting dog hair out of the carpet. And you know what? Nothing works better than an actual dog brush. It is completely disgusting, but the carpet is hair free. I'm kinda like MacGyver.

Surprises.

2008-04-04T14:11:00.000-07:00

Today I found out that my cousin is having twins. T-W-I-N-S.

All the more reason to knit teeny shoes out of yarn!

April.

2008-04-02T15:54:00.000-07:00

The dogs are finally getting along most of the time. Sometimes they even touch on purpose.

We are on season two of Twin Peaks and oohhhhhh man I can't wait for the next dvd to arrive!! That show makes me crave donuts so dang bad. Man.

Three more weeks of school-school. Two classes from having my MA. Yesssss.

Today is our mom's birthdays. Last year at this time we told them we were gettin married. This year we're giving each of them a coffee mug with our faces on it. Now their birthdays are all about us.

Ever heard of Dillon, Colorado?

Spring, day 2.

2008-03-21T19:18:00.000-07:00

Today I cleaned up outside. This is a bed in the back yard. I did another in the front.

My hands are unbelievably sore.

New Year Dog

2008-01-02T11:50:00.000-08:00

In between Christmas Day and running all over North Carolina, we found a sweet bird hunting dog at a shelter. His name was supposedly Tiger, but seemed more of a Gaddis to us. He is the sweetest thing.

A trip to Chicago this weekend!! To vacation and visit and veg. Yessssssss.

the Most Wonderful Time

2007-12-05T19:39:00.000-08:00

I can't wait until my break, when I have Real Actual time to work on collaging. Last week I stayed up much too late each night "tricking" time. I really do hate how I feel on not enough sleep.....Why do I insist on the feeling?

This weekend is super packed in an only-in-December kind of way. Saturday will be a tour of four cities, geshhhh.

This little friend is sleeping over Friday. We will be up to our eyeballs in ornaments and popcorn. May even get rowdy and hang at the park. Look at those teeth. Her mom calls her HeeHaw.

Does this cranberry sauce make me look fat?

2007-11-19T19:32:00.000-08:00

I finally got the sewing machine out of the box. Dad gave me threading lessons so theoretically I should be able to figure the rest out....

Leaving for North Carolina & Virginia tomorrow after work. Turned in a research paper that's been dangling over my head a while now, which feels pretty swell. PRETTY SWELL, I say.

There's this one kid at school who always asks me if I saw the Titans play. I should know the score tomorrow.

Baby Bear

2007-11-05T18:27:00.000-08:00

Well, it's happened: Daphne and Ben have a perfect baby boy! They even let me hold him. He is shiny and new and I love him.

reasons to celebrate

2007-10-20T20:50:00.000-07:00

So today is two whole weeks since I have been a married woman. That's the longest I've ever been married before, so it's pretty special. We're still waiting to get photographs back to prove that we got married.....

The Bobber has been here this weekend. Last night ended with him wearing only one half of his glasses, with the other half MIA. So we trekked to a Lenscrafters today to get some new ones made in a suspiciously quick 45 minutes. Really though, it's so much better to look at my brother without the tape and crooked wires that have covered his face for months now.

Also, I am now officially excited about Thanksgiving break.

the beginning.

2007-10-03T12:20:00.000-07:00

I'm creating a blogworld here for myself as an experiment.

*******************

Today is a gettin-ready-for guests day, complete with hammers and paint. My left thumb was smashed earlier and is turning a most awesome purple. Zack is smoking his pipe and sawing a door apart to make into a table.

There are three days left until The Big Un. I woke up at 5 this morning really anxious. I'm ready to roll on to the honeymoon portion of this shindig. But so far it really hasn't been too bad.

We take our first trip to the airport tonight to pick up Z's friend Mary. I vote for Girltalk on the way there.