30 March 2016

Trigger Happy Startle Reflex

Persistently I scraped my knife along the edge of the saucy barbecued rib to separate the meat from the bone.

KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK.

I literally jumped an inch out of my seat having a trigger happy startle reflex.

"Clearly I haven't been socialized enough," I commented.


9 years ago on TTaT: Talking 'bout the car wash

27 March 2016

Flutter, Vol. 1: Hell Can Wait

Flutter, Vol. 1: Hell Can Wait (Flutter, #1)13. Flutter, Vol. 1: Hell Can Wait by Jennie Wood

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Though I had a little trouble keeping track of some of the supporting characters on my first read through, I thoroughly enjoyed this YA LGBT graphic novel. I look forward to reading more!


10 years ago on TTaT: Little Creatures: Fred's Rescue (part 2)

26 March 2016

19 Polar Bears

Out for a ride with my parents. Dad was driving, I sat behind Mom looking out the side window at houses, trees, and yards as we passed by. The trees were all still bare from winter, but surprisingly for this time of year, the snow was all gone. The grass was still short and pale, not ready yet to green up.

We passed a white clapboard house with a small pond beside it. Lounging on the bank beside the water was a large white polar bear.

He must be hot so far away from the arctic circle, I thought to myself.

In the next yard over, I saw a mama polar bear and two little cubs sauntering along.

And then a polar bear sitting amidst a cluster of trees, camouflaged like part of a puzzle. I started counting the bears. 6, 7, 8, 9, ...

Dad was driving fairly fast, 40 miles per hour on a rural road, so I only got to see each bear for a couple seconds before we were out of view. I kept thinking of reaching for my camera but I didn't want to look away for fear of missing any bears.

On an odd large wood structure next to someone's house, I saw two polar bears (18, 19) stretched out. One was lying on a low platform and the other was on a higher platform a few feet away. It made me think of bunk beds if the top and bottom were askew.

Dad kept zipping along. Mom handed back her pocket camera. It's newer than the one I use and I thought it might have more reach with its zoom. I asked Dad to turn around assuming he would once there was someplace to pull in.

When I looked at Mom's camera, it wasn't the one I'd remembered. It had a sort of articulated screen on arms that hinged up. That could be useful.

We were a few miles past the bears and Dad still hadn't even slowed down. I figured he hadn't heard me.

I said, "Would you turn around and drive back, please?"

"No," he answered.

That's when I knew I was dreaming, but it was a dream within a dream, a step or two away from lucid dreaming. He kept driving onward, but I wasn't angry with him because it was only a dream.

Dream bears are fleeting after all, you have to soak in their presence when they choose to appear.


BearWatch 2016 totals to date:
Real bears: 0
Dream bears: 3 black bears, 19 polar bears


10 years ago on TTaT: Little creatures (part 1)

25 March 2016

Life of Art SitRep #319 iPhone SE and Samsung Galaxy S7 Cases

This was a week for smartphone cases and digging into my photographic archives.

iPhone SE Cases are available now at my shop Rocklawn Arts!

Rocklawn Arts blogged A Guide to Choosing the Best iPhone SE Case for You.

Finished another week of 28 to Make. (Free to download and participate!)

Shot 17 photographs and 13 videos, sheep and sunlight.

Created several Samsung Galaxy S7 Cases:
Black and White Gingham Pattern Smartphone Case
Black and White Gingham Pattern Smartphone Case by RocklawnArts
View more Black and white gingham pattern Casemate Cases at zazzle.com
Bold Black and White Chevrons Case
Bold Black and White Chevrons Case by RocklawnArts
Look at more Chevrons Casemate Cases at zazzle
Rainbow Colored Polka Dots on White Case
Rainbow Colored Polka Dots on White Case by RocklawnArts
Find other Rainbow colored polka dots white Casemate Cases at zazzle.com
Burning Brush Samsung Galaxy S7 Case
Burning Brush Samsung Galaxy S7 Case by RocklawnArts
Browse more Fire Casemate Cases at Zazzle

See more Samsung Galaxy S7 Cases.

Curated a new Classic Navy and White Gingham Pattern Home Decor collection:

Worked on a colchicum flower photograph a bit in Lightroom but started to lean against using it.

Culled 107 photos I shot in 2015.

Started consolidating keywords in Lightroom, cleaning up and re-establishing the hierarchy I'd used in Bridge.

Downloaded the free Nik Collection of image editing plugins from Google. It's more software to learn, but I figured I'd best strike while the iron was hot, or in this case, free.

Watched The Unconventional Power of a Pre-Mortem webinar with Tara Gentile.

How was your week?


10 years ago on TTaT: I'm a little lamb

18 March 2016

Life of Art SitRep #318 Acrylic Wall Art

This week, I shot 163 photographs and 6 videos. Ultimately culled 3 videos and 88 photos. Getting better at being ruthless now to save myself time later.

Also culled 5 photos from a shoot from last year. Alas I wasn't able to keep up well with editing my photographs down last year due to computer issues, but I'm gradually making headway on it.

Finished another week of 28 to Make. (Free to download and participate!)

After watching Zazzle Chat -- "New Products: Watches, Doormats & More", and seeing an example and learning more about the high quality Acrylic Wall Art, I decided to add more pieces to my shop:
Double Arch Photograph Acrylic Wall Art
Double Arch Photograph Acrylic Wall Art by RocklawnArts
Browse more Home Acrylic Wall Arts at Zazzle
Ski Lift and Sky Photograph Acrylic Wall Art
Ski Lift and Sky Photograph Acrylic Wall Art by RocklawnArts
Check out other Home Acrylic Wall Arts at zazzle.com
Adobe Passageway Photograph Acrylic Wall Art
Adobe Passageway Photograph Acrylic Wall Art by RocklawnArts
Find more Home Acrylic Wall Arts at Zazzle

Check out more Acrylic Panel Wall Art pieces.

Rocklawn Arts blogged New Acrylic Wall Art at Rocklawn Arts!

Watched "Sell More of What You Already Have" and "3 Back-to-Basics Ways to Stop Business Burnout" webinars with Tara Gentile.

What would you like to hear more about next week?


10 years ago on TTaT: Query

16 March 2016

The Trickster's Hat: A Mischievous Apprenticeship in Creativity

The Trickster's Hat: A Mischievous Apprenticeship in Creativity11. The Trickster's Hat: A Mischievous Apprenticeship in Creativity by Nick Bantock

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


If you're interested in getting into collage making, I highly recommend this book.

Collage isn't my normal mode of working (probably all the more reason I should try it), but there are also drawing, writing, and other creative prompts that could be applied to all manner of disciplines. I got more into the book the more I read and have bookmarked a bunch of things I want to try.

It's also a fun look into how the author (who wrote and illustrated the Griffin & Sabine books) thinks and creates and solves his own creative blocks/stagnation.


10 years ago on TTaT: For my amusement

11 March 2016

Life of Art SitRep #317 Duvet Covers

Did another week of 28 to Make drawing prompts. It's free, so join in if you want to kickstart your creativity. I'm using it to get over some perfectionist tendencies that have been keeping me from drawing and painting.

This week marked the addition of Duvet Covers to Zazzle. I made a variety of reversible covers and am thinking of new combinations to create. Click the images to see the different but complementary patterns on the back.
Reversible Black/Red Gingham Patterns Duvet Cover
Reversible Black/Red Gingham Patterns Duvet Cover by RocklawnArts
Check out more Reversible Duvet Covers at Zazzle

Made Geometric Rainbow Squares T-shirt and updated my collection:

Added a couple of photographs to the new Power Banks:
Faux Green Marble Power Bank
Faux Green Marble Power Bank by RocklawnArts
Browse Charger Power Banks online at Zazzle.com
Glitter Disco Balls Power Bank
Glitter Disco Balls Power Bank by RocklawnArts
Look at more Charger Power Banks at zazzle

Rearranged fabric collection a little:

Updated links and LOA files for duvet covers.

Checked autopost blog post and found several new blogs to post to, huzzah!

How was your week?


10 years ago on TTaT: Shake it off

09 March 2016

BearWatch is Go!

BearWatch is early this year because it's been so warm. Except for rare bits of snow, it's all melted.

It had crossed my mind a few times and Sunday night, I declared BearWatch 2016 on.

Some people might hold fire and disaster drills, but I went over bear sighting protocols:

BEAR! + location + bear's heading

It's been a few years since I've seen one in my yard. There's been a lot of logging at the top of the street and I don't think anyone has bird feeders out anymore (which attracted them). Still, there's always trash days and a creek nearby, so you never know. Gotta keep an eye out.

Sunday night, I had a dream that I was on a small tour somewhere. I felt something touching my leg and thought it was a herding dog leaning against me. I looked down and it was a black bear. Not trying to herd me anywhere, just leaning into me as if to say, "Hey, I'm here."

A couple of small cubs ran ahead of us to a playground. The bear next to me was larger, well up my thigh, but I decided not big enough to be their mama.

There was some concern about how I was going to step away from the bear, but I was calm. I didn't want to do anything to upset the bear, so I was content to wait and walk with it by my side.

Though it was a dream, it felt like a wonderful start for BearWatch this year.

Here are some bear sightings from previous BearWatch years:
Biggest Bear Yet
Claire's Bears
I'll take a bear in my Easter basket any day
The moment I've been waiting for
To sum up

10 years ago on TTaT: Cleaning up

08 March 2016

Today's Sightings (in more detail)

Today's sightings:
2 cows, 1 with a black head and rump and really wide white band around the middle
2 pygmy goats
a cluster of ponies having a powwow in the trees
some dogs including The Black and The Blonde
2 llamas
the horse without his blanket
sheep
and at least 19 tiny lambs, a few quite frolicsome, hopping and jumping around. Hilarious to watch!


10 years ago on TTaT: I miss my basketball court

04 March 2016

Life of Art SitRep #317 Power Banks

A mix of practical, educational, and a small creative side pursuit this week.

Created some new templates and started adding some select designs to new portable Power Banks which allow you to charge up to three electronic devices at once:

Shot 64 photographs and 4 videos.

Created a Classic Black and White Gingham Pattern Home Decor collection:

Rocklawn Arts blogged New Classic Black and White Gingham Pattern Home Decor Collection.

Watched some short classes on Creative Live:
Advanced Photoshop Compositing with Jason Hoppe
Advanced Automation in Photoshop with Dave Cross
Understanding Color Space for Print and Web with Jared Platt
and the final day of 28 to Make.

Though it was the wrap-up for the daily creativity prompts, 28 to Make remains free to watch and download. I had done a couple of the prompts last month, but I started anew on Monday creating a physical drawing each day, following along with the videos.

Updated descriptions for about 12 designs.

Updated LOA file for end of month.

Made monthly backups. Have you backed up lately?


10 years ago on TTaT: Enter the lion

03 March 2016

Operation - S.I.N.: Agent Carter

Operation - S.I.N.: Agent Carter9. Operation - S.I.N.: Agent Carter by Kathryn Immonen

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


It's a little misleading because Hayley Atwell aka Peggy Carter from the movies and tv show is on the cover, yet the comic Peggy is blonde and clearly has a different backstory when you get to the Captain America issue at the back. (Presumably following the character's original comic appearance more.)

Nonetheless I thoroughly enjoyed the Operation: S.I.N. story. Her voice sounds very close to the Peggy I'm so fond of.

As I prefer Steve and Peggy's movie storyline, I didn't like The Captain America and the First Thirteen issue as well. Peggy seems more like a different character in that one.


10 years ago on TTaT: On to Egypt