24 April 2020

Life of Art #531 [Mother's Day Magnets, Vote Car Magnets, Custom Logo Playing Cards ]

Mother's Day is rapidly approaching so I created a Best Mom Ever White Script Custom Photo Magnet and a Mamá Número Uno White Script Custom Photo Magnet. Just click through to personalize it with your own photo:

See more gift ideas for Mom in this collection:

Created several Register to Vote Car Magnets in various shapes and designs.

See the rest of the Register to Vote car magnets and other product types here:

Created several Vote Blue Political Car Magnets in various shapes and designs.

See the rest of the Vote Blue car magnets and other product types here:

Created Custom Business Logo and Company Website Navy Blue Playing Cards:

I also created many more cloth face masks including a new style version which will appear in my store hopefully soon. I'll keep you posted.

Pinned to boards at Rocklawn Arts on Pinterest.

Shot 29 photographs, culled 10, rated rest.

How was your week?


10 years ago on TTaT: Sketchbook, page 21

21 April 2020

Something big and black

When I was eating lunch/breakfast today, I saw something big and black moving through the woods.

"What's that?" I said, my excitement rising with the thought it could be a bear.

After a moment I decided it was just a big black dog.

"Hey, is that Rosco?" I said, standing up to get a better look.

I lost sight of him behind the grill but then found him again walking through the yard towards the street.

Yes, Rosco.

I was happy to see him. The last time had been months ago another time he'd gone walkabout, but he'd crossed a more heavily trafficked road at the end of the street. One of his owners had been following after him, but I never saw if she caught up with him.

As I watched him out the kitchen window today, he stopped and seemed to be looking back at me. I waved.

Then he took a whiz on the pachysandra before heading to the house across the street where Apollo lives. I'd seen Apollo out for a walk on leash with his owners earlier but was pretty sure he was back inside.

A while later the rain picked up and then it started snowing heavily. I hope Rosco decided to go home or that his owners caught up with him before that.

Stay safe, Rosco!


10 years ago on TTaT: Gettin' My Groove On... (vol. xv)

18 April 2020

Spring Snow

Everything was covered with snow again this morning. I went out to shovel the deck since it was forecast to rain in the afternoon and I hadn't been outside in a few days.

It was already slush though much of it still looked like snow.

When I shoveled it off the deck which is one story up, the splatter and spray when it hit the ground was absolutely epic! It was really satisfying.


10 years ago on TTaT: Sketchbook, page 20

17 April 2020

Life of Art #530 [Cloth Face Masks and Gratitude Journals]

Expanded the variety of styles and colors of cloth face masks in my shop including designs to which you can add a custom monogram or your logo.

Click this collection to see them all:

Created some Gratitude Journals with varying designs. Click a notebook to add your name or custom text.

Also created a Fire Flames Photo OtterBox iPhone Case (available for many phone models):

Pinned to boards at Rocklawn Arts on Pinterest.

How was your week? I sincerely hope you are healthy and safe.


10 years ago on TTaT: Sketchbook, page 19

16 April 2020

Two Weeks

So I've been self-isolating after I felt someone's moist breath on my eyeball a couple of weeks ago. To do my best to take care of myself, I stopped eating sugar. Well, junk food, chocolate, sugary treats, that sort of thing. (I know sugar gets added to most everything these days, I didn't obsess over that.)

Two weeks later, I feel as well as I did before, so huzzah probably no coronavirus!

However, I did expect to feel some quantifiable improvement from my sugar hiatus. Better sleep or more energy, for instance. But no, in no way I can discern do I feel healthier for having abstained. Even my weight is in the same range it usually is.

So I'll just assume it was helpful deep on the inside somehow, but today there shall be freshly baked dark chocolate chip cookies!


10 years ago on TTaT: Life of Art SitRep #10

10 April 2020

Life of Art #529 [Cloth Face Masks, Monogrammed Votive Candles, ID Badges]

New to my shop this week are cloth face masks featuring patterns, abstract designs, and original photographs.

Please note:
"Zazzle's cloth face masks are NOT surgical masks, personal protective equipment, or N-95 respirators – these critical resources are reserved for the healthcare workers on the front lines, taking care of our loved ones – but rather are intended for general, everyday use while out in public when social distancing measures are difficult to maintain."
As my designs get approved I'm adding them to this new Stylish Cloth Face Masks collection. Click through to see more designs.

I also created a new t-shirt to celebrate your graduate:

Foster some calmness in your space with monogrammed votive candles with gingham check patterns in black, light blue, red, green, and navy:

Last but not least, I created some Custom Employee Photo ID Badges. Click through to customize:

Made monthly backups. Have you backed up lately?


10 years - 1 day ago on TTaT: Sketchbook, page 17 + bonus sketch

09 April 2020

xv, quindici, 15, quinze, fifteen!

Clearly I've been distracted lately because I missed my blog's anniversary by 5 days. Taller Than Average Tales is fifteen! I still have work to do tonight so I'm stealing most of my roundup from last year.

Happy 15th blogiversary, TTaT!

Looking back through 15 years of writing, drawing, and photography, I've chosen one post (or occasionally two) from each year from my Best of TTaT list (you can also find it in the header under Highlights).

So... of 2733 published posts (not including this one), these are currently my favorites:

Fifteen years of Taller Than Average Tales, ultra-condensed

2005:
One Year Ago

2006:
Tacos and the bear

2007:
Formalwear Claire

2008:
To Be King Again

2009:
20 self portraits from 1996, day 2 and Haiku: Irony

2010:
Gettin' My Groove On... (vol. xv) and Light It Up, vol. 1

2011:
Biggest Bear Yet

2012:
Temporal Transportation

2013:
Fleeting Diner Love

2014:
Evening Stride

2015:
Best Part of Winter

2016:
Sheep in Disguise

2017:
Snow Falling and On Voicelessness

2018:
Spring Sightings and In the Category of Odd

2019:
Furries

2020 (so far):
Bundt v. Tube

Thanks to everyone who has read and commented over the years!


10 years + 5 days ago on TTaT: 5 years of TTaT!

03 April 2020

Life of Art #528 [Postponed Family Reunion and Wedding Postcards]

Postponing or cancelling events is really disappointing, but your health and that of your friends and loved ones is more important.

To make it easier to let everyone know I've created some new postponement postcards for family reunions and weddings. You can personalize the message and other text to suit your needs (cancelled vs. postponed, for example).


And here are two postcards for wedding changes:

Pinned to boards at Rocklawn Arts on Pinterest and created a Graduation Announcements and Gift Ideas board for 2020 social distancing needs.

Shot 22 photographs, culled 5, rated rest.

Watched/read "3 easy ways to remove edge fringes in Photoshop. Halo removal on cutout edges by Colin Smith."

How was your week? I hope you are healthy and staying safe at home.


10 years ago on TTaT: Sketchbook, page 16