30 April 2021

Life of Art #584 [Custom Graduation Guest Books, Logo Post-it Notes, Employee Photo ID Badges]

584 weekly updates. That's a lot of weeks. Over 11 years of my journey to create a life of art. Though that journey continues, this will be my last weekly Life of Art post. There may be some stray ones in the future, but for now they are draining too much of my energy that could be better spent on other tasks.

If you want to keep up with what I'm creating (I would love that!), please check out the

Products tab at Rocklawn Arts and sort by Newest to see my latest additions.


Follow me at Rocklawn Arts on Pinterest to see new pins on curated boards.

Follow me @RocklawnArts on Twitter to see new products and designs as I add them.


And now to this week:

Created three Elegant Class Of 2021 Photo Graduation Guest Books. 

This one has an abstract hand-painted pattern of black curves on white on the back and a white spine with black text:

This one has an abstract hand-painted pattern of white curves on black on the back and a black spine with white text:

This one has the same abstract hand-painted pattern of white curves on black on the back and a black spine with white text. The only difference is the year is shown as 202x so people will know it can be customized in the future:


Created Custom Business Logo Contact Info Large Faded Logo Post-it Notes, Custom Faded Business Logo and Text Post-it Notes, and a Custom Business Logo Contact Info Big Faded Logo Notepad:



Also created some light colored Custom Hospital Employee Logo Photo ID Badges:





Pinned to boards at Rocklawn Arts on Pinterest.

Shot more photographs I've yet to upload.

How was your week?

24 April 2021

Speculation

A couple days ago, I was watching the construction going on out a window, taking photographs and shooting videos when a cop car sped onto the street and told the big dump truck that was only sticking out into the road a few feet to move.

He promptly did, parking on the road which actually took up much more of it, but fortunately didn't impede the next cop car, small firetruck, another cop car, and eventually 2 ambulances that went to the top of the street.

They were there for a long time. I thought no one could be seriously injured because the ambulances didn't blaze out with lights and sirens going.

Today we were speculating about what might have happened. A kitchen fire perhaps, maybe smoke inhalation to deal with or things to be moved outside. Whether Roscoe was okay, either freaked out by the ruckus or wanting to greet all the emergency responders.

I voiced the stray thought that the emergency vehicles wouldn't rush out if someone was already dead.

Horribly that turned out to be the case. It's not like my thought today caused anything to happen, well, ever, or a few days ago, but it still felt awful to have had that thought and been right.

I read his obituary and when I got to the survived by section, and they included Roscoe, their beloved family dog, I burst into tears.

I'm still crying now.

I didn't know him well but he was always nice when I saw him when I was out walking. He'd always say, "Roscoe, look who it is, go say hi to Claire."


23 April 2021

Life of Art #583 [What Happened This Week?]

This week looks like it mostly got away from me. I slept even worse than usual 3 nights in a row, so I spent more time taking in information than producing.

Though I did shoot a lot of photographs and video, most of which I've still yet to upload.

Pinned to boards at Rocklawn Arts on Pinterest.

Set up some stuff in the back end for my business.

Made monthly backups. Have you backed up lately?

22 April 2021

The Three Minute Meditator

The Three Minute Meditator: Reduce Stress.  Control Fear.  Diminish Anger.  In Almost No Time at All. Anywhere. Anytime.5. The Three Minute Meditator: Reduce Stress. Control Fear. Diminish Anger. In Almost No Time at All. Anywhere. Anytime. by David Harp and Nina Smiley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Though the title may make it sound superficial, it's about incorporating meditation throughout your day rather than having to carve out 20-40 minutes or more at a special alter you've set up. I found it really helpful and it's a reference I will revisit.

They (it's written by David Harp and Nina Smiley, twin siblings) present lots of meditation exercises to try so you can find what suits you. Also, they present practical uses for it to help you wrestle control of your thoughts. Wrestle isn't the right word, build up "Mental Muscle" over time with consistent effort even in short amounts of time.

If you've struggled with meditation, are new to it, or are looking for practical applications for it, I highly recommend this book.


10 years ago on TTaTLife of Art SitRep #63 In the realm of distraction

16 April 2021

Life of Art #582 [Custom Gradient Yoga Mats and Medical ID Badges]

Created several Yoga Mats with gradients featuring custom names or a custom name and monogram, as well as checkered gradient versions.


Created several new Custom Employee Photo Medical ID Badges:

Pinned to boards at Rocklawn Arts on Pinterest.

Shot more photographs.

How was your week?

09 April 2021

Life of Art #581 [Custom Burgundy Class of 2021 Graduation Gifts and LGBT Pride Face Masks]

Created a variety of Burgundy and White Class of 2021 Graduate Typography gifts including Tote Bags, T-Shirts, Graduation Cap Topper, Air Freshener, Bicycle Playing Cards, Magnets, Keychains, and Coffee Mugs. You can add a name or school name to many of them.

See the rest of the new gift items in this collection:

Created Class of 2021 Graduate Name Chic Navy Typography Tote Bag and Class of 2021 Graduate Name Chic Red Typography Tote Bag:


Also created Rainbow Stripes LGBTQ Pride face mask and Rainbow Stripes LGBT Pride face mask:

Pinned to boards at Rocklawn Arts on Pinterest.

Shot a lot of photographs, most of which I've yet to download.

How was your week?

07 April 2021

Dinner at the Lake

Today is the first day I've eaten dinner out in over a year.

And by dinner out, I mean we took a mini picnic made at home with us to the lake and ate it while we sat in the car, looking out over the view.

To be fair, this is always how we'd eat at the lake except we'd usually pick something up for dinner and on the way home debate whether or not to pick up dessert somewhere. Ben & Jerry's or a slice of cake from the fancy bakery section at the grocery store.

Today was just dinner and people watching. Two groups of people on either end of the bulwark midway in the distance, a couple of kayakers, two small boats, a fisherman with two poles.

Blue water rippling. Puffy clouds with some blue sky peering through. Late afternoon sun hitting the trees, houses, and low mountains beyond the far side of the lake.

I wore my old sunglasses, the one's without a prescription, and it was the right choice. They are tinted ever so slightly pink, not that you can tell when wearing them. They just make everything look more awesome. The sky and the water, more blue, colors more vibrant. I lifted the shades up to check. The lake view and mountains in the distance looked quite nice, but with my sunglasses on, it looked amazing.


15 years ago on TTaTI smell bacon

04 April 2021

xvi, sedici, 16, seize, sweet sixteen!

Happy 16th blogiversary, TTaT!

Also Happy Easter to those who celebrate it!

Looking back through 16 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 2819 published posts (not including this one), these are currently my favorites:

Sixteen 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:
Something big and black

2021 (so far):
Light

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


10 years ago on TTaT6 years of TTaT

02 April 2021

Life of Art #580 [Custom Class of 2021 Graduation Mugs, Magnets, and Keychains]

Created a variety of graduation gifts including coffee mugs, keychains, and magnets featuring a chic typography emblem that reads: "Class of [YEAR] Graduate." Designs are available in navy blue and white, red and white, and black and white. The year can be customized on all of the designs.

The Class of 2021 Graduation Coffee Mugs also include a custom name or school name:








Class of 2021 Graduate Magnets:




Class of 2021 Graduate Typography Keychains:





Pinned to boards at Rocklawn Arts on Pinterest.

How was your week?