Lapse

It's been almost two years since I posted. I always think that I should have a bunch of separate blogs for different subjects. Like, one of children's books, finance, personal, links, books, movies, whatever. If I'm going to do any updates at all, it's gonna have to be all in one spot. Besides all the other places where I keep track of stuff. I'll try to give it a go.

Swapbot Recieved

I received my black and white swap in the mail the other day. My partner send me some yarn, a note and address book, a mug, frame, and some candles. I hate to be pissy about it, but I put a lot of thought and care into the package I sent, and I got what looks like a quick trip to the nearest craft store's dollar bin.

I haven't received anything for the zine or magic yarn ball swap I did, both of which were due almost a month ago. I don't think I'm going to do swapbot anymore.

Nikki McClure

I just read in the Sunday Chronicle about a NIkki McClure art show. I emailed the store to see if they had any left, and out of five stamp style pieces they had left, one was this one that I wanted to most. And it's all mine, for only $250.

I love Nikki McClure's art, I hear about her gorgeous calendar all the time. I am so excited to have this tiny beautiful hand cut stamp in my home, and as my very first real original art purchase.

Valentines

My first Gocco project! I have had a Gocco machine for more than two years, and I've never had the chance to break it out. It was so easy, and Z and I made these great Valentines to give her class.

No one else made their own Valentines, not one.

Black and White swap

I just mailed out my Magic Yarn Ball swap this afternoon, and I finished putting together my items to send out for a Black and White swap.

I really like putting these together for the most part, I hope everyone I send to likes my stuff. I got some good feedback from my cover mix cd swap, and I got some songs that I didn't have copies of before. I love the White Stripe's cover of Jolene.

Swapbot

My first Swap-bot swap was a Cover Mix cd swap. I forgot to take photos of what I sent, an annotated track listing, the cd, and a drawn cover, but I received these.

I love mail art and zines, and I've always wanted to do some swaps, but I never really had anythig going besides some zine trading, back when I was writing them. Swap bot makes it so easy, there are a lot of participants, and a crap load of different themed swaps, plenty to choose from. I'm glad to see some cool mail going around, from a lot of different and creative people.

Crazy Hat and Hair Day

I don't know why schools feel compelled to do theme days. School spirit? Pajama day, red white and blue day, and now, crazy hat and hair day.

I wanted to do yarn dreads, but it didn't turn out quite right. Z's ponytails were a little short, so I ran some yarn through and around the ponytails, wrapped a little for a headband, and then tied some, proper yarn dread style, in her bangs. Oh so crazy.

I just got some of this pink Lamb's Pride yarn the other day because Z wants to learn how to knit. It's a little thin, I might have to get her some thicker yarn. Or cheaper, maybe, to start.

Art Buying

I was kind of dissaponited a couple months ago, when some orginal Mark Frauenfelder art was for sale and I couldn't get any. I liked this one, with the girl in the O.

Then he offered up some screen printed Moleskine cahiers. I put in my order as soon as I saw the post on boing boing, they sold out quickly. I was so excited, I posted my "unboxing" photos to flickr.

This kind of thing happened again, some photos of Hunter S Thompson's were at an LA gallery and on sale for between $2 and $3K. And then I found out about the new limited edition book. Even though the book is $300, it's a steal compared to the photos.

Winter Decorations

Besides a Christmas tree, this will probably be the extent of the holiday decorations around here. I hate paper snowflakes now. I tried to use a template, which I had a bitch of a time finding in the first place, but it ended up being easier to just cut freehand.

Hotel Shampoo

Over Thanksgiving, we stayed at the luxurious and fancy Holiday Inn Express. Actually, it was pretty nice. It's pretty new, it was built a couple years ago, I guess.

Anyway, they have these little special holders for their bath products. They even have conditioner, which has been absent from hotel products offerings. They give you a shower cap (of course), and a little makeup remover wipe. The shampoo and conditioner bottles are pretty nice, with a flip top lid and a wide opening on top. Nice. I grabbed them to refill for next time, they'll fit a shower worth or two.

Another place good design has appeared. The hotel room itself wasn't too bad, either, even though it had the required gaudy, slimy bedspread coverlet and ugly upholstery. The headboard and tables were a matching dark wood with fairly simple moldings on top.