Thursday, December 23, 2010

6

So, smaller works out pretty well if my pens are fine enough. I pulled out a set of India ink markers from Faber Casteel. I was able to get the level of detail I wanted with the smaller format circle. This means smaller doesn't take less time, doggonit.

What I love about this doodle is the flagella on the edge.  This is an effect that's long fascinated me.  I don't care so much about what's in the circle, much preferring an image with some focus.  We shall see what tomorrow brings.

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Smaller...

These are 3 or 4 inches in diameter, done in my pocket sketchbook. I thought smaller would be quicker, however it is also...well...smaller. Much less room for detail and harder to get the kind of contrast and depth I found in the previous pieces.

This is my favorite of tonight's efforts:


4

It seemed kind of small and sad until the 'flagella' appeared.  Now it has more life.

This one is just....meh...nothing to write home about.  I blame it on the show my family was watching.
5

I have a few more pages with this size circle, so will keep trying. On larger paper, I scribed a circle with a dinner plate. It is so empty, yet full of potential. The idea of drawing into it has me holding my breath.

Monday, December 20, 2010

Sunday, December 19, 2010

Drawing in Church

WARNING: LOTS OF BRAIN SPEW, ONLY ONE PICTURE. PROCEED AT YOUR OWN RISK!

There is an idea floating around the creative community that piques my interest.  And though I am not one to follow fads, this idea dovetails nicely with my nature.  It is the concept of Zen drawing.

Now before there's any eye-rolling, or fleeing from the blog, lemme' esplain.  No.  There ees no time.  Lemme' sum up:

-I believe firmly that 'Zen Drawing' is somebody's catchy phrase to either sell something or to make themselves feel cool.  Nothing wrong with feeling cool.  Or selling things.  It's just that I'm about as cool as I'll ever get (not very) and I don't really need more things.  Really.  House full.  Money limited.

-I am a chronic doodler.  It is a condition I've had from a young age and will carry to my death.  My daughter recently was peeved with me for this very habit.  I had a long phone call.  There was a pen and an envelope near by.  I covered it with mindless patterning.  The envelope was important to my child.  This habitual practice is hard-wired.  Right up there with hangnail-picking and lip-pursing.  An investigation of the loose paper in my home will reveal meeting agendas, old bills, graph paper, letter heads and the occasional receipt covered with black ink, preferably felt tip.  No napkins though, never napkins.

-I focus better while doodling.  This is a proven fact.  ADD runs in my family.  I probably have it.  If my hands are empty and I have to sit during any kind of meeting, I will create endless tasks for myself, even if only in my head.  I will make mental notes, watch the clock, look for faces in the wood grain, check out everyone's wardrobe and hair.  It's detailed business.  You ever been to my church?  I probably know what you were wearing and can give you a rough estimate of how long you've owned that garment.  I know when people have haircuts and when the shade changes a minute step towards red, blond, brunette, etc...  This behaviour is not by choice.  The grey matter demands activity, stimuli.  It is a slathering, hungry beast.  And it must be fed.

Doodling (or knitting or spinning, especially spinning)  satiates that beast.  Simple activity calms the stimuli-hunger pangs just enough for another part of the brain to absorb information on a different level.  It's as if I can feel part of my mind hovering above the inner gears of basic function.

-This is not new.  Lots of people doodle.  Some of them use props.  Some of them are more free-wheeling.

-This is also not suddenly my new medium that's going to make me rich and famous.  Yes, my most successful artwork has come from extensive doodling.  Yes, perhaps at some point I will turn from felt tip pens and scrap paper to India ink and a high quality surface.  But not now.

Still reading?  Alrighty then!  All of that blather is to say that I have begun to draw during church.  It helps.  A lot.  I can listen to readings.  I can focus on the sermon.  I can sit through a Bible class.  I can stay awake.

I will, starting today, post these drawings here.  It may not be weekly.  I may fall behind.  Or forget.  Or become depressed.  But I will try.  Starting now:


1

Wednesday, December 08, 2010

Seuss!

Hi, Everybody! I'm making time to blog today. Don't you feel blessed? I'm just happy you're taking a moment to see what I've been up to.

So, about 4 years ago, I decided it was time for the kids to embrace community theater.  I missed it and they needed the creative and social outlet.  Every play we've done, I've gotten in too deep and committed to crazy sewing plus a part plus an arm plus a leg, making for a very unFunky C.

This fall, a production of Seussical the Musical (junior version) was being produced and not only did I manage not to audition, I managed to only volunteer for ONE job.  I've never done this before in my life.  It didn't stop me from procrastinating, but there is hope!

So, my one job?  Seuss hats.  In lots of colors.  And sizes.  That stand on their own and can be used as dance partners.

Here we go!

Brims:
brims
It's like a pile of gigantic Cheerios!

Bodies:
bodies
All stripedy and ready for action.

Test Hat, complete with wire coil insert.
one done
This is the largest size I made.

With siblings:
4 giants

And a few minis:
3 minies

On stage, with a good friend(left) and an offspring(right):
On stage with Horton and a Wickersham
The stage images are Photo Shopped to the hilt.
Stage photography + pocket camera = image nightmare.

Opening scene with The Cat in the Hat and Jojo:
opening scene

Opening Dance number with hats in action:
opening dance number

My two favorite Whos (I made the circle skirt on the left, too):
my two favorite whos

The show was in mid-November and my kids had a blast! It was refreshing to be involved, but not too involved.  Changing how I involve myself is a major adjustment for me and I'm hoping it will give me the freedom to do more of what I love.  Bye for now!

Saturday, October 02, 2010

October 2nd, 2010

Dear Blog,

I have been away for a while. This is regretful.

This summer ended with many changes in my life. I believe they are all positive, but the process has not been easy. Nor is it over.

One of the momentary benefits has been the freedom to get back to one of my true loves: All things fiber. My spinning wheel has been watching me with longing eyes. A few new knitting projects have crept into my lap. I've been dreaming of new garments, hungry for the process of pattern drafting. I want to design fabric, lots of fabric. The are new tools in my arsenal that are fueling old ideas for layering, creating depth on the yardage surface. I'm fighting the urge to jump into it all at once.

Instead, I will start in one small corner. I will sketch. I will order fresh dyes. I will make luscious fabric. After that, who knows?

With Love,
Funky C.

Friday, July 02, 2010

New to Me

Loretta Grayson, Australian artist.


I am in complete love with this work.

Check her blog. Lynn, scroll down for granny squares.

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Juicy

big maters
Oooooo....the plants were started in a greenhouse....totally cheating, I know. But LOOK at them! There will be fresh, juicy tomatoes in no time. The first ripe one will be savored within moments of picking. I will toast a piece of bread, slather it with mayonnaise, add a slice of 'mater, a hint of salt, and taste summer burst alive in my mouth. Mmmmm.

And aren't the babies cute?
baby mater

In other news, it's time for the annual t-shirt circus. Today's act: 35 shirts, 3 colors. Here are some of them scrunched in a bin:
A mucky mess

Looks like a mess, doesn't it? But then, look at the bottom. You can still see white:
Isn't that amazing?

Isn't that cool? I'm expecting good crystallization and some nice contrast.
Here's the whole batch:
These plastic bins are all repurposed.

They got a little squish, to enhance the mud and then were tucked away in an electric blanket cocoon for their afternoon nap:
Let's all lie down, shall we?

I'll wash them out tonight and keep you posted!

Sunday, June 13, 2010

Very Funny, Lynn Krawczyk.

Oooo, look who know so muuuch....Lynn posted on my bloooog...isn't she impwessive???

Remember, Miss Lynny-Baby: There are things that one can do with Bengay, Nair, and Superglue. MMuuuwaaaahhh....

Today, the petting farm. Witness The Farm Animal Whisperer:

Her legs almost touch the ground and she remembers how to ride.


Little Oreo Goat figured out she could climb through the fence rails and break free. Greedy for carrots, that one.


Squeaker needs a goat of her own, don't you think?

Chook-chook....my word for calling chickens, from an old Mother Goose poem.


Squeaker on the farm. My girl loves animals and I love my girl. Thanks, Lynn, for a great weekend!

Friday, June 11, 2010

sing with me!

cathy cathy bo bathy banana fanny fo fathy, me mi mo mathy! ccaaaaaaathhhhhyyyy!

again!

cathy cathy bo bathy banana fanny fo fathy, me mi mo mathy! ccaaaaaaathhhhhyyyy! cathy cathy bo bathy banana fanny fo fathy, me mi mo mathy! ccaaaaaaathhhhhyyyy! cathy cathy bo bathy banana fanny fo fathy, me mi mo mathy! ccaaaaaaathhhhhyyyy! cathy cathy bo bathy banana fanny fo fathy, me mi mo mathy! ccaaaaaaathhhhhyyyy! cathy cathy bo bathy banana fanny fo fathy, me mi mo mathy! ccaaaaaaathhhhhyyyy! cathy cathy bo bathy banana fanny fo fathy, me mi mo mathy! ccaaaaaaathhhhhyyyy! cathy cathy bo bathy banana fanny fo fathy, me mi mo mathy! ccaaaaaaathhhhhyyyy!

(posted by Lynn, not my fault, she used my laptop and forgot to log out...muahahahahahah!)

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Grand Finale!

Presenting: Grade School Tie Dye Awesomeness!



There may be more pics than you care to see. All that tie dye kind of blends together. But the kids are so adorable, I couldn't resist.

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Dye Day!

The second stage of our grade school tie dye project was Dye Day.

Dye Day is a Great Day!

This step was messy and fun. The team of adult helpers were fantastic. They kept kids moving, kept the mess under control, and kept everyone happy.

Two of my children came as assistants. They've both been dying shirts since they were old enough to hold squirt bottles. They were knowledgeable, displayed maturity, leadership, and encouragement. Much to their shock, I took them right to Dairy Queen and bought them Blizzards (this a very rare occurence, saved for only the highest of honors).

Here's the slide show:

Tuesday, February 02, 2010

Schools and Uniforms

*No Catholic school girls or plaid skirts were used in the writing of this post.*

I stopped by the school today to see the t-shirts for myself. They are pale--not the purply, grape soda color I wanted, but they are still pretty shirts. I talked with the principle and she said the kids are thrilled. They got to see the results of something they made with their own hands. It's all good.

There are still a selection of shirts that need to be dyed. Each grade's shirts are purple plus one other color (green, turquois, blue). Staff, such as the lunch workers, will have shirts that are purple plus all three colors. Friday, the whole school is wearing their tie dyed shirts! How cool is that?

On another note, have you been following the Uniform Project? It's a daily fashion project raising money for a specific school in India. The clothes are imaginative and the kids are....well....kids--wide eyed and sweet. Check it out here.

Monday, February 01, 2010

Tie Dye Pics

Here's a slide show of the school tie dye project. These were taken on the day we tied shirts.

Sunday, January 31, 2010

The Good, the Bad.

....there's already plenty of ugly in the past few posts.

The Bad: My 400 t-shirts project has somehow gone awry. The shirts are pale. They either didn't get warm enough, or I goofed up the soda ash somehow. The shirts were left in garbage bags (one per class) in a room set to 85 degrees Fahrenheit. I'm not sure the warmth got through to all the shirts. As for soda ash, there's a good chance I used too much. Am going to the school tomorrow for a personal peek.

The Good: Scrumbling. I love it, though have never tried it. For those not in the know, scrumbling is free form knitting and crochet. Scrumblers know who they are and Prudence Mapstone is their Chief. Her blog makes me happy. Check it out.

Thursday, January 28, 2010

It's Been a Busy Week



400 grade school children with t-shirts, a dozen volunteer parents, 4 full days, two of my children, and me.

Guess how much dye we used.

Sunday, January 17, 2010

hmmm...

Now here is a conundrum...

Cathy and I both use blogger. Her laptop did not follow her to my house this weekend when she came to visit and here all I've done is innocently gone to post my Where I Stand post and lookey lookey...she's still logged into blogger.

I could be a good girl and simply log her out and go about my business. But really, where's the fun in that?

So I offer you one of the photos I have from my "Cathy" album in my iPhoto library. She is fearless in front of the camera and it never really phases her when I threaten to blog the photos I take so I figure she won't mind if I put one here:



Enjoy!

Lynn

oookkkaayyyy......

I'm posting.

I'm at Lynn's. We are wearing pajamas. We are watching horrible television. We are knitting.

I love it.