Photo-Play: Leg Up

 

a lesson in life & creativity

something i wish my 4 year old DollinkGranddaughter could teach me:

'a beautiful gold rainbow'

20" x 24"

acrylic on canvas

artist: DollinkGrandDaughter LB

* to paint with wild abandon.

for all you list makers and letter writers out there

a website of lists.
so cool!

and here is a related, website of letters.
also lots of fun.

ooooooh. another!

thanks to Shaun Usher 
for all of the above.

another fave-o-right thing

the 'Bag Cinch' by OXO.

it's DollinkHubby's new fave-o-right thing.

fact of the matter is ...


... DH is the one who tossed a 3-pack of Bag Cinches into our cart whilst shopping at Tar-Zhay last week.

and boyohboy is that man gaga over how well these little cinchy wonders work on our cello bags o' bread. but then, he is easily amused.

actually, the Bag Cinch does work very well indeed.
it's also cute as all get out.
as far as kitchen gadgetry goes, anyways.

i dare say, OXO Bag Cinches are even niftier than Chip Clips.

just for fun

click on the 'water' to feed the turtles!
these three little guys will also follow your mouse around their swim area.








feed the fish by clicking on the 'water'.
they too will 'follow your mouse' in their tank.

 

 









from the website:

"Here is your number one companion – cute, talented and loyal.  He can sit, lie down and roll over.  Try giving him a pet and watch how he responds.  Keep your dog entertained by playing ball or giving him a bone.  Reward him by giving him a treat.  To get him to sit, double-click your mouse on the ground close to him.  Double-click again to get him to lie down.  Then hold your mouse button down and make a circular motion to tell him to roll over."

find these and other playful gadgets

from

http://abowman.com

bestest TV show theme song!

bestest.



in my humble.

I especially like 'going through' the sparkly starry ring of one of the planets. This takes place between the credit line for Tim Russ (as Tuvok) and Jeri Ryan (as Seven of Nine). Oooooooh! Cheap Thrills!!!!

The only thing not quite right about the opening theme is this.

Even so, I forgive the creators of the show for this tiniest of itty bitty infractions.
One must allow for artistic license, particularly when the spaceship sound effects add so much to the musical fanfare (as well as to the aforementioned slipping through the sparkly starry ring).

Granted, there are some truly great television theme songs out there.
I could research/name/link to a good many now, but i'm a bit preoccupied with listening to this theme song over and over and over again...

I shamelessly confess to being a StarTrek fan, Voyager being my hands-down fave of the five (not counting the animated) ST television series. TNG runs a very close second to Voyager.

The original Star Trek, in all its tacky glory - will always hold a secure and warm place in my heart.

DS 9 (which my DollinkYoungerBrother refers to as DeepShit 9) failed to engage me (though I did watch it). I just couldn't fathom being stranded on the big space station, even though it was close-by to a wormhole (which allowed for some promise of access to other places). Plus, it was awfully dark on that space station. Too mole-like an existence for me.
(given the understanding that, more than a mere spectator, I live and work vicariously amongst the crew on any given ST, so living conditions must suit my aesthetics)


Enterprise had no chance in hell or space of keeping hold of me (starting with the deplorable choice of opening music) as a regular viewer. It just never made the cut (for me). I confess to watching the first few episodes to catch a glimpse of the captain's pet dog beagle, Porthos. Unfortunately, Prada, the poor little beagle on the first season of Enterprise, must have taken Expressionless 101, method acting lessons from Steven Seagal...

Now, back to that Voyager theme song. For foaming-at-the-mouth enthusiasts, here's an extended version.

Winter spring summer or fall ...

I am constantly moving things around our humble abode - shifting and sifting, as it were - the contents of drawers, corners, shelves, closets, what have you. Evaluating and re-evaluating the use and purpose and aesthetic of each and every item.

Organizing, purging aka de-cluttering, rearranging.

It is my lot in life to keep shifting until the shift settles and I'm OK to live with it for awhile. When the spirit moves me again, I rise from my comfy chair to shift again.

This is a year round activity.
Quite enjoyable, actually. For me, anyway.
I gain a fresh perspective after each re-organization.

Striving for balance ~ with the positive/negative visual spaces of my environment.
Simplifying ~ the contents of my home and life.
Sharpening ~ my focus so I can better view my interests/projects.
Achieving ~  restfulness.
Enjoying ~ the contemplation of what is ahead.
Moving, always moving ~ forward.

Good stuff.

eclectic.

e·clec·tic  (-klktk) adj.

1. Selecting or employing individual elements from a variety of sources, systems, or styles: an eclectic taste in music; an eclectic approach to managing the economy.

2. Made up of or combining elements from a variety of sources.

chic.
+ mixy.
+ artsy.
+ soothing.
+ surprising.
+ playful.
+ cozy.
+ coordinated.
+ organized.
+ practical.
+ joyful.
+ welcoming.
+ homey.
+ cute.
+ beautiful.
these are adjectives I try to keep in mind when arranging my personal living space.

Add 'em up and they spell e-c-l-e-c-t-i-c.

Decades ago, the two words I favored for home decor were Japanese + Simplicity.

Living in a new suburban house in a California subdivision with hubby, two kids, several pets and no extra 'mad money' made that aesthetic all but impossible to achieve. It wasn't long before I accepted that the long dreamed about dining area comprised of a simple, large, low, smooth, shiny, black lacquer table set upon thick and fragrant tatami mats in an otherwise empty room with sliding Shoji screen walls - was not to be my reality. Minimalism was not in the home decor cards for this gal and her brood.

Plus, truth be known - I like 'stuff'.
As much as I can appreciate plain lines and very few knickknacks, severe minimalism isn't 'me'.

From the early years of a-home-in-the-making, eclectic started as, then began to define, my version of decor. In styling our various abodes over the years - found objects, hand-me-downs, poor choices in the purchase of new furnishings, acquisitions of previously abused used this and that - eventually led to a mixed decorative bag. To date, much of the old stuff has been replaced, yet things have remained decidedly mixed though not quite matched - which happened accidentally on purpose.

My hope now is to achieve a status of home that is a sanctuary of traditional, whimsy, artfulness and welcome.
A cute environment that is fun to be in. Cute and Fun are not typical buzz words when it comes to making a house a home. I ask myself 'Is this cute?' 'Is this fun?' Moreover, 'Will potential buyers be turned off by this look when it comes time to sell and move again?!?'

Much excitement can be derived from looking at a website like the one above. In the less obvious areas of a photographed room setting, inspiration lurks. Glimpses of a tabletop or wall-hung vignette of items can trigger decorating ideas with one's own stuff in mind. I truly become excited when I see an unusual set-up of books, or dishes stored in unexpected ways. I also get antsy to rearrange things when I spot beds, sofas, chairs and desks placed at interesting angles to the space. My preference is not the predictable grouping of everyday objects, but something beyond the usual, leaning a tad towards the unorthodox. Perhaps a bit more --- artful?

Such imagery is surprising, and often provides better indication of the homeowner's personality than would copying, 'verbatim' (in the case of the physical, item per item), the decor as laid out on the pages of a home decor magazine.

Spaces created with an emphasis on the dweller's unique world view best tell the stories of those who occupy that space. Much can be ascertained from placement of furnishings, choice of embellishments, the importance given to treasured items and how they are arranged.

Rooms can serve as fanciful shadow boxes, reflecting ideas, wishes and musings.
For those of us who enjoy taking note of individuals in their home environment, seeking out decorative clues that reflect a persona makes for a fascinating study indeed. It fairly tickles my aesthetic sense to do so.

What holds the greatest appeal for me are groupings of personal, practical and pleasing pieces, chosen purposefully and set together with the elements of design in mind. Conversely, an all-pervasive approach to decorating in the usual ho-hum way and applied to an entire home is much too predictable. It does not inspire me in the least.

Big Yawn on Solidly Seriously Staid!

Huzzah Huzzah for Exhilaratingly Excitingly Eclectic!

2011: NOT a Resolution

As a rule, I don't make New Year Resolutions.
Hey - did I already state that last year or the year before?
Perhaps in saying that I don't - I do.
Hmmmmmm.
So early into a new year and already I am toying with dichotomies. Is it yes? Is it no? Is it both yes and no? Acccccch. Let's move on, shall we? For you will, I have no doubt - wish to get through this one rather quickly...

Not a Resolution #1: I do expect, if not resolve, to be extra feisty and contemptuous this year. Why the heck not? More caution to the wind, I say. 2011 marks for me almost 60 years before the mast. That in itself is cause for celebration and extra ornery-ness. Take it or leave it. Some ladies wear more purple as they get older. Others just get more bitchy. Others more loving and still others - less so. What say I wear a bit more color and hone the bitchiness to a fine art? Oh yes, that does sound good.

Anecdote ----- I did at one time, and only once - make a resolution at the start of a spankin' brand new year - that was maintained - and for over seven months, at that. Allow me a moment of digression from today's primary topic of NOT a Resolution to amuse you with The Resolution That Kept (at least for awhile)...
To be sure, it was silly in nature and frankly, a bit scatological to boot. Funky resolutions concerning impolite habits are simple to make. They are also the easiest to keep from breaking within the first fragile hours/days/weeks of a fresh year. F'rinstance, I will not blow my nose into my shirt...I will shower at least once a month...I will stop licking all the dessert spoons after everyone is done eating ice cream...


So - what exactly was the one-line mantra that someone as weak-willed as 'b' might have resolved to do - or not to do? What unholy ruling could she have possibly entertained being confident of keeping for the whole of - 12 months?


It was, my friends (if you dare to read on and I to risk your judgmental declaration of OMG!, b!) - this:
I had resolved .... when in a small enclosed space with a few other people .... post the natural and very human bodily function known in polite circles as flatulence has been enacted ... I promise not to ask ....

'WHO FARTED?!?'

Ahem.

Because, Dear Readers - once a pass has been made - it matters not who the culprit be. Really it doesn't. For what good does it do for someone to take credit? Moreover, what good does it do others than have an opportunity to make admonishments? It won't serve to change what has taken place, nor does any good except to embarrass the perpetrator, who is already at a loss as to how to cover the faux pas of letting loose in a public place. Life is short. If someone uncontrollably (perhaps purposely) passes gas in your presence, you may, at will, remove yourself from proximity. So there.


This was the most well intentioned of any and all resolutions I'd even thought of making (but didn't) over the years. Resolving to lose weight, be a kinder person, read more books, do more art, volunteer for a charitable cause, be less over-sensitive, grow only organic veggies, knit less - or more --- these things would not hold for me. Not for a day, much less a fortnight or longer. But not to ask 'Who farted?!?' Hey - this would, ultimately and surprisingly - prove doable. I adhered to my resolution for 7 whole months - ignoring any and all odiferous passes in my presence - successfully avoiding temptation to identify and/or berate any one person when it did occur. Then, one day - I inexplicably, and without very much prompting, uttered the un-untterable.  With that, I failed the 12 month resolve.

That was the end of Accusatory Sobriety Concerning Public Flatulence. Lasted 7 whole months, and I deserve credit. One for the record books.

Not a Resolution #2:  More of a lifestyle change, really. Here goes:
I am not going to 'multi-task' as I used to. That is to say, multi-tasking will no longer be a much anticipated approach to my days.

(the humor of this cartoon is applicable 

only if one attempts to juggle 

while at the same time scratching one's ear real fast with one's foot)

Not so long ago, I discovered that multi-tasking is not altogether so productive a conduct as it is purported. More of an exercise in futility than not. Take the duo acts of walking and chewing gum at the same time, or washing dishes whilst listening to a book on tape --- duo or multi-tasking in this manner is not unreasonable. For me, however, taking on multiple duties has always meant more. I perform one concentrated task right up against another one of equal significance. This usually proves to be counter-productive. More often than not, simultaneously working on projects that each, in their own - require full attentiveness - results in spontaneous combustion. One can almost detect an audible 'poof into destructive roaring flames' of the desired results.

Visualize me multi-tasking --- studying French while watching a streaming Netflix movie on the computer would be an example. Neither gets my focus so I do both poorly. Sewing and baking cookies. Granted, there is wait time with baking, but one must still be attentive to the task at hand - and a sewing project can certainly distract from being mindful of a batch of cookies in the oven. Blogging while chatting on the phone with a friend - also not the best idea. I put little concentration on blog content, neither is much attention paid to lively banter of conversation. Definitely a lose-lose situation.

The manner in which I multi-task makes for one thing that does not serve the other. Rather, it takes away from. Such 'multi' activities is what I resolve to wean from. In due course.

Mind you, this is NOT a Resolution for the New Year 2011.
What it is, is working towards management of a proposed lifestyle change. There is no official start or stop time frame. Success or failure depends largely on a concerted effort to make a change.

When is a resolution not a resolution, then?
Simple. When I say so, of course.

Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha.
Play time with semantics. Ya gotta love it.

Ted talks - so listen up!

Ted Talks.

Entertaining. Smart. Inspiring.
Super cooooooooooooooool.
What's not to love?
I have far too many favourite Ted talks to list here, but here is one to whet your appetite to seek out more to devour:

A.W.O.L.

Apologies.
I've been Absent With Out Leave for a while, so nibble on a little T.o.P. for a bit and I'll be right back - with some GOOD STUFF.

Elvira Madigan

There really was an Elvira Madigan.

I was 16 years old when I 'met her', by way of the 1967 Swedish movie of the same name; the title character played by Pia Degermark. Directed by Bo Widerberg.

When the film 'Elvira Madigan' played at my neighborhood theater, I went to see the evening showing several times that week: after school/dinner/ homework.
I recall sitting through it several times on a Saturday. Back then, one could pay the price of admission and just - well, never leave the theater all day. That weekend, I was in Elvira Madigan Heaven.

The movie also introduced me to Mozart's Piano Concerto #21 in C (K467).
The andante movement is played as the movie's theme - quite frequently - throughout the entire film. In truth, it really was repeated ad nauseam, but that mattered not to me, who found the music to be magical and mesmerizing. I wasted no time before running out to buy the Deutsche Grammophon phonograph recording by Geza Anda. That way, I could listen to it ad nauseam whenever the 'Elvira' spirit moved me.

That week in 1967, when 'Elvira Madigan' played at the Palace Movie Theater in San Francisco, I became completely and hopelessly smitten
with Elvira Madigan aka Hedvig...
with Sixten Sparre ...

... with dizzying romance ...

... and tragedy.

 ... I fell in love with the lilting andante of Piano Concerto No. 21, and wanted more more more Mozart ...

'Elvira Madigan' was also the film that revved up my interest in slow-moving, richly aesthetic, beautifully directed, undubbed foreign films ...
(with English subtitles).
I love this stuff. Eat it up for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Though I now include foreign films of many genres. Other than slow-moving and aesthetic.

Yet how very delicious was that first exposure to 'art house foreign film' - simply the best introduction.

Ahhhhhh.
Sweet, impressionable 16.
Believe it - once upon a time - that be me.

The Small Dinner Party

What's not to love about The Small Dinner Party?Especially when it is a little (don't panic now - just a tad) - formal in presentation.

The Small Dinner Party should not be an uptight affair. Never overdone. What it could/should be is just a bit more stylish than a crowd of people eating out of serving dishes, using paper plates/cups, plastic cutlery. Nothing at all wrong with that, mind you. It's still a party with good times to be had. It just ain't The Small Dinner Party.

For The Small Dinner Party, you bring out the good dishes, whether they be stoneware or china, lacquerware, glass or mix and match. Use drinking vessels that are a pleasure to hold. REAL cutlery. Serve indescribably tasty food. Refreshing drinks. It's taking the time to set up an honest meal and inviting a handful of good folk over to share it. A winning combination of all these factors can turn staging a dinner into a creative, memorable, delicious event.

The thoughtfully prepared dining experience can be every bit as enjoyable as sitting alone and eating KFC with your hands, straight out of the 'bucket'. More thrills than wiping the residual fried chicken grease from your mouth with those skimpy paper napkins. To be sure, The Small Dinner Party can be oodles more satisfying. I repeat: oodles.

Let's plan The Small Dinner Party, then.

Ingredients for The Small Dinner Party

Guests, 4 to 8 in number - it would be nice to dress up a bit for the occasion (as in no shoes, no shirt, no service!).

Everyone seated together at a dining table (eating while standing is for crowded art gallery openings or sporty tail gate parking lot parties).

The dining table is set with coordinated dishware (not necessarily matching or too terribly formal). It's a pleasure to spend time at a table decked out in color, sheen and texture.

Mood lighting (As I get older, I really appreciate being bathed in soft lighting).

Tasty fare, any style, so long as it is prepared with the freshest ingredients and 'plated' (in lovely/smart-looking/novel serving dishes) to tempt the senses even before the first mouthful of food reaches the palate.

Mood music (be it your fave rock tunes, jazzy jazz, classically classical or what have you), played not-too-loudly in the background - is optional.


At The Small Dinner Party, being mindful of a classy, fun or even a themed presentation is an important part of the overall enjoyment.

Other Small Dinner Party Must-Haves:
Stimulating conversation,
on a variety of topics (effortlessly and seamlessly incorporated into conversation throughout the evening), to enliven the group repartee.

Every guest feeling comfortable with participating in quick n' lively banter of ideas/anecdotes (those who 'monologue ad nauseum' are cordially NOT invited).

Active Listening (apart from appreciating the tastiness of the meal,
active listening is the responsibility of every guest at The Small Dinner Party). DO invite friends who are capable of balanced exchanges in conversation; who have at one time or other demonstrated the unique skill of integrating others into easy chitchat. The Ho-Hum Braggadocio, who speaks almost exclusively of him/her self, need not apply for invitation to The Small Dinner Party. He/she can stay home - alone - with that bucket of KFC.

Insight (conversing with others, there are always numerous opportunities to learn and discover).

Lots of good-natured laughter (for a good chuckle heals the heart and soul).

YES PLEASE and HUZZAH!
for
The Small Dinner Party.

Your invitation is in the mail.

knit-wit

There are lots of ways to approach the knitting of socks.
One approach is not to do it at all.

But that's not for me.
I love knitting socks. Once upon a time, I never thought I'd make such a statement, as sock
knitting is labor intensive.
Yet I find that it suits me.

I started with tiny knitting needles made of bamboo - 4 (sometimes 5) little sticks with points at both ends.
Skinny yarn.
A basic sock pattern.
I tend to stay with ribbed leg and instep designs. They fit nicely and knit up without too much bulk - or frustration. Socks that are entirely made up of stockinette stitch have a tendency to get stretchy and baggy. I like snuggy socks.

There are numerous ways to knit socks, and I intend to explore more of them from this point onward. I've completed almost 15 pair of hand-knit socks in the last few years, so it's time to branch out a bit. That doesn't necessarily mean that I will be adopting another approach more pleasing than the one I currently use, which is the 'classic approach' (see below). Just that the variations are out there and one may as well give 'em a try.

Matter of fact, I've already got the first sock of a little pair going on two circular needles for DollinkGranddaughterLB.

Starting another pair this week: 'toe-up'. After that - 'two toe up on circs'.

There's more. All good, to be sure.

I really enjoy the traditional old-fashioned/style/way, of using little porcupine aka toothpick sticks and thinnish fiber. The needle weight feels right in my hands, yarn dances onto each needle with a subtle smoothness and the gentle click click click is soothing to my soul. It's quite satisfying to watch a sock 'grow', row by row, from those teensy needles.

I knit and I knit and when I'm done, I have a pair of pretty new socks.
And I do get done.
And I do wear those socks.

This is probably my second or third blog post devoted to hand-knit socks. Since learning to knit in my early 20's, I've knit many other garments and accessories over the ensuing decades (egads, but I'm old), but return again and again to sock knitting for Pure Knit Satisfaction.

Go figure.

A knit-wit sock knitting tip:
I prefer a wool and nylon blend for hand-knit socks. Washable is nice, though I tend to hand-wash and line-dry my sock creations. Just because. All the new wools are non-itchy -- that is, the offending fibers that makes for itchy wool is not present in the yarn. Wool socks are soft and comfortable. Some sock yarn twists and/or splits when being knit on. It matters not whether the yarn is expensive or inexpensive. Much depends on a combination of factors: the knitter's hold on the needles, the needles themselves and the yarn. I've had pricey sock split and twist on me, and have knitted with cheaper sock yarn sans any break, split or twist incidents at all.


Pictured above is a recent sock completed; with the other awaiting a cast onto those little needles.
The yarn is a beautiful wool/nylon blend. A pricier sock yarn than what I usually use ($17.50 to knit a pair of socks). The color was right, so I bought it. Otherwise, I tend to use sock yarns that cost considerably less. 

If you knit, and haven't yet tackled sock-knitting, why not give it a go? There's no big secret to it, save for 'follow the directions'. If that holds no interest, find someone (other than me) who is willing to knit a pair for you. At the very least, someone who will let you try a pair on, so you can feel the difference - and wish - that you too - had a pair of hand-knitted socks.

Gustave!

Gustave Caillebotte.

My first encounter with a painting by Gustave Caillebotte was decades ago, at an exhibit of French Impressionism in San Francisco. The entire show was amazing, but I was 'floored' (pun intended) by a large piece titled the 'Floor Scrapers' (there are at least two by this title, but it is this one that blew me away).

The painting isn't appealing in the fresh and colorful way of most impressionistic art, nor in any traditional sense of pictorial beauty. Rather, 'The Floor Scrapers' is rendered in monochromatic earth tones. The subject matter is not a landscape, floral or a still life of fruit. What is depicted is a small group of half-naked men busily scraping the old finish off a wood floor. Hardly romantic subject matter.

The imposing size of the painting (40" x 57 3/4") is in itself arresting. The view of their sinewy muscled bodies combined with the dim lighting of the room they are working in - requires one to pause and consider the unusual subject. Taking all that in with this one piece of art - 'got to me'. I was fortunate to see The Floor Scrapers several times again on subsequent visits to the Musee D'Orsay.

Other paintings by Caillebotte grab and hold my attention in the same way. I find it hard to tear myself away...

Gustave Caillebotte was not the most popular of artists to emerge from his era - he was largely overshadowed by the biggie names in French Impressionists: Monet, Manet, Degas, Renoir, Cassatt, etc. - whose work he was such a devotee/ supporter. Their influence is evident in his painting, yet Caillebotte's style stands apart.

What appeals to me in Caillebotte's work are the unusual angles, and the way he poses his subjects - many of who stand with their backs to the viewer.  It took years for me to understand that I liken his perspective (in regards to capturing images for painting) - to my own approach to photographing people / places / things.

Once, on a solo trip to London - I (very unexpectedly) happened upon a rare find. The Royal Arts Academy was showing a small exhibit of just Caillebotte's work. Just Caillebotte? I had to attend - and spent a couple of happy hours there, lingering over each painting. One on one. Up close and personal.

For almost a decade, I traveled to the Art Institute of Chicago annually, often several times a year. As a self-professed Caillebotte-maniac, my trips to Chicago would always include a pilgrimage to the Art Institute - specifically to spend quality time with 'Paris Street, Rainy Day'.

For years, a Gustave Caillebotte monograph has been amongst my prize possessions. I treasure it.
Very recently, I found this website. The complete works!?!
Includes pieces I've not seen in a museum or books anywhere in the world.

Nice.

My love and fascination of 2-D art runs the gamut from traditional representational stuff to contemporary color blocks - and back again. For some time now, I go into throes of artful rapture at the sight of expressionistic sketchy minimalist brushstrokes. Views of art change, grow, slip back and forth and between so many movements.

Yet Gustave Caillebotte's solid images of Parisian urban life will always hold a sweet and tender place in my art appreciation heart.

ROARIN' good FUN

Check out the 'detachable counter' that accompanies Lion Brand online knitting patterns.
PDC (Pretty Darn Cute)

Just don't try to drag it off the computer screen...

oooooh aaaaahhhhhh

= youtube video.

i heart PBS

OK, so this show might prove to be my next new tv addiction.

Beam me up!

Look at what I just found on How StuffWorks:
'Top 10 Star Trek Technologies that Actually Came True'.

I am living the Star Trek fantasy whenever on video Skype or video iChat with my DollinkDaughters and DollinkGDaughter.

OK, beam me up!
(oh, that one isn't ready yet...)

look up!

James Turrell: 'Skyspace'