Now don’t get me wrong, I love working from home. I just wish I could do it with a tidy desk wearing a perfect cute/casual wardrobe. Instead I have a tidy house, messy desk and I wear a wardrobe of pajamas or rags. I am kind of giving up on the desk thing… and I blogged about that once before. I accept the fact that creative people have messy desks. I am not good with it but I can accept it.
I am going to try with the wardrobe. First I wear all black… recently I bought something in gray, cream and olive. Big step. I use to wear color and I have no idea how that black thing happened. The bigger problem is that my clothes all look like rags. Light bulb moment… they are rags because I buy things that will turn into rags after 2 washing or 10 minutes of wearing. I buy cottons, linens and knits. I bought a pair of gray pants that I am calling yoga pants and they are knit with unfinished hems. They are really soft but they certainly do not look like a brand new pair of pants I bought on sale but retailed originally for $80.
All of this thinking was the result of reading this article. Apparently I am not the only person working from home in rags.
some of you may be aware of the vivid red soles on Christian Louboutin shoes. The high-end designer says four separate styles of Yves Saint Laurent shoes infringe its trademarked sole. The four YSL shoes are red all over — including the soles. The question here is can they trademark the color red.
My guess if that they will not be able to, but an interesting case to follow. You can read the New York Times article here.
writing is not my strong suit. I know, I blog, and surprisingly I’ve written over 900 posts. Here I just talk. But I know writers and I work with writers. They are the people who can write. So I cheat.
Yesterday I was trying to write some product copy for my newest font Reading & Writing Doodles and I had no interesting words. So that is when I reached for my Words That Sell book. It is always within arms reach. It allowed me to write something that was readable. I’ve moved that book though 3 states so I know I’ve had it for over 10 years. When I went to write this post and get info on that book I see that there is now a More Words That Sell book by the same author and a Phrases That Sell book. I think the Phrases That Sell is geared towards web copy. So I immediately ordered the second 2 books.
The book I do have is REALLY simple to use. You look up what you are trying to say… like New/Advanced and there is a page of 50 different ways to tell someone that your product is new or advanced. Also gives opening statements, closing statements, terms and offers. I’d be lost without it. Links are below is you want to cheat too.
Winter has arrived here in Wisconsin (along with the 1 million recall petitions!). One of my favorite Winter meals is tomato soup and toasted cheese sandwiches. Perfect Winter comfort food. I make good soup and really like my Tomato Dill Soup recipe but it is a bit of work. Certainly more work than just opening a box and pouring. I am not a fan of all of Trader Joe’s soups but I am of this one. I don’t think you will be disappointed. I know we will always have one in the house for those snowy Winter days.
On February 11, 2011, I remember exactly where I was when I heard Governor Walker announce that his budget repair bill would remove collective bargaining rights from public employees, that they might be “a little upset” so he had placed the National Guard on alert. I remember thinking “The National Guard!? This is hasty—something doesn’t seem right”.
Within four days, I had become a protester for the first time in my life—and then, an activist. When hundreds of thousands of people protested at the Capitol for many weeks, I thought certainly our GOP governor and legislature would reconsider their actions. They did not budge then and have not budged since. They thought that we would go away after a few weeks, but we have not budged either. Instead we’ve learned to stand up for ourselves.
It’s been a long year.
Because they continued to pursue their extreme agenda against the will of many Wisconsin citizens, unprecedented recalls of legislators have gone forward this year. Nine this summer. And six currently, including Governor Walker, face recall. It would have been easier to do nothing, but how could we remain complacent?
It’s the perseverence, energy, courage and sacrifice of tens of thousands of ordinary citizens that we will honor at this one year anniversary of the Wisconsin uprising. We’ll come together to remember and reflect on where we’ve been and where we’re going as a state. Forward!
I have the House of Cards and a pen (thanks Laurie) and 4 blue fiberglass chairs. I can’t get enough info about them. So I am enjoying watching this documentary about them as I draw. You can get it from Netflix either as a disk or you can stream it.
Eames: The Architect and The Painter (2011)
This documentary tells the story of the husband-and-wife team of Charles and Ray Eames, widely considered America’s most important designers. Their creations include furniture, photography, interiors, multimedia exhibits, games and much more.
very fun site where people illustrate recipes. Total eye candy. And I assume some good recipes. http://www.theydrawandcook.com
And if you draw and cook you can illustrate and submit your recipe to their site. I am giving serious thought to doing this because it would be a fun way to use some of my Fruit & Veggie Doodles as a background… Oddly I rarely ever get to use my Doodle fonts. So this could be a lot of fun to do.
Some of the recipes have been made into a book which I have ordered. Link below if you want it too.
And appliances… if I could have an appliance for everything I did in the kitchen, that would make me happy… oh and a large walk-in pantry where they would all live on shelves. Since space is limited and I have bought and gotten rid of many an appliance over the years I was hesitant about this one.
Don’t get me wrong I wanted it but I was using my immersion blender to make my morning smoothie. But that meant extra dirty dishes and I did tip the smoothie more than once balancing the blender in the container while reaching for my cup. I was pondering taking on yet another appliance when I got this for Christmas!!! And I am totally loving it. And I use it so often that it resides on the counter.
If you are a smoothie fan check out the link below.
a collaboration between expert knitter Ann Budd and Interweave brings you these handy little apps. I have the knitting one. I don’t crochet but I assume it would work much the same way. I love having this on my phone so I can do some basic math on the fly in a store when trying to figure out how much yarn to buy. It will help me not over buy… (I have tons of aqua chenille that I have never used) or worse yet under buy. At least I will be making some kind of educated guess.
The Knit Handy app delivers the yardage requirements for eight of the most popular knitted items: sweaters, vests, mittens, gloves, socks, scarves, tams, and hats. The Crochet Handy app provides yardage requirements for basic caps, scarves, bags, afghans, ponchos, baby sweaters, skirts, and tops. Both apps show all sizes ranging from baby or toddler to large adult, using five standard yarn weights—from fingering to bulky.
Knit Handy and Crochet Handy apps can be used to quickly show measurement units in imperial (inches and yards) or in metric (centimeters and meters), and to determine the yarn needed when a knitter or crocheter changes their gauge in a pattern.
Both apps are an easy-to-use portable tool that calculates how much yarn is needed for whatever someone wants to knit or crochet. All it takes is three easy steps:
1. Select the measurement units in imperial (inches and yards) or in metric (centimeters and meters);
Select a project type, then choose gauge (ranging from 3 to 9 stitches per inch) and size;
The yarn amount is calculated.
For sale in the app store for iPhone, iPod, and iPad.
On January 25, while Governor Scott Walker’s State of the State address was greeted with thunderous applause inside the Capitol, I was with this crowd gathered outside at his doorstep. We were voicing our opposition to a mining bill that the Assembly voted on the next day. Bill AB 426 was written by mining interests—no legislator sponsored the bill. It guts environmental protections and fast tracks Wisconsin’s mining permit process to clear the way for Gogebic Taconite to open an iron mine in north-central Wisconsin.
And the bill violates international treaty law. The night was filled with the drums and chanting of Native American tribes who were not even consulted about the permanent damage to their land and water if the mine goes forward. We stood with the tribes in solidarity, just as we have joined with teachers, nurses, firefighters and farmers this past year, carrying signs that say “An Injury to One is an Injury to All”.
Bill AB 426 was passed by the Assembly along party lines, although it is hoped that the Senate will stop its progress. The fact remains that the Walker administration has changed our state beyond recognition. Wisconsin has long had a universally respected bi-partisan tradition of protecting the environment for the good of all.
A huge RECALL banner inside the Capitol reminded guests to the State of the State address that over 1 million Wisconsinites have signed a petition to recall Walker—we’re all hoping it was his last annual address from that office. As the governor’s speech began, the noise of the protesters outside his door was deafening.
