Saidie’s Neighborhood

I have been sorta depressed lately. And to top it off, I haven't been feeling well since I got back to NYC, so I haven't been able to work.

I don't like the feeling of knowing there is a lot of work to be done but being physically incapable of doing it.
(I mean, I could probably do some work, but there would most like be lots of mistakes as I battle the waves of dizziness and nausea and headaches that have been plaguing me lately. I'm all about realizing and respecting my limits.)

I really want a Boston Terrier. Two of them.
I'm going to keep saying that until it happens.

I found this picture of Helen Keller and a Boston Terrier:

Wholesale order for Girlz Lyfe.

The acrylic painting medium is fairly new and has only been around since the 1950’s. Since then, it has continually been under development and refinement. Acrylic paint is highly favored amongst artists because of its versatility. It can be applied in a thick fashion as an impasto having rich texture or in washes mimicking the characteristics of watercolor. Another likable characteristic of acrylic paint is its permanence. Unlike oil paints, acrylic paint is not susceptible to yellowing or hardening with age. With acrylic paint, the artist does not need to be concerned with the order the paint is applied or other special techniques that ensure the paint film remains free from cracking.

So now that you know a bit more about the acrylic painting medium, I am sure you want to get started. This beginners guide to acrylic painting will provide you with all of the information and resources that you need to get started and improve your painting skills....

Read the rest of A Beginners Guide to Acrylic Painting Here

Originally published at sixhours.net. You can comment here or there.

I'm having a proud mama moment... a couple months ago I was asked if I could do a photo shoot of Ellie for my office's research magazine to illustrate an article about making your own baby food. The latest issue was released today, and you can see the online version of the article here.

If you've ever taken photos of babies, you know how challenging it can be (one of the many outtakes from our mini shoot is to your right). I didn't quite get the exact photo we needed on the first try, so the final "photo" was actually a combination of two images, skillfully merged by one of our graphic designers.

Ellie had a lot of fun with this. Normally we don't let her play with her food, so having complete freedom to smear, smush, squish and splat the puree everywhere was baby bliss. That grin you see? Completely genuine. I'm going to clip a copy of the print article to go in Ellie's baby book so we can show her how much she enjoyed her first "modeling" gig.

I know, I know. I have not posted any photos of my crafts in a long time! Well, I have been a bit busy over this last Summer and Fall, but the Winter is shaping up to be a good crafting season, so there will be more to browse...I promise!

If you want to easily view my past crafts, check out this link to view my Flickr photo sharing pages (or click on the link to the top right-hand side of my blog). They're all neatly organized in an easy-to-view format.

Have fun...and check back here around Christmas time for some knitting, sewing and such project photos!

-RM

When I was away for Thanksgiving I got to go to the Textile Museum in DC, which has a really nice contemporary Japanese fashion exhibit going on until April 2010.

It showcases the works and styles of Issey Miyake, Yohji Yamamoto, and Rei Kawakubo.
It's particularly interesting if you're into avant-garde anything (like I am) because it is amazing to see what these designers started producing at a time when no one else was doing anything like it. Very revolutionary.

I had to whip out my camera to remember the occasion---and to share with you of course:

(Miyake is known for his pleated garments. I strongly recommend you look these up. Also look up runway videos of these garments to see how they move!)

Originally published at Calobee Doodles. You can comment here or there.

The nice thing about holidays with the family? Well, besides the turkey, stuffing, good company, good music, pie, copious leftovers... OK, so there are a lot of nice things about this time of year, but one of my favorites is lots of helping hands and extra entertainment for Miss Ellie.

I even had time to complete this cute holiday doodle... and in the process, I discovered how to make pretty snowflakes in Illustrator. Now I'm kind of obsessed with them. I may have to make yet another desktop wallpaper...

This gingerbread duo and the snowman design will soon be available as postcards in the Calobee Doodles shop!

Originally published at Calobee Doodles. You can comment here or there.

Use the promo code TGIF at the Calobee Doodles shop through Monday, Nov. 30 to receive 10% off your order (excluding shipping). Just wait to pay until I've sent a revised invoice--and enjoy!

I'm reposting this, because apparently it's getting a ton of hits off my flickr images right now...

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I love the roundish snowflakes, so I decided to start off with a circle instead of folding into a triangle like the normal way.

1. Cut a circle out of plain white paper. I just used some paper I had in my printer.

2. Fold circle in half, like a taco shape.

3. Fold that part in half from left to right.

4. Fold it again, pressing the corners down really well. I trimmed the top so that it was even.

5. Cut your shapes on the sides and top. Be sure and leave some paper inbetween each section you cut, so it holds together.

6. Unfold to see the results! Oh! It looks like deer antlers!

7. Unfold again for another surprise!

8. Voila!! You made a paper snowflake! See how easy that was?

Hang in your windows, doors, or you can hang them from your ceiling, or even on your Christmas tree :)

Originally published at Calobee Doodles. You can comment here or there.

Use the promo code TGIF at the Calobee Doodles shop through Sunday, Nov. 29 to receive 10% off your order (excluding shipping). Just wait to pay until I've sent a revised invoice--and enjoy!