Erulisse Dances

Winter Is Coming

2012-10-24T10:17:17Z

We've had some wonderful temperatures, 60's to 70's (18-23 C)during the day and 40's (7 C) overnight. But a change is coming quickly and starting tomorrow our highs will be upper 40's. I don't think I'm really ready for colder temps, although I have been wearing my leather jacket for a few days now. My ideal temps are highs in the 70's and lows in the 40's, so it's been just about perfect lately. But...I live in the snowbelt and winter will come whether I want it to or not.

( What memories will you leave behind you? Thoughts below the cut. )

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Shoes, Beading and Projects

2012-10-11T10:34:26Z

I hate it when I don't have projects perched in my brain because I splash around in my creative pond like a child with water wings. It's silly, but it's my reality. I always have projects in my head - things I want to do, images that I see that I want to bring into reality. Aside from my novel, which I do realize will need a lot of work but I'll begin dealing with that in November, I also have my shoes projects and there is a major beading project that is perching and knocking against my brain.

Sometimes I feel like a vulture just waiting for

my next creative meal.

( There is some incredible beadwork out there. Click to take a look. )

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Partial Day Off, But Better Than Nothing...

2012-05-23T10:07:35Z

Today I have to work at the shop for an hour or so first thing this morning, but then I'll get the rest of the day off to do my errands and laundry and have my weekly phone call with Aearwen. Next week I won't get a day off because Chickie will be taking vacation, and the week after that I'll be in Milwaukee attending the Bead & Button Show so I guess I'd better enjoy today - it's something I won't have the chance to have again for several weeks.

( Do you like fountains? I have two lovely ones for you below the cut. )

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Beautiful Things

2012-04-21T09:51:01Z

This week ends with the American Craft Council's annual show in Saint Paul, a show that my DH and I never miss. I'm sure we'll be running into customers who sell there, as well as Chickie and the Chickie Mama who usually also attend the show on Sunday mornings. We have to work Saturday, of course, but Sunday will feature beautiful things. So I am sharing the four winners of the Award of Excellence for the show this year, just to share the pretty things.

( four outstanding artist items follow the cut )

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Counting Down and Counting Up

2012-03-24T09:52:09Z

So, I looked through my list of completed stories for B2ME so far, I have written 36 stories so far and have three more that are in the works as of this morning. Last year's B2ME, which was the first that I participated in, was a lot easier. Last year it was a simple requirement of one story a day for the 31 days. This year, well, this year it depends on many things - how many Bingo cards I picked, what numbers are called, and what prompts I happen to have for those prompts. So, totally variable. I think it very possible that I will end up the month with close to 50 completed stories for the month. Only one more week to go....counting down...

( examining just one card below the cut )

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How many hours do I have?

2012-02-01T11:25:02Z

Today is my "day off" and the list of things I have to accomplish today is longer than my height (relatively speaking). Oy! I have to call the accountant and get appointments set for the company and the personal income taxes to be prepped. I have to go to two different banks - one just for a deposit, the other to return and re-order checks that were printed incorrectly (sigh). I have to go to the art supply store (this one is at least a fun errand) and get the brush pens I promised to buy for my DH. I have to go grocery shopping, I have at least two loads of laundry to do, I also need to get a mail order into the mail.

( geez..... )

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Happy Friday

2012-01-27T10:55:27Z

It's Friday and I really need it. My art project got one step farther yesterday with a little time in the early morning and a half hour of time at the end of the day. Crazy - shoveling my time into small bits and pieces. Considering how often I end up pushing my creative activities into small portions of time, it's no wonder that I love writing drabbles. The short and focused 100-word stories fit within my crazy time frame. So, I have the next step of the project perched in my head, but it has to clarify a little more before I set pencil or pen to paper.

( Read more... )

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Studio Day 1 of 2

2012-01-18T10:54:55Z

So, my auto repair people are pretty amazing. My DH did a total number on our car - after cleaning the throttle cable, draining the overage of gas from the engine, replacing the gaskets and spark plugs, and changing the oil (along with other things that were affected by DH's inability to start his car properly) we walked out of the repair shop much poorer. Ouch! I need to make an appointment for my own car to get a 100,000 mile checkover in February, I'm going to begin to feel as if I'm supporting these guys singlehandedly.

( pics and thoughts below the cut )

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Moving Forward

2012-01-16T11:24:29Z

So, last week is just better off behind me. I had a sick husband, had to work an extra day, and ticked off friends who really mean a lot to me. Basically, it was horrendus, I owe apologies to lots of people, and I'm just looking at today as an opportunity to start again - sorely needed.

( positive thoughts and pics follow because it's a Monday and positive is good )

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Thoughts on Creativity

2012-01-10T10:41:26Z

I get asked periodically about creativity. "Where does your creativity come from?" Or, "You're so creative, I could never do what you do." It's a possibility that the person(s) speaking may not be able to do what I do - not in terms of creativity but simple knowledge of the stitches, procedures, and techniques that I use. But I do believe that each person has some creativity.

( like fractals? So do I. Two pics under the cut. )

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Progress

2011-12-09T10:45:06Z

I did get quite a lot done yesterday on my "extra" day off. I finally finished a repair that I accepted in October. I had given an original due date of Thanksgiving, and obviously ran late from that, but after three more hours of work on it and some late night finishing work, it is finally complete and ready to be returned.

( Read more... )

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What Constitutes Creativity?

2011-12-03T11:19:51Z

My DH and I love watching creative competitive TV shows - Project Runway, Project Accessory, Work of Art, etc. The entire idea of having to produce something meeting specific parameters within a limited time frame and, sometimes, utilizing specific materials really appeals to me because I am a deadline-driven person and operate best with due dates hanging in front of me. But I have also, lately, become aware of the different ways that personal creativity can be expressed.

( Read more... )

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Focus...Focus...

2011-11-28T10:51:36Z

I finally have decided what I am making for smaller holiday gifts. They aren't as elaborate as last year's beaded holiday stars, but still are taking longer to make than I had originally intended. I wanted something that would take about an hour, maybe two hours to make, but these are closer to 3-4 hours. But, that's still better than the 8+ hours that last year's stars took. Now I just need to fit some beading time into my writing and editing time.

( Read more... )

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Winter Is Coming...

2011-11-19T12:14:41Z

We are expected to get our first snow today, and I am SO not ready. I don't want to replace the snow shovel and sweepers into my car again. I don't want to face pulling snow off the roof for another winter. Can I move to a nice warm climate for the winter? No...I'll diminish and return to my life and remain Sandra.....(with apologies to Tolkien for the paraphrasing).

( pics and more below the cut )

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Early Solstice Gift and Art

2011-11-17T11:31:54Z

I should actually head this as early Christmas gift, since it is from my DH and he celebrates Christmas. But he will buy me the glass saw that I've been wanting, the one piece of equipment that I found, while working on my projects this year, that I really needed. So, he told me to go ahead and order it and he woud pay for it.

( Read more... )

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Winter is Coming...

2011-11-15T11:05:05Z

Even though George RR Martin's "Game of Thrones" books are peppered with the phrase "winter is coming", it really is coming here in Minnesota. The temps will drop quite a bit tomorrow and we should see some snow here in the Twin Cities by the weekend.

( pics and text continues below the cut )

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Weekend...What Weekend???

2011-11-12T11:39:57Z

I was very busy yesterday, and still didn't get to Target to buy Harry Potter Deathly Hallows part 2. Hopefully tomorrow after we are done raking leaves we'll drop by and pick it up then. I'm sure I'll want to do something other than deal with the blisters I'll be bound to have.

( Read more... )

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A Season of Celebration Continues

2011-11-01T10:05:52Z

So yesterday was Samhain (and thank you to the many friends who sent me greetings for the holiday). Today is the beginning of Dia de los Muertos.

( photos and lots more below )

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A Sunny Fall Day

2011-10-29T10:35:32Z

I don't want to go to work today. I'm involved in trying to wrap up my "Feast" story which finally got legs and started running well. I also have my nose glued to my NookColor reading "The Enchantment of Flesh and Spirit: The First Book of the Wraeththu Chronicles" which I am absolutely devouring.

( Read more... )

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Hmmmm...What to Do?

2011-10-21T09:51:02Z

I don't cook. I can microwave very well, and I exist on salads, frozen meals, tortillas with cheese or other lovely things inside them, and oatmeal for breakfast. But I don't cook.

( Read more... )

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Dreams of Equipment

2011-10-18T09:59:39Z

So, DH and I went to that little Gem & Mineral show on Sunday and dreams of equipment have once again sprouted in DH's head. He has wanted to play with rocks for a long time. ( Read more... )

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Want Something Done? Ask a Busy Person...

2011-10-12T10:07:42Z

I accepted a repair yesterday. I don't accept a lot of repairs any more - most of them are really boring and something that could be done by the person with minimal work. I would rather teach the person how to do the repair and make them a long-time customer than just fix it for them.

( Read more... )

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Studio Day - How Busy Can I Be?

2011-10-05T10:21:50Z

So I have a new accountant after the fiasco that occurred in March of this year. The first thing I hired him to do was 5500's for us which were extended to be due on October 15th. I picked the folder up from him last week and looked over it yesterday. Problems - misspelled names, and a bill that I think is way too high. I left him a phone message telling him to phone me today. We need to talk.

( Read more... )

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Dog Days of Summer

2011-08-09T10:19:22Z

It's really easy to tell that we're running into the tail of summer. People are scrambling to take their last vacations before school starts up for the kids again.

( Text etc below the cut... )

1 - What music are you listening to in your car? Why not try a different type of music for a day. What visions are you getting from this new beat/combination of instruments/vocal style? Could you work this into a story or put the rhythms into a piece of artwork or craftwork that you have in the back of your mind?

2 - Walk into a room that is familiar to you. Close your eyes (if you are already sight impaired - you're already ahead of the rest of us for this exercise). Moving from direction to direction, describe the wall/area. Did you catch everything? Is there anything you would change? If you could re-do this room in your imagination, what would you change?

3 - Take your favorite book down from the bookshelf (or upload it into your e-reader). Usually in any favorite book there are certain passages that resonate with the reader. Re-read those few passages or sentences. If it is on your e-reader, you should have those bookmarked. What...you don't? Shame on you. Do it now. There are reasons for your liking these passages. Sometimes it's nice to revisit old or new friends in the pages of a book.

4 - Pick a word. Orange, dog, wife, mountain....a word. Go to the image search feature of Google or Bing or your favorite search engine and put that word in. Look at the variety of images you got back for the word. Is there anything here that will click into your creativity?

5 - Make a meal, make a drink, do something with food - LOL. I took lemonade, added some fresh lime and then some maraschino cherries. Yellow + green + red - very attractive. Much happier to concentrate on that then on what the financial markets are doing right now - *sigh*.

Have a creative day!!!

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Fulfillment and Happiness

2011-06-29T09:43:04Z

So after more than two hours of frustrated work to get the lettering onto my Big Bang collage, I finally succeeded in exactly what I wanted. I may still go over the lettering with my wood burner, but I'll test that out with my signature panel on the back of the piece first.

( Banner and more below the cut... )

The central image is an antique ivory comb that was

heavily carved in the center. It's a stunning piece!

Yesterday I thought I would work up some userpics and banners for my Middle Earth Fan Fiction award nominees, and noticed that I had been nominated for a sixth story. Yippee! I'm so incredibly honored and just floored that anyone would find my writings moving enough to nominate. Thrilled doesn't even begin to describe my feelings. So I worked up a banner for Morning Song shown above. I'm still working on my user pics for my LJ pages. So, I'm doubly happy. Unfortunately, I'm looking at four days in a row of work, definitely a downer. But...I've got good books to read on my NookColor, good coffee and oatmeal for the morning, and only the chapter headings still to draw for my Big Bang things (and those are bonus, not required), so all is well. Now to get beading on my BFAC piece for the year...

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