Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Another peaceful night...

Ya gotta love living in the country. It is so very peaceful and dark
out here. No traffic noise. No airplanes flying over. Not much to
disturb the crickets and frogs but the occasional dog barking or the
yip yip yip of a faroff coyote.

I am lying on a chaise in my backyard, looking up at a million stars.
My yard is surrounded by trees but open right behind the screen porch
so at night I can lie here and gaze at big sky. Very big. And very
dark. I swear I can see the milky way on a crystal clear night like
tonight. I've laid out here so often that I have learned to tell time
by the location of the constellations. I think it is my favorite
place. Well, except maybe for Slink Shoals the way it used to be.
Nothing like sleeping next to a running river. But that is another
story, for another time.

Nothing like the night sky. I lie here pondering my next project, and
wondering when I might finish my current one. I wonder if anyone is
interested in my comics. The first book I put together sold like
crazy. But that was a very long time ago. Even before the internets.
Remember back then?? When we advertised in weeklies and magazines.
Hmmm. I do.

Time for bed. Critique at nine tomorrow morning. Every Wednesday. But
that's ok.

Sent from my iPod

Saturday, August 28, 2010

Jonathan Adler's naked ladies

So I got to meet Jonathan Adler at the July Gift show at AmericasMart Atlanta. I had read in the show program that he would be giving a seminar during the show.  I've always really liked Adler, ever since I first run across his Quaalude Jar several years ago.  I figured anyone who would make such a thing as a Quaalude jar must have a wonderful sense of whimsy .



Seeing him in person was really big fun, he's just as fun and fabulous in real life as I imagined he would be.  He told us stories about his younger days, when  he couldn't manage to hold a job doing anything.  It just came natural that he work for himself, he apparently was not able to work for anyone else.  He basically just gave us an hour long Believe In Yourself pep talk, peppered with anecdotes and personal challenges he had met along his path.  But  he was fun to listen to, very charismatic and an engaging speaker.

I was browsing his website just today, and what did I find!  A harmless little link, called appropriately enough- Hardcore Crafts.  Little did I realize that hardcore, meant ...ahem, ... just that. Well, not really. i  mean there are boobs and butts, and phallically suggestive banana bud vases, but nothing I'd call really hardcore.   Just the same - i love it.  The naked lady pillows, the cookie jar covered in boobs with a mischievous little tongue poking out the top - way more over the top that I expected even from Adler.



I'm  loving  it...

Friday, August 27, 2010

Can I has iphone?

I heard it months ago.  A friend at Verizon whispered it to me. I stood incredulous, hoping against all hope that it could be true.  Could it be true?

Cut to two months later. I'm in Peachmac, looking for some ipod accessories, and I ask the Apple girl about it. "What?" she says, "no way, it'll never happen."  For some reason, I  refuse to believe her. But deep down, I know she is probably right.  i could not possible be that lucky... or could I?


Could it be?

Verizon to get the Iphone starting January 2011!!


According to sources familiar with the plan, Verizon Wireless will start selling the Apple Iphone, available in January.

I couldn't be happier.  Well, maybe if it were starting  now.


     But, January is good.: )











Thursday, August 26, 2010

How about a nice Hawaiian Punch?

  I've been pokin' around trying to find some yummy but easy to make cocktails for a Luau party.  Drink recipes sure are not  hard to find these days.    I've found quite a few good choices for food, too - Kalua Pig,  Waikiki Meatballs.

But leave it to the folks at Kraft to have a great collection of easy to make and serve recipes.  I think this is what we'll try to make for dinner Saturday night.  It looks really good.












or these quesadillas look really easy to  make and  not very expensive for the ingredients either.  That's important to me when I am trying to fix enough for a crowd. 



 This recipe was also found at KraftRecipes.com



I think this Mai Tai recipe looks pretty good.  
We already have a lot of different kinds of rums, plus stuff for piƱa colada and all types of fruity daiquiris. Plus, I've already got all the liquor we'll need for these mai tais, we'll just have to get the fruit juices.     And I do  have paper umbrellas!


Traditional Tropical Drink Recipes

Mai Tai
Invented by the famous Trader Vic in 1944, “Mai Tai” means literally “the very best “ in the Tahitian language.


1 oz Light Rum
1 oz Dark Rum
1 oz Orange Curacao or Grand Marnier (Triple Sec can substitute)
1/2 oz Amaretto (Almond liqueur)
1 oz Orange Juice
1 oz Pineapple Juice
1 Dash lime juice
1 Dash Grenadine

Shake well and pour over ice. Garnish with a Cherry and Orange slice if available. Don’t forget the paper umbrella!

I found this one at hawaiianluauparty.com










Wednesday, August 25, 2010

A Freaky Tiki Party

I am expecting guests for the Labor Day Weekend. We are looking forward to a Luau Pool Party, either Saturday or Sunday night.  I can't decided- I think I want to go out and run Downtown Athens Saturday night, but then Sunday night is terrible for a party.  I guess I will ask Dawn what she thinks. It is, after all, her birthday party.   She is driving in from Greensboro NC and several more friends are coming in from Nashville TN to celebrate Dawns birthday Tiki Style!

What are some good food recipes for Tiki a party?  Drinks?  I've got all kinds of rum, and am going to also purchase some flavored rums for the party.  We've really grown to like banana rum and coconut rum.  Of course, on our last trip to Vegas, we discovered cherry rum.  Boy oh boy is that stuff good mixed with a little Coke.

So, anyone have any suggestions for Tiki party recipes?  I am running out of time to plan.



Tuesday, August 24, 2010

It's dark...

I've been playing around with sketching on black paper, with colored pencils.   I like the way it has turned out. I like the black and white ones better than the colored ones.

Anyway,  I think I will start selling a few of my sketches on etsy again.  I used to sell art on  ebay and etsy, but I quit a while back.  I need to raise money for a home repair, so I guess I'd better get busy trying to make a little $$$. Plus, I have hundreds and hundreds of sketch book pages.  Do you think I could sell them at like $5-10 each?  Guess it doesn't hurt to try.

Here's one of the ones I scanned.  I think I'll list it on etsy at $10, with free shipping.



Original Colored Pencil Drawing - Cowgirl on Black Paper

This is an original colored pencil sketch, showing a healthy young woman riding a horse in the desert - completely nude. Don't ask me why she would do such a thing, I would think she'd get terribly sunburned. But anyway, there she is in all her robust glory. 

The drawing measures 9" x 12" and is drawn on black Strathmore medium weight, lightly textured, acid free drawing paper. 




Sunday, August 22, 2010

KA at the MGM Grand - Las Vegas

When we were in Vegas a couple weeks ago we got tickets for the Cirque du Soleil's blockbuster show KA, shown at the MGM Grand Hotel.  The theatre itself is a work of art, with its showpiece being the huge Tatami Deck and Gantry Crane and the Sand/Cliff deck custom built stage.  The crane can travel 70' vertical to high above the audience.  It can rotate to be perpendicular to the floor and also 360 degrees on its axis, regardless of its orientation - horizontal or vertical.


During various acts in the show, the stage/deck becomes a storm tossed sea, an underwater scene, a tall blizzardy mountain, (spitting REAL snow), a  deep dark forest full of wonderful glowing creatures, a prison, a battleground — everything and anything the story demands. It is a spectacular piece of equipment, and almost could steal the stage from the wonderful Cirque acrobats and performers.  But not quite.  True to Cirque du Soleil  form, the artistry of the performers is second to none.  The dance, they fly, they flip  and not once do you see anyone out of step, miss a landing or drop a spear or baton.  This is Cirque du Soleil.  Amateurs need not apply.



This stage show is unequaled, and because of the 19 million dollar specially designed stage and theatre, it will probably never be shown anywhere else.  Do yourself a favor, if you go to Vegas, do not miss a chance to see KA.





Here is a clip of one of the beautiful aerial acts.  Firefly boy rescues then falls in love with the Imperial Twin Sister.   This clip is number nine in a series of twelve.  If you have time, I'd suggest watching the whole series. It is magical.

Saturday, August 21, 2010

Athens Indie Craftstravaganzaa CALL FOR ARTISTS!





Athens Indie Craftstravagazaa is now accepting applications for our Holiday 2010 Craftstravaganzaa.

We are looking for artists and makers of all persuasions, from fine arts to handcrafts. Quirky, raw, & innovative arts especially favored.

Visit our website http://www.athensindiecraftstravaganzaa.com for show information, photo galleries of past markets, vendor photos and profiles and Craftstravaganzaa applications.


We've also got a new blog that I hope you find very helpful and interesting. With it I hope to share some of my online  marketing experience, tips and hints about social media marketing and more.

http://athenscraft.blogspot.com/

Friday, August 20, 2010

Glow Show

I'm thinking about an art show. Something I've pondered on for a while.  And tonight I asked myself... why not?
I've been fascinated with working with light for some time now. LEDs, neon, fiber optic - this stuff is available all over.  I envision an art show, in a darkened room, the only light being cast by or on the artworks.

I'm going to do it.

Thursday, August 19, 2010

Another week gone by

Been an interesting week. Good and bad. I've been bedridden all week after
an injury last Saturday. I pulled my back working in the yard. Made the
mistake of going to work on Monday, too. I think if I had rested it one more
day it would have been much better. It was pretty tore up Monday evening
when I got home from work. I can lay down and sit up, but finding it very
very difficult to stand and walk. I've been out of work all week, but I
think I am going in tomorrow morning. My back still hurts, and I cannot
walk upright, but as long as I can get to my desk, I can get some work done.
Should be an interesting day. Let's hope it is uneventful.

The good part of being home all week is I've got some drawing done. Being
in bed or sitting somewhere 'round the clock gave me plenty of time to work
out some things on paper. I also got some work done for Craftstravaganzaa.
So it has been a pretty productive week, actually. Pretty cool to be able to
work from bed. I guess it's cool if you WANT to, but not so cool if you HAVE
to do it. It would have been awesome to be able to work from home while
I've been here; I would certainly not be walking (or hobbling) back into the
maelstrom awaiting me tomorrow. And I am still not sure if we have a 6 or
6:30 am critique tomorrow.

Sunday, August 8, 2010

Las Vegas Home + Gift Market Aug. 2010

Last week I visited the Las Vegas Home + Gift show at the World Market Center Las Vegas.  It was the inaugural Gift show at the Las Vegas World Market Center, and promised lavish displays of fresh new products in the gift and home decor market.

The market offered more than 1500 manufacturers showing their wares in three buildings on their state of the art campus, and offers products in all categories, including furniture, accessories, gifts, lighting, home textiles and rugs, floor coverings and more.


Las Vegas World Market Center hosted three shows concurrently- the Las Vegas Market, which offers mainly furniture and decorative accessories for the home, the Gift + Home show and Vegas Kids.  


 It was my first visit to the Las Vegas World Market Center.  I was excited to see what different vendors were here, vs the ones I visit regularly at the Atlanta Gift mart twice yearly.

Getting to the market was super easy. They offered charter bus service from most area hotels, But if you chose to  drive in, the market offers free parking in their garage right next door.

 I just hopped on the bus at the Mandalay Bay Tour lobby and a few minutes later was climbing off at the bustling Market Center.  It is an impressive sight, three tall buildings overshadowing a courtyard bustling with people.  I started at Bldg C, where I found the Gift Temps on the 5th floor.  I was  happy to run into some people I had spoken with at the Atlanta show in July, it was nice that they remembered me.  I really like their muscle car shelvings and decor.  After walking all of the temps on the 5th floor, I made my way up to the 9th floor where I found many showrooms from vendors I am familiar with - Sylvestri, Demdaco, Midwest, Raz, Transpac and more. I had visited most of these showrooms in July in Atlanta, so a quick breeze through was all I needed.

I didn't get to stay as long as I would  have liked. I had guests  back at the hotel, so after walking most of Bldg C I hopped on the bus and headed back to the hotel.    I had tickets for the 9.30 showing of Cirque du Soliel's KA at the MGM Grand that night, so I thought it best  to get back, get everyone rounded up, polished up then hit the Vegas Strip and sample some of the action that Sin City is famous for.

I love Vegas and I'm sure I'll be back again soon.


http://www.giftandhomelv.com

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