I need some opinions from all of you that visit ;) ...

I think I've mentioned some of the fabric designers I like previously so I won't belabor the point, but my stuff is not coming out to plan or even similar to the styles I like.

Take a look at this:



I started with a radial design and added some extra bits then tiled it in Illustrator. This came after much arguing with the Husband about the best way to make radial patterns - which is better Flash or Illustrator? I ended up making this in Illustrator entirely with a lot of grousing about how the tools don't work the same as my favorite old Macromedia program, Freehand, and how the tools in Flash are just easier to use for me. As a side note, I spent about six months doing technical illustration in Flash for a semi conductor manufacturer in my old Austin days so Flash and I are very, very good friends.

Keep in mind this is only shapes - I haven't started to try to bring in colors. I wanted to start with the pattern and shape first.

So the question is - Does it hurt your eyes or should I keep going? Does it look like wall paper or fabric? Is it too granny, etc., etc., etc.

Feel free to jump in - comments, critique, suggestions are all welcome. Seriously - even if you hate it!

thanks!

Design*Sponge - kate wilson

I really like these bird drawings from Kate Wilson. Makes me want to pull out the sketch book even more!

I swear I have a few long posts coming, but I've been setting up my new home computer and haven't wanted to put the necessary pictures on my work computer. I already have too many of my personal images on this laptop!!!!

Remember this post?

I'm fine - my hearing test was normal. I just need some meds - The doctor wants to send me to an allergist since he thinks my ear problems are related to my sinuses and allergies.

I'm so happy it's not really anything serious, but I was almost bawling in the sound booth as I tried to hear soft sounds over the ringing in my ears. I almost made a frantic phone call to my husband while I was waiting for the doctor to come in, my brain was in such a noodle twist.

I gave up on trying to save for that beautiful laptop. :( I just got tired of not being able to do anything at home and having to use my work laptop or Husband's computer to do everything.

So Husband and I sorted through our computer parts to see what we had on hand. I came up with a 21" CRT monitor, a case, a CD-R DVD reader, a few hard drives, and a power strip. I ordered all the rest of the parts from New Egg on Sunday and should have a working computer by the end of the weekend.

Andrea Zuill - Embroidery

seriously cool artist, this one is.

I love her embroidery work and alot of her paintings.

She is giving away an embroidery pattern pattern every month on her blog - here

I must admit that I copied her "little red bird" embroidery for some one in the ongoing wish list swaps on craftster years ago. Heres' my version:



I did email her and let her know what was going on so she wouldn't freak out and she was very nice about the whole thing. :)

My entire outfit today was made for me by other people, online friends really, from craftster.

Check it out:

I've got on this skirt made for me by knottie dottie


The shirt sewinglori made me for the button swap


and a necklace from knitting_nyxxie


I did not even realize it until I was on the train to the office. the only things that aren't craftster made are my undies and shoes!!

Not exactly crafty, but kinda....

I've never been very politically active, but all the sudden this year - I'm going to events and buying art and actually giving a politician money. I'm pro-Obama.

I love the fact that the campaign is asking artists to create unique posters as a fund raiser. I bought the Scott Hanson (ISO50) Progress poster. I have #508 of 5000. I took it to get framed on Friday afternoon, taking advantage of my office's flexible work schedules for the summer. I should have it back and hanging in my apartment in 2 weeks.



Saturday, the Husband and I went on a Unite for Change bike tour of LA arranged by a guy on the LA for Obama group. The group toured a few of the sites in LA where Obama has spoken on the campaign trail and shared a few stories of the neighborhoods and events that had been attended. We had a blast even though the turn out wasn't that great. I'm sunburned and still sore 2 days later. (Note to self - dont' forget the sunscreen if you know you'll be out for more than 2 hours). I have a bruise on my left thigh because my seat was a little crooked and I didn't notice until after I already had a bruise. Here's the whole band:



Husband and I are in the back and the only ones not wearing helmets (yes I know, and yes we got lectured A LOT). Our pack leader/organizer made up spoke cards for the whole group using logobama.com. Each one had a bike wheel in the middle of the logo. You can use that site to add any image to the center of the Obama logo.

And in case you don't know what a spoke card, is they are simple cards printed on regular stock (laminated or not) handed out at most group ride events, like midnightridazz, that usually have the name or theme of the event on them and sometimes the route map. The spoke card is a keepsake for the event and if it has a route map on it, handy in case you get lost.

I'm really proud of myself for completing the ENTIRE TWENTY SIX MILE ride! Granted we had lots of stops and rests but I did it. I can get stuck just about anywhere in LA on my bike and get home. Weekend after next when my sunburn has faded, anime expo is finished, and my legs aren't sore.... I'll probably be taking a trip to beach on my bike :) I can do it!!

Below are all the crochet scarves, etc. that I've made over the last week or so...

2 together:



close up of the black and white scarf:



Close up of the brown and blue:



A scarf similar to Sewing Lori's that I made for Redstar13 on craftster:



and the Puffy Stitch hat from craftypants:



and an example of how horribly I failed on the seaming for this hat - probably no one but another crocheter would notice :)

I saw the last 20 minutes of Hear and Now the other night. It's a sweet and semi-sad documentary of a woman's deaf parents who, after a life time of being deaf, have cochlear implant surgery.

It hit home a little for me, because while I missed the lead up to the hearing tests, I lived a small part of it myself. Listening to the mother's description of hearing everything and what she could hear reminded me of something from long ago.

My mom is hearing impaired - she has been her entire life. She has high end hearing loss - meaning that she can't hear high pitch noises, but sometimes she just has a hard time making out sounds. She had the stereotypical speech impediment that most deaf people do. Although, I have to admit - I've NEVER heard it - she sounds like Mom to me.

She never knew my brother was a non-stop noise maker, she couldn't hear the bells in our toys, and my brother and I never had to worry about her hearing our sneaky kid conspiring. That is until she was about my age (~34, I think, if I'm doing the math of our ages correctly) when she got hearing aids for the very first time.

I remember being called to the principal’s office for no reason, out of the blue, one afternoon when I was in 8th grade. My mom came to pick up my brother and I from school because she was so excited and didn't know what all the noises were. She kept saying "I can hear the birds! Do you hear that?!" She thought something was wrong with the car because it was making so much noise...noises she had never heard before.

I was your typical teenager and tried to play cool - but really I was tickled. She was so happy.

Over the years, I think her hearing has gotten worse. It's hard sometimes to talk on the phone, not because she can’t hear me, but sometimes she can’t tell when I start talking. My parents have had to get a louder phone. Mom sometimes can't hear her cell phone ring.

Now after many years of being careful with my ears (except the years I was insurance-less, which were quite a few) I'm faced with the possibility of hearing loss myself. I'm having trouble hearing people in crowds, on the subway, on my bike, at home, on the phone. My ears ring at irregular intervals.

I finally made an appointment with a doctor to have my hearing tested and a general poke around in those things on the side of my head. I've put it off, blown it off in fact until my husband and I were in Tokyo and he got sick. He had an ear infection and had to see a doctor. It freaked both of us out how insistent the doctor was that he get his hearing checked immediately after returning to the US. He has no significant hearing loss or irritation, but he insisted that I go get checked out.

…and now I'm saying it - I'm scared.

I'm scared I'll have to have hearing aids just a few weeks shy of my 35th birthday.

I know I'm being irrational - that I probably won't, that I probably just need some meds but it doesn't keep me from freaking out.

ok - deviation from crafty stuff is now complete....
Just had to type all that out... been bouncing around in my head for DAYS.

Marimekko Fall 2008 Fabrics - Sneak Peek (Part 2) | Marimekko Blog

this batch I'm not so hot on.... I think I only like the trees and the sort of barnacle looking ones on the bottom. It's probably the color palette that is throwing my off.