Finding Jim Macinko

Zentangle Time!

noreply@blogger.com (Merc) — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 06:33:00 +0000

Here's one I did for a swap-bot swap. I'm trying to do fewer elements than I have in the past, that is, not cram everything but the kitchen sink into the space required. Like use some white space, and use only a few different patterns and repeat them. I really like the result, and I am planning to do a set with even fewer of these same elements. I'm in a swap for Fall-themed zentangles and I like the little trees with a few leaves on them for that theme. But even fewer leaves. And the dot-line pattern inside the long ribbon that cuts across the middle remind me of rain. It's hard to draw rain! So it's a happy accident that I drew something that turns out to look like rain.

On Time and Ready To Write Poetry?

noreply@blogger.com (Merc) — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 21:40:00 +0000

So I'm off night owl hours, I got back into sleeping at night and waking during the day. I feel a lot better, but I miss being up late and the quiet! I'm at the last week of pain meds for this screwy month, so I think I'll make it without having to resort to the infusion clinic, which basically kills off a whole day for me, and that's if it works right.

The Green Gifts Fair is coming up in one week and I think I'm ready. Just a few things left I HAVE to do, and then of course I want to make more stuff. I'm toying with the idea of doing Instant Haiku at the fair. I don't know, I think I could do it, I just need to bring a few word books. I think it would be fun but I don't know if anyone would be into it. I was thinking I'd prep some playing cards or something ATC-sized ahead of time to use to write the haikus on. And here's what I came up with for a sign:

Auntie Ben's Haiku! done in 10 minutes or less

magnet, pin, or ornament
personalized
choice of style: heartwarming or funny
winter blue or Christmas green
$3 for 3 lines

What do you think? Would you go for it? Here's a haiku I wrote recently about my daughter:

Doughnuts, singing, church
bells ringing, Lily touching
hands, angel voice: "peace."

Recipe Swap Cards I Made

noreply@blogger.com (Merc) — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 21:26:00 +0000

I've never done a recipe swap before but I thought it would be a fun change. I guess I only had to do one recipe but I did a whole meal, at least what I consider a whole meal: appetizer, entree, dessert. I really like how they came out. I would love to get a commission to make some for someone for a special occasion, like a wedding menu.

Better and Worse

noreply@blogger.com (Merc) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 05:28:00 +0000

Hi, I am busy making stuff for those fairs I'm doing in November and December. Cripes, it's November already! I love fall (that's why I now have yet another background, from HotDiggityBlog) but it is going by so fast! It's too cold to go play outside. At least for me it is. If it was in the 50's, ok, but the low 40's? Not so much.

I am trying to get back on a normal schedule, that is, not staying up all night, so I can a)stop eating late at night and gaining more weight, b)have less headaches, and c)be awake for Lily during the day.

It's hard, I like being a night owl and I've always been one. I love the quiet of late-night, and I can focus better on doing my art. I also like the privacy of late-night. No phone calls, no interruptions, no f-ing leaf blowers (that doofus next door has a super noisy one this year and I want to kill him. I think I'm justified, esp. when he illegally blows the leaves into the street!! What an ultramaroon), no Jehovas Witnesses at the door, just me.

And the TV, sometimes. Part of the problem. I'll get hooked on some old movie and just watch the whole thing until 3 in the morning. Sigh. I can't do this anymore for reasons stated above. Part of being a responsible parent, I guess. And I'm not in my 20's anymore, I can't stay up all night and not suffer for it.

Since I've been taking the latest preventive medication for my migraines, they've been better. Not as intense, they go away with less medication, and last month I didn't have to ration my pain pills at the end of the month. I was able to go 5 weeks instead of 4 on my monthly allottment! If you don't get migraines you'll think that's just such a pathetic little victory. But a lot of you out there will understand perfectly my huge feeling of victory.

But I kind of screwed up this month because I pushed the envelope precisely because I felt better with the new pills. I suddenly felt some freedom! I feel so many limitations as it is because of the migraine thing...it's a good thing we live in a no-smoking state because we'd really never get to go out to eat if smoking was still allowed in restaurants here. I just can't even consider a smoking area, it's like instant headache, just add crabbiness. I can't be out in the sun too long or I'll get a headache. And the list goes on. So no wonder I went a little crazy when I suddenly felt better! But I'm paying for it now. I am already rationing the pain pills after a terrible week and I don't know if I'll make it. Darnit. So I have to forgive myself for that and move on. Next month will be better.

Another Mad Skill

noreply@blogger.com (Merc) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 06:34:00 +0000

Hey! Like my neato Halloweenie background? I got it from this fun lil' site called Blog-ology. My first experience with skins! It's such a freaky word that I have never used them before, but I stumbled on this by accident and learned how to change my background on my blog. Wheeeeee!

Boo Yah!

noreply@blogger.com (Merc) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 06:08:00 +0000

the front: bat cookie doughboy
the back: painted and stenciled

I made this silly postcard for my bud Chris at Prism Trail, because I knew she would love it, and cuz this box of bat cookies that I got at the store just cried out to me to upcycle it and send it out as mail. Isn't it silly cute? Sorry about the scribbled out address. I only have Microsoft Paint on this computer so I couldn't do a nice blur like they do to the perps on those Cops shows. But I still didn't want you stalking Chris. Okay, not YOU. But yeah, you, in the back. Chill out, will ya?

More Pics from Stairway to Heaven workshop

noreply@blogger.com (Merc) — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 15:06:00 +0000

Michelle 'n' Me

The assembled triptych

The fabled stairway

More of my pages

The first half of the first day we just painted blank pages, and I can't tell you how fun that was. Not just learning new paint techniques, but also spending several hours painting and doing nothing else. No interruptions. And no big choices. Because I had only picked about five colors of paint to bring with me, I stuck to that palette and didn't have to stop and make more decisions about it. That made it more fun, to have a limited palette. And to have Michelle telling us "Just paint! Don't think too hard about it. Just paint!" was great reinforcement. Part of the joy of this workshop was what Michelle described as "making an appointment with creativity." It sounds cheesy but it's really true. It's a big committment to set aside money and time for two whole days to make art. And it's a good feeling. I enjoyed my appointment so much that I'm sold on taking a workshop at least once a year to feed my creativity. I used to look at all the workshops out there and convince myself that I could do it all at home, but now I see first-hand the value of making that committment and getting away to do it.

Workspace as Art

noreply@blogger.com (Merc) — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 15:05:00 +0000

Yes, I saved these papers.

Michelle Ward Workshop at Valley Ridge Art Studio

noreply@blogger.com (Merc) — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 14:45:00 +0000

This is a picture of stuff I was making at the Stairway to Heaven workshop that Michelle Ward taught a few weeks ago at Valley Ridge Art Studio. I like the jumble of parts and the colors. The workshop as a whole was wonderful. Michelle is an experienced teacher and very smart about knowing what things to focus on getting DONE during the workshop in order for the student to feel accomplished. I didn't expect to have a finished product when I left, so I wasn't stressing about that, but I was pleasantly surprised at how much progress I made and how I could actually see the progress. We made a triptych book and Michelle made sure we assembled it before we left. I can still take it apart again and rearrange it if I want, but assembling it and seeing it all come together really made me feel good. I also learned a lot of techniques hands-on that it just wouldn't have worked to read about. For insance, I really didn't get how to do dry brush painting and now I get it and really like what I can do with it. She also had tips on how to make the most of your tools (using them in more than one way) and that was very helpful. She's very old school, so not into buying fancy newfangled products when you can do just as well with old supplies, and I like that. She's very approachable as well, and funny. So if you're ever considering taking a class from Michelle, I highly recommend her as an instructor and a fun artist to hang out with for two days.

Jack O' Lanterns

noreply@blogger.com (Merc) — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 14:40:00 +0000

Last weekend we got a bunch of pumpkins at our local nursery, and then we carved two of them. They're molding now but here's when they were first carved. I did the dog face one and I was thrilled with how it turned out. I just looked at a picture online and decided I could do it, then drew it freehand and carved it. Amazing what you can do when you have a little confidence. I haven't carved pumpkins in years but made a point of it this year because I knew my daughter would enjoy it, and it was really fun.

Get Your Art in a Traveling Library!

noreply@blogger.com (Merc) — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 18:39:00 +0000

The Sketchbook Project. Because I don't have enough projects. NOT! No, but this looks too fun to pass up. My buddy Chris at Prism Trail told me about it, and I love the idea of having a book I filled up with art traveling around the world on exhibition for people to see. Same reason I want to do Art-O-Mat, so I can have the satisfaction of knowing people all over the place are enjoying my art.

And This, Too!

noreply@blogger.com (Merc) — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 05:26:00 +0000

I'm also on a link list for the vendors in the Green Gifts Fair on November 21st, put on by Do It Green Minnesota. If you scroll down about halfway on the Fair page, you'll see a list of vendor links, and I'm on there: Alterior Motives and Suzala's Sparklies. Suz is my art buddy and we're doing both of these fairs together. Should be fun. I think the Green Fair will probably be more affordable, but then I could be wrong. We'll see. I think I'll probably get fun ideas for more stuff to make!

I about ran myself into the ground in May when I did my first art fair, and I'm not going to do that this time. I still have most of my product left from then, since I did crap in sales, so I've already got a lot. I just need to make a bit more to focus on the green thing for that fair, like use thrift store fabrics to make zippies and coasters. But I'm not going to neglect myself or Lily to get ready for these fairs, I've got to be able to enjoy them. I'm not in this to make money, anyhow, I'm in it to have fun. If I make money, it's a bonus. I have that luxury.

Thank God these fairs are both indoors. I may never do an outdoor one again, it was so awful. The first day was hurricane force winds. Ok, perhaps I exaggerate a tad, but they were 35 mph gusts, all day. And cold! It was literally painful. So I'm happy to be indoors with heat and light and no wind!

I also applied to be in the No Coast Craftorama but we didn't get in. I'm not crushed. I'm glad I applied, and I'll try again next year. It's a hard one to get into, and I just started doing this. No Coast is even listed in craft books now as a major craft show nationally. So I don't feel bad.

I'm in a Gallery!

noreply@blogger.com (Merc) — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 04:50:00 +0000

Okay, it's a slide show, but still! I'm excited. See, isn't it cool (mine are the ones labeled Carrie Mercer)? It's for an art fair I'm going to be in on December 12th. They used the 3 photos that I sent of my work and I'm really excited to be in such talented company, the other stuff looks fab. I'll probably end up spending more money than I make. ha! Just kidding, honey (if hubby is reading this). So if you're in Minnesota, mark your calendars for the Women's Art Festival on December 12th!! Come see me!

Good News?

noreply@blogger.com (Merc) — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 04:18:00 +0000

I just joined this swap on Swap-bot that I think is worth spreading the word about, because I think it's a really great idea. It's called "Good News from Newspapers" and it requires you to collect stories from your paper and/or other papers that are good news stories. You have several months to do it, and you put them in a journal and send it to your partner.

Obviously it would be nice to have a whole journal full of good news stories to read. I'm planning to make two journals so I can keep one. But what fascinates me is that I think it gets more complicated--What is good news? I mean, what would you look for? I'm looking in the local section. So far I've found a story about a humble man who lived frugally and left 3 million dollars to charity. And the other one is a dog story. Ok, that's easy, I mean, any dog story is going to be good news to me. But really, what are people going to look for? I see stories about politics and my eyes glaze over. I could care less. I mean, of course I care. But I don't find that happy reading. And the economy? Boring. But what if there was a story about a new grant for local artists? That would be good news to me but would anyone not living here give a rip? So it's tricky. But I think it's worth a shot, just to see what happens. I wish more people would join the swap, so far there's only 9.

Some Halloween Stuff

noreply@blogger.com (Merc) — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 02:26:00 +0000

I love Halloween. My favorite holiday. It's hard to decide between Halloween and Christmas. Anyhoo, here's a couple Halloween-themed thingamajigs I've made in the last week. The top one is a robot exchange I did with my local artsters today at our monthly meeting. Mine is the bigger paper doll one, the sort of Pumpkin Scissorhands Robot. Then the bottom pic is of an ATC I made for a Halloween Zetti swap on Swap-bot. I made a few extra to trade. I call him Cranky Zetti Frankie.

noreply@blogger.com (Merc) — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 03:51:00 +0000

It's my birthday! It's my birthday! Yeah yeah yeah! I already celebrated with my family last week but today I celebrated first by myself by going out to some of my favorite places, and then with my hubby and toddler by having dinner and cake. GF cake at that!! Betty Crocker makes gluten-free cake mix now, did you know that? It's yummy, I'm a witness.

So I went first to the new storefront for I Like You, which is fabulous, I was in there over an hour looking at stuff. I bought some fun hair barrettes for myself, one set with big fabric buttons and one set with Japanese folded fabric flowers. And I walked around looking at things and getting ideas of stuff I want to try to make. One idea is a felt collage. Someone had done a bunch of framed collages of different scenes, using all felt. They were appropriate for kids' bedrooms, although I would put one up anywhere because I have the heart of a kid. So one was trees in a meadow, a couple were sheep in a meadow, and I forget what else. They were somewhat crude in detail, if you know what I mean, and that's what I liked about them. There really has to be a better word than crude to describe a childlike style. But I can't think of one. Anyway. Another thing I liked was a dice necklace. The artist simply put a small screw hook into the dice and voila, necklace pendant! I have a ton of dice so that might be fun to do.

Okay, so that was the first place I went. Next was MCBA at Open Book. They had a gallery show I hadn't seen yet that was all about mail art and self-published art and it was really neato. And they had part of the "None of the Above" exhibit up, which reminded me that I still have time to join in on the fun for this great assemblage. I just need to go to a print shop. So I wandered around the exhibit, and then spent a long time in their gift shop picking out a few things. What I ended up getting: a few fine line black pens for my doodling/drawing; some needles on a stick for bookbinding, several different colors of waxed linen thread for bookbinding, and a "BIY" kit for a different kind of bookbinding than I've done before (that would anything else besides pamphlet stitch).

And last, I went to Big Brain Comics ( I know, that's a really lame link). I slipped in five minutes before closing time so I tried to hurry, and even then I got a 3-issue series of The Muppet Show comics and an anthology of weird fiction that includes pieces from Neil Gaiman, Lemony Snickett, and I forget who else. I also grabbed a couple promotional posters for the movie 9, which I really want to see but haven't had the chance to yet.

There was a book at the MCBA shop that I didn't buy but I want, it's called Re-Bound and it looks really fun. Anybody out there have it yet?

Hooray!

noreply@blogger.com (Merc) — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 04:50:00 +0000

Huzzah! Mr. Rogers has enough to finish his film! Good Neighbors!

I'm also happy because I'm on vacation. Yippee! Seeing my family and spending time playing with Lily and bringing her new places. Tomorrow we're going to the zoo. Then Sunday we're going to the aquarium. Or the playground. We'll see. And I have oodles of art stuff with me to read and enjoy. I went to Borders last week and uh... saved so much money! Yeah, I saved like $16 and spent $100. That worked out well for them. But I got fun stuff!

I got the first issue of a new magazine from Stampington, Art Quilting Studio. And a book called Good Mail Day, about making mail art. I haven't read the new magazine yet but it looks yummy. I've read most of the book and it's really fun. Although it doesn't have any technique ideas that I don't know about, I really enjoy the way it's presented. It's not overwhelming with complicated designs, and the authors are really skilled at motivating you to get going making art without thinking about it too hard, and focus on having fun. I put together a mail art kit with suggestions from the book, and I'm going to try to make some mail art postcards while I'm on vacation. I'm not used to just working with a few tools, so I think it should be fun. It'll definitely be a stark contrast to the Valley Ridge Art Studio class I'm taking in a few weeks. My God, the supplies list is as long as my arm! Good thing I'm not flying there, I'd have to pay extra for another bag with my supplies in it.

OMG, I couldn't believe that I had to pay $15 for my ONE checked bag on the airplane today! Jeez! It's not enough to gouge me for the ticket. But I have to say, we flew Alaska Airlines instead of the usual Northwest, and it was soooooo much nicer than Northwest. The seats were more comfortable, there was more leg room, and the bathrooms even had full doors. Like, not foldy camper play doors. I hate those.

The sun was out when we flew in and so Lily got to look out and see the mountains and trees and then the people and buldings geting bigger as we came in for a landing. The landing was a little bouncy for my taste, but the captain was fun, he actually got on the horn several times during the flight and talked about what we were flying over. I didn't know anybody did that anymore. I liked it because it made me think about the pilot as a real person, that he must be a pilot because he really loves looking out that big window in the front of the plane and seeing the beautiful landscape below him. He obviously enjoys his job and sharing his love of the landscape with all the passengers. I like that. You get some pilots who are like, don't make me talk to the people on the other side of my little door. They sound like their boss forced them to get on the intercom and at least say hello. Say hello to the nice people. Who paid extra for their frackin' luggage.

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

noreply@blogger.com (Merc) — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 01:36:00 +0000

Starting now (BING!), this is my favorite time of year. There's my birthday this month, and fall, which is my favorite season. I love it when the leaves turn. And this weekend we went to the Minnesota State Fair, my favorite Minnesota event of the year. Our toddler is old enough now to enjoy it and she had a great time petting animals and going on rides and all sorts of stuff. It was fun to focus on making it a good time for her.

OOh, and there's Halloween and Day of the Dead and--oh wait, before that there's my vacation to go see my family and then in early October I'm going to Valley Ridge Art Studio to take a class from Michelle Ward. The supply list is as long as my arm and it's a bit spendy, but I'm sort of glad we were pressed into making a decision about making it a vacation weekend when I forgot to cancel it. We need more vacation. We're going to stay at this place called Life O' Riley, an old farmhouse and we'll stay in what used to be a schoolhouse.

And then there's Christmas, and I've already been stockpiling gifts for my tot. It's too fun to buy toys, I tell you. And now Woot has Kids Woot! I've already bought about five things from them, including a train set, which I can hardly wait to play with. She loves trains. And cars. That's my girl, no Barbies.

Ah, it's good. And my new meds for migraines seem to actually be helping. I didn't have to take pain pills this weekend, the first weekend in months I haven't had to do that. And I got to go to church with J. and L., which I've missed so much this summer--mass is my calming happy place, at least at our church. And they even sang one of my favorite hymns, There Is A Balm In Gilead , which always reminds me of this wonderful movie we saw eons ago at the Sundance Film Festival, with Ashley Judd in it. I can't find it now in any movie database, but I remember it had something about "at the xx cafe" in the title. And when I say she sings, it's not like it's a musical. It's just this scene where she's outside walking and thinking and not even facing the camera, and she just starts humming and singing this hymn. She doesn't even know all the words. It's very realistic, and sweet. And I guess it reminds me of myself, because I love to sing, and I don't know all the words.

The first film I ever saw Ashley Judd in was Ruby in Paradise (1993), which inspired me to start writing a zine and really get out there as a writer. Ruby won a Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival (we saw it there) and this other film was the second film I saw her in and I think it also won some audience prize. I'm not making this up. Anyway, her characters in the two films are very similar, extremely vulnerable and trying so hard to pick up the pieces of her life and start over. At the time I saw them I was doing the same thing, trying to start a new life, and it was hard. I was trying to get a divorce from a crazy person who I was also trying to hide from, I was alienated from my family, and I'd just moved out of state away from everyone I knew to follow a sweet man I'd unexpectedly fallen in love with. That was almost 20 years ago. And I think of that singing so often now.

I married the sweet man and now we have a sweet baby and a good life. Some balm has made the wounded whole. I feel brave again. Today I applied to be in two art shows. They're unjuried, so I know Im in, but it still feels like a big accomplishment that I got it done, all the paperwork and photos and fees. Okay, then! Something to talk about tomorrow, the art fairs I'll be in this fall. Now I gotta go to bed.

Oh, and look at Mr. Rogers! He might just make it, the last I checked, he was 81% funded! Hooray for Mr. Rogers' good neighbors, way to go, people!

Mr. Rogers: A Little Help From His Friends

noreply@blogger.com (Merc) — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 01:10:00 +0000

All right, I know, I know, I haven't posted in years. Well, at least it seems like it. And it seems like longer to me than to you, because my GUILT from not updating my blog and from not writing in general (thus calling into question my status as a "writer") increases exponentially each day that passes without a new entry here.

But today is a good day. I have a laptop!! I've never had one before. I just got this one a few days ago and it's beautiful. Thank you Woot. It's wide and so it has a full-size keyboard and a gorgeous wide screen and I just love it. I can hardly believe I have it, it's so much fun!! Now I can update my blog late at night, which is the only time I usually have to do it, which I haven't been doing because my desktop computer is in baby's room and I don't want to wake her up once we get her to sleep.

Anyways, let's talk about this Mr. Rogers thing, which I somehow found by accident while playing on swap-bot. You know who Fred Rogers is, right? He's the real deal. I grew up watching his TV show (along with Sesame Street--oh, btw, I watched Elmo in Grouchland the other day with my 2-yr. old and I no longer despise Elmo. He's okay. And it's a fun movie. Mandy Patinkin rocks as the villian who takes everyone's toys because "it's mine!" But I digress) and he was Good. So these people made an independent film about him called Mister Rogers and Me but they don't have enough funding to finish making it. They're 10K short. This often happens with wonderful independent films. Don't let this one die! You can help out by pledging your support in any amount from $5 up, but it has to be by September 18th!! And the way it works is that they don't actually charge your credit card until they know if they raised the 10K they need. If they don't make it to 10K, which would be a horrifying shame, they don't charge you. I pledged $20 today and they were up to $7725, which is great. Please give if you can. King Friday thanks you, loyal subjects.

Making Butterflies

noreply@blogger.com (Merc) — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 05:33:00 +0000

Have you heard of The Butterfly Project? It's one of those community art projects that bring people together in order to remember something really important, in this case the 1.5 million children who died in the Holocaust. The Holocaust Museum is asking for people to make 1.5 million butterflies. There are guidelines on the website if you're interested in participating, and someone has created a swap of sorts on Swap-bot to promote it and enable swappers to share the experience with someone else (you send your partner a photo and description of your butterfly). Want an idea of what other folks are making? Here are some made by kids. I think this is a popular class project. What a great idea, to make beauty in response to horror, to give children some way to respond.

I really like this idea and think I'll do it. It's not a huge committment, but it is an important gesture and it may help me to get back to making art again. I am just so burnt out since that art fair, and I want to get back to the feeling of making art because I love making art, not because someone might buy it.

My computer is slowly being rebuilt after its untimely death a couple months ago. Hence the lack of postings here. I miss it, I have felt so cut off from the world! Hope to post again soon, have some new doodle ATC's to show off.

Abandonment Issues

noreply@blogger.com (Merc) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 12:41:00 +0000

Do you feel abandoned? I'm sorry. I am finally getting a chance to let you know that my computer died. I'm using hubby's work one to at least let you know. It will probably be a week or two (ugh) before we get a new hard drive and everything reinstalled. Groan. I feel so cut off from the world! Say a little computer prayer for me. Until technology is straightened out here, I will miss you!

Selling Myself

noreply@blogger.com (Merc) — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 02:49:00 +0000

Well, what I mean is, really being proud of my work and saying why I think it's of superior quality. So I just put this statement in my store description on Etsy. I'm afraid people will think I'm being too pushy or snobby, but I don't know. Comments?

**NOTE: I know a lot of artists make the quilted coasters but I feel mine are superior because 1)I use felt for batting so it's flatter for cups to stand on, and 2)Instead of just doing a topstitch and leaving it at that, I take great care in my quilting on each coaster, making it a work of art, following the lines of a motif on the fabric and making each one unique; and finally, 3)I make the price quite reasonable compared to the typical price out there for a 4-coaster set.**

I mean, look at my lovely detail in cupcake coaster photo. Isn't it just yummy? Okay, that's all I wanted to say.

Doodle for a Square Clock

noreply@blogger.com (Merc) — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 04:35:00 +0000

Here's my latest doodle I've finished that's for a square clock face. I love it. I used a Christmas ad circular cover for Macy's or some big store that I'd saved for inspiration. And I tried to throw in a teency bit of Frank Lloyd Wright. Now I get to color it!

Nice to be Noticed

noreply@blogger.com (Merc) — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 04:09:00 +0000

Chrisy at Sophism Press blog just plugged one of my Etsy items by using the image of the item and linking to my Etsy listing. Nice! And it's the Amelia Earhart piece that I love so much. Chrisy's blog entry is all about flight, first about how wonderful it is to have dreams of flying, and then about women who fought the good fight and broke down barriers, doing things women had never done before, like fly airplanes. Quite fun. And I love some of the other items she's linked to, like the clay fly pendant. Go look, it's neato.

There's still time! Until June 6th!

noreply@blogger.com (Merc) — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 00:47:00 +0000

I know what you're thinking. You're thinking "What? Why didn't you tell me sooner, you hoser?" Well, sorry. It's just that I've had issues. With my own health. But I try to do this ride each year to support my Mom (who has diabetes) and some other people I love who struggle with this disease. I didn't do it last year because I was too worn out from being a new Mom. And baby was too small to go on it. But this year she's big enough, in fact she's an avid cyclist with Daddy in her little sidecar. If you go to my TourdeCure page, you'll see a picture of us together before a ride from last September, when she was big enough to go on a ride, and you can sponsor me there, too, for any amount. Anyhoo, if you can support me at all, please do. You'll be supporting a cure for diabetes. Just a few dollars helps. I have to raise at least $150 in a week, because it's next weekend. I know, I know, I really waited until the last minute. Sorry. Bad blogger. But it's a good cause.