Seven

Once again, Erica from On The Write Path gave me the idea for this week's seven. Seven favorite candies because candy, especially chocolate, is an awesome food.

1. I love Hershey Kisses. When I was a kid my dad would sometimes bring home a bag as a treat only we called them Silver Bells.

2. Hershey Bar. Can't go wrong with an American classic

3. Almond Joy. What's not to love? Chocolate, coconut, and almonds

4. Chunky. Rocky road in a chocolate bar

5. Mozart Kugel. A German treat. Like a truffel with pistachio and marzipan filling

6. Sky Bar. A favorite when I was a kid. Four different flavors in one candy bar. fudge, caramel, peanut and vanilla nougat.

7. Zero Bar. Another favorite when I was a kid. Caramel, peanut and almond nougat covered in white fudge. The Brother and I used to put this bar in the freezer and it eat frozen. Good, strong teeth back then.

Do you have a favorite candy?

Wordless Wednesday - Cat's Eyes

When Your Muse Takes A Powder

Erica at On the Write Path posed some answers to the question what do you do when your creative well runs dry?

Creating something with my hands is such a rush. Though I sometimes refer to my work as play, it's still work. (Though some don't view it as such). It's hard to be creative every single day. Sometimes the demands of work and family just sap my energy. When I feel that happen, it's best just to step back and leave the drawing board. I find if I'm not in a good mood, not happy, my mood comes through my hands. But there's also the need to get that creative energy back. Some things I do:

1. Being a couch potato and watching movies.

2. Cleaning and organizing the studio. Though this can also be a procrastination technique, touching the art supplies sometimes cause my fingers to itch. Sometimes I just have to get my hands in the paint. Afterall, art is a contact sport.

3. Reading blogs by creative friends and colleagues. Looking at what they are doing can be very energizing.

4. Flipping through my calligraphy books, art books, and color swatch book, makes me want to get back in the saddle.

5. Making ATCs just for me and not a trade. Too many times things made are given away or sold (a blessing). I can try a new technique and have fun without the pressure someone is waiting for a piece to be completed.

What are some of the things you do when your muse takes a powder?

We Got Gypped!

It's the first day of Summer. And it's raining. Will continue raining until Thursday. )-:

Seven

The start of Summer is just hours away. This is my favorite time of year. Seven reasons why I love Summer.

1. Hazy, hot, humid weather

2. It's still twilight until 9pm

3. Days have a slower pace.

4. Fried clams.

5. Watching the fireflies dance in the dark

6. No heavy coats

7. Living in the sun room

What's your favorite season?

Mama's Got A Brand New Bag

My friend, Portland, OR calligrapher and lettering artist, Alesia Zorn (formerly from the Wilds of Western Massachusetts) was back East to attend a family wedding. She stopped by yesterday for lunch, and I have to brag about the present she brought me.

Is not this the perfect purse (pockabook in correct Boston parlance) for a lettering artist? All sorts of letters in shades of black and grey. Lots of zipper and snap pockets in a slim shape. Plenty of storage without it looking like an old lady's steamer trunk handbag.

And if one can't get excited enough about the outside of the bag, inside, Alesia had tucked a box of party picks with heart toppers. Ok, I admit that puzzled me until Alesia explained the heart end of the pick can be used to mix paint! Clever, Cos!

Thanks for the party picks and the pockabook. Wicked foxtrot...alpha

You Know You're A Lettering Artist When...

Borrowed this idea from author Erica Vetsch's blog, On the Write Path

A. You know you're a lettering artist when your pantry is stocked with cans of alphabet soup.

B. You know you're a lettering artist when Alpha-Bits is your favorite cereal.

C. You know you're a lettering artist when as a kid you wrote on walls and got in trouble. You still write on walls but don't get in trouble anymore.

D. You know you're a lettering artist when you're interested in the titles of a movie wondering if they were done by hand.

E. You know you're a lettering artist when you name your black cat, Ink

So what about you? If you're not a lettering artist, substitute whatever fits your life: author, teacher, parent...

The Police Will Be Knocking on My Door

I love the shock value of that statement. An officer will be coming by with the roll call book for the Vice Squad. Some new officers have joined the squad. I have the honor and privilege of scribing their names in the book. I love this project.

New Fuglies

My blue fugly shoes were pretty worn downand since I wore them while grouting the sun room floor, they were beyond cleaning. While cruising through Wallyworld, I found new fuglies. Figured I couldn't go wrong for 3 bucks.

What's on your feet?

Clematis

Weird and purple. The clematis is in bloom. Any unusual flowers in your garden?

Color

Yesterday, I bought a wonderful little book. Color Index by Jim Krause. It's filled with over 1,000 color combinations. The best thing the formulas for RGB and CMYK are included next to each sample. No more hit or miss trying to get the perfect shade of ivory only to have it look like peach to the rest of the world.

I also love the feel of this book. It's small and chunky and reminds me of board books. It's a nice size to thumb through and won't take up much space on the desk.