Have you found your "Second Life"?

Have you found your "Second Life" yet? If not, you definitely need to sign up for a free account and check this out. I heard about this on Good Morning America the other day and find it simply fascinating. In the "Second Life" world, you can create your own avatar of any size or shape, from humans to dragons to any kind of animal real or unreal. Each avatar can interact as much or as little with the avatars around them. You maneuver your avatar with your arrow keys through the world. You can also teleport to any location as well—and don't forget about flying, that is amazing as well. It makes the internet into a "3-D" world that your avator can explore. They say about 90% of the content was created by members of Second Life. It's looks like a wonderful medium for artists or creative types. If you want to get more advanced you can have a "premium" membership and use real dollars that translate into "Linden" dollars to exchange within the world. It's amazing what you can do. Go check it out. Second Life Here's a blog I found that shows you outfits she creates for her avatar each day and gives you tips on places to visit in Second Life. Have fun! Natalia's Second Life Diary

Illustration Friday: Clear

In case you're wondering, the hillbilly is napping after drinking CLEAR grain alcohol. :-)

Thursday Challenge: Orange

Photo Friday: Gross

I'm not saying I think pigs are "gross", but the aroma that follows them around could be described as such.

Last Chance to Vote

11.07.06 - 27/365: VOTE
Originally uploaded by daverexwood.

Found this cool picture on Flickr that also has a great quote from Barack Obama. Thought it was appropriate for today.

Photo Friday: Light

How much light is available in a sealed mausoleum? Some have windows (which I think is odd, why would they need windows?) but most do not. Is it completely dark or does some light come under the doors? This mausoleum is in a city cemetery over a century old. I thought the patina colors on the door were interesting.

Moody Monday: Comfortable

A well-made bed with big, fluffy pillows and crisp sheets is the ultimate in comfort.

Lens Day Challenge: Orange

There's an orange tint to these wooden letterpress numbers...

Moody Monday: Dark

I almost deleted this picture until I decided it was a happy "mistake". The blurring compliments the mood and the occasional which is obviously Halloween.

Campaign for Real Beauty

By now I'm sure everyone has seen the Dove campaign for Real Beauty. In case you haven't, here's one of the excellent spots called "Evolution". Debunks the images we see in print and on tv and shows you what is "real". Check out their other spots on YouTube.

Beautiful Sunday: October 29, 2006

Beautiful fall mums for "Beautiful Sunday". See sidebar for link.

Illustration Friday: Wind

A little reference to the "Wizard of Oz". Actually it's "weather" not wind, but wind was a factor. :-)

Thursday Challenge: Autumn

More Letterpress...

Inspired by the offerings of YouTube videos of letterpresses in action at I Love Letterpress, I did a search myself and found this documentary on the craft. Take a look.

Collecting Letterpress Type

As if I needed something else to collect I'm now a collector of letterpress type. I kind of feel like a letterpress junkie. I found this old typeset drawer at a flea market and then I began to troll ebay for type. I started out with metal type and now I'm in love with the old wooden letters and numbers. These numbers were my first "score". I'm now addicted. I've found one website devoted to letterpress and I'm looking for more! I Love Letterpress

Bleach Stencil Designs for T-Shirts

Fantastic shirts that are imprinted with bleach that I saw today on Martha Stewart. I wish I had a picture to show how great they looked. Here's the instructions:
[Stencils available at: stencil1.com, video from Martha available here.]

Stencil T-shirts from marthastewart.com
Here's an easy way to transform a plain T-shirt into the latest fashion trend.

Tools & Materials
T-shirt
Cardboard
Stencil
Pushpins
Plastic gloves
Bleach gel or bleach pen
Spouncer, optional if using bleach gel
Anti-chlor solution
Fabric paint, optional
Pressing cloth, optional
Iron, optional
Process
1. Pin your T-shirt to cardboard.

2. Secure stencil on T-shirt with pushpins.

3. Wearing gloves, dab on bleach gel with spouncer, or use a bleach pen.

4. Leave bleach on for 1 to 2 hours.
5. Remove stencil from T-shirt, and take cardboard out of shirt.

6. Put shirt in anti-chlor solution (2 1/2 gallons warm water and 1 teaspoon bleach stabilizer) and and stir around.

7. T-shirt should be soaked for 5 minutes. Don't try this with silk—it will ruin the fabric.

8. Take shirt out and rinse well in room temperature water.

9. You can stop the process here. If you'd like to add an extra layer of color, pin stencil back onto T-shirt.

10. Use spouncer with fabric paint to stencil the design.

11. You can center or off-center stencil over original bleach design.

12. Remove stencil, and let paint dry completely.

13. Heat-set paint by putting a pressing cloth on shirt and ironing on high heat for 30 seconds. Or follow packaging directions for fabric paint.

3-D Pumpkins for Halloween

Found an article on how to carve 3-D pumpkins by artist Ray Villafane. Look at the wonderful examples here. Makezine. Here's the artist's website as well:Ray Villafane

Thursday Challenge: Glass

Taken from the passenger side window looking into the side rearview mirror on a trip back home from out of town.

Photo Friday: Thin

Okay, this is not totally obvious so work with me. :-) What liquid do people drink a lot of when they're on a diet to be THIN? This was taken in a hotel suite with one of the provided glasses. The glass sat on the kitchenette with the light from the bathroom and the sunlit room behind and to the side. I thought it turned out interesting.

Black & White Photo Challenge: Partial Desaturation

I've posted this before, but I really like it so I'm posting it again. I think the partial desaturation really works for the subject.

Thursday Challenge: Light

Photo Friday: Anger

Two army men in a standoff, isolated on white. Everytime I see army men I'm reminded of an old late night show that was on briefly in the 80s. I think it was called "Fridays" and they did comedy skits like on Saturday Night Live. Michael Richards (before he was "Kramer" on Seinfeld) was a cast member and he did a skit where he played a little boy that played in his backyard with his army men. Every time you saw the show he was doing something tortuous to the army men. He melted them, cut them up, etc. for his games of war. I think Richards is hilarious in most characters he's played and this was no exception. Anyone else remember him from "Fridays"?

Moody Monday: Live

First you get some "live" crawfish...

Next you throw them in a boiling pot...

Then you enjoy a nice cajun delicacy!

Thursday Challenge: Home

This home is the eternal home of someone I do not know. Sometimes I wonder what my gravestone will look like. Morbid, huh? I've already told my family I want a black casket and not white. White caskets remind me of white tuxes—a bad idea.

Lens Day Challenge: Fast

Beautiful Sunday: September 10, 2006

See more of "Beautiful Sunday". Beautiful Sunday

Photo Friday: Boy

Thursday Challenge: School

Junk or Masterpiece?

Why can't it be both?. I read in "Life Weekend Magazine" about a sculptor named Patrick Amiot who makes the most amazing folk art out of discarded junk. Very whimsical and unique, the sculptures decorate his front yard in Sebastopol, California. Inspires you to create designs from your own garbage treasure. Check out his gallery at Patrick Amiot.

Wonderful Paper Flowers!

These paper flower pomanders are gorgeous and here's the link on how to make them! Go check it out. Something Old, Something New

"The World of Elegance"

At Inspiration Challenge, the theme is: "The World of Elegance". Silver + crystal + vintage ornaments = elegance (to me at least). Inspiration Challenge

Beautiful Sunday: September 3, 2006

You might wonder why I consider this "beautiful". This is a monkey carved from a coconut that I've had since I was a child. I picked it out when my parents and I took a trip to Hawaii in the 70s. I will never throw it out. I love the colors and the way the artist carved the face. I like the leather ears and the marble eyes. More than anything it is the memories of the vacation that make this my "beautiful sunday" choice.
Beautiful Sunday

Picture Words

Here's a new photo challenge that I've discovered. "Picture Words" posts a quote that each participant interprets with their own photo. This week the quote is,"In the early morning - shine". The contrast of the sunshine on the green grass with the shady play spot in the background caught my eye. Picture Words

Photo Friday: Silver

Fall is coming in fast and this seemed appropriate for the upcoming football season and the theme of "silver" over at Photo Friday.

Thursday Challenge: Color

This is a photo of a group of old sap buckets I use to put flowers in. I thought the grouping was worth a pic.

Lensday Challenge: Golden

Beautiful Sunday: August 27, 2006

Cemeteries are a favorite place of mine to go take photos. The old tombstones, mausoleums and statues are especially beautiful.
Beautiful Sunday

Illustration Friday: Run

"Run, run, fast as you can. You can't can't me I'm the Gingerbread Man!"

Photo Friday: Circle

Thursday Challenge: Plant

Now I hope you notice this photo has two examples of "plant".:-) One: it's a cemetery and two: the poppy and wildflower seeds were "planted" here and bloom each spring. This cemetery has been a/r for over one hundred years, the wildflowers just make it that more scenic. I drive by this each year telling myself to take a picture and this year I did.

Picture Words

Here's a new photo challenge that I've discovered. "Picture Words" posts a quote that each participant interprets with their own photo. This week the quote is,"Cities need old buildings". I totally agree with that idea. Old buildings have so much character that is hard to reproduce. This church is over 100 years old. Picture Words

Moody Monday: Proud

Illustration Friday: Match

Photo Friday: Friend

Thursday Challenge: Hot

Lensday Challenge: Multiples

Moody Monday: Moving

This is a crop from the signage of "The World's Largest Traveling Reptile Show":-). They had a 950 lb. crocodile from the Amazon—"ALIVE", another alligator as well as snakes and reptiles of all kinds. I like the retro looking graphics in their display. They seem to capture the feel of a bygone era.

It's Hot Outside...

It's hot outside but also "beautiful". Beautiful Sunday