A New Painting

Everyone's back in school, so now I'm coughing and sniffling. Sigh.

Out in the studio, framed one piece and am planning on finishing this one. Sold two paintings yesterday--woman said "I'll write you a check right now," but hadn't scanned one of them (blue background, orange hair, "She hears the Earth murmur,") so need to finish that today. That sale, plus my birthday and Christmas money from my dad, would give me almost enough to purchase the Epson 2400 printer I want. Then I could make my own large format prints...

Speaking of which, I need some ideas/guidelines on pricing prints. I can mat them and put in cello bags, but have no idea for pricing guidelines--like maybe $13 small print, $18.00 medium print, and $25.00 large print? Is that too much, not enough ??? Help!

Now I've Got It

The sore throat, that is. Running a temp this afternoon, scratchy throat, just feeling generally yucky.

I do have a funny story to share (I do the stupidest things!) tomorrow, and hopefully some new artwork...`

Doctor's Appointment Today

Had a doctor's appt this morning early early early. I left the girls sleeping (both still sick) and went down.

Blood pressure is high. (170/110) High-er, even, than the last several times I've been in, so the dr said we have to do something (translation: medication). My mom had high blood pressure, and mine has been bordering on high since I was thirteen and went in for my physical for high school sports, so I suppose it was only a matter of time. I do hate pills, though, and am hoping this is only temporary...

Also gained seven pounds (first time I've gained any weight since before I had Jenny). I'm sure it's partly because I haven't been able to walk in the mornings since I hurt my ankle. Clothes all still fit, but I don't want to gain any more, esp since it's so hard to lose weight while I'm on anti-depressants...

So, I have some work to do. More being in the moment, savoring my food, and trying to figure out how to exercise until my ankle's back to normal...

Big sigh.

Yawn

Spent all last night and today with sickies; didn't sleep much myself so spent most of the afternoon snuggled up in front of the fire with both girls, watching movies. I'm tuckered out and ready for bed, myself.

Stomach Flu

Katie's got a tummy bug tonight; Joel's working on a rough draft of a descriptive paper for his Honors English class--they drew numbers to find the characteristics of the person they have to describe, rough draft due tomorrow, and then they're going to spend this week in the art room, sculpting the person (how cool is that?!?); Jenny's all paranoid about people barfing and is staying as far away from Katie as she possibly can...

and yes, Lynn, there was a big fire in the livingroom where the kids were playing last night. Jacquie and Richard and I ate down in the family room without a fire (much cooler for the 45ish year old women!)

Oh, and a good giggle for all of you out there--Joel was telling me about the characteristics of the person he has to describe--"male, B.C. times, ectomorph body type, middle-aged, you know, like in his twenties, mom..."

Gulp.

A Windy Saturday Night

Weird weather tonight--very windy, but warm, warmer than is normal this time of year--maybe fifty degrees, tonight? I'm out in the studio, and when the wind gusts it whistles in the window. ooooh.

One of my friends drove up to visit today with her two daughters. Her two and my two all played together--video games, then puzzles and then Monopoly. Richard grilled a tri-tip roast, and I baked potatoes and butternut squash. Good dinner, good company--great day!

Illustration Friday: Tales and Legends

There is no end, just an endless spiral of life...

She Hears the Earth Murmur

Sometimes, if she is very still, she can hear the Earth murmur...

(I will be adding the words to this--love this one--love it, love it, love it!)

I don't have very much to say today--a storm is supposed to roll in this afternoon, so as soon as the girls are home (any minute now) I'm going to go up to the house and build a nice crackly fire so we can hang out while they do their homework.

I'm working on some more changes to the blog, but have to plan them out first, so I'll work on that in my sketchbook while the girls work.

Downloaded some cool fonts today at www.dafont.com--lots and lots of free fonts there--go check it out!

I'm a Little Bit Country, A Little Bit OCD... You Think?

Last night the whole family sat down with bowls of homemade vegetable soup and watched the beginning of the fourth season of "24" on DVD. At one point, someone is kidnapped and the kidnappers put TAPE OVER THIS PERSON'S MOUTH.

I could not get that image out of my mind. Hours later, lying in bed, it was all I could think about.

You see, I have fairly severe allergies, bad enough that most of the time, I breathe through my mouth. My nose is always stuffed up.I laid there in the dark and tried breathing only through my nose. It didn't work.

I finally woke Richard up. "Richard?" No response. "Richard?" A grunt. So I poke him. "Richard?"

"Yeahhhh."

"If someone ever tapes my mouth shut, I'll suffocate."

"Whut? Huh?"

"Richard! This is important! If I ever get kidnapped, and they tape my mouth shut, I won't be able to breathe! I'LL SUFFOCATE!"

"Suffocate?"

"Yes, I'll die! I won't be able to breathe!"

"Uh, okay. Suffocate. Tape on your mouth. Yeah."

"Richard."

"I understand. Tape, can't breathe."

"RICHARD."

"Love you, Karen. No tape. Don't get kidnapped. Don't suffocate. But...go to sleep, okay?"

See why I love him? I still think it's amazing we've been married for twenty-one years... What a guy.

Another New Piece

Fellow Travelers

Just yesterday, I found myself in the car, talking to two preteen girls about, well, about being preteen girls. I mentioned that I never felt as though I really 'fit in' in junior high school and high school. And suddenly, both girls were very still, sitting there in the back seat of our car. Very still, like animals caught in the headlights of a semi. Just before they are flattened. Squish.

Realizing what I'd done, I said, very matter-of-factly, "But of course, now I know that no one feels as though they fit in, really, even the people who are the most popular and self-confident," and I caught a movement, a slight relaxation, in the rear view mirror.

At first, I thought, "Oh, they're so glad to know that everyone feels as awkward as they do!" but while I was patting myself on the back for revealing one of the universe's great secrets, thus saving these two girls a lot of unnecessary grief, I realized that they only relaxed because they decided that I wasn't going to give them away. They knew that I knew they felt as though they didn't fit in; they completely missed the part where I said that everyone feels that way.

In the last three years, I've finally begun to realize that while everyone has doubts and everyone feels alone, that the truth is that we truly are all fellow travelers on this journey. Especially during this last year, when I've made so many wonderful new friends through my blog, I have felt a sense of community. We can share in each other's profound struggles--struggles with depression, and death, and parenting, and love--and yes, we only know each other via the Internet--but while I have cried and cheered for all my internet friends, I've realized that the people that live next door, and down the street, and on the other side of the world, are all struggling with those same issues.

A couple of weeks ago, my daughters and I watched Hairspray, and both girls were baffled by the race issue. Why would it matter if a white girl liked a black boy? That's just silly, they insisted. And I was so grateful that something that would have been a huge issue while I was growing up seems ridiculous to my kids. But in the car yesterday, I realized that while there are always barriers to feeling as though we fit in, the barriers we create in our minds can be just as real as the ones that are created by the society around us.

And today, I wish that I could have given those girls this gift: the knowledge that we are all in this together. I think that perhaps that knowledge only comes with time, and with friendship, and with honesty. I'm just hoping it doesn't take them forty-four years to look around and recognize all the fellow travelers. This journey's a lot more bearable when you're not alone.

Unmotivated

I felt pretty grumpy and uninspired this morning. Came out to the studio mainly to try and escape my own mood; didn't particularly work.

You know what did work? Working. I started two new paintings, giving myself permission to paint awful paintings if that was what came out. It's like what Anne Lamott says in her wonderful book on writing, Bird by Bird: 'You have to be willing to write shitty first drafts.' (When I read that the first time, I thought, "I can do that! I can write shitty first drafts!")

So this morning I sat down to paint, promising myself that I would not be too attached to the outcome. I told myself that the point was the process.

Guess what? It worked.

In the Spirit of Blog 365...

I'm posting before I drive Katie and her friend to the nearest mall (45 minutes away). I'll drop them off, with strict instructions to stay together and in the building--they'll have a cell phone, I'll have a cell phone--I'll go to Borders and sit and read while they window shop.

It's sad, because my friends and I would go to the mall on weekends when I was in 7th grade, just to wander around and talk and window shop--we always shared a plate of crispy French fries at the drugstore restaurant/counter--and no one worried about us. Some of my fondest memories are hanging out with my friend Sue, trying on the same gorgeous pair of shoes every week until I finally had enough money saved up to get them (or not). Even so, I feel a tad guilty doing this. Maybe some of you are horrified that we would do this--and I don't know what to say except that we know Katie and her friend will follow our rules, call me to check in every hour, and have a great time.

This is one of those situations where being a parent is hard. You wonder 'what's the right thing to do? how do I answer these questions? how do I balance their desire for independence and fun with my safety concerns?' And the truth is, it's always a juggling act. Knowing that there are no right or wrong answers doesn't make it easier--in fact, it just may make it harder.

Hmmm.

And now, off to spend 45 minutes in the car with two teenage girls (who probably won't pay a bit of attention to me ;)

Lots of Basketball

I've been to three basketball games in the last 24 hours--Katie's school game, yesterday (she made the A Team!) then Joel's JV game last night, and then Katie's NJB game this morning. Then we had to hurry home (20 minute drive) so she could shower quickly, then drove her back to town (another 20 minute drive) to a bowling/pizza birthday party for one of her very best friends (who also happens to be a boy, which they get a lot of grief over).

So I went grocery shopping after I dropped her off--

But now I have a HORRIBLE headache. I took two Excedrin, but no relief yet. Richard's going to build me a toasty fire in the living room, and I'm going to lay very very still until I feel better.

Of course, Jenny's having a friend over to spend the night, and Katie's bringing one of her girlfriends home from the party to spend the night...

But for now, I'm just going to huddle in front of the fire and bake myself.

Illustration Friday: Plain

I've Been Memed! Or Tagged! Or something...

The lovely Maybelline at Crazed and Confused has tagged me. I'm supposed to link back to five of my previous posts that relate to the following topics:

Your Love: I'm not sure that this explains why I'm so lucky to have my husband in my life--actually, going back and reading previous posts, I've realized that I don't write about him very much. But you can read a little bit about our relationship right HERE.

Friend: I have several really wonderful friends--I've been very blessed that way. I know a couple of women who do not have a single, long-term, girlfriend, and I don't know how they manage. But HERE I write a little bit about my oldest best friend, my roommate from Michigan State. I've known her for almost 26 years.

Yourself: I write about myself more that I do anyone else. What can I say, I'm self-centered, I guess. I had a big personal breakthrough this fall, and you can read all about it HERE.

Family: My family is a wonderful and amazing part of my life, no matter how much I joke about teenagers. You can read a little bit about them HERE.

A Post I Like: There are several posts that stand out in my mind, but I think that this one HERE is worth a chuckle or two.

And now, I have to tag five other bloggers... hmmm...

Maddy at Whitterer on Autism

Drama Mama at Like a Shark

Dawn Houser at her Bla Bla Blahg

Kelly at Kikipotamus the Hobo

and Mama, at Mama Loves.

Inside Each of Us, There is a Princess

She Holds The Cage

and she finds, as we all do eventually, that she holds both her cage and its key...

From the Paris Flea Market - oooh la la!

My wonderful friend Becky just got back from a trip to Tunisia and Paris, and look what she brought me from the Paris Flea Market! Look at the postmark on this wonderful old postcard!

1840!

Ooooh la la, indeed.

My First Best Friend

Andy, meet all the nice folks. Folks, meet Andy the Monkey, my very first, best friend. Andy witnessed my first artistic endeavors and kept me company during all the dreaded naptimes that I DID NOT WANT. I really do remember my mom saying "You don't have to sleep. Just lie there quietly," and then sitting on the bed with Andy. I don't know what we talked about, but I know we were quiet, at least for a little while, until Andy said, "Okay, it's been long enough. Holler to her and ask if we can get up now."

Andy's been sitting on the mantel in our bedroom, but today I decided to bring him down to the studio to live. I think that this is one of the things that I love best about my studio: that it is completely my space to fill with all my very favorite things. Anything that makes me feel good can come down here and immediately 'fit.' I realize now, after a year and a half in my very own studio, instead of 'art in the garage,' that my house should be the same way, filled with only things that bring me joy or are functional, or both. (The problem with doing this in my house is that there are four other people who also live there, and unfortunately they need joy and functionality in their lives. Sigh.)

There's a famous quote out there that says something to that effect, though I can't remember who said it. But the idea is, fill your home (and I think we could also substitute the word LIFE, here) with only that which is functional or brings you joy.

Persephone and the Pomegranate

Three seeds of the pomegranate she ate; he handed it to her, and once she had eaten, she was his.

This one's a collage on watercolor paper, torn to fit an old frame I had lying around...

The Orton Effect

I polished some silver last night, bowls that my dad used to pick up for me at second-hand stores when he was still out and about. Then I got the pretty, antique-looking Christmas balls and put them in the bowls, and thought I'd take some pictures, intending to play with depth-of-field. Turned out the pictures were harder to take than I expected since the light was poor in the diningroom at night, so I thought I'd play with them in Photoshop this morning. I had some notes scribbled in the back of one of my Photoshop books about the 'Orton Effect,' which is what I attempted here.

This effect is named after a photographer named Michael Orton who developed it as a darkroom technique long before digital imaging; it's much easier to mimic the effect inside digital photo-editing programs.

BE CAREFUL NOT TO DESTROY YOUR ORIGINAL IMAGE!

1. Open your original image. Duplicate this layer. Change the blending mode of the new, upper layer to "screen" and merge these two layers.

2. Duplicate this new layer. Change the blending mode to "multiply."

3. Making sure that the top layer (the one set to "multiply") is selected, choose Filter>Blur>Gaussian Blur. You can play with the amount of the blur, watching your preview window. I think for this image I chose somewhere around a 7 pixel blur for a 72 dpi, 4" x 4.8" image. How much you blur will depend on the resolution and size of your image. In general, you want to blur enough to remove the detail from the upper "multiply" layer.

For this particular image, I also removed some of the distracting pieces of the image (the chair backs and the red flower) and blurred the wood grain in the table a little bit extra...

Any questions or comments, let me know...

A Quick Note

Last day of vacation for the rest of the family--me, too, if I wanted to be on vacation from working down in the studio, but I don't. I love my family, love my kids, but I love the work I'm doing right now and have really missed it.

Joel came down to the studio tonight for an hour or so. He was on the computer while I messed around with stamps and paint and glue. He brought his Ipod down here, along with the ?I-Home? that looks like an alarm clock but has speakers for the Ipod. He played a bunch of John Mayer songs for me--"I thought you'd like these, Mom."--and we had a very pleasant time.

He talked Richard into going and getting Mexican food at the local place--"Mom needs a break, Dad."--so I don't have to bake chicken and make veggies and salad, at least not tonight!

See, 14-year-old boys can be very sweet.

But, shhhh. Don't tell him I said that!

Untitled Because My Brain's Stuck In Park

Richard's back from his trip to Monterey making a presentation for the State Dept. of Education. At first he was supposed to present from 1-2:30 on Friday, but then they had so many requests to attend his presentation that they moved it to a larger space and made it a ticketed event, lasting from 1-5:30. He said that they sent a camera crew and that they're going to make a videotape about the high school where Richard is Principal, so that more schools can watch it. Pretty cool. He's always been a great teacher, now he's a great leader. I'm proud of him, although I still remember my first year of teaching, when he and a couple of his teacher buddies used to sit in the back of the library during our teacher's meetings and shoot spitwads through the bookshelves at other teachers...

The result of his presentation being lengthened in Monterey was that he couldn't get back for Joel's game last night. It was an away game, ~45 minutes away, but the girls and I went, and DIDN'T GET LOST! Hooray! Joel's team won by two. Richard was up at 5 a.m. this morning to drive home from Monterey so that he could get to Katie's NJB game (he's the coach). He made it back for the 11:15 game, and her team won a close one, as well. So the Smitheys are 2 for 2 this weekend, and now we're snuggled in to enjoy the rest of today and tomorrow. Richard's Colts play tomorrow--He's been a die hard Colts and Orioles fan ever since his first Little League team was the Orioles, back in 1963 (which, incidentally, is the year I was born. I remind him of this age gap every chance I get).

I'm down in the studio, doing a little bit of cleaning and listening to music. I've definitely gotten out of the painting rhythm with everyone home the last three weeks, although I have definitely been creative every day, organizing the studio, drawing, and working through some Photoshop Lessons...

But I definitely feel 'stuck in Park' today. Just not much get up and go, so I think I'm going to curl up on my little loveseat down here in the studio and read To Kill A Mockingbird, which I haven't read for probably 20 years. Joel read it last semester in English, which inspired me. (He said, very seriously, "I think you'll like it, Mom. It's a good book.")

So off to snuggle up with Abby the dog and read to my heart's content, or at least until someone needs something up in the house...

Illustration Friday: Stitch

She could mend a broken heart as easily as stitching it together...

A Funny Conversation with Jenny

Last night at bedtime Jenny and I were talking. She was asking about the day she was born, and she said "So could I have died?" and when I asked what she meant, she said, You know, could I have died, because when I was born the electrical cord was around my neck?"

I'll let you figure it out...

A Cupboard for Scrapbook Paper

I've had this cupboard sitting in the garage for maybe 4 years now, ever since I bought it for $5 at a garage sale. I used the cupboard while my studio was in the garage, but didn't want to move it into my new studio until I painted it. Finally, yesterday, I thought "That's what I'll do today, I'll fix up that cupboard!"

I didn't strip it, just sanded down over the old paint to get the loose stuff off, then rolled on black semi-gloss paint. I'm impatient, so I moved it into the studio before it was completely dry, but I figured it would dry more quickly in the warm studio, anyway.

Another K

I've been collecting Ks for awhile to hang on the wall in my studio. If you look at the picture from a few days ago that includes the chair and loveseat, you can see them over by the door. I got a new on when I went to Michael's this week (45 minute drive for me, so it's a big deal!) and decided to finish it using the patchwork/paint type background I've been doing lately (inspired by Kelly Rae, may I add!).

So here it is, ready to hang up, as soon as I can find that sticky yellow stuff that attaches stuff to the walls!

Playing Today

I'm just out in the studio playing until it's time to take Joel down the hill to tonight's game. So far I've experimented with soldering a jump ring to some beach glass (only marginal success there; I think soldering skill only develops with regular practice) and with making the blocks pictured above. One of my friends gave me a similar block that she'd purchased as a gift for me for Christmas. The one she gave to me had a nifty little hole drilled in it so it could be used as a pencil holder. I made a set of similar blocks (only mine were not useful, just decorative) several years ago and thought I'd whip out a few more. This is something the kids could do, too. The ones I made today are very tactile, since I embossed the stamped images.

I'm thinking that playing with blocks is sort of like coloring, in that maybe we never really get enough of it when we're little. I remember when I was teaching rubber stamping classes when I was affiliated with Stampin' Up--one woman had a class at her home, and while we were all watercoloring, her husband walked through and said, "Looks like kindergarten to me" in a derisive sort of way. And I thought, "Well, what's wrong with that?" I still think there are lots worse things to do with your spare time than be creative...and what's wrong with kindergarten, anyway?

The kids are enjoying this third week of vacation. All three of them have spent a bulk of the last two days holed up in Jenny's room playing with Legos. All three of them, the almost 15-yr-old boy, the almost 13-yr-old girl, and the just-turned 8-yr-old. Playing with toys. Together. Cool, huh? I'm very blessed.

They've been making these huge constructions, and then when all three are done and they've all oohed and aahed at each other's creations, then they have what they call "a war," which means they destroy everything (loudly, and with much gusto) so that they can start all over again.

We watched "Hairspray" last night. Very cool dancing. I wouldn't mind learning some of those moves myself (as if!). Couldn't quite get used to John Travolta dressed up as a large, overweight woman.

Time to go make lunch for the chill'uns. Made some yummy homemade chicken soup last night for dinner, so we'll probably polish the rest of that off, along with some sandwiches. The girls and I will probably go get a quick bite to eat before Joel's game, since we have to take him down early.

These Made Me Laugh...

My friend Kelly Jo just emailed me this--I can hear my kids giving some of these answers... I remember when Joel was in Kindergarten, and the girls used to chase the boys at recess--there was one girl who was fast enough to catch him, and he was soooo relieved when I told him that he didn't have to marry her, just because she could catch him...

HOW DO YOU DECIDE WHO TO MARRY?
(written by kids)

You got to find somebody who likes the same stuff. Like, if you like sports, she should like it that you like sports, and she should keep the chips and dip coming.
-- Alan, age 10

No person really decides before they grow up who they're going to marry. God decides it all way before, and you get to find out later who you're stuck with.
-- Kristen, age 10

WHAT IS THE RIGHT AGE TO GET MARRIED?
Twenty-three is the best age because you know the person FOREVER by then.
-- Camille, age 10

HOW CAN A STRANGER TELL IF TWO PEOPLE ARE MARRIED?
You might have to guess, based on whether they seem to be yelling at the same kids.
---Derrick, age 8

WHAT DO YOU THINK YOUR MOM AND DAD HAVE IN COMMON?
Both don't want any more kids.
--! Lori, age 8

WHAT DO MOST PEOPLE DO ON A DATE?
Dates are for having fun, and people should use them to get to know each other. Even boys have something to say if you listen long enough.
-- Lynnette, age 8

On the first date, they just tell each other lies and that usually gets them interested enough to go for a second date.
-- Martin, age 10

WHAT WOULD YOU DO ON A FIRST DATE THAT WAS TURNING SOUR?
I'd run home and play dead. The next day I would call all the newspapers and make sure they wrote about me in all the dead columns.
-- Craig, age 9

WHEN IS IT OKAY TO KISS SOMEONE?
When they're rich.
-- Pam, age 7

The law says you have to be eighteen, so I wouldn't want to mess with that.
- - Curt, age 7

The rule goes like this: If you kiss someone, then you should marry them and have kids with them. It's the right thing to do.
-- Howard, age 8

IS IT BETTER TO BE SINGLE OR MARRIED?
It's better for girls to be single but not for boys. Boys need someone to clean up after them.
- - Anita, age 9

HOW WOULD THE WORLD BE DIFFERENT IF PEOPLE DIDN'T GET MARRIED?
There sure would be a lot of kids to explain, wouldn't there?
-- Kelvin, age 8

And the #1 Favorite! is.... ....
HOW WOULD YOU MAKE A MARRIAGE WORK?
Tell your wife that she looks pretty, even if she looks like a dump truck.
-- Ricky, age 10

To Rhonda and Rebecca

To the Rhonda and Rebecca that said they'd like to join in on the 52 books project--I have no way to contact you! Please send me an email--my address is karen at ksmithey dot com, and I'll send you an invite so you can post on the 52 books blog!

Arghhh!

I cannot get the background color right for the blog! Yellows are TOO bright, golds are TOO intense, and this new color looks as though it can't decide whether it's green or yellow...

Some Recent Work

The holidays seem to have slowed me down a little bit, art-wise. I've been working on some pieces on watercolor paper. I love the way the torn/deckled edges of the paper look once they're painted and textured and then matted and framed.

I'm also trying to finish up the canvas pieces I started before Christmas vacation began--I usually work on four or five canvases at a time, since that way I don't have to wait for paint to dry...

Also been trying to clean and reorganize the studio. The flurry of work I've been doing since September has resulted in disorganization and mess. I'll try to post some studio pictures tomorrow...

The Studio

Took some pictures today while I was straightening up out here in the studio, then used Photoshop's "auto-align layers" function to create a composite (Note: you must highlight the two or more layers that you want to align by ctrl-clicking them, then choose Edit>Auto-align Layers; I chose "perspective.")

The gold chair came from Richard's parent's house, lovely, but a tad too formal for our house--isn't it odd that it fits so perfectly down here in the studio? The couch lived in one of the classrooms at school for several years before I bought it at the school yard sale for $10 and put a slipcover on it--turned out it had down cushions and is exceptionally comfy.

I love globes--the one on top of the bookcase was Richard's when he was a little boy; the other one was being thrown out in someone's trash.

A Lovely Day

To begin with I'm going to steal Tammy Vitale's Thought for the Day because it is so beautiful and poignant and just seems to go with today's mood:

thought for the day: Life will break you. Nobody can protect you from that, and living alone won't either, for solitude will also break you with its yearning. You have to love. You have to feel. It is the reason you are here on earth. You are here to risk your heart. You are here to be swallowed up. And when it happens that you are broken, or betrayed, or left, or hurt, or death brushes near, let yourself sit by an apple tree and listen to the apples falling all around you in heaps, wasting their sweetness. Tell yourself that you tasted as many as you could. Louise Erdrich, The Painted Drum

Ummm.

Huge ominous grey clouds hovering over the mountains today; I can see them from the windows here in the studio. The mountains directly east of here are even blacker than the clouds, as though all the darkness is pouring down from the sky and painting the hills black...

Basketball, basketball, basketball...

Joel's JV team had a game last night. An extremely talented team beat them by twenty. Joel's team did some good things; the other team was simply better.

Katie's NJB team had a game this morning. They won in a nail biter.

Whoops! Interrupted in the middle of blogging--had to take Joel to his best friend's house. Best part of that is that I get to sit down and have a cup of tea with friend's mom.

Down in the studio this evening. Richard took Katie down to town to go to Mervyn's big sale--Katie's Christmas money is burning a hole in her pocket. Joel's at his friend's house, and Jenny's out here with me. We've got the heater on low, and cozy lamps on. Jenny's reading aloud to me--Junie B. Jones, one of my very favorites. Jenny reads aloud with such wonderful expression, and I love listening to her. Actually, I love listening to anyone read out loud. My dad used to read to my sister and I every night during the fall and winter. We'd all lie on the floor in front of the fireplace while he read. Some of my very favorite books are the ones that he read to us...

Illustration Friday: 100 Percent

We all reach, reach, reach--to be 100% ourselves, the whole of what we can be...

52 Books

I was inspired at Dawn Houser's blog to join her in her goal of reading one book a week. I love to read anyway, but it would be so fun to have a little community of bloggers who are trying to read 52 books this year. If anyone's interested in joining in, I think I'll set up a blog where everyone can join in and post the list of books they've read--it'll be a great way to share reading lists. I've made a button, now I'll go set up a blog. Leave a note in the comments section if you want to join in!

Pre-Posting

Not sure if that's even what it's called--but I've figured out how to set up a series of posts so that they will post, day-by-day, when you want to go on vacation. I would never even have known that this was possible, except that Tammy Vitale has done it when she's gone on vacation. She uses Typepad, which may have that function automated...Blogger, unfortunately, does not.

On Blogger, you first need to choose Customize > Settings > Email. You need to fill in the spot where it says "Mail-to-Blogger Address". Make a note of this. Then you go to a site that will send off emails to this address automatically while you're gone. The one I've used (successfully) is Time Cave. Set up an account there; the service is free, although donations are appreciated in order to keep the site running. Without a subscription (which costs $12 per year), you are limited to sending two emails per day, which is very reasonable. The drawback to doing this is that the posts come up with ads on the bottom. (I bought a subscription--a dollar a month seems like a fair price for this service).

You will compose your Blogger posts in an email at the Time Cave site, addressing them to the Blogger address you chose earlier. You choose the time for the email to be delivered, and you're done!

If you want to include pictures or links, then you can compose your post in Blogger just as you would normally, but rather than publishing it, you'll simply choose the "Edit HTML" option on your post, select all the text, copy it, and then paste that into your email at the Time Cave site. Don't publish the post, otherwise it will show up twice...

You can also use the Time Cave service to send reminders to yourself or others. Pretty nifty idea, actually.

Let me know if there are any questions; I'm not sure how clear the directions are!

An Experiment

Got interested last night in how to post ahead (if, say, I were going on a vacation). I think I have it figured out--if it works, I'll post a little tutorial if anyone's interested...

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Scheduled with Time Cave (http://www.timecave.com)

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year to you all from the Smithey clan!

I'm the only one awake here so far, and what a wonderful way to start the new year--I love being the first one awake, having a cuppa tea all by my lonesome while looking out the back window at the pasture and the mountains...

We were supposed to have some friends over last night, but Joel got sick at basketball practice (dizzy->headache->vomiting) and so we had to cancel--just in case he has what I had over Christmas. Poor guy came home and slept for six hours, but seems better now, thank goodness.

Lots of things on my To Do List for the new year, including updating my web site and redesigning the blog.