Last attempts for pin cushions

This is my third and fourth attept to do a decent pin cushions.  It is the two last attempt I decided to makes.  I can call them a success.  I am satisfied with them.  The sizes are way better.  The two smallest will be perfect for travelling.

See for youreslves:

This is the two more recent attempt compared with my twi first attepmts:

It is definitively an improvement.  So, it took more than I thought to get a perfect result.  It been a long road but I made it, finally.  Now, I will have to find a project to put to use the remaining of the fabric.  I have a lot left of green fabric.  Time to brainstorm!

Here is the light

Light is bright.  It can also be a bit spooky.  It sure put an effect on it's surrounding.  As seen on the photo above.  I found this illuminated door.  I found it interesting.  If the corridor was a bit darker, it would show more.  It would be brighter.  It would be more striking.  It would be a good Halloween photo if I want to scare people.  With some photoshop, I could put some Christmas decorations.  It is a versatile basic photo that could go either way.

I like taking photos like that.  LIght and shadows bring everything else to life.  It is opposite and it gives contrast.  I find it bring something interesting to the photo.  I just need to practice more to put contrast in good effect.  It reinforce the idea to always have a camera.  I was lucky to have one when I saw this illuminated door.

Ice maiden

I have found a few videos on the Ice Maiden.  It is an archaeological discovery in Eurasia.  I think it is the Altai region.  It is kind of a follow up on the Amazons interest I have.  Tribes from the steppes, like the Scythinas, the Sarmatians, etc..., seems to had an interesting lives.

This ones are a series of videos.  It explain well the tribes of the steppes:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDQgMCmnBNw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPb_tGn-blM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2uFVV214HY8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4tCVhoCKEhg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=doedZDcYdDo

For me, it gives a more visual side to the book I am currently reading (https://www.amazon.ca/Amazons-Legends-Warrior-across-Ancient/dp/0691147205/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1513701101&sr=1-1&keywords=amazon).  There are other videos on that subject.  I have not looked at them yet but I will.

Learning about that is inspiring.  Would be fun to learn that in school.  I know it is far away.  It is a place lost in the steppes.  But it is part of world history.  We do not really hear about nomads.  It should be talk about more, be it in the steppes or plains, be it in Eaurasia or in the Americas.  A big part of our history had been in the nomadic way of life.

I am inspired.  I would like to write something related to these nomads.  It will be fiction, of course.  I think I will have to think more about it.  I am nost sure I will be able to stick with the discovery.  I never tried something like that but I would like to try.  If I am not satisfied, I will turn it into an Amazons story, purely fictional.

Chimera

I found a channel on youtube where they are mythological videos.  What I like is it is a good introduction to mythology, at least from what I seen until now.  It is mainly on Greek Mythology.  I think I will dig a bit deeper for place to cover other mythologies.  I had found a few videos here and there but that's all.

I found one interesting particuliar video on the Chimera.  The video explain well what the Chimera is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-YB01R9km2M.  It is a monster with various animal parts.  It seems to be an theme in Greek mythology.  There is plenty of animal with various or extra parts on them.  Pegasus, for example, is a horse with wings and he can fly.  Cerberus is a three headed dog.  Hydra is a many headed kind of dragon.  Well, it is the depiction that I always had seen.  Even human may have some animal parts, think of Medusa with serpents as hairs.

Mythology is also inspiration for some human conditions.  I think the chimera was the inspiration for peoples sho have a particuliar condition related to their adn.  More explanations here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chimera_(genetics)  It is not the only condition having a link with mythology.  Hermaphroditus is linked with intersex.  Oedipus have a link with the mental but I think Freud may had smoked a little bit too much.  Or Freud was not as much knowledgeable on mythology when he found his Oedipal complex.

There something that got me on the Chimera path.  It can be yet another monster but as my knowledge of this beast grow, there something that makes me wonder.  Chimera had been put on the bad guy side.  Is it truely that?  Who knows the emotions this beast have?  It would be fun to explore the worldview of this composite being.

Tiles

Sometimes, there are place where I found something that makes me wish I could do some shopping.  The shopping would be on the discovery I just made.  I found a place with tiles.  There was one tile that I found interesting.  It was a decorated tile that was in a pattern.  There was a few decorated tiles that were lost surrounded by undecoreted tiles.  I found it elegant.  It was not overly charged.  Just enough to make it interesting.

Here is the decorated tile:

A simple flower basket.  It is in monocrome tone but it is a very good idea.  I like when it is not heavy on the eyes.
Here is the wall, well I took a photo of a corner:

It show how disperse the decorated tile is.  There isn't many decorated tiles but I find it enough to bring a small punch to the wall.  I just wonder if the decorated tiles are made with durable pigment and if they will stand the test of time.  Having them fading would remouve something from the wall.
I womder how tiles are done.  I know how it is installed.  My mind is a curious one for sure!

Strange discovery in public bathroom

I found a bottle of perfume in a public bathroom.  It is shown above.  Never seen this kind of perfiume before.  It smell nice in the air.  I was not tempted to sample it on my skin.  I was a bit shy to test it.  I was more surprised to see it on the counter, just beside the faucet.

The bathroom is isolated on a floor.  It is at the end of the corridor, in a place where not much people seems to go.  It is perpendicular to the corridor:

It is at the left.  There is two bathroom, one for women and one for men.  I found the perfume in the women one.  I wonder if there is one on the men side.  I have not thought to have a peak.  Next time I go there, I may have a small look at that side, just out of curiosity.
:

A day at the office

I work in a library.  What I like the most is to be deep in the shelves.   It is fun to have interaction once in a while with people.  There is also fun when I want to be alone, to think.  I find it restful.  I have great ideas in this kind of place:

This parculiar place is huge and not very populated.  It is a restuful place.  The access of this place is restricted to personel only.  i would easily see myself working at this desk:

Or this desk:

Both desk are not that far from each other.  I could see myself going from one desk to the other.  The only problem is there is a hearse and a cadenas between them.  Beside that, it would be a blast to work full time there.  There would not be much distraction except occasional noise coming from stairs behind a door:

Working space or Working Office

I find some people lucky.  They work in unsual working space or working office.  I do have a taste for the unconventional, so those places are a bit attraction for me.  I would like to work in a uncommon place.  I would become familiar with the place eventually but it would be worth the time getting use to the place.  I also wonder if I would get easily inspired while working in this kind of place.  Would it be exciting to work there, even in more difficult time?

What triggered this thinking is a building.  I pass regularly in front of it.  I wondered, for a long time what it was hosting, what was the activities inside.  I finally found out.  It is an old church that is now hosting an recording studio.  More here: https://www.mechanicland.com/  I do not know if they will stay at this place.  In recent weeks, there was a panel saying the building is for sale.  I wonder what woulc replace the recording studio.  A old church and a recording studio seems to be an very good match for me.

There is not much buidling like that around me.  Would be fun to have more.  It would be way cool.  Of course, I live pretty much in a no artistic land area.  There is not much inspiration around either.  I feel that my area is a place where people comes home to only eat and sleep.  There is no intesresting stores.  Only the bare essentail.  Buildings all look blank and similar.  Nothing really exciting.  So, not much inspiration when I look around.  The rare exception is the old church that is currently a recording studio.  I always like pass in front of that building.

Left handed products

I admit it, I am a southpaw.  Being left handed, the whole world seems to be on the wrong side.  As a child, I rremember that some items like scissors and some sports gears must be ordered from the store.  As time goes by, it is getting easier to get some products more adapted to us.  Of course, there are a few things that I use that are more right handed than left handed.  Think can opener.  I use an electric can poener and it is a bit easier tu use even if I am left handed.  The non electric manual can opener is a pain in the behind for me.  I go very slow and my right hand hurt after so much effort.

From my experience, left hander must be creative.  There is a market for being left handed and for sure, it show a lot of creativity.  I would had found useful to have an hand guard when I learned how to write.  I am sure I had seen one in the past but it does not seems to be available.  I found a left handed store (https://www.leftyslefthanded.com/) and one in Azmazon.ca (https://www.amazon.ca/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=left+handed+store&tag=googcana-20&index=aps&hvadid=232470673860&hvpos=1t1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=15144966106202280547&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=p&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9000376&hvtargid=kwd-317310773941&ref=pd_sl_5xc22qy070_p)
The problem is even with all the good intention, does all those products works good?  I think it is not the first time I would like to see some test drive on some objects before using them.  Of course, there are some items that look a bit too frivolous.  I think of things like spoons.  It goes a bit too far for me.  I am okay using a normal spoon. it work well for both side of handedness.  There are notesbooks that can be unsed backward as a left handed.  Less useful when it comes to engagement calendar.

I do have found an engagement calandar that work (https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/1449483526/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1)  It is a weekly one.  It will have to fit even if there are a few busy day in the year.  I came to that engagement calendar as a try.  It was a good trial and error.  In this case it was a trial that ended up in a success.  I was lucky for that one.  I can not always rely on my lucky star.  What I find out being an left handed: it is quite a wild ride.  It is also fun to be outside the mainstream, even if it is not always visible.

Myths and Reality -- The Amazons

There are myths that cross with reality.  Troy and Delphi are two towns that are good examples.  Both have a foot in myths and also in reality.  There had been archaeological excavation in both cities.  Troy is the setting of a war.  The horse used to enter the city is well known as the Trojan horse.   It is all myth.  There was signs of war on the archaeological site.  It must be doubted it was as described in the myth.

For Delphi, it was the seat of the Pythia, a prophetess that speak in the name of Apollo.  In real life, other cities and various people came to Delphi for advices.  In myth, it was also the case.  In myths, the Pythia always was saying the truth.  The problem was in interpreting correctly the message.  I guess it was for dramatic reason, the people consulting the Pythia, in myth, never interpreted the message correctly.

There is also another less know element of myth that cross reality.  It is not as well known as Troy and Delphi.  Both cities are celebrated in myth and today too.  The myth that I am thinking about is not a place.  It is a people: the Amazons.  In myth, the Amazons are a tribe of women that goes to war.  Many Amazonian Queen had been against many famous heroes.  Heracles and Hippolyta,  Theseus and Antiope or Hippolyta depending on the myths.  There is also a myth where the Amazons goes to war with Athens.  There is also Achilles and Penthesilea, in the Trojan War.

This is mythological stories.  There are been discoveries that put some credit to the myth of the Amazons.  It is in the steppes of Eurasia.  There been kurgans, big tumulus that host tombs, where women had been discovered with weapons.  People living there were pretty much nomads, so everyones had to be able to defend themselves.  Herodotus, among many others ancients, spoke of those tribes in his writings.  From what I read, it is fairly recent that archaeologists had become conscious that grave goods can be misleading.  There is an entry in the Encyclopedia Mythica on Amazons.  (http://www.pantheon.org/articles/a/amazons.html)

Why I am talking about it?  I am reading a book on Amazons by Adrienne Mayor (https://www.amazon.ca/Amazons-Legends-Warrior-across-Ancient/dp/0691147205/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1513001237&sr=8-1&keywords=amazons).  It speak of many tribes in that region.  Be it Thracian, Sarmatians, Maeotians, Scythians...  I had also read a book on Warrior Women (https://www.amazon.ca/Warrior-Women-Archaeologists-Historys-Heroines/dp/0446679836/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1513003113&sr=1-1-fkmr0&keywords=jeanine+davis-kimball) by Jeannine Davis-Kimball and Mona Behan
So, the Amazsons have some roots in reality.  It is not a perfect match but there is a coonection.  It may be there that the Ancients Greeks took their inspiration for their Amazons.  It only show how the Ancients Greeks were inspired by their own world and by their neighbors.

It really interesting to see the reality of those tribes from the steppes be turned into a myth.  In turn, the myth does not have total connection with the origin of that myth.  Learning about the origins of a myth help to see how the reality become myth.  It is also fun to go from the myth to the reality.  It is discovering a new world that could inspire something else totally.  I would like to write something ispired from the steppes and it's people.  It would be closer to what I am reading in the two books mentionned aboved.  Of course, it will not be totally 100% close to that but I want to borrow some concepts and gives them my own spin.

Mars is everywhere!

Well, we can all agree that Mercury/Hermes is a busy body,  That god is having a lot on his hand: trade, communication, travelling up and down and everywhere in between in addition of every compass direction, a god of thievery too.  Mercury is also leading death souls in the underworld.  This god is also a messenger.  He deliver messages, faciliting communication.  So, maybe he is goind postal?  Message delivery is akin to letter delivery.  The stories doesn't says if Jupiter/Zeus messages were written.  Due to Mercury thieving side, I also see him a bit dabbling in trickeries.   Mercury/Hermies is full of ressources.  If there is a problem, he was sended in situ to resolve complicated situation.  One of Zeus'/Jupiter mistress called Io, Mercury/Hermes was there to get her out of trouble.  He even have the fastest planet of the solar system named after him.  He have the caduceus.  He created the lyre, a bit an ancester of the guitar.  I guess he could also be linked with laywers.  After stealing cattle from his brother Apollo, Hermes/Mercury had a nice speak to get out of trouble.  So, Mercury/Hermes is a polyvalent god.  The most polyvalent god in the pantheon.  HIs godly porfolio is varied and I am sure that this god isn't sitting down getting bored.

Even if Mercury/Hermes is keeping busy, he is not the only one that gives inspiration.  I am thinking of Mars.  Of course, Mars is a god of a very few string on his bow.  The Greek equivalent, Ares, is only known to concentrate on war, fighting and blood.  On the Roman side, I think there was a small tie with agriculture.  For sure, if agriculture was linked with Mars, it was not something we remember now.  So, then, why talk about Mars being everywhere?  Well, Mars is very imprinded in our world.  Just think of all the frenzy about the planet Mars.  This planet gather more interest than the planet Mercury.  Secondly, Mars is liniked with the calendar: there is the month of March.  In French, there is also a day dedicated to Mars: Mardi which is Tuesday.  And who could forget the memorable performace of the actor (Kevin Tod Smith) who was doing the god Ares in tv show Hercules and Zena?  The pertrayal was so good!  It is a shame we can't have this kind of perfomance now!  It was instrumental in giving Ares/Mars some big notoriety in our modern world.  Because of Mars, we have the name for the martial arts umbrella,  Various kind of fighting goes into his domain and it is useful.

Mercury/Hermes is not the only nice humky god on Olympus.  Mercury is everywere and can be a source of inspiration.  It is just not the only god that can give inspiration.  Mars /Ares deserve a bit more recognition.  Ares may be extremely brutal but having good self defence is also a good thing.  I do think that Mars/Ares deserve to have a place in our lives.  It is already in our lives and we are not always conscious about it.

Small kitchen

I think that I found the smallest kitchen ever.  Here how it look:

Pretty small.  It is in a place that is not that small.  I wonder about the logic of this small kitchen.  I don't see the reason for it's existence because there is another room that is larger and have the same function.  This room could be used to store other things like toys or to have an photocopier.  The room could have nnother use to it. 

Personally, I would use it for personal use like work there.  It would be very small for an office room.  It is not large enough for a desk and a chair.  What I would see is a shelf as a dexk on one wall.  A chair in fron of the self.  Highter shelves could handle papers.  No need for a desktop.  It would be perfect to write with pen and paper.

Well, small spaces are fun to look like anyway.  I do not know if it will be set for another use.  It just amazing what can be done with a small space.

New try for pin cushion

Still a work in progress for my pin cushion project..  I start to wonder if I will end up with the perfect handmade pin cushion.  Here is my second try:

Here is a comparaison with my first try:

So, I am on the right track: my second attempt at a pin cushion is smaller.  NOt that much but an improvement on the first one.  I wonder how moch try I will need to end up in a good sized pin cushion.  The positive point is that in either cases. it was easy and quick to make.  I made them both in an afternoon.  So, let's hope that 3 will be the charm and a sound success.

Practice makes it easier

This year, again, I did Nanowrimo (www.nanowrimo.org).  It is a yearly event where people write furiously.  The goal is to get 50 000 words.  More can be done.  I prefer to do a little bit more just to get the validation okay.  It is pretty boring to get the valitation and get a message that says that there is no 50 000 words.  Today is the last day of the event.  It is always set in november.

There is also a nanowrimo camp in april and june, I think.  I never try it since they started it iin the last few years.   It is pretty recent compared the event held in November.  The rules are a bit different for the nanowrimo camp.  I feel ambivalent about this nanowrimo camp but I should do it one year, just to try it.  I would have a clearer idea if it is for me to do or not.

What I learned, this year, in the past month, is that I fhad found a breeze to write 50 000 words.  It was easier than the other years I had participated.  In my past participations, when I was hitting the 30 000 words, it was beginning to be my no man land zone.  It was arid and painful.  I was going so slow.  It is as if I didn't worte much words.  It is as if I was hitting a wall.  When I was hitting the 40 000 words line, I was okay and was able to run to the finishing line.  This year, I did not have this problem.  I speed my way to the 50 000 words finishing line without hitting the desert land of the 30 000 words mark.

Another thing that I noticed this year: I was less stuck in the «what happen next» and I was not frozen when it was time to come up with names when the need arise.  I did not dwell in finding the perfect name even for a minor character.  I was thinking a few minutes before getting the next step in the story line.  I was having great idea to add to the story line I had in mind.  The connection I have with inspiration seems to be wider and fully functional.  It was easy to access that inspiration.

It made me realize one thing: with practice, it goes easier and easier.  In this case, it was writing, this mont.  I am sure it could be ppplied to other area of crafting.  It is just time and doing it that needed to be apply.  No need to wait for the perfecrt word, the perfect idea, the perfect image.  Just doodle and practice and get the junk out.  The rest will be springing like a fountain, eventually.

Planet Jupiter and spacecraft Juno

Nasa really love mythology.  I have heard recenly about the Juno mission to the planet Jupiter.  The name of the spacecraft is so well choosen.  I wonder how they came with thier snames for space mission.  Of course, for the planet Jupiter, Juno was quite easy to pick.  In mythology, Jupiter and Juno form a couple.  Jupiter and Juno are in Roman mythology.  Zeus and Hera are the equivalent  in Greek mythology.

I wonder why Nasa goes so often pick names in mythology. What are their drives toward mythological names.  For me, I find that mythology have strong themes and an appeal that speak to the unconsious.  It speak to a less advanced part of myself.  It reflect how people came up with explanations for certain condition.  It also show a sense of adventure.  Not long ago, there was no movies, no tv, no radio, no phone be it intelligent or not, no telegraph.  Everything was at a slower pace.

So, having a mythological space is good.  Haviing mythological exploration is even better.  I wonder if we colonize new planets outside our solar system, if we will use mythology to name the planets we will go to and gives a mythological bent to the cities on those planets?  Will we follow Nasa's trend with mythology or is it just a phase we will outgrow of?  What I think now:  I feel all return to mythology.  It seems we are deeply wired and connected to mythology.  We return to it again and again.  It spin around and evolve but it is still mythology.

A mystery solved! I know the secred behind the door.

I have solved a mystery in the last few days.  There is a place whre I go with closed doors.  I always wondered what was behind those doors.  Now, I know.  There is a short and large corridor behind the doors.  Further, there is a perpendicular corridor, more narrow but long.  So, the door is connecting two corridors by a large and short corridor.  I had the presence of mind to take photos.
Here is the doors:

The above photo is behind the doors.  It seems to be the reverse of the side where I am.  It is fun to know about this.  At the smae time, it remove the mystery.

Fashion Evolution

I am not into fasthion.  If I can find a t-shirt or sweater with no logo and a pair of jeans, I am okay.  Of course, there is some circonstances where I upgrade my look a bit more for example putting a shirt and fancier pants.  It is okay with me.  I am not following trends,  I am not a shopholic.  But I have found a rather interesting video on youtube on the evolution of the goth fasthion for men and woman.
They are here:
For men
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iti7HE1UBN8

For woman:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6JXYLSbJ5FA

I even found the eovution of the goth shoes:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIywOKrfhJQ

There are other videos that show the evolution of certain trends over time.  I have my curiosity wetted in seeing how some looks can rise and get out of date over time.  Eventually, it is becomig a cycle.  Well, now that I had found those videos, I am tempted to get inspiration to uplifht my drab look a bit.  Of course, I will stick to my no logo policy.  For the rest, I may get some ideas for new accessories.

Diamanda Galàs Not for everyone

There are artists who should be put in the front line in certain part of the years. as for some holidays in stores.  Diamanda Galâs should be more heard at this gloomy time of year.  It is an artist with an original songs.  Yes, she have her own songs, I ams sure of that.  I mean original songs in the sense that she don't do in the «nice and shining songs».  Also, she have strong titles and some of them are a bit disturbing.

Here is a few links to some of her body of work:
Here is a show on her Plague Mass album.  It is a bit lenghy:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w7lttF6tPZs

Here is a few songs with thought provocking title:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9YYv-oZfsk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZ7ADZwEnKg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZ7ADZwEnKg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZ7ADZwEnKg

And I end with my favorite version of «I put a spell on you»:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZ7ADZwEnKg
I think she was the best one to do the song as good as the original

What I like of her: she in not affraid to talk about some delicate theme and delicate subjects or events. She also put emotions in her voice too.  I like that.  It can be heard while listening her.  I also like when she use an more harder and cold voice.  It is almost as if she was sending knives with her voice.

I do not listen her music year round.  I find this time of year more appropriate to sit down and listen to her.  I am conscious that this artist is not for everyone.  For me, it is a need that I have when it become less luminous outside and that I enter in the darkness of my mind.  Her songs and her voice bring me elsewhere and then, I feel better.

Mythology and Paintings

Mythology is truely everywhere.  There are cars making references to divinities (I think there was a car compagny called Saturn).  There is even Nasa using references to the Greek/Roman Mythology (Gemini is a reference of The Diosicuri, Satun rocket, the Mercury programp, the Appollo mission)  Planets too but now not just on Greek/Roman mythology.  I still remember when they discovered Sedna way back.  In language too: just think when we say A Odysseys, it makes referenced to the voyage of Odyseus.  There also tour guides who are called Ulysses (French world for Odusseus)  The world panic comes from Pan, the satyre.  Names lile Sylvain also have a mythological origin.  There are a rasor compagny that is called Venus and they used an appropriate song that makes a reference to mythology too.  It was a connection really easy to make.

Today, my light bulb get ignited by mythology and paintings.  The first coming to mind is the Birth of Aphrodite or Birth of Venus.  Both are for the same divinity.  Aphrodite is Greek and Venus is Roman.  If you don't know about that picture, here it is in all it's glory:
https://www.google.ca/imgres?imgurl=https://cdn.paleothea.com/Pictures/VenusSea.jpg&imgrefurl=https://www.paleothea.com/Myths/BirthAphrodite.html&h=490&w=734&tbnid=se-Ql0zIopXOJM:&tbnh=160&tbnw=240&usg=__vWZTYa2Tzgo-wQHfyvz_TKiLs8A%3D&vet=10ahUKEwj-oqrsu8vXAhXJv1QKHS-iBJYQ9QEILDAA..i&docid=1ZY8infkRpTZbM&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj-oqrsu8vXAhXJv1QKHS-iBJYQ9QEILDAA
I should had put the picture itself but the link will have to do.  Again, I thought: well, I guess there must be more than this one painting with a mythological theme.  There is a long history of sculpture that celebrate the body, so why not having paintings that have mythological theme.  Well, with a quick search on google, my guess was right.  Here is the link with the result for my search:
https://www.google.ca/search?q=painting+mythology&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&gws_rd=cr&dcr=0&ei=8-cRWpyhIojwmQH_3qDgCg

A quick search of picture of mythological paintings was also fruitful.  Here a link where we can see many example:
https://www.pinterest.ca/worldofmyth/greek-mythology-in-paintings/?lp=true
So, really, the mythology theme is strong in paintings as it is elsewhere.  Mythology sell even today, even if it is no longer a mainstream belief.  I am definetively in the «go mythology go» team.

People, look and fashion

People's look are so variously plentiful.  Some people have great look that fit their feature.  Other peole have an element or accessory that look really cool.  It match with their faces and all.  I feel a bit envious sometimes.  I wish to find the look or accessory that would fit me perfectly and I would like.  Not an easy task.

I do have a cool accessory.  It is homemade but not really visible, exceopt when peole look down.  It is stripped socks.  The colours are a bit hard on the eyes, well, when I look at them:

I have forgotted that I had them and that I had this picture.  It is my maternal grandma who made them. I never used them.  I guess I no longer fit in them.  The colours are a bit at a contrast but they have a sentimental value to me.  It is from a grandma that I like.  She was a fun grandma.  Those socks reperent something she was good at.  Well, she was making a lot of socks, so she had a lot of practice over time.

So, still seachring for what will become my own style...

Creative coaching, anyone?

Business coaching is all the craze right now, or I had been out of the loop too long for not noticing it sooner.  It help a starter business debutant   Would be fun to have the same for creative people.  I would see it more like a mentor that see themes and pattern.  Could also suggesting paths that needed to be further explored.  I guess I come up with nothing new, someome else must have thought of it before me.  Even if I was the first one, I would not know where to start anyway.    I am more good in getting ideas and not always so good for applying them into reality.

Thiking it a bit further, it end like a business mentor.  A creative project need to be expanded.  So, the only thing that the business mentor should have is a touch in the creative field.  Having spontenious ideas is good but when we think about it a bit further, it end up not so good.  It is a chance that crative people have a lot of ideas.  After the brain storming, there is the hard reality that not all ideas are good to follow up and work with them.  Not always easy to let an idea go.  The ideas I have are mine, I am a bit possesive of them.  I like them, I cherish them.  I want to see them be born into this world.

Still, would be fun to have a mentorat system for creative people.  It would help me to learn more about the creative side of business.  This world need people expressing their creativity.  For me, it is a need.  I feel a bit ignorant about a lot of thing.  It may apply to creativity in a more structured businessy way...

Trees around the year

I do have a good folio file on trees.  Especially with various forms and with branches that goes in interesting ways.  I also am trying to capture light and shadows in trees.  So, I do have a good field of studies with trees.  I wouldn't lack in nuance of photos.  Trees are a topic of mine, a theme running into my life, it seems.

Well, I realized it would be good to had a little bit of further: taking photos of trees around the year.  I do have a few pictures of trees in winter, with snow, mainly coniferous trees with snow.  Why not go further on.  I don't have photos with trees with colourful leaves or with leaves growing up.  Time to remedy that in the next seasons.

With a still growing portfolio on trees, I could make an whole tarot of tree, I guess.  A tree without h's leaves would do a good Death card.  Getting trees with leaves of various colours or just various colour leaves would be a good Wheel of Fortune.  It is something I can think further on.  Would be a good personal tarot anyway.

Fabric, notif and patterns

I have started to buy some fabric recently.  What is my motivation?  I have bought my own sweing machine. I was tired of youtsourcing small repairs outside the home.  In addition, my sweing machine can do embrodery.  A big plus.

Since I have my sewing machine, my attention makes a pit stop for fabric.  There are all kind of fabric.  It is not my priority what kind of fabric I buy.  Not yet.  What caught my eyes until now are the patters and motf on the fabrics.  I find that really inspiring.  Inspiring in the sense I could do anything I want with those fabrics.

I don't have any projects involving my sewing machine.  No big project yet.  I know I could practice more.  Thinking of it, I am tempted to kame a blouse.  I should look for a model and the appropriate fabric.

Here is one example of a fabric that I like:

It is in the trival theme, I think.  The black background makes the other colours pop up.


Meanwhile, I have made a pin cusing by hand.  One error was to have cut the fabric too quickly.  I was too sure of myself.  I have put puffs into it before closing it.  I also put some magnets inside.  It was one of my brillant idea.  I thought it would be useful to have them in case I drop a needle.  In addition, no need to put the needle into the fabric of the pin cushion.

Here are my material:

Here is my pin cushion:

It was a first try.  Putting magnet into the pin cushion is a very good idea.  On the unsatisfied part, it is a very big pin cushion.  Another thing: I could put more puffs.  It is useful informations for my next try.

An experiment from a dollarstore

I bought a sun catcher at the dollar store.  I felt lucky.  I also wanted to try it too.  Here what the package look like:

And here is the content:

After having done it, I find I could have done better:

The problem: the paint. I think the package had been too long on the shelves.  It is surprising because i purhase it before Halloween and I didn't waited to do it.  So the paint was really paste.  The wrst was the white.  It was like rubber.  Amethyste, red and yellow where more speakdable.  It was easier to use them.

My first impression: these should be a test drive about those product.  If I saw a review of that product, I wouldn't had purchased it.

I had a second kit.  I pulled it out the next day.  I liked to experiemnt on the second one.  What did I do?  I thought to take some paint that I have and see if it will work.  I also want to see if it is easier to do the project.
Here is the final result:

It was easier to fill in, putting the colours with a paint brush.  I took some liberty with the colours   It was better with the second kit, with better results, I think.  It was worth the try.

Space in strip cartoon

It is well known to my entourage: I like strip cartoon, the ones that comes from Belgium and France, well, that area.  There are a few series of strip cartoon that I follow.  One of them follow the adventure of a girl called Yoko Tsuno (official site: http://www.yokotsuno.com/fr/accueil.html and the wikipedia page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoko_Tsuno).  Her adventures have various setting.  Sometimes, she is on earth, other times, she is in space.  A few times, she had gone under ground or had done some time travel.  In her latest adventure, she was underground (english title of the latest album: The Temple of the Immortal: https://www.amazon.ca/Yoko-Tsuno-28-temple-immortels/dp/2800169532/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1509915329&sr=8-2&keywords=roger+leloup  It doesn't seems to be translated into Englis yet but there are many album that is already tranlated.  Here is one that had been translated: https://www.amazon.ca/Light-Ixo-Roger-Leloup/dp/1849183929/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1509915855&sr=8-6&keywords=roger+leloup.  The numbering isn't the same in French and English and it seems that only a few of the learly album had been translated) 

In her various adventures, she have contact with various people but also with an alien species called the Vinean.  They are very human like exept for their blue skin.  They are very technologicalled advanced.  What I like is their technology.  It is not like what we see elsewhere.  How it is picturally shown is very original and out of this world but not that alien.  What would be fun is to see how that technology work on the inside.  I am curious about how the magnetic part work with the rest.  Some part of the magnetic technology seems to be old fashion.  An example of that is in the back to Vinea album (The Three Sun of Vinea: https://www.amazon.ca/Three-Suns-Vinea-Roger-Leloup/dp/1849183023/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1509916380&sr=1-1&keywords=the+three+sun+of+vinea)  In there, there are counciousness and memories of Vineans that are magnetically stored.  I wonder how it possible.  The main reason?  The way I had interpreted it was making me think of cassettes and 8tracks (https://www.google.ca/search?q=cassettes+photos&dcr=0&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiW6orarajXAhVC7CYKHRbRAwgQsAQIJw&biw=1069&bih=865   and http://www.gettyimages.ca/photos/8-track?excludenudity=true&sort=mostpopular&mediatype=photography&phrase=8%20track)  It would be fun to have some explanations on how the Vineans technology work. There is an dictionnary about Captain Haddock's swearing, after all (https://www.amazon.fr/Haddock-illustr%C3%A9-Lint%C3%A9grale-jurons-capitaine/dp/2203017198  Would be great to have an English version to that!)

The Vinéan technology that I like the most is the flyover (https://www.google.ca/search?q=voleur+vin%C3%A9en+images+yoko+tsuno&dcr=0&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwivxt64sajXAhVBJCYKHdT_BokQsAQIKQ&biw=1069&bih=865#imgrc=_  It gies an idea of the flying technology of the videan.)  I like the older version of the flyover,  the one where we are on our tummy.  Not the most recent one, from the latest album.  I would like to have one of the old ones, One that work too.  I would lie to go where ever I want to go.  This is a personal dream that I would like to see in the future.

Dark month of the year

November is having a dark reputation.  I know some people who reference this month as the month of the dead.  It is a dark time in the year.  Days are noticely get shorter.  Halloween is really recent.  Great time to explore the dark recess of the mind.  There are audacious people who have gone the less explored path of darkess.  H. R. Giger (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H._R._Giger and the official website: http://www.hrgiger.com/) is one in this path.  His work challenge, provoque, dig deep into the dark.

To set H. R. Giger to memory, he is best known for his biomechanical airbrush images.  In films, he made the Alien Queen in the Alien franchise (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0078748/) and Species (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0114508/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1).  This is the tip of the iceberg.  He had also touched other area of creation like furniture and album covers.  I don't know if the Giger bar is still open.  He is from Switzerland.

My knowledge about his is a bit limited.  I would like to know more.  Learning about an artist help understand more about the art side.  Both feed each other.  What I would like to understand a bit more is his relationship with Li Tobler (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Li_Tobler)  She had a relationship with Giger up to her suicide in the 70's.  I think this relationship had an impact on Giger.  She was a model for Giger and her face is on many of his work.  I am nost sure but I think her death had an impact on Giger.  I just wonder if this kind of event had lead him exploring darker shade of the mind or the seeds where there before that.    I also wonder where he got his inspiration.  What pushed him to his thought provoking art.  It is almost wanting to go into their mind and creative process and make an autopsy.

Images of Halloween

It is Halloween today.  It is a fun day to dress up.  It is a day to have fun.  Everybody can be a child today and have candies.  The business side of this holiday is a bit negative but it can be a festive day if we makes abstraction of the selling part of the day.  It is a day, with easter, that sweets are kings.  Of course, easter deal more with chocolate, it is a big part of a sweet tooth.

As a child, it was fun going for treat or treating on Halloween.   It was fun getting dressed up, choosing the costume or making it.   The two last years I dressed up for Halloween, I made my own costume and it was the two best Halloween ever.  The first year I made my costume, I made my own version of Boy Georges (http://www.boygeorgeuk.com/)  It was more his 80's look (https://www.google.ca/search?q=boy+george+80%27s+style&rlz=1CAASUB_enCA614CA614&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiS04CG2pbXAhXH7YMKHUtOA1IQsAQIJw&biw=1366&bih=702)  Of course, my costume wasn't as elaborate than his look but it made a effect.  I had more fun dong the costume than getting the candies.  In addition, a relative was able to use leftover of my costume.  I had cut the tips of a pair of gloves.  She used the tips of those gloves for her whitch costume.  It was really fun to share.

My last year of Halloween, I made a Zorro costume.  I made the hat with cardboard and silk paper (a very thin paper).  Of course, the material was all black.  I also got an homemade cape made by my grandma.  The only purchase was a plastic sword.  The only thing I didn't liked about my costume: my moustache.  I wanted to do it myself but it was done by someone else.  It ended up more like a villain moustache than the one we usually see on Zorro.  Beside that, it was the costume I had the most pride in.  Later on, my black cape was used in a Batman costume for someone else.  I just hope that other child had a good halloween.

In recent years, I started to appreciated the images side of Halloween.  It all started with the Halloween Tarot (http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/cards/halloween/)  The deck contain all the classic and iconic images from Halloween.  Be it the black cat, the ghosts, the witches, old monster like Frankenstein's monster, his bride or the werewolf.  It is a nice deck that is very well done.  It is a bit whimsical but very well thougth out.  I like the Hermnit being a mad scientist.  I do have a soft spot with mad scientist.  I have created my own mad scientist in my writing.

Now, the thing I enjoy most about Halloweeen is the imagery linked with the Dios of los Muerte.  It is in recent years that I have discovered this Mexican tradition.  I live a bit far from this contry, so this is why it took me a while before discovery this rich festive day.  It would have been great to know about this earlier in my life.

Happy Halloween with a lot of candy!  A lot of fun also is great.

Charles Addams and the Addams family

Appearance can be deceiving.  First looks are not always revealing.  Chrles Addams (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Addams) is one artists I find to be interesting.  He was a cartoonist for the New Yorker.  He had also been the creator of the Addams Family.  He have also done a few catoon that had gone into insotry.  One of them is called «The skier»  (https://www.google.ca/search?q=the+skier+cartoon+charles+addams&dcr=0&tbm=isch&source=iu&pf=m&ictx=1&fir=c_NvNKBkXDLhkM%253A%252CM_rByg1y9nAIMM%252C_&usg=__PaOdhxva5CwHAtyUz3F2E9s2UY4%3D&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwit2P6HzJbXAhUUyYMKHYYBAeUQ9QEIKjAA#imgrc=c_NvNKBkXDLhkM:)
It is a skier that leaves sky trails between a tree.  How did he do it?  It is a bit challenging.  It makes me remember a cartoon with Sylvester and Tweety where something similar happen but the skies goes on but not Sylvester.

Other good cartoons done by Charles Addams deal with relationship; between husband and wives .  I could not find the cartoon but there is one where a couple are in their background.  The husband had been swallowed up by a big snake.  The wives doesn't see it and say something among the line «stop making all that noise!»  He had at least 3 wives (not at the same times), he may had been a bit cynical even if he was happier with his last wive.

In a way, he have created a family that suited him, even if it was on paper.  The family he created had a strong individuality but at the same time, they are a clan.  They stick together even if they are made up by individuals.  By just looking at this familial creation, he created an utopial family even if he had failing in his personal life.  He was not a perfect guy.  I have read his biography (https://www.amazon.ca/Charles-Addams-Cartoonists-Linda-Davis/dp/0679463259/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1509307695&sr=8-5&keywords=charles+addams).   He was a womanizer.  I don't excuse him even if he look like Walter Matthau (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_Matthau).  I just find he used his experiences to makes funny cartoon and create a family that is standing the test of time.  His creation is more known than himself now.  It is a good case where a person with some negative traits  produce an intersting body of art.

Workshops

Workshops are great.  It comes in various forms and on various topics.  It can be with a group in a room.  It can be online.  In any case, it end up being a learning experience and gained knowledge.  I always had a positive experience from workshops I attended.  There is also the fun to meeting new people.  It can lead to friendship.  People have interest in the theme of the workshop, so it makes connection between people easier.

I am currently in a workshop that is spread over many weeks.  The big main theme is teenagers.  Each week, there is a ressource that come speak of a topic.  For example, one evening, someone came to speak about law and social media.  Another week, there was a person coming to talk about anorexia and boulimia.  Another week, it was on gambling.  Most recently, it was on suicide.  I don't remember all the topics but there are many.  I would like that mental illness could be added to the mix because it can appear in that period of time.  I guess I could make the suggestion.  The person that organize this is open to suggestion.  I don't know if she can cram it up in the 10 weeks we have.

It is not the first time that I take this kind of workshop.  I took one that was aimed to children from 0 to 5 years old twice (a few years apart and given by a different person each time).  It is on top of taking workshops on writing (online on (https://www.writingclasses.com/classes/online), taking jewelry workship (on earring in a place that no longer exist) and some various crafting workshops (like soapmaking, fimo, candle making) in a craft store.  All of this was not a waiste.  I found each workshop useful.  It opened some doors, giving me access to new ressources.  People were great in each workshop.  Very useful.  There should be more of this.

Tarot cards and images

I have started to study The Star Tarot (http://www.cathymcclelland.com/html/tarot.htm)  For me, studying a new tarot is like studying a new dialect.  Studying tarot is learning a new big dialect.  It seems to be strange but it is how I see it.  My mind often work with images, pictures, or having a film-like way.  It is how I work.  I am sure that other peoples have minds that work in their own way that are different than me.  Knowing how our minds works is really good, it help understand ourselves better.

 On the theme of image, there is a form of language.  There is nuances in images, meaning too, symbolism. dept of untold subconscious understanding.  For me, it is all that and more.  I see jewelry before making it.  I see my stories going on like a movie in my mind'a eye before translating it in words.  I see photos of gifts before going to purchase them.  Words comes after the pictures.  For me, it is normal, it is what comes to me naturaly.

Tarot decks can be an extension of my inner world, to my mind.   Every images, each cards have it's structure.  Each images have iut's meanings.  The images in my minds don't have that kind of structures.  I understand the images that comes to my mind.  I am my own personal translator.  When it comes to tarot, I have to understand the codes that are put into the pictures.  It is not my own personal language, it is more a dialect that many people had put together.  It assemble those people on a common ground.  At the end, it help me better work with images, even if I work with it extensively.  I feel comfortable working with images and it feel good to bring dept in that department.

Creativity at work

As I was looking at a speech therapist working with a child, I realized something: they are creative people.  It was not the first time I saw a speech therapist working with a child but it was the first time my lightbulb ignited on the creative part.  How?  They use play to work with children.  They can use some games like board games to work on the objectives.  It is not all the real rules of the game, but it is working anyway.  It doesn't seems to bother the children that the rules of the games aren't followed.  They seems happy to play with somebody.  I don't know if it work with all children.

I wonder how speech therapists came with that ideas but I find it was a bright idea that work very well.  What lead to this approach?  Was it with trial and error?  I am sure there are exception to that rule but I don't know if it is on a regular basis.  Does the speech therapists have a card in their sleeve for those children too?  I have much questions.  I wonder why?  Curiosity, for me, it strong when it comes with creativity.

I think it is a good application of crativity.  There are other too.  Knowledge is good.  Working on problem with what is available is good too.  Creativity is the spark to get everything into place and come up with a solution.  Reason is not an ead and the only way.  Creativity have it's part to play in every aspect of our modern world.  Creativity does not have to be evacuated of our lives just to satisfy raionality alone.  Both must work hand in hand.  It is how new technologies are made. how to work in tiny places, how to find a solution to a problem, etc...  Really, creativity is really useful.

Walking is the new bathroom

My mind is changing.  I can't explain the shift.but the bathroom is now less a place of inspiration.  Going walking is taking first place.  makes me think that my brain need to get oxygenated to get idea.  It is alsmost getting an massage to my brain but not touching it.  It just feel strange to have this kind of shifting in my way to get inpsiration.  I kind of like to get ideas in the bathroom.

I also think I need to do something to the bathroom.  Repainting the bathroom is worth a try.  I don't know if it will rekindle my inspiration lightbulb to work in the bathroom.  It worth a try.  What I like to have inspiration in the bathroom: in the bathroom, there is no stress and no hurry, I can take time to write my ideas.  No need to move around exept if someone else have an toilet emergency.

I am fond of the bathroom as a place of inspiration.  I got many great ideas there.  I am reluctant that another activity replace the bathroom.  I don't find walking on the sideway a glamorous place to get an idea.  Bathroom is a good source where to get ideas and maybe have the idea in an interesting way.  Think how Doc have thought of time traveling, in Back to the Future movie (http://www.backtothefuture.com/)    This is why I think that bathroom is the best place to get idea.  I want to hold on the bathroom as a source of inspiration because it have a bright side (the idea) and have a potential to comedic amusement.

In case my idea for my bathroom doesn't work.  I am thinking of renting a bathroom.  Maybe it will stimulate my brain in a proper way.  Or I do some metitation in my bathroom.  Walking with a notepad or any device to take notes is not really easy, not natural at all, for me.

Inspiration and the artists

Inspiration is one thing that fascinate me.  It is so mysterious.  Where does it comes from?  Is is also intangible.  One thing that I realized recently: there are artists that seems full of inspiration to be turned into creation )getting it into more tangible way, into reality).  Two examples I think are Isaac Asimov (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaac_Asimov (too bad there isn't any photos from his later years, he had a great look!)) and David Bowie (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Bowie).  With this kind of artists, inspiration seems to flow or they make it flow.

On the other hand, there are artists where inspiration seems more hard to get.  They have difficulties to get their ideas.  I think that Charles Addams (creator of the Addams family https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Addams) and Quino (creator of Mafalda https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quino) seems to be in that category.  I think I had read somewhere, for each of them separately, that they struggled with ideas.  It can be weird because they work with picture.  Well, I may be in a less experianced area.  I don't don't have any experience with drawing.

It lead me to wonder: what differenciente those two kind of artists?  What makes them go in one category or the other?  Is it a mindset?  Are those in the stuggle for inspiration group are blocking their ideas?  Are those in the easy inspired group channel their inner inspiration more easily?  Or is it their mind that work differently?  Would be fun to have some study on that topic.  The two categories may apply elsewhere, I am sure.

What shape an artist?

I don't know if I go through an existential crisis but I started to wonder abtout a few things.  One of the area is resumed by a simple though: what shape an artist?  Aritsts gores through experiences and creation, get inspiration from others and gives inspiration to others.  All of this shape them.  Each artist have it's own path.  Background and personal history have an impact too on an artist.

When they get successful, what lead to the success is not always shown.  We don't see the inner struggle nor the self doubts nor the path to success.  Getting up the latter is something important, I think, when it comes to creation.  It should be more highlightted, I think.  It may be more important than when basking in the success.  Success can bring it's own inspiration.  It is just an inspiration gotten under the light.  The initial success, the one that break into the limelight, is from the shadow, the darkm the not know that become known.

I may be more attracted to the shadow, the unconscious, the deeper and meaninful.  It is where there may be some friction and tension.  Maybe all that makes that part more exciting to me.  Becoming what we are, it is the hardest part, I guess.  I also think that it is the most important part of an artist.  It is the materials the artist have at his disposal.

Sense of smell

Science fiction is full of technologies related to sight and hearring.  Well, mostly for sight and hearring.  I am not an expert nor a connaisseur in the topic.  I know more what is in pop culture like hologram, holodeck, communicators, transporter, universal translator and I know that I must have forgot about many things. Those marvelous technologies serves the most common sense like sight, hearring, voice/speach or being displaced quickly from one place or other.  The sense of smell seems to be a looser when it comes to technologies.  I don't know of technologies that involve the smells

Of course, it is something a bit far fetched.  The sense of smell may be not an success in a science fiction story.  it can be leave scraches heads for a use of smell.  Could be fun to come up with a technology that can pick up pheromone.  It would be fun to have a conversation using smell.  Too sad the technology for that knid of communication would be hard to miniaturize.  I also imagine how hard to get recharges for smell producing part.  The source of scent could be essential oils.  I know a little can go far and it is true of essential oils.  The problem happen if there is an extensive use of that technology.  I could imagine a big thank full of essential oils just to have essentila oils under hand.

Having some technologies involving smell could be fun.  Not really useful because I don't think it would save the world.  I don't know if extra-terestial have a sense of smell.  If they have one, would be hilarious to scre them with an ugly smell.  I can see the main character sending an bomb with the smelliest and ugliest smell bomb to his enemy.  It should be a powerfully smelly bomb in the whole universe.  Doing a battle scene in those conditions would be quite ungly, not a aesthetic and choreographed scene like in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2758842815612261477#editor/target=post;postID=715019793353096623;onPublishedMenu=allposts;onClosedMenu=allposts;postNum=0;src=link)

Buidling my confidence again

With yesterday result that I had (https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2758842815612261477#editor/target=post;postID=715019793353096623;onPublishedMenu=allposts;onClosedMenu=allposts;postNum=0;src=link) ,  I decided to take a break from very small cross stitches and go to a format where I felt more confindent.  There are some projects in the same dimension of my first  cross stitches projects.  I am thinking to go for one of them:

So, I do have a few choices.  I don't know which one I will pick next but it will be one of them, for sure.  I just hope it won't be as challenging as the small owl,  I hope it will give me a boost in my confidence.

Not having the same result

I attempt to make a small owl in cross stitches.  It wasn't easy to follow the diagramp but I made my best.  Here the diagram found in the instruction:

What I got doesn't look like the photo on the kit.  I wonder where did I got wrong:

Of course, I decided to put the black contouring around the various part of the owl.  I was supposed to go with the various colours of each part.  At that point, I decided that black would offer a better constrast.  As I didn't had an exact result, better go on with a personal touch.

I have two other kit with this very owl.  So, I still have two other try to get a better result.  Would also have been nice to have a bit more of green, blue and pink floss in the kit.  Maybe I will have better alternative for the oter two kit.  I pursie the project with what I had under hand.

My collection of trees

I am getting a huge collection of trees' photographs.  I like that. Trees have so much varieties.  There the species, the leaves, the shapes of trees and their branches, their past injuries, their environment, if they are trees in cities or in a forest, trees in various ecosystems like in the tundras and if they grow fast or not.  So many variant.  I truely like trees.  I don't consider myself an ecologist.  It is just that I need to be around trees.  I like to takes pictures of trees.  I also like the effects light and shadows have on trees and in forest.

I just would like to be a better photographer. I would like to be better in getting the light and dark areas when it comes to a forest.  Nature is really good to show natural setting!

No myth are liked equally.

I was listening to the most recent Crash Course Mythology:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ik3Y4Oq6TwU
It is on the Arthurian mythology.  It is mainly on Galahad and Perceval.  It made me realized that not everybody like the same myths.  Each person have it's like and dislike.  There are also myths that are more familiar and less familiar.

The Arturian mythology isn't familiar to me.  I learned a bit more on this mythology while looking at the video.  I just felt there was gaps where I din't understood.  Maybe because I truly wasn't familiar with this area of mythology.  I have heard about the Knights of the Round Table and their quest for the Holy Grail.  I know that Arthur was a king.  Beside that, I am totally in the night.  I am not attracted to this but at the same time, I acknowledge that I should know more about it.  I am a fan of mythology, after all.  I should know all thing related to mythology, from anywhere in the world,

It is in this kind of situation where I wish to have access to a mythology course.  Classes could feed all the students in their weak areas of mythology.  It would be great to read about all the material of mythology.  I would like to be better equiped when it comes to mythology.  Of course, I won't like everything but at least, I would know a lot.  I would like to become a mythology ultimate geek.

A hole to see in a pipe

Sometimes, things are done in a strange way.  It makes me wonder the why things are made that way.  The above picture is the perfect representation.  In this case, we can wonder why a hole had been made in the pipe.  I am sure it is more than look into the pipe.  If the pipe had been longer, I would have guessed it was for rainwater or something like that.  I haven't took a photo to show the lenght of the pipe but it isn't a very long pipe.

This place is a bit remote.  There isn't any crowd to take a look inside the pipe, just for the fun of it.  If there was fishes passing in there would be a real treat!  The main problem I see is the automn leaves going into the pipe throught this very hole.  Not very practical  I don't see the use of the pipe either.  Erosion will take it's toll on the surrounding, pipe or no pipe.  I would like to see the logic amd I may be very ignorant.  I guess a pannel explaining this would be needed for people like me.

I think it is a recent addition to the place.  Already there seems to be rust.  The sign is visible with the green on the tubing that permit us to see inside.  I am sure it will not last long.  Not a decade for sure!  Maybe the people who put it there were for a quick fix without any long term intention.  Personally, when I do something, I like to be a lasting object.  The more lasting, the better.

I think I will stick with admiring the nice peobles arount that pipe.

Branches and Armpit

Trees are really a source of wild thinking, it seems.  There are a few trees where made me think of armpits and hair.  The trees I am thinking about seems to have big branches that look like arms.  They also have smaller branches that grow near the big branches.  It look like those trees have big arms and they have small bramches-hair growing from their armpit.
Here what the trees look like:

I know that those little branches under the big branches are tiny and barely visible.  I still have some amelioration to have before getting what I see unto the camera.  It woulc be time to get some classes to improve my photographic skill a little further.  A few pieces of additional equipment would be good too.  Otherwise, I don't know how I could think of associating branches and armpit.  I don't do drugs even if I occasionally drink absithe.  My strange way of thinking was well developped before my indulgence into absinthe.  Well, if I have to write about a tree and if I have to describe a tree, I will have an vivid  and accurate assotiation.

Fimo and embrodery floss

I have decided to try embrodery floss with fimo beads that have small holes in them.  It is as good as fishing lines.  Both seems to be equivalent.  The scale, in my experience doesn't tip one way or the other.
Here what it look like:

Here is the project I like the most:

I know: it is a long necklace but I think that brown embordery floss with green clover like beads are a good match.  So, I will have a choice between fishing line and embrodery floss next time I do a project involving fimo beads with samll holes.  I will go on the effect I want to have and the matching of colors.  Of course, if I choose the fishing line, it is because I don't want to show that the beads are on a string.

An interesting fimo bead

I found an interesting fimo beads that I have integrated into a project.  There is a front part and a back part.  I left one side as is and the other side have a silver backing.  I should do more often when I do fimo beads.  It look so cool especially with the color of fimo I choosed with the silver backing:

Fimo beads with macrame cords

I have more success with fimo beads that have larger holes.  For them, the best is macrame cords.  Both of them, when possible, is easier.

It is fun doing those projects.  It was easier to put the cords in the bigger holes too.  It was a breezed compared to the fishing line.  The fishing line can have it's advantage but I was a bit tired to wirk with it.

Still working on it

I still have to work the bond between fimo beads with a small holes and fishing line.  Here is a few fails.  Some of them don't really looked at their fullest.  I should had put samll beads between the fimo beads.

It doesn't really show on all the photos but there can be a gap between the fimo beads.  I haven't mastered the spacing between the fimo beads while using the fishing line.  A work in progress...