A load of Pollocks!

I came across this web site on Seth's The Altered Page blog and had to pass it on. For those moments when your brain is dribbling out your ears or you have a burst of creativity and no pen or paper: http://www.jacksonpollock.org/

I have a widget!!!

If you take a look at the bottom of the page you will see my portfolio widget from Art Wanted. I am rather excited about it. It is cool. I spent 20 minutes staring at my monitor watching the pretty pictures go by. OK, maybe I need more sleep.

Great results!

I got my results for my Open University course on the 14th September. I did so much better than I thought I would - 95%. So I ran off to sign up for my next course. Actually, it was done in a panic. I went to the sign up page to check the registration deadline (which I thought was the 19th) and found it was the 14th. So I had to sign up. Now the thinking starts and I wonder what else I could have done with the money (saving being the closest to my heart). I guess I'll have to wait and see if it is worthwhile.

Fossil finds

I made the most amazing discovery this morning. I had a ton of gravel delivered to my house earlier this year which was duly shoveled and brushed into place. This morning I was repositioning one of the graden lights when I saw a shell shaped item which I picked up. I couldn't believe my eyes. It was a fossil! The Devil's Toenail (Gryphaea) is very common - nothing to get excited about there - but on further exploration I found that there are many, many of them throughout my gravel. It's amazing and rather exciting to know that my garden is now full of fossils for prehistory.
For some extra info on them take a look at

http://www.nhm.ac.uk/nature-online/earth/fossils/fossil-folklore/fossil_types/bivalves.htm and http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/Web/corporate/pages.nsf/Links/87FA197B61F6D3EF80256B87003A681D

Skull-A-Day

I came across this fantastic blog the other day. Skull-A-Day is a collection of skulls made out of just about everything. For those of a Hallowe'en mentality - take a look. There is so much imagination and creativity as well as a laugh there. Not to metion some lovely submissions that are for sale on Etsy.

September!!!

I was reading a blog today and noticed the date of the last post - 5th September. I thought to myself - 'What is Blogger talking about. It isn't that far on in the year.' Then I realised... it is the 7th September... I would like to know what has happened to the last year? It seems no time since I lost Sam. It also means it is just a month 'til my birthday. Eugh!!!

The robins have started singing again. It is the one sounds that reminds me of frosty, cold days where spiders webs glisten on the gorse bushes and the mist glides around the pine trees. Autumn must be coming. My favourite time of year. All those golds and reds, the chill in the air and warm, wooly jumpers, a cup of tea and a good book - no more beautiful time of year to my mind.

With that in mind I have been making some Hallowe'en themed items in autumnal colours - some hand carved rubber stamps which then transformed into some hand painted and printed paper and some ATCs for a swap (the ones in the previous post).

I also had the good fortune to e-mail a very nice, helpful fellow this week. Seth has his own blog called The Altered Page. I highly recommend taking a look at his work. His mixed media work is wonderful, rich in colour and depth. As mixed media work is not my forte, I can only hope that one day I will be able to produce mixed media work to that standard.

More pictures

A few more bits and bobs. The hallowe'en piece was made using hand painted paper and hand carved stamps. It has to be one of my favourites.

Tagged

Well, it seems I have been tagged by the brilliant and talented Chrysti. I'm really chuffed. Six quirks about me - I'm soooo going to have difficulty with this. I am one giant quirk. In fact it has taken me two days to come up with six.

1. I have a thing for men in glasses. Reading glasses to be specific (not that Top Gun look with the sun specs - bleaugh!). I find men more handsome if they wear glasses.
2. I prefer animals to humans. That is not to say that I dislike the company of people - I like to talk. However, animals are centred, have purpose, don't bitch, complain, lie or stab you in the back (but who's bitter? ;o)) and if you tick them off they eat you - or at the very least bite you. You know where you stand with animals.
3. I don't go to bed at night. I am usually awake until between 1.30 to 3.00am and am at my most creative late at night.
4. I hate romantic, mushy movies, books, etc and love action/adventure films, sci-fi and fantasy. Yes, I was, and still am, a tom-boy.
5. I get distracted reading books. I read something interesting in the course of a book which sparks an interest elsewhere and before I know it I have gone from reading a history of Leonardo Da Vinci to The Great Big Cookie Book via The Life of Muhammad, Eastern Philosophy, a reader for the technology of pre-industrial cities and The Official Guide to the X Files in one evening.
6. I find rocking back and forward meditative - especially while waiting for things to download over my dial-up connection.

There are probably many more personal quirks I could come up with but seeing as it took two days to decide on six I figured I had best publish them before it's Christmas.

Tha Hallowe'en Bear Showcase

More photos and yet more to come later this week. I am in my most productive period in two years. So many things to try. I have one of those semi-evil glints in my eyes - you know the one the mad professor has in those old B movies?

I have also included a photo of a really cute bear my sister bought for me this week. I love Hallowe'en and she felt inspired to buy her for me. Such a great colour. In fact I was inspired to make some Hallowe'en ATCs in the same colour when I saw her. I'll post them later in the week for all to see.