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Showing posts from January, 2009

Li Po, Tea and Shadow Shot Sunday

I usually hybernate at home on Tuesdays. Last Tuesday, I had a different plan. Remember, Keri Smith's 100 ideas/100 days? Well, I am still plugging away at it. Challenge No. 5: Rewrite a poem that I respond to. I chose Li Po's "Quiet Night Thoughts" poem . I love his poetry. I first discovered Li Po when I read an Ezra Pound translation . For this challenge, I wanted to go to a cafe. I think Harriet's coffee photo last week set me on this course. Thank you Harriet:) A 25 minute walk got me to Cour Plus. There sign board lists the cakes available for the day. Chestnut cake, Apple tart a la mode, or Kabocha pumpkin cheesecake. Kabocha pumpkin cheese cake topped with cream and berries was a no-brainer choice! I had planned to eat only half and take the rest home ... so much for plans:) MORNING The sun's rays gently wake me from my dream. The sounds outside my window remind me how far away I am from you. I close my eyes once more and dream

Containers

Forgotten Flower Pots on my balcony. Visit Thursday Challenge for more photos based on the "Container" theme.

Shadow Shot Sunday and 100 Ideas/100 days

Shadow Shot Sunday I took this photo with my sister's camera when we were in Santa Nella, California. Central California is dry and hot in summer. The brown foothills and tailored lawns make for a surreal contrast to the blue sky. There are some shadows in the hills and the trees. I love driving through the foothills in summer. For more shadow shot photos, please visit Hey harriet's Blog . I00 Ideas, No. 40: What's in my bag, day 4 No. 40: Draw all of the things in your bag. I actually took this photo in 2007, but I thought it would work well for this challenge. Instead of a drawing, I am using a photograph. I had taken everything that was in my bag out and arranged it together for this photo. I can't believe what I had been carrying around! This bag served as my art bag, shopping bag and gym bag. Why I have an airline ticket stub and a pet bottle cap in there is beyond me! There is a horseradish root that I had forgotten to put in the fridge. For mo

Experimental - Photo Theme for Thursday

This is my first entry for this group. I was trying to take a self-portrait. I had my camera on self-timer. I moved to change my pose just as the photo clicked. Even though it was a mistake, I liked how it came out. I think it expresses the state I'm in when I am painting. Thursday Challenge is a place for photographic fun and learning. A theme is announced on this site each week.

I00 Ideas, No. 34: First Life, Day 1

Craftyard brought Keri Smith's 100 Ideas to my attention in a thread on Etsy . It is meant to boost our creativity and productivity for the next 100 days. I have joined, as it is just what I need to keep me in touch with my Art on a daily basis. Today, I completed Idea 34 : "Fill an entire page in your journal with small circles. Color them in." My journal is a short, 10 page sewn pamphlet that I put together. The instructions were pretty easy to follow. This 4 x 6 inch journal is light and easy to carry with me anywhere. Filling a page with circles was not as easy or quick as I had thought it would be. And I am also surprised that I never got bored doing all these circles! Instead, the process became very meditative. I colored the circles where I could see an image, but when I showed my Husband, he saw a different image. I liked the named he chose for it too. I00 Ideas, No. 34: First Life

Sunsets and Shadow Shot Sunday

This week really flew by for me. Did it fly by for anyone else? Maybe it's because I had last Monday off for the National holiday. I spend most of my free time in my studio. The patio windows of my 8th floor apartment face south. In winter, the room is warm as long as the sun is out. On Tuesday, I happened to glance out the window to see a beautiful sunset effect. I can't really see the horizon in the west, so it was the setting sun's colors on the clouds rather than the actual sunset. The skyline was dotted by buildings, advertisements, train lines and antennas. Beauty is where we look for it. For more shadow shots and to learn how to participate, visit Hey Harriet's blog .

Etsy Wants to Hear from International Sellers

I got this email today from etsy and am posting it here. There is a Storque article and a survey that is asking for feedback from International sellers. The letter from etsy: January 15, 2008 We at Etsy are reaching out to members of international-based Etsy Teams to get feedback on the seller experience from people who live outside the U.S. If you would like to participate, please click on the link below to take the Etsy International Seller Survey. It is completely voluntary! Please Click Here to take survey . If a fellow seller has already sent you a link to this survey or if you found it in the Storque on your own, then thank you in advance! The survey should take about 5-6 minutes to complete and will be available through Friday, January 23, 2009. Once we've had a chance to compile the data we'll be sure to post the highlights in the Storque. We very much value your time and input. Have a great day!

Coming of Age day in Japan - Seijin no Hi

The second Monday of January is a national holiday in Japan and marks the Coming of Age for those who have turned 20 years old. Ceremonies are held at the local city offices where government officials give speeches and gifts are given to those who attend. Most young women wear a long-sleeved kimono and zori slippers. Some of the young men wear the Hakama. Most have to go to a special salon to have their hair done and help putting on the Kimono. Kimonos are bought or rented from a shop or borrowed from a family member. It all adds up to a very expensive day. I took these shots while we were having coffee at Starbucks. I sure do love seeing everyone in kimonos!

Shadow Shot Sunday

I have been gone from this blog for awhile! Harriet's Shadow Shot Sunday is just the incentive I needed to get things rolling again. In winter, I wake up every morning to windows decorated with condensation. These windows face south, so by mid-afternoon, the windows are usually completly dry from the sun. Sputnik, my cat, enjoys her alternate water dish!