Friday, September 28, 2007

What did the Yeti make when he walked through the vegetable garden?

SQUASH!
AHAHAHAHAHAHA!

I drew these for class & thought I would share. I'm eating these suckers for dinner tonight (I mean my reference, not the paper). It's Mayfair paper with some pigment liners ( 0.01 and 0.5 in case anyone cares to note it). Took me about an hour over breakfast.

Also - a page by the name of www.last.fm has very recently come to my attention, and . . . well . . . I just think it's fantastic! Check it out if you haven't already - I was ever so sad when Pandora went American-only (as if I needed more reasons to glare at our neighbors to the south - though this is probably the first time it has been a jealousy-fueled glare) so I was super-duper happy to stumble across this gem! I'm on there and . . . appropriately. . . "sydmore". If you'd like to add me as a friend, then by all means do so. Because if you read this blog, then baby, you're not just my friend but my hero.

Wednesday, September 26, 2007

Sketches and Stitch Markers

I drew these for Fundamentals of Drawing - charcoal on big paper and all that jazz. The berries were done in like 15 minutes because I was tired and wanted a beer - but everyone seems to like it so. . .here it is. . .

The tree took about an hour - it was windy. That squirrel there? Scared the crap out of me when it ran down the tree I was leaning against. Then it ran into view. So I drew it. I have others, but I'm not confident enough in them to show them proudly. So I shan't show them at all.


I also made John some stitch markers. . . .
Glass beads and earring backs. I thought they were pretty. I hope he likes them. I also plan on making up a little pouch for them to go in, but I haven't had a chance yet.









Tuesday, September 25, 2007

Re: Your Brains

So apparently blogger doesn't want me to put these in any apparent order.
I made this zombie!
He's cotton with a poly fill. I gessoed over top of the crummy lookin' doll I made, and painted him with acrylics and turned him inta THIS:










It's quite possible the coolest thing I have ever made. I plan on making OOAK dolls like this and selling them on etsy. Seriously. Pretty awesome, don'cha think?
He's for a swap, so I really hope that my swap partner isn't reading this a spoiling the surprise. It's in the mail.




Saturday, September 22, 2007

*long relaxed sigh*

Today was my very first day off in 18 days.
I did. . . nutthin'. . . .
Oh sure - I slept in, I had a big pancake breakfast, a lesiurely shower. I talked to John and cleaned up my room (which has been even more neglected than usual) to make way for my brand spankin' new drafting table. I then bought the drafting table (which, during assembly, I found out is missing a rather important piece - I'll have to go by Curry's tomorrow and grab 'er up), had a big, deliciously starchy dinner with a big, deliciously fatty desert. And that's right. . .I made whipped cream. It was awesome. After dinner I worked on G's birthday scarf and watched Brisco County Jr. (which, for any of you whom are not familiar with this fine fine show - seriously check it out. It's a western/comedy/sci-fi starring Bruce Campbell. . . almost too good to be true, no?). All in all, a relaxing day.
Nevermind the fact that in 12 hours I will be at work. Nevermind that I have projects due on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, etc. . . Nevermind that I still have to finish up a project for my Zombie Swap (due out on Monday). I drank tea and sat in my pyjamas and couldn't have been happier to do so.
That having been said - I have been thinking more and more about quitting my job. For good. For ever. So long bedding! Adios crappy retail! It has long been in the works for me to sell a line of crafts on Etsy, and I think I may get to it! Work has been giving me more hours lately than I can handle (even after many discussions with my boss as to why I cannot handle more than 10 hours per week and her agreeing that this is acceptable. I would very much like to not go any more. Ten hours a week at minimum wage isn't going to pay out much more than selling crafts online anyways, and I bet the latter would be a lot more fulfilling.
It's been nice to have a day to chill out and not have anything stressful on my mind. I'm bummed that I wasn't able to go and visit Cory and Robyn, but I needed a day at home to get some stuff organised (not to mention I don't want Robyn getting sick with this head cold after all of her health issues lately - that would suck!).

Sunday, September 16, 2007

Stitch Markers and Evil Villian

I made these for a swap:

I did 18 in total, they are not all shown here. I used an earring kit, some colourful glass beads, and some cool charms I have been holding on to for a while. I will have to make some more for the knitters in my life.

Also, further proof that my sister is awesome:

I recently attended a moustache party (it is what it sounds like, people). G decided to try out my trial moustaches. Immediately after this picture was taken, she robbed a bank safe using dynamite before tying a young girl to to some train tracks. . . .


Saturday, September 15, 2007

Yarn Pron



I bought enough of this candy in Bancroft during my camping trip to choke a horse. It's a wool/nylon blend from New Brunswick. I got 1300 yards of the brown, and 200 of the blue/violet. . . . enough for a pullover or cardigan. . . perhaps even a hoodie?!. I haven't decided what exactly I'm going to do with it yet, but boy do I like looking at it!
I think, due tot he fact that I worked up my gauge swatch in a tent, and lovingly wound the balls near a campfire (with my little brother's patient help), it should only be made into an Elizabeth Zimmermann inspired garment. It seems only fitting. I think I may try and buy yarn as a souvenir more often - it truly is a wonderful thing to remember an adventure by!

Sunday, September 09, 2007

Meat Sydney. . .

So this was my first assignment for Ideas and Imagery, a class where we discuss . . . ideas . . . and imagery. I was to create a self-portrait in the odd style of Arcimboldo, using a collage-type styling, and the objects I used were to be symbolic of my person.
Of course I chose meat.
Why, you ask? Because: we are all made of meat. Also, we were supposed to shy away from any imagery that was too obvious or that the symbolism of would be too literal. I thought it symbolic of my incessant need to define things too literally for comedic and ironic effect.
I find it a little disturbing, but I'm happy with the end result. The photograph isn't great - I still haven't erased the graphite lines of my original sketch away, and I have a few more edges to glue down. But I think this is an excellent representation of what 4 hours, a couple of beers, and a fat stack of grocer's flyers can bring out.
I used fried meats foods for my hair, and roasted meats for my top. My face is made from raw meats and white meats. Also. . .I used sole for my eye. Because. . . the eyes are windows to the . . . sole?!?! AHAHHAHAHAHAHA!!!!! Also, my eyelids are sausages. Hurrah!
Aside from being kind of lumpy - and . . .y'know. . . meaty. . .I think it looks like me for the most part. I'm nervous about the mark I will receive on it, but I'm more afraid of someone else having used meat! (We were given complete freedom to use whatever we wanted...)
The whole thing measures 14" by 17". I like it more every time I look at it.

Saturday, September 08, 2007

Tardy

I have this "thing" where I will not get ready for something because I have "too much" time. I have to work at 1:30. I can't get showered at 12:30 - that's 15 minutes too early! Showering early would lead to early teeth-brushing and hair-styling, which in turn would lead to early dressing and perhaps even shoe-donning. Why would I want to do these things over surfing the internet and drawing in my pyjamas? I don't think it's logical and neither should you.
However I am always running late for things and often have to sacrifice the hair-styling as I grab a granola bar and run out the door, shoe-laces flapping in the wind. Perhaps my "thing" is flawed.
Also - I have to make a portrait of myself out of meat-pictures by this coming Wednesday. Who knew college would kick so much ass?

Monday, September 03, 2007

What's that?

I'm sorry, I couldn't quite make out that last bit . . . . I should eat, you say? Some meat? Ah. . I see. . . oh . . . and then proceed to accelerate in my vehicle at an alarming rate? Uh huh . . . . to the metal indeed!

(I spent pretty well all of today playing Dead or Alive 4 with Cory. . . . just in case you couldn't quite place that reference . . . you know. . . about the meat. . . ?)

And I've got to say it's pretty killer.

I likes.

I'm reasonably new to the Dead or Alive family of games, today being the first time to ever actually sit down and play instead of picking up a round at a party. My thumbs hurt, my eyes are dry, I'm feeling a little ill from that bag of marshmallows we ate . . . but I'm pretty happy about it. I'm really sad that Robyn and Cory are moving this Friday. I know I'll really miss them. Luckily I will still be seeing them, as they will only be 40 minutes or so away. Yay!

I start school tomorrow, which is crazy. It really crept up. Also, somewhat amusingly, I will be totalling 20 hours of work this week (which contains a stat. holiday) and an alarming final count of 31 the following week. Scratch my average of 14 hours per week that I've been schedualled this past summer (that my boss firmly insisted was the maximum she could allow) and double it! I'm a student now! Goodbye social life! I don't need you . . . I have money now . . . .

I'm sure I will have to request that my hours be cut back. With classes everyday, I forsee this being too great a workload. Plus . . .you know. . . I like sleeping and stuff . . . *shrugs* I'm just sayin'. . .

Saturday, September 01, 2007

Rojo!

I got home from camping last night - tired, scruffy and happy - and guess who was waiting for me?!
Rojo, from the sunny land of Florida!
He's sweet and I love him. . . I have coveted Day of the Dead Bears for a long time and now I have one! I think I will have to try my hand at making one as well - they look like a lot of fun!
This guy has been all over the country and the U.S. - FedEx kinda sucks, as it turns out. . . But he's finally here, chill-axin' right next to my Attack Monkey. They seem leery of one another, but I'm sure they will become fast friends.