Reinventing the Blog

Hi, readers!

Have any of you ever hit a point in your life where you wake up and realize that each day it's the same - day in and day out, you just do? You're not really living, you're just existing? I sort of hit that point recently, and it was a (many) grim day(s).

A friend of mine once told me that insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. Wait, if I don't exercise, I don't get in shape? If I stay up late every night, I'll be tired at work/school? OK, yes, these seem like no-brainers. Of course your pants still won't fit after weeks of consecutively not working out, no matter how good your (OK, my) intentions are.

I've heard that making small changes in your life (routine) can be all it takes to break you out of the hum-drummity* of everyday life. Take a different route on your way to work or school; wear that hat you bought on a whim but haven't dared yet to wear; rearrange the furniture in one of your rooms; write a blog post...

So here I am, having rearranged my bedroom furniture late last night and blogging again! I've thought about feng shui-ing my bedroom in the past, but the mood finally really hit me last night. It might not seem like that big a deal, but I'm surprised at how my mood has changed today! I woke up smiling at the new arrangement, and have thought about it often throughout the day. Even now, I'm wondering why I'm sitting on my couch blogging when I could be in my new and improved bedroom! Wait, what are laptops for, if not...

Much better. The nice thing, as I look around my bedroom, is that this change cost me no money! Same stuff, same room even, but new furniture locations. And I feel refreshed!

When I turned #% a couple of months ago, I was nervous but excited for this new time of my life. I'll admit I let that excitement fade out a little, but like a good movie soundtrack, it's fading back in and I think the reprise will be so much better! (Did I really just write that sentence?) With that excitement, I hope to keep up better with my blog. I was thinking about maybe having a regular post called something along the lines of "The Artist's Corner" where I share little tips and tricks to bring art into your life. As an artist, crafter, and art teacher, I have lots to share!

For example:

- how to get started with watercolor (my specialty!)

- how to do a simple batik (fabric dying)

- how to mat (and frame!) a photograph (or painting)

- how to wrap the perfect present (Hallmark-trained!)

- how to interpret famous works of art (that may sound boring to some, but I promise I'd make it way interesting and try to keep it brief!) ;)

- how to draw objects realistically

- how to validate your career as an artist

- ...and so much more!

So I hope you'll keep coming back! If need be, that can be the different thing you do that day... ;)

*I claim this word on behalf of the New English Dictionary.

Shells Have Never Been So Cute.

I don't know why I'm so drawn to this video, but I think it's hilarious! Maybe because it's so simple, really. Reminds me of the Teeny Little Super Guy from Sesame Street! I loved that guy when I was a kid. Enjoy the video, and tell me what you think!

"Guess what I use as a beanbag chair? A raisin."

MARCEL THE SHELL WITH SHOES ON from Dean Fleischer-Camp on Vimeo.

I Didn't Act Like A Total Fool!

Have you ever wondered how you'd act (or react) if you met a celebrity? Not just any celebrity, of course. If Lindsay Lohan walked by me right now I'd probably duck and cover. No, I'm talking about someone you admire, maybe are a member of their fan club, have seen every TV show/movie they've been in or read every book they've written, etc. I've always suspected that, try as I may to maintain the Three Cs*, I would fall apart and become a blubbering idiot the moment I came within 10 feet. Maybe 50 feet.

Yesterday I had the opportunity to meet someone I admire greatly, and whose show I LOVE - Chef Duff!! If you don't know who he is, Chef Duff Goldman is the host/star/driving force behind the Food Network show, "Ace of Cakes." He has one of the most infectious laughs ever, and really is one of the most huggable-looking guys out there. Plus, well, he makes AMAZING CAKES!

Duff came to Grand Rapids this week to help out with a fundraiser for Hospice of Michigan's 30th birthday. The event & cake unveiling is tonight, but last night he signed copies of the book Ace of Cakes: Inside the World of Charm City Cakes at the Schuler Books in downtown Grand Rapids. And I was there!

My friend Rachel and I waited in line for over two hours, but it was worth it! Here's my conversation with Chef Duff: (Note: While we were in line, if we wanted Duff to write our names when he signed our books, they wrote them on a sticky note inside.)

Duff: Are you Katherine?

Me: I am!

Duff: I have a Katherine!

Me: [a little confused...] You do?

Duff: Yeah! On the show!

Me: Oh, yeah!

Duff: Where is she? [Looking at the little cartoons at the bottom of the page of all of the people who work with him at Charm City Cakes - this is when the above picture was taken] There she is! [Draws an arrow up to her] Only we call her K-Money. [writes "K$" under her picture]

Me: Ah, I've been called that before.

Duff: Yeah?! [Laughs...I love his laugh!]

Me: Yep! [Duff hands me book, smiles at me :)] Thank you!!

Duff: No problem!

Compelling drama, right? ;) And I think you'll all be happy to know (I certainly was!) that I maintained the Three Cs with gusto! Now if you'll excuse me, all of this talk about cake is making my stomach growl...

*Cool, Calm, Collected

White Gummy Bears

Yesterday my mom and I went to one of our favorite Ann Arbor restaurants: San Fu (located in the South Main Market). Apart from having delicious Chinese food, the name of the place is really fun to say. (Try it!)

A couple of stores down from San Fu is one of my favorite stores, called By the Pound. At this store, you can buy spices, baking supplies, granola, beans, candy, etc, all - you guessed it - by the pound. I used to go there all the time and buy different kinds of candy that I would stash around my desk for when I needed a little something sweet - Andes Mints, M & Ms, Swedish Fish, gummy bears... The nice thing was that you had a little control over what you got: don't like blue M & Ms? While the clerk's not looking, scoop those ones back out of your bag. Only want red Swedish Fish? Be strategic in your scooping and just grab the red ones!

For me, it's the white gummy bears. I pretty much like all flavors of gummy bears (but not all brands - some are too chewy or too tough), but the white ones, which I believe are pineapple flavored, are my favorite! It's like strawberry flavored Starburst - I love to save those ones for last! Or else I'm careful to eat them at strategic intervals in between the other flavors.

Yesterday I did my best scoop work, and got as many white gummy bears as I could. Mmm, it's been a delicious day, eating those yummy little bears! It's also reminded me of how I used to love to eat off the heads and switch around the gummy bodies... I thought maybe I was weird, then remembered a tutorial I read last year - it's not just me! (Click here for the tutorial - it's quite hilarious!)

Do you have any favorite candy flavors or candy traditions? Did you grow up eating Pop Rocks or red Razzles or only the brown Reese's Pieces? Do you also call flavors by the color? My mom always tells me how silly she felt going to Dairy Queen when we were kids and ordering red, purple, or green popsicles. The employees would look at her funny and say, "You mean, cherry, grape, and lime?"

Now if you'll excuse me, I have a white gummy bear with a red head and one green arm waiting to be eaten. Mmmm...

Garage Salin' It Up

My sister Heather and I are sitting in the garage right now, waiting for prospective buyers at our garage sale. I have to say, I've never had much success selling at garage sales. My sister is making bank ("bank" being more than $20!!), but I've sold nada. Now, granted I have 3 things for sale, but still.

While sitting out here, however, I have made efforts at earning money a different way: I've set up an Etsy shop! For those of you who've never heard of it, Etsy is a website where people can "set up shop" and sell hand-made wares. Each person has an individual shop where people can come, browse their product, and buy directly from them. I don't have much up on mine yet, but you can check it out at: www.etsy.com/shop/kathartist.

In other news, I bought these amazing things at someone else's garage sale:

Can you guess what they are? I'll tell you in the comments so I don't ruin the surprise for you. I love a good garage sale find! Have you had any success at garage sales this summer? Do tell!

I Left My Life Back in 2005

I was recently reminded of the fact that I haven't blogged in over a month. And really, my last post wasn't much more than a bunch of pictures and instructions on how to make the same thing. In fact, that's all it was. I suppose part of my blogging hiatus has come as a result of a lack of anything interesting to blog about.

When I first started this blog, I meant for it to be sort of a joke - I blogged about the most inane things as if they were terrifically fascinating. (Which is why the tag line in my blog title is so very sarcastic.) Eventually I graduated into writing about things that were actually interesting, and kept at it for a while...until interesting subject matter became more elusive.

Then, a few days ago, I had a run-in with a fly. Oooh, it was a tricky bugger (no pun intended) (well, maybe a little pun intended), and it kept sneaking under the door of my room after I'd chased it out! I spent quite a bit of time chasing that stupid thing around my room with the best weapon I could find - a sombrero (which won out in the end, I'll have you know).

As I was battling the miniature beast, I thought to myself, I should blog about this. I even took a couple of pictures and had the name of the post picked out: Woman vs Fly: the Epic Battle of 2010. Then it hit me: I already wrote this post back in 2008, only then I was only joking about it! And now...now this really is the most interesting thing that has happened to me?! THIS is what I'm thinking about writing about in my blog?! Sigh.

In contrast, a month or so ago I came across an old journal of mine from the year 2005, and as I read through it, I marveled at the incredible life I led back then! I mean, I had a LIFE back then!! I was constantly hanging out with friends, I actually dated, there was drama right and left. And the good kind of drama! The stuff blogs are made of! What happened to me? It's no wonder I go so long between posts.

Over the last year or so, I've thought about reinventing my blog, making it more about art, etc, but I think that my website (coming soon to a web server near you!) will serve that purpose. So after careful consideration, here's what I've concluded:

1. I have no (or very little) life.

2. What life I have you probably wouldn't care to read about.

3. I like to be sarcastic.

The result of these conclusions is this: you might be reading more about epic battles with flies and people stealing my chocolate chips, but I'll do my best to make it entertaining. Perhaps I'll fool you and I both that my life is more fascinating that it actually is. For now, here's a picture that I took of some clouds. Enjoy.

Autobiographical Mosaics

My friend Jessica posted this idea on her blog recently where you answer some questions, find some images, and put them together as a mosaic. A fun idea and awful purdy! Let me know if you do one, too!

Directions
- Go to Google image search and do be careful.
- Type in your answer to each question.
- Choose a picture from the first three pages
- Use this website (http://bighugelabs.com/flickr/mosaic.php) to make your collage.

QUESTIONS:
1. What is your name?
2. What is your favorite food?
3. What is your hometown?
4. What is your favorite color?
5. What is your favorite movie?
6. What is your favorite drink?
7. What is your dream vacation?
8. What is your favorite dessert?
9. What is one word to describe yourself?
10. How are you feeling right now?
11. What do you love most in the world?
12. What do you want to be when you grow up?