Catching Up

Hello! I hope you are okay. I just wanted to share some photos from earlier this year. I haven't been taking many photos because I've been busy making watercolors (see last post). I can really only focus on one big thing in my life at a time - which is a truth I've come to accept in the past year. 

Because of jobs/age/location, my family members have all been vaccinated and that's a huge source of anxiety relief. I got the first shot of Moderna last week at our local health department; as a result I have some swollen lymph nodes, but I'm thankful and know it's only temporary discomfort. 

⋆ bloglovin | pinterest | instagram | art shop | flickr ⋆

Handmade Watercolors

I've been making watercolor paints. I started out with a recipe using gum arabic powder dissolved in distilled water, vegetable glycerin, honey, and pigment, but I've switched over to a honey-free recipe. I'm using mostly earth colors and oxides, with some other inorganic pigments like vine black and lamp black, thrown in. I was inspired to make my own watercolors to go with my drawings after having some trouble finding very muted colors in half pans. The first set - which actually is not a muted set, but a trio of secondary colors - is already in my shop. I hope to list more palettes soon, but the half pans take a long time to cure.

⋆ bloglovin | pinterest | instagram | art shop | flickr ⋆

Halloween 2020 - Cybersix and Lucas Amato

Happy Halloween! I hope you find fun ways to celebrate today despite the pandemic.

Since parties and in-person hangouts are pretty much out, we put more effort into our costumes this year. It's the one time a year we give ourselves an excuse to cosplay. (But do we need an excuse? Maybe it should be a year-round hobby)!

It was Steven's idea to be Cybersix and Lucas Amato this year. Cybersix (1999) is my favorite animated series, but I was hesitant because I wasn't sure I could make a superhero costume---or wear one. I decided I could wear black jeans and a fitted top instead of a full spandex (or leather) suit. Also, I wanted to be Adrian Seidelman, Cybersix's literature teacher alter-ego, too. I had the most fun with this costume, as I've always wanted to incorporate my own glasses into a Halloween costume. Besides, there's something precious about the belt with suspenders. Adrian is trying his best to be human.

We tried to be eco-friendly as much as possible this year---my cape is made from an old nightgown and a thrifted curtain panel. Everything was second-hand (except for the black hairspray), and we recycled pieces from our old costumes. My trench coat was part of our Anastasia costumes from Halloween 2018, where I did my best to make a thrift store trench coat look like a winter coat. For this project I needed to reverse the alterations and make it look like a trench coat again, which was definitely more difficult! Steven's shirt was also repurposed from 2018. The braces I'm wearing as Adrian were from Steven's Over the Garden Wall costume. The hat is composed of two old hats cut apart and stitched together. I needed the crown from one hat and the wide brim from the other. 

I was concerned that Steven's costume wasn't elaborate enough, but he was enthusiastic about it, and I think he looks fantastic. His vintage trench coat was a lucky find on eBay, as was his tie. Lucas Amato is such a warm and interesting character, and I love that---like Steven---he's a public school teacher. We had a lot of fun this year, and I would love to find an opportunity to wear these costumes again. The trench coats, shirts, and trousers are going into our regular wardrobes after Halloween is over. 

I recommend giving Cybersix a watch---there are only 13 episodes, but each one is beautifully animated and voice-acted. Not an ad, but Discotek Media produced a good DVD release.

Have a spooky and safe Halloween - and don't forget to vote, U.S. friends!

Although he lives a few hours away, Jupiter still makes a great Data-7

⋆ bloglovin | pinterest | instagram | art shop | flickr ⋆

Shelfies and Selfies

Here's some selfies and shelfies. Its been a long time since I documented an outfit. I think my summer style is very bland. I'm so happy to pull out my sweaters, and I'm glad to be wearing some pleated wool pants I thrifted a few weeks ago. 

The photos of my shelf are older - note the spring flowers - but I wanted to show them off because they make me very happy. My shelf is equally functional and aesthetic. I keep my books, sewing supplies, some office supplies, mementos, and more here. 

I've been trying to find the joy in these small things - putting together outfits, arranging me space, because I'm going batty over everything else happening in the world. I'm sure you know the feeling. We're lucky to be in a safe position right now, but that doesn't stop the anxiety. I hope you are doing well and finding small things to help you relax.

If you're in the US, please remember to vote Biden/Harris.

⋆ bloglovin | pinterest | instagram | art shop | flickr ⋆

Summer 2020

Summer things:

- Jupiter Kitty turned 2. He's very healthy and still loves living with my parents.

- Steven is back to school teaching and dealing with huge challenges. He teaches remotely from his classroom and has many students (too many) from multiple schools in the county. He also has many other duties in the school building itself that make his work day much, much longer than normal. 

- I bought a longboard in June and sold my mini cruiser. I much prefer carving around on a bigger, wider board. However, I took a spill in July and banged up my chin and cheek, and much of the rest of my body (see my before and after selfies). I took a short break, and then got back on my longboard for awhile, but I couldn't stop thinking I'd take an even bigger spill and that a global pandemic is no time to go to the ER. So I've been taking a longer break, but I'm ready to start up again soon. I know falling is just part of longboarding, but god it hurts at 34.

- Since my art sales have understandably slowed to a halt, I've been selling small vintage items, used clothes, and my older art on eBay. Check out my last photo of a round celluloid portrait from the 1910s or 20s. It sold pretty quickly after I listed it.

- I started a pescatarian diet in February and am still enjoying it. I don't eat a lot of fish, though, so I'm mostly vegetarian. This diet has been a much easier change than I expected.

- I know I'm not alone in living with some difficult and extreme emotions all summer because of Covid, Racism, and politics, but I am remarkably privileged to be healthy and safe at this time. Please consider donating to support black lives. Here is just one of many available lists: https://nymag.com/strategist/article/where-to-donate-for-black-lives-matter.html

⋆ bloglovin | pinterest | instagram | art shop | flickr ⋆