Thursday, June 18, 2009

pro and con


Pictured is a future tomato/current blossom from my garden. It's sort of tangentially related to the post, and it's nice to have a picture up there.

Good for today-
- Way, way better running times than I was expecting. I'm running a 5K in July, and today is the first day I started to think there was a possibility of me running the whole race instead of just most of it.
- Got my gardening done. Two more tomatoes, a replacement basil, a japanese cucumber, a bell pepper, and a marigold all put in their proper pots, plus a succulent repotted in a bigger new home. Plus I did it all before the sun hit the patio, thus making for a much more pleasant gardening experience.
- Actually remembered to buy dish soap at the store. I've been forgetting this for several store trips now, so remembering this time was a relief.
- Picked up books at the library, including one that's been held for Charlie for almost a week. I love the library.
- Going to the comic book store. They didn't have what I wanted today, but they thought they would have it in soon. Plus I love browsing there. And the employees are super friendly.

Bad for today-
- The return of the heat. The Los Angeles area had been having such nice, cool, wet weather the past few weeks. I'm very sad to see it go. I'm not a hot and sunny person.
- Tom's of Maine apparently no longer makes the toothpaste we like in the flavor we like. So I got stupid peppermint instead, but I am not happy about it. I realize it's ridiculous to be angry about it, and do see the humor in my grumpiness, but I'm very particular about my toothpaste.
- I feel bad calling peppermint stupid. It isn't peppermint's fault they stopped making the SLS free cinnamon-clove. And now I'm having guilty anthropomorphizations of toothpaste flavors. Lovely.
- The sewing of toys is not working so well today. It's a very tangly thread, hot office, stupid pieces not fitting kind of work day.

All in all, I'd say good out weighs bad. Huzzah!

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Art in progress


Some toy progress has been made today, if not as much as I was hoping for. Other responsibilities keep getting in the way. Perhaps better luck Thursday morning? (Tomorrow is pretty packed with other stuff already.)

In other news, I made cookies! Shortbread specifically, in fun shapes thanks to all of the cookie cutters I've received recently. I'd include a picture of those too, but my kitchen is pretty dark.

Saturday, June 13, 2009

First tomato!


See that little red jobber there? That's my first ripe tomato of the season! It's on my mystery tomato plant, that when I bought it at the L.A. Arboretum came with a label that read ""sugary" tomato". It has flourished, and seems to be a red grape tomato. And as you can see in the picture, he's got some friends ripening too.

My little patio garden in general is doing well, which is a pleasant surprise. In the past, I haven't had the best luck with plants, but I think I've finally gotten the hang of it. I've only had one plant die this year. And it was a basil that I'm thinking was screwed up to begin with, or it just wasn't trying, because I certainly was. But the rest of the plants are thriving and happy, and where appropriate, blooming.

Thursday, June 11, 2009

So I have a whole post in my head, complete with pictures, about haircut day and running and biking (these things are all related, I swear), but it will have to wait because I am currently being freaked out/fascinated by a big wasp that's stuck in the space between my sliding glass door and the screen. It's right next to the computer. Right next to. I put the dog out of the office just in case it gets in the house. I can deal with getting stung myself, but I don't want that to happen to my little guy. I tried to get a picture of it, because it is really interesting to look at, but I can't get the camera to focus on the wasp and not the screen. It isn't the world's best, my camera.

And now it seems to be gone. I really hope it found it's way out again, both for it's sake and mine.

Tuesday, June 09, 2009



This toy was made for my brother, in celebration of his graduation from college. My baby brother now joins our older sister in the realm of personal trainers.

It was a really fun piece to work on. I worked out a new pattern based on one of my old one, and I've already used it a few times since this toy. It comes together very quickly, but looks very tidy and cute. I'm very pleased with it. I also love working with the plush felt, which makes the toys feel a little like tiny wild animals. And above all, making something for someone you love is very, very gratifying.

Monday, June 08, 2009

Back on the pony. Again.

Today I am twenty-nine. And I've decided to use my blog to document this year of my life, the last one in my twenties. I don't know that I'll post every day, but if I hit the 4-5 times a week I'm aiming for, I'll be happy. I want the record to look back on, especially of my art, but also of what's going on in my life at the time.

I'm hoping I can pull it off. In the past, I've posted in fits and starts. I get going at a good pace for a month or two, and then something will happen to make me feel massively discouraged, and I'll stop again. But I'm not giving up. I will keep trying until I make this a habit.

Tomorrow I'll bring out the art (and there's a lot of art going on lately, and lots of cool big art news), and later in the week I'll bring out the active life stuff (I've started running! I run 3-5 days a week, and I got a bike I've been riding too. I'll be running a race in July. I don't entirely believe it myself), and there are other cool things coming up, like a new header and making good on long overdue giveaways.

Today, though, I'm enjoying my birthday. It's been a quiet one, which is really what I was going for. Charlie made me tea in the morning and gave me books and dvds, and since he's gone off to work I've had a peaceful time of reading and snuggling with the animals. Tonight we'll go to Dumpling Master for dinner, and then come home and eat dessert, watch dvds, and drink wine. It is absolutely perfect.