Where you been hiding?

The first of September. Always an important date to me. Where many people look to January 1st to assess their lives,set goals and make changes,for me its September 1.

There are alot of reasons why. For one,the summer is winding down,although the 90 plus degree days we are having wouldn't let you believe so. I just don't get much done in the summer. The studio/office is on the second floor and sucks in the afternoon heat so it generally leaves me nodding out because it just gets to uncomfortable to be creative.
I guess too that its just my mindset that summer is a time to goof off. Just can't seem to shake that.

So,with those thoughts behind this blog post today,I am getting down to business and will be creating lots of new designs and pieces in the weeks to come.But I have another idea as well!

I would like to start something new with the blog. Something that will intertwine with the ridiculous posts I have always done.
I have met so many interesting people through my jewelry. My customers inspire me and keep me going.
I would love to feature them along the way in this blog.
If you are/have been a tinyart customer,and you have something you would like to share, please email me and let me know.
Whether its what you do for a living, a hobby, a pet,or how you wear your jewelry....whatever it is,drop me a line.
And even if you have never bought a piece but enjoy looking at it...that's OK too!
I would love to feature you!

So just like in the postcard at the beginning of this post...I'm coming out of hiding and I hope you will too. I'd love for you to let me feature you in by blog!

Ruby, don't take your love to town

Well into the New Year and desperately trying to get on with a productive life here.

Priorities set...eyes focused...step by step.
Been on my mind to get familiar with my silly old blog once again and today it hit me right in that part of my brain where thoughts start racing and making no sense to anyone else but me perhaps.

I came across this postcard the other day and just knew it had to be my next post.

The words on the card in case you can't make them out are " We don't want to go to the city".

And I can only imagine why. First guess is that those giant chickens have some very meaty thighs and the man needs some easy cash.
My second thought is that he is some sort of chicken pimp and wants to make these two ladies chicks of the night.

Third guess is they have a phobia of the city. Perhaps the sounds,sights and smells are just too foreign to them.

Fourth guess, they are afraid they will like the city too much and not want to come back to their families. Reminds me of the other day when someone who just opened a Facebook account posted a thought about maybe they would try Farmville. I along with others posted thoughts like" No,please don't..don't....you'll never come back.",having known those who have tried it as well as other Facebook oddities and are perpetually living in their alternative world.

Whatever the case this image than hit that one particular neuron in my brain that held that held the song from the late 60s made famous by Kenny Rogers and the First Edition, "Ruby Don't Take Your Love to Town" Covered by the Killers a few years back in a strange up tempo beat to such a depressing song. Either way not a song I really want reverberating in my head.

Sometimes its best to not wander to far. Like this rabbit I just saw on the video below.

Maybe she didn't want the responsibility of being a mother. Maybe she made her BFF a chicken and didn't want to make her feel left out. Maybe she drank to much one night and gave birth in the wrong place.

What ever the case, she didn't wander to far and things are working out ok.

Really gives new meaning to what I have heard about rabbit tasting like chicken.

But lets all hope that not be the case with these little bunnies. May they have a long and happy life. And that those of you who have set yourself new goals and things to aim for don't wander to far off our paths.

Sometimes being human just isn't enough

It's great being human, isn't it? I mean when you can remove yourself from the mess humans have made here on planet earth.
I love that fact that we have the ability to rationalize,spiritualize,be logical,methodical,be proactive or complacent and many other abilities to deal with life on a daily basis.
But for me, sometimes it just isn't enough being human. I really need the aid of my dogs, parrots, the big rabbit outside who keeps trying to build nests in my backyard,and the serenade of the songbirds who always manage to sing on key.

I am not sure that I have a favorite animal, but if I had to choose I believe it would have to be a dog. If only because they are the easiest to "take with you" on daily errands,outings and vacations,etc. so that indeed they truly can become a big part of our life.
I recently heard a dog trainer criticizing a client on TV for being to human with her dogs. She was treating them as her children and had a complete wardrobe for them,etc. I understand the gist of what she was saying and agree that dogs need to be trained "as dogs". However, I think it is almost a part of our human nature to give them human qualities..go figure.
And let's face it, humanizing our dogs is big business today. Clothing, jewelry,furniture, you name it, you can buy it for them! So why is this? Quite puzzling really.

It really is nothing new. When I look at vintage and antique artwork it is full of little animals of all sorts being portrayed in human clothing, and carrying on all sorts of human activities.
Bonzo is a good example of that. I am always running across Bonzo postcards and they without fail make me smile. I would love to pretend to be an expert on the history of them and the artist behind Bonzo,George Studdy, but to be honest I am not. So if you would like to learn more about the two of them I will leave that to the real experts. A great website to learn more is Studdy-ing with Bonzo.
In case you have never seen Bonzo, here is an example of a postcard with him. Something about that chubby little belly makes me want to poke at him and hear him giggle just like the Pillsbury doughboy.



Just as Mr Studdy found inspiration in the human side of animals,so I must carry the same gene. As do so many others. I want to give props to a talented artist, Maggie who creates beautiful things out of her love of animals. Check out Maggies Angels when you have the time. It was her tweet on twitter that got suddenly jarred my brain into a blog post. She posted a link to this video which is an absolute blast! Its from Hungary which proves that not only is this great love timeless, but universal. If this doesn't make you smile..well then you just aren't human!

Honey, have you ever seen a man knit socks?

Apparently the words in the title of this blog were once uttered by the seventh president of Israel, Ezer Weizman in 1994. This was said in a phone conversation to a woman soldier who had successfully appealed the Israeli Air force to open its pilot course to women.
Not about to get into any insightful discussion about politics, genders or anything deep,for that matter. My capacity for "deep thoughts" at the moment falls somewhere in between Jack Handy's and Sponge Bob.


However I do feel impelled to share a rebuttal of sorts with a picture I found recently that I find both endearing and humorous at the same time. It dates in the 1940's and I have no history for it. But as they say, a picture can be worth more than a thousand words.





I have to admit I admire anyone who can knit or crochet. There is something so Zen,useful and creative about it. Maybe someday I shall take it up. But for right now I can only find inspiration in those who can and do.

I did create my own little shout out to those knitters who like me, get a bit manic in their need to create and to have supplies to do so. With me,its beads,more beads and all the thousands of little goodies that go into creating jewelry. Never seem to have enough, although I seriously have a stash large enough to keep me creating for the next 5 years.
The knitting mania necklace was created with that in mind, and was itself inspired by a 1900's advertisement for a yarn company.

The necklace should you be interested can be found here in my etsy shop.

One final inspirational bit on knitting is to me, phenomenal. I found it thanks to PetaPixel.com, a fantastic photography blog. Be sure and check it out. They featured a great commercial developed for a natural gas company. It really is fantastic,and to take the liberty to finish up on the question asked in the blogs title..."Yes real men do knit..awesomely!" If you care to watch the "how they did it" video, check it out here after watching the piece below.

For Healths Sake

Always have thought that taking care of ourselves is an important thing. And I have to admit, through the years I have had my share of arguments with family,friends and doctors alike in how I chose to remedy certain ailments when they hit the household.

Can't say that I was always right, but lots of times I was. It just makes so much sense to me to try and let the body take care of itself using natural remedies rather than the " drug for everything" mentality.

Maybe it was growing up on the tail end of the hippie era. Which I guess is sort of a paradox, because where I didn't seem to care what drug I ingested to alter the chemical state of the brain and perhaps do irreversible damage (no lets rephrase that...DO irreversible damage), I felt as long as I ate my healthy granola and kept my fiber intake good, all was well.

But I grew up and left many things behind, but not my quest for the next natural cure.

I can distinctly remember once when my toddler son ( who is now 34) was running a fever due to some virus. No drugs to ward that fever off...no siree! I stuffed his socks with garlic and had him sip on a bottle of pomegranate juice. This was of course before pomegranates were found in everything from martinis to chocolate. He eventually forgave me.

Actually he has turned into somewhat of his own health nut and we both share the love of wheat grass juice. Where he grows and juices his own, I use a dried wheat grass powder.

Ahhh,nothing like sipping down what tastes like a bucket of rain water that grass clippings have been sitting in for a week. Yum!

I am not sure what enthuses me more, the oxidation of my blood by this wonder sludge or the fact that I regularly buy it and will soon be receiving my very own free tee shirt that says I am a Grass head!

You know its not that I am totally against the conventional methods of medical care. Its just hard to trust the "Big pharma"

I mean these are the same people that in the 1950's were running ads like the one below.

I'm sure you can't read the small print so let me do the honors.
"Why is this woman tired
She may be tired for either of two reasons:
~ because she is physically overworked. If this is the case, you prescribe rest, because rest is the only cure for this kind of physical problem.
~ because she is mentally "done in." Many of your patients -- particularly housewives -- are crushed under a load of dull, routine duties that leave them in a state of mental and emotional fatigue. For these patients, you may find 'Dexedrine' an ideal prescription.
'Dexedrine' will give them a feeling of energy and well-being, renewing their interest in life and living.
Dexedrine* (dextro-amphetamine sulfate, S.K.F.) is available as tablets, elixir, and Spansule* capsules (sustained release capsules, S.K.F.) and is manufactured by Smith, Kline & French Laboratories, Philadelphia
*T.M. Reg. U.S. Pat. Off. Patent "

Rolling Stones didn't sing "Mothers little helper" for nothing. And of course there are so many other examples why I just find it a little hard to trust every drug band wagon that comes rolling along. Like the H1N1 shot. Sorry....I will take my chances with the swine flu rather than inject myself with a mix of ingredients that could be more harmful than the disease.
But for those of you who don't know where you stand here is a handy video of how to make your own flu shot.



You might also want to invest this informative little pin I made that shows how the swine flu is really spread. It could save lives.

When Fish Fly

Its funny how in my childhood days I loved fishing. My aunt and uncle would often take us fishing and I have many great memories.
Whether it was the time my aunt tied a little string around a crayfish's neck (do they have a neck come to think of it?) and I walked it like a little dog, or the great picnic lunches we would have, or cooking the freshly caught fish, I am not sure, but it was great.
And there were the trips up north with my parents, renting a cottage off the lake and getting up at the crack of dawn to go see what bounties we could reel in.

Somewhere down the line though, something clicked or snapped, depending how you look at it.
I suddenly found the whole fishing thing a little disconcerting.
Still love spending time with family, still love great picnic lunches, still love nature.
But hooking and reeling in the things...ewwww...can't do it....just can't do it.
I remember my Dad always told me that they didn't feel anything. Well I bought it then, but sorry I can't buy it now.

I realize fish may not have the most magnetic personalities, and its not exactly a creature you would want to cuddle. But just try watching one lay there on the boat gasping its last breathe and look at those glass like eyes and tell me you don't see something of a personality?
Sure they are different. I think the French novelist Andre Gide put it best, "Fish die belly upward, and rise to the surface. Its their way of falling." So is that any reason to persecute them?

I often come across many vintage images where fish are depicted in many strange ways, from serving martinis, bowling, to romancing their significant other. One of my favorite is from an 1800's image that I use in a popular pin I sell that I like to call "Thick Lipped Smoked Fish" for short.

This recent discovery below is a bit strange. Can't quite make out the meaning behind it but its interesting, to me at least.
The woman is holding a fish that seems to blend in with her dress all neatly wrapped in a bow. Fashion accessory? Maybe to attract the menfolk? Or is it simply supper on its way home?
Whatever the case sweetie, I would watch out for the fish flying above you. May be a hostile family member ready to drop some bait that might just catch you.

And finally there is the awesome animated short on BoingBoing I came across. One from the PSST!3 series where three teams of collaborators combine their work.
Its the first in this series,called "Omar" by Doug Purver I was especially fond of although all 3 are great. I have added the full version below called "Omar and his Skyhook" but if you would like to see it combined with 2 other short animated clips that merge into one,heres the link for that. http://www.boingboing.net/2009/04/17/bb-video-omar-hot-pu.html

So hope you enjoy it. I may just sign out with the name "Hypocrite". Because where you won't find me fishing again till fish fly, I have to admit that you will be able to find me chowing down on sauteed trout, baked salmon, or a nice slab of seared ahi tuna whenever possible. My bad.

Being all grown up can bring you down

The other day I was visiting at a friends house who was watching her 18 month old grandson.
The other adults in the room seemed to disappear into the back ground as I got drawn in by watching the little guy. It suddenly struck me how badly I wanted to be a child again and find the greatest joy in the simplest of things.

He was entertaining himself by simply going round and round a chair. He would do it several times and then just burst into laughter.
It was infectious laughter that made me want to strip myself of my adulthood, and dive into the simple joy of young childhood.
Think how much easier life if we would deal with our problems by looking at everything through a child's eye.

For instance I just spent about 20 minutes trying to get a blanket to be balanced on the spin cycle. Every time it would hit full speed, boom, off it would go because it wasn't balanced right. So I would open up the washer and readjust. Over and over again. All the time watching the clothes through the front load window.
Frustrated beyond compare. Ready to blow the thing up.
But how different it would have been had I had a child's mind.
Spin a little..boom... I let out a loud laugh. Spin a little...boom... I run in circles and fall down.
I become mesmerized by the blanket turning and spinning and tumbling.
I could have probably carried it on for twice as long and walked away with a smile on my face.

Probably even the scenario I had today of trying to help another who was depressed would have been so much easier. Instead as an adult I had to rationalize,empathize,and vocalize just so.
It left me feeling drained and in a lousy mood.

But had I been looking through a childs eye, I would have probably just made funny faces to make the poor depressed soul feel better, or offered them my cookie and we probably both would have walked off hand in hand singing a little song together.
I wouldn't have had to think so much about what to say. I would have only felt what it was I needed to do to make them feel better.

Oh well. Such is life. And I guess there is always the exception.
Came across this antique postcard the other day and it only goes to show, that even a childs mind can have a dark side. At least I didn't kill anyone today.

Of Replicating Pods and Slugs

The whole summer has been extremely strange.
Weather that never let us know that it really was summer. Just sort of this confusion as to had it arrived, and was it staying.
Add to that the fact that my time was totally not my own and I ran from this to this to that, and it just never really felt like "Summertime and the living is easy."

As I finally had some time to actually weed today, I had time to gaze at what was/is my garden.
Yes,it has been an object of neglect, but most neglected gardens seem to at least produce, but just in amongst a mess of weeds.
My vegetable garden this year was not only hidden in weeds, but what it did produce seemed to be spawned from some distant planet. Little watermelons that morphed into baseball size sludge. Tomatoes that sometimes decided to grow round but many that looked like a horrible tumour growth, mojito mint that changed color on me and several species of plants that just seemed to disappear, perhaps being eaten by something.
And that something could have been slugs. There seem to be slugs everywhere.
The other day my daughter put a blanket on the ground to enjoy a "picnic" lunch with my granddaughter, and soon they were infiltrating the blanket and moving in for the kill.
Hundreds of them.
Made me think of the following 1900's postcard. This guy has a serious problem in more ways then one and much milder than mine. His grubs seem exceptionally dangerous and his veggies are downright freaks.

So its with a sense of sadness but also relief that I watch the darkness fall earlier every night. Not quite the summer that we will be able to relive in pictures looked at over and over again, or one where we can reminisce over the bounty of garden goodies we grew. But a relief also because many good things were accomplished too. Maybe looking forward to the fall will bring even greater adventures in living.

At least I didn't have replicating pods in my life. Got 11:00 minutes? Enjoy 11:00 minutes Space Ghost, Stephen Wright and replicating pods. Insanity...but I love it.

Space Ghost Coast to Coast
by NPIcartoons