Darby

I'm really into this paper-cutting process. I definitely want to do more. Any ideas? Requests?

Stencils!!

I don't know what inspired me yesterday, but I started some fun projects I'd like to share.

First I took a good picture of me riding in the little "camionetta"(aka-Mexican pickup truck taxi) from Spring Break a few years ago.







Next I cropped the image and put a photocopy filter on it in Adobe Photoshop, so it looked like this...
I then printed this image and selectively cut out the black with an X-acto knife, being careful not to leave any floating islands of paper that would not stay connected to the stencil.
After cutting everything out, you can use it to paint, although I would recommend a thicker paper or transparency sheet if you want to use it several times. I'm guessing if you take the time to make this you would want to use it more than once.
Another option is placing the stencil on a photo scanner with a piece of colored paper behind it. That is how I made these...This one I put bubble wrap behind the stencil, then a green piece of paper behind that. The possibilities are crazy. Scanners rock!

Nice Ride

Yesterday I went out to the Mills River area in Pisgah National Forest for some mountain biking on the Fletcher Creek trail. It's nice that the weather has been mild. I went biking last Saturday too, but it was much muddier. I had a nice wipe-out that made me sore all week. No wipe-outs yesterday, just a good workout in a very beautiful spot.

Beautiful

Yesterday I lost my voice. I've had a little cold all week, but I guess it all caught up with me yesterday with my last two classes of the day. In an hour and a half, my voice went from a little wraspy to sounding like Tom Waits. By the time I went to bed, I could only whisper. So today, I called in sick, but still went in during the morning to get things ready for a sub. I really wanted to be there today to see the kids off to the holiday break, but a voiceless teacher is not my style.
So besides not feeling that bad, except for not being able to talk, the weather was amazing. A springlike 68 F!! I was sitting out on my porch enjoying the warm sun, when it started to rain. I just love it when it rains when the sun is out, and today was no exception. The rain produced the most amazing rainbow. I took a little walk out to the street corner where I could see the entire, colorful arch.

Here's some pictures:

Contest

Write the best caption for this picture! Prize yet to be determined.

She's just a little baby!

Kitty in a box!

Did you know?

That metal jewelry gets pickled? This is a picture of that process. Courtesy: Green Girl Studios.

Lost Wax Processor

I've been working for my friends @ Green Girl Studios lately. It's pretty meditative shooting wax into molds, then cleaning up the delicate wax copies with a hot metal tool and a steady hand.

The Amazing, Magic Sketchbook

Stuck in a hail storm

I'm waiting under some trees!

The Showdown

Shaffner vs. Barb. Senaca Lake. Be there!

Paul's Shuttle

It's official...;)

Cleveland vs. San Diego

Mom, Brian, Dad, Bill, & Neto. Father's Day @ the Tribe game.

Live from Cleveland.

Live from Cleveland.

Lake Jocassee

Richard. Going to get the morning's coffee. Lake Jocassee, SC.

It's time to vote in NC.

It's time to vote in NC.

Little Lloyd having a ball in Wooster.

Little Lloyd having a ball in Wooster.

One night in Woodfin, NC

One night in Woodfin, NC

Somethin' Different

Mo & Po Arnold breezed through town the other day on their Snow-Bird migration between Florida and Ohio. They were headed back to Ohio because they heard their driveway needed shoveled.
I met up with them after work and took them to the Mellow Mushroom to have a beer in the warm sunshine. Later we went to go take in some live Bluegrass and BBQ at the Fiddlin' Pig. Next time I'll wear my Clogging shoes!
As my pops has been famously know to say, "Every time I come down here I see somethin' different!"

Mid-week in Marshall

The other night, I was at the earthy grocery store, when we ran into the dynamic duo: Becka and Josie. It had been a while, but the timing was perfect because Josie was having a show opening for her paintings in the town of Marshall this wednesday. I knew Josie was a fierse metal mama, but I had no idea she painted. Her paintings mostly dealt with her studies of the sky and landscapes. It made for a beautiful, heavenly exhibition. A Wednesday in Marshall? Rock on!