New Hobby Roundup: Paper Marbling!

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I finally caved and bought my own supplies to try marbling at home and wow, what a difference time and good materials make to the finished product:

 

I did have a grasp on the basic process already from the class I took in June, but the results at home are so much better–the colors floated perfectly and stuck to the paper just fine.

(Not shown, using the comb to make the non-pareil pattern, because that takes two hands.)

 

I printed 12 sheets and got 8 that I really like, but none of them were flawed because of the supplies, just beginner printing errors. I highly recommend the supplies from Galen Berry, aka MarbleArt. I got his paints and instruction book from Hollanders but I think they’ve stopped carrying the full line–I had to get the carrageenan and alum and a comb straight from the MarbleArt site (via sending an email, lol).

 

I make a lot of things and I’ve been doing a lot of my hobbies for a long time, so I don’t get the “I can’t believe I made that!” feeling very often. But look at this! I can’t believe I made that.

Not A Hike

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We mixed things up Sunday and went over to the Indigenous Art Market at the Natural History Museum. No pictures, because it felt weird to treat people like entertainment, but we saw some dancing and lots of lovely jewelry.

Speaking of feeling weird about how we treat indigenous people:

 

Friday Links

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1. The Northern Lights were visible in Utah last night but we did not see them, alas. But maybe we CAN see the Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS, which is coming into view tonight and getting brighter until Monday.

About 40 minutes after sunset on Friday, find a spot with a good view down to the western horizon. The first thing that will catch your eye will be the bright planet Venus, the Evening Star — that’s your starting point. Hold your fist out at arm’s length; the comet is about 2½ fists to Venus’s right.

2. Let’s read about the world’s most iconic train journeys.

3. I am begging you to turn the sound up on this:

Koyaanisqatsi isn’t quite as haunting if you replace Philip Glass with the music from the Wii Shop Channel.

[image or embed]

— Andy Kelly 👽 (@ultrabrilliant.xyz) September 13, 2024 at 12:33 AM

Redecorating!

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I switched up the blog’s template yesterday after thinking about it for literal years and putting it off as too hard.

It took me about half an hour. (I will learn nothing from this.)

But it was past time to get something that filled the screen more and looked better on a phone. I’m still playing with some stuff–fonts, header image, getting an RSS feed to work–but it’s nice and fresh.

Wednesday Poem

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This is a sad one but the world is sad right now–Israel spreading its attacks into Lebanon, people in the path of hurricanes still being told to show up to work. That last stanza really sums it up.

 

What They Did Yesterday Afternoon
by Warsan Shire

they set my aunts house on fire
i cried the way women on tv do
folding at the middle
like a five pound note.
i called the boy who use to love me
tried to ‘okay’ my voice
i said hello
he said warsan, what’s wrong, what’s happened?

i’ve been praying,
and these are what my prayers look like;
dear god
i come from two countries
one is thirsty
the other is on fire
both need water.

later that night
i held an atlas in my lap
ran my fingers across the whole world
and whispered
where does it hurt?

it answered
everywhere
everywhere
everywhere.

Tuesday Project Roundup: Last Of The Block Prints

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It’s been an unseasonably warm fall so these summery block prints still feel appropriate. This is the last cut of the three I ordered and it was destined to be a shirt for Doc (so I could wear my blue tiger dress with it and we could attract comment, if we go out somewhere).

This is the staple aloha shirt pattern I use for him, New Look 6197. I mixed things up and used the Daughter Judy Genra Shirt instructions for the facings, which involve sewing them into the shoulder seam first for a really clean finish–a vast improvement over the New Look instructions.

This was a fast, straightforward project. It’s fun to work with these prints–look at all the fierce tigers staring at you!

Sunny Days

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Dr. Toby was on the case Saturday while I recovered from my covid/flu shots (get vaccinated, y’all!) but I was all better Sunday and we went out to 70-degree temps and peak fall colors.

I’m not sure who left two jack-o-lanterns at the trailhead (probably a group getting pictures?) but I can only hope some little creature recreates Mousekin’s Golden House.

Friday Links

Karen

Whoops, I almost forgot to post today. I think this is a sign I need to start the weekend early.

1. Via Kottke, a site that catalogs chrome logos and components from vintage cars and tech: Chromeography.

 

2. Happy to hear the dockworkers’ strike has been resolved so quickly. Solidarity, always!

 

3. Clearly I need to start watching this game show. The prompt: “A sea shanty about struggling socially on the ship.”

 

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Covering Household Objects In Paper

Karen

I had a picture that didn’t quite fit the mat that came in the IKEA frame. I also had a stack of bookboard and decorative papers. So I cut my own mat and covered it in paper and now there is even more pattern in the living room. Win-win-win.

What should I cover in paper next? A tissue box cover? The frame itself?