Month: February 2024

Dilettante Report: Mark Making

Karen

I’m wrapping up the 30-day mark making class on CreativeBug and it’s been really fun. Yes it was structured, but it was definitely not a class in the sense of, “Do it exactly like this to get these particular results.” And for someone who doesn’t draw, that was perfect. I took ten minutes a day, tried new things, and learned a lot!

For example, I never would have thought that using one color and random lines would fill me with accomplishment:

 

I never would have enjoyed the travel watercolors so much that I bought the 36 color set (let’s be honest, the “buying supplies” part of any hobby is the best):

 

I never would have discovered that I like mixing media a lot (watercolor and Micron pen above, watercolor and colored pencil here):

 

Nor would I have realized how satisfying drawing ancient pottery could be:

Get your library card out and get your free subscription to CreativeBug and give it a try. Remember: you don’t have to be good at your hobbies!

Wednesday Poem

Karen

Not me reading about the absolute lack of women’s sports studies and thinking of the last couple lines of this.

 

Myth
by Muriel Rukeyser

Long afterward, Oedipus, old and blinded, walked the
roads. He smelled a familiar smell. It was
the Sphinx. Oedipus said, “I want to ask one question.
Why didn’t I recognize my mother?” “You gave the
wrong answer,” said the Sphinx. “But that was what
made everything possible,” said Oedipus. “No,” she said.
“When I asked, What walks on four legs in the morning,
two at noon, and three in the evening, you answered,
Man. You didn’t say anything about woman.”
“When you say Man,” said Oedipus, “you include women
too. Everyone knows that.” She said, “That’s what
you think.”

 

Originally published in Breaking Open (1973)

Tuesday Project Roundup: 2,592 Two-inch Squares

Karen

I finally finished piecing the blocks for the king-sized quilt I started in January 2023. I did not actually buckle down and finish it in August last year like I announced, but I’m so much closer now! Just have to press and trim all 72 blocks and then arrange them, which is where the magic happens:

The values of the colors and the diagonal piecing make a pattern! I’m so tickled it’s working… and 85% done. (I am absolutely not quilting this myself and may even have the longarmer bind it.)

False Spring Is Still Nice

Karen

There’s snow coming tonight so yesterday was “the warm before the storm” and it was lovely–60 degrees, blue skies, yellow evening light.

As Hemingway said, “When spring came, even the false spring, there were no problems except where to be happiest.”

Friday Links

Karen

1. You probably want to read about medieval fighting snails?

“But for a brief period in the late 13th Century, illuminators – those who decorated books – across Europe embraced a new obsession: fighting snails.”

2. Speaking of abortion rights:

@casalmon Hot take: courts have no business deciding medical care. We saw the disasterous consequences for Kate Cox. Now, SCOTUS will be hearing a case that could restrict access even further to medicinal abortion care. #abortionrights #scotus #abortionisessentialhealthcare ♬ original sound – ⭐️Alex⭐️

 

3. Via our friend Mike, “On February 22, 1977, ‘Pinball Number Count,’ with vocals by the Pointer Sisters, made its debut on ‘Sesame Street.’”

Pinball Number Count is my entire aesthetic. Imagine if this were fabric!

Me As Instagram Posts

Karen

Me after reading the news about anti-trans and anti-abortion legislation:

 

Me contemplating another election cycle (from the wonderfully demented Arcane Bullshit):

 

Me making weekend plans (from Nick Vargas):

 

Me finding the G A P  h  a  t  type spacing here so funny and also being overcome with nostalgia for 1990s Gap and bucket hats (from a vintage Gap account):

Another Hobby?

Karen

I don’t remember how I came across this tutorial for hand knotted bead necklaces but I feel a new hobby coming on.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Erica Chan Coffman (@honestlywtf)

 

You can get dyed stone beads pretty cheap to start out:

And then after you practice you can get real gemstones, like an opal kit with RAINBOW THREAD:

Should I maybe catch up on my collages and mark making class, or should I just go for it? It IS the Year of the Dilettante…

Doing Things

Karen

I had a long weekend and did many things, including going to the botanical garden and looking for bulbs and playing with my art supplies (we are in the “collage” section of the mark making class).


I also went to Park City to teach my friend how to use her new serger and ended up staying most of the day, which Toby was NOT happy about. I came home a kitty who had torn his bed apart and apparently spent most of the day yelling for me to come back, because he was tuckered out.

Truly, I can never have an office job again. “My cat won’t like it, sorry.”

Friday Links

Karen

1. The case for a physical gym journal. (I have so many blank books sitting around, do I try this?)

Sure, an app might be able to tell you how much you lifted the last time you did a mid-shin block pull. [..] But it’s unlikely to have the note that you made in your paper journal, explaining why your coach assigned this lift in the first place — “helps with the middle of the deadlift.” Or the notes that appear every time I am told to do tempo squats: “Coach hates me.”

 

2. Venetian scrapbooks of daily life! (Link #1 and #2 are both from Austin Kleon’s newsletter today)

 

3. Me giving presentations this week:

Wholesome Account

Karen

Our friend turned me on to the TikTok account of Mateo Brown, an electrician, union guy, and lunch rater. He and his buddies started a “Lunch Off” comparing what they brought each day and it’s just delightful: the catcalls for the tasty things! The sad “That’s not it, papa” for the new guy who brings, like, plain chicken! (Also, who knew heated lunchboxes were a thing?)

 

@mateo.brown Cajun pasta with steak recipe@jewliariv #OhhPappa #HappyFeet #MexicanStandoff #fy #fyp #fypシ #LunchOff ♬ original sound – Mateo Brown

 

@mateo.brown #HappyFeet #OhhPappa #fy #lonche #wifewars #ibew ♬ original sound – Mateo Brown