tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-331746592024-03-12T19:40:15.076-04:00Gryphonkessiragryphonkessirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10231705469104638792noreply@blogger.comBlogger51125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33174659.post-25065420260411655082011-06-25T14:51:00.001-04:002011-06-25T14:52:13.569-04:00Also, check out my new Art Blog, Treasured Toad Designs:<br /><br />http://www.treasuredtoad.blogspot.comgryphonkessirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10231705469104638792noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33174659.post-50421526300571776132011-06-25T14:26:00.008-04:002011-06-25T14:51:27.325-04:00First Camping trip of the year! Matt, Sara and I headed down to Allegheny State Park last weekend. We rented a cabin (Matt kept complaining about setting up the tent all the time). The park is HUGE, and absolutely beautiful. We had a little rain heading down on Thursday, but things cleared up by the time we arrived. At check in here is the first thing I noticed:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8eb_4mxdUZk/TgYp4QbVdDI/AAAAAAAAAMI/mZp5fnwN6BY/s1600/bearsign.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8eb_4mxdUZk/TgYp4QbVdDI/AAAAAAAAAMI/mZp5fnwN6BY/s320/bearsign.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5622227231277675570" /></a><br /><br />Yep, Allegheny park has a good sized and active black bear population. Makes me glad we got the cabin!!! Here is a view of our cabin.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vsFW_bTbCc4/TgYpyjGPbvI/AAAAAAAAAMA/dO4M_lTbKaU/s1600/cabin.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vsFW_bTbCc4/TgYpyjGPbvI/AAAAAAAAAMA/dO4M_lTbKaU/s320/cabin.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5622227133210259186" /></a><br /><br />This is the inside of the cabin as we were unpacking. There were 4 twin beds, pushed together to make 2 full beds. there was also a wood-burning heating stove and a gas stovetop/oven. At least we had warm food, because all the firewood was wet and it took us until the next day (and buying dried wood at the store) to get a fire going.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qpB0LynRXd8/TgYpqc-i4RI/AAAAAAAAAL4/GTDURKVvllY/s1600/insidecabin.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qpB0LynRXd8/TgYpqc-i4RI/AAAAAAAAAL4/GTDURKVvllY/s320/insidecabin.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5622226994128412946" /></a><br /><br />The area behind our cabin. Sara LOVED the stream and she and the two girls from the next cabin over spent most of their free time playing in the water.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LVzkpQQEiVk/TgYpUrfhldI/AAAAAAAAALo/IqvESZh5OcM/s1600/behindcabin.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LVzkpQQEiVk/TgYpUrfhldI/AAAAAAAAALo/IqvESZh5OcM/s320/behindcabin.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5622226620067714514" /></a><br /><br />Here is the Red House beach area. There is a second beach area (Quaker area)but it was closed until the beginning of July. Sara had a blast swimming and playing in the sand. Matt and I enjoyed the chance to sit and relax and catch up on some reading.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-o6s4i0Vin_k/TgYpLbRBoyI/AAAAAAAAALg/W6BUH-X2zdA/s1600/beach.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-o6s4i0Vin_k/TgYpLbRBoyI/AAAAAAAAALg/W6BUH-X2zdA/s320/beach.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5622226461093110562" /></a><br /><br />We did a couple hikes over the trip. The first one was supposed to be a 3 mile "easy" trail, which ended up being ankle deep mud, steep climbs and 6 miles (since the trail ended on a road, they did not count the mileage to walk back to where the trail started, which is where our car was parked...3 miles out and 3 miles back). By the time we got back to the car, we were covered head to toe in mud. Thank goodness there was a laundromat at the camp! We were sore and tired.<br /><br />This is a flower we found on one of the shorter trips. No clue what it is, but it was very pretty.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VaW67J3nheI/TgYo0ryckVI/AAAAAAAAALY/Hyl7X1_p-EY/s1600/flower.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VaW67J3nheI/TgYo0ryckVI/AAAAAAAAALY/Hyl7X1_p-EY/s320/flower.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5622226070391263570" /></a><br /><br /><br />Sara climbing on one of the rock structures we found along the Bear Springs trail. On the way back on this trail we found a bear pawprint in the mud which I SWEAR was not there on our way in.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PFX7FA6kDcw/TgYomQCCvtI/AAAAAAAAALQ/DZn-J_SYa2M/s1600/saraonrocks.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PFX7FA6kDcw/TgYomQCCvtI/AAAAAAAAALQ/DZn-J_SYa2M/s320/saraonrocks.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5622225822422318802" /></a><br /><br />Great time, and I would definitely go back!gryphonkessirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10231705469104638792noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33174659.post-32327165298452990782011-01-11T10:06:00.000-05:002011-01-11T10:08:27.561-05:00New Year, New Toys<br /><br />So with the gift certificates and Christmas money I received last month I went on a spree and equipped myself with a very basic metalworking studio. This is something I’ve been itching to try for awhile, ever since I really got into the mixed media jewelry. So many times I’ve wanted a certain piece, and just could not find it (that is ALWAYS my problem lol) My solution, just learn to make your own stuff!<br /><br />I spent all weekend learning to saw and drill metal (here’s a tip for all you aspiring metalworkers out there: If your drill is going the wrong speed when you drill through the other side of a pice of metal, the bit will catch on it, cause the whole piece to start spinning around. And of course, since you are holding it with your other hand, and you have not sanded the edges yet, you will slice the heck out of your fingertips….next on my shopping list: Leather gloves!!!)<br /><br />I managed to make a couple pendants I’m quite proud of! I love mixing the metal, clay, resin, and whatever else I have to make exactly the piece I want! Pics will follow when I get home tonight <br />I really really wish I could find some classes on metalworking and enameling in the area...there are so may basic techniques which are really hard to teach yourself off of youtube videos and books. Just a few hours of hands-on learning with someone who can show me what I’m doing wrong would really be a big help.gryphonkessirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10231705469104638792noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33174659.post-9219797519493431612010-12-26T09:29:00.002-05:002010-12-26T09:37:41.585-05:00It's been a very merry Christmas! Santa was very good to us this year! Sara got a slew of toys, which should keep her happy for awhile. I got gift certificates to my favorite jewelry websites. So, I bought everything I'll need to set up a basic metalsmithing and enameling workshop. I've been putting together my list for weeks now lol. Now, I just have to find somewhere to set it up! My current Jewelry table is an old nightstand with a scrap piece of countertop screwed onto it. I have a large ceramic tile on it for working clay, and a stacking storage cube to hold my tools and beads. But there is no room in this set up for all the stuff I've bought for this new setup. Plus, since I'll be using a mini-torch for soldering and enameling, I need somewhere that is fairly fire-retardent. Ug, I really look forward to the day when I can have a dedicated room for my studio again. I have a notebook I keep with me that I use to jot down ideas and inspirations for new pieces and I'm hoping that my jewelry orders slow down enough that I have some time to practice with my new toys for a bit!!! Now the hard part, waiting for everything to arrive in the mail!gryphonkessirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10231705469104638792noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33174659.post-5974509760189904172010-11-21T08:03:00.003-05:002010-11-21T08:23:36.503-05:00I am SO bad at updating these things sometimes. In my defence, work has been crazy (I LOVE it, but it's crazy). I've also started volunteering for the American Red Cross as a Military Caseworker. Basically when soldiers' families need to get emergency messages to troops the red Cross handles that. I do overnight shifts. It's pretty cool.<br /><br />The Jewelry buisness has been crazy! The women I work with love my stuff, and have been buying jewelry at a rate that I can barely keep up with. The extra income has allowed me to get some new tools and I'm looking into a few new techniques, mainly metalsmithing and embossing. Jewelrymaking is like art, there are an infinite number of techniques and tools, and you have to narrow your focus down to just a few if you really want to get good at them, or have any sort of artistic style. I suppose you COULD be an artists who does sculpture, oil paints, japanese watercolors, lithography, Conte Crayons, and photography...but if someone looked at the body of your work in all those mediums, could they see a unified "style?" (plus, unless you're 105, do you have time to master the subtlties of each one?).<br /><br />I have been dabbling in a few things here and there. I see a piece made with a certain technique, I try a few and move on. I really want to focus on a few things because there is SO much to learn about even a single medium/technique.<br /><br />I love, love, love my polymer clay. But I am really leaning towards mixed media. I can't make a solid-clay peice anymore and not feel like it's missing something. There are just some things clay cannot do, plus I just love the asthetic of the mixed media pices I've done so far (mainly clay/steampunk pices, with bits of metal and beads in the clay). I want to expand on that, so I'm asking for gift certificates for christmas!! lol<br /><br />In the same vein as this, I want to re-open my etsy store and look at getting a website up again. However, I don't think my store name of Firesprite Beads really fits my current pieces. That was the name I came up with when I was doing glass beads, but it doesn't really fit anymore. So, I am racking my brains trying to come up with a new buisness name. I know a lot of artists just use their own name, but that's just not me. I want something that invokes an idea, or a feeling, or an image related to my work..my name just doesn't do that lol. So, once I can actually hammer THAT out I plan on starting a purely jewelry-blog that I can link to my website and stuff. (Yea, Yea I know...7 months and I can't even post in ONE blog, how can I do two?" Well, in the art blog I won't feel like I'm cheating to just post a picture or two as my blog post without saying anything further. Plus, if people do start finding my blog through my buisness site or messageboards, I do';t think they care if my cat threw up on the rug last night, or that Sara got an A in math this marking period :-).gryphonkessirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10231705469104638792noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33174659.post-3225245348954176532010-04-29T21:37:00.009-04:002010-04-29T21:51:56.518-04:00As promised, now that I've found the cord to mom's camera here are some of the pieces I've done in the last couple weeks<br /><br /><div><div><div><div><div>A very spring-inspired flower-and-pixie necklace<br /></div><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_9HrgiLuEMik/S9o0siWdkEI/AAAAAAAAAKE/DwCchaZfUMI/s1600/pixieneck2.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 240px; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465739037507424322" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_9HrgiLuEMik/S9o0siWdkEI/AAAAAAAAAKE/DwCchaZfUMI/s320/pixieneck2.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_9HrgiLuEMik/S9o0635s9kI/AAAAAAAAAKM/Fw79oEZfWoE/s1600/pixieneck1.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 240px; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465739283810547266" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_9HrgiLuEMik/S9o0635s9kI/AAAAAAAAAKM/Fw79oEZfWoE/s320/pixieneck1.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Another spring-ish bird necklace (I've really been inspired by the season!)<br /><br /></div><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_9HrgiLuEMik/S9o1KOfmlfI/AAAAAAAAAKU/6Op4xpyXu5M/s1600/birdneck.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 320px; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465739547573130738" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_9HrgiLuEMik/S9o1KOfmlfI/AAAAAAAAAKU/6Op4xpyXu5M/s320/birdneck.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div>Here is an ocean-themed necklace inspired by the glass turtle bead I bought at the big Bead show we all went to a couple weekends ago (luckily I only brought $45 in cash, otherwise I would have spent WAAY too much money there. On the upside the show comes back to Syracuse in October so I have a couple months to save my pennies!) the shades of the necklace and turtle are a wonderful variety of blues and pearls, which are all sort of yellowed by the lamplight I took the pics in ><. </div><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_9HrgiLuEMik/S9o14xB4bBI/AAAAAAAAAKc/sEN0MBB-YZM/s1600/turtle1.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 320px; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465740347117693970" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_9HrgiLuEMik/S9o14xB4bBI/AAAAAAAAAKc/sEN0MBB-YZM/s320/turtle1.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_9HrgiLuEMik/S9o2Fd415HI/AAAAAAAAAKk/fhXjnVoITOY/s1600/turtle2.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 320px; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465740565317805170" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_9HrgiLuEMik/S9o2Fd415HI/AAAAAAAAAKk/fhXjnVoITOY/s320/turtle2.jpg" /></a><br /><br />And lastly a Sun and Moon piece I've been trying to create for awhile, I just could never get to come out right once I sat down to put it together. I'm still not 100% happy..I may go back and make a new focal pendant..I think it needs to be larger.</div><br /><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_9HrgiLuEMik/S9o22OJeT2I/AAAAAAAAAKs/b0-Ox41y_XA/s1600/sunmoon1.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 240px; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465741402906185570" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_9HrgiLuEMik/S9o22OJeT2I/AAAAAAAAAKs/b0-Ox41y_XA/s320/sunmoon1.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_9HrgiLuEMik/S9o3A_q9qII/AAAAAAAAAK0/nM0sFr9GPN4/s1600/sunmoon2.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 320px; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465741587998681218" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_9HrgiLuEMik/S9o3A_q9qII/AAAAAAAAAK0/nM0sFr9GPN4/s320/sunmoon2.jpg" /></a><br /><br /></div><br /><br /><div></div></div></div></div></div>gryphonkessirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10231705469104638792noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33174659.post-59357485592110190882010-04-28T19:44:00.004-04:002010-04-28T20:17:22.388-04:00Holy crap, a month and a half! In my defense, I've been very very busy. I started a new job at Syracuse Behavioral Healthcare, which is an alcohol/substance abuse facility. Right now, I'm spending most of my time doing inpatient admissions. When we get new patients into our 28-day inpatient program, I help do their billing, medicaid/public assistance applications, and other reams of paperwork. I'm learning a few other facets of the facility like records-keeping, a little on the out-patient groups, and I help at the front desk early in the morning when it is crazy-busy. Mary (my boss) has some ideas as to what she wasnts me to be doing long-term, but most of it will have to wait until my 3 month contract with the temp agency (Comforce) is up and I come on as an official SBH employee. I really enjoy the job. The work is varied enough to not be boring and with only one exception everyone at the place is incredibly friendly, helpful and outgoing. There is ONE person who is a real harpy, but luckily I have limited contact with the person..and really I can put up with anyone in small doses. <div><br /><div>I've also managed to carve out some time for my jewelry. In fact, now that I need "grown up" outfits to wear to a professional job (as opposed to my last work-at-home job where I could conferance call in my pajamas if I wanted) I've been inspired to make a bunch of jewelry to wear to work. I have a couple pieces I am VERY pleased with. I WOULD have posted pics, but I cannot find our camera. So, I borrowed mom's, took the pictures, then found out her camera will not work with our camera's computer-hook-up-cord, and I cannot find the one that goes with HER camera. Sigh. Once I can find a camera/cord combo that works I will post pics.</div><br /><div>On another creative note, due to the fact that matt and I re-did our budget, and we have a tiny bit of spare cash I went out and bought a few books to get me started on something I've wanted to try for quite some time: Chinese Brush Painting. I absolutely love the look of the style! Chinese brush painting has two schools of styles: the detailed and the free. In the detailed style, very fine brushes are used to paint the outlines of the subject and then painted in very meticulously, like this painting:</div><br /><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_9HrgiLuEMik/S9jMW4254RI/AAAAAAAAAJ0/Jt7ztlUilRs/s1600/detailed.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 316px; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465342841405956370" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_9HrgiLuEMik/S9jMW4254RI/AAAAAAAAAJ0/Jt7ztlUilRs/s320/detailed.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div></div><br /><div>The second style, which I favor, is a much looser, abstract style where the goal is to capture the essence of the subject without having to paint every tiny line and detail, such as this painting.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_9HrgiLuEMik/S9jMz-vUgOI/AAAAAAAAAJ8/GRn6j_AiAZY/s1600/free1.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 320px; HEIGHT: 317px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465343341200965858" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_9HrgiLuEMik/S9jMz-vUgOI/AAAAAAAAAJ8/GRn6j_AiAZY/s320/free1.jpg" /></a></div><div> </div><div>Chinese brush painting is done with special brushes, traditionally made of animal hair. The black in the paintings is hand-made ink created by grinding an ink-stick (a charcoal and glue stick made specially for this) against your ink-stone. then you add a small bit of water to create your black/grey ink. Colored inks can be made by a similer process of mixing water and powdered mineral pigments (though you can also use chinese watercolors, or just plain western watercolors as well). I have the paint kit (comlplete with ink stick and stone) and a few books on technique and motifs. When someone begins to learn chinese brush painting, they generally begin my practicing "The four Gentlemen": Bamboo, Orchid, Chrysanthemum and Plum Blossom. These four plants require the full range of basic brush strokes to do well, so they are a great way to learn and practice the basic brush forms. I'm hoping to actually be able to open up and use my kit this weekend :-). Pics may follow, depending on how recognisable they are from 2-year old finger painting lol.</div><div> </div><div>The weather is supposed to be beautiful this weekend, so I want to try and get out to do a daytrip somewhere to one of the nearby state parks. We've been out a couple times this year when spring has given us a nice day here and there, and I really enjoy getting out, getting some excersise and enjoying the beautiful upstate NY wilderness. I'm not sure what my vacation schedule will be, what with the new job and all, but I'm hoping to squeeze in at LEAST one camping trip this summer.</div></div>gryphonkessirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10231705469104638792noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33174659.post-74943505332471326722010-03-15T11:52:00.002-04:002010-03-15T11:56:51.152-04:00Well, busy few weeks to start March off. I took my national certification test for my medical coding, and I passed! yay! 5.5 hour test..it was greuling! I had to take it out in cooperstown. Since the test was at 8 am on saturday, Matt and I drove out Friday and spent the night. Since Cooperstown is pretty much a tourist town, most of the restaurants and things were closed, but we want to go back sometime this summer and bring mom and Sara.<br /><div></div><br /><div>Since then, I've been job hunting with a passion. I've had about a half dozen interviews in the past week and a half, so we'll have to see what comes out of this.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>On another hopeful note, I was taking Ladybird out this morning when I saw these white flowers starting to grow in the garden. No clue what they are, but it must mean spring is on the way!</div><br /><div></div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_9HrgiLuEMik/S55YsL6PRTI/AAAAAAAAAJs/8SGwAgm4VfI/s1600-h/flowers.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 320px; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5448890115299427634" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_9HrgiLuEMik/S55YsL6PRTI/AAAAAAAAAJs/8SGwAgm4VfI/s320/flowers.jpg" /></a><br /><div></div>gryphonkessirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10231705469104638792noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33174659.post-30484424443577381572010-03-02T06:19:00.002-05:002010-03-02T06:26:20.454-05:00<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_9HrgiLuEMik/S4z0WwO2n3I/AAAAAAAAAJk/AbW2TRYcorQ/s1600-h/ladybird.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 320px; HEIGHT: 173px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5443994721325588338" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_9HrgiLuEMik/S4z0WwO2n3I/AAAAAAAAAJk/AbW2TRYcorQ/s320/ladybird.jpg" /></a><br /><div> </div><div>Random Pic of ladybird looking cute on our bed. It's been a long week. It started off well. I got a lot of cleaning done, and felt very productive. Sara and Matt had Thursday and Friday off, due to snow. 4 days of everyone being home made the place a mess again (luckily Matt helped get the dishes and laundry done while I was at work yesterday). I'm getting a bit antsy about my big certification test this weekend, PLUS we just got a letter saying Matt won't be getting anymore unemployement as of NOW..so it's getting critical I find a job, like yesterday. I love the office I'm interning at, too bad they're not hiring lol. I'm trying not to freak out about everything that's going on...but it's hard. Fall is coming up so fast, and graduate school is going to be SO expensive. Going to make an appointment for Matt to go talk to the student financial aid people up at SU, and meanwhile I'm scouring the web for grants/scholorships.</div>gryphonkessirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10231705469104638792noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33174659.post-21946725255302048792010-02-21T09:36:00.005-05:002010-02-21T09:52:51.906-05:00This was a very nice week. Mom and Bob were out of town for the beginning of the week, and Sara spent Sunday night at a friend's house at a sleepover. So Matt and I had a ncie quiet Valentine's day. We rented a movie (Ghosts of Girlfriends Past, which was very sappy and romantic). I made roasted fingerling potatoes and my first attempt at Beef Wellington (http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tyler-florence/the-ultimate-beef-wellington-recipe2/index.html). The pastry came out a bit soggy, but other than that it was really realy good!<br /><br />I started my new job interning at the Pulminary Phsician's Group in Syracuse, and I LOVE it. The job is interesting, and the women in the office I work with are incredably patient with my constant questions, and great to be around. I'll be interning there at least until I take my certification test on the 6th of March. After that, I'll be in job search mode (but still working there 'till I find something permenant).<br /><br />I did actually have time to do some clay work this week. I finished a cute little lizard necklace, which I think I may keep for myself, since a few of his toes got a bit darkened in the kiln.<br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_9HrgiLuEMik/S4FHuj_4PjI/AAAAAAAAAJU/M6m_a4CGodY/s1600-h/lizardneck.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 320px; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5440708690102992434" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_9HrgiLuEMik/S4FHuj_4PjI/AAAAAAAAAJU/M6m_a4CGodY/s320/lizardneck.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><div>I also worked a bit on my Dragonfly necklace. The clay part is finished, but I cannot get a pattern of beads I'm happy with for the rest of the piece.</div><br /><div></div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_9HrgiLuEMik/S4FIM0ve4uI/AAAAAAAAAJc/w6pvVHxrAK4/s1600-h/dragonfly.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 320px; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5440709209993700066" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_9HrgiLuEMik/S4FIM0ve4uI/AAAAAAAAAJc/w6pvVHxrAK4/s320/dragonfly.jpg" /></a><br /><div> </div><div>I have a few ideas on what I want to do, now that I've gone out and gotten some more seed beads.</div>gryphonkessirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10231705469104638792noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33174659.post-66650074785718140642010-02-08T11:42:00.002-05:002010-02-08T11:56:27.576-05:00Wow, another one of those month long Blog gaps. Well, the time HAS been put to good use. I've been spending most of my free time studying. I have my national certification exam on March 6th. The test is in Cooperstown (which is a couple hours away) at 8 am on a saturday. So, Friday after Matt gets out of class we're heading over to Cooperstown. We're going to go sightseeing (mom says there are a lot of nifty antique/collectable stores there to browse), have a nice, quiet dinner (mom is ALSO watching Sara while we're gone) and staying at a hotel for the night. 51/2 hour test...ug.<br /><br />I also have an internship I am straing this week, so hopefully by the time I pass my test I can have a job lined up. Matt starts SU in the fall which is NOT going to be cheap. We want to get him through his master's with no student loans, which means searching for financial aid, and saving everything.<br /><br />Last week was my birthday, which was very nice. Mom got me an ice cream cake and Sara wrote (and sang) me a song...it was SOOOOO cute! I wish I had had a video recorder!<br /><br />We rented and watched Cloudy with a Chance of meatballs last nigth for Sara, and I must say it was one of the cutest kid's movies I have seen in awhile. Not only does it have Mr. T in it (which automatically makes anything awesome!) but it was really sweet and didn't have a ton of those "stupid" scenes/moments that seem to pollute most kids movies, where you have to be 5 to enjoy the raw retardedness of what is on the screen.<br /><br />I'm finishing up some housework then mom and I are going clothes shopping. Seems I can't work in a medical office wearing sneakers and t-shirts ><. Blech, I HATE to clothes shop (and I don't even wat to start in on the fact I have to go get my hair cut/styled too). At least I don't have to start wearing make up...I draw the line there!gryphonkessirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10231705469104638792noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33174659.post-30680753931649997712009-12-29T18:50:00.002-05:002009-12-29T18:53:33.866-05:00So, Since I recieved my totally awesome stand mixer for christmas, I've spent the last 3 days trying to bake the perfect loaf of bread...getting closer. My 1st attempt was barely edible (once you chiseled through the 1/2 inch rock-hard exterior, the inside was pretty good lol). Next couple were better, but still a bit burned on the outside...we'll see how tonight's expiraments turn out. Bob helpfully bought me FIFTY pounds of bread flour.....I shall be baking bread till next christmas, it seems. <br /><br />Today is Matt and my 10th anniversarry..wow where DOES time go? We wanted to go see the new Sherloc Holmes movie, but it is too freekin cold to go out tonight!gryphonkessirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10231705469104638792noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33174659.post-17350397385747542272009-12-26T09:32:00.002-05:002009-12-26T09:39:01.764-05:00Christmas was wonderful this year.<br /><br />It was so nice to be able to see all the family, and not have to worry about driving back to PA in the snow, cramming all the gifts in the car, etc. Sara got a boatload of toys, which she has been happily playing with since yesterday morning. Santa brought our family a Wii, which Matt set up. It has a ton of multi-player games, so we spent a good deal of yesterday playing Wii Sports Resort...bowling, playing frisbee, swordfighting, golf...it was a lot of fun lol. Matt seemed happy with his presents, though I know he's really excited about the new computer he's building. He bought all the parts the day before yesterday, so he'll soon have a brand new toy to play with. Mom and Bob got me a brand new Kitchenaid Stand mixer..it is NICE! I can't wait to start cooking with it!<br /><br />On the downside, my brother Joe (who was SUPPOSED to be on leave till January 6th) has been called back early. He's leaving to go back to his base today, and they're shipping out to Afganistan very, very soon. I'm glad he got SOME time at home, I know a lot of soldiers this year didn't even get that. We'll be heading over to see him off sometime today.gryphonkessirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10231705469104638792noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33174659.post-64657380700509467482009-12-11T10:23:00.008-05:002009-12-11T10:38:23.353-05:00<div>Christmasy-stuff</div><div><br /><div>Lots and lots going on this past week! Since we moved, this (unfortunately) has been my book-storage system.<br /></div><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_9HrgiLuEMik/SyJkQ1JjmfI/AAAAAAAAAIs/3A83v3tXrKY/s1600-h/pileobooks.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5413999942360603122" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_9HrgiLuEMik/SyJkQ1JjmfI/AAAAAAAAAIs/3A83v3tXrKY/s320/pileobooks.jpg" border="0" /></a></div><br /><div>I call it "Piles of books everywhere" So as an early Christmas present, Matt built me a WONDERFUL set of bookshelves.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_9HrgiLuEMik/SyJkm8biMyI/AAAAAAAAAI0/Pk4E54Vgq3M/s1600-h/emptyshelves.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5414000322272178978" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_9HrgiLuEMik/SyJkm8biMyI/AAAAAAAAAI0/Pk4E54Vgq3M/s320/emptyshelves.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br /><br /><div>I know, it looks like a lot of shelves, but we own a disproportionally large amount of books (even given we got rid of approximately 1/2 of them in the move).</div></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_9HrgiLuEMik/SyJk9kY1F2I/AAAAAAAAAI8/2OELX8MO468/s1600-h/shelves.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5414000710955374434" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_9HrgiLuEMik/SyJk9kY1F2I/AAAAAAAAAI8/2OELX8MO468/s320/shelves.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /></div><br /><div>Only a couple free shelves, lol. I'll have to be careful about getting any new books, don't think Matt will build me more any time soon :-).</div><div><br /></div><div>While working in the garage on the shelves, I scrounged around and found the materials to make myself a fairly nice workstation for my clay, too! </div><br /><div><br /></div><br /><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_9HrgiLuEMik/SyJloOgC3RI/AAAAAAAAAJE/Qol7SmwiHaU/s1600-h/workarea.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5414001443814432018" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_9HrgiLuEMik/SyJloOgC3RI/AAAAAAAAAJE/Qol7SmwiHaU/s320/workarea.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br /><div><br />I have an old countertop for space, an old nightstand for storage, and a really nice large ceramic tile to actually work the clay on. Wednesday (while watching the finale of Top Chef (michael?? Really? I mean he's a very talented chef, but Bryan or Keven were MUCH better choices, in my opinion)) I actaully got to start on a new piece. The theme is "Dragonfly in Spring." We'll see how it turns out.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Last weekend we also got the all-important Christmas tree up! We watched a Christmas Story with mom and Bob, had a really nice dinner, and we all decorated the tree.</div><br /><div></div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_9HrgiLuEMik/SyJmowXNV6I/AAAAAAAAAJM/ztFNZJjUBAg/s1600-h/tree.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5414002552415803298" style="WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_9HrgiLuEMik/SyJmowXNV6I/AAAAAAAAAJM/ztFNZJjUBAg/s320/tree.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><br /></div>And to top off the Christmas season we have snow...ug. Actually the snow isn't so bad, it's the 40-50 mph winds...it's freekin cold! I'm half tempted to try and teach Ladybird to use the catbox, just so I don't have to go outside :-).<br /><div></div>gryphonkessirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10231705469104638792noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33174659.post-88762311696186168422009-12-01T06:23:00.002-05:002009-12-01T06:37:09.205-05:00We've just gotten back from spending Thanksgiving in PA with Matt's family. While the holidays are a time of getting together with family, I really don't want to do that again unless I have large quantities of highly illegal narcotics. Going into detail would take pages and pages, but suffice to say that having 4 adults and 3 kids under 5 all living in very close quarters, none of whom agree on how to raise/discipline said children makes for very tense and confrontational times.<br /><br />We got back Saturday and then did a small family Thanksgiving with Mom, Bob, Matt, Sara and myself. Everything came out great. I did a roast turkey (we will be eating it for DAYS), both vegetable and my apple-cashew stuffing, green bean casserole, mashed potatoes, and apple/caramel and pear/vanilla/cinnamon tarts. Thank goodness Matt and Mom stayed home from church to help me! I had them chopping and peeling...without them it would have taken a LOT longer to get everything together. I want to try and do a goose for christmas (another one of those never tried it, but I want to be able to say I've done it at least once things).<br /><br />I also need to work out better time management. I have SO many things I want (and have) to do. It seems everyday I wake up, and only a few hours later, it's time to go to bed..where has the time gone and what have I done with it??? I'm planning on sitting down and getting some sort of schedule down on paper. I need to set aside time for things like my clay, or it will just NEVER happen. Especially once I finish my class and get a "real" job I'm going to have even LESS time available.gryphonkessirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10231705469104638792noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33174659.post-91954575005966359482009-11-16T18:29:00.004-05:002009-11-16T18:41:24.116-05:00Random musings.<br /><div>Here are pics of Sara's school halloween parade and her costume on Haloween night (yes, I know I'm almost a month late).</div><div><br /><br /></div><div></div><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_9HrgiLuEMik/SwHgvdiJ4KI/AAAAAAAAAIc/Baqw25kU2lA/s1600/saraparade.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5404848133807661218" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_9HrgiLuEMik/SwHgvdiJ4KI/AAAAAAAAAIc/Baqw25kU2lA/s320/saraparade.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_9HrgiLuEMik/SwHg1u5ogQI/AAAAAAAAAIk/UypJx7ui7RE/s1600/saracostume.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5404848241548755202" style="WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_9HrgiLuEMik/SwHg1u5ogQI/AAAAAAAAAIk/UypJx7ui7RE/s320/saracostume.jpg" border="0" /></a></div><div> </div><div>It has been such a busy week (still)...don't think I'm going to make the craft show, since I have had NO time to work on any stock. I think I'm just going to wait till school is over and I can stock up for the spring craft shows. </div><div> </div><div>Over the weekend I did mange to do something I've been wating to do for awhile, I cooked a lamb roast. I haven't ever tried or cooked lamb, but I've wanted to for quite some time. I found a nice recipie on foodnetwork.com..roast lamb with sour cherry sauce. I also made (ok, I cooked up a premade mix) of Basmati Rice Pilaf. The lamb came out really well, but it has a very distinct flavor. Honestly I much prefer beef, so this will most likely be our last lamb. The rice was good (it's made with dried fruit, veggies and mixed nuts), if just a tad spicy. But, at least I can cross it off my list of things I want to try someday.<br /></div><div></div>gryphonkessirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10231705469104638792noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33174659.post-71145692094273526172009-11-12T06:07:00.002-05:002009-11-12T06:22:41.710-05:00No, I haven't fallen off the face of the earth. These past few weeks have been insanely busy. My Grandfather passed away Oct 23...he's in a much better place now. We're all having to adjust to not having him here now, he'd been living with mom for about 5 years now. The funeral was beautiful, though it rained cats and dogs the day we buried him.<br /><br />Standing in the freezing rain managed to exacerbate the colds we were all coming down with, because the last week of October Matt, Sara and I all had the martian death flu. I think we spent 3 straight days in bed.<br /><br />For halloween Sara was a skelanimals cat. For those of you without children, skelanimals are basically cute, skeletonized animals popular with young teens. There kind of a goth-gateway product. They're cute, though (<a href="http://skelanimals.com/">http://skelanimals.com/</a>). I do have pics, which I will post when I can find the camera.<br /><br />As a result of being sick, I'm several days behind on my studies, and scrambling to catch up. I literally spent 7 hours yesterday doing homework. Plus, mom tapes all her lectures for me on my digital recorder....which is nice, but I have 9 hours of classes to listen to still.<br /><br />Matt turned 32 on the 2nd of this month...birthdays are always a wonderful excuse to go get carvel ice cream cakes! I was planning a super-secret gift for him, but all the pieces didn't come in on time, so it will be moved to a christmas gift.<br /><br />Yesterday I went out early to run some errands. Mom took Ladybird out while I was gone while she was hanging laudry, and she decided to squeeze out of the fence and go running all over the neighborhood. When I got home, Matt threatened bodily harm to her if I didn't teach her to come when called. Seems he spent a good deal of time chasing her through our neighbor's yards ><. So we're working on that. I'd really really love to get her into an obediance class, I just do NOT have the time right now. I try to work with her 10-15 minutes a day, but on the big list of things to do obediance training the dog always seems to come near the end.<br /><br />Mom and I want to do a craft show at the end of the month...so I'm trying to get a collection of new pieces together. I have a goodly amount of my old stuff together, but I really want to get more clay pieces made. That and I have to make some sort of display devices for them all, too. If only I didn't need to sleep, this would all be so much easier.gryphonkessirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10231705469104638792noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33174659.post-74454390574934566992009-10-23T11:07:00.005-04:002009-10-23T11:20:58.810-04:00Toasty Flowers...<br /><br /><br />Ever since I got my clay, I've been sketching ideas for jewelry pieces I want to do..last week I settled on a design and have been planning out the piece. Tuesday I started making the intricate flower beads that would've been part of the necklace. Because they were 3d and delicate, I built a wire hanger to hold them up off the ground until they were fired in the kiln. After 3 days, I had them the way I wanted them, and started the kiln. Unfortunately, when I went to put the beads in the kiln I had to keep the door open to position the wire hanger...this caused the heating coil in the kiln to turn up very high, trying to heat the inside while the door was open (something I didn't realize till it was too late). I closed the door, and in a matter of minutes, the alarm on my kiln goes off (the alarm is set to go off whenever the kiln temp gets over 100 degrees higher than what the firing program says it should be). In a matter of 5 minutes my beautiful flowers are reduced to shrivled, blackened lumps.<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_9HrgiLuEMik/SuHJFV2ou7I/AAAAAAAAAIM/WXj7UBUEjFw/s1600-h/burnedwire.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395814922169400242" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_9HrgiLuEMik/SuHJFV2ou7I/AAAAAAAAAIM/WXj7UBUEjFw/s320/burnedwire.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />My Mcguyvered bead hanger (post Kiln)<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_9HrgiLuEMik/SuHJQrh9HAI/AAAAAAAAAIU/DeBRUmU-hM4/s1600-h/burnedflower.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395815116966796290" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_9HrgiLuEMik/SuHJQrh9HAI/AAAAAAAAAIU/DeBRUmU-hM4/s320/burnedflower.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br />My little black lumps.<br /><br /> So, today we have learned to put the bead hanger in BEFORE we turn on the kiln.gryphonkessirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10231705469104638792noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33174659.post-10542706934313759092009-10-17T09:06:00.002-04:002009-10-17T09:11:58.057-04:00We had the 1st snow of the year yesterday..ug! Ganted, it was about 1/4 of an incha nd was gone by noon, but still it's the principle of the thing. School has been super busy, so I haven't had much time to play with my clay. I'm hoping to get all my studying done today and have tomorrow after church to work on some pieces. We're going out to get Sara's Haloween costume today...she wants to be a skeleton cat. I guess it's a big chance from the fairy princess she's been the last 4 years!<br /><br />Poor little Ladybird got stepped on by mom's rottie, Annie last night while they were running around the yard..she was limping and crying all night. So, no more play-dates with Annie. I KNOW she doesn't mean to hurt Ladybird, but when you weigh 100 lbs and your playmate weighs 4 lbs, accidents WILL happen. Luckily Ladybird is all better this morning!gryphonkessirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10231705469104638792noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33174659.post-62685776137569866962009-10-08T15:28:00.007-04:002009-10-08T15:46:41.197-04:00Well Tuesday I finally broke out the clay (yay!!). I (attempted) to make some pumpkin earrings for my mom. They didn't come out TOO badly (though I forgot to take pics before I gave them to her). Making them, however I discovered I really hate Kato Polyclay (the brand of clay I bought). Clay has a workability----->durabilty scale. The softer a clay, the easier it is to work with, but the less durable the finished product will be. Firmer clays will make much more durable items, but they are stiff, and can be difficult to soften and condition without something like a pasta machine to use. Kato is at the far end of the durability spectrum, and since I have no specialzed clay kneading machines, it took nearly an hour to get a few square inches of clay soft enough to mold into earrings. So, I will be returning the clay. Luckily, my second choice was Premo brand clay, which they sell at AC Moore. I went down and picked up a few bars to try out at home before buying a large amount over the internet (again lol). <div><br /> </div><div><div>I LOVE it! It's great...here is a folk-sy cat pin I made mom. (all these pic will be slightly yellowed because I used our lamplight to shoot in, as we have no real sunlight in NY in Oct.<br /></div><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_9HrgiLuEMik/Ss4_IA8X8WI/AAAAAAAAAHk/UKUp-L_eg2o/s1600-h/catpin.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390315210933793122" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_9HrgiLuEMik/Ss4_IA8X8WI/AAAAAAAAAHk/UKUp-L_eg2o/s320/catpin.jpg" border="0" /></a></div><div><br /> </div><div>A close-up of the pansy decoration (mom LOVES pansys)</div><div><br /> </div><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_9HrgiLuEMik/Ss4_Z_4HKfI/AAAAAAAAAHs/U2QcfsbqQuo/s1600-h/pansy.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390315519885126130" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_9HrgiLuEMik/Ss4_Z_4HKfI/AAAAAAAAAHs/U2QcfsbqQuo/s320/pansy.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div><br /> </div><div>Here is a turtle pin I made for myself inspired by the art of Cristi Friesen who I think is a PHENOMINAL artist! (<a href="http://www.cforiginals.net/">http://www.cforiginals.net/</a>)</div><div><br /> </div><div></div><br /><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_9HrgiLuEMik/Ss4_4Qn8L8I/AAAAAAAAAH0/_yNbq_BHSOI/s1600-h/turtle1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390316039776776130" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_9HrgiLuEMik/Ss4_4Qn8L8I/AAAAAAAAAH0/_yNbq_BHSOI/s320/turtle1.jpg" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_9HrgiLuEMik/Ss4__Jh4rjI/AAAAAAAAAH8/vvbGNmkLZn4/s1600-h/turtle2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390316158131416626" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_9HrgiLuEMik/Ss4__Jh4rjI/AAAAAAAAAH8/vvbGNmkLZn4/s320/turtle2.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br /><div>I am much less pleased with how this came out. The wash came out very, very sloppy and pretty much makes the whole thing look dirty (it's hard to tell in the pics, but trust me, it's not pretty). Next time I'm going to water down the acrylic paint a bit..it was a bit lumpy and tended to clump and streak on the piece (I think I didn't wait for the clay to completely cool, so that may have been a factor as well..I was just so impatient lol).</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>I DO need to find somewhere to set up a mini-studio..just somewhere I can lay out all my tools and not have to keep picking them up and taking them out..this is what our living-room coffee table has looked like for the last 2 days:</div><br /><div></div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_9HrgiLuEMik/Ss5A4wYNlLI/AAAAAAAAAIE/L4ftoOn3iLc/s1600-h/mess.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390317147812369586" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_9HrgiLuEMik/Ss5A4wYNlLI/AAAAAAAAAIE/L4ftoOn3iLc/s320/mess.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><br /></div>I'm really excited about this new medium, hopefully I can get started on a few of the big jewelry pieces I have in my head soon.<br /><div></div></div>gryphonkessirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10231705469104638792noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33174659.post-54394870256086553222009-10-05T06:05:00.002-04:002009-10-05T06:12:45.150-04:00Well, my new clay arrived last thursday, and it sits there, mocking me. I haven't been able to play with it yet, because I have rather unexpectadly gone back to school. A BS in Biology doesn't really open any doors to finding a job in the biological sciences..rather it's a stepping stone for getting a masters or PhD in your chosen field, which WILL get you a job. I have been hunting for a job for two months, with very little luck. Then I kind of fell into a course in medical billing/coding. When I get certified I can find a job that is at least not minimum wage, and jobs in the health care field always have great benefits...this way I can much more easily help pay for Matt's graduate school. Unfortunately I came into the course a bit late, so I have a couple weeks of catching up to do this weekend, hence my inability to play with my clay.<br /><br />However, I'm pretty well caught up, so once Sara and Matt leave for the day, I am busting open that clay! My only concern now is can I remember how to program my kiln still? Lol, clay bakes at about 210 degrees, as opposed to glass at about 900. I told mom I'd do her a cat pin and a pair of pumpkin earrings, so at least I have a goal to practice on today..wish me luck :-). I'll post pics if they don't come out too laughable.gryphonkessirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10231705469104638792noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33174659.post-73185707929751344752009-09-26T07:30:00.004-04:002009-09-26T07:47:41.517-04:00The Leaves they are a changin'.<br />And the weather is getting cold...bah! We managed to move up to NY just in time for winter, my LEAST favorite season.<br /><br /><br /><br />On a completely differant note, I have been thinking about my jewelry lately. Since we've moved up here, I have been making some pieces, and as I was taking pictures the other day to update my ETSY store, I realized I was profoundly unhappy with the direction my jewelry has been going. They are not BAD pieces, mind you...just not what I picture in my head when I think about my "style" of jewelry crafting. After some thinking I realize what the problem is. Back in PA I had my own glass studio. If I needed a bead in a certain size/shape to complete a piece, I could just go make it.<br /><br /><br /><br />Granted, even after a year, I was still a VERY beginnner glassworker. Glass takes a very long time to learn and become proficient with. But still, now I have very generic beads, and in turn I am putting out very generic jewelry. Obviously, right now I have neither the time nor space to recreate my studio from PA.<br /><br /><br />I happened to be browsing some of my favorite bead websites when I saw this catalog cover piece:<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_9HrgiLuEMik/Sr399rOZAyI/AAAAAAAAAHc/J_KzqfewqKU/s1600-h/peacocknecklace.bmp"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385739965421912866" style="WIDTH: 242px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_9HrgiLuEMik/Sr399rOZAyI/AAAAAAAAAHc/J_KzqfewqKU/s320/peacocknecklace.bmp" border="0" /></a><br /><br />THIS looks like what I want to be able to put out! Something COMPELETELY unique, stylized and vibrant. I found out this is mostly made with polymer clay...so I've ordered some lol. I know that I'm back to square one, learning a new medium...but I need to be able to express my own style in my jewelry if I am ever going to be happy with it. Plus, clay is much more space and time friendly than glass. Now comes the hardest part, waiting for the delivery from the beadsite! (always the worst part!)gryphonkessirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10231705469104638792noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33174659.post-66074601851126094492009-09-17T15:57:00.003-04:002009-09-17T15:59:31.456-04:00Oh, and I forgot:<br /><br />For ANYONE who reads this and has a Nintento DS you MUST get Scribblenauts!<br /><a href="http://games.kidswb.com/scribblenauts/index2.html#/?cc=en&page=home">http://games.kidswb.com/scribblenauts/index2.html#/?cc=en&page=home</a><br /><br />No matter how cool it looks on the site, I can tell you it is infinitely more cool! We're fighting over the DS to play it lol.gryphonkessirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10231705469104638792noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33174659.post-21719793094079386182009-09-17T15:45:00.002-04:002009-09-17T15:51:39.100-04:00The truth about kittens.....<br /><br />So my mother runs a cat rescue group called wayward paws (<a href="http://www.waywardpaws.org/">www.waywardpaws.org</a>). A few weeks ago she got a group of three kittens who were very young, and needed round-the-clock-care. So, since she's working, driving out to see grandpa at the nursing home everyday, and generally running around like a chicken with her head cut off, I volunteered to take care of them. The first week was rough...we had to bottle feed them every two hours around the clock. Plus, while cats are very tidy and clean creatures, young kittns poop on everything, including themselves..so we were scrubbing poop off them several times a day, too. They're down to a few bottles a day, supplimented by canned food ( which stinks, and makes their poo stink, too). I don't remember where I read it, but I remember hearing somewhere that young animals are cute because otherwise their parents wouldn't put all the effort into taking care of their needy-arses. Man, I agree with that! Plus, after seeing how they crod and bite and claw at my hands and bottle at feeding time, I have decided that the worst job in the world is to be a mother cat!gryphonkessirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10231705469104638792noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33174659.post-1013665108150408062009-09-08T14:12:00.005-04:002009-09-08T14:23:54.178-04:00Goin' to the Fair. <div><br />So Last tuesday we went to the Great New York State Fair. Matt and Sara had never been to a state fair, and it was LOTS of fun (though Matt complained about the overpriced food and games...I probably should've warned him).</div><div><br /><br /></div><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_9HrgiLuEMik/Sqaf47BCgVI/AAAAAAAAAHM/qX_2wwhIcZs/s1600-h/fairline.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5379162605204177234" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_9HrgiLuEMik/Sqaf47BCgVI/AAAAAAAAAHM/qX_2wwhIcZs/s320/fairline.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div><br /><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>We decided to park and ride from Shoppingtown Mall rather than pay 10 bucks and fight traffic by parking at the fair....if you look closely you can see the line wrapping around the parking lot for everyone waiting for the bus behind Matt (we're at the end of the line...of course!)<br /><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_9HrgiLuEMik/Sqae8ow3v2I/AAAAAAAAAG8/F_npofx-pCc/s1600-h/mattnsaraindairy.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5379161569512374114" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_9HrgiLuEMik/Sqae8ow3v2I/AAAAAAAAAG8/F_npofx-pCc/s320/mattnsaraindairy.jpg" border="0" /></a></div><div><br />Matt and Sara in the Dairy building (where we got some NUMMY ice cream).</div><div><br />We saw a lot of livestock. Sara loved the rabbits and chickens, and I was happy because it was Draft Horse day at the horse show ( I LOOOVE draft horses!)</div><div><br /><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_9HrgiLuEMik/SqafTno0-EI/AAAAAAAAAHE/cedM9eeto1A/s1600-h/saraandchick.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5379161964347193410" style="WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_9HrgiLuEMik/SqafTno0-EI/AAAAAAAAAHE/cedM9eeto1A/s320/saraandchick.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /></div><div></div><div>Sara got to hold a chick at the Youth building (Where we also picked up some info on getting her into 4-H if she wants to).</div><div><br />Sara was upset because we missed all the Duck Races, but she liked the birds of Prey exhibit near the center of the fair. We looked for Jen's work in the arts and crafts displays but all we saw were quilts (Jen later told us we had to go up to the 3rd floor..we'll know for next year).</div><div><br /></div><div></div><div>After some really good, really greasy, and really expensive food we headed over to the midway where Sara had a ball spending $15 to win a small rubber ball and a tiny stuffed fish. Then she went on the rides :-).</div><div><br /></div><div></div><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_9HrgiLuEMik/SqagkpgVTzI/AAAAAAAAAHU/2_CKZDPSl6I/s1600-h/saraslide.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5379163356417838898" style="WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_9HrgiLuEMik/SqagkpgVTzI/AAAAAAAAAHU/2_CKZDPSl6I/s320/saraslide.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div></div><div><br /><br /></div><div></div><div>Her favorite was the Giant-Plastic-Slide-you-Ride-on-a-Carpet-Down. She also wanted to go through one of the funhouses..I was surprised when she went all the way through all on her own.</div><div> </div><div>Some Fried-dough-with-apples and a short walk later and it was back on the bus to go home. We had a great time, though next year, I want to spend more time watching the horses, no matter how muh Sara and Matt complain.<br /><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><br /></div><div></div>gryphonkessirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10231705469104638792noreply@blogger.com1