Yumiko’s Neighborhood

Oh yeah, I rule.

So, today I have made a Spice Cake (from the box) and a Carrot Cake (from scratch). What possessed me to go at this project, i'll never know. but i now have a new respect for Betty Crocker and the Pillsbury Dough boy. Sifting is a pain in the patootie, grating the carrots is mind numbing, and getting all the necessary tools is expensive. But the cakes have just come out of the oven and they are cooling now. It's my first attempt at a layer cake, so lets hope it comes out ok. And for tomorrow I've got all the stuff for my macaroni and cheese casserole. This will be thanksgiving number three with the boyfriends family. Last year was a little stressed because L-mom was diagnosed with cancer. But she has gone into remission, so this year she has tried to keep me from cooking much. She felt bad because I cooked the whole thing last year. I don't know why she feels bad. I didn't have to do it. i wanted to cook for the family. My mom was out of town, so it's not like I had anything else to concentrate on. This year is going to be stressful though, because I have promised my mother that I would take her out to take advantage of all the BF Sales. *sigh* Wish me luck...

Tiny book inside recto

Here's a cute little experiment that worked out fairly well.  I wanted to explore tiny books, as the big ones are too hard for me at the moment, with all that measuring and stitching.  The main problem here is that the paper's not strong enough to make it stand up on its own.  Nice curiosity, tho.

Tempus fugit

Tarot book project

When I last went to the Newark Museum, I visited the Tibetan exhibit, and fell in love with the books.  Apparently, traditional Tibetan crafters didn't work from the codex model.  Instead, the holy books were stacks of loose paper held between two large wood/leather/metal plates and tied.  Really elegant.  I decided this would make a good use of that Tarot deck I've been noodling around with for years.  The pages are really straightforward, but I have to puzzle out the covers now.

Lady's amulet

Probably the *prettiest* thing I've made in a while.  Its coordinating earrings are below...white is such a departure for me, but I think it's a useful "cleansing of the palette".

Nest earrings

Finally, there's a revisit of a necklace I made over the summer.  I was never 100% happy with it, and this is because it's too small.  Too simple.  I tried to stay away from excess in my own jewelry for a long time, but I came to realize that too much is too much, but way too much is just getting warmed up.

Layout

Cork

Here's the pendant i'm making for the thing.  The cork is decorated, as you can see - I ran a pin through it which will allow me to use the bottle as a pendant without wrapping it in wire.  The photo below doens't quite capture the colors, but I was goign for a sunkentreasure thing.  There's a cowrie shell, a lot of iridescent black seed beads glued all over, some tiny trinkets, and a dangle from the underside of the cork.  Very ambitious, but I like it.  I'm now, as of writing this, torn between putting it on my necklace or making it its own piece.

Bottle

So, it's been a while since I've actually played on Illustrator or Photoshop. Since that's what I went to school for, I figured I oughtta go ahead and make some use of these valuable programs. I've decided to make some banners to try and get myself back in the groove. Drop me a line if you want a commission =)

it seems that I have been blessed with a stomach bug. This one seems unique though. There is no coughing, sneezing, or other cold or flu symptoms. Thankfully there is no gastrointestinal discomfort other than the tummy ache. 

Last night I had a nasty little stomach ache... More at 11...

Copper bracelet

This is not my first foray into bracelets, but I think it's my first big-link item and I guess it's acceptable.  I'm not sure how much I like it - i may or may not keep it in its present state.  There's too little on the chain.

Copper earrings

Refurbbed ring

The other day  there were 2 jewelry stands at school, selling the usual costume/'junk' pieces.  I found a couple dollar-bin things to part out, as well as this awesome ring for $4!  The original "stone" popped out that day but being the veteran of cheap jewelry that I am, I saw this as an opportunity to make it into something cooler.  So on goes the Bead for Life bead, as well as some bone-looking rounds and amber seeds.  Nothing valuable, breakable, or irreplaceable.

Action shot

Good craft move!  If it wasn't for the bra strap showing, I'd call this my dust jacket shot ;)

All right, so I've been at the nursing home for a year now, (NOT as a resident!) and have decided to take my vacation. Ahhhhh.. I've never actually taken paid time off from work. I could get used to this.

So far My Honey and I have  taken the twins to the Children's Museum, followed by a relaxing lunch at El Senor Sol and a quick trip to the REI for mittens. I know doesn't sound too exciting, but I had fun. The next day we took a bike ride to a nearby pond and hung out for a little bit, and then went on to a playground and just let the boys have at it while we lay in the shade on some nice cool grass. Again, not exciting, but I enjoyed it immensely. I have some pictures to share, but they aren't very good. I had to use my camera phone as our camera still isn't repaired or replaced yet. (Long story, to be remedied soon.)

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Ouside the Children's Museum

Landgon and Trevor as firemen

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Langdon dressed as a worm

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Trevor dresses as an ant

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Langdon tries his hand as a vet

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Trevor climbs aboard a tennis shoe wearing tree

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Kev and the boys playing in the pond.

Marco polo earrings

"There are visions, there are memories
There are echoes of thundering hooves
There are fires, there is laughter
There's the sound of a thousand doves"

-"Night Ride Across the Caucasus", Loreen McKennitt

ln a weird way, I feel I owe Ms. McKennitt a percentage of all sales :)  Don't ask me how, but her music has transmuted into art for me!  These earrings are simple and charming, but I'm not sold on the mixed metals here.  I need more antiqued brass findings, so they may have to be shelved for the moment.

We are the emerald earrings

"Gaze into our depths: we are the Emerald,
Everlasting and leafy, like the soul of the oceans,
Where perfumes roam through the warm night,
And flows the wave of the great angels of the wind."

-"Gaze into our depths: we are the Emerald", Charles van Lergerghe

Poetry also works in this process!  Especially the Symbolists, since I have no clue what they were talking about....

Nile earrings

Next we have these Nile earrings - pretty easy to trace their influence!  I was lucky to find 2 of the little "lotus" beads that top the rectangles. 

Amphora earrings

Before I go any further, 'They' are my teenage children. :-)