Fridaily with Sketch Fest
Feb. 12th, 2016 04:54 pmAfter a short hiccup, Sketch Fest is now running! http://www.ellenmilliongraphics.com/sketchfest/sketchfestprompters.php
I've done four full-page sketches, and quite like all of them as potential coloring book pages!

( Read more... )
They are all available at Sketch Fest as to-be-finished art (in ink). http://www.ellenmilliongraphics.com/sketchfest/sketchfestartist.php?id=9
Layla came over and brought crepes, and Alex brought chocolate chip cookies, so I'm feeling quite full of delicious things and artistic satisfaction.
Guppy and I went swimming this morning, and mailed two big boxes of coloring books, and it's generally been a lovely, sunny day. As I mentioned in a comment on Facebook, there is no sunshine in the world like February sunshine in the interior of Alaska. *drinks it up*
I've done four full-page sketches, and quite like all of them as potential coloring book pages!

( Read more... )
They are all available at Sketch Fest as to-be-finished art (in ink). http://www.ellenmilliongraphics.com/sketchfest/sketchfestartist.php?id=9
Layla came over and brought crepes, and Alex brought chocolate chip cookies, so I'm feeling quite full of delicious things and artistic satisfaction.
Guppy and I went swimming this morning, and mailed two big boxes of coloring books, and it's generally been a lovely, sunny day. As I mentioned in a comment on Facebook, there is no sunshine in the world like February sunshine in the interior of Alaska. *drinks it up*
Mondaily with vacation report in brief...
Feb. 1st, 2016 01:03 pmHappy new year! I am back from my vacation, which was partly just an escape from business and social media (much needed!), and partly an actual-factual escape to sunlight and warmer climes - we spent some of the time in Hawaii! None of us had ever been there, and we can't wait to go back. Guppy is a fabulous traveler.

Now I'm back at my desk adulting again - and I've got lots to catch up on.
I have already unrolled a Sketch Fest improvement that should be pretty major - the prompts page has been streamlined SIGNIFICANTLY, and now loads a literal 30 times faster. *polishes knuckles* Sketch Fest #71 is NEXT weekend - we've got a Facebook event here: https://www.facebook.com/events/1639152869681450/
I got my trashy novella all formatted for publication (it feels like that took as long as actually writing the darn thing...), and have started on my next.
Coloring books are back up for order - I nearly sold out of my fulfilled by Amazon selection while I was away, which was lovely, so I'll need to stock them again. (But it's always cheaper/better to buy them through my webpage, of course: http://www.ellenmilliongraphics.com/coloringbooks.php )
Now, we're back in the cold and dark (OMG, the dark. It's almost painfully dark.) and going outside to play on sleds at 8 degrees.

(I've missed you guys! I hope you had a fabulous time while I was away! Let me know if anything momentous happened while I was out!)
Now I'm back at my desk adulting again - and I've got lots to catch up on.
I have already unrolled a Sketch Fest improvement that should be pretty major - the prompts page has been streamlined SIGNIFICANTLY, and now loads a literal 30 times faster. *polishes knuckles* Sketch Fest #71 is NEXT weekend - we've got a Facebook event here: https://www.facebook.com/events/1639152869681450/
I got my trashy novella all formatted for publication (it feels like that took as long as actually writing the darn thing...), and have started on my next.
Coloring books are back up for order - I nearly sold out of my fulfilled by Amazon selection while I was away, which was lovely, so I'll need to stock them again. (But it's always cheaper/better to buy them through my webpage, of course: http://www.ellenmilliongraphics.com/coloringbooks.php )
Now, we're back in the cold and dark (OMG, the dark. It's almost painfully dark.) and going outside to play on sleds at 8 degrees.
(I've missed you guys! I hope you had a fabulous time while I was away! Let me know if anything momentous happened while I was out!)
80! My inbox is down to EIGHTY. This is down from about 300 this morning. *flops*
I found another Inktober piece I hadn't posted:

(original available: $10 includes US shipping) on hold
I've been continuing to clean and purge, in bits and fits, and one of those fits I found the bound copy of the Upheaval novel that I wrote for NaNo a few years back. And... it's not terrible. It's actually really GOOD in places, and I'm getting excited to start filling in some of the big gaps and fixing up the characterization. (Oh look, this character gets REALLY important in the last chapter. Maybe I should actually mention them at some previous point... and give them a name.).
I got the Kickstarter surveys compiled into a document today so I could look at the trends: people felt strongly about zombies (some people wanted them, more REALLY didn't). The next most mentioned was Fantastrix, which was perfectly evenly divided between people who didn't want it (largely because they already had it!) and those that did. Most responders (by one!) didn't care what they got.
There is a FB event for the next Sketch Fest: https://www.facebook.com/events/1639152869681450/
It is not until February, because I am REALLY SUPER SERIOUS about taking a sanity month. I am going to put on an autoresponder, and just step away for a while and do without having to update anything or answer anything or fill orders or do customer service or help anyone reset their password. Orders have trickled away to nothing, so I'm tempted to close up a few days early. Very tempted.
Fire and wood now - it's not as cold as I was hoping it would get, but it's still chilly, and I've let the fire die down. Brr!
I found another Inktober piece I hadn't posted:

I've been continuing to clean and purge, in bits and fits, and one of those fits I found the bound copy of the Upheaval novel that I wrote for NaNo a few years back. And... it's not terrible. It's actually really GOOD in places, and I'm getting excited to start filling in some of the big gaps and fixing up the characterization. (Oh look, this character gets REALLY important in the last chapter. Maybe I should actually mention them at some previous point... and give them a name.).
I got the Kickstarter surveys compiled into a document today so I could look at the trends: people felt strongly about zombies (some people wanted them, more REALLY didn't). The next most mentioned was Fantastrix, which was perfectly evenly divided between people who didn't want it (largely because they already had it!) and those that did. Most responders (by one!) didn't care what they got.
There is a FB event for the next Sketch Fest: https://www.facebook.com/events/1639152869681450/
It is not until February, because I am REALLY SUPER SERIOUS about taking a sanity month. I am going to put on an autoresponder, and just step away for a while and do without having to update anything or answer anything or fill orders or do customer service or help anyone reset their password. Orders have trickled away to nothing, so I'm tempted to close up a few days early. Very tempted.
Fire and wood now - it's not as cold as I was hoping it would get, but it's still chilly, and I've let the fire die down. Brr!
I am thwarted in my present wrapping/mailing. I am out of tape! I used up my shipping tape, and then my back-up emergency brown shipping tape, the last two rotations of an ancient scotch tape roll, and even some masking tape. I have new shipping tape on order - it's waiting at the post office actually! But it is cooooold today, and we are staying home and keeping the fire going.
We made progress on the bathroom this weekend - cut out a plywood panel and drilled holes in it. I will be sanding and putting down a base coat as soon as I'm sure Guppy is asleep. (She was "talking to Astrid", last time I checked in with her.) Next weekend, we'll get sheetrock up!
I had to shovel off our woodpiles this morning to bring in more wood, and I uncovered the standpipes for our fuel tanks while I was at it. Guppy 'helped.'
And then I packed boxes until I ran out of tape. Mostly gift boxes - coloring book orders are not as brisk as I was hoping for this time of year, and it is almost anticlimactic to get them, they are SO easy to put out now that I've standardized everything. It used to take a WHILE to get each individual order out. I spent time with that order, got to know it, you know? Now, it takes a few seconds, so even when I've got a respectable pile to send, it doesn't feel like it takes any time. Boom, done. This is GREAT, but it leaves me feeling like I'm not selling much, even when I'm doing pretty well.
This weekend, I also spent some time filling up my new tool chest with art supplies. In the way that trying to organize 'one little thing' so often turns out, I basically dismantled my studio and reassembled it better. There were a few 'drifts' of stuff that dated back to 2013, so it was FAR past time for a good cleaning. I generated several large boxes of trash, got rid of an awful cheap set of plastic drawers, and all of my tools are easy to get to and find now. It is SUPER inspiring, actually. I am itching for sit-down-and-paint time. I want to replace my main table still - it got a little sway-backed from the big printer I got rid of last year, and I made myself another foot of space, so I can fit a full 6 foot table in instead of this 5 foot thing. I have incomplete boxes stacked about right now, but I can see through those piles to the very nice space it's going to be, and it's very exciting.
There was a Sketch Fest this weekend, and I got two very rough sketches done. http://www.ellenmilliongraphics.com/sketchfest/sketchfestartist.php?id=9&date=70
I've got a new portrait up at Torn World:

Here's another piece from #Inktober that I hadn't posted yet!

I am so pleased with our Christmas tree. It is the prettiest one we've ever had. I will try to get good photos of it soon.
We made progress on the bathroom this weekend - cut out a plywood panel and drilled holes in it. I will be sanding and putting down a base coat as soon as I'm sure Guppy is asleep. (She was "talking to Astrid", last time I checked in with her.) Next weekend, we'll get sheetrock up!
I had to shovel off our woodpiles this morning to bring in more wood, and I uncovered the standpipes for our fuel tanks while I was at it. Guppy 'helped.'
And then I packed boxes until I ran out of tape. Mostly gift boxes - coloring book orders are not as brisk as I was hoping for this time of year, and it is almost anticlimactic to get them, they are SO easy to put out now that I've standardized everything. It used to take a WHILE to get each individual order out. I spent time with that order, got to know it, you know? Now, it takes a few seconds, so even when I've got a respectable pile to send, it doesn't feel like it takes any time. Boom, done. This is GREAT, but it leaves me feeling like I'm not selling much, even when I'm doing pretty well.
This weekend, I also spent some time filling up my new tool chest with art supplies. In the way that trying to organize 'one little thing' so often turns out, I basically dismantled my studio and reassembled it better. There were a few 'drifts' of stuff that dated back to 2013, so it was FAR past time for a good cleaning. I generated several large boxes of trash, got rid of an awful cheap set of plastic drawers, and all of my tools are easy to get to and find now. It is SUPER inspiring, actually. I am itching for sit-down-and-paint time. I want to replace my main table still - it got a little sway-backed from the big printer I got rid of last year, and I made myself another foot of space, so I can fit a full 6 foot table in instead of this 5 foot thing. I have incomplete boxes stacked about right now, but I can see through those piles to the very nice space it's going to be, and it's very exciting.
There was a Sketch Fest this weekend, and I got two very rough sketches done. http://www.ellenmilliongraphics.com/sketchfest/sketchfestartist.php?id=9&date=70
I've got a new portrait up at Torn World:

Here's another piece from #Inktober that I hadn't posted yet!

I am so pleased with our Christmas tree. It is the prettiest one we've ever had. I will try to get good photos of it soon.
Fridaily with Sketch Fest!
Sep. 18th, 2015 03:48 pmCome join us for a 48 hour sketch jam! http://www.ellenmilliongraphics.com/sketchfest/ It's a great way to jumpstart your creativity.
I have completed four sketches, which I plan to ink next month during Inktober!
My favorite:

Layla came over with tasty food and we sketch jammed for a bit. Now, I have to buckle down on inking kittens. Kittens with wings and Christmas lights and crazy amounts of fiddly detail because I am clearly insane.
I have completed four sketches, which I plan to ink next month during Inktober!
My favorite:

Layla came over with tasty food and we sketch jammed for a bit. Now, I have to buckle down on inking kittens. Kittens with wings and Christmas lights and crazy amounts of fiddly detail because I am clearly insane.
Thursdaily with funny Guppy story
Aug. 20th, 2015 02:36 pmI've been trying to get her to wear more than three of her favorite dresses.

I often ask her if she dreamed when I go collect her from her naps or in the morning. One afternoon, she told me, "Just one dream. It was TIE DYE!"
Which sounds like a perfectly lovely dream to have.
...
Newest coloring book approved for print.
Today's excitement is trying to track down an order to Sweden, which went to Anchorage, then to San Francisco. Then Anchorage. Then Fairbanks. Then Anchorage. Then Fairbanks. Then Anchorage. Then Fairbanks, a week ago. Nothing since. I double-checked both addresses, and it ought to be just fine. *baffled*
Okay, art now. Making a game try for this Finish Fest thing!
I often ask her if she dreamed when I go collect her from her naps or in the morning. One afternoon, she told me, "Just one dream. It was TIE DYE!"
Which sounds like a perfectly lovely dream to have.
...
Newest coloring book approved for print.
Today's excitement is trying to track down an order to Sweden, which went to Anchorage, then to San Francisco. Then Anchorage. Then Fairbanks. Then Anchorage. Then Fairbanks. Then Anchorage. Then Fairbanks, a week ago. Nothing since. I double-checked both addresses, and it ought to be just fine. *baffled*
Okay, art now. Making a game try for this Finish Fest thing!
Wednesdaily with domestic stuff
Aug. 19th, 2015 03:04 pmThis morning, I have:
Scooped the catbox, vacuumed, washed the dishes, fetched the water, bought bagels, got the farm share, made granola, (fridge) pickled some old cucumbers, made cranberry zucchini muffins, washed more dishes, chopped up and frozen more farm share things, and replaced the next coloring book cover with the printer for a second proof.
The child who should be sleeping is hollering about how it's morning, or she's hurt her finger, or she has to sit on the potty, or some other avoidance tactic that's not working.
Here's a photo from cranberry picking on Monday evening:

Now I am knuckling down for Finish Fest. My loose goal at the beginning of the week was to do 7 - one for every day of the week. But I picked for my second a ridiculously detailed full-page piece that I'm just starting to ink now, so... it may end up being something less than that.
Scooped the catbox, vacuumed, washed the dishes, fetched the water, bought bagels, got the farm share, made granola, (fridge) pickled some old cucumbers, made cranberry zucchini muffins, washed more dishes, chopped up and frozen more farm share things, and replaced the next coloring book cover with the printer for a second proof.
The child who should be sleeping is hollering about how it's morning, or she's hurt her finger, or she has to sit on the potty, or some other avoidance tactic that's not working.
Here's a photo from cranberry picking on Monday evening:
Now I am knuckling down for Finish Fest. My loose goal at the beginning of the week was to do 7 - one for every day of the week. But I picked for my second a ridiculously detailed full-page piece that I'm just starting to ink now, so... it may end up being something less than that.
I got three sketches done for Sketch Fest this weekend - one is already finished! The other I will be finishing as part of Finish Fest - a week-long event to encourage people to dig up their Sketch Fest work and take the time to complete it. (There are prizes! You should play along!)
This weekend was busy - we put up another wall of sheetrock, and the little bit above the door. I need to set up my new phone, but keep putting it off. I also did inventory and realized I was nearly out of two of my best-selling titles, so those have been reordered, in good quantity! And, another NEW coloring book was put together and sent off for proofs.

I came upstairs to find Jake and Guppy putting this together. "We tried to make Escher stairs," Jake explained. "But we ran out of dimensions."
We did running around today, including re-stocking the coloring books at the bookstore downtown.
Child is hollering 'Good MORNING,' even though I JUST put her down for her nap. "I SAID GOOD MORNING!"
This weekend was busy - we put up another wall of sheetrock, and the little bit above the door. I need to set up my new phone, but keep putting it off. I also did inventory and realized I was nearly out of two of my best-selling titles, so those have been reordered, in good quantity! And, another NEW coloring book was put together and sent off for proofs.
I came upstairs to find Jake and Guppy putting this together. "We tried to make Escher stairs," Jake explained. "But we ran out of dimensions."
We did running around today, including re-stocking the coloring books at the bookstore downtown.
Child is hollering 'Good MORNING,' even though I JUST put her down for her nap. "I SAID GOOD MORNING!"
Fridaily - Sketch Fest!
Aug. 14th, 2015 05:08 pmI wrote just shy of 500 words this morning before I got orders out and did some admin and ordered more packing supplies (30% off plus FREE SHIPPING = opportunity I can't pass up. I will FIND space for the 1300 envelopes I just ordered.) and worked on the next coloring book(s) a bit.
Today is Sketch Fest, which appears to have launched smoothly while I was ferrying childcare home and going to the post office and bank and park and getting water in the truck.
http://www.ellenmilliongraphics.com/sketchfest/sketchfestprompters.php
You should come leave us some prompts to draw from!
I am off to sketch.
Project tally:
AotM: 2/5 ready to ink, 1/5 rough sketched (due October 1)
WoA: 2/6 finished. (due October 15)
DB: 13464 words (suspect it will tie up at about 20k)
Today is Sketch Fest, which appears to have launched smoothly while I was ferrying childcare home and going to the post office and bank and park and getting water in the truck.
http://www.ellenmilliongraphics.com/sketchfest/sketchfestprompters.php
You should come leave us some prompts to draw from!
I am off to sketch.
Project tally:
AotM: 2/5 ready to ink, 1/5 rough sketched (due October 1)
WoA: 2/6 finished. (due October 15)
DB: 13464 words (suspect it will tie up at about 20k)
Mondaily with sick...
Jul. 27th, 2015 09:27 amI survived the weekend, and feverishly did laundry and cleaned and cooked in anticipation of catching Jake's cold. Which I did, right on schedule. So far, it's just a little exhaustion and a sore throat, but I'm braced for worse. We're well stocked on chicken soups and crackers, plus zucchini-blueberry muffins, and granola. I canceled childcare this morning, because I don't offer hazard pay.
It's cold and foggy and drizzly today anyway, so Guppy (who says her neck hurts) and I are making a movie day of it. So far, Cinderella and we're starting Hercules. I tried to get Aladdin, but it's not available for instant viewing, darn it.
Guppy is being suspiciously mellow about sitting in Papa's chair with a handful of toys while she zones out at the TV. It's not often she'll sit still through a whole movie, let alone all of one into another.
Have some photos from last week, because neither of us is looking particularly cute today...

We went up for ice cream and frisbee at the university with
laylalawlor last week. With luck, we'll be back up to steam for ice cream this week, too.

She got a new set of paints this week, too, and sat right down to seriously make a painting.

Is that not the most wonderfully ridiculous new hat?
Off to slog foggily through Sketch Fest things...
It's cold and foggy and drizzly today anyway, so Guppy (who says her neck hurts) and I are making a movie day of it. So far, Cinderella and we're starting Hercules. I tried to get Aladdin, but it's not available for instant viewing, darn it.
Guppy is being suspiciously mellow about sitting in Papa's chair with a handful of toys while she zones out at the TV. It's not often she'll sit still through a whole movie, let alone all of one into another.
Have some photos from last week, because neither of us is looking particularly cute today...
We went up for ice cream and frisbee at the university with
![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
She got a new set of paints this week, too, and sat right down to seriously make a painting.
Is that not the most wonderfully ridiculous new hat?
Off to slog foggily through Sketch Fest things...
I have a new digistamp up at Etsy! https://www.etsy.com/listing/231092373/uncovering-atlantis-mermaid-digi-stamp
Sketch Fest starts in a few hours! http://www.ellenmilliongraphics.com/sketchfest/index.php
More world domination in progress! MWAHAHAHAHA
Artwork nearly finished! Just needs a little paint and pencil touchup and scanning.
A photo from a few days ago - she wanted TWO braids. (Today, I have THREE braids.)

I've got people coming over for Sketch Fest, so I need to give the house a good once-over, and there is outside play required, and I may need to make granola and I'm working on this spreadsheet, and there are emails to deal with...
*flees*
Sketch Fest starts in a few hours! http://www.ellenmilliongraphics.com/sketchfest/index.php
More world domination in progress! MWAHAHAHAHA
Artwork nearly finished! Just needs a little paint and pencil touchup and scanning.
A photo from a few days ago - she wanted TWO braids. (Today, I have THREE braids.)
I've got people coming over for Sketch Fest, so I need to give the house a good once-over, and there is outside play required, and I may need to make granola and I'm working on this spreadsheet, and there are emails to deal with...
*flees*
Thursdaily
Apr. 23rd, 2015 03:44 pmStill doggedly working at taking over the world. Tomorrow is Sketch Fest!
I covet one of these: http://esterroi.com/blog/post/2010/06/my-art-studio-part-2
(And also, enough markers to fill it. Is there such a thing as enough Copic Markers? I'm beginning to doubt it.)
Artwork going well. Wrote up the meaning and symbolism of my 78Tarot card and am feeling good about my progress. Edits on my story for the anthology are slow but going well. Muse Fusion next week. Decided on YES, a coloring book for Sea Monster month - I have enough finished or partly done pieces that it won't be a crazy headache. (Probably.) It's half-sized, so in a pinch (ie: not enough supporters to warrant a professional run), I can print it myself. Debated a multi-artist push. Got too lazy. (Sorry, other artists!)
We shoveled the snow off of Guppy's sandbox, and that has been a source of fun and entertainment:

Yes, that is snow around the sandbox. And icicles along the bank behind her. But it feels nice and warm in the sun! Yesterday afternoon, the thermometer on the porch said 75. This morning it said 25. Big swings, this time of year.
Off to do precious, precious art during precious, precious naptime.
I covet one of these: http://esterroi.com/blog/post/2010/06/my-art-studio-part-2
(And also, enough markers to fill it. Is there such a thing as enough Copic Markers? I'm beginning to doubt it.)
Artwork going well. Wrote up the meaning and symbolism of my 78Tarot card and am feeling good about my progress. Edits on my story for the anthology are slow but going well. Muse Fusion next week. Decided on YES, a coloring book for Sea Monster month - I have enough finished or partly done pieces that it won't be a crazy headache. (Probably.) It's half-sized, so in a pinch (ie: not enough supporters to warrant a professional run), I can print it myself. Debated a multi-artist push. Got too lazy. (Sorry, other artists!)
We shoveled the snow off of Guppy's sandbox, and that has been a source of fun and entertainment:
Yes, that is snow around the sandbox. And icicles along the bank behind her. But it feels nice and warm in the sun! Yesterday afternoon, the thermometer on the porch said 75. This morning it said 25. Big swings, this time of year.
Off to do precious, precious art during precious, precious naptime.
Fridaily with Sketch Fest
Mar. 13th, 2015 05:52 pmFriday feels a little out of step because I slept in and everything is just a tad off now.
Two sketches so far for Sketch Fest: http://www.ellenmilliongraphics.com/sketchfest/sketchfestgallery.php?date=61


Some programming and cleaning and fire-building done, too. Still in love with my story - I didn't get anything written today, but I got it to a little over 2000 words yesterday. Read The Goose Girl, which was a lovely book. Very true to the original material, and just the right mix of magic, mystery, and realism. Toasting a bagel now. Life is good.
Two sketches so far for Sketch Fest: http://www.ellenmilliongraphics.com/sketchfest/sketchfestgallery.php?date=61


Some programming and cleaning and fire-building done, too. Still in love with my story - I didn't get anything written today, but I got it to a little over 2000 words yesterday. Read The Goose Girl, which was a lovely book. Very true to the original material, and just the right mix of magic, mystery, and realism. Toasting a bagel now. Life is good.
Sketch Fest! Going now!
Feb. 14th, 2015 10:43 amThere is a Sketch Fest, going on now!
http://ellenmilliongraphics.com/sketchfest/
I have done two very rough sketches, I hope to have time for more later, but I hear dangerous silence that I have to go investigate now...
ETA: I have good instincts. That... was distinctly unpleasant, and involved changing a diaper in the shower and following that by scrubbing the shower with bleach. The pants were thrown away.
http://ellenmilliongraphics.com/sketchfest/
I have done two very rough sketches, I hope to have time for more later, but I hear dangerous silence that I have to go investigate now...
ETA: I have good instincts. That... was distinctly unpleasant, and involved changing a diaper in the shower and following that by scrubbing the shower with bleach. The pants were thrown away.
Because I am a FREAKING GENIUS: http://portraitadoption.com/searchmulticat.php
And I don't mean that sarcastically. I feel very pleased with my smartness this morning, having built this page from scratch to make finding portraits at PA a breeze. It's not finished yet (the form should retain your choices after it's submitted, and it will also allow you to filter by originals-only and customization!), so it's not in the menus yet, but is that awesome or what?
I got a lot of artwork done this weekend - I did seven sketches for Sketch Fest/Muse Fusion, and inked another two Portrait Adoption pieces that I plan to do in color. Because color is my bane and darnit, I'm going to get better at it instead of just staying scared.
This is probably my favorite:

Prompted by a story by
ysabetwordsmith, which was prompted by a prompt by
wyld_dandelyon.
Last night was not terrifically restful. At 1:30, I woke abruptly and lay there for a moment trying to figure out if Guppy was crying.
CHIRP.
Oh, tell me it's not. Or maybe the smoke alarm people finally got wise and put a really long tail on the stupid low battery alarm and it won't chirp again until --
CHIRP.
UUUUUGGGGGHHHHH. Maybe I can sleep through it if I pull the blanket over my head. It hasn't woken up the child, and the husband is still breathing steadily.
CHIRP.
And... CLICK draaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaag.
CLICK draaaaaaaaaaaaaaag.
CLICK draaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaag.
That, for the uninitiated, is the sound of a nervous 100 pound dog who doesn't like high-pitched noises doing his terrified slow-motion stalk around the living room.
CHIRP.
CLICK draaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaag...
So, I got up, got dressed, got the ladder out of the basement, changed the stupid battery...
CHIRP.
$%&*^$%$#@!!
But fortunately, it was just one last horrah, and changing the battery really did shut it up, and I could go put the ladder away, reassure the dog that everything was okay, and go back to bed.
I didn't get right back to sleep, and the child woke before the alarm saying her tummy hurt, she was sad, she needed a hug... the things she rotates through because they once got her out of bed early and she has a memory like an elephant. I changed her diaper (which was full) and tucked her back in, returned for a half an hour of pre-alarm cuddling, and faced my day with eyes full of sand.
It is 32 below today, and gorgeous. The sun isn't up yet, but it's trying, so everything is this murky blue, and covered with fluffy snow and frost. I've got the woodstove cooking away, and it's very nice and cozy and inviting me to nap. I'm going to go shower, instead, because Guppy is due to wake up at any moment...
And I don't mean that sarcastically. I feel very pleased with my smartness this morning, having built this page from scratch to make finding portraits at PA a breeze. It's not finished yet (the form should retain your choices after it's submitted, and it will also allow you to filter by originals-only and customization!), so it's not in the menus yet, but is that awesome or what?
I got a lot of artwork done this weekend - I did seven sketches for Sketch Fest/Muse Fusion, and inked another two Portrait Adoption pieces that I plan to do in color. Because color is my bane and darnit, I'm going to get better at it instead of just staying scared.
This is probably my favorite:

Prompted by a story by
![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
Last night was not terrifically restful. At 1:30, I woke abruptly and lay there for a moment trying to figure out if Guppy was crying.
CHIRP.
Oh, tell me it's not. Or maybe the smoke alarm people finally got wise and put a really long tail on the stupid low battery alarm and it won't chirp again until --
CHIRP.
UUUUUGGGGGHHHHH. Maybe I can sleep through it if I pull the blanket over my head. It hasn't woken up the child, and the husband is still breathing steadily.
CHIRP.
And... CLICK draaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaag.
CLICK draaaaaaaaaaaaaaag.
CLICK draaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaag.
That, for the uninitiated, is the sound of a nervous 100 pound dog who doesn't like high-pitched noises doing his terrified slow-motion stalk around the living room.
CHIRP.
CLICK draaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaag...
So, I got up, got dressed, got the ladder out of the basement, changed the stupid battery...
CHIRP.
$%&*^$%$#@!!
But fortunately, it was just one last horrah, and changing the battery really did shut it up, and I could go put the ladder away, reassure the dog that everything was okay, and go back to bed.
I didn't get right back to sleep, and the child woke before the alarm saying her tummy hurt, she was sad, she needed a hug... the things she rotates through because they once got her out of bed early and she has a memory like an elephant. I changed her diaper (which was full) and tucked her back in, returned for a half an hour of pre-alarm cuddling, and faced my day with eyes full of sand.
It is 32 below today, and gorgeous. The sun isn't up yet, but it's trying, so everything is this murky blue, and covered with fluffy snow and frost. I've got the woodstove cooking away, and it's very nice and cozy and inviting me to nap. I'm going to go shower, instead, because Guppy is due to wake up at any moment...
Today is a vast improvement over yesterday... though the cheese powder all over the kitchen and the grouchy Guppy being awake before the alarm wouldn't have been good clues that this would be the case.
I have not vacuumed, but I have made granola, and I've got a heap of wood inside, and I opened up Sketch Fest and the Torn World Muse Fusion. I even had a chance to write a flash fiction for Thimbleful Thursday/Muse Fusion while I distracted Guppy with Beauty and the Beast.
After stuffing three servings of macachee into Guppy (NOT via the nose), she is down for a nap, so I am going to get a sketchbook next and look over prompts for both events. I haven't had art time in DAYS, I've been so wrapped up in the Portrait Adoption updates. (Which is going swimmingly, but slow. The updating of categories is tedious and tricky, and I am going to be weeks more in doing so.)
Art now.
I have not vacuumed, but I have made granola, and I've got a heap of wood inside, and I opened up Sketch Fest and the Torn World Muse Fusion. I even had a chance to write a flash fiction for Thimbleful Thursday/Muse Fusion while I distracted Guppy with Beauty and the Beast.
After stuffing three servings of macachee into Guppy (NOT via the nose), she is down for a nap, so I am going to get a sketchbook next and look over prompts for both events. I haven't had art time in DAYS, I've been so wrapped up in the Portrait Adoption updates. (Which is going swimmingly, but slow. The updating of categories is tedious and tricky, and I am going to be weeks more in doing so.)
Art now.
Back to the grind! It's a little odd but comfortable to be back in the usual routines: scoop the catbox, vacuum the floor, feed the pets, pick up after the toddler, fill the woodstove, etc, etc. Post for Torn World, check my email, and blog.
I want to carve a little art time into each day this year, and I've got So Many ideas and such a lot of extra inspiration.
I have set the date for the next Sketch Fest: January 23-25! http://www.ellenmilliongraphics.com/sketchfest/
The Facebook event is here: https://www.facebook.com/events/869439066411155
It's looking likely the Torn World Muse Fusion will be the same weekend - so far users have said it would be one merry creative weekend, rather than diluting either event. I'm willing to give it a shot. (And hey, it simplifies my scheduling!)
Also for Torn World, a new character I wrote up, Effa: http://www.tornworld.net/members/cisdisplay.php?id=359
She has a lot of fun conflict potential, and I like complicated characters who are generally good, but have wide, unexpected flaws. (Deep-seated prejudice, in this case.) She's adoptable.
...
So, our trip! It was fabulous. We were gone for three weeks total, and I didn't let anyone know because I find it foolish to announce beforehand that my house will be vacant. The pets were safely settled at a pet-sitters, Guppy go her first passport, and we packed the toddler and selves up to travel a few gazillion miles on airplanes. We deliberately set out to do it with carry-ons only... and in fact, just ONE carry-on apiece. We made it work! We did come back with a little more than we left with, so we ended up checking a bag back. (Though technically, we COULD have carried it on.) This goal was greatly simplified by traveling to a hot climate, so we didn't have to worry about warm (bulky) clothing. I would have packed much differently going to, say, Siberia.
We stayed one night in Seattle, just to break up the trip a little. We got a suite with a door, so that Guppy had her own room.
"It's my BEDroom," she said proudly, delighted by having her own bed. "It has a mirror." Then, gravely: "No books, though."
The next three nights, we spent in Orlando. Nights were not as successful as I would have liked - someone did not deal well the heady power of having a bed she could get out of, and I ended up spending several extra hours getting her down. She ended up sleeping on the floor, instead of the couch. The third night, I finally got wise and ordered a crib for her. Worked like a charm.
The first day, we went to Downtown Disney. I wasn't sure if the cover charge for Disneylandworld was really worth it, and there was plenty to entertain us in their free tourist town. We rode on a train that was just her speed:

Floridians thought it was really cold - at 55 degrees. (It is 25 below here today, for a little comparison...)
Here's what Guppy thought of the day:

"I'm smiling!"
(to be continued)
I want to carve a little art time into each day this year, and I've got So Many ideas and such a lot of extra inspiration.
I have set the date for the next Sketch Fest: January 23-25! http://www.ellenmilliongraphics.com/sketchfest/
The Facebook event is here: https://www.facebook.com/events/869439066411155
It's looking likely the Torn World Muse Fusion will be the same weekend - so far users have said it would be one merry creative weekend, rather than diluting either event. I'm willing to give it a shot. (And hey, it simplifies my scheduling!)
Also for Torn World, a new character I wrote up, Effa: http://www.tornworld.net/members/cisdisplay.php?id=359
She has a lot of fun conflict potential, and I like complicated characters who are generally good, but have wide, unexpected flaws. (Deep-seated prejudice, in this case.) She's adoptable.
...
So, our trip! It was fabulous. We were gone for three weeks total, and I didn't let anyone know because I find it foolish to announce beforehand that my house will be vacant. The pets were safely settled at a pet-sitters, Guppy go her first passport, and we packed the toddler and selves up to travel a few gazillion miles on airplanes. We deliberately set out to do it with carry-ons only... and in fact, just ONE carry-on apiece. We made it work! We did come back with a little more than we left with, so we ended up checking a bag back. (Though technically, we COULD have carried it on.) This goal was greatly simplified by traveling to a hot climate, so we didn't have to worry about warm (bulky) clothing. I would have packed much differently going to, say, Siberia.
We stayed one night in Seattle, just to break up the trip a little. We got a suite with a door, so that Guppy had her own room.
"It's my BEDroom," she said proudly, delighted by having her own bed. "It has a mirror." Then, gravely: "No books, though."
The next three nights, we spent in Orlando. Nights were not as successful as I would have liked - someone did not deal well the heady power of having a bed she could get out of, and I ended up spending several extra hours getting her down. She ended up sleeping on the floor, instead of the couch. The third night, I finally got wise and ordered a crib for her. Worked like a charm.
The first day, we went to Downtown Disney. I wasn't sure if the cover charge for Disney

Floridians thought it was really cold - at 55 degrees. (It is 25 below here today, for a little comparison...)
Here's what Guppy thought of the day:

"I'm smiling!"
(to be continued)
Next Sketch Fest!
Jan. 5th, 2015 08:01 amI'll do a real post later, but in the meantime, the next Sketch Fest is on the calendar: January 23-25, noon to noon Alaska time. Join us for an inspiration fest! http://ellenmilliongraphics.com/sketchfest/