February 2009 Archives

If any of you follow me on Twitter (you poor dears), you have witnessed the Chaos of Finishing of a Mardi Gras mask one of my best friends commissioned.  You have also witnessed the assorted pink shaded animals that were a result of exposure to a whole lot of glue fumes. You probably dearly regret following me simply because it was like a massive aerial bombing of tweets.  A regular luftwaffe of the twitterverse.  I hope the populous found some shelter. Still, I had to have something to do between layers of paint besides cursing their drying times.  (I guess I could have been curing my enemies, but since I refuse to acknowledge them that seemed counterproductive. Although, I could have cursed Little Rock drivers.  Yes, like most unearthly spawn of the pits, they deserve it.) That, and I was, as I mentioned, in the throes of the Chaos of Finishing. Surely others suffer from this.  It doesn't matter when you started a project.  If you have need to do any work on it when it is close to deadline, the Gods of Creation will suddenly start making bets on your chances of finishing, which, of course, leads to some devious slight-of-hand to push things in one favor or another.  This includes such lovely machinations as that which I suffered over the last several days:

• the piece suddenly turning up lopsided and needing structural work, pushing painting off for another day.
• losing a whole day and evening by being invited to a gathering of project completion for which I felt paper mache was too messy, and then pizza, and then Bad Movie Night.
• paint that refuses to dry the color I want it...after three tries.
• polyurethane pooling in odd places and discoloring my carefully mixed paint job and laughing at me because it knows I haven't the time to fix it.
• feathers.  Ye gods, the Feathers!
• elastic deciding to shrink and then refusing to be adjusted.
• glue managing to get onto bits I tried very hard to avoid and then watching as it laughed at me because it knew if I tried removing it the paint would go with it...the little whore.

Now, honestly, while my dear friend felt bad for my whining on Twitter, it was just the general whining of the last days of a project.  Strangely enough, it seems to be mostly on one particular medium.  The crocheted creatures usually produce whining about having to actually, you know, sew.  Paper Mache brings all sorts of near demonic trouble. Makes you wonder why I still do it. Well, you know, it's the love of the medium: Oh sure, this isn't a complicated piece, but you know, paper mache is lovely enough to mold into that which is complicated just as easily as pieces like this where the most complicated aspects are the paint deciding it wants to go against its label, convincing the felt backing it really needs to be round, and dammit, the Feathers! Even simplicity can be complicated, and the medium works beautifully for that. So, okay, I curse it as much as I love it, but when you're in the throes of the Chaos of Finishing, even the wide-eyed attentions of a favorite child makes you snarl in paranoia, "You're just laughing at me, aren't you?" In the past, this stuff happened when I'm dealing with plaster, aka the Milk of the Devil.  But, I have come to realize that the Creation Gods have figured out that if they really screw with a favored medium, it improves the point spread. You should see what they do when I'm trying to finish a crochet project. I am doomed to the Chaos of Finishing. What the Creation Gods don't know is I work very well under pressure when it comes to a favored medium. Oh, sure, I suck under pressure at work or in every day life, but when it comes to paper mache, I don't friggin' give up until I see the smile on the face of the person for which the project was intended. I laugh at their use of my pain for their amusement! But, dammit, I wish they'd quit screwing with the paint. ______________________ I do worry about my abject cursing at every layer of paint working like a kind of voodoo doll.  I mean, I use some pretty heavy cursing at times.  Note to those who might end up with my masks: if  you put on the mask and sailors cover their ears and start running, then I might need to do some minor adjustments...

I only have one request from the people who purchase/win/abscond with any of my creatures: please send me pictures of you with them or them in the "wild". I love my little creations and want to see how they're doing in their new homes.  That and it's damn fun to see the kind of creative settings people come up with for their new companions. As I've said in a previous post, funnily enough, my Wee Dragons are rarely bought or gifted to children.  Oh, sure, the kids love them (as evidenced by the 6 year-old who grabbed a dragon during a "Holy, shit, we need to finish the projects!" gathering so she could show it to her mother in order to convince said mother that she Had To Have One.)  Still, most of them go to adults, and ya'll, there is much sqeeing and merriment in the wake of an adult bearing a Wee Dragon (TM). Please witness example number one: They are help creatures, my Wee Dragons.  Here is one surpervising the moving of a shelving unit.  You can bet it will be placed in just the right spot. Just look at that very boss-like stare.  Would you say no to that? Of course, there are always dangers along the way. These dangers aren't much of a problem for a Wee Dragon. But, it can be a draining situation. That could lead to trouble in certain environments... Oh, dear. A poor dragon can't even rest before the dreaded Beer Ninjas attack! Their only weak spot is the wine warrior who follows the Wee Dragon around. He's not very powerful, but he's pretentious enough to distract the Beer Ninjas by confusing him with his flowery, pretentious speech, buying some time to for our hero dragon to get away. And, just when you think things would calm down... Our hero dragon finds himself trapped in the Grip of Power! He's not sure why this is an issue or exactly how he got into this situation, but it does afford him an interesting view of the landscape. Happily enough, our dragon friend managed to escape the various perils and find his way home where there is good beer, better wine, and an amazing lack of adventures including spiders. (Good thing, he never liked spiders anyway.) Mucho thanks to Charlie for providing the pictures that will join my Creature Gallery.  You should totally be proud of how stinking fabulous they are.

You Art Doll people are going to laugh at me.  You're going to snicker and point and discuss in hushed whispers the type of rock I was living under. Tonight, I have been enlightened, or at least taken a few steps down the path to crafting Nirvana. For the first time, I used Creative Paperclay. For those not in the know, you've probably seen it at Hobby Lobby or Michael's or any other hobby shop. [caption id="attachment_254" align="alignnone" width="350" caption="A moldable bit of heaven"][/caption] This stuff is bliss! I'm trying very hard to get a Mardi Gras mask ready by Saturday, and one of the problems I always run into with paper mache is getting a nice smooth texture when I want it.  A lot of it has to do with pulp drying unevenly.  I use an instant pulp which is both loved and hated in the paper mache world, but I like it...except for the uneven drying.  Granted, I could probably do better making my own pulp, but I haven't found a recipe I truly like.  And, right now, I have no time.  I was told by a very nice person back in October that Creative Paperclay was great for getting a smooth finish in a pinch. Man, was she ever right.  This stuff is awesome!  A little goes a long way when you're doing just a thin "skin", and it's going to save me hours of sanding.  And, oh, man, the detail work I can get out of it!  I'm pretty good at getting a nice detail out of paper pulp, but for smaller more intricate designs, this stuff is going to be a godsend. Plus, like clay, it only needs a little water to keep it moist and can be rehydrated if it dries out.  Now, that can also be a problem if you're not careful.  That makes it severely vulnerable to moisture of any kind.  Humidity wrings its hands and cackles evilly at this stuff.  It knows it won't even have to tie it to a train track to have its way with it.  Oh, yes, Humidity wears a bad top hat and a pointy mustache. That means you have to seal the hell out of it.  It means that whenever I use it for something like a mask, it will be used on top of the more durable paper pulp and strips dipped in my own glue mixture.  I'll still have to seal the hell out of it, but at least it won't just randomly lose parts.  (Like that instant paper pulp will do if left out in the humidity even though I did seal it.  Humidity is cruel and will look for any weak spots it can.  So, I can't just seal it.  I have to seal it until it can be used for underwater masquerades.) But, eh, so far, that's the only problem I've found with it.  It's beautiful.  The only thing better is actual clay, and the hubby is threatening to buy a kiln one day.  I'll try to not drool. So, yes, Art Doll people, point and laugh and pat me on the head.  I know that I obviously have missed out.  The only excuse I can offer for being this sheltered was most of the stuff I make out of paper mache is for Halloween or whatever other twisted reason I have, and a rotting zombie arm really doesn't need a smooth-as-a-baby's-bottom finish.  Neither do jack o'lanterns or most masks. Not that this stuff won't be useful in creating some pretty interesting effects... Probably not so much when I build the zombie torso...but I'm hoping to get into latex for that. Poor Todd.  What will he ever do with me. Well, I know what he can do with me, but I hope that in more non-intimate moments he'll consider building the mechanical armature for my zombie torso... Holy back to the subject at hand, Batman! Although, I really don't have much else to say about it.  It's lovely, lovely stuff, and I plan on continuing my affair with it as long as I can afford it. It's much cheaper than a gigolo if nothing else. My only question is: Where can I buy this stuff in bulk? ________________________ You Art Doll folks will probably wonder why I haven't discovered the joys of polymer.  I have discovered Sculpy which I'm assuming is rather close.  Thing is, I don't much like how it feels in my hands.  It's like the difference between crocheting with wool and acrylic yarn.  It's got an odd feel to it and leaves a funny residue. Now, it's definitely not like I dislike the stuff; I just don't like it as much right now. I'm sure, much to my husband's dismay, it will be something else in the world of craft that I learn to love. Random note: There is World of Warcraft...why not a video game called World of Craft?  All of the characters could have a choice to be skilled in the various mediums of craft and the monsters to fight would be Big Business hordes, bad legislation trolls, rogue patterns, and moths.

The Mardi Gras mask is in its second stage of drying. February seriously got away from me, but I am determined to meet my deadline.  It's not an overly difficult mask, just in need of some purgurtory time in the oven. I have to pay some serious attention to my project list, which I wrote specifically to prevent this kind of project crunch. If anyone else has made such a thing work, please instruct me. Anyway, I thought I'd at least post a couple of pics as I have some ongoing background projects that get attention when things are drying, the hooks are resting, or I'm trying to prevent total project ADD. Right now, the main project that hovers in the background is a set of sweet bags that I'm trying to complete as an SCA project.  They're gifts for the royals from the embroidery guild.  Each king and queen will receive embroidery bags.  The queens get red roses; the kings get golden crowns. I only took on two of the bags, one for each, only because I'm slow as Christmas to embroider, and I have so many other projects going on.  (However, if there is a dropping of the ball with embroidery works in the guild like we did last Gulf Wars, there will be some serious reckoning.  I might not be the head of the guild, but I have had it up to my forehead with people in this society not communicating when they can't get something done.  It's a teeth-grinding pet peeve.) Anyway, right now, I'm working on the red rose. For some reason, I decided to learn some new stitches along the way, so it's sort of become a strange sampler. The green is all in split stitch.  The middle petals are in satin stitch.  The rest I'm working in chain stitch. Don't ask me why I decided to do that.  Insanity is the only excuse I have. Either way, I think it's coming out rather nicely nonetheless. The only other thing I have to post is the possible colors for the OWOH Wee Dragon. She requested a spiraled deep forest green and black. I currently have what I consider a deep forest green.  But, one person's deep forest green might be another person's "Oh my god, what were you thinking?!" So, I emailed her and asked. Still, this photo is the closest I could get to what the actual green looks like in person.  The rest seemed to washed out.  (I swear I'm a better photographer in the Great Outdoors.) I hope she likes it. Of course, there are other projects.  There are always others.  I like to pretend I have a grip on things. And, I do. Most of the time. I know I'm not alone here.  What do we of the Want To Spend Free Time Doing Projects fiber do?  We want to give up eating but there's that whole starving thing.  In this current economy, most of us can't give up our day jobs.  I feel like some half-crazed mad scientist cackling at the next crazy idea to make this work.  Oh, yes, just give me some paper mache, a few skeins of yarn, and some electricity, and by God, they'll never say I'm mad again... Sleep. We don't really need that, right? ____________________ Changing careers has been the most amazing boost to my creativity.  I'm not sure that's a good thing.  I'm thinking after so many years of sitting locked in a cage, my creativity has become this monster unleashed that has demanded I either scratch its ears to keep it happy or risk wondering why people are asking where the neighbors went. Creativity is a cruel master.

I declare this blog open!

Of course, it might be a little premature since it's not finished. Then again, are they ever?

I'm still moving my blogroll and trying to create a banner.  Geek Husband is helping me with some design issues since he can read CSS and I pretty much burst into tears when I go near it.

Well, I say I'm moving my blogroll.  Mostly, I'm fattening it up.  There are a lot of OWOH bloggers who will be linked there because they are awesome with awesome sauce.  It's just going to take mucho time.  So, if you were linked at Blogspot but not here yet, please don't be offended.  I'll get it sorted.

Also, you will notice that some of the posts look funky.  By funky, I mean the pictures look like I stood about ten feet back from the monitor and threw them at the post.  Yeah, it's apparently an effect of importing posts from Blogspot.  I'm slowly getting them straightend out, too.

Also, you will notice there is no "follow" option on this blog. I haven't found a widget that does that, yet. I think on Wordpress, though, you mostly just follow blogs through an RSS feed.  (That funny orange button in the upper right-hand corner.)  Sorry about that.  I'm still getting that worked out.

Speaking of pictures, I need to take some more so I have something interesting to post.  You'd think I'd have a ton of pictures considering the seemingly unending amount of projects I've got going right now.  I'll try to take some pictures at lunch or later this evening since right now my major project is sitting in the oven.  A punishment for not drying like it should.  (Let that be a lesson to you other projects.)

Either way, I hope you guy's like the Cultist's new home.  It's a little plain right now, but I'm sure I can filter enough weirdness into it to keep things interesting.

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The sad thing is, for all the projects I have going right now, I have about twelve more ideas in my head.  Project ADD is damn dirty affliction.

Yes, folks, it's that time! It's time to announce the winners of my OWOH giveaway! I have to tell you, after the pleading, pouts, prayers, and several attempts at bribery, it was a hard choice. Well, a hard choice for the random number generator. If I had tried to choose myself, I would have overloaded with guilt for not being able to give each and every one of you a dragon and a bunny. So, in a way, it was hard. I am sorry I can't give each of you a dragon and bunny, but I am also very happy I got to meet you all and seriously hope you come back to visit...or at least join me in breaking in the new blog domain. Anyway, here we go! The winner of the dragon is...

Wow! 194 entrants! That far surpassed anything I expected! And, you guys have been completely awesome!

I have been doing some marathon entering myself, but do know that I plan on visiting as many blogs as possible even though the OWOH is coming to an end. As I have said, my blogroll is going to explode with new blog links. Of course, if anyone doesn't wish to be linked, please let me know.

Now, on to the good stuff.

Tomorrow, probably in the evening, I will announce the two lucky winners of my giveaway after some intense meditation, a couple of shots of whiskey, discussion with my panel of cats, and a random number generator. Please check back here for the big announcement! I'll be contacting the winners shortly after. This is so exciting! Can't wait!



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What else can I say? I'm chewing fingernails in anticipation over here!

Just as a notice, I will close comments for the OWOH post at 10 PM US Central Standard Time tonight. I would wait until midnight but I have to get up early in the morning. I apologize to all of my entrants for not specifying a time. Still! This is exciting! Tomorrow the winners will be announced! WOO!

I am all over this... Erasable Wall When we get a house, I will have an erasable wall.  If we're stuck here another year, we will have one here. But, I will have an erasable wall. Unless they want a permanent one...

I haven't mentioned the CSPIA in a while. This wasn't because I wasn't still fighting the good fight. It was mostly because I needed my blog to be one of the places that didn't talk about it since most the places where I spent most of my time were all about the CSPIA. Sometimes, you just need a place to recharge.

Today, on National Bankruptcy Day, I feel the need to chat about it a bit.

There has been a stay put on the CSPIA which many people have pretty much determined is just a stay for the CPSC to not have to enforce the law despite their press release.

Mostly because of the fine print which pretty much says you still have to test and that the state attorney generals can still enforce it. Granted, the press release states:

The Commission trusts that State Attorneys General will respect the Commission's judgment that it is necessary to stay certain testing and certification requirements and will focus their own enforcement efforts on other provisions of the law, e.g. the sale of recalled products.

There isn't trust that the state attorney generals won't take the fine print and run with it.

And, well, there's that whole having to test or destroy children's books printed before 1985. (Boy, that bit was definitely written by someone with the intellectual savvy of mayonnaise.)

Well, recently, the CSPIA actually released a rather easy to read set of guidlines explaining the definition of children's products, who should test, why, and what they are and aren't worried about.

You can find the PDF file on their site, but here's a direct link: CPSIA Guide

Do note their little "out" on the bottom of the title page. Either way, it does explain things.

Too bad they waited until the very last damn minute to post it. For many businesses, it's too late. And, the book thing still hasn't been resolved. (Lead in books? Are they kidding?)

Now, according to their little guide, their FAQ page, and an agent spoken to by an Etsy seller as posted by Knot By Gran'ma if your items are labeled "not intended for children under 12" then you're good. They will take your word for it. Now, granted, their FAQ has this little tidbit:

Does the CPSIA envision stuffed animals falling within the scope of the CPSIA’s lead limits or phthalate limits?

Most stuffed animals would be considered to be children’s products and presumably toys. A manufacturer would need to determine whether the design of the stuffed animals is such that it is subject to the lead paint limits, the lead content limits or the phthalate limits.

Now, that doesn't mean they automatically consider all stuffed animals toys, just most. And, that bit bout "A manufacturer would need to determine whether the design of the stuffed animals blah, blah, blah..." Well, considering their guide has this handy-dandy little table:

Table B ‐ These materials or components can be used (separately or in combination) and sold (provided they have not been treated or altered or undergone any processing that could result in the addition of lead):

•Precious gemstones: diamond, ruby, sapphire or emeralds
•Semiprecious stones provided that the mineral or material is not based on lead and is not associated with any mineral based on lead
•Natural or cultured pearls
•Wood
•Other natural materials including coral, amber, feathers, fur, and untreated leather
•Surgical steel
•Gold, of at least 10 karats
•Silver, at least 925/1000 pure
•Platinum, palladium, rhodium, osmium, iridium, and ruthenium
•Yarn, dyed or undyed
•Dyed or undyed textiles (cotton, wool, hemp, nylon, etc.), including children’s fabric products, such as baby blankets, and non‐metallic thread and trim. This does not include products that have rhinestones or other ornaments that may contain lead or that have fasteners with possible lead content (such as buttons, metal snaps, zippers or grommets).
•Children’s books printed after 1985 that are conventionally printed and intended to be read, as opposed to used for play
•Certain educational materials, such as chemistry sets

So, if you use any of these items, you're still golden, as long as you're careful about buttons and such.

What it comes down to is they are finally getting the hint and figuring out that, yes, this rule has to have exceptions. I expect there will be tons of revisions of this guide and that there will be much arguing about this law.

Now, the reason I'm posting this is to shine a light down the tunnel and to also make sure that there is no question about my items. First of all, I have emailed all the manufacturers of the yarns, filler, etc. I use to make my crocheted creatures, and they have all certified lead-free. On top of that, the CPSC itself says that textiles are not counted.

Granted, even if they hadn't said that, I wasn't going to stop making my creatures. Nothing I use has lead in it, and everything is as safe as I can make it. Hell, as proof, when I'm sewing dragon bits together, I often have to wet the end of the yarn to get it through the eye of the tapestry needle, and how do most people moisten the end of thread or yarn before poking it through a needle? They stick it in their mouth! As much as I have to do that, I ought to be suffering pretty heavily from lead poisoning if there were lead in the yarn. But, THERE IS NO LEAD IN YARN. And, I'll be damned if they're going to tell me I can't make my creatures because they had a knee jerk reaction to the horrors imported from China. Products manufactured in this country are already bound by laws to keep lead and other dangers out of a child's toy box. The CSPIA is not only redundant but aimed at the wrong people. Oh, sure, I'm all for product safety, especially for kids, but um, let's try to aim the laws at the source of the problems, namely Asian manufacturers. My creatures have no loose parts. They do not contain lead.

Now, they are toys. I'll freely admit that. Although, funnily enough, I've not sold a single dragon for a child. Every one that I've sold has gone to an adult who had no intention of sharing with any kid. (Does that make them adult toys?) But, I can't deny, especially after seeing how many people want to give them to their kids if they win one for the OWOH, that they are toys. Did I ever intend them for kids under 12? Honestly? No. I intended them for fantasy convention geeks and SCA folks and really did just have adults in mind. Probably because I'm mostly an adult kid myself. But, I absolutely believed that some people will want them for their kids. Now, I could easily turn them into art dolls and say they aren't for children, but I can't control it if a parent decides to give it to their child. Besides, as previously stated, it doesn't matter anyway, yarn is not included in the lead testing and all of my stuff was already tested by the manufacturer anyway. They are about as safe as any other stuffed creature made with love, care, and the intention to give adults a chance to be kids and kids to have something that isn't cold, mass-produced, and void of any personality at all.

So, I leave it up to the populace to decide. I will make my Wee Dragons and my Balls of Bun and probably whatever else comes to mind. If parents aren't satisfied that they aren't going to abjectly murder children, they don't have to buy them. As stated, I mainly had adults in mind anyway. But, according to the CSPIA and several senators' aides and that guide book, I don't have to stop making them.

Besides, it's absolutely against my very fiber to let them bully me. My paternal grandmother taught me to crochet when I was six. She would be very proud to see how I've progressed from potholders, and I doubt very seriously she would let me stop just because some government yahoo who knows nothing about handmade products wrote some sweeping legislation just to give himself a pat on the back. She was Cajun. Cajuns don't take too kindly to being bullied.

For Grandma!



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And, hey, if they want to push the issue and decide that, yes, everything must be tested and, yes, we are all potential baby killers, then fine, let them. When the same people who support it can't find the handmade stuff they want to buy in order to avoid Chinese imports, when they go looking for some collectible doll from their childhood only to be told it is in a landfill, when all the books they grew up with are gone, when they realize it's not a Good Thing to let the government raise their kids, we'll see how fast the law changes. And, still I will make Wee Dragons. Because Wee Dragons don't take kindly to being bullied either.

Besides, being a Crafting Outlaw has an appeal to it...

I'm chewing on my nails, are you? Okay, I don't really have much in the way of nails because of the whole massage therapist job, but I'm still all kinds of nerves and stuff for the impending OWOH giveaway deadline! You guys have been awesome and have said lovely things about my dragons and my ball of bun. I just know whoever wins them will give them happy homes. I, personally, have a serious marathon of entering-of-fellow-bloggers'-giveaways session coming up. I can't even begin to tell you how many I've entered so far, but I'm going to hit everyone I can tomorrow! And, please note that I am bookmarking and reading every one that I can. My blogroll is going to seriously grow in the next few weeks because you guys are amazing, and I plan on spreading the word as best I can on my not-so-humble blog. Speaking of Ye Olde Blog, the Crochet Cultist will be moving. I've made mention of my hubby purchasing my own domains for my blogs for I Love That You're A Geek Day, but I haven't officially made the move yet because of the OWOH. I didn't want to confuse people. However, I did want to warn anyone who might want to visit again that the Cultist will be moving, but it's not like this place will go blank. I'll just put up a regular post with the new domain. There will be some minuses to the move, unfortunately. I can't do the whole "following" thing. We can do RSS feeds, but apparently there is no following unless I can locate a widget for it. So, I apologize to those I followed through Blogspot. I am still following you, just not through Blogspot. Darn. I was hoping the changeover wouldn't be complicated. On other fronts, I have begun the Wee Dragon Twins. I have had two, count 'em, two requests for black and red Wee Dragons. I have one full body completed and a skein of yarn that has given me its opinion on being turned into a Wee Dragon.

It's really a shame when a skein of yarn would rather puke up its guts than become the project you for which you intended it. Not that it will save it or anything. I am a cruel yarn mistress. It can beg, plead, and be downright insubordinate, and dammit, it will be what I say it will be! This is not a yarn democracy! Bwahahahahahaha! Ahem... Yes... Where was I? Oh, yes, the OWOH giveway is in a couple of days. Check back here for the official announcement of the winners! Or, just check back for the fun of it and the official moving day to the new domain! Or, just check back because you're bored. Either way, have some fun! ___________________ Of course, it's not like the new domain isn't actually working or you guys couldn't figure out what it's going to be, but I figure I'd at least try to make the new place presentable even if it's still under construction. Those "under construction" flashy icons are so 1990's. (And, of course, I say "I" when it's more like "We" when it's more like "My Amazing Hubby" who is making the place presentable. He can read CSS and not go cross-eyed. He's awesome like that.)

I wasn't as productive as I would have wanted tonight, but considering I've been pushing my productivity for the last few weeks to its very limits of ADD, I'm not surprised I shut down tonight. Yes, ADD. I have project ADD. I have this tendency to get really into a project, and when it nears completion...move on to the next one. I know there are people who suffer this beyond my blog borders. I've met some of you. You can't deny it. You know that things are going well. The current project is progressing. You will finish it and more because people are demanding it. But, oh, look! A duck! Yeah, don't try to deny it. You've all had those moments when you're working on something you "must finish" and then something you "must try" clouds your vision and threatens to take you into the world of "something more interesting." And, it's a serious tease because you know the thing you are working on is seriously interesting, but the little bumps in the creative road make it less interesting than starting something new. Don't look at me like that because I know you understand what I'm talking about.

Now, luckily, I feel my project ADD isn't in its truest form tonight. I worked on a previous project in lieu of the ones loooming. Granted, that's not the best excuse, but it isn't the death knell on my projects. Apparently, I needed a break from crochet to work on my sketch of a zombie girl scout.

It's not even close to being done, but, hey, I figured I'd give you guys something to giggle at. (One of these days it will be gross and disturbing...or disturbingly funny...I think I prefer disturbingly funny...) _______________________ Here's a fun game a friend of ours made up to keep his children interested at dinner, no matter where it was. Look around the room, and ask yourself the question, "What would I use to defend myself if the Zombie Apocalypse came?"In your current room, would you survive?

This might tell you a little about me, but...I have a weird affliction:

I have all these journals. I collect them. I love them. There is this weird comfort to having them around. However, I never write or draw in them. It sometimes feels like I'm doing it wrong. It's the weirdest thing. I know they are mine and that it doesn't matter what I put into them, but it's like my inner me holds back because it's afraid someone might see.

Has anyone else had this problem?

I want to use these journals. I want to fill them with my thoughts and art and ideas and madness and...everything. So why do their pages worry me?

Anyone else feel or have felt like this? I cracked open a Moleskine journal today and just went for it. It felt strangely freeing and scary.

Am I just weird?

That's probably a really stupid question if only because I know the obvious answer. My husband often reminds me that "normal" really isn't a description that can be applied to my personality.



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It's really strange that journals make me feel like this. Haven't had this problem with sketch pads or just slapping some paper mache onto a frame and willing it into my desire. What's the difference with a blank page?

So, my hubby and I aren't really into Valentine's.

Which is weird because when we started dating we felt compelled to do something on the day. I have theorized that this holiday, whether made up by Hallmark or not, is so ingrained in our culture that we feel downright guilty for not doing anything on that day. We have been assimilated by the Valentine's Borg Collective.

The geeks will get it.

At first, it seemed like we fell into the normal Valentine's trap. Candy, flowers, teddy bears. (Which we each exchanged, I might add. I think it's completely unfair to make the guy shoulder all of the responsibility for our collective brainwashing.)

But, when we moved in together, Valentine's became, well, something different. Something our own.

That first year of living together, he bought me my very much coveted Peaches, the rubber chicken.

Oh, yes, through the purchase of an item that is more well-known the the gag world than the whoopee cushion, we reclaimed the holiday. It is now ours.

I invite everyone to celebrate I Love That You're A Geek Day. To hell with pink hearts and fluffy teddy bears (I can make my own, thank you.) and...well...I won't give up the chocolate...Hallmark can keep it's ribbony red, pink, white, and nauseatingly cutesy trappings!

I would rather celebrate the love of my life by appreciating who he is and saying, "Dammit, I wouldn't change a thing." And, you know, it means more to me when he says the same in whatever he does. (It just so happens we are both hopeless geeks. Yay, geekdom!)

Actually, I invite you to reclaim the holiday in your own way. Doing it the Hallmark way is just consumerism. Doing it your way is special and fun.

Maybe your day is I Love That You're A Music Lover Day. Or maybe it's a I Love That You're A Chocolate Lover Day. Find the thing that you both have in common, the thing that you are so grateful for, and run with it!

Seriously, Hallmark has watered this down long enough. I mean, it's become a holiday of guilt. I a man doesn't buy his girl a ton of useless crap, then he's an unfeeling slob. And, oh, yes, it's mostly shouldered by the men. Sure, women will give gifts, but you can tell that most items and commercials are aimed at the men to give to their women. That's a bit unfair, don't you think?

You know, you enjoy what you love about your girlfriend, boyfriend, spouse, every day. This day should really be a day to actually celebrate it, bring attention to it, in whatever way you wish. It doesn't have to cost anything. It could be as simple as a note hidden in the medicine cabinet, or a series of very interesting text messages.

Reclaim it! Make it yours!

I would like to gloat about my hubby giving my I Love That Your A Geek Day gift early. He bought me my own domains and hosting for my blogs! Yes, that's right! Ye Olde Crochet Cultist and the Kamikaze Kumquat will have their own spots in the internet universe!

It's like an awesome sandwich with awesome toppings served with a side of awesome and cherry-flavored awesome to drink!

The Cultist isn't moving just yet, so don't reset your bookmarks. I'll post when it's time for the great move. Right now, I'm just trying to make the site look presentable. It's taking more time than I thought.

Now, to figure out what to get him that's just as awesome. I want to get him a cubicle arsenal but he works with a bunch of fogeys. I can't afford to buy him another sword. I already made him a dragon, although I could do one in his device colors with a kind of experimental twist I was mulling over.

I'll think of something.

I don't think it will be as awesome of giving me my own domains, but I'm sure it will be pretty cool.

Seriously, folks, there is nothing like appreciating the thing about your significant other that attracted you to him/her in the first place. If it concerns bows and teddies and chocolates, then cool, but don't let it stop you if it is more along the lines of "Dear, I am so happy you're a mime."



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Ya'll should have seen how he broke it to me. He came home from a hair cut and said he had bad news that Kamikaze Kumquat was already taken as a domain name. I was mortified. He told me to check. When I entered www.kamikazekumquat.com it came up with the message:
Happy Valentine's a bit early...

I love my geek boy!