Tuesday, July 31, 2007

Tuesday-2:30pm

These are all pieces of watercolor paper that I was practicing on and ended up in my recyle box. I used just the pieces of watercolor paper--nothing else (except for two of them--explanation follows).
This is how they turned out! :) These are all much thinner sheets.

What puzzled me was--where did the little dark specks come from in white watercolor paper? It wasn't from the paint, that's obvious. Every piece of paper I made had those long dark specks in it? (Double click on the photo and you'll see them better.) Strange, huh? Who knows what is really in the cheaper watercolor paper--hehe! Anyways, I like them a lot! Might even try painting on them, who knows?

Explanation on the last two: I had too much paper for one sheet and not enough for two, so I added a couple of leftover coffee filters to each one. The filters were too small for my current coffee pot--been hanging onto them for like 4-5 years. They were brand new, but I couldn't find anybody who wanted that tiny size. Finally found a use for them, eh? Guess that shows just how "frugal" I really am--chuckle! They worked great!

I have made a lot of thicker papers. Now I am working on making thinner ones. They are not as hard on me physically, I found out. You don't have to press as hard to get the water out--tada! I only did a couple at a time and stretched it out over the whole day. I plan to do the same thing today.

My plan is to try to use up this box of Viva paper towels I saved from a watercolor craft project. Who knows--I might be able to actually do Chinese brush painting on sheets made from fluffy paper towels? If they work and hold together in the first place, of course. Discovering what happens is the fun part about recyling--to me, anyways. :)

Another hot day in the 90s. Nice and cool in here, tho. Perfect for papermaking--hehe! Wish me luck!

Monday, July 30, 2007

Monday-11:30am

I was so awful tired yesterday that I didn't do too much of anything but watch Netflix DVDs, play with Karma, and putter about. It had been one of those nights where I hardly slept at all (Saturday night), so I was just plain extra tired. (Sure glad I don't have those nights too often anymore since I am taking the Shaklee menopause stuff.)

Another hot and sunny day today. Supposed to get to mid-90s again and tomorrow, too. I know it is really hot when it is too hot for Karma to go out and lounge about on the porch--chuckle!

I slept really well last night, so we'll see what I can get into today--hehe! :)

Sunday, July 29, 2007

Sunday-9:45am

Practice for the trash.
Okay--I decided to post examples of the endless practice work that ends up in the garbage--hehe! This is what I am doing while I sit and get lost in time--playing--and annoyed when the timer goes off. Last night I just couldn't get the bamboo leaves to come out right at all. I am giggling at the ones to the left. Was trying to make bamboo in the wind and it looks more like some kind of peculiar grass--chuckle! Oh well--this is what it is all about--practice, practice, practice. Or what I think of it as--play, play, play!!

I really think I like the Mountain Horse brush for the bamboo stalks. (I like the stalks that are not solid and leave the scratchy marks--even tho I think bamboo is pretty smooth in real life.) I have only tried the smallest Mountain Horse brush--also bought the next size up and will try that soon. The four larger stalks on this sheet were made with the wolf deer brush. I was using the wolf brush from Haiying for the leaves.

Besides getting familiar with the different brushes, I am slowly trying to learn how much liquid to have in each brush, how long to let the paper dry before you paint over a stroke, how much water to add to the ink to get shades of grey, how much ink to use in the first place, how to hold the brushes upright, how to paint with my whole arm (I constantly forget), when to press, when to lift, how much pressure to use.... So no matter how silly my attempts may look--I am always learning something as I play. :)

Last night I sat and looked online for paintings of bamboo. Pictures I liked that I could attempt to copy as a way of learning. (Copy the masters, right? Or anybody who can paint better than I can--which leaves a broad spectrum!) Next I should look for real photos of bamboo so that I can really see what it actually looks like--how the joints and branches are placed and the shape of the leaves, etc. Should have done that already--duh!

It was so beautiful on Friday that I just read and enjoyed the day with all the windows open. It was windy, so I didn't want to try to struggle to paint by the window and certainly didn't want to close them. By Saturday morning the heat and humidity had returned and actually woke me up. Been closed up since and supposed to be humid and mid 90s for the next few days. This sure has been awfully warm weather for Fargo, North Dakota?

I have been on the computer quite a bit the past few days and had finally caught up yesterday with emails and reading posts. Of course I am behind again today--chuckle! And wrote some letters, too. Not much art--but I have to get other things done sometimes. :)

Have a beautiful day and may you find things to lift your soul and bring you joy!!

Friday, July 27, 2007

Friday-1:30pm

It finally cooled off last night and the humidity dropped! I could open all the windows for the night. Ahhh! It will be in the 50s again tonight, but 80s during the day. It gets really warm up here on third floor by late afternoon/early evening. But even if I have to turn the AC on for a few hours--I should be able to have it open all night again tonight. High heat and humidity will be returning the weatherman said, but the break is wonderful!

I watched a DVD yesterday that was a haunting movie. Really good, I thought. An independent film called The Secret Life of Words:

After surviving the war in Yugoslavia, taciturn nurse Hanna (Sarah Polley) heads to Ireland for some rest and relaxation. But when she hears about an oil-rig accident off the coast, she agrees to tend heroic burn victim Josef (Tim Robbins). Personalities clash aboard the derrick as Hanna contends with Josef, a Russian soldier (Sverre Anker Ousdal), a lively Spanish chef (Javier Cámara) and other oddballs in this compelling character study.

In the beginning you don't even realize Hanna is a nurse because she was working in a factory. She was a really good actress (so silent--had to use body language and eyes) and Tim Robbins was excellent, too, as usual. It is the kind of movie that is slow to unveil itself--and was really worth it, to me anyways. I cried--there's a part of it that tore my heart out. I loved it. Even though I wasn't exactly ever sure who the voiceover was supposed to be in her brief moments--I thought I knew by the end--kind of. hehe!

I never did do any art of any kind yesterday. Ended up using up my good hours on the computer. Answering emails, reading posts, and looking at artwork from the EDM group. Catching up. Before I knew it--my body was done for the day--chuckle! No more sessions left in me. :) Maybe today? But... it is such a good day to sit and read out on the porch..... :)

Thursday, July 26, 2007

Thursday-1:30pm

Been close to a month since I posted another EDM challenges page spread! The clear glass was hard for me! I combined two pictures of a carrot off the web to construct the carrot.

Found out why the windows are always open down in the lobby by the front door and mailboxes--even when it is near 100 degrees. Ran into a young woman at the mailbox getting her mail who complained about the unattended children who always leave the windows open. She said that they take the screens off and climb in and out of the building and even lift their bikes thru the windows!! Why?? The door is right there? I suppose they have gotten in trouble for disturbing their parents repeatedly because of the running in and out and wanting to be buzzed in every time--and they have come up with this brilliant solution. Our hallways are absolutely stifling! This young lady said she is moving as soon as her lease is up--lives on first floor. I imagine the children on the loose are much more annoying when they are running past your windows all the time. I just hear them from above on third floor.

I can't afford to move, so I am glad I have avoided a lot of the problems other people have had, I guess. My porch door works and locks. I never had water leaking in through my living room windows. It is relatively quiet up here at the far end of the hallway. I love my screened in porch--and I asked at the office before I enclosed it. They approved my adding shelves in the pantry for more storage. They have usually been really good about coming to fix things for me and were here within a day or two--until the dryer. And the dryer is still working, so it is not like I can't wash clothes, I guess. I think we have had a turnover in maintenance men?

Well, today I plan to do some Chinese brush painting practice and playing around with the new brushes some more. Just getting used to them and what they can do. I still have brushes I haven't even tried yet! :) It is an overcast day--and hot. They had heat warnings out yesterday. I have slowly been up later at night and sleeping later. No surprise, I guess. Might even sleep my way around the clock again for all I know--and it doesn't matter. No problem--except for if and when they finally show up to fix the dryer--hehe! :)

Wednesday, July 25, 2007

Wednesday-11am

Leah emailed me pictures of the Dodge Neon she was driving Monday morning. My goodness! I am so glad that she was okay! Those Neons really are dangerous! I've heard nothing but bad things about them if you get in an accident. Leah was going slow enough by the time the front end hit that the air bags didn't even deploy--and yet look at the damage! Either that or the air bags don't work? Can you imagine if a Neon was in a highway accident at speeds over 30mph?! I had seen it on 20/20 or one of those shows. In a head-on collision the front buckled all the way back to the front window practically--so imagine what was left of the dummy driver with the engine practically in the front seat! Air bags would probably be useless anyways. I am glad I know so little about cars that I didn't realize she was driving a Neon all this time. (I am really terrible at recognizing car brands.)

I am amazed that she wasn't bruised all the way down her leg! I guess she has a few bruises, and Leah told me she was surprised her whole leg wasn't black and blue, too. She insists that her leg is okay. Times like this I really wish I had a car so I could go over and see her for myself.

Her angels were watching over her, that's for sure! I am grateful to them. :)
I was on a low spell for a few days, but seem to be feeling a little more energetic and less sore today--hurray! What's the saying? Good things come to those who wait...?? They do--they do! :) So--maybe get something done today--just a little, so as not to overdo. Needed to wash clothes yesterday. Only good thing about a dryer that takes two-hours to dry one load of clothes--stretched things out for me (took half a day for two loads) so it was easier on me. Maybe it won't be such a good thing if they ever do come to fix it--hehe! If it wasn't that I am wasting so much electricity....
I think that is the most difficult part of having fibro for me. When I do feel better and am having a good day, then I want to get all these things done I have been thinking about and planning in my busy brain and waiting for the chance to do. I need to be especially diligent in using my timer for my one-hour activity increments and be sure to take breaks for 2-3 hours inbetween. But it is so hard to stop when you are still feeling better and the pain level is quite tolerable. And it is so easy to shut off the timer and think--just a few more minutes....
But when I drift away in time and spend say two solid hours at the computer or drawing or painting--whatever--I will wake up feeling like somebody who exercised or did so much physical labor the day before that they can hardly move the following day. I have to roll out of bed because of the sharp back/hip/shoulder pain and will hobble and shuffle about like a 90-year old woman--and then I am totally useless for a day or two and end up getting nothing done at all. Sad, but true. So, to stay more consistently active (for me) and to get my few hours in every day--I have to listen to the timer. It is just so hard to stop when you are actually able....
Such is life, eh?
Of course, I also have bad days and stretches out of the clear blue sky, too--no matter how good I am about the timer. Who knows why? Humidity, barometric pressure, poor sleep night, pain fairies....??? But using the timer has proven to give me more evenly pained days and more even exhaustion, if that makes any sense.
I do want to get back to the papermaking, but I think I need to take a break--paint and draw for a while. Papermaking is just much more physical and I pay even more dearly for it. If I make any more--maybe every other day and only a couple of sheets. And whatever I have done by next month (when I have the money to buy good thicker business paper for the page inserts)--well, that will be it for this time around. May be another year or so before I need to make more paper for cards. :)
It has been a long time since I worked on the EDM challenges--and I have been wanting to play with the rest of my Chinese brushes, too! Just need to set that timer and stop when it says stop! hehe! I think I should buy an extra digital timer or two in August....going on the list. I am always forgetting it here and there and looking for where I used it last. Could use one at the craft table, the computer, in the kitchen, etc, etc....

Tuesday, July 24, 2007

Tuesday-11:30am

Quiet morning. Slept in. Dark and raining. Caroline is coming to clean this afternoon. Been getting ready for her to come. Just a short note today. Been doing a lot this last week or so--just extra tired today. I am due to wash clothes, sheets, and all again--so all energy will be directed to that task today or tomorrow. Just checking in so everybody knows I am alive and well and still kicking--hehe! :)

Monday, July 23, 2007

Monday-1pm

First of all--I got an email that Leah was in a car accident this morning on her way to work. She was almost to Valley Video to switch cars. She was driving the VV Neon--had it for her on-call weekend and she returns it Monday morning. Somebody ran right into the driver's side, pushed her into a pole and she swiped a parked car. Not her fault at all. She had the right of way. They weren't going very fast. When the Neon hit the pole on the front end of the car, the air bags didn't even deploy. But being a Neon--it is probably totalled and has been quite crumpled up. Nobody was really hurt. Leah has a bruise on her leg and will be sore, though.

Since this was her last week at the office job at FoxRX, they offered to let her have the rest of the week off with pay. That was really nice of them! She will have to go back and finish up some things and clean out her desk--but it sounded like she would probably take them up on the offer. (I called her, of course, when she said she was at home.)

She went to the chiropractor and had X-rays taken of her neck. Since we haven't really found a new chiropractor and weren't happy with the really high costs of the one at Dakota Clinic--she went back to Dr. Mike (the one who put a rib out on me about a year or so ago when he was fresh out of school). Leah's girlfriend has been still going to him all this time and has been telling Leah that he has improved. I hope so! Anyways, this is the test, Leah said. She will probably be going every day this week. She had problems from a different car accident a few years back.

So--whew! I am just glad nobody got hurt-hurt. And actually glad it wasn't Dagan and Leah's car, to be honest. And that hopefully now her VV boss will hopefully get a better car than a Neon next time?

Leah didn't get as much as she had hoped for with her salary for this new job she starts in August, so she will still work for Valley Video. She'll probably have to get one of those new phones where they have internet service right on it--so she can always answer questions when she needs the Internet no matter where she is. It will give her more mobility while she is on call. That's good! And she will be set up over here, too, I think. Unless she won't need to if the phone internet service works well for her?

Okay--paper. Really got into the recycling materials last time--hehe! I used an old red folder and a sheet of cardstock that was accidentally printed on (forgot to take it out of the printer).

This is what I got.

Used a piece of watercolor paper I had played with and a little of the blue pulp...

...the blue really took over!

Used only this flyer (from Valley Video actually)--nothing else.

Wanted to show you how some inks just float to the top! I tried to wipe some of it away with a paper towel.

Click on this one to enlarge in order to see the black specks from the ink all thru the paper. I know you can't tell, but it is quite thin, too.

So--that is the last session of papermaking that I had done. I took yesterday off. Might take today off, too. Makes me very sore. (But it is so much fun!)
Remember that song---"We're having a heat wave--a tropical heat wave!" Still hot in Fargo. :)

Sunday, July 22, 2007

Sunday- noon

These are the colored "angel wings" that I used a couple of days ago to make...

...these six sheets of paper that are now dry and book presssed.

I made three more sheets yesterday with odds and ends (recycling) and they are still drying. You really never know what you are going to have until they are done and dry. Kind of a surprise--at least for people like me who are just learning. I am keeping track and taking pictures of what I put together for paper so I can remember--for Leah, also, so I can show her. And those of you reading this blog will be learning right along with me, I guess--hehe!

Supposed to be up close to 100 for the next few days. Today it is dark and cloudy--might have scattered thunderstorms. The clouds don't look really thick or dark enough right now here in Fargo, but one never knows.

Body is telling me that I should pass on papermaking today. I shall listen and obey. :)

Saturday, July 21, 2007

Saturday-1:45pm

Dagan had a monitor delivered by UPS here yesterday. (I am almost always home they so they have their packages delivered here.) Karma immediately found a new spot to lounge. She slept on top of the box until Dagan popped in to pick it up.

I made six sheets of paper yesterday, but it was so windy that it was blowing them off the table. It was so gorgeous out I didn't want to shut the windows, so I stacked them up between sheets of paper towels and put a book on them. They were not dry yet today. I have them lying out to dry right now. It is getting hot and is supposed to be in the 90s for several days--so, I have shut up the apartment again and turned on the AC. It was so nice yesterday to sit outside on the porch and read. I grab those days while I can--hehe!

I am off to watch a movie...

Friday, July 20, 2007

Friday-10:30am

I had to show you the rough and raggedy Giant Panda brushes from Jerry's Artarama. See how large almost all of them are? They do not come to a point when wet--except for two of them, as I recall. Almost all of them have stray hairs going every which way still when they are wet and several of them seem to even have a hard time absorbing liquids. Click on the photo to enlarge and you can really see them better.

Here are the new brushes from Oriental Art Supply. All of these are nice and smooth when wet and come to points--no stray hairs--ahhh!! The ones with the rougher looking hairs are the firm brushes and actually stay firmer--hehe! Anyways, you can see why I will be playing happily and experimenting for a long, long time. :)

Okay--finished paper (not ironed--just book pressed). The first batch was made with some of the cotton linter and these flyers I have been collecting for the last 2 1/2 years. The office sticks them in a wall pocket down by the mailboxes on first floor. Whatever was left toward the end of the month--I took home. They just throw them away, anyways. They are good for making paper because they are colored all the way thru the paper--not just on the surface.

Here is what I ended up with the first day.

The next batch I used our white paper scraps we have been collecting--typing paper and white card stock left over from when we make cards and are trimming or from things I printed off and had part of a sheet of typing paper left over. [I just realized how I dated myself saying "typing" paper! Computer paper or printer paper. I guess I should say. Leah just chuckles at me when I call it that--hehe!] What we used to throw away is now being recycled! TaDa!! I combined the white paper and the Lama Li sketchbook pages I had tried watercoloring on and didn't like how it turned out--so--recyle.

This is how they turned out. Thick and soft and pale light green. Yummy looking! Like pale pistachio ice cream.

Here's the container of all the flower petals Leah collected from Baker Nursery when she worked there a few years ago. The next session I combined some of the dried petals and the white scrap paper in the blender.

This is how they turned out. I put more petals in the left one, obviously--hehe! I think I like it better with less petals. Sure doesn't take much when you beat them in!

Last session, I combined these leftover birthday napkins and some of that packing paper that gets smashed into boxes for mailing. Good thing to save and recycle, I thought?

The packing paper gives it a grey color. Not the greatest, but I might try to see what it does when I combine it with the flyer paper? Might not look so grey and blah then, eh? The more napkin fronts I put in the more confetti-like the paper became. I liked the way these turned out--quite festive!

A long slow process, eh? Only 16 sheets in the past week. I am going to try to make some more today. BUT--right now I am headed out to the porch to read!! Yes--it cooled off and the humidity dropped yesterday so I was able to open up the place since last night--all night! Ahhhh!! It is suppsed to get to the mid-80s today--and after that darn hot for days and days!! Predicting 90s again--so I am taking advantage of the beautiful day while I can. TTYL!!

Thursday, July 19, 2007

Thursday-11:45am

Got the table set up on one end for painting again.

Trying out new brushes on the brown paper towels.

Sample of more experimenting on practice paper from Haiying. :)

Some brushes work better than others for different things, of course. I am enjoying discovering it on my own. :) There are brushes--like the orchid bamboo small--that hold a mind boggling amount of ink! These oriental brushes are so different from the "western" watercolor brushes! I think I am going to like the mountain horse brush for bamboo stalks. There is absolutely no comparison between these brushes and the Giant Panda set I got from Jerry's Artarama. I have to thank the wonderful people in the Chinese Brush Painting Yahoo group for telling me about Oriental Art Supply!! :)
This is just so much fun to play and learn about the brushes and what they can do and how fast they dry out--and which ones work well on bamboo leaves or stems--I haven't even begun to play with making the orchids! And I am still getting used to the actual practice paper--which absorbs water differently than the paper towels. I do think I will be playing and practicing strokes for a long time--and having such fun! I hate it when my timer goes off and I have to quit and wait to come back and play some more.

Wednesday, July 18, 2007

Wednesday-7:30am

Love animals. Love nature. Love wolves. Am reading a book I borrowed from Duane now. Such a relief after SK's Dark Tower! :)

Caroline called and cancelled yesterday. She was with a client (many are much worse off than I am) and he had gotten sick and she couldn't leave him and couldn't find anybody to come over there to take her place. She sounded a little nervous. Lot of responsibility for a young girl. She will come next Tuesday or possibly yet this week. She didn't have her schedule with her. She'll call--or if I don't hear from her, it will be next Tuesday.

I made four sheets of paper yesterday. This time I used white card stock and typing paper with some used Lama Li watercolor paper rejects--no cotton linter and no additives. Turned out fluffy, fat, and pale pastel colors. Taking a long time to dry. I like them--going to be thicker like a book cover. :) Today I am thinking of trying to blend in flower petals that Leah collected when she worked at Baker Nursery. She'd take the dying flowers and bring me bags of them pull the petals off and dry. We had no idea what we were going to do with them. Now that we have started to make paper...might work? I'll try them. Also want to try using some printed paper napkins to see how they work--color-wise and texture-wise? It is fun to experiment! :)

Dagan stopped by briefly after work to pick up the things in the wall pocket for them. He is going to come over for lunch today. :) I'm glad. I have missed not seeing him and Leah more often. I was used to seeing them every week or two--(not counting the dropping things off or picking things up quick visits.) It will be nice to be able to catch up a little. :)

I called the office yesterday about the dryer. It still takes about two hours to dry a load of clothes that used to take an hour or less. So, they will be coming by whenever they get to me on the fix-it list--hehe! Times like this--I am sure glad I rent the washer and dryer. They are only about 3-4 years old. Just don't make appliances like they used to. Or electronics, either, for that matter.

Less sore today than yesterday, so four sheets is working out okay so far--tada!! I'll stick to that. :) Today, then, I will see about setting up for painting, too. I was being cautious yesterday and decided to wait and see how I felt today. Pretty good, actually Not too bad--been up since 5:30am and have worked out the worst of the morning pain. It's going to be a good day today. :)

Tuesday, July 17, 2007

Tuesday-11:30am

The eight pieces in the front are the sheets of paper.
All that chaos on the other side of the table is the couch papers--which also need to dry.
See why it takes the whole table? hehe!

Here's the eight sheets.

Here's the eight sheets after they have dried.

I placed them under a book to try to straighten them a little--left them overnight.

This is as flat as they get with pressing. That is why we usually iron them. :)
The top sheet I tried adding some rosebuds. I didn't beat them in--just put them in the pulp after it was beaten. They all floated to the top and look like some of them will just fall off? Maybe I should try beating them in next time? Still learning and experimenting. This is only the third time I've made paper--and once was for Leah and I to make Christmas cards--so we did them all basically the same--no experimenting.

I was good yesterday and didn't do anything crafty or anything to annoy my body. Feel a little better today, so I might make four sheets today--we'll see. Won't need to show you anything but the finished products now that you know how it all works--chuckle!
Today is my day for Caroline to come and clean--so I am off to collect all my trash and pick up cat toys off the floor. :)

Monday, July 16, 2007

Monday-noon

Here are the different pulps: cotton linter squares and the loose pulps--white and colors. You don't have to add this, but when I am trying to make the thicker sheets for the "bookcard" covers I've been using it a lot.

These are botanical additives.

You can also use glitter and metal flakes and sparkly stuff. :)

I also have my own pieces of dried and dead plants--plus my entire box of dead plants I have not gone through and sorted yet.

I put in some cotton linter and used a whole piece of colored paper. I have been collecting the old monthly flyers from the office at the end of the months--they print them on colored paper. :) This is a pink flyer. You let them soak for a few minutes.
You saw all the parts up till here--where we forgot the couch papers.

You remove the screen....

...place a couch paper on top...

...flip it over and place another one on the other side.

Then we put them inside of some newpaper.

Later I went and took them all out to dry on the table. Show you tomorrow. Made eight sheets yesterday. Pretty sore today. Probably overdid it. *sigh* I never know for sure how sore I am going to be until the next day. Well, at least I got eight sheets done so far. If I rest today and stick to maybe 4-6 sheets--could take me a while to get a lot of paper made--hehe! But, it can be done! Patience, right? Patience. :)

Sunday, July 15, 2007

Sunday-11:30am

Here's the sample painting that Haiying sent along with my order. This is what she referred to as brown paper towels. ?? I have never seen anything like this in a public bathroom around the MidWest. It is thicker and nicer than the paper towels I got from Office max. And looks white or cream colored to me. Oh well--mine work for practice, too, I guess.

Since it was a noodle day yesterday, I watched a couple of movies with subtitles and finished the Dark Tower series. Yes! Finished!! And--yes--I am done with Stephen King. Enough said--otherwise I could go on and on--hehe!
The movies were both really good!! I watched Letters From Iwo Jima:
As tens of thousands of Allied troops push further inland, the Japanese troops defending Iwo Jima during World War II prepare to meet their fate in this Clint Eastwood-directed Oscar nominee for Best Picture, a companion piece to his hit film Flags of Our Fathers. Japanese Gen. Tadamichi Kuribayashi (Ken Watanabe) knows his men are outnumbered and, with no hope of rescue, that most will eventually die in battle -- or end up killing themselves.
It was really interesting to see the Japanese point of view and what it was like for them to be tunneled in and waiting to die with no hope of support from the mainland--and to hear their letters home and from home. I loved the fact that it showed that the young soldiers on either side were basically the same, you know? They did have different general views about honor and fighting to the death. You saw the good and bad in the men of both sides. I really liked it!
Then I watched The Road Home:
Veteran director Zhang Yimou this time trains his camera on a love story between a Chinese boy and girl that endures for 40 years. Starring Zhang Ziyi (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon), The Road Home tells the tale of Zhao Di (Ziyi) and how she met the love of her life, Luo Changyu -- a new schoolteacher assigned to teach the children in her small village.
I just loved this movie, but for very different reasons. This was really a love story--a different kind of love story. Found myself wiping away tears and blowing my nose--doesn't happen to me too often. :) The girl in the story--Zhang Ziyi--was absolutely excellent!!
Both movies were so good that they kept me awake--no matter how tired I had been. And then I began reading the end of The Dark Tower and was so close and wanted so badly to just be done with it that I stayed up until 12:30am finishing it. DONE!! Two endings--one fairly happy, but leaving the main character and a new one in limbo and the other one leaving Roland in a kind of perpetual hell--and the new character with special powers still in limbo. And then a defensive aside tagged on after the endings telling the reader why it was not pretentious of him to put himself in his own story--it was just logical. Enough said. I feel like a weight has been lifted off of me! I am so glad to be finished!!! Free!!
Long days and pleasant nights, Mr. King.
I started making paper this morning. Put together two sheets already and might do two more later on. I might be able to get in six a day if I spread them way apart? We'll see. Fun! Have a great day!!!

Saturday, July 14, 2007

Saturday 11am

This is what my kitchen is going to look like for a while--hehe! You already saw the other side. Thank heaven for microwaves and cold tuna salad--ha!

I stacked the papers, sandwiched between pieces of couch paper, under my heavy dictionary. I put a plastic placemat under the book to keep it from getting damp.
Here's the damp paper.

Below is what the couch papers look like. They do absorb color and you have to watch to use the same couch papers that are colored with paper where it won't matter or they can stain the paper. We do have some fresh new ones when we need them. They tear easily when they are wet. They are fat and cottony--wick the water off the paper.

I laid the papers out near the window and the breeze.

They buckle a lot when they dry. If you wanted to really take your time and leave them under a book for a long, long time they would dry flat, I suppose. I lose patience. I managed to wait three days once and they were still damp in the center and still buckled--only in weirder shapes because the edges were dry--hehe! We have just been ironing them.

The experiment didn't go well. The large leaves have a surface that the pulp just doesn't want to stick to. Even after they dried--there were bubbles or pockets next to the leaf surfaces. We'll have to try to think of some other way to apply cottonwood leaves. Well, that is why Leah needed to try it out to see what would happen--and trying to embed them into the pulp didn't work. Just might not be something that can be done well at all--at least not by us--hehe! Decoupage would be so heavy and stiff...oh well...we'll see what we can come up with. I even thought of making a stamp instead of attaching a real leaf? Or using a real leaf for an imprint (we've done that before)...hummm?? Who knows?
Well, I did not sleep well last night at all until dawn. My left hip was really hurting for some reason (arthritis). Woke up at 8:30am--so I am pretty exhausted and might have to lay back down. Was trying to read SK--yawning and couldn't keep my eyes open so I came over here to blog--hehe! (I still have 200 pages left to go.) It is a dark, overcast morning--at least an easier day to nap if I can manage it--that's a blessing. (Never was a napper till I got fibro and still have a hard time napping.) A real noodle day--feel too muscle weak to start making paper yet. Maybe I'll start a movie.... :)