tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14258743097531165882024-03-13T13:23:57.305-05:0013 Ways of Looking at a Magpie"I do not know which to prefer,
The beauty of inflections
Or the beauty of innuendos,
The blackbird whistling
Or just after."
--Wallace StevensKatyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02123957715477488518noreply@blogger.comBlogger218125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425874309753116588.post-24497287257842998732012-02-24T10:09:00.009-06:002012-02-24T10:53:43.321-06:00Vera Neumann PaintsOkay, show of hands...who's heard of <a href="http://www.theveracompany.com/?page_id=76">Vera Neumann</a>? I'll wait while you think it over. No? Don't think you have? Well, have you ever been out thrifting and run across a brilliantly colored, wildly geometric or abstract floral scarf signed with a little ladybug and the simple word "Vera?" Then you've heard of Vera Neumann, whether you know it or not.<br /><br />I ran across a scarf like that--bright blue strawberries with green leaves on a gauzy white background. It was quirky and colorful and made me happy--I mean, come on! Blue strawberries? Wonderful! Then I found the signature. And I thought, "Where have I heard that name before?" It sounded familiar but I couldn't quite place it...So, off to the library I went!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tCVcIjjtbVw/T0e7A0O3_8I/AAAAAAAABC4/xk8CME-USg4/s1600/vera1.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 239px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tCVcIjjtbVw/T0e7A0O3_8I/AAAAAAAABC4/xk8CME-USg4/s320/vera1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5712740275038191554" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">My blue strawberry scarf, a Verasheer by Vera product</span><br /></div><br />I found a wonderful book about her, "Vera: The Life of an Icon" by Susan Seid. And let me tell you, more women artists need to know about Vera Neumann! She was so inspirational!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Vera-Life-Icon-Susan-Seid/dp/0810996049/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1330101149&sr=8-1"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 239px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rA1NUfrEtvo/T0e7SsrbflI/AAAAAAAABDE/0OgVMyOjk7U/s320/vera2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5712740582248119890" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Vera-Life-Icon-Susan-Seid/dp/0810996049/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1330101149&sr=8-1"><span style="font-size:78%;">Vera: The Art and Life of an Icon by Susan Seid</span></a><br /></div><br />Her career spanned FIVE DECADES, between her label debut in 1942 and her death in 1993. She designed wallpaper, bedding, tableclothes, dishtowels, Mikasa china, dresses, blouses and, of course, scarves. And every single thing she created was based on an original artwork--she painted everything she sold before it was silk-screened onto the fabric. And sister did it all on her own! Well, with the help and support of her loving husband. BUT all the art was hers. All the product ideas were hers. The innovations. And all at a time--the 40s, 50s, 60s--when women were still fighting for equality and against discrimination. She worked her way up from silk-screening small runs of her designs literally on their dining room table to a owning a multi-million dollar company whose products and designs graced the homes of thousands of American women--and even the White House!<br /><br />And what makes me happiest about her story is that for her, it was all about the art. She really believed that art should be accessible for everyone, not just the rich. That's why she never stopped placing her designs on everyday household linens. That's why she priced her scarves lower than any comparable designs--according to the book, Vera's scarves cost between $2 and $10, while Geoffrey Beene and Pauline Trigere scarves were upwards of $25.<br /><br />And her designs were wide-ranging. She used Japanese<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ink_wash_painting"> sumi-e</a> techniques and watercolors and sketches, and her favorite subjects were all colorful and bright, suns and flowers and plants and geometric patterns inspired by her travels and the folk art and traditions she encountered--but nothing was too mundane to be beautiful. She put bunches of carrots on some products, sketches of eyeglasses and tennis rackets on others. (And blue strawberries!) A quick trip to Google or an <a href="http://www.etsy.com/search/vintage?search_submit=&q=Vera+Neumann&view_type=gallery&ship_to=US">Etsy search</a> will bring up literally hundreds, possibly thousands, of different designs from Vera's long and extremely prolific career. If you've never done so, I really recommend perusing them! There are whole <a href="http://www.flickr.com/groups/ladybugvera/">Flickr groups</a> devoted to Vera textiles, even.<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FuS7xgoBYEE/T0e-mo5Mk2I/AAAAAAAABDQ/IO6B2u2fLn8/s1600/vera3.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 249px; height: 179px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FuS7xgoBYEE/T0e-mo5Mk2I/AAAAAAAABDQ/IO6B2u2fLn8/s320/vera3.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5712744223364387682" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-49D282dhAlU/T0e-0MlNC5I/AAAAAAAABDc/Yz5hVCODyis/s1600/vera5.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 249px; height: 180px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-49D282dhAlU/T0e-0MlNC5I/AAAAAAAABDc/Yz5hVCODyis/s320/vera5.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5712744456282508178" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:78%;">Just a few of Vera's designs...</span><br /></div><br /><br />I sometimes ask myself WHY I create. What's the point of art? And someone like Vera Neumann helps to answer that question for me--art is to be beautiful. Art doesn't have to have a point other than that. It can just be bright and wonderful and let even your dishtowel make you smile. Thanks, Vera!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SN5xNSXixrs/T0e_TUM-JQI/AAAAAAAABDo/5BsOHzNfW9k/s1600/Vera%2BHeadshot%25282%2529.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 230px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SN5xNSXixrs/T0e_TUM-JQI/AAAAAAAABDo/5BsOHzNfW9k/s320/Vera%2BHeadshot%25282%2529.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5712744990904296706" border="0" /></a><br /></div>Katyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02123957715477488518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425874309753116588.post-70111999200287858292012-02-19T11:25:00.011-06:002012-02-19T11:35:26.122-06:00Indoor Photography, 1948My mother just gave me a manual on indoor photography with a still camera put out by Kodak in 1948. Oh, it's so kitschy and wonderful! I had to share some of the wonderful, clever little illustrations. I wish they still made camera and photography guides like this!<br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RIoaGFuUr5A/T0Exe_3lYqI/AAAAAAAABBw/UHC7ybxRL4w/s1600/snapshot%2Balbum.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 250px; height: 250px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RIoaGFuUr5A/T0Exe_3lYqI/AAAAAAAABBw/UHC7ybxRL4w/s320/snapshot%2Balbum.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5710900211092906658" border="0" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aV8JpBPYMWQ/T0ExkUIhq0I/AAAAAAAABB8/cmkQaJCxUa0/s1600/just%2Ba%2Bminute.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 250px; height: 250px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aV8JpBPYMWQ/T0ExkUIhq0I/AAAAAAAABB8/cmkQaJCxUa0/s320/just%2Ba%2Bminute.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5710900302432021314" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UF8A6YJzCJg/T0ExrHadTyI/AAAAAAAABCI/Uw58qh1iSfw/s1600/watch%2Bout.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 250px; height: 250px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UF8A6YJzCJg/T0ExrHadTyI/AAAAAAAABCI/Uw58qh1iSfw/s320/watch%2Bout.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5710900419276656418" border="0" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LSF5_05Dmpg/T0Exw6nimfI/AAAAAAAABCU/RdcVlBWOIzc/s1600/animal%2Bvegetable.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 250px; height: 250px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LSF5_05Dmpg/T0Exw6nimfI/AAAAAAAABCU/RdcVlBWOIzc/s320/animal%2Bvegetable.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5710900518921083378" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LQPeDcqv6-Y/T0Ex-Nj-UMI/AAAAAAAABCg/NR9-5nytKVg/s1600/time.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 250px; height: 250px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LQPeDcqv6-Y/T0Ex-Nj-UMI/AAAAAAAABCg/NR9-5nytKVg/s320/time.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5710900747344695490" border="0" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EkzFZcZj5mc/T0EyPFkA0qI/AAAAAAAABCs/hVxsmfxR8w0/s1600/flood.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 250px; height: 250px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EkzFZcZj5mc/T0EyPFkA0qI/AAAAAAAABCs/hVxsmfxR8w0/s320/flood.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5710901037255152290" border="0" /></a>Katyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02123957715477488518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425874309753116588.post-15891002926770669692012-02-18T11:17:00.005-06:002012-02-18T11:28:41.777-06:00At the Koffee KupI spent most of my youth moving around...I hardly ever spent more than 2 years in one place. My father's job necessitated it--every time he got promoted, he got transferred to another of the company's many locations. Having grown up as the perpetual "new kid in town," it's still always weird and wonderful for me to be known, to be recognized, to be a regular somewhere. There's a small, family-owned restaurant in the town my husband and I live in now--the Koffee Kup. We go there just about every weekend for breakfast. The waitress knows us, knows our orders, asks, "Your usual today?" The busboy brings us our coffee and our water without asking first because he knows we want it. We see the same other customers every week. It's...nice. It's not quite Cheers--they don't yell our names when we walk in--but it's nice to be known. So of course, when I was testing my new Canon A-1 camera, I had to take a series at the Koffee Kup.<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7PcLbusZXSI/Tz_e9SN2e0I/AAAAAAAABAE/fnQD0cnb3hg/s1600/4.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7PcLbusZXSI/Tz_e9SN2e0I/AAAAAAAABAE/fnQD0cnb3hg/s400/4.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5710527996972399426" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9dJmkvS-Krg/Tz_fCauUa2I/AAAAAAAABAQ/iAacrEP-oa4/s1600/2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9dJmkvS-Krg/Tz_fCauUa2I/AAAAAAAABAQ/iAacrEP-oa4/s400/2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5710528085155408738" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_AQPr8nkjZo/Tz_fRj-LQ0I/AAAAAAAABA0/uLH2CHNeEPQ/s1600/6.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_AQPr8nkjZo/Tz_fRj-LQ0I/AAAAAAAABA0/uLH2CHNeEPQ/s400/6.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5710528345335874370" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2wE1r3jnNtw/Tz_fJqEl0SI/AAAAAAAABAc/0Oj2JxrFN8I/s1600/3.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2wE1r3jnNtw/Tz_fJqEl0SI/AAAAAAAABAc/0Oj2JxrFN8I/s400/3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5710528209534439714" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0IkL8no82ms/Tz_fM8lQatI/AAAAAAAABAo/ta87DajElyI/s1600/5.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0IkL8no82ms/Tz_fM8lQatI/AAAAAAAABAo/ta87DajElyI/s400/5.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5710528266042895058" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-L1f3jUTw6Uo/Tz_fvls8RSI/AAAAAAAABBA/OcTQg6BZdjw/s1600/1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-L1f3jUTw6Uo/Tz_fvls8RSI/AAAAAAAABBA/OcTQg6BZdjw/s400/1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5710528861196535074" border="0" /></a>Katyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02123957715477488518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425874309753116588.post-20976243491210663852012-02-12T14:17:00.001-06:002012-02-12T14:17:40.962-06:00Antique Shop<div style="padding: 0; overflow: hidden; margin: 0; width: 500px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kmtucker/6864715969/in/set-72157629290220439/" title="Peek" style="display: block; padding: 0 10px 10px 0; width: 75px; height: 75px; float: left;"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7206/6864715969_67c55c4440_s.jpg" alt="Peek" style="border:none; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 75px; height: 75px;"/></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kmtucker/6864716001/in/set-72157629290220439/" title="History of the World" style="display: block; padding: 0 10px 10px 0; width: 75px; height: 75px; float: left;"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7053/6864716001_e0e92f2043_s.jpg" alt="History of the World" style="border:none; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 75px; height: 75px;"/></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kmtucker/6864716013/in/set-72157629290220439/" title="Singer" style="display: block; padding: 0 10px 10px 0; width: 75px; height: 75px; float: left;"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7195/6864716013_edc26c49e5_s.jpg" alt="Singer" style="border:none; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 75px; height: 75px;"/></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kmtucker/6864715985/in/set-72157629290220439/" title="Glassware" style="display: block; padding: 0 10px 10px 0; width: 75px; height: 75px; float: left;"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7183/6864715985_166d4f696c_s.jpg" alt="Glassware" style="border:none; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 75px; height: 75px;"/></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kmtucker/6864716025/in/set-72157629290220439/" title="Atop an Underwood" style="display: block; padding: 0 10px 10px 0; width: 75px; height: 75px; float: left;"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7048/6864716025_27c4d39fd6_s.jpg" alt="Atop an Underwood" style="border:none; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 75px; height: 75px;"/></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kmtucker/6864716033/in/set-72157629290220439/" title="Camera" style="display: block; padding: 0 0 10px 0; width: 75px; height: 75px; float: left;"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7058/6864716033_b6fdae19f5_s.jpg" alt="Camera" style="border:none; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 75px; height: 75px;"/></a><br clear="all"/></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 5px"><p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kmtucker/sets/72157629290220439/">Antique Shop</a>, a set on Flickr.</p></div><p>Last month, my husband showed up to visit me at work, extremely excited. He'd bought me a gift...a beautiful Canon A-1 camera with a 50mm 1.4 lens. I shot and shot and shot with that thing and when the first roll of Kodak Tri-X film came back, I couldn't have been happier with the results! Such amazing tones! I've finally gotten around to scanning them in, and will be uploading them in themed batches. The first batch--scenes from my favorite antique shop!</p>Katyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02123957715477488518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425874309753116588.post-34461647062081176242011-04-03T14:24:00.002-05:002011-04-03T14:37:32.742-05:00FundamentalsJoe Hill, an amazing author (read his novels "Heart-Shaped Box" if you want to be scared to death or "Horns" if you want to look at the devil in a whole new way) who is very active on Twitter, has started a hashtag meme: #fundamentals. He's given several explanations of just what he means by this...I'll paraphrase them here rather than just copying and pasting. A fundamental is something that serves as a foundation for how you understand the world, a touch-stone you go back to over and over, a directional sign on your personal road map. It isn't necessarily your favorite song, but it's the song that defines how you go about understanding all songs. It isn't necessarily your favorite book, but it's the book that serves as a foundation for all books of that type. Etc. I'm very much enjoying reading over the answers other people have given, and also with really looking at my own life and my own fundamentals! It's a good thing to do, I think...to understand how you understand the world.<br /><br /><br />The answers I've given so far include:<br /><br />For sci-fi/fantasy novels: "American Gods" by Neil Gaiman; "The Book of the New Sun" series by Gene Wolfe; "The Telling" by Ursula K. LeGuin; "The Orphan's Tales" by Catherynne Valente.<br /><br />For poetry: "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock" by T.S. Eliot; "13 Ways of Looking at a Blackbird" by Wallace Stevens; "Instructions" by Neil Gaiman; "Howl" by Allen Ginsberg.<br /><br />For caffeinated beverages: English Breakfast tea with sugar and milk; southern-style sweet iced tea; jasmine green tea; French roast coffee, black.<br /><br />For the simple pleasures in life: A new book; an empty highway in the sunlight; warm fingers; a purring cat; socks hot from the dryer; the first crocus of spring.<br /><br />For comfort food: Hot, salty miso soup; grilled cheese; mashed potatoes with butter; pasta with cream sauce; chocolate milk shakes.<br /><br />For desserts: Lemon sorbet; nutella crepes; chocolate chip cookies; apple pie; mochi.Katyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02123957715477488518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425874309753116588.post-66710687262732334842011-03-16T15:19:00.005-05:002011-03-16T15:22:05.908-05:00For Japan<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-X36xur9dhC8/TYEbmkOJ17I/AAAAAAAAA6w/HD3jXt3hlgg/s1600/zen%2Bgarden--japan--sm.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-X36xur9dhC8/TYEbmkOJ17I/AAAAAAAAA6w/HD3jXt3hlgg/s400/zen%2Bgarden--japan--sm.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5584775362288146354" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-m0gSnSyp8TQ/TYEbmgLEIzI/AAAAAAAAA6o/MaLP8VNhBiE/s1600/maple--japan--sm.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-m0gSnSyp8TQ/TYEbmgLEIzI/AAAAAAAAA6o/MaLP8VNhBiE/s400/maple--japan--sm.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5584775361201447730" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZDl-G-sPefo/TYEbma5TISI/AAAAAAAAA6g/zZ-YMrqs-cs/s1600/lantern%2Bthing--japan--sm.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZDl-G-sPefo/TYEbma5TISI/AAAAAAAAA6g/zZ-YMrqs-cs/s400/lantern%2Bthing--japan--sm.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5584775359784755490" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-p3OPyyMZfhk/TYEbeLYWOZI/AAAAAAAAA6Y/xLBWzKemUp8/s1600/buddha--japan--sm.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-p3OPyyMZfhk/TYEbeLYWOZI/AAAAAAAAA6Y/xLBWzKemUp8/s400/buddha--japan--sm.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5584775218181061010" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EKwYKoMdgFo/TYEbaZqI3bI/AAAAAAAAA6Q/idjvfFbx9Wo/s1600/japanese%2Bbridge--japan--sm.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 386px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EKwYKoMdgFo/TYEbaZqI3bI/AAAAAAAAA6Q/idjvfFbx9Wo/s400/japanese%2Bbridge--japan--sm.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5584775153294302642" border="0" /></a>Katyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02123957715477488518noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425874309753116588.post-66641439498271711102011-02-05T13:01:00.000-06:002011-02-05T13:01:00.228-06:00Save Libraries!I probably don't talk about it too terribly much around these parts, but I am a librarian. I'm a librarian in a time when a lot of people are making noises about libraries no longer being relevant, or being replaced by Google and its ilk. Now, I don't happen to believe any of that is really true; at least in the community in which I work, the library is still a vibrant, thriving part of the community. But we, too, are facing budget cut-backs, as are all our sibling libraries across the state and the country. And isn't that a foolish thing? In these awful economic times, what is more important than a place open to all, where the unemployed and underprivileged can come and read for free, use the internet to search for a job, or just get in out of the cold for a while?<br /><br />And a lot of people agree with me. Flickr user and librarian <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/philbradley/sets/72157625923493122/with/5399062057/">Phil Bradley</a> has reached into the annals of propaganda history and repurposed some kitschy old war-time posters to support the #SaveLibraries Twitter campaign. He has a <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/philbradley/sets/72157625923493122/with/5399062057/">whole set</a> of them in his 'stream, but I thought I'd post some of the gems here. Please, spread this around if you care about libraries! (And if you don't care about libraries, spread this around anyway!)<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/philbradley/5397654433/" title="Forget the cooking! by Phil Bradley, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5018/5397654433_6a0fe6d972.jpg" width="355" height="500" alt="Forget the cooking!" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/philbradley/5413813136/" title="Don't turn the light out! by Phil Bradley, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4102/5413813136_373bca2a70.jpg" width="367" height="500" alt="Don't turn the light out!" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/philbradley/5413890320/" title="This time we are all in the front line by Phil Bradley, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5216/5413890320_3ee02d15c1.jpg" width="328" height="500" alt="This time we are all in the front line" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/philbradley/5418868724/" title="Even Father Christmas! by Phil Bradley, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5180/5418868724_563fc95a9e.jpg" width="374" height="500" alt="Even Father Christmas!" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/philbradley/5402977184/" title="I'm proud! by Phil Bradley, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5051/5402977184_b25e2796d7.jpg" width="355" height="500" alt="I'm proud!" /></a><br /></div>Katyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02123957715477488518noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425874309753116588.post-49810508562540692142011-02-05T09:13:00.003-06:002011-02-05T09:22:48.537-06:00Oh, dear!I can't believe it's been over a month since I updated here! I started using <a href="http://tumblr.com/">Tumblr </a>more (<a href="http://www.tumblr.com/tumblelog/leatheranddenim">Leather and Denim</a> is my blog there, if you want to check it out!) and recently joined <a href="http://pinterest.com/">Pinterest </a>(<a href="http://pinterest.com/artfulmagpie/">me</a>), and have been trying to be more active in my groups on Flickr (<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kmtucker/">my 'stream</a>), not to mention the normal Facebook and Twitter song-and-dance....so I guess Blogger fell through the cracks. Too many sites to check; too little time in the day! :-O<br /><br />Otherwise, not much going on. We recently experiencesd Snowpocalypse 2011...or, as I'm calling it, Mega-Snow vs Snowctopus...so I just got back to work from enjoying three whole snow days in a row. I felt like a little kid, all excited! My husband and I spent our time on the couch, watching "Monster Quest" episodes and working our way through the complete DVD set of "Daria" I got for Christmas.<br /><br />Man, that show takes me back! But I've realized something, watching it...I'm so much happier with my own identity now than in high school. I'm genuinely secure in who and what I am now, and I feel no need to prove anything to anyone. If someone likes me, great! If they don't, oh well! It's very liberating. :-D<span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /><br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kmtucker/5411716590/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_O1Z6H5CMvnc/TU1q2BFK6OI/AAAAAAAAA5w/shL-6yV4yPg/s400/snow.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570225790362773730" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kmtucker/5411716590/"><span style="font-size:85%;">Collaborate and Listen</span><br /></a></div>Katyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02123957715477488518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425874309753116588.post-64095673025404880462010-12-23T19:53:00.002-06:002010-12-24T16:31:23.198-06:00Merry Christmas!<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kmtucker/5283946657/"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_O1Z6H5CMvnc/TRP9RoOugsI/AAAAAAAAA5g/hNbIXdrQ2LI/s400/deerbokeh1--sm.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5554061244776743618" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kmtucker/5283946657/">Oh, Deer</a></span><br /></div><br /><br />And a happy New Year!Katyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02123957715477488518noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425874309753116588.post-75932432681254708152010-12-15T10:23:00.007-06:002010-12-15T11:19:43.734-06:00Wishlist WednesdayIt's Wednesday, and I'm doing a wishlist. I may never do a wishlist on a Wednesday again, though. This isn't a feature. I'm not organized enough for features. Ha!<br /><br /><br />So. Stuff I heart. (Clicky the images for direct links!)<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">These fabulous feather-and-stone earrings from <a href="http://www.etsy.com/people/FeatherWitch?ref=ls_profile">FeatherWitch</a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/39002041/have-you-seen-the-rain-earrings"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_O1Z6H5CMvnc/TQjsJIlHCeI/AAAAAAAAA4w/V2M05f9iLFA/s400/haveyouseenrain.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5550946182400248290" border="0" /></a><br /><br />A "regular" size scarf in Dusk or Wedgewood from <a href="http://scarfshop.bigcartel.com/">SCARFSHOP</a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://scarfshop.bigcartel.com/product/regular-gossamer-scarf"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_O1Z6H5CMvnc/TQjvKp8jtqI/AAAAAAAAA44/LeLAkLNQ6kM/s400/scarfshop_color_mosaic_bc.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5550949507071719074" border="0" /></a><br /><br />A recycled canvas bag from <a href="http://www.etsy.com/people/forestbound?ref=ls_profile">Forestbound</a> (Particularly like<br />the ones made from feedsacks!)<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/64319460/recycled-canvas-weekend-bag"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 385px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_O1Z6H5CMvnc/TQjvmzjVTiI/AAAAAAAAA5A/lbNEV0mptNY/s400/weekender.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5550949990686608930" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />One (or two!) of these Starlette Sparkler bobbies from <a href="http://www.etsy.com/people/giantdwarf?ref=ls_profile">GiantDwarf</a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/61186239/giant-dwarf-starlette-sparkler"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_O1Z6H5CMvnc/TQjv91BqGdI/AAAAAAAAA5I/T-gNktgKy18/s400/sparklers.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5550950386219227602" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />This cozy fleece Freya dress from <a href="http://www.etsy.com/people/gaiaconceptions?ref=ls_profile">gaiaconceptions</a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/61687549/the-freya-dress-organic-hempcotton"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 337px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_O1Z6H5CMvnc/TQjwuJEU6lI/AAAAAAAAA5Q/enxea35qAr8/s400/freya.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5550951216232852050" border="0" /></a><br />And finally, this rockin' gunmetal raven skull necklace from <a href="http://www.etsy.com/people/mrd74">mrd74</a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/62288072/large-gunmetal-black-raven-skull-pendant"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_O1Z6H5CMvnc/TQj3_O1DW_I/AAAAAAAAA5Y/OsJrmm36-4c/s400/raven.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5550959206418570226" border="0" /></a><br /><br /></div>Katyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02123957715477488518noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425874309753116588.post-42660467850836694102010-12-13T14:01:00.005-06:002010-12-13T14:23:42.126-06:00Winter WonderlandThe local <a href="http://cuneomansion.org/">Cuneo Museum</a> sets up a Winter Wonderland every year on their grounds. And every year since we started dating, my husband says, as we drive by, "Oh, we should go to that!" And every year since we started dating...we haven't gone! Ha! Well, this year, for the first time ever, we actually managed to pack ourselves into the car along with our cameras and drive over there.<br /><br />You drive through the grounds slowly, looping in and out among the trees and buildings. It's really amazing. Every tree is wrapped in lights. Lights are strung overhead, across the road and between the trees. And everywhere you look, there are sculptures made of lights on frames. Animals, cartoon characters, trees (palm and pine, ha!), and even whole scenes! Some of them flash on and off in a way that makes them seem to move! One of my favorites was the reindeer that "leaps" across the road. :-D<br /><br />I had a lot of fun playing with the manual focus on my camera. I had my 50mm lens on, set to 1.8 the whole time, and I deliberately took out of focus shots to turn the bulbs into balls of pure light...light ball bokeh is the best thing about winter, photographically speaking. Lol! Almost makes me forget it's 8 freakin-degrees Fahrenheit out there right now! :-O<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_O1Z6H5CMvnc/TQaAbk7NyrI/AAAAAAAAA4o/5SV1Ja8qAJs/s1600/peacock--sm.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_O1Z6H5CMvnc/TQaAbk7NyrI/AAAAAAAAA4o/5SV1Ja8qAJs/s400/peacock--sm.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5550264802037582514" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_O1Z6H5CMvnc/TQaAX_MEf_I/AAAAAAAAA4g/20bxmeMK2mg/s1600/lightscape.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_O1Z6H5CMvnc/TQaAX_MEf_I/AAAAAAAAA4g/20bxmeMK2mg/s400/lightscape.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5550264740368121842" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_O1Z6H5CMvnc/TQZ9quSJksI/AAAAAAAAA4Y/HRZIAD6us9I/s1600/dino.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_O1Z6H5CMvnc/TQZ9quSJksI/AAAAAAAAA4Y/HRZIAD6us9I/s400/dino.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5550261763712848578" border="0" /></a>Katyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02123957715477488518noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425874309753116588.post-64015378628615894382010-12-09T18:39:00.001-06:002010-12-09T18:39:14.209-06:00On Art and Creativity...I've been thinking a lot lately about creativity and art. Specifically, about why I, personally, choose to create. And you know, I still don't really have a good answer.<br /><br />I'll say, for one thing, that I don't create art out of some desire to change the world, to make people feel or believe something I believe. Art as activism is not my bag. If it's yours, more power to ya. But me, no.<br /><br />I would say that I do it for myself, because I enjoy it. But is that enough? Lately, I've really been wondering. I haven't felt very...inspired? Motivated? I've been wondering, really, truly...What is the point? What does art accomplish if I'm only doing it for myself? Is that selfish or solipsistic? Does art NEED a point other than the creator's pleasure? Am I just wasting my time, clicking a camera shutter, when I could be doing something more practical?<br /><br />So maybe art DOES need an outsider's gaze...a viewer, an appreciator...to keep it from being a waste of time or an exercise in solipsism. Because making something beautiful or meaningful that makes someone else happy...that has to be a good, worthwhile thing to do, right? Not art as activism so much as art as...gift? As generosity?<br /><br /><br />Ugh. I think I'm just going around in circles, here, and getting no closer to the truth.Katyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02123957715477488518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425874309753116588.post-86077847018945499972010-11-27T15:49:00.003-06:002010-11-27T16:02:43.123-06:00Fashion ObsessionsI don't know about the rest of you, but I tend to go through stages with minor fashion obsessions. I'll spend days or weeks looking for the perfect iteration of a particular item of clothing until either A) I find it or B) I give up and move on to the next thing.<br /><br /><br />My last fashion obsession was the perfect ankle-length hippie skirt. Long ago...all the way back in high school, ha...I had this great chocolate brown embroidered hippie skirt...it was full and heavy and swirled around my ankles most delightfully. And for some reason, a little while ago, I became obsessed with finding something similar. That one was a success...my husband remembered a local hippie clothing shop a few suburbs over and we headed out on a mission! This time, I went with deep blue instead of chocolate brown, but otherwise, the skirts are almost the same. It's too cold out to wear my skirt much yet, but I've worn it around the house and felt like a goddess as it swirled and clung. Love it.<br /><br /><br />My current obsession is finding the perfect cape. It has to be long enough, but not TOO long (I don't want a cloak!) It has to be warm wool with a lining so I can wear it into the coldest days of fall and even into early winter with layers underneath. It has to button up the front all...or at least most...of the way up--no single clasps or two-button closures! It has to have arm holes...I want a cape, not a poncho! And preferably, it should be a funky-yet-classic plaid, or, barring that, a nice bright red or blue or other jewel tone. Vintage is preferable, but new will do as long as it's quality!<br /><br /><br />I'm not too picky, am I?!? ;-)Katyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02123957715477488518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425874309753116588.post-29954845666027668132010-11-09T17:49:00.004-06:002010-11-09T18:06:58.179-06:00At the House on the RockAbout a week ago, my husband and I went to the <a href="http://www.thehouseontherock.com/">House on the Rock</a> in Wisconsin. They had a special event going on; part of <a href="http://www.neilgaiman.com/">Neil Gaiman</a>'s wonderful novel "<a href="http://www.neilgaiman.com/works/Books/American+Gods/">American Gods</a>" takes place inside the House on the Rock, so when it came time for their anniversary celebration, they invited Neil and his fans to come wander their hallways, listen to Neil reading, and attend a Costume Ball, among other fun events. It was really wonderful, but that place would be wonderful even without all the added shenanigans!<br /><br />Starting in the 1940s, a man named Alex Jordan began building a home (designed by Frank Lloyd Wrong, as the joke goes!) on a large outcropping of rock. When people starting coming to see the house's unique architecture, Jordan began charging them a nominal fee. And that was the beginning. Now, his original 14-room house is only the base for a larger, sprawling museum of sorts. An eccentric and a collector, Jordan filled his museum with bizarre things, many of which have to be seen to be believed! Dolls, carousels (including the world's largest carousel!), replicas of shops and streets, a giant whale, fortune-telling machines, various automata and music-makers, glassware, antiques, dragons and Buddhas, pipe organs, replica crown jewels and suits of armor...and that's just a taste.<br /><br />There is more there than I can ever hope to describe in just one blog post! Sheer craziness on an epic scale...we were in photographic heaven! Between us, my husband and I took quite literally hundreds of photos of the place!<br /><br />If you live anywhere in the Midwest, or are even planning on coming to the area for any reason, I highly recommend taking a little day trip over to the House on the Rock. It might just blow your mind!<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kmtucker/5158545622/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_O1Z6H5CMvnc/TNnhbOk0cnI/AAAAAAAAA4A/moh81yLEfxI/s400/pretty%2Bhorses.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5537705074713981554" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kmtucker/5158545622/">All the Pretty Horses</a><br /></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kmtucker/5161708192"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_O1Z6H5CMvnc/TNnhgjRFkMI/AAAAAAAAA4I/qc-GehjYsrg/s400/nightmare.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5537705166167707842" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kmtucker/5161708192">Welcome to Your Nightmare</a><br /></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kmtucker/5156202175"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_O1Z6H5CMvnc/TNnhqplwbnI/AAAAAAAAA4Q/soS4tyNv0oc/s400/soul%2Bof%2Bmusic.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5537705339663707762" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kmtucker/5156202175">Soul of Music</a><br /></div>Katyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02123957715477488518noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425874309753116588.post-55749177451110269502010-11-04T11:09:00.002-05:002010-11-04T11:10:24.252-05:00Polaroid Week, Day Four<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kmtucker/5145826428/in/photostream/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 390px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_O1Z6H5CMvnc/TNLaz-d_X7I/AAAAAAAAA34/KW1cf1Uw3eM/s400/pine+ridge.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535727478468730802" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kmtucker/5145826428/in/photostream/">Low Rates</a><br /></div>Katyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02123957715477488518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425874309753116588.post-69276715513601177182010-11-04T11:07:00.004-05:002010-11-04T11:08:59.507-05:00Polaroid Week, Day Three<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kmtucker/5142606123/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 390px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_O1Z6H5CMvnc/TNLaaRLny2I/AAAAAAAAA3w/t0hBY8Eh9Qg/s400/trees--borderless.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535727036815362914" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kmtucker/5142606123/">Trees</a><br /></div><br /><br />Sorry! Posting this one a day late! Completely forgot yesterday. :-)Katyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02123957715477488518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425874309753116588.post-62545361927750659762010-11-02T18:00:00.000-05:002010-11-02T18:00:05.179-05:00Polaroid Week, Day Two<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kmtucker/5139920960/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 392px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_O1Z6H5CMvnc/TNBqIVTubCI/AAAAAAAAA3o/tfVZsSZV0Yw/s400/circle+sign.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535040633429716002" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kmtucker/5139920960/">Come As You Are</a><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">A perfect sentiment for a week dedicated to low-fi, analog, instant photography...a style that celebrates imperfection and unpredictability...mais non?<br /></div></div>Katyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02123957715477488518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425874309753116588.post-47965760405455633142010-11-02T14:30:00.002-05:002010-11-02T14:40:55.172-05:00So, what do you DO?Over at the <a href="http://www.mocking-bird.org/blog/2010/11/02/i-am-a-sum-of-all-these-parts/">Mocking Bird blog</a> today, there's a bit of discussion about how, when one is asked "What do you do?" it's not really sufficient to just tell them how you make money. In a lot of cases, that really doesn't necessarily say anything much at all about who you really are as a person. I'm lucky enough to have a job doing something I love...I've always been a bibliophile, and now, as a librarian, I'm PAID to be a bibliophile! But not everyone is so lucky. And even though telling people I'm a librarian really does tell them something about my soul and my self, it's not everything I am. It's not my be-all and end-all. There are other parts. So, Amanda at Mocking Bird tells us who she is...what she does. And here's who I am, and what I do:<br /><br /><br />I am<br /><ul><li>a photographer;</li><li>a writer;</li><li>a wife;</li><li>his Queen;</li><li>a baker of cookies;</li><li>a cat-belly-scratcher;</li><li>a Polaroid-shooter;</li><li>a drinker of coffee;</li><li>a wearer of boots;</li><li>an embroiderer;</li><li>a miso soup eater;</li><li>a lover of the ocean and the beach;</li><li>a collector;</li><li>a Rat Pack music listener;</li><li>a cartoon watcher;</li><li>a sometimes couch potato;</li><li>a paleontology geek;</li><li>a feeder of squirrels;</li><li>a hater of spiders but lover of cicadas;</li></ul>and so many more wonderful and weird things.<br /><br /><br />And what do YOU do?Katyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02123957715477488518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425874309753116588.post-81237251693436190112010-11-01T13:23:00.004-05:002010-11-01T13:25:54.603-05:00Polaroid Week, Day OneHey, it's that wonderful time of year again...Polaroid Week! There are always some amazing photos posted to the <a href="http://www.flickr.com/groups/polaroidweek2010/">Flickr group</a> during this lovely celebration of all things instant film, so head on over to check them out. And here's MY first submission for your viewing pleasure, as well. ;-)<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kmtucker/5135736781/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_O1Z6H5CMvnc/TM8F6hy540I/AAAAAAAAA3g/zzICRBHbXzk/s400/ferris.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534648970124059458" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kmtucker/5135736781/">At the Pier</a><br /></div>Katyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02123957715477488518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425874309753116588.post-73315611508868880782010-10-28T12:35:00.004-05:002010-10-28T12:44:02.021-05:00Comfort AND StyleOkay, so one more post. I was browsing my blogroll just a bit ago and ran across the most recent post by <a href="http://thesartorialist.blogspot.com/">The Sartorialist</a>. I enjoy his blog, even when I don't particularly like the style of the folks he features...which is frequently, to be honest. But it's because of the wide variety of style he features that I keep coming back. There's often some little element of an outfit that I find I can apply to my own closet contents. However, I find it ironic, given the preponderance of "haute couture" and highly polished, sleek looks to be found in most fashion blogs, The Sartorialist included, that the outfit I find myself drawn to is this one...so simple, so comfortable, so much the opposite of "haute couture," and yet so, so stylish as well.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_O1Z6H5CMvnc/TMm1ulWdPaI/AAAAAAAAA3A/_LlyltyxukM/s1600/browncomfort--sartorialist.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_O1Z6H5CMvnc/TMm1ulWdPaI/AAAAAAAAA3A/_LlyltyxukM/s400/browncomfort--sartorialist.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5533153429106277794" border="0" /></a><br />Personally, I would apply this look in tones of navy, rather than brown. A long, soft navy dress or skirt, possibly in jersey, topped with a similarly-toned navy corduroy blazer with grey elbow patches. And since it's a fall look, I'd switch out the sandals for grey suede boots. Perfection. Comfort AND style, all in one simple outfit. Elements both of bohemian ease and scholarly disregard. Love it.Katyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02123957715477488518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425874309753116588.post-24790445058257774182010-10-28T11:48:00.003-05:002010-10-28T12:15:22.098-05:00Happy Halloween!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_O1Z6H5CMvnc/TMms2t5NPGI/AAAAAAAAA2w/2VXq18MIX_w/s1600/pumpkins2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_O1Z6H5CMvnc/TMms2t5NPGI/AAAAAAAAA2w/2VXq18MIX_w/s320/pumpkins2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5533143673233816674" border="0" /></a><br />All right, I know I'm a little early with the Halloween wishes, but the husband and I are heading out of town tomorrow for an event at the <a href="http://www.thehouseontherock.com/HOTR_AttractionMain.htm">House on the Rock</a> in Wisconsin. Neil Gaiman's book "American Gods" had some scenes set there, and the House on the Rock folk decided to throw an American Gods-themed bash for the fans. And, of course, what better time of year than Halloween? Since I've been wanting to visit House on the Rock for some time, and since I'm a huge squeeing Gaiman fan-girl, and since our wedding anniversary is in October, it seemed like a great idea for a little get-away. But because of all that, I also won't be near a computer much over the next three days...thus the early Halloweeny post.<br /><br />A favorite thing to do when it hits this time of the year is try to scare the bejeezus outta myself, to recapture the thrill that was trick-or-treating after dark on the night when ghosts and demons walked. I watch whatever scary movies I can find on tv, certainly, but I also like to read some scary stories! In case you're looking for a bit of a thrill and "<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0116861/">Leprechaun in Space</a>" (yes, it's a real movie!) just ain't cutting it, here's a handful of my personal favorite (truly creepy!) Halloween-ready tales!<br /><br /><br />"October in the Chair" by Neil Gaiman. (short story, collected in Fragile Things) <span style="font-style: italic;">-- A truly classic scary story, where what you DON'T see is far, far scarier than what you do.<br /><br /></span>"Heart-Shaped Box" by Joe Hill. -- <span style="font-style: italic;">Oh, man. I almost drove off the road one night while listening to the audio of this one!</span><br /><br />"We Have Always Lived in the Castle" by Shirley Jackson. <span style="font-style: italic;">-- The truly disturbing nature of what's going on here really creeps up on you slowly. Delicous</span>.<br /><br />"The Bone Key" by Sarah Monette. -- <span style="font-style: italic;">A collection of short stories starring a character named Kyle Murchison Booth, some scarier than others...and some that made me jump out of my chair!</span>Katyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02123957715477488518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425874309753116588.post-40822800426949190852010-10-20T12:16:00.007-05:002010-10-25T14:02:57.487-05:00Caveat Emptor, or, How to Buy a Polaroid Camera<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKzuX8alcnMn3BSvCaRcmu9KaVKbM72m_c6-o0eRpMagdA8IyfZbF0X14Zv92xlC7Hd1tecPmvqg_EL4UpC7FPVJK0emSRyeSZRnNxCd3UNSkhJa8_E_ePNjv4xqN2dovsVpuOVGDnZn-C/s1600/camera.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 256px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKzuX8alcnMn3BSvCaRcmu9KaVKbM72m_c6-o0eRpMagdA8IyfZbF0X14Zv92xlC7Hd1tecPmvqg_EL4UpC7FPVJK0emSRyeSZRnNxCd3UNSkhJa8_E_ePNjv4xqN2dovsVpuOVGDnZn-C/s320/camera.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5532060111640143010" border="0" /></a><br />All right. I shoot Polaroid cameras. I use expired film actually produced by Polaroid when I can find it, and I use the new films from the Impossible Project. Also, I collect the cameras. Not excessively (though I don't know if my husband would agree about that!) but I do enjoy having different models, even though many of them do basically the same thing. And so, I scour vintage/thrift shops and scan eBay and Etsy listings.<br /><br />It's much easier to shop in person when you can look at the items yourself, of course. When you're looking online, you have to rely on the seller's description. And, quite frankly, a lot of sellers either clearly don't know what they're talking about--which is fine, because they usually sell a lot of different stuff and can't be experts on ALL of it--or are outright lying. Yes, lying. I've caught many a seller in a claim that just can't possibly be true.<br /><br />And that just ticks me off! I mean, at this point, I know enough to catch those lies and avoid those sellers, but I sure didn't back when I started out! So I thought I'd list some of the dishonest claims I've seen in various Polaroid listings and explain just why those claims are ridiculous, in the hopes of educating those of you who might be out there looking for a camera and not sure what to watch out for.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_O1Z6H5CMvnc/TMXTxy0x4bI/AAAAAAAAA2g/Sv16Xc16ugM/s1600/camera2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_O1Z6H5CMvnc/TMXTxy0x4bI/AAAAAAAAA2g/Sv16Xc16ugM/s320/camera2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5532060569704718770" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Example 1</span>: An Etsy seller claimed to have film-tested an SX-70 Polaroid camera with both 600 film (an integral film) AND Fuji FP-100 (a pack film). That's patently, blatantly a lie. While it's definitely possible to use 600 film in an SX-70 camera with a few minor modifications, it is NOT even remotely possible to use Fuji FP-100 type films. Those films are designed for an entirely different type of camera and they are NOT interchangable. There definitely <span style="font-style: italic;">are </span>Polaroid cameras that will take Fuji FP-100 film (see the <a href="http://www.rwhirled.com/landlist/landdcam-pack.htm">Land List</a> for those models) but there is <span style="font-style: italic;">no</span> camera in existence that takes both integral film AND pack film...though it would be pretty awesome if there was! (Impossible Project, you should get on top of this one! Ha!)<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Example 2</span>: An Etsy seller claimed to have tested the battery in an SX-70 camera and gotten it to make the "picture-taking noises," etc, but not to have film tested that camera. Well, that, too, is pretty impossible. Neither the SX-70 cameras nor the 600 cameras HAVE internal batteries. With both of those lines, the batteries are contained in the film packs. Without a film pack, there's no battery and no way to induce the "picture-taking noise."<br /><br />Now, it IS possible to take an empty film pack and insert it into the camera to test the internal mechanisms, but you still won't be 100% certain that you'll get the sort of image you expect. I use this method myself when I go out to the thrift shops, however, and I have yet to buy a camera that responded to the batteries in an empty film pack but wouldn't produce a good image...so it's a pretty safe bet, all things considered. But if someone tells you they tested the batteries IN THE CAMERA, they're lying!<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Example 3</span>: Related to example 2. An eBay seller claimed to have no film with which to test the camera, but to have taken an empty 600 cartridge, MODIFIED the cartridge to take AAA batteries, and gotten the shutter of an SX-70 to fire and the motor to whir. Okay, so, as discussed above, the batteries are always in the film pack. They're designed that way. Why in the Sam-Hell would you need to modify those existing batteries to get the film pack to work? You wouldn't, that's why. There is no good reason to even think about altering the batteries in a film pack.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_O1Z6H5CMvnc/TMXT0wmBn2I/AAAAAAAAA2o/JLoLQWalVZE/s1600/camera3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_O1Z6H5CMvnc/TMXT0wmBn2I/AAAAAAAAA2o/JLoLQWalVZE/s320/camera3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5532060620645572450" border="0" /></a><br />That about covers the more egregious examples of dishonest sellers I've seen lately. I'll be keeping an eye on the listings as usual, however, so this might turn into a repeating feature depending on how many more liars I run across! Ha! I hope this helped!Katyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02123957715477488518noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425874309753116588.post-37242286799711927992010-10-17T14:49:00.006-05:002010-10-17T15:00:59.159-05:00Style Sunday: Newsie CapsI recently cut all my hair off. I went from "flowing raven locks" (my husband's description) to a cute little pixie cut barely an inch long. I love it, though, don't get me wrong! I'm having a lot of fun accessorizing and dressing for my new hair, ha! But I recently discovered, while pulling out my winter gear to get ready for the cold, that my beloved cloche hats now look...well...ridiculous on me. They cover my whole head and you can't see any of my hair, so it just looks WRONG. So, it's time for a replacement! In my initial perusal of the hat racks at Target last night, it seems that the style most suited to my current crop is the newsboy cap. This boyish style sits just far enough back on my head to reveal the spiky bangs at the front, while not covering the entire sides. I didn't purchase anything last night...I'm picky about hats, and it has to be JUST the right one...but I found a few interesting options browsing Etsy today!<br /><br />These two are a little more traditional and slightly more masculine in style, which isn't a bad thing! A little gender-ambiguity can be a very sexy thing in style, after all!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/58077059/m-newsie"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_O1Z6H5CMvnc/TLtUhsSkS8I/AAAAAAAAA14/G0T50LxFFl8/s320/hat1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529105905328868290" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/58077059/m-newsie">M Newsie</a> by jonboy</span><br /><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/57953627/mickey-cap"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_O1Z6H5CMvnc/TLtUyKX_QuI/AAAAAAAAA2A/QMGvV7ZW__8/s320/hat2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529106188282577634" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/57953627/mickey-cap"><span style="font-size:85%;">Mickey Cap by EarthWhirled</span></a><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /><br />These two hats, though, are slightly more feminized in shape, color, and detailing, which offers its own appeal!<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/58542918/shadow-hat"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_O1Z6H5CMvnc/TLtVQpQH2gI/AAAAAAAAA2I/1Hkd3NiZByY/s320/hat3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529106711967160834" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/58542918/shadow-hat"><span style="font-size:85%;">Shadow hat by BKMHattitude</span></a><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/56627898/etta-hat-pink-linen-size-medium"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_O1Z6H5CMvnc/TLtVixwIcHI/AAAAAAAAA2Q/d5MIx3gCYSI/s320/hat4.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529107023486546034" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/56627898/etta-hat-pink-linen-size-medium"><span style="font-size:85%;">Etta Hat in Pink Linen by piperandpaisley</span></a><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">So many choices out there! I'll have a lot of fun browsing the hat sections of stores for a while to come, I'm sure, until I'm able to find the perfect hat for my new hair!<br /></div></div></div></div>Katyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02123957715477488518noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425874309753116588.post-67097758255683589012010-10-17T14:24:00.001-05:002010-10-17T14:26:48.790-05:00New Items in my Vintage Shop!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_O1Z6H5CMvnc/TLtNxeS6-OI/AAAAAAAAA1w/djo-wJKYqsI/s1600/mosaic9004dff1dddc67100f14f27a55fc152786543701.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 161px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_O1Z6H5CMvnc/TLtNxeS6-OI/AAAAAAAAA1w/djo-wJKYqsI/s400/mosaic9004dff1dddc67100f14f27a55fc152786543701.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529098479868770530" /></a><br /><br />Well, I finally got off my tucus and listed some great new items in my Etsy vintage shop, <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/retailtherapyretro">Retail Therapy Retro</a>! Please, go check 'em out!Katyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02123957715477488518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425874309753116588.post-67551788458472432322010-09-30T09:58:00.002-05:002010-09-30T10:07:11.568-05:00What I'm Wearing: AmericanaOkay, I totally didn't have time to take an outfit photo this morning before I left, and I'm pretty happy with my outfit today! So what's a blogger to do? Why, turn to Polyvore, of course!<br /><br /><br /><div><div style="position:relative;width:400px;height:400px;"><a href="http://www.polyvore.com/americana/set?.embedder=716357&.mid=embed&id=23652397"><img width="400" alt="Americana 1" src="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/img-set/BQcDAAAAAwoDanBnAAAABC5vdXQKFmhvZXZJNlBNM3hHRXlhRnFWMUYxVFEAAAACaWQKAWUAAAAEc2l6ZQ.jpg" title="Americana 1" height="400" border="0" force="1" /></a></div><br/><small><a href="http://www.polyvore.com/americana/set?.embedder=716357&.mid=embed&id=23652397">Americana 1</a> by <a href="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/profile?.embedder=716357&.mid=embed&id=716357">ladymaze</a></div><br /><br /><br /><br />Now, this is partly an approximation. The dress, watch, and the boots are exactly what I'm wearing. The shirt is very similar, but the one I'm wearing is actually from the H&M men's department, and I'm wearing it unbuttoned with the sleeves rolled up. The bangle bracelets are similar, but mine are vintage and much less expensive, ha! And the belt, too, is just similar...but a skinny black belt is a skinny black belt, right? ;-)Katyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02123957715477488518noreply@blogger.com3