Monday, October 29, 2012

Some Days You Eat the Cancer


Today's documentary film, Dying to Have Known by Steve Kroschel. Mr. Kroschel sets out to determine the legitimacy of the Gerson Therapy treatment for cancer. As a film it is really terrible (and as research it is highly unscientific) in that it is melodramatic and clearly manipulative and biased; there is no intelligence expected of the audience to be able to decide for itself. That lack of credit for the audience is enough to discredit it’s own message because it lacks confidence in its own posits. On the other hand, I already believe that “Big Pharma” controls the world of health and medicine and that the “conspiracy” theories are closer to truth than not. If I were to come down with cancer I would want to try alternative therapies before chemotherapy; my concern is the cost and affordability. I also think about how very  brave it is for a person to chose alternative therapies, such as the Gerson Therapy or that of Bryzinski, in the face of death, and the ever pressing winding down of the clock of life; you only have enough time to try it once, unless you make the right choice. What kind of place is that to be? I better start juicing now so I can never find out!

I’ve already started growing my own vegetables. I felt the most important aspect would be to chose non-GMO (genetically modified organism) seeds. I felt that the soil didn’t have to be organic, just pesticide free. I’ve decided my thinking is faulty and if I’m going to the trouble at all, I should use organic soil as well. My seedlings have been a great success. Of all those I transplanted, only one died. I am looking forward to the peas and tomatoes climbing all over this bird cage; it will be beautiful. There’s spinach in the center and I left the door free to reach inside. The cucumbers in the 5 gallon bucket have secondary, true leaves now. My herbs are really small. I didn’t plant all my seeds, and these are really too early. You can see I have blossoms on the squash and that isn’t supposed to happen for another month. Next week I’ll transplant into permanent pots and start more seeds. It seems to me I don’t have enough!
I also created a new necklace this week; it’s a choker. Silver findings, silver lined glass, lapis, sodalite and white jasper rounds, and porcelain beads with Chinese symbols I got from Lea Avaroch. The chain with the dangles lies perfectly at the throat and the choker is not too heavy and very comfortable and stable on the neck.
I was active on Pinterest this week as well. Some of my favorites are from Lisa Liddy and Jennifer Geldard.
Along the path of new discoveries I found a “Fish Watch” list from the Monterey Bay Aquarium. I saw something once from which I remembered, choose sea food from the northernmost part of the Pacific, and never eat Talapia. Now I know I could eat Talapia if it is farmed in the USA, but I’d still rather have Salmon. It saddens me that I may never eat salmon again because “they” are going to genetically modify salmon; if that happens, I’ll consider it extinct. I think my dad would have been equally saddened; after retiring from the Army he fished salmon for a living. Along the line of fish food and Talapia, I found this awesome story about the urban farming movement. My final discovery was this cute pair of earrings modeled after Chinese knotting. I love wire work and these are a great inspiration.
Isaac went to the fair this weekend.  Our area is famous for Mark Twain’s Famous Jumping Frog of Calaveras County; yes, there is really a frog jumping contest. He had a wooden plaque entered which received a blue ribbon, was totally on his own for the first time (made me nervous, but all went well), took lots of pictures and had an awesome time!
As fire season, and the deadline for defensible space, approaches, I have one more burn to take care of the two year old pile of pine needles, and one more week to rake and burn what fell this winter. On top of that duty I’ll be continuing my exercise regime on the Wii Fit (I started last week!). See you soon!

Sunday, October 28, 2012

More Than a Pretty Face

I love Pinterest! It's not just a bulletin board on which to pin pretty pictures; it is a place to communicate ideas and inspirations in all areas of creativity. I have had a need to create all my life and when I can't do it, I dream of doing it.

When I was a little girl I used to make puzzles by making a huge drawing on multiple sheets of binder paper. The only one I remember was of a nude woman; I think my grandmother found it and I got in trouble for it. I've always been fascinated by the human body, especially the mechanics of it; I guess that's why I used to dream of being an investigative coroner ala "Quincy" and why I love making goddess beads.
Teresa Laliberte is my Goddess Bead Muse
 I remember in Junior High School I would make replica drawings of the fruit that was on paper lunch sacks and my friends would ask me to make duplicates for them. I still love the bright colors and balloon shapes of fruit; maybe that's why I like beads by Heather Trimlett. I also remember learning to sew, and being pretty good at it; and I remember being the Queen of Hearts in the school fashion show/play (I wanted to keep forever my self designed and created playing card costume!)
Beads by Heather Trimlett








Courtesy How To Draw Cartoon

All along the way I liked to
save all my markers and crayons and I had a penchant for quirky ink pens; I still have scores of them! One of my favorite gifts was from a friend of my mothers, for whom I used to babysit; it was a book of geometric shapes, drawn like fractals, and I would color the designs I saw in them.
SO MANY inspirational color books on Amazon!
 For the last year I've dreamed of deviating from glass bead making and going back to seed beading/weaving. I am so inspired by Zen Tangle drawings. I've also loved the art of Mary Engelbrecht, which I was reminded of today by the following video....which I found on Pinterest!

Before I show you the video, I want to share with you my experiences of creating. More specifically, I want to show you my experiences with road blocks. This video shows me that I've been standing in my own way all along. I know what I love and how it makes me feel to do what I love. When people call me an artist, however, I shrink back from the compliment and deny any possibility of it being the truth. I am driven to create by my emotions, my passion for colors, and shapes, and details. I constantly accuse myself of not being able to control my use of those elements I love, that I don't know when to stop, when enough is enough, and in the process I ruin my "art". I know I am not alone in this feeling, so if you are with me, and you feel the same way, I'm here to tell you, I've found proof that we are so wrong about ourselves!

This video is amazing. This artist, Rach of ArtfulEvidence, is amazing. She uses a million techniques and as she creates she is fearless in her continued pursuit of what she enjoys, not being dependent on what the outcome is but only what is happening in the moment. She makes a beautiful start with color and technique and proceeds to evolve and develop and add more, more, more, and at no point is it ruined, or destroyed, or "too much". It is layer upon layer of joy and experience and giving into desire to add another color, another detail, another technique. And I kept saying, "When will she stop?! WHY will she stop?! Yes! That's the important question, Why?!" Funny, I wrote that "I've found proof" before I knew her Etsy and Blog name, "Artful Evidence"! Get it? GET IT!!!

Friday, October 12, 2012

I'm a Fall Cleaner

My substitute teaching assignment is over, and I'm back to my bead biz. I've been thinking a lot about how to get more traffic to my new web site, MonaRAEbeads.com I've been sending out emails (they're really cool and professional looking now!) and getting a lot of visits from them, but I'm not getting many subscribers. Have you subscribed? If you click here you will get 15% off beads, and you will get exclusive previews and first options on my new beads and jewelry.

I've also been thinking about marketing and making changes to my website. I am such a "Jill  of all Trades" with interests all over the board. I was thinking about separating my website into "interest" categories and focusing my blog posts to those things I like to talk about. But I'm not sure that would be effective or efficient considering my web site can be searched by tags and categories. Do you think I need to separate my interests or trust people to use the search function?

Among some exciting news, Lori Greenberg's new book, Bead Soup, released last week. Lori held a week-long release party, blog-hop with the contributing artists in her book. Each of them had a giveaway on their own blogs. I entered many of the giveaways, and I won the giveaway I wanted most! Check out this bead soup from Erin at Treasures Found (check out her blog too!). I can't wait to receive it and make something just for myself from it.
I just LOVE the pendant! It is called Sari Snapshot and it is made by Erin for her Simple Truths line.
If you are someone who loves words, and beautiful inspiration, check out her line  (Tesori Trovati on Etsy). She even has a sampler club!

As I get ready to show you the new listings, I'd like to remind you to check out my website and my Pinterest boards.