Creepy Santa collage

Creepy Santa collage
Originally uploaded by Sylvia...Sometimes.

Well, forget it says Santa collage
because it looks quite proper for Halloween to me!
Work was work but all in control
Now waiting for the next little troll.
There's The Ninja, a devil, and someone
all sparkly...
Hey, Raggedy Ann...and a ghoul prowling
darkly.
More to come as the moon rises...
sure to have more surprises.
Well, the doorbell rings again...
so have a great night...and after
the tricksters have gone to bed catch
some unbelievable mailart on Ruud Janssens Moscow show...available in
pdf file...you're in for a treat! Can
use my link if you like...
Cheers

Yikes! There's A Wink In My Blink!

Some days are best left forgotten...
like when the kat garoofs a furball
on the newly cleaned carpet...or when
the oil light comes on in your car at
5 in the morning and nothing's open...
or when it's time to turn back your clock
knowing it will be dark when you get home
for months on end...ah, the joy of shoveling
snow just around the corner!
Yep, you quessed it...that kind of day.
Ever have any? First time in 80-something
years the Red Sox win the series...what does
it do???Rain spitballs all day on their parade.
Not that I was insane enough to go to that parade!
Worse than fending for yourself at Macy's day-after
Thanksgiving sale! Think they send in the futball
team dressed in drag for that one!
Jonathan paints for the Icons & Alters show coming up...
treated me with glow-n-the-dark Halloween Pez...:-) and
tomorrow night we get ready for the barrage of gobblins
(hungry gobblins, I might say).
Wrote a silly poem but had fun doing it...
trying to convince my partner to let me take his
photo with a pulverized piece of hubcap that
actually looks like a masks, even weird little knob
things that look like eyeballs. You might see it later???
Getting the makings together for dinner...a peppercorn-shallot
steak deal tonite.
And last but not least, get that digital camera cleared of old
pictures...ghosts, witches, fairy princesses coming for a
visit tomorrow! OOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWUUUUULLL
to each of you! Cheers

Gotcha!

Gotcha!
Originally uploaded by Sylvia...Sometimes.

For those of you seeing this way too
late at night...a little "wake up" color for you!
Another brilliant sunny day...enjoying
while it last. Wonderful walk...just a
walkabout, a laugh at some of the outfits the neighbors dogs are wearing and one man being dragged along behind an over-eager "puppy"!
Back home & gave in out of curiosity over the controversy of Farenheit 9/11...ordered the CD. Then decided I needed something witty yet intelligent to read, so ordered Roger Stevens' "In Search of Blue Sea Glass".
Played in Paintshop trying to get the look of movement without actually doing animation...the real reason this picture is here. There are some really fascinating photographs & graphics I've seen in books & on-line...and I'm trying to learn how to achieve that look.
Cardinals outside cheeping away...feeder must be empty so off to check it. Cheers.

Outside my window 1

Outside my window 1
Originally uploaded by Sylvia...Sometimes.

Early morn, coffee brewing, I walked
up the stairs and whammo! Out the window
was the most glorious day! Grabbed the camera and here is just a little of what was waiting outside. Jonathan off to work and me to Staples to load up on printer ink, file holders, paper, and a few new stamps. Home to unload then a brisk walk to the grocers for doggie treats, catfood,& people food. Off to post a few letters then back again to work on Groc's Creepy Christmas collage.
Took breaks to clean a bit, try to organise this place, do laundry, and play with Sue who brought her baby to me...doggie talk means..."Let's Play!"
Made yearly doctor's appointment...required of nurses & just good sense, then checking out Ruud Janssen's site for news of his Moscow show. A good day, all told, in New England. Cheers.

HAIR collage

HAIR collage
Originally uploaded by Sylvia...Sometimes.

So what kind of hair day
did YOU have today?!
Ever just sit on a bench
and watch people? We are
a strange commodity! Sometimes
wonder if the Stepford Wives
are yer neighbors? Unbelievable
the amount of money spent on...
hair...or no hair. So what does
your hair say about you, I wonder...
Cheers

My Doc Martens

My Doc Maartens
Originally uploaded by Sylvia...Sometimes.

Sunday...the day of rest.
Ahhhh...well, what makes
home home? The familiar,
the comfortable, to me at
least. Kat breathing fish breath
in your face, boots that settle
nicely 'round your feet (that would be

my Docs), kettle
ready for a cup of tea, books
scattered in every room, music
of the day off in the background,
dog shadowing you from room to
room. Funny, but when I travel
these are what I miss! Oh, can' t

forget cooking...which I sometimes forget

to do! Tonight, it's lamb
and grilled Sicilian eggplant. The
cooking group is due a photo...maybe.
And a little time to go through
yesterday's findings from the
antique shops. Cheers!

A Benvenutto Cellini Maestro signed locks.jpg b

A Benvenutto Cellini Maestro signed locks.jpg b
Originally uploaded by Sylvia...Sometimes.

Ok, I admit it...I support causes...
not all that I should but a few...I think we deserve to breathe decent air...I think if you own/adopt a pet,
it deserves respect, not neglect...I
think art reflects our times and is
communication we should listen to.
So, today was manna from heaven. Off
decently early to the coast via the scenic route so burst of color everywhere! In Essex to an antique shop where we snatched up a catalogue of Indian history...places and people in it Jon met when living there. A surprise for Hazel's metal collection which I shall send off (an hearing-aid voltameter of all things...scary!). Then treated to fish and chips and hot tea as was really cold & windy outside. Next on to more antique shops where the first charged $5.00 per magazine (bought several for collage material)...then another which only charged $1.00 per mag and it was the best. One favorite purchase was a 1964 Life magazine with pics & article on the Beatles. And Jon pointed out a pile of Popular Mechanics. At first I grimmaced...NOT what I thought I wanted...not a mechanical bone in this body. WOW the stuff there was unbelievvvvvvable as Victor Meldrew might say. Snapped it up. A winding way home to catch the sights...then express, as limits of indulgence were wearing thin. Then realized the regatta was going on...people from all over the world rowing those sculls...drove by and was able to catch many teams still competing and the crowds were everywhere but orderly...300,000 they guessed. Got to enjoy a bit of it as it was winding down. A sign. What, you say??? Wine sale 20% off...stopped by to stock up (having learned a bit while in Italy). Sacks of loot everywhere, we headed home. Red Sox game tonite...hope we win but hope fans remember to act civilly. We want to celebrate...not mourn irresponsible acts.
Meantime...it's time to check out those books and see what my next project is.
As for those personally signed locks you can see...we weren't able to find out their reason. It was intriging their numbers, that they were cut & taken off...and that for some reason someone signed his/her name to a lock and by morning, the rails were again full.
Wherever you are tonight...or this morning...may your socks match!
Cheers.

Cherished Objects Collage

Cherished Objects Collage
Originally uploaded by Sylvia...Sometimes.

A quick blog before off
on the days adventures.
Leaky ceiling work finally
completed, so no ice mounds
building up on the floor
this winter. Cat has been
going through strange period
of "Eat" and "Do not Eat" days...
today she ate so must be a good
omen! Will eventually stop by
Staples to see if there is any
help there to organise my amassing
mess here...off we go!

Profile in Red

Profile in Red
Originally uploaded by Sylvia...Sometimes.

It's a Dylan kinda nite...listening to
"It Ain't Me (you're looking for)...I said to the sheriff. Meantime, finished
the Collage Kids collage "Cherished Objects" due soon...worked on photography project. Tomorrow it's off
to the antique shops come rain or
shine! But as the night closes in...
I think of glimpses of the day...Popeye...the innards of a piano(they may not be what you think!)...the
phenomenal spread of mailart, both
by snail (& believe me, it seems to take
forever in the world of WWW!!! ) & the
ability to share art forms almost
instantaneously-if you can survive
Spam (no, not that atrosity camouflaged
as meat!). Jon tells me he went looking
for camouflaged pants...says he couldn't find them...they were hidden.
And so our wacky little corner of
whatever goes on. Cheers.

Chicken Run find

Chicken Run find
Originally uploaded by Sylvia...Sometimes.

For those of you who find
those dusty little shops and flea
markets to be splendiforous
treasure hunts...join the hunt!
Not only was this Chicken Run
a fab find, it was grand to know
some child somewhere knew how to
read the thing. I bought it for
collage material but haven't been
able to bring myself to snip at it
yet! In any language, a "make you
smile" book. Another find was Aesop's
Fables...beautiful illustration &
jeepers forgot how good some of the
stories were. Can't forget to mention
"Miss Rumphius", lovely lovely! Realise
that I really need to find more old magazines...pictures & overall quality
were so much better then.
Today, errands in the car except a brisk
walk to post office...couldn't see myself toting a 12 pack of paper towels
and a 10lb bag of dogfood during wind gales! At least felt that way. Now to check blogs,make sure dog, cat, man gets fed, and maybe catch the NY :-(
vs Redsox :-) game!

Let's Go Fishing! Collage

Let's Go Fishing! Collage
Originally uploaded by Sylvia...Sometimes.

Well, I already blogged under the comment section for the collage, dagnabbit! So nothing left to say
but...like I said...a "D" day!

Firenze paper hat man.jpg a

Firenze paper hat man.jpg a
Originally uploaded by Sylvia...Sometimes.

Finished work with a smile...next
two days off! So, fast stop by the
market then home to start dragging
out magazines & old papers for collage
material. New idea for one and 2 other
projects I've committed to. Took time
to check out new music d/l's and got my
one quota for the day(bandwith thingy with some sites). Choice was boogie woogie from jonalewi...put me right in
the mood for snipping, it did. Only a
few hours to work as I was tonite's chef. Then Fear Factor! Love to hate that show. Then worked with photos, and quick blog and there you are...Redsox won! A proper day, I'd say!

USS History

USS History
Originally uploaded by Sylvia...Sometimes.

"What though the hour which was once so bright,
be now forever taken from our sight...
Though nothing can bring back hour of
splendor in the grass, of glory in the
flower..
we will grieve not, rather find strength
in what remains behind."
wm.wadsworth longfellow
History is just yesterday...we are tomorrow. It's getting

late...just a thought.
Cheers

I Was Born This Way.jpg a

I Was Born This Way.jpg a
Originally uploaded by Sylvia...Sometimes.

Work today was a bowl of bran cereal
with a gargantuan hairy prune plopped in the middle...and that prune meant business! Slipped & slided til I got home...Ah, gotta love our wee efforts
to make sense of this carpet ride!
Listening to "Don't Think Twice", "Gotta Serve Somebody"...realise I do both...lol.
Photos to work on...and a mailart piece to do...so that's my Saturday in the USA.

Things You Might Find In The Garbage Collage

Things You Might Find In The Garbage Collage
Originally uploaded by Sylvia...Sometimes.

Spent most of the day collaging then a brisk march down to the market. Couldn't resist a stop by the drugstore
to peruse the book/magazine area for new material where I bought a "Betty & Veronica" comicbook. Back home to find a mysterious packet from Fiasco Field Delivery Systems in a great envelope! Knew something good was in there right off. Good Laudy Miss Claudy...a CD of "Crazy Cats & A Couple Of Dogs: Novelty Songs"!!! Only person I know who
would think to send such a great surprise is Michael! Thank you so much...can't wait to listen. Which is what I am going to do right now!

I Come From The Earth

I Come From The Earth
Originally uploaded by Sylvia...Sometimes.

Well, it beats the Stork story!
Work was a typical day, not that any are typical. Then home to work on Mick Boyle mailart project. Posted that then looked at the list of projects still to do...Mama Mia!!! Not enough hours...Cat isn't eating and I am worried...Jonathan sings in my ear at something playing...Off tomorrow so will hit the "Gently Used" bookstore for more material for collages...Supposed to rain tomorrow but who cares...great day for browsing around those wonderful little shops, maybe trip to old toys store (a jewel!) and within walking distance a cool Indian restaurant for lunch! But for now, got to do the homework for those projects, and come up with dinner for a chilly New England night. Hmmm...vegetarian chilli?

Game of Chance Collage

Game of Chance Collage
Originally uploaded by Sylvia...Sometimes.

Wow...first day back at work after vacation is puuuuuuey! Great to see all my friends and co-workers though! It was a stark look at reality however...seeing how quickly the lives of my patients changed. Working on the Brain Injury unit may be challenging but it also has it's strange, funny side. Hearing "confession" from a priest...communicating with a Russian woman who speaks no English (amazing but we blunder through and giggle at our antics...and make it work!). So it was this stepping back and looking at what was going on that inspired this collage. But as fate ( or more likely ignorance!) would have it, I made it too large for my scanner so it lost several of the better parts. Petunias, I say!!! Have decided I either need to add a LARGE memorary card to computer, or just admit I need a whole new one! Any advise? Checked some blogs...see that Rogers "honeybunch" will soon be home. Can't say much as Jon calls me "Sweetie-doo"! And will likely throttle me for divulging that. Thoroughly enjoying your mailart archives, Michael...bejeebers you DO have a collection...and it's great stuff! Redsox are losing to NY as I type...#!**!!! And that was my day in old Bostontown.

Step Right Up Folks

Step Right Up Folks
Originally uploaded by Sylvia...Sometimes.

Strange day! Jonathan off to get a new keyboard due to a spill, my computor wanting to crash & still might, and loads of things I am wanting to upload...oh, deary, deary! Vacation over so off early tomorrow and much less time to work on art/photo projects. Erased one of the funniest comments I've ever heard trying to blog this morning. Michael, it was hysterical and I just hate losing that one! Glad Roger can retrieve his notebook so we can hear from him again. So much new out there...just fantastic to see everyone's work! Time to cook...porkchops, acorn squash, and broccoli tonite. Winter fare really but hey, it's cold out there! Envelope ready for post tomorrow for FLOSS...Jon sending it out for me. Listened to Tom Waits "Bone Machine"...has some great songs on it, "I don't wanna grow up" for one, and a collaboration with Keith Richards on "That feel".

Have You FLOSSED Today?

If you haven't, shame on you! Michael Leigh (see my link "Flobberlob" or Yahoo's Mailart group for a couple of leads) has a call out for entries...so that's how I spent most of the day. Since I decided not to take this work to be photocopied it meant working with my own scanner and eeeeeeeeek...what can I put on the back?!!! Well, lesson #1...do the work then take it to the photocopier! It would give a much better end-product, I'm sure. Spent several hours last night going through old mail looking for envelopes to scan to Ruud Janssen ( see his site at IUOMA or find him in my link). Was really hard selecting pieces as they are all one-offs and fabulous. Later last night made Mushroom Barley soup to go with Jon's homemade rolled-oat bread. The aroma of both made us circle like vultures...but NO! Needed to photograph for my foodies group first (on Flickr). After something to the tune of "A man could starve to death in this house!" I took his gentle hint to heart. Later we settled in to watch Britcoms...and yeah!!! The Redsox won! Heard there were some good games of Brit football going too, which I would have loved to see. Tonight, the dog is snoring by my feet...and all is well. Later...

The "C" Day...

Car...Collage...CD...Cooking...Confusion! Yep, that kinda day. Helped Jon put together a sack lunch as he was all over the place today, just in time to see him off then take my car for yearly checkup (it's had a cough lately) and inspection sticker. Walked home and listened to weird, wonderful music on BootSale site although unable to hear latest Indian music so far. Perfect listening to get me going...so dragging out the mags...you know the drill...snip, paste, scratch your nose, realize your hair is standing out perculiarly (paste does that). Had read last night Stan's very thought provoking blog which made me think about life. Yeah, it's deep stuff there. Anyway, gave me the collage theme really. Worked on & off all day...with walk back to retrieve the Green Machine (that would be the car). All set there for another year. In kitchen when I see man's face peering in! Ah...men to repair roof leak are finally here, and he's on one heck of a tall ladder to the roof. No thank you...will pass on that job!!! Wanted to plant a few of the new allium bulbs that came yesterday, but no way ...back yard a disaster area. Mail came...whoeeee...new CD arrived (listening as I type). If you like Tom Waits, get it! (Real Gone). Cooking tonight as somehow we never got around to it last night. But did have time to visit some collage sites & yes Scrapatorium...Snapatorium et all were impressive. Next project is grab the camera, my first love, and get snapping! Trying to come up with something for Floss...maybe for this edition, maybe the next. Have been looking at old Squint editions to have more of an idea of what it's about. Also looked at some of Jon's old painted envelopes from Ruud Janssen (out because he's sent one to him for a project) and remembered the envelopes I have painted. Mostly to family members but a few inclosing mailart projects. Ruud's envelopes are lovely, brilliant and it really does give one something in hand. Nice we can have the best of both worlds...digital & snailmail. Until later...

Oh, it's a wonderful day in the neighborhood...la la la

Up early even on holiday...but a great chance to put on the coffee and start thumbing through books, comics, left over junk for material for a collage. Wishing now I hadn't been so quick to throw out so many maggies in an attempt to bring order to the mayhem here. Still, after much rummaging like a little mouse, I was able to snip and paste...with moderate success. Not the professionalism of a true artist, but a fun exercise. Michael sets very high standards with his artwork. So most of the day was gone, with Jon making a surprise visit during the day-inspired by the chilly weather to make bread this week-end while I come up with a special soup. Also decided to spend Saturday at home for a change to work on our various projects. Checked around on the blogs and it seems everyone has had a busy day with way too much crowded in. Reminds me of the honey bees...or the view from an airplane, with cars flitting about everywhere. Up-graded Flickr so now can place pictures to my hearts content! Thanks for the offer to help with the counter, Roger. You have much too much to do to bother. I'll work it out as I'm a sticker when it comes to a challenge! Think I shall go read my book...getting to the good part! After I go "harvest" some of my basil for pesto, that is. And after I work on the photos...Whoever by the way is Worzal Gummridge?!

Basilica St Croce tomb.jpg a

Basilica St Croce tomb.jpg a
Originally uploaded by Sylvia...Sometimes.

An impressive sight, this tomb...but Michelangelo would have done it better!
Included this as follow up to Jon's blog as I have all the pics.
Busy morning but finally post in the mail to Michael. Also ordered new Tom Waits CD out today..."Real Gone". He's a favorite! Listening to Allen Ginsberg's "Holy Soul Jell Roll" (I'm going down to Puerto Rico) cause PBR is doing fund raising & no way I can take that again! Feasted on some of the collages in Collage Kids...definitely have to go back! For now, off to do chores...herum, herum.

Happy Birthday Collage.jpg Roger

Happy Birthday Collage.jpg Roger
Originally uploaded by Sylvia...Sometimes.

Since I couldn't send a card to my favorite poet, I decided to make a collage. Happy Birthday, Roger...
you ole codger!

Sunday's Child is fair & wise...

ARRRRRRRRRRGH! Fickr's been up down up down all day! Fair & Wise? Baloney, I say! Whew, that helped! Jon off to the Plough so time to work on doodles in process, reworking pics, and starting digital collage. Checked Stans blog...deep stuff but makes me think...wrote inane poem (sorry Roger)...was impressed by digitalart site with self-portrait postcards. Nice one, Michael. Is it a full moon? Wanting to write, paint, cook...not good at any of it really...listening to "Car Talk" on the radio...locals answering call in questions and giving terrible advise...current subject "speeding tickets". Never got one...only warning for a "rolling stop". Blue lights flashing...pull over...officer says..."Didn't you see us?!" Told him saw him just not who he was! He must have had his total for the day as he laughed and said "Ma'am...the brake is on the left...use it!" Jonathan is making hungry noises...time to cook "Habas alla Catalana"...that's bean & sausauge stew. Listening to...Tweedle Dee & Tweedle Dum....yeah, Dylan, from Love & Theft...nice. First good music he's done in quite a while. Yikes...there's the Popeye record I promised Michael ages ago....promise to get it out soon. Sorry!!! And the day goes on...I roll along...

Arno River Firenze.jpg b

Arno River Firenze.jpg b
Originally uploaded by Sylvia...Sometimes.

Italy was all that one would expect and I'm sure I shall be mentioning or showing some predictable things...but it is the unexpected I am thinking of now. Did you know that every roving muscian in Italy plays "Somewhere Over the Rainbow"?! True. The Lotto is also very big there. When they show this very serious business of calling out the winning numbers, the background music was from "I Love Lucy"! There was this curious man reading his paper along the riverside, wearing a hat he had fashioned from his newspaper. Motor bikes everywhere...up walks a man with his dog named "Sally"...he nods his head toward a long row of parked bikes and Sally correctly picks out theirs, hops on the middle area and soon her master ambles up, mounts the bike and off they roar, Sally's ears flopping in the wind. Stumbled upon Italian cartoons, playing "The Road Runner", "Sylvester the Cat", and my favorite..."Popeye"! Don't have to speak Italian to understand those old greats. Somehow it emerged that Jon would read the maps and get us where we were going and I would order all our meals. Worked quite nicely, that. Beautiful light there and wonderful colors. Breath-taking the wall paintings and other art in the basilicas...much better than in the museums, I thought. Turned out this one church around the corner had a martyr thing going...paintings of people(Lorenzo) being boiled in oil...St Catherine being put on the rack and sent her way...another being "grilled". Not easy times, those. And yet they inspired such beauty. Italy is a kaleidescope of warm rich color. Also, they eat like horses...course after course! NO WAY to eat that much, no matter how yummy. Only thing cheap is wine...liter of good wine for 4 Euros!
Fashion-wise, the top accessory seemed to be bright scarves and pointy, pointy shoes-ouch! I settled for the scarf, an orange & blue woven affair(Jon only occasionally threatened to use it as a noose). Wonderful as it was, Dorothy had it right...there's no place like home. Collected Sue, all spruced up in a new halloween bandana, and Kitty, who apparently hates "camp", thank you very much. Hey, no expresso?!!! Just when I was getting used to those little thimble coffees. Cheers to all...and loads of blogs to catch up on so off I go.