Super Quick Post.....

The cover is done for the Fall 2008 edition of Create, Collect, Trade....and I made the cover!!!
Woohoo!!!
Check out the blog for the book to find out when it comes out and to link to the other amazing artists in it!!
http://createcollecttrade.blogspot.com/

WATCH THIS SPACE!!!!!

Keep an eye on this blog!!!
Starting after the hellidayze I'm going to start pulling pieces from my very own Etsy favourites to drool over, discuss and show off to the universe!!!

Yes, I know that'll be tempting fate as far as other humans buying MY faves...but I just GOTTA share some of this stuff!!!
People need to know!!!
YOU people need to know!!!

I am also thinking of running a monthly contest !!!
(probably some trivia thing)
I need ideas about prizes tho....custom ACEO??
Scarf from the shop?
CUSTOM scarf??
Cookies???
A great big fluffy Bloop alien?


..................oh wait....I'm the only one who knows about them...

Getting 'Out There' With My Art

WOW!! This art thing is complicated!
Not the art itself, that's the fun part.....but the whole "putting yourself out there" thing is scary as hell!!!
AND Very complicated!
But I'm working on it.
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The fall / winter '08 edition of 'Create Collect Trade' is in the final editing stages! No news yet on when it will be completed, but the blog is the place (aside from here of course) to keep an eye out for the dates. http://createcollecttrade.blogspot.com/
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I have also begun a partnership with the owner of Esque Embroidery!!
She creates codes for computer embroidery machines based on the works of different artists, and she has asked for a few of my pieces!!
My 'Lydie Plays Hide and Seek' is even on the front page of her site! (Along with a pair of eyes taken from one of my pieces and then mirrored.) Cool no?
The site itself is still under construction, but should be up and running soon. She has corralled some REALLY cool artists too! So if you're tired of the same ol' thing for your machine, check her out!!! http://www.esqueembroidery.com/index.htm
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AND....if you happen to be in the New Hope PA or Lambertville NJ area in the next 3 weeks or so, stop by the New Hope PA Starbucks for a coffee! Then go into their back lounge an check out some of my ORIGINAL artwork hanging in their gallery!!!
I must say, I'm pretty excited about that! The traffic in a Starbucks FAR out paces any art gallery! (Hopefully I'll post some pics after the weekend.)
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A few of my pieces have even been featured in groups and won challenges on my gallery site! Boy was THAT cool! http://www.redbubble.com/people/gypsycaster (I'm most proud, just now, of "Blue: So Innocent". She's pretty good if I DO say so myself! LOL!
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As for my knitting....well let's just say I'm glad I do it for the enjoyment and NOT the money! LOL!
Etsy is the greatest site I've ever used, either for buying or selling. A fantastic tool all around...but between the economy, and having a day job that limits my time promoting in the forums and all.....well I'm not one of their 'Top Sellers'.
In fact...I'm not sure most of the buyers even know I exist!
('Cept Puss Daddy...yay Puss!!!)
So I keep pluggin away for the love of the hobby, and I keep posting for sale the lovely things I make...toiling away in relative obscurity.....
Just like everyone else! :D

What The Devil Is Going On Today????

(I'm trying out a new font colour for a friend!)

OK....I got up this morning in a SPECTACULAR mood! I was really happy! Everything is still crappy money and time wise, but Hubby and I had a great night in with friends last night, and spent yesterday hashing some wierdnesses out, so I awoke this morning with a great sense of 'rightness' and optimism.....clearly that was a mistake!
At about 10 am the severe winds began to blow all the stuff on our porch around....then (just AFTER the coffee finished thank the Gods) the water in our building cut out.
Again.
4th time this fall.
We have a sink FULL of breakfast dishes, two bathroom using humans and 3 other bathroom using humans coming over for gaming later.

This is very high on the list of suck my friends.
Very high indeed.
The property manager says that there MIGHT be a plumber coming by this evening, but that it's after hours for him, so HE won't be here to deal with said plumber.......
I was pretty sure that the job of property manager was to manage the property.
Especially when the rent paying occupants are so prone to FLIPPING THE HELL OUT!!!!!
Sorry......I'm mean from a lack of water.
Also.....3 cups of nice strong coffee and a cheese omlet = a need for a working loo!

The property manager ALSO says that @ 3pm they'll turn the water back on for a half hour before he goes for the day, so we can get things done.
Sink full of dishes....2 showers....filling jugs for the toilet......GO!
*sigh*
I GOTTA move back to a city.
Property manager has a very different meaning there.
So does flipping out...

(OH! AND on top of everything else...our Virgin mobile service which we've had for years and has NEVER given us any trouble...is out. No clue why. The crazy chick at their help center... (HA!) says it's probably because our phones are old. We "need to buy new phones."....WITH WHAT FOR MONEY?!?!?!!?)

OK....rant over.

For now.

A Brand New Day....Aren't They All?

Ok...so up at 8 AM to go do this voting thing. Only a few more hours before I have to decide whether to move to New Zealand or not.
The country scares me sometimes....seriously....8 years? You know the rest of the world thinks we're either nuts or stupid.
*I* think we're either nuts or stupid!
Or maybe just damaged. I guess a large number of folks DON'T want a person smarter than they are running THE ENTIRE COUNTRY.
I know I do.

Enough about that though....how do you like my new background??? Cool site. Check 'em out.
There's still a TON to do to make this blog what I would like it to be, but it's getting there.

Speaking of getting there...I need to post on both redbubble and etsy today...so I guess I'd better hustle.
If you're interested in my Horror short fiction, head on over to my redbubble site. There's a few up now and I have 3 more done to post this week.
MUAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

Halloween (or Samhain) and My Love / Hate Relationship With it

(insert heavy sigh)

Ok.....this is gonna be a long one.

I LOVE this time of year. I love the camp and horror of Halloween and I love the warmth and magic of Samhain. I love the colours, cider, hayrides, pumpkins, cookies, slasher flics and even the "Halloweentown" movies.

I love the parties....many parties....(oh my head!), and the trick or treaters.

And I love the costumes....but here is where things fall apart you see.

The costumes.

The problem I used to have with this was the constant "oh I love your costume" comments when I was dressed in my day to day wear, but years of working more physical jobs (moving fountains) led me to a jeans and t-shirt phase in my life. (Hey the shirts are still gothy gothy and horror dammit!)

Now a days I have another problem.

Cool costumes in the stores (even Halloween Adventure and other such seasonal gems) are made for teens and stick figures.

Seriously...people...come on now.

I have big ol double D ta tas and there is NO WAY I'm cramming those into a cool ass "Covenant: Dark Fairy" costume.

I'm not kidding! Every Halloween it's the same. I get really happy and excited for fall and Samhain and all...and then one of my lovely friends (tiny little things THEY are) who happens to be throwing a party says "and you're gonna wear a costume right?" and my little world just shatters.

For a few years I could get away with buying a cute velvet top hat with some lace, wearing my old gothier than thou clothes and saying I was a vampire. Tossing on some Pennsic / Rennie garb and going as a Gypsy, Pirate or plain old wench.

But I'm swiftly running out of options. My old garb (goth AND ren) is getting pretty beat up as well as seen too often.

Really cool costumes aren't cheap, but I might be prepared to pay the price for one that fits!!!!

Oh and don't go sayin Torrid or such...I went to Torrid. Cute clothes, but for a "large size version of Hot Topic" they have NONE of the cool clothes HT does!! But sadly HT's version of 'XL' is actually about an 'M'.

And as far as costumes go....EVEN theyseem to think flat chested. An 'XL' with 'A' cups is rare my friends!

Besides...they had 3 costumes....1. A shiny-vinyl nurse.....2. A shiny-vinyl cop...3. a shiny-vinyl gangster. (Ok so there's more online but still...)

WHAT!?!?!?!??!??!??!!?!?!?!??!?!?!?!?

Let me just say.....as an 'XL' chick....I DON'T WANNA BE SHINY!!!!!!!!!

You put it on and people think it's shiny cause you're gonna blow!!! WTF?!?!?!

Skinny bitches designed these I swear!!

So....all that having been said......

Happy Samhain to you all,

And to those having Halloween parties next year.....I'm coming as ME bitches!!!

LMAO!!!!!

Book Time!!!!!

SO.....I have managed to get into the Autumn edition of "Create, Collect, Trade" , a fantastic book on ACEO artwork that combines both the works of adult "professional" artists and children from an elementry school in the U.S. . (Who are lucky enough to have a brilliant teacher btw!)

The new edition has about 20 or so adult artists so far and looks to be filled with some really fantastic pieces. (The originals of some of these are actually for sale on Etsy.com as well!)

So...here is the link to the lovely blog: http://createcollecttrade.blogspot.com/ it's over there --> also but I thought I'd make it even easier to hit. There is also a running thread on Etsy that the artists are involved in: http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=5774291 so you can check up on us!

If you love art, but think it's too expensive to own originals, or just love little things, ACEOs are for you! Even some very popular artists make them and they are usually far more affordable.

They are also the perfect tool for teaching kids about art. Sometimes the very idea of art can be daunting when faced with what seems like a mile of blank, empty canvas staring at you!
The 2 1/2 x 3 1/2 inch format seems much friendlier!

Anyhoo...check out the new edition of "Create, Collect, Trade" ! And there should be copies of the previous edition as well in a couple of weeks, so check that out too!

My Favourite ETSY Pieces...at the moment....

So I thought I'd amke use of the mini format to show off some of the fabulous work over at Etsy.com . (Aside from mine of course!
(keep in mind...I have HUNDREDS of favourites, but they only let a few into the minis at one time...)


Look for the mini on here!
It's really cool....and waaaaaaay down at the bottom!
I believe it might change as I add to my Etsy favourites, but maybe not...I'll just change it manually every once in a while.

For my hubby.....

I know he never reads these things, but I feel the need to say some things about my hubby.

No one, ever, in my whole life has been as wonderful, sweet and supportive as him.

Now don't get me wrong, this isn't just going to be some rembling Hallmark card of a post, there are some things I need him, and you, to know.

I posted a little while ago about the nature of lust, and I think I need to clarify a few things.

I posted that it was in the nature of all humans to lust after the things they don't have....I never meant that the things people DO have are any less amazing. Case in point....I have a 'thing' for a 5'6" Japanese actor. This is the polar opposite from my 6'3 1/2" blonde Viking hubby!!! The fact that I find someone (famous btw) attractive who looks nothing like my sexy hubby does NOT mean that I find him less hot. NO WAY!! I got lucky folks! My hubby is H.O.T.!!!

(And smart, funny, brilliant, creative,loving, sensative, etc. etc.)

So anyway...this is just a little tribute to the man who not only improved, but completed my life when he asked me to marry him.

And now...maybe someone who doesn't have HIM can have a new lust.

Zazzle!!! So cool!

So I now have a Zazzle site (see the link?)
I'm pretty amazed. It's awesome! If you don't want to buy original art, say it's too pricy or you just want a nice print, button or mug....(or tie, apron, shirt, mouse pad, whatever) you can now find my really snazzy pop art images on zazzle.com ! I don't have a ton on offer yet, but I'm starting off with buttons. They're small, cheap and everyone has at least one somewhere!
So check it out! And if you happen to be one of my artsy friends from Etsy or Redbubble, check into opening a gallery there. Listings are free, and you can make almost anything!
I'm still doing research on how the royalties work, but I'll keep ya posted.

A Little More Shameless Self-promotion...

So about that ACEO book I mentioned....The presale copies are ready for ordering at a discounted price through the "ACEO Book" link over there to the right and down a bit, or through Art2theextreme's etsy shop !! There is also a pair of donation links on the blog page for the student copies of the book. You can either donate a whole copy of the book to one of the students involved and have a little "Thank You" plate put into it with your name and all, or you can donate $5 towards the purchase of a copy for one of the students involved. Both options are through Paypal and will help to make sure the young artists we're working with each get a copy of a real, published art book with their own work in it! (Pretty cool no?)
Anyhoo....all links for the donations and the presale copies are linked over there -------->
under "ACEO Book".
Pop buy and help keep the arts alive in our schools!!!
:D

Hit My Links !!!

Have you noticed the cool little list of links over there on the right ? No, down a bit...there! That is a list of some of the COOLEST artist blogs and sites on the web! Some of them have talents and pieces you'd never imagine....
Take for instance Blue Heron Art...it's a link to Etsy's own blueheronkate! She of the awesome Camel ACEOs! But did you know she also makes the most amazing painted floor cloths ? S'true! They look like mosaics or hand knotted rugs. Mad talent that girl!
Or the link for Light Me...that leads to Liz Staley's site. Not only a mistress of all that is nerdy...she's also an awesome artist and writer!
So take a chance and visit some of the links you see....even if you can't tell who or what it may lead to....'s part of the fun you see.....