Supermoon

This particular wire used to be part of the stove's power cord. Not the current stove but the old one. The stove itself is long gone but the cord remained as it held sentimental value (?) because I slightly electrocuted myself on it once.

Solstice, June 20

SUN, mixed media

Not a very good photo, see my shadow? I cast a shadow on the sun, how's that ; )

This longest day of the year sure feels like it. 

The spay-neuter clinic I've been working at is on hiatus until the new Vet arrives; 

when he gets here there'll be plenty of New and To-Do, likely changes to the anesthesia meds (which suddenly became my department due to pay cuts) and back into the swing of things, but for now there's nothing, and I miss the routine and the busy-ness of that good work.

My hands need work to do, meaningful work, making and mending, loving the living and dying. 

Since leaving the shelter I worked at for 5 years I've felt slightly unmoored. It was time to go, no question about that, but finding the next thing is an ongoing challenge. My previous job was janitorial work; I liked the zen of it, the bringing order to chaos, and the small Saints found tucked among the lifer custodians, the resoundingly human crew of night shift cleaners.

Henry Darger's artwork. Big Fan.

I miss shelter work, though I'm not sure I'll ever return to it. The never-ending tide of lost and unwanted and broken creatures was much to bear, but it was good to help and to hold, to comfort and care.  My friend has dived into it with love and grace, and I'm grateful to her and all the others who continue this work.

I'd like most of all to find a place for the things I make. Literally, as in not having to make little paths around the paintings and clutter in my burrow.

So far the only luck I've had is painting the local sports mascot on river stones.

votive offerings for the Cult of the Big Red Pig

Good thing it's local, the shipping charges would eat me alive. 

Orb tutorial

 Now that the post-holiday sales are over i'll put this up. It's a fun project to do with the large shatterproof plastic Xmas ornaments that you can't get anymore, cuz the holiday sales are over. Packrats like myself will still have some from last year; if the rest of you didn't stock up then DOOM ON YOU. They were only ten cents each. These are the huge ones but any size can be made to work...

 Anyway. This is some sort of athletic tape that i saved from when i was a janitor and the old janitor Bob and i would take our late midafternoon breaks in the old gym. I'm not sure exactly but i think they used it to wrap hockey stick handles, or pole vault poles, or wrap their hands when rock climbing. (none of those sports ever actually took place there that i know of) and it's very sticky on the sticky side, but the dry side is a fairly sturdy fabric, Which is Useful Because IT IS PAINTABLE. Stick it on your ornament like the picture shows. Paint it gold or silver if you want yours to look like mine.

Paint the spaces in between the gold or silver tape with nailpolish in random colors. Inhale deeply. Sprinkle some glitter. Make little dots around the edges of the tape with fabric paint. Something this fancy in ages past would be adorned with hammered &molded gold, but this is the age of cheapness & plastic. Acquire hammered-gold substitute from an aluminum can (This one is from cat food) Trim into a starburst shape. Attach with craft glue. I use the stuff in the purple tube as purple is my very favourite color.

Add rhinestones in a color that grooves harmoniously w the glitter. Add more fabric paint. Add more glitter. TA DAAA!
 I decided to hang this one as ceiling space is less imperiled than shelf space at this time.  But i did very much like the look of this piece on the thrift-store candlestick above & would recommend a similar display if presenting this as gift to the sort of posh folks who have so much of everything, that an actual symbol of monarchical rule seems appropriate. These cost about 50cents to make, but i'll sell you one for $50...