I am gearing up to go back to my 40 hr week desk job after a two month medical leave…I have to work at my computer for at least four hours a day to recapture my skills on the keyboard.  I am keeping busy with PT, swimming, reading and art. I am taking on a new responsibility as the blogger for Crowabout Studio B where I will announce the news about Nancy’s latest kits and magic potions. Above is a hybrid sample of Tumblefish/Crowabout Studio B of my own design called “Ima Stinker”…In a few weeks you may get it…if not, just enjoy. it’s a beautiful day in Portland and I am still at the desk typing away…I think I need a nap. Below is a mistake swap_bot skinny and a photo of the zetti triptych

For those of you who don’t really know me…for the last year I was suffering from a pinched nerved caused by a herniated disc at C5 in my neck. 13 days ago I underwent surgery to alleviate the burning, stabbing, electrical pain. The surgery is called ‘Micro Posterior Cervical Laminectomy’. I can report today that it was a very successful surgery! I had 5 days of excruciating post op pain which made me wonder if I had done the right thing. But today I am noticing that things are much much improved and the pain is about a 2 (compared to the 8 pre surgery) I am able to sit at the computer for about an hour now. I have cut back my pain meds by half. I have even been able to keep up on my design team duties. So in random order-here are the latest:

images from Nancy’s kit Men in Hats and some image from flickr of an old dude pulling up his horse blanket.

i think this is last weeks Crowabout with images from Nayski. Zib calls her ‘This Girl’…

This is ‘St Larry of the Hats’ I misspelled Hats…it should be ‘chapeaux’.  images are from Crowabout Studio B.

I about threw up my cottage cheese when I read in the news that Kim Jong Il said he’d created an ‘invisible phone’! I read on wikipedia he also had some other bizarre claims of fame. He’s such a little girl-I dressed him up!

This is an ATC i made for Marsha of Tumblefish Studio’s ATC swap. Mine is old skool not digital. I have yet to find out who my partner is….

The Hair Family is an online challenge thru Flickr. You download the original and then alter it somehow. This is my contribution. here is the original:

here is part of a journal page i started the other night:

and here is todays work:

weebles wobble…remember them?? the images are from Nancy Baumiller’s kit “Wild Things” found at deviantscrap.com

I am starting to get sore now-so I best finish up here…cya l8r!

Nancy Baumiller invited me to be on her design team for a new line of digital scrapbook papers and embellishments thru DeviantScrap.com. Here is a promo I made for opening day, today May 24, 2010:

It’s an honor to be among such a diverse group of talent; and all the supplies are FREE!!  Unfortunately this ‘digital’ scrapbooking looks best when done thru PhotoShop which I do not own. I  am attempting to make do with the software that came with my HP printer. Santa, if you are listening….

Below are design samples from the kits created by Nancy B, now credited as “Crowabout Studio B @ DeviantScrap.com”. I am not profitting from these collages – just doing this for a friend to help her get her bizness off the ground. Good Luck Nancy! Visit www.deviantscrap.com for more info!

created from ‘Borders&Bits’, ‘Funky People Parts’ and ‘Fab Frames’ all kits designed by Crowabout StudioB@Deviant.com

can’t decide which one to use….

The threat of a winter storm with 6 inches of snow sleet and freezing rain turned out to be a dud. But fortunately the lack of inclement weather allowed me to take part in the Hip Happening down in the Sellwood area. Thanks to all of those brave souls who ventured out in 34 degree rain to come shop at my small booth and save the day!

blind collage is a fun thing to do when you are completely brain dead (like I am today) just throw a bunch of random images on your scanner screen face down. don’t worry about order. just start with small images and lay larger and larger on top of those till the screen is full. above is my blind collage to thank you all for coming out yesterday!

November 21st at Reedwood Friends Church. We got there early enough to find what we thought was the best table-alas we were by the exit! There was very little (if any) advertising but we still had a fun time and were amazed by the number of vendors that came to sell their wares. We were by far the most unique and quirky of the 25+ vendors. Jessica’s Star Trek ATC’s sold like hotcakes and Deb’s beaded ornaments were also very popular. I got the feeling that many of the tables around us had been doing this for years and some were quite adept at the hard sell.  I did not have a sale until 2 pm-which was sort of disappointing. Until I have done this a few more times I will not be bitter about the lack of customers-I’m just glad that I got my earrings and easels back from the church office! Apparently we left them behind in the parking lot!

I have been complaining about the pain in my neck and just found out I will most likely need surgery. I have slacked off on doing almost everything-but can’t seem to stop submitting to Collage Play. Here is week #42. If you go to my Flickr page there is a funny little story about this piece. I am pleased it turned out-basically a pencil drawing.