Dryer Balls, yes this post is about DRYER BALLS

I'm so going to make these:



When I worked at the American Lung Association, one of our brainwashing techniques we used at health fairs revolved around this package of 2 blue spiky balls. Dryer balls. People loved the dryer balls. We repeated over and over again our story of why dryer balls were on our display table.

See, dryer balls are an alternative to fabric softener sheets, which are Evil. I'm sorry to tell you this, because I know you're going to be as heartbroken as I was when I found out, but even the unscented ones are Evil. They are filled with chemicals such as phthalates, which are known endocrine disruptors. That means that they mess with a kid's development. With anything hormonal, actually. Big time. Phthalates are also a really stubborn chemical that can be found in breast milk of women who haven't ever even used a fabric softener sheet. In summary: yuck.

The way that dryer sheets work is that they are covered in plastics, which are activated in the heat (your dryer) and melted, then spread all over your nice warm clothes. The plastic smells great, thanks to more chemicals, and the plastic layer on your clothes makes your clothes resist static. Hooray. Problem is, you have this great chemical against your skin all day, and you also are breathing it in all day. This could give you allergy symptoms that you can never quite nail down (why am I always stuffy in the morning after I get dressed) but they it could be deadly to you if you have any kind of respiratory disease, like asthma. No, they also don't tell you about how that so-called natural smell of happy flowers (yeah, natural, right) actually contains the same chemicals found in paint strippers, antifreeze, and gasoline.

You can tell that this is one of the things I really embraced when I worked at the Lung Association, and it's stuck with me. I probably could have made millions selling those dryer balls. I was a dryer ball poster child.

Then, one of my coworkers got a phone call from a seriously concerned individual, who wanted to know if the platics used in these dryer balls actually contained phthalates too, or worse yet- lead. We thought she was a bit odd, of course, since obviously the lesser of two evils would be the dryer ball. At least it's sustainable, where dryer sheets are not, right? But coworker, in her awesomeness, wouldn't let it go, and started to try to contact the dryer ball people.

Needless to say, they were not upfront about the contents of their wonderful dryer balls.

And so we decided to stop recommending dryer balls.

I discovered that a little white vinegar in the wash/rinse cycle, or even sprayed into the dryer, does help some with static. But folks are reluctant to smell like vinegar. (Phthalates vs. vinegar, the phthalates always win in the smelling test.) So we tossed away those evil dryer balls from our display, and continued on in our static filled existances.

Until today, when I found this link. Make Your Own Wool Dryer Balls | How to Make and Do.

I'm so going to make these phthalate free all natural wool dryer balls. For everyone I know. Let me know if you need some. I want to keep your lungs and horomones healthy.

gifts

I'm behind in posting about my 29 Day Gift Challenge but I have been keeping a notebook offline, so I have a record of my challenge. But what I hadn't realized is that I reached Day 29!

I'm going to keep going. Yup.

My gift for Day 29, which was last Wednesday, was a bit insane, for sure. For work, one of my duties right now is getting holiday gifts out to our clients. These are folks who are isolated, may not be getting anything from anyone, and many times don't even see anyone on a regular basis. My job is to try to find and match them up with volunteers to provide company and support, help with staying in their own homes full of memories, and staying safe in their own homes. But I have many, many seniors on my waiting list, waiting for a volunteer. So, I decided on Wednesday that I'd visit a few of them and bring them some presents that were donated to our program.

The first part of my insanity was that it was supposed to snow, but it was nice out and I didn't believe it. So I headed on the bus to Burien. Of course, as I'm getting to my first destination, it starts to snow, a wet, cold, gross snow. It's still slushy and icy from snow a few days ago, so I slipped and waddled up a hill to the first woman's house. She didn't want to come to door, and I heard her bumping around and peeking at me through her blinds. Finally she opened the door to me, and I introduced myself. She didn't know who I was at first, even though we've talked on the phone a few times, even a few days ago. She relaxed enough to take the gift though... but she was obviously nervous to invite me in. So I shuffled back to the bus stop for stop number 2.

Snow, snow, snow. I waited for the bus for a long time, and was rewarded by its crazy painful warmth inside when finally it came. My feet were getting damp. I was thinking that this really was a dumb idea. Snow was starting to stick and it was getting dark. But I made it to my 2nd stop. Nobody was home. Argh!

I left her gift on her front door with a note and left to get to my 3rd stop, where I was supposed to have been an hour earlier.

Well, this time I was really dumb, and got on the bus going the wrong direction. When I realized my mistake, I got off of the bus, went across the street, and waited. And waited. And waited. No bus.

I was getting pretty freaked out and cold by now, and it was really starting to be very dark. Cars were sliding around and it was a mess. I called Scott, and he got online to find out the bus situation, but obviously there was no schedule to the busses any more. So I decided that it really was time to give up for the night and head home. I walked across the street again, where busses were headed in the general direction of Seattle. And I waited.

And waited. And waited.

I got really, dangerously cold. I know it was dumb to stand there, but there was nowhere to go even to get inside and warm up. Not even a 7-11! Cars went by, but now busses. My feet started to get really cold. My hands started to get numb. I danced around trying to keep warm, but it was no use. I felt really stupid being so cold and unprepared, even though I WAS wearing wool socks and had a scarf and a hat and even one glove. (Where was the other glove? I still don't know.)

Well, obviously I lived. But only because a wonderful thing happened. A bus pulled up. But it was an offduty bus, and as it let it's last few passengers out, I thought I'd cry if it drove away. I asked the bus driver, are you going downtown?? Well... he said. Well... I guess I can get you to 2nd and Washington.

Dudes. 2nd and Washington is a BLOCK away from where I live. I'd died and gone to heaven. I couldn't say thank you enough, I think I might have embarrassed my favorite bus driver of all time. Yes, Mr. Bus Driver in the black and white ear flap hat, you are my hero. I love love love you. Note, I am married happily, so my love is a platonic, non-creepy, non stalky love. I just love you as a bus driver, so no need to get scared.

My hands finally got some feeling back in them as we drove past Qwest Field, and after getting home I put on every piece of clothing I owned (well, not really), turned the heat up the 80 degrees (really) and soaked as much heat as I could from my poor cat (really, but he volunteered!) and I finally defrosted.

I am so so so thankful to have a warm place to go. I can't imagine being outside in this kind of cold. I feel good to know that we always support the food banks and shelters whenever we have any money to give, and I feel bad that we can't do more.

So really, on my 29th day, I received a gift. Mr. Bus Driver not only got me home, but he reminded me how the little things can make such a huge difference to the people around us. Letting me tag along on his ride back to base wasn't a big deal to HIM, maybe, but it sure was to me. Not only do I love love love HIM, but I'll be defending, to the DEATH, all Metro drivers, who already held the positions of Saints to me, but are now superheros as well.

Mostly I do what I do because it's just what I do. I don't think about whether people are appreciative or if I change their lives or anything. Maybe I do make a difference. I hope so. But I know that there's the possibility that I'll never know for sure. That's OK, I think. I don't need to know about every gift I give, and how meaningful it is to people. I don't need to know if I'm ever superbusdriver to someone. I hope I can be, of course, but letting it go and doing it for what it is, not for rewards or thank yous or anything, is really what it's all about.

Shots fired at 2nd and James

Shots fired at 2nd and James

On December 18th at about 3:10 A.M., officers were dispatched to the area of James Street and 2nd Avenue to investigate a report of shots fired. The investigation at the scene revealed that no one was apparently injured during the incident. At least nine, and possibly as many as twenty shots, had been fired. Four businesses on the block had their windows and facades damaged by bullet strikes. The investigating officers recovered spent casings of two different calibers, as well as bullet fragments at the scene. No weapons were recovered.

The complainants, a man and woman in their 20s, reported that they were standing near the intersection of 2nd and James when a black vehicle, possibly a VW Passat, drove by and an unidentified suspect fired rounds out of the vehicle’s window. Officers responding to the area were not able to locate the vehicle. The complainants provided very limited information about themselves, and were not forthcoming about any possible motivation behind the incident.

Gang Unit detectives responded to the scene and interviewed the complainants .

From SPDBlotter.Seattle.Gov � Shots fired at 2nd and James

We heard this from our apartment. It sounded like thunder! I thought we were having a thunder and lightning snowstorm. Nope, that really was snowthunder that we heard. WOW.

I'm glad that nobody got hurt.

The Toy Society

I am now obsessed with The Toy Society

time for a puppy cam

viewer.45.swf (application/x-shockwave-flash Object)

29-Day Giving Challenge, Day 1

I jumped into this last night, without much planning (actually, ANY planning) or thought about how I'd pull it off. I'm also working on a 101 in 1001 days challenge, and one of my to do items is to release 1001 of my possessions out into the world. It's not that I have lots of stuff, I really never felt like I needed things to feel better. But in the last year or so I've been thinking about how much you need, and I'd love to be simpler. I'd love to be able to move my stuff in one carload the next time I move. I'd love to know where everything is and to be able to enjoy what I have.

So when I saw this challenge (thanks, Melissa), it seemed like a good way to get started. I also work at a social service agency, and have been doing a lot of thinking about giving all year. I give time and energy and emotional currency at my job. Volunteers who I work with give all of that too, plus they give time that most people don't even realize that they have I feel that I give a lot through my job, but the world is full of need. I'm not able to donate chunks of money right now, and I don't feel comfortable doing other dreams of mine yet--walking around handing out sandwiches or volunteering at a shelter. I feel guilty about this, but I also know that I have to take care of myself so I can do good work. And I do good work, I know this.

This 29-Day Giving Challenge is going to be a gift to me most of all. I want to think in small ways to make a difference. It'll be a treat to think of little things that can change someone's live and make them smile--so many of my hours are spent at work trying to think of the big picture. I'm really into the idea of details right now.

So, unprepared, I jumped into day 1.

Day 1 was coupon day. I went through my collection of coupons, and pulled out some special ones to pass along. Four coupons for organic special tea went to a new volunteer at our office. She's volunteering 15-20 hours a WEEK, just because she's awesome. Coupons are a small thing, but when she found them on her table she came and found me and asked, "Did you leave me these? I knew it must be you! I need some tea, too, I'm just about out of my favorite kind!" She was happy with these little slips of paper.

Two other coupons I left on a table in the lobby of our apartment building, for discounts to a Bike Locker, which is a bike center nearby that will allow you to store your bike and get maintenance and other good stuff. The landlords at my building are making people take their bikes off of the property, if they've been stored on the stairs or in the hallways, and our apartments are so TINY that a bike really takes up the entire living room. So I hope some of my neighbors can use these coupons.

Two coupons for Goodwill were mailed to one of my clients, who loves shopping at thrift stores. It's a fun necessity for her. She's a low income single mom raising 3 kids, and she's disabled, so she deserves any joy that the two bits of paper can bring her.

And six more coupons for free grocery bags went to a coworker, who's working on gathering reusable grocery bags for all of her clients. Even though the bag tax in Seattle seems to be on hold, her clients are worried and upset, so this coworker wants to ease their minds with some grocery totes.

It wasn't huge, and it didn't make a ton of space in my apartment or anything, but I feel good about making this small gift to the universe today.

because I'm a joiner and I like lists

View my page on 29-Day Giving Challenge


I'm also starting, finally, a 101 in 1001 challenge. Here's my list.

Hilton, Sleep Terrorist

My cat is an expert at sleep torture.

He's 13 years old, and is still quite active. He's usually a pretty good cat, a sweetie most of the time, UNTIL we try to go to sleep. He'll start by snuggling up to me on the bed (yes, I do allow him on the bed of course) and we fall asleep together, but about three hours later, he'll wake up and start galloping across the bed. He'll jump around and meow and run up and down the hall, then jump back up on the bed, knock things off of the bed side table, run into the living room and knock things down. He'll then run into the bedroom and do a belly flop onto the bed and put his face in our faces... it's almost like he makes a big noise by knocking things down, and has to run in to check and see if we noticed. If that doesn't work, and we refuse to wake up, he'll find plastic bags to chew, or continue to gallop around. To my husband, he'll stand next to his head and then turn around, so he's sticking his rear end in my husband's face!

OK, he wants attention, I think, so I call him over and pet him and love him, but he will only take that for a minute before he runs off again. I've tried feeding him in the middle of the night, tried to make sure he has everything he needs, but still he does this routine. If I do happen to sooth him and he falls asleep next to me again, it all starts over again about an hour later, and continues ever hour or two for the rest of the night.

I'm really suffering from lack of sleep. I've tried to give him extra love in the evenings, feeding him late, even giving him cat nip. We've been to the vet recently, and the vet said he was healthy. I can't think of any changes that we've made to upset the cat.

Sometimes, my insomnia hits after he's woken up up a few times, and I'll get up to read or something, then the cat is suddenly missing. Where did he go? I finally find him curled up on my spot on the bed?!!

Any ideas to get the baby/cat to stay asleep for the night, or at least let ME sleep?

Maybe he's mad at me for something. But sheesh. I'm such a good cat mom, I can't figure out why.

See how sweet he usually is? He even allowed me to put a "scarf" on him:

I R*O*C*K

I rock at finding needy families to give free turkey Thanksgiving Day baskets to. Just sayin.

oh my god, do you remember this video?

I'm about to die of nostalgia.

Election Night (A Found Poem)

Large crowds gather
to celebrate

Election
Shortly after

Media outlets
called
the Presidential Race,

East Precinct
officers observed
a large group of people
gathered in the middle
of the street

Broadway & E. Pike St.

Officers soon discovered
that the gathering was a

spontaneous
celebration

of the election results.

This group began
to march
to march
to march

westbound on Pike St.
towards downtown
with the crowd
increasing in size

as it entered the West Precinct.

As the crowd reached
1st. & Pike St.
they stopped

and spent most their time there.

The crowd
was festive
and not
involved
in any criminal
activity.

The crowd continued
to celebrate

in the street

and eventually left
the downtown area
and returned to Capital Hill



A found poem from:
SPDBlotter.Seattle.Gov � Large crowds gather to celebrate Election

Dailymotion - Maddow meets Martha, a video from tehdownloads. Maddow, Martha

Maddow meets Martha
Uploaded by tehdownloads

visual haiku of the day project

My creation
Originally uploaded by bluelemonegg

for October

The only political post you'll see from me. For now.

Get the latest news satire and funny videos at 236.com.

an auction for mom

dealing with mom
a comic zine by Kerrie Carbary


Dealing with Mom is a 24 page hand drawing comic zine all about the adventures of dealing with my mother's health issues, illness and related adventures, including an appearance by the great and powerful Dr. Neurontin, Scott wearing a cape, and an illustration of the plates, saucers, and cups that they wanted to insert in my mom's spine.

5.5 x 8.5 inches, black and white, staple bound and photocopied.

This copy is a one of a kind hand embellished version of dealing with mom. Each page is either hand colored, embellished, or otherwise altered to create a collectible edition of one!

Bid by clicking here: dealing with mom comic zine, hand embellished - eBay (item 280278116792 end time Oct-25-08 14:54:34 PDT)

All profits after selling fees will be added to the mom fund, which you can read about here: pleasehelpmom.blogspot.com.

Monster Crochet's Saw Scarf

I want one.

something to worry about

I'm interrupting my blog silence to worry and warn you all about a nasty: Triclosan.

Here's something else to be worried about: Triclosan is a chemical that seems great. It's the anti microbial chemical that's added to handsoap to make it antibacterial. No need to wash those hands while you sing your ABCs anymore, just swish and your germs are dead, dead, dead. It's cool, really, we can get rid of nasty germs without even trying hard. There are antibacterial wipes, sprays, (available in many sizes from miniature backpack sized sprays packaged like party favors, to an industrial sized jug for the sofa, where that wretched dog drooled. Over and over again, we're told that GERMS MUST DIE. I recently even saw antibacterial pens and a clipboard at the office supply store.

This cute little chemical triclosan, however, is part of the reason that there are, well, antibacteral-resistant bacteria. Too much antimacrobialness, and the bacterias get smart. Plus, triclosan apparently can cause other problems too. It's a pesticide according to the FDA, and can cause liver toxicity, breathing problems, and can disrupt thyroid functions. When it goes down the drain, it's too prolific to be filtered out by wastewater treatment, so some comes back to us either in our drinking water, or it heads out to see where it's very toxic to sealife.

OK, fine, let's not have any antibacterial stuff around, you say. After all, the FDA says washing your hands with plain soap and water is just fine. Great. But guess what? Triclosan isn't just for breakfast anymore--it's also being added to dish sponges, toothbrushes, toys and cutting boards, mattresses, shower curtains, even telephones. Chapstick, deodorant, socks, mops--everything that you might be convinced will help you keep that oh-so-fresh-feeling.

The reason I started to research triclosan is because I saw something about kitchen sponges containing this nasty little chemical. You know that sponge smell that wafts up from a freshly opened green and yellow scrubby sponge? Apparently that's the triclosan. Hmm. I've been conditioned to think that's a healthy CLEAN smell. Who knew that a sponge could be aiding and abetting a chemical that could be causing liver damage?

So, be careful out there, guys. The world is a dangerous place.

In case you haven't already lost these 3 minutes 12 seconds out of your life...

destashing--need some goodies?

I'm destashing and sending some inspiration back out into the world:

Magazines, $5 each postage paid to the USA or Canada:

Fiberarts Summer 1995
Fiberarts Summer 2003
Fiberarts March/April 1999
Fiberarts Jan/Feb 2003
Cloth Paper Scissors Winter 2005 (Issue 5)
Somerset Studio (Magazine), July-August 2000 (Volume 4 Issue 4)
Somerset Studio (Magazine), July-August 2001 (Volume 5 Issue 4)
Somerset Studio, November/December 2001 Issue (Volume 5)

Books
prices are also postage included to USA and Canada:


Women of Taste: A Collaboration Celebrating Quilt Artists and Chefs by Girls, Incorporated and Jen Bilik, slightly used but in great condition, $5


A Fine Line by Melody Crust and Heather Waldron Tewell, new, perfect condition, $20

Collage : A New Approach : Collage Without Liquid Adhesives by Jonathan Talbot, like new, $5

Sanity Savers: Tips for Women to Live a Balanced Life by Vicky Dale, used, $5 (a good inspirational book to help you have more time for what you love)

Stopping: How to Be Still When You Have to Keep Going By: David Kundtz, used (excellent condition) $6

Art Journal grab bags:
a priority mail envelope stuffed with unique journaling, collage, altered book style inspiration, may include but not limited to: antique book to alter, handmade paper, vintage fabric, ribbon, yarn, ephemera, old photos, stickers, metal objects, beads, buttons, etc, etc. I have 4 of these bulging envelopes. $25, priority mail postage paid to USA. Careful opening, these are really stuffed full. :)

Non-USA address, we'll need to negotiate about the shipping costs. Email me.

All are from a nonsmoking home. I can take PayPal, and actually prefer PayPal, but we can talk about other forms of payment. If you're interested, drop me a comment.

Dot McQuade

will you email me your new address? I am kerriecarbary on gmail. Thank you!

Charlie the Unicorn

I didn't pay attention for a little while, and look! A new Charlie the Unicorn came out!

dog eared magazine, again

I'm sorry in advance to take your time with this post, if you're not interested, please feel free to move along for the day... I'll have something more upbeat tomorrow, I promise. :)

An anonymous poster asked me to "let everyone know you've weasled out of your obligation." I will not do that, because I remain committed to publishing dog eared magazine. Turtle Arts is still going strong. dog eared magazine is still in production. Personally I feel horrible at the delay. I've tried to be honest with you all about the fact that there has been a delay, that I'm as upset as you are about the delays, and that yet we WILL STILL be honoring ALL SUBSCRIPTIONS. We will, we are, we shall.

We've had plenty of issues, and life has certainly been interesting. I feel like I shouldn't go on about the details, but I'd like you to know that we haven't been vacationing in Mexico instead of working on the magazine. We haven't been vacationing anywhere, in fact... I'm surprised that I still know how to spell "vacation." We haven't run away, haven't weaseled, haven't disappeared off the planet.

SO, if you've been worried about dog eared magazine, please don't worry about it. There are other things to worry about instead. You'll get as many issues of dog eared in your mail box as you signed up for. Please, please, I don't want your blood pressure to go up over this. Try not worry. There are other things more concerning to worry about. dog eared will be in your future. Take a deep breath and think soothing thoughts. Try to resist any cravings for worry. It'll all be OK. Leave the worrying to me.

Oh, and I don't know what's up with the web site. I'm not surprised that another crisis has hit, the web site has not been kind to us. I'll get it fixed as soon as I can.

Soothing chocolate for everyone...

employed

Hooray!
I am employed again.

I have my own cubicle.
I have my own phone line.
I will have a key soon, and business cards that I won't have to handwrite my name on.
I have a badge that must be worn in the building.

It's all very grown up.

I'm a little angsty about it, but overall I'm excited.

I knit, too.

I’m a slow knitter, but I was drawn to play in the 52 Pair Plunge that started June 1st. A group of slightly insane, I mean DARING folks try to knit lots of socks in a year. 52 pairs to be exact. Here are my first two pairs, Pair 1/52 and 2/52.

I want to make a few pairs of baby socks for Warm Woolies and for a local charity baby cupboard for babies in need to start with. Not only is this good karma, but it’ll make me feel like I’m accomplishing something. I'm a really slow knitter, see... At the same time I’m working on baby socks, I’m making some big socks for my husband’s big feet, so it balances out.

adorable, or frightening?

As Scott would say-- "Yes."

Actually, I think that Mochimochiland is the best business I've discovered all week. Go check them out, and let me know which toy you love best. I see handmade gifts in my future. :) I've already picked ones out to make for my mom and my husband.

Mochimochi Shop: Tubby Pattern

The Bee

In ancient cultures, The Bee was a sacred creature that bridged the natural world and the underworld. A messenger that travels between the outside world and the hive, The Bee is at home in both sunlight and darkness. The Bee also symbolizes fertility. The Bee’s honeycomb is a hexagon, which is a symbol of community, interconnectedness and strength. The Bee has also been associated with hidden wisdom and mysteries, but also with industry and hard work. As a totem, The Bee might teach us to create art in our everyday lives and to trust in our communities. Like The Bee, our lives are interconnected.

The Bee on etsy.

Cute of the Week

Etsy :: KaysK9s :: VEGAN Commission a Realistic Needle Felted Likeness of your Dog or Cat Custom Order - Great for those allergic to wool

This etsy seller makes some fantastic stuff. If I win the lottery (or get a well paying job!) I'll order past pets for all of my family for presents. A Pussen for Katie, a Tiger for Kellie, a Roma for Mom, a Turtle for me. Ashley for Scott. Sam for Patrick/Dad, even. That's how much I'd love to support this etsy business, I'd even order one for Patrick/Dad. :)

Ride Free

It's official. My brain has morphed itself. I'm a downtowner now.

Today, I had a job interview in my old hood, Ballard. (Irony, hello!) I was walking up the hill to the library to meet Scott, and a bus pulled up right next to me as I passed a bus stop. My first thought was, hey! I can jump on that bus and be on the top of the hill in no time!

Then, I remembered. I wasn't in the Ride Free Area anymore. I'd have to pay $1.50 to ride three blocks. Ug.

Downtown, you can get pretty much anywhere else downtown, on the bus, for FREE. I have to pay bus fare to get to my favorite grocery stores, but I can get to several unfavorite grocery stores (plus the Pike Place Market!), the central library, several drug stores, department stores, even a yarn store. All in the Ride Free area, so all for free. I can get to the International District for free, and I can get to Belltown for free. I used to be able to get to work for free... if I got off the bus one stop early. I can ride the bus up the hill for free, just because I don't feel like walking.

I've only been living downtown for about 6 months. But I'm spoiled by the awesome buses and the closeness of so many things already.

At the same time, though, I'm walking more. I walk to the bus stop, yeah, but also to the little, slightly scary grocery store a few blocks away. I walk to the post office without even thinking about the fact that it's almost a mile away, because downtown such distances seem so close. Downtown distances are deceiving. Three blocks uphill can seem like three miles. Ten blocks can seem like just a block or two.

Do I miss living in Ballard? Hell, yes. I do. I miss my favorite coffee shop, Nervous Nellie's and my favorite bar, People's Pub. I miss the lack of crack dealers. I miss the jumbled cacophony of birds in the morning. I miss living closer to my mom and the parks where you can just sit and the outdoors seating that doesn't come with a free dose of soot from the traffic.

But a lot of that is made up for the coolness of being able to take the bus uphill three blocks. For FREE.

I so want one of these

haiku - lifestyle accessories for women

I especially love all of the brown ones. In case anyone wants to know.

Rubber Duckies, an ADD Ramble

Today we saw the cutest little dog and his person racing across the street. Scott and I gave each other one of those looks that says a million things, one of those looks that couples are famous for. A visual shorthand, a smile, and Scott said, “The dog is winning.”

I started to babble, as I do when I have had caffeine and there are tigers* around me and my ADD is acting up. I wondered out loud what kind of dog those are, are those Yorkies, or is that something else? Did you see the flashing and floating rubber duckies on the counter of Bartell’s? I wonder exactly what’s underneath those duck suits, and do they only flash in the bathtub? Perverts. There was water bamboo there, too, a planty impulse buy. And how does water bamboo survive in just water, when I’m trying to start a plant clipping in water and if I leave it in there too long, the poor plant just gets all freaked out and dies? Can you only put water bamboo in water, or are there other plants that it’ll work with too? I like not having to buy potting soil, I never remember and even when I do, I don’t feel like carrying it home on the bus. Could you carry potting soil on the bus for me, if I bought it?

At this point, Scott has probably already tuned out, in fact I can guarantee that if he reads this, he’ll only remember half of what I said. We’re a good team that way. In fact, I can’t remember half of what I said either! Did I actually say that out loud, or did I only think it?

There are so many things I want to know. It can be distracting sometimes, even though I’ve mostly learned to work around my ADD. I was never even officially diagnosed with ADD when I was a kid. Some classes that I got great grades in are just a blur to me, as I tuned out and let other thoughts stumble through my brain. Someone I managed to detach and yet absorb just enough to get my A. If teachers noticed at all, they worried that I daydreamed too much, or that I had a problem with my hearing, or that I was just having problems at home. Which might have all been true as well, but it’s really good for me to have realized that I’m not just being stupid, or lacking the ability to concentrate, or listen. I learned hot to purposefully focus, which I think is why they never caught my ADD when I was young.

My mom still gets really annoyed with me when I bring up ADD to her. I feel like she goes from thinking that I’ve just hit on another pop psychology disorder that I can blame her for, to just blowing me off totally. She shouldn’t be surprised, though, that I’ve discovered another pop psychology disorder to blame her for. It’s one of the things my family does best—we blame each other for things. It’s right up there with more than a touch of hypochondria, as we compare brain tumors and toe cancer and bubonic plague symptoms. We’re all pretty paranoid, it’s true.

By the way, Scott has ADD too. So when I was talking to him about water bamboo, he was using my own classroom tactics on me and tuning me out. We do have to sometimes really focus on focusing, but at the same time we can really understand when focusing is impossible. (Unless, of course, we don’t understand, but that’s another story…)

One of the reasons that I think that Scott’s cool is that maybe in a week or a month or in ten minutes, he’ll come back to me with some more of our couple shorthand. I imagine some time in the future, we’ll be somewhere and he’ll gesture to a rubber duckie with his head, in that almost imperceptible way he has of pointing something out, and mutter, “look: perverts.”




Rubber Duckie image "borrowed" from rubberducks.org.uk.

The Salmon (The Struggle) Totem Art Print by Kerrie CarbaryI

I was teasing you a while back about a new collage I was working on, The Salmon. Well, would you like to see?

There are actually two salmon collages. This one is The Salmon (The Struggle). I'll save the other one for later. :)



The Salmon is big for me, sizewise. I've been working small lately, but have been reminded that I love to work larger as well. So, there's no medium right now! Only miniature and XL. XL is 22 x 30 inches for me, I know that's tiny for some artists, but I'm still recovering from having a tiny space to create tiny art in.

For me, The Salmon relates to the tarot card, The Chariot. The Salmon will be one of the cards in The Totem Tarot. This is a good card for my life right now. I'm in the middle of a ton of transitions and changes and decisions. The Salmon is a fighter, creative, a creature of the cycle. What goes around comes around. The Salmon is also a symbol of creation and birth, death and rebirth. The Salmon finds home upstream to spawn, then dies giving life so the cycle may continue.

While you're (surely!) anxiously awaiting The Totem Tarot, I'm offering prints of The Salmon: Etsy :: kerrie :: The Salmon (The Struggle) Totem Art Print by Kerrie Carbary

First Thursday

As an artist, First Thursday is the best party around. Mainly in Pioneer Square, but also in many, many other locations, galleries and studios stay open late to bring some art to Thursday nights. First Thursday has been part of my life since I was in college, but I've taken long breaks from going out on First Thursday to view art.

But now I have a studio in Pioneer Square, so on Thursday, I had my studio open. For the first time since we moved in, I felt pretty good about the art I was showing. I had a few new things, some older pieces that I'd revised and reframed, and copies of some of my editions that I hadn't offered at First Thursday before, like The Grandma Deck.

I always say that artists are artists because we didn't get enough show and tell time in kindergarten, and for sure First Thursday makes me feel all exposed and show-and-telly. There were some good comments, actually quite a few attendees I felt really "got it," and there were a couple ambiguous comments (um, "nice birds?"). I did make a little bit of $ too, which was VERY helpful given our current state of economics here at the Taylor-Carbary household.

The First Thursday star of the Tashiro-Kaplan Building had to be our neighbor David Weed. He was showing his MFA thesis in his studio. His showing was amazing. He filled the space with his installation, "18 Signs," which were all pieces made up of light bulbs mounted on wood. They flashed at different rates, which made for a very effective emotional and physical response. The entire studio felt warm from the signs, actually! The glow could be seen coming out his door from down the hall. The titles made the pieces, though. One was titled, Made in USA, and was a checkmark created out of red, white, and blue bulbs. Very cool. My favorite piece was the series about terror alert levels. I tried to find some images to link to online, but haven't been able to find any. I'll keep looking and update if I find an article or review of David's show.

I'm a treehugger, it's true. I'll recycle to a fault (my husband screams, can't we PLEASE get rid of some of these plastic bags??!). So, I get a lot of joy out of reclaiming materials to use in my art.

Slabs of wood are one of those found treasures.

I love working on wood. It doesn't buckle, it takes tons of abuse, and it feels nice and hefty.

Waiting for My Imaginary Friend is a mixed media collage on wood. It's just under 12 x 12 inches. The piece of wood isn't exactly square. Its siamese twins became a bookshelf, I think... I got this wood from the scrap bin at Ballard Bookcase. I started with gesso, although I've also worked on wood as is, bare and ready for collage, paint, pencil and ink. This piece needed some gesso though, mostly because I like the way that the way I paint looks over gesso. I've also done carving on wood, pounded in textures and objects, sanded, scraped, and drilled. Really, it does take most any kind of treatment.

But, then, what to you do with it once it's finished? Originally I thought that my collages on wood could stand on end on a table , but gravity took over. (And, sorry for the bad poetry there.) So I've pounded a couple of nails in the back, strung wire or ribbon or twine across, and now they can hang on the wall.

Why am I posting this? To remind myself and maybe you that you don't need amazing equipment or frames or hanging materials to create a display for your art. Sometimes just a nail or two will do.

By the way, I am planning some art out of those plastic bags.

a little bit more about wolves

One month ago, gray wolves were delisted as an endangered species, leaving them open to hunting. And the hunting started.

Wolves that didn't happen to have calendars with them wandered into the wrong place at the wrong time and will continue to do so. Now, I don't want to meet a wolf in a dark alley late at night, and we all know that wolves have an irrational rage toward girls in red hoodies, but REALLY. There's somewhere around 1500 gray wolves. We have them a bit outnumbered. Yes, they kill elk and sometimes pester small wild animals and pet dogs, but so do the kids that hangs out in the part across the street from me. (Well, maybe they're not so into the elk...)

Oh, wait, elk are cool too, right? Well, sure. So are the other hoofed animals (ungulates is the vocabulary word of the day) that this law is protecting from those evil wolves. Guess who especially loves ungulates? Hunters. They're fun to hunt.

So, hunters win here. They get more elk and deer and other wild things to kill, and plus they get to kill wolves too. (By the way, I'm not necessarily against hunting, but again, they have the wolves a little outnumbered. And out weaponed.)

I've been thinking about wolves for another reason. I wanted to show you another card for the Totem Tarot: The Wolf.



As a totem, the wolf is a pack creature, reminding us to surround ourselves with likeminded souls. However, the wolf has a set role in the pack, so as a totem the wolf might be warning us not to break away from our role, or she might be telling us that our defined roles might be holding us down. Wolves are big communicators, using attitude, touch and sound to "talk" to other members of their packs. They are extremely loyal to the pack as well. If you think the wolf is your totem, you might be outspoken and good at communicating, but you might also consider whether your pack i sthe right one for you.

If you want to read more about the dangers that await wild wolves, check out this web site. And you can find art prints of The Wolf at my etsy site. I'll be donating a portion of wolf print sales to Earthjustice, or a better wolf rights group if I can find one.

what's faux postage, you ask??

After my post yesterday, I was asked what the heck I was talking about, when I mentioned faux postage. Sorry, sometimes I feel a little like I'm having a conversation totally with myself, and of course I understand what I mean! Usually, anyway.

If you haven't heard of faux postage before, it's a fun an addictive art form. Also called artistamps, these are miniature artworks in the form of postage. They're not intended to be used in place of postage, although if you do use them on an envelope and they get canceled, that can be extracool. Artists create them to use in mail art, to trade, to give away, and to sell. I was turned onto the fun of artistamps by my dear friend arto posto, who I miss greatly. I still treasure my collection of her artwork.

My sisters even were inspired to create their own faux postage, and I remember that arto traded with them in the mail. She was such a sweetie, sending them age-appropriate art in trade for their first attempts at mail art. Hey, my sisters' first attempts were awesome, of course! But arto never had children, and I think they befuddled her a bit. Hmm. I think the sisters were maybe 9 and 11 or so...? I do have one of baby sister's sheets, still, but middle sister took hers back a few years ago.

I have other sheets that I'm finding or working on finding, and I'll get them online when I track them down. Some, though, in the spirit of mail art, were sent out into the world never to be documented by me. Yes, some of that art is ephemeral in my mind and there is no record of it; it may only be remembered by the person it was sent to.

I've become more sentimental in my old age, and keep better records now. Or I try.

birds from the past

Look what I found! My sheet of Birds of Ballard faux postage!



Obsessed as I am with collectible tradable art, I made 'em into a trading card. I'm excited because I found my stash of faux postage/artistamps, so look for more here soon.

something new

So, my newest idea is to create limited edition trading cards based on some of my original artworks. These are presented as a trading card, perfect for collecting or display. Each trading card is printed on acid free, recycled paper using archival methods. Then, the card is backed with one of a kind hand painted or hand made paper (each is unique). Finally, the card is laminated with a permanent heat laminate for durability and versatility. Each card is signed, numbered and dated.

I like the idea of creating a collectible, approachable object at an easy to commit to price.

One of my first experiments is What Raven Stole, shown here:



There are more trading cards on my etsy site. What do you think of this idea?

The Salmon (almost a work in progress)

I've been reinspired lately to work on my Totem Tarot again, after putting it aside for a while. I have a lot of card designs finished, but realized that I haven't done much in the way of organizing them or relating them to actual tarot cards. So, I pulled out my copy of The Tarot According to You (a book I love) and my favorite tarot deck and shuffled them up, asked what I was supposed to focus on, and pulled a random card. It was The Chariot.

The Chariot is a good card for my life right now. I'm in the middle of a ton of transitions and changes and decisions. I rededicated myself to talking to people in person about art (my monthly open studio) which can be tough for me. I am shy, believe it or not. Then, my Americorps job is coming to an end. Changes. Will there be a similar job for me in the future, in non profit, helping others, etc, etc? Maybe and maybe not. The nonprofit in which I served my indentured servitude Americorps term is not hiring right now due to budget concerns.

Money is an issue, of course. So I'm applying for jobs. But also wondering if a) it's a choice between more indentured servitude Work and Art, b) if I get a Big Job, a Career Style Job, if it means stepping back from the art just as I was starting to be able to make art again and c) will I die homeless and penniless, and no one will love me, Stuart Smalley Style? and finally, d) don't Real Artists have more ego? Maybe by worrying about this in a public place I'm cursing my rights to be an artist...?

See how appropriate The Chariot is?

I think Salmon when I started to think about what The Chariot means to me, so my next totem card will be The Salmon. The Salmon is a fighter, creative, a creature of the cycle. What goes around comes around.

environmental art

A coworker and I were talking about art that is meant to be ephemeral, transient, temporary. The idea appeals to me, and always has. I started making books because I wanted to make miniature photocopy books to set free into the world, and I left them at bus stops, on busses, in parks, on literature racks...I even created some book dispensers that looked a little like tea bag dispensers.

At some point, art became more precious, and I stopped setting my art free.

Our conversation reminded me about the HIGH I used to get from creating ephemeral art. I love to see it too, from sand paintings to graffitti to the knitted sign cozies that appeared in Seattle last year to web sites like this: WWW.RiverArt.Net- Environmental Works by A. Nadalian هنر رودخانه: آثار دكتر احمد نادعليان.

So, I'm going to try to bring this game back to my art, too.

Tonight I had a Big Idea, a Major Idea, which I don't want to talk about yet. But I'm so excited about it that I wish I hadn't given up caffeine. If only I could stay up all night working on it. Hmm. Maybe I don't NEED caffeine to do that.

bee totem

I have a new totem:



Bee Totem

hilton's nose

hilton's nose
Originally uploaded by bluelemonegg

Sockmadness Reversai

OK, so. I'm out of Sockmadness in Round Two. BUT, I did make it to round two!

Here are my reversai:



And here is my reversai about to jump out the window:



I'm going to keep knitting along with the gang, and try to end up with 6 finished socks, even if I'm not the fastest. Silly me. I'm a SLOW knitter. But, hey, I DID make it through Round One, so there!

Cider, mmm, cider

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web site

I've been working a lot on my web site and on the magazine.

Unfortunately, the work I've been doing on the web site is mostly making it less broken. How did so many links and stuff get broken, anyway?

It's better now: Art by Kerrie Carbary - art books, book arts, decks of cards, mixed media artworks, photography art

Same with the magazine. Lot of editing and trying to make it coherent.

The Artwork of Modern Tarot - Tarot Weblog

The Artwork of Modern Tarot - Tarot Weblog: "24 Mar 2008 Kerrie Carbary's Tarot of Mom finally arrived today. It was created using old fashioned scissors and paste collage in 2000, so it is strange that I only heard about it recently. Perhaps Kerrie Carbary has only just got round to printing it up in deck form. She has renamed many of the cards, but they are archetypally tarot images, and she provides a translation key. I must say I really like these unpretentious tarots that obviously arise out of some powerful personal experiences. Other collectors, oriented toward fine art, tend to look down on such items and treat them with a bit of disdain, and even contempt, but for me such decks are a key part of modern tarot."

I'm pretty pleased with being called unpretentious!

What I've been working on

I'm throwing myself into working on The Totem Tarot again. I'm obsessed.
Here's one of my latest:



A Crow Alone
5 x 7 inches, watercolor, ink, collage, pencil

crows travel in pairs.
one watches over
the other explores



Should I put prints up on etsy?
Yes, I suppose that if I was a good art marketer, I should. :)
(I am trying to be a good art marketer...)

Sockmadness Zombie

Thank you for the encouragement! I needed it. :)

That Sockmadness Bus Stop I Have Known (Delridge and Roxbury, West Seattle)

I've been knitting my sockmadness sock like a madwoman. Buffy (season 6) is perfect for sockmadnessing. Unfortunately, things like work keep interrupting, but here's my update:

Fourteen Days, Fourteen Things

Fourteen things that happened in the fourteen days since I posted last. Not in order:

1. I was rejected for a job by postcard. POSTCARD! The agony.
2. I've been moving into a new art studio. Want an invitation to our studio warming party? Post a reply and I'll send you one. (Don't worry, I have comments moderated on this post, so nobody will see your address except for me.)
3. I was beaten by my little sister on Facebook Scrabulous more times than I want to admit.
4. I was reminded that many landlords are not Good, and reminded why I would love a job in tenant's rights.
5. I was reminded of the kindness of friends. Friends ROCK.
6. I ate a box of Girl Scout cookies all by myself. Shameful.
7. I decided that it's time to start eating better and losing weight.
8. I reached less than 200 hours left on my Americorps position. Yikes, the end is near.
9. I lived another 14 days without cable. I think I'm beating the TV addiction.
10. I'm still addicted to pens and yarn.
11. I read a mystery book. Yes, me. A slightly trashy mystery, too, by J. D. Robb. Now I'm addicted to slightly trashy mysteries by J. D. Robb.
12. I designed a poster for a major nonprofit (sounds good, doesn't it??)
13. I made a turkey pot pie! From scratch! (almost... I did buy the pie crust.)
14. I rediscovered Freecycle. Mmm, Freecycle. I love Freecycle.

Sock Madness

Was it my insomnia or my insanity that made me sign up for this?

Sock Madness

PaperBackSwap

Have I told you how much I love PaperBackSwap? It's been a huge tool for me in my destashing process, and I feel good about sending books back out into the world to someone who wants them. Plus, I've received some good books in return that I really wanted, which might not be actually cutting down on the total pounds of possessions, BUT, it does follow my goal of only having Things that I'm really interested in.

If you want to join, my nickname there is "Kerrie." I think I might get a free credit if you use me as a referral. Plus, we can be "friends."



I wish there was a similar service for art supplies. I haven't found a good trading or bartering alternative online, other than ebay or freecycle.

purging, destashing, etc.

In the interest of sending items out into the world to new owners who need a boost of creativity, and thus giving myself some more room in my tiny space for my creativity, I've been listing some stuff oneBay. If you bid and win and found out about the destashing of Kerrie on my blog, let me know, and I'll send you some extra goodies. :)

free stuff

Does anyone in the Seattle area want a photocopier?

transitions, coming soon to a blog near you

I know that it’s ridiculous to try to figure out what you want to do when you “grow up,” but because my indenturtude Americorps term is nearing it’s final hours, I have been thinking about it.

Of course, I know what I WANT to do. I want to make art and write and make magazines and books and zines and all that… but as us annoying grown ups know, there’s want and need. It’s nice to have money to pay the rent, it’s nice to have fancy luxuries like health insurance and other benefits. And, it’s nice to be able to depend on these things as just being There. I need a place to live and because of my health, I need medical insurance.

Right now, I do have the health insurance, but the money is supertight. Which is fine. Part of the reason I wanted to do Americorps is because I was going to learn new things, plus I really embraced the idea of service to the community in a way that I wouldn’t have been able to do without the support of my Americorps program. So, as I think I’ve written here before, the payment goes so far beyond money. I’ve learned so much. I’ve encountered so many people, and hopefully helped them. Wait, no, I KNOW I’ve helped them. They say so.

BUT. My transition is coming up and I have to decide what to do next.

I think that beyond the art and writing and zines and little curiosities, I’d like to get more involved in tenant rights. There, I said it out loud. Well, wrote it out loud, anyway. The amount of turmoil that people have to go through in dealing with their landlords and rental situations is just appalling. I hear about it every day at my current job, and want to be able to do so much more to help them. My current position only lets me go so far, though…

Dear universe, please help me find a job in tenant rights. Thank you, love Kerrie.

messes

Tired beyond belief and I feel like everything is a mess.
Well, it IS a mess.

I realized that I have way to much stuff. This stuff is really bogging me down.

I never really thought of myself as being someone who had a lot of stuff. I mean, I'm not a materialistic type of person. I like used items, recycling is second nature, and I'm totally into finding a used dresser on the side of the road or getting a cast-off chair from my boss. I had times in my past, mostly when I was in my early 20s, when I was a total idiot about money, and I did buy some moronic things. A purple coat that never fit. A hat that made my head look like a mushroom. Chocolate cake. A lot of chocolate cake.

But I thought I'd gotten over all of that. Well, I have been working through money issues for quite some time now, and I know I have a long way to go. I don't know how to deal with money very well. I think that I can blame it on a lot of things now that I'm older and wiser, but that age and wisdom hasn't necessarily made me good with money.

Anyway, as careful as I've felt like I've become with money, it never goes far. Part of it is choices as to work. Believe it or not, owning your own business doesn't usually make you into a Bill Gates or a Donald Trump. I never expected to get rich from the businesses, though, just like I knew I was going to be superpoor if I chose to take the other job I'm currently working at, which pays very slightly more than not much at all. (It's an Americorps job. Nuff said.)

My education is where I'm earning, though. I'm learning a LOT, but not earning much.

So, where the hell did all of this STUFF come from?

Boxes of art supplies.
Boxes of dishes.
Boxes of pens.
Boxes of books.
Boxes of mementos.
Boxes of photos.
Boxes of boxes. Seriously.
Boxes of magazines.
Boxes of yarn. Yarn! I didn't think I had enough to fill boxES!!!

Faced with moving into an apartment that is half, yes HALF the size of my old apartment, and faced with all of this STUFF, I was then faced with myself having a major freak out.

This is big. Too big. I mean my stuff, it takes up too big of a space on this planet. I'm bogged down with all of this extra weight. Gone is the girl who dreamed of packing her backpack and taking off to move across the country. Nope, that girl is feeling stuck by all of her stuff. It has to change.

I realized, while packing and freaking out and crying and tantruming and packing and feeling like it's all never going to end, that so much of this stuff isn't around because I even need it anymore. It's stuff I've maybe lost interest in, but don't want to have lost interest in it. It's like the ADD is conflicting with this sentimentality, and even though the brain has gone on to the next 14 thinks down the path, the heart still thinks that I want to make stuff out of Fimo.

Then. Here's what I need to figure out. How do you convince your heart that it would actually be happier if the Fimo wasn't even around to remind you of your Fimo history? Maybe the memory of Fimo is good enough, and the talisman of 34 unopened packages in various colors is actually not necessary.

Physically, I have to figure this out. Or else I'm going to end up a packrat old lady with piles of yarn and wire and photo paper and pens and strips of rags for rag rugs and paint and books on architecture and painting and the history of vampires and mandalas and Native American myths and more magazines to cut up someday and collage with and DVDs and and and... all around me, with no room to move or look ahead.

So, yeah, it's a mess right now. That's what I've been up to.

Dan and Dave's Pizza, Pasta and Grinders

I was looking for a pizza place to order online in our new neighborhood. I used Google to search for Seattle pizza delivery downtown, and I found:

Seattle Dan's Pizza, Pasta and Grinders

I'm tempted to order, just to see what happens.