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Lula

Jan 30 2014

Hey the Sun Came Out!

By Ordinary Days, Treefort Tarps

Hey the Sun came out! But I’m still fighting my way out of the inversion — at least the one going on inside my brain.

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I’ve been working on the See Spot Walk design for IHS and I’m going through the second stage of the three stages of a big important project — you remember, the IMPOSTER stage. Only this time, I really AM an imposter.

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I hate to tell you, but I can’t paint. I’m not actually an artist. I just pretend to be one for the sake of this blog.

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So for the past few days I’ve been f-ing around and f-ing around and going home crying (not really, that’s just the punchline to a much longer story) and all I have to show for it is this impasto.

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Luckily there’s Instagram. This almost looks like I meant to do that.

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But things may actually be turning around this afternoon because suddenly here comes the SUNSHINE after what feels like an impossibly long inversion. And I got a really great haircut — thank you Ingrid at Arroyo Salon in Boise. And tomorrow is the Lunar New Year — let’s hear it for MOONSHINE too! You know what I mean.

And there’s always Lula to remind me that it doesn’t matter how silly you look while you do it, just put one foot in front of the other and keep walking…. You’ll get there!

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Jan 18 2014

Art Friday with Lula

By Everything Else

A week ago yesterday when I adopted Lula — our third forever pup in our current pack — the first stop I made was at my mom’s for Art Friday. She was a hit of course. And invited back, any time. Of course.

So when Art Friday rolled around again — just between us, I think last week only had four days in it, I’ve never known seven to go by quite that fast before — we went, and she was just as popular as the first time. Of course.

Lula settled in immediately and paid close attention while mom kantha stitched a gorgeous pot holder — the Domestic Arts run deep in my family.

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Then emboldened by her new knowledge of sewing , Lula easily pinned one of the rat girls in a wrestling match.

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Typically Art Fridays are spent in Parallel Play, and this one was no exception. While mom stitched, Marilyn drew, I painted and Terry collaged, Lula spent a little time with each of us.

She surveyed the beginnings of one of Terry’s shredded and repieced collages which will transform old receipts into valentines — can’t buy me love?

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Marilyn and Terry discussed an issue Marilyn was having with the angle of light hitting the line-up of kitchen utensils she was drawing.

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Lula was consulted, but found the concept of “melon baller” complex enough. Dude!

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And meanwhile I worked on a portrait of Lula. Of course. The first of many I imagine.

Little Lula. Big Inspiration.

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Jan 14 2014

Lula!

By Personal Her-story

I’m one of those “things happen for a reason” believers. Apologies to my less woo-woo friends — maybe it will sit easier with you if I say I believe things happen to ME for a reason, I have no idea why they happen to you. I also have no idea what those reasons may be for those things happening to me, but when they do it’s way easier to welcome them with open arms and an open heart.

Meet Lula!

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Lula is our new puppy. I met Lula for the first time last week at the Idaho Humane Society when I went out to discuss the artwork for this year’s See Spot Walk event in October. She was passing through with her foster mom Hannah, and Will Spearman, who will take my artwork and turn it into all the graphics used all year to advertise the event, introduced us. I was smitten instantly.

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Lula is a long haired Chihuahua, she’s not yet a year old and she doesn’t even weigh 5lbs. She had been in foster care with Hannah since the Fall when she had been rescued just as she was ready to step out into traffic on Broadway. At the time she was almost completely bald and weighed 2lbs. I know! Heartbreaking.

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But wait. There’s more! Lula has Cerebellar Hypoplasia which means she had a really rough start in life, probably malnourished, likely caused by an infection in utero. And what does that mean for Lula? Luckily, less than you might think.

She is a total spaz. The girl can dance, but she walks like a Pushmepullyou. Remember it from Dr. Dolittle?

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Her front feet go one way and her back feet go another, and all four feet are moving faaaaassssst! What she needs is a tiny helmet for when she bonks into the coffee table, or the rose bushes, and maybe some elbow pads too. Or maybe Snug can just run interference for her.

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So all of this stuff I’m telling you has happened to Lula, not to me, and as I said, I have no idea the reasons things happen to anyone including Lula. But now Lula has “happened” to me, (and to Mike, Snug and Sirius!) and I have no doubt that just now when I need a distraction like I need a hole in the head — and trust me this joyful jumping bean is a major distraction — there is a very good reason she has come into our lives.

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Jan 13 2014

Learning to Log Roll While Juggling

By Everything Else

The problem with creating an actual live blog as you go, about your real life, is it’s a little like juggling — while log rolling — during a flash flood. And that’s assuming you can juggle, and log roll.

I’m actually still learning, both.

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My goal is to post pretty much every day and I’ve done a good job meeting my goal at least 80% of the time. I try to plan ahead a little, to have at least a general idea of where I’m headed during the week in terms of my art, and then in turn I try to have that inform where I head with my blog.

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You could consider my art what I’m juggling and my blog the logs I’m rolling — that makes that other thing that happens, that thing we call LIFE, the flash flood. Flash floods are unpredictable at best, and of course sometimes they bring utter destruction. I have not had anything even vaguely awful happen to me or mine and I don’t mean to imply as much. Just life. LIFE happens. Now and then I may deal with some high waters.

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Once I get a handle on the general direction I’m heading during the week then, because I am a real artist making art and living a real life and doing real work, I have to actually DO THE WORK and MAKE THE ART while LIVING MY LIFE. Then I can turn it into a blog post. Unless I take refuge in a Netflix marathon, or just hang with my family and friends — which I apparently do about 20% of the time.

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My hope for this blog is that it will be a short-cut to all things “Sasi,” with pictures, and that not only people who already know me and my artwork will read it but that lots of new people will as well. So if you know someone who might be interested please forward them a link to my website and tell them to check out my blog. If they’re on Facebook they can Like my Artist page, and I’m on Instagram and Pinterest too — lots of pictures!

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So, we’re heading into a new week. I’ve got two “big important” projects on the calendar and a new puppy to distract me (more about Lula tomorrow!). Maybe you’d better plan on only 79% this week.

Jan 12 2014

Second Helpings: Pom Pow Blankets

By Second Helpings

Besides the XL men’s plaid flannel shirt, the item most likely to be overstocked in every secondhand store I’ve ever been in is the crocheted blanket.

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For somewhere between $1.99 and $6.99 you can find a dizzying array of lap blankets, throws and even twin sized blankets in palettes which I can only assume were dreamed up by cartoon characters passing as perfectly ordinary grandmothers. At least those are my favorites.

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Never satisfied leaving well enough alone, I decided to add pom poms. All over. I never have warmed to the “less is more” way of thinking. Don’t ever plan to.

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To make this many pom poms and have them all be consistent it is very helpful to have a tool, and my tool of choice is the Clover pom pom maker. It comes in 3 sizes and you can order it from their site, Amazon, or find it at your local craft store.

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I can make one small pom pom in 5 minutes, 12 in an hour, and cover a good sized blanket in a Lilyhammer marathon.

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Just think, you can justify your next Netflix marathon with not only keeping art out of the landfill but also bringing a smile to the hearts of obsessive crocheters everywhere. Olek excepted.

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* Pom Pow blankets are Lula approved.