Yesterday I saw this flat cat in the neighbor’s driveway, so I stopped the car to find out why he was so flat.

This was the answer. And this tense little stand-off continued for some time, both the cat and bunny completely oblivious to me getting out of the car and snapping photos.

Don’t fear for the bunny though. He got away after the neighbor finally came out of her house with a puff-ball duster on a stick and chased the cat away.

On another note, I’ve been sort of a flat cat for a while, but trying to kick-start the creative engines again. Maybe I someone to chase me with a puff-ball duster! But I do have another post in the que about making a gratitude journal book cover, so that’s coming up.

No kidding, this morning I woke up to the sound of an alien ship landing in the bedroom. Turns out, someone changed the alarm buzzer on their iPhone. I didn’t know it could do such a good alien spaceship noise.

Then I found out that I had to pick up donuts for the meeting Russ was hosting at our studio today — an Art Attack meeting for a coalition of public policy makers strategizing how to promote more local public art.

Happily there is a donut factory only two buildings over from our studio. I love going in there an watching all the cute little donuts riding along down the conveyor belt, unsuspecting of their final destination.

Not sure why I’m writing, but my brain is little unraveled today, trying to think what I’m going to say tomorrow for an eclectic group at the gallery, and numerous other deadlines lurking in the shadows of the weekend. But today the sun is finally shining, and we are able to drive with the windows down — so it’s a good day!

Happy Valentine’s Day!
And now that I’m home, I’ll post some photos tomorrow and see if you can guess where I’ve been!

Yikes, someone dropped a plane-load of relatives off at our house over the MLK weekend, so it was off to the studio for Distressed Jeans 201 (for 101 see this post two years ago.)

Heather picked pink stars to spell her name and the Japanese symbol for Love, but I was a little surprised when Sol picked a Jane Sassaman fabric to wrap his name around the leg of his jeans…

In fact it was about a nine-step process from scale drawings to sewing to accomplish it the way he envisioned. Not to mention the additional bleaching, washings, and distressing with power tools.

But Sol is an artistic guy and always painting his shirts and shoes to make them unique. When I asked him what the girls think of his flamboyant clothes, he said, “Why do you think I do it?”

After bringing the scaffolding home from the studio, rigging an old sushi restaurant sign on top, and lighting it for two nights, the neighborhood was primed for the KaBOOki HauNted SuSHi BaR.

We got around 600+ kids and lots of curious adults. It was great fun to have them explain their costumes before they ordered from the sushi bar, and actually turned into a long line for most the evening. Lots of ninja, goth cheerleaders, spider men and women, and a few chickens and dinosaurs.

Not many people have a Hoshizaki sushi cooler to serve candy. For the kids who actually WANTED sushi, I had to explain the chef called in sick, and we only had candy and cookies.

After most of the trick-or-treaters left, a ghost visited our house. I got this photo as evidence, but later found out the ghost was actually a remote-control invention built on a wheelchair base. I guess craziness attracts craziness. But what do you expect from a girl in a retro kimono, ghoul face, and swiss cheese watch?

We’re getting the snakes out for Halloween this year. I made these a few years ago — not sure what inspired me to create 30 foot long snakes but I guess living with a sculptor makes me want to work BIG. They are stuffed with foam packing peanuts, so they sound a little crunchy.

This year’s Halloween theme is KaBOOki: the HAunTed SusHI BaR. On the menu: squirrmy wormmy sushi rolls, miserable miso soup, Frankenstein tofu, ghastly green tea, and whatever else I can cook up, hehe.

Just kidding, we have lots of candy for the kids. LOTS of candy — we’ll probably get 500+ kids if the weather is nice. More pix later!

I’ve been tagged again by Thelma and Jane. This happened to me earlier this summer, and I blew it off, so now I’m trying to make amends. Also I’m tagging Judy, Susan, Cynthia, Roz, Susie, Sandy, and Joanie they don’t seem to have been tagged yet, and they seem like good sports. Apparently you have to list 7 odd things about yourself, and pass it on to the next seven:

1. When I was a kid I used to obsessively draw and collect ladybugs.

2. I spent all day on this stupid ladybug. (Okay, there was also lots of blog surfing, reading Photoshop tutorials, and checking the mailbox for a show rejection I’m expecting. Oh yeah, and that emergency trip to Barnes and Noble to look at books, and then there was that hour that I spent trying to draw my brain…)

3. I don’t like donuts, except for the white powdered mini ones that are full of chemicals that I buy at gas station shops (I do squeeze them first to see if they are remotely fresh.)

4. I like to look at Japanese craft books, although I can’t read them.

5. Sometimes, okay a lot of times, I accidentally swallow my gum. My husband says it’s building up inside my stomach, and someday I’ll explode.

6. I am just relearning how to use Layers in Photoshop because somehow I forgot everything I knew.

7. My brain is like a funnel. It takes a lot in, but there seems to be a leak.

I’ve been having lots of ideas for new things to try, and here’s another doodle — I’m calling it the Thread Said series. Don’t know where it’s going though, just playing around. I think it’s important to play, and summer seems like a good time to do it.

Sherrie asked what I meant by “Artist Statement” in the last post. It’s not a silly question — I didn’t know what one was before I started entering shows a few years ago. But you get asked for them a lot, sometimes in the entry form, or later, if you’re accepted into the show. There are also lots of other ways to use an artist statement.

I like what Ariane Goodwin says about it, “Most importantly, an artist statement enriches an artist’s connection to their work….Understanding and naming what we do through language is not to have the beauty or mystery dismantled; though, as artists, we often fear this.” Alyson B. Stanfield also offers an e-book and consulting on her website to help you write one.

Usually they’re short, but I just entered a show that allowed an artist statement of up to 500 words, so I used them all. I’d been writing stuff on planes for the last month, so I had lots of words to choose from. Planes are a good place to write stuff you’ve been putting off, because you’re trapped, there’s no escape!

Recently I made friends with Carla through her cool shop called Patische Decor. I love her shop, so I keep going there to buy gifts for people, but it’s just an excuse to hang out and soak up the atmosphere. Tonight Carla is hosting an auction of artist-designed bird houses to raise money for Habitats for Humanity, so I donated mine.

I made this bird house a couple of years ago while my niece was visiting. When I showed her this book of funky projects, she liked the idea of decorating bird houses, so we bought a couple and each did our own thing. Mine is covered with French tomato juice labels and stamped with Japanese kanji for hope, love, and prosperity. The little border garden is made of shells.

Although I love the house, it’s just another thing gathering dust — I even put it in this quilt as one of those things that is mysteriously cluttering up my house. I’m finding it’s nice to give these things away.

There are probably 25 bird houses decorated with everything imaginable– from bottle caps to coffee beans. Chandler made this stripey one, with clever legs made out of coat hooks. Too bad I can’t be at the auction tonight. Carla said she may get a bag of feathers and toss them all over the shop. I love the way she thinks! I wish she’d come decorate my house, minus the bird feathers.

Update: There were 32 bird houses, and the auction raised over a thousand dollars for Habit for Humanity. Yay!