Art Journal

Pamperpuss just blogged about this as part of a lovely gift she'd received from a friend. The idea is that you put something on paper every day and accept it for what it is.

Here are some of my favorite inspirations from her list:

4) Find a beautiful picture in a magazine cut it out and make that the centre of your art journal page. 

8) What is your favourite fairy tale? Draw or paint your favourite scene. 

9) Think about someone who inspires you. Use the person's characteristics to inspire your journal page. 

12) Grab some junk mail and use it as the background of your page. Colour over it. 

16) Pretend you are a goddess. Draw her. 

26) Use glue to stick book pages to your Journal page and use as a background then draw and paint on top of them.

What else might be good art prompts? I'm thinking about throwing a few more multimedia blips where I glue something random on the page and incorporate my drawing and painting around it.

Favicons

I just came across this on one of the education-related blogs I follow. I've idly wondered how to get a favicon in place!

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Favicons

Here's a little something extra I found a while ago and have put to use in a few places where I publish online...

Favi-what, you ask? Favicons are those cute little icons that pop-up next to the URL of a website when you're browsing online or bookmarking sites. Recognize any of these?

They're TINY! And they get embedded in the HTML code of websites to customize them with extra cuteness. And recognizability...marketing is sort of important, I guess. Whatever.

Anyway, http://www.favicon.cc/ is a favicon generator, a site where you can create your own favicons! You can create them from scratch, or start with an uploaded image and tweak it from there. You'll notice the favicon for this site is the Charles Wright Academy crest. Or something like it. The actual upload looked like this:

Not entirely recognizable, but I did a bit of minor tweaking and then saved the .ico file to use in Blogger for this site (which is dead easy, btw). It's so tiny, it still looks like the Tarrier symbol we all know and love.

Similarly, I took the square logo from my other blog, and made a favicon for that site.

 

Looks crazy as a favicon, right? But when it's super tiny in your URL bar, it looks...close enough!

Customize to your heart's content:

Posted by Holly Lara at 3:44 PM

tarriertech.blogspot.com

Morning eggs

Now that we're showered, let's think about breakfast. Downstairs I go, still wearing my interim tee-shirt!

In the kitchen, I'll start by pulling forward the coffeemaker next to the sink and insert its filter holder and pot. I fold an oversized paper filter to fit the mini holder (mine is a 5-cup model), preferring the thrift of bulk-purchased filters to the convenience of the smaller (and more expensive) filters. I used to use the golden metal filter that came with the unit, but it took on an old-coffee flavor over time.

I measure3 generous scoops of ground coffee from my canister over the sink. The coffee is a windfall for me - my father-in-law is a coffee-lover and is generous in sharing his mail-order Starbucks with me. I pull the faucet sprayer over to this side of the sink and fill the water tank to the "3" level and close the top. I plug it into the wall and press the power button to commence brewing. Since it is meant to be left on all day (for the 1/2 hour of use I give it?), it has a digital clock, which now blinks to remind me to bring it current. I press the hour button once. If I had a young child just learning to tell time, he would think that we breakfasted at 1:00 a.m. every morning.

With the coffee in the works, I put the small fry pan on to heat. On my particular gas stovetop, I turn the dial on the closer-left burner to just-after-4. Sometimes I have to pivot the handle around because the body of the pan tilts up and away from the flame; the handle needs to extend in the same direction as one of the iron arms of the stovetop.

I put on exam gloves once the pan is heating, and reach into the fridge for bacon and eggs. The gloves are a protective measure against excessive hand-washing - a recommendation from my dermatologist for my continual hand eczema, an "affliction" I've had since my teen years. My bacon has already been sliced into halves, and I choose 3 of these for mincing. I do this quickly so I can get them into the pan and melt the grease.

With gloved hands still greasy, I break 3 eggs into a bowl and fish out one of the yolks to toss down the garbage disposal. The shells get put into a brown bag specifically for egg shells. When the bag is full I'll crush them in one lot and sprinkle them on the ground outside.

I toss my gloves in the trash and return to the fridge for mushrooms (1 if I have the large ones from Costco, or 2-3 if they're from nearly anywhere else). I slice these and add them to the spittling bacon. I'll also take the opportunity to scrape up the less-fatty bacon bits from their adhesion to the pan (non-stick, my foot!).

I return the egg carton, bacon bag, and unused mushrooms to the fridge, trading them for the Costco carton of pico de gallo. Depending on how new it is, I drain a bunch of liquid using the cap to catch solid stuff. Otherwise, I just dip in a slotted and regular serving spoon and squeeze a reasonable amount of juice off before adding the mix to my eggs. I lightly whip up the combination with a fork, at least making sure that the yolks are broken.

The egg-and-pico goes on top of the cooking bacon and mushrooms. I can let these sit for a moment, and find a mug to pre-warm for the coffee. I put away the pico-de-gallo and any other items that are out of place and easily handle. Every so often I take my rubber scraper (silcone, so it won't melt) and move the egg mix around for even cooking. I don't try to scrape up what burns to the bottom; I consider that the "cost of doing business" with this recipe. The bacon grease helps quite a bit, though.

Finally, when the eggs are done to my liking, I put the whole batch out into a bowl. If I have avocados available, I'll slice one on top (even though they serve only a single purpose, I highly recommend avocado-slicers!). Then I add a fork and put it on the table. The pan goes to the back of the stove for later attention. While the eggs cool to an edible temperature, I dump the warming water from my cup into the sink and fill it 3/4 full with coffee and add perhaps a tablespoon of French Vanilla Coffee-Mate for sweetness and creaminess.

When I'm completely virtuous, I "absorb" the meal with all my senses while I eat it. More likely, however, I read a book at breakfast. Or blog.

Picture this

I like to have my photo taken. I don't consider myself an attention hog (but do make sure to add my blog to your feed burner...), but there's something joyful and meaningful about being captured on disk (formerly known as "film"). I like that the tiny piece of time is captured. I don't care that it won't be flattering, that the camera will add 15 pounds (and it will!), and I certainly don't mind that I'm not the best thing to be captured that day. I just like having my picture taken.

Warning: I also like to take your picture.

Books read blogs

Books read blogs. At least my latest library check-out seems to.

I browsed New Non-Fiction today and came across Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life, by Amy Krouse Rosenthal, and felt inspired to write, if only in short inspirations reflective of her essays. So inspired was I that I fetched a laptop and brought it to bed (an absolute no-no, as evening screentime has been proven to curse efficient REM's).

And so my nocturnal writing begins (damn the insomniaciousness!).

Insomniacial

It's my own, special word - somewhere between unable to fall asleep and losing one's mind from the inability to fall asleep. Actually, I doubt it's a special word... or a special "condition," anyway.

There must be thousands of other mothers up late at night reveling in the recent playtime with their young child, and wondering why they don't take more time for such carefree one-on-one silly playtime. I loved being my daughter's brief center of attention today as we posed for silly pictures - on our tummies in the snow, her on my back, me steamrolling her, us wiping the cold, dry snow off one-another when the portraits were taken. It was easy, it made us happy, and it's probably the goofy story she'll share with her friends at school after holiday break.

I'm pretty sure I have a doppelganger at nearly every workplace - someone who takes delight in the arrangement of good, clean data - someone who places in the numbers and ideas and wrings out attainable hopes for the organization. A person who sits back and reflects on what may be the "bigger picture," and adjusting standards to best suit immediate and future needs. And I'm sure she has trouble scaling the brain to "standby" as logic pours into her imagination, creating queries and refined exports... without her bidding, it keeps pouring.

What about all those Thanksgiving hostesses with food and entertaining on their minds? The end of November looks like a big, rising hump, with a steep ascent to its peak on Thursday, and slowly tapering off into the next holiday. The groceries are on premises, but there's prepping, timing, placement, and tasting. There's table-setting, plating, polishing, and dusting. There's games to lay out in the family room. The video games need to be hidden away. The cold beverages need refrigeration while the hot beverages need to be prepared and put on warmers. The turkey needs to start early (earlier than Monday's test bird, by far!) and the soup needs to go into the crocks. Bathrooms needs a quick scrub. Beds will need changing. Oh, and let's just hope everyone makes it on Thursday, because if not, we'll probably repeat this all at the next snow-free date when all family can assemble.

There are so many books I want to read. I'm in the middle of the latest Terry Pratchett novel, and I've just begun Freedom for our "book club" (FYI - those are air quotes). I have several Christmas holiday decorating books that beg for a leisure read. Those are pure fantasy for me; I don't have any intention on following up on the actual activities. Oh, I've sewn quilts and made many scrapbooks, but those weren't inspired by magazines - they were inspired by life itself. (Oh, how poetic!) (FYI - poetry is another unlikely craft for me.) So how many times do you hear someone lamenting that there's never enough time to read?

And then there's my job. OK, so I'm not sure "everyone" has my same complaint. Perhaps it's less of a complaint and more of a conundrum. I am grateful to have a good job, at a good place, doing good work that I enjoy. My difficulty is the work-life balance - my part-time status allows me the luxury of being available as a mama when my kiddo is out of school. What's lacking are the freedoms I had pre-job - school volunteerism, menu planning, housework, leisurely grocery shopping, and exercise. I satisfied myself for the last many months with an intent to return to these lesser-paying (OK, NON-paying) options when my project ends at the end of the calendar year. But it looks like it will continue, which is GREAT because I continue to be a valued-and-contributing member of society by measurable standards, GREAT because I will be working in areas of my strength, and GREAT because I'll continue to receive a paycheck and benefits. But, whiny girl that I am, I was really looking forward to starting at the gym... getting a handle on the cooking... making my face familiar at school again.

Hmmm... let's see... what's keeping YOU up late at night?

Today's holds (more library check-outs)

Due to time constraints*, we skipped browsing at the library today and I ran in to grab what was waiting for me on reserve. One in particular had made its way through one-hundred-and-something holds to get into my hands and I wanted to be sure to grab it before the weekend and before anything tragic might happen to it**.

Venetia Kelly's Traveling Show was suggested in another blogger's blog, The Adventures of Jolly Goode Gal. I've had remarkable success with her reads and the title of the book struck my whimsy bone.

Next in the stack is the long-awaited Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake. Beth mentioned it as a possibility at book club and so I jotted it on a random scrap of paper. I came across it later as an Amazon recommends and so I previewed it on my Kindle. Verdict from the crumb: delicious. I immediately got in the virtual line to read the library's copy. (BTW, for those in reader land who have a spare copy, please know that the Tacoma Public Library has particular demand for the title and encourages folks to donate their used editions. Thanks for helping speed books into the hands of other citizens!)

The next book, The Report Card, leapt onto my list just yesterday after my daughter's teacher announced the class' next reading selection. Mwwwaaaaahahahaha.... my daughter suspects NOTHING and now I'll be able to have book discussions with her when she least suspects it!

Finally, I have On Rue Tatin. Katherine recommended this many months ago and I had it on a reading list, but never got around to actually requesting it. Her suggestions have always been top notch (Julie and Julia, My Life in France, Snow Flower and the Secret Fan), and I'm sure I'll wish I'd picked it up soon.

Hmmm... just three weeks? Really? I only have three weeks to read the stack?

*As in, so I could get home and blog about it forthwith.

**Tongue-in-cheek. If a sinkhole develops this weekend and swallows the branch, I had nothing. to. do. with. it.

Today's check-outs

I love the library and have since childhood. I remember begging Mrs. Harris for new selections away from the average picture books at Capital Elementary (now the Terry Miller Legislative Annex). I remember walking from my house, across the playground, and down Main Street to the public library on 4th (now the Juneau City Museum) to thumb the card catalogs, seek out the "hidden" best books, and check items out with my blue index card with the embedded metal identity strip. I remember when the library outgrew its shelving and moved the children's section down to the "Spam Can" annex (now a bank); I spent hours kneeling at the shelves under the street window, intent on making sure I'd read every Oz book. Rosanne Heidersdorf introduced me to the totally-awesome collection of shareware at the State library in the State Office Building (still the SOB!) and we continued to find the *newest* brick-out available.

Now that I'm in adulthood, members of our immediate family visit the public library several times a week. We are currently fortunate to have memberships in two library systems - city and the county. With the technology available, we have a constant rotation of literature held for us at our neighborhood branches.

In addition to the pile our librarian has set aside per our requests, I find recreation in collecting a variety of books I hadn't intended to browse. The "new" books (both fiction and non-fiction) get a once-over, the thematic displays are rounded, and I'll often walk down some Dewey Decimal aisle to see if something catches my eye. Sometimes I'm sure the book will change my life for the better. Others have adventures that will be more entertaining at prime time than the television. I have high hopes for my pile.

By the time I'm home with the loot, I feel as Carrie Bradshaw must after a bonus-check shoe spree; I can't believe I have such treasure at my whim! And it's mine for three entire weeks (and longer if nobody else is waiting)!

And what do I read? I emphasis the description above: VARIETY. I read children's and adult fiction. Cookbooks and foreign travel. Magazines for hobbies I may never try. News journals and black culture periodicals. Political commentary from both sides of the aisle. Narrative histories. Humorous essays. New DVD releases and old BBC shows that sound vaguely familiar. CDs in every genre... it costs me nothing extra to keep trying/reading/listening/looking!

Oh, and library books! Er, to clarify - books about libraries, librarians, and their patrons! To self-reflect on my own literary needs and interests and compare them to the world at large is fascinating! And there's the future of libraries to consider, their funding, their technologies, and their continuing place in society.

Anyway, here's today's haul:

We weren't at our "holds" branch so these selections were pure whim. The book on top is In Tahoma's Shadow, a book of poetry that includes entries and edits from friends. I don't typically care for poetry ("fun to write; awful to read"), but I am nonetheless curious what was submitted from our fair city.

The next, Bitch on a Budget, was too fun of a title to pass. That's right - I do judge a book by its cover! It's not too far from similar reading interests I've had in the past; I'm particularly a fan of Amy Dacyczyin's Tightwad Gazette.

Take a Hike Seattle? I know you don't automatically think of me on a trail, eating granola, and consulting a map. Believe it or not, I *do* own a pair of hiking boots. Some of you might be shocked to learn I spent the better part of a college year in the woods (literally and figuratively) while pursuing a forestry degree. It's amazing what you can learn through a person's blog... Anyway, we're trying to get the most of the outdoors before the weather turns and I thought this might offer some easy family-friendly ideas. Unfortunately, first glance reveals a focus on Seattle. (OK, well, duh - it does have "Seattle" prominently in the title.)

From the jacket, it appears we have a "prince-and-the-pauper" reinvented in modern day Just Like Me Only Better. I classify it as "candy fiction" in which I can find easy amusement for a day or so. I love having these handy!

Did I mention a curiousity for business books? The Google Way is only the latest. Someone had a great idea that somehow worked better than others. I want to know their secrets! (For more secret revelations, I recommend Timothy Ferriss' Four-Hour Work Week, though be prepared for a decent amount of arrogance.) Don't judge me as a complete work nut because the principals in many of these books will apply in all types of organizational situations. Or maybe I'm just a borne leader for seeing it that way! *grin*

At the bottom you can barely make out the spines of a couple of issues of ReadyMade from this year. I couldn't digest the annual cost once my free subscription ran out last year, but the photo layouts inspire me to... think I could create the projects they describe. Perhaps this is just a form of craft voyeurism? (Hey, if you're one of the actual doers, I recommend picking up a copy of the hand-held Make zine during your next library visit.)

By the time I got home, my spouse had made a regular visit to the other library system and picked up my holds. "Just in time," I remarked and took a picture. He's useful that way.

Here we have World Without End, the follow-up to reading club favorite, Pillars of the Earth (BTW, my two cents is that the Starz version doesn't. even. compare.) I'm eager to pick it up, but realize it will take a dedicated stretch of time if it's as involved as its predecessor.

Finally, we have my second business pick of the week, featuring one of my favorite shoesellers, Zappos, in Delivering Happiness. I never used to care much for mail-order apparel, but Zappos, and then Endless, brought my desire for great shoes (honest, I'm not channeling Carrie Bradshaw this time!) into my home and made the shopping experience exponentially better! How did they know me so well? I intend to read and find out.

And now, to quit my writing tonight so I can begin with someone else's!

Sloppy Joes

1 C TVP granules
1 1/4 C hot water
4 cloves garlic, pressed or crushed
1/2 C diced onion
6 oz can tomato paste
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/4 C ketchup
1/2 tsp celery seed, crushed
1/2 tsp pepper
4 slices of break (day-old sliced Italian loaf is perfect)

Combine all ingredients (except bread) in a large pot and mix well. Simmer for 10 minutes or until TVP is tender.

Toast buns if desired. Scoop sauce onto each bread slice and serve immediately. Heat-seekers may enjoy a dash of Tabasco on top.

Serves 4
Adapted from Miserly Meals (c)2004 by Jonni McCoy.

Personals

MTCW seeks MWM for romantic dinners at "foodie" restaurants and hole-in-the-walls. Urban and rural walks are nice, strenuous upward hikes are not. Tolerance for crafting, gal-pal-ing, and travel a must. Music tastes should range from 80's rock to Kid Rock. Humor necessary. Lights out at 10 o'clock. Must have interest in raising a family and enduring marriage for more than 11 years.

Creamy parsnip soup

Serving Size : 8

2 tablespoons butter
1 pound leeks -- sliced
1 pound parsnips -- trimmed, peeled, and cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces
2 apples -- peeled, cored, and cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 pound baking potato -- peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
14 fluid ounces chicken broth
4 cups water
salt and pepper

To prepare leeks: Trim and discard root ends and dark-green parts. Halve lengthwise; thinly slice crosswise. Wash in several changes of cold water until all grit is removed.

Heat butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add leeks. Cook, stirring, 5 minutes.

Add parsnips, apples, potato, broth, and water. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, until vegetables are tender, 20 to 25 minutes.

Use a hand blender or, working in batches, purée soup in blender until smooth. Season with salt & pepper.

Adapted from Martha Stewart's Everyday Food, 2005

My great idea: draft dodger

I've envied the "door cozies" on my neighbor's many doors but haven't successfully located such an item for my own home. The house was built ~1923 when drafts must have been all the fashion... anyhoo, I'm weary of cold tootsies.

After at least 12 months of good intentions, I finally made my own! Behold the repurposing of an old towel to save our house heat and energy bills!

It straddles the bottom of the door. Holes snipped at strategic points provide pass-throughs for decorative cording to hold the rolls in place.

Sloping floors seem to have also been in vogue in 1923. A few modifications on one end of the towel did the trick.

An unintentional benefit is that it also wipes away any wet footprints in the door path. I am *so* smart! (And wonderful. And fabulous. And modest.)

Chicken soup

Costco rotisserie chicken is the *best* deal in town! We enjoy it hot for dinner, cut out favorite parts for two consecutive lunches for Ken, and convert the rest into an easy homemade chicken soup for the next couple of dinners. I've been asked for my recipe, and so here it is:

1. Buy rotisserie chicken from Costco (grocery store chickens tend to be smaller, more expensive, and never quite as tasty). Enjoy it for dinner.
2. Remove remaining big white meat chunks and set aside for lunches.
3. With your fingers, pick off any remaining meat you think looks good enough to eat (I avoid the gristly stuff), breaking apart bones as needed to access the best flesh. Reserve this meat.
4. Stuff remaining carcass, skin, and other bits into crock pot and cover with cold water. Throw in any herbs you find handy (I clip off a handful of stems from my enormous rosemary bush and stuff them into the pot). Cook on high for several hours. Scents the house nicely.
5. Strain broth and dump the solid stuff. Add reserved meat and refrigerate.
6. When ready to use, add salt & pepper to taste, as well as any veggies you like, and bring to boil on the stovetop. Add desired amount of pasta and cook 'til tender. Enjoy!

This process is incredibly easy and ridiculously thrifty.

Dressmaking 101

I've never made clothing. I've made pillows, cut and stitched applique quilts, and attached badges. Around 5th grade I started a sewing unit in 4-H. The remnants thereof were stuffed in a box and to the back of a closet. I found it a few years ago and mailed it off to a friend who could likely finish the project. Or at least turn the fabric into rags.

Nevertheless, I was bound and determined to assist my daughter with her costume for a school project. She has chosen to portray Queen Elizabeth I in the upcoming 2nd grade wax museum. We've painted a cardboard box that will serve as a hoop dress. Said box will be covered in "peacock" fabric. I thought it would be wise to apparel her in the same fabric.

Using an existing child-size muumuu as a template, I cut the fabric (a fabulous find at rummage for just $1/yard) to shape and began hemming. I purchased a zipper from the fabric store and read up on how to attach that. I faced the pieces together and sewed up the seams. Voila!

Now, where have I seen this before? Hmmm...

Dream house

I don't believe I've shown off the playhouse yet. How distracted of me!

Several years ago we pulled invasive holly and dying rhododendrons out of an alley corner of our yard. With access to light, a thick growth of seedy weeds took over. To tamp out the blight, I covered the area with an oh-so-attractive black tarp. Well, at least the weeds could no longer multiply.

I kept thinking we'd do something constructive back there. A hidden patio? A shed? A... playhouse?

We have an active alley life, and a neighbor finally broached the subject: "What's going on with that corner?" I told him that maybe, someday, perhaps we'd stick a playhouse there.

And thus began the 12-month journey of playhouse dreams to play-castle reality.

Steve loves to dream and construct. Using imaginative plans of his own, the back corner of our lot, and surplus lumber from another neighbor's project, he designed a two-story play structure, complete with pull-down covered stage, latching doors, summer shading, and safety protections.

I wasn't of much use in the assembly portion; I'm not terribly handy. I was happy to take direction, though, and put my efforts toward priming and painting. As of a couple of weeks ago, the playhouse was finally deemed complete:


I am proud of my recently-discovered mural talents. I projected a castle outline onto the stage cover and then added the scenery and colors. Again with the princess, I projected the image and filled in details. We all enjoy the final product.

Please, by all means, stop by and play with us someday!

Many thanks to:

• Steve, for his enormous contribution of parts and labor
• Wendi, for putting up with Steve's absences while he worked on the project
• John, for his surplus lumber and use of tools
• Patrick, for his lumber runs and spare paint
• Michelle, for her spare paint and painting arms
• Michelle's niece, for her artistic flair with faux stone walls
• Mike & Jerri, for moving their cars and letting us take over their parking spot
• Csilla, for her paint loan
• Mike & Julie, for rocks and truck use
• The neighborhood children, for letting us adults become children again for a time

Words out of context

I've wanted to attack an altered book project for a few years. Here's my first attempt:


Words out of context: reading between the lines (2009)
Kari Whitney
Altered book page (paper collage)
10.5" x 7.25"

Craft in America

I had an "impulse check-out" at the library last week: Craft in America by Jo Lauria and Steve Fenton.


Coffee table books are like comic books for me - a chance to kick back and look at pictures, only occasionally burrowing into the text for more information. I'd like to say I draw inspiration from them. Perhaps I do in a subconscious fashion, but in all likelihood I'm not going to hone my skills to similar high-art tasks.

Here's the particular object that caught my attention and imagination:


A smooth, woody plant roots to the floor, grows toward the ceiling, and gracefully sprouts a branch into the air. The wood closely matches that of my piano and the two would be so lovely side-by-side. I see my accompanist seated at the piano as I breath deeply into my flute to warm the metal. The sheets of music on the stand rise up, just as the stand grows to the sky, and the melodies swirl into the air like a summer breeze blown down from the hillside...

Auction Setup - Day 4

Lunch: Yikes! I ate so fast that I don't recall what it was! (I'm sure it was delish.)
Waters consumed: 2
Coffees consumed: 0 (yikes!)
Corals created: 2 tall ones, and strung with lights

Friday, our last full day of auction setup, was another adrenalizing day. I glued yet more anemones and twisted more coral reefs. The day's big puzzle was stringing lights over a bar section that had already been fully set with glassware.

Contrary to popular belief, that glass (not pictured) was already broken and on the floor when I got there! ;)

Here are some photos from nearly-finally-almost-done.

Auction Setup - Day 3

Lunch: Leftover lobster bisque & salad
Waters consumed: 3
Coffees consumed: 1
Corals created: 1 giant, and 1 partial gi-normous!

We finished the giant coral at the entrance today and strung it with lights. I wasn't impressed until I happened to see it from across the room. Wow, it really looks coral-y!

The remainder of my afternoon (I only spent a half day on site today) was spent cloaking a light tower in "reef." Leslie, Charlotte and I will suffer carpel tunnel, but we've nonetheless become expert paper-twisters. I look forward to posting pictures tomorrow.

Oh, and I got to hold the puppy again. I've named him "Toto."

Happiness is a warm puppy. ~Linus

Auction Setup - Day 2

Lunch: Lobster Bisque
Waters consumed: 2
Coffees consumed: 1
Corals created: ~10, plus the beginning of one GIANT coral

The reef looks lovely as the decorations take their intended shapes. I continue to be proud of my work, including the paper-mache blowfish, bespeckled with aqua toothpicks stuck through the "skin" and adhered with glue.

Volunteers have been heavenly. All who enter the dome are happy to jump into any activity. One group from rummage spent the bulk of the day fashioning paper into sea anenomes. Others spent hours coloring tin fish. My group deserves some kind of "super manipulation" award for all the time spent twisting butcher paper into growing coral!

No pics today, sorry. I whipped out the door without my camera.