Friday, December 20, 2013

.confessions.

When I was little I wanted to be an astronaut when I grew up.
Or a painter.
Or Mary from the Secret Garden. Not "contrary" like Mary was (though really, she had every right to be), just to have a secret garden out on the moors.
Some time later, I was fairly certain I wanted to work in genetics, but then I went to art school anyway and majored in illustration and ended up where I ended up.


I am not an astronaut, though there was a brief moment when I sincerely considered trying to join MarsOne (except for that not coming back part, and I've become fond of lots of things I have here on planet Earth, like ice cream). I get motion sick in planes and my anxiety makes rollar coasters difficult nowadays.

I am, quite by accident, a painter. I took one actual painting course in college - I had extra time and needed credits to stay full time and retain my health insurance and somehow snuck into the 500 level Advanced Painting course which nobody there was very happy about including the instructor but there I was anyhow, taking up space. I suffered from a severe lack of using green pigment in skin tones, completed more work than the instructor had thought was possible (quite literally, she told me a the beginning of the course that there was no way I could complete  9 portraits in one semester and two months from the end was sitting there, finished and bored), and passed despite my having been a complete and total jerk about it. Meanwhile George Zimmerman is selling what I consider to be the most horrible bullshit on ebay for upwards of 100,000 dollars and I can't even get my carpenter to finish the work he promised me in exchange for that mural I did during the summer.

I do have a garden, though not on any Irish Moors or even with beautiful walls, and I've been so busy lately that I'm not even going to work in it next year other than to continue my battle with the mint that keeps trying to overrun it again.

I am technically an illustrator and designer, though not really of any merit or achievement. I don't consider the work I create at my day job to be real work (more in the realm of college assignments) and my ability to get freelance work doesn't exist - aside from the occasional request of "Will you illustrate this children's book I wrote and by the way I don't have any money so I need to you do it for cheap or free and when it's published I promise you'll get paid."
I fell for that...once.


I've been moonlighting as a semi-professional bellydancer for a while now but even that is losing it's charm - dealing with people (other dancers and clients) becomes more and more tedious and the idea of early retirement is becoming more and more appealing.

I have a moderately successful etsy business, mostly selling geek inspired perfumes; though even that started out a far cry from what it is today as I was originally making bindi's (the first bindi seller on etsy in fact) but when everyone and their aunt figured out how easy the stupid things were to make quitting seemed the better part of valour.


In short - I am very much looking forward to my winter break where I don't really have to work on anything except for trying to make there two cats be friends (or possibly re-homing Luna) and maybe finish that painting for my godmother. Maybe I can, once again, rethink my priorities and figure out what it is that I really want to be doing. In reality I may have more interests an activities than it's reasonable to be able to focus on and excel at - something may have to go, and the garden may not be enough.
Goodnight.

Tuesday, December 3, 2013

.oh Tuesday.

I just got word that I'll be making an emergency trip to Tampa next Thursday to reconcile an "art emergency" that has a lot less to do with art and a lot more to do with someone's acid flashbacks. Here's the current weather forecast for that day:
As my flight out is probably going to be at 6am, that KC temp will definitely be closer to 16˚ than 29˚, which is only going to lead to the worst kind of temperature shock coming and going.
And I don't even get to do anything fun while I'm there.

I suspect next Friday I'll be dying of some kind of sinus related plague. Fun Times!
And this is why we can't have nice things.

Monday, December 2, 2013

.happenings.

Later today I'll be listing two new scents and different variations of several other scents (combo packs, larger sizes, etc.) on etsy. The scents? Moriarty and The Woman!
Moriarty is a lovely not too sweet blend of lavender mint and tea. The base oil was actually steep in early grey tea for over two months, so this puppy will be available on and off in limited quantities.
The Woman is an amalgamation of many things - Tobacco, Jasmine, Amber and Sandalwood to name a few. It's floral, it's earthy, it's spicy and seductive.
New jewelry pieces will be listed as well.



Meanwhile, tea yesterday was absolutely awful!
Long story short - if you get a reservation inquiry from two people with dietary restrictions which you then claim you can accommodate - that does not mean serving them the exact same thing you're serving to everyone else and telling them to "Pick around the bits you don't want."
Just don't take the reservation.


This weekend I'll be performing and teaching in St. Louis at the annual Urban Cabaret.
Performance info is here.
Class info is here.
I'll also be vending at the show so if you're going to be there it's a great chance to smell the smells in person. If you're not you had better buy any jewelry you've been eying in a hurry because whatever sells in St. Louis stays in St. Louis.


Next weekend I'll be joining a force of dancers including Amy Jo and Rebecca for "The Big Show" in Springfield Missouri.
This year we are giving you an insider's view into the lives of women and girls. Dancers will be covering everything from playing dress-up to Rosie the Riveter and everything in between! The goal of this show is to give a fun, dramatic, and sometimes serious homage to everything it is to be a woman!
Info is here!

Sunday, December 1, 2013

.things that happened this week.

• Too much food.

• I'm finally getting around to watching all of Star Trek Next Gen.

• I'm about to head off to High Tea.

• And of course this is still happening...

Sunday, November 24, 2013

.what is going on right now.

I'm avoiding the internet because I haven't seen Day of the Doctor yet and I'm avoiding spoilers.


I'm seeing it tomorrow, so go away until after then and in the meantime I'll be hiding in my basement with paint and loud music. I did see Catching Fire though (loved it!) and might have an idea for a "Girl on Fire" scent.
Maybe.


Sunday, November 17, 2013

.things that happened.

• Lots of cleaning. Lots of post office.

• I fell in love with this furbaby...
Her name is Penny and she's tiny and adorable.

• Raqs Bohéme - there was dancing!
And there will be video.
So. Much. Video.

• I finally started my NaNoWriMo because clearly I need more things to do.

• The Valeyard. My head exploded.
 JUST LOOK AT HIM!!!

Friday, November 15, 2013

.tonight.

Tonight is Raqs Bohéme: the Surprise Show at Czar Bar downtown in Kansas City. Along with myself, Rebecca Hartmen, Amy Jo, and Bridgette Sampeck will be dancing along with a really special comedy set by Martin Plant. Won't you come out and see us?

Thursday, November 14, 2013

.for fun and family.

I would like to say that after tomorrow my life will be more stable and less chaotic, but I'm afraid that is a beautiful lie. In the meantime, here's a Holiday Coupon Code to encourage NOT shopping on Black Friday.
MENAGE
good for 30% off anything through the end of the year

Exciting, yes?
Also exciting is this:

I think my heart about stopped at the end there.

Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Monday, November 4, 2013

.on hiatus - sort of.

I have roughly 42 videos to edit this week and get out to a number of local dancers. I have to do it this week because I'll have 16 more by the end of next week and I'd like to breathing room in there to detox.

I also have to (with my sun and Stars assistance) clean the entire house, because my parents are coming to visit this coming weekend. I'd have started that already (because with all of the costume creation for Halloween the two of us made quite the mess) but i spent most of last week with a 100 degree fever and was not moving more than absolutely necessary - which included working a lot of overtime for my day job which I would very much like to not work at anymore thankyou very much.

In addition to getting out perfume orders, finishing up the two final Sherlock Holmes scents (Moriarty and the Woman) and working on my own dance pieces(3) for two weeks from now - Raqs Bohéme, the Surprise show. We weren't going to be doing a November show, but the owner asked so nicely and I'm still incapable of saying no when people ask so nicely.

And I still haven't worked on that Evil Mermaid painting (the painting is evil, not the mermaid - in theory) which I had maybe ought to touch before my parents get here since it's for my godmother whose my mom's best friends and...

Aside from some already pre-loaded Sketchbook posts, I will be gone until all of this clears up.
And then I'm getting a kitten.

.things that happened.

the Khal and the Khaleesi

Monday, October 28, 2013

.things that happened last week.

Not much really.
Lots of exhaustion and sleeping (I know that's getting old and boring but it's what's happening). Raqs Bohéme where we raised money for Wayside Waifs. And more sleeping. Seriously. I came home from work on Saturday and slept until Sunday.


And I almost finished my dragon.

Wednesday, October 23, 2013

Sunday, October 20, 2013

.things that happened this week.

• So many naps!

• Swimming for fun and exercise!

• Book Henge.

• Wig shopping and paper maché armor construction.

• Today is my last day dancing at Faire and Not-Smoker. My last day. Not just for the Faire run, but for the forseeable future. Meaning I'm not doing this again next year so if you haven't been you had better come and see me there today!
Or just come to Czar Bar on the 25th for our super awesome Halloween bellydance and variety show fundraiser for Wayside Waifs!

.things that happened this week.

Mitti came to see me off!
• The Renaissance Festival is over! My last show was surprisingly fantastic - thank you audience of awesomeness! You made me want to reconsider this whole quitting business.


• Overtime!

• Naps!

• Preparations for Halloween.

• And a great big new secret project which I will not discuss since I haven't really even worked on the evil mermaid painting since I almost wrecked and then fixed the canvas so clearly talking about projects before they're more than halfway done is a huge mistake.

• I'm thinking alot about Seattle.

• Also, it turns out that I might be descended from Warlocks and Werewolves. Also ship builders. Go Team DeMars!

Thursday, October 17, 2013

.new smells.

It's not even Halloween yet and I'm already rolling out this years Christmas Special and it smells so good I might have to keep it around indefinitely. Soft citrus, warm spices and earthy oakmoss and spikenard.

Meanwhile, I now have all the supplies to make solid perfumes and even solid scented lotions.
Exciting new things are coming!

Wednesday, October 16, 2013

.sketchbook wednesday.


This is the end of this sketchbook...
It's been suggested that I ought to have it published for purchase...
Maybe.

Time for a new sketchbook regardless.

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

.autumn purge.

Because there is finite space in my home, and because I need it for other things...
These paintings need to be adopted! All offers will be considered, and anything not claimed will be de-canvass-ed and stored in some horribly un-archival way.
Or possibly set on fire.

  "maidenhair" "forget-me-not 2" "infant 2" 
"river song" "nest" "vector"