I started assembling the security envelopes into a journal. I don't think I will bind them all together until I complete the pages so that I can easily incorporate more sewing, and  I can press the pages flat. They want to get a bit wavy when I paint them. Here is a view of a couple of the pages. I'm enjoying the process, and I think the journal will be very interesting when it's completed. I'm still amazed that all that wonderfulness hides inside envelopes that we all throw away. 

 

OK, it is possible that I spent a little too much time watching the Academy Awards last night. Maybe I can blame it on the fact that I lived in, or near, Hollywood for so many years, but I do like to see all the pageantry. I'm not absolutely positive that this recipe deserves the award, it has stiff competition from the udon noodles, but it is quite good, and would know how to work-it on the red carpet. Well, maybe not, but let's pretend. This one is dedicated to my sister Meg, and all the people that made this recipe possible... you get the idea. And the award goes to... 



Bulghur Wheat Pilaf

2 Tbsp vegan margarine
1 small onion, chopped
1 cup bulghur wheat
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups vegetable broth
5 dried shitake mushrooms, rehydrated in hot water, then sliced
1/2 tsp dried dill
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp ground pepper
handful of pine nuts (optional)

In a medium saucepan sauté the onion, in the margarine, until it's tender and slightly browned. Add the bulghur and sauté for a couple of minutes. Add the remaining ingredients, except for the pine nuts, and bring to a boil. Cook on medium high heat for a few minutes allowing the bulghur to soften-up. Remove from the heat and allow it to sit and absorb the remaining moisture. At the last minute toss in the pine nuts.   

As I recently mentioned, I am currently obsessed with lens flare. It can add a little sparkle of magic to an otherwise ordinary photograph. I learned to love it, and wish for it to happen, when I started taking pictures with my little LOMO cameras. Their funky plastic bodies regularly allow light to seep in, creating undependable, but sometimes lovely results.
Here are a few of my favorites, where lens flare helped out in a big way.












And here is a video (that I had nothing to do with) that makes great use of the romantic, and vintage, quality that lens flare imparts.

When I found out I could take a blah, uninspired photo and add a fake-O lens flare in Photoshop I felt a little guilty, but I was excited. 

Before - OK, but a bit blah
 

After - with fake-O flare.

Much better, right?
I'm still going to seek out legitimate lens flare, resist the urge to go faux, feel guilty when I fake it, and I always love the little LOMO's,  but the fake stuff is pretty darn fun too. Sorry.

I'm enchanted by this stop motion video called Lost Things. Maybe it's her red hair, or my current obsession with sun flare (more on that later), I just don't know. 

And this one makes me giggle uncontrollably.

I'm working hard to figure out Photoshop. I recently had a major breakthrough and a whole world of possibilities opened up. It is such an amazing tool! It is capable of so much when placed in educated hands. I feel like I'm only just beginning to tap into the possibilities, but I'm having fun. It's like learning how to paint all over again, but this time I don't have paint all over myself.

Here are some the elements that were layered to create this piece.












I also played around with the colors, saturation, and a lot doodles that imported into the program. What do you think? I think it's kind of interesting to look at the pieces and see how they all came together.

I stopped the other day to snap some pictures of a gaggle of geese, and a duck, or two. I have to say those geese had a very bad attitude!

I started a new painting today. I'm loving the idea of using junk mail to create color and texture on the canvas. Rather than starting with random strokes of paint, I collaged junk mail all over the surface. If you look carefully some of you might recognize some of these materials. Netflix flaps, my favorite security envelopes, and an outdated Urban Outfitters catalog pieced together to create a patchwork of random colors and patterns.





After that, I applied my plaster mix, allowing bits and pieces of the junk mail to show through.

I've been working on some artwork featuring the sweet little town of Mendocino. I'm going to make some prints, magnets, cards, etc. with some of the new artwork. I'll show the products as they come hot off the presses. Here's a peek at the images.