Janeys Journey

A little book of figures

This is a very little book of drawings - 3 1/2" x 5". There are 14 drawings, some on double sheets, a little color here and there. Each one is hand drawn and original, not prints.

I really like the idea of someone holding my drawings in their hands. Not a print, the real thing, the real me. This little book is very handmade, some drawings are better then others. In that way, it's more a sketchbook then anything else.  

Little Book is available on Etsy.  The link is on my profile and blog.

Bits and Pieces or That Zine Thing

I'm not sure what this is really. So let's just say it's my zine thing again. This is a handmade, machine sewn 10 page artist book. All drawings, all original, all hand drawn, all hand colored. There are 8 drawings plus one bonus because I didn't like one drawing. So I drew it again. The book is 5"x7".

I intend to do about 10 of these over the next 2 weeks while I get back into the other postponed zine.  Bits and Pieces is for sale on my Etsy shop.  I hope you like it, I liked making it.

Gert and Mom

Not together of course.  My mom is terrified of animals.  Fortunately, Gertie is old and likes to sleep all day so they don't run into each much in the apt.  Gertie is being very stoic about it all.  First going from a 3 kittie house to 1 and all the renovation and strangers in the apt and now Mom.  I took the step away from the bed so Gert won't climb on it.  I'm sleeping on an airbed in the studio and I moved Gerties basket and toys in there. It's just not the same for Gert.  I see her walk by the bedroom and look longingly at the bed she can't get to.  Poor baby.  .

Yesterday's Leaves

As soon as mom goes home, I'm going to post drawings every day. I will I will I will. 

Here's yesterday's leaves and they're dedicated to Bella who left so many nice comments.

Day one of mom's visit

Conversation #1

• I left the pen on the counter for you mom.
• Uh, maybe you should come into the kitchen for a minute.
• Yeah
• Uh, maybe I shouldn't use the pen on the counter, maybe somewhere else.
• Why? Oh, I'll try to get the ink off the corian countertop tomorrow mom.

Conversation #2

• I was looking at at your drawings. You really are an artist, you know. No getting around that you really are.
• Why thank you mom. That's just about the nicest thing you've ever said to me.
• You just don't do anything about it. You don't have any push. You really need to make an effort.
• Thank you mother for that momentary lapse in your personality there. Don't you remember that conversation we had before?  You were to treat me like a total stranger?  Right? 

Ok so I said I'd wait but...

I just have to post this most interesting experience with the contractor.  He finished on Tuesday.  I come home in pain from my back.  So happy I have my apt back. As I brushed my teeth in front of the glass tile backsplash, I almost chocked.  Toothpaste and water splattered everywhere.  Gertie slid across the tile as she ran to get away from that awful scream.  Can you guess why?  Yep, the tile was crooked.  How can someone not see this you ask yourself?  I asked myself the same question when I finally stopped chocking.  I called dbd.  Please come over.  Do you see anything?  No.  Are you sure, look again.  Oh, yeah.  Tile's crooked. 

. 

I waited 2 days to calm down and left him a voice mail.  Please fix my expensive glass tile.  He leaves me a voice mail.  Oh yeah I noticed a few tiles were crooked.  No problem.  I'll be over Friday and fix them.  He noticed?  He knew they were crooked and didn't do anything?  A few were crooked?  How about 10 rows down 14 across.  I put blue tape diagonally across the tiles with a note.  Remove and correct.  I came home.  He fixed 10" x 12".  The others are still crooked.  Not much.  If those were the only ones wrong I probably wouldn't have noticed. 

If I wanted crooked tile, I would have done the job myself.  But it's over, no more, that's it.  I'm moving on.  The shower works fine, the wire baskets in the shower tile are crooked but I can live with it.  He lost my drawer pulls and charged me for getting new ones but you know ok.  He didn't put enough spacers in the legs on the Ikea vanity so the legs will loosen over time but I think I can fix that.  There's still some paint on my new lights but that can be fixed when I paint the apt next year. 

Really, I don't know what's been more painful, the bathroom renovation or my back. 

Note from the absentee artist

Well the bathroom renovation is over and it was certainly not pleasant.  I'm trying to let the anger go and just get on with things.  One of these days I'll write about it.  When I calm down.  For now at least I have my life back.  Of course now that I do, I hurt my back. 

I was putting a table together and pulled something.  In and out of work all week.  Finally started feeling better today.  And on Sunday my mom is coming to stay with me for a week.  Her building has mold and asbestos so there's a cleanup all week and everyone has to leave.  She wanted to go to a hotel but I can't really let my 85yr mother go to a hotel (I'm suicidal aren't I?).  But there is a bonus in mom being here - I get to have my very first real live model to draw.  Of course I don't think she'd take kindly to posing nude but I don't think my psyche could actually cope with drawing 85yr old mother nude either.  I think it's going to be an interesting week.

Anyway, as soon as my back is better I'll get back to posting and commenting and over due zines.  I feel like I've lost whatever audience I had but it's probably good not to be so self involved with numbers anyway. I just feel bad about not visiting people. 

To RuPaw, a big old loveable cat

RuPaw went to a gentler place today.  I almost missed Linda's post about the big guy because I was feeling sorry for myself over renovation and work and life in general lately.  I'm so glad she blogged about him and told some wonderful stores.  These true friends are here for a such a short time.  Their life just passes by in a blink or a wink as the case may be.  As I type and look at Gertie sleeping near the keyboard, I kick myself everytime I ever yelled at her to get a life and leave me alone.  I am her life so why should she?  Yep, Gertie can sleep on the keyboard anytime she wants.  And I think I'm going to go wake her up so I can give her a big hug.

  

I disappeared again didn't I?

I'm in desparate need for a pick me up so back to drawing babies, of one species or another.  It makes me feel good.

Those eyes

Let's see, no whiskers, no eyebrows and now poka dot eyes.  I definitely need therapy.