My Bookbinding Tools, a sketch.

Thread, Needle, Hammer and Awl. The tools I use each day. The strange other thing is a simple piece of leather sewn together. It goes over my finger when sewing. Otherwise I’d have heavy cuts in my skin by now …

By Renate on February 1st, 2012 | Posted in Diverses | 4 Comments »

My new, huge Sketchbook

Actually, I bought this “paint the covers” sketchbook for, well, doing just that. Paint the covers and sell it. But it’s too huge and too heavy for selling so I’ll just use it myself.

No, I wouldn’t have tried to sell it with “this” covers. Hehehe… These are personal. Am not done with the “brain” theme yet. I still hear my pulse in my head. Waiting for a MRT checkup in two weeks (two weeks!!) to see whether there is something in my head that shouldn’t be there. And I have to make an appointment with an orthopedist. Not sure if I really want one of them to find something …

Anyway, filling this big pages will distract me. I don’t plan to make nice or beautiful drawings. I will just go crazy in it. Sort of an Art Therapy.  And maybe it will also result in some new ideas for my work! Yep. Looks like I can only win. At least, that’s the plan …

By Renate on January 28th, 2012 | Posted in Diverses | 4 Comments »

Time flies, wherever …

Do you realize that the first month of the new year is nearly gone already? It’s going so fast …
I had big plans for the new year, but annoying health problems are slowing me down a bit. A pulsating, dull buzz in my head. Am checking with docs to find out whether it’s something else than Tinnitus at the moment. And yes, it’s driving me a bit crazy at times. That’s probably why this somewhat weird book occured. I’m curios whether it finds someone who likes it …

By Renate on January 25th, 2012 | Posted in Diverses | 5 Comments »

Could not resist …

…when I saw this for 50% off today. Did not really try anything on it yet, but it seems to be well done. It maybe makes me sit more straight. At least for the work I can do on it. Time will tell.
The other possibility - it will sit unused  somewhere. Like many of my artist materials that I all “needed” once :D

Okay, looks like it doesn’t explain itself: It’s sort of an easel, only that it can be tilted in all directions. You can see it here if you are interested (scroll down a bit)

By Renate on January 19th, 2012 | Posted in Diverses | 4 Comments »

Mini Swirl Trees!

Mini Swirl Tree journals are now available in both, my Etsy and my Dawanda shop. And aren’t they cute? I will make another one to carry in my own bag with me all the time.

By Renate on January 18th, 2012 | Posted in Diverses | 1 Comment »

Jester’s Key

I don’t like modern Clowns (and I know I’m not alone in that), but I have a soft spot for jesters, fools, jokers … The jesters back in old times sure didn’t have an easy life. Tell the wrong jokes to the king and - your head is off!
I’m pretty sure, the jesters had a lot of secrets. Who takes a jester seriously? They may have heard people plotting, or seen a man sneaking into the queens chamber. Who knows … but the jesters.

By Renate on January 17th, 2012 | Posted in Diverses | 1 Comment »

“Dry Lentils” Experiment

When I grew up, we didn’t have much money. We didn’t need to starve, but cooking was mostly “cheap”. And I still like the simple home style food best. Don’t need any fancy stuff.

“Linsen mit Nudeln” (Lentils with Pasta) in one of the dishes I grew up with. The ham I used here is already luxus and not really needed. But yummy anyway.
I made it often, but always used canned lentils so far. Now I can proudly say, dried ones work as well. They just need to cook for some time …

It’s an easy to do dish. Onions are cut, roasted in butter, lots of garlic later (so it doesn’t burn), a bit flour is added and this mix then goes into the cooked lentils. Seasoned with salt, fresh black pepper and a bit vinegar.
It’s really the garlic. If you ever try this, don’t be greedy with the garlic!

Oh … and better don’t eat this when you have a business meeting or the like. It’s … moving air, you know, down there … :D

By Renate on January 14th, 2012 | Posted in Diverses | 1 Comment »

Sisyphus

In german,  a tedious, never-ending task can also be called “Sisyphus Arbeit”. It’s never done. Never really finished.

And just in case you never heard about Sisyphus, here is help: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sisyphus

Okay. This was my contribution to educate people for this year. Phew… exhausted now.

By Renate on January 12th, 2012 | Posted in Diverses | 3 Comments »

Business Cards

I must do something wrong, because I very seldom give out  business cards. Not good in selling myself I am …
And to make things worse, I still used my old business cards from when I did Webdesign/Programming. Those days are gone. Made myself some shiny new ones. Okay, not very shiny, but good enough for me. And the two books on the flipside will help me, when I sometimes have to explain to people what it is, that I do. Yep, I’m pleased with myself now.

By Renate on January 8th, 2012 | Posted in Diverses | 5 Comments »

Just What the Doctor Prescribed

‘It’s probably from too much stress’ my doc said. ‘ You need to relax more’ she explained. ‘Paint some purple mushrooms” she ordered. So I did.

Okay, okay … I lied. She didn’t say that about the mushrooms. But I would love my life much more if she’d had! :D

By Renate on January 5th, 2012 | Posted in Diverses | 5 Comments »