August

Yesterday was thankfully uneventful. We discovered that the delay on the landscaping was that sand and concrete are on back order...really. Of course don't get me started on how easy t would have been for them to simply call us and tell us that rather than just not show up for two days with us in the dark, but anyway. Since I have so few mundane details to share, I'll take the opportunity to share something less mundane.

You might recall that last month I made some rather unexplained items. If you don't remember, go ahead and refresh here...I'll wait.

Well, the final project has been revealed by its creator the lovely and talented Diana of Paynesgrey. She has created this amazing art doll named August. He needed some accessories and I was asked to create what I imagine is the first tatted whip. I also made him a hat band.Clearly, my contribution to this amazing piece was small indeed, but I'm honored to have had a small part in his creation. Please visit her shop and read the story of August, it's a good one.

After all my recent whining and ranting it is really nice to share something pleasant that has little to do with me really. Let's see which direction the weekend takes me in...will Monday bring rant or rave? I'm taking bets.

Very Vicious Valentine Giveaway

Valentines Day, the day hopeless romantics adore and the loveless abhor. A day to celebrate love, to test the gift giving prowess of beaus, to sell countless and disposable cards, candy and flowers. A day to wallow in self pity or loudly profess that you neither need or desire love in your life. Love it or hate it, not one of us is allowed to completely ignore it's passage. This Valentines Day, why not focus on Friday the 13th instead and win yourself a little something both beautiful and a little macabre.Win this set of one Death's Head Moth magnet and numbered 6/66 ACEO of 'Drawn' made by Diana Crites of PaynesGrey.

I have had the fortune of meeting many wonderful artists in the last few years and few of them have been as lovely and talented as Diana. She has an eye for finding the beauty in the odd making her work surreal and memorable. I have discovered through her blog that we also have more than a couple of things in common and her words are as compelling to read as her art is to see.

Here's a bit of bio for you: Diana Crites is a fine artist with a special interest in the dreadful. She has shown in California and throughout the Portland area, including the inaugural exhibition at Pi-Rem Gallery in the Pearl and has been a featured artist at Intown Works III at the historic Old Church in downtown. Her paintings are held in private collections in throughout the United States, Paris, and British Columbia. She also keeps a blog at http://amutedpalette.blogspot.com

Now The Rules:
-Visit http://paynesgrey.etsy.com, and peruse her amazing art.
-Pick your favorite item from her shop and then come back here to this blog post, and leave a comment telling us about what you liked.
-If you are not a blog user, make sure to leave your name and email so you may be contacted should you win.

Want more chances to win...read on

-For an additional entry, tell us a love story or anti-love story as a comment, whichever is your bag.
-For an additional entry, tweet this giveaway, then leave a comment to let us know you've done so.
-Finally, for an additional two entries, blog about this giveaway on your own blog (complete with links and pictures), and come back and leave a comment telling us you've done so.

-This contest is open to residents of the US only.

-Contest ends on Friday, February 13th (I know, ironic huh?). Winner will be announced the following Monday.

Fish

Happy Friday everyone! If everything is going according to plan, I imagine that I'm walking through the Monterey Bay Aquarium and allowing my daughters to buy a few too many souvenirs. It's my 10th anniversary and I'm nowhere near a computer, but I thought I would do a sort of Friday Finds post of fishy things so you can see what I'm seeing. First off, we have just a small section of one of my favorite paintings called Childhood by PaynesGrey.





Next we have the plush aquarium by weirdbuglady. I'm thinking that the kids would make much less of a mess with this one!







Then there's the fat penguin from sweetestpea. I've coveted her fat little plush creatures for an eternity.






Well, that should hold you over for a day or so. I know this is far cuter than you might me used to me doing, but I promise that my dark, elegant self will be back on Monday.