Bleccch

I've been fighting off a really nasty cold for the past week or so. It will not DIE. I'm really grateful that my schedule is the way that it is right now. Monday I was feeling bad, but went to teach anyway and ended up having a great class, but then came home and died. I spent all of Tuesday and Wednesday in bed, venturing only outside once for more cold medicine. (Seriously, I think cold meds are much, MUCH stronger here than they are in the US.) My throat's been so sore that all I can eat is jello and soup, and I've drank so much hot gingery honey water that I slosh a bit when I move. I finally feel half-way human today but still get tired very easily. This morning as I was lecturing I kept thinking how comfortable that padded model stand looked...if only I could lay down on it...

The weather isn't helping much either, all grey and drizzly. Just want to sleep for a whole week. I haven't done anything productive outside of teaching all week and I feel like a lump. I wanted to do this past week's IF but it's already Friday. I'm definitely going to get a jump start on the next one. This week's theme is "dusty" and I think I have a great idea for it. We'll see if I can finish!

Save your wrists

I found this great video via the comic tools blog. I have been working more than usual and the mouse is taking a toll on my hand. I find knitting breaks help, because it's a different sort of repetitive motion, but this video takes you through some great stretches to prevent tendinitis and other repetitive stress injuries to your hands. Good for anyone who sits at a computer, draws all day or knits.

I'm setting a timer for myself to get up and stretch every hour. I had been feeling a lot of pain in my wrist and forearm and these made it feel much better. It stretches muscles I didn't even know I had! :)

Illustration Friday: Resolution

 

Last week's theme was "resolutions," so I wanted to originally illustrate all of my New Year's resolutions that I made last week. And then a perfect storm of work fell into my lap, and there was no time for that. (In fact, I didn't even get this one done in time to put the link up. Yikes!) So, I went with the first one, "Learn to make a killer Beef Bourguignon."

Which I hope to do soon. Because it would be delicious!

I'm playing with very limited color palettes right now. I like this very warm yellow and brown, it seems yummy and cheery, which I like on these dreary days. And it doesn't take very long, which is great for these little exercises, because I want to keep this up!

New Obsession

New Year's was great. We went out to eat with a friend of ours and then went to an unexpected party at another professor's house, which was a nice surprise. This break has been pretty quiet, it's almost over and we haven't really done a whole lot. We had all these grandiose plans to travel to Portland or at least Seattle, but it didn't really happen, which I am okay with. We may go to the mountains one day this week, but if we don't make it, I won't be heartbroken. We are getting a lot of work done, which is definitely a good way to start off the new year.

I've got a new obsession. It started last night, when I got thoroughly sick of the miles of stockinette stitch on my Cloudy Sunday, which I am thinking about ripping out and starting over anyway, so I found some terribly knitted Noro scarves in the closet and rescued the yarn for a better purpose. I think I made them right after I started learning to knit, and so they really weren't done well and weren't worn very much at all. Noro is too damn expensive and gorgeous to have such a fate.

I was looking for ideas and found some examples of beautiful log cabin blankets, so I immediately cast on for a square. And I could not stop knitting it at ALL, not til many episodes of 30 Rock later. (This may not be great for my new-found productivity. Eh, who needs sleep?) It's so addictive. I have 5 skeins of Noro right now and I think I need about 12 more to complete it, but I'm going to buy them just a couple at a time until this is finished. It's going to be gorgeous and so very warm.

Hello, new obsession.

Illustration Friday: Winter

My first foray into Illustration Friday. I meant to do this a lot sooner! This week's theme was "winter." I love to knit and so it felt natural to include some fair-isle patterns in the background. Nothing keeps you warmer. I'm loving red and green together right now, this kind of olive and cherry red is so pleasing to me. I love that pop of color against the neutral, it's just what I need on the dreary northwestern winter days.

This is actually a holiday postcard created for this year, but it fits right in with the theme. Next week will be a brand-new illustration, though. No cheating! Although I did just create this a few weeks ago so it's not really cheating so much.

Goodbye to 2010 and hello 2011!

New Year's Resolutions

1.  Learn to make a killer Beef Bourguignon
2. Finish the Couch Potato to 5k program (even just once). I tried last year and it didn't work so well. Going to try again.
3. Achieve permanent residency in Canada. This I'm working on now.
4. Grow my freelance practice to include another steady client. Send out promotions, make us known in the area.
5. Get into a new market with illustration: papercraft, pattern work, fabric design, packaging, etc.
6. Get the design business site up and update Perpetual Flights with new work.
7.  Make a quilt. Even if it's just a lap quilt. Been meaning to do this for a long while.
8. Go hiking in the mountains, snowshoe, ski, snowboard, some kind of outdoors activity that I haven't tried yet. We live in this gorgeous place, we need to take advantage of it!
9. Find a yoga studio that I like and can go to on a semi-regular basis.
10. Accept more invitations to go places. In a nutshell, say "yes" more to more things. I'm too much of a homebody. I can't complain that I can't meet people if I never leave the house!
11. Blog more! Ye gods, I'm terrible at it.
12. Participate in Illustration Friday. To keep sharp, try new techniques, etc. If not every week than every month at least.
13. In that vein, FINISH Beautiful Scars. Make millions, buy a boat, etc. (That may not be feasible, but hey.)
14. Write a letter to one friend every month. A real letter, on paper, and mailed. 12 letters, 12 friends, 12 chances to reconnect and say "hi."
15. Be the best partner I can be.

I think it's a good start. We'll see if I can stick with it! Tonight is Peking Duck with some new friends, renewing my SIN card, attacking the ever-present pile of laundry, and even a little drawing stuck in there for good measure.

Merry Merry

This was an excellent holiday.

This is the first time I haven't spent the holidays with my giant family, and it was just me and the Dude, here in Vancouver. A little odd and a little sad but it's shaping up to be a good day.

There is a channel on the TV that is nothing but a fireplace. It's the best thing on today. I guarantee it. That and Barenaked Ladies holiday music, kropsu, funny hats from the crackers, movies and not getting dressed ever.

My adorable husband got me an original Lorraine Fox painting, and a copy of "Water Babies" illustrated by Jessie Wilcox Smith with his vows written inside. I got him a few DVD and an art book. And a children's book that I read at the wedding. I think he won Christmas. See my pretty painting?

I looooooove it. It's absolutely gorgeous and totally unexpected. Can't wait to frame and hang it. Yep. He does pretty good. Tonight is fondue and more movies. We went to mass last night and managed to find the church that is at least 75% Filipino completely by accident. Dude was transported back to his childhood. It was nice, even though we came late and ended up standing in the hall the whole time along with the other 50 latecomers. It doesn't matter though.

Have a very merry Christmas, internet.