You’re enjoying your morning java when you notice a book on a table nearby.  It has a post-it note that says, “I’m Free!” 

You pick it up.

You’ve just experienced a Book Crossing.

On the inside of the book you’ll find a BCID - a Book Crossing ID number that identifies this book.  This book may have just entered the world, or it may be a seasoned traveler.  Now it has made its way to you.  The motto of Book Crossing?  Read, Release, Repeat.

Over 600,000 people around the world have become members at BookCrossing.com (it’s free for basic membership) and have registered books they have released into the world to share with others.  When someone finds a book, they are able to log onto the website and post a journal entry saying that a book was found, and where it was released next.  The goal?  Get our hands back into books, and sharing with each other. 

It’s really easy, and can be pretty fun.  There’s no guarantee that someone will find your book, or if they do, follow the instructions included.  But you’ve still made a difference.  And of course, you can get as involved as you’d like, or follow the basic four steps:

1. Pick one of your books-one you have read or one you haven’t read.
2. Click on “register book” under the “My Shelf” tab. [If you can’t see the “My Shelf” tab at the top of the page, you may need to log in to the site.] Follow the prompts to register the book and generate a BCID (BookCrossing ID).
3. Write the BCID in ink inside the cover. Add a label or write the BookCrossing info. you can add some additional markings, stickers, notes, etc to make the book noticeable, if you wish.
4. Release the Book.

Then you can check back and see who has found your book.  And if you wanted to go find someone else’s book, you can by using the same website to find what books have been released in your area. 

This is such a great idea that I ordered several release packets.  We have some other ideas for it as well that might prove to be useful - and even prove to make more of a difference. 

Why do I always find the coolest things when I’m busiest? 

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It isn’t often that I run into two artists in such a short time.  I ran into Kurt Halsey because I was looking into Amy Rice.  They both do work at the Art Star Gallery, and thus I ran into Kurt’s work.  At first, I was sort of ignoring his work because the cartoonish characters seemed so - well, Precious Moments.  But then I clicked on a couple of them and realized I was SO very wrong.  Kurt hails from Racine, Wisconsin and went to MIAD here, which means I’m pretty stoked to have come across him.

The figures in Kurt’s work have natural positions, many of which are very intimate and real - putting you into the emotion.  There’s an emptiness that leaves you to fill in the feeling.  Many of the pieces are collage pieces like the first one below, and the choice of media fits the pieces of thought included. 

    

Some of them are poignant moments of love and closeness.  Others are powerfully painful (see the next one below).  Others seem to catch a meaningful moment - and not a moment associated with love.  Some even have a wry humor that isn’t easily captured in stasis.  Whatever they are, they are poetry and art.

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I ran into the art of Amy Rice at Paper Boat Boutique in Bay View the other weekend.  Something about her work really makes an impact on me.  The stencil style of the figures over the unique backgrounds (reclaimed wood, pages of old books, leaves of musical notation) combined with the symbolism of the pieces made this the first unknown art I’ve run into in a long time that I actually desire to put on my wall.  And not just a print, but an actual piece.  It feels as if there is a thread of innocence that resonates in me when I look at the images.  I think of youth and freshness.

 Two samples below.  The first was the piece I was considering purchasing - but it was not for sale.  It also wouldn’t have been in my budget right now either.

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In visiting Demode today, I ran across a link that took me to another link, and as the journey usually goes, some wild jaunt into another area.  Well, I ended up finding some top notch Victorian costuming sites that I’d not found before.  I thought I’d share because - well - I’m just friendly like that.

First is Vintage Victorian, where I found the reference library.  There, they have images of dresses from various eras, complete with description of what makes them up.  THAT is huge to someone like me who is always looking to create costuming usually from pictures I find.  For example, this Victorian evening dress to the right is described as follows:

Evening Dress.

Figure 1: Evening dress of white and pink; the underskirt is of white satin, kilted in front, and trimmed with Mechlin lace, and a garland of pink roses. The overdress is of pink silk, is made like a polonaise, low neck and short sleeves, and is trimmed to correspond with underskirt with lace and flowers. Low corsage and short sleeves, with bertha of lace and flowers. Flowers on dress to match those on hair.
 

March 1880, Godey’s Lady’s Book.

Invaluable resource for those with costuming interests.  Additionally, the many pictures are good for MacGuyvers like myself who put together costumes in a haphazard and extemporaneous fashion.

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Next, for those who sew (or want to sew, such as myself) I found an interesting site from Wisconsin - State Historical Society’s Patterns of History.  With actual outfits as their base, they created patterns for those who are crafty to create high quality results.  Image from their site - from the page on the History of the 1874 Bustled Dinner Gown.Don’t you just love the intricacy of the detail of those costumes?  Even the hairstyle is easy to see.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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 Next is Truly Victorian, which also sells patterns.  However, the handy part of this site is that the majority of the patterns have a sample finished piece to show you the results of the costuming.  Now, this isn’t completely uncommon, but the fabrics used and the decoration added are sometimes questionnable, or give a really modern look to dress that would normally be much different looking.  For example, this tea gown.  And some of the results are shown ON people, which is always nice too.

 

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The last three are put together for a couple of reasons.  First is Your Wardrobe Unlocked, the costume maker’s companion.  I can’t tell you a whole lot about this site because, well, you have to pay to be a member and really read what is on it.  It describes itself as an online magazine for anyone who is passionate about making outstanding historical costuming.  It says it has images, information, classes, tips and more.  However, the cost is $10 per month.  It sounds simply awesome, however, and I am contemplating getting into it right after I learn how to sew in a straight line with a machine.

 

The second is Trystan’s Closet.  I have to give her a shout out because I simply adore this Robe a la Francaise.  It is simply a beautiful creation, and her description of how she made the shoes to go with it was extremely informative.  I love the photos too.  I personally think this is the best costume on the site, and the one that appears the most accurately portrayed, from the costume itself to the presentation.

 

Finally, I am interested - and thought you might be too - in checking out this FrockFlicks podcast, which Trystan appears to be a part of.

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 Just a short post here about a snack I’ve found that I really really like.

I was looking for a bar/snack/something that was not a meal, but was filling enough to keep me going during a long workshop weekend.  I ran to my local Outpost thinking, “I GUESS I could get a CliffBar…but perhaps there’s something else.”

Nothing against CliffBars - but they really are like sweet, chewy patties that all vaguely resemble each other in flavor.  Some even have icing.

My issue is that I’m gluten-intolerant and I like to eat organically.  And I hate nuts unless they are nicely complimenting something they are in.  So most trailmixes are nixed because they have wheat in them, along with all granola bars, graham crackers (not good for you, but yummy) and most snacky, crunchy things with texture.

Lo and behold, I see ALPSNACKs.  Something my Outpost is trying out and had on sale.  Gluten Free.  Wheat Free. Vegan.  Organic.  Fair-trade.  Combination of fruits and some nuts, but mostly not nuts.  They have hemp nuts.  Now, I am not a “hemp nut” and didn’t know that hemp had nuts.  Apparently, Hemp Seed/Hemp Nut/Hemp Protein are all the same thing - and it is supposedly super good for you.

Whether they are good for you or not, I really enjoyed the snack.  I bought three. It was nicely textured, perfect amount of dried fruits of good flavor, not overly nutty or fruity, and it really lasted a long time energy-wise. 180 calories - less than a Powerbar - and 5g of protein.  It does have 9g of fat, 1.5 of which is saturated.  But I’m not a huge anti-fat person, where all the Omega 3/6 is.   And what with all the fish ingesting plastic chemicals, I’m not sure where to get my Omegas these days.

And I didn’t even know it was part of the Bronner’s group of products.  Yay for a great product that is made by a business connected with my local community, has great business practices, and an example of how business and people should be involved in the community.

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Neopoleon.  Favorite post so far?  “The Smartest Man in the World is …Me!”

http://www.neopoleon.com/home/

And the HR post is pretty funny too - the comics make me laugh my butt off. 

Yes, I admit to the fact that I found this blog when looking for comics about Mac vs. PC.  My evil pursuits of continuing a dead conversation lead me to such riches, though, that I might continue to look!

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 Fight Club ends up owning you

Some guys seem to love quoting Fight Club in a way that suggests that they’re grizzled existential veterans — scarred-but-smarter straight talkers who are out there serving the hard truth and really getting people thinking about the nature of our tuned-out consumer culture. Yeah.

But, just remember: all that strident and perspicacious life advice may be coming at you courtesy of a doughy, goateed white guy who’s now watched a single DVD enough times to quote it from memory.

David Fincher should reissue a special edition that ships with a beard trimmer, a bag of Doritos™, and a large motherfucking grain of salt.

Reposted from:  http://www.kungfugrippe.com/post/7893940  Just found it today and laughed out loud.

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