Twitter Is Fun

Hey, I'm clumsy as all get out right now. I've had a flare up of some tendon problems and I'm back in a splint (self-prescribed), so typing is a bear. BTW if you have wrist or thumb problems, Jo-Ann's sells these awesome crafting wraps and braces that are really wonderful. I think they're about 10 bucks w/a coupon. They're green, so less homely than the blue velcro and fake leather splint I'm sporting right now.

I have been working almost every day, walking almost every day for 45 min followed by 15 min of weight resistance (small weights). I feel pretty good. I think the weights might be flaring me up, plus I've been on the computer a LOT more, so go figure.

I've been watching all the Prima flower and DIY glimmer mist tutorials on You Tube and I dove in yesterday and just did it all. 3 colors of glimmer mist (pink, brown and blue). If you follow me on Twitter, you'll see any video I've favorited or any that I've subscribed to. All the flower and GM links are there. I don't have much time to type right now, because I have to get out and walk before dark, but I'll link to the videos later. Besides the cool flowers, I ended up with background papers, too, because I misted the color onto the flowers as they rested on 3X5's or a notepad I keep by my worktable.

Twitter Account: twitter.com/judyfrida

Oh, quick triumph story. I sub rarely at a local male prison school. I had a group that was giving me grief and playing a lot of games (they usually want to mess with your head if they don't know you). They had an assignment, but it seemed when I quizzed them, that they knew the material they were supposed to be studying. Bored and frustrated, they began acting out. Nothing major, they just weren't on any kind of task. Okay, I said, those who want to study, grab a book and dig in. The rest of you I want over here, because I'm going to give a lesson on brain and nervous system function. (I studied Somatic Experiencing for a couple of years, have taught these concepts in this school before and have had wonderful outcomes.) Lots of griping followed, but within about 10 minutes all these guys were engaged, many asking questions, commenting and expanding on what I was saying. Amazing buy-in and wonderful info for guys who, like most of us, have some dysregulation of their nervous systems.

It's Been Years

Two-and-a-half years since I blogged!!! I just opened my first Twitter account and I've run across links to great blogs, so I'm reinspired. I also didn't have a laptop until a year ago, so here I am blogging while I watch "This Is It". I will want to watch this again and again--the creative process is inspiring to watch. I'm very thankful that my arms and wrists and forearms and shoulders are in a more healthful state than in the past year. I've journeyed through long-term chronic pain episodes and learned so much. I am so blessed to have been led to somatic experiencing which has helped me make friends with my nervous system and to resolve so much. YAY!!!!!

So, in all this time away I've been making and making. I've gotten more into sewing and I've made more dolls, which are labor intensive. I made two very cool polymer clay primitive folk art dolls and one flat painted doll (which I never dressed or quite finished wigging) from a pattern from Cloth Paper Scissors. I also did a line of Frida Kahlo flags inspired originally by a friend's idea to make our own prayer flags. We did that project and out of that came this idea to use Frida images. I finally surrendered to my obsession with Frida Kahlo and stopped feeling sheepish for using her image or her creations in a huge portion of my artwork. I am about to launch a new Etsy shop: FridaKahloStore.etsy.com. I've just done a group of ATC's, a Frida pillow and some other Frida-related artwork to list in the store. I'm also going to be selling Frida-ish vintage clothing/costumes. I think it's going to be really fun.

I'll dig around and find some pictures to post. They will probably be of the dolls and a few of the flags and maybe some other things I have floating around.

This Michael Jackson music is so inspiring. The film is really entertaining. Oh, I also got a Flip and plan to make some technique videos, which might not come together until the school year is over.

P.S. A long time ago I blogged about an artist's website I visited which inspired me to use spray paint and stencils. I could never find her blog again and recently found her through someone else's post on Inkjet Transfers or some other Yahoo group I read. Her blog is called "Dispatch from LA" and I was thrilled to see that she is also a teacher. Here's the link, which I will also add to my blog roll if I can remember how to do it.