Lost Coasters Review

2009-06-21T22:04:00.001-07:00

Something's screwed up the dating of my posts (and yes, I did check that my Time/Date setting in Windows is correct). Beats me where this entry will show up, but the pics of the plants that are BELOW the donuts post, should be above it. Let's see what happens here. I've been hugely enjoying being home this week. After 11 shows in a row, the joys of traveling were losing their attraction. I haven't actually debased myself to cleaning, but the sock monkey I dragged home from that dreadful ZNE show last month is now in her permanent home on the wall (the funky stuff at the bottom of the pic is my shadow),
and I've completed, yes, completed, two pairs of socks.
Several more are at that awkward, unphotogenic interim stage so will appear in the distant future.

2009-05-16T21:38:00.000-07:00

Just say No to Donuts.
Ummmm, donuts, I love them all.
As the sun was rising on our recent marathon run from California to Spokane, I stopped at a 7-11 for a dose of caffeine. They were unloading the morning's donut delivery, including apple fritters -- warm, soft in the middle, deep-fried-crunchy on the outside -- yummy. I know that donuts and I do not do well, but I thought that under the extreme conditions of driving, the sugar/caffeine combo might just do the trick, and I was just going to eat half. Yeah, right. Well, next time I want a donut, tell me NO, and when I say that I want to give them just one more chance, tell me NO, NO. As the morning progressed, I finished my half, and as Creighton opted to pass, I eventually ate his half, too. No surprise there....but the lack of sleep, sugar, fat, caffeine had a bad effect such as I have never experienced without the fun of alcohol. So please, next time I'm about to stray, please tell me NO. Although I would forgive them in an instant, they are not my friends.
LOL

2009-05-15T00:07:00.004-07:00

While I've been jet-setting between both coasts to the Syracuse and West Sprngfield conventions, Creighton has been busy moving us up the evolutionary ladder from hunters and gathers to sedentary farmers.Tomatos, Cucumbers and Cosmos
Blueberries, Gooseberries and Batman

Next we'll start working with metals, building temples and developing a system of writing LOL

2009-05-15T00:07:00.000-07:00

You'd think that I'd have something more enlightening to share after two weeks of no posts, but, alas no, I might regress later and come up with something interesting, but tonight I am digging in the the bank vault of Funny Pics for this most amusing, super life-size(and bizarre IMHO) photo from the wall of the hotel where I stayed durng the the show in Holland last month....

I guess their faces just didn't rate inclusion???
OK, it WAS a Sports Hall, but still...... :-)

2009-05-14T23:58:00.001-07:00

Tatoo at the Sacramento show, and a banana slug from the Santa Cruz mountains.
California road trip was finished with a Grateful Dead concert in the Bay Area, and a Back-to-Bataan marathon drive home to press rubber for an urgent order. Heading out again in the morning for the Puyallup show.
If you can't make the Puyallup do-dah, check out the many vendors participating in the Rubber Stamp Chat Virtual Convention this weekend. This link should get you there....or at least close
http://rubberstampchat.net/

Linda

2009-05-08T20:47:00.000-07:00

The journey continues...We've been down to the Bay Area for the ZNE conference last week (high booth fees and very poorly attended. I know that the northern Bay Area has a huge stamping population and those stampers should be eager for a show, as San Mateo was cancelled in Feb, but I saw only a few people from previous shows. Never did meet the coordinator, but I could hear her hawking 50% sales at her booth on Sunday :-( ). Then we were off to Fresno for a few days with my family, and this afternoon, back up to Sacramento for the Stamp In the Hand show tomorrow. I'm backed up to Teresa (Paula Best), and across from Kate and Robert (Invoke Arts), so it should be a fun time.

Home Sweet Home for the next two days at the Sacramento Expo RV Park. Not much on ambiance (aside from the tree), but we have a strong Internet connection for uploading pics, electricity, water, and very nice showers.....and the asphalt will keep dirt off the dogs' feet, so NO complaints. I'll be tucked in bed tonight with my knitting and a DVD. I found the complete first season of HBO's Carnivale in a discount bin shortly before this trip started, and I plan to watch it all this week.

2009-04-29T09:41:00.000-07:00

Sign in a public restroom....

It seems to me that if you don't already know this, you probably don't know how to read, either LOL. OK, that's the end of my bathroom humor...unless I see something else that must be shared :-)

Creighton, I, Cosmos and the Batman are starting a two-week road trip with the Scotty tomorrow. We'll be at the ZNE stamp show at the Alameda Fairground in Pleasanton next weekend, and the Sacramento show the following weekend. Hope to see some of you there. Don't know how often I'll have Internet access in the camgrounds, so may not post until our return.

2009-04-26T07:52:00.000-07:00

Window shopping in Akron.

2009-04-09T08:08:00.000-07:00

A rather travel-worn feminine hygine disposal bag that I hauled all the way home from a gas-station potty-stop on the way to Kuekenhof...

....but what got our attention, and sparked blog-worthy interest, is why the gun is pictured on it LOL

2009-04-07T07:05:00.000-07:00

Every year, Angela, the show coordinator, rounds up all the American and English vendors for a Tourist Day after the show. Last year we all painted wooden shoes. This year we went to the Keuhenhof -- a flower/sculpture park outside Amsterday. Their web site is www.keukenhof.com.

2009-04-05T13:08:00.001-07:00

I've been in Germany and Holland this week for the Art Specially show. My camera died last week, so I just have my iPhone. Others in the group have better cameras, so my intention is to gradually upload some of their photos as they become available to me. So for now, here are some of mine. This is Eddy, Wolfgang's cat.

He's been enjoyng his Schnuckie a bit too much :-)

Linda

2009-03-11T00:16:00.001-07:00

A Public Service Notice - If you're planning to fly out of the Indianapolis airport, allow a little extra time to get there.

Linda

2009-03-04T19:02:00.000-08:00

My Life....Socks, Batman, and some untrimmed rubber.

I've been sick for the last week, giving me time to finish Creighton's second sock (one is a bit shorter than the other, but he says that his feet don't match, either VBG), and the first of the orange pair. Adrien's camo sock is in the middle.
I'm headed for Indianapolis in the morning, and will be teaching a bookboard class Friday afternoon @2:30 at the Heirloom stamp show. The show is Saturday 10-5, Sunday 11-4.

Hope to see you there!

Linda

2009-02-24T20:35:00.000-08:00

As any Dallasite or Texasian will tell you, any Good Time in the Lone Star State starts with a stop at the Buck & Ruck -- your all-purpose beverage-and-more merchant -- beer, wine, lottery, ATM, and check cashing....AND a gracious Thank You on the way in.
Yup, that about covers most needs LOL

2009-02-19T19:59:00.000-08:00

The MacKenzie-Childs catalog arrived. Aren't these the most wonderful drawerpulls? But at twenty-two bucks each, they should be outstanding.

I want them ALL. If I ever win the Lottery, I'm getting one of everything they carry....THEN I'll be philanthropic LOL

Linda
BTW, I'm leaving for the San Jose show in the morning. For anyone that's attending, the show venue has moved to Rosewater Hall, 1180 Murphy Avenue, San Jose. That's only one exit away from the original address. Hours are 9:30 - 4pm.

2009-02-15T17:48:00.000-08:00

Poor, neglected blog. I've been doing lots of stuff, mostly shows, but nothing very interesting. Today I ignored the stacks of untrimmed rubber, and painted the ceiling fan.

Linda

2009-01-02T21:50:00.000-08:00

New Stuff and a Class
Most of the mag plates for my new designs arrived today, and are posted on my website, www.lost-coast-designs.com. A few are on the New! pages, and a completely new series, Die-Cut Divas, has a link at the top of the New! page. They'll all be at the Grapevine show next weekend.
Also at Grapevine, I'll be teaching a 2- hour class on some simple techniques for assembling shrines/tryptics/ accordian books. Here are some examples of what we'll be doing...

It's Friday afternoon at the show venue. I can't get the hot link to work, but if you go to www.heirloompro.com and click on the Grapvine show, the next page has the list of classes and links to register.

Linda

2009-01-01T21:25:00.000-08:00

The Search for the Best Black Varigated Sock Yarn in the World.
I wanted to make a pair of socks for Mary Kay, and she only wears black, so for several months, I'm been on the lookout for a nice black varitaged yarn. Who would'a thought this would become a major issue, but it did, so I was delighted when I found The Perfect Yarn.

I loved the dark teal colors, but boy was I surprised when I'd done about 4" of the leg. The wretched yarn is CAMOFLAGE. Down inside the skein, under the beautiful teals/blacks is BROWN! :-( And the lacy, delicate pattern I'd selected was really at odds with the camo colors. Couldn't think of any man who would wear such a sock, and I'm sure MK is not going to appreciate camo (although she did say she was going to a gun show last week -- not good enough reason to continue), so I just smiled at my silliness and ripped it all out. I do wish I'd taken a pic, but it was one of the moments when you take a big breath, shut your eyes, and RIP. Thus continues the Black Yarn Search Saga....

Linda

2008-12-27T19:51:00.001-08:00

And here are today's pics

I can't get the pic to show the scale, but the longest icicles are about 4'.

It's not that we love Batman more than Cosmos. Despite many, many attempts, Cosmos is always a big black blob against a white background. For example,

If would help if we had some sunlight, but that's just a pleasant memory. LOL
...and to answer Aimmee in Ohio's question re: Batman's heritage, both of the boys are shelter dogs, so there's some supposition involved. We've pretty much decided that Batman is mostly Maltese, with just a touch of Yorkie to explain the black ears. He *looks* like a cute, cuddley ball of fluff, but this just disguises a grumpy old 7-pound man with Little Dog Sysndrome...but we love him, anyway. If you really need unconditional love, Cosmos is your "man".

Linda

2008-12-27T10:18:00.000-08:00

Ouside faucet sprung a leak this morning, so we've shoveled the driveway, and are cuatiously making the one-mile slip-and-slide to Fred Myer for repair parts.
The following diary entries go out to all home-bound Northerners LOL Like my Thanksgiving Turkey story, it's been circulating for a couple of years, but it seems appropriate.
More pics to follow.....

A SNOW DIARY

DECEMBER 4 - 5:00 It started to snow. The first snow of the season and the wife and I took our hot buttered rum and sat by the window watching the soft flakes drift down, clinging to the trees and covering the ground. It was beautiful.

DECEMBER 9 - We woke to a big beautiful blanket of crystal white snow covering the landscape. What a fantastic sight. I shoveled snow for the first time in years and loved it. I did both our driveway and our sidewalk. Later, the snowplow came along and covered up our driveway with compacted snow from the street, He smiled and I waved back. I shoveled it again.

DECEMBER 13 - The sun melted most of our snow. Oh well, I’m sure we’ll get more before this lovely winter is through.

DECEMBER 14 - It snowed 8 inches last night and the temperature dropped to about zero. I shoveled the sidewalk and driveway again. Shortly, the snowplow came by and did his trick again.

DECEMBER 15 - Sold our car and bought a 4 x 4 Blazer, so we could get around in the snow. Bought snow tires for the pickup.

DECEMBER 18 - Fell on my ass on the ice in the driveway. $139.00 to the Chiropractor, but nothing was broken, thank God. The damned sky is getting dark again.

DECEMBER 19 - Still cold, icy roads, making driving very tough. Slid into a guard rail with my wife’s car. Probably $2,000 damage or so. She’s really pissed off…

December 20 - Had another 11 inches of the white shit last night. More shoveling in store for me today. The goddamn snowplow came by twice.

DECEMBER 22 - We are assured of a white Christmas, because another 7 inches of that white shit fell today and with this freezing weather, it won’t melt until August. I got dressed up to go out and shovel that shit again (boots, jumpsuuit, jacket, scarf, earmuffs, gloves, etc.) then I got the urge to pee.

DECEMBER 24 - If I ever catch that son of a bitch that drives the snowplow, I’ll drag him through the snow by his balls. I think he hides around the corner and waits for me to finish shoveling, and then comes down the street 100 miles and hour and throws that white shit everywhere.

DECEMBER 25 - MERRY CHRISTMAS!! They predict 12 more inches of this fucking white shit tonight. Does anyone know how many goddamn shovelfuls of snow 12 inches are?? The hell with Santa, he doesn’t have to shovel this shit. The snowplow came by asking for a donation. I hit him with my ice pick. The doctors think he’ll live.

DECEMBER 28 - We got 11 more inches. I must be going snow blind or have a severe case of depression, becasue my wife is beginning to look good to me.

DECEMBER 29 - The toilet froze and the roof is starting to cave in. If you go outside don’t eat the brown snow.

DECEMBER 30 - I torched the house and moved to Florida.

2008-12-25T16:50:00.000-08:00

Happy Holidays from Linda, Creighton, Cosmos and the Batman.

Creighton's pic is an old one. Snow is now up to the Scotty door handle.

Nothing like a new hat to put one in a festive mood.

Batman's antlers didn't show up well in the group pic, so here's a closeup of his Christmas ourfit from Mary Kay.

We're spending a quiet holiday here at home, kinda hunkered down and keeping warm. Went for a glorious walk late last night. Then celebrated with Burn After Reading DVD (HIGHLY recomended) and "movie style" popcorn. None of that 100-calorie crap on a holiday LOL.
I finished Creighton's sock about 3am. It doesn't fit :-( If any of you know a one-legged man with long-skinny feet and fat ankles, I could make him a hell of a deal LOL

Wishing the best of the season to all.

Linda

2008-12-22T12:41:00.000-08:00

MORE SNOW!!
I still can't get my boot on, but here are a couple more pics from a few days ago. We've gotten another foot since these were taken, and it's STILL snowing.

2008-12-19T23:39:00.000-08:00

Whoo-Hoo! It's a BIG, BIG SNOW DAY!!
Creighton and I had been on holiday in Mexico, and I'd intended to post some pics of the week, but what's happening here is a lot more interested, IMHO, than another view of a beach. Remember how I'd whined that last year's lengthy snow in Spokane was just a fluke, and I'd be disappointed this year? Well, Creighton is not letting me forget that inane statement. I'm certainly getting my "snow fix" this week. We got back from Mexico very late at night, and were grumbling because we had to chip a few inches of ice/snow off the car before we could drive home (and then were locked out of the house, but that's another story). We were very lucky that we got back when we did. Shortly afterwards, began a "50-year storm" that has dumped over 2 feet of snow at our house. I only have a couple of pics from the car window and the back porch, cause I fell down the steps of the hotel when we left (it was dark, and the steps were black tile) and sprained my ankle. The snow has stopped for now, but another storm is coming in tomorrow night, and I expect to be out documenting it better than these pics. Creighton dug out the car and driveway so we could get to the post office this afternoon.

The bir feeder looks like something out of a Dr. Seuss book. LOL

Linda

2008-12-03T19:32:00.000-08:00

I was only home for a day after Madison, before heading to California to visit my mother, Dakota and Ariden, so I never got my Thanksgiving Turkey Joke posted. Here is is now....either a belated Tahnksgiving Joke, and early Christmas Joke. Take your pick. It's been around for several years, but IMHO, funy enough to re-visit.

A young man named John received a parrot as a gift. The parrot had a bad attitude and an even worse vocabulary.

Every word out of the bird's mouth was rude, obnoxious and laced with profanity.

John tried and tried to change the bird's attitude by consistently saying only polite, words, playing soft music and anything else he could think of to "clean up" the bird's vocabulary.

Finally, John was fed up and he yelled at the parrot. The parrot yelled back. John shook the parrot and the parrot got angrier and even ruder.

John, in desperation, threw up his hands, grabbed the bird and put him in the freezer. For a few minutes the parrot squawked and kicked and screamed. Then, suddenly there was total quiet! Not a peep was heard for over a minute!

Fearing that he had hurt the parrot, John quickly opened the door to the freezer.

The parrot calmly stepped out onto John's outstretched arms and said..

"I believe I may have offended you with my rude language and actions. I'm sincerely remorseful for my inappropriate transgressions and I fully intend to do everything I can to correct my unforgivable behavior."

John was stunned at the difference in his attitude and as he was about to ask what had made such a dramatic change when the bird continued..."May I ask what the Turkey did?"

Had a good visit in California. Adrien and I decided to dye our hair purple. Here is Adrien in the "during" stage

and me in the "after" stage.

Linda

2008-11-24T20:33:00.000-08:00

Back from Madison today. It was a good show and good end to the season -- lots of happy people having a good time. Here's my car when I got up this morning to head to the airport.

Note to self: credit card or driving license makes a good, albeit small and cold, snow scraper
Then when I got to the Spokane airport, I tossed the luggage in the back of the card and hit the fire extinguisher. It filled the card with smoke, then disolved into a bunch of weird green power. Interesting. I'd never seen this before.
Finally, the bathroom upstairs sprung a leak in the toilet intake (thanks GAWD not the outtake) valve last week. We'd been trying unsuccessfully to dry out the rug for days by running a heater. (Yup, the ONLY warm room in the house is the one that not useable.) Well, mystery solved this evening. There was a secondary leak that came through the ground floor ceiling. Nothing like a good plumbing job to make pressing rubber look like a pretty fun job LOL. The TOILET is in the middle of the bathroom. sigh. So it's time for another Picture of the Batman.

Linda