One of my gifty jewelry boxes available on ruthsartsandletters.etsy.com

It’s cyber Monday.  The Christmas season is upon us, whether we are ready or not.  (Personally, this past year went by entirely too fast, but that’s another thing altogether.)  The thing is, I did a couple of craft shows this fall, so I worked like a demon to crank out stuff I thought would sell well as Christmas gifts.  But, I overdo everything.  I made way too many cards and ornaments and jewelry boxes, and even worse, the work – and the holiday preparations - stopped being fun.  

It was time to refocus my efforts.  I reminded myself why I’m doing this — how good it feels to create something that others find beautiful or evocative.  The best compliment I ever got was from a young woman who told me my collages were like treasure hunts — you kept finding little things hidden here and there.  I love being able to create meaning for people — or more precisely, helping people create meaning for themselves.

So, it’s back to the artistry and away from giftable gadgets.  I decided to spend the holiday dabbling in something new — encaustic art.  I’ve ordered some supplies and look forward to experimenting and learning.  This may not be proper proceedure, but I like to experiment a little first, before I learn actual techniques because it frees me up to see all the possibilities.

Once this decision was made, that glorious feeling came back.   I don’t know that my encaustic work will be masterpiece-ful.  But the process of learning it will be.  Plus, Christmas can be Christmas again!

This tunic is a light blue hand printed fabric. It is  a very fine cotton,ideal for summer wear. The color was perfect for jeans .but later on ,this also took the avatar of salwar top[Indian tunic].I made a  square pattern around  the mirror and repeated it as  a border design.-

Light blue cotton tunicFor the central motif, I just extended the basic pattern. the sleeve border design-sleeves of blue tunic

Website: www.musicproducerpro.net

I don’t know if you all are aware but some of the biggest rappers are now rapping on FL Studio beats. Jay Z kicked it off with 9th Wonder. Then came Franchise Boys, Crime Mob, & Soulja Boy on FL Studio. And now Drake’s producer Boi 1da who made “Forever” with Lil Wayne, Kanye West, Eminem is repping FL Studio.

I personally started off with hardware (MPC 2000XL / Motif) then i gradually moved to software. I think with everyone scrambling for Soulja Boy & Boi 1da’s beats now FL Studio is finally getting the Co-Signs that it needs to be a real force in “High End” music production and not just for bedroom producers & amatuer hobbyist.

I post this just to give yall a FYI on what’s going on and in no way am i telling you to use FL Studio if you want to make hot beats. I use all kinds of beat makng software & sequencers and there is no “magic hit maker” out there. You must learn your craft & study the game and it doesn’t matter if you rocking Hardware or Software. Hot Beats are Hot Beats, plain & simple. 

The purpose of this post is to show how software only producers are finally being taken serious. FYI – Even Dr. Dre is rocking Reason now.

For information visit – www.musicproducerpro.net

If you’ve not been to Nashville, you may not know about our version of The Parthenon.  A full-sized replica of the ancient Greek structure stands in the middle of Centennial Park near Vanderbilt University.   It’s such an accustomed sight that I hardly notice it anymore, but Friday I had the opportunity to revisit the architectural gem.  On the bottom floor of the building is a fine arts gallery that has changing exhibits.  I was thrilled to see several collage and mixed-media pieces among the oil paintings.

The main level, though, is where the jaw-dropping piece of art resides.  I is a 41 foot, 10 inch statue of the Greek Goddess Athena by Nashville uber-sculptor Alan Le Quire.  I’ve seen Athena before, but each time I’m bowled over – at first by her massiveness, but ultimately by the uncanny grace and detail of LeQuire’s work.  You can see an amazing slide show of the making of Athena at http://www.alanlequire.com/athena.shtml and visit LeQuire’s  gallery at  http://www.lequiregallery.com/home.html 

We visited Athena in her temple to see a production of Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex.   Three actors in traditional masks performed the tragic tale, and in place of the Greek chorus between scenes, each actor gave a brief recitation on the art of Greek tragic  drama. 

Their voices echoed eerily in the cavernous room where we sat in chairs at Athena’s feet.  The masks magically transformed the actor and despite the stiffness of the ancient drama convention, the modern audience had no problem suspending disbelief in order to travel back in time.  Theater has come a long way since Sophecles’ day, but it doesn’t get anymore dramatic that Oedipus at the golden-sandaled feet of Athena.

Klik Judul di Atas Untuk Melihat Katalog

Red Line (Produk Baru)

Chocolatos (Produk Baru)

Basic (Produk Baru)

Golden Flower (Produk Baru)

Barbie (Produk Baru)

Strawbery

Royal Blue

Moccachino

Micky N' Pals

Maroon Polo

Lovely Pink

Groovy Green

Fresh Lemon

Cute Kepik

Coffee Break

African Night

Manchester United MU

Girly (hanya uk. 100 dan 120)

Choco Candy

Safari(hanya uk. 100 dan 120)

Dolphins(hanya uk. 100 dan 120)

America

Sun Rise

Romantic Night

Modern Art

Doraemon(hanya uk. 100 dan 12)

My Melody

Mien Mie(hanya uk. 100 dan 12)

Colorful

Bumble Bee

Ble Ocean

Bear Kiss(hanya uk. 100 dan 12)

Badtzmaru(hanya uk. 100 dan 12)

INGIN membangun atau mendirikan rumah baru? Atau hanya bermaksud merenovasi? Atau cuma hendak mengganti Kusen Pintu kamar mandi yang telah lapuk? Paling tidak Anda harus mengetahui beberapa hal mendasar mengenai kusen pintu atau pakai Pintu UPVC.

PINTU adalah bagian sebuah rumah yang sangat vital. Selain menjadi alat perlindungan terhadap berbagai aksi kejahatan, pintu juga berfungsi sebagai “tirai” penyelubung privasi kita.

Pintu depan (pintu utama) melindungi dari berbagai “hawa” kriminal yang bertebaran di sekeliling kita dan juga untuk menahan cuaca alam yang dapat mengganggu kesehatan kita. Pintu kamar menutupi aktivitas kita yang sangat intim. Pintu kamar mandi menyembunyikan tubuh kita saat melaksanakan kegiatan kebersihan.

Begitu banyak fungsi perlindungan yang diberikan sebuah pintu kepada kita. Bahkan, meskipun cuma sekadar perlindungan dari serangan tikus, seperti fungsi sebuah pintu gudang.

Akan tetapi, hendaknya kita tidak lupa bahwa pintu memiliki pasangan hidupnya yang ideal, yaitu Kusen Pintu.

Kusen pintu dan Kusen Jendela adalah bagian yang sama penting dari sebuah rumah tinggal atau gedung. Kusen pintu merupakan bingkai tempat “bergantung” sang pintu dan juga berfungsi sebagai “rumah” bagi perangkat kunci si alat pengaman.

Tidak hanya di kawasan tropis seperti Indonesia, juga di sebagian besar belahan Bumi ini, umumnya rumah tinggal menggunakan kusen yang-seperti halnya daun pintu itu sendiri-terbuat dari material kayu atau Pintu UPVC. Selain dapat beradaptasi terhadap berbagai macam cuaca, material kayu sangat memenuhi persyaratan artistik karena mudah dibentuk bermacam model yang variatif.

Beberapa jenis kayu di antara banyak pilihan, yang sering dipakai membuat kusen ialah kayu Meranti, bayam, dan jati. Selain daya tahannya yang baik dan teksturnya yang indah (Meranti, jati), beberapa jenis kayu tersebut (bayam, jati) juga sangat kuat dan tahan air (water resistant) bias juga Kusen UPVC.

Ada beberapa jenis kayu lainnya yang kekuatan dan kekerasannya lebih baik daripada jenis-jenis kayu tersebut di atas, namun tidak umum dibuat kusen.

Ebony, disebut juga kayu hitam, adalah kayu dengan tampilan tekstur coklat-hitam yang sangat indah, sayang harganya terlampau mahal. Jenis kayu ini biasanya dibuat menjadi perangkat furnitur dan lebih untuk kebutuhan ekspor (Kusen Jendela).

Sedangkan kayu ulin yang dikenal sebagai kayu besi memiliki tingkat kekerasan yang tinggi sehingga menyulitkan dalam proses pembuatannya menjadi kusen. Tampilan teksturnya pun kurang menawan.

Sumber : albiziawood.wordpress.com

If you ever waver in your belief in the importance of the work of the artist, read what Joseph Campbell said in The Power of Myths:

“Myths must be kept alive.  The people who can keep them alive are artists of one kind or another.  The function of the artist is the mythologization of the environment and the world.”

Nichos make great Christmas GiftsSmall Tin Nicho makes great gift

I love working with these funky little nichos.  Creating a tiny display behind the glass-covered niche is challenging.  Though I designed tis one with Christmas in mind, they could be used all year long.  I have one hanging in my kitchen just to remind myself that I’m still a funky-chick even at my age!  These would make great teacher-gifts or girlfriend gifts.  Check out my etsy shop for more information.

www.ruthsartsandletters.etsy.com

This one is a double colour[violet & medium pink] cotton readymade top.

I had to wear a saree for a religious function  at my brothers place. It was just before my nephew’s wedding. I had cracked my right pinkie, so my right hand was plastered and slinged.Blouse for the saree is generally fitted to our body, with this huge[not very huge] plaster, I couldn’t put the sleeve through my right arm, my friend suggested I should buy a short top, and wear it for the occasion, which I did.

Now plaster gone, sling gone, Iam having  a very plain short top.I did a small motif with stones, I enlarged the original design now I don’t remember from where] for this-

violet top

 My hubby dear is not too very fond of this very short, loose[XXL]top. It looks like a tent when when I wear it.It fulfilled its need as a blouse,now it is just one more project, maybe It had something to do with the colour I suppose,This top scares him so much,whenever he remembers it ,I have to promise,  not wear it or anything like it!

Nancy Lefko is a mixed-media artist in New Hampshire.  She is also, like me, a stay at home mom.  So, I really identified with this great piece that she created while tending a sick child.

Be sure to check out Nancy’s blog and her Etsy shop.

http://nancylefko.blogspot.com/

http://www.etsy.com/shop/collageartgirl

Lyndon B. Johnson is quoting as saying the following to historian Doris Kearns Goodwin (in current issue of Newsweek Magazine): 

“I knew from the start if I left the woman I really loved – the Great Society – in order to fight this bitch of a war (Vietnam) on the other side of the world, then I would lose everything at home.  All my programs.  All my hopes…All my dreams.”

I think this is the saddest, most heartbreaking statement.  The regret in those words is palpable and powerful.  I actually cried when I read these words.

I’m trying to think of a way to visually represent the power and loss behind these words.

Junk Store Art

 I just moved to this little town outside Nashville.  I finally had time to explore a little  junk store that had been calling to me.  I spent a great hour or so scrounging around amid an amazing pile of stuff.  Way in the back, inside the drawer of an ancient dresser, I found a 1946 International Harvester Christmas Employee magaine.  It was a buck, so I snatched it up.  From the artwork in the magazine, I made this collage.

I didn’t think I would become so business-minded when I decided to open an Etsy shop to sell the art that was beginning to pile up in my spare room.  After all, doing artwork was fun — exhilerating even.  What I didn’t understand was how huge Etsy is.

There are thousands of artists on Etsy, and the challenge is to get people, more specifically, buyers, to look at the stuff in your shop.  So far, I’ve learned that you have to list new objects pretty much every day to stay visible.   Second, I’ve found that experienced sellers are generous with support and tips if you ask.  I browse through a few shops every day and identify the ones that are impressive, either with their art or with the way they have presented their art.  I convo these guys, telling them specifically what I like about their shop.   I have now joined two etsy teams – Collage Etsy team and Melange Etsy Team.  Being on a team gives you a connection to artists who have similar artistic and marketing interests. 

At this point, the biggest challenge for me as a new Etsy shop owner is learning to use internet technology to bring in customers.  It seems that a successful seller must build a network of sellers.  The old adage – there’s safety in numbers – could be rewritten in the virtual age as “there’s visibility in numbers.”

Merupakan perpaduan dari
Bantal dan Selimut bermotifkan batik dengan corak
yang berbeda di kedua sisinya.
Di dalamnya terdapat busa lembut (dakron)
untuk menambah kenyamanan Anda.

Terdapat dua ukuran yaitu :

• [kode bm001]
  Ukuran 150cm x 200cm = Rp. 174.000,- selama promo = Rp. 165.000,-
• [kode bm002]
  Ukuran 200cm x 200cm = Rp. 210.000, selama promo = Rp. 200.000,-

Untuk memesan silahkan kirim sms  dengan format :

kode barang_spasi_jumlah_spasi_alamat jelas

kirim ke nomor : 08561511933 , 081380565933, 02748277507.

Harga di atas sudah termasuk ongkos kirim selama promo dan persediaan terbatas.

Iam stiil working on some Indian tunic embroidery.This trip I exceeded myself  on buying fabrics and supplies. I am repeating this as a mantra[ reduces my guilt].I always say to myself,- Iam doing embroidery only on tunics, Iam not venturing into  other styles,now with this shopping spree, it’ll take avery long time to try anything new.I am browsing the net to find inspirations for my designs.

 This green tunic was bought a long time ago, some projects have this tendency to sit on the shelf as UFOs rather than completed projects.this was one such case. the designing also was done a few months ago, I started embroidering, then left it  for some reason. Now, 2 months ago Iwas able to finish the piece. the inspiration for this pattern was from a book-Expressions by K. Prakash. this book is full of traditional Indian designs.

green kurtha-1

Chain stitch was used extensively, a little bit of stem for the creeper[leaf?] Inside border, a line of feather stitch.Antique gold sequin for the flower center.

Green kurtha- closeup

For our 13th podcast, Motif sampled our catalog and threw together this dope experimental mix of reworked jams entitled, A.udio R.econ T.ravesty. Featuring samples from; Mab Lab, Whois Louis, Id Obelus, Amtrak, Justice League/ wormusic, Dreadnots, Nomar Slevik, Dj Bizkid, Smear, & Twilight Sentinels.

PEEP THE PODCAST or download the higher quality mp3 from our FREE DOWNLOADS PAGE.

politely ponder our podbean powered podcast.

Vêtue de rouge et coiffée de vert, on ne peut que succomber à son charme.

Belle à croquer !

Minuit déjà !!!

Written by Gary Ewer, from “The Essential Secrets of Songwriting” website. You can read Gary’s songwriting e-books (and take advantage of a free deal) by visiting the Online Store.

It never ceases to amaze me how similar melodies are, no matter what genre, or even historical period, you examine. There really isn’t much difference between a good melody by Bach, and a good melody by Bob Dylan. Performance style accounts for the main difference. This means that if we follow the same guidelines Bach followed, we’ll get a well-structured melody. Here are five of those guidelines.

1. The interval between your highest note and lowest note should not (or rarely) exceed an octave and a half. (Not including any improvised melismas or other melodic variations.)
2. Melodies should contain repeating elements – certain intervals that recur, rhythms you use consistently, and so on. This adds a sense of form and structure specifically to your melody, and also to your song in general.
3. Melodies should be mainly comprised of stepwise motion, with occasional leaps for energy and interest. Not only is it easier to sing, it’s easier for listeners to remember.
4. Always be aware of how the melody line moves in relation the bass line. There are four possibilities: parallel motion (both parts move in the same direction by the same interval); similar motion (both parts move in the same direction by a different interval); oblique motion (one part stays the same while the other moves); and contrary (both parts move in opposite directions. The ideal is to have a good mixture of all four possibilities between the bass line and melody. Applying this guideline means you need to give active thought to your bass line – always a good thing!
5. Most melodies will benefit by having a climactic point, down from which it moves to a cadence (a “rest spot”). A climactic point is usually the highest note, but also refers to the moment of highest energy, which may not be the highest pitch. Think of the refrain in Dylan’s “The Times They Are A-Changin’” – the climactic point is in and around the word “times”, and the line then descends to a cadence- i.e., the end of the phrase.

All good melodies work hand-in-hand with the lyric. So decisions regarding specific choices of pitches and rhythms will need to use lyric as one of the main determining factors. But beyond that, applying the guidelines above will ensure that you’ve got a great melody that’s really got a chance of being a winner.

___________

Gary’s written six songwriting e-books designed to get you writing the songs you’ve always known you could write. It examines some of the world’s best songs, and shows you why they work, and what you can do to get your own songs sizzling! Read about those books here.

Plutôt que de diffuser des spots utra violents avec des accidents de voiture, des bébés qui pleurent et des jeunes filles qui traversent des pare brises, ou des vidéos de jeunes à la plage la nuit pas du tout crédibles, l’organisme chargé de la prévention de l’alcoolisme devrait mettre en place une campagne réellement efficace et réaliser un affichage publicitaire avec ces 5 tatouages qui sont la conséquence d’une soirée trop arrosée. Comment je connais leur origine? Honnêtement, c’est juste que je ne trouve pas d’autre explication rationnelle à leur existence.

5. Les tatouages de Lil Wayne. Parce qu’à force d’être tout le temps défoncé au sirop et à la weed, son corps entier est recouvert de dessins crasseux, qu’il a enlevé quelques tatouages de son visage à la demande de sa mère, que le logo Rolls Royce sur son bras est immonde, et que s’il purge une peine d’un an de prison, il risque de ressortir avec des tatouages encore plus dégueulasses.

4. Les tatouages de cette demoiselle. Parce que je ne connais pas son nom (même si a priori elle a un début de mini notoriété outre Atlantique), que ses tatouages ne me donnent pas envie de le chercher d’ailleurs, et qu’un crâne sur la joue et un pseudo PacMan sur le sein, c’est cool seulement quand tu es un boss de fin de niveau dans un mauvais jeu vidéo.

3. Le tatouage d’Amber Rose. Parce qu’en regardant rapidement on pourrait penser que ce sont des poils plutôt qu’un dessin à l’encre indélébile (la bosse sur son pantalon laisse également présager du pire si on ne fait pas attention), que ça doit faire super mal de se faire tatouer l’entre jambe et que je me demande bien quel motif et quel taille il peut faire. Histoire de vérifier que c’est bien elle si une sextape venait à filtrer sur Internet.

2. Le tatouage 18. Parce qu’à moins d’être un membre de gang qui a découpé ses ennemis avec les dents, d’être l’acteur principal de “Sin Nombre”, de faire une pub pour Unkut, d’avoir perdu un pari vital ou de subir un rite de passage à l’âge adulte, je ne comprends pas la logique de se tatouer un gros 18 sur le visage. Est ce qu’elle va le faire transformer quand elle aura 21 ans?

1. Les tatouages d’un fan de Star Wars. Parce qu’ils ne ressemblent à rien, que Dark Maul a l’air d’un touriste allemand qui a pris un coup de soleil, que Dark Vador est plus proche de Mireille Mathieu que du plus grand seigneur sith de tous les temps et que le logo Star Wars digne d’un tag au stylo Bic n’est même pas jaune. Et parce que j’espère sincèrement qu’il n’a pas essayé d’utiliser ses taches de rousseur en guise d’étoiles.