In the spirit of thanks this time of year, I must give a shout out to my new friend Syd over at Roadside Peek.  He has posted quite a few of my signs (scroll down for info on the infamous Choo-Choo restaurant) and if you are into old signs, his site is the best.

Also, I have a Twitter feed going as ‘vintageoldsigns’ and could use a few more followers.  Come on, what are you waiting for?  Old signs are neat, right?

The o’l Flickr pile is here.  I go by the handle ’signgal’ on Flickr.  I tend to not post everything to every place, so you will see new signs at each one of my social networking sites.

Even though this blog is primarily here to promote my portrait from pictures work I will also be posting other work here. Here is a piece titled “eye chart” for obvious reasons. It measures 25″ x 16″ and was done with Fireworks and Photoshop. Conact me at scott@duffvisions.com if you are interested in purchasing this item.  Other works of mine can be seen at duffvisions.com

Nothing says SURVIVAL like a flash drive memory stick for your computer. We were looking at the official Swiss Army Knife web site with Judah. He was asking a lot of questions about his knife and what other variations they make, when we stumbled upon this one equiped with a flash drive memory stick. I just can’t remember the last time I was in an airplane wreck or stranded at sea (not that I ever have been )  and while trying to build a shelter or start a fire, suddenly remembered my desperate need to access my laptop (not that I have one) and use a flash memory stick and found I was without one. No, it just has not happened to me that way. Of course I say all this with a laughing cynical tone

I am sure there is a computer geek out there some where, who want’s clean finger nails and the latest gadget all-in-one. For that person, it is a super idea for a gift. It just struck me funny to see this odd combination. It seems as strange as a TV remote control mixed with a carpet sweeper. I have noticed as we aim to simplify our lives and try to do more with less, that the world is spinning off the other direction faster than we can keep up with, not that we really want to.    Here is a link to Swiss Army if you find you have a computer geek in need of a gift.

~Blessings, Jason~

It seems fitting that in celebration of my 50th blog post that I should be celebrating selling another tea cosy since the very first thing I sold as tinyinc was also a tea cosy, THE tinyinc tea cosy!

I call this style of tea cosy the retro racing tea cosy as it reminds me a bit of  racing flag, though much prettier.

I love tinyinc teacosies and have 3 of them that are all used at home.  I have the very, very original 4 cup tinyinc multi coloured retro racing tea cosy which I managed to burn on the gas hob once but it is still usable and the burn survives the washing machine.  I have a 2-3 (small) cup tea cosy that is in cream, terracotta and green that gets most use.  The other is a blue and green striped pom pom tea cosy that is used a bit less than the other two. I suppose it serves as a back up of sorts.

Anyway, the one recently sold is from a handful that I advertised on Folksy just last week and it is winging it’s way to edinburgh as a christmas pressy for my customer’s sister.

I have discovered that I am a bit anxious until I know that items have arrived and that the recipient is happy with them. I get the same concerns with ebaying too.

tinyinc very racing retro tea cosy

I also sold the cushion cover that used to be an arran sweater so I am hoping that with the coming festivities and next week being amongst the first days of December, people will set their minds to a bit of Christmas shopping and start buying more of my things.

I used to be an aran sweater

It’s very exciting when people want to buy your things.  It doesn’t matter that you think they are nice or that they are well made or that you have spent hours creating them, nothing beats the proof that they are all of those things and a good idea because someone has decided that they want it and they will pay money for it too.

I continue to get great feedback from friends (and customers too now) about the items and a lot of them think they are perhaps under priced so I have made some minor adjustments on costs but, at the moment, I am comfortable with the price points and the items generally.

I still have a million other things that I also want to do but will need to be careful that I don’t broaden my ‘range’ too much.

Is it right to specialise at such an early stage in my attempts to make a living out of this or should I continue to experiment and allow the shoppers to decide what the speciality should be?  It’s a tough one.

To add to the excitement of selling things, I have been invited to apply to the BBC to audition for a new programme they are launching in the spring which effectively follows kitchen table/spare room start up businesses as they are mentored by one of the UKs own kitchen table success stories.  I am nowhere near being included amongst those that they want to feature in the programme and have only just applied to audition but imagine what a great boost an experience like that would be.  The researchers found my story interesting enough to approach me so that can only be good news.

One of the questions on the application asked where you saw your business in 5 years time.  That was easy and I’d like to think I’d get there with or without the programme but you don’t know do you.  A lot of effort, talent and even luck aren’t always enough.

]]> http://ntinossaysblog.com/2009/11/29/free-google-wave-invites/ Sun, 29 Nov 2009 10:50:11 +0000 7ntinos7 http://ntinossaysblog.com/2009/11/29/free-google-wave-invites/

Okay, so I got my google wave invites today, I have 7 left so I wonder if there is anyone without a GW account.

Reply to the comments below with your e-mail, and I will send you a free Google Wave invite;-)

What are you waiting for?:D

Also you can send a DM to my twitter account.

this is a video i made awhile back, its a video of the parts i put on my computer

Im pretty new to this blog thing, i guess i will give it a try. i will be uploading all of the photos from my car build and some video game reviews also.

For years, I’ve wanted a butter bell but was too cheap to buy one. Finally, it dawned on me! Okay, so google dawned it on me. But, still, it dawned nonetheless.

One wide-mouth pint jar. One small dish.

Voila!

Cool, no? It works perfectly and, because I have plenty of jars and dishes, they are easily rotated in and out for washing each time we empty it. I won’t use it in the heat of the summer but we’re loving it for the cooler weather!

So I was just reading Lauren’s post @ I Love You Much on the saga of growing out her hair. And this motivated me to share with you all a project I’ve had in the works for a little over 3 years now.

When I was a little kid, I was bald. I mean I only had the wispy thing going on until I was like 3. Case and point…

I’m mobile in this picture folks which means I’m well over one and look at the lack of that hair. I’ve seen babies born with more hair than that! So as you can tell, I was one of those 6 month old ears pierced babies so people would know, yes I am a girl

Anywho, when my hair finally started to really fill in at about 7 it was kinda a big deal. You’d think this would make me be one of those girls who never cuts her hair b/c she was traumatized. HA! Hardly. I clearly remember being about 9 having them cut 8 inches off b/c I always knew my hair would eventually grow. Back in fact, the more I cut my hair, the better it grows back.

And I pride myself on having very versatile hair! So back in ‘06 when I first got my iMac which it’s sweet little photo booth, I started regularly taking pictures showcasing my varying hairstyles. After every dye and cut there was a picture. In just over 3 years I have experimented with over 20 styles!

And I’ve made a fun little video for you all to see the proof.

So yes I’m trying to go natural color, long and bangless for the wedding and of course curly hair b/c Luke loves it. But post wedding… who knows! I’d love comments on your guys favorite looks on me

You may now reach this site by using the URL texaslongboarder.net.

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Classic Bride recently blogged about using these beauties as wedding decorations. And I just love that idea!

Ever since I was about 13 I have had a bulletin board that is COVERED with mementos and memories of everything. I have photo boxes filled with saved trinkets and paper finds. Now as I’ve gotten older I’ve been brain storming more “sophisticated” ways of displaying these. Of course shadow boxes and scrapbooks are old favorite but these chandeliers are just gorgeous.

Unfortunately the 300 bucks Pottery Barn is wanting for them is a wee bit out of my decorating budget. Fear not, I have the equipment to make one of those metal frames in my backyard… hehe :) (My daddy builds Channel Signs for a living) Throw in some cute binder clips – have you seen Walmart’s damask set? – and I have a gorgeous living room focal point at our new home

Me like, indeed! I’ll be sure to post pics when it’s done…

it’s fall. radiohead is on pandora, food is cooking, and my nana is dead.

i am not myself these days.  haven’t been since i heard her last raspings.

i was in denver when i got a text message from my father that she was in the hospital again and i was afraid.

i brought her her lovebirds, this little hanging triangle with two glass birds, and hung it in what became the first of many rooms.  the nurses lost it in the next room change, and after hours of my frantic searching, one of them brought it to me in outstretched hands on a tissue, broken.  fixable, absolutely.  but, broken. i was angry but hid it.  went home and warmed the glue gun to reattach the little bird.  now they faced each other and it went back into nana’s room where she could see it hanging.

now it hangs in my kitchen window reminding me of my grandparents and the way they loved each other- longer and more truly than most people i’ve ever seen. their love outshone even the excitement i saw in the eyes of teenagers at navy pier or the state fair. real and lasting.

i’ve been trying to write about this for two months now. i think today would’ve been their 66th anniversary.  i’m still fine-tuning my thoughts and hope to put them down here eventually… until then, i give thanks for the examples of love i have in my family. true, respectful  and unrestrained. open and honest, fun and comfortable.  i look forward to my own story unfolding.

Posted by Matt Field

Tiger Woods, one of the most successful golfers in history, has been injured in a car accident, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

Woods, 33, pulled out of his driveway in the Isleworth community, Florida in the early hours of the morning when he struck a fire hydrant, and then drove into a tree at his neighbour’s property, it has been reported. Woods was driving a 2009 black Escalade, the highway patrol said.

Woods was transported to Health Central Hospital in Ocoee in a serious condition, the patrol said. No other information about his condition has been released.

A Health Central hospital employee said that Woods was not a patient. A hospital operator would not say if Woods had been treated and released.

FHP said the airbags in Woods’s Cadillac Escalade did not activate, which means that the vehicle was travelling at under 33 mph.

Orange County Fire Rescue received the call for aid at 2.28 am, and Woods was transported from his neighborhood by ambulance.

FHP did not report the accident until early afternoon. The agency said that the crash remains under investigation and charges are pending.

* The highway patrol reported Woods’ injuries as serious, though Woods spokesman Glenn Greenspan said on Friday afternoon that the golfer was treated at the hospital and released in good condition.

* Woods agent, Mark Steinberg, told USA Today that Woods is fine. Golf World magazine executive editor Ron Sirak said on ESPNEWS that Woods has “facial lacerations.” Mayor Gary Bruhn of Windermere, Fla., where Woods lives, also said on CNN that Woods has facial lacerations.

This past week of Thanksgiving celebrativities was truly one for the record books.

My husband’s brother and his family visited us from a state far, far away. Last time we saw them was two years ago when they came here for Thanksgiving.

My kids had a great time with their cousins. Charlotte, ever the romantic, fell for her eldest cousin. He’s 14. And what a good sport he was about the whole thing. Of course he has two younger sisters so he’s good with the ladies.

Sarah found a soul-mate in the youngest cousin. She’s 7 and quite the mischievous one. She’s such a sweet, sweet girl, though, and she gave me hope that some day my little Sarah will outgrow her wild child ways.

All of us, but none more than me, were happy (beyond happy) with the middle cousin. She’s 12 and a born nurturer. She took care of Charlotte and Sarah tirelessly. And when I thanked for being so good with them, she claimed it was fun. Fun! If I could clone her for myself, I would.

We had a Thanksgiving Miracle during the early morning hours of Thanksgiving. A certain Kindergartner woke herself (and me too) up in the middle of the night to use the potty. First time ever.  Let’s hope it continues!

Charlotte managed the company and the zany schedule with finesse. She and Sarah had their first sleepover which included popcorn and a movie followed by sleeping on the family room floor.

Even with the lack of sleep, there was no going off by herself, no random sensory-overload meltdowns. The only crying was because she didn’t want her cousins to leave.

And she had hit another little developmental milestones of sorts. Charlotte has never articulated to me what she wants as gifts. Her birthday last July the conversation went something like this:

“What do you want for your birthday, Charlotte?”

“A gift.”

“What kind of gift?”

“A present.”

“What do you want the present to be?”

“A gift.”

“When you open the gift, what do you want to find inside?”

“A box.”

“And what would you like to be IN the box? Toys, clothes, books…”

“I want toys and clothes and books for my birthday.”

“What toy would you like?”

“The one in the box.”

This conversation was had many, many times.

So imagine my surprise when last night Charlotte said, “Mommy, do you know what I want to get for Christmas?”

“No, I don’t. What do you want for Christmas?”

Repeat.

This went on several times till I let it go.

About 10 minutes later I said, “Hey, Charlotte, do you know what you want for Christmas?”

Long pause. I assume she’s not going to answer. And then,

“A Mulan dress and a Mulan doll.”

“Okay, sounds good, we’ll have to see what we can do.”

Another long pause. And then,

“A new groom, and a beautiful tent. A tent that drives.”

[The groom would be a new "Ken" groom (the one Ken we have apparently can't keep up with all the Barbie lovin'.). I think the tent that drives is the Barbie Glamour Camper she's been eying at Target for a few weeks. At $80, though, it's not happening.]

I was pretty excited that she told me stuff she wants for Christmas. Not that I am trying to turn my kid into a little consumer extraordinaire or anything, but I have to think that it’s a good thing that she is understanding a little more about the holiday season.

This weekend we have more celebrativities with little Miss Sarah turning 3 years old. She has promised that when she’s 3 she’s going to start using the toilet. I’m holding her to it. (Ha, yeah right!)

How was your Thanksgiving week?

I said in a post some time ago, I was busy sewing some clothes. well here’s the result!

This is my boyfriends jacket. It’s made with a black wool fabric and metal buttons.

And this is my jacket. It’s made from the same wool fabric as the other jacket and has the same type of metal buttons. I was inspired by some victorian jackets. It has two buttons on the back also but you can’t see them well in the picture.

And this is the better photo I have of the spats. I made the skirt also but it isn’t finished yet, and a triangle scarf is also in my plans but I’m still spinning the wool for it.

The goggles were made by my boyfriend, they are just great.

What could have gotten me to a mall on Black Friday?

You know what could have gotten me out shopping today, perhaps the most frenetic shopping day of the year? A very old school concept – the kissing booth.

Surely I’m not the only one in my (purposely vague) female demographic who wouldn’t walk a mile for a Camel, but who might venture to an overcrowded mall, queue up for hours to kiss, say… Jon Hamm?

What if marketers went back to a concept of something genuinely fun, human, and simple?

Yes, we all want a bargain, but how many would love a hug, or a fabulous kiss, or even a French kiss? And I mean the kind on two cheeks, mind you… after all, we’re talking strangers here, and no guarantee of Listerine in between each, um, unbridled and commercial display of affection.

The mind reels… avec plaisir

It may be a concept whose time has come. Again. One that popped into mind thanks to Kitchen Witch’s musing on retail.

So, single moms, single dads – oh hell – ANYONE still breathing and sexual! If you were to brave the Black Friday crowds for a kissing booth, who would you like to snuggle up to?

• For a smooch? For a hug?
• Would it be a sexy celebrity? Who?
• How much would you pay for one glorious kiss?
• Or better yet, an après-shopping drink?

Oh, the possibilities…


© D A Wolf

Big Little Wolf’s Daily Plate of Crazy

I feel great. I mean really great.

I haven’t felt this well in some time. I’ve had three consecutive nights of sleep.

I realize that many people sleep six or seven hours each night, and think nothing of it. For me, that’s a feat. And vital. It is the difference between a room in shadow, and a light switched on. My house has been in shadow for much of 18 years.

Single parenting

Any parent with little ones knows what it is to lose a night’s sleep, or several, or even months. If you’re a single parent or your spouse travels for work, you may rarely get a break, or none at all. And sleepless nights don’t end at infancy; they occur at various stages as well as when children are stressed or sick. Sleep deprivation comes with the parenting territory.

Then there are your worries – financial problems, job concerns, relationship issues. They keep you up. But for most people, periods of situational sleep loss don’t last. That wasn’t my case. Something else was going on.

Chronic sleeplessness

For those suffering from sleep disorders, the storyline plays out differently. For me, it took more than a decade of strange symptoms before doctors diagnosed Restless Leg Syndrome. During those years, I worked 70 hour weeks in a corporate career, traveled, socialized, studied, and significant amounts of sleep were never part of the equation. It wasn’t a problem until I added children to the mix, in my mid-thirties.

Convenience, for awhile

Being able to function on little sleep can be useful, especially juggling family and work outside the home. But as my children slept through the night, the fact that I didn’t became problematic. A night’s sleep was something I couldn’t even imagine. Anything over four hours, two or more nights of sleep – I felt like I’d hit the winning lottery ticket!

I am by nature high energy (helpful), and don’t – or didn’t – need as much sleep as many. I also propped myself up with coffee. But it’s a temporary fix.

Squirming through the night

Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS) is irritating (literally), but manageable. I’m fortunate that I have no daytime symptoms, and I’m otherwise (knock on wood) quite healthy. However, the prolonged sleep deprivation caused extensive problems. I was tested for all sorts of things (a variety of frightening diseases), and then dismissed, told that I was fine.

During those years, I continued to fuel my lifestyle on caffeine, sugar, stubbornness, and my children’s needs. I put my nights to good use: I worked extra hours, I wrote, I read. Some nights I wandered the house, aimlessly, frustrated and exhausted. I would sit in the front room, open the drapes, and stare onto a dark street as dawn approached. Some nights I watched my children sleep, envying their stillness.

Consequences

Are restless legs – or any sleep disorder – impossible to live with? Of course not. Worrisome? Absolutely, because prolonged sleep deprivation leads to potentially dangerous consequences. Aches and pains, memory loss, impatience, excessive hunger – these are among the obvious and lesser ones.

When you miss one night of adequate sleep, how do you feel? Imagine a year, two years, ten years of too little sleep. Imagine your mind and body shutting down, inexplicably.

Chronic pain, chronic fatigue

Fibromyalgia is just one of the conditions that may exist coincident with RLS. It is a slow descent into pain that feels like it’s rooted inside your deepest tissues. Chronic fatigue is another unwanted companion, strapping its weights to your limbs, fogging your reach for reason and words, and dogging you relentlessly. It may send you to bed where it keeps you for periods of time. Depression follows. And to those who say “you’re depressed, that’s why you’re tired and in pain” – I say – “Bullshit. Try being tired and in pain from the moment you wake until you sleep, and see if you aren’t depressed.”

What else happens? Relationships falter. Jobs are at risk. And parenting? Unless you have a superb support network, you’re in for a rough ride, as are your children.

The upside

Sleep disorders can generally be identified by ruling out other causes, along with a brief stay in a hospital, and a sleep study. When my restless legs were found to be the problem, I was easily treated. My nightly routine of two to four hours of sleep went to six hours, occasionally seven, and over several months, pain faded and the haze cleared. A careful balance of nutrition, exercise, and moderating stress keeps me sleeping, and therefore, feeling and performing well.

When things go awry

When my RLS was diagnosed 10 years ago, and a tiny dose of medication worked its magic on the part of the brain that sets off the chain of events that move legs and cause premature waking, my nightmare eased. I was lucky. I recuperated quickly, and the lights were suddenly switched “on.”

There are still periods when things go awry. These past months, the restless legs have been no laughing matter, once again taking their toll on my sleep and my life.

Stress. Extreme, unyielding stress. All too often, I’m back to four hours of sleep a night, but I console myself that it isn’t two. Still, I wake to pain and worse, fatigue that stays with me all day. Because four hours of sleep is insufficient. For anyone.

Occasionally, and I don’t know why, I get three consecutive nights of sleep. Real sleep. And that’s just enough to improve things immeasurably. Whatever tonight brings, I can’t predict. But today, right now, I feel great.

• How do you handle your sleepless nights?
• What brings them on, and what helps banish them?
• How do you manage extreme stress?
  

© D A Wolf

Big Little Wolf’s Daily Plate of Crazy

Williams’ recipe for success: helping others | Culpeper Star-Exponent.

So since I’m not really here.  Well I’m here in the sense that I’m posting but in reality I’m shopping.  Today is Black Friday after all and this has been a family tradition since I can remember.   But today is about you!

Please clean your brushes.  Please.  They are nasty and filled with bacteria and other nasty things.  So clean them today.  No, not tomorrow but today.  So today you need to deep clean your brushes.  Yes, grab a bottle of baby shampoo and swirl those brushes to cleanliness.  After they are clean and drying, make the recipe below for spot cleaning.
Enkore’s Brush Cleanser

• 1 c. bottled or distilled water
• 1/4 c. alcohol
• 1/2 tsp. dishwashing liquid
• 1/2 tsp. baby shampoo
• 1 tsp. liquid leave-in conditioner

Mix gently to avoid making suds.  Store in bottle for future use!  You’re welcome.

Not a lot to report as the majors fill their boots with the once a year Christmas shoppers and the indies generally take a break. A few juicy 2010 releases beginning to be announced though, with Mary Margaret O’Hara guesting on the new Tindersticks (yay!) and another highly anticipated (in M M & M towers, at any rate) BJ Nilsen record.

Dec 7th

• RESIDENTS – The Ughs! (Cryptic Corporation)
• SEMUIN – Circle and Elephants (Ahornfelder)
• SLEEP WHALE – Houseboat (Western Vinyl)
• YELLOW6 – Merry6mas 2009 (Editions6)

Dec 14th

• BONNIE PRINCE BILLY & THE PICKET LINE – Funtown Comedown (Drag City)
• OREN AMBARCHI – Intermission 2000-2008 (Touch)

Dec 28th

• CHARLIE PARKER – Complete Royal Roost Live Recordings on Savoy vols 1-4 (Columbia Japan)
• CHARLIE PARKER – Complete Studio Recording on Savoy vols 1-4 (Columbia Japan)

Jan 11th

• LAURA VEIRS – July Flame (Bella Union)
• SLOW SIX – Tomorrow Becomes You (Western Vinyl)
• VAMPIRE WEEKEND – Contra (XL)

Jan 25th

• BJ NILSEN – Invisible City (Touch)
• CHARLOTTE GAINSBOURG – IRM (Because)
• LINDSTROM & CHRISTABELLE – Real Life Is No Cool (Smalltown Supersound)

Feb 8th

• ROEDELIUS – Wenn der Sudwind Weht (Roedelius)

Feb 15th

• FIELD MUSIC – Measure (Memphis Industries)
• TINDERSTICKS – Falling Down a Mountain (4AD / Constellation)

Feb 22nd

• EFTERKLANG – Magic Chairs (4AD)