Podcasts are mini “radio” shows that you can download (for free) to your computer through a multitude of possible sites (mostly free as well) including the iTunes web site (also free and for Windows or MAC). They can then be played on your computer or downloaded to your MP3 player (such as an iPod or iTouch).

podcasts on iTouch

Some even have video.

Back in my collage and post collage days, it was considered the epitome of intellectual cool to have NPR (National Public Radio) going all day on one of their “talk” radio stations. You could listen to all kinds of discussions on all kinds of things from how to tune your carburetor to what is the meaning of life. There wasn’t a subject that was not touched on at some point and there were true nuggets of profound wisdom as well as a few items of, well… let’s just call them what they were; doo-doo. But NPR is fabulous and until we moved to our current location where there is no worthwhile radio reception (grrrr), I listened to it all the time, admittedly in recent years, to mostly the classical music stations.

Fast forward to last Christmas when I got an iTouch (like an iPhone without the phone or camera but a screamin’ little pda, got that?) and discovered iTunes and podcasts. It’s like having the best of all those NPR shows at your ear’s beck and call. You can listen to only those things that interest you, there are podcasts for knitters, spinners, weavers, quilters, photographers, graphic artists, visual artists, writers, chefs, and a ton more things I haven’t explored. When do I have time to listen? While in my studio; knitting, weaving, dying, sewing, painting, beading, wire wrapping, or fusing. While I’m driving to and from work (an hour each way). A hint here; do not try to watch video casts while driving No, I haven’t tried it. Even I can figure out some things are not a good idea. So, here are a few of my favorites (not in any particular order) or that I am currently sampling. I would love to here from you as to which you have found worth listening to.

Knitting related;

Sticks and Strings with David Reidy - he has such a luscious accent.

Knitmore Girls with Jasmin and Gigi

Stitch It! with Meghan

Weaving;

Weave Cast with Syne Mithcell

Crafting, Art, and crafting as a business;

Craft Cast with Alison Lee

Craft Sanity with Jennifer Ackerman-Haywood

Craftypod with Sister Diane

Writing and being a writer (I’m dreaming of retirement; o)

The Secrets Podcast by Michael A Stackpole

I Should be Writing with Mur Lafferty

American Writer

Odyssey SF/F Writing

Quick and Dirty Tips: Grammar Girl

That is just the tip of the iceburg that resides on my iTouch.

Want to learn how to take better pictures? Need some help with PhotoShop? Want to learn more about Art in general? Managing your finances? If you are curious about something, there is a podcast for that! Yes, and an App too

I will post this list to my “My Links Page” http://www.seaairarts.com/links-to-places-i-love/ on the sidebar.

As you can tell I have a long list of ones that I have found (so far) and listen to somewhat regularly. There is also a noticeable lack in some areas. The missing subjects (and a hint for someone who has been wanting to start their own podcast) seem to be in Art Quilting or Surface Design, there is only one Weaving podcast (though it is fabulous!), and glass fusing.

All of this and more is easily subscribed to through iTunes, my podcast culling device of choice, mostly because its easy and I’m lazy – true confessions!

Deb H

the passion flower on my porch

I’ve been spending a considerable amount of time this last month on organizing, my brain as well as my spaces. It has finally sunk in to me that all the adorable organizing containers in the world will not get the work done if I don’t know what needs to be done next. There are so many things I want to do; several mixed media art pieces that are still just great ideas, my button catalog that seems to be taking forever, the novel that I’d love to write someday… the list is enormous. I also realize that this is the bane of most creative personalities.

I’ve decided I need a more organic approach, hence my search for the perfect task organizer. Will it be Toodledo, Evernote, or The Action Method? The last one actually looks the most intuitive but the price tag is holding me back.

Or is the real need to train my work processes, thought processes, habits? Here is my current reading list (just started these) Getting Things Done by David Allen, Making It All Work, also by David Allen, and Making Ideas Happen by Scott Belsky. Which will be the magic sword that slays the beast? All of them? None of them? What works for you? I’m sure I’m not the only creative type that occasionally feels like I’m trying to bail out the Titanic.

A magic typewriter that will release the trapped novel

Yet in the midst of overwhelm there is also excitement – the feeling that great things are on the horizon, change is coming, change for more productivity. I’m always the eternal optimist 

I get a “Museletter” from Laura Cater-Woods and she always has at least one thing in there that usually strikes me as profound. Today’s quote is “Helpful hint: Take a few minutes every day to be still and quiet, ask yourself: What is the most important thing I can do today? Then do it.”

Am I trying too hard? Can it be so simple? Thanks Laura!

Deb H

Summer Beach

What better way to celebrate a holiday weekend than to take at least one day and do only fun, play kinda stuff

Going to see the movie The Last Airbender was a treat, I liked it so much we actually saw it twice over the holiday. I then dashed off to Borders to get the book, only to find it’s a graphic novel…  can I bring myself to read a graphic novel? I can roll with the times, why not?

Simple Pleasures

An easy beading project was just the ticket for a relaxing afternoon. The bracelet was a “build your own kit” from Alada Beads where I just had to pick the colors; my favorite colors of aqua,  sea green and copper. I had enough beads and components left over to improvise some matching earrings. Sometimes simple is very satisfying.

Aqua OOAK button bracelet

But that got me looking at the assortment of fused glass buttons on my design table. I’ve been designing buttons for a wholesale catalog. This, besides being a lot more time consuming and a lot more work than I could ever have imagined, has left me with a rather large selection of single OOAK (one of a kind) buttons. Looking at these with my freshly finished bracelet (above) in my hand was a short leap to the next project.

Button Bracelet

I raided my stash of novelty yarns and found some lovely aqua sparkly stuff, not too hairy – I don’t like hairy. I raided my stash of large beads and found some glass dangley things too (technical term, that). After a few false starts to try to achieve my vague vision, I settled on crocheting the novelty yarn with the buttons, beads and dangles not-quite randomly picked up and crocheted in the chain.

Button, button, who has the... ?

The yarn was mostly rayon and not disposed to wear as durable as I might like. In an effort to avoid strewing buttons and beads in a trail behind at the local RAVE (like I even know what one is, do they still have them?) I threaded Tigertail through all of the buttons and beads and cinched them up snugly to the right length. Adding a toggle catch with crimps was the final touch and viola! This would be a marvelous way to use any and all kinds of shanked buttons, I see more in my future! 

Deb H

PS – we can see the town fireworks from our back deck, they were beautiful but Shadow (our rescue husky) did not like them one little bit. It’s a real experience when a 65 pound dogs keeps trying to climb into your lap!

It hasn’t all been fused glass, I’ve got a lovely….  um, something(?) on my small loom that is turning out wonderful. I just don’t know what it will grow up to be because it’s so narrow (6″). Maybe a panel in a summer jacket?

Linen and cotton Teal overshot

I had a lot of warp left on my small loom (4 shaft, 22″ Rasmussen table loom with leg kit from Seattle Weaving Works, circa 1980) from the linen workshop I took from Katie Reeder Meek in March. The warp was supposed to be linen but mine is 10/2 cotton due to some technical difficulties, namely old and brittle linen and the middle of the night so no store open to fix the issue. But, it’s a nice flax color of 10/2 and the threading was the one I used for my linen workshop; Aldana’s Cat’s Paw and a Wave pattern on an overshot type weave structure. I’m still using a fine linen single (unbleached) for the ground weft but have chosen a 5/2 cotton in light teal for my pattern weft.

A joy to weave in such wonderful colors

I apologize to all my non-weaving readers for the geek-speak.  Start weaving,  you’ll love it!!    By the way, there is a lot to be said for a small portable loom that can be easily moved to the front deck on a breezy summer afternoon!

I’ve also been knitting but have not taken photos yet so that will be next post.

Deb H

So many colors, so many combinations, so many choices. I’ve been working on designing some buttons for a catalog. I’m drunk with the possibilities…

Samples, samples, samples...

Fused glass is soooo addictive. Maybe I need to make more samples and a few more notes. Note to Gayle: yes, I’m going to make myself finish it!

Pink Button

I’ve also been crazy busy with making buttons for the biggest Bead & Button Show in the world (according to their web site).  June 6th through the 13th in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, our bead group will have a table in the vendors mall so if you are lucky enough to attend, look for “Glass Act!” and drool on some beads and my buttons 

We are having a heat wave and the kiln is going in the kitchen – who said “the lazy days of summer”? Were they nuts?!?!?

Deb H