Can I Get You a Cup of Hot Bean Water?

I was making espresso this morning, after being gone for the weekend, and had to try to re-establish my routine. I needed to fill up the machine with beans (not what you want to discover while you're just trying to get caffeine into your veins - that will teach me to plan ahead), and as I was scooping out the beans in my tired state I realized how odd it is that we all drink a cup of hot bean water every morning.

The entry of some foods into our lives just amazes me.

Getting from the plant to the beverage, in the case of coffee, is actually pretty complicated.

But we figured it out in or around the 15th century. So we got that right long before we invented the flush TOILET, in case you were wondering how important the hot bean water is to operation of functional humanity.

Those are my random thoughts for today.

After a long crafty weekend with some old and new friends, I am feeling inspired. I got to see other people's new toys, learned some fun techniques and tips for using things I already have, and got tons of laughing in. I think I might have actually pulled a muscle or two laughing.

It's so important to spend unstructured time with creative people - for me anyway. I love just observing how sweet and kind and generous and supportive papercrafters are with each other. The world could do with more of that, that's for sure. It's very inspiring to see.


OH and I WAS REUNITED (briefly) WITH BOBRA!!! He looks AMAZING and is such a happy housecat now. I'm so grateful to Leslie for her generosity with her time and my her beautiful kitty.

I didn't get a whole heck of a lot done, art-wise because I was trying to absorb some of the genius around me. But Leslie (check out her sketch challenge today) was kind enough to let me borrow her distress inks, and I made some fun backgrounds in between chats.

On this one, I sponged on Mustard Seed Distress Ink, and used this very skinny masking tape to mask stripes off. Then I sponged other colors on top of that, masking the edges with this masking tape to create my rectangle.

Then I stamped the greeting from Big On You with my MISTI - several times until the inking was perfect.

The thing that sold me on the MISTI is still the thing I love the best - perfect inking every time. With a greeting like this it makes all the difference.

Now on Splitcoast before I left, I read a thread about a fun new craft knife called the Gyro-Cut. Unlike the MISTI thread, which I read for FOUR MONTHS before ordering, I just ordered this thing when I saw the post. And now I'm glad I did.

I decided to un-box it and try it live on video - and let the chips fall where they may. I've never done a review live like this before so that was fun. I used it to cut Gelli Plate stencils/masks - which I normally do with scissors, and I usually can't keep the negative because I have to cut the edge to get in to cut the shape. So this is an amazing solution for those masks I learned about in Linda Germain's class. (If you do cut your own Gelli Plate masks, be sure and coat them with gel medium so that they are reusable.)

See where the chips fell in this video.



Here's a link to the Gyro-Cut. I have not yet found it for less than that price. I'll let you know if I do. I actually paid a lot more than this from another site with shipping, so I'm kicking myself. Live and learn.
 
PS - I'm almost out of two person rooms for the retreat - so book soon and indicate your roommate preferences when you register!

Loveyameanitbye.