The Woman Who Counts

[bloodyrosemccoy]

Eliza Doolittle Day
Weights and Measures Day
Anniversary - Charles Lindberg Solo Flight
Birthday - Cher (singer/actress)
Birthday - Dolly Madison (First Lady)
Birthday - Jimmy Stewart (actor)
Neighbor Day (Rhode Island)
Independence Day (East Timor)

 

I spent the last two days doing inventory for the Bookstore.  Hours of counting things. I now have an opinion on what is more fun to count, art supplies or cards.* Numbers. *twitch*

 

For me, the presence of art supplies presents a problem. I see all these magnificent colors, these nifty tools and spiffy textures, and start wanting to make things. But I’m unschooled, and I have no skills to use markers, pastels, watercolors, colored pencils, any of that arty stuff. Water, water everywhere, and not a drop to drink.

 

I love the names people give color things, like paint, art supplies, or even things like towels.  Who needs a thesaurus when you’ve got “Holiday Blue,” “Nile Green,” “Prawn,” and others?  (I like the Copic markers, because they have a bit of Engrish in the mix—some of them were clearly labeled “Fragstone Blue,” “Bareley Beige,” and a few terms that would never make it past Crayola (“Africano,” “Orientale”).  They’re funny, and often evocative. It made the counting fun.

 

So I came home and mixed up some Sculpey and made little mugs for my dolls, just to let myself play with colors.

 

Hell, I’m going to be dreaming colors for days. I had to do something.

 

 

*Art supplies, hands down.

Comments

[placetohide.livejournal.com]

But I’m unschooled, and I have no skills to use markers, pastels, watercolors, colored pencils, any of that arty stuff.

Don't let that stop you!! If you want to try something new or create something, you should go for it--don't let something like a little technical precision get to you. I can't draw for crap, and I still have a go with all kinds of media. No law that says you have to be a master at something to have fun with it!

[queenlyzard.livejournal.com]

For me, the presence of art supplies presents a problem. I see all these magnificent colors, these nifty tools and spiffy textures, and start wanting to make things. But I’m unschooled, and I have no skills to use markers, pastels, watercolors, colored pencils, any of that arty stuff. Water, water everywhere, and not a drop to drink.

I love the names people give color things, like paint, art supplies, or even things like towels. Who needs a thesaurus when you’ve got “Holiday Blue,” “Nile Green,” “Prawn,” and others?

O...M...G... You're me!! Did you know about this? I used to pick up "Lands End" clothing catalogs just for the color-names! "Coral," "Mocha," "Blue Heather," "Spring Green," "Lilac Sky". I spend hours in the makeup isle for the same reason!

You're lucky you have writing, at least. You know I'm an avid reader-- and every time I read a book, I have the same yearning ache to write. Yet-- like sitting there with a full box of paints and nothing to do with them-- I can never think of a story to tell. It's almost physically painful sometimes, my desire to create. Art, at least, I can fake on occasion-- or at least, I enjoy crafts and do a bit of sketching and painting. Some days, though, even those skills escape me. And then I run away into a book to avoid the despair. *sad smile*

Over A Week Later

[padparadscha.livejournal.com]

I do the same thing with really good stories. It's hard for me to concentrate on books because I always think, "I should write my own!" I thought I was the only one.

Also, yeah, "Land's End" is awesome just for that.

[pixel39.livejournal.com]

I am a sucker for art supplies. What I really need to do, though, is clear a path to my drafting board and actually sit down and do something with them, damnit.

But my paints have boring prosaic names like Cadmium Red (Dark, Medium, and Light), Carbon Black, Titanium White, Lead White, Viridian, Sap Green, and Ultramarine Blue.