Day #10

I nodded off not long after dinner last night — completely knackered. Man, it was only a three-day work week but it was a fucking long one. I think I'm nearly back in the same emotional, physical, and psychological state as I was when I worked in the viper pit. Yes, it's actually very nearly that time.

Or maybe I just need a break?

Two today. Bought a new marker and tested it. Ugh. It bleeds like a Sharpie.

Read of the month: The Fourth Bear by Jasper Fforde.

Day #9

Just a small one tonight. Started off okay but finished terrible.

I bought a black 0.5mm pen today and graph paper because I thought I might want to try letters. Maybe this weekend.

Still sad. Prolly the full moon. Sad and fatigued.

Day #8

Two simple ones tonight:

I'm such a dull, unimaginative dolt. Also can't do circles or curves if my life depended on it.

And it feels like such an unproductive day. I don't understand why things are done/decided the way they are at work. I don't understand the reason(s) behind everything, and I'm not sure I even want to understand. If I did understand, then I'd have internalized shit I shouldn't have. And I have already internalized a lot.

... yes, still sad, still don't know why.

Day #7

A few patterns and a cutting today. I cheated with the cutting and used a pencil and ruler for the border and the grid although the pattern itself I did freehand.

Feeling inexplicably melancholic. I think it came on after yesterday's dinner with a few girls from circus (originally pole). Dinner was nice; the company was nice. I don't understand why I feel how I feel. I just hope I'll feel better after lyra tonight.

And back to work tomorrow. Can't say I'm looking forward to that ...

Day #6

Enrolled myself for the Visual Communication part-time certificate course today!

I think I prefer very stark black and white for the sharp, geometric patterns. I find those patterns fascinating and am still trying to figure out how they 'work', so definitely will be doing more of one on the right and bottom.

Somehow, even though I'd been looking forward to time off work, it always makes me feel slightly guilty to be not at work in the daylight hours. Argh. Fuck that.

Day #5

Dinner plans tonight fell through so I won't be able to give Jen S. the thing I made. Oh well. There would be another occasion, another person ...

But was a relatively productive day, I think. Finished one mini cutting and did a few patterns.

I like that last pattern even if it's nothing original — I think there might be a cutting in that. p>And a bit of an optical illusion-type pattern on a table at a place Geeta and I had coffee yesterday:

Day #4

Didn't managed to get much done today. Starting from last night, this might be a weekend of catch-ups and dinners. Met up with Aileen, Alwyn, and Jen S. since Alwyn is in town. Dinner was pretty decent, but the conversation was better since it was partly reminiscing about our Welly days.

Anyway, because of weekend marketing with Dad and a lunch date with Geeta, I didn't have a lot of time to do patterns or cuttings. So, there's only one pattern which I'd managed to cut and mount (if we do meet up for dinner again tomorrow, I'll give it to Jen as an early birthday pressie).

I think I did think I'd do like maybe five (A3) cuttings this year for five people. So far, I'd done one each for Jen D.'s and Joey's going-away, one for Rach, and one for Emily. Hopefully I'd be able to do the fifth for Hazel's wedding. Most productive year so far!

Day #3

... Yeah, I still find it hard to force myself to not focus on cut-ability. I think it has to do with using a marker and getting thick lines ... I also started cutting one. Man, curves are still a PITA to do. Why do I suck at curves? I apply so much pressure when doing curves I think I'mma get trigger finger(s) if I did any more cuttings. =(

I wish I could realize the idea I have for a cutting Hazel as a wedding gift, but I can't draw and can't letter so aaarrrggghhh. (Also, the more I think about it, the more I feel Sonnet 116 might not be quite appropriate for a pin-up themed wedding with polka dots.) Anyway, I need to come up with something else. Soon.

Day #2

Didn't managed to go shopping after all last night (was wet and drizzly after class and I was achy and famished); I'd wanted to buy more Marvy markers and another A6 sketchbook. I very much prefer Marvy markers to just about the other brands I'd bought because Marvy markers bleed so much less (if at all!) on the papers of my sketchbook. My Sharpie (which I'd used for the patterns below) bleeds like a hemophiliac with an open wound. =\

Anyway, I realize my mistake with those three patterns now — I was too focused on making sure the patterns are cut-able when I don't necessarily need/have to cut them at all (although I think I'd love to do a few swirly ones — what I call my 'fern' designs).

Day #30 ... and back to #1

Might as well put up my last 30 Days of Words post while I'm able to since I plan to go for a Stretch & Core class tonight and follow that up with some shopping (hopefully).

I like the 30-Day challenges. They force me to be a little more disciplined and committed but only for a limited period so I don't feel like a complete loser if I wanted to give up after awhile. I started with the planking one and actually didn't managed to complete my 30 days (and my longest duration was just 170 seconds) but I've kept up with the planking more or less — 90 secs on a foam roller (will be switching to an even 100, thanks Monk!), alternating with the leg-lift variation also on the roller.

So, with the conclusion of Words, I'mma start with Patterns. The goal is to post a pattern (however terrible it looks) a day so I get daily practice. As it is, I've been itching to doodle or cut something every day. Day #1 of 30 Days of Patterns kicks off with something I did last night (after Lyra 3, after feeding the kitties when I got home):

(Can't wait to cut this when I get the time!)

Day #29

Had to work till 9pm last night. By the time I went to bed at half past midnight, I couldn't be arsed with a post. But I did finish a another mini cutting — could've finished it in the three after-office hours at work, but I got distracted. Anyway, finished it around 23.10 (after feeding myself and the kitties) before heading up to shower.

I have, like, half a dozen of these mini cuttings now. What on earth am I supposed to do with them? Layering them is actually quite nice, but no more than two layers otherwise it'll be just a mess. Still, layering then what? I suppose they could be made into cards but that's sooooo booooring.

I like the idea of shadow boxes but oh god, such a schlep to IKEA just to buy RIBBA frames ... Or maybe I should visit Daiso for glass frames?

I still haven't picked a read for May! Argh!

Day #28

Did one more cutting yesterday and completed one today. I think the theme I might've gone for (a little unconsciously) could be mirrors. Of course I couldn't produce exact mirrors or any symmetry at all, but they're close enough (bottom two are the newer ones). The Olfa blade is pretty fucking awesome!

Finished Sharp Objects today. It made me think of cutting and cutters. I was never one and, until quite recently, never personally knew any. The closest I got was that period in '08 when I got a body part pierced every three months or so as a way to deal with everything I was feeling. The piercings are all gone (all rejected by my body) but the keloids never will.

Day #27

Ah yes, forgot/too exhausted to do an entry yesterday (only four hours of teaching yesterday but gawd were the kids boisterous — not always a bad thing though).

Today, full day at work. FUUUUUCK. So I did a few mini cuttings. I rather like the one on the right which is actually just four four-sided shapes. Not exactly a mirror, but still somewhat symmetrical which looks pretty damn awesome! Gonna have to do another similar one! The other two are triangles. I'm thinking of layering with different colors ... might be a nice dizzying effect?

Giving Sharp Objects a second go after finishing Daytripper — which was great but won't count towards that read of the month for May.

Day #26

Yay! Finished Emily's cutting — I woke up just itching and excited to finish it and now it's finally done! All I gotta do is find a suitable background paper. I'm thinking of something light-colored and textured, with a sorta subtle marbled or complementary geometric pattern. A paper buying trip is in order, but ARRRGGGHH. Gotta work full day this Sat and won't have time. =(((

Then I gotta figure out how to present it cuz there's no way I'm going to do one of those temporary frames with the patterned tape.

I'm kinda proud of this cutting, really (despite the shitty-looking handwriting)! I think it turned out pretty decent.

An in-progress shot

Completed 'naked' shot of cutting on cutting mat

With different backgrounds

Got an idea for a cutting for Hazel's nuptials in June: silhouette of a kissing couple (preferably dancers with beautiful lines) on a calligram of a three-tiered cake, under a canopy of stringed beads or stars. Quote-wise (for the calligram), I'm leaning towards something from Night Circus (again) or maybe Shakespeare's Sonnet 116 (yeah, I know, boooooring). Unfortunately, dreaming up the idea is one thing; execution is whole 'nother ballgame ...