Ollie

Ollie, poor Ollie is stressed to the max with his computer office being changed, power/USB cords (aka SNAKES) moving all over the place on the weekend,  furniture moving itself around and his cage rotated 90 degrees to accommodate the new cross platform set up in here.  It is quite cozy however.  He still sits right  near me and can see the monitors and all the pretty colors going on.

As soon as I get the basics down, I'll be moving into PS Creative Cloud 15 and downloading my trial version....   Can't wait to see all the new features....

Brat

After almost 4 months of nonstop PC computer, internet, modem,  and router problems...plus battery backup battery deciding to die in the midst of all of the program malfunctions, unexplained power blips and surges..and Acronis highjacking nightmares, I am now the proud owner of a sleek new iMac.  Okay, the modem and routers are still being affected periodically by Comcast pushing new ISP numbers through weekly and causing signal malfunctions but at least I know how to correct them now. And weekly power blips and surges are still a mystery (at least,according to Com Ed, despite special town hall meetings with dozens of angry users).  Battery has been replaced and we are still trying to completely resolve the Acronis issues but....

I have a pretty new iMac.  And I'm learning this new platform as quickly as my ole brain allows.  Also as quickly as I can in the time restraints I have to deal with since I STILL spend some time almost daily with random internet, modem, power blips, etc.  At least I am no longer spending ALL my time dealing with these issues.

My biggest fear was that my PC wouldn't cooperate long enough to allow the Apple tech to transfer data to the new iMac.  In fact, it totally malfunctioned 20 minutes after I got the call that the new computer had arrived at the Apple Store and they were ready for me to bring in the PC. My plan to bring it in that evening fizzled when the PC froze (yet again) when I tried to shut it down.  By the time I did the hard shut down, rebooted to make sure it still functioned and hadn't just totally crashed and then shut down again, it was too late.  The theme of the entire summer....spending ALL my time dealing with a tantrum throwing, misbehaving computer.  And so I loaded the PC in my car in the morning, took one look at it and told it  to BEHAVE!  And realized yes, now I'm speaking to my computer because it has been behaving like a total BRAT!

And that is how Brat got its name.  Very fitting, eh?

It is SUMMERTIME in Craft Chicagoland! Just in time for Mother's Day.....

Hi all!

Warm weather has finally arrived this week here in Chi-town....which means it is summer outside.  Yay! We kind of bypass spring here and usually go right from winter (which has been waaaaaaay too long again this past season) into the toasty warm summer temps.  With rain mixed in, of course. And everything blooming on hyperdrive and all at once.

Both of these events address the reasons I haven't posted in the past week or two.  Yes, I've opted to spend the time outside instead of inside on my computer blogging. (Can you blame me after the winter WE just escaped from?!).  It's been so amazing not wearing winter gear (heavy coats, hats, gloves, the works) and breathing in air that doesn't burn my lungs.  So yes, I have to say opportunities to walk outside have definitely trumped computer time indoors.

If you don't suffer from seasonal or other environmental allergies, this next reason probably won't really resonate with you.  Basically, it's been tough to see clearly through itchy, watering (and very irritated) eyes.  Whatever I'm mainly allergic to every spring was apparently mega-dosing the past couple weeks. Even with windows closed as much as possible, both humans and dogs brought pollen and other allergens right into the house each time anyone stepped outdoors for even a few minutes. Staring at a computer monitor had to be limited to "deadlined" projects and  necessary tasks.

The misery lasts until it rains and washes much of the mess out of the air and keeps it trapped on the soggy ground.  Which happened yesterday evening so....here I am!  Perhaps relief only for a day, but I'm enjoying the respite, nonetheless.

HOWEVER....allergies and outdoor fun has not stopped me from creating new art or crafting new projects! Or creating a sale in my Etsy shop!  25% off ALL original art dog, cat and wildlife note cards!  Visit www.sweetpetatoes.etsy.com to visit my shop.  Lots of items listed...from scrapbook kits to handcrafted one-of-a-kind silk ties.

If you have not done so yet, please drop by www.mixedmediaart.net and take a peek at my debut article on the blog.  It is under the Product Review Section but you can just search on top under my name Gail Green and the article will pop up.  Or try this direct link......http://www.mixedmediaart.net/?s=gail+green

And, in the spirit of the season, here's one of the projects in the blog article....

I also have another project posted on the Linnie Blooms Design Team Blog....it's pretty cool so take a jog over to that site, as well... www.linnieblooms.blogspot.com

For more info on Linnie Blooms products, visit their website.


Another article will be posting sometime next week...

Have a Happy Mother's Day!

More Ollie the Monkeyman Stories!

It's time for another Ollie story!

Ollie is a male red-side Eclectus parrot who LOVES crafts, watching me create art, feeding the dogs (and playing with their toys...aka stealing their toys), whatever we are eating...and music!

He also talks.  I mean talking as in actual communication using appropriate sounds and/or human words/phrases.  Most people who do not know birds well assume that talking birds just mimic words and have no idea what they mean.  Intelligent parrots like African Greys and Eclectus, however, are capable of actual appropriate use of words--which are sounds--and other sounds to communicate their thoughts, needs, and feelings.

For example, Ollie learned a long time ago to imitate the sound of a dog squeaky ball and use that sound to convey happiness. He will always make that squeaky ball sound whenever we turn on the shower and ask him to step up so he can be transferred onto his perch inside the shower stall and enjoy a bath.  He spreads his wings wide and allows the water to thoroughly soak his feathers during his bath.  When I tell him to step back onto the perch (so he won't get soap or shampoo on his feathers), he will immediately step back and up onto his perch.

HOWEVER....if he just HAD a bath the previous day and doesn't really need another one, he will not make that sound.  He'll go into the shower with us to keep us company and enjoy the higher humidity, but won't spread his wings or attempt to get wet.  And no squeaky toy squeal of delight!

After his bath, I place one of his small towels around him, dry him off for just a moment and then replace him and his perch into the bathtub where he then listens to country music and preens himself in the sun streaming in the window. He sings to the music, then takes a nap.

 Hopefully it will finally warm up so the windows can be open and he can once again enjoy full spectrum light!

Introducing....Ollie the Monkeyman!

For those of you who may not already be familiar with my "Ollie" stories, let me explain.  Ollie is a 5-1/2 year old Eclectus parrot who LOVES, LOVES, LOVES crafting and all things artsy, colorful and creative.  Not sure if it is the positive energy I give off when creating and creating art--or the sheer fascination he has watching things happening--but Ollie is at his happiest when he can watch creative things going on.

Lately, he has taken on new responsibilities. One of his new jobs is to tease Lacy Lulu, our 7 month old Border Collie puppy.  Like all "siblings", each wants to have what the other has.  In Ollie and Lacy's case, that means food and toys. Each, of course, will immediately grab the other's toy(s).  Ollie has also discovered how much fun it is to reinforce training the puppy by saying "Good boy!" when Lacy obeys a command and will often drop tasty bits of food off the side of his feeding station (aka the kitchen island) on purpose just to each her eat them up. Sometimes his enthusiasm goes a little into hyperdrive, however, and he will (literally) empty his entire bowl over the edge, one piece at a time. Maybe that is just his own way of expressing himself creatively!