The Adventures of KJ & The Dreamy Giraffe

Adventure #73: KJ's Big Idea

 

Lately, on the forums at Etsy, there have been a lot of threads about copycats.

Can I just say...I really don't get copying.  I'm NOT saying it doesn't happen and I know firsthand how hurtful it can be to see your work with someone else's name on it. Back in 1847 or 2000 or something, I used to write this story and put it up on my old old nothing-to-do-with-The-Dreamy-Giraffe website and a few months later, wound up stumbling upon that story, my story on someone else's website -- and that someone else was claiming THEY wrote it.  I was so crushed, I vowed to never, ever put any of my work on the 'net again -- obviously that vow was broken.

But, so yes, I understand how awful that feels and I'm sure ideas do get stolen and artists do get ripped off.  It most likely even happens at Etsy.  I mean, every other day there's a thread popping up by someone who feels as if they've been the victim of a copycat, so obviously at least some of those are really cases of someone legitimately being copied.  I'm not trying to minimize the issue, but I truly do have a difficult time wrapping my mind about it being THAT rampant of an issue.

Here's why: I can't imagine needing to take someone else's idea. 

I just...can't imagine it.

Adventure #72: When KJ Is Unproductive, She's VERY Unproductive

Dear You,

I have been very sick.  So, for the last four days or so, this is about all I have managed to get done:

This little super-guy was a commissioned piece...and he was supposed to bear a resemblance to this little super-guy:

But, is it just me, or does he, instead, bear a resemblance to Spencer, from The Hills?  Oh, please, oh, please, say it IS just me.  Pretty please?

I really don't know how most days I use not having time as an excuse for not blogging, yet, now, when I really and truly do NOT have time, here I am, blogging.

Hobby Lobby has paintbrushes on sale for 50% off and if the paintbrushes currently being used by moi were the Seven Dwarfs, they'd be named Bad, Really Bad, TooBad, SoSad, NineKindsofMessedUp, JustWrong, and WornOut.   And Snow White would be like, "Unh unh, no way, I'm not staying with you slobs, I'm going back to the castle and taking my chances with the Wicked Queen."

They really would, it's that bad.

Gotta run, new art supplies are calling!

Be super!

KJ

IF My Mom Hadn't Said "Blonde!"

Illustration Friday

08/17/07

This week's topic is: Captain

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If my mom (who is The Dreamy Giraffe's Head Consultant on all things that need consulting) hadn't said, "Blonde!" when I asked what color hair this little sailor girl should have, this would've been a completely different painting.  In my head, I pictured her as a brunette (but it didn't quite feel right when I started to actually pick out the paint), with the background as a nighttime, moonlit, cloudfilled sky and the water dark and murky and turbulent.

I have to say, I like it much better this way, which just proves once again that Mother knows best, as they say.  Thanks, MiMi!

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& though it has nothing to do with this post AND I hate to get all TMI on you, but last night, I dreamed that I was married to Brandon Walsh.  Perhaps the  taking a swig of children's Benadryl before bed and watching two shows starring Jason Priestly (90210 & Side Order of Life) in as many days is not the wisest combination.  (And let me add, that it was the DONNA MARTIN GRADUATES! episode, which I just couldn't resist, and Jenny's boss is a cutie pie, isn't he?)

& a close-up:

 

KJ's Third Sunday Scribblings

• Sunday Scribblings 
• Prompt #73: Dear Diary
• {It's fiction, of the untitled, unfinished variety. }
• {This is Part III.   Part I is here.  Part II is here.  If you haven't already, go read those parts first, or you'll be like, "Huh?"}
• We now join Carole Tenley (Green?!) & her family & friends, already in progress...

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July 15th, 2007

11:19 P.M.

The Tenley (Green?!) Upstairs Walk-In Hall Closet

                                       

Dear Diary,

 

It's Molly.

 

Something weird's going on.  Mom thinks she's turning green. 

Adventure #71: Playing Tag With A Brown-Eyed Fox

Dear You:

I was tagged for the Four Things meme by the brown-eyed Carissa, pictured above in her Dreamy Giraffe-ized foxy, foxier, foxiest glory, so here goes nothin':

4 jobs I've had: Waitress (which is totally uninteresting until I throw in the fact that it was at a truck stop), 7th & 8th grade language arts teacher, costume shop assistant, and paralegal.

4 films I'd watch over and over: These days I really don't have enough of an attention span when it comes to zoning out and relaxing to spend an hour and a half to two hours watching a movie - within fifteen minutes I'm usually get antsy and am up and doing something -- but I will totally turn the channel to Hitch every single time it comes on, which is quite often on Starz.  I do the same with Little Black Book, though not as frequently.   I don't know why.  Ooh, and Cellular.  Because let's face it: Chris Evans is just plain hot. If you were asking me this question ten years ago, Scream would totally be on the list.  I have seen that movie so many times it's borderline crazy.

4 places I've lived: I've never lived outside of South Carolina, and have only lived in two cities here.

4 favorite t.v. shows: Grey's Anatomy, though I don't know how I'm going to deal with no Dr. Burke (say what you want about Isaiah Washington, the actor, but I will miss the character a bunch) and I loved him and Cristina together, and hmmm.  I watch Guiding Light everyday, if that counts.  And Big Brother.  I like Side Order of Life & State of Mind on Lifetime, but they've not been on long enough yet to achieve favorite status.

4 favorite foods: pizza, Breyer's Dulce De Leche ice cream, my mom's blueberry cobbler, and Mexican Pizza Dip from Red Bone Alley.

4 websites I visit daily: Etsy, Bloglines, Typepad, um...actually, I visit Etsy enough for it to count twice.

4 places I love to be: With my niece, Kaylee, any kind of art or craft supply store, Florida & fall...which technically isn't a place, but I'd still love to be there! (And, of course, I love to be at home, but, who doesn't?  I mean, it IS where the heart is, no?)

4 favorite colors:  I refuse to choose.  But maybe pink.

4 names I love but wouldn't use for my children: There are none I LOVE that I wouldn't use.  I mean, if you love them, why wouldn't you use them?

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 & as an added bonus, here's a picture of me, showing off my mad waitressing skills circa 2000. 

             

Why would anyone take a photo of that, you ask?  Well, because that's not me ACTUALLY being a waitress (the "uniform" at the truck stop wasn't that snazzy -- in fact, I wore jeans and a t-shirt); it's me playing one on television stage.  Sorry the pic is so small and grainy and you can't actually tell that I have facial features -- it's actually from the local newspaper -- the FRONT PAGE of the local newspaper.  Bet ya didn't know I used to be famous, did you?  Don't get all starstruck, though.  It was just a college production (of David Ives' All in the Timing, and my part lasted all of about five minutes or so. )  But it was fun.  Those guys didn't tip me, though.  

I'm supposed to tag somebody so -- TAG, you're it!

Love,

KJ

P.S. Out of all the artist's in the whole entire world Ms. Brown-Eyed Fox actually chose l'il old me to do the artwork for her website -- and that painting is what we came up with.  You can also see it on her lovely site here.

Adventure #70: The Dreamy Giraffe Equivalent of a Mute Button

                 

Meet Priscilla.  She is so obviously not afraid of needles.

She's tired of being the first to say I love you.  She's tired of getting upset and saying things she doesn't mean.  She's tired of talking and talking and talking and having the person she's been talking to not hear a word she's said.   She's tired of saying "yes" when she really means  "heck no!".   She's tired of having to tell telemarketers, "No, I do not want to participate in your survey." 

So, she's sort of sewn her lips together.  It didn't hurt that much, but it did mess up her lipgloss.   At any rate, it was probably an impulsive decision she'll regret later.  Like when those chocolate chip cookies come out of the oven.  But for now, her stupid mouth will not get her in any trouble.

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This little lady will be in the shop sooner or later!  And, yes, it's been a bad week.  I've not sewn any of my body parts -- or anyone else's -- together yet, though.

Adventure #69: KJ Goes Postal (But Not Really)

Dear You:

So, yesterday, in South Carolina, where KJ (that's me) & The Dreamy Giraffe reside, it was so hot you could've fried an egg on the back of your neck.  It was so hot, I requested the gentleman behind the counter at the post office dump a bucket of ice water over my head.

Hey! Speaking of the post office, back on June 1st, in this blog post, I wrote:

Not that the letter would get to you if I mailed it.  Yes, I'm currently a little bit bitter where the USPS is concerned.  And not just 'cause they hit-and-ran Muffin several months back.  But that's another entry for another time.

And the lovely & foxy Carissa responded in the comments:

BUT... big BUT... do not say the paintings did not arrive... NO... NO!  What in the world    ....   where in the world!  Dad gum it!  Come on... USPS get that masterpiece to the rightful people!  Please!

And then...I don't think I ever brought it up again.  But, this is "another time".

Adventure #68: KJ Makes Monsters

Dear You,

This is Binky.

He's a monster. 

I know, I know:  He looks pretty harmless, but he kills things with questions & doubt. 

He's not malicious, just VERY, highly skeptical by nature, so do not let him near your dreams.  Whatever you do, do not feed him.  He's a very engaging conversationalist, but refuse to discuss important issues with him.  He will whisper "what if ___________? what if _________? what if __________?" over and over again in your ear, until you fill in the blank with the worst case scenario.  Don't play that game.  In fact, it's probably best not to talk to him at all.   Tell him "everything'll be all right", if you must, but no matter how cute he is, do not listen to his rebuttal.   Just pat him on his little head, and send him on his way. 

Stay cool,

KJ

P.S.  "It's me who makes the monsters..."<--------------- That's one of my all-time favorite lyrics, from a song called "Me", by Paula Cole, which doesn't really have anything to do with anything except the title of this post made me think of it.   And now that you know at least one useless KJ Fun Fact.  Don't try to sell it on eBay or anything, though.  No one would bid. ;)

IF I Lost You

Illustration Friday

08/03/07

This week's topic is: Missing

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Little Bo Peep has lost her sheep and doesn't know where to find them...bet you can finish THAT line.  But did you know there are additional verses?  There are, and you can read them here, if you're a curious cat.

I confess:  This piece is not new, but it was too perfect not to use.  It's an 8" x 10" painting, on canvas, done in acrylics, and is titled, "Missing Ewe".  Hee.  That's punny.                     

I confess, Part II: I am a dork.  I've never denied that.                                             

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& though it has nothing to do with this post AND I hate to get all judgemental on you, but I must say: Sarah Jessica Parker looks quite scary and like a total madwoman at the very end of that new perfume commercial.  There've been times in my life where I felt I had to have something, too, Carrie Bradshaw, but I TRY not to frighten people with my desire.

                                           

Adventure #67: KJ Gets Rainbowriffic!

Dear Colorful Lady or Gentleman Reading This,

A weekly Creative Challenge takes place...um...weekly...over at the Etsy forums.  New challenges are posted on Monday mornings.

Anyway, this week's challenge, which was #61 (but only #2 for me!), was to create something new inspired by one or more of the colors of the rainbow.  You know, Mr. Roy G. Biv.

Actually, in my case, he's Roy G. Bv, because I used all the colors except the i...simply because I've never quite gotten the difference between Indigo & Violet -- isn't purple purple, people? Or is indigo a blue?  See? Don't get it!  And according to Wikipedia, I am not the only one!  (Check out the "Sequence of Colors" section & the #13 of the "Notes" section, too!)

It says: Some days she couldn't decide which color to wear, so she wore them all...

You can see all the other rainbowriffic responses to Challenge #61 here.

And, hey, wear all the colors! Who's stopping you, but you?

KJ

P.S. "Let no one who loves be unhappy...even love unreturned has its rainbow." - James Matthew Barrie.  Lots of other rainbow quotes here.