Cymru am byth
Cymru am byth, the motto of Wales, translates to Wales forever.
Wales land of massive castles and origin of many of the Tales of King Arthur. Called Cymru in the native language, and the people are the Cymry.
Believed to be the standard of King Arthur, the Welsh Dragon or Y Ddraig Goch is the national symbol of Wales. The origin of the Dragon is a mystery, it may have arrived with Roman soldiers. It has been associated with Wales since before 830.
Y Ddraig walks across the letter of Wales, with Cymru am byth above.
The design is available on T-shirts in many styles and colors. Sizes from infant to 2X.
Also available on buttons, magnets, aprons, magnets and totes. If there is a specific zazzle.com product you want and it is not currently available on please contact me, and I’ll see what I can do.
Farmhouse Photo Collage
A composite collage of many detail images of a single subject. In this case the Hawkin’s Farmhouse at the entrance to Toledo Botanical Gardens. The photos were taken on two separate days in the Fall of 2010 using various camera settings.
The Farmhouse Collage is available in 3 different options; poster, large canvas and triple canvas.
Depending on size Poster start at $9.65 and up. There are three paper choices and framing available.
Depending on size and stretcher depth Canvas start at $78.00
Detailed description. Multiple images of a farmhouse, probably built about 1900, but now in the middle of an urban area. Some of the images were taken with an “incorrect” white balance so the sky appears to be a brilliant blue. In the background is a “faded” black and white photo. All of the detail photo were arranged to create a “lopsided” composite of the farmhouse.
Sometimes this style of collage is referred to as “Hockney” after David Hockney. This is not quite accurate in my opinion, as Hockney’s collages tend to be more ordered and grid like. I worked at making this ungridded and more shattered in appearance. Almost like someone was trying to piece together a memory of an old farmhouse.
It’s a Kilt
It’s a KILT
Many have been “kilt” for calling it a “skirt!” (Don’t let it happen to you.)
The letters of Kilt and Skirt are a blue tartan pattern, with red accents.
The design is available on T-shirts in many styles and colors. Sizes from infant to 2X.
Also available on buttons, magnets, aprons, magnets and totes. If there is a specific zazzle.com product you want and it is not currently available on please contact me, and I’ll see what I can do.
Nothing says Scotland like a highland man in a kilt playing the bagpipes.
Though in truth non of those things is native to Scotland. Not even the Highlander, cute as he may be, sorry.
Sometime between the end of the Roman occupation of lower Britannia and medieval times, there was an invasion from Ireland and many of the indigenous cultures disappeared. Bagpipes were and are in widespread use across Europe, and possibly as early as the Roman era. Kilts or “plaides” did not make an appearance until the lat 16th century. Plaide roughly translates to blanket. It was a double with of fabric each about 144 inches long and 30 inches wide, stitched down the center. It was an untailored garment belted around the waist and draped over the should like a cloak. And the whole tartan system developed much later.
So does any of that really take away from the modern glamour of the Highlander myth, no not really, they have really adapted it all to form a unique identity. It just drives me nuts when I see kilted Scotsmen battling the English in the 11th century or worse the Romans. Besides my Scottish ancestors are were Lowlander Reivers and I feel obligated to take the invading scum down a notch or two once in a while.
I will admit to finding something irresistible about a pipe and drum band, marching a in their dress kilts. You have to hand it to Scots for forming a distinct national identity that most everyone recognizes, respects and admires.
Ms. Crazy Cat Lady
I’m not a Crazy Cat Lady.
I’m the Crazy Cat Lady
and that’s Ms. Crazy Cat Lady to you!
Do people say you have too many cats, even though you have just the right amount? Can stray felines spot you a mile away? Does pitiful mewing melt your heart? Do strangers ask you for advice about caring for their kitties? Do you consider cat hair on your clothing a fashion statement? Do you think paw prints on the laundry are just a fact of life. Have you ever bought furniture to match a furry friend?
If you answered yes to any of these questions you may be an aspiring Crazy Cat Lady or full fledged Crazy Cat Lady. This is not the problem some in out world would lead you to believe, this is the choice of the future! So be proud!
There are many versions of this one:
Original Ms. Crazy Cat Lady at Zazzle ♥ A newer version of Ms. Crazy Cat at Zazzle ♥ An Organic Crazy Cat Lady at Skreened ♥ The Original Ms. Crazy Lady at Cafe Press ♥ Another CCL Cafe Press ♥ Ms. Crazy Cat Lady at Printfection
Old Skull and Calfskin Vellum
There was a very lovely day last week, mid-seventies and breezy, I sat at my computer all day playing with creating different textures in Photoshop. I know, you usually think of Photoshop for editing and manipulating images from a camera. I like the filter tools and brushes for creating no scalable textures and backgrounds. I could use Illustrator, but I find too many filters and objects muck up the works.
One of the backgrounds I came up with was a very nice vellum parchment texture. (No, not the stuff used to line cookie sheets, old animal skin vellum like the Declaration of Independence was written on.) Supple tans and browns with all the irregularities of a hand-worked natural item.
Those are cool. I thought they were maybe somewhat plain, so I found an old medical illustration of a skull at various angles and ran a portion of it through some filters so I could vectorize it with autotrace in Illustrator. Then I decided I liked the skull and decided to put it on t-shirts and some of the other merchandise that doesn’t work with backgrounds.
