Kat's Box

Chapter One, Page Eight

2009-04-22T20:07:00.001-07:00

Chapter One, Page Seven

2009-04-19T21:00:00.000-07:00

Chapter One, Page Six

2009-04-14T19:59:00.001-07:00

Chapter One, Page Five

2009-04-07T20:12:00.001-07:00

Elysium Dreams Page Four

2009-04-04T10:20:00.000-07:00

BTW, it's hard to work on the computer to upload images when this is in your lap demanding attention:

Elysium Dreams Page Three

2009-04-02T19:37:00.001-07:00

Page three. Looks like a few of you have found me! ^_^

Chapter One, Page Two

2009-03-29T18:20:00.001-07:00

Page One, Chapter One

2009-03-27T22:39:00.000-07:00

First page of Chapter One of Elysium Dreams.

New comic!

2009-03-22T16:39:00.001-07:00

Okay! Let's hope this works. I'm going to start putting my comic up on this blog. I don't have an idea yet how often I will update it (three times a week, two, once, as often as I feel, etc.) so there are no guarantees. But I will give it a shot. Here goes the cover page for the first chapter. Hope you like it! Just click on the image to see it full size.

Trippy hippy

2009-01-08T21:34:00.000-08:00

Here's something I've been fiddling with for a while now. This little hippy was a drawing I did for fun to test in both black and white and color. Here she is in black and white. I've also got a version of her in color. Can't find it right now, though, so this will have to do.

I used Comic Works, which is a Japanese style tone program, to add the tones. I have both versions of this program. The second one is actually from Japan and when I open it up I have to rely on my memory as to all the functions, as the thing's either in garbeldygook or Japanese, depending on what my computer will read.

I love working with tones. You can move them around, turn them upside down, sideways, and get a whole different image. And they are great for evoking moods.

In this instance I loved that snakeskin tone--it worked great for her pants. And the sun image with the triangles kind of made me think of the affinity the hippies had for Native Americans, as you can see by her fringed vest, moccasins and headband.

Ah, those were the days. Hated the politics, but loved some of the fashions. I wouldn't want to go back for anything, though.

All rightie!

2009-01-04T10:34:00.000-08:00

Okay! I've proven it works, so now I'm going to go ahead and use this as my art blog. Henceforth, look for any stories I'm working on or new art I've done to appear here. I'll be giving out this url to folks to look for my art. Should be interesting to see whether this will make a difference in my life or not.

Testing, testing

2009-01-04T10:06:00.001-08:00

This is a test to see what happens when I post art here. Now to see if it can be clicked on for a full image.

Hope to use this for a good purpose soon

2008-03-30T14:36:00.000-07:00

I'm hoping to turn this blog into an art blog very soon. I've been dying to get back into my creative side for some time. I haven't been able to due to 1) a bad winter of illness (had four separate bouts with a cold--three times I had to be out for a week), 2) business with my job as a temp for Volt at World Vision and now an official employee of said same; 3)taking care of my mom's needs as she settles into her new place; 4)hosting two Japanese students within the space of two month (Eri and Momiji); and 5)taking on the job of Teacher Guide while hosting Momiji and still working at World Vision. I am physically, emotionally and mentally exhausted by the last one.

Here's my list of things I hope to do in the very near future:

1. Continue with my Japan blog. I just added a new post. You can read it here at: http://nekokat.blogspot.com/.
2. Officially start the projects and chapter readings in the workbook "The Creative Call," by Janice Elsheimer.
3. Art projects. I have in mind trying some ACEO sized pics or slightly larger illustrations in mixed media that Mardel can embellish, as well as some more drawings colored by computer to post on Deviantart.
4. Clear off my 'puter desk so Bill can install the flat screen monitor and Wacom tablet.
5. Once those are installed, have Bill also install Photoshop CS on my 'puter.
6. See if I can take the Photoshop CS classes offered by World Vision.
7. Start walking with Bill after work.
8. Four letter dirty but necessary word: D*I*E*T
9. Get some Archie scripts done.
10. Post any new art here as well as my Deviant site. Here I can talk a bit more about my work.

So, there it is. I hope I can keep this up; I'm determined not to fail. With that in mind I think the best thing would be to commit all ten items to the Lord and ask for the Holy Spirit's help. Then I can't fail!

Ganbatte, Kathleen!

Been a while

2005-06-27T10:22:00.000-07:00

Heh heh. It's been a while since I posted in here. I will try to post more often in the future. Not that anyone appears to be reading this! But for the few who might be, I promise to do better in the future. It's just that I was so busy the last week taking care of my mom's needs. She's had her operation. She's in recovery mode, but her Alzheimer's is making it difficult. It's time to move her into an adult home or a specific Alzheimer's residence.

Lately I've found myself crying more over this. I'd been able to bottle up and secure my feelings for several years. But the changes in her are too profound to ignore. It's hard for me to deal with, yet I must.

Omigosh--already??

2005-05-31T23:39:00.000-07:00

In just a half-hour it will be June 1. Already. And a day later it will be my mom's birthday. Thirteen days after that it will be Bill's birthday. Where has May gone?

Oh, yeah, look down at the post below. That's where May went.

If anyone's wondering....

2005-05-31T23:33:00.000-07:00

I've given this email addy out to a couple of people, so if anyone's been wondering why I haven't been updating this, it's simply because I've been so busy with other stuff. Stuff being trying to get input on what would make a good contract for the Holly book, trying to get my mom's upcoming operations set up, trying to find an Alzheimer's residence that's nice that would take Medicaid, trying to learn how to color in Photoshop, taking a morning to help Mardel after her gall bladder operation, trying to get our trip to Japan figured out, etc., etc. I haven't taken the time to work on this because of all that.

That, and I just felt kinda like I didn't have a lot to say.

Pathetic!!!

2005-05-31T23:29:00.000-07:00

That's what I am. Every now and then I Google my name. In quotations, with various other words joining it. Just to see how I'm thought of out there. Besides Archie, I'm not thought of by much of anybody. I Googled my name with the word "fan" beside it (not in quotes like my name was), and nobody listed themselves as being a fan of mine. Nobody. Now I'm bummed. I'm pathetic.

In a multitude of counsellors

2005-05-13T23:07:00.000-07:00

Well. I put out the word to those I trust (Buzz Dixon, Nate Butler, Paula and Annette on the Planet Meezer board) that I am working with a publisher on getting Holly reprinted. So far the consensus from three of the four (Nate hasn't really had time to look over the material) is--get a lawyer!! So I guess I will do that. Where, though? I shall have to give the matter some serious thought.

This is all new territory for me, and a bit scary. I shall have to also put a lot of prayer time to this also.

The weekend....

2005-05-13T17:29:00.000-07:00

...is mine! I finished off two Archie stories, mailed them today. One has the Sugar Plum Faery in it and the other is just about Archie and his gift-giving troubles. Now I can relax and enjoy the weekend...!

Well, sorta, except I gotta plant the flowers I bought in my pots, I've got the final concert for South Sound Classical Choir tomorrow night, I'm supposed to go to a tea tonight at the Spohnheimer's church, and I've yet to answer Allison Barrow's email (she did email me back!). So it's not totally mine.....

Sigh...wish Mart and I were back up in La Conner, enjoying the bucolic scenery....

I can't resist.....

2005-05-13T17:26:00.000-07:00

Well, they put their finger on the guy whose finger was found in that lady's bowl of Wendy's chili, and now her hubbie's being fingered for taking that guy's finger and collaberating with his wife to get some $$ from Wendy's, who is now giving *them* the finger for trying to finger them for being sloppy with their product.

I'm sorry, the puns in this were just too good to miss....

I've done it

2005-05-11T22:49:00.000-07:00

I got up my nerve and wrote an email to Allison Barrows, the creator of the comic strip, "Preteena." Buzz had found a way to contact her and told her a bit about me and asked her if he could forward her email address to me. She agreed to let him do so but I took some time getting brave enough to write. I guess I just kind of felt shy...but tonight, after spending some time in prayer (not about this, it was just a kind of generalized conversational prayer) I felt brave enought to write. I hope she writes back soon, I'll be haunting my email box until she does.

I really like Preteena. It's such a fun strip, and it sometimes reminds me so much of Cheri and I it's spooky. But on the whole I just like reading it, and wanted to tell Ms. Barrows that. Heaven knows I know what it's like to get nothing but pans and very little praise.

Merry Christmas!!!

2005-05-11T13:54:00.000-07:00

Argh...it's that time of year again...I just got an email from Victor asking me to write some Betty & Veronica and Archie Christmas stories! Guess I know what kind of music I'll be listening to nonstop tomorrow! I emailed Mardel and asked her to send me a Christmas ecard if she can find one. I'll also have to check out my bookmarked Christmas web pages for inspiration. I'll try to do a Sugar Plum faery story as well. I don't think I did one last year.

It's so hard to feel Christmassy when the weather outside is far from frightful and a fire would not be delightful....!

Inspiration

2005-05-11T13:50:00.000-07:00

Listening to: Switchfoot, "Beautiful Letdown"

Bill got me the Switchfoot album for Easter (I love their name, it sounds so silly and whimsical!) and I've been wearing it out. My favorite song on the album hands down is probably "More Than Fine." It's pretty much what's been driving me all these years. With apologies to Switchfoot, here are the lyrics:

When I wake in the morning
I want to blow into pieces
I want more than just okay, more than just okay

When I'm up with the sunshine
I want more than just a good time
I want more than just okay, more than just okay

I'm not givin' up, givin' up now
I'm not givin' up, not backing down

More than fine, more than bent on getting by
More than fine, more than just okay

When I'm lit with the sunshine
I want more than just the blue skies
I want more than just okay, more than just okay

More than oceans away from the dawn
More than oceans away from who we are
More than oceans, more than oceans
More than fine

It doesn't sound like much (neither does one of my other favorite songs from this album, namely, "This is Your Life," where they sing "are you who you wanna be??"). But I guess to me it typifies my desire to be more than mediocre, to have life be something special, something incredible, something....more than just okay. I'd like to try to light up the sky with fireworks somehow, with what I do, creating something that will entertain, intrigue, inspire...in short will be more than just okay.

It's like the photocopy of the earth from space that I have on my office wall, with the words above it, "How BIG is Your Vision?"

The Journey of a Single Pawprint

2005-05-11T08:27:00.000-07:00

Okay. This is my umpteenth gazillionth try. I'm attempting to make a blog entry, let's see if it works. I've been having so much trouble trying to write it in the "compose" section, I thought I'd try "edit html" instead. So far so good!

Whoa, I was typing up an entry, tried hitting a tag at the top of the box and lost everything I'd typed. This is harder than I thought!!! Now I have to start from scratch...again...I'm beginning to think blogs are more difficult than I previously thought....

Anyway, I was trying to post a picture I took of Misako with my new camera. She had climbed into my lap wanting attention yesterday while I was on the computer. As I was idly scritching her chin it occured to me to take a pic of her. She had such a look of contentment on her little face! Here is the resulting pic.

Hope that worked. The camera is a Canon PowerShot SD110 Digital Elph. The first time I'd encountered it or one like it is when Hiroko, one of our early students, came to visit the first time. She had this itsy, bitsy, tiny cute camera I fell in love with. Now, my Elph appears to be as small as hers, but whoa Nellie, it feels heavier for some reason. Maybe I'm just imagining things. Anyway, after Bill got home I took some pics with it. At first I was disappointed that it appeared to have a limited zoom lens. Bill got all down about my disappointment and I thought, "oh great, now he'll think I'll be unhappy with it, even though I'm trying to make the best of it." Then, as I was looking at the manual I discovered it had an even further zoom feature on it, you just have to turn that feature on to use it. So I did and voila!!! It can take some far away shots a-okay! That's great because sometimes it's hard to sneak up on the cats and get really cute shots of them while they are sleeping without waking them up. And I know I'll want the zoom while we're in Japan, so I can take pictures of scenery and zoom in on architectural details on buildings.

Speaking of Japan, I'm so excited to be going. So far Mio, Saki, Tachi and Masami have said they are excited about seeing us again. I haven't heard from anyone else. I need to write Masami and let her know we are glad to be invited to see her. I'm sorry we won't see Sachie. I'm glad she sent me a packet of pictures of her new little guy, Reiji, but I sure wish I could have seen him in person. Oh well, maybe n a few years or so.