we are NOT amused

i am having one of those weeks where i have begun to wonder which of the gods i pissed off and why...
if it can go wrong it has

eyeglasses
exam went great- the Dr and I were finally on the same page on what my vision needs are for the type of work i do and the kind of vision i have- we compromised on two pairs of glasses one pair just for the studio and the other pair for the rest of the time-
the non- studio glasses were finished first- picked them up and things look a little wonky but i figured it was due to stronger distance lenses( my distance vision is getting worse but my close up keeps improving)
by the end of the day i was back to wearing my old glasses because the new ones were not quite right- but decided to give them a chance because i WAS wearing them in the studio....

the studio glasses are in- they are AWESOME! i can SEE! i wear them out of the store and run into a friend and we talk for about 20 minutes outside...then i notice something is not quite right
-yeah
the left lens is dark and the right lens is crystal clear- it was like wearing weak 3-d glasses in the sun-
by the time i got back to the vision center they were gone for lunch....sigh.....
next day i take them back and they are apologetic and my glasses will be back and correct next week- i am still undecided on the first pair because i can not wear them in the studio- i have to take them off to do any close up work- computer-jewelry making- CUTTING WITH SCISSORS!
it's annoying
I REFUSE TO WEAR A CHAIN
and i am always taking them off and then forgetting where i put them

then there's the cell phone debacle
i am due for an upgrade - there are 5 lines on my plan- 4 of the 5 phones only work part of the time
2 of the 5 phone users are not known for their patience
3 of the 5 phone users live 100 - 800 miles away
i figured let's have an online discussion of phones available and what individual needs are and i-being the primary account holder- will order them all online- simple yes?
in theory too simple- the ordering process went smoothly and the phones arrived the next day as promised
joshua was able to run right down to the Verizon Store in town and get all his information moved to the new phone- for a $10 fee
i did not have time to do that so i figured i would use back up assistant online -which worked like a dream- until it came time to move the data to my NEW phone- sorry- they don't want to play nice- ok I can wait until thursday night and get my phone taken care of at the Verizon Store
meanwhile....i get carolyne's phone boxed up and ready to ship to Cincinnati - better insure it and get it registered receipt requested to be safe- being cautious cost me 45 minutes at the counter at the post office because the postage machine printer kept malfunctioning on the counter clerk- and of course when i walked into the post office there was no one waiting and as soon as my package got into the system 4 people walked in and here i am tying up the window as 6 more people walk in and the line is out the door....and i keep aplogizing for the delay which isn't my fault it's the stupid machine

geesh- ok package is now out of my hands

last night i go to the Verizon Store and they make me wait for 35 minutes i don't mind waiting- i really don't -what i DO mind is this: he hands me back my phone and says oh- we can't perform this service for you because THIS store doesn't sell THIS phone- it's at this moment i notice the HUGE sign hanging on the wall behind him extolling the virtues of online back up assistance...

you're kidding right? no

phone number 4 is on its way to daughter number 3 in Omaha via KayTay who is on her way to visit and phone number 5 is waiting for Kelsey to get home tonight for Spring Break.

my phone is sitting here on my desk mocking me as i MANUALLY put EVERYTHING into it

the frosting on this particular cake happened this morning when i discovered my period had started after a two month absence - being a woman of a certain age where this kind of thing happens and MY BRAND of tampons had been DISCONTINUED!

they couldn't wait until i was finished with menopause?
of course not
patience over

window to the future

the first two weeks of February i participated in a blogging event called "One World One Heart". this was an amazing gathering of creative people from all over the world. i visited each and every blog- all 800+ of them. part of the event was to have thank you gifts for the people who stopped by your blog and left a comment. for me it wasn't about the possibility of winning a prize it was about seeing all the diverse talent "out there"

The World Wide Web is aptly named.

today in my mailbox was this piece:
isn't it wonderful? It measures 4 x 6" and is absolutely delightful. this was made by Helen Campbell of Washington. i am now following her blog "Nature's Walk Studio". the title of the piece is "Window to the Future" i am already planning on framing it. it uses the techniques of image transfer, collage and wax. LOVE IT!

i took a class this summer and dabbled in using wax on ATC's. we dipped our pieces in wax and Iilike the look and feel of it. in this case the fine coating of wax looks like it was maybe brushed on and it gives this piece an aged patina that is so cool.
this past weekend i hosted my first ever Art Retreat in the studio and one of the techniques i got a really good feel for was image transfer. (finally! Thanks Cecelia!) this piece by helen makes me want to get busy and do some more experimenting with wax!

it's a love/hate relationship

that describes my relationship with technology in general and my cell phone in particular
i like having the accessibility but hate the technology
i have a 5 person family plan- one phone for me and then one each for the kids and my phone as the primary account is eligible for an upgrade
this is where the love/hate comes in
I LOVE the idea of getting a NEW phone
I HATE the idea of getting a new phone

too many choices and features and bells and whistles and such when my BIGGEST question is WHY does reception suck in the art room in the studio? and why can't they fix that? my daughter in Cincinnati has to stand by her window in the living room to talk to me when she is at home in her apartment...my daughter in Sioux City has so many dead spots that her calls get dropped to me all the time...the one in Omaha is 90% text and has few issues and my son- well I would say he's pretty hard on a phone- OK that's putting it politely

so here i am in cell phone hell
why does it say my phone is eligible for free upgrade but not theirs?
where can i figure out this out?
does this mean i can only upgrade my phone? i do not want to go through this painful process more than once every two years

what will the bottom line be? is free really free or are there hidden charges?

GAH!

they want you to use the stupid website but then make it so confusing it's ridiculous! and i consider myself to be fairly intelligent

and as long as I am on the subject- why can't "they" design a printer for my computer that thinks like an artist?
sometimes I only need to print a 4 x 6 - and yes I change my printer settings for photo paper- but my printer can tell when it's not photo paper and is something else

i told you- love/ hate all the way

learning

i think learning is a lifelong endeavor. you should never stop learning. there is so much to see and do and well, just learn!

i have spent the weekend with my sister and a friend of mine. we have been creating art all weekend. each one of us has perfected a process or technique. we love what we do and enjoy teaching others. so the first two days have been spent sharing. tomorrow we will take what we have learned and actually do something with it.



image transfer on painted background
with stamped images

 i was so proud of my first ever image transfer. and C enjoyed printing on her gelatin plate. i LOVE the iron on image transfer paper for fabric and paper. AWESOME!!! and Shari was challenged with her elevated shrine box project. i am still not sure if this piece is finished. every time i look at it i think ...wow! I did that....

you know it's good to learn and share and teach. we have had good food, good company, good music and good times.

so, never stop learning. never stop sharing your knowledge with others and most of all keep having fun while you do it!

oh happy day!

i have to admit that there is NOTHING like a sunny warm day in February.

i live in Iowa- where winter seems to LAST FOREVER! and winter isn't so bad except for

• the lack of sunshine
• below freezing temperatures
• wind chill

so today it is 60+ degrees and the sun is shining and the studio door is open and i sat out front on a step stool and ate goldfish crackers and soaked it all in!

in which we come to the last chapter where we have to say goodbye...

the "One World One Heart" blog event is now officially over. i am very glad i opted to participate. last night i printed off 25 pages of comments from people who stopped by this blog and took some time to get to know me...cut them into strips and then chose two....

so the randomly picked winners are Marilyn Studio 274 - she has won the wall piece
and Deirdra Doan has won the copy of my book

One World One Heart 2011

welcome!

i am laura comito, 2nd generation Italian American living in the wilds of western Iowa, USA. i've been an artist all my life and enjoy mixed media collage- i like to alter stuff. i'd rather go junking than shopping for clothes. i also design and create my own jewelry which feeds into my passion for vintage jewelry and i can't help but incorporate rhinestones into most of my work. i love to travel and actually made it to the village where my grandparents were born in Italy!  oh yeah- i also live with depression everyday.

thanks for stopping by and taking a peek around. leave a comment too! as a token of my appreciation i am giving away two items hand made by me to two lucky people.



page 1

 item number one is a copy of the book I published called "Outside the Lines"
my story of living and coping with depression through art and meds. all of the artwork is a series of collages from art papers, ephemera, bits and pieces of found objects stickers, rubber stamps and doodles.




item number 2 is a wall collage made from hand made papers, art papers, fibers, ribbon flowers and sculpy clay.

it's been nice getting to know you!
laura

i also write a second blog so please stop by and look around there too! Just click on the link and it will magically take you to my other place!               artworks and beads

~JUST ADDED~

if you are a cardmaker i was just gifted with an entire box of envelopes of many different sizes and colors. i would be more than happy to send you an assortment of 24 envelopes. in your message make sure you put ENVELOPES in caps- so i SEE it :) and i will contact you for your snail mail address. these are free- paying it forward....