Artist?

I am not artist. Not in any way, shape or form. Some have said that I write well, but I just write what's on my mind. Nothing more, nothing less.

If I am doing "creative writing" then I tend to let my mind run away with me, but I never share the stuff I write, not to anyone. Not that I don't mind critique, but I just don't like the thought of someone reading it and either laughing, shaking their head, or generally thinking it's shit.

I do it for me, mostly.

But writing aside, I can't draw, I can't paint, I can't dance, sing, sculpt, sketch... An empty vessel, devoid of any skills at all.

I started to use Instagram on the day it was released for Android. I'm not sure why - there are plenty of similar apps on the Market that do a similar job, but it seemed quite popular, so I gave it a bash.  I've not taken many pictures with it yet, and I am still getting to grips with it. I like the filters, but I dislike the size limitations - my phone takes pictures in HD, large megapixel - but Instagram doesn't like that, and has to resize them...

Still... While out and about, I often see something that I think, "That'll be a nice picture" and give it a quick clickity-click with the camera. With Instagram, I can fiddle with the filters, see which I like, click upload, and job done - picture online.

Like I say, I've only taken a few, but earlier, after taking Tam to Beavers, as I was crossing a bridge, I thought "Hmm that'll be interesting" and took a snap of the railway lines, stuck a filter on it, and uploaded it.

When I got in, I looked at the picture on the computer screen, and I don't know why, but I really like it. It's kinda gloomy and moody, but I LIKE it.

I'm no photographer, I literally took ONE snap and adjusted it, but I like what I see..

Clicky to Embiggen

I don't think it was anything more than luck that made it come out the way it did - a focus here, hold it steady, click, filter, upload... Done.

I use my Tumblr site to upload and host the photos, so if you're that interested, go take a peek!

Kellie And Her Kards

As I have alluded in the past, Kellie is what I call crafty.

Aside from possibly being a spy and/or secret agent, what I actually mean is that when it comes to Arts & Crafts, she is quite happy looking at types of paper (I know! Paper comes in TYPES now!) or deciding which coloured sticky-choking-hazard she's going to attach to something and so on.

A while back, I set her up a little blog and finally, after much umming and arring about it (and buying her several strange gizmos that are just evil devices of torture) she is branching out into the big wide world of Card Making.

Her blog is over at Kellies Kards, and while she's only just getting started, she will be taking orders and making cards to order.  She's worried her cards are amateurish and suchlike, but I just kick her when she poo-poo's herself.

Toddle on over, say howdy, and see what she's got. If you're also a crafty sort (of the art-variety, not the spy) then she is happy to hear your advice, techniques and suchlike.

And for those of you that HAVEN'T seen the irony in Kellie owning TWO blogs when one was neglected for so so long, I will let you dwell on that now :D

Crafty Stuff

Kellie is crafty.  Thankfully, I don't mean in the sense of sneaking off in a large coat, skulking around, and having midnight meetings with her underground contacts.  No, Kellie is crafty in the sense of she can get a bit of card and some sticky stuff, and voila! She's got a card.

Now me, I would end up with the card glued to my forehead, the sticky stuff would be wedged in my nose and from nowhere there would be glitter all over me.

And the surrounding area. And everyone within a quarter-mile radius.

But that's not the point.  Kellie is the crafty one, and she's a damn fine crafty-type.  She's not had any "training" but churns out various cards for various people.

Following a conversation with some crafty American-sorts (Well, Nancy, anyway!) discussing - of all things - glue, Kellie has given me permission to post a few pictures of her work here.

As is usual, clicky each picture to embiggen it :D

And Nancy, the last two show the curly-paper that I was talking about...

She really is a smart arse... But, all this, and she can cook too!