It don't mean a thing if it ain't got no swing~~~~

It's almost time for the Artists' Choice Awards on eBay!

2008-12-09T17:34:00.003-05:00

Artists selling on eBay, it's almost time for nominations in the Artists' Choice Awards 2008.

The Award is open to all artists who will have sold at least 10 works of original art between January 7, 2008 and January 7, 2009. It is also open to ALL CURRENT MEMBERS.

The nomination process is on now and the CURRENT MEMBERS only may nominate anyone from from the eBay artists' community whose feedback shows the appropriate number of sales. All current members are eligible to be nominated; self nomination IS NOT ALLOWED.

For more information, please ask on this blog.

I have been tagged by a DUCK!!!

2007-06-07T01:13:00.000-04:00

1) As a child, I always LOVED PLAYING TAG and HIDE AND GO SEEK. 2) I was VERY SKINNY so, while TAG was fun, I was often IT. I was much more successful at playing HIDE AND GO SEEK because I was able to squeeze into small spaces and often did.

HOWEVER, when you grow up, think twice about squeezing into small spaces. At age 19 or 20, I had my first panic attack and it was BECAUSE I had squeezed into a small space. My then husband and I were playful and silly. 3) I HID under the kitchen sink when he was in the bathroom. He couldn't find me ANYWHERE and I chuckled under my breath because it brought me back to my childhood. THEN, he pleaded with me to SHOW MYSELF, so, I TRIED. HOWEVER, I couldn't back out as easily and began to PANIC and then cry. By the time it was over, I was in hysterics and needless to say, I haven't been under the kitchen sink since.

4) Years later, while living in Baltimore, I was shot in the back by SOMEONE "playing" with a bebe gun. The pain was stunning; I continued walking and never looked back.
5) I walked EVERYWHERE in Baltimore and had the best physique of my lifetime. Unfortunately, that attracts unwanted attention so I purchased second-hand khaki slacks and some bulky shirts TO covered my curves so I would be left alone. IT WORKED.

6) Ocassionally we made the journey NORTH to the BERKSHIRES and THE UPPER CATSKILLS near ALTAMONT, NY, to visit FAMILY. On one such trip we were in the HELDEBERGS, near ALBANY, and decided to explore a CAVE. Unprepared for such an adventure, we started in at 7pm. Crawling on our hands and knees, the floor and ceiling of the cave got closer and closer and it became darker and darker. Finally, we were on our BELLIES, sliding through narrow passages. I WAS UNHAPPY and PANIC hit just as if I was "UNDER THE KITCHEN SINK", AGAIN! I BACKED out, crying all the way and thanking God that one of us had the good sense to get out and wondering why I EVER PUT MYSELF IN SUCH RISK.

7) I'M FAST FORWARDING NOW; approximately 17 years to 1990. FIRENZE, ITALIA. Let's climb to the TOP OF THE DUOMO, the Cathedral! It's dome was created by Brunelleshi (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Maria_del_Fiore) and is a marvel of engineering as well as VERY HIGH. The stair passages wound around the interior of the CHURCH and into the DOME ; NARROW, NARROWER, NARROWEST. I didn't panic but my heart was beating out of my chest. We approached the roof top and I stepped out onto a narrow, not very well fenced-in, LEDGE and GAZED over the city of FLORENCE. NO PANIC, just awe AND it was worth crawling through the closed in space BECAUSE while I HATE CLOSED IN, TIGHT PLACES, I LOVE HEIGHTS AND OPEN SPACES.

That's it. 7 random facts about me that others didn't know, until now. Thanks, kd, for getting me onto the blog, again.

___________________________________________________________________________________

FROM THE DUCK:YOU've been TAGGED!

Here's the scoopidy-doopidy: When you are "tagged" please give 7 random facts about your sweet self on your blog.
Please write things that are a habit, unusual, or that no-one else knows, as well as the rules of the game.
You then need to tag seven others and list their names on your blog.
Please leave a post on the blogs of those you tag so they know that they have been tagged and to read your blog...and tag 7 more and so on.
No worries. No pressure. No time constraints - just enjoy ~ xo ~

MEDIOCRITY: Dunkin Donut's has no NEW ENGLAND CRULLERS!

2007-03-17T20:28:00.000-04:00

VIM blogging topic suggested by debcoart:
MEDIOCRITY
The word mediocre comes from Latin derivation meaning "halfway up a mountain, from medius middle + ocris rugged mountain." Synonym is ordinary.

Mediocrity is mediocre ability, accomplishment, or performance.The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Edition. 2000.

Thanks Deb, this topic allows my CURMUDGEON side to show through.

The year 2003 was a pivotal year in my life; I turned '50' and Dunkin Donuts dropped from their menu the FABULOUSLY POPULAR twisted delight, THE NEW ENGLAND CRULLER. They began machine EXTRUDING the dough to create oblong shapes which bare NO resemblance to the hand twisted traditional crullers. Their NEWER VERSION is called THE STICK!

cruller

SYLLABICATION: crul·ler
PRONUNCIATION: krlr
NOUN:
1. Chiefly Northeastern, Central Atlantic, & Upper Northern U.S. A small, usually ring-shaped or twisted cake of sweet dough fried in deep fat.
2. Chiefly New England & Pennsylvania An unraised doughnut, usually twisted but also shaped into rings or oblongs.
ETYMOLOGY: From obsolete Dutch krulle-koken, rolled-up cake, from Middle Dutch crulle-koken, to curl, from crulle, curly. (1)

The New England Cruller is a ARTISAN piece, a hand twisted oblong of delicious dough, fried in LARD-- an LDL nightmare. The twisting creates crusty ridges that adds to the texture and goes hand in hand when SAVORING this tradition. A modification in cooking oil that is lower in cholesterol and boosts the HDL is possible, albeit it does change the flavor it a bit- HOWEVER, the Hand twisting IS AN INTEGRAL part of the creating of this FAMOUS CRULLER.

Nutrition:

Serving Size 1 stick

Servings 1

Calories 420

Calories from Fat 260

Donut Ingredients: Enriched Flour (Bleached Wheat Flour, Barley Malt, Niacin, Iron, Thiamin Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Partially Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Water, Sugar, Soybean Oil, Nonfat Dry Milk, Egg Yolk Solids, Leavening (Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate, Baking Soda, Sodium Aluminum Phosphate), Contains 2% Or Less Of The Following: Soy Flour, Wheat Starch, Soy Lecithin (Emulsifier), Phospholipase, Sodium Silicoaluminate (Anti-Caking Agent), Salt, Toasted Wheat Germ, Natural And Artificial Flavor, Vegetable Color (Annatto, Turmeric), Konjac Flour, Carrageenan. (2)

Dunkin Donut's MEDIOCRITIZATION of a prized NEW ENGLAND tradition is, IN PART, emblematic of what is happening on all levels of society. In an article Joseph P. Kahn wrote for the Boston Globe on October 25, 2003 he interviewed Dunkin Donut's chief test baker who reported that the HAND MADE CRULLER had to go.

"We introduced a new doughnut mix over the summer, one which is lighter and moister and all machine-made," says Pitts. Handcut products, he adds, were beyond the capabilities of these machines, which can produce rings and sticks but not braided pastries. Therefore, something had to go. The cruller went because it could not be machine-produced, like the jelly stick, but required human hands." (3)

Oh, the horror,requiring human hands to uphold tradition, quality and EXCELLENCE!
But, alas, this corporate profit-first attitude is prevalent, so the mass market producers will continue to lower their standards and how low will they go?

Many of you may be reading this and asking yourselves what standards Dunkies ever upheld. If you are 50 or older, you know that Dunkin Donuts acted more like individual neighborhood bakeries in the old days. Many Dunkin Donuts entrepreneurs BAKED THEIR OWN in back room kitchens. The twisting of the cruller was done by your neighbor and you ate it freshly baked with your fresh brew.

I am finished with Dunkin Donuts! Try your local Artisan Bakery and enjoy a TRADITIONAL TWIST!

end notes:

1.http://www.bartleby.com/61/60/C0776000.html
2.https://www.dunkindonuts.com/aboutus/nutrition/Product.aspx?Category=Donuts&id=DD-699
3.http://www.boston.com/ae/food/articles/2003/10/25/with_progress_a_cruel_twist/

The Doll Project

2007-03-14T18:26:00.000-04:00

UNDERCONSTRUCTION

This aceo is truely a miniature! "The Doll Maker's Children" was painted for a project sponsored by VIM.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=110103426692

Follow this link for other VIM doll images and dolls

http://search.ebay.com/search/search.dll?from=R40&satitle=VIM+DOLL

Thanks for looking, Adrienne aka galleryvim

IMAGINE: It don't mean a thing if it ain't got no VIM!!!!!

2007-03-12T02:41:00.000-04:00

IMAGINE friendships trancending physical boundaries; embraced by a virtual mist we know no color. Our physical selves occasionally present in jpeg glimpses that may be years off target or "PhotoShopped". We chat, share knowledge, and sometimes reveal our inner most thoughts to ones whose voices we may never hear.

ARTISTS, can you IMAGINE a non-competivive relationship of pure joy and sharing with another artist? IMAGINE being able to disagree agreeably. IMAGINE mentoring and being mentored all at the same time.

The group "VIM" has evolved into a group filled with artists who wish to succeed but also want YOU to succeed; be well; and be happy in Art and in your lives. Thank you for sharing your worlds with me for I can't IMAGINE a time without you and VIM.