It's Alive!

Thursday, my computer died.  I had shut it down the night before, and starting up that morning it couldn't find the boot disc, did a couple of other strange things, then gave me the Blue Screen of Death.

Uh oh.

John, of course, was in Florida for business (where it happened to be significantly cooler than here, go figure).  We did a little diagnostic over the phone, and he agreed that the best solution was to order a new computer and he'd take a look at the old one when he got home.

I ordered the new computer online (local stores didn't have the configuration that we were looking for) and saved enough on taxes that I sprang for overnight shipping.  Goody!  New toy on Friday!

Not so much.  It didn't ship.  Should arrive Monday.

John got home today, and almost immediately started checking out the dead one.  Although I had told him on the phone that it didn't do ANYTHING, he was surprised that it really didn't do anything when you pushed the power button.  Really.  No fan, no nothing.  It was a brick.

That, it turned out, was the key.

Clever bear that he is, he replaced the power supply.  Voila!  It lives! (cue maniacal laughter and lightning flash).

So I didn't lose anything (back up your computer! Now!) AND I get a new, spiffy computer.  And the kids will get the old one, which will reduce bickering somewhat.  Of course, we are spending money on a new computer, which we hadn't really planned on.  And I just had to have the stove repaired and the Suburban needs new tires.  But ... I'm really excited about getting a new computer.

Yay!

Reductive Relief Printing Final

I am finally done (and contemplating the next one).  It was really fun to learn a new technique, and I've decided there are things about the process and it's limitations that I actually enjoy.  Having limits can actually help with the decision paralysis of wide open possibilities!

This is a 6 color print - white, red, yellow, black, blue, light blue.  Ready?  Here we go!

Red on top of white (paper)

Yellow on top of red

Black on top of yellow

Blue on top of black

Light blue on top of darker blue

The bottom one is the finished print.  I ended up with an edition of 12 and a couple of proofs.  Remember, the number of prints I did of the red is the maximum number I can end up with - every one I use as a proof or screw up is "gone" forever from the edition.  I'm carving more away on the stamp for each color, so you can't print more of the previous color.

This is all that's left of the block (top is block, bottom is print).

So yes, I am thinking about my next one.  And the studio is hosting a swap - send in 12 prints, get 10 different ones back.  So I'm trying to figure out whether to do a relief carving (which I know how to do) or something else yet to be determined...

Lack of Talent

It seems that when I make an effort to post on Facebook and Twitter, I don't manage to post on my blog.  I guess that's an indication that I'm old - I can't manage ALL the Social Medias all at the same time.