Gingersnap

Support crafty handmakers by shopping local and on etsy. Hello there. Hoped that everyone had a marvelous, very stuffed Thanksgiving and kicked off the holiday season in a kind, thoughtful, nonviolent strategy. The Rendezvous. Watercolor on Arches. If you're like me, bidding time and playing the waiting game until the really perfect gift comes along- this masterful practice requires the virtue of devout patience.  However, I'm not sitting at home avoiding the mall crowds or big name retailers such as Wal-Mart, Target, Kohl's, and T.J. Maxx.  Nope. I have another plan cooking. Why Shopping Handmade Effects You & Our Economy ^ Shana of Rubbish Love wrote an inspiring little article about the importance of handmade shopping. This year and for every other holiday season after, I will be conducting most of my buying online and at local Dayton shops like Cachet G!, Peace On Fifth, and various thrift stores while also making gifts for family, friends, and my et...

Always a welcoming sight. On a lovely autumn evening, before setting forth on the Stoddard Avenue Pumpkin Glow two weeks ago, I was fortunate and most honored to be invited to another Social Media Night at the Dayton Art Institute celebrating the opening of Stephen Knapp's Lightpaintings exhibit. Stephen Knapp's Lightpaintings the highlighted exhibit featured at DAI until January 6, 2013. Very, very exciting things coming up at one of the most cherished art museums in Dayton history. By November 21, local artists can donate handcrafted ornaments to put on the DAI tree located in the General Motors Rotunda Entrance that will then be included in a special silent auction with proceeds benefiting the amazing DAI Summer Art Camp Scholarship Program. Further details here: Decorate The DAI Tree ! Other big changes and wonderful surprises afoot include renovation of The Cafe featuring new menu items and The Museum Store merging together into one beautiful cohesive gat...

I was the queen of envy when "driving" & squeezing this awesome foam bus in drawing class today! Just last week on RTA's coveted 40th anniversary date- November 6th, the fares were 40 cents all day long- a much needed treat for passengers. Now we're on day 9 of 40 Facts About RTA, a special contest running on Facebook and Twitter for RTA rider fans. Very excited to learn about this exciting promotion, I found these unveiled historic trivial bits quite interesting, especially considering that I have been a coveted bus fan (go trolley!) and have made some very kind driver friends over the years. So here are the 9 exciting facts so far: 1.) The publicly-owned Miami Valley Regional Transit Authority (MVRTA) formed in 1970 and was controlled by trustees from Dayton, Oakwood and Kettering. 2.) During prolonged negotiations in the early 1970s, City Transit agreed to sell its property to the Miami Valley Regional Transit Authority (MVRTA) for under $3 millio...

While ladies gave out leftover candy from their ghostly buckets, Batman & Joker also made surprise guest appearances amongst the crowded pumpkin spectacle, spreading further joy to delighted children and some adults. Happy November! Hope everyone has had a pleasant Halloween- partaking and enjoying the magnificent costumes as well as candy galore, especially the marked down sugary madness soon to be happening at every grocery store. Lord knows I cannot wait.... After a lovely evening at the Dayton Art Institute, I ventured right behind the museum for the traditional Stoddard Avenue Pumpkin Glow located atop of Grafton Hills, but since I foolishly forgot my memory card only a few pictures were taken of the splendidly carved pumpkins with their sweet cinnamon scented tea light candles wafting through the cool autumn evening. Every year, it gets more and more wonderful just to see the wide range of talent and knife chiseling precision. A lovely rose. A werewolf or a fa...

"Vote Early" was just one agenda on the menu today. With fickle autumn morning drifting between warm, chilly, and hot and crisp, beautifully colored leaves raining from wind blustered trees, it set an idyllic preparatory tone for President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden's joint campaign visit to little Dayton, Ohio. At eleven A.M., I sat on the very first charter bus making its way towards Triangle Park, face staring out at the season's rich earthy loveliness, excitement filling entire body amongst cozy, cushioned rainbow seats. Yesterday on a normal walk from drawing class, ran into old friend, Latoria King who pointed me into destiny- acquiring that coveted blue "golden" ticket straight from the democratic headquarters in the Oregon District! That joyous elation continued building into a stronger anticipation well into last night's cheer induced slumber. It was really happening. I was going to see the President, live and in living c...

Brown rice topped with carrots, broccoli, tofu, & avocado. Where are my manners??? My 2nd blog, AfroVeganChick started off as a New Year's Resolution in January. After being a vegetarian for 14 years, I finally wanted to graduate to the full fledged step veganism which means to exclude all animal related products from diet altogether- milk, cheese, eggs, and honey. 2012 is almost over and the blog is still documenting the challenging journey, but somehow I forgot to add the link and talk further about this newfound kitchen creativity and unlike Sugarygingersnap, it has an About Me page which introduces a very goofy, often updated pictorial bio story of yours truly. I love creating with words on Microsoft Word and in many journals and experimenting in the artist studio with a variety of mediums and surfaces, but in the kitchen, it's all about using the pantry, the fridge, and freezer in another unique relationship via stove, oven, or without heat. In these ten mon...

Olivia doing what she does best- sleeping & purring simultaneously! A whole year of kittiness! Olivia, my infectious, wonderful, happy, purrfect calico companion is a year and 2 months old or 16.7 in human years. A lot could be said about being a female artistic cat owner living near the hip downtown scene, enjoying the good quiet life, but pictures speak more volumes than a renowned babbler ever could. Here are the sweet, precious treasures my baby girl doles out daily: She is too cute when sleeping & is often vulnerable to belly rubs & shameless paw holding! Sometimes I cannot help adding her into art.. I wish this could really happen... I am investing in kitty glasses so we could look further alike... An avid hide and seek enthusiast, she often hides underneath expensive, high quality drawing paper. She's always on the other side of a closed door. She jumps on the kitchen counter every night, impatiently waiting for her dinner. S...