I love a really good word. Actually, I love lots of really good words. I used to sit and read the thesaurus as a kid. (Actually, I just sat and read the thesaurus the other day.)

I love how expressive language can be and how different languages express similar concepts in different ways, how a culture's language can reflect what's important to them, or what's familiar.

And then I just like the way some words sound. CARTILAGINOUS! It's fun to say.

I'm working on a monster word book. It's sort of a vocabulary book but not really. Only some of the words will be uncommon words (spurrier = someone who makes spurs) the rest will be grouped with similar words. I haven't quite figured it all out yet. It will mostly be silly. But that goes without saying.

Anybody have a favorite word? Least favorite? (I still find the word blog icky.) Something I need to include in the book?

I think I created a LJ feed for the 365 Monster Doodles. It's showing up on my friends page, anyway.

Thanks, Gwen.

I've adopted this as my new all purpose expletive. When I'm happy or sad or excited or disappointed or pissed off or scared: HEDGEHOGGERY!

Thanks to David "Voz's Boyfriend" Attenborough's Life of Mammals I managed to stay up late enough (3am) to finish all my Craftland tagging AND inventory AND the sketches for the Illustration Job of Inconvenient Deadlines.

PLUS I learned that ungulates (maybe it was one in particular, now I forget) on the African plains have horizontal pupils for watching the wide horizon for predators. When they lean their heads down to graze their eyeballs rotate in their sockets keeping the pupil horizontal. (I learned some other things but in my sleep-deprived state I might not remember them.)

I watched the piece about rodents like three times. I am such a dork.

I have next to nothing done for BazBiz and I have to finalize the illustrations (assuming they don't just send back my sketches and say "try again") before I leave for the BBB but I do have the whole series of The Life of Birds out from the library, so at least I've have Sir David's company while I work.

These are some of the monster ornaments I made this year. They just need to get boxed up and delivered to Westminster St. I will be so glad to cross that off my list.

Woo Hoo! I finally got the plant markers up in the store. Good lord it took me forever, didn't it?

I'm trying out half a dozen graphics programs right now to decide what I like best to replace my ancient limited edition Photoshop that came with the Wacom tablet I bought 7 years ago. Test driving programs has been fun but I think I'm officially over the "wow look what THIS one can do!" and just need to make a decision and get to work.

In addition to testing Painter X/Photoshop/Gimpshop/Paint.net I've been trying to learn a different FTP program and transferring my files from the old computer to the new one. That's much less fun than playing with painting programs.

Since lots of people asked, the markers are made of foam so they are indeed waterproof. I used a sharpie to write the plant name and a regular ball point pen to write the info on the back. I'm not sure how fade-proof either of those inks will be, but the printing and the foam itself shouldn't fade very quickly at all. They'll be usable again next year.

(Click the image if you want to buy some.)

I've been making polymer clay monsters for a few days now. I have about ten times what I'd intended to make but once I started making them I couldn't stop. I never thought I'd turn into one of those wacky polymer clay people who look at everything and wonder if they could cover it with sculpey but I'm starting to worry it's happening already. I've had thoughts of taking my food processor to the studio just to chop up clay. Except then I couldn't make hummus and that would be sad. I guess if I was a true wacky polymer clay person I'd just go without hummus, so maybe I'm not quite converted yet. Whew! What a relief.

Anyhow, I made lots of monster ornaments in the fall and they sold well so I'm starting up again (since I'm still avoiding my sewing machine.) They're a lot of fun to make although a little tedious when I'm feeling clumsy. All those fussy little jewelry findings and beads make me feel like I have gorilla hands.

Several people suggested I make pins and earrings too but I'm still working out how to make them small and sturdy. Once I work it out I think they'll be pretty darn cute. And hopefully I won't be the only one who thinks so. There are a few up at my etsy store if you want to check them out.