Sketches

Have posted a new album on my Picasa Web album area containing some conversions from photos into sketches. They have been produced using a filter called Impressionist that used to ship with Frontpage 97, 98 and 2000 (the full copies only). It is so wicked, I came across it by accident whilst searching on the web and then found a really useful site called http://www.retouchpro.com/ which have some good tutorials and forum advice on how to use it. I've only just started to scratch the surface of it, there are loads of options to tweak but I like what I have seen so far. It'll keep me occupied during the winter evenings ;-)

Also on the retouchpro site is a video tutorial by "Swampy" which shows you how to deal with the bland skies that we so often see in this country and which frequently spoil an otherwise good photo. Thanks Swampy!

Tattoo and Ear Piercing Update

Once again yours truely has successfully healed another tattoo. The paw prints have settled down a treat and the flakiness etc. has gone leaving a wonderful enticing picture. Looking forward to seeing what Ben has sketched out for the next one, will most likely call into town sometime this week to get this one checked over and see the sketch at the same time.

My jewellery finally arrived last Saturday from piercing.org, these are the threadless labrets for my ear rim piercing. I had borrowed one from my nostril piercing to help eliminate the trauma caused by my winter hat but obviously the gauge of the nostril labrets is too small really. Glad I purchased the taper pin to help fit it and it took some encouragement so perhaps the hole had started to shrink already. Anyhow finally got it in and so far so good, the back of the labret is larger than for the nostril labrets but not too bad, popped in the gem end this morning so have a matching pair for this evening's do at the Country & Western Linedancing club. Here's hoping the labret works out OK over the winter months, I really like the rings but they get squashed by my winter hat and end up making my ear really sore and I don't want to have to retire it as I really like it and I've got this far with it. It'll have been done 2years this coming April but it's one of the most traumatic piercings I have had to heal. By comparison my nostril piercing was a walk in the park! Still no pain no gain as they say. Though the tattoos are by far easier to deal with both for healing and afterwards, there's nothing to get caught up on clothing etc. Think I will stick to them from now on!

Xmas Group Photo

Here we all are celebrating this Xmas!

From the left is:- My brother Darren, Moi, My Dad and Stepmum Allan & Margaret, My daughter Julia, My brother's partner Jo (and bump!) and in the chairs in the front row my nans, Alice on the left and Florence on the right.

My brother brought along his tripod so we could all get in the photo which is cool, took some test shots to get everyone looking in the same direction and not blinking mid-shot but we got there in the end ;-)

Second Tattoo

Well here it is the second tattoo all done and dusted. It's quite sore at the moment, presumably because each paw print is quite small and dries out quickly so have resorted to placing some clingfilm over it to help the Bepanthan keep it moist. It on my lower right arm for those of you who can't tell where it's placed and the photo doesn't help with that. Looking forward to really seeing it once the redness and the raised effect that is normal for a new tattoo have resided. I managed to heal the first one OK so fingers crossed I can manage it again with this one. Watched it being done this time and it was pretty cool, the needle is so small you can barely see it and there's no blood which is what I was concerned about, just ink which he constantly wipes away. It also helped to see which ones had been done 'cos then you know more or less how long you've got left to breathe through the pain! The guy I go to is very thorough and checks the design out for gaps etc once it's been washed off and let me tell you that distilled water feels good after the heat produced by the tattooing. Anyway have left him sketching a design out for the next one based on some thoughts and sketches I had obtained (sketch courtesy of my email pal Amber - many thanks!). Will wait a bit (famous last words) before getting the next one but still got a few more after that up my sleeve.

Ear Rim Piercing

Why is it that this particular piercing is the bane of my life? I know I was a tad impatient with it whilst it was supposed to be healing but boy am I paying for it now! The sudden change in the weather to something approaching the Arctic Circle has had me reaching for my woolly hat with the end result that my ear rim piercing is now thoroughly ticked off at being constantly disturbed. It's formed a kind of blister on the back which bleeds when provoked and so I've had to hastily order a 16ga threadless labret from the company that supplies my nostril jewellery and in the mean time wear my spare 18ga nostril post. I'm beginning to think I may have to save the circular barbells that I love so much for the summer months when my ear will not be disturbed by irritating headwear. The company I buy from also do a rather interesting nostril ring and their CBR's are made from a softer titanium which means they don't need those opening pliers in order to be able to fit them. I shall most likely order one of each in the New Year to see what they are like, get the CBR for my ear and the bent ring for my nose. I'm not convinced that I will like any ring in my nose but as long as I order one that is smaller than the last one I purchased, which was way too big, it's got to be worth a try. There aren't many sellers out there for the threadless jewellery which is a real shame as it's the most comfortable I have ever worn, mind you the guy I deal with at Piercing.Org is always very prompt and helpful which is great as I ask rather alot of questions. Anyhow lets hope when this labret turns up that it solves my winter hat blues!

Lights for Love

Here's a photo of my daughter Julia putting her star

on the tree at the Lights for Love service. We went along to mark the 20th anniversary of my Mum's death this year (30th November 1987). The service is organised by the Wisdon Hospice, you make a donation in memory of a loved one and as my Mum died of cancer my brother and I thought it would be a good way to remember her. The photo on the right is my brother's star on the tree.

The service was held in Rochester Cathedral and it was a very busy evening, we had to sit on the sidelines for the service which mean't we didn't see much of what was going on, but we all lit candles and then transferred the flame to ones that stay lit in the Cathedral. Our words of remembrance were listed in the book which will be on show until the New Year.

All in all it was a very peaceful evening and I am glad we chose to do something different this year.

Wolfy Tattoo

Yay!!! The wolfy tattoo is finally healed after about 6 weeks, so the information I read about it taking up to 45 days was pretty much on the nose. I bought some of that Aqueous Cream BP from the local chemist and it seems to like that alot, it's non-greasy but stays in the skin well so that it doesn't dry out. Now I can wear sleeves for the first time again in 6 weeks ;-)

The second tattoo is booked and I'm so looking forward to seeing the end result. It should finish off that arm quite nicely and be halfway healed before I go back to work after the Christmas break.

Talking of which I still haven't got around to putting up the decorations yet, think we'll wait until next weekend, we won't have many more days at work/school then and so it should feel more festive.

Second Tattoo Booked

Well there's no going back now, the second tatt is booked for Wed 19th December at 10am, Ben is doing it again as he did such a good job last time and put me at ease, well as much as one can be comfortable whilst being tattooed. Looking forward to getting it done and thus finishing off that arm. Then it will be on the the others given time, want to let these two settle down first I think, have a break from all the caring regime that follows tatts and piercings. Be good to show them off proper over the summer and hopefully as I've booked off almost three weeks over the Xmas break the second one will have settled down by the time I return to work. I'm kind of a work in progress at the moment, sounds weird doesn't it? What I mean is that there are several tattoos I'm thinking of getting and will gradually add them one by one. Patience is not one of my virtues so the process isn't likely to take too long, in fact I had said I would wait 6 months before getting a second one, but about 6 weeks on I'm gagging for more ;-)