"THEVERBFORI" Ambigram
This design was actually created for a poetry website (it is not up yet, so I have no link). I love the embellishments, but the text was changed last minute (from a circle design, which I had already put together, to a straight one), and I think it may have suffered a bit because of it.



"LUFC" Ambigram (initlas of a soccer team)



"Reece Matthew" Ambigram (click here to see larger size)



"Brit" & "Alex" Ambigram



"Five" Ambigram



"Raife" Ambigram
(a new font for this design)

First things first, a little update on the last post ~
I did some more searching at the grocery store last night and noticed that the Kasha that I bought was 'finely ground', and they also have a 'coursely ground' variety. I'm thinking a little bigger might be better. (I did also finally find a quinoa blend with rice & millet, vegetables & seasonings, but I'm really hoping to find it by itself first, so I can distinguish the look and taste)

Anywho...

This week has been another one of those crazy busy 'how will I get it all done' kind of weeks. I am flooded with ambigram orders and it looks like next week might be worse! I would take that as a prompt to raise the prices (and lower demand a little), but last time I had a few insane weeks, followed by a few nearly dead weeks, and now we are back to insane again, so I'm not rushing into anything!

The ambigram work by itself would not be bad, but more orders means many more emails to answer. The last few days I've probably had about three times more than normal. The first few hours of the day are spent slogging through all of those, and they keep coming throughout the day (ah, there's two more now).


And, in the midst of the hectic rush, yesterday I noticed that water was dripping from the ceiling in the back of the pantry/laundry room (back by the water heater). All along the ceiling and down one wall it is a giant water spot. Not a huge deal as a renter, but that did mean answering the door for repair men coming in & out all day.

They fixed a leaky cap & hoped that would take care of the problem because otherwise they are going to have to start cutting into the walls... and it is still dripping this morning so it looks like that is the next step. Hurrah! ;) I am going to have to call in a few minutes and start the parade of repair men once again.


Luckily, I did manage to finish up another painting before the week rush hit ~



I am feeling a little bummed that I don't have extra time right now to work on the next painting (which is currently just a bright yellow background), or time to prepare the paintings for other projects (I have a few plans in mind), but I'm trying to assure myself that I will have time for all of that soon, I just need to finish these orders first. Justin will be starting classes in a few weeks, which has made him very nervous about finances, so at least the abundance of payments is a good thing!

We eat a lot of rice around here, and when our grocery store installed a wall of grain and pasta dispensers a while back, I started getting curious about cooking with some new grains (This part of Georgia is not very 'cultural', but we are starting to get a few things). Long ago I picked up some barley for soups, but I must have been put off by the two hour cooking time and haven't tried anything in a while.

Well, with the last grocery trip I was determined to pick up some quinoa, which I've seen mentioned online a lot lately. (I've actually eaten it before, in a Kashi brand microwavable meal, but with the blend of grains I could not pick it out.) Those plans failed pretty quickly, I could not find it anywhere, but I found a box of Kasha (Buckwheat) instead.

The preparation was quick and intriguing. Bring two cups of broth to a boil with a little butter, salt, and pepper. Meanwhile, you beat an egg and stir in one cup of kasha until coated. Here you can see the tiny uncooked grains, coated in the egg.



Next, you heat the kasha in a pan for about 2 minutes to cook the egg and separate the grains. Pour in the boiling broth, cover, and simmer 3-5 minutes and you are done. Still very tiny, but more translucent now. You end up with 4 cups cooked.



I am no good at discribing flavors, but it was pretty similar to a rice or couscous, perhaps a bit nuttier, and with a fun texture from the tiny little grains. Next I am going to look for some recipes. While it is very good on its own, the light pieces threaten to fly all over the place. (The recipes on the box involve preparing as usual and mixing in some sauteed vegetables, and another version where you cook it with milk and serve it with more for a breakfast dish)

Oh, and I had a bit of a scare when I was reading the nutritional information as 170 calories in 1/4 cup. That was printed right on the corner you push in to create a spout, and once I pried out the tab I saw that it was 1/4 cup uncooked and 3/4 cups cooked. Much better! I knew that didn't sound right. It is also very low in fat and high in protein, exactly what the nutritionists tell you to look for.

I had dreams of clearing out all of the unwanted fabric & supplies from my workroom tables, setting up paints, brushes and canvases, and *then* I would sit down and paint something. Well, we've lived here a few months now and I've barely made a dent in the pile (though I have been working on it), so I decided it was time to forget the dream and pick up a brush.

Luckily, 8x10 canvases are small enough to work on at my computer desk.
And that is, let's face it, where I would probably end up working anyway.



I am pretty pleased with this little painting. I free-handed the pattern on the wall as I went, not worrying about things matching up exactly, it was nice put aside the perfectionism for once. I've been thinking a lot about working with 3 or 4 bold paint colors, as solid as possible. I think I am really drawn to screenprinted work, but until I find a good class (or book or something) I am wary to give it another shot after the last disaster.


I struggle a lot with feeling like I haven't discovered the right medium or style for 'me'. Once I find a new artist I like, I am almost hesitant to look at any more of their work for fear that I will soak in too many deatils ~ or that the new style & inspiration will hurl me down another avenue that doesn't quite lead where I want to go, doesn't quite suit me.

I know most artists, as children, start off by doodling cartoon characters and models in magazines. We gather up information from direct copying, from the art around us, and over the years the information is sorted through and you start to develop your own style. But as an adult, I'm at a bit of a loss. It doesn't seem right to draw too much inspiration from any one source, I don't want to steal anyone's look. But then, I come across artist after artist with a similar style ~ not quite close enough so that can't distinguish the different artists, but I wouldn't be suprised if one was a strong influence for the other. And then I have to wonder if I am being to strict on myself.

And maybe we all struggle with these things.

I while back I created this ambigram for a fireman who wanted to use the design to decorate his helmet. He asked if I could also make the stencil, and I told him I would happily do it for free, but he had to promise to send pictures ;) So now I finally have my first non-tattoo customer pic!



Unfortunately, it looks like he stencilled the design on in reverse, but I didn't want to break the news to him! (I flipped the top picture)


And in other ambigram news ~

I was quite thrilled to be asked to do an interview for a calligraphy & word art blog. Blog write-ups and interviews are not really a part of the patchwork clothing world, and while my link was posted and talked about in plenty of forums, I never quite felt part of the craft blog world (I guess I will have to publish a book or have a baby now?).

I was hoping she would email me when the interview went up, but it looks like she posted it right away and I am just a week behind on things!

Perhaps I should put together a page on Word Illusion with the links to the different blog features, though I'm not sure what I would call it. "Press" doesn't really feel right unless a newspaper or magazine is involved, though I know a lot of girls use that.

Saturday we went to the lovely wedding of a friend from college, Brook, and his new wife Ginnie.

(poor camera can't handle indoor shots)




I actually met Brook before I started at Berry; when I came up to visit the campus and some friends from high school, he was a part of their new crew. Unfortunately, he didn't meet Ginnie until later on (he spent most of the college years dating my roomate, who was a bit touched in the head), and Ginnie lived out of state, so we have not had many opportunities to get to know her better. But she has always seemed very sweet, a good match for Brook, and has quite a love of Phunky Monkey Threads, so you know she's good people ;)

"Suppresser" Ambigram



"Marci" & "Cayla" Ambigram



"Lance" Ambigram



"Derek Bozick" Ambigram



"The Magic of Diamond Jim Tyler" Ambigram


This last ambigram was ordered for a magician's trick book. What a fun project! The book comes out in a few months, I can't wait to see the design in print. (He is also using the Curly Heart Border for his dedication page)

Mmmm, this is one of my new favorites.

Coconut Rice


Adapted from a previous recipe, this is great on its own, or topped with some stir-fry.
I've been eating for lunch a lot with a little broccoli.

I've never been a fan of coconut used in desserts, but with a little rice and meat and vegetables, its a whole different world. The next step is trying out the recipe with some brown rice, but I wanted to make at least one last batch with white for the photos.

The weather is finally warming up and grilling season has begun!



Mmmmm.... kabobs!

Luckily Home Depot has all sorts of replacement parts, Justin got the grill working like new again. While we were there we browsed through all of the accessories and picked up a basket for all of those things that like to fall through the bars.



We had quite a fun dinner last night, sitting out on the back porch, reading, eating food off of a stick. That's the life.

I've collected a few more customer shots of finished ambigram tattoos!

"Kennedy" Ambigram (his)


"Kennedy" Ambigram (hers)


"Elana" & "Hayley" Ambigram (this one was changed a bit from the original design)


"Ashton" & "Dillon" Ambigram

"Samone" & "Aubree" Ambigram



"Mikah" & "Prophet" Ambigram
(a re-working of this design)



"Gwen" & "Matt" Ambigram



"Strength" Ambigram



"Perfectly Natural" Ambigram

Justin was out of town on a field trip for the last three days, so I was all on my own for a few nights! Or rather, I should say it was just the three of us.



Poor Indy. That bunny has been tormenting him.

While I usually launch into super-productive mode on the nights Justin is away, I was a bit preoccupied with MySims to get much done. (Luckily I've almost 'beat' the game by getting everything possible, there will not be much reason to play after that) But I did make a point to tackle one "been meaning to" task each night.

The first night I decided to cover the armrests on my work chair.


The armrests have been held together with duct tape for years. The tape shifts over time, gets sticky, and is super annoying until I apply another layer. I just recently realized that fabric might solve this problem, and after 2 1/2 hours of handstitching (yikes) I am so happy to have this done! I think they turned out pretty cute as well.

The next night's project was not so time consuming. I finally pulled the decorations off of our large book shelf and took the time to arrange everything. The shelves house quite a few of my pieces from ceramics class and are actually pretty light on books.



Let's see, what all did I make on those shelves? On the top shelf are some candles stacked up, and a plate in the back right. Down from that we have the tortoise & hare incense burner, then the terra cotta sculpture below that (next to Justin's Teacher of the Year eagle trophy). And on the bottom shelf is a somewhat ugly bottle (the top & bottom look great apart from one another, but I don't think they quite work together).

When I was entering my recipes at SparkRecipes.com a while back (to get the nutritional information for the cards), I had a bit of a suprise. I did a double take, had to go back a page, and sure enough... my Crispy Baked Eggrolls recipe had been awarded with an 'Editor's Choice' label! The even made it on the Top 10 list for the week.

So many people have made the recipes and loved it. There are 82 ratings and even more comments! I get so excited about sharing recipes, it is such a great feeling to know that many people actually *made* one. And especially this recipe, which is something I completely made up (after looking through a few versions that weren't quite right).

The only downside ~ The recipe is not really updated, and I'm not allowed to edit it now. I wrote it out for canned shrimp, but we ended up switching to chicken early because the fishy flavor was too strong (I list it in my Recipe Book as a vegetarian recipe). In the comments you will notice a lot of people that mentioned trying chicken and liking it better as well. Oh well, nothing I can do about it!


While we are talking about old news, and cooking...
I snagged a gorgeous red cast-iron recipe book holder (eBay) ~


And a lovely large black & white serving platter, (Hobby Lobby) for all of those times we have to bring food somewhere. We still need a few more of these. (Technically, I think the plate might have been meant for decoration instead, but I don't care!)

"Sweet Afton" Ambigram



"Noah" Ambigram
The name is supposed to be hidden in the decorations, in the style of this ambigram,
but I'm not sure how well the style transitioned to these round letters.




"Jayden Ruby Alyssa" Ambigram



"JAM" Ambigram (Script fonts - upper & lowercase)



"JAM" Ambigram (Sarada font)


That reminds me, Sarada, did you know that you are one of my font styles?
I've had so many people ask for designs based on your ambigram that they have their own category. One day, after I get my graphics tablet, I plan on putting together some actual downloadable fonts, and I'll have to include that one on my list.

Ticking off more items on my to-do list, I've listed a few pieces of corduroy on eBay!

Since we moved I've only managed to post some cartoon calicos and 3 pieces of corduroy, but now I'm determined to work my way through the pile! (I am still keeping a nice selection for myself, but these are the colors I know I won't use, or have too much of)

You can find them here, along with a fun pink & white monster fur fabric. I will be listing more there over time, as well as calicos, vintage fabrics, and scrap packs, so keep the link handy if you are interested.

It's been a while since I updated my Recipe Book,
but today I bring you new pictures and recipes!


First, some brand new recipes ~

Polynesian Chicken


This picture is technically of 'Polynesian Pork Chops', but since you can't see much of the meat I figured I would use it! We were making the pork chop version *a lot*, but when I went to calculate the nutrition information for the card, I realized it was a really high calorie meal. Switching it to chicken cut out about 200 calories alone!


Crabmeat Casserole


I have no idea how to photo casseroles! They are not meant to look attractive, but it doesn't matter when they are tasty. We made this one again last night, and the whole time I kept saying 'oh my gosh, this is soo good!'. (Hopefully some of you can figure out a vegetarian version)



These two recipes have been up in picture-less card form for a while,
so I made sure to snap some pictures last time we made them ~

Chicken & Potato Bake



Turkey, Spinach & Stuffing Bake




And I finally put together a card for these delicious cookies
(recipe courtesy of Sarada) ~

Cinnamon Chocolate Cookies

Some of my recent ambigram orders have been 'big' ones, pretty complex designs.

Noson Family Ambigram


The names are ~ Noson (the dad), Thamires, Thaney, Lucas, Celia, Sammy, Thammy (and Noson again). With so many names I am suprised I got this to work out at all! His original idea, to get the shorter versions of the names, would have probably worked out better, but he wanted the longer names.

I was pleased to come up with this new diamond style design, a way to arrange short names together with long ones. Not that I'm expecting another 7 or 8 name diamond, but I get plenty of 3-4 name diamonds that read the same upside down.

Another solution was adding embellishments
in the corners of the usual squared diamond design ~





And there was also this fun design, which a lot of you will appreciate ~

"Knit" & "Purl" Ambigram


Later on I will make a new version of this design to make prints (or print on something). I am thinking and Old English font, no cables, but perhaps the addition of some knitting needles crossing through the ball of yarn.



This week has been another slow one, and it looks like next week will be as well! I'm not
sure where this sudden lull came from, I could barely keep up with the orders coming in the few weeks beforehand. I do need to really focus and use this time to start work on some of the side projects I've been planning. Then when orders pick-up, perhaps I will be able to fund them and get things rolling!


I was able to finish up one thing that desparately needed to be done. A while back I bought tiffanyharvey.com (the name, and new hosting space) so that I could move everything over from phunkymonkeythreads.com, (where everything was actually hosted). It was pretty confusing and tacky when someone would get ahold of an un-masked link of the Word Illusion site, and suddenly you see phunkymonkeythreads.com/ambigrams/custom_orders.... And with the closing of PM it was definitely time to move the files to a more sensible domain.

I was motivated in the beginning, the ambigrams and recipe book got moved over to the new space right away. Then I took my time plodding through the numerous files in the patchwork galleries. Last week I finally sat down and moved over all of those last lingering pages, and even slapped together a pretty bad front page for anyone visiting the main domain. This will be a great help for friends and family, who can now just go to tiffanyharvey.com (easy for them to remember!) and find all of my links in one spot.

Check one thing off the list.
A million more to go!

One more quick visit to Lookout Mountain
and then I will return you to the normal routine!

After Rock City we headed under the mountain to see a giant waterfall buried deep within. I have mixed feeling about Ruby Falls. While the waterfall and the caverns were quite impressive, you are a bit rushed through the guided tour. There were so many wonderful shadows and textures on the rocks that would have been great for photos, but as your group winds down the narrow pathway, stopping for a picture means everyone behind has to stop and wait. But aparently rock formations were damaged during the years of un-guided tours, so unfortunately there is not much of an option.

A few times I did quickly pause & shoot (or snap a shot as the guide stopped the group for info). But my memory card was close to overflowing, so I also had to be stingy with my photos. These are not great, but it gives you an idea of the photo possibilities.





And then you reach the pitch black waterfall, which is suddenly lit as the music swells for effect. The surrounding rocks are lit by changing colored lights. It is hard to photo the entire length of the very tall waterfall, this is only a portion of it.



And as we stood around waiting for the group to get their fill of the falls I was finally able to stand still for a bit and snap a good picture of the rocks.

Just before we exited Rock City we came across the "Fairyland Caverns".
Geodes lining the wall, coral across the ceiling, and gnomes galore.



Several of the gnomes had been imprisoned for some reason or another.
Justin says "I will save you brother!"



After a few such prisons, and other random gnome scenes, we reached the black-lit tunnels with their day-glo painted displays. A fairy fluttering over sleeping children, a fishing gnome surrounded by neon plants and rocks, etc. After an hour of walking through the beautiful mossy landscapes of Rock City, the tackiness was almost overwhelming.



But wait....

A few steps further and the day-glo scenes started depicting well-known Mother Goose poems and Grim fairytales. An endless row of holes along the cavern wall, each with a well loved childhood story.



I hate to say it took us a while to warm up to the neon sights after the cheesy gnome section, but I was soon in awe of the carefully crafted figures. What a great place to bring children, or any fairy-tale-loving adult!



Just before you leave the caverns you reach a large room with a path around the outer edge of a huge display. Not all of the scenes were familiar, but the depicted poems line the railing. (These were equally as neon, but since the displays were closer I ventured to take some flash photos)



(Unfortunately, this room was quite warm. Leaving the cavern is a relief after the heat.
I think that is why these kittens are fleeing?)



How unexpected and delightful!

Yesterday we spent a lovely day exploring Lookout Mountain in Chattanooga, Tennessee. We visted Rock City and Ruby Falls, but skipped the trip on the Incline Railway (a rickety train that travels steeply up the mountain, Justin's family rode it & were pretty scared).

Rock City was *beautiful*, I would highly recommend a visit.
I'm not usually wowed by nature, but everything was so lush & mossy.

(This is one of the few times you'll see me in sneakers,
but I knew we would be doing a lot of walking that day!)





At two points along the trail you had to *squeeze* through two large rock walls along a very narrow path (at one point you even have to turn sideways to get through). It is pretty intimidating when you first walk up to the opening, but not bad if you scoot through quickly. It was hard to capture just how narrow it was in the pictures, but this gives you an idea.



The trail takes you very, very high up.
Which is when I stand a few feet back from the railing and peek over, slowly stepping closer for a quick glance down before I retreat to safety.

It is a very leisurely walk though, not a steep hike.











After this we entered the "Fairyland Caverns",
but that display really deserves and entry all to itself!