Fruity Card

This card was inspired by a 3D apple sticker I saw at the store. The apple sticker was similar as shown, but much smaller. I decided to cut out my own (by hand!) and give the apple some friends - the pear, and orange. The metal embellishment says "happy" - not that visible. The green dashed border and cloud border are from a piece of patterned paper, that happened to the same color as the blue cardstock base. I think the fruits are pretty nifty myself...

Assignment #02: Funky

He wrote: A Funky Dalliance


She wrote: Plotting a Scheme (80's style)


I will title the postings I write for the 2 week assignments with Liam (music dude - yes, Liam, that is how I have referred to you - would you like a more prestigious description? Liam (Audio Designer Dude for Next Level Games), as "Assignment #". Makes it easy to keep track of where we are in terms of what we've accomplished.

For this particular assignment, the theme was "make it funky". This means, no traditional orchestral instruments allowed (i.e., flutes, clarinets, oboes, bassoons, french horns, trombones, cellos, violins, violas, double basses, timps, etc.) What's left is synth sounds, or sounds created through manipulating real sounds, or just more electronic sounding sounds. Check out the pieces above.

Note: You'll notice how Liam's piece is much louder than mine - this is because he properly compresses the music afterwards. I lack the know-how on this. Until I learn, his pieces will be at the proper volume. Mine will be softer.

Note 2: I've updated the last music post with Liam's rendition of the "heroic" theme. Check it out below on the last music post as well...

Assignment #01: Heroic

EDITED TO INCLUDE:
Hello! Just an update to this post. As mentioned earlier, I met up with an old highschool classmate recently; we'll be writing songs every 2 weeks, along a common theme/stated guidelines. He's given me permission to post his works here as well, so you can compare the two. This is the first week, "Heroic"... check out his, check out mine.

PS - Purely by chance, both pieces ended up being 1:28 min tracks when recorded into webstream format. Weeeeeeeeird.

He wrote: Time Marches On


She wrote: Determined


Well, it's been a looong time. For no good reason, really 'cept that I was out having fun. Activities included, but were not limited to: playing tennis, running a half marathon, visiting China, Whistler, Vegas, sporadic States trips, hiking up mountains, and just enjoying the summer.

Recently, by chance, I met up with an old highschool classmate who now works in the music industry as an audio designer. For me, when writing isn't my job, its hard to find a reason to do it. For him, when writing IS part of his job, it's hard to find a reason to do it (outside of work). So now, both of us will be writing regularly, 1 - 2 minute clips every couple weeks. I will post my clips here.

The first clip is called Determined. The theme of the week is "heroic". That means horns, and open fifths, thirds, and sixths. Enjoy, and I'll be back soon. (For reals.)

Flower Cutout

Sorry, could not think of a good title for this card. This card took FOREVER. The petals were all cut out freehand, and different patterns from various stamp sets were stamped in black. The petals were then mounted on white cardstock and cut out again. A jewel brad for the middle mounted on black then pink cardstock completes the flower and an extra petal is popped up on dimensionals on the side with "enjoy" stamp from Michael's $1.50 spot. Thin black ribbon with dots of crystal "Stickles" <-- "professional" glitter glue (Yeah. That's right, I just wrote that.) finishes off the card. Phew.

Retro Flowers

Phew! It's been a while. But I'm back. After a last-minute trip to Vegas for my birthday, and then immediately following a course in Management... and then working on the studio (as opposed to IN the studio)... things have been a bit nutty. But it is returning back to normal, and so I will find time again to post regularly.

This post is thanks to my friend Angela who instigated a card-making night earlier this week. This one was designed by her... and I just went along for the ride. The paper is from a giant "My Mind's Eye" paperpad that I lugged home from Oregon a couple years ago. The stamp is from Stampin' Up. It took about 4 hours to make 2 cards that night. Heh heh heh. So I'm not the fastest card-maker in the world. But the other one had a lot of cutting n' stuff... will post later. Need to take a better pic of it in natural light.

While It's Made

One of the shows I used to watch a lot (back in the days when I had a TV) was How It's Made, from the Discovery Channel. They'd always explain how something was made (hence the name) - ice skates, transit buses, boxing gloves, TV's, solar panels, baseballs, plastic utensils - just random items. There are some sample clips at the link above (but you have to watch a 30 second commercial on some new texting feature for some bank first...).

The music in the background of these shows was usually something funky. As they showed the thousands of plastic utensils coming off the mold in the factory, there'd be some upbeat funky music in the background. This piece reminded me of that - thus the title, While It's Made. (How It's Made was already taken... and this seemed to better reflect the fact the music is the soundtrack to the factory items being made.)

Not typical of my style. Not sure what that is yet anyway, but 'twas a fun piece to create nonetheless. No traditional orchestral sounds used. Sometimes you just need a break from all that. So instead of a KitKat bar, I did this. It was a one-dayer - about 5 hours I'm guessing. (No clocks allowed near where I write. You're done when you're done.) A dinnerless day that was, but sometimes food is not important.

Daily Tango

I always fear that I will write the same thing twice. This piece was painstakingly slow, and I kept thinking I wrote that bit already into something else. Nevertheless, it has been completed, so I can now move on. Hopefully, onto something more inspiring. Not particularly fond of this one. Ah well, them's the breaks.

UPDATE: The more I listen to this, the more I dislike it. I may have to take it down. It might just be that bad... we'll see.