Did you miss me?

No, I'm not the worst bloggie in the world. I've been preparing a launch of my new website complete with snazzy custom blog on my own domain, and have discovered that a) I'd like to think I could just sit down and churn out my own blog design, but alas, I am not so smooth when it comes to web design. And I refuse to admit defeat and ask for help. So for now, I am modifying things, uploading them to the seemingly correct folder and watching as, wait for it, nothing happens. It took me less time to make my entire website and first line of card designs than it has for me to not change my blog header.
I'll give you the skinny on what's been happening, and then I'll tell you where to find what you missed, and then I will go back to posting on blogger and importing my posts over there. Why? Because over there it is ugly, and over here someone with a clue put neat little dots on some cool theme that I just got to pick.

So what's been happening. Apart from my battle with a little blogging interface or something of the sort, (I don't know the terminology), I've been contemplating a number of things....my multitude of self-help books, my no multitude of time, etc. Check out the gallant fox at gallantfoxgallery dot com. To view the blog posts you missed, click on the blog link. The site is only temporary,...I've been working on the full monty so to speak, but it turns out I am also pretty inept at dreamweaver and am not particularly inclined to read the rather impressive and expenisve training manual I bought with the very smooth pages and nice pictures.

Gallant Fox Gallery at the Arboretum

Today, Hub and I went to the NC State Arboretum in Raleigh.  It's an amazing place to go in the spring when all the trees are flowering, but we found the summer to have lots of neat foliage and blooms as well.  If you live in the area, it's definitely worth it to check it out.  It's free and is a great place to take photos and get landscaping ideas.  I had planned to spend the weekend working on my first letterpress prints, but as it turns out, I am still missing a piece for the press.  If I ever opened my mail on time, I would have known this 2 weeks ago.  But I don't open mail.  So, since I didn't end up being able to print anything this weekend, I've provided some photos from out arboretum adventure to tide you over.

 Hub was trying to get me used to using the tripod for my shots.  I am stubborn, so even though I know that Hub is right in his mantra that to get really great shots with a macro, you really should use a tripod.  Especially if you've got a tremor, which I do, and the camera is heavy to hold steady, which it is.  See Hub is a member of the Ansel Adams worshippers.  And I am not going to lied to you, his stuff is good.  In fact, Tom Hubscher Photography will soon be featured on the Gallant Fox Gallery (well, as soon as I figure out Dreamweaver...I was using simpler, but somewhat lame program before, so I am making the switch, well, um attempting to make the switch.)  Where was I....oh yes, I had given in, and was following Hub's instruction.  So I was lugging around the camera, and tripod, and looking sweaty and uncute in the 100 degree heat, when I saw this beauty.  A black and blue butterfly, and I've got a thing for butterflies.  But, he was taunting me and my tripod.  Every time I got settled in for the shot, he would move on to a different bloom.  So, with reckless abandon, I pulled the camera off the tripod and stalked the little bugger.  Gotcha!

This little guy was elusive.  But I once entertained the notion of being a spy...probably due to just a tiny La Femme Nikita obsession.  It didn't help matters that my friends and I actually called eachother things like "Libby Bond" and "oo9."  So, I can certainly get into stealth mode and do some recon.    Below, target on the move.

Once, I got my action shots, I moved on to more tranquil subjects With the tripod.

I'm too old for all nighters!

I'm going to spend my monthly whiney blog allowance. Last week, I turned 29. I showed up to an event at a friends, 30 minutes late and 1 day early, and she said, "Lib, you're too young for this type of mixup." Lovingly, she said it. You know what I mean. Now, I've just spent the entire night at work. And since I am now 29, I've turned into a raving hypochondriac. When I was a kid of 21, I could type all night with no ill effects. Now, I feel that I have a rather acute case of mouse finger and keyboard wrist, along with an unpleasant feeling in my stomach. I am not sure if this is a result of the 10 cups of coffee, vitamin water, and 4 krispy creme doughnuts that I deemed necessary to survive the night, or if it's caused by me overanalyzing how much fat I just consumed and how it's probably coating my undeniably adult arteries as I sit here. And oh boy, do I want to sleep. Back in the day it was different. I could cram for days for final exams and then I got to go home and sleep for days....but alas, no, no sleep for the weary...it's um, monday. Now how did I get myself into this mess of an all nighter, well, I don't want to point any fingers, but this is a result of me responding to job ads that say things like 'thrives in a deadline driven environment'.....hmmm....red flag!! It should read, enjoys pressure and stress and doesn't need a pat on the back for a job well done ever. Extremely good at all nighters. Wears business casual all the time, so is ready for dress code on Monday morning...ooops. Hey, I have a toothbrush and toothpaste in my desk, anything more than that, and I think somebody needs to have a talk about what's a realistic expectation and what's just plain delusional. OK back to annotating. You don't want to know. It's not fun. Really.

Fun with Macro Lenses

It's a stormy evening, so Kali, our pit bull (we like to say 'Pit Boolah', it sounds more distinguished) is pacing about. My mind is racing about. My day job this week has become my day and night job, so that leaves me very little time to write and work on Gallant Fox. On a brighter note, my supplies to fix the Santo Vida arrived from NA graphics today, so I am finally set to print. Once things calm down at work, I'll have time to finish up my designs and get some plates made by Boxcar. On Thursday, I'll be turning 29, and it seems strange how quickly time is flying past. I want to stop and reflect, but things just keep zooming by. Anyhow, I've less time to come up with any wit and whimsy for you, so tonight I thought I would share some photos. Libby likes photos.

I like how you can pick up tiny dew drops and the fuzz on a bee. You see things from an entirely different perspective. So I guess this rainy night is all about perspective. To some lightening storms are beautiful, to the the pit boolah, it is some scary business.

Oh, Foxy Logo

Today I have a draft of the Gallant Fox Gallery Logo.  I've got one on the website already, but I took this little guy out of the first design for my whimsy collection.  It'll be the first card I print, so once I get some feedback from my crew of mentors and get it in perfect shape,  I'll be ready to order the photopolymer plate.  I think his little legs are off, but in 'real life', he was stepping onto a tea cup saucer so it looked right.  I do like the look of him though.  What do you think?