Tuesday, April 5, 2011

What a Day


There are days you feel that computers just hate you. Not that they have feelings but I'm sure they are out to get us. I have been having problems with my Photoshop. Every time you try to open a file it crashes. So reinstalled my CS3. Still crash and burn. Reinstall + updates. But yet more crash and burn.
I had bought a 1TB external drive to back up my computer daily through Time Machine. It's been set up for 2 weeks, no problem computer is backed up if anything goes wrong or Tari reformats her hard drive.
"Make it so number one," computer reformatted. Great, fantastic, troubles should be gone...HAH! I laugh in your face.
Let's put files back onto computer...try number one. Copying fine then the external drive decides it doesn't want to finish. Try again, now it's a constant unmounting of the drive. Can't transfer files if the drive doesn't show up. I'm getting frustrated, panicked, visions of begging and with pleading tech guys at Microcenter to do whatever it takes to retrieve my files.
I'm getting off and on cooperation from my iomega drive, enough to find my CS3 installation files. Reinstall CS3 files. C-R-A-S-H. Aaaaaaahh. It's 2am. I need so go to bed so I can get up at 6am. I'm at the "I'm so tired and frustrated and beginning to cry stage." Transfer attempt #999 (slight exaggeration), what, you want to cooperate now! This drive has a little compassion sensing my nervous breakdown. It's working, it's working....IT'S ALIVE! Sorta. I'll find out in the morning, wait it is the morning 2:30am. As I'm falling asleep, I realize I need to do a clean install of CS3, uninstall then reinstall all the programs.
Done. Updates, updates and yet another round of updates. I keep thinking, I need Photoshop so I can get my Art Bead Scene post and banners finished and posted this morning. Oh, and I'm teaching a cooking class at a local middle school today. No idea what I'm doing let alone if I have all the ingredients. I would laugh if I wasn't panicked. I need a shower too!
All of my email is gone, address book, calendar, and bookmarks. The fun of reformatting a computer. But Photoshop works!! Score! ABS things done and posted. I get cooking class figured out run to the shower. If the day hadn't been challenging enough it's now raining cats and dogs, kittens and puppies. Stopping at the grocery store for the missing items is not that appealing. I get wet getting to the car and loading it. Wet running in and out of the store. Since I am now late, parking is non-existant. I'm hoofing it from East Jesus land in torrential rain pulling a wheeled duffel, grocery bag, umbrella and wearing my rain coat I use when coaching. That's an attractive image in your head.
Dealing with kids that aren't yours with only 3.5hrs of sleep can be a challenge. Class is done, monkey bread and no bake cookies a success. Pack it all up and hoof it back in yet, you guess it, more rain! Yeah for spring rain. Now I am the one who crashes and burns, take a nap for 2 hours. Who's cooking now that it's almost 8pm? Good thing I have a stash of my turkey chili hiding in the freezer. Waiter, I'll have the chili.
So here I am finishing up more blogging stuff, happy my Photoshop is still working. Tomorrow is another day to locate more files and try to remember passwords that were stored and are gone.
Peace and love,
Tari

Saturday, April 2, 2011

Studio Saturday!

Welcome to Studio Saturday! Each week one of our contributors at Art Bead Scene gives you a sneak peek into their studio, creative process or inspirations. We ask a related question of our readers and hope you'll leave comments! As an incentive we offer a free prize each week to bribe you to use that keyboard. The following week we choose a random winner.
This weeks winner is Flower and Bud JewelryCongratulations! You have won a new O pendant from Jennifer Heynen of Jangles
Send Jennifer an e-mail with your address and she will get it right out to you.
This week we visit the studio of Tari Sasser at 
70 Donut Pendants for the Bead Cruise. Glazed and ready to be fired.
I don't think I have shown how my little kiln looks when it is loaded. 
I made these new donuts for the Bead Cruise. Yes, I am jealous that I am not enjoying beading, friends, relaxation and warm weather. 
Instead we experienced a rather stressful week. My husband is a teacher. Most school districts are going through big budgets cuts, at least here in Ohio. Last Saturday we received the call, he was cut after 9 years of teaching in this particular district, many hours of going to school and a career changer. We were in shock to say the least, walking numbly through the next few days. I arranged an interview (which has since been postponed due to a conflict) to return to the corporate world. Steve was applying for jobs, not in teaching but back in the business world, one benefit of being a career changer. We received another call a few days later, he was now UNcut. We were happy, relieved, confused, and in general leery of the fate of education. Since then, State Bill 5 has pasted in our state. Not a happy thought. Moving on from this unhappy diversion...
     Above is a photo of new donut Pendants that were created for the Bead Cruise. They are on rods, 3 layers deep in my little kiln. They have been dipped in a clear glaze which is why they don't look too exciting.
Kiln opened, donuts fired.
You can now see the detail after the donuts have been fired. Pretty-Shiny! Now to unload and file any sharp edges from glaze sticking to the rods.
60 Pendants, bagged and tagged.
This part of packaging I refer to as "bag and tag." All donuts were put on cards and then placed in resealable cello bags. I wanted to try a different presentation with the pieces of bandanas that can be used to tie the pendants to a necklace. 
Sassy Pendant
Close up of the Pendant. Feeling a little SASSY?! Figure it was apropos for most of us on certain days and because my last name is Sasser.

My question this week is:

Have you tried a new presentation idea lately? Success? Failure? What do think of mine?

Leave your comment at Art Bead Scene and you too can feel Sassy with one of my new Donut pendants if you are the winner! 

Feeling sassy as usual! 
Tari  Sasser 
Creative Impressions In Clay

Be kind to each other, you never know what someone may be going through.