Go Red for Women

I want to mention 'Go Red for Women'.  This is a yearly fundraising and awareness event for any woman concerning Heart Disease.  All major cities have annual events. I have gone to the luncheon to help support women in Anchorage starting five years ago.  On my cell phone I have my cherished 'red dress' and a angel that dangle off of phone so I can locate that silly phone whenever it's hiding in my purse so support your local American Heart Association in this wonderful event!

With all that said; it is quite fitting that my first color challenge turned towards red.

As the challenge for color started off this week I thought Red would be a color I would have a hard time finding. 

WRONG!

Happens to be one of those colors that is in just about any advertising signs, in buildings, and transportation. Just in a 3 block drive down one of Anchorage's main road ways...Red was every where.  I'm just excited beyond believe! 

I'm going to have to dress up in some of my heavier winter gear...Anchorage temperatures are in the low teens...so I can walk these 3 long city blocks taking pictures of each Red items.  I swear I'll have enough pictures of red to do me for each day of the year.  Yep that many items on both sides of the streets.

All I can say is "Go Red"!

                                                         'When Dinosaurs Wore Red' is my title
                                                   one of Anchorage's Art projects
                               Metal Sculpture located W. Northern Lights Blvd just before Lois Dr

Challenge of Color

As February slowly wines down from the excitement of Valentine’s Day, I find that a need to create new work is a must or otherwise I do believe I could just become a slug until summer arrives.  

It’s comfortable just daydreaming though.   

Sitting in my robe till noon was almost pleasant.  I felt guilty at 12:20pm the other day when just picking my nose, dusting the floor with my 20yr old bunny slippers which haven’t been washed since getting them off Ebay, on my fifth pot of coffee, and staring at the black spider on the wall make me want to pound my head on the desk like a two year old having a tantrum -> this is my sweeties version to hear him tell it.  I don’t pick my nose, never own bunny slippers, the robe is his, I swear it was only the 4th cup of coffee-It's too expensive to drink more than one pot a day, that spider I killed last month and most days I’m dressed by 11am!  But he is right I do throw tantrums except I've learned not to bang head anywhere cause it causes one to go blind (something like playing with yourself but no fur grows there)!

So I decided HEY SELF time for a Challenge. 

Never one to let a good thought get lost ~ you’re invited to do the challenge also!  I double dog dare you to do this challenge!

The Challenge is to work with a color for so many days.  I thought 30 days would be great but since I’m also easily distracted and living in a small city (Anchorage doesn’t even have a Sonic, or Red Lobster, or Olive Garden so YA we are small). 

The challenge is for 15 days.  On your mark get set GO!

Challenge #1 is the color RED –

 February 15 to March 1

Anything goes…just create and have fun!  Create something each day that has Red as the focus of your creation.

***If anyone wishes to share their creations I will happily showcase those artists during the challenges here on my blog (just leave a comment or send me a message on Facebook, or convo me in any of my shops - I triple dog dare my fellow artists and crafters to Please Please do this - it will be fun!!)

Feb. 15 - photo no. 1

Copyright Law

Today I want to mention a law that is very important to anyone who creates an image.  By creating this item it’s an expression of you; so therefore you have a right to this item being covered by the copyright law.

A Federal law:***Copyright of all images stated by the laws of the United States (January 1,1978 Title 17, U.S. Code and further in Section 106 of the Copyright Act) T...here is a fine for this copyright infringement per image involved and another fine per image to the person/and or business that reproduces, copies, or prepares derivative works for another person. "No images on this site are to be reproduced or copied in any way. Infringement will be prosecuted in an Alaskan court of law".

I create photos which I call art.  They are covered by law just for the mere fact I created them as an expression of myself.  All my online shops mention coverage of the copyright laws to all my products.  

A watermark ‘AS2Designs’ is on each of my photos that I put online so anyone looking knows this is copyrighted. 

I charge a price for my art.  I expect a payment for my art if you wish to display it anywhere in your home, office, school, or mode of transportation.  This also means your computer, your cell phone and any other device that is connected so that you can download a copyright item or place onto these devices.

Most folks are not aware of copyright laws.  Nor do they understand the law and how it pertains to art.  And gasp big time - many do not care about the law.

I will tell you dear readers this – the times are changing - folks who create items are tired of those stating they are not aware of the law, and especially about those who do not care about the copyright law and Artist are fighting back very strongly against those who just help themselves to our creations.

Permission is needed if you wish to put one of my photos on your blog either just for displaying or discussing the photo.  Permission is needed if you want to share it on a social network (example I’m on Facebook but you are on Myspace and want to show your friends my photo there)…written permission covers both you and the artist Do It the Right Way!  

All art must also define (acknowledge) who the artist is if displayed.  A good example would be ‘Blue Moon over Anchorage’ by AS2Designs you would list next to photo or under it so that all who look know who actually created the piece.  It’s even better to say: with permission by artist AS2Designs ‘Blue Moon over Anchorage’, that eliminates any doubt to viewers.

My advice is simple: 

Do Not download photos for your personal use as a wallpaper or anything else on your computer it’s a Super Big No No!  And do not download to use to create another piece of art!! 

Pay for the item is the correct and moral thing to do.  Remember you were raised better than to steal and be labeled a thief. 

Do it the right way instead of the wrong way so that you never have to worry about being contacted by a lawyer, charged as a criminal, and paying huge fines.

Valentine's Day

February 14th is considered the day for love.  Cards, candy, flowers and many a fine gift are given to one who is treasured beyond all other things.

As a child I grew up in the age of any holiday had a special party for the classroom.  The parties where hosted by mothers who would not rest until each child had a ton of fun and took home oodles of cards from fellow classmates; a shopping bag full of candy and other wonderful treats.   

All food items had been provided prepared and brought by these loving mothers.  

Throughout grade school these ‘Room Mothers’ where volunteer PTA members whose child were in these classrooms.  As we grew and moved on to the next grade they most often followed.  Outdoing the previous year’s parties became the standard.

I do believe it was the best of times. The mid 1950’s and 1960’s where a magical time for growing up for a child. It was a time of innocence, a simpler less complex time and a time to cast away fears. 

My own mother was a Room Mother to each of my siblings as we entered school, until she returned to work when I was in the 6^th grade.  Thank you Mom for fond memories of grade school for making classroom parties a wonderful event; and the very best yearly school carnival’s truly a time one will not ever forget!  

                                  my Mom still making magic for

                              her great grandchildren at Christmas!

P.S. that's one of my award winning quilts in the background <G>  got a 3rd place ribbon at Alaska State Fair it's titled 'The world according to Carp'