Thanksgiving Feast

Dinner setting.


Homemade cranberry sauce.


The feast, in all its glory.


The pie parade.

A delicious Thanksgiving feast full of homemade treats! A 6 desserts to 7 person ratio always is a recipe for success in my book.

Scientist Dance-off

Of all the news I heard on NPR this weekend, there is one tidbit that stood out from all the rest... I venture to say that there is something very memorable about this equation: scientists + interpretive dancing= Dance Your PhD competition. Yes, competitive interpretive dancing for astrophysicists, molecular biologists, and the gang.

John Bohannon started this contest earlier this year and results were announced this past week. The rules of the competition are as follows: using no words or images, interpret your Ph.D. thesis in dance form. The grand prize awarded to the winners was a year's subscription to Science. If you'd like, you can listen to the whole NPR story here.

Although not voted as a winner, this video (above) by Christin Murphy about hydrodynamic trail detection in marine organisms, is one of my favorite entries. I'm not sure if the hula hooping or music selection or lobster outfits won my heart first.

Portrait Gallery Treasury

I was just perusing the Treasury, one of my favorite ways to browse on Etsy, when I was greeted with a pleasant surprise. My linocut self-portrait is featured among these fine portraits. Thanks for including me, imadeyouabeard! This treasury will only be up for a few more hours, so check it out while you can.

Love,
Your Secret Admiral

It's the Great Waffle, Charlie Brown

Is this what a giant squid eats for breakfast? As seen in the Metrotech Center in Brooklyn, NY.

This sculpture by Martha Friedman is part of the Public Art Fund's new exhibit entitled Trapdoor. Despite the Public Art Fund's excessive use of quotation marks used in the description of this piece, I have to say that it makes me smile every day when I pass this looming waffle on my way to work.

A Great Tutorial: How to Blockprint

Hello, world! I wanted to share this excellent blockprinting tutorial with you. Last week I led a craft night project at the Etsy Labs was carving your own stamp, and this tutorial is one of the resources I recommended on the handout.

There are many wonderful resources out there on blockprinting, and I have to say that this one created by LizzyHouse is one of my favorites. I was seem to return to this tutorial and recommend it to others. It's very detailed, full of great tips, and interspersed with lovely, clear photos. If this doesn't make you reach for your carving tools (or dash to the art store to get some), I don't know what will! Check out the tutorial here and be sure to scroll to the bottom to download the PDF.

Here are a few further resources that I'd recommend as well:

Books:
Linoleum Block Printing by Francis J. Kafka

Lotta Prints: How to Print Anything, from Potatoes to Linoleum by Lotta Jansdotter

Lino-Cuts by Claude Flight

Hand Block Printing on Fabrics by T.J. Corbin

The Craft of Woodcuts by John R. Biggs

Groups:
Printsy (Etsy's printmaking team)

Block Prints Flickr group

Suppliers:
New York Central (my favorite!)

Daniel Smith

Dick Blick

Also, be sure to support your local art supply store!

My New Website!

Drumroll please... I am very happy to announce the launch of my brand new website! You can find it at yoursecretadmiral.com. It is a continual work-in-progress, as I will be adding new info to it all the time.

I'd love feedback, if anyone would like to share their thoughts!

Love,
Your Secret Admiral

Print Party at Fact & Fancy Gallery

Over 100 prints from up-and-coming local & international artists!
$5 from each sale will be donated to the Rabbit House Society

When: November 7, 8, 9 from 12-7pm. Opening 11/7 from 6-7:30pm.
Where: Fact & Fancy Gallery. 75B Hoyt St, Brooklyn, NY 11201

More details here.

Hello, Sock Monkey

Last weekend, I learned how to make sock monkeys. This is my first one! He'll be donated to fresh art to benefit their wonderful programming. Learn all about fresh art's sock monkey program here.