Bring Me Back My Cheese

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Well I'm not out of the woods yet. And into the cheese fields, which is where I'd like to be.

Really, all you need to do is watch this and replace "hand" with cheese. Such is my feeling.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-jVgWY9Ej0&feature=related]

I'm still on a gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free kick over here for the duration. The good news is I may not actually have much of a problem with that triumvirate of food groupings ... the bad news is I have to stay off them whilst I continue to narrow stuff down. My nutritionist scolded me for having a LOT of trouble finding anything to eat the past two weeks (she forgot she was talking to a girl who ate nothing but yogurt, bread, cheese, and fake meat every day) so she's given me some scary things to incorporate:

Yams

Lentils

Mung Beans

Have I mentioned I'm a picky eater, who's scared of most things? Today for lunch I had steamed carrots and yams with ginger on top. And I almost started crying. It's tough having to eat grown-up foods.

So if any of you have some kick-ass yam or lentil or mung (NOT dung, which is how I keep reading it in my mind) bean recipes, feel free to throw them my way. And then watch as I whine about how I don't want to eat any of it.

Sappy Small Press

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SPX was the first comic convention I ever went to. It was 2002, I was fresh out of college, just gotten a job, and wanted to see what was up. I dragged my friend Lauren and we wandered around aimlessly, too scared to really talk to people and, like most amateurs, blew all our money within the first half hour. It was amazing and intimidating and I had no idea what to think of everything. (I believe I might've awkwardly cornered Derek Kirk Kim into a conversation since I was obsessed with his webcomic Same Difference at the time) I also met and braved talking to a lovely cartoonist by the name of Tim Fish, who still puts up with my questions and tables with me to this day. There were three rooms, a bar downstairs, and comics everywhere. I was in love.

One year later, I managed to snag a table. All I had were signs, a binder showing my webcomic, Gods & Undergrads, and free postcards and stickers. That was the whole shebang, my comics debut.

After that fateful 2003 SPX, I started gradually going to MoCCA, and then APE, here and there tagging on a Stumptown and a Staple, with just a dash of TCAF. But it all started with SPX.

SPX has changed a lot over the years - new venue, no more pie for dinner after the show, just nonstop excited creators and their WORK. Year after year - more creators, doing more stuff. It's survived the move and managed to retain such a cozy, hang-out-by-the-bar atmosphere far better than any other show. I've only had to miss a couple SPXes over the years, and I was sad that this year was one of them - but still, it was so great to even just show up yesterday for an hour, meander around, blow all my money in the first fifteen minutes, and brave talking to some lovely cartoonists. All these amazing creators and publishers and fans and table bitches I've met over the years - now I consider to be my old friends.

Here's to SPX!

Crazy Pours (and a Bonnie update!)

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I love the rain, but now I'm wishing I used the title of this entry for something about wine tasting... I know everyone else complains about the rain but I love it. I love it even though yesterday it rained so hard my skirt butt was wet, making me look like i had a crazy accident in my pants. The blocking out of the sun is one of my favorite parts. Rain gives people a reason to wear galoshes, and bundle up under umbrellas, and gives you a good excuse for not looking at people when you walk down the street. It discourages crazy people from wandering down my street in the middle of the night, drunk, yelling at themselves. It makes everyone hustle home to get cozy.

What I don't love is the cascading flooding we're having. It's like the Rain Gods saved up all their relationship issues for a year and just came over to sob on our couch about it. Quit the drama, already!

Anyhoo ... click here for the next Bonnie installment!

Crazy Pours (and a Bonnie update!)

/

I love the rain, but now I'm wishing I used the title of this entry for something about wine tasting... I know everyone else complains about the rain but I love it. I love it even though yesterday it rained so hard my skirt butt was wet, making me look like i had a crazy accident in my pants. The blocking out of the sun is one of my favorite parts. Rain gives people a reason to wear galoshes, and bundle up under umbrellas, and gives you a good excuse for not looking at people when you walk down the street. It discourages crazy people from wandering down my street in the middle of the night, drunk, yelling at themselves. It makes everyone hustle home to get cozy.

What I don't love is the cascading flooding we're having. It's like the Rain Gods saved up all their relationship issues for a year and just came over to sob on our couch about it. Quit the drama, already!

Anyhoo ... click here for the next Bonnie installment!

I'll Take Your Feta

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It is tragic to have to give up your cheese. To a friend, to a doctor - to ANYONE. For the next two weeks I'm trying the unthinkable - to go without dairy, soy, or gluten. Nutritionist's orders, to find out what's wrong with me. How can I part with cheese?? Especially when I like almost every single kind? I don't think I can do it. Quick - someone tell them that brie makes me strong.

(... Bonnie update coming tomorrow. I just wanted everyone to muse on cheese for a bit.)

Grace Progress

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Holy crap - it's rainy and overcast and I'm cozy and wearing long sleeves and reading by lamplight. FALLLLLLLLL!!!!

Oh my BFF Fall, how I've missed you. I know it's still a bit early - but it's never too early for me to get excited about this season. Luckily, this new eating plan I'm imprisoned in following for the next few weeks fully supports pumpkin. Pumpkin! Ohhh I can't contain my excitement.

Anyway. In the meantime, here's some progress on Horror Heroine #4 - Grace from The Others!

 

Soon she'll be all inked and will join the other three lovely Horror Heroines here. And to view  some of the ways I'm showcasing them, check out my Etsy Store!

Weekend Warrior

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Whew! Quelle weekend! First things first - I'm starting to transition stuff over to a new Etsy store (one that has a more reasonable name than "Artemna", which is what my store is currently called), and I just placed my Mad Men Greek Myth prints up there! In a couple weeks there'll be nothing left in the Artemna shop, so come join the party over at LipsticKissPress!

I've got loads of news and updates and fun. But allow me to take a moment to gush about how wonderful all the people were who came by to stop and chat and purchase things at my table at the Baltimore Comic-Con were this weekend!

I usually don't like to harp on the fact that I'm a woman making comics (*gasp*!) but luckily for every douchebag that comes up to me and ridicules my stuff (especially Boobage - mature, right?), or asks me if I'm the comic artist's girlfriend, or just wants to take a picture with me but not read any of my stuff ... there are families, dads, moms, kids, teachers, fellow comickers, and comics fans who come by and make it all worthwhile. They tell me they identified with one of my awkward stories, enjoyed the gore of my assassin comic, or are as much of a Greek Myth nerd as I am. And that just puffs me up with happiness and makes me want to do so much more. So thanks, everyone!

The Greek God wrist cuffs were a HUGE hit, I'm so thrilled! I have more gods and designs and plans to do custom orders soon, so stay tuned!

In other upcoming news, Bonnie will resume updating next Wednesday, August 31st. Mark your calendars! And look for Gods & Undergrads to resume soon, too.

Now - on to the sketches I did this weekend!

As always, if you'd like a commissioned piece of artwork, contact me and we can chat!