Amaranthine Muses

The Camel is sad to note the closing of Amaranthine Muses.  Like love, beautiful while it lasted.  Thank you Carmen.

ARCADE: the Last Night at Chinatown Fair

This documentary looks really cool. It's about the last night at NYC's last real arcade. It's being made by Kurt Vincent, who edited and produced the recent Lake Erie surfing documentary Out of Place. Out of Place is a really great film with a lot of heart. Some of the characters and scenes in it are just awesome.

Click here for ARCADE's kickstarter page.

Update: Kurt and crew are really connecting with people with this film so far. They have met and are far exceeding their kickstarter goal. Wow.

Also, I have to mention the music in their trailer. They absolutely nailed it with the music. The full version of the trailer's second song, a Clams Casino track - Motivation (Lil B) Instrumental, can be listened to on the film's website: www.arcademovie.com

Monthly Mosaic April

Another month has passed which means it's time for another mosaic visually summing up all the blog happenings this past month:

I've started a new weekly feature, "Fill in the blanks...", which I'm already enjoying a lot and I've continued making new treasuries with things I currently love on Etsy. 

Perhaps my most favorite thing on this blog is the weekly interview with crafty ladies, this month I interviewed Bonita Rose, Rouge & Whimsy, Kamika Kraftz, and Janmary Designs just this week. They were all Indie Biz classmates and I was honored to feature them and their lovely work on here.

Speaking of Indie Biz, we had a huge Launch Day Celebration this month with loads of new shops, new blogs, new products (like my butterfly) and giveaways. I also hosted a giveaway and the lucky winner was the lovely Dimi from Greece. 

I've started working on some unicorns, but sadly that's been put on hold again. My physical therapist wants to make sure my tennis elbow and De Quervain's are completely healed before I start doing the very thing that injured me so severely. 

So I did some online shopping instead, got myself new business cards, thank you cards and stickers from Moo, and thousands of colorful buttons and a hundred pinback buttons from Etsy.

Wonder what next month will bring?

Voice of the Bards

The Camel notices tonight the appearance of the Voice of the Bards: Contemporary Verse of Myths, Fairy Tales and Legends. 

Hermes' Dream by Saloon siren Christina Murphy is included, to Jamal the Nomad's greatest pleasure. 

The reviewers say:  Exquisite poems that will take you on quite an adventure. ~ Chris Bartholomew, Static Movement

The Voice of the Bards is a wonderful edition to any library. It has a brilliant range, of both whimsical and dark fantasy poetry, that draw the reader right in. They paint a beautiful picture and give great insight into the poets' imagination. A fine example of what good writing is all about. ~ Karl Ekstrom, author Ravencroft, The Artifact War .

Now you know.  Available here: http://www.lulu.com/product/paperback/voice-of-the-bards/15534330?productTrackingContext=search_results/search_shelf/center/1

Fill in the blanks...

1. I am looking forward to the end of next month. My mother and her husband are visiting us in San Francisco and we're going to show them around and we're going on a roadtrip through Northern California and probably more! I love road trips, especially in the States, and I also love seeing my mother again after almost a year. It's going to be so great to show them how we've been living our American lives.

2. Something kind of embarassing that I still love anyway is any movie starring Leonardo DiCaprio. He's my all time favorite actor and I think I used to have a crush on him. Everytime a new DiCaprio movie comes out my husband knows we (I drag him with me) have to go see it, because I love Leonardo DiCaprio so much. No worries, my hubbie isn't jealous, he knows I love him way more.

3. My favorite car is made by Volkswagen. I love the Beetle, the Golf, the Lupo (so cute), the Fox, the Touareg, but if I were allowed to pick one to use right now I'd probably choose the Tiguan. But if they start producing Golfs in the Bon Jovi version again, I might change have to my mind.

4. If I could pick one type of weather to live with for the rest of my life it would be the weather here in San Francisco. Never too hot and humid, most of the time it's pretty and sunny, it makes me want to go outside a lot.

5. My favorite thing to do after a bad/stressful day is get cuddles and kisses from my sweet hubbie, he has this magical power to always make me feel better.

6. This weekend we are celebrating our 7 year anniversary. Not our wedding anniversary but our first kiss anniversary. Which happened in the international student dorm at Emory University and lasted for 6 hours... Yeah, not quite sure how we did that, I guess we really liked it! And on Sunday we're celebrating a friend's birthday with a beach barbecue.

7. If I were a color, I'd be orange because I'm a Dutchie and that's the color of the Netherlands, but I'd also be a fuchsia because that's my favorite color, and that combo would probably make me look like Dunkin' Donuts logo. But I wouldn't mind :).

Brigdestone White '96

Color/White
Headset/Hatta Swan Super Deluxe
BB/Sugino75
Seat tube/52.5cm c-t
Top tube/53.5cm c-c
Rear/110mm
Seatpost diameter/26.8cm
Standover/78cm
Model Year/1996
Condition/This NJS Keirin track frame has some chipped paint spots and a light dent on the right side of the top tube.
.Price/490usd

Watanabe / Stratos Pink

Color/Pink
Headset/Hatta Swan Super Deluxe
BB/Sugino75
Seat tube/54cm c-t
Top tube/54cm c-c
Rear/110mm
Seatpost diameter/27.0cm
Standover/79cm
Model Year/1992
Condition/This NJS Keirin track frame has some small chipped paint spots (mostly on the chainstay). Also, seat stay caps says Watanabe since this frame was a Watanabe frame refinished by the Stratos factory.
.Price/690usd

Panasonic Pink Fade '95

Color/Pinkish purple/silver fade
Headset/Shimano dura ace
BB/Sugino75
Seat tube/54cm c-t
Top tube/55cm c-c
Rear/110mm
Seatpost diameter/27.0cm
Standover/79.5cm
Model Year/1995
Condition/This NJS Keirin track frame has some small chipped paint spots but is otherwise still in good working shape. Tange prestige special tubing.
.Price/690usd

Janmary Designs

1. Could you tell us a bit about yourself?

I'm 43, married to a doctor, 3 kids and a cat called George, and live in Northern Ireland.

Love photography, blogging, making jewelry and spending time on the beach (especially in the winter). We have a cottage near the Giants Causeway on the north coast of Northern Ireland.

We have started house swapping for our family vacations, and exchanged twice so far, once to Dublin and one to Boston / Cape Cod. Great way to travel and live like a local, and more affordable than hotels especially when you have 3 kids.

2. What do you make and how did you get into this?

I make jewelery, and especially love to knit and crochet with wire. I started making things for myself about 3 years ago, and soon started getting orders from friends. Started it as a business in May 2009.

3. Why did you name your shop Janmary Designs?

Janmary Designs has been my online name since I joined digital scrapbooking forums about 5 years ago.

4. Where and when do you like to create?

Usually at our dining room table, or in the kitchen when the kids are at school.

5. What inspires you?

When I see new beads, I just can't wait to create something with them. Often when I start, I am not sure exactly how it's going to turn out, but something "evolves"!

6. What’s the best thing you’ve ever made?

Proudest of these crocheted crystal necklaces I made for a wedding - for all the bridesmaids in blues and also one in pinks for the mother of the bride.

7. When you create what do you like to drink, snack on, listen to, or watch?

Drink diet coke and watch recorded TV programs I've recorded - Greys Anatomy, home makeover programs and cooking shows.

8. What skills would you love to learn?

Been taking a silversmith night class this year, and enjoying learning to solder!

9. What are you working on now and what are your goals for the future?

I have been taking the indie 3.0 business course for creative small businesses - I've learned lots, and loved connecting and sharing with my fellow classmates.

10. What are your favorite websites?

Tricky! Pinterest, my Google Reader (love reading blogs - could not possible pick just a few), Home Exchange and am often found on Facebook.

11. Where can we find you online?

Blog | Personal Blog | Facebook Fan Page | Twitter

Next week: Camp Moxie

Giro White S-Class #4

Color/White with gold flake
Headset/Hatta Swan Super Deluxe
BB/Hatta R9400
Seat tube/52.5cm c-t
Top tube/55cm c-c
Rear/110mm
Seatpost diameter/27.0cm
Standover/78.5cm
Model Year/2005
Condition/This NJS Keirin track frame is almost in new condition overall.
.Price/1480usd

Giro White S-Class #3

Color/White with gold flake
Headset/Hatta Swan Super Deluxe
BB/Hatta R9400
Seat tube/52.5cm c-t
Top tube/55cm c-c
Rear/110mm
Seatpost diameter/27.0cm
Standover/78.5cm
Model Year/2006
Condition/This NJS Keirin track frame is almost in new condition overall.
.Price/1480usd