Monday, November 14, 2011

Technological Wonders

Thank you to all the nice readers who commented on my previous post. I'm glad you didn't flame me for my toddler intolerance. The thing is, I can generally forgive the children - but it's the parents I laser with my Evil Eye. I'm sure everyone who reads my blog has well-behaved little children that are a pleasure to be with. That much goes without saying.

This is the bedroom that unleashed the Ikea horror: it's a grown-up room, a civilised and tasteful room. And it's also the new home to this blanket, which travelled several thousand miles before ending up on Sherry's bed. When I see photos like this, I have a couple of seconds of decoration envy (why don't my rooms look like this?), swiftly followed by technological wonder (this blanket was in my craft room a fortnight ago and now it's on a bed in Pennsylvania and I CAN SEE IT ON MY COMPUTER SCREEN!) Awesome, eh?


And today brought another technological wonder. I hope you don't think it's too crass of me to boast about my father again, but I think he's done something really, really clever. If you are a regular reader, you'll know that my Dad is an artist. Sadly, he does not specialise in mermaids, yarnpires or stickmen, but he paints a mean landscape. He has just printed two of his winter snowscapes as Christmas cards - and here's the really smart thing: on the back of the card there's a barcode which you can scan with your smart phone and this will direct you to a YouTube video of the picture on the Christmas card being painted (or, if you're like me with a 10-year-old Nokia phone that's essentially a large Lego brick with a mobile phone connection, you can just type in the link and look at it there). Isn't that clever? I don't know if this has been done before, but I suspect it hasn't - my father is very innovative in most creative ways. This, to my mind, is just the perfect balance of technology and creativity.

And the video for the picture below is here.

Christmas Morning

13 comments:

Sara said...

The video of your Father painting was awesome - now I know where you get your creative and artistic flair from! The blankie looks lovely in its new home.

Elisabetta said...

Wow, both the blanket and the painting are two wonderful works of art!!

Emma (GirlAnachronismE) said...

I love your dad's pictures, they're so beautiful. I loved the picture of him painting the landscape of the buildings by the beach that you posted =) And that is a very clever idea, it's a nice touch to a card.

Anonymous said...

oh GOSH I feel so... famous!!! I am so, so honored you liked my bedroom. I tried to watch a lot of HGTV and put some thought into it before breaking out the paintbrush. Your impossibly gorgeous blanket, which I am SO honored to have, is the icing on the cake. It is just so cheerful and beautiful.

PS I can't see your dad's landscape and I'm dying to! I can't draw or paint and always wished I could.

love sherry in pennsylvania

Wool Free and Lovin' Knit said...

WOW -- your blanket looks lovely and your dad's painting and video? INCREDIBLE. Perhaps you should do the same showing your work on the blanket!

Sue said...

First of all your blanket looks gorgeous in it's forever home!
Secondly technology IS amazing, it's how we are all enjoying each others blogs and artistry. I love it. I also love the way we are still in awe of it, we had a birthday party this weekend and my daughter came via SKYPE. It was weird and wonderful at the same time! Just off to watch your clever Dad, By the way Dads are awesome too!

Paul & Carla said...

How fascinating to watch an artist at work! I was enthralled as he built layer upon layer of color, giving the painting lovely depth. Thank you for posting the video link.

Anne said...

Yes, I agree, how wonderful technology is, and the cover to be able to see it all the way at Sherry's place in Pennsylvania. Your Dad's artistic talent should definitely be applauded. I love Christmas Morning!! :)

Tosha said...

I saw a story on the news where someone did this on their loved ones gravestone. You could scan the barcode and it would bring you to videos/pics of your deceased loved one. I thought it was a nice way to remember your loved one.
P.s love your blog!

patrysia said...

Well, yet another alleged workday that I spend watching your dad paint. Please, no one tell my boss.

I adore his Christmas Morning card. I wished I lived in that card.

Anonymous said...

I thoroughly enjoyed the video and have shared a link to it with my sister who is learning how to paint. Thank you so much for sharing it!

Linda

Anonymous said...

First of all, new reader here and I LOVE your writing style! I actually found your site quite by accident. Someone posted your diagram for your crocheted blanket onto a quilt board by mistake, but a happy mistake it has turned out to be. I have trouble finishing large projects but I can whip up a granny square in no time flat. My problem has always been that they are all different sizes and just stuffed in a bag in the craft room. You have given me hope and I shall see if they can be assembled. Thank you so much!

The Gingerbread Lady said...

qthefatcatlady - YES!! Every granny square can find its place in this blanket, honest! And the wondrous thing about it is the fact that even though you mightn't think the colours match, when sewn together, everything really does somehow fall into place. It's hard to make an ugly version of this blanket, honest!