Looking Forwards and Back

It's that time of year when the days are notably shorter and around the corner is the return to "Standard Time." We don't know about the rest of the planet, but "Daylight Savings Time" is nearing an end here in the States (Except for most of Arizona--we don't do that as we don't need to save sunlight, we could use blessedly less of it in summer!).

Sunset by
Brian Bender
wunderground.com

That's important for two reasons. One, we've already begun our planning for next year and have posted the prompts for all of 2016! And two, the inspiration for this week's word is supposedly and decidedly an American-originated concept: quilting. The pioneer women would piece together patches of fabric to create blankets and from "crazy," haphazard piecing came patterns.
There are plenty of complicated patterns out there, but "Nine-Patch," is one of the first, dating to early or mid 19th century and one of the simplest--three rows of three columns of squares.

Double Nine-Patch
Squares of Nine-Patch in a
Nine-Patch Pattern

Once you know the "rules," you can break them:

Disappearing Nine-Patch inside
Disappearing Nine-Patch

It's not a pattern that is expressly and solely associated with fabric.
There's glass:

Paper:

Chittlechattle.com

A total (diet) spoiler (Food as canvas):

We think everyone's a winner
in this game!
cupcakepedia.com

Computer program?

Nine-Patch for Android
Tutorial

Makes our collective neurons hurt! But you know us! We have to find off-the-wall, out-of-the-box
investigations as part of our on-going research. (For the record, we understand the underlying concept, but we were lost after the first word of the instructions. You know? Anything after "The...").

We've updated the last post, so check that out when you have a chance.

I was going to put that stuff here, but that would make things disorganized for the long term. And anyone who knows me, knows how organized I am (not! I'm going to grow up to be one of those crazy cat ladies who needs an intervention for 'stuff').

So show us your nine-patches in whatever medium you should choose! You know the deal--two inches!
Send your images of them to 1xeritas@gmail.com by Tuesday at 2PM Arizona Time (which never waivers), November 3, 2015. Include your blog post or what-have-yous for sharing!

Week 16--Is

No matter what your definition of "IS" is, it's hard to describe and yet more complicated to address artistically. We knew it when we put this into the challenge mix.
What has transpired is that more than one artist jumped right over it and went to the next challenge. And rather than spoil that fun, we'll save those with any others that come along for the November 3 post.

Sarah in Michigan was up for the challenging challenge!

Nature Is...
By Sarah

This is our official response to this week's:

A Daughter Is...
By Cheryl

Thank you so much for stopping by. Be sure to check out the artists that participate and let them know you appreciate their efforts. And perhaps, join in on the fun?!
Until next time....

Update 10.26.15:
From Freebird:

She writes:

i love the theme.  For me, the take on the theme IS was so clear.  1 Corinthians 13:13.  So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these IS love.  So for my IS twinchie I redid a pattern that I designed for a Stethoscope bead that I designed for the nurse that took care of my daughter after her surgery.  It has a cross, a rainbow, and a dove, faith, hope and love. 

Love Is...
By Freebird

Isn't that just lovely?

It Depends on Your Definition

We have often ruminated on the testimony provided by then president William Jefferson Clinton during the Lewinsky trial. When asked if he had relations with Monica, he responded with, as best as we know, "It depends on what your definition of 'IS' is."

Bill Clinton
Official White House Photograph

Our take on it is, it either IS or it isn't, not much grey area there, right? Which, led us to the dictionary to find the definitions of "is," and we found there really is only ONE! "Is" is the third-person conjugation of "be," as in: he IS, she IS or it IS.
Not much to really figure out! But if you go further with the study, back to "be," things get more interesting.
First, you may consider one of Shakespear's most-quoted lines, as Hamlet asks himself if it is better "to be, or not to be. That is the question."

Edwin Booth as
Hamlet
by J. Gurney & Sons, 1870

You can find various philosophers that posit the essence of "being," but it was Rene Descartes that put forth, "Cogito, ergo sum," translated to "I think, therefore I am." Rodin created a beautiful sculpture to illustrate this concept.

The Thnker
Rodin
Philadelphia

In a variety of ways, we have seen this tripartite:

To Be is to Do--Socrates

To Do is to Be--Plato

Do be do be do--Sinatra

And from there, the opportunities to extrapolate are endless:

Scooby Doobee Doo!

Yabba Dabba Doo!

Hey, Boo Boo!

How about a Picnic Basket, Yogi?

Do be a Do Bee!

AND, last but not least:

Exactly! Now, go out and just make art, whatever YOUR definition of "IS" is!

Send us your twinchies by 2PM on Tuesday, October 20th to:

1xeritas@gmail.com

Include a link to your blog or what-have-you and spread the word!

Disclaimer: all of the above artwork is copyrighted by their respective owners, creators and companies. White House photographs are in the public domain as are those greater than 70 years, such as the image of "Hamlet." The images are represented here to offer creative opportunities and are not meant to infringe upon individual or corporate rights. 

Week 15--Hot

Our hearts go out to the residents of South Carolina that are battling weather like never seen before. Water is a powerful mechanism for change, evidence the Grand Canyon, for instance.
We hope everyone is staying warm and dry.
Ann in Denmark sent this cozy vignette:

Hot
by Ann

Freebird took hot in a different direction: up, Up, UP!

Hot Air Balloon with (HOT)
Sunset
by Freebird

And I guess we are feeling rather ghoulish as we went with a devilish theme:

Hot
by Cheryl

We appreciate everyone's participation and we always like to see what else they're up to. Make sure to check out the artist's works, tell them you saw it here. And, perhaps, consider joining in the fun!
Until next time...