Heather An Arts and Adventures

Book Review - The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot

2010-03-01T12:55:00.004-05:00

If it's not evident yet I'll let you in on a little secret, I'm a science dork. Yes yes, it's true but I'm proud of it! And I love to share my dorkiness so I had to let you all in on this book I just read, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot. My mom actually gave me the book for my 30th Birthday and I started reading it right away.

Brief Summary: The first immortal cell line made from a human was the byproduct of a woman named Henrietta Lacks. She, nor her family, had any knowledge of the enourmous scientific advances made possible with these cells. This book is a thorough chronicle of the life of Henrietta Lacks and her descendants, and of the history and scientific advances made possible through cell culture and her cells.

Personal Review: Sometime I can find non-fiction a bit dry to read, but that is definitely not the case with this book! Rebecca Skloot did an amazing job of balancing the life drama of the Lacks family and the history of cell culture. I was instantly pulled into the lives of Henrietta and her many descendants, in particular Deborah. Skloot really brings the Lacks's personalities and worries to the forefront. But at the same time, she includes a thorough and engrossing history of not only the HeLa cell line but cell culture as a whole.

Skloot highlights how every person has benefitted from the HeLa cell line. But she also reminds us that advances do not come without a cost. This book is a gentle reminder that science is amazing and helps to better everyone's world but that we also need to have a conscience while conducting that science. It's a gentle balance but well worth the time and effort!

I would highly recommend anyone, scientist or not, to pick up this book!

Ribbons, Ribbons, Ribbons

2010-02-27T14:06:00.006-05:00

Just a quick entry to share my most recent score! I will randomly run through the listings on craigslist, just to see if there's anything interesting. I saw a listing for a "bag" of ribbons for $25. I had already been considering incorporating ribbon into my jewelry so I contact the seller and asked if they'd sell the ribbons for $20. She agree and I headed out pick up my purchase. Now keep in mind, when I read "bag" I thought maybe gallon size. But oh no! It was a garbage bag full of really really nice ribbon. The seller was a wedding planner and these were her left overs. She almost threw them out! Can you imagine!

I will soon have ribbon jewelry so keep an eye out!

Update: My first piece of jewelry made from this lot! The beads are from a huge estate auction I won in January so the entire necklace is upcycled!

Featured Artist - SassyPack Rat

2010-02-23T15:01:00.008-05:00

I came across SassyPackRat on Twitter and fell in love with her "stuff." I'm saying stuff cause there's a lot.

I personally particularly loved her bird stuff, and by birds I mean penguins and owls and so much more.

And featured on her blog is this cute little St. Patrick's Day Bear! All of her creation are so cute and customizable.

Not to mention this girl is all over the web! You can find her on ebay, on twitter, on blogspot, on flick and on etsy. After tweeting with her back and forth for awhile I decided it was time to get to know her even better, so below is my first installation of:

Get to know your artist - SassyPackRat

Where do you live?

I live in Illinois just south of Chicago. I was born in Chicago and grew up in the suburbs not too far from where I live now.

What’s your earliest memory of doing your craft/art?

I grew up in a house where making Christmas ornaments, doing macrame, tie-dyeing t-shirts, sewing and knitting were normal everyday activities. Of course, it was the 70's so lots of people my parents age were very artistic and crafty. It also helped that my father was an artist, a painter, and one of his brothers was a potter so there was always something going on. My mom was also really into craft kits and is still. The majority of my birthday/Christmas presents were usually craft kits and I always had crayons, paints, paper and glue around.

I've made a living out of being creative. I have a degree in Graphic Design and Advertising and worked for many years in Chicago. I started working from home because my kids needed me here and now I just couldn't work for anyone again.

A couple of years ago I found etsy and recently took the plunge to list some of my creative efforts. I started making softies based on my stationery graphics and discovered that sewing was so calming for me. Now I'm addicted and am sewing something almost every night.

What’s your favorite time to work?

My favorite time to work is whenever the creative mood strikes. If I have to force it then it's like pulling teeth and takes forever. My favorite time of the day to work is whenever it's quiet. After the kid's are gone for the day and also weekend evenings.

How often do you do your craft/art?

I work all the time 24/7. The hours I tell clients are 9 to 5 M-F but really I'm doing something all the time. I try to do my stationery, invitation & custom work during my business hours and then all my sewing, etsy and new designs the rest of the time. I used to work 16 hour days but for health reasons I've cut my hours down a bit.

What’s your favorite food?

Oh, I like so many foods! I do adore cupcakes and chocolate, which I guess aren't really food but treats. Probably Chinese or Thai are my favorite types of food.

Number one piece of advice on… well anything?

My advice to anyone is do what makes you happy, what you love. Don't try to fit into a mold of someone else's expectations! I spent too many years stuck in that
and I'm so much happier now.
---------------------------
Thank you so much SassyPackRat! And just as a side note: Cupcakes and chocolate are definitely considered food!

Time to get going!!

2010-02-23T13:21:00.002-05:00

Hey everyone! I can't say that I've really fallen in love with this blog yet so I can't expect that you have! So it's time to get going and change that. I'm going to start posting more of my jewelry making processes and more about me and more about other artists I've come across! Hopefully with each new entry I, and you, will like this blog a wee bit more. So here goes!

Scientific observation

2010-02-05T10:28:00.003-05:00

You know that issue about scientific observation? The one where people state the mere act of observing something is altering it's behavior and therefore we can never obtain a truly unbiased observation? Well I think things guys might be trying to make that point. And hell, even if they're not they're damn cute!

Giveaway! Thanks Tamara!

2010-02-03T11:32:00.001-05:00

I just wanted to send a shout out to Tamara Kenyon for hosting a giveaway with a pair of my earrings! Thanks so much Tamara. And please, everyone take a moment to check out Tamara's amazing photography!

Isn't it Ironic...

2010-02-01T11:15:00.004-05:00

No, that is not a reference to Alanis Morissette, but to today's local news! What exactly happened you ask? A plane, monitoring the morning traffic, had to land on the NJ turnpike, effectively causing it's own traffic jam! Only problem is, now that there is traffic, who was there to monitor it?!

Isn't it Ironic?

I love David Attenborough!

2010-01-29T16:30:00.002-05:00

No seriously, I do. I have watched almost every DVD out there that he is in or has narrated. It helps that I love nature videos, but he just makes nature that much more lively and exciting. As an example please watch this video of some amazing dolphins! I'm sure I'll have more Attenborough installments in the future.

In the Name of LOVE

2010-01-12T17:09:00.005-05:00

Check out the treasury made by hotlavaclothing. She featured 2 of my earrings!!!

In the Name of LOVE

I made these earrings with brass pieces soldered together and then antiqued. I put a lot of love and care into these, I hope you like them as much as hotlavaclothing did!

Reason #1 I'm a cat owner

2010-01-11T10:49:00.003-05:00

Skippack Creek Hiking

2010-01-09T15:55:00.007-05:00

We decided today would be a great day to go on our first winter hike this year! After perusing the PA hiking guide we decided on Skippack Creek Trail in Evansburg State Park.

The hike started out great! We walked along side the creek and then through a pine forest.

There were so many animal tracks, lots of dogs, deer and of course squirrel (those are his little tracks above).

So, we're both fairly accomplished hikers and have lots of outdoors experience. The hike is supposed to be a loop. But with all the experience between the two of us, we got lost! Twice! This little state park PA totally beat us. We ended up back at the parking lot at one point, and at a dead end at another! What was supposed to be 5 miles ended up as about 2.5.

It wasn't a total bust though, the scenery was still fabulous and we got out into the woods which is always worth it!

Warning: Truly horrible foods!

2010-01-08T11:06:00.007-05:00

I always thought that eating a Rocky Mountain Oyster was bad....... this is so so so much worse!
Serious Warning: There are fairly graphic images on this website so click with care!

Horrible Food

What's the worst things I ever ate? I know it's pretty common but probably tripe (Def: the intestinal lining of a cow). I just can't handle the chewy yet, way to juicy (in a bad way) experience of it.

What's the worst thing you ever ate?

Yeah for blow torches!!

2010-01-07T23:47:00.005-05:00

What's the best Christmas present ever? A blow torch of course! I finally got the brass solder and square brass wire in from Rio Grande and went to work.

Here's my first creation and I'm actually pretty happy with them.

I first created the outer "leaf." After wrapping the individual circles for the middle I laid everything out as I wanted. The after fluxing and laying solder chips on top I blow torched away.

I finished off the metal with a patina then buffed a little shine up.

For an extra touch I added a czech glass bead on the bottom.

Yeah for blow torches!

Coming Soon...... Photography to my Etsy Page!

2010-01-06T14:13:00.007-05:00

I just got my photos from iprintfromhome.com and they look great! I took this picture while on a weekend vacation in Chincoteague. We biked out to the end of the island and found this awesome RV camp ground. At the very one, on the waters edge was this pier. I couldn't believe my luck with the arrangements of the seagulls in this shot!

I'll have them posted on etsy soon, but you get first grabs! The print is 4x6 printed on Kodak Professional Endura Paper. (Picture is ever so slightly "rosier" than here)

$10 for print, $3 S&H
Buy it now on my Etsy page!

What to say, What to say

2010-01-06T12:10:00.000-05:00

First things first, I sometimes ramble, but I'll try to keep this short. So here goes!

This is my blog. (How's that for short!) Since you have no idea who "I" am let me tell you. I'm a graduate student in Bioengineering. Yup, one big science nerd. But I work out the opposite side of my brain when I get home with photography and hand crafted jewelry. I love my family and my friends (who doesn't!), and have 2 crazy cats (my boyfriend will verify the crazy).

Hopefully this blog will showcase my creative work, give science tid bits, relate my daily adventures and lastly, just be entertaining!

Please please leave comments, suggestions, or your own stories! Well, let's see how this goes!

Spoiler alert: First picture post to come this evening hopefully! Everyone loves pictures right!?