Sunday already

Not sure where Saturday went to!

I'm not a huge fan of February.....it's neither nowt nor summat if you know what I mean, with winter hanging on by it's fingernails and spring not quite on the horizon. Plus, I've got sciatica so I'm feeling a bit grumpy (that would be an undestatement!) Having said that it was lovely down on the seafront this morning, still damned chilly though!

OTHER STUFF

Came across this site on Friday that looks like it might be fun for all you photographers out there.... "Noticings are interesting things that you stumble across when out and about. You play Noticings by uploading your photos to Flickr, tagged with 'noticings' and geotagged with where they were taken. Each turn is a day, and at 3pm GMT every day photos from the previous day are imported from Flickr and the scores calculated. Noticings aren't very transient things, like people, and you should only take one photo of each thing you spot."
Link to noticings

Another photography-based link for snappers on the move. I loved this because it's such a simple idea that actually works, a light tent made from 3 sheets of paper and some paper clips......

Find the instructions here

Then there's this online drawing application that runs in any browser.....really quite impressive, shame I can't draw!

Link to Sketchpad

Better get those dishes washed.........

Here be architects

There's yet another accreditation exercise in progress at the moment..... it's a never-ending process. This time it's a couple of the Architectural courses under scrutiny, one of them is a revisit after one of those marginal 'must do better in minor respects' (that puncture so many fragile egos) reports a few months ago. Let's just say that tensions are running high, architects as a species aren't known for taking the low blood pressure option.....But me, I'm keeping my head well below the parapet except to take the odd random shot of the action while the troops are otherwise engaged!

OTHER STUFF

Myoats is one of those online drawing tools where you can literally waste hours.....sophisticated controls, nice downloadable results....above is a 'here's one I made earlier to try it out', but other folks have done so much better!

REVISIT.....Little Nemo in Slumberland

Surreal comic strip by Winsor McCay from the early years of the 20th Century. The above image is just the half-sized scan.....there's a link to the full-sized version when, and if, you click on that link up there. Currently no less than 420 of them online, and the number keeps rising!

Think it's nearly time for bed..........

ʎʇʇıʞ ʎʇʇıʞ ǝɹǝɥ

Impromptu day off today (woke up....thought 'need to wash my hair/don't have any clean clothes/REALLY need another hours sleep/nothing important happening)... I should probably feel a lot more guilty than I do, but y'know life's too short.Very little achieved except staring at the kitchen walls (not a pretty sight), listening to radio4 and being plagued by manic kittens (above seen 'in semi-repose', a rare sighting!) Until I hit the 'Publish Post' button I'm not sure whether the upside-down text in the subject line will work (if it does you can do the same here, type in your text and copy-and-paste the result, oh yes......hours of fun for all the family!)

Speaking of listening to Radio4.....here's a segment (with a bit of local NE interest) from Womans Hour today (you chaps can switch off unless you're heavily into knitting!) I'll be watching out for the exhibition when it gets a bit closer to home, and what a great idea for 'Art' funding.....(thinks: wonder whether they could use that half-knitted jumper I started in the 80's, maybe turn into the back-end of that bike?)



Maybe it's the time of year but I'm bored with my desktop wallpaper. Now usually I head over to Vladstudio or A walk through Durham Township (in both cases it's a short browse, a right-click and sorted) BUT I happened upon this online app today......

There's a BIG library of  here's-one-I-made-earlier 'elements' and backgrounds that you can combine/alter....on the other hand you can work from scratch if you're feeling creative....just perfect for the deep, dark nights of winter!

Get creative and download your desktop work of art here

WARNING.....I've been poking about in cupboards tonight (not always a wise move), if it's a bad weather day tomorrow expect illustrated vintage dance steps/dressmaking patterns for victorian underwear/possibly the odd ancient map.....who knows?

Wet fruit

The postponed-from Sunday, 3 generation Christmas cake bake is now definitely on for tomorrow afternoon...so the dried fruit is well and truly soused and smelling bloody gorgeous, but it's not wise to work out how much it actually costs to make, it's probably cheaper to go out and buy one at M&S!

The programme for the Berlin trip was finalised this morning (note to Imp and SD : and Thursday afternoon is officially 'free' if you are?) and I got my expenses in a plain brown envelope this afternoon....that makes it 'real' somehow, roll on Sunday!

A couple of assorted frivolities:
A rather nice free download if you're feeling creative, Livebrush
They say...."Livebrush is a drawing application. It employs an easy-to-use brush tool that reacts to your gesture. By combining simple motion controls with brush styles, Livebrush offers a fun and unique way to create graphics." You have to have Adobe Air installed (but that comes with the download if you haven't already got it) and there's versions for Windows, Mac and Linux



Still feeling creative? Soundation Studio looks like fun if you fancy playing with audio

It's an online app and they say:
"Soundation Studio is the web based sequencer that enables you to make music, ringtones and audio clips directly from the internet without downloading any software. This beta version includes over 400 royalty free audio loops, 9 different effects, track automation, basic loop editing, loop audition, master channel control and mix down to desktop." (not that I understand a word of that!)

And here's some recipes....no reason!
Middle Eastern Cookery

Further confessions of a font addict....

A couple of links for the similarly afflicted

Create a font using your own handwriting....assuming you have a printer and scanner available. Download the template, print it, fill in the characters you want to create, scan and upload...and a couple of minutes later your font is available to download and install....very nice....oh, and did I mention it's free?

Link to YourFonts

Now, how about using a bit less ink? Download and install this free font, use it as your default, and save on your printing bills. Added bonus, you're doing your bit for the planet!

"After Dutch holey cheese, there is now a Dutch font with holes as well"
Ecofont

Zen audio loops

Create your own blend of soothing zen audio loops to work to......very relaxing.
Zendesk FM3 Buddha Machine Wall

Sumo Paint

My steam-driven kitchen table laptop doesn't cut the mustard when it comes to running high-end graphics editing programmes like PhotoShop, I've been using the free to download package PhotoFiltre for all my day-to-day basic cropping and editing needs for ages (and to be honest, most of the time it does everything I want) But sometimes I want just that little bit more. Enter Sumo Paint, a free online image editor that packs a substantial punch and runs in your browser.....I think I'm a convert!

Link to SumoPaint 

Pump up the volume

Does what it says on the tin......

vloud

Graffiti Creator

Someone asked me to plaster a picture of a local beauty spot with mock graffiti today (don't ask!)....and not being that way artistically inclined I had to find something to aid the design process. Luckily I came across Graffiti Creator a while ago. Now it doesn't have a 'save' option, only 'print', but there's 2 workarounds if you want to use your tag as an image...
1 If you have a 'virtual' pdf printer installed just print to that, many image editing programmes are capable of opening pdfs where you can tidy the image up
2 That ever-useful PrtSc (Print Screen) key at the top of your keyboard works wonders too.

Make a HUGE poster when you only have an A4 printer

"The Rasterbator creates huge, rasterized images from any picture. Upload an image, print the resulting multi-page pdf file and assemble the pages into extremely cool looking poster up to 20 meters in size." You can either do it online within certain limits, or download the desktop app here.

Tynemouth Census 1891

Another file uploaded to acrobat.com....it's worth signing up to try. It's not just the generous file storage....there's an online word processor, the ability to convert up to 5 documents (of various formats) to pdf a month and 'sharing' options including video/audio conferencing, a whiteboard and shared desktops. All free.....at the moment!

Holiday packing

A useful online service for those of you (Anne and John!) in the process of packing for holidays in sunnier climes

Don't forget your toothbrush

Design your own font

Why not get creative? fontstruct is a free, online, modular toolkit that allows you to build your own downloadable truetype font.....or you can just be lazy and download one that someone prepared earlier! Requires registration.

Free video conferencing/chat stuff.....

....I had to search today for free software/online apps for boring work purposes, but I might as well disseminate the results....because I know for a fact the some of you have webcams!

ONLINE APPS


Bog basic, no registration, name-your-chat-room-and-go MeBeam

You need to register to use, looks good for educational purposes (though I had some problems linking to another user that only had a headset/no webcam) probably worth the effort in the end! VYEW

I think I like this one best....but time will tell! PalBee

REQUIRES A DOWNLOAD

• Windows Live Messenger
• Google talk
• oovoo
• imo.im

Fancy yourself as a singer?......

They say...."Welcome to our online karaoke system where you can start recording your own songs with your microphone. We offer a free service where people can play karaoke online. Simply start singing and our system will record your voice. Other visitors can rate your songs and comment."

Get down and groove at Karaoke Play

Streamzy....Search, stream, save

Another one of those 'search for music and listen online' thingies. To register you need a zip code, Streamzy seemed perfectly happy with '12345'

Get Schmapping

Free interactive tourist guides to more than 200 destinations worldwide available here You can use them online or download the lot to use on your desktop (big download, broadband recommended).....you can even create your own with the downloaded version (maybe we could do one for Haltwhistle or Whitley Bay!) to embed on a blog or webpage. Newcastle already has (a limited) one. Try Amsterdam or Berlin to see a more fully-developed guide

Magnificent mutations

"Mutapic is an online picture generator. It is a free tool you can use to rapidly create original art." Loads of fun to be had here! (There's also a 'Pro' version available for $30 which allows you to use your own pictures as a source if you get bitten by the bug)

Online Web Publishing

Create your own magazine, convert it to pdf and upload to Issuu for some free, slick, web publishing. And before you ask, no I didn't do the one embedded above!

Lots of lovely links....

.....to the contenders for this years Webware 100 awards. If you want to vote go here....but if you just want to check out some of the best sites in 10 categories......

Audio: Music, podcasts, audiobooks.
Browsing: Browsers, start pages, RSS readers, widgets, runtime engines.
Commerce and events: Retail, auctions, travel, real estate, concerts, conferences.
Communications: E-mail, chat, voice.
Productivity: App suites, to-do lists, groupware.
Publishing and photography: Blogging, content management, photo sites.
Search and Reference: Search engines, encyclopedias, mapping.
Social: Social networking, family sites, recommendations, online worlds, contests.
Utility and Security: Infrastructure providers, storage, online protection.
Video: Video storage, playback, streaming, editing, and animation.

......I've put a pdf with live links in the Box files on the right