Get your JAM on!

Comics Comics Comics.

It is that time of the year. The Comic festivals, cons, parties, celebrations, free comics, etc are coming (or in some cases are in full swing). What better way to get your comic fix than by coming out to a free Comic Jam in the Nation's Capital? This month, the Ottawa Comic Jam group's event takes place Wednesday, April 25th, 2012 at its usual home, the Shanghai Restaurant, 651 Somerset St. W. Ottawa ON K1R 5K3. Our theme this month is Open!

What do you mean, Open Theme? Is Sue too lazy to pick a theme? Nosirree Bob! This month, our Open Theme is literally that. Bring your own work to share; if you're cranking out comic pages for publication (book or web) bring it to the Jam to let others check it out! Or, participate in our traditional jam where everyone works on continuous stories, each adding a panel until we get to the end and have a hilarious and weird conclusion!

Ultimately, look at this April's Jam as almost a 'mini-con' in anticipation of the Ottawa Comiccon happening May 12th-13th. Only at the Shanghai, the tables are free and we don't have to bus to the airport n__n. Bring your zines, comics, buttons, t-shirts, whatever promo you have and shill to your fellow artists. We're broke (yes, it is tax time), but there are no greater supporters of indie and zine comics than indie and zine comic-creators.

Everyone is welcome to this event. Come out and get excited about comics in Ottawa and see what everyone is up to!

Cheers and hope to see you April 25th.
Suzanne.

PS--I WILL be bringing back-issues of the lovely indie comix anthology by yours truly: "Abraxia's Dream" 1-3, "aBraxIa" #4, and if I can get them printed in time, the sweet and ground-breaking mini "Ivy & Dummy" (c) 2012 Suzanne A. Marsden.

PPS--Even if you don't have current work (or physical work) to promote, feel free to bring business cards to hand out w/ your links and such to your art and comics.

World Drawing Day 2009

If you take a couple of minutes (ok 3) and head on over to YouTube, you can see my two posted videos for this year's World Drawing Day event.
This was a lot of fun to do, although at 13,000+ I think the site is still short of its million artists. At this rate, I think we're all going to have to suck it in and draw like..80 drawings each to make up the 1,000,000 they were hoping for! But, it is only 10:30am or so and the day is young.
In other news, I have uploaded artwork for the NEW Ottawa Comix Jam FB site,
so head over there and take a gander. I will be cross posting the artwork to the jam site as well shortly...

Upcoming stuff: The Ottawa Small Press Book Fair at Jack Purcell Community Centre happens June 20th, noon - 5pm and DragonHead Studio will be there..selling comics, promoting the jam, looking cute..harf! Come out and say "hello", but a comic...get a sketch! Not unlike the dragon one posted on YouTube.......!

Chocolate Chip (Quizzes) Cookies

I've been enjoying my sojourn so far. It's been nice having time to catch up on things that I've put off indefinitely, like cleaning, reading, cooking and sleeping in. Man, is it still sleeping in if you wake up at 8am? I guess so, compared to rolling out of bed at 5:15am! Yikes :-)

I made cookies for the the first time in forever; from the Harrowsmith Cookbook. Check it out.. (these are not low-fat, but could probably be adapted.)

Harrowsmith Cookbook's Choc. Chip Cookies

You will need:
1 cup of butter (or margarine)
1 cup of granulated sugar
1 cup of brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
2 1/4 cups flour
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 cup chopped nuts (any kind will do)
12 oz. choc. chips

Preheat the oven to 375 F. Grease, oil or spray non-stick spray on a couple of cookie sheets. Spread wax paper on the counter for your bounty (or get out a couple of wire cooling racks.)

Cream butter and sugars together into a gooey mass, then add eggs and vanilla. Add remaining ingredients in order listed and mix well. Fold in nuts & choc. chips.

Drop by spoonfuls onto cookie sheets with 2 inches between cookies. Bake for 8 - 10 min. depending on how big your cookies are. Should make about 6 dozen (but I've never been able to make more than about 4.)

YUM!

Now, adapt the recipe!
For a lower calorie treat, try the following changes. Warning; I haven't tried these, so no guarantees!

Lite Cookies

1/2 cup margarine (or olive oil) & 1/2 cup of 50% fruit jam.
1 cup brown "sugar" Splenda
1/2 cup molasses
1/2 cup honey (or maple syrup)
4 egg whites, beaten
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/4 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup fine corn meal.
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup chopped almonds
1/2 cup mini choc. chips or carob chips. (Or omit chips altogether.)

Cream together margarine and jam into goo, while adding Splenda, molasses and honey. Add beaten egg whites and vanilla. Next, sift together whole wheat flour, oats and corn meal, along with baking powder and salt. Mix altogether. Fold in chopped almonds and mini choc. chips (if using.)

Drop by spoonfuls onto cookie sheet. Cook for 8-10 min. in a preheated 375 degree oven. Remove cookies to cooling racks and store in air-tight containers.
Makes approx 6 dozen.

Good luck!
Let me know if this turns out.

In addition to baking, I have indulged in making a few Quizzes at Quiz Heaven. It's been fun learning how online quizzes are constructed; there are 3 kinds: Generator Quizzes, Regular Quizzes and Percentage Quizzes. For an explanation of the differences in each, check out Quiz Heaven and try writing your own.

My Fun Time-Wasting Quizzes
Are you a Slob Beyond Redemption? (Generator)
The Danger of living vicariously through your pets..(Regular)
Lonelineless Quiz (Percentage)
What Lord of the Rings Female Character are you most like? (Regular)

PS--Here's a fun Quiz actually; anyone know the significance of the pic I posted? I haven't had a contest in awhile, so first correct answer wins a PRIZE! My last winner was Jay who guessed that my Pome contained my email address. She won exciting magnets with which to adorn her fridge. Maybe it'll be YOU next time!