Bonnie Jacobs

Photographer, Illustrator, Designer, Artist, Volunteer, Mother, Daughter, Wife... and a kid at heart!!

[nebulodraws]

My Installation piece and final project for sculpture! 

(short rambles below the cut)

Commission info | AC Mayor Commission info

Keep reading

[bonniejacobs]

So very happy with how this came out... "Alien Nation" #Pencil on Bristol Board Drawing of Bryanna Joy Neal aka Arcturian Neal #art #illustration

[bonniejacobs]

I'm healing...

Haven’t been online much the past couple weeks, been dealing with medical issues. Two weeks ago my nipple itched, I was wearing a lace bra, so I took it off & went on with the day. It happens, nothing unusual. I don’t like bras anyway & off is preferred. The next morning I woke to find my left breast swollen (4x it’s normal) and so painful I could barely move. I could feel lumps, many lumps, it was hot, red, swollen. It was scary. Drew got me into a warm bath & that eased it until I got out. He finally convinced me to go to the ER. I won’t go into all the details of ER but they admitted me thinking it was an serious infection…. like I need to be on IV antibiotics type of infection. Many specialists called in & Infectious Diseases. Ultrasounds, MRIs & a battery of tests, boob getting bigger & bigger. I had a mammography in Feb, it was fine, how can this be happening? This much pain, this fast. Lots of IV antibiotics, pain pills … they were even giving me morphine. White blood count up to 36 & climbing (normal fighting infection is 11-12). Next thing I was in a operating room. Doc made a 5" or so incision & went in to remove all the infection (found multiple abscesses & lots of gunk thruout). The infection was close enough to blood vessels that if I had waited a day it would have entered my blood stream. Thank God Drew talked me into ER, I was gonna wait to see GYN on Monday. Doc didn’t think it was cancer, will run tests. This infection grew so fast, scary fast. Many more rounds of antibiotics (many different ones to cover all possible bases) & other meds. Normal saline drip changed to a glucose drip because my sugar levels were all over the place & they didn’t want me to seizure. Incision left open to drain (still open but healing). They couldn’t get the culture (gunk) to grow outside my body. No real answer as to what caused it, other than something got in thru a nipple duct & I had a severe reaction. I know my body has weird reactions to stuff, but this was crazy. It’s not cancer. I also got anemic during this whole ordeal, so dealing with that as well. More labs tomorrow. 1 week in hospital, 1 week bed/sofa rest, both with major meds. I feel so much better today compared to 2 weeks ago. Day to day, better & improving. Today I got cleared to go back to work on Monday as long as I take it easy & don’t overdo it. Gotta remember the wound is still open. Last oral antibiotic tonight YAY! Still have oxycodine when needed for pain. And the anemia to deal with, which could take months to recover from. All I can think of is … it’s not cancer and It didn't get into my blood stream. Thank God. Drew has been amazing thru all of this, changing my dressing, making me drink, eat & keeping track of meds. Taking care of the kids & the house. Moral support & just there for whatever I needed. I cried a lot, not knowing was the scariest thing. Drew is my hero! We still don’t have all the answers, like how & why, but we know it’s getting better. We know what it’s not. It’s not cancer. So working on getting healthy again. Very germaphobic, especially of my nipples, right now. Still recovering. Feeling blessed I got thru the ordeal (even more painful than child birth which I now place as a 5 on a scale of 1-10… this at its highest was a 12 & that’s with morphine). My Drew is an amazing person & dealt with & handled more than a hubby should have to handle. It’s not cancer. Prayers answered, I’m healing. To those that heard about this… thank you for the well wishes, cards & prayers. The power of prayer is amazing. I will heal. I will be healthy again. It’s not cancer. Thank you God for helping me get thru this.

[bonniejacobs]

“Rachael”

Getting back into my pencil illustrations…. love the way it feels when pencil meets paper & you just get into the zone of drawing. This one of my friend Rachael Taylor. (Pencil on Stonehenge paper.)

[bonniejacobs]

AIDSwalk NYC 2014

Danya & I walked again this year as STARwalkers, raising over $1500. All of our donors names were written on the shirts we wore, as well as friends living with or taken by AIDS. We had several members of Team NOH8 wearing crowns. And this year…  no rain!!! YAY!

[bonniejacobs]

NOH8 LOVE As a NOH8 volunteer, in addition to spreading the word about NOH8 & helping the team with the shoot… you get to meet some pretty amazing people… like musician Darryl "DMC" McDaniels. He also makes some cool comic books… http://www.dmc-comics.com Love this guy!

[bonniejacobs]

ComicCon & NOH8

What an amazing combination!! I love working with my NOH8 family… and to be able to do it while attending ComicCon in NYC… WOW!!! We had a blast, took lots of photos, met some amazing people & spread the message of NOH8 (No Hate). For more about the campaign visit http://www.noh8campaign.com

[bonniejacobs]

More Monsters... November 2013- A super typhoon hit the Philippines. One of the strongest storms ever to make landfall, cut a path of destruction through several central islands, leaving the seaside city of Tacloban in ruins and estimates of as many as 10,000 dead.

These monsters (57) will go with my church’s mission team & be handed out to the children they meet. The Hollywood United Methodist Church mission team will be there for one week this summer, most likely rebuilding a house, a school, or a church.  More info on the “Monsters For” projects can be found at http://www.bonniejdesign.com/MonstersFor.htm

[bonniejacobs]

Mission to the Jersey Shore Last summer the mission team from Hollywood United Methodist church spent a week at the Jersey Shore. We were on demolition duty… gutting a home destroyed by Hurricane Sandy. The following week a construction team would come in & start to make it livable again. We had an amazing adventure tearing down what needed to go & getting very dirty in the process. Blessed to be a part of this amazing group.

[bonniejacobs]

AIDSwalk NY: That time of year again, when my daughter & I prepare for @AIDSWalkNY We've already started collecting donations & hope to top last years total. Last year we walked with our NOH8 Campaign family. We had a blast even though it poured rain the entire time. If you have a few dollars to spare, please consider donating to this worthy cause. As we did last year, we will write all of our donors names on our walk shirts (see pic).

http://awny2014.kintera.org/faf/donorReg/donorPledge.asp?ievent=1089371&lis=1&kntae1089371=BD55CA02B7C540FE8828D263621F9500&supId=381832271&team=0&nmv=true

[bonniejacobs]

A little video (thanks Ed Olen) from the HUMC mission to Haiti showcasing some of the kids who received hand-made monsters. If you would like to help with the "monsters For" project, visit http://www.bonniejdesign.com/MonstersFor.htm

[bonniejacobs]

Monsters for Hope Gardens Project

I've blogged about Hope Gardens before. It's an amazing place that works with broken families to help them stabilize their lives and progress from homelessness to independent living.

Last year I decided to do something special for the children there & created hand-made, one-of-a-kind, lovable monsters that could be cuddled & taken anywhere. The monsters are something they can love & hug; something to bring comfort; something made from the heart! It took months, but I managed to make 49 monsters!!

The monsters were such a hit, that I would like to do this again. I would love to deliver even more monsters this year, So, I am turning to fellow artisans & crafters. If you knit, crochet, or sew... please consider making a monster & donating it to this project.

I have set up a page on Ravelry.com with all the details.... please, check it out  http://www.ravelry.com/projects/bonniejacobs/charity-monsters-for-hope-gardens-2

[bonniejacobs]

I PRAY YOU ENOUGH

This was sent to me... and I thought it beautiful:

Recently, I overheard a mother and daughter in their last moments together at the airport. They had announced the departure. Standing near the security gate, they hugged, and the mother said, 'I love you, and I pray you enough.'

The daughter replied, 'Mom, our life together has been more than enough. Your love is all I ever needed. I pray you enough, too, Mom.'

They kissed, and the daughter left. The mother walked over to the window where I was seated. Standing there, I could see she wanted and needed to cry. I tried not to intrude on her privacy, but she welcomed me in by asking, 'Did you ever say good-bye to someone knowing it would be forever?'

Yes, I have,' I replied. 'Forgive me for asking, but why is this a forever good-bye?'

Well...I'm not as young as I once was, she lives so far away & has her own busy life. I have some challenges ahead, and the reality is - her next trip back will be for my funeral,' she said..

When you were saying good-bye, I heard you say, 'I pray you enough.' May I ask what that means?'

She began to smile. 'That's a prayer that has been handed down from other generations. My parents used to say it to everyone.' She paused a moment and looked up as if trying to remember it in detail, and she smiled even more. 'When we said, 'I pray you enough,' we wanted the other person to have a life filled with just enough good things to sustain them.'

Then, turning toward me, she shared the following as if she were reciting it from memory.

I pray you enough sun to keep your attitude bright no matter how gray the day may appear. I pray you enough rain to appreciate the sun even more. I pray you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive and everlasting. I pray you enough pain so that even the smallest of joys in life may appear bigger. I pray you enough gain to satisfy your wanting. I pray you enough loss to appreciate all that you possess. I pray you enough hellos to get you through the final good-bye.

Then, she began to cry, and walked away.

They say, it takes a minute to find a special person, an hour to appreciate them, a day to love them, but an entire life to forget them.

TAKE TIME TO LIVE....

To all my friends and loved ones,

I PRAY YOU ENOUGH

Bless

[bonniejacobs]

Red Velvet Cheesecake Brownies

Brownie part... Mix together: 1 stick butter softened 1 cup sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla 1/4 cup Ghirardelli unsweetened cocoa Pinch salt 1 Tablespoon red food colour 1 teaspoon vinegar 1 Tablespoon milk 2 eggs (or alternative for vegans) 3/4 Cup flour Pour batter into greased 8x8 pan Cheesecake part... Mix together: 8 oz Philadelphia cream cheese 1/4 cup sugar 1 egg (or alternative for vegans)  1/4 teaspoon vanilla Spoon mixture over brownie part  Use a knife & swirl/drag through Top with choco chips Bake 350F for 40 min or until done Allow to cool before cutting

[bonniejacobs]

"Watch Your Step"

Wandering around the streets of NYC there is just so much to see that it's easy to miss things. I try to take in more as I explore. Camera in hand forces me to look at the world a bit differently—slowly, carefully— as I compose thru the viewfinder.

Many times I am unaware of the strange glances I get from the passersby, other times I feel the stares full force. I know they wonder.. what could she possibly be taking a photo of... it's just a sidewalk. But the artist in me sees it a bit differently.. line, texture, colour... something I must capture & take home with me.

[tessaratops]

[bonniejacobs]

Just amazing!!

[bonniejacobs]

Cappuccino Chocolate Cookies

I have ben making this recipe for as long as I can remember. They have become such a family tradition that  friends & neighbors now ask for them.

Cookie dough: 1 cup butter (softened)

1 cup sugar 1 large egg 6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder 2 teaspoons instant coffee 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 2 cups flour Cookie cutters

Beat butter, sugar, & eggs together. Add in cocoa, coffee, vanilla & cinnamon. Stir in flour until just blended. Wrap & chill at least 4 hours or until firm. Heat oven to 375°F. With rolling pin, roll out portions of dough to 1/8" thickness on floured surface  Cut out shapes & place on cookie sheets. Bake 8 minutes or until crisp. Remove & cool on paper bags or rack. When cool, drizzle with icing (below). Allow icing to harden before storing.

Icing: 2 teaspoons instant coffee 1 tablespoon hot water 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder 2 cups powdered sugar additional water (as needed)

Mix together until smooth.  Drizzle over cooled cookies.

Makes approx: 4 dozen 3" cookies