NEW PRINT: NEIL GAIMAN/DAVID MACK: "I will write in words of fire..."

Whie we call this NEW version of the I WILL WRITE WITH WORDS OF FIRE...it's not.

This is the actual version that Burton had tattooed on his back, the color scheme that David chose & illustrated for him. A skin friendly script written by Neil Gaiman.

They are a hand-numbered, limited edition of 500. a dreamy hand pulled print run in 11" x 17" full color, the design really pops at this size. David has even numbers, we have odd. A Libra split! A Valentine's arrow in to the heart.

Printed right here in Hollywood, California. These are offered unsigned and will be $25.00 until Feb 4 midnight PST, when they will go up to $38.00. CLICK HERE TO ORDER YOURS.

By the way, to track down these travelling men, it's a full-time job-- that's why they are unsigned at this time.

here are some past photos of the original version, long since gone. THIS VERSION WILL ALSO GO QUICKLY!

Neil reads the tattoo poem.

A PORTION OF EACH PRINT PRICE WILL GO TO BENEFIT THE GAIMAN FOUNDATION.

in 2012, Neil and his lovely daughter Holly started a program to benefit those championing the written word. The foundation supports freedom of speech, and literary education, generally doing good where it can. The CBLDF is one place they are directing their funds, we are all working together.

here is the entire text of the beautiful poem Neil composed:

I will write in words of fire.

I will write them on your skin.

I will write about desire.

Write beginnings, write of sin.

You're the book I love the best,

your skin only holds my truth,

you will be a palimpsest

lines of age rewriting youth.

You will not burn upon the pyre.

Or be buried on the shelf.

You're my letter to desire:

And you'll never read yourself

I will trace each word and comma

As the final dusk descends,

You're my tale of dreams and drama,

Let us find out how it ends.

-Neil Gaiman

some Boston goodness: GODSMACK!

Neil was in town this week, so great to see that bearded wonder. However, I was derailed by work and sick so am behind on the one-thing-a-day out of the treehouse project i have engaged with myself to do aka SWALLOWING DIAMONDS.

here is Neil reading his beautiful collection of COMIX BOOK from Mr. Denis Kitchen of Kitchen Sink Books, back in action under the Dark Horse roof.

item #22:

the item #21: the glass kitty cat must not have been found by a swallowing diamonds reader, because no one sent in a photo, so I am giving the GOLDFISH POOL print by David Mack to faithful twitterer @Mattncoley who has been my cheerleader for awhile. He (they) have encouraged me in the project and spread the word. i call it karma- enjoy, Matt n' Nicole w/my thanks!

item #23:

another one of the Neil Gaiman quote mugs is back on ebay: CLICK here, it's got ONE MORE DAY.

comes with 4 Chinese New Year chocolate dragon coins...go and bid, right now, it's only a measly 5 bucks.

item #24:

FREE! this lovely musical tribute to Neil: with tracks by Ego Likeness, Tori Amos and that hotty Voltaire. just put in the comments, some new (or old) music you are listening to, that i might like.

I really need some new music.

item #25: a two part GODSMACK tour swag package over on EBAY, click here.

My first tour was the mighty Boston-based Godsmack on a bill with the Deftones back in 2001.

We were out on 9/11 and that brought about the end of our tour.

Am putting up for auction a two-pack of embroidered goodness:

1. a 2001 tour swag shoulder bag with about a zillion pockets, never used.

2. a Dickies-brand work jacket with two pockets and two lovely embroidered logos, this one was from the 2006 tour Godsmack/Rob Zombie. it is a size small, and I wore it proudly.

Sully! What a sweetheart. I believe in a voice like that. One of my favorite tours, and in fact, the tour I met my beloved roadie husband and dear friend Red.

i'll throw in an old pass and setlist if i can find...

this auction is only available in the States, because it's going be a heavy send. starts at 99 cents, as all my auctions will.

(sorry the photos look so crappy, i need to learn to photograph clothing items)

as always, thanks for playing.

item #19: FREE! all the way from Japan...

Last year, my forever dream of visiting Japan came true. I shall always love the Slipknot camp for taking me there.

definitely some cool cats on that team, and it's great music to clean your house to.

I fell in love with the terrific attention to detail and the turn of phrase that the translation from Japanese to English often brought. I studied Mandarin in college but that sure didn't help me here...

Everything looked bright and new to me. I brought back so many little presents.

The food was, bar none, my favorite of the world, even down to the crazy convenience store eggs, cooked EXACTLY like I like them, I can't wait to go back.

is my visa still good?

to the person who tells me their favorite food of the world, in the comments, I will send this little Japanese note pad, which includes this quote of perfection:

How many do you know the beautiful language which conveys a feeling?

and I'll throw in a free Neverwear pen:

tomorrow: item #20 will be from HOUSE ON THE ROCK, for all my fellow American Gods fans....stay tuned!

item #18: FREE to good home.

I used to have a little shop in Baltimore, right down by the water in Fells Point. It was called 9th Life and it's how I put myself through college without student loans.

Many of my friends were artists, I would sell their pieces there- I scoured thrift shops back when you could really find treasures.

Homicide:Life on the Street was filmed right across the street and there was many a joke centered on "Homicide: Life without parking" because production could take up everything. Many of my friends worked in the union in Baltimore on the different shows and films being shot in and around Charm City and once they were going to film in my shop, but it was deemed "really too small"-- and it was. Here's me on my birthday one year:

anyway, I used to go up to NYC every month on buying trips, and would hit the wholesale markets, looking for sparkly fun treasure on the cheap. Yesterday I opened a box of things from the store. My item 18 is a little pack of New York City street sparkles:

a pair of wooden and rhinestone hairsticks, a sheet of eye-glitters. and since Husband is off in Sacramento lighting a Jesus convention, in his honor, i added this 3D Jesus & Mary keychain to the pile. (if you've ever seen Husband, they may think he IS Jesus)

*a batch of barrettes on cards that I would print up with whatever words were on my mind at the time.

just leave in the comments, what you believe I should see/do/buy while in NYC next trip (end of Jan)- i will pick a winner in the morning.

Will ship off to anywhere on this big planet! ps. Thanks to @spacedlaw for donating the dollar amount of her auction win of the Neil mug to save the kitties at @AvaloCats.

pps. If you see me on social media ANYTIME after this, tell me to GO FINISH MY SCRIPT. today is writing day. *scrams.

swallowing diamonds item #16 and #17: TORI AMOS tees

WOW, it's been a busy couple of days, good busy, but busy.

playing catch up here with two items (which will be one auction).

ah, miss Tori Amos, how you have set the course of my life on a royal-flush mission. It was on her tour, that I got to meet mister Neil Gaiman, back in 2003.

I was lucky enough to tour with Tori on three different runs.

Every night, different magic.

The first tshirt is from a tour i was not actually on, but I did go see the show in Boston at the beautiful Wang Theatre, Rufus Wainwright opened, oh man. It is a 100% cotton size large, with the tour dates on the back.

I started touring with T in 2002, did the Scarlet's Walk tour and the 2003 Lottapianos with Ben Folds and then The Beekeeper tour in 2005-- such a terrific crew on that tour. I even got one of my stories published in the epic Tori tribute book: COMIC BOOK TATTOO edited by Rantz Hoseley, you can read my account of it HERE.

The second tshirt (size XL 100% cotton) is one that we handed out to the local crews every night after they finished loading us back in the trucks for the haul to the next city on the tour. I part with this one a bit sadly, these were never available for sale, only given out... but that is what this is all about, right? Making room for more magic in my life.

CLICK HERE FOR THE AUCTION LINK.

This auction is only offered in the USA, sorry overseas friends, I just can't send a replacement if it goes missing. Thanks for being part of my Swallowing Diamonds project.

*ps, IF i can find it, I think I have a set list around here somewhere, I will throw that in. happy bidding, ask me any question and I'll do my best on the answer.

pps. THANK YOU to my two-hats-to-Rickert & Beagle-customers winners: Ann and Bryan! hats are on the way. tomorrow's item will be a freebie as well...stay tuned!

Zombie...(item #12)

happy Saturday, today is going to be busy busy busy, so i thought I would knock two out of the park. I am giving away some tour memories. An all black 100% cotton (bootleg) Zombie/Megadeth tee in size XXL.

This tour was the absolute most fun! Lacuna Coil was our opener and i would make sure to be out in front for the Mustaine/Cristina duet on Le Tous Le Monde, EVERY NIGHT. chills...

( (if you don't know this song, click here to hear/watch it.)

I think i like the spooky back better than the front... Throwing in a tour sticky pass, which allows no access to anything. That thing is long over!

All you have to do to enter to win is tell me your favorite live show ever seen. Please put in the comments, it's the only way I can keep track of anything at present.

You can link to a blog about your favorite show, that's fine, be creative, it can go on any of the three blogs Furrytiger, Neverwear or Swallowing Diamonds. Soon, I'll be streamlining, but it's still a new little baby project. Needs training wheels...

Second thing already has a home, in fact.

I got an email from a hopeful Neverwear customer who said that the site still had an option to send to Yugoslavia, but no option for the recently independant Montenegro. I love political change! So as we update the site, our fine WebGoblin DanGuy is working on this. (@Danguyf on twitter) I told our Montenegran friend that I would send him his tshirt free if he would make a charitable donation to an animal shelter somewhere-- yeah!

so-- winners of #8 and #9 items, the two signed-by-Neil Gaiman OCEAN cards:

"I lived in books more than I lived anywhere else."

from Raquel Moritz

"Words save our lives, sometimes."

from Donna Blitzen

PLUS! Third runner up: (prize to be determined)

“All monsters are scared. That's why they're monsters.”

from Vampi

LAST THING: **the Linkin Park hat was won by Adrienne Hill, but I need an address to ship to.

(winners, please email me: neverwear@gaiman.net)

Happy January to you all.

item #11: so many charms...benefit for the tigers.

So, it seems the bead lots are making people happy, I got SO much email about them. Offers to buy all my beads outright, etc.

but...Nah, not yet, this way is more fun for me, i get to go down memory lane with these bead buddies.

PROCEEDS FROM THIS AUCTION WILL BENEFIT VALLEY OF THE KINGS where the mighty Obie and Socrates live! A big cat sanctuary in Wisconsin. (*many other exotic animals live there too)

here we are, marveling at the beauty that is the tiger. The VOTK always needs funds to keep up with the food supply, especially in wintertime...

so, back to the beads:I put myself through college by making jewelry, thank goodness as now, I have no student loans!

The upshot is that I have LOADS of beads to get rid of, as I just don't have time to make the jewels so much these days.

From my travels, I have picked up charms and beads at flea markets, vintage shops, thrift shops, yard sales, bead shops, the world wide.

Some pieces I can't recall where I got, but I have made a little list to describe as best as I can.

as always, the auction starts at 99 cents.

CLICK HERE FOR THE EBAY LINK.

here's what's in this auction:

4 x stretchy bead string for jewelry making (great for bracelet making)

1 x bag of assorted accent ball beads

1 x faux-diamond K pendant (do not know where this came from)

1 x sterling and pearl earring (I had planned on making necklace)

1 x labrodorite bead/ sterling thunderbird spirit earring (marked 925)

1 x lapis lazuli pendant set in sterling (925 stamp on back)

1 x brass world expo pendant w/Austrian crystal accents

1 x glass glob pendant

2 x heart lock w/key charms (silvertone)

2 x Celtic cross charms (brass?)

1 x heart pierced with sword Milagro charm (one of my favorite pieces)

6 x rose quartz beads (the love stone!)

1 x circle pendant in sterling stamped 925 (Balinese, I believe)

1 x faceted glass? ball bead (may be citrine, I got this from broken antique necklace)

2 x rhinestone charms w/light green stones & moonstone-esque pieces

1 x pair of vintage rhinestone & milk glass beads? (no earring backs w/ these, sorry)

1 x very interesting agate pendant set in sterling (925 stamp)

1 x pair earrings w/Kali heads, green glass beads, not sure of material, no markings.

4 x kitty cat charms (silvertone)

4 x filigree charms (2 gold tone/2 silver tone)

2 x wishbone charms

1 x fairy charm

1 x teeny tiny little star charm

7 x assorted crescent moon charms

Sorry overseas friends, I am only shipping in the United States, because I can't replace these if something happens in the post.

any questions, lay 'em on me.

I will work anything out with anyone, I am one of the ebay good guys! Meanwhile, I am getting a little behind in the winners, WORKING ON IT, i swear. ALL feedback appreciated and accepted. Comments section is open.

item #10: a Neil Gaiman mug

I am a mug collector. I admit it.

I also admit I am fairly picky about what vessel I use for my hot beverages.

My favorite combo is dark on the outside and light on the inside, I believe it's so i can see if the mug is dirty or not. This one fills the bill perfectly, as my other condition is that it is big enough for my required quantity of said hot liquid.

We made these up for Christmas gifts this year and I have a few left over. This is a part of my "swallowing diamonds" project, of getting one thing a day out of the treehouse. So far, so good!

If this one does well, we may add it to the Neverwear line. Click here for the link to our ebay auction.

It's a quote from Neil Gaiman's amazing University of the Arts commencement speech from May 2012, which is up on line HERE.

In his speech, he advises that no matter what happens, make art out of the situation. And in making art, when mistakes are made, all the better. He describes a moment when he misspelled "Caroline" while typing, and that's how he came up with the title of his wonderful "CORALINE" book.

In fact, I made a conscious "*mistake" on this mug, as i couldn't fit the actual quote from NG, too many letters for the printer to wrap, so had to improvise, as much as I don't like to do that, I believe it contains the essence of his brilliant message, which is to take chances and be unafraid to do so.

to quote Queen:

"...and bad mistakes, I've made a few..."

This little reminder while I drink my morning tea makes me present and accountable. ( *editor's note: mug also works really well for coffee, but I have never seen Mr. Gaiman drink the stuff. He's a British tea man, more often he drinks green tea these days)

*I will throw in some chocolate dragon coins to sweeten the deal. they come in this little golden pouch which will be nestled in your new mug:

any questions, put them to me. The Ebay auction is for world-wide shipping, sorry that it costs so much to ship outside of the US, but them's the breaks, kids. I shipped one of these mugs as a present to friends over the seas and it cost 16+ bucks!

meanwhile, SPIDERMAN auction has four hours left! lots of watchers, no bids, so go get it!

I am one of the ebay good guys. Save my seller name: Kitty9thlife as there will be glorious, amazing mistakes ahead.

meanwhile, now I am off to LAX to pick up a friend (believe me, that's a favor in this town) and when I return, I will post the OCEAN card winners, and did I ever post the Linkin Park hat winner? ayyyyyyyyyy!

and it's over here too...

The last few days were whirlwind packing and sorting at Neil's beautiful Cambridge house. I flew out to help him finalize the move out of Boston. Here is a link to Neil's blogpost on the move.

I loved handling all the beautiful books there... dreamy.

Also got to enjoy some wintertime while in the east, man, I miss the change of seasons.

Walked through snowy graveyards and found some mystery skeleton keys hidden up in a closet near Neil's office:

We were so busy that I got a little behind on posting items, so Neil offered up two of these magnificent postcards showing the British version of the OCEAN AT THE END OF THE LANE cover.

He signed both of them on the backs, and I am giving them away to two of you lovely readers.

How to win? Send me your favorite quote from OCEAN! email to: neverwear@gaiman.net

announcing the winner of the Sailor Jerry lighter, i loved all the tattoos, but this one was my most favorite:

a quote from GRAVEYARD BOOK, etched forever at her side, miss Ali from Kentucky. She's planning a whole literary sleeve. Ali, message me a good mailing address for your lighter and keep us posted on that sleeve--

send me some quotes to win a postcard, I'll pick my two winners and tomorrow will be something new to get out of the house.

last but not least, there are 47 minutes left on my bead lot over on ebay, I shall pack their tiny suitcases and print out their miniature boarding passes, it's time to send them out into the world!

happy to be home.

RIP Tool backpack

we got these Tool backpacks as tour swag in 2007 from the good people of Eighth Day Sound. I have NEVER had a better back pack.

not ever.

Sadly, he made his final voyage with me in a few days ago-his tombstone will read 2007-2014.

it's the second time I have replaced the zipper on one of the pockets.

BUT SO MANY POCKETS.

It is now is going off to live with my friend, Jordan. I had to give him first dibs, because of his great love for all things TOOL. (carved dragon from Mexico not included...)

that tour was one of the highlights of my road career, every night better than the last.

stay tuned for tomorrow's thing. and also i got SLAMMED w/item #6 photos, so still lighter-deciding, but will know soon.

it's busy over here packing up the boss. i did take a break to walk in a snowy graveyard though.

goodnight, all.

item #6 in the swallowing diamonds project: FREE LIGHTER

Oh, tattoos and I, we go way back.

They represent the perfect little filter on who's judging solely on outer layers...

a favorite quote from my sweet Dad, when he started seeing tattoos pop up on me:

I'm going to hold you by your ear and dip you in bleach.

He has since settled down, and he sees them for what they are. A means to make me happy and to protect me at the same time. How can that be a negative?

for years, in my kitten hood, i worked tattoo conventions, and so maybe I have more art than the average cat. it still cracks me up when people say things like, but what will you do when you get older? Newsflash, friends, who really cares!

I love to read the historical accounts of the ancient rituals of tattooing around the world. Only for those that can commit, my friends.

Anyway, to my point. This blog/project was meant to do two things at once. 1. get things moving out of the treehouse and into the world, to the people that may appreciate them. 2. to keep me writing a little bit every day, a discipline.

True, I will be spending quite a bit on postage, but it's an exercise and a resolution. Like I said, discipline, baby.

offered here:

a lighter that you need to add butane to, adorned with a design by Sailor Jerry, one of the premier brights in tattoo history.

i am not sure who is getting the royalty on his art, if it's still in his family, I didn't buy this lighter, it was given to me, on the Tool tour of 2007, by who, I do not recall. Thanks, person! I don't smoke, and Drew is trying to quit, so fire starters of the world, this is for you.

To take this off my hands, send me pictures of your favorite tattoo here: furrytiger@gmail.com

It doesn't have to be your tattoo, but that will be considered extra points.

No need to send me giant files, those just break the code of internet conduct. 100KB or so, that's just fine. This is open to worldwide shipping, so get busy. I will close this contest tomorrow at midnight EST.

Drew and I dreamed up all kinds of fun ways to get these things out into the world, modern geocaching. Stay tuned, and feel free to give me your ideas. I still haven't ironed out all the kinks. WORK IN PROGRESS.

ps. Adrianne Hill, who won the Linkin Park hat, you have a week to get me your address or it goes to the second runner up. you can message me: furrytiger@gmail.com

here is me getting a tattoo by the ever-accurate Craig Jackman of American Electric in LA.

good night from Boston.

ps. FYI, I will slowly be moving all the posts to the swallowing diamonds blog. Just posting a few here on furrytiger and on neverwear. Until people add me to whatever it is you add me to--

day #3 of my swallowing diamonds project, SPIDERMAN.

Oh Spidey, how we love ye.

This is a vintage style tee with mister Peter Parker, web slinging on the front, with stars on the 3/4 length sleeves- it's white, even though the photo makes it look a little pink, it's DEFINITELY not though. meh, pink. no.

Since no size is listed on the shirt, it looks to be a unisex size small-- can stretch to maybe medium, but it's fitted for certain.

man, i wish this fit me, i bought it while on tour in Canada, and it never really fit me, so sad...

Also with this shirt, I throw in one of my glass comic book magnets, where Spiderman is speculating about the mighty X-men.

I started making these tiny art pieces when I lost a bunch of comics in a flood and couldn't throw them all away. I dried them out and saved a few of my favorite panels. Now people are sending me their damaged comics, i love giving the panels new life. I am making Escape Pod Comics a batch of these magnets to sell. They are also selling at the lovely Rickert and Beagle Books in Pittsburgh. woOOOooooOOOoo!

CLICK FOR EBAY LINK HERE and tomorrow will be a free giveaway thing, hmmmm... how should i do that? tune in tomorrow, we will all find out.

Sorry to say that I am not shipping overseas on these auctions, as i can't replace the item if it goes missing in the post. Let me know if there are any questions. enjoy! Cat

Bead-crazy...

day 2 of my swallowing diamonds project:

I put myself through college by making jewelry, thank goodness I have no student loans!

The upshot is that I have LOADS of beads to get rid of, as I just don't have time to make the jewels so much these days.

From my travels, I have picked up charms and beads at flea markets, vintage shops, thrift shops, the world wide. Some pieces I can't recall where I got, but I have made a little list to describe as best as I can.

1 x faux amber circle charm

1 x faux amber bead bracelet

1 x carved horn pendant (India)

2 x vintage glass ball beads (1950’s)

1 x silver perfume holder charm on chain

2 x star fimo beads

1 x cameo charm

1 x metal skull charm

1 x carved bone skull bead

2 x rose quartz heart beads

1 x set of bindi stickers in round tin (India)

1 x faceted citrine bead

1 x jasper bead

1 x labrodrite bead

8 x small crystals with hole drilled in top for stringing

1 x lapis lazuli pendant (India)

2 x vintage clear glass chunky beads (Africa)

7 x letter beads

2 x handpulled red/gold glass beads (Africa?)

1 x Swarvoski blue crystal pendant (Austria)

11 x asst. Swarovski crystal beads (Austria)

9 x faceted grey smoke glass beads (Czech)

2 x carved wood pendants (China)

1 x brass anhk/star/moon charm

1 x bag of hematite grey glass beads (Japan)

1 x bag of butterfly wing iridescent glass seed beads (Japan)

1 x marcasite star pendant (I don't think this is from Tiffany's! but it came in this pouch)

12 x small goldtone apple charms

1 x bag of goldtone spacer beads

1 x bag of pearlescent white star beads

1 x fairy charm

1 x glass glob pendant

as always, the auction starts at 99 cents. sorry, no overseas shipping, as I can't replace if it gets lost in the post.

CLICK HERE FOR THE EBAY LINK!

item #1 is posted in my Swallowing Diamonds project.

It's time to clean out the treehouse, selling/giving away/re-homing one thing a day for all of 2014.

First up is a tee from the Motley Crue tour 2005 Carnival of Sins. THIS ITEM WAS NEVER AVAILABLE FOR SALE.

This tee was swag from the tour catering company, now no longer in business, Culinary Underground. It is a men's small 100% cotton American Apparel tank tee, some call 'em wife beaters, but meh, no beating, 'kay guys? The front has the company logo, and the back has the company name and the tour below. Only a small amount of these were made. Man, i wish this fit me still. Time to let it go!

Click HERE for the EBAY LINK

We had so much fun on this 2005 Carnival of Sins tour, the stories...oh my. Made some friends for life on that run. One of the best tours ever...

ps. I haven't exactly figured out best way to do this, but watch this space.