Goodness!
Been over a week!
Well, this time--gratefully--it was because I was busy! I've given up expected to stay well so I just decided to start getting as much done as possible as soon as I begin to feel halfways decent again. But before I show you what I've been doing I want to show you the art surprises I got in the mail!
****
The one with the cats on the left is a beautiful handmade multi-media postcard from Deb Terry (jinxxxygirl) over at Learning To Just Breathe. Came through the mail without being damaged at all! On the right...well, believe it or not, that was an envelope made out of watercolor paper that came from Desi over at Pieceful Art...which also made it through the perils of the post office in perfect condition. I carefully trimmed the rest of the square envelope away and have a stunning watercolor painting to keep.
Such artistic blogger friends I have, eh?
Thanks so very much, ladies!
Snail mail rules!!
****
Since I started feeling well enough to get something done Karma has had to struggle to sleep through my activities. I have been encroaching on her 16 hours of beauty sleep--LOL!
Okay, last Monday night Leah made it over for crafts and we decided to just play with paints! Such a fun relaxing night.
We were just slapping paint on stickers. I had more writing prompt stickers to color and also took some regular avery stickers of different sizes to paint that I can then use in my journals to write or draw on.
****
We also experimented with embellishments on the Christmas ornaments stamps.
We have decided which way to go with them and will be working on those now tonight. Sweet!
****
An old sheet works great on the floor to lay out all the sticker sheets to dry. Of course as soon as Leah left you-know-who had to go lay on them.
Who me?
Luckily they were dry enough by that time that she didn't end up being Rainbow Karma--LOL!
The Midco Tech guy never did give me a call-back. The internet has been okay and then not okay...but over the weekend was just fine. I have hesitated to call back...kind of like when your car makes strange noises for you but not when you decide to bring it in. Since it has been better lately I'm waiting to see how it goes.
****
Frankly, I've just been busy all week trying to get things done while I felt better. Make hay while the sun shines, eh? :)
****
Karma has been busy keeping an eye on Little Buddy.
We've been closed up with the AC on--80s and 90s and even the couple of days it was a little cooler the humidity was like 80-90%--awk! Until today!!
Oh--and for the very first time since we moved here in August Miss Karma finally decided to use the other recliner. Not sure why she wouldn't before. Karma logic, as you know, is a complete mystery.
But--she's still usually in her favorite spot in the chair next to me at the kitchen table...
...where she is right this moment as I am typing away.
****
Well, since I felt halfways decent this past week I FINALLY attacked some projects that have been on my list since I moved! (So you know that when I AM well I am feeling better and have more energy!)
****
I didn't get a before picture, but you see that EMPTY letter tray on top of the wire drawers...well, paperwork was smashed in so tight between that and the shelf that I could barely get one more sheet in there. I had not filed any paperwork whatsoever since I moved!!
[An aside for those pen folks: In the bottom wire drawer you can see an old padded box cover that I lined with felt. That is where I keep all my currently filled fountain pens. Four more of them were out on the table when I took this picture.]
Anyways, not that you can actually see much of anything after my two days of work--but the desk files are all done--sorted, organized, old files out, new files made...ahhhh!
Then on Wednesday Leah and Ian came to spend the whole afternoon! Ian has a hard time concentrating to eat lunch over here because Gramma's place is just too exciting. (Or Gramma is maybe too animated--LOL!) We watched more episodes of Africa with David Attenborough on Netflix. Ian showed me how he has learned to jump with both feet now. And the afternoon was also too exciting for Gramma to remember to take pictures--LOL!!
****
I then worked on another project I had been waiting to feel well enough to accomplish...moving around and reorganizing some things in the kitchen. Got that done, too!! TaDa!
****
On Saturday McFamily was finally able to borrow a friend and his truck to help move the ValleyCon furniture over here to store in my garage. I haven't been out there yet but I do have a big project waiting for me in the garage, too.
****
I have been putting things out there for Freecycle all winter and have things I don't need here at the new place, too, that never came inside in the first place. Sorting through it all and writing down all of it to put in a whole series of ads in Freecycle has felt totally overwhelming.
****
But I just realized yesterday that it would be soooooo much easier to just donate it all at once to New Life. Duh!! I really have been foggy brained--good grief! I've donated to New Life several times over the years. They help homeless people get back on their feet and also have a little thrift store. Good people. So, that's what I am going to do. I'll need Dagan or Leah to come help me move things all in a bunch up by the door, but that's a LOT easier than putting up a dozen ads on Freecycle. TaDa!!
****
Anyways, Dagan and Ian came to the door after they had unloaded the ValleyCon furniture while Leah went with their friend to Bed, Bath & Beyond to pick up a couple patio chairs for me. (Mesh--no cushions to get soaked so you can't sit in them for a week like my old padded chair.) And Leah already picked up the matching kids chair--it's in their garage. Cool! (And they were pretty cheap, too!)
I could hear Ian as Dagan was opening the door saying "Africa! Africa!" So we watched a little more about the Sahara Desert while we waited for Leah to arrive with the chairs. Ian and I do love our nature shows!! ;)
****
Oh, and I forgot to show you the goodies I bought this month for working on our sets of cards. I got some big Liquitex acrylic paint markers, a set of Wink of Stella markers, a few Wink of Stella brush pens...
...Souffle pens, and Japanese puffy pens.
Remember when I had the studio tables all cleared off and pretty empty just a little while ago?
I am not quite as compulsively neat in the studio, I guess. LOL!
Since I had completely spaced and not gotten pictures of Ian when he was here I asked Leah to send me some. When they were working on the deck the weekend before last goggles were necessary to keep the wood dust out of your eyes. Ian loved the goggles!
And yesterday Mr. Ian was over at the Red River Zoo!
That's actually a buffalo statue painted like a tiger--LOL!
[They had buffalos all over town several years ago all painted by different artists in all kinds of crazy ways. Was a hoot!]
****
Here's Ian in front of a rabbit cave--LOL!
He looks pretty sharp in those shades.
While they were (melting) at the zoo I was working on laundry and re-organizing my closet and dresser. Another project I finally checked off my list!! Also sent off half a dozen letters I owed this week, too. (So nice to have been busy since we last spoke and not sick--ROFL!) Needless to say I have been waiting to start watching Orange Is The New Black because I didn't want to get stopped in my tracks when I was on a roll!
****
Right now, I am off to clear the tables in the studio again. We will need surfaces to let things dry as we are playing with 3D Crystal Lacquer and Glossy accents tonight. They take way too long to dry to leave about on the floor. Karma would be sticky and shiny--probably with cardstock stuck to her fur. So we need surface areas I can keep out of reach from the feline roommate. Gosh! I love having a door to the studio!!
****
Oh, and it's 72 degrees and only 28% humidity today!! Open patio door! Sun is shining! Little Buddy and the birds have been here munching on sunflower seeds and oat nut bread. What a sweet break from the heat!!
****
Have a really great week!! :) :)
****
"To me every hour of the light and dark is a miracle,
Every cubic inch of space is a miracle."
Walt Whitman
18 comments:
We really need a break from the heat here. RealFeel's been over 100 degrees for way too many days. We're throwing a baby shower/BBQ outside this Saturday and I'm so stressed about this heat. So glad to hear you're feeling better. Ian is adorable!
Glad you're feeling better. Love those cards!
he's getting so big. so cute. love karma. such a sleeping doll - and buddy, too. glad you're feeling better for a bit. nice to have a place to donate to to help folks.
Isn't it funny how our pets will go and curl up on anything we throw on the floor? It's like they've made some great discovery. It's nice to see Buddy is still hanging around. He's so cute!! I cannot believe how big Ian is getting. My little grandmunchkin is due in about 10 weeks. I have no concept of what that's going to feel like!
-andi
It sounds like you've (almost, at least) rejoined the Land of the Living--good for you!!
It's been unbelievably hot here. It rains, it pours, it's muggy, the mosquitoes procreate, and life outdoors is basically unbearable, even at 6ish when I water my veggies. Glad you had a day of relief.
Had to laugh at the idea of Karma with shiny glossy accents on her fur. I always tell people I don't let mine in the craft room, because cat fur is not my idea of mixed media!
Karma may be finally adjusting to her new home OR the weather. Bleubeard no longer sleeps with me because it's hot, but Squiggles wants to snuggle, something he didn't do this winter when I could have used his warmth. I was not surprised by Bleubeard, because every summer he chooses to sleep by himself near the AC, but I don't understand Squiggles change in attitude. Unique and complicated, each seems a bit different, don't they?
Ian looks like a scientist with the goggles. Adorable! I wonder if I can jump with both feet. I'd better not try it. Africa! Ian gets to grow up with such a good grandma. No way will I show you the papers I haven't failed. It's horrendous.
Love,
Janie
Ian is such a bundle of giggles and smiles!! Infectious!
I had mail today!! Ain't it grand!!
Good to hear you are feeling better and it sounds like you have gotten so much done!! Your Ian is so cute in those goggles!
No mention of your craft ladies...Leah is probably way better company anyways:)
Yes, Ian is adorable. I laughed at the pictures of him with his goggles. So glad to hear you're feeling better, and that you're waiting for OITNB. I have four more episodes to go, and let me tell you, it's a very tough season, so get ready! Everyone is saying it's the darkest season yet, but also the best. I have to agree. :-)
Wonderful post and photos so filled with creativity ~ yet, Karma steals the show! Love the shot of her amongst all your creations and her sleeping photos are just how Zoe and I have been 'recovering' from my trip to London ~ almost rested up ~
Wishing you a happy week ~ ^_^
Oh what wonderful photos of Ian as per usual, Karma is as always a joy to see and I wish I could do arts and craft things that turn out good and not a terrible mess............lol
I haven't been on my computer in any sort of regular schedule for the past few months so it was great fun to stop by and read about all you have been doing. Ian is getting to be quite the grown up little fellow isn't he? Donating to one place sounds like a great solution. I expect free cycle is great too but then you have to deal with a whole bunch of folks at a whole bunch of different times. Too "people-y" for me these days, LOL!
Karma is too funny. That would have been a mess if she had sat on the artwork before it had dried! Cute pictures of Ian!
I just love reading your updates. It makes me feel like I'm a good friend and you are sharing your days. thank you for that. :-)
It seems I'm not the only one who has to wait, wait, wait, for that moment when I can accomplish something. Sadly, the something is always trying to neaten up what I had to allow to accumulate. Last night I finally got the house cleared of everything that was sitting on top of every surface. My craft room is a total lost cause because if I put everything up...I'd never remember where it went. And when you make just ONE LITTLE THING, it seems I need EVERYTHING to make it.
SO glad you are feeling better and getting so much done!! I know you feel more relaxed when the projects are checked off the list. Ian is such a HOOT!!! It has been horribly hot and humid here and all outside work is done in the late evening or early morning. Mostly evenings as I'm having difficulties sleeping a gain so I get up too late for much morning work out there. Sorry it has taken me so long to respond to this. It's been one of those weeks here.
Three posts to catch up on....I've been a little off colour this past week but I also haven't been spending much time on the net either over the past couple of weeks. I have a snail letter in progress though and a big one arrived from you a couple of days ago. :)
Such lovely, artsy gifts!
Karma is too cute lying on the sticker sheets...hehe She probably thinks you did them just for her.
OH, how I detest high humidity! It's so uncomfortable and it always plays havoc with my asthma. We don't have air-con as you know. Thank goodness you have air-con though.
Well done on getting that paper pile done and dusted. I used to be bad for letting papers pile up but not any more. I seem to be more organised these days. :)
New Life sounds like a worthwhile cause and I'm sure they will appreciate your donation.
Those patio chairs look very much like the ones we have under our pergola. Easy dry if they do get wet.
Lovely that you spent time with Leah and Ian...so cute that he loves watching Africa and he looks adorable in those goggles!
On to your next post....
Post a Comment