Tuesday-8am

Good Morning!

Quite an orange sun this morning and five below...but with wind chill warnings again.  Yesterday we woke up to fifteen below.  Extra cold winter this year, that's for sure.

All the wind and snow is why I can't find a clean spot on my window to take pictures right now--LOL!  I'll have to wait for spring rains to clean them off, I suppose.  Anyways, it's T Stands For Tuesday once again.  I totally forgot to make tea last night and was in no mood this morning because I didn't sleep long--really needed my coffee.  ;)  So, I thought I'd take some pictures for the heck of it.

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My pantry wall with the added hanging shelves (thanks, Leah!). 

You'd think somebody who's a dyed in the wool coffee drinker... 

...wouldn't have this much tea--LOL!

Yah!  Four shelves of each!

Plus I have this container of all the teas I accumulated from when I was in the Tea Club! 

I bought the small bags to store them, labeled them all... 

...and kept all the cards that came with them. 

They tell about each tea on the one side... 

...and how to serve and brew it on the other. 

But this morning...it was black coffee for me, baby!  ;)

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The last of the February orders arrived yesterday.

I got some extra large food containers that can hold things like muffins, bars, or whatever.   

Then I don't have to use several zip lock bags and continually add to the plastic of the world...but then these are also plastic.  Does it ever end?  I really am trying to leave a smaller footprint...honest.

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Went retro and got an old fashioned glass sugar holder (like we had at the restaurants when I was a waitress in my teens) and a salt shaker.  I've been using the No Salt since I found out I needed blood pressure medication so put away my salt grinder.  I'd rather have something glass instead of cardboard for keeping the No Salt near the stove.  Problem solved.  (The sugar container was just because--lol!)

See this cord temporarily wrapped around the lamp on the craft table?  It's an additional charger cord for my laptop.  

The cord that came with the McLap is kind of intricately wound onto the laptop table by my chair in a way that lets me swing the table back and forth easily.  When I want to move the McLap elsewhere now...well, the battery is getting older and instead of lasting 7-8 hours it is down to 2-3...lately a lot closer to 2.  So now the McLap and I can stay over at the craft table as long as we want and I can easily grab the cord to move to the porch or take with me if I am going over to Dagan and Leah's for the day, too.  (I'll be able to stay longer now that they have comfortable kitchen chairs and are getting a recliner--news below.)  Nice!

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And, lastly...this little desk toy that drips and zig-zags for a few minutes.  Totally silly, I know.   

I set it on the floor and Karma came running... 

...but she head butts it over! 

I wanted her to watch it, set it up on the bookcase there, wouldn't let her knock it over... 

...so, totally fed up with killjoy me, she left... 

...to curl up on her chair with her back to me. 

I do keep it on the end table by my chair and purposely flip it when she's in my lap.  She knows she can't touch things on my little table...(another form of cat torture)...so she feigns disinterest...but she watches...can't help it.  I'm sure she will get used to it and not have to feign her boredom.  I, on the other hand, will be flipping it for some time to come--LOL!  Easily entertained.  ;)

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I didn't make it to try out the chair on Saturday, but their plans were cancelled on Sunday so we went Sunday afternoon over to HOM Furniture.  The chair they picked out is similar to the one I have now in that it is a smaller swivel-rocker-recliner.  But this one is leather and has a button on the side instead of a lever.  It's a little bit bigger and squishier than mine, too.  They're going back on President's Day to, hopefully, maybe get it on sale.

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After we were done checking out the recliner we stopped by their place for a while so I could see their new dining room table and chairs they got at Costco a while back.  (Dagan was working from home.)

And since we were taking monthly belly shots--here's the (now) 5 month belly shot I took on Sunday.

In like a week?!  

What the heck, you say?  

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Well, after the ultrasound they decided by the size of the baby that Leah was farther along (ignoring her last period) and have moved her due date from mid-July to June 25th.  Since her mom had big babies early...well, whatever.  All labels and guesswork aside, the baby will arrive when it's good and ready.  ;) 

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Because of Dagan's severe heart defects and not knowing if it is genetic and my grandma having a blue baby that didn't live a day back on the farm...Dagan's cardiologists in Minneapolis wanted to set up an ultrasound specifically with a tech up here who can check the baby's heart to see that all is well.  That's so nice!  Will be on the 19th.  They can do so much more these days, can't they?

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 Leah and I discussed a plant trade this spring.  Phil and Fern have just gotten too large for my small space, so Dagan and Leah will take them.  We will do a thorough unwinding, haircut, and repotting on Phil and I can take home a Phil Jr.  They also have a plant that Sammy won't leave alone that has had to be moved to unhappy places.  (Their cats can jump--LOL!)  So that's the plan for this spring when the weather warms up.

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My posts seem to always end up longer than I think they will--hehe!  So, I shall skidaddle!!  But not without wishing you an excellent day!  :) :)

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"Each minute of life should be a divine quest."

Paramahansa Yogananda

Friday-10:45am

A good Friday Morning to you!

Caroline said her back was all better and she was coming on Tuesday.  Miss Karma has been extra cranky and thrown up a couple times in the past couple weeks.  Guess what I discovered Tuesday morning?

After all these years... 

...Karma has suddenly decided to eat the philodendron that sits behind the chairs. 

Who?  Me? 

The only other place I had to even put such a giant plant was on top of the desk hutch.   

Karma was also eating the tips of the fern fronds, too.  Both of these plants are supposed to be toxic for cats, but she never bothered them...until now.  When Caroline came I explained the situation and she said she'd help me.  I double-asked her if she really thought she should be helping me with this big project because Dagan and Leah could next week, but she said she was doing great now.  I hope she still thought so after we were done--LOL!

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What a mess!  There were dead leaves hidden in the underside and back of the philodendron--which was quite awkward to move and had secretly sent a very long shoot behind the bookcases.  We set it on my sturdy glass folding table and pruned away.  Caroline had to use the broom and dustpan to clear up the main mess on the carpet after we were done before she could even vacuum--LOL!  But she got it up there on the hutch--tendrils hanging.  I arranged the best I could after she left--explaining to the poor plant that we had to do this for its own safety...assuring that Karma is too fat to jump up on the desk if I move the chair away at night...apologizing and sending loving energy.  (I know Phil is still not happy up there...   

...and neither is the fern that got moved higher with its back to the sun.)  Fern had to be moved for her own safety, also.  We had to move and rearrange things on the tops of bookcases and I just shoved everything someplace for the time being. 

Was a bigger project than we anticipated.  And Phil is even larger than we thought.  Looms over me now when I am at my desk--LOL!  But hopefully this will solve the cranky, barfing Karma problem.  ;)

Some of my February orders have been coming in.  From Goulet Pens--got the bands for both sizes of the Midori Traveler's Notebooks.  

No, I don't own either of them.  I would like to attempt a "fauxdori" as people are calling it when they try to make their own version.  Brian has a great video showing all about how they work and you can see it here.  Kind of the latest craze in the paper and pen world.  :)

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And I actually ordered some ink samples from Goulet Pens--all Pilot Iroshizuku inks!  One of the most expensive inks around--like $28 a bottle.  I can write like a rich woman, eh?  ROFL!!

From Amazon...I found some leather!!  It's scrap lace leather (what they use to cut leather shoe laces). 

It should work for a rustic fauxdori cover, I hope, even if it is a bit thicker than the leather on a real midori.  I plan to make my own insert notebooks. 

Then from Hollanders--a couple of things I have been looking at for several years.  Finally got a set of brass folding strips and teflon bone folders.  The teflon bone folders are not supposed to leave that shine along the crease on the paper or cardstock like a regular bone folder can and are easier to clean off residual glue from bookbinding. 

The folding strips make measuring for cardmaking or bookbinding a breeze (from what I've seen on videos).  I am stoked to finally have these.     

I played some more with that page spread in my junk journal.  Things did not go well--ROFL!  I was still trying to use up the clogged misters, right?  So I just poured some into that little orange cup (recycled Meow Mix cat food cup) and painted them on the pages with a big brush--one at a time and let them dry inbetween.  I tried the pewter (could hardly tell I had done anything at all), then golden bamboo (something has definitely happened to this one over time--turned very dark and stinks)... 

...then persimmon and finally bronze metallic.  Not much difference for all that time and effort. 

By this time, honestly, I was bored and didn't know what the heck to do with these pages...so I decided to just go silly. 

I have been thinking about that free weekly art challenge website--Journal52--and decided to do some quick catching up. 

Week one was "up, up and away" (balloon rubber stamp). 

Week two was "somewhere-a simple place" (back to grade school drawing--LOL!).  Oh well, it was fun to get out my old markers--and to just be back at my art table again.  :)  I guess this would still qualify for Jennifer's Artist's Playroom this week.  Definitely felt like I was in a playroom.  ;)

And Miss Karma... 

...she enjoyed the packing paper. 

I'm watching Justified, Season 4.  This southern series has got dark sick humor, a little bit of love, mysteries, an abundance of liars, regular killings, warped families, twists & turns, and a whole lot of crazy.  Well, and Timothy Olyphant!  My, my!  ;)  Anyone else a fan?

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Have a marvelous, cheeky weekend!  If things aren't going the way you want, color like you're five!  ;)

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"Life is your art. An open, aware heart is your camera. A oneness with your world is your film."

Ansel Adams  

Tuesday-9am

Hello!  Hello!

First of all, I want to introduce you to my grandson.

He's only been around for four months, so it will be another five months until he leaves his comfy first home.  Dagan and Leah are not going to pick a final name until after they meet him.  (And because you're never 100% sure, they'll pick out a girl's name, too.)  Seeing pictures and knowing they have heard the heart beat--makes it all more real!  :) :)

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Okay--I am giggling because I really don't like to drink tea in the morning.  I vastly prefer my coffee, of course.  When I do drink tea I tend to like it later in the day or in the evening--so I thought that I'd have some tea last night for the T Stands For Tuesday today, right?  Then I forgot to take a picture--LOL!  But this is what I had.  One of my favorite teabag teas--Tazo Calm.  :)  So, hi to everybody from T-Day!

It's twelve below on this sunny morning. 

We've had a bit of snow this winter.  As you can see it's piled high in front of the cars by the garages... 

...and the big snowpile between the garages is almost as high as the roof peaks despite the kids sliding down it all the time. 

Guess who's birthday it is tomorrow?  

She'll be nine years old...

...and Tori's critters sent Karma a birthday present from England!  More of her favorite treats in the cat's head containers!  Thanks Tori!!  Karma's not spoiled or anything.  You think?  LOL! 

While I watched (and chuckled to) a recording of a long streaming video of Patti Parish's on youtube...I finally finished cutting up the fringe I removed from the old bedspread.   

I can't remember who suggested using this as stuffing for a baby toy (sorry)...but now I am thinking of snooping around online for patterns--LOL!  Not sure I'm ready to tackle something that complicated.  (Because I would prefer to make a long-limbed rabbit with long floppy ears--at least, that is what I saw in my head right away.)  Sounds too difficult for somebody who hasn't sewn much for almost 30 years and whose old machine has been a bit dodgy lately, right?  LOL!  We'll see.  If nothing else--this could make interesting handmade paper one day.  ;)

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I decided to stop taking my melatonin (last Weds) for a while.  I realize that with the fibro I do have chronic fatigue and fibro-fog brain...but I have been wondering if the melatonin is adding to those issues and making it even harder for me to push myself to do extra things besides the daily duties, you know?  

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Melatonin morphed me into this day person for the past two years.  All my life I have been a night person--most alert and got the most done from late afternoon till the middle of the night...even since fibro entered the picture.  Nowadays, I am pretty useless even by afternoon!  And then I noticed that this last year or so I haven't even been using my timers hardly at all.  Used to be I had to use them to prevent myself from overdoing and setting off the angry fibro, right?  And it used to annoy the heck out of me when the timer went off because I wanted to keep going--was in the zone, you know?  I so rarely make it to an hour anymore that I haven't needed to use the timers very often at all.  ???

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So, I wanted to know.  Is the melatonin adding to the exhaustion and foggy-brain by keeping me tired all the time?  Or is it just the fibro (and now sciatica) being more of a (quite literal) pain?  Can I stay basically on days without the melatonin out of new habit?  Will I feel the same?  Will I feel clearer and have a little more energy?  

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So far?  I have stayed on days...and maybe (knock on wood) seem to feel a little more clear-headed and am a little more motivated??  Been puttering a bit more--like addressed birthday card envelopes for the whole year, things like that.  So, we'll see.  Keep your fingers crossed.  ;)

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Anyways, that's it for today, folks!  I have some fun things to show you coming in my February orders.  Well, fun to me, anyways--LOL!  Happy Tuesday!!  :):)

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"The winds of grace blow all the time. 

All we need to do is set our sails."

Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa

Saturday-9:30am

What a gorgeous morning on Thursday!

 And this morning was very pretty in a frozen-land kind of way--LOL! 

I am hooking into the Zendala Dare and the Artist's Playroom today--maybe.  It might be too late by Saturday, but oh well.

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This was the template for this week.

I've been in a very light and airy mood, I guess.   

No "official" tangles again.  Just doing my own thing.

Well, let's see.  Dagan and Leah switched to Thursday night because they were having a meeting about changing over to a newer phone plan that will save money.  (Always good!)  I made roasted vegetables with chicken and fresh hot bread.  Dagan forgot the bag of stuff at home so we didn't monkey with the drying rack--no drill.  Just hung out and talked baby quite a bit.  (Happy Grama!)  They left early because they had things to do before their SuperBowl party this weekend.

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Here's the 4-month belly shot of Leah.  :) 

Sorry it's dark.  My place has so much stuff everywhere that we had to go in the hallway and shoot against the bathroom door to find a blank space--ROFL!

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At the clinic visit this week they were wondering about the possibility of twins, too.  So Leah had an ultrasound yesterday.  Only one baby--tada!  All is well and the prediction is--a boy.  Not that they are always 100% correct, but that was the technician's guess.  What a relief!!  One at a time is enough!  Whew!

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Since she hadn't gotten that much larger in the past month we were less inclined to think twins, but it is nice to know for sure.  So that's the exciting news!  And Leah is happy because if it had been twins...midwives won't do twin deliveries at home and Leah is planning a home birth.  So--good news all around.  :)

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My art table has been calling to me.  I wanted to use up some of these older misters, right?  The six taller ones are so old they are from when Luminarte sold their mister solution with an extra empty bottle to you could mix your own with water to be as intense as you wanted.  Does anyone else remember that?

Anyways, I used my new absorbent ground as a base on the page spread (supposed to be good with watercolors and such--rather than gesso) and let that dry.  Then got out my misting (cardboard) box...but none of them worked.  Only one of two Tattered Angels misters made a weak, drippy, brief attempt before it clogged.  Since I was just using my junk/experimentation journal...well, I just opened the bottles up...    

...and splattered with the tubes... 

...all over the place--LOL!  Was actually a lot of fun!  So this pathetic showing is for APR this week.

What I am going to do with it next...well, not sure.  I'll think of something.  Was kind of thinking of catching up with this 52 week art prompt group...but I am four weeks behind already--LOL!  We'll see.

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Oh, the webinar!  ROFL!  I went to join...well before the appointed time...only to discover I had to download some program in order to watch it...and by the time I figured that all out and got that done...the program was "full" and I couldn't watch it after all.  But I did get an email with a copy of the program afterwards.  Only thing was...it was just a slide show presentation with a couple of short videos inserted...that I had already watched somewhere else online.  Oh, the internet!  Such a hoot!

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The bag of older art magazines was picked up yesterday (freecycle).  I think the beading magazines are going this weekend...and a lady had been interested in the card making magazines, but then I never heard back from her?  I think I'll try calling her again.  Be nice to know they all have fresh eyes upon them and can be passed around. 

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Let's see.  Oh, the books I had requested still weren't in from the other libraries by Thursday, so Amy is planning on coming by on Sunday afternoon last I heard.  I need to make another loaf of bread on this sunny day.  Two degrees and we may hit five today--LOL!  Hot bread with leftover roasted veggies...yumm!  

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Anyways, have a really great rest of the weekend!!  :):)

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  "What is life? It is the flash of a firefly in the night. It is the breath of a buffalo in the wintertime. It is the little shadow which runs across the grass and loses itself in the Sunset."

Crowfoot, a leader of the Blackfoot nation