Bazzie Doodles

Time goes fast when you are reading a text book

2011-01-08T12:15:00.001-06:00

Five months since my last post. Well yeah, I have had time to post, and no, I really didn't feel like it. I am surprised at how far I have come since August. Amoung other things I have learned how to give an injection, and how to put in an NG tube (don't worry if you don't know what that is, you really don't want to know). Then there are all the things I don't know yet and that is the scary part.
Spring semester begins on Monday. Medical-Surgical nursing to start and I have signed up for Microbiology. I have not set foot in the school yet and I am overwhelmed. There is a lot of reading this semester and that would is not the worst part, but the remembering what you have read. Again I have resolved to apply myself but I will put off some things that should be done NOW.
So over the winter break I have really not done much of anything, some sewing, just mending, although I did make a tote bag to take to school as I asked for and got a laptop bag and it will not be big enough for all the books I need to take and my other junk. You know that stuff that you can't live without or are afraid that you will need. Typically I have;
my purse
a personal item purse,
pens,
note paper,
phone,
keys,
hand sanitizer (yum tangerine),
mp3 player and headphones (if the kids haven't stolen them),
perfume,
lipstick (that I never apply),
chapstick,
hand cream,
change,
post-its,
nail file,
and lots of little notes, shopping, schedule,email addresses.

Add on to that for school;
water bottle,
coffee cup,
pencil case,
calculator,
planner,
index cards,
file folders,
stethoscope,
pen light,
bandage scissors,
id badge,
white board marker,
sharpie,
medication cards,
clinical notebook,
tide pen (those horrible white uniforms!)

and a bunch of stuff I am sure I have forgotten that I find essential just in case. This is all before I have my books, and most of them are 2 inches or more thick.

So you see why I need two bags, I have a rolling backpack but I have found that I can pare down what I need each day as we don't always use the text books in class. So I made the tote bag for folders and books and purse things, and the laptop case for when I need that. Hopefully that will work out. I will post a picture soon.

So yeah, School is the thing foremost in my mind again and not much time for anything else.

Ahh last free weekend!

2010-08-14T08:06:00.002-05:00

Well, summer has gone already! What? Yes, it is done. Of course the weather is not going to cool off yet(yes we had a heat index of 105 º this week ) . I start school on Monday and the kids on Wednesday. We have done our school shopping and packed our school bags. Here I sit wondering what I have forgotten, supplies and knowledge both!
It would be an understatement to say I am nervous and anxious. Going into a new situation always makes me uneasy. New people to meet, authority figures to determine. Mistakes to learn from without feeling stupid.
I keep telling myself that I can do it, I have to keep telling myself that. The worst thing is trying to visualize doing something that you have never seen.
I am kind of miffed that the kids will be in school at the same time as me and I will not get my alone time. I treasure that time I have to myself. From now on Fridays are going to be it and I have a feeling that those days are going to be full with homework and study.
So, today I am feeling like I should be resting and relaxing before the big day Monday, but of course I can't relax.
I might take some time for myself and my paints, better to get frustrated painting than to think of all the things that might happen next week. It is way too hot to work in the shed on beads. I have some sewing to take care of, alterations to clothes that I want to wear. Maybe that would be a good idea too.
So, this maybe the last blog post for a while.

Goodbye Craft Books.

2010-07-31T07:40:00.005-05:00

Yesterday I wrote a long post and when I tried to add an image lost it all. So here I go again with a new post that probably has little to do with the first one. I can't remember what I had for lunch yesterday let alone some random rambling thoughts.
School is out. I took my last tests in A & P and Sociology on Tuesday. So far only Soc has been graded and I got an A. I must say those 50 point nights (just for showing up) helped with that. We worked hard for those 50 points because just being there was a major chore. A subject that should be interesting and fun to learn becomes ultimately boring in the wrong hands. I am glad it is over. I am still waiting on the Anatomy grade. I will update when it comes in. (Yeah! I got a B).
Fall semester begins in 2 weeks. I have a test on critical thinking to take on the 12th and then classes start on the 16th. What is critical thinking anyway? I have the basic idea, but the concept is very arbitrary. I have a very full load and after picking up my books on Monday I am more than a little intimidated. (picture the screamer.) There were 10 books required for the 3 nursing classes I am taking. Of course some of them are going to be used throughout the curriculum; the drug guide for instance. I also signed up for A & P II which is totally insane of me but I want to get it done and since I have to drive to Bloomington for it, I want it done before the weather is too bad. I was lucky and got the same teacher I had over the summer, and I think it will be a little easier because it is a 16 week class instead of the crazy 8 week one I just finished. (let me just keep telling myself that).
On Friday I enlisted Robbie's help and moved all the craft books I had beneath my printer to a dark cupboard so I could stack my school books there. It was more than a little sad to see all my carefully collected books being put away, but honestly I don't remember the last time I looked at them for anything. I should probably purge them, but after the huge investment it is hard to let go.

My wrist problems I mentioned a couple of posts ago continue. The doctors office called and told me that I have a partial tear of my ulna triangular cartilage. YEAH ME! I looked it up on line and most of the sites were medical and really hard to read but I did gather that the treatment was a splint and or cast. When I see the orthopedic doc on Monday (the same one who gave Troy his two new hips), I will listen to what he has to say and then beg for the splint. I cannot do clinicals with a cast, washing my hands the correct way is going to be hard enough. I probably will have to get a note for using my wrist for lifting and such too I bet. Nothing is ever easy. I seem to have to most problems with it when I am taking notes though. I hope we have a lot of handouts and little note taking.
I haven't done much of anything since Tuesday. I have been getting things ready for School. I have some notebooks that I bought and stuck in all the abbreviations from the CNA class and copied liquid measures and conversions in the back. I need to add the blood pressure, pulse and respiration values and conversions from centigrade to Fahrenheit/pounds to Kilograms and that sort of thing. I guess it will be my little cheat sheet.
Troy has told the kids their rooms need to be cleaned by the time school starts and he told me the same thing. Damn, that is going to take a while. I have some mending for the kids to do. I suppose that means getting the sewing machine out. Robbie went into my shed where I bead yesterday and said the spiders have taken over. I guess I need to bug-bomb before I work out there again. I really don't want them on me when I am working. Actually I don't want them on me at any time.
What I guess I am saying with this whole post is, I get to breath for 2 weeks and then I get to hyperventilate for 16. In my handy-dandy scrub pockets I need a paper bag for those times when it gets totally overwhelming, and I also need to smell the roses now and again. I really hope they have a strong perfume that I can whiff while I am flying by.

The light at the end of the tunnel

2010-07-18T09:55:00.000-05:00

(or only a week and a half till summer session is over)
     Yes! Almost done with my summer classes. It has not been as bad as everyone said, but it has been difficult. I think I really failed my last anatomy test. I have learned a valuable lesson though. I cannot get too complacent. I was getting a low A in the class because of my labs raising the test grades from a B to an A, BUT...this last test could take me down to a C!! (insert bad word here) So. I have been working on studying for the test this week and the final test next week so I can rectify the situation. BTW, I am not the only one who thought the test was hard; my A student partners will no doubt fare much better than me because they did study.
     Sociology is another matter. I didn't do too bad on the last test and I am getting a high B, if I can do the same on the next test I should get an A because she is giving us 50 extra points for showing up to lectures. I am still pretty mad that she gives us power-points for the lectures and then uses different ones altogether. Can you say confusing?
     I am eagerly watching the great school supplies appearing in the stores. I am so excited to get new books and am trolling the bookstore website waiting for my class books to get in. I bought some notebooks, if I don't need them Meghan can have them for school. I also bought some new pens, I love pens. I have all sorts! My husband let me know that there is going to be a week in early august that I can get Illinois tax free school supplies. You still have to pay local tax, but what a deal.
   It was take out night last night and we had Chinese, much to Meghan's disgust. I must say that the quality has gone down quite a bit the last few times we have had this particular restaurants fare. It is the only Chinese delivery in town though. I got my fortune cookie and it said 'Your life will be prosperous if you use your creativity' HUH. Well that one was a keeper anyway. I know I have not been using my creativity lately though. The last torch session didn't go to well at all. I haven't even gotten the beads in from the kiln.
I need to look for my tan thread and finish off the green upcycled shirt I made. I will do that today after I shower, call mum, finish my study guide and lab module, and no doubt read some of my book!

I Want to Make Beads

2010-07-03T08:38:00.001-05:00

     Saturday, Holiday weekend, nothing going on. We might watch the fireworks from the driveway again tomorrow. It is a pretty good view. I don't like being out there because I am a bug magnet and uncomfortable for a week at least after being bitten. Last year I had a blanket covering everything but my head and feet and I still got attacked.
     I really should study the muscles we have covered so far for Bio. There are a lot of new words to learn and I am not going to like this test at all.
     So I have some really old bead pictures to post to get me in the mood for starting up the torch.

This is a vessel I made and attached sterling wire and chain to hold the lid in place. I really liked how the colors worked out.

These organic beads are some of my favorite to make. Unfortunately right now I am missing one of the key colors.

This is one of my first boro hearts. (Thank you Mr. Smiley). I really haven't gotten the whole striking thing down with the harder glass but I wear this necklace a lot.

These discs are really fun to make too. I am going to do something with them soon. When I have a free moment (Ha ha).

So that is just a few of the pictures I have, I have to take some more pictures of the newer beads and the jewelry I have made this year. Maybe a few hours in the shed with the torch will be good therapy for me.

Wednesday Morning

2010-06-30T07:44:00.002-05:00

Another day, *sigh* another class. I fear my blog has gotten extremely boring. I know my life is just a mass of classes and driving right now.
First rant of the day; they have reduced the interstate to one lane for about 10 miles on both sides so I have to drive 45mph for about 5 miles to get to and from school. OK, so I like nice even roads and appreciate that they are fixing them. Why do they have to block off the road when they are not working on it though? Couldn't they at least put the darn "end work zone speed limit" signs up so when we do hit a stretch of highway that they are not doing anything on we can go back to the regular speed limit. Personally I am afraid that I will get a ticket if I speed up before I spot that sign. The new cameras are being used and apparently you can get a ticket for even 1mph over the construction limit. That is $375 for the first offense.
Off of the road work thing and onto the class thing. Ms. Sociology teacher last night, again decided to use different slides than the handouts. I am not the only one who was falling asleep. Several people were surfing the internet and others were texting under the desks. I was doodling on my handout and trying to keep a bland face because if I chuckle or smile she asks me what I am thinking. I have already had a couple disagreements with her and it is unpleasant. My thing is this; she is a soc expert (sort of) and we talk about groups and bias and ideas from differing groups and cultures and that it is not necessarily wrong. I however have been wrong because I have a differing idea than she does about certain things. So when I couldn't keep the silent snorts off my face last night I covered my mouth. I hope my eyes didn't give me away. I will be so glad when this class is over. She didn't have our test results either, we will get them Thursday.
A & P, well, the less said the better. 2nd test score; 86.7. So that is respectable, but darn, I thought I did better than that. Thursday is the skeletal system test and there are a lot of vocabulary words and definitions to learn. We have started learning the muscular system, I hate learning one and having to study another, there are all sorts of words in my brain that I am trying to separate.
Update on Troy's computer. Back from repairs yesterday, and apparently it froze up again. Poor Troy! I know how frustrated he must be.
Shower time...

Thunder storms and computers

2010-06-25T08:56:00.002-05:00

Summer, my least favorite time of the year. Hot and sticky and unfortunately skimpy clothes that don't flatter a larger frame. I should also mention my white legs that I am afraid to tan because, 1. I burn, and 2. Tanning is bad for you. So I go out in jeans or capri pants so I don't subject unsuspecting strangers to the blinding brightness. This is a vicious circle that means my legs stay white because they never see the suns rays.
I am glad that the weather is fair, driving to school is much more pleasant when I can see the road. Unfortunately there has been one thunderstorm after another the last few weeks. I have managed to avoid the worst during my drives. This weather means that when I get home I cannot get on my deck lounger and enjoy a few rays or take Meghan to the pool. The dogs freak out any time there is thunder near, even when we can't hear it. One night I had both of them on my lap in the recliner, I get upset when they don't keep their claws off my sleep short clad legs.
Troy's computer is sick, it is in to see the doc. It will take a while to get home, hopefully recovered. He is hopping on mine to check email and facebook and whatever else he does. I don't mind at all as I am not using it most of the time. I feel bad for him though as I hate not to have my own things where I want them and I know he is feeling lost with my laptop. I hope his baby is home and well soon.
On my days off I have appointments and errands to run. Today I get the unparalleled joy of visiting the dentist. I really like my dentist and he is a great guy, I just wish he would stay out of my mouth with that drill.
Yesterday I had an A & P test and a Sociology test. My last A & P test was an 87% which is not too bad. All my labs have been 100% so I am holding my own in this summer session so far. This weekend I have to study the skeletal system and get all the bones down in the skull. I am such a party animal right now. (humming: the leg bone is connected to the thigh bone...). Sociology has not been as much fun as I thought it would be, but then as long as I pass the class I don't care. Of course passing isn't really enough to perfectionist me, but with this teacher I feel that it will have to be.
So, I am excited about the Eclipse movie next week. My family tease me about it but I love the story. I am not in love with the characters but with the enduring love they have, the things that people would do to save the one they love. Too mushy? Maybe but I don't care; we all need an escape.
True blood has started again, but since we don't have HBO I haven't seen any of it. Of course I want my dose of Eric, but that will have to wait.
Several other shows I usually watch with Meghan are on the back burner too, hells kitchen for one. New shows started this week that look really good but I just can't get sucked in right now. I am not a huge TV fan, a book is so much better.
Plans for this weekend? Hummmm, study, pick up van from the shop (expensive repair bill), study, financial aid paperwork for fall, study, annoy kids by asking them to do chores, study, and so on and study and so on.

A & P test today

2010-06-16T07:58:00.001-05:00

A & P, Anatomy and physiology. We had a take home test last week, but you can't really count that as a test. I don't think so anyway. I like the results but it isn't a true test of learning to my mind. You can just look up the answers in the book, and forget them. I love take home tests. So today is the first classroom, no book, have to know this stuff, test. Why am I here, typing on my blog? Well yes, uh, It is 7:30 and I am still on my first cup of coffee, besides, I am not sure how much more my mind can absorb. We have already started on the integumentary system, so that is crowding out the things I need for the test. Ugh!

Source

After the test we have lab again today. I must say I am fascinated with looking through the microscope at bits of a human. It sounds kind of gross, but when those slides come into focus it is like a new world of color and design. My artist side has already seen new patterns and swirls to use in crafts. We did tissues on Monday and it was so cool. I really wish I had more time to enjoy it rather than making really bad sketches in my lab book. It is one thing to look at pictures, quite another to look at a slide and know that is the actual thing. So today I imagine we will be looking at skin layers and stuff. ( Very technical terms here).
Last night I got my test score back from my sociology class. The first 50 questions were take home, and some of us met before class and made sure we all had the same answers. We didn't copy but discussed, I swear! (in our text it says that 90 to 99 % of students cheat on tests! I think I am in the minority for that!) the second 50 questions were in class with only our answers to the first 50 questions to help us. Well, huh, no help there. We were cast afloat by these second set of questions; none of us had any idea that they would be on the test or had heard them discussed in class. We bitched and moaned for a good 30 minutes after class about how bad it was. So, like I said I got my results back and I scored 85. 50 on the take home (surprise!) and 35 for the second part. I can honestly say I was pleased. Well relieved more like. So onward I go. OH yeah, I got 50 points for just showing up to class last night, what a great deal!
I have a doctors appt. this afternoon about my wrist. Of course it is not as bad as it was on Saturday and Sunday but I couldn't get in until today and I figure I should at least get it looked at. Well actually, my nagging husband wants me to have it looked at. He is probably right. It still feels bruised, like I really hit it hard, but I can twist and rotate so I am not so worried about it.
I think I am going to sew this weekend, I want to make something. I need mind break. So it will have to be something really easy. I might even do some lampwork if it is not storming. (If the power goes out the kiln goes off and I loose all the beads!).
Shower land here I come, reciting the organization of organisms!

It's always something!

2010-06-12T09:08:00.001-05:00

     Yeah, if it isn't the car breaking down ( not enough to need a replacement but enough to eat away at the bank account), it is the kids needing new shoes. Hey, I wouldn't make them go barefoot, but flip flops are good for the summer. I would even buy them the $2.50 ones from Old Navy. That is just the money side of things, and let me tell you they are not happy with us canceling cable TV either! The "when I was young we only had three channels" talk didn't seem to help, I think the first four words makes them switch off their brains for a while.
    So two of the three needed to see the doctor this week. Thankfully neither of them is really sick, just some little problems that concerned me enough to take them to get it checked.
     And now, my wrist starts to play up.   I have had problems with my right wrist for years. When I was 19 or so, the couldn't find anything wrong but put it in a cast anyway to immobilize it for a while hoping it would stop hurting me. At first I figured it was because of the CPR class I took last week. Then whammo! It is so painful, no twisting allowed without a stabbing pain. How are you supposed to open the bottle of pain meds if you cannot push and twist the top off?
     Before it was shooting hot fire up my arm yesterday I managed to make Meghan an 80's outfit for a party she is going to today. We spent forever in the thrift store and found some things to make her look like Madonna/Cindy Lauper. I ruthlessly cut off the top of a skirt and added elastic to make something like the ones I used to wear. I took some 2 inch lace and made her fingerless gloves (trial and error there) and a lace headband with a bow. We added bright yellow leggings to the black skirt and a t-shirt that she can pull off one shoulder. High tops are back in and she has some funky ones in black and pink to wear. I think she will pass the test. The funny thing is, all these things would not look out of place today! If I had time I would have loved to make her a 'relax' t-shirt. It would have been supper cool to add some tulle to the shirt as well! I will take a picture when she gets dressed and add it to this post later.
     This is the fun part, I thought that maybe I could find my lace gloves from my wedding. I went to the chest that is in her room, even though it belongs to Brandon, it has some of my old clothes in still, and pulled out a bag with lacy things in. Nope, no gloves, but Meghan was fascinated by the white lace corset that was in there, I cannot believe that it fit me at one time and I am also wondering why I still have it 20 years later. My wedding garter was also in the bag and a garter belt that I had to explain to her, I guess kids just don't know what stockings are nowadays. That was totally a blast from the past and also strangely appropriate for the 80's.
     Did I mention I have a hole in a tooth too? Yeah. I have a cleaning appointment this week so I have been waiting till them to get it looked at. I hope I don't need another crown.
     So. Can I whine or what? Today I need to study for class next week. Writing is going to be interesting, but I am typing this so maybe I can just type my notes. my beautiful $20 plastic lounger is sitting on the deck calling me, but it looks like storms today again. I have only gotten to use it once. *sigh*

Nursing School

2010-06-05T07:13:00.001-05:00

    I have been accepted into Nursing School. Last fall I took my nursing assistant class and have my CNA certification from the state. I am still not working but I am looking for something part time. Walmart has called me back for a second interview. It would be much better to work in a long term care facility or a hospital but you have to take what you can get.
     I am currently taking summer classes, Anatomy and physiology and Sociology. Summer classes are not the best; fitting 16 weeks of study into 8 weeks. I am however convinced that this is going to be no harder than the nursing classes I will start in August. This is going to be a difficult and intense 2 years.
   When I was in School, all those years ago, there were two careers that I was interested in pursuing. Nursing and Engineering. Yes I know they are completely different, or are they? They are both concerned with how things work, just one is Physics and one is Biology. Well here I am 26 years later taking nursing classes.
     My children are old enough to make themselves a meal and be at home by themselves. Both boys can drive, so they can take Meghan off to whatever she needs to be at. I have told them they need to let me study and if they don't I will find a quiet corner in a coffee shop somewhere. My husband is fully behind me, bless him. So now I need to be the best I can be.
   I know that my crafts will suffer because of this change in my life. I also know that I will grab any time I can to do something to give my mind a rest. Perfect example is this Sunday when we are going to watch the St. Louis Cardinals play. I Should spend the six hour drive and game time studying and I might take my books in the car, I am not good at reading in a moving vehicle though so we will see.
     I will try to update here when I can about what is going on.

Long time

2010-06-03T07:09:00.001-05:00

Time seems to just go on while we stand still and don't enjoy it. Unfortunately I have been through something that I thought would be years and years in the future. I haven't been blogging at all because I just don't know how to put into words the events of the year.
My wonderful, kind, generous Dad passed away in March. I am still having a hard time saying that and it is still kind of a dream, unreal. My parents and siblings all live in England where I grew up and I am here in Illinois. When I got the call that Dad was more sick than they thought and the worst of our nightmares were about to come true, I dropped everything and booked a flight home. It tore me up inside to leave my family here alone, but I needed to see my Dad.
I arrived the day before my Dad's 73rd Birthday. The next day we drove to my Mum and Dad's house (not the one I grew up in), and I felt at home straight away. We put the kettle on and let Lucy the dog out and sat to wait for them to get home from the Doctors. That was the day they told my Dad he was terminal. What news to get on your birthday! We hadn't told him I was going to be there and I think he was surprised to see me. It was shocking to see him as the cancer he had was giving him balance problems and I had to hold in the tears and the hurt I was feeling. Holding it together was going to be my priority for this visit, for my Mum's sake.
I spent a month at their house. I only went out to the grocery store. I didn't tour the sights or visit with my other family members, although they came to see Dad.
I had my 40th birthday while I was there, and even with some ribbing from the sibs it seemed unreal. Being the youngest of 6 my being 40 was passe to them.
It was so wonderful to spend time with my Dad and Mum. It was heartbreaking to see him go downhill so fast. It was impossible to leave when it was time, but I had to come home to my husband and children. Three weeks later he was gone.
The most important thing I think I gave my mum while I was there was humor and companionship. Seeing my sibs for the first time in 10 years was strange, we have all changed so much but share the bond of our younger years. Seeing their children grown up was shocking and wonderful. Holding my great niece at 18 days old was precious. Holding my Dad's hand was something I am so grateful for and I am so glad I went.

New Idea

2010-01-05T12:33:00.001-06:00

I had an idea the other day as I was looking at Google Earth. I always seem to go to my old house in England to find it on the map, and look down. Even though Mum and Dad moved out 6 or so years ago, it will always be the home I remember. I had lived there until I got married, yes, for 19 years it was my home (I was 19 when I got married, I know that is young).
So as I was looking at the satellite of the house I realized that it played into my continuation post of the other day. The writing of memories, especially those of home. I would print out these pictures and make album pages of them. I really think a double spread, 12 x 12 would work best. When I thought of printing the pictures smaller I realized that I would loose some of the details. So I printed out a picture of my old house, and I am ready to put it on a page. The trouble is, and this is always my trouble, deciding what to write. KISS comes into play here. The address and the phone number that I can still reel off my tongue 20 years later. Descriptions of my room and how my dad was always knocking a wall down or a doorway somewhere. When my brothers started to drive and there were 4 cars parked at the curb. The sycamore tree in the front garden. And when I start thinking about it, these memories and 100's more start to form in my mind, and I realize that I will not have room for them all. I will, of course, have to journal a lot of this, adding pages as I go.
So thanks Google Earth for this look into my past. Here is the picture I have of my old house, to go with my memories. Now to go start writing them down.

Newness

2009-12-31T08:28:00.001-06:00

     So, I have been looking around the web at my favorite blogs and websites. Everyone is talking about the end of 2009 and the start of 2010 in one way or another. Of course I have been thinking about it too, but I have to say that somethings that will be happening in 2010 are a continuation of this year.
     I finished my CNA class on December 3rd and I will take my state exam on Jan 15th. Of course I am a little nervous, who likes tests? I am confident that I will pass though, (oh, I hope I didn't just jinx myself).    This is a pass/fail test, and I really don't like that as I would prefer to know exactly how I did. The pass is the important part though and will put me on the state registry so I can get a job. I also applied for nursing school in the fall. I have no idea if I will be able to go, if I get a job I may not be available for the classes, but the deadline for applying is Jan 15th so I had to put in the application if I want to try. There are only 40 slots and I am not sure i have enough points to qualify, there will be others with much more than me, 10 of those slots however are filled by a drawing of names from the application pool, so who knows. That will mean another test to qualify.
     My middle son passed his driving test in early Dec. I am nervous about him driving by himself and especially in winter weather. He thinks he is indestructible like most teens and wants us to let him go all over the place. Of course he has never been out on the country roads in this flat landscape and had an inch or less of snow blowing enough to blind you. It is a constant battle trying to talk to him while he is having a tantrum fit for a two year old.
     My youngest tried out for the volleyball team and didn't make the team but is a manager. She has to go to all the practices and games. She is excited, and has had practice the last two weeks and games start on the 7th of Jan.
     My oldest interviewed for a job last week and I hope he gets it. It will do a lot for him. He will be 18 in April and is a Jr. in high school and I think he needs the confidence. His brother just started working too, so I think they both will be happier to be working, and making a little money of their own.
     I have not made much of a dent in my to do list. In fact I have added more and more to it. That is surely a continuation and will be for many years to come.
Oh and I will turn 40 in Feb. I have never been bothered by numbers when it comes to age. But 40? Ahhh, yeah. It just seems strange, being the youngest in the family and mostly the youngest of my friends for years, this is a strange place to be in. Is that middle aged? I don't feel it. I think what bothers me most is that if I am going to be 40 all my family and friends are getting older with me. Where did all the time go? I still haven't done so many things that I want to. I think it is time to start working on that list.
     Lastly, I have been thinking about my family a lot the last couple of weeks and I realized that I need to start writing down the stories I remember, good and bad, to preserve them for my kids and my siblings kids. As my family is in England, my kids did not grow up around them, so my memories are all they have of my siblings, and their kids. My mum and dad have been here twice so they have met them and will remember that, but not what they were like or how they live now. I have never been to the house that my parents live in now, I still see them in the house that I grew up in.   When I sorted out the photos that were laying around I found quite a few of our time in England, the ones my husband and I took. There are not so many of my childhood. Instead of letting them sit in a box, I want to make a journal of who, what and where. This is going to be an ongoing project for sure.

Where have I been?

2009-12-14T07:50:00.001-06:00

Wow it has been forever since I wrote anything on here. Life sure gets in the way sometimes. I would like to say that my excuse is the Nursing Assistant class I just finished up. (bragging I got an A) but that didn't start until October. I had a biology class too but that was only one night a week. (I got an A in that too!) I guess being an older student it is easier for me to keep my mind on the goal, but after the 2nd or 3rd 100% on quizzes my kids were like "you always get 100" and were not impressed. Humph.
I has been kind of strange being around the house again with nowhere to go, plenty of things to do, although not done though.
I have decided to set myself a goal. One thing a day. Well maybe two because Christmas hasn't even started to happen around here yet. We can't locate the legs for the tree and so that isn't up yet. There has to be another box somewhere. DS can't find it and so DH said he would look today. I still have a major gift to buy and no idea what the recipient wants.

Things that I need to do.
Mending clothes.
I have hemming to do for my pants.
Brandon has jeans that are ripped he wants sewn.
I have an art doll I want to finish.
(And I could add tons of other sewing projects here)
Gifts I need to make.
My niece is pregnant. I need to do something for the baby.
My mum has requested some machine embroidery, not sure I remember how.
I have all the ingredients for peanut brittle and divinity candy.
Things I want to do.
I have not been making beads for months.
I would like to finish a few jewelry projects that I have waiting.
Things I don't want to do.
Housekeeping. Ugh, well, I keep trying to clean up, but there is just too much clutter.
De-clutter; see above.
clean up the yard, well, maybe in the spring now.
Did I mention cleaning the house?

So, let's see if this will work. Today I am leaning towards the sewing part. I suppose it depends on if we find the tree parts that are missing.

Emboridery

2009-07-28T13:06:00.001-05:00

This week I was sick and needed something to do while sitting and groaning, being totally ignored by my family unless they wanted food.

I decided to embroidery a piece I had been dreaming up and went to work.
Here is a picture of Klimt's Tree of Life.

I drew out my version onto a piece of fabric and got to work in stem stitch (which is not my strong point) and was delighted with the outcome, but of course I had to embellish more.

This was about half way through. I filled in the green knots a lot more as I felt that it needed to be more lush The concept is spring through winter. I had just started on Fall here with the red knots.

Now I am done with the leaves and I am working on lettering the seasons around the edge. I am using chain stitch ( my favorite) to write the words. When that is done I plan on decorating them with more embroidery; blooms for spring, a sun for summer and so on. Ambitious aren't I? Yeah. I am already thinking about my next project.

What am I going to use this for when I am done? Well I don't know. I thought about a pillow, but I really don't want someone sitting on my hard work. Maybe I will frame it. I don't know, I will probably give it away.

On a side note, I went out to make glass beads yesterday. I bribed Meghan at the beginning of summer. I told her if she would practice her flute that I would give her bead lessons. Well, she has practiced (only a few times) so I took her out and let her make some beads. She did pretty well for her first time, and with practice I think will be great. This is definitely a parental supervision only activity though and I hate giving up my own time at the torch. Maybe I can set up my old Hot Head for her to use. It is a beginner torch and will be great for her to learn on, but it is noisy! I will see how it goes. I learned my lesson after she was gone though. I have a habit of getting really close to the torch to see, too close actually. A piece of hot glass popped off my rod and landed on my lip. As most everyone would do I used my tongue to push it off; bad idea! I burned my tongue too. As any respectful beadmaker would do, I finished the bead before going in the house for ice (it is not a bad burn, just not in a good place). Glad I did finish too because it turned out pretty cool. Pictures soon.

The perfect bag

2009-07-20T09:41:00.001-05:00

I can't ever find a handbag I like, you know they are too small, too big, too soft, too hard, too....well just too wrong! The same applies for a school bag and since I am going back to school in August I needed something to carry my laptop and any over priced books that they are going to make me buy just so I can carry them to and from class but never use.

So, I decided it would be a good idea to make one. *sigh* I should have a little alarm in my head that says "no..buy one, it will be cheaper in the long run. Make do with the imperfect (insert any item here) in the store. Don't waste your time!" Alas, I have no such alarm BUT; and this is a great 'but' this time, I took a long time planning this project. First I got out my handy dandy graph paper, a ruler and a pencil. I measured my laptop, a file folder and estimated how thick text books would be. I made my calculations and I drew rectangles and erased and planned and added seam allowances, then realized that I had it wrong and calculated again.

OK, so I had that part down, now I used my wonderful laptop, that I can draw straight onto the screen to plan out the construction. As I wrote the steps it became clear I had forgotten things and I was able to go back and rearrange my steps. Writing the directions step by step really helped me to see each piece and where it would go. I never do this step, I just go blindly into a project and usually end up ripping out seams and cutting again.

Next I bought fabric, heavy duck. I was excited to find a piece of patterned that kind of matched in the remnant bin. And there they sat for a week. I was afraid to cut, I was afraid I would mess up and ruin the bag. Now this is not something new to me, but in the last few years I have gotten over it a lot. I figure there is no point in keeping that beautiful fabric, yarn, glass stored in neat bins never to see the light of day. Use it! Take a chance! So here I was dithering about some cotton duck.

Finally I cut into it, made my pieces, pinned the lables to each so I knew what went where. Then again I let it sit, scared to mess up sewing into it. Finally I pressed the parts that needed it and bit the bullet.

Things are never as bad as you think they will be. It all went together really well. I even added an inner pocket for the power cord, since I had some left over material.

I didn't have to unpick one seam. So, is it finished? No. I need to add a strap and I didn't quite have enough for that. So I will go back to the store and get an eighth of a yard or some strapping stuff.

So here it is...

Of course there is no way to know if this is going to be the perfect bag. Actually I already know one problem I am going to have with it. But I hope it works for me to go bad and forth to classes. I can always plan another one. "NO! Go to the store, buy one!"

The summer night is like a perfection of thought. Wallace Stevens (1879 - 1955)

2009-07-05T13:20:00.002-05:00

Sunday, a summer day. I can hear a lawn mower in the distance. No kids playing yet, but I am sure they will be out later, screeching and calling to each other. The robins have found another home to lay their second brood and sometime tonight the town will shoot of the fireworks that were canceled by rain last night.
I have been busy the last few weeks. I painted Meghan's room while she was away in Florida. She had a great time with friends and came home to an orange room that had been planned for 2 years. I only had a gallon of paint, my mum and dad had bought it when they came to visit in 2007 to thank her for letting them stay in her room. It was only enough for 3 walls so instead of trying to match the color I did one wall in a blue/purple color. It was difficult to move around the room with her furniture in the middle of the room, the mattress and box spring leaning against a wall that I wasn't painting. I managed though and she was surprised when she got home, I think that the Jonas brothers poster was the thing she enjoyed most though. I had put it in a poster frame and it is up on her wall, so she can change the poster when she gets tired of them (hopefully soon). One of the things I am most excited about is taking off her closet door, which gives her a lot more room. Now just to find a beaded curtain to cover up the mess inside. I saw a wonderful glow in the dark one that I want to get.

Unfortunately I have been plagued by back and neck pain for a few weeks now and it is hard for me to do much of anything. Sitting in the computer chair is only comfortable if I lean back, which doesn't help with my typing and sitting in the recliner is OK, except for getting in and out. Turning over in bed is almost impossible and sitting on the hard kitchen chairs is not too comfy either. I have managed to get a few things done, but mostly I have been reading and feeling lazy, not wanting to bend over for anything I don't have to.

I sorted my photos. I know I have more somewhere but the ones I had in plastic containers here in the living room I went through and sorted into categories. I tried to go by the KISS principle (keep it simple stupid) and it seemed to work, just picking a few titles to start, family, friends, places, and of course the three kids. Troy and I had one category together as there are a lot of photos with both of us in. It actually went pretty fast. Then I started sub-categories. Troy's family, Laura's family, Parents etc. I am not done with that part yet, but I am really glad to have the photos in some sort of order, now to find the rest that are hiding in the house in a dark corner somewhere. I think the hardest thing is going to be purging the pictures, letting go of something that I once thought important enough to take a picture of.

What started me off sorting the pictures was a list of things I want to scrap into albums. I found a starter on Plinky. "What values do you want to instill in your kids?". That got me to thinking and then I thought about others that I want to do. I would like to make a green book. Green in my favorite color and it would be easy to pull the things I have that are green together into an album. Also, suggested in an online magazine, Scrapbook & Cards today,I saw an article that suggested using facebook as a journal, expecialy those 25 random fact notes that I have participated in. Another great blog is Creativity Prompt that has lots of ideas for blogging and scrapbooking and jornaling, I don't think I will ever get through them all. There are so many resources on line that it is easy to get distracted from actually doing to just browsing. I really want to set a goal of 'doing' so I can get some real things done.

I will say that contrary to my quote for the title of my post I am not a fan of summer. Hot, sticky and buggy: my least favorite things. Spring and fall are much more my style. The mornings with the frost on the grass. The rustle of leaves sounding like the sea or the seemingly dead trees showing new buds ready to burst with bright green. I do enjoy the longer days and the summer fruits and vegetables though.

So off I go to do. Well maybe after a nap.

Robins Nest

2009-05-24T16:20:00.002-05:00

We have a robins nest on our front stoop light. The boys knocked it down twice and the robin was intent I guess in her placement because she rebuilt it and I told them to leave it alone this time.
Meghan took some great pictures of the eggs in the nest on her phone but I have been having trouble getting pictures from electronic devices to my computer lately so I don't have the beautiful 4 eggs in the nest.
I do have these two pictures we took yesterday though. After this they were poking their beaks up like we were going to feed them and Robbie got some great pictures. He is going to upload to his computer so that I can add them here.
Anyway. Here are two for now.

OK Robbie's Pics now

An update

2009-05-22T14:45:00.001-05:00

Over a month and I haven't posted. There went that resolve. Well, mostly I have not been taking pictures of my projects but I have been busy. I have some to share with you today.
First is this resist painting I did of my Dad. I got the instructions from http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=301135.0 and while mine is no where near as good as the example. I had great fun trying it and learning the instructions from her.

I am now working on a couple of others.

Also I have a couple pages from my moleskin notebook that I wanted to share. Another thing that I have not been keeping up everyday but fun nonetheless.

Next I have a project I have been working on while watching TV. Just something to keep my hands busy. I have come to a halt because 1. I ran out of the hexagons that I am using to baste the fabric onto and 2. I need more colors. I was going to make it red white and blue, but that is so cliché that I want to make it all different. I am really bad at random. Working on it!

This is a key fob I made as my Clemson University bottle opener keyring finally fell off and I used the orange color to find my keys in the bottom of my purse. (if there was enough light of course).

Well that is about it really. No, I am kidding there is lots more. Just need to drag the camera around the house some.

MIA

2009-04-15T08:12:00.002-05:00

It has been so long since I posted and nothing much has changed really. I haven't been working on anything and I have finished nothing except more reading. Churning through book after book. I have been on the lookout for several books and I haven't been able to find them at the library or the bookstore. There are still lots to find in the library and there are a couple coming out in the next month that I will get so I am looking forward to those.
Easter was fun. We went to an Ice Hockey game and our team won. Then on Easter Sunday we had a good lunch at Logans. The Easter bunny did not join our house, but Meghan got a little something from me. I bought her a new DS game. Since she is 11 I figured she was still young enough to enjoy something.
Troy and I have been told by the doctor that we need to do something about our Triglycerides. This is not good news for either of us, as we both eat poorly. Troy doesn't much like vegetables and I like bread and potatoes too much. I also know that I do not exercise enough. I bought a CD at the store to dance off the weight. HA. I haven't looked at it yet though. I don't know why I find it so hard to move.
Meghan is home sick today. Sinus and sore throat and all that. I am going to call the doctor in a few minutes and see if I can get her in to see him. She sounds pretty poorly.
Well that is all I have for now, pity full I know. Hopefully I can cure that today.

2009-03-29T09:30:00.004-05:00

I have been pretty busy the last week. It is spring break and so the kids have been home. Brandon got his License and has been driving Robbie around and running errands. It adds another worry to my long list of worries. Meghan has been running around to friends and sleeping over so she has been here and there. Then on top of that, Troy has been home sick with the flu. My week has been far from quiet, but I have gotten some things accomplished.
I finished my knit shawl. I added a crochet trim to the ends and I think it looks great, but best of all I have something to wrap around my shoulders when they get chilled in the evenings.
I hemmed and decorated the net curtains, (sheers) for the kitchen window. I found two ivory panels for $2.50 so it was a bargain for sure.

I went out to my studio (converted garden shed) and made beads. That was a great day of escape for me. I love my family dearly, but to be alone for a while with my thoughts is also a gift. I told Troy it felt like I was retreating to my cave, rather like a man who doesn't want to help cleaning up after Sunday dinner, but I needed some time. They are still on the mandrels in this picture but you get the idea.

I also made headway on my spring skirt, but I burned my pinky on the iron and that put a stop to that for the day, not a bad burn but enough to make me want to sit and cool it for a while.
In the last two weeks I have read 6 novels. I have been enjoying trashy love books and now I am ready for something serious and meaningful again. Monday will be library day and I will try to find something good to sink my teeth into.
Monday the kids go back to school and Tuesday Troy will go back to work and I will have my house back, no soda cans left on the table, dishes left laying on the couch, all my potato chips eaten, wait that is probably a good thing.

Poetry again!

2009-03-16T11:31:00.003-05:00

I was sewing the other day, just some mending, and I happened across another notebook that I had been doodling in and saw that I had also used it for Poetry. I wanted to share a couple of those with you.

Old Friends

The comfort of old habits beckon me,
I know all the pitfalls of falling into them,
They will welcome me like old friends
Back to the dark places I have been before.
Driving me to distraction
With their silent calls.
I am helpless to resist the nagging needs.
I want to turn my back
But they are still there calling
I fall into line with the familiarity of the companionship
The pairing leaves me empty and angry
The disappointment no less
even if it is my own.
Ostracized, betrayed, as they seduce my being.
They stop calling and leave.
Silent to face the consequences alone.

A Choice

Sometimes I see it coming
Like bright headlights on a semi
in the other lane.
Sometimes it creeps along behind me,
my shadow that at midday becomes one with me
I am at the crossroads choosing a new path
Choosing either way will lead to paths
I am unwilling to take
But still must I decide between them.
The way back is blocked
Choked with others I have left on the road
Their feelings are too much for me to handle
Their promises too hard to trust
So forward I must go
not able to sit stagnant and alone
Direction is foreign to me
I am used to going as I might.
To choose and plan is to close off possibility
The chance that a new adventure will come along
to be swept away by chance is to always
have your breath catch.
regardless now the choice must be made.

Reading

2009-03-03T09:25:00.003-06:00

AAARGH
I have lost my crafting mojo. My muse. My creativity fairy.
I wish I could find it.
I have been trying to sketch. Everything looks like a pre-school scribble. I have been trying to sew. What is a straight seam? I have been trying to paint. You don't even want to see that catastrophe. So where did it go? That thing that makes me see a concept and run with it?
Of course this is not the first time I have experienced this particular malady. The only cure is to wait it out. "What about that long list of projects?" you may well ask. Well, for now I guess they are on the back burner until this wayward 'thing' returns. There are a couple things that I can do that do not require any thought what-so-ever, that knitting I am trying to do. (trying is the operative word there.) One row knit, one purl, repeat. I am afraid I will drop stitches though, and unfortunately my tendinitis is playing up whenever I do too much, say over 10 rows. I broke my wrist when I was sixteen and it really hurts when I over use it, any kind of twisting and I am in pain, compounded by any other thing I try to do instead. Typing for instance.

So the last week has been spent reading. I went through the twilight books again, all four. Just because there was nothing else of interest in my collection of hundreds of books at the time. I might have to resort to the wheel of time series again ( I love love them), but I was holding out until the new book was due to be released. If Brandon Sanderson does as good a job as I think he will it will be worth the wait. His Elantris is awesome and Mistborn is thrilling.
I have too many Nora Robers/JD Robb books to count, in fact I just got one of her series in the mail from paper back swap, but they will not last out the week.
I have Janet Evanovich number series and most of her between the numbers books. those are funny. I worry that I will wake hubby up with my giggling that that shakes the whole bed with my laughter at the antics of her characters.

Well, there is a look into my current reading trends. I have a lot more that I read, just my favorites of the minute.

Winter Weather

2009-02-22T12:10:00.004-06:00

Yesterday was another of those days when I had to drive the kids to and fro. Robbie and Meghan had friends sleep over and I felt obligated to cook pancakes for breakfast, even though Robbie's friend had left before I awoke. Brandon decided that he didn't want a stranger touching his hair after all and didn't want a hair cut ( he needs one, badly). I let Robbie drive to the store and Meghan felt ill so I let Brandon drive home. Picking Robbie up later I let him drive me home. Throughout all this there was a blowing wind and little pellets of snow falling around us. We don't keep our house overly hot but it was really nice to relax in the warmth yesterday.
While Brandon was driving home, and he has been driving on his permit for a year so he is not so bad at it now, I snapped some pictures of the fields around our house.
We do not live in the country but we are on the outskirts of town and we have a lot of corn and soy bean fields close. I used my mobile phone camera and the pictures came out quite well from the moving car. I had wanted to take these pictures for a while but always when I think of it I am rushing off somewhere and don't have time. In the spring after the farmers have planted it is really awesome to see the straight plowed lines of the fields. stretching on for an eternity it seems. I am still awed by the flatness of the land here in Illinois. Even after 14 years of living here! North Carolina was not so flat where we lived but we were not near the mountains. Where I grew up it is wonderfully hilly, although I am sure I would be car sick going back there now.
Needless to say I didn't get much done at all yesterday in the way of crafts or my ever lengthening to-do list. Besides, I was reading a book that I was anxious to know the end of and couldn't put down except for the direst of need. Today I plan to work a little on the list and see what happens.

Some of my UFO's

2009-02-18T10:11:00.008-06:00

Today I am going to show you just a few of the projects I have been working on. I can't seem to keep my mind on one thing at the time and then there are some I work on while watching TV and some that I can do without a mess or getting hundreds of supplies out.
Only a couple of these are on my to finish list. What can I say? I found some more to add to it.
I hope you enjoy looking at them.

This is an embroidery that I made. I really enjoy to embroider but I don't do it so often. Since this is on a scrap of fabric; I was trying out stitches and it grew, I have to find something to add it to and I have been waiting for the right project.

This is a fish that Meghan made, I showed her how to do the whip stitch and the button hole. She had some trouble but I thin she did a really good job with it.

This is an altered book I am working on. It looks pretty ugly right now, but when I am finished with the painting and decorating I hope it will be a worthy piece of art. Everything is a learning process and I have learned from this. Like don't use felt!

These are parts of my chatelaine that I want to make. I am forever moving from one place to another in the house and leaving my pins and scissors around, then forget where they are. Not pictured is a matching scissor holder. I must have forgotten to grab it. all these pieces will be attached to a band that will go around my neck.

Here we have some beads I have made a few weeks ago and a doll head that I made by making paper mache over a tea strainer and then covered with batting and fabric. I have just made a first coat of flesh colored paint on the face.

Here is another pin cushion. This one I used foam for the bottom layer so that the pins would not push through. I hate picking up a pin cushion and getting stuck from the bottom.

2009-02-15T10:18:00.002-06:00

What a week!
Lets see where were we? OK, Friday I was looking forward to the weekend. Nothing much went on there. Sunday night I received my birthday gifts a day early because the kids had school on Monday. I got a really beautiful Stephani Pui Mun Law shadowscapes tarot print. Then Monday, My 11 yo, who had already been off sick since the 4th, was still off school and hubby and I had already planned to go out to eat and such in Bloomington. So as good parents we are, we left her home alone and went anyway. (She was fine and had neighbors close if she needed anything!). We had a nice meal and then went to Hobby Lobby, where I spent a lot of my birthday money. (always manage to spend a lot there). We had a nice time.
Tuesday I took her to the doctor, more to get a not for school than anything as she was feeling much better. She did have a little bubble in her ear so she got antibiotics for that. Wednesday I was all set to have my house to myself again, and I was actually over my cold but when I got up...you guessed it. Hubby was home sick. UGH
I had made a list of things I needed to take care of. I had a huge list of UFO's (unfinished objects for those of you that don't know) and was determined to take care of those before starting something else. There were 14 things on that list, and those were just things I could think of. I have only crossed of two things from that list so far, but that's two things done!
I have been so busy looking at the Burda style website that I found so many things I want to do, but I did find instructions for hemming boot cut jeans, I needed those instructions too, because regular length pants are too short and Long's are too long so yesterday before we went out I hemmed a pair of jeans and wooo hooo, it worked like a charm. I found at least 30 more projects for my list, but they are not started yet so they don't count.
Thursday I finally got my house back and it was so peacefull. No Hanna, Raven or Sonny were guests. (those of you with pre-teens will know who they are). No running around after sick people. Just me and the dogs, who are needy in themselves but at least don't talk.
So last night, Saturday, we had tickets to see Jeff Dunham and we were going with friends to eat dinner and then see the show. Our friends drove and we had a really nice dinner, then drove to the show, saw Guitar Guy and Hubby spent most of that in the bathroom. Yes he was sick, I won't go into details, but it was not pretty. He eventually asked an usher for the first aid room thinking he would lay down, then ended up passing out. We had a nice ambulance ride to the hospital, cudos to Bloomington fire and rescue, very nice EMT's and he was given an IV with fluids and anti nausia meds. He almost felt better immediately. They think it was the stomach flu. So we missed the show and had a wonderful Valentines day in the hospital, but he did get to come home. He is feeling better today, although not 100%.
Today is Sunday, I call my Mum on Sundays, we had a nice chat. Now I am going to work on some of that list. One of the things says "take pictures for blog" I am not promising anything, but I will try!

2009-02-06T07:27:00.002-06:00

Friday..I really like Friday's. Now I am not working of course every day is like a Friday to me, but I still have to get up with the kids, and run them around after school and so, I am actually working at being a mom. Friday is the last day of that week, well apart from Saturday..Oh yeah and Sunday. Hey, When are Mom's weekends?
Seriously I am so lucky to have a husband that shares in the responsabilities and runs the kids around as much, if not more, than me. As much as I hate the 10 pm pick ups, there are lots of 5, 6, 7 and 8 pm pick ups that I don't have to make.
So I am finally feeling better and like I don't need a head transplant. Trust me this cold thing is not to be sneezed at! (Ha Ha, must be residual cold meds making me punny!)
This week I haven't gotten much of anything done. I did a little sketching and a (very) little sewing, and some knitting (which I am not any good at). I did move my computer desk around a bit, to make it more efficient, but I still have a bunch of supplies out to be put away. I am hoping to get that done today.
I have a couple projects on the go. I will take photos when they are done, but this morning I have to take my 11 yo for an MRI. It is just a precaution and nothing to worry about. She is getting a lot of headaches and they are just making sure there is nothing wrong. We all agree that it is from stress, not anything more serious.
So a busy day planned for today. Fun Friday!

2009-02-02T06:49:00.005-06:00

It has been over a week since I posted. I have the dreaded cold given to me by one of my loved ones. It has really knocked me down. I have not accomplished much of anything this week but I did want to show you the things I got done for my submission to Spellbinders Design team.
First I made this page for my 12 x 12 layout. I was aiming for something with more pop and detail but see above. I had made the back-ground on the card stock myself with leaf/petal shaped stamp pads, pressed in a round and overlapped, then used a white pen to outline the petals and make white dots. I loved the way it turned out! If I have enough time today, I think I will get a set of bright inks from hobby lobby and try to do the same thing in bright colors.

Second was my Card. I had spent several days working out what I wanted to happen. It took me another 2 hours to figure out the right angle of cut to make the bunny pop out from behind the egg. There are changes I would make if I was going to do this again, but overall I think it worked out pretty well.

This Stamped project was made with my cut eraser technique. I wanted the effect of basket weave on the background so I cut one side of my eraser into stripes and the other I left whole. I really like how it barely shows, subtle. I folded the layered card so that it looked more like a plaque on the card. Again brighter stamps would change this whole look.
That is what I have been working on. Other projects too this week, including egg shells, paper pulp, fabric and anything else that is laying around in my way!

I need another project like I need a....

2009-01-26T22:32:00.004-06:00

So I have some pictures of what I have been busy doing the last couple of days. I don't have a lot to say as it is late and 6am comes way too early (what was that Robin Williams line in 'good morning Vietnam'? "It is 0 six hundred and what does the o stand for? OH my God it's early!") Yeah I am not a morning person.
So I wanted to make an art doll. I have done them before but not with any seriousness even though I enjoyed it.
I decided, call me crazy, to make my own pattern. HA HA, easier said than done. Actually I learned a lot from season four of Project Runway!
When I got down to it, I decided a dress makers dummy of the torso would help me make the clothes for the dolls and it would also help me with the original pattern.
So I sewed and I stuffed and I un-stuffed and I resewed and I pinned and I pulled and on and on. And this is what happened. I have learned a lot. I am on #2 now. Of the dummy's that is. Not the dolls.

Front and side

Side and Front.

As you can see I still need to figure out lots of things about this, but I am nothing if not persistent.

Skipping around

2009-01-23T06:58:00.012-06:00

As you have noticed by now I have a tendency to skip from one project to the next a lot. Yesterday was sewing day. I got the machine out. I had ironed the fabrics the day before. I started to sew and, again, my concentration went from one thing to another and I didn't get much of anything accomplished. First I made a pin cushion as I have misplaced the ones I have and I needed a place to stick pins. I also made a hammock for the rats. I did make a muslin pattern for a doll torso. I then unpicked it and drafted the pattern on paper. Hopefully this will work for me to make a doll body without too much trouble. I had the idea of making awesome outfits rich in embroidery and rich fabrics. AHHH time! time is my enemy too. Sitting and trying to do one thing is almost impossible for me, I think what I need to do is stay focused and put any ideas that come to me on paper for another day, when the first project is finished. While dinner was cooking I was planning on using those minutes to finish some sewing, but alas, my focus shifted and I actually got my son to help me put the trim back around our sliding door and hang the curtain rod I have bought. I had one of the two panels I had bought and we put that up for now, even though they are ugly. (cheap) I will probably get a king size sheet to put up instead, but it is up and we finally have some privacy from the road behind our house.
I have some more of my art projects to share with you today. Things I have done in the last year or so that I have actually finished.

This is a tote bag I made for an online game I play. We all get a gift ready and then we are given a secret number for our gift. We pick in an order. Number one goes first and picks a number not knowing what the gift is, then number two picks to either steal number ones gift or pick a new number. As the order of picking gets longer, the steals get longer and it is a mess! But it is lots of fun, and I have made lifelong friends playing. Right now I am in my 8th game. It is not really about the gifts but the friends we make along the way. We share hopes and dreams, our days; good and bad and we support each other in ways that only friends can.

These are a couple of ACEO's that I have made. I used watercolor on these two and I am not up to speed on watercolor so an experiment really. I have swapped a few of these and I like to make them because they are quick and I don't feel I have to be perfect with them.

While I was looking for pictures I found this. My Mum and Dad came to see me from England and one day I drove them out to a park near our house. There is a pond when you walk in, before you go deep into the woods and trails and I took this picture for them. I thought it was so good I have it framed too. I think for me, it is more a memory of a moment in time, than the actual composition that I love about it. We had a great day and visit that day. Early spring and the shoots were bright green.

This is a sketch I did recently while I was watching TV.
I was searching on the web for altered art dolls and found some fabulous instructions for making sculpted faces. This is my effort in that area, a mix of all the techniques that I found. Just the head, and the others I made into magnets for the fridge. I love this one and wanted to keep it to myself. It is still sitting around waiting to be made into something, a pin, a magnet or something.

Which led to this, I was playing around trying to make an art doll, and I came up with this shape and put a face on her. Then I went to town decorating her with embroidery and beads. I want to change the shape of the dolls and that is what led me to making a pattern for a torso yesterday.
So there you have it, a peek at what I have been doing and hopefully where I am heading. Things pile up and sometimes I look back and get a better idea.
Today I have an appointment and I will take my moleskine to doodle in while I am waiting. Maybe I will get the plans down for some more projects or even to finish some that I already have.
If only I could concentrate on just one thing, I might get a lot accomplished.

Love is

2009-01-21T19:44:00.005-06:00

Well, it has been a couple of days so I am already not doing well on updating every day. It has been and emotional few days for me. I watched history being made with a light and cheerful heart, and I tried not to watch all day today again as news happened.

I realize that February will be here before we know it. I know this as it is my birth month, and each new year it slams toward me like a freight train speeding down a hill. Gone are the days of youth when I would wait impatiently for the day to get here. Now I am trying to savor every moment of my life it goes way too fast.

The point is that I have to think about valentines day soon, like this week. I am terrible at gift giving. I either buy something early and want to give it straight away because I am excited at the 'perfect' gift, or I blather over what to get that is 'perfect' that I leave it until the last minute. Often times I will make something for my husband for the lesser holidays.
This is what I made him a couple years ago.

I suppose I have to think of something this year. Since he reads this I guess I will not share until AFTER the day!

Time to talk about Poetry

2009-01-18T09:46:00.005-06:00

Hello. I missed posting yesterday. There wasn't much to talk about and my Daughter and I went to get our ears pierced. She is 11 and got them done for the first time. I was impressed. I thought she would chicken out at the last minute. She picked a beautiful pair of light green studs and I must say they sparkle in her ears. I was 11 when I got mine done the first time too. Memories of my mum taking me to the jewelry store to get it done, taking out the studs when we got home and putting sleepers in so I could sleep easier. I, on the other hand, got my 8th piercing. I had 3 pairs in my ears, and one in my nose. I got one in my upper left ear. (after encouragement by DD). I just have a tiny stud, I didn't want anything big and flashy until it heals.
Today I thought I would share some of my poetry. It is kind of funny but I like to rhyme words. It is almost as much fun for me as crossword puzzles, and it keeps my mind off other things. Some of my poems are silly and some are deep and dark. My thought is that my art and my poetry will meet and combine into works in and of themselves.
Here is one I wrote this summer. We can start on one of the darker ones, as I always like to leave on a light note.

out of the woods

I sit and look out from the Woods
I want to leave but I am afraid
There are dark places here
Unknown hollows and beasts I do know
I could get lost and not return
Becoming another; not at all myself
Each step makes my legs heavy
It is hard not to look back
To dwell on things long past
As I inch closer to the edge
I am blinded by the hot light
Shedding layers I have clung to
I step back frustrated with myself
It is not the same, a shadow of what was
Leaving only one choice, forward
To the unkown of continued hope and fear
What was still consumes me
A door I cannot close tight
Where am I going to end up
In the light or back at the beginning
Starting again, looking out from the dark.

This is called Rain

Dripping, Splashing, Running.
The rain falls out of the sky.
Darkening, Soaking, Relieving.
The Earth that has grown dry.

Waving, Blowing, Moving.
The trees and plants around.
Watering, Bolstering, Moistening.
The growth beneath the ground.

Renewing, Charming, Helping.
The earth continue to grow.
Relaxing, Charming, Hoping
The world; deep green aglow.

And this last one is one I wrote while working second shift for DD. We only got to see each other for 1/2 hour each morning before she left for school, and on weekends if I wasn't working overtime. I would doodle little sketches or write notes.
Mrs. Brown

Mrs. Brown had a cow.
She also had an onion.
When she went to see the sow
She was pained by a bunion.
Now Betty Brown was smart,
She knew the perfect cure.
She asked the cow to do her part,
and rode her without a sore.
Mrs.Brown was pleased as punch,
Not half as much as sow Molly
She gave the onion to the cow for lunch
and Clara cow said "By Golly!"

Well there you have it. Just silly things can really make a difference in your day. Out of the woods is something that I never realized that I was feeling until I wrote it. The Cow still makes me laugh, and I have actually another two about Mrs Brown that I can share later.

Late to post today

2009-01-16T20:19:00.005-06:00

So it is late in the day and I am just now posting. I have just had my mind on other things today and haven't had all that much time to really think about what I am going to post.
I still haven't had all that much time to think really. I am Just going to show some more pictures.
In November, my husband and I went away on our first cruise. We had the best time. It was awesome. He was thrilled at something to do non stop all the time, and I was thrilled to see some ruins and local art (although, a lot of it was imported, go figure).
So first was this awesome silver and brass statue that I really wanted, but despite the salesman offering a huge discount, it cost more than we had in our bank account!

This is Altun Ha in Belize. Mayan ruins that was the only pick I had for our excursions from the ship. We did climb up this one and yes it was hard. I am in shape, round is a shape! It was worth it though. I was interested in the faces on the sides of the 'temples' .

Now this, I think you can just see, are statues in front of a building in a reclaimed garden in Freeport. They are only 1 year out from a bad hurricane. These statues are carved from tree trunks. I thought they were awesome. I am almost sure this was a church, even though I am not myself religious, I found as art they were really interesting.

Short and Sweet

2009-01-15T17:14:00.003-06:00

The kids did not go to school today because our wind chills were in the -30's. They are off tomorrow too for the same reason. Monday is Martin Luther King Day. So that makes 5 days in a row they have off school. Just kill me now!
Needless to say I don't get much done with them in the house. Even though they are 16, 15 and 11 it still makes more work for me. Essentially I make them get their own lunches, as they never all want the same thing, but it is a continual battle to get them to put stuff away, to help me out with my daily chores (I am sure hubby is laughing at that one, "what chores?") or to even help in any small way.
Today I didn't do much of anything really. I played on the web, I drew a few things in my moleskine, and took a nap (sleeping is getting harder for me since I have the sniffles). Yesterday I started a crochet purse and I am winging it, I will show a picture when it is done. I was thinking I might write the pattern but I have never done that before and I am not sure if I can. I have some fleece that I am making into toys/beds for the rats. They are very warm bodied and need to stay all huddled up and they love their blankies.
I have to go out in the cold in a little while and get milk. We could go without but then I would have to get some tomorrow anyway. Easier to get it tonight and have some for the morning. We easily go through a gallon a day. With the kids home I am sure more.
So that is my day today. Hopefully I will get more done tomorrow.

Make your own stamps

2009-01-14T09:40:00.003-06:00

I am probably not the originator of this technique. In fact I had forgotten all about it until my son Brandon was making one a couple of months ago out of my good eraser. But since I mentioned it I thought I would make some instructions.

Please forgive the one or two blurry pictures. I was trying to hold the camera and the tools at the same time. Not a good way to get crisp clear pictures. I really need to get out my photo tent again!

One thing I want to be clear about this is not something you want to do with young children. The knife is sharp and it will easily cut large holes in fingers and hands. Take it from someone who already cut off a finger tip. (No, not doing this, but cutting quilting squares) You don't want your kids to do this!

On we go to the first thing.

Supplies and tools.

Eraser, you can use one you have around. I think that the pink ones would work really well for this as they are not as crumbly as the white ones, but the white ones are easier to cut into.
Some type of craft knife; preferably with a pointed edge. I am sure you can use a paring knife too.
Pen or Pencil.
Stamp pad.
And not shown in the picture, a cutting surface of some kind. In later pictures you will see I have a cutting mat. I have 3 or 4 of these and this is the oldest one, so I use it for crafts. A thick book would also work, maybe an old phone book.

Step 1.

Choose a design you want to cut and transfer it to the block with a pen or pencil. I hand draw all my own, but you might want to use some clip art or something remember Simpler is easier. The more detail, the harder it will be, as these blocks are small. Also you want to plan what is going to be your negative space; what you are going to cut off, and what will be the image; what you want to leave behind. This may sound simplistic but believe me, it will make a difference. When I was making the owl, I had to really think about it to get defined areas. Once it is cut away you cannot put it back.

Step 2.

Now start cutting away the edges. Take rough cuts first then go back and define. You can carve small pieces away as you go. Go slow, and think about your cuts. On the leaf here I should have left the edges on the block as it is very fragile in the stem area where the leaves meet. I find that I can put at least two designs on one block; as the skull and owl, so if you want to do that just cut around your edge down about 1/16^th inch and then cut into the side to meet your cuts. These cross cuts have to only go to your line though or your will cut under your stamp and that part may not stay attached. I accidentally cut under one of the owls wings. I am going to try some glue to keep it there.

On this one, I have cut all the way through the block, it is a small stamp and I figured I would need something to hold on to.

Step 3.

The details. OK this is tricky, but you can get it. Make angled cuts along your detail lines so you are cutting V's out. You might have to dig at the waste to remove it, but not too much or you will take your design as well. Just a shave to start and deeper if you need to. These lines do not have to be as deep as the edges. (The body will support the stamp so that they negative will not print).

Now is a good time to test stamp, so you can see the lines and make additional cuts to define or change overall appearance.

Finished stamps

I also cut this mermaid today and it looks like nothing by itself (if you look at the plain stamp I ended up cutting off the corner as it was too square for my use.) But when I added the pen marks you can clearly see what it is.

If it is a one color image, it works to use an ink pad. If you are going for a more two or more colored look, brush pens are great.

I hope you have fun with this. I do. I like to make these for things I need to repeat so I don't have to draw and color them over and over. Wrapping paper, fabric prints, scrap booking, and backgrounds for art. There are tons of uses.

Change of Plan

2009-01-13T13:22:00.005-06:00

I was going to post the instructions for the eraser stamps. Life got in the way. My 16 year old son, Brandon called to ask me to bring a text book that he had forgotten this morning. I don't know what it is with my kids but they are so unorganized. I only take them their stuff half the time as I feel that they should learn to get it together. The other half I take pity on them and give in. Today was one of those days.
So today I will share some pictures of another of my passions. You already have seen the bead in my header, the toadstool. It is made from glass and I made it. I have a torch that gets very, very hot and I melt rods of glass in various colors to make beads (I am trying to break into marbles but so far they are not very round, which kind of defeats the purpose). I wrap the beads around a mandrel, a metal rod dipped in a release agent so the glass doesn't stick to the rod. Then they go into a kiln to be annealed. This makes the glass stronger as heating it disturbs the molecules. It is so much fun and I have a wonderful studio, a garden shed that has been finished with sheet rock and has a heater, air conditioner and exhaust fan. My private get away.
My torch uses oxygen and Propane, I use a tank of gas like the one on a grill and two former medical concentrators hooked up in tandem for the oxygen.
Well enough of that, here are some pictures.

My random art

2009-01-12T10:02:00.009-06:00

Yesterday I talked about my art. Well I scanned some images today of my sketches. I have been trolling web sites all week looking at moleskine art, something I didn't even know existed until until I stumbled upon it looking for altered art. I knew that people did sketches and notes in them, I wasn't aware that it is a whole movement sort of thing. Anyway I had my moleskine and decided that I should work on it more.
I have found websites that helped me improve this art form. I am sorry that I didn't keep track of them. I will in the future to share with you.

So this is a page I did while waiting in the doctors office. Enjoy Life. It was fun, but hard for me to be random. I like things uniform and balanced. The Life page turned out so much better than the Enjoy page. It is a learning process.
The skull page was so much fun for me. I want to create art that is bold and dramatic. I have trouble with things that aren't cutesy. I haven't finished it, I will go back later.
The leaf page, is a stamp I cut from a Pentel Hi-polymer eraser. I cut 3 that night and they are so much fun. I bought 2 more packs of three yesterday to make some more.

This is a page from an old journal, Around June 22th 2007. So journal art is not new to me, I just had no idea I was doing it. The sketches, doodles whatever you want to call them, were done at work. I was always scribbling something at work. Not a good thing really.

From my first real altered book. I say real, because I had made another before this, but it was made with lack of skill and I still don't know what I am going to do with it. Anyway, this is the last page in this book and it is about my Dear Nanny Thersa (Mum's Mum). She was such a wonderful person. I made the picture by inkjet transfer and colored it with chalks. My Mum had given me some pictures when she was here last (has it really been 2 years already).

And one of the other pages, this book is mostly about me and my thoughts. This page was done around the beginning of last year. There is some found poetry on the flame side.

Sleeping late
waiting
no sign of breakfast
stayed alone
slowly
waiting
the storm.

I have lots more art mediums to share. Oh gosh lots. I just have to dig them out and take pictures.

Newness

2009-01-11T10:45:00.003-06:00

Well, this is rather like a new notebook. The whole thing is blank and you don't want to ruin the first page. I am a bit particular about it. I want to start at the beginning and work to the end, but I have been thinking lately it might be better to start in the middle.
Starting in the middle would be much easier. You could already see the direction you are heading for and divert any mistakes. Much of life is like this, but mostly I am that way with my art. I have thousands of dollars of art equipment and supplies, and I often leave them unused rather than ruin them. Sometimes it could be a few dollars worth of paper, ribbon or fabric. Lately I have been moving out of my comfort zone and just using what I have. I don't have to show anyone if I don't want to, but it is doing no good to let it sit around and dry out, collect dust or (as my things are apt to do ) get lost. I would never start a book in the middle!
So here I am, starting this continuous stream of consciousness. Thinking that some may read my random thoughts and feelings. Now there is a scary thought! I guess I should start with things about me, not too much, just enough to start.
I am married with three children. I will reference the family here. They are part of me, I cannot ignore that fact. I have 2 dogs, 2 rats and a turtle. They will also be mentioned from time to time.
As I stated earlier I am an artist. I am uncomfortable with the label, but it is what I do, what I am, I could stop creating as easily as I stop breathing. The only problem is I tend to jump from medium to medium often and quickly. I will talk a lot about that here.
I am passionate about things I believe in. I love to have fun. My internal dialogue is complex. My skin is dry. (see I told you..random). I cherish my alone time. I dislike intolerance, but feel that makes me intolerant. I worry too much. I would like to think that some how, some way I am making a difference to someone, somewhere.