Misc Monday

He's a cutie, but I don't like the scarf and have Mr. Penguin too tall!

Used modeling paste mixed with white paint for the snow. Now I don't like it.

My favorite

It's been awhile. Am I the only one who goes into a downward spiral this time of year? No. But for whatever reason, it has hit me hard this year. So to try and get out of this funk, I worked on Christmas themed canvases. It has helped, but I think it's the creative process more than the subject matter.

Yesterday was the 33rd anniversary of John Lennon's death. 33 years. The mind boggles at the music we missed. I follow a variety of artists and celebrities on Twitter. Simon Helberg (Howard on Big Bang Theory) posted a link to an article and audio of John and Paul singing "Don't Let Me Down". This was just the vocal track without instruments. Raw, pure emotion was in their voices. The article was concerned with John's plea to Yoko, not to let him down. But as I listened to this, Paul's voice overshadowed John's in several places. In my humble opinion, there was a plea coming from McCartney as well.

When we were kids, or rather teenagers, Christmas was very special. Capital Records was not a stupid company. First of all they had signed the Beatles. And every holiday season, a new album was released. We were always on pins and needles waiting for Christmas Eve so we could tear into that album. Nothing else under the tree held that type of magic. By Christmas Day afternoon, it had been played and played again. Lyrics memorized.

Seems so very long ago. I miss it terribly.
Linda

A Fine Mess

Standing at the door looking into the room

Tags I started on Saturday for Christmas crafts

Products that need tweaking before going into our booth for sale

Crap that needs to go to Goodwill

Gelli prints in progress

I am not proud of this mess. Really. But sometimes you are overwhelmed. Here is the story:

I had the craft/studio room cleaned and under control. 3 weeks ago I went to work at Allyscraps, as I do every Wednesday, when the landlord told me he wanted to speak to Cathy, in person. Result was Allyscraps is closing, we lost our lease. We hope to be out by November 10th.

What happens when you have 2 women who hoard art/craft supplies, and have access to 3 small rooms at the back of a store for storage? Yeah, you guessed it. I have hauled home boxes and containers full of finished crafts that are out of season, or Christmas stuff left over from last year, or pieces and bits that we bought and "would do something with" someday. Cathy's garage, which is rarely used as an actual garage, was full of products. A lot of that has gone to the store for mark-down pricing. But she now must set up part of the garage as her "store", as she is going to sell in a booth at a craft mall, and online. We have moved, thrown out, debated over, and given away so much "stuff" in the past week that we are both exhausted and quite sore.

And it's not done.

The last two photographs are Gelli prints. I bought a Gelli plate a few months ago, and just fooled with it. Disgusted with what I was producing when I was seeing some really cool stuff on Pinterest, I took an online class with Carla Sonheim. It was great, but the end of the class was the beginning of the moving/cleaning. So these prints are not finished. To complicate matters, I also signed up for an art journaling class with Journal Girl, which started this week. It also is using the Gelli plate for printing pages. Hence the quick clean of the long table.

I really need to retire....
Linda

Well, Dang!

LARGE pumpkin that Cathy made last year. He was so cute!

Birdhouses lined up for sale in Nashville, IN.

Love the fall colors

As time passes, how people spend their leisure time and dollars changes. Trends come and go. I am living proof of that statement. In January of this year I was sewing up a storm, making primitive dolls. I have sold 1 all year, so the sewing has stopped. Why do it if I am not going to sell anything? Then Cathy got me involved in mixed media canvas, and off I went down that road. I am still doing it, but it's more for my own satisfaction than selling. I did sell 2 canvases at a shop now closed. At least they did somewhat better than the primitive dolls.

Yesterday I worked, as I always do on Wednesdays, at the scrap book store Cathy owns. It was basically dead. The hobby is still out there, but people just don't come to browse as they did years ago. The owner of the building caught me, and asked if he could speak to Cathy. By 3pm, the decision had been made: we are closing Allyscraps. Everything has to be out by December 10th. I am sad, but I certainly understand this business decision. The building owner wants her to sign a 5 year lease. That would be insanity. Sales have steadily declined over the past 3 years.

We are always searching for the correct outlet for our creations. For awhile, the craft mall in Plainfield filled the bill. Not now. So off we'll go down another path.

You don't know unless you try.
Linda

Misc. Ravings

I want to be there, not here

I want to go back on vacation. I would love to eat clam chowder and crab cakes again at any of the restaurants we visited.

Here's the thing: I, like the majority of Americans, am sick to death of the fighting, name calling, and total disregard of our elected officials in Washington, DC. I didn't turn on the television this morning. I no longer want to hear it. You shut down the federal government? Fine, give back your annual salary because you haven't done your job all year. And that is for every, single elected official. Bite me, people.

And another thing: (said I was on a rant, didn't I?). Why do shots have to hurt the next day? I called my doctor's office last week to get an appointment for a mammogram. Have you had your annual physical? No, I haven't. Guess what? So I went yesterday, thinking she is going to check a few things, write a script for the mammo, and send me on my merry way. Well, that didn't work. I had a flu shot in my left arm, then a pneumonia shot below the flu shot, and a tetanus booster in my right arm. "Move your arms, and the vaccines will travel deeper into the muscle. Then it won't hurt." I taught an exercise class last night. The more we progressed, the worse it hurt, and this morning both arms are sore as hell. And I have a fairly high tolerance for pain, as I live with back and leg pain every day.

I think the bottom line is, don't sugar coat anything you tell me, and don't lie to me.  An obstructionist is an obstructionist. Pain will be pain. And everyone roll up your sleeves, stop whining because life is far from perfect, and get back to work. We have a society to save.

Dang.
Linda

So should I charge rent?

Last year around this time, I had a problem with my clothes dryer. The clothes weren't drying. Thinking that the vent hose was clogged, I pulled out the dryer to clean it. Now that is a simple sentence which in no way conveys the fact that there is no space to do this simple task.

I then became a contortionist using a small step ladder to climb over the washer, also pulled out, to get to the rear of the dryer to connect a new vent hose. Problem solved.

This week I did 2 loads of laundry and neither were dry on just one cycle. Hmmmmm. Do I really want to go through all of that again, or approach the problem from a different angle? For, you see, the man (and it had to be a man because a woman would have said this was NOT going to work) who designed the dryer vent didn't realize or didn't care that a long run of pipe was an invitation for problems.

The hole in the wall where I connect the vent hose does an immediate turn skyward, and goes up to the attic. It then turns again to run across the attic and exit on the north side of the house, about 10 feet high. So the vent basically runs from the middle of the house to the exterior, a good 25 feet in all.

I asked my friend Melissa, who is tall and only 39, to come hold the extension ladder while I climbed up to clean out the vent from the exterior wall. I could not remove the vent cover, so Melissa went up and being strong and 39, popped it right off. "Oh, you have a bird's nest alright". We had seen grass and straw sticking out the louvered vent flaps. Melissa pulled the nest out, looked in the pipe and said "Oh, shit". It is never good when a friend looks at something in or on your house and says those words. She then proceeded to pull out enough lint mixed with grass, sticks and straw to build a nest that would have made a Bald Eagle proud.

The damn birds had been pushing old nests back and building new ones. The debris was about 6 feet into the vent pipe. It is a wonder my house didn't catch on fire. Truly.

Life is always an adventure, isn't it?
Linda

Blessed Rain

We woke up this morning to a beautiful thunderstorm. Love, love, love it! More rain is coming in later this morning, and tomorrow. Keeping my fingers crossed that this breaks the current drought.

I follow other women's blogs everyday. Some are concerning art, some are simple inspiration. But today I wanted to point you to one of those because the photos are just stunning. Please read the Wednesday post, then click on the link (you can read about it here).  I believe this gorge is in Oregon because I am fairly certain Alisa is based in Portland.

I so want to go there.

I can't afford another vacation yet.

Dang.

Have a wonderful day.
Linda

click here.

Misc. rambling

We desperately need rain. It has been hit or miss for weeks, and our area is one that is not getting more than a 10 minute drizzle. I am back to watering trees and the big grasses in the hopes I won't lose them.

Oddly, one of our local weathermen stated yesterday that this is the end of summer. There are no forecasts for intense heat, and he feels we are moving more towards fall like weather. That's fine by me! But I did notice yesterday that 2 different types of decorative grasses in the backyard are already developing their "plumes", the tall spikes that shoot up as a last gesture of the season. It's August. This doesn't normally happen until September. Oh, boy.

And now on to a ramble: my heart sank when the news broke about the two boys who were strangled by a python. This is not the first time a large snake has killed children, and I'm sure it won't be the last because some people are morons. You can't train a snake. It is not going to sit, roll over, or fetch. It is going to do what is hardwired into it's DNA. Hunt and eat. This is my opinion, but hey, it's my blog and I can say this. ANYONE owning an exotic animal or reptile that causes death or serious harm needs to be punished. What really blows my mind is that people with pythons as pets eventually will get rid of them, and many are released into the wild. Is that a problem? Ask the state of Florida. Yes, it is an enormous problem. Florida is now having python hunts to cut down on the population. Pythons will eat small dogs and cats, and will go after children. It is a food source, nothing more.

End of rant. It just makes me sick that two more children had to die because some idiot thought it was cool to have a 14 foot snake. How cool is it now, asshole?

Thanks for stopping by.
Linda

Spring Sale

This is a crazy week. The craft mall where we have a booth is having a Spring open house this weekend. Sales have been slow this year, and we welcome this chance to get more people into the building. But, and this is a LARGE but, Cathy and I have been on this mixed media kick and neither of us has started the sewing machines since January. Yeah. Not good. Not that all the primitive crafts have sold. On the contrary, they are still in the booth.

I am torn. We have a large selection of canvases, like this one, to put in the booth. I also have 2 naked black dolls waiting for grunge mix to be applied, and clothes. So I swing back and forth from one project to another.

And then we have whining:

We're bored, Mom!

I have to laugh. Yesterday I was cruising the net, reading some of my favorite blogs for inspiration. Donna Downey, an artist who lives in North Carolina, has 2 dogs. The smaller dog fits into a knapsack type carrier, that sits on Donna's chest. You guessed it. She carries this pup around while working in the studio. My two are too big for that, but boy, can I relate. The dogs can be just as demanding as kids.

Have a great day. Be productive. I'm trying!
Linda

Retirement

I am retired. I can prove it. I collect a survivor pension from my late husband, and a social security check. So I should be admiring the garden, relaxing like Jake in the photo above. Am I doing that? Hell, no, I'm not doing that! Sigh.

This is my day: teach classes at the aquatic and recreation center, walk the dogs, pick those little sticky weed balls out of Jake's fur after the walk, let the dogs out, let the dogs in, and repeat those last two items 28 times. Add cleaning, laundry, cooking, painting the shed and trim on the house, and all of the other chores involved with home ownership, and there you have it.

Where do the hours go? I need to craft items for the December show and for the new Allyscraps shop, which opens next week. I should be studying for my AFAA certification in November. There are stacks of books to be read. I even have books on my Nook from last May that I downloaded when we went on vacation. The Nook needs to be recharged.

How do we get so busy? The days fly by, and I realize the long list of chores that didn't get done. But I do have my priorities: walking the dogs is up there, as is going to the dog park. A tired dog is a good dog. And when my life is just too chaotic, too hectic, that is when I will take just 30 minutes and head into the craft room. Working on a project has a calming effect on me, and when time is short, it seems that is when I turn out something I am especially proud of.

Whatever you are doing today, or this week or month, enjoy it. Cherish the moments because the days whiz by.
Linda

Imagine

Imagine.

What would the world be like if 9/11/01 had not happened? What would we, as Americans, be like if the horror of that day had not been embedded in our souls, our brains, our hearts?

This is a day of rememberance. It needs to be a day for self-examination, of reflection, and of goals. Our country is divided at this moment. The barbs and slings bounce back and forth between politicians, the fuel fed by the talk shows and radio programs. The media lights the fire, and the internet sets it ablaze. There is no courtesy, no consideration. Rudeness is the way of life for generations. I, Me, Mine.

Our nation was one after 9/11. WE were Americans, lending a helping hand, reaching out to comfort those hurt by the terror. People did because they had to do something, anything, to help alleviate the devastation from the attacks. In the past decade that has been lost. There was hope at the last Presidential election, but once again the division has grown.

This is my opinion only, no one elses. I don't presume to speak for another human being. I am what I am, and it is what I feel: that we need to regain respect for all peoples, that we need to regain the tolerance for different races and faiths. Margot, the daughter of Ann Landers, recently wrote of this issue when a reader submitted a letter that basically said "I can no longer read your column, you support a woman's right to choose abortion." I am paraphrasing Margot here: Your God is not my God, your bible is not my bible, but I respect the fact that you believe what you do.

Imagine all the people, living life in peace. John Lennon.

What would the world be like if Muslims tolerated Christians, if Jews tolerated Muslims, if right wing conservatives kept their religious beliefs out of politics?

And in my darkest hour, Mother Mary comes to me, speaking words of wisdom, Let It Be. Paul McCartney.

Have a day of reflection. Have a day of peace.
Linda

We're Having a Heat Wave...

Gracie

Jake

Petunias on the deck. End of the line.

Our forecast for today is 101. Yes. 101. Do I live in Texas, Oklahoma, Arizona? Why no, I do not. I live in central Indiana. This has been one of the hottest summers in the history of record keeping for the weather.

I had the dogs at the park for our morning walk by 7am. I am so glad I did. When we finished at 8am, it was already sticky hot, they were panting, and I was ready to quit. Gave them some water and we headed for home and the air conditioning. The backyard is still in shade, so we sat outside and enjoyed the warm breeze for over an hour. The remainder of the day will be indoors until it cools tonight. "Cool" being a relative term. Tomorrow it is only (yes, only) going to be a high of 97. Whoopee.

Maybe it is an aspect of getting older, but I truly don't remember the extremes in weather that we have experienced in recent years. Layers of ice and snow in the winter months, stretches of 90 plus temperatures and no rain in the summer. Autumn is my favorite season, and I'm hoping it is just average. There is nothing wrong with being average. That would allow me to take the dogs for longer walks, inhaling the scent of the drying leaves. I love that.

Stay safe. Stay comfortable.
Linda

Dang!

I tried repeatedly to sign in to blogger yesterday, but it just wasn't having me. Don't know what the problem was, but it appears we are back. I'm sorry for the missing posts, but we have been in a whirlwind of activity. Cathy has set the date to reopen Allyscraps for September 13th, and we have been out and about on a mission.

This time around, the store will carry scrapbooking and card making supplies, as well as home decor and gifts. It won't take us but a few days to get all of the paper products out on display. The problem is with gathering enough products for the home decor and gift section in time. We've also been making items to display and sell. I did a page with an early photograph of Bella, my great-granddaughter last night. I'll try to get a decent photo to post tomorrow.

With the cooler weather (Thank You very much!!), I am trying to paint the trim on my house, and replace screens on several windows. Dogs. Nails. Need I say more?

Is it me, or has this year just flown by? Or is this an aspect of growing old? Hard to believe it is almost September 1st. Where did the summer go, besides being indoors due to that intense heat? I also spend hours watering. There has been some rain, the best rainfall one day last week, but it is still so dry. With lots of tender, loving watering, my hibiscus are blooming again. Love it.

Have a wonderful day.
Linda

When the grass was green...

Jake, enjoying the yard

Gracie, showing her blond fur

I took these pictures on July 16th. We had already stopped mowing the grass because it was no longer growing. I haven't mowed since July 1st. But it was still green. And then the string of plus 90 degree days hit, and sucked the moisture right out of the ground. Once again, the lawns are brown and crunchy.

Today I looked everywhere for my sprinkler. It was just a cheap, plastic circle, but I liked it because it was easy to control where the water fell. Can't find it anywhere, so I stopped at Lowe's and bought a cheap, plastic sprinkler that oscillates. The Indianapolis area has a 50% chance of rain tonight. Uh huh. Last week it poured just north, and I do mean just, of the city. Not a drop on the west side. My thought is that because I spent money on a sprinkler, the skies will open up. Or, I could wash and wax the car. That always worked in the past.

I have one patch of green, growing grass by the water spigot in the backyard. The current hose leaks (is there no end?), and water shoots out for 3 feet from the house. It is the dogs' favorite spot to lay now, due to the grazing tendencies of both.

It takes so little to make them happy....
Linda

Rantings of a woman

Well. First off, my friend Carol was robbed at the dog park last night. This was around 6pm. There were only 4 dog owners in the park, and we were back in the shade, enjoying the breeze, just talking. A maroon van pulled into the parking lot, and we thought it was the Wheaton Terrier, Dega. (Not driving, Melissa, his mom would be driving). But the van stayed a moment, then left. We never saw anyone get out. My car was locked, with my purse on the front seat, but Carol's car was unlocked, and they took her purse.

There are several points here that piss me off. We pay to use this park, and it isn't necessarily cheap. There are a lot of dog owners that balk at the fee, and will not use it. So basically that makes it a private park, to a certain extent. So what gives any yahoo the right to pull into the lot and think they can browse for stuff to steal? What gives any moron the right to victimize people in a public place? Carol must now cancel credit cards, bank accounts, get a new drivers license, and watch her credit rating like a hawk. My solution is that I will no longer take my purse with me to the dog park. Just the park pass and car keys.

Second Rant:This morning I was driving home from taking the dogs for a walk at Townhall park, and an older sedan was in front of me in the left turn lane. The driver was way down in the seat, bald, obviously older, and his driving was erratic. I am being kind. His driving sucked big time. Stop, start, stop, start, weave. This man had handicap plates on the vehicle. Okay, that happens. Don't have a problem with that. But as I followed this gentleman, I noticed that there were what appeared to be bullet holes in the back of the car. Really? Imagine that. Crappy driver, bullet holes. Hmmmm. Is there a correlation there? I think so.

So now we will have to be vigilant at the dog park, not relaxed, and wary of all strange vehicles that pull in. Rumor has it that this is happening all over the area. Yes, it is a sign of the times, a reaction to the economy. But dude, if the dog owners catch you, it will not be pleasant. Oh, no. Several suggestions have been made. Let us just say you will think twice before continuing a life of thievery.


Have a good day. Be safe, please.

Linda