Miss Potter

In addition to painting and drawing while I've been on vacation, I've watched Miss Potter twice. I love that movie and it's inspiring to me in my own artwork. I went out this morning to a gift shop that I haven't been to in awhile and, by accident, found the prettiest long, rectangular shaped, wicker type box that reminded me of the box that Miss Potter kept her brushes in as depicted in the movie. I bought it, brought it home and put my watercolor brushes in it. It's the perfect size.



After I left that gift shop I went to another one that I haven't been to in awhile. They had all of their Charming Tails figurines on sale 50% off. I found this cute mouse and spool of thread and buttons that reminded me of the illustration for the story The Tailor of Gloucester by Beatrix Potter.




If you are interested, I have posted here the movie trailer for Miss Potter. I also noticed that YouTube has the entire video of The Tailor of Glouchester in five parts. Remember to turn my music off at the bottom of my page before you watch the videos.

Giveaway!

In light of the fact that I love Mary Jane shoes, I'm going to enter this wonderful giveaway from The Cookie Sheet blog. She is giving away this wonderful little print.


Just click on the link above and you can also enter.

More Watercolor Art

I've been on a watercolor ride lately. I've been wanting to explore them more and more and have just never taken the time to do it. Since I've been on vacation, I've been taking time to learn more about watercolor painting and how to control the paints, etc.

I've created this new lovely girl that I want to share.

I want to call her Party Girl since she looks just like she's ready to go to a party or a banquet or something like that. I plan to put prints of her and my other watercolor paintings in my shop this week.

Yesterday afternoon I went outside and took some pictures of some lovely lilys that are blooming in my yard.




I also took some more pictures of flowers and plants.

Watercolors

I had some more fun today. We didn't go to Eddie's mom's today and take the food because some of her husband's family brought some food to them. So, I stayed home and we will take our food tomorrow.

While I was here today, I found a watercolor sunflower that I had started a couple of years ago, and for some reason, never finished. I decided to work on it today and this is the result.


You can tell this is really amateurish, but I had alot of fun with it today. I just put on some 40's big band/swing music and painted. I loved it!

I also found a seashell/beach scene that I had painted in 2002, and I decided to share that one with you as well.


I hope to be able to work on some more watercolor this week and hopefully next week too.

Antiquing Adventure

Today Eddie spent the day with his mother taking her home from the hospital and helping her get settled in. He told me it was my vacation and to do something fun today. I was going to take a painting class, but I couldn't reach the lady who teaches the class because her phone number is no longer in service. I haven't had any luck so far with finding out whether she's still teaching the classes, so I didn't go paint today.

What I did do is just bum around today. Goof off, fiddle around, whatever you want to call it. After Eddie left to go to the hospital, I went to a music store near where we live and looked at the hammered dulcimers. I can't buy one right now, but it was fun to look at them and all the other musical instruments they sell there. Things like guitars, banjos, mandolins, ducimers, psaltries. All kinds of instruments. I want to learn to play something so badly, I can hardly stand it. I'm itching to learn, I just haven't figured out what it is yet, and worse, haven't had the money to purchase it or take lessons.

Anyway, I digress. So, what I did do is buy a music CD by Dan Landrum, who is a hammered dulcimer player in my city. This month, we are having the Hammered Dulcimer Festival in our city and I would like to go, but I just don't know yet. I guess I'd better figure it out soon because it's coming up fast.

Well, I digress again. After I left the music store, I went to a local antique mall and had fun just looking around. I have several pictures to share with you.

The first one is of an antique phone that I just love. I couldn't resist taking a picture.


I found this wonderful old room that was called "General Store", and it actually looked like an old general store.


Complete with a potbellied stove and checkerboard and chairs.


I also found an old oak icebox chest that I love. I've wanted one of these for ages, but I don't have room for one, so I'll just have to be content looking at pictures.


There was another thing that I found that I absolutely had to buy. I don't think I've seen one since I was a little girl. It is a little book titled "How to Tell Time." I had this book when I was little because I remembered the clock face on the front, and when I opened it, I remembered the stories and pictures. It was only $2.45 "as is". It wasn't in bad condition, considering how old it is. Just lovingly used, and had a few pencil markings in it. Also, a little girl named "Suzette" had written her name inside. I'm so glad Suzette enjoyed this book as much as I did.


I picked up a few free booklets while I was at the mall, and one of them looked really interesting. It's The Ladies Birthday Almanac.


I love these Almanacs and things like that. My dad used to use the Farmer's Almanac and plant his garden by the "signs".

When I finally tore myself away from the antique store, I went down the street to the art supply store. I found these great coloring books. I love to color just like a kid, and I couldn't resist these.


I'm not finished... When I left the art store, I went to Tuesday Morning and found this notepad and these pretty playing cards.


I had such a fun day, just being free and going wherever I wanted to. I would love another day like this soon and I'm hoping I'll get to do it again while I'm on vacation. I could really get used to this. It's so nice to be able to sleep in, start the day slowly, leisurely get ready to go out and then just go where you want to go, and do what you want to do.

This afternoon I made a meatloaf and a broccoli casserole that we are going to take to Eddie's mother's tomorrow. We will both be spending part of the day tomorrow with her, but I'm hoping I'll have another day to bum around and have fun adventures like I did today.

Bad Fall

Eddie's mother had a bad fall yesterday morning. She fell off her porch about 3 feet and fractured several ribs. She's in the hospital now and will probably go home in the next day or two. The doctor said it will take about 4 to 6 weeks for her to heal and that it will take about 3 weeks for her to start feeling better and not be in pain. She's going to need a hospital bed at home and hopefully we can get some home health care for her. The only other options for her were for her to go to assisted living and she can't afford that. The other option was a nursing home, but the doctor said she wasn't bad enough to go there. So, she'll be happier in her own home anyway, but since Eddie and I live the closest to her, we're going to check in on her every day to make sure she's ok and that she has food, etc.

She is married, but her husband, who is Eddie's step-dad, is almost 90 years old and he can't really do much. In fact, she's the one who mostly takes care of him. So, our vacation has started off on a stressful note.

In other news, my cousin sent me this picture of the view in Panama City Beach off their balcony. Gee, I sure wish I were there. I told him thanks for rubbing it in.

Visitor

We've had a cute little visitor for the past few weeks in our yard. It's a pretty white rabbit. I found out she (I'm calling her she because a rabbit that pretty just has to be a she), belongs to our neighbor.

I've gone out several times and taken some pictures.

The first one I took the other morning, she was nibbling on some grass.


Then she stopped and looked up ...






She's a really sweet, pretty rabbit and she seems fairly tame. Our neighbor thought it would be fun to just have her scampering through out yards, pausing every now and then to munch on some grass. Our neighbor is also giving her some rabbit food. I'm not sure how good I feel about her just being loose like that, but it's not my rabbit, so I'm not sure there is anything I can do about it. My only concern is for the rabbit's safety.

On another note ... Eddie and I have decided not to go to Florida. His allergies are just giving him a fit right now. He always has a terrible time at this time of the year. It just makes him feel awful and the medicine he takes doesn't make him feel much better. I think that with all the things that have to be done to get ready for a trip, it was just more than he feels like doing right now.

I'm a little disappointed ... but just a little. I have plans for the next couple of weeks that involve getting a massage, reading, doing some crafty things, going to a painting class, getting together with some friends and some other things that I don't normally get to do when I'm working. I'll probably spend a couple of days with my mom going to lunch and stuff like that.

At work today I'm trying to get caught up on some things that I've been neglecting so that I can feel like I've accomplished something and can leave with a clean slate. It sort of clears my mind for being away from work and hopefully getting to do some fun things. That wouldn't be possible if I was thinking about everything that I had left undone at work.

Maybe I can get some new things photographed to put in my Etsy store. I would like to go to Knoxville and get the rest of my jewelry from the art gallery and bring it back here to put on Etsy, or have a sale of some kind somewhere. I really enjoy making my jewelry, but sometimes it feels like everyone else is doing the same thing, so there is not much of a demand for it. Now, I have all this jewelry that I don't know what to do with other than have a huge Etsy sale. And I might do that. I'll have to give that some thought.

Florida

We've been slowly but surely getting ready for our Florida trip. We seem to be having a hard time getting motivated to pack. It seems like there is alot to do and no time to do it. It's a little overwhelming. Eddie said today that he wasn't in the mood to pack. We both wondered if it's because it's been so long since we've been anywhere, that we just don't care. I don't know how that could be. We're going to be staying in a condo on the beach for free for a whole week courtesy of a business associate of my cousin's. It's an opportunity that we won't get again any time soon, if ever.

So far, we've only gotten this far. Getting the suitcases down from the attic:


And starting to pack a few necessities:


In between packing I've been working on a few crafty projects. One of them is a quilted potholder that I finished:


And another one in progress:


I also found some great collage sheets from several different sellers on Etsy. I got them all printed out on sticker paper that I bought from Staples and decided to put them in a little box that I'm calling my Sticker Box:


I thought it would be fun to have stickers to put in my handwritten journal that I keep. It might be fun to just reach in a draw one or two out every time I want to write in it and let it be the theme for my journal entry for the day.

And I can't forget to give you an updated picture of my friend's mailbox garden. This little garden is flourishing.


And last, but not least, I decided to make an altered clipboard:


I found this great tutorial for making altered clipboards that seems very easy to me. I didn't vary much from the example in the tutorial, but I'm pleased with the way it came out. I still have to apply the Modge Podge to mine, but I'm in the process of letting it dry for 24 hours before I do that. Before watching this video, don't forget to go to the bottom of my page and turn off the music.

Tired and Wrung Out

I've been feeling really tired and wrung out for the past two weeks. I've been taking antibiotics and ibuprofen for the toothache I've had and I think between the both of them, they are dragging me down. All I want to do is sleep. My dentist told me that I have a cracked tooth and that I need a root canal, a new filling, and a crown. I understand the root canal and the crown, but I'm confused about the new filling. In the meantime, he has decided to retire, so not only do I have to go to a special dentist to get the root canal, I now have to find a new dentist. I really hate it because I loved my old one.

Somehow I feel like I'm repeating myself. It could be that I've talked about this in a previous post. Either that or I've thought about it so much that I think I posted about it. If I've posted about it before, I apologize for the repetition. My days seem to be running together too.

Well, on a good note, my peonies are blooming like crazy and I cut some for a tabletop arrangement.


I've also been hand piecing some 5" x 5" squares, and then I decided to make a small quilt square. Then I thought, what am I going to do with a small quilt square? Then I decided it could be used as a pretty mat under a vase of flowers, or a mat for a candle or whatever I want to use it for. I really like sewing these by hand because it doesn't require alot of physical effort on my part, which right now I couldn't muster up the energy to do if I wanted to. I can sit in my recliner and watch TV while doing it and talk to Eddie. Then if I get sleepy, I can go take a nap. Of course I can only takes naps on the weekends because I can't at work.


I made two of them. One in lavendar colors and the other one in some yellow.




I think another thing that is dragging me down is work. We have several projects coming up this summer and my boss is all geared up to get started and finished. The more geared up she gets, the more wrung out I seem to feel with her sense of urgency. I think I'm burned out and I need a vacation. The good news is that we are going to Florida in two weeks and I can't wait.

Mother's Day Weekend Pictures

Eddie and I had a wonderful weekend with our mothers. On Saturday, we went to Eddie's mother's, and my MIL and her daughter and I went shopping. We had a great time. We found lots of sales and bought several things that we needed. After we finished shopping, we went back to my MIL's house and had hamburgers that Eddie had cooked on the grill.

My MIL and her husband moved into a different house about a year and a half ago and she said recently that she has been missing her yellow rose bush so badly. I remembered that one day while they were still living at their old house I had taken a picture of her rose bush with my digital camera. I was amazed at how well the photo came out, so I decided to have it enlarged and frame it for her. I gave it to her yesterday, and she was so touched that she cried. The good thing about this whole thing is that the man who bought her house, told her that she could come and dig up any of her old plants that she wants, so Eddie is going to take her soon to get her yellow rose bush and any other plants that she wants from there. Here is the photo.


On Sunday, my mother came over to our house and we grilled out BBQ chicken. It was delicious.

Before my mom got there on Saturday, I decided to take a picture of the table setting. It was nothing elaborate, just a simple table setting that I thought was pretty and reminded me of Spring.



Later, after my mom had gone home, I was fooling around with the camera and took several photos of our cat, Heckle. He is so funny.


What?


Ahhh, that feels good!


Where did that bird go?

Lastly, I noticed that my peonies are beginning to bloom, so I couldn't resist taking these pictures and sharing them with you.

Chocolate or Chocolat

Every afternoon after lunch my energy level just plummets. It's all I can do not to lay my head down on my desk. I can't have caffeine, so I'm sure that's part of it, and then I get to thinking maybe some chocolate will revive me. Then I go get some candy. Lately, it's been Hershey's Kisses that I've been craving. I have to stop doing that or I will never lose weight. I'm sure that's what is keeping the weight on me. At least that's part of it. I wish I didn't like chocolate candy so much.



My doctor told me not to eat chocolate because he said it raises blood pressure. I thought he might as well tell me not to breathe. It's been really difficult for me because I've always loved chocolate, even as a kid and it hasn't changed to this day. Sometimes I think when someone tells you not to eat a certain food it makes you want it even more. I think that's what's wrong with me now. I have it in my mind that I can't have it, so now I want it more. Maybe if I could forget I'm not supposed to have it, then I wouldn't want it so much. It doesn't help that every time I go to the doctor he says, "Remember, no chocolate, no alcohol, no this, no that, etc. He wants to spoil all my fun.

When thinking about this chocolate saga, it reminds me of the movie Chocolat. It's one of my favorite movies. Be sure to scroll down to the bottom of my page and turn off my music before watching this clip.

Mother's Day

When I think about Mother's Day I think about real mothers with real human children, plus I think about my own mother, of course. I didn't use to think of myself as a mother because we don't have children. One Mother's Day several years ago Eddie and I were in the grocery store and as we were leaving, one of the store employees handed me a red rose and said, "Happy Mother's Day". Rather than tell him that I am not a mother, I just took the rose and said thank you. On the way out to the car, I told Eddie that I felt sort of funny taking the rose under false pretenses since we don't have children and I'm not a mother. Eddie said the sweetest thing. He said, "Well, you are the kittie's mother". It just reminded me once again why I love this man so much. Right now we just have one cat, Heckle, and at that time we had four cats.

This morning I was reading one of my favorite blogs over at A Fanciful Twist and saw that she has offered some of her wonderful artwork for free in the form of cards that can be printed from a pdf file. One of the cards caught my attention because it says "Mammie to all little Creatures."


I love this because if anything describes me it has to be this. Eddie and I don't have human children, but we both love all creatures. Cats, dogs, rabbits, squirrels, and all of God's creatures. It's true we have not had children, but all of these creatures are here on earth and God has placed them in our care. I feel it's my responsibility to take care of them as best I can within my means. I feel that they give us so much unconditional love.

I guess this post is for all of the men and women out there who are childless, whether by choice or not by choice, who have been made to be feel badly or guilty for not having children by people who do. People should never judge other people because we don't know what their circumstances are. I had a miscarriage when I was a young wife. We later decided that we wouldn't have children. There have been many times that I've wondered how old our child would be now, and what kind of personality he or she would have had. I've had people who don't know my circumstances make snide comments about the fact that I don't have children, so I can't possibly know what it's like. Well, no I don't have human children, so I don't know what that's like, but I do know the unconditional love of a cat or a dog. My cat looks to me and Eddie when he's sick and feeling badly because he knows we will take care of him. Heckle also knows when we're feeling badly because he crawls up next to us and just quietly sits. Quietly nursing us and taking care of us.

So, when I think about Mother's Day and Father's Day I think about not only mothers and fathers with human children, but of all of the mothers (and fathers) who take care of all the little creatures that are on the earth, human or not.

Mailbox Flowers

Last night we went to a friend's house to play cards. Our friends have been very busy because they've been planting spring flowers. I saw this wonderful flower bed they made around their mailbox.


It's just wonderful and now I want one! The area around our mailbox is very flat and I've been trying to think of something to do with it, now I know what I would like to do.

I'm going to see if I can work it out somehow.