Category Archives: playing in my art room

September 21, 2019 · 12:05 pm

Trying to Entice Mother Nature

 

In my “Thoughts on a Saturday” post this morning I showed you the scarecrow we have on our mailbox now. I finished this tee yesterday. I’m hoping that I can entice Mother Nature to stop the incredible heat and humidity we’ve had this summer and bring on the C-O-O-L-!

I remind myself that we had rain yesterday and a MUCH cooler day.  This morning has been truly nice, too, with our doors open – front and back – to air the house out. I’m ready for long sleeves, sweaters, vests, boots, even a jacket, with fires in the fireplace, processing leaves for mulch, hot cocoa (I know – I’ll have to find a keto variety) soups, stews, chili, and more. One of the things I love about fall is running the attic fan at night. The air gets deliciously cool and I can snuggle down into our light comforter and sleep like a baby….

Since I declared this tee finished, I started my last stained tee today. (Do you think I might have improved in my eating habits lately that I’m not continuing to be buried in tees to paint?)  The first pass is drying now. I’ll go up later and see if I can do more.

4 Comments

Filed under playing in my art room, Seasons

Tagged as , , , ,

September 20, 2019 · 12:35 pm

Perspective

via. 2 STAR art

7 Comments

Filed under Attitude, I'm a slob, playing in my art room

Tagged as , ,

September 19, 2019 · 11:45 am

Thoughts on a Thursday 9-10-2019

Jeff Jett – LinkedIn

My husband and son were out checking the irrigation system at about 7 pm last night (all is well) and saw 5 hummingbirds at one time! That’s the most we’ve seen at once this whole summer.  A sight like that makes everything right.

I told you yesterday that I was really trying to get serious about eating Keto and losing more of my lard. Thanks to my friend, Robin, I’ve signed up at a new website called CarbManager.com  I signed up for their Basic service, but they have a premium service, as well that I may consider in the future. My big thing on not switching was that I couldn’t find a carb tracker that would accept recipes from other places and let you log them in for the day without having to list each ingredient separately. This one did fine with Suzanne Ryan’s “Sausage, Egg and Cheese Bake” from her book Simply Keto easily. They have a good section that walks you through their website, explaining how to do things. The website on my computer links up with the app on my phone now, so that’s really handy, as well. Yesterday I ate 18 grams of carbs. They did NOT give me a message saying I wasn’t eating enough, so I was happy about that, too!

I found a wonderful artist who makes baskets that will make you drool. I’ll be sharing them with you in a bit.

Today I’ll make time for my yoga practice this afternoon (Day # 17) and I plan to play in my art room!

I hope that YOUR Thursday is full of cute squirrel photos, hummingbirds, and fun.

 

 

1 Comment

Filed under Amazing Animals, Awe-Inspiring Photography, DIET!, exercise, playing in my art room, quality of life, Thoughts on a ________

Tagged as , , , , , ,

September 10, 2019 · 11:50 am

Thoughts on a Tuesday 9-10-2019

 

 

I’ve told you that my priority has shifted from ONLY trying to grind through my endless to-do list to making SURE I have some fun each day and getting exercise.  This is the latest therapy to come from my art room.  I wish you could see the sparkly nature of it. The leaves are done with clear glitter glue, but on the blue tee the paint turns a really nice, sparkly green.

I will earn my second gold star for the week, doing a nice long session of ‘old lady’ yoga stretching this afternoon. Since I sloughed off for so long, I have essentially started over, (starting again last week) but I AM beginning to feel a bit looser. I’m particularly feeling it in my mid-section (!) when I walk.  My husband sits in his recliner reading as I practice my stretches. We both laugh at my ‘Rice Krispies body’ – with all the audible snap, crackling and popping as I change positions.

I am MUCH happier since I decided that life is too short to only do fun things ONLY when the list has been accomplished.  Now I’m accomplishing a reasonable number of things, but also feeling better health-wise and happier in my heart.

I have told you that our son is here, having traveled to be with us from Thailand where he lives and works. He is helping us find our new normal since my husband’s stroke in July.  Even with the health scare, it’s a joyful time when he is here. I love our talks, his wonderful sense of humor, and his gold-medal-winning hugs that fill my heart to overflowing.

Mother Nature is still teasing us with HINTS of the coming fall, allowing us to enjoy having the doors open in the mornings to catch a wonderful breeze and then joyfully frying us like eggs in the afternoon with heat indices of around 100 degrees F.  My raised bed, square foot garden is breathing its last, even with our irrigation system. It’s just too hot for them. It’s too hot to start fall plants, as well, (it’s at least a gazillion degrees in our greenhouse) so we wait for relief. My husband wants me to try to grow strawberries next spring, so I’ll start reading everything I can find on that.

I  hope that YOUR Tuesday brings you something that makes you smile.

 

 

 

 

6 Comments

Filed under exercise, playing in my art room, taking care of yourself, Thoughts on a ________

Tagged as , , , , , ,

September 9, 2019 · 1:15 pm

So Do It

Kurt Vonnegut via Cathy Ruggiero

In the last post I was telling you about a change in perspective about how we feel about Mondays.  I have also changed my perspective on day-to-day priorities.

I always have a to-do list that is frequently longer than my arm. There are lots of things I feel that I should do in any given day. Some are ‘have-to’s,’ but most of them are just ‘should’s.’

For years I have tried to get as many of the things on the list done as I could and THEN given myself permission to go up and play in my art room, or do exercise. Most of the time, the art room, exercise, and/or playing in my garden or flowers got lost in the shuffle.

Since my husband had a stoke in July (he’s better and better every day), things got to the point where I felt guilty if I didn’t rush in the bathroom. Yes, it was that bad. Our son came home, gave us perspective, space, compassion, understanding, strength, wisdom, and lots and lots of hugs. This has been priceless.

Since he isn’t in a hurry to go back home, I have had a chance to rethink what I need to do now that the initial scare is over so that I can handle whatever comes next. My big change in priorities is to get REAL about what really needs to be done from the list. I ask myself, what is the worst that will happen if I don’t do this today? If I can handle the answer, it’s priority number is lessened. I have decided that I need to do everything in my power to be strong enough for both of us – particularly when our son needs to leave. So now time in my art room, time for a session of yoga, time to play in my garden or my flowers are things near the top of the list.

This morning I went up to my art room and finished painting my latest tee shirt. (I’ll post a pic when it’s dry.)  I have just finished my first yoga session of the week, giving myself a gold star on my desk calendar. :0)

I still have plenty of time to tackle the ‘have-to’s’ for the day, but I’m feeling more at peace because of the time in the art room, and healthier and looser because of the yoga session. If I’m as strong as I can be, I can handle whatever else comes our way better.

taolife.com

2 Comments

Filed under Acting Like a Grownup, exercise, playing in my art room, taking care of yourself

Tagged as , , , ,

September 8, 2019 · 1:02 pm

Thoughts on a Sunday

Jayanand Govindaraj via Robert J. Bennett – LinkedIn

 

Hello!

I’m getting a late start on blog posts today because our Internet keeps going on the fritz.

My main thoughts today were to play ‘fruit-basket-upset’ with my priorities for the day.

We got groceries this morning, and I put a roast in the crock pot for tonight.

THEN, when the Internet wasn’t cooperating, I went up to my art room – a thing that got lost in the shuffle yesterday – and started painting another tee!

NEXT, I’ll get my yoga practice in for the day, and

THEN I’ll tackle the weed whacking and clean up after my husband mows later.

Anything ELSE that gets accomplished will be gravy.

 

I hope that YOU are having a great Sunday, too.

2 Comments

Filed under exercise, Gardening, Housekeeping - Maintenance, playing in my art room, taking care of yourself, Thoughts on a ________

Tagged as , , , , , ,

September 6, 2019 · 12:46 pm

Therapy

Bruderhof Communities

Playing in my art room is therapy for me. An escape from anything that is bothering me. A way to work out feelings. A joy in experimentation.

We converted a third bedroom into my art room several years ago. I helped my husband put up extra shelves all the way across one wall. We got extra stand-alone shelves and a drafting table advertised in the newspaper. We put up a few more shelves on another wall. I converted the closet into a supplies area. We put up another large table that is as long as one wall.  There is a ceiling fan from which I hung a cute mobile of merry-go-round horses.

Years ago my husband and son got together to give me a present of a lot of my favorite songs on CDs. I have a player up there, so I can fill the room with glorious music – some of which I danced to as a teenager a hundred years or so ago – and lose myself in the world of music and paint.

The only limitations is my imagination and my ability to make my visions come out on whatever I’m trying to paint. Lately I’ve been having ideas for tees on which I have spots that won’t come out in the wash. Since I’m a slob, I seem to have a never-ending supply of tees that can use a face lift.

Yesterday I finished another.

 

Lately I am trying to do things each day that make me stronger.  I’m getting back into exercising, monitoring what I eat more carefully, working in my flowers when the weather isn’t lethal, playing in my art room, spending time with our son, walking outside several times a day, and reading.

The result of all this is hopefully a stronger, happier, calmer me. I don’t have to be able to leap over tall buildings in a single bound, but being able to handle whatever comes as well as possible would be good.  I am in DAY 4 today. So far, so good!

6 Comments

Filed under Acting Like a Grownup, aging, Attitude, building good habits, Challenges, Changes, DIET!, exercise, fun in my art room, Giving New Life to Old Tops, Health Alert, Lewis Art, playing in my art room, quality of life, taking care of yourself

Tagged as , , ,

September 5, 2019 · 11:37 am

Thoughts on a Thursday 9-5-2019

 

  • Try as you might, the cat jumps out of the planter just before you take the picture.

THIS is that cat – Smoke.

 

  • I’m watching the agonizing ‘progress” of Hurricane Dorian as it makes it way up the East coast wreaking havoc. I’m hoping it will continue moving to the east, causing as little damage as possible.
  • I did DAY 2 of renewed yoga practice yesterday, and will do Day 3 today.
  • I played in my art room yesterday, continuing the painting of yet another stained tee of mine. It seems to be coming back to life slowly. :0)
  • I am learning more about the after effects of my husband’s stroke. (“As with anxiety, anger is both a physical and psychological response. … After a stroke you might find you experience anger much more frequently, have less control over your outbursts and/or get angry over things that would not normally cause you to feel that way.” – the things I’ve read say that this may be a temporary change in personality.  Our son and I are dealing with this. It doesn’t happen often, and fingers are crossed this will pass.)
  • I am thankful that I get to spend time with my two favorite men on the planet, and that we are sharing good conversations, laughs, and hugs.

May your Thursday be full of things that fill your heart and make you smile.

 

2 Comments

Filed under exercise, Health Alert, Mother Nature, playing in my art room, Thoughts on a ________

Tagged as , , , , ,

September 4, 2019 · 11:07 am

Thoughts on a Wednesday

2 STAR art

Right now I feel about 110 years old thanks to the fact that I HAVEN’T been doing my yoga as I should have for far too long. Yesterday I finally decided to get started again. My poor body could really tell that it had been awhile, creaking, groaning, snap-crackle-popping as I did each new stretch. I felt better afterward, but stiffened up again overnight since I used muscles I haven’t bothered with.

I have a haircut this afternoon, but THEN I will do another good session of yoga stretching out each and every part slowly – breathing into each stretch and holding it. I really am promising myself I will do this every day. I had made good progress before, FINALLY able to touch my fingertips on the floor while bending over from the waist, for example. I’m pretty much starting from scratch right now, but I have proved to myself that I feel better, move more easily, and have improved balance when I practice yoga regularly. And this old broad has started again! REALLY!

I also felt my spirits lifting even as I walked upstairs to my art room yesterday. I turned on one of my CDs and shed years as I listened to old favorites. I started painting another tee, giving it some new life. I’m looking forward to getting up there again this afternoon. I’m promising myself to do THIS as much as possible, too, as I can handle whatever better after giving myself permission to play a bit. :0)

So far, Hurricane Dorian has missed some of my good friends in Florida, and for that I’m truly grateful. I have several other friends I’m monitoring as the storm moves up the East Coast, hoping that they, too, won’t suffer from this awful storm. It has hurt too many good people already.

I hope that your day brings YOU joy, too!

Leave a comment

Filed under exercise, playing in my art room, taking care of yourself, Thoughts on a ________

Tagged as , , , ,

August 27, 2019 · 11:06 am

Do It

Kurt Vonnegut via Linda Sweigart via Cathy Ruggiero

 

I am planning to spend time in my art room today. I have yet another tee that is in good shape with the exception of a stain on the front. :0(  :0)  I will see what I can do to give it new life.

I look forward to shutting myself away for a bit, turning on some of my favorite music, and losing myself in the joy of playing with glorious colors.

I hope that you are doing something to grow your soul today, too.

8 Comments

Filed under Favorite Things, Hobbies, playing in my art room

Tagged as , ,

August 20, 2019 · 2:45 pm

Art Attack

Keetonsonline.com  via Sherry Dell’aria McGrath

I finally gave myself the gift of time in my art room this morning.

I’ve admitted before that I’m terrible about getting stains on my tees that won’t come out. I also suddenly find a hole or two… I’ve found I can have fun – AND give new life to tees that are otherwise, ruined, by painting them.

SO –

I stitched up the hole in the front of a black tee and then started painting. I ended up painting daisies all over the shirt.

 

The paint is still wet, so it’ll have to wait until tomorrow at least before it’s wearable.

10 Comments

Filed under fun in my art room, playing in my art room

Tagged as , ,

July 7, 2019 · 4:08 pm

Take Time

sayingimges.com

I rewarded myself for prevailing over my technology challenge this morning by spending some time in my art room. I’ve spent part of three afternoons up there and it really does my heart good. When I’m playing up there with my favorite music playing, all the stuff that is bothering me goes away. My heart and mind rest and I can simply enjoy playing in the paint trying to make the images rattling around in my head come out on the piece I’m working on.

The last three days I’ve been making a new set of note cards. I finished them today. They are drying.

Tomorrow I’ll take pictures, share them with you, and then list them on my new Etsy site, ArtworthyNoteCards.

10 Comments

Filed under Lewis Art, playing in my art room, quality of life, taking care of yourself

Tagged as , , , ,

June 12, 2019 · 4:56 pm

Result of My Playing in My Art Room

 

 

 

 

 

This will be the last note card set I’m listing on my new Etsy site.  I’m calling this the “Rainbow Flower” set.

Leave a comment

Filed under playing in my art room

Tagged as , ,

June 12, 2019 · 10:53 am

Playing in My Art Room

My Artistic Wonderland via 2StarArt

I spent a little over an hour upstairs in my art room yesterday afternoon and I had the BEST time. Sometimes things get so busy around here that I go for several days – or even weeks – without giving myself permission to play.  Yesterday I started a group of note cards that I’ll list in my new shop on Etsy.

I love playing in the paint, experimenting with media and techniques, whether they work or not. The playing takes me back mentally to childhood, where I can imagine I’m playing with finger paint. It doesn’t matter whether what I do is ‘good’ or not. I just get lost in the joy of colors, textures, and dreams.

Though other things are pressing on me a bit today, I’ll make time to try to finish the note cards this afternoon, listening to some of my favorite music on my MP3 player, a hot cup of coffee in the warmer beside me… AHHH!

 

4 Comments

Filed under Attitude, playing in my art room

Tagged as , ,

May 6, 2019 · 3:45 pm

More Fun in My Art Room!

I painted part of yesterday afternoon and some of this morning, finishing two tee shirts for me. These were old shirts that had spots on them, so the idea of bringing new life to them appeals to me. :0)

I got the ideas from the net. These are not my designs, but I tweaked what I found to make them more my own.

This is the Dandelion Tee – “Make a wish, then blow!”

This one is “Let It Bee”

2 Comments

Filed under playing in my art room

Tagged as , ,

May 5, 2019 · 4:37 pm

Fun In My Art Room

Kiddipedia

Since I did some good work this morning –

  • three loads of laundry – done, folded, and put away
  • finished cleaning out my garden, getting it ready to plant again
  • weed whacked for 45 minutes
  • general cleaning in the kitchen

I decided I deserved a break and I’ve been playing in my art room this afternoon!

I found two ideas for painting tee shirts on the net, and I’m doing ‘my spin’ on them. I love being able to bring older tee shirts to new life by painting them. They never turn out quite like I planned, but they ARE one of a kind, and I enjoy painting them.

I’ll try to take a pic tomorrow of the first one and post it.

I hope you’ve had a fun afternoon.

Leave a comment

Filed under playing in my art room

Tagged as ,