We’ll have a rainy drive to Lunch Bunch this morning. I haven’t heard from anybody, but these days that doesn’t mean anything.
Gif-King
I would text, but only one of my friends HAS a text ability. I would call, but no one answers their phone anymore. I would leave a message, but one has a message saying their box is full and the other says she doesn’t get the message… Getting old has its challenges. We’ll see if anyone else is there, getting our lunch before coming home.
Britannica
My sloth imitation is getting super-good lately. My nails aren’t nearly as long, but I have the laziness down pat. :0) Yesterday I DID vacuum the first floor tiles, but only because the white hairballs were grabbing at our legs as we walked by. I’m doing laundry this morning, but for some reason my get-up-and-go has gotten up and gone.
I AM doing some etching on the gift glassware – a bit each day. I’m really not sure I’ll end up with something I want to give my friends or not.
For some reason, I have to keep checking my watch to confirm what day it is. It seems like Saturday. I don’t know why.
Frontier Waste Solutions
When it IS Saturday, we have a ‘date’ with some dumpsters at the Sebastian County Road Department, where we can take the stuff we’ve been wanting to get rid of (with some restrictions, of course) between 7am and 2pm. HOORAY!
We’re having a beautiful day today, sunny and 76 degrees.
These light-weight hand-painted wooden teardrop-shaped 2″ dangle earrings will help you celebrate fall in comfort and style. $13.85 with FREE SHIPPING to the contiguous U.S. HandmadeHavenByLinda on Etsy
My computer says it’s 68 right now, but our thermometers say, “60”. Whatever the temperature, it feels a bit cool and is rainy. We’re grateful to have a warm, dry house and no have-to errands today.
I just added two new signs I painted to my Etsy site –
I’m working very slowly and carefully, trying to add my own free-form engraving/etching to the glassware I put chemical etching designs on for my friends. I have no idea if this will turn out well enough for me to give to them, or I’ll end up pitching them and starting something else. I’m having a good time trying, though it’s a bit stressful and I’m having to do just a little bit at a time.
I hope that this rainy Wednesday is a nice one for you and that you are able to find something enjoyable to do with at least part of the day.
I’m going to check out more of this company’s stuff and I’ll share it with you. I’m not big on ‘rats,’ but this one made my heart melt.
Today is the wonderful day that we’re going to drive over the new bridge on the ‘old’ shorter way to town. I’ll try to stop and get some pictures to share with you. I think we only get to enjoy this for a couple of months because the paper said they were starting the bypass in November, and the route we take to town goes through the main intersection they will be tearing up.
Play Kettering
I finally got time in my art room yesterday. I started doing some etching on the glassware I’m trying to do for my friends, plus I started two new signs. I plan to do more up there today.
I’ll see if there is a quick project I can do outside, too. Starting this evening, we’re supposed to have a rainy week, so it looks like time outside will be limited.
I love the color of this one, plus the 3-D-ness of it. The creative use of paper adds texture, too. Just love it.
It’s deliciously cool here this morning. It’s supposed to get a bit warm this afternoon and then we have good chances for rain the rest of the week. I’ll take it! My husband mowed the lawn, so it looks like someone cares at the Lewis place. I may do some weed whacking later today to trim up what he did.
I was remarkably lazy yesterday – even for me. I didn’t do anything on my list. I enjoyed reading and listening to music, writing blog posts, and looking for new, interesting stuff to share. I posted that beautiful video by Mark Gray yesterday, showing the water and waves at eye level, with the wonderful sound. I must have enjoyed that 10 times during the day.
We’ll gather our trash and take it down in a bit, get our mail. I don’t know if we’ll go to town or not. Can you tell my laziness has spilled into today? :0) As much as I love being able to point to something and think, “I did that today,” I’m beginning to love getting comfortable, stretching out, and doing nothing every once in a while. I think that’s equally good for my peace of mind these days.
I’m feeling pretty good about the state of the yard, though that project is never ‘finished.’ There is nothing out there screaming loudly at me now, so I might spend part of the afternoon in my art room today without guilt.
The Hillybilly Kitchen on YouTube
There’s another bread recipe for sloths like me (:0) ) that I would like to try…
The price of the #56 (Encore in Death) paperback finally got reasonable enough for me, so I bought it. According to Amazon, it might actually be sitting in my mailbox right now. I have preordered Payback in Death, the paperback of it due to be released in December of this year. #58 – Random in Death will be out in hardback in January of 2024. Because of all this happy news, I’m re-reading the series, fully immersed in Eve Dallas’ world of murder, wonderful characters with complex relationships, courage and more. I’m re-reading Loyalty in Death, #9, right now.
Tenor
Our weather has been so beautiful lately it’s hard to believe. I’m really soaking it up, trying to get outside to at least smile at it, if not work out there. Today it’s supposed to get to 89, but very low humidity, so it’s essentially perfect. Can’t celebrate enough!
I had to discipline myself in order not to drool all over this exquisite, gloriously purple photograph by Mark Gray. I think he said these flowers were ‘lupines.’ I’ll have to research to see if I can get some here and try to grow them. I think they’re spectacular. :0)
I hope you’re having a nice morning. It’s wonderful here, cloudy and 69 right now. We’re supposed to have a high this afternoon of 84 with low humidity. It’s like we’ve gone to a different planet. I LOVE IT !
I got started cleaning out the deck planters yesterday afternoon. There are 11 planters out there, I think. I have the 4 larger ones left to do today. I’ll share pics if I finish.
Lunch Bunch was fun yesterday, although it was just Bud, Kay, my husband and me. Bud is the newest addition to Lunch Bunch. He’s Kay’s husband, and until recently has worked every day. This might not sound unusual, but he’s in his mid 80’s, I think, and he still runs a backhoe and other really big equipment, a dying art. He is finally just working as backup when they can’t get other skilled people. I’m delighted, because I’ve gotten a chance to get to know him a bit. He has a really great sense of humor and regularly has me exploding with laughter as he surprises me once again, eyes twinkling.
“Rosh Hashanah, meaning “head of the year” in Hebrew, is the celebration of the Jewish New Year. During Rosh Hashanah, Jewish people around the world ask God for forgiveness for mistakes they’ve made over the past year and remind themselves not to repeat those mistakes in the coming year.”
I wish you a happy and safe new year.
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@PaulMillerArt On X – I thought this was a photo when I first saw it. An excellent photo. And then I discovered it WASN’T a photo! I think this is truly amazing art work. I will look to see if I can find and show you more.
USAGIF.com
We leave for Lunch Bunch in a bit. I’m hoping that Kay and Bud’s daughter, LaDonna, will be visiting from Albuquerque. She’s always busily doing something new, so it’s really interesting to talk with her. We don’t have any errands today, except for getting our mail. My husband will probably insist that we visit our nearly-finished new bridge so that he can gripe that it’s not open yet. :0)
The weather is supposed to be nice, so I might work outside this afternoon. I haven’t been able to get upstairs to play in my art room this week. Something else has come up each day, sucking the time out of the day, so it would be great if I could get up there. We’ll see.
Wall Hanging – 9×12 “I’m Ready” – “Living with Gusto” Sign Series – $17.95 with FREE SHIPPING to the contiguous U.S.
I would LOVE to have this in my yard. If we DID try to do something like this, it would have to be created as a stand-alone wooden piece of art. We don’t have a fence at all. It’s wonderful, though, isn’t it?
Women’s Health
Shout-out to Cathy – and others who need it today –
As I type, it’s rainy and 67 degrees. I don’t know whether things will dry out enough for me to weed today or not.
Since I can use as much motivation to lose the lard as I can amass, I dug out an old NutriSystem bear I earned years ago in order to mark my newest efforts. I’m monitoring my eating (watching it like a hawk), not eating between meals and being mindful to get some kind of exercise in daily, drinking glasses of water between cups of coffee and weighing each morning to keep my goal in the forefront of my mind (wherever that is :0) ) I’m hoping it will continue to all work together to steadily shed my excess lardage over time. I don’t really care how long it takes, as long as I’m moving toward my goal in a mindful way. I’m down 11.4 lbs as of this morning. My next ‘eye-on-the-prize’ goal is 15 lbs, and I can look forward to digging out another bear eventually.
The Gardner School
If it turns out to be too wet outside to weed, I’ll plan on spending time upstairs in my art room.
I hope you have a nice day planned, or that you get some happy surprises that make you grin from ear to ear today.
I’m drooling over these flowers and photo. Exquisite!
We had a good trip to town, although my husband was kind of oblivious to a lot of what was going on around him. As is usual, when I want a quick trip to Walmart, he’s in the mood to dawdle, looking at TVs we’re not going to buy, albums and DVDs he looks carefully at (every week) and then decides they’re too expensive, etc. We did manage to help a man whose car wouldn’t start in the parking lot before we left. He just needed a battery charger boost, so it was easy.
On the way home he turned into Sonic. Apparently, he hasn’t noticed that I’m watching every bite, not eating anything in-between meals or before bed, and was surprised that I didn’t ‘want’ a chocolate shake. (I’m down 11 pounds even as of this morning). Anyway, I gnashed my teeth a bit while he got a large banana shake that he’s not supposed to have due to his diabetes.
The barricades were still up on the road that goes to town, but he was adamant that they HAD to be finished with the bridge. When we got there, it was like it was the last time we checked – looking pretty finished, but barricades still up and big equipment still there. He was beyond aggravated.
Old Mission Gazette
The past two or three days our driveway detector toward the bottom of the drive keeps going off over and over. It means that it ISN’T a vehicle, but we haven’t been sure what it IS. I actually saw two or three deer when I went outside last evening, and again this morning. They were just standing in the driveway and looked at me as if I were the interloper. (I guess I AM, from their point of view.)
It occurred to me when I was more awake that – regarding my husband’s prescription –
Our local Walgreens has shut down its pharmacy
we would have to drive to Ft. Smith to get refills.
I have now written our doctor, asking her to send the prescription to Humana so that it can be automatically mailed to us, so hopefully this is another challenge solved.
I’m getting ready to go out and tackle some of the weeds in the trio of brick planters across the yard. Pics later.
We’re enjoying a cool front from Canada for a few days and I’m really happy about it. We got a good rain yesterday. It’s really nice and 69 right now, with a high of 82 forecast. I’LL TAKE IT! :0)
We’re leaving in a bit for some errands. The rest of the day is free, I think.
Wow. I feel as if I just went through a time-warp. I called the number of our local pharmacy to renew a prescription for my husband. I got Walgreens, instead. I thought I had gone nuts and dialed the wrong number. It went through to Walgreens again. The lady said our pharmacist was retiring and had sent our prescriptions to Walgreens. The end result is that I will get a text on my phone when the new prescription is ready. I’m not awake enough for changes like this.
Today’s outside project is weeding our trio of brick planters that run between our front yard and our driveway. I’ll tackle that when we get home.
Shout-out to Cathy, who MAY be undergoing her last week of radiation and chemo! Decisions to be made, but fingers crossed that the very best treatment for you will be decided. My heart is with you today, Cathy.
Empowered Parents
My computer says it’s 67 degrees this morning! The high is supposed to be 77 this afternoon and it’s raining! Woo HOOOO! We have the doors open and the ceiling fans on, airing things out and enjoying the deliciously cool breeze. I love it. :0)
Giphy
PLUS – since it’s raining, I’ll plan to do a session of yoga this afternoon – rather than weeding more flower planters – as my exercise for the day.
I think I told you I was having trouble getting meds for our dog, Amber, online, due to a new requirement that the online store contact your vet to okay the prescription. I wrote to our vet, explaining that we are on a fixed income and need to watch our pennies, and that I wanted to do what was right for Amber, but couldn’t afford to pay $40 more for the prescription. My vet’s office has now offered to match the online price for us. There are still good people in the world. :0)
Cooking at Pam’s Place –
I tried this yesterday afternoon. No yeast, no kneading, no rise time. And it was good! Even my husband said, “This is pretty good” – a HUGE compliment. I’m going to use some of it tonight to make us some grilled cheese and ham sandwiches and we’ll have some soup with it. YUM! A real “celebrate the rain and cool” dinner!
I love Phyllis Harris’ work. She has several books and coloring books on Amazon. :0)
STUPID MOVE OF THE DAY –
I won this contest hands down (pun intended) yesterday. I needed to open a box of baking soda in order to pour it into an over-center container I use. I was using the scissors to open the top more and ‘suddenly’ the handles of the scissors snapped shut, pinching my hand just below my thumb. It happened really fast, hurt like crazy, and had me bleeding all over the place. Thankfully, I was in the kitchen where it could be wiped up, band-aids found, etc. I only have a little bruise today. It isn’t even very sore. The intense feeling of stupidity remains.
My outdoor to-do list for today is 4 planters around our garage pad. (There are two small ones and two regular-sized brick ones. ) If I can get them done, I’ll post pics later.
Nursery World
If I finish those, I’ll try to get to my art room this afternoon. I’m still practicing with the pen type engraver. It’s a good thing I have a lot of practice time. The jury is still out on whether I can actually do well enough to create the Christmas presents of etched glass I’m envisioning. I’m also having a great time producing some signs with sayings I like.
Attitude Sign – 6×8 Hand-Painted Sign on Hardboard – “Attitude” – $14.99 with FREE SHIPPING to the contiguous U.S. HandmadeHavenByLinda on Etsy
It’s sunny and 74 here right now. Since our weather is forecast to be much more civilized in the coming week, I’m going to try to get something done outside each day. This will be good for the yard AND my trying to move more. Today’s project is pulling out the dead tomato plants and cleaning up the planters.
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Challenges –
THING ONE– We have Humana. I got a letter saying that since they were having trouble contacting me, they had cancelled my auto-renew authorizations on meds. ARRRRGH. The whole point of auto-renew is that they shouldn’t HAVE to contact you! ARRRGH again. I tried to solve this online, but it wasn’t working. I got on my phone, installed their app, and tried again. This went through fine, but I really don’t like having a lot on my phone…
THING TWO – I purchased a year’s worth of heartworm preventive medicine for Amber last week. I had to give my vet’s info. I did that. I got a call later in the week that said my vet’s office said they wanted me to go through them. That meant my purchase was cancelled. Since we had used the last pill, we went and bought 6 months worth at the vet. I’ve just written them an email telling them that I could save $40 on the 12 month supply online, explaining that we are on a fixed income and need to watch our money carefully, asking him to reconsider. We’ll see.
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I’m going to jump outside now and see if I can do some good on the tomato plants. I’ll be back later.
I’m leaving in half an hour to get a haircut and run a couple of errands. Otherwise, we’re expecting a quiet day around here. The weather is nice right now. It’ll be hot today and tomorrow, but then the highs are supposed to be in the 80s. Can you believe it? I am sooooo ready!
Britannica
I’ve been a sloth the last couple of days – playing on the computer, reading, relaxing, napping. My to-do list isn’t getting any shorter, but I’m feeling better. :0)
Pikes Peak Artist Collective
I might get energized to spend some time in my art room this afternoon.
My husband said the asphalt has been poured/laid on the new bridge between us and town. They still need to finish up details, take away the huge concrete blocks they used to block the road, the barricades, signs, equipment, plus do something, I guess, about the detour road they made for their vehicles, but soon the barricades at the end of our road should come down – showing we can travel our old, normal route to town soon. That will be really nice!
As I type, it’s raining! Real raindrops falling from the sky. I think it will stop before we need to leave for Lunch Bunch and errands, but I’ll just get into the mood to enjoy being drowned if it doesn’t. :0)
6×6 – Living with Gusto Series – “Chance to Fly” – $12.99 with FREE SHIPPING to contiguous U.S. HandmadeHavenByLinda On Etsy
I’m practicing every day, trying to get the feel of my new engraving pen. It’s a good thing that Christmas is still several months away. I’ll need a lot of practice…
I spent some time yesterday playing with my new engraver. It seems very sensitive to me. As a beginner, I’m finding it challenging to press down on the pen hard enough to make a solid line, but not TOO hard so it stops. Seems a bit hair trigger to me, reacting to my bumbling. I’m glad I have time and scrap glass on which to practice until my technique improves.
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We have a quiet day today – a very welcome thing. I hope that things are good with you in your day today, too.
I find it difficult to talk about this piece. It’s hard to believe it’s made of WOOD. It’s even harder to think about it being done with a chainsaw! Let’s just be happy that Michael Tamoszus created it. I am sitting here looking at the details over and over. I’m beyond impressed.
Mom.com
I had fun in my art room yesterday. I finished three pieces that I’ll add to my Etsy site today, plus I started experimenting with the new engraver I received that I’m hoping I can use on the glassware presents I’m making for my friends this year for Christmas.
Paul Felix – Pixels
So far, I’m glad I have a lot of extra jars on which I can practice. The engraving pen requires a super-light touch. If you push too hard, it simply stops. I’ll keep practicing until I hopefully get a good ‘feel’ for the pressure needed to control the etching. It would take years – if not forever – to get ‘good.’ I’m just hoping to get passable so I can create something I hope my friends will enjoy.
Jim Wheaton
Today would have been my dad’s 104th birthday. He was born on Labor Day in 1919. I’m honored to have shared part of his life. He gave me two great gifts –
he told my class he was proud of me when I was getting my Master’s Degree as a Reading Specialist from the University of Tulsa. He was my guest speaker on my project of teaching kids to intelligently look at advertisements. (My dad was a ‘personality’ in Tulsa from his radio advertising, in which he used humor to sell the products he represented.)The radio people still play his commercials from time to time because he was so unique. This was the first and only time he said this and it meant a lot to me.
He taught me to stand back and try to see the humor in any given situation. This has long been one of my survival skills, allowing me to see things from a different perspective, diffuse explosive situations, and more. Plus, I just am able to enjoy every day more when I can laugh at myself.
Getting rained on for the 5 minutes it rained yesterday turned out to be a blessing. We redoubled our efforts to get our yard work done. I got the back rock bed weeded and my husband sprayed around the deck with KillzAll weed killer.
I say it was a blessing because we’re under a heat advisory again today, with ‘feels like’ temperature of 108 this afternoon. Since my comfort zone stops in the high 80’s, this is uncivilized, in my opinion. If it hadn’t rained, we might have been more lackadaisical about getting our work done outside. Since we were teed off when we came in the house dripping yesterday, this is definitely a case of time bringing better perspective. :0)
Raising Children Network
I also got our first floor carpeting vacuumed yesterday, so I’m giving myself permission to play in my art room after lunch. I have three things in various stages of completion, plus I want to try out my new engraver on a scrap glass jar to see what I’m able to do with it. :0)
Women’s Health
Shout – Out to Cathy, who is in Week 6 of her chemo and radiation treatment. Sending her a gentle hug and lots of love and wishing her the very best there is in this world. Love you bunches.
It’s 80 and sunny this morning. It’s supposed to be in the 90s – but no excessive heat warnings, flying hair balls, or anything else, so I can’t complain. I WILL be happy when the weather is more fall-like, though. :0)
The only chore I’m recognizing today is vacuuming – and that only because there is already a whole dog’s worth of hair trying to grab you by the ankles as you walk by. My husband is taking a nap now, though, so it’ll need to wait until later in the day.
I’m planning to head up to my art room soon. I didn’t get there yesterday because of the chili making, changing the sheets on the bed, and doing 4 loads of laundry. By the time I finished these, I was pooped and no longer in the mood to play. I have three things started upstairs, though, so hopefully I can make some progress.
Do you have plans for Labor Day? Are you traveling for a last vacation or to see relatives? Cooking out? Watching sports on TV? I hope you’re having time away from work and enjoying the long weekend.
Boys’ and Girls’ Names Signs – Made to Order – $5.75 with FREE SHIPPING to contiguous U.S. HandmadeHavenByLinda on Etsy
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My husband got some stuff in the mail yesterday he ordered online. As he opened the package, he pushed one small package in my direction and said, “This one’s for you.” Inside were 2 dozen cut-out wooden blank signs designed to be used in your garden. He and I haven’t talked about my garden much this year since it was such a bust, and I guess he was trying to quietly encourage me regarding NEXT year. He’s a keeper. :0)
I also got the new dremel type tool I ordered. On looking at it and the attachments closely, the parts are all for grinding, rather than etching. I ordered the wrong thing. :0( My brother-in-law suggested that I use the term “engraver” rather than ‘etcher,’ in my search and I think I was successful.
This is light weight, used like a pencil, and is cordless. It has several different diamond bit tips. Best of all, since Amazon is having some kind of special thing going on for Labor Day, it is supposed to be delivered TOMORROW – SUNDAY!
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I’m about to go in and get the makings of chili into a crock pot for tonight. I’m also doing several loads of laundry, changing our sheets, and other exciting things. The one I’m looking forward to, other than writing some more blog posts, is playing in my art room. :0)
So a happy day here. I hope that you are having one, as well.
“Thirty days hath September, April, June and November.All the rest have thirty-one, except February, which has twenty-eight.”
Does it show how old I am that I still recite this when I’m filling out the wall calendar in my kitchen to remember how many days a month has? If that doesn’t do it, how about that I mentally picture Jiminy Cricket
Wikipedia
singing how to spell, “e n c – yc – lo – p e d i a” ?
I like September because usually the summer extremes are finally softened toward the middle of the month and signs of the coming fall begin. Our part of Arkansas has never been great for ‘fall colors,’ because the summer heat has caused the trees to shed most of their leaves or actually killed off much of the vegetation. I love being able to ‘borrow’ beautiful images from our northern states, like Vermont, on the net, to fill my love of turning leaves.
September used to mean new school supplies to me, some new clothes to wear to school (even though here – and Oklahoma where I spent a lot of my teaching time) were too hot for the long-sleeved clothes we bought. Now the schools here open in August.
It just occurred to me that the concept of ‘snow days’ may no longer apply to the school calendar. Since Covid, where schools went to online learning for such a long period, I think they just switch back and forth as needed, depending on the weather and other conditions, so they can have classes as usual, rather than having to add on days somewhere in the school year to make up for days busses can’t drive the kids to school.
Giphy
Today we join our friends for Lunch Bunch. We have all aged and conditions have changed, so we’re happy to see anyone who shows up. It has become an event when we are all there, so we feel accordingly celebrational – if that’s a word.
Today we’ll take “Yosemite Sam” down from the mailbox and put our “Tasmanian Devil” up.
Freepik
Oh, I almost forgot to tell you! We FOUND a split in one of the hoses going from the yard to the well house last night. We cut a 4-foot length from a spare hose and replaced it. So the leak is stopped and the well house floor being flooded will be a thing of the past. AND both controllers for the irrigation system are working and so things are getting watered the way they should again :0)
Glass Bud Vase – “Pretty Paisley” – Hand Painted, One of a Kind – $32.95 with FREE SHIPPING to contiguous U.S. HandmadeHavenByLinda on Etsy
Animal Wellness Magazine
I had my monthly massage this morning. I think Lynn Moody, my massage therapist, did the best job ever. She found all the places I had created knots and sore spots and smoothed them all away.
My husband and I fixed lunch when I got home and then I spread out in my recliner under my throw and slept right through the end of the news we were watching. I feel really relaxed right now. :0)
Terry Love Plumbing
I remembered to set my alarm for us to go out right before the first cycle of the watering starts this evening to see what is causing the water on the floor of the well house. (This looks similar to what we’ll be looking at, minus a lot of PVC pipe.) Hopefully, we can figure it out and fix it quickly.
Princeton Brush
I’m about to go upstairs and play in my art room. I’m working on a piece with bleeding tissue paper, pastels, stencils, etc. on a larger piece of canvas board. I may end up with a mess, but I’m having SUCH a good time plotting, planning, and experimenting…
I set our alarm last night so we could monitor our irrigation system. One started at 7:30pm and the other at 8pm. The one in the back started first, so we went out the porch door. There was a deer standing off to the left, watching us! As we watched her, movement caught my eye. To my delight, a roadrunner was running away from us, toward and then beside the deer. I just waited – enjoying the beautiful sight for a minute.
We made some progress on our problem, getting a couple of pvc pipes unclogged and making sure everything was getting water. We still have the problem of something spewing water in the well house. We’ll tackle that one tonight.
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The Noun Project
Meanwhile, there is a light flashing on the floor under the dishwasher. I just got out our paperwork, but there is no ‘trouble’ section. I’ll just try to reset the system, if possible, and we’ll see what happens. Such is my life as the new technical trouble-shooter in the Lewis household. I feel overwhelmed by the task so far.
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The Artful Parent
I had fun in my art room yesterday afternoon, though the piece I’m working on needs to dry between steps, so I do a bit, let it dry overnight, then do the next step, whatever I decide that is. I’m having a lot of fun.
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Women’s Health
Shout-out to Marsha, who seems to be safe from Hurricane Idalia so far. The storm seems to be going just to her north. I hate it that anyone has to suffer from the latest from Mother Nature.
Shout-out to Cathy, who is in hump day of Week 5 of her chemo and radiation treatment. Please join me in sending her love and strength.
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Notecard Set – 5 Different Hand Painted Designs and Envelopes – “Thumbelina.” – $19.95 with FREE SHIPPING to the contiguous U.S.
This creative painting would make me smile every time I saw it. :0)
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We’re having a really nice morning here, with 74 degrees F. right now. We have the front and back doors open, enjoying a beautiful, cool breeze. The high this afternoon is supposed to be 89, I think, so a good day for August in Arkansas.
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I finished some inspirational/motivational small signs yesterday in my art room and got them up on HandmadeHavenByLinda on Etsy. The stencil painting is a bit raised on the hard canvas board and the lettering is more raised than that. Here they are –
It’s hard for me to believe that August is almost over. I have to admit I’ll be happy to see this one go since the heat has been SO oppressive this year. If it’s like our usual fall, we’ll get three days or so and then we’ll have an ice storm, and then it will go back to Indian Summer… Arkansas is an interesting place to live. :0)
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Meri Cherry
I had fun in my art room yesterday afternoon, finishing up 6 small signs using bleeding tissue paper, pastels, stencils and acrylic paint. I’m planning to get them listed later today in my Etsy shop. Meanwhile, here is another one –
6 x 8 hand-painted sign – “Sparkle” – $14.99 with FREE SHIPPING to the contiguous U.S. HandmadeHavenByLinda on Etsy
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We got a touch of why we enjoy living a bit outside town yesterday. One driveway alarm alerted us that ‘something’ was out there – but not a vehicle. It turned out to be a doe and TWO fawns crossing our driveway. It was beautiful to watch them. She seemed to be totally unaware I was there. Later a white-tailed bunny skedaddled toward the shop when I went out into the garage, and – to finish it out, two hummingbirds at the feeder and a woodpecker on the telephone pole in the back yard. He came down the pole a bit (he sits right on top much of the time) and then went over to one of our weed trees that has a huge pod of seeds on top. I imagine those attract insects, which, in turn, attract HIM. He ate awhile and then went back to the pole and did little hops right up.
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Things are quiet so far today. We’ll gather our trash and drive it down to the bottom of the driveway and get our mail. I’m HOPING my Dremel will be delivered today…
Wow. I’m drooling over this plant! It’s recommended for Florida aquatic gardens. I’m about as far from that as it’s possible to be here in western Arkansas. I can still look at it and dream, though. Isn’t it spectacular?
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Primrose Schools
Life keeps getting in the way of my getting upstairs to play in my art room. I’m hoping I’ll get time up there today. I did NOT get my new Dremel, so the glassware is sitting, waiting to be worked on. Meanwhile, I’m having fun with the bleeding tissue paper, stencils, and other media. My progress up there is very slow, but the fact that I’ve managed to get up there at ALL is better than I’ve done in quite a while.
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Journal – “Dragonflies” 5.5 x 7 Spiral Hand-Painted with Lined Pages and Pockets – $17.99 with FREE SHIPPING to the contiguous U.S.
I’ve been eating lead by the bucketful lately and my scales are guffawing at me. The only thing missing is a hand that comes up from the scales pointing a finger at me, or one with a face so one hand can cover the laughing face’s mouth while the other one points at me. UGH. What little creativity I have is being used up making excuses for why my weight is going up and I’m not exercising. :0(
We MAY be getting a bit of a reprieve in our weather tomorrow! 102 today with ‘excessive heat warnings’ and ‘heat advisories’, but 88 and a good chance of some rain tomorrow. “Rain?” What is THAT? “Dannnnn-cing, YEAH!”
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Women’s Health
Shout-Out to Cathy, who has finished Week 4 of Chemo and Radiation. Sending strength and much love your way.
Giphy
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My SIL was asking what “pounders” were that I was talking about getting yesterday. Real art people apparently call them, ‘stippling brushes.’ You pour out some paint, dip the ‘stippler’ in the paint, but keeping it pretty dry, then ‘pound’ the paint from the stippler into a stencil you have applied to a surface.
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Greeting Card Package – Set of 3 different hand painted cards – “Thinking of You.” – $14.99 with FREE SHIPPING to contiguous U.S.
Yesterday, today, and tomorrow make me feel like a kid a Christmas. I ordered some things to experiment with in my art room and they started arriving yesterday.
I got a bunch of stencils and a set of ‘pounders’. I’m not sure what these are really called, but they are sticks with various-sized foam endings. You put them in paint and then ‘pound’ the paint onto the stencil you’ve affixed to whatever. I’ve used STAMPS, but never stencils, so this is really fun to try. I’m planning to try to make some 4×6 and larger signs with sayings I like on them.
Also to be delivered is my new smaller dremel tool that I’m planning to use on my glassware etching project. I’m hoping this will be lighter, smaller, and easier to control, with variable speeds.
I played in my art room awhile yesterday, starting on one small sign. There are several steps in these with a lot of drying in-between the steps, so I’m taking my time and grinning a lot.
Even if I don’t produce anything, it’s fun to feel my juices flowing, my head rattling with ideas for new things. I haven’t felt that in quite a while, so I’m enjoying this a lot.
Framed Quote – 5.5″ x 7.5″ – “Best Friend” – $14.99 with FREE SHIPPING to the contiguous U.S. HandmadeHavenByLinda
According to the experts, we’re supposed to finally be out from under the ‘excessive heat warnings’ by Sunday night or Monday morning of next week. I’m ready.
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everymum
Yesterday I had fun in my art room doing a bunch of ‘name’ signs on small canvas boards, using bleeding tissue paper, white crayon, and then squeeze white paint. I should finish them today, and then I’ll post pictures.
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I’ve been reading a bunch of books on my Kindle for the past few weeks. The only one I read that’s a keeper is
The Last Flight of the Starleap by Simon Panneton.
I end up reading a book every day or so, most of them completely forgettable, but they do divert me from all the stuff going on in the world.
I’m really happy that I can maintain what is left of my sanity because
I have my Kindle (I’m using the Kindle Unlimited Plan, and will soon start paying a monthly charge for it);
I can play in my art room, losing myself in an attempt to see what I can come up with using all my ‘goodies’;
I can watch YouTube and listen to really talented people singing;
can work in my garden (if we’re not under a warning); and
write this blog, looking for things I think are wonderful to share.
Greeting Cards – Set of 4 different cards and envelopes – “Get Well Soon” – $16.99 with FREE SHIPPING to the contiguous U.S. HandmadeHavenByLinda on Etsy.
I hope that you’re staying above the fray, safe and well, and that this Wednesday brings you some fun and joy.
creativeartworksblog 