Katarina Avendano and Yaa Bofah – Good Housekeeping
Lesson Learned
Monday 8-26-2024
I hope you’re having a nice morning. We’re back to our too-hot-regular-summer weather here. Our plants are starting to revive a bit. For quite a while there, it didn’t matter that we were watering every day, even increasing the time on the irrigation system, things were just overwhelmed by the ‘intense heat warnings.’ It’s really nice to be back to ‘regular,’ where the tomatoes have started to ripen again, the elephant ear plants are sprouting new leaves, and lilies and roses are starting to bloom again. Ahhhh.
It’s funny. I’m making progress on cleaning the art room, but the progress so far can only be measured by the fact that I have a 13 gallon trash bag’s worth of things I’ve gathered to throw away this week.
If you walked in there right now, it looks like someone needs to clean and reorganize. But that is better than wondering when the bomb exploded… Each day I’m enjoying doing more on whatever wood-burning piece I’m working on and then zeroing in on a table that needs to be cleaned off, or some things that need to be gathered and stored together somewhere. Something needs to be tossed. Something saved, but not ‘here.’ You get the picture. But it IS getting better daily.
Our only ‘have-to’s today are gathering and driving our trash down for pickup tomorrow and getting our mail. YEA.
I wish you a great day.
Filed under Thoughts on a ________
Cynthia England Quilts 2
Cynthia England Quilts – National Quilt Museum
Filed under Cynthia England Quilts, Embroidery/Sewing Art, quilts
Sunday 8-25-2024
I LOVE the creativity and humor shown in this piece!
This is the latest wood-burned piece. I’ll list it on HandmadeHavenByLinda on Etsy later today. I attached magnets to the back so that it’s ready to ‘stick’ to the fridge.
I’m slowly making order out of chaos in my art room each day. Yesterday I did three sessions – working on the piece plus going through more ‘stuff’ each time I was up there. It’s slowly looking like ‘someone might have had a problem,’ rather than ‘aftermath of the bomb.’
We enjoyed the first ripe tomatoes in about a month last night at dinner. I was truly amazed to find tomatoes ready to harvest yesterday. I had gone out there to see if the plants needed to be pulled for the season. It was such a nice surprise, and the tomatoes we shared were delicious. We have more waiting to be enjoyed and more on the plants. I’m in Heaven.
I was a good girl all day yesterday. I fixed us hot dogs for dinner, with my husband having hot dog buns with his and my having Mission Zero-Carb tortillas to hold mine. I turned to put them on the plate and my husband had poured out potato chips for each of us. SIGH. Guess who ate each. and. every. one. P.S. they were delicious.
Today is a keep-on-keepin’-on kind of day. I’ll start a new piece in the art room and continue my efforts to make it look like a real human lives there. I’m finding a group of things that I’ll probably list on my Etsy site to see if someone wants to adopt them. Leftovers for dinner, so I’ll probably be able to make time to do a good session of yoga this afternoon.
Make this day a good one.
Filed under Thoughts on a ________
Mug Wisdom 10
Filed under Funny Signs - Humor, MUG WISDOM
Saturday 8-24-2024
I started a new piece in my art room yesterday, plus I’m continuing to do a THOROUGH clean-out/clean-up/reorganization up there. I’m stopping when I feel myself starting to ‘stash’ things. I’m taking my time, trying to create ‘areas’ of activity or storage, so I can find things more easily, rather than it sometimes resembling a ‘treasure hunt.’ I’m trying to throw away things I haven’t used and probably won’t use, dried up paint tubes, ‘idea’ pictures that no longer speak to me, and more. I’m SUCH a slob… :0) I AM making some progress, though.
Our son left a picture on our chat program this morning. His friends, who have a condo in the same building, had a baby girl this morning. She joins their about 2-year-old son, so now they’re a family of four. Brian is an honorary ‘uncle’, having a great time being a part of their family and watching their kids grow and thrive.
A wonderful surprise! I found these just a minute ago. I decided to go out to check on the tomato plants, just expecting to see the same – plants with green tomatoes, looking kind of sad. Instead, I found ripe tomatoes! I guess the cooler temperatures of the last few days revived the plants. I had essentially written them off, so it was a super nice surprise. ALSO, I still have ONE tomato sucker plant that is really large now. I have no idea if it will produce tomatoes, but I staked it up this morning and will enjoy watching what happens. FUN EXPERIMENT!
Enjoy your weekend.
Filed under Thoughts on a ________
Mug Wisdom 9
Filed under Funny Signs - Humor, MUG WISDOM
Nat’l Quilt Museum, Paducah KY 2
We’re continuing our virtual trip to see the beautiful quilts in the National Quilt Museum in Paducah, Kentucky.
Today we look at some of the quilts by Cynthia England.
I really find it difficult to believe these are quilts. These fiber artists are beyond amazing. I’m so glad that a museum celebrating this talent exists for people to enjoy. I’m delighted to be able to take a virtual tour, even if we can’t visit the place ourselves.
Filed under Embroidery/Sewing Art, quilts
Friday 8-23-2024
I absolutely LOVE this piece by Gregorio Catarino. It makes me happy and hopeful just to look at it.
Speaking of ‘happy’ and ‘hopeful,’ we talked to our son across the world last night on our conference call program. It was wonderful to see his FACE and be able to talk to him real time. There are 12 hours between us, half the year more with Daylight Savings Time, so we aren’t all functional at the same time on a regular basis. I’m STILL smiling and my heart is full after making him smile, and even laugh at one point. :0) He’s such a wonderful guy and I’m delighted that he is healthy and happy, doing what he wants to do. I’m also grateful that we’re close, that we communicate on a regular basis. It means the world to me.
After at least a couple of weeks of yo-yo-ing results on the scales, I’ve FINALLY reached an interim goal of 35 pounds down from my worst this morning. (Actually, 36.4 pounds less of me today). I feel newly encouraged that I CAN do this if I just keep on keepin’ on. Next goal: 40 lbs off.
I ordered more blank wooden signs and pegs to attach to them yesterday. I’m researching some decorations to burn into them. Meanwhile, I’ll continue cleaning up one area each day up in my art room.
My husband checks to find the mug I gave him to use each morning. If it’s in the dishwasher, waiting to be washed, he pulls it out, rinses it, and uses it. I think he LIKES it. :0)
Happy Friday!
Filed under Thoughts on a ________
Newest Wood-Burned Effort
“Bloom” is what I finished yesterday and it’s listed on Etsy now. I did the wood-burning, then used alcohol ink and finally pastels to finish.
My good friend, Marsha, suggested that I do some practical items, such as pegs on signs, and I’ll think about that next.
Meanwhile, I’m heading back upstairs to do a bit more cleaning of the art room. If I live long enough, maybe some day the room will look halfway organized again!
Filed under HandmadeHavenByLinda on Etsy, Lewis Art
Changing the Mailbox Decoration
As we’re getting older than any dirt around, we’ve slowed down on doing some things.
We made twice as many mailbox decorations as we have months and used to change the decorations on the 1st and 15th of each month. We have all our decorations hanging from an overhanging rod in the shop, each hanging on a hook. It is getting more difficult for us to get a decoration down and back up again safely. They are heavy and awkward to handle and trying to get them down and back up, standing on a ladder, trying to balance them and get them off and on the overhanging hooks is hard.
I, of course, suggested that we make a huge set of slots that could run on the floor along one wall of the shop, so we could slide each decoration in and out. This was greeted with a, “Humpf.” response I’m taking as a negative. I’ve planted the seed of the idea now, so it MAY take root eventually.
Meanwhile, we changed the decoration yesterday, after I was talking about how the Amazon delivery lady had been quite complimentary about the critters up and down the driveway and our mailbox decoration. I said I thought he should choose which one to put up.
We had his favorite decoration up –
This is his favorite because of the legs on the Roadrunner. It was the first time we tried to go 3-D on our decorations. It was a challenge, but turned out reasonably well.
We replaced the ‘Sonic’ decoration above with this –
This is another favorite of my husband’s. The character’s name is “Wonder Warthog.”
“Wonder Wart-Hog is an underground comic book character, a porcine parody of Superman, created by American cartoonist Gilbert Shelton and first published in 1962.” ~ Wikipedia
As with most of my husband’s favorites, he is described as, “Fearless, Fighting, Foulmouthed Wonder Wart-Hog” in Bacchanal (Mar. 1962)
Filed under Lewis Art, Lewis Mailbox Decorations
Thursday Thoughts 8/22/2024
I’m having a wonderful massage this morning. Ahhhhh! Then I’m hoping to have a good visit with my friend, Linda, who lives at the retirement place where I now get my massages. It’s a great combination of seeing two good people and easing all of my knotted up parts. :0)
I am 2/10ths away from my interim goal of 35 pounds down. I’m hoping I’ll reach that tomorrow. It would be a nice spur to my motivation to continue trying to lose the lard.
Today is the last day of super-nice-weather-for-August-in-Arkansas before the ‘intense heat warnings’ start in again. We’ve had about 3 days here of amazingly cool days and evenings with a soft breeze. We actually kept the car windows open on the way to our errands yesterday, thoroughly enjoying how beautiful it was.
I finished my latest wood burned piece yesterday afternoon. I’ll show you a pic later and I’ll try to get it listed on HandmadeHavenbyLinda on Etsy this afternoon, as well as do another session of trying to clean up my art room.
I hope you have a joyful day.
Filed under Thoughts on a ________
Day’s Work in 2 Hours
I’m just now back at the computer after errands and chores.
We went to two grocery stores, then got our mail on the way back. We carried things in and put everything away.
I then got the makings of chili in the crock pot for tonight and then cut up a humongous Honeydew melon my husband grabbed. It took three large storage containers to hold all the chunks.
Then we cleaned up and started the dishwasher. WHEW! That’s a lot for these years-challenged people.
Now I’m resting, drinking both ice water and coffee at the same time. I know, it’s weird, but I need the coffee to stay awake until I can fix and eat lunch and then I’ll take a nap. I need the ice water to re-hydrate and cool off.
The rest of the day, once lunch stuff is cleaned up, will be devoted to fun stuff.
Filed under Challenges
Snoopy Wisdom
“Charles Monroe “Sparky” Schulz was an American cartoonist, the creator of the comic strip Peanuts which features his two best-known characters, Charlie Brown and Snoopy.” ~ Wikipedia
“By the wishes of Mr. Schulz’s family, no new strips are – nor ever will be – drawn and published. There are new animated specials in development, but the story lines are based entirely on themes and dialogue from the strip’s history.”
Peanuts is one of my all-time favorite cartoon strips. Charles Schultz was so talented and we’re lucky that he shared his gift with us.
As with Winnie the Pooh, illustrated by E.H. Shepard, others are drawing the characters and selling products based on them.
I prefer to honor the original illustrators, even though some of the drawings are good. A couple of days ago I found a whole bunch of Snoopy quotes illustrated by AI (Artificial Intelligence). I don’t know how this is done. I love the quotes, but the the illustrations were just ‘off’ to my eyes, and this is in direction opposition to the wishes of his family. I guess there isn’t anything the family or we can do about it, other than to avoid using these images or supporting these products.
Filed under Favorite Quotes, Friendship
Wednesday 8-21-2024
Hahahahaha. I love this. :0)
I hope things are going well for you today. I’m still trying to wake up.
We’ll do errands this morning and then will be in for the rest of the day. The weather is gorgeous right at the moment, with a temperature of 70 degrees, just like civilized people. Isn’t that GREAT?
I had a good day yesterday, vacuuming like a fiend with my big Dyson vacuum and then cleaning out my battery-powered one I usually use for the tiled areas. Its poor head was really clogged with dog hair. It’s good now.
I also spent some time in my art room, working on my wood burning piece and then cleaning up one area. I hope to do that again today.
Enjoy your Wednesday!
Filed under Thoughts on a ________
Gift for My Husband
As much as I gripe about my husband, threatening to throw him into a huge hole in the back yard from time to time, there is a sweet side that comes out from time to time, showing me the man I married.
This was just delivered today. He’ll go get the mail soon. :0)
Nat’l Quilt Museum, Paducah KY
Thanks to a comment from Carol Janson, I’m researching the National Quilt Museum in Paducah, Kentucky online, since I’m not able to actually visit in person. I thought that you might enjoy a virtual trip there, too.
“The National Quilt Museum, located in Paducah, Kentucky, is an art museum that exhibits fiber art and quilting from around the world. The museum is recognized by USA Today as one of the world’s top quilt displays.” ~ Wikipedia
Today I’m going to share some of the work of Susan Carlson.
Filed under Embroidery/Sewing Art, quilts, Susan Carlson Quilts
Tuesday 8-20-2024
It was cooler yesterday, but seemed really hot when my husband and I drove the trash down the driveway yesterday. We had to stop SEVERAL times so I could get out and gather and/or drag branches that had fallen into the driveway from the storm and throw them off to the side of the driveway. The trash can had blown over and was partially filled with water. I managed to drain it and then drag it down to the bottom of the driveway. We put our trash in for pickup today. We got our mail and then it took the two of us to straighten our robot.
The robot is about 200 pounds and stands, welcoming people, toward the bottom of our driveway. We had winds blow him down once several years ago and practically killed ourselves trying to get him up on the driveway again. So we wrapped a big chain around his neck, securing one end to a pole behind him and the other end to our driveway gate in front of him so that he can only LEAN now. The storms were enough to make him lean, and my husband pulled on him while I found rocks to shove under his right foot to steady him.
That said, what we dealt with was nothing compared to what a lot of people in Arkansas suffered. There were a LOT of power outages, power lines and power poles down, trees down, roads had to be closed, flooding, etc. And this was from a storm I didn’t even know about when we went to bed. Another rain followed that one the next night, causing more outages and damage.
I THINK all is okay now. I don’t mind a good storm, but I wish Mother Nature wasn’t quite so dramatic, causing good people to have problems.
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I had a good time in my art room yesterday afternoon. I’m working on a wood-burning piece, trying different techniques and having a blast learning. I even put away a few things while I was up there, but you wouldn’t be able to tell the difference. The only time it looks reasonable up there is when nothing has happened, nothing is in progress, and nothing is planned.
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My husband mowed yesterday – telling me happily how much easier it is to mow now with the new mower – and I used the leaf blower to clean off our front and back sidewalks and driveway pad. Even though it was cooler yesterday, I was wringing wet when I came in. I’m ready for fall.
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Have a wonderful Tuesday.
Filed under Thoughts on a ________
Sandra Mollon Amazing Quilts 2
Filed under Embroidery/Sewing Art, quilts, Sandra Mollon Quilts
creativeartworksblog 