Filed under Stained Glass Art
I love embroidery. I’m in awe of the people with the patience and talent to create things with needle and thread and vision. Katrin Vates, who I just discovered yesterday, brings the art form to a whole new level, though.
There are simply no words to describe this. Remember, these are created with a needle and thread.
When I was getting dressed this morning I saw a spot on the carpet behind the door. As I leaned down to look at it more carefully, I saw it was a curled-up scorpion. It was dead, but I got the forceps we keep on a hook to pick it up anyway. As I started to pick it up, I discovered the scorpion was NOT dead. I managed to grab it, though it wasn’t hard because it was obvious he was quite ill. I disposed of him, but felt thoroughly shaken anyway. And this is after TWO trips to us for full house spraying, inside and out, this quarter. I don’t enjoy waking up this way. :0(
We have all our morning chores done. My sweet husband has already been out to the shop, working on the drink holder he’s making for me (the one above shows HIS holder, and he’s making one like this for me.) HIS holder was created after I threatened him with throwing him in the hole I’m having dug in the back yard if he continued to dump his drink off his tray table in the living room. Since he’s been using it, he hasn’t dumped a drink. He said he needs to take one of the cold drink glasses out to the shop next time for the ‘fitting’ of the holder. MINE is needed now that the cat has decided that she wants to rub up against and sample any cold drinks on MY table. I’ll use the holder when it’s finished and put a heavy marble coaster on top.
Speaking of the cat, two things –
THING ONE – she had jumped up onto the shelves to one side of my computer and sprawled out this morning. Her tail was swishing, so I kept my distance, understanding that is a signal she isn’t ready for affection yet. My husband, who refuses to even try to read the cat, decided he wanted to pet her. I grabbed the small spray bottle of water and turned in my chair as my husband petted her. Jet immediately zeroed in on the bottle and ‘allowed’ my husband to pet her without incident. We both noticed that is a very good sign.
THING TWO – she got us both laughing out loud as we watched her attack of the catnip mouse this morning. She started out under my husband’s roll-around chair, batting the mouse around on his floor pad. I got the fly swatter and carefully moved the mouse to my floor pad, where she would have a bit more room and not be hurt by chair wheels. She immediately attacked the mouse and was batting it from one end of the floor pad to the other, whacking it with her paws, grabbing it and holding it while she rolled, biting it, batting it again, having a big time. We couldn’t help but enjoy the antics.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SWEET LYNN!
I wish you a happy day.
Filed under Thoughts on a ________
“If you carry your childhood with you, you never become older.” ~ Tom Stoppard
Filed under Favorite Quotes
I’m having a bit of trouble throwing off ‘the groggies’ this morning. I think I slept well, but I’m having a bit of a challenge on the actual getting up and getting going. Maybe after another cup of coffee…
We’re having really nice weather for summer here today, and for the next couple of days. “Normal Summer” doesn’t sound like much, but after the excessive heat warnings followed by rain for a couple of days, sunny and 75 seems unbelievable. A high of 91 with much lower humidity is a winner in my book.
I’m hoping that my tomatoes will ripen. They have been as shocked by the intense weather, too. I have lots of green tomatoes, but they are very slow to ripen. I’m in withdrawal, having eaten the last ripe one yesterday at lunch.
This is my first wood-burned piece. As you can see, I’m just learning, but I’m encouraged that I was able to anything with the new wood burning kit. Watching YouTube videos, experimenting, and dreaming is a really fun combination. :0)
“Monster Cat” aka “Jet” is really showing her personality these days. I guess she’s growing more confident as the days pass and she sees a routine. I’m making a bit of progress, though, in encouraging her compliance in a couple of areas.
She was trying to pull some bagged products down from my “Etsy shelves” onto the floor. I loudly said, “NO!” and she STOPPED. Woo HOOOOO!
Then she jumped up on my desk – after walking across my keyboard and disrupting my work and train of thought at my computer area – and started messing with a group of things, trying to knock them off onto the floor. I turned and rattled the little water bottle at her. That made her pause, but the attraction for the things on the desk was too great and she returned to messing with them. I then rolled over closer to her and sprayed her with water. She immediately jumped down and went to another room to find something else to mess with. :0)
I’ve been having to apologize to my SIL, who is on the receiving end of all the weather I whine about, since she lives east of me in NC. She is now having to live through the awful excessive heat warnings and humidity I have sent in her direction. I tried to get Mother Nature to relent, to no avail.
I hope that you are not in the areas hard hit by Beryl. My heart goes out to all suffering from the aftermath of the tornadoes, wind, excessive rain, and flooding, plus the added challenge of no electricity.
Try to stay safe.
Filed under Thoughts on a ________
I’m in awe of this man’s imagination and talent. He sees the spot on the left. I see it, too, but THEN he creates the picture and ‘story’ on the right.
He sees the weed growing at the base of the building, and Nadine finds a friend.
Rudy is prepared at any moment to rain on your parade.
I just love his work.
Filed under David Zinn - Street Artist, drawings
Filed under paintings I love
The rain seems to be tapering off. We never got the ‘heavy rains’ predicted, and we were under a flood watch. I don’t know if we’ll get out today or not. It’s comfortable in here and we’re lazy. :0)
I had a surprising thing happen last night. It was time for our cat, Jet, to go to bed, so I got up from my chair. She was across the room from me, playing with something in the corner. She noticed me get up. I bent over and patted my shins. She started to come toward me. We both continued and she ended up standing right in front of me. I calmly picked her up – trying not to look surprised – and started to leave the living room. My husband gave me a thumbs up – clearly impressed. :0)
I had a great time playing in my art room yesterday. I closed myself in and ignored Jet meowing plaintively on the other side of the door as I sat down to experiment with my new wood burning kit. I’m currently trying to learn what the new tips do. I’m delighted that they heat up so quickly. I can change them while they are hot, carefully placing them in the metal tin they came in to cool off. I spread the rest of them out on my drafting table so I can keep track of which ones I want to try. I’m working on a small piece and a larger, plaque-type piece at the moment, but mostly experimenting. I’ve found a few good videos on using this new type of wood burning kit. It’s SO. MUCH. FUN. to be able to learn something new. I feel a whole new world of possibilities is opening up.
First thing this morning I got a beef roast in the crock pot. We’ll have some of that with a side salad for dinner. I hope I’m not being annoying by reporting my weight loss efforts. I’m finally having some steady success, so I want to shout it from the rooftops. Being old, having to push myself to exercise, and having a horse’s appetite, all work against me most of the time. I lost another pound though, this morning, so I’m down 33 pounds. I’m not great at keeping my mouth shut – talking, writing, or eating – so my progress lately is encouraging. My current goal is 35, so the goal now seems doable.
My tomato plants don’t look nearly as great as the image above, but I’m hoping I’ll find some ripe tomatoes when I go out later today. It has been simply too hot for the tomatoes to do well lately. I’m hoping that the rain we have received and the lower temperatures for at least a couple of days will help our green tomatoes ripen. My sucker plants are still on our dining table. I will plan to try to plant them in the garden planter around the middle of this month. Fingers crossed.
I hope that you are safe and cool today.
Filed under Thoughts on a ________
Filed under Watercolors I Love
We have an 80% chance of rain starting today at around 10:00 and continuing through the day. 90% chance of rain throughout the evening and night, continuing until around noon tomorrow. Between 9:30 and 10:00 we’ll gather and take our trash down, get our mail, and then be in for the duration.
I didn’t get to ‘accountability-for-my-trying-to-lose-the-lard’ until yesterday. At this point I’ve lost 32.6 lbs and 34.1 inches. Reasonable start.
I’m planning to spend time in my art room again today, experimenting with my new wood burning kit. No information came with it, so I’m finding some YouTube videos on the wire tips to watch and then experimenting.
I bought two very small (3oz. ‘cosmetic’) spray water bottles while we were out yesterday. The minute Jet saw them, she knew what they were! All I had to do was START to reach for one (at my computer desk or beside my chair in the living room) and the cat stopped what she was doing. This morning my husband, of course, ignored the signs she was sending out that she didn’t want to be petted right now and he started to pet her anyway. She opened her mouth to bite him and I shot her with the spray. She stopped, mouth open, and got up and left without biting. Maybe I can train BOTH of them to change their behavior…
My husband just asked me if we could have hot dogs for dinner this evening. Since I found Mission Zero Net Carbs Tortillas, I can say, “Yes!” :0) He eats his with regular hot dog buns plus a side of chips and some baked beans. I have mine with the tortillas. Happy grins.
My husband and I are stupid (you already knew that) and have to learn the same lessons over and over. The latest example is concerning our dog, Amber. We’ve changed her food because her tummy seemed to be reacting badly to the dog crunchies we were including in her food. We switched to just giving her canned dog food. This has stopped the tummy problems. She is a very food-driven dog, though – hence the foraging in the kitchen.
Last night we were eating dinner in the living room, watching 60 Minutes. We heard a sound we couldn’t identify. We got up to investigate. Amber was standing at the stove, trying to reach and eat the spaghetti sauce that was still in the skillet. ARRRRGH. We had forgotten to bring her into the living room with us and close the dog gate until we got things put away and cleaned up. AGAIN.
My husband decided he wanted to again see if she can handle the crunchies. We agreed that we would make sure she was enclosed on the tiled areas after eating today in case she had problems. I got up this morning and let her out. When she came back in, my husband let her in with him in the living room. I asked him if he fed her crunchies this morning. He said, “yes.” BUT he wasn’t making sure she was on the tiled areas…. And so it goes.
Have a happy day.
Filed under Thoughts on a ________
Filed under digital art, Digital Prime Craft on Etsy
“I work hard so my dog can have a better yard.”
“There is a 100% chance I’d rather be home with my dog.”
“The more people I meet, the more I like my dog.”
“My floors aren’t dirty…it’s paw art.”
Quotes from Nylabone.com
Filed under Amazing Animals, Angie Wallace Fine Art
I told you yesterday that I FINALLY got my drafting table cleaned off in my art room and was ready to try my new wood burning kit. I think I’ve also mentioned that I have been really intimidated, since my efforts thus far have been less than stellar and made my hand arthritis act up so I couldn’t do anything for more than about 15 minutes.
Yesterday evening I finally decided to try again. I had no trouble installing a wire tip in the tool. The holder with a sponge perfectly fits the tool, so it feels safe to use. The pen itself is light weight, so I practiced for half an hour before I stopped. I used two of the tips, experimenting, and also working on a present I’m trying to make for Christmas.
I am now officially over my intimidation about the process. With the new tool, I can better control the degree of heat. I don’t have to wear the two-finger-and-thumb gloves to keep from burning myself. It’s easy to install the tips, and I was able to change tips, using the screwdriver provided, using some pliers to pull the tip out and place it carefully in the top of the metal canister provided for the tips – so it could cool. I got a new tip installed, turned the heat back on, and in just a few seconds was able to continue my experimentation, instead of having to wait 5 minutes.
I left the tool in the holder when I was finished, unattached it from the heating unit, and unplugged the heating unit. I feel safe using this new tool.
I’ll need to do a lot more experimenting, but I’m SO ENCOURAGED now, and EXCITED about a new world opening up for me. I may actually be able to do some fun things! HOOOORAAAAAAAY!
Filed under learning new things, Lewis Art, Lewis projects
Filed under Favorite Quotes, Poohisms
After lots of messing around – another virtual roller coaster ride – I am again at the ‘down-32-pounds-since-my-heaviest’ place. I’m ready to break new ground.
I just recalculated my macros with the help of Suzanne Ryan – Simply Keto – KetoKarma.com and then transferred that information to MyFitnessPal.com to track my food, drink, and exercise. I really like the fact that I can add things easily ( and many times someone else has added it before me) so I don’t have to list each ingredient.
I also really like it that I can enter what my eating plan is for the day and then adjust it if my carbs are too high, or if changing an amount will bring me into my goal range BEFORE I’ve already eaten it. Since I’m also trying to cut way down on salt, I can watch that, as well here.
I HAVE discovered that, because I’m old and weird, if MyFitnessPal decides “you probably aren’t eating enough,” the result will be a small, gradual loss on the scales, so that’s what I strive for.
I really try to do my yoga practice (old lady stretches) daily. It’s only 30 minutes, and I DO feel looser, a bit more relaxed, and more flexible when I’m conscientious about doing it, and FEEL it when I don’t.
My mantra is ‘keep on keepin’ on.’
I’m not sure what came over me yesterday afternoon, but I FINALLY got upstairs to my art room and cleared off my drafting table so that I now have room to experiment with the new wood burning kit. I don’t know when I’ve been so intimidated by trying to learn a new skill. I guess the fact that the first tool I got was hard for me to use and made my hand arthritis act up badly put me off. I’m really hoping that this lighter, beginner’s tool kit will get me over the hump. I have lots of ideas of what I would like to try to accomplish with it.
Our high temperature today will be 94 WITHOUT an excessive heat warning needed, so that will be a very welcome change. I’ll get out this morning and see if we have some ripe tomatoes. My tomato suckers are looking extremely droopy, but are still alive, so I still have hope that I can transplant the roots soon to the garden planter.
I’ve been quite amused by the free downloads of books onto my Kindle lately. I’m in the Kindle Unlimited group which allows unlimited downloads, so I have lots of choices for things to read. I download one, read a bit and then many times ‘give it back’ to choose another. I’m CHOOSING to be amused, rather than disgusted or appalled, by the quality of many of the books. If I find TOO many spelling and grammatical errors (and I give people what I consider a LOT of leverage), I delete. If the main character is so stupid I would embarrassed to meet her or know her, I delete. If the language or content is simply too much (again, a lot of leverage) I delete.
Sometimes I find myself sighing in relief that I managed to find an author who writes something that keeps my interest. :0)
I hope this day finds you feeling good. Make it a fun one.
Filed under Thoughts on a ________
James Natoli from BossJunkArt on Etsy is a man after my husband’s and my hearts – creating critters who make you smile from tools, random parts, other found objects. I love these sweet critters.
James Natoli – BossJunkArt on Etsy
Filed under Art From Found Things, metal art
These are the tomato suckers this morning. They are looking sad, as you can see, but they haven’t DIED. They are still green, so I THINK that means they are producing ROOTS, the thing I need in order to transplant them into the garden in another week or so – if they live. I can snip off some of the straggly tops and plant the important part down low in the garden planter and then keep my fingers crossed they grow and thrive.
I haven’t loss everything if this experiment is a bust. I can start again, making some tweaks in my techniques, or I can try to simply plant suckers immediately into the garden when I snip them off the main plants and see if that works. It’s exciting to try something new that MIGHT work!
Filed under Gardening, Square Foot Gardening - Raised Beds
This is #58 in J.D. Robb’s (Nora Roberts) “In Death” series. I pre-ordered the paperback in January and received it Tuesday. I dived into it as soon as I finished the book I was reading.
I was a bit disappointed this time, even though this is my favorite long term series and author, and I’ll continue to pre-order the paperback versions of each new book as I have the chance.
Usually there is some new ‘revelation’ that allows you to understand a character better, feel closer to them, or there is an event that brings tears to my eyes because someone is honored, someone is hurt and recovers, people find love, a situation or emotion with which you can identify, etc., making you feel even more tied to the series that you were before, if that were possible. :0)
This book had an interesting series of crimes and perpetrator Eve and company were trying to stop. The book, as always, held my interest. I started it the middle of the afternoon Tuesday and finished it Wednesday. It was good to be with the characters again, sharing their future world for a time. No special features this time, though. I fear that Nora may be tiring of the series – as I would imagine anyone might be after writing 58 books about the same group of people – but I hope I’m wrong.
The next book in the series # 59 –“Passions in Death” comes out in hardback in September of this year. “Bonded in Death” #60 comes out in hardback in February of 2025. I’m hoping I can pre-order “Passions” in paperback when it is announced for sale in September.
I will always be a huge fan of J.D. Robb (Nora Roberts) the author, and the incredible world and characters she has created in this “In Death” series.
Filed under Favorite Authors & Books
Good morning. I hope you enjoyed a nice 4th of July celebration if you live in the U.S.A. (I’m reminded as I communicate with readers here, and also on X, that many of the people I treasure are from other countries, so yesterday was not a holiday for them.)
Our down-in-the-valley neighbors shot off some fireworks last night, since we missed the forecast thunderstorm. Sadly, our weed trees in the back made it almost impossible for us to see the display. :0( I wished we had a 2nd floor deck so we could have seen it better.
We’re in the process of a cool front moving through, so the awful heat indices we’ve been having won’t be a factor today. Right now the humidity is 82% according to my computer, so it may be the end of the day before we FEEL any relief, but the temperature is only supposed to be 91 this afternoon, so I’ll be grateful for that.
Since we’re inside, I’ve been trying to clean some areas that have needed attention for a while (a too-common condition around here). The days have been whizzing past my head while I clean and then relax and read in my chair or listen to music.
I’m hoping for a quiet day ahead. I hope that if you traveled, you get home safely and get a chance to rest before any return to work.
Filed under Thoughts on a ________
creativeartworksblog 