Tag Archives: playing in my art room

December 14, 2019 · 10:42 am

Thoughts on a Saturday – 12-14-2019

Dog Lovers Club

We’re having a nice, though gray, fall day here in Arkansas. I found a new sweatshirt/hoodie combination in a pale pink and am wearing it for the first time today. I got it from the exclusive emporium of Walmart, and am pleased to report that I didn’t have to get it in a “wide-load” size!  It’s light weight and cozy feeling. This is really welcome since I’ve been sitting under my throw in the living room while watching TV lately, even though our heat works fine. It may be a psychological thing. Anyhow, I’m thinking of buying ANOTHER one!

I told you that I am experimenting on making light weight wooden earrings for people who do NOT have pierced ears. I found some glue and clip-on findings, both without nickel to avoid problems with allergies.

This is the only finished pair so far. The wood is just large enough for the clip-on. I’m also going to try a larger disk and then drill a hole in the bottom of it and append a smaller disk from it, making a dangle. I’ll show you a pic of that when I have one finished. I’m thinking of starting another Etsy shop just for earrings – pierced and clip-on. I’m also checking out opening a shop on Amazon.

Yesterday one of my long time good friends called to tell me one of her dogs had died. Another good friend lost a cat recently. Having been there, and knowing that losing a treasured pet member of the family is one of the worst hurts there is, my heart goes out to to both of them. I also know there is nothing I can do but show I care.  I wish I could do more.

I’m not sure what else the day holds, other than the what-I’m-hoping-will-be-the-usual exercise with my elliptical trainer and yoga stretches and working in my art room.

I hope your Saturday is fun.

 

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November 30, 2019 · 11:07 am

Thoughts on a Saturday 11-30-2019

Gianni Cino – Sussan Photography – via Penny Yaffe Krakow

I think this is the most wonderful photo of a giraffe I’ve ever seen. I could look at it all day.

It stormed early this morning, with lots of thunder, waking us up. Usually we don’t even know it rained, so this was a more serious storm than usual. No damage that we’ve found so far, and it is finally clearing off – after three straight raw, cold, rainy days. HOORAAAAAY!

I have a keto chili in the crock pot now, ready for us to enjoy tonight, from my Simply Keto book by Suzanne Ryan.  If I manage to get to my goal weight, it will be largely thanks to Suzanne and her delicious recipes that I can enjoy eating on my diet with food that my husband truly enjoys.

via Jennifer Ann Mitchell Carroll

I have almost 45 lbs off and about the same in inches at this point. I’m MUCH better than I was in the past and I feel healthier and more energetic. I look back with relief that I have finally taken the health of my husband and myself seriously, trying to get us – and keep us – as healthy as possible as we age.  I AM taking good steps with our diet and my exercise.

My “PLAN” today is to do my 35 minutes on my elliptical trainer, plus my half hour or so of yoga practice, PLUS not eat anything I’m not supposed to eat – things I have not done in the last few days. As my good friend, Marsha, says, though – “No promises – even between me and me.” 

I WILL get up to my art room this morning as soon as I finish babbling at you and finishing my coffee. The new colors of Unicorn Spit I ordered came yesterday. I have some earrings, a tote, and a journal cover started. (Did I mention I really LOVE to play with this stuff?)

Happy Saturday!

 

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November 21, 2019 · 2:27 pm

Thoughts on a Thursday 11-21-2019

Getty Images

I started my day with a glorious massage. I was still having problems from all the leaf mulching I did, even with pain gel and yoga, so it was especially appreciated today. My massage therapist, Lynn Moody, 479-629-7601, truly has a gift for finding sore spots and making them give in to her healing hands.

We’re having a Holiday Open House at Rags & Roses, the local shop where I’m sharing a booth with my friend, Carla.  The Open House is this coming Sunday from 1-5. The address is 100 North Main. There will be food, door prizes, photos with Santa, a musician who plays guitar, fiddle, and mandolin, plus all the nice things people are selling in the booths. I went today to make a contribution to the door prizes. Tomorrow I’m taking an assortment of the new wooden earrings I’ve made recently. They are for sale on ArtFire, too. If you would like to look at them, here they are – ArtFire.

We just had lunch and I’m about to head up to my art room to play. I’m planning to paint another journal, more note cards, a tote, and start more earrings – all with my Unicorn Spit Stain/Glaze. I love that stuff!

It’s getting dark outside, looking like it’s about to pour. We’re supposed to get a lot of rain between now and the end of the day Friday, so it’s a great time to be inside.

Hope you are staying warm and dry, and that you have something to do that makes you smile.

 

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November 18, 2019 · 10:46 am

Thoughts on a Monday 11-18-2019

Penny Yaffe Krakow – pic by Mary Madeline Botz

I finished the mulching yesterday and got things cleaned up. My poor body is really protesting, so I’ll take it easy for a couple of days before doing anything more out there. It’s amazing to me that I can get a bit tired by the end of several sessions, but don’t actual ‘feel’ it until that evening or the next morning. I plan to do my elliptical trainer and a session of yoga today, to help stretch things out.

I sang to my husband this morning – hence the cute picture of the doggie above. (I wasn’t nearly as cute, and my husband looked pained that I was singing. My husband, who is still being a curmudgeon about becoming a year older, grinned from ear to ear when he saw what I was doing this morning. The pineapple upside-down cake is in the oven as I type. Hopefully, I can make him smile several times today.

I’m waiting to hear from our friends on whether we are going bowling tonight and then for ice cream or not.

Since I was so ‘good’ working in the yard the past two days, I’m going to reward myself with time in my art room this afternoon.

Birthday – Bowling – Art Room – Pineapple Upside-Down Cake – Not bad for a Monday!

 

 

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November 16, 2019 · 10:15 am

Thoughts on a Saturday 11-16-2019

Jeff Jett

I think one of the most important paths to happiness is REALIZING all you have. Today my main feeling is thankfulness.

I have a beef roast in the crock pot for tonight. I have a cup of coffee. Molly is resting comfortably at my feet as I type.

 

My husband is almost completely recovered from his stroke. (He still gets words garbled occasionally, but we smile at each other when that happens. He has to really work to use his keyboard on his computer. He still has bursts of anger, saying hurtful things, but the episodes are father apart. I’m avoiding triggers I know about, and talking to him calmly about the ones that do happen, making it clear that I don’t deserve it. Things are improving.

Our son is happy in Thailand. We are talking to him on the chat program almost daily, so it’s ALMOST like he is still here with us.  If a person figures out to send HUGS through a chat program, he or she will be a gazillionaire. :0)

Our weather is good, with a nice, sunny day. I’m hopeful it will warm up enough this afternoon that I can get outside. I want to rake and shred leaves, putting the mulch in our flower planters.

I have ideas rattling around in my brain on what I would like to do next in my art room. I’m even DREAMING about them! SO many fun things to play with!

 

 

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November 11, 2019 · 2:34 pm

Art Room Magic

2 STAR art

I love working in my art room. I finally got things in order enough that I could start to experiment again. This time I’m trying to do a set of note cards and a journal with the Unicorn Spit. With this new paint, you do a quick burst of activity and then you have to let it dry before you start the next, so I go up and down the stairs a lot (good exercise!) while I’m trying things.

My wonderful sister-in-law, the one who sent me the kit, was asking if I had thought about doing earrings. I actually found several different shapes of light weight wooden earrings that I have ordered. I can’t wait to try this!

If you haven’t tried this, you really should. It’s SO much fun.  I’ll try to have things ready to show you tomorrow.

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November 11, 2019 · 10:40 am

Flying Hair Balls?

stormzonec

Rain, fog, wintry mix, flying hairballs, and MUCH colder temperatures are forecast for my area today. We are just southeast of Fort Smith, in Greenwood. With as warm as it has been, we don’t have to worry about any accumulation, but bridges and overpasses will get slick and it’s just a great day to stay inside.

Happily, I managed to finish cleaning out the flower planters in the front yard – 11 brick planters and two pots.  When we have good weather again, I’ll tackle the remaining brick planters and pots in the back yard.

This is Memorial Park in the center of our small ‘square’ in Greenwood. People can have memorial stones made for their Veterans and have them added to the moving display. On Veterans Day you can see the flags placed at each of the stones remembering our veterans. More stones are added from time to time. I wanted to get one made for my husband, who served for 4 years in the Marine Corps during Vietnam, but he is adamantly opposed, since he wasn’t in combat, ‘only’ on a ship offshore all the hot spots during his time. I think he deserves to be there, but that’s a fight for another day. This remembrance makes me proud.

 

Memorial Park, City of Greenwood AR

I’m going to TRY to clean up my art room today. With the combination of having a blast experimenting with the new kit of Unicorn Spit Stain/Glaze my sister-in-law sent me and then taking a set of shelves out to put in the new booth at the shop in Greenwood, it looks as if a bomb exploded. I’m going to concentrate on getting things so you can walk through the room without injury and MOST of the ‘stuff’ is put where it won’t fall down. :0)  THEN, I’m hoping to PLAY some more up there!

littlekidsbigart

Also on the ‘should’ list for the day is a clean up of our office – but I’m studiously ignoring that for now – celebrating the fact I worked hard yesterday and that it’s definitely an inside day today!

I hope that the weather is nice where you are – OR that you have a nice warm, dry place to spend the day.

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November 5, 2019 · 3:13 pm

Thoughts on a Tuesday 11-5-2019

Cheap Trip via Martha Kirkendall-Ghearing

Things sometimes happen fast.

Yesterday we stopped at the post office before going to my husband’s dental appointment. As we started to leave, my husband backed the Corvette into the back of a parked truck. After surveying the two vehicles, the nice man in the truck couldn’t find any damage and waved us off. Our Vette, however, was a different story. The right rear is smashed – and it’s fiberglass. After the dental appointment (which went well, even with the blood thinners, thank goodness) we drove back, stopping at our insurance agent’s office. We agreed to take the ‘Vette to a local repair shop for an estimate. We did that today – $3400+ damage. :0(  Thankfully, our deductible is $500, which we can scrounge up. We will take it in again when the repair shop gets the backlog of  “deer hits” cleared out. They’ll call us.

On further research, I have learned that depth perception can be affected by a stroke. My husband and I have talked about it and he has agreed to take things a bit more slowly, particularly when backing up, and give his senses more time to react. He really doesn’t like it when “I” drive, so maybe he’ll take this seriously.

Yesterday the only exercise I got was bowling last night with our good friends. We really enjoy catching up with them, getting some good exercise (whether or not we bowl well) and having ice cream – a real treat – afterwards.  I was creaky this morning, so I am doubly serious about getting my exercises in. I have finished my 35 minutes on my elliptical trainer and will soon go and do my equal session of yoga stretches.

Today is a truly gorgeous day – sunny and 70 degrees F. It just doesn’t get better than this. I’m hoping we get just a FEW more days like this…

I’m having fun in my art room. I have almost finished the 2nd group of 8 flat wooden Christmas ornaments painted with Unicorn Spit. I have the first 8 listed on ArtFire, offering to add a name and the year at no extra charge, and free shipping. As soon as I finish getting the rest listed, I’ll give you the URL of the page in case you’re interested.

A good friend of mine told me about a new app that offers reward points for your shopping. It’s called FETCH REWARDS. You shop, scan your receipts using the app and your phone, and then you can get gift cards and other stuff when you accumulate enough points. I think it’s a fun idea. If you’re interested, please Google it and see if it appeals to you.

Have a great rest of the day!

 

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November 2, 2019 · 2:50 pm

Thoughts on a Saturday 11-2-2019

Amanda Alma-Feel Free

Today started out pretty cold – 33 degrees. I finally went out to the garage to do 35 minutes on my elliptical trainer when the temperature reached 50. Now it’s 58 and practically balmy!  The freeze killed all the flowers in the planters around the yard, so the next several days I’ll be trying to clear out my planters in preparation for topping them out with mulch for the winter.

My husband loves pulled pork. I found a recipe he really likes, so I put a pork loin in the crock pot this morning. When it is cooked, he helps me shred it, each of us using two forks, until it’s the right consistency. We’ll have that tonight for dinner and divide up the rest if it into meal portions for him and freeze them. Usually we get about 8 meals from one pork loin.

An online friend just made my day. He is serving in Afghanistan and we have been chatting. He told me today that he used the photo of my “Believe” plaque as wallpaper for his computer!

The rest of my day will be spent –

  • cleaning out ONE planter outside
  • doing my daily yoga stretches session
  • working on the flat wooden Christmas ornaments in my art room

I hope you’re having a wonderful Saturday, too.

*If you are in one of the states that practices Daylight Savings Time, tonight before you go to bed, turn your clocks BACK one hour!

 

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November 1, 2019 · 12:32 pm

Fall Tee

 

This is one of the newest tees I have painted. I wore it for the first time this morning. We went from super hot, humid summer, to 3 days of fall, to winter, so long sleeves were needed.

I have admitted to you before that I’m a slob, often spilling things on my tees. If I cannot remove the spots, I then put the shirt in a pile in my art room to be painted. This way I can still enjoy the shirt for a long time to come.

I’m actually looking forward to  having another tee to paint since I can experiment with my new Unicorn Spit Stain/Glass on it. :0)

 

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October 26, 2019 · 3:49 pm

The 5th Plaque is Finished

 

I’ll list the 5 plaques for sale on ArtFire in the coming days. I’m going to try to see how the Unicorn Spit works on glass ornaments and flat wooden ornaments next. This stuff is SO much fun to play with!!!

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October 25, 2019 · 12:37 pm

Thoughts on a Friday 10-25-2019

Animal’s Look

It’s cool (54 degrees F.) and raining today. I’m happy for the rain, but it’s a bit cool to dance in it.

We just got back from Lunch Bunch. Today we had almost more people than chairs for the group. It was wonderful. I’ve told you that the main group is Linda, Kay and me. We’ve met for Lunch Bunch every Friday for over 17 years now. Others have come and go. Some show up at various times, and the core remains the same. My husband was accepted as an honorary member several years ago. Now Kay’s husband is coming! Today our good friend Alice came, with one of her clients/friends. (Alice does professional machine quilting for scads of people). Conversation was lively and the service and food were good, as always, at the Pizza Barn, Greenwood AR.

Yesterday I finished the fourth plaque painted with Unicorn Spit Stain/Glaze.

Today I’ll start the last in the series.

I found a nice keto chili recipe (Suzanne Ryan – Simply Keto) that I’ll try tomorrow.  :0)

I hope you’re staying warm, dry, and cozy today.

 

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October 22, 2019 · 4:39 pm

New Plaque with Unicorn Spit

 

Thanks to Michelle Nicole, the creator of Unicorn Spit Stain/Glazes, I’m having so much fun in my art room!  The lady created this for use with people who have challenges. I can’t really remember is this was for use in a nursing home or facility for people with disabilities, but she wanted something that was non-toxic, water-based, and really colorful. This can be used on wood, as I’m doing, paper, glass, fabric, etc.  You can squeeze it out of the tube, dilute it, use a foam brush, regular paintbrush, or – as I’m doing – squeeze it on, cover it with plastic wrap, squeeze the colors together under the wrap and then lift the wrap off.  It almost gives you the fun of finger painting, without all the mess.

It is not ‘set’ until you seal it. For example, I’m spraying my plaques with polyurethane. Until you seal the paint, you can wash it all off and start over again. When it dries, it looks chalky. You buff it with some steel wool, wipe it off and then seal. When I spray the plaques, the colors simply BLOOM!  I just love it.

I’m doing a series of these plaques, each with a different shape, different colors, different word.

 

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October 15, 2019 · 12:26 pm

Adventure with Unicorn Spit

 

I’m on steps 2 and 3 of my experimental project with my new Unicorn Spit Kit I received from my wonderful sister-in-law, Mary Lou. I had never heard of it, and she sent it for no occasion, just thought I might have fun with it. And was she right!

I’m experimenting on two things –

THING ONE:  A wooden plaque my husband and I cut out in the shop YEARS ago.

THING TWO: A ‘watercolor’ on paper

I watched several YouTube demonstrations of what people are doing with this stain/glaze and then decided to just dive in and see what happens.

__________________

Yesterday I wet down the wood and then made several lines with three different colors of Unicorn Spit. I then covered the paint and wood with plastic wrap. I sprayed the plastic with more water, then ‘squeezed’ the color around under the plastic. I carefully took the plastic off, leaving the wooden plaque to dry completely.

I took the plastic wrap and put it paint side down onto a sheet of watercolor paper. Pressed it down and then lifted it off and threw the plastic away.

_________________

When I went up to the art room a few minutes ago, both the plaque and the paper looked kind of ‘chalky,’ the sign that the paint is completely dry.  I ‘buffed’ the wood lightly with some steel wool and then wiped the wood off.

I put masking tape around the beveled edge of the plaque. I sprayed both the plaque AND the watercolor paper with polyurethane spray.

WAS THAT EVER FUN!!!!  As I sprayed, the color ‘bloomed,’ becoming wonderfully rich on both the plaque and the paper. It was quite dazzling. :0)

I’m going to let them dry, and then figure out the next step in what I want to do. I’m trying to build a rich background on both and then paint something in white on both.

I am like a kid playing with a new toy. It’s hard to wait for things to dry before playing again, but I DO have some things I really should be doing around here….

 

Jeff Jett

 

 

 

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October 15, 2019 · 11:32 am

Thoughts on a Tuesday 10-15-2019

We Love Earth

It’s not raining yet, but severe storms are forecast for us this afternoon. We scooted out the door this morning to avoid the worst of it while we did our errands. It only sprinkled on us a bit.  I’m hoping we just get a good bit of rain, rather than flying hairballs.

We put up a different mailbox decoration while we were out –

I added some Day-Glo orange paint to this one, so it shows up nicely when headlights hit it in the dark. :0)   Because of Columbus Day yesterday, the mail is being delivered later than usual.  We’ll check again after lunch sometime to see if we received anything.

I’m having a wonderful time playing in my art room, experimenting with the Unicorn Spit stain/glaze. I’m trying to use it on a wooden plaque we cut out years ago. I did the first layer yesterday. I’ll add a second layer today. I have no clue what I’m doing, but it’s exciting and fun.

Elliptical and yoga await later in the day. FIRST, I’ll play in my art room before I need to fix lunch. :0)

Have a glorious Tuesday!

 

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October 13, 2019 · 9:18 am

Unicorn Spit

 

I told you that my sister-in-law saw this kit, thought I might have fun with it, and sent it to me!  ( it’s okay to be envious of me… :0) )

Last night, while my husband was watching yet another ‘no-plot-everyone-shoots-each-other’ movie in the living room, I escaped to our office and started watching YouTube Demonstrations. I LOVE YouTube. You can find all kinds of information there, and SEE people showing you how to do things, such as ways to use Unicorn Spit!

So far, I’ve found out that you can use this on fabric, wood, metal, glass – you name it.  You can mix the colors before you use it, or just squeeze some on whatever you’re staining/painting and go for a tie-dyed effect. You can use it wet or dry. One lady was doing streaks of color, then spritzing the piece with water, covering it with saran wrap, spritzing the plastic, and then using her fingers to blend the colors. The final step on whatever you paint is SEALING. You can do this with polyurethane in any form, and I’ll look for a water-proofing stuff for fabrics.  The dried unicorn spit looks ‘chalky.’ Then you seal it, with the sealer bringing the colors to gorgeous life.

I’m going to continue watching demonstration videos today, but I am already getting over my  intimidation about trying something new, and ideas of what I could do are starting to rattle around in my head. I’m hoping to make time to play in my art room this afternoon, probably making a glorious mess, but enjoying myself tremendously!

I hope that YOUR Sunday is a happy one.

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October 12, 2019 · 10:07 am

Thoughts on a Saturday 10-12-2019

Beautiful World

 

It’s 40 degrees F this morning and sunshine-y.

It’s too cool to have our doors open this morning, but I am REALLY enjoying the relief from our relentless summer here. It’s nice to NOT have a ‘heat index’. Somehow, knowing that makes me even hotter. I’m planning to work outside this afternoon, cleaning up around the tomato planters where I pulled out the plants a couple of days ago. I may have to throw on a sweatshirt!!!! Woo HOOOO!

It makes me a bit sad that in one week our son will be going back to Thailand. He came home at the end of July (27 hour trip with the flights and the layovers) to help us through the aftermath of my husband’s stroke.  There were lots of tests and decisions to be made. It was a super tense situation, but we finally got the information we needed and did what my husband would allow to avoid another stroke. The crisis is over. My husband is almost completely back to normal. It’s time for our son to get back to his life. I’m collecting lots of hugs (thank goodness he is super generous with them. We communicate almost daily when he’s halfway across the world. He set up a secure chat program we use, plus a conference call program we use from time to time so we can see each other. The only thing missing is his world class hugs. We are SO lucky.

 

I am still fighting with technology, but I’m happy to have two shops on Etsy now –

ArtworthyNoteCards –  hand-painted personalizable stationery, note cards, and greeting cards

TotablyYours  – hand-painted, one-of-a-kind tote bags

 

Amazon

 

I’ve admitted that I’m like a little kid when it comes to motivation to do things I would rather not. I’ve been giving myself gold stars on my desk calendar each day when I practice my yoga, do my elliptical trainer, or do a job in the yard that is drudgery, rather than fun. This week – if I stay on track today and tomorrow, will be a 15-star week!  It makes me happy to look at all the stars on the desk calendar, but I’m also FEELING better for the exercise – and that is really the point of it all.

If I can get my technical problems solved today, I’ll try to get up to my art room this afternoon. I have the BEST of all dilemmas – whether to experiment with my new crayon melting tools or experiment with my new Unicorn Spit stain/glaze kit my wonderful SIL sent me.  :0)

 

 

I hope that you are enjoying YOUR Saturday, whether it is with relaxation or fun.

 

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October 10, 2019 · 12:48 pm

Thoughts on A Thursday 10-10-2019

Jeff Jett – LinkedIn

Right now it’s pretty pleasant outside. This evening we’re due for possible severe storms (wind, rain, hail, lightning, and flying hairballs) so I’m enjoying the weather while I can. Last week was summer, with the a/c on. Tomorrow, the lows are supposed to be in the 30’s!!

We just got back from Lunch Bunch – usually this is on Fridays, but one of our group is having a yard sale starting tomorrow, so went went today, instead. Everyone was good and all appendages are crossed (including my eyes) for ONLY cold and not rain, for her yard sale tomorrow and Saturday.

I’m going to go out as soon as I finish this – and my cup of coffee – to take down our tomato plants, clean up the planters, weed whack around them, etc. There are no green tomatoes, so it’s time. We’ve had a good season this year in spite of the weirdness of the weather. For the first time ever, I was able to only to eat all the head lettuce we personally wanted, but could share with our friends. We also shared tomatoes, radishes, and leaf lettuce. It was too hot to start seeds for a fall garden in my greenhouse and I didn’t find any fall veggie plants for sale, so I’m not plotting and planning what I want to do for the spring.

We may have the cold snap tomorrow, but we usually have it warm up again to fall-like weather, so we won’t stop the irrigation system. My husband is hoping he’ll only have to mow once or twice more….

So – this afternoon the plan is to get rid of the tomato plants, do my elliptical trainer, and do a session of yoga. I would also like to get up to my art room. The big dilemma is whether to play with my new crayon melter tools or my new Unicorn Spit Stain/Glass first. :0)

 

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September 29, 2019 · 10:23 am

Thoughts on a Sunday – 9-29-2019

Patti’s Pasticceria

First HAPPY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY to our cousin/treasured friend MURRAY. I hope you have a wonderful day celebrating YOU, Sweet Murray. I love you! Love, also, to all there with you today. :0)

We are having a nice, calm morning so far, and for that I’m truly thankful.

Our son helped me find another carb counting site. We compared it to the one I’ve been using and it seemed to be more accurate and easier to use, so I’ve switched to Cronometer.  So far, it seems easy to figure out what type of thing I need to eat in order to meet my percentages of fat, carbs, and protein for the day.  I can also type something in there I’m planning to eat to see if it is good for my goals. If it isn’t, I find out BEFORE I mess up. A really good thing! :0) I’ve lost 4 pounds this month, but have only gotten serious about the keto percentages (macros) for 12 days now. I’m hoping to be able to report next month a much more satisfying number. I’m planning to lose another 30 lbs or so.

I am earning Gold Star #10 this week (7 for daily yoga practice and 3 for elliptical trainer exercise three times this week.)  Even though I really am adverse to exercise, not relating at ALL to the fit folks in their cute little exercise outfits who LIVE to get to the gym, saying it feels so GOOD, I CAN tell you that I can feel that my body needs what I’m doing.  I stiffen up again after I exercise, but even that is getting a bit better as I move the lard. :0)

I tried my new crayon melter two days ago. I made a huge mess and had a blast doing it. I will watch more YouTube demonstrations and enjoy playing in my art room – if not today, then hopefully tomorrow.

Lots to do today to end this month and start a new one.

I wish you a really good day.

 

 

 

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September 27, 2019 · 1:45 pm

Excitement

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I just love this quote! It makes me smile each time I read it.

I received the first of two crayon melting tools I ordered in the mail today. I’ve watched a BUNCH of YouTube videos demonstrating what creative folks can do with melted crayons. I have NO experience, but LOTS of enthusiasm and ideas rattling around in my brain right now. I’m going to try to make time to get up to my art room and start playing and see what a mess I can make. :0)

This is the first of the two different styles I ordered. This is more like using a crayon/soldering iron, so it isn’t as intimidating as the bay clothes ironing style I saw. I’m excited about my new toy.

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September 27, 2019 · 12:48 pm

Thoughts on a Friday 9-27-2019

Alma Maghakyan – Imgend.com – LinkedIn

We are enjoying a beautiful day.  The sun is shining and the temperature is in the low 80’s. How CIVILIZED after Mother Nature’s snit where she was routinely boiling us in oil!

We just returned from enjoying our long-time good friends for Lunch Bunch – a thing we’ve done every Friday for over 17 years now. We as a group have had more of our share of challenges lately. We’re helping each other get through them. A happy thing – Kay’s daughter from Albuquerque is here and we always enjoy her wit and humor. Another happy thing – Linda’s daughter dropped by with Linda’s great-granddaughters! They were sweet and shy. My husband’s reaction when we got in the car was, “How come come I can’t have some of those?” He would be a WONDERFUL grandfather.

We’ve grocery shopped and just finished putting everything away, so we’re well stocked for the moment. Our son is trying to get into the habit of rising really early, fixing breakfast, then going to meditate, so he didn’t go to Lunch Bunch with us today. He asked me NOT to get the things we’ve been routinely adding to the grocery list since he’s been here. He’s trying to ‘wean himself off of’ some things he considers bad habits… He came home to help us when my husband had his stroke. I’m trying to prepare myself that he will need to go home soon. I wish he would stay with us forever. He’s such a fine man.

I’m happy to tell you that one of the two crayon melting tools came in the mail today!  I’m going to try to get up to my art room this afternoon and start playing! :0)

I’m on DAY 25 on my effort to do a session of yoga daily, and DAY 10 of getting-serious-about-Keto eating. I have six gold stars on my desk calendar so far this week (4 for yoga and 2 for the elliptical trainer.) I’m hoping to have 10 stars by the end of the day Sunday.

I hope your weather is beautiful and your outlook hopeful.

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September 24, 2019 · 1:00 pm

Thoughts on a Tuesday 9-24-2019

Awesome Earth via Mara Spirig – LinkedIn

It’s really overcast today with heavy rain and flash flooding predicted.

When my husband and I went to take our trash bags down to the bottom of the driveway, there was lots of heavy equipment there – big trucks, backhoes, etc. We asked them what was happened and were delighted to hear they are running fiber optic lines!  That means that the news we heard awhile back that we might be getting an offer for a bundle of phone and much faster Internet services within a year and a half might be coming true!!!  I was so happy to hear it, I was clapping my hands and grinning like a loon. The man who told me flashed a big grin at me. :0)

Amazon.com

I decided to add my elliptical trainer to my exercise ‘regimen’ since our weather is finally cooling off some. My elliptical is in the garage, and with heat indices in the 100’s, I just let it gather dust out there. I did 35 minutes on it this morning – old lady speed, but worked off 260 calories and worked the muscles in a way that won’t hurt my joints. I’m planning to do this 3 times a week – Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. So this is Day 1 on the elliptical.

Penn Fitness Warehouse

Day 22 on yoga and Day 7 on Keto.  I MAY be getting into Ketosis. From what I’m reading it can take up to 10 days. I also learned from reading that I may be eating too much protein, and that might be delaying things. I’ll read more today and try to adjust my food. Meanwhile, I’m eating a piece of cheese. :0)

 

The Animal Zone

I’m still working on the long-sleeved tee I’m painting in my art room. I’m really having fun experimenting. (There is a freedom in painting a tee you would have had to throw away or use as a rag due to stains that won’t come out!) :0)  I’m trying to paint a snow scene. Yesterday I used SnowTex – a product that adds a bunch of texture and a 3-D look. I have no clue whether it will work or not, but I’m having a blast trying this.

Oakridge Elem Sch – Arlington Publ Schools

 

I hope that YOUR day has good news, hope for the future, a nice rain if you need it, and FUN.

 

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September 22, 2019 · 11:04 am

Thoughts on a Sunday 9-22-2019

Irma Nadal -LinkedIn

We had a disturbing/scary thing happen this morning – our two doggies got into a fight. (Both are okay now, thank goodness.) We have Molly –

Molly

who is 14 years old and weighs about 25 pounds, and Amber –

Amber

who is 2-1/2 years old and weighs 94 pounds.

Obviously, Amber ‘won.’  They have fought twice before, over food. I have been careful ever since to be sure they are apart whenever their food or ours is involved. Today’s fight is a mystery. Both had finished their breakfast. We had all gone to the office, as is usual. Then Molly left, and then Amber. And suddenly, the fight was on. It was all I could do to pull them apart. I put Amber out and tended to Molly, who has a small hole in her throat where a previous growth was. She seems okay otherwise. Amber was not hurt at all. I have had Amber either outside or in her bed behind her gate this morning. I have no clue why they had the fight, so it’s a bit scary going forward. Molly is old an crotchety now, and Amber, in her general bull-in-a-China-shop demeanor, may have set Molly off.  Needless to say, I will be watching both closely and giving each lots of space for the day.

Otherwise, my husband is napping in his chair and we’ll leave soon to shop for groceries.

ihowdo.blogspot.com

Today is DAY 20 of my daily practice (this is a 7-Gold Star week) and DAY 5 of being serious about my keto eating plan. I’ve read that it takes 3 days to 2 weeks to get into ketosis. I’m having a couple of the symptoms of ‘keto-flu’ (leg cramp a couple of nights ago and fatigue) so I’m hoping that I’m getting there. I am concentrating on staying under 20 grams of carbs daily. Hopefully, the scale or the measuring tape will show me some results in the near future, just for a bit of added motivation.

WordPress.com

 

I also will try to get upstairs to my art room today. I’ve started painting my LAST stained tee shirt!  I’m still a slob, though, so I’m confident I’ll have more to start another painting pile with soon. :0)

 

I’m hoping the REST of our day will be a quiet one with everyone calm and content.

I wish YOU a day free of drama and full of fun.

 

 

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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.

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September 20, 2019 · 12:27 pm

Thoughts on a Friday 9-20-2019

 

I’m delighted to tell you that Mother Nature finally smiled, and it’s raining!  She smiled on us a bit yesterday afternoon while I was playing in my art room, and we woke up to rain this morning. I was tempted to play in it when we walked from the car to the restaurant for Lunch Bunch, but I resisted the urge. :0)

Lunch Bunch today was a whole table-full. One of our long time good friends lost a son this past week. Family came in for a memorial yesterday and came to Lunch Bunch today. Another good friend joined us. Though the reason for the family gathering was heartbreaking, the love – and even some laughter – flowed. Over the past 17 years we have celebrated the good things and helped each other through the bad things. Our core is strong.

I am on Day 18 of practicing my yoga daily. Though my back is still complaining, I can FEEL my body loosening as I practice. I can’t say I look FORWARD to my sessions, but I feel GOOD that I’m doing something daily that will improve my health, flexibility, and general attitude.

This is Day 3 of my ‘getting serious’ about staying at 20 carbs or under daily on my Keto eating plan. On Wednesday I stopped eating the no-sugar-added Blue Bunny Freedom vanilla ice cream. I’ve been having a scoop for dessert nightly while my husband has been having strawberries and cakes with his. I quit playing ostrich and looked at the label – 16 grams of carbs – EEEEK! – and I get 20 or less for the day. I have now substituted a small handful of pecans. I don’t know if I’ll have the “Keto-Flu” or not. I know I’m NOT walking around with my stomach thinking my throat has been cut, so that’s a HUGE good thing for me. I’m also trying to get serious about drinking lots more water. I’m mostly there, but fudge the numbers sometimes. I’m also taking Magnesium Glycinate, 400 mgs, one tab daily for Bone, Cardiovascular, and Muscle support.  Hopefully, I’ll be able to report that I’m finally off the plateau and on the downward slope again.

I started painting a long-sleeved tee in my art room yesterday. I have a nice design in my head. The jury is still out as to whether the end result will bear any resemblance or not to my plan. I’m going to get back upstairs in a few minutes, turn on my music and PLAY.

May you have rain – if you need it – family, friends, and FUN in your day today.

 

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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.

 

 

 

 

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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.

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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.

 

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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!

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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.

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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.

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