My Life Is Sew Sweet

Papier Marie

2012-01-27T11:00:00.001-05:00

Remember how I said that I wanted to try doing portraits using papers, book pages, instead of fabric? This is what I meant....

What do you think? I used a page from an old music book for the background, white drawing paper for her flesh and the rest are pages from different books. The illustrations are from a book also. I used red colored pencil, black charcoal pencil and glitter in her hair. I'm probably going to mount her to a sturdier piece of paper because the music sheet is rather delicate.

I'm going to keep exploring this form, but only in addition to the fabric portraits I make. I had fun creating this. Let me know what you think.

Danielle

Portrait Plans 2012

2012-01-24T14:18:00.000-05:00

I've decided to elaborate on my plans and goals for my art in 2012 here, on this blog, instead of the other blog. Just because.

Before I began on the lovely Mademoiselle Marie #3 (FYI, Marie will always be the first portrait of the new year), I thought about the ideas and thoughts and images that have been tickling my brain for the past couple of months. And, I wrote them down. So, in an effort to hold myself more accountable, here they are:

I have been in envisioning a portrait made with paper. Papers, plural. At first, I was thinking of adding color to paper myself, cutting out the shapes and gluing or sewing them together. Then I thought about books. Old books. Different shades of white paper, fading and yellowing. Different fonts, words, typed close together or far apart. So, I want to explore that. I have, actually. Marie was my subject, of course. I'll get her picture up soon.
I want to draw/watercolor paint more. Either the small, ACEO cards or larger portraits or added to my fabric portraits. Or all of those!
I want to work on my back stories more. More involved, more elaborate. Plan out groups of corresponding portraits as a book. (?)
Explore the ACEO's/drawings to greeting card avenue.
Treat each subject as a more complete package by including multiple forms of portraits and a story and whatever.
Plan. Precisely. Who, how and story. Before. Instead of frantically wracking my exhausted brain for a last bit of creative effort when the portrait is finished and I am ready to move on.
I would also like to investigate local and local-ish galleries. I don't know if I am going to do any shows this year.
And social media. Argh. Ugh. 'nuff said.

As far as subjects are concerned, here's the short list:

characters inspired by Charles Dickens as it is his 200th birthday this year.
Dark Shadows characters.
characters inspired by E. A. Poe. (Yes, I know. These first three take none of you by surprise. Hang in there.)
Fairy tales characters- ie. Red Riding Hood, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Snow White.
characters from Alice in Wonderland.

Of course, all of this is subject to change.Or at least be pushed back. After all, you know as soon Halloween fever sets in, all bets are off!

What's next, now that Marie is complete? Well, I think, don't hold me to it, but...I've had Little Red Riding Hood and that fox of hers on my mind lately. Begin the fairy tales!

Danielle

First Portrait of 2012

2012-01-23T14:58:00.000-05:00

Here's what I did this weekend.

Meet Marie #3...

Go here for more Marie!

Danielle

Baby, It's Cold Outside...So Bake Some Bread!

2012-01-20T09:00:00.000-05:00

Cold doesn't quite capture what it feels like here in Michigan. It's freezing out there! So I am baking bread. The first loaves of the year, actually. This way I get to hang out in my warm kitchen surrounded by yummy smells.

Last year was the first time I had ever made bread. I had been kind of scared of baking bread. It just seemed like something that was way beyond me. My mother assured me I had no reason to fear baking bread so finally, last winter, I did it. And, it worked! I made bread! It wasn't scary, it was actually kinda fun. And, relaxing.

What did I learn? One of my concerns was how long it takes to make bread. It is a long process but it isn't that you are constantly working on it for 3 hours. Your actual work time is probably about a half hour. The "long" part is the three periods of waiting: the first rise, the second rise and the baking. During those times I just get on with my day; laundry, lunch, make art, whatever. All while being surround by the smell of bread baking. I also discovered a speedy wheat bread recipe and a beer bread recipe that takes all of an hour to make. Yum!

Another concern was where to put my dough for it to rise. This time of year, in this lovely, old house of mine, there isn't a warm, moist spot to be found. Well, when in doubt, look at your cookbook. I learned that all I needed to do was put a pan of boiling water on the bottom rack in my oven and the dough on the top rack. Moist and warm.

I was also concerned about kneading the dough. How? How long? Again, look in your cookbook. My cookbook has great "tips" on how and why to do different things. Plus, I found that it is true what I've heard about the process of kneading dough. It's very relaxing. And, who doesn't need to be relaxed a little?

If you've never tried making bread, I highly recommend it. There are lots of great recipes out there. It's much less expensive, too. Have you noticed the price of bread? To help tempt you further, here are some pictures:

White Bread recipe in my handy-dandy cooking/baking notebook.

Ingredients gathered.

Dry ingredients.

Wet ingredients, getting very warm.

All together now.

After two rises and ready for the oven.

Fresh from the oven. I brushed the top with butter.


One last look....Isn't it pretty? You should smell it!

Danielle

Cool Things

2012-01-19T09:00:00.000-05:00

I thought I'd do a post of some things I had "discovered" last year that are pretty cool. Some of these "discoveries" might be old news to you but, if not check them out.

***These are in no particular order.

Do you like to mess with your own hair? Do it up? Down? Curled? Straightened? Check out this blog- The Small Things. I kept seeing pictures of her hair on Pinterest and finally decided to check her out. I was hooked instantly! The other day, I trimmed (as in gave myself) my bangs. According to her wonderful and easy instructions. They turned out great! I now plan on growing my hair out a little so that I can start wearing it up, curled, half-up, etc. Who knows? Maybe you'll be treated to the sight of me cleaning out the chicken coop with a lovely up-do goin' on.

Do you like to look at pictures? Of anything? Pinterest. PINTEREST! I resisted signing on for I-don't-know-what reason until this fall. Now I know the reason why I didn't. Everyone says it's addictive. It is! Your life just seems to pass so quickly while on Pinterest. But it's worth it.

Do you like to eat? Sensibly? Go on over to Skinnytaste. First of all, her pictures of food are fantastic! I'm a crazy-picky eater and her pictures make me salivate over foods that I wouldn't touch with a ten foot pole! Her recipes are yummy and easy to follow. And, she slims it all down! Woo-hoo!

Do you like music? I found iHeart Radio this past Christmas because I was looking for more Christmas music. 24/7, take it with me wherever I go, Christmas music. And, now that Christmas is over? Well the other day I decided to take a closer look. I knew you could make your own station, based on your preferences or you could look for other stations around the country that participate. While stumbling about I came across Weezer Radio. (Tee-hee! All Weezer, all the time, I wondered? Well, not really, but close. Lots of Weezer plus other music that Weezer approves of.) There are all sorts of stations to choose from. It's pretty cool!

Do you like books? Do you read a lot and like to keep track of what you are reading, what you want to read, and what you have read? Check out Goodreads. This is an excellent source for all of that plus; reviews, quizzes, author info, and so on. They even send me a newsletter each month about books by authors I've read that are being released. Joy!

Do you like Jane Austen? Austenprose is the blog for you. All Jane, all the time. And anything Regency England. Or Downton Abbey. See why I like it?

Do you like PBS? Last year brought "Downton Abbey", "Sherlock Holmes" and "Zen". Good stuff! If you haven't seen the first season of any of these, do so. You won't be sorry.

Alright. I think this is enough for now. What did you stumble upon last year?

Danielle

What I Got For Christmas

2012-01-18T09:00:00.000-05:00

...also known as "What's On My Nightstand". Or, "I Should Just Open A Book Store".

My Christmas list usually looks like an inventory wish-list for a small chain book store. I spend November researching authors I read to find out what new books of theirs are out there, waiting for me. Then I make The List.

This is what a received this year...

Not pictured is "A Christmas Homecoming" by Anne Perry, which I read immediately and then loaned to my parents. Also not pictured are two gift cards to Barnes & Noble from my step-sons.

I have also already read "V is for Vengeance" by Sue Grafton, which was fabulous!!! If you have never read this series, like detective fiction and miss the 80's just a wee bit, get these books and read them! The only thing that had me down about reading this is that she only has four books left! W, X, Y, and Z. (When bored, find myself wondering how she will name these books, especially X and Z. I also find myself wondering how I will ever fill the void. Sigh.)

I am currently reading "The Darcy's and the Bingley's" by Marsha Altman. I am enjoying it thoroughly! As a fan of all things Jane Austen, all things Jane Austen-sequel, all things Pride and Prejudice-sequel, all things Regency England, and... you get the idea, I had seen this series in the book store but had yet to make the plunge. I'm glad I did (with Santa Dave's help)! Fun, fun, fun!

The two P.D. James book are a series I have yet to read, also. My mom got them for me (perhaps sensing the void that will soon need to be filled) so that I could try out a new series. And, because she knows that I am a fan of all things murder-that-takes-place-in-England, she thought I might fancy them. (I say "fancy" because I am a fan of all things England.) I believe the first of those two will be next.

As for what to spend my gift cards on, I've got some (too many) ideas.

And, just so you know that I am not alone in my book love, look what Nathanael got for Christmas...

Do you love it? Four books! And, he's already read "Wimpy Kid" and has started on "39 Clues"! I'm so excited to have another reader in the same house with me again. Granted, he's not at the point where he gets panicky if he doesn't have at least 5 books lined up- on his nightstand- to read. But, I'm working on him!

What did you get for Christmas? And, more to the point, what's on your nightstand?

Danielle

Patterns

2012-01-17T09:00:00.000-05:00

Know what's in this box? 5 lbs. of fiberfil, you say? Don't be silly!

It's patterns. Lots and lots of patterns. Aren't they great?!

Gorgeous!

I bet if my parents hadn't eloped, my mom's wedding dress would have looked like one of these.

Why don't I start dressing like this when I walk the dog?

Is that Dianna?!?

From 1955!!!

And, there is more where those came from! My mother-in-law is quite handy with needle and thread and, apparently, she used to sew a lot of clothes for people, especially wedding dresses and more formal gowns. I haven't had a chance to really dig through the box yet. When I do, I'm going to put them on the Fabric Marketplace to sell. I'll keep you updated on my progress and discoveries. (Like more Dianna Ross!)

Danielle

To-Do 2012

2012-01-16T14:00:00.000-05:00

It's that time of year again. Time to look at the year ahead of me and make plans for what I'd like to see happen (or not) in 2012.

Personally:

Lose the holiday weight. I mean really lose it. Like, take it out for a long drive in the country and leave it somewhere in the middle of a field. Lose it and not gain it back again!!!
Read more. My goal is fifty books this year. 2 1/2 done so far!
Be consistent and finish what I start. In other words, don't start something, work at it sporadically, and never finish it. If I am going to start something (a book, a project, anything), do not start it unless I am sure that I will see it through to the end. Then, after being sure that I will see it to the end, actually see it to the end. I'm all about the journey, folks. Time for a change!

Professionally:
*The specifics concerning the art I make will be laid out (eventually) on my other blog. Stay tuned.

Get my work out there more (blog, social media, galleries, website, etc.) And, however it is I choose to get out there, stick with it, update it, be more consistent with it. And, become a bit more computer savvy (if you will) while I'm at. Join the 21st century, and all.
Update my business plan.
Write an artist statement.

Financially:

Save money! On groceries and TV/cable, etc. We just got a Roku box and will soon be saying good-bye to our cable. Eek! I'll let you know how it goes.
Make money! (I'll address this in a separate post. It involves Emma's Fabric Marketplace!)

General:

Garden. Utilize a plot in our neighborhood garden. Plant in the back yard. Plant a fall garden.
Basement. Deal with it once and for all!
Get Asher reading and writing the basics. Perhaps home school preschool?

Alright, I think this is good for now. Wouldn't want to overwhelm myself.;) Basically, if I can master the whole be-consistent-finish-what-I-start part of my to-do list, everything else will fall into place. Right?

Danielle

January means...

2012-01-13T09:00:00.000-05:00

...getting my house back from the Halloween-then-Christmas decorating-pallooza!

As soon as the extended family left for various parts south, I made my way up to the attic to bring down the empty red and green tubs I had taken up there two months earlier. I find cleaning and decorating to be very therapeutic. After the stress of this holiday season, I was really looking forward to tearing apart my house and putting it back together again.

It's been slow going this year. My husband has been sick with a whopper of a cold since the first.Dave almost never gets sick but when he does....It's really thrown him for a loop, poor guy. Now Asher is sick , too. Not as bad as his daddy, thankfully. I also had to check on and clean out my parents apartment. No big deal except Asher doesn't quite understand that Grandma and Grandpa are far away and won't be back for a long time. I was already a bit melancholy, so his questions and confusion really brought us down and made the task a bit trying.

I have almost all of the Christmas decorations packed up and away. Just my room and Nathanael's room are left.As for putting the house back together, well, I'm getting there. The living and dining rooms and kitchen are done. And I put Asher's room back together on Monday. Slowly but surely I'm putting my home back together. And when that's done? Spring cleaning, of course!

Here are some pictures of my progress. The theme? Snow and Hearts!

Kitchen

Counter in the kitchen/dining room.

Counter in kitchen/dining room.

Tray on my dining room table.

Dining room

Living room- where the Christmas tree had been.

Living room

Living room- fireplace mantel

Living room- love, love, love


Living room- love for Jane Austen

Danielle

Asher's Birthday...

2012-01-12T09:00:00.000-05:00

...was Monday, January 9th. He's a big four year-old now!

Set-up the night before.

The sweet, but crazy, boy doesn't like cake. But he loves powdered donuts!

Monday morning in his p.j.'s.

Blowing out candles.

His interests are typical, boy interests: trains...

cars...

more trains...(look at Katie! Cracks. Me. Up.)

and gigantic construction sets.


Happy 4th Birthday, my baby boy!

Danielle

Christmas 2011

2012-01-11T12:33:00.000-05:00

I started the Christmas season wondering how I was going to fit eight people and all of our gifts in my living room on Christmas morning. My two step-sons were going to be joining my parents and my family this year. It was going to be cozy but we'd all fit.

Then I found out that my brother, Christopher would be coming with his girlfriend, Jeannie. Ten people. Cozier but fine.

Then I found out that my niece, Alexis, my nephew, Caleb and Jeannie's daughter, Brianna were coming. Thirteen people.
Thirteen people, a gazillion presents, one tree, a sofa, two chairs and two, little dogs. Beyond cozy!

Boy, did we have fun! It was loud and a tad chaotic but there was lots of laughter and story-telling. We even had one day of snow so that my brother could take the kids sledding. It really was a wonderful Christmas and New Year. I don't think any of us will ever forget it.

Dave, Asher, Nathanael and me on Christmas Eve.

The Original Four- Dad, Mom, me and Chris on Christmas Eve.

Together again- me and Chris on Christmas Eve.

Caleb, Chris, Alexis, Brianna, Nathanael and Asher on Christmas Eve.

My poor sofa bravely holding up a whole bunch of people!

Christmas Eve. The kids are in bed, the presents are under the tree and Katie looks on!

Christmas Day! Bright and early- a bunch of us scattered about. (Do you see Katie peaking out from behind Asher? That cracks me up!!!)

I hope you had a wonderful Christmas, too!

Danielle

New Year

2012-01-10T13:15:00.000-05:00

The new year has begun and it is time for me to get back into the swing of things. But, to begin with, I need to do a little bit of wrapping up as far as 2011 is concerned.

Last January, after my parents got back to their home in Florida, my father called to tell me that my mother was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. I must say that I am still a bit in shock about that. My grandfather, my father's father, had Parkinson's so I have prepared myself to learn of my father being diagnosed with it (nothing personal, Dad). But my mom...that was a shocker. And very upsetting. They had just left and I wouldn't be seeing her for six long months. That was really hard. Not being able to look at my mom, watch her, see if she was okay.

After many doctors appointments and tests, Mom still has Parkinson's but it is apparently in the very early stages. This is good. She is on medication which will help keep the disease in check. And, after finally being able to see her, I am happy to report that she looks great! I don't think anyone would think anything was amiss by looking at her. Now my folks are back in Florida. Mom will be able to see her doctor, which is good. And, she'll be back here in six months, which is better.

That was the beginning of 2011.

On December 2nd, my mother (apparently my parents take turns) told me that my brother, Christopher, had called to tell them that he had been diagnosed with stomach cancer. Unfortunately it is very advanced and he was told that he has about three months to a year.

My brother and I haven't had much of a relationship as adults. He has led a different kind of life from me and we have grown apart. I hadn't seen him for almost nine years and the last time I saw him is not something I look back on fondly. He didn't know my boys and barely knew my husband. That being said, he is my little brother and I love him dearly. We were pretty close as kids growing up and I do have lots of wonderful memories of our childhood together. And I always thought that some day we could be brother and sister again.

Christopher wanted to come up to Michigan. He wanted to be with our parents and me and my family for Christmas. We hadn't spent a Christmas together, the four of us, for about 15 years. And we had never been together like this, ever. But we made it happen. Christopher came up with his girlfriend and her daughter. Christopher's son and daughter came up from Ohio. Even my two step-sons joined in on the fun. And it was fun. I'll write a post about our Christmas later- pictures and all.

It was a bit of a shock, seeing my little brother after so long. I found myself looking at him a lot. He actually looked pretty good, a sight for sore eyes! We reconnected right away, picking up where we left off. We talked a little, Chris and I, about what was happening to him. He didn't want his visit to be about his condition and I respected that so I didn't push. It was a really wonderful time.

Christopher and I also said good-bye to each other on January first. One of the hardest things I think I have ever experienced. My family and I are planning on going to Florida to visit over Spring break and Chris is thinking about coming up again in the Summer. In the meantime, I'm doing a lot of praying. Praying that he'll be healed. Praying for more time. Praying for our parents who have to watch this happen to their son. Praying for my niece and nephew who have to watch this happen to their dad. And thanking God that I was able to see Christopher, that he could meet his nephews and that we could make some sweet memories.

Now for 2012. Visiting family has departed Nathanael is back at school and Dave is back at work. Asher and I are back to our routines, too. I'm slowly putting my house back together and making plans for the artwork I'd like to create this year. I also wanted to get back into blogging. I'm sorry to start my return with something sad but I felt like I needed to get this down. Now I need to move forward! As I get updates about Chris I'll let you know.

Danielle

This Christmas...

2011-12-05T11:00:00.000-05:00

What else do I want to do this Christmas season?

Well, if you read last years post about how I wanted Christmas to be different, I addressed the opening gifts Christmas morning chaos that we had experienced in the past. I took over playing Santa last year and all was well. Not because it was me handing out the gifts. I think we just really need one cook in the kitchen so to speak. And that cook could not be an impatient child. So, this year, more of the same. I don't mind being Santa again, crawling all over the floor, looking for the next gift. We'll call it exercise.

I would also like to make all of the ornaments that I give out this year. I usually make some.I've gotten into the habit of making my husband an ornament each year. I've already made ones for the boys. They are snowman heads made out of their Grandmother's wool sweater. The rest of the ornaments will probably be cross stitch. I love to cross stitch (sometimes I wonder what would happen if I ever gave my fingers a rest). Maybe after Christmas I'll post pictures of what I made.

I also wanted to get the major Christmas shopping done as close to the beginning of December as possible. I ordered my last gift this morning. Hot dog! I still need to get stocking stuffers, no big deal. ( I lie. We take stockings pretty seriously around here. They overflow into grocery bags. They're to heavy to hang on the mantel. Candy, toiletries, books, toys, fruit, nuts, ornaments, kitchen gadgets....One year I got a new toilet brush in my stocking.)

And, again, like last year, I want to take it slow this Christmas. Not just Christmas Day. I'd like these next few weeks to be enjoyable, not stressful. Everything went beautifully last Christmas Day, this year I'm branching out a little further. Since the shopping is done and can be checked off the list, I'm going to spend a day planning meals, figuring out guests, times and dates for get-togethers, scheduling everything form school parties to ornament making to gift wrapping to cookie baking. My hope is that once Nathanael begins his Christmas break, I'm done! I want to spend that time with my family, soaking them all up. Why? Because my parents leave for Florida on the 27th, Nathanael goes back to school January 3rd and Dave will no longer be taking long weekends off .

This probably all sounds like what I want for Christmas is a whopping case of OCD. Maybe so. We'll call it Organized Christmas Disorder.

Snowflake Queen

2011-12-03T09:00:00.000-05:00

What do you do on a snow day with an old, hand knitted wool sweater and a bunch of even older buttons?
You make a Snowflake Queen! (Duh!)

My mother-in-law gave me this sweater that someone washed in hot water and shrunk. She also sent me a bunch of old buttons she found packed away. My fingers have been busy ever since. I've already made my boys a couple of Christmas ornaments out of the sweater. You'll have to take my word for it that they are cute.

Let it snow! (Seriously, let it snow. Or she's not going to be very happy.)

My Advent Calendar

2011-12-02T10:27:00.001-05:00

Since I wrote about my advent calendar, I thought I'd post some pictures of my creation. I made this awhile ago, maybe five years ago. Every time I pull it out of it's box I am re-impressed with my advent calendar. I'm not bragging (I hope). I am just truly impressed with the final outcome that is my advent calendar. I remember having an idea in my head of exactly what I wanted. And I would have been more than happy to buy it if I had seen it out there. I never did, so one year I decided to make my own.

I wanted it to be BIG. BIG. My calendar measures 45" long by 32" wide. I also wanted it to have pockets, big enough for me to put whatever I wanted in them depending on my theme for the year. These pockets measure 5" square. I wanted each pocket to have a different image on it and I needed to be able to remove the number on each pocket. I can't remember how long it took to make this, but I'm sure it's not as long as it seems. I remember taking the little pockets to work with me to work on during slow times (I worked in a fabric store). And, I remember sitting on my sofa in the evenings, watching TV and stitching on the pockets and the backing. Yes, it is 100% hand stitched.

I used to think that maybe I would make ornaments that match what's in the pocket. (Whatever!) I also thought about offering it for sale. For a lot of money. (There's not enough money!) In the end, this wasn't made for any other reason than I wanted something for my family to pull out every December. Something to look forward to. Something to eventually pass on to my kids. Just for us. I love advent calendars (I even made one for the month of October). I'm sure this isn't the last one that I'll make. Wouldn't it be cool to have an advent calendar in every room of the house!!!

With out further ado, my advent calendar...

December Is Here

2011-12-01T11:45:00.001-05:00

Yesterday, the last day of November, we awoke to a Marshmallow World (cue Bing). Our first real snow of the season and it was our first snow day, too. The way it should be, in my opinion. I think snow days are like found money and should be treated as such. Do what you want with it, it's a gift!

And, now, in the blink of an eye, it's December. Bring on Christmas! Actually, in my house, Christmas has been here, but now it's official. The first pocket on the Advent calendar has been emptied. It has begun!

So, this morning I found myself thinking about how I'd like this month to play out. I had already decided to do something different with the Advent calendar. Usually, there is one piece of candy in each pocket, and each day someone gets a piece of candy from that day's pocket. In the past, if the kids didn't like the candy in their day, they dug around in the other pockets and made an exchange. This year I decided to put three little, bite-sized candies in each pocket. I told everyone that when it is their day to pick, they need to decide with whom and how to share their treats. I'm leaving the who and how up to them. I would just like them to learn to enjoy giving and sharing. So far so good. Asher had today, and he gave a piece to his brother (with whom he had been fighting this morning). My heart swelled!

Other things I'd like to do? Well, I'd also like to make talking about the Christmas story a part of every day this year. From beginning (prophesies and promises), to angel-visits (Mary, Joseph, shepherds), to Happy Birthday! I am going to start tonight, at dinner. I've printed out a few verses from the Old Testament to read to the boys. There is plenty for us to chew on with these few verses that I think I'll take a few nights to talk about them. I would also like to read Luke 2:1-20 to them every night until Christmas. I want this to become second nature to them.

Why? Well, you see, they have a mom who is crazy about Christmas. The snow, the colors, the images, the stories, the food, the songs, the movies, the cookies, the giving, the receiving.... I loooooove Christmas-time. I also love Jesus. Much more than Christmas-time, as a matter of fact. I don't want my boys to confuse anything, about me and my beliefs or about Christmas and Jesus. The best part about Christmas is that we get to celebrate that Jesus was born. The rest is decorating and baking and crafting. It's stuff I love to do, eat, listen to, look at, sing, give, unwrap, and so on, and so on.

I hope my boys will always love this time of year. I hope they will always have wonderful memories every time December rolls around. I hope that they will be able to share some of things we do today, with their families someday. I also hope, more than anything else, that the common, thread, theme, song and thought will be Jesus.

What's Next... Penelope

2011-11-07T12:11:00.000-05:00

I am doing a series of portraits of the women from Homer's Odyssey. I have already done Circe, the sorceress/goddess who liked to turn men into animals. Now I am working on Penelope, Odysseus' faithfully, waiting wife.

Sketch first. I wanted to show her waiting, because that's what she did. And, somehow, I'd like to show her attachment and love for O. I've got a few ideas. After the sketch I picked out colors and fabrics and began cutting and pinning.

The reds and pinks were chosen to show her ardent love and faithfulness to her husband. The blues (there will be more blue showing up) are to symbolize her sadness because she misses O and sometimes wonders if she'll ever see him again.

Penelope is a bit of a change up from my usual creepiness, a refreshing change up. But not for long.

Christmas Decorating- The Master Bedroom

2011-11-04T16:15:00.001-04:00

That's right! I am finished with the master bedroom. I cleaned it yesterday and decorated it today. I always start with my bedroom (it's my favorite room in the house). I keep the decorating relatively simple, playing off of what I already have in there. Here it is...

Next I'll be tackling the upstairs hallway and the upstairs bathroom. Stay tuned!

Christmas Planning Begins

2011-11-03T10:37:00.002-04:00

As I alluded to yesterday, I am ready for Christmas!

Well, that's not quite right. I am ready to get ready for Christmas. Yes, that's better! I am ready to get ready. Ready?

So, each year I strive to get a bit more organized. Not that I 'm not organized. It's just that I am also a procrastinator. An Organized Procrastinator. Who loves making lists. Who love-loves crossing things off lists. There you have it!

Anyway...the other day I decided to make myself a new Christmas planner. I hemmed and hawwed over just how to make it to suit all of my list making needs. Well, there just isn't a planner big enough. So, I made two!

The first planner is a binder (red and white, of course) that I divided up into a Nov/Dec month-at-a-glance section, a day by day section, a meal planning section and a project/decorating/cleaning section. I also have folders for patterns for gift making and a folder for catalogs and Christmas-themed magazines. It is basically an organized notebook to help me keep my thoughts and notes...organized.

The second planner is strictly for gifts; wish lists, shopping lists, coupons, receipts. Wanna see it?

Do you love it? I had seen these little planner/journal things in magazines before. They are made out of a file folder! I did a search for directions on how to make one and...volia!

I wanted something smaller for my gift lists so that I could take it with me when I shop. I also wanted to be able to hide it easily from various prying, blue eyes.

It opens to four pocket sections; one for gift ideas/info and one for coupons and notes...

...and one for shopping lists and one for receipts.

What's next? Cleaning, of course! All signs of Halloween have been eradicated. Now it's time to clean, clean, clean. To Christmas music! ;)

*The lists are from here. Ideas for making and decorating the planner were found here. Enjoy!

It's November...

2011-11-02T15:25:00.000-04:00

...you know what that means? Time to decorate for Christmas!!!

Call me crazy, I don't care! You know what I did yesterday? I put on Christmas music and backed away all of my Halloween decorations. Yes, I said Christmas music.

What's next? As any good elf knows, it's time to make some lists. Not just gift lists either. That's what I've been doing today, making lists. Cleaning, decorating, gift making, decoration making lists. Because I like to make list almost as much as I like to decorate for Christmas.

Are you getting ready for Christmas yet?

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-31T10:54:00.000-04:00

When my sweet boy, Nathanael, came to me and said he wanted to be a Vampire for Halloween...I never felt so proud! Finally a chance to to convert one of my sweetest creations into something a tad creepy (minus the sewing). And what a Vampire he makes!!! There's only been one, minor hic-cup....

That's right! No teeth!!! I mean, seriously now. How effective is he going to be?!? And the freckles! I've never had to work so hard, covering up those freckles. Eek! Actually, as I sit here, staring at his adorable face, I'm feeling inspired... Halloween 2012, look for a portrait of a toothless vampire! In the meantime...

Happy Halloween!

How was your weekend?

2011-09-26T10:11:00.001-04:00

Mine went by in bit of a whir. Nathanael had his first sleepover at a friends house Friday night. I didn't go to get him until two o'clock which made the day feel like a week day, when Nat. is at school. It seems that, more often than not, I haven't a clue as to what day of the week it is. It is getting better now that school has started again but soon they'll be sure to throw a Monday off at me and I'll be all mixed up again.

Last week I was commissioned to make a custom portrait for a lovely lady who contacted me through etsy. She was interested in Romeo and Juliet and, because the originals are not available, I got to do a little re-imagining. So Saturday I sat down with my sketchbook and here is what I came up with:

We decided on one large portrait with both Romeo and Juliet, same timing as before- Juliet discovering Romeo dead.

Sunday was nice and easy going. It was a blah fall day but my boys made the best of it. At one point, I saw Nathanael raking leaves into one pile while Asher sat on the hood of Dave's car picking off the leaves that had collected there. Next thing I know, they're yelling for me to bring out the camera....

It's like a cheesy-grin-a-thon!

What I Did On My Summer Vacation

2011-09-23T10:49:00.000-04:00

So, earlier this summer I heard from a man who was going to be opening a gallery in Charlotte, NC. He said he had come across my work on-line and liked it and wanted me to send him a few pieces to sell there. I expressed my interest (read: freaked out) and a bit of concern because, at the time I had a couple of shows I was preparing for. In the end, he suggested that I send 1-3 pieces as soon as possible for the craft gallery and then he would schedule an exhibit of my work for the month of October. (!!!!!!!!!)

In case you've been wondering what I have been doing with myself...there you go! I've been sewing and framing and packing and mailing. And printing. The owner of the gallery (Plaza Muse is the name, check out there website) suggested that I make my little ACEO's into greeting cards. Brilliant, no? I think they look pretty good so, as I continue to get my butt in gear, I'll get them up on etsy for sale.

I've also been getting back into the school routine with Nathanael and spending lots of time with my parents. My folks got here (from Florida) around July 7th and they won't be going back until December 28th but, boy, does this time just fly! I wish they could be here all the time but I've got Michigan weather working against me.

I would really like to get back to blogging and facebooking and I still need to figure out twitter. So now that, as of yesterday, I have mailed out the last box of creepies for NC I am going to re-enter society. :) So much has been changing in the world of social networking! Oy!

While I re-acclimate, enjoy some pics of the portraits that I made for Plaza Muse...

This is "Frankenstein's Monster". Do you love the hair?

And, this is "The Monster's Bride". Again with the hair! I just love looking at her. The look on her face, those red, red lips and the hair. Love it!!!

And, "Lenore", of course. From Edgar A. Poe's poem, "The Raven". I can't go to long with addressing Mr. Poe. Because I looove him.

Nor can I go long with out addressing the fabulous month of October. These lovely ladies are "Opal and Calendula, the Misses October 2011". The first time conjoined twins have won this honor, by the way!

"Virginia". Inspired by Edgar's first love.

And, "Boris" (aka my new crush). If you are a devoted fan of "Young Frankenstein" by Mel Brooks (my other crush), that daisy is for you.

And this, this is the awesome announcement for the exhibit!

2011-08-09T14:42:00.000-04:00

Would you look at the rain come down!

Here I sit, trying to get caught up on the many, many things I have neglected as the rain falls and the thunder crashes. The boys are in the living room watching an old, black-and-white movie called "Air Force". The dogs (we are babysitting my parents Shorkie) are hiding under the desk and in the bathroom.

(Just had to make a run around the house closing windows. All done while slipping on wet floors, stepping on frightened dogs and being stepped on by "helpful" boys.)

And, just like that, blue skies! Weird!

Anyhoo...as you can see, I have freshened up the look of my little blog here to reflect where I have been, and will be, creatively speaking. Halloween!

I have been doing LOTS lately; as a mom, artist and urban farm chick. If I were to catch you up on everything now, we'd be here a loooong time. I'll fill you in little by little over the next week or so. In the meantime...

...a wee sneak peak!

2011-08-04T11:21:00.000-04:00

The Boys of Summer

The song "The Boys of Summer" (by the Ataris, not Don Henley) was playing on the radio when I happened to look out the window to see these little cuties loitering in my driveway. I figure it was a form of divine intervention, grabbed my camera and asked them to strike a pose. Can't you practically hear the "cheeeeese"?!

As promised...

2011-06-08T09:00:00.000-04:00

...Hansel, Gretel and their Stepmother.

Go here for more pictures of this blended family.

Summer Pursuits

2011-06-07T09:00:00.000-04:00

The last day of school is June 10th. I can hardly believe that it is already here! So, I've been trying to think of all the different things I'd like to do and/or accomplish with the boys over the summer break. I've been concentrating on Nathanael to begin with. I don't want to overload him with busy work but I don't want his brain to fall asleep either. So, I have decided on... The American Revolutionary War.

As I grew up in Pennsylvania, a stone's throw from Valley Forge and in a town after which a massacre was named, I happen to know quite a bit about this subject. Nathanael is quite interested in war and wars so I think he will find it interesting. Along with telling him what I know and what I've seen, I'd like to find a bunch of books about the beginnings of our country, about the first few presidents, the Constitution, Ben Franklin and Betsy Ross, and the why's. I also want to find some movies to watch with him, too.

As for Asher, I'm going to start teaching him his ABC's. I figure I'll spend a few days on a letter and I'll follow his lead. He has been asking me a lot about how to spell names (which he writes down while I spell it out), what letter is this, what does it mean and what is it for. I plan on involving Nathanael in this, too. I think it'll boost Nathanael's confidence to be the teacher and I know Asher would do anything if it means being able to do it with his brother.

That's as far as I've gotten. Honestly, I'm just looking forward to not having to set an alarm or drive anywhere for a while. What are your summer plans?

New Additions

2011-06-06T09:00:00.001-04:00

During the Memorial Day weekend, along with everything else we did, we brought home some new chickens. This time we decided to get some that were about a year old and already laying eggs. They are Rhode Island Reds, big, dark reddish-brown and black, and they are beautiful! We got three so Asher, Nathanael and I got to each name one. Nathanael chose Sarah, I chose Emma and Asher chose Poppy (he really wanted to name her Poopy so this is a compromise).

We got them to the house with out incident and we got two of the three into the coop without incident. Until... number three (I assume it's Poppy) broke free. That's right. For a brief amount of time, on a quiet Friday night in Lansing, Michigan, you could have seen the Crane family chasing a chicken around their house. Their un-fenced house. Long story short, #3 ended up on Dave's shoulder and I was able to tackle both Dave and chicken. I then spent some time soothing said chicken, followed by soothing Dave and his shoulder.

And just when we thought all of the excitement was through, it appeared that our original chickens, Lizzie and Jane, did not care for the usurpers (their word, not mine). They were rude and unwelcoming to their new sisters. I spent the rest of the evening scolding Miss Jane and trying to encourage the new chicks to be a little bit bolder. At one point I noticed that Jane and Lizzie were not letting any of the new chickens out of the coop. My two girls paced back and forth in the run like little soldiers on guard duty. They seem to be getting along now. They have at least agreed to co-exist. But every once in a while, I notice Jane or Lizzie do something as a reminder that they were there first.

The coop, the run and a bit of landscaping-for-chickens.

Lizzie and the three new chickens.

The raised garden beds alongside of our house

Yummy lettuce!

Flowering Thyme.

Vegetable Garden

2011-06-03T14:32:00.000-04:00

The garden is officially,and finally, up and running! Whew!!!

This year's garden has been much more stressful and much less serene than last year's garden. I think it is just the weather's fault. Last year, Spring came early, gradually and gently. This year, not so much. It has been cold and rainy, hot and steamy, cold and rainy, WINDY, hot, hot hot, freezing.... You get the idea. Very frustrating and un-motivating. And there is nothing that I can do about it, being the weather and all.

Enough complaining! As of last weekend, we're off and running, vegetable-wise. Everything is planted in my wonderful beds and, as we speak, MSU is analyzing the dirt in our back yard. What will we plant back there? who knows! (I have some ideas.) The leaf lettuce is ready for eating and it's lovely! Asher and I have it for our lunches every day. Spinach is coming along but the hot, hot days make me nervous for it. I also have squirrels nibbling at my broccoli and cauliflower to the extent that I had to buy a few of each plant to day to replace the chewed-on ones. Stupid squirrels! I am, again, threatening these rodents at the point of an imaginary shotgun! (I'm complaining again, aren't I?)

The potato plants are growing and growing- at least above ground! I've got oodles of thyme that I love to run my hand through so they smell like thyme. I looooove the smell of thyme! And, I am anxiously watching tomato plants grow and signs of carrots and beans emerge. Okay, I guess it's not all that bad!

Over last weekend, we bought three yards of mulch (not enough) and began mulching about. The areas we got to look beautiful! We've been planting flowers where ever we can and I've been beautifying the chicken coop/run area. That's been kind of fun, hangin' out with my girls.

Back to the backyard.... We have this section in the farthest corner that gets any sunlight that used to be our garden. Things grew there but not prolifically. We think it my be the soil in that area so that's why we are having it tested. When we get the results we'll alter the soil accordingly and start planting. But what to plant? I've thought about corn and sunflowers. Maybe some pumpkins, too. I've thought about raspberries and blueberries. What about apple trees? I don't know. I'd like what ever goes back there to be low maintenance. I'm also thinking about giving that garden to Nathanael to care for it. I'll let you know....

Back to the sewing table and Hansel (of "Hansel & Gretel"). There's a bit of a vegetable theme (think kabob) in his portrait so it ties in with all of this garden talk nicely!

A Quick Look at Danny

2011-05-25T14:47:00.000-04:00

The faces Danny chooses from depending on his mood.

Danny's wife, Lisa. Also the Bearded Lady.

The different "tattoos" are all significant to Danny or myself. The "DK" in a circle is a tattoo that my brother has in the same spot, the scissors are from my grandmother, another sewer, the snake, butterfly, moon/star and eye represent Danny's fellow circus-mates, "nevermore"=Poe, of course. The railroad track, palm, skulls/faces and pair of eyes are representative of my work, past and present.

"Oh, Danny Boy" and Danny's very name is a shout-out to a man who once had ambitions of becoming an actual Tattoo Man!

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More to come, I promise. Halloween!!!!!!!!!!

But that's all for now because the lightening outside my window (and, therefor, far to close to this computer) is making me nervous!

Me and My Mother's Day Gift

2011-05-13T18:52:00.000-04:00

Wondering where I am?

I'm right here. On my new iPad!!!

My guys got me an iPad for Mother's Day. Aren't thet wonderful?! So, here I am trying to figure it all out.

Anyway, I'll return to the world of blogging soon. In the meantime, enjoy your weekend!

Asher-speak

2011-05-07T15:42:00.002-04:00

Asher (just up from nap): Mom, I saw a bootie in my bed.

Me: A...bootie?

Asher: Yeah!

Me (thinking that I'm just not understanding him): What's a bootie?

Asher: You know. My bottoms. Sleepin'.

A New Drawing & A New Dinner

2011-05-06T13:01:00.000-04:00

We had a bright, sunny and warmish afternoon yesterday so, while Asher played outside, I sat in the sun and did a little drawing. I am working on a series of Poe's ladies from his stories. Ligeia is on the work table being stitched so I decided to draw Lenore.

Lenore~ close-up

For dinner, I made a recipe from here. It was quite yummy! I don't like cheese (yeah, whatever) so I left out the Parmasean and I switched out the broccoli rabe for broccoli. Again, yum!

I hope everyone has a lovely weekend and a very Happy Mother's Day to all of you moms!

Wedding + Good-Bye + Round-Two = Emotional Strain

2011-05-02T09:00:00.001-04:00

Did you watch the royal wedding?

I watched a quick-ish recap of the whole thing Friday morning, after getting kids to school and so forth. I wouldn't say that I had that "Wedding Fever" that was going around. But I was experiencing some bouts of nostalgia brought on by the Royal Wedding.

I remember being a ten year old girl watching a prince marry a princess. Does it get any better than that for a ten year old girl? I don't think so! Princess Diana looked so beautiful and that dress was perfect for a princess. It gave my young imagination much to work with. Many princesses with puffy sleeves were drawn in that era. Many.

And, now... Well, it was a very sweet, ten minute recap that I watched Friday morning. Prince William and Prince Harry were cute to watch. (Asher thought Prince William was a fireman in his red coat. That was enough to hold his attention!) Kate looked beautiful. My taste in dresses-fit-for-a-princess has obviously changed. It made me think of Grace Kelly. Well done!

What preoccupied me more, was what occurred the night before. Michael Scott left Dunder Miflin. I laughed. I cried. I thought it was well done (as much as I wanted him to stay). Not too emotional but still realistic. And no devastating surprises. (I'm still not over the news of Colonel Henry Blake's helicopter going down.) I loved all the "call-outs" that were sprinkled throughout the episode. I laughed. I cried....

And what is currently occupying me? The Flyers (Philadelphia. Pennsylvania. Professional ice hockey.) made it to Round Two of the Stanley cup play-offs and they are playing the Bruins (Boston. Boo Hiss.) Oh, the anxiety!

Nothing Doc Martin couldn't cure, eh? :)

Art Update- Rowena

2011-04-21T09:00:00.002-04:00

My latest creation is Rowena. She's got that hint-o-Halloween about her, doesn't she. Well, I'd been away from black and orange too long so I decided to take a little side trip with Rowena. I also wanted to use this portrait to exhibit a wee bit of Steam Punk. And a shadow box. I bought the shadow box first, you see, and made the portrait based on what I thought would fit within those confines.

So, without further ado, Rowena~


Rowena~ 12" x 12"~ mixed media, wool applique on cotton with charcoal pencil on paper~ ©2011 Danielle Crane

I know I normally don't show as many pictures of a finished piece here but, I just love this one! I had so much fun creating Rowena, I almost want to do it all over again. (Almost, I'm not crazy!) Soon, on my other blog , I'll post even more pictures along with Rowena's back story.

Something New and Something Blue

2011-04-19T10:06:00.000-04:00

Something new I stumbled upon during my hiatus, is this wonderful food blog called Skinny Taste (thank you, Patty).

Gina, the blogger, has taken oodles of recipes and made them healthier and low fat. If you do Weight Watchers, you will for sure want to check this out because she tracks how many points per serving in her recipes. If you don't do WW but are striving to eat better, you'll want to take a look. I've already tried several of her recipes and they have all been easy to understand and quite good. If you love food, you'll want to take a look at her blog because the images are gorgeous! Gina takes beautiful pictures of the food she makes.

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I have purchased a new, blue binder (I can only go so long without a new binder). I've decided to compile all of the recipes I use frequently, in one place. I have lots of cookbooks and loose recipe cards and pages from magazines and.... You see where I'm going. I've been, little by little, going through all of my cookbooks and recipe boxes, pulling out or copying the recipes I use. I hope that once I'm finished my new binder will help me more with meal planning and grocery shopping.

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In the meantime, food is getting so expensive we are eventually going to have to stop eating all together. I can't wait to get that garden going!!! At least the snow is gone but it is still quite cold out. Come on, Spring!

Spring and...SNOW...What!?#!&?!!%$*#?:{

2011-04-18T10:23:00.000-04:00

So, I was going to write about Spring and Easter today. Then I looked out the window and saw this:

Asher keeps looking out the window, saying, "What's up with that, Mom?" What indeed!

Well, as you can see, I was not able to use my little break to work on the garden or yard. A week ago it was in the 80's. We made a little progress outside but it was too hot to do much. Spring is taking it's time this year. I have to accept that and get over it. There is nothing I dislike quite like having my plans messed up. Meanwhile, indoors, I have a little bit of Spring going on of my own:

Tomatoes, broccoli and cauliflower are making their presence known! I have them on a little table in our one south-facing window, right beside my work table. I should probably move them lest the sight of snow frightens them!

Well, Spring will come. Someday. In the meantime, Easter quickly approaches. Plans have been made (dinner at the in-laws) and baskets are being assembled (I love Target). After Nathanael asked about when he should make his Easter wish-list, I decided this year's Easter baskets needed to be turned down several notches. I did pretty good- a reasonable amount of candy and a few little things; like a bottle of bubbles and some new pencils and notebooks.

I'm not worried about the boys not understanding what Easter is about. I think they have that covered. Unfortunately, they have begun to expect that any day resembling a holiday means giving me a list of toys to purchase for them. It's not their fault. I've led them to this place myself. This is the fun part of parenting, isn't it? No one ever talks about the seemingly innocent "habits" that you, yourself, develop in your children. And then, that you have to help break them of those habits. Hindsight's a kick in the pants sometimes!

This snow has me at sixes and sevens. I'm not sure what to do with myself! In my heart, I'm planting spinach. And teaching Asher how to ride a bike. And going for a long walk in the neighborhood.

In the words of Charlie Brown, "Aaarrrrggghhh!"

More New, New, New

2011-04-12T13:30:00.000-04:00

Done!

2011-03-29T18:37:00.000-04:00

The Marionette's, Roderick & Madeline

wool applique on cotton, with charcoal on paper

18" x 14", finished

ACEO

2011-03-28T11:31:00.000-04:00

...or Artist Cards, Editions and Originals.

They are collector cards, essentially. They can only be 2 1/2" x 3 1/2" in size but that is the only restriction. So, since I was taking pictures of the ACEO's I've made, I thought I'd make a little collage of the finished cards to show you. Later today, they'll be for sale in my etsy shop.

Do they look familiar? They should. I'm going to make ACEO portraits of the portraits I make with wool and cotton. They are really fun to make! I enjoy the change up from sewing to drawing, from BIG to teeny tiny.

Five for Friday and a Bit of a Break

2011-03-25T09:00:00.000-04:00

For the next few weeks I will be taking a bit of a blog break. At least through spring break, which is the first week of April. I just need to get my butt in gear in various areas and I think I need to eliminate some of the convenient distractions that surround me.

What will I be doing?

1. Finishing off the Circus Series. It needs to be done and done. My list of portraits that I'd like to do this year (or decade, whatever) is quite long and by May I should be working on Halloween exclusively. Eek! (Plus I really want to get this ACEO thing going.)

2. This garden of mine is going to be very needy at the beginning. Although, perhaps not as soon as I thought as I sit here looking at snow outside my window.

3. Our family is taking a wee vacation at the beginning of spring break. I'd like to, by then, be able to give them my undivided attention with all my "to-do's" behind me.

4. Any computer time needs to spent taking pictures of new work, filling up my Etsy shop, updating my web shop, applying to art shows.

5. Giving my neglected house some TLC. The changing of the seasons in a big, old house require lots of preparation, inside and out. And, living in Michigan, the weather is unpredictable (and that's putting it mildly). Around here, when the sun comes out and the air warms up, you have to take advantage of it ASAP!

I will take pictures throughout and will update as I can. In the meantime, have a wonderful few weeks and a Happy Easter! I'll see you that following Monday!

Process- Part 2

2011-03-24T09:00:00.002-04:00

It's a bit slow going here.

I've been getting caught up in the many things that there are to do when Spring arrives. Not that I'm complaining too much. It's been nice taking walks and cleaning up the yard and getting ready for the garden. I've been enjoying the sunshine. (As I write this, it is grey, very cold and we're expecting snow. Sigh...)

So...What I'm saying is, I haven't gotten very far with my marionettes. I've made progress but I was originally
planning to have them finished by now. I have decided on there names. I wanted a literary brother and sister to be my inspiration. Where to go? Poe! Of, course! Therefore, I'd like to introduce you to (the beginning of) Roderick and Madeline. (The Fall of the House of Usher)

Outfits done.

Hair cut out.

Heads stitched and eyeballs in place.

Now for the fun part, details!

I have also begun making ACEO's. More on that when I have more to show!

Garden Prep 2011

2011-03-22T09:00:00.002-04:00

It's time to start working on my garden. I reality, not just my day dreams!

According to my calendar and last frost dates, I need to start my seeds indoors this week and, as of this coming weekend, I can plant spinach seeds outdoors. Woo Hoo!!! Further proof that spring is here.

So, on Monday, I spent some time getting things together.

And, I made up my planting guide for my four raised beds. They are big and bright and pretty straight forward.

My when-to-plant guide thanks to Thy Hand Hath Provided. Very helpful!!!

As you may recall, earlier this year I said that I wanted my garden to be different this year. I wanted to only plant what we would truly use and I wanted to plant enough to get our family through the year. This "How Much To Plant Per Person" guide (The Grocery Shrink) was also very helpful.

Here is what I decided on:

leaf lettuce- 5 squares/80 plants                         cherry tomatoes- 3 squares/3 plants
thyme- 2 squares/4 plants                                 roma tomatoes- 3 squares/3 plants
swiss chard- 2 squares/4 plants                          parsley- 2 squares/4 plants
kale- 4 squares/8 plants                                     carrots- 15 squares/240 plants
basil- 2 squares/ 2 plants                                    broccoli- 15 squares/15 plants
spinach- 5 squares/45 plants                              cauliflower- 4 squares/4 plants
potatoes- 15 squares/30 plants                           rosemary- 2 squares/ 2 plants
beans- 10 squares/ 40 plants                              sage- 2 squares/2 plants

*We may purchase a plot in our neighborhood's community garden and fill it with corn. I'm still thinking about that.

All that's left is to buy the seeds, freshen up the soil in my beds, roll up my little newspaper pots and pray for sunshine!

In other food news... I' have been successfully baking our own bread now. What was I so afraid of!!!???!!! I have made wheat, white and cinnamon swirl so far but I look forward to experimenting with other kinds.

I highly recommend square foot gardening if you live in a more urban area like myself. It is a great way to utilize the "perfect space" for a garden while keeping it neat, pretty and manageable. Our four beds on in our side yard (we live on a corner) by the road. It gets killer sunshine and is perfect for veggies but it had always felt to exposed to all of Lansing. The raised beds surrounded by mulch look really nice though, and the garden never felt like it was out in the middle of the neighborhood, also a plus!

So, here's to Spring in all her sunshiny, rainy, hot-one-day-cold-the-next, glory! Happy gardening!!! ;)

Five For Friday- Books for Nathanael

2011-03-18T09:00:00.004-04:00

Most of these books I read as a young girl, all except the Harry Potter series. I can't wait for Nathanael to be old enough to read/understand/appreciate/adore these books! I plan on reading them with him (another good reason for getting a kindle- I won't have to purchase two of the same books).

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle is fabulous. I've read it about five or six times myself, as girl and adult. I can remember the first time I read it. It was one of the books that I would take up in a tree we used to climb. I'd sit on a big branch and read and read.

The Trumpet of the Swan by E.B. White. I read that book many times when I was young but not since. I look forward to rereading it. I barely remember the story but I do remember feeling like reading all over again as soon as I would finish it. Which is how I feel about Pride and Prejudice now.:)

The Chronicles of Narnia series by C.S. Lewis. I remember the first time I read The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe. It was when my brother and I were visiting my grandma. I was so excited about it. I kept sharing bits of it with Christopher. We had seen the cartoon they'd play on T.V. every Easter, but as books do, this was much better!

The James Herriot books (and after that, the show). I used to think I wanted to be a vet. Because of allergies, asthma and the inability to distance myself emotionally from my patients, this was not going to happen. However, reading those books... I laughed, I cried. I could vet-vicariously through those stories. (I could also clearly see how unsuited I was for the life of a vet. I still can't talk about our family dog that died 21 years ago!)

Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling. These were just plain fun! I started reading them as a way to connect with my then eleven year old step-son who loooved Harry Potter. He even looked like Harry Potter! I'm glad I did because I really enjoyed them. I'll make sure Nathanael reads the books before he sees the movies. Each book has such great surprises and plot twists- I don't want him to miss out on those.

I'll have oodles more to throw his way as he gets even older. Unfortunately, I don't think he'll be enthusiastic about Gone With the Wind, Pride and Prejudice, Anna Karenina and Rebecca. Ooh! And Wuthering Heights....His loss!:)

Process

2011-03-17T09:00:00.001-04:00

I decided to use this next portrait in my Circus series to make a "Journey" post on my other blog. I'm going to take pictures throughout the process of making this piece and put them all together in a post to show how I do what I do.

For this Thursday Art Update post, I'll take you through the first part of the process for the Marionette Siblings. I haven't come up for a name for them yet but I have some ideas.

First, a quick sketch, done a while ago to get the idea down.

Next, a more detailed sketch.

Then, I go "shopping" through all of my fabrics for background fabric,

skin tone, clothing, hair and any extra trim I might want to use.

I iron the background fabric and pin it to size I want. I cut out heads and necks and shoulders, if needed. I also start cutting out their clothing pieces so I at least know what I'm working with for spacing and placement. At the top of this one is a paper cut-out of a hand so I know how far down to place the marionette's heads.

Finally, I start to pin things in place. Once I know for sure that that is

where my subjects will be spending eternity, I'll pick out threads and begin stitching.

*************************************************************

Next week, I'll post more pictures of my progress. In the meantime Happy St. Patrick's Day! I don't know about you but I can't wait for that corned beef! :)

I Want A Kindle

2011-03-15T09:00:00.002-04:00

I think.

No, I do.

I don't want to. But I do. (Deep breath.) I want a Kindle. Erg!

There was a time that I swore I would never have anything to do with computers. I, much like Regis, felt that computers were a passing fad. I was wrong. Obviously.

Now there are e-readers (is that what they're called?) I love to read. There is truly nothing I like to do more than reading a good book. And, I love books! I love the way they feel, look, smell. Especially old books. Ergo, I assumed I was safe from covetous thoughts about computer-y book-y thing-y's.

But then I saw one. On Friday. In Lansing. At McDonald's. Being used by a real live person, a Mom, like me. (Although, she needed to be paying attention to her kid who wasn't being very nice in the Play Place. But that's another post.) I couldn't get it out of my head! I went home, got on the computer and look up the Kindle.

Have you checked those out? They're incredible! 3500 books can be held in that little beauty! 3500 books on me at all times!!!! 3500!!!!!!!!!!! The books are less expensive. Classic books are FREE!!!! I could have Pride and Prejudice on me all the time and I wouldn't have to keep buying new copies because I re-read it so much!

After researching the Kindle and finding, to my horror, that I wanted one, I called my parents to have them talk me out of my madness. But what do my unbelieving ears hear? "Your Mom and I have been talking about getting one, too." What??!!! The phone call quickly turned into a meeting of the "Kindle Appreciation Society". I hung up feeling even more convinced that I needed a Kindle. Now!

Every day I think of new reasons why buying a Kindle would be smart, thrifty, efficient, necessary to my continued existence, beneficial to the boys (who wouldn't be allowed to so much as look at it), the answer to all of the worlds problems, etc.

Do I have one yet? No. I still have to give myself permission- for many reasons. The biggest reason being that I feel like I am betraying books! How can I do that? I looooove my books. They're everywhere! I read them. I collect them. I even decorate with them.

Oh, what shall I do?

How Do I Love Asher?

2011-03-14T09:00:00.000-04:00

Let me count the ways...

1. Look at him!!! Sometimes I find myself staring at him- in amazement, in love, in frustration, in amusement. And it's not just the fluffy, nibble-worthy cheeks, the big, blue eyes and those full lips. It's also every look that comes across his sweet face- smiles, frowns, laughter and tears, concentration and consternation, confidence and frustration. Each one is precious to me and makes my heart feel a little squeeze.

2. He is grooming to be my Enforcer, my Muscle, my Assistant-to-the Mom. No longer do I have to trot out the tired pleas for people (read: husband and son) to push in their chairs, not sit on the table, put on their seat belt, etc., etc. Asher does it for me! For example, when the whole family is in the car, driving somewhere, no longer will you hear from me, "Dave, put your seat belt on. Please don't make our babies watch you fly through the windshield to your death." Now you hear, from the backseat, "David Allen Crane! Put your seat belt on!". I love it! He's always had that hint of the dictator about him. Time to put it to good use!

3. He's game for anything! Being my constant companion, he really has no choice but, I must say he adapts to whatever I throw his way quite nicely. He loves to go shopping, especially Target and Kroger (Target for the toys and Kroger for the firemen who also shop there.) He loves music; listening to and singing. He mostly sings Sunday school songs but sometimes, in between "Jesus Loves Me" and "Holy, Holy, Holy" you'll hear "Should I Stay or Should I Go". And he recognizes Mumford & Sons. As soon as he hears one of their songs start to play, he sticks his left arm up in the air and starts strumming away at his armpit with his right hand! :)
He sits next to me and draws while I sew, he loves to watch the Barefoot Contessa with me and he recognizes Mommy's need for coffee and Regis & Kelly in the morning.

I could go on and on. He really is fun and funny. We lock horns A LOT but we are also quick to kiss and make up. I love having him around and miss him when we are apart. I love teaching him and exposing him to new things. And I love learning from him. I've learned a lot from my Asher.

I am blessed.

Update-Madame Sidonia the Fortune Teller

2011-03-10T11:44:00.003-05:00

She is finished! Madame Sidonia, fortune teller and entrepreneur, is ready to join the circus!

Next up: A brother and sister team of marionettes. Stay tuned...

Lent.... Gasp

2011-03-08T13:01:00.003-05:00

This year, as Lent was approaching, I was thinking about possibly, maybe, I don't know- giving up something for Lent. I've never given up anything for Lent before. For some reason, this year, I'm feeling like observing Lent- as far as forty days with/without something important to me is concerned.

What brought it to mind yesterday was reading a post by someone who is giving up desserts for Lent. I found myself thinking, "That would be easy." And, it would. I don't rely on desserts to get me through the day so I could easily picture emptying the house of 'desserts' and taking a vacation from that part of the meal. Which led me to thinking that if I'm going to give up something for Lent, I need to dig a little deeper. And, what came to mind, causing me to gasp in horror?

Popcorn. (Those of you who know me just gasped, too. Didn't you?)

Pop Secret Homestyle Popcorn to be specific.

So I kept this crazy idea to myself until my husband came home. Then I did something regrettable. I told him that I was thinking of giving up popcorn for Lent. Gasp. He didn't gasp. He just told me that we don't observe Lent. My darling husband gave me an out. I told him that I wanted to do something and giving up popcorn felt terrifying/right to me. Gasp.

So, nothing more was said about Lent or popcorn until this morning, when I was driving the kids to school. Someone on the radio made a comment about not being addicted to Pac Man and Nathanael wanted to know what addicted meant. I told him that it was when you wanted or needed something desperately, as if your life depended on it. I said that when you are addicted to something you want it all the time. To which he replied, "You're giving up popcorn for Lent!"
(He spent Monday evening with his Dad. Apparently they discussed my giving up popcorn for Lent. Do you think they were placing bets? Were they betting on whether or not I'd last the whole forty days? Or, were they wondering how quickly I'd descend into madness?)

So there you have it. I'm giving up popcorn for Lent.

Nathanael, my sweet, sweet boy, said that he was going to give up candy for Lent. I was kind of surprised but I told him that was fine. I did warn him to really think about it. I explained to him a little about Lent and it's relationship to Easter and Jesus and told him that he had to make a serious commitment and that it should be something important, but not necessary, to him. He then said he'd give up toys. Gasp. Then he said he'd give up fruit snacks. (He likes fruit snacks like I like popcorn.) Gasp, gasp. I told him to think about it and I'd ask him in the morning what he decided. What a sweetie!!!

I've also decided that we will be giving up Sunday morning donuts as a family during this time. My popularity plummeted with this announcement but the character that is sure to developed will be thanks enough! :D

Will you be giving up (or adding) something for Lent?

What I Love About My Nathanael Is...

2011-03-07T09:00:00.000-05:00

~ his many, mesmerizing freckles

~ his passion for Lego's means that I can continue being passionate about Lego's

~ he plays air guitar while I sing along to Mumford & Sons (in preparation for our debut as Crane & Sons)

~ his love of "Pirates of the Caribbean" and "Star Wars" means that I am surrounded by images of Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom and Harrison Ford
~ his big, blue eyes

~ he thinks I'm pretty

~ instead of performing a ready-made play for his second grade class, he wrote and directed his own play

~ he loves detective/mystery shows (in preparation for Crane & Crane, Private Investigators)

~ his imagination and creativity never cease to surprise and delight me

~ he still likes to cuddle
I could go on and on. He really is an awesome, little boy and I love knowing him. And I find, with each year that passes, that I am excited to know Nathanael as a young man (although I'm not in any rush).

Thirty Three for Friday***

2011-03-04T09:00:00.000-05:00

***I saw this list on another blog and had several good laughs over it. I thought you'd enjoy it, too.

The Washington Post's Mensa invitational once again asked readers to take
any word from the dictionary, alter it by adding, subtracting, or changing
one letter, and supply a new definition. Here are the 2009 winners:

1. Cashtration (n.): The act of buying a house, which renders the subject
financially impotent for an indefinite period of time.

2. Ignoranus : A person who's both stupid and a jerk.

3. Intaxication : Euphoria at getting a tax refund, which lasts until you
realize it was your money to start with.

4. Reintarnation : Coming back to life as a hillbilly.

5. Bozone (n.): The substance surrounding stupid people that stops bright
ideas from penetrating. The bozone layer, unfortunately, shows little sign
of breaking down in the near future.

6. Deleted by me.

7. Giraffiti : Vandalism spray-painted very, very high.

8. Sarchasm : The gulf between the author of sarcastic wit and the person
who doesn't get it.

9. Inoculatte : To take coffee intravenously when you are running late.

10. Osteopornosis : A degenerate disease. (This one got extra credit.)

11. Karmageddon : It's like, when everybody is sending off all these
really bad vibes, right? And then, like, the Earth explodes and it's like,
a serious bummer.

12. Decafalon (n.): The gruelling event of getting through the day
consuming only things that are good for you.

13. Glibido : All talk and no action.

14. Dopeler Effect: The tendency of stupid ideas to seem smarter when they
come at you rapidly.

15. Arachnoleptic Fit (n.): The frantic dance performed just after you've
accidentally walked through a spider web.

16. Beelzebug (n.) : Satan in the form of a mosquito, that gets into your
bedroom at three in the morning and cannot be cast out.

17. Caterpallor ( n.): The color you turn after finding half a worm in the
fruit you're eating.

The Washington Post has also published the winning submissions to its
yearly contest, in which readers are asked to supply alternate meanings
for common words. And the winners are:

1. Coffee , n. The person upon whom one coughs.

2. Flabbergasted , adj. Appalled by discovering how much weight one has
gained.

3. Abdicate , v. To give up all hope of ever having a flat stomach.

4. Esplanade , v.. To attempt an explanation while drunk.

5. Willy-nilly , adj. Impotent.

6. Negligent , adj. Absentmindedly answering the door when wearing only a
nightgown.

7. Lymph , v. To walk with a lisp.

8. Gargoyle , n. Olive-flavored mouthwash.

9. Flatulence , n. Emergency vehicle that picks up someone who has been
run over by a steamroller.

10. Balderdash , n. A rapidly receding hairline.

11. Testicle , n. A humorous question on an exam.

12. Rectitude , n. The formal, dignified bearing adopted by proctologists.

13. Pokemon , n.. A Rastafarian proctologist.

14. Oyster , n. A person who sprinkles his conversation with Yiddishisms.

15. Frisbeetarianism , n. The belief that, after death, the soul flies up
onto the roof and gets stuck there.

16. Circumvent , n. An opening in the front of jockey shorts worn by
Jewish men

Tee hee! What were your favorite's? I liked sarchasm, balderdash, reintarnation and lymph.

Update- The Circus

2011-03-03T09:00:00.000-05:00

Next in line for my circus series is a gypsy/fortune teller. Below is a sketch and then the next picture shows her beginnings.

I'm having fun with her (I have fun with all of them). I always liked dressing up like a gypsy for Halloween. Or a hobo. Or Marie Osmond. But I digress...

Anyway, I haven't decided on a name for her yet. Or her back story. Those tend to develop while I am working on the actual portrait. It's kinda fun having a "conversation" with my creation-in-the-works. Like they're telling me a story while I sit and stitch.

Next, I think, I'll begin work on the marionette siblings. I'll tuck them away in the back of my brain somewhere and let them simmer. In the meantime, here is a little sketch I did to get me started...

Mornings with Asher

2011-02-28T09:00:00.000-05:00

Asher: Points at my chest. "What are those elbows doin'?"

Me: "Those aren't elbows."
* I actually had hopes that the conversation would end with "those aren't elbows".

Asher: "What are they?"

Me: Sigh. Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. "They're breasts."

Asher: "What are breass?"

Me: "Something that mommies have."

Asher: Lifts his shirt. "Buy me some breass."

Me: "Boys don't have breasts, honey."

Asher: "Where's Daddy's breass?"

Me: "Daddies don't have breasts either, honey."

Asher: "I want breass."

Me: Pause. Long pause in hopes that he'll just walk away. No luck. "Go play, Asher."

Five For Friday- Blogs

2011-02-25T09:00:00.002-05:00

Here is a list of five blogs I truly look forward to each day:

1. Thy Hand Hath Provided I've learned lots form this lady! Not only does she blog faithfully but she also provides you with all sorts of information about: parenting, gardening, chickens, cooking, etc.

2. Testosterhome This blog is written by a mother of five boys who just had a daughter last fall. Both she and her boys crack me up. When you check this blog out go back a post or two to the one called "A plus, plus, plus, plus". Funny!

3. Clover Lane This is another mother of five; 4 boys and a girl. She writes about everything, mother-wise. And she calls it like she sees it. She gives great advise and tells funny story and takes beautiful pictures.

4. It's All About the Fabric This lovely lady loves fabric. If you love fabric like I love fabric, check out her blog. She posts some yummy pictures of fabric. But not just fabric- she also blogs about the beautiful things people make with fabric.

5. Hyperbole and a Half Do you need to laugh? Do you need to laugh 'til you cry? If so, check out this blog. She doesn't post very often but when she does her posts tend to be worth the wait! If you click on her link you'll go to the first post of hers that I read: The Four Levels of Social Entrapment. This thing had me laughing so hard I was crying. I could hardly read it after a while and my poor boys were very concerned. *Warning: watch the language. (P.S. Check out her post about the Party.)

I hope you take the time to take a look at the blogs. And, by the way, thank you for taking a look at mine!

Update- The Circus

2011-02-24T09:00:00.000-05:00

First of all, as you can see, The Twins, April and May, are finished. Go here for more pics and their back story. Right now I am working on Serena the Snake Charmer and Her Snake, Sebastion V. I hope to have her finished in the next few days.

Next, scroll down and you will see that I have decided to add a new element to my portraits. Take a look and I'll see you at the bottom.

I have decided to add drawings to my portraits. I am quite excited about this new direction because I LOOOOOOVVVE to DRAW!!!!! Really! Wanna hear how I came up with this "idea"?

Well.... One of the circus portraits that I want to create is of the Tattooed Man. I originally/insanely intended to back stitch tattoos all over the guys arms, shoulders and chest. Knowing deep down that I would be a very old lady before I was finished, I decided to look for tattoo-like fabric to use as his flesh. I found some that I liked on-line but decided to mull it over a bit and see if I could come up with another idea. Because I know how to draw and could therefore create whatever tattoos I desired, I wanted to figure out some other way.

That's when inspiration struck (while driving home from a search for tattoo fabric)! I would draw the tattoos myself, on paper. I could do them just in black and white or I could do some watercolor washes if I decided on colored tattoos. And, most importantly, I had figured out a way to include my drawings!!!

I also thought that this circus series was the perfect way to introduce paper and pencil to my wool and cotton portraits. I was already set to begin work on the twins when I first decided to do this so, long story short, I decided to add a collection of anthropomorphic butterflies that were a tad mutilated. April and May seemed to love the idea and the rest, as they say is history!

I hope you like this new addition to my portraits. Let me know what you think!!

Inspiration

2011-02-22T09:00:00.002-05:00

In the book that I am reading, The Creative Call, the author gives little "assignments" for the reader to fulfill. The chapter I am reading is about inspiration and the current "assignment" is to write about where and when inspiration strikes.

Where does inspiration strike? When do creative ideas reveal themselves? Good question!

I started to remember some specific incidents of inspiration striking. (Yes, I can remember some, even from back when I was in college. Those are probably the really big "AHA!" moments and that's why I can recall them.) As I started to think about inspiration, past and present, I realized they have something in common...

Inconvenience.

I certainly don't lack for general ideas. The list of portraits I'd like to create this year is quite long. I know that there is no way I can get to all of the people on my list by the end of 2011. At some point, I'll need to sit down and prioritize. (My list of circus folk continues to grow long after I made the "final list".) So, for now at least, the ideas are a-flowin'!

The kind of inspiration that I look forward to, yet it seems to always catch me off guard, is more specific. It'll be about a specific portrait, how she will look, what she'll wear, what she'll "say" to those who look upon her. That kind of inspiration is a bit more taciturn. It can't be forced. And, at least in my case, it only comes at an inconvenient time.

While I'm driving. Taking a shower. Trying to fall asleep. In other words, whenever I am far from paper and pencil and, therefore, unable to record these sought after thoughts and visions.
I have finally noticed this pattern. Yea, me! Now, what to do about it.

Nothing.

The thing about getting inspired at inconvenient times is that I have to continue dwelling on these thoughts and visions until pencil and paper can be found. I can see that that extra time spent in the ol' noggin helps these little gems mature. By the time I can pull them out of my brain, I can see that they were worth the effort. I used to think it was annoying as all get out. But now... Well, I'll not begin to keep pad and pencil by my bed, in the shower(?) or in my car.

Where and when does your inspiration strike? Have you ever consciously thought about it? I recommend you do. It was interesting and helpful to me to "pin it down". The creative process can be mystical and magical. It can be wearisome and frustrating. It can be over-flowing and it can drag its feet. I think that the more we understand our own, unique, creative selves, the easier it is to deal with whatever comes our way (or not, as the case may be).

So, here is to inspiration- whatever form it takes, whenever it graces us with her presence and whenever it chooses to strike!

Nathanael's Eighth Birthday

2011-02-21T09:00:00.001-05:00

Sunday, the 20th was Nathanael's eighth birthday.

We began the festivities, just the four of us, at this play area at the mall that is filled with bounce-houses. The boys had so much fun and were getting along so well. It did my heart good to see them together and so happy! It was quite fun to watch. And crazy, too. But worth it. After being there about an hour, Asher had this zombie look about him. He kept wandering around like he didn't know where to go or who he was with.

On Saturday, we had a fun party with some of Nathanael's friends from school. It was a bowling/pizza party and, although Nat. was the only one who had bowled before, it was a hit! And exhausting! And, if I ever hear 'poop', 'tinkle', 'toot', 'butt', 'diaper' or 'booger' again, I'll scream! Does anyone out there no when boys grow out of this stage??? Anyway, it was a success, we all had fun and everyone slept really good that night.

On to Sunday. Now, I know this first picture is not of the birthday boy but, Asher was beyond excited. The suspense was about to do him in! He eventually yelled out, "Mom! Take my picture!" So I did...

Now for the birthday boy. Does he look like he is about to burst, or what?

Gifts from Grandma and Grandpa. (That had already been partially opened by Asher.)

Now for the gifts from Mom and Dad.

You know who I really bought that for, right? Me! Ha! He'll be at school five days a week. Before you know it, I'll be the true Queen of Pac Man! Actually, we've been playing it most of the day and having more fun than I thought possible. Good choice!

Another Lego Star Wars star ship for Mom to put together. Which is fine with me! I love Legos and have fun putting them together. Soon, Asher will be old enough for Legos. Joy!

And, finally, the gift from Asher. More Legos. Egyptian/mummy themed Legos.

Back to Asher and his out-of-this-world excitement for someone, anyone's birthday! Yea!!!

As I write this we are being covered in steady-falling snow. I'm glad there's no school tomorrow.
I've been away from Pac Man long enough now. Wish me luck...

Gifts and Hard, Hard Work

2011-02-08T12:44:00.002-05:00

I've been thinking about creativity/artistic ability/whatever-you-want-to-call-it a lot lately. Probably because of the book I'm reading, The Creative Call by Janice Elsheimer. Also because of the direction my "creating" as taken recently.

I believe that my artistic talent is a gift from God. I believe that it will always be there, even after twenty years. I believe that whatever gift you've been given is yours to keep. And, I am very thankful for all of it.

I know that this gift is not magic. I know that I have to work on my skills constantly or they'll get rusty. I know that being creative, imaginative, artistic, whatever- is draining, exhausting and, sometimes, quiet.

When I was in college, I had a friend who was an incredible drawer. Everything he did was astounding- technically, creatively. I liked sitting a little behind him in class to watch how he executed whatever drawing he was working on. I learned a lot from him, just by watching and copying his techniques. Anyway, I remember his telling me how much he hated when people called him "gifted" or "talented". What upset him was that they weren't acknowledging how hard he worked. I didn't quite understand him at the time. He certainly made drawing look like an act of magic. But, as time passed, I understood.

I can draw. I can draw quite well. But it has been awhile since I have really sat down and put pencil to paper like I did way back when. What I do now is different from what I did then. But, I'm okay with that. What I did then was motivated by others. What I do now is all me.

And, you want to know what's cool? I was looking through my old portfolios, showing my boys what I used to do. -Don't get me started on the giggling during the life drawing portion of the show. Little boys squealing and yelling "Naked! Naked!" while I'm trying to explain that they aren't naked, they are nudes. There is a difference.- Anyway, I started to see a common thread between what I did then and what I am doing now. It was really exciting to see that. Like the inspiration has been patiently waiting for me to get back to it. I'm so glad I did!

To summarize: "talent" is a gift. It's like a special seed that is planted inside a person. You can let it sit there and be a seed, never growing and becoming something even more amazing. Or, you can feed it, care for it, watch it grow and grow right along with it. Do you ever wonder if there are any "seeds" inside you, waiting to sprout?

Now that I'm feeling better...

2011-02-07T13:47:00.003-05:00

Remember how I started last Wednesdays post by informing you that my boys were both sick? Well, guess what? That's right! I got sick, too.

I don't know what this particular 'bug' was but, oh boy, did it kick our butts!

Monday evening, while I'm in the kitchen making dinner, Asher walks up to me and vomits all over the floor. It was so out of the blue and Asher gave no hint about what was going to happen that I just stood there for a moment, staring in horror at my floor. Thank goodness Dave was there. He wisked Asher away to clean him up and I cleaned up the floor. While gagging. A lot. It was so gross!!! And it didn't stop there. The poor kid kept throwing up until about nine o'clock that night.

Fast forward to Tuesday morning, about six o'clock. I hear from Nathanael, who has just stuck his head in my room, "My stomach hurts." This was followed by him running to the bathroom and throwing up. Over and over again. The poor baby was the palest shade of green and his freckles seemed to get bigger and 3-D. His eyes looked huge, like a sad puppy dog. I could hardly look at him with out wanting to cry.

So, there I was, snowed in with the vomitteers. Little wonder that, Wednesday night- blammo! It got me. It got me good! I was so upset that I was sick that, at one point, I started to cry. My loving husband woke to the sound of my tears and asked me what was wrong. When I uttered my whining, wimpering, "I'mmmm siiiick", I heard him inhale and say in a strangled voice, "Oh, honey..."

Why a strangled voice? 'Cause he was holding his breath! I'm surprised he didn't run out and purchase a haz-mat suit, you know, just in case. I remember, when we were dating, that no matter how sick I was or how contagious, he was there taking care of me. Not that he doesn't take care of me now when I get sick. It's just at a safe distance, while wearing gloves. And a face mask.

Well, I'm better now. Let's forget it all like a bad dream.

Now that I'm 'back', I can take a look at the war-zone that used to be my house. What a mess! I spent the morning giving the living room a thorough going over. It looks good and it sure is nice to be able to do more than lie there and watch the dust settle!

I've also been working on plans, etc. for Nathanael's birthday party which is rapidly approaching. More on that later.

I hear the thump, thump, thump of my Asher, up from his nap, so I'm off! Enjoy your day!!!

Tuesday's Thing- My Art Journal

2011-02-02T13:07:00.003-05:00

***I know it's Wednesday but, because both boys were sick with a stomach bug yesterday, I didn't have time/energy to post. They are doing better today and, now that I find myself with a moment or two, here goes...

I've started reading a book called The Creative Call by Janice Elsheimer. I've only just started and, due to all of the drama involved with vomiting boys, I am not far into it and will give you a summary/review later. I have gotten far enough to find that the author stresses the importance of an art journal. Not a sketchbook but a journal. A place to put thoughts, ideas, inspiration, pictures, quotes and well, at least in my case, sketches.

So, during my spot of me time on Sunday, I bought a small, hardcover sketchbook. I've made it pretty and have promised to try really hard to write or sketch something in it every day. It's only been a few days but I am really enjoying the process.

I start out looking at my little book and finding nary a thought in my head. Then I make myself sit down and start to write something (today I wrote SNOW DAY!!!) and it kinda snowballs from there. I've had some recent bouts of inspiration lately and this little book helps me to both record and expand on those inspirations. I give it: two thumbs (cracked and bleeding) up! ☺

Here are some pictures:

Now, back to watching cars/trucks/vans (currently a pretty little mustang) trying to drive up or down our un-plowed street. Entertaining, to say the least! Stay safe and warm wherever you may be!

New Week, New Attitude (hopefully)

2011-01-30T14:37:00.004-05:00

As I sit at my work table, reflecting on the week behind me and thinking about the week ahead, my eyes drift toward a set of stickers I received from a friend the other day. They are a bunch of Edgar Allan Poe quotes among other greetings and phrases. My eyes fell, in particular on this quote:

"I became insane, with long intervals of horrible sanity."

A couple of stickers down I see: "Happy Mother's Day!" (Insert crazy-lady laugh here.)

Then I thought, that's kinda what the week has been like. It started out INSANE. And then I got my act together. 'Cause I'm a mom and we don't have any time budgeted out for insanity. Maybe later.

Actually, I had a pretty good week. I prayed A LOT. But that is never a bad thing so feel free to pat me on the back. There were many times where the first word or two out of my mouth had a lot of volume to it but then I quickly toned it down. For the most part, it's working (loosely). The boys are still a couple of squirrelly-monkey squirrels but I started to notice some longer intervals of sanity. I still noticed that by bedtime, I'm worn out and run down and patience-free, for the most part. But I no longer feel as despairing. I'll get there.

***********************************************************************************

Now for a new week. It began with Asher stomping on my foot with his big, thick, toddler foot. But that was quickly followed by my husband packing up the boys in the minivan and taking them to visit Grandma. (Actually, I grew weary of waiting for them to get their acts together and GET ON THE ROAD ALRIGHT ALREADY, so I got in a car of my own and went to the store.)

So here I sit, in silence and solitude. I've been experiencing the joy of having a thought, being able to hear the thought, and finish thinking the thought. Sigh...

I bought a small sketch book to use as a daily art journal. I'm going to decorate it and begin filling it with... well, I'll tell you more about that on Tuesday.

I've weeded through my binder, planned out the week's meals and groceries and appointments.

I've posted Marie A. II on Etsy and on my website. And, I've written my post for Monday! :)

Now, I'm gonna clip some coupons, work on my new journal, read and, maybe, force my self to make a new facebook page for my portraits. ( I stumbled upon an art business blog that was explaining facebook pages for artists and how they should be created, etc. I discovered that I didn't do my page "correctly" and that I need to do a new one. Let me re-phrase that. It would be in my best interest to do a new one. Arrrgghh, urrrgghh... I'll explain more on Tuesday.)

Here's to a new week and all that awaits us!

5 Songs

2011-01-28T15:46:00.001-05:00

Because I've got a case of circus-on-the-brain, I felt the need to search around for musical inspiration. Here are 5:

My Kingdom for a Thumb!

2011-01-27T13:38:00.005-05:00

A little slow going here due to the state of my hands and thumbs. I'm trying to stick to a break from fabric and sewing until I heal. Hard to do. I want to get Marie #2 finished so I can get working on my new series. Ah, well... The best laid plans blah, blah, blah.

So, no new pics of the ex-queen. However, I have started researching and doing sketches for my first series of 2011. The circus. Or carnival. I don't know which yet. I go back and forth between the two names and I can't get a clear enough "image" of each name to make a decision. What do you think?

Before I go any further, go here to check out part of my inspiration. When I heard of her series, my first thought was that, yes, circus people would make excellent subjects for my portraits. Then I took a look at her work and just was so impressed and enthralled! Please check it out.

I am also inspired by the Alfred Hitchcock movie "Saboteur"...

One of my favorites! There is a scene where the hero and reluctant-heroine have to stow away in a car on a circus train. There we meet your typical sideshow freaks. And the hero and heroine, finally, fall in love! Anyway... (Love the bearded lady!!!)

So I tucked the idea of carnival portraits away in my fevered brain, to be released after the new year. And here we are! I thought this would be a great series to usher in spring. Now for the cast of characters:
*Siamese Twins (double)
*Tattooed Man and his Wife (double)
*Snake Charmer
*Fortune Teller
*Bearded Lady

I may also do:
*Clown
*Ring Master
*Lady Giant and Tom Thumb (double)

In an effort to not get to ahead of myself, I've only just begun sketching ideas. Here's a peak:

(They are my Siamese Twins. I think I'll name them April and May.)

2011-01-25T12:40:00.002-05:00

My kids are driving me crazy. Hardly an original thought, I know, but that is the plain truth. I feel like I am being ratcheted up, slowly but surely, to Mommy Dearest-like status.

I don't like that. I don't like feeling that, in acting like a crazy lady, I've given up control. To squirrel-y, monkey boys.

So, what to do? Stop. Start fresh. Thank the Lord for new days, new hours, new minutes. I realize I just have to make a very conscious effort, with each new day, to be patient, loving, kind, slow to anger... I need to speak softer (no big stick, though- the little monkeys would probably take it and wack me with it). Sometimes, I need to not speak at all. I need to pray about it more- every time I feel my blood pressure rise (and I have the blood pressure of a dead person, go figure). And, sadly, I need to stop playing around with my kids.

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I started putting the above into practice Monday morning (after nearly packing my bags and moving out Sunday night). Speaking softly, literally and figuratively, is a neat trick in the world of parenting. For one thing, it shuts the wee tyrants up. They can tell I'm talking but they can't hear what I'm saying so- quiet. Hard to do though when every fiber of my being wants to get LOUD. But the funny thing about getting loud is that I feel pretty lousy after the fact.

And, not speaking at all. Who knew! A knowing look goes a long way with a kid, especially when they are fully aware that they are doing or saying something they shouldn't. Plus, the anticipation of your saying something seems to neutralize the situation. Hee, hee, hee.

Praying. It helps. He helps. And, it gives you a moment, like counting to ten, but it's more productive. Amen.

And finally, not playing around with my kids. I don't mean playing with them. I (my husband, too) need to quit playing around with them because that is giving them the impression that we are all equals. We aren't and none of us should be treating the others as if we are. I have to be the mature one in all situations concerning my boys. It's about consistency more than anything else. If I laugh with Nathanael about something that Asher should not be doing, for example, but get upset with Nathanael for laughing at Asher the next time it happens, how is that fair to any of us? Well, it's not and it's on me to change this.

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Yesterday was a fresh new day! New behaviors and attitudes were exhibiting themselves all over the place! Until after dinner. We'll call it the witching hour. Actually, it wasn't that bad but I could tell the spell was beginning to fade. Thank heavens for early bed times!

Today! Another fresh new day! Huh? Well, another day at least. The Lord and I have had several conversations so far (and It's only 1:15!). I haven't gone off the deep end but I have noticed a bit more volume about me. Thank heavens for nap time!!!

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I guess I have to stop thinking that there is a quick fix in this parenting dilemma. I have to remember to be conscious of my role as mother. A role I can never set aside, not even for the merest of moments, if I am to be successful. But, I am determined! I love being a mom. I love being a mom to boys. I love my boys.

...But the greatest of these is love. :)

Books, Books, Books, Books, Books

2011-01-21T12:57:00.005-05:00

5 books read in the past 4 weeks:

* A Christmas Odyssey by Anne Perry (I get her new Christmas novella every Christmas from my husband. I love how these have become a little bit of a tradition between us.)

* Heat Wave by "Richard Castle" (I loooove the TV show 'Castle' and have been curious about the books. It was a fun read and a good mystery that kept me going. The second book, Naked Heat, arrived in the mail today.)

* Mistletoe and Mayhem by Kate Kingsbury ( This, too, was a Christmas gift. It was a fun, holiday themed mystery in Edwardian England. I think I'll check out her other books once the holidays roll 'round again.)
* An Irish Country Courtship by Patrick Taylor (Just wonderful! I love this series that takes place in Ireland in the 1960's. They leave you feeling warm and happy. And, I also like walking around saying "wee" and "eejit".)

* The Mischief of the Mistletoe by Lauren Willig ( I love this series, too. They are rom-com, historical books inspired by the Scarlett Pimpernel. Sweet and funny and fun.)

Now, I shall be diving into Peril at Somner House by Joanna Challis. I read the first in this series last spring, Murder on the Cliffs. The heroine is none other than Daphne du Maurier (Rebecca, The Frenchman's Creek, Jamaica Inn) Good mystery, great characters and lots of fun. Then Naked Heat. And The Orchid Affair. I am positively giddy with anticipation!

What's on your nightstand?

My latest...

2011-01-20T13:25:00.004-05:00

Here's a peek at the progress I'm making on my latest portrait. It is Marie Antoinette, this time in black and white.

What's next...

2011-01-18T13:22:00.002-05:00

The house cleaning is coming along nicely. I've relaxed a bit and am enjoying it more. Don't get me wrong, I don't find cleaning to be enjoyable by itself. However, when doing a all-over, spring cleaning, it can be kinda fun. I like moving furniture around and redecorating and re-purposing. And, now that Asher is a little older, I don't have to be so baby-conscious in how I decorate and set-up cupboards and drawers. I'm also one of those people who puts something in a "safe place" and completely forgets about it. Doing a cleaning like this means unearthing a lot of "lost treasures".

Now that the second half of January is underway, it's time to start planning my garden. Why so early? Last year, I believe I started planning in February and it was a bit close. Any seeds that I want to start indoors will actually need to get going pretty quick. So, in an effort to not feel so under the gun this year, I'm going to start planning now.

Which means:
* Figuring out frost dates and making a gardening calendar.
* Making a list of all I want to grow, how much of each and where they will be planted.
* Figure out what plants can be started from seeds by me and when.
* Begin working on dates for planting in the actual garden.
* Decide if I will need to rent a plot in our community garden.

I did all of this last year with the guidance of Thy Hand Hath Provided and her wonderful gardening tutorial and on line at the Gardener's Supply Company. They have a way for you to plan out your square foot garden on their website and then you can print it out along with great info on what you are planting. This year I will also be using information gathered from The Grocery Shrink on how much to plant per person to last a year.

I do plan on doing the square foot garden again this year. I really liked how it worked for me last year and would highly recommend it.

I also plan on being more realistic in what I choose to plant. I had a lot of things going last year, which was fun and I learned lots. But it wasn't realistic for us as a family. I felt like we wasted a lot (although the chickens would beg to differ). Like, no beets (my husband is the only one who likes beets and he never eats them) and no big, slicing tomatoes (just grape and Roma) and, even though I think they are the prettiest things, no peas:(. They just take up too much room and you get so little in return. Plus I'd like to use the back corner of our property that actually gets sunlight for things like pumpkins.

Now, I'm getting excited about my garden! As I figure things out, I'll fill you in. Now for the... You guessed it! Laundry!!!:) Enjoy your day!

Five for Friday

2011-01-14T13:13:00.006-05:00

Five random thoughts/observances:

1. Thumbs are very important. If you have ever doubted that, simply wrap both thumbs in bandages and survive. Of course, if you are going to try this you need to make sure you are secure enough to withstand the confused stares you will receive. It makes me wonder what they think I've done...

2. Although I put absolutely no stock in horoscopes and signs, I find myself really digging my heals in about this whole "change from Libra to Virgo" thing. I'm not gonna do it! Who's with me?

3.On Asher's birthday I had wanted to get some fun pictures of Nathanael. When I asked him to smile and say "Cheese!", I got a series of pained smirks and grimaces and sad attempts at looking "serious". Finally, I got some cute smiles from the kid- but only because his little brother was feeling a bit gassy. Boys!

4. If you haven't read the "Irish County Doctor" series of books by Patrick Taylor, please do. They are absolutely wonderful and warm and sweet and fun. A perfect book for cold, winter afternoons. I'm reading the newest one now. They are the kind of books that make you want to read really slow so that they don't come to an end too soon.

5. How wonderful was "Downton Abbey" on pbs, last Sunday?! I love the whole upstairs/downstairs feel and that you get equal doses of both worlds. And, it is both beautiful to look at and listen to, also. Part two is this Sunday. Can't wait!

Now I am off to do as I say and curl up with my "Irish Country Courtship"! Enjoy your day!

Artsy Update

2011-01-13T12:55:00.003-05:00

Well, Romeo and Juliet are finished! Go here to see some more pics and what I wrote about them. Here is a little pic of the two lovers together:

What's next? Since I sold my original Marie Antoinette, I do believe I shall create a new one. She was where Sew Creepy Portraits started, so I feel like I should always have at least one Marie in my collection. Each one will be different, of course. This new Marie will (I think) be all in black and white. That'll be my 'challenge'.

Anyway, I'll start on her as soon as I get my thumbs back. True to form, both my thumbs have a 'crack' in them. A painful crack. Every year at this time, because of the dry weather and having my hands on wool and other fabrics so often, at least one of my thumbs cracks open. Yesterday I had both thumbs bandaged. It was kind of nice while I was sewing because they acted like thimbles. Unfortunately, I kept stitching myself to my work because my needle kept catching part of the bandage without my realizing it. Can I hear an 'Oy!'? I'm sure the crazy cleaning I've been doing doesn't help either. And, to top it all off, last night I was wondering why my big toe hurt. It now has a little crack on it, too. I'll be fitted for a body cast soon.

Now to put on some hand lotion and do a little reading while the red-head sleeps. Enjoy your day!

Asher's Birthday

2011-01-10T13:02:00.004-05:00

It was Asher's birthday on Sunday. Three years old! Wow!!! It seems like he went from this...

...to this, awfully fast!

Here are some pictures from our Day of Festivities, which included a lunch at Red Robin per Asher's request. *Please forgive the darkness of the pictures. I was taking them either early in the morning or after it got dark out.

Here is the birthday boy, finally being allowed to begin the celebrations.

Balloons! We actually had to beg him to look at all of the presents and leave the balloons alone for a moment!
Opening a gift from Nathanael. ( A new Kung Zhu.)

Awwww!
More gifts...

Showing us that he is three. Dave had to help before he offended anyone by accident.

We got him a new fire truck that has lots of buttons, flashing lights, sirens and voices on it. It also has a rather dramatic song that plays when you push one of the buttons. Think the theme song from 'L.A. Law'. It made Dave and I feel as if we should be strutting around, in slow motion, ready to save lives. It made Asher give these cheese-y smiles and dance moves. Worth every penny!

Yesterday was a big day for my boy in another way, too. I finally got up the guts to break down his crib and move it out! He is now sleeping on a regular, twin bed. So far, so good! And today, we tossed the sippy cups. Tomorrow, it's drivers training. ;)

We had a wonderful day yesterday with our little red-head! He has been such a joy to me. I know I complain that I don't get much of a break from him but, honestly? The thought of not having him around makes me very sad. But, he's three now. Three is such a turning point. By three you know for sure that your baby and time, itself, is moving forward.

Enough! No more maudlin thoughts. Time to focus on Romeo (no escaping 'maudlin', I guess) and finish him up!

New Year, New Thoughts

2011-01-04T13:15:00.003-05:00

Tuesday is for sharing my thoughts or something new.

How about my thoughts on the New Year?

I haven't made a list (yet?) of resolutions for 2011. However, I find that I look at the beginning of a year as a chance to review and revise.

Some things that I want to accomplish are the same year after year:
*Lose the wait I put on over the holidays.
*Clean my house from top to bottom.
*Work on procrastination, "running out of steam" and focusing.
*Work towards spending only $50 per person, per month, on groceries. Eeek!

Some things that I want to accomplish develop because I am sick and tired of revisiting the same area year after year:
*Figure out a house cleaning schedule and stick to it!!!!
*Figure out how to eat better/healthier/more responsibly and stick to it!!!!

Some things that I want to accomplish are things that have been in my head for a while and I just haven't gotten to them yet:
*Learn how to make bread and get to the point where I don't have to buy bread any more.
*Figure out garden by end of January. Plan according to what we actually eat/store (don't waste my little bit of space).
*Plan and, more importantly, plant a fall garden.
*Landscape and beautify the chicken coop/run.

Somethings are business related:
*Iron everything!!!!
*Make each stitch a deliberate work of art in its own right.
*Research more appropriate shows. Look outside of the Greater Lansing Area. Look outside of Michigan.
*Keep on top of website, blog and facebook. Figure out twitter.

Somethings are family related:
*Be a constant and consistent support to my husband. Encourage him more. Practice kindness, gentleness, peacefulness more. Pray for him always.
*Be kinder and more patient with my boys. Be more patient. Stop tapping into my inner Mommy Dearest. Be more patient.
*Teach Asher to read.
*Work on a summer reading/writing/arithmetic plan for Nathanael.

And, some are personal:
*Patience.
*Complete Isaiah study (BSF) and begin Acts of the Apostles study (BSF).
*Memorize 24 verses by December 31st.

I'm sure there's plenty more. This major cleaning that I've been doing has given me lots of time to think and plan.

Have you thought about "this day forward"? Things you'd like to do? (Or stop doing?)

Back to...

2011-01-03T13:27:00.002-05:00

Mom and Dad went back to Florida. Dave went back to work. Nathanael went back to school. Asher and I are getting back to our routine. I love Christmas break but the highs and lows, the loss of routine take a bit out of a person.

I miss having Nathanael and Dave around but, this is the first time in two weeks that I've been "alone". (Asher is just taking his nap.) There is a lot that I wait to do until I am "alone" (like write this blog) so I'm glad to get this bit of time back.

And, now that the holidays and breaks are over, it's time to... CLEAN THIS HOUSE! I decided that as I remove Christmas decorations, room by room, I am going to give that particular room a very thorough cleaning. Cleaning, organizing, weeding. I'll reward myself with some furniture moving and Valentine's Day decorating. I also decided to make a "to-do" list for each room. I found that I kept thinking of things that I wanted to do, issues to address, furniture to move, etc. So I've made a list for each room which comes with the added reward of crossing things off.

I was going to wait until today to get started but I decided to tackle the upstairs bathroom yesterday. Dave had given me lovely new towels for Christmas and I was dying to get them moved in. I finished up the bathroom this morning and I am very happy with it and can check it off of my list! Next- the master bedroom. Eek!

Throughout the mass cleansing, I also am going to work on the laundry room. It is in our basement and there is no way that I can make it look magazine feature-worthy but I'm going to do my best with it. I want a bonafide laundry room (sparked by my beautiful, new washer) so I'm clearing out all of the non-laundry room- what's the word for it- crap! I'm going to make it an actual laundry room. I am determined! I'll even post some pics when I'm done.

All the while, I am also trying to pack up my decorations better. I tend to be so over Christmas by New Years day that I toss everything in bins and hide them in the attic just so I don't have to look at them. Then, when I pull them out of the attic to do my decorating, I spend the whole time berating myself for the awful packing job. It may take me a bit longer to remove Christmas from our midst but, again, I am determined!

Hopefully, all of the above won't take more than two weeks. I then want to spend the rest of January planning my garden. I'll post more about that as I get to it. I also want to get my Romeo and Juliet completed, along with a new Marie Antoinette (I sold the original). Juliet is already done but I haven't listed her yet. I think I want to release and list Romeo and Juliet at the same time. My sketch of Romeo is done and I'm happy with the way it looks. Today I'll be picking out fabrics and maybe I'll start to the pieces I'll need.

That's enough for now! Off to the next project!!

Backward and Forward

2010-12-28T13:45:00.005-05:00

Did you all have a wonderful Christmas? I certainly did! Sort of...

Dave hurt his back Friday morning while taking a bag out of the back of the minivan. Really hurt it. He spent Christmas in quite a bit of pain, poor guy, but he seems to be on the mend.

Nathanael was sick with a cold. He's better but, in the spirit of the season, he gave it to Asher. Asher, very kindly gave it to me. Now I'm sick and I sound like a man. I keep expecting the boys to start calling me 'Dad'.

Do I sound like I'm whining? Sorry, I'll stop.

Oh, wait... maybe a wee bit more woe.

My mom and dad left for Florida Monday morning. So, on top of all else, I'm suffering from severe separation anxiety. After they left our house Sunday night, my husband held me close and murmured comforting thoughts in my ear. Like, "The next six months will go by so fast" or, "Maybe they'll sell their house right away". Such a wonderful guy! Until he said, "They're going someplace warmer." Suddenly, I felt like we were at a funeral! He was doing so good up until that point.

So, here I sit thinking about the New Year. I'm quite excited about it. 2010 was really wonderful. I so enjoyed having my parents so close. It had been a good 20 years since I had easy access to them. I know I got wrapped up in them- as did the boys and Dave- but it was so new and fun for all of us! Who can blame me for making my world a little smaller than usual? Oh, well! They are back to Florida now- someplace warmer. I'll miss them terribly but I think I'll be too busy to get maudlin about it.

I'm looking very forward to Asher turning three on January 9th. Two has been a bit trying- and that's putting it mildly. Talk about being wrapped up in someone! I had forgotten how all-consuming two can be. He is so independent. He wants to and, in some cases he can, do so much on his own. Unfortunately for him, and me, he has several limitations. For Pete's sake, he's only about three feet tall! He has been my constant companion and I adore him and his company. I still think he is one of the greatest surprises of my life. I can't wait to see what this next year of his life holds for him. (I'm thinking of teaching him to read. I'll let you know how that goes...)

That's it for now. The washing machine is calling my name. So is the dishwasher. And the dirty dishes in my sink. And...

Have a wonderful New Year!

Merry Christmas

2010-12-23T13:23:00.002-05:00

I'm going to try and stay off the computer over the next few days and spend the time enjoying my family and Christmas. I hope you all have a lovely Christmas! And, if I don't post before... have a wonderful New Year!

Five for Friday: the Extreme Christmas Addition

2010-12-17T13:57:00.002-05:00

Five Favorite Christmas Movies Before 1970:

1. A Christmas Carol (1938 version with Reginald Owens)
2. White Christmas (The only thing that makes me wish I had a sister is not being able to sing "Sisters, Sisters". I have to settle for a duet with my husband. We make it work.)
3. Holiday Inn (An earlier version of White Christmas with Fred Astaire instead of Danny Kaye. And it's in black and white.)
4. Shop Around the Corner (If you like You've Got Mail, watch this movie. It's what You've Got Mail is based on. Only better. And with James Stewart.)
5. It's A Wonderful Life (I bawl like a baby during the final scene where everyone in town is bringing George Baily money to help him out. Like. A. Baby.)
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Five Favorite Christmas Movies After 1970:

1. Scrooge (With Albert Finney and singing! Thank you very much!)
2. A Christmas Story (I vividly remember the first time I watched this movie with my little brother.)
3. Christmas Vacation (From the opening scene, this movie does not stop. My absolute favorite part is when Clark has his little breakdown. I love Christmas but, don't we all reach a point where we are a hair's breadth away from a tirade similar to his?)
4. Pride and Prejudice (Not strictly a Christmas movie, but Christmas occurs during this movie and, any excuse to see Colin Firth...)
5. While You Were Sleeping (Cute and funny and romantic and... Bill Pullman finally gets the girl!)
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Five Christmas Baking Musts:

1. Swiss Ruby Drops (Jelly. Non-pareils. Yum.)
2. Mexican Wedding Cakes (Powdered sugar. Pecans. Yum.)
3. Sugar Cookies (Cut-outs. Butter cream frosting. Sprinkles. Again, yum.)
4. Gingerbread Boys and Girls (Ditto.)
5. Fudge (I know you don't bake fudge. Yum.)
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Five Things I love About Christmas:

1. Happy Birthday, Jesus!
2. Buying gifts for my boys.
3. Still not sleeping well the night before Christmas.
4. Christmas Eve (After the boys are in bed, with my husband, a bottle of wine and "It's A Wonderful Life".)
5. Decorating my house/wrapping gifts. (Bring it on!)
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Eight more days to go! Eeeeeeee!!!!!:)

What I Want For Christmas....

2010-12-14T14:20:00.003-05:00

...is to enjoy every minute of it!

One of the blogs I follow had a post about not missing the "sparkly eyes". It got me thinking about how every Christmas season I work pretty hard to make it festive and special and a treat for everyone. Then, about noon on Christmas Day, I'm exhausted and wondering what just happened. By then, I'm seriously considering having hot dogs for Christmas dinner instead of ham and all the fixin's. I really felt that way last year.

So, what am I going to do about it? I'm going to slow down, way down, and I'm taking everyone with me! This year, I don't care if it takes four hours, we're opening one gift at a time. Each one of us will take a turn to open a gift, revel in the excitement of said gift, show the gift off to all assembled, gaze at the gift a moment longer. Next!

Maybe it seems cruel to do this to kids but- I don't care! Last year, it was rushed and crazy and I missed half the gifts as they were being opened. I work pretty hard on Christmas lists, gift buying and wrapping. I spend the whole season excited about seeing so-and-so open their gift. I felt really bummed last year when it was all done. I was probably the only one but this year it'll change!

It won't hurt the boys to take their time, to learn what it means to "savor a moment". And, it'll be good for them to see that they aren't the only ones there, that it can be fun to watch others open their gifts. I forsee character developing!;)

So, that's the plan. I'll play Santa, slooooowww Santa. I'll make lots of coffee and hot chocolate and cinnamon rolls.

What's your plan for Christmas?

Five For Friday (X2)

2010-12-10T12:29:00.002-05:00

I loooooove Christmas music. I start listening to it in October (don't judge me) because I am usually making Christmas stuff for Christmas shows. So, making a list of only five favorite songs doesn't seem right (or possible).

Therefore I have created two (still not enough) lists of five favorite Christmas songs for your listening pleasure. These particular songs are favorite versions of favorite songs. I have divided the lists into a grouping of Christmas songs and a grouping of Christmas Hymns. Enjoy!

***The first five songs are the Christmas songs, the second five are the hymns.

2010-12-07T09:42:00.002-05:00

As far as my art and shows, etc. is concerned, 2010 is at an end. All I plan on working on is "The Ghost of Christmas Present". Other than that, I'm taking a wee break.

Sort of...

This has been an interesting year for me. I have had so much fun creating my sweet and creepy little portraits. I feel like I have finally found where I need to be and what I need to be doing. I have so many ideas for portraits, my brain can hardly contain them. But I do not find that overwhelming. On the contrary- I find it inspiring! I still feel rather"young" in my art though. I am anxious to grow and develop my art and my style.

What are my thoughts for this next stage? Here they are:

1. No more Christmas stuff. Decorations or portraits. I'm done with the decorations-crafting no matter what time of year it is. I've decided to just work on my portraits. That's what I truly want to be doing and I know that I will only get better the more I make. Nothing against Christmas but, it's hard to make Santa look macabre. He shouldn't look macabre. I've loved doing the characters from a Christmas Carol and I think they fit into my "style" just right. And perhaps next year I'll tackle the Nutcracker. I think there are a lot of fun and diverse characters to work with in that ballet. I need to and want to stick with creepy (sweet-creepy).

2. No more Christmas shows. People were out to by gifts not invest/collect art.

3. I'm going after some big shows. I've mentioned Ghoultide Gathering. There is also the Renegade art and Craft Show and there is a craft show at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. I'm also think of doing the spring MSU show because they have an art side, not just crafts.

4. I'm going to start submitting my work in contest- ie. Cloth, Paper, Scissors Magazine and Art Prize in Grand Rapids.

5. I'm going to apply to become a member of EHAG and Spookytime Jingles. There are waiting lists for the groups so I know it won't be immediate but I need to get in line at least.

6. I'm going to get my website up and running. I'm going to really study the ins and outs of Etsy and I'm going to be a better blogger. This resolution stresses me the most. When I was in high school, computer classes were optional. At the art college I went to, computer aided design was optional, too. I didn't need no stinkin' computers. I was an artist! Ha!

7. "Perfect" the way I show and display my work. I got lots of good ideas at the MSU show and I'm excited about implementing them. I think. (What I really want is to make my portraits and then have elves sneak in at night, take the finished pieces away and do all that other stuff for me.)

That's enough for now. I'll elaborate on these plans as I tackle them.

I don't know if I'll be able to blog on Thursday. I'm spending the day with Nathanael at his school.

Off to do the laundry in my gorgeous washing machine. Enjoy your day!

A Tale of Two Appliances (and a minivan)

2010-12-06T14:51:00.002-05:00

It's good to be back to "normal". (Don't ask me to define normal.) It's been a busy/crazy few weeks but things have finally settle down, at least to a dull roar. And, it isn't just Thanksgiving and a big craft show that has had me spinning....

First of all, a couple of months ago our garbage disposal died. Actually, it was just the outlet that died. My husband hasn't replaced the outlet yet because he just hasn't had time and other more important needs have arisen. In the grand scheme of things, no garbage disposal is no big deal. That's how I grew up, after all. I only tell you this little tale of inconvenience because...

About a week before Thanksgiving, the dishwasher died. (About a year ago, if I had written that sentence, it would have meant that I was communicating to you from the grave.) Again, not a big deal because, a.) it is under warantee and, b.) for the 8 1/2 years before getting the dishwasher, I was the dishwasher. I know how to wash dishes. The Tuesday before Thanksgiving, someone came out to look at the dishwasher and submit a report to the store that we bought it from. It was well and truly broken so we would probably get a new one, said he. Unfortunately, because of Thanksgiving and Black Friday, there was know way that the issue would be resolved until the next week. Normally, no big deal. However, this year we were hosting Thanksgiving dinner at our house. Visions of dirty dishes danced in my head. "Okay", I told my self. "Buck up, Buttercup, you can wash dishes." I went to my happy place until...

That same Tuesday, the washer began it's slow decline. It was dying, but not dead. I could do teeny, tiny loads but that was it. So, I began doing laundry everyday, in little loads, just to keep up. I was also worried that each load could be my last. Oh, the humanity! We then began the financially, painful search for a new washer. We found one, on Black Friday, and bought it. It's a beautiful, front loader. I loooove it! Now to move it to the basement of this old house and install it. No big deal, until...

The Monday after Thanksgiving, my husband did an oil change on our automobiles. He then got into my minivan to start it and... nothing. That's right, now my car wasn't working. Not a tragedy in that I also have an Explorer Sport to drive and Dave has another car to drive himself. Except that I carpool with another family for school in the mornings. My two kids and her two kids cannot fit into an Explorer Sport. So my dad, bless him, came to my house every morning to watch Asher so that I could take the kids to school.

Ready for some happy endings?

On Thursday night, Dave and my dad moved the gigantic, new washer down to the basement and installed it. Watching them move that beast was painful but it's down there now (and never coming back up!). It works and I loooove it!!!

On Saturday morning, after much research, my husband suspected that the minivan needed a new starter. Ouch! He began to take the engine apart to get to the starter when, what to his wondering eyes should appear but... a loose wire. Bingo, bango, the minivan is up and running!

On Sunday morning, my hero installed my beautiful, new dishwasher. There was, of course, a minor hiccup or two, but those ceased to phase us at this point.

And, while all of this occurred, I was frantically preparing for this big art and craft show and wondering how I was going to transport everything without my van. However, I have the worlds greatest parents and a downright magical husband. Everything worked out just right, just right!

This is a short, expletive-free tale of my past couple of weeks. I'm glad to be done with the shows for the year. I've had a happy day with Asher, grocery shopping and doing some much-needed housework. I even got to treat myself to some gift-wrapping while watching "Christmas Vacation". A good day!

Tomorrow, I'll fill you in on my thoughts regarding my art, my business and what I'd like to do with both.

Happy Thanksgiving...

2010-11-24T17:05:00.002-05:00

...a bit early!

Two pumpkin pies and the raspberry salad are done and crossed off my list. Dave will make an apple pie later and I do believe there is fudge in our future.

My parents will be coming over to celebrate the day with us. I haven't celebrated Thanksgiving with them in about 15 years so I'm really looking forward to it.

I've been sewing lots. I have one more show in a week and a half. It's a big one so I've been trying to get a lot made. Thus the silence. I feel a bit guilty about getting on the computer when I have so much to do (as I type this I am remembering a load of laundry in the dryer). The dishwasher died and the washer is dying. (Here's hoping there are some great appliance sales on Friday!) Not the end of the world but extra work I didn't need right now.

So, have a happy day! Enjoy your turkey and pie and family! I'll blog more regularly once I get this show out of the way.

Election Day Tuesday

2010-11-02T15:18:00.002-04:00

Go out and VOTE today!

I have never been so interested in how other states are voting as I am now. It's quite exciting to see so many people so involved. I think our country has been asleep for a looong time. We're waking up now!

So, get off the computer and go VOTE! Then, get back on the computer and support your favorite artist or crafter! ;)

The Day After

2010-11-01T13:01:00.002-04:00

Well, Halloween has past. I can't (won't) stop eating candy. I want to start decorating for Christmas. (Don't worry, I'm not. Today.)

We had a lovely Halloween. My parents were with us for the whole day and we celebrated BIG! My folks have not had anything to do with Halloween since I moved out at 19. (Where did I come from?) Because of their dry spell and it being the first Halloween that Asher understood what was happening, we had a party. I put up MORE decorations, bought MORE candy and had LOTS of food. At 5:00, the kids walked around the block in a mini-parade behind a fire engine, we partied some more with the neighbors and, at 6:00 they were off!!!

Dave took both boys around a big part of the neighborhood first, then he and Asher retired while Nathanael and I searched for more sugar. Both boys had lots of fun and I think all of the grown-ups did, too. At 8:00, I ripped the candy from the boys little hands and tucked them into bed. Popcorn was made, assorted candy bars were gathered and "Sherlock" was watched. (Looooove "Sherlock".) I do believe we slept like the dead. All in all, good times.

Here are some pics of my guys.

Dave, Fireman Asher and Nathanael Fett.

Isn't he a precious, little bounty hunter?!

Can you here him saying "Cheese!"? And how about that chocolate around his mouth? Didn't you know that all firemen have chocolate around their mouth?

Have a wonderful day!

Of Shoelaces and Clock Faces

2010-10-25T12:10:00.003-04:00

Nathanael finally learned how to tie his own shoes yesterday. (Insert sound of villagers rejoicing here.) He is seven and a half. I think I was about five, at the most, when I learned how to tie my shoes. I was feeling pretty superior about that until I remembered that velcro shoes didn't exist in the early seventies. (We'd only just gotten ourselves on the moon, after all!) So, I realized I had to cut the kid some slack. I was the one buying him velcro shoes so that my life would be a teensy, weensy bit easier. Yeah, that back fired. Oh, well, he knows how to tie his shoes now and that's what's important!

And then I had this "physician, heal thyself" moment. I may be able to tie my shoelaces with my eyes closed but...

I'm not very good at telling time, not on a traditional clock face. In my day, instead of velcro, we had digital clocks. I relied on digital clocks more than I should and now I cannot just look at a clock and tell you the time. I have to pause and figure it out. I do better now. But, heaven help me if my life ever depends on my giving someone the time.

Then, there's that whole left and right thing. Left and right has always eluded me. Again, I do better now but not much! I always have to think a bit about which is which. I can't begin to tell you how envious I am of people who just KNOW their right from their left. Especially those who can answer the question, "Your right or my right?" (Just thinking about having to determine whether or not something is on my right or your right makes me break out into a cold sweat.) Thank goodness I got married. As long as I remember that my wedding band is on my left hand, I'm okay! If I ever have to diffuse a bomb and am told to cut the wire on the left, say your prayers!

I'm horrible with Roman Numerals. I apparently have the math level of a first grader. I can't parallel park. I pronounce ostrich oy-strich and almond owl-mond. I can't type very well and often get into a panic about one or another letter that has gone "missing". I can only hope that these have become endearing qualities. Old dogs and new tricks, ya know.

So.... Congrats, Nathanael! I'm so proud. Seven and a half is not to old learn how to tie your shoes.

5 Halloween Must-Sees

2010-10-22T10:36:00.006-04:00

In no particular order...

5. "Thriller" video by Michael Jackson. I remember watching this with my little brother when it first aired. It was one time we were actually allowed to watch MTV, as a matter of fact. I had gotten the "Thriller" album (a big, round, black, vinyl thing called a record) for Christmas. We had the song memorized. I remember Christopher and I sitting in our dad's black, leather recliner that was aimed at our TV (the better to watch hokey games). The two of us clung to each other in anticipation- we were 11 and 8 when the video aired. It was so cool! Very worth the wait! Memories...

4. "It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown". Need I say more? Charlie Brown's costume. Linus' faith. Sally's loyalty. Sally's scorn. Lucy's rare tenderness. The Great Pumpkin. And, this perfect quote from Linus, "There are three things I have learned never to discuss with people: religion, politics and the Great Pumpkin."

3. The Muppet Show with guest star Alice Cooper. I remember when this came on, too. Again , watching it with my little brother and our parents. I was 8 and Christopher was 4 so we had no clue as to who this Alice Cooper was. I do recall a certain amount of confusion concerning the name "Alice". We just thought it was about the most incredible thing we'd ever seen. On the Muppet Show!!!

2. "Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein". And Dracula! And the Wolfman! Bela Lugosi, Lon Chaney, Jr., Glenn Strange, Abbott and Costello!!! Come on!!! I love, love, love Abbott and Costello movies, no matter who they meet!

1. "Young Frankenstein". Mel Brooks. Gene Wilder. Madeline Kahn. Mel Brooks. Cloris Leachman. Marty Feldman. Mel Brooks. Ah, Mel Brooks. That man can spoof a genre like no one else. This movie is not only funny, but the way it pays tribute to the great horror films and actors... A masterpiece! I love everything about it. Every line and action. "Walk this way." "Roll, roll, roll in the hay." "What great knockers! -Thank you!" "Frau Blucher." "He was my Boyfriend!" "But the candle back!" I could go on but I've got stuff to do!

If you haven't experienced any of these, I'd like to suggest that you do. I plan on introducing my 7 year old to Abbott and Costello this year. What do you like to watch this time of year to help you get into the Halloween mood?

A Christmas Carol in Portraits

2010-10-21T14:10:00.003-04:00

Another Christmas project for me this year is "A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens.

I love "A Christmas Carol". I love every movie version there is. Each different movie has something about it that makes it a favorite. I have lines memorized right down to the slightest inflection and tone. And, don't get me started on the musical! Come Christmas time, I will watch these movies over and over and over and... You get the point.

So, with the new direction that my art is taking, "A Christmas Carol" seems to have been written just for me! (Thank you, Charles!) However, as much as I love the story, it's characters, it's various interpretations- I have never read the book! Surprised? Me, too! 2010 is officially the year I finally read "A Christmas Carol". But not quite yet...(it's October, for Pete's sake!!!)

I will be creating portraits of characters from the book for this holiday season. Each will measure 14" x 18", finished size. And, each will be as true to Mr. Dickens representation of the character in his writings. I plan on releasing, if not creating, each character in the order that they are introduced.

So, here are some peeks at my sketches so far. On my selling blog, Mr. Scrooge (the first) has already been released. Check him out.

Jacob Marley, Door-Knocker

Ebenezer Scrooge on Christmas Eve

Ebenezer Scrooge When the clock Strikes One

I plan on making several Ebenezer's as his character's nature changes frequently throughout the tale. I'm looking forward to making the Ghost's. Well, except for the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come. I'm not sure how to do his portrait. Thankfully, he doesn't come about until the end of the book!

Keep checking back for updates here. And check out my other blog and Etsy shop for the completed portraits. In the meantime...

Bah! Humbug! :)

Random Tuesday

2010-10-19T13:21:00.003-04:00

Tuesday blogs are for , well, anything. A chance for me to share my thoughts with you or something new that I have discovered. Here's the thing... I'm desperate for a thought, folks. I mean a deep, interesting thought. It's not happening for me today. So here are some random, not particularly impressive thoughts...

:: Nathanael is really into Star Wars. I love that because I was his age when I was first introduced to Star Wars (read: Han Solo). However, he is into the Clone Wars and all of the Anakin stuff. Which is before my time, as far as the Star Wars (Han Solo) I'm interested in is concerned. Yet, that part of the series was developed in my adult years and, therefore, after my time? This has produced a "which came first" scenario that is absorbing me and, I believe, the greater majority of my brain cells.

:: Did you know that in Baltimore, in the mid-1800's, pigs were let loose in the streets to "dispose" trash, etc.? I did not know this. I am assuming this took place elsewhere in the world. One more thing that is preoccupying me today. Go figure.

:: Have you seen the candidates in the running governor of New York? ( Head slowly shaking in despair.)

:: Asher is in such a terrible-two stage! He is down-right schizophrenic! No wonder I'm incapable of deep-thinking lately. Ever see the movie "Gaslight"? I'm beginning to think there is more to his behavior than meets the eye. At the very least, he has turned me into a twitching, paranoid, Joan-Crawford-one-minute, June-Cleaver-the-next version of my former self. When he turns three I'm throwing a BIG party!

:: Here are some pictures of the boys helping with the yard work.

Look at them! So cute!!!

He kind of looks like Han Solo when he got frozen in that copper stuff by Boba Fett.

Look at how well Asher's hair blends with the leaves.

Alright. Enough. I think I'll go fold laundry and watch the "Masterpiece" I recorded. There's nothing like a little "Wallander" to pick you up and make you think that your life is a-okay!

It's Momma Monday! (Again)

2010-10-18T13:32:00.002-04:00

***I'd like to dedicate this post to the memory of Barbara Billingsly and her role as June Cleaver (super-mom) in one of my all-time fav's- "Leave It To Beaver".

Monday. Finally. I've been looking forward to this Monday for the past three weeks.

I've been doing a lot of sewing and show-prepping and birthday celebrating. And through it all, I've had my eye on today, Monday. A brief and needed bit of respite from the sewing and show-prepping. Even if it is only for a few days.

And what will I be doing? Cleaning!!! I miss cleaning my house! The kind of deep-down, intense, loose-track-of-time kind of cleaning. The kind of cleaning that results in re-decorating because you tear your house apart.

It actually began yesterday. I spent about an hour cleaning my half bath. A half bath that is called a half bath because you can only fit a half person in it. It shouldn't take more than 15 minutes to clean that "room". Now, don't think I was scrubbing on hands and knees, Cinderella-like. I just took my own sweet time! Because I could! And then I rewarded myself by "shopping" my Halloween crafts and re-decorating that tiny space. Asher was very impressed.

Today it was the kitchen. I've been dreaming about giving this kitchen a once-over for a while now. And I did. I also rewarded myself by re-decorating for Halloween. Again, Asher was pretty impressed. We celebrated with a trip to buy some pumpkins and gourds to scatter artfully around the kitchen and dining room. I still have to dust the woodwork in the dining room and give both floors a super-cleaning, but other than that we're looking good.

That's pretty much what my week is going to look like; cleaning, catching-up and being just mom.

I'm off to the eye doctor and perhaps a stroll around Target. Have a lovely day!

Gone Stitchin'

2010-10-11T09:43:00.001-04:00

****I will not be posting anything new this week as I have a BIG show to prepare for on Saturday. See you next Monday!

Summary Saturday

2010-10-09T13:16:00.002-04:00

What a week!

It began with a lovely, surprise over-night trip with my husband. And I was surprised! I didn't have a clue. It was nice hanging out with my bestest bud, eating out, shopping and being treated like a princess. We were just supposed to spend the day away together to go to the Ghoultide Gathering- but he treated me to lots more!

Summary #1: I have been truly blessed with my husband.

And Ghoultide Gathering! You can't take pictures there so I have none to show you. However, go to Ghoultide's website and click on the various artists. A lot of them have posted pictures that they took of the show, their work and the other artists work. It was a fabulous show! I felt like a kid. I got to meet artists whose work and faces I've seen only in magazines. I was really inspired (and wet- boy, did it rain!). I think my work would fit in there. Someday. Soon. After a wee bit of honing and refining.

Summary #2: I want to be in the Ghoultide Gathering.

I also turned 40 this week. I remember when Oprah turned 40 (quite a while ago). I remember how she made turning 40 seem like a better thing than turning 21. I wouldn't go that far but I see no problems with being 40. Besides, if I feel a little concerned about my age, I can just look at my wonderful husband and think, "At least I'll always be 5 years younger than him!" See, he really is a wonderful man!

Summary #3: I'm 40. We'll leave it at that.

The rest of the week has been spent frantically stitching. I've got another big show a week from today- eek! I'm working strictly on Christmas now and loving it. If you looked in my window, you'd see me in my Happy Halloween T-shirt stitching up an ornery-lookin' Ebenezer Scrooge, while Asher, in his Halloween shirt, holds up the Santa I made and says "boo!" to it's face.

Summary #4: We are holiday-befuddled and happy!

Five T.V. Crushes*

2010-10-08T11:08:00.005-04:00

*Current T.V. crushes. I could certainly wax poetic on the many attributes of Pierce Brosnan from Remington Steele and Bruce Willis from Moonlighting. That'll be another post.

In honor of the end of the summer T.V. season and the beginning of the fall T.V. season, today's list will be dedicated to five T.V. actors/characters who reside in a small part of my heart. Nos. 5-2 appear in no particular order. #1 is #1 and I, personally, don't see that ever changing!

5. Tom Selleck. Look at him. The smile. The twinkle in his eyes. The voice. The mustache. I'd have to fight my mom for him but I think I have a chance.

4. Adam Baldwin. More specifically, John Casey on Chuck. I think part of the crush stems from the fact that he looks a bit like my husband. I love his (Casey's) attitude on the show. And he grunts. He could grunt at me anytime.

3. Matt Bomer. My parents practically forced me to watch White Collar. I'm so glad they did! It is a great show, for one thing. Then there's Neil Caffrey played by Matt Bomer. Adorable!! I'd have to fight my mom for him, too. To hear her talk about him makes me think I don't have as good of a chance.

2. Matt Passmore. Jim Longworth from The Glades. If you didn't see The Glades this summer, I pity you. Fabulous show! One of my favorites. And that hunky man above is the main reason why. His character is a rather straight-talking, sarcastic, tact-free homicide detective. It was love at first sight.

1. And last, but not least. The man who holds a somewhat inexplicable spell over me. The man I find my self thinking about, wondering about- and he's not even real. The man who makes me have a better understanding of where stalkers come from. The man who makes me laugh and cringe at the same time. Doctor Martin Ellingham from Doc Martin. (I know I have asked this of you before and I am going to ask it of you again- If you have not seen Doc Martin, see it. Now! ) Since the first time I saw Doc Martin, I found myself thinking (read: obsessing) about him until the next episode. I own all 4 series, I watch them repeatedly and I am anxiously awaiting series 5. Should they ever cancel this show.... Well, I just don't know what I'll do!

Okay, enough about my delusions, I mean, crushes. How about you?

Art Update- Plans for Christmas 2010

2010-10-07T12:38:00.003-04:00

A peek at Joyeux Noel.

I've got lots of plans for Christmas. Lots. I have to. I have three more shows to do before Christmas. So what am I planning?

For show purposes, I will be creating a series of 12 Christmas characters. Miss Noel above is the first. Each of the characters will have their portraits done on a gift box, a tissue box cover and an 8x10 portrait. It's been fun coming up with the different characters and their names. Anyway, I've got the first set complete and am working on the second set- Santa. Nothing like making Santa's in early October. ;)

But of course, those little ones will not be all. I'm really excited about beginning work on my bigger portraits. Where will I start? Mr. Scrooge, of course!

Check out the couple of pics below. (Yes, I know there is a Shit Tzu on the table. Don't ask.) And, stay tuned for more updates. Maybe I'll have some Scrooge goin' on for next Thursday...

My Life Is Sew Sweet

Papier Marie

Portrait Plans 2012

First Portrait of 2012

Baby, It's Cold Outside...So Bake Some Bread!

Cool Things

What I Got For Christmas

Patterns

To-Do 2012

January means...

Asher's Birthday...

Christmas 2011

New Year

This Christmas...

Snowflake Queen

My Advent Calendar

December Is Here

What's Next... Penelope

Christmas Decorating- The Master Bedroom

Christmas Planning Begins

It's November...

Happy Halloween!

How was your weekend?

What I Did On My Summer Vacation

As promised...

Summer Pursuits

New Additions

Vegetable Garden

A Quick Look at Danny

Me and My Mother's Day Gift

Asher-speak

A New Drawing & A New Dinner

Wedding + Good-Bye + Round-Two = Emotional Strain

Art Update- Rowena

Something New and Something Blue

Spring and...SNOW...What!?#*!*&?!!%$*#?:{

More New, New, New

Done!

ACEO

Five for Friday and a Bit of a Break

Process- Part 2

Garden Prep 2011

Five For Friday- Books for Nathanael

Process

I Want A Kindle

How Do I Love Asher?

Update-Madame Sidonia the Fortune Teller

Lent.... Gasp

What I Love About My Nathanael Is...

Thirty Three for Friday***

Update- The Circus

Mornings with Asher

Five For Friday- Blogs

Update- The Circus

Inspiration

Nathanael's Eighth Birthday

Gifts and Hard, Hard Work

Now that I'm feeling better...

Tuesday's Thing- My Art Journal

New Week, New Attitude (hopefully)

5 Songs

My Kingdom for a Thumb!

Books, Books, Books, Books, Books

My latest...

What's next...

Five for Friday

Artsy Update

Asher's Birthday

New Year, New Thoughts

Back to...

Backward and Forward

Merry Christmas

Five for Friday: the Extreme Christmas Addition

What I Want For Christmas....

Five For Friday (X2)

A Tale of Two Appliances (and a minivan)

Happy Thanksgiving...

Election Day Tuesday

The Day After

Of Shoelaces and Clock Faces

Spring and...SNOW...What!?#!&?!!%$*#?:{