Muses and Mysteries

Still keeping her close to my heart

2011-10-28T11:27:00.000-05:00

When so much of my time and emotion went into caring for Cupid, I thought that I might feel somewhat relieved when she passed on. But that's not the case at all. I find myself missing all the extra efforts I made to make sure she had a fabulous life. The stress of my worrying about her?...I'd take it back in a heartbeat, if she were happy. What about the extra time I have now?... I don't care.

I wear a pendant that holds some of her ashes because it helps me feel that there is still a connection between us. It came from a wonderful company called Perfect Memorials. They were great to work with and shipping was quick. They can also be found on Ebay.

Another season without my girl

2011-09-28T07:21:00.001-05:00

Fall has begun to gently settle in here in the Twin Cities. It was a great summer - with the visit to Lake Itasca State Park, the U2 concert, Vikings training camp, plus plenty of bike rides and trips to nearby beaches. There was so much time spent outside which will come grinding to a halt before I know it. As much as I dread the cold late fall and following winter here, Cupid always looked the most beautiful in the autumn. I will be reminded of her often. There are still days when memories of her choke me up and suck the wind out of my lungs with the incomparable pain of loss. Today brought memories of her at the Shoreview Community Center, where I used to search for the perfect parking spot in the shade for her while I exercised. We'd walk on the adjacent paths and around the pond. I remembered her favorite sniffing spots and how she loved to go everywhere in the car with me. Picking up Alexander after his first day of school was also difficult as I recalled that the last time I picked him up--last spring--my Cupid was with me. Walking through the dog food aisle at the grocery store has unexpectedly started me crying; I absolutely avoid that aisle now. Most days are OK but the ones that aren't leave me feeling broken, deflated, defeated somehow. She was such a huge part of my life.

The Shepherdess and U2

2011-07-22T18:26:00.001-05:00

Well, Jill asked for some art so here's something I finished a long time ago but for some reason I kept procrastinating doing the photomerge in Photoshop (it's 12x12). I guess I thought it was going to be a real pain but it actually took only about 30 seconds. The inspiration for this collage was some of Ann Baldwin's work, specifically from her book, Creative Paint Workshop. I used corrugated cardboard, patterned papers, decorative napkins, some mulberry paper and acrylic paints. Oh, and some stamping into the paint. The shepherdess is a gel medium transfer. I had a hard time deciding if I should include her dog because I think he looks too much like a sheep. I guess that's not such a bad thing.

It was another hot, sticky day here in the Twin Cities and it looks like tomorrow will be similar except that we could have thunderstorms, which should be fun during the outside U2 concert. I told my mom I was going to a concert and she told me to be careful not to get trampled in a mob rushing the stage. She's hilarious sometimes-- doesn't mean to be--although instead of laughing I should be taking notes because I'll need to use these lines on Alexander in a few years!

Peace and quiet and fear

2011-07-19T12:53:00.002-05:00

The boys left Sunday. Off to Itasca (4 hours NW) for their annual foray into the woods, where Dana teaches biology to incoming freshmen and Alexander has the time of his life playing with the peer mentors and the kids of other instructors.
I always look forward to my two weeks of alone time but this year it is different because I really am alone: there's no Cupid by my side. I'm pretty sure that Cupid relished her alone time with me just as much.
It's always a time of mid-year resolutions for me. I started my two weeks well, with a trip to the gym and resisting the urge to run to the store to buy more yummy flavored creamer for my coffee. I need to get back to using 1% milk.
I am resolving (again) to rid myself of the fear that infects my life.
A big one is my fear of making art. My poor muse, always being ignored. This fear stems from my issues with perfectionism, which I've dealt with since I was 6 or younger--not wanting to make 'mistakes', the fear of failure, and not being accepting of myself.
For someone with a background in research, where did all the thrill of experimentation go?

But as soon as I finish this blog post, I am setting myself up on the living room floor with a much-too-large assortment of red- and white-tones of acrylic paints and working on a memorial collage about a friend's therapy dog. My reward will be to dive into a book by Beryl Taylor which I have wanted for a long time and recently received. Her work is so incredibly detailed; she uses fabric and paper and beads and embroidery to create amazing quilted fiber art. Every time you look at one of her creations, you notice something new. Her work is so inspiring, but for now I'd better start smaller although I did make a piece of her fabric paper the other day.

More about Cupid

2011-07-17T15:36:00.019-05:00

A poem by Elizabeth Barrett Browning, from To Flush, My Dog

With my hand upon his head,

Is my benediction said, therefore, and forever.

Blessings on thee, dog of mine,

Pretty collars make thee fine,

Sugared milk make fat thee!

Pleasures wag on in thy tail--

Hands of gentle motion fail

Nevermore, to pat thee!

Yet be blessed to the height

Of all good and all delight

Pervious to thy nature.

Only loved beyond that line,

With a love that answer thine,

Loving fellow-creature!

I found this poem in a very nice book titled Blessing the Animals: Prayers and Ceremonies to Celebrate God's Creatures, Wild and Tame, by Lynn L. Caruso. It really made me think of the relationship I had with Cupid. And the line about 'pretty collars' reminded me of her lovely red leather collar with the hearts on it. With a name like Cupid, I took advantage of the Valentine reference as well as the Christmas/reindeer one. The photo was taken in 2003.

How my son plays catch

2011-07-05T17:47:00.004-05:00

I forget at times how much fun it is to be a kid. If you want to wear last year's Halloween costume, you just do it. It doesn't matter if you're playing catch in the street. What a free feeling that must be. However, if you ask my little lefty, Alexander, how free he feels, he may tell you all about his losing privileges, consequences, and being grounded. It's not all fun and games!

2011-06-23T09:19:00.002-05:00

I just dropped Alexander off at Safety Camp. I am sad and angry at myself because I had the opportunity to tell him how proud of him I am and that I love him so much, but I forgot to until I drove away. This is a big deal for me because my brothers and I didn't get much of that growing up and I had vowed to be different, better. Alexander was the littlest bit apprehensive about going to SC, even though he does great around new kids and new situations. He did great this morning too, joining in almost immediately with the kids in a discussion about light sabers. He looked happy and relaxed. Then he asks a question of the Sheriff's Deputy, who's there with a huge SUV pulling a boat (boat safety is first on the itinerary) and next thing I know, he's in the boat behind the wheel! I remembered back to when I was a kid - and these memories are few and far between - and I would have been scared, very shy, and definitely not talking to anyone unless spoken to first. Maybe my mom would correct me on this and tell me that I did fine, but these are the feelings and behavior I recall. When I had Alexander, I so much wanted not to pass on those traits to him (and tried extremely hard not to) and it looks like I haven't. I'm so grateful. And when I said goodbye to Alexander, I wanted to tell him how proud I was that he overcame his apprehension and started making new friends right away. I wanted to tell him I love him just because I do, and you can't say it too often, can you? You can be sure I will this afternoon when I pick him up, right before I ask him to tell me all about his day.

I'd had a small bag full of rolls of 35mm film sitting around forever, waiting to get developed mostly because it's just so darn expensive compared to digital. Well, I finally got it done and look what I found...this picture of Cupid from last winter, right around New Year's. But this is not in Minnesota, this is at my mom's house in Prescott Valley AZ. Sure they get snow there but it usually melts within 12 hours or so. They got a major snowstorm before the first of the year and it stayed extremely cold too. This was right when my mom was in the hospital and I needed to drive through the hills to get to the hospital in Prescott. I know pretty well how to drive in snowy and icy conditions but a lot of Arizonans don't and this was evident all along the sides of the roads though these hills and beyond, with abandoned vehicles pointing in all directions.

Anyway, we found out after moving at MN that Cupid loved to lay in the snow, no matter how cold it was outside - crazy girl. She still loved it even when she got old and her joints must have ached; most seniors like warmth on their old bones but not my Duper.

Update: Mom's doing fine now. Amazingly, there appear to be no lasting effects. She was in the ICU for 3 weeks, telemetry for another 3 weeks, then moved up to a specialty rehab hospital in Phoenix for about 2 weeks, then two more rehabs in Prescott Valley for another 6 weeks or so. Unfortunately, her back/leg/nerve pain is worse and she is trying to get on the fast track for surgery, but now her surgeon is apprehensive because of all she's been through. I feel for her; it's no way to live.

My Cupid is gone

2011-06-18T22:10:00.023-05:00

Cupid of Peppertree CD

December 25th, 1996 - June 8th, 2011

I said goodbye to my beloved Cupid. She was almost 14 and a half years old. We were used to her having her bad and good days but she woke up to a very bad day. So much pain. I couldn't get it managed despite the morphine, Rimadyl, and tramadol. She wouldn't eat any of her favorite foods. She wouldn't even drink water from her little bowls that I set next to her. I called the house-call vet I've been using lately and waited an unbearably long time for her to call back. She will hear about how disappointed I am, after their being wonderful caregivers to Cupid over the past year or so.

My regular vet hospital, Como Park Animal Hospital, came thru for us and they were even willing to euthanize her in the back seat of my car where she had spent so many happy hours. I had her cremated and will keep her ashes until I find a forever burial place for them, as well as those of my other Shepherds. It will not and cannot be Minnesota. This will never be home to me. If I never find the appropriate place to bury them, I have instructed Dana that I want all of them buried with me. Here's Dana's tribute to Cupid: Angry by Choice: Goodbye dear friend

I seem to be managing fine - better than I thought I would be - but then something out of the blue triggers memories of her and I break down. This afternoon, the sadness and crying and missing her so terribly went on for hours (and it's not done yet). I know I need to feel the pain, process the pain but thank God for alcohol and television to distract and numb. And now, if you'll excuse me, I need another shot.

Words you don't want to hear

2011-01-12T12:34:00.002-06:00

"critical condition"

"life support"

"as sick as a person can be"

"it could go either way"

"Is she DNR?"

These are some of the things that have been said to me in the last 2 weeks in regards to my mom. Writing them now is freaking me out again. She's been in the hospital since the morning of 12/29/2010. We still don't know if she's going to make it. In fact, her latest doctor just called and wants to speak in person; that doesn't sound good.

Maybe later I can describe in more detail what had been happening before I called 911 that Wednesday morning. But the short version is that Mom had developed pneumonia--which is really bad for someone with COPD--and it progressed so quickly and stealthily that neither of us knew she was so close to death. It had started to affect her heart and kidneys, besides her lungs. In an weak, older person these problems can rapidly snowball. That she may have had very low blood pressure for an extended period period of time could mean brain damage.

The ventilator tube was removed on Sunday but my mom's not talking yet. This may be due to the tube irritating/damaging her throat or vocal cords, or her general weakness which is extreme. I was told it will take longer for a senior person than a healthy young person to regain this function but everyone's getting concerned that this much time has passed. Plus, her ability to nod yes or no still isn't consistent. The thought that I might never again be able to communicate with her is horrible and depressing. She and I aren't finished yet with work that needs to be done on our relationship.

Changes

2010-10-14T08:51:00.004-05:00

Wow, it's been a long time since I've blogged. For a month or two, I just accepted the fact that I simply didn't feel like it. But as time wore on, I forced myself to figure out why I didn't feel like blogging. The first realization was my telling myself that nobody read my blog so why bother? But that hadn't stopped me before. Then I realized that I was apprehensive that somebody actually might be reading it. Yikes.

Currently I am in Arizona. I got out of Minnesota just in time; it snowed two days after I left. This is my first winter officially being a snowbird...I really didn't think I was old enough for that title. Cupid and I drove through Iowa, Nebraska, Colorado, and New Mexico. I'd really wanted to explore Santa Fe but there wasn't enough time because I needed to get to AZ in time for my mom's spine surgery. Cupid did amazingly well on the long drive and seemed to immediately remember my mom and her home even though it's been two and a half years.

While I am loving the weather, I am feeling somewhat identity-less. I'm not acting as a mom, a wife, an artist, a TA, or even a parent caretaker. Maybe more about that later.

Freebie

2010-04-07T07:52:00.003-05:00

One of my favorite magazines, Cloth Paper Scissors, is offering a free e-book

on mixed media art techniques. It looks good...here's the link: http://www.clothpaperscissors.com/Mixed-Media-Art-Techniques/

Enjoy!

A scary thing happened at work last Friday

2010-03-27T07:51:00.007-05:00

I worked as a substitute nurse's assistant at the middle school last week. It was rather routine-- lots of headaches and stomachaches mostly because the kids don't eat breakfast with a few kids trying to get out of class. But Friday an announcement came over the intercom to go into lock-down. A group of us were crowded into a small storage room where the coffee maker is. After a few minutes of everyone thinking it was just a drill, someone poked her head in and whispered that it was real. I don't know what everyone else was feeling at that moment, but my heart jumped right out of my chest and onto that worn linoleum floor. I couldn't help but wonder if my time was up. We spent the next 55 minutes or so in near silence; is it possible to be nervous and bored at the same time?? When it was all over, the rumors were rampant--that 3 students were handcuffed and lead away by the police, that someone brought a gun to school, and more. But the truth was that an angry or upset student texted another kid saying that he was going to bring a "clip" to school. The friend was wise enough to show the text to his parents who brought it to the attention of the school.

After the trauma of Friday :) I recovered by going to Arts @ the Oval this past weekend. It's a small annual art fair held at the ice skating rink just two blocks away. I spoke to a number of artists and was both inspired and intimidated by their talent. I almost bought a patina'd copper sheep pin but the lady hadn't brought it with her. I just may have to email her...

Rough patch

2010-03-20T22:18:00.002-05:00

Wow, it's been a rough couple of days. First, I think I lost the closest person to a best friend that I have. She and I had a huge fight over my intervening in a disagreement between our two boys. I reprimanded her kid, which is a touchy subject and often a no-no. The way her boy was treating my boy was yet another display of lack of respect of every member of that family towards myself and Alexander. I guess I'd had it.

Then Alexander came down with the stomach flu yesterday. The poor kid was really suffering and there was not much I could do, which is a horribly helpless feeling. But kids are amazing in how quickly they bounce back, and today he was acting normal although still not eating well.

But one good thing that has happened is that I finished this plaque. It started out as a plain wooden heart that I probably got at Michaels for a dollar. I applied lots of layers of patterned tissue paper and some stenciled-on paint, then a gel medium transfer of my Cupid. I like how it turned out. Oh, one more bad thing--I dropped the plaque and it cracked in half. Bad things happen in 3s, right?

Happy Saint Patrick's Day!

2010-03-17T09:18:00.003-05:00

This photo brings a little twinge of loss to my heart. No, I've never herded sheep in Ireland but it sure would be fun! I miss the challenge and competition of herding for titles and even the physical hard work of raising sheep. I'm 10 years older now...can I still do it??

I never pursued herding here in Minnesota. Several years ago, I went out to a small farm north of us and watched some training in a round pen. The dogs and sheep and handlers were slipping on ice and trudging through snow--it just did not look like something I wanted to be doing. I suppose if the dog I had was a good herder I'd be out there- just not in the winters. But my old lady Cupid was never very talented; she thought the sheep were for dinner apparently.

In closing, an Irish blessing:

May you get all your wishes but one,

So you always have something to strive for.

Signs of spring? Or a visit from Kokopelli?

2010-03-14T17:33:00.004-05:00

I took this photo yesterday after about a week of welcome temps in the high 40's (that's Cupid's ear in the bottom right corner). As of yesterday, the snow has finally melted off the gardening beds and there were little patches of green! After months of brown leaves then white snow and gray skies, it was a welcome surprise to see these colorful signs of life.

It's a common Native American story that the flute-playing Kokopelli is responsible for the end of winter and coming of spring. As he visits villages the sun comes out, the grass grows, and the birds sing. I think we may have had a visit from Kokopelli today because it was absolutely glorious. It was bright and sunny and 63 degrees, which was as warm as Prescott Valley, Arizona, where my mom lives. Unfortunately, we'll be back down into the low 40's again by the end of the week. But the signs of spring are noticeable: there have been geese loudly announcing their return with honking overhead. I spotted 3 of our neighborhood red squirrels, out of hibernation. And the evergreen trees are starting to green up from their winter grayish tones. My personal, never-fail sign that spring has come is when the chipmunks reappear from their underground hibernation homes and start begging for nuts. I can't wait.

A card

2010-03-13T10:25:00.003-06:00

This is the going-away card I made for Scott, my therapist. The whole group signed it. I had to whip it out the same day, which is completely against my nature, but I got it done. I used the Cavallini & Co. set of vintage bird stamps and a bunch of paper scraps. I like the color scheme.

Wabi sabi

2010-03-01T13:46:00.007-06:00

Here's the wabi-sabi textured background I made a little while back. I did transparency and alcohol gel transfers of a Navajo tree image that I found on a Dover CD. The inspiration for this piece initially came from Cloth Paper Scissors magazine. Then as I was working on it, I was invited to join the BluePeaceArtists group which was hosting a wabi-sabi challenge. A little bit of synchronicity perhaps?

Wabi sabi means "wretchedness mellowed by use" and the texture in my wabi sabi painting comes from several reused materials, including teabags and corrugated cardboard. For more information on wabi sabi, you'll want to check out Elizabeth's (the owner of BluePeaceArtists) wonderful blog.

2010-02-28T15:27:00.002-06:00

Here's my journal spread for the GPP Street Team's February challenge. Michelle Ward challenged us to make a journal spread using X and O stencils, stamps, etc. It's a monthly challenge to motivate us to learn more about working with paint, which I surely can use. I used foam stamps and bubble wrap for my letters but I notice that the kissy lips are somewhat O-shaped as well. I started with black gesso, then layered on some metallic gold paint which doesn't show up in the scan. Some of the stamping into wet paint doesn't show up well either. After stamping, I splattered on pearl white and dark red acrylics and kinda like the way the red looks like blood. Fun! Thanks, Michelle, for the challenge every month. Now, I can go check out every one else's spreads. More fun!

Doggie exercise

2010-02-12T19:32:00.003-06:00

This is what Cupid and I have been doing twice a week for the past month or so. We head over to the University of Minnesota Rehabilitation Center for a little underwater treadmill conditioning. I've wanted to do this every winter for the past 3 or 4 years, and I'm thrilled to actually be doing it. Cupid is less than thrilled, however.

It's so difficult to exercise dogs here when there's deep snow or ice everywhere. Cupid actually suffered a soft tissue injury last winter, plowing through a snowbank while on a walk. Now, she does a total of 30 minutes in warm water (with hot tub-type jets in between 5- or 10-minute sets), then gets a rub-down and a blowdry.

The down side is that rehab is expensive! Next winter, if I'm fortunate enough to still have my old gal, we'll again be walking in warmer temps.

Sad

2010-02-08T09:49:00.003-06:00

My Colts lost last night. I'm still hurting. It sounds trivial, but I'd so much been looking forward to buying a Super Bowl t-shirt immediately after the game to celebrate. I really feel for those Colts players...Garcon who was playing for his native Haiti, Peyton who is hearing how he lost the game for them, Coach Caldwell who looked like he'd been crying in a post-game interview. Maybe next year, guys.

Another sad thing happened to me earlier this month: my therapist left. He'd been a post-doc and now it was time for him to move on.

<--- Here's the matchbox shrine ornament I made for him at Christmastime.

One of his favorite artists is Frida Kahlo, and the little peppers are from a plant (or its progeny) that I brought from Arizona to Minnesota. The copper is heavily patinated using salt and vinegar. I really enjoyed working with metal and will be doing more of these shrines.

Super Bowl Sunday

2010-02-07T15:43:00.004-06:00

It's the big day and I'm really excited! I wish the game would start. Two hours to go...

At least Alexander had a birthday party to attend earlier this afternoon, which killed some time. It was held at a bowling alley and Dana and I stuck around and bowled two games. I can't remember ever bowling with Dana, and it was fun (when I was winning, that is).

I should try to channel some of this anxious energy towards making art. And speaking of art, here's a goofy little whimsical (?) piece I finished recently. I took images of Peyton Manning, a gladiator helmet, and the Roman coliseum from Google and combined them with Lisa Bebi's paint-over technique and a Tim Holtz mask. It was a lot of fun to make.

2010-02-05T08:24:00.005-06:00

The time has come...the Super Bowl is this Sunday. The Indianapolis Colts vs. the New Orleans Saints.

The last time I cared about a Super Bowl was when I lived in New York state and the Giants were playing, but I mostly cared because I threw a Super Bowl party. This was shortly before I left NY to make the long drive back to Arizona in a VW Rabbit via Fort Myers, Florida, with two full-grown German Shepherds. I was crazier back then (not that I wouldn't do the same today!). I still miss my NY friends.

I care about this Super Bowl because it has the team for which Alexander and I visited training camp. I loved the Colts last year too but this year was special because I'd watched the players up close and personal before the season even started. What a special trip that was. In continuing with my gratitude intention, I'm thankful for how this season played out (the Colts were almost undefeated!) and all the joy it brought me. Enjoy the game and those awesome commercials, of course~

Under the wire, as usual

2010-02-01T14:21:00.004-06:00

Here's my journal spread for my first Crusade. Michelle Ward hosts this challenge every month and after procrastinating a long time, I got one done. I'm not thrilled with it, but it's part of my effort to make more art, more quickly, without ruminating over every piece like it's the dang Mona Lisa or something. That's part of my silly perfectionism issue.

I've loved Michelle's rubber stamps for years, and her website is a definite 'must visit'. Right now, she has some easy snowflake templates for everyone (which weren't posted when I cut mine....waaahh).

Guess what I got for Christmas

2010-01-13T10:54:00.011-06:00

Dana read me gushing about a local artist in a previous blog post and bought me a giclee of my favorite piece of hers. A giclee is a very high quality, numbered art print. Except for being able to feel the texture of the fabric, you'd never know that it's not the original.

It's square in shape so I'll probably have to frame it myself--maybe from a kit I saw in the Dick Blick catalog.

Thanks, Dana.

a textured background

2010-01-13T10:39:00.003-06:00

Here's a painted and textured background that I actually haven't been working on forever. It started with a gessoed piece of cardstock and I just started layering on acrylic paint, used teabags and a dryer sheet, torn paper with text on it, and coarse granular gel medium. It seems complex and I almost wonder if it could stand alone, but I will likely add more to it. Trees might look nice...

Peyton Manning paintover

2010-01-13T10:16:00.004-06:00

It's been a long time since I posted some art. Peyton here is something I've been working on for a long time now--since before training camp, for sure, because I remember taking it with us just in case I had the opportunity to get an autograph. I used Lisa Bebi's paint over technique in which you take an image of a person (or animal, I suppose) and paint into and out of the image mostly avoiding the facial features. I'm quite happy with how the background came out on this one.

Cupid is 13 years young!

2009-12-31T11:12:00.008-06:00

Christmas Day was my German Shepherd Dog Cupid's birthday. She made it to 13, which is quite an achievement for a large breed, purebred dog from American show dog lines that are typically quite inbred. Her sire was Grand Victor Ch. Mar Haven's Color Guard, who also had sheepherding titles. Her Ch. dam was a Ken-Delaine Mastercharge daughter.

13 years and two months ago Dana and I packed up Cupid's dam, Viva, and headed off from Tucson AZ to the Sacramento CA area to breed Viva. We'd picked her sire, "Boss" after we'd seen him at dog shows. He was big, nearly solid black, young, and knock-your-socks-off gorgeous. He was an incredible mover and had a wonderful temperament. After 63 days of gestation, Viva started having her 9 puppies late Christmas eve and continued through most of Christmas Day. She got super-tired and we spent most of Christmas at the emergency animal hospital. No C-section - thank goodness - but lots of oxytocin and walking. Since we had nine little Christmas babies, Dana suggested we name them after Santa's reindeer. So, in addition to Cupid, there was a Blitzen, a big longcoated male who was nicknamed Bear. There was a Vixen, who lived up to her name and was a real handful. She ended up living with a state park employee who took her to work with him and provided her with a wonderful life. Yes, there was a Rudolph (no red nose) who was called Rudy. I had hopes that he would be a showdog but he ended up being a monorchid :( And I can't forget to mention Comet who, as an older pup, caught a bird in our backyard. I guess Comet lived up to his name too. He must have had a special talent...none of my other Shepherds have ever caught a bird.

Thank you for the memories, Cupid. And thank you for your undying love over the years. You add so much to my life.

Gangsta crafters

2009-12-16T13:06:00.004-06:00

This is pretty dang funny video.
I think it can be enjoyed even if you're not a crafter/artist-type.
Warning: there's some mildly rough language.

What's big, black, and beautiful??

2009-12-09T12:15:00.009-06:00

No, silly!

Not Adrian Peterson, #28 and running back for the Minnesota Vikings--

Though he is a work of art, isn't he?

It's my new crock pot! I broke it out of the box yesterday and cooked up an easy dinner. I took an inexpensive beef roast, rubbed it with adobo seasoning, lots of black pepper and minced garlic, then smothered it with a can of diced tomatoes with green chiles. It could have used another half-hour cooking so that the meat shredded more easily, but it was quite yummy served with flour tortillas.

An artfully wonderful time of year

2009-12-01T10:13:00.004-06:00

Today marks the day that two excellent freebies become available to blogland.

The awesome Tim Holtz began the first of his annual 12 Tags of Christmas and admits he may have gotten "a bit carried away" on his snowy, blue, crackly Winter Wishes tag. Tim offers an easy-to-follow, detailed tutorial with close-up photos each day and giveaways too! If you haven't met Tim Holtz yet, his blog is a must visit. He is incredibly talented and very generous.

Lisa Vollrath's Christmas countdown printables kicked off today too, with the first of 25 collage image sheets. Lisa requires that you link to her website before downloading her fantastic vintage images, which is a tiny price to 'pay' for those of us addicted to graphics.

I hope you enjoy these two early Christmas gifts as much as I do~

An amazing artist

2009-11-16T11:14:00.006-06:00

Yesterday I went to a fiber fair held at a place I've been meaning to go for a long time now: the Textile Center in Minneapolis. There were spinning and weaving demonstrations, sales of materials and finished products, and exhibits of wonderful art as well as clothing. I was absolutely enthralled by the work of Julie Crabtree-Pfannes, shown here---->

This 20"x20" piece is titled Autumn Glory and, like much of her work, is a handmade paper and hand-dyed fiber collage of distressed fabrics, paint, and free-motion sewing.

She is inspired by the Northwoods of Minnesota and her art was amazing and so textural. I only wish I could afford one of these works!

Vintage sewing goodies

2009-11-02T10:37:00.004-06:00

A bit late, but here's a photo of someone's old sewing kit that I picked up at a yard sale this summer. I hope to reuse some of the contents in art pieces. I especially love the antique fabric tape measure, and can you dig that far-out 70's fruitcake tin???

Red piece

2009-10-22T16:53:00.012-05:00

I've been working on this collage forever. It started out as corrugated cardboard that I sanded, painted, and sanded some more. Then I started applying different recycled materials--a painted dryer sheet, a few labels soaked off of various jars, some trim from a box of Valentine chocolates, and more vintagey-looking scraps. The lady came from a workshop I took from Mike Putman @ JackandCatCurio. I gave her some wings made from maple tree seedpods, aka "helicopters".

I can't think of a name for this piece; if you have any suggestions, please leave me a comment!

Oh, and to my wonderful, sweet, Star Wars-obsessed son:

Happy 7th Birthday, Alexander!

Early winter

2009-10-13T12:40:00.008-05:00

The past couple of weeks, I've been living one of my worst nightmares: winter has come early here in Minnesota.

Early snow and way-below average temps.

Why do I hate it so much?

A lot has to do with fear. I remember sliding down a snowy hill, driving the minivan, out of control.

I remember getting the van stuck in ice in a parking lot and 4 men had to help me push it out.

I remember not being able to drive the van up our driveway because it was so slick with ice.

I remember slipping and sliding and falling on the ice many times.

I remember earlier this year Cupid straining /spraining something in one of her rear legs while tromping thru a bank of snow. There was no one to call for a ride; somehow she managed to limp all the way home. Followed by an expensive trip to the emergency vet.

I remember - on less painful walks with Cupid - my face feeling frozen, icy tears being whipped from my eyes, my fingers numb with cold despite wearing gloves.

To cope, I've learned that it's vital that I get out of the house at least daily during winter. Having such unpleasant memories makes that difficult, but it's high on my list of survival tools. Another tool that I started using last year is to list things for which I'm grateful, also daily. At least two a day. In my fowlest moods, that tough to do; other days they come easily.

Today I'm feeling especially grateful for my group. They're a wonderful bunch, some of whom have become friends in addition to being support people. I have a feeling I'll be relying on them heavily this winter.

Another thing I am grateful for is the beauty of nature. I took this photo of a baby maple tree last fall. It was growing up thru the center of a shrub (dogwood?) and couldn't have been more than 15" tall. Just adorable.

2009-09-29T19:49:00.003-05:00

Ahh, I got to swim today. First time in several months. During the summer, with all the kids out of school, I give up on swimming laps. Then there was the annual pool maintenance, which closed it for another month.

I love to swim. I feel very comfortable in the water. Swimming is almost meditative for me. To swim in the tropical atmosphere of our gym's pool, with all the sunlight coming in those walls of windows, is wonderfully calming. I have to admit that it's somewhat surreal to be looking out those windows when it's the middle of winter and the snow is flying outside.

Tonight, though, my long-dormant swimming muscles are starting to complain. Will the remedy be ibuprofen or smelly Icy Hot?

Autumn musings

2009-09-22T12:50:00.007-05:00

Yep, winter is coming. I wish I could enjoy autumn without dreading the season that follows. Cupid and I took a short walk today in the woods where we used to take long walks. Her neurological disease doesn't allow her to take the extended walks of the past. I could tell that she remembered the place. She took a nice poo, ate a little grass, and enjoyed the smells. I thought of my dad, who passed away in 1993; he understood how a dog appreciates the opportunity to defecate away from home.
The leaves are starting to change color and drop, after some extended summer weather. It's been about 10 degrees above normal for the past couple-three weeks (another Jim McWilliam-ism). Poor school kids...class rooms don't have air conditioning around here. The colors of the leaves is one of the things that helps me keep my sanity around this time of year. Even a transplanted Arizonan like myself can appreciate the beauty. Getting out into nature is so necessary for me - at any time of year - and I have Cupid to thank for promoting that. I doubt if many people can understand why I feel about this dog the way that I do. I'm sure most of my friends and family think I'm off in the head the way I have included this animal in my life. She's gone on trips with me- by car and by plane- and she goes on nearly every errand with me unless it's too warm. She has her own couch which is placed in front of the living room picture window so she can watch the action in her front yard and on Griggs St. Cupid has been my silent friend for almost 13 years now. She is a comfort to me when I am sad, a calming presence when life gets difficult. She has been my protector and my creative inspiration. I am amazed by her common sense and the grace with which she has handled her advancing years. Her beauty feeds my soul and her quirky sense of humor has added much joy to my life.

Patrick Swayze 1952-2009

2009-09-15T13:57:00.006-05:00

Patrick Swayze died yesterday. He was only 10 years older than me. I wasn't a huge fan of his, but I am of Saturday Night Live, and remember when Patrick hosted SNL back in 1990. He did a hilarious dance skit with Chris Farley (1964 -1997). The video is 6 minutes long, but well worth the time.

Chris Farley - Chippendales
I love that Patrick didn't take himself too seriously.

Rest in peace, Patrick. Thanks for the laughs.

Help! Mom's a cougar!

2009-09-01T11:18:00.011-05:00

I've been avoiding writing about Alexander's and my trip to Terra Haute, Indiana to attend the Colts (NFL) training camp. I know for sure that I'm going to sound like a cougar....ggrrowwl... or a teenage girl...oooh, he's so dreamy...

Yep, my favorite player was there. Peyton Manning, up close and personal. Stretching and running and throwing. What a thrill it was to be able to watch this future Hall of Fame quarterback practice for his 11th year with Indianapolis Colts.

It was hot and humid and difficult to keep Alexander amused but Colts City helped. A climbing wall, jumping castle, and free snow cones helped break up the monotony for him. Alexander and I "kamped" at a nearby KOA for the three days, which went much smoother than I anticipated for his first tent-camping experience. It was a fun mom and son trip. Thanks, Dana, for help making it happen.

slide ornaments

2009-08-20T14:15:00.005-05:00

Here are my first two attempts at making microscope slide ornaments and soldering. Now I truly understand why soldering requires a lot of practice. My efforts are pretty rough but I'm glad I gave it a shot, and I'm sure I will make more of these.

Altered Book Collage by Barbara Matthiessen

2009-07-31T09:12:00.003-05:00

I've been perusing this book recently while exercising at the gym (for some crazy reason, my best place to think about art) and it's really inspired me. I must have bought it a long time ago, probably at Joann's with a 50% off coupon, then put it on the shelf and forgot about it. But now that I'm getting ready to host an altered book round robin, I looked to it for some tips and I'm so glad I did!

Even though this book may look a bit dated (published 2005), it is chock full of instructions, project ideas, tips, and techniques. Barbara seems to cover everything---including faux finishes like rusting, niches, resist backgrounds, heat embossing, microscope slide embellishments, stitching on pages, even image transfers. The text is clearly written and there are plenty of step-by-step photographs.

Barbara is teaching at Art Unraveled in Phoenix this week and I wish I was there, taking one of her workshops. Maybe next year...

Lake Itasca

2009-07-24T10:23:00.002-05:00

Cupid and I are off to Lake Itasca State Park this morning, hopefully. I say hopefully because my dear old dog had diarrhea last night and a very rumbly tummy this morning. She's had some probiotics and a Maalox and ate a little chicken and rice and seems to be feeling O.K. She's always had a very sensitive GI tract.

The University of Minnesota has a biological station at Itasca where Dana (hubby) has taught for the past two years. Alexander (son) has gone with him both times but this will be my first time there. I'm joining them for just a few days out of the two weeks they're gone. It's about a 4 hour drive northwest, which isn't bad at all unless you have a sick dog with you!

I'd better continue packing...

Journal cover

2009-07-07T09:37:00.004-05:00

I finished this journal cover a few days ago. It's a collage of Graphic 45 paper, some botanical images, a bit of handmade (not by me though) paper with plant material in it, a little mesh fabric, and some dried flowers. I painted on some diluted inks too, which worked well with the texture of the handmade paper. In retrospect, I think I wish that I'd skipped the dried flowers except for that tiny brown one in the center. I will still enjoy writing and sketching in my new altered journal though.

Have a happy day!

Beeswax collage

2009-06-24T09:53:00.004-05:00

Here's the 2nd project from the Mike Putman workshops I attended last summer. It started with a 12x12 piece of MDF to which we all added patterned papers, transparency and paper images, chipboard, and and anything else we desired to complement to the wonderful kits that Mike provided. Everything was adhered and layered with beeswax which we then rubberstamped and applied Pearl-Ex. When I finally brought it home due to fears of the beeswax melting in transport, I added some additional glass beads, Rub and Buff, and tried some gold foiling which I didn't quite get the hang of. I'll have to attempt it again, not on beeswax though.

It was first time working with beeswax and, though I haven't used it since, I do look forward to playing with it again. It smells really good! Mike was a great instructor and even let me stay late to get as much finished as I could. The workshops were held at a wonderful little store called Mystic Paper in Mesa, AZ. If you're ever in the area, you must try to stop by! It's in an old building that is reported to be haunted, and the store is decorated with antiques and lots of vintage items. Too much fun!

A creation from last summer

2009-06-15T11:44:00.003-05:00

Last summer, I was fortunate enough to take two workshops with Mike Putman from Jack and Cat Curio. This is from the first--using metal tape, chipboard, mica, India ink, and more on a wooden plaque.

The class was a blast--fun and conversational, yet inspiring and technique-oriented. Lots of interesting people. Mike makes everyone feel welcome and brings out their creativity. If you ever get a chance to take one of his classes, don't miss that opportunity!

A tag

2009-06-03T08:55:00.006-05:00

I finished this tag yesterday after working on it too long, as usual. However, I am getting better with my intent to "Do rather than think" in regards to art.

For this tag, I used my new-ish Tim Holtz stamps plus a variety of paper and ephemera scraps that were on my work table.

Now I really need to get working on a small gift for my boy's kindergarten teacher. I have less than a week!

Cuteness alert!

2009-04-27T10:59:00.004-05:00

Cupid found a nest of baby bunnies about 10 days ago. Mama bunny had decided to have them in the center of an old lilac bush in our backyard, despite the fact that a German Shepherd Dog lives here. We knew we would do everything in our power to protect the babies from Cupid, and after reading all about about what to do if you find baby bunnies, we also decided to try to protect the babies from the neighborhood cats. What made a lot of sense to me in the information gathering was that dogs and cats are not natural predators of rabbits and helped me decide that we should definitely try to protect the babies, although I would have done it anyway :)

Online, we learned that it's darn difficult to keep cats out of places where they really want to go but we laid chicken wire on the ground, strung shiny moving things in the lilac bush, and sprayed a nasty-smelling dog and cat repellant along our fence. Luckily, our strategy didn't also repel mama bunny. We also learned online that rabbit mothers only visit the nest around dawn and dusk, and then for only about 5 minutes. Sure enough, when we watched closely, she'd show up when it was nearly dark and really hard to see her, circle the lilac bush to make sure it was safe, then stealthily jump into the bush. Even with binoculars it was very difficult to see her in the bush while feeding her young.

We've left the nest alone, as difficult as that has been, only checking occasionally that the bedding material of soft fur and dried grasses was patted down and covering the small dug-out hole with the babies inside. But Saturday, as I took a peek at the bedding, I noticed a large number of small ants swarming around the nest area. I got really sad, because a big group of ants often indicates something dead nearby. I asked hubby to do the dirty work of checking more closely but surprisingly, the two babies are fine and way too adorable! Mother Nature would not be happy but I had to see these little cuties up close, so hubby pulled one of them out of the hole for Alexander and me. Their eyes are now open and their back legs are already strong. Since they only stay in the nest for 16-20 days, I expect they're going to be hopping out any day now. What a fun learning experience this has been!

It's not too early to get excited about Mother's Day, is it?

2009-04-07T14:50:00.010-05:00

Look what I found on the internet! It could be the most perfect Mother's Day ever! I enrolled in a beginning needle felting class in which we'll make woolly sheep, and I probably volunteer for a couple of hours too. Like I need another crafty hobby...

Here's the URL if anyone's interested: http//www.shepherdsharvestfestival.org/index.shtml

I'm 25% Irish

2009-03-16T08:46:00.009-05:00

I tried pretty hard to find a vintage St. Patrick's Day image that included sheep---yes, my love affair with sheep continues--which means I spent too much time sitting on my butt, searching. I bet I could have found one eventually, but that would have entailed spending way too much time. You wouldn't think it would that difficult since Ireland is all about the sheep, right? However, I found these two sweet lasses, one hugging her Irish Setter.

This is my first attempt at uploading copyright-free images for others to use and I hope I did it right.

The Davis/McWilliam family will be enjoying corned beef and cabbage tomorrow with a hastily-procured Wikipedia version of the history of the day for Alexander.

There are so many great Irish blessings, but here's one that I especially liked today:

May you never forget what is worth remembering or remember what is best forgotten.

Belated Valentine

2009-03-11T15:55:00.005-05:00

I finally finished my husband's Valentine's Day card! Actually, it was done a couple of days ago but I added the little heart-scroll thingy to it today. Maybe if I start working on our anniversary (5/23) card now, I have a chance of getting it finished on time!

Blah today

2009-03-09T10:43:00.006-05:00

Here's a strange little piece of art I just finished. I don't know what it means...I was playing with laminate and wallpaper samples and some patina'd copper strips, and this is what happened!

I am so blah today--partly because I'm tired because my boy threw up a couple of times during the night and is home sick today, and partly because once again it's cold and gray outside. We'd gotten a couple of days when the snow and ice were melting and the sun was shining and it gave me hope that just maybe spring would actually arrive here in MN...eventually. Then the harsh realities of winter reappear. Typical March. Up and down. For now, I will tell myself to enjoy the bright red of that cardinal sitting in the bare brown tree in our backyard...and then do it.

A rushed post

2009-02-23T12:15:00.002-06:00

I should not be blogging right now! I desperately need to finish packing for my trip to AZ but it was important to me to get this collage posted. I've been working on it forever and I still might mess with it a little more. It was a bit too wide for the scanner so the edges are cropped off a bit.

I'm making a not-so-New Year's resolution, and that is--in regards to my making art--to use my brain less and hands more. To think about a project less and work on it more. To just make something and not worry that it might not be perfect. To not look at 37 magazines for inspiration because 99% of the time, I end up going with my original idea anyway. There it is. Wish me luck.

I'm a proud mama

2009-02-12T22:10:00.004-06:00

My son, Alexander, had his first exhibit at his school's art fair on Tuesday. He used crayons, markers, and watercolors to decorate clip art butterflies. We attached them to a branch painted with gold acrylic paint and supported by a mound of air-dry clay. Alexander had the most fun embellishing the clay with beads, sequins, and small paper clips. We gave the clay a few spritzes of homemade glimmer mist (Pearl-Ex + turquoise re-inker in water). Although the entries weren't judged, Alexander thought it was really cool to receive a certificate of participation. The butterflies will now be sent to the Holocaust Museum Houston for their Butterfly Project.

Snow dog

2009-01-22T16:25:00.004-06:00

Here's my old Cupid-dog, getting snowed on recently. Most senior dogs like a cozy, warm place to curl up, don't they?? Not Cupid. She loves to lay outside on the deck on all but the coldest days. Crazy bitch :)

Blog guilt

2009-01-16T11:26:00.005-06:00

Blog guilt. I'm suffering from it. Occurs when you've neglected your blog for too long. Yep, I took the Blogging without Obligation pledge when I first started my blog, but some of the guilt remains. I try to use it to my advantage and turn it into a boot to the butt to get busy.

Here's a little button fairy whose components had been sitting on my art table for way too long. The guilt-motivated kick to the pants helped me decide to finally finish her up. It is dang hard to get a good picture of one's artwork sometimes, though. I'm going to try making a lightbox which may help me get some of my beads posted on Etsy too.

'Til next time, whenever that may be.....

Happy Birthday Cupid!

2008-12-27T14:01:00.003-06:00

My special girl turned 12 years old Christmas Day. She's pictured above amidst the present-opening chaos. Later, she and I went for our annual birthday/Christmas walk but her elbow was bothering her so we turned it into a nice long drive through snow-covered farmland instead.

Christmas 1996 is especially memorable because DH (who wasn't yet my husband) and I spent it whelping puppies. About half of the pups arrived during the wee hours of the night at home but the rest were delivered at the emergency vet clinic throughout Christmas Day. The nine babies got the names of Santa's reindeer. Rudolph was nicknamed Rudy and went to live in Alabama. Blitzen was renamed Bear and, because his owners lived in Tucson, I was able to watch him grow up into a big, handsome, long-coated dog. And Vixen lived up to her name--she was a spitfire who went to live with a park ranger who took her to work everyday.

I feel blessed to have Cupid still in my life, and I am thankful that she is healthy and strong....the best Christmas present of all.

Time to play Tag

2008-12-22T14:55:00.005-06:00

I got tagged by Jill <elinorscloset.blogspot.com> a long time ago. I've spent way too much time fretting about it; now it's time to get the job done.

Rules are as follows... when you get tagged you must...
1) Link to the person who tagged you.
2) Mention the rules.
3) Tell six quirky yet boring, unspectacular details about yourself.
4) Tag two other unsuspecting online art friends...

The first thing I had to do was look up the definition of quirky. I think I know what quirky means but just in case...

Here's what I found:

def.: Deviating from the customary: bizarre, cranky, curious, eccentric, erratic, freakish, idiosyncratic, odd, outlandish, peculiar, quaint, queer, singular, strange, unnatural, unusual, weird. Slang kooky, screwball.
Wow...that's quite a spread. "Quaint" brings to my mind something totally different than "freakish". I'm stopping myself--which is difficult-- from looking up "quaint" right now, just in case I don't completely understand its meaning too, which brings me to my first quirky detail--
1) I'm anal and perfectionistic when it comes to writing. It takes me a long time to even write a simple email (just ask DH)
2) I have a bald spot about 1" in diameter on the right side of my head which has always been there.

3) I name and handfeed our backyard squirrels.

4) I raised sheep for a couple of years and dream of doing it again.

5) I can cross each of my eyes individually.

6) I've recently become a pro football fan, thanks to Peyton Manning ;)

For the next victims, I pick:

Nelly <nellybeepaperprojects.blogspot.com>

Natalie <studiomeccadigital.com>

Have fun, gals!

Snowy Saturday

2008-12-20T10:35:00.005-06:00

Well, I'm fairly sure we're going to have a white Christmas here in the Twin Cities area. It's coming down again this morning, plus there were already about 5 inches on the ground. Christmas always sneaks up on me too quickly but this year, the time between Thanksgiving and now has just flown by, hasn't it?

I've been working on a couple of different projects (it takes me forever to actually finish anything) including this combo Christmas/"thanks for the holiday party" card. It's simple but I didn't have a lot of time to ruminate over it which, for me, is a good thing.

Now that I'm back in blogging mode (we'll see how long that lasts...), get ready for some long-overdue tagging to occur in the next day or two!

An ATC

2008-11-05T14:59:00.004-06:00

I am happy to have finally finished this ATC. Its components had been lost following the move back from AZ then it just kinda fell off my radar screen-- you know how that can happen? But now it can head towards Barb's house....yay!

I collaged a music-themed background then did some of Claudine Hellmuth's peeling paper technique and a blue acrylic paint wash. To the image I added two of my least favorite things to work with: microbeads embedded in glue, and a feather. I got the darn microbeads on clearance and they seemed dried out, but maybe that's how they were supposed to be? Anyway, they're a PITA to apply to paper unless you want a big glob of them, even after I'd thinned them down with water. And feathers never seem to lay right for me, plus the adhesive can make them look matted down and unnatural unless you get it only on the spine. But the final product came out O.K., I think.

I hope you like it, Barb.

Happy Halloween, again!

2008-10-31T12:16:00.010-05:00

I went swimming this morning. Not at Lake Josephine, pictured here (brrrr), but at the gym our family recently joined. Those are geese on the lake, by the way. They don't show up very well in the little blog photo :(

I LOVE swimming but have been discouraged lately because there's been more of a wait for lanes or downright rude people to deal with at the pool. "Minnesota nice" doesn't apply at the gym, apparently. Or on the roads, or in the supermarket, or..... (you can fill in the blank.) "Minnesota passive-aggressive" seems to be more accurate. Anyway, just when I was getting into a good rhythm of grumbling, complaining, and pissing and moaning- mostly under my breath- I met a cheery, naked lady in the locker room who shared a secret with me. During weekday "open swim" times, it's much less crowded, she said. But what about the kids, I wondered, there to enjoy the waterpark? And it dawned on me....finally......they're in school. DUH!

So today, I am thankful for naked lady's willingness to share that info with me.

Also, I am thankful for the opportunity to watch "Ghost Hunters Live" tonight. I'm excited!

Early Halloween

2008-10-30T10:36:00.006-05:00

Happy Halloween! ~~ a day early, just in case I don't get to post tomorrow.

<----I made this card a year ago, and still like it a lot.

Alexander will be dressing up as an evil knight. He was very willing to give up his idea to be Batman when I showed him the costume I'd gotten on clearance last year. Might be the last year I get away with that... ;)

It is an absolutely incredibly warm gorgeous fall day here on the frozen tundra of Minnesota. I will celebrate by giving Cupid a much-needed bath! Our back door is open and the chipmunks are coming in and indulging in the never-ending peanut supply.

I am thankful today for the beautiful warm weather, and for the chipmunks and squirrels--our "outside (usually) pets" that never fail to bring a little smile to my face.

Till next time...

Memories of Arizona

2008-10-28T20:49:00.005-05:00

I started making this shadowbox in Prescott Valley while I was there helping out my mom after spinal fusion surgery. I collected wildflowers and weeds and rusty old metal from my walks with Cupid. I saved special goodies from workshops with Tim Holtz and Mike Putman and Art Unraveled. To me, the shadowbox represents home~~the desert, warmth, peace, familiarity. It reminds me of fun and relaxation and friends--old and new.

Today, I am grateful for my Cupid, who has blessed the last nearly-12 years of my life with her devotion, affection, and beauty.

I am also thankful for the sense of vision. I cannot imagine life without it.

Being grateful

2008-10-27T14:00:00.009-05:00

Here's one of the motivational letters my sister-in-law wrote me, when I was whining about feeling down:
Deb,
Start writing one or two things a day you are thankful for, at the end of each day. Don't repeat. It can be small too, like "I'm thankful for the warm shower I had this morning." It accumulates, and might make you see how many good things are there.
Linda

*****
I got this letter from her a few weeks ago and haven't followed her advice yet. I do think about what I'm thankful for, but writing it down seems to be more effective. So, here are 2 things--actually people-- I'm thankful for today:
~my son, Alexander (that was too easy...)
~my hubby (also pretty easy)
[That's them in the photo, playing football recently. Alexander's all about being chased and getting tackled.]

And the winner is....

2008-10-24T15:06:00.003-05:00

Nelly!

Thanks to everyone who threw me a little blog love! Nelly, I'll get your address from the group and mail off the card and some goodies to you by Monday.

Give-away!

2008-10-22T10:10:00.002-05:00

I made 4 ATCs for a 3-for-3 Halloween swap and here's the one up for grabs. Just post a comment, and from those, I'll have my son pull a name out of our witch's hat.

<-- The scan is pretty dark, but then again, so is the card. I started out with a collage image of a group of school kids with their dolls. I transferred the skull-and-crossbones image onto one of the girls. In the top right corner is a transparency image of a Ouija board and a horrifyingly creepy Satan image (both from jackandcatcurio.blogspot.com). I dyed some cheesecloth black to partially cover this corner and attached a metal bee. That's Latin heat-embossed in the top left corner. I searched several vintage books to find the text, which I then cut out and spattered with walnut ink. Good luck!

My boy is 6 years old today!

2008-10-22T09:27:00.004-05:00

I can't believe I'm the mother of a 6 y.o. On the other hand, it seems like eons ago that I was carrying him around in my belly.

We started the morning bright (perhaps dark is a better choice of words here) and early because the little guy has to be on the bus at 7 a.m. He got to decorate his own cake, as is the Davis family tradition. Then he blew out the candles, had a slice of cake, and we sent him off to Teacher Melissa to deal with the sugar buzz!

Monday morning: the blues vs. autumn colors

2008-10-20T08:10:00.008-05:00

Monday morning.

It appears to be a nice start to the week....I'm looking out the window of our dining room and the way the sun is illuminating the autumn leaves on the trees that screen our neighbors' house from us is absolutely incredible. Shadows mixed with flames. Magical.

I've got the lightbox burning my retinas and Metallica blaring from the playlist. Trying to do what needs to be done to keep the evil winter blues from encroaching. There's something about having Lars (God, no, not the ex!) or Bono singing to me that makes things a little better. Exercising helps, too. Too bad the endorphin rush doesn't last longer.

However, talking to my mom is contraindicated. She's really gotten into politics the last couple of years and that, combined with her negative opinionated outspokenness, sends me into a downward spiral every time. Maybe once the elections are over, she'll tone it down a notch or two....nah, who am I kidding? I know, it's my fault that I let it go on long enough to bother me...and I'm working on that.

I'm off to do a little housework before I let myself do some art. But first, I'll find a danceable tune on the playlist and force myself to move a little. Remember Elaine from Seinfeld??? Should be good for a laugh or two. Strange therapy, but it seems to be working as well as the antidepressants. Later.

I won something!

2008-10-12T14:59:00.004-05:00

Well, I guess I can't say now that I never win anything. The family and I were in the grocery store yesterday and they were having a grand re-opening after remodeling and were giving away lots of stuff. I'd quickly scribbled my name and phone # on an entry form, and whaddaya know, I won this little gift basket with a bunch of Cover Girl cosmetics. Fun! Or was it a cosmic hint that I need to de-slobbify???? (That would certainly be my mom's guess!)

My boy made me laugh this morning. He had no idea that it was so funny, which made it even funnier. We all were heading home from a trip to the gym and Chuck and Dons' Pet Food Outlet, and I was going to make pancakes when we got home. In all seriousness, Alexander says, "I wish I could win a trophy for loving pancakes the best in the whole world." :)

On the other hand, I'm worried about my Cupid today. She's been anxious and panting more than usual lately. She doesn't seem to enjoy her walks as much the past few days. But she doesn't seem to be hurting. We'll be heading to the vet tomorrow if this continues. For now, I'll go downstairs and do a little art to stop fretting about it for a while.

New camera

2008-10-11T21:56:00.007-05:00

--->

Here's one of my first photos from my new digital camera (yeah, finally got one!)

That's Alexander, who'll be 6 on the 22nd, and Cupid, who'll be 12 on Christmas Day.

Two loves of my life...

I love the immediate gratification of digital. I used to be all about "making a photograph", taking photography classes, manual focus and apertures and f-stops. The elegance of photography. You'd look at a great photo and wonder how they did it.

Now it's more about how well you can use Photoshop.

Mixed feelings. Feeling nostalgic, I guess.

Halloween quickies

2008-10-09T09:48:00.003-05:00

These ATCs are for a "Quickie Halloween Swap" but they sure weren't quick to make! I played around with gel medium and alcohol transfers with these cards~ which can be frustrating! It's a 3 for 3 swap, so I'll have an extra. Hey, maybe a blog give-away is in order! The odds of winning would be pretty sweet since about 4 people read my blog! Stay tuned......

Warning: bitching and moaning ahead!

2008-10-06T08:30:00.012-05:00

Ugh. Woke up to yet another cold and cloudy day. Plus it's windy today. Fan-freakin'-tastic.

Isn't this supposed to be a great time of year (even in Minnesota)...with the changing of the seasons and the fall festivals and color of the leaves and the upcoming holidays? Well, for me, this is the kick-off to when Deb goes downhill. And dreary days like this don't help matters one bit.

I've really gone all out this year, though, in preparation. My sister-in-law Linda has me on the exercise track. My Guatemalan friend Lesbia, who also is warmth-and sunshine-deprived here, is setting up lunches for us and playdates for our 6 y.o's almost weekly, as well as sharing her misery and her plans to outwit the blues which include painting some rooms of her house in warm, cheery colors.

You know what I just realized? That the first sentence of the prior paragraph said that I had "gone all out" but then wrote about two people in my life who are doing nice things to help me. What's up with that? What I DID do was to talk. Such a small thing, maybe, but not an easy one for me. To admit a weakness and ask for help....not skills I learned early on or ones that I'm comfortable with now. So...I've admitted a have a problem, ala AA, and friends and family are coming to my aid. Thanks, friends and family. More about what I'm actively doing to help myself later....

Above is the current cover of a local publication, Stressfree Living (www.StressfreeMagazine.com). I had been picking it up free regularly, and actually missed it when I was in Arizona this spring/summer. It seems every issue has something relevant to me. And what's not to like about advice to get an aromatic massage because it just might prevent the flu! This month, there's also a suggestion to enjoy the fall foliage by bundling up and going for a canoe trip down the river. I'll pass on the canoe part since the last time I trying canoeing I capsized it, sending the Duper Dog and me on an unexpected swim. But, one of these mornings while DS is at school, I will bundle up, bring a big cup of coffee with some flavored creamer...yum...and take a drive with the Dupe. We'll find a special place, go for a walkie, take some photos, and I'll sip while she sniffs. No promises on loving autumn here, though, 'k?

Spooky

2008-10-02T12:50:00.003-05:00

This is my entry for the "Spooky" mingle (a 1 for 1 swap) for Altered stART. The image is from a page of a Swedish calendar sent to me by Gina, also from the group. The lady wasn't even featured on an October date but I like how she works on this card. The textured orange paper, I believe, is wallpaper sent to me by either Gina or Becci from Australia. Sorry I can't remember exactly, you two...

The bat wings were kindly provided in a collage sheet from jackandcatcurio.com. I used Diamond Glaze on them which made them curl, then crack as I tried to straighten them. I didn't plan it, but they look good all crackly. The tree branches are transfers, also from a jackandcat collage sheet.

It was a fun card to make, and I've got a few more Halloween-themed ATCs in the works. What a great time of year for art!

Altered comp book

2008-09-25T18:35:00.006-05:00

Here's a composition notebook I altered for DH. I found the notebook when I was working at Wally World in Prescott AZ over the summer. It has a black faux leather cover. I also bought one for myself in brown. That should be fun to play with also, someday soon... :)

Vintage Nude

2008-09-22T18:13:00.005-05:00

After many hours of pleasurable work, I am finished with my contribution for the Vintage Nudes fatbook swap for the Altered stART group. I like it a lot but, being the way I am, I keep thinking of ways to make it better. It is time to stop playing with it and let it out into the world. Let it go--out to all 9 other participants. lol
I can't wait to get my bound book from Francine, the group's owner and swap hostess. The last two fatbooks I participated in are wonderful. I feel joy every time I look at them.

Wisdom from a Kindergarten Teacher

2008-09-12T09:43:00.005-05:00

On Wednesday, DH and I went to our first parent-teacher conference for our kindergartner. We were discussing the usual topics and the subject of misbehavior came up. Teacher Melissa uses a version of the time-out which she calls the "Power Place". It's simply a small table and chair away from the action of the class where misbehaving kids can go and get their power back or, in other words they calm down, refocus, and adjust their attitudes so that they can rejoin the group. To me, it is a fresh twist on the old time-out concept which inevitably ends up seeming like an isolation-type punishment.

But something else struck me about this idea: how depression is related to one's power, or lack thereof. I've searched for a logical reason why I suffer from depression. If you have chronic depression, you know that there usually isn't anything logical about it, but that hasn't stopped me from wondering, WHY? Well, Teacher Melissa may have answered that, at least in part. I get depressed because I feel powerless. I get depressed in the winter because I am powerless against the weather. In that situation, I feel that I am without acceptable choices and powerless to change things. Conversely, when I am feeling good, I feel powerful. And when I feel powerful, I feel good.
So how do I get my power back when I start feeling down?
Or do I need to be more accepting of this powerlessness? It's not a good feeling.

First post ever

2008-09-09T08:00:00.001-05:00

Here it is...my very first post on my brand-new blog. I've put off starting a blog for a long time now mostly because I was concerned that, posting to what I hope is primarily an artist's blog, I wouldn't be productive enough. That is still a concern but I will deal with it if it becomes a problem.

To the left is a button fairy I made some time ago for a challenge on the Yahoo group, Altered stART. That's my much-adored German Shepherd Dog, Cupid, on the flattened bottlecap. I added freebie wings from Dover: