Happy Halloween

Tricky, Tricky,
Treaty, Treaty,
Happy, Happy,
Halloweeny! 

Gelli Prints

Cleaning off your Gelli plate in a journal

Water color paper

On the left is scrapbook paper, on the right water color paper

Water color paper

Water color paper

It is a dreary chilly day. Lots of fog that doesn't appear to be in any hurry to burn off, and quite damp. So I decided it was a good day to get into the studio and play.

I am currently taking an online class in Gelli plate printing. The name of the class is Junk Journal, and you can read about it on this blog. At first I wasn't very happy with what I had done, but then I had to readjust my thinking. These are not the final product. Rather we are going to cut these papers up and bind them into an art journal. They are the basis for us to journal further, giving us a head start. Once I finally got that through my brain, I was fine with what I had done.

One of the tips that Samie gave us was how to clean off your Gelli Plate into an existing journal. When you are done, and there is still paint left (there is always paint left, trust me), you apply a coat of thicker paint, and with your plate attached to glass, plexiglass, or in my case, an old marble pastry board, you flip the plate over onto your journal, pressing firmly. Leave it for about 5 minutes, and when you peel it off, the plate it clean. Plus you have some interesting designs and colors. That is the first photo above.

Really loving this. Try it!
Linda

A Fine Mess

Standing at the door looking into the room

Tags I started on Saturday for Christmas crafts

Products that need tweaking before going into our booth for sale

Crap that needs to go to Goodwill

Gelli prints in progress

I am not proud of this mess. Really. But sometimes you are overwhelmed. Here is the story:

I had the craft/studio room cleaned and under control. 3 weeks ago I went to work at Allyscraps, as I do every Wednesday, when the landlord told me he wanted to speak to Cathy, in person. Result was Allyscraps is closing, we lost our lease. We hope to be out by November 10th.

What happens when you have 2 women who hoard art/craft supplies, and have access to 3 small rooms at the back of a store for storage? Yeah, you guessed it. I have hauled home boxes and containers full of finished crafts that are out of season, or Christmas stuff left over from last year, or pieces and bits that we bought and "would do something with" someday. Cathy's garage, which is rarely used as an actual garage, was full of products. A lot of that has gone to the store for mark-down pricing. But she now must set up part of the garage as her "store", as she is going to sell in a booth at a craft mall, and online. We have moved, thrown out, debated over, and given away so much "stuff" in the past week that we are both exhausted and quite sore.

And it's not done.

The last two photographs are Gelli prints. I bought a Gelli plate a few months ago, and just fooled with it. Disgusted with what I was producing when I was seeing some really cool stuff on Pinterest, I took an online class with Carla Sonheim. It was great, but the end of the class was the beginning of the moving/cleaning. So these prints are not finished. To complicate matters, I also signed up for an art journaling class with Journal Girl, which started this week. It also is using the Gelli plate for printing pages. Hence the quick clean of the long table.

I really need to retire....
Linda

Responsibility

There are all types of pet owners, just as there are all types of parents. Some people shouldn't be allowed to add to the gene pool, just as some people shouldn't be allowed to own a pet. This is my blog and my opinion. If this offends you, please move on. I will not apologize for what I see as truth in the universe.

Yesterday morning I was petting Jake, and felt a lump under his chin. When I finally got him to sit still so I could see it, I went into panic mode. To me it appeared to be a dead attached tick. Once a tick attaches, it can transmit all types of disease to your pets. I called the vet for an appointment, and off we went.

Why the panic mode? We lost a dear friend to Lyme's disease from a tick bite 2 months ago. I am a proactive pet owner, and whatever had to be done to avoid this or to save my dog would be done. Promptly. Money, you say? Yeah, well, here is the deal. My dogs rely on me to feed them, give them water, exercise, play, and love. And if they get sick, they don't know what to do, so it is up to me to take care of them. That is the commitment I made when I obtained these dogs. This is what charge cards are for.

My vet confirmed it was a dead tick. She removed it, and suggested a baseline blood test for Lyme's. I told her to do both dogs, because if the test is negative I can go ahead and have them vaccinated for Lyme's disease. I was planning on doing this anyway in the spring. Come to find out that deer ticks are most active when the weather is cooler. Like in October and November.

Until Coal died of this disease, I didn't even know there was a vaccine for Lyme's. And that brings me to the point I want to make. You, me, and anyone who loves their pets have to ask questions and do research. The ultimate protection is to use a flea/tick repellent with the annual Lyme's disease vaccine. And examine your pets often for any evidence of an attached tick.

Look at those faces above. Look into the eyes of your pet. Could you do any less? There are those that would say, "It's just a dog, or cat." And those are the ones who are missing a great deal of life.

Linda

Hold a Paw

Feeling out of sorts? Lonely? Depressed?

Hold a paw. It will help.
Linda

Changes

Tomorrow is our annual end-of-the-season cook out at sheep herding. I am debating taking a camera tomorrow, so went back to look at old photos.  The first five photos are from September, 2010.

A few things come to mind: Gracie was definitely thinner, but she was also not yet 2 years old. Sarge was so tolerant of her antics. Yes, Gracie is biting his tail in two of the above shots.

A lot has changed since those pictures were taken. We lost Sarge, and when I brought Jake home, Gracie gradually lost her alpha role in the house. Jake rules. Whether it is due to his terrier DNA or not, I don't know. I do know that he is loyal beyond all reason to me, and will be my faithful companion until death parts us.

But I also wonder if Gracie misses her old play mate. There are times I wish I could communicate with them, crawling into their thoughts.

Enjoy the beautiful weather, for it won't last.
Linda

Dog Day

My nester

Do  ya think I'm sexy...?

I normally work on Wednesdays, but yesterday I didn't. So we turned it into a wonderful dog day. They went with me for a run to the scrap book store, then on to the dog park. The grass was wet, just a few other dogs, and my two had a great time.

Right after lunch it was bath time. No, I didn't give them advance notice....it's hard enough to get ahold of Jake for a bath. He loves for me to comb out his fur, trim his face, pay attention to him and only him, but fights me on a bath. Not once he is in the tub, just the final resignation that mom always wins on this point.

Gracie agrees reluctantly, because she knows it enhances her natural beauty.

My furry kids. I love them.
Linda

Well, Dang!

LARGE pumpkin that Cathy made last year. He was so cute!

Birdhouses lined up for sale in Nashville, IN.

Love the fall colors

As time passes, how people spend their leisure time and dollars changes. Trends come and go. I am living proof of that statement. In January of this year I was sewing up a storm, making primitive dolls. I have sold 1 all year, so the sewing has stopped. Why do it if I am not going to sell anything? Then Cathy got me involved in mixed media canvas, and off I went down that road. I am still doing it, but it's more for my own satisfaction than selling. I did sell 2 canvases at a shop now closed. At least they did somewhat better than the primitive dolls.

Yesterday I worked, as I always do on Wednesdays, at the scrap book store Cathy owns. It was basically dead. The hobby is still out there, but people just don't come to browse as they did years ago. The owner of the building caught me, and asked if he could speak to Cathy. By 3pm, the decision had been made: we are closing Allyscraps. Everything has to be out by December 10th. I am sad, but I certainly understand this business decision. The building owner wants her to sign a 5 year lease. That would be insanity. Sales have steadily declined over the past 3 years.

We are always searching for the correct outlet for our creations. For awhile, the craft mall in Plainfield filled the bill. Not now. So off we'll go down another path.

You don't know unless you try.
Linda

Misc. Ravings

I want to be there, not here

I want to go back on vacation. I would love to eat clam chowder and crab cakes again at any of the restaurants we visited.

Here's the thing: I, like the majority of Americans, am sick to death of the fighting, name calling, and total disregard of our elected officials in Washington, DC. I didn't turn on the television this morning. I no longer want to hear it. You shut down the federal government? Fine, give back your annual salary because you haven't done your job all year. And that is for every, single elected official. Bite me, people.

And another thing: (said I was on a rant, didn't I?). Why do shots have to hurt the next day? I called my doctor's office last week to get an appointment for a mammogram. Have you had your annual physical? No, I haven't. Guess what? So I went yesterday, thinking she is going to check a few things, write a script for the mammo, and send me on my merry way. Well, that didn't work. I had a flu shot in my left arm, then a pneumonia shot below the flu shot, and a tetanus booster in my right arm. "Move your arms, and the vaccines will travel deeper into the muscle. Then it won't hurt." I taught an exercise class last night. The more we progressed, the worse it hurt, and this morning both arms are sore as hell. And I have a fairly high tolerance for pain, as I live with back and leg pain every day.

I think the bottom line is, don't sugar coat anything you tell me, and don't lie to me.  An obstructionist is an obstructionist. Pain will be pain. And everyone roll up your sleeves, stop whining because life is far from perfect, and get back to work. We have a society to save.

Dang.
Linda