The Queen of the Nile

Just in case you think I'm obsessed with my new antique storm door...well...what can I say in my defense? We were so blessed by a couple of spring days this week; one day in the mid 60's another in the mid 70's. I have nothing to complain about, NOTHING, but I don't like winter. My apologies to folks where real weather occurs. They are predicting snow Sunday and Monday so we'll have our comeuppance. But until then it's been easy to pretend that it's March this week. Until today, a cold front is coming in. Anyhoo, the other day I got to paint my front door a new color; from eggplant to Jamestown blue. The next day I got to paint my new antique storm door...same color as our existing trim...creamy white. Then yesterday Tammy of Sweet Finds at The Pink Cabbage had this pretty sign that's sweet collagey looking so up it went.

I mean, come on, look how happy my Vinca vine is! It's frozen and snowed some but this stuff is so hardy it perked right up during the recent warm weather as if it has no need to die back this year. I'm keeping the usual January weather a secret from it by now, why spoil it's fun?

But please allow me a small chin quiver and woe~is~me. I have a firm date now for my neutering surgery~February 25th. Doc and I were so hoping the lesser surgery would cure everything but alas no. I've got several stress points. Currently taking The Pill every single day I'm still having...ummm...symptoms. I have to go off The Pill for at least 30 prior to surgery and when I take the pill a little late in the day I'm required to have a police escort wherever I go. I'm concerned for the safety of the men around me or any car that pulls out in front of me or...also I have endometriosis...don't want to get too far into TMI...but without the pills there's a lot of pain and...ummm...symptoms. My doc tells me we can take care of that but I want to see what those pills look like. Maybe the pain will render me much less violent.

So, here I am now and I'm so hoping that I'll go from this to...

...to this. Tell me it's so!

The good news from this iron-deficiency, no energy, mentally and emotionally challenged funk I'm in right now means that I have just enough energy to blog, cut and paste. So far it's working out okay.

Latest Creations

All those magazines I read last week while I was sick filled my head with so many ideas that I was back in my work room as soon as I had the chance. I didn't grind out a load of stuff but spent real time on each piece. Here are some that I installed at The Pink Cabbage this morning:

It says on the collage, "Drella was given three wishes to which she replied, 'Paris, Paris, Paris'."

Close up of Drella and the interior of the nicho. Drella is only a little over an inch and made of paper. She's got her suitcase with her and a compass...just in case. One of the two nest I put together. The "egg" is an antique wood sock darner that's in an egg shape. I've had it for years; it's one of those things that I just know something perfect will come up for it; I thought this was the perfect thing and time. Rolled in glitter and snug in a dressed up nest, it's ready for spring and Easter. Another nest, this one with a glittery bird. We've had weather in the 60's and 70's this week and between that and the fact I hate winter I've had spring fever and am just acting as though we are going full throttle into spring when I know our real winter and snow are yet to come. Then when I had my clean out in my work room recently I found these maroon Scrabble letters and had to do something. This one above has a Stacey Bear button card added to the lettering. This one is pretty obvious. I love this photo and it seemed to be waiting for this vignette. And this extra fancy tag art. Pillow and photo not included. I hope you've enjoyed, I'm sure I'll have more to share again soon.

Productive Sick Days

I've was sick most of last week. I caught a cold that went straight to my chest~URI~lovely coughing. I felt so bad on Sunday I just slept all day but was just better enough on Monday to go through a big stack of long-awaited magazines. Below is the "save the best for last" stack. Yum. By Tuesday I was even better enough to do some "sitting down, low-impact" art making. Below are examples of what I made to get a partial cure of my often-for-some-reason obsession with tag/bookmark art.

Hey if JoAnn's can put out their Valentine/Easter items before Thanksgiving, is it wrong for me to get some Valentine inspiration in January? Well, shucks, I just went off and did it anyway...

...partly because I've had these antique Valentines for years and had just recently decided what I wanted to do with them and it was time. Come see 'em in person at The Pink Cabbage! Now that I'm really feeling better there's no telling what's coming up! Actually I've got a lot of ideas rattling around up there from late. I promise to share.

Happy New Year and Pray for Peace!!!

Pray for Peace Pray to whomever you kneel down to: Jesus nailed to his wooden or plastic cross, his suffering face bent to kiss you, Buddha still under the bo tree in scorching heat, Adonai, Allah. Raise your arms to Mary that she may lay her palm on our brows, to Shekhina, Queen of Heaven and Earth, to Inanna in her stripped descent. Then pray to the bus driver who takes you to work. On the bus, pray for everyone riding that bus, for everyone riding buses all over the world. Drop some silver and pray. Waiting in line for the movies, for the ATM, for your latte and croissant, offer your plea. Make your eating and drinking a supplication. Make your slicing of carrots a holy act, each translucent layer of the onion, a deeper prayer. To Hawk or Wolf, or the Great Whale, pray. Bow down to terriers and shepherds and Siamese cats. Fields of artichokes and elegant strawberries. Make the brushing of your hair a prayer, every strand its own voice, singing in the choir on your head. As you wash your face, the water slipping through your fingers, a prayer: Water, softest thing on earth, gentleness that wears away rock. Making love, of course, is already prayer. Skin, and open mouths worshipping that skin, the fragile cases we are poured into. If you're hungry, pray. If you're tired.Pray to Gandhi and Dorothy Day. Shakespeare. Sappho. Sojourner Truth. When you walk to your car, to the mailbox, to the video store, let each step be a prayer that we all keep our legs, that we do not blow off anyone else's legs. Or crush their skulls. And if you are riding on a bicycle or a skateboard, in a wheelchair, each revolution of the wheels a prayer as the earth revolves: less harm, less harm, less harm. And as you work, typing with a new manicure, a tiny palm tree painted on one pearlescent nail or delivering soda or drawing good blood into rubber-capped vials, writing on a blackboard with yellow chalk, twirling pizzas-- With each breath in, take in the faith of those who have believed when belief seemed foolish, who persevered. With each breath out, cherish. Pull weeds for peace, turn over in your sleep for peace, feed the birds, each shiny seed that spills onto the earth, another second of peace. Wash your dishes, call your mother, drink wine. Shovel leaves or snow or trash from your sidewalk. Make a path. Fold a photo of a dead child around your VISA card. Scoop your holy water from the gutter. Gnaw your crust. Mumble along like a crazy person, stumbling your prayer through the streets. –Ellen Bass

Merry Christmas!!!!

Last minute scroogetta finally installed this antique storm door yesterday after waiting several months for the door fairies to spontaneously install it. Also got a couple of outrageous estimates. So yesterday I got out my electric saw, tape measure, and electric drill and just did it myself. The final inspiration? The window "wreath" that From The Heart was selling at The Pink Cottage. I'd been eyeballing it for a while and decided it had to be mine. I can "dress" it for different seasons but look how fab it is now. I wanted it to be on the storm door so that was that. An hour later it was all together and we were finally, at the last minute, ready for Christmas. I did wear myself out so yesterday between carpentry and wrapping that I couldn't wake from my nap at 7:00 in time for church. Matt and Paul went like good boys but we watched The Nativity Story on Demand when they returned and I felt better. I hope all is well, glittery, and filled with love for you and your families. From our home to yours with love.