Rain and gloom, but no snow

I've been "on vacation" for the past couple of days.  Not really a vacation, but I had intended to work on a few interesting projects.  Instead, I've been enjoying cocktails of Thera-Flu, occasionally switching that up with Alka Seltzer Cold & Flu.  Lovely.  On the plus side, I'm not missing any work, and the sunny skies and not so cold temperatures have lightened my spirits.  Today-Sunday...rain and gloom.  No complaints though...it's still in the mid-40's so there's no threat of ice and snow.

While restocking the cold remedy cabinet, I decided to pick up a few groceries.  Much to my surprise and delight, I found primroses...at Aldi!  At 99 cents each! A little blast of color on a gloomy, rainy Sunday.

Back half of January---where does the time go?

It's hard to believe that January is almost over.  We've had four or five days of 50+ degree temperatures and lots of sunshine here.  Such a nice respite from the usual, typical cold and gloom.  I'm ready for a few colorful primroses...I hope the local grocery floral department has them in.  Nothing like a little blast of color to make me 'think Spring"! {{60 days!!}}

Photo from Martha Stewart Living, February 2015 issue

In the meantime,  I'm on the hunt for a few small Japanese painted ferns.  They won't be at Lowe's or Home Depot for several weeks, but I absolutely love, love, love the pairing of the ferns with orchids as seen on the current Martha Stewart Living.  Gorgeous!  I'll just have to make do with my little orchid from Fresh Market!

No life-changing magic here {{yet}}

As much as I would love, love, love to have a nice tidy everything-in-its'-place abode, I'm still doing what I always do...flitting around from one thing to the next and not doing what is probably more important for my well-being.  Truly...I'm like a crow with shiny objects tempting me!

I've been working fairly regularly on a stitching project...a "my way" take on the Alabama Chanin DIY Magdalena Fitted Cardigan.  Instead of spending $298.00 on the ready to stitch cardigan, I'm doing it the hard-but-way-less-expensive way.  This is usually when I get into trouble...generally speaking, it would be more efficient to buy the ready to sew kit.  By the time I collect what I need, cut the stencils, stencil the fabric, I'm kind of "over" the whole project.  Not this time though!

Photo from Alabama Chanin Studio Style DIY

 I love the clothing on the Alabama Chanin website...I love everything about AC-style.  Hope I can pull this off!

Some of my stitching stuff...fabric paint, button & craft thread, embroidery floss.  Ready for the shirt as soon as I get that big stencil finished!

So, instead of organizing for the new year, I'm still jumping from project to project.  I don't even know why I think things will change!

Awaiting the weekend

I came across a recipe for That's Amore Soup   {click link for recipe} yesterday, and on my way home from work I stopped to pick up some Italian sausage so that I could make it.  This soup is SO good!  Perfect for this way less-than-perfect weather.

Cold, cold, cold!  I feel lucky that we don't have the snow and ice everyone else across the country has...it's nice and sunny here.  That's the thing about winter...sunshine and clear skies makes for a cold morning...with wind-chills making it feel like way below zero.  It was a few degrees warmer this morning, and for that, I'm grateful!

I'm off this entire weekend, and I'm really looking forward to it.  Puttering around, a little painting, reading, cooking and baking. That should make for a relaxing weekend.  I'll need to come up with a new soup to make on Sunday...it's back to soup and bread-making for the coming week on Sunday mornings.  Winter settles into a nice little rhythm as we begin the countdown to Spring (70 days, if you're interested!!).

Jumping in with both feet...

Into the new year, that is.  While everyone else is trying to pare down and simplify their lives, I've jumped in to many new "to-dos".  Most have to do with art journaling or just plain ole' journaling...

The Documented Life 2015.  I stuck with this through the first part of 2014, but I'm back with renewed enthusiasm for the project.  In order to make sure I stick with it, I've started a monthly Mixed Media Club at my library so that we can support and encourage each other...and probably get into more "art" trouble!

Magic Book 2015.  I love the work that Lisa Sonora does.  The Creative Entrepreneur: A DIY Visual Guidebook for Making Business Ideas Real  is one of my favorite books...great ideas for furthering your business goals, personally or professionally.

Another book and idea on my mind lately...

Talk about down-sizing and simplifying!!  So many things about this book make so much sense.  One of my friends just finished tidying up her clothing...exactly the same way as described in the book and she is overjoyed!  I'm almost ready to take the plunge.

Ready for 2015?

Things I Like...

I really don't consider myself to be materialistic;  I generally make-do with what I have (or what I trash-pick).  That said, I do have bunches of art supplies...and crave a few more!  Lately though, I've become pretty committed to what I like and what I don't like.

Likes:
Teavana Oprah Chai Latte, Teavana Youthberry/Wild Orangeblossom Tea, Tazo Passion Tea

I've never been a fan of milk or cream in my tea (or coffee, for that matter), but a couple of weeks ago I broke down and tried the Oprah Chai Tea Latte at Starbucks.  Truthfully, I've avoided the Oprah tea...I kind of shied away from the "endorsement".  The moment that blend of ginger and cardamom hit my throat I felt rather comforted.  Sounds silly, but it's true.

I got hooked on the Youthberry Wild Orangeblossom blend last year when my brother sent me a package.  Fruity and delicious!  This past summer, I replaced it with a more affordable Tazo Passion tea, served over ice.  Very refreshing and so much less expensive!

Likes:
iPhone6 (versus the Samsung Galaxy S5 I had for one long, miserable week)

One of the local big box stores had a deal a few weeks ago...trade in your working smart phone and receive a $200. gift card when you purchase a Samsung smart phone.  My "geek" squad person must not have gotten the memo...he said that only the Samsung phone was a qualifying purchase (he was wrong.)  At the time, I figured that the amount I would have to spend for the S5 would more than make up for the loss of an iPhone.  I was so wrong.  I left the store that evening with the Samsung and honestly, a sadness in my heart.  I felt like I had lost an old friend.  How crazy is that?  By weeks' end, the Samsung went back to the store and many hours later I left with another iPhone.  I would still be using my old iPhone, but all of a sudden it heated up and wouldn't hold a charge.  Life is back to normal...#firstworldproblem solved.

That about does it for things I feel strongly about in the "like" category.  While I might "like" something on Facebook...it doesn't mean I'm passionate about it (like I am my iPhone!!).

Fun stuff!

I've just started reading this book (an advanced reader's copy), and it's so on target.  So many times we wish our lives away without doing anything remotely close to attaining our wishes and desires.  Life seems to fly by and, to quote the Dusty Springfield song, "wishin' and hopin, and planning and dreaming" don't seem to get the job done, although planning is key!

This weekend I'm doing something so very exciting!  I'm going to a weekend workshop in Paducah with a friend.  Nina Bagley is teaching her "All Wrapped Up" bracelet/necklace workshop at Ephemera Paducah.  I can't wait!  We're taking off Friday afternoon, and staying the weekend as the class is two days long.  Read about it here...

Summertime!

I know it's not officially summer yet...but WOW!  after the crazy long winter, our weather has gone from cool to ultra-hot in a matter of days.  Not much spring to enjoy, but at least winter is behind us for several months.  My unofficial start to summer was last week.  Our library branch was closed for the week due to a mini-carnival/food-fest in the library neighborhood, adjacent to our building.  Carnival rides, music, etc., were a great reason to close for the week!  Even though I went in for a few hours during the week to take care of a few things, the week was mostly my own.  I needed to prep for a street fair not quite 1/2 block away from my house.  Old Town Sunday Market.  The street was closed for one block, and over 50 vendors participated in this event.  It was pretty fabulous...all kinds of vendors, food booths & trucks (food was in an adjacent parking lot), beer garden, live music.  I shared a vendor booth with a friend, and we were pretty comfortable out in the weather...her tent and the canopy of trees blocked the heat of the sun, and there was a gentle breeze blowing.  

 My side of the booth...not much produced for the event, but enough.  Another friend brought some hand-knitted cloths to sell.  My big seller of the day was scoops of lavender.

 I need to work on my technique for the heart necklaces, but I couldn't improve on the beautiful hand-painted silk ribbons.

Aren't these plants beautiful?  I spotted them on a walk in one of Evansville's historic neighborhoods.

Things I'm not good at...

Writing a grammatically correct sentence, for one.  I am always in the mood to do something new...try something, make something, whatever.  What I'm never (it seems) in the mood for is carry-through.  Ideas--yes.  Follow-through--not so much.

At the beginning of the year, I signed up for A Year of Painting.  Have I even bothered to watch the lessons and create art?  No.  The Documented Life Project?  I stopped documenting weeks ago.  Blogging?  We know how that one goes.  Very, very sporadically.  Plant care?  Awful.  It all looks good when I first plant things in the spring, but as the temperature goes up, I start to hibernate just like it's the dead of winter.

I finished up my planting (all container plants) yesterday afternoon just before the storm hit.  Nothing was damaged by the strong winds and heavy rain.  As I sat on the porch last night, sipping a glass of red wine, I vowed that I would take exceptionally good care of my plants this summer.  No.Matter.What.

Wednesday's Painting Class

I finally finished a painting today in the 'Go with the Flow' class I've been leading at the library.  I started this one two or three classes ago and as I said, finally got around to finishing it...I think!  One never knows when something abstract like this is finished.  I just like the colors...

Many layers, many colors.

Marking Time

Waiting for Spring...we've had a few nice days in a row here in the Ohio River Valley.  Lots of sunshine, wind, and oh-so-much-milder temperatures.  I think I'll make it!

I've been keeping busy with lots of odds and ends...little and big art projects, a painting class, the Documented Life Project, and a mid-winter getaway.

Here's one of my new "favorite things":

 A collage sheet, microscope slides, and UTEE (ultra thick embossing enamel).  No soldering required!  I'm anxious to learn to solder, but I feel that I might lack the coordination to be successful at it.

 Scarlet Fields taught a crown and tiara making class at the library.  Everyone had such a good time!

My Documented Life journal...a junior Moleskine planner loaded (really loaded!!) with watercolor extra sheets and lots of Washi tape.  You know the phrase "everything's better with bacon"?  The same applies to Washi.

This doll head has been the object of my wants and needs for quite some time.  I keep seeing cool things made with doll parts, and now I have my very own doll head (and the arms too).  I couldn't help myself when I photographed her head in my wine cabinet.  While cropping the photo, I saw the meme maker option.  Had to do it.

I'm looking forward to the end of the Olympics so we can get back to regularly scheduled programming...I miss all of those somewhat trashy shows I watch...Scandal, Grey's, Revenge, etc.