~~ Today I've been playin' around with some collage papers and just haven't decided where I want to set down 3 sheets that have me absolutely dumbstruck...the colors in the papers are just wonderful, and I want to use the whole sheet..but then with only a specific space to work with, it's just a tad bit difficult to use a 12" X 12" sheet on a 9" board...And, if I use an entire 12" X 12" sheet, what will I do with all the others? Leave them out on the curb to rot and float away with the wind? Wait a minute...I can't leave anything on the curb...I have to notify the City first before leaving anything for Pick-Up with the Recycle Center or Refuse Department...sheesh..

I also got a little bit of sewing done on a blouse this morning, before driving the youngest to another interview at an employment agency. While I sat out in the car waiting for him, I shetched some little fishies again. They seems to be hounding me everywhere I go these dayz. But back to the blouse...I found some fabric the other day like I said here yesterday...Got the fabric washed an' tried on the blouse with just some pins along the seams. The fabric is a nice and soft cotton. I nearly gak when I try and wear certain polyesters ..they make my skin sweat just looking at some of them. But, there are blends that are wonderful, and I never have a pip of a problem with them. Go Figure. Anyway -- got the youngest to the interview and when He got back in the car he didn't have much to say. Seems the job the agency has lined up for him also has 11 other people that are picked for the same position...as in his words.."Is not lookin' so good here..." Poor Guy...


The Husband had one of those dayz yesterday that makes one wonder what our government is ttrying to accomplish. Because of 9 - 11 there are a gazillion new Security Checks that all the drivers at the Port's have to go thru, plus several new badges that all drivers must wear, an' several new cards that have to be scanned and verified before freight leaves each and every spot then out the gate and down the road. Which ~~ to make a long story short ~~ makes for a long day and not much freight being moved in literally the right direction. The security cards don't want to be scanned..some of the ultra-uber cameras that Film Everything aren't filming a fly, let alone anything else. And the New Security badges sometimes need to be viewed 3 or 4 times, leaving the drivers sitting in the sun, baking away in the afternoon heat and contemplating a career change . Usually The Husband moves about 8 or 9 freight loads a day..but with some of the new Security Measurers, he's lucky to make 4 or 5. Nothing like Better Efficiency for the Good of Us All...He was so tired to sitting and getting nowhere fast, he said he almost took a nap at one of the Ports yesterday, but couldn't get comfortable enuf to stretch out in the cab of the truck...sheesh...

I've got a bottle of paint that I rediscovered over the weekend. I've been trying to get it back to life, as it somewhat dried out during the heat of the summer out in the studio. I think I may try in just a little bit to get it shook up one more time before giving it a shot on the piece I'm workin' on now. The color is called "Bright Blue" and at first glance it doesn't seem like much...but when positioned next to a more light blue, it absolutely pops!! Whoa!! Suprised me when I first slapped some on a used sheet of paper. Well...so much for a color fading away into nothing-ness!! Now I'm excited an' want to go play. Whoooppiieeeee.....

Lady of The Tulips -- who now has to decide whether or not her one last old thrift-store shirt is worth salvaging after splatering paint all over it...Oh Blast..It'll get painted on!! Only cost $2.95 in the first place!!

"Tropics" 2007 Spring Bay Studio

I wanted to make sure the stains from my work table didn't get in the picture, but there they are for all the world to see...Sorry that they look even worse in a picture than I thot they would. But at least there is some kind of proof that the table is actualy being put to use!!

I got this done just in the nick of time..as it were...The Husband was sleeping the afternoon I got this done ( Sunday ) an' was laying down to get some sleep before goin' up to the Shanandoah Valley the following morning to get a load of chicken: so when he said he'd take me to the fabric store an' that was all for the day..Boy Howdy...I haven't gotten pattern numbers -- fabric choices an' free give-aways-all packed together in my bag SO FAST..in a looong time. But I got it all done..this collage..bought the fabric..got 2 patterns ( 99 Cents Each!! ) grabbed a spool of new thread..grabbed 2 free sewing magazines and payed for it all an' zipped out the door!!! I'm suprised I'm not still tired from it all!! But am glad it all got done...

The Youngest is waiting for word on another job..the one employment agency told him today that they will have something for him in the morning...so he's chowin' down on some sausage and red rice, then he'll get ready for a softball game later this evening. The Husband sez he'll take The Youngest over to the baseball field 'cause he knows I'm havin' trouble seein' at night now...hmm...irritates me. But anyway...I've got a couple other pieces in the studio waiting for a couple extra papers to get cut out...along with part of a blouse to finish this week. So much for layin' low an' takin' it easy...I'm still waiting for Mr. Doc to tell me somethin' -- I may be 120 before I find anything out at the rate it's goin' --

This is all for the moment -- Have-ta go an' get dinner from The Youngest before he eats it all...he does love that sausage an' red rice..my oh my...

Lady of The Tulips -- who is wondering where her other hot pad in the kitchen has gone..it either ran away over the weekend or somebody threw it away...hmmm...

"Self Titled" 2007 -- Spring Bay Studio

I worked this out the other evening while sitting at the dining room table waiting for the youngest to get dinner finished. At the same time, The Husband was just home from work and was layin' on the couch, watching a movie on one of the independent film channels. The film, which technically was a documentary, was about the train that took the Grateful Dead, The Band, Janis Joplin and various others, across Canada to do a concert somewhere, but I'm not sure exactly. Anyway, with the music blasting out of the stereo, The Husband shouting over the music "HEAAHH!! YA HEAR THAT??!!" ~~ Somehow I was able to sketch out these little guyz...I've no idea where they came from...what made me sketch them At All ~~ But they were an awful lot of fun to make!! An', well, yeah, the music probably had a lot to do with the whole thing. After I got done, the youngest comes over to where I'm sitting at the dining room table an' sez, "What're doin?" Took one look at this an' said, "..hmmm..." I'm still not sure what THAT meant..

I got a couple things drawn up yesterday, and by this evening I hope to have my newest piece layed out!! It's taken me what seems like forever, but it finally came together. I was gonna pop it on here yesterday, but the youngest got off work earlier than I thot he would, and promptly overtook the computer. So much for getting pictures done on here...I Did Have The Best Intentions, tho. Just couldn't do anything about them!! I also discovered a 1/2 off coupon at one of the area Art & Craft stores, so tomorrow I'm off to get some dried leaves and other dried flowers. I've come with an idea for one of the projects that's waiting for just the right little something, an' I think I know what it needs. Something along the line of "real" seaweed. No -- I'm not gonna go over to the shoreline an' try to dry seaweed, but I think I can find "seaweed" at the craft store...detail will follow...I think...

Got the largest Basil plants dug outta the garden, and now all the leaves and stems are somewhat dry in the studio. In the morning I'm gonna dry all of it, an' get it into some canning jars or freezer boxes...whichever is on sale. An' since there is one of the various "Dollar" stores a few blocks away,AND THEY HAVE A SALE...what can I say? The store opens at 9:00 in the morning...I should be there by 9:15...

Lady of The Tulips ~~ who can hear The Dog...an' it doesn't sound just right...I think she's up to something, and it's giving me that uneasy feeling...

>>> Somebody asked me not too long ago how I was feelin' -- I didn't want to sound alarmish or go overboard with anything, so I went with the ever - so - safe - "I'm doin' pretty good..." That usually does the trick. >>>

But if you happen to take a look at Mrs. Claus for jus' over a second or two -- well -- you can see that even tho she IS trying to wave and appear all happy and cheerful ~~ ahhmm....she jus' isn't lookin' all that spiffy. An' that's pretty much how I've been this last month or so since I had my mini-stroke. The first few weeks were the shakiest...but the last week or so it seems that I'm beginning to get my feet under me a little better. An' that's when I started to get the earlier pieces finished up that I've posted on this Blog. What seems so odd is the woozy - ness I feel every now and then. 'Course, with a new Dr., and paperwork to explore and interviews to be had..it's gonna be sometime before I get any kind of answer to what's what. Do Not Be Alarmed...that screaming sound you hear is only a little person contemplating throwing something off the pier over at Ocean View.

Mrs. Claus is Also something that I felt like during the last heat wave we had. It'd been over 95 Degrees for nearly a week, and I kept feeling like I was melting. Mrs. Claus had been up in the attic, and for some reason one of the boys went up in the attic to get something down..and poor Mrs. Claus was discovered and brought down into the front room. Oh Man...That was the hardest I laughed...the minute I took one look at her poor little self. Then I remembered how dangerous it truly is to try and work under intense heat conditions. The Youngest lost a few days of work because it was over 100 Degrees a couple times...and over 95 at least twice. But now, I am too happy to say that it is actually cool enuf that for the first time since I Don't Know When...we aren't running the air conditioning!!! So Take That Electric Company!!! HA!! No big bill for YOU!! We're actually in the 70's and it's suppossed to stay like this for the next couple dayz. I'm too happy and want to dance a little bit -- ok -- now I'm better!!

My camera will get a new batch of batteries tomorrow - I discovered the pak I bought last spring an' will get them set up in the morning. I have to go get blood work done first thing..so after that ordeal I'll pop some pictures on here. I've got some more work done on my recent project, so that relieves some of the angst I was dealing with. Ssshhhwwwooooo...The Husband wasn't too sure if he should get near me these last couple dayz...I'd been flinging papers and stamps and tissue and all-sorta-stuff in the studio an' I think he was jus' a little scared. Well...ok...actually he was disturbed enuf that he walked away an' never said a word...I know when he does that it usually means, "Oh Lawdy..best get away from That!!" Poor Guy...never knows whether to go this way or that sometimes...

Well -- off to inspect some transplants out in the garden. The youngest worked up a new bed of collards, an'I wanna see how their doin' -- Also got all the Basil pulled and ready to dry this week...hope to end up with at least a couple bottles of dried basil when it's all said an' done. The whole house smelled like Basil last night when I brought all the leaves and small stems in the house...yuuumm!!!

Lady of The Tulips -- who is wondering what else is lurking up in the attic as I sit down here in the cool shade...my ooh my...

>>> I know I said a couple dayz ago that I'd download a picture from my files for a post...but not only did the batteries die in my camera...but the new batteries that I put away Very Carefully have absolutely disappeared..I mean, that flat out went somewhere and Did Not Even bother to leave a note >>>

So -- the little picture that I was going to somewhat brag on and premere will just have to wait till the first of the week when I get a chance to get to the store. I was going to pop over after my Dr. visit but was so hungry and tired that I absolutely forgot all about goin' The visit went well...even if there aren't any answers yet. The Dr. said he cant do anything till he gets all the other paperwork from the Teaching Hosp. an' then can go from there. He didn't seem too impressed with the hosp., or the fact that the lead professer was who I had been seen by. The new Dr. just sort of shook his head like it didn't mean a hill of beans...or anything else for that matter. I'm too tired these dayz to get worked up about anything...and will just have to wait..an' wait...6 weeks 'till my next appt., and in the meantime it's off to get blood work done. The Ins. Co., made it Very Clear that there is only one specific lab that they allow to read any of the work. I was told a number of times, "If you choose to have this work taken to another location the entire cost will be yours to pay..." As if I'm the one takin' the little vials or whatever they are to some kind of secret location..jus' so I can have another bill to pay. Where do these people come from, and will Somebody Please Take Them Back???


I'm nearly finished with the current project -- been a couple dayz since I did any work on it...and am having a devil of a time trying to set down some painted and stamped tissue paper...I just can't decide where I want to lay it out, and it is giving me fits, spits and probably ulcers. I've gotten it set down on the darn canvas panel so many times that I thot my eyes were goin' crossed. But I had to walk away from it, and then spent the better part of yesterday driving all over creation w/ my youngest. He had 4 places to go and had to pick up paperwork from a couple temp. agencies so he can get paid. He's got a temp job for 3 dayz next week, so I'll have to decide which day to go and get my bloodwork done in between shuffling him back and forth to wherever it is that he needs to go. I just wish the local bus system had a somewhat better coverage of some of the larger blvd's -- they don't cover some of them after a certain time in the evening, so you're stuck standing at a bus stop with no where to go...leaving you not feeling your best. BUT-- back to my project. I've been contemplating it and fumbling and mumbling with it enuf, so that I am nearly beside myself. I think I've had a better time deciding which kind of ice cream to buy on sale...

Lady of The Tulips -- who now has to go find out what happened out in the garden with the collards..it doesn't sound good from here...

** I was going to have a picture on here for this morning, but after I got it onto my blog, I discovered something amiss in the shot, so eliminated it. And, being the good little doobie I am, I tried to take another picture of the item I wanted on here..only to find out that the batteries in my camera "!!EXHAUSTED!!" What the $}&*{%*??? I just bought them not 3 months ago...but then after doing some searching, I also discovered that my youngest had used the camera for some of his work with baseball cards, and all of those shots ate up the batteries. Hmmm. Whatta kick in the head THAT was to discover.

So -- back to the store tomorrow after my Dr. Appt. ~~ I'm kinda nervous about the whole thing...and hopin' that something will be found out. I still get tired pretty fast and never was told anything from the Teaching Hosp. about how long I'm supposed to keep feeling this way. I'm just suprised I even got a call from the first Dr. at all. But, I know that there are schedules to keep, people to meet, places to go...blah. I just wanna find out what the tar is wrong with me. So -- along with going to the Dr., I'll make a quick trip over to the store across the street from the office and get more batteries. The little things just didn't last as long as I thot they should, but I'm too tired these dayz to get too worked up about anything.

Am very close to getting the last portion of a new project completed. I've got 5 papers that I'm cutting and applying with matte medium onto the canvas board...well almost have them applied. I've gotten into a dilemna with deciding which of the papers I want to use for a good contrast with another patterned paper I already have cut out. This shouldn't be a big deal, but it's brought me to a screeching halt!! It's one of those contrast/compliment decisions that I was getting into last night before I left to go pick up the youngest at his work, an' take him to his softball game. The trip went well..got him to his game an' all. But in the back of my mind was this little nagging THING -- which of the 2 papers to use as the final ones?? Go with a big contrast with hues of blue/green -- or go completely in the other direction and use something out of the same color tone?? sheesh....

** Lady of The Tulips ** who had The Very Fine Automobile start to stall at the next to last traffic light by the house..I automatically put on my flashers so the cars behind me would know something was wrong...an' then discovered a police car directly next to me...yeah...my hands were shaking...my knees went weak...an' the police car sped past me onto something more important. Needless to say I was a wreck by the time I got home...

~~ I've been sitting at this old computer for almost a half hour, trying to get directions for The Husband so he can go get some paperwork done that he needs for his CDL -- No easy feat to try and find just the correct state office..not so easy trying to find the correct directions, or a link that works so you can get directions...blah...My head is trying to ache and after all the playin' around, The Husband sez., "Well, I know where that is..it's really easy to get to.." Please do not become alarmed when you hear screaming from this direction...it's only me and my last good nerve giving up the ghost...

I've got a canvas panel just getting dry with a couple shades of blue for a new project. I'd started the project before my mini-stroke, and now I'm getting the energy to get it finished. I found 3 canvas panels that I wasn't even aware of!! Sitting very nicely on a shelf in the studio...boy don't I feel like a dummy! So, one of them now has a mellow blue on it...combination of a turquoise blue and a bright blue...sounds kinda jarring, but with a little blending, the colors come together really nice. I've got some sketches of fishies that I'll copy onto some paper that I have from another abondanded (would you believe I do know how to spell?) project...not too heavy and isn't too thin so it'll take some inks and watercolor pretty well. I'm gettin' to where I can work at some stuff without getting incredibly tired within 45 minutes. But I can't work out in the studio 'cause of the heat..too much out there. So I've moved a conglomeration of goodies into the dining room and have them waiting for me to get crackin'! It's over 90 degrees in the studio right now, and w/high humidity I'm not gonna take any chances and work in that swampy environment.

The oldest called to say he's goin' to the movies this afternoon. The last movie I saw was "Lion King" with a group of kids from the little town church where we used to live. The Husband isn't one to go out to dinner or movies, so I'm somewhat behind the times when it comes to new flicks. My middle one gave us a pass for one of the theater chains, but The Husband hasn't taken me to see anything yet...what's a year among friends, huh? Anyway, the oldest is pretty jazzed 'cause he has the day off, so he's goin' to have some fun instead of gettin' last minute phone calls from co-workers who claim their too sick to come to the restraunt to work...one of the Asstistant Managers just plain didn't show up one night...needless to say she's no longer working at that location.

Well -- it's off to do some painting and cutting out little fishies for my project. I'm gonna sit down and get a quick rest afterward...the youngest has a softball game this afternoon, so Yours Truly has to go pick the guy up from work and take him over to the ball field...the bus won't get him over to that part of town in time for his game, So I'm gonna go play Let's All Drive Safe and hope that no jerk smashes into The Very Fine Automobile. ..besides, it's got a Brand New Grateful Dead sticker on the back window, so I don't want That ruined!!

Lady of The Tulips -- who has decided to go with a completely different color for one of her fish now that she's had a chance to sit and mull it over...whoo boy...watch out!!

"Tropical Dream" 2007 Spring Bay Studio

This is another piece that I worked on off and on for the last couple weeks while I was literally trying to get my feet under me...the fun thing was rediscovering some pieces of paper that I carefully buried in a box near my work table in the studio. I'd bought a pak of shaped pieces some time back, but they didn't really do anything for me till recently. I'm glad I "found" them the other afternoon.

We were really waiting for the Tropical Storm to come roaring up the coastline yesterday..but all we got were a couple sprinkles and some wind that maybe was 15 miles an hour..nothing like the 40 that was predicted. We were also suppossed to have up to 3 inches of rain, but if we got .309 tenths of an inch I'd be suprised -- no, I don't think that's actually a number over there, but it looks kinda official..

I've got to get some fabric this afternoon while there's still a sale at the fabric store. I was all set to go yesterday, but never made it. I think the "storm" was keeping The Husband from getting off the couch and driving down the road. Right now he's off down the interstate delievering little girl dresses for a department store chain...I won't say which one, but suffice to say, that these dresses were made for about $1.25 and they sell for Over $50.00 -- No -- as truckers he and some of the other drivers don't get more than $4.00 for the delivery...some guy in an office gets the mark-up...But...The Husband did say that they are awfully cute for little girls. I'm just glad we had all boys..I couldn't stand all the noise a girl would have made in our house...3 boys was bad enuf...

Anyway -- I also discovered some VERY bright papers that I also got on sale...my little pea brain is contemplating a way to get those into another piece this week. Somewhere down the Highway I know something will pop in my head...humm...

Lady of The Tulips ~~ Who has to decide whether or not to buy some more paints or to buy some other stamps while there's a sale over at a Grand Opening Sale for a place down the road...Yikes...my nerves are fraying over this one...

** WELL NOW **

It Has been sometime since I got my little self to sit down and do something here, now, hasn't it? I've been trying to feel better and at the same time, was somewhat hitting myself over the head with my cast iron frying pan. By that I mean, I've been battling between 2 very large Companies, and I've been the little guy stuck in the middle. Trying to get answers from the Teaching Hosp. I had chosen as my "Primary Care" group, and the huge conglomerate, The Ins. Company. I've literally lost track of the amount of time I've spent on hold with both of them. At one point, while on hold, waiting to find out what one of my appointments was going to be about, I did the following:

!. Painting the inside of a window frame

2. Mopped the kitchen floor and dusted around the dining room table.

3. Sketched out some little odds and ends in my sketch tablet.

Finally I got some twit on the other end of the line from the Ins. company -- only to be told that she didn't have the information from the Teaching Hosp. and said that I should try again at another time.

I know that there are people who do wonderful and terrific things at both of these facilities, but by gosh and by golly, I'd SURE LIKE TO FIND THEM!!!

The good thing is, that I did get some ART done thru all the nightmares and Bull**** ~~ While listening to a Mets baseball game (I had the game on the tv, but got too involved with my pens and watercolor paper to actually watch the game) and chuckling to some of the text messages my oldest son sent me at the same time, I was able to get a couple new collages done. The one that had been sort of slapped together earlier, got something of a face lift, and seems to have much more life to it. I got into this Tropical Feel one afternoon, (Probably because I was desperately wanting to get the He** outta town after fighting with the above jerks...) and the whole thing just sorta took off from there -- So that's the new shot at the start of this post. I wanted to get some other fishies into a piece, so that one is getting itself together too. It'll get on here probable tomorrow. I got the middle son's bedroom painted at the same time as all the Waiting For An Answer ~~ There are a couple spots along the ceiling that I have to get some fixing done...missed a couple spots with a final coat of paint, and also slopped some color on the ceiling after I got that painted. Naturally the youngest had to come home from work and retort, "You Missed Some Spots!!" Never assume....never assume...

Lady of The Tulips ~~ Who heard The Husband switching the cable channels between a U2 concert and a Funny Car Race Competition...with the sould up LOUD -- the U2 part wasn't so bad: it was the sound of those funny cars at a volume of over 12 on the stereo that threw my into fitz...