This was a weekend of putting up Holiday Decor, as is tradition for many people right after Thanksgiving. I thought I’d dig through my old themes and revive last years Christmas decor for my blog, as well.
The countdown begins, and all that fancy wrapping paper and tape is ready and waiting!
I’m the holes in his bags, I’m Glad.
I can’t tell you how long it’s been that I’ve gone to the trash can after my hubby has put a new bag in, only to find that there’s too much air in there, you know? Call me neurotic, but it’s a pet peeve. The more air in there, the less junk I can put in the trash. For years now, I’ve snuck in a few minutes after he’s put a new bag in only to let out the air trapped inside, between the bag and the can.
I never say a word – because honestly, who has the heart to tell a grown man how to take out the trash? That’s just wrong. Besides, I would risk having to do the chore myself if I insulted him to the point of (you know what’s coming) “fine, do it your dam* self.” I couldn’t do it.
Air in the bag, I can live with that. I can live with being the “air letter outer”. No problem.
Today, for some reason, I took the plunge. I did. I’m a daredevil, that’s me. Here’s how the whole thing went down:
Me
Him
Me
Him
Me
Him
Me
Him
Pause. For a moment. Just to giggle and snicker.
Me: “Honey, I hate to tell you this, but I’m the holes in your bags. I’ve been letting the air out for years.”
I sorta did, take over I mean, but it was completely unintentional. In fact I think it’s just a “condition” that maybe could even have a diagnosis. Ahem.
Let me just say that you know it’s time to step away from the craft supplies when your child says something akin to “Well you’re the one doing everything, Mom”. I did (in my own defense) step away on several occasions to allow her some creative space. But every time I came back into the room I’d think “ooh and you could do this and it would look so cool! ”
To her credit, she had the whole thing sketched out before the project began. Before I went looking for a good sized box, before I started cutting up foam pieces and getting out brushes and paints for her. Yes, she painted everything. She built the bridge. She made 3 of the 4 little flowers. She selected the rocks, cut out the cloud, swirled the crazy wire for the sun, and all that jazz.
This is her project, really. Mom just helped her create a more three-dimensional environment.
I will probably never get one of these for my birthday. Why? Because, she said, “Mom, you can’t help me make your own birthday present.”
The trees are super cool, by the way. And her teacher loved it.
I’m still here, finishing up a project so that I can get out into the studio and stay there for the next month. I had considered having a special, which would have just been a specific size (small) at a specific price, but looking at my current painting schedule and the time left before Christmas, I’d really be pushing it to add more than just a couple more paintings or portraits before the holidays. It would be great to paint a dog or two since I have two more cat paintings sketched and waiting, so they’re 3 to 1 now. I’m adding a new subject to my gallery this year, too. I’ll get those sketches up here for you to see soon! I’m anxious to clear my design queue and reconnect with my brushes and oils.
For those of you who are thinking about commissioning me to paint a custom portrait (of anything) by Christmas – drop me an e-mail and I’ll get you scheduled before I am completely booked. I’ll offer an 8×8 canvas panel at a discounted price just for those last couple of openings.
First come, first serve – and I’ll paint right up until the 18th of December to get everything done, dry and shipped in time.
Boy – this year is almost over. I just can’t believe how fast it has gone!
Okay folks, I need some help. I found myself hesitating this morning when whipping up a doodle for my girls sandwich bags. I get big puppy dog eyes when my doodles aren’t spunky enough to giggle with the classmates over, so I’d really appreciate some suggestions! I’ll post pics of any ideas that wind up getting bagged. heheh. Get it? Bagged.
Here’s our Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier, Tucker, before his first furcut. As you can see, he’s quite the leaf and dirt magnet in this picture, and he looks like a pretty plump pup. Really, he’s not, it’s an illusion created by massive amounts of long fur that is really as soft as a down pillow.
I know, he’s so cuuuuuuuuuuute! Yeah. He is. (grumble grumble… don’t even bring up the 3 disgusting gross happenings in his kennel on the ride to the groomer yesterday. ugh.)
After a few hours at the groomers, I had a nice time chilling out (and coded up a little bit of a project that I’ll be finalizing today so I can get back to my freshly reorganized studio) – and when I picked him up I was absolutely thrilled with his new “doggie do”. This is what Wheaties should look like! He’s quite handsome now, and the whole event seemed to chill him out, too.
Awwwwwwww…..
Yes, it’s true. Hanging out with my husband will make you fat.
(Sorry, Honey.)
Since my hubby was promoted, he works from home a little more often than he used to. This has its ups and downs.
My husband has a beautiful, wonderful soul and would lop of his right ear if I told him I really needed it in order to make dinner. He accepts me for who I am, who I’ve become over the 17 years we’ve been together, and that includes every little fat cell that’s expanded and contracted over the years. He’s quite the perfect husband, really. I couldn’t ask for more.
He’s a planner, and he always has been. When it comes to meals, that is.
For example. Let me set the scene. 10AM on a Saturday, I walk through the kitchen and notice there are two packages of chicken breasts thawing in the sink. It’s 10AM. Time to think about dinner already? (He’s getting late in his old age, this sort of thing used to occur at 8AM.)
Me, I try to avoid thinking about food. If I think about it for a half a second, my glands get all salivaty and I’m digging through the fridge. No, I don’t like that at all.
You can imagine then at Noon, when he started clanking around with dishes and marinade and smelling up the house with a restaurant worthy concoction, what my stomach was saying. Yep, you got it.
It’s like that around here – two of us were born with metabo-booster cells, two of us weren’t.
I’m all comfortable and in “who cares” mode, because really – he’ll love me anyway, so why count calories, right? Five mini-butterfingers from the kids halloween candy dishes? Got ’em. Walnut fudge brownies? Check. Want to go to the buffet? I’ll get my purse! Stop eating after one serving? Oh, no. What for?
But. This is the wierd part. The second he leaves for work – I’ll hop on the scale, realize the err of my ways, and grab my water bottle and turkey sandwich. I’ll pick up a tub of nonfat cottage cheese and a spoon for afternoon snacking. I’ll have a lowfat yogurt for breakfast. I’ll stop after one latte and drink my coffee black. I sit down, focus, and get a whole bunch of work done.
Seriously. Being around that man is like having a “free food” pass at Disney.
It’s alllll fun and games until I burst right out of my Levi’s. You know what I mean?
Catybug (10) has mentioned on several occasions the desire to be an art teacher. Of course I was more curious to know what she would take away from these than Chickeymonkey, who was in it I’m sure for the animation.
If you’ve got young kids and want to expose them to art, I highly recommend these DVD’s. The animation was nothing that I expected – because I’m used to typical animation. This, however, was not typical. It’s a touch of Pixar, a bit of “What Dreams May Come” (POP Film), and narrated by a soothing voice. These were very literally (and appropriately coined) Painted Tales.
“Auryn is a unique combination of technology and creativity. Our image synthesists and designers have worked tirelessly together to create the next generation of animation tools that allow us to bring life to painted worlds as never before.”
Each of the stories were animated in each artists painterly style, which made the whole thing so much more interesting – especially for the girls. Swirls of paint moved around the screen and made them so visually interesting, neither of the girls looked away. They’re both short stories – and for some reason we were caught off guard when they ended, like we didn’t want them to end so soon.
Catybug really enjoyed the Van Gogh story – because it was told from the perspective of a young girl (Marguerite). That one is inspired by O. Henry’s classic short story, “The Last Leaf”. She really identified with that one. Me, I was sniffling at the end of Monet’s story – probably because it was sweet and inspirational, and as an artist I’ve always identified more with Monet than Van Gogh. Chick liked them both, and liked both stories.
Both of the girls, of course, are used to having a lot of artsy things around them. I teach them the things that I know – but I am not an Art History buff by any means. These were neat not just for them, but for me, too!
You can order DVD’s or just download them to your PC and burn them yourself – either way they’re just a few bucks, you can go here to view short clips of each story and pick them up for your kids (or yourself)!
