The virtual tour...

My sons, Jordan and Josh, were wanting to see my new place so I took a bunch of photos to give them a virtual tour. Hopefully they will load quickly today. (They did!)

My reading and computing corner. If you watch HGTV you'll know that having a sofa in your kitchen is all the rage in the UK, lol! Pom, you asked about an art table. I think this little kitchen table will fill the bill. I'm searching for a vinyl tablecloth. Walmart didn't have any. They just have fabric tablecloths; mostly Pioneer Woman. I'll try Ben Franklin's next. I want something I can wipe paint off of. ;)

Lots of cupboards. The uppers are crammed full of my art supplies. Who needs dishes? :) Oh, and, Gretchen, I didn't make the curtains. They came with the deal. The apartment was furnished, but I'm replacing some items. The table came with it, but I brought in some old chairs I had. The little bistro chairs that were here were too small. I almost fell off one the other day, ha ha!

This is the hallway back to the bedroom. The bathroom is on the left and the  entryway on the right as you go down the hall.

I love my cute little granny kitchen. The cabinets are pale sage green. Most of the walls (paneling) are either pale green or white. It feels very cabin-like. I love that!

I have a very nice gas stove! My electric stoves in the past have always had wonky elements so my eggs would slide to one side of the pan. This one is so solid and level and, of course, it's nice to have more control over the heat level. And there's a microwave for reheating your tea, Gretchen. ;)

The bathroom is just the right size. You can see the shower reflected in the mirror. That huge mirror opens up with lots of storage behind it. There's also a little cabinet above the toilet.

My little entryway. The furnace is on the left behind the door. The hot water heater is on the right behind that curtain and there's a little coat closet to the left of the front door.

Like that tiny bed? There was a queen size bed here, but I didn't want to use someone else's bed...yuck. I figured a twin would give me more space. I don't roll around a lot. :)

The other end of the bedroom. The bedroom needs some TLC to brighten it up. It feels dark. The main culprit is those dark, thick curtains. I looked at Walmart for something brighter but couldn't find anything I like. I'd like to get something airy, with a white or pale yellow background. Maybe a woodsy print. The current curtains are so stiff you can't even push them open. They just spring back. I will find a solution. I'll also put up some pictures. Just waiting to get to town to buy some Command strips, which my daughter highly recommends.

The other corner of the bedroom. I rarely use the TV, so I decided to put it in this hidden corner where I can view the occasional movie. I have cable TV, but after not having TV for over a year, I really don't even want to use it. I figure if the world comes to an end someone will fill me in, right?

This is my end of the trailer house. My kitchen window is just behind that low hanging branch. I have a little deck and a little flower bed along the side of the trailer. I'm facing south, so it might work for a little gardening. Does anyone know how all the pine trees might effect crops such as tomatoes or squash?

The yard next to the trailer. That little post in the lower right of the photo is a hookup for an RV. It's right where I park my car, so if someone rents that spot I'll have to park elsewhere. Okay by me. I can plug in there in the winter.

This is the view out of my kitchen window. (Excuse the dirty windows!) It was so nice to see the sun this morning after days of cloudy, snowy, sleety weather.

So, there's my virtual tour. The Lord has brought me to a nice place. I think He's gently guiding me along from the apartment, which felt safe while I was getting used to being on my own. This feels more like a house, and more like country. I thank the Lord for His goodness! I think the bedbug incident was instigated by the enemy, but the Lord turned it around for my good. I'm praying that all will be resolved at the apartments so that my old neighbors can be comfortable once more.

It looks like my seasonal job counting seedlings is petering out. We didn't work yesterday because the seedlings were all encased in ice from the ice storm the day before. They spent yesterday trying to thaw them. We don't go to work until noon today. There are rumors that we only have a few more days of work. I think it was a bad year for trees. No worries. I will just find other seasonal work. I'm well provided for, thanks to the Lord and family. I'm feeling very blessed.

Love you guys! Have a great day filled with God's shalom!

Voila! A new home!

Well, things happened fast and I'm moved into new digs. My daughter's friend had a place for rent and I snapped it up. It's actually half of a trailer house that's been made into an apartment. It's located in a small RV park here in Nevis, so in the summer I'll have RVers for neighbors. I think it will be kind of a unique experience. Right now I'm surrounded by lots of pine trees and I'm enjoying the sound of the wind in the pines. My neighbor (who rents the other half of the trailer) is an 82 year old gentleman, who is very quiet. One of my neighbors at the old apartment used to live in this trailer and she said "neighbor Bob" is very friendly, so I look forward to meeting him.

I seem to be having problems uploading pictures. Probably because my wifi here isn't as strong? I'll try to upload some pictures later, but I wanted you to all know about the move.

Right now I'd better get off this computer and start unpacking some things. I'm having fun playing house! Oh, I even have a little deck outside. When I came home from work there was a large white rabbit under the deck. Wonder where it came from? I'll have to ask my new landlord. ;)

Love you guys! Thanks so much for all of your encouragement over the last couple of months!

Shalom and blessings!

Broken record...

Aw, I appreciate all of your congratulations and sharing my joy at the defeat of the bedbugs, but I've now been back at my kids since Thursday. The "few bedbugs" just kept on biting and I wasn't going to hang around and get more bites. With multiple bites around my neck I was going bonkers with itching and just feeling yucky. SO, here I am again. I'm thinking it might be time to look for another apartment. The problem may get cleared up in the future, but I can't be a guinea pig any more and I want to find a solution so my kids can have their life back. They are being so good to me and don't act like I'm a bother, but I feel like it anyway. I'll keep you posted.

Faye, you asked how I keep from bringing the bedbugs to my kid's house. I've tried very hard to make sure all the clothing and things I bring over are clean or have been heat treated. There's no way to be 100% sure, but I do the best I can. These critters seem almost demonic in their ability to survive! (Well, not ALMOST. They're just another example of Satan's hold on this planet.) If I move I'll probably leave behind my bed, couch and recliner. I'll just be careful with everything else. I'm not going to drive myself crazy over-thinking things because, believe me, I'm capable of doing that, lol.

Anyway, I've worked one day at the tree nursery. It's rather repetitive, tedious work. I already knew that, but 8 hours of that kind of thing really brings it home. I plan to keep going. It's tough on the back muscles but hopefully they will get stronger as I go. I've missed two days being sick, but I hope by Monday I'll be feeling better. I think I'll try wearing a face mask while working because there's so much dust and pollen flying around as we work.

I'm so thankful to the Lord for providing family to help and to take me in. I'm so blessed to have a roof over my head and family to love. Besides my family here, all of my kids and step-dad have been giving me support and suggestions. It seems like in the last few months I've had only a few days that I've really felt well. It's either been bug bites or the latest wave of sickness. Thanks everyone, for lending an ear and being so kind.

Happy Easter to all! He is risen!
Shalom.

I'm back home!

Hello, all! I'm back in my apartment after about 3 WEEKS living with my daughter and her family. They are such troopers and saints to put up with me that long!

The exterminators came last Friday (April 7) and I moved back in that evening. I have a few new bedbug bites, but they tell me that's normal. There will be a few bugs that live for a while. They will come and re-inspect the place in 3 weeks. I hope this is it for the bugs!

I enjoyed the time with my family, though all of that youthful exuberance can be taxing when you're not used to it 24/7, lol. Two year old Adele is going through a phase of being moody, so she was the main challenge. I also got strep while I was there, and, of course, you don't know you're contagious until it's too late. A couple of the girls got sick later, though not with strep, thank goodness. Audrey missed four days of kindergarten, but her teacher has also missed some days being sick. It seems this year is particularly bad for folks getting sick. Are you guys getting that?

But I do love those kiddos...

I took Hazel's picture...

...and then she took mine!

Adele on the new bike/scooter she got for her birthday.

Audrey home from school sick.

Bouncy little Sullivan, aka Bubba.

 

And here's my baby holding her baby.

As you can see from the photo of Micah and baby Sully above, things haven't greened up yet in our neck of the northern Minnesota woods. We do have a tinge of green grass and some buds. I think a little rain and some sunny days will cause all to bust out in greenery very quickly. Birdies are finally coming to visit my feeder again. I've seen blue jays, a robin and a purple finch, along with various sparrow types this morning.

Here's my high-tech bird feeding system...

Yup, it's a shoe tray. I can get by with this because I'm on the second floor and squirrels can't get to my balcony, lol. I also have a hanging bird feeder right above it for the shy birds. I'm still deciding on whether I want to bother with a hummingbird feeder. It's more stressful than pleasant to watch them fight over it, and they totally ignore the flowers. Speaking of which, I'll soon be emptying the flower pots you see above.

I used a sheep manure mixture in my pots last year. Just trying to be different, I think. Many of my plants turned yellow. So, this year I'll try something else. Potting soil? Topsoil? What do you guys recommend for containers? I'm going to stick with some simple annuals. I do use Miracle Grow, but I'm probably not consistent enough with it.

I brought home a couple of thrift store items this week. A little patio table...

...and a little chair which I thought would be good for doing chair yoga. My other chair has arms on it and doesn't work so well for the yoga.

I've finally begun walking on the trail near my apartment. I have one route that is 2.2 miles long and another that's 2.4 miles. I'm alternating and walking every other day. I hope to do some yoga and small weights on the other days. I'll also find some other good walks around town. I like to have some variety.

Otherwise, I'm trying to catch up on some ATC swaps. My new one-month-long job starts tomorrow. I'll let you know how that goes.

I don't know about you all, but I don't know how anyone does this thing called life without Jesus. He is our only real hope and the only thing that makes it all worthwhile. Yes, our kids and family are so precious, but without Him we would have no hope to share with these loved ones. I'm so thankful for Him and I have to keep my eyes on Him when everything seems to be going wrong. Keep your eyes focused on Him and keep your thoughts on things above. Satan will try to pull you down with everything he can think of, but don't listen to him. God is good and faithful. Keep on following Him!

It may not be Easter yet, but He's already risen! Woo hoo!

Love y'all! Shalom to all!

No rent refund...

Sorry, I should just keep this to myself, but I'm so angry!

My landlord says that to be "uninhabitable" there has to be storm, fire or earthquake damage. He apologized for the one day of inconvenience next Thursday when the exterminator comes. I informed him that I've already been living with my daughter for 7 days because I couldn't endure the bug bites, which I'm allergic to. I told him I call that uninhabitable, and I'm paying for an apartment I can't live in. I think he's going to slither out of this.

Thanks for listening to my ranting and raving. You guys are swell!

I hope to get my "shalom" back. I'm letting this get to me too much.
Love y'all! :)

Wish I knew who painted this. Can't read the signature! :)

The bedbug drama...

Thanks to all of you who supported me in taking some action concerning the beg bug situation.

Sandra, your reply was extensive, and I wanted to let you know that I agree with you 100% on all of your recommendations. I never went to the clinic, I just toughed it out and used witch hazel and Benadryl ointment, which doesn't help a lot. I actually stayed in the apartment for over a week getting bitten because I expected it to get taken care of speedily, but went to my daughter's when I realized that wasn't happening. I hope I don't need "proof" of my allergies from a doctor. Like it's been said, even an infestation of these critters makes the place uninhabitable, whether a person is allergic or not.

I half expect to have the same experience you did. I will request a refund of rent and my neighbors won't and they'll be wondering why I got a break. Of course, they don't need to know if I don't mention it. But I'll probably advise them to do the same thing.

I've been enjoying my time being part of my kids' household. I think Micah has enjoyed some grown-up company and help with the housework and kids. I'll find out tomorrow how much longer I'll need to be out of the apartment.

Anyone know why Blogger changed the uploading thing for pictures? I'm not given the option of uploading them from my computer, which is the only way I can upload them! Life...why do things keep changing?

Well, I'll talk to you later.
Shalom to all and have a great week! :)

Quick update...

Thanks so much, everyone, for your prayers and sympathy! God is good and changes are coming about.

My son, Josh, is recovering. The virus he has makes it difficult to keep food down, but he says he's praying for healing and an appetite for Power-ade. His Facebook posts show that his sense of humor is still going strong!

My building manager said that an exterminator will be coming on Monday to do an inspection and decide how to handle the bedbugs. I'm thinking of asking my landlord for reimbursement for the time that my apartment was uninhabitable. Everyone else in the building is staying in their apartments, so I must be the only one having an allergic reaction to them. Still, even without the allergy, people shouldn't have to live in infested apartments. So, it looks like I'll be camping with my kids for a while longer. We're managing pretty well and I'm trying to be helpful. :)

My son-in-law just learned of an interesting job opportunity today, and he is planning to look into it. It would be working at a place that constructs prefab houses and they also build log houses, so he might get an opportunity to do some stone masonry on some of those projects. It is close to his present pay and good benefits. He should be able to advance quickly. God is opening doors to better things!

Thanks again for your prayers!
Shalom to all!

Life is being crazy...

So much uproar in our lives right now, but the Lord knows how to lead us, and craziness can sometimes lead to great adventures!

First of all, I've spent the last couple of nights at my daughter Micah's house, along with her hubby Adam and the four grandkids. They live in a single-wide trailer house, so things are cozy and boisterous to say the least! I will be staying as long as necessary until my landlord does a thorough job of ridding my apartment building of bedbugs. Yes, they're back again! The last invasion was in November and I believe only my apartment was treated at that time. This time around they checked everyone's apartments and found at least two that were so heavily infested that the pest control guy didn't even want to enter them! This is a one hundred year old building so it will take some doing to kill off all of the little boogers. Finally, they should be using a heat treatment, which is much more effective than just pesticides. It will be two weeks ago on Friday that I got bitten for the first time. I was  hoping it was just a random spider bite, but more followed. I'm allergic to these little beasts and after receiving 25 or so bites I couldn't hang around. I felt kind of sick for some days, but now the itching is finally fading away and I'm much better. If I didn't like my Nevis location so much I might go in search of another place to live, but I want to be close to Micah and the family. Hopefully things will be taken care of soon. Hazel and Audrey are sharing the top bunk in their bedroom and I'm sleeping on the bottom one. It's working well, and I'm able to visit with Micah and help her with the kids a bit. Tonight they've all gone to AWANA and I stayed home to relax and rest up from all of the exuberance, lol.

In other news, I heard that my son Josh was in the hospital receiving IVs and getting x-rays. Apparently he's been battling one of the tough bugs that have been sweeping across the country. He got sick yesterday while getting out of his car and passed out, face-first on the driveway. He received some bruises and abrasions to his head, but he is okay. They've kept him in the hospital to rehydrate him. He's been working a full-time job and doing school more than full-time, finishing up his masters and doing an accounting course at the same time. I think he's getting run down. Hopefully he will take this as a sign that he needs to look after himself better. He's trying so hard to take care of his family.

Thirdly, my son-in-law, Adam, has been having problems with his boss not getting tax documents to his employees. The boss hasn't been taking care of book work and paychecks as he ought to and after a couple of months of promising to fix things and get the proper W2's to everyone, he still hasn't come through. Besides that paychecks sometimes won't cash the first time through. My son-in-law is at the point of walking out and finding new work. This is a big step for a family with four little ones, but he seriously doesn't think he can continue under the present conditions. This employer has a long history of doing business this way. I'm not sure if he's just irresponsible, lazy...or what. If you met him you would think he was just the nicest Christian man, but the way he treats his workers is terrible. And my son-in-law works very hard as a stone mason. Adam is visiting with an accountant and some family members who might be able to help him decide how to move on from here.

So, we're dealing with things one day at a time, and I'm so glad the Lord is with us no matter where we go.

On a lighter note I wanted to show off my new coffee maker. My Keurig expired a while back, and to tell you the truth, I never drink more than one cup of coffee per day. So, I bought a pack of small coffee filters and found that they fit perfectly in this vintage flour sifter, which in turn fit perfectly in one of my mugs. Voila! Pour hot water onto the coffee grounds and it makes a pretty fine cup o' joe! I had been thinking of buying a Melitta one cup coffee maker, but, heck, this was a lot cheaper! :)

 

Below is my latest 5"x7" canvas for the March Canvas swap. The gal I painted it for loves Irish Wolfhounds, so I tried to make  something with some Irish flavor. It arrived on her doorstep on St. Patrick's Day!

Well, the troops will be back from AWANA soon. I'd sure appreciate any prayers for my kids! Thanks in advance! You folks are the best! :)

Love and shalom to all! Thanks for stopping by!

SNOW DAY!!!

Would you believe I'm skipping out on work today? I really felt it wasn't safe to drive in. We're in the middle of a Winter Storm Warning with blizzard warnings. You can't really tell from these pictures because my camera can't pick up snow blowing sideways!

 This is where I'll be today...

 I've eaten most of this already, and my paints are close at hand.

 I checked with Micah and feel better knowing that school has been cancelled. They will be taking it easy at home. Little Della has been feverish for a couple of days. Bless her sweet little heart. I think she'll be fine, but you hate to see them not feeling well. Prayers for her.

 Catching up on art topics. These five ATC's were made for my friend's ministry to nursing homes and other folks in need of cheer. We call it Faith Art. I include a scripture on the back.

 This is my latest 5"x7" acrylic on canvas for the canvas swap.

 Sorry, this is just a closer view of one of the cards I showed above. I really liked this one. I'm a sucker for an Irish cottage!

 These are inchies! They're drawn on a piece of watercolor paper that's one inch square. They're on their way to England for the Little Tiny Mushroom swap.

 I made this card for a gal who requested a card with a bird. I love drawing my state bird.

 Did I already show these? I drew some guys with weird hairdos for my Sketchbook Skool class.

 I also drew this guy who is the star of one of the YouTube channels I watch. He lives on a narrowboat in England and vlogs about his little canal journeys. One of my many mini-vacations via YouTube.

 And here's Mr. Sully sporting a cute t-shirt. Mama Micah said she wished she had such a To Do List. She might just get a few things checked off!

I couldn't believe it had been so long since my last blog! The bedbugs seem to have been eradicated. I did have some bothersome itching as recently as a few days ago. After doing some Googling I found that old bedbug bites can flare up again for several weeks or even months. This is usually caused by stress. I'm feeling quite itch free today. Hallelujah!

I mailed my job application into the school day-before-yesterday. Now we wait. They didn't have a job advertised, but they take apps for kitchen help on a continuous basis. If something opens up between now and January at least my application is on file.

I just read Granny Marigold's post and remembered that I'd found some good thrift store items just a couple of days ago! Tons of puzzles for the littles and a couple of beautiful children's books! I may need to assemble these puzzles. You know...just to be sure all the pieces are there. ;)

 The African American Poetry one is more for me. The illustrations are gorgeous and I'd like to study them for painting inspiration.

Thank you all for your kind comments and encouragement. I'm never sure if you get a note in your email if I reply to your comments. Anyone know? I really love reading your comments. It means a lot hearing from all of you! If I don't reply it's just that I'm not sure if you'll see the reply. But thank you! :)

Enjoy your day and your weekend, everyone! Much shalom to all!

Thankful for a three day weekend!

Yup, it works out just right. I'm spending the day today heat treating all my clothing, bedding and anything else that seems "cloth-y". I spent 2 hours after work yesterday doing the really big stuff at the laundromat down the street. Now it's 2:40 and I'm almost finished doing the rest. I think I'll be donating some things when all is finished. I have way too many blankets/comforters/etc!

I got bedbug proof mattress protectors, as per the exterminator's orders. I'm wondering what they will say about the couch and recliner. Both cloth, so I'm not sure if they might be bedbug magnets. Anyway, I'll vacate the premises by 9 a.m. tomorrow and gypsy about all day. I'll take my laptop and some art supplies, plus a good book I'm reading.

The cheapest copy on Amazon is $8. I got it for 10 cents at the library book sale!! It's a fairly short book, full of illustrations and written in a very readable way. I'm loving it!

I can hang out at the library or at Micah's place. She and the kids may be gone, and Adam will be hunting, but it's a port in a storm! Maybe I'll go to a movie matinee. Wow. Haven't done that in a million bazillion years! (I can't believe spell check didn't underline "bazillion"!) Hopefully, I can be back home Saturday evening and spend Sunday moving all my stuff back in. Most of it is stashed in either my car or the basement laundry room. Whew!

Just to break up all of this text, this is a cute little shot of Audrey (on the right) and cousin Cali walking into school. All grown up!

I called my closest social security office in Bemidji, about 35 miles away, and set up an appointment to apply for widow's benefits. She said I could do a phone interview instead of driving all the way to Bemidji, so I said okay and set one up. Then she said I would have to mail in my birth certificate and marriage certificate ahead of time. The originals! Does that make anyone else nervous? If they should get lost in the mail that would be one fine mess. SO, I'll probably drive up anyway to hand-deliver them, or see if she can just change my phone interview into a person-to-person. I really don't trust the mail with something that irreplaceable.

Two more months left at the deli! I'm thinking about putting in an application at the school (see photo above, lol) to work in the kitchen. I think I might be able to get a part-time position, and once I'm in I can see what else might be available. A gal who lives downstairs in my apartment has as much as hired me to clean at a resort in the summer when I may need other options while school is out. I might also be able to get some part-time work at the local grocery store during their busy summer time. Anyway, it's a plan to try. :)

Micah said she may not see much of Adam this week while rifle hunting is going on. For the last three years he's been hired by the local grocer (same one mentioned above) to skin deer for them. I didn't even realize he did this! They process deer in their tiny meat department and he gets good pay to do the skinning for a few days. That young man has so many side jobs going on, in addition to his regular job as a stone mason. I'm really proud of his good work ethic. His hard work makes it possible for Micah to stay home with all those kids! :)

Well, enough of my jibber-jabbering! I've got one load of laundry to do and then I'll be done. I hope to do a little sitting and relaxing for the remainder of the evening!

You all have a great weekend! Shalom to everyone!

Bug update...

Really?!? Yeah, I figure everyone is sitting on the edge of their seat wondering about my bug situation. After all, it's what I mostly think about, lol.

Well, anyway, I actually found a genuine bedbug crawling on my shirt at 4:30 a.m. yesterday morning. Now we know it's not just my imagination! I talked to my building manager and gave her a little piece of paper with the bug taped to it. Evidence. She's taking swift action and sometime in the next few days the exterminator will arrive on the scene. Unfortunately, a few of my neighbors will have to endure the same treatment just in case this thing has spread.

I know I'll have to give all of my clothing a heat treatment in the dryer, but I'm not sure what else I'll need to do. It will be some work, but worth it if it does the trick. I'm concerned about things like grandchildren's toys and books. Will they have bad stuff on them after the fumigation? Hopefully, I'll find out soon.

I haven't been up to a lot art-wise. All of those itchy spots and my apparent allergy to bedbug bites have zapped my creative energy. One article I read online said that bedbug bites can cause some people to have symptoms similar to PTSD. I really did have a few days that I felt that bad. I'm glad to report that that part is behind me. I am feeling a little better and did some painting yesterday. It also makes me feel better just knowing someone is doing something about it!

Other than my drama, Audrey has been having some excitement in her little life! My daughter, Micah, has been homeschooling Audrey for the last couple of months, but last week Audrey declared that she didn't want to be home schooled. She wanted to go to REAL SCHOOL. Mother and child have been butting heads about this for quite some time, so Mom and Dad decided to let her try it. I'm so glad she got a teacher who believes in keeping things relaxed and fun. (Mr. Durham is a fishing guide during the summer!) She's having a blast and it takes a lot of pressure off of Micah, who is the first to admit that she isn't a natural as a teacher, lol. This is a small school and Micah and hubby Adam know all the teachers and lots of the parents. Audrey's cousin, Cali, is in the same class and there's also a little boy she knows from AWANA. I'm sure she has tons of friends by now. Audrey is so outgoing and curious. It would be hard to meet all her needs in home school, especially when Micah has three other little ones to wrangle. You really have to be called to home schooling for it to work. It's an extreme sport!

Audrey on the left and Cali on the right in both pics...

 Della enjoying a breakfast smoothie...

 Sully, just home from trick-or-treating...

 And Hazel, who misses her sister when she's at school. Awww... But I think she'll like school, too. Next year!

Just checking in. Hope you're all well! God bless and shalom, troops! :)

Bug bites and essential oils...

Apparently, the colder weather is driving little critters indoors. I've had itchy bites and welts for about a week now. When I complained to the gals at work my manager said, "Just spray RAID everywhere!" Aw, man, sorry, but I'm just not comfortable with having all my household surfaces covered with RAID...

Some of the other gals suggested peppermint oil diluted in witch hazel. That's the route I took. It can be sprayed right on the bedding (I think I got bitten while sleeping because it was mostly on my neck and arms) and all around the house without being poisonous. It doesn't kill the insects. It just makes them move away from the area.

For the itches themselves I'm using tea tree oil mixed into coconut oil. It's working well today. Yesterday I think I made it too weak and didn't get the best results. Anyway, that's what I've been dealing with for a few days. It's hard to think about much else when you itch all over!

The only insects I'm seeing are the tiny flies that hover around fruit. I've tried to look them up on the internet, but I'm not finding anything conclusive. Anyway, things are better now.

Otherwise, I'm working and doing Sketchbook Skool and some ATC's. I'm also currently reading Sunlight on the Lawn by Beverley Nichols. This is my sixth book by him! He has such a cheerful outlook on life. I just enjoy his books so much for light reading. I'll have to start searching for another one soon!

As for artwork...I'll go scrounge around in my pictures and see what I have...hmmm...

Ah, yes. This is a 5x7 canvas board painting. I watched a video by Bob Burridge where he shows how to paint an impressionistic vase of flowers in two steps. First step...lots of colorful blobs of paint all over the canvas.

 Second step...paint over some of it to make a background, vase and table. It turned out okay, but I notice my highlight on the vase is on the same side as my shadow on the table...duh. But, it was fun to splatter acrylics around. I sent this to a gal in Alaska and she sent me a vase of flowers in return.

 My friend who gives ATC art to people in nursing homes is also sending art to kids in Haiti. These next two photos show some cards I made for them.

 These next four were made for the October Pick-a-Theme swap.

 And some faces I made for Sketchbook Skool...

I picked up this adult coloring book at Walmart the other day. I don't really intend to color in it. I bought it so I could get some ideas for more whimsical designs for my cards. It's full of really cute designs.

I'm taking it easy on my three day vacation, though there is a possibility of some babysitting. (I volunteered.)
You all have a great weekend! I hope to visit you all soon.

Shalom!