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Showing posts with the label artsy-craftsy

Happily Playing

I've been barefooting in crazy fun, hence the absence this time. :-) The Husband is continually rediscovering delights with his new lenses. For instance, whenever he comes back from throwing the garbage, he gleefully reports that he can see so many stars, bright ones, too. Wait until he sees the night sky in the Sierras. Oh my! I got brave and made an appointment with the ophthalmologist to get the process going for cataract surgery for me.  I want to see a lot of stars.   Molly the Cat seems to like the new changes we've been making both indoors and outside.  Look at her sitting on the throne, a makeshift bench in the backyard. She claimed that this evening. In May we decided to throw a party as a means to get us off our lazy derrieres. So, the past two weeks we've been cleaning, clearing boxes from rooms, moving things around, and putting up stuff on the walls. We had a wonderful superfun party last Saturday. And, now we have a clean house. As for me, I'

Enjoying a Moment

Tried and True? Or, an experiment? That's what I asked the Husband, who took himself out of the science fiction story he was reading for the nearly-one-too-many time, within probably 15 minutes. I am a fortunate woman because the Husband didn't ignore me, nor grunted, then ignored me or snarlingly said, "What." The Husband, instead, looked up from his book and asked, "I don't know what you're talking about. What are you referring to?" ("Now" is what I added in my head.) "What do you think?" I asked. "Should I make the olive cheese balls the usual way or try something different?" He pondered and considered (I love that) before having a level-headed discussion with a whirly-minded woman as myself. We agreed the only constant (kinda) was the cheesy-buttery dough because the types of olives and cheese rarely were the same combination as the first time I made the recipe. I could refer to the recipe, but I do

Another Random 13

1. The outdoor work table is set up for the summer. Whooo-hooo! 2. I wore a bra all day yesterday because I had planned to work in the front yard (which didn't happen). Must not scare the citizens, you know. So different from the days of youth when I thought nothing of wearing nothing beneath a cotton ribbed tank top. 3. Flower seeds in my bra! I have no idea how long they've been wandering within that space between the cups' lace and backing. I can't get them out without cutting the lace, and that I'm not going to do until I buy another bra. The flat seeds look familiar, which I'm sure are of flowers I've grown, but what kind of flower eludes me. How did the seeds get in my bra? Probably when it got washed with a pair of shorts which pockets I didn't search. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.   I enjoy slapping paint on wood. These pieces of redwood were once part of a wooden barrel that I broke apart earlier this year. They'll look good in the yard somewher

Time for Mosaic Monday

In about 15 minutes, a public community TV station will broadcast live our city council meeting. I don't want to miss the broadcast because a lot of feathers ought to be flying at some point of the meeting. One of major issues is back on the table to discuss: An appeal to stop the construction of  a building for condos and retail stores, as well as a building for the local community foundation on  a block in downtown Hollister that has been vacant since the 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake. That's all I'll say so I can get my tortilla chips and lemonade before the meeting starts. I''ve created two photo collages for Mosaic Monday , a meme hosted by Angie of Letting Go of the Bay Leaf . The light switch covers I painted in May are the subject of the top photo collage while the faces in rocks off the side of highway make up this second collage. For the latter's inspiration check out the highway wall photo (last one) in yesterday's post . Click here t

Thirteen Things Today

1. I just turned on the computer so as to maybe write a post. How long has it been? 2. A City water department employee told me over the phone that the $150 credit on our utility bill was for the deposit we placed when we opened the account, which is returned after three years at an address. I don't remember forking over $150, nor does the Husband. 3. I called the car rental place for a pick-up. It's a free service, so why not? We've been renting cars the past few months to get to the Husband's eye appointments up in the crazy freeway world of the San Francisco Bay Area. The Husband's cataracts were destroyed and he can now see 20/30 in his right eye and 20/25 in his left eye without glasses. 4. Sudoku is my newest addiction. I did 5 or 6 puzzles this morning. Yesterday, lovely friend L dropped by with a Sudoku puzzle magazine in LARGE Print. Whoooo-hoooo! 5. Pride vs. Prejudice  by Joan Hess is what I'm currently reading. Today I learned that the woman accuse

Hobbies

A few weeks ago Saturday Night Live featured a video about two women talking about their hobbies. Oh my gosh,  I recognized myself. When I was a young single thing living la dolce vita in San Francisco, a guy I met for coffee asked, "What are your hobbies?" "Hobbies?" "Interests. What do you like to do?" Totally stumped, I was. I liked to read and write, but I didn't consider those activities as hobbies. They were simply a part of what I did.  Without trying, in the last three years, I've embraced hobbies. Sewing, drawing, painting, gardening, and crafting are what have showed up at my door, thus far. That guy at the cafe 40 years ago? I never saw him again. SO, MOLLY DID The other day I didn't feel like folding the pieces of fabric I laid out on the bed in L Studio. It wasn't going to bother me if Molly the Cat felt like lying on top of the fabric. I told her so, too, before I sat down to contemplate how much of the vari

Molly's Missus Lady

Dear Blogging Friends, I appreciate your concern to what Jeanna nicely asks, ". . .where the hells are ya?" Time flew. Words stuttered. Thoughts blocked. Fog erased sentences. I shrugged it off by becoming a mad demon downsizing the stuff in the garage and house so that all the stuff that has been in storage for 15 years may get shoved into the garage.  Of course, the decision to make this happen was three weeks before the Husband had his first cataract surgery. Once that happened, he won't be able to lift, carry, and manipulate heavy objects until June. (He has his second cataract surgery in May.) Success! Everything got moved and fit in the garage. Success! The Husband was able to read 20/25 on the eye chart with his new left lens less than 24 hours after his procedure. Pretty good from 20/800. "Keep busy" is the advice some people like to give those who recently lose someone. I didn't understand that when the First Husband died in 1995 nor

Fun. And, More Fun!

The other day, friends (whom I've known since elementary school) and I were kidding about not knowing what we want to be when we grow up.  Then I realized that I did know and that I was doing it: Playing at being an artist. And, not just with words. Whooo-hooo! A couple weeks ago I finished my first painting. It's on the concrete step outside the patio window. Some of you may remember the bottles I painted earlier this month. I let a few of them dry on that concrete step, which left paint stains. I decided that painting over the stains was the best way to get rid of them. And, so I did. BOOK PLANTER I made one! It was easy-peasy. If you want to give it a try, do a search for "book planter" in your browser. One of these days, I'll share my method once I've got it down. I have another book ready to be planted and four more prepped to carve. My first book planter became a housewarming gift. The yellow glassy thing (in the middle photo above) i

Rags, Bottles, and Books

Once upon a time there were people who collected other people's trash and resold the items. Some of these early recycling entrepreneurs were said to go down the street calling out something like "I'm here for any rags, bottles, and bones." Rags, bottles, and bones. For me, it would be books rather than bones. But, I'm not looking to purchase any rags, bottles, or books. Not at all. I mention the phrase because the past week, I've been repurposing fabric scraps, wine bottles, and old books. RAGS The elephant scene (above) is my first try at fabric art. I machine stitched everything but the the red flowery thing, which is the top of a tree, onto a purple napkin. The zipper is the second, if not the first, one I've ever sewn. I have several more purple napkins and a whole bunch of scraps so I might experiment with more fabric art. We shall see. BOTTLES Last year I decided to make a garden border with wine bottles that I collected mostly from our

13 Things That Could Become Garden Art

Last year I discovered that I enjoy repurposing stuff into colorful planters and whatevers to hang out in the garden.  The last couple of days I've been getting ready for when I can set up my work table on the patio. I've already got a whole bunch of things set aside that have potential into becoming garden art. a bunch of plain tiles a plastic storage bin (from a freezer?) a metal Christmas tree stand cut pieces of garden hose rocks soup bowls part of a bougainvillea stump the Husband pulled out from the front yard a floor lamp with several arms  a vanity dresser 2-gallon black plastic pots wine glasses wire food wrap organizer old decayed boards A lot of fun coming up ahead.   :-) I'm hanging out at several memes. Hope you have a chance to check them out. Thanks to all the wonderful hosts! ABC Wednesday Thursday 13 I Like Thursdays   

Another Union of Nothingness From Molly & Me

Here we are again, Molly the Cat and I, uniting for another post. MOLLY'S MONDAY #16 Missus Lady asked, "What shall we write about today, Molly?" I flicked my tail. "Aren't you coming up with me?" She slowly climbed up the second set of steps to the upstairs landing. I flicked my tail. "Then I'm just posting photos." I flicked my tail. OFF MY GROOVE That Missy Girl! I appreciate her escorting me up to the first landing. I have no idea where she decided to snooze. Zzzzzzzz, I feel like my head has taken a snooze. It's what happens after I play several rounds of an online word scramble game or do an online jigsaw puzzle or two. Yup, I'm back to doing the puzzles. Two months ago , I swore off doing online puzzles because my fingers locked in Spock's "Live long and prosper" sign. So far, my fingers have been okey-dokey. Knock on wood. I've been having a slow time getting back into blogging, or any kin