nightmares and laundry

i been going through a rash of nightmares again
one was that bernie was giving flowers to someone else ( and they were nice flowers too, in pretty pink paper)
another was that i was in the army, and killing the enemy and then got captured and the enemy was about to retaliate

then there is the laundry
that it never dries................

wait that last one is real life not a dream

oh man

did i mention i can't reach the stuff at the bottom of the washer?
i'm too short

yesterday i used a pair of pliers to get the last pair of undies out

i almost fell in to the washer head first
the chickens were laughing

it's pretty bad when a CHICKEN laughs at you

oye

now in fiber news, i have just turned the heel of the first sock and am now going around picking up stitches to do the gusset decreases
i did a french round heel on this one
i think i am going to do a dutch square heel on the next one
i want to try a few different heels on the socks this year
and i need more patons kroy sock yarn as it is almost indestructible

ok in studio news, bernie is going to help me move some stuff out of the studio so i can finish getting molds moved out and over
i still don't have a home for the molds to live on when the old shelf is moved out
and he isn't figuring on something to help me with either yet
so this is going to be interesting
they may end up on the white metal shelves for a bit, which isn't good as the moisture will rust the shelves and ruin the molds
but maybe for a short time
he informs me that he is going to 'take apart' my porcelain workbench
i am concerned that this is code for 'take it apart and get it out of the studio'

he won't like the consequences if that happens, cause i will start to pour molds and make molds on HIS table
and let's just say...........
it's FILTHY
plaster and slip are a nightmare to clean up after
rough cleaning greenware is just as bad

but i also can't wait to get to that part of the studio, as i haven't touched that back wall in years.......... like 20 years!
the porcelain workbench is HUGE, dad helped me put it together, and he nailed it to the floor!
it is rocky but needs to rock a bit to help degass the plaster in the mold forms
and it's tall......higher then my waist
i need to stand while working at it
because i need to have leverage when filling the cracks in a mold form with clay
and i need to be able to see down into the mold form and watch how it is coming along
plus i need to stand to pour so it's at a height that worked for me
i got partly under there and found a few #50 clay boxes, porcelain clay that i sculpt in
cheap clay that i use for sealing mold forms
and a stoneware that i use for sculpting flat stuff in
i think there are a few cases of porcelain slip back in there as well
i saw the big S for seeley on a box so that is slip, as i only use seeley
( bell slip smells funny to me)
there should be about 6 cases of slip under there
and at least 100# of pottery plaster

i have decided to paint the metal worktable legs
i am first going to paint it cream, then add black stripes
and then i think glaze it with an umber so it looks oldish

i am going to put a surface protector of sorts on it
maybe a self healing mat
i don't know if i should do a complete self sealing cover like on my drafting table or just a smallish one to work on
i think the complete ones are probably better, they come in a reversible cream/green or gray
and two sides so you can and should eventually reverse them
and if you shop around you can find them for like 40$

now i will add that i have one on my drafting table that was bought in 1983
it's still on there
still works great, and i haven't ever turned it over ( cause i don't like the green side- but the option is there)

so if you do the math........ $40 is cheap in this instance

now duckie news......
momma let me pick her up and hold her on her back and rub her belly for quite a while
so that is huge news
i let them out last night for a swim and a snack of juicey worms
lilli got her bath first
then momma and phoebe
falstaff is due one and not bathing

things have been going something like this

LILLI stop biting momma

'but i'm not doing anything mom'

LILLI i SAW you bite momma on the wing

'i don't like her mom'

why on EARTH do you not like momma, she doesn't bother you at all

'i don't know mom, i got pms, and i just don't like momma's face'

LILLI, in the back...........NOW......................

and that is the daily arguement from the duckies
but they are all in the molt so i am waiting to see

meanwhile

HELP i am drowning in a sea of supplies

i could really use a pair of hands that know how to organizse

oye

vi

and now ........ the baking

mother nature is got pms and hot flashes
i can sympathize
now she is dumping hot flashes all over us
in addition to texas and africa
only ours come with humidity

oye

i am going to attempt to do the last part of the laundry
i did colored over the weekend and got the last of it dry more or less yesterday
now it's whites
although i still got some laundry drying on the inside line

as to studio progress
just some sorting yesterday

i made sauce for supper with sausage and meat then raviolis
yes in all that heat
bernie wanted that for supper
it was over 90 down where he works in jersey yesterday
he forgot his gatoraide
he works not only outside IN THE SUN
but
over HOT diesel ambulance engines
that are like 500 degrees under the hood
but his fleet has to roll
so that when someone needs an ambulance...... there is one for them

he loves his job, he loves his company, and he loves the management there
i worry about the heat and the cold and the weather and the danger
but he loves what he does

today he has his gatoraide
i made sure

now as far as on the board
right now is nothing
i finished the doggie treat cups ( need to do the doggie house treat cups yet)

i also need to do a few color illustrations of the duckies
but am having a bit of a problem with that end of the studio

i need a place to move all that part out to so i can get it straightened out
and the drafting table set up there

i was sorta doing some research, and i told bernie, 'all we need to do really, in the kitchen is to get the corner base cabinet custom made'
it will actually SAVE money in the long run
even if it costs us about 1000, it will in the end save money and space

what we have now is a corner base with a lazy susan
it wastes space and it is inefficent
we store pots and pans cause it's next to the stove
(point of first use no?)
if we get something with a sturdier design we won't have the issues we have now with the whole 'pots falling behind the lazy susan' thing we got now

and i want new pots
no more non stick ......i hate that stuff

i also been thinking..............
in the one corner where there is a copper pipe for the upstairs shower/tub.......
we can box that in with a moveable little cabinet
that would make a huge amount of space that we didn't think we had
it would do for some storage of stuff such as plastic refridge containers
(although i want to go to all glass with that as well)

in fiber news here, i am working on my socks, but i realized i need to do a shawl for my favorite and beloved sister in law
who lives in texas
galveston
( and STILL doesn't have the house raised on pilings..... due to a STUPID morgage company that won't release the insurance money to allow them to RAISE THE HOUSE)
she is a true girly girl
and i am thinking kidsilk haze..........she loves pink and blue
but i am leaning to something maybe cream so she can wear it all the time
she needs it for at work
the AC is seriously cold there due to them trying to stop the mold problem

maybe a few sparkles of beads here and there

whatcha think?


ok i know i am a bit behind on picture posting

i will get around to it

til next time

vi

dear mother nature

can we talk about balance

i know you pretty much know what you're doing........
and that left to your own devices you will get it all straightened out

however
there is a small problem i am having that you can help a bit

could you PLEASE share some of this rain with that part of texas that is in the really bad drought?

i got clothes on the line that get almost dry.........and then rains come

i am sooooo trying to be as 'green' as possible
but i didn't expect that to mean mold and moss growing on my dainties.......

or on bernie's tee shirts
please

we've had it up to HERE
and it's moldy

your friend
vi


well it rained again sunday
and so on and so forth
we went to get tomatoes, as our garden never happened due to my throwing my back out in the spring
something bit bernie on the neck
BAD
HUGE welts
i made him take benedryl it was so bad
my laundry which i forgot over saturday night on the line, and which was DRY saturday
is now drenched again and dripping

we couldn't do any more on the pens, but bernie did clean the chickens inside pens
and the ducks inside crates
while i packed meats for the freezer

i got a decent deal on chopmeat and on chicken
and it's safely squirreled away now
i still need to can 80 pounds of chicken breast, which i am waiting for a good sale to pick up

no wood yet delivered for winter
i am hoping that august dries up and we can take delivery of at least 4 cords
the more it rains......the more cords i think i am going to need as the old stuff is just rotting i think

i started knitting for fall
first up
booty socks for me
i have to do a plum and black hat/mittens/scarf set for me next
to match my new last winter, winter coat
then a scarf for colleen
then the endless round of mittens and socks for winter
i need to get some lopi for the mittens
that stuff wears like iron
i want a nice rose color and some purple and a charcoal gray
for some odd reason i need a number of pairs of mittens for over the winter

and probably a few more color knit hats as well

i should most likely knit sweaters again
with the current size of my little round body, a simple sweater will take me all winter
oye
and use pounds of yarn

i actually may knit me a bulky pull over if i can find a sturdy blend that includes mohair
that will be really warm when i do ducks during the BAD weather of jan/feb

now today
let's see
if the rains stop
i got laundry to finish, and molds to continue to clean
and two more blinds from upstairs to wash ( the bathroom blind will finally get a totally though cleaning.......not the 'best i can do' one it has been getting)

oh i found something totally cool

fix a windshield .....it's a crack and chip repair system for glass
i have a china closet that needs a glass fixed
i can't just replace it as you see it's a very large peice of half round hand blown glass
from a victorian half round china closet
so i figured
if i can just glue the crack to stabilize it
i can paint the cabinet and boom..........new doll cabinet for my finished peices!

now before you all freak out
mom had dad stain this gorgeous golden oak half round.......... BLACK
ewwwww
sorry
but ewwwwww
i thought they were nuts then
and i am still certain of them being nuts now

so paint it is
cream paint to be exact

and it will hold my work
we'll move it from where it is now
and put it somewhere that is 'display area'

how about that


as to the base/legs of the new work table
thanks to everyone that answered
i am thinking of paint as well now
i am thinking of using blue tape and doing the two color paint job
so it would be either black and white
or
magenta and lemon?

maybe the black and white would be a better idea.........as it would go with more stuff
and i wouldn't have to repaint too often huh?

vi

rain rain go to texas to kacey please

as you have now resaturated my laundry, my almost built duck pen
my almost built chicken pen
and my hopes of finishing them up today

yesterday was majorly productive
bernie got one duck pen almost done, and fixed the hoses on the washer, ran and got mail and bird food and hay

i got the living room mini blinds scrubbed, the windows clean, laundry washed and hung
lunch and supper made
food shopping ( we both went)
and i got a bargin on beads at ac moore
plus (with the 40% off coupon) the latest 'where women create'
it's ridiculously expensive and i would have preferred the 50% off coupon for it
but it's a real treat

and today i have to run for bacon, at 1.99 a pound
15 pounds should be enough
caluclated at about 1/2 pound per week and not every week

maybe i better get 20?

i got ten more pounds of butter, it will go on sale again and next time i'll get 15
plus whatever i get at sam's to freeze
and the stuff i have canned

since bernie's cholesterol is fine and mine is actually a bit too low
we are ok with the bacon

now this rain is going to put the stop on the porcelain end of things as i can't bring the molds out and brush them/clean them out
nor can i wrap them with all this moisture

i have to find another area to work on

now i have a question for you all

i got a new workbench for the doll dressing/general crafts/miniature making
it's got gray (ewwwwwwww) metal legs

i am debating on the following



vi's new work table
which one should i do
skirting the table
painting the legs either a cool girlie color, or black and white checkerboard
decoupaging roses on them
hand painting some funky swirly thingies



now remember i am going to end up with toile one way or another in part of the studio
most likely in reholstered chairs and pillows for them
possibly also a lead edge on some drop cloth drapes

so i could use some votes for this ok?

edited to add

btw
on the way home last night
we almost HIT a trio of deer

two BUCKS (about 4 pointers ) and a spotted fawn!
no does!

shocked us silly

slowly.......... slowly

i am doing the studio
bernie is concerned that i am not going fast enough
i am going as fast as i can right now
even working all day, i don't get a lot done because i am finding spaces for stuff as i go
and i am cleaning, destashing etc as i go

take yesterday,

as you all know i make original porcelain dolls, starting from a lump of clay, with a bunch of stuff inbetween that lump and the finished doll.
part of the process involves me making my own molds to pour the porcelain in
those molds are dusty
( oh BOY are they dusty)
and i found one that a mouse had been using for a pantry,
with MY cat food in there!
what a mess
so i am taking them outside
brushing them off with a soft brush inside and out then wrapping them in a cling sort of band
and moving them to another area
stacking them up carefully so i can get rid of their very nice wire shelf that they lived (and BREATHED ) on

i worked most of the day, intersparced with duck baths
supper
washing mini blinds
picking up cat puke
feeding and watering everyone
and breakfast for me which i remembered to eat around 2 pm

other then that i worked all day on the molds
i got half of two shelves cleared and a stack that was on my workbench
no not a lot
maybe 20 molds ( remember i make my own everything here, so 20 molds is just a bit of work, not the 2000 or so dollars it would be if i bought them)

i have maybe 100 more
givertake

now according to my hazy little plan that is sort of on paper and sort of in my befuddled head........
when the wire rack is out of the studio........ some sort of rolling ventilated shelf system will slide in and out of under the porcelain workbench
and now i am thinking............. maybe i don't have the space for it?

maybe it's time to give up porcelain as a medium and go to resin or 'cold cast' porcelain?

the molds for that are normally silicone

i think that maybe i can then do away with the upteen molds for one porcelain doll as i scuplt HUGE and then repeatedly cast, refine, fire, and SHRINK the dolls by making molds around the fired and refined bisque until they are the sizes i want
i like that i can refine them and resculpt them along the way, that helps a LOT
i like that i can sculpt HUGE and get all that detail in
and then shrink the detail down

i hate that i have about 6 molds of each doll head in 6 different sizes
i wouldn't mind if i had a seperate building or area for it
(and a seperate building or area for soap making as well)

keeping only 'clean' stuff in this studio
such as painting, drawing, design work.........sewing
stuff like that

really the dolls and other parts of my small businesses have outgrown the studio space
some stuff i can let go
but a lot i can't

i don't know what to do about it all

i know we have plenty of land to put outbuilding, but with the criminal neighbors next door, i worry about theft and vandalism
as i don't think they've reformed any
and they've been guilty ( and on TV) for theft and vandalism before.........

anyway
this is where i am at this morning
but i keep plugging away

today after i wash two more mini blinds
i am going to do more of the molds

then i think i am going to take my fabrics out on the deck to sort
btw
the hoses to the washer broke during the week
so today bernie is going to fix that
good thing too
as i have found a mouse got into my fabric stash

and we paid a mouse exterminator for 6 YEARS to come quarterly to get the mice
i think it was a waste
don't you?

you just have to love antique stone houses in the woods

vi

my cousin emailed

and said that aunt elsie looked so peaceful
and that only a very small handful of neices and nephews were there
and that the flowers we sent were beautiful and they are covering her grave now

i still feel bad i wasn't there
patricia understands
aunt elsie probably as well, as i am more then sure she is too busy partying with my family to mind

bernie felt bad we weren't there as then entire jersey bunch of relatives didn't bother to go
but i told bernie
that they may not know......or if they do they probably don't care

it's sad for me to think that

i spent the day thinking of my aunt and cleaning the studio
it's slow progress here but it is progress none the less

if i had a place to put my porcelain supplies, i would have made HUGE progress
but it's too wet out to put anything out even under a tarp
or i would have put it on the deck until i got the space cleared

we may have to put stuff in the bedroom for a bit

i did get another arco cabinet spray painted white, and after sunday i will spray it with the cream color
i have done three arco cabinets and have three more to do
one is HUGE
one is tiny
i am sorting and tossing as i go so that also takes time

i am also making those file boxes as i go, the next batch is going to be covered with the wrapping brown paper from my arches water color paper
so the paper actually says 'arches' on it

talk about recycling
it was too cool a wrapper to toss, and after all it IS in an artist's studio right?
what better idea?
i am thinking of doing just the spine for the magazine files and then saving the paper for some other coverings

these magazine file boxes make me feel so good
recycled boxes, recycled coverings
and then useful items at the end
i like that idea

i am leaning more and more to a buff, cream, red and black idea for the studio
and toile
i love toile
i love the fabrics that go with it
checks, stripes and dots
if i can find a magenta and buff or cream toile for the 'red'
that's good
and while i am not crazy about black........and i prefer navy blue as a 'black'
if i have to go with the black i will be ok more or less

i want to also replace the ceiling fan, as bernie knocked into it a few times and now it wobbles as the blades are off balance
if we do, i want NO lights on it
i hate ceiling lights
i hate them, they make glare on my glasses and i can't see then

besides light shouldn't come from the center of the ceiling, it makes for dark corners and odd shadows

i do however LOVE uplit corners in a room, with hidden uplights,
i love table lamps, (with red shades.........perferably in cranberry glass that is lined in white glass)
and i love shades on chandeliers
cream silk in rooms that have an eastern exposure and dark with gold lining in 'night' rooms
and old fashioned as it is
i love brass chandeliers - 6 arms are nice
i remember when i finally got my brass 6 arm
wow, it was about 1982 and we paid 125.00 for it
then i went and got the shades and put the chandelier on a dimmer
i love chandeliers on a dimmer too
and hung lower over the table
i think mine was 30 inches from the top of the table.......maybe 32 inches
(i also love round tables with skirts to the floor and over skirts, but with the cats and bernie i don't do that much anymore)

so that's where i am more or less in here
today i need to get to the feed and grain
and to ac moore for more of them divided plastic boxes, and a few other smallish odds and ends

if the rain will hold off a few more days, i can finish some more spray painting
i am going to do my mom's china closet too
that will hold finished dolls
and the file cabinets too........... i need them done so i can actually LOOK at them again
(and emptied.......i need to empty them as well)

as i am going along i am making notes to myself,
'refurbish the shoe ''kit'' with the stuff for shoes, polish, laces, wax, glue, etc........if it's for shoes'

make a household tool kit for picture, curtain, misc hangins and small repairs
use PINK tools so bernie won't take them to the basement
hammer, screw drivers, plyers hooks and such

do an ironing station somewhere..... for the iron and such
near where the sewing machine is or will be
i can iron clothes there and it would help
i need a new iron too........mine are from sometime in 78 or 79
i have matching ones...mine and my mom's
and both are sorta crappy, but good for crafts

i need a spot for the swift and ball winder too
oye

is this all EVER going to get done?

are you sure?

in MY lifetime?

anyone want to help

oh and btw, the cats wish to inform you all that there is a mouse under the sink
and another mouse in the corner of the studio.............


vi

my last remaining aunt died saturday

i found out last night
my aunt elsie riccardi
she was 97
she was the tiniest little thing
shorter even then me

she had so much love packed into that tiny frail little body, it's amazing
her husband, uncle lou died a few years back, he was as tall as she was tiny

my aunt angie died shortly after my uncle lou, aunt angie was aunt elsie's sister
and her husband uncle eddie died about 5 months ago
aunt angie came to get him 'eddie, when are you coming home from work'

they are all together now, along with my folks

i haven't seen her in a while due to her not knowing me
it would just kill me
i know that really isn't any excuse
i did however email and call her daughter in law and her son regularly
and patricia emailed me last night to tell me

even though she had been 'gone' for years
i still felt like there was family here for me
now that's gone with her
and i am now one of 'the old people' in the family
i know i'm kinda young but there you have it

i am going to miss the knowing that she was still here

but really she is now with everyone, surrounded by so much love that i am so happy for her
even though i am going to miss her so much

vi

it's raining again

ha
there is a shocker huh?
it's almost 9am and we have to have LIGHTS on in the house cause we can't see for shit
it's that dark

naturally it is raining
we hung laundry
so it will be exceedingly well rinsed no?

oye


yesterday we brought my poor broken and battered kitchen aide to nj to the kichenaide doctor
the bench fee is 10.00
we'll see how much he wants to fix it
the lady cautioned me that it isn't easy working on kitchenaides
i am in a muddle now
i need that mixer
i got the bosch for big stuff but that is the every day mixer, cream the butter for the cookies... do the egg whites for the boiled icing mixer

after the jersey trip we stopped at ac moore
i had 2 50% off coupons so we got a pumpkin welcome flag for the house
and a gallon of white glue
( really i am running through glue like crazy lately)
a stop at the dollar store for black crows ( three of them)
and then milk and bread and back home for a bit
finally a run to get pavers for the duck pens

i am looking at the yet to be built pens..........and i am thinking......
they are way too small.....
WAY
TOO
SMALL

even double...........they would be too small
i probably need something more like 10 by 18
or even 9X18

and the other duck pen........turns out bernie decided it is a chicken coop
ok that is the right size for now 5 chickens ( and just think........a few months ago i had 10 chickens)

i suppose we can add run to the duck pen but with lillianna so bitchy ( and MOLTING LIKE CRAZY) i think i need a whole second seperate bitchy duck pen

and a pen to set eggies

if we do get the pens done
i am going to consider putting a small bird aviary up as well
it's been so long since i have had my beloved finches and canaries, and parakeets
the longest lived and healthiest canary i ever had was bred and raised in an unheated outdoor aviary in oakland nj
the guy who raised him had tons of birds sitting in the sun on snow covered branches when i went to see my bird
and they were healthy and singing
i don't know what or how he did it
but he did
i wish i hadn't lost track of him.........he was a friend of bernie's

oh and my reward for whenever i get the studio finished........ i am getting a fish
probably a betta but maybe a goldfish
we'll see

( see what happens when i don't get to raise babies during the summer............)

oye again
anyway
have a nice rest of weekend everyone

vi

i want a climbing pink rose

for over the front windows
and i would like a few apricot shrub roses out near the street

as some of you may remember, we live in a tiny ( really tiny) stone cottage in the woods
there are much less woods now as there are 'luxury townhouses' build on the ridge behind us
but never the less we are still more woody then not

anyway back to the roses
i want a climbing pink rose over the front window
i would love it over the hood of the front door but i would settle for over the window

when i was growing up we had a climbing 'peace' rose
it was often neglected, and it climbed up to my upstairs windows, and flowered like nothing you have ever seen before
i adored it
even though it had wicked wicked thorns
and heavy thick canes
it is still my very favorite rose
but i still want a climbing pink

now i don't know a whole hell of a lot about roses, i suppose i know more then the average person.
i know they come in florabundas ( they flower more or less all season)
hybrid teas (they are the hot house beauties)
climbers, shrubs
antiques
ramblers and of course my beloved MINI roses ( them i used to grow by the hundreds)

it's that whole spray thing that's gotten me
i don't remember us doing anything at all to our roses as a kid
and it would have ended up being my job to deal with it
so no sprays, no dead heading, no fertilizing
just cutting sprays of roses and bringing them in and plopping them in water
(in mom's cornflower blue vase)

any dedicated rose growers out there?

i am thinking, if we do eventually get my climber, i can always do a mix of clematis over the front door..........
right?

oye

vi

flash flood watch

for this area

what with all the rain, what could we expect?
and our chances of forest fire?
not a snowballs chance in hell i would imagine
meanwhile
it's 6am
and very dark out
foggy too cause of the humidity
i want it to dry up a bit as i need to take delivery of our winter wood
and until it's stacked............. it will sit in the driveway, which is down hill
the entire property is downhill

oye

i found a box of teddy bears in the studio yesterday, gifts from bernie over the years
they are small ones, and all blond teddy bears, in all sorts of materials, one even being in corduroy!
i know i have some furniture for them as well
as they are part of our christmas decorations for the mantel

i did make a tiny bit of head way into the studio again
i am about to start moving more furniture
i need to get the mold storage out of the way or i am not going to get any further in the studio
right now
everything hinges on dealing with them

i got falstaff in the bath again yesterday, i chased him all over the place and finally cornered him and hosed him off enough so that he got the hint
and then STILL had to chase him up and down the hill until he got in the bath
he stayed about an hour
Lillianna is molting
there are FEATHERS all over the freeken place
enough to build two whole other ducks
!!!!!!!!!!!!

phoebe was a bit ago
no one however has molted out primaries so i don't have to clip wings yet
lilli and phoebe still have the clipped wings i did last year!
i expect however to have to clip before winter

momma still hasn't started her molt.

she is getting a bit tamer, as there are occations when i can pet her
and she isn't too bad really about me picking her up
i do occationally have to corner her however, but she realizes that normally it's to put her in the pond, which she likes so that's ok with her

lilli is still bitchy
she loves her momma again, but still hates momma (the duck momma)
oye

meanwhile ducette and the other chickens are doing well, ducette was broody but is now running around the basement. we'll put her back in with henrietta probably sunday

ok i have to reboot this vista yet AGAIN
I hate vista, have i mentioned that?
i HATE VISTA
it makes my very FAST computer run like a brick
oye
vi

we had a tornado yesterday

http://www.poconorecord.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090730/NEWS/907300311

this is a few miles away from me about......5 or so (giver take a mile)
then it veered through a tiny corner of my township

i went out early to get the ducks in, about 2 pm
i discovered that the pens were flooded
so i never took them back out again after the storms passed

bernie ran into all sorts of problems on the way home

today it looks green and peaceful out
so i will be taking duckiekins out shortly
(and i hope lilli's bad mood is almost over with the passing of the storm)

in studio news
i have reluctantly agreed to give up the shelf that i keep my handmade doll molds on
as well as possibly ( i am out of my mind here)
a 7' workbench........but i am not entirely sure about the workbench
one small shelf is coming out, and may be altered a bit to serve as a hutch top
bins of fiber have already come out
and three white metal shelves will be switched with a big pantry shelf
bernie gets the pantry shelf
the pantry gets the three white metal shelves
and i get to figure out where to put the stuff stored on the white shelves

i didn't get a lot done in here yesterday, as it was so dark and i didn't want too many lights on with the storms
but i did get some paperwork up and filed
and a few things put up
i also found and labeled a box for wigging fibers
so that is a plus when i go to empty one of the storage thingies under the 7' workbench
as i know there is a box under there full of viscose wigging fibers

today i think (in addition to finishing dishes that i was afraid to yesterday.......there was a LOT of water going in the cess pool simply from the rain)
i think i am going to pull some of the paper that is strewn around out
and i am going to see about moving my winter clothes storage container ( i didn't finish filling it, i got side tracked)
i may also make another file box as the three i have now are getting full

in looking around i realized that i still have the sorting boxes in the studio from trying to sort out the paper work i been sitting on for years, i started right before trish died, and haven't been able to go back to it
i need to move it out of the studio
and when the studio is done
GO BACK AND DO IT
only instead of shredding
i think we are going to have a bonfire

with those boxes out i can reach the rest of the doll dressing supplies
and that will go a LONG way to making headway in that end

of course there is still the porcelain end of the studio

optimally if i could move that out of the main studio, it would be good
i would like it in an attached outbuilding but it needs to be kept from freezing
putting the kilns in there would be good as well


well anyway
the ultimate goal is, getting everything up on wheels, organized and workable
so that when we finally get to do the windows/walls in here
it's a simple matter of moving everything to the center of the room to work on the walls without too much major disruption of our life (or as little disruption as possible during renovations)

ok well there you have it
i am thinking out loud

it is of course subject to change
if we figure something that works better

vi

what's next? plagues of locust?

so after the nearly endless rain,
now we got the famous jersey humidity?
doesn't mother nature know we live in pa now?

we aren't sleeping either
the ac keeps freezing up, so it gets hot up there

supper is salads of one sort of another

egg salad
chicken salad
green salad

due to the weather i am sort of hibernating
so yesterday i stayed with sorting in the studio
it looks worse now then it did before
and i am running into blocks again
however i did find 5 sheets of arches #140 hot press water color paper!
i knew i had it, i just didn't know WHERE i had it
i will be cutting it up today i think
( and the 10 OTHER sheets of paper sitting here waiting to be cut up)

i am looking through boxes and wondering if i should let my dollhouse furniture go,
and my dollhouses
some (most) are still in boxes or again in boxes
there isn't any room here for them
the funny thing is
i have always wanted a dollhouse
i have built numerous ones for clients and a few for gifts and a few for me
not one of mine however ever got finished
i make dollhouse miniatures
i have made dollhouse minitures for SALE since i was 16 ( we won't go into how many years THAT is.........but it is getting on the 1/2 century mark now)

and i am thinking of letting them go
because i am thinking that if i am not going to use them, maybe it's better to get them out of my life and studio
i am going to think about this a bit more
however, i am leaning to selling them

well today is supposed to have t-storms again, it's almost 9am and still 6 am dark out
i just realized how late it is
(i was doing some research online so am late to post)
i have to get the ducks out

anyway, i expect that today again is going to be spent trying to make sense of this studio
i probably should think about doing some of the FABRIC as well
maybe a box labeled 'doll fabric'
?

oye

vi

today is still monday but this should post tomorrow

i pulled that shelf out of the studio that i cleared off
and made another magazine file

i found a stash of soon to be recycled priority mail boxes so instead of ending in recycling
they are now covered in wrinkled brown paper and have a pretty label on their spine
i want to make some other that coordinate maybe with fabric?
i cleared a couple of small drawers, washed them and replaced them in the little chest (they are still empty, but they won't be for long

bernie thinks i need to do the porcelain end of the room, and while i agree it would help
i don't have the dolly i need for the cases of clay, porcelain, plaster, etc
what do i do with all that until i get dollys?
they have got to roll out from under the bench or i can't REACH THEM

oh man
anyway


today i think i got a small amount finished
but any amount is still more then yesterday right?

it is now tuesday morning, after we didn't sleep all night, someone called us a bit after midnight. I *69 and found out it was a friend of ours that was attempting to retrieve messages from her new computer phone. thankfully it wasn't an emergency.

today i am going to pull the tower of green shelves out of the corner i think, those are the shelves i want to spray paint cream (did one, and it looks great, so much better then that icky puke green that is partly turning brownish yellow in spots)

but i am really thinking i need to get into the 7' bench, as that has a ton of stuff i think i can get up on the new shelves. i also need to do a bonfire of old stuff that normal folks would shred.

if i get too wrapped up, it's going to be egg or chicken salad suppers, but i am hoping not to get too wrapped up.

i am also hoping to get at least one more file box completed today, with luck.

it's supposed to be in the low 90's today, and humid and muggy, and well............like jersey, so i am going to try to hibernate in the studio with the AC on

til later gator

vi

i got a shelf cleaned off in the studio

which doesn't sound huge ( and the shelf is the smallest one i have)
but for me it's huge

see i am finding a place for stuff as i clear
sounds nuts but see i have no room
it's either find a place or don't clean
there isn't anywhere to put anything

there is no place to put all the stuff out of a room and start with the room empty
which would be great
and with the rain we've been having again
even a tent would not work

so it's
'take a box out, empty one thing at a time and find it's spot, then go back for the next thing'

ok so it isn't the fastest but it is working (abet slowly) for me

now that this shelf is cleared
i am in to the porcelain workbench area
i am not really happy about having to do that area
but there you have it

meanwhile
over the weekend, due to the shitty weather,
we did nothing much
i did the studio and finished some drawings
bernie did dishes and baked himself brownies
he also did the cooking sunday
(i did saturday)
the laundry apparently is going to spend the week on the clothes line getting rerinsed hourly.......

lillianna is still totally bitchy
like you haven't SEEN before
we haven't anyway
bernie is even getting annoyed with her
and dulcette is running around on the basement floor as SHE is broody
(soon to be WAS broody........she'll come out of it soon)

so now
i think next after the porcelain area is the back 7' workbench
which actually is partly done already!!!

oh and i found my glassine bags i use for product packaging for soaps and that
and boxed them, labeled them,...........and without even REALIZING IT, stuck them under the box of plastic bags i package the miniature ouija boards and tarot cards in!
oh man

and it turns out
BERNIE CAN ORGANIZE
now how he somehow hid this from me actually isn't hard to understand
i want pretty and organized
he wants HIDDEN

i need to see it
or i don't know i have it

he needs to hide it and he keeps the map in his head ( no wonder he forgets everything but work and his models)

oye

ok up shortly
i need ideas for a computer desk and office in a sort of box
i think we are going to build something

that's it for now, unless i remember something else

vi

on solitude

i find lately, my world is shrinking
but instead of it being a bad thing it is a wonderful thing
i guess going back to my roots was the right thing at the right time

i am relishing the time with my drawings, and my drafting table
i sit and go to the place where i am alone with myself
i remember when i was in art school, i would go to that place while drawing in studio classes

time had no meaning there

it was a sort of dreamy half hypnotic sleep state that always refreshed my soul in ways i had forgotten until now

in the very daily-ness of life and living, i had gotten away from going to that place.

i picked it up again while sculpting dolls, but had to again drop it for a while

i don't intend on dropping it again

i find myself wandering over to the drafting table for a piece of time here and there
in between dishes, and duckies
dinner and dusting
i sit and work
then get up
leave the ink washes i have just laid down to dry
while i do other things and let the images run through the back of my mind

some folks have seen the drawings that are coming off of my drafting table now

i am putting them away as it truly does look like i will have enough for a book
and i would like to look at them in the future with a fresh eye

other interesting things have been coming out of this as well
old wounds are being healed while i draw
i had been told by another friend who is an artist
that part of the tension in my life was that i was NOT doing what i was born to do
that no matter what else i did in my daily life,

(although i do write daily)

i needed to draw and design somehow

i took that advise

and i am so very glad i did

i truly am coming full circle

and it seems that the best is yet to come

possessed duckies from HELL

as anyone who follows this blog knows
i am dealing with ducks with hormonal mood swings.........

i THOUGHT lillianna was getting over her snit
ha
she LIED

she was out of the pen and telling me that she loved her momma bestest of all

and the next thing i knew....she was running away from me squeaking like the hounds of hell were on her feathered little butt

i figured a nice COLD bath/shower would mellow her out
right?
doesn't that usually calm down irate ducks?

WRONG

she bite momma on the wing that is just starting to heal
so i chased lil around as she ran away from me
squeaking
until i finally got her cornered
(damn that waddley little duck is FAST.......... my old lady gigily body can NOT keep up, since my legs are only maybe three inches longer then duck legs)

i pick her up and she was instantly docile and loving her momma

INSTANTLY

see what i mean?
them damn ducks are possessed

i am expecting pea soup to issue forth at any minute
and for their heads to start spinning

so now i am soaking wet
between wet duck
and sweating from running all over the back yard after this duck
in THIS HUMIDITY.......( think warm wet washcloth in your lungs.........)

oh man
and yet somehow, i haven't ever learned to DRINK

i wonder why not?


oye


ok this will post in the AM
as i intend on sleeping IN
let bernie handle the females
i will handle the pillows

i have been thinking........

about change

and how comfortable or uncomfortable i am with it

some change i like, such as when the studio is finished
i will love that
or when we (if ever at this point) settle on a farm
although the changes from moving won't be pleasant
such as packing, house hunting etc

losing friends is a huge change
i am not comfortable with the changes from that

thinking back on 'how it was' to 'what it is'
most of the time if that sort of change didn't thankfully happen over time,
i think a lot of us would go out of our minds

when i honestly think back without the rosey glow of nostalgia,
i realize that there were a LOT of things during my lifetime that needed to change

womens rights ( hard one battle still going on)
integration

those two are the biggies i remember

this morning, i was wondering and thinking about intentional change as opposed to imposed on change

such as say, weight lose from a diet plan as compared to something such as a natural disaster

i wonder if it truely is all in how you chose to think about it

if so
then is that the real lessons we are here to learn.......
chosing to think about things?
living with a deliberate intent?

or is that another choice?

vi

ps: the rains are getting to the slugs even
guess there is no danger here of forest fire
or even bbq fire
everything is again
too damp

and yesterday,

i drew


i didn't clean except one load of dishes

i did however wrangle pissy duckies


lillianna is the worst
she is the one that beat up momma
so she is by herself in a crate and momma is in with phoebe

no matter what i did with lil yesterday she remained pissy
i miss my sweet loving duckie

it is a pms sort of broody thing with them
it isn't like with dogs or cats, that they need the vet
it's hormonal
sometime with chickens you cool off their bodies and it breaks the broody thing
i am still learning what works with ducks

sometimes it is simply a matter of change in their sleeping arrangement
which i did last night
i penned lil seperately
finally in desperation i put her in with falstaff, as sometimes having a randy male will stop that hormonal swing

i tried numerous baths

so we'll see how my lil is today
i swear she is jekyl and hyde duck lately

but this too will pass...............
not soon enough, but eventually......

if i survive it

the studio organizing is again at a stand still cause i don't know what to do

this snail pace thing is going to continue
cause it's me doing it

most normal folks would see the studio
would then dig in and in a few hours
it'd be shining and organized and all that good stuff

not me
what's it now? 4 months? three months?

oye
i WANT shiny clean organized but i am not quite sure how to get from here to there

someone told me to empty the room
hahahahaha
after i stopped laughing my assets off

i realized while it would be best to do it that way
as we all know
my little stone cottage in the woods is tiny

dog houses are bigger
seriously

so i am having to sort of work around everything

maybe i need a tent?

vi

the whales have arrived

i finally finished the killer whale drawing
after struggling with the layout for a while

i was supposed to get to that drawing the week cleo and marguerite died but understandably couldn't face duckie drawings
so i drew halloween
and little witches
and paper dolls

for the past week or so i have been laying out the whales
and yesterday basically did the drawing

i asked bernie to look at it
he laughed which is what i wanted a first reaction to be
and then he LOOKED
which i also wanted as a second reaction

after i finished it
i draw a little vintage halloween witch on a hang tag
i am going to add some antiquing to her today
then clear out a bit more of the studio

in actual live duck news as well as chicken news
EVERYONE is got pms

i didn't expect that from chickens and ducks
dulcette was fighting with henrietta
and we all know that lillianna and phoebe are collectively in the 'dog' house for beating up on momma
momma btw, is fine and a bit lonely
but if lil and phoebe's tempers improve she'll be back in with them soon
i am going to try getting them out early today
maybe that will help
but then we have the 'retrival of the egg' problem..........which means the little bitches bury the damn things under a foot of hay

the raccoons seem to have no problem finding the eggs
me
not as easy

so anyway
any organizing tips for me in the studio?

besides.........."HIRE SOMEONE"

which probably would be best if i could afford it
oye

later gator

vi

this is bad even for me

well you all know how much i HATE to clean
ok that isn't exactly right
i hate to declutter
i LOVE to clean grout with a toothbrush
but i hate to declutter

i am doing the porcelain end of the studio
i swear there is dust there from the pharaohs
inches and feets worth of it too

in one box i found the following....:(will someone tell me what it MEANS?)
christmas cards
a sewing button hole placement tool
glue
a pair of pliers
dollhouse miniature making supplies
finished product
soap
a tin of hand balm
a charcoal pencil
pink pearls
fabric dye

i think it was supposed to be all dollhouse miniature supplies
i wouldn't have been surprised to see jimmy hoffa surface in that box,
or an orangutan

and all THAT was under about 6 inches of dust bunnies......
now i realize that those dust bunnies are that large only since we got long haired cats
(they don't 'shed' my assets.......... they shed two cats worth a day)

i was properly grossed out and seriously ashamed
now while i was hanging my head in shame
i found a really cool decorative edge scissor i didn't remember i had
hahahahaha
i wouldn't have found it if i HADN'T been hanging my head in shame


maybe this was meant to be????


now in the continuing saga of duckie dilemmas...........

i put momma in the A frame today, after she spent the night solo in her own crate
put a heaping bowl of food in there
full bucket of water
she had sun, she had shade, she had more worms then any duckie could possibly eat in one day
i put the other girls in the day pen by the house and falstaff in the old duck pen

i came in and struggled with dust bunnies bigger then me

at 5pm more or less, i went out to bring everyone in as we had to go out tonight

imagine my surprise when i opened the door and there was momma!!!!!!!!!!

she was so grateful to see me she came running over!!!!

MOMMA DUCK RAN OVER TO ME BY HER OWN FREE WILL!!!!!

i asked her how she'd gotten out
she didn't say ( she was too tramatized, and besides, she isn't as chattery as my other girls are..... the other girls after all had a jersey girl for a mom and a jersey boy for a dad.... us jersey folk.....we TALK)

i went down to her pen to see how much food she'd eatten out of her bowl, as that would be a good indication of how long she'd been out

apparently since the second i shut the door behind me
not one crumb of food was touched
oye

i had no choice but to put everyone to bed
but tomorrow she stays in this pen here
the other two girls go into the a frame
and falstaff does his falstaff thing out back

and speaking of that damn drake
good thing i have the VIDEO of him bathing
as i can NOT get his feathered butt back into the ponds

oye

it's not easy being a duck mom

til next time

vi

hope you guys saw the videos

if not just check back through the archives

meanwhile we had to take momma away from the girls
they pecked her wing bloody
so she is quarantined poor thing
right now she's in with the chickens
and today is going into the A frame

i am going to start looking for seperate night crates, heaven help me

bernie worked half day yesterday then we went to ac moore

oye
i got a ton of stuff on sale for the studio
including a 'craft table' for 40.00
on wheels
i couldn't get the makings for this table for less
so we didn't plan on it but we got it

i got some magnetic tins with clear windows
i am thinking one is good for pins but what else should i use them for ? they are HUGE like 3-4 inches across and about 3/4-1 inch deep for .75 cents each and i got 4

i got these little fiberboard 'cd' boxes they are white with a silver metal label holder
5. for 10.00 or 2 bucks each so we got the 5
i did finally get my goo gone and cleaned up the little plastic box bernie gave me
it had a huge label on it i couldn't get off
other little odds and ends
saral paper to transfer my roughs to the bristol boards

bernie scored some stuff too in the .75 cent bin
break off knives
some tiny storage boxes ( i got them too a set of 4 for .75)

and two 50% off coupons for next saturday
hmmmmm
probably brushes i think no?

maybe a bird house to paint

oye
ok i got to go
ducks need to be shifted
i gotta go to the store for 1.69 a pound angus
and then i have icecream to make and drawings to get back to

til next time

vi

morning everyone

bernie is working half a day today
meanwhile i am listening to 'yes songs' on youtube
hahahaha

i have another video for you all

happy birthday dear kitties......

today is thaddeaus and his sister calpurrnia's 6th birthday

hahahaha
they spent the day getting into trouble and sleeping

they interchanged it
oye

but anyway
i love you all dearly
as who else would put up with your tuna breath in their face at two am???
as you stand on my stomach and meow into my nose?

oye

love mom

video of the ducks

please excuse the mess that is the back driveway, as it is the ONLY level part of our land
so that's where i put the duck ponds most often

sometimes one is just not enough

if you are talking about ponds, and you happen to be a duckie

yesterday, i put up both ponds and filled them to the top with fresh water ( yes i fill ponds every day but normally only one)
later on in the afternoon, i took the ducks out for walksies and a bath
i put phoebe in the purple pond and lilli in the blue one
as in the morning they were all in the blue one and biting each other on the wing and neck.....(think sibling rivelry not actual fights)
so i figured that this was better to seperate them
besides phoebe always prefers to bath by herself.........(she doesn't like it when the others poop in the pond, but it's ok if she does it)
i picked momma up and put her in with phoebe, which momma doesn't really care for either but i figured it was better then in with lilli who was a bit pms-y yesterday

lilli got out of the blue pond, and came over to me to preen
phoebe saw lilli out of the blue pond and IMMEDIATELY jumped out of the purple pond and ran over to jump in the blue pond

however in doing so she startled herself and the other ducks......... who then ALL ran flapping down the hill

i couldn't stop laughing

hahahahaha
i finally called them all back up

i told them that it was ok and they could go back into the ponds
phoebe RAN to the blue pond, momma RAN to the purple pond
both jumped in at the same time, and continued to splash happily for hours

ducks
they do a body good, although they will make you a bit damp and soggy........


til next time
vi
who is finishing the peaches today

ball's NEW blue book is yellow!

http://theconsumerlink.com/product_detail.asp?BID=FreshPreserving&T1=TCL+14400214001&navStart=14&.

with peaches on the cover

i am typing this while waiting for my blueberries to finish processing..they are in the canner
i did this batch as a blueberrie syrup for topping cheesecake or for adding to icecream (with cheese cake chunks in it)

today is still tuesday, but i didn't want to forget so i started tomorrow' post today
meanwhile, back at the studio,

i am sorta booking along......if you could call slower then a snail booking along
i started to prime and spray paint one of the 10 stacking green/blue drawers.........
and i screwed it up
wouldn't you know it
it CRACKLED........which would be wonderful if that was what i was going for......but i was aiming for a smooth even glossy coat like on the web site
can we say 'spray paint impared' ????
so what do i do now?
i got the rest of the draw thingies.......and each one is in TWO PARTS
oye
decoupage is looking better and better..........
now i started tonights supper (that would be LAST night's supper if you are reading this tomorrow...... ah, i mean wenesday)

ravoili
chicken
hard boiled eggies
salad greens
tomatoes
shaved onions
cucumbers
olives
red sweet pepper
green sweet pepper
purple cabbage
shredded cheddar cheese
shredded ham
croutons
and
ta da.........salad dressing!!!!
that is tonights supper in a big salad bowl
one for each of us

i wish i had shrimpies though
i would love to put shrimp in there instead of the chicken
or maybe in ADDITION?

hmmmm
i wonder what else i can put in
yellow and green squash?
mmmm

ok well i think for right now........that's all she wrote

til next time

vi

shhhhhh, don't tell mother nature

i got another arco box spray painted and the first of two (formerly black) cubes
i have i think three more arco boxes and another black cube to paint cream
then it's on to the drawers and then the BIG STUFF
desk
shelf
tv cart
file cabinets
maybe the drafting table ( maybe i should paint that purple?)
and the mahogany tables (sorry mom, but i HATE dark wood)
i keep listing them cause i have to keep reminding me

i will tell you that the one or two coat spray paints don't work all that well
maybe it's me
i used the krylon fusion and the rustoleum for plastic
they say one or two coats
hahahahaha
try i gotta do about 5
or maybe that was one or two over white plastic, and over black it's more?

i can't wait to start the green drawers, as over the years they have turned a hideous shade of yellowed out browned over green and a sort of greened over blue
they will all be cream when i get done with them
which is going to be a HUGE relief
the more light colors i get in here i think the better off i will be
(and i am eyeing the computer tower.......which is currently black, AND the stove pipe)

i am also thinking of eventually getting a tiny bistro table in metal for in the studio
although i will most likely rig a table with a skirt out of something around here without spending the money
i want something very light weight to move around

in doing this (oh so very slowly..........)
i realized i sure could use an addition just for books
endless walls of bookcases.......

anyway, i have come to the conclusion that the shakers were so right, built in's or wheels are the way to go
and pegs on the walls to hang chairs etc out of the way
i am coming more and more to appreciate shaker interiors
and workshops
but that whole celibacy thing.......nope that's got to go

so peaches and blueberries call my name
what is on everyone's agenda for today??????

til next time

vi

today......... rain? sun? clouds?

who knows

mother nature is got a bit of pms going on

as have my duckies

who btw are not talking to me again......don't you love it when a duck gets pissy?

today, in between working on peaches and blueberries
i will be working (oh man forever it feels like now) on the studio
especially since last night, the CATS murdered a mouse
by asphyxiation with a plastic bag
i am sure it was an accident, as these cats don't seem to intentionally be able to actually KILL a mouse.
if the mouse somehow dies while they are all engaged, believe me it's an accident
mice LAUGH at my cats
maybe this mouse was trying to stop hyperventilating from laughing at these cats and used the plastic bag?
where upon my boy......... THADDEAUS, sat on him
it was all very accidental i know
as i know these cats

i said to bernie,
WHAT is that NOISE??????????

he said (in alarm) 'put on the big light
HURRY........'

and yup it was a mouse in the bag
(which is sorta like a jack in the box, except no jack and no box)

meanwhile if you all could SEE my studio..... well actually it's such a nightmare you really can't see it at all
that's the problem............oye

it does look like a nice day out though
maybe i can get some of the other stuff out and spray painted?
i have a list of plastic stuff to do
arco boxes
plastic green drawers ( ewwww the green is hidious)
vinyl coated tv cart which SHALL be cream
metal file cabinets
old icky bookcase
desk
old child bookcase
mommy's mahogany tables ( all three, i NEVER liked those dark colors)
anything that doesn't move fast enough.....
i am again on a mission, which has been delayed by mother nature

oh btw
i got them slitted cutter thingies
thank you everyone
i got them at staples...... 2-2.99 but i had to order them on the website! and have them delivered (free) to the store

now my NEXT quest is for 18'' wide either fabric or heavy vinyl wallpaper (scrubable but NOT prepasted) to line the shelves of my studio with
the problem is
i can't make up my mind!
do i get a stripe or toile or a nice english country cottage print
maybe with flowers?
and the color?
i kept thinking black and cream toile
but really i am not sure
i also love clear colors...... the house is in a raspberrie sherbert ( living room)
orange creamcyle (halls) with lemon sherbert and eggnog trim
( and navy blue lamps which really does make it look good, and not as airy and fairy princessy as it sounds......actually it LOOKS gutsy and men even like it)
so
do i use those colors in here
( the walls will be whitewashed with the eggnog color)
or do i go with something totally different
or do i sorta coordinate but change
oye
i guess the thing will end up with
whatever is cheapest and on sale no?
so cream will be all over
creamy colored cheapo fabric drop cloths
hahahaha
and if i get a 'fabric'
it may end up cottagey simple cause i will get one fabric here and one there and sort of patch them all together
but i really wish i had the actual colors figured
cause i want to paint the file cabinets and some other stuff in a 'color' not cream
and i don't know what 'color' that should be
although probably magenta and lighter would be right on for me

btw
as a funny aside
i have definate 'favorite' colors and shades
yesterday we ran down to easton and also stopped at the hobby shop for bernie
i was wearing a sort of violet/purple/ rosey purple color and white striped seersucker blouse
i had to get a new exacto knife for me
they had one purple one............ yup you guessed it
the EXACT COLOR of the purple in my shirt
i really do like what i like and that is that

til next time

vi

no bagels today

cause we don't have cash in the house
sniff
i am not supposed to have them anyway
but i WANTED THEM


in the studio, bernie suggested that i clear out the porcelain area......
possibly to move it
well i will consent to redo
not move
and i am going to be losing one of my shelves
which i am not totally ok with
(my shelf..MINE.........no touch)

but i am going to clear out the area as a nod to marital harmony........
however i didn't go so far as to agree to move it out of the studio

if anyone saw that magazine file i posted the picture of the other day
i have to make a few more
unfortunately i recycled the other priority mail boxes i had gotten ( with yarn purchases.......mmmmm but i don't NEED any yarn right now, i have no where to PUT it at the moment)
so i have to wait until i get a few more things in priority boxes to finish the set
but i think after i get all the brown paper ones done i am going to do some with toile fabric
i was thinking black and cream, but maybe i should go with cream and blue?
oye

anyway
i am still (FREEKEN STILL...............) working on the studio
however last night i found two ( count em.........uno dos!!!) rolls of self stick pure copper foil
now normal folk use that for stained glass right
ha
what do they know
that is actually MINIATURE bird house roofs cleverly disguised as stained glass foil..........

see what i mean???

i joined a scrapbook studio organizing list........ not that i scrapbook cause i don't
thankfully..... cause them folks got more stuff then i got......

but for the organizing ideas
i use a LOT of stuff other folks use, but i use it in totally odd ways
anyway
i hope to clear out that area today and tomorrow
cause i got to get this studio moving
i need it workable again
and it isn't right now for anything but drawing

oye
anyone wanna help?????

any OCD organizers out there who love and understand artists?

oye again and again

til next time

vi

love is all around you

if you are bernie.........
this morning he had me, fawn, and calpurrnia all surrounding him
i was leaning on him and talking to him
the girls were laying on him and purring
LOUDLY

only the boy was missing.......he no doubt was stuffing his little belly at the kibble bowl

i know if the ducks and chickens could have gotten upstairs
they would have been doing their little duckie and cluckie way to show him they love him too

the ducks meanwhile are thinking of having pms
the girls are cheeping at me and starting to run away

HOWEVER

momma duck is starting to let me pick her up and not struggling when i do

she still is pretty spookie when i go to pick her up

i sort of have to corner her BUT
she doesn't get frantic anymore
progress is apparently........ being made
and i ain't too dumb......i pick her up and put her in the pond.....so it's a nice association (mom picks me up=nice happy splashy splashy)

now speaking of duckie kins

lillianna got the gate between the girls and falstaff open
and went running and squeaking down the hill
meanwhile falstaff....... EVER THE BRIGHTEST DUCK IN THE SKY

didn't realize the girls were out
i did
and when i started after them
he finally figured it out~
but by then it was too late as i rounded him up and stuck him temporarily in the girls pen
rounding the girls up to the house

i got it all sorted out
but lilli did get grabbed by falstaff (by the neck no less) briefly

now the clucks..........
dulcette is laying eggies again at her ripe old age of 4
she went broody for a bit but has recovered and started to lay again
so we are getting 4 chicken eggs and 3 duck eggies a day
i miss my marguerite so bad though
the other chickens are friendly but not like my marguerite was

yes i am making frozen custard often

ok i ment to take a short video or some stills of the girls splashing in the pond in the sun
that ain't going to happen today i think
bernie is taking the webbed ones out for me this morning
if it doesn't rain maybe i can catch them splashing later

and i would like a good video of lilli making a break for it squeaking down the hill

that cracks me up
she is making a break for it
but squeaks so loudly that i know she is going
hahahahaha
she wants to go down back but with the silver fox around i don't want them that far back
if we cut back some of the underbrush maybe

who ever said being a duck mom was easy
or a chicken mom
or a cat mom

or actually a human mom

let's face it
being a mom is the hardest job in the universe
no?

til next time

vi

duckie dilemmas

(picture is of my magazine file that i just made, i still need brass brads to hold the label on and finish it off)

yesterday, i was out with the duckies.......
they were in a good mood
it wasn't raining
the sun was out
their pond was full with fresh clean sparkling water
three little duckies jumped in the pool

poor phoebe is now the smallest duckie
with momma and lillianna in there it gets a bit crowded
especially when the girls are washing wings

which by the way is a glorious sight............. wings going a mile a minute with water splashing UP and out over 10 feet and sparkling in the sunlight

well anyway back to phoebe
she was standing in the pool squished against the edge while the other two splashed
water was dripping off her beak

i got the old pond out and filled it a bit, as there is a hole we need to fix in it so i can't fill it full

phoebe JUMPED out of the crowded pond and RAN over to jump into the older pond
then happily proceeded to splash for all she was worth

PHOEBE! why did you come out of the full pond???

'i had to mom, i had no room in there..... and besides, lilli pooped in the water'

ok phoebe, but remember i can't fill this pond up cause of the hole......

'it's ok mom, i'm not that big and it's got enough water for just me'

after about 45 minutes of splashing happy duckies, a totally drenched driveway and surroundings (including me)

three duckies stood on the driveway in the sun preening feathers
even phoebe
i was so proud of her, she preened every single wing feather and put them all in their place

it's amazing what a little space of your own will do
take a lesson from a smart little duckie
and find some space of your own

rain free? is this a trend?

now watch
august is going to be so dry that the ground will crack

we have a new bug out in the garden, it is a very large either millipede or centipede
it's black and yellow
the ducks ate one
that was the last one they ate
these things are pretty big........ about 2'' long!
and about 1/2 inch at the widest part of them
they are all over the place out there too

ewwww
i really hate bugs

i canned the cherries....... out of 12 half pints......... three didn't seal
hmmmmmmm
i can tell you the cherries are GOOD.....hmmmm

yup they are
and the other two jars are going into icecream
hahahahaha

i finished the magazine file, it's been sealed with a mat acrylic sealer and a label applied
i need to get a picture for you all
cause i am impressed
and i don't get impressed often
i may need something called a 'brad' to make sure that the label stays on, right now it's spot glued
i filled the manila envelopes with some patterns and put them in this file which was made for them
yes i can see me making quite a few more of these, some that match exactly and some that coordinate......... i liked it!

on the drawing board is a series of paper dolls i am drawing
they are softly inked of normal sized little girls
NOT skinny minny anorexic kids
just pretty little girls with average sized bodies ( think average from the 40's and 50's when it was ok to be normal sized, and not a lot of folks were obese...... not like today, where a lot are obese and yet the ideal is anorexic)

i am going to do the clothes soon as well, they currently are dressed in slips, or what could be ballet class clothes

while i wait to be able to draw ducks, this and halloween stuff is the stuff i been drawing
and i am enjoying the drawing and painting
so i am continuing to do it

bernie's foot is healing or healed.......... he said it's ok and not hurting him anymore
thank you everyone that's been asking

i had a nightmare that he went to texas to see colleen but instead ended up at his step-monster's house
oye

ohohoho i did the weirest and yet in a way the coolest thing yesterday ( and boy it sure doesn't take much for me does it.....?)

i put my rolled up tape measure in a dixie cup and it not only FIT, but it won't unroll, and it also fits in the drawer!
amazing this organization thing
ok, so i need a life...........so what else is new

last night for supper we had one of my big supper salads
loose leaf red lettuce, shaved onion, green pepper, tomato, cabbage, cucumber, olives, shredded cheese, mini raviolis, shredded chicken breast, croutons, and dressing

normally i like more veggies in there, but with the garden a bust, even the deck garden there just isn't
my snow peas i got ONE ......i planted three times on the deck
i got ONE
the summer greens are up but not 'cuttable' yet

i could eat one of these supper salads every night for weeks
a pint of my canned chicken, and a bag of frozen mini raviolis last the two of us a WEEK in these salads
cause you don't put much of any one thing in them, rather, a little bit of EVERYTHING
and every bite tastes different
i had some Caesar dressing on mine
bernie had vadalia onion on his

i am hoping this weekend to have the hot open faced sandwitches that i topped with my vinegar veggies which are sort of the counter point to these salads

btw, still no new mixer
i do have a number to call to see about getting this one repaired......
if it's too much money, then i have no choice
i have to get another stand mixer
i have a bosch for big batches
but need a daily mixer that will take what i throw at it
i need a tilt head, and i need a work horse
i would LOVE a 5 quart holbart
but who's got a spare 2 grand laying around
however not having a stand mixer is really getting to be a problem around here
when i do cookies........i cream the butter for about 7 minutes on low in the standmixer
just put it in and let it go
i swear that is the secret to my success at cookies
anyway, i can't make my oatmeal cookies (and i been saving dried cranberries for them too)
or the coconut chocolate malted chip oatmeal cookies for bernie
and I been craving cupcakes all of a sudden, lemon ones with lemon frosting (whats up with that?)
and i would LOVE a nice pink strawberry cake with boiled white icing
huh?
when did i begin to channel donna reed?
what's next? aprons and pearls?
HEELS? (heaven help my back)

and i am starting to clean............
oh my
quick someone get a thermometer, cause i am sure i am sick
after all i don't CLEAN

and i am way too old to be pregnant and nesting

so i have to have some sort of disease, or condition
no?

now this blog is late-ish today because thaddeaus peabody decided that he had to absolutely sit on his mommy
and purr
really really loud
while his tail smacked her in the back of the head
and she held his front end up in her arms and kissed his little fuzzy head

i don't know why

ask him.............
but remember.... even though he doesn't realize it
and most often doesn't act like it
he is after all a CAT
who knows what half baked idea was kicking around in his fuzzy little brain

so now that he's left ( gone but not forgotten as i got a wad of his angora like fur up my nose)
i will finish this post

til next time

vi

cherries in the canner and other diverse topics

morning folks, i am typing this tuesday night
by the time you all read this
i hope to have the cherries in the canner
i pitted 6.67 pounds and then put them up in sugar to macerate them

after 24 hours i dumped them and a bit of lemon into a pot and simmered
listen if you folks are serious about your jams and preserves
get mes confitures
that is a fantastic book and changed the way i think about preserved fruits
(not like the home canned peaches i adore, but preserves for toppings and toast)

now did anyone watch the michael jackson memorial? (cnn had a livestream, as we don't have tv)
i did
i am not a fan of michael jackson but his songs did form part of the soundtrack of my youth
as they did for a lot of folks
he was a year younger then me
i feel for his mother and children
i hope that now that he's in heaven, he will get some peace in his soul

brook shields, (jersey girl that she is) said 'what's up with the glove'?
that cracked me up
but i cried for her while she cried
i cried for his children as well

at the end i did feel closure and i felt that his soul was indeed ready to go home

HIS death in a big way was senseless
but yet
in a weird way it was fitting for his life

meanwhile throughout the entire memorial, it stormed and rained on and off
HUGE rumbles of thunder as well
before and after no
during......yes

and now...... sharp left turn into............ the STUDIO
i am still plugging away in the studio
i am working on a gift wrap cart, because i started to run across the stuff i use to do the gift baskets etc
the cart that i am repurposing, HAD wheels.
now if i can just FIND them again i would be ok
it's got three drawers, and i am going to attach something on either side to hold rolls
then probably put a fold out board for a top

i am still at a semi impass in the studio as i need to take stuff out and spray paint it
however the weather hasn't cooperated these many months

i finished decoupaging that BIG flat box i am going to use for uncut paper
i need a closure and a hanger or handle for it
most likely a hanger for the back
i am going to hang it off the back of my desk
maybe thaddeaus won't eat it?
or should i have added dental floss or something to the decoupage for him to floss his teeth after he eats my box?
actually now i am thinking of a string and toggle closure like a coat for that box
then i have to make a few more magazine files
i am looking around for more boxes

now again
this will post tomorrow morning
hopefully i will have a quiet canning day

i wish the same for you all as well

vi

thank yous, nightsweats and noseeums

thank you everyone that told me where they got their paper/envelope slitters, apparently STAPLES also carries them ( aren't you all proud of me, that one i found on my own after you folks told me what these things were called, cause 'coupon cutter' didn't get me anywhere)
i intend on getting a few of them

i also intend on putting a few in a small gift wrap center i want to make, as i am always having issues with wrapping cookie trays and gift bags/boxes for bernie to take to work
(and i used to have tons of problems when i was packaging product for my soap/toiletries company)

i intend on this to fit right behind the slip of wall in the living room/kitchen area, and i intend that it rolls so i can bring it into the studio or kitchen when i need to
if thaddeaus wasn't so into cardboard as a cat snack i would make it out of that and cover it with fabric or something
i got spare wheels all over the house
but since he thinks cardboard IS cat popcorn, i have to either use plastic or metal

now nightsweats and noseeums they just both gotta go

picture it
2am
covered in bites, even my EARS
sweating like a fire hose was on me
my head so hot i SWEAR i could fry eggs

not a pretty picture

it wasn't any where NEAR as much fun as it sounds like either

you know
i am beginning to really really hate summer
really

HATE

SUMMER


also last night, bernie lost the screw to the side of his glasses, so today i am going to order him another pair as back up
he DID fix them
didn't FIND the original screw but he should be ok
meanwhile i am going to order him another pair or two
( at those online prices, he can have two)

oye
meanwhile
all this without benefit of coffee
which should be ready now
i think after all the blood i lost last night
i need extra fluids today

i hate summer

vi

does ANYONE know what this is called?????

it has a cutting blade in it and it is the BEST for cutting in the fold of paper
i absolutely love it
i cut watercolor paper with it, and gift wrap paper and i would like a few more of them
so does anyone know what it's called....? or where to pick a couple of them up
i got this as a freebie when i bought fixed oils for soapmaking

noseeums

and midges

i just read up a bit about them
see i am still getting BITTEN
it IS cause of the rain

you all should see ME
i actually saw a noseeum trying to land on me last night
out on the deck and i tried to show bernie
he couldn't see it

duh

that's why the name

and to make things worse, there are tons of little spots of blood on the sheets etc


what to do?

well repellents work to a certain extent
there is a machine that works http://www.mosquitomagnet.com/
hmmmmmmm
anyone got a spare 400 bucks

between the bites and the fungus, i am about over this 'rain daily' thing

other then that we had a nice weekend
didn't get anything done around the house
had to listen to very loud kabooms from all the neighbors
had some nice cubed steak for supper last night

you know............ lazy!

oh bernie did put up my second shelf for me
it takes me all day
took him 15 minutes cause he's tall enough to put the upper shelves on without a ladder
now if i could absolutely find labeled places for everything..........
i could get used to this whole organizing thing

oh and katherine, i did go and look at that box
that is cool
i don't know if it would work for me, as i am not someone that would remember to USE that thing
but it's a cute idea and i am so glad i am not alone in this


vi

lavender

i can smell it in the studio
no doubt that the cats have done something and i will find it some time in the future

however i can't track the source of the lavender
but i can smell it
i bet thaddeaus found one of my lavender bags
the ones filled with the dried flowers....... as it is sweet as only the natural lavender flowers can be

i will say that i love lavender
sweet violets are my favorite flower
lavender is my favorite scent
the fresh scent from the plant
i so would love a lavender walk, and lavender planted outside all my windows

i like the scent of violets as well, but the scent does something to your nose.....it makes you NOT able to smell violets for a bit
then you can then you can't
part no doubt of the origin of the 'shy violet' thing
that and their growth habit
but what can i say.......?
i love them

i fell back to sleep this morning after bernie got up
fawn got concerned so she licked my nose
then got in my face
i dreamt of fuzzy fogs

it was fawn's fuzzy face
when i finally got up
(she was frantic to get me up, as i never sleep that late)
i took my shower, with the accompaniment of two OTHER fuzzy cats.....

'mom, you in there?'

yes thaddeaus, i am taking a shower..........

'mom can i come in there too?'

no thaddeaus i don't want cat hair on my legs

'mom?, it's me calpurrnia, can I COME IN THERE?' (she sticks her tongue out at her brother)

no calpurrnia, you can't either

'ok mom, we'll sit here and wait for you then.......and bat at each other through the shower curtain'
(said by BOTH of them-heaven help me)

ever try taking a shower with that going on?
or better yet
trying to GET out of the shower with the two of them sitting on the edge of the tub and batting at each other

oye

for THIS fawn woke me up??

late blight comes to the east coast

and is affecting tomatoes and potatoes

and apparently FEET

oye
i coulda told them that


meanwhile today is fourth of july
happy birthday america
happy birthday to us all

today we are going to muck chicken pens
and bbq
and walk ducks

and feed cats
and run some errands
oye

to the studio news
i am decoupaging that big box for paper and illustration board in the studio
i am about done
i got bored and added some random peices of orange and purple tissue paper and a silk maple leaf
i just got the front and most of the sides done and i have to finish the back now
then wax it nice, seal it an put the velcro closure dots and a handle or something
this will help me a LOT in the studio
it won't solve all my problems in there but it will solve another biggie on my list

i got fiber and yarn storage issues too
and where do i put my swift and ball winder?


we just learned ( once we got the bag FINISHED) that our cat food had been recalled
so we're looking around for other options
i want to feed them raw
bernie isn't too happy with that idea
i had gotten them evo but bernie wasn't thrilled with it
however i am going to get them moved over to the evo
and i think a raw food diet with the suppliments
enough of the recalls on cat food
i don't trust these companies anymore
maybe i should just squish a few mice for them?

i think amber lived as long as she did because she would kill and eat mice
too bad my laperms won't
i wouldn't have to worry about mouse traps
even the CHICKENS will eat a mouse if they can catch one

ok now i have to get dressed
my sun screen is dried
so am i from my morning shower
it's time to get going for the day
have a wonderful fourth everyone

vi

do you scrap?

i don't but i joined a scrapbook list for organizing studios

some of them don't know what to do with me.... they keep forgetting i don't scrap

although i look at the studio's and rooms they do it in
and man they got a TON of stuff
much more then i got (and i got a TON of stuff)

there are whole FURNITURE lines devoted to STORAGE of scrapbooking supplies

wow
what a market share!!!!!!!!!!

ok anyway.......that being remarked upon, i will tell you they have given me some great ideas for how to store my stuff
although i don't have ink pads, stamps, or punches
and i don't have acres of 12''sq paper and card stock

i DO have 22X30 water color papers and illustration boards
i DO have bottles of inks, rapidograph and india, and also INKTENSE which are ink pencils and my new love
( i am lusting after the set of 72...... absolutely lusting)

so far i been cutting up the new water color paper, spliting the sheets into quarters and storing THEM in clamshells
i could use two more clam shells
so i can put the finished drawings in until i figure my book out again
plus i need to scan them as well

ok back to the scrap book rooms and what i can adapt to MY insanely disorganized studio

i realized i need a couple of rolling work surfaces and i need them NOW
i have come to an impass, which is...........
i have a revolving paint holder, and some tool trays that are lazy susans, plus cutting mats
i need a work surface to put them on
i have a drop leaf rolling cutting table for sewing but i need crafting surfaces
that right now is holding up clearing off the 7' standing workbench
which i am going to store fleece and fiber UNDER
and assorted supplies over in old repurposed kitchen cabinets, that will have to SIT on the work surface as i have no wall space

meanwhile due to the endless and seriously excessive rain the cabinets are growing fuzzy green stuff on them
no i am not kidding

oye

anyway
i just had to comment on the scrapbooking rooms
they are amazing, but i am going to resist as i simply do not have the room for any of that
i got enough stuff already
oye
BUT they are eye candy for sure

vi

balance

and how to find it?


i am an 'all or nothing' sort of person

either i give it my all or i give it nothing
i am not good at doing a little bit of time here and a bit of time there
i prefer working on a prodject TO THE EXCLUSION of all else until it's done
if i have to break for any reason, i loose my momentum and my focus

over the years however, i learned that i could adjust things seasonally and sometimes weekly
but really it is much better for me to start something and see it though to the end

this is what is trying to happen with the studio reorganization
but i got stopped in my tracks by a need for a few things and not enough money to pick them up

so i am doing other things on the studio list like those file boxes
(btw, katherine, air the soap boxes out with coffee in them or unscented cat litter, or use a heavy cardboard carton cut down)

i can't do the pocketed curtain for the front of one workbench unfortunately until i unearth the actual workbench............then there is the little matter of.....i don't have the fabric yet either
(but cream and black toile, unbleached muslem and ticking stripes fortunately are rarely out of production)

so i am still sorting and labeling
but i can't get back on the drafting table......( i almost can't get to the drafting table at all)
this weekend we are to put the second shelf up which is also on wheels so even though i have no place to put them right now
i WILL have more space to put things out
and the envelopes to put my homemade patterns in ........ THAT is what i made that file box for

so it will continue
i hope that the weather will stop with the rain already
i have a few things to paint and now the weather is holding me up a bit

so what did i come downstairs to this morning????

RAIN

so what else is new

i gotta fungus again
damn rain