Spot of Tea

Returning to Normal

I've been out of it for a bit lately.  Sick kids.  Hubby sick.  I'm sick.  Taking care of a house full of sick people is exhausting.  I haven't been very creative, active or anything.  Still tired beyond belief but starting to feel better.  Last night DD only woke up once coughing and gagging.  DS was a couple of times.  I had to sleep sitting up on the loveseat for most of the night.  I think colds/viruses in the summer are so much worse than in the winter.  Add allergies to the mix and we've had a couple of rough weeks here.

I have been scribbling in my "Creativity Notebook" the last two weeks since I haven't had the time or energy to work on much of anything.  I have some ideas floating around that I am anxious to work on.  I follow this amazing photographer (Catcherofdreamz) on Twitter that has so many inspiring shots from Glam Nation Tour at Tower Theater.  There are a few that I really want to do some mixed media work with and the very talented Catcherofdreamz said she would be honored if I did.  I am always so tickled and thrilled to find such lovely and nice people out "there".  So now I have these purple and gold sparkly, shimmery decadent ideas in my head that I need to jump into.

Did accomplish a little bit this past week.  Car is running again.  Yeah!  So glad to be back on the road again.  Also got some school shopping done but not completed.  DD has most of the basics now - jeans, undies, socks, camis, and a few outfits.  DS got a few pairs of jeans and a couple of school shirts.  Now I just have to finish it all up.  I'll be doing most of it myself, except for the shoes.  Since I know what size is fitting and working at the moment for both of them and when I take the family we come home with a Wii.  Yeah, a Wii.  And here I kept saying I didn't want to have any video games at our house. Broke down when my computer started having issues after kids played games on it while I wasn't home.  Would rather have them playing on the Wii than on my computer and getting it all full of junk.  So we will see how that works out.  Think I'll enjoy the Dance Party game once we're all feeling better, should be great exercise.

Checking out some interesting music lately.  Loving Collective Soul's latest work (2009).  Now playing on my iPod, along with Adam Lambert, DepecheMode, U2, Journey, Poison, Kiss, Queen, Cher, Toby Keith, REM, The Wombats, The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, The Veronicas, Keith Urban, Peter Paul & Mary, Violent Femmes, Kansas,  and some other "oldies".  Kinda freaky to hear songs from my high school days being played on the local OLDIES station.  But they are still great to listen to.

Summer Days

 Gorgeous day out yesterday.  Not too hot, breezy and beautiful.  Kids and I were outside most of the afternoon and early evening.  I had my camera with me which means I got a few good shots.  I was thinking that I need to get the kids in for "formal portraits" soon but I think a few of these might just work.

I love that the light in the afternoon and evening is starting to take on that golden glow of fall.  Gives such great light for taking photos.  I've got to get a batch of photos uploaded and ordered soon.  After going through a bunch from the last few days I'm itching to get scrapping and creating.  The kids are growing so fast that they seem to change right in front of my eyes.  DS is getting so tall and starting to thin out a bit.  DD can seem so sweet and lovely.  The next minute she has that "ugh, what" look on her face.  You know, 7 going on 15.

I've been playing with the settings on my camera too after doing some photography how-to reading.  The field of depth is always a trial and error thing with me but after reading and trying some of the tips I think I may have it.  Love the macro feature on my camera.  Hoping that one day I'll get the grown-up version of my Canon A520, one of the SLR's.  I still have more to learn with this camera yet so I'm not in any rush.

Cameras, Mixed Media and the Evils of House Cleaning

My camera is on the fritz.  I either need to replace the poor thing or it just needs a new set of batteries.  I've been recharging the same sets of batteries for years.  I'm hoping that all I need to do is get a new set and the issues will be all better.  If not then I'll be on the market for my first SLR camera.  Probably a Canon Rebel.  We'll just have to wait and see.  You don't realize how much you use something until you don't have it to use.  DS has been having a good time with my tripod though.  He is playing photographer and getting "action" shots.  It has been a very interesting experience to watch DS play at directing these little photo shoots.  Most of them involve his bikes, cars and a few imaginary motorcycles.  My favorite so far has been the black & yellow Big Wheel falling off the porch in an "action moving" photos.  Maybe he'll be an amazing photographer one day.  He's very good at directing all of us - showing and telling all of us exactly what he wants.  Hard to believe that he's only going on 4 years old.

I've been working on some fun mixed media stuff recently.  The mini art for the 100 Day Challenge at Cloth Paper Scissor is giving me a chance to try new stuff in tiny form.  I've also been working on 5x7 canvas boards.  I've also started a couple of shadow boxes that I'm excited about.  Then I've also got a few new wooden plaques I'm looking to work on.  May even try some felting.  Keep reading about how fun and easy it is.  Could be something fun that I can do with the kiddos and use in my crafts.  Always fun new stuff to try.

 
I hate house cleaning.  But it must be done.  But why is it so awful and evil?  Most of the complaint is that it is endless.  I feel like I am cleaning the same spot over and over and over every few hours.  Which, considering I have a 3 year old and a 7 year in the hot summer time, I am actually doing.  Wet bathing suits, drippy popsicles, major staining Kool-aid, sand, bugs, dirt - all the wonders of summer.  And the bugs this year are sooooo bad.  Ants are every where and so are the spiders.  Two of the kids, and my, least favorite creepy crawlies.  I do need to steam clean the living room and strip the kitchen floor again.  Too much fun.

August Heat, More Mini Art and House Work

August is here and that means it is hot, hot, hot.  It isn't as hot around here as some other places but it is hot enough.  I am so not a hot weather person.  Wishing we had a nice big cooling swimming pool.  The kids are grumpy, tired and bored.  This high humidity and high heat is too much for all of us.  And both cars too.  Mine still needs to be fixed and now DH's is having loads of problems at the moment.  Isn't this what summer is all about?  Hmmm ... how long before fall gets here?

I've been working on some projects lately.  The 100 Day challenge at Cloth Paper Scissors is still going strong.  Love the little mini art pieces.  I'm thinking that next week will be all about new techniques.  This week is all about using up some scraps that I like.  Here are days 3 through 6.

Still trying to get caught up on the house work too.  Where does all the laundry come from???  The kids are going through clothes right and left between sweating and playing in water.  And I still can't figure out why there are always a stack of dishes that need to be washed.  And how does the floor get so dirty in only a couple of hours?  I think that my "Fall Cleaning" will happen in August this year rather than October.  I'm thinking that I really need to steam clean the carpeting soon and scrub down the walls this month.  Maybe I'm just ready for fall earlier than normal this year.  I'm planning on stripping the entire bathroom and cleaning it all tomorrow.  Will keep me and the kids busy for a good part of the day.

Mini Art, Class Prep and Summer Days

While checking out the Cloth Paper Scissors website I found the forums and discovered some fun challenges.  Love the "100 Day Challenge" by Leilani Pierson.  How fun to do 100 days of art in mini size - 3" x 5".  I've done 2 days so far and have a bunch of ideas for other things I want to try.  More fun, messy, interesting stuff to play with.  Here are the first two days of the 100 day challenge.

I'm still finalizing a bunch of class samples for August.  Most of it is completed, just the final touches then making sure I've got instructions and enough supplies.  The kid's classes will be tons of fun.  I know my kids enjoy painting and creating.  My daughter loves the painted apron and has used the paints on t-shirts.  It is messy but fun.  I'm also finalizing some chapters for the "OTU Scrapbooking Certification Program" book.  Have a class to teach tomorrow at JoAnn's too, Teen Painting 101 - Tie Dye Painted Frame.  More fun things.

The summer is reaching that peak of heat.  I could do with a little less heat and a lot less arguing from the kids.  After talking to a few friends with multiple kids we've decided that between the heat and the "Mom I'm bored" syndrome year round school wouldn't be all that bad.  I guess we need to ride our bikes and play in the pool more.  Then maybe they'll be too tired to argue with each other.  Hopefully we'll have some time to get to the beach or go camping soon.  That will help with the "BORED" issue, for a little bit anyway.

Class Samples, Hot Days and Baking

Have been busy creating class samples for all the August classes I've got coming up at Old Town University.  A couple of One-Stroke painting classes - Cards and Welcome Plaque.  A few paper crafting/ scrapbooking classes - Travel Mini Album, Cards, Transfer Technique Tags.  A few kids classes - Painted Frame, Garden Stone, Painted Apron.  Working on all these samples has me ready to get creating for myself too.  I can't wait to use the sunflowers on an old shovel, it'll be super cute.  I also have some fun ideas for the kids to do when they get bored around the house.

Hot out again and getting hotter.  Not fond of the humid and hot days of summer.  Prefer it when it is a bit breezy and not super hot.  The kids are enjoying it though.  Bike rides, swimming, running through the sprinkler, playing at the park.  DS has fun playing with cars, bikes, really anything with wheels.  He is such a cute "car guy".  DD loves the water and is endlessly bugging me to go swimming.  We've only got a wading pool and sprinkler but a few of the neighbors have pools.  I have to keep telling her that we are not going to bug the neighbors to go swimming.  Maybe next year we can get a pool but this year the kids will just have to enjoy wading in the tiny pool and running through the sprinkler. 

I'm going to be baking some zucchini bread today.  Thankfully I've got a breadmaker so I don't have to turn on the oven.  I can probably get another three loaves of bread using the zucchini a neighbor gave us.  Everyone loves the new recipe I got for this bread.  Rather than the usual quick bread for zucchini this is a yeast bread that makes a fluffy, white, moist, delicious loaf with just a hint of zucchini.  Yum!  I think I'm going to grill some chicken tonight for dinner too.  Should be yummy.

More Mini Albums, Mixed-Media and Cars

Still working on mini albums.  Have so many ideas running in my head of these little things to make.  A Halloween one that resembles a trick-or-treat bag.  Another made from teabag envelopes, love this itty-bitties.  Still working on one with Starbuck's cup cozies, got a few kinks need to smooth out.  Have one started using a mac-n-cheese box for the cover, going to be fun.  And started a coin envelope one too.  Too much fun creating little treasures.

Also started working on a WINTER themed mixed media piece.  Had to go through a bunch of snow photos to get in the mood since it is 90+ degrees outside.  I feel like I'm melting even in the air conditioning and I'm working on a winter theme. But I did come up with a poem which lead to an idea for the piece.  I am doing this as part of the Cloth Paper Scissors 'winter holiday gift' art swap.  I really wanted to play more with mixed media so I figured I could start with this.  I think it will turn out well and I already have an idea for a bigger piece I'll start after this piece is done.  If this one turns out well that is.  I can see it in my head and I love it.  The problem is making it look how it does in my mind.  Just gotta keep trying.

Talk about problems and working on it ... the car situation is driving me CRAZY!!  I so need my car fixed but we just don't have the money to get it done.  Can't believe how expensive it is to get these contraptions fixed.  If it was an older car DH could fix it himself but with all the computerized junk we have to take it into a mechanic.  Still glad my brother is a great mechanic.  As soon as I can save up the money to get it fixed he'll have it waiting for him at the shop.  But for the moment DH and I are still sharing the car and dealing with the troubles it creates.  Just need to remember that it is temporary and will get better shortly.

Fireworks, Training Wheels and Mini Albums

Went to the big firework festival over the weekend.  Biked down to the riverside craziness, like every year.  Traffic was packed, as usual.  DD rode her own bike for the first time down there and was super tired by the time we got home around 11:30pm.  It was a nice fireworks display and the kids loved it.  I got a couple of decent photos but not many.  Would have been better if I had taken the tripod but I couldn't figure out where to stash it on my bike. :)

We also went to Old Town University's "Red, White & Blue Gala".  It was great to watch the fireworks display while sitting in a comfy, air-conditioned space with delicious food.  We are at the perfect spot to see the whole fireworks.  The kids loved it.  I really like the air-conditioned part and the great view.  Too fun.

DS is now riding his bike training wheel free.  Yep, no training wheels for the boy now.  My baby isn't such a baby anymore.  His sister had her wheels off at 4-years old and he is a little earlier since he's been trying to keep up with her for the past year.  He petals those little legs super fast and keeps up with all of us around the block.  By the end of the summer he'll be ready to try out the hand-me-down Spiderman bike from our friends.  We were going on longer and longer jaunts but now we're back to around the block for a bit until he builds up his stamina.  Glad he is having such fun with the bike and going for rides.  Plus he is just too cute.

I've created a couple of cute mini albums for upcoming classes at Old Town University.  Love mini albums and I've now got the bug to create more.  The Americana Mini turned out really cute but I'd like to make a more vintage version too.  The Water Fun Mini also turned out really cute.  Love the cover - it's a beach ball with the middle cut out to create a frame.  Used the Silhouette to cut out the pieces and the water-drop shaped pages.  Fun stuff.  I've been scribbling furiously in my notebook with ideas for mini albums I'd like to create.  Now I just need to make some time to fit in all the stuff I need, want and would like to do.

Mini Albums, Flower Pictures and Music

Made a cute mini album for my "Daddy & Me Mini Album" class at O.T.U. but still haven't gotten any decent photos.  The last two times my battery died as I started taking photos, ugh.  It did turn out really cute though.  Used papers from Graphic 45's new A Proper Gentleman line.  Love it all, especially the gorgeous vintage cars.  I just have to charge all of my batteries and get some photos taken.  I just need to finish the "Fun in the Sun" mini album and the "Americana" mini album class samples.  Love my mini albums.

Took a bunch of pics of all the different flowers starting to bloom around the yard.  Played with the macro function on the camera.  Maybe that is why my batteries died so quickly - display on and macro function.  I usually don't have my display on for the camera and the batteries last quite a long time.  Got some great depth of field shots for my rose bushes.  Also got some interesting "background" type shots - favorite is the roses against the rough wood.  I know exactly how I want to use the photo and hope that it turns out as well as I think it will.  One of those projects I'll get to in the next month or so.

I've been listening to my collection of "World's Greatest Masterpieces" recently.  Got the collection of great composers for a birthday, a while ago.  Forget that I have them but finally loaded them onto my iPod and onto the iPod for work.  Favorite is still Tchaikovsky.  Love how dramatic, emotional and telling the music always is, especially the ballets.  Handel has been growing on me too.  Also enjoying some new stuff too.  Didn't realize that I would like Adam Lambert but kinda reminds me of some of my fav 80's music.  Also just found Green Day.  Not sure why I'd never listened to them but they are pretty decent too.  Another is The Wombats - love the song "Let's Dance to Joy Division".  Loads of "old" or "classic" stuff (not to me but the radio stations says so) from the 70's and 80's. 

Warm Weather, Bike Rides and the Last Dance Class

It finally seems like late May around here.  Hot, kinda humid, lots of white fuzzies floating in the air.  Yep, it's May.  While we have enjoyed playing outside for quite a while now it has been hard getting the kids inside the last few days.  Warm weather, sunshine and late sunsets make bedtime such a hard thing.  School will be out soon and then we will be able to spend more time in the evenings playing in the yard, possibly swimming or just sipping iced tea on the patio.  Yeah!

Our bike rides are getting longer and longer.  DS is just about ready for the training wheels to come off.  He is even doing wheelies on his bike.  This will be a fun summer with the bikes.  I think we will be able to have all of us ride rather than have DS in the bike seat on DH's bike or in the pull behind carriage for my bike.  At least my legs are getting in better shape with all this bike riding, just have to work on the rest of me.

Tonight was DD's last dance class at her current dance studio.  She was bummed.  Now she's thinking she'd like to take dance classes next year.  She mentioned that a few of her friends go to a certain dance studio and she might like to go with them.  We'll see.  I'll have to talk to a few of the moms that I know who have their kids there.  Part of me was very disappointed to see DD done with dance but part of me was happy to not be running and spending lots of money for all the dance classes.  Maybe she'll only take one class ... but not very likely.  She likes them all.  Or maybe she'll change her mind, again, and decide to do something else.  She'll have to make up her mind before school starts at least.