Re-Dos

Started with a plain black pair of man-made-non-leather pumps. Comfortable. Got them for free. Cheeky little bow came off easily with scissors.
Turquoise & rust National Geographic Aztec art modge-podged on...
...and taken off. I did a layer of Pinocchio black and white words, instead. Still not happy with it.

Client of 2 sketches of 2 days ago wrote this morning saying it was "my call" on making characters size that I think would work well. More re-dos.

I understand the need to change. Sometimes you think something will look really cool, and then you change your mind. Again. And again.

I am trying really hard to think positively about the process and not be irritated.

Re-dos are a good thing.

Really. Do I sound convinced?

I'll show you the shoes when I figure out what to finally do with them. Ha! And they might change again after that!

And this mean-mighty-mural is going to be incredible!

Black & White Houndstooth

I designed and pieced this for the "So You Think You Can Quilt" competition on Brown Paper Packages blog. Finally found a place to hang it. You don't need to know that we moved the bookcase that has been in the living room for 3 years and the paint color behind it did NOT match current color. This quilt was the perfect size...Normally I would leap into action at a chance to paint, but I couldn't find the right white and in the middle of client projects, so my house needs to wait. Shoemaker's children having holes in their shoes saying applies here.

Painting Professionally

Park bench research: (hard to paint what you don't know. Look for the bench in the sketches!)
First sketch:
2nd sketch:
Often I want more than one thing. I am a people pleaser. I want others to be satisfied with the work I do for them. I internalize stress, and swallow disagreements, rather than voice my opinion. When I am trying to be professional--it is tough.

Thank you to an attorney husband, who wrote up a contract for me to use. It only helps when I remember to print it out and USE IT! I have to point out that I will charge for each change made in the plan.

I went out to Havre de Grace to do some research for another client. It was below freezing-very cold out by the bay. Always something to paint!

I told another client--an OB-GYN, that when I feel overwhelmed with work I consider making a career change. She told me she feels that way, too, sometimes. Work, is hard work. We endure, we keep at it. Pay the bills after paying tithing...


And enjoy the peaceful, beautiful things around us.

Brushing Frenzy

(picture from Sept 2010-notice the TEETH!)

I carry it with me everywhere now. Spare toothbrush and travel toothpaste. I've become weird about it. Luncheon served after seminary training: quick trip to the bathroom to brush my teeth before hitting the road for an hour car ride home. That would be too long to wait as plaque gathers. I never used to think about this. I never want another cavity. And I love the clean feeling!

Today there was a moment of reverent thought at Church: swallow this tiny piece of bread or chew quickly and swish the water like JenB suggested when it is passed? Distracting thoughts. I decided to not worry about it.

But the rest of the day, I ate and immediately brushed. Even in the car after our sack lunches driving to Suzu's harp concert. 19 harps strong ensemble, plus solos. She did a great job! Beautiful music!

I was inspired by my quilter-haiku master. She wrote about her skinny jeans feeling tight and the relief of putting on sweat pants. This was my reply:



"After $388.00 of Dental Work"

Fat pants feeling loose
Brushing after every meal
Curbs desire to snack!

Truthful Thank Yous

My blistered burn from hot HOT glue gun is better. Thanks to my visiting teacher for picking up Roxie the day I burned myself. Fireplace project on hold. I can move my fingers enough to sew/paint today.

I am thankful for our amazing stove. Thanks to John & Sandy for our birthday-Christmas gift. Thanks to my parents, too, for helping us get by this month.


We sang Hymn#241 this morning because it went with the section we were studying. "Count Your Many Blessings." I missed Maxwell's voice (he is on tour thru Sunday with Boychoir) and I was thankful to not be the only one singing. Two days of snow delays and no seminary made it hard to teach this morning. I am thankful for a calling that makes me read the scriptures. Thanks to Amanda, yesterday for coming and reading French Book of Mormon with me(she is the only one with 100% attendance and didn't know about the 2 hour delay for school but it was great)!

John's cousin, Brand Name Jeans link over on my side, did 2 versions of looking at the New Year. Instead of being bummed out about broken windows, being thankful for opportunity for a NEW window.

She is a good example to me. Be like Michelle. Don't pout or mope like my natural man tendencies...

Instead of being sad missing my brand new nephew's birth, cousins' weddings, or missing my two oldest away at school, I can rejoice in the good news of celebrating long distance. I am thankful for the technology that connects us! I am thankful for the scholarships and dedication of my student children.

Instead of listing my wishes, nagging, freaking-out tonight about money pressures on our gift-card date tonight, I can be supportive, kind to my sweetie.

I am blessed to have an amazing, tender, kind husband who loves me passionately. Counting the ways I love him and appreciate him. Suzu told us at dinner last night about a version of Romeo & Juliet she had seen and how tragic and awful. John was full of advice on how they could have made it a happy story "if they had been honest and told their parents the truth!"

Thank you, Emma, for the couple photo t-shirt gift! Good reminder of who we are together.

I think we need to start retaking couple photos. I look back at them and appreciate the quantity, the quirkiness, the fun, the surprisingly wonderful many that I really love! It was a good way to help me be thankful and united during our financial trials--which continue. Somehow, we are going to survive this frustrating time.

We've narrowed the leak in the hot water heater to a specific part. Twice a day we bail out the overflow, and a guy is coming tomorrow to look at it. Praying hard it is an easy fix! HOT WATER is such a blessing! Appreciate it today, if you have it!

The Broken Prayers

I joked with John that we haven't been praying over our flocks & fields enough.

Frustrating week with broken video card on my computer. It is under warranty and a HP guy is coming out Friday to fix it. Hurrah for that.

Broken-leaking water heater, which is the heat for our whole house, not just hot showers. If we have to call our plumbing guy, we are hoping it is just a loose valve, or something cheap. It is as old as the house, and we need a couple more months out of it (then we can camp with cold water for awhile!).

Broken big crock pot lid. It shattered on our ceramic tile floor (which I STRONGLY DISLIKE! Everything breaks on it. No bounching.) My cool retro yellow pyrex bowl bit the dust last week.

Broken Honda windsheild. And timing belt. We've been stalling for those fixes.

My new dvd from Church has a couple of broken film-links. Some played for seminary, but some did not. Similar to a stupor of thought=a stupor of video. Was I not supposed to show it? Will it work when I try later?

Broken hearts & contrite spirits? Good goal to be teachable and listening to inspiration.

Max did get accepted to BYU-Idaho. He is underwhelmed about it. He promises if he goes to school somewhere locally he will go to Institute.

The Floss is a Big Deal

Last week we ran out of floss. In the whole house. That is a good thing, right? It means we are using it! Shopping to replace it, I found the cheapest kind was cinnamon flavored $.88 for huge roll. It didn't seem to be selling as well as the minty ones.

Much cheaper than $300+ for fillings, out of pocket.

I have become obsessed with brushing at correct 45 degree angle and flossing with 2 feet of string in correct C shape up and down five times. That means one person using floss once a day would go through one little container of floss in a month.

Brushing after every meal? Tough feat. But I am trying.

Makes me cut out snacking. One Hershey's peppermint kiss is not worth the trip back to the bathroom to brush again.

And I WILL BRUSH! More! Everytime I eat. Seriously.

I go back this morning for my fourth cavity this week to be filled. By dental students, which I highly recommend if you have time to wait and sit and let them learn on you.

I am thankful for Maryland Dental School with their gentle learning hands.

And I highly recommend you floss! Daily. With each meal. Seriously.