• Blog

    T Tuesday: Halloween edition

    I sometimes feel guilty about dressing up for Halloween when we skipped the whole works when our kids were young. At the time it made sense due to food allergies. Now with my job, it’s kind of a thing again.

    I dressed as a VSCO girl. Those of you who don’t have teenagers won’t get it. but the kids at school loved it! “Oh my gosh Mrs. G…you’re a VSCO girl!” “That is so awesome!”  You can google it if you are super curious…

    This was a good chunk of the staff who dressed for the occasion. So fun…and some actual learning took place believe it or not.

    Over the weekend I went to a local craft fair and immediately fell in love with this bowl.

    Something about it spoke to me. I told the potter that I’d be back…I had to think about it. I quickly made the rounds through the rest of the vendors in the gym and came back with cash in hand.

    I LOVE IT!! The potter is a retired orthopedic surgeon. After decades away from the wheel, he started creating again.  I’m certainly happy he did!

    I have to show you my view this morning after the time change. Marvin is not a fan. He doesn’t understand why I’m not willing to open the shades @dark 30.

    So he waits… giving me the cold shoulder…or rear.

    What are you doing today?
  • Art - Blog - Creativity

    New junk journal

    I can hardly believe it but I’m posting something other than T Tuesday. It’s been a while. I’ve been in a creative slump. Not sure how it happened but never the less it did.

    I’ve sat down a couple of times trying to force creativity.

    Don’t do it. It’s ugly.

    What I did finally decide that I’d like to create was a place to create. A junk journal. I’m sure you’re thinking…hey wait…didn’t she just make one of those. Yep sure did. But that one is for bits of my life, more personal.

    This one is for the creative process. Whether that may be art journaling, responding to a prompt or a challenge.

    I loved this calendar ephemera my BFF sent in a package. She knew I’d love it as much as the actual gift she sent.

    I used some rusted fabric on the inside of the softcover.

    The outside is watercolor paper that had been painted and whitewash some time ago. I found it in my stash and knew it would make a nice flexible cover.

    I decided to use a 5 hole pamphlet stitch this time instead of my usual go-to of three hole stitch.

    This journal has a wide variety of papers that should prove to be a good and challenging launching point for the creative process.

    I’m considering joining another junk journal challenge on Instagram as I did in July. I need to decide soon otherwise I might be too far behind.

  • Blog

    T Tuesday: Como Zoo edition

    Good Morning! I almost missed another week of blogging. I’ve been really off my game for a couple of weeks.

    J came home from college on a 4 day Fall break.
    It was fun to see him again so soon and mostly healthy this time. He still has a lingering cough. The evening we picked him up I sat back and watched the fun banter between the kids. It felt more like old times. Warmed this mom’s heart.

    On Saturday Mini-me and I went to Como Zoo so she could take photos for a photography class assignment. It was a photojournalism assignment to record a community event. We went to the polar bear talk at the zoo. 

    Look at the size of those paws!! It was an interesting presentation. Mini-me got lots of great photos to complete her assignment. Then we were able to walk around and enjoy the rest of the chilly morning.

    This lioness was very upset. There was a service dog walking past. She was staring and growling. The dog was whining. It was sad because the family was deaf and wasn’t aware of the dog’s distress right away until it began to act out of sorts…definitely not like a trained service dog. Thankfully for the dog, they immediately left the area when they realized it.

    Before heading home we stopped in the gift shop.

    We discovered a large selection of tea sets. Who knew?

    These cats made me smile.

    I was very tempted to purchase this black set. It was so beautiful.

    Well kids…I’m off to school. Halloween is Thursday…I’m dressing up again this year…the kids will think it’s pretty funny…I hope.

    What are you doing today?