Why Directions (STILL) Don’t Apply to Me …

Not sure … I’m getting over being sick?  Or, maybe I’m actually MALE – and I just don’t know it??  It’s certainly not because I’m too smart, cuz I STILL evil-queenhaven’t learned my lesson!

Exhibit A – my Evil Queen spoon rest:  Looks good – ready for firing.  To be clear, the powder wafer sheet adhesive comes with instructions … and they’re quite specific , actually.  But I went ahead and fired that girl like I knew what I was about …

Soooo … I now have a splotchy, disease-ridden E.Q.   I’d say it works for her (being Evil, and all) … but it just doesn’t.  It’s ugly and uncool.  Grrr …

ugly-evil-queen    devit-and-reaction

Lesson learned?  Maybe … I hope …

Directions-in-hand, I marched over to my kiln, and loaded Grumpy Cat … Time will tell in, ummm … ‘T-86 hours’ … It’s a long, long firing program.  [Fingers crossed!!!]

grumpy-cat

Meanwhile, my GusGus (the Guster Buster!) is doing great, gaining weight and Too Darn Cute! Smile   As his fur becomes HAIR, he is currently sporting a very wild-man hair-do … And, DH is trying to call him Gizmo!) 

Guster

Still kickin’ …

sandblasting-funWhile not quite healthy, I’m not dead either … so, I’m playing in the studio, as I mentally prepare for another fun-filled ER nurse weekend tour.  Sandblasting, earrings and kumi – oh my!

We had a request for an etched wine bottle, and I had an idea (peace signs and wine names); It’s that time of year, so I was compelled to make some pumpkin earrings; and I’ve gathered the requested colors for two sunshine/warm climate bracelets:

 

autumn-earrings     kumi-requested-colors

Here’s a quick pic of my current view from the kitchen … Gotta love Michigan trees in the Fall!

my-fall-view

And, I’ll leave with a cute picture of GusGus (AKA Guster).  He’s from Cally’s litter and he is a wee one.  Little man weighs in at 1# 3oz at almost 3 months old.  Presently, he is my never-out-of-sight side-kick.  While he THINKS he’s a big man – it just ain’t true.  Cute Lil Bugger!

GusGus

I am now the proud owner …

Of 3 gallons of my best-ever hearty Chicken Noodle Soup.  Complete with water chestnuts (I’m allergic to celery), parsnip, carrots, cauliflower, spinach, corn, pea-pods … heavy on the onion, garlic and cream (all with magical healing powers), with a pinch of shredded parmesan (1 cup) and mustard powder.  Seriously, this is AMAZING.  Although, I LOVE hearty soups with a blast of cream – good for the soul, all illnesses, but not necessarily your cardiovascular system.  (Ummm, hey … Lots of veggies!)

Mama's-Chicken-Soup

more-grumpy-cat-&-grinchAnd – I made a few more Mr. Grinch(es) and Grumpy Cat(s) …

 

I’m down to coughing up kidney bits, as I’ve discovered a few more long-lost abdominal muscles.  Yep, I’m on the mend, and my soup will cure me … Or maybe more juice (wine)??? Winking smile

Winning some & losing some …

fragile-betty-boopBut playing in the studio with glass powders.  While wearing a niosh-approved face mask.  While sick.  And still very-much claustrophobic.  Moving on … Step one has some potential successes …. I lost/killed another Betty Boop – this time too hot and too fragile (fine detail). 

But I like Evil Queen, Grumpy Cat, Mr. Grinch and Michelangelo:

powder-wafer-step-1

Once I ripped that mask off, had a healing shot of cranberry (vodka) and finished coughing up portions of lung … I started arranging my bits of frit wafers.  Now to see how they fair when facing the Kiln Gods … [Du Du Dumm]

I’m feeling so good, I’ll be making chicken soup tomorrow … Winking smile

Glass-On + Viral Overload = Huckleberry

Or – SLOW MOVING … But, it’s moving, so I’m not going to gripe.

OK, I am gonna whine.  But – ya know – I’m NOT calling an ambulance … So, in my saintly-stoic/virally-saturated-world – while I patiently wait for the meningitis to consume me, I’ve become acutely aware of a group of abdominal muscles that I haven’t spent ANY time with for the last decade or so, whilst I slowly exsanguinate from soon-to-come hernial evisceration.  Because … currently, I can’t even soak my troubles away to ease the pain of coughing up my entire intrapulmonary system … Add to it all – I’m having technical difficulties with one of my plotters.  Grrr! [Translation:  I’m sick … I also managed to find/ strain a muscle in my belly with my ever-present Tuberculosis-esque coughing; my hot tub heater died so I’m waiting for the replacement part to arrive; and my Sissix Eclips is being finicky while I am trying to perfect a new project … GGGrrrr!]

But, I have ibuprofen … and wine … and really cute puppies!  So, I’m moving – slowly.

Mellie

Between the Sizzix and CE5000, I have progressed with a few of my new ideas … [cue: fuzzy, crummy snapshot]

no-days-powder-wafers

And, I did confirm today that we will be at the Arts & Greens show (Bogie Lake Greenhouse) in one month’s time – November 21 & 22, 2015 … [At present, I’m too zombie-wanna-be to panic.]

2015artsandgreenspost

As soon as I’m well enough, I plan to make a ginormous pot of my chicken soup.  (In the meantime, I’m staying up on my fluids with my wine … Umm,  it started as full-of-vitamin C/good-for-you juice!)  So that by the end of this week, I can go back to ground-zero my ER and spread the wealth care for my community … [That same place that coughs and spews – via EMS (taxi) transport … cough, groan, SNARL … sip, gulp, CHUG …]

healing-soup    giant-vat-wine

ambulances-ER tuberculosis-val-kilmer-doc virus-ground-zero

Ginger got her glass on …

Cheesy, I know … But – I’m happy!  I have all three kilns ROCKIN’ (Hummmm … Click … CLACK!!!)!  I’m getting some custom items moving along … [Plus – a few future badge reels I’d like to dedicate to all ‘Nurses who boycott The View/JB/WG’ … SNARL!]

oct-dichro-cabsoct-bottle-slump

Finally got around to photographing some shop listings …

poppy-bowlDesert-Horses-pendantoceans-spoon restsnowman-ornaments-2015reds-spoon restdog-love-cabs

And – I’ve done some organizing, along with a teeny bit of cleaning … YESsss, I focused on the overflowing bead-situation.  [Note I am NOT showing any of my work tables … ]

bead-closetbead-cupboard

All while I still play with Kumi beading … (more 7 strand)

custom-kumiOct-7-strand-kumi

Next up: Crackle-Take-5, Holiday platters, Memorial pendants, Waterlogue-Glass and (hopefully) some new spoon rest ideas …

Oh – and more cleaning …

Probably some dinners with the family in there …

And … I guess, maybe – a bit of ER nursing … before I get back to my groove  …

A moment …

To panic … and gripe … before moving on.

I’m so far behind – after spending too many hours this week with work.  The good news?  I am competent … for another 364 days … And, I smiled while I was instructed to do more with less, pick up the slack in other departments, and that ultimately quality care means no more than customer satisfaction … maybe even less?  Grrr … Thank you JCAHO, Medicare and Obama!

The better news (WWU) … It’s not every job that you actually get to (need to !?!) enunciate [umm – in this case it means repeat it twice, LOUDLY] the directive … “Joe, put your penis away … NOW … please!”  After this week, I have to wonder what his patient satisfaction scores may reveal …

Next up … a mandatory photo session with my glass and jewelry.  I have too many pieces sitting around here!  Bring on the holiday shopping season!

http:///www.xmasclock.com/

Harvest Fest, Blood Moon and Puppies …

We were at Harvest Fest in Brighton this Saturday.  A great day – with beautiful weather, lots of folks and too little sleep for me. (Note the frumpy, less-than-welcoming, pained look on the face of ‘the artist’ in the corner … oops!)  Still, a great show for us … and I’ll work on my facial expressions!

harvest-fest15

lunar-eclipse-09-27-2015Then, I shifted into nurse-gear.  I worked gloriously LONG shifts on Saturday and Sunday nights (with a short 5 hour nap in between) and ‘enjoyed’ the Blood Moon – with all it’s effects on patients and staff through Sunday/Monday.  Busy lunar shift (!) – that’s all I’m going to say …

So, now it is the wee hours of Tuesday morning.  I’ve had a proper coma/sleep (14 hours – as both DH and I succumbed to the Twins’ snot nose/sore throat viral-crud).  And, I have cute pup pictures to share.  The Neo pups will be moving on to their new homes this week.  Sad smile  And, the Yorkie pups will move out of their current ‘den’ and into the rest of the house.  Here are photos of Eva & Mellie (Amelia), and Atlas & Gus … all in need of ear trimming and taping due to teething (which causes their ears to droop).  Love my babies!

blondie-pups-8-wks

Eva-&-Mellie   Atlas-&-Gus

I hope to squeeze in some studio time this week – to at least start cleaning up the ‘detonated-bomb-mess’ that I make in preparing for a show … And then I can get busy with special requests and prepping for the next show (Arts & Greens at Bogie Lake) … Ready, set – GO!!!

The possibilities … Oh my!

I became a little obsessed today.  I know, I know … What’s new?!?  It actually started several months ago when I saw a picture posted on FB.  One that had been altered via photo-editing software.  Today, I tracked that app down; figured out how to make it work in this 99.2% android home; move pics from a PC to an apple product (not entirely user friendly); made magic water color photos; and finally moved those buggers back to my PC (REALLY not user friendly)!!!   I love it!  Check it out …

callie-wl   Calla-Lilytwins-wl   twinszeus-wl   zeus-big-collar

I can’t wait to play with enamels, frits and glass painting techniques with these images!!!  Oh, and take more pictures … Winking smile  The app is called Waterlogue.  And, I’m hoping it translates to the glass half as well as it does in my head …

P.S. – this is what happens when I get up at 6am to see the twins off to their last “first day” of school … Go Seniors!

P.P.S. – ‘Lil Sis (the baby on the left) does have all 10 fingers … I’m not sure where those missing digits are hiding in the photos … Surprised smile