Celtic Cross-Stitch Finish

I finally finished this!  Now all I have to do is find a frame for it.  Then I'll display it at my house.

Letter #57

Hi Dad,

Today has not been fun.  I've been low all week, kind of depressed.  And today I woke up and my hip hurt.  Apparently, I spent part of the night sleeping with my leg hanging off the bed.  I took two naps today.  I finally had a cup of coffee, but I still have a bad headache, even though my hip is doing better.  Ooops!  Now I'm whining.

I guess you know what's going on.  Clue me in, why don't you?  I've been praying a lot today, for my pain to go away, for things to get better.  Of course I'm my own worst enemy.  There's a lot I can't say or won't.  Lord, loosen my lips.

All for now.

LOVE

Anne

Weekly Poem: "Wanted: freedom"

Wanted:  freedom

I used to have free time

that was years ago

when I was 11

Since then

there's always something

pulling my elbow

like an angry dog

Pay attention

pay attention to me

the world demands

Truth is

I don't want to do anything

ever again

Think I'll just sprawl

across my bed

and read a novel

Think I'll do that

prompt:  free poem

January 28, 2015

DIY Planner: 3rd Week of January

I didn't feel much like drawing this week, so stuck with simple shapes and patterns.  On Sunday I broke out the acrylics and gesso and tried that.  Acrylics are not transparent like watercolors, so I don't know how often I'll use them.

I made glitter glue for the first time, just added green glitter to my quick dry glue and painted it on Tuesday's waves:

My two favorite days are the conch shell (used a stencil) and the red star with the blue background on Friday.

 I experimented with making glitter glue (successful!) and glitter paint (unsuccessful) and glitter matte medium (somewhat successful).  You can see my results here, the blue is glitter glue, the white is green glitter mixed with white paint (outline of March and April) and the glitter matte medium hardly shows on the months on the right (March, April):

I've since painted the outline of March and April in light green glitter paint I bought at Wal-Mart during a previous outing.

Journal52: Week 4: Silhouettes

Here's what I came up with, granted, I got carried away with the drop shadow effects on the border.  Plus, after it was done I realized I had the writing reversed, should read "Devil or Angel?":

I don't know the original artist of the devil/angel mudflap girls, so can't credit it.  Here is the original picture I worked with:

 

Letter #56

Hi Dad,

As you doubt know, we have 2 kittens now.  They are a lot of fun, but they wear me out.  Here's a picture of Josie and Leo fighting:

You can't really tell what's going on in that picture.  Josie likes to bit Leo's ears.  He likes to nip at her sides.  Then they'll take a nap together like nothing happened.  People should be more like that, but they're not.

Remember you used to say "Kindness is the only thing that matters."?  It's getting tough to be kind all the time, or nice all the time.  I don't think that's what you meant.  You didn't say, "be nice to everyone."  I got that message from someone though.  Probably in school or at church.  I have to set boundaries, I know, or people will take advantage of me.  Too late.  I spent the day driving a friend around and waiting in her doctor's office waiting room.  Big sigh.  Enough about that.

I finished the Celtic Cross-stitch I was working on.  Yay!  I never thought I'd get that one done.  I'll have to find a frame for it and put it up in my bedroom. 

Things are pretty quiet on the home front.  I'm a little stressed.  I'm almost out of insulin.  I feel really crappy when I don't take it (forget to take it).  I hope a family member will pick it up for me tomorrow, or I'll go in.  I'll get it one way or another.  I'm stubborn that way.  Pharmacy is "in town."  I'm out here with the deer and the ocean.  Small town life has its advantages as well as disadvantages. 

I hope you are OK, wherever you are.  I don't think heaven is some Studio 54 type club where only a few devout Christians/Fundamentalists get in.  Because then you wouldn't be there.  And I know you're somewhere nice.  :)

All for now.

LOVE

Anne

Weekly Poem: "Altered State"

Altered State

That's where I am.

Dreaming on paper

in the new planner

I downloaded and printed

(because it was free).

Supposed to make my dreams

come true.

What will make my life better

right now is a new wardrobe.

Ain't it the truth?

So I plan my assault

on the world of fashion.

Monthly trips to the internet,

mall of ecommerce.

Shoes and bags included.

I've never been this self-indulgent.

I start in February with a statement necklace

(and earrings).

prompt:  state of "blank"

January 21, 2015

Celtic Cross-Stitch WIP

This looks done, it isn't.  I'm cross-stitching a dark pink border next to the purple border. 
When I'm done with that I'll be through!  This one's for me.  I've given all my cross-stitch projects away, so it will be nice to have one I did.

DIY Planner: 2nd Week of January

Here are my planner pages for last week:

Here are my two favorite days, couldn't decide which I liked best:

Weekly Poem: "bridges alight"

bridges alight

your shock-painted face,

the sound of a wooden gate

banging shut behind

Journal52: Week 3: Conversation Starters

OK, this took an odd turn!  What can I say?  I'm a writer.  Background picture "borrowed" from the interweb.  Text:  mine.

DIY Planner: 1st Week of January

My favorite day was Saturday's.

DIY Planner: Turn of the Year

My favorite day was Jan. 1st.

Red and Green Bookmarks

I made these in November for Christmas presents and gave them out, after they were laminated.

Journal52: Week 2: Just Be

The prompt for this week is Just Be.  I borrowed a field of flowers photo off the internet for the background for this, then played with the image and words on PicMonkey.  Turned out OK. 

Journal52: Week 1: Pathways

So Journal52 is a series of Art Journaling prompts, there's a group for it on Facebook and Flickr.  I did a few of last year's prompts.  This year, I'll just do digital "art" for the prompts.  I don't know if I'll keep up with it.  We'll see!