Week's Catch Up

I had a rough beginning to the week, but am feeling somewhat better today. I had a wonderful phone call from our assistant pastor asking about me, which was very encouraging. I really appreciate it when people sort of "check in" to see about how it's going. I've had some encouraging emails too and it's great to know that more and more people who know me are understanding this illness better. And then another friend stopped by with a meal for me, knowing it would be something I liked. How great was that?

This summer has been a disappointment in the flower department. Usually by now, we have impatiens all around the old stump, and I would sit on the porch as weather permitted and enjoy looking at them. Another dear friend had planted them for me this spring and I was really looking forward to their growth, but instead, we watched helplessly as they slowly dropped their leaves and then collapsed in a mini pile of mushy plants. I did some research and figured out why. Earlier this year, John had purchased a chipper for all of the dead tree limbs which fall around our property and had a nice pile of chips for mulch. He lovingly spread them over all of the flower beds. However, there are two things which will prevent you from having bountiful impatiens growth - lack of water, and too much water. The little wood chips held water, and since where the flowers were planted is the same area for the drain from the A/C, there was always lots of water, which is one reason why they have always done so well there. But the wood chips changed that equation and sadly, there are one or two scraggly plants left and I think their time is coming. And my friend put in four flats of impatiens! Once they get too much water, that's it, there is nothing more you can do for them. Live and learn!

In the other beds, we tried some different kinds of flowers than we have planted there in the past, and they just don't suit the area. So, it's been kind of a disappointment not to see  what we had hoped to see. But there is always next year!

We had bluebirds and Carolina wrens nesting at either ends of the front porch. The bluebirds were in the nesting platform, and the wren was in a hanging plant. Every time I came out to water, the bluebird would flee the nest. But when I got around to the plant with the wren, she would wait until the first drops of water came down and then hop out to a nearby bush, scolding me fiercely. Each mother hatched a lovely family and they all left a few weeks ago. We had bluebirds in the yard boxes as well. 

That's about all I can write for today, and I hope everyone has a safe and fun weekend!

How the impatiens looked in the past (and will again!)

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Hate to say this.....

...but I'm going to have to give up a regular Story time on Tuesdays. My fibro pain, caused by the ME/CFS, is just too bad. My fingers hurt and it is painful to type. In fact, if I didn't have spellcheck, you wouldn't be able to read this! I will still add stories, but just not always on the same day. If I have the energy, and less pain, my first choice is going to be art. So, to the small but faithful group who read my stories, thank you, and I apologize, but please try to visit on a regular basis to read whatever I have time to write.

And to my friend Chris in Brisbane, the link for the vintage goodies I posted about is http://www.etsy.com/shop/SongbirdsNest

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The Old Mine

All right - I finished my latest painting!

The Old Mine

(click for details)

This is 12 x 12 wrapped around canvas. I used torn pieces of corrugated cardboard, with the paper backing pulled from one side so I could have the ridges to work with. Also, I used a cardboard protector that comes around a cup of coffee which had lovely circle texture. The painting includes acrylic paint, heavy gel medium, some stencils (they are in the background) and some really great old iron rings found on a friend's property which are all nice and thick with rust. There are also gear shapes I cut out of the corrugated cardboard. What a fun piece to do! And now, I shall rest the remainder of the day, 'cause I'm worn out!

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Another Collage Postcard

The reason I do a lot of postcard art is because with this illness, it's a lot shorter timewise to create a postcard, so I can still have the joy of creating, and yet go back and lie down! But I miss making bigger things, so I have started a painting which I've wanted to do, but have been putting off. For right now, here is the latest postcard for you to enjoy!

(click for details)

Mixed media includes collaged tissue strips, various paper bits, acrylic paint, rubber stamping, part of a lace doily, texture strip, stabilo pencils oil pastels, and then the top images and gems. The original postcard was a black and white advertising card. The texture strip is something found in the sewing notions, but I forget exactly what it was. The bird is a Dresden Scrap, as it was originally published in the 1930's. 

While I was on the porch photographing this, I could hear a storm coming, so I tried a few shots of the sky and clouds, and even took a couple of shots of one of the 6 hanging baskets we have on the front porch.

AngelWings Begonias, Petunias, Sweet Potato Vine and I don't know the name of the really small leafed hanging plant on the left.

Click on picture you want to see closer.

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Postcard Art and Tuesday Story Series: 67 Plymouth

Recently we purchased the dogs some new toys - stuffed animals without the stuffing, so they are very flat. Well, not having the stuffing took all of the interest away for our dogs! But I took a photo of one of them because it is a great illustration of how I felt this morning when I got up. Or tried to get up. Last night was very rough and I honestly can say that I felt just like this:

Yeah, he looks cute, but I didn't!

In the afternoon I began to feel like I had a little life in me, so I finished a postcard I had started yesterday evening.

On My Way

(click for details)

Mixed media includes collaged tissue strips, cheesecloth, rubber stamping, Russian postage stamp, acrylic paint, vintage earring, metal sun, gem brad and liquid watercolors. It also has some gold accents.

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'67 Plymouth

56th in the Tuesday Stories Series

A few weeks ago, I mentioned that we had once lived in the community of Goose Creek. Before we moved, we had been living in a small rented brick house where we had started married life. When we met, John was driving a nice, navy blue Buick Skylark, and I was driving a slightly run down red Ford Maverick. John, being the true southern gentleman that he was (and still is) insisted that I keep the Skylark for when I needed it and he would take the Maverick to work. This was a sacrifice in several ways on his part - the car used a quart of oil a week, was not reliable and as the head of the agency where he worked, it was a step down to be driving that car. It left him stranded several times on the Interstate, and sometimes he would come home with a face as red as the car's paint! 

After Tabitha came along, we decided we needed to get rid of that car, and find something more reliable. We knew a man who fancied himself as an expert on cars, especially old ones, and had several contacts in the car world. We asked him if he could recommend someone to us for buying a used car, because our budget was tight, and he said he had just found out about a good bargain. One of his friends had just rebuilt the engine on a 1967 Plymouth and the body was in great shape. He took John over to see it and give it a test drive and talk with the owner. We decided that the price was right, the owner was honest and the car was much more reliable than the Maverick. So, it became ours. It was huge, a white boat of a car, and when in it, you had no fear of being squashed if you were hit!

(This is not a picture of our car, but the one we had looked just like this, except it had hubcaps on the tires)

Soon after that, John was offered the job in Goose Creek, we found a place to live, and started packing our belongings. It was summer in Charleston, it was hot, we were very tired and after our friends had taken the truck on up to the new place, we loaded the rest of the things into our cars, including a cranky baby, and gratefully drove off to meet with the rest of the moving team. I mentioned in the other story that Goose Creek was some distance away from Charleston, so we had several miles to go on the Interstate. John was driving the Plymouth and I was following in the Skylark. Suddenly, white smoke came billowing out of the Plymouth, so thick I could hardly see the car ahead of me. I didn't know what was going on, but we were near our exit and John was able to keep the car limping to our new condo, where it died. It seems the engine blew. The new, rebuilt, engine.

A couple of days later we sold the car to a scrap dealer who came and towed it off. As I stated before, we spent our time in Goose Creek with just one car. At John's next job, in Charleston, it came with a car as one of the perks and once again we were a two car family. When we mentioned to our friend what had happened to the car he recommended, he said he was really sorry. It wasn't his fault, necessarily, but we never asked him for advice again about car purchases!

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Visit to Campbell's Covered Bridge

John thought I needed to get out of the house, so we drove to Campbell's Covered Bridge, not too many miles from us. We walked around, slowly, and I brought my new Canon camera, so I had fun taking pictures. It was very encouraging for me to be outside, and it wasn't terribly hot, so all in all it was a great time. I'm very tired now, of course, but thankful the strength was there today!

It crosses Beaverdam Creek. 

(I don't know who the young girl is.)

Some soft moss growing near the creek.

My handsome husband!

The End.

Click on any picture you want to see closer.

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Canvas Postcard

I had a 7 x 5 canvas which had something painted on it, and it was in my scrap box because I really did not care for it. So I pulled it out and spent some time altering it for a post card.

INFINITY WITH RED

Using a light coat of gesso, and then wiping some of it off, I stenciled some black dots, and added some stamped stars. Next was a cutout piece of red paper, and a rusted iron ring, then using my favorite number stencil, I added a layer of heavy gel medium. After it dried, I started layering paints and wiping and laying some more. I also used micron brush tips and spica pens. At the end, I used some touches of gold Rub & Buff. If you are wondering why I bothered stenciling the dots and adding the stars, it adds depth, and if you look at it closely, they are there. Your mind sees what your eyes cannot sometimes and so you perceive depth!

And it goes into the mail today!

Feeling very tired today, and not nearly as up as I was yesterday. Will probably be spending more time today resting. Still learning about pacing and eventually I hope I will get the hang of it. Thankful for all of the prayers which have gone up on my behalf! And for those who asked about the address of the Etsy Shop from yesterday's post, I haven't forgotten - I will list it for you as soon as I find it! :)

Come see my latest postcards I've received on Postcards Buffet!