Scrappy Fun!

I am sad that my vacation from work is about over.  Only 2 days left.  :-(  I didn't do everything I was planning because the weather has turned cooler.  We have been getting in the 30's at night!  Yikes!  I really dislike winter.

Saturday was my LSS's 6th b-day celebration.  It was a great time as it always is at my LSS.  :-)   They were opening at 9am which is quite early in my book!  The first 350 people got a number as you walked in the door which got you a tote bag.  The first 200 got more free stuff and then the next 150 got a little less.  I wasn't feeling very good when I woke up so I was being a little sluggish getting ready.  My plan was to be their around 0830.  I ended up showing up at 0905 and was number 203.  I was just glad that I was one of the first 350 people!  :-)

Then I walked into the store and you could hardly move!  I saw my friends car parked outside so I was trying to locate her.  All the LSS regulars that I am used to seeing were their.  One told me where i needed to go to get my Fiskateers goodies.  Then I stood in line for the make-n-take with the fiskateer ladies.  The make-n-take book was cute and used the unibind system.  I would love to have the unibind system.  My friend had done some shopping and was in line.  I went to go talk to her for a bit and then I went back outside where it was calmer!  Since they handed out numbers, I was able to come back and shop later.  I ended up storing my number in my bra!  I about lost it with it being in my pocket.  It was in a safe place then!



Afterwards, I ran back home real quick.  I realized I had forgotten to put my watch on and it was bugging me.  Then I went to a friends house as a bunch of us was meeting up to scrapbook the day away!  Their was 7 of us all together.  I was the only one who got into a class at the LSS for that day.  I tried to get into the class when they first opened up registration.  Working nights, by the time I woke up and realized registration was open, it was to late.  I was added to a waiting list.  I was surprised that they called me in October for a spot in the class!  I originally turned it down as my friends were all going to an all day scrap event and I signed up too.  It got cancelled so I was lucky that I got a spot!

The store was much calmer when I went back.  I did a little shopping and then went to my class.  I got some fun goodies in my tote bag!  Then after my class, I went back to my friends house and scrapbooked a little longer.  We ended up wrapping the night up around 8pm.   We have talked about getting together more often and scrapping.




I meet all the ladies I scrapped with at an all day crop.  I went to the crop by myself and I was seated with these ladies.  It turned out we work for the same hospital.  One of the girls, I kept running into at various scrapbooking & photography events.  I have gained more friends since I started scrapbooking!  I just love it.

First class drawings

I wanted to post my drawings from my first class.  She had us draw a face and our hand before giving us any instructions.  It took me forever to draw my face it seemed.  I kept erasing and redrawing!  These might be hard to see since the drawings are in pencil.



Then she gave us some instruction and then told us to do blind contour.  We were to draw our hand but couldn't look at our paper!





Then after doing this exercise, we did modified contour which we could look at our paper 10% of the time.  I kept moving my hand and then I didn't get it back in the original position.  My hand looks a little off for that reason!



Then she got out a photo of an eye and had us draw the outline and then we added shading.  Shading really is what makes the picture.  I feel like I need to work more on shading.  I didn't like how I did my eyelashes.  This isn't bad for my first try!



Then class was over.  :-(  I hope to be able to go back in the next week or so and learn more!  :-)

A rare moment!

Ever since getting my pug, Phoebe, the cats haven't been happy with me.  It did disrupt our routine a bit.  I think finally after 2 1/2 years, they might be getting along better.  Or the colder weather is just making them tolerate each other!  LOL!  They all love my waterbed and I walked in last night to this:



Chloe is kinda hidden.  She is near my pillow at the head of my bed.  She is a lion kitty once again and she is directly on the bed to get warmth!  Here is a close up of her:







Then this morning after taking my shower, I came out to this:



Aren't they adorable!  :-)

Phoebe loves getting under the covers and she pops her head out at me when I enter the room.


She is just too cute!!

The day I took Chloe to get her lion kitty cut, I was for sure they were going to sedate her.  I told them I would prefer her not to be sedated but I didn't want them to get bit either.  When I went to pick her up that afternoon, I found out that they didn't sedate her.  They said did hiss and didn't like it.  They told me she is dehydrated and was afraid to sedate her.  :-(  She showed me how her skin tents up.  It takes about 5 seconds for it to go back to normal.  I see her drink water all the time.  I have been changing the water more than twice a day to make sure it is fresh.  I have also put out another water bowl for them.  I have also feed her some moist food to see if that helps.  I don't want her to eat that to make sure her teeth stay healthy.  The tenting is better but still not where it should be.  I was told that if it didn't get better, I needed to bring her in for lab work.  Poor kitty!  I wouldn't have known this if I hadn't gotten her shaved.

I am getting ready to check out the art walk.  It is in the 40's outside so I am sure I won't stay very long!

Fun artsy stuff!

I signed up for the Sketchbook Project and got my book this week!  I am sad that I won't get my book back.  I liked the idea of it traveling to different cities and then being in the Brooklyn Art Library.  I even have a log in to see who has viewed my book.  So, I have 2 months to get this done!  Yikes!!!  I just wish it was coming to a city near me.  I would love to see the other sketchbooks also!  I took a picture to post here and Felix decided to help me!



Felix loves helping me!  :-)



The other night, I remembered that I had ordered a book about keeping an art journal earlier in the year.  I didn't remember where I had put it.  I hunted and after getting my extra bedroom more organized, searching upstairs and in the living room, I finally found it in my bedroom!  I have ran out of book cases and have some books in a rubbermaid container.  I either need to get rid of some books or get a new book case!  This book is giving me more ideas and inspiration.

Since wanting to do the sketchbook project, I have wanted to take a class at Hobby Lobby to learn how to draw.  I finally had my first class today and it was fun.  I just didn't have the correct supplies.  I had bought a small drawing pad and brought a #2 pencil from home.  She told me I needed a bigger drawing pad.  After we got started, I could see how a bigger drawing pad was better.  After class today, I bought me the supplies I needed.

When I told her I thought I missed something in art class at school, she said I didn't.  She explained that most likely they didn't teach me how to draw, just asked us to draw.  She was teaching us the concept on drawing from the right side of the brain.  She has us start out drawing a face and then our hand.  Then she asked us what we were thinking as we were drawing.  Then she explained a little more and then had us do more exercises.  It was fun and the time flew by!  By the end of the class, we draw a picture of an eye.  I feel like I need work on shading but it isn't to bad.  I felt like I did go a little far with the eyelashes.  It was a fun learning experience and I hope to go back soon to learn more!

I will have to take pictures or scan what I have done so far.

Zombie love!!!

I have a small love of zombies.  It started when I began playing zombie farm on my iphone.  I like making comments about our IV pumps we have.  We need a "brain" to attach the module to so the IV fluids will run.  One day, I got told they couldn't find any brains.  I had to comment, "Did all the zombies eat them?".  Then we couldn't stop laughing!

So yesterday, I got home about 4pm and checked my twitter account.  I saw a post from someone saying that zombies were going to invade C-street and dance to Michael Jackson's thriller at 5pm!!  I called my sister to see if she wanted to go.  Silly girl already knew about it and was planning to go.  I need to tell me sister to remember to let me know of things like this ahead of time!  I was glad I had read about this on twitter and did more searching online to find out details.

I arrived and got my spot.  No one was standing in this area then all of a sudden people kept standing in front of me.  Then about 5 young boys kept screaming and yelling next to me.  Ohy!!  I got back in front so I could get some good pictures.  Here is a picture of the crowd waiting on the edge of the street for zombies!!!!



Then zombies started coming out and would walk into the crowd and then lay down on the street.  This took close to 10 minutes or more as their were about 200 zombies.  :-)







Then they all started getting up after the guy dressed as MJ came out to start dancing to Thriller!







It was an awesome performance!!!  It has increased my love for zombies.  So now, I want to be a zombie nurse.  I think that is appropriate since I do work the night shift!  :-)  Isn't that when the zombies come out?

Her are a few close-ups I got of some zombies:





This zombie came up behind my sister and scared her!



This was my halloween fun!  I also found a link of a video and posted it here if anyone wants to watch the dance.  :-)

Buzzing around C-street!

Today was Pets & Pumpkins on C-street!  I have been looking forward to this event for a long time.  Last year I had to work and missed it.  The year before I was in Europe.  I was excited that finally it worked into my schedule.  :-)  I just wish the weather would have cooperated better.





I had to get some sleep since I had worked all night.  I made sure to set 2 alarms so I would get up in time.  My sister, nieces and their dog came too.  It helped that my sister texted me to see if I was up!  It had been raining so things were a little wet.  We got their just in time for the parade.  I didn't know the in's and out's of how everything worked.  They asked me if I wanted to be in the parade but I wanted to find my sister.  I didn't realize I needed a number.  I think that is how you got in the contest.  I missed out on that.  It was still fun seeing all the other dogs and the costumes!  Then it started to rain.  My sisters dog has long hair so he was soaked.  The main festivities were over by then so we walked back to our cars.









About 1 1/2 years ago I fell in love with a Boxer named Alice.  She is with the schnauzer/boxer rescue group.  She is the sweetest dog!  I said hi to Alice and she jumped on my lap to get a hug!  When I go to doggie events, I always hope to see Alice!  I have been able to the last few events.  :-)

My hand is looking better but still sore.  The more I use it, the more it hurts.  I have a fluid like spot where I was bit.  I hope it goes away.  I didn't realize how bad cat bites can be!  I have been running temps and having some muscle aches.  That has gotten better now that the antibiotics have kicked in.  I just hope that the antibiotics kill all the icky kitty germs!

I am spending an evening at Barnes & Noble.  They have rearranged everything so I have to look or ask where something is.  I accidentally ran across the photography section and found a book about the Lensbaby.  I have used mine some but this book seems to have good ideas!  It also makes me want some of the attachments.  I might add some of them to my Christmas list!

Moleskine love!!

I have fallen in love with the little moleskine books.  I went to an art shop this morning and found some of the different moleskine books I found on the website.  I did get me a few more blank sketchbooks to recover.  I ordered some fat quarters on etsy.com that I can't wait to receive!  I keep searching blogs in regards to the sketchbook project.  I have found some neat journals!  I found this tonight on how to unbind and rebind your sketchbook.  The paper in the sketchbook is thin and some people have been putting their own paper for different media.  I might use these instructions and make my own journal.

I went to the doctor this morning in regards to my cat bite.  I have left hand/forearm cellulitis.  I really think the swelling was down a little bit.  I was actually able to kinda see a knuckle.  He did put me on antibiotics and updated my tetanus shot since it was 5 years old.  The more I do with my hand, the more it aches.  He told me to use ice to help and it has.  I just hope my hand continues to get better.

I called my vets office this morning to make an appointment for Chloe to get groomed.  I am not going to  finish what I started since she got so mad at me.  It will be a couple of weeks for her appointment.  I have a feeling she might end up getting shaved again.  I like my kitty being fluffy but I wish she liked being groomed.  I had Chloe shaved last in early 2009.  This is a picture of her after her hair had grown for a couple of months.  It takes so long to grow!  I wish they were able to just shorten her hair instead of just shaving it.  They said they don't have clippers that will do that.  :-(


I have been catching up on my DVR tonight as I organize some papers.  I will be caught up on Grey's Anatomy tonight!  Just taking it easy!

Crazy cat incident

Isn't this a cute kitty?

She has long beautiful hair but comes with a bit of a temper if you have to brush her.  Normally she just meows or will hiss a little when being groomed.  Last night, she went to far! (or maybe I did!)

Chloe's hair seems to get tangled easily.  I try to keep up with her hair but sometimes I am unable to keep up with it.  I just untangled all her hair over a week ago.  I had noticed that she was getting badly tangled so I decided to work on her hair last night.  I took her to the bathroom and had her on the counter.  We were doing good and I was able to get some of the tangles out.  She meowed nothing much.  Then I had my dog barking at her and then my other cat Felix was on the counter.  Felix walked up to Chloe and smacker her!  I had to get him down.  They were not helping the situation!!  Chloe wasn't a happy camper at this point.  Shortly after that, she bit my arm!  It didn't look like she broke the skin but I am bruised in that area.  I should have stopped at that point but was getting close to being done.  I actually start trying to cut this tangle out since she didn't like me working it out.  Then I tried to brush what I cut out and she bit my hand in between my index and middle finger!  She clamped onto my hand and then I had blood running down my hand.  I gave up at that point.  I washed my puncture wound out and put some antibiotic ointment on it.  I also applied a 2x2 to keep dirt from getting in my hand.  It hurt but I was okay.

I was working on cleaning and organizing last night.  I found my moleskine books and material I had bought earlier in the year.  I even got on etsy.com last night to find a few fat quarters to make some other books.  :-)  I have to say, my kitchen and dining room look clean!  At least I had gotten most of it done before Chloe bit me.  I noticed that my hand was a little swollen but it was localized to the area.  I finished cleaning and finally went to bed about 0330.

When I woke up this morning, my hand was all swollen!  Ugh.  I am a little freaked out about how my hand looks.  I can't bend my fingers all the way without pain.  I think Chloe was won a trip to the vet and I am going to have them finish what I started.  I got a lot of the tangles out but on her belly.  The spot that I did cut out is a little to noticeable.  I can usually cut a little and you can't notice it.  I didn't do a very good job this time!  She might be a lion kitty again but the only good thing about that is no tangles! I also need to make a doctor's appointment.  I have seem to many people come into the hospital with cat bites and ended up having surgery to have the wound cleaned out.

But besides the cat drama, today has been a good day!  I went and saw my cousin play hockey today and her team won the tournament!  Here is the trophy picture:

She is an awesome hockey player and she can skate!!  The last game was a little tough but they won 2-1.   I was a fun afternoon.

I am at the Mudhouse but typing is bothering my hand.  I am looking forward to watching Dexter tonight and to also write down some ideas I have for the sketchbook project I want to do.  My sister knows how to draw and she has a book that she thinks will help me.  I can't wait to read it!  :-)

Creative thoughts!

Earlier this year Elsie Flannigan had a DIY post on her blog on covering moleskine books.  Since finding about the sketchbook project, I am wanting to finally complete this project.  I found the adhesive I had bought for this project but now can't find the moleskine books & material I bought for it.  I need to look a little more and I am sure I will find them!

There are so many styles of the moleskine books that I didn't know existed.  I found one on the moleskin website for a wellness journal.  I need this!  Then I also saw one called a Japanese moleskine that folds out.  Pretty cool if you want to have it like a book but yet you can open it up for one big scene.  I think I need to fill up the one I bought before getting any new ones.  :-)

The more and more I think about the sketchbook project, the more I think I might need to give it a try!  It would be cool to have one of my sketchbooks travel the world.  To bad I wasn't going with it!  I went to Hobby Lobby today and bought me a book about drawing 3D.  I liked doing perspective drawing in school but when it came to drawing a still life, it was a no go!  When I looked at other drawing books, it seemed more for someone who already knew the basics.  I thought I might check out the local library on some drawing books.  I also found out when they have the drawing class at HL.  I need to check my work schedule and then sign up for one!  I think working with someone first hand will be helpful.  The before and after pics of what the students can draw gives me hope!  :-)

The one thing that bothers me about the sketchbook project is you don't get your book back.  You can pay an extra $20 for them to digitize it and it might show up on the Brooklyn Art Library website.  I thought I might try to scan or take pictures of my book myself.  If I do this, I might just make it a feature on my blog of the trials and tribulations of making my first sketch book!  

I am off to get in my PJ's and hunt for my moleskine books I bought earlier this year.

The Sketchbook Project

I was reading a few scrappy blogs one day and saw a link to the sketchbook project.  I was curious and clicked on it.  The site has inspired me!!  You pick a theme and you fill the sketchbook up with art.  When I learned that I wouldn't get my book back, I wasn't sure I wanted to do it.  I thought I could make my own book!  I saw a you tube video that also gave me some inspiration about her sketchbook.



I also enjoy reading Donna Downey's blog as she has Inspiration Wednesday.  Since she started posting this every Wednesday, it has made me want to make one too.  For Christmas one year, I got one of those suitcase of art media/supplies.  I have never really used it that much but I think this project will inspire me to use it.  I also have some acrylic paints that I bought a while back.  Donna always post the media she uses to make the pages in her art journal.  I enjoy watching her videos and learning the techniques she uses.





Hobby Lobby has drawing classes that I have wanted to take for quite some time.  I might have to finally get enrolled in one.  I have never been much of a drawer like my sister & mom.  That might give me the assistance to help me with being able to draw.

I went to Borders tonight and got me a moleskine sketchbook.  I am looking forward in getting started!  I need to get my scrap table cleared off for some sketchbook inspiration!

People are crazy!!

This little incident is blog worthy that happened to me yesterday morning!

I had worked all night and was so glad to leave work.  It was another marathon nursing night!  They are getting a little too close together for my taste.  I don't mind being busy but this kind of busy wears a person out!!

I left work and was going to head to Wal-mart on my way home.  I get to the stoplight and I had pulled up behind a lady in a black car.  As soon as I got stopped, she got out of her car and walked to the front of my car.  I had no clue what she had done at that moment.  I wasn't about to get out of my car to find out.  She rushed back to her car and tried to drive off in park.  I had my window rolled down and could hear her engine rev.  I wanted to laugh at that!  I was following behind her and she pulled into the Wal-mart parking lot.  I decided to go straight.  She was obviously crazy so I didn't want to have a confrontation with her.  I stopped at a gas station as I need to get gas and was wanting to see what she had done to my car.  When I checked the front of my car, she bent my license plate all the way up!!!  I wasn't very happy when I saw this as I just got new plates in July as my front plate before was all bent up from someone backing into my car trying to parallel park.  GGRRRRR!!!!!!!!   I have no idea what prompted her to do this.



That night at work, a co-worker showed me how to listen to the local police station with 5-0 radio.  I went home to listen to it that morning.  I was hearing about a lady fitting the description of the car she was driving causing trouble.  She had hit another persons car and got in a fight with them.  She had told the cops she was having a mental breakdown.  Then she drove away from the scene.  The cops were following her and finally stopped her.  I really think it was the same lady as the descriptions they gave were to close.  It wasn't long after she had done that to me and also in the same area.  I believe she needs a visit to the psych ward!

I have been listening to the police scanner now to see what is going on in my town.  I have also listened to other towns and you can even listen to scanners overseas!  I was listening to London, England the other day.  It is interesting hearing what is going on in the city and other cities.