Focus

I need to focus my energy into one thing but which??? soldered charms, collage paintings or coptic bound books. I'm not sure which one most people would prefer. Hhmmmm . . . . maybe I should go back to my jewelry line. I did SO well selling the one of a kind bracelets and necklaces. Yummy stones - - - Peruvian Opal, Apatite, Ruby, Sapphire, Amber, Pearls . . . . .

Maybe I should combine them all together to see what I get. Maybe I can shrink the paintings down to charm size and incorporate the gemstones. I will have to see how I can do this. I might need a professional photographer as I don't think my Canon Power Shot will do what I want. Not a bad idea!! I will have to play.

Beautiful Day

It is beautiful outside today!!! Things are starting to bloom and the sun just makes you feel so good. I wish my art area was upstairs where I had daylight. Instead, I have a spot in the basement on the side that is unfinished. I can make a mess without worrying something will get ruined, but I feel banished! One day I would like to have a Gypsy caravan in the backyard that could be my studio. I need to go back and find the site, but I once discovered a site in Europe that sells actual Gypsy caravans. They were SO COOL!!!!

Anyway, I have lots of ideas churning around in my head. There are a lot of things I want to do

creatively. I think I will try making some painted sugar cookies I saw online. I know Gia (my daughter) will love it. Jake might want to paint some too. He is also creative! Monday is the start of teacher appreciation week and we need to send in a baked good (homemade or bought). Hopefully these will turn out great and we can send them in!

Winner!

Look what came in the mail today! Last week I found out I won Sharyn's giveaway on her blog. I thought it would be fun to get some goodies that someone else didn't want anymore. Can't wait to dig through it all and get started!

There is SO much I want to do, but so little time! I also came across this amazing bake site called Bake It Pretty. My daughter and I watched Cake Boss yesterday. He made the most awesome cake for Dylan's Candy! I just set our DVR to record it.

Tell Your Story

I am looking forward to this. It starts tomorrow! Tell your story.

Crazy Tooth

So I have this crazy tooth. 12 years ago, the crazy thing decided to commit suicide and it is dying from the inside out and eating away the bone in the process .This is a condition called resorption. How insane is that!!!! I have two different dentists who have been saving the tooth (had to have it capped). They were always upfront with me that one day the entire thing might need to go. Whenever I heard this, I became nauseous with the thought. It never looked perfect, but i dealt with it and no one ever noticed something wasn't right except me.

A few days ago, I had a raging headache and noticed the crazy tooth was smashing into one of my lower teeth. I looked in the mirror and thought it looked different, but then decided it was my imagination manifesting the situation because I was in pain. I drove over an hour to get to my regular dentist only to hear the cap had slipped down and the entire thing had shifted. I almost burst in tears! He filed it down so I wouldn't be in pain and told me it was time to take the entire tooth out!!!

The thing is, this is a front tooth!!!!! The next day, I drove over an hour again to see my periodontist and he agreed that the time has come and we need to get this sucker out. He is worried it is compromising my other teeth and bone around it. I almost threw up in his office, and I started to cry. He will need to extract the tooth, do a bone graft and put in a temporary. After 4 months of healing, he will determine if an implant will work. I am petrified, terrified, horrified and every other "__fied" word you can think of. He empathized with me as he reminded me he has always treated me like his own daughter. He reassured me it will be OK.

I am depressed, anxious and scared about the entire process. I know it is not life threatening, but this is the front of my face and I am scared. Logically I know it has to be done, but my emotional response is one of fear. Have any of you experienced something similar????

Miracle

I'm finding this whole passage of time thing to be so strange. Yesterday, my son turned 8. I can't believe it! How can he possibly be 8 years old already??? How can it be that he will be in 3rd grade this September? I remember everything about the day he was born. I was induced, and Will and I drove to the hospital like it was no big deal. We were going to have a baby!

Now he is 8. From this point forward, it is all big - - life, school, activities, the attitude, interests, need for independence, need for mom, etc.

I look at pictures and remember every moment that is captured. I look at myself and think I look the same, but logically I know this isn't true. It can't be true! I see the gray hair starting. There are times I still find it odd that I am somebody's mom. Me! a mom!

I love this quote by Einstein because I believe my children are miracles. The entire process has been, and is, a miracle. Every day, I look at them both and am amazed. I need things to slow down so I can truly take it all in.

Brush Markers

I am loving the brush markers by Tombo (ABT). While we were on vacation, I drew a little and fell in love with these markers. The best part is that there is a blending marker that shades the colors! I drove out to Dick Blick to buy another blending marker and lots more colors. It also mixes and shades multiple colors together, giving you really cool effects. Here are two pieces I drew while the kids were watching TV after a day at the beach and pool. Now I have to figure out what I'm going to do with these and find the time to get my art mojo back. After so many days of not playing, I feel lost. I want to make journal pages, but am having a hard time starting. TIme to recharge and get inspired!