Winter Projects vs Summer Projects

I know its been slow around the ol' blog lately.  I've been working on OxfordHandmade and doing a lot of deep thinking about my future, oh and a lot of watching the entire series of How I Met Your Mother, but I digress...

The truth is, this warm winter weather has really upset our winter project schedule.  When Marco and I first moved into this house we had a lot of projects that we knew we needed/wanted to accomplish.  But to not be so overwhelmed and to help budget them out we put them in order of preference (or logic) and then ordered them again for each season. Until our list looked like this:

Summer projects:
Raised bed garden
French Drains
Deck
Workshop
Fence
Paint front door
Stain and seal porch/new deck
Flowerbeds
Update big bathroom

Winter projects:
Painting the living room, dining room, bed room, guest room, hallway, bathroom, kitchen
Remodel kitchen and laundry room/guest bathroom
Install built in bookshelves
Update light fixtures in dining room and hallway
Add ceiling fan in living room and/or update light
Add insulation to attic and winterize other areas in need
Have an energy audit
Install organization to kitchen cabinets


Now why would we want to separate the list into two parts for winter and summer?  That's easy.  No one wants to dig post holes for a fence when the ground is frozen and why would you want to be working inside on bookshelves when it's so nice and pretty outside?  Plus, this helps us prioritize and buy supplies bits at a time so we're not always storing loads of wood and materials.

Ok, that last part was a lie.  I'd take a picture of my backyard to prove we're still hoarding materials, but I'm too embarrassed, so you'll just have to trust me.

Anyhoo- the warm weather during winter working time is really messing up our schedule.  We're trying to accomplish more "summer" projects like working on our flower beds or finishing projects floating in our back yard instead of focusing on our built in bookshelves which are next on the list.  But the time has come the walrus said!  So here is an official before picture:

I just snapped it and uploaded it- no lighting, no care to clean up or move the cat out of the mirror.  That's a legit picture.  My best?  Nope.  But isn't that how before/afters work?  You take a really bad before and then a really, really nice after.

Here's hoping we can finish before it turns warm again- I have a lot of books that need new homes and a tv that needs to move out of the bedroom.  Who's up for painting 300 feet of shelving??

The Bandwagon

Alright.  I can admit it.  I jumped on the bandwagon and made my own laundry detergent.

And you know what?  It's not too bad.

I used a basic formula that is featured in several "green your home" type books and I washed two test loads- one general (socks, towels, t shirts) and one dirty (gardening socks, work pants, blue jeans).  I used WAY less than the suggested amount (because I feel like a cup of anything is a lot) and I gotta say I don't hate the results.

There are no strong perfumes from the type of detergent I made.  I did use Ivory soap which smelled very strong when I first chopped it up, but the clothes are virtually smell free.  But they are both good and bad smell free.  This was especially surprising with the dirty load since it smelled like sweat and compost going in.  I guess all of that baking soda worked.

I also decided early on to make a powdered soap, since I read that the "liquid" actually turns into more of a weird jelly substance and can actually mold if you don't use it fast enough.  No thank you.  The powder was easy to pour, mix, and contain.  The entire process took me maybe five minutes since I was extra careful pouring my powder into my recycled container.

Do I love it yet?  No.  I kind of miss that clean laundry smell.  Maybe I will add another bar of soap, or some essential oils... or maybe I just need to give it time and see if I change my mind.

Here is the super simple recipe I used.

4 parts baking soda- not washing soda (I'm planning to use washing soda in the next batch for a comparison)
3 parts Borax
2 parts Ivory soap grated (but if you just cut it with a knife, it tends to grate itself pretty easily.  Also, you can put it into a food processor and achieve the same results as well.)

Mix and use.  I used 1/4 cup for the regular load and 1/2 for the dirty stuff.

It obviously made 9 cups worth of detergent (4+3+2=9) so I will be trying it out for a while.  Hopefully by then I'll have a full report and a final verdict.

Who else is trying new things with laundry?  Anyone else still whipping out the clothes line in this 75* weather?  We are!  Let's gush!

Bottles: Phase Two

Slowly but surely we are inching towards finally finishing our first bottle boarder flower bed around the house- and you know what that means!  Almost time to start the second one...

But first things first.  When I last shared our bottle boarder update it looked like this:

Bottles a plenty, yes, but top soil, prettiness, weed control??  Not so much.  Well it was about time I did something about that.  So on top of adding another 18 bottles to the end of the line (still about 4 dozen short, just need to get out there and do that already!) I also installed some free weed control.

I had a bunch of newspaper left over from a recon I did for the neighborhood (you can read about that here at OxfordHandmade), so I unfolded it and laid it out over my flower bed.  I tore holes/left space so that my plants could peak through, but I covered the weeds with two solid layers.  I went back every few minutes and sprayed everything with water to help hold it down.  Soon, my flowerbeds looked like this:

Classy right?  Well I didn't intend for it to stay that way.  I've actually read about this process several times online and several people swear by it.  The newspaper is supposed to suppress the weeds, then break down and just become one with the earth.  I'm so tired of weeds choking up my flowers I'd try just about anything, and this idea was free and easy- I figured it was worth a shot.

Well I added my newspapers, sprayed them with water, and then waited around for Marco.  He had spent all morning going back and forth from our house to the "free mulch place."  This place is for real here in Oxford- and most towns and cities have similar set ups.  Basically, when the city cuts down branches or trees, either from storm damage or power line maintenance, they mulch them up and pile it high.  The mulch is free to get, it just takes a little muscle power and you have to bring your own containers.  Well we had plenty of containers, so six trips later, we had plenty of mulch.  One of those trips went straight onto my newspapers until the entire bed looked like this:

Huzza.  We buried just about everything in mulch. Most things had died for winter anyway, but if it was still kicking, we went back and unearthed it a little.  There was plenty of great topsoil already composted in there, and it will settle with rain and time.  Now we just have to wait for spring when we can pour on a few bags of garden soil, toss in some of our own worm compost and watch it grow!  

Who else is excited for spring planting already??

Winter Yard Work

I spent the first weekend of December in the traditional fashion- outside in a t shirt doing yard work.

In fact, we had one of the most productive yard work weekends of the year except for that time we dug up a 100 square foot raised garden bed, poured in a ton of soil, tilled it and planted our 75 baby plants... so we are felling really good about this one.

Our to do list looked like such:

1. Clean garden beds (which means remove all of the old plants that were still hanging around, clean out the netting that was holding them up, hoe the rows and level)
2. Stir compost (especially important after adding a ton of new material, like all of the stuff we got out of the garden)
3. Clean out potted plants (mostly on the front porch and in the front flower beds)
4. Clean up trash near the deck/air conditioner/pallet storage
5. Clean up the second dresser we found on the street (more about the dressers on OxfordHandmade)
6. Fix the second dresser we found on the street
7. Paint the second dresser we found on the street
8. Fix the stairs that lead to the deck (there was a weird mini step at the top and the bottom, we needed to fix that ASAP)
9. Mulch the flower beds in the front
10. Split and divide all of the mint/spearmint/peppermint that had outgrown their containers
11. Transplant thyme plants from their beginner planters to new big plant planters
12. Paint the newspaper stand that has been hanging around out backyard for months
13. Relocate newspaper stand to be better used by the community 
14. Work on bottle boarder in the front of the house (hopefully this project will be D-O-N-E soon!)
15. Take a nap

Well I can assure you all has been done except paint the dresser- which needs to be done soon because it's supposed to rain this afternoon.  So I'll be back all this week showing off sharing pictures  and taking about dirt.

And p.s. we also did this on Saturday:

Congratulations Marco and Audi on a wonderful race at the Santa Run in Tupelo!!

The Day the Worms Came

So.  I got another pet.

Well, technically, I got about 900 other pets.

900 worms to be exact.

I'm not even kidding.  I bought worms off the internet.  But not just any worms.  Oh no.  These are the goose that laid the golden egg kinda worms, except, replace goose with worms and egg with worm poop...

Perhaps I should explain further.

Worm castings, or "black gold" as some call it, are one of the best fertilizers and soil correction supplements around. They don't have to be trained.  They don't run away.  They make zero noise and produce no dander.  They require a little prep work, but after that you just feed them and keep them damp.  Then after a few months of eating, digesting and reproducing, you have yourself a nice amount of composted worm fertilizer.  What more could you ask for in a pet??

Alright, they don't wear sweaters... but you can't win'em all.

For anyone who may also be interested in the benefits of worms- whether for a garden or a classroom pet- here is how we started ours.

First we had to find a container to house the worms.  You can buy kits from several places online or your local garden center.  I'm cheap so I didn't do that.  I had this one laying around since I started our seeds last year.  It wasn't really the right size for the seeds, too deep and not large enough across the bottom, so I am using it for worms.

Then I added the bedding- that's shredded newspaper, some leaves from the yard and some garden soil- not potting soil, real live dirt.  It was hard to find real dirt and I was pretty upset about having to delegate some of our precious dirt to the worms, but I figure the return will be worth it.  **The lack of decent soil is why we got the worms.  We are trying to compost in as many ways as possible to try to correct our sandy, clay, soil.**

Then I put in some crushed, cooked egg shells.  We used the eggs for pasta so they were raw.  I had to cook them by putting them in water in the microwave for a few minutes, but this wasn't really a big of a deal.

I gave the box a gentle shake to mix the components.

And added my worms.

Let me tell you, it was super exciting.

** I had to do crazy things to the expose setting so you could actually see the worms in these pictures.  Please excuse.**

Then I left the box out in a sunny place in the house to encourage the worms to dig in.  They actually moved really fast and soon it just looked like dirt.

So now all I have to do is mist the soil every few days (damp, not wet) and feed them regularly   Red Wigglers (our worm breed) can eat about half their weight in food each day.  That means that the two pounds of worms we started with will need about a pound of food a day.  They can eat bread, fruits, veggies, egg shells, and sometimes coffee or tea bags.

Basically, about half of the food we throw into our regular composter will now be used to feed the worms.  The compost in the back is a fairly slow process because it is so large and we mostly use it for "big items" like leaves, grass, garden scraps and the unusable leftovers when we can.  The worms will take care of the smaller, day to day composting from cooking and cleaning out the fridge.

And in a few weeks we should be able to harvest our first worm castings!  Who's excited??  I'm not sure where we're going to put them... probably into the big composter actually.  But then straight into the garden!

Now who's ready to come watch these guys (and girls) go??  Anyone up for a worm party?

Roadside Surprise!

Picked this guy up off the side of the road today. Looks like it's going to be a good day!

What have you found for free lately?

Happy Holidays!

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday!  This morning I mentioned to Marco that I feel like we've been going for two solid weeks and then I realized that we have.

Not a lot of crafting or home making, but a lot of family and friends.

Between New York City, three Thanksgiving dinners, a wedding, a baby announcement (not ours), friends stopping by and preparing to do it all over again in the next few weeks, we're ready for a nice nap but that's what January is for right?

Here's to the holidays!  Hope they are happy for you and yours too!

**P.S.  Marco and I are running in the Santa Run in Tupelo on December 1st.  The money goes to Big Brothers Big Sisters and you get to run 3.1 miles while wearing a Santa hat and beard.  If you too would like to run- more info here at racesonline.com.**

All I Can Think About

My head is in about 29 places at once today.  I am really stretching my "making" muscles lately and trying to settle into a routine for day to day work.  But we leave for New York City on Thursday, so I am also trying to prepare for that.

I turned in my paperwork today to secure a booth at the art council's Holiday Art Market- so if you're into inexpensive, remade gifts this holiday season, make sure to come check us out at the Powerhouse from December 14 and 15th.

Plus, I restocked the Depot booth today to make sure I have plenty of variety and stock for while we are out of town.

AND I still need to clean some house, finish laundry, and pack for our trip.

So, you know, I'm updating my blog instead.

No, really,  I ran around all morning doing errands, finishing products, and preparing for my next two classes- one at the Lafayette County/Oxford Public Library, call to register and one for the art's council at the Powerhouse.  So I thought I'd share a quick (but apparently wordy) update on a few NYC packing tips I've come up with along the way.  Today I'm going to share my purse.  Is this stuff exciting or what?

Ohhh.  Ahhhh.  What I wanted to show, really, was the type of stuff I carry with me when we travel and how little stuff that is. Today, it's about what I carry on my person.  I have a nice, across-the-body style bag that I bought in Italy.  It's actually fairly small, so I have to really think about what I put in it, which is actually really, really important.

The boring stuff that I put inside?  Chapstick, my camera, bandaids, hand sanitizer...I had to buy a "travel" wallet to fit inside my smaller purse, that's the thing in the bottom right.  This wallet is thin, closes easily, and is leather- which means it creates friction when I remove it from my bag- or if it were to be removed by someone else... See where I'm going with that?

I also carry a  reusable, canvas bag (top right).  This idea came to me at 4 o'clock this morning.  When we travel, I always buy stuff and I always have to carry it in whatever plastic bag they give me.  Well, now at least I'm a little more prepared- a nice, not too big, bag with a decent shoulder strap that I can fit inside my purse until I need it.

Those orange things in the middle bottom?  Those are my hunter's hand warmers.  Honestly.  This morning I couldn't find them, and I started to panic just a little.  Having these things in my pockets make me a much easier travel companion.

And that's it!  I thought long and hard about taking a water bottle to carry, or if I thought I needed "more stuff."  But I don't.  Now I just have to figure out how I'm going to pack a carry on, and not check any luggage.  More details on that tomorrow!

Art in the Darndest Places

Before we moved, Marco and I went hunting for inexpensive furniture.  And low and behold, moving in May in a college town is a gold mine for inexpensive furniture.  Well, we scored (among lots of other things) this chair:

Is that a terrible picture?  Yes.  Moving on.

Well the cushion in that chair was terrible.  See how it bumps up there towards the back?  Well no amount of bouncing or shifting or dog hair could settle it down.  So I pulled out the cushion and replaced it with a square down pillow that was too firm for the bed.  It is MUCH better as a chair cushion.  And this is what I was left with:

Inspiring no?  Well I intended to tear it apart and use it for dog bed stuffing since someone and someone else refuse to share a dog bed unless forced.  And by forced I mean denied access into the bedroom and blocked from jumping onto the couch.  So I started pulling apart the old chair filler and this is what I found:

Springs!  No wonder it was as uncomfortable as all get out...  Well I gently pulled away the two layers of fluff and was left with a nice block of springs.  And a photo bomber who came by to judge.

After the Nooners judged and walked away, I was able to fall in love with my springs.  So I decided to hang them on the wall.  They remind me of the art in Boure, the huge pieces of woven cotton. I love those pieces, and now I have something much smaller and less expensive.

And in the name of keeping it real, this is actually what it looks like on the wall.  Looks like it's about time to start those built in book shelves eh??  Don't judge.  Focus on the art.

And that's how we roll in the D'Emidio/Sanford house.  Have you found any good art lately??

Happy Hanging!

I shared a business update over at Oxford Handmade today!  Things are finally moving along and I am so excited in my new business adventure.

With me being home so much these days I finally have a few hours each day to tackle some of the things on our "It's been nearly two years, surely we should have done that already" list.

Case in point:

I purchased this contraption a while back.  It was only $1.99 at Goodwill and it had the screws taped to it.  (That's what the tape is for on the left there.)  I immediately knew where we would use it and where I would put it and how it would work and what a wonderful purchase I was making.   And then it sat there.  On top of my dresser.  For a while.  Sure it was buried under clothes that I never folded, so I could have forgotten about it, but honestly, I knew it was there.  I knew it and I was just being lazy.  Well, look at me!  Lazy no more!

Bam!  I hung that sucker up in our guest bathroom/laundry room.  There is no way for me to take a decent picture with both the washer/dryer in the back ground and the new hanging thing, so you'll just have to trust me. This is the guest bathroom and behind the camera are the washer and dryer.

So what am I going to use it for?  Well doesn't my mock demonstration explain it perfectly?  When I am unloading the dryer (or the washer if items don't need to be dried- we are in sweater season) I can now hang up the clothes on this retractable metal arm.  No more hanging items on the door frame (where they do not fit) or the door knob (where only 3 items fit and then drag the ground) or around the guest room (where they block my chi when I am sewing).  Nope.  Now hanging clothes can hang nicely on this arm until I have completely unloaded the dryer.  This also prevents (as many) animal hairs from collecting on the items because I do not lay them on the bed while I fold them or put them away.  They are already hung and can go directly into the closet.

Is this a whole lot of words about the retractable arm in our new guest bathroom?  Yes?  That just proves how in love with it I am.  Happy Hanging y'all!!

Dear Vernooner: A Letter to Our Cat

Dear Vernooner,

It has been more than a month since I snuck off to find the most badass cat in the county and brought you home instead.  Sure, you ignored that mouse and could not have cared less about protecting me from that bug, and your instinct to kill that spider was overrun by your instinct to look up at me and demand more food... but you're a sweetheart and I love you.

Some people would be turned off by the way you drool when you purr, but I want you to know that even though Daddy and I have allocated "Nooners Napkins" to wipe your face like a baby, it is purely out of love.  The way you snuggle under my chin when I'm reading at night and the way you fit perfectly into the small of my back when I roll over to go to sleep... those moments are very special to Mommy.  And the way you climbed onto your Daddy's chest this morning for a little snuggle session and then sneezed in his mouth instead, that was also very very special to Mommy.

I am so glad that your big brother was able to get his shit in check and not eat you during that first week we brought you home.  Remember that epic face attack you two shared?  The one that left a giant scar across his nose that is just now healing but still hasn't regrown fur?  I think that moment specifically made all the difference.  So now when you rub against him or curl up on top of him to take a quick nap together, my insides get all warm and fuzzy.

I could continue to write more gushy stuff- about how all of your extra hair has re-awoken my passion for felting or how sweetly you leap into my arms for snuggles every time I bend down, even if I was just bending down to pick up something off the floor... but you are currently bellowing so loudly for breakfast that I am afraid you will wake the neighbors.  Thank you for picking me to be your mommy, and thank you for agreeing to give it a shot, even if we had two dogs who have never lived with a cat before, and super thank you for not throwing up that hairball on the bed this morning.  I am still sorry that my "remove the cat from the bed" maneuver was actually more of a "loft the cat across the room, curveball-style extraction" but I was concerned about the clean sheets I had just put on the bed not five minutes before.  Thank you for understanding.  Mommy loves you my lovely Grumpy Gills.

Weekend Outlook

This weekend I am hoping to get a little more work done on our median here in the neighborhood.  A few months ago I wrote a grant to help develop this:

That's our giant median in the middle of our community.  Notice that greenish grassish stuff?  That is probably the most green I've ever seen it.  I'm sure it's a trick of the light or something.

Anyhoo- I wrote the grant, we got it, and now we have some extra money to spend in order to make this space really nice.  We're already really close to finishing laying the stones we bought for our new patio.  And we've moved all of our recycled bricks for our new fire place and grill.  Very soon we will be installing a new bike rack and a bike storage area.  I am very, very excited to see these things coming together and I hope this weekend will be a great success.  Also, I'd like to have this entire project checked off my to-done list...

But since that picture isn't really inspiring- YET.  I thought I'd share another picture from last weekend.  This is part of Lake Saint Joseph in east Louisiana   Marco and I went down last Thursday to stay with some friends and enjoy a nice relaxing weekend.  This tiny part of the lake was the only picture I took in 4 days, but I think it makes up for all the ones I didn't.  

Happy Friday!

First Day Jitters

Today is the first day of my new job- that is to say, the job that I am creating minute by minute.  I have already spent a good part of the morning "setting up shop" and talking to friendly and helpful people at the Secretary of State.  My paper work is being filed as we speak and very, very soon we will be cooking with grease- as they say.

It still hasn't sunk in that my last day of "work" was yesterday.  Today doesn't feel any different.  Honestly?  It feels like a Saturday.  I ran errands this morning, worked on a few quick projects and cleaned a little house.  But now I'm settling into my to-do list and making plans for next week.  

It also hasn't sunk in that it's actually November 1st.  Halloween was fairly cool, but incredibly comfortable.  I was plenty comfortable walking down the street to the neighbors house with a bottle of wine- I didn't even wear a jacket.  Marco said he didn't think that was the way trick or treating worked, but what does he know?  They don't trick or treat in Italy.

Plus this morning I was responsible for cleaning up the remains of our summer garden.  I picked basil and rosemary and a few egg plants that were still hanging on- and about 4 more pounds of tomatoes.  We still have two plants loaded with green fruits, so we're paying extra close attention to them.  Today these are the last of our "old" plants.  November 1st and we're still making salsa- I could get used to this kind of lifestyle.

Save the Date

I am proud to announce that the classes I am teaching with the Arts Council have been set!  You can check out my dates and details across the top of the page under the Oxford Handmade tab. 

I am so very, very excited to get this party started and cannot wait to share these experiences.  I hope to see everyone there. Remember that classes are cheaper for Arts Council members and membership fees start at just $25 a year.

After October 31st I will also be available for individual sewing lessons.  New to sewing?  Have a specific project you'd like to work on?  Need help figuring out your machine?  I'd love to help.  You can email me at Stacey@madedem.com for more information.

I'll admit I'm terrified.  I'm terrified and excited and when I start directly thinking about this life change I start to feel a little bit woozy and the room spins... but I know that at the very, very bottom of the fear is the feeling that I am doing something which makes my soul sing.  I am listening to that voice who has been so angry and upset.

Twenty years from now you will regret the things you did not do, much more than the things you did. You know what I think?  That thing you've always wanted to do?  You should go do it too.

Thank you for coming along with me.

Saving Energy

I took these photos on my phone so I could upload them very quickly before work.  I am so proud of my solution I just had to share first thing this morning.  But sorry they are so bleached out- my model was feeling very needy this morning and refused to move to a better lit side of the room.

I refuse to turn on the heat.  I am not ready.  The house is not ready.  We have so much weatherizing to do and an energy audit to have.  So it's cold inside.  Actually, it's not that could.  It's chilly.  I wear socks, and for most of the day we aren't even home.  But the dogs are home and Cerulean is very sensitive.  I worry about my sweet, sensitive man getting cold because he does not have furry hairs like his sister.  So just now I was walking around the house getting ready to leave and I noticed his tiny body shivering, curled up on his dog bed.  Look at that face...

So I did what any mother would do.  I looked for a solution.  And I found one- a cashmere solution because that's how we roll in this house.  

I wish I could have stopped laughing long enough to take a video of his walking in his sweater before I rolled up the sleeves... but there is always tonight.  Anyway, he seems to tolerate it.  And if it keeps his warm while I leave the heat off for a few more days (my goal is no heat til November 1st), then it's a win/win.  Plus, look at that face in a sweater.  Yay autumn!

Going Through People's Trash

Alternatively titled:  Why Marco Says I Cannot be a Waste Management Worker, even though I think I would be really, really good at it.

Some of you know that I have addictions to things.  Some of you know that I inherited those addictions from you particularly (here's looking at you MOM, with those cardboard boxes hidden under the water bed when I was like 5 and me thinking "What a GREAT use of that space!!") But I have them nonetheless.

One of those things, that I may have briefly mentioned here and here and here, is that I love to collect trash.  I especially love if that trash is unusable and has fallen out of someone's car or been left on the side of the road, or is hidden behind a dumpster in fancy-pants Rome where my husband tries to excuse my behavior in Italian and I explain in English that these people don't know me and will never see me again but that I have only one chance at that ripped, possibly stained, blue, silk whatever-it-is and I'm taking it home with me to America... but I digress.

I love collecting trash.  I love it so much that I honestly looked into waste management as a career after college because I also love recycling and consumption control and all of those parts of it too... but I thought it was time that I actually shared my collection and collection strategies.  Especially since I just asked one of the biggest groups in Oxford for their stained and ruined sweaters- I thought I'd go into more detail.  (Hey ladies!  Welcome!)

This week (alone) I collected the following items.  They are listed by order of appearance and with notes on how I acquired them as well as ideas for how I might use them once I quit my job and collect trash full time (ha! Take that Marco!).

1.  One half of an entertainment center left on the side of the road in my neighborhood.  I drove by this entertainment center for five full days before I finally caved in and made Marco help bring it home.  I'd take a picture but it's dark outside... I think I may turn it into a play kitchen or a dress up area.  Or I may take it apart and use it in my bathroom or for a desk...

2.  Several cardboard food boxes.  I may have taken these out of a recycling bin on one of my runs.  They are pasta boxes with the little windows so you can see inside.  I love those boxes.  I think I am going to use them in the recycled scrapbooks I am putting together (and by putting together I of course mean "storing on my dining room table until I actually have time to sit down and assemble them).

3.  Stained sweaters and sheets from locals.  People BRING me trash.  I ask for it, and they bring it to me.  Y'all.  It's enough to make me consider staying at the library.  Sure I offered to let them come to my next Moms and Tots craft class for free (November 9th- easy and free (or almost free) ideas for gifts for the holidays, plus a hand poured candle craft), but the point is, they just bring me these amazing wool sweaters that have holes and stains or have been shrunk in the washing machine.  There are sheets that are ripped and stained and so worn in places you can actually see through them.  I love my patrons and my moms and tots.

4.  A door, complete with frame, for our new shed.  Y'all.  I went to see my therapist on Tuesday and there were three doors by the dumpster.  I was like "Hey girl, hang on, I have got to call my husband." and in like 10 minutes, one of those doors (someone said we only needed one...) was ours.  Went to Home Depot tonight, so I could truly gloat, and it turns out that I just saved us $113.  So Marco bought me mums.  Score!

5.  Several (ahem) pallets.  After Marco picked up the free door from outside my therapist's office, I went to therapy and came out... and there were still pallets sitting there.  Free pallets that no one was going to take home.  Pallets that had not been rained on or broken or spray painted.  I loaded those babies up and brought'em home.  Unloaded them and hid them under the deck.

6.  And finally, a broken wrought iron style door that has been broken in half.  Saw it on the side of the road this morning and just could not help myself.  It was broken in half so I could easily fit it in my car.  It has pretty scroll details that don't match a thing in my house.  There was no door knob and the hinges may give me lockjaw... I would have punched someone in the face if they had tried to take that door away from me.  I have visions of using it for our gate for the fence, or a sculpture installation   Maybe a headboard of some kind... or a water feature somehow.

And it's only Wednesday. Who knows what I'll find this weekend... but I'll be sure to let you know, and take pictures when I finally have a chance to get started.

Boarder Project

Part of the fun of working from home is the ability to focus more on our home and homelife.  I started this project in my mind a few months ago and I am so excited to finally see it starting to take shape.  It has taken a while to collect the necessary materials, but I think the overall effect is going to be really charming. 

This is what we started with:

See how square and sharp and angular everything looks?  The windows, the house, the driveway, the boarders, the stairs, the porch... so many squares and sharp angles.  I wanted something to soften up the look and I really wanted bigger flower beds.  We thought three feet deep would do it, but I have really taken to collecting plants from friends and family so I quickly found that we would need MUCH more room.  Plus, the flowers help soften those angles as well and break up the "white space" of the house.

So I started with preparing my materials for my makeover.  Which basically meant I looked like an addict for a few days while everything soaked and then got scraped and then dried.

Just FYI:  New cat litter plus drying bottles makes for a really messy bathroom.

Then I had to plan my new curvy outline.  I just used water hose and guestimated where I thought I'd want my new flowerbeds to go.

Soon it was time to start digging.  I had planned on trying out several methods to find the "perfect" method. I thought I'd scrape off the topsoil (what little there was) and move it to where we needed it.  Look!  Recycling! Saving! Gardening and stuff!  But what I actually did was call my Daddy.  He brought over his mini tiller and we tilled the line twice, then used a shovel to brake the soil up a little bit more.  We actually only did this "break up the soil more" step on only have of the new line and I wish we had done it the whole line.   There are a few bottles I need to adjust and that extra step really was worth it.

I wish I had photos of the ditch, but I don't.  I was too busy laying out bottles.  Sorry.  And I don't have big reveal pictures either because it turns out- we were short about 40 bottles.  But I can show you an in-progress sneak peak!

Oooohhhh.  Curvy.  Bottle-y.  A little bit messy.  But getting so much closer!  I just hope we get a few more warmer evenings so I can finish it and share.  So if you're into wine, and you happen to have a few green/brown/blue bottles hanging around... I'd be glad to take them off your hands.

Anyone else making the neighbors worry?  Or calling in reinforcements to help dig up trenches?  Anyone else get into all kinds of trouble when their husbands are away for work??

I'm Coming Up

Well.  It's October and that means my final countdown has begun.  Plus it's time to make a few big announcements.  No Mom, I'm not pregnant.

First, I will be leaving the public library at the end of the month.  I both incredibly sad and wonderfully excited.  I have made a wonderful home at the Lafayette County and Oxford Public Library.  They have taken care of me through college, my dad's surgery, a tremendous break up, a house buying, a wedding and now the begging of my next big adventure.

What am I going to do instead?  Well craft of course!  I am hooking up with the Yoknapatawpha Arts Council and our local Moms and Tots groups in order to start teaching at least two sewing/making/creating classes a month.  I could not be more excited to hoard supplies, build lesson plans, create templates and directions, and get out there with the community I love so much.  I am very excited to continue to build on the relationships that the library has provided me, but in new and exciting ways.  I do not have final dates for my classes yet, but I do have a monthly list of what they will be at the top of my blog.  If you are interested in joining us for a class, but the date is not set yet, please email me and I will add you to my list serve.  That way I can notify you when dates are released.  Also- and this is not a plug, but actual advice- I would highly suggest anyone who in interested in joining my YAC classes at the Powerhouse to join the Arts Council.  You will save $5-$10 off each class.  So you're $25 donation will pay for itself after only three classes, plus you get on the Arts Council mailing list, and you save on ALL of the other stuff the Arts Council does too.  It's worth it for the "savings" and for the cause- 100% of your donation goes to help provide more art in Oxford.

To sign up to be a member with the Yoknapatawpha Arts Council click here.

And finally, I am beginning on another big adventure.  I am starting my own business.  We're still hashing out details, like the name, but it will ultimately be a subscription service for a handmade project every two months.  It works like this- every two months, starting in January, you will receive in the mail a box of stuff.  Basically, all the supplies, directions, templates, and suggestions to create something by hand.  There is everything from basic book binding to wax seals to mini woven patches and more.  The projects are gender neutral- but you can obviously girly-fy anything with a little glitter.

People will be able to purchase the subscriptions per year (6 boxes plus two wild card boxes that will be surprises and full of extra stuff) or by month.   Individual boxes can be purchased from the Powerhouse or by contacting me online.  Boxes can be mailed to anywhere in the continental United States and would make great gifts for the upcoming season- PLUS we have just decided to do Boxes of Boxes as well.  Know a group who would enjoy the boxes?  We can put together a Big Box full of small boxes at a discounted rate.  This would be great for church groups, mom's groups, casual groups- whatever.

The best part about this entire adventure is that I will be the boss of it.  So if you have an idea or suggestion or request (more glitter! more upcycled!) I can make that happen!  I am so excited to get started that I have actually created an extra, bonus box to go out on November 1st.  I will be using this box (it will actually be an envelope, go figure) to help promote this new venture and there will be a limited number created.  However, if you want to be a guinea pig and try out this new product for FREE, I am giving away 5 November boxes in the upcoming weeks.  You'll have to keep checking in to see how you can enter for a chance to win yours.

So you see, I am going to be busy and growing and fulfilling that voice that keeps screaming my name.  I am not waiting for my ship to come in, I'm going out to meet it.  Smooth seas never made a seasoned sailor.  Carpe Diem!  And all of that stuff.  I'm scared out of my mind and I am sure that very, very soon I will miss a steady paycheck, but you know, if you wait until the perfect time to do something, you'll never do anything.

I want to thank all of you for coming along on this journey with me and for supporting me this entire time.  When I do finally start working from home full time I have big plans for this blog and will honestly be updating more regularly.  But I hope to see you at my classes, or on my list serve.  And I hope you stop by the Powerhouse and check out my Art Boxes (or Monthly Make boxes, or Made by Mail boxes or whatever we decide to call them).

It's going to be a wild ride, here's to a good time!

No I am not a tree

(Source: Here)

I find myself thinking this over and over and over all day.  I am not a tree.  I am not a tree.  I have a voice. I am not a tree.  I have options.  I am not a tree.  I have goals and abilities and friends and partners and choices.  I am not a tree.

So I am making those changes that my voice keeps whispering.  I am taking control of my body.  I am not waiting for my ship to come in- I am rowing out and meeting it.  I'd love for you to come along.  I'll be sharing the journey and posting the pictures.  If you want to join me for cheaper- and desire a little tease before the big reveal- you can become a member of the Yoknapatawpha Arts Council here.

I am choosing my family, my community and my passions.  I am choosing to let go of things that I cannot control.  I am choosing to live intentionally, peacefully, completely.  I have more choices to make and mistakes to overcome- but I am grateful to have those options.  I am not a tree.

Headband Class

A few weeks ago I taught a class for our local Moms and Tots group.  It was a really great group of ladies and we enjoyed talking so much the evening lasted much longer than anticipated- but it was a wonderful time.  We made little beaded rings that I've been making since high school and everyone went home with a new gem to show off.

Well it was such a hit that I was more than excited to go back this month and teach another class for them.  This time we'll be making simple ribbon headbands with felt embellishments.  I feel really ahead of my game this time because I've actually completed the examples and have taken a few pictures to share!  I will post a tutorial after the class- it's so simple it doesn't even need one- for anyone who can't make it.   

If you are interested in attending this class- it's going to be a good one.  We're going to pair this craft with a budgeting class so you get a little something to think about, and a little something to do with your hands- the perfect combo in my opinion.

For more info- or to RSVP- head on over here and check it out.

Get Control of Yourself

As I prepare myself for the responsibility of actively teaching others, I am going to try to share some things that have been taught to me more recently.  

A few weeks ago Marco and I were invited to an adult birthday party.  It has party hats and balloons, but there were dirty words on those hats and balloons, so that made it adult.  Also there was beer- and adults.

The birthday boy is actually the husband/father of some ladies who are very, very special to me.  So special in fact, that right now I'm thinking about not seeing them three times a week when I do eventually leave the library and I'm getting a little weepy.  So special that this is one of my favorite pictures from my wedding:

I love that picture and I love that bunny in that picture.  She is cheesing it up in that picture but I still love her and that smile and how she ended up eating most of my nachos that you see to the side there...

Anyhoo- at this birthday party, that little bunny was running around like, well, a bunny.  A bunny on crack.  And you know what her mother said to her?  Her mother told her to sit down, cross her legs, put her hands on her knees and take control of her body.  And she did.

My bunny's momma didn't know it then (though she will now- hey girl!) but that moment taught me more than I could learn from any Mommy Blog or book or therapy session.  She treated that bunny like a person- not a child to be coddled, or an inferior who needed things explained to her... but as a person who was capable of controlling herself through awareness.  And the awareness thing- whoa.  In that moment I realized that I could probably use some more awareness myself.  Awareness of my own body and my own thoughts and those whispers in my soul that have been so long ignored.  

So when I find the panic climbing up my throat or the backs of my knees start to feel weak- I sit down, cross my legs, put my hands on my knees and get control of my body.  I ask my body what it's looking for- what is it afraid of?  I ask the whispers to speak a little louder, I'm still practicing.  I pace my breathing, it doesn't pace me.  And then I thank the universe for the people who unknowingly have given me so much.

Alone-ness and Guilty Pleasures

Marco left for another research cruise yesterday and while I miss him and I count down the minutes until he returns, I do (eventually) enjoy my alone time in the house.  Several years ago an "alone" week like this would have sent me spiraling into a black hole of panic and despair.  And it has been no easy journey learning how to enjoy my aloneness- but I am getting there.  Since people are always asking me how I deal with being in the house by myself (with only two crazy beasts for background noise) I thought I'd share a little bit of my technique (because that's what it is) here.

I always start by planning out my meals.  If it's just me in the house I'm much more liable to settle for nachos every night or a pot of tea and some cookies.  So the first thing I do when I know a period of "oneness" is coming up, is to make sure there is food that I can/will/like to eat in the house.  I like to do either very simple things (grilled cheese sandwiches with tomato) or really complex things (lasagna).  The simple things are easy to do quickly and clean up, the bigger things I can make once and then eat it for three days.  Once I get a food plan, I start to feel a little better because I get to eat things that Marco may not always enjoy for three days in a row... For me, grilled cheese sandwiches and nachos are supreme guilty pleasures but I try to make sure I get real ingredients into both of them so that I'm not too guilty.

I also make sure that I dress to kill the entire time.  It is so easy to not shave for an entire week or just let laundry pile up... but just like when I make myself plan out my meals, planning out my clothes helps too.  I plan to wear clothes that make me feel good and confident (thanks to that recent closet purge, that's all of them) and clothes that require some bodily upkeep too- like shaving and toe nail painting.  It's like being at a spa!  But cheaper because it's at my house.  And when it's just me, and I know what's for dinner and I know that no one else is wanting to use the bathroom- I can take that extra long shower, use my facial hair bleach and push back my cuticles without revealing too many secrets.

But most importantly for me, I have learned to develop projects.  Sometimes these are secret projects- like painting the bathroom or decorating our porch, but sometimes these are general projects like deep cleaning the floors or purging the craft room.  I pick up books that I want to read- and I read them without feeling like I'm ignoring anyone.  I take the dogs on walks and think about how grateful I am that Marco usually takes the first walk of the day.  I don't schedule every second of my time, but I like knowing that I have things to do.  It keeps me from feeling bored which usually ends up in impulse buying or anxiety.  And when Marco comes home he can oohh and ahh over whatever I've been able to accomplish.  Now that's a good thing.

Anyone else have long stretches of one-ness?  Anyone wish they HAD some one-ness?

Trying Something New

In the last 18 months, Marco and I bought a house, got married and decided it's time for me to make a career change.  What's that?  The career change?  I hadn't mentioned it?

That's probably because I'm still not sure what it is, but I know what it feels like.  It feels different than right now.  Right now I'm not in a good place.  I'm actually in a dark place.  A dark place that used to feel very familiar and friendly has not become stagnant and painful.  So it's time to move on.  I cannot say exactly what I'm moving on to yet, but I can say that I'm starting to figure it out.  

The first thing I've figured out is that I need to start putting into practice more of the things I enjoy, like sewing and socializing.  So I'm heading up a few classes over the next few months and will be keeping up with them via this blog.  I've also decided that if enough people suggest something, maybe you should give it a try, so I am working on a little Closet Reconstruction project too.  Maybe something will stick, or maybe I'll just continue to learn about myself.  Either way, it's going to be great- I can already tell.

Still Ridin' That Train

So maybe I fell off the bloggin' waggin' there for a few weeks.  I've been busy.  Well, maybe busy is not the right word, but right now it's the best word for this space.  I've been busy and we've been busy.

One thing that has kept me busy over the last two weeks, since our yard sale, is the realization that even after we got rid of SO MUCH STUFF, we've still got a lot of stuff left.  Stuff that is taking up space where stuff we love should go.  Stuff that I feel "eh" about is in front of stuff that I want to grab if the house catches on fire.  Some of this stuff was transitional stuff  (that's what I could afford at the time) or trendy stuff (a whim, a sale, a deal) or one day stuff (projects that I'll never finish, saving this for my [already passed] wedding day, Christmas gifts).  Basically, there still a lot of stuff that needs to be sorted.

Physical and emotional stuff.

So I've spent the last two weeks being busy and starting to work on the best ways to sort through the stuff.  My first step has been for Marco and I to get back to our priorities.  We have already shared some of our goals for this new house/life together, but priorities are different.  Priorities are goals more than "to do"s and sometimes they get shifted or changed, so this has been a great time for us to reorganize our goals, share them with each other and make sure we are on the right tracks.

I am sharing my priorities here, in this space, because I think that sometimes the stress/panic we feel in day to day life is directly related to the variance between what we want to spend time on (our priorities) and what we actually spend time on (other people's priorities).  Sometimes just taking that step back and saying "Ok, now wait a minute, what are MY proprieties in this situation and how can I make sure my needs are being met?" will help us to refocus and become more productive.

So without further ado:  because this post is already super wordy and philosophical.  My personal priorities and the priorities of our house- Marco can share his own one day if he feels like it.

My priorities:  My husband and our dogs- health, home and happiness; our food- where it comes from and how it is prepared; our home- how it is cared for, maintained, and resale value (I know, I know, live in the moment, but if I'm being honest, I worry about resale a lot and I might as well own up to it); debt repayment- mostly student loans; our community- developing a stronger sense of community and neighborhood projects.  And the list goes down from there..

Our house's priorities:  Family health- skin infections for the dogs, anxiety and work pressure for us;  Project completion- we still have several phases of projects and we'd like to get more of them checked off now that the 100*+ weather has broken; settling down- creating routines, hanging pictures, building the life we want.

You'll notice that there are few house priorities- that's because the three that are listed are big ones.  Those "projects" we want to finish are everything from "recover the couch" to "build a shed" to "fence back yard" to "strip paint off every hinge/doorknob in the house."

But how will these lists help us in the future?  Right now when making decisions, purchases, life changes, we are asking ourselves, "Will this help us to finish projects, become healthier, or settle in?"  If the answer is no, then we make a different decision.  Plus, it's nice to know we are both on the same page on different topics- health and food and money being the big three.

And now back to making some of those priorities physical projects- starting with staining our new deck.  Pictures soon.

On The Clock

I didn't have to go to work on Friday because I had to go to a Staff Development day instead.  If you have ever had the pleasure of having your staff developed, you can imagine how it was.  In fact, I'm sure Staff Development days everywhere are basically the same... no one wants to be there, the seats are uncomfortable and inevitably there are always people who have tons of questions for each speaker.  *When in Staff Development, the answer to "Does anyone have any questions?" is ALWAYS "No."*

Anyhoo- right after our lunch break we were treated to a nice Sit and Be Fit lesson.  I don't know which branches get the luxury of sitting during the day but I can say for certain that we are not one of them.  But the lady who led the demonstration was really cute and spunky, and her calves were fantastic. 

First she led us through the basic arm stretches and calf pumps ("Tap it, tap it, tap it.  Why is the back giggling?") but my favorite part was when we all got together as a group and squeezed our butt cheeks together in hopes of lifting ourselves off our chairs.  Me, my boss, my co workers with beards, everyone was engaging his/her butt muscles in unison. She kept yelling "SQUEEZE" and the entire room would lift up.   It was like some kind of Whack-A-Mole game meets Richard Simmons... 

And that is how I bonded with my co workers on Friday.  

I was sore the next day, so it must have worked.  Touche Staff Development day, touche.

Since Sliced Bread

I know that I didn't invent the "broccoli salad" but some nights I sure feel like it. We are trying to eat more of our vitamins and minerals (as apposed to simply taking them in pill form in the morning) so we have swapped lettuce for broccoli in 90% of our salads. I make a great dressing with it too.

Out broccoli dressing is super simple. I pour it into an empty canning jar, or salsa jar, or olive oil bottle and just shake it before we serve it. Below is a list of what I put in it. Notice these are not exact measurements. You really can't screw it up so don't worry too much..

Equal parts olive oil and apple cider vinegar (usually I make about a cup total)
Some sugar (eh... A tablespoon?)
Salt and pepper (2 teaspoons-ish)
Oregano and parsley (a teaspoon each)
Tony checker's seasoning (we like a lot, but it's kinda spicy... So start with a tablespoon, you can always add)

Shake and pour! Yay veggies! And vitamins!

Just Feel Like Sharing

I was going through our digital photos and deciding what to have printed when I came across this picture from our wedding day. I love this picture for so many reasons. It is completely candid and truly captures our honest feelings on our faces and it is a reminder of how much our friends and family love us. Laura Beth snuck everyone those flower petals and they had this whole exit planned out. I never saw it coming...

What a wonderful reminder as to what beautiful things can happen when you trust your friends to take care of you.

I just felt like sharing that today.

Just a Little Better

It's not every day that the library assistants get to let off a little steam towards the rude and thoughtless behavior we see every day. But when we do, we do it well.

Too Much Stuff

I suffer from two very different but very terrible illnesses.

The first is my overwhelming addiction to yard sales and Goodwill and other people's trash.  True story: I can (and have) scale a full sized dumpster with no ladder and remove a half broken full sized dresser, by myself, in less than 3 minutes.  I love the thrill of the hunt and the dealing and the stories behind vintage/antique items.  I love it, and the amount of stuff in my house is proof of that love.

My second illness is my equally overwhelming habit to declare "TOO MUCH STUFF" and decide that I don't really love any of it.  I have been working on limiting my intake of possessions, saving time and space and money for items that I will love forever (my green velvet chair, my chifferobe, my Cheezburger painting).  It takes practice.  I still find myself looking at items I've brought home and think "hm.  Could have lived without that actually." But at least I'm trying.

So right now the too much stuff side of me is winning- hard.  And Marco and I are preparing for our first yard sale since moving into this house.  We had a half attempt yard sale before we moved in over a year ago, but that was ill planed and only half heart felt.  This time I'm being ruthless.  I'm cutting from the bone.  I'm cleaning out my fabric stash!  Y'all.  Bags and bags of fabric stash.  That's how you know it's serious.  But we're going through closets too.  And boxes we never unpacked.  And emptying corners of the house that collect dust.  And going through things that's we've put up "in storage."  Our "work in progress" philosophy is "If I can't enjoy it all the time, then why do I own it?"  Nothing is in long term storage.  Nothing is hidden away without a proper home.  Everything has been used at least 3 times the last year.  And everything else is getting put in the yard for others to fight over.

Now we're still working on our different pricing strategies, one of us correctly wants stuff to move and therefore puts realistic prices, and the other wants to haggle and get the best deal ever so he puts higher prices with wiggle room.  This is also a work in progress.  But come Saturday, we'll have gotten there somehow.

Oh, and if you're looking for pre-lit Christmas trees or an elliptical machine, televisions (from a former roommate), ironing board, craft stuff (lots of fabric), plastic shelving, a movable closet rack, tv trays (lots of tv trays) or other household goodies, stop on by.  We'll be here Saturday morning and ready to play Let's Make a Deal.

Wearing Re-made

This is one of the dresses that I made from an XL maxi skirt. I had originally planned to replace the wide elastic and make it a baby doll style dress, but I just gathered and stitched the casing instead.

Wearing What You've Got

You know that thing where you are supposed to turn your hangers backwards and then when you wear an item and put it back in the closet (which I rarely do btw, drives Marco crazy), you hang it back properly.  Then at the end of the year you see what you actually wore and didn't wear and you donate the rest?  Well I've been sorta doing the same thing except I already know exactly what I do and don't wear and why that happens.  

Actually, I knew when we moved a year ago what I did and didn't wear.  Moving 3 times in 2 years will get you up close and personal with all of your belongings.  So a few months ago I started a pile.  I like piles.  Anyhoo- a pile of clothes that I didn't wear for particular reasons but that I held onto for particular reasons.  Things that went into this pile:  dresses meant for 17 year olds, which I am not, but had pretty fabric or patterns; dresses that needed shortening or taking in or dyeing; pants that needed to be hemmed or dyed etc.  All of these items has been kept out of the donate pile for years so there was something I liked about them, but something that made them unwearable as well.  

So I took a look at that pile again tonight and started making smaller piles- hemming, dyeing, taking in,  painting (ahem: stain covering) and so forth.  And you know what?  In less than 2 hours I had a whole new pile- new to me clothes back in my closet and ready to wear.  Some dresses became skirts, some skirts became better skirts, pants became shorts or shorter pants... it worked out great.  And it didn't cost me a dime.  Now that's my kind of project.

Making Babies

No Mom. Not those babies.

The garden is really taking off and we could not be more excited. The tomatoes are loaded down and the cucumbers are creeping along nicely. It will be pesto time soon and our peppers are looking fantastic too. It's hard to remember our yard a year ago when we moved in, but I hope to post a before/after update soon. Until then we're going to just keep on growing and enjoying the green.

Oh. By the way, I planted this gourd in the front of the house a few months ago. There were times when it had no leaves and I had moved on with my life, convinced it was dead.

Not dead. And yes, it is trying to grow into the gutters on top of the doorway.

Ask and ye shall receive

I was going to pay the electric bill this morning before work and was wondering out loud what type of project I should do while Marco is away on his research cruise. When all if a sudden I happened upon this.

Yay for free furniture (ants and chewed gum and some random accessories too)! And a big ole thank you to the 6 cars who stopped to ask if I needed help loading it in my car.

Just for the record I could have managed on my own, but the help was welcome.

Adding to the Walls

I have been in a state of re-doing.  Maybe that will account for my absense on my blog and my presence in my own life, but I hope to start making up for it soon.

I thought I'd start with this new find.  Well, new to me.  I've been trying to find ways to actually get our bedroom to a more finished state.  You know, away from "We just moved into our new house!  This stuff goes HERE!" and closer to "Look how nice that looks!" I've been looking for some art work to help get that ball rolling and happened upon society6.com.  I love a nice, small time artist and a nice small time price tag so I've been allowing myself a lot of window shopping.  Here are my top choices for our new bedroom.

Medusozoa by Edwardblakeedwards

I love the black and whiteness of this print.  I also love jelly fish.  I think I would actually frame it vertically, but I do love the composition of it horizontially too.  I really don't see this as as a starting point for a new bedroom though.  Maybe later, but not first.

Rabbit by Carrie Booth

It's a rabbit.  And it's blue.  I think it is perfect.  But again, I'm not sure if this is a great starter picture. 

Untitled (landscape) by Tchmo

Actually, I'd take just about anything from this artist.  Like this, or this or this too.  I love the colors and the texture, even if this is only a print.  There may be too many colors to chose from?  Or much busy for a room that I want to feel cozy and relaxed.  Maybe a wide mat and simple frame will help contain the motion...


My Bologna has a First Name by David Schwin

I may need this one just because.  No color inspiration, just a good time.

And finally, Fractal Dandelion by Mark Nelson.

I really love this one.  I think it has wonderful colors and some great texture.  Nice and soothing but still plenty of detail.

Very interesting.