WHEN IT RAINS......................................

Last week was just one of those weeks......one thing after another!! 

First, I was working in my studio... for a change... and was singing along and heard this 'beep beep beeep' noise from the computer........like when something sits on it or the cat walks across it and it stands on one key.

I looked over to tell the cat to get off and much to my shock  I see my WATER bottle glug glugging all over my open laptop!!!    I had knocked it off without realizing it.

My laptop sits on a lower table than my main working table.  I grabbed it up and drained as much water out as possible.  I called the geek squad at Best Buy and they said to take a hair dryer set on cool and see if  that would help dry up the water.............................don't try it ...........it doesn't work.   The computer went black and would not even turn on.  

I went out to see my honey. very sad face on,  and I was SAD and P'OD at myself.  I love my computer.

He looked at me and said  'What's wrong?"  me said "I just fried my computer with a bottle of water."

"oh  no!!"   Oh yeaah"

What a sweetheart.  He said' let's take it over to the Office and see if they can help'.

Definitely deep fried.........John told the tech I thought it was thirsty an gave it a drink.  I think she thought we were both nuts but that's okay.

I only have a thousand or so pics on there so have to take it in to get them removed....

IN the meantime.................we bought a new laptop for me. 

Thank you sweet John!!!

I have a larger screen and windows 7 so am up to date on that.

I am having fun figuring out the stuff on the computer.

The very next day I dropped my small digital camera and it broke!!

Aye yi!  So I took it into the same store.  Thankfully I had a warranty.

The tech said   'oh did you decide to bathe this one?' HA 

smiling  here

My warranty provided me with a new camera to take the following pics.

that's number two.

John said to me   I hope this isn't where things come in threes!"

But alas  it certainly was!!!

Saturday night I decided to go down the stairs to see my honey.  I usually have to scoot up and down on my butt if there are more than a few.  So am trying to get in that mode when my rsd knee gives out and I fall forward and down the stairs I go hitting my chest and knees all the way down.

I could hear John running across the family room yellling  OH NO NO NO!!!

When I reached the bottom I was in shock and the adrenaline was covering the pain.

We weren't sure how we were going to get me up the stairs----John ran to a neighbor to get him and they both decided to call 911.  Then John put a folded towel around my neck and taped it in place to keep my neck immobile.

The first to show up was the local fire dept and their EMTS.

Three very cute young men..........probably all my son's age.

They were very professional and did their job well.  I said john look at all these cute guys  you should take a picture for the 'girls'...........He was embarassed to and didn't think it was ethical so we didn't.

But i thought there was definitely something wrong with the picture---nice looking young men and ME an overweight 60 yr old!!!

The first thing they did was put me on this back board and neck brace then did the fireman carry up the stairs.

Our stairs are narrow--older house----and they would have to navigate a sharp corner at the top.

Now I am on the gurney(stretcher) and off we go.  Comb my hair honey? HA

Here is my carriage.....waiting for me!!  Thank you Patrick emt with the ambulance for being so nice.

They run the lights over head the entire way and it has NO SHOCKS

Take a breath in.....HOLD IT......................breathe

Peek a boo!!!!  The adrenaline is starting to wear off and I hurt here and over here and down here and on my!!

My loving Knight---SIR JOHN

I am ever so blessed

Talking about what is going on!

Epilogue:

No broken bones...........multiple strains, aches, and bruises.

I have spent the last few days laying around sleeping and reading and sleeping with the muscle relaxants.

I have been thinking about how blessed I am with John and my family, our caring neighbors,

living where medical treatment is right around the corner and pills to make the pain less!! HEE HEE

MERRY MONDAY

Today's activity was ASSEMBLAGE ART.  I am known for walking with my head down, scouring the ground or haunting thrift stores for ''found objects' to be reused in my art or for the kids.  

They were all excited to do this project.  I surprise them every week with something different and always try to make it interesting so they want to return.

I brought out  some of my containers of 'stuff'.  The only rule was to use one doll head.(I was lucky to get a large jarful at a garage sale for a nickel a head---wooohooooo!)

The rest of their body had to be composed of other 'objects'.  I  also had a jar of plastic arms

they could use.  They were not to copy anyone else but to use their imagination when diving into the 'stuff'.

The jar of doll heads, wire cutters etc

I love to see their creativity 'unfold'

Mikey is almost 4 and is my little "bud"  he comes with his big sister when his momma is at work.

He picked out the parts he wanted to use and his sissy helped him glue them together.  He was so proud of himself!!  He was done an hour before anyone else.

This one is on a stick and wrapped in lace.

This one was mounted on a stick and inserted into a bejeweled candle holder and adorned with fabric

and lace.

Mikey's big sis---did a great job using different 'stuff'

C here is usually the slowest one--today she made two 'dolls'

one starring in a horror movie on the left and the one on the right is talking to her boyfriend

smiling here

                                                       another cute use of 'stuff'
I didn't get all the pictures taken..........a lot of the girls were leaving while I was helping some still attach parts. 
I am always worn out after they leave so try to have leftovers for dinner.....  Or something in the crockpot.

I sincerely hope each of you has a child in your life who loves to create art in any form.

AND THE WINNERS ARE..............................................

Of course I am a day late...........due to technical difficulties and the fact I was not home all day yesterday!!

But the randomly drawn winners are..............drum roll please...............................

This little cutie.....We all NEEDLE little love..............flies off to DIANA  of  Energize your Creativity

This fairy "The Mixer of Enchantment" will be stirring up a lot of mischief at DONNA'S house. Donna

does not have a blog due to arthritis.

                          This  little fairy is raring to go!  Have You Kissed a FROG today is flying off to finishing
                                       school in England.  Her Headmistress is Dawn of  My Thoughts My Life My Art

THANK YOU SO MUCH TO EVERYONE WHO VISITED ME AND LEFT SUCH NICE COMMENTS!!!  Please come  back and visit often.........

MERRY MONDAY--a little late

Good Morning!!  Every Monday here is MERRY MONDAY---I am just a little late posting.

  The kids  range in age from  5 to 13  and show up immediately after school.  I find myself repeating the same mantra I do every week: "Please wash your hands before touching the food."  ".)

I thought I would surprise them with a little Valentine  table.  Each week someone shows up with treats or something to drink.  I always throw in a protein of some type.

After the snack is finished (ahem when are kids ever done snacking?) we get down to business.

I have a general 'theme', throw supplies on the table, and let them do their thing.

I have learned, thru past experiences of taking my own art classes, to let their muse take them on their own journey.

I collected  candy heart boxes and we always draw numbers so kids can choose.

I had imagined the girls would collage the fronts of the boxes but it went inside as well.

Here is one top of the box and another inside design in progress.

I collect supplies at garage sales and thrift stores and never turn down donations.

The kids pay nothing...they just need to show up.

This is for an older brother  who is in college.

This is for MOM

Another MOM will smile opening this.

Or this............................

                                        A favorite teacher receives a lot of art from one smitten little girl!!!

I am so blessed to have these young budding artists in my care.  It is so life affirming for me!
I also know the kids always have a 'safe' place when needed.

I HOPE EACH AND EVERYONE OF YOU HAS A CHANCE TO SHARE YOUR ART WITH A LITTLE ONE.

VALENTINE GOODNESS

Last month I entered an art swap through the group alteredart.

There were 14 of us from everywhere!!  These are the ornaments

I received.

This is the ornament I sent.  I took a small plastic type heart then accordian pleated vintage wallpaper strips around it.  The pink  ribbon draping was spontaneous and I had this vintage looking jewelry and small sprays of white beads.  I cut out dictionary definitions from an old dictionary. I had no real plan when I sat down but knew I wanted it to look victorian

This gorgeous heart was crafted by ANGIE It is flat and the picture of the couple is perfect to depict romance. the ribbon trim really adds flair.

You can jump over to her site to catch sight of her other work

This paper heart is made with some sort of gluing process and  covered with a sheer tulle  and holds in the definition and love and hearts

then machine stitched in a circular motion.   It is made by SANDEE   she explains in detail the process

this is made by martha and is another gorgeous heart done with fabric paper and sewing and stuffed!

Tamara  made this lovely.  It is so old fashioned and the ribbon skirt is too sweet. Even my little girls loved her.

This beauty was made by Theresa--it is covered in wonderful fabric.  She put our names in the rusted heart down below the tag.

This pretty hand felted bird was done by the lovely mija

it is a  perfect valentine tree topper. 

this dear valentine reminds me of the era I grew up in

where you usually got candy AND roses or else!!!!

This was made by PEGGY.

This bookmark is so pretty.  It was painted in a painstaking process and it has my favorite thing--  Hearts on it. Made by CHERI

SANNA made this little beauty.   She started out as a beaded napkin ring.

She sculpted the hands holding the heart.

This altered domino was made by the clever DAWN.

I love the color pink so it is perfect!

This little valentine jar was made by Barb our swap leader and the 'brainchild' of this swap!

the jar has gold confetti in the bottom and a dangling heart from the cork stopper.

she sculpted the face.

This  Dolly Dingle cutie  was made by Heather

she is so adorable   stitched and beribboned. She has a dangling silver heart.

Paula made this pretty  from a baggage tag!! I love all the different fabrics/ribbons and the rusty heart and other embellishments.

I have them displalyed on my white feather tree.  Next week it will move into a special spot in my studio.

Thank you everyone for your goodness.  These pretties definitely made me smile and my heart a lot lighter.