Long Time No Post

It has been a while since I last posted. But that's okay... many things have come about and I find myself of late, been not really interested in getting online. And that's okay too. It means I'm working on my house and my projects and working and other such real life stuff.

Still, an update on my 12 Projects in 12 months is definitely warranted! I have switched around the order somewhat as some projects have moved forward and others have fallen back.

January - Sleeping Baby Scrapbook

Not much needs to be said on this one because I've posted about it before.

February - ATC Display Book

Same as above, although I definitely need to update it since I have received more ATCs.

March - Baby Bingo Scrapbook

A HUGE success. I did it in one day at a scrapping workshop and it turned out wonderfully with each page themed according to the color of the background paper. My sister-in-law loved it and was glad to receive an album she didn't have to do herself.

April - Apolo Ohno Fanbook

What was originally going to be a page in an art journal, turned into a dare and a full fledged fanbook. One of the most brilliant pieces of artwork I have ever done. I am so impressed.

May - Err...

To be honest, I moved house in April and so much of the latter half of the month and much of May were taken up with getting things moved and situated. So no new projects were completed. However, I did start my 2011 calender and I have been powersorting through old stuff to be tossed, scrapbooked, or journaled. This has included the baby book stuff, old mementos, cards, letters, and old journals. I have also been working on swap journals, which I am beginning to hate. I have a set that was nothing like I expected that is turning into more of a chore than fun. I am almost done with the first of two and this will be the last time I have to work on them. Another week and they will be done. Which is fine because in 24 hours it will be June. And then I can claim Swap Journals for May.

June - Baby Book/Journaling Update

I keep saying I'm going to update my daughters baby book. June is her birthday month and thus I should get it done. I will also be able to add her 3rd birthday to her baby book too. I have also decided to do a 8.5 x 11 scrapbook for her. It will not be a traditional scrapbook, but it will have mementos and some journaling in it. I expect that once I get to sit down and do it, it'll take me about 48 hours. In addition, I have started going through old journals from High School and College. Within those journals are mementos and scraps of paper that I am going to glue into the pages of the last one I wrote in which is only half full. Excited about this! I also have two pagan journals that need to be updated, but that is secondary to the older journals. Then I also hope to finish the 2011 calender, but not essential, got plenty of time for that.

Basically, what it all comes down to is that I don't want to let this year go by without getting things that have been on my mind done.

And I am utilizing much of my down time at work for lots of project work.

Having power sorted most of the upcoming journals and books, it means I can grab a project and work on it. More updates as things get done.

Olympic ReCap

I can't seem to get off the Olympic whirlwind and I can't way to share my eventual Olympic art project, but in the mean time, I really wanted to share this article. The original can be found here.


Winners and losers: Canadians steal the show

By Dan Wetzel, Yahoo! Sports 5 hours, 27 minutes ago

• VANCOUVER, British Columbia – After nearly three weeks, the Winter Olympics are over, and the world’s obsession with the Games will go on hold until the summer of 2012, when the circus will hit London.

It’s been eventful trying to deliver the news, with varying degrees of success: I investigated whether the sport of curling was doomed due to the world’s supply of granite. I asked a man from the Netherlands why he skated in a skeleton outfit. I tried to find Swedish women to talk about Tiger Woods. I met athletes who deserve at least a sliver of the attention Tiger’s mistresses receive.

I wrote a column about a father who lost his son, a daughter who lost her mother and a sport that lost its way, playing a part in an athlete losing his life. I covered a lot of hockey.

I saw Shaun White fly, Apolo Ohno pass and Bode Miller deliver. I watched Kim Yu-Na skate. I watched as her mother couldn’t (nerves). I saw Joannie Rochette prove to be one tough skater. I saw Wayne Gretzky carry a torch in the rain and drive down the street in the back of a Silverado. I climbed up the mountains in Whistler and watched a Canadian hockey game in an out-of-control basement bar down by the harbor.

I didn’t come close to seeing everything. Or even most of everything. But I did see a lot, and as the torch goes dark, here are my winners and losers (a relative term) from the memorable Winter Olympics in Vancouver.

WINNER: The Canadian people

These Olympics began poorly. There was a lack of snow. There were events that had to be rescheduled. There was the tragic death of luger Nodar Kumaritashvili. There were embarrassing Opening Ceremony gaffes and the dumb decision to hide the Olympic cauldron behind high chain-link fencing. And Canada’s bold medal goals stumbled out of the gate.

But a funny thing happened. The people kept cheering. The athletes kept trying. And the Olympics, which too often are about a cold bureaucracy, about rules and arguments and pumped-up nationalism, somehow returned to the people. So what if the plans were going bad? There was no need to give up. Let’s grab a drink and watch some halfpipe.

A week into the games, with everyone still wringing their hands, a Canadian skeleton racer named Jon Montgomery came out of nowhere to win a gold medal. It was the epitome of unexpected excellence. Afterward, he walked through the streets of the mountain village of Whistler, still holding his helmet, with a television camera rolling. Unprompted, a passing woman handed him a pitcher of beer. Without breaking stride, he grabbed it, chugged it and the entire mood seemed to change.

It was a purely Canadian moment. It was perfect.

The people kept flooding the downtown streets and the mountain squares. Without tickets, they gathered to watch on giant televisions. They celebrated victories. They shared tears of disappointment and mourning. They rallied behind their hockey team and their bobsledders and their snowboarders and anyone wearing the red and white. Night after night they found something to go wild about. They just wanted to be a part of it, a part of something bigger than themselves, a part of the unique heights where spirits can soar when enjoyed in a group.

It wasn’t just here or up in the picturesque mountains. The video images came of bars going crazy in Toronto and Timmins, in Calgary and Charlottetown. Suddenly this country that had never embraced the enthusiasm of the Games the way some others have was showing the world how it’s done. Impromptu singings of the national anthem rang through the streets late at night, at karaoke bars, at curling matches.

You can’t wash away the tragedy of the luge track, but outside of that, you can’t stage a better Olympics. The city is beautiful. The venues are modern. The transportation is efficient. But this wasn’t about logistics. In the end it’s the people that power the movement. The Canadian people pushed these games back from the brink of disaster and right off into history.

LOSER: Vancouver Organizing Committee

It was obvious they had built a sliding track in Whistler that was too fast and too challenging. Luge athletes were complaining from the start of practice. Then Nodar Kumaritashvili died when he was ejected from the track and into a steel pole. They slowed the luge track, yet then watched bobsledders struggle to make it down later in the Games.

Later, documents, emails and other smoking guns became public that showed concern about the track from officials, including those within the International Luge Federation. Luging is a dangerous sport, but there is no need to make it this difficult. The death of Kumaritashvili should be used to improve safety going forward. It was a terrible and unfortunately lasting moment from these Games.

WINNERS: The athletes

Not one doping disqualification at the Games. Enough said.

WINNER: Bode Miller

His partying in Turin left him without gold, silver or bronze (although he may have won blonde). But the New Hampshire native returned at age 32 as a father sporting a more mature attitude. He wound up stealing the spotlight in the Alpine sports, winning a bronze in downhill, a silver in super-G and a surprise gold in the super-combined. It was potential finally reached.

LOSER: Cheryl Bernard

She was poised to be one of the breakout stars of the Games, one of the most unlikely “it” girls to ever emerge from the Olympics. Since when does a 43-year-old insurance broker from Alberta who curls turn so many heads? Bernard was a sensation. Then the Canadian Curling Cougar had two shots to bring home gold for Canada. She promptly blew both of them. It was a huge disappointment in a sport passionately followed here.

WINNER: U.S. Alpine team

Despite dealing with poor weather, delayed events and plenty of infighting drama, once the USA skiers hit the slopes the troubles went away. As a team they set a United States record for medals in one Olympics with eight, including two golds. The next closest competitors were Norway and Austria, each with four.

LOSER: Sportsmanship

The snit between Lindsey Vonn and Julia Mancuso was immature, ridiculous and unnecessarily distracting. Both are great athletes who had memorable Olympics. Instead, the news cycle spun with tales of jealousy, Twitter snipes and obvious hard feelings over who was getting more attention. None of it ever should have boiled to the surface.

WINNER: Johnny Weir

No one is better at demanding attention than the men’s figure skater. Throughout the Games he found ways to garner headlines – declaring he was getting death threats from anti-fur activists, moving in with Tanith Belbin, even holding a press conference so he could attack ignorant comments from Canadian television personalities.

But he was more than just hype. Weir skated exceptionally well and backed up his wild outfits with intelligence and humor. He proved he has crossover appeal to almost all Americans.

LOSER: Fashion

The Norwegian men curled in checkered pants. The American snowboarders had baggy jeans – where is General Larry Platt when you need him? In men’s figure skating there was a skeleton costume, a sailor and a farmer. Johnny Weir sported “male cleavage.” The hot items on the street were silly red mittens with a white maple leaf on the palm. Somehow they tricked Wayne Gretzky into wearing them. You couldn’t buy them anywhere.

We’ll be trying to explain the fashion at these Games for years to come.

WINNER: Chad Hedrick

The long-track speedskater from Houston found himself in pointless battles with Shani Davis in Turin, only to come to Vancouver, like Bode Miller, with an improved attitude. He wound up winning two medals and acting with class and spirit. He wasn’t just here for himself; he provided needed leadership on a young silver-medal-winning pursuit team.

LOSER: Shani Davis

This is a close one, however. He did win gold in the 1,000 meters and silver in the 1,500, and he accounted himself at times with far better manners – although he could be a bear at points. He’s a moody guy and that’s fine. But his refusal to skate in the team pursuit likely cost the U.S. a gold medal. Since the event came after all the individual competitions, he can’t say it was going to distract or hurt him there. He remains an enigma – a talented enigma.

WINNER: Charlie White

Not only did he and partner Meryl Davis win a silver in the ice-dancing competition, the rumor is he’s now dating Tanith Belbin. Not a bad month.

WINNER: Joannie Rochette

In a testament to the strength of human will and determination, the Canadian figure skater shook off the unexpected death of her mother and not only competed but won bronze. Her short-program performance, after which she broke down in tears, left Pacific Coliseum with few dry eyes. She immediately became an international symbol of emotional courage.

“I would have liked to inspire people for another reason, but that’s the way it is,” Rochette said.

WINNER: Petra Majdic

The Slovenian cross-country skier entered the Games as a favorite to win two medals. Then she crashed in a training run, falling off the course, down an embankment and into a small creek, where she landed hard on some rocks. She broke four ribs and suffered a punctured lung. Only she didn’t quit. She not only competed, she won a bronze medal.

LOSER: Gerard Kemkers

They take long-track speedskating seriously in Holland, and Kemkers is one of the most prominent – and highly paid – coaches there. His latest prodigy was Sven Kramer, who was well on his way to winning the nation’s 100th gold medal with a strong performance in the grueling 10,000-meter race. Then Kemkers inexplicably told him to switch lanes at the wrong time and caused a disqualification. It was an unheard-of gaffe.

“It’s a coach’s responsibility,” Kemkers acknowledged. “This is a disaster.”

WINNER: Kim Yu-Na

The South Korean figure-skating sensation was absolutely brilliant in capturing gold by a huge margin. Her world-record combined score of 228.56 merely offered a numerical confirmation to what everyone saw – an effortless, glorious performance by a rare talent.

WINNERS: Mirai Nagasu and Rachael Flatt

The two American teens didn’t medal, but both accounted well for themselves at the Olympics. Nagasu offered a lively free-skate performance that thrilled the crowd and earned her a spot in the skating gala. Flatt skated well and was a picture of class off the ice, even getting accepted to Stanford while in Vancouver.

LOSER: Alexander Ovechkin

The Russian hockey star arrived at the Games in a brooding mood. Gone was the loveable, quotable, accessible star of the Washington Capitals. In was the new Russian Bear, Ovechkin taking on the cold, all-business mood of his nation’s team. It was actually pretty cool.

Then his absolutely loaded team delivered a heartless performance against Canada in the quarterfinals, losing 7-3. Russia had predicted it would win 40 medals at these Games, and one of them was expected to be hockey gold. They wound up with just 15 and hockey was an embarrassment. The latter falls on Ovechkin.

WINNER: Bill Demong

So how good was this guy’s month going? First he was named the Team USA flag bearer for the Opening Ceremony, an unusual honor for someone who participates in the low-profile Nordic combined. Then Demong proved the choice genius by going out and becoming the first American to win gold in the event.

This was good. Even better came at a party after the victory, when he grabbed a microphone, got down on one knee, pulled out a ring and proposed to his girlfriend, Katie Koczynski. She said yes.

LOSER: Lindsey Jacobellis

After her hot dog maneuver cost her a gold medal at the women’s snowboard cross in Turin, the Olympic PR machine sold a new-look Jacobellis. She was more professional and a better snowboarder and destined for gold. Instead she performed poorly and didn’t handle the fallout very well. Another disappointing Games for a woman who certainly can do better.

WINNERS: Shaun White and Torah Bright

These are the world’s two best halfpipe athletes, the American man and the Australian woman pushing the fledging competition to new levels. Bright recovered from a poor performance early to deliver the run of her life, landing the “switch backside 720,” which features a blind landing that her opponents can’t manage. White hit the “McTwist 1260,” another groundbreaking maneuver that no one else was able to match. The two didn’t just rule the halfpipe, they advanced it.

WINNER: Jeret “Speedy” Peterson

In Turin he was thrown out of the Games for punching out a friend. He’s spent his life dealing with personal demons, alcohol issues and sexual abuse. He almost committed suicide. But he got himself straightened out and came to Vancouver, where in aerial skiing he landed his nemesis leap, the Hurricane. He hadn’t hit it in three years. When he did, he won silver, the culmination of a difficult journey.

WINNER: Curling

Six thousand fans packed the suburban curling venue here for three sessions a day. Ticket brokers worked the sidewalks with marked-up prices. Beer flowed liberally inside. Fans rang cowbells and sang songs. Both the men and the women were hailed for their sex appeal. It was wild.

Or how about this? What other sport could offer this sentence: The Danish women’s skip, who is a part-time topless model, broke into tears because the Canadian crowd was too rowdy.

This isn’t your father’s curling anymore. The sport received wall-to-wall television coverage in Canada, the United States and China, the latter a rising power. Long mocked as shuffleboard on ice, curling suddenly was cool. It’s the unlikely breakout sport of the Olympics.

LOSER: Evgeni Plushenko

The Russian figure skater landed a quad in his competition, something Evan Lysacek, the American who edged him out for gold, didn’t. This didn’t sit well with Plushenko. He both complained and belittled Lysacek. “You can’t be considered a true men’s champion without a quad,” Plushenko said, claiming the sport “regressed” with Lysacek’s victory. Disappointment is one thing, but at some point you have to show at least a moment of class. Plushenko failed to do it.

LOSER: Jacques Rogge

Plushenko’s comments showed zero respect for his opponents. At the Beijing Olympics, Rogge, the IOC president, ripped Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt for just such a thing when Bolt threw up his hands in celebration before crossing the finish line. “That’s not the way we perceive being a champion,” Rogge attacked.

When asked for comment about Plushenko’s antics, Rogge defended the skater to the Los Angeles Times. “I think he was very disappointed, obviously, and sometimes in disappointment, you express things you wouldn’t express at another time.”

There is one difference in these cases. Plushenko hails from a wealthy, powerful country. Bolt doesn’t. Rogge would never attack a Russian (or American or Chinese) athlete the way he did with Bolt. With the stuffy, elitist IOC, it’s always the same game. Power protects power, and when a suit like Jacques Rogge needs to act tough, you know who is going to get called out.

WINNER: Hockey

Sidney Crosby and Canada defeated the United States 3-2 in an epic, overtime final that showcased the heart-pounding sport at its very best. The roller-coaster finale is one reason hockey itself is the big winner. The tournament was played at an exceptionally high level, and the skill on display was unlike almost anything seen before.

The Canadian fans packed neutral games and offered a colorful backdrop. Both the Canadian and American teams captured their country’s imagination and delivered record television audiences – not to mention a dramatic and memorable gold-medal battle. The NHL isn’t suddenly going to leapfrog the NFL in the States, but it should get a boost from this tournament. If Ryan Miller and the Buffalo Sabres are coming to town, now you know it’s worth checking out.

It’s a way of making the Olympics last into the spring.

Olympic Fever

I need to write about this, but it has to be somewhere where my family can’t read it. Long story there which I won’t get into, it’s not important. But things do need to be said, so here it goes… memories.

I’ve got Olympic Fever … BAD. Wednesday night was the first night I could sit and watch some of my favorite events and just SQUEE! Medal sweeping all around … Shaun White (Gold) and Scotty Lago (Bronze) in men’s half-pipe snowboarding, Shani Davis (Gold) and Chad Hedrick (Bronze) in long track speed skating, and Julia Mancuso (Silver) and Lindsey Vonn (Gold) in Freestyle skiing. And tonight, I heard Evan Lysacek took Gold over his Russian rival in Men’s figure skating, although I didn’t get to see it because of work, however before I left, the other half of me… the honorary Australian half cheered and cried when Torah Bright took Gold in Women’s half-pipe snowboarding. The SECOND Gold for an Australian in any Winter Olympic game. The first one by Stephen Bradbury in short track speedskating in Salt Lake City by accident!

This weekend brings more Apolo Ohno and J.R. Celski in short track speedskating and the first of the Ice Dancing and others. The past week, I’ve fallen in love with Biathalon, a sport I never knew existed but is so exciting.

Doubles Luge confuses me… “Here, lay down on this sled and I’ll lay on top of you and we’ll head down this icy pipe at 90 MPH and see what happens.”

I’ve cheered for Americans, Australians, Japanese, Canadians, and Norwegians. The medals have not gone to any ONE country but so many different strengths around the world.

My first Olympic memory comes from Calgary … when I watched Katarina Witt and Debi Thomas figure skate and win medals. I was babysitting, the kids were sleeping, I was dancing around the room imagining myself on that ice and winning that medal. Man, I was so young.

But my real memories were from Lillehammer, the first Winter Olympic games I was glued too… not only because of the fact that Norway is the country of my Heritage, but because there were so many exciting things that happened. I remember the name of every Athlete I followed that year… Free-Style Skiing’s Jean-Luc Brassard (Can), Ski Jumping’s Espen Bredesen (Nor), and Speedskating’s Dan Jansen (USA) and Johann Olav Koss (Nor).

It was the year that Dan Jansen took Gold in long track speed skating and broke a world record. I knew this was his last race ever, if he didn’t win it, he would never win it. I waited all day to watch that race in prime time and then when I got home from school, my dad spoiled it for me and told me he won earlier in the day. But it didn’t take away from the fact that when I watched it, I cried buckets.

There is a Visa commercial on now, about how he skated in Calgary and lost, mere days after his sister, Jane passed away… then in Lillehammer took Gold and skated a victory lap with his baby daughter, Jane. I remember it like it was yesterday. I get weepy every time I see that commercial.

That too was the year I fell in love with Speedskating… I always loved figure skating but there is something so perfect, so graceful, so precise about Speedskating that is will forever be my favorite winter sport of all time.

I leave you now with a short video of Stephen Bradbury’s historic win in Salt Lake City. Apolo Ohno took silver. It’s awesome and hilarious at the same time!

2010 Projects - Jan and Feb

So I mentioned in a previous post that I was doing one project per month and we are coming through to mid February and I am pleased to say that I have done one for both January and February.

Please note... my photography sucks.

January - Sleeping Baby Scrapbook


This came as a scrapbook in a box kit. It took about three days total to finish. The first ten pages were part of the kit and then I had extra photos needed to complete the book, so I also had an 8x8 baby girl paper pack which allowed me to complete all the pages for the number of photos I had. I added some paper flowers to each page and all the small journaling and date tags were done using textured paper cut to size. The theme is an age progression of my daughter sleeping.

February - ATC Display Book



This was hashed together because I had some 8x8 cardstock I didn't know what to do with. I started with 2 sheets each of about 16 different colors. On one side of one sheet, I covered with Mod Podge, then I stuck onto the adhesive three craft (popsicle/icypole type) sticks, covered those with Mod Podge and stuck the second sheet of paper over it, creating a sturdy book page.

I had some scrapbook paper scraps, so I used those along one edge which is the same edge I punched holes into (reinforced with hole stickers), then each page, front and back was painted in random designs with acrylic paint. Then the ATC's were mounted (within appropriate sized plastic ziplock bags) onto the pages and labeled.

Then the entire book was bound together with book rings.

The cover is letter stickers on double sized sticky paper with microbeads around the letters to give effect.

March is my daughter's baby book. I've decided to wait until March to do it so I can clear out a couple of journal swaps, rather than starting early which is what I did with the ATC book!

Until next time!

Mixed Media

I've been working on my February project which is a ATC display book, handmade. It's looking very awesome. I have some more pages to paint and put into the book and mount the cards onto the pages, which I will be doing tomorrow night and then this project will be done.

In addition, I have been art journaling like crazy. Not so much writing, but a lot of art. My baby journal that I take to work and doodle in is almost full. I have been doing a lot of great prompts and challenges with a friend of mine, mostly drawing, writing, and doodling. And then there is my art journal which I received through swapbot, already decorated and filled with prompts which are forcing me to try things I've not done before. Here are some of the materials I've added to my collection in the last month or so ...

Gesso

This is a surface primer for canvas. It works great for paper (ie. journal pages) making them a little sturdier and hold up to watercolors and acrylic paints. I love working with this stuff.

Watercolors

I'm talking about the tube kind, not the Crayola pallettes. I have always had acrylic paints because I like the color intensity and the thickness. But every since starting the use of gesso, having these watercolors is so much. I love how you can do light color washes or up the amount to have really intense color. You can also let them dry out in the palette, add a little water later, and they work good as new. Awesome

Watercolor Crayons

These are similar to watercolor pencils but are of course crayons. More intense color and I find use them in conjunction with the pencils for different sorts of watercolor art.

Gelly Roll Pens

They are the original Gel pen. They are awesome! I have only the basic ones... black fine line; black and pink metallic; and pink, blue, and purple stardust. I can't wait to add more. They write over practically anything... acrylic paint, watercolor, gesso, different scrapbook papers, etc. There are some really neat puffy and gold and silver color halo pens.

I've just committed myself to do three different journal swaps so I'm sure I'll be putting many of my new materials and the techniques I've learned into these journals!!

Sayonara until next time!

The Why's of Creativity

I came to the conclusion this week that I am going crazy without having a personal space to do artwork and that waiting until we buy our house this summer is too far way. I recently re-organized my art cabinet which allowed me to just pull a bin depending on what I wanted to do and set up on the dining table, but it isn't quite the same as just being able to sit down and immediately be creative and not have to worry about cleaning up afterwards, so the table could be used for it's primary reason ... eating at. I have an antique desk in our bedroom (similar to a roll top, but the top doesn't roll up, it folds down to become the writing surface and there are little cubby holes inside for storing stationary and other desk items) that was just being used as a catch all for random stuff I didn't know what to do with. I've tried to use the desk as a dedicated laptop desk and a place to do scrapbooking, but it just never worked. The computer would get moved and there wasn't enough space for my scrapbooking supplies as well as all the other stuff that I had on the desk. Well, I finally decided that it needed to be cleaned out and become a dedicated art space.

First, I took out the cubby holes as they were removable. Then there is a shelf left. On the shelf is now my gesso, watercolors, acrylics, oil pastels, soft pastels, paint brushes, jars, markers, and calligraphy pens. On the top of the desk is a small shelf which holds all my journals. Next to it, there is space for my scrapbooking bag, of which I refill with different materials for every project I'm working on. Right now, it's got all the stuff I need to do my ATC display book. Under the art shelf is more materials for my display book and my box of collaging papers.

I love it! Everything I need is within reach. It works much better now as a place for me to escape to so I can craft or work on my art journals. And the worse I have to clean up is my paint brushes and cups. I just have to close up the writing surface and it's all put away. :)

All this of course, brings to mind the need for crafting supplies. I know a half a dozen people who have rooms dedicated to scrapbooking or crafting. They also have the materials and the money to buy lots of stuff to fill them up. I neither have the space or the money, yet all my projects seem to turn out really nice!

I think this is because I know that I do not have the space or the money and thus I'm thrifty and buy only what I need for each project.

For example, I had nothing for my wedding album and thus had to buy all new materials ... paper pack, brads, stickers, 8x8 book, chipboard with a few small pieces of my own thrown in.

Then I recently did the sleeping baby scrapbook, from a all in one kit along with a baby girl paper pack, both of which were gifts. I needed some brown ink and some special colored brads and a couple sheets of matching cardstock so I could do the journaling, but that's all the extra stuff I needed.

Now I'm working on my ATC display book, again most of the materials I had. I just needed to go out and get some popsicle sticks to reinforce the cardstock so the pages turn like a book.

I don't feel constrained by having limited supplies and it makes it all the more exciting to go shopping and buy what I need for a current project. And I also think the more stuff I have, the less I'll use it. So it's best to keep it simple! Even much of what I have now is dedicated for a future project. And space for me isn't about acquiring more stuff ... it's about spreading out and working!

Anyways, that's just how I see it personally based on my money and space. I know others do it differently with the resources they have.

Ciao for now!

Creativity 2010

Happy 2010 ... a couple of weeks late, buuut .... better late than never right?

So this year, I've decided to stop procrastinating on some of the major projects I've been umming and ahhhing about and just do them. So it's going to be one per month for the next 12 months. I still have many small things I do, but major projects need to get done and I have a plan to do them. Right now, I don't think I have enough projects for 12 months, but that's okay. It means the ones I have now will get done and there will still be time to add more as the year goes.

January - Sleeping Baby Scrapbook

Oddly enough, I have just finished this one last night. My mom bought me two things ... an 8x8 scrapbook kit, all the pieces included and pre-cut with instructions on how to construct each page and a baby girl paper pack with stickers, paper, and die cuts. So I had some photos printed, all of my daughter sleeping from newborn to now and made up this adorable sleeping baby scrapbook. I added some of my own embellishments as well as my own journaling tags, but over all I'm pleased with the results.

February - ATC Display book

Tonight I repacked my art bag with the tools I'll need for this. A few months ago, I bought an 8x8 cardstock pack to make bingo cards with for a baby shower ... I decided to use some of these pages to create an ATC display book and bind it myself with book binder rings. Now I thought the cardstock was sturdier than I realize it is, so I'm going to have to strengthen each page somehow. I may be saving a LOT of cereal boxes and other large cardboard things for a while. I'm going to collage each page with stuff I've been getting from swapbot, then insert the ATC's which are already in individual bags and label. I may experiment with gesso too.

March - Baby Book

I don't know why I consider this to be a major project! It'll probably take me an afternoon to do. It just needs to be updated! Finish out the baby stuff and put in the toddler stuff and get a few photos printed!

April - Bingo Card SCrapbook

So see February for mentioning of the bingo cards. I'm planning to use these bingo cards and make an 8x8 scrapbook from them for my sister-in-law. The bingo cards, mounted in the center of each card will be the photo mount spot and I'll decorate around them! Then I plan to put them into an 8x8 purchased book. I was considering doing the personal binding again like the ATC book, but again I don't want to go through the sturdiness thing again and make the project harder than it needs to be.

May - Baby 1st Year Scrapbook

I need to finish it. It's already started. I have all the paper and stuff. Maybe get another kit pack for a baby girl. I'll need to get some more photos printed, but that's the easy part. :)

June - Children's board book Scrapbook

My daughter has this taggie book which has fallen apart and been chewed on, so I confiscated all the pieces and it's going to become a scrapbook. Of what, I don't know. Maybe some of her professional photos, if I can find the extras from the last two times we had them done!

July - Recipe Book

Just after I moved into the apartment I'm in now, my mother and I went to a household auction and we walked away with a huge box of recipe books for only 6 dollars. Amongst those recipe books were hundreds of loose recipes clipped and torn from magazines by the original owner (oddly enough, I also have some of her cooking equipment too). I have gone through many of those recipes, keeping the ones I like. I plan to put them into a binder, glueing them onto cardstock. There will be no rhyme or reason to it, and it's not a scrapbook, but just a collection of recipes. I bought the binder and the cardstock a year and a half ago, and never got around to completing it. So it's on the list as a major project.

August/September - Memento Scrapbook

I have a couple of shoeboxes full of stuff I've collected over the last ten or more years. Memories. Many silly things but they are things that mean something just the same, more notes and scraps than photos. I want to put them into 12x12 scrapbooks. Again, not organized or anything and lots of journaling. I've given this two months because I believe it'll be a long project and probably take more than one scrapbook.


October thru December ... nothing yet. Of course, I may be moving house this summer and if that's the case, one or two of these projects might get put on hold and then done later, but we'll see.

I have two art journals that I am working on, but I decided not to make them a 'major project'. It's something I like to do in my down time, at home, at work, anywhere. One of them I got from swapbot, all with prompts and everything. I did three pages tonight and it was fun. I also have my mini art journal which I take to work and scribble in if I'm bored. It's over half full. So rather than being finishable projects, they are more like works in progress.

There are a couple of writing projects, two of which are nearly finished and one is on hold while I wait for the return of some edits.

Then that wraps up my creativity outlook for 2010. It's nice to see one done and one prepped already! I think it's a good start to a creative year!

Ciao till next time!

Why I write ...

I haven't posted in a while. This time of year just seems to eat me alive with plans, shopping, budgeting, working, and everything in between. I seem to have to do everything and can't seem to do anything right. It's tiring and my blogging drops off everywhere. But I found a moment to post thing on a mailing list in response to a question on why people blog. I decided to post it up here...

Why do I blog?

My blog started out as a way to keep in contact with my many friends around the city when I lived in Melbourne, Australia. It was kind of a gimicky thing at first, but we used to talk about ourselves and be silly and arrange meet ups and such. Later on, it evolved into a writing space where I wrote about my daily life, especially how I was feeling and my family back home in the US read it and kept up on what I was doing with my life because I'm shocking with replying to emails. Unfortunately, it also, for a while, degenerated into a war space where many fights ensued and we played games with what we wrote simply to hurt each other's feelings. But that stopped a long long time ago.

Now that I am back in the US, I write in it so my friends in Australia can keep up with my life here. And I read theirs so that I can keep up with what they are doing. And the comment feature keeps replies manageable. I couldn't keep up with a dozen individual emails and then replies to those and so on and so forth. My friends leave comments, I answer them, etc.

It's also a timeline of my last 8 years, much of which I lived in Australia and the friendships I've had and lost, my first marriage which I had and lost, and the steps I've taken to get through it and on with my life. It's filled with memories, written at the time and I can go back and read it and thumb through it, remembering things that made me laugh or cry and the people who interacted with what I wrote and left me encouraging comments. I know that paper journals do much of the same thing, but I love the community feel of having a blog and knowing when I need feedback someone out there will have something to say.

I don't post quite as much as I used to... it's hard when what you most want to talk about is your work and you can't because there is all kinds of confidential crap that goes along with working in a health care setting, so I find other things to write about. :D I also know that what I write about is trite and of no significant value to anyone but me, but that's what's important about MY blog. It's important to me! :)

I'm taken back to a quote I heard a long time ago and I don't know who said it but it goes something like this ... Your journal is the place where your opinion on the world matters.

And that's why I write.

Happy Holidays to everyone! See you in 2010.

Thankfulness

I decided to wait this week in order to post on Thursday, Thanksgiving Day in the United States. This is a day that has always had special meaning for me because every eight years my birthday falls on this day. This year wasn't one of those times, I still have another three years, but I'm still considered to have a 'Thanksgiving' birthday.

I unfortunately had to work so I wasn't able to join the rest of my family for their big Turkey dinner hosted by my aunt and uncle, but I did get to see them briefly when I dropped by husband and child off. I was presented with a pilgrim hat made with a peanut butter cup, girlscout cookie, and frosting by my cousin for the road. It was so cute.

Needless to say, this entry is about what I am thankful for.

First off, my husband, child, mother, and step-father ... he infuriates me more often than not, but my husband tries in his own little ways and I think I need to be more aware of that. My baby will always be my baby, no matter how big or smart she gets. Any my parents, I would not have made it without them here. They give so much.

My job ... There are so many people in this economy that are suffering and have lost their jobs. For a while there, I was so afraid that my job too was on the chopping block as things were being evened out and cut back in our place of work. But there is a huge necessity to my position, and I'm thankful I am still here.

My car ... it's working and it's reliable. It's not the best, and I've put a lot of money into it recently to keep it that way, but it'll get me through the winter and then some.

Okele and Shadow ... I could not get through each day without them. They are both very very far away from me and yet, they are both always there and I can count on that. Other people have drifted in and out of my life and they have both remained constant.

Crafts and art ... it's such a stress relief and I make time to do it. The finished product is what keeps me going and I look forward to hearing what people think of the gifts I make for them.

The roof over my head and the utilities that make my place liveable ... I could not imagine getting through this winter not being sure where I am going to be sleeping the next night and if it will be warm or not.

I wish everyone a wonderful holiday season from now until New Years. Until next week, have a great one.

Weeks in Review

So I skipped a week... didn't necessarily mean to, but things got a little hectic and I found some artwork I wanted to do and a new project I'd like to start working on... and Christmas Shopping. Oh I did so much!

Anyways, what I'd like to do here is a recap of some of the recent posts I've made ...

ACNE

I believe I have won the war. I did a good trial run with the products I originally had and saw a significant change in my face. I added the Neutrogena Acne Stress Control Night Cleansing Pads to my night routine and immediately saw further results. I skipped one night and didn't do my regular routine and I had one breakout. Seriously, I am so surprised it worked, but what I have learned that you can buy as many spot treatments or cleansers as you want, but nothing will do the trick until you use the correct products together as a team. And it's guess and check to find what's right for your face!

SEASON ENDINGS

The leaves are gone and it's getting cold. Too cold even for my little one to outside without a hat. Heavy jackets will be coming out soon. We got our first snowfall just after Thanksgiving last year, so I'm sure it's right around the corner. The car is all fixed up and ready. I'd love an extra few months of mild fall weather... seriously.

H1N1

Both my husband and I were immunized. I was offered it at work due to being on a high risk unit and immediately accepted with no severe side effects. My husband was offered it at his latest clinic appointment for the reasons he works with handicapped individuals and he is asthmatic. He had no side effects. My daughter got her seasonal flu shot, but was only granted eligiblity for H1N1 this week, but she has a rattly cough so it might have to be put off for another few days. After a number of kids died from it in our local area and others falling severely ill, her not having it scares me more and more every day.

Where am I

Art Therapy of my own making has ALWAYS been a HUGE saving grace for me. I have since talked many things over with my husband and extended family that have been bothering me. I have been spending more time doing crafts and relaxing that I have in a long time and that has really been helping my stress level. I feel so much better now and ... happier. I am working on some projects with some friends of mine and those partnerships do wonders for my mental health. It's good to have some support!

Dipping

I failed. I made it about 5 days and on the fifth, I realized that I had a nearly full jar of White Salsa Con Queso in the fridge and I didn't want it to go off, so I ate it. But still ... it made me more aware of how much and what I dip, what I don't need to and I have really cut down. Now I wish I could tackle weight loss in the same manner. :D

That's all for me. See you next week and have a great one!

The Art of Dipping

And now for something a little less serious this week.

Dipping.

A person can't get anything these days without a side of ... dip. At home, we keep bottles of condiments in our fridges to dip everything from fruit to meat to desserts. At restaurants, it either comes with a little container of meal related condiment or you can make your way to the fountain drink area to find little foil packets of everything under the sun.

At McDonalds the other day, my daughter's happy meal came with caramel dip for the apple slices and I was offered a choice of dips for her nuggets... when asked what they had, the server behind the counter rattled off about six, most of which I forgot moments after she said them, and then decided ketchup in it's little foil packet would do. She likes ketchup anyways.

At Red Lobster a few weeks ago, the fish came with tartare sauce, the crab legs with melted butter, the salads with your choice of salad dressing in a little cup on the side, for pouring or dipping depending on the diner's choice.

Buffalo Wild Wings offers around 14 different buffalo wing sauces for their wings, which also serve as dips if you prefer something other than mini chicken wings. My husband bought a bottle of his favorite flavor to take home... Why? To dip his steak in.

Waffles and pancakes come with their own little container of breakfast syrup. Small packets of crackers or breadsticks have dippable cheese. Pizza Hut serves a side of marinara dip with their breadsticks.

Sushi comes with soy sauce and wasabi.

Chip Dip ... ranch, french onion, nacho, spinach... We have an old family recipe in our family for cream cheese potato chip dip with onions. And a friend of mine used to bring over a wonderful eggplant dip with pita chips. And lets not forget good old hummus or if you prefer, Guacamole with your corn chips. I spent thirty minutes the other night trying to decide on the right dip for my corn chips. I settled for a white salsa con queso nacho dip, good but a little too spicey for my taste.

I am a mayonaise-a-holic. If it's dippable, there is mayonaise on my plate.

Vegetable trays come with dill sour cream dip. Fruit trays with vanilla or fruit flavored yogurt.

How about bread dipped in your soup or stew?

Wiki of course has many more than I can think of off the top of my head. I only remembered the ones I've eaten in the past two weeks. But seriously, all this in the past two weeks? Clearly, dipping is more than just a condiment, it's a necessity!

You can't escape it.

Here is a funny tidbit of information... I met my husband at a fondue party. Fondue is an art of dipping!

Even a the age of two, my child requests dip, so much so that I put a dob of ketchup on her plate with every meal now before she even asks.

Dip. Empty calories full of flavor and fat and salt.

I think here, the ultimate question is ... can we eat foods without dipping them? I think some, yes. Salad dressing isn't exactly a dip, although it is used as one here where I live. Ranch being the most popular, it is not only a salad dressing, but a dip for things like breadsticks and deep fried or baked cheese. A couple of guys I knew in high school used to dip their pizza in ranch.

But back to my salad ... I dislike the taste of oil and vinegar based salad dressings such as italian. I think it stems from the tartness/sourness of the vinegar and a long history of hating the smell of vinegar when they used to can pickles at my grandmother's house. So I quit having salad dressing on my salad and went for a straight dash of olive oil, lemon juice, and some pepper. Which clearly goes to show that even if I don't like a particular dressing for the salad, I still need something on it to make it a bit more palatable. Something to bring all the flavors together.

I do like raw veggies, but there is something about being able to dip the veggie that turns good food into even better food. But you have to ask yourself, if raw veggies are good for you, aren't you defeating the purpose of eating healthy food by dipping it in the sour cream or ranch dip with all it's salt, fat, and sugar?

Probably.

But I suppose that doesn't mean we are going to stop dipping. In fact, we'll probably do it more. As soon as we know something is bad for us, we feel guilty but we do it anyways.

I wonder if I can go a whole week without dipping? I'm not sure, but I think I'll try. I wonder if I can even remember that I set this challenge for myself given that it's 0600 in the morning and I've not been to bed yet. The joys of working night shift.

Tune in next week for a blog post recap of some of the more interesting points of the past few weeks since I started this blog and of course, whether not I followed through on my challenge not to dip for a week.

Finding me again ...

I'm not feeling my best today. A family member thinks I am suffering from depression. Which she is probably right, but I am afraid of going to see a doctor or counseler even though I know it's a good idea because there are a few things I really don't want them to tell me to do. And the truth is, I really need to focus on me and only me for a few weeks. Not that I am going to forget my family, but my needs have to come first. I have to realized that I am not just a mother and a wife... I am me too. I have things that I love and aspire to do!

Reading the posts of those blogs I am following, I came across this from fellow blogger Rollerwriter ... I hope it's okay to repost because it's SO DAMN INSPIRATIONAL.

And starting Nov 1, I am going to attempt to do the eight things she lists here.

Next week I will be back to my regularly scheduled thoughts on a topic.

Passing it on ...

WARNING: Before you follow any links, keep the tissues handy.

Sorry, this post is late as I am on vacation. I had two topics to pick from that I wanted to blog about this week, nothing of particular note, but some observations I've had over the past few months. But then today, while reading a magazine, I revisited Josie King, a toddler who died from a medical error at Johns Hopkins University in 2001 and the ensuing crusade by her mother to prevent it happening again to other families. The story was recently relayed at our hospital, and while I am not involved in direct patient care, being a mother of a small child the story really touched my heart.

Josie was 18 months old… In January of 2001 Josie was admitted to Johns Hopkins after suffering first and second degree burns from climbing into a hot bath. She healed well and within weeks was scheduled for release. Two days before she was to return home she died of severe dehydration and misused narcotics…

Sorrel King, Josie's Mother, relays the rest of the story here.

And the main Josie King Foundation Website is here.

Why do I bring this up? Because thousands of people die from medical errors every year. The Foundation provides information to help prevent it from happening to you or one of your family members and I have always believed knowledge is the best weapon.

Have a safe and healthy week. And get your H1N1 flu shot. :)

Touching Lives

I finish one post and have usually decided on what I want to write for the next week. I start the week pondering how I want to write said post and then over the course of the next few days change my mind on what I want to write about due to the experiences I have. That is where I get this week's topic ...

I had a horrible week, so much happened beyond my control, some of it trivial and some of it that will leave a lasting impression on me for the rest of my life. No one died, thankfully. Midway through all this chaos, I was 'touched by an Angel'. And no, I'm not talking about the corny tv show type angel, but a stranger who noticed something I had posted on my profile on another website I belong to about my financial state and thought to send me a HUGE box of craft goodies just so I could have a 'fun box to open'. While what I wrote on my other profile and the reason I was the sent the box of goodies weren't related directly to my chaotic week, it still came at the most opportune time.

And it got me thinking about other things I have received that have touched me.

One particular person that comes to mind with regards to giving was an old boss of mine. He was both very needy and very generous. When he was in the office, he couldn't do anything for himself. He had the most kind personal assistant who was so patient with his neediness because he seemed not to be able to do anything for himself. But when he went away on business trips, he would always come back with presents for all of us in the office. And it amazed me how much he paid attention to our likes and dislikes because I never received anything that wasn't directly related to something I was obcessed about at the time. Most of what he gave me I no longer have, but I have kept a few small mementos and trinkets to remind me of his generosity.

Another friend of mine LOVES to write letters. I have so many letters from her that I refuse to throw away because each one is so special. When she sends those letters, she usually includes cute Kawaii paper and stickers and just other little presents that fit in the envelope. So you're always getting more than just a letter.

My best friend since High School is constantly on the look out for things I would like... not because I ask her to, it's simply because that is who she is. She only lives a few hours away from me but we rarely get to see one another, so we send emails mostly, but we also send boxes once a month filled with little goodies and things. Over the years, I haven't been able to keep 100% of what she's given to me due to space restrictions and moving, but even sitting here in my kitchen, I look around and see a dozen things that were sent from her.

I have a few bits and pieces from old boyfriends and many things from my first wedding that hold sentimental value even though my first husband and I are no longer together. I don't have much left from high school, most of it discarded or lost in moves. If I look deep enough into my memento boxes, I can still find things from college, so many years ago now.

But what happens when things go awry and a relationship ends, be it a close friend or a significant other? I guess I'm one of those people who likes to hold on to happy memories. I'm not the type to trash or burn everything from a former friend or SO simply because they are out of my life. I'll look at old cinema stubs of films I went to see with the person, smile, and remember. When I see a gift they gave me, I remember why and when. I don't want to get rid of those memories. Good memories are what they are, good.

I have a couple boxes of scraps, an old one and a new one. Things I've saved over the years of special or significant events in my life. I plan to put those, along with old photos in a scrapbook or three, along with journaling and embellishing. To someone who doesn't understand what they are, they are just a box of junk. To me, they are memories and I'd like someday for my children and grandchildren to be able to share in my memories, whether I am alive or not.

Preparing for the Flu Season and H1N1

So I was watching the weather channel today and found out that the first round of H1N1 vaccines were released today. I felt this was the perfect topic to write about and something I have been thinking about quite a bit. Mainly because it is an interesting internal debate on whether to do it or not.

First of all, let me say that I am fully immunized (boosters included), it is a requirement of my profession. So is my husband, and our child, who is two, is also fully immunized. It was a choice we made. I fully support immunization. It is the reason some deadly or crippling childhood illnesses were wiped out. I do not buy into the fact that immunization causes Autism. There is no concrete proof that it does. I want to protect myself and my family and that is my choice. But I do not make the choices for other people who are not in my family. It's up to you how you protect yourself and your family.

Okay... now in saying all of that, last year was the first year I ever received the flu vaccine. I've had it available to me for a long time as an option, but last year was the first year I worked in Health Care and it was there, free for all employees and there was push from the organization for everyone to be immunized. I saw no reason not to go ahead and do it. My child had it available at one of her Well Baby checks and I approved for it to be given. Neither one of us had an adverse reaction to it and neither one of us have been sick with anything other than a sniffle and a cough all year. So clearly, at least in my case, it did what it was supposed to.

So now we're coming up to the Flu season again and once more the vaccine will be available to the employees. Because I work in a 'High Risk' unit, I will do it. Because I have a child, I will do it. Because I can't afford sick days off, I will do it. I'm not sure about the rest of my family. My husband works in a different sort of health care environment and at the moment, may not require it like I do. For my child, I'm not sure if it's worth the money for a clinic visit just to get a flu shot. There is always the option of the County Health Department if I do decide to go that way.

And I'm only talking about the seasonal Flu shot here. H1N1 is a whole different story.

There is a lot of controversy surrounding the H1N1 vaccine. I'm most concerned about the fact that it's being mass produced and may not necessarily be fully safe yet. However, on the other hand, I work in health care in a High Risk unit where it's important that staff are not sick and let it be known here, that in our H1N1 information pack we give out at the hospital, you can be contagious 1 to 2 days BEFORE you exhibit symptoms. It only takes one person to rub against you or cough or sneeze or not wash their hands properly before infecting God knows how many people around them. So truly, if they offer it to employees, there is no question in my mind for me.

Then there is my child... there is the safety concern on one side of the coin and on the other side the fact that children do not have good infection control habits. We have been trying to teach our child to cover her mouth when she sneezes and coughs and learning about handwashing and such, but at this point in time, she is so young and doesn't understand the exact importance of it. She does one day in day care per week for socialization and learning with other kids and I really don't need her to get it. I can't rely on other parents to not take their kids to day care if they might be sick. I can only do my best as my daughter's parent. Again, I'll re-iterate... it only takes one child...

For my husband, he has Asthma, well controlled, but H1N1 affects the respiratory system, which I believe is a very good reason to get immunized against this. From what I have read, this virus attacks everyone differently, and those with pre-existing health problems tend to suffer the worst, asthma sufferers again in the high risk group.

So perhaps I'll wait on my child, until the first round is over and go ahead and get myself and my husband immunized. We will of course, continue practicing good infection control at home and at work, which includes but not limited to, anti-bacterial handsoaps and sanitizers (I have a long term love with Bath and Body Works Anti-bacterial products), anti-bacterial bathroom and kitchen cleaners, and anti-bacterial dish soap and hope we do not have to worry about this interesting controversial pandemic.

Please note, this is all my opinion based on the reading I have done and the Health Care setting I work in... if your opinion and information differs from mine, that is okay, but don't attack me for it. Thank you.

Season Endings

I thought about many topics in which to write about this week and most of them I'll get to eventually with this blog, but one came to the fore front of my mind when an Autumn storm blew in. It is the end of the growing season.

I left work last night around 11 pm and stepped outside to a chill wind, not something I yet expected, nor was really prepared for. I had a fleece jacket in the car and wore a long sleeve t-shirt dispite not having needed it earlier in the day when I arrived to work. Perhaps deep down I knew what to expect, but I truly want to hang onto the Warm weather as long as I can, and it may yet still get warm once or twice before the Winter chill really hits. Spring and Summer are my favorite seasons and I am sad to see them go. It is now time to batten down the hatches, so to speak and prepare for another long winter.

Other signs of the approach of the cooler weather are around my family's farm, the surrounding area, and my home.

Hay is cut and either baled or bagged up to four times through out the summer. The last cutting happened about four weeks ago. Once the last cut is baled, then the manure pile that has been growing throughout the spring and summer from the Cattle yard cleaning is spread throughout the fields (our version of fertilizer) in preparation for Spring planting for the next year. The huge bag of hay cutting sits next to the yard, the bales are put up into the hay loft for square bales or hay barn for the round ones so the cattle have food throughout the winter.

Once the hay is in, it's time for the Field Corn. Most of the rows are chopped and bagged for corn silage, which then ferments and has a very distinct smell. The cattle eat a lot of this during the winter. The last few rows will be done when the weather breaks, hopefully this weekend. A few corn acres will also be picked in mid-november. The shucked ears will go in the corn crib for grinding if necessary. Us kids fill buckets with it and give it to the donkeys, chickens, and cows for treats. Once the corn is picked, the stalks are then baled and used as bedding for the donkeys, who live in the barn over the winter.

What I love most about this is that it is a cycle. The manure is used as fertilizer grows the food that the cattle will eat which starts the process all over again.

We picked the remaining Sweet corn the other week and froze about ten bags of it. Green beans were done about three weeks ago with small and large jars stacked in the cupboards. The tomatos and peppers are in now and we have already canned a dozen jars of spaghetti sauce. With the remaining tomatos, we hope to make some pizza sauce. The pumpkins still have a couple of weeks to go, white pumpkins. I could not find any butternuts, which are my favorites, so I'll have to buy those, but I see the local markets have stacks and stacks of them, so they won't be expensive. My herbs and spring onions are gone and used, the last of the flat parsley went into the spaghetti sauce. There are few white onions left, but they won't last long.

Once the first snow, the two Donkey's will be moved inside the barn, as well as the Cats and the chicken house will be closed up and insulated. They don't lay as much in the Winter, but they weather it well provided care is taken. The Jenny Donkey is pregnant and due in early Spring. The calves will be weaned sometime in October, and then sold in November. The mom's are already pregnant with new calves due in April and they will have thick Winter coats to help them weather the cold.

The farmlands around us are much the same with corn, hay, and soybeans coming in and being harvested. The woodlands I drive through on my way to work were green last week and this week are yellow, the splashes of orange and red. Within two weeks, there will be no green left and soon the leaves will be falling leaving the trees skeletal to wait for the first of the fallen snow to coat the branches.

Finally, in our tiny little apartment, the windows are being sealed and locked, the fans that keep us cool on the milder nights when the air conditioning would be too much are being put away. Warm winter pyjama, jeans, long sleeved shirts are now taking the place of billowy skirts, tank tops, and shorts. The little one has a new snow suit, gloves, and hat. New snow boots are not far off. Our warm winter gear, stowed away at the end of last season is now making it's way out. And then there is our gas bill, a easy $10 a month throughout the summer, is now looking to triple with the use of the heat, but the electricity will go down to compensate as we will no longer be using the air conditioner.

Personally, I am busy saving my pennies. I want to buy materials before Winter really sets in to make some projects to sell at next Autumn's local market. I find the Winter a perfect time to curl up with a good movie and a craft project.

I am NOT looking forward to the treacherous commute to and from work on icy highways, and scraping the ice off my car at 9 at night before work, and bundling my poor child off to babysitters when she'd rather be curled up in bed sleeping. They are the number one reasons I dislike the cold so much much.

But the warmth of my house and the memories of spring through the food I'll consume this Winter will keep my thoughts focused on the Upcoming warm seasons again. And I'll be making a post again when the seasons change again from cool to warm.

My Battle with Acne

I never thought I would have to battle Acne. Look at me, this sounds like the beginning of a commercial, but it's the truth. I had a face a couple of weeks ago that was worse than a kid going through puberty. My 15 year old relative has nicer skin that I do. And it was frustrating me more than anything.

Firstly, I did not have skin like this when I was in High School. I had a pimple or two during my period, which were usually the cyst-like, huge, and annoying. Those that didn't pop on their own, my mother would lance and drain and they would go away. Those are the sorts of pimples I've always had and I've dealt with them.

I was on the birth control pill for around 11 years, which I started a year after I left high school. This helped control what little acne I had and when I went off the pill, I still would get the odd cystic pimple, but again, no severe issues that would make me want to cry and hide under my sheets.

Fast forward to now ... I had a child two years ago. Little under one year ago, I had an IUD placed. Three months ago, I began having severe uncontrollable acne where those cystic pimples were popping up all around my mouth, on my chin, and all over my forhead. I would have anywhere from four to eight red, inflamed infected pimples on my face, something I have never experienced before. Make-up wouldn't even cover them and I was so embarrassed I could barely go out in public. I got to the point where I wanted to go see a dermatologist, but I thought I should exhaust all over the counter measures before doing so.

Something to note here, I'm a serial pimple popper. I know that is the absolute taboo of acne. If I leave them alone, yes, they will go away after a week, then a week later that one, unpopped from before, will be back worse than before in the exact same place. If popped, yes, they do leave a red mark which takes it's time to go away, but once drained, they stay gone. Another thing, I HATE white heads. I can't stand seeing them on other people's faces and I hate seeing them on mine.

Prior to my severe outbreak, I would wash my face in the morning with some teen marketed face wash (the Wal-Mart brand of Clean and Clear I believe) and then layer on the also teen marketed face moisturizer (also Clean and Clear). Probably too thickly, as I hate that dry feeling you get from the face wash, which takes all the oil off your face. Then put on my make-up and ... well, that is where it ended. Never washed my face in the evening, or took my make-up off.

In my defence though, I do wear Bare Minerals foundation, which is apparently so pure, you can wear it to bed. Now I don't know how true that is, given the trouble I've had in the last few months, but I'm sure it works for someone. The only other make-up I wear is eye-liner. I also layer on the lip balm all day, various brands, like it's going out of style. It's an addiction I picked up in high school.

When the outbreak happened, I decided to change my routine and move on to the more adult marketed face washes and moisturizers. I went for Neutrogena, which fit into the middle price range, not cheap like the Teen marketed products and not expensive like Olay or similar. I bought:

**All the following products can be found on the Neutrogena Website.

1.) Fresh Foaming cleanser - For daily wash in the morning before putting my make up on.
2.) Health Skin Face Lotion (SPF 16) - For All Day Moisturizing
3.) Deep Clean Relaxing Nightly Cleanser - For before bed to remove make-up.
4.) Light Night Cream - For moisturizing over night.

I went with this routine for about a month. I even cut down the amount of moisturizer. I would use to a tiny amount. It didn't work... or I shouldn't say it didn't work, it didn't change my acne at all.

I then picked up a Wal-Mart brand Benzoyl Peroxide pimple treatment. Still didn't work.

So I did a little research and found that Salicylic Acid pimple treatments are better, so back to Wal-Mart I went and picked up the Neutrogena Rapid Clear Fight & Fade 2-in-1 Gel. It did not do what it promised, but what I did notice was that my pimples headed out faster and if they scabbed, they healed a little faster, but I still had to do something to keep them from coming up to begin with.

I went shopping with my 15 year old relative who also wanted to get some Acne products for her milder issues and we looked at all of the kits that boasted being better than Proactiv. They were less expensive than Proactiv, but given that I had never used Proactiv before (was considering), I couldn't really base my need for them on that. There was one I liked, but decided to hold off and go back to Neutrogena. They had an kit themselves, but they also had an Acne range the Fight & Fade gel came from, so it was worth a try to find singular products there before I spent the money on a kit (given how much money I'd spent so far on facial care products).

I bought: Neutrogena Rapid Clear Oil Control Foaming Cleanser

I also brought back out my bottle of Clean and Clear Acne Control Moisturizer which has Salicylic Acid in it to use in the morning. And then I also purchased a bottle of Noxzema Deep cleansing Cream.

And I am finally winning the battle.

In the morning:

1.) I wash my face with the Oil Control Cleanser.
2.) I apply a tiny amount of the moisturizer.
3.) Put on Make up

At night:

1.) I wash my face with the Oil Control Cleanser.
2.) I put the Fading gel on anything that looks particularly bad or those that are healing.
3.) I pull my hair back from my face with a head band.

If I sleep during the day either before or after a night shift, I'll give my face a little cleansing boost with the Noxzema, which I like the tingly-ness and the feeling of a clean face before sleeping without have to strip the oils away.

In addition, I do use Neutrogena Healthy Skin Eye Cream for around my eyes, because otherwise, I suffer from severe flaking of the skin on my eyelids and it's the only one I can find that isn't really expensive and isn't all about being an anti-wrinkle eye cream. I don't care about the wrinkles, I just don't want my skin flaking off my eyelids!

The war is far from being won. I am still trying to get rid of some old ones that have popped up again, but are slowly going away, but I'm down to two healing and no new ones which is great for me. There are still red marks from the bad outbreak due to popping, but they will fade in time. It might be a month or two. Interestingly enough, the two that are healing popped up over one night I forgot to wash my face and didn't pull my hair back when I went to bed, so clearly what I am doing is working.

Thank heavens!