Critter painting rampage

This has been a rather stressful week...with close calls for George, Luigi, and Papa! Keep all 3 of them in your prayers. All are on their way to recovery, but gave us quite a scare in all cases!


I went on a painting rampage yesterday and painted a bunch of critters.


These were supposed to be for a big eyed critter themed swap (so yes the eyes are all wrong on purpose), but I don't think I can give them up. I'll have to try painting someone else's dogs or some other critters for the swap (if I choose to partcipate). I think Baily and Rusty (who looks completely guilty) are my favorites. Luigi was super hard to paint, and Haley looks like an alien.

Snails and a catepillar.

Blue Crowned Conures for a personalized trade and a PIF ^_^


And now I'm letting my creativity recharge by taking a break from painting (as long as i can stand it). I also need to study for my bazillion upcoming exams.

Memorial Day Weekend

This weekend didn't enitirely go as planned, but we still had a really nice time on Saturday.


We saw some cool birds (Sandhill Cranes)

Explored some wetlands.

and relaxed at the winery.

Overall, a good day.


Sunday my parents left early to check on Luigi and George. Both are now doing much better, but they had us pretty worried!

Peace and love!

Look What Came in the Mail!!!

My first returns from ATC trades :)



This little cutie came all the way from the United Kingdom and was made for me by TattieKite on the ATCsforALL forums :)

These I traded for, and I think they are even better in person. KayakChickee made them www.kayakchickee.blogspot.com.

I really love all 4 cards I got today! They really made a bad day better!

Pray for Little Luigi

We've had Luigi for a while now, and just this weekend he became suddenly ill. We still don't know what exactly is wrong with him. His spleen is HUGE...so huge that it is displacing his other organs. He's lethargic, anorexic, and guards his abdomen. He's on a couple of broad spectrum antbiotics, pain meds, and anti-nausea meds. I'm hoping and praying that he gets better, because he's so important to my family and me. He's just such a sweet fellow, it breaks my heart to think we might loose him so soon!


Please remember him today in you thoughts and prayers.

Girl's Best Friend ATC series

Traded :)

For mom!

For Kodii!

Available for trade!

Mom and I traded ATCs

Hmm..is this mom's rendition of my cooking? I haven't burned that much! haha

And...Mr.Bailey from me, the most photogenic of beagles.

Now who else would like to trade?

Update!

This is an artist trading card my mom made for me. It's so adorable.


Only two months now for the wedding! My parents came to visit me this weekend and we were going to finish up our invitations. But little Luigi became acutely ill and mom and dad are on their way home to help the little dog. So invitations will go out soon, but first we have to get Luigi feeling better! Keep our little dog in your prayers. He's a vital member of our family.

Meanwhile, Chase and I are working hard at school and trying to focus (which is very difficult).


Peace and love to all.

<3

Katie

Elton John Concert

You might be tired of just looking ATC picture.

SO here are pictures of the Elton John concert. It was very colorful...almost to the point where it distracted from the music. It was a lot of fun though! 3.5 hours of Elton John and Billy Joel with 3 of my best friends! Life can't get much better than that can it?

My ATCs

Here are all the ATCs I've created!


The Pirate (UK), Poofy Bird (New Jersey), and leaves have all been traded (Singapore). The heron is not for trade!

The bottom two are going to Singapore.

The Greyhound one is going to Italy

These are for a southwest themed swap ^_^

My latest ATCs.

So I worked up enough courage to participate in an online ATC swap. Actually, it will be my first ATC swap ever! It's theme was cicadas, which I thought was fun. I hope they are good enough to actually trade!

Ugh. This is my attempt at acryllic paints. I'll probably try to stick with water color...

Watercolor Cicada. This one is my favorite.

Another cicada.


Not a cicada...don't know what I'll use this one for. He just looked fun to paint. I'm thinking I might go back and add some more color to him later.

For now! It's bed time!
Next week is round one of tests! I want to make straight As this semester so i probably should study!

I did something fun!

I cut a bunch of 2.5" x 3.5" pieces of water color paper to paint. Such a small painting can't take tooo much time, right? It's a good study break :)


Butterfly on a flower

Leaves

Clean and Simple

I started reading Clutter's Last Stand by Don Aslett today. People generally are pack rats, keeping things we shouldn't. Accumulating stuff (knick knacks, books, clothes, shoes etc etc) just means more to clean...more to protect...more to store. All that just does for you in the long run is expends your already precious time and energy. So I think I'll go on a spring cleaning frenzy and get rid of some stuff in prep for my upcoming marriage and household fusion. Let the frenzy begin!


Organization is not really something that I've ever found easy to maintain. I'm more of a random-clutter-piles type of person. These piles accumulate until it bugs me so much I put everything away. However.... I have lived with organized people.

My own personal observations about maintaining effective organization:
1. It must exist. If you have no organization system, obviously you won't be organized and the home will be disorderly.
2. It must be accessible and easy to use. The more you use an object, the more easily accessible it should be. Otherwise, it'll just end up being out of place...because out of place is more convenient than tucked away. Keep it simple...organization systems that are too complicated will not be used either.
3. Make it a habit of putting things in their proper place as soon as you finish using them.


Ok...going back to the book.
Aslett works as a professional household cleaner. He says that clothing is one of the worst junk-accumulating areas in many homes. The following guidelines are summarized from his book:

Pull it out of your closet if it's....
1. Unflattering. Wrong color, wrong style for you
2. Fits poorly or uncofortably. If you have to stay standing, can't move your arms, have to suck it in... if it itches!
3. Too complicated. You have to adjust it every 10 minutes.
4. Too fragile. If you have to worry about preserving it so much that you never use it... In my case, if I'm too worried about getting dog fur on it.
5. damaged beyond repair or missing parts you probably won't replace (like unusual buttons)
6. damaged but repairable before you can wear it.
7. never or rarely worn. Or if it goes with things you despise wearing or never wear.

Sort the stuff you pulled out into two piles: 1. Clothes that aren't being worn for a fixable/pracital reason. 2. Clothes that you don't use, don't fit, or just don't want anymore. Get rid of pile two (think salvation army).

OK! Here I come closet!


Other junk accumulations to deal with...
1. Shoes --> see closet stuff above.
2. Class notes --> throw out ones I'll never look at. Have the rest bound into spiral bound books.
3. Art supplies
4. Saved greeting cards --> scan and throw out.
5. reciepts + Junk mail --> shred/burn


Random Speed Cleaning Tip 1. Have a "To Sort" box instead of bouncing from room to room.