Rental Jersey Shore

Here's the latest on the home front. Sis is back home and is back to being the Designated Daughter. It's so hard on her but without a car it's difficult for me to give her any time off. I need to be dropped off at Mom's house so I can use her car to drive her around. Between keeping bread on the table with my art and finding new ways to get about in this new economy I don't have a lot of free time. Not to say that my sister does either but TG she's willing to do more than her part with Mom.

DD, this time Dear Daughter, is so excited about her scores on the civil service test. She scored a 90 or an 89.862 and I told her to round up to the nearest whole number to which her reply was...I really don't want to lie...did I do a good job or what? Anyway, she's networked with a lot of her friends and one of them is a cop at Fort Monmouth, a government facility scheduled for closure in 2011 (to save us money and it's costing millions to close it down!!, your government dollars at work!!) but they're still hiring civilian cops as well as forensic detectives and her dream since high school has been to work in forensics. Yes, my dear friends, my DD would like to be "Bones" of Fox network fame. She did a mentorship for a year with the Monmouth County prosecutor's office and going out for pizza after a particularly grizzly and gruesome scene is apparently not stomach turning for her. As an artist all I can say is icky, icky ach!!!
As a traditionalist I would prefer that she date her friend's best friend...A 30 something Irishman who drives a rolls royce and lives in a community that has "Estates" as part of its title. I don't think she's opposed to the idea but after her heartbreaking relationship with 'the only man I ever loved' she's not willing to date anyone seriously. My DH is opposed to anyone she dates as well but as I told him, if Jesus himself were to come knocking, DH would say "he's only a carpenter"!

Anyway we'll see where that leads but at the moment she's on the hunt for a roommate, preferably a male who enjoys decorating and shopping as much as she does. She can't keep up with the rent and if she doesn't get caught up, the eviction notice goes out on 12.31.08 and then she'll be homeless. So if you know anyone who lives in the Jersey Shore area and is looking to share an 8 room house for $700 a month, you've got my number :)

On the crafting front, I spent all yesterday working on my petite fours and I think I've almost got it. I've figured out how to make them look really edible...finally..
I'll post later today if I finish them up. The blogging has been rather long today but I always do this when I'm putting off doing something that I know is going to be labor intensive. But it's almost noon EDT and since I slept the night through I really do need to use this energy for something other than catching y'all up on my life.

Off to play with the faux food, folks. Hugs to all of you for a creative day. I'll twitter this posting so you can catch up. Remember, too that I'd like to get a creative swap of craft supplies going so check my ultimate recycle post below.

Counting my blessings instead of sheep

Just about time to get off the computer and get myself ready to sleep. I'm hoping for a good night's rest but if not I'll count my blessings tonight instead. I got a lot accomplished today from my to do list and one thing that didn't appear on it. I sent a box of crafting goodies to Sarah Huckman down in MS. You can see her list of needs on her blog. I've posted it to the right of this.

I'm still creatively stuck but tomorrow I'm hoping that I may break through the inertia that's gripped me for many days. I am pulled between needing to create art and needing to make money. Every time I think I've gotten myself to a place where I can balance the two I fall off the fence and bruise my creative spirit. But isn't this what makes an artist so interesting...angst and nothing but? I'd like for one day to be a homemaker who turns out a great coffee cake and her world is complete! Does Mrs. Cleaver still exist?

Another Sleepless night in Jersey

I simply hate those nights when your mind is racing with a thousand thoughts and sleep is as far away as the tooth fairy. After 37 years of marriage to a man who snores and a bed cat who likes to prowl around, I'm thinking of saving up for a twin size bed.

I mean how selfish is it to want to actually sleep through the night? I think that Beaver's Mom and Dad had the right idea...twin beds. But with a 6'7" DH I'm the one who will have to leave the king sized one for a twin. He always says he can't sleep when I'm not in bed but while he may believe that myth I've noticed that within 45 seconds of me leaving it, he's back to snoring again.
Now before anyone suggests he be tested for sleep apnea he has been. And it's severe enough to warrant a breathing mask. Unfortunately without health insurance at the present moment we're living with a worn out mask that leaks air and gives me nightmares of being stalked by a GIANT HISSING COCKROACH!!

However bad the nights are, the days are worse. I drag my butt from room to room wishing I was a fluffy fat cat like the ones who get to doze in the sun shining in through the sliding glass door and skylight.


Last night I listed a piece in the NFAC, Nibblefest Art Contest on eBay. OK, call me crazy, I was hoping that someone would actually bid on it. I have one bid of 99 cents but there are others on there with 18 bids and $15 this early in the game. I just had to do it though. I keep thinking that one day I'll find the right combination of colors or images and suddenly I'll be one of the 'in' crowd.

I'll be what I used to be when I was doing the gallery/art show circuit...I'll be a star! What used to sell for 350 dollars now brings me 14.99 if I'm lucky. I keep thinking it's because I suck as an artist, but I don't know if I'm right. I always thought I had talent but as the years go on I think I may be losing it...or maybe I never had it to begin with??? Here's the piece that's hitting 99 cents right now:



Oh hello...my Mom just called and said she's not going to church and so I'm going to play hooky myself and go back to bed. If you've got suggestions for me on this piece of art, PLEASE just post your thoughts in the comment section below. TTYL