Confessions of a One-Track Mind

Okay, this is total pie-in-the-sky, NOT something that is practical in my life right now. But it's a cool idea, and I just wanted to get it on record.

As a card-carrying Former Horse Crazy Kid, I was intrigued when I saw someone's craft project of a bouncy horse body grafted onto a pole like a carousel horse. Like so:



There are quite a few of them out there; this one is for illustrative purposes and not as an exact depiction of what I'd do.* (Pink and mauve roses? I think not.) But anyway, I've seen them, and thought it was a really cool idea, BUT. It would take up an awful lot of real estate and doesn't really DO anything.

Then the light dawned. What if the pole was hollow, and there was a light on the top? That would certainly help it earn its keep. Still, that's a helluva big floor lamp. So why not get a side table or coffee table with two levels and run the pole thru that? I just so happen to have such a table, a really tacky 60's number. Both levels are marble, and the posts are baroque and gilded to a fair-thee-well. The whole thing would work fabulously with an antique gold pole and fixtures and an intricately painted pony.

I know, wild idea. And I'd have to find an old bouncy horse to repurpose. It's not like there's any hurry, though. I'm miles away from having a guest room to put it in....



* I think maybe an hommage to Scandinavian dala horses....


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One of the things I inherited from Kat was a side table that's currently being used as my coffee table. It's nothing special, but it has nice lines and is more suitable for the space I have. Somebody, at some point, painted the ersatz wood-grain top green.

Between the time it was painted and the time I got it, it got scratched up so that the ersatz wood-grain showed through in unsightly streaks. The chewed-up looking top bothered me. I have nothing against a genuinely aged piece, but this just looked BAD. I masked the surface with a runner, but was unsatisfied with that solution.

Therefore, while I was at WalMart today, I invested in a bottle of craft paint (hunter green) and this evening during Justified, I spread a couple of big plastic trash bags under the table and gave the top a quick going-over.

Now, I know craft paint isn't really intended for that sort of job, and it's liable to get just as messed up in the long run. But it's the large size bottle of paint ($2.49), so I have plenty for touch ups, and I already had a suitable paint brush (a souvenir of my ceramics hobby), so it's a small enough investment, and it really does look a lot better, even with just one coat. I'll give it another light coat tomorrow for good measure.

Little by little, it's getting better!
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Saturday, after I posted Five Things That Have Made Art Mullen Old Before His Time, I went over to J's and soldered for my supper. She's got an old computer (Mac) she's been trying to repair, and that was my third session soldering in new capacitors. I got all-you-can-eat barbecue and corn fritters out of it, so YUM.

Sunday/The First Day of Spring!!! at church, I gave the finally-finished wallhanging to the gal with the new home. This is the finished version:



The tapetry was from eBay. The small stars came from my craft supplies, the big silver stars were repurposed from some old earrings. The necklace came from my craft supplies, too---smallish gage chain and a sterling pentacle charm.

The broom was made as part of a CUUPs craft project a few months ago. The handle was one of a bunch provided by CapeGypsy's husband. The bristles are made from pine straw gathered on the church grounds. The twine is hemp I had on hand.

She accepted the bag I had it in graciously, but didn't look at it. Classy, but disappointing. I'd've liked to see her initial reaction.

Today was the food pantry, and I went from there Directly to J's. I was a little early---we were going to go see about a dog at noon---but I couldn't afford gas to run back and forth.

The dog was a Rottie, advertised as "dog aggressive", which he wasn't. His owner is anxious when other dogs approach, which sets the dog off. Owner is wanting to train him as a service dog, and he's already performing very well. Owner is on disability and can't afford J's services; today was a freebie evaluation of his temperament and advice on what Owner needs to do to train him: Document hours and locations spent training, etc. Goodwill for us, but no money.

J says she doesn't do it for the money, which I think is admirable. I, on the other hand, am highly motivated by profit.

Y'all, if I don't post or respond to comments right away, don't panic. Today was the day I promised my internet-cable provider I'd pay them, and I flat-out don't have it. Won't have it before the 1st at the earliest. I haven't gone into detail about the go-round I've been having about my benefits, but the bottom line is, I haven't had anything from them since EARLY February and EVERYTHING is due.

Right now, I'm just breathing in and out and repeating the Serenity Prayer. J says they don't immediately turn things off in case the check is really in the mail. Me, I'm just hoping things don't go pear-shaped while GK is here.

Never a dull moment!
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Didn't do a whole lot Monday, but it wasn't a total loss. I've got a bunch of VHS tapes boxed up, ready to depart, and in their place, the lion's share of my DVDs. I must get the rest of them over there and freaking alphabetize them. Yes, I AM that OCD; playing games of "Do I have...?" and "I know damn well I have---!" is making me crazy.

I also plugged in an extension cord and got ready to vacuum my area rug, but the hose that attaches to my canister vac is MIA. Swell. I seem to recall flinging it out into the garage, God help me! Took down the big clock I inherited from Kat. It's beautiful; it has Roman numerals and a faux copper rim, and it doesn't keep time for beans. I've displayed my ratty copy of "Daily Bread", which is a tight squeeze in the same space, but IDC.

That isn't the only artwork on display. On top of the same bookcase that's holding "keeper" VHS and the DVDs, I've got pastel portraits of Kat and VC, circa 1965. They're not in perfect condition, which is one reason no one else spoke up for them, but I think they have a certain naive charm. I'm sure GK will be amused to see them.

I found a twin fitted sheet, go me. Clean, too. I'm piling linens atop the ottoman that matches the sofa. I still need to tackle the garage and pillows. (pwcorgigirl, I'm probably going to use your "fluff and restuff" technique if they don't bounce back after washing.)

Did dishes, hit some of the high-traffic areas a lick with a damp mop.

Made time for recreation, too, namely watching American Pickers and Harry's Law. I'd forgotten how much I LOVE David E. Kelley's writing. He may offer up diatribes against social injustice, but he always does it with cmpelling, engaging characters.

The house-warming wall hanging for the gal at church is a WIP. I began transforming it in earnest over the weekend. I have a few ideas of what else I'm going to do with it, but that's going to require some time with J's soldering iron.

This is the basic tapestry:



Now it's full of stars (reference intentionsl *smirks*) and shiny bits, and I really hope she likes it.

Rooting around in one of the side drawers of my desk---the one I rarely get into because it's under the arm rest---I discovered a tin chocolate box filled with blank notecards. How long have they been there? I'll give you a hint: There were some 32-cent stamps enclosed.

TTFN.
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I'm feeling exceedingly well fed. I got a piece of meat on mark-down yesterday, and this evening, I had it with a modest yellow onion and a carton of mushroom-caps, gently sauteed with the steak, rare. I get beef maybe twice a month (if I can find a good deal), and this was a very nice piece. *contented sigh*

I should probably do some more laundry, but at the moment, I'm still digesting. I should also get my stuff together for CUUPs tomorrow---AI is doing a workshop on wire-wrapping. Heaven knows, I'm familiar with the process, have my own tools, wire, etc.---and plenty of freaking rocks!---and I'm really looking forward to it! It's always more fun to craft in a group.

The other day, I sat down and knocked out a chunk of a crossover...this evening, I'm trying to work out another installment...what makes it tricky is, the bit I started with is probably something like chapter 4. It's a DeVour/My Bloody Valentine continuation, because who doesn't want twice as much Jensen Ackles? (Or three times, if you count Harry Warden....) It remains to be seen how much of a readership it has besides Kerttu!
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Was up just after ten this morning---I am managing to wake earlier and earlier, go me! Tomorrow will be even better, albeit with the help of an alarm clock...

First thing I did was check email, then called GK, who was at Barnes & Noble with Kat and the Things. It was one of those conversations where she was talking to me, talking to the kids, looking at stuff they were showing her while I was reading her a list of the current-run movies at Merritt Square. Nothing we both want to see; the only ones I had any interest in are things she's already seen. She gets to a heckuva lot more films than I do!

Was barely off the phone with her than AI called...we didn't have a chance to talk yesterday, what with me dashing off to the reunion. Had a nice chat about the Full Moon Ball (3rd annual), and I'm so glad to know that this year I won't have to beg, borrow or outright steal a day off to attend. We had tentative plans to visit the nearest Lush store (at OIA---and contrary to the name, it doesn't sell booze---it's fabulous bath products) on my birthday, in lieu of a birthday dinner. Told her because of the job situation, finances are dicey, and she said no, I may get two products as my gift from her, so yay, Lushness! I've been pouring over the catalog she gave me in June---along with a cake of Lush shampoo---trying to decide, but I think I'm going to have to go in there and sniff around.

Created a playlist---it's time to burn a new CD for the car---and added to a WIP. Snacked. Called GK back late afternoonish since I hadn't heard back about possible thrifting. She was at the motel and was able to talk without multitasking...heard about her plans to pay off the loan on Kat's van and swap it for hers. Kat's has lower milage and is a couple years newer, and that way Kat won't have to make payments and will have more money for medications or whatever. Also broke the news that I'm unemployed---gave her the details, but she hasn't come up with a plan to rescue me yet. (She's like that.) Only plan is for me to show up at Kat's tomorrow morning at 9:30 and we're going to hit the mall when they open at 10 and look for a dress for Kat to wear to the wedding. Oh, and I agreed to help her lay tile (the peel and stick kind) in one of Kat's spare rooms....

Shortly after that came a knock at the door, and missybrat came by with the bottle of Diet (caffeine free!) A&W root beer that got left behind in her car on Friday.

The 6:00 WNTW was a rerun I've seen at least four times, so I divided my attention between that and more closet excavating...I never fail to unearth something I've completely forgotten, in this case a drop-dead leopard skirt. I must've picked it up early on in my Goodwill pillaging when I was less discriminating---it couldn't've fit, but it does now! Get ready...it's knee-length leopard print velvet with a black beaded fringe. Oh-la-la!

Oh, and I have some great short strands of rocks GK gave me---two different shapes of turquoise, some snowflake jasper, two of the same type rock in different shapes that I'm not certain of, and some lovely white shell cones. Told AI I might make some earrings for the craft table at the Full Moon Ball with little cards telling about the stones.

Hasta banana!

Had the annual congregational meeting today at church. Guh. Would not have gone if not for that; I need a sleep-in Sunday, damn it. As usual, a certain amount of BS, but the changes are for the better, IMO.

I've been a) working on a fic for cream_fudge (although tomorrow morning may have been a little optimistic) and b) started fiddling with a project for CUUPs.

April's CUUPs project is going to be tiaras, and I had an idea. I got a 99-cent cloth-covered visor, and by rotating it, have decided it'll make an excellent tiara. Instead of wearing it down like a baseball cap, I've reoriented it so that the curve of the bill is upright on the head facing out and the arms of the visor are worn like a headband.

The visor itself is beige, I've got a whole roll of gathered ivory lace, tons of decorative fabric and a shitload of beads. Stay tuned, this is going to be amazing.

Back to the fic....

Today was delightful. Met AI and HG at the church and we headed over to Orlando for some quality time.

First up: a bead store. Their prices are higher than I'm used to, so I didn't do too much damage. I've got several projects planned---I'm glad I have a 3-day weekend ahead, I can manage some quality ass-on-couch time. I now have a ring mandrel! I've wanted one for ages, and this was quite a bit less than I could've had it shipped for from eBay.

Then we did Smokey Bones BBQ for lunch---yummy, yummy brisket!---and on to two new age stores, a herb shop and a used bookstore (I was good---only got three). Considering the fact that we got on the road a little before 11 this morning, I think we covered a lot of ground. I'm well-stocked for incense (violet), essential oil (tea tree) and sage (a small bundle to smudge with), and I got a bag of cardamom seeds, which smells heavenly. I got a coloring book that I'm dying to scan---very acid-trippy drawings of flowers and insects---a couple of greeting cards, and the usual assortment of rocks.

The only incident that marred the afternoon was a minor fender-bender coming out of the second new age place---someone else pulled out of a parking place that was at right angles to ours, and we scraped together. It was barely noticable, the guy refused to exchange insurance info---HG had a camera with her and snapped pix, so we have an official record, but our vehicle had one tiny paint-scrape---less than two inches long---on the bumper.

I've already let them know that I may end up staying home and sleeping in tomorrow, because with all the construction going on down the block, I won't be able to rest on Monday morning, that's for sure.

Now I'm going to scrounge up some dinner and then I think I'll bead something....

I spent the lion's share of today with my ass parked on the couch, beading and watching TV. I finished a project I started a couple weeks ago---a mother of pearl and red coral necklace---while sitting through Tall Tales (twice) and a couple episodes of Jericho. Did a little channel surfing as well, but I've seen National Treasure enough times that even the prospect of an hour and a half of Sean Bean didn't stir my interest. (Besides, I have it on DVD.)

( Fingernails help with craft projects like that. )

Tomorrow, I get to go to the dentist, yay. (Said ironically, in case you were wondering.) I mean, it's a good thing, because hopefully he or she will fix the problem, but ugh, money. And then I work a full shift afterward...but I'm off Wednesday, so that's good, right?

This morning, my eyelids didn't even crack til nearly 11 AM...so church was a write-off. I haven't left the house; the most ambitious thing I've done is a craft project involving glue and scissors.

I got ahold of an old-fashioned black metal lunch box (the kind with the domed lid where the thermos would go, if it had a thermos) and have happily decoupaged the hell out of it. I trimmed three vintage-style postcards out of a piece of wallpaper with a postcard theme and applied them, added a few brightly-colored postage stamps from exotic places, a couple cigarette cards featuring American landmarks, and some faux luggage stamps. I've christened it my "I've Been Everywhere" box, although truth be told, I've never been to *any* of the places shown---not even the Everglades! But what the hell, it's darned cute, and I can see it as a companion piece to be worn with my pop cap belt---which, according to the UPS tracking info, should be here tomorrow. Gawd, I hope it fits! Although that may not be a serious issue.

Lately...I've discovered that my jeans are fitting looser. To the point that I've pulled them down without undoing the fly---because I'm used to granny jeans and stretch pants, and wasn't thinking---and they're riding a little lower on my hips than they used to. I'm not trying to loose weight, but what with working second shift, I have only two meals a day and a couple snacks, and there's a limit to how many calories I can consume in my allotted break time. As long as I don't get home and eat before bedtime, I ought to keep losing weight. Not a bad thing!

I am a happy woman. After church, I went to the mall and finally, finally saw "Mrs. Henderson Presents", which was absolutely delightful. Things I particularly liked about it:

* The opening title sequence was splendidly animated; it featured the best of hand-drawn animation combined discreetly with computer animation and photos. Very good for setting the tone of the film.

* Judi Dench is brilliant. (Not news to anyone in the civilized world, but true.) There's something about hearing her rip loose with a cuss word that makes even those vulgar words one hears twenty times a day seem perfectly shocking.

* I've never seen or heard of the woman before, but Thelma Barlow is excellent as Mrs. Henderson's best friend and confidante. (Rather like the Coral Browne part in "Auntie Mame", but less Pittsburgh....)

* Bob Hoskins bears...er, bares it all. (Okay, so I like bears.)

* The production design is mouth-watering. I lusted after the multitude of jewels worn my Mrs. H.--fabulous vintage pieces that I wanted to recreate--from tiaras to pendant necklaces. Lovely. Only flaw I noticed was in the widow's weeds. In the beginning, she was wearing a dark blue dress with pretty lighter blue embroidery...right after her husband's funeral. Weren't they still observing a year of mourning in black in those days? That aside, the sets were nicely done and the theatrical costumes were gorgeous. (Oh, and I experienced my recurring desire to wear harlot red lipstick after seeing it on all those 40's-era gals--but I won't. Learned the last time--after watching "Sky Captain"--that the really red shades look dreadful on me...I can get away with it if they have an orange tone rather than a blue tone, but it's still not too flattering.)

+ But wait, there's more! +

Meanwhile, back in the real world...I got home to find a *large* red Target bag in my doorstep. I thought at first that GK had managed to hit another thrift store and was dropping the largess off on her way to the airport. Beads. Lots of beads. A very large bag with numerous containers full of beads--the more I delved, the more into shock I went. The mystery was solved when I got to the very bottom of said bag, where I found a note from R, who said she was cleaning house, didn't have the time to do anything with all this stuff, and she hoped I could do something with it.

If same-sex marriage was legal, I think I'd propose. (Like my hometown, I *can* be bought for a handful of beads.) Wow. There's literally about 2 pounds of seed beads and bugles, plus a bunch of findings--clasps and ear wires, rhinestones and crystals, coins, chips, points and donuts, lampwork and some glorious cane beads. Oh, and a new pair of round-nosed pliers...pink ones. I've GOT to grab more wire, quick!

Tomorrow it's back to the salt mines, but what the hell. I have to fax that info to the FSA people anyway, and discuss my NON-renewal with HR. (Let's see how deep my in-box is. Shall we take bets? It was four inches deep when I left, I'm thinking it's at least ten inches by now.... I don't care; I had a good time. I needed that.)

Today was fairly low-key. Managed to get *somewhat* caught up at work. I *still* have a to-do folder an inch thick, but I'm current with the mail, mailed out a fat stack of claim forms and am nearly through with all the write-ups Babs keeps handing back to me. *eyeroll*

God willing, I've taken care of a particularly persistent caller...without going into confidential detail, the auto benefits were exhausted, the 2ndary insurance has been reluctant to pay--today I managed to produce a claim form and fax it to the 2ndary rep, who promises to hand-carry it through their system. (The services were done last July, and since then, I personally have had four or five calls about it, to the point where I want to take the phone away from the individual who keeps calling and commit an act of proctology with it.)

Apparently I didn't mention one of my latest projects; S brought me a Swedish dala horse on a key chain during her travels last summer. The other night, I turned it into the centerpiece of a dangly pin--the kind that looks like a jumbo safety pin with three loops. The beads were all shades of red, yellow, blue and white. It's quite playful, and I showed it to S when she stopped by to pick up a hard drive I'd borrowed from her. She oohed and ahhed, which was a nice surprise. We seldom have the same taste with regards to style. (I have a fantasy of two identical empty houses, and her and I decorating them on identical budgets. I'm willing to bet they'd be *nothing* alike!)

Had a spiffy time tie-dyeing tee shirts today. It was quite a crowd: in addition to the regulars, I brought B--literally, because A was working on her vehicle--and MU showed up with her girls. Definitely the nucleus of a very lively--and funny--group! Now I've got several colorful new pieces of attire that I can only wear on Fridays or weekends, and I'd run out and buy more dye and tee shirts and do it again, if I had any money!

Another Good Thing: when we were cleaning up, I went rummaging around looking to see if I had any containers in my car suitable for storing leftover dye, and I found the purple tote that I've been looking for for a week. Now maybe I can get that item it's harboring mailed! (Yes, I'm being cryptic--it's supposed to be a surprise--shh, don't tell kukkurkurat!)

I didn't have breakfast this morning, I munched a bit after the workshop, but I think some Real Food sounds good, so I'm gonna go find some now....