weird food link, and other randomness

There's a lot of weird food out there, and thankfully, there are people who will try it and let the rest of us know how it is. Go here to see for yourself. (maybe not while you're eating your lunch, though...)

in other news:

my feet hurt from the 4.25 mile training walk I did yesterday... yay! for training walks (and for the gorgeous weather we've had lately!), boo! for my feet hurting- I know it's because I need a new pair of shoes, though... just have to get fitted and buy them. My shoulders also hurt after, and that one will be harder to correct- I find myself tensing up while I walk, and have to consciously think to relax.

our calico kitty Pandora is doing okay with her meds-- she's letting us give her the fluids (yay!) and she only hacked up her antibiotic pill once so far. Unfortunately, I'm not sure how much of her food she's actually eating. (she licks the gravy off the canned food, but I never see her eat very much of it.) I'm going to take her into the vet's office at the end of the week, to find out if she's gained any weight at all (cross your fingers!!)

random ART (mostly) photo catchup (edited to add a couple details)

more pics, this time of some of my latest art projects: the fruits of my first foray into encaustics, which is painting with colored/melted wax. I got to try it at AZ Art Supply in Phoenix, as part of the May ATC exchange event. I've seen some gorgeous pieces using this medium, and of course, what I came up with looks nothing like anything recognizable! It was difficult to control the melted wax on the iron, and I ended up overmixing some of the colors, so ended up with "mud." After that, I decided to go for an abstract look! Not sure what I'll do with these, but it was fun to try out. (I think I'll stick with paper, paint and glue for the time being.)

Not an art project, but I had to get a pic of Pandora in here... it's hard to see in this pic,but she is a bit lumpy, with water under her shoulder after getting an injection of fluids at the vet's office. She's been losing weight (a LOT of weight) for a few weeks now (she's down to 6 3/4 lb currently), and is now being treated for a kidney infection with a 6-week course of antibiotics and fluids, which will hopefully help her stay hydrated, flush some of the toxins out of her system, and tackle the infection. This afternoon, the techs at the vet's office showed us how to administer the sub-cutaneous fluids so we can do it ourselves at home. (wish us luck, because we might need it, knowing her calico anti-social personality!)

I've been making pendants to sell at our 3-Day for the Cure fundraising event in June. I have wanted to make these for a while, but didn't really have any reason before, and decided this was the perfect time! The larger ones are collaged paper on dominoes (dominos?? this is one of those words I can never spell-- neither looks right, and I don't feel like looking it up), and the smaller ones are scrabble tiles. Top, L-R: a stamped and colored image right on the domino, hand-marbled paper (made using shaving cream, if you can believe that!), and a collaged napkin. Bottom, L-R: collaged paper with rhinestones, 3 scrabble tiles with scrapbooking paper, and a gorgeous patterned Japanese paper. I bought individual scrabble tiles at Frenzy Stamper, but I am scouting out a Scrabble game from the local Goodwill to make more...

This is an 8x10 canvas experiment... Edited to add: this experiment was inspired by some of the techniques in the book Mixed Emulsions, by Angela Cartwright. I painted the background last month at our Mixed Media group meeting, but couldn't decide exactly what to do with it. I just started experimenting with digital images (and I would love to try Photoshop) but this one was done using Picasa, which is a free photo-editing software. It's a double exposure using two photos: the first is lawn chairs in front of my sister's little pink house, and the second is a texture photo of cracked cement (borrowed from this Flickr user- I believe I used this texture), overlaid on top and printed as one photo. I added some original "poetry" text, and lots of layered paint. I think it still needs something more in the upper right corner, though... I'm not sure what yet, but it'll come to me. Oh, and I've also been doing some more sewing using my sewing machine... I really think I must have Crafter's ADHD!!

random pics

a few random photos off my computer... hope everyone enjoyed the weekend! it was beautiful here yesterday-- mid-70s and sunny; then today, drizzly, gray- and now it's pouring. We had a wonderful champagne brunch to celebrate our 6th anniversary, then spent the rest of the day relaxing! young whitetail deer along the road-- taken when we were back in Illinois and Wisconsin last August.

taken a c0uple months ago-- Pandora wanted to cuddle up to Bisbee, but Bisbee didn't really know what she thought about it... you can tell by that sidelong look in her eyes.

a beautiful piece of artwork; from the gourd show we attended a few weekends ago in Casa Grande, AZ. So much can be done with gourds-- painting, filigree work, weaving with fibers and beads, woodburning... the art was amazing!! I took over 125 photos while we were there, so I will post more of these, for sure!

dragonfly in the grass-- this was taken at the Sonora Desert museum in Tucson, which is a cross between a zoo and a botanic garden. We visited there a couple years ago when my parents and sister visited us. It's definitely worth the drive to Tucson, and I'd love to go again sometime.

is it really?? can it be?? yes, I think... it's... a scrapbook layout!

a month or two ago, I got a number of pictures printed at scrapbookpictures.com (a pretty nice photo processing website with helpful customer service, low prices, and a variety of photo sizes to choose from)-- since then, those pics have just been hanging out, waiting for inspiration to strike. It's been quite a while since I scrapped anything, so I started simple, with just one photo: I love this picture of Butters and Pandora-- they don't snuggle together nearly as often as Cleo and Phoebe used to, so when I found them like this on the office chair, I had to take a couple pictures; this one was printed 5 x 7, for extra cuteness. It really shows off their pink noses and ears, so I went with pink, girly colors for the page... in reality, except for the pink cardstock, it's all from a Making Memories page kit I found at a local closeout store, so the colors all match- bonus!! I used a page sketch (I love page layout sketches for inspiration!!) from the Pencil Lines website-- they post new scrapbook page sketches and challenges every week, and just celebrated their third anniversary.

a closeup of the upper left corner, showing the adhesive rhinestones and buttons I used for embellishments-- I mean, really, when else am I ever going to use glittery rhinestones on any of my layouts?? (plus, they came in the kit-- this way I'm being practical, using all the supplies-- LOL!!)

another closeup, of the bottom right-- I love the soft buttery yellow velvet ribbon- too bad there was only enough to use on this layout!! This pic also shows the inking I did to the edges of the polka-dot paper to add another touch of pink...

snuggling in that chair looked a little more comfortable than sleeping on this one, don't you think?? Butters hangs out in some of the strangest places!! (maybe she's wishing she could turn on the stereo or the drum set... thank goodness she can't-- cats cause enough trouble without opposable thumbs!)

weekend snuggling and "Snuggies"

our weekend was full of snuggling and Snuggies, so I thought I'd share some pics with you! It's hard to think that we've already had Pandora and Butters for just over a year... I am still amazed at how we got them- as easy as: walk into the pet store to look at dog toys, and walk out with two kittens! I guess it really is true that the Universe gives you what you need when you need it, because it was just about a month after we got them that we had to put Cleo to sleep... I think it was time for her to join Phoebe over the Rainbow Bridge- she was lonely the last year without Phoebe, and the dogs were just too energetic for her. Pandora and Butters, on the other hand, give as good as they get when it comes to the dogs. It always makes me laugh when the dog chases the cat thru the family room, they disappear into the living room, then come back, but on the return trip the cat is chasing the dog!! These pictures are somewhat deceptive; Pandora and Butters are ultra-cute and cuddly here, but they can be terrors when they want to be!! I have to keep the door to the art studio closed, otherwise you never know what will happen- Pandora lives up to her name; paintbrushes end up where you least expect them, pencils get shot around the floor like hockey pucks, and corners of paper, magazines, and books get chewed on until I bribe them with kitty treats, which is what they want. (like Tom says, they're pretty smart for something with a brain the size of a marble! And yet, they don't come when you call- why is that?? I know, I know, it's because they're cats...)

In order to "get" the pictures below, you have to first visit this website, the As-Seen-On-TV home of "the blanket with sleeves." It's one of those short info-mercial type things we've been seeing on TV lately. It's sort of ridiculous; buy a "Snuggie" and get a mini book light, free with purchase!! That was really hilarious to both of us, and set us off- why not an oil filter, or a free toaster, with your Snuggie- why stop at a book light?? (and that word "Snuggie" is just really funny sounding if you say it a couple of times... try it!) Anyway, I decided Bisbee needed a Snuggie of her own (because Sedona wouldn't have let me do it to her), so I went into the bedroom, pulled one of my tee-shirts out of the dresser, and put it on her:

She looked so ridiculous, I fell over laughing and made Tom get the camera right away!! I had no idea she would be literally swimming in my tee-shirt... it's short sleeved, but the sleeves are longer than her legs!! (the poor girl; she's looking at the camera like "what did I do; why are you laughing?!?")

So, whaddya think- is the "Sheltie Snuggie" the wave of the future?? It definitely wins the cuteness award, at least! (or maybe it's just Bisbee's cute, furry face that helps it out!!) Have a good (short!!) workweek, everyone, and enjoy a wonderful Thanksgiving full of gratitude, companionship, and good food!! (I think I'm actually going to brave the crowds on Friday and go shopping... my favorite local stamp store, Frenzy Stamper, e-mailed a special 20% off coupon- how could I not?? If I do manage to survive Black Friday, I'll be sure to show you my spoils!!)

the more things change...

the more they stay the same... Tom caught Pandora and Butters snuggling on the bed earlier today, and snapped a few pictures. It brings back lots of bittersweet memories of Cleo and Phoebe. But, Pandora and Butters definitely have their own very strong personalities- they are not timid around the dog at all, and they love going outside... chasing bugs and trying to get the hummingbirds when they come to the feeder are two of their favorite pasttimes. (occasionally they do nap, too!)

another weekend ends...

Another weekend ends in the desert, and like all of them, it didn't seem long enough. Yesterday I ran some errands in town, we had a fire in the chiminea, and we cooked dinner out on the grill (hamburgers, hot dogs, and a couple portobello mushroom caps with garlic and mozzarella cheese). It was nice to relax on the patio with a fire crackling; this past winter was too cold to be outside much, so we didn't have fires very often. There's just something so relaxing about the aroma of pinon pine and mesquite! Tom got the telescope out early Saturday morning, too (like 5:30 am!!)... Jupiter and Venus are now rising early in the morning, so he spent some time watching Jupiter before the sun came up. Today was quite a bit colder (about 60 degrees today, when it was in the 70s yesterday); we got our favorite Filiberto's breakfast burritos, watched the race, and I did some crafting, which I will show you tomorrow (or you can check out my Flickr page). The prickly pear cacti in the front yard are growing by leaps and bounds; the pads are flattening out, and the spines are beginning to appear.

Sedona and Butters spent some of Saturday afternoon relaxing on the couch together. I am so glad these cats get along with the dog... Phoebe and Cleo never got used to Sedona, and I feel they lost out on the last couple years of their lives because of this...

Pandora in the bedroom window, checking out the action in the backyard... Pandora and Butters have gone out into the yard a couple times (only because of the cement-block wall), and they actually like it out there... we have to watch carefully, or they can sneak right past us when we come in the house!

kitten update

well, it's been a week now, and so far, everyone has survived. The kitties are settling in, and Cleo and Sedona are adjusting (as much as can be expected, anyway). I have learned a couple things, though, including "Never hold a kitten over a dog's head, especially when the dog can jump." I was being helpful (so I thought) and was going to carry the yellow kitten to the laundry room (where their food bowls are), but Sedona really wanted to get her. So, the dog started jumping, the kitten started spitting and growling, and I got my hands scratched and bitten for my stupidity. It all turned out okay in the end, and my hands are fine- one of the kitten's teeth broke off (in my hand), she bit me so hard- a baby tooth, I think. Cleo doesn't really know what to think of them yet, except she doesn't really like the intrusion- actually, the kittens being here has made her come out of her shell (and her hiding place in the bathroom) a bit more... she occasionally comes into our bathroom, or up on our bed, to voice her displeasure. I am definitely glad we got both kittens, so they can keep each other entertained, and leave her alone for the most part. This is the yellow kitten, all puffed up and mean-looking (the dog was right there, I think). She is definitely the more timid of the two (except when threatened- see story above!), and is a bit more reserved than her sister. We named her Butters, after a character on the Comedy Central television cartoon South Park... you'd have to watch the show to really get it, but his nickname is a play on words (Butters Stotch is his full name), and somehow, she just reminds us of him. (I put a pic of Butters from South Park below) Just something in her expression, I think...

The other kitten's name is Pandora (Tom thought that one up on the way to the vet's office), because she is a trouble-maker!! She tries to sneak out of the laundry room the minute you crack open the door, and she gets into everything!! (Right now we're keeping them in the laundry room, while they recover from getting declawed, and till the dog gets used to them... We let them out for periods of time while we can supervise, and we also give the dog a time-out in her crate once or twice a day, so the kittens can explore.) Below is a pic of Pandora hanging out under the piano, from this morning when they were playing... hopefully her tendency to chew on everything is just because they're at that "baby teeth falling out" stage??

Butters, waiting to pounce, as soon as Pandora gets close enough... they have such focus!

Action shot! I know it's not the best pic, but they're really quick! They don't seem to feel too bad from their declawing, but we are keeping them in the laundry room to keep them quieter (they wouldn't settle down out here, at all), and the vet sent home some liquid pain medication.. boy, administering that is fun, let me tell you! (it takes a team effort, with Tom keeping the kitten wrapped in a towel, so I can shoot the medicine into their mouth... I'll be glad when we're done with it, and I'm sure they will be, too! (There's a few more pictures of them on my Flickr page...)