Cool Lazy Sunday

It's a cool 67 degrees outside and sunny.

"Twinkle" has just woken up from her late morning nap while I've busy cleaning house and rearranging furniture. Then I need to spend some time outside - whacking some weeds and then come back in and work on some of my paintings I've started. I wish I could take a "nap" but my mind won't let me! Too much to do!

A Weekend All to Myself!

I've been working a lot at my "pay-the-bills" job, I think it's now been over 2 weeks since I've had a full day off. I'm not really complaining even though it sounds like it. I'm very lucky to finally have a job that I love to go to. I've had several "careers" where I felt that the my life was being sucked out of me.

The worst was probably the "bank" job were I was the head of the Research Dept. which was a fancy title since I was the only one in the Dept! It was in the upstairs of an old bank along with the Accounting Dept. and none of us were allowed to pull back the heavy draperies that covered the windows because the view would cause a distraction. But hey, I had a great health care plan! Of course I felt sick everyday that I had to go to work. But back then I moonlighted at a popular bar&grill place so even though I worked constantly, the 2 jobs were so extreme that I was able to handle it. But I was never REALLY happy because I never had time to create.

After those gigs, I worked at a very SNOOTY high-end Department store. I ended up being a area sales manager who was VERY UNHAPPY. It was such a stressful job, meeting with the buyers, supervised the sales staff and having to meet sales quota every month. I felt like such a phony especially when I liked to haunt the Goodwill stores by night and here I am selling $75.00 blouses by day!

Then I jumped out of the frying pan and into a fire. I accepted a position as a office manager at a Humane Society. After a few years of having my heart broken so many times, due to the cruelty of humans against defenseless animals and to say nothing of the fact that I took several needy ones home.

I resigned and took a position at veterinarians office. And that is where I am now.

I have worked in the office, assisted in surgeries, and worked in the boarding area. But I am now the Boarding Manager at the new faculty that was built 2 years ago and I LOVE it. Sometimes it gets very hectic, especially in the summers and over holidays. But most of my clients are repeat customers and I get to spend my days with my "extended" family. So many of the pet owners have remarked how happy their pets are to come to the clinic and laugh as I take their leashes and the four-legged children scamper away with me to go play!

And on the slower boarding days, the vet lets me paint around the clinic! Here are a few photos of things I've done. These are all in the "cat room" except for the little owl who watches them take Xrays!

PROCRASTINATION!!!!!

Why is it when I have a MILLION things to do I feel the need to work on something totally unimportant!

I need to clean and organize the home, start working on my dolls, finishing some of my paintings, weed the garden, pop in the "sale" perennials I bought and finish painting the bathroom but instead I am on the computer and I look outside and see the birdbath that I painted pink, that turned out "hot" pink. which is driving me crazy to look at! Soooooooo I repaint THAT and even take time to paint a couple of little rocks into little birds! AAHHHHHH! I think they call that procrastination! OK! I HAVE to go and accomplish something of IMPORTANCE today!

I'LL ALWAYS BE WITH YOU -Ovarian Cancer fundraiser

My step- Aunt Diana passed away 6 months ago from Ovarian Cancer. She was one of those brave women who had a lot of determination and spirit. She was sure she could beat it. She had a great sense of humor and would wear a button that read "Cancer Sucks". Unfortunately the cancer won out. Her daughter has sent out letters trying to get donations for the 9th annual "Silent No More" walk fundraiser sponsored by Minnesota Ovarian Cancer Alliance.

Diana loved Butterflies and Elvis (and since I don't dare try to paint Elvis) I have painted a mixed media painting entitled "I'll Always Be With You".

I painted the butterfly a teal blue because teal represents 'Ovarian' cancer.

I have listed it on Ebay and plan on donating 100% of the sale to the Minnesota Ovarian Cancer Alliance. I hope the painting gets some bids in this hard economic time!

Please take a moment and check it out!

http://www.ebay.com/ Primitive Mixed Media White Cat & Butterfly Painting 320410961488

What do YOU do with art that hasn't sold?

I was just wondering what other artists do with some of their work that hasn't sold?

I don't want to hang on to everything but now I am thinking that maybe I should and then try to list it on Ebay or Etsy at a later date. Here's a few photos of some of my past work.

I've give my sister the green shelf/yellow cat to hang in a hallway to catch her keys etc.

The handpainted cloth cat dolls, I gave to my niece. I think I made them TOO big and next time I plan on creating smaller dolls. Anyway- I was just wondering!

REAL friends are hard to find!

Some people think they are good friends if they met you for lunch and gossip.

If they call you and chat about the latest. If they can squeeze you in between all their activities to met for dinner. They tend to be the same people who are so busy chatting with other people while you are on the phone with them and you get the impression that they haven't heard a word you've said.

REAL friends are the ones who encourage you when you feel scared.

Tell you that you can accomplish whatever you set your mind to and are able to list off your past accomplishments.

They remember you had a doctors appointment and ask how things went.

They are the ones that actually remember what color you where going to paint something and what your latest project is and will call with ideas or to share some new info.

They love to brainstorm about their projects and get excited talking about it with you. They can envision exactly what you are trying to describe to them and give honest input.

They make you happy and inspired!

They are there when you need someone to lean on.

I am so blessed to have some REAL friends in my life!

Here's a little story about my 2 dogs who are REAL friends to each other.

Blue, my big deaf Dane mix and his buddy, my little Chihuahua "Twinkle". (Twinkle was abused when she was just a puppy. An Animal Control officer was pulling into a parking lot just in time to see a man throwing the little puppy across it. She luckily survived but obviously had suffered prior abuse - very thin and hair missing. He released the puppy to the shelter, was fined and sent to Anger Management classes. Then the Humane Society called me! I had rescued a few dogs already from them and they knew I'd be willing to add her to my family.)

She ADORES Blue and follows him everywhere and waits for him to lie down so she can clamor up on top of him. It's real sight to see when he rolls over, she runs on top of him like she's rolling on a log! He's so gentle with her. When he eats (his bowl is up on a bench) and as he gobbles it up, food drops from his mouth and she eats it up! He doesn't care for any of my other dogs. Just her. When Twinkle hears something she runs in front of him and barks. I don't know if he feels a vibration or just sees her mouth going but then he starts barking. Talk about REAL FRIENDS!!!

It's raining and quite cool!

I can't believe that last week everyone had their air-conditioners going full blast and now today I am thinking about putting on a sweatshirt! The weather report for tomorrow is back to the heat!
You know what they say about the Midwest, if you don't like the weather just give it a day!
I am uploading some of my photos today and I am having trouble with the editing! I am pretty new to everything in the computer world but last week I had to get the video card replaced and I am wondering if somehow my HP Photo Premier got messed up...
Anyway I came across the photo of my mailbox that I painted and I thought I'd show it (even though I couldn't crop it down properly!)
I painted it to look like my dog "Blue". He's a Great Dane mix (mixed with pony?) and he's deaf.
I have him and a small "herd" of little dogs and of course a few cats. Everyone has been a rescue.
But I'm not really sure who rescued who! They make me so happy and inspire most of my work!