Sam and Rose, it was like yesterday for me.

Monday Morning.  70 degrees outside and hot inside.  I am sitting here trying to feel caught up.  Nothing new or special just this and that.  It keeps me busy not only physically but mentally.  I don't like dropping the ball.  I don't like unfinished business.  It drives me nuts.  I have 2 cross stitch projects I am working on, and am slowly making progress, I have many more I want to do, but can only cross stitch one at a time.  I have several crochet projects I want to finish and others to do, but can only crochet one at a time.  Then there are the things I need to do such as "home making", finance recording, kids appointments, doctor appointments, med fills, rabies titers, shopping for the family, up coming birthdays, holidays and so on.  I guess I can't feel caught up, and that's ok.  Being a mom is what I can only imagine a mail sorter feels like.  They just keep looking down the line and more mail keeps comings.  Some packages are big, some are very small, some are broken or smashed.  All need to be touched and handled in some way.  When your done with one there are 100 waiting for you and the days go on.  So back to Monday morning.  I could be  Wednesday or Saturday.  I is just another day in the life of a mom.  I get my stuff in there somehow and have joy and happiness daily.  My kids keep me busy and I like that.  My Husband keeps me grounded and (I guess) that's a blessing.  God keeps me humble.  K~

Sweet little Nub

This is sweet little Nub.  He is quite old.  He has been with us for quite some time.  Cora took these photos a few days ago.  I love the shaving piece on his head.  What a goofball.  K~

St. Paul Conservatory

 Took the kids and our friend Mike to the Conservatory a week ago.  It is always a GREAT visit.  Cloe the sloth is always a hit.  I just love the orchids.  And of course the fern room.  K~

Cricket and Meal worm Farming

Well, I am starting out small, Literally!  I have set up small meal worm and cricket farm.  The meal worms are quiet and sit in oatmeal for now.  I hope to afford bran soon.  That will be much easier to sieve for babies, beetles, and feeding worms for my animals.   The cricket farm is nosy as to be expected.  The mommies are laying eggs, or so I think so.  They are are at least appearing to be depositing something with their tube in the mesh and dirt.  For now, the only addition I am going to make are containers for babies.  I will be getting that set up in the next week.  Here's hoping that it will be successful, so I can reduce if not stop my weekly purchase of 90+ crickets at 12 cents a piece.  K~

She is a wonderful artist

Cora is such a talented artist.  She asked me how to make a misty looking background.  She found the inspiration on line.  I should he how to do this technique once with chalk.  

This was her result.  It is just beautiful.  K~

Perdi and Fancis

These photos tell it all.  I just love my beardies.  Francis is growing up so fast.  He looks more and more like Puff every day.  He is so strong and has such a fun, grumpy personality like Puff.  He seems to really like Perdi.  He looks at her so affectionately.  Sometimes I think he thinks she might be a yummy snack too.   Perdi is a nice orange color.  Her physical therapy I give her daily seems to be helping.  She uses her left back leg more, and her tail seems stronger.  Her right back legs is getting better I think. She resists me now, and that means her muscles are, at least, working.  I had to give them a bath because the only thing I HATE is how bad they STINK after thy poop!  So, in the bath they go.  This was the first time they were in the tub together.  Under close watch, I saw how they liked to kanoodle.  They got closer and then suddenly, Perdi discovered that Francis would make a nice retreat from the water.  ADORABLE!

Hmong Elephant Footprint Inspiration piece

This is first of my series on cultural pieces. My format ( A plan for the organization and arrangement of a specified production) will remain the same. I will continue to use a square with an X stitch, only with the possibility of using 3 strands of floss for needed detail definition. My hopes are as follows:

1. Learn a bit about the culture I am working on.

2. Learn a bit about the way they do the particular art piece I am using as an inspiration.

3. Work with my format, style, and color to accomplish the piece I am working off of.

Hmong Elephant Footprint

Hmong Elephant Footprint inspiration piece

This piece is made from cloth. It is a very detailed laying of fabric pieces or appliqué. Patterns are often named after things found in nature. In the piece I made, the circular feeling of the fabric inspiration piece are reduced. I feel this makes it less successful. In order to change the appearance of mine, I would need to drop the stitch down in the following rows. 

You can see that just by dropping the 2 green squares in the 2 horizontal rows, and adding green to the diagonal rows, the piece takes on a more circular feel than the original finished piece.

Another item that I wanted to point out is the symbolism within the piece. 

My piece has 2 of the 3 that I found from this blog. ( http://tribal-made.blogspot.com/2010_11_01_archive.html) The heart meaning Love and the spiral meaning Longevity are both seen in my piece. I, however, would like a bit more spiral in my piece. This would be complicated with my format, due to it's size, but it would be more reflective of the actual longevity spiral.

I am excited about doing these pieces this year. I am unsure if I am going to be able to do my goal of 12 or not, but I am certainly going to enjoy the process. K~