Journaling on the go...............

I am a total Mess in the studio and work on 6 square inches of space.... but... on the go, I must have my supplies NEAT.

I found this case at the Salvation Army store and it was empty at the time. I bought it for .50 cents and brought it home and collaged on the outside and sealed it.

Inside I bought matching cases and even scissors and labled everything so that it would always be neat and easy to find things. If it isn't, I can't journal in public. (I KEEP WONDERING WHAT THEY MUST BE THINKING!)

I mostly just write what I am observing when I am out. I always have my camera with me but sometimes I just like to try to sketch something I am interested in.

When I get home again (and I can get quiet and play my beloved Celine Dion's new c.d. 'Taking Chances') then I like to pull out all my colorful stuff and finish off the page.

If I am on a overnight stay, I have a little watercolor set and some magazine pictures and words and phrases to use.

I can't figure out how to get the photos under the post so if you look to the right side, that is where they are.

I guess I am not a REAL artist........sigh!!

So many dolls.....so why don't they come home to mama??

I can't wait for the day when the Asian Ball Jointed, resin, dolls are mass produced. I have 3 dolls ordered and it will be months before I get them. It is such a slow process, and the language barrier is a bitch. Jeepers, don't they know how very OLD I am???

Anyway, I am about done with the buying. I just wanted to do a diorama of a little nursery. I wanted some sweet kids and one rootin' tootin' fast shootin' highfalutin Fig Newton in there!! You know a fiery redhead with a face full of freckles. I can picture her with a stern look and hands on the hips. Afterall there is always one like that in any group. I found her but can't order her yet.....too many paid for and I am ordered to wait till next month. O.k., I can deal!

The ones I am collecting now are small enough to use doll house sized furniture but they are fatter than the traditional doll house dolls. I hope to get all my photographs into a proper book form at the end of the day. I don't want to die without leaving a 'little bit of myself' behind. I guess I feel a need to prove I lived or something.........since I have no kids. I have art stored away and I would like to have a proper bound book of my work. My photography is getting better and better and I am completely self taught. So, old dogs can indeed learn new tricks! :o)

When faced with the end of your life, don't you find that you are trying so hard to get it all done? I sure do. I have so much more I want to share and do. I feel frustrated that my energy won't keep up. But, God is good. He has richly blessed me with a wonderful furry family, artistic talent and a man to finance it all. Luther
has turned out to be a wonderful husband. The first 5 years were sure 'iffy' but once he got the hang of living with me and the other way around, we are good together.
His strengths are a comfort and I have taught him to lighten up and to HAVE FUN NOW!!
Right now!!! Some folks live like they have years and years and years to get stuff done but we are not guaranteed that time, ya know?

Right before Dad died he told me, "Boo, if there is anything you want to do, do it now, because old age ain't for sissies." I took it literally and began to FULLY ENGAGE in my life and not just drift along..........

Luther and I travel when we want and don't wait and wait. We are storing up many wonderful memories together. I want to do it all with him. I am not one to run with a bunch of little old ladies after my husbands demise. He is my bestest friend always and I want to see and do it all with him.

That's my story............you know the rest!

(HAPPY BIRTHDAY DADDY! YOU WOULD HAVE BEEN 97!! I MISS YOU LIKE CRAZY AND WILL LOVE YOU 4-EVER. LUTHER SAYS I TAKE ON 'YOUR LOOK AND EXPRESSIONS' AND "I SOUND JUST LIKE YOU WHEN I GO ON A TOOT ABOUT SOMETHING.' :O) GOD KNOWS YOU HAVE ME EATING WAY TOO MANY MC DONALD'S PANCAKES FOR YA!!! I AM A BIG OLD GAL THESE DAYS!!)

Will it ever come?

Spring.....I am longing for spring! We have one color going for us at the moment...White! It is pretty but the grey days and the freezing temps. are getting hard to take. The snow we have had this year is not the pretty kind that comes down in big fluffy clumps the size of ping pong balls. No, we have had the dry snow that is so miniscule that I have to put my glasses on to even see it. It just looks sorta foggy but it is actually snowing. I really like the wet clumps for the fluffy stuff. It mounts up quicker and it is heavy to shovel but it is so pretty when it comes down. Seems to defy gravity as it comes down so slowly.

The dogs are tired of being all cooped up in the house for so long. They want to run and romp. When I let them out now they come in with snow packed into their feet and get it all over the house. Spike has no hair so it is really miserable for him out there but we dress him up well and send him on out too. The little Yorkie Tater, we don't let him out. We are afraid the eagles and hawks will snatch him up for a meal.

I long for my song birds and the beautiful flowers and the butterflies........I love Spring up here in Minnesota. Things 'jump' out of the ground so grateful for some warmth and sunshine again.

I hope I live that long.................

Well, what goes up MUST come down.............

I was high as a kite for several days. So hyped up by my ebay deals and messing up with my meds, I just couldn't seem to sleep. I would crawl into bed at 3 or 4 a.m. only to toss and turn.
All that ebaying and bidding and buying.........wore me out!
Finally, it made me sick. I had a headache and felt just terrible all day long yesterday but today I think I might live afterall.

I cannot take stress....good or bad. Happy stress is just as devastating to my health as the bad sort. I don't know how to live an even-steven kind of life. I am high as a kite or depths of despair it seems. I have been tested by a leading psychiatrist at Mayo Clinic and I took the test he gave me answering it all truthfully. He didn't think that I was bipolar at this point but it sure seems so. He did say I have a problem with anxiety and I know this to be true. The meds. I take may have to be 'tweaked a bit' to even me out but I am a gal that cannot tolerate boredom....not for long anyway. If it gets too boring I will stir up some trouble.

Anyway, it all caught up with me yesterday and I used the day to catch up on my rest.
The dogs were very good for me. Didn't bark at all until my feet hit the ground. I was so proud of them. Somehow, they knew I was sick. They just knew and that is what is so great about dogs. They know stuff because they are so attuned to what we are all about and our habits etc. Without anyone telling them they were quiet as little mice. (Highly unusual for 5 bored dogs!!)

Luther is very understanding.....which is why he is called 'Saint Luther'. That boy is gonna get lots of stars in his crown in the hereafter for the way he has cared about all of my needs. He is most excellent! (Love you babe!!)

The house is paid for. Praise the Lord!!!

We had our former home all paid for and it felt soooo good. Then, after having that nice contented feeling for a while we got a bug up our butt to go look for something more modern. Naturally we bought a house that was easily twice as much and it was kind of a struggle to pay that note every month and still allow Bonnie to shop for dolls, ya know? :o)

Luther's mom passed away and left all her kids some money. As much as he doesn't like having a credit card balance....I didn't want him to use that money to pay off 'MY' bills (I mean, afterall, that wouldn't be right!) and that darn credit card is all my doings, I have to 'fess up to that. So after talking it over, we felt mom would be happy to know that Luther has that huge house note off his back. Now he can breathe easier once again and retire if he wants to. He doesn't want to retire and frankly, I don't want him to because for some unknown reason to me he likes to 'hang out' in our kitchen....not doing much......just hanging around in there. I find him in there all the time. :o) Our kitchen is the size of one you might find on a boat. There is no room for him in there unless he is washing dishes!!! So, he feels lighter now and I know it would make Alice happy to know it and I honestly miss her. No one tells me how to live my life anymore and frankly, I feel a little bit 'off kilter'. I find I think of her more, and even 'mentally' ask her advice. (She would be so happy with that!!) I really do miss that old gal. She was quite sweet to me in the last few years. Once she got used to the idea that I was a 'very strange creature' but I absolutely ADORE her kid, we got along fine. She was losing her eye site and was feeling frustrated a lot. She experienced no pain at all but was really tired a lot of the time and I think ready to go be with Dad. She went to be with Jesus in the nicest way. Marla and Linda came to her place and took her to the dining hall to eat. They left her there and went home again to Rochester. She finished eating and just went to sleep in her chair. Just like that, she was in the arms of her Lord. Her faith was strong and we knew she and daddy were together again and that is the way it should be when a couple are married for such a long time. That is the first thing I will ask the Lord about. Why oh Why does he allow us to be separated like that? To my way of thinking, there is no more frightening thought than being alone on this old earth.

So, Mom, give daddy a hug and keep an eye on us and let us know when we aren't doing the right thing. This time I will listen. Oh and Mom, thank you so much for taking us to the Selah Concert. It gave me a peace that passeth all understanding. If you hadn't done that, Luther probably wouldn't have gone with me and that would have been such a shame. It nourished my soul. Hugs to you mom, and thank you!(Please keep an eye on Glenn. Travis is doing to him what Luther's boys did to him only Worse!! Poor Glenn)

Come on Spring..............

I have had enough of winter. At my age, winter and I just don't get along. I am sore and stiff from the cold days and the grey days are really beginning to get me down. I strictly try to avoid anything that will make me sad....so...... In order to not look at the greyness outdoors, I am FORCED to get on the computer and look up stuff to buy. I mean, I just gotta or else I will go nucking futs!!!

I have my eye on several things for my little 'dioramas'. I have two dolls ordered, a question left on another and waiting for her to tell me if she has it in stock and another one that I really want badly but they don't have them ready yet. COME ON SPRING....... before I wind up in the poor house!!!

Once the flowers come up and the birdies begin to 'hang' around and sing for me once again and my darling Hummingbirds return to me, I will be just fine. My ever present camera will be in hand and there will be photo ops. out the wazoo.......Ahhhh yes, I will be a happy camper once again. (So will the hubster cuz I will be leaving our bank account alone.)

When I am not perusing my beloved e-bay, I like to read my favorite blogs. Michelle Ward always gives me a creative jolt every single time and she causes me to go looking for grave dirt from Paris, bless her gizzard.....and..... sweet, gentle Nina always makes me feel like there is atleast one other sensitive person on this earth and therefore I feel somehow less alone. I never miss their blogs. That is a MUST everyday....there are a few others I visit once in awhile but this blog thing is a real hoot. It is lovely to read what is in someone's heart. Some are serious, some are funny, some are Arty, and some just breathtakingly beautiful. I am glad I decided to step into the 21st century afterall. And as I always say...... that's my story and I am stickin' to it................

Another dang birthday....but what's the alternative????

Since I am about to celebrate another year on this planet I decided to do a little scene with my Kish girls. I collect Re-Ment products and they are just so addictive. They come in little boxes and it is my understanding that they are traded with others that collect them in Japan...(much like our baseball cards). The food items etc. are so detailed that it is just awesome and you find that you want to collect them all. The Kish girls are having a birthday cake and pizza. The Re-Ment and doll collections are beginning to outnumber us and we are considering adding a wing onto the house.
Well, that is my story and I'm stickin' to it!!!

Hot Dog! I am in the 21st Century now!!

I don't know how I managed this on my own but I finally have a blog. Just what I am going to do with it is anyone's guess but it is like my cell phone, I have it but probably won't use it. I see folks out walking around talking on their phones and I can't figure it out....I mean....Why would I want to talk to anyone while I am eating, or reading in the park or shopping for groceries. Man, I just want to do my 'particular thang' and not be yakking whilst doing it. I don't get it. I go to the grocery just so I can get away from the darn phone.

So I am into the 21st century but I guess that I am just going to tippy-toe into it and not rush in foolishly. :o)

The only thing I have to say today that I really want to put out into the big wide world out there is if you want to buy a DVD that will knock your proverbial socks off, go and get Celine Dion's 'A New Day'
Talk about a lot of bang for your buck! It is her show in Las Vegas and it has lots of behind the scenes stuff as well. It is so wonderful that I cry the whole time. She is just the most marvelous entertainer that she brings tears to my eyes. Her new CD "Taking Chances" is also wonderful. She really gets to be herself on this one and tries all sorts of new styles and things with her voice. One song reminds me of Janis Joplin. It is a miracle that she doesn't ruin her voice. Anyway, I told the hubster that in case of a fire, grab the pets and I will grab the wedding album and Celines DVD. Well, that's my story and I'm stickin' to it!!
Till next time folks..........................