New Mask

Yes, that's right, I made a new mask. It was actually designed and completed on Friday. This time around I started with a much simpler motif. It was tatted directing onto the eye wires and after much fiddling, I worked out a modified center, edge and wrapped the wire. I still have one more idea for another mask, but as I actually made a couple of sales this Sunday after a week long drought, Ill be working on remaking sold pieces first.

This weekend also saw us working on weeding and maintaining the front lawn. It's amazing what just a couple of weeks of neglect can do to a plant bed...the morning glories were seriously taking over. Of course as far as weeds go, they're at least pretty. We pulled out a plant that had perished long ago and bought a tropical canna plant to put in its place. We also received a very large sago palm from one of my husbands coworkers that we'll need to find a home for. We know so little of plants since we really couldn't plant any in the rental. It's been interesting looking these thing up and trying to act like homeowners. We also bought some curtains that I got up and a few ceiling fans...that will get put up by someone else with more manly hands than mine.

Much to my husbands delight, we have also finally gotten the entertainment center completely set up. All the game systems, programed new remotes and got everything in the right places instead of sitting on boxes in front of the television. They even busted out the street fighter game sticks, oh the button mashing.

Now, we just have two more rooms to really get cleaned up and it won't look so obvious that we just moved in and yes, I did all this stuff with my broken toe. Yes, it still hurts, though it would be much better if not for every member of my family stepping on it at least once. So, it was an eventful if slightly painful weekend and I'm sure I missed a few details, but I've written enough as it is.

The Creative Calm

I've always been a creative person. I've been a dancer, actor, singer, artist, knitter and, well, a general fiber artisan. Every phase has brought me a kind of calm for a spell and then it would become work. I would often then move on to the next thing. Now, I still love all those things and would gladly return again should the opportunity present itself, but tatting has me in its grasp. It has become not only my calm but also my work. This dichotomy is at times more stress than I'd like, but yesterday, I found that calm again.

I sat down in the afternoon with no laundry or dishes to do. My foot prevented me from gathering and unpacking boxes so I had time to tat. I retreated to our 'guest' room, sat on the bed, looked out the window and started tatting. At first it was the familiar, 'I must get this done' feeling, but the rhythm set in, my mind began to drift and soon I was calm. I imagined new pieces, thought about all sorts of random things and was truly relaxed. When that set in I remembered why I really love to make things. Sure, designing is mentally satisfying and making a bit of money is sweet, but it is all about that feeling. That time that is just for me, but isn't wasted. It has been awhile since I got that feeling and I certainly missed it.

As I mentioned, new ideas are brewing, specifically new mask ideas. There were a few of them floating around and today I'm going to see whether any of them are practical. One has already been dismissed as far too big and not in a good way, but there are a few others to work on. I do still have a couple of pieces waiting for their photos to be listed, but...and go ahead and laugh here, I haven't dyed my hair in far too long to take a picture with myself in it. Perhaps this weekend, I'll get some bleach and color on there and then I'll feel better about getting a picture taken. So off to calming work I go.

Before The Sun Comes Up

I am an early riser. Up at like 5 every morning. Even on weekends I rarely sleep later than 6. So it is no surprise that I get to learn things even before the sun comes up. This morning, I took on the challenge of the sprinkler system. No, it's not complex, but this neighborhood is full of well manicured lawns and I do not want to be 'that' neighbor. Okay, with the hair and tattoos, I'm probably already 'that' neighbor, but I don't want to stand out for those kind of reasons. Still working out the line that's suppose to water the shrubberies. I think I need another set of eyes for that one...oh and a little light might help too.

Yes, the war of the ant wages on, though I think I might be winning at this point. I even turned back the tide originating from a window 15 feet up on our vaulted living room. This is not to say that they are not putting up a formidable fight. Keeping my foot elevated is nearly impossible with the constant bombardment of the new ant fronts...oh crap, there they are again.

Anyway, I did get some tatting done again yesterday finishing up a Portrait necklace. Now, I am completely caught up on sold items. I will probably get to work on more masks just to get some more stock ready for the upcoming Halloween season. I did also run across some clearance necklace wires, you know the ones that create the floating pendant, that I'd like to create a new piece or two with. I don't know if I've got a lot of creative energy right now, so I might not get around to those for a while. Of course since I can't work on more unpacking with the broken toe, so sitting on my arse tatting is really my best bet.

I did take a couple of house pictures yesterday, but I haven't uploaded them yet. I think I know where the cable is...maybe. Yeah, I'll get around to sharing those sooner or later.

Things I Learned Yesterday

I am certainly trying to get into the swing of things around here, but something is sure trying to keep things more interesting than that. Yesterday included a series of little lessons and disasters. I discovered that while cleaning up cat fur ball/puke on tile is technically easier than on carpet, it's gag factor is increased ten fold. I discovered that even if your broken toe feels better and your limp is almost gone, walking through Target for a half an hour is in fact a bad idea. I learned that one complete with random shooting pains through my foot.

Between those two lessons there was one minor disaster. While I was quelling yet another ant invasion, my 5 year old runs into the room to confess that she put a hole in the wall with her knee. She was rolling around on an exercise ball and fell in apparently the perfect weak spot. Now, it's more of a cracked dent than a full blown hole, but it is in a curved portion of the wall making repair a bit daunting. We really need to get the backyard done here, so these kids can get outside before they destroy the house.

I did get a little tatting done, though I didn't finish anything. I also dug out my camera intending to try to take pictures of a couple of pieces I had sent to the magazine shoot that didn't get shot. Didn't get around to that, but now that the camera is out, it might get done this week...maybe. Still no new sales in the etsy shop. I even contemplated having a sale, but changed my mind. They just take too much babysitting to make work and I'm constantly being thrown in twenty directions lately, so perhaps it's a bad idea. I'll just wait patiently.

I wonder now, what lessons today has in store for me...please be pleasant, please be pleasant.

Light

The ant attacks yesterday were minimal, but not nonexistent. They have great resources behind these walls. Though, I thank you all for your poison free options. My amazing in-laws popped by yesterday and fixed the washer leak and we also finally received paperwork with our official close date on the house. Things were so odd toward the end, we weren't honestly sure that everything was finalized yet at all. It didn't really matter as we're in the house and no one is getting us out at this point.

And for the first time in about a week, I pulled out my tatting. The light in this living room, even in the late afternoon is fabulous. I got so used to working in a little dungeonous corner that I forgot what natural light can do. I actually managed to finish up a pair of ankle corsets, though only because I discovered that I had already made one before the move. I had completely forgotten what I was working on at all really. Now I just need the etsy store to start selling again.

If you're curious, my foot looks a lot better and the hobbling is slightly reduced. I actually wish that I had taken a picture of it yesterday as the blue shade was striking and it's mostly faded at this point. I figure I'll be walking like a normal person by weeks end, if the kids let me rest the thing for a couple more days. They don't seem to get it at all.

I'll get some more tatting done today with the foot up. All those boxes in the garage can wait until I feel better, right?

...oh crap the ants are back.