Who's a GOOD BOY!!

Who's a good boy?!!!

Why did you hesitate to answer??

Good grief...NOBODY should have hesitated for ONE second for that answer!

Charcoal HATES summer.

He is often at my feet for a bit when I paint. Then, he realizes that my pillow is available!

Ok, hate is an awful word, but I think he does! 😒

Our humidity in Middle Tennessee is just horrible.

Charcoal can tell.

I have to make him go outside.

He does not linger one second more than he has to.

Let me tell ya, it is tough keeping up with me, because,  my sleep schedule is awful. I never know if it is night or day, and trying to make sure that I feed Charcoal at a similar time is kinda hilarious. 

I think I have made him a night owl! 

He doesn't complain...much.🙄

Well, my boy is a lot happier these days, since we have, I hope, said good bye to the 90s. Even though the humidity is hanging on, it is nowhere as bad as it was.

Now, Charcoal is excited to linger outside longer. 

Before, Charcoal got excited when I opened the freezer so he could get some ice.

Now, he is back to listening for the door knob to turn.

I am even enjoying sitting on the back porch again.

So, a few minutes ago, I went to the door to retrieve my dry-it board, and sweet boy thought I was going outside.

I couldn't disappoint him, so I thought I would toss the tennis ball to see if he would go after it--he had little interest during the hot weather.

Sure enough, he took off in the DARK to get it.

Now, if your pup is like my pup, going after it is no reason to think he will be bringing it back.

I made a mental note to go find it when the sun rises.

Well, "2 dead mosquitoes, a few dozen more bites, lots of sniffing" later, Charcoal decided it was time to come in. 

My blood supply was ready, too! 

Mercy, mosquitoes--it is OCTOBER!  GO AWAY.😲

I grabbed my dry-it board (it has lots of tiny points on it to hold painted items to dry) and took it to my painting table to get started on my day of painting.

I had to go get something else,  when I turned to see Charcoal sitting on the couch with...

The ball!

You're such a good boy! 
Yes, you are.
You are mommy's good boy.
Here is a treat...
Oh, another one?

How did I get so blessed!!

Charcoal sends wuf-wufs to his Aunties...

Me?! 

I am simply blessed to create~charlotte♡

Getting old...

Getting old ain't for sissies. 

We have all heard this and have watched our parents and older friends sometimes struggling, all the time, thinking it will NEVER be us--nope, ne-va!

BUT, over the past few years, I find myself repeating: "Mirror, mirror, on the wall, I'm like my Mother afterall!"

Heavy sigh...

Ok, stop laughing! 

STOP IT NOW!

Oh, it has probably been true the whole time, but we refused to admit it.

As the body begins to fade, the moments become more Lucy-esque. 

We tell ourselves, "NO, I don't need to write that down" when the truth is, we probably won't be able to FIND the note, anyway.

My greatest lie to myself is, "I don't need to go get my glasses" as I go to the cupboard to prepare a can of Chicken Noodle soup to warm me, while the young one pants from heat (yes--story of my life with Charcoal).

So, I fumble and find that all too familiar can that has been a staple my entire life.

I go to the stove to prepare it...NOBODY has to read the instructions, for we all know that you add one can of water to the soup. I certainly did NOT need my glasses for THAT!

BUT, as I was pouring it out of the can, I noticed the noodles looked weird, and, my goodness, for a soup that has quadrupled in price, they sure have gotten cheap and stopped putting in enough noodles! WOW! 

To the microwave, I went...Pushed the 2 (whew...I am glad it automatically starts, or I might really have to go the extra steps to get those glasses!)...

Ah, the sweet music of the ding! 

I go to the stove, pull up the stool and take that first anticipated spoonful of yummy....


Aaaaahhhhhhhyuuuuuuuucck! 

That is the nastiest thing EVER!!

I Grab the can and look....

Yep...chicken Noodle soup....

Buuuuut...wait, it says something else!

So, I quickly go to retrieve the glasses, only to read, LOW SODIUM READY TO EAT.

Oh, no, excuse me--this stuff is NEVER going to be ready to eat...ick...ick...ick...ick!!

I wondered what would happen if I put SALT in it...I didn't think that would help...whew...nasty! 

I picked up the can to see if I could read what went so wrong ...

I wondered HOW it got in the cabinet, when I remembered having fun at the grocery store, and, yes, I picked up the can WITHOUT my glasses...sigh

As I read the can, the words, "ready to eat" came into sight, again.

I finally turned the can around to see the instructions, "Do not add water."

What the...

There was going to be no way to make this right, so Charcoal got a treat, and, luckily, I had another can of the GOOD stuff! 

So, as the body creeks and cracks and I groan, I smile at my silliness and give THANKS to God for the gift of laughter.

The seasons march onward, and my body begins to crave "summer food" and I giggle like a child, only appropriate as I must be getting closer to my second childhood, although, I am not certain I really ever left the first childhood. 

I LOVE that the Vidalia onions are in the stores, and the tomatoes are tasting like REAL tomatoes, so I grab a can of Garbanzo beans, drain them, and chop the onions, tomatoes and parsley together for one of my favorite treats (sometimes I add ham)...

Aaaaahhhhhhhhhh...

Life is GREAT! 

I offer PRAISE for being fearfully and wonderfully made and that I was so blessed to have had such a great life growing up on the farm.

Make some memories with your family and friends, because, some day, that might be all that is left.

I am simply blessed to create ~charlotte ♡

Monday Musings

Today I am rewarding myself by writing a post…

Yep, I enjoy just typing and letting the words flow…

No agenda…no specific subject…just typing

Monday musings…

I have gathered quotes for as long as I can remember.

I was the geek who had them on index cards and filed by subject…

I get to use quotes when I do my blog…it gives me such a sense of peace and inspiration.  I don’t share things if they don’t speak to me.  I NEVER (crap, nothing is never or always) type this blog with a finger pointed toward anyone specifically, but INSTEAD, firmly pointed at the LOGS in my eyes.  It is a way for me to sort through my feelings.  I REALLY need to take Mother’s advice not to share EVERYTHING I KNOW…

So WHAT did I do to get rewarded?

Well, I tell you, Yesterday, I got 2 patterns written and loaded on ETSY.  Patterns that have been sitting around for about 2 years, I think…maybe longer…maybe not so long!  Luckily, both of these projects HAD already made it to “the book” and out of a stack.  As a matter of fact, I am down to ONE stack that must find another home besides on the floor. Oh, and I created 2 treasuries on etsy!  WHOOP, there it is...

The green notebook is about one year of patterns...The white notebook holds ideas and my color charts from DecoArt

Step Back, folks, the hands are flying as I pat myself on the back…I don’t want anyone to get hurt!

This is making some of you shiver in fright, but I emptied 2 Artist Club Boxes of sketches, notes, ideas…things that needed to COOK before they were served…I have made some progress and that can’t be a bad thing!

Unless, as I look at these pages, I start making OTHER pages…sigh

It is the name of the game and a hazard of having ideas stomping on top of other ideas in this ole brain of mine!  Yes, I understand why that frightens you!

I have no rhyme or reason as to how I design.  Sometimes I find a surface and start painting.  Sometimes it ends up as I envisioned it…sometimes not…it is good at times…it is horrid other times…One thing that remains consistent, is that I will quickly draw a sketch on ANYTHING that is within reach, and that reminds me, I have a sketch inside one of the books I was looking through the other day…now, where did I put THAT book…

I have tried to be more disciplined by actually drawing a pattern before I start painting.  It works at times…it is an epic failure at times!

Hmmmmmmm….it sounds a lot like life, doesn’t it!  =)

The one thing I know for sure, I must generate more than my fair share of dead trees with all the paper I use.  The BEE KIND pattern alone, used 11 sheets of paper just for the line drawing!!  AND for some, sick reason, I feel a need to keep them all, so into a paper sleeve they go and into a notebook to make themselves at home~~Eventually…When the stack of paper sleeves start to slide, it really is time to put them into the notebook!

11 pages!!  And this was only for the line drawing!  LOL

Until this happens…they find themselves living in a nice big pile…PhD~~Piled Higher and Deeper…or would that be PhD~~Projects Half Done??!!

I am positive, I shall NEVER EVER run out of things to laugh at as long as I exist!  I am a big ole pile of silly!

PLEASE don’t take any of this as a complaint.  I am trying to JUSTIFY to you and to me WHY I am so messy and don’t think for one moment that I do not love it, for I DO!!  To be able to possibly encourage someone or to inspire someone makes my soul sing!!

I really hate admitting that I have become my mother…Not the good parts, but the parts that DROVE ME CRAZY…

Reminds me that she often told me that WHEN we don’t like something in someone else, it is because it USUALLY in within us, and we don’t want to admit it…

DANGIT!  I hate when people prove me right about things I don’t want to admit…heaviest sigh yet…

Hello Kettle—You’re BLACK!  (Big Smile)

Gosh, my brain went WAY off course.  I meant to share some food thoughts since on FOOD Friday, I was up to my elbows in trying to get ahead of a deadline, because, after giving myself a good “talking to”, I decided that it is absolutely unnecessary and rude to wait until the last moment to get something finished that could EASILY have been done weeks ago.  I told ME that I should NOT start something else until the PREVIOUS project was complete… (giggles and grins have broken out on my face and I am just about to really, laugh out loud!) 

Oh, good grief, HOW would that possibly fit into my life as a procrastinator?!  NOW, who is afraid!  WHAT??!! To lose a part of me that is so deeply ingrained into my psyche!!  Oh, NO~~that cannot happen.

Now, you might understand why a project for June was finished a few weeks ago, yet the project due for August 1^st was only finished on Saturday!  Ok—Let’s just take a moment for you to roll your eyes in amazement! (Jeopardy theme will be hummed as you compose yourself after laughing AT me…)

The good news is EVERYTHING that is due through December, is finished and submitted!!  Happy Dance.

In watching the news today, I found GREAT EXCITEMENT to see that the temps will only be 88 for two days!! 2 days!!  I also found myself excited to see that the Titans report to training camp on Friday!  This is the time of year when I find myself Hopeful that we can return to a winning season~~Yes, I understand that this is unrealistic, but HOPE is sometimes all I have!

I HOPE that I have given you a few moments to forget about your troubles and to see, in me, you can find silliness and a reason to laugh.

I have been blessed with many gifts.  Laughter is probably at the top of my list as my favorite.  There was a time I didn’t think I would ever laugh again.  Life was dark…hopeless…HARD!  There was little joy…little to find humorous.  It was a time, while I did NOT want to die, but if I had died, I really didn’t care!  It was a time that taught me NOT to judge people who commit suicide so harshly, because, at that moment in my life, I UNDERSTOOD hopelessness and I remember having a conversation with a friend that while I DID really want to live, sadly, I KNEW the depression of finding nothingness.  I was in a situation that I did NOT understand and I did not deserve, but you know what, SOMETIMES we GET stuff we do not deserve~~good or bad! Funny how life is like that…SOMETIMES we have to walk in someone’s shoes before we can understand.

Compassion is slowly becoming a part of my life.

It is a lesson I have needed to learn.  I have always said what I thought, but from watching people and hearing people talking about ME, I understand that I do NOT want to be like them or to be as they see me…

…SO the process continues AND I shall laugh…

AND sort stacks of papers!

I am simply blessed to create~charlotte♡

Oh, Happy Merry Christmas in July!
Only 5 months until Christmas in December!

Whacky Wednesday

Two of my special friends appeared this week...it has been a long time since they stopped by to say HEY to all of you.  

Some of you have NO IDEA who they are, so let me introduce you to them...

The larger guy is named Prince Charlie, the fairest in all the land...

The little guy is Chester the Jester Elf...

They are funny...

I guess I need to also give a little bit of history on them.

One of my favorite FB people, Lynn, had an elf that another FB friend, Miss Brenda, had made.  Lynn has put some of the cutest posts with her elf and it is always fun to see him make an appearance.  

Lynn's first elf perished in a fire at her house, but soon, she got another one....Let me be clear, you can NEVER replace someone that you loved, but sometimes, we just have to go on, and go on, she has...

Before too long, most all of my friends had gotten an elf.  OF COURSE, I was not going to miss out, either.  We have had lots of fun sharing our elf capades,  and it is time to start sharing again.

My two little mischief-makers probably took a vacation when the big dinosaur appeared (Charcoal)...

BUT, the other night, I went to the computer to type a pattern, and WHO was sitting above it, starring a hole through me...

Then, the next night, Chester was on my computer...

To the left, Prince Charlie, was sitting on top of the printer with the green light beaming...

WELL, I got them away from the computer, but when I opened the lap top, a line drawing appeared!!

I did ONLY what I knew what to do, I decided to paint it!...

NOW, to find a surface... 

 

 I have to admit, when I see these clipboards, I have mixed feelings.  Maybe that is why I haven’t painted them very much.  I know, it is silly, but that is what feelings do~~confuse you!   

I was in the Dollar Tree, buying several of these.  It was the winter, around Christmas.  The line was long, but that was ok, because it usually goes quickly.  Behind me was a man and his son, or grandson~~it is hard to tell with a man~~ROFL…Anyway, he was loud, and yes, I am loud, so I am not being mean.  

 Somehow, this loud man said to me something about me having so many of the clipboards.  I think I had about 8 or 10. I  told him I was an ARTIST and was going to paint them.

Let me tell you, I have been practicing being PROUD when I say I am an artist, because EVERYBODY has an opinion about WHO is an Artist and what kind of ART is called ART and not a craft…sigh…Gosh, we all want the world to see EVERYTHING though our eyes, don’t we…

Ok, sorry, I got distracted.  In my telling the man that I was an Artist, he said, “You sure aren’t a STARVING ARTIST.”  

 My entire soul wanted to cry.  The man was proud of his humor in front of the young man and the group of people and smiled and laughed, while I simply wanted to cry.   

Let’s be clear~~I KNOW I am FAT…I have a mirror and I have done this to my body and no one else is to blame for what I have done to me, but I feel like my life STILL has worth, just as much as anyone else’s life.   

I WISH I could have, at that moment, come up with one of my witty sayings, but I honestly wanted to crawl under something BIG to cover my BIG body.  I said, not out of love, “I KNOW I am fat, but at least I don’t say mean things to people out loud in public in front of a young man and show him how NOT to act…at least I TRY to be a good example.”  

The rest of the night is a blur…I went home feeling really crappy….

SO, I have decided to start painting HAPPY things on these clipboards, and This "found line drawing" is being called: 
                                 I LOVE ME…

IF I don’t learn to love ME, then why should anyone else?  I hope it will make YOU smile…it did me!  Hey, just in case somebody hasn’t told YOU, You are pretty AWESOME!  AND YOU ARE LOVED.

Being Kind sure is hard sometimes, BUT it is so important.  Always remember how you felt when someone was unkind to you, and try your best to NOT spread that feeling to anyone else.  We never know the pain that someone hides behind their smiles.

 Of Course, this was painted with my favorite paints~~

DecoArt Americana Acrylics

I KNOW, you will all be knocking yourselves over trying to get to etsy to buy this pattern...ROFL...I am being silly, but IF you are interested, this is the link to the pattern in my etsy shop.

OR if you would like to purchase the original clipboard, click here to go to my etsy shop where you can purchase this!

OR, if you would like to see what patterns and finished products I have available, click here to go to my etsy shop.

 

Have a wonderful day, and take every chance you get to SMILE and LAUGH...spread sunshine and find all those blessings that are around, just for you~~I am simply blessed to create~~charlotte ♡