Hello Monday

Hello Monday . . . 
Hello Gypsy's eyes. I can see them now that she's been properly groomed.
Hello new hospital. Paul is scheduled for round four of chemotherapy this week, in a new hospital (better situated to taking care of him, we hope).
Hello school visit. Clara is going to check out an alternative school on Tuesday. Not sure she'll change schools, but it will be interesting to check it out.
Hello soccer boys. The first organizational meeting of the year is tomorrow.
Hello October art projects.  I'm going to start a new sketching class with Alisa Burke. I plan to focus on fall sketches and also sketches which fit the "Cabinet of Curiosities" theme at The Sketchbook Challege.  I also want to create art for Dias de los Muertos, and, from a journaling perspective, I'm going to participate in a meme called "The Art of Remembering," where each Sunday, a memory is recorded of someone who has passed away. You can read more about it here, but I won't start for another week because this weekend, I will say
Hello Storytelling Sunday looking forward to Sian's monthly gathering, and I already know what my story will be! 

Monthly Make: Operation Write Home Cards

This weekend I'm getting together to craft with a group of friends at an annual crop we call "Scramp Camp."  The organizers have asked participants to contribute cards to "Operation Write Home." So, this morning, I pulled out a whole bunch of card fronts and stamped images I found the last time I organized my stash and started making cards. I ended up making about 20 cards in just a few hours! I'm calling this my "monthly make" for September. It was great to get these things out of my stash and into a usable form.  Do you have a stash of images or card fronts lurking in your stash? If so, when was the last time your turned them into cards?
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The "monthly make" is sponsored by The Felt Fairy.

I should remember to do this more often . . .

The other day I had a free morning to myself, alone at home, and I decided to create. I thought about sketching or working on a painting, but in the end, I pulled out my art diaries/art journals. I laid down some backgrounds and added some images.

And then I journaled about the various things on my mind. The top is about the challenges of parenting and the second one reads "a woman's work is never done."  
I'd forgotten how much I enjoy working in these journals and how therapeutic it can be.  As much as I've enjoyed developing my painting, drawing and sketching skills this year, and as much as I love photography, I should remember to do this more often.
This lesson was inspired by Shimelle's prompt to remember "something you shouldn't forget." Is there something you need to remind yourself about this weekend?

PPF: Welcome October!

It's been way too long since I've played along with "Paint Party Friday," and I've missed everyone! Here's my entry for this week - it's an art journal page to welcome October.  The quote around the sun from Samuel Butler reads: "Autumn is the mellower season and what we lose in flowers we more than gain in fruit."  The journaling in the flowers is part of a nursery rhyme, and it says "October's the month when the smallest breeze gives us showers of autumn leaves. October is red and golden and brown."
Got any favorite autumn quotes to share?
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For more painterly goodness, check out this link to Paint Party Friday.

LSNE Mid-Month Catch-Up (2/2)

I'm sharing another big batch of pages from my Learn Something New Everyday album.  You can see more pages and read about the project by clicking on this link.  On Saturdays, Shimelle is encouraging everyone to learn a new skill. I chose the "skill" of making photo cards on various websites, with the plan to create cards to give as Christmas gifts.  So, my lesson for September 15 was "It's never too early to start thinking about Christmas presents."  Day #16 marks my visit to the Union Cemetery in Redwood City to find a historic landmark for the Photo Scavenger Hunt. As I mentioned in this post, I was a little disappointed with the cemetery as a cemetery. My disappointment eased when I realized that there were lots of wonderful fall photos to be taken there instead!  My lesson learned: "Change your perspective when you feel down."

A few fun lessons for the next two days: #17 "Some days it is really nice to stay in your pajamas." and #18 "Each time I go to the gym, it is more likely that I will go again."

The art work on this pair (and the next) is simpler, as I was getting a bit behind in creating pages and wanted to get caught up. Lesson #19 reflects a Wednesday when I had a particularly good class at school. I was teaching new material, so I really had to work on it. I realized, once again "Preparation is always a good thing."  And the next day, I realized how important it is to keep talking to the kids, even when you're not sure they're listening. Lesson #20 is "You never know when someone will actually hear what you're saying."

And my final pair for now.  Lesson #21 is more about parenting: "Pay attention to what's important." Lesson #22 has a fun story to go along with it. We asked Clara's physical therapist what kind of exercise she could be doing while she is building strength in her leg/ankle, and the therapist suggested riding a stationary bike. I wasn't going to go buy one for her, but I had a brilliant idea. On Facebook, I posted "Does anyone local have a stationary bike we can borrow for a few weeks while Clara rehabs her ankle?" In less than 24 hours, one of our friends had delivered a bike to our garage! It just goes to show, "It never hurts to ask."
What have you learned this September?

LSNE Mid-Month Catch-up (1/2)

This September, I've been keeping up with Shimelle's class "Learn Something New Everyday." Everyday I read her prompt and think about it.  Some time during the day, I will usually come upon my lesson for the day, and then every few days I sit down and create a few more pages in my album. You can see my other LSNE posts by clicking on this link. I'll be sharing my most recent pages today and tomorrow.  Today starts with Lesson #9 "Right now I really miss being able to talk to my mom and dad." I'm not sure when or why this hit me, but  as I struggle with my current challenges, I wish they were still around for me to lean on.  Lesson #10 is a bit more hopeful: "Each day - a new beginning." Definitely something I've learned dealing with all Paul's health-related issues.

Lesson #11 is "Sometimes you do get a second chance," and you can read the story behind it at this post.  Lesson #12 is "No one understands my kids like I do, and no one could love them more." Just a reflection on helping the kids through the challenges of the first few weeks of the new school year.

The next two lessons reflect events of the day. Lesson #13 ("There's great beach glass at Cowell Ranch beach.") occurred on the day I went beach combing with friends. Lesson #14 ("You never know what the new school year will bring. Best to be flexible.") marks the realization that Clara would not be able to take P.E. this semester and will end up with a study hall instead.
I really do enjoy making the mini-collages for these pages. It's a fun, creative task that I can do in front of the T.V., and the process I have for keeping up with the class has worked for me. If you're doing the class, what's your process like? Do you create a page every day? Or do them in bunches? 
More to come tomorrow!

September Moment

Thursday, September 20, 2012, 8:35 a.m.
The house is quiet. Or what passes for quiet around here.  The Fox Soccer broadcast of some Champions League group stage game is on in the background, and the formerly "whisper silent" dishwasher emits sounds similar to whale song.  The house is quiet in the sense that everyone else has gone. Paul is off to get his millionth blood test; the kids are at school. I'm reading blogs, eating leftover lentil spaghetti for breakfast and thinking about what I need to do this morning. No time for the gym (good thing I went yesterday). I need to finish picking up the floors, as Tony the carpet cleaner is coming soon. Definitely need a shower. Then we're off to run errands and have lunch while Tony does his thing.  Still have to grab a photograph of myself with something "American" - a flag, a baseball, something - and then get the Scavenger Hunt Roundup on the blog for tomorrow.
Outside, the sky is hazy blue. We really get the best weather in September. 
Now I hear the pounding of hammers and occasional buzzing of saws. The neighbors, Eric and Babz, are doing something to their decks. The work is invisible - hidden behind the tall hedge. But the sound of the staple gun tells me they're still at work over there.
Still in my jammies - well, an old HMB Pirates t-shirt, my soft terry cloth polka dot robe and my Uggs. Not proper pajamas, as I haven't managed to fold laundry yet.  All the clothes are finally clean, just not folded. It's so hard to keep up to date on all the household chores these days. Sigh. 
I have too much on my mind - worry mostly. About Paul's health, Clara's development and Henry's college. My work has definitely taken a back seat, as has my community service/volunteer work.
The animals are lounging about. Gypsy sleeping under a chair by my feet. The cat is curled in the middle of the empty floor. One seeks the shelter of a den. The other the freedom of the open space. Both are content - they have so few cares in their lives. Maybe I should try to learn something from them. 
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The recording of this "moment" is inspired by Alexa's new meme, "Simply a Moment." To find out more about it and to read September moments from other bloggers, check out this post.