Current Circumstances

Learning to live above my circumstances, tumblr oldster, amateur bookbinder, maker. I also have/contribute to a few other Tumblrs: CraftDiscoveries, ButtonIt, RubyShoes & EggServer.

[iamdawt]

On a happy note, it's Index Card A Day challenge time again!

I've lost track of how many years I've done ICAD, somewhere around 9 years. It's 61 days of doing something with simple index cards, June 1st to July 31st.

I'm not doing the prompts, I'm going with my own book theme with simple watercoloring with images relating to reading. It may change so I can keep the creative options open. Whatever I do, I'm taking this as a great opportunity to use a bunch of my stickers that have lingered for far too long in my stash.

I haven't been doing anything crafty, so I'm glad to be given a little push every day. I feel so much better, mentally and physically, when I'm at my desk making something with my hands.

[iamdawt]

My daughter Dawn was in an accident yesterday. She's okay, but we think her car is totaled.

The car she hit barely has a mark, probably because her car sits so low. I'm so grateful no one was hurt.

[iamdawt]

Our hydrangeas are in bloom!

I guffawed when I saw our white people smiles in the one below.

My daughter and I drove the ten hours it takes from here to Nevada to see my brother and his family. We had a great time. This was on the way back. Traffic was great both ways given it was a holiday weekend.

I'm not very good at cutting up roasted chickens, so I tried a new-to-me online trend where they put a whole roasted chicken in a ziplock and smoosh the meat off the bone. It really worked!

Costco's chickens are big, so I pulled off the dark meat parts and did those first then did the breast last. I'm impressed how much more meat I got off the bone.

[peintre-stephane]

Over the rainbow

Translated from a @iamdawt palette

[iamdawt]

@peintre-stephane has done it again! Each time Stephane surprises me with his artistic interpretation of my posts, it's like Christmas morning. I love this so much, and the caption is perfect.

Merci beaucoup, my friend, I love each and every one!

[iamdawt]

I've been in my happy place all day!

[iamdawt]

I like this perspective, how I caught just enough of the sun.

Miss Molly and Oliver Flynn before and after their spa time. They were much overdue.

Even though their longer fur is adorable, both of them get knotted up pretty easily. I had the groomer cut Molly a little longer this time as her fur doesn't seem to be growing back as quickly, and she needs it for warmth. It doesn't take much for both of them to shiver when it's cold, but at least Oliver lets us put him in sweaters. Molly wants to eat our faces when we try that with her.

[iamdawt]

...but you get the idea.

This is our April binding called a house book with cross stitch. I've done everything but the decorating, which will be a lot of fun.

[iamdawt]

Oliver has the trots and crapped all over the house. He's not droopy and has a great appetite. So much so that we think he's been sneaking cat food, the stray's we keep an eye on. That'll do it.

I gave him a bath because he dragged his butt and smeared it everywhere. 🤢

And then he did it again.

[iamdawt]

I let my script therapist (I don't know what else to call her) know I was down to a few Wellbutrin, but I'm not liking how I'm feeling on it. She immediately made an online appointment with me for later today to discuss it. I like her so much, she really listens.

I've been extra, I don't know, melancholy? down, weepy, no motivation, impatient, and my attention span is nil. Which means even my joy, making journals, is a struggle. I have several projects half-done with no desire to finish them.

I feel that I was doing better without it. It's supposed to help with the ADHD, but it's not. Maybe I'm just expecting too much too soon. But I've seen such changes pretty quickly in others who have been properly medicated, including my adult daughters.

Blergh.

[iamdawt]

A lot of them are!

The other day, I ran to catch up with the mailman to give him a letter. On the way back, I looked down and thought, that sure is a lot of bird shit. I looked up when a crow landed on the wires above, and it proceeded to shit on me and then flew away! It landed on my left hand and right foot, and it was soooo gross! 🤢

[iamdawt]

According to my poking around, this is a male starling. In spring/summer, their beak turns yellow and turns blackish brown in fall/winter. It can mimic other birds and even human whistles. This one makes a longish soft eep. He looks like he's seen some shit.

He's been hanging out here for a couple of weeks calling for what I think is a mate. I know they're invasive, but I'm so sad for him being all by himself.

[iamdawt]

Seventeen!

[iamdawt]

I made the best drippy pesto, mozzarella, tomato, and chicken sandwich on toasted sourdough!

Clean everything! Oliver was not happy he had to stay off the bed for so long. But I washed the mattress cover and had to wait for that to be done. I changed out the yellow topper for a grey one instead of waiting for it to be washed and dried.

Because the dogs sleep with me (not in the sheets), I keep it pretty simple, nothing fancy. But it IS soft and cozy. And I have so many pillows that I can't do without, it's a bit of an eclectic mish-mash of pillow cases.

I'm hoping to work on a couple of journals today because I haven't been very creative lately and need a fix.

[iamdawt]

This one looks like a duck!

[iamdawt]

Listening to the rain and keeping warm.

[iamdawt]

My daughter and I finally went to the brand new Blick's in San Jose! It's only about an hour away, so it's usually not too bad of a drive.

But first, good news! Dawn saw her leg doctor (veins) out of concern of a possible blood clot. She had a deep ache that kept flaring up. She'd been so worried, and, of course, I secretly worried along with her. But it's fine and we're like, whew!

Look at all that artsy stuff!

Oh, yeah, We went to B&N the first.

I love the paper so much, especially the large sheets of handmade specialty paper on the left.

I got a few other things not pictured because they're put away, black glue because it just looked cool, some museum quality puddy like stuff to hold things in place like tiny objects, ceramics and other knick-knacks.

I've needed a longer T-square for forever to help me cut larger sheets of paper. I always struggle cutting things perfectly straight.

Usually, Liquitex matte medium is my brand of choice, but I've heard the Utrecht brand is also reliable and doesn't dry sticky-ish. It was about $11 cheaper that Liquitex, so we'll see.

I'm very happy with my haul, especially because I had a gift card to spend, which knocked the total down by almost half. ☺️

[iamdawt]

We had a good couple of earthshakes a week or so ago, around 5 on the scale. It was about 2:00 a.m., I was reading and it felt like someone hit the side of our house behind me. It wasn't quiet either, there was a definite sort of rumble. Then a few seconds later another big shove, no waves, just boom! Oliver sat right up and started barking, and we kept eye contact most of the time. It scared us both.

The rest of the family either slept or worked through it. The one at work didn't feel it either! The shelves in my room wobbled and things moved, but everything stayed put. I'm always so grateful when it doesn't keep getting worse.

I think of earthquakes and other batshit crazy mother nature happenings as reminders of who's in charge and that things can change in seconds.