I'm making inchies. Here's my interpretation of labyrinth

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I wanted to do a special but different thank you because I was a recipient in a birthday club exchange of so many beautiful and different embellishments from my friend Nancy. Hand made items, stamps, more than I can describe in this message. I decided on a thank you folder with a card on one side and a gift of some beautiful die cuts on the other.

A Special Birthday Gift

Participating in a birthday club swap is so much fun. I was so lucky to get Jean's name and knew right away I had to make her a Nutcracker. She is an avid collector... I started with a wooden base, coated him with Gesso and painted him with lively colors using Lumiere and craft acrylics. Embellishments were next. Thanks to the tutorials from Artfully Musing I payed more attention to the details, often layering and enhancing my embellishments with paint and other objects. I think he turned pretty good... and is now on route to his new home.

Been trying to get some artwork in between caretaker duties. I made some "row houses" for my favorite list An Affair with Art. Additionally, in the wee hours of the morning I decorated the letter "B" for my dear cousin Betty. She brought the letter to me a long time ago and I wanted to finish it for her birthday.

Valentine's Day

I got through it today but honest it was hard.

Baby It's Cold Outside.... in Oregon... more than you will know? ouch....

4 x 4 swap. Here's my offering.

How does it move?

I'm in a swap for ATC's and they need to "move"... So here's a video. Quality is not so good but it was dark in the room. I think you will get the idea OR I will have to get better at video.

Another Project

Now I have two horses to paint... Thank goodness they don't eat.

Project for a rainy day

My niece couldn't resist buying me this horse. I am going to paint or decoupage him, haven't decided. Should be a fun project if I can find time..

Bird in the Hand

A new addition to the Rossman household is a baby Cockatiel. No name yet.
We had a great Christmas with our nieces and friends. As you can see, the bird room is full....

Sneakers

A good friend has her horse in race training. Maybe someday he will win a big race. For her Christmas present I made her a calender. Princess (my horse) gave it a big thumbs up (or should I say hoof up?)

What is a blog? Is this about a Spider?

What is a blog I asked myself. It's been so long since I updated it... (just kidding)
It's not been #1 on my list. So today, time permitting I am going to post some pictures.

I was part of the 12 days of Christmas gift exchange on the list An Affair with Art. I decided to make Christmas spiders inspired by an old legend "The Christmas Spider". Since I have no experience in beading, it proved to be quite a challenge. I had to find time at night to pursue this new effort... I have supplies. Something about "beads" made me accrue a collection. Obviously though, I had to buy some different sizes. After making 30 of the large spiders I turned to tiny ones. I think, for some reason, I like working on miniature things. Inches, etc... Here's some photos of my adventure. P.S. Everyone seemed to enjoy their own Christmas spider.

Happy Holidays

From Don,Barbara and all the fur and feathers that live here.

ATC's

Been working on ATC's for swaps. Halloween and Day of the Dead (Dia de los Muertos)
Thought I would share.

Framing My Cover Girl Steed

Had a little time to work on the computer. Working with a new photo of Princess, I added a flower frame. She is quite a cover girl you know.

Some Fun Photos

Had a great visit with my Brother and his wife.... Bobby (bro) took a rocking horse oldie and made me a carousel horse. Pretty awesome... GADS, he's good.

Then I decided to dress Princess up for Halloween. Last year, my friend Kathy said she almost didn't recognize her. ha ha ha. (I put a BIG red bow in her mane).

This year, she is going as a cowboy.

Then, there is Don with his big smile waving to the camera.

AND, what about my succulent bloom. GADS, what a weekend.

Smiles to you.

I'll probably delete this in the morning...

Here I am. It's about 8:30 PM and all is going to bed in this household. Husband with AZ is in for the night.

The wiener dogs are in their crates in the bedrooms with a blanket over their crates. I call it their cabana... I read the "Kindle" at night so I don't want to keep them up.

Princess, my beloved horse, has her stall to the barn open and is munching her last bite of clover. All the lights are out with the exception of my big time mess crafty room -- that REALLY needs my attention. It's a wonder to me how one room can be so messy and the rest of the house be okay..... Guess that's what goes with the territory. Is that an artistic outlook? duh?

I've had company from CA for the last weeks or so. That's my excuse for not blogging. Gads.

I have to mention what happened to me yesterday or I will burst... like a big fat balloon.

Here's my story:

For the last few weeks I experienced foot pain. Sever to say the least. So off to the Dr. I went. He said I am getting a hammer toe. What the heck? When you get in your late 60's sh.... happens. A hammer toe? GADSZOOKS.

SO, I have NOT been riding my sweet horse.

Fast forward and a couple of days ago, I am headed out to saddle and ride her. Helmet is in place, boots are on, toe hurts a little .... but.... I am determined.

I take her in the round pen and saddle her. Okay.

I get on her with the "mounting step".... (It's a two step affair)... I am so afraid I will fall ... and... my toe hurts. But... on I go.

She packs me around the arena like old friends... for almost an hour. Then, I go to dismount against the stool and I cannot get off. I can't do it. FEAR, ANXIETY.. what is wrong with me? Princess and I stood there for at least an hour. She never moved. Finally, I got off and found my place on the dismounting stool.

THIS was an event I will never forget, ever. My horse is the kindest, sweetest friend I have in my life. I've had many horses in my life, but none as this kind hearted black Morgan mare. She takes me to a place that outlives my grief and sadness. Isn't that amazing?

On the artistic side... I am participating in a 32 page swap for a "transportation" fat book. Imagine, I changed my mind after creating 5 intense pages. Oh well, onward and up.

I probably made grammatical errors in this post, but what the heck. I'll probably delete it in the morning.

Barbara

What? Inchies?

I joined an Inchie mingle on An Affair with Art and in the wee hours of the morning made 4 inchies. What fun. I really miss doing them.

The theme..... FALL...

A new post..... horsey stuff......

Tonight, with my "toe" hopefully healed.... I took Princess for a run. It's been over two months since we went out and had a run.

First, we went down by the creek, had a bite of grass, an apple - and then headed down the road.

If I jog, she jogs.

I thank God every day for my wonderful cooperative horse.
Probably, without her, I wouldn't make it through my troubling times.

We went for about 1/4 mile each way, then ate some more grass -- and trotted back up the hill.

I swear, soon -- I will ride her on that jog...

BUT, good thing is my toe/foot didn't and doesn't hurt...

Just had to write this story down.

Barb.

Journal cont.

Today was a good day for me. Terry took Don and they were gone for almost 4 hours. I worked in my crafty room (the crap room might get a new name) and picked up, put away and finished one creation. I also cleaned out our "sock drawers". We wear socks in the house, not shoes.,, or, we use to.

Lately, Don won't take off his sandals and since he is prone to spill - I have rugs everywhere that can be washed.

Don was so happy when he got home. He ate a really healthy dinner and enjoyed a glass of good red wine.

It's interesting. I put some old socks, etc. in a paper bag in the kitchen. Unfortunately, I don't think the Goodwill would want them, so... they are leaving for the land fill. (I'm a big recycle r but socks? .mmm....) When Don got home, sat down, he saw the bag and proceeded to empty the entire sack on the kitchen counter. I ask "why"? He said we never throw anything away. This is a sack of really good stuff. In his formal life he wouldn't have even noticed it. Interesting how I have to do some things when he is not around ....like hide the sock bag.

Journal Continues

So who is really interested in knowing about Alzheimer's?

Really, you should be -- because you can be healthy as a horse and then your mind starts to decay... that's what happened to us.

Don was brilliant, interesting, handsome and enthusiastic. Now he acts like a child, can't see very well (Dr says eyes are good), can't find his way from place to place, can't dress correctly, can't cut his food up.... and most of all can't start or finish any task.

I believe that sometimes his instincts take over and he wants to -- rake leaves, sweep, hang up his clothes (he's was a heck of a neat person, not like me at all), play with his hobbies, but he can't....

If we do a project (like sweep the front porch, I have to get the broom, show him how to sweep and then put the broom away.) 5 minutes later, he doesn't remember the broom or the sweeping. Sometimes, it's kind of funny. (Thank God for humor....)

Today is a better day than yesterday!! YEAH....

Journal Continued

The Blog Journal continues.

One of the things I have observed with Alzheimer's is everything is accentuated. (Is that the right word? - I think so...)

For instance, if I drop a bottle cap Don reacts with "OH OH" very loudly. If you shut a door that normally wouldn't cause alarm, he stands up and holds his head. I must be careful with any "sounds"... Interesting, right?

Princess's leg swelling has not changed. But, she is highly concerned with the world and of course her hay. Alfalfa is her main concern. I "treat" her with some alfalfa, but, most of her food world is pasture hay. (Gads, it's $16.00 a bale)

It's great to have a horse I can communicate with.

Animal behavior is my favorite subject. Love it.

P.S. I noticed that my beloved favorite animals are "black"... Princess, crows and of course my wiener dog "Lucy"... Wondering, what that means?

Have a great weekend my friends.

Journal

I really love that song "Sometimes a Diamond, sometimes a Stone" cause it was a HUGE stone today. We had a tree root break up the garage floor so the tree (a few months ago) had to go. Today, a part of the garage floor was removed and tomorrow it will be poured. I've included a pix of that darn root. Oh well.

Don went with his caretaker today bowling. They were gone about 3 hours and I did absolutely nothing. I had "wash", "cleaning" and well you know... but I sat on my butt all day. No art, NOTHING... That makes me feel guilty as hell.

Don was so mixed up tonight. Honestly, he is so much worse. Can't find the bathroom, not sure what's going on. GADS....sometimes the "love" is lost.... then I find it again.

Princess developed a swelling on a hind leg near her hock. It sure wasn't because of too much exercise... but, it worried me all day. Tonight, it looks better. She was very upset because the noise of the work in the garage made a herd of 8 deer jump and run outside her corral ... well, she jumped and ran too. I think she sprained something. I have to admit it was something to see her rear, buck and run like a deer. I think it was play time. At her age it needs to be more subdued....

I hope your day was diamonds.

Barbara
Praying for the folks on the East Coast with Hurricane Irene approaching. AND, I think I'm bad off, the people of Libya are in my prayers.

What's going on...

Okay, I'm going to try and blog some stuff. But first, "Princess"...my horse.

Tonight before the sun sank in the west I took her to the round corral and made her "jog" around. Of course she did exactly what I ask her to do.. She paused only to ask me to scratch her belly.... (there goes the nails....)

I sat out there on a stool - in the middle of the corral -- and thought to myself.... "I'm dreaming"... This beautiful black horse is right out of my story books that I enjoyed in younger years... She really is so pretty.

Also, I have to be very careful. Anything I teach her -- for a treat --- becomes a passion - she's too smart for her pretty black head... (I love it)... I taught her tonight to "paw"... just let me count three in the sand and she does it too... Wow, horses are not known for their smarts, but my girl? Move over movie horses.....

About AZ... The first thing people ask is "how long has he had it?" .... I'm going to guess for 5 years. I first noticed something when we were traveling to my cousins' in Alaska. He would listen to a conversation about almost anything, and then ask something about what had already been discussed. I admissed it for poor listening skills....

Don is on the best medicine available. For some time, it did pause his progression. But now? He's worse.

He is, however, a good patient and accepts my help. I have to help him put his clothes on. He can't load the dishwasher, water the deck, use the broom and/or find anything he needs to do a task of any kind. He still wants to be productive, but ... I have to be right there to help him find something or even do the simplistic task.

Thank God for good people and angels.

Our neighbor takes Don 3 times a week to go bowling (yep, he remembers how to do that)... they go to the park and get an ice cream cone. I have 3 glorious hours to myself. And today? she said "how about 4 days?". I accepted with JOY.

I'm sorry about Alzheimer's. It deprives you of your life and sometimes your very existence... BUT, it is what is is and we have to make the best of it. I pray every day for patience and grace..... It's been working out pretty good lately.

So, how's your day going?



Have an art filled day and fun. I'm going to do just that.

Alzheimers

I'm considering using my blog as a journal about my life with Don, my husband and this intruder called Alzheimer's disease.... Seems I need to write things down and that brings some kind of comfort... well, so does spending time with my horse, dogs and birds...

Samples to Art

I'm in a swap on AAWA for Formica tile artwork. I made one with an excerpt from the poem Iron Gate and the other is just a gift tag. The flower on the gift tag was created from coffee filters. (From Oliver Wendell Holmes Iron Gate... So when the iron portal shuts behind us - And life forgets us in its noise and whirl - Visions that shunned the glaring noonday find us, And glimmering starlight shows the gates of pearl.)

Fast Forward - I'm trying to get back.

Had some inspirational moments during an AAWA's Artful Gathering. We called it a "pity party"...the leftovers that stay home do some swapping.

Sometimes, for a bunch of reasons I feel pitiful. You can see this theme is right up my alley.

My new goals are to create some fun stuff, organize my dusty craft room and finally do a little blog posting... (I have to do some catchup too on Inchies )

For the pity party I made a charm.... "Monkeying Around"
For the pity party I made an ATC.... "Life Began in a Garden"...

I just joined a fat book project, using the theme of Transportation. Good golly I may have to create 56 4x4's. Now that commitment will get me arting...

Blog Delay

I'm really here, just so busy caring for my husband. I've neglected my blog. Sorry about that. I'm just going to sign off for a while. (I may change my mind tomorrow... but life right now is complicated.

My art supplies have a new layer.... dust. Hope all goes well with my friends.... :)

Tonight

Gads, it is so very good to be in Oregon. Don and I sat out tonight in Princess's paddock. Of course, I thoroughly enjoyed her body scent, the wind in my hair (gads, which is sparse), and the mystical of the pines and sky.... We moved here from So. California, which was so in the midst of growth.... hated the people movement and needed space. Now, to my dis pare, Don has Alzheimer's... but tonight we held hands in the corral and felt good together. God is our inspiration for happiness in this life. Am I religious?.... Praise the Lord.


Barbara, OR

Inchie Monday "Heart"...

I believe in heart-felt love and friendship.