I'm not a dog person, really

Kyler

Pippen the Pound Puppy

In two months we have lost two dogs. We got Kyler to keep Nelson company because we were sure that Pippen would pass on soon. That was three years ago. She passed away at 19 years old last Thursday. So now Nelson is an only. As much as I would like him to have a playmate, having only one aint so bad.

The After

As promised here are two views of the After suitcase.

One week and 3 lbs. later

After one week and my best attempts I only lost 3lbs. -- back to the drawing board? Amanda, the trainer, says kick the sugar habit and you will see results. Well I must really be addicted to sugar, cause the thought of not having any makes me have palpitations.

The Goal

205.8 pounds

Okay I've set a weight loss goal of 5 lbs. by next Saturday. What did I get myself into? Why is it every time I tell myself I'm going to watch what I eat or wait for it...diet, I become ravenous? What's that about? Well here's the scale and it will be 5 lbs. less next Saturday!

Suitcase - Before

I used the Saggy Baggy Elephant to decoupage a suitcase. This is the before, the after is soon to come.

Faux Encaustic

rabbit - I think this is the most successful collage.

spider

chicken

I took a Faux Encaustic class at Zinnia's in South Pasadena. And here are the collages. I'm pretty pleased with them, although I think I need to work on composition a little more.

My Commission

I commissioned this painting from Sydney our ten-year-old niece. It's fabulous, I can't wait to frame it and hang it.

Kyler the Aussie

Who knew? I certainly threatened to kill Kyler (the brown eyed one) enough times. He was full of energy, bright, loving and infuriating. He figured out how to push the dining room door open and no doggy door or jery-rigged obstacle could prevent him from his mission - coming upstairs. He ate the molding on the double doors, twice. He managed to escape from his crate at least once -- Bill found him standing on top of the crate one morning like some kind of doggy Houdini. We still don't know how he did it -- a good magician never tells! When I came back from vacation last month he was bony and lethargic, I thought he was depressed because we had been gone so long. I mistakenly left butter on the counter, he found it, took it outside and ate it leaving about a 1 inch square of the paper wrapper as evidence and butter scented vomit the next day - I figured business as usual. I was wrong. Bill took him to the vet today where he found out that Kyler had cancer. He was anemic and had lost 20 pounds. Nothing left to do but put him down. Who knew I would be so sad that this crazy making dog has left our lives? However annoying he was, he was a member of our family and now he's gone.

Upcycled The Saggy Baggy Elephant

I used my very cool hole punch and spirals to make this notebook - complete with plastic sleeves. This is the notebook I will use this year. I am going to post the before and after of the suitcase that I decoupaged with the inside of The Saggy Baggy Elephant very soon.

My new Nutcase

Isn't this the coolest bike helmet you've ever seen? I think I agree with Bill, there aren't many bike helmets that don't make you look goofy. So since I'm going to look goofy anyway I might as well be stylin' in my utter goofiness.

Self-Portrait

My crazy self-portrait

Hunt and Gather - Friday, July 23, 2010

Hunt and Gather is seriously one of my favorite antique stores. I visit there every time we are in Minneapolis Summer, Spring, Winter or Fall.

Hunt and Gather
4944 Xerxes Ave. S
Minneapolis, MN   55410

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Antique store
West Duluth, MN

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Canal Park Antique Mall

310 Lake Ave. S.

Duluth, MN

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Alamo Antique Mall
125 Broadway
San Antonio, TX

Tuesday, July 6, 2010

Magazine Antique Mall

3017 Magazine St.

New Orleans, LA   70115

Wolff's Flea Market, Rosemont Illinois, Sunday, July 11, 2010

The Last 45

Trying to lose the last 45 pounds. I have got to reconcile some cold hard facts.

1. If I continue to drink I will lose weight really, really slowly.
2. If I don't work out I will lose weight really, really slowly.
3. If I don't log my food I will lose weight really, really slowly.

You get the theme here. Stop farting around face the music and do what you need to do to lose the weight. Your life won't be any better or worse - people will not love you more although, you may feel better about yourself. When you get Michelle Obama arms you will be the same person you were before you got the arms. When you wear the size 12 you've set as a goal there will still be people in the world that hate your guts! So I guess what I'm talking about here is finding the whatever it is to stay motivated. Need to meditate on it.