Bringing it all together

For many years I have resisted merging my home life and my art life, but it does appear that they are inseparable. After all they both require my two hands and one mind to tend them, and I try to maintain a balance between them--lately that balance has slipped. I have spent more physical time in my home life and more head time in my art life. I find myself planning artworks when I am cooking, cleaning, folding laundry, walking the kids to school--but the ideas only get a rough sketch in the sketchbook and then I am back to mundane housey stuff.
Part of the art time is maintaining my art blog and my Etsy shop--which until now I have mentioned only in passing. It is really difficult for me to maintain two blogs--it requires twice the wit and four times the editing. I am hoping that the new schedule I have set for myself will allow me more time to share the craziness that is our home life with you and time to share my art life over there. The other art time is at work, where the slow season has settled in and we are drawing and painting to keep our art muscles flexed.
As it stands, I may be completely obsessed with one thing over another--as the winter approaches there is a good chance that I will retreat into my art cave--so if you are looking for me here I may be over at the art blog: http://karapaints.blogspot.com/
Do drop in and say hi. It's pretty informal over there, as I usually have clay under my nails or paint on my nose.

Good morning!

Hello to all, old friends and new!

I seem to have acquired some new readers--hi there (yes, you and you)! And I DO read all of your comments, and thank you so much for responding. Don't think I am ignoring you, I am just sort of surprised that you are out there, reading MY thoughts.

When I started this blog, 7 years ago, I was grossly pregnant and living far away from both my family and my husband's. The intention was to keep from repeating the same stories over and over, as well as provide them with a steady stream of cute baby photos.

As time has marched on, I have had less and less free time so updates have become sparse. Right now my children are entertaining themselves by measuring things with a 16 foot tape measure and making monster noises.

We are gearing up for Halloween. The children have costumes (store bought, and totally cop-out I know), and I just discovered I no longer FIT in my costume. (I knew all that chocolate would catch up with me) So this week I am mixing & matching & sewing something new. The best part of making my own costume is that I can make alterations with safety pins and it doesn't matter because I won't be wearing it but once. I am not so much on hidden seams and perfection, which makes my Grandma sad because she is a seamstress of the First Order.

Now, a complete change of subject.

I decided that in this year of "more, better", I was going to be more expressive of my gratitude. To that end, I have started composing thank you letters to people who have inspired me. I don't expect letters in return, but I figured that they would never know that their actions have caused good things if nobody tells them.

Your mission for this week: Go out and tell somebody you appreciate them.

The oven repair guy cometh

On Thursday the oven repair man is coming to FIX MY OVEN. I am so excited I can barely sit still. Our oven ceased working in JUNE and we have managed to do without until now. But I am hosting Thanksgiving for 15 people and I don't think they would be amused by microwave dinners, even if I wrapped myself in foil and declared it "Thanksgiving From The Future". Aaron won't care so long as he gets his traditional Thanksgiving Burrito. (But that is a story for another time)

So, YES! Oven Repair Guy! I thought about drafting an open letter declaring my love for him, but then I realized it's not just oven repair guys. It's plumbers and mechanics and handymen everywhere.

I LOVE Men Who Can Fix Things.

Growing up, my Dad was fairly handy. As it turns out, his Dad was handy too (mechanic in WWII kind of handy). I always thought: one day, I'll be able to fix stuff like that.

As it turns out, I can handle basic repairs.(woo! go me!) I fixed a leaky sink, unclogged a bathtub, patched holes in walls, that sort of thing.
But anything requiring sheer muscle is beyond me. I am 5'3" on a good day and leverage only works so far.

Enter Men Who Can Fix Things! (They are like Superman, minus the muscles and wearing their underwear on the outside. And really, that should have been a clue that he was from another planet...or mentally unstable.) For a fee they can unstick the stuck, rewire the frazzled, and help me BAKE again.

By this time next week I expect to be up to my elbows in cookies, muffins, sweet and savory breads. I will make lasagna and calzones and roasted veg. I can stuff my face full of homemade deliciousness and it's all thanks to the OVEN REPAIR GUY.

Things you should know

Before having kids, consider the following:

It is very probable that you will be at the house of someone you greatly admire and one of your children will put a hole in their wall.

If you can survive deathly levels of embarrassment, then you are very nearly ready to procreate.