Exciting plans in the mix!

I am beginning to tenativiely plan a trip to parts of Europe I have yet to travel to, set for the two weeks after gradutaion. It's not my graduation from anything, but it's a good time because I can take two weeks off then more easily than during the school year. Spring Break isn't a very long week to take a "real" trip.

I'm planning to go to England, Ireland and Scotland. I couldn't be more excited. Well I might have been more excited an hour ago after my parents "gave me their blessing" than I am now, after my father sort of revoked his, worried about me travelling and being poor and all that practical Dad stuff.

And I intend to be safe. We all know I am the biggest worrier out there. And we all know I am the most meticiulous double-checking-list-maker there ever was. I was born to plan trips like this, to consider where and when and how much and why. If I didn't do all that I probably wouldn't care as much. I am the definition of excited. After the next four months of working two jobs, taking two classes and planning this trip, I will be on a plane and it will have all been worth it.

I hope you're all having a very merry December.

Break!

So it's the second to last day of the semester and I still have a project to do, but I just want to curl up and watch Love Actually. It's been raining all day and all I managed to do was go to Petco and Target and make Mexican for dinner. Guess I'll be up tonight getting work done but at least it's only one more day then a month off from work. This time of year is a good reminder of why I like teaching. ;)

Here's the photo I put on the cover of my holiday cards:
They were a big hit - Last year I sent out one with just Betsy, since I got the new babies in February:I've become the crazy guinea pig lady and I didn't even know it! BUT, for inexpensive holiday gifts (I haven't blogged about my crafting in a while) here's an idea!

Wine bottle lamps. Best invention ever. As everyone worries about recycling and going green more and more, I think these are simply the easiest and sweetest presents. I have a friend Randi who is less into wine than Jack Daniels and I made her one of these in an old Jack bottle, so you can be as individual as you'd like. My mom visited Morgantown last May and I sent her home with one for her kitchen made from a bottle from the local winery, as a momento.

Here's the one in my bathroom, but they're also great for kitchens and hall lamps (especially for those who like low nightlight lighting):
This is a Forks of Cheat winery schawarzer bar bottle; it's a delicious white table wine, might I add. I use a 35 strand of christmas lights. White lights work too, but they look best in blue or deep green tinted bottles. In plain white bottles I prefer white strands. I have also seen people use 100 strand lights, but I'd say that's too many for a regular size bottle - you don't want the lamp getting overheated.

I decorate the outside with a picture framing wire (found at Lowes, or any other home store). I have 16 gauge galvinized utility wire right now because it's earier to add decorative touches with, but I've gone up one size in the past. I'd go one size thicker just to twirl, like I did in these images, but I've made a bunch of grapes before and it was tough with thick wire. And be sure to use needle nose pliers to grab and manipulate; it might take a practice piece to get used too. You don't want too many kinks or folds... just a nice coil.

Here's photo with the bunch of grapes:My advice is just to play around with the wire until you're comfortable to do this; it hurt my hands a lot but it was worth the extra effort. Another great thing about this bottle is that I didn't use a strand of christmas lights, but I bought a bottle topper named Bottelabra from a company Northern Lights.
Sweet, huh? Only eight dollars. Sometimes Bed, Bath and Beyond sells them, but I've found them on the internet for cheaper through wineries with shops. Hallmark was also JUST selling a bottle topper with three cast iron tealight holders. I fell in love. I know it probably doesn't look its best in a chianti bottle, but that's all I had just sitting around.
Hope everyone is having a safe and happy holiday!

No place like home for the holidays

Gearing up for the holidays is a lot of work. I love the idea of staying with my parents for a while, eating food that other people cook for me and not having to go to work, but I hate the thought of leaving my apartment unattended for so long, or the long long long drive to and from Virginia.

I just stayed with my folks for the week of Thanksgiving. The food was excellent, and my parents are excellent. They love me so much, and I feel that I learn to appreciate them more as I get older.

Especially with a sick guinea pig. After several more visits to the vet, Lacey is napping on pain meds and I am pretty sure that thirty minutes ago she "passed the obstruction." We'll leave all the bloody details at that and I hope you can safely use your imaginations. I hope that finishing this round of antibiotics will clear the whole thing up.

As for Christmas: wow. I have a paper due Tuesday, a paper due Wednesday, a paper due Thursday, and then on Friday my students turn in their final portfolios to me for grading over the weekend. I'll be busy doing those until Wednesday. Any suggestions for a holiday party? I was thinking "ugly sweaters" or something classy like that.

Sorry I haven't posted for a while - this is just such a busy time of year. Hope everyone is doing well. ;)

Lacey Update

She's on Baytril (penicillin and other antibiotics aren't safe for piggies) and I think she's perking up, a little.

For those of you who don't know about "bonding" between small animals, here's a story for you.

I had Lacey sleep alone last night and half of the day today in a hyper-clean environment to monitor how much she's eating... but I learned after work that she and Betsy are a truly bonded pair of females. When looking at pet adoptions on-line you will often come across this term, and people will be hesitant or refuse altogether to allow you to adopt just one of a these pairs. If they have lived together for a while some argue they cannot live apart. My experience:

Lacey was just sitting there, very pathetic-like, (and Betsy was too, in the corner of her house) so I put Betsy in with her. They immediately started talking and wheeking, snacking on hay and pellets and rumblestrutting (which is this adorable hip sway accompanied by a low rumble in the throat - it can mean they are exerting their domenance or attempting to win the eye of a possible mate). It was absolutely adorable. I'm keeping them together so she'll eat. It's piggie love.

Lacey's mainly going for the hay but I'm hoping she knows what she needs - like when dogs eat grass or whatever. It was so sad on Wednesday night though, she was so bloody. They think it's a UTI but aren't ruling out bladder stones. They didn't do an x-ray but I have to take her back; so if the urinalysis isn't clearing up they'll probably test for other problems.

She's the chubbiest, I think she got it from her belly dragging. Females are more likely for that to happen. :( Here's a photo of Betsy... I like to imagine she even just looks sad here.

Hope your kids and pets are doing well.

Sick Piggie

Lacey's sick, and as she hides under a blanket in her little isolation tub I can't help but want to cry. She's so pathetic and I have to force feed her disgusting antibiotics that smell like sickness. Terribly circular, I know. She's eating some hay but obviously sad and tired and I worry about the way the nurse at the vet's office described the infection as a " -bad- infection," so I'll have to bring her back to them to see if the medicine is even helping in ten days. I have a feeling this is going to be a very long ordeal and it really gets me down that she can't tell me when she's hurting. I just give her extra parsley and hope she starts feeling better soon.

She's been letting me pet and hold her more, but that just makes me even more sad, considering how skiddish she is. She's a real loner but not today. She was charming everyone at the doctor's office and just sat there, looking at me as if she knew. I think the other piggies know too. animals can sense that sort of thing, you know?

I'll add something interesting later, for now grading papers and taking care of her are my main focus. Other Lauren took these awesome photos.

Spiders

This is probably only funny to me because my mother loved it so much. A co-worker sent it to her.



Fascinating stuff.

-L

Mmm, free creative ideas

I know I've talked up Lowe's before - but I absolutely love that they provide FREE subscriptions to their Creative Ideas Magazine. I know this type of thing usually acts as an advertisement, but while they will list the paint colors they use and size boards or screws, etc, they never force it on you. For color-matching though, you can't beat people telling you exactly what they used!

http://www.lowescreativeideas.com/subscribe/subscribe.aspx

What really pulled me in is this image I cut out of the September 2008 issues of Travel and Leisure magazine. I am immediately drawn to beautiful outdoor spaces that feel like an extension of your home, and this hanging bed in India was the perfect example of this blend for me. There is a very easy, do-it-yourself version right on the cover of their summer edition. I love coming across unique DIY like this one. If you go now to the link and look at the Home and Garden mag. you can read the pdf. file of this. But I really suggest signing up for the mailed version. It's full of great ideas that won't be deleted after a short period of time. ;)

Can we change?

Yes we can!

Obama won. :) But I still had the weirdest day - I came home from work and completely forgot about class tonight or work I needed to do. I'll be up all night, but it's okay. I'll write my two papers and grade my student's work knowing next year has so much potential.

Hope you're all doing well. In you live in California I am terribly sorry about Proposition 8. It affects us all. Keep the hope!

-L

Seven (photos & facts)

I know this mean I'm posting two blogs in one day (unheard of!) but Sandra from "Smosch" did one of her excellent photoblogs on seven random facts about herself and I couldn't help but do it too. I talk about the same things all the time on here so I thought I'd share. I'm going to go ahead and say JP needs to do this - and any other six of you who want to, just let me know in a comment!


1. The only books that are alphabetized on my bookshelves are the poetry books (out of, let's say, 300+). I'm partial.2. I "rescued" thousands of medical slides from a warehouse full of home acquisitions. Not only were they beautiful and weird, but I had a strange desire to keep them all in the same place - some had already been picked through and purchased. I wanted them to stay a unit for some strange reason. The drawers themselves are really lovely, too.
This is part of a heart :3. I have a knife collection from Mali, from my time studying abroad there.4. I didn't set out to get guinea pigs, but my lease said "pets." When I asked they told me that "didn't mean dogs." I wasn't sure about cats so I decided to "start small."5. I am a fan of jars and visible art supplies. Being able to look at what I have and make time for crafts makes me happy.6. My favorite toy from childhood is my "Dinosnore." The toy company was Commonwealth out of NY and the tag says 1986. I have never seen another, except my brother's which was a triceratops. They always look sleepy and make a noise like a snore when they fall over or are turned - hence the adorable name, (and, now you've all seen my excellent pajama pants).7. I am from the beach and feel most at home when near a body of water. I like large moving bodies of water most of all though - like bays, and oceans, and the sea. (this is the James River - it's a poor photo but just imagine the settlers sliding in, before there were pools built.)

Free Stuff on Election Day...

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Wall of Inspiration <3

This week was long and I didn't get nearly enough grading done, or my own work for that matter. Every week this semester has felt like that. Sunday I'll play catch-up. This week I'm interested in getting this "wall of inspiration" of mine off the ground. My blank bedroom wall is bugging me beyond belief so I'm working to collect things that inspire me: prints from friends, I'm looking to order some soon from an artist I admire, some photographs of my cousin's - and I'm working on collages of trinkets that are the same color schemes. (if that works out there will be pictures to come)

I've found a few photos that I'm using to organize my ideas:

*http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?ref=sr_gallery_10&listing_id=15213593
*I forget where I found this - when I come across it I'll post the link. But painted drawers as shelves (for lightweight objects I'm assuming) seems like a great idea.

*A great blog to check out some time is http://poppytalk.blogspot.com/.
*and http://darlingdarleen.blogspot.com/
*And remember! In this upcoming election - Vote Sandy Holepit!

The week's already over

I'm not much for the journaling aspect of this thing, but I figured I'd update a bit. Last weekend, although I didn't get any actual "work" done, I was very productive. Friday I had a meeting with a professor on a big paper I have coming up, saw a friend and then curled up and watched a (stupid but still enjoyable) movie. Saturday, Lauren and I drove down to Buchanan, WV for lunch with her grandparents, visited with her mom at work and went antiquing. I bought the sweetest chair. She bought this old artist's case with palette paper and old oil paints...
Sunday I don't remember but halfway through the week I went to my favorite little used everything store and bought old slides... some are this couple's vacations in Europe from the late 50's, and others are creepy medical slides - I still haven't ventured to explore all of them.

This weekend is pretty laid back - sent in my absentee ballot request, paid some bills, looked through some home improvement and decorating magazines and laid around the apartment... the other Lauren's out of town. I find myself doing the same lame things we do together, only alone, which points out my inability to entertain myself without her. ;) Tomorrow's Sunday and I'll try to do an annotated bibliography for this lit class I'm struggling through. I'm probably struggling through it because I like the subject matter, but just don't love it. I'm in too many classes this semester.

I thought I'd share some of my favorite home stuffs websites. Some are about DIY and others going green and renovating in general. Hope they inspire you!

*http://www.lowescreativeideas.com/idea-library/articles/Artistic_Appeal_1107.aspx - This is just one of Lowe's fun projects. Hanging artwork can be artistic too!

*http://www.greenwinebottles.com/ - If you can cut glass, or if you're a wine drinker, think twice before wasting those beautiful bottles!

*http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/chicago/green-ideas/diy-upcycled-lighting-ideas-from-etsy-055107 - Just one of their inspiring pages.

*http://www.artecnicainc.com/index.php?page=shop.product_details&category_id=15&flypage=shop.flypage&product_id=49&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=12 - Don't neglect the tabs at the bottom!

*http://www.etsy.com/ - Who doesn't already know about this?!?

Here are three cute piggie photos I'm going to hang on my bedroom wall - I'm about to start an inspirational mix of art and photography on that wall (I took down a huge map of the states that used to hang there). (In order: Penni, Lacey, Betsy.)



Have a super week. <3

Fifteen days later...

I am having the busiest month but I've still had time to be crafty so I thought I'd update. Midterm grades are in, the apartment is clean, the car is vacuumed out, and I was paid yesterday - so the fridge finally has food in it. ;) I gave a reading tonight and feel super charged so here we go!

--I went around sticking felt snowflakes to the bottoms of decorative candle holders and vases that tend to scratch tabletops. They sell felt circles (at craft stores) for this purpose but these were on sale and I thought they'll be hilarious whenever visitors accidentally notice them:


--I carved a pumpkin for the first time, ha.

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--I "borrowed" a chair from WVU that was wasting away in a basement. I think it's from the 60's or 70's and it reminds me very much of grade school. I tightened the washers underneath, sanded off the old stain and painted it white after taping off the seat - the original vinyl seat color is what drew me to the thing in the first place. Now it's fabulous!

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--AND - I finally finished the "cork"board! Yay. (Thanks to: a bandsaw to cut the border, knife to cut the corks - be careful - stain to keep it pretty, hot glue gun to stick them to the backing and wooden wine stoppers as the decorative corners.)


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Things I am working on that make me happy.

Things I am working on that make me happy:


Like the green pepper I grew on my struggling porch plant -



And Penni, she's still not really a "people piggie" but she's sweet and coming around ;)



A painting - it is definitely a work in progress, but it's fun to try.



A corkboard is underway!





AND, a collage of places and images that inspire me...


Happy October!