painted black

in which our plucky heroine is heartbroken...

This morning I was awakened by the phone call you never want to get. Dad fell yesterday and the paramedics couldn't revive him. Neighbor lady went to check on Mom, seeing her apartment door still open this morning and phoned me. My siblings and I are sorting out what to do next. I think I am a little bit in shock. My dad was 90, and my parents were married for over 68 years. which is more than many are given...

Am grateful that we have modern communication that lets us stay in contact. Have spent the day doing what I can to get various ducks in a row as far as settling my personal work and volunteer commitments that are due in the near future. My mom is now at my brother's house, thankfully not alone (she was alone for hours overnight after my dad was transported to hospital). Despite her cognition issues, she does understand what has happened, and that we will make sure that she is okay; my dad was her sole caregiver...

(my parents, years ago, in better times)

today's gratitude - I have the best family and the best friends...

Time of Isolation - Day 788

it's a stretch

in which our plucky heroine goes to great lengths ...

I went to the art store to get a pad of Bristol board for the new scroll project, since all I have is  9 x 12, and this needed to be bigger. Supply chain going to bite you in the pocketbook again, the only larger size they had is 19 x 24! I could barely hold the pad under my arm (tiny lil dinosaur arms) on the walk home, hanging on with my fingertips!! and it is (more than) a little bit bigger in both dimension and cost than what I had planned on...

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I'm rather pleased that my sunflower pendant auction has garnered attention and bids since being posted online (now up to $200!), and that seems a reasonably sized donation to be heading to World Central Kitchen. Making art for a change!!

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~ creativity challenge ~

Not miniature, but I'm finally painting the decorative trim for the bathroom here at Acorn Cottage. the upper piece is the sample finish, and the lower pieces (both actually 4ft long and still in need of several more layers of painted finishing) will be cut to fit around the sink area... This project has been on hold for months and months, and will be wonderful to finally see some results, once it is warm enough to leave windows open (the glue to hold the trim to the walls is very strongly odiferous)

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May SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	lilac top for Kenya	small linen pillowcases	yard waste bin
2	setting for Laurel	sunflower enamel set	recycle bin
3	dress for Kenya	-	-
4	-	-	-
5	-	-	-
6	x	x	-
7	x	x	-
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x
10	x	x	x
11	x	x	x
12	x	x	x
13	x	x	x
14	x	x	x
15	x	x	x

today's gratitude - heartfelt conversations happen at the most unexpected times.

Time of Isolation - Day 787

Tuesday tidbits

in which our plucky heroine keeps busy...

today consisted mostly of prep work for the next batch of regalia, so I spent hours bending wires into little tiny Laurel leaves, to make cloisonne medallions that will be 1" in diameter, and a pair of one-wire Laurel branches for a larger pendant... I also was able to get out and about enough to do a few well distanced errands.  

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~ creativity challenge ~

In March I began this enamel, as a way to raise funds for humanitarian aid for Ukraine, and finally had the time to create a setting for it. While I am not seeing as much in the news, there is enough to make it clear that help is still useful. I am going to auction this pendant off over the next weeks, starting now, in support of World Central Kitchen, which is involved in humanitarian food aid for Ukrainian refugees and around the world.

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time in the tinyworld:

In the post today was one of the little treats I sometimes allow myself. I ordered two French fèves from an online seller, and the detail on the porcelain miniatures is truly impressive. Now I've a wee blue and white checkered flower vase, not quite an inch tall, and hollow, so if desired I can pick tiny flowers to put on the mantelpiece in Caer Cardboard.

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May SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	lilac top for Kenya	small linen pillowcases	yard waste bin
2	setting for Laurel	sunflower enamel set	recycle bin
3	dress for Kenya	-	-
4	-	-	-
5	-	-	-
6	x	x	-
7	x	x	-
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x
10	x	x	x
11	x	x	x
12	x	x	x
13	x	x	x
14	x	x	x
15	x	x	x

today's gratitude - My legs work. I can walk pretty far, and climb stairs, and only huff and puff a little bit. The more I use them, within reason, the better condition I will be in.

Time of Isolation - Day 785