Heyall!

I have been away for a while. Not ACTUALLY away, but found myself not having much time to be on here. Its school holidays now and we have had some busy days. We like making sure our son has a good time during the holidays because he works so hard on his school work. His report card was good for this term. Today we went to the movies to see Transformers 3. It was awesome. Except it was a looooong movie, and I needed to pee real bad at the end.

We also spent the day volunteering at the grand opening of the Thrift shop that supports the non-profit organisation we are members of. They moved to a new, bigger premises and held a sausage sizzle for the customers. Hubby was delegated to do the BBQ. Meanwhile I was inside in their ironing room preparing new stock to go out onto the shop floor. The day was a big success, and I ended up finding a nice black vinyl jacket for only $20.

We finished our project. It was, in fact a Kitty house for Moby, who has taken up residence in it, even though we haven’t painted it. I think it will stay not painted. Moby seems quite happy with it. We left the lid on the barrel, and Hubby cut out a hole for Moby to get in and out of. Hubby specially rolled over the metal around the edges to prevent any booboo’s. Will have pics of it in next post.

Yesterday saw us taking another trip into the city so Hubby could de-register his business. And the place we had to go to just happened to be one block down from our favourite Japanese Restaurant. YAY! Yummy lunch!

I have received some information by a lovely lady who recommended me to a specialist in Melbourne that can maybe help me with my eye issues. I know I won’t regain the sight I’ve lost, but hopefully I can stop it from happening again, or at least find out 100% that I actually do have Ocular Autoimmune Disease. I am going to contact them and see what can be done. It’s actually a bit exciting, planning a trip down to Melbourne. I’ve made a few overseas trips in my life but have never actually been out of my home state of Queensland to explore the rest of Australia. Melbourne always seemed so Hip and Arty to me. Hopefully will be able to do a bit of retail therapy as well.

A friend of mine is 19 weeks pregnant. She posted her scan pics on FB. They are having a boy. While I am happy for her, it makes me sad. I am going to her baby shower if I think I can handle it. I have wrapped up the baby clothes we bought for ourselves for our own little bundle that didn’t happen, to give to her. But it’s good they are going to someone else. Someone who will appreciate it.  

Speaking of baby things, I must say a BIG thank you to Deb at poetesswug. I won one of her amazing creations and it arrived safely in the post yesterday! It’s very cute. Yes it’s a baby wrap, but I’m sure I will find some use for it.

I have a new friend. He is yellow and so very cute and keeps me company at my desk. He is the fat chick(en) from the movie “Hop”. I think he is adorable. Hubby thinks he has crazy eyes and doesn’t like it looking at him. Funny considering HE was the one who bought it for me.

 Awww....

Project - Can you guess what it will be?

What does......

A BARREL....

CARPET SQUARES....

A CHAIR....

AND ONE DISINTERESTED KITTY.....

Have in common? They all belong to ANOTHER project....
But you will have to wait and see what it will be.

Ocular Autoimmune Disease

That's apparently what I have. 
As you can guess I had another eye appointment today. Basically I have this Ocular Autoimmune disease. It's very rare. For some reason only known to itself, my immune system has decided to attack my left eye. It's treatable. But ONLY when active. Which mine is not. And the treatment only treats the active bits. 
Any damage that has been done so far is here to stay. So I wont be getting full vision back in my left eye. Ever.
It seems it has stabilised. Hopefully.


But, not one to stay down when kicked, I am scouring the internet to see if there is anything else that can be done. Have come across a few interesting sites that I will contact. They seem to be a little bit more specialised in Autoimmune diseases. Maybe the specialist I see is not "special" enough..lol.


Feeling really bummed about the whole thing. Called my parents to tell them. Started missing them. Really needed a hug. Cried for a bit. 


Stupid Immune system....

Art Journal - Project

HIYA! I promised to show you what has been taking up my free time and today is the day! So I was talking to Ant who told me about his journals and I thought how great it would be to actually make one myself. I found an excellent place that sells all sorts of scrap cut-offs and industrial left-overs (like plastic thingies, leather, pvc piping, material, wood, etc..) you know the sort of things factories have left over after they have made something? well this place collects it and sells it really cheap. They had a big bin of leather scraps that Hubby dug around in for me and I found three nice bits of different coloured leather. Two for the cover of the journal and the other, softer one for the lacing.

I cut the front and back pieces to size, then made slits for the leather cord. Then I used two bits of cord I cut from the softer leather and started lacing. 

And did the same for the back cover.

I used a wood burner to decorate the front and back covers. BTW burnt leather smells funky...

Next I made the straps for the buckles, which are OVERALL BUCKLES! I had to score the leather to make it bend. Also burnt a decoration on them to. The strap is secured to the back cover with split pins. I wanted the straps to be adjustable for when the journal gets full and bulky.

I then burnt around all the edges to keep it neat and strong. I bought some nice watercolour paper, ripped it to size
and threaded it on the leather cord, then secured it with a knot.

The Back

The finished product. 11" X 12"
Now to fill it with lots of arty things..lol!

So what do you think? I am pretty happy with it. It's very rustic and earthy which appeals to the Irish ancestry in me. Hubby loves it to and wants me to make our wedding album in a similar way. And I already have some smaller journals in mind to. Funny thing is, is that it cost me next to nothing to make. The most expensive stuff was the paper!

Love Beyond Control - A Poem

Love beyond control.

What is this burning inside of me?

Is it the stain you’ve left on my soul?

The inner turmoil of love beyond control,

that grows deeper with every minute,

every second you are close to me?

How can I stand to feel this way?

This writhing, twisted agony

will send me beyond all that I know

All that I have ever cared for before,

has vanished from my blinded eyes

How can I stand to feel this way?

I can’t.

But it feels so damned good.

I can’t stop it.

I don’t want to.

©SW2/6/2009

Really don't have anything else to post right now. Enjoying a long weekend here. Finally finished my art project which I will post soon. 

It's getting colder and colder each morning. Yesterday it was 0 degrees. I finally bought some gloves, in fact we ALL bought gloves..lol. 

2 weeks till school holidays. We don't have anything planned. We were going to go to a friends cabin out in the bush but decided to leave it until the weather gets warmer, as the cabin has NO electricity at all. I have finally gotten better and I don't want to die of hypothermia.

 Yes! I finally found a doctor who FIXED me! So no more being sick for the ENTIRE winter. Unfortunately, it is a seasonal thing so I will most likely suffer from it every year the weather turns, but at least I know how to treat it and get rid of it now. 

Thats about it....

Oh and a friend suggested I LABEL things now so they are easier for you to find. Don't forget my other pages up on the top menu bar. I have been posting new Zentangles as I do them to, as well as poetry. Happy reading :)

So C-C-COLD! And a Very Spritey Rant.

Well if it ever DID snow here in Queensland then today would be the day. Or possibly tomorrow when it is supposed to be even colder. I am sitting here in all my clothes and dressing gown and ugg boots and beanie and fluffy scarf Hubby says looks like a dead Muppet wrapped around my neck. My poor widdle fingers are so frozen. I really need gloves....


Moby, the enormously hairy cat, is now even more sphere like. He looks like a giant hairy soccer ball. But he is so soft and squishy. He spends his days out in what little sunlight there is, in a nest of dead weeds I left on the lawn last time I weeded the garden.


Have been working on an art project that has dominated most of my free time. Don't worry you will see it in due time. I must say I am quite pleased with it. I have also discovered the art of wood burning, or leather burning. Having bought a proper wood burning tool. It's a lot of fun and now I am constantly eyeing off all the wooden things around my house. Leather burning is a little less fun, but still fun all the same. It smells like a burnt cow that ran through a chemical plant. A little funky. OK, a LOT funky. 


Hubby finally stood up for himself and had it out with his sister. Which went down a treat, as you can imagine. Now HE has to apologise. HIM! He has to apologise or he will never see their family again. According to her. After all he has done for that self-centred, ungrateful little b.............!!! (Believe me, he has done and sacrificed so much for her over the years). Even though my Hubby has not got very long on this earth. After all the times she belittled him and made him feel less of a man for not being able to provide like a normal healthy man can. After all this, she is the one demanding an apology.
I told him NOT to apologise. So he said sorry for his lack of tact, not for what he said.  Still waiting to see if she accepts that.
I am so mad. FUMING even. I will NOT sit back and let this happen again. If this gets dragged on or mentioned again I am going to tear her a new one. No one treats my Hubby like that.
No one. 

Fabulous Thrifty Finds.

I DO so love to wander around a thrift shop/Charity store. Yesterday I discovered the local Life Line had re-opened after being totally wiped out by the January floods. It was buzzing with people. I found an awesome leather bound book for just $3 that I am going to alter later. Don't know what an altered book is? see here ,also Google images, some are beyond beautiful.

I also picked a 1966 Barbie Doll in genuine Cow-girl outfit for a friend who collects them. for $3
A first Edition Harry Potter to add to my other two (to one day sell) for only $6
And as I was walking to the checkout I saw a little decorated wooden box. I opened it and suddenly beautiful music peeled out from it. A music box! turning it over to see the bottom...not just a music box, an ANTIQUE music box. It's a "Lucky Day" made in Switzerland. I don't know what the music is, but I have found the website of the  manufacturer (couldn't believe they were still around) and so I emailed them about my little music box. Hopefully I'll get a reply.

 Oh and it only cost me $3!

Marble Wall - A Poem

Marble Wall

Cracks start to appear

Within my marble wall

I gladly step aside

And let the pieces fall.

You gather them in your arms

And toss them to the sea

I relish in the moment

When you truly know me

2/6/2011

©Copyright SW 2011