Update, Long Overdue

Since Christmas ’08, I’ve been clawing my way through our house in an attempt to rid us of unnecessary stuff. It seems it propagates as fast as dust bunnies, which propagate as fast as living bunnies. I don’t consider this to be an overly large house. While it was listed as a 4-bedroom, two of those are barely large enough to fit a twin bed and possibly a dresser. The accumulation of stuff amazes me, though. After the wedding last year, the laundry room became so horrific and disorganized, I feared we’d never seen the floor again. Cleaning it up took a solid week of work, but I was relieved to finish and make room enough that we were able to add a small chest freezer in time for the 1/4 cow we bought at the beginning of the year.

We are gearing up this summer to do two major renovations: replacing the windows and tiling the basement floor. Once the basement floor, including my studio, is finished, I’ll be able to put cabinets in for long-awaited storage (hooray!); living out of plastic bins … just sucks. In January, I acquired an old beat up dresser:

and then two stacking library card files — way cool — of solid wood:

Each one needs a face lift, the dresser more so than the card file, but as far as extra storage space, they’re the bomb. I’ve been slowly gluing the drawers back together in the dresser, and also in a small wooden desk I found (picture not shown). With the winter weather, being out in Jon’s shop could be rather unpleasant even with a heater running, so my progress has been slow.

April 5th marked Jon’s and my first year anniversary. Way so cool. We celebrated in three parts :). He spoils me and in the last year I’ve learned to be cautious about saying, “oh, I like that.” There’s a good chance I’ll find whatever it was waiting for me by the time I get home. He bought me a lovely pair of sapphire earrings (which surprised me in a “why on Earth would you buy me jewelry?!” kinda way). I was expecting power tools or some sort of geekery … or something a bit more practical. By his logic, though, the earrings are perfectly practical. After all, earrings are pretty much the only jewelry I wear consistently.

Too, I felt I came to the party a bit under-dressed. Here’s what he got (art by request):

An accordion book made up of the following: flash cards (the chunky chipboard kind), paper, stamps, shrink plastic, polymer and paper clay; flashing tape and wire; wood, paper and metal embellishments; found poetry, and paint.

I aimed for somewhat minimalist on the front. Jon’s not big on clutter (uh huh).

And then I crammed the back with all sorts of sentiments. :) (He can hide it.)

The last is just a close up of the “found poem” I made using Yogi Tea’s tea tags. Little bits of inspiration that I need my reading glasses to see.

It was an incredibly fun project to put together and that it was for him made it all the more satisfying. I struggled with the idea that I was assembling what is essentially a dust vessel, but then, I also had NO idea flashing tape could be so much fun. I discovered, however, that it’s coated either with plastic or possibly some sort of oily lubricant. I had to scruff it up aggressively to get the paint to stick. It makes a pretty convincing “metal” embellishment, though.

Happy news for this month is that Southwest Virginia now has an official Polymer Clay Guild (based in Floyd, VA), started and run by a favorite polymer clay mentor of mine. It has yet to establish an official name, but I’m excited to be a part of it. I’m demonstrating at the June 2009 meeting. Pray I don’t trip all over my tongue. :)

Also, my parents (meaning, Barbie) have decided to ride the train across the country again to visit us next week. The growth of her cancer seems to have accelerated. When she called me in February asking me (seriously?) what she should do, conserve or live it up, my only response then was, “well, I think while you’re alive you should live.” She’s combating my father’s resistance to this trip with, “well, I don’t know that I’ll be around in September.”

You go, girlfriend!

Have a happy day (or in this case, possibly a week or a month)!