Thursday, April 11, 2013

I AM STILL ALIVE

I am still alive down here in Alabama.  This hasn't been a very good month for me and neither was March.  I have been having trouble with my back off and on and yesterday was the very worse ever. I ended up going to the doctor and getting a shot in my lower back and can now sit up.  Yesterday it hurt awfully just to stand up. The reason I waited to go to the dr is because usually if I just rest my back ( lay around and NO heavy lifting  like gallon jugs etc) it will clear up ~ but not this time. 
Anyway, so much for my problems the shot helped and now there is only a twinge of pain and I can hopefully get back in the groove.  Housecleaning and crafting. I have been trying my hand at some art journaling and will pretty soon have some pics on my NEW blog ~ Southern Gothic Whimsy~ I decided to have a separate blog for my drawing and artsy stuff since this one is more shabby chic and family stuff. I have really been cruising the artsy blogs and have found some with great tutorials on painting techniques etc.  Once upon a time I did a series of oil paintings and sketches etc and could actually draw people and animals that looked real.  When I was in school I loved drawing (even as a little child) and would have gone in that direction in college if I hadn't been pushed into the music (piano and viola) direction. Oddly enough I ended up using my artistic abilities painting brims on ladies and childrens hats for craft shows. But even that I haven't done in more that 12 - 13 years.  Life just gets in the way.  The thing that has gotten my back into drawing is carving my own stamps.  I can't afford the fancy Tim Holtz stamps and bunch of other beautiful ones I have seen and I got to thinking ( after carving up some erasers) that I could make some of my own to use out of cheaper stuff.  An art supply store has opened up in Montevallo (there should have always been one there since it is a college town with a huge art dept.) and they have reasonable prices on their lino blocks and tools so I am going to give it a try.  I have found lots of foam stickers that I have set up to do background images (flowers etc that I bought years ago do use I no longer have ANY IDEA WHAT FOR).
I guess we will see how it comes out.  Today I have to stay close to the weather radio because they are expecting some 'super cell tornadoes' to form ahead to the cold front pushing thru Mississippi right now. Looks like we could be in for a rough ride weatherwise today.
I am getting some stuff to photograph to show you some of stuff I am up to right now. If we survive today.
May God's blessings be on all of you and keep you safe.
Mary