finally, rain

We finally got some rain today. We've only had .10" of rain this year so these little showers are just wonderful. The desert smells so good after a rain.
I've started taking Methotrexate again. It's a chemo drug and it has made me soooooooo exhausted. Luckily, I'm not nauseous. It's supposed to help control inflammation from Lupus. I've been having lots of Lupus flares with vasculitis, fluid in my right knee and thickening of all my joints as well as a rash. Of course, pain is still my constant companion despite tons of pain meds.

I have so many things I'm looking forward to. My daughter and I are going to Santa Fe in Aug. for a get-away for just the 2 of us. I'm taking my mother-in-law to Albuquerque the first week of Aug then up to Espanola to see her grandson. the big CaboWabo football dance is Aug. 8 so I'm dieting again. I'd like to be down to 200 pounds by then.....a loss of 19 pounds. That's do-able isn't it?

Garden beginnings

I've been working so hard on making a garden at my house. Granted, I live in the desert so it's a challenge from the get-go. I took a quilt rack and turned it into a "trellis". Then I put a windchime on it that my stepson and grandson helped me make from silver spoons and a cut glass bowl. Added a little heart-shaped bird house, a leaded crystal pendant and a cracked CD to catch the sun. To give the illusion of an actual flower garden, I attached flower shaped plates to rebar painted green/glitter and planted them. Now, if only the real flowers would take off!

I lost my glasses. So frustrating!!!! So, anyway, I went to Walmart and bought some generic glasses that'll do until I decide to give in and buy some new bifocals.

so here's another switchplate. I still have a few plain switchplates to decorate.

I'm in a funky mood today. Sometimes it feels like I've lost the "nice" me. Today's one of those days.

This is a switchplate I decoupaged to look like tapestry. I love decoupaging!

I am feeling much better today. I've tapered my prednisone some more and so my emotions are getting back into normal range.
Today my grandson, Miles, came to stay with us for the weekend. He's grown so much in the 2 weeks since I've seen him.

recovering

I've been fighting Lupus related pleurisy. Unfortunately, prednisone is the only thing that will give me physical relief with this condition. Prednisone also results in hyper-emotionality. I'm so tired of feeling angry and tearful.
Aaaaarrrrrgh.
I start tapering down on the dosage tomorrow so I should start to feel human again. Hopefully.

I'm looking for ideas of things to make using wine bottles. So far, I'm sold on filling them with dishwashing liquid, making another one for olive oil & herbs, and trying to make a hummingbird feeder.
Any ideas?

This picture is of a vase I made from - yes, I am serious - black licorice. It's just too funky.

bad flare

Aaaaarrrrrrrgh!
What a crummy way to end a wonderful weekend!
I'm in a terrible amount of pain that rolls over me like waves. I am pretty certain I have pleurisy and absolutely certain I'm in a bad flare. What bad timing.
My sweet husband and I were going to leave tomorrow for a romantic week in the mountains at a cabin. Instead, in the morning, we're going to the rheumatologist.

Isaac and I were lucky people today. I stoically made it through an invitation only appearance by Barak Obama. He's my hero and civic inspiration. We volunteered at a Memorial Day veterans' meeting with him and Gov. Richardson (NM). Mr. Obama is just as dynamic in person...although about 2" shorter than I had assumed. I had pictured him well over 6'. But I was so ready to leave after the 6 hours of volunteering to direct the media to their appropriate places.

I came home and medicated myself with prednisone, vicodin and fentanyl. Very little relief, unfortunately. Thankfully, I have a doting husband who bought me comfort food and watched a funny movie with me to raise my spirits.

Here's a picture of one of my latest projects. It's a collection of 12"x12" panels with paint drizzled into a heart. It's a Father's Day Gift from me and my stepdaughter, Jacq.

Busy Weekend

Today has been too busy. I'm exhausted! And way to full of mexican food. Also got a good reminder that it's just not worth drinking a couple of beers with my meds. Sick to my stomach is not how I like to end a day. Isaac got up early and went to get his mom a breakfast burrito. He'd had a dream she had died and needed to spend some good time with her. I went shopping and found a pair of sandals so I could look glammin' at the parties we were to go to.
We went to Alamogordo to Isaac's cousin's graduation party. I love his Aunt Fita. She's warm, friendly and very cuddly. The trip to Alamo was wonderful......oh yeah! we got a new car. A Dodge Caliber 2007. We got about 2x's the gas mileage and it was a terrific drive.
Next we went to friends' house and visited until it was time for the next party. A fellow football coach's birthday party. More mexican food, more alcohol. I left early and came home to relax and feel better.

Here's a picture of some handmade paper beads I made into necklaces. They are so fun and easy to make. I love the look of lots of them worn together.

Another windy day in the desert

It's hazy outside from all the dust and dirt blowing around. Wierd weather almost everywhere right now, I think. Tornados, earthquakes, floods. Yuk.

So I decided to do more decopage. Here's a couple of pics: one of a lightswitch in my living room and one of my clothespins. Yes, that's the epitome of boredom. I decorated my clothespins. But I love hanging out my clothes now!

What a beautiful day....no, scratch that; it's windy!!!

Today has been super windy. 50 mph winds with 90 mph gusts. Makes for very dusty, sandy air.
I have been feeling better this week. Just pretty fatigued. But I've been able to recuperate with nice long naps.

I've put some of my art on a terrific site:
http://www.saatchi-gallery.co.uk/yourgallery/artist_profile//87120.html

Check it out! It's a fun site with tons of indy art.
Tomorrow I get to pick up my grandson, Miles. He's just the best thing to happen to our family.

la casas

I made this "adobe" house from a piece of styrofoam that padded some electronic gadget. I made it for my daughter Corey. I had made a different one for my son Jim and she like it alot. Hopefully, she'll like this one as well.

creativity heals

I have had the best time working on some of my art projects. For example, my mannequin. She's a reflection of my favorite things: funky paperbead skirt, bottlecap decorations, feathers and beads, painted dominoes...found objects. I love her.
Yeah, she scares the kids and hubby at night, but I think of her as a security guard for our family.

Springtime in New Mexico

Spring is definitely here! The crack of the baseball bat, the sound of parents yelling for their kids, the spitting of sunflower seeds, the stickiness of little hands fresh from candy and soda.

My stepson, Zique, is playing coach-pitched baseball. He's a natural athlete and we are his biggest fans. I love listening to the kids chanting in the players den. Last minute instructions from parents. Quick runs to the bathrooms between innings.

Spring in Las Cruces, NM brings "windy season" and tons of dust blocking visibility and aggravating allergies. Yesterday it was 90 degrees with 60 mph wind gusts. After the winds finally calm down, I'm looking forward to planting flowers in my front yard. My daughter Becky bought me a Hibiscus plant but I'm baby-ing it indoors until I'm sure it won't get whipped by the wind.

Spring also means time to really clean the house, doesn't it? I'm convincing myself that there's no point to deep clean until the dusty weather leaves. But I do suppose closets could be organized, clothes could be recycled and I could actually do my dishes.

Happy baseball games!

SusanNM: Happy Late Valentine's Day

SusanNM: Happy Late Valentine's Day
Special Needs

Happy Late Valentine's Day

Happy Late Valentine's Day! I had a nice romantic day. Isaac bought me some beautiful roses....silk roses made by members of a special needs classroom at the high school he works at. They sprayed them with rose-scented perfume. Lots of rose-scented perfume. MMMMmmmmm.

A Bump Along the Way

My sweet Becky had a bad fall yesterday. She was being given a shower by one of her most careful caregivers and the shower chair flipped over. Becky fell and hit her head against the counter, cutting her head behind her ear. She got 3 stitches and had headaches last night. I bribed her into staying home from kareoke last night by going to her house and staying until she was ready for bed.

Becky is a determined young lady. Although she has physical limitations due to cerebral palsy, she leads a very active life, often going to kareoke and dances. Becky uses an electric wheelchair for mobility and believe me....she dances!

I had the nicest day...plus, this painting is bugging me

I had the nicest day! I had lunch with an old friend and we got caught up on life. I got to brag about my weight loss and show off my new hair color. She told me that I look and act happy.
I am.
Totally.
For the longest time, I worried and obsessed about my having Lupus. I was in terrible pain all the time and the fatigue was legendary. But I'm finally on the right meds and thank you God for Fentanyl for pain killers. Now I don't worry about much at all.
Life is good.


Susan

I am having so much fun

I am really having a good time experimenting with painting. I like this type of Mexican folk art style, especially the bold bright colors. I am hoping for feedback from all who read this.

It's cold here in the desert tonight. We've been in the 40's today and will be down to the 20's tonight. That's very cold for us. It seems like we skipped winter altogether with no snow, no really cold weather. We have relatives going to Espanola in northern New Mexico and they are going to freeze!

There's a balloon rally here in Las Cruces this weekend. I need to call and let my oldest daughter and my grandson know about it. My younger daughter (24) has CP and is hoping to go up on a tethered ride. How exciting would that be for her!

What I'm working on now

I am exploring painting with different mediums. So far, I have discovered that I really like painting with acrylics, and don't like oils. I figure I need to give oil pastels more of a chance, but so far I'm not impressed.

I'm in the process of painting a retablo of the Sacred Heart of Jesus with the Virgin and St. Joseph on the sides. I like painting in the style of Mexican folk art. I've already done a painting of the Virgin and another of the Madonna and her Baby. Bright colors and bold lines!

I guess the next thing I need to do is figure out how to post pics of my paintings and post them on here.