Botticelli' "La Primavera" or My Obsessions volume #1

Continuing with my promise to myself to start blogging more often, I am sharing one of my passions with you dear reader! Art History!

Since graduating, I have become woefully forgetful of my art history education! My textbooks sit prettily on my shelf, and all I need to do to refresh my mind in the ways of Finish painting, cave drawings, Impressionism ect is OPEN one!

You have heard of Botticelli I'm sure, well this is one of his greatest and well loved paintings from 1481, La Primavera or Spring! I love it partly because this was my old Art History proff's favorite painting ever, and thats saying something. But I mostly love it for all the beautiful references to Mythology. Take a look at this great video I borrowed from my fav art history blog It's About Time.

Botticelli, La Primavera (Spring), 1481-82 from Smarthistory Videos on Vimeo.

Blogging Burdens...

Whoa boy, I drop this blog like it was hot! (que snoop doggy) Since moving into my fab little flat here in East Tejas, my Mac has seen little wireless and that makes blogging so difficult 4 me. When/If I do get online it's usually on my bro's girlfriend's laptop plugged into his Android phone! SuCh a bother for everyone.

I have been up to all kinds of crazy goings-on let me tell you! Babysitting, teaching, EMBROIDERING, cooking, SHOPPING PINNING. Gosh, Pintrest, where do I even begin with that revolutionary little wonder?

2 of my gal pals are starting new blogs which has convicted me into posting this little reminder to myself that I really do enjoy blogging just for my own amusement if not yours.

MORE TO COME! but where to start? Hmmm

Why I love my East Texas Town

• The families I babysit for are incredibly supportive. One adopts me for a semester, one sends the mechanic to fix my car, another wants to pay for the repairs, one sets me up with Pampered Chef, one took my graduation pictures and gave me her graduation gown, they team up and get me a Bernina and a Big Shot!
• Our donuts are the best, fluffiest sweetest, WARMEST rings of fried flubber anywhere. Just typing this makes me want to get up at 4am just to get a box of the first batch.... drool!
• I had some of my favorite life moments in a little red trailer by a lake with my two best gals and 21 cats.
• The Dollar General stays open till 10pm now!! YES!!
• I get free Yoga lessons from a fellow crafty diva.
• Anything in town is 5 minutes away so I'm rarely late! :)
• Did I mention I love the families I sit for?
• I have my eye on this adorable little gray house with a red door and white picket fence that has ivy creeping up the window. I will have it one day and make it a lovely little crafting cottage.
• I love the look on people's faces when I say "Van".

My First (successful) Embroidery Pupil!

My brother's bonnie lass, Miss Tamera, quite easily agreed to let me give her an embroidery lesson yesterday! Yip Yip! So, she found a pattern in my Doodle Stitching book. Here you see her working with my awesomely huge light board I got cheap at HobLob, "Apollo" (Greek god of light...get it?) ;)

She did very well figuring out the best way to draw on the fabric (a cheap-ol-flat sheet from Wal*Mart for $5, great way to get embroidery fabric without paying 8 bucks a yard). Is it easier to drag the pencil against the grain or push it with the grain? You must learn these things yourself young grasshopper.

Finally have it traced, threads picked out and snugly fitted in my Q-Snap frame, she starts stem stitching if only the needle would stay threaded. The Stem Stitch is a pretty way to do a simple line, its my fav stitch.

She's loving this.... so am I....

And voila'! She finished it in almost exactly 24 hours!!!! Isn't it good?!?!?! She even created a signature at the bottom by the tail and nest for Tamera J.

Now she is working on something for my brother...eager beaver that one! We did it Mom, we converted her to our side!!

My new obsession... Meet the GREEN MONSTER smoothie!!

so yeah, it's kinda brownish, bits of red, a hint of green... what the mess is in that blender?

HEALTH! that's what dear reader! 2 bananas, lots of fresh strawberries, splash of V8 fusion juice that has the servings of fruit and veggies (strawberry banana) one large scoop of peanut butter, some flaxseed meal I got at big lots and I haven't even said the healthy part yet....can u guess?SPINACH!!!! A whole wad of it! Throw it in there and blend, baby, blend!!!! Guess what you taste.... fruit and peanut butter! Guess what you don't taste...... nasty spinach! Google it, there are many recipes but I just throw stuff in and give it a blend! I have one every day, hoping my nails will start growing long for the first time in my life, we shall see dear reader. Sometimes I do chocolate soy milk, or peaches, or green tea, ANYTHING!

In closing yummers is all I have to say on this subject.

Sneak Peek of my New Apartment...

I can't hold it in any longer, I have to show you something! My kitchen is all red and aqua... basically I have taped scrapbook paper to everything! My version for cheap, fast and temporary wallpaper. Of course you see my hand-embroidered towel hanging there, and the anthropologie measuring blossoms (spoons) that I showed you here. LOOVE it.

"This is crazy!" or "My New Life"

I am currently sitting in the parking lot of the Public Library using the wireless, because even tho it's 2011 fiber optics (or whatever is needed for high speed internet) are just too much for my beloved small town!

So, that means I am IN my small town, I am moved into my apartment and will be posting before and after pics of my too cute kitchen soon! Just one more project to finish before I am satisfied with it. All red and aqua dear reader!

My wonderful little sis Shannon has stayed with me from day one of my new life, so lets see that would be 21 days! Wow! Sleeping on an air mattress for almost a month! Gosh I love her. I could not have done this without her.

My worst enemy is change, I have not like new situations since the day I was born, like they literally had to pull me out! lol I HATE moving, new routines and endings. If I am on the brink on newness, I am on the brink of a meltdown. I am tearing up right now just thinking about it. :(

So I must be crazy right for moving away from my family right? Right! But I really feel this is where God wants me. Apart from my parents house Van is the most home-like place I have. Plus I am living with my brother so I have some family here. Sometimes tho loneliness creeps into my heart and I question my decisions.

Shannon leaves me on Thursday so I know that will be a sad SAD day for me. Then on Saturday my best friend Megan who is visiting from New York will be flying back... bad week all around!

Today was the first day of Little Disciples where I teach the 3 year olds, it went great and God was with me all day. Once I get used to my new schedule I will have peace again, just like always but these first 2 weeks will be tough for me. I have such plans for myself that really do make me happy but its hard to shake this anxiety sometimes. It's irrational I know, and has haunted me all my life so you would think I would be used to it and able to cope by 24 but the tears on my shirt beg to differ.

This isn't me asking for pity, its just me getting it off my chest and asking for prayers while I adjust to like on my own. My parents are just 90 min away which is not too far but just far enough. I have been praying that God will provide my dad with a job out here so they can move down the street but He knows what's best for my family.

Phew... I feel a little better having gotten that out there. I am such a mess, my friends and family deserve gold medals for putting up with me and my crazy issues!

Next post will be better I promise!