The camera’s transformative ability to elevate that one, quickly forgotten second in a strangers life beyond the un-noted common and create a meaningful, singular event with such a powerful story to tell of it constantly amazes me. One snap of the shutter and that instant is captured and static forever…but as static and unchanging as that moment may now be, the story it tells each viewer is as unique and various as they are themselves. And we take these miraculous little machines for granted – everybody has one. We're so enriched by this little commonplace technology, aren't we?

I ran across a story this morning about photographer Vivian Maier and the treasure trove of work she left behind after her death. She worked as a nanny, and in her free time would take her camera out and wander the city taking photo after photo. Amazingly she never saw many of those moments again - much of her work is still undeveloped film, as though she was moving so quickly from one moment to the next in others lives she never had time to savor and reflect upon the moments of her own. It’s a strange contrast between the artist herself and her own art, I thought. The work that has been recovered and viewed has been impressive enough to merit several exhibitions. I've included a link to the video I saw below.

The last shot, the little boy with his nose pressed against the window-glass between himself and the world outside…fearless but curious and a bit puzzled by what he sees looking back at him, made me immediately think of my own son and all his firsts, about how fiercely I want to preserve that innocence and wonder in him forever, just as Vivian did. I looked into her boys eyes while the news informed me of the latest school shooting, and bowed my head and cried. I don't want mine touched by the ugliness some of us carry, for reasons that are beyond me. I don’t want to see his sweetness turned to ash.

“Why, mama?”

I don’t know, baby. I just know I’m releasing you to a beautiful, savage world of infinite possibility, and I can’t keep you safe behind the glass much longer. Somehow I have to equip you to survive the horrors life brings long enough to appreciate the wonders it brings as well. With Gods help, I will do my best to make you strong and keep your heart open.

Thank you for your gifts Vivian Maier, and my prayers and heart go out to all those who have suffered loss and pain in the past weeks.

http://bit.ly/hvJcPK

Cupcake? Maybe it's the pink/cream thing...?

I finished her last week using a bit of salvage I picked up from Leslie, and some game pieces I've been using to spell a word of some sort at my desk - I'm going to miss those four pieces. I'm bloody awful at Scrabble - I need all the help I can get. :)

I'm pretty pleased with my latest girl, but a friend of mine absolutely lost her lunch at the sight of her, lol. Her exact comment was "NOTHING like the beauty you create good GOD' *violent shudder*", followed by horrified remorse when she realized I actually WAS the one responsible for this little monstrosity. I start laughing every time I think about it. Ah well, can't please everyone, can you? I'll just have to settle for me, cuz I LIKE her!

I do fail to see the problem, tho. :) Wish I could come up with a name for her, but so far I've got nuthin'. Cupcake it will be, for the time being...

Peace, brave men and women of Ft. Hood, TX

We will not forget you, or the hurts of those you left behind.


I am not resigned to the shutting away of loving hearts in the hard ground.
So it is, and so it will be, for so it has been, time out of mind:
Into the darkness they go, the wise and the lovely.
Crowned with lilies and with laurel they go; but I am not resigned.

Lovers and thinkers, into the earth with you.
Be one with the dull, the indiscriminate dust.
A fragment of what you felt, of what you knew,
A formula, a phrase remains, but the best is lost.

The answers quick & keen, the honest look, the laughter, the love,
They are gone. They have gone to feed the roses. Elegant and curled
Is the blossom. Fragrant is the blossom. I know. But I do not approve.
More precious was the light in your eyes than all the roses in the world.

Down, down, down into the darkness of the grave.
Gently they go, the beautiful, the tender, the kind;
Quietly they go, the intelligent, the witty, the brave.
I know. But I do not approve. And I am not resigned.

Edna St. Vincent Millay

Really?

I swear I'm not trying to turn this into a political blog, but HONESTLY. I swear some of these people are just too stupid to talk. I spend a fair bit of time on cspan watching these folks in action, and researching info on the net because what is happening now politically is very important to me. Big stuff going on. And, I happen to have the time available to do that. Plus, I'm conscious - which is a fact some politicians seem to be betting against. For instance, this one:

I could not BELIEVE this guy had the stones to actually say this to his own constituents at his town meeting. Does he really think they're so dis-interested that they're not paying any attention at all?



(edit: I found a much better vid of the same gentleman, but it does look more like a political tool to me - an accurate tool, but a tool nonetheless. It is here:
http://tiny.cc/R8Wf1)

I've never heard of this guy, but I think keeping track of him from here on out is pointless. But then again, who knows. Maybe he's our next Barney Frank, too (yayyyyy). Or Waxman. Who btw looks a lot like a vampire bat when the sunlight hits him just right:



But I digress.

I have listened to several proponents of this plan on tv saying things like 'we did NOT rush this bill, we have been debating this subject for the last two years' , or in one case 'the last 59 years'. Really? You have?

Following that line of logic - if you've been working on this for the last two years, and this gem was the cumulative result - why are we still paying you?

Let's imagine we're the CEO's of a business, and we asked our management to outline o lets say a health care plan, because we really, really need one. It takes them two years - or alternatively it takes them until a few weeks before the deadline to really get started on it. It happens, folks. But when they show up at the last meeting, the plan they present blows our business all to hell. And several smaller ones in the neighborhood. It would put us another $750,000,000.00 dollars into the red fairly quickly, and about a(nother) trillion down the road. Give or take, but who's counting. And worst of all, it doesn't address several systemic problems with our current plan.

But it's just the very, very best of the best of the best they could do.

Do we, as CEO's of our company, give them a pat on the back and say O Good WORK boys your efforts are WELL worth what we pay you!

Or do we, as CEO's of our company, begin thinking we might need some new talent?

Are you sure that's the argument you want to make in your defense?

Really, lol?

words of wisdom

'I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the
government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them.'
Thomas Jefferson

'My reading of history convinces me that most bad government results from too much government.'
Thomas Jefferson

And true to form

Waxman added another 300 pages to the bill, at 3AM this morning. Shocking. Just as there were another 300 pages added AFTER being submitted and read by the various commissions earlier this week.

It's at about 1500 pages now. I *believe* that means that almost no-one who has seen this bill, or is about to vote on this bill, has actually read the bill. Again.

I read somewhere fairly recently the bill responsible for putting highways and byways down, across our entire country, was only 9 pages long. Interesting, no?

Here's an excerpt from Bruce Josten's letter to the House
(Executive Vice President Government Affairs, U.S. Chamber of Commerce)


Despite opposition to this specific bill as currently crafted, the Chamber strongly supports comprehensive legislation to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases while providing for a strong American economy. The Chamber also supports negotiation of a global accord to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases as the best approach to tackling this global issue. The Chamber applauds the Obama administration for working toward a new international agreement.

The Chamber believes that domestic legislation should:

•Balance environmental objectives with the need for economic growth and job creation;
•Promote technology development and deployment;
•Reduce barriers to the development of climate-friendly energy sources;
•Promote energy efficiency; and
•Implement appropriate steps to address the international nature of global emissions.

(ok - I'm all for that)

H.R. 2454 would not achieve these goals. Specifically, the Chamber believes H.R. 2454 must be modified to take into account several important considerations:

•Carbon-based fuels are and will remain for decades to come the backbone of the U.S. energy system. H.R. 2454 must do a better job of ensuring that cost effective and reliable renewable and alternative energy sources are developed and deployed to smooth a transition to a low-carbon energy future. The Chamber recommends adding a provision that would streamline the siting and permitting process that would help eliminate the “green tape” that now delays energy projects, even renewable ones.

•International cooperation remains a major stumbling block to addressing global climate change. H.R. 2454 must be conditional on an international treaty that sets binding commitments for all major emitters - from both the developed and developing world - while ensuring that every nation retains the flexibility to attain those commitments however it chooses. Unconditional domestic legislation without an international agreement will remove any leverage U.S. negotiators have in international climate change negotiations, and would put domestic industries at a competitive disadvantage.

•It is expected that the Ways and Means Committee manager’s amendment to H.R. 2454 will include tariffs on carbon-intensive imports. Such provisions should be rejected because they would likely be deemed to violate U.S. obligations as a member of the World Trade Organization and could spark a trade war...

•Dangerous provisions in H.R. 2454 that could lead to widespread lawsuit abuse should be removed or mitigated...

•This legislation must equitably allocate credits to the refinery sector. Oil refineries bear a compliance obligation under H.R. 2454 for more than 40 percent of covered CO2 emissions - refiners’ own emissions plus the emissions generated when the fuels they refined are eventually burned by consumers - yet would receive only 2.25 percent of the allocations...

•The renewable electricity standard (RES), along with many of the other mandates in the bill, will add costs and distort the workings of the carbon market the bill would establish. If the objective is to allow the market to work to find the lowest cost solutions, picking technology winners and losers like this bill does is not the way to go about it...

•The bill should include nuclear energy as an "other qualifying energy resource" in the RES. There is no good reason for keeping nuclear energy, an emissions-free energy source, out of the RES...

•H.R. 2454 must be revised to fully and permanently protect America’s 27 million small businesses from being forced to comply with costly, burdensome New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) for greenhouse gases...

•The legislation must fully and permanently preempt state and regional greenhouse gas programs. Delaying these programs for five years accomplishes very little...

•This bill will clearly have a cost, and while free allocations may keep some prices down, others will skyrocket. A May 2009 study released by the National Black Chamber of Commerce estimates annual drops in gross domestic product (GDP) of $170 billion in 2015, $350 billion in 2030, and $730 billion in 2050. More troubling is the effect on jobs, as the study concludes that 2.3 million to 3 million net jobs will be lost - a figure that accounts for all the "green" jobs created. Provisions should therefore be included in H.R. 2454 to safeguard against devastating economic losses...

•The derivatives provisions in H.R. 2454, which as written would hinder the ability of companies to use over-the-counter (OTC) derivatives to manage risks associated with day-to-day operations, should be removed...


•Remove Section 356 of Subtitle E which would impose a user fee on transactions cleared through derivatives clearing organizations (DCO). This transaction tax would adversely impact liquidity on U.S. futures exchanges, because it would fall disproportionately upon the market makers who provide liquidity to the exchanges through the frequency and speed of their transactions...


•Remove provisions in H.R. 2454 applying the Davis-Bacon Act, a law that in no way furthers the United States’ ability to reduce climate emissions, and would result in diminished competition, shutting out many qualified minority, small, and non-union businesses from the entire market...


...The Chamber remains committed to working with Congress to achieve meaningful climate change legislation that provides a stable and growing economy, and promotes the development of needed new sources of energy and technologies across a range of industries.

Contact your Reps here:http://www.visi.com/juan/congress/

Talking Out Loud

Senators Murray and Cantwell,

At a cost of an estimated $10 trillion dollars by 2035, the Waxman-Markey Bill will impact every taxpayer in higher utility bills, the cost of food and clothing, rising gas costs, and loss of employment. For most of us the cost of living is a very real expense, and makes a very real impact on our household budgets. We, by the way, are forced to cope within those budgets. They are finite and we cannot ‘invent’ a new source of income to magically balance them. This is the biggest tax increase I’ve ever seen in my lifetime, and the fact that it comes with such incredible job loss is appalling. Every industry in America depends on energy, and every one of those higher costs will be passed on to the consumer. We know that. Simply denying that the laws of economics exist is not a real argument, and the CBO’s ‘snapshot’ of only the early years of the costs of this bill is really just a half-truth – or a lie - in support of the bill, isn’t it. The really big hit comes down the road during years the recent assessment by the CBO doesn’t bother to recognize , and during years I might add that many more of us will be retired and even less able to afford it.

On page 781 of this bill, taxpayers are ‘volunteered’ to finance those job losses with unemployment benefits, and then again to finance schooling in governmentally specified 'green jobs'. Estimates on those job losses are up to 1,450,000 in some reports and this is in addition to the hardship we’ll already be suffering. What else is in this bill, that by Friday will have more last minute amendments added to its 1000+ pages that no one reads? More RAT boards? More laws circumvented or put into place without our knowledge – or our vote? More of our money dedicated to support more special interest groups and campaign contributors? Anybody bother to read it this time, or do you think we just don’t care? Or is it that we just don’t count? I care. And I can count. And I expect you to do the same thing.

Transparency ‘after it’s been spent’, ‘eventually’, or whenever it’s more expedient and or is just too late is not transparency. It’s duplicity. I know the difference, and I’m not alone in that.

Any positive impact is more than offset by the tremendous costs that will again fall on American taxpayers to absorb. The cost of converting to these ‘green energy’ sources is enormous – Congress should devote their energies to cutting down THOSE costs, and stop assuming we’d just love to pay for another half-baked plan that essentially takes more money away from our families, kneecaps American business and industry, and effectively passes every one of those costs right back to me.

All of the above will have a significant impact on our GDP – it’s unavoidable. While We the People (or ‘taxpayers’, as we’re so often referred to) attempt to compensate for rising costs by using less and less energy and buying fewer and fewer products – production of those same products will inevitably decline. The cost of providing those supplies will increase, because there has not been sufficient effort put into making green energy cost effective, or even accessing our own fuel instead of importing it. It’s put off over and over and over again. Meanwhile, We the People continue to subsidize other countries that use the money for - what? Good works and charity? Hardly. Drill here and do it faster , thank you.

Supply and demand is a fact, not a myth. 'Pay-Go' is the myth. Our businesses will have to leave, or fold, or pass on the cost - our farmers will suffer, and we will become more dependent on outside sources for those same supplies instead of supporting our own. Don’t deny the reality, because the rest of us aren’t going to. We won’t be able to. We will come face to face with it every time we turn on a light, get in the car, make a purchase, or cancel a vacation. Airlines, automobiles, food, light – come on. Stop denying reality and face facts.

Will there be penalties and taxes imposed on product imported from other countries as well, or is just America’s businesses and taxpayers that will be penalized? Of course not. Do the right thing, the harder thing, and put some effort into research that will decrease the costs of ‘going green’. Make it financially feasible for our business and industry, and make this affordable for America. I’d love to be green, I really would – but I am disgusted by the lack of any intelligent effort put into doing so. Stop assuming you can just take more of our money because it’s just so much easier. Let’s remember that our politicians are supposed to represent the People and their interests. Not the special interest groups, not the biggest campaign contributors – the People. Protect OUR future. Stop treating the taxpayers like an inexhaustible line of credit. We are NOT the government’s personal bank.

I can’t for the life of me come up with one good reason why I should have to even make that point, can you?

Perhaps you’ve heard of the recent tragedy on Wall Street? Or possibly the recession? The People are reeling: they’ve suffered huge monetary losses it’s taken them years to accumulate, they’re losing jobs and income, businesses and homes, funding for schools and parks and community services. Virtually every state is operating in deficit, with the exception of four or five. Yet amazingly, the worker bees in DC are busily figuring out how to spend more money they don’t have, and raise taxes to finance it via a country already in pain. Health care benefits and charitable donation’s, cost of living increases and penalties for our businesses. What the hell are you thinking? Why aren’t you screaming ‘NO, this does harm to the People I represent’? Who do you represent? Is it us? It can’t be – if it were and our interests and needs were being put first, I don’t think we’d be in the tragic state we’re in. We got here because someone else is being represented. The new ‘big business’ of special interest leaps to mind. I’m just dying to know why ACORN gets a cut out of every escrow deal – which bill did that get snuck into, out of curiousity? You remember the Fair Housing Act, and what a whopping success that was too, right? Was that the one?

My community will be watching the votes on this bill, and all the bills to come. We’ll be keeping an eye on the Census Bureau as well. I find myself very interested in this new intrusion, and the DOJ’s changes to our state election laws on the basis that requiring a social security number is somehow ‘discriminatory’, and the countless other defilements I see being put in place. We’re feeling pretty motivated to pay attention, as we have been most lax. We are angry, Senators. And we are hurt. We’re being abused. We’d be most appreciative of your representation, and your efforts to stop our country being destroyed from the inside. Or we will obviously find someone that will. We can climb our rooftops in the night, too. And I most certainly will.

Sincerely,

Kim Veldt

Long , isn't it. I had a lot to say. They'd better listen up too, because I meant every word and I'm not done yet. Check this out:

Duplicity:
Pronunciation:\du̇-ˈpli-sə-tē also dyu̇-\
Function:noun
Inflected Form(s):plural du·plic·i·ties
Etymology:Middle English duplicite, from Middle French, from Late Latin duplicitat-, duplicitas, from Latin duplex
Date:15th century
1: contradictory doubleness of thought, speech, or action ; especially : the belying of one's true intentions by deceptive words or action
2: the quality or state of being double or twofold
3: the technically incorrect use of two or more distinct items (as claims, charges, or defenses) in a single legal action

Is there anyone out there who thinks the Fair Housing Act was a stellar decision? Who gifted us with that idiocy? The Carter administration. It took years - but it caught up in the end, just like the Waxman bill will. It not only hurt the folks it was designed to help, it damn near took the whole country out. You NEED to pay attention and start fighting for your country. What is it going to take? We're BANKRUPT , people - what the hell is wrong with our government? The solution is raise our taxes some more so they can keep on spending? Really? Are you going to suck that up too?

We have been so incredibly complacent it's criminal. We did not watch, and when we did manage to surface from our own immediate concerns we gave them permission - saying 'well - we knew they were lying the minute they opened their mouths , right? What else is new?' This is on us, and we've created a cannibal.

Get your blog on , ladies. You know who you are, I've spoken with so many of you. Pay attention and start making your voice heard in DC before you're too broken to cry anymore and of no consequence anyway. Insist on being a vote that matters. Communicate your concerns and anger too. TALK OUT LOUD. If you do NOT do that , and continue in apathy and silence - there will be no change. You'll disappear along with your country and the right and privileges you take for granted. It MATTERS, girls. Stop relying on people to make decisions on your behalf that so obviously don't care, or just aren't bright enough to do the job. You can't afford to be lazy and not take responsibility. You must have noticed by now that does us no favors.

There's an old saying that the squeaky wheel gets the grease, and there are people are using that to their advantage. And our elected politicians are the ones enabling them. It's not that they don't have the time to read the bill's , it's really that they just don't care. What we don't know won't hurt them , right? Ask yourselves what they get in return, and then ask yourself why you would vote them back in for more of this crap.

You put them in and you can take them out. Do it. I swear to God I will. I fully expect to have to do it more than once because they're pretty optimistic. And they have every right to be, all things considered. But that's MY kid's future on the line as well as what's left of mine, and I want him to grow up in the same country I once had. I will NOT have it. I will NOT. It's glaringly obvious that we have not demanded nearly enough of our representatives , and by not doing so failed ourselves and our children miserably. I'll be continuing to talk out loud and long in many more letters to my reps.

Stop watching the endless coverage on Senator Sanford, and Perez, and Ed, and Iran and Farrah and Michael and start actively looking for the really important things that are happening right now, right here. Spend the time online - and it does take time. I cried for the mothers in Iran. I wish their children had fought smarter instead of dying in the streets for their vote. But we must pay attention at home. Cry for your own vote. Or your own lack of a voice.

If you'd like to locate your representatives , and I hope you do , look them up here: http://www.visi.com/juan/congress/

Lovely Blogs to see

I would like to thank Dee and Jill for choosing me for the Lovely Blog Award. I enjoyed getting to know the various sites I was unfamiliar with on both of their lists , and hope some of you enjoy meeting my friends and favorite blogs in this one! There's quite a variety here to choose from and I'm sure you'll find a few you need to keep up with too!


These are the rules:
1. Accept the award, post it on your blog together with the name of the person who has granted the award, and his or her blog link.
2. Pass the award to 15 other blogs that you’ve newly discovered.
3. Remember to contact the bloggers to let them know they have been chosen for this award.

And these are my choices:
1.A'musements
2.Before the Stroke of Midnight
3.Cynthia Couch Art
4.It's All Good
5.Caryl's Realm
6.Just Giddy
7.Marveilles en Papier
8.Little Robot
9.Robin and the Sage
10.Colourful Adventures
11.A Vintage Heart
12.Land of Nod Studio's
13.Art Beckons
14.Art-e-ology
15.Little Bluebird Diaries
16.Tales From the Waiting Room

The last one is the Special Bonus Round Blog - it belongs to my sister-in-law , and her blog is a great read if you haven't visited yet. I may be partial , but I'd never lie! Susan's a blast. She just got tattooed in Tijauna you know. Crazy Christians , I tell ya. . .

Just a simple girl...

I wanted to keep her simple this time and see how I liked that look - all in all , I'm pretty satisfied. I love these dolls so much , I forgive them things that ordinarily would make me insane lol. I do not love how stick thin she is , for instance. I think I might enjoy a curvier girl:


Unfortunately I didn't know that when I wrapped her up , but o well. I did stick to my guns and kept her simple , and I shall love her forever. This one is mine , mom!

Mom's 'angel' was a hit , by the way - her face lit up when she saw her and that made me very happy. When mama's happy. . .well , let's just say it's better than being asked why I'm giving her a head on a stick , lol. Wouldn't that have been awkward...

Excuse me please , but may I toot my own horn for just a minute?

Well would you look at that! So that's what my name looks like in print , lol. . .

I want to thank Cindy , Sherre and Stephanie so much for inviting me to be a part of this book! These women have put a lot of time and effort into this over the last year , and are finally seeing their efforts come to fruition in the next month - a huge Congratulations to YOU , ladies!
This was an unexpected and wonderful opportunity for me , and I'm looking forward to seeing all the designs contributed by all of the talented women involved. None of us have seen the pieces any of the others submitted - it will be so much fun to snoop around when I receive my copy , lol!

If all goes well it should be available July 1st , and will be filled with lots of inspiration for those of us who enjoy creating jewelry. And not just inspiration - the authors have included basic lessons on the mechanics of creating a piece , along with specific directions for each design and a supply list that will include the vendor's when possible. That ought to make life a little easier , don't you think? Trust me when I say this - it will , lol.

I hope you enjoy the book and I'm going to end with two little words I've never said (to you) out loud before:

I'M PUBLISHED!

An angel for me , this time. .

And the photo that didn't quite make it:



Yes , the day baby Jesus went cross-eyed - I was there.

It has not been a stellar picture-taking day , since neither my light or my camera are cooperating with me. But I hope you guys have a great Memorial Day weekend , and I'll take another stab at loading some more photo's for you later!
*waving*

p.s. I discovered a slightly better shot and replaced the first - it's still not great , but it's definitely not as blurry. Don't you just love that focal? I do , and I can say that because I got it from Etsy , lol. I loved that thing and just had to have it. And eventually , I even made a necklace for it. Twice , if anyone's counting. (the first one just didn't do it for me).

Some days really are better than others. . .

Pretty , no? I thought I'd post some pics today of what I've been working on , and I swear I meant to include some finished bits when I say that but AGAIN my camera battery died - are they that bad , do you think? I have some other vintage beads I've discovered , but that little bronze string of English rough-cuts is the only one I haven't gotten around to un-stringing yet. I loved them , though. There are some downright gorgeous beads buried in this pile you can't even see - I should have photo'd fewer , but c'est la vie.

This laid back guy will be keeping me company while I put these away:



People who think cats are graceful , neat and clean just haven't had cats. He's just a step to the left of some guy watching football in his underwear , isn't he?

Maybe that's why my camera won't come out and play anymore , lol.

Well I'm going to either put these away or take a nap , and I'm kind of leaning towards the nap. I am a very sleepy girl today , for no good reason. Slept like a rock last night but staying vertical today has been challenging!

yeah , I think it's going to be a nap. . .*yawn*.

Happy Mothers Day , Ladies

And the House gets A(nother) Raise. . .

While our President has asked for a sweeping one (1) million dollars to be ruthlessly shaved from the entirety of the Federal offices budget , and for .00027% of 'real money' cuts out of the 3.4 trillion dollar budget - in all things , there must be balance.

Pelosi.

The House has requested a $90 million - that would be 15% - increase in the House budgets , because it's an 'election year'.

Read all about that here. It's quite interesting.

a tiny treasure to share. . .

mmmm , brand new bébé toes! just a hint of more to come. . .

may I introduce my newest niece , Sophia Grace - isn't she beautiful?! you have Tim and Jenni to thank for providing this adorable thing for our viewing enjoyment on April 8 - she arrived weighing a whopping 6lbs. and 11 ounces , and she's all of 20 inches long.



do you remember how tiny your baby seemed when first placed in your arms? all the clothes you brought that seemed like they might really be for a doll - but then your baby fell into a leg and completely disappeared , lol?



I know Sophie's in good hands , but can't help wishing all of them were mine , *s*. Of course if they were , all photo's of our new baby girl would have been hidden behind my lips all over baby girl's little self lol.

She's beautiful , Jen - give her my love , and Tim and Naomi too.

Then go take a nap :)

And then after that send more pictures :)

Well. . .hmn.

My blog is at last lighter and brighter , but there's still some sprucing up to do. Plus it does that neat scrolly thing down the middle now - I have no idea why since all I changed was the background , but hey - Cool!

If anyone's looking for a quick and easy blog makeover , head to Banner of Blessings. She's got some of the cutest banners and provides links to other sites and information too , all fo' free! I got my new background from The Background Fairy , which I found there as well. I'm adding both links to the sidebar on the right so we can find them again!

Eventually I'd like to create my own banner and background , but today was again - not that day. It may never be that day at the rate I'm going , but a girl can dream...

Ron & Joanna Pierrotti

need some help. Ron's MRI results came back showing a massive brain tumor , and he requires immediate surgery. Unfortunately Ron like many others was laid off by his employers months ago and they no longer have an income , let alone insurance. Both Ron and Jo have had many medical struggles in recent years , Ron with previous brain tumors and Joanna with breast cancer. In this case if Ron doesn't get surgery within the month , he will die.

To read and understand more of the story , visit Joanna's Art Journal

If you're able to make a donation of any amount , I know both Jo and Ron would be enormously grateful. Clicking on the title of this post will take you to site created especially for them by friends hoping to help them through this. If you can't donate now , remember you can come back a bit later when you do feel able. The medical bills will be rolling in for quite some time.

On behalf of Ron & Jo - thank you , and God bless.

DON'T TREAD ON ME

I just wanted to give a shout out to my fellow Angry Americans participating in a nationwide Tea Party today - we support you ONE HUNDRED PERCENT.

I recently received a communication from one of my credit card holders , inquiring as to whether I'd like to pay an escalated APR of 11% because of 'changes in our business practices'. I can refuse and remain at 5% - or at least that's what the letter says - but if I do that , I will not be able to actually use the card. If I use it , the APR will immediately re-set at the 11% rate. So correct me if I'm wrong here - but didn't my taxpayer dollar just bail your lame a$$ out? And correct me again if necessary , but - aren't you now asking me to pay back the debt you showed up with BELLS on to ask for? What do YOU think my answer's going to be , stupid?

I do not appreciate condescending speeches about how I need to 'tighten my belt' and 'learn to live within my means' while entire corporations that have never heard that particular gem of wisdom are bailed out on my dime. I already do that , because if I didn't do that I'd lose my power , or lose my car , or lose my home. We manage to pay all our bills , buy the clothes for the kids that keep growing , keep the cats fed and pay for the food that has become darn near a luxury item , and by that point my belt is plenty tight enough , thank you. I've actually got some familiarity with what it's like to live within a budget - ya know why? Because I actually do it , day in and day out. We don't have a large fancy house that we can't afford - we have a house that's a little small for us , that we own. Round of applause , please. Nevertheless , we will be helping all those who did choose to buy more house than they could afford pay for the privilege of living someplace we *can't*. Sweeeeeet.

I'm sick and tired of paying the price for failure's that weren't mine - failure of our government in enacting asinine feel-good legislation 10 years ago that we're paying for now , failure to read the fine print on your own mortgage , bail-outs we'll be paying for the rest of our lives and our children's too , failure of corporations to run their own companies in a sensible manner , and the failure of our elected officials to love their own country enough to safegaurd the principles we were founded on. I'm angry , and I've been angry for a very long time.

And we are paying the price - we're paying with higher food costs , higher interest rates , loss of pay from the company that can't afford to pay more than X amount of hours a week , or can't afford to offer health insurance anymore. Or maybe they just can't afford to pay you , period. Done. We are all paying the price , but most of us didn't have much left to give , and not all of us get to vote on giving ourselves a hefty little raise to tide us over for - what , again? A job well done , was it?

Right.

Wishing all a Joyous Easter

Thought I'd share one of my older chalkware pieces. Chalkware is made by pouring plaster into molds , and then painting the casting. This was made several years ago from a particularly sweet Anton Reiche chocolate mold. I collected antique chocolate molds for many years , and this has always been one of my favorites , *s*. It's hard to see I think , but the shell has been sugared with my favorite clear glass glitter.

Have a Happy Easter!

flowers in the rain

The afternoon I spent creating this set was the most peaceful I’ve had in a very long time. The rain and wind were beating against the windows, but inside I was warm and dry with the music playing quietly in the background. Have you ever felt like your day took a little step to the left of reality? That’s how I felt – a bit surreal, daydreaming an afternoon away while another spring shower blew by.

When I look at this set, I see a tiny garden of pink buds and green leaves behind an old iron gate, and hear the rain scattering drops that reflect back all the colors around them. It evokes that feeling of separation I had that afternoon , and reminds me to find that place more often. And I will try to *s*.