Soul Glo

I have the watercolors the water crayons, the acrylics ( crappy one’s albeit…) now what do I do?  I want one of the drop dead wonderful backgrounds that I see everyone create with the bright blues, yellows and reds!!!  Where do I begin?

How does one learn to do backgrounds?   How can I become arty?, lol!

Help?!

On a brighter note, I am fighting a move to the small house in BF Egypt.  There was no snow this winter subsequently, there was no work for The Hubbs.  I am now looking for a fulltime job so that I can contribute to the income and preserve the  status to which I have grown accustomed…namely living near the airport in a small community.   For my birthday, my Bästis Kompis, Jeanette gifted me with this FABULoUS collage of none other than (my almost favorite) Swede,: Carl Von Linne’The father of Botany, Namer of plants etc…

I have hearted old uncle Kalle since I met him at Jeanettes and this is how our relationship has developed…!  There is a larger size but from the hand scripted placque to the mini herbarium, Jeanette made it all!  This was so unexpected and absolutely one of the few things that must be saved in the event of an emergency!  I love love love it!  It speaks of vintage, hand crafted, patience and the love of a best friend.   This is by far the nicest thing that anyone has ever given, let alone made me.   There are mini lockets with photos of insects and flowers, butterflies…literally something new to discover everytime that I look at it! 

Thank goodness for vintage things, flea markets and good friends!

I participated in the Mermaid Swap at HOLD DEAR and misplaced my camera  and could not post the photos…( ok, my desk looks like hell and I could not find it ) but here they are in all of their glory!  I received this fantastic altered lunch box wrapped with beautiful colorful tissue paper and this is what inside! 

  I was so happy with the wonderful things that I received!  FINALLY!!! A SWAP with quality participants!  I could have cried volumes over the tons of stuff that I have sent out only to be stiffed in return!  I gave up on Swap-Pot a long time ago…, but MIcHelLE is definately the reining diva of themed swaps!   All of the players were so kind and generous and the photos began to arrive on Flickr almost immediately.  This was definately one of the best things I have participated in and I look forward to getting my feet wet more this year.

 I have been a Zne Supporter forever, but never logged on to the site.   Yesterday, I found the most amazing folks there and I have not been able to stop checking in and seeing what is going on! 

I participated in Hold Dear’s Mermaid Swap and received the most beautiful alltered lunch box and mermaid items!  Of course said photos are on the MIA camera, but you can imagine! 

Extended the stay in the US for 7 additional days and had a blast!  I had 5 suitcases to bring back, a stroller and a cranky little girl who FINALLY gets to stay in Sweden!  ALL of my bags were overweight ( who knew that the baggage allowance went from 3o kilos per bag down to 23?  EVERY hardside bag on wheels starts at 8 kilos, so that is kind of unfair.  Anywhoo with a sleeping baby and a skycap that was trying to encourage me to repack my bags and distribute the weight…I agreed to pay what ever it took to get out of  Dodge. Plus the check in person was not the nicest person to me, but I figured, she would need me someday, I was on the proverbial high road…   The “someday” turned out to be at the gate as all of my friends that are still slaving away at the airline decided to not only upgrade me, but gave me the “wink and the nod” treatment.  The “not -so-nice checkin person looked like she was pleading with me not to say anything, but in stead I thanked her for her “help, especially when the baby was sleeping ( I declined to mention that she asked me go leave the line to “repack”.  Anywhoo, I ended up getting a refund of my excess charges, which would have made a serious dent in my budget, forgot one suitcase back at the house and had a serious hot Pastrami on Rye at the New York Deli, ‘cept the server forgot my pickles which almost made me tempt the security check- in cue once again and get them… 

Did I say that I forgot one suitcase, the stroller and 6 pounds of peanutbutter?

Yep, thats right…We get to fly in on Tuesday and out on Wednesday.  I barely have time to see my mom, siblings hit the craft store and a supermarket before it is time to get back on the plane…The state is insistant that we be present before the court to finalize the custody of my niece… Who am I to complain?  They are paying for the ticket…I will spring for a rental car.  Maybe there will be time to go to the Manhattan Deli…slurp!

I missed a mailing date for a fat book page swap.  The items were packaged and on my desk, but hidden from view.  I swore I mailed them in december when I spent almost $40.00 in one day on postage….ugh!     My reoccuring date of birth is on Monday and I am refusing to host a “fika” in my honor.  Anyone that shows up will do so at their own peril.  Nothing personal, but birthday’s are SO passe with me!   I don’t like to small talk around coffee for an hour especially when I have homework, laundry and or dinner waiting for me.  I always end up with something I don’t want, then people get mad because they never see me wear/use/carry what ever they gave me.   I have at least 30 handbags and I carry the same old Coach bucket tote that I have been using for the last 4 years.  I can carry 4 liters through duty free with it, a change of clothes for Mika, my ipod and a journal and still have room.   The bag is so famous, that when ever the kids see it, they don’t ask “if” I have something but can they “have ” the thing that they know is hidden within… .   Someone got an idea to give me a necklace (storebought) and I am just waiting for the statute of limitations to go by ( long enough for them to forget,lol!) and it becomes part of the creative loot that I crave so much!   I told The Hubbs, tell the relatives to stay home and at 7pm lift a glass in my honor…water, wine, milk…whatever!?

Send me a card or sumthin!