a little art in your life~

So many projects, so little time...  It seems that I am always beginning a project.  After all, they say that starting  a new project is one of the greatest joys and desires of an artist or craftsman.  It’s that initial step into a new set of thoughts, images and supplies that is so appealing.  It’s sort of a “high” for some of us.  Thank goodness for deadlines, because, without them, I might not ever finish anything!

In the past few months, I have been working diligently on various ventures.  None of any large magnitude really,  just things for the hospital, my art groups, gifts for folks and a few failed attempts at  new techniques.  I often get so excited to begin something new, that I get “lost “ in my process.  But after all, that’s what art is all about anyway, right? Just putting aside “real life” in order to be able to be creative.  It’s very cathartic for me and is much cheaper than therapy!  I get so engrossed in what I am doing that capturing my journey on camera is the last thing on my mind.  Sometimes it almost seems to “spoil the moment” because, instead of “loosing myself” in my work, I get caught up in the mechanics.  When I try to get “back in track”, the rhythm of the flow of my work is lost.

All that goes to say that this is why I have not posted any projects lately.  It’s not that my muse has been on hiatus,  on the contrary.  I just have not recorded much in the way of pictures.

A dear friend of mine, Cindy, who is a very talented artist, has been trying to get me to do some altered art on Rolodex cards.  It has actually been a few years now.  I got excited about the notion, and immediately set out to find a Rolodex card “system”.  It was a difficult task as many of us have become dependent upon our cell phones and the internet for phone numbers.  These card catalogues have become virtually dinosaurs-most extinct.  Since the “thrill of the hunt” is so strong in me, I was determined not to give up on my search.  After months, of hitting yard sales and thrift stores, I secured two of these treasures.  I felt as thought I had really accomplished something!  It seemed, instead a means to an end, it was an end in itself, because I didn’t even attempt a card until just a few weeks ago.  What was my stumbling block?  I used excuses like:" I have the cards now and can work on them whenever" or "my work will never be as good as my friend’s, so why try?”.  Her cards are very stunning!  They truly are miniature works of art.  

I have heard the term “perfectionist procrastinator” as being what often prevents us from starting something new.  It’s that fear that my first step won’t be “good enough” so why even start.  I am learning, after suffering for some time under this negative label, that that is pure foolishness!   You can’t experience the blessing that being creative brings until you begin.  We deprive ourselves of great joy when we worry about what we are doing or what the outcome will look like.

On order to “jumpstart" me on the Rolodex cards, my friend included me in an artist challenge.  Here are my first two attempts at these tiny bits of art:

So, with two under my belt, I can say that I now understand her intrigue with these little cards.  She challenged herself to make something like 100 of them.  They were all gorgeous! 

 The beauty of these is that is doesn’t require much material at all.  They can be made from the smallest little scraps sitting at your workspace.  As I add more to my file, I can see how these finished bits of art will be a source of inspiration for me.  

If you can’t locate a Rolodex, just use an old fashioned index file.  If you can find used index cards to do your art on, all the better.  There is such beauty in layering! 

Tag It~

If you haven’t already thrown away your Christmas cards-(yikes, please don’t ever pitch such "valuable” items), I have a fun and easy way to recycle them.

The greeting cards that we received here at the house, will be made into a Christmas Card Keepsake such as the one I posted February 19, 2012

http://cgheartlife.blogspot.com/2012_02_19_archive.html

The cards that I am recycling today are greeting cards that my husband received from his clients at his office.

Supplies needed are:

Christmas cards

tag-shaped punch

whole punch (I am using a rectangular one) 

ribbon, yarn or string 

scissors

 Your local craft store should have several tag-shaped punches available, but I chose this one that has a place for the ribbon to be attached at the top.  Some have them on the side.  It is just up to your personal preferance.

My pictures are not great, but you can get the idea:

When punching out your tags, just center whatever graphics you would like to have on your tag.  I try to get the maximum number of tags out of each Christmas card without making them looking ”choppy”.  Sometimes you may need to use your scissors to cut up into the card in order to reach your desired picture or shape. 

Grab your hole punch

And punch a hole at the top of each tag

Attach your hanger (ribbon, yarn or string)

I had some stretchy silver cording which I am going to use

You will never have to buy another gift tag again!

Gotta Love it!

I had just enough burlap left over from the aqua and brown owl that I made in the fall  http://cgheartlife.blogspot.com/2012/09/owl-door-hanger-b-urlap-door-hangers.html to make a heart for Valentine’s Day.  These easy-to-assemble door hangers are so much fun to make.  I love projects that don’t require purchasing extra materials.  I have mentioned before that I have so many arts and crafts supplies that it seems silly to go out and buy anything.  Pinterest has been a wonderful source for inspiration.  I just look for projects that I can make with items that I have on hand.

The greatest thing about the burlap door decorations is that you don’t have to posses any certain level of artistic ability.  Anyone can make them.  

Basic supplies:

*Burlap-amount will depend upon how large of a hanger you wish to make

*acrylic paints-I use the 2 oz. bottles that many craft stores sell for under $1.00

*scissors

*hot glue gun/glue sticks

*plastic bags for stuffing (I use brown Kroger bags-white tends to show through the open weave of the

        burlap fabric)

*wire for hanging

*optional: raffia, beads etc. for accenting

Simple instructions:

1) Choose a shape.  Seasonal objects are a good choice if you are using it for the front or back door.  

2) Fold the burlap in half, creating “two” pieces.

3) Draw your form on the top piece of burlap with a dark marker.  If design has details, draw them as 

    well.

4) Cut out your shape (you will have two pieces). 

5) Glue front piece to back piece along edges, leaving an opening of about 5 inches.

6) Stuff with plastic bags.

7) Glue opening closed.

8) Paint design.  I like to pain the backside of the hanger as well because it seems to give it more  

    “body”.  You may opt to just paint the front.

    *the burlap soaks up a lot of paint, especially when painting the background, so allow for enough 

     paint. 

9) Attach wire hanger and any accent items such as beads and/or raffia.

A step-by-step tutorial:

ttp://daybydaydelight.blogspot.com/2012/01/burlap-door-hanger-tutorial.html

For more hanger  ideas:

http://pinterest.com/rachjeter/burlap-door-hangers/

"that's my story and I'm sticking to it"

I haven't felt this good in years!  That is no exaggeration.  I went gluten-free almost five years ago which helped with several health issues that I have dealt with for a very long time; since I was 33 to be exact.  I am now 50.  For 13 years I went from doctor to doctor (13 of them in 9 different fields) for a range of symptoms from joint and muscle pain to numbness.  My father was an orthopaedic surgeon and he sent me to physicians who he felt were the finest in their fields.  I was diagnosed with degenerative disc disease, fibromyalgia, migraines, Epstein-Barr, vitamin deficiencies, a goiter, bi-lateral ulna neuropathy, methyltetrahydrofolate and a spastic colon. I was told that I had a spur on my spine, low blood flow to the brain and that my adrenal glands were not functioning properly. To the doctors 's credit, many of these conditions were confirmed through blood tests, nerve studies, x-rays, MRIs, cat scans, dye tests, EMGS, ECGs, biopsies, ultrasounds and even a radioactive test. Each diagnosis often led to further testing, physical therapy and a variety of drug treatments.

Everyone had an "answer" to my problems; not just the doctors, but well-meaning friends. "If I were you, I'd to go Mayo-surely they can help you."  "Don't eat sugar"  "Preservatives are probably your problem" "You are not getting enough sleep" "You are not getting enough protein"  "You should try large amounts of guaifenesin".  Because I wasn't getting much relief from my meds and therapies, I did give in to their bits of advice, but had no success.

Countless hours and funds were spent on professionals who truly tried to help me.  Each specialist treated me for my problems which fell under their area of expertise, but overall, I was just not getting better.  It wasn't until after my appointment with doctor #13 for numbness that was, no longer just in my fingers and toes, but had moved into my elbows and groin area,  that the puzzle began to come together.  Because my symptoms were so widespread, he said, "I wonder if your problems could be systemic".  This was the first time that doctor had suggested that my problems might be related to each other.  I knew that if you had an autoimmune issue, that often you might exhibit other autoimmune symptoms, so I just accepted the fact that that was just how things were.  I pretty much came to terms with the idea that I might have to deal with this the rest of my life. Trust me, there were many many days over the years, where I was a bit "depressed".  This last doctor wanted to do an MRI of my neck.  Depending upon the results of this test, he said that we might need to do surgery.  He said that it would be invasive and would involve moving my ulna nerve.  He said  that he really did not want to have to do it unless it was absolutely necessary.  

 A huge turning point~

My brother, who is also a physician and very concerned about my ongoing problems, asked me if I thought that my problems might have anything to do with my diet.  I have always been very defensive of my diet, so I quickly remarked, "Absolutely not!"  I remember it like it was yesterday. We were having lunch at a Chinese restaurant and I was sipping away on egg drop soup.  As soon as the words were out of my mouth, I began to connect his comment together with the neurologist's idea about my problems being "systemic".  At that point, I wasn't even sure what the term "systemic" meant other than that all my problems could be somehow linked with each other.   Maybe my brother was right.  Maybe it did have something to do with my diet.   I began to think about people who have Crohn's Disease.  They can eat a "healthy" diet all day long, but because their bodies are not absorbing the  proper nutrients, they can become very ill.  It was like a light bulb went off in my head. I remember thinking about the saying we said as kids, "You are what you eat".  I left our lunch date with a glimmer of hope.  I didn't say anything to my husband at that point because he had watched me "chase so many shadows" when it came a new "treatment plan" and I didn't want him to "rain on my possible parade".  I began searching on the internet for health problems that stemmed from the "gut".  I quickly came upon information about Celiac Disease, which is an illness where the person affected must adhere to a gluten-free diet.  Because I was able to relate to so many of the markers identifying this disease, I spent hours in the library researching more in depth about this illness.  After reading a few books on the subject, I decided to "throw" the idea at my husband.  I told him that I felt that I might could benefit from removing gluten from my diet. He said to give it a try; what did I have to loose.  He also told me not to "get my hopes up".  

I put a call into my neurologist and told him that I was not going to have the MRI, but was going to try going gluten-free to see if that would help any of my symptoms.  He was very supportive.  I never had to go back to him, praise God, because 24 hours after going gluten-free, I began seeing positive results. My colon issues were the first to clear up and my numbness was a close second.  

Ecstatic does not begin to express how excited I was.  I could not wait to share the news with my gastrointerologist.  He poo-pooed (pardon the pun) at the idea that I might have Celiac, but basically said that he would humor me by testing me.  I tested negative for the disease, which was no surprise, I had already taken the gluten out of my diet.  He told me that the only true test was a biopsy of the colon.  I was already feeling so much better that I was not willing to add gluten back to my diet so that I could pay my $1,000.00 deductible to be "put under" for a biopsy.  I told him, "No thanks".  I knew that gluten was my problem, whether I tested positive for Celiac Disease or not. I am clearly gluten intolerant.  

  

Fast forward~

In the weeks and months after going gluten-free, it was amazing to see symptom after symptom begin to improve.  The deficiencies (iron, potassium and B12) dissipated and my numbers returned to normal.  For 9 years or so I had been giving myself a B12 shot three times a week.  I was delighted not to have to do that any more!  The shots were prescribed to help with my ongoing numbness.  I had had numbness in my left arm everyday for 10 years.  With B12 levels in check, I regained full feeling.  My muscle and joint pain dropped drastically.  I began "getting  my life back".  

Strict adherence to a gluten-free diet was the key that unlocked the door for improved health for me.  This includes being GF in my health and beauty products as well.  Any exposure to gluten will set off a series of symptoms and it takes a long time for these flare-ups to fully "run their course".  It is always frustrating when this happens, but then I remind myself of where I used to be and I get a quick "attitude check". 

Today~

In addition to living a gluten-free lifestyle, I am always looking for ways in which I can improve my health.  One of the "self-help" ideas suggested to me about 6 years ago was to take  apple cider vinegar daily.  I abandoned the regiment after 3 days because I could not "stomach" it.  Six weeks ago after experiencing some pain in my heel, which I thought might be a heel spur, I decided to give it another try.  The information that I read about apple cider vinegar said that it was reported to have helped with everything from acne and arthritis to gout and gastro problems.  The enzymes in the vinegar are supposed to help balance blood sugar and lower cholesterol.  I have learned since my posting of Jogging Juice that, in order to reap health benefits from ACV, you must use ACV that is raw-unfiltered and has "the mother" in it.  Bragg's brand is the brand I prefer.  I don't seem to have as much discomfort in my heel and I appear to have more energy.  It certainly is an inexpensive harmless regiment.  For all I know, it may also be balancing my "insides" and that's okay with me.

Despite the chronic pain that endured for so many years, I always tried to keep a positive attitude.   My husband remained patient with me and was instrumental in my journey. He was, and continues to be, my greatest encourager.

I believe, even back when my health issues first began,  that God had a plan for me.  I was not sure if that involved healing this side of heaven, but knowing that my life was in His hands kept me going; that, and the fact that I had a wonderfully supportive husband and family.

I truly believe that God allowed me to suffer as long as I did so that I could help others.  Because I have "been there", "done that"  and "got the t-shirt", I can  empathize with others who are going through similar situations.  I have had countless folks call me and say that "so and so" said that they should call me and that I might be able to share with them some words of encouragement. I love talking to these people and sharing my journey.  No, I am not adoctor and cannot give medical advice, but I can tell them about the healing that God has allowed in my life.  Maybe, just maybe, I can give a glimmer of hope to someone who is hurting.  No one needs to suffer alone or unnecessarily.

Retreat and Detox~

I am home alone with Emery and Henry (my two amazing kitties) on a chilly nasty rainy stay inside sort of December day. There really is no reason why I should be going anywhere anyway as I am not in the best condition to be driving. I have been having quite a bit of pain in my neck for the last 24 hours which apparently came from vacuuming.   It seems that I no sooner get past a "flare up" and another one comes along.  Grrr.  It's so frustrating!  I was in physical therapy this time last year for two bulging discs in my neck. I got past that, but then have had a series of other issues since then.  A week or so ago I began to feel pretty good and decided I could push the vacuum again.  Wrong.  Pain came back again in a powerful way.  DH is going to have to take over the "Hoovering".  I'm done!

 It seems that Emery and Henry's activity level, or lack there of, is never effected by the weather. Whether it is sunny or raining, they are sleeping.  

 The busyness of Christmas is behind me, but the decorations are still giving my home a delightful festive expression. Being at home today has a more of a retreat feel to it even inspite of my body discomfort. It may be gloomy outside, but there's an incredible sense of warmth inside.  Todays empty agenda seems to call for a long soak in a hot bath.  I figured it might  help reduce my pain level. We have a wonderful jacuzzi that seldom gets used for anything besides a drop zone for damp towels. It's a shame that we don't use it more often. 

Typically when I do take a whirlpool bath, 
I add epsom salts and wintergreen rubbing alcohol to my water. 

           (half of a bottle of wintergreen alcohol and a cup of epsom salts poured into the running water).

This time I was out of alcohol so I decided to look for a new "recipe" for my bath.

My google search provided me with many options.  Several of the sites had information about using products that, when used in combination, could have a detoxing effect.
One "bath detox" called for epsom salts and baking soda.  Easy enough.  The website listed below suggests some optional items to add to the bath one of which was brewed mint tea.  Because I had some in the pantry, I did use some.

Detox Bath Mix

1 half cup of epsom salts

1 half cup of baking soda

1 cup of brewed mint tea (I used 2 bags for the 1 cup of water)

Add ingredients to running bath.  Swish hand around in the water to fully dissolve the salts and soda.  Add brewed tea if desired.  Soak in bath for no more than 20 minutes.  It is suggested that you lie down for a few minutes after bathing as you may feel a little dizzy.

*I kept a glass of ice water on the side of the tub to keep myself hydrated while bathing.

I was amazed at, not only the pain relief that I experienced, but how refreshed and relaxed I felt afterwards.  I am going to make sure that I take a detox bath on a regular basis as I truly feel that it can be beneficial for my physical as well as my emotional health.

Taking a detox bath can aid in the flushing of toxins from the body, increase magnesium levels and help relieve joint pain. There are other health benefits listed on this  site 
http://suite101.com/article/baking-soda-and-epsom-salt-bath-for-detoxification-a228912

Jogging in a Jug

                   

You may have heard about the benefits of drinking apple cider vinegar.   It is thought that apple cider vinegar can aid in digestion, flush toxins, help balance blood sugar, lower cholestrol and blood pressure and the list goes on and on.  The health claims of acv have been around for years, but some of us are slow to learn about such things.  

I have suffered with joint and muscle pain for over a decade (which is much better now that I went gluten free 5 years ago, but that is a whole other discussion).  A friend of mine suggested that I try drinking a tablespoon of acv each morning to help reduce my pain level.  She said that her mother-in-law was receiving great results for her arthritis symptoms.  When she told me about this 7 years ago, I thought it sounded like a cheap and easy regiment.  After two days I decided that, even diluted in water, I could not "stomach it".  I abandoned the whole idea.

Fast forward 7 years-

 I have been having great pain in my big toe on my right foot and felt that I might be developing a heel spur on the same foot.  For some reason acv came to my mind and I entertained the idea of giving it another shot. I began searching the internet for more information about the benefits of acv and found that folks were claiming it to help a myriad of problems from acne and arthritis to chronic fatigue and weight loss.  Convinced that this was going to "cure my ails", I began drinking one tablespoon of this pungent sour stuff stirred into an 8 ounce glass of water.  I used it to take my morning vitamins.  I figured that I will "kill two birds with one stone".  I'm not going to lie, it was NASTY! Four days into my new routine, a customer of mine chimed into a discussion that I was having with another customer about drinking acv.  She said that when she was in high school, her mother used to make her and her siblings drink  4 ounces of Jogging in a Jug every morning.  I told her that I had never heard of such a product, but jotted the name down so that I could look it up when I got home.  It sound like a joke.  Jogging in a Jug, really?  I figured her mom had made up some sort of pet name for vitamins she wanted them to take.  I was shocked to learn that there really was a drink by that name.  Apparently it got its name because it was supposed to provide the same benefits of jogging.  I found a recipe for jogging juice which is made of just three ingredients, 100 percent grape juice, 100 percent apple juice and apple cider vinegar.  Easy enough.  I mixed up my own batch and put it in the fridge.  I decided that it had to taste better than just acv and water.  

Recipe:

1 cup 100 percent Apple juice

1 cup 100 percent Grape juice

2 Tbs. apple cider vinegar

I actually doubled the recipe and keep it in the fridge.  I drink 4 ounces of the Jogging Juice after eating breakfast everyday.   I have been taking acv for two weeks total.  A week ago I substituted drinking the jogging juice mixture for the plain acv.  It's probably too early to tell if it is doing any good, but  I will say that I do seem to have a little more  energy.  My usual thought when it comes to starting a new health routine, is to give it a month or two before making any judgement on its effectiveness.  

Some of the information that I read about Jogging in a Jar pointed towards caution in taking a solution that has such a high acidity content.  They advise only drinking only 2-4 ounces.  If you are a diabetic, the sugar content may be a problem.   Do some research of your own and consult your physician if you have any questions.  

Happy health to everyone!

Tuna Salad with a Twist: 

This dish does not look very pretty, but it is delicious!  Tuna never tasted so "not like" tuna. It has an Italian flair with a little "wang".

1/2 red onion, peeled and sliced very thinly
1 can of cannellini or northern beans, rinsed well and drained
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice 
salt and pepper to taste 
1 tablespoon dried oregano 
2 (6 ounce) cans of tuna (packed in water), drained 
1/4 teaspoon of garlic salt
4 cups of fresh spinach (may use less) 


* Place onion in a colander and rinse under cold water. Drain well, pat dry with paper towels and set aside.

 * In a medium bowl, toss rinsed and drained beans with olive oil and lemon juice.  Add salt, pepper and garlic salt (to taste). Fold in oregano, onion and drained tuna. 

 * Serve desired amount of tuna salad on a bed of fresh spinach
  

This is my new and favorite way to eat tuna!