This and That

YIKES

I signed up for a project that I have no clue what to do with. Oh my. Panic. Sweat. Tears. Sleepless nights. Okay so maybe I'm exaggerating just a bit. But not much. I have SOME idea of what I'm going to do with this, but---not being an assemblage person, I'm going to have to really, really, pour on the creative juices. OR, start drinking the the, quote, 'creative juices' unquote :)

It's been a busy week at work so not much going on in the painting department or rather not much in the finished painting department. I have a lot going on (as you can see from my last post and my little make shift table extension), just not anything quite finished yet. Stay tuned because when I do finish, there will be a bucket load to report on!

My dear artsy friend Pam sent me this little survey. I'm bad about doing them but since the roving art reporter is short on hot news today--thought I'd share with you a few facts about moi!

1.What time did you get up this morning? 6:45 am. I may not look like a 'git' up and go girl, but I can put it together in 1/2 hr or less and actually take a shower :) 2.Diamonds or pearls? Diamonds. I like bling bling but have none at the moment. Maybe someday 3.What was the last film you saw at the cinema? Marley and Me (((((TEARS))))) 4. What is your favorite TV show? Ummm I'm a reality show junkie so right now I'm watching American Idol, but I'm also following the Bachelor :) shhhhh 5. What do you usually have for breakfast? When I've been a good girl, I have a chick fila chicken biscuit (it's a southern thing....I used to frown upon eating chicken for breakfast but I've grown quite accustomed to it....QUITE. I ALWAYS have coffee no matter what. I normally don't eat breakfast. 6. What is your middle name? Lynn that's my sister's middle name, too. 7. What food do you dislike? Fish....bleck 8. What is your favorite CD at moment? I don't have any cds that I'm listening to. My last purchased cd that I can't find at the moment is Sara Barellies (sp?). 9. What kind of car do you drive? Nissan Maxima (2000) it's an oldy but a goodie. 10. Favorite sandwich? hmm...that's a toss up between a rueben hold the sauerkraut and chicken salad, depends on the day. 11. What characteristic do you despise? liars and cheats 12. Favorite item of clothing? my black boots and jean jacket. ha. that's sounds purdy 80's to me right now, doesn't it? 13. If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation, where would you go? Italy 14. Favorite brand of clothing? Sale. Is that a brand??? 15. Where would you retire? Anywhere there is water. Heck it could even be a big pond in the back yard, just as long as there is water. 16. What was your most recent memorable birthday? 40 17. Favorite sport to watch? Football but I don't keep up with it nearly as much as I did back in the good old Buffalo days. 18. Furthest place you are sending this? Lord Knows 19. Person you expect to send it back first? ditto 20. When is your birthday? December 13th. I was born on Friday the 13th :) 21. Are you a morning person or a night person? during the week, I'm a night person, on the weekend, I'm a morning person. 22. What is your shoe size? 8 1/2 23. Pets? a big dog...Bailey who was my ex boyfriends....I somehow got custody of the dog?? 24. Any new and exciting news you ' d like to share with us? I'm working on some great projects but I can't speak of them yet! 25.What did you want to be when you were little? A writer 26.How are you today? Well, after 13 of us were beat up at work at a meeting, i'm feeling just great, just great. Thank goodness for my artwork! One day people...one day...you wait! 27. What is your favorite candy? chocolate (dark) 28. What is your favorite flower? lily 29. What is a day on the calendar you are looking forward to? March 1 30.What's your full name? Jodi Lynn Ohl 31. What are you listening to right now? American Idol 32. What was the last thing you ate? Half a sub....I know..bad girl. bad girl 33. Do you wish on stars? No, but maybe I should start?? 34. If you were a crayon, what color would you be? Blue--y'all know I love me some blue, don't ya by now??? 35. How is the weather right now? Cold 36. The first person you spoke to on the phone today? Tabitha--a co-worker :) 37. Favorite soft drink? I really prefer Aquafina's grape water 38. Favorite restaurant? I like to try new restaurants--I like the mom and pop ones you find in a great little town that no one knows about but the locals. I went to one this week like that. The name? Somewhere Different. NO LIE....that's the name!! 39.Real hair color? brownish red, with a few gray highlights 40. What was your favorite toy as a child? not toys...books where my favorite treasures as a child 41.Summer or winter? Summer 42. Hugs or kisses? Both 43.Chocolate or Vanilla? Chocolate is there any doubt? 44. Coffee or tea? Coffee, coffee, coffee! I'm a java junkie for sure! 45. Do you want your friends to email you back? doesn't matter how about blog me back 46. When was the last time you cried? I'm a sap.I cry daily, sometimes over the news...lol..or a commercial. I really cried at Marley and me. 47. What is under your bed? Oh goodness....you don't wanna know..dust bunnies, one slipper, some blistex that I can reach and a magazine or two. ((((shame faced)))) 48.What did you do last night? went to my son's basketball game, packed up some of my artwork that sold recently, read some blogs, watched American Idol, chatted with Amy and then went to bed. I lead a crazy life people. Insane. 49. What are you afraid of? snakes, monkeys, and loosing someone close to me, definitely not in that order. 50. Salty or sweet? sweet & salty 51. How many keys on your key ring? LOTS 52. How many years at your current job? 7 53. Favorite day of the week?Saturday 54. How many towns have you lived in? 12 or 13 55. Do you make friends easily? Ummmm, not really. I'm not really a social bug. But when I do make friends, they normally stick around for sometime. And you????

It's all in the Name!

1. YOUR ROCK STAR NAME: (first pet & current car)
Su-Ling Maxima (Rock On!)

2.YOUR GANGSTA NAME: (fav ice cream & favorite cookie)
Vanilla Bean Sug-AH (Ice-Ice that baby!)

3. YOUR "FLY Guy/Girl" NAME: (first initial of first name, first three letters of your last name)
J-May (my last name is only 3 letters so I will go with my X last name..LOL)

4. YOUR DETECTIVE NAME: (favorite color and favorite animial)
Blue Fish

5. YOUR SOAP OPERA NAME: (middle name, city where you were born)
Lynn Gowanda (not very soap operaish, is it??)

6. YOUR STAR WARS NAME: (the first 3 letters of your last name, first 2 letters of your first)
May-Jo (may jo force be with you!)

7. SUPERHERO NAME: (2nd favorite color, favorite drink put "The")
The Pink Tonic (My powers are potent!)

8. NASCAR NAME: (the first names of your grandfathers)
Joseph Melvin Jr. (haha, just had to add that)

9. STRIPPER NAME: (the name of your favorite perfume/cologne, favorite candy)
Curve(y) M & M (I melt in the mouth...ooops don't go there!)

10.WITNESS PROTECTION NAME: (mother's & father's middle names )
Jo Joseph (they'll never find me with this name!)

11. TV WEATHER ANCHOR NAME: (Your 5th grade teacher’s last name, a major city that starts with the same letter)
Baker Boston ( had to really think on this one...who was my 5th grade teacher???)

12. SPY NAME: (your favorite season/holiday, flower)
Spring Lily

13. CARTOON NAME: (favorite fruit, article of clothing you’re wearing right now + “ie” or “y”)
Apple Jammy ( sounds like a great character to create!)

14. HIPPY NAME: (What you ate for breakfast, your favorite tree),
Blueberry Dogwood (Somebody was smokin something 38 years ago to name me this! :)

15. YOUR ROCKSTAR TOUR NAME: (”The” + Your fave hobby/craft, fave weather element + “Tour")
The Collage Storm Tour (Stopping by a town near you!)

Just wanted to catch up on some outstanding tags I've been meaning to do!

L-Y-N-N

(photo from last year)

First off, I didn't blog yesterday but wanted to wish my oldest son Zack, a very Happy 13th Birthday (9/14/07).! His party is today so I'll come back with some pics on Monday and an embarassing story or two :. I can't believe you're a teenager now!! Where did the time go??? Love ya Son!!

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I've been tagged by "Sweet" Laura of My Little Orange Kitchen for the name game (take the letters of your middle name and tell some facts about yourself) so without further ado--

L-Loves to Cook: Not that you'd be able to tell by my hips or anything or really by the amount of cooking this summer I've done (sacrastic, sarcastic again), but I really love to cook. If invited to a get together, I often times will pour over recipe books, internet sites and try to come up with a "memorable" dish to bring...and that it usually is.....not always in a good way as many of my family members have found out during our shindigs. But then other times, I've had prize winning dishes to serve up the gang with. I really prefer to cook in the fall and winter when it's cooler, and cooking for the holidays. I love love love to plan my holiday cooking and sort through recipes for Thanksgiving and Christmas---really just the holidays in general. Actually, right about now I start collecting extra staples for the pantry to prepare for my onslaught of goodies. An extra thing of sugar here, flour there, more cinnamon, new cookie cutters, bag of chocolate chips....I try to do it little by little so I don't have a humongous grocery bill all at once. While I love to cook, following recipes isn't my thing. I try to spice up every recipe (thus that's where we run into the sometimes flopped recipes). But more than not, I do a pretty good job and it shows (on me...LOL).

Y: (this is a hard one):

yelling.....okay I had to really think on y so this is a stretch :).....Normally I have a very very calm demeanor, but that is both my curse and my blessing because after holding things in for so long, my trigger can be tripped and I have a bad habit of saying things loudly and angrily. I get my point across and then I feel better and everything will go smoothely for the longest time then whammo...it'll happene again. Some people trip this trigger more than others but we won't go into that today.....I want a stress free day today :)

N: New things must be bargains! I have a love for shopping admittedly, I know it, those who are close to me know it, and while I probably could be saving for other things I feel soooo much better when I purchase something at a store. It's not quite an addiction because I don't have 75 pairs of shoes or 500 cds but nevertheless, it's a habit I love. With that said, everything I buy is either on sale, clearance, or thrifted. I almost never buy (especially clothes) at regular price. I have (almost) never found something I couldn't live without that was regular price. I've learned this trait from my Mom who is a great shopper. She can spot a bargain like a hunting dog....miles away, in the thick of fog....she will nose out the prey and swoop in and snag her bounty. I'm not quite that good, but with working in retail for so many years I have learned that everything goes on sale and if you are looking for something in particular, there are particular times of the year that it's better to buy than others....so hold tight, it will go on sale!

N: New things I love to learn (stretching the letter again ;)- I have always loved to learn new things. I had made a deal with myself at one time for every fiction book I read, I need to read a non fiction. Well, that has gone to the wayside because I haven't really read a whole book in several months (probably since the spring....I know..gasp). But I still love to learn new things. Right now, of course as some of my readers can tell, I've embarked on a new "career" so alot of my reading and studying has been around different collage and art techniques, studying styles, colors, and working on honing my skills. Now, though, I want to learn a little more about art history so I have more of an understanding of principles of art, movements in art, and just an overall education in the basics. Yesterday I bought a book on symbolism in art and can't wait to read that and perhaps as I continue this journey, my pieces will be deeper and carry mory substanance as I learn the principles as well as the underlying techniques. I've done things like this for as long as I can remember. For example, I applied for a job in hotel management which I knew nothing about....so before I applied, I bought a TEXTBOOK off of Amazon and read through the majority of chapters before I went for my interview. Did I get the job?? No, but I had 3 interviews so it was close and from not knowing my a$$ from the whole in the ground when I started the process, I think I did pretty good. I also did this when I went into banking. I didn't have a banking background so before I went for the job interview, I poured through a lot of economic articles...read up on the stock market..LOL...bought a book on teaching yourself the courses behind getting an MBA....did I get the job?? Yes...did they ask me anything pertainng to any of the above mentioned topics?? Not a one..LOL. At least I was prepared though!

Bottom line, I get excited about learning new things. I hope I will always enjoy being a student. I hope you do as well, or at least consider the possibility of teaching yourself something new.....What is that you want to learn??? Go out and seek it!!!

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I'm not sure who has done this tag yet so if you haven't and want to try, please join in and let me know so I can visit your list!

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Don't forget, sign ups for the Sweet Goodness Sister Holiday Swap is now going on!! Hurry up and sign up now, the deadline is September 20th!!

Breakin' all the Rules

Friday evening we went to a neat little affair at my DS's school, the annual "Spring Thing". The kids had a great time playing all sorts of games in the gym, riding ponies outside, eating icecream and pizza and jumping in one of those hot air jumpy things. I even made out like a bandit playing the "dish toss" game! Bet you didn't know I have excellent accuracy when it comes to tossing dimes! I didn't either, but I pretty much cleared the shelves, and took home 2 different casserole dishes, a dessert dish, a tea cup, and 2 coffee mugs! My son (in the turquoise) made out like a bandit with alls sorts of little prizes, and a belly full of ice cream. He hates having his picture taken though--he used to love it but now it's a chore to get him to pose with out a distorted face or hands covering his eyes. UGHH!
Saturday was one a rare day for me where I had no children, nothing really to do other than whatever I wanted--one of those type of days you can actually hear yourself breath, a type of day I love to have every once in a while but glad I don't have more often than that. So what did I do with my freedom? I totally blew my plan to "Use What I Have" and went out to a couple of yard sales.! I couldn't help it, I mean a day totally free?? I had to go. My first mistake was to get the paper on Friday and peruse the classified ads. If I hadn't done that, I might have stuck around the house. But, since I did, I noticed an ad proclaiming a huge combined rummage sale in the parking lot of Gold's Gym, which is right down the road from where I work. I'm glad i didn't pass up this sale, just look at the gem I came away with--the above photo album from the early 1900's. It's chock full of a variety of photos from this family who either lived in NY or visited there and also lived or visited in NC. I'm assuming they must have ended up in NC, otherwise how would it end up at Gold's Gym in Southern Pines?? How did it end up there?? Who would have given it up?? Amazing to me that I was even able to put my hands on such a relic.

Anyway, it had no price on it so I asked one of the organizers and he said, how about 5.00?? What?? Ummm yeah that sounds fair!!! It's so mine.

How did I find it? It was at the bottom of a box of pocketbooks and bags. I first found these two (brand new) bags for a quarter each and then unburied the photo album. I couldn't believe my luck! I also picked up the carpet in the background for 2.00 which Bailey (our dog) has already adopted as hers. I had to shoo her away to take my pics (which are still not coming out right, I really don't know how to work this blessed thing).
After that sale, I was good...I went home and proceeded to break out old red (my lawnmower). I so NEED A YARD BOY! Preferably one with lots of muscles and wears speedos. LOL Okay maybe not speedos but one that likes to mow lawns in maybe boxer briefs?? I'm taking applications now--so if you know anyone, send them my way! I have 2 acres and only a push mower. Ya buddy, my bootie was tired after 4 hours of mowing. But it was a good thing. Lots of meditation time. I tried to amuse myself by creating a quilting pattern while mowing. My yard now looks like a log cabin square. LOL After mowing (and showering). I again, broke my use what you have mantra and went to Wally World. I really wanted some chairs to sit outsid in my newly fresh mowed lawn in. I've never had a patio set ( I know...gasp...), I really don't have a place to put one, nor have I ever, so that's the main reason--so adirondeck chairs it was...and I bought some more plants...and some crablegs (for dinner which I didn't eat...hey I deserved it after all the chores)...AND some clearance craft stamps. Okay so I'm out of control. I just can't pass up a bargain. Speaking of bargains, Mizfixit was nice enough to lead me to temptation this morning by emailing me her bargains yesterday--90% off the clearance price paintbrushes at Michael's. Seems as though the area where I blew a wad 2 weeks ago is now reduced again, now to 90% off--she purchased 65 dollars worth of a paint brushes for 6.50 cents-13 of the really good ones. Holy Smolly GF, you are my hero! You should have called me right then to come on up! LOL Anywhoo--those of you who are fabric junkies, us painters are brush and paint color junkies so hopefully you can understand!
When I returned home, my neighbor was rototilling an area in my yard for my garden (remember those infamous tomatoes??) I have been meaning to get to. It's a little late for this neck of the woods, but in reality, for NC, we've actually had a very cool spring. This is probably the coolest spring I remember since moving in 1999. Anyway, my neighbor and his buddy from across the street were "working the land" for me, which I thought was nice. As the men worked the land, I walked over to speak with their wives/gf's and one thing led to another, we had a few glasses of wine, decided to order dinner and there went the night. My crab legs are in the fridge still--need to eat them tonite, but I say it was worth forgoing. I rarely get a chance to hang out, so I enjoyed the evening.



A while ago, DJ tagged me for the 7 random things meme and I 've been remiss in doing it so here goes. I've done the 6 weird things tag, and then for my 100th post, did 50 (pretended it was 100) random facts about myself--so forgive me if I repeat myself. I'm not that interesting!

7 Random Things about Me:

1) I can not stand when people pull out in front of you and then go 1/2 the alloted speed limit. That areally gets my goat. Oh, the worst is when there is no one behind you, they could of waited, but noo...they go right on, pull out and drive like they are on moped. GRRRRR

2) On occasion, I write poetry. I actually did an independent study in college on creative writing . Most of that semester was spent focussing on poetry writing. Now, (15 years later), I rarely put the pen to the paper--however, on occasions I have written a poem or two, when the mood strikes.

3) Besides reading blogs, I love to read cook books--I can sit down and read a cook book like it was a best selling novel. I just love pouring over recipes, imagining how things would taste, envisioning how they will look--it's a pure addiction.

4) One of my favorite activities that I rarely do anymore (since no one I know owns one other than my father and he is 700 miles away), is boating. I love going out on boats. There is nothing like the wind blowing on your face as you are heading out into the great waters, being splashed as you fly over the wakes, and feeling the sun beat down on your face as you enjoy pure peace of a boat ride. I am definitely buying a boat when I grow up.

5) When given a choice, I prefer to wear flip flops, sandals, or go barefoot. With that said, I probably should get a pedicure because I hate how my feet look, but I can't stand anyone to touch my feet. I detest foot massages, I don't even like to have someone else's feet touch mine when cuddling. I dont' know what it is, my tootsies need to be free and alone, I guess!

6) I am very good at recognizing songs on the radio--I can pretty much lay down anyone on the older stuff rock stuff-70's, 80's and some 90's. Now if you asked me without the music playing, I can't remember for jack the song or the words to it, but as soon as I hear the tune start, the guitar (once you learn a groups guitar sound, you can pretty much name the group after a few bars) play, I can name that tune! Amazing, I know. ;)

7) I'm actually shy in social settings. I am fine once I get to know people but I have never been one that is good at small talk, which is why I probably hate talking on the phone, going to parties where I don't know a lot of people, get involved in a lot of group activities, etc. I have always been kinda a loner in someways, with my nose to the books, engrossed with the paintbrush, or just doing my own thing. I wish I was more outgoing...I just never have been, I admire people who can rise above in any social setting or have oodles of friends trailing behind them at any one time but me--no, I have always had a very small circle of really good friends, but yet, I was popular, just not the most popular because I wasn't as outgoing as some people in school. With that said, I am perfectly fine giving speeches, talking in front of large groups, small groups, what have you. In fact, I kind of enjoy it. Weird huh? I guess there's a difference between having something planned to say and having the focus on you in a spontaneous setting.

Okay, that's probably more than y'all needed to know about me, so in closing--hope everyone has a great week!

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Swap news--check over on Sweet Goodness Swaps for a hint on the colors of our next swap coming up at the end of this month! Rebecca, Leigh Ann and I, have come up with some new twists for this swap everyone is sure to enjoy, so be sure to stay tuned for more details!