I was thinking about posting this morning. How we are all fighting to be able to do nice, positive, and/or future-minded things for ourselves in amongst the chaos of looking after our aging family members.
Did you get to take a walk all by yourself today? Did you find a half an hour to enjoy a cup of coffee without interruption? Did you lock the bathroom door and have a bubble bath and a face mask? Did you finally finish a good book? Did you sign up for a night class that gets you out of the house? Did you go for a swim at the local indoor pool? Are you dreaming up a new home-based business at the kitchen table?
These moments seem so hard won, I think we deserve to celebrate them! I'd love to hear from you!
So is the tree all rested, Rainmom? Are you decorating it yet?
Today after I dropped mom off at dialysis, I decided to abandon the errand-running and take a long drive (alone) around the countryside. To heck with it! I love driving, especially through the grasslands and forests. LOVE. Needed it.
I normally enjoy cooking, but today I didn’t make anything fancy, just good mashed potatoes, guacamole and beans from scratch (chicken already made). Gotta say I’ve became a much better “chef” since caring for my mom. I get this happy feeling when my creativity is released in any way!!
Also sat on the couch sketching furniture I want to have made here to hopefully sell!!
See, I’m new to this country and finding a job here is a nightmare, so why not dream and even try to use my creativity and interior design “gift” to see if my 👁 for beauty and taste is liked here in Nicaragua? It’d be a great way to make a living while caring for my mother!
And went to local folkloric market for about half hour. I just needed measuring tape, but I always love to look at the colorful things they make...and the PURSES!!! OMG, if any of you ladies could see (there should be a way to post pics here!) the purses made here..pure wonderful leather (sorry, I love animals, but they’re just gorgeous!) you probably could not resist. When I lived in the US I used to buy those purses and I have a decent collection. Now I just purse-window-shop, but it makes me 😊!
Lastly, watched half hour of The Voice, I’m probably behind the US so please don’t tell me who wins if you know! really enjoyed it!!
Are they of wood, and if so, are you a woodworker? If so, you must be familiar with Norm Abram, a master carpenter who hosted the New Yankee Workshop, and Roy Underhill, also a master carpenter whether designated that or not. Underhill makes his own tools, doesn't use any electrical tools, and produces the most inspiring works of art. It tires me just to watch him chiseling or drilling by hand.
There are already some pencil artists here. Maybe we should start a separate thread for caregiving artists.
Got up before dawn so I could shower while Rainman was still sleeping- as soon as his companion gets here to take him out I’m off - doing something for me! I’ve got a gigantic tattoo project in the works.
@ Rosses and GardenArtist - I wouldn't mind an artists thread, but I haven't really done anything for a few years now, since I've been more focused on music, and then momcare. I did buy myself a new sketchbook and fresh graphite pencils a couple of weeks ago, but I'm ashamed to say I haven't even touched them yet. I also have a keyboard here to learn to play, and a guitar I should be practicing on! Lol. Maybe a "creative arts" thread would be nice? Maybe there are other musicians here, too. I could use a kick in the pants to get moving on any of these creative activities! :-)
I booked a massage therapy appointment for today that I really didn't NEED....but I wanted it. Lol. I probably go more than I actually need to, but it's my one "luxury" expense, so. :-P
Thanks for the welcome! This actually would be my first time attempting this furniture making idea, as since I moved to take care of my mother in her own home in Nicaragua I’m trying to find a way to make a living in a way that doesn’t interfere with my caring for her and doing something I love, and I LOVE anything design!!
It’s interesting how something good can come from anything we go through in life. See, before moving here I had an estate sale in my house selling most of my furniture and decor items, and it was very successful, everybody complimented my “eye” for decoration and style, which made me think that maybe I could take advantage of that and design furniture here! (There is beautiful and durable wood here and very talented people).
I’m an antiques lover, but by no means a connoisseur, just an eye for beauty I guess. My home used to combine beautiful antique pieces with more modern items. That’s where my love for interior design, and now furniture design come from!
Aside from that I love painting! although I haven’t done it in a very long while. I prefer oil painting and charcoal sketches, love portraits. Still a long way to go for my portraits though!
So I think it’d probably be appropriate a thread about “creative arts or creative minds” like Dorianne suggests! It’d be very refreshing hearing about what others with an artistic vein or just arts inclined are doing or thinking of doing. :)
“Though nothing can bring back the hour of splendour in the grass, of glory in the flower,
We will grieve not, rather find strength in what remains behind”.
Rosses - I find decorating and design interesting too! But I'm more the Queen of Budget Decorating, lol. I never had much money, but I used to love to haunt thrift stores and doing things to improve my space. Kinda let my own apartment go a little since moving mom here, and especially now I am staying with her.
Today I spent the afternoon with BFF while mom was at dialysis. We went to a couple of out-of-the-way stores we'd been talking about, and also saying all the complain-y things about our elderly mothers that we can't say in front of other people, lol.
I got my first tat about twenty three years ago - before it was so trendy, I might say - it was a symbolic gesture to celebrate my divorce.
I always planned to add on to it but as the great John Lennon said “life’s what happens when you’re busy making other plans.”
Finally, last spring I decided to get back to doing things that I wanted to do.
First, I did a tat that is a memorial to my parents. Mainly it’s for my dad - but I did include a nod to my mother. It’s really beautiful- turned out better than I had hoped for even. How often does that happen? Lol!
After that tat healed I moved on to giving my old tat a facelift and to do the additional art I had been thinking about for over twenty years. It felt good - getting back to thinking/doing what I want - instead of putting EVERYONE else first.
The project keeps getting bigger - but I don’t really know how to explain it - with each visit to my tat artist, I feel more free. Just free. Considering tattoos are a relatively permanent commitment- it’s a weird contradiction. But there it is.
Anyway, back to TOPIC, I got my nails done and had one of the best pedicures out there (I do this every month, but usually I take my Grandmother with me, so this time I didn't have to worry about her being restless or impatient)...so it was DEFINITELY FOR ME!
My love for design and antiques also live on a budget! I used to live about half and hour away from Manhattan and used to spent most of my weekends at the wonderful NY flea markets, that’s where most of my beloved antiques came from. That’s a big part of the fun, to “score” finding great pieces at great prices!! :)
But all that seems to be part of such an old, old, old life..! that’s I guess why I’m trying to adapt what I like to what I have.
And Rainmom, I love the deep meaning of the phrase you’re getting tattooed, very appropriate for us caregivers who many times lose hope and feel like life has nothing else to offer; yet there’s always hope, and therefore instead of longing for what is gone, we need to open our lives to what may come, which may very well be much more rewarding than what we have had and lived!
Thank you for sharing that, and I so hope we could see pictures here!!
I got the mineral spirits tip and lots of others from this book, which I found years ago at the public library (I own it now): https://www.amazon.com/Encyclopedia-Colored-Pencil-Techniques-Step/dp/0762401176
I also own this book, which is completed drawings and "paintings" - VERY inspirational, also found at the library at first: https://www.amazon.com/Best-Colored-Pencil-No-1/dp/1564960498
I don't know how to message offline with people in the forum - no contact info. Did you mean private message? Or we can go ahead and start that Creative Arts thread!
@Rosses003 - what's it like for markets where you are? Like for used furniture and things? Are there any flea markets at all? Here in Western Canada I haven't found anything near what there is back east either, as far as Euro-style antiques...but I've found a lot of cool old things of Chinese and Indian origin, as Chinese and Sikh immigrants came to BC the same time as European immigrants. I've got a thing for hunting down old green glazed ginger jars. I found one with the lid AND the original label once and just about wet myself with excitement - SIX BUCKS! Lol.
@beejaycee - that sounds like a lot of fun! No guilt! You are an adult! :-D
Mom has NO greenery here. I tried to get her some when she first moved here, but she kept killing everything from neglect. I NEED living plants. I went from living in peace on a tree-lined riverbank, to being six floors up overlooking a dang shopping mall, staying here at mom's. Blech.
Also I took myself over to BFF's when home support arrived tonight and didn't come home till nearly 11:30! Fortunately mom was in bed when I got back. I HATE being asked, at 49, "Where have YOU been?" Ugh. *insert many swear words here*
And you definitely scored with that jar for six bucks!! Doesn’t it feel great to find those deals? That type of findings make ones day for sure.
If you ever go to NY I can give you ideas of flea markets that are awesome, but dangerous if one doesn’t stick to a budget..been there, done that unfortunately!
For my antiques I always gravitate to lamps, chairs, interesting prints and empty picture frames..oh, and my weakness, mirrors!! I realized that when I moved. Sold a bunch of mirrors and still have about four that I simply couldn’t part with! Some things you cannot let go of ;-)
I just looked up "Nicaragua home decorating styles" on Google image search, and there does seem to be a real diversity of furniture styles! So there must be second-hand stuff somewhere!
This morning 12-11-2017
I got up early and sat quietly reading my Bible and Devotionals. I got to do that and enjoy a cup of coffee...before anyone was awake :).
I shuddered when I thought about sitting in a park. Winter has at last arrived, as has the cold weather. Poking my head out to get the mail is all right, but anything farther than that induces an uncomfortable chill.
Hot chocolate is the order of the day in this section of Michigan, so my thermos will be filled with that when I venture out to go visit my father.
Although we do have family that live here unfortunately I cannot count on anybody’s help (part of why i decided to move here to take care of my mom).
On a different note, I meant to suggest to you to try growing succulents, they’re beautiful and relatively low maintenance, orchids too, many people say they cannot keep them alive but they’re really good plants. Plants always make life a little happier.
As far as what I’ve done today, I called a dear friend of mine in the US for her birthday and it was nice to still feel connected to my ‘former life’.
I also had a good day with my mom, we didn’t do anything special but she was in a good mood. We both even laughed when she almost fell face down on her bed as she was going to seat down! It wasn’t a dangerous situation, just funny. It had been a long long time since I laughed with my mom! :)
Rosses - when I looked up pics from Nicaragua, I saw a lot of Spanish colonial furniture as well as modern....maybe people just refuse to give it up to flea markets? I have grown succulents successfully at my own place, but I face south and mom faces east. I do love them! And this is such a dry, hot part of Canada in the summer that I can put them out on my south-facing balcony in summer. Best guy friend has some hens and chicks that are descended from his grandma's plant. I might take a snippet and see how they do here in the windowsill.
What did I do for myself today....I feel like I never stopped today! But that's because I was making soap with BFF. Which was actually quite fun! We have a friend who would like handmade soap to sell in her store, and her usual supplier has stopped making it, so we thought we'd give it a whirl. We used melt and pour soap (glycerin-based), but I think the experience has taught us that we'd like to try making real cold process soap. You can do so much more with it, especially where colour is concerned.
We bought some essential oils to scent our soaps. We both cursed and cursed our friend for her love of patchouli. That stuff is RANK. Of course, a lot of her customers (she runs a metaphysical store) apparently love, love, love their patchouli. Which is why we included that oil in our purchases. But I just don't honestly get it. If I could make a custom scent for me, it would be crisp greens and citruses, light spring florals, and woody undertones.
What is everyone else's "perfect" scent? You don't have to know what's in it, but do y'all have a favourite perfume? (I like 2, both by Alfred Sung: Jewel and Shi.) Or maybe a favourite aromatherapy scent? (I like ylang ylang and sandalwood.)
I swear I won't judge you if you say patchouli, lol!
Today I set up an android emulator on my laptop so I could play Angry Birds without squinting at my phone, lol.
I had a co-worker with scent allergies once. I got out of the habit of wearing it most of the time. It would get to where she couldn't breathe, what an awful thing to experience. :-(
It’s not a soap but my perfect match as far a scents is gardenia, it’s just so soft and perfect!
I ignore everything about the soap making process but I’m sure aside from interesting it is very relaxing. Good for you Dorianne!
What did I do today for myself? I made a flan! 🍮 Love cooking, and every day I try to come up with something new to make. I added some Baileys to it and some rum..my mom has no idea about my “secret ingredients” but she loves it! ;-)