Contact Dermatitis...I Think

I probably shouldn't be writing while I feel so awful. It's bound to be hopeless, and severely depressing, but on I go.

I've got an itchy rash. :( That alone makes me incredibly upset. I've never, until now, had anything like this. It all started as a little itchy bump on my left forearm. I thought it was a bug bite. I scratched it. Then I washed it, and put antibacterial salve and a bandage on it. Then I went to The Smokies with my husband to celebrate our 7 year anniversary, and scratch my arm about OFF.

Yeah, the seven year itch. I don't even think that's funny now.

No longer is this itchy red bumpy evilness only on my left arm. It's spread up the inside of my elbow a bit, all down my left ribs, and down a little further and around my back. *cries* It's itchy like mad, and red, bumpy and gross.

I've done all kinds of research as to what it could be, been to the doctor twice, am taking meds and waiting on a call from a dermatologist. I don't have insurance, so we'll see how that goes. I pray to God that this can be stopped, and soon.

If I came into contact with poison ivy/oak/whatever, it was almost three weeks ago now! I didn't get that first itchy bump until 6 days later, and then another week until this on my ribs came up, and it's still coming up! I didn't know allergic reactions worked like that - so delayed. Could I still be coming into contact with it, even after I've washed my clothing. I threw away my favorite Kermit shirt, because that's what I was wearing when the suspected poison attacked.

I've seen pictures of how bad it can be. I keep telling myself that I've not got it that bad, but the worst part is not knowing for sure. I didn't see a plant and think, "Hmm. Was that poison something-or-other I just rubbed myself past?" I've never had anything like this in 28 years of life, so I'm a bit upset. I don't know where it will keep spreading. I don't know if it'll stop, how bad it will get or if/when it will go away. I just feel completely helpless, depressed and itchy.

One of my best friends is getting married in 16 days, and I'm in the wedding. If this doesn't go away by then, I'll just die, or want to. So...I pray. I take my cold showers, prednisone (which makes me all kinds of weird feeling & gives me tummy troubles) and antihistamines, spread on the rubbing alcohol and caldryl and I cry.


If any of you pray, please do. I need help.

Solar Powered

Mr. T and I have been taking full advantage of this gorgeous weather, and I've been thoroughly annoying with my camera apps. ^_^

Mr. T

My trusty Daisy Cruiser

Stinky trees

I am solar powered, and so thankful for the sun.

Project Update!

A friend of mine is doing a safari theme in her grandson's room, and wanted me to come up with a waterdoodle for him. I was thrilled to find that the little man has taken a recent liking to Maurice Sendak's work, so I got to come up with a Wild Things inspired camera safari illustration. Squee!

I'm still in shock that I'm working on art full time. Maybe someday I'll find a stopping point on my to do list, so I can clean out my studio. It needs a major overhaul. One thing at a time...

Treasures

You guys aren't creepy stalkers, right? I mean, as far as I know, none of you have put too much effort into tracking me down in order to wear my skin. I'm not exactly the stealthiest blogger, so I'm sure you all know where I live. I tell you pretty much everything, so I figure you must be safe enough...

If someone wanted to kill me, they could most likely find me at home.* Working from the comfort of my own humble abode keeps my days pretty predictable, too. I wake up, drink massive quantities of water and open the windows. I set up my little work station, pet Kimchi Kitty and get to making art. I also manage to stalk people on facebook, check twitter, clean, and flail around my living room for extended periods of time in an attempt to burn calories.

I forgot my point.

Oh. I'm home a lot. So I'm making art all day, which is a dream come true, but I always manage to get distracted. While quickly visiting my online haunts, I end up spending way too much time on Etsy. I log in with the intention of checking my shop's activity, and posting a featured item to my shop's facebook page. Innocent enough, but I keep falling victim to Etsy Treasuries. I. Love. Making. Them. Aaaand I'm too obsessive compulsive to throw a collection together in a manner of minutes, as I assume other folks do. It takes me flippin' F-O-R-E-V-E-R.

So...I thought I'd share some of my time consuming etsy finds with you. The following items are directly linked to my heart. I would certainly not object were any of them to be shipped to my doorstep with a little note professing your undying/completely healthy love for me.

Tweed Patchwork? Yes, please!

I feel that these pins would magically tame my mess of curls.

I suppose I do consider myself lucky in love.

I'm Your Father

The Hunting Sparrow

I'd liked to know who doesn't need happy tiny buttons?

 I guess that's enough for now. I'll blather more another day.

* I am armed, and have no qualms about shooting an intruder's crotch off. Yes, off. Just in case any of you might be thinking about a Heather suit...

Wading

I've been so swamped with art projects, which I could not be happier about, I haven't really had the time to post very much. Poor old Mimsy gets neglected a lot, but I'm working on documenting more.  I think keeping up with bloggy therapy is good for the soul.

For now, I think I'll make a list of art projects/commissions:

1. custom kid's book (written but not yet completely illustrated)

2. two watercolor portraits for bff's mom

3. custom illustration

sketch detail of custom illustration

4. more handmade plush creatures (like the ones in the pictures below) for a local shop

Sally Sugar Skull

Mumford T. Monster

Lola Love Bunny

O'Malley Ogling Owlie

Love Ninja - This little guy is sold already, but I can make more upon request.

5. keep up with my etsy shop
 
Now, if I can just keep myself prioritized...

The Man Loves Chickens

How's it going, friends? Mr. T and I have been doing pretty well. We've been experiencing some changes lately. Some have been good, and some not so much, but we're dealing. Can't really complain.

I happily edited my employment status on the book of face last night. Self. Employed. I can't even begin to express how good it feels to be able to say that. Working from home definitely has its ups and downs, but the ups seem to be winning.

There are so many things that I wasn't able to do while working full time, little things like making  gifts for people. It's been years since I had the time and energy to make Mr. T a homemade valentine, so this year he got a little foxy fox card.

I cut out the pieces...

Colored them...

And then glued them together.

I also made him a felt plush chicken.

It's not as strange as it sounds. The man loves chickens.

I used to read posts about people quitting their day jobs, and I was so jealous. Pretending I was content worked for a while, but that hopelessly trapped feeling kept rearing its ugly head. I was so tired of begrudging other people their happiness, because I was too afraid to go looking for my own.

I am incredibly thankful that I'm able to focus on my artwork right now, and I hope I can keep it up.

Time Well Spent

It's been almost a week since I quit my job of five years, and I'm pretty happy with how I've been spending my time.

I can't remember the last time I was able to spend days in a row making art, and just enjoying life. Maybe that's a little dramatic. I know there are a million different ways to enjoy life in the ever day. As of late, my days had become somewhat of a soul suck. I'd come home with the intentions of being creative, but would end up crying all evening.

The first couple of days I cried a little, cleaned a little, and cried a little more. I've spent the last few days promoting my Etsy shop, working on commissions and just being thankful for the time to do it.

Behold!

"Boom Chicky Boom" card

"Ninja Love" card

"Nuts About You" card

Wee Hand-sewn Owl Plushies

My husband is being incredibly supportive about the whole "me not working" thing, because he's wonderful. However, unless my art sales become a lot more consistent, I'll have to get a job before too long. I'm just enjoying a little time off before it's necessary.

How Can Anyone Walk on Water, If They Won't Get Their Butt Out the Boat?

Anybody out there? It's been a long time since I was in a sharing mood, and I feel as if I should apologize for that. I allowed blogging to become just another place that I couldn't speak my mind. I'm not proud of that, and am in the process of changing it.

I've worked for the same nonprofit for over five years, and I've been unhappy with my working situation for around two of those.

If any of my faithful few are still out there, you may recall me blogging about landing a better paying job, giving my notice and leaving in 2009. You might also remember me spending one day on the new job, before crawling back to what I knew. What you won't remember are all of the feelings I never expressed, because I knew my boss read my blog.

Well, I went back to the old nonprofit job thinking I hadn't had it so bad after all. My paycheck wasn't a hefty one, but I was doing something good there. Believing if I just did my job to the best of my ability, I could put up with my boss not respecting me. I also thought I could handle snide remarks and nasty jokes at my expense, and rude comments about others...

I realize now that I have spent about three of the past five years just waiting. I've been waiting for something to change for me. Finally, I realized that I had to be that change. I've learned that we can't expect the constants around us to vary. We have to be the variables.

So...I quit my job last week. Live and learn, right? I'm taking a little time off, before I start looking for something else, and am not-so-secretly hoping that my artwork will make me a rich woman.

In the meantime...

Nothing but blue skies from now on. ^_^

Year End Survey

1. What did you do in 2010 that you’d never done before? Went whitewater rafting and kayaking.

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?  I've never been one for new year's resolutions, but I did set the goal of illustrating a children's book in 2010. Turns out I made the deal to illustrate another person's children's book in 2010, and I'm illustrating it this year.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth? Nope, but they're all pregnant now. My sister, my best friend and her little sister. It's a conspiracy to make me want to have a baby, but it won't work.

4. Did anyone close to you die? Thankfully, no.

5. What countries did you visit? None this year.

6. What would you like to have in 2011 that you lacked in 2010? The means to work from home. I want to make enough money via art to quit my day job. I don't wanna be rich. I just want to get by doing what I love.

7. What dates from 2010 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? The entire year has been pretty memorable. I made new friends, got reacquainted with old ones, and my husband and I went on lots of adventures.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? It's a toss up between making an illustration deal, and surviving going down a river in a boat by myself.

9. What was your biggest failure? I quit my current job for one that paid more. I thought I'd like it, but ended up freaking out, and quitting to come back to this one. I hate that it happened at all.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury? I have a weaselly immune system, so I get tonsillitis a lot, but I wouldn't call that illness. I also found out the panic attacks I've been having all my life aren't panic attacks at all, but a severely erratic heartbeat.

11. What was the best thing you bought? My Kimchi Kitty's life. He was dying, but we were able to pay the vet to find out what was the matter, and save him. ♥

12. Whose behavior merited celebration? My mother in law.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? My sister in law. Her decisions for herself make my heart hurt.

14. Where did most of your money go? Into having a home, and vehicles to drive to work.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? Seeing Andrew Bird and St. Vincent in concert.

16. What song(s) will always remind you of 2010? "Too Afraid to Love You" by The Black Keys, and "Friends" by Band of Skulls.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
 a) happier or sadder? 
b) thinner or fatter? 
c) richer or poorer? Happier! ^_^ Fatter. :( Richer-just not monetarily.

18. What do you wish you’d done more of? Changing.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of? Worrying.

20. How did you spend Christmas? With friends and family.

21. Did you fall in love in 2010? I've been in love for the last 11 years. Wow.

22. What was your favorite TV program? True Blood. It's my dirty secret, and I often hide my eyes.

23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year? I don't hate anyone. I just prefer not to think of some people.

24. What was the best book you read? A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess.

25. What was your greatest musical discovery? The Black Keys' new album.


26. What did you want and get? My kitchen remodel. 
 

27. What did you want and not get? All my debts paid, but we're working on it.

28. What was your favorite film of this year? True Grit.

29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? I turned 28 in 2010, and I can't remember what I did. I'm sure it was wonderful, though. My husband always does something sweet.

30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? Not having such an awkward relationship with my dad, but I think it's getting better...

31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2010? Cute and comfy.

32. What kept you sane? God. My husband. Art. Music. In that order.

33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? I pretty much always fancy... 

Johnny Depp...

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Russell Crowe...

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and Sam Worthington.

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 34. What political issue stirred you the most? I hate politics. Let's not talk about it, m'kay?

35. Who did you miss? My dad.

36. Who was the best new person you met? All my new friends are pretty amazing, if you ask me.

37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2010. The same lesson I learn everyday- God is love.


38. What do you want to happen in 2011? 2011 will be the year of paying off credit cards & such. The year of FREEDOM!

Thanks to the lovely Melanie for this survey.

Cake Toppers & Christmas Ornaments...

...are taking over my life! Friends getting hitched, Christmas coming up - I'm sewing and sculpting like mad! I just wish I had more time to do it.

Cake Toppers

May I introduce you to the groom? Mr. Badger.

Little Miss Penguin, the bride.

The lucky couple.

 

Christmas Ornaments

 

Happy Holidays!

Chobap

Hiya, folks! Fancy meeting you here, eh? I've been a bit swamped, and started avoiding some things. I didn't really mean to. It just sort of happened.

I've completed a couple projects, and feel a little less like I'm drowning, so I'm going to try to get back into posting now and again. I miss my old blog, and your comments.

Now, as I'm sure many of you have gathered, I'm a hopeless klutz. That being said, I drop my phone left and right, and pretty much any direction you can think of. I've accidentally thrown the poor thing (and I mean shot-putted) behind the bed, under my Jeep and in lots of other hard to reach places. My poor little DROID has seen the pavement more than a couple times, much to my chagrin. I don't know how I do it. It's a bit like there's an invisible force trying to keep us apart.

So...I searched the world over, and finally got a phone cozy worth coveting. I name everything, so I call her Chobap. If you're not familiar with the this pocket of yummy veggie friendly goodness, I suggest checking out that link. I was introduced to chobap in Korea, and fell in love. It's actually a Japanese dish, and I already have a real kitty named Kimchi, so I thought another Asian dish would be a good name for a kitty phone cozy. And she's a pocket! Yeah, I know. Just let me think I'm clever...

All the way from Japan to protect my trusty little phone.

made by Tokyo Inspired