I had to go to the dr. today. I have TMJ. I've had it for years and it had calmed down to very liveable, but after my little mini stroke, the stress took its toll and my jaw doesn't work right and its very painful again. The MRI shows both discs dislocated. I went today to get my brace adjusted. I'm really happy that he did some grinding on it and I can talk fairly normal with it in now. Before it was very difficult to understand me. What I dont get is he actually pried my jaw open further than I could open. I'm not saying he was incredibly over the top with this, but when your jaw wont open and someone forces it open its painful. I've had plenty of dental techs do this and hurt me severly. This is my TMJ specialist! He knew it would hurt, apologized, and then proceeded to do it. I just dont get what he needed to find out. I was doing pretty good and now I have a headache and am sore. So not fair.

Todays art is my SIL's fairy. Buttercup Iceglitter. I'm to sore to really ramble on. I'm gonna work on something and focus my energy away from the pain. That usually helps.

I've been working on fairies lately. I didn't like my original one I made for myself, so I started over and am much happier with this one. From the fairy namer (link is on the right side bottom of my blog) her description is as follows:

Field Reeddancer-She is a panpipe player and enchantment singer. She lives in fields where wild flowers and poppies grow. She is only seen when the bees swarm and the crickets chirrup. She likes to wear red petals in her skirt. She has gentle green butterfly wings.

I also did my SIL's fairy and really like that one too. I'll post her soon.

I'm off to make one of those fortune teller paper origami things. Been coming across mention of them alot lately so I'm listening to whatever and making one again. Have a great evening.

Happy Friday. I didn't leave the house today. Not even to bring the mail and paper inside. I made a polymer clay covered letter opener (2 actually, but one didn't go well). I also painted this pic that I sketched out the other night. I really like it. I love the bright orange flower and the look of the girl being completely consumed with the flower. I love it when I can get really involved with whatever I'm trying to do. No distractions, just focused wonderment. It doesnt seem to happen very often with the world pulling you in so many directions all at once, but when it does it is incredible.

I had so much fun today. I went to Ann Arbor and did some Christmas shopping. I bought lots of clay while it was on sale as a nice present for me too. Its nasty rainy and cold and we'll have snow in the morning, but I had a great time out and about.

I was playing with a fairy name generator online. Sorry at the moment cant remember where it was. Anyways, this site gives you a fairy name and a description of your fairy. This one is actually my sis's fairy. I did hers first. Mine is drawn out but not yet painted. I'm not very good at human forms or what not, but I'm pleased with the wings. I hope my sis likes her. Have a terrific Thanksgiving everyone. I hope you all have a moment to think about how truly blessed you are.

The play is finished and I'm feeling relieved and happy. I kept sketching little bits throughout the week but this is the one I finished. I also made my first ATC's using this image. I sketched her out after I had talked to my sis who was having a rough day and not feeling happy with her body, or much else. We've all been there be it an extra few pounds, or a really bad hair day, or a big old zit. Anyways, I added some traits that make my sis special and also a little bit about being happy in your own skin I painted it with thinned acrylics and of course added glitter. I'm very happy with this one.

I spent some of my morning making gift tags using some vintage clip art. My church is putting together a basket for Habitat for Humanity to raffle off. Our theme is wrapping and I'm hoping handmade tags add a special touch to our offering. It was fun to embellish with special papers. I need to get some fibers or ribbon to finish them.

It sure is nice to have a lazy morning after being so stressed. I'm actually excited about teaching my lessons tonight too. That is a sure sign that my anxiety/depression is on its way out.

I'm hanging in there by a very fine thread. Todays sketch worked its way out of me yesterday. It sums up how I feel better than anything else. I may not be posting again until Monday. Tomorrow will depend on how the day progresses. Thurs. is dress rehearsal which goes way past my bedtime and Fri, Sat, and Sun are all performances and I dont think I'll have much time for blogging. I should be very relieved and happy when I return on Monday.

I think I should have added roots of the tree interwoven in my head because its taken over like root systems do.

Music shouldnt be stressful

I've been arranging music all weekend and I'm not done. I'm tired, cross-eyed and really premenstral. Its a fun combination that my hubby has been enjoying today. I was sketching last night on one of my very short breaks from the music and I drew about music not being something that should be stressful. It used to serve as my stress relief! What a bad turn around I'm at right now. As soon as this musical is over I'm going to dive into some good music and make it fun and enjoyable again. I just need to power through this week and get it over with.

Well, I have no art to show today. The HS play I'm accompanying is going very badly and I have to rewrite and learn a bunch of music before opening night less than a week away. I am really ticked off and stressed. I cant believe I let myself get into this situation. I voiced my concerns over a month ago and kept being reassured that things would work out, but the pit band director is now cutting band parts and totally screwing me over. Basically, half of the play is now going to be piano and vocals only. The problem is that I do not have a real piano part, I have a vocal score without even chords. Now I'm really trying to make something up so the vocalists who have worked so hard arent left sounding inadequate. I did do a really cool art journal entry of it last night but I dont have the energy to scan and post it tonight. I'm going to be very scattered until after next weekend. I just hope I can keep my sanity until then.

Today has been a good one. I was able to play and make this pendant before I have to go to drama rehearsal tonight. I really need to get better at soldering, but at least I'm trying. The process was to take words on cardstock, glue them to the back of a flat marble and then solder away. Not to fancy or intense.

I've been really focusing on sketching and doing art journaling lately. This is becoming a wonderful way to get rid of my stress and really delve into what I'm feeling. This pendant sums up what I really have been trying to keep at the forefront of my life: Create, Dream, Play. What can go wrong on a day that you do these 3 things?

So todays art is something that came about because of the disrespect I'm witnessing towards a very talented artist teacher. These students steal her ideas and sell/teach them as their own and bad mouth the teacher at every given chance. Isnt it funny that they are still taking the class if she is so "lousy"?

I try very hard to be creative on my own terms. If I learn something in a class I usually manipulate the product to my own way, yet I still will say-Yes, this is based off of... I think I'm developing a true resentment of those who steal ideas from others and market it as their own. They may have made it, but if it were not for the teacher giving them every step down to the tiniest detail, they wouldnt be able to glue a postage stamp to an envelope.

Sorry if this offends, but I'm tired and really irritated by this. Dear art teacher-Hang in there. You shouldn't have to put up with these type of people. Copying might be the biggest form of flattery but there are guidelines that any respectable person follows and these have been surpassed to say the least.

Today was another trying Tuesday. Thankfully I didn't have more than 1 errand to compound my schedule. I find it interesting that although I was in town yesterday and thought I had everything taken care of, I had to go back today for something unexpected. Seems like the best planning seldom falls into place exactly as you would wish.

I was in the office supply store today and found that they make bumper sticker paper that you can use with your home printer. I think this is an awesome idea. Now I just need to narrow down my ideas so my entire car wont be covered with them.

Todays necklace is made of polymer clay leaves cut from a colorblended sheet. I used a real leaf to imprint the veining and manipulated the shape of the leaves to give slight curves. I had the idea for this design and believe it or not, 1 trip to the craft store supplied exactly what I had in mind for chain and jump rings! Amazing don't ya think? I assembled this on my way to southern Ohio last weekend. The colors were peaking and working on this necklace seemed more than appropriate.

I'm back from a very nice anniversary trip. It seems somewhat amazing that we've been married for 11 years. It seems like just a few months ago when we were married. So much has changed yet the important things are still there and in many ways better.

The nutcracker is what I painted and gave C. as an anniversary gift. I still need to put some felt on the base and check a few spots but for the most part he's complete. I got him from Zims crafts. They have lots of cool unfinished nutcrackers. I've done about a dozen of them and they are still lots of fun. This one is somewhat simple, but I thought he was fitting for 2 people who are always on the lookout to enjoy a bottle of wine.