HOW TO SPEND QUALITY TIME DURING A PANDEMIC...

SPECIAL ADDITION

Due to possibilities beyond our control,

 this is a special edition of this week's blog post. 

 There is a distinct possibility

 that our power will be shut off sometime today and 

not be back on until sometime Tuesday. 

In reality,

 that could mean sometime Wednesday or beyond! 

 We just never know for sure. 

The computer is not hooked up to the generator 

so if you don't hear from me for awhile, 

that is the reason. 

 Enjoy the week and

 stay well.. xxoJ

 

I think we have all 

figured out by now

that spending a day during a pandemic 

can be one of two things.

 

 It can be either 

a day that just moves quickly by 

or it can be

 a day that leaves too much time 

on your hands and 

too much time to think about 

all that you 

are missing...

...such as 

how long has it been 

since you have seen or hugged your kids, 

how long has it been 

since you got dressed up and 

had someplace to go, 

or how long has it been since you just

 got  dressed!

I have a little secret.

 

 Something that takes up

 a lot of time, 

something that keeps 

your mind occupied, 

something that you can 

put as much time and energy into 

when you want to and

 something that really 

makes you feel pretty good

 about yourself 

when you are through.

That something is 

a paint by number art project.

 

 It is so easy

 that even someone with 

no artistic ability 

or someone with

 a lot of artistic ability 

can do.

 

 If your reflexes or your eyesight

 are not what they should be 

 there are compensations that you can make

 so the process is easier.

  Time doesn't matter,

 you can take as much or as little 

as you need, and

 the finished project will be 

something that will surprise you 

more than you ever

 thought possible.

Once you have finished a painting, 

you can have so much fun

 playing around with 

where you want to put it,

 trying to have art imitate life, 

as I have done with this one.

 

 You can order the kits 

already on a stretched canvas,

 which costs a little more, 

or just stretch the canvas yourself. 

 Or as I usually do, 

take the canvas to a craft/framing shop and

they will put it on a foam board and 

for $12 at my local shop

that is the way I like to do it. 

 I am too far from Michael's

 but I imagine 

they would do that too.

All the kits that I have seen,

 and there are numerous companies

 that offer them for sale over the internet,

 are 16x20 and 

the costs run around between $20-$30. 

 This includes all paint and instructions.

  What I have been doing,

 since I have 

many bottles of craft acrylic paints on hand,

 is mixing my own. 

 I just look at the paint

 that comes with the kit and 

then mix my own paints to match.

  They are not always perfect 

but I find that 

there is very little difference

 in the end project and 

I think my acrylics 

give better coverage.

  No matter how you choose to do it,

 the finished picture 

is really a work of art.

  I find that

 viewing the painting from a distance,

 like you normally would,

 looks no different to me 

than one done by

 an accomplished artist.

I need to get a frame 

for this one I just finished. 

 With the others I have done, 

I have used the same frame, 

just exchanging the pictures

 as I want to change up my decor,

 as they normally go 

in the same place, 

but if you want to use them 

in a different room

 then you will need more than one frame.

 I am on a quest to find 

an outlet for some cheaper frames. 

 Ones that I can paint or stain like I want.

  Frames can get pretty pricey. 

 If you are able to use the same frame 

it is also easier

 to store the paintings 

when not 

displaying them.

I have set up this display

 in the kitchen,

 but it won't necessarily stay like this. 

 I had hopes of hanging it

 in the kitchen window and 

doing the rest of the display 

on the table,

 but without a frame 

I can't do that yet.

So there you have 

one way to spend quality time

 during a pandemic.

 

 If you want to have something 

to show for all that you feel

 you are missing during this time, 

take up a paint brush and 

complete a beautiful work of art 

that you will be proud to say 

you created, and 

you don't have to tell anyone

 that you did it all

 with dirty hair and

 no makeup!

In the beginning,

 before I set it up in the kitchen,

I had planned 

on putting this new painting 

in the same frame as the others, 

but it evidently was cut 

a bit too small and wouldn't fit, 

so I just slipped a little piece of wood 

under it and 

you almost can't tell 

that it isn't actually in the frame.  

See,

 the possibilities are endless

 when you take up a 

paint by number project.

Stay smart

Stay well,

Vote

and

Wear the mask.

...Judy...

 

Sharing today with:

Love Your Creativity at Life and Linda 

JUST NOT WHAT IT USED TO BE...

 

Since last weekend
 still had some 

beautiful weather to enjoy,
 we thought we would attempt

 another road trip. 
 It is beginning to seem
 that these road trips
 are just not what

 they used to be.

There is a small town 

fairly close to us
 by the name of Georgetown 
that we used to visit pretty frequently. 
 They had a really good little cafe
 that served an outstanding breakfast. 

 It was a small place and,
 truth be told, 
it hadn't been updated in many years, 

in decor or in customers,

 even back then,

 but the food was 

just plain old fashioned good! 

 Also there were really nice 

old, colorful, 

farmhouses, Victorians and cottages, 

well maintained 

with pretty gardens and

 you know I could 

drive and look at sights like that 

for hours.

Here is the little cafe, 

as it looks today,
 unkept and locked up.

 There was a sign on the door

 stating Covid-19 was the reason,

 but it looked like

 that may not have been

 the only reason. 

 It appears that this customer

 has been waiting 

quite awhile!

Dead Naked Ladies flowers

In keeping with the sign of the times

It is not a ghost town. 

 There were plenty of people milling about, 

most without masks, and 

when I told the Captain, 

"There is a naked lady",

 ha ha 

made him look! 

I remember this 

pretty B&B from long ago and,

 actually, it looks as pretty 

as it did back then, and

 apparently is still 

open for business...

...but this is one 

of the old farmhouses 

that we used to admire. 

 It was nicely kept up back then 

with a welcoming wreath

 on the front door and 

a pretty front garden. 

 Now it is a jumble of 

left up old, faded, Christmas decorations,  

broken washing machines and

 numerous other appliances 

alongside broken down cars and trucks

 in place of a pretty garden. 

 Most of the houses 

look exactly like this one now. 

 Some are boarded up

 but you can see everything

 but the kitchen sink

(that is out in the front yard) 

stacked up through the windows. 

 One out of every two houses 

look similar to this one.

We did see 

a great old faded red barn driving back,

 but we came away with

 a sinking feeling 

about this little town 

that we used to love.

 Try as we might, 

we could not find any 

changing leaves on this trip either.

  The closest things were 

the buckeye trees

 which were a different color and texture 

but just from dying foliage,

 still an interesting sight

 with the hanging fruit 

left exposed.

All was not lost though 

as we just happened to pass by 

this place on our way home. 

 We go through 

the drive-up and eat in the car, 

so we don't have to 

get close to anyone.

On a much brighter note,

 you may remember 

I mentioned that we had 

another anniversary present on the way 

from Tami and Tim. 

 It arrived and 

the box was big and heavy and 

we couldn't imagine 

what was inside...

...we were so delighted 

when we pulled it out of the box.

  We feel so blessed 

that our kids see us 

in this light and

 we thank them from

 the bottom of our hearts. 

 It is a truly beautiful sign

 printed with a

 beautiful message.

I think we picked 

the perfect place to hang it.  

I love it here. 

 It brightens up the dining room and 

adds a feeling of love and family

 gathered around the table

 even if it is not possible 

to do so, in person, 

this year.

Even though some things are

 just not what they used to be,

 remember

 the things that are

 treasured and most important in life 

do not change.

Stay smart

Stay well

And remember

 in the time of Covid-19:

We are not a herd of cattle.

 If we don't keep our

 humanity and our empathy,

 there is a good chance 

that a number of our fellow human beings

 may not survive.

 

Human beings

 just like all of us

 that have families and loved ones

 to protect.

Wear a mask and don't forget to vote.

...Judy...

Thank you, Linda, 

for including my post from last week 

as one of the features on

 Life and Linda. 

 I appreciate it so much.  

   

Sharing today at:

Love Your Creativity at Life and Linda

and

Keep In Touch at Let's Add Sprinkles

COMFORTABLE AND COZY IN THE COTTAGE...

Before we get started,

 did you notice my new header? 

I figured out how to do it 

with the new blogger,

 whether right or wrong,

 it works for me.

 

 To whomever changed my old one,

 I thank you, 

as it gave me a new idea,

 BUT,

 don't change this one

 because I will change it right back..

 

Now on with the show...

   Being comfortable and cozy 

in the Cottage

 is the name of the game around here. 

 A few short weeks ago 

it would seem insane 

to be showing the above photo 

but times are changing. 

 The days are shorter and 

the nights are 

definitely cooler.

Robin 

has taken to lying

 in her clam shell

 as opposed to on it,

 with her Stinky Skunk

 never far away. 

 The rest of us 

just keep plugging along 

as there isn't much happening 

any different

 around here.

 One bright spot

 was the arrival of 

this beautiful bouquet 

from Jake and Jacenda 

for our anniversary.

  It is so pretty and 

definitely brings a touch of autumn

 into the Cottage.

All that you have accomplished

 

and will accomplish

 

is what we see 

as our inspiration.

 

 We are so proud of 

both of you and 

love you both 

to the Moon.

  

We also talked to Tami 

on the phone and 

she said we should expect

 a package on our porch

 in the next few days,

 so (hooray!) the celebration

 continues.

A little 

soft and sweet garland, 

a present 

to myself!

The ongoing saga 

of the paint by numbers

 is continuing with 

the addition of 

some brighter colors.

I was daydreaming

 with the front door opened and 

actually saw

 our first small bit 

of changing leaves

 in the garden.

 

 A treat for sure.

 

We did our part 

this week.  

Don't forget 

to do yours.

Stay smart

Stay well

Wear the mask!

and

Remain 

comfortable and cozy 

wherever you are.

...Judy....

Sharing today with:

Love Your Creativity at Life and Linda

Keep In Touch at Let's Add Sprinkles