Bloggers: Fundraising for Katrina Relief Efforts

September 1 has been officially announced as the day for bloggers to raise awareness and funds for Katrina relief efforts. I have chosen The Red Cross to direct donations to. You can donate too!

My heart goes out to the survivors of this tragedy...I simply can't imagine what it must be like to have lived in the Superdome for the last couple of days, only to be moved to the Astrodome. And the devastation in Mississippi is just beyond words...even the pictures are hard to wrap my brain around.

Please donate what you can to efforts to help these people rebuild not only their homes, but their lives. And remember, a month from now your donations will still be needed.

If you could be a tree...

You Are A Hazelnut Tree

You're a charmer with a killer sense of humor. You are very demanding, but you can also be very understanding. No matter what, you always make a lasting impression - you're quite popular. Passionate, you are an active fighter for social causes and politics. In general, you are moody, honest, a perfectionist, and very sexual.

What is Your Celtic Horoscope?

Belt Testing

Today was belt testing day at our dojo, and JB, Kyle and I all tested for new belt levels. The lovely blue belt with the black stripe you see pictured below is the new level that Kyle and I have earned. Good job Kyle! Good job Me!

This is Kyle in his yellow belt. He thinks he is pretty tough here!

This is JB as a blue belt. After today's testing he has a green belt with a white stripe. Good job JB!




All of the kids and the adults who tested today did a great job. Congratulations to all of you who advanced belt levels!

Painting Fabric

I am still getting the hang of posting pictures here but I think I have it all. I painted some fabric last night with my new favorite technique! Neocolor II water soluble pastels. I think most people use these to actually draw a picture, but I am much better at coloring than drawing, so that's what I did!


Painted fabric

After coloring my small (9x13) piece of fabric, I brushed on water. Note: make sure you use fabric that is prepared for dying! This gives it a very cool water color effect. However, it does bleed through the fabric, so I put another small piece of PFD under this to catch the bleedthru.


Water brushed on

This is what it looks like when it is dry. The plan is to add some paint/stamps and maybe some fibers to it, quilt it, and (Nota Bene members, stop reading) cut it up to make postcards for our exchange group.


After drying

This is what the bleedthru piece looks like -- really just a kinder and gentler version of the other piece. This piece with also be cut up for postcards after some additional surface design is added.


Bleedthru on underfabric

My Horoscope

This is my horoscope today:

“Today you're likely to find your routine too boring for words, dear Libra, and have a sudden powerful urge to cut loose and play some serious hooky. Still, you may feel the pull of obligation. This feeling should pass.”

I'm still waiting for it to pass!

Back in the Gym

Got back into my morning workout for the first time since Bill's surgery. It felt really good and it always starts my day off better than without the workout. So today was a weightlifting day and I was surprised I haven't lost much strength. Probably because I have kept up with my evening martial arts classes.

Next step is to set some new goals for fat loss and strength...maybe next week!

Quilt National

I finally got down to Athens today to see Quilt National. I have to say it is every bit as wonderful as I have been hearing this summer! I can't even say which quilt was my favorite, because there were so many that spoke to me!

I took my nine year old son, Kyle with me today too. I wasn't sure how he would like the show, since he has never seen an exhibit of art quilts before, but he enjoyed it too. I was really pleased that he could share this with me.

On our way home, we stopped in Nelsonville at the Rocky Boot Outlet, and got Kyle some new hiking boots. And we had lunch at a restaurant called The Coffee Cup. It was described to us as a "mom and pop" type of place, so I was pleasantly surprised to see bright, eclectic decor, and an interesting menu (though not too unfamiliar for a nine year old).

Overall, a very good day!

Wildecamp

JB and Nathan

This is my son, JB with his counselor from Wildecamp, Nathan. Wildecamp is great camp not too far from us at The Wilds. He spend the last four days sleeping in a yurt, tracking a bobcat, helping raise an osprey, fishing, swimming, ice blocking, and overall having tons of fun outdoors! For JB, a true wildlife lover, this was four days of heaven!

Tomorrow it is off to Quilt National, to take it in before it shuts down in Athens and starts to travel.