Santa Baby...

Dear Santa,

For Christmas I want a drill press, an air compressor, an air-powered stapler, and something pink and lacy.  Not that I mind borrowing T.C., the carpenter's (tools, that is!), but it would be lovely to have my own, here at the house, so I can use them anytime I dream up a new project.  I promise to change into work clothes.  Say "Hi" to the reindeer and Mrs. Claus, and let me know if you need any elf apprentices.

Thanks,

Dawn-Marie

Having access to the right tools makes torturing innocent silver tableware sooooo much easier.

Trowelled paint staircase wall in progress.    

                                                                       

Painted bar top in progress.

Last week was wild!  After a jam packed Monday, I spent the rest of the week working on all the details for the projects above, plus a few more.  I'll finish this job on Wednesday, but I won't have pictures for a few weeks, when all the other contractors finish up.  I'll go back to do touch-ups, and get final photos then.

Over the weekend, while much of the area was without electricity, due to a nasty wet snow storm, and despite the fact that my van sprouted electrical problems of it's own (has this thing ever broken down less than forty miles from home?), I got to take a class at Maureen Carlson's Center for Creative Arts www.maureencarlson.com. 

Barb Kobe taught "Making Your ARTfield of Dreams".  This is a personal board game in which you make an interactive map of your goals for the next year, allowing you to plot action and track progress.  

The board is divided into the four seasons, collaged with magazine clippings that pertain to each season, then embellished with quotes, words, and more.  There are playing pieces that represent myself, helpful friends, wise counsel, financial and spiritual resources, resting places, animal totems and more.  I didn't quite finish making the "rewards" cards, or the "Stuck?" cards, so I'll do that next weekend.

This side of my board features a staircase for plotting and tracking the steps for my major goal, followed by a well deserved rest, which I intend to be in the form of a visit to my big sister.  As I've only played with it once, just this morning, I can't speak of great success yet, but I can say it was really inspiring to have a three dimensional map to look at as I set my intentions for the day. 

If this looks like something you would enjoy, Barb offers this as an online class, too, so you don't have to wait until next year.  www.barbkobe.com.