tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-169368312009-11-13T04:13:58.934-08:00Karen Smitheynoreply@blogger.comBlogger710125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16936831.post-33011601775878008532009-11-05T12:03:00.000-08:002009-11-05T15:05:29.754-08:00

I've written before about my goat-wrangling adventures--I showed you videos and pictures of our two baby goats, here and here and here, illustrated funny things here, and shared ridiculous misadventures with my goats here. All in all, I have to say that the goats are a pain in the neck. They don't stay in our pasture very well, the one who has one tentacle left thinks he's a LUV MACHINE, and

Karen Smitheynoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16936831.post-34258299732295053122009-11-05T09:45:00.001-08:002009-11-05T10:45:13.225-08:00

I love Vistaprint! I've used them to print my business cards and the postcards I have for sale for the last three years, and I've been thrilled with them each and every time I've ordered. After my first order, they send me regular emails for specials, and I've taken advantage of these specials to have stuff printed for an incredibly reasonable price.I've put a widget in the sidebar that will take

Karen Smitheynoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16936831.post-55890993655498362592009-11-03T19:50:00.001-08:002009-11-03T20:00:46.878-08:00

Karen Smitheynoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16936831.post-47601047215211072782009-11-03T08:34:00.000-08:002009-11-03T09:21:13.826-08:00

Okay, it's been awhile since I posted here; life has just been hectic with Joel playing football and getting his driver's license (and OHMYGOSH how did THAT happen?), and Katie finishing tennis and starting basketball and being very determined to improve her writing skills for her Honors English teacher, and Jenny just being Jenny, singing a solo in her old piano teacher's fall recital and

Karen Smitheynoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16936831.post-34099683260145359452009-10-12T12:04:00.000-07:002009-10-12T12:07:37.287-07:00

Written over and over again on the background:"...she knew she needed neither magic nor wings to follow her dreams..."

Karen Smitheynoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16936831.post-24536945283329481682009-10-09T12:45:00.000-07:002009-10-09T19:40:14.643-07:00

The writing here reads:tonight each star is a memory andeach dream takes you out and abovethe whole world below youfly away on your dreams

Karen Smitheynoreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16936831.post-50312949238321586842009-10-05T13:52:00.000-07:002009-10-05T14:01:23.937-07:00

Karen Smitheynoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16936831.post-81300605333299348732009-10-05T12:52:00.000-07:002009-10-05T13:06:45.912-07:00

Karen Smitheynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16936831.post-9990837261384201142009-09-24T08:25:00.000-07:002009-09-24T08:37:11.370-07:00

A couple of you have asked about the Paypal button, below. It's really quite simple to add.Sign in to your Paypal Account. Once you've signed in, you're going to choose the "Merchant Services" tab. This takes you to the page above. There are all sorts of options, including adding a "Buy Now" or an "Add To Cart" button.In this particular case, I think it's FINDING the information--once you're

Karen Smitheynoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16936831.post-73636399665117395262009-09-23T12:07:00.000-07:002009-09-23T12:12:50.387-07:00

I've posted a flickr slideshow in the sidebar, featuring ATC's. I will be scanning more as I make time. If you're interested in one, please let me know and we can trade info.Katie has a tennis match this afternoon, I get my root canal finished tomorrow morning, and Friday I may go to the coast to do some winetasting with my friend Dianne (making sure, of course, to hurry back so I'm home in time

Karen Smitheynoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16936831.post-9555977124138735582009-09-21T12:07:00.000-07:002009-09-21T12:27:35.086-07:00

Order these for a holiday gift for yourself or others--hang them on the wall or send them in the mail--this set of seven professionally printed postcards, each sized 4" x 6", featuring my original paintings--only $10.00, free shipping.

Karen Smitheynoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16936831.post-18778458678652692762009-09-17T08:19:00.000-07:002009-09-17T08:23:44.760-07:00

I get the root canal finished today--LOVE the new dentist, who, in his own words, 'does not believe in unnecessary pain'. Saw doctor two days ago, he doubled my blood pressure med.Fell down the stairs two nights ago and twisted my good ankle! It's swollen but not too painful--I apparently cannot talk on the phone and walk down stairs at the same time...(ah, you say, but can you pat your head and

Karen Smitheynoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16936831.post-87115557889810481212009-09-14T11:45:00.000-07:002009-09-21T12:40:06.777-07:00

She looked forward with her heart, on and on, into the infinite...

Karen Smitheynoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16936831.post-5218412002089755582009-09-13T14:08:00.000-07:002009-09-13T14:20:00.275-07:00

A few months ago, I lost an old filling and broke off the back part of the tooth. I've been avoiding going to the dentist for several years now, ever since a horrible experience getting my teeth cleaned. Friday, the broken tooth started to really hurt, badly enough that I called the dentist. I tried a new dentist on the recommendation of a friend--a dentist who used happy gas for adults and

Karen Smitheynoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16936831.post-17914007028890526842009-09-08T14:55:00.000-07:002009-09-08T14:59:45.121-07:00

Okay, the kids are all fever-free and back in school. The cat is no longer hopping around on three legs and has been (against her/his will) evicted from the studio.I found some sinus medication in a drawer, so my blankity-blank headache is gone. Sort of.I have actually planned the meals for the rest of the month and done my grocery shopping, and tonight's dinner, vegetable beef soup, is bubbling

Karen Smitheynoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16936831.post-60942841145623924842009-09-03T14:55:00.000-07:002009-09-03T14:59:00.953-07:00

Everyone's back at school today; no fevers for over twenty-four hours. I took a long nap this morning after everyone left, just to do a little catching up myself. The kids aren't little anymore, but when they're sick I don't seems to sleep much, and considering that I've been sick, too, I was tired.Joel's football team has a scrimmage tonight. He won't play, but we'll go anyway to support the

Karen Smitheynoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16936831.post-20718461021677957612009-08-31T09:45:00.000-07:002009-08-31T09:59:55.639-07:00

I know, I know, it's H1N1, but I wanted to get that alliteration in there...I'm going to make a long story short--Joel's come down with the flu. It's been flying through all the football teams (at Joel's scrimmage last week, there were FOURTEEN kids missing, including the backup quarterback, who, it turned out, was in the hospital...)No, he hasn't been tested--at this point, apparently, they're

Karen Smitheynoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16936831.post-54433342028950662262009-08-27T08:39:00.000-07:002009-08-27T13:16:42.412-07:00

Came down this morning, put the cat outside, turned on some music, and just started pasting and painting. there's a cycle to this, I think. Someone compared it to a field lying fallow, and I guess that's accurate, but sometimes it's hard to get started again--in this case, I think that there are almost too many new 'what if's' rolling around in my head--pick one, run with it--that's what I need

Karen Smitheynoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16936831.post-41975680281399924322009-08-26T10:26:00.000-07:002009-08-26T10:28:44.088-07:00

Have a little trouble getting back into the groove. Sigh.I expected this, which maybe made it a self-fulfilling prophecy. What do YOU do when you're having trouble getting started?

Karen Smitheynoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16936831.post-13747371005776373362009-08-21T09:37:00.000-07:002009-08-21T09:45:16.879-07:00

Everyone is back in school; Joel's a junior, Katie's a freshman, and Miss Jenny has started fourth grade. Unbelievable.So it's back to lonely days at home in the studio--not such a bad thing, really, it's just a matter of getting back in the groove, I suppose. One of our cats is named Lady Jane Grey (who actually turned out to be a boy--when Jen was in kindergarten she wrote in her journal: "my

Karen Smitheynoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16936831.post-14465415025750074882009-07-21T11:46:00.000-07:002009-07-21T11:51:42.730-07:00

All held together with four zip ties. Wow. (I didn't attach the rear bottom joint, as I wanted this to be able to fold flat--the easel I made the other day is also not permanently hooked together).

Karen Smitheynoreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16936831.post-86701347789878112592009-07-21T11:36:00.000-07:002009-07-21T11:52:36.197-07:00

Here's a picture of the drying rack I made for my paintings. I made it using those wire cubicle sets that Target sells. The 'shelves' are held together with zip ties. Previously I'd had this sitting under my desk in the front room, but now that I'm working on larger pieces and more in the back room, I reconfigured it and moved it. Now that I'm looking at the pieces I have left over, I'm thinking

Karen Smitheynoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16936831.post-83562386768919714772009-07-21T11:08:00.000-07:002009-07-21T11:11:50.315-07:00

I'd forgotten how much I liked working on many pieces at one time. I can set a piece aside to dry, and work on another while I wait. Also 'created' a drying rack for paintings--I'll take a picture soon!

Karen Smitheynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16936831.post-37919159236602896092009-07-20T19:47:00.001-07:002009-07-20T20:25:18.684-07:00

Yesterday I decided to figure out a way to build an easel for myself without spending lots of money. I sat at the kitchen table for awhile, sketching ideas, wandered out into the garage and shed to see what wood scraps were lying around, and finally (I think) figured it out. I've been using the easel for two days now and really like it.This isn't a fancy easel, mind you, but it works--hold my

Karen Smitheynoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16936831.post-37191709805317721032009-07-18T11:21:00.000-07:002009-07-20T20:26:01.366-07:00

In her heart, she danced...

Karen Smitheynoreply@blogger.com9