Friday, October 19, 2018

Stringing up Lights and the Santa Wall is Up! Thursday and Friday

I'll start off  with Thursday evening since that's where the pretty pictures are!


Louis Dean and I had spent a few hours working outside - taking advantage of a break between rains.
He had enough roofing materials left over from when he roofed the rent house he owned in Brownwood so he uncovered them and hauled them over by the gazebo to have them ready when the weather turns nice again and he can get up there on that roof! He is so itching to start on it!
While he did that, I pruned up a bit in the front garden areas. The Asian Jasmine has gone crazy as has all the other green growing debris!


We strung up a few more Halloween lights in preparation for October 31st.
That's when we dress up and sit out on the porch welcoming Trick or Treaters and handing out candy.
And we are usually sipping wine from our Goblin Goblets!
I bought a special bottle of Sweet Bloody Red wine for this year!
That's how we ended our Thursday.......


Earlier in the day I began the process of changing out my closet.
Summer painted Linda's Closet back in the fall of 1983 after the fire that gutted my entire house.
I only see this part of the closet twice a year - but I smile every single time.
I unloaded half the closet onto the bed - making it a point of no return so I would HAVE to deal with it before bedtime! Then I went to visit Reaoma for a little while. She doesn't respond to much anymore. I played the funny videos of Kailey saying 'I have a WART on my toe!' and she did seem to wake up a little. I played every video snippet of the quads I could find before they came in to take her to the dining room. Pam insists they feed her in there as that's the only time she gets out of her room.
These are hard days for Reaoma and Pam.......

This morning I was sucking up some water over by the organ. It wasn't much - less than a quart even!
As the rain continues, so does the water seeping up through the cracks in the foundation.
I got to thinking that maybe I should check on the Santa paintings that I store under and behind the den sofa. 


It was a good thing I did. 
The ones standing up against the wall were okay but the ones under the sofa had got wet back when we were on vacation and it rained 10 inches in just a matter of hours.
I used OdoBan and that cleaned up the mold and mildew that was on the back of a couple of the canvasses. I love that stuff! We keep a spray bottle handy for after we suck up water to put on the carpet. So.....since I had all the paintings out anyway......I decided to go ahead and put up the Santa Wall!


Now that's done! 
I have more paintings than will fit on the wall now so they are spilling over into the dining room. 
That's an easy room to do as I have only four main paintings hanging in there so I will switch them out to Santa ones. There are also three extra ones I have hung up here by the desk where I sit now in the sewing room.


Louis Dean as been hungry for salmon croquettes so that's what I cooked for supper tonight.
Company mashed potatoes, green peas and a salad finished the menu out.

Now I'm going to take a minute to show what I did in between chores today.


My hair is thinning at the crown and I have been a little self conscious about it.
So....I bought a little blond wiglet!
I really haven't practiced much with it as of yet.
This was the first time I put it on but I think it's going to work nicely.
The top left pic is my real hair only. Thanks to Kailey for this pic! I found it on my iPad when I was taking other pictures today. I put it on early this afternoon and have worn it all day without it bothering me at all. I hope to make it look nicer as I get used to putting it on.

I worked some more on my closet this evening. Enough that I know I can finish it tomorrow.
You will be happy to know that I have a great big black trash bag full and heavy to take to the Goodwill! I was nearly ruthless in my purging!


Tonight we did art and music in the dining room.
I was just texting a friend today telling her how much I missed my Tuesday Night Art Classes.
I taught them here at home from the late 1970's to - when? When did I stop?
I guess when Sabrina moved to Puerto Rico and Ruth Ann moved to the farm.
Now I paint any day I get around to it and leave art out for days on end.

Louis Dean played music - he's loving the Martin guitar he bought at a pawn shop in Hillsboro, Oregon - and I painted.


My third session on this Santa. Each time I've worked about 30 - 45 minutes before I have to stop and let it dry. The red oil paints take a long time to dry so I am now moving on to another canvas and will come back to this one next week or the next. I need to age his face and do lots and lots of details but I am pleased over all with my progress. It usually takes me 4 painting hours to do a 16 X 20 canvas.


I am going to close this evening's journal entry and go back to the art table.
It's only 10:51! 
The night is yet young!!


22 comments:

Deanna Rabe - Creekside Cottage Blog said...

I’m glad your Santa paintings weren’t ruined.

Your wall looks amazing!

Bluebird49 said...

Your lights look so pretty, and I'm so glad your Santa's weren't ruined!

I'd love to get a wiglet, but I don't color my silver and brown hair---which is so thin! You must order them because there are no wig shops around us! Hard to get a match....

xos!

Kathy said...

The outside of your house is so pretty with all the little lights. The Santa wall is incredible. And I love the new Santa you are doing. So glad all your Santa paintings were OK in spite of the wet floor.

Joy@aVintageGreen said...

You had a very busy day - love the lights and your Santa painting you are working on. WoW on the blond wiglet, you look great. Bagging and thinning the closet - always a mood lifter.
Hugs.
Joy

MadSnapper said...

while your night was young I had been sleeping for 3 hours and now you are sleeping and I am up getting dressed for Walmart shopping after cleaning all the floors... I often think when I read your posts how much I like you and we are total opposites. I guess that doesn't matter.. your clothes on the bed made me laugh, every thing I own for myself is not that many...sorry your paintings got wet and glad they were salvageable.

mxtodis123 said...

Oh, I love how you celebrate Halloween. We don't get children here anymore. In the city they mom's take their kids to the stores in late afternoon and then it's all done with. I love the blond wiglet. I've been thinking of getting one myself. Your Santa painting is gorgeous. I'm feeling like getting my paints out again, but not until my house is completed and probably not until after the holidays because I still have a few jewelry gifts to make.

Hootin Anni said...

I will have to look for that!!
We have a low-lying patio door that water seeps in when the rains are heavy & the mildew is there. Where do I find it?...odoban

Sounds like a very FUN WAY to spend Halloween!!

Estelle's said...

OK...love that cute and sassy wig...alas, we seem to all suffer from thinning hair as we age...me too and I detest it! You must so enjoy your Santa paintings as you look back at times you created them....have a great weekend!

I'm mostly known as 'MA' said...

You really got a lot done in just 2 days. Sounds like your energy has returned. I remember years ago when wigs were very popular and everyone I knew had one or two. I did. It was a fun way to change out your hair style without a lot of work. My hair has been thin for many years now, but I'd not thought about a wiglet. Right now my hair is very short, buy my stylist has cut it in a way it looks thicker. Hope your roof is fixed soon and you'll no longer have to deal with the extra work. It's a blessing that you didn't lose any of your art work. I'm like Sandra in the comment above, while your night was young, I was already in bed. I'm early to bed and early to rise. Hope you have a wonderful weekend. Happy Saturday!

The Feminine Energy said...

I love your Santa Wall, Linda, and am so happy you caught the mold when you did & took care of it. I remember my parents having a cracked foundation. They never had any water come up but they were plagued by the ants! It would drive my mother crazy at certain times of the year... it seems like spring and fall if I remember rightly. You are an oil painter!!!! I wish I could come to your house for lessons. I have always worked in acrylics & never did get the hang of oils... although I've heard they're wonderfully forgiving, much moreso than the acrylics. I adore your Santa you're working on. Your wiglet matches your hair color to a tee. Good for you! My hair is thinning something fierce. I probably have 1/3 of the hair I had 10 years ago. Makes me sad but that's the way it is. I love your Halloween lights.... so festive! Lovingly, Andrea xoxo

Changes in the wind said...

Love the first picture and as usual the Santa wall is amazing, so glad they weren't ruined. I think the little wig thing is great and a perfect match. I don't like salmon but your dinner looks really good.

Net - "It's a Wonderful Movie" said...

Oooh.... I LOVE the LIGHTS!!!' So pretty!!! 'Tis the Season!!!

Your Santa wall is incredible... a true work of art! I love just staring at it! Beautifully done. It was a lot of hard work, but I'm sure you're happy to have it all done.

Thank you for sharing! Blessings, Net

Arlene G said...

Will you come to my house and clean and organize? :) I need to do that today and you have enoucraged me to get up and AT IT. It is a rainy Saturday here so we will stay in and watch football, stitch and attend to a few chores. Love your Santa Wall Linda!!

Rain said...

Hi Linda! :)) OOOOH...Goblin Goblets!!! I LOVE that!! And your Santa Wall is just awesome, what a great idea! I love it. Mmmm...your supper...I am craving mashed potatoes with cheese all over them lol...Your oil painting is great. I started with oils in 2013, following a Bob Ross tv show. Alex downloaded the entire series of "The Joy of Painting" for me and I did about 50 oils. I LOVE that medium, but ran out of wall space lol...also, watercolour is a lot less expensive for now! :) Lovely post!! xx

Rain said...

Hi Linda, the slideshow was made in "Google Slides"...when I first went there, I found it overly complicated, but watched this video: https://youtu.be/bH4jCdcfqyc
Made it all look easy! Some of the menus have changed, but overall, I figured it all out! :) I hope you do it for your Santa art, I can't wait to see! :)

Cheapchick said...

I hope the rain stops soon for you, such a hassle. We used to have a house with seepage issues and I absolutely hated when it rained.

Wanda said...

Hi Linda ~ Been so long...dealing with lung issues with my dearest. But I've missed you and was so fun to catch up today. I think your new hair piece will really look cute on you. hopefully I can keep catch up with you ....however...you never slow down...haha. Love that about you.

Susie said...

Linda, I love seeing the art work. So sorry about the molds. You will have to put the paintings someplace higher ...just in case. :( I miss your art classes with all the ladies. I sure would come sign up to paint with you if I lived there. :) Nothing like some sweet music while you paint. LD is the sweetest man , always helpful, loving and kind.Hey, I love your natural look...but I worry about hair lose too. I like that little hair piece, it is very pretty. I see hair loss on so many and I think...Oh I better be picking a style that covers. :). That looks like a hungry man's meal. Love it. Blessings to you and LD, I love you guys. xoxo, Susie

Carole said...

Love your wiglet. Where does the organ come from. Who plays it? Can we have a pic of it??? I have a piano but don't play much now. And it needs tuning - currently it sounds like a honky tonk. Cheers from Carole's Chatter

~Lavender Dreamer~ said...

Your Santas really are wonderful! What a talent you have and it's nice to have them up early to enjoy even longer. I'm trying to clean out...I need to work on my clothes next. I worked on my shoes and donated those I know I'll never wear. Enjoy your weekend....love your wiglet! Very cute!

NanaDiana said...

I love your Santa wall, Linda. What fun!! I am glad you were able to save your pictures and that they weren't ruined.
It sounds like you have been a busy girl (still and always). I know it keeps you out of trouble---lol
I hope you and Louis Dean have a blessed, wonderful Sunday- xo Diana

Chatty Crone said...

You had me when you said hubs was so excited to get started - lol - you married a good guy there. So many pretty decorations there. You have been busy as usual. sandie