Life As Mom

No, I have not lost my mind. I know exactly where it is...I just can't reach it. The middle childebeast needs an image of Michael Jackson for school - and there is no ink in the printer. None. The only way I can think of getting it to him at school is to post it here. No, it doesn't fit with my blog - but sometimes playing Mom requires posting odd things on your blog.

...And Then She Disappeared

What is UP with life??

Things were moving right along, I was getting (somewhat) back in the swing of things, then BAM! Very big speed bump.

I'm sorry for not being around - the Princess is BACK in the hospital. We have now funded the entire dang medical system in our state. I swear we have.

She's been in the hospital since Wed. I'm tearing out my hair. Without a car, I'm stuck at the hospital with the boys...who can't get to school since we are several miles from home. I think the nursing staff thinks I have lost my mind - between the whisper-yells at the boys to "quit playing with the buttons!" and "no, you CAN'T push the IV poles down the hall to race them!", the nurses are now realizing that my children ARE possessed.

Or at the very least my children are the living, breathing examples for the boys on Malcolm in the Middle.

The Princess is back because of her asthma. It seems like asthma is lurking around the corner, just waiting for her to get sick. I don't know if it's the mile high climate or what...but it's getting worse.

My poor mom has been running like crazy to help me out - even canceling a trip so she could be here. I feel terrible that this has affected her.

I'm sick as a dog, the oldest beast has gotten this now and only time will tell who will survive. We looked ridiculous checking into the ER - the Princess and I were both patients. I was with her in the pediatric section of the ER, the "adult" doctor running back and forth between the adult side and the peds section. Leave it to us! lol

I'm on some antibiotics I've never heard of, Bec is on nebulizers every couple of hours, an inhaler and steroids. I think we shall check in to the psychiatric floor before officially leaving.

Feel Like a Winner?

I have so much to tell you guys...but I will spread it out over a couple of posts. That way I look like I'm keeping up a bit better than I have been! lol

I was reading the blog over at Altered Art Expressions, and besides being WOWED by the cool blog (as always!), I saw the contest that is going on. Apparently I am totally different than my ghost readers because I love contests and will enter just as fast as I can! One of the rules to the contest is to post a link to Paper Imagery Designs - which I am absolutely thrilled to do! I encourage you to run over there just as fast as your high speed connection can carry you and check out all the wonderfully creative - and just plain gorgeous - things they have. Don't pass this opportunity by...you'll be sorry if you do!

Why are you still reading?? You should be on your way to Paper Imagery Designs by now! GO!

And stay tuned for more updates, information, great blogs to visit - and an upcoming interview with a fantastic working artist!

Fabric Questions & Frame Inspiration

I've been working on some sketches for an art quilt. Surprising, I know - especially since I don't know the first thing about sewing! But my muse has been yammering for more fabric arts. She's getting louder and louder - so before I undertake the holiday art, I'm going to try to make a small art quilt. I don't know who I'm trying to kid - anyone who knows me knows I don't do anything fast...it's taken me 3 days just to work on sketches! lol As soon as I can figure out my scanner again, I'll post pics of my sketches.

Which reminds me...what is the best way to purchase small pieces of a lot of different fabrics? I don't want to spend a lot - but I would like to have a nice variety to play with. I'm evidently not searching correctly because the smallest pieces I can find are either an eighth of a yard, or a fat quarter. Maybe that's not much? lol See? Told you I know nothing about sewing! I would really like to try a bunch of different fabrics - cottons, denim, linen, different silks...(have I mentioned how into silks I am right now??) but it has to be as cheap as possible. I would even be happy with "scraps" for lack of a better word. I want to fill my sketches out with different fabrics - like paper piecing. Maybe that's what quilting means? lol I'm shutting up before everyone figures out how truly clueless the Queen is on this matter!

Look for sketches in the next day or two. And posting ideas on good places to get fabric like that will certainly earn you points in the Royal Kingdom! :::hint, hint:::

While looking online tonight, I came across a shop I hadn't looked at in a long time, Scrap Lovers. They have some really great projects - and their prices aren't bad at all! (They beat the prices for scrapbook related things I've found on Ebay lately.) While checking out the shop's blog, slatawoh (Scrap Lovers AT A Work Of Heart...get it?) I came across a really cool frame kit they offer. Take a look here. I love it and can almost picture it hanging in the castle. I'm lovin' their style!


And hey...HEY I said...isn't anyone going to enter the contest?? I'm thinking maybe my feelings should be hurt - but since I've been gone for so long (and haven't announced to anyone I'm back to blogging, except the precious members of pARTs a la cARTe), maybe this is payback? Is everyone mad at me? Well...get over it! lol I want to give away a prize!! So make a link, post a comment, and WIN. It's so easy!

With that, Queenie will put down her soap box. :)

Knock Knock

"Who's there?" you may be asking. Well, it's ME, silly - THE QUEEN. Yes, I'm back from the seemingly black hole of single parenthood. The vast pit of medical issues still hangs onto my ankle with voracity, but I'm trying to ignore that pit right now...but it seems that once you put on the "Hello My Name Is..." badge, you become something akin to a dusty misfiled medical journal in the hosptial bowels, never to be truly free from the medical establishment again. Or something like that. (The parallel I was trying to draw just isn't coming out right...which isn't surprising, since I think one of the medical tests performed on me sucked my brain clean out. Or wait - maybe that was one of my childebeasts!)

I have loads of new art to share and I've even been working on a really cool new technique. If it works, I will share it with you guys first. (Of course!) If not, well then we'll have found something you shouldn't try. Anything I can do to help my fellow artists, you know.

I do have a new announcement...(can you hear the drumroll?)...we have five adorable new additions to the castle! I apologize in advance for the terrible pictures - my digital camera broke and I haven't gotten a new one yet. The royal cat, Princess, gave birth to these guys - two gray & white and three gray ones - on July 20 & 21. They've grown at an amazing rate - and are all just now starting to really walk/get into trouble. Five pairs of eyes are now open and the big blue eyes almost seem to take over their sweet little faces! Princess has been a fantastic first-time mom, still so protective of them that when we're playing with the babies and she decides she wants them back, she tromps out, heads straight for her babies and swoops in to grab them. She carries them off to the closet with only a flip of her head, telling us we'd do well to get permission before just taking off with her babies. Altho we had no idea this was to come, it's been a fascinating adventure and I dread the time when four of them go off to their new homes. I have wicked thoughts of keeping ALL of them...yes, the Queen is worse than the kids!

They keep switching sexes on us (lol), but as it stands now: the 3 gray ones are Lola, Lucy and Ferris...and the 2 white-and-gray ones are Squeak and Squawk. It's so easy to lose an hour or two just watching their silly antics. So adorable!

So here are a couple pictures of the palace's beautiful kitties...and in these pictures the kittens are less than 12 hours old!

One more thing...to mark the Queen's official comeback, I thought it would be nice to give something away. Although the first thought that came to mind was to give away one of the childebeasts, I just don't have the time to deal with all the red tape that would require. SO, I chose to make the give away something you would enjoy much more...ART SUPPLIES!

In order to kick off my return in the proper way, I am going to bequeath a wonderful little envelope of supplies to some lucky reader. I can't take a picture of them due to the broken camera (drats!) but trust me, this is a great little package. (Would the Queen offer prizes that weren't royally awesome?!) The winner will receive FOUR WOOD MOUNTED RUBBER STAMPS and a delightful assortment of FIBERS!! The amazing fibers will include ribbon and clippings of various other fibers I have collected. OH MY! Retail value of the HERO ARTS rubber stamps alone is over $12! And did I mention the stamps are BRAND NEW?? Oh yeah - no yucky seconds for my readers, no way. (Each wood block is approximately 2" x 3".) And here is the best part (ok, not as good as the goodies, but pretty close!)...all you have to do to win? POST A LINK TO MY BLOG/THIS CONTEST ON YOUR BLOG OR WEBSITE...and POST A COMMENT (make sure at least your name is on your post so I know who to announce as the winner!). Could that be any easier?? I think not. I will, however, give you a hint. Once all comments have been verified as eligible, the winner will be chosen at random. Your link must be posted (and comment left on my blog) by 11:59 pm MDT (US) August 31, 2008.

It's really easy...1) Post a link to my blog (or this contest specifically)...2) Leave me a comment so I know you've done it - and make sure to include your name!

So there ya have it. That's it. Pretty simple...assuming I put in all the information to make the rules clear I also wanted to let you guys know that in addition to posting some great art on my blog, I have some great new plans for The Queen Speaks as well. Featured artists, links to blogs you've just got to visit, specials for my readers only to really cool online art shops, and new contests are all in the works. So if you've subscribed to or visited my blog just for the great art, now there will be even more reasons to make this one of your daily stops! So stay tuned...and it's nice to see you again!