Hazel turns 8 weeks today.

Last night, she slept 8 hours in one block of time. Yes, you read that right. She has been regularly sleeping for very short blocks during the past several weeks (we're talking 1-3 hour blocks MAX) and then she goes and sleeps for 8 HOURS. She got up at 5am, nursed, and then WENT BACK TO SLEEP for about another hour.

Goddess bless this wonderful child of mine. I have no idea what spurred this sleep-a-thon, and I don't know when I will be blessed with another one....so I had to make sure I put it in writing right now. yippee!!!

I just found out that my 86 year old great uncle just died about 30 minutes ago. He was in a high-care facility for elders as he had dementia and other health problems that kept him from taking care of himself. In the end of his life he was a grumpy mean old man that ran my mother ragged and made people around him barely tolerate him. I try to remember him in my youth. He was a high school biology teacher and I remember warm summer days in his classroom as he would show my sea animals in tubs of formeldahyde, beautiful tiny creatures embedded in resin, shells, petrifried rocks, etc. I fell in love with marine biology from him and spent many days dreaming of becoming one....until I realized how I suck at science and math! ;) I have two framed luna moths in my living room that he hatched and then mounted once they died for his students. That's the Uncle "J" I will remember....you sweet old man. good bye.

The following are just a small small (did I mention small?) sampling of brand spanking NEW ART that I will be showing at the SE AREA ARTWALK THIS WEEKEND - March 1 & 2nd, from 10am - 5pm!! I have been a woman OBSESSED with making art. I think it has to do with the fact that I am currently about 37 weeks pregnant and am due in a little less than a month...so I know my art making is going to be severely limited for awhile, and so I gotta make stuff NOW!!!

I will be at the HEDGE HOUSE RESTAURANT at 3412 SE Division. #36 on their map, which you can download at www.seportlandartwalk.com

If you come down, stop and say hi! And make sure you visit #41 which is Michelle Gallagher's home studio of amazing ceramic stoneware sculpture! It's just around the corner!

So, since I know quite a few MAC users out there, I thought I would throw this question out there for ya...

I have a G4 with Mac 10.1.2 that I have loved for the past almost 6 years. However, I desperately need to upgrade the internet browser. I went to the Mac Store yesterday afternoon and talked to a guy about it. He recommended Firefox...but you have to have OS 2 to run it. (I have a bunch of older classic software that I can't afford to upgrade as well so, I need something that I can still run classic on so I can use the old photoshop, etc.)

Once he said I need OS 2 and that would do it, I was like, great. sign me up. However, they don't SELL it anymore...only the newest and greatest. grrr. So, he said I would need to find a used copy from someone and get it that way.

My question, first off is....does anyone have a used copy they would want to sell me?
And also, if I buy it from someone (especially a stranger) how the hell does the whole registration number thingie work for legality? I am SO not computer savvy in this way, and so I don't want to get screwed over by someone on ebay or craigslist, etc.

Thanks in advance for any/all of your help. I am such a tool when it comes to this. :)

So, last night I get home and am actually feeling pretty good...darn good, in fact. I make dinner - no leftovers! I tidy up a bit. I then go out for two hours and get a whole mess of holiday gift shopping done, including some donation stuff and get back home in time to help the uberhubby make cookies and I package up some art to get shipped to New York and I'm all done by about 10pm and go upstairs to hit the sack.

That's when it happens. Technically, it was me left nostril and side of my sinuses. Though, I could have SWORN it was a levee break in New Orleans. The mucus came...and came. I tried to sleep with a wad of tissue stuck up my nose and breathing through my mouth...which leaves one with the most delightful case of cotton candy mouth and the feeling that you are half dead.

At 1:30am, the dog woke up with a bad case of the itchies (she gets really dry skin this time of year). I too had a bad case of pregnancy itches AND the need to empty my bladder RIGHT THEN OR DIE. So, the dog gets put downstairs and I hit the head, and then TRY to go back to bed. Ha! The movement from horizontal to vertical to back again has unleashed another torrent of mucus from my poor stuffy head. More kleenex gets stuck up there as I try unsucessfully to sleep for the next few hours.

We end up oversleeping AGAIN this morning and I wake up feeling like I've been dragged through the mud. Not even a hot shower could asuage the assault my sinuses were having on my poor body. And they have not let up...even with the reinforcements of tylenol sinus MAXIMUM strength. My sinuses are stronger than that.

I don't know if I just got hit with a whammy of a head cold or if my brain is finally liquefying...but it is now 1:30pm in the afternoon and I would give my left foot to be home under the covers right now. Luckily, though I do have to work, I get to leave early and run errands for multiple last minute projects they gave me which keeps me from calling in sick, but also means I can do a bit of my work from home and take a nap. Sweet sweet sleep...if only my damn nose would dry up for 15 minutes!

What cracks me up is the fact that I felt SO GOOD last night. Great, even. I was finally thinking that the tide was turning and maybe I could get everything done that I needed. Oh, silly, foolish, girl. What were you thinking?

I love this picture. I did not take this picture. Actually, I found it on the North Portland Sentinel newspaper's web blog, which I was reading so I can stay abreast of all the fabulousness that is north portland. And that's when I saw this.

If Wal-Mart belongs to Jesus, then what about Kmart? Do they get some lesser god?
Only Apollo Saves at Kmart.
And what about the Norse gods? Something that goes with Valhalla mart.
Ok, enough outta me.

Here is the latest info on my upcoming Encaustic Painting & Beeswax Collage classes taught at my home studio. I will also be adding dates where I will be teaching at a local venue, but that is not yet finalized.

Collage with Beeswax

Enjoy 3.5 hours of creative class time exploring collage using rich smelling beeswax, handmade papers, fabric, thread, and more to create rich, lush, transparent collages! All supplies included in a quiet, intimate setting (only 4 students per class!) ($65)

January 19 - 11am-2:30pm
January 9th - 6pm-9:30pm

Encaustics 101- Paint with Wax

This class focuses on painting with beeswax on wood and paper. Make your own paint, learn about tools and history, and explore this wonderful medium with education in layering, scraping, texture, collage, incising, and more! MAX 4 students ($70)

January 26th - 2pm-5:30pm
January 30th - 6pm-9:30pm

Ok, so as I near the end of my fifth month of pregnancy,I'm beginning to try and "buckle down" and educate myself about decisions on baby products etc....and oh my god, buying a house is simpler.

Diapers - WHAT the hell?

I remember seeing new biodegradable diapers out on the market a few years ago. I thought "genius", and figured those are what I would use as a parent someday. Now, I can't seem to find them at the stores and the nearest thing I can find is chlorine-free disposables for twice the cost. Really, chlorine is bad and all, but I am not paying twice for just that. sorry. I really don't want to use disposables all the time due to the environmental impact, but I know absolutely NOTHING about cloth diapers, besides I will have to wash them.

My parents offered to get us two months of diaper service at home to start us off, and I am all about that. But what about afterwards? I went to a local "organic baby" type store today on my lunch to check out the options and there were shelves of diapers, covers, filler, doublers....I mean, really, what the heck? I don't even know where to start let alone what to look for. I was so overwhelmed, I just ended up looking at the cute clothes and then leaving, eyes, glazed over.

Baby Carriers - why do we need sooo many?

This is another area where I am flabbergasted. There is a different type sling/carrier for seemingly every man woman and child out there. And I have no idea which one to pick. I wanted to try and make one but I don't even know which pattern to use. Even looking at websites for this sort of thing make me freak cause there is just too much info. I can't handle it where I can barely remember where my brain is most days right now.

The good thing? I already have a crib, stroller, high chair, and now a fabulous used glider rocking chair already. I can figure those things out and know I will use them. This other stuff is just eating my brain. Now I need to go look up reviews for safety in car seats. Oh goodie. Somebody shoot me now please...

No, I did not go into labor. However, we do have a VERY wanted new member of our household...A DISHWASHER! And no, I don't mean my husband. But an honest-to-goodness Fridgedaire 18" dishwasher! After an amazing amount of luck yesterday, we got an electrician to the house to hardwire it, and uberhubby did the plumbing connections, and by 7:30pm last night it was whirring and washing along with the best of them! we went out to dinner to celebrate (don't want to over tax it on it's first day!). But it already has breakfast dishes in it and will get a thorough washing tonight. I CAN"T WAIT. We figured this would be a very good investment for the little one on the way and all those bottles and dishes and chewy toys to clean...not to mention maintaining our sanity. Now I just have to get use to actually running it and emptying it!

Yeah, I'm a dork.

So, in my so far, very small adventures of soon-to-be-parenthood, I've noticed two trends while shopping and researching items for children. I like to refer to it as American Baby/European Baby. Let's just look at your typical American store (Babys "r" us as an extreme example, or Target, etc) and our newly opened Scandanavian juggernaut, IKEA for the European sides of things (the capitalist side, obviously). I'm just talking shopping here.

When we were getting some basic furniture together for the adoption process, I spent an afternoon in IKEA (in Seattle) with the uberhubby picking out a crib, etc. I remembered seeing a dresser that converted to a changing table when I worked there, and I always told myself that was one of THE most coolest pieces of kid furniture for good use, so I was going to get it someday.

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/S19842534
This is NOT the same one we got, but they discontinued it. Ours was taller, and cheaper because it was in the "as-is" section...hooyah. But, a new solid wood dresser/changing table for a bit over $125, pretty good I think.

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/60108663
This is our crib we bought. Also a pretty good deal for a new solid wood one. It also converts into a toddler bed for them when they are bigger.

So, we cruised around IKEA and bought a complete bedding set for the bed for under $20. Nothing fancy, just a sheet, blanket, duvet type cover and pillow case for when they are older (we didn't the age we were adopting then). They had nice wooden toys for sale like blocks and trains and stuffed animals and imagination play stuff and make believe stuff. Yeah, they had lots of it, as any store will, but it was more, I'll say, old fashioned type of play....not a lot of stuff that takes 5lbs of batteries and lights up.

Fast forward to last night when I make my darling husband go out and check out some more baby stuff - THIS time at the dreaded Babys "r" us. If you've never gone, be happy. Don't go. It's a frightening world of baby wal-mart proportions. It's AMAZING the amount of crap they think you should buy for your child, all at outrageous prices.

We walked through the complete AISLE of diaper bags (like you need an aisle-worth of bags to haul diapers around in.) We checked out the plethora of bottles for sale, which just made my eyes bleed, as if I'm to know which one is best. We perused high chairs and strollers (Thank the gods I bought those both used at a garage sale!!!) and then, just for kicks, the bed/crib section.


HA HA HA HAAAAA!!!!!! They expect you to pay more for your childrens' crib than I did for my solid quarter sawn oak OREGON made queen size bed!!!! I about died.

http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2334506
This one costs over $400. There are cheaper ones online, but most at the store were $300 and up. One I saw sold for $500!!!!

They had kids' toys that buzzed and lit up and danced around on their own, and were just too scary to handle. I kept looking for "old school" toys.....you know, wooden dogs on strings you pull around, kiddy blocks (that are not plastic filled with stuff. They had video baby monitors, bedding sets for cribs that were over $200 ON CLEARANCE, and clothes.....little sweaters with patches for over $25, skirts for over $20. I don't spend that much on my own clothes most of the time.

It was scary. I left that store with the shakes and a firm vow NOT to even THINK of shopping there for stuff. no way. I'm not saying I'm going to shun all the modern contraptions of parenthood - hell no, I need some of those. But this was just too much. And I kept joking about how much being an "american baby" costs in comparison to our IKEA shopping trip. It just made me realize how much I want to make as many of my own toys as possible, or have my family members make them (my dad is a woodworker) . The ONE shining light at Babys r us. They had these cute llittle plasticy cloth bibs for sale for $6 each that were MADE IN THE USA of US made fabric. THAT made my heart happy. Hopefully, I can get those somewhere else though. Cause I don't want to go back...really.

For anyone out there so inclined, some good "fire proof" vibes are needed for members of Jason's and Marcie's families in the San Diego area. We haven't had a chance to contact them yet, but from what the news/maps say, Jason's granddad may have already lost his house or will VERY soon....and Jason's step sister was in the Ramona area and so hers is probably gone as well. His dad's ranch and horses in up in Valley Center and it looks like they just added that to the evac area for the Witch Creek fire, which is responsible for the other two families. Marcie's step mom is probably going to have to evacuate in the next 12 hours if things don't change as well so this is just not a happy time for so many people down there. So, think cool and non-windy for them as well as the hundreds of thousands of others in the same boat. I love Oregon. I love Oregon. I love Oregon. rain rain rain!!!

A VERY Happy and Fabulous Birthday to Miss Indigo_spice! HUZZAH!
May you enjoy good food, good drink!, and a good hike on your big day!

1. I feel like shit right now. I hope that all this starbucks crap I am currently shoving down my throat helps. I think it is as I'm just about down scarfing down the lemon pound cake...mmmm.

2. Tonight is my FINAL LAST THURSDAY on Alberta. Yes, yes, it will be happening next month, of course, but I will probably not be there due to weather and whatnot. So, I'm calling this as my last one and I will be hanging out selling my encaustic paintings along with my mother, and my fabulous friend Jacquie and her amazing paintings. She has prints now and whatnot and you REALLY need to buy one. fabulous. She even has cards for $2-3, so really, how can you say no. www.jacquelynbond.com

3. Jason and I have been busily working on the basement remodel for STUDIO MOVE 2007. We have many walls painted, including a fabulously bright light orange for the long wall of my studio. I dream of having a big dia de los muertos shrine up there with paper flowers and all thing sunny and bright....trust me, the basement needs it. Uberhubby installed one of the new windows (looks great) and we decided on what we want for the ceiling material. It is already feeling a lot better, but well, it is STILL a basement, so I'm gonna need to put in a lot more work and good mojo to get it ready for the studio. BUT, once it is ready, I will be throwing a big OPEN STUDIO PARTY...whoo hoo! That way, y'all can see it before I trash it and it looks like a war zone for the rest of the time. I will also be gearing up to TEACH ENCAUSTIC PAINTING CLASSES there...so if you know of anyone, PLEASE let me know. I'm hoping that this will work well, and I will definitely give referral discounts! lol

4. I am SO looking forward to Saturday right now. We are going to either go to the Farmers market downtown or the Sauvie Island harvest fest, then check out Art in the Pearl so I can covet artwork I cannot afford, and then have a lovely gourmet dinner at some of Jason's coworkers house in Overlook. The guy is italian, grew up in his father's restaurant kitchen and make THE BEST Italian food. I am so bringing an appetite! :)

5. Oh! one more thing! If any of the local gals see this and are at all interested in maybe getting together at Chez Amy for some crafting Monday afternoon, lemme know asap! It isn't in stone or anything, but I was kind of toying with the idea of crafting for labor day! lol

94.7 is helping host an art show benefitting p:ear TODAY at Urbaca Salon in the Pearl from 6pm-9pm. The Salon is located at 120 NW 9th - Suite 101 right off of Burnside! There will be several other artists and designers showing with me, along with beer from Widmer Brewing and treats from Urban Fondue! 20% of all my sales proceeds will go to p:ear, a local non-profit helping homeless teens!

I will be showing my newest collection of encaustic paintings and collages and wants to personally invite you to come down and say hi!
Event Details - http://947.fm/pages/545873.php
My Art! - http://www.amymstoner.blogspot.com/

The best thing I've watched to REALLY celebrate this country's independence.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19588942/

July 25th

http://www.kgw.com/news-local/stories/kgw_053007_business_IKEA.2697f196.html

dammit, I'm gonna be in Alaska. enjoy those fab grand opening deals for me. I can barely wait

1. Check out the pic and the little interview about him biking to work....ah, how cute!

http://www.clarkcommute.org/commuterspotlight.aspx

2. I lost another 3.2 lbs this week, bringing my total to 15lbs. I am so looking forward to newer smaller clothes...oh yeah.

3. I get to go to my friend Jaquie's art opening on Hawthorne tonight...and eat fabulous Indian food and look at her fabulous watercolors of sexy political ladies...oh yeah.

4. I have the next 4 days off work, so I will be getting more yard work done, making some encaustics thanks to the great wood stash my mom just brought me, do a little yard-sale-shopping, and spend Sunday with the parents going to Mt St Helens and eating Jason's fabulous homemade scones...mmmm...can't wait!

5. Ian, fly home safe and sound and enjoy as much beer as you can! We're waiting for your safe return (ok, so not as much as your wife is).

As usual, life's been busy and I've been lazy when it comes to updating my journal. oh well.
list time!

1. I had a great weekend of art selling. Though I did not go to First Thursday, I did sell at the Mary Rieke Sale and made some great sales and had a fabulous time. they had it in conjunction with the Hillsdale Farmers market, so I also got some yummy produce and an excuse to eat a chicken tamale from Salvador Molly's...oh yeah.

2. I sold THREE encaustics on Etsy last week...to the same person too! I was so happy since they were new ones I had just recently put up. I also sold another to a local Portland designer that saw my work in a friends' house...so hip hip horay on the art front.

3. I've been really trying to ride my bike and be more active lately. I went on a 12 mile ride the other week, and have gone on several other shorter ones around the peninsula. Today I biked to work and it felt great. With the 12lbs I've also lost recently, I am feeling a lot more energy and spunk, which feels great. I gotta keep this up!

4. The garden is coming along well and we've been putting a lot of work into it, but it looks a lot better too, which makes it so nice to spend time out enjoying it with dinner or just hanging out. This is when I really love our yard. I hope this lasts.

5. I've got some art making to do this week, a mothers' day trip with the parents, and more yard work. Wish me luck!