Settling In...

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We're beginning to settle in to our new digs.  The weather has been perfect the last couple of weekends allowing us to get outside and putter around the house.  The flowers here are abundant; some I know, some I don't. I'm on a mission to figure them out.  The Forsythia is amazing. The Bleeding Heart is gorgeous.  There is peppermint in the flower beds and seed trays in the greenhouse. The decks have been cleared of the winter debris.  We spent the majority of this past Saturday taking apart the gas grill that was with the house and cleaning it.  It was a little difficult, since I over did it with the weights on Thursday and I've been walking around feeling like a monkey, because I can't fully extend my arms.  Even though it hurt like crazy I did what ever I needed to to work those arm muscles.  Kinda the hair of the dog recovery, can't just let 'em seize up or muscule recovery takes a whole lot longer.  Working on that grill was a job, but well worth the result.  We acquired another feline.  Well... more like he's adopted us.  His name, we've discovered, is Rebel.  Cute orange tabby, quite the cuddler.  He's here when we are and gone when we're not, but always manages to beat me home.  

Went to see Captain America: Winter Soldier.  GOOD MOVIE!  Spent some quality time with our peeps, which the Bink and I needed.

The art space is just about done and I can't wait to show you.  

I've got a receipe to share with you this week, so be on the look out for that! 

I'm definately going into creative withdrawals and plan on setting aside some quality time in the new art space. I'm so behind on Project Life! and I can't remember the last time I opened my art journal.  

So Stay tuned art fans... wherever you are.

Redbird Musings...on The move...

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Good Morning Ya'll!!!

     Our move is finally over; except for some boxes still lingering!  That's right the future was so bright because The Bink and I exchanged scenery.  We didn't move that far from our old digs, its just a little closer to the gym and work for me and slightly farther for the hubby.  He says he doesn't mind.  Its been a rough month. Neither of us were able to take time off from work to get the move over with quickly, so it seemed to drag on forever!  The irony of the the move that this here Redbird moved to a house on Redbird.

Destiny, fate, coincidence...? maybe... maybe not...

There're still so many things to do and get done, but the furry children have settled in and the stove/oven and I are still getting aquainted.  Most of the books are out of the boxes and the new art room is ready for some creative action!  During the last stages of our move I had my first ETSY sale followed a day later by my second sale!!! Of course it was things that were not created by me... but I have faith that day will come.

I now have a small greenhouse to figure out, which should be an awesome adventure.

I flipped out a little bit when they started the Controlled Burn in the Cherokee National Forest, 'cause I could see the fire from our dining room window and there was nothing, NOTHING! about it on the news or the web until the next morning.  Apparently, they do this every spring to reduce the number of uncontrolled fires for the rest of the year.  Dang! scared the CRAP!!! out of me.

Second Night at the Redbird house we were officially welcomed by one of the "neighborhood" cats.  His name is Rebel. He's orange and white and cleans our windows pawing at them to come in. Not gonna happen little buddy.  Course, the Bink has already adopted him. Push over!!!

It has been overwhelming, exhausting, exciting, and a liberating thing...  enjoy some pics that have been snapped this month and now that we've been reconnected to the grid you and I can get back to our scheduled programming!!!

The Future is Exciting!

Pin It Now! Thise life changes are really happening!  It's super exciting and scary, but the Bink and I are ready for the adventure. So commences Moving Day 1

Machinarium - 5 Star Review

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  I've turned into a pretty serious coffee drinker.  Used to drink it occassionally, but in recent years more and more.  Of course, my version of coffee was often called "Candy Coffee" due to the insane amounts of cream and sugar I added to it.  Present day finds my coffee black and drinking your coffee black really makes the flavors pop.  I've spent my share of time and cash haunting Starbucks, but now my favorite coffee go to is Dunkin Donuts. I haven't found anything quite like their Hazelnut Coffee anywhere else.  Starbuck's Hazelnut coffee is made by adding Hazelnut syrup, which is packed with sugar. Why oh why?  I'll admit that I really enjoyed and have gotten some kick ass music from their Song of the Week cards they have hanging by the register; now they have App of the Week as well.  

      Haven't really gotten any screen time recently with the xbox 360. The Bink has recently gotten the Commander Shepard bug and has been spending quality time defending the universe against the Reapers. 

   My game time has been solely on my iPhone. Mostly in short bursts, which brings me to this game review of Machinarium.  A friend of mine picked up the App of the Week card from Starbucks for me and Machinarium was it.  I'm very picky when it comes to adding apps to the phone so I check it out in the app store look at reviews and screenshots.  I really enjoyed what art I could make out in the screenshots so I deleted a game that I wasn't playing so it could take its place and I'm really glad I did.

Its a puzzle game rendered in stunning phone graphics and sound. Here are some screenshots to wet your whistle.

The concept is that you piece a robot back together and engage on an epic journey, but there are obstacles and puzzles that you must figure out before continuing your quest.

You can interact with the environment and pick up items, which you can combine with other objects that will aid in solving the puzzle.  It offers a hint and a solution book.  The Solution Book is a mini game itself.  One of the feature that I like is that you can save and it offers 6 slots, which means that The Bink and I could have two games going at once.

I'm giving this game 5 stars for stunning graphics, great music, and interesting puzzle environment.  If you've picked up Starbucks App of the Week card for this game Download it!  It is available in the App Store for $2.99.

That's my down and dirty review of Machinarium hope you enjoyed!

I'm toying with the idea of doing a Walkthrough of this game with pictures, what do you guys think?

Enjoying the Journey of Life!!! or Rollercoaster with no seatbelt...

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The Bink and I have been having one of those weeks where you go from one emotional extreme to the next. He's new to the whole "management" role that has developed with the family owned business that he works for.  Bad days are rare for him and this week was a pretty bad day and mostly because of Bink beating up on himself rather than the work ramifications.  Of course my job there's ALWAYS something going on, its the deep dark dirty side of healthcare that no one thinks about.

We reached a pretty high peak mid week with some crazy life changes going on... Only to have it temporarily put on hold and so even more stress stressing over that... Felt a little like the Wicked Witch screaming, "What a world, what a world."  More on that later when things are more set in stone.  Needless to say that Friday spent with my homies in my kitchen  where I know if I screw up I can still right the wrong so to speak was a big stress reliever; and I made myself an incredible Chocolate Cake, which there's none left.  I did share, especially since I didn't eat it all myself.  Neverness did indulge in some Chocolate Cake breakfast. So, not too shabby... I've got so much chocolate icing left over that I'm going to make cupcakes in order to get rid of it or else I'll gain 500 pounds eating it out of the bowl.

Journey Trio, Recipe for being happy, and
preview of Maui Wowie Pizza Casserole

Of course trying to distract myself I started another project, rag rug!!! The Possibilities!!! the mess... I did start the Maui Wowie Cauliflower Pizza Casserole last night.  Went to grab the trusty phone to take pictures to share with you and guess what...  my phone was sans battery life... dead, caputs, nothing.  The Bink says that's okay, you'll just have to make it again.  So, apparently it was a hit and has been approved for additional dinners.  Yeah, makes him happy and I can continue to eat clean, except for the stress canceling Cholocate Cake...  right...

Anywoooo...

I have opened an Etsy Store (link located in the side bar), the Gauntleted Creative!!! Named after my most popular and first ever Blog Post!  You can find my Angel of Winter Recovery Painting there along with a few more items.  Go check it out.  Its awesome!!!

alright art fans enough of my rambling woes today catch ya later in the week and 

don't forget to DREAM BIG!

Catch the Star Train - Found Poetry 'n Art Journal Page

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Hey Everyone!!!

Here's a quick drive by of a post 'cause I wanted to share a very down and dirty art journal page I did this week.  I'm calling this Catch the Star Train.  Hope you like it!

Catch the Star Train

the door to a reliquary

     defined their lives

I almost feel our strange voices

Sound carries on the hills

     an ancient order of things

Train of scattered stars

     go silent all at once

The night is big and quiet

     except the shooting stars.

Ingredients:

gesso

lamp black craft paint

Tim Holtz Star Tag stencil

book text

star punchinella

star glitter

titanium white acrylic paint

big brush pen in black

big brush pen in white

Copic Pen .05

iridescent medium

ice blue DecoArt craft paint.

So long art fans, sees you later in the week.  Also, you can follow me on Facebook and Etsy, the links are located in the side bar!!!

"It's So Fluffy!!!" Sharing the Unicorn Love

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I don't know about you guys, but when Anges screams at the unicorn in Despicable Me I was done... Done... Done... Done... Head over heals in love with Agnes, the movie and of course the Unicorn with its cute little swirly nose.  Love It! When I was a little girl I was totally obsessed with Unicorns, Pegasi, and Pegicorns.  I had them everywhere: on my walls, clothes, and books.  You name it I probablly had a unicorn on it.  I even had still have a Unicorn sticker collection.  

When I was a tween ages and ages ago... I wanted a Purple Unicorn with a golden mane and golden hooves.  I looked everywhere for a purple unicorn... I see them everywhere now, but not then.  My family parted ways when I was very young and there was one special visit with my dad that he bought me a unicorn stamp.  I have treasured this stamp ever since, 'cause it connected me to him and because I had a purple ink pad, so I was making purple unicorns by the millions... I maybe exagerating, but not by much...  I believe that this stamp was the first of my obsession with stamps even now.

Even still my favorite Christmas present this year was a pair of knee high purple unicorn socks!  Some things never change, right!?!!

Have you ever wanted something so bad that once you got it you didn't quite know what to do with it?

Its a weird place to be in... 

I grew up an only child... 

I wanted a sister so bad... to do things with, share things, to be connected you know?  What I didn't know then, but I do know now is that I do have a sister and loads of brothers too that grew up many many miles away; separated by states and unresolved familial issues.  

I have a Sister and that is so exciting, but we're both adults now and its weird trying to find that common ground.  I have found that we share a love for Unicorns and maybe even purple ones.  I believe that is an awesome beginning to our future as sisters.  

This is for you, sis...