This site is about my life in the art studio. It includes drawings, paintings, knitting and cross stitch and fun art techniques. I will also include recipes and yoga and book reviews. This is a lifestyle blog with intentional and simple living ideas.
This week I wanted to finish the headband. It is done in stockinette stitch.
I had much more yarn left over from this color.
I am working on knitting a scarf.
I stitched a few rows of purl. Then began the seed stitch.
Happy Day
Caroline
This evening I found myself painting. It was not planned. Earlier in the day, I was consumed with watercoloring, cross stitching and knitting.
I wanted to do yoga tonight. The past few weeks my house was being updated in the kitchen and bathroom. Last week I finished the minor parts, painting my closet door and doing touch ups and painting my bathroom.
I not only stopped yoga and my artwork for awhile, I also had a set back in my diet.
I have to eat gluten free and dairy free and soy free. I have an autoimmune disorder, rheumatoid arthritis. I made a dish with cheese in it. Evidently I can not go back to eating dairy.
My stomach is bloated, gassy and felt nauseous. All side effects of dairy intolerance. I have not tried to eat anything with gluten in it. At this point I will not be trying any.
Yoga to the rescue. I did a yin yoga to hold the poses longer. Afterwards, I had this desire to sit at my art table again. I began
painting…
Earlier in the day I painted these fruits in watercolor.
If you follow my art, I tend to put a little abstract flare to it with some retro vibe. You can follow me on Instagram and on my Etsy shop.
I’m now laying down and need to go to sleep. I have a client early tomorrow and need to get up early.
Happy Day
Caroline
Today I had the day off from work. It felt great to sleep in and leisurely wake up.
I started out with a gluten free dairy free and soy free breakfast.
I began a few rows of a headband. Using stockinette stitch.
Fried egg, on toasted gluten free bagel with avocado and tomato on the side. Top off with everything bagel seasoning.
Then I went to my studio and used watercolor and started a new acrylic painting.
Then I are lunch which was not tasty.
Then I started a cross stitch of winter birds.
Evening with stockinette stitch headband
And I’ll end the night laying down with a weighted blanket and might stitch a few more rows of the stockinette stitch headband.
Why so many little things today? Because I want to do it all and haven’t been making art in over a month. I’m trying to get my creative intuition back!
Art is on Etsy Https://4pawsartstudio.etsy.com
Happy Day
Caroline
I am officially on the last page of Derby! Only 2 columns are left to stitch.
Excited, enthusiastic and proud of myself for keeping this going strong for 3 years.
My plan is to complete it by the New Year.
The Christmas cactus has started blooming.
Happy Day
Caroline
It’s like where in the world have I been? Like waldo? I’m somewhere between the mess in my life and the mess in my house!
I quickly decided to update my kitchen and bathroom. It’s been two areas of my home that needed some TLC. Since I have been thinking about selling my home, this would help me more than ever to sell quickly. I found someone who likes to do updates in homes and does not charge an extraordinary amount. It may be fully complete by Saturday.
I’m still unsure if I want to move. So that might be something that pops up quickly as well in the future.
Before pictures of the kitchen (forgot to get the before for the bathroom) just wait to see my cabinet colors!
Here’s some photos of what’s been happening.
The bathroom has been on hold but it may be done by Friday. Some technical things happened but nothing that cost money to fix.
Here’s the floor for the bathroom.
As for the art. Well my art table is being used for painting the cabinet doors. I’ll be treating myself to a new craft table in the future. My little 4pawsartstudio is not in a condition to use at this time. That’s ok. I’ve been busy at work. Always busy right before Thanksgiving.
I have started a new headband knit pattern. Waffle stitch great for beginners.
Cross stitching is on hold, it’s too messy and dusty to work on it.
I’ll be back to cross stitching once the house is clean and reorganized.
Maybe the next post will be about the completed updates.
Happy Day
Caroline
Etsy shop Https://4pawsartstudio.etsy.com
I added more knit headbands to my Etsy shop.
https://4pawsartstudio.etsy.com
I have been stitching on Derby cross stitch. I am almost ready to start the final page to complete it!
My goal is to keep knitting and cross stitching. The main goal is to continue the cross stitch and finish by the end of the year.
Happy Day
Caroline
If you have been following this blog, you would know I have had some intense times living in my townhouse community.
I was ready to move 2 weeks ago, then it hit me, the financial issue of another 30 year loan as I am wanting to quit counseling in the near future. So I decided to stay at my house and update the bathroom and kitchen.
Those hostile neighbors need to just get over it.
Anyway, the tension, fatigue, uneaseness about life caused a huge amount of swelling from rheumatoid arthritis. But my eating habits have been anything less desired.
When I first found out I had a gluten intolerance and dairy and soy intolerance, my diet change over night. Seriously, over night.
I was told to drink bone broth daily. And eat anti-inflammatory foods.
You know where I’m going…
The stress of being on the HOA board and my job got to my mental health…I wasn’t eating healthy. I was just eating.
I went to the kitchen tonight and got bone broth out, warmed it and poured it in a cup. As I write this blog, I am sipping it. It’s really not that bad it’s kind of tasty.
Afterwards I’m going to have some watermelon, cantaloupe and honeydew with water. My acupuncturist who I haven’t seen in a several months, told me to eat foods that release water retention.
This evening I have been knitting the shawl which is really an oversized scarf.
Tomorrow my plan is to drink bone broth in the morning as I did in the past. It filled me up in the morning where I was not hungry. I will then bring green tea to work.
If I snack I’m going to be bringing one of my gluten-free snacks or dried fruits with me to work. And since I might not be able to get lunch tomorrow as my car will finally get work done I will have a salad with vegetables and fruit for late lunch/dinner.
I think being back on this diet with bone broth everyday will help decrease the swelling from the rheumatoid arthritis. It will help the swelling from edema and it most likely will help me not feel so tired. Lately the chronic fatigue has been the worst since I was diagnosed with gluten intolerance dairy intolerance and soy intolerance.
It has been proven by scientists and medical providers that stress causes autoimmune to flare. I have no doubt about the proof of that as I live with it daily. I am hoping getting back on track with my diet and lifestyle change will put me in a better mood and help me lose the water retention.
And then maybe I will feel ready to get back into making more art and doing yoga daily. I want to feel happy about my life.
Happy day
Caroline
Etsy shop https://4pawsartstudio.etsy.com
It’s been a few weeks! Things have settled down. I’m still considering moving. But I might hold off on it for awhile. I’m thinking of moving closer to the lake. I might have to wait until home prices reduce.
In the meantime, I’m trying to get back to my normal. Stitching on Derby cross stitch has been the focus.
Here’s the latest. I’m now 2 pages away from completing this. It’s exciting as I began this June 2018!
I’ll post again
Happy Day
Caroline
I have been painting on a canvas for the past week. Each night instead of journalling in a notebook or in an art book, I took my journalling to a canvas.
Below is the previous journal entries in a 24″x 30″ canvas
Here’s the #6 intuitive Painting from yesterday.
I have been feeling more like myself. In the past few days decisions were made. I’m going to look into buying a home. I live in a townhouse, which I do love, but the neighbors and being on the board has caused toxic relationships to appear. I was happier here when I was not on the board. I had more free time and didn’t know what people were like here. Until now.
Yesterday, was house cleaning day. I started in my closet, took clothes to donation. And shredded papers and took that to recycle bin. In between of that, my art supplies got organized. I am happier to know that going inside a craft store is not needed any time soon. I certainly have own store!
During the evening it was relaxing, exercise and knitting. I fell asleep on the sofa. That felt great. I forgot to write and post this blog. So now it’s morning.
I will be seeing a few clients. And I will be resting maybe cross stitching. I’m glad to have my free time back.
I still want to quit being on the board, but not sure how soon I’ll find a house to buy. Until then I’m going to try to keep my peace.
Happy Day
Caroline
Etsy shop is open. Https://4pawsartstudio.etsy.com
I’m on day 5 of intuitive Painting. I have been journalling my emotions into a canvas daily. I have been under a huge amount of stress from harassing neighbors and now increase of stress being on the HOA board.
Today I have been busy looking at homes. I am planning to sell my home and buy somewhere maybe closer to my sister.
Happy Day
Caroline
Etsy shop Https://4pawsartstudio.etsy.com
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