The Lacey Life

I've been wanting to get into painting for a long time. Problems? 1) Getting the supplies: It doesn't cost much to pick up crocheting, but with painting you need brushes, paint, something to paint on, etc. 2) Perfectionism: Nothing's ever done. There's always some tweak to be made to make it "better." Unless I've done a fabulous job, I'm never truly happy with my work.

A few days ago, I braved the first problem by purchasing supplies. Charles and I were going Christmas shopping, and he consented to my buying paints and such. But which paints to buy?? There are so many colors to choose from! What to do, what to do.... Then I remembered middle and high school where we had to mix paints if we wanted different colors. *cue singing angels*

This made paint selection a lot easier. Ignore the fancy colors, Lora. All you need are the primary colors (red, yellow, and blue), white, and black. (Technically, you can make black with the primary colors, but I've never made a great black, and that would take a lot of time and more paint than I'd like to use, so I bit the bullet.) I got a value pack of brushes, a couple of canvases, and some glitter (trust me, it was necessary.)

I didn't brave the second issue until yesterday. I'd planned to make a sign with a quote I really like for our entryway for a while, just never got around to it. Yesterday saw the fulfillment of that plan. Here's a photo:

I love the saying, but I'm not sure if I love the work. I like the "Trust in God" part, but not so much the rest. I apparently haven't overcome my second obstacle yet, especially with this piece, and am resisting the urge to completely overhaul it.

I must be a glutton for punishment, though, because I went right on to painting something else. A lady on Pinterest pinned her tutorial for doing a chevron design here. Because I apparently enjoy torturing myself, I decided to do it.

All whilst sitting on the couch and watching Monk, I drew a grid on my canvas, then proceeded to erase all the lines I didn't need (and didn't want to have to cover up once I was painting.) It looked pretty much exactly like hers, because I went with the 1 inch by 1 inch size too, just to make it simpler.

Then, because I didn't want to mess with tape, I got my paints out, and mixed the colors as I went along. (I am proud to point out that every color except for the white was mixed - even the yellow - to get the colors I wanted.) A few hours, and a little glue, glitter, and command strips later, and voila! My very own chevron canvas. You can't tell, but the white stripes have glitter on them - it's one of my favorite details.

It's not perfect, but it's good enough that
I'm not going crazy over it. Phew!

Over all, I'm calling this venture a success. I'd definitely paint again... and I may have had my husband pick up a couple more canvases on his way home from work. No big deal.

This afternoon, Charles and I came home from church and took our nap as usual (which, by the way, is one of the best parts of Sundays.) When we woke up way too many hours later, we had two full-sized dogs and two nearly-full-sized cats on our bed with us, and that's not to mention the cat sitting on our dresser across the room.

For some reason, it made me start thinking of the pros and cons of owning cats and/or dogs. I've had pets practically my entire life, but it's the Christmas season, and a lot of little boys and girls are going to receive a new pet as one of their gifts. Unfortunately, guardians often do not consider the "whole picture" of pet ownership. I've compiled a few thoughts which may or may not help such guardians decide to either take the leap into pet ownership or choose to wait until they are more prepared for their bundle of fur.

1. "Potty trained" doesn't equal "no accidents.": As much as I love my pets, and am proud of them when they use the litter box or wait to relieve themselves until they're outside, extenuating circumstances arise, and even the best of trained pets may find themselves peeing or pooping where they shouldn't.

With cats, this may mean it has been too long since your last litter box cleanse (speaking of which, you should always have one more litter box than you have cats. 3 cats = 4 litter boxes, so be prepared.) Cats tend to be finicky. For us, this means scooping the litter boxes (read: gagging while dipping a little green scoop in search of tender poop morsels) every day or every other day, and changing out the litter every month or two (we use the Breeze litter system - it's different for each litter - another thing you'll need to consider.) This will probably not be pleasant, but someone must do it. If they poop elsewhere, do not run to punish them - it may be your fault, and they won't even know why you're doing it by that point. Oh, and don't expect them to run to the toilet when they don't feel well. Most likely, their regurgitated Kit and Kaboodle will end up on your living room floor.

With dogs, this means keeping an eye on them to ensure you are aware of when they are telling you they need to go out, and/or letting them out on a regular basis. Since we have been married, Charles and I have found we are not interested in potty training a dog. I can potty train a cat with no problem, but don't ask me to train a dog. You have to be extremely diligent and firm. Unlike cats, who have an ingrained desire to bury their feces to hide it from predators, dogs have no qualms with pooping on your newly-cleaned white carpet. Our solution? There are plenty of fully-grown dogs who need homes and have already been potty trained by owners who decided they weren't up to the challenge of pet ownership, or who, for some reason or another, couldn't keep their furry friends. That's what works for us. Find what works for you - but be aware that you may have to suffer some puppy spots for a while while they learn, and even a trained dog can only hold it for so long.

2. Pets need love too. Pets are so cute. And cuddly. And, typically, super soft. There are endless ways to package your new addition for Christmas. That's the charm, isn't it? But what will you do when your furry bundle of joy is no longer tiny and has grown into their adorable doe eyes and over-sized paws? Often, the Christmas joy wears off, and so does the drive to take care of your new family member. But they will demand attention.

With cats, this means 10 pounds of feline girth on your esophagus at 2:30 in the morning. They will trip you when you aren't looking, especially when you're carrying something fragile or piping hot. They will rub their furry bodies on your freshly-laundered black pants. Invest in a couple of lint rollers, and don't even think you can get away with not vacuuming for several days. Also, buy some triple antibiotic ointment. Even the sweetest feline will accidentally scratch you every now and then, whether in play or otherwise. (For example, a cat my sister was pet-sitting got spooked one night, tried to go under a door, and got stuck. I was attempting to help the panicking cat out of her self-inflicted entrapment when she broke free, unintentionally cutting into the top of my foot on her way past me.)

With dogs, the above rules apply. Additionally, expect to be bombarded with however-many pounds of pet body, muddy paws, the classic "dog" smell, and the ever-so-lovely dog breath (and gas, lots and lots of gas.) They will have annoying habits, yes, but so does your human best friend... and your siblings (especially them.)

Keep in mind that your furry buddy has been separated from most, if not all, of his or her family. You are their family now, and you are who they look forward to seeing every day. Their "over-excitement" is just what you'd expect from someone who spent their whole day missing you.

3. You will fall in love with them. Your pets may be smelly, require tons of your time and money, get their hair all over your - well - everything, but "man's best friend" is a popular saying for a reason. They will come check you out when you're crying, cuddle your brains out, pant and paw until you simply show them love, and give you looks that melt your heart. Being a pet owner represents a significant financial, emotional, and time commitment, but if you're up to it, it's so, so worth it.

This holiday season, keep in mind that pets, like your annoying cousin Carl, aren't seasonal. They love you, even when you burn your stinky candles which irritate their noses, withhold delicious treats from them, leave them for hours while you spend time with your human family, and prevent them from all they want - being close to you. Be sure you're ready to devote a lot to them - they live for you. **

Here are some pictures of my lovies for your enjoyment.