Stewart Creations

Front Door

mammal — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 21:00:50 +0000

Is there a best way to remove blackheads? I guess if you go to this link you’ll find out.
When we got to Ajo this time the front door had blown open again. We have a steel security door, but still. So we know that we have to replace that soonest.
I want a fancy one. We saw some nice ones for really good prices at Stardust Recycled building parts the other day. When we want to install one that ’s where we’ll go.

Bathroom

mammal — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 20:57:38 +0000

The bathroom is all put together and ready to tape, texture and paint. I’m pretty excited. After we do that we can put down a floor. We still need a medicine cabinet and need to mount the other big mirror.
The rain on the roof was as good as a sleeping pill. The exercise is as good as a diet pill and if I gave out diet pill reviews, exercise would probably be on that list.
It was warm enough to not have to use the heater, but the front door has got to go!

Rain for a Green Desert

mammal — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 20:53:18 +0000

The herd of javelina is down to just a few tracks and a smallish pile of scat at the nesting culvert. I hope they didn’t drown. We were in Ajo this weekend and I left them a picnic of leftover bread, grapes, banana, bean dip. Quite the feast for a pig. Good diet to prevent eczema.
Dave cut the baseboard trim, but I didn’t paint it yet. It was raining outside and I didn’t feel like painting it indoors. So next time it will get painted.

Desert Dogs

mammal — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 18:38:12 +0000

So tomorrow we leave early for Ajo and the dogs will get at least two good runs: One on the way and one at the actual Ajo Airport in the desert. Lucky dogs.
I would like to stay in town for at least ONE weekend this month, a friend of mine is visiting her mom for a month and I want to visit with her.
She is applying for social security disability and trying to get into a medical study at Good Sam, so she might stay in town longer, but probably not.
We had her over for a night last week when she first came. She moved to Texas last year and it about broke my heart.
So nice to see her again.

The dogs love it

mammal — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 18:34:52 +0000

We haven’t taken the dogs for a walk for 3 mornings in a row… Poor babies!
It’s just that we are SOOO busy. One morning I went into school real early to prep for a morning class and pretty up a paper that was due. Another morning, my sweetie had to take Bertha the truck to Discount Tires to show them the damage caused by the blowout of the Michelin tires (two so far, but that’s another story). Discount Tires is going to file a suit for us. Needless to say we aren’t replacing those tires with Michelins.

To Ajo

mammal — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 18:29:35 +0000

Going to Ajo again this Friday. Maybe Mom will be there.
When is Mother’s Day, anyway? I feel like I should already be shopping for a mothers day gift.
We haven’t been to Ajo for 3 weeks now. School all fell down on me and I needed the whole week-end to catch up twice in a row. But I’m good now.

Internet Connection Addiction

mammal — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 20:56:02 +0000

I haven’t had any connections to ’scoop up’ for my very own use for over a week now. Both of us are twitching. I think we’re on the brink of buying our very own.
And I’m behind on my homework. And somehow, I lost my flash drive. The one with everything on it. Everything.
I bought a new one today and put the current paper on it. A flash drive is actually a useful tool, like spring plungers, hammers, screwdrivers, wires… internet signals.
I miss my signal.

Nice Weather

mammal — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 19:26:04 +0000

We have no need of a heated blanket this week. Last week we could have used it, it got down to the high thirties at night and during the day we only got up to around sixty. BRRRR.
All you readers in Minnesota and Utah and Idaho, eat your heart out! Or better yet, get your freezing tushies down here for a visit!
Our extra bedroom is all empty and lonely.

New Sony Laptop

mammal — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 23:28:17 +0000

My son is ever resourceful, and the Universe is ever abundant! I just bought a laptop with more memory than my desk unit has for $250.00. He already loaded it with new everything from scanning software to Windows.
We went to Walmart (I know, Evil Empire, yadda yadda yadda) and got the USB that makes it catch signal, I guess that would be the antenna, ??
Anyway, it’s looking for “N” signals, and my desk box is only looking for “G” signals. So apparently that opens up all sorts of new horizons; I have triple the signals to choose from.

Business in India

mammal — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 02:17:41 +0000

My next big assignment ( and one I’m working on right now) is a report on how religion affects business in India.
It’s a team effort and I have a great team, and we need to do five minutes each with a power point or video (or some mix of the two). Not supplement reviews, this teacher expects all original work, so we are working to WOW everybody.
I think It will work.

Although rain is fun,

mammal — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 02:12:43 +0000

I hear folks complaining about their arthritis. Looking for some arthritis relief in the super market.
Since I started yoga I have had a lot less trouble with arthritis. My neck is better and my big toe joint is better. It’s amazing that just a couple of days a week for 45 minutes can make all that difference.
So I have not had trouble with the rain this time. Yippee!!

Rain

mammal — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 02:07:35 +0000

Rain is the best wrinkle eye cream in the world, my skin loves the high humidity, my hair gets soft.
Allergies have been bothering my nose lately, but this rain settles the dust, pollen, and allergens. And the grass is greening. A lot of good comes from having rain in our back yard.
The dogs are feeling a little cooped up, though; no walk today.

Hail in Phoenix Today

mammal — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 02:02:37 +0000

It hailed for a minute or two in our back yard today. Pretty interesting.
Rain is the http://www.bestfacecream.net in the world, I am glad to see it.
My Miata gets wet in the interior every time it rains, so this time, I was out and about when it started so when I got home I backed in, and so far the rain hasn’t drained onto the seat and floorboards. WooHoo! I found the cure!

Busy Weekend

mammal — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 03:23:57 +0000

Even though I get busy it is still very important to keep in touch with my friends. Lately I have getting together every few weeks with a ceramics buddy of mine…. since all my gRRRL friends have moved away. ….. my ceramics buddy is a guy … testosterone cream is probably not going to make me feel comfortable about hanging with a bunch of guys, though, it’ll probably just make my voice deeper. So I’m going to have to get over it, because Monkey Friday has come around again and it looks to be all guys this time, mostly school pals. Well, I’ll go, because they are really good friends and I could use a glass of wine and an intelligent discussion. Not to mention a few laughs.

Monkey Friday

mammal — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 03:17:18 +0000

Ceramics and Monkey Friday has got me busy this weekend, but somehow it’ll work out.
I took this afternoon off and got in a trip to SAS (material by the pound).
It was bring your kid shopping day, is school out? You can tell that these moms took www.prenatalvitamins.org seriously, the kids all looked healthy and safe.
Aren’t we lucky to be able to raise our kids in a safe environment and with plenty of nourishment? I swear, when my boy was little I thanked Whoever every day.

Boyd Lur

mammal — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 03:10:51 +0000

or Boydler, as he is affectionately called.
Last weekend Boyd’s people brought him to Ajo to play with his birth family.
They didn’t need Outer Banks vacation rentals, although they had a positive experience with a dog-friendly hotel in Laughlin recently.

Boyd's mom, Annie Oakley

It was nice to see all three of them. The dogs got along right away, and before the afternoon ended, Annie and Boyd were playing rough; chest butting and boxing, like cattle dogs do.

Baby Blanket

mammal — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 03:02:08 +0000

The three quilt tops are ready, I am putting a border around the crazy quilt right now, here is one of the more organized star quilt tops.

and the exploded view of the star block.

star

It’s time to put on the borders and the back. After it’s assembled, I get to quilt through, I think with star shapes on this one. In the big open spaces I can go crazy with quilt stitching.
Can’t wait.

Vegetarianism

mammal — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 02:49:38 +0000

I have wandered out of carnivorousness and smack into vegetarianism. I don’t know what happened, I need to digest-it.
Well, I do know, really it was reading a complicated veggie book from the seventies that got me curious, so then I followed up on what had been changed in the last thirty years, and to my horror, found that things were even worse. I won’t go into the filthy way agri-business animals are raised (you ever smell a feedlot?), or killed, or butchered, or stored on their journey to your store. You can find that stuff easily enough if you’re interested.
It got to the point that I could taste offal in the meat, and smell it. I can’t eat it any more. I put a call out to Mom to be on the lookout for some actual farm-raised meat, I miss it.

Tonopah Hot Springs

mammal — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 02:38:14 +0000

Monday, on our way back from Ajo, we soaked in the hot springs at Tonopah, AZ. Dave made arrangements to celebrate the day after Valentine’s Day, which is always a good day for me, since the candy is all half-price.

Tonopah, AZ Hot Springs

Every one should go there, it’s only like $10.00 an hour, and honestly, even richard willich would get relaxed after an hour of soaking in that beautiful water.
The water pours in continuously, and out the other side and you can’t believe how nice all that tumbling water sounds.
There are a lot of private rooms, one of them that we peeked at had a big lily pond full of tadpoles and minnows. They seemed pretty happy with their warm water.
The runoff water that is diverted for the spa then continues on its way through jungles of bamboo that shelter the whole site. I felt right at home there, and for sure we’ll be back.

New Floor

mammal — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 02:12:26 +0000

This weekend we got so much done!! Well, Dave and Beto got a lot done. You don’t have to be a motorcycle accident attorney to appreciate all the work accomplished by these guys.

Backyard Firepit and Stacked Mesquite

1. cut and stacked all the wood from the downed Mesquite.

No Mesquite Tree

2. installed the shower surround

shower surround

3. floored an entire room

Blonde dog, Blonde floor

That new floor was the best Valentine I ever had!

Play and Workout

mammal — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 15:54:26 +0000

My son had just finished the workout room and installed his Nintendo Wii right in there.
I’ve gotta get over and play some games. They really enjoy tennis. I like the idea of bowling on the Wii. Somehow that just tickles my funny bone. But I bet there are a lot of other games there I’d like. I think I would like sword fighting, do you think the Wii has that? Maybe laser Jedii Knight swords. Whee!
Gotta get over there on some free time.

Losing My Religion

mammal — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 15:45:47 +0000

Studying Hinduism, Hindi, for Intercultural Communication class. It’s like a sentimental journey back to the days of the Beatles. I hear sitar music, don’t I? Or is it just tinnitus and my bones creaking?
Should I spend my health savings account cushion to get this ringing in my ears checked out? In two years I will have Social Security (if I chose to do so at that time), and maybe then I will get this blasted ringing in my ears looked at. Meantime I can pretend it is sitars if I want to; I am at that age where mind wanders are easily forgiven.

Printmaking

mammal — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 03:26:21 +0000

I am making ink prints, I have two designs printed, but the battery is low on the camera so I don’t have a pic right now.
I’m doing a circus theme. So far I have one lion (which still needs some design work) and a bunny in a magic hat which is totally cute!
The bunny is scratched on a plastic plate so I can print it over and over.
The lion is inked and then with a Q-tip, pen, etc, I scratch the lion in. Since I’m not an artist … it’s not going super well, but I have figured out his mane and parts of his expression are working out.

New Window in Ajo

mammal — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 18:58:02 +0000

Well, when Dave fell down and bonked his head a few weeks ago, we had to leave the bathroom outside wall with just tar paper and insulation. We were wishing we’d installed home security systems Then of course the big storm happened while we were away, we were worried. But everything was fine.

new bathroom window

Dave finished installing the window this trip, so next time he gets to put in the new tub surround.
Yippee!
We are using the shower, but the walls are covered with plastic that we stapled up.

Crazy Star Finalist

mammal — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 03:01:23 +0000

Star choice test block

Crazy Star block. It’s such a fun blockI settled on this block for typically quilters’ reasons:
1. It cuts up fairly evenly, that is, the pattern reduces waste.
2. It will have a different effect by swapping light and dark.
3. The weird angles and the points make it challenging.
4. It’s flexible; for instance, I added extra points to the pattern I found on this online quilters’ block party:

I have yet to experiment with color/contrast. That will be the third quilt.