Category: About Michele

Half walls in the art studio

About Michele, Building Cool Stuff, Making a Cottage Art Studio

As I was beginning to plan where to put all my shelves in the art studio, I realized I didn’t have enough wall space. I decided to build a wall between the two halves of the studio to give me room for all my hanging shelves. I didn’t like how closed off it felt, however, so I cut a large opening in the wall at eye level to open up the space.

Since that leaves me only half a wall when I needed a whole wall, I’m also putting half a wall between the breeze through and the far section of studio. That will allow me to mount all my shelves and still have a view of the entire studio as well as the horse corral and yard.

I thought I would be done with my studio before Thanksgiving but, as I should have known, projects always take 2 to 4 times longer than expected.

Ceiling almost finished!

About Michele, Building Cool Stuff, Making a Cottage Art Studio

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Look how bright the double room is now with the sheet rock up and ready to finish trimming out and painting. John and Ryan and I spent the last two days working as much as possible to get the ceiling in place. There was a lot of prep work to be done: finishing the insulation, spraying some foam insulation into cracks and crevices all over the place, and making sure there were no screws or nails or dried foam in the way of the sheet rock being raised into place. I only missed one little screw which created a little bubble when I hung that piece of ceiling. I had to cut into the bubble and will patch it later.

This time we rented a sheet rock raising tool to help us lift the large heavy Gypsum boards into place. I appreciated having the tool around for lifting the boards, fitting, and cutting them. It rented for $39 a day at Home Depot. We ended up using it for a day and a half.

I was able to work for three hours at a time and then I would have to take a break and have a snack or meal. I’m pretty happy about how much energy I had today. I was dripping with sweat and I felt so dirty when work was through but I feel blissful and tired after my shower, having accomplished so much.

Finally finishing my cottage art studio ceiling.

About Michele, Art : Drawing; Painting; Fiber; Etc., Building Cool Stuff, Making a Cottage Art Studio

The first piece of sheet rock is in place!

The insulation you see between the rafters is a stiff foam insulation about 4 inches thick. This came from a greyhound bus station. It was given to my sister Cheryl and I after she found it online. I think she requested insulation through Freecycle. This insulation was bound for the dump but we were able to collect and use it instead.

I am very excited to be working on the designated art studio area in the cottage finally. Once this art studio area is finished I can move all my art supplies out of my very cramped living room studio and into the cottage studio.

Moving my art studio will allow me to open my home back up for family gatherings and more comfortable entertaining of friends. .

I am looking forward to decorating my house for the holidays this year 🙂

Trigeminal Neuralgia and Glossopharyngeal Neuralgia

About Michele, Emotional Health, Physical Health

Guess what I have.  How did you know?  Maybe the title gave it away!

Trigeminal Neuralgia is a big fancy word for nerve pain on the side of your face.  This pain can include teeth, sinuses, ear, jaw, eye, and head.  The main nerve feeding one side of your face, running through your temple area, is called the Trigeminal nerve, which branches into an upper, middle, and lower nerve.  Neuralgia is a word used to say “pain”.

Glossopharyngeal Neuralgia is the term used to describe pain on one side of the throat and the back of the tongue.

I’m writing about this because recently this has been a problem for me.

I have been to the dentist three times to check different teeth (the pain migrates), and to the doctor twice to try to rule out sinus infection and ear infection.  It was none of those. I will be scheduling something with the neurologist soon.  I also went to a lyme literate nurse practitioner to look into chronic Lyme disease.  I have that too, and I think that is contributing to my nerve pain.  I have also discovered that stress or unhappy thoughts trigger the pain!

I am on a rotation of painkillers constantly to keep the pain under control.  I go from Acetaminophen to Naproxen sodium to Ibuprofen.  Plus, I must rest frequently to avoid triggering the pain, and also avoid any unpleasant thoughts or tasks.  Not easy to live this way because there are typically things necessary in life that are not pleasant to deal with.

I am learning a new protocol for coping with the limitations and giving myself permission to rest and let go of any unnecessary stress.  Now that I understand what this is, my heart goes out to other sufferers.  I am exploring options, but some are not very attractive, such as cutting the nerve so the side of the face is numb.  Can you imagine always smiling like you are shot full of the dentist’s numbing agents!  Yikes!  One time the medicine at the dentist got up to my eye somehow, and I couldn’t shut it without help.  We taped it shut until the numbness wore off!

If anyone has something to share about this awful condition, please feel free to comment and share experiences or advise.  Thank you!

New pasture for the horses.

About Michele, My Horses, On The Farm, Paradise

The neighbor behind us used to have sheep in this pasture. Unfortunately the sheep were killed by coyotes and the pasture has been farrow for a few years. I finally got a hold of our neighbor and he said I could use the pasture for our horses.

I built a little gate and let them out into the long grass. They wandered around a while looking bewildered but now they are grazing up close to our back fence. I guess they don’t want to get too far away from home.

I can’t say I blame them. I love being here myself.

Finally got all the shingles on the fancy roof.

About Michele, Building Cool Stuff, Cheryl's Studio

I’m so excited I can now move on to the pop out windows which will be in the open triangle spaces below the upper roof. After that I will put in the large triangle windows for the loft area on all four sides of the building.

Working on construction in my life reminds me of sewing a dress one seam each day. The process takes a long time but eventually I end up with a finished product.

This sort of reminds me of the baby steps I take in my life. Moving slowly through life’s lessons I sometimes wonder if I’m making any progress… But looking back on everything I accomplished I realize how much I’ve learned. Realizing that life is a series of baby steps helps me feel happier and more content with the process.

Perspectives and the Subconscious

About Michele, Art : Drawing; Painting; Fiber; Etc., Emotional Health

 

I have had a recurring dream, at least once a year, of being at high school or college, not remembering my class schedule, where my locker is, or the combination.  Finally getting to my class only to find it is over, I’ve missed most of the semester, and I have not paid my tuition, or I haven’t graduated yet.  I think this is often a recurring dream for many people.

Last night my “recurring” dream was dramatically different.  I dreamed I was at high school.  I knew my schedule.  I knew where my locker was.  My books were in order.  I was part of the popular group of kids, which was not true in real life high school for me, and I was actually helping incoming freshmen know where to go and what to do at the school on that opening day.

As I lay in bed pondering this huge shift in my school dream, I realized it had something to do with feeling like I belonged with a group of people in a learning environment.  Here’s what I believe triggered this change of perspective and also the shift in my dreaming.

On Saturday I went with my daughter to a huge gathering of the guilds (art guilds) at the Oregon Convention Center because she had a ceramic piece on display there through her high school.  I decided to wear the yellow and grey outfit I made and the felted necklace I made to go with the outfit.  I even put on some makeup, which I seldom do normally.  I wanted to fit in and feel confident among all those accomplished artists.  As I walked through and around the many booths at the convention center, I was repeatedly stopped by others who commented on my unusual necklace, telling me how gorgeous it was!  I was very  pleased having others appreciate my work.  It was validating to me.

As I was talking with another fiber artist at her booth, she encouraged me to join the Portland Weavers Guild because it is open to all fiber artists.  She suggested that I would find my tribe there.  I felt so excited about the idea I went home and began researching the guild.  I decided I would join.

When I dream about Trackerschool I always feel completely at home and part of that tribe.  Now I have another tribe to feel at home in.  I think it is interesting that Trackerschool did not change my high school recurring dreams, but meeting these other artists and being invited to join their group did.

Connections and relationships are what life is all about in my opinion!