I made a short visit to Hobby Lobby a few days ago, after I had my second set of x-rays done. I bought more white pens, and a set of black as well. It seems every pen I have is dying at the same time. Haha. I found a huge wall stencil on clearance for just over $3 bucks. It is tree branches with birds. I am excited to put it to use. I also found a lazy Susan supply holder, but I am still debating if it is going to work.

A few months ago, I had perfect timing. Hobby was having a huge clearance sale on paper pads and sketchbooks. I grabbed up as much as I could. Haha. For less than $30.00:

1 – Lg Canson Mixed Media sketchbook $17.79 for $4.44
2 – 7 x 10 Canson Mixed Media sketchbooks $10.99 for $2.74
2 – Canson Watercolor pads $10.29 for $2.57
2 – Sm Strathmore Visual Journal (under $3.00)
1 – Koh-I-Noor Sketchbook $3.25
5 – Master’s Choice 8 x 8 watercolor pads $5.99 for $1.49

I have been using the 8 x 8 pads for the first two series this month. I’ve used this paper many times. It has a very definite patterned texture. Most often it does not show up in scanning. Sometimes you can see it. For the third series, the florals, I used a Strathmore Watercolor Travel Pad. 140 Lb., 8 x 10.

Both papers are inexpensive. They do buckle when using a lot of water, but they shrink right back to flat when dry. If you tape the edges.

During my recent visit to Hobby Lobby, I did notice that the Master’s Touch paper has changed. Maybe that is why it was clearanced out. It no longer has a pattern, just a slight texture for watercolor. I will try it when I run out of what I have.

I mentioned x-rays. Yup. I had an appointment with my foot doctor. She has been treating a Planters’ Wart. I have been waiting for the referral to go through. Lupus fog kept me from realizing, I should have just called her first thing.

She looked over the x-rays that the clinic ordered. But the images cut off the top of the foot. So she ordered full x-rays of both of my feet. Three images each. She will have the results by the middle of the week. She is sure though, that I have some stress fractures. In my toes, or the bones before the toes. She said my ankle looks fine, and she did see that I have arthritis in the top of my foot. I told her I was having pain there once in a while, and in my toes as well. Toe pain on both feet.

After the bright red and deep dark purple bruises were mostly gone, my toes turned dark purple, even in between. This image is from when they were starting to lighten a bit.

She did not want to put me in a boot, she worried about my stability, having to carry the oxygen concentrator. Instead, I have to wear hard shoes, my sketchers, to support the foot.

Still, it’s a chore already. Haha. I have to wrap my foot, carefully put on socks, then the shoes. And I have to cover the shoes, (we don’t wear shoes in the house), to protect the carpet. And I scrub the soles after I have been outside. Eesh.

Haha. I feel like Frankenstein walking around in clodhoppers.

If there are fractures, I will have to wear the shoes for 6-8 weeks. Then she will have x-rays done again, to confirm they have healed.

I found some hard soled bootie slippers, and some elastic shoe covers online. That will make things easier. I sliced up an old pair of Pete’s hospital socks, to stretch over my shoes for now.

Creativity is a natural extension of our enthusiasm.
Earl Nightingale

To practice any art, no matter how well or how badly,
is a way to make your soul grow, for heaven’s sake.
So do it.
Kurt Vonnegut