Chunky Bunny

I'm not sure if I should even tell this "tale from the Raspberry Rabbits." I always say that I am a crazy bunny lady, but I've never been sure of how many people actually paid attention. I'm almost 100% positive that after you read this post, you will concur that I am indeed a crazy bunny lady.

I get the friendly reminder from the vet that it is time for Razzy and Chloe's six month checkup. Being the ever good bunny mommy that I am, I schedule said appointment for checkup. You see, bunnies teeth grow like fingernails and if the bunnies are doing as they should when they eat and play with toys, the teeth file themselves down. However, Razzy has two back teeth that can be a bit naughty, so every six months I have them checked. I'll clip toenails, but I'm not about to file teeth. Eeeewwww!

So, Saturday morning we make our way to the vet. Mind you, the vet is a 2 1/2 hour drive, one way, from our home. My kids must be taken to the specialist vet that deals with exotic pets. Bunnies are exotic you know. I load the kids up in their "to go box" with plenty of hay for snacking. I have to stop and get gas. Yikes! $56.00 to fill the tank. Puke! More on this later.

We get to the exotic vet and as usual, we are treated with the utmost kindness. The vet tech puts Razzy in the plastic bucket to be weighed. I ask how he is doing. She replies, he has gained weight. What?????? He has 340 square feet to run and play in. He has an entire jungle gym on my studio floor. His diet is perfect. I mean bunnies don't eat carbs! How can this be??? Then.... the Dr. arrives. I love Dr. Leonatti. She is so kind. However, she calls Razzy "Chunky Bunny." Oh no.... I have a chunky bunny! She reviews his diet, which, like I said is perfect. She then says that I need to get him to exercise. How the ?x*&5@ do I do that? What can I say? He's lazy. He uses all 340 square feet of play area to find the best spot to sleep! Chloe loves to run and play and get in trouble. Razzy likes to flop on his side and take a nice nap! He got lazy after I got him neutered. As a bunny in puberty, he use to chase me around, grunting, trying to hump my leg. Now, privates removed, he's lazy!!

Anyway, she says his teeth have a little bit of a point, but seeing as HE SEEMS TO HAVE NO TROUBLE EATING, we will let them go until November. I promise to work out an exercise routine for him and promise that when he comes back in November, he will be Razzy the stud muffin. As for Chloe, she is perfect as always. Princess that she is....

I'm going to add my "IGF",( I'm grateful for's") here tonight instead of the end like I usually do. Being that it's Memorial Day, I want to say that I'm so incredibly grateful for all the men and women who protect our country. Those that give their all each and every day to give us freedom and all the things we seem to take for granted. Right now, I have a friend who is in the Navy on a humanitarian mission. The stories and pictures she sends are so humbling. I want to thank all those that make it possible for America to be the best place in the entire world to live. I mean when I think about it, where else do we have the freedom to work and earn money to pay $4.00 a gallon for gas, spend 5 hours and $56 on the road traveling to an exotic vet that will charge us $382 to tell us we have a CHUNKY BUNNY! No where. Most countries, we would have to eat the chunky bunny for dinner. GOD BLESS THE USA!!!! GOD BLESS OUR TROOPS!!!!

Love to all,

Shell, the crazy bunny lady (do you believe me now?)

Enter as Strangers. Leave as Friends...

Did you know? I didn't. It's National Friends Week. Of course there are tons and tons of national this and national that, but the more I thought about National Friends week, the more I loved it! Especially with blog land, we all enter as strangers and leave as friends.

I started thinking about all the different friends I have. Hmmm, there is the "Best" friend, which there can only be one. Beth your it. I think this person has to know you a very, very long time. This is a person who can tolerate all your weirdo quirks, listen to you when you need it and still love you when you are a total dork-wad. I read once that a best friend knows you before you became who you are. Such as, Shell before she was Shell the project manager, artist, wife, workaholic, silly girl, crazy bunny lady, anal cleaning finatic! I was just "Shell." Cool, I'll buy that.

However, then there are the soul mates you marry that become your best friends (yes, David is my true honey bunny). There are the book club friends, who are fabulous ladies and oh so entertaining. There are the friends that touch your life and become family, Ma and Pa, Michelle and Mommy Syl. Friends you meet through groups such as Make Mine Pink that form a sisterhood. Friends that you turn to for honest, opinions, advice and ideas, Lyd and John. Friends that are your family Bess Anne. Friends that you find through art groups. Friends that you make while building their dream home. Friends that live far away, but you miss and love so much, Fweesha, John, Goldie and Vikki. Friends you meet through magazines and teaching, Dawn. Friends that come each and every week to read your blabbing on a blog. My goodness! It's fabulous! When I think of all my friends, I can smile for years!!!

Of course, I can't forget the friends we find in animals. My precious bunnies and the friends I have met because of my precious bunnies. Visit http://www.potentiallynervous.blogspot.com/ (this is my favorite blog in the whole wide world!) Above are pictures of my newest, little, friend that hopped into my yard and into my heart. Of course I had to name it. It's name is Silfay (read the book Watership Down). This precious little creature appeared yesterday. I simply had to share carrots and lettuce with it (Razzy and Chloe don't mind as they have plenty like most spoiled children). I hope it grows up in my yard and has a happy little life. I pray no naughty-mean owls, dogs, cats or other critters give it a hard time. It is my little yard friend that graces me with it's presence and makes my heart happy. Oh what a wonderful thing.... National Friend Week, what a great week it is!

Cheers to you all!!! If you get 4 minutes and 3 seconds... hit the play button on my playlist (scroll down the left side. There is a song that I'm sending to all of you). You entered as strangers and became my friends. Love to you all.

Hugs and bunny kisses,

Shell

This week IGF living in the USA with no earthquake. Having friends to share my life.

Today's saying is "Frou Frou"

Ahhhh, my three favorite colors, pink, yellow and green. I just love this combination. Those of you that know me, know my house is a haven or roses, rabbits and these three fabulous colors. I never tire of them. They're so soothing, comforting and peaceful.

So why is it that this book I made at Art and Soul has blue and purple? Well, because it was the first class I took and I went with the flow of what Beth mixed up in the containers. Because most artists like bright, vibrant, vivid colors. Because most of the inks and paints that the instructors brought for us to use were not soft and "frou, frou." Because, unlike everyone else, I'm a "frou frou" artist! However, every class after this one, my artwork was pink, yellow and green and well... very "frou frou." It was actually quite comical because several gals were in the other classes with me and remarked on my elegant, soft colors and the pink. They even commented on how my art matched my rosey, pink, "frou frou" apron. I'm sure they may have been secretly sneering or puking just a little as I was the only one in all of the classes with this type of art, but I truly didn't care. I am who I am. After all, I'm a proud member of Make Mine Pink http://www.makeminepink.com/ I love my pink sisters!

However, with all that said, I truly love this book even if it is blue and purple. All the pages are handmade. We did a color wash technique and dried the pages on plastic. The outside of the book was a different technique with paper paste, rubber stamps, stencils and color washes. It was messy. It was sticky and it was so much fun. The book was hand stitched together and the biding has decorative beads that I sewed onto it. It's the first book I ever made and it was fabulous. I'm sure some of you don't quite get it (like my darling husband), but it's just a book of pretty papers and designs. It's art, not a novel. It's pretty, that's it. Our instructor, Albie Smith, was awesome! What a fabulous lady. She was very proud of us and we were proud of ourselves. The process was so much fun that I want to make another book. Of course, this one will be pink, yellow and green and just scream, you guessed it, "frou frou."

Have a good week,

Shell

This week IGF knowing who I am and liking myself anyway and the family that lost their home to a tornado yesterday found their pet bunny safe and sound hopping around the destroyed living room.

Art for my Soul

It came, it went. The Art and Soul retreat in Hampton, Virginia. I registered for classes back in November. My best friend, Beth, and I decided to give ourselves a 40th birthday present while we celebrated being best friends for 28 years. We met when we were 12. We made art together all the time. We were in art classes when we were little and to this day, we still love to create art together. What better way to celebrate than going to an art retreat. This is a picture of me and Beth. A little blurry because people can't operate my camera. Having a best friend like Beth is a true gift.

From the minute we got to the hotel on Wednesday, I knew we were in for a special treat. What a fabulous room! The people were so friendly and kind. Artists are usually like that. To be surrounded by some of the most incredible artist was so inspiring. We took classes every day from 9 until 4:30 and then again from 6:30 to 9:00 pm. We were tired, but not in the "gotta go to work and deal with crap" kinda way.

For the first time in years, my mind was free from responsibility and all I had to do was let my soul be and create. The paints, the inks, the glue's, the papers! The kindest people coming up to the breakfast table and asking if they could join us. Learning about their lives and their art was so much fun. I met so many artist that I have admired in my beloved Somerset Magazines. To see them and their work in person was a totally thrilling experience. To learn more about them on a personal level was even better.

I met a lady named Jo who is an incredible bead artist. Here is a picture of her holding a gourd that she painted and the beaded. It took her 2 years to create this masterpiece. She has won numerous awards and money for this one of a kind piece. The detail was amazing. She gave Beth and me a lesson on beading and we would love to go visit her in Williamsburg, VA for some classes. She was so nice.

For years I have admired the work of mixed media artist, Beryl Taylor. To meet her in person and be able to take a class from her was the icing on the cake. I could look at her art for hours and never tire of it. She is an incredible lady who is so funny and so incredibly kind. I could also listen to her talk all day long. She is from England. She signed her book for me Mixed Media Explorations and this is a picture of her and me and some of her beautiful work. She creates fabric from paper and that is what she taught us to do. I will be making a lot of this. It's so fun!

I will never forget this trip and I would love to go on another one. Maybe next time I can go to the one in Portland, OR. Maybe one day I could even go to the one in Italy. Hmmm, better start saving for that one. Of course, Beth will have to go with me. Best Friends Forever....

I'll put pictures of my work up as I finish them. I took 6 classes and learned so much. I want to take my time finishing the projects so I can hang them on the walls in "Bunnyville" (what I have named my studio).

Have a great week. Hugs to all and I encourage you to purchase art for your soul. It's good for you. Remember, no mass produced, fall apart Walmart! Buy original, buy handmade!

Shell

This week IGF having a best friend for 28 years and being able to shed responsibilities and just play for 5 days.