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Tuesday, January 26

One of my favorite things in life...

stuff i want to do

So, one of my favorite things in life is my creative women's nonbookclub, just a club... we started off with a book and then dropped the book and kept the food, wine, creative projects, & lots of laughter...

This was our latest project from our sweet visitor Kelley over at Fogarty Ranch...
http://fogartyfam.blogspot.com/
She posted hers too. super easy. really fun to make & share with each other. it was cool to see how different our all were.

So here are the rules & instructions to create with your own nonbookclub:
1.)Pick a word for the year. A word you want to focus on. Mine is acceptance. I need it all the way around.
2.)Watercolor fun designs on cardstock.
3.)Write down fun stuff you'd like to do this year.
Key word is fun.
fun.
No beating yourself up, "I suck" stuff.
Okay. I admit. I kinda broke the rules with lose weight & spend less money, ut I just felt like I had to get those down before I could do the fun stuff.

Anyway, fun to do. fun to share. I'll let you knowabout my progress...
if you get around to making one in any form, please share yours...

Awkward Moments...

I love this picture. Here is a classic awkward/annoyed look from a coffee-drinker as I try to take photos of my work in the Pannikin. I'm going to try again tomorrow... and be brave and just take pics & really annoy people...







Friday, January 22

Making My First Art Journal


I'm making my first art journal ever.
so fun.
so free.
no rules.
I don't even have to show anyone...
it's all mine.

equally as fun and inspiring fun, is to peek into the journals of so many talented artists/bloggers/friends and see their hearts and style and talent poured out on paper.

I'm still feeling wiped out by the holidays. really feeling the january blahs. so hardto give myself a swift kick in the pants...and I'm wondering if I'll ever find balance... or is this ebb and flow just a part of life.

I get so caught up in a my art and paint and paper... that I exhaust myself and my family and relationships and responsibilities suffer... laundry threatens to eat us alive...

I need
to stop.
and sit.
and be.

I know this.
I already know this in my brain.
why is it so hard to do?
every day.

even now,
at 2:30 in the morning.
i just want to go
and go.
and go.
and do.

my goal.
my hope.
my focus
is to be.
that's it.

to sit
and receive
and get filled up.
so that i have something to give
the people I love.

I went back to Oswald Chambers in My Utmost today.
It made me so happy.
Such wisdom and truth:

January 21st:
Am I as spontaneously kind to God as I used to be,
or am I only expecting God to be kind to me?
...There is no joy in the soul that has forgotten what God prizes.

Off to journal...

Saturday, January 9


I love this quote. Thank you, George.

It's such a great reminder. It's not to late. It's never too late.

New stuff I want to try:
journaling
encaustics
transfers
paper clay
stiching
saving my pennies for fun markers...

I'm so inspired by the melange on etsy team group right now. wow... I'm just feeling... scattered. unfocused. a little overwhelmed. not knowing which direction to go in next.

I think I just need to be quiet for a little bit. slow down. breathe. The baby just went to sleep so I think I'll do just that...

Friday, January 8

A Beautiful Day...

I swear that January is the best month in San Diego.
The sun is bright, not overcast.
The tempurature is perfect.
And I can wear a scarf.


Papa & Jack at the beach
Such a fun day today.
Ate great Mexican food and walked on the beach with Mimi & Papa.
Discovered, explored, puttered around.
Climbed in the wagon. Climbed out of the wagon. x 100


Jack exploring in the back yard.
One of his favorite things to do, of course.
I love this picture. It totally captures his serious look.
He gets so serious about his exploring outside.
He loves this birch tree.
He loves to shake the branches &
make the whole tree shake &
then he giggles with pride and delight.

so thankful for these moments.

A year of trying stuff on...



Here is one of my latest. I just got it back from the printer & I love the way all of the prints turned out. I always do. The detail is really amazing. You can really see the layers of paper and paint... Thank you Jim!

I also just got my first wholesale order of cards for the giftshop at Sharp Mesa Vista Hospital, which is a whole nother thing I need to learn how to do... but I'm really excited to try out the world of wholesale and see if it's a good fit for me.

Last year was a big year for me.
A lot of trying on,
seeing what fits,
seeing what makes my butt look enormous,
seeing what makes my heart leap.

A review of 2009:
*March
My work was in a show at Park Cities Presbyterian Church in Dallas. It sold. So fun. So encouraging.
*April
My work was in Art Show at the Dog Show in Kansas. 3 of my favorite collages I've done.
*April
Showed my work in Honey's cafe for the 2nd time.
*June
Started my blog! Entered an incredible community of mixed media artists & friends. Total encouragement & learning...
*August:
1st outdoor show: Carlsbad's Art Walk. Didn't sell anything, but learned a lot.
*October:
2nd outdoor show: Carlsbad Street Fair. I actually made some sales.
So fun, so encouraging.
*December:
20 sales on Etsy.
Joined the Melange on etsy team. super encouraging.

Where to go from here?
There are so many things I want to do in this new year,
but most of all I want to continue to try things on,
to see what fits,
to grow up and become who I really am,
to find out what I was created for...
what an adventure is this life we've been given.
a pure gift.

So what is it that makes your heart leap? Let me know...

Tuesday, January 5

Believe in the Beauty of Your Dreams


I love this quote from Eleanor Roosevelt. The baby boy is at grandma's house and I am madly trying to get all of the details wrapped up to hang new work in the Pannikin in Encinitas & Del Mar. I'll take lots of pictures & get back to you.

Sunday, January 3

Thoughts on Ghandi...



I just finished this piece. I have loved Ghandi ever since I saw the movie in my world civilizations class with Mr. Heflin in 9th grade. It changed my life.

I have thought about him often, through different seasons of my life. One little man with courage and tenacity changed the world. peacefully. wow.

truth is so much more intriguing than any fiction one could invent.
so here it is...

my resolution is a long list of ways to be a better me. the
mom
wife
friend
teacher
artist
daughter
housekeeper
neighbor
fill-in-the-blank here

that I want to be.

it is probably the same list I had last year and probably the same list I'll have next year.

this year I want to go a little easier on myself and others. to find joy in acceptance. to take time for important stuff. and to remember these words. i want to be the change that i want to see in my world.

Saturday, January 2

Today...


Growing up my grandfather had a wooden plaque on the side of his kitchen cabinet with this saying on it. I would always ask him what it meant and he would read it to me again and again. I would say, "No, what does it really mean?!? Really?"

Now I love this saying and thought it was appropriate for the new year. Wishing you many blessings in therest of yoru life today...