Category Archives: Journaling

In The Garden

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With the weather getting nicer each day, the birds are singing, skies are blue, air is fresh, and life is good!  I’ve been negligent lately in writing, sketching, and posting.. I’m sorry, somehow I just can’t seem to get to doing what I love to do.  Everything seems to be pulling me in all different directions, and I mean everything!

My love is creating!  I’ve always said, if I have a paint brush in my hand, I’m happy!  It’s been this way since I was very small.  So, I know how to lose myself in my art, or even my studio.  Actually, the studio is much easier to lose myself in!  The drawings above art something I’ve been working on in-between all the other things that are pulling at me.  Just for fun, I thought I’d put them up to look at.  Maybe they will inspire someone else to stop, take a breath, and sketch a little!

A friend of mine once told me that the thing we love the most, is the very thing we seem to push away when things get hectic!  He was an artist, and very aware of how we side step our art when we feel stressed, or don’t have the time.  If when we get a pay check, we should pay ourselves first in the form of saving money, then shouldn’t we put that stress releaser  first,  at a time when we are way too busy for our own good?  I think we should!

Here and now I’m giving myself permission to be more gentle with myself, and instead of trying to do it all…….

Officially…..I’m just not going to worry about it!

From now on my art comes first, unless of course, someone is sick, starving, needs a walk, or some other perceived demise.

Guess what?  there is always someone who thinks what they have going on is more important than what I have going on!  Just today, I was sitting writing a little something on Plinky.   I’m right in the middle putting my thoughts down,  and my husband walks into the room, starts talking to me, & asking for my help.  Now the help he wanted was not an emergency, so it could have waited.  I asked him if he was aware that I was in the middle of something that was important to me?  His reply was, “I see that but, what I’m doing  is more important!”  Bless his heart!

This is what I mean.  interruptions from everywhere, at any time.  So the beat goes on……

I have decided I would spend a little time every morning journaling.  Visual journaling that is.  I’m writing to my muse.  You see, she hasn’t been playing with me, and that’s part of my problem.  I know it sounds crazy, but isn’t she the one who helps inspire me, keeps me going, and all that jazz?  We’ll,  she is falling down on the job — big time!  I’m in desperate need of her friendship at the moment.

This is how it is around here right now, and by the way, I have to go.  The dog needs a walk, and I have things to do.  We’ll talk soon!

The Week Before Easter

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It’s spring break

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Around here the traffic is heavy, the restaurants are packed, shopping is difficult, & finding a parking spot nearly impossible! I say this only because, I’m not the one on spring break. Not me, I’m older than dirt, and all we do is complain about the “young wiper snappers!”

Not So…

I rarely complain, except to complain to a complainer about their complaining! As a matter of fact, I make it a practice to say only good things, and if I ever say anything bad about anyone, I always say,  “Bless their heart!” One of my friends told me that you can say anything you want about anyone without consequences, if you follow it with “Bless their heart!” That’s how you get away without being struck dead by lightning and stuff!

The week before Easter…

That was the week it turns out was my grandson Connor’s spring break, and this is where he landed. Yep that’s right, here at grandmas house. Sounds quaint doesn’t it? My son-in-law John is still here working in my son’s yard next door, so there is a slight distraction for Connor. He comes here with his dad, and gets to catch lizards, work in my studio, swim, or today he brought his metal detector.

Cool…

It would have been cool if he had found the treasure he was looking for. I guess it’s the kind of thing you have to practice doing for a long time in order to find truck loads of money!  Connor is a determined kid, and smart also, so if there is money to be found, I’m guessing he’ll find it!  And I’m hoping he finds it here so I get it, and I can get away with giving him a finder’s fee!

It’s been a long week!

By the end of the week, Connor was ready to stay home, Grandpa was ready for some peace and quiet, and I was ready to paint. I have to admit, it’s difficult to find energy to stand and paint when it’s been a zoo all week. But, small blocks of time to paint are possible, and that’s where I’ll be, in my studio painting, if anyone wants to find me!

An Art Date At The Park!

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Just Around The Corner

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Just when I thought I was out of the woods, it hit me…

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Every year I make special Valentine cards, or ATC’s for my four grandkids and send them.  They are made with much love, and each one  is different.  The kids love getting them in the mail, and they are  always saved in a special place when Valentine’s Day is over.  I thought about this project maybe three weeks ago, just about the time I was crashing from exhaustion due to the holidays. I thought I had plenty of time!  And that was the last time I thought about Valentines!  Until now!

Now I’m thinking – “Why did I wait so long, it’s just around the corner?”  Not one thought until today!  So today is sketching, and thinking of exactly what I want to create.  After sketching a few simple Valentines, and what I might want to do, the ideas started rolling through my mind.  I think something different might be appreciated, so the hearts will hang three together, one below the other.  Maybe my pasta machine will magically appear!  I could roll some clay, cut out hearts of all sizes, and bake them.  Or, maybe I could make them out of felt , or wax paper with something pressed  between two heart-shaped  pieces.  The last two choices are pretty simple and take practically zero time to make.  But if the pasta machine comes willingly from its hiding place, that might be more fun.  Decorating the edges, writing messages in the centers of the hearts, it could be fun!  I have included some pictures of past valentines for you to see.  Maybe they will kick-start your ideas, or email me your valentines, and I’ll put them up on the next post!

Sometimes the simple things get me going…

These are all simple solutions for creating a Valentine surprise, but it’s funny how something so simple can awaken your muse, and start everything flowing again.  Especially since I feel frozen in time this winter!  I’m not going to lie, every winter I feel the cold, and dampness, and all I really want to do is curl up, and watch a movie – or in this case watch Season 1 and 2 of Downton Abby!  I am officially addicted to this series, and aside from it being really good, I couldn’t even tell you what pulls me in!

So Here It is…

If anyone out there plans to create something for Valentine’s Day, it’s a great time to start!   My sketch is made, but my ideas continue rolling in, and all that has to happen now is the pasta machine needs to find its way to my art table….

Dear Pasta Machine,  I promise to spit shine you when you get here!

Reflections: 100 Is The New 78…

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Recently I wrote a paragraph on “100 Year Old Me!” One of the responses I received was the one below. It was cleverly written, and since I enjoyed it so much, I thought you might enjoy it also.

Reflections: 100 Is The New 78….

Fake It ‘Till You Make It!

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WordPress has many helpful posts that enable a blogger like myself to see their evil ways. At the beginning of December, my intention was to catch up on all the changes, and helpful tips WordPress had to teach me. I’ve seen my evil ways…and now I want to change them! Well, it probably will happen […]

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