I finally got a little bit of painting out of my system. I think I just needed to start, pick up the brush and paint anything, letting it grow on it’s own. That’s exactly what happened.

I painted in my red rosin journal and just started with a circle which turned into an oval and then a face. And without thinking too much, a house appeared, some trees, the sun and moon and finally an ascending path.

Sometimes I think too much! It felt good to play, let loose and rise above my own expectations.  Ahhhhhhh, pure bliss.

1. Untitled, 2. Wake up…, 3. Mr. Sun, 4. Mexicano pouch, 5. Untitled, 6. granny circles, 7. Laura’s Loop: Heart and Arrow Pincushion, 8. little projects., 9. Diana’s scarf

I never decided what it was I wanted to paint, but I did doodle a few things in my sketch pad and I created a mosaic from flickr favorites of things that are making me happy today.

I finally got to sit down and paint today.  It felt so good to get my hands messy again.  It’s been a while.

These are 3 x 3 inch canvas with layers of paper, paint and encaustic medium.

My hubby helped me hammer teeny little nails in the sides so that I could add wire for them to hang.

They will be are in my shop tomorrow now(!), in case you are looking for a gift for a special someone.

This was going to be my painting for Illustration Friday last week, but I just now finished it. I would love to be sitting in a place like she is, right  now.

I am feeling the need to keep myself grounded these days. With all the possibility of the new year in front of me, I feel a bit overwhelmed with not getting it all done. I feel like sometimes, my creative energy is too fast and furious.  I feel ideas come to me and they start building up, and up until I feel like I might explode and I feel this incredible urgency to do something with ALL of them. Other times, I feel like there are no ideas at all.

I should let them flow through me instead, picking only things that feel really good and right. Maybe, it wouldn’t seem so up and down.  I have to constantly remind myself to take deep breathes and just do what I love.  I will still thrive, even if I don’t get everything done.

Acrylic paint on heavy weight watercolor paper
Hung with an old hanger from the thrift store.

Thrive (verb)
1. to prosper; be fortunate or successful.
2. to grow or develop vigorously; flourish
Synonyms: advance, arrive, bear fruit, bloom, blossom, boom, burgeon, develop, flourish, get ahead, get places, get there, grow, increase, make a go, mushroom, progress, prosper, radiate, rise, shine, shoot up, succeed, turn out well, wax

I have a really good feeling about this year.  Something just felt off last year. It wasn’t bad, I just felt a little off my game for some reason — can’t explain it.  This year though, I have a really good feeling about.  It feels full of possibility and greatness.

I knew what my word for this year would be on December 31st.  It just jumped right at me and I felt an, “oh yeah, this is it” feeling. I want to thrive in my health, in my creativeness (blog and shop), my family, friendships, my garden…in everything.

This year I will be 40 (in two weeks, actually) and I am really excited about it.  I’m going to NYC to celebrate with my hubby and I have plans to do something fun and funky with my hair (not too crazy – I have a conservative dress code to deal with). I’m not letting that age thing get me down. I think it has only been getting better.

Anyway, I’m just feeling excited, hopeful and full of possibility and wanted to somehow translate that into a bright, cheerful painting in my art journal.

Have you picked a word yet?  I’d love to hear it.

“How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.” – Anne Frank

“You don’t face your fears, you stand up to them.” – Brian Clark

“You must give up the life you planned in order to have the life that is waiting for you.” – Joseph Campbell

“If you want to improve, be content to be thought foolish and stupid.” – Epictetus

“It takes but one positive thought when given a chance to survive and thrive to overpower an entire army of negative thoughts.”- Robert H. Schuller

“Cheerfulness is the atmosphere in which all things thrive”- Jean Paul Richter

“A garden requires patient labor and attention. Plants do not grow merely to satisfy ambitions or to fulfill good intentions. They thrive because someone expended effort on them.” -Liberty Hyde Bailey

Lots of new stuff in my shop!!

Magnet Sets:: Necklaces::Rings::Cards::Memo Holders

Last day to order is December 18th, then the shop will be closed for the holidays!

Today was my second successful art and craft fair.

I have to admit that the day started out a bit funky.  I went to bed too late and got up early to run around the house with my head cut off (note to self, do not work the day before craft fair).  Once I got to the venue, I was a bit worried no one would come.  Then, my original set-up idea fell apart because the wind decided to pick up and start blowing everything over.  Urg!!!

I had wanted two poles on each side of me with a wire of my prints.  I also spray painted a huge clip board  with magnetic paint (that wasn’t very magnetic) to hang a few prints on as well. It all looked so nice set up in my back yard(should have taken a picture).  But that wind had other plans!!! I had to scrap the poles and the board.  Once I finally got everything STUCK in place with poster putty, I felt a little deflated.  AND I was worried that there wouldn’t be very many people making it to this small event.  Oh well, I thought.  This will be good experience.

Little did I know that my art would be so well received! I did what you guys told me.  I accepted credit cards (Square, I love you) and I did bundle pricing.  I also added cards with my art on them and they were a huge hit. My art prints were a huge hit too.  I think it really helped to see them framed.

More things to remember for next time….

* Get a bigger table. We almost did this the night before, but everything was too crazy and we didn’t have time.

* Take water and snacks!!! How could have I forgotten this!

*  Take newspaper and big bags.  I sold two large pieces and was not prepared for that!!

* Still need to work on a better set up.  I’ve been collecting ideas over on Pinterest.

What I loved….

* It is so fun to chat with people.

* Fun to meet other artsy/crafty vendors too!  Like Clare (we traded an art print for an awesome bracelet!!)

* That I am learning so much about all of this (and myself).

* I especially adored all the little girls coming over to my table to swoon over my necklaces and rings.  They made my day!

I will definitely be doing more art fairs.