Hurry Scurry

I have almost....yes almost finished my trades for ArtFest. I am getting awfully excited and I have been thinking about being there for months. Now to help host a baby shower, finish Bible study, make lesson plans for the sub next week, and pack! Packing should be no problem as packing my art supplies takes priority. I figure a pair of jeans and a couple sweaters...what else could I really need to wear? We'll see. I always over pack. If any sees me in the Seattle airport, I'll be the one with paint oozing out of my suitcase and bits of fluttering ephemera will be in a scattered in a trail where ever I go. I'm sure I'll have lots to tell when I return and loads of pictures.

So Much Art...So Little Time

This weekend will be dedicated to creating trade items for Art Fest. It's amazing how quickly it is coming up. I hope to get several ATC's made and maybe some charms to swap while I am there. I also have been working on designing business cards. I'm thinking of either going with Vista or Moo. The option of Moo Minis is great, but Vista is more affordable. Anyone have their favorites?
I'm struggling to come up with an idea that is not trite for this month's Sketchbook Challenge, "spilling over". I'll share when I decide on a few sketches. Given the stress of work lately I am finding I more and more want to draw, paint... just make art! So much so that I am dreaming of the day I leave full time work to focus on creating.  If you haven't seen it, there is a great article in the new Somerset Studio on Kelly Rae Roberts. Happy weekend!

Six More Weeks

I cannot believe in six weeks I'll be in Seattle. Being able to go to Art Fest this year has been the carrot I've chased to get me through the past few months. I was in Kelly Rae Roberts' Flying Lessons online class last summer. She told how Art Fest was what really got her to decide to become an artist and to take a leap of faith. ( I am paraphrasing of course) When I saw registration was open I decided I needed to take the leap and go...just go. Do you ever get an instinctual feeling that something wonderful is going to happen? That's the way I've felt lately. Like this is the beginning of what I've always wanted to do. Make art.

I had forgotten how much I really enjoy drawing and painting. I've been sketching for the Sketchbook Challenge and I find myself lost in it. Here is one sketch I did for the February theme of opposites.

Apples and Oranges
I'm working now on ATC's and other trades. I'll share later as I don't want to give away any surprises. I suppose I should also work on how to pack one suitcase with art supplies and a little bit of clothing.

Walking in a Winter Wonderland

We came within a few hours of having a White Christmas this year. While it does snow in our area sometimes, it usually comes in January or February. We also usually get only a couple of inches.

We measured 7.5 inches in the morning, but we maybe had more as it kept coming down all day.

Here are a few more photos of our winter wonderland.

Merry Christmas Eve

The stockings are hung

The tree is decorated

Visions of sugarplums, um I mean tuna fish, are dancing in his head

Wishing you lots of

this Christmas and a happy, healthy New Year 

with loads of love like this. (No, they have not

been good cats as you can see by the torn upholstery.)

But they know they are loved anyway.

Merry Christmas!

So Blessed

Why do we take so long to appreciate the blessings we have? I know I get caught up in the everydayness of life and before I know it a month or year has passed. My brothers and I planned a surprise for my mom's 80th birthday. We did not tell her we were coming home and just showed up through out the day. She certainly was surprised and pleased I think.

This experience was so precious. We have not all been together at one time in such a long time. I am just coming to the acceptance that my parents will not be with us forever. That is such a hard thing when in my mind I have never existed without them. Who knows though as not only do I have both my parents but my Dad still has all his sisters and a brother. As he likes to say "in our family we have long livers". Anyway, I am going to make a conscious effort to enjoy my blessings every day.

I sometimes wonder how I got so many wonderful friends also. This is my goddaughter that recently was  married. I feel so blessed that her parents asked me to be her godmother. I wrote in a past blog that I had made some earrings for a wedding. This is one of the earrings on the ear of the lovely maid of honor.

I was pleased with the way they turned out as I have not done a lot of work with beads. They really looked striking when you could see the coordination with the bridesmaid dresses.

I have also been creating a bit when I can squeeze in some time after work. These are all earrings that I've completed lately.

Enjoy the blessings of your day today!

Dear Blog,

After quite some absence from blog land, I'm back! Seems that when I went back to work after the summer break it was difficult to find the time and energy to actually sit, think and write. There have been many changes on the work front and I have not been in the frame of mind I need to be to be creative. Some responsibilities have been completed so I am hoping to find my muse again.

Fall has finally arrived in NC after what would more likely be described as an Indian Summer. I have the most beautiful ginkgo tree across the street from my house and it has been gradually turning a bright yellow over the past few weeks.

Almost all have fallen now and it seems like golden snowflakes have drifted down to the street creating a soft hushed sound as I walk through them.

So dear blog I'll be back soon with jewelry pieces I made while taking an online class with Deryn Mentock and Sharon Tomlinson called Towers and Turrets. Great fun!