Again I'm feeling blah...
could be the crummy grey weather that's plagued us all summer
could be hormones...
who knows.
there are plenty of things to keep me occupied, I just don't feel like doing ANYTHING.
But, I'm a wife and a mom so I have to!
So I'm slowly plowing through drawers and closets and getting rid of old clothes that don't fit, are worn out, out of style, etc. This creates a mixed-bag of emotions when parting with clothes 2 sizes smaller than I have to wear now. The WORST is going through baby clothes... it makes me very sad sometimes....But on the flip side it feels good to purge clutter, and hopefully someone will get good use from what I can't use anymore.
I think I need to devote at least one day a week to purging STUFF... 1st upstairs and later in the fall the basement. I don't even know half of the stuff we have down there... it's like going through a time machine finding old photographs, art supplies and projects, books and books and books!
I really should have a garage sale but I've never had one before... plus we live on a dead end street so I doubt we'd get much traffic unless 4 or 5 houses collaborated... hmmmmm.....
Anyhoo, back to the purge. Maybe after getting all of this excess out of the closets and out of the house I'll have a clearer mind and feel more at peace and motivated to create!
Have a great day!
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Focus (or lack thereof...)
Feeling unmotivated and totally lacking focus! I often complain about needing to set a course, focusing on something specific with my art, but I never seem to be able to do it. I have an idea for an August project, but fear that much like my failed 365 project it will start but never be completed. Oftentimes this causes me not to begin anything, out of the fear that I will get bored with it or run out of steam half way through it. (This is definitely why I have dig files of family photos needing to be organized and culled, closets full of clothes that need to be donated, a basement full of craft supplies and fabric that remains untouched, etc) I wonder how some artists can remain motivated and consistently continue to produce a cohesive body of work month after month, especially the ones who crank out work in one particular medium or repeatedly use the same subject matter over and over. I start new projects "guns blazing" only to quit halfway through).
Sometimes I fear that too much time spent viewing and studying the work of others overloads my brain to the point that I feel overwhelmed, and this TOTALLY screws with my focus! (I've seriously at times wondered if I have A.D.D!) My friend "Anonymous" (who feels like she's sitting on my shoulder everytime I blurt out a blogpost) would tell me that I'm simply being lazy and fearful and making more excuses. She's partly correct.
I'm a great "self-starter", just not a completer!
How do you stay motivated? Do you have a group or "tribe" of artsy friends that you can meet with to create? A supportive spouse? Do you take classes, submit to magazines, participate in contests? Share with me what keeps you going!
Sometimes I fear that too much time spent viewing and studying the work of others overloads my brain to the point that I feel overwhelmed, and this TOTALLY screws with my focus! (I've seriously at times wondered if I have A.D.D!) My friend "Anonymous" (who feels like she's sitting on my shoulder everytime I blurt out a blogpost) would tell me that I'm simply being lazy and fearful and making more excuses. She's partly correct.
I'm a great "self-starter", just not a completer!
How do you stay motivated? Do you have a group or "tribe" of artsy friends that you can meet with to create? A supportive spouse? Do you take classes, submit to magazines, participate in contests? Share with me what keeps you going!
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Once again I'm back.
It's good to be home.
Sadly it can be emotionally exhausting to visit my mother, so usually a 2 day visit is plenty. Before you get all up in arms that I'd say something that "terrible" about my mother understand this: I LOVE my mother. But she has made some choices in her life that have severely damaged her mental and physical state, and it's just very hard to witness and it leaves me feeling helpless and feeling guilty... and a little angry too.
But there were some bright moments, G's first boatride, a couple long walks in the woods, a little bit of fishing.
As for Artsy Fartsyness, I'd love to get back to doing some stuff... but I'll have to wait until next week to get back into the groove. I'm still saving my pennies for the Adobe Creative Suite, so I can teach myself vector illustration. That oughta be some hair-pulling fun!
So many things I wanna do! So many distractions!
But now, while house is quiet, I am going to put on a pot of coffee and do a little web surfing. I'd love to visit your blog or website! Leave me a comment or just say "Hi!" and I'll schwing over!
Have a GREAT day!
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Checkin' In
Hey all!
I've been hard at work baby-chasin' and trying to finish another secret-project. I am VERY happy with how the secret project turned out and hope the recipient is too. Hopefully I will be able to share it in the somewhat near future.
Unfortunately family life has me very busy, so once again I will be off from the blog for a few days!
Please stop back in Wed or Thurs when I return!!!
:c )
I've been hard at work baby-chasin' and trying to finish another secret-project. I am VERY happy with how the secret project turned out and hope the recipient is too. Hopefully I will be able to share it in the somewhat near future.
Unfortunately family life has me very busy, so once again I will be off from the blog for a few days!
Please stop back in Wed or Thurs when I return!!!
:c )
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Flowertree WIP
I haven't painted in EONS.... so I had a painting I was unhappy with, I painted over it and made this flowertree. It's in progress, and it's more of an experiment and exercise in order to loosen up with the brush once again.
I'm just going to keep experimenting by drybrushing layers over it until I feel it's done. I have a few other things I should be working on, but I feel all artistically cramped so I figured I had nothing to lose using a recycled board.
I'm just going to keep experimenting by drybrushing layers over it until I feel it's done. I have a few other things I should be working on, but I feel all artistically cramped so I figured I had nothing to lose using a recycled board.
Monday, July 13, 2009
I'm Back
Hi Friends!
It was nice taking "off" a few days from the blogging world. I highly recommend it. It actually might have been a stupid thing to do, because I've been working hard to increase my readership, and nothing kills a following more than inconsistent posting. But truthfully I think it's a good thing to do occasionally, especially during a busy summer with a busy little girl and busy little creative projects and the usual business of summer. Plus I didn't get a lot of sleep all week long... little girl goes through these lite-sleeper jags where she is up 2 or more times a night, and it makes for a very tired (exhausted!) mama.
I'm NOT one of those mommies whose trying to do it all, because I believe my head would explode. At least right now. When "Anonymous" suggested I was hiding my creative insecurities behind the guise of motherhood I should have just told "Anonymous" to "suck it." But in a way it WAS a helpful comment. Because it made me question the thought that it could possibly be true.
But it's not. I DO create while my daughter naps. (as was suggested). And I empty the dishwasher and scrub toilets and wash the floors and all the other things I can't do when she's awake and climbing onto furniture and eating the dirt from my houseplants. Because when she's awake I like to play with her.
And you know what? I'm STILL an ARTIST! WooHoo!
So there!
Anyway,
Currently I am working on several things at once, some drawing and digi stuff and some paintings. A month or so ago I bought these great (and inexpensive) wooden art-panels from Cheap Joes, inspired to paint some icon-ish angels, similiar to stuff I've admired by artist's like Julie-Ann, who creates the most beautiful and artful icons. Well, I must have been trying too hard to imitate HER style (not COPY... I would NEVER copy!!!) because my angels looked quite ppppbbblllllllttttt!, OK, so I already know the lesson: Be Yourself, but every now and then I try to push my own style using the influence of someone else. Well, it almost NEVER works. But I did learn that I LOVE painting on wood, I love the way it feels, the texture it can provide... LOVE IT! So, after feeling sad for a minute I re-covered my poor little angels with a wash of black and decided to try something else. So now they are "secret-art-angels". And I don't feel bad about painting over them, because they can be like a secret little prayer behind whatever they end up to be. Corny? Pshaw!
So that's what I'm working on.
Uh-oh, daddy's home, gotta go!!!
It was nice taking "off" a few days from the blogging world. I highly recommend it. It actually might have been a stupid thing to do, because I've been working hard to increase my readership, and nothing kills a following more than inconsistent posting. But truthfully I think it's a good thing to do occasionally, especially during a busy summer with a busy little girl and busy little creative projects and the usual business of summer. Plus I didn't get a lot of sleep all week long... little girl goes through these lite-sleeper jags where she is up 2 or more times a night, and it makes for a very tired (exhausted!) mama.
I'm NOT one of those mommies whose trying to do it all, because I believe my head would explode. At least right now. When "Anonymous" suggested I was hiding my creative insecurities behind the guise of motherhood I should have just told "Anonymous" to "suck it." But in a way it WAS a helpful comment. Because it made me question the thought that it could possibly be true.
But it's not. I DO create while my daughter naps. (as was suggested). And I empty the dishwasher and scrub toilets and wash the floors and all the other things I can't do when she's awake and climbing onto furniture and eating the dirt from my houseplants. Because when she's awake I like to play with her.
And you know what? I'm STILL an ARTIST! WooHoo!
So there!
Anyway,
Currently I am working on several things at once, some drawing and digi stuff and some paintings. A month or so ago I bought these great (and inexpensive) wooden art-panels from Cheap Joes, inspired to paint some icon-ish angels, similiar to stuff I've admired by artist's like Julie-Ann, who creates the most beautiful and artful icons. Well, I must have been trying too hard to imitate HER style (not COPY... I would NEVER copy!!!) because my angels looked quite ppppbbblllllllttttt!, OK, so I already know the lesson: Be Yourself, but every now and then I try to push my own style using the influence of someone else. Well, it almost NEVER works. But I did learn that I LOVE painting on wood, I love the way it feels, the texture it can provide... LOVE IT! So, after feeling sad for a minute I re-covered my poor little angels with a wash of black and decided to try something else. So now they are "secret-art-angels". And I don't feel bad about painting over them, because they can be like a secret little prayer behind whatever they end up to be. Corny? Pshaw!
So that's what I'm working on.
Uh-oh, daddy's home, gotta go!!!
Tuesday, July 07, 2009
Blog Break
Hello Friends!
I'm going to be taking a little "blog break", just a couple of days.
I hope you will check back next week when I return, hopefully refreshed!
:c )
Carolyn
I'm going to be taking a little "blog break", just a couple of days.
I hope you will check back next week when I return, hopefully refreshed!
:c )
Carolyn
Sunday, July 05, 2009
Funky Art Queen Banner
A banner I designed for the Funky Art Queen!
I will tell you more about it later, because right now it's a beautiful day and I want to play outside!
I hope it's nice where you are!
I will tell you more about it later, because right now it's a beautiful day and I want to play outside!
I hope it's nice where you are!
Friday, July 03, 2009
What I'm doing
... going over ideas for a project for a friend...
...trying to concentrate while being interupted 18 times by husband who is off from work today...
...chasing busy toddler who has no fear and is climbing onto of everything...
...chasing a busy toddler who is pulling everything I just straightened and folded and organized and throwing it above her head in joyful abandon...
...waiting for the sun to shine... weatherman said it would happen today after 4 solid days of clammy cloudy cool weather...
...wanting to make these...
...loving this shop...
...wishing I could lose 50lbs so I could shop at fun places like this...
...wanting to get back on the weightloss/bicycling bandwagon...
...preparing to BBQ tonight... just cheeseburgers and potato salad with hubby and little-girl...
...wondering what's wrong with my magic wand: why isn't my house clean when I wave it....
...already getting nervous about going to a wedding next week while my sister watches little-girl (I've never had someone else watch her at night-into-bedtime... hoping it goes ok...)
...craving some time alone in my own house... just a few hours.. so I can actually complete a task...
...feeling guilty for craving alone time...
...listening to little-girl play "music" on my piano...
...looking out the window and seeing my neighbor smoking out on his driveway... SO GLAD I don't smoke anymore (even though now and again I still crave it... after 3 years!)
...feeling proud that I've remained smoke-free for 3 years
...thinking it's time to get off the blog and play with that busy-little girl!
Have a safe and happy holiday weekend!
...trying to concentrate while being interupted 18 times by husband who is off from work today...
...chasing busy toddler who has no fear and is climbing onto of everything...
...chasing a busy toddler who is pulling everything I just straightened and folded and organized and throwing it above her head in joyful abandon...
...waiting for the sun to shine... weatherman said it would happen today after 4 solid days of clammy cloudy cool weather...
...wanting to make these...
...loving this shop...
...wishing I could lose 50lbs so I could shop at fun places like this...
...wanting to get back on the weightloss/bicycling bandwagon...
...preparing to BBQ tonight... just cheeseburgers and potato salad with hubby and little-girl...
...wondering what's wrong with my magic wand: why isn't my house clean when I wave it....
...already getting nervous about going to a wedding next week while my sister watches little-girl (I've never had someone else watch her at night-into-bedtime... hoping it goes ok...)
...craving some time alone in my own house... just a few hours.. so I can actually complete a task...
...feeling guilty for craving alone time...
...listening to little-girl play "music" on my piano...
...looking out the window and seeing my neighbor smoking out on his driveway... SO GLAD I don't smoke anymore (even though now and again I still crave it... after 3 years!)
...feeling proud that I've remained smoke-free for 3 years
...thinking it's time to get off the blog and play with that busy-little girl!
Have a safe and happy holiday weekend!
Wednesday, July 01, 2009
matted Afro Beauty Purple
I'm going to try and limit my online time today!
I need to create something new!
As you can see I'm having fun with my Afro Lady. I think she is my alter-ego. I just love her. I'm offering personalized versions of her at www.crazyfunkycool.com
She can be personalized with a name, word or short phrase.
Hope you are having a productive day!!!
I need to create something new!
As you can see I'm having fun with my Afro Lady. I think she is my alter-ego. I just love her. I'm offering personalized versions of her at www.crazyfunkycool.com
She can be personalized with a name, word or short phrase.
Hope you are having a productive day!!!
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