Black and white

Just doodling with words today... maybe it will lead to some creativity, imagination and colorful dreams! :-)

Hawaii or bust!

for about 8 years, i spent about a month of the year in hawaii...  one of my favorite places on earth.  for the last few years, schedules haven't permitted but it's high on my list of things to get back to!!!  in the meantime, i'll just doodle about it...

Monday's musings

In keeping with living the life I imagined...  i must admit that many of my thoughts recently have entailed just picking up and sailing off into a beautiful sunset...  Sometimes, it's hard to remember what anchors us to a specific place.  Hopefully, it won't be too long before we're able to pick up and go with much more freedom...  First step, hoisting the sails!

Where did the weekend go?

what a lovely anniversary weekend with my handsome boy toy who knows just what to get me to make my heart pitter patter...  a beautiful namiki falcon pen, a light desk, a complete set of peerless watercolors and many more wonderful art supplies.  i have been thoroughly enjoying myself all weekend with them.

and while i know that i don't have the natural talent of so many of these amazing artists i've found here, i enjoy my little creations, they steal away my hours in a way that makes me smile and, every once in a while, i create something that i just kinda like a little.  most of the time, though, they're more about a little self-expression and a lot of taking myself back to grade school and my favorite coloring classes!  :-)  

so, i am concentrating on living the life i imagined... and making sure i'm imagining a life i want to live.  

More on those imaginings as the days and weeks progress!

And, we're on to Monday, everyone... enjoy it!

Busy, busy busy...

crazy, busy week but it's been a great one!

You've Got Mail

i'm not usually a fan of silly romantic comedies, but i could watch this movie a million times...  and i think i may have... it always makes me smile!

Dancing in the Rain

I recently read an article about the fact that the world is falling apart-- global wars, economic crises, lack of environmental sustainability--  it's enough to make anyone lock themselves away just to avoid it all...  but the upshot of the article was that, despite all these things, or perhaps because of them, we need to actively get out their and find the joy in our every day lives...  so get going... it's the weekend... let's have some fun!!

Is it Friday yet?

every so often i have a day where i wish i'd just stayed beneath the covers all day...

i did this on scrap paper first and then in my moleskin journal... for some reason, the scrap paper version always looks better to me... maybe it's the stark white of the paper instead of the moleskin... or maybe it's that i have more room on the scrap paper... or maybe it's just that i feel freer there...  i guess i'll have to work on that...  or get a larger moleskin journal... 

Happy Hump Day...

some days i just need to remind myself to slow down and BE...  and there are so many things i aspire to be... i'd like to think the characteristics that first come to mind for me are built in to my character, but every so often, having a reminder can't hurt!

also, i am sooo inspired by this video about my friend, tommy kane, a well-traveled urban sketcher who hales from NYC.  his art is amazing and this video allows a peek into his creative process.  absolutely worth a look! enjoy!

Rainy days and Mondays...

i hate it when i have so many great ideas and can't seem to execute on any of them.  i look at others blogs and their artwork looks so polished, so professional... and mine looks like something my mom would have hung on the fridge when i was in 3rd grade.

i need to not get discouraged and just remember that today's posts will allow me to look back and see all the progress i've made in the future.  well, at least, here's hoping...  

i have so many questions about how others do things from the big creative projects down to putting a simple copyright on their pictures.  maybe one day this week i'll blog just a long list of my questions!

well, my creative friends (i'm sure you're out there somewhere)...  one day down... here's to tuesday!

Just can't ignore the inspiration any longer...

Well, it’s official… I’m going to give this blogging a try.  recently, my teenage daughter described me as ‘artsy’ and i guess she’s right.  i’ve always been amazed at the creativity of people who can just sit down and sketch whatever inspires them.  i will admit, as much as i’d love to be, i’m not much of a sketcher.  as a result, many years ago, I took up calligraphy and discovered rubber stamps as a way to embellish my lettering arts.

Somewhere along the line, life got in the way and I put my pens and watercolors aside and I realized lately that I’ve missed having that outlet in my life.  so… after having spent the last several weeks snooping around the internet and finding some AMAZINGLY talented artists with blogs that detail their imagination, their creativity and their journey, i’ve decided that it’s time for me to jump in with both feet. 

i have a lot of catching up to do to get my fingers, my hands and my mind to remember all that i’ve forgotten but i hope to be able to chronicle that here.  hopefully, i’ll see a lot of improvement in my work, i’ll make some ‘artsy’ friends along the way… but no matter what happens, i know i’ll have some fun!