Sketching in 2013 – Looking Back

I’ve now been sketching for a few years and I knew that even if I did it less often, I wanted to continue this project in 2013. Alas I went only about half a year before I needed a change, so I decided it was okay to let myself off the hook. I still ended up with over 90 sketches for this year which isn’t bad.

Here are some of my favorites:

and a few more:

I also did end up making a few zentangles and a bunch of portraits this year so as to not walk away from sketching altogether.

As I thought about 2014, I knew I wasn’t going to continue making these for a while. I ran out of ideas of things that interest me. I know that at some point, I will want to do it again and maybe do something different like landscapes or more involved sketches but for now I knew I needed a break from them but I also felt sad about giving up sketching completely so I decided to keep it around in a less involved way for 2014. We’ll see if it works.

And, if not, I might bring it back anyway. I know these little sketches make me happy.

December 20, 2013 | Sketching | 2 comments

Six by Six 2013 – Looking Back

My final project for 2013 was Six by Six. An excuse to continue to art journal and experiment with a different size and with selling.

I have mixed feelings about this project. In the end, I loved almost all the pages I made and I sold about half my art and I feel like it certainly motivated me to keep making art (which was really the main goal.) But knowing that I was planning on selling the art did add some undue pressure in some cases but I am still glad that I stretched and did something that’s uncomfortable for me.

Here are the ones that are still available:

some of these I love so much.

and others are less of my favorites. but more than anything i love the versatility even within a very specific style.

if you’d like any of these, you can scroll down here and look for them or you can message me and I’ll send you the link so you can purchase them.

If you’ve bought art from me this year, thank you for supporting me, it’s a magical feeling to have your art appreciated enough to want to hang it in your house and I cannot tell you how much joy that thought brings me.

I won’t continue this project for 2014. I might offer prints of some of these but, at this moment in time, that feels like a monumental project so I’d say it’s not likely.

December 19, 2013 | SixBySix Project | 11 comments

December Daily 2013 – Day Eighteen

Today is just about our weekly family photo and a few thoughts. Light wasn’t accommodating when i took these shots.

in the journaling pocket, I put a bunch of sequins just for fun. For now I put some tape on top but once I do the other side, I will stitch the top of this pocket.

there we go. See you tomorrow.

December 19, 2013 | December Daily 2013 | Leave a comment

Planning for 2014 and Making Three Lists

I know I’ve been really quiet lately (with the exception of the December Daily posts) and I’ve been thinking about writing a lot but not finding the energy to actually do it. I can whine a bunch but instead I am going to try to start writing and see where we get. I stumbled upon this post about making three lists today and thought it’s a great tool to use for 2014, too. Even if I don’t actually do all of the items on my list, having lists raises my awareness and gives me focus. Definitely doesn’t hurt.

I didn’t do this before on paper like I should have. I thought we’ll just do it here together.

So with that, here’s some brainstorming for 2014. I can then pare it down as needed so there might be one more follow-up post.

What do I want to learn?

  1. Lettering
  2. Using a wider range of art supplies with comfort (specifically oils, pastels, copics, paint and watercolor markers, etc.)
  3. Drawing landscapes (and with watercolor)
  4. Drawing faces and poses and expressions, people in general
  5. Doodling
  6. Drawing sayings/making signs
  7. Some kind of collage – not sure exactly what yet
  8. Possibly something large scale
  9. A lot of different college-level courses
  10. How to eat a diet of whole foods
  11. Finding some exercise routine that works well for me (something in addition to the treadmill)
  12. Self-kindness 
  13. Stitching
  14. Painting my nails

What do I want to do more of?

  1. Reading
  2. Journaling
  3. Taking more photos, capturing meaningful moments
  4. Telling longer stories
  5. Writing thoughts posts
  6. Doing things that make me laugh with the kids
  7. Hiking
  8. Eating well
  9. Reaching out to and keeping in touch with friends
  10. Date nights
  11. Hugging
  12. Listening to music loudly
  13. Learning new things
  14. Camping
  15. Self-care

What fulfills me (or honors a value I have)?

  1. Volunteering (ideally with David, too.)
  2. Gratitude
  3. Time with my family
  4. Being outdoors – water + trees especially
  5. Being present/mindful
  6. Listening
  7. Being kind
  8. Learning
  9. Coaching
  10. Journaling
  11. Alone time
  12. Time with friends
  13. Setting intentions
  14. Reflecting

So there we are. Some initial thoughts of what’s on my mind for 2014. How about you? What’s on your list?

December 18, 2013 | Thoughts | 4 comments

Gratitude Journal – Week 48

Here’s this week’s gratitudes and celebrations (sorry for the delay, i thought i’d published this):

Before :

it says: kind, present, listen.

and here’s what the page looks like with all the gratitudes and celebrations:

Just another excuse to create art and remember the present that is my life.

This is the last page of my book, so last of these. I will have to figure out what to do for 2014 for gratitudes. I’ve loved this project.

Gratitude Journal is a weekly project for 2013. You can see a detailed post on my goal other details here.Gratitude Journal – Week 39

December 18, 2013 | GJG, Gratitude Journal, Mixed Media | 2 comments

A Book a Week – The Woman Upstairs

The Woman Upstairs was another one of the Book of the Month recommendations from Amazon.

It was another interesting read. I am not sure I liked it. I didn’t dislike it. The main character was interesting and grumpy and even downright angry at times but she was three-dimensional. Interesting. Even if not likable. This novel got a bunch of press over the fact that the author created this “angry” woman.

In the end, I think I’d recommend it.

December 18, 2013 | Books Read in 2013 | Leave a comment

December Daily 2013 – Day Seventeen

Today is about the Google holiday party. A photo of us before we left.

some thoughts below and shimmery stuff:

to the right I added a little bag and taped our bands and a little leaf:

inside is the flip book we got at the event:

and the back:

there we go. See you tomorrow.

December 18, 2013 | December Daily 2013 | 2 comments

December Daily 2013 – Day Sixteen

Today is about our presents and how I am getting ready.

a little shimmer on this one, too.

there we go. See you tomorrow.

December 17, 2013 | December Daily 2013 | Leave a comment

December Daily 2013 – Day Fifteen

Today is about Nathaniel’s schools Pajama Night. I started with the invitation.

here’s the inside:

i had to blur out the other kids’ photos. Nathaniel was so so happy and of course a bit silly:

more from the night.

shimmery.

hard to show all the subtle shimmeriness with the photos:

there we go. See you tomorrow.

December 16, 2013 | December Daily 2013 | One comment

December Daily 2013 – Day Fourteen

Today is about the Niles train we take every year!

photos never come out well in the dark, but i don’t care:

more shimmer:

there we go. See you tomorrow.

December 15, 2013 | December Daily 2013 | Leave a comment

Weekly Diary – December 14 2013

Here are some photos from this week:

Breakfast with Santa.

a yearly tradition for us.

the chipmunk is new, tho.

the kids love doing the crafts.

and i love watching them focus.

my swimmer boy.

David’s first-ever basketball game.

waiting for flu shots.

volunteering in Nathaniel’s class.

pajama party joy!.

Jake read Z goes Home.

daddy and nathaniel building.

Nathaniel’s portrait sculpture.

signing his name.

Pajama night is finally here.

dinner waiting for him as he listens to a story.

and the time to eat.

then they performed a song.

and one more. Can you see how happy he is?

trying to snap his fingers and be silly.

he was just so so happy the whole time.

family photo took a few tries this week.

but was captured.

with jokes and much laughter.

and here we go. so grateful for my life. i hope your week was lovely, too. Happy December!

Weekly Diary is a project for 2013. You can read more about it here.

December 14, 2013 | Weekly Diary 2013 | One comment

December Daily 2013 – Day Thirteen

Today is about visiting Nathaniel’s classroom. Some pieces he made and some of playing with Daddy. To the right I added a photo of him signing his name, too.

it’s shimmery.

and the back is the one photo I loved so much. I cut it apart and put it in there as if it were one page:

there we go.

December 14, 2013 | December Daily 2013 | Leave a comment

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