Animal Wednesday - Miss Em and her dogs

I feel like I've been away from blogging for so long. Being on vacation, and then starting to catch up at home...mail and packages (more about that later) - and have to do laundry...I will catch up soon...

But I started a new Miss Em story on the plane ride home - "Miss Em and the pink spotted puppy". Here is the first installment - more to come!



HAW to all my animal lover friends.

Creative Every day

Not alot of time to be creative but I did a few quick things. I like to take magazine pictures and gesso them and color them in and try to make them look a bit different. I play around with the images...isn't it interesting that the word of the month for CED is "Play".


and play with photoshop



Opinions?

Then there is the ongoing saga of poor little Miss Em - who really didn't want to go away from home but it was the right thing to do.


So she went to the airport....

and immediately got overwhelmed by sound and people
She tried to live in a bubble when with the family, but there were too many breaks - and alot got thru. Ah well, it's just the first few days that she gets so overwhelmed.


Exercise and bike riding helps! Armadillo's and gopher turtles on the path. Bumps and jogs and twists and turns. Great mountain biking parks in Florida - really alot of fun.

That's my Creative every day for the past few days!

Still catching up

My friend StudioLolo, the ever so talented...gave out a challenge to list 5 things that keep my spirit happy and healthy every day. Here's a problem...I don't feel like I actively enjoy every day! And I should. There are things that I do every day that help - let me list them and see...

1) Get up early every day to enjoy my coffee in quiet - watch the sunrise if possible.
2) Enjoy my hot, lovely warm shower!
3) Go to work and enjoy what I do.
4) Always look to see if DH's studio light is on when I get home; that makes me feel warm inside
5) Try some art everyday.



But as I write this I realize that it's not enough to really support my spirit - and I have to find some daily activities that do good for me - be it exercise or a spiritual path, or more music. I don't know yet, but thanks Laurel for making me aware that I just ain't doing enough for myself. I have a bit of a fear of being selfish, or a princess and tend to do for others rather than myself... isn't that silly? Inner peace does not a princess make - and I do need to find some additional inner peace.

I will - this I resolve!

( just read this post - it resonated)



On another note, Ms terrific Soulbrush gave out an award - which I appreciate so much! Joss and I met this past April, and while the time together wasn't long enough - it was friendship at first sight! We will meet again I hope. She posted this picture also, but I just love it enough to post it again. We are in the car park of the hotel I was staying at where her patient hubby was waiting with Snuffs for us to complete our hour long gaggle.

Aren't we all gorgeous!!! And Pink!!!!

Third point. Vacation in Florida. DH got better, and we did some epic bike rides which were wonderful. But as usual, I get stressed trying to take care of me...Us...the folks...and the MIL. I simply don't know how, or have forgotten how to simply relax and let it all just wash over me. Is it a form of narcissism to feel responsible for others? There actually was not that much pressure on me to do things, I must be putting the pressure on myself. I might try self hynosis (have to learn how first) to bring a bit of relaxation to my mind. Has anyone tried that?

I will post some of Miss Em's impressions of this visit - have to finish inking them in.

Home!!

We just got home tonight and I have so much to catch up on! I've missed you all! I will be visiting soon and posting some things done in Fla (very little!) but just found out that I left my picture of alligators down there (boo hoo) but...since I am going down again next weekend for Dad's 95th birthday.....I guess I'll get it then.

We left Sarasota and it was 72 degrees sunny and a light breeze. We got home and it was 24 degrees, dark, and blowing like smoke. Tell me again why I live up here?????

Creative EveryDay and Animal Wednesday (the fishes are animals - aren't they?)

After I got over feeling like this everyday (see piles above) I started to draw and sketch and generally enjoy myself. Interspersed with bike rides, I've read some "how to " books and magazines. I wanted to learn to draw legs - here is a study that I copied from one of the "how to" book. Cute guy eh?
Of course the study of legs is simply in preparation for my fish with legs - and I like this little set shown below. I have a colored version, but the scanner is is poor...that'll have to wait. Mr Big fish is teaching little fish how to walk properly and the little snub nosed fish feels a bit out of it! (but HAW anyway)


I also found this wonderful paper at the local art store - it's sort of silk screened with a black surface that is very toothy - almost like it has a bit of grit in it. So I worked on my bubbles...or yeast...or whatever. Mom likes it and wants to frame it, so I'm going to take it to the framing store and give it to her as a present. I don't want her to do it herself, as the pastels might get smudged.
So in it's own way, a productive and fairly relaxing week so far. DH still coughing, have him on antibiotics and hope that'll help.

Happy New year to you all!

doing better...

have managed to log on after much agitation with Comcast. Whew.

lot's of pictures and stories to post later on...so far lots of bike riding and swimming...DH slowly getting better (whew again)

Have a Happy New Year everyone!!!!

Just the Tiny-est bit cranky

And heres why. The day we were getting ready to leave for Florida - DH woke up and his minor cold had gotten worse. "Maybe we shouldn't go" I gently suggested. "No - of course we'll go" he boomed (and then coughed). " I feel fine, this little cold will be gone in a day". "Okay" said dummy me.

Fast forward to Wednesday. DH woke up croaking. I went to drugstore. Fever about 100 (you'd have thought it was 110!) Aspirin. Cough syrup. Bed. Water, and hot soup.

He woke up a few minutes ago and feels "dismal" and has gone back to bed for the duration.

I could be home with my nice studio cave, and be with my twins for Christmas. Instead, while the weather is very nice and I'm enjoying that - I'm nursing a sick hubby, and catering to MIL - who I am stuck with.

So...in defference to my own sanity, I am moving DH over to my mothers house where I can have room to draw and putter and feel more at home. I will go to the gym every day to get some workout's in so that my muscles don't atropy.

But overall - I am rather annoyed. This is my vacation and while I know he can't help feeling sick...we should have the heck stayed home!

So - Merry Christmas to everyone!!! May this be the last cold for 2008 and also for 2009!!!!!!!