Keeping Good On My Resolutions..well Kinda of.

Last week, I mentioned in my blog post that one of the things I wanted to do better at or enhance my skills was in using my digital drawing program.   Good intentions, yes. In my head, I'd commit to a drawing a day but that went out the window after the first day.  I could give you a lot of excuses but the fact of the matter was  getting my class "Podtastic" up and running consumed me for the last two weeks day in and day out, so the thought of spending any more time at the computer seemed overwhelming to me.   My back ached, my neck is stiff and my eyes were strained. Even as much as I accomplished, I was still ticked at myself for not doing what I said I was going to do.

We are hardest on ourselves, aren't we?  Not that that is a bad thing, it just is why do we stress ourselves out about what we didn't do....instead of celebrate what we did accomplish. I completed a huge huge huge project! Yay!!  And I think it's really good...but the voice in my head says, you are such a slacker...you can't even follow through on your resolution during week one of the New Year.  Never mind the hours and hours you did work..I still felt guilty.

Really?  It makes me laugh now writing about something so insignificant, but that's the conversation I had with myself (and it's not really a new one, it's one that I play out over and over again just change up the scenario.

Sigh.    We are all a work in progress, aren't we??    So on to celebrating the two drawings I did manage to do this week in spite of my slackerly ways:)

Here is my first---I'm calling her Hanna.  I love to draw portraits, paint portraits, and I am loving the flexibility of testing out techniques with the digital sketching.     Definitely room for improvement but not too bad for the first one of the year.  I'm not going to promise I'll do one a day or weekly for that matter, but I would like to carry on and do more then do a look back at the end of 2015.  

I'm sure it'll be fun to see the improvements as time goes on.

My next drawing was something simple--I've been doing a lot of feather related things lately. I think I'll add them to my paintings down the road.   I used my feathers created for the holidays as inspiration.   One thing I did for this which to me is a 'duh' moment was to sketch loosely in 'pencil' for my first layer.  Add a second layer, and smooth out my lines and refine my sketch with a 'marker'.  Add a third layer and start to add color (paint, marker)...add a 4th and keep adding. more details and shading, you get the picture... okay so here is what I did differently, after I was happy with the 'refinement' and started painting, I deleted the first two layers of sketching.   ha. I'm sure this is done all the time in digital drawings, it just takes us common folks a little bit to catch on!!!

Still hate my handwriting but you gotta embrace what you have or improve what you got going. :)

Here is the feather a little more close up. Not perfect mind you but not bad either ;)

So what "Aha" moments did you have this week?  

Did you learn something new or have a coming to you know what talk with yourself about something stressing you out needlessly?

Curious minds wanna know!

*****

Here are the real (faux) feathers I did that inspired the drawings:

**If anyone is interested in feathers of your own, I will do special orders of 10 or more* Message me at jodiohl@hotmail.com    (sorry, until I carry them regularly, it's hard to do less then 10 at time because it is a pretty long process of creating them)


Have a great weekend!  Celebrate your triumphs this week and learn from your mis-steps!

Artfully yours,

Jodi

Art at the Speed of Life- and other GOOD Things

Exciting news!! My good friend Pam Carriker is writing her first book !!!! woooot wooot!

AND....I am going to be one of the contributing writers!! another wooot wooot! I received my assignments yesterday and CAN'T wait to get started!
The book will be released in the Fall of 2010 so stay tuned for more details and join the journey by visiting Pam's new blog "Art at the Speed of Life"!
CONGRATS PAM!

***
Other good news--I got a clean bill of health from my biopsy on Thursday so I am very relieved, I mean VERY relieved. I had an awful week full of anxiety and stress just worrying about the possibilities (I'm a worry wart by nature), so when the Dr. walked in the room and said, it's all good, I about fell out :)))) Nothing like a little scare or a big scare to reel you back in to take stock of what is important in the world. Because of this episode, I have a pocketful of ideas I'm going to start enacting on that I have been just setting aside waiting for tomorrow. Why wait? One of the ideas is actually not an idea but a commitment to continue teaching and holding work shops. In fact, I'm holding another one tomorrow locally at Swank Coffee shop in Southern Pines.
"Image This"
..an exploration of image transfer techniques
I've been experimenting for the last two weeks with a variety of image transfer methods and really have only begun to touch on the array of ways you can do image transfers. One of the techniques that I played with for the first time is that of working with Golden's Digital ground and really playing with these products. My mind is twirling with different uses of this application. I've had the package sitting in a drawer for almost a year so it was about time I tried it out!

Here's a sneak peek of a packing tape transfer that I played with for another one of my samples:


What's YOUR favorite method of Image transfer techniques? Any tips you can offer for a successful transfer??

***

Lastly, my other resolution is to get back to blogging more regularly and pay more attention to my Etsy shop. These last two months with moving and my art show have really been a whirlwind, then there was my little health scare. I appreciate more than words all of your support and to those of you who have dropped me an email to check in--your good thoughts and support have helped hold me up amongst so much chaos lately! Thank you :)

Sweet Swap Goodness!

Isn't this just the cutest button made by Green Baby and given to Angie from Norththreads in honor of our Pink and Brown Swap?? How I wish I could be tech savy like this and make something so cool. I might have to enlist some help from my bloggy buddies to share their knowledge of this "craft"

It looks like we have quite the turn out for participants! About 23 or so crafty, thrifty, creative ladies that are "Gettin' Down with Pink and Brown" . (editor's note....this number has grown since this morning with 4 more participants!)

And a couple of last minute bloggers joing in featured here .

One of our participants though had to drop out because she is doing this . I guess I understand! Wow, what an undertaking! Check out Heather's blog, her photo's are always wonderful.

Thank you to all the participants that are mentioning our swap, it's great to have such enthusiasm and if it's anything like the last swap that I participated in, you truly become friends with your partner and others that join in on the fun.

How is everyone coming with their New Year Resolutions or Goals? For me, it's been so so. One of my resolutions was to read at least a book a month and true to my word, I have started reading this book by Elizabeth Berg. It's funny sad and reminds me of some of things I have done in my own way after going through some relationship break ups over the years.

I stayed up last night reading until almost midnite. That's why I don't read as often as I should because once I start, I can't stop !

Hmm...as far as what else I said I would do, I'm trying to remember what it all was without going back and cheating by reading one of my lists. I mean, I feel bad that I can't just snap off everything I wanted to do without even consulting my list. If I truly meant my words, then shouldn't I have them ingrained in my head and heart?? I'm going to attribute my forgetfullness to overload from work, home, and other self imposed craziness going on, rather than my lack of conviction.

Oh..I know one thing I said I would do is be as patient at home as I am at work. How's that going? Well, not so good. I have had a few meltdowns that I am not proud of. Mostly centered around my other half that is now home after a long abscence. Not to say they weren't warranted but I wish I handled them differently so that resolution definitely needs some tweaking on my part. Blogging, reading, painting are all good stress relievers for me though so by turning to those things during my "moments", it's a great way for me to wind down from all the everyday pressures we face. (We, meaning, many of us if not all of us have some sort of vice that we use to wind down when the day is going rough or life gets crazy).

•Okay back to the swap, Rebecca has asked given me the task to assign partners so I will get your partners names to everyone this weekend if not sooner. Remember the ship date is January 31st. Please use shipping confirmation on your packages so you can give the info to the swap Hostesses and your partners. Remember to include one crafted item, one thrifted item, and a craft supply with the colors of pink and brown in your items. If you want to add a few extra items, that's okay, too...but not required. :) Have fun and looking forward to seeing pics of everyone's packages!

lucy

Happy New Year

Happy New Year!!!

It's hard to believe another year has come and gone but yet as the time whizzes by at the speed of light, it's refreshing to know that life comes full circle with the promise of new beginnings. I always make New Years Resolutions, but rarely keep them. This year I resolve to keep my resolutions. Perhaps putting them in print will make it more valid. I have a wide audience now that can judge if I have been naughty or nice, so please hold me to my 2007 resolutions!

• I'm going to borrow from Heidi and make and put away a gift a month for the next holiday season. It will save me from my own self imposed stress levels.
• I resolve to be even more frugal than I have been in the past. I really, really, really, want my own home. AND I really want my own shop one day. I can't do either without saving. (I'm glad I wrote this after I went shopping today, but on the positive side, MOST of my purchases were made using gift cards and Christmas money.
• I will start back on my water color painting after a 6 or 7 month hiatus.
• I will be as patient at home as I am at work. I tend to loose my cool over the little things once I get home after a long day of holding it in at work, so no more...I'm a new kinder, gentler, Momma and Partner in 2007.
• I will watch what I eat and exercise more ( I know, I know, nothing revolutionary with this one, but I think I read somewhere it is mandatory to put on your resolution list).
• I will stay with my crafts and sewing as it has induced a sense of peace and satisfaction for me that I had been missing over the last couple of years where I hadn't been as crafty.
• After a marathon reading streak the first part of 2006, I took a long break and vow to read a book a month if not more. I would commit to more, but I still have a day job so I am trying to be realistic with all these other things on my resolution list! hee hee
• I will be a better Mom and friend and citizen. Ha, that one is pretty open ended. I am sure I can improve in all of those areas.

Check back soon to make sure I am forging ahead in all these areas!

Last but not least, here's a quick MEME from Heidi, at Spiritual Knitter :

Grab a book closest to you. Turn to page 123 and go down to the fifth sentence. Post the next three sentences. Name the book and author.

Here's mine:

I had to go down a couple of sentences more because there was a cuss word..lol:

"I stifle an impulse to take one more peek at the man's dirty laundry then pop a Hershey's Kiss in my mouth and suck nervously. I pull the phone closer to me. 911, thats the number, Isn't it? Of course that's it, 411 is for information; 911 is for emergency." OPEN HOUSE by Elizabeth Berg

Oops, I did four! Maybe one of my resolutions should be to follow directions!


Peace, love, and good health to all of my friends, old and new in 2007.

Lucy