drowning in ideas

so last night i didn't do a thing creatively speaking, i did do my nightly walk. and yesterday when i got home, three postcards were waiting for me from all over the place. and because i forgot about extra postage on sending my cards out to foreign places i had several returned to me. oops! so sorry gals. they're on their way. i also had my journal wrapped in some really nice paper from kate. thank you kate. thank you, i just love the dear postcard and the the guitar to remind me of josiah. i cannot believe that the last time i wrote was in november, not actually true, but close to being so. today i feel exhausted, due to lack and late night sleeping patterns. a lot of that seems to go around-no sleep that is. i have started excercising, i mean really excercising and pounds are seriously falling off, no lie, no joke. last february we did the biggest loser thing here at the practice and i lost about seventeen pounds. when i went to my doctor, he told be that since the year before i had dropped a total of twenty two. over the weekend i dropped another five, so i'm down to...um well um i'm not getting a good reading so i'll let you know another day. i am drowning in ideas. i must contact a few people. i've got a painting i paid for waiting to be picked up. i must finish the apron, cut and all pinned ready to run through the sewing machine. spring packages are on the forefront as well as a painting for aaron and laurie's home. i also have had someone ask me to work in a film-documentary style. we shall see. i'm too tired to talk anymore. walking 13 flights of steps daily with walks in the evening, wearing me down, just a bit.

munch on art

i was just finishing this exact post about an hour ago, when wham bam thank you ma'm, all a wash. the disappearing act of the day! i have been debating all day, mulling over whether or not i should go ahead and post my one and only entry into the postcard swaporama. finally i decided to go ahead and show n tell.

firstly and foremostly i am completely inspired by zak smith's illustration of thomas pynchon's gravity's rainbow. geez! whatamouthful...yum! so if you've ever caught up with it all, you'll notice i've stolen, not so shamefully though, the top right hand corner drawing. i mean i mean i mean, i drew it free hand and totally achieved a more original color thingy, but the windmill reflection in the eye is a direct _____. so sue me, or be praised zak!!! everything else is well mine, really! and the yellow bird is exactly like the lovely ornament that kate gave to me for christmas. i have slides of all the beautiful christmas tree's, mine having been all birds this year. i am so pleased with how my postcard came out. i should have sewn though and i should have finished all four designs. and i think i will but on a rainy day. i have put the original of 'der hund' in my etsy shop, so if you feel so inclined to pur-chase the piece and make it yours, your welcome!

i am having a real busy day, and so that's it...

one growth imagine

today and all the rest of the week will end up being a whole lot better for me. i feel more peace and can honestly say that being here continues to strengthen me. obviously i never know who's really reading, but it is most definitely exciting to hear from people like the aunite d. and others comments like hers are just what i need inorder to pick up my imagination and willingness to share again. i feel often too behind the rest and cannot stand to post an old photo are piece of work. i decide mostly to surf the internet just to find things to share with you.

so no waste wednesday on a thursday. i really do love looking at everyone's beautiful handiwork and so wish everyone had an opportunity to have their own sites to sell from. i'd never get any work done. i found these cards to be so delightful. julianna's illustrations are so airy and simple-edible slightly. a watercolor delight!

and who could resist these sweet treats. i'd love to eat them, but not so edible. just so perfectly crafted! i can see this girl growing and growing. i've got a list so long of purchase priorities, her items top the list!!!

if you are an artist with more ambition baby than you know what to do with. i'd check this happy new illustration site out. it looks as though you'll beable to show & tell & sell. sounds like fun and so much more inspiration and imagination that one could possibly ask for in one gulp.

if you're a mom or dad with lots o kids running around i'd suggest the cardboard box. we might need to have a cardboard swaporama...

spring is right around the corner and you know you've got to check out picnic. a preview of their new spring line-pics galore! when will chattanooga see clothing designers like these?

oh and i am very excited to have found kate's paperie. her paper selection is phenom!!!

well i'd say that's probably all that i should give away today. i am working for the very next four days straight no stop, so pray i make it through. i've got a boat load of things to look forward to, and must take some photos to share. don't forget to check out my flickr. i've got it very nearly neatly organized. and if you'd like to own a photo let me know i'll sell it, send it for just a pinch. better days with truth on the tip of my tongue.

a slave to myself

by the evening of each day i am really very worn out. i have usually forgotten all truth and feel a depleted reservoir. how is it that every day i tend to forget the truth? by the time i realize it the day is over and i am sitting in my apartment. a recollection of all the lies i have told myself all day long. what? to keep a reputation afloat. a constant state of fearful pride. a selfish desire to always be right. the pain of loss, the pain of brokeness and sin. i recently got this and have not stopped listening to his 'stubbs' album. the fifth track talks about, when your cup is overflowing and you cannot stay afloat ask god for mercy and he'll throw you a rope. i have actually never interpruted the 'cup overflowing' ideal exactly that way. but i see something different now. as a believer my cup is always overflowing right? and i pretty much need god all of the time, right? so even when things are good, even when things are bad (the overflowing cup) i still need god, i've still got to ask for help. i've still got to remember that he is the essense of my being-living in me. i seem to forget that he is my best friend, mother, father, brother, loverman or whatever. yuck!

on the other side of the coin: i have still only finished one postcard for the new years thing. will be taking it to print very very soon. i am totally excited about recieving on this go around. i also have just entered a joyous swap in which we will will be trading a gorgeous aray of cards. cannot wait. i miss my journal down at kate's and probably should send her money so she can ship it to me from the atl-marietta area. mos def not too expensive. i have several things i want to get out to the mailbox and still have not finished small parts. i need an extra boost of energy to zap me and give me the motivation i need to complete this little parts. i feel i am too often caught in a web of my own thought. no one else can really touch these places and so it is very difficult to actually then become accountable. writing is good for me. completing thought and calling out, you know?

before i mentioned that there were a few thoughts on my mind: regarding raising boys in a fatherlessness nation. check out the media. the theme is all over the place. i'd say the most encouraging and truthful resource is a two hour film raising cain. a truth that cannot, no matter what, be ignored. especially if you are raising boys yourself. it is a beautiful, quite relieving bit of information-education, you might not otherwise be aware of.

Research confirms that genetically baby boys and girls exhibit more
similarities than differences. Contrary to common stereotypes, experiments show
that baby boys are emotionally more vulnerable than girls. At Harvard University
Medical School, Thompson follows an experiment that shows how infant boys and
girls deal with the absence of a mother's attention. While the girls remain calm
and find ways to occupy themselves, the boys become upset. But from a young age,
boys are directed to deny their feelings and emotional responses. They are
encouraged to exhibit aggression and toughness as signs of manliness; feelings
of vulnerability and fear are discouraged. Authority figures then react simply
to the physical and aggressive behavior they see rather than boys' true
feelings. Problems intensify as boys enter the public school system.

so that's it. just a way for me to get back into the blog flow. food for thought.

without an spt on wed

call me a slacker jack. a reflection of my past has been absorbed by the present and lack of older photos representing the life of me. i am completely exhausted today, the corners of my eyes are pink and i am tired of working very old accounts. thankfully in the next two evenings i'll be free of the rx. i have had something on my mind all day and actually for the last few. i have been home a whole lot in the evenings after work. catching up on television. mostly pbs...

continued later

let me stop

i miss the days when i first began to learn to draw. i so enjoyed line drawing and blind contour. i needed more foam letters for the postcards i am working on, so thinking that hobby lobby didn't close until nine i walked in grabbed a basked and within minutes an annoucement was made that "hobby lobby was now closed." i even looked at the sign, saw eight and continued in, anyway.

so i only had a chance to buy more foam letters for my postcards. which after the weekend-not having accomplished a whole lot more. working weekends are much more difficult times to get any crafty work done, i tend to not feel as motivated. i feel like the first pc i did was nice until i painted it, now i don't like it so much. so i am struggling with what to do on my second one, even though it is almost finished.

the other night i did happen across target and found the ohso bright euro bizzare for me. i was inspired again to re accessorize my apartment right now! but i must wait until the biggo garage sale in the spring. but i'm collecting all sorts of lists. i happened to get slide film a month or so ago and thought that even with slide film, i would get fotos. that's a nogo-i'm learning. and so now i've got all my xmas fotos on slide. but the cool thing is now-i need a slide projector for one, but i could technically do a whole bunch of painting. i've got lots of wall space and i can project, even if it is a little cheating. i just have so many painting ideas and images playing havoc on my brains eye i need an outlet. kate has mentioned that she needs the concepts, the jaws of inspiration to bite her. so many people loved her "slide" watercolor series, she even sold one. what do you all think about her doing a concentrated study of perspective. i like the photo of joel that she took at family portrait time, holding eden b up in the air. maybe i'll do some www surfing and post some inspiration to follow. kate, do you remember your dirty laundry project from chatt state? that was a good one.

1. aaron jasinski: i have posted this artist before, but he has got so much work on his site and on
top of that he's got an extremely well oiled machine like site. perfect design to
view his paintings, sketchbooks and listen to music.

2. arthouse60: this is jeffery brown's contour creative. i especially love his illustrations. an
entirely unique style that i've not seen as of late. below an example.

3. adde russell: check this artist out. i appreciate this stuff. s(he) did at least a couple of death cab for cutie's album artwork. it is the art of a generation, which isn't really a topic i see written or talked about very often. but the sort of washed out color, minimalistic collage-ish. realistic though in rendering of whatever. strange symbolisims. unlike kate's stuff, where everything means something most of the time. what would happen if we weren't so needy? i need certain things to happen in my work for sure. see below.

4. clandestina online art mag.

5. rachel domm: i have rachel as one of my favorites, looking to see if she updates her work. i am mostly attracted to her colors and style. i realize that i love so much and that it is difficult when trying to come up with a concept. but i hope that by me finding and showing some of this work that it inspires and creates a form of thought for you. i have always felt that viewing work makes for a better creation in the end.

muted mutt-ation

"these are the dogs." i did a veer search for "dog stamps" and came up with this...not exactly what i might find aesthetically pleasing, but what the hay! with the weekend off i managed to get some of my postcard work done. i found four german dog stamps in my stamp stash and i'm incorporating them into a quilt-like inspired collage in color themes. i probably shouldn't use the old stamps, but i've gotten the impression they aren't worth much anymore, no longer a demand for old stamps...anyone know?

i am hoping to do four collages, finished the majority on number 1-orange and blue. started number 2-green and red. the others 3 and 4 will be blue and yellow and brown and blue. i'm doing the collage much like last years postcards, quilt style, because i'm so impressed with hillary and lisa's style-form, color and fabric choices. i have always appreciated a excellant paper find and have been accumulating a fair variety. i'd like to incorporate a sewing element in the cards, but i really don't like the unfinished look of my past experimentations.

last night was my first ever 'stampin up' club meeting. i felt it went fair enough considering i am not a stampin up nor scrapbooking kind ah gal. just a major collage/painting artist who wants to incorporate some ideas-merge the two. for instance the rub-on letters are just too cool. just wish they came to hobby lobby in more colors...we made three projects and i ordered two stamp sets. my ideas with the stamps are: a. gifts b. um maybe personal use? c. problem-i just don't want to supplement the stamp for my very own drawing skillz, afterall i am dj catskillz.

i have a decent week to look forward to. every sunday that i get to go to calvary, i feel my week has the potential to being so much better. a little more communion with my god you know? i caught the first (verse) of the next book and the new series power of perspective. i already feel the benefits of being there this past sunday. i appreciate even this little bit of pastor frank's words. see below, relating almost entirely to my practical life. i was writing hannah the other day and realized how amazingly amazing all of my circumstances really are. i live in a prime location, i have a successful career(s), my family is near, my eyes are widening, artistic endeavors growing-soaring. and frank said this past week that as believers we aren't to look for solution to our problems, we should change our perspective. wow!!! i am excited about fresh perspective and forgetting about bondage to solutions. hell my art can be a place to find solutions, not my faith, not my walk with my heavenly father.

Have you ever found yourself in the midst of a situation or place and
thought, “what am I doing here”? Maybe it’s in the middle of a family crisis or
a difficult situation at work? Perhaps you even find yourself living in a place
you had not anticipated at all and you wonder what the meaning is in it all. The
children of Israel found themselves on the verge of Babylonian captivity. They
knew the meaning of it then, they were being disciplined for constant rebellion
to God. But before they go off to Babylon, the prophet Jeremiah gives them this
word from God: “And seek the peace of the city where I have caused you to be carried away captive; for in its peace, you will have peace.” (Jeremiah 29:7) Amazing, even in the midst of discipline the very presence of God’s people would be the cause of peace for the city of Babylon! Regardless of where we find ourselves and why…we can be those who bring peace! Paul said to his like-minded friend Timothy: Therefore, I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. (1 Timothy 2:1-2) Be one who brings peace this new year! Pray for our city! Its peace will be ours!

exceeding expectations

i am currently caught in the holiday drift, mentally and physically i am wishing to extend the spirit and joy surrounding the events of the last month. i turned thirty on the twenty third and had a brillant dinner at the meeting place with my family-all of us. a nice potato crusted trout. things sprung on me, as much as i anticipated the crush rush, now thinking i'll leave the tree up for another week or so. with all of my unwrapped xmas and bday presents underneath. a slomo progression, not to be so materialistic and eager beaver. my desire to extend the feeling of generosity and spirit of giving.

i felt too, that finishing things, really at the end of ooofive would be immensely important. so instead of collecting misc. resolutions and empty promises i'll never keep with myself i did what i know best, to do. made a 2006 project list and sell/buy list. but before i get to that...

the surprises, just because i know you'll be shocked too. my aunt c. got some very nice ransburg canisters for me, for my bday, inside the smallest was the lovely little pockybook from little paper airplanes. i never would have expected it. this was the year of the bird for me. baby blue bird salt n pepper shakers, baby blue bird chimes, ms rooster dishtowels and pier 1 swizzlesticks with roosters. three baby gold-glittery owl ornaments and a beautiful yellow finch (and the hottest/coolest/cutest baby blue flower shoes from "me too") from kate and joel. on top of that the most beautiful calendar from dandelion, gnome soap and a handmade key holder from my sweet sis n law l.c. on top of that baby smoore and emoore my little sis's shopped in atlanta for xmas/bday gifts for me and the rest of fam c. they're kindness and thoughtfulness is overwhelming each year.

so with that...to my lists. i had so many leftover origami paper flowers that i thought i'd make a xmas wreath. i mentioned getting the foam wreath and trying it out a little. i realized though that for one: i didn't have enough flowers to cover the entire wreath, so i made a bunch more. second: i did like that the white foam could be seen through the flowers, so i wrapped the entire foam piece in varients of green pipe cleaner. that was cool in itself, but proceeded to attach paper flowers. COMPLETED AND PHOTOGRAPHED (fotos to follow-in development)

next on the list are more "thank you" notes to write and send out. snailmail x-changes to h and l. i entered the 2006 postcard swap presented to us by my little mochi. i have already got my doggie ideas and color choices made. i think i'll be doing four different postcards. a lot but worth the efforts.

alright, so i also worked on making christmas gift tags and actually completed the hardcopy, but i had extended my ideas into cards and such. i called image works last night, come to find out a good printing company writing in my front yard. i mean literally in the same building. so next year i'll have gift tags and cards to match for sale that's a promise! no more of the shananigans!!!

other projects included, the not forgotten aporns to k and h. 4-piece cityscape painting for aaron and laurie's new home.

spring fling out the old-yard sale. selling a wack computer, fussball table, broken locker/trunk, and lots lots more. i am looking forward so to the new year. i've decided not to move, but i'll be painting and cleaning the ole 204, shades of white. i cannot wait to have all the new pics. borrowing camera lenses from the uncle d. wide and micro. and i am now the proud owner of a pro flickr acct. is that so bad?

god certainately has a way of exceeding my expectations. i am still going to work at the rx. i have several other big personal goals and they are priorities. i'll explain and be more upfront as time allows and i feel more comfortable. peace and great joy for the newest year. terrible to waste another breath.

my brother and i

self portrait, though a day late. and like others, posted before. it is a dear reflection of my brother and i.