Last Days of the Break

I am getting in this panic.  The holiday break is almost gone so I felt compelled to get some more ink on paper.... I got out watercolors, nib pens, and felt tipped ones..... and played with a frenzy....

Well, it is MUCH harder to "create" under pressure.... and I am totally feeling the pressure!  But, forced or not, I got some things down on paper.....

Haha!!!

So, here is the way my thoughts flowed these last few days....

Taking time to explore

It might be a few days after Christmas, but with company and food to make and beds to change yet again.... this is the the first day that I can call my own.... and I sat and stared at my "stuff" trying to decide what to do.

In the last month or so I have picked up some "new toys" to play with.... new pens... of course.... LOTS of new pens.....  I have been lettering for a long, long time.... more than thirty years..... I have painted for even longer and done many hand painted signs for various clients over the years....  I still quiver with excitement upon acquiring new art supplies.  I especially like to explore new styles that I can incorporate into my repertoire..... sometimes I find I hate them... shove them into a box and move on.... but far more often I love them and they become my good friends......

I have done calligraphy with both the traditional style pens and the felt tip kind. I love the look of the traditional but the ease of access of the felt pens.   I have found that companies are creating better and better pens with sharper, crisper tips that make me happy. I carry them in my purse along with fine point pens.... so I can pop them out and create at will, should the need arise .... which... it does.... haha! Often!   

This "new" calligraphic style done with brush tip pens is interesting to me. I see it called calligraphy and almost cringe.... because it mostly looks like messy handwriting to the school teacher in me.  Very often I have to sit and stare at it to even figure out what it says....haha! That being said, I have also decided to give it a whirl....and found that I can do it.... fairly easily. Haha! Of course I grew up in the era where we practiced penmanship regularly.  Cursive writing was expected and required.  Interestingly, I have sixth graders who cannot even read cursive, let alone write using it.  

I write using 'fancy' penmanship on the board and I am finding that it is helping unlock the door to their own exploration of this once standard art form  way to write... 

I think that being open to new ideas of ways to create helps us stay fresh.  I have bought a wide assortment of brush tipped pens and have doodled with them. There is a remarkable range of them out there on the market. Just because it is labeled a 'brush tip' doesn't mean that it will perform in the same way as another.  Some are stiff. Some are almost floppy. Some have the tendency to run and others bled though the paper rather badly..... and then.... there are some that ....well...... outperform the others.....     Of course.... this all goes back to- purpose.....  what it will be used for will somewhat dictate which tool will work best.     

I got sort of frustrated with the first ones I purchased.... I felt that my work looked better when I used a paint brush or a familiar flat tip pen.....  As I have continued to try various brands I have come to realize that you get what you pay for... haha!!! So, I sucked it up and bought some that have rave reviews... and guess what... !  I think I might love them too.... Not too stiff.... not to soft.... not too wet, not too dry.... not too 'stinky'......    haha!   I will be buying more.... a new obsession..... (sigh).....

So, I am going to post my doodle pages-- a few of them.... but don't think that these are meant to be fine art.....

Just a basic alphabet in gray

Silly- but words make more sense to me

crisp and cold

Woke up to a beautiful new day.  I love winter. No doubt about it.  I leaped out of bed impatient for a new day to start. I put on some warm socks and snuggly pants.  I cut apart some lace curtains and created a new sweater duster.  I was doing that sort of thing long before the "fad" that has now become popular... Why through something away that can be repurposed with a quaint new look....

"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder"....... Beauty is how you decide to look at things....  

As you can see, this a recurring theme with me....









Happy Sunday!    Cheers!  

Winter Winter!

A brisk 32* and I am out working in the garage today.... still so many boxes to unpack/throw away, sort, repack, etc. etc. etc.......   haha!  Warms me right up hefting those boxes around..... I have managed to make a small dent in the big job... but hey!  that is okay.... gotta start somewhere!

I love the winter.... but I must admit.... my nose is kind of frozie........  

Be Happy!  

 Be warm! 

Be you! 

Happy Friday

Had a lovely week and came home happy. I just had to sit down and sketch out a little cheer.  I often just use a black pen because I can carry one in my purse, but today I decided to add a little glow....

Just a hint of color.... hmmm?  Yes, I think I like it.

Happy Monday!

I closed my eyes and refused to think about going back to work... I had a wonderful break.  I was happy to pitter in my house... paint a little.... crochet a little.... draw some doodles..... and cook....a LOT.... but then.... I like to cook too.....

Here are some thoughts to get us up and going for Monday....

Really..... most days are ordinary..... and most days we deserve to have JOY!  So make it so.

And I like to think that if we share it.... others will feel the warmth of our hope..... and it will spread a little joy as well.

smiles!

Early Morning Musings

Here I am, up at 5:30 on a Sunday morning.... Who does that???  Haha!  My body clock does not care what day of the week it is....

I am definitely a morning person.

I went into my 'studio' (also known as a spare bedroom filled with shelves and a desk....) and thought I would tidy it up.  I found hundreds of doodles and drawings that needed to be put somewhere.  Who does this??   What do I do with all these works of art (that apparently I cannot part with)..... so I stuck them all in a plastic bin- mainly so they would not get rumpled or otherwise damaged....
Well... I say  "all"..... and what I really mean is... all the LOOSE ones...  haha!!  I have drawing pads full of drawings as well....   I carry small ones in my purse.... lest I get 'bored'.... haha!
Here is one:

watercolor fun

I decided to try out some new brushes yesterday.  To make it quick and easy, I just grabbed some inexpensive kids' watercolor paints and regular old copy paper..... I was not intending to begin a "project" or thinking that it would be my next work of art.... I just wanted to try out the brushes.... 

I started with practicing strokes... just strokes.... 

I am accomplished at painting.... usually using acrylics.....   (I like the control...... haha!)    I am also very accomplished at lettering.... but usually using a variety of pens.... (I LOVE pens..... )

But not so much with watercolor and not so much with watercolor brushes...... 

That being said...... WOW!!! I could become addicted!   Oh! MY!   I loved them..... 

So.... quickly I changed from just strokes, to see what would happen if I dabbled with some words..... 
again.... regular old paper... so, it is easy to bleed ...... but.... I didn't want to waste the watercolor paper on doodling...... 

Happy Day

I am having the happiest of days..... It is nice and quiet... My husband has gone fishing and I am left to my own devices.... and I am loving it.   I am moving from this to that... and playing around at nothing.  I am tinkering with ideas and in no hurry to clean up or to fix a meal.... (there are LOTS of leftovers... so when I get hungry... I just open the fridge...)  

I am playing around with some new pens.... and then I am going to sew a little.... I need to .... I just need to because I miss it.... and I love to create things on that sewing machine..... we'll see where that takes me.... 

And I can't wait to get my paints out and play a bit too..... just because.... It makes me happy.... 

In the mean time.... I chalked this up..... 

and this....... 

and this.......... 















Have the happiest of days! 

grateful grateful

Just a few thoughts.  It is cool and hinting at getting colder.  Seems like fall wants to hang on just a bit longer. 

This is a lovely, lovely week with family and time to spend with them... and peace and quiet after.... 

  Best wishes from my house to yours.   

Whoo likes owls???

Today a student came into my room and asked, "Do you like owls?"..... haha..... yes.... apparently so... 

Another student asked, ever so politely...... 

 

"Excuse me, I just have to ask.... but... did you DRAW that on the board???"  

Haha!  I guess I did......... 

Cute kids. 

What is new?

Everything is new.  How to use a new computer is new..... Where are all my files?  How do I find them?  How do I manipulate things on the screen?  Well, I am learning... but in the meantime... I guess I will need to be patient.  I can do that!  (haha!) 

This is what I have to do!  I have no other choice!  haha! 

just a little doodle to enjoy 

Technology snaffoo and other stuff too

I feel like I dropped off the planet.... my wee laptop gave up the ghost and died.....
I haven't decided what to do to replace my trusty old friend... but I am finally getting creative with alternative choices without it.   Soooooo I tried using my husband's desktop..... and it works just fine... but it is a bit hairy about keeping my "stuff" separate from his "stuff"..... so I think I am going to have to break down and go looking for a replacement (computer- that is, not husband... just in case you were a bit confused there.)

In the meantime.... I am giving this iPad a go at this.... hopefully it does the job... even if there are a million typos due to the "help" it insists on providing me with..... with auto correct changing what I thought I wanted to say into something that would never come out of my mouth ....

Sooooo, on that note..... here is what I have been up to this weekend.  Just a little painted hand lettering to keep me out of trouble.  I am totally in love with how this turned out.  

Angels among us

We all have a lot to be thankful for.  I could focus on all the "stuff" that is not so great- because I have "stuff"... just like anyone, but today I am choosing to focus on the good.  We got a brand new grand-baby yesterday morning.  After some "scary bits" during labor, all ended well for both the baby and the mom.  We are grateful.  
Today is going to be spent with the older kids to pass the time whilst mom is still in the hospital.  We are going to bake cookies and decorate them.  Maybe we will make her a little gift.... (We will see how the cookie baking goes with a 2 and 4 year old!  haha! )  
In the meantime, I have a lovely pot of soup simmering and some cornbread ready to bake.  
Times like these make you feel thankful!  

A little overwhelming... haha

Who gets up at 2:30 in the morning because the holiday weekend is simply not long enough.... 

TIME!!!  The constant battle to cram more in and to come out victorious!  haha! 

We have this three day weekend.  I soooooo looked forward to it... kind of hoping to hit the reset button and catch up a little.  Well, whose plan was THAT??? 

We are trying to move houses... after living in this one long enough to fill it full to the brim of absolutely "necessary" items.... Things we lovingly collected over the years.  Things that we were happy to acquire after patience and hard work.  Things that we made.  Things that we were given.  Things that bring memories flooding back by just seeing them again... Things that I want to KEEP.   

And now we are wondering how to pack these THINGS... What to do with these THINGS that might no longer fit in the new place.....

Amid the sea of boxes and chaos, I sit--- trying to decided what to do with my TIME today to best make use of it.... 

and although I was exhausted enough to fall asleep instantly when I climbed into bed.... my hyper-drive brain thought it was important to solve the world's mysteries and woke me up to do so..... 

After turning and staring at the clock with disbelief.... (it was BEFORE 2:30 a.m.)... and giving my brain a stern lecture about sleeping for at LEAST three more hours.... (but four would be better)..... I finally came to the realization that I had lost that battle..... and got up... so at least ONE person in this house could sleep... 

and came out into the living room to grade papers..... it seemed like a million of them.... (mainly because there were about a million of them....more or less.)  

I found out Friday that all the assessments that we did last week needed to be graded and decisions needed to be made as to which cute student was going to be heading to remediation on TUESDAY...... (ack! ..... might I say ACK!)  So.... whose idea of fun was this???   haha! 

Knowing that a crew of men are going to arrive today, expecting my house to be neatly packed and labeled in boxes... ready to load into the truck.... my hyper-drive brain reminded me that there would not be time (or energy) to get this grading ordeal accomplished later..... 

Goodness gracious!  I got that task done.   I planned tomorrow so I don't 100 students staring at me wondering "What in the heck?".  
So, off I go to begin a new wonderful day.... (before the crash and burn later.)  

Maybe I will whip up some breakfast... "Who wants ham and eggs???"  

Cheers! 

moving moving moving

Got through the first few weeks of school... happily anticipating the 3 day weekend.... also known as moving weekend for us this year.... 

Our house is finally complete and we are moving.  Hurray! 

We have been living in sort of a jumbled chaos for months now... and it is time to get the boxes moved and begin the new life.... haha... 

I am putting my "stuff" into my "art room"..... (which is a bedroom... and I will be using it until my "studio" is completed.... which will not be for a while.... but that is ok... for a while.... for a while.... for a.... while.......)

   

On the other hand... I have a lovely, sunny space to keep my art supplies and... craft supplies.... and sewing supplies.... and ..... um, yeah.... I am pretty ok with waiting a little longer for the studio.... 

A little doodling ... I love this one.... it looks like the end of year in my garden... Kind of weedy and dry.... and past it's prime... but just beautiful as it hints of fall, just around the corner....  

Cheers!  

First Day Hurrah

I am determined to stay current with my posts - so today is going to be kind of short and sweet.  

First Day of Middle School!  WooHoo!  It went by like a flash!  

I was not sure what to expect, but neither did those cute 6th graders.  We had a great time.  

and.... Boy am I tired!  haha!  As the saying goes:  "Ain't no tired like first day of teaching tired!"  

But it's all good.  

Cheers! 

how time flies

I have been in back to school meetings all week. They have been the bum numbing long days.  Terrific information... and information that I wanted to know... but.... still.... a long week.  I have only done ONE little sketch.... ONE..... but on the other hand, I did, quite by chance, find the sketchbook that I was doodling in last summer.... and no surprise here- it completely is still applicable this year..... haha!  

I went from 2nd grade to 5th last year.... big jump.... new room, new grade... new experiences..... 

This year I not only moved from 5th to 6th.... but 6th is in middle school- not elementary... and gulp.... I am hoping that my eyes don't look as wide and frightened as my new group of students' eyes.... 

Still.... Change is good..... Change is good..... Challenges make us grow in ways we never knew we needed...  

Cheers!   Have a lovely day!!! 

Summer, as we know it, is over....

It was good while it lasted... haha!  I had a wonderful summer this year.  I filled it with as much happiness as I could cram in.  

Today was the first Monday of 'Back to School' Meetings.... Usually they are long, long days where we sit too long and listen too much... where I remember vividly NOT to subject my students to this when they arrive.  

But today was different.  I completely and solidly enjoyed the day.   All of it... (well mostly)... 

I bumped into old friends and made new ones.  We chatted and talked about "school stuff" and it made the day fly by.  We turned it into a happy occasion.  

I came home actually looking forward to tomorrow.... same song... second verse...  

Here is my thought for today:  

And surely we will find it.  

This is my recurring theme.   I almost always default to it.
I would like to make these into note cards.

Hope you made your Monday a happy one!  Cheers! 

Itching for fall

I woke up this last Friday of summer vacation determined to get one more good day of enjoyment in.  I drew and sketched and colored and totally loved every moment.  
The cool, crisp air that came rushing in when I opened the door made me itch for fall...  and inspired me.  Here is what I came up with today.  

I did the sketch happily dreaming about fall.... and I couldn't decide what words would fit it best.... so I copied my original and tried out a few sayings that were floating around in my head..... then I colored them.... I often don't color my sketches but today.... it felt right... Here is what I came up with.  

Tell me what you think?  What do you like the best?  

Cheers!  
judy

Summer, Summer, Summer!  Don't leave....!   

No, really- I have totally mixed emotions about this.  It started about 13 years ago..... Traditionally....okay.... my WHOLE LIFE.... I have hated summer.... I hate the heat.... that is the bottom line... the heat..... So I completely looked forward to.... longed for..... the coming of FALL.... 

and here I am in this big bag of mixed emotions.... 

What happened 13 years ago??? I became a teacher.... and THAT messed up the whole Love/Hate thing I have with the seasons.... It completely turned it upside down.... 

Like all teachers I kind of focus on the ebb and flow of the school year.... and it is the opposite of my own ebb and flow of the happy seasonal changes...  I want to be done with this heat... I want to be done with summer.... only... I don't want to give up the TIME .... that is the bottom line.   

I love the students and the learning we do together.... I really do.... but I dread having every waking, breathing minute taken over by the time this job of mine takes.... so..... 

it is a paradox.... that is all... 
haha!  

Might as well go with the flow!  Thought for the day!  

Cheers!  

Summer Saturday

A lovely summer Saturday.... 

Pittering in the garden.... 

Heading over to the Farmer's Market....... 

Buying some new dishes..... 

A lovely summer Saturday.... 

decidedly so. 

some more happy thoughts

I love looking at the world through the medium of words.  The art adds a little happy glow to them as well.  

 Look at things with cheerful thoughts. 

This is where I am RIGHT NOW!  Start DOING!  

cheers 

Good morning Monday! Today is August 1st!  Is summer ever flying by!  I hate the heat but dread for summer to end. I have spent such fun days this summer.  I have worked so much on my art work that it is finally filling my cup.  I have decided to start marketing my designs on Etsy....   I have worked on my Teachers Pay Teachers store.... and let's just throw in building a house, moving, changing to a new job/new grade/new town/new everything.....   Yep it is grand!

I mostly doodle in black ink... but I thought ... since I have a passion for color..... a PASSION for color... that maybe.... maybe I should actually USE some of the million colors that I collect.  

or..... maybe not..... haha!! 

Do you hold your breath like I do??? I sometimes concentrate so hard that I forget to ... just breathe.... 

This is my focus today.  Cheers!     
                                                Judy

The love of words

A few more little samples. I am still playing around with designs.  I love using words as art ... But I have to connect to those words... They have to speak to me...     I finished these last night.  It is what I have been thinking.  Don't we all struggle with knowing who we are, what we want to be... and if we are good enough?   I am finally getting to the point where I am ready to share my artwork.