Happy Friday... Happy Every Day!!!

I am just loving life.  I am feeling all creative and getting to do my thing!  (Nothing like an artist filled with creative ideas... and no TIME to even try to begin!  Right???)  I am loving have the TIME .... T.... I....M... E !!!!!!

I have been posting my drawings and words on instagram and on Facebook for a long time...
NOT to sell.... just to ... SHARE.  The feedback has been very positive.   It gives me the warm fuzzies....
But.... today a sweet friend of mine asked me.... "WHY DON'T YOU SIGN THESE????!!!" and "WHY DON'T YOU WATERMARK THEM!!!"

Here is why......

****** I just never had the confidence in myself to sign them.... I never even gave a thought to it.... not much... (only when people ask me 'why'.... haha)......

And.... I did them for sheer enjoyment... nothing more....

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But today got me thinking.... maybe, just MAYBE.... I should do a little something with them.  I am an artist... (whew!  That is ME talking about ME?)  but I am .... and I make things.... lots of things.... because I enjoy it....

I really don't have all the background knowledge to SELL my items.... (It is the digital stuff..... how to do this... I don't know.....) What format do they have to be in??? What programs do I need to make it happen??? How do I WATERMARK???? (haha!)

************** and how do I go about selling my stuff??? How does one PRICE these things????

(no clue here.... none..... well..... almost none.....)

I don't want to sit at "craft shows" and hawk my wares..... I see the hunger in the eyes of vendors.... the pain when people just walk on by.... not interested.....

So- that leaves the internet....

And then I only see joy.... joy in the form of affirmation of my work as people buy things....

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I sell on TpT- under "just judifer"-  teacher stuff...... but after bouncing around like crazy for the last 2 years, I had to sort of put that on the back burner.... (2nd grade, 5th grade, 6th grade...... now.... back to 3rd......PING PONG BALL!!!! haha)..... but the teacher stuff is teacher stuff..... lesson plans, cool projects and other.....

NOT the straight up artwork that I like to do....(nothing wrong with teacher stuff.... NO NO NO!..... It's just not the same thing...)

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Anyway...... here is my thought for today..... LOVE my friends!  Near and far!

Cheers!
judifer

Be the good....

Let's be a little more kind..... more patient.... more grateful......   Let's be the good in the world.  

cheers!  
judifer

Summer, Summer, Summer!!

Oh!  I am LOVING summer!   I have spent days and days doing what makes my heart happy.  I have made clothes for the grand-babies... I have cleaned a closet or two.  I have organized my "place where I do stuff and everything gets dumped in here" room.... and I finally set up my drawing table near a bright window and put my pens, pencils, and STUFF into nice baskets and bins.... all at hand to use at my pleasure!  And it IS a pleasure!

Usually I play with "word art" as I sit on my bed in the evenings, watching t.v..... or listening to it... haha!

Usually the day is past evening and into the dark of night... and the light is ... well... a ceiling fan whirling making shadows dance and the glow of the t.v. in the background....

NOT the optimal lighting for an "artist"..... yes... I am an artist- haha!  but by day I am a teacher... so that hat gets the daylight hours.... and I sit, scrunched up on my bed, clip-board in hand... sketching out thoughts on paper...

*  Because it is mobile....
*  Because it is cheap.....
*  Because it can be done with any old pen and not much else.....
*  Because it lets my mind settle.....

and.....
*  Because it lets me be me..... an artist at heart..... just a little.....

Soooooo- usually I work in black ink.  I can SEEEEE black ink.   I also don't have to think too hard when I change from pen to pen- black ink is black ink.... but the nibs can vary.... Some nights I like a good old calligraphy pen.... Others- a lovely fine tipped micron.... etc... etc....... and of course- there is the brush pen.... thick, thin, fine point..... stiff.... soft....... etc.... etc.....

Do I have a lot of pens..... Why, yes I do..... a LOT of pens..... and many are black..... although..... yes.... I also have every color under the sun as well.... in every style...

Still.... I mostly use black.  

But this week...... THIS week I got a wild hair.... and broke out the colored pens..... and PENCILS..... Oh, no..... guess what!  Pencils also come in SUCH a variety.... of color, of style, of lead types... etc... etc.... but we won't go there for today.....

The point is this:

I am taking a breather from my "day job" and now- I can draw or doodle or paint (we didn't talk about painting..... no, we didn't.... but not today...).... or sew.... or cook.... or read......  (Did I mention I was loving summer!!!!!)  

Okay.... so.... here are some picts of some doodle-y-doos.....  and yes.... I actually sat at my drawing table.... and yes..... I used a splash of color...... YeeHaw!!!

Cheers!
judifer

It's a new day!

It is the first week of summer break from school.  I must admit it is splendid!  I have been absolutely ITCHING to get my hands busy making things.... creating......

So I began.....
Of course.... IN THE GARDEN!

We still have NO yard .... I cannot control THAT.... but I can control what is in my tiny porch garden.... and now it is LUSH and beautiful.... and the beginnings of more....

Then I moved on to painting little wooden pegs for my grand-daughter.... She will love them.... They are simple but time consuming!!!! So... that is GOOD!  I put my hands into autopilot and then let my mind drift happily along as my hands worked.   My eyes are getting bad so I had to focus now and then to make sure all was well... but... my hands are well trained... and happy to be occupied.... and they do what they should do ..... create....

Then.... this morning.... (yes.... Wednesday of the first week of SUMMER!!).....
I cracked open my newest box from Amazon..... they love me there... I am there very BEST customer.... and they bring me gifts (that I buy for myself)...... and this morning the gift was MOST wonderful!!!! Seriously!!! LOVE LOVE LOVE!!!!! (feeling the love???)
OH this pen obsession.... I thought it couldn't be any better.... but these are positively delicious!
The bristles are delicately fine and the ink flows like none other.... I got RIGHT back onto Amazon and ORDERED MORE.... MORE.... MORE!!!!!  Yes I did...... The pack that came has 12 colors.... should be enough for live entertainment... but now I have a pack of 48 coming soon to join the party! I cannot wait!  (Gotta love Amazon Prime 2 day shipping!!! )

So..... as if THAT wasn't enough wonderfulness (yes I think that is a word.... if not.... it is now...)  .... I also, on a whim.... had ordered pencils..... EXPENSIVE pencils..... that were in my treasure box this morning.... I thought I would give them a go..... (WHO spends $22 on a box of 12 pencils??????)....... (apparently I do.... )   and..... unfortunately ..... I LOVE THEM too......... (sigh... I might have to order some MORE.... later... later..... must pace myself.... and my budget..... seriously!)

So... today is, indeed..... a GREAT day for a good day.......

cheers!
judifer

mixing it up

Here is a little thought for the day.  Try mixing up the styles of your lettering to add a little pizzazz...
Happy Friday Eve...

learning new stuff!

Hurray!  Major breakthrough today!!!

I have been doing hand lettering for well over 30 years.... I love it!  I dream about it!  I research ideas for what to "say".....

But now, in today's digital world I am trying to update what I do to be able to be utilized online and for digital purposes.

So... I paid for the be big fat subscription to have the Adobe products to use.... yes... I had to swallow hard and then breathe when I took that step.... or.... LEAP of FAITH..... because I didn't know how to use any of it whatsoever.

Yesterday, I finally clicked on the right... I don't know what..... "button"  ????  or tab or whatever they are called.... and then somehow, somehow..... it just worked.... and I was able to, not only import one of my quickly sketched words... but then "clean it up" in illustrator.... and, VOILA',  make a jpg and and a png and a PDF.... (What the heck do these things even mean???? I don't know... but I do know that I needed all of them.) So.... with more than a little humility.... I am going to share this one simple word with you all....

AND I want to say.... DON'T GIVE UP!

  Cheers!!
judifer

Super Saturday! Hurray!

I am soooo needing this... a day to just breathe!  A day to catch up with myself.

The weather is a bit warmer... hinting that someday soon we might be comfortable with the idea that we can assume that spring is here to stay....

I am going to draw a little.... paint a little..... work on the garage.... well..... maybe.... maybe....

but in any case... I am going to just enjoy this day!

Couldn't decide if I liked this one ... so I did another....  What do you think?

Well, either which way... have a lovely day! 

cheers!
judifer