My goodness, has it been a month since my last post. Here it is Christmas and I have yet to get started on those window treatments. I'll bet you all can guess what my New Years Resolution will be............

At last, I'm going to be getting my "artistic" paint brush out and dusting off the cobwebs. I just finished up the last project for the house and now we are readying ourselves for moving back into our fifth wheel for the journey southwest. My first artistic endeavor will be for the fifth wheel. We are replacing the window blinds and I'm designing some new window treatments. I'm going to be sewing some drapery panels and painting the valances on canvas! Sound a little crazy......well stay tuned I will be posting some photos as things progress. My husband just finished the cornice framework, so I will be starting the paintings very soon. I'm so looking forward to putting my own artistic stamp on our fifth wheel home. The interior is very nice, but there are hundreds more out there just like it and frankly it is a little to "beige" for me. Time for some COLOR and STYLE!

I'm afraid I'm going to have to put all my art endeavors on hold for awhile. The house has to be my priority at present. We need to get it on the market before summer is over and time is flying by........so many things to do and so little time to do them in! My reward will be great, for once the house is over and done with I will be able to focus all of my attention on my art. That is the prize at the end of it all and that is what keeps me going.

Finally here we are in Indiana and finally we have the internet up and running. Now that we are back, I will be getting started on those doggie portraits. I'll keep you posted as they progress.....

Well, today is a travel day. We hook up the fifth wheel and start our journey back to Lafayette. I'm sorry I did not have a chance to do anymore work on the cornice. It will probably take us about 3 days to get back to Indiana. I have 3 dog portraits promised, so I will be starting those when I get back. The cornice will have to be put on the "back burner" for awhile.

Here is my latest project. I am working on cornices for my RV. They are made primarily from MDF. I primed them with Gesso and then applied my background in acrylics. I know it is kinda hard to see, but I have a basic sketch drawn on in pencil. You may recognize the robin on the nest--it is the same as my banner above. She is one of my favorites. My next step will be to start washing in some color. Hopefully, I'll get to that in the near future. We are still in Branson and having a great time at the rally. They are forecasting rain today, if that happens I may get in some painting time.

I know it has been forever since I posted, but I promise that changes starting today. Today we arrived in Branson, MO for the RV-Dreams Rally. It promises to be sooooo much fun. Tomorrow is the official "check in" day and I can't wait to meet everyone. I'm posting a link here in this blog to my "travel blog", The GoodeLife, please check their for our lastest adventure. As for my art, I'm currently working on some cornices for my rv. I'll post some pictures tomorrow and go into more detail at that time. Until then...............

Not My Usual Self......

Wow! Can't believe it has been so long since my last post. Where oh where does the time go. I wish I had something wonderful to share, but sadly I do not. I have been working on house the last several days---we are going to try and sell it this summer. I have so many things I want to accomplish, I have to admit to feeling a little overwhelmed. I decided I need to take my own advice and get back to those "baby steps". I have not been able to pick up a paint brush since my return. That is not a good thing and I need to get myself back on track. Tomorrow I'm off to visit my son, but come Monday morning I'm going to set some short term goals and get myself organized. I know I can't paint everyday, but I need to allow myself to paint at least 3 times a week. I say "allow myself" because I do feel a little guilty taking time to paint when the house needs so much work. On the other hand, I "need" to paint---to lose myself in my creative spirit---it is good for my soul and my heart. Can you tell I'm feeling a little "down" tonight? It happens to the best of us. Tomorrow will be a better day...........

Part 3 Artistic Journey

As promised, here are some of my "What ifs" and my approach to answering them.

What if, I make an effort to "grow" as an artist and explore fine art? This is probably my biggest "What if" I had grown to comfortable at my current skill level. It was time to "move out" of my comfort zone, but how? I turned to the internet, time to do a little research. I knew I had an interest in pursuing wild life art and pet portraits---so that is where I started. I was so lucky to fine Greywaren Art's blogspot. She is truly inspirational and a real joy to read. Through her site I found WetCanvas. WetCanvas is an artist forum, with a multitude of information. In my short association with them, I have grown as an artist and learned many new techniques. I have been painting and putting into practice the things I have been learning. For the first time in a long time, I feel like an "artist" again. Maybe more so than I have in a long time.

What if, I actually try selling what I create in a professional manner? This is another biggie for me. I have sold my work before, but never made a direct effort to market it with an actual plan of attack! Once again, Greywaren Art to the rescue. Check out her blog on Marketing your art. I'm not going to repeat it all here, but I am following her advice as closely as possible and I am seeing results. This takes time and it is easy to get discouraged, but don't give into the temptation to quit. Keep promoting, keep producing, good things come to those who persist! This leads to my next What if.......

What if, I set goals? I have never been good at goal setting, but once again I turned to the internet and did a little research. I found that to make goals work you need to first WRITE THEM DOWN. Once that is accomplished you need to break them down into "baby steps" and create a time line to complete each one of those baby steps. I now keep a journal. I document all my "baby steps" and accomplishments. My goals are now obtainable and, I might add, changing. That's OK. I have found as I grow and change, my goals need to change. Sometimes a new idea needs to be acted on immediately and that makes a change in a time line or a goal. I found being flexible in your goal setting is important to keep you moving forward, it allows you to take steps in a new direction if needed. I can't stress enough the importance of those "baby steps". Those small steps are confidence builders and enable you to see progress and success right away. Anytime you have a goal you are having trouble achieving......break it down. You will be amazed at how easily it becomes "achievable"!

Well, that is where you find me now. Working on improving my art and taking those "baby steps" toward by goals. Writing this blog, writing in my journal, both things help to keep me focused and moving forward. As always, comments and questions are always welcome. You may post your questions in the comments section and I'll answer them here.

Part 2 Artistic Journey

From the moment I finished that oil painting, I knew I had to continue to pursue my "art" journey. I was totally hooked! I was so lucky to have the Artistry Art Shop practically in my backyard. The owners provided classes on a weekly basis and also brought in accomplished artist from outside the area. I continued to take the oil classes, but I was also being drawn into the world of acrylics. Decorative painting was very popular at the time and I decided to try my hand at painting on wood. Once again I was hooked! I took a few class from the decorative art teacher at the Artistry, but I also found a multitude of "how to" books. I love to read and I love to experiment with different techniques and styles. I would encourage anyone striving to learn or improve their painting technique to look into the world of "how to" books. To this day, I love going to the bookstore and can spend hours checking out all the great art books and magazines. A word of caution here--- You can read and look at the pretty pictures all day, but without "practice" (that dreaded "p" word) you will never improve and certainly never achieve your own "style" of painting. I try to do something "artistic" everyday. Sometimes all I can do is a quick sketch or take a photo of a "project to be", but that keeps me in tune with my artistic side. It is so easy to "postpone" your art........ but I digress, let's save that for another day. Decorative painting became my focus for several years. I did a few good shows, but I mostly painted murals for private and public places. Believe it or not I actually ended up teaching decorative art at the very place it all started--that's right the Artistry Art Shop. I loved teaching and I do miss it. The Artistry closed a few years ago, when the owners retired. Decorative painting was on the decline at that point and my life took on a new direction. I did continue to paint for clients from time to time, but not as much as I would have liked. I finally reached a point where I felt I was no longer growing as an artist. I won't bore you with all the directions my life took me, but that paint brush was always nagging at me. I was full of "what ifs". I turned fifty last year, my husband and I both retired. I decided it was now or never and I'm in the process of trying to find answers to some of those "What ifs". I'm determined to "grow" as an artist. I want to get back to the "canvas" and pursue "fine art" or at least my definition of it. Next time, I'll share some of those "what ifs" and what I'm doing to find the answers. By the by, we are back in Indiana. I have much to do to get our home ready to sell, but I promise I'll be posting more on the pups soon. Comments and questions are always welcome---just post your questions in the comment section.

Journey to Indiana

Sorry nothing "artsy" to post as of yet. We are still making our way to Indiana. We stopped and spent 4 wonderful days at Joe Wheeler State Park in Alabama. Now, we are currently in Cave City, Kentucky. We should reach Lafayette, Indiana sometime late this afternoon. I'm sure it will take a couple of days to get settled before I can re-claim my easel. I'm just "itching" to paint again. I have so many wonderful photos from our journey. I also thought I would start sharing the story of "how I became an artist". I do not have an art degree, but I was lucky enough to have a great local art shop in my community. I was always interested in art, but never encouraged to pursue that interest. My parents wanted me to direct my life in a direction whereby I could actually "earn a living". I'm sure many of you have heard that growing up. I was very fortunate to have married a man who wanted me to pursue my dreams----whatever they were. It was not till after the birth of my son in 1983, when I had my first opportunity to take an art class at the local art shop. A friend of mine had just recently had a baby and she decided we both needed a "mom's day out". She called and convinced me to sigh up for the class with her. I didn't know what to expect. I have no art supplies and no idea of how to paint. Fortunately, the art shop allowed me to "rent" the supplies I needed for the day. The teacher was wonderful and the painting was a simple landscape entitled "Misty Forest", the medium was oil. It was taught in a step by step manner with lots of attention paid to technique and color mixing. The teacher came around to us individually and helped us when needed---I was definitely needy. It was a long day, 9am to 5pm, but at the end I had a "nice" painting to show my husband. I wish I had a photo of it to share with you. It was far from a masterpiece, but even I could see the potential and I felt there was hope for me as an artist. My husband was very excited and encouraged me to continue with the classes. Next post I'll share more of my "art journey" and how I became exposed to the world of acrylics.

State Park and More.......

Wow, the last few days have had some major up and downs. The first being our "breakdown". We had a broken leaf spring, no fun at all and took about 2 days to finally get the part and be up and running down the road. Managed to get to the Alafia State Park and did have a nice couple of days there. If you want to see some pics of our campsite, some scenery along the trail, and a friendly turtle that came to visit one morning, check out my travel blog The Goodelife. I do have a couple of sketches to post on my next project.

This is Sadie and Gus. I also have a 3rd, but haven't got to getting it sketched out yet. Here are the pictures I am working from......


Not sure, how much painting I will get done in the next few days. We are heading back to Indiana tomorrow, but I will post as things progress.

Gone but not forgotten...I hope

I may be missing in action for a few days. Today is moving day for us. We are re-locating our home (the fifth wheel) to a state park , the Alafia . It is less than 100 miles from our current location, but it has some great scenery and bike trails. We plan on being there for about 3 days and we may be without internet for the duration of our stay. The trade off, I promise some great photos and a great "work in progress" of some of that scenery in the near future. I currently have three dog portraits on my easel. Just finished the sketches for two of the three and will share that with you as soon as I can.

Back to the Flamingo

Ok, if you remember a while back I posted my "flamingo" fabric painting. It is very free and fun, a long way from my detailed pet portraits that I have been doing. I find that I often need a break between portraits. In as much as I enjoy them, they can be draining. I have always loved sewing and especially hand embroidery work. I have decided to develop a line of purses. These will be known as "goodebags". Now, aren't I clever! The handbag on your right is my first adventure into the land of "goodebags"! If you are interested in purchasing my very first "goodebag", check out my new Etsy Site. I spent almost the whole day setting up the shop and listing my two items. I plan to offer not only "goodebags" on Etsy, but also my original paintings. It will take a while to build inventory, but "goode" things come to those who wait. I know, I know----I'll stop now. Seriously, I encourage any and all to check out Etsy. It is a community of some very talented artist and craft persons. If you are looking for something special, I'm sure you can find it there. Many of the items are "one-of-a-kind" and there is a large range of prices. Isn't it time we stop giving our hard earn dollars to the big corporations and especially to China.

Boston is finally done!

Finally done with my Boston Terrier. I was all set to post this on my web site and offer it for sale, but something happened to change my mind. A few days ago the owner of the Boston Terrier had an opportunity to see the portrait. He just couldn't say enough about how wonderful it was and even wiped a tear away from his eye. He said he wished his wife could see it. I told him, anytime she wanted to see it just let me know. It was then he informed me that his wife was in the hospital and not doing well. I was shocked, had no idea she had fallen ill. To make a long story short, I finished the portrait and gave it to him the next day. He wanted to pay for it, but I said no. I told him to take it to his wife and if it made her smile, that was payment enough for me. Later that same day, there was a knock at my door. It was my neighbor, standing there with a half dozen beautiful red roses for me!! He told me his wife absolutely loved the portrait and was very happy. He thanked me again. I was truly touched my the gift of the roses. I also feel such a warm, glow inside my heart. I did a good thing. No matter how much someone else would have paid for that portrait......they would have neither loved nor appreciated it the way those two do. That's what it is all about, isn't it?

Boston Phase 5

And........here we are again. I'm very happy with the face, dare I say "done". Everything from the collar down is still in progress. I decided I wanted to re-do the portion of the collar between the clasp and the D-ring. Just felt I could do it better. Have not spent to much time on the body---just basic stuff. I have spent most of my time on the hand. A challenge for me. I did a few portraits back in my "oils" days, but never acrylics. I think the hand is coming along---what do you think? Comments are always welcome here. My goal is to build a little confidence with the "hand" and try my "hand" (lol) at an actual "human" portrait in acrylics.

Boston Phase 4

Well, those darn ears are giving me fits!!! Now, I see that the one on the right needs rounding at the top. I spent a good deal of time working on the neck area and collar. The collar still needs some work, not quite happy with the way it looks at present. I have the first couple of layers on the hand, basic shape is looking good. I also put in a background layer today. I decided on a soft gray, but I think I'll try deepening some areas with a darker value wash. I really enjoy being able to take my time with my painting these days. I think that is so important. Everyone needs to take that time to step back, take a break, and see their painting with "fresh" eyes. I am also finding that it is very beneficial to take photos of your work. Not only, does it give you a record of your progress; but it also helps you spot problem areas (like those darn ears) that might otherwise be missed. Sometimes you can get so involved in the details, that you don't see the "whole". That's where the photo comes in----it helps you to see the whole.

Boston Terrier Phase 3

Finally, back to work on the Boston. Spent most of the day refining areas and I did manage to block in the body. I still have bunches to do on the face, but I'm pretty happy with the direction I'm going. I do have to say that I have struggled with this little guy. Sometimes it takes me awhile to really "see" the painting. I have to get past the point of painting the "dog" and on to painting the "shapes"----what I actually see, not what I "think" I see in my mind's eye. Once I get in the "zone" things start to come together. I'm able to move quicker and the dog finally starts coming to life for me. At this point, most of the "shapes" on the head are established. Now, it is just a matter of building layers, adjusting values, and adding texture. I think I'm really gonna like that red collar! I'm also looking forward to painting that "hand".

Taxes---OH MY!

Sorry about the delay in developing the Boston. My husband insisted I get my tax stuff together. I'm a terrible book keeper. I have everything I need.........somewhere. At any rate, I'll be back painting today and will post the next phase soon. Thanks for watching!

Boston Terrier Phase 2

Here are two phases in the Boston Terrier. The first is the initial placement of washes, just blocking in of color with a little texture. I achieve the texture by using the "chisel edge" of my brush through the wet paint. All I'm doing at this point is getting an idea of the general direction of hair growth. The direction the hair grows is very important and can really throw off a portrait. I have found you can't always rely on what the photo shows on hair growth. Some areas may look almost flat, but you may need to "round out" the hairs to make that cheek "pop" or flatten hairs to get an area to recede. So, don't be afraid to make those judgement calls----you will know if it is working or not---trust your artist eye. After I finish the initial block in, I always take a little break. Get up and move around--don't keep staring at the portrait. Give yourself a chance to come back with "fresh eyes" for your next round.
Here in the second photo, I worked primarily on the right side. Here I start to lay in those first batch of hairs. I generally start with a mid tone or slightly darker value than the initial wash. Remember I'm looking for shapes now, areas of dark against light. I'll will worry about blending later. I also did a little more work in the eye area. The eyes have been a bit of a challenge. First, there is a lot more "white of the eye" showing and 2nd, they are quite large and not shaped the way you would expect. The "white of the eye" isn't really white---in this case it has a slight pink tint from the blood vessels of the eye. The shape of the whole eyeball is of course round, but the Iris is somewhat flat on one side. Tricky, but I think I'm getting there. I've been working for about 5 hours and that is usually my max! It is hard to quit, there is always one more thing to "fix" or start anew. Once my eyes start to tire, I know it is time to quit for the day. I always put the portrait away---where I can't continually look at it and "pick it apart". Somehow it always looks better the next day! I used to tell my students that the "paint fairy" would come to visit sometime in the night if they were good little artist! Hope I have been a "goode" little artist!

New Project: Boston Terrier

The original photo is below the sketch. I know I cut the ears off in this photo, but I really liked the expression and I have other reference photos for the ears. I paint much better than I sketch, I just try to capture the general expression and shapes. I have a special place in my heart for Bostons. My great-grandfather owned a Boston Terrier named Suzie. She and I became grand friends! She was my playmate, my protector, and my dinner companion. I would sit on the front stoop and whatever I was eating, I shared with Suz. I'd take a bite and then she'd take a bite. Drove my grandparents nuts! So, although this isn't my Suzie (shes been gone for years now) I'll paint this little guy in her memory. I love ya, Suzie-Q and I know someday we will be together again----sit'in on the stoop.......

Peanut FINI!

Peanut is done. I finished just a few minutes ago and decided to go ahead and post. Do I absolutely love what I have created..........? There is a lot about the painting I like. I feel I have captured "Peanut", that sweet little face and expression. I'm happy with the "Tufted Titmouse" as well. I do feel, however, that I could do better on the foreground and especially the small tree branches and leaves. Overall, I am pleased with the results. I would be interested in your comments. I find that most of us (artists) are very critical of our own work. I have been painting for more than 20 years and I always feel my work can be improved upon. Maybe that is how it should be.........that burning desire to continue to grow and explore new techniques and subject matter. I have also spent most of those 20 years as a decorative artist. I painted murals and decorated furniture and home accessory items. I want more now----I want to paint with more realism.......I want something I can't quite put into words..... as of yet. Hopefully, I will at least know when I achieve it! I know painting makes me happy, so I'll pick up my brush once more and try a new subject, a new technique, a new way of thinking.

I'm back

So sorry, been gone awhile. My husband and I (plus the two furballs) went for a visit with my Mother over in Bradenton Florida. It was a fun couple of days and I think the furballs enjoyed have the run of a large house. Today I will be getting back to "Peanut" and hopefully I'll be posting the final piece soon. I hope those of you that are following along this blog feel free to make comments. I would love to hear from you and would be happy to answer any questions. I would also like to direct you to a blog I have been enjoying, greywarenart.blogspot.com. She is currently doing a series on commission works and it is marvelous! She is inspiring to say the least.
I'm still playing around with the "funky flamingos" and I will continue to post my progress. I will be starting a new pet portrait soon. I'm thinking of doing a Boston Terrier. There is one that is staying across the street from our site and he is cute as a button. I took several pictures the other day. I thought you might enjoy seeing more of the process of how I work, so I will be posting more pictures of this piece. Again, please let me know what you think---good or bad!

Funky Flamingos

I decided to give "Peanut" a break and do a little working on my mix media project. I painted this funky flamingo on fabric with some iridescent fabric paints and then added some free motion stitching. I know you can't see the stitching, but I think I did pretty well for a first attempt. I know, a big departure from my usual detailed portraits. Sometimes its nice to break out of that "box" and go at something with wild abandonment. That's exactly what I did and I had fun! I'm actually making a tote. I have attached the flamingo painting to the tote fabric with a buttonhole stitch and metallic silver thread. Next, I added some silk ribbon embroidery. The "tote fabric" isn't really fabric in the traditional sense. The weave is very much like a counted cross stitch fabric, but it is actually a soft, pliable plastic. Where did I find this stuff? Well, we had noticed that several of our fellow rv'ers had a type of "shade fabric" attached to their awnings. We inquired and were directed to a small town shop that made these sun shades. They had rolls and rolls of this stuff in all different colors and they would sell it by the yard. So, I bought a yard of a soft green, soft pink, and a green/purple stripe. I thought they would make great beach bags. So, I'm playing, experimenting, and stretching my artistic wings. I'm not done----not by a long shot! I see buttons, beads, threads, and fibers...............stay tuned for the next exciting chapter of "funky flamings, gone wild"!

Peanut Almost Done

I'm making progress as you can see. I feel pretty good about everything at present. Yesterday, I was ready to pitch the whole project. Funny how that happens, I'll be working along and all of a sudden those nagging doubts start creeping in..........You know the ones. The--"this looks like "poop" thought, or " I'm never going to get this right". At that point, I have learned it is time to put the painting away---completely out of sight. I don't look at it again till the next day, when I have "fresh" eyes. This painting has had its challenges. My biggest mistake was using a canvas with a particularly rough texture. I did sand it before I started, but it really didn't do much good. When you are working in such fine detail it pays to have "portrait grade" canvas. Unfortunately, I'm currently in the middle of "no mans' land"and had to take what I could find. I should have taken the time to put several coats of gesso, sanding well in between each coat till I achieved a smoother finish. Oh well, the trials and tribulations of being an artist! I have also learned that it pays to have a reference photo to work from whenever possible. I spent a lot of time on the little violet closest to Peanut yesterday. I just could not get it right--I was painting from memory. Not a good plan at my age. Today, I located a photo of some violets. I'm much happier with the way that violet turned out. I have another started on the left and I'll probably add one more (ya know, the old "rule of threes"). That's it I'm done for the day---I'm kicked back in my "easy chair" with my feet up at least for the next few minutes anyway!

Working on Peanut

Here is little Peanut. I have been working on her for about two days now. I think she is starting to come together. I have to say the hardest part is definitely the neck area. I have just started blocking in that area so it has a ways to go. The muzzle and nose area are pretty close, I'm also fairly happy with the eye areas. Ears, forehead, and right side of the face still need a lot of work. I tend to work in acrylics like a watercolorist. Lots of water and layer upon layer. One advantage I have over the watercolor is the ability to "paint out" an area with gesso and start over. I found out that can really help cut down on the frustration level.

Peanut!

Here is the progress I'm making on "Peanut". This sketch is from another photo of mine. She was actually looking up at her owner, so I thought it might look cute to add the bird in the corner. I"ll post more as I progress.
I have signed up for an online class with Natalie Hamade. She does such beautiful faces! I'm still waiting on my supplies, but I'll post my progress. One might ask, Why dolls? I have always loved dolls, I would probably still be playing with my Barbie dolls if the other kids had not made fun of me! Well, I turned 50 this year and I promised myself that this would be my time. So, I'm gonna play with my dollies----just you wait and see!
By the way, my electrical cord for my sewing machine finally showed up! I'll be working on my flamingos again soon!

Still Waiting........

Still waiting for my electrical cord to arrive for my sewing machine. In the meantime, I have decided to work on some more pet portraits. Yesterday, we had some new neighbors pull in beside us here in the rv park. We went over and introduced ourselves and found they had a "new puppy". It was just soooo cute! Her name is "Peanut", she is just 12 weeks old, and she is a "chawiener". A "chawiener" is a cross between a chihuahua and a wiener dog. Here is picture I took of her. She is so sweet. I took several pictures and I took one of them and worked out the drawing for the painting today. I won't have time tomorrow to start the painting, but hopefully Friday I can put paint to canvas. The other nice thing that happened today was meeting a group of ladies that get together every Wednesday to paint. They watercolor, but told me I was welcome to join them. I think I'll take them up on it.

Picture of Pet Portrait

I was able to present this finished portrait of my Uncle's dogs to him last Wednesday. I'm pretty sure he liked what he saw. I'm very pleased with the way they turned out. The dog in the distance passed away a few years ago, so that is why the grass looks misty.

I so enjoy painting animals--of all kinds. My problem is finding photos (copyright free). I do try to take photos for myself, but I don't always have access to animals. I would love to paint some African wildlife or Rainforest wildlife, but I don't see traveling to those destinations anytime soon. I guess zoos are my only option at this point.

Right now I'm working on some "funky flamingos" to add to a tote I'm in the process of designing. I went to get out my sewing machine to do some free motion work on the flamingos and guess what? No power cord! I must have forgotten to pack it. I managed to find one available for purchase online so I have ordered it. Hopefully it will get here in a few days---I'm just dying to see what I can do! This will be my first attempt at "mixed media" I plan on adding some beads and embroidery work after the free motion work is done. I'll post some pics as things progress.

Who's gonna eat who?

Here are my two furbabies posing with a fun project I did for my Uncle Jim in Tampa, Florida. Take a close look at little Belle (she is on the right), she is actually licking her lips! Who knew she liked gator meat!

Actually the gator is made of concrete. He keeps watch over my Uncle's marina and he was in need of a complete makeover. So, I got out my brushes and acrylic paints and I think he turned out pretty good.
I'm still working on the "surprise" painting I spoke of before, but so far I'm very happy with it. I should be able to share pictures of it soon. Did not get to work on it today, we had some errands to run. I have other projects I'm anxious to start, but I made a promise to myself that I would finish this before moving on. I'm really bad about that-----sometimes I get so many projects going I get overwhelmed and nothing gets finished.

First Post

This is my first posting on blogger. For those of you who have been following my website blog.....Welcome back. I know it has been over a month since my last website posting, mostly due to poor internet connections. We are now in Bushnell, Florida and plan to be here until end of March. It is a very nice rv park, lots of friendly folk, and a great pool. For those of you who are new to my blog, we full time in our fifth wheel. Today I'm going to be working on a dog portrait. It is a surprise for someone special, so I won't post any pics just yet. I work primarily in acrylics, but I also love to sew. My goal for this year is to invest more time in mix media and combining the two mediums. I would love to design and create some clothing and accessory items. I have lots of ideas, but sometimes I'm a little lazy about implementing them. One of my "ideas" is to go around and take pictures of all the dogs in the rv park. I've seen some really sweet, soo cute, faces. I know I could do some really fun things with those faces as inspiration!! Did I mention I love dogs?

I have been enjoying many of the other blogspots of other artist of late. It has been very inspirational! There are many more things I want to include on my blog, so please have patience--there is a learning curve involved, but I'm getting better. I won't promise that I'll post everyday, but I will try to at least be interesting.