Tuesday before groundhog day.

Why is it that Tuesdays seem so unproductive? I spent most of the morning excavating our bills basket and writing checks. Nothing like paying bills to make one question one's decision to be an artist/writer. And so, I went to the seer of all seers, that humble prognosticator Punxsutawney Phil. Ask him a question he'll tell you the answer. He's right too. He knows that I will "definitely" need to pick up my husband from work, (The truck is broken.) and that the chance that I will make money from my art and writing is "highly doubtful." Thanks to Cindy Lord for that time waster.

Birthday Thoughts

So...35 is not a whole lot different from 34. Imagine that. However, 35 is a world away from 7. It does seem odd that my parent's have a 35 year old baby. (But I can always sit on their laps.)

My babies are now almost 7 and 5. Yesterday, our digital piano was programmed to play "Happy Birthday." The song that came next was "Pomp and Circumstance." My husband and I immediately looked at each other with wet eyes. "Are you sad because it's been so long since we've heard that, or because it will be so soon when we hear it for the boys." "The boys," he said.

Hummingbirds and butterflies and fairies...

Oh my. It is snowing outside my window. I look out into the tops of the trees from my studio window and the branches are covered with white. The pines boughs are bending. Must be wet snow. Indeed, the snow is very sticky (dog needed to go out). Great for making snow balls and snowmen.

I just completed an exciting water color of three fairy children exploring and discovering a hummingbird and a butterfly in a garden. It is funny to turn and see snow after being "in" my summer garden setting. I'm very pleased with it and feel that it is a more marketable style than my current portfolio. I hope to work on more images in this style in preparation for the spring NESCBWI conference (April 28-30) I especially want to complete a character in a series of drawings to show consistancy. This has always been difficult for me but I think I'm just coming to terms with the fact that I need reference for drawing. If I'm working from a picture or model I think the consistancy issue would take care of itself.

Wednesday is my 35th birthday and the one year anniversary of the Maine Illustrators' Collective. Let's eat cake!

Alone and loving it.

My children and husband just left for the weekend to attend a cousin's birthday party and I find I am "All by myself..." sing it Anna. Wait, a touch of FAME..."Out here on my own" How come all those songs are about NOT wanting to be alone. I am actually ecstatic about this opportunity. Over the next two days I will: read, write, paint, go to my bookgroup, nap, eat chocolate, and not feel guilty about any of it.

New Bookshelf

Okay, so I just bought a new bookcase from Staples, which is not at all the point of this posting but definitely the catalyst. So, as an extension of the January muck out that I've been doing in my studio, I waded through the books and papers I had stuffed in my old bookcase. The new bookcase is taller (two more shelves, yahoo) so I was able to finally empty the cardboard box that has been sitting next to the old bookcase since we moved into this house fall of '04. In the box, I found a few books, a bunch of files I chucked into the reycling bin, and my journals and sketch books of old. I started to read.

Wow! I became an anthropologist and archaeologists at once. Who was this girl turned young woman? She was so righteous, so judgemental, so confused. Her poetry stank until about 1990 when suddenly she started to straighten out her thoughts. Her metaphors became a little less complex and convoluted. That was the spring of my freshman year in college and I guess I was in love, according to my writing, but with whom, honestly I'm not sure. I met my husband in the spring of the next year so it wasn't him.

Then the drawing just blew me away. I have periods in college when I drew all the time. Lucky me. In my solitude, I took my sketch book everywhere. I painted too. My color use is really interesting, the subject matter could only be classified as spiritual and angst filled. Much about our place in the universe and what is love.

It is so interesting that I became a generally satisfied, very organized, goal oriented, in control of the house, planner kind of person. (Although there are hints of leadership from a very interesting entry the night I was the on-duty RA during a frat party I had to close down.) Is this just what happens with maturity and responsibility? What will this post look like 15 years from now?

Bread

One of the New Year's resolutions I have made is to bake our own bread. Part of the decision is about health, some economic, and some selfish. I love making bread. The magic of yeast, an organism that feeds on the warmth and sweetness of honey or sugar to grow my loaf. The warm flour mixes with the yeast liquid under my fingers. Sticky dough becomes elastic as I rhythmically push and turn the dough. Kneading-- what a release and great upper arms too (forget pushups). So I made a nice wheat loaf the other day and this morning I made a white dough that I will use for rolls and sandwich bread. I figure that even if it is white flour, my loaves will be healthier than the loaves at the store with preservatives.

I remember a children's book from when I was in elementary school about a children who assume their neighbors who live in a haunted house are witches. The kids hear the witches chanting or singing something that makes the kids think they are pounding on someone and cooking them, but they are really kneading dough and baking bread. The end had a recipe for bread. Does anyone else remember this or know the title?

First Grade Hello!

A big hello to Ms. Major's class in Shamokin, PA. I got a wonderful note from the class. They are doing a project to collect emails from 100 authors and illustrators. I am honored to be included.
For me, there is nothing like being with the children I write for to inspire me to write and draw more.

That said, I better go do the research I have to do instead of wasting more time on the web.

Muck out

I'm finding that the state of my studio is creating a definite block to creativity and work. I need to muck out from the holidays. The studio became the hiding spot for all gifts and the wrapping area as well. Bits of gift paper, scissors, note cards, crayons and half finished kids' drawings have taken over. Piles of my work, mostly unfinished have been shoved aside. It is time for a change. A time to take back my space. Huzzah! Or is this just another procrastination tool? Hmmmm...

When to keep a kid home?

So today should be it. The day I send both kids back to school and get a few hours to myself for the first time in over two weeks. Ha! You think things work out for juggling Mommies? Don't be silly. My youngest who has had a snuffly nose for the last 10 days wakes up with a deep cough this morning. I'm trying to get through to the doctor and keeping him home. Could he manage a couple of hours at pre-school? Ofcourse. Should I expose all the other families to this illness? Probably not. So, I set him up in front of the tv with a bunch of movies and off I go.

Goal today: A few good sketches and some DC research. Maybe a trip to the library this afternoon.