Alice in Wonderland - Encore has sold.

I was a little 'sad' to see it go...

but my

"Alice in Wonderland - Encore" painting has sold.

I was especially proud of this piece as it is the

first two panel 'fairytale/ storybook' piece that I've ever done...

and I had a hard time deciding whether to offer it for sale

or keep it for myself.

In the end...since it is how I make my living...I had to

go with 'selling it'.

I'm sure the buyer will love it...hopefully as much as I do:)

Changing My Mind...again!

At the end of last year...I was seriously contemplating

starting a new blog...
along with some other changes...
well...I've changed my mind...again.

Instead of the new blog...
I've started a monthly newsletter that goes out to
my subscribers. I think that will be easier for me on my
busy schedule.

I'm also rethinking retiring the prints that are a year or more old.
I do have a few prints that continue to sell
very nicely...and so I will have to seriously reconsider
which prints I will retire this year...
but I don't think I'll just sweep everything 'old' out the door...
I wouldn't want anyone to do that to me
just because I'm getting old:)

Battling the Demons

I think I have 'battled demons' most of my life.

My 'demons' aren't the typical...

alcohol..drugs..etc

they come from places that are buried deep within.

And they are very insidious little creatures.

Mostly they create a lot of self doubt and fear...

fear of failure...fear of success...

fear of not being excepted..

fear of no one liking my art...

fear of a lack of inspiration...

fear of (well...you name it)...and I seem to have it.

So...

I've been on a journey for a very long time

to try to come to terms with these fears so that I can overcome them.

It was easier while my husband was alive...

he was the positive light in my life

and the fears didn't seem to overwhelm me as much.

But...the light went out when he passed away...

I was in a very dark place for such a long time...

I never want to experience that again!

Somehow...I can't even tell you how...I managed to keep

painting

and I was able to squeak out a living...

I think out of sheer routine.

I'm finally out of that dark place and I've become strong

enough to battle the rest of the demons
that have plagued me for far too long.

A few months ago my sister talked me into trying
Visalus products and I must admit...
they are good.
I couldn't believe how good the shakes taste
and the energy I got after just a couple of days on
the vitamins was unbelievable.

So...score one for that battle...I'm feeling better
than I have in many years...
and more energy means I can get so much more done.

I watched 'The Secret' right after it came out...
not too long after losing my husband...
maybe it helped...
I don't know for sure.
But...I did think there was something to be said
about
Laws of Attraction...
for heaven's sake...I was attracting so much negative into
my life with all of my negative thoughts and actions.

Who knows..???

But...I still try to read or do something positive everyday...especially
since I have all this spare energy on my hands...
and in my readings
I ran across this gal that said something that made sense to me.

I've always been 'poor'...pretty much all my life...
and most of my demons have had something to do with finances...
so I read some of the stuff that she wrote and watched
a couple of her videos...
and it made such an impact on me that I just had to write about it.

Normally I'm a very private person...fearing that I might come off
as sounding 'stupid' if I write something others
aren't interested in...or just 'don't buy'...
but
in the spirit of facing my fears head on...
here I am
writing...in spite of myself.

Anyway...this is just my little testimonial..
a little 'insight' into the person behind the art...and the sweet little dog, Skittles...
and for anyone who is interested...
(there's nothing in it for me...but the good feelings that this link
might help someone else)
here is a link to that gal's site...
Morganna Rae.

Now...I'm posting this before I have a chance to change my mind.


 

Wearable Art Still Available on Etsy

Both my shop and Jaime's are kept busy enough

with the paintings and prints, 

that we really had a difficult time staying on top of things like

wearable art, functional art and even the calendars.

So...we both decided to pull the wearable and functional art

out of our shops

and not offer them there anymore.

Since my oldest daughter, Wendy, was making a lot

of the wearable art for me...

my vision is not conducive to working on such small items...

she actually was a little saddened when I told her

she wouldn't need to worry about making them anymore.

I guess it was something she really enjoyed doing once or twice each week.

So...we decided to open 

Rustic Chic Boutique

together,

and offer my wearable art,

Jaime's wearable art...

and then some fun prints that any one of us

could do, to kind of 'round' the store out. Although the

prints may 'go away' once we have

enough wearable art in the shop.

And...we actually have some new design bracelets and rings...

as well as the Scrabble Tile pendants.

Very shortly we will also have some

Locket pendants.

We're considering offering some pocket mirrors 

too.

Basically 'boutique' type of items...

that way everyone can share in the work

and the profits...

plus it's a fun way to spend time with my girls.

Commenting on My Favorite Blogs

I have noticed something 'different' lately

about many of my favorite blogs.

I can't figure out how to leave a comment.

I see other folks commenting...but I haven't been able to figure out

how they are doing it.

Perhaps it is something with the template...

maybe I'm still using an older version...

I'm not completely sure what it is.

So...if I haven't commented in a while...

it doesn't mean I'm not visiting and reading...

it means something has changed

and I can't figure out where to

leave a comment.

I actually used a 'reply' on one blog...

but that felt too much like

'piggy backing' on someone else's comment..

so I decided that I would just write a post

and let everyone know that

I'm still visiting...

as often as I can anyway...

and if I'm able to comment

I always do...

I'm not sure what the 

'updated Blogger interface' is all about...

I have been afraid to click it...

maybe that's what's going on????

Off to a Good Start

My year is off to a pretty good start.
I've painted a couple of new paintings in the New Year.
Mostly Tree Art paintings and some Blackbirds...
but it's something.

I've also created some new Tree Art Prints and Steampunk
pieces in Photoshop.
I like everything I've done so far.

I also managed to 'cozy' up my house a bit...
I sewed some curtains and a matching cart cover for my
kitchen...it makes ALL the difference in the world...
and makes my house feel a little more like home.

My husband and I moved a lot over the years,
mostly because of his work...
so I'm used to not getting too attached to any one house.
But, as we got older and didn't move as much,
there were a couple of houses
that did feel like 'home'.

I haven't really felt like that since he passed away..
so I'm hoping that...
even though the house is too small to
really meet my needs...
I can 'make it work'...
I'm doing a little bit here and a little bit there,
to personalize the place...
now I just need to find some storage solutions...
so I have someplace safe...and out of the way..
to store my finished paintings.
That's my next 'project'.

It Snowed Last Night

 

It snowed last night....

This is a view outside my kitchen window...

normally I can't see Any tree branches.

Yesterday it rained...

and I couldn't get Skittles to go

outside at all..

unless I bundled myself all up,

hooked her to her leash 

and went outside with her.

She loves the snow though...

Soooo beautiful...

You have to look really close to see Skittles

in this photo...

we got enough snow that it all but hides

her.

She does love the Snow.

Yesterday she didn't want to go out...

today she doesn't want to stay in!

I'm Not A Morning Person

I am not a morning person...

I wished I were, I'd probably get a lot more done.

I don't like to get up early...never have.

The alarm clock can go off, until it's won't go off anymore,

and I don't hear it.

Even in high school, the only thing that would

wake me up, short of someone physically shaking me, was the

telephone.

I don't know why I can wake up to the phone

and not an alarm, but that's the way it is, even today.

I do have a different sort of 'alarm clock' now...and it does wake me up...

Skittles.

When she's ready to get up, she will not leave me alone

until I get up too!

Most mornings it is far earlier than I would like to get up...

but once in a while, she actually likes to sleep in too...

so I get a few extra winks on those days.

Maybe I just need to find a way to become a morning person...

though I wonder if I can

after all these years:)