mystery boy, gifts in the mail and spirited away...

Good morning friends...

Happy Friday. :-)

Last night's quick painting...

This ended up looking nothing like 

what i had in my head when i started it.

When i first began, i was thinking i would paint an older man.

As i painted, it looked more and more like a boy.

At first, i also thought i'd paint in black & white only.

But then i got the urge to add burnt orange

to the background.

And then to his eyes.

a boy with huge eyes...

who doesn't wanna miss

what's coming his way. ;-)

This just came out looking very different
than what I first thought it would.

It was done rather quickly - but still. 
At least it was done. :-)

and this week, lots of goodies in the mail!

The HIGHLY SENSITIVE PERSON book

because i am a highly sensitive person

and sometimes find it hard not to carry

the weight of the world on my shoulders.

And the other book because sometimes,

i feel like the queen of procrastination.

i get things done, but when the time is right (usually always),

i can procrastinate with more style than anyone out there. ;-)

So THE WAR OF ART was written for me.

And when i opened the first few pages and read this:

"The following is a list, in no particular order, of those activities that most commonly elicit Resistance:

1) The pursuit of any calling in writing, painting, music, film, dance, or any creative art, however marginal or unconventional"...

i knew i hit the jackpot.

so now i'm procrastinating by reading about procrastination...

;-)

and this lovely little package i ordered on ETSY,
from Retro Whale.
i love the simple illustrations, and the concept of a good kind of crazy.

Some people spend $10 on nail polish,
or a grand double mochaccino cappuccino frappe latté with sprinkles and a cinnamon stick... ;-)  
i'd rather buy an illustration. 

and this... from the wonderfully creative Nigel,
who knows how much i love texture in art.
(thank you Nigel!)

check out the back of this journal...

how much fun is that?!

and these fun pages on the inside...
Can you hear them calling?
"fill me up! fill me up! i'm naked here!!" ;-)

And this little gem...
Spirited Away.
a movie i watched with my son several years ago.
The animation is spectacular, as is the story.
i will never be too old for animation.

Have a great weekend everyone!
Be kind to one another
and make art.
xox

someone loves me and lhasa de sela

the little bit of painting that happened today...

acrylic on paper...

i was gonna call it
Someone loves me on a windy day.
:-)

...and a beautiful song by Lhasa de Sela,

who left this world far too soon.

Wishing you all a peaceful easy Sunday night.

xox

is money really all that and a bag of chips?

hi everyone!

Happy Saturday... (at least it's Saturday as i write this)

i am slowly getting back into my routine
of playing & writing & making art during the evenings.
i love these evenings...

After mentioning on my last post
that i was done my 4 month term job,
one of the comments i got was from the very wise & talented Gwen...
(you can find her here)

She wrote this:
you do what you need to do,
to do what you want to do.
Such truth to this.

Few of us are lucky enough to do what we love as our work.

Many of us (i want to say most) are stuck in jobs we hate,

selling at least 8 hours of our day to someone else, 

to another business,

another corporation,

for money.

And some of us need more money than others...

In the past few years,
i've discovered that i can do a lot with very little
and that some people are higher maintenance
than others.

I've also discovered
that we're not all given the same chance in life
and when circumstances steer your life in a different direction
than what you thought your life would be -
it's not all sparkles & rainbows.
But it's not all bad either.
It is your new life.

And when directions change...
Opportunities change.
Priorities change.
People change.
Sometimes, in ways that make them feel more grounded.

Those who know me know

that my definition of success

is not a full bank account,

but a full heart.

And i don't get a full heart

by watching my money grow,

or by shopping,

or by driving a new car.

Someone else might - i don't.

I get a full heart

by connecting with others (like you!)

by listening to music

by sharing coffee & conversation with friends

by being in nature

by asking questions

by making art

by reading

by writing...

by doing what i need to do,

to do what i want to do.

(thank you Gwen)...

Bob Dylan once said:

What's money?

A man is a success if he gets up in the morning

and goes to bed at night

and in between,

does what he wants to do.

I try to live up to this,

and follow my own heart as much as i can.

...and whenever i can, i have fun.
How can striped orange socks 
and cowboy boots with spurs NOT be fun?! :-)

When i drew this,
i realized she (or he, or it!) seemed awfully uncomfortable
balancing on her hands with her bum in the air on the beach.
So i gave her a little stool.
And her boots have to be on the blanket,
cause you don't wanna get sand in the spurs...
(giggle)

See what happens when i sit on a Saturday morning,
with nothing but good coffee,
and time on my hands?
(does she ever shut up?)

Thanks for sticking with me, folks.
...for those of you who are still reading.

Have a great weekend!
xox