I started this post about 4 months ago. I just can't seem to get into this blogging thing. I don't know if it's not my thing or if I need to apply myself a little bit better. One of my biggest problems here has been figuring out why I can't seem to get images into the blog. I've probably been trying to upload images that are too large. This is one that I've set at a lower dpi, Let's see how it goes.
BTW- this is another blue background. I kinda like blue. I'm beginning to think it's my favorite color. Although it could be red or yellow or green or purple or.....
Silly me. I just like color!

The last couple of months have been pretty hectic. We (my husband and I) have been involved in a major stage play, a melodrama, and a huge wedding trip to Illinois along with major news from our son and his family about moving back to New Hampshire. So, now things are settled down somewhat and life has taken a more even keel. I'm still teaching an art workshop on Wednesdays and we'll be watching our son's family pet for three weeks while he moves the family North. The Melodrama (actually lots of fun) will be over Sunday evening. But, we'll be starting on "Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum". This won't be too much of a problem. It'll be the first production in a while that I don't need to learn lines for. Stage Managing is a lot of work, but it doesn't take over my life until the last three weeks of the pre-production part. That won't be till the middle of August, so I've got some breathing room.

The workshops are going well. I'm just charging enough to pay for the room rental and cover my expenses. The ladies that attend know that I'm using them as guinea pigs, so that's cool. Most of them are teachers that are getting a lot of time to restock their personal energy reserves. The creative energy in the room has been high. It's been good to see the batteries recharging. Teaching takes quite a bit out of a person and having a safe haven with time dedicated to personal art is fantastic. All too soon they will be back in the classroom fighting those dragons again. I just hope I've had a hand in making their next year a little better.

Well, I'm off to fight my own dragons. Think I'll take a nice nap before curtain goes up tonight.
Cheers to all,
Nancy

Trying to get on the ball here.

Well, I finally did some journal pages I'm particularly proud of. I've been lurking in flickr a lot lately. There are lots of tremendously talented artists camping out there. Some of them are so generous as to actually share with the world their "secrets". Wow. In this world of dog-eat-dog, it's nice to see some genuine, honest helpfulness.

I like the way this one came out. It was inspired by the work of Susan B. and her lovely and colorful journal pages. She also put a tutorial on her blog:
http://www.thriftycollageartist.blogspot.com/
Check her out, she's a neat lady!



I have been working hard to get myself to do art regularly. Especially since I really want to teach more. I haven't had a workshop in such a long time, almost a year and a half. I guess it's been because my husband and I have been so involved in theater here in Lubbock. It's hard to stage manage for major musicals like "Hello Dolly!" and get a small business working at the same time. So, with "Dolly" done and the props and scenery all packed neatly away, it's time to focus on the art. I probably won't take on any major theater projects for a while so I can zero in on what I want to accomplish in the art arena.



I have been doing some things. A couple of swaps in some yahoo groups. And of course cards and other stuff. The cute flying fish was done for a story written for a swap in the TravelersHart Yahoo group. I liked it so much I put it on my business card, which actually I change so often, I don't really have a "signature" image. Oh, well!

Evening with Katy and Stephanie

Last Thursday night I got to babysit two of my youngest granddaughters. When I go over there to sit with them, I never go empty handed. I'm not bragging, I just think watching kids without something really good for them to do is boring. I guess that's why I hated babysitting so much when I was growing up. But then again I was the oldest of 7 kids and that's not fun at all!

Back to Thursday:
WE HAD FUN!No, we didn't just make faces!


We spent the evening making collages and painting on them. The above pic is Katie's. The one below is Stephanie's.

Both of them did a great job and they seemed to enjoy it. Afterwards we had a snack, got ready for bed. I read them a lovely book and they got tucked in nice and comfy.

More new beginnings!

Let's just start over.
A new Year, new promises and new commitments. We wouldn't be human if we didn't need to step back, take a look at what we'd done and realign our selves once in a while.
For this new year, I've purposed to think a little before I say, "sure, I can do that". I actually told someone yesterday that now was way too soon to say yes to a demo date in April. I love to demo my art, but so often, I end up double booking myself into such tight corners that I end up frustrated and not really doing as good a job as I could if I wasn't so distracted.
I've also decided this was a year to do some serious art. No more pussyfooting around and not really accomplishing anything. I want to FINISH THINGS! I wish I had a nickel for each project I have started and not finished. Now to be fair, some are learning pieces, but heavens, not that many of them! Even the learning pieces can be used to create something.
So, let's get to it.
Every day is a new day - a real new beginning!