afternoon excused

I took a little break from creating while I focused on a few classes, deciding on taking a new job, and getting situated. I'm hoping to be accepted for an certificate program in the fall, so I want to work on my creative skills this summer while I have the time. Here's a bit of what I've been doing:
I've been working on the Kaleidopops again, here are two of the color scheme's. The cobalt set I had already started, the lighter set I just started and really like, I want to do at least one more full set with a similar feel color wise. Which one do you like?

  

More new kaleidopops here. (its interesting to see them in a set with the older style)

Also there are some new prints up on etsy...

I've been trying to draw more. I feel like I've lost the ability to sketch, and have no drawing voice anymore. Its been humbling, frustrating and good for me. I've also been playing around in illustrator some, working on using it as a drawing tool... more to come on that. OH, and I got some ink jet shrink film in the mail today, I'm excited to give it a try!

too good to resist
chai, mint chocolate, and cream.
over indulgence.

the moon rises up
through the scaffolding's like prongs.
full moon radio.

well there's no kindling
to fuel the wood burning stove.
oven's on fire!

the mask's have come off
our tower has fallen down
the night brings us close

its evening tea time
a ritual once daily
now almost forgot

the snow is falling
all my surroundings covered
with this cold blanket

I'll have Judge Christie
I wonder if I'll offend,
dropping my Christy

turning in the light
the days coming to a close
no time for the still.

a key discarded
I'm unsure the inscription
under morning dew

work on a Sunday
the office dark and quiet
me and my machine

\

a pile of fake gold
in the form of canning jar
lid fasteners

up to late with cold
woke up after the alarm
I still feel like shit

New year, new challenge. We took December off, but it's time to get creating again. So what is January's challenge you ask? Well it's to create 30 cards by the end of the month. They can be digital cards, musical cards, paper cards... greeting cards, calling cards, playing cards... let your imagination take over and create the type of card that speaks to you.

the restaurant was full
waiting for the tea to brew
and for our breakfast


One of my goals in 2008 is to take a photo a day, and write a haiku a day. They may not go together, in fact more often than not, I expect they will not. I'm going to try and use my 35mm slr and my  holga in addition to taking a digital shot daily.

Other creative goals for 2008:
finish one Gray Girl a month
finish two kaleidopop's a month
finish two undies paintings a month
contact on location a month about a show
finish josh's hat's and scarves that I promised him 2 years ago
complete more of the project a month challenges than I did this year

non creative goals for 2008:
read 24 books (I read 14 this last year after setting the goal to read 12 books)
um... I need to put more thought into what I'd like to grow in over the next year, or things from the past that I'd like to grow out of.

November is National Novel Writing Month (aka NaNoWriMo). In light of that I think we should take on this challenge of writing 175pg/5000 word novel between Nov.1-midnight Nov. 30. Here's a link to more about NaNoWriMo

http://www.nanowrimo.org/eng/whatisnano

As always, Have fun, enjoy and get creative.

Previous months:
October: Doodle every day
September: 30pg flip book
August: Colors (Aug. 1-4 = yellow; Aug. 5-11 = red; Aug. 12-18 = blue; Aug. 19-25 = green; Aug. 26-31 = orange)
July: 30 hands
June: Alphabet
May: self portrait a day
April: Haiku a day
March: Painting a day
February: Photo a day

Once again I'm caught off guard that another month has flown past (how does this keep happening).

This months' challenge is inspired by a contact of mine on flickr. From what I can tell she's decided to doodle every day for 365days. (and you think a month challenge is hard!)

So here's Octobers challenge:

spend 10-30mins a day - doodling/sketching/concepting/free form writing, or the equivalent for your medium of choice- or better yet, in one that challenges you to break your routine and artistic comfort zones.

Good luck!

I keep forgetting to post "project a month" here. But its still going!!

Septembers project is to make a flip book consisting of 30 pages. Of course if you want to make a few small ones, that works too.

Some ideas would be to make an animated flip book, photography flip book, illustrated flip book. Collage flip book... I could go on, there are so many options.

Create and enjoy!!

Previous months:
August: Colors (Aug. 1-4 = yellow; Aug. 5-11 = red; Aug. 12-18 = blue; Aug. 19-25 = green; Aug. 26-31 = orange)
July: 30 hands
June: Alphabet
May: self portrait a day
April: Haiku a day
March: Painting a day
February: Photo a day

I've updated my website to include the new Kaleidopops and Underwear magnets.

I also went through and tried to clean up a little. I still need to update the info page, but that will have to be another night. Hopefully in the nearish future the whole site will get an overhaul.

On Sept. 18th my listings of paintings will expire. So I've set that as a deadline for figuring out printing of my new work. Last night I got my scanner working, to test out the quality I'd get if I scanned the smaller paintings. So far it seems to be working well. It can only scan up to 9x12, but for paintings I think that means 8x10.

I've also started sketching again. I'm trying to work in 20min any night I'm home.  I'm pretty rusty, but I'm hoping with time a style and flow will emerge. Maybe I'll post some once they improve. I'm hoping that sketching will get me painting again. I'm sure the decline in sunny days will help too. Summer brings with it many distractions.