Once Upon a Summer's Day. (with a winter theme. And some cake.)

People buy wreaths. Or they buy ‘wreath-making materials’ and wisely get their craft on in a manner that is advisable, with wire and twigs and berries and y’know…instructions! Because I’m a glutton for creative punishment and frustration however, I instead decided to make a completely impractical far-too-heavy wooden wreath that will never conceivably hang on our door. But I’m really enjoying it. It’s also a winter wreath, because I’m in my ‘so done with summer I’m pretending it’s winter’ mode.

In our spare time, we are branching out and going to parties where there is cake designed like a beach. Rudy is attending acting class and practicing his tough guy expressions. Sadly it’s wasted on Mister Felix who yawns in the face of amateur dramatics. The House of Dog continues to amuse.

One foot in front of the other. Eat a cookie.

I have achieved an unlikely balance somewhere between a feverishly impressive work ethic and sharpening-all-my-pencils-twice procrastination. I have done a bit of both and the result is that I'm ready to contact a delectable list of would be, could be (and have-been) clients.

In a manner of sweet hilariousness- the way only they know how- the boys have kept me company during these frustrating days and weeks at my desk. They almost witnessed a printer get propelled out of the window. They dutifully chased the vacuum cleaner around when I procrastinated a little more. We all did cartwheels together when I figured out how to use the new printer. Have a cookie. We deserve it!

go on.

August, lately.

If I'm looking for advantages of the geographically challenged aspect of my marriage at the moment, I'd say there is less excuse for distraction. It doesn't seem quite so necessary to cuddle with....who, myself?.....on the sofa for a couple of hours every night. Dinner is a 10 minute rather than an hour long affair. There is no packed lunch duty, or the need for 'his & hers' trips to Lowes (small victories!). The dogs receive more affection than they ever asked for, but my one sided conversations with them can only last for so long. Now that Felix is a little older and not trying to sprint off with my shoes/ books/phone every two seconds, it's a relief to have more time to devote to illustration work. There have been long hours in my workroom. Battles with the old printer. The purchase of a new printer. (Battles with the new printer....). Research and photoshop and lists and nerves and spray mount and frustration and good old fashioned stubbornness.

Oh, and my new website was quietly revamped over at it's usual spot. Fist pump, high five.

Rudy and Felix have been doing a grand job of keeping me busy and entertained. Felix still sings whale-song for his breakfast and he tap-dances for dinner. He walks and runs and plays and sings and leaps and jumps and hops til he drops. Happy 6 month birthday little buddy. Love you forever ever.

Dog Days of Summer

I have a million ideas in my head. One pair of hands. Then the puppy wakes up from his nap. But I have a list as long as Rudy's tail (very long), so I need to keep things moving. Time to clean up the studio and make this house look like our home! I've painted a sign. It's a start!

I've been busying myself with a few projects. I'm crafting a detailed honey-do list for Forrest upon his return (naturally), but also putting forth effort so the the place doesn't look exactly as it did when he left, next time he sees it. Luckily (or not), time is on my side. Almost ready to say hello to the 6 month countdown. Well, I'm more than ready, but time is stubborn and will do things at it's own convenience. I painted a welcome sign for the second biggest mess of the house- my office (the first is Forrest's office, and I'm not even opening that door, lest all the unpacked boxes come crashing out of it). Upon entering my workspace you will likely discover myself donning a painting shirt, and a dog or two looking spiffy in a neckerchief. Welcome!

Attending Doodlers Anonymous.

So I was working on my website, y'know, going through that wretched mis-named, non-indexed, badly filed encyclopedia of images on my computer and trying to coax them into more-organised chaos. I was super-duper bored. Oh man, so bored. So in a bid to re-engage the saner side of my brain, I embarked on a fun weekend project. Doodlers Anonymous has a calendar design competition happening, so I jumped on it.

My design is all about the lovely things of Summer, and since I try to practice what I preach, I also made time for a BBQ, a 10K run, a Jazz Concert at the winery and a trip to the movies (thank you very much). I lost all notion of jpegs, pdfs and html pretty soon after the first glass of wine.

Kinda got into some mono-printing too. And lettering. And pizza-making. And cookie-baking. My messy weekend playtime...

Hi, love.

I go about my days with purpose. I have friends who make me smile on a daily basis. I have dogs that make me laugh until I howl. I live a life that makes me thankful for everything that I have. But nonetheless I miss that husband of mine. He had me set in his sights pretty soon after I first met him. His effeminate snowflake fleece made me walk the other way (well, I was at art school, where boys were fashionable, I mean seriously). But Forrest was sweet. And he was persistent. And he proposed to me (three years before he really proposed to me) with this plastic ring. Today I found a drawing of it, and I think my heart just melted.