Beginning

Squeakers, my lovely cat

I had a hard time falling asleep last night (finally did so after midnight)...I just wanted to flip a switch to turn off my brain for a bit. I thought..."maybe just a pause button"...which I guess is what I got, because I've been awake, thanks to the cat, since 5 am. My cat has been in this nasty pattern of coming into the bedroom early in the morning, trying to get me up to give him his spoonful of "the good stuff" (canned cat food). Sometimes he sits beside me as I sleep and lightly "paws" me in the face as if to say "hey, it's time". When I ignore that, he jumps up onto my dresser and starts knocking things off. That's what woke me this morning. (Yes, I know...just shut the bedroom door...then he just annoyingly paws at the door) He is overall a lovely cat, but not so lovely so early in the morning.

When I was trying to fall asleep, I was thinking about all the different art projects I want to work on. And yet, when I was in the studio earlier in the day, I felt unable to start. Starting is sometimes so hard. It's easy to feel distracted by too many ideas and hard to know where to begin. I guess the important part is just beginning.

I'll update later on today's beginnings.

Blue than blue

Couldn't help myself. I did it again: snagged a treasury! Really there has to be a 12-step group for this affliction. I hear there is a treasury about to open and I'm there, glued to the computer screen waiting for a spot to open up.

This one's theme is: Bluer than blue. It features artwork by etsy artists that is blue in color and somewhat in theme. Please check it out!

http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=29487

I'll try to post a picture of it later!

Holiday Blessings

I guess Christmas is officially over.

Amazing. As crazy as the time leading up to Christmas seems, it seems to come and go in an instant.

December is always a whirlwind...and I know it is that way for most folks. For me December means a lot of juggling between work and my own family life. I work as a social worker at a therapeutic preschool. Our agency works with families that are struggling through poverty to raise their children. Often there has been a generational history of abuse and neglect. I primarily work with the parents, visiting them in their homes, providing parenting support and education.

The closer it gets to Christmas, the crazier my work becomes. Crazier and harder. As you can imagine, the holidays is a difficult time to be in the line of work of "helping others". Stress piles up for everyone and it's hard not to feel that. I try to bring home with me the good stuff...the joy in helping make the holidays a little easier for families that don't have a lot of resources. My hubby and I had a good time playing Mr & Mrs Claus for the families (even if we came home with the flu). It was a tough year for our "Holiday Store" for our families...donations were down, but we managed to serve all our families (our parents get to shop the Holiday store for gifts for their family, no charge).

And while I worked the last few weeks to help "my families" get through the holidays, I was trying hard not to go crazy making Christmas better for my own family. Like many of you, I struggle with the desire to buy the "perfect" gift, decorate my home, bake holiday goodies... And then on top of all that, I'm still trying to make it over to my studio to get some work done.

This year I had a hard time getting it all done in the way I would like. Well, honestly, it didn't happen. I got the tree up just after Thanksgiving, but except for lights, it had no ornaments on it till Christmas eve. It still is not decorated properly. I was shopping up to the last minute. I still have plans to bake some of those holiday cookies.

But in the end, it's all good. I spent Christmas Eve with my kids and hubby. Yes, Santa was very, very good to me (Thank you honey!). In the end, it's all the little things that make the holiday complete for me...The most important thing to me is spending time with my family. My kids relish the traditions that we created as a family...and it's the replaying of those traditions year after year that make my holidays complete. Even if we don't get it all done the way I would like, the fact that we have those traditions and stay true to those traditions--that is what I treasure. My kids are young adults now, juggling their own lives. We are very close, but I know in years to come they may not always be able to spend the whole holiday with me. This year, in fact, my son juggled spending time with our family and his girlfriend's. That was a first for him. I was touched when he called me at midnight Christmas to wish me a Merry Christmas. He sounded a little sad and I asked him what was wrong. He said he missed being home with all of us the whole Christmas. Little did he know that sharing that with me was the greatest gift he could give me.

I feel blessed.

So now that Christmas is over, I can sit back and relax. Thankfully, I get 2 weeks off from my job over the holidays. I have one more week to do with whatever I like. I plan to relax, spend time at my studio, and sometimes do nothing more than watch "stupid" tv. Heaven on earth.

(If you would like to learn more about the agency I work for, you can click on the following link and even watch a little video a local news station did about our agency--http://www.ssfnc.org/publications/index.html )

Love me some treasury

It's been a very lovely Christmas (more of which I'll write later), but I just want to share some Etsy treasury love.

First, I created a treasury featuring beautiful artwork by Etsy artists. Here's the link:

http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=28669

And then today one of my necklaces was featured in a treasury created by 3zArt. Yay, the first time I've been featured in a treasury. Here's the link:

http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list_west.php?room_id=37244

Be sure to check them out and 3zArt's shop too!

All kinds of creatures are stirring, but hopefully not a mouse!

Happy Holidays everyone!

I really should be in bed...tomorrow (or today actually, it's 1 am) I will be having a family dinner with my kids and husband, followed by gift opening. I've been trying to finish the wrapping of presents. People who know me think I enjoy wrapping presents...I guess they think that because I'm the creative type. Wrong. I mean if it's one present for a birthday, fine, I can get into that. But wrapping so many presents all at one time...no, not my favorite thing to do. I'm a big fan of gift bags. Unfortunately, I ran out of gift bags several hours ago.

Of course, I'm still fighting that urge to go out at the last moment (Christmas eve morn) and buy a few more things. But I think I'm done.

I spent a few hours earlier today at the studio...continued working on the collage pieces. I really wanted to stay at the studio to work, but too much to do in preparation for Christmas.

And then, completely on a whim and purely as a result of being at the right place at the right time (so to speak), I created a treasury tonight on Etsy. I titled it "Random Acts of...Beauty". I pulled together a treasury of artwork by Etsy artists...some who are inspiring me right now. I look at it as inspiration to get my own original artwork in my Etsy shop. Soon. Goal #1 for 2009.

So, here's a link to the treasury. Check it out. I think you will like it.

http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=28669

Outside my comfort zone

I made it to the studio today...for a little bit at least. I started some collage/mixed media work, something I've been itching to do for a very long time. I could say that I haven't started this work before because my studio time is so limited. Time might be a factor, but fear and uncertainity would be closer to the truth. I am trying to go into this without getting hung up on the end results and trying, trying really hard to push myself to try new things...to step outside my comfort zone.

With that comes a feeling of vulnerability, but also some excitement. I have never been one big on physical adventure...I'll never jump out of a plane or jump off a bridge attached to a bungee cord. But I will push myself to take risks as an artist. And for me, the thrill is just as great.

And the winner is...

Melanie!

I threw all the names in a little box and randomly pulled out a name. Mel, your name came out on top.

Thanks everyone for participating. I will be doing this again...so please come back to visit. I'm working to improve my blog and always appreciate your feedback and comments.