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Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Everyday, New Year and habits need to change

 

It’s time for new resolves…starting tomorrow it is a New Year after all.  Like most of you I’ve made resolutions in the past and like most of you, kept them for awhile but then slipped back into old habits.

One I did manage to keep in 2013, keep the weight that I lost in 2012 off for a year.  I’m happy to report that I’ve managed to stay within 2 pounds + or – all year.  Now, in spite of the fact that my skin no longer shrinks I’m thinking 10 more pounds can go.  I’ve gotten use to the saggy skin.

Now for 2014….I do plan to continue morning sketches but I’m now calling them daily sketches…. yesterdays didn’t get done until 10:00 last night.

daily tomato 12 30 13

But no resolutions, just a word.  I wish I could remember when I read about this so I could give credit but I can’t, sorry.  Anyway, my word is RELEASE, as in release unnecessary clutter from my studio; release feeling guilty about not being perfect… now that’s a biggie.

Who would have thought that someone who doesn’t do perfect is actually a perfectionist but I’ve discovered that I am which is why I don’t do a lot of things I actually could do if I worked at it.  I couldn’t do perfect right out of the box so I didn’t do.  I know where it comes from …. Mother. But that’s another story, perhaps another post someday.

Back to release – guilt about not getting my blog post done when I scheduled it or missing a day of daily sketching,  release --  the extra weight I carry, the boxes full of stuff in the basement that haven’t been unpacked since we moved here 10 years ago, the holiday decorations that have seen better days and have no real sentimental value.  So many things and all I have to do is remember a word…. Release.

Saturday, December 28, 2013

More Memories

Christmas sketch

This Christmas morning, one again I didn’t look at the list.  It was memories again.  I’m very nostalgic this time of year and as I sketched this so many memories of times past surfaced.

The chef doll…. two friends who have passed, well four actually and I am reminded of all but two owned the doll before me.  It first belonged to Katherine, then to Betty.  Betty got it at Katherine’s estate sale and eventually decided he needed a face.  She asked me to give him one.  I penciled it in and when I showed it to her she knew she wasn’t going to be with us much longer so she wanted me to keep him.  There were 8 of us who lunched together every Monday for years,  Katherine, Betty, Pat and Cheri are gone now.  Barb, Sally and Connie are still with us.  I ought to call them and arrange lunch when the weather is better.

The rest of the shelf, a sign from Connie that is up all year, “He sees you when you’re eating”.  I don’t know how to put a smiley face in her but I’m smiling. 

The blue juicer isn’t the one that sat on Aunt Margaret’s counter but it reminds me of her and the lemon pies Grandma Fear and Grandma Percy both made

Mother Lystra’s frog toothpick holder.and all of them live on the Hoosier cabinet Dad Lystra restored for us. 

All good memories…. and it was a beautiful Christmas Day when I had all three of my men here…. husband Ed, son Marshall and grandson Warner…. and a beautiful dusting of new fallen snow….

I am truly blessed.

Tuesday, December 24, 2013

Merry Christmas……

It isn’t on the Everyday Matters list but it is what I wanted to paint this morning.  ‘

miniature tree

Are you sentimental?  I am.  This little tree usually sits in my studio during the holiday season but this year it’s sitting on our kitchen table.  My studio has way to much clutter, I wouldn’t be able to enjoy it there.

Sooooo, here I sit with my sketch book and paints, a good cup of coffee and lots of memories.  There are the little angels from Mother as well as the strawberry she stitched… she loved red and often included strawberries or cardinals in her stitching.  I’m also seeing the miniature stocking, star and tree from my friend Annie, the gumdrop (real one that I dipped in resin) and a folded paper ornament, miniature like the larger ones I made for gifts one year.  The satin bow on top is ribbon from my grandmother’s knit shop, so is the gold chord that I used for the roping. If I turn it around there will be even more memories, like the earring bought on Caribbean cruise, one was lost so the other decorates the tree.

Good memories, I think the tree is going to live here next Christmas too.  I’ll have to find something else for the studio decorations.

Wishing all of you a

VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS

and a jolly good 2014

Friday, December 20, 2013

Merry Christmas

Why do I even think about trying to keep up my blog when there are so many holiday distractions, like watching my almost 4 year old grandson decorating the tree.

my decorator

 

My Everyday project became do an ornament on a card everyday and once I got all those cards addressed – I needed more so it got to be 4 or 5 a day instead of one. 

This is the only one of 70 cards that I took a picture of and they are all off to new homes now.  I may do one more to post Christmas morning just ‘cause it was fun doing them and I have more ornaments. 

I thought about starting now and doing them for next year but as I write this I have another idea for next year… more on that later.  For now, I may not get back here until after Christmas so to all of you who read about what’s going on in my studio…

I wish for you All the Blessings of the Seasons

and wishes for a jolly good 2014!