Acts of Random Kindness

Hello again!  It's been awhile since I've posted...I have been trying to keep up with everything I'm signed up for..online classes, etc...and I find that I am pulled in so many different directions.  I try to watch videos, keep up with classes, keep up with my sketching, etc.  The availability of so much information on the internet is crazy, lol.  It makes your head spin.  >.<  I suppose I should limit my computer time, but it's so HARD to do that.  =D
I was listening to one of my favorite radio programs the other day, and the host, Sister Anne Shields posed a challenge to her listeners...to really reflect on the ways that you are not in line with God's will. I started thinking about my youngest son and about how he will randomly sit with me (or my husband or his siblings, etc) and will stroke my hair.  It's one of the most relaxing things ever...it gives so much relaxation and asks for nothing in return.  When was the last time I did something for someone that was purely to make them feel good?  I don't honestly know.  I have done things for people because I know I "should" or because it's the "right" thing to do...but a true act of random kindness??  I have a hard time with "giving of myself", to be honest, to anyone outside my family.  I can be very protective of my time.  When it's time to be home, I am home, both after work and on the weekends. So Sister Anne's question really made me think.  I know how I feel when someone does something thoughtful completely out of the blue for me...it can make my day.  How hard would it be for me to make someone else feel that way?

Book of Days and my fear of bees

Fear of bees is also called Apiphobia...just found that out recently.  =D  Actually, my phobia pretty much extends to anything that flies.  I wonder if there is a name for that?  I can't even explain how freaked out I get when I hear something buzzing and flying around me.  Bees, wasps, other things that sting...I get my fear of that.  I've been stung by bees a few times as a kid, so avoidance of pain is completely understandable, lol.  But I can't even stand the sound of something flying around me.  June bugs, don't even get me started, ugh.  When we lived in Texas we had what were called "waterbugs", basically huge stinking cockroaches.  Every so often we would find them in the house, and one night one of them decided to take off flying....FLYING.  Holy crap, talk about a freak-out kind of moment.  All I could think about was one of those things deciding to land in my hair.  *shudders*  Anyways, I am starting to freak myself out, so on to other things...

I did a spread in my Book of Days about a particular time I was able to somewhat "conquer" my apiphobia.  My husband had taken me to a lavender farm, knowing how much I LOVE lavender...we were going to pick some fresh lavender so that I could dry it at home.  When we finally arrived at the field, basket and scissors in hand, I discovered that we humans are not the only ones who like lavender...the entire field was COVERED in bees.  You could literally hear the hum as you approached.  Each plant had about 30 bees on it...I was absolutely mortified.  =D  My husband very sweetly offered to pick all my lavender for me, but I was very upset at the thought of missing out on picking my own lavender.  I wanted to walk into that field and inhale.  So I did it.  Walked into the field, literally surrounded by 1000's of bees, and cut my lavender.  I wish I could say it cured me of my bee fear, hehe...it didn't.  But hey, I came home with my fresh cut, beautiful, wonderful-smelling lavender.  And the respect of my husband.  =D 

Book of Days

I am loving Book of Days with Effy Wild!  It is so fun:  the ladies who are in this group are super-supportive, we have so much great work being posted, and Effy is doing an amazing job keeping it all going.  Her videos and live stream are so fun to watch!  I am just starting my art journaling journey--learning to let go of trying to be "perfect" hasn't been easy.  I am trying to remember that this is my journal, my place to have fun, to experiment, to express my feelings...and although we do post our pages for others to see (which is completely optional), my book is still ultimately just for me. Even painting the cover was new to me...using papers, paints, shimmer mists, (bubble wrap, even!) is still an experiment for me since I tend to gravitate to graphite and drawing paper! =D

Sorry for the terrible photo, but here's my cover for my Book of Days.  (It took me a month to finally get brave enough to post it to the group, lol!)  I especially loved ripping up my patterned papers and gluing them down, and using my bubble wrap as a way to create texture and pattern...so fun!!

1st LifeBook assignment and where the heck does the time go!?!

So, I finally finished my first Lifebook assignment...only a few weeks late!  We were to paint "ourselves" as a goddess, and list our "superpowers".  It was a fun assignment...challenging though for those of us who have a hard time naming our superpowers (in other words...things about ourselves we really like).  It's sad when you can think of more negatives than positives, but I think a lot of women are hard on themselves that way.  Why is that? We have so much to celebrate, but seem to focus more on the things we want to change.  Now that would be a good resolution for the New Year...resolve to focus on your good qualities, and quit beating yourself up!

So here's my "Super Me".  I guess if you are old enough to have watched Superman you would know about the big red "S" on the chest.  =D  I'm pretty happy about how she turned out...took me forever though.  I try to reserve time for painting after work, but somehow my nights seem to fly by.  By the time I get home, check email, snoop through the Lifebook and Book of Days posts, make dinner, spend time with the family...next thing I know it's time for bed.  Grrrr...I need more time in my days!  I am still trying to get some Book of Days pages done...finally got my cover and one spread finished.  I have to wait for some good lighting though, before I can take pictures of them and post.

Christmas Eve

I love Christmas Eve!  Merry almost Christmas!!

Love me some faces!

So I recently signed up for Willowing's Life Book class, and by doing so I was given access to one of her previous courses---Sweet!  I chose her "Fabulous Faces" course, and it really HAS been fabulous.  I enjoy her teaching style...very down to earth and easy to follow.  I've been having a lot of fun drawing faces...front views, 3/4 views, profiles.  It's so fun watching the videos, although between her voice and the background music I generally end up falling asleep, lol!  (it takes me several days to get through a video)  My husband laughs at me every time, but I'm telling you...watching those videos is one of the most relaxing parts of my day.  I wish there were more of them!  ; )  So I wanted to share a couple of my faces.  I have a front view, a couple 3/4's and a profile.

Not great, but they make me happy.  I could pick them apart, but I won't...I'm just happy as a clam to sit with my pencils and sketchbook and practice my faces.  = )  I've started one in color (with paint, even!!) but I still need to finish the background.  I'll post that when it's finished.
Hope everyone is having a great Christmas season...and I hope that you are finding some relaxing time for yourselves!

On being thankful

I know that it is cliche to say what you are thankful for at Thanksgiving, but doggone it, I AM thankful.  My family has gone through some crazy life changes ( like a lot of families probably have in the past few years) and we are coming through it...I was going to say "coming through it unscathed", but that's not really true.  There have been a few bumps and bruises along the way, and I thank God that they have only been minor contusions.  Unemployment, loss of our house, relocation to another state, kids having to change schools and say goodbye to friends...stuff that can really be a bummer when you are going through it.  Now here we are two years after our relocation, we both have jobs we like, the kids are happy in their schools, we have a roof over our heads, and food on the table.  My family is together, and we forge strength in our togetherness.  When we sit down to dinner at night, and we talk and laugh and make fun of each other and discuss our days and bow our heads to thank God...I am happy.  And thankful.  And my strength is renewed through our unique bond.  

Happy Thanksgiving, all!  Thank you, God, for this beautiful, crazy, wonderful, chaotic life you have given us.