1/9/2011 Resolutions 1/17 Update

Everyone makes a few standard resolutions about their health and well-being, and let's just say I'm not doing too great with those 'secret' (i.e. non blog) resolutions.  However I have already crossed 3 items off my 10 item To-Do list for January.

3) Grids.  Time to start getting serious.

8) Do something with one item in closet. 

9) Use a new fabric.

10) Watch a 'classic' film.

I finally painted the kitchen.

I also put a fresh coat of bright white paint on the coffee table, but it's not as pretty to look at - so no pictures, plus I already spilled my iced tea on it...

Resolutions 2010/Looking at 2011

Well, let's see how I did.

My monthly classics reading lasted until May - which is better than the previous attempt which ended in February.  Fell off the wagon with "Jude the Obscure" - and never did finish "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn."

Seems I lost my checklist back in May as well - I'm not really sure what happened.  No significant thing, maybe I didn't need it anymore - or maybe I just became too lazy.

The Good:

Shot a lot of film, some that will become paintings.

New series in the works.

Wormed my way into the theater.

Used my sewing machine (a few times...)

Maintained an organized studio - mostly.

Every month in 2010 except January -  I posted more times on this
blog than the same month in 2009.

The checklist was a way to get me into the studio, 

and now I am comfortable there, 

so I just have to do it.

For 2011:

I get overwhelmed easily, and I shut down/avoid things instead of working through issues, so the resolutions this year will be simpler and specific to the month.  Let's try for 10.  

JANUARY

I have some time off while the shop is closed, so there's no excuse not to:

1) Paint the kitchen a lovely shade of tangerine.

2) Paint coffee table, hide the footprints.

3) Grids.  Time to start getting serious.

4) Research (Styling/Titus/Bookbinding/Internet). Ditto

5) Sketch Comedy Marketing/Props - hearts all over town.  

6) Read a novel I should have read (classic or not). 

7) Finish/give away one item from the misc craft box.  

8) Do something with one item in closet. 

9) Use a new fabric.

10) Watch a 'classic' film.  

That should be good, right??

READ 2010

So, it all went downhill when I decided to give myself two months to read "Jude the Obscure" by Thomas Hardy and only read the first two pages...in mid-July!  Then I said to myself, well, that was a summer vacation of sorts, back to it in August.  Let's just say I've had two different copies of Betty Smith's "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn"" for two months now.  Just like the romance I'm currently reading, one or two pages and I'm out.   Sigh.   To be fair (to myself) most of September was dedicated to "Entitled"but now I've got some down time.  So,  what will be - "O, Pioneers" or "On The Road"?
Hopefully one of the two this month.

Resolutions May 2010

Yes, it's June 16th.  A little behind, I know...Though it may not look it from the checklist, May was a really productive month for me.  I didn't paint or sew - but I did make an absurd amount of bottle cap magnets which kept me focused and in the studio.  The goal of the resolution checklist is to get me motivated - and they are my rules, so I'm not going to get down on myself for missing a few when I went above and beyond on some others.  Plus some of what I shot Memorial Day weekend, not only my favorite stuff so far, many will also eventually be paintings!

Spring Storm

"My Antonia" - Willa Cather - 1918

                                              READ 2010 - May

Resoulutions April

Bottle Cap Magnets (in progress)

"Adverbs" - Daniel Handler - 2006

Thanks, Matt and Dorien.  I loved it. 

Resolutions, Sew

                      Making up for March slacking, that's for sure!
                      Two bags this week, one from an awesome
                       but unflattering (on me) Buffy shirt.

Resolutions, Sew

Finished this one up early this month - had to make up for missing it in March - I blame that nasty flu bug entirely, by the way.  Anyway, I made Baby Jack a "Magical Mystery Tour" hoodie - it turned out great but I was sleep deprived and forgot to get a picture.  It was my first experience with fusible webbing, and other than ironing the excess onto my ironing board - it was great.  Truly makes applique fast and easy, no pins! 

Resolutions March 2010

Well, fell slightly short this month, but actually I felt really busy and productive so I'm not complaining.  The only thing I couldn't squeeze in was to SEW SOMETHING, however April's is already taken care of, so it evens out I guess...

All But One...

...but I got a plan.

Mrs. Dalloway - Virginia Woolf - 1925

READ 2010

Thanks, Emmy.

Resolutions, Cut & Paste AND Create

2 in 1 - an extension of the color folder, I'm working on a chipboard book (that's the previously unused supply) of black and white images with some pops of color.

Resolutions, Learn

Trying to get better at a few new tricks...

So pumped, got this one consistantly last night - but only while wearing jeans - or no pants at all!  Ha, guess I'm wearing jeans all summer!  Knees up to Waist

This one takes up more space than I usually
have to practice in, but I was doing pretty well in L-Cat's backyard.  The Helicopter

Resolutions, Do...

...something out of my comfort zone.

I walked into a gallery opening alone.  

Last Saturday evening Satori Gallery celebrated a two-year anniversary with a group show on the theme of "Satori."  One meaning of the word (according to the wikipedia entry I read) is "Awakening."  I don't have an image, but my piece started as a 4x6 Black & White photo of foggy pines taken at the Que at 5 am, blown up into a 11x14 xerox to which I added fine line ink drawings, emphasising the image and the faults of the copy. Turned out pretty well, despite some last minute panic. 

Granview

 

  

 

Playing with Colors