OWOH winner and... ramblings.

We have a winner...

We just don't know who it is yet.

Today is the official end of 

One World One Heart blog hopping extravaganza.

I'll be announcing the winners  tonight.

and some thought s on blogging...

How can I know what I think till I see what I say?

E. M. Forster

This is so true for me.
I just want to do art.
I'm not a writer. It scares me.   

In the studio I go and go and go.

in a frenzy.

It's not until I stop.

 and think about the process.
and see my words. and read them back to myself.

that I make connections between

my art and my real life.

And as much as I want to lock it up in pretty compartments

& stick some gel medium & rickrack on the top,

life is one messy connected mess.

Blogging helps me sort out the mess.
And most of the time I don't even know what I think
until I sit down to blog about it.
and it comes out.

I'm surprised by what's in there.
Kind of like art.
The writing, the painting,
take on this weird life of their own,
kind of like having kids,
so you are a part of them,
and have a hand in creating them,
but they're not entirely yours,
because they grow up and do their own thing. 

New inspirational prints in my etsy shop.

It came today.

Somerset Studio's latest issue.
I've been running to the mail box

 for about a week now waiting for this.

The new issue of Somerset Studio.

My first real, published article. 

Art in print.

page 90

I'm beside myself.

I submitted these pieces in May,

and I was asked to write an article in July,

so I've been waiting and waiting and waiting.

Somerset always does a gorgeous job

 with photography and layouts.

And they did again.

Sometimes dreams really do come true.

Just Start!

I started this blog kicking and screaming.
putting off.
making excuses.
why I can't.
or didn't need to.
until I finally broke down
and did it.
i just started.

i turned one blog year old on July 5.

This blogging adventure has paralleled to my art making.
It's really scary at first.
Like the new kid in school
shouting out to the blogosphere:
Here I am!
all exposed
and vulnerable.
Ummm, wanna play?

and gremlins come out
Really Erin?
Who's gonna wanna hear about your art?
Who's gonna wanna see your art?
You don't evenknow what to say.
You don't have anything to say.
Who's gonna really read what you say?

And you have to shush them
over and over again.
I can already hear the voice of encouragement from Eleanor.
Until you just start.
With anything.
It doesn't have to be brilliant.
you just have to do it.

you take the first step and feel really silly.
and you post about your baby way too much.
and you sit and lurk.
at other blogs
from afar.
until finally you finally make a comment.
and she comments back.

And you realize once again...
I can do this.
This isn't so hard.
This is actually fun.
I think I love this.
All just because you started.
Note to self:
Just start!