Christmas in March

It's been like Christmas in my mailbox lately.

First, I got these beautiful post cards from my

sweet, sweet bloggy friend, Jennifer.

She has a gift for piecing words together

to make beautiful pictures.

Aren't they great?

Then later last week I received

these gorgeous cards from Pam Holderman.

So beautiful. Love her work. Love these cards.

Pam has a full page spread in this month's Somerset Studio.

Last, I finally received my copy of Pam Carriker's new book:
Art at the Speed of Life

It is really great.
I'm a little obsessed with art books.
I just like to know how other artists create
the thought process, the physical process, techniques, all of it.
This has so many great ideas for making time for art
in our crazy, busy schedules.
I haven't read it cover to cover,
but so far, so good!

Behold, I am making all things new. Revelation 12:5

If you've read my blog for any time you know that

I've only in the last 3 years found this art gift.

And that's exactly what it is to me:

a pure gift.

grace.

And I know that gifts are meant to be used and given away,

but I'm kinda like a five year old at a birthday party.

I wanna cling to this gift that I brought,

that was meant to be given,

hold it tightly in my hands,

and not let it go.

But I'm learning to surrender. to lay it down. 

I'm learning that the gift does not belong to me.

The gift, in fact, has very little to do with me.  

It is to be used and given.

And the gift to me is that

I get to be a part of it.

a broken vessel.

a jar  of clay.

As I good friend (and by good friend I mean therapist) recently said to me:

Do you hear yourself? And why do you think this belongs to you?

This has very little to do with you.

Like your time. Like your money.

It's not yours. It doesn't belong to you.

You get to use it.

That's the blessing.

I keep reading and rereading different parts of this book.
And it's helping me get perspective.

So now, before I start anything in the studio I pray.

I had to write down my prayers.

They help me remember.

Because I forget.
Here they are:

Lord, please use me. Please use this gift.

Lord, let me be available to you.

I lay it down at your feet.

 Please use it for your glory.

Please lead me where you want me to go.

Please remind me that it belongs to you and you you alone.

And not me. Please use it. Use me.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you for this gift. For this time. For this space.

My dear sweet friend Henri Nouwen,

always, always speaks right to my soul.

I love this prayer:

Dear God,

I am so afraid to open my clenched fists!

Who will I be when I have nothing left to hold on to?

Who will I be when I stand before you with empty hands?

Please help me to gradually open my hands

and to discover that I am not what I own,

but what you want to give me.

And what you want to give me is love,

unconditional, everlasting love.

Amen.

— Henri J.M. Nouwen

(The Only Necessary Thing: Living a Prayerful Life)

Now, that's what I'm talkin' about. My heart.

Thank you, Henri.



Play time.

I finally got a few hours in the studio to play

and I am a new woman.

It's been so long since I've really played.

really explored. really had fun.

really not cared about the outcome

just enjoyed the process of creating.

(Here are the crazy canvases I started with.)

Fall was hard.

I went back to work full time.

I got pregnant in September, which is a  blessing,

but I went into about a 3 month coma after that.

School. home. eat. asleep by 7:00
couldn't even make it to Jeopardy.

This was about all I could manage for 

October, November, December 

(I added a layer of paint.)

In January I came back to life

but spent every waking moment finishing this big commission

and other projects I had promised since way before my coma.

(Then some paper.)

I'm not complaining (I think)

because I'm so thankful for the work.

but that's what it was:

more work.

a labor of love,

but labor nonetheless.

so now that I am (almost) caught up with my promises 

(I have 5 baby gifts & a birthday gift to go)

I spent some time doing what I do best:

playing.

Never underestimate the value of play.

Mystele has so many wonderful things to say about this,

but it really takes me to this place

where there's no have tos

just pure fun.

(I wasn't sure where to go next, so I stopped. for now.)

I'm trying really hard to work quickly & intuitively.
To hold it loosely in my hands.
To let myself experiment.
To not overthink.
And it's fun.

Somerset Studio: The Art of Lettering

I came home from work yesterday to find best surpise in my mailbox.

The new Somerset Studio:

I submitted an exemplar so long ago,

that I had forgotten about it.

By the time I found out I'd be in this issue

I was thrilled.

(of course)

They always have gorgeous photography & layouts.
I'm so thankful to be a part of this issue.

I have been obssessed with paper and doodling

and lettering since at least fourth grade.

Typography was one of my favorite classes in college.

The whole class was about fonts:

serifs

san serifs

scripts

gothis

avant garde

helvetica

I love it all

Aimee at Artsyville

It's amazing how subtle changes in lettering styles can create

a change in the enitre mood of a piece.

Parada Creations

I thought I'd share some of my favorite lettering artists with you.



Raw Art Letterpress

35 Things & Cravings

35 Things in 2011

3. Video Jack’s Johnny Cash routine

Jack has been obsessed with Johnny Cash

ever since my dad showed him

You Tube videos at 18 months.

He wouldn't watch anything else.

Of course every time I turned on the 

video camera he clammed up.

But I finally got him.

I had visions of black jeans, cowboy boots & hat

and a starched collared shirt,

but I was happy to get this version.

I have been loving being awake &

 functional in my 2nd trimester.

I'm in mellow, blissful, pregnancyland.

I didn't even realize it until my friend at school said,

"you're so pregnant right now."

And I can actually do some life & get some painting in.

I have been craving studio time.

Now that I'm painting again,

I just want to paint and paint and paint.

It's a good thing I have to family and work and sleep

because I can totally see myself dropping out of society

and forgetting all personal hygiene to

paint and paint for days and weeks on end.

Okay, so I'm a little extreme.

Do you ever feel like that?

I heart George & Abe



I love February.

Not only is it a love fest,

but I get to talk about George and Abe

I am a big nerd when it comes to these guys.

I heart them both.

Kids love learning about them.
I love teaching about them.

and you know what I love even more?

4 day weekends.

Most people will find this really boring. 

But, if you have a crush on George Washington, too
this is a great documentary.
probably not going to go viral.
but interesting.

Good Times & Girly Prints

Celebrate good times

come on.

really.

I'm celebrating.

elated.

over the moon.

I just reached my 200th sale on etsy

 and that, my friends, is a dream come true.

Just wanted to share my joy & celebrate with you!

A word of encouragement:

if you have an etsy shop.

It can be really discouraging.

I didn't make my first sale until 2 months after I opened.

I had forgotten I even had a shop.

Even after that, it was slow. super slow.

like maybe selling a print or two a month slow.

but little by little

month by month

business started to pick up.

honestly, it still surprises me when

people pay money to buy my art.

I don't know if that will ever go away.

I still think: really?!?!

awesome.

I just wanted to say

thank you

thank you

thank you
sweet, kind blogging friends.

and

if it is slow right now,

just keep on going.

don't give up.

slow & steady

said the tortoise.