Bye + Hello

Bye 2010

Looking back on the photos saved on my  hard drive I can hardly believe this year has passed by so quickly!

Celebrating and reflecting today with just less then 9 hrs. to go until 2011 arrives here in NY. Some highlights from 2010...

being published twice, kindergarten, declaring, painting, creating, connecting, nyc, playing, new kitty, lots of snow, crochet, flowers, flowers, flowers

Looking forward to what 2011 will hold.

Happy New Years!!

Here is a little video of my kids sliding into the new year.

xo

Art by Aimee of Artsyville

I have spent the last 2+ days cleaning up and clearing out my art space (in between taking care of sick kiddies). I have plenty I am going to give away via freecycle, a big bag for the garbage and a few unused but maybe someday things to be stored away.

It feels nice and light. With just two more days left of 2010 it felt like the time. Clearing the old to make way for the new.

Today I purchased a couple of doodlemagnets from Artsyville. They will both be in my creative space as inspirations and affirmations. One of them is above. I saw it the other day via FB and I thought GREAT and APPROPRIATE. I love starting out the year with this positive intention.

Here is another great sentiment to begin the new year with. It is from an Outward Bound ad. As someone who tends to tell myself  "No, I can't...." I love the farewell to can't. Hello, can!

I am still pondering a word for the year. Have you picked one? I have a couple of contenders. I will pick one tomorrow and share. If you have one I would love for you to share yours.

Phew

Christmas morning sunrise

Christmas in a list:
cookie baking
a stomach bug
up at 2:30 a.m. 
presents at 4:30 a.m.
worn out family
gorgeous pink and purple sunrise
pure excitement
lots of wonder
games, games and more games
wrapping paper everywhere
where to put it all? the toys that is

Cutie needed a nap from all of the excitement

Our Christmas was truly wonderful. As much as I love it I am happy now that it is all done for another year.
We are clearing away bits of Christmas in between all of the snow, game playing, hot chocolate drinking, book reading and lots of craft activities.

Snow.. the day after Christmas

Now is the time to make a clearing and prepare for the New Year and all that it will hold. I am looking forward to it. How about you?

The Sketchbook Challenge will begin on 1/1 and Big Dreams, Small Wonders will begin on 1/3. Lots of good things happening.

Happy Holidays

Two more days!! Can you believe it?

Now it is about finishing up the wrapping, going to look at the lights tonight, baking cookies for Santa and taking a drive to find some SNOW before the jolly old man arrives!

From our home to yours we send you lots of peace, love and joy. Have a very Merry Christmas!

Challenges + other news

 

Recently I learned of The Sketchbook Challenge and of course I had to sign up for it. And in case you didn't know I LOVE sketchbooks. New ones, old ones, other peoples. I love everything about them. I have several and for this challenge I have purchased a couple of new ones :) In an effort to improve my skills I have been drawing daily anyway so this just adds to the fun.

Here is the info via the site:

The sketchbook challenge is a new project launching on 1/1/2011. Follow along with us as we fill our sketchbooks based on a monthly theme that will be announced on the first of each month.

Each month we'll announce a new theme on this blog and throughout the month we'll be showing you images from our sketchbooks and talking about the intention and inspiration behind them.  Along the way we'll be sharing tips, techniques and tutorials.  We hope that by giving you a peek inside our sketchbooks and showing you how different they all are that we'll inspire you to start keeping a sketchbook of your own.  And of course if you do, we'll want to see some photos of your book too so we've designed a blog badge for you to put on your own blog to show your participation in the project.  You can download the badge here.

We encourage you to post photos of your sketchbook pages on your blog and then post a link in the comment section of the Sketchbook Challenge blog so that others can look at your pages too!  We've also set up a flickr group where you can post photos too.  You'll find the group here.

And that's not all! Thanks to the generosity of some terrific sponsors we'll be doing some givewaways and special shopping offers too!

So pick up your blog badge here, go grab a sketchbook, some pencils, pens, markers or paints and get ready to sketch with us!

Here is the list of the AMAZING artists that will be sketching along:

                                    

Jill Berry 
Sue Bleiweiss
Laura Cater-Woods
Jane Davies 
Jamie Fingal 
Judi Hurwitt
Leslie Tucker Jenison 
Lyric Kinard
Jane LaFazio
Kelli Perkins 
Carol Sloan
Carla Sonheim 
Susan Sorrell
Melanie Testa
Diana Trout
Violette

The second challenge I jumped on I found via Melanie Testa. 30 lines 30 days. She posted it on her blog awhile back and I recently found it. She (and others) have already completed it but I am doing it anyway.

Melanie recommends a ruling pen used with black paint to create 30 line drawing in 30 days. I am not using the ruling pen and have just been working with my Pitt pen.

Here are days 1-7. I am working in my moleskin book and I am not spending alot of time on them. I am really enjoying it.
 

I almost forgot to mention the other news! On my creative dream/life list has been to be published in Artful Blogging. I truly love this magazine. Just beautiful like so many of the other Stampington publications.

And while I wasn't chosen to be featured (I am still shooting for this) my blog banner will be featured in the spring issue of Artful Blogging in the Banners we love section!! I am truly honored and thankful to be included once again in a Stampington publication.

NOT To Do List + news

 

I wrote this list the other day as the kids and I were playing with colored pencils. My head was busy with all of the things to DO. So I decided to write a NOT TO DO list. I am trying to abide by my list as best as I can. 

It isn't so easy of course. Particularly the staying up too late and feeling overwhelmed. 

How is your week going?

I am happy to share some news with you. Awhile back I commented on the CraftSanity blog and Jennifer followed my comment back to here and she saw my wreaths over there in the side bar. She loved them and asked to include them in the gift guide of her brand spanking new CraftSanity Magazine!! She has a print edition or the pdf edition. I just ordered mine and the preview looks great! I am so honored to be included!

I have one other bit of news but I will fill you in soon. I have to keep to my not to do list and get some sleep.

If you have a handwritten list add yours over on Artsyville. And say Happy Birthday to her. :)

Paper and Pom Poms

Some super simple wrapping I did. My pom poms are a little imperfect but I like them that way.

Agreed

Doesn't this book sound great? In case you are anything like me and often worry about it all you may be interested in it. I didn't buy it but I did print this out. I just love it.

We have decked the halls and the excitement is building around here. Seeing it all through my kids eyes is the best gift of all.

I hope you are enjoying  your week.

xo,
dana

COLOR STORY: Pepper Berry, Silver, Ivory, Teal

 I had all of this around and it all struck me as beautiful. I LOVE this palette for the holidays.

 

My doily is curling up but apparently I need to steam iron it and it should be fine. I really hope so. Have a great weekend everyone!

xo,
dana

P.S. Amy is doing a give away on her blog... hurry on over. 

What the mail lady brought

 I received my stitched postcard from Quilary in The Great Big Postcard Swap yesterday. Isn't it beautiful?

 It arrived all the way from Australia and she even included these sweet goodies. It was really thoughtful! Thank you Quilary. You can see more of the postcards here.

This arrived right along with my stitched postcard. Somerset Studio's artists' cafe. I had no idea it was coming.

I was very surprised and delighted to see this. My collage that was published in Somerset Studio 2 years ago!! I am still so honored to be a part of this wonderful magazine. Thanks Somerset for including me in artists' cafe. I am still reading through the magazine. There are articles going way back, one from 2003 from L.K. Ludwig. So if you are out and about check out this issue. It is a really great round up.