More Peace and Paisley

Tags

Blue and white, blue paisely, Diva Challenge, Diva's Challenge, paisley, watercolors, Zentangle Inspired Art, Zentangles, ZIA

Here are 10 more Peace and Paisley cards. I plan to make 30 in all. It has been a great process to make this series. For more information about the process and the first 10 cards see my post from yesterday here.

I have uploaded one of the cards to Fine Art America if you want to purchase a set to use for your Christmas cards.

Big Girl Panties

Tags

100 Mandalas, art journal, Darkness, Do something, Helen Keller, I am still one, migraine, overcoming limitations, vision, watercolors

Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do. John Wooden

I am only one, but I am still one. I cannot do everything but still I can do something. And because I cannot do everything I will not refuse to do the something that I can do. Helen Keller.

I am curious if I will get some different traffic because of the title of this page, but it is definitely time for the big girl panties. What that phrase means to me is that it is time to gird my loins, pack my bags, brace myself, etc. The reality of the situation is that my double/blurry vision has continued to get worse. In the last 2 weeks my prism prescription has doubled for the second time since we discovered that I have Exophoria (difficulties to establish and maintain binocular vision). This may be another factor that could lead to a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis for me. I have been monitored for possible ms for about 4 years for a variety of health problems, but the main one is that I do have lesions in my brain. The good news is that they are not typical of ms and they have been stable over the past 4 years. I am currently between neurologists and these vision problems are freaking me out. That is what led to the need to put on my big girl panties and be the mature woman I know I am. I have lived with migraines every day for the last 4 years. I have lived with muscle spasm in my left arm and the left side of my face for the last 4 years. I have gradually come to terms with the fact that I can no longer work as a school psychologist.

Tonight I found a new Helen Keller quote when I was looking up the exact wording of the one I love because I have no memory anymore but I digress…

Everything has its wonders, even darkness and silence, and I learn whatever state I am in, therein to be content. Helen Keller

I had already discovered the truth of this quote. When people see my art they frequently ask me where my ideas come from. I tell them that I spend many hours lying in a dark, quiet room because of my migraines and it is amazing what you can dream up if you give your mind that kind of space. I am feeling better already. Thanks for hanging with me.

Have a beautiful day.

Actually it was this blog post about Mandalas inspired by quotes on the 100 Mandalas blog by Kathryn Costa that included the first quote with the little watercolor flower (mandala 55 of 100). It reminded me of the second quote, by Helen Keller. It is one of my favorites and the significance of quoting an amazing blind woman when I can still see was not lost on me. I have decided I’m going to try to make art and blog about about as many days I can for the forseeable (ha ha) future. I can see today. I may not be able to draw delicate little details in my mandalas, but I CAN continue to explore watercolors and mandalas and maybe making them bigger will lead to something GREAT! (Puns are always intended, especially when they are accidental).

So, this is my new plan.

Zentangle challenge Charlie

Tags

art journal, collage, contentment, gratitude, gratitude journal, Washi tape, watercolors

I did my Zentangle challenge #157 right in my gratitude journal yesterday and I’m really happy with how it turned out. Check out the Diva at

I’m trying to play with my Crayola watercolors everyday this week to push myself a little with this medium. I’m quite happy how this came out. Part of the inspiration for this came from the book Zentangle Untangled, that I am adding to my reference and recommendations area. Today I did play with my watercolors, but then I really went to town with the Washi tape. My mantra for this year is Contentment, just as I am, I already have everything I need. So the question is, will I resist the lure of more Washi tape? Stay tuned…

I have been teaching a lot. Last Saturday was a collage workshop and here is my sample collage. The next page is from Monday’s Gratitude Workshop. We played with matte medium and photos. One of the participants got some Tombow pens and let us all play with them – one of the perks of the workshop!

My son and his friends did such a great job with this play. It is so serious and they really demonstrated some maturity with their performances. This miscellaneous page was part of the collage demonstration. The meatloaf picture is from a vintage magazine advertisement that one of the participants decided to use in her fabulous collage. I have another collage workshop on March 22 – we will incorporate photocopies of photographs on transparencies that we will then paint. So much fun and creativity – I am so blessed.