People become really quite remarkable
when they start thinking that they can do things.
When they believe in themselves they have
the first secret of success.

Positive Thinking Every Day
-Norman Vincent Peale

This is a page out of my little 3.5" x 5.5" Moleskine sketchbook.

Weekend Art Hosting - December 15, 2008

I hosted my WetCanvas Weekend Drawing Event (WDE) over the weekend. I did a lot of painting. I also made 50 home made tamales. My, that was an adventure! First you cook that pork butt for 2 hours, then you cool it, shred it, make the pureed peppers to season it and cook it some more. Then you make that big bowl of masa while the corn husks are soaking for an hour. Then you make all of those little tamales (50 of them). I tied a little corn husk tie around each one. Then you steam them for 2 hours. They were a big hit!

WDE December 12, 2008

Today's quote: You must feed your mind even as you feed your body, and to make your mind healthy you must feed it nourishing, wholesome thoughts. - Norman Vincent Peale

This weekend I am hosting the Weekend Drawing Event (WDE) on WetCanvas.com. You can see the images here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/signchick/sets/72157611081688492/

Artists from all over the world will paint or draw, using these photos as references. Quite a few of them were taken when I went to Barbados in September. This is a really fun thing to do and I do it every 6 months. It's like having your birthday and Christmas all in one weekend. I will paint a few of them, too. How fun is that?

Another Christmas Card - December 11, 2009

Today's Quote:


Set yourself a goal that you've just got to reach. Then build under it the fire of anticipation and keep it burning. That goal will keep beckoning. And when you reach your goal still new goals will succeed it. These are the self-perpetuating motivators of enthusiasm.

from: Positive Living Every Day, Norman Vincent Peale


This little Christmas card is one I painted for my husband. I had a great time doing it. I may still outline it in ink. I haven't decided. I think I am finally done with Christmas and it's time to move on to other projects that I have waiting. One of those would be my Art House sketchbook project. I have a whole sketchbook to fill by February 15th. It's just 3.5" x 5.5", but it has a lot of pages! As I make a little progress, I'll share it with you.

Quote of the day, December 10, 2008

Every weekday morning, I send an email quote to about a dozen people with an uplifting or positive thought. They seem to really enjoy them. I believe that if you start each day with a conscious decision to be happy and look at the best in people and events, your life can't help but be better.

I think I'll go ahead and post those positive messages here, as well. Maybe just one person will have a better day, after visiting my little blog.

"Enthusiasm lifts living out of the depths and makes it mean something. Play it cool and you may freeze. Play it hot and even if you get burned, at least you will shed warmth over a discouraged and bewildered world."

From the book - Positive Thinking Every Day - Norman Vincent Peale

Paintings Galore December 8, 2008

I painted quite a bit this weekend. I did the wooden lady from Dewi's WDE on WetCanvas. I also used her tree frog for my mother-in-law's Christmas card. I painted seven little ATCs for the Out of Africa exchange, too. I had a ball!

Christmas Star Painting - December 5, 2008

This is a little 5" x 7" painting called "the Christmas Star" that I did during my coffee drinking yesterday morning and this morning. It's all watercolor, except for the little bit of gold acrylic I put on the star.

I love doing paintings this size or smaller. I also enjoy painting early in the mornings, before my left brain wakes up. It seems to just flow onto the paper. It seems that after I've been awake for a while, I have so many things on my mind. It can distract me from the pure feeling of getting the art from my soul to the paper. Okay, to cerebral! hahaha.

Christmas Cards - December 3, 2008

These are two of my hand painted Christmas cards for this year. My step kids, Kris & LaDawn, found this wonderful old wood block in Colorado. When they saw it, they just knew I'd love it and they were right! I love just looking at it, but printing with it was even more fun. I used a stamp ink that was water soluble until it dried, then became permanent. That made clean up easy, but it made the possibilities infinite, once dry. I had a great time with my watercolors on that print. I am looking forward to playing with it some more.

December 2, 2008 New Linocut

I finished my linocut for Four Oceans Press. It's 6" x 8" and falls into the water theme for a winter trade. I really enjoyed doing this waterfall. Of course it may be some time before my right hand works properly again!

This is an actual picture of the linoleum, because I haven't printed them yet. This printmaking could really become addictive, if it weren't for the pain! hee hee.

It is the largest one I have ever made and only the fifth one, at that. I have a really good friend who is a printmaker. She is encouraching me to go forth and carve! I have been contemplating the next project at Four Oceans Press, which is air. I'm hesitaing now, but we know I'll do it. Don't we?

Birthday Weekend - November 30, 2008

Well, I arrived at 52 on Sunday. I am not a bid spooked by aging (except for the wrinkles) because I am healthy and having the time of my life. In my 50's, I seem to be busier than I have ever been. I am also happier. I can't imagine anything better!

Duane endulged me on my birthday and I got to stay home. I rarely get to spend a whole day at home and I love those days. We did go out to breakfast around 6 am, since we were both up, then I enjoyed the rest of the day painting, cooking and watching movies with Duane. It was heaven!

I painted the little meercat last week and this weekend, I struggled with the Venice painting. I ended up ruining the water, big time! I may come back with some pen & ink to save it, but for now, I just cropped the bottom off so you can't see it. hee hee.