Design

And so it begins …

/ still a dreamer / 6 Comments

The end of the Thanksgiving weekend, and it all goes into full swing. For all the things I both want and need to do, this is my goal:

But rarely how it ends up. I’m an organized person, but somehow all that I have to do for the holidays still sneaks up on me, and I am immediately overwhelmed. It’s not just the personal cards and gifts and plans that I have in front of me, but what should be one of the busiest times of the year business-wise is looking me square in the eye as well.

I should have already done more to get my Etsy shop noticed, but this year, I’ve been working on self-publishing my beautiful picture book, Where Do Butterflies Go at Night?. Sadly, the small company that published it went out of business and recycled all copies. I decided to invest the money and purchase the gorgeous original art and the rights; I just couldn’t see my first published book disappearing off the face of the earth. I’m working hard to reformat the entire book (particularly all the artwork), into a size used by self-publishing platforms, as they don’t offer the original published size. Tick, tock, can I get it up on Amazon in time for holiday sales?

Or for my other commitment, as a vendor at the Christmas Market in my own town? Everything seems like it should take an hour or two, and that’s never the case. And then there’s this guy …

You couldn’t ask for sweeter, but Charlie experienced a traumatic event earlier in the year. Too long a story, but he has PTSD, and it expresses itself in his obsessively moving things, pulling things, breaking things. Imagine a cat in a new home expressing his natural curiosity in everything, and then crank it up to mach-speed. With patience, strategic re-arrangement of furniture, and the help of some flower remedies in his water, he’s calming down. I’m surviving, always loving him, but there have been days …

And so the holidays begin. Still aiming for that goal above.

Hoping your holidays are calm and (relatively) stress-free!

Inktober 2024

/ still a dreamer / 8 Comments

This is the third year I’ve participated in Inktober. The challenge is to create a new pen and ink drawing every day for the month of October. They provide prompts, but you don’t have to follow them.

Below are a few of my favorite drawings I’ve done so far.

The prompt was “Remote.” This is my interpretation, as music takes me anywhere (Books, too.)

The prompt was “Hike”. I don’t hike, but I’d like to see this if I did.

The prompt was “Roam”.

The prompt was “Sun”. For me … “Got that sunshine in my pocket, got that good soul in my feet.” from Can’t Stop the Feeling by Justin Timberlake.

This was an instance where I had no inspiration from the prompt, “Guidebook”. So I just drew what I wanted, my beautiful cat, Mewsette (no longer with us.).

Well, I made it to the halfway mark. Whew! Only 16 more to go. Am I more disciplined? Hard to say. But I am persevering.

Butterflies and Me – this Sunday – at the Tinicum Arts Festival!

/ still a dreamer / 10 Comments

It’s this Sunday!! Stop by the Author’s Tent at the Annual Tinicum Arts Festival, 963 River Road, Erwinna, PA. Books will be available for sale or bring your own to be signed. Ask me anything about my publishing journey … or butterflies!

This is a great 2-day festival of the finest artists and artisans, plus much more. It is located on the PA side of the Delaware, across from Frenchtown in NJ and just a couple miles south. Please check the website for directions* and many other features of the festival.
*There may be a road closure south of Erwinna.

Please stop by and say hello!!

Self-Discipline Is Self-Care

/ still a dreamer / 2 Comments

The word ‘deadlines’ has gotten a bad reputation, perhaps because in many circumstances, they are imposed from without. But when we set up our own, deadlines really are a form of self-care.

Without deadlines, we can be at the mercy of our emotions and lose valuable time. Not the kind of deadlines that make us crazy, but reasonable time frames to help us accomplish our goals.

There have been times in my life where I have elevated procrastination to the level of high art. And while I can be very creative in how I avoid facing certain tasks, in the end, it only makes me feel less accomplished and less successful, as they still sit patiently waiting for me.

In my experience, procrastination around my creative work always boils down to fear – fear that it won’t be “good enough”, that I won’t be able to execute what I am envisioning, that I could have done more. There are so many things wrong with those thoughts. The bottom line is that we all still feel better when we do what we need to do.

That’s why looking at deadlines/self-discipline in a different way makes so much more sense. Striving to set and meet goals means loving ourselves more. And not to be trite, but we’re worth it.

I still may struggle at times, but deadlines=loving myself is where I’m headed. How about you?

Let Your Creativity Be A Light

/ still a dreamer / 8 Comments

If you are a creative person, I’m sure you are periodically met with the awe and wonder of others who are genuinely admiring of your talent. Me, too. What these wonderful and complimentary people are generally unaware of are the challenges that come along with having our gifts.

Earlier today, I watched a new song/video from someone I greatly admire, and was marveling at how easy he makes it look. But I also know that’s not his whole story any more than it is when I share my artwork or my writing.

As an artist, there seems to be a natural desire to please an audience, but I also know that that’s not where it’s at. It’s about telling our truth, about letting our truth, and the reality of our experience, travel out into the world and resonate with the people who need and want to hear it.

In an environment where we are meticulously measured in likes, comments, shares, algorithms, and endless online assessments, we have to be braver than ever. We have to unlock, untie, unfold our truest meanings, love them for however paltry and confused they may sometimes seem, and share them anyway. The world needs us. I believe that.

Be strong. Be a light.