Back to School

Sharpen those pencils, grab some paper, get ready to read, write, and study. School started yesterday where I work. My online college class started today and my on-campus class starts on Monday. Callie begins her sophomore year of high school on Monday also.

Even the weather testifies that it's time to go back to school. The hot and humid days I so loved morphed into crisper air and dew drenched mornings. It's a good thing I love school and learning and reading and writing and oh yes, my computer. I'll be spending many hours at the keyboard as the days shorten. And I was having such fun with my journal and assorted markers in those three weeks between terms.

I didn't get a vacation this year. No time. I went on a "Sisters" outing though. Sue, Kate, and I went up north to visit our parents. Our sister Patti couldn't join us as she had to work and it just wasn't the same without her. We agreed that we need to do more "sister" things together.

Enjoy the journal pages I posted. I did the sketch of Cheryl and Caleb three summers ago when he was an infant. Within the next month I expect to be doing pencil sketches of her new baby --my first granddaughter. Stay tuned for pictures.......

Back to the Blog

I'm back and with a whole new look. Whew!!! That was one long break. I promise not to go so long without posting again. I got caught up in life. School, family, work....you know the story. I'm sharing the cover from one of my favorite journals. I don't often take the time to decorate the covers so this is special.

I just started journal Volume 60. I put lots of photos in my daily entries. I'm trying to sketch more and I'm working on my lettering. I joined Nicolette's two lettering classes http://nickieblog.blogspot.com/ and I'm using several books on calligraphy and lettering. I'm having fun experimenting and hope to share some samples soon. I've already told my three children that these journals highlight events in their lives as well as mine and should be treasured after I'm gone.

Resolutions

What happened to time? I think I got stuck in a procrastination time warp. I thought about my blog regularly and every once in a while I would peek in on it like a sleeping child. I meant to update it but then life happened.

I resolve to do a better job at keeping my blog updated. There, now that the first entry of the new year and the resolution are out of the way maybe I can proceed.

So what really happened? TV. All the new shows came on. Have you seen 24 hours yet? That show captivated me. Then again anything that keeps me from doing the walking DVD's that I asked for at Christmas is a welcome diversion. Walking can be hard work. I swear my arms hurt after just one session. I was so proud that I did the first segment of it. Then I found out that it wasn't the end of the segment but a switch to the strength building exercizes. I decided to perform those visually and mentally. Somehow that's just not quite as effective on the cellulite.

On a more encouraging note my weight loss is continuing at a steady pace and I survived the holidays and lost weight in tandem. Not bad. I'm back to keeping daily entries in my journal. I've been keeping a daily journal for years now and I disappoint myself when I skip days or even a week at a time. I did some sketching over the holidays. I was thrilled that I still knew how.

I'm adding the two sketches I did as Christmas gifts for my kids. The portraits are graphite drawings of my two grandsons. Their parents loved them.

Snow Day

Can you believe it? Today is the first day of December and our first snow day. No school. No work. Well, almost. I still have to go in later to get things ready for tonight's Advent service. Still part of a day off is better than no day off. Yippee! That means I have a couple of extra hours to draw.

Last night I worked on a sketch of my grandson. It's not finished and I'm not happy with the proportions so I think I'll call this a practice sketch and move on to something else.

A hot cup of coffee sounds good. I think I'll go unearth my drawing grids and light box while I'm waiting for the pot to brew. Maybe the smell will wake the sleeping around here.

If I can convince my husband and daughter to bring the Christmas tree in from the garage maybe we can get that up by tonight. Yesterday they rearranged the living room. Had to make room for a 6 foot singing and dancing Santa Clause that my husband fell in love with AND it was on sale. I kid you not. Karaoke Santa lives in my family room.

All this snow makes it official! Christmas is on its way!!

Sketching Again

How does time pass so quickly? It's been a while since I posted anything. There are two reasons for this: 1) I couldn't think of anything witty to write and 2) I didn't have any new artwork to share. Ashamed at my lack of resolve to keep this blog current I gathered some art supplies and set to work.

Picture me digging through my art room looking for the box with my drawing pencils. I felt like a dog who had misplaced his buried bone. The room looked like a spring lawn attacked by gophers. There were hills and mounds everywhere. It turned into a scavenger hunt as my semi-orderly room was tuned over pile by pile as I looked for my favorite pencils, erasers, and blending stumps. Eventually I found what I fondly call the essentials. Armed with my pregnant looking journal and a new book called "Drawing Portraits for Dummies" I set to work. My drawing skills are rusty but I did the first exercise before retiring for the night. I scanned the sketch for you to enjoy.

I made it through the Thanksgiving holiday and even managed to lose 4.25 pounds. This is my first big loss since joining Weight Watchers a month ago. I finally earned my 5 pound bookmark. I owe it all to Pumpkin Fluff. I love this stuff. I raced home after the meeting (okay so I always race) and made another batch to reward myself. I ate so much I feel like a pumpkin. Here's the recipe in case you want to give it a try.

Pumpkin Fluff

1 box vanilla sugar-free fat-free instant pudding
1 box butterscotch sugar-free fat-free instant pudding
4 cups skim milk
l large can pumpkin
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon nutmeg
4 0unces (1/2 small carton) fat-free cool whip

Blend the two boxes of pudding with the milk until thick. Blend in the pumpkin and spices. Blend in the cool whip

Scoop into a bowl and top with some cool whip and eat. Lick the spoon. Scrape some into a reduced-fat graham cracker pie crust and chill for Pumpkin Fluff Pie.

I can't believe I ate this stuff all weekend and still lost weight. I like it even better than regular pumpkin pie and that's one of my favorite desserts. The best part is my husband and daughter like it okay but they don't LOVE it like I do. More for me!!

I'd share the 1 point Brownie recipe but those turned out like shoe leather. My daughter hates them. My husband said it reminded him of chocolate jerky. He ate two squares this morning because he had a pot of coffee to wash them down with. I think that recipe could cure a chocoholic.

It's Cold Outside

It's cold outside again. Warm. Cold. Comfortble. Cold. We're on a weather yo-yo. I opt for warm or comfortable or even hot. I'm tired of cold hands and feet and noses already and winter isn't even here yet. Bring on the quilts and sweaters and slippers.

I started a new diet. I'm three pounds lighter this week. I swing from hungry to full, seldom satisfied. I fill up on vegetables and fruit and wait until I'm starving again. I feel like a walking bag of mixed salad with a dash of low-fat ranch dressing. I should be drinking more water but there is nothing worse than water logged lettuce or squishy vegetables.

I haven't had much time for art or to write in my journal. I try to snatch an hour or so every couple of days. I'm using double stick tape and old photos or clipart or pages from swaps and writing around them. Not very creative but I have to do something. After art journaling for a few years now the plain old penmanship entries just don't get it for me. I long for a block of uninterrupted time to sketch or paint or play with my art supplies. Instead I surf the web and look at what others are creating thereby wasting the slice of creative time available to me.

My life reminds me of a song I learned in Junior High School called My Grandfather's Clock. The pendulum swings back and forth...cold...comfortable...hungry...full...busy...bored...thrifty...wasteful. There isn't much in between time...comfortable...satisfied...occupied...creative.

I'll Never Be Good Enough

I'll never be good enough. That's one of the lies my inner critic likes to whisper in my ear whenever I try to squeeze in a bit of art or writing in those minutes between the lull and the storm. I can think of hundreds of people who write or draw or collage better than I do.

Another lie is that is should be perfect. If it can't be perfect or at least very good then I'd better not waste my time with it. Or how about this one...It's too much effort to pull out all those supplies just for one page and then have to put them all away again or tip toe around the mess.

Here's another...I work better in a clean space and this space just isn't clean enough AND I'm not in the mood to clean it.

Today's entry is proof that I don't have to be inspired to just write. I don't even have to do well at it. I give myself 2 points for the effort. Now I have to go find something to eat that's worth 2 points.

Beginnings

It's nice to begin again. I've been so busy with work and school and starting a new diet that I seldom have time for writing in my journal or creating art.

My previous excuse for not dieting was that I didn't have time. Funny how I find the time to eat though. Now to find time to create and write.

Rhetorical Question:
Why is it that going on a diet makes me so hungry? Usually I can skip meals until I'm starved and then get away with eating whatever I want. It takes less to fill me up that way. On a diet I feel hungry when I eat more food. There are some days I'm so hungry I'm tempted to gnaw my arm off. Therefore I am now officially into comfort foods. This week's comfort food is soup. We had chili a few days ago when it was chilly out. Today I made veggie soup for vegging out. It feels good to be full. It feels comforting. Nice hot soup is soothing and filling. Try some!