Thursday, January 31, 2013

Getting Back Into Sketching and Photography

I've been in the mood to sketch again. I haven't felt like doing this since I went to Florida for Spring Break. I've been so caught up in other things that I feel like I just never have time to relax. Sadly, art never came into my mind. In the last year there have been a few art journal pages that I've completed but my mixed media work isn't that great. I just can't let it flow that well. I'm not giving it up, heck no. I'm just getting back into some work that I loved doing before.

For the last few days, I've been wanting to do something artistic. Whenever that feeling came around, I had nothing to use. No pen or paper or napkin. Sometimes, I was driving. It was kind of random. My muse likes to work at strange times, it always has.

I finally sat down and did something. It's not big or anything. It's not even that great but I did it and I'm satisfied for now. I also found my other Koi Water Colors Pocket Field Sketch Box that I usually take with me when I'm out and about. That was rather exciting. I have some water color paper that I'm going to cut and make into a small sketch book that I can take with me while I'm working. I find that I'm inspired when I'm working so I might as well take advantage of nap time while I can.

Another thing I'm getting into again is photography. I got a little uninspired carrying a large camera around with me so I kind if gave that up but my phone has a decent camera and I can connect to the Internet. Less hassle. So, yesterday, I signed up for an account on Flickr and now I'm doing a daily photo just for that account. Instagram is okay but I like the organization that Flickr gives me. I'll still be using Instagram for my project and Etsy stuff but my daily photos and my artsy photos will all be on Flickr. I guess I could just use both.

My Flickr Account

Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Just Another Day as a Nanny

Yesterday, I was told Little One was with a pacifier for nap time. I wasn't certain how she would react but I had a feeling that it wouldn't be good. So when I put her down for her nap, she threw a little tantrum. You can't expect immediate acceptance from a child who loved her pacifier as much as Little One. Sh did eventually fall asleep thanks to her dad. She just needed some reassurance. Her pacifier was her safety blanket for a good part of her 2 years.

When I got into work today, she showed me her new baby doll that she got as a present for sleeping without her pacifier. Unfortunately, she didn't nap today. She isn't my child and I just started working here at the end of October (and only for 2 days a week). Give it time and I'll be very strict with her...well not very strict but strict enough. I already took her sucker away and she isn't happy about that but there is a rule with candy that I've used for the last 6.5 years. Kids have to earn it.

Well, now I have a grumpy child to deal with but that might have been because she was hungry. Little One can eat like a beast, that's for sure.

...nope. She is still grumpy.

Now, with her big sis thrown in, it has gotten...interesting. The Older One (5-years-old) has the tendency to want everything to go the way she wants them to. There are times when it gets out of hand but she can correct herself every now and then. She threw a little fit because I didn't want to get in the tent. It was a small tent and I told her no. She stormed to her room because of it. Man! What is with these kids today? They aren't always like this. Maybe my sleeping issue and the weird weather is causing us to go all crazy. Who knows? But today wasn't the best day at work...better than some of the days that I had in the past but not a good day at all.

It's clear that there are still some things that the girls and I need to work on. But I think right now I'll deal with that slowly. Little One is testing me to see how far she can go to get her way. I'm going to have to crack down on nap time so she won't pull that on me again.

*this was typed from my phone. Sorry if there are a lit of spelling mistakes.

Craft Time With the Girls: Grape Lip Balm

The girls and I made grape lip balm yesterday. While the color didn't turn out the way I planned, it certainly works just fine. It smells like grape and it heals chapped lips. What more can I ask for? I will probably make more another time...in a much smaller portion. Heating up Vaseline took longer than I thought.

Well, I'm about to head out for another day of work.

Sunday, January 27, 2013

New Items

This is a rose ring I made a few months ago. The rose is hand painted. I really like these metal roses but I can't find any more. I'm going to have to hunt some down or make my own.

 This is Scotch. One of my new characters for On the Rocks. This is Scotch, the Mayor of On the Rocks. He will be in my shop soon but not right now. I have to get some good lighting for him and find my SD card. I misplaced it somewhere.
 This is a pocket watch that will be in my will be in my shop soon.
I saw this bracelet on Pinterest and decided to give it a try. I'm wearing mine right now. I think it's an easy enough project to do with the girls. I'm going to see if they want to try it.