i talk to myself ... but I get a lot done

6 months? Really? I can't believe how fast time has gone by. My crazy one, Littlest, is going to be 2 years old next weekend. Good news is the the non-stop shrieking has well.... evolved. It's not quite as constant, but it is a tad bit louder. She is something else for sure. And my son, my son. 4 years old. What was it about terrible two's that is so bad? Two year old's have nothing on 4 year old's!

So I have about T-10 minutes to get this post in. I think I hear Littlest rustling upstairs so I am going to just get right into it. I have been slowly working myself back into art over the past couple of weeks. Kinda playing around with little woodworkings and then working on my larger woodburning/paintings/drawings. It's crazy trying to juggle everything. I honestly don't know how those with children more-than-the-count-of-2 have time to do anything self-serving at all, really I don't. I babysit a 16month old now 3 days a week. Maybe it's so tough because it's another persons child or maybe it's just tough because it's one more than two.

I am getting better with personal schedules which is helpful. Not quite up to the solid weekly schedules but getting great at writing a little list every morning of what's important and then making sure it (most of it) get's done. I also find that I am talking to myself a lot now which has been amusing. Mostly because no one is ever around to hear it. The past few Fridays my mom has been taking my kids for me so I can have the mornings for art. I pick them up around 1pm. After I do what I do, sometimes hands on art, sometimes photos, sometimes listings and always with all of the drama that comes with rushing. "Where did I put that pencil, I need THAT pencil" then walking in circles for 10 minutes trying to find THAT pencil. "Ahh, I found you!" Time to load photos. "Gah, my battery died. I know I charged you yesterday". You all know how it goes, right? Then the dreaded call that my mom has had enough of my little terrors. Finish up what I was just doing. Turn off computer. Grab car keys and walk out the front door. "Okay, art OFF, kids ON, no more art for today... let it go, let it goooooo". Kinda like once you get into the groove of something, it's hard not to keep thinking about it. Then I keep thinking about it and can't focus on the barrage of questions that my 4 year old fires from all cylinders...All. Day. Long.

Okay, she's screaming. Let me just share some of my new stuff...

I love this one. I don't usually say love about any of my stuff. Not because I don't usually love them (sometimes I do, and sometimes I just kinda am happy they ended up like something I tolerate after weeks of struggle) I guess I just don't think to say it. I think this time it's more because I enjoyed working on wood, but not woodburning which is the norm for me, so it was new and fun, not to mention fast and of course safe to actually work on around my kids. Hot burning metal + kids = not good. It's pencil, and casein on a cradled birch panel. 6x6. If you care to see more you can find it in my etsy shop (see left side of my blog). Notice how I don't take the time to post links like I used to. No time. No time! ;)

we were all led astray


And this little one, this is part of a new little project of super small pieces I am working on, all only 2" at their longest length. They all come with hangers on the back which allow them to hang without the hangers showing which is always bothersome to see, and they look awesome hanging in those little spaces between large clusters of wall art (I am a big fan of clustered wall art!) I have done quite a few more simple ones and listed them in my second etsy shop, but this portrait I have listed in my original shop. Two shops = confusing, I know. Someday I will figure it out.


Again, help yourself to my side bar if you want to learn more about them. And here are a few more photos..




Okay, GOTTA go. Also, I am having a sale in both of my etsy shops (again, side bar) 10% everything. Use code HOLIDAY at checkout. And for the record, I was so utterly opposed to the use of coupon codes, I swore I would never use them. Until, that is, I was going to offer 10% off my shops and realized I would have to edit each and every listing, not once, but twice. No time, no time! So use the code if you want 10% off anything that I have to offer. And you know what else. I am just plain old sick of seeing some of these pieces lying around, so if there is something you really want and it's been around for awhile, I would probably take even more off. Hooray for the end of the year sick-of-seeing-you-sitting-around-here.

Bye for now!