Shaking Off the Holiday

I can genuinely say my love for the holiday season is dwindling as I age.  I can start to feel this lump of stress begin about October and a quick release come January.  After some contemplations over the subject I've decided to get all Christmas shopping done now when the sales are hot and the stress is not.  My stress management strategy has already proved successful and budget friendly. 

Now that I've shaken off the holidays I'm left with loads of time, energy, and pictures to blog.  And a few videos!  Yea!  I've dreamed of owning a camcorder with my quirky toddler on the loose.  So expect some pretty funny stuff.  Logan has a happy Momma with a new art medium!

Speaking of art, I have been working on a few things these past few months.  Some are done and gone sans documentation (shame on me) while others are in the middle of the process.  I have a portrait who is screaming to be finished (little Jenny) and a mess of small paintings who are eager to be born.  I'm also in the middle of decorating my living room and kitchen and believe it or not it isn't always "...so awesome" to decorate your home with your own art.  Any little uncaught mistake becomes a twitch in my eye.  Anyway, here are some of the works.

 Kitchen triptych.  Boy, I can't wait till this little beauty is done!  I thought I had it then the lighting changed as the sun came down and I no longer loved the cool yellows.  I've warmed them a bit and I'm really loving them again.  The first painting looked nothing like that a week ago.  It had two other leaves that were competing so they had to go.  I need to add some more branches to add some weight and make it more balanced.  I also want to add more reds to the browns.  Painting in progress!

 Isn't he a good easel?  Anyway, working on 3 paintings for over the sectional.  I have the frames already, just need to fill in with paintings and mat.  I've had these frames since the fall.  Inspiration has not been kind to me on this project.  Thought I'd just start drawing and see where it takes me.  I know I want color and I want all three to be similar but unified.  This is a start of three.  Plants in front of window.  Sort of inspired by this little pastel on the right.  I did this years ago while student teaching.  Hmm, pastels.  Maybe...

Oh, one of my dearest friends, Sy Snarr, took our family photos this year.  There were so many good ones my living room is basically filled with photos of Logan.  This captured moment was my absolute favorite.  It had to be enlarged to full capacity and displayed in a place of importance.  I recently had it framed so it feels like new artwork to me. 




This was a impulse painting.  More of a bored afternoon painting session.  There are two but the other is very similar so I didn't post it.  I put one on each side of a mirror that used to hang where the new family masterpiece photo now hangs.  A little Christmas inspiration.
And, again, isn't my little helper so darling?


So, therein lies some of my holiday projects.  Kind of fun.