So five days ago I signed up to be a part of the 'Creative Every Day Challenge'. That was easy enough.  Started strong, posted everyday, despite teaching and the daily business of life...but heading out of town this past weekend and then spending time with friends...well, ummmm...I didn't post.  Well, I just did, and I really did work on something on Friday, it was almost finished and never posted.  And as for Saturday...I certainly thought of my painting, and what I would do.  But, admittedly, I just posted the 6th entry tonight....paintings 7 and 8 are in progress.  Made me feel a little guilty that I was away from my artwork.  So...will have to think of creative ways to prep for days when I have other things going on...which is the whole point of the challenge I believe...to figure out how to make time for my creative self no matter what obligations and events come up.  

I did do something that I feel was creative, now that I think back on it.  I had two pieces that I brought back from my collection at the Artist Gallery in Southern Pines.  Two works from graduate school, back when I was doing more beading. Anyways, brought those pieces back to Florida, unsure at the time what I would do with them.  Turns out that they were destined to be gifted to my art friends and fellow Tipsy Girls.  So, I guess that could be kind of art related...sharing my art/creativity with others?  Yep, I can work with that.

...if you consider it the start of the new year...I spent Jan 1-2nd on the road and it really seemed like I was still letting go of 2011.  After catching up on sleep yesterday it felt like today was really the first day of my new year...my first full day back here, at my home, waking up in my own bed.  I thought that it might be good to participate in some daily activity to keep me motivated...I mean, I feel like I am getting better about making work, and writing about the work and the process...even if no one else cares, I do, and it helps me...but there is something about feeling accountable...helps me stay focused.  Blah, blah, blah...I found this cool challenge on line after some searching...So I worked on the navigation on my website to allow for a new link...my mini-blog for the Creative Every Day Challenge.  Not gonna worry about a ton of writing...just want to post pics of something creative that I do each day for 2012.  

Starting on January 3rd meant I was already three days behind...so after relaxing today I finally got out some art materials and my little table to paint a little while I watched 'Flight of the Conchords' with my husband.  The pics are posted...so now I am caught up.  Not sure what tomorrow will bring in relation to the theme of 'new' but tonight that theme turned into two finky new shoes and a sassy angel in a leopard dress and red heels...click here to view...

Aside from the CED Challenge...I am brainstorming ideas for the next ANE Show...and figuring out how I am going to complete the project shown on the left.  Maybe I mentioned it...maybe not...John's Nonna passed over the break and all I could think about is this one picture that I had seen of her...holding squash flowers in her garden.  She could make anything grow, had such a green thumb. Over the break I started this graphite drawing...added some watercolor details...and was thinking I would add some phrase translated into Italian and give it to Raffaele. He shared with us that Nonna was quite the writer...writing her thoughts, notes, lists, recipes on anything that she could find.  He read some to us, trying his best to translate as we tried to fill in the gaps lost in translation...and then it came to me.  The space on the left of the composition should be filled with Nonna's writing.  So I am waiting to get some more direction on this one...Raffaele is going to help select the text...probably going to use some type of transparency or vellum for the writing and then overlay it on top of the drawing...not sure yet...and of course he will make an amazing frame in his wood shop when it is completed.. 

Now, going to enjoy the last moments of my break before I have to go to bed early and get up to teach...