 Stomach bug, and Milky the love bug- best nurse ever! When I wasn't sleeping I worked on my art organization and calendar...and my daily art. But mostly I slept.
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 John's cousin and her husband invited us to go to Oak Island with them, of course we said yes!  I really enjoyed writing my morning pages with this view....we even randomly got a nice beach day! It was supposed to be cooler and cloudy but the weather decided otherwise.  Took a detour on the way home for coffee at Holden beach...then figured we might as well hit ANOTHER beach so we went to Carolina Beach for lunch before heading home. Milky was waiting on us...and so was a loooooong nap! After all that I got up to finish up my art, then go back to sleep!  I started my spring break with a long overdue reunion with one of my best friends from college, 'Mr. Jason.' We are both fully vaccinated so it was so great to see each other and not stress.  I had the BEST guest room, woke up to watch sunrise while I did m  I know we go to Epcot a ton- but this time it is for research, I promise!  Flower and Garden Festival?! Say no more!  After Orlando (and poolside morning pages!) we made it down south to see family and friends- like my art brother, Brent! We literally met up for ten minutes at a gas station just for hugs and a few laughs!  SoFlo fun- we stayed busy visiting our favorite spots...and still getting my art and sewing time in!  We made it down to Pompano this trip for our final lunch down by the intracoastal...one more night of art and sewing and the trip was over :(  ...when you see the sombrero you are back in NC. Til next time, FL!  I spent one of my 'Artist Dates' heading over the Airlie Gardens early one morning to take reference pics for my new series for April, inspired by flowers.  Back at home I was literally lounging around in my pjs trying to decide on the color for my April sewing project. Milky liked orange, Mackie liked yellow...I ended up going with yellow since Mackie is older and wiser, and also since EVERYTHING here is yellow (soooo much pollen!)  Prepping for my yellow sewing extravaganza- had to paint my canvas and gather my yellow beads and threads.  The beginnings of the daily series and the sewing...both inspired by flowers.  Oh, and that artist way book study? Its now part of my life. I am still doing my three morning pages every single day...and my artist date, too. Weekend are my favorite because I spend a little extra time journaling.  ...and meet my newest niece and nephew! I met them Easter weekend at my sister's house, they love already their Aunt Jenny. I always like to post a 'group shot' of my works when I finish the month. I didn't always do this, think I started back in January 2017...which means now I have to go back and take care of this for Jan 2012-December 2016 or I will go into panic mode. Luckily, I am slightly kinder to myself these days and able to fight these urges and at least give myself time to complete such tasks. Like maybe this summer...? I have a school year to complete in a pandemic, and I have GOT to finish up my National Board stuff. In the meantime, enjoy this wine-infused fashion series!  Two projects coming to and end today...my daily series (the fashion illustrations painted with wine) and my sewing project for this month, this lil' sparkly green number. I really enjoyed painting with the wine this month and I think I will be revisiting it again at some point, maybe in the fall- I think the deep maroons and dark reds will be great for when the leaves change. And this is my third small sewing piece and I have really enjoyed just sitting and sewing each day. Sometimes I only get one 'line' (what I call a whatever I can get out of threading my needle one time, maybe there is an official name, not sure), sometimes I go wild and stitch for a bit more. I look forward to sewing each day and go into it with no pre-planning, so if you know me then you know that I am really letting loose...because I plan literally EVERYTHING.  (L) Final piece of the month (R) Finished sewing piece. I take it out of the hoop and stretch it over a tiny canvas.  ...and it's not just the last day of the month at our house. If you know, then you know. I needed to do this- for me. We have all made so many adjustments since the start of this pandemic, and working from home is part of a story we all know too well. My angle on the story is that of a teacher, and of an artist, 'cause that is what I know. Last March when this all began I was thrown into the world of remote learning- just like everyone else. I had no idea where to start. It was stressful. Sure, it was fun wearing yoga pants for months...but like my waistline, I do better with a little structure. When I am stressed I like to clean and organize. I thrive on giving myself a 'project' that I can throw myself into. Well, last March that project was redoing my studio back in Florida to accommodate this new remote learning platform- and to create a space to record material and do my zooms that would still feel like a 'classroom' space for my students. So I took everything out and rearranged it to create some work areas for myself. What I didn't know is that is how I would end that school year. But first, here is that space. I miss it for sure, so much natural light! It wasn't a large room but it was perfect for what I needed it for;  Seriously, this was one of my favorite home studio/office/classroom spots to date.  (Left) My work area...I spent SO much time there responding back to my students, giving them feedback on their work- and just listening to them (Right) My recording area, being tested out by one of my trusty teacher's assistants, Milky  ...and it wasn't limited to my studio- I literally brought home EVERY SINGLE AP 3D fashion pieces and AP 2D works that I could because I just had a feeling that we wouldn't be going back- and I was right. So- this became a home gym/art storage while I met with students to deliver their work and supplies so they could finish their portfolios- and it paid off! We had great scores, some 4's and a 5! And that is how I finished out the year, just like everyone- teaching/learning from home via the interwebs. Not really knowing what I was doing, but doing it enthusiastically and trying to make it fun. Just trying to do my best. And then, in the middle of all of this madness- John and I moved. Yup, during a pandemic. We uprooted ourselves. I found myself not only teaching in another state- but teaching elementary after teaching HS and MS for the past eleven years in Florida AND...still in pandemic mode so REMOTE. Once again, I set up my studio space to accommodate my remote classroom needs. There is a whole blog post about it, and you should see what this room looked like when we got here-seriously, major makeover! https://www.jenniferlovegironda.com/blog/new-studiovirtual-classroom-set-up The left area was my dedicated 'virtual classroom space'. That is where I did all of my videos and my Zooms. But after going at this for almost a year...after teaching fully remote in Florida from March 'til the end of the year, and then 'til October here in NC...then teaching face to face and virtual....half capacity, remote days on Wednesdays...now back five days a week, full capacity but also having remote students too... One day I just reached my breaking point. I needed to separate my personal studio from ANY hint of a classroom. I needed to reclaim my creative space. So I did. And it may not seem like I made a ton of changes, but I made enough to make it mine again. Don't get me wrong, I love teaching, my students are fab- but I needed to come HOME again- not to feel like I never left work.  The classroom can stay at school. Work can stay at work. Home is home again. I finished this project up over the weekend and every time I go in that room I feel like it is 100% mine again, I don't have to share the space, I don't have to think about work. I am home.  (Left) ...just a selfie in the top my SIL bought for me- she knows how much I love leopard! (Middle) Daily wine painting (Right) Teeny tiny metallic stiches Did you ever just lie on the floor when you were a kid and you were supposed to be cleaning your room...but you just plopped on the floor and started zoning out for hours. Or are you normal? Me- total floor flopper. I would pull everything out, then immediately regret having done that but be too far gone to stop the task so then I would just lie around and contemplate life. So that is kinda what it is like when I start a new series. At least this time. The cats were super excited that I joined them on the floor- and they even helped me pick my color scheme for my April sewing project! It was a tough decision, so I had to have the kitties help me make it- obviously. Mackie was all about the yellow- Milky liked orange...but Mackie is older so he won. Prepping my fabric and gathering my sewing supplies...by the way, the yellow represents all this dang pollen in NC! Glad I don't have allergies- same for John. To prep for my daily series I took an early morning trip over to Airlie Gardens. It was COLD! I took a ton of pics, and even saw a bunny. You can't tell from the pic but my nose is super cold and pink! |
Author...just a gal trying to get this art out of my soul to share with the world on a DAILY basis...no big deal...check out my ramblings!-JLG 
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