Wishes do come true!

So hubby thought it would be nice to put the exact number of candles for my age on my bday cake plus one for good luck, of course. Haha very funny! We almost burned the house down!



Ok make a wish! I've been told I have a good set of lungs!



My wish, to make more time for painting!


Tonight, somehow I found some time to paint.(it's 2am, I'll be sorry when the phone rings at 6am to sub)

I call this painting, serious doodling!

See, wishes do come true!

Creating Balance?

I have been thinking about balance lately. How to create balance in life?
When I was in school I would study, cram, pull all nighters and work hard to achieve my goals. The rewards were for the future. But there still needed to be a balance. So, on Fri/Sat night I would go out with my friends to clubs and blow off steam. We would dance and laugh and have a few drinks. If felt like the perfect balance to all that school work. It kept me balanced.
Fast forward to today...motherhood, family, etc... I love my family but where are the fun nights. I'm missing that. Feeling a little off balance.

Today during my lunch break I took out one of my doodle index cards and decided to do a doodle that was cram packed in one corner leaving the rest of the card blank. I wanted to illustrate imbalance.
Here is my doodle.


What do you think? How does it make you feel?

I hope you find balance in your life. I'm still working on it in mine.

How to relax...

Pick up a pen or pencil, grab a piece of paper and draw (doodle).

Read more about this doodle at Doodle it up!


I took some fun pictures with the inspiration for my 30 minute doodle. LUCY!
Here's one:


Looking at this picture and the quality of my pencil sketch it brings to mind the artist M.C. Escher (I am in no way comparing myself)
This is one of his masterful works


I may use the photo above of Lucy, the chalkboard and the sketch as a reference for a future drawing. If I give it a try, I'll post my result here.

Isn't it funny how one little sketch can trigger a series of thoughts and actions.

AND it can still be relaxing!

It's Sunday! I hope you're relaxing!

A doodle of an idea!

Last Friday I subbed at the middle school. I always bring along my doodle bag just in case. The bag consists of 3"x5" index cards, a package of black ball point pens, a red plastic cup, and a snack(for me:))!
I tell the students that if they finish their assigned work early they can take one of the index cards(which I trace a circle on, using the red cup) and do a circle doodle. At first, they are not too impressed until I show them my circle doodle:)

For some silly reason this impresses them:)



Ok so now I have their attention. I talk to them about the humble doodle. I say, doodles are great because we don't expect anything from them, we don't judge them, we don't even really have to think to hard to do them, at least not consciously. They start doing their class assignment so they can finish up and get working on their all important doodle! Sometimes students are reluctant. I had a student that wasn't interested so I took out a doodle that I had started and asked him if he wanted to finish it. This seemed to motivate him and give him the confidence to doodle. That got me thinking. So on my lunch break I started several circle doodles. I gave the students the option of starting with a blank circle or one that I started. I was happy to see that most opted for blank circle. But it would have been interesting to see what they would have done with the ones that I started too. Here is a mosaic of those circles that I started.



I thought it might be fun to try a little doodle game on my doodle blog Doodle it Up! (poor little blog has been so neglected). If you'd like to play, head on over to Doodle it Up!

And don't forget to stop by Mary's little red house for Mosaic Monday!

Mind over Matter

I wasn't going to write a post today. I received a call this morning to sub at my son's middle school. I heard the phone ring, I was sleeping snugly under my warm covers on this cold February Florida morning and to be honest, I did not want to answer that phone. Reluctantly, I got up from my cozy bed and answered it. I agreed to sub but my heart wasn't in it.
I've been in a mental funk lately, moody, depressed, unfocused, just feeling foggy in the head. Not knowing how to shake the feeling, I decided to just go through the motions. I turned on the shower and gathered my clothes while the water heated up. I got in the shower and started thinking (that's where my best thinking occurs. Maybe because that's where I'm the most relaxed).
" I have to shake this feeling. I can't stand in front a classroom of kids with these negative feelings." Whatever I'm feeling will be reflected back at me(that would be scary). And knowing how I was feeling, I did not want 25 students facing me with my negative attitude. I had to turn these feelings around and quick!
I remembered what I learned in "The Secret". Your feelings are a reflection of your thoughts. The quickest way to change your thoughts, which will change your feelings, is to start saying what you are thankful for. So I did! "I"m thankful for my children, my husband, my shower, my dog, the warm water on my face, my health etc..." Not paying attention to the effect this was having on my mood, I continued to get ready. Then a realized I was feeling good, happy, energized! It's that simple! It's amazing!

If you are feeling down today, for whatever reason, try turning it around by saying what you're thankful for! I think you may be amazed to see your day transform. If you feel yourself starting to slip do it again and again. It is hard to be unhappy when you are truly thankful!


See more doodles at Doodle It Up!

Have a wonderful day! And remember, it's all mind over matter!

Mosaic Monday! Doodle Recap!

This mosaic is a round up of my first week of doodles that can be found on my new blog Doodle it Up! I started this blog to keep a record of my doodles and to get my creative juices flowing! Plus, it's much easier and quicker to try and do a doodle a day than a painting a day:) I also try to offer some tips on doodling-yes doodling tip!



Well, time to get ready for the week, laundry, shopping (done), bill paying, homework (I'm in the fourth week of my photoshop class), more shopping, a mural for the scholasitic book fair, mail chalkboards, exercise, cleaning and doodling! I think I'll write a to do list. It helps keep me on track for the week.

How bout you? How do you get organized for the week ahead?

See more beautiful Mosaics at Marys wonderful blog Little Red House

Group Tapestry- First Grade

This is a project that I created last year for my childrens' elementary school Spring Arts Festival. I was asked to create a group project for every grade. This was a group tapestry for Grade 1. All of the first graders contributed to this tapestry.
All of the pieces created were auctioned off at the festival. They did not ask me to do it again this year. I'm a little sad but also a little relieved, it was a major commitment.
I posted these projects on my other blog Art Spectrum(now gone). I will post another one of these group projects next week.


Materials:
1. Painters canvas drop clothe 6'x8'
2. Canvas Sheets (you can by a pad at a craft store)
3. Primer
4. Acrylic paints
5. Mod Podge
6. Scissors
7. Varnish
8. Rope


Process:
1. Prime canvas
2. Block in colors with paint
3. Cut flowers, leaves and squares out of canvas sheets
4. Have students paint cutouts
5. Glue painted cutouts to canvas.
6. Make tabs out of canvas and sew to tapestry
7. Varnish tapestry
8. Slide wooden dowel through tabs
9. Drill hole at the ends of dowel. Thread rope through and knot ends
10.Hang and admire!

See more creative ideas at



I also started another new blog Doodle it up!! I hope you'll stop by and check it out!:)

Oh no...Another Blog!!!

Well, I started a new blog. This blog is meant to get my creative juices flowing. I will try to do a doodle a day. What I love about doodles is the fact that they are spontaneous and contain no high expectations. Most of my doodles are done while I'm on the phone or procrastinating about getting other chores done.
I am hoping that these doodles will inspire me to create more "serious" works of art. By working with ideas that come from my sub conscience or stream of consciousness I hope to create original, one-of-a-kind artwork.

I hope you will have a look at my new blog and possibly follow along on my journey to create something new and exciting! I will also be offering some doodling tips so that you can pursue your own doodle dreams. Maybe, I'll even feature your doodles from time to time!

So come on over to.... Doodle It Up!! And see what not-so-serious art is filling my basket!!

Can I do a doodle a day?

Here's another doodle.



I have a small basket of index cards and pencils/pens next to my computer. What if I grab one everyday and do a little doodle?

I know I'm not disciplined enough to do a painting a day and I really don't have the time to work on one painting everyday. BUT a doodle may be doable. Ok, I have to admit I get hives just thinking about the "...a day" challenge. And the truth is I am almost positive I will not be able to stick to it. It would turn doodling into a chore. I can't have that! Doodles are not serious! Doodle are just fun! ---Forget the doodle a day idea!! Let's just call it Doodle When I Feel Like It:)

I started a new blog just for my doodles. I'm not sure where it will go. I'm just going to DOODLE IT UP!! and see what happens. If you'd like to follow me along on my doodle journey CLICK HERE

Doodling is good for the soul!

Doodling is natural, instinctive and most of all FUN!! Anyone can do it! It will unlock your inner artist. It is 100% original JUST LIKE YOU!! I think we should frame our doodles and hang them on the wall FOR ALL TO SEE!! Let's celebrate the artist within all of us!



HUMM...Maybe I should start a doodle club! Would you join?? I'm sensing another blog coming on...oh no.... Here's what I have so far, Yes another blog... Doodle it Up!

Here is a great song to doodle to... Fire Flies (this is my son's favorite song right now) Pick up a pen or pencil and grab a piece of paper, HIT PLAY and start doodling:)

This is not the official video. This is someones creative interpretation. I think the background is from a video game.

The song is Fireflies by Owl City