December Mode

I am deep in December Mode.  I spend a lot of time staring off into space, lost in my own head.  I'm trying to decide what direction 2014 will take me.

A basket full of decos

I do want to do more fun art, art that isn't for sale, that I'm doing just for the fun of it, so I've started swapping decos (I have a basket full already.  I'm not sure how that happened!), and I want to teach, so I have several workshops in the making.  

I am trying to decide which shows I should do and which shows I should avoid.  I'm trying to decide how to focus.  I'm trying to decide how to carve out time for yoga.  I'm trying to decide how to market.  I'm trying to decide how to make this thing pay the bills.

I'm trying to decide what I want to be when I grow up.

Obviously not mature.

But, until then, I'll keep floundering and spending too much money on stencils and paint and workshops.  I'm taking Lifebook again next year and just signed up for the N*Studio Creative Jumpstart.  I just took Julie Balzer's getting started with deli paper and getting started with the Gelli Plate.  I signed up for a year of Teesha Moore's Artstronaut's Club.  I'm trying not to take on too much, but I am vowing to actually get stuff done next year (unlike during all the workshops I took THIS year).

Are you taking anything?  If money were no object, what would you sign up for?  I'd sign up for Donna Downey's 48 Weeks.

Tis the Season

to freebase eggnog, fa la la la laaaa la la la la

I am exhausted!  I have one more show this year and then I am DONE.  Well.  Sort of done.  Then I get to frantically fill slipper orders and make Daleks for my kids.  Whatever!  CLOSE TO DONE.  I will hold onto that by my fingernails.

We have so much planned for the wonderstrange blog this coming year - lots of tutorials and videos and art journaling and craziness.  I hope you will join us!  I will be updating here a lot more, too.  NO FOR REAL THIS TIME.  shut up. ;)

I hope your season is merry and bright!

xo!
Sarah

PS:  I am having a better late than never "cyber Monday" sale in my etsy shop - coupon code BETTERLATETHANNEVER will get you 15% off until Thursday!  As soon as I get the birthday madness cleaned out of here (my youngest turned 6 yesterday), I will start updating the shop, so stay tuned!

Two heads aren't better

My god I am bad about updating regularly.  Like bad.  Like REALLY bad.  I keep promising myself that I will do something daily and then just... don't.

So, I guess I will try again!

I joined a Munny swap on illustratedatcs.com and spent two days making this steampunky/robotty/crystal-crowned guy:

I have a couple more blanks, so I can say that this one was practice and make a couple more, but it's hard for me these days to spend so much time on free art when I have shows... and deadlines.. and still 270-something paintings to do this year.  Mail art got me back into art, so it has a special place in my heart, but the business-minded part of me wants to kick me for spending so much time and effort on it.  And then I feel like a selfish ass for not wanting to give it away.  Sigh.

Let's get off that maudlin train of thought.  I worked on a couple of paintings this week:

And then I decided I didn't like the two-faced purple one and reworked it:

 I reworked it some more after this, but I don't have a picture and am too lazy to walk two feet over to the right to take one.  I am way WAY happier with it now... Now to rework the three-eyed lady.   I have another show in a week and a half and not nearly enough stuff to fill it, so... work.  So much work.  Totally better than trying to decipher doctors like I used to, though.

What I made on April 17

A mess mostly, blue fingers, some skullydudes, but also more alcohol inks.  For a long-winded explanation, check out the wonderstrange blog!

so bright and blendy,

my blue fingers the victim

of alcohol inks

What I made, April 10

This tiny TARDIS:

This Tiny TARDIS:

Fifty billion rectangles

Several shades of blue

I wrote a bit more about it (along with a second sneakypeaky picture) on the wonderstrange blog!

Today there were..

custom wine stoppers... okay, so I finished them but STILL.  I got a denial for an art show and was sad and half drunk when I DID finish them, so that counts.

Today I made...

Progress!  Woo!

Robots and pumpkins and skulldudes as far as the eye can see.  As long as you're REALLY close up.

What I made today

Alcohol inks:

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I should be working.

I know I should be working.  Instead I'm sitting here chewing maniacally on my husband's electronic cigarette and avoiding the deathstare that these guys are giving me from across the room:

I have been having a bitch of a time staying focused all week.  The weights and kickboxing and whatnot have made me feel every one of my years - maybe I need to stick to yoga.