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Happy New Year
I just can't believe it's over. This year has skipped by like
a rabbit in parts and slugged by like a turtle in others.
But it's over. What a year it's been.
- I got married to my dearest love on a cold, wet day that
warmed my heart like hot chocolate. Was surrounded by
every blessed soul I know and love in one room. Wore
flipflops under my poofy wedding dress. Ate lots of pie!
- I traveled around Ireland for two weeks. Looked over
cliffs. Climbed mountains. Raced around narrow roads in
a tiny car. Drank yummy Guiness. Wandered inside cold
castles.
- I stayed at my first Bed & Breakfast. Used the smallest
shower available to humankind. Ate breakfast cooked
by a stranger. Petted dogs who then attacked my feet.
Admired beautiful views that nearly broke my heart.
- I quit my regular-paycheck-stable-retirement-funding job
in Advertising to start my own business in Illustration.
(I now draw for a living! I can't believe it!) Met some
awesome new people who came to me as clients and left
as friends. Filled out my first Penelope Illustration invoice
and learned business. Improved my drawing and learned
a new painting technique.
- I started Illustration Fridays. Enjoyed looking at all the
different and unique interpretations of topics that are
chosen. Met new people in the forum and have new blogs
to read regularly. Felt the support and kinship of fellow
artists who are on similar paths.
- I was close to 6 couples who had new babies. Was
amazed at how tiny newborns are. Fell in love at first
site. Watched at how quickly they turn into chubby little
infants.
- I had my bubble shattered by rejection. Felt the pang of
growing and evolving. Recovered. Came to realizations
that I never would have if not for stumbling.
I have a lot to be grateful for, looking back. I try to count
my blessings everyday. And I try to be in the moment,
really feeling the things that happen, good or bad. And
it's not always the easiest. But I think it's the best.
I wish you a very happy new year filled with love and
laughter and deep feeling and growth. Happy New Year.
Holy Macaroni. That was a lot of work. I think my booty is
fused to this chair. And my knees are locked up and not
budging. BUT IT'S DONE!
I have updated the bejeezus out of my portfolio here on
the site. If you don't notice a change, hit refresh twice.
That seems to do the trick. Heck, I'd probably hit refresh
while you're reading this, just be be sure.
So, please check it out. Let me know if you find any glitches.
I am a little slap-happy now at the end and probably missed
something.
I'm officially exiting my studio. Cheers 'til tomorrow.
I was really sad when I heard about the terrible quake and
resulting tsunami that struck South Asia. The death toll is
unreal. I feel terrible for the families who lost loved ones
and their homes. My heart goes out to them. Right now you
can help them by donating to the American Red Cross relief
fund through Amazon.
I'm All Set to Look Like a Human Gumball
I like to wear lots of colors. All at once. Pink with green and blue
and red. Purple with teal and orange and yellow. It's really obnoxious,
if I do say so myself. I'm a walking gumball machine. I do it because
it makes me laugh. It's funny. And it seems like my family thinks so
too. This Christmas I got pants in rainbow colors and socks to
clash. I got a teal robe and pink slippers. I will blind anyone who
looks at me directly.
Merry Christmas to all! I hope you get your every wish.
xo
My interpretation of "home" for Illustration Friday was inspired
by an article I ran across in one of those home improvement
magazines. The article was about a small house that was
bought by a couple who did a little fixing-upping. But it was
shocking to see the final result because you couldn't even
recognize the old house. Why didn't they just buy a house like
they wanted in the beginning?
Merry Christmas eve, everyone!
***
White Christmas
I got my wish for a white Christmas. Last night brought
about 10 inches of snow. This morning it's just a-sparklin'
in the sunlight. So beautiful. My first Christmas present.
We had to dig the car out so C could go to work. And of
course, Vince helped as much as he could. The snow was
up to his shoulders, for the love of mike.
Some pictures:
Being stuck in a car for 13 hours straight doesn't exactly
sound like the most enjoyable way to spend the day. But
it was really good for my soul. Time to contemplate. Time
to talk. Time with no interruptions. It was good. Vince did
a good job too. He slept most of the way and I think I
spotted him bobbing his head to the music at one point.
The actual time in South Carolina was not nearly long enough.
I felt like we arrived just in time to leave. But so it is with
short vacations.
I returned, of course, to my to-do list. It was waiting for me,
beckoning me when I was dreaming. Why is it that the week
before Christmas is always the busiest? Hustle and bustle.
Getting things done. There is a lot on my plate right now and
I intend to plow through it. One of the non-work related
things is getting a present for my dear Colin. I haven't had
time to think up anything good and I'm feeling really guilty
because of it. Usually I try to come up with a heart-felt, one-
of-a-kind gift that only I can give only him. But I don't think
that's going to happen this year. Pooh. Time is my best gift.
Maybe that will have to do.
Illustration Friday: Adoption (totally early)
I know I'm cheating by putting my illo up so early for
Illustration Friday...but I'm out of town till next Monday.
Going on a little roadtrip. Refilling my cup.
Also, I've put up the Advent Calendar illustrations
through then because I won't be here to update it.
So you can now see through Day 7. Enjoy!
Watch my site while I'm gone, will you?
Note to self: when grocery shopping and hoping to sneak in
a few extra coupons (you know...when you only get one
of something and the coupon requires two or the coupon is
just a day or so expired) DO NOT go to the older lady cashiers.
Instead, choose the young punk kids who don't really give a rip
if you want to save an extra 75 cents. Fight the machine.
Mountains vs. Molehills
Oh lordy, how I've been struggling lately. I've been quiet
here, as you've noticed. I've tried to explain it as best I
could at the time. But now I think I feel comfortable
telling what I've been going through. And my realization
throughout this whole thing (I tend to have a lot of
those lately...)
I am an over-thinker. I think all the time. Not just about
what's on TV or what I'd like for dinner, but about how
things affect one another. How the world is working
and what the objective truth is, if there is such a thing.
No, I'm not a philosopher. I don't even claim to be close.
(Though I'm sure being married to one, doesn't help.)
I just can't make it stop, though I wish it would. The volume
on this has been turned up lately because of all my
experimentation. My evolution...my forced evolution.
It's been fun experimenting all the time. Trying this, seeing
how that works if I do that. And one day last week I hit on
something that made me stop. Hmmm...I found it. What I've
been looking for this whole time. I just stumbled across it.
And it was wonderful. I felt elation almost.
But that brought a new emotion immediately: fear. Fear
about what to do with this. My experimentation had not
taken me one step away...but a giant leap away, in my opinion.
And I didn't know what to do with that.
In clearer terms: My illustration is growing up a bit. Not all
for kids anymore. You've seen some of that in the illustrations
I've been doing lately (me with the paint roller and the guy
in the life preserver). But then I took it even further. Read on
to learn what I'm talking about...
That's why I've been quiet. I've been thinking over what I should
do with this. Thinking, thinking, thinking.
Last week's topic for Illustration Friday was security (how ironic).
I did an illustration in the "new style" and then copped out at the
last minute, putting up instead the guy in the life preserver.
Here is my original "security" idea:
You can see how it's different. I thought it was a million miles
away from where I was. And I panicked.
I talked to everyone I could think of about what to do. Is it
so different that I need to do a whole site dedicated to it?
Do I need a pseudonym to work under for this? Or is it just
close enough to fit under the same umbrella? Do I ditch my
old stuff? (I didn't really want to do that because I enjoy working
in both mediums so much.) I talked till I was blue in the face.
(Many apologies to everyone I annoyed.)
But this weekend I let it go. I forgot about it completely while
I was rearranging all the furniture in my house and painting
walls and purging stuff and reorganizing. Basically, I distracted
myself by doing physical labor.
Then this morning I woke up, remembered my dilemma, and the
answer kind of floated down from heaven. I had made up my mind
without thinking about it.
I decided that the basic drawing behind both techniques is
still the same. You can tell that I did it, even though the medium
in which it's done is different. They are close enough to fit under
the same umbrella. And therefore, they will both be seen here
at Penelope Illustration.
Oh, my. What an ordeal. Why do I make mountains out of
molehills? If I'd just relax, let it go and trust that things will
figure themselves out I'd be much less stressed and much
easier to be around. Why must I keep learning that lesson over
and over again!?
So, in honor of my decision, I did this illustration to remind
myself to relax and stop making mountains into molehills.
The End. Thank you for sticking with me through this extremely
long entry.
All the extra images that didn't fit in the calendar are
now posted for you to see. Click here to admire!
Or just scroll down to the link on the Advent Calendar
and see them that way.
I love all the illustrations that came in for the Advent
Calendar. It always amazes me how many creative
people are out there and what their imaginations spill
out. Thank you for inspiring me, everyone!
****
I was very flattered when Monica from Monica Lee Studios
asked to interview me for her site. She wants to encourage
people to live their dreams by sharing the stories of people
who are already doing so. There's lots of good stuff there if
you need a little courage or inspiration.
You can read my interview here.
Today is the last day I'm accepting Advent images. So,
if you got em, send em!
Hooray for moving things around a little bit in here!
Illustration Friday: Security
Are We in the Holiday Spirit Yet?
I am having a difficult getting into the spirit this year,
even though my tree is up and decorated, I've been
listening to Christmas music, and I am done with all
my holiday shopping (well, almost). I think it's because
we have NO snow. None. In fact, the grass is greener
than it was all summer. We still have to mow it on the
weekends, for the love of Pete.
So, all you guys in the north better stop hogging it
and send it my way. I need a white Christmas.
***
Also, the last day that I'm accepting Advent images
for the extra page is this Sunday, December 12th. That
way I can post that page and we can start the wooing.
Evolution in Fast Action
Oh SAJ, you're right. This has been a sorry excuse for a blog
lately. I know it. You know it. Everybody knows it. But you
know how it is...just needing a break sometimes. I'm feeling
better now. Here's why:
I've been experimenting my little hiney off. Literally. I have
to stand now at all times.
Not really. I'm kidding. Here's why:
I've been experimenting my little hiney off. It all started when
I got some criticism and some rejection-lined notes from a
few sources that I respect. Criticism is good. It makes you
look at the things that need to be looked at. It put me into a spin.
I looked harshly at my work. I put it under those nasty yellow
fluorescent lights to see the lines and the age spots that you
overlook when in diffused light. I think I saw my work as it is.
And I realized that I'm not where I want to be. And that's the
hard part about criticism. Sometimes you realize that you're
not where you want to be. You realize that you cannot be
stagnant. You have to move and evolve and change.
(I do realize that you cannot trash all your old work because
there is some value there. It's like a trampoline. You need all
those springs to hold up the middle...take some out and the
trampoline gets weaker.)
So with that in mind, I've been adding more springs to my
trampoline. I've been using lots of inks and lots of paints.
I've trashed my studio with prints and trials and errors. And
even some good stuff. My style is growing. Up, down, sideways,
I don't know...
I am evolving. I am watching it happen. And that, to me, is very
weird. It's like watching your hair grow. Something that is supposed
to take a while is suddenly moving quickly. (and yes, I realize I
have 50 years in which to evolve, but right now is special to me).
One weird thing in my evolution right now is that I am not sure
where I'm going. WHAT AM I DOING? Where am I headed? I
don't really know. I wonder where I'll land.
I'm not sure if this makes sense all written out here. I am going
through this and these words don't even make sense to me as I
reread it! eesh. I will try to explain better later if I can.
My apologies.
Changing
For me change is like breathing. I need it. Constantly. I get
antsy if things stay the same for a really long time. And it
makes me think crazy thoughts like I want to burn down
my house and start over in some far away place. Or I want
to sell all my belongings and jump the nearest train. So, to
battle that, my house has its furniture rearranged more
often than most. Rooms switch color before they can get
cracks in the old paint. I give tons and tons to Goodwill
and start all over with the little things. (Thank god for
changing seasons or we'd all be in trouble.)
That seems to keep my gypsy blood from raging. "Whatever
works," my grandma says.
Lately I've been really antsy. I have talked over moving to
Italy and becoming spaghetti chefs with C. (Spaghetti is about
the only thing I can cook.) I have mentioned selling all our
belongings, jumping in the car and driving till we see a city we
like. But no. That doesn't really work with a mortgage.
So, my bathroom changed color this weekend. Things
were thrown out. A new plant put in. And I'm feeling a little
appeased. But not quite. So this week one more room
gets it. Or maybe too, depending on how bad it is this time.
Check out the Advent Calendar!
Illustration Friday: Bubble
Here's my interpretation of bubble. Don't burst my bubble!
See all the other wonderfully creative illos at Illustration Friday,
the official site. And while you're there, say hi in the art forum!
*****
Check out the Advent Calendar for today's new surprise.
(If you can't see it I recommend refreshing your page by
hitting shift + reload...that seems to work.) Also, you can
still come up with your own illustration for the calendar.
I'm taking all the extras and putting them on another
page and launching that mid-december. So you still have
a little time!
Ew, the crack of dawn. I haven't seen you in quite a while.
I have a lot buzzing around in my head these days. I'm
going to try to sit down and make a coherent blog about
it soon. Soon.
Today is the first day of the Advent Calendar. Looking
good so far!
Thank you all for your compliments on Illustration
Friday.com. I feel very blessed that we have this great
community this soon into it. I noticed that we had some
early birds already post their links. Hee!
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© Penelope Illustration. Stealing
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