New Years card.

Holiday card numba 26... only 4 more to go and frankly that makes me a little sad. Holiday cards are fun!

Hooray... it's the weekend! Going to see some friends, do a little painting, have a new puppy in the house (on loan), and who knows what else the weekend will cook up! How about you? Got any plans?

Friday's Gratitude:
I am so grateful lovely little animals.

Holiday bubbles.

Holiday card numba 24...

And holiday card numba 25...

I'm getting in the holiday spirit already. Maybe it's these cards, maybe it's the cooler air, or maybe it's just wishful thinking. I LOVE me some holidays! How about you?

Wednesday's Gratitude:
I am so grateful to nip a migraine in the bud! Whew, dodged THAT bullet!

Face the fear.

Great little video to face your fear from positively positive.

Boldly simple.

This is card numba 23, simple yet bold.

Thought for the day:

"What we think or what we know or what we believe is, in the end, of little consequence. The only consequence is what we do" - John Ruskin

That being said, what did you do today? As for me, I comforted one tiny heart, worked on tasks that need to be done but are not fun, and found a way to love by being of service.

Monday's Gratitude:

I am so grateful for connections on social network sites.

Holidays and babies.

Here is holiday card numba 22 AND it's also a baby announcement! Two birds... one card.

Happy Sunday!

Sunday's Gratitude:
I am so grateful for a slow and leisurely start.

Warm wishes...

Holiday card numba 21...

Random Musings:
The greater danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that it is too low and we reach it." - Michelangelo

Sadly, my only aim today is to make it through to nightfall. And that's not aiming too low. I guess there's always tomorrow!

How about you? Ever have those kinds of days?

Saturday's Gratitude:

I am so grateful for days that feel like you need a do over because they make all the rest of the days seem so much better! 

Waiting in the dark.

Back to the drawing board... here is card numba 20! Holy moly, only 10 more to go!

Random Musings:

Good news to report... no more unexpected critters running amuck! Whew!

All of this calamity has reminded me to stop and take a deep breath and wait for the answer. The answer in this case was to wait for nightfall and listen with all our animals for any extra movement. Then had there been an uninvited guest, the answer would have been to get out the new trap and not scream. At least not scream loudly.

I have to keep reminding myself to calm down, breathe through life's crazy moments and listen for an answer. Because it is always there. Always.

Friday's Gratitude:

I am so grateful for being cornered into agreeing to something I didn't want to do because it is a reminder that my "NO thank you" voice is too soft. I am also very grateful for a grand conversation with a long lost friend!

Calmity Jane.

Holiday card numba 19...

Random Musings:

Lots of excitement around here this morning... and not of the good kind. Upon waking up very early this morning, around 5 AM to be exact, I started the usual routine of making coffee while surrendering to the idea that I was awake while it was still dark outside. I heard some rustling and just figured it was the cat. Immediately after that, havoc arose and the Beast (large puppy) started to frantically chase something around the house. Once again, I figured it was just the cat.

Leisurely, I went to the back door to grab the Beast and there was a GIANT BLACK RAT gripping the screen door for dear life as the Beast was desperately scrambling to quest and conquer. IT WAS ON THE INSIDE! Much to my disbelief, the GIANT critter jumped down and started it's own scramble towards ME in my BARE FEET!

I've never heard such sounds escape from my mouth. (Unfortunately, neither has half of the neighborhood!) The entire household wakes up and we spend half an hour searching for the black monster. I don't know if it is still inside, hiding and formulating a sneaky plan to terrorize us once night befalls or if it managed to make it's grand escape.

Needless to say, the useless cat is now quarantined in certain areas of the house, on guard for any foreign movement. The dogs are also at their posts in the other areas of the house, waiting patiently for any sort of action. And I just returned from going door to door with prophetic apologies to all my neighbors for the ridiculous outburst in the wee hours of the morning. (Everyone except the ones with the overgrown yard with suggested rat community.) Grrrr.

Lordy, lordy. Anyone got some suggestions on how to handle this one?

Wednesday's Gratitude:

I am so grateful for comedy in the midst of calamity.

Magic moments.

Ringing in the new year with card numba 18. You don't have to have a formal family portrait to create a standout card... just a cute subject and someone behind a camera who will find the magic moment.

One question though... how do you take a photo of a family with 5 pets? I'd love some suggestions because that's what we've got in our house. Yes, five animals. Three people. Easy math and lots of hair balls floating around.

Tuesday's Gratitude:
I am so grateful for new friends.

Fierce n' thangs.

It's not just any day that one turns 40! It seems that in certain circles, big-to-dos are in order and I've had lots of requests for "Turning 40" logos. Here are a few recent ones I've done... I really like the idea of wings and the milestone thing. How about you?

hello holidays!

Hello Christmas! What better way to say it than with a custom card? This is card numba 17 and soon to be in this shop.

Random Musings:
What does one do when the desire to be a really, really good parent rubs elbows with the desire to be selfish? The selfish side of me would really love to take the Kid, who is having a hard time settling into the new school, and send him back to his old school and possibly even do some more home schooling. However, the good parent side of me is screaming to leave him in this new situation to learn how to be more adaptable, suck it up, and learn how to be guided by a strict teacher. It's a daily struggle of who to listen to.

Monday's Gratitude:
I am so grateful for having a flexible schedule for impromptu lunch meetings with other creatives!

The magic.

There really is such magic during the holiday season, such as this holiday card numba 16 suggests.

Do you believe it? In fact, do you find magic in everyday life?

Sunday's Gratitude:

I am so grateful for leisurely days to get stuff done, or relax a little, or study for an upcoming test.

It's beginning to look a lot like...

I'm looking forward to the holidays, are you? This is holiday card numba 15... halfway there!

Happy weekend!

Saturday's Gratitude:
I am so grateful when recipes work out!

Holiday Joy.

Holiday card numba 14. Just spreading some holiday joy...

Happy Friday everyone!

Friday's Gratitude:
I am so grateful for a clean studio/office.

Save the date.

Back on the holiday card challenge... card numba 13. It's not really "holiday" per say but who's really counting?

Random Musings:
Alright now, my psyc class had it's first test last week. I have to say... it's a HARD class. It's hard in the sense that there is SO much information to know and this teacher expects us to know all of it. Since I haven't been in school for about 12 years, my study skills are rusty. Basically, I probably have to work twice as hard as the average student. So, this really nice girl I sit next to gave me a study guide she created before the test. It was intense but helped. A LOT.

Anyway, after we got the results, my test score was just OK. Not good, not bad, just OK. The really nice study guide girl sat next to me during class today and she leaned over to ask me how I did on the test. Gulp. I told her my grade and then miss smarty pants told me she got a "D" on the exam! I couldn't believe it. Although I really feel quite badly she got that grade, I have to say I felt a little better about mine! I know, I know... I'm horrible. Smile.

Thursday's Gratitude:
I am so grateful for some free time tomorrow!

Pumped up Kix.

I don't have any art to post today. The Kid and I just got back from visiting his lovely, lovely friend who is starting his first dose of chemo and radiation tomorrow.

He is ten.

This song was brought to my attention by this one individual and because of him, this song is my current favorite. So this is for Zach... good luck tomorrow.



Wednesday's Gratitude:
I am so grateful for good friends who make the world a warmer place.

Critters.

More halloween fun... card numba 12.

These cute little critters may be making themselves into your halloween hearts NEXT year. Funny how designers and illustrators work a year ahead... especially when it comes to seasonal items. Anyway, so glad they've finally found a home!

Tuesday's Gratitude:
I am so grateful for a flexible schedule when things get all crazy and mixed up.

Scardey Cards.

More Halloween fun! This is card numba 11.

Last night, after recovering from a weekend of Mr Man voluntarily cleaning leather couches AND vacuuming, this little family of three went to the Drive In movies! I haven't been in ages and ages and suddenly discovered delight in the basic things of the past. (There is also delight in having some males do housework too!)

How about you? When have you been to Drive In movie?

Monday's Gratitude:
I am so grateful for lots of work accomplished and the feeling of catching up on a long list of "to do-s!"

We will never forget.

This is how I remember September 11. This is a wee little hat for my son who was born that same year. I can remember the exact moment we heard about the World Trade buildings and the stunned inability to comprehend such horror. I remember watching it on the television, over and over. And once the reality had set in, I remember the helpless feeling of desperately needing to do something but the incapability of doing remotely anything that could be helpful.

So a few days after the 11th, a local radio station was having an event to honor the heroes of that tragedy which encompassed the listeners of the station to ban together on a certain day and create a human flag. 

It was something. 

Something we thought we could do so we donned the Kid in this little hat and before the crack of dawn went down to a San Diego stadium to be a tiny part of something much bigger than ourselves. Looking back, it's not the result of this really large human flag that I reflect upon but the idea of a community, lost in the wonder of how such evil really could exist, and remember.

And we will never forget.

Sunday's Gratitude:

I am so grateful for the light that creeps through the cracks of darkness.

More holidays cheer.

Holiday card number 10. Thought some new year cheer was in order!

Happy weekend!

Saturday's Gratitude:

I am so grateful for a class on meditation to cultivate more creativity in life!

Tis' the Season...

Card number 8... couldn't resist using some of my holiday illustrations!

Card number 9... more holiday illos!

Random Musings:
San Diego, parts of Arizona and bits of New Mexico were hit with major power outages. Right after I picked up the Kid from school yesterday, ALL the electricity went out in San Diego. It was so strange to see nothing but black at night... no glow from all the city lights! Sadly, where we live (right outside of downtown) didn't get electricity back until about an hour ago. About 18 hours without lights or electricity... sure makes us know RIGHT AWAY what is missing from our emergency kit! ALOT! Time to stock up.

Friday's Gratitude:
I am SO grateful for internet access. Didn't know how much I love it!

Celebrations.

Holiday card #7.

AND a very Happy Birthday to my dad who would be 72 today. I think he and my sister might be celebrating together!

Wednesday's Gratitude:
I am so grateful for study time for a big test tomorrow, another good day for the Kid and two very clean puppy dogs. What are you grateful for?

Playing Small

In the words of Marianne Williamson:

"Your playing small doesn't serve the world. There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you."

Thanks Marianne... I like that!

Sticky.

Holiday card #6... gearing up for Fall!

Today was the first day back to school for The Kid.

It also happened to be ninety three degrees.

And humid.

I am surely NOT complaining as our summer has truly been lovely... but still. I'm not used to having my clothes stick to me while studying in front of a fan. Times like these call for desperate measures... I think I'm going to have to run through the sprinklers with the dogs, the tortoise, and The Kid. Then popsicles might be in order. I think I hear the ice cream man tinkering down the street....

Tuesday's Gratitude:
I am so grateful for some really nice people at Urban Discovery Charter, the Kid's new school, to make first day jitters something to be forgotten.

3o Days of Holiday cards!

New challenge for myself... 30 days of holiday cards. Since I create custom cards for so many friends and family each year, I thought I'd get a head start on them. These are brand new designs that are fully customizable and will be sent digitally for self printing or uploading to photo print sources. If you see something you like, you can check out the NEW shop called SparkleHope.

Here is September's first 5:

Happy Labor Day!

Monday's Gratitude:
I am so grateful for new opportunities... such as a new school for the Kid, interesting psychology class for me and travel for Mr Man.

Greatest Gifts.

Nothing can make a person feel as though they matter more than undivided attention. We live in a very fast paced world where everything is instant and right in front of us at our fingertips. The one thing that may matter most could quite possibly be the hardest thing to give when the whole world seems to be clamoring for our attention.

At some point, we want to tune out. Turn off for a moment. Take a break with our own thoughts.

And sometimes this is at the expense of the person in right in front of us. I know because I am guilty of doing this. I have it done to me on a regular basis too. Pretty much everyday. So much in fact that it becomes normal... until that one special person looks you right in the eye and listens to all your words. Waits for you to pause and finish. Even lets you exhale.

That person feels like cool water on a hot day. It's refreshing. I love when I encounter someone like this because it makes me want to pay more attention and spread that little gift.

How about you? Do you know what I am talking about?

Sunday's Gratitude:
I am so grateful for life's little lessons.

Home is where the heart is.

Yup, it's true. Instead of going out to dinner tonight, our hearts were drawn to home with some take out instead!

Friday's Gratitude:
I am so grateful for exciting new things on the horizon!

Hello business cards.

My awesome jewelry designer friend is re-doing her website look and needs some business cards with her new logo I created. So I came up with these...

 Then I thought how fun would it be to use a mini card size?

I think I'd lean towards the minis... how about you?

Thursday's Gratitude:
I am so grateful for an incredibly interesting yet butt kicking psych class to stimulate this girl's weary head!