Looking forward to the New Year

Hello creative souls!  Happy New Year! 

As the new year dawns let me just say that I'm not a big fan of new year's resolutions.  It's not that I don't think I will succeed, it's that I don't like to use specific dates as markers for how I live my life.  I like to choose the right time to set goals by how I feel not because it is a certain date.  Back in October, I started my big healthy diet and I have been doing great.  The holidays were hell to get through with all the food temptations, but I did it!  And earlier this month I met my first goal.

There are some new goals I would like to focus on in 2011.  I want to work on connecting my head with my heart.  I find that I make a lot of  decisions with only my head and then later I'm left feeling empty, unhappy or holding a handful of sour grapes.  
Logically it may have seemed like the best choice, but I didn't take the time to check how my heart felt about it.

The reality is that I'm still stumbling around trying to find my way on this solitary journey and I want to make better choices that will help me become more balanced and happy.

So as far as "resolutions" go, here are my goals for the new year ahead:
1)  Connect my head with my heart, even with the little things.

2)  Continue my path toward good health.

3)  Do more art and take more art classes!
 
4)  Continue to feed my spirit with focusing on the beauty of living creatively.

5)  Avoid shallow, empty people that try to make me feel I'm less than enough. That includes those who are laced up too tight! 

6)  Dance and celebrate that I am Woman!

And now, here is what I am thankful for today...  I am thankful that I finished my grocery shopping without yielding to the temptation to purchase a bag of Smarties candies!

Do you have some goals you'd like to work towards in the beautiful new year?

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday filled with warm and fuzzies.  Next post, more art stuff!!!

My finished journal spread from my last post...

Well I must go, I can't sit here any longer 'cuz Jasper the pup is farting too much in his sleep!!!

Forever in art,  Jessica 

There is a new girlie in the studio...

Hello creative souls!  I hope all your holiday preparations are going well.

I was going to work on another doodle fairy for the holidays but started a willowing girlie instead.  I will show her in stages as I started her last night...

She is not finished yet and I will journal on the spread too.  She is done in my 8" x 10" Fabriano 140 lb. hot press watercolor journal.

I have not finished the xmas decorating yet.  Not sure if I will get to it 'cuz I'm having more fun in the studio!  Ha!  I'm gearing up for Tam's new class in January.  Magical Mystical Makings.  Can't wait!

I ordered a book on digital art and photoshop effects today.  I am so photoshop challenged I wonder if I'll be able to do any of the projects.  Most likely I'll just be reading it and not really doing much else.  Still, I really wanted it and it's my xmas present to myself.  I would have liked a nice set of watercolor pencils from Santa but that will have to wait - there will be no cookies and milk in this house to leave for him xmas eve!  Ha, ha, ha! (ho, ho, ho)...

Music in the studio this week - every xmas album that I have!

Stay warm and cozy, snuggle with a loved one or your fur baby...I'm going to make me a s/f peppermint hot chocolate!

Forever in art,  Jessica

Enjoying the Holidays

Hello my creative friends!  Happy Holidays to all!

This can be such a crazy busy time of year for some of us. Even for me. That's saying a lot now that I have a very small social life. This time of year can be hard for those of us that have experienced loss in some form or another. For me it has been so lonely without my beautiful husband and also my lifestyle change that ensued once he was gone.

In spite of all the trauma I have been through, I have not been able to resist the seductive beauty of the holidays.  There is so much beauty to be found if we take a deep breath, come out of our shell and open to nature and the goodness around us.

This was the first year I was very tight on money. Not to be undone by it I decided to get creative.  I've always loved doing up the packages with beautiful ribbons and such so even though my gifts were very modest there was no reason they couldn't look fab.  I got out my old stash of xmas paper and ribbons and then went to Michaels to see if I could get a couple of things on sale.  I found glittery cupcake ribbon for $.79 and packages of Martha Stewart tags for $2.00 with tiny crystals on them.

Then I started my Santa's elf routine.  I wrapped, tied ribbons, made tags from scrapbook paper and glitter, glued flowers and ornaments to each little package.  Albeit it was not as elaborate or fancy as I used to do my gifts but I think they turned out cute.  I tend to like the fancy foil papers and such but felt that would be going overboard for the modest gifts inside!

The lighting was so bad that the glitter didn't show up...

I loved what Kelly Brown did with her packages http://artjournaling.blogspot.com/2010/12/holiday-spirit.html  .  She wrapped them in plain brown paper and tied them with twine then added lovely evergreen boughs for decoration.  Simple, green and retro.  Loved the look!

Thinking I might want to do the same with the fir tree greens, I took another one of my little adventures.  First I stopped at Dutch Bros. for my favorite S/F mocha and then drove deep into the woods and up a steep mountain on an old logging dirt road.  

My big chevy truck was almost too wide for the road/trail and some parts were quite steep and muddy. I was wishing for my little 4 wheel drive jeep I used to have! 

But I made it safely and found armloads of branches blown down from the tornado winds that had come through here a few days ago.

 I will decorate my mantel with them and then share a picture with you next time.  The xmas cards are mailed, almost all the little gifties are wrapped and now I have time to do a little more decorating and art.  Due to my diet the only baking I will be doing this year is a pumpkin pie for my parents.  Oh how I miss the baking and the putting up of Kahlua fudge sauce for my friends I had planned to do...  Oh well, health first!
 
Here's to a healthy happy holiday!
 
Forever in art, Jessica xox

Holiday Poinsettia Fairy Doodle

Here she is...my quickie, in front of the T.V. holiday fairy doodle. 

I wish her eyeshadow would have shown up more - she's better in person.

I don't usually color in the faces of my doodles, letting the background color dictate the fairy's face color.  But since I've been having such a fun time practicing Tam's (Willowings) techniques I just had to do the face.  It was a real challenge 'cuz this was done on inexpensive paper and it wasn't holding up well to the paint and water.

She was truly a mixed medium endeavor.  I used graphite, black ink copic multiliner, gel pens, prisma colored pencils, caran d'ache watercolor crayons, gesso, acrylic craft paint and golden fluid acrylics.  Yikes!  Just about every kind of medium I own.  It was an experiment to see how well these things worked together.  The pen work over the watercolor crayons is not recommended!

I've decided I'd like to do a more elaborate holiday fairy so stay tuned and we'll see what develops!

This is looking out of the window of a little diner in Bandon By the Sea where I was doing some christmas shopping at my usual favorite - Winter River Books.  I was planning to take more pictures but the gale force winds came in and it was blowing rain so badly I cut my shopping short.  Maybe next time... 60 to 80 mile an hour winds are not uncommon in the spring and winter there.  It was a long drive home that day!

Music in the studio this week is:  Sheryl Crow's - Home for Christmas   Love, Love, Love it!

Keep the spirit bright!

Forever in art,  Jessica

A Quick Angel Update...

Hi all!  I thought I would post a quick photo of my angel spread so you can see it.  I'm disappointed in the results.  It's like I can do the backgrounds when I'm just doing backgrounds but when it comes to blending the subject artwork with the background I am having a bit of a challenge.  I had no idea what to do and I didn't want to get crazy and mess up the angel. 

I think next time I will start the  background a little first, do the main artwork and then finish the background concept.  It's thinking through the whole design that I haven't been doing.  I'm still learning!

I am working on a xmas doodle girlie that will be finished later today and will post her this evening.

Is anyone out there going to take Willowings - Tam's  new Magical Mythical Makings class in January?  I will be there with bells on!

Hugs to you all!  Jessica

Angels in the Studio...

Willowing again???  Yes!  I'm just now finishing week 4 of  Art, Heart & Healing.  This is the last week where Tam shows us how to create our healing invitation angel.  We are to be open to receive healing from our angel - or higher power - for whichever need we are choosing to target.

So while we create our angel, we invite all the healing blessings to come in and change our lives - to manifest our need of choice.

And here she is...

I will be printing up some xmas cards when she's finished.
Here are a few photos of my process...

Of course, I have not finished my background and words yet but I wanted to share her with you all.

It was very difficult for me to do this in such a small format as my 16 page art journal is an 8x10.  Tam had suggested a canvas of 12x16 I believe.  This is why her head is slightly bigger than her body proportionately, I couldn't do the face any smaller.  Yikes, I don't like working quite this tiny!  My previous portraits were done in a 7x8 inch journal.  There was no way I could manage a full figure in that one! Lol.

I used a little of the caran d'ache watercolor crayons along with fluid golden acrylics this time.  I had some of their wonderful metallics to play with.  Fun!

Of course I listened to dreamy christmas music the whole time and took little breaks to work on my cards.  The studio has sure been humming with activity!

To free my spirit, I've been taking a daily drive with my pup in the countryside and enjoying a s/f mocha from Dutch Bros.  We only have one large Starbucks in town but about 5 little Dutch Bros. all over the county and they make the BEST mochas and hot chocolate ever!  I did do a tiny bit of xmas shopping too.

That long and winding road...

The hangin' tree...

Music in the studio was Sarah McLachlan (again!) - "Wintersong", and Enya's - "And Winter Came".

So until next time, keep those creative fires stoked!

Yours forever in art,   Jessica

Christmas Spirit in the Studio...

Yes, I have the xmas creative bug!  Here is a photo of my glass ornament wreath I have made for my front door...

I started it on an old grapevine wreath - no easy task I assure you!  Then I used E6000 glue because I thought the hot glue gun might break the ornaments.  After becoming almost asphyxiated with the fumes I took the risk and went for the glue gun.  It worked so much better and was much quicker too!

I hope you can see the detail....

Then last night I worked on my new portrait and I'm mostly done - might do a little more on the background.

I used caran d' ache watercolor crayons and titanium white heavy bodied acrylic on the face and hair.  Then Golden fluid acrylics and gesso with various stamps and a bit of glimmer mist for the background.  I wrote my sentiment and word with a .05 copic multiliner.  The lighting makes the words look faded but they're not.

Hope you enjoyed my process!

Music in the studio was my favorite xmas album of all time - "Wintersong" by Sarah McLachlan.

Happy xmas creating!

Forever in art,  Jessica

The Willowing Haunting...

Hello to everyone...I hope you have all enjoyed your holiday and are geared up for the xmas season!  I've been keeping my eyes open for some inexpensive xmas gifty ideas and when I visited the stationery store yesterday I noticed they were carrying Papaya journals and calenders and such.  I love Anahata's line of things!  Here is her blog address  http://www.papayablog.com/  if you want to take a peek.

I've been haunting Tam's Willowing site (button at left) this week and was motivated to do some art.  So I created another self portrait of a younger me.  Covered up in the background is the negative self talk referencing things that went on at that time in my life .  I've noticed some of them coming to the surface again now that I'm widowed and a single girl once more.  It's like I'm trying to figure out who I am and I'm feeling some of the same things I did when I was a young single woman even tho I'm older.  Being happily married for almost twenty years, I never thought I would be single again and it's very different this time around!

This is what I've done so far...

I still have some work to do on her and I need to add my positive journaling after I do the background in mixed media technique.  She will be finished and in my post next week...

Then I watched week 1 of Tam's Art, Heart & Healing class again while sitting in my comfy chair with my puppy and kitten.  I worked in my journal and did the sketch just like hers right along with her instead of doing my own thing - just for fun.  I haven't done the background yet on this one either...

It was freezing and pouring rain so I really enjoyed being in my cozy chair with my fur babies just watching the videos and doing art.  It was a bit difficult to do the coloring portion but somehow I managed it.  I didn't find my water brush until it was too late of course!  I'll have to finish her in the studio tho.  She should be done next week as well.

I'm really excited to get started on my angel for the last week of Tam's class (I am behind).  I will probably do her on canvas and make a production out of it as I am so often prone to do!  Ha!

I haven't been able to focus on the journals I was wanting to do for an Etsy shop.  I will do it but probably not until after xmas.

The rest of this week I will be playing my xmas music and starting to make some decorations.  For my xmas cards I just did very simple ones this year from scrapbook paper.  (Not blog worthy!  Ha!)  Maybe next year I will design a cool one and post it.

My diet is going well and I have been losing the weight!  I see the doctor next week and then I will have a better idea of how much I've lost and how much further I have to go.  I haven't started my exercise routine yet but I will have to soon - just waiting for this weather to level out so my arthritis and fibro will calm down!!!

Stay warm and dry and don't do anything I wouldn't do!  Ha, that leaves you wide open!!! (I'm not kidding!)

Music in the studio this week was Cheryl Crow's Detours.

Forever in art,  Jessica

Art dreams and doodle fairies...

Hello again!  It's been a cold snow flurry day so I've been cuddling with my kitty and puppy in front of the T.V. instead of rocking the studio with my tunes and working out some of my wonderful ideas.  It seems as though those ideas are just dreams, though, as I just keep cranking out the doodle fairies!  Ha!  The power of the doodle.

I guess for me the appeal of the doodle is that I can do the backgrounds in the studio - all flying paint and messiness - and then still go out and cuddle with my fur babies, watch T.V. and doodle away.  It is a great comfort to me, now that it is so cold outside and either pouring down rain or snowing.

I added a few things to the fairy doodle I was working on last time.  I just used a copic marker for the wings.  I don't know if I like it but it was a fun experiment.

I will be adding a haiku poem I wrote as journaling:

Faries' song on breeze delight

flowers bursting bright

Summer's magic in plain sight

Summer?  Ha!  Officially it is still autumn but for me, winter is here!  
I started a doodle painting for the cover of the 8x10 journal I made last week...

And I did another summer fairy or is it faerie?...

This was another oddly colored one!  Ha!
Here are a couple photos of the beach at the Bandon beach village - I had to go and get my fix at Winter  River Books this last week.

Tonight I will light my little fireplace in the living room and enjoy the first fire of the season.  Happy thanksgiving to all!

Music in the studio this week was Sarah Mc Laughlin and the Dixie Chicks...
 
Stay warm!
Hugs,  Jessica

A Special Memory

I woke up this morning to the first snow of the season!  It is especially exciting for me as we don't usually get it here at 500 ft. elevation.  It's only since the global warming trend that we have been getting snow like this.  So it's not yet thanksgiving and I'm enjoying a winter wonderland from my studio window.

Today is also a very special day, my late husbands birthday.  I have a beautiful memory of his first experience of seeing it snow up at our mountain cabin.  His eyes were lit up with delight as he commenced his childlike play amongst the huge fluffy flakes falling all around.  We held hands and ran around in circles then grabbed our flashlights and took a short hike in the dark with the utter silence and falling snow surrounding us...

Here is the view from the studio this morning...

I will be posting my art journal in progress photos and a doodle fairy later on this afternoon.  Have a warm wonderful day!

Forever in art,  Jessica

Helloooo from the Studioooo!

Hello all!  I hope you've had a good week so far.  I'm still adjusting to the winter-like conditions here, trying to continue to get out and about for inspiration.  I will be doing my favorite thing today besides art...exploring the countryside and becoming closer to nature.

I have been doing more fairy doodles and imagining the energy nature fairies would have this time of year.  I hope to portray that feeling in my upcoming fairy doodles and paintings.  I spent time doing summer garden  fairies this week.  I was not wanting to let go of the sun!

My summer nature fairy in progress...

This doodle still needs a little work and I want to journal and do a bit more graffiti on the background.  I added a little glitter but it doesn't show up in this photo. 

I have put together another art journal to paint in.  I used  140lb. hot press watercolor paper of course!  I will fill it with paintings and my journalings of nature, imagined and real.  It will be magical don't you think?  I will start sharing it hopefully by this weekend.

I am also doing work on a handmade illustrated blank art journal project using the wonderful Fabriano Artistico Hot press watercolor paper and I want to open an Etsy shop to promote it.  It's a little scary to think about putting myself out there so soon after just starting my blog.  I'm still a little unsure.  Do you  think I should just go for it? 

Stay warm, my artsy friends, and keep those creative fires burning!

Music in the studio this week was Blondie and Miranda Lambert...

Forever in art,  Jessica

Art Journals Revisited

I thought that this week I would do some reflection on some of my art journals I have started but not added to in a while and indulge myself in doing yet another doodle girl. A garden muse, floral fairy...

This is the cover of the journal I made in Traci Bautista's Dream Big e-class.  It is the artwork I used for my blog banner too.  I am adding to it again, putting down my ideas and listing my short term and long term goals.  I doodled these little frames and will be working with them in photoshop.  Of course, I'm photoshop challenged but I'm learning slowly!

The weather has been so fickle this week.  First sunny with record highs in the 70's and then very cold with torrential rain.  Earlier in the week I was doing a bit of exploring and stumbled across a beautiful reservoir just 8 miles from my house.  I've been here over 2 1/2 years and I never knew it was there.  

The day was gorgeous so I took the pup down to the waters edge. He did not like that! He had never experienced anything like it before in his short life. 

I'm still not used to being so totally alone - I was the only person there.  After living in the greater Los Angeles area, this new life of mine is a complete 180.  At first it was cool.  Wow! all this to enjoy without the noisy crowds.  But then it became a sharp reminder of how truly alone I am now.

Well, I must forge ahead...  Started another journal page last night and hope to share it with you in a few days.

I'm am thankful that today we are seeing a bit of sun and I'm off for a bit of exercise with the dog at the reservoir.

Artfully yours,  Jessica



Back in the studio again...

Hi ya all!

Yes, I'm back in the studio again - la, la, la.  This last week I made an art journal out of my favorite paper, Fabriano watercolor hot press 140 lb.  I made 4 thin signatures and bound it simply with 20 lb natural hemp cord.

Then I proceeded to join Willowing and friends on Ning http://willowing.ning.com/  and do Tam's wonderful free e-course "Art, Heart and Healing".  The class focuses on transforming our inner critic. 

Lesson 1 deals with creating a self portrait portraying yourself any way you like on the right side of the journal page spread.  On the left side you write in pencil all negative inner critic thoughts you have that hold you back from your dreams.  This can be anything you don't like about yourself or are insecure about. 

Then as you move forward through the exercise you cover the negative thoughts with a couple of coats of gesso, thus erasing those bad thoughts and self doubt. 

After you finish your portrait and the background you add the positive words to heal your heart and then choose one word to portray yourself and your spread and add it to the portrait.  Tam chose to add her word under her eye.  I put mine to the side.

Most of the gallery entries I noticed were done in more of a fantasy style than mine was.  Maybe I'll branch out more next time.

In progress

     

 The lighting was a bit harsh on these so I took some in a lower light.

Much softer!

Anyway, there it is in all it's glory.  While I didn't choose to do wildly colored hair I did make myself prettier than I really am!  I didn't spend much time on the background either - I was ready to be done!   I have started another sketch of myself in my late teens/early 20's.  I felt I could use some healing for that time in my life too.

My other projects in the studio were to do the vigil candles suggested by Violette on her blog (in my blog listing at the right).  I purchased the plain white ones at the dollar store and then designed a label from one of my doodle mermaids.  Then I added just a little bit of stickles glitter glue.

Little doodle mermaid girlies all in a row!

I really should have taken more time with this project but again I was ready to be done.  I don't know why I'm not enjoying my processes a little more other than I started my big diet (yay!) and it is quiet the adjustment period.   The project I enjoyed the most was constructing the art journal!

Well, hopefully I'll be out of my diet funk and feeling freer by the next blog post!

Music in the studio this week was Colbie Caillat's Coco.

Forever in art,  Jessica

Fall Color and a drive to the Oregon Coast.

It's been a slow week here in the art studio.  The crazy weather has had me down a bit but I finally broke out of it's grasp saturday and went on a quick little afternoon trip to the coast.

The drive through the canyons was beautiful with full fall color taking my breath away.  Gorgeous.  I brought my camera along but was soooo disappointed to find the battery drained!  This new camera doesn't readily display the battery level and gives me a verbal warning only when the camera is shutting down.  So frustrating! 

So, I continued to Bandon (by the Sea).  A huge storm was brewing and I only had a little time to go the the darling gifty book store, Winter River Books, to pick up some mermaid tattoos I had ordered - so fun! 

Then I went across the street to a tiny gift mall that included a booth store "Gypsy Wagon" where I found these fabulous little book bags made from vintage silk Indian saris.  They were only $3 a piece!  Yay!  

I picked up 7 of these little silk "book" bags in my favorite colors and a couple of scarves on sale for $4! I will most likely hang them around the studio.

Then the rain came.  The storm was going to be a bad one with very high winds and rain so I opted to leave for the return trip right away.  It took a couple of hours to get home but the drive was still fun for me.  I really needed that break from the studio to recharge my creative batteries.  Since I feel I was short changed by the lack of pictures and only an hour in Bandon, I will try to return there later this week or next.

The high winds and rain continued for a couple of days and has taken a lot of the fall color with them. Bummer!  And I hear there is a lot more to come...

Earlier last week I went to Kruse Farms here locally in the Melrose area to get my pumpkin for the porch.

Fabulous Pumpkins!

 Beautiful Turban Squash

Giant Hubbard Squash - some over 3 feet long!

Halloween is a big deal in our little community and I usually get quiet a lot of little and not so little goblins at my door!  Trick or treat!   We'll see if the weather holds for our little ghouls.

I will be back in the studio this week to start working on a new art journal.  I want to make this one out of my favorite Fabriano Artistico hot press watercolor paper.  I haven't decided whether to use the usual 140 lb. or try the lighterweight 90 lb. that will be much easier to bind into a journal.  Working with the thicker paper will be harder on my hands but it's nicer than the thinner stuff so I'll just have to weigh out the advantages and disadvantages.

My biggest goal for this week will be to stay warm and dry and keep the creative fires burning!

Forever in art,  Jessica

Might as well face it I'm additicted to doodling

I sure have been bitten by the doodling bug!  I can't seem to stop doing my mermaid and flower fairy faces.  They brighten my mood and make me happy.  A simple pleasure.

I thought I would share one with you and show it morphing from a painted graffiti background to a colored mermaid's face doodle. 

Laying down the doodle

Adding her peepers and lipstick along with a few more details and tresses

Giving her more hair and her pearls of wisdom

Coloring her hair and adding a little more detail

I will most likely add a few more trinkets to her hair, it seems a bit thin (like mine, ha!).  It was after 1:00 in the morning when I did this so I will revisit her again.  

It has come to my attention that I need a cushion on that studio chair.  When I am doodling I get transported to another world and I find it a great pain reliever when I am dealing with my chronic pain.  I love getting lost in creating the doodle but little did I know that chair was creating such a pain in my rear!  OMG!  I will definitely be on the lookout for a nice coordinating soft cushion for my butt!

I think I am facing a doodle addiction but I really don't care for I am under it's opuim-like spell.  I say, "drift on the dream, follow your bliss..." 

Music in the studio this week was more Sheryl Crow...I want to soak up the sun...while there still is some!

Forever in art,  Jessica



Mermaids, Goddesses and Journals oh my!

Welcome back to my studio.  It's been a week already and I've been thinking I should share some of my art with you.  I am currently creating Mermaid Art Journals!  This is a project I started for myself and a couple of close friends and I'm loving the mix media format!

I started by making the journal cover out of collaged pieces of painted graffiti canvases stitched together by machine.  I collaged some shapes, a mermaid doodle and a few cool words I wrote and printed on to transparencies.  A lot of the techniques I am using in this journal I have picked up from reading the book "Collage unleashed " by Traci Bautista and doing graffiti canvases in a style like Alisa Burke's messy painting.  Let me tell you, that messy painting is a boatload of fun!

Journal cover and 3 mermaid doodles

This Spring I took Traci's online class, Creative Doodles.  What a fun creative outlet doodling has become for me!  It was around that time that I got my idea for a mermaid journal and began creating my own mermaid doodles as inspiration pages for the art journal.  The mermaids I have pictured here were then printed out onto white cotton and sewed to a painted background page.  I love the texture this creates!

Close ups of 2 mermaid doodles

A new addition to the studio this week is my refurbished bargin basement Goddess.  When I found her she was a dark brown color and the detail was hard to see.  So I painted her with 4 coats of white paint and then antiqued her with a metallic charcoal craft paint to show off her details.  I was planning to add a bit of silver leaf in a distressed look but I have not decided yet whether I will go forward with that idea.  I kind of just like her plain and soft.  What do you think?

Studio Goddess

I will end for now.  Be sure to feed your artful soul and let your creative spirit flourish!  Don't stop creating!

Music in the studio this week was Sheryl Crow's Wild Flowers and Lennon Legend, The Best of John Lennon.

Forever in art,  Jessica

Welcome to my new blog and art studio!

Welcome to my little studio of artful dreams.  This blog and my studio represent my passion for creativity, the pursuit of beauty and the chance to live the artful life.  I hope to share my philosophy that anyone who so desires can overcome physical limitations and emotional stress through art and live the creative life regardless of their circumstances.  I know this because I have done it! 

As I start a brand new chapter in my life I invite you to join me in my creative adventures. I love to play and have fun and am happiest when surrounded by colorful medium - it's all good!  My favorite art to do is journaling, painting, doodling and mixed media.

I just finished my humble studio this morning!

I now have a sewing table too!

And a great view...

It was a lot of work for me and took a very long time.  Now it's finished and I am going make my first piece of art in the studio tonight.  No more dining room table for me!

So I will put on some up beat music and do a little art dreamin' and dancin' and let art save my life once again...

Forever in art,  Jessica