Still Alive

I am such a bad, bad blogger, I know.

No excuses or anything like that, I just haven’t felt like blogging and, to be honest, there hasn’t been much worthy of blogging about, either.

I have been spending plenty of time painting and experimenting. I’ve been trying very hard to find my authentic artistic voice. I guess you could call it my style or my creative fingerprint.  I think I have finally found it.

I had more fun creating this piece. I am aware this is not a style that is for everyone but I can’t worry about that kind of thing. I have to just be true to myself and go with the flow.

This is the result of avoiding my normal scouring of the internet, reading blogs, scouting Flickr for journal pages to post on my Tumblr, etc, etc. I knew I had to step away from the distractions and influence of other art in order to find my own creative voice.

This is the result.

It is the most fun I have ever had painting…it felt so exhilarating as I created it and, I think, that is how I know this is truly me.

Now, to start a new one. I’m so excited.

I will try to keep in better touch but I’m not making any promises. Quite a few major things coming up, including some very major dental work in a couple of days. Dental work that I am dreading beyond belief but I know that I’ll get through it.

I’m not in the holiday mood in the least. I won’t be decorating for Christmas and, unless we go to my sister’s house for Christmas, we really won’t be celebrating it much either. When finances take such a huge nose-dive like ours have, this past year, you don’t really worry too much about decorations and presents. None of it holds its joy or its magic anymore.

Not whining, just being honest. *shrug*

Enough of that stuff, I think I hear my easel calling me….Art on, my friends!

Peace & Love,
~Barb~

Life

My daughter and grandboy came down week before last and stayed for four days…and it was good. Being with family is always a good thing…sometimes it’s stressful, too, but I still crave that time with them. This visit was a good one and we needed that time together.

When Noah comes to Nana & Richie’s he always sleeps on a thick pallet of blankets beside our bed. He has to be near us so we can talk as we go to sleep.…and I wouldn’t have it any other way!

This is the stuff memories are made of, right?

Then, Richie and I headed back to Alabama last Thursday to visit with his parents, Chad (Richie’s son), and Shelby & Toad (my daughter & son-in-law.)  We haven’t been able to go back (due to lack of finances) and see them even once since we moved to Florida…in the entire 6 months!

We had a great visit with everyone. Got there late Thursday night, had dinner at his parents house (we took Chad) on Friday night and got to see Richie’s two brothers then, too. When we got back to Shelby & Toads, we played Phase 10 (a card game) with them & the couple that is their roommates. We went to Chad’s mother’s Birthday Party Saturday evening for a while then brought Chad back with us for Pizza with Shelby & Toad then we played guitar hero for a while. Sunday we vegged with Chad for a while, visited with Shelby & Toad, stopped by his parents house then we hit the road for home, for Florida.

The leaving was tough, though. Richie and I both broke down crying each time we said goodbye to another set of family members…first Shelby & Toad, then Chad, then Harold & Rhemel (Richie’s parents.) Y’all wouldn’t believe how devastated we both felt leaving everyone again.

Pitiful, huh?

I have to admit, though…it feels really good to be home. Really, really good.

Now, back to reality.

Peace & Love,
Barb