Hello 2014, I've been waiting for you!

Welcome to the New Year 2014!

Last night I asked my kids what their New Year's Resolutions were this year.  Each of them replied,"I don't have any". One said it is impossible for her to be changed for the better, she likes herself as she is.    Another said "Why do we have to make resolutions? They're stupid!" followed by a third "I bet you don't have any, and does Daddy have to make some too?" The last one simply said "I'm not doing that".  Okaaay...

My 9 year old caved first and made her list of the requested 5 things she could do to improve herself in 2014.  Her "Revolutions" for 2014 included improving her school work, practicing basketball, and riding her bike every day in the summer.  My 17 yr old is going to write letters to her favorite singer and do 50 pushups each day.   I'm still waiting on the other two to come up with something before the night ends...

As for myself, there are many things I'd like to change for this next twirl of the world.  I'm definitely not doing pushups or trying to play basketball (I am nearly 6 ft. tall, can't dribble a ball and run at the same time, and I'm still happy:) 

Here are some things I'd like to get better at this time around… and a quote.

I am always doing that which I cannot do, in order that I may learn how to do it.
Pablo Picasso

 
I'll make a concentrated effort to learn something new each day, and document it.

I'll look for the positive in every person in every situation, and remove myself from the negative.

I'll trust God over myself.

I'll spend more time listening to others.

I'll waste less time on things that aren't important.

For January 1st,  as silly as it seems,  I tried to make homemade tortilla chips with limited success.  I also learned how to take care of the orchid and bonsai tree I got for Christmas from my husband, and read all about how not to kill the poinsettia I have slowly strangled for the last two weeks.  Fertilizer in hand, I hope Jan. 2nd brings some perk in everyone.  I'm going to participate in Leslie Saeta's 30 Paintings in 30 Days again this year, but instead of working in oil, I'll be "frit painting" with glass so I don't get behind in my regular art job.  I learned so much from participating in this challenge last year, I'm really happy to be able to do it again.  Best to all of you!  ~Kelly

Painting 30 in 30? But I'm not a painter..

Well the new year has brought some great resolutions for 2013, and some fun challenges too!

I like to try new media here and there to jump start my creative side and throw me into the 'uncomfort zone'.  This year I signed up for a painting challenge, 30 small oil paintings in 30 days.  Crazy!
There are hundreds of people doing this, can you imagine 300 people doing 30 paintings?  That's potentially 9,000 paintings in only one month!

I always jump right into this kind of craziness thinking "I'm gonna do it!"  and also that miraculously I will be good at it.  Well, I can tell you it is going to be a long month.  I am a glass artist, not a painter and it shows.  LOL

Day One.
My husband suggested I paint a fire hydrant.  I said that a fire hydrant would be nice, but it would mean nothing to me.  He said "It would if you were on fire".  He is right, so here it is.

Day Two.
Learning about dealing with globs of paint and wet city streets.  

Check out some of the other artists' work at Leslie Saeta's blog:  http://www.lesliesaeta.blogspot.com.  This is the main site for the challenge, and we all admire her amazing paintings.

So far I've worked on 2 paintings, neither of them are great, and I am kind of disgusted at my lack of ability to handle oil paint (somehow it is everywhere, on every surface possible, and it looks like it's not going to be drying anytime soon)   However, I am determined to complete the challenge, and learn something with each attempt.  Follow along and see what happens!