JOY

die-cuts, tissue paper, and modpodge with some Procreate digital editing.

Definition of JOY from 1984 Websters dictionary: a very glad feeling; happiness; great pleasure; delight.

Definition of JOY from google: a feeling of great pleasure and happiness.

My definition of JOY: bubbles of happiness that erupt from your heart, creating a warmth to bask in. 

An effervescence of the soul that erupts in smiles, or bursts of laughter. 

How can one define joy without the words bubbles, or effervescence? 

I have chosen the word JOY once again as my word of the year. I think it may be a permanent choice. Similar the the Golden Rule, it is an umbrella that encompasses other words I have chosen in the past:  gratitude, soul, and energy to name a few.

Joy is truly a choice.

If you have children running through your house laughing and screaming in play, you can roll your eyes and click immediately to order earplugs on Amazon, or you can close your eyes for a moment and think how lucky you are to hear children laughing and screaming in play, in your home.

If you have a party that leaves behind all the clean-up that comes with parties, you can vow to have that party at someone else's house next time, or as you clean up you can think how fortunate you are to be in a position the have people to throw a party for, and a house to throw it in.

For me joy and gratitude (my second favorite word) are very closely linked.

I wish you all a Happy and Prosperous New Year! Choose joy!

The original from my new 2026 planner/scrapbook/sanity preserver.

Thanks for stopping by!

December Calendar piece

 die-cuts

December has arrived.  Sorry folks, for being a broken record, but as I sit down to write a post - Jeez! Where did the year go?! That's all I can think about. What a year!!! - Two big family weddings, news of a baby's arrival early next year, a change of states for my son (he's coming back to his hometown!). . . so many things. I live constantly in gratitude. 

December will be busy as always. I intend to enjoy the WHOLE month - enjoy all the preparations for Christmas, enjoy the effort, and enjoy the anticipation. (I meditate in the mornings, and it helps keep me in that frame of mind. I'm not as amazing as I may sound. Haha!)

Today, December 1st, is my one year anniversary of learning guitar! I'm trying to learn classical guitar on my own, but I see lessons somewhere in my near future. There are just some times when I get frustrated on my own, and need someone to whom I can ask "just how the hell, exactly, am I supposed to do that?" But I'm pretty proud of myself for making the practice part of my daily routine. At this stage of life, my big incentive is in impressing my grandkids and hoping they'll say, "if Grandma can do it, so can I!"

Fingers crossed.

This is most likely my last post of the year. I have plans for this blog next year. Hopefully, some lessons - tips and tricks to help others with some drawing help. The year ahead doesn't look quite as hectic (I say as something enormous is barreling its way, unbeknown to me, down the path of my life's journey). So, please come back here in January.

I wish everyone a warm and lovely holiday season!

Thanks for stopping by!

November Calendar Piece 2025

 die-cuts and a little digital work in Procreate

It's so cliche´, but where actally does the time go? How are we in November? Two big weddings for our family, are in the rearview. Now I have photo-organizing projects for January!

For now, let the holidays commence! This morning, with the help of my daughter Louisa (my recently married daughter!), I put up this tree in my studio. It IS NOT a Christmas tree. It is a here-we-go-woohoo-gonna- have-a-great-season-in-my-studio tree. We used a lot of the decor from the wedding, and I sent Louisa home with another big box of the same stuff so she can have a here-come-the-holidays tree too!

As promised in October- photos of the wedding decorations:

The backdrop behind the bridal table was later lit up with fairy lights.

My niece worked on the bridal tables with my sister and mom. All that beautiful drapery! 

This is the covered area out from the barn.

Look at that beautiful landscape behind! The venue was The Willow Tree in West Milton.

Absolutely gorgeous!

And here's the bar area set up by Louisa's sister and brother-in law.

Lastly, in this photo of their first kiss as man and wife,

you can see part of the arch that was also a group effort.

My heartfelt gratitude to Enrique, Ashley, Alonzo, Juliana, Tara, Tonnya, Henry and Patty

- the best decorating crew ever!

I have to say, I spent many months anticipating the wedding, buying decorations, helping Louisa with her dress, some of the planning etc. I was focused on how this was all going to come together. But, I was blind- sided during the first run-through on rehearsal night. When Louisa came down the aisle on the practice run through with her father, and Nat King Cole's voice started in with - When I Fall In Love - I lost it. Louisa saw me losing it, and lost it. Her husband Bryon was losing it and being comforted by his best man. I'm grateful for rehearsal run throughs. The three of us were able to pull ourselves together and the day of her wedding, Louisa walked down the aisle like a doggone queen. Louisa, I love you, and I couldn't have been more proud.

My Babygirl and her dad.

Also: I have to say how grateful I am to my best friend Dawn for holding my hand through some of the stressful moments this year, for lending me some of the beautiful wedding decor and for stepping in for some last minute prep situations. And to Louisa's maid-of-honor Anna, for going above and beyond in her role in making this day, for my daughter, so special.  And one more shout out to Ashley, who worked tirelessly (well okay, yeah, we were pretty tired) with me on the few days leading up to the wedding, and even the evening of the wedding! She kept my cocktails coming for 5 days (wow that's actually a lot, but it's also true). She kept my stress levels to a minimum so that I could relax in the moment and be present. I love you.

Weddings can really bring people together in quite wonderful ways.

Thanks for stopping by!

Big Fish

 This one started as an oil painting on canvas but I ended up finishing in Procreate.

What do you think it says?

This is what the painting looked like before I put it in Procreate.

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October 2025

 die-cuts and photo composed in Procreate

Here we are in October! -my favorite month. AND my daughter is getting married in less that two weeks! 

There has been a lot of trips to Michael's and Hobby Lobby - a lot of decorating ideas flowing. I plan to post some of the photos here in a couple weeks. The wedding has been so all encompassing that all I've been able to do in my art studio, for months, is dabble with things. Being able to share where some of my creative energy has gone will be sweet icing on the wedding cake.

Then, after the wedding,  I get more real with this blog. I hit a milestone on September 25th. I passed 100,000 hits! WOOHOO! That has inspired my to do more, and share more. Especially share more. 

Thanks for stopping by!

p.s. Here's another 3"x3" mini I finished. This is what my studio looks like early in the morning.

September 2025

 die-cuts, oil painting, and digital

This is my favorite piece in my 2025 calendar. I don't do collages. I am easily overwhelmed, and as I've said hundreds of times, one of my weaknesses is my inability to just play. Well, here I played! I used pretty paper, my Tim Holtz die-cuts, and a small oil painting of an hour glass that I had done. I took photos and put all the different elements into Procreate. Then, I played with composition, layers of transparency, etc. I'm pretty proud of it. 

Thanks for stopping by!