Nothing will make you feel better except . . .

     First, Welcome back to my Wednesday blog!
     Second, I like collecting quotes and these little words of inspiration (done in Procreate) are ones that pack a big wallop for me. I am trying to keep them at the front of my mind for the new year. I have this little piece printed out and hanging over my computer.

     Third, one of the things on my goal list for 2018 is to write more. And who better to share those writings with than you? The following is a short bit for a writing prompt: What I remember about my first trip to the hospital: 

PineSol and Ipecac

    

    The morning had started nicely enough. I was probably four years old. I woke up before my parents and did whatever it is that four-year-olds do in the bathroom, in the morning, by themselves. The highlight of my daily, morning routine was the consumption of a Flintstone vitamin. This particular morning, my mom, the usual administrator, was still in bed and I was apparently feeling like a big girl. Admiring my big-girl self in the mirror, I popped one in, (let’s say it was a green Flintmobile), and watched in delight as my tongue turned green. WOWZA! I popped another one in, (most likely a purple Wilma). This was fun!

     I have no recollection of how many shades of color I explored before there came a knock at my kitchen door. My friend Patty had come over to play.

     “Come in here, Patty! You’ve got to see this!”

     In no time, we polished off the entire Flintstone cast, and went outside to do whatever it is four-year-olds do in the backyard, in the morning, with no parental supervision. 

     Before long my mother came tearing out the back door. 

     “Tracy!” (I can still hear the panic in her voice.) “Did you eat all of these vitamins?!”

     Well, actually I had help, but I was socially developed enough to understand that a person didn’t rat out their friend.

     I was immediately whisked off to the emergency room where I sat waiting to regurgitate vitamins that would have most likely just made me extra healthy, and learning to hate the smell of PineSol.

     If you’re wondering about Patty, I haven’t seen her for years. I hear she became a superhero.

Here's a quickie bonus illustration. I googled Flintstone vitamins 1970 (there, now you know I was alive and four in 1970) and this is the bottle I would have emptied. 

Christmas Trees #2

I believe I told you to check back today for six more tree illustrations but it is the holidays and there were cookies to bake, gifts to wrap, a preschool christmas program to travel to, etc. etc. Here are the last four. To anyone reading this, I wish you a very Merry Christmas and a blessed new year and most importantly I wish you . . . peace.

I will start back up with my weekly Wednesday blog on January 3rd.

Christmas Trees

     Hi there!
     I have missed you all!
     I set a little challenge for myself to post a Christmas tree design on Instagram every day until Christmas. (Starting on December 15). Here are the first four. It's been nice to exercise my drawing muscles and just play a little. Please, stop back by on Christmas Eve. I hope to have 6 more of these little sweethearts done. Some of these may lead to more official Christmas card designs for next year.
     I took a break from my art in November for two reasons. First, I wanted to focus a bit more on my writing for a while. I added 11,000 words to a middle grade chapter book I'm working on. Yay! I also joined a writing group with some lovely people who will make writing a lot less lonely.
     Second, my studio was torn up while my husband helped give it a face lift. It is now my happy place!!! I am all set up for the new year!
   

The problem with improving

     Sometimes I feel like Sisyphus rolling a rock uphill for the rest of my life. I do a piece of art, or a page spread as the case may be. I feel like I've done my best and I move on. Then, one day I have another look and see all kinds of ways that my illustration could be improved. Where does it end?!
      Above is a new version, I'm working on, of a specific page spread that I hope is evolving in a positive direction.
   

Here's the first rough version done almost 3 years ago:

It was done as a small acrylic 5.5" x 8.5"

I decided I wanted to do a polished version, the way I imagined it would look published. 

Here's that one, done over 2 years ago:

Now, discontent, I've pulled this apart and I currently have what you see at the top of the page. I'm looking for a sense of more energy and chaos.

Still a long way to go. Didn't I just have that rock pushed up to the top of the mountain?

     Today begins November also known as NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month). I've pulled out a chapter book that I got a good start on this summer and then put away a few months ago. I've set a goal of 10,000 new words by the end of the month. Inktober was fun but November goes further in helping me focus on my stories. 

    

     I'm happy to say that I've done very well with my goal of posting a blog every Wednesday this year. From now to the end of the year, however, I may not be posting that much. I want to concentrate on my writing, work out new illustration ideas for "Serenity" (the above story) and of course . . . enjoy the holidays. I'll continue to post, but the entries may be fewer and more random. I can assure you that one of my primary 2018 goals will be posting every Wednesday once again. Thanks so much for stopping by! 

Inktober - 7 Word Combo

     The cook was blind in the darkness, but able to hear the individual squeak of each rat as it climbed the walls searching a trail to salvation.
     "You won't find it this time, friends," he whispered.
     The ship gave a last, violent shudder as the sea bludgeoned it with her waves. She grew furious at his cowardice. He was the last man. She wanted them all.
     She poured down the galley steps in a rage and found him trembling beneath the table - her last juicy morsel.

     I had so much fun with this one! My daughter took a photo of me modeling the sea's rage. So, I guess that is what I look like when I'm angry. Scary. I also had fun creating the narrative and getting all seven of the last week's words in there.
     I'll probably do one more Inktober piece before the end of the month. Check back next Wednesday! Thanks for stopping by!

Inktober - Cloud and Deep

 If it makes you feel better, I'll tell you that this little boy was ornery today. 

   
     I don't advise teasing children, unless they're your own and you don't mind if they grow up and pick on you. Yes, sometimes my grown children pick on me. :) For the record, I also pick on my mother. It's a circle. Haha!

The day I did this, I felt like drawing a portrait and the prompt word of the day was "deep." I googled "girl with deep set eyes" and got a photo to work from.

     Inktober has been fun and it's not over yet, but I'm going to be busy for the next couple of weeks and won't get as many done. The next seven word prompts are Furious, Trail, Juicy, Blind, Ship, Squeak, and Climb. I've already combined them into a short writing sample and I'm working on one illustration for that narrative. Check back on Friday for that piece. Have a great week!