Just Plain Sad....

My aunt passed away, so I have been away with my family in SC.
My Aunt Sue was one tough cookie... She has taught me a lot... A lot about myself, boys, life....just everything. I will have to find a picture to share...
While at home though... My sisters and I were digging through lots of stuff and I found this old picture of me.... One Bald Little Girl!!! Yikes!!!
Without her here anymore, I just feel lost, sad, and so very empty...
I don't remember the last time I have suffered such a loss...and if I thought I felt empty before...this just bites...
I came home today to take care of a few things before I head out again to be with my family in SC...
When I headed into my studio...my watercolor palette caught my eye... I'm not even sure of why... But I simply love watercolors... Just love them...
So, I shall pack my art bag again, and head out...
Until next time,
Ophelia

My Favorite Place to Be....

Besides being in my studio at home, I get the biggest kick out of being at Jerry's with other creative people...
Once a month at Jerry's, I lead whats called a Play Time....We get together with sketchbooks in hand, and play.

Pure Bliss....

 Serious play....I say, serious play.

 I usually bring a challenge...tonights challenge was using a few colors...yellow, red, orange, pink....

 My space always spills over....and over, and over....

Here is my page.....kinda getting there, but, whats more important than actually finishing it here....but the sweet, sweet joy of being around such amazing people who snoppy dance, laugh out loud, and are not afraid to play.
Until next time,
Ophelia

My apologies....

Happy Tuesday everyone....
I have to start todays post with an apology for once again being MIA...
And this time, I was truly out of my mind missing...  See this little sweet girl.  She is my 3 year old niece Anna.  Anna came to visit us for a week....HOLY SMOKES BATMAN...I forgot just how busy 3 years olds were.

Lets just say she came, saw, and conquered!  Two speeds this gal has....HIGH, and OFF!  She was full speed ahead from the time she woke up in the mornings until she went to bed at night....

With Ms. Anna around, I did not walk into my studio not one time....nope, not one speck of paint to any brush, not one thing...One full week of no art makes a girl get out of practice....and when she was safely delivered back to South Carolina, I was exhausted...seriously, exhausted...like aching bones exhausted....and of course, I was left with no mojo....

I'm working here in a new journal....for some samples to send to my friend Patti using Prima Acrylic Paints.    I have given myself a deadline of Friday to get this done and out of here, so we will see what happens...

I also have to get another journal done and out as a sample for an art studio in Durham where I will be teaching this fall....so much to do yet, my muse has decided that she wants a vacation.....oh please hurry back....please....
I hope to see you guys soon....oh, I know I will....I will be back with more studio updates....this time, I promise to post more frequently....
Until next time,
Ophelia

Surfacing....

Just like that....its OVER!!!

Whew!!!!!

First things first....a NAP!!! Then....kids off to Camp Granny's for a bit of a vacation while I finish some workdays....

Can you say...excited!! Yes, she is...especially after her Dad took her out shoe shopping for some new Toms...
You may know where I headed, right....yup...you guessed it...straight to the studio...

I can't think of a better way to wash away all of the rough than in my studio....I've got all of my inks out and sorted for my demo at Jerry's....Inks along with oh, so much other stuff!!!

After my demo...lets just keep the fun going with a play date with my friend Melanie over at Rabbit Hole Art

So...that's pretty much all that has been going on here....just trying to catch my breath a little and shake off the school year.  This Thursday will be a week since the kids left the building, and this girl was truly exhausted!  

Until next time,

Ophelia

Survival Mode...and whats on my easel..

Its Tuesday....and oh, what a relief that is.  One and a half days for the kids left in school, and as I was driving home today, I realized that I am in serious survival mode....











So, here is my journaling for this week...speaking nothing more than pure survival.  Doing what I can to make it through the day, and dragging in DOGG tired, only to do it all again the next day.  My house is seriously trashed from lack of doing anything around here, but...I promise, once school is out...I'll get to it...sigh...All I really want to do is paint and play.  Seriously.

Here is a look at what has been going on on my easel.....

I have been taking an Abstract Painting class on Monday nights, and its oh, so fun.  Way out of my element, but so much fun.

I am not used to the free flowing trust yourself kind of class that this is, but I'm going along with it as it is such a release after a long day of work....  I am learning to not only trust the process, but enjoy it as well, and that, my friends is quite freeing...

Until next time,

Ophelia

Its Birthday Time...

 This little fiesty Princess of ours turns 7 today.  Oh, how time simply flies by.  I can completely remember the day she was born and having to go through all of the battery of test to make sure that she was ready to be born...she was delivered 5 weeks early as a precaution.  Insert one tiny detail here...I was sick the entire time.  The final test was an amniocentesis (I think thats the right word) on the day before she was born.  UGH...double UGH.   I was assured that it would be simple...NOT....once it was over, we all waited - as my family was already here from out of town for her delivery.  We headed home and waited for a call from my doctor to make sure that the delivery was a go for the next day.   When she called, the news was not good...and as always I had options. 
Option 1 - Wait two weeks and do the proceedure again---, my immediate reaction to Option 1 was---NOT!
Option 2 - hold on...let me check with the team of doctors and I'll call you back.... Thanks Doc...that is perfect.
And so, at bright and early AM, we headed back to the hospital....I just love options, don't you!!! 

So, today, we shall celebrate with her friends at her favorite party place....I feel like I have been preparing for this for weeks - I honestly thought it would be simple to have her party somewhere else, which is why I booked it elsewhere, but there is still so much to prep for....and yes, there was art involved...

As party favors, we decided to tie dye shirts for all of her friends....all 25 of them...

So, we moved our art from the studio to the kitchen counter....oh, I wish you could see my hands...but, magic it was.  I haven't dyed fabric in years, and I sure miss the magic in the mystery that it brings.  This whole set up makes me want to head to the basement for the bins of dyes that I have....

So the shirts have been dyed and finished....and since I still have tons of work to be done around here, I'd better get going. 

Oh...and did I mention that I have 4 days left of school with my students....welp....3 and a half, but seriously, I'm not counting!!!!!

Enjoy your Sunday everyone!!

Until next time,

Ophelia



We Survived.....

I hope that you all had a restful weekend filled with all of the things that bring you true joy.  Ours was a quiet, restful - much needed R&R kind of weekend that could not come soon enough....and just as quickly slipped by.....

Thank you all so much for the "love" that you sent last week....it paid off...my son passed his end of grade tests with flying colors....and growth!!!  Thank you, thank you, thank you ALL!!!

Today at work begins the remediation for those that did not pass....sigh....the thought of having to go through another testing session just makes me wish for summer vacation to come on already....  I can't stand it....

Which leads me to my studio thoughts....

I just want to be FREE!!!!  Not in my box thats room 131, but free to spend my days as I wish....sigh...

Theres a little dream that is planted in my heart....and, I'm working to grow it.  Some days it feels so far away, and I constantly remind myself--"Don't you dare give up!!"

Enjoy your day everyone.

Until next time,

Ophelia