Sea Legs—52 Cards Project #46

/
Sea Legs—52 Cards Project #46

Hello from Australia! I’m attempting to post my card of the week for my 52 Cards Project—plus some highlight photos of our trip so far—but let’s see if it works overseas and on an iPhone!

So the theme for this week is “Sea Legs” because like for all trips, I find it takes me about a week to get my travel sea legs and this time is no exception. We spent our first week in and around Sydney—beaches, the Blue Mountains and lots of time in the city—and it was an adjustment. How to efficiently pack and move from one location to the next, negotiating local transport—and just sinking into the present moment.

I can now report I have my sea legs and we are having a great time!

I don’t intend to write a travel log here (aren’t you relieved?) However, I’ll end this post with a few favorite pictures so far. You may notice there are many bird pictures—including one I used as a reference photo for this card (I bet you can find it). To no one’s surprise, I’m sure,

Read More

Ready to Go—52 Cards Project #45

/
Ready to Go—52 Cards Project #45

My bags are packed and by the time this post reaches you I’ll be in Sydney, Australia! While I’m away I plan to continue weekly cards for my 52 Cards Project. As I mentioned a couple of weeks ago, I’m determined to create a theme card for every week of 2022 and I don’t plan to miss these weeks I’m traveling!

I won’t have a scanner and I’m not bringing Copic markers—but I’ll have other art supplies with me (see below). I’ll also throw in a few photos of our trip too, so stay tuned!

***

About what is going into these two luggage pieces

Besides art supplies? Well, I’ll go into that in a moment. First, I replaced both my suitcase and carry-on this year, and now my 22” suitcase is a bit smaller than I had (the fewer things I bring the less I can misplace or lose), and the tote bag is replaces a backpack.

I’m also bringing a sling bag for during the days (art supplies, cell phone, etc.)—which I’ll pack for air travel.

I am someone who can’t function in a disorganized environment, on the road or off. If you’ve ever been to my art studio, for a good example, you know that

Read More

Getting my Ducks in a Row—52 Cards Project #44

/
Getting my Ducks in a Row—52 Cards Project #44

This week it’s been all about getting things in order as we get ready for travel and the holidays. The theme for my 52 Cards Project just seemed like an obvious choice!

I had in mind yellow ducks for this card—but it turns out that ducks aren’t yellow. I guess I should have known that…Some ducklings from some species (like the white Pekin and the Mallard) are yellow, and then change colors as adults, but not all ducklings are yellow either. It depends on the species of duck. Also, it seems that maybe this saying came from when they used to set up wooden ducks for old-time carnival shooting galleries—but I’m not sure those were yellow either.

I have to say I get a little kick out of learning new fun facts when creating cards (I’m a nerd that way). Hope it brightens your day too!

Read More

Healing—52 Cards Project #43

/
Healing—52 Cards Project #43

Healing is the theme of this week for my 52 Cards Project. My sister had back surgery and I’ve spent some time helping her out as she gets back on her feet. She’s doing as well as can be expected, but the healing process will take time—and this week, from the long anticipated surgery, to hospital to home marks the beginning of her healing journey. I hope any care I could provide—and my love—will aid in a faster recovery.

Or in other words, dear ‘Sis—Get Well Soon!

***Some fun facts about this Greek snake and staff symbol for healing, which I learned in making this card:

Read More

Wonder—52 Cards Project #42

/
Wonder—52 Cards Project #42

This week the theme card for my 52 Cards Project is Wonder. With nights growing increasingly colder, we (and our cats) are retreating inside more. And yet, the wild outdoors calls. I noticed Leo, our young tabby the other night standing up from the floor to the bedroom windowsill to look outside and I realized that I’ve spent a fair share of time lately looking up from my sketchbook, my book, my ipad—to stare out the window too.

Winter is coming. The sky is very dark (with just a crescent of a moon). There’s plenty of things to worry about in the world these days…and yet, I do believe the universe works in mysterious ways…the wonder of what’s out there calls. The birds. The critters. The wind. the deep mystery of all that is alive. That is what Leo is looking for, I’m sure, and I guess when I think about it, so am I.

And neither of us wants to miss one minute of it!

***

A note about long term projects. This week

Read More

Still Grow — 52 Cards Project #41

/

#41 of my 52 Cards Project for 2022—Still Grow

I love October here in northern California. Fall comes in ever so slowly. The days are warm but nights get cooler, the leaves are mostly green but then they slowly change color…and then suddenly, like this week, it’s here. Nights are now cold. Leaves are changing quickly! Soon they’ll be piles of autumn colors on the ground.

And yet, as I thought about my theme for this week for my 52 Cards Project, I feel a huge surge of growth. The trees may be getting ready to shed their leaves, but I’ve been madly growing new leaves, I think. I know I haven’t shared much here lately besides my weekly cards, but I’ve been drawing and painting in my sketchbook quite a bit—doing a lot of experimenting and finding my way, creatively (our creative lives are never ending journeys after all)

Anyway, I’m overdue for an update post (I’ll do it soon, I will!) but for now this week’s theme calls in my Creative Spirit—who certainly lives in Summer.

Up--52 Cards Project #40

/
Up--52 Cards Project #40

I had trouble finding a theme for this week for my 52 Cards Project. It has been a busy week, coming back from holiday and catching up on all the things. We also had two birthday celebrations and I’m also aware that I’ll be away for most of November and part of December so I’m beginning to prepare for that.

So anyway. What would be my theme for the week? I usually sit down and brainstorm for a bit, but for a while nothing really came to me—except I kept getting an image of a spiral staircase but I didn’t know why. That is,

Read More