Create Your Own Wonderland...

Aaaaahhh, Friday!

My first week back to work, completed.

Pure bliss, it is...

To now be sitting outside on our patio, hearing only the birds and the locusts. In my shorts and a tank top...

Exhausted, but quite content.

It certainly was a terribly stressful week with new students, new schedules, new challenges, and much chaos...

But overall, I really do enjoy my life.

At the end of each crazy work day, I remind myself that it's entirely up to me to create my own "Wonderland" kind of life.

For me, it is essential to remain creative, even through the not so pleasant times. Not always easy to do when the mind is cluttered with work thoughts and the eyes are drooping.

A few of the days this week, I forced myself into my art room.

To this journal.

My play journal.

With a cup of coffee very close by and a paintbrush in hand...

Sitting.

Admiring pretty paint colors.

I soon felt my mind and body de-stressing.

I allowed myself to drift.

To a far away land.

 

A place where anything is possible (because I am the creator).

A place where polka-dotted mushrooms grow.

After painting for about an hour each evening, I found that I was able to feel a sense of accomplishment by bedtime. I had made time for my greatest passion and I was able to sleep more soundly.

It's up to us to keep our lives wonderful, through the good times and bad times, right?

Not everyone loves art as I do...

But we all cherish something.

Even the simple things fill our hearts with joy, we just need to discover these things and work them into our daily lives.

 

I noticed that our flower gardens have really bloomed into a palette of lovely colors recently!

We planted and nurtured each one.

Joy.

Yes, each flower will soon disappear once Fall sets in...

But in my Wonderland, I replace blooms with pumpkins. I welcome the new color palette of orange, brown, gold, and red.

I will pamper myself with new hot cocoa flavors.

I will spend many evenings buried beneath a fluffy comforter and a good book.

These are just a few ways in which I keep my life a Wonderland!

How about you?

Please, share!

Wishing you all of fabulous weekend!

XO

 

Saying Goodbyes...

Hello out there!

I do hope that your week is off to a fabulous start!

I'm happy to report that mine is!

Yesterday I was up and brewing the coffee even before my alarm clock buzzed.

Off to work...

A day filled with meetings, silly co-workers who make meetings more enjoyable... And a long lunch break at the local pizza place. I stuffed myself.

I must say, it's very nice to be back on a routine. I come home tired...

But it's a good tired.

I slept better last night than I have all Summer. Truly.

August went by quickly and I did not get as detailed with my journaling.

I have also noticed that when I get to the last few pages of my art journals, I am so eager to start a new journal... I tend to speed through the end!

A bit boring, I might add.

However, we really did grow a great tasting watermelon!

Journal completed!!!

Yes, indeed.

I have a brand new black Moleskine watercolor journal awaiting the next chapter of my life. Oh, what will these pages tell? It will be filled with more day to day happenings, along with sadness. It will reveal happy moments, big events, travels to come, struggles, and triumphs.

Although I did not start on my life journal today...

I did pull another journal off of a shelf and played.

I think that it's wise to have several journals. One to document your life. One or two to really play in. Romp, explore, and learn.

I buy these brown journals at a hobby store. The pages are handmade watercolor paper, but I'm not fond of the way that the paper handles watercolor. I find fuzzy balls in my paintings!

Since this is a fun journal, I'm okay with that. I'm not so concerned about making mistakes.

I am very fond of the unique sizes that these books come in.

This one is long and skinny!

Perfect for full-bodied girls!

So, today I relaxed for awhile and got lost in my art world. I painted with gouache.

 

Saying goodbye to Summer...

And a completed journal.

Embracing new!

Blessings to you!

XO

 

The Mushroom Mystery...

Hello!

I haven't much news today, my apologies.

It was a pretty relaxed day. A trip to the grocery store. An afternoon nap. A tiny mushroom painting.

Nothing really blog worthy...

But I wanted to be the first to wish you a wonderful August!!!!!

Now, back to the mushroom.

I painted the red mushroom using Gouache paints. Have you ever tried Gouache?

I like!

They are more opaque than watercolors, yet you use them with water. The colors are bright, rich. I really enjoy them with my watercolors. Please, tell me what you know about Gouache! I want to play with them more!

Ok.

Mushrooms.

You either love them or hate them.

I've always loved mushrooms until I moved to Eastern Kansas and tried a Morel mushroom.

The folks around here hunt for them in wooded, wet areas...

After a good rain.

If they find Morels...

They feel as if they just struck oil!

Seriously, it's a big thing around here and you can even sell your Morel mushrooms for a very nice sum of cash!

My husband found a few when I first moved here.

He dipped them into an egg batter and fried them.

Politely, I tried my first Morel mushroom...

And nicely said to him, "you can have them all, love. They are not what I expected".

(I couldn't help wondering just what the big hype was)????

I have googled Morel mushrooms and read all about them. Many chefs prefer using the Morels in their dishes.

I had never even heard of them until moving here.

 

Hubby found his Morels behind our house...

Deep in the woods, by a creek.

Me- I only found a black snake and vowed never to go into the woods again! Ever!

Although I love living out in the country, by a pond...

I rarely go where tall grass grows due to my fear of snakes!

I go only with the husband or the dogs.

We strolled down to the pond last night to hunt something else...

A critter!

We saw it...

Swimming in the water, but never did see it again.

I allow my imagination to run with this.

Was it the Loch Ness Monster?

(A fun game that I play... Out here in the boonies)!

Possibly it was a visitor from another planet.???

It seemed very large.

So, now we wait. We watch...

In hopes for its return.

Happy August, friends!!!!!

XO