cari-cat-ure

This is Minnie. Her remarkable face popped into my head, and I got really excited about a character design that I've been brainstorming all week about. She's my inspiration for the moment and I just wanted to share. I have much to say about her, but not today. I have paints to splatter.

robin

I found this little egg on the ground- in one piece- after a very heavy downpour. Such a pretty color, Robin's eggs. ..Maybe the sky is falling.

notes to self

Things that I have written on the Post-its, on my fridge. They're little reminders that I felt I needed this week.

TURN IT OFF
I absolutely hate how much I fiddle with my phone on a daily basis. I take photos with my phone, I draw with my phone, I write notes with my phone, I read/write tweets with my phone, I check my messages with my phone, I look at photos of my dog on my phone, play fart sounds and videos of my dog on my phone. I'm not popular, so I play with my phone. I'm working on changing that. 

TODAY IS TODAY
I have written this one down since I lived in Calgary. These words remind me to slow down and focus on now, and nothing else. I find it really quite helpful for my anticipatory anxiety. It's just a simple reminder that every day is different, so why not enjoy today for what it is?

GO OUTSIDE & PLAY
This guy gets me outside every day that the sun is shining. Sometimes we go to the park to play, sometimes we run, sometimes we lie in *or eat* the grass, sometimes we lose our sense of direction to see how long it takes to find our way back home. Every day is an adventure, with Breakfast Jones. I fucking love my dog, in case you didn't know. Errday.  

FLOUR
I need flour in order to make banana bread. I have too many bananas in my freezer. 

for real

I've been procrastinating for quite some time, though I'd say I've also been incredibly productive. I don't know if I mentioned already, but I made a promise to myself -in the new year- that I'd focus on my personal work. It hasn't been as easy as I'd like it to be, but it's coming together nicely.

While it's refreshing to do more of my own thing, I have to say that the toughest part of taking a hiatus from side projects and freelance, to open my time, is saying no. As a creative, I believe that it's necessary to do projects for yourself; to practice new methods of execution, experiment, and keep inspired, even if it means disappearing for a little while. I haven't felt inspired in years, so because of that, I had to step back and turn things off temporarily.

I'm in the middle of a transition with my style, where I'm longing for the challenges of traditional artforms (which I grew up with), to keep my mind and my hands busy with physical tools, using something less organized and restricting, and finicky as digital media. I've also made a list of things I want to change in my every day, and turning off my phone/computer is a big one. I think this will open up a lot of time in general.

I'd say that digital media has definitely stalled my work process, and my drive. While the internet is a source of inspiration, it is also a bit of a distraction that is crawling with incredibly talented people who do the exact same thing that I do. Millions of them. When you get lost in comparison, or even those funny moments of  thinking, I can do that, maybe even better.. it's terribly difficult to be real to your time, energy, and natural process. I think I lost sight of it all, to be honest. So here I am, taking it for a test drive.

In other news, as some of you already know, I'm in the process of making my very first children's book. I'm swirling with many emotions that include a bit of a see-it-to-believe-it, before I can say much about it. It's a big deal from what I can tell, I'm just not letting excitement, or over-anticipation, blur my vision.

With all of these emotions and life changes taking place in my world, I have to say that it's all coming together and making more sense each day. Life is short, but it is also slow enough to take the time to figure out what you need out of it, and make it matter. I highly recommend putting yourself first once in a while. You might be surprised where it leads you.

vitamin joy

Where I live is a huge part of my happiness. I love my home, my neighbourhood, my -incredibly helpful- neighbours, and being able to say that I've made it this far on my own; with a little stink in tow. It's nice to be here, and most of all it's so incredibly nice to be able to go outside again.

Our winter felt so long, and made me believe that maybe I'm not so much of a winter person anymore. I believe this realization will take us elsewhere in the years to come. I think San Francisco is calling my name. I really do. *I'll come back to this topic for sure.

I blame the dog for this transition into the warm, and I'm so glad he has brought this sort of joy into my life without even trying. Every day that the sun is shining, we're outside, walking, playing, running and doing whatever we can to soak it in. We love sharing our time together, taking in the sights and sounds that the season has to offer. The colors, the smells, the signs of life all around us. I am absolutely in love, and it has barely begun.

This is the spring, though this weekend felt like enough to fool us that summer has already arrived. Winter needs to be washed away around the edges, we need rain to make the grass green so we can lie in it. There are so many great things to come, I could burst. Patience is a virtue, and daylight is delicious. It is so nice to get outside and live.

I just wanted to share that I'm happy.