Five Months! And nekkid

now that's my girl!
Originally uploaded by m.Lee

(well she does have pants on, this is pre-bath) Even pre-bath she is cleaner than those first moments. It seems so long ago. She is a far cry from her chicken leg days and has moved on to full fledged hams. Not just any old hams but Christmas hams!

Blee is five months old today. Wow does time fly when you're having uhm fun? Lack of sleep? Lack of time? Feeding constantly? ding ding ding all of the above.

I love my chubby little peanut so much. The Gerber baby has nothing on her! Now to figure out a way to make money off my little cutie, pay for college! Or maybe a semester with how tuition is going. Even with us saving it is going to be so hard to pay for her school. These are the things we have to think about if we ever consider having another child. Especially since I really want to adopt a baby girl from India but that is very expensive.



The 365 Sketch group on Flickr is growing at a furious pace and I couldn't be happier to see so many people getting into it! I was already pretty motivated to draw daily but this group gives me that extra push I need on certain days. If you haven't joined because 365 just seems like too much for you I don't blame you. I also say that there is no pressure to actually live up to the group name. Whatever works. Lurking is fine by me too.

Speaking of not needing encouragement I have been manic/ hypo-manic these past few days. This is the second night in a row that I am not sleeping. I am supposed to go to bed at midnight but instead I filled half of a little legal pad with random sketches. I just couldn't stop until my hand started hurting. And here I am been done thirty minutes and I have yet to go to bed. I'm want to go to bed and I don't. Actually I don't want to go to bed but I know that I should. Despite my lack of sleep last night I did well today.

I swear I haven't had anything more than two cups of tea today and that is nothing for me. Also, that was this morning.

But we are meeting Jon's parents in New Haven Saturday afternoon and I really should try to bring myself back to earth. I have been having such a hard time communicating. I trip over my tongue and can't stay on topic to save my life. It sure beats being depressed but sometimes it can be quite scary. Especially the nervous ticks that come along with it. I get stuck in positions and still move constantly. It is hard to explain.

Stuck. Yeah. At the computer. I'm out of here for now.

Wish blee a happy almost half a year old birthday now! Thanks for stopping by.

xoxo
~marissa

Challenges - New Beginnings

Reindeers Hide in the Forest
Originally uploaded by m.Lee

Sure, I have been able to post new work. But it was work created at the end of 2007 that is still being scanned in. Hoping your year is off to a bang as well. I know it is for at least some of you. The world might be scary but this isn't part of that world is it?

This work is so new that it is very unfamiliar territory for me. The challenge is to do a quick collage a day for two weeks. Or at least that is the original challenge as I have really run with it and am currently doing a couple a day. Ever since December or late November I have been pushing myself artistically. Of this I am proud. I am proud of every failed piece because it truly is a learning experience and overjoyed by each little success. It started out small with me getting out the washi paper I had been given many months prior and cutting little leaf shapes into it. Then I glued those papers onto black cards and made some ACEOs. They were different, they were fresh and not only did people buy them but I had a new energy and desire to explore. And a taste for new paper starting with washi.

Now here I am cutting up an out of date dictionary I dug out of my closet and uses pieces of super old prints of mine that I destroyed for scraps long ago.

More! My tiny exacto blades are my new favorite tool. I even maticulously set up a portable washi paper cutting station so unlike my woodblocks I can do these everywhere.

And I have been sketching more than I have in a long time. In fact I only have a couple pages left of my current moleskine. Great timing since I have a 25% off one item coupon at Dick Blick burning a hole in my pocket.

Now I need to get back to work. My energy level is near frantic as I can't do everything I want to do and have such a hard time focusing on one task. Too many ideas with limited time. I'm thinking that I may be a wee bit manic but what am I to do other than ride it out and enjoy it while I can. Put it to use and try not to overwhelm myself.

I'm not feeling negative lately and that is something. Far from it. Using art to keep my mind from thinking about what is going on out there is my escape. If I didn't have it I would be a mess of anger and worries all the time.

Eeek! It is way past the witching hour for me, I need to get to bed pronto!

Funny Thing

portable washi art station
Originally uploaded by m.Lee

How the simple task of organizing my new little washi cutting ACEO making portable station along with finishing off a couple in the process can give me focus and allow me to go on to being creative. It is 2am and I just finished up a bunch of printing. I have quite a few finished pieces as well as some pieces that I hope to finish tomorrow.

Much scanning to do! I am pretty excited with the washi additions on the ACEOs along with some new blocks that are getting printed for the first time.

Now I must go to bed as I would like to go to church tomorrow and not be a total zombie. Though when you have a baby people kind of expect you to be a zombie, but they don't expect you to be a zombie because of art. What can I say, I suffer for my art! Sleep can wait.

Happy Sunday!