Last Days of Summer

We've been trying very hard to enjoy these final days of summer here in New England. We had two fabulous weekends in the high seventies and low eighties in a row and we spent them outdoors and by the water. The first weekend we went to Newport, RI to do the cliff walk but as soon as Alex saw the beach the walk was off the table and we were at the beach. Which would have been perfect if it hadn't been a "red tide" day with nasty algae killing some sea life (think mollusks) and just making things smell funky but not actually dangerous. My hyper-sensitive from pregnancy nose was going nuts but we still had a good time I just stayed away from the water.

Last weekend was better. We ended up in Portsmouth NH for the day and even though the cruises were all booked up we had a great time walking around and being near the ocean. Alex came back with this Viking Hat and has been wearing it nearly non stop since. The toystore it came from had some adorable dolls that my darling daughter showed pretty much no interest in, making me rather sad.





Things are well enough. We travel to the Midwest in a few weeks for her third birthday and will see a lot of family. After a couple of miserable (not to mention expensive) plane trips in a row we have decided to drive over two days.

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First,

5 minutes to deliciousness
Originally uploaded by mlee.etsy.com

Let me get this out there and tell you that it took everything in my power not to make this for breakfast this morning. Instead I was good and had some steel cut oatmeal sweetened with a touch of apple cider.

5 minute Coffee Mug Chocolate Cake

4 tablespoons flour
4 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa
1 egg
pinch of baking soda
(optional but it helps)
3 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons oil
3 tablespoons chocolate chips (optional)
a small splash of vanilla extract
1 large coffee mug
Add dry ingredients to mug, and mix well. Add the egg and mix thoroughly. Pour in the milk and oil and mix well. Add the chocolate chips (if using) and vanilla extract, and mix again.
Put your mug in the microwave and cook for 2-3 minutes at 1000 watts. The cake will rise over the top of the mug, but don't be alarmed! When it starts to fall stop the microwave and take it out. Allow to cool a little, and tip out onto a plate if desired.

My eye got better after Friday each day better than the prior and now I have been proclaimed %100 healed. But I still need to take drops until they are gone just to be sure.

My eye wasn't doing great on Saturday, but on Sunday it was well enough that we were able to enjoy a nice walk at the Arnold Arboretum with not so little anymore blee strapped to my back. We walked around for about an hour and enjoyed the painting that the leaves presented us and then were handed some fresh cider on the way out. It was a good day.




Recipe for chili coming next week! Until then enjoy your cake.

Light

Branching Out
Originally uploaded by mlee.etsy.com

ACEO
4x4

After two bleecentric birthday posts in a row I think it is time to get back to the original focus of this blog. The art. Something that has been neglected for months now that I am finally starting to poke back into.

Doing "The Artist's Way" is going very well. The art dates where I go out and do something by myself is by far the hardest, but probably the second most vital part of the program. The most important is the morning pages that I diligently do each morning while drinking a cup of tea. I've been getting up earlier just so I can be sure to get this, and some other art business stuff done. But it all started with doing the morning pages. Three pages about whatever written first thing in the morning. Even when I didn't complete the book in the past I did those and they helped.

This time I start each page with my list of seven things for the day. On my computer I have another list of seven business things to do. I go through and see what I completed and what I didn't from the day before. And each day I do more and more on both lists. I just hope I am not getting ahead of myself and can keep up this pace. I'm being very careful not to go too fast and burn out as I am prone to do. It is important for me to recognize my weaknesses both as an artist, a business woman, a wife, a mother and a person. Not to use those to beat myself up but to grow past them.

After every block I reach some sort of breakthrough. I wonder what it will be this time.

Please enjoy your day. I plan on enjoying mine and will keep listing new work from my last printing on Etsy.

Mixing Things IUp

Poppies in the Night
Originally uploaded by mlee.etsy.com

New stuff is continuing to enter my shop a few pieces a day. Including this piece.

But I have been in an art slump every since finishing up that custom and printing new work. I've even been slow to scan in and upload many of those pieces. I decided to start journaling again and I came to a decision that it is time for me to step away from what I know and do some playing with art. For me that means monotypes of some sort. So today and tomorrow I will be brainstorming and I think collecting some leaves for stencils and on Saturday or Sunday I will lock myself in my studio and have some fun. Dammit!

It hasn't been easy because on top of everything blee isn't her normal easy going self. She's constipated and pretty darn cranky about it. Other than feed her certain fruits and give her plenty of water there isn't much I can do other than wear her a lot and ride this rough patch out. And that is exactly what I did this morning when she couldn't be soothed by any means other than putting her in our gorgeous and snuggly Zidee pod and going for a long walk with a friend. Worked like a charm, and for about an hour or two after getting home as well.

I'm planning on purging a few carriers in the near future but the Zidee isn't going anywhere. As she grows it just gets better and better. Learning how to wrap her on my back has made using the pod a snap. Here, have some cuteness and have a great weekend! Hopefully come Monday I will have some interesting work. It doesn't have to be great it just has to be free and experimental.

Inspire Me Tuesday!

Skatha (welsh goddess of the underworld)
Originally uploaded by mlee.etsy.com

I'm not sure where my inspiration always comes from other than just looking at the world with open eyes. Taking in the shapes and the colors and being constantly and sometimes overwhelmingly inspired by what I see around me.

Lately, and by that I mean the past few days since maybe my last printing session last Thursday, I haven't been feeling it much. And I really need to. I received some beautiful Japanese Chirogami washi papers in the mail and I have barely touched them. I feel distracted and not just because of my teething daughter.

I think it is about time for me to go out for a nature walk and take some inspiration pictures. Since it is really difficult to sit down and sketch outside with a baby strapped to me I take pictures and then use them (hopefully) later.

I need this. I need to open my eyes again and take in some beauty. I will feel better and my art will be better. But in the meantime I do have some pieces from last week and the week prior that I am really proud of. This one in particular because I haven't done a larger print in awhile.

Time to get ready to go out, baby on my back and camera in hand. I hope everybody has a wonderful day.