2013...can't complain

As I think about this past year, on the last day of this year, I have much to be grateful for.

Family that is always there for me.

Good health.

The gospel.

A job with regular paycheck.

A great neighborhood that I live in with good neighbors.

A house that I think is quite great. Comfortable and close to family.

Good friends.

A not so bad winter so far. (Cross my fingers and toes and eyes.)

Many, many blessings in my life.


Thank you, 2013.

Onward, starting tomorrow, to new adventures and lots of blessings ahead.

Happy birthday, Little Plum.

Happy birthday, Mom. Love you.

For Things

Sometimes I forget how very blessed I am. I am grateful for so many things in my life. For breathing. For health. For my beliefs. For employment. For family. For friends.

In the Garden in September

My garden is growing strong! Watch out for the zucchini and squash!...And now it is growing people!

Here is a cute photo of my sister Deb and her twin girls.

Pretty trees.

Reminds me of the green in Vancouver, BC.

This was so fun to draw for work.

One of my favorite projects. Love this style.

A drawing I just finished

Rabbit, rabbit. Canada Day. 1 year in my house.

So did you remember to say "rabbit, rabbit"? Hope so. Good luck to those who did. And to those who didn't. ; )

Canada Day today. Yay for my home country.

And 1 year today that I have been in my house. How fun!

Being Immortalized

...on the pages of my nephew's school diary. Yes, this was me at halloween. The cheshire cat. Great drawing!

And Another Logo

for a friend.

Now onto another freelance job.

Spittin' Licorice final

So here is the final more logo-y looking logo for my friend's family reunion.

(I added the tagline that no Licorice Nibs were harmed...hehe)

Spittin' Licorice

I did this illustration for a friend for her family reunion. But it was too detailed. Oh well. It was fun to draw. Now I need to do a simple clean version of it.

And yes- she asked me to have them spitting licorice. ; )

Love you, sweet Plum!

Every day is Mother's Day in my book because every day I am grateful for my Mom.
Love you, Momma. Thank you for everything.

Life IS good!

It is a good day.

It is sunny out.

Things are looking up in general.

Life IS good!

A Thank You Card

My next door neighbor was so kind to get rid of my mondo monster old tv and a broken basketball standard for me this last saturday. So I made a card for him.

Love This Reminder...

A sweet note

So I was missing my Mom an extra amount last week. Just wanted to hear her voice.

Saturday when I was cleaning out a kitchen drawer, I found a birthday card from her. She had written," Happy birthday! I love you so much!!!"

I have no idea why I would have a birthday card in that drawer. But I am certainly glad I found it.

Thanks for reminding me, Momma. Love you so much!!! too.

A little girl and her dog

Just a quick little sketch. That is one little chunky puppy!

Would I balance on a fence?

I guess if I was a pheasant...I would just sit for hours balanced on top of a fence.

Yes, I saw Phyliss the pheasant just sitting on the fence yesterday. Once in a while I would check on her and sometimes she teetered a little but she was determined to sit on that fence. That yard you can see with the deck has a big black dog in it. I think the dog was away because he is kind of loud and can jump up and if he had been there, I am sure he would have teetered Phyliss onto the ground. At least she was aimed for "teetering" into my yard or the white shed yard. Phew.

Watch out, Phyliss! Don't teeter into the black dog yard!

(You would think that wouldn't be comfortable for Phyliss to balance on that fence. Oh well- I don't know how pheasants think.)

Sunny, Pretty Spring Day! L O V E it!

Yes, my lawn is all brownish looking but it is S P R I N G on a Saturday! What else could you ask for?

It is just a nice pretty day with a pale blue Spring sky. The sun is shining. My favorite season.

I hear a tree being cut down. Birds are chirping. Phyliss the Pheasant continues to reside in my backyard...10 days now. Flowers planted by the previous owners are stretching up and blossoming.

Happy Spring to all!!!

Is Someone Out There?

Not happy when I feel stress and there is nothing I can do about it other than have an upset stomach over it. Because no one will listen...who needs to...to remedy the situation.

And my problem is when I have no control over something, and not that i necessarily should have control, I get a very upset stomach. Ginger tea helps for sure. Camomille tea too. But I guess I just have to hope and pray that someone out there can hear us.

It reminds me of the teeny Who people in Horton Hears a Who. And I am talking the even teenier people than the ones on the clover that Horton so bravely defended. The ones in the dust speck. They try to call out to have someone listen to them.

Situations in life that you have to deal with...you gotta love it...well, maybe wrong choice of words with the "love" part. But somehow you get through it and hope that someone will notice and make the needed changes.

; )

Phyliss the Pheasant

So I have a little friend hanging out in my backyard. She has been here at least since Wednesday. 5 days so far. Maybe my yard is a big nest to her. Not sure. I just looked out the window. She is still here. 

So I named her. Phyliss the Pheasant. It makes me wonder if she is an expectant Mother. I guess I will find out if she continues to hang out in my yard.

Kind of fun to look out and see her there.

I assume she will leave when she feels the need.

He likes Vanilla Frosting

Okay, that statement really made me laugh...or worried!

Two co-workers were talking. One has a new born- well, a little older but under a year old. The other is expecting.

The one with the baby said that her son loves vanilla frosting. The pregnant co-worker said,"Oh, that's good."

Kind of threw me off.  Oh well, to each their own I guess.

And I guess those of you out there who eat sugar all the time, it is no biggie. But I was surprised about the excitement of a baby eating frosting. A milestone I suppose? Of some sort? Not a good sort in my book. But that is me.

Kit 'N Kaboodle to Goshen

So two sweet ladies in my neighborhood are off on a mission to Goshen, N.Y. this week. They asked to be companions. They are both widowed and have raised their families. They are great examples to many people. My sister, Karen, and I thought it would be fun to make a candy poster for them. It was fun to work on together. See you in a year, Janet and Evelyn! You will be amazing!

Love the Sunny Warm Weather!!!

Can I just say what a great day it is today? Amazingly beautiful and warm outside. Had lunch with great friends of mine...past co-workers (I miss working with them)...WP/Novell pals. They came to see my house. So sweet of them. Though apparently my guest bathroom toilet is really small. Hey, it is perfect for my nephews...until they grow up I guess.

And I dropped my iphone in a parking lot while picking up lunch for our get together...and all I had to do was take it into the AT&T store and they replaced the SIM card and it is good to go. So grateful. Phew.

I have much to be grateful for...even when I seem to forget sometimes.

Using the same Swirlies

This weekend I was asked to design a poster for a prom and also an invitation. Made the same flourish (swirly) design and used it for both. hehe.

Happy President's Day!

I wish to acknowledge President Thomas S Monson. The president I always put my faith in.

Kind Neighbors

As I woke this morning to some snow on the ground, two neighbors were out there snowblowing my driveway.

I really do have good and kind neighbors. (Photo looking out one of my bedroom windows.)

Perfect

Just seems like in the last while there has been some unneeded drama in my life. Just hard to compete with.

This weekend was perfect. I was around some of my family. I got some projects done. I saw 3 different friends of mine. And that was just what I needed. I could just be myself.

I find myself in one situation in my life, lately, where I feel like I need to compete and I am so over that. Just too much drama and effort and a waste of my time. And mostly I was tired of feeling left out and of feeling a little bit hurt too.

It was so nice to take a breather where I could just be myself. Absolutely loved it. No 5th wheel feelings for me this weekend. Just good, peaceful, happy feelings.

So thankful for all that I have. So grateful. Grateful that my family knows who I am. Loves me and accepts me. No competition at all.

PERFECT weekend.

Painting Machine

No pics to post yet but I have been a painting machine lately--on the walls of the rooms of my house that is. I really do like to paint. So fun to see the difference.  I am getting so close to finishing. Woo hoo!

Just nice to make some changes. They will continue as I need to get some cosmetic things done in my kitchen, main bathroom, family room, furnace/ac...but at least I am painting. If i had an extra 10k hanging around, all these things would be done by now. But I don't. So I will dream and slowly save.

5th wheel

You've heard the term "3rd wheel" where you feel like the odd person out? My situation is a group of 5 of us where I am the 5th wheel.

What is hardest is that if I talk about it to others I am seen as oversensitive.

Sounds like a good time to start working on projects and staying away from that group for a while. Amen to that!

I miss my mom where I could talk to her about this stuff.

Could it just be in the 30 degree area?

Truly, I would be SO grateful if our weather would just get in the high 30s. So tired of hearing about broken pipes, the inversion, and bad air.

A high of 10 degrees some days?

Oh, I know that other parts of the country get MUCH colder in the winter. I know that. So I shouldn't complain...but I just want our normal winters back.

Holding my breath for warmer weather and the dorky inversion to go away.

I REALLY miss my kitchen sink

Because of the cold, my kitchen drain is not working properly so I can't really use my sink. So I can't eat how i am used to because it is really hard to clean my dishes right now and small kitchen appliances.

SIGH.

I hope two things- that the plumber coming to fix it- can fix it and that it isn't too expensive.

PLEASE!

Wow- 2013 is here...Resoluting it...

I am hoping I accomplish much this year.
--to be a little kinder/nicer.
--to not be so sensitive about situations that I can't control.
--to work harder at being healthier...food/exercise.
--to focus more on others. Hey- it's not all about me and I forget that sometimes. ; )
--to everyday be grateful for something in my life.
--to strive to learn from all situations.
--to be thankful for a job.
--to come up with freelance work/business idea with my sisters.
--to always realize there is a reason to be happy and thankful.

Happy 2013!