I'm still here

I've been reading my blog and I realized (1) that I had not done much in the way of art for quite some time and (2) I had not posted to this blog for too long.  So, to fix problem #2, here is a new post.  I'm still working on problem #1.

I really don't know why I have not done much "art" lately.  I do know that my artisitc endeavors go in "spurts" and I don't really like that.  Usually I work on crafts or drawing to jump-start my desire to become more involved artistically.  However, I have recently gotten interested in two venues that seem to keep me at the computer instead of at the drawing table.  I love blogging!  I now have four different blogs and I like to work on them often.  I have discovered that once you become a blogger, you automatically become a blog reader!  I can lose hours each day reading other people's blogs about things that interest me.

The other venue I have gotten myself into is Squidoo.  I am trying to learn how to use this format to make money online.  I know, I know.  Everyone and his dog are trying internet marketing.  Well, I don't want to make a gazillion dollars and live in mansions all over the globe.  I just want to know how to do it and maybe make extra money to spend on my family.

So, in a blatant attempt at self promotion, I am inviting you to visit my blogs and leave me any comment you like.  I have one blog called The Mental Health Minute where I post useful articles and information I find about mental health issues.  Since I am a psychiatric nurse and have been for 20 years, you might say that this is a topic near and dear to my heart, and you would be right.  Feel free to visit the blog and learn more about this area.  We all are touched by mental illness in some way, whether because of stress, loss, or just family dynamics.

My next blog is called Nursing Notes and is about issues facing nursing today.  Here I talk about the changes I have seen in my 20 years as a psych nurse; I post articles I find about nursing in the news.  I try to give honest information about the profession of nursing and what that entails.  Please, visit my blog and leave me some feedback.  With the current nursing shortage, we all know someone who is thinking about going to nursing school.  Send them to my blog for current information all in one place.  I sometimes come across as jaded and biased, and I have to admit I am at times, but nursing is a great profession and one I love.  I do think we need some changes, but overall nursing is what I want to do.

In addition to this blog you are currently reading, I also have another Blogger blog about my life with my dog, Satchmo.  He is the love of my life and has been my constant companion for the last ten years.  He has driven across the country when I was doing my travel nursing.  We drove back and forth to California from Oklahoma not once, but twice.  He is a rat terrier and he is absolutely the "poster child" for that breed.  He is stubborn, energetic, loving, funny, and an escape artist.  Read all about his exploits and learn about the breed at Life with Satchmo.

Now, to talk about my Squidoo lenses, I have one about..ta...dah...........Rat Terriers!!  You can visit by clicking here Rat Terriers.  As you can probably see, I love this breed of dog.  I never knew there was such a wonderful type of dog until I had one.  I only got mine on a fluke.  A nurse I worked with had a litter and was desperate to get rid of the last puppies and I said, "Okay, I'll take one."  I told her I wanted a girl and I wanted one that was mostly brown.  I got a boy who is white with black and tan spots.  Go figure!

I've run off at the mouth long enough.  I will try to tell you about the other lenses next time.  Until then, stay safe and stay healthy!

My attempt to paint ala "Lo" at Spewing4thArt

Well, I think I have finally figured out this blog system, so now maybe I can actually get something posted.

Here is my attempt to paint "in the style of" Lori at Spewing4thArt. As I said in my previous post, I love her style. She uses bright colors and whimsical compositions. I just had to try to see if I could come up with something similar. I hope that isn't wrong. I always thought that you learned painting by repainting something by a "master".

I started with a pencil drawing that had a bit of the same feeling I get when I look at Lori's paintings. Then I slowly begin to add color. My next post will show the completed picture. Hopefully by then I will figure out how to add pictures in the order and in the places I want.

See you soon.

Well Hello!

I have finally decided to jump on the blogging bandwagon and start writing about my life and my art. I am not sure if any other person will be at all interested (except for my lovely daughters) but I think I will have fun writing stuff here and I can always hope that someone will find me mildly entertaining or even wildly eccentric.

I have been reading blogs now for about 3 months and I am hooked. There are quite a few that I look at daily. I knew I was in trouble when I started having dreams about reading blogs and when I had withdrawal symptoms if denied access to these blogs. No one told me how addictive this new hobby would become. I think there should be some official WARNING label attached to every blog telling the unwary that they are about to get sucked in and turned into BLOG ZOMBIES! I swear, I spend hours each day just reading posts from my favorite bloggers. Most of those I read have to do with art and art dolls--both realistic and primitive types, and I hope to be able to review some of them with you in the future. I'm not sure if I need to get the blogger's permission first, or if it would be okay to just talk about their blog and include links to it. This blogging stuff does not really come with any directions or instruction books, so I'll be feeling my way as I go. If I inadvertently cross any invisible boundaries, please feel free to tell me so I can avoid that pitfall in the future.

For this posting, I think I would like to talk about the blog that got me started. First and foremost, I must give kudos to my DD who writes the most irreverent and obscene blog I have ever read on her myspace page and now who has her own blog out here in the blogiverse, http://hookerwithaheartofguile.blogspot.com/. She definitely has a knack with words and is not squeamish about speaking her mind. So, after reading her postings for a while, I tremblingly attempted to blog on my myspace page, but chickened out and just posted videos and stuff from You-Tube.

The second, non-family, blog that I began to read was http://rasehallstudios.wordpress.com/. This is done by a lovely lady named Lori, but she goes by Lo for short. I was drawn to her work because it is whimsical, very colorful and makes me feel happy. I went back and read all of her old blogs and I have to say that this woman can paint! She also loves to cook and shares some of her recipes on the blog. She lives in Sacramento, CA and is married to an artist. She has a video on YouTube where you can watch her paint one of her "girls". You can view that here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-fcEmTpFw4. She also takes the most beautiful photographs.

For a while, she posted quite often. Now, however, she posts infrequently, but I am sure that life has interjected itself and she is as pressed for time as we all are. She has also become enamored of yarn and knitting and makes really beautiful hand-dyed yarns. I do enjoy the yarn posts, but wish she would get back to painting and art. She has a wicked sense of humor and is delightful to follow, no matter what her content is, so I recommend that you go on over to her blog and make yourself acquainted.

I even used her artwork as a jumping-off board to get my own art started again. I dabble here and there, but not as often or as much as I would like. I decided that the best flattery I could give to Lori would be to try to paint "in her style". I have been working, on and off, on a painting for several months--mostly because I am my own worst critic and get stymied easily. Tomorrow, I will try to include photos of my work in progress. The only good thing I can say for myself is that I did take pictures as I worked, so can show the progression pretty well. I hope to finish this particular picture this week, so I will post the entire event. I bet you are just dying to see, aren't you? Patience is a virtue, unless you allow waiting to become a way of avoidance. (I may be speaking from experience, but I'll never tell)

Anyway, I will try to figure out how to get pictures put up on here next. So stay tuned.....