Taking Chances

"Happy Chances"
6" x 7" acrylic and collage on canvas
available at my Etsy Shop here

Transitions involve taking chances...and you never quite know how things will turn out or how you'll react. I'm finding though...that even though they're hard...the emotional growth you gain is always good. You just gotta hang in there to find out what that is.

Moving to a new home and neighborhood was not easy and the stress pretty much kicked me in the behind. However, it's pushing me to new beginnings and I'm grateful for that.

I'm also grateful to have a crazy dog that makes me laugh each and every day no matter what the heck is going on in my world!

The Goofball

Dog Days of Summer

Lucy and Maisie

Maise on her new dog bed...NOT!

First of all, I want to thank all of you wonderful friends out there for your comments and emails supporting me through this move. You have made such a difference and I feel very lucky to know you. You've lifted me up!

Cute photos above, eh? That's Lucy...Maisie's best girlfriend, snuggled up together after a long romp in the yard last Saturday night. As you can see in the other photo, Maisie thinks the new bed we ordered for the guest room is HER new dog bed. What a princess!

Things are moving along with the studio but I'm not fully up and running yet...I'm having some computer issues too. James had to order me a wireless router yesterday because we can't get my computer working in the new studio without it. I have also misplace my invaluable Wacom pen and I feel like a fish out of water without it. My scanner has decided to putter out too.

Sooo...I'm sort of out here without a technical paddle at the moment. A little time and a little patience will solve that matter though and then I will be back at the drawing board.

Back soon with a progress report. Have a happy Tuesday!

One Day at a Time!

"Where is my professional organizer?!"

Hi everybody. I'm finally rising from the depths of moving hell! Seems like I've been away for a long time and I've missed you all!

The move went well...but was harder on me than I anticipated. I think you could call it "buyers remorse" syndrome...or even relate it to sort of a "postpartum" depression. James and I have had quite a lot of change and loss in our lives the past couple of years...and this was yet another big event. It kind of knocked me over.

As Artists...I think many of us are extremely aware of our surroundings and very sensitive to changes in them. I have definitely experienced that with this new home...new sounds, the bigger yard, the new work space, finding new routes to walk Maisie girl, etc. Giving up our old comfortable smaller house, moving away from our wonderful friends and neighbors and leaving everything else that was familiar hit me in a way I didn't expect.

Anyway...one day at a time (or should I say one box at a time)...we are settling in and getting things organized. James helped me with the studio yesterday but as you can see from the picture...we have a ways to go. Not quite ready to dive back into work yet...but I think I'm getting there.

I plan to catch up on all your blogs this week. Even though I've been out of touch...I've been thinking of each and every one of you and hope that all is going well.

I'll be back soon after the dust settles. Have a great week! xox

Puppy Love

Emma
10 x 12 acrylic on canvas

Here's sweet Emma...my latest commission. This is her when she was a puppy...all cuddly and cute and fuzzy. My friend Kathleen always says that "puppy smell" is her favorite scent in the world. If they could bottle it...she would buy it!

So the big move is this Thursday. I will be signing off the blog probably until next Monday when everything is up and operating in the new studio.

Funny thing before I go...Maisie keeps introducing us to our new neighbors by chasing bunnies into their yards. Hmmm...not so sure that's the best way to go about it but at least she makes us all laugh and get to know each other. The fence builders won't be able to start building until August 30th...so Maisie will not be able to roam on her terms until then. That's like saddling a wild pony. Help me, people!

Until next week...take good care everyone! xox

Movin' and Mutts

Lots of pictures today and lots going on! As you know, James and I closed on our new house last Friday...so it was a busy weekend getting things ready for the movers, ordering new carpet and unloading the POD. We took Maisie there for the first time on Friday evening and she had a ball...sniffing every corner, meandering around her new territory and looking for any bunny she could find. She introduced us quickly to some of the neighbors by chasing a bunny into their backyard. Let's just say we are building a fence next week to keep this little pony in her corral!

James, Maisie and I on our first day as new owners!

Maisie and I in the doorway of my new studio

James in the wicked POD

Now in OTHER news...we have a new kid in town. Bungie became a proud part of the Saltz family (our wonderful neighbors across the street) a couple of weeks ago. He and Maisie made fast friends. Bungie was adopted from the Boulder Human Society and is mostly American Bulldog we think...a beautiful brindle color just like Maisie. We are so sad that Maisie will have to move away from her friends, Bungie and Yoshi...but we are planning to stay very close with play dates. In fact, we're calling our new back yard, "Maisie's Dog Park". Lots of fun to come there!

Bungie and Maisie

Bungie with his human brother and sister, Ben and Julia Saltz

Hope you're all doing well out there. Thanks for all your well wishes about the move...I couldn't do it without you! xox

Waxing poetic

I had the great pleasure of taking an Encaustics class at the Art Students League in Denver on Wednesday. I have always wanted to learn the medium, so my friend, Melissa and I headed there together to spend the day with hot wax. We were joined by another wonderful Artist and Printmaker, Alicia McKim...who also teaches at the League. We had a wonderful day together...just what I needed to get my mind off the upcoming move!

My two encaustic pieces (nice try?)

Me, Melissa and Alicia

James and I become the new owners of the house today! We'll be unloading the POD there this weekend although the big move is on the 21st. I'll take some new pics this weekend to show you. Excitement is in the air!

Have a great weekend everyone! xox

Sidetracked!

"Not So Red #1"
6" x 7" acrylic and collage on canvas
available in my Etsy shop here

So...I got a little sidetracked from my Red Series...and this happened (above painting). I guess it mimicks my being a little ADD with the move coming and everything. Can't seem to keep my mind on any one thing (or series) for more than 10 minutes. Anyway...thanks to some ideas from my wonderful neighbor, Jackie (Yoshi's mom)...I decided to call this the "Not So Red" series. Seems fitting.

James and I had a busy weekend packing up the kitchen and doing other things to get ready for the big move. This Friday is the closing...so after that...the house will be ours! I can't wait to take Maisie there for the very first time. She wants a chance to sniff around and make sure that things are to HER liking before we move in. Maisie Rose O'Neill is a very particular girl!

SOLD!

"New Happy House"

6" x 7" acrylic and collage on canvas
available in my Etsy Store here

So guess what?...we sold our house! We had it on the market only three days last week before we had an offer. The real estate gods are with us...no worrying about carrying two mortgages now.
Time to start packing boxes!

My studio here has been moved back down to the basement until we leave so I have been feeling a little displaced. My creative space has really taken a back seat the past few months. I'm just goin' with the flow though because I know that soon...I will have a great space with everything in one place. No more running up and down the stairs (although good for the butt muscles) when I need something.

I just finished the above painting yesterday...and am working today to try and finish a dog commission. I can't wait to get settled into my new studio where I can have a solid block of time to do some work again!

In the meantime...my mantra is "bless this mess!". I know this time of transition will bring good things.

Have a great Tuesday everyone. xox

Two Peas in a POD

Go ahead...you can say it, Linda is a blog slacker! I've been trying to keep caught up with things...but I forgot how time consuming it is to move! I've been swept up in a vortex of change and movement this past year, so landing on my feet in our new home will surely feel good.

This past week, our main goal was to unload our basement and some large furniture pieces into the wicked POD (as we call it now!). There was a lot of lifting, carrying, loading and cleaning (oh and a little cussing too)...during the hottest few days we've had here in Boulder! We did it though and made our deadline...the house went on the market yesterday. The POD is now back in POD-land and will re-appear when we move. What a great invention. Bless the POD.

I'm trying to focus on some painting the next few days so I hope to have something to show you very soon. In the meantime...enjoy the work of Timothy Chapman, an Artist from this area I truly admire. His animal paintings are amazing...check more of them out at Visions West Gallery of Denver.

"Equus Elegans"
36" x 48" acrylic on canvas
By Timothy Chapman