Happy new year 2011!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Happy new year to everyone!

I am excited to start the new year and ready to take on new challenges.

Above is a vision board that I made to help keep me focused on the things I want to accomplish and do in the coming year (I got this idea from Julie Balzer's blog; she is doing an art journal page a day - I won't be doing that but I will do them occasionally) I want to paint a lot more, have paintings in exhibitions and sell some, improve my drawing skills, do a Botanical Illustration course (in book form), take at least one watercolor workshop from a national teacher,sew some clothes and some pillows for my couch(which is somewhat similar in style to the one in the above photo, create some cool projects and layouts, knit, finish a couple of wall quilts, cook, bake (perfect my French bread), exercise, and read.

My word for 2011 is ABUNDANCE 

appreciating what I have, feeling grateful for my blessings, and

making do or doing without (money will be even tighter this year with no increase in income plus increases in the cost of my health insurance, food, and gas)

I have lots of paper, paints, pencils, fabric, yarn, and other items - 

and I will use up what I have before making any purchases.

I hope to take a vacation this summer to Seattle, Portland, and Vancouver so I am really

focused on saving every extra penny for that.

I worked this afternoon on sketching - beginning the first lesson in the botanical illustration course so that's a good start. I also finished a new painting this past week that I will have in an exhibit at the Vero Beach Art Museum the middle of January. (I will post it closer to exhibition time)

Then I played with my paints and came up with this - I have been looking at some old photos and magazines from when we were in the Bahamas, and I was reminded of the beautiful turtles there.

Just a fun little painting.

Thanks for reading and hope you have a great day, and a great new year!!!!

ttfn

Chris