Daring Hue

Sunday Seven: Best/Worst List of 2012

Looking back over my personal events of 2012, these were the ones that shaped the year for me. It would have been a better year had I not broken my ankle, but there were some silver linings to even that part. I’m looking forward to using the last day of the year to set some 2013 goals, and drink ginger ale at midnight (tradition for my family). Wishing you a happy last day of 2012!

01. Moving to NE Portland. (January) We were barely even looking for a new apartment when Bill found this little gem in NE Portland. It’s charming, quiet and located close to a neighborhood with cute shops and yummy restaurants. Making the move back to Portland after a year of living in Beaverton was the perfect start to 2012. The best thing about this apartment is that we chose it together, and it feels like home.

02. Weekend Trip to NYC. (January) I was lucky to have had to fly to New York for work at the end of January, and was able to tack on a weekend after my work was finished. I fell in love with the city, and remembered my love of solo travel and exploring new cities. The energy there was infectious. I can’t wait to return for a longer visit.

03. Saturday Painting Class. (April) Starting to paint again was challenging, but after a few weeks into the class it made me so happy. This was a fun and relaxing all day Saturday class. I learned that I love painting with very tiny brushes, and I love painting pattern and texture. One of my classmates remarked that my paintings looked like fabric, which I thought was one of the best compliments I could receive. I’m looking forward to getting back into painting like this in 2013.

04. Week with Bill in Maui. (May) I was very fortunate to have been recognized with an award at my day job, which allowed Bill and I to travel to Maui. We spent a week (including our three year anniversary on 5/25!) in Kaanapali, and it was the most fun/romantic week I’ve ever had. We snorkeled, hiked, sat in the sun, ate at markets, saw mongoose, ate shave ice, took lots of photos, and really, truly rested.

05. Breaking my Ankle. (June) I took one wrong step on the first day of summer, and it instantly changed what I thought 2012 was going to be like. There were lots of lows: two surgeries, agonizing weeks of immobility, months of physical therapy, continued swelling and pain. To my surprise, there were also lots of blessings: meeting my broken ankle buddy, Gayle, learning to slow down (for a while), learning to walk again, seeing how much Bill loves me through his care, realizing how strong my body can be. I’m lucky to be standing on the other side of it now, and am looking forward to the journey of regaining more strength in 2013.

06. Starting this Blog. (August) I’ve had so much fun writing and sharing my art through this blog. I’ve met loads of artists who inspire me daily through their own blogs, and Instagram posts. I started a daily pattern challenge in November 2012 (thanks to Anika). I’m looking forward to continuing to share my artwork here in 2013. Thank you to everyone who has visited, commented and offered support!

07. Losing Charlotte. (November) It’s a bummer to end on a low note, but I composed this post chronologically. After twelve years together, I had to put my kitty Charlotte down in November due to some liver problems and a very large cyst. She was a brave, sweet girl.

Goodbye 2012, Hello 2013!

33 Things I Want To Do in Year 33: December Update

I’m nearly three months into my 33rd year, and I’m revisiting my list of 33 Things I Want To Do in Year 33. After reviewing, I see that I need to be more aggressive in planning what items I want to work on every month. I’ve added notes below on my progress, and the items I’ll be working on this month. I’m going to review the list each month until October.

I’ve started a Go Mighty account to track my progress. Let me know in the comments if you are using Go Mighty for goal setting. I’m also looking for a good (healthy) slow cooker recipe, so I’d love a link to your favorite in the comments or by e-mail!

In process…
02. Walk a 5K – I signed up for the Shamrock Stride 5K in Portland on March 17. Treadmill training needed to get my ankle strengthened for this. I’d like to be at 1.75 miles on the treadmill by the end of January.
05. Take an Indian or Japanese cooking class – I signed up for a one night class on March 4. East Indian Cooking: Curry, Herbs and Spices. EXCITED!!
06. Take a printmaking class – I signed up for a Saturday class at PCC that starts on January 12, through the end of March. I can’t wait to learn some new skills. I’ve been wanting to take this class for several years.
18. Finish two art journals – I’m about a quarter of the way through a Moleskine watercolor sketchbook thanks to daily patterns. My regular Moleskine sketchbook has not been getting much use, and needs to come out more in January.

Next steps to be completed in January
07. Back up all of my digital photos – My photos are a mess. Two computers, two hard drives. I’m going to start consolidating everything on one hard drive, and work from there.
10. Unpack all boxes from our move in January – I’m going to buy another bookcase so that I can unpack the rest of my books.
11. Learn how to use Wacom tablet – First steps… simple shape patterns. I was frustrated the last time I tried this, and need to practice connecting what I’m seeing on the screen to what my hand is doing.
13. Make french onion soup – I will do this by January 19. Scheduled in calendar.
17. Start classes at PSU – I will fill out the application by January 1. Scheduled in calendar.
19. Go to zoo before my membership expires – I need to replace this goal. Membership expired in November.
21. Save $X – Save $X in January by not buying new things (excepting food, household supplies, and bookcase).
31. Cook 20 new recipes – I will cook 2 new recipes in January.

Pending
01. Walk over seven Portland bridges
03. Take a mud bath in New Zealand
04. Try indoor rock climbing
08. Submit artwork to Art-o-mat
09. Make a quilt
12. Go camping with my sister
14. [Private goal]
15. Go to Astoria or Bend for a long weekend with boyfriend
16. Join or create a sketchbook or artists meetup group
20. Sell a piece of artwork
22. Take a soapmaking class
23. Make a collaborative sketchbook with another artist
24. Try yoga
25. [Private goal]
26. Make a new girl friend in Portland
27. Open an Etsy shop
28. Go on a short trip somewhere in the U.S. by myself (or to visit a friend)
29. Build a portfolio website
30. Buy a bike and ride somewhere with my sister
32. See Crater Lake
33. Go to OMSI After Dark

Merry Day After Christmas

I’m back from a week spent in Columbus, OH with my boyfriend’s family. We were lucky and had snow only one day (sideways snow!). It was enough to cover the ground and make everything sparkly white and Christmas-ey, but not enough to cause any trouble getting around. While we were there we saw an Annie Leibovitz exhibit, ate delicious Thurman burgers and took photos of murals in the Short North.

Our return home was not as pleasant with a long mechanical delay, a nearly missed connecting flight, and luggage that is still in transit. I’m sitting at home patiently waiting for my suitcase to arrive so that I can finish uploading the rest of my photos to Instagram. I thought as I packed my camera that I should be putting it in my carry-on bag, and I should have listened to my intuition!

I love the Christmas season, but I’ve always loved the week after even more. New Year’s Day is my favorite holiday. I love the clean slate of a new year. Anything seems possible. The week between Christmas and New Year’s Day is my favorite time for reflection, goal-setting and dreaming up new projects for the next year. I’m looking forward to getting back to a regular blogging schedule in January. Over the next week I’ll be posting an update to my 33 Things in Year 33 post, sharing my plans for keeping up with a Project Life album and wrapping up the December Pattern a Day Challenge.

Wishing for all of you a creative week leading up to new year!

On Consistency: Daily Pattern Challenge, December Days 5-8

I’ve read my fair share of books on the creative process. Most of these books recommend a daily creative practice. Despite identifying as a creative person/artist for over ten years, I’ve never been able to make the commitment to a daily creative action. I always had an excuse. I have no time. I’m no good. What’s the point? I’ll start it tomorrow. Sound familiar?

I was skeptical when I started the November Pattern a Day Challenge. I didn’t think I would keep up with it, but I decided to try anyway. After five days in, I was getting excited. After twelve days in, I was still going strong. And then I hit a bump mid-month. My beloved kitty got very sick, and I had worked a couple of long days. It was just easier not to make a pattern that day. And the next I decided to give myself another break. And it just snowballed from there. Every day I thought I would get back on track, and every day I found another excuse. The biggest excuse was that I had already broken the chain, so why not just wait until December? It only took one day to derail me. What I should have done is hopped right back into it the next day.

With the December challenge I knew what my challenges would be for the month (travel, holiday craziness, work stress), and I built my parameters around them. Half patterns in a smaller notebook. Backgrounds that I could paint ahead of time. Markers that I could take with me anywhere.

Ten days into December, and I’m still making a pattern every day. I think I have figured out the secret to a daily practice. The magic isn’t so much in creating an unbroken chain of days. The magic is in the accumulation of the work of many days. Twenty-eight days out of thirty-one is better than none. Flipping through the pages of my sketchbook is one of my biggest motivations. Pages and pages filled with color make me want to make more pages. I think I’m finally building the habit.

Daily Pattern Challenge: December Days 1-4

Oh, hello! It’s been awhile. I have started a new December daily pattern challenge. I’m working in a Moleskine Pocket Watercolor Book. On the odd days, I am putting down two rectangles of watercolor paint, and then I am drawing over one a day with (my very favorite!!) Faber-Castell Pitt Artist Pens. I decided to work a little smaller this month because the index cards I was working on in November were taking me 1-2 hours to complete after I got home from work at night. I know I’ll be busy this month with Christmas preparations, celebrations, and an upcoming trip to Columbus, OH, so I wanted this daily project to be something easy to keep up with. I may pre-paint some of the pages before I travel so that I only have to draw the pattern on top every day.

I’m sharing my patterns daily on Instagram, along with a lot of other creative and talented artists. Use #letsmakepatterns or #patternadaydec to join in. You can find more details at Anika’s blog. Also, check out her pattern images from October for some major color inspiration!

List it Tuesday: Been There, Done That

The List it Tuesday topic at Artsyville this week is Been There, Done That. I love this topic, and had fun thinking back over the fun things I’ve done over the years. Most of the big ones related to travel, which reinforced for me where my heart is at. Click the image to see the bigger version and you will get to see a cat hair on the right side of the image. It seems there is always one somewhere, even when I clean the glass!

01. Fell in love three times, and found a keeper (Bill).
02. Saw an opera at Sydney Opera House and climbed the Sydney Harbour Bridge (one of my favorite experiences ever!).
03. Met my BFF through blogs in 2000, and have kept in touch with her all these years. She lives in New Zealand, and we have had three visits, going on four. It’s my turn to visit New Zealand again next!
04. Was the senior editor of my high school yearbook. Seeing the book at the end of the year was like magic!
05. Made a home in my dream city of Portland, OR.
06. Raised a pack of wild kittens and found them new homes.
07. Spent Christmas with my family in Hawaii in 2007 and loved every minute.
08. Spent a week with Bill in Hawaii in May 2012 and love every minute.
09. Won third place in a spelling bee in third grade and received a plaque with my name misspelled (Trisha).
10. Went on a epic road trip with my sister for her high school graduation gift from my dad. Up the California coast, to Seattle, Montana, Mount Rushmore, Nebraska, Colorado, Las Vegas.

Charlotte (2000-2012)

There are a lot of things that I could write about my twelve years with Charlotte, but even a week after losing her I’m finding it hard to put down the words. She was such a sweet little lady, and came into my life at the perfect moment. I was lucky to have her as a companion for all those years.

For the past few months I did most of my artwork from bed with her by my side. I must have talked to her more than I realized (crazy cat lady alert!) because it now seems incredibly quiet without her. I haven’t made a single pattern or sketch since she’s been gone. It will be lonely without my furry little muse, but I know it’s time to start drawing and painting again.

7 Gift Giving Alternatives to Black Friday Shopping

I’ll just say it. Black Friday gives me the creeps. I can’t think of anything more in contrast with the season than shopping on Thanksgiving night for a deal on electronics. I plan to stay as far away from that madness as possible. Here are my tips on how to stress less, and make holiday gift giving more enjoyable.

01. Support small online businesses. Support an artist! They will be so much more thankful for your purchase than Wal-Mart, Target or Best Buy ever will be. I’ve seen a lot of Etsy shops listing Black Friday discounts, so you can still buy handmade and get a great deal. Here are some of my favorite online shops.

Artsyville. Aimee sells happy colorful prints and other goodies at her Etsy shop. May I suggest this artist manifesto print for your artist friends? I love this, and think one might find its way into my home soon.
boygirlparty. Susie makes the most adorable illustrated gifts.
Sellwood Soap. I am a huge fan of this natural soap made in Portland. My favorite is the citrus bar soap.
Nan Lawson Illustration. I haven’t ordered anything from her yet, but I’ve got my eye on several prints. She has a cute quirky style. See more of her work on her website.
Son of a Sailor. Bold, colorful jewelry. I love their leather bracelets.

02. Give experience gifts. Instead of buying a present, why not do something that can be a shared experience? One of my favorite holidays was spending a weekend in Las Vegas with my dad. No gifts were exchanged, and we all had good memories to take away instead of something that will be shoved in a closet two months later. Some other ideas I’ve had for friends are taking a class together, spending a day as a tourist in your hometown, or doing fun activities together like visiting art galleries, going to a concert or cooking new recipes.

03. Go shopping together. My favorite new tradition is going to the Crafty Wonderland Super Colossal Holiday Sale with my sister. We spend an afternoon wandering around all of the booths, and then each pick out something that we would like the other to buy for us. Easy! No returns! AND we get to spend an afternoon together and support local artists. Win, win, win.

04. Make something. If you have more time than money, and are crafty, this might be the perfect solution. I made soap as gifts about five years ago. Locally, Sellwood Soap has a couple of soapmaking classes in SE Portland this weekend. I’ve also had fun making paint swirled glass ornaments as gifts. These can look really nice with the right colors.

05. Send a card with something written in it. Though I appreciate receiving any card, the ones that mean the most are the ones that have a personal message inside. If you are taking the time to send cards, why not jot down a few sentences about what you’re up to? Making a family newsletter to include with the card is another fun option.

06. Shop local. Love having a variety of local shops in your hometown? Put your money back into your community to ensure they stay there. Here are some of my favorite Portland shops.

Appetite. Screen-printed bags, accessories and housewares. I love their stuff. I haven’t been to their store yet, but have bought pillows at the market.
Canoe. Always something new and interesting. Products for modern home, work, and life.
The Real Mother Goose. I love the jewelry and ceramics here. Everything is made by American artists. This is a great place to find a unique gift.
Moonstruck Chocolate Company. They make the most adorable yummy chocolates. This is a perfect gift for someone who is hard to shop for.
Crafty Wonderland. One of my favorite shops downtown, filled with craft and art from artists in the Portland area. I can always find a very “Portland” gift here. The Super Colossal Holiday Sale is December 8-9 at the Convention Center. I go to this every year.

07. No gifts. Or fewer gifts. I have my gift list for Christmas whittled down to the three people closest to me. If I happen to see something that someone else would like, I might buy it, but I certainly don’t feel obligated to do so. Talk to your friends and family about this. I guarantee that a large percentage of people would be happy to just be off the hook for gift buying!

Share your tips or favorite online shops in the comments!

Thanksgiving Shopping List!

It’s too early for me to think about Christmas, so I’m sharing my Thanksgiving shopping list for this week’s List it Tuesday at Artsyville.

I’m responsible for the cranberry sauce, sweet potatoes and stuffing this year. Lucky me, these can be prepped on Wednesday, and be ready to eat or cook on Thursday. I’m mixing it up with some new and old recipes. I’m spending Thanksgiving with my sister and boyfriend in Portland, and I’m looking forward to a no-stress, relaxing day.

What’s on your menu? I’d love for you to share a link to a favorite recipe in the comments.

Let’s Make Patterns Challenge: Days 11-13

It’s been a busy workweek, so I’m catching up on posting images from the November pattern challenge. I’ve been losing a little steam the last few days, and will be looking through some pattern sourcebooks I have to give me a little inspiration. Looking forward to a full week off from the day job this week so I can spend some more time in my sketchbook.