UPDATE: The winner is…Elaine Howell!
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This summer isn’t working out the way I’d hoped. I wanted to have a lazy-ish summer where I could enjoy the pool with the kids, paint some things, and dream about the stories I want to write. It hasn’t worked out that way.

I didn’t even make it through the second day of the art fodder challenge I was hoping to complete this month. Okay, so part of it wasn’t because of lack of time, it was due to lack of interest. The daily projects dropped, and I didn’t want to do them. Some of them were soooo time-consuming. I didn’t have an ENTIRE day to devote to making something I’ll glue on something else. I like quick projects, or at least projects where I can paint part of them and come back the next day to continue another part. The challenge wasn’t what I needed. I had a book to finish, which I did. Plus, I’ve had multiple editing projects, one after the other, some at the same time, to muddle through. So, there went my free time.

What I really want to do is start inventorying the art I have to see what else I need to produce for the Art Festival in October and the Christmas craft fair in December. Maybe I can tackle that a little at a time.

As well, I have some new products I want to try out. I’ve been collecting supplies for encaustic (wax) painting. I have an iron, a heating plate, a variety and many colors of wax, special brushes, scrapers, etc. Now, I just need to carve out an ENTIRE DAY to set up my space and experiment. I hope I love it. I hope I can get good at it. I love moving around mediums (watercolor, acrylic, collage, so far) when I get bored.

My daughter is getting a headstart. Here are a few of the things she’s completed so far. They’re so fun!

She hand-dyed the wooden beads and painted the sign for this pretty garland.

She’s been playing with polymer clay to make jewelry.

 

Aren’t they cute? So, today, I’m hoping to complete one more set of edits. I finished another last night. Tomorrow, I carved out the day for Oppenheimer with my daughter and SIL. I’m looking forward to some “adulting,” movie popcorn, and some Cillian Murphy.

Next Tuesday, we’ll do Barbie with the girls. Yes, we’re doing the “Barbenheimer” challenge—just not all in one day. I need the T-shirt! 🙂

So, for a chance to win a FREE download of one of my books, tell me what you wish you had more time for—something you really, really want to do. Or tell me whether you’re planning to see the movies!