I hadn’t taken my morning walk in a few days and had a lot on my mind. One of them, what to do next for art. I wanted something quick and simple.
I have smoke stamps software and use them for many things other than just smoke. I see many different shapes in the stamps and this is what I came up with today.
Do you see what I see?
Plumes of smoke doth not fill the air
They lay, foretelling the vision
Of the mind’s eye
The subject and the artist
Subject and Artist
It’s been a while since I’ve done any digital art and felt like I was all over the place when I started and finished this. I’m trying to get back in the swing of all things I like to do and have to start somewhere. Really want to do some type of woodworking but the cold has set in and the bulk of my work area in in the garage which has no heat but I might be able to get around some of that.
In the meantime, this is a start.
Valentines Day is next month and will be here before you know it. If you haven’t noticed the link to my CafePress store is gone from my sidebar and that is because I have closed it.
I’m focusing my efforts now into my Etsy Shop which is now open. I currently have three items and working on another as of this moment but stopped so I could get this message out. I will do my best to keep you updated when new items are added. I will add a link to my Etsy Shop on the sidebar soon.
As mentioned earlier, Valentines Day is approaching and many of you are familiar with The Bottomless Heart I designed a couple of years ago. That is the first card in my shop for Valentines Day but can be given for other occasions as well such as anniversary, birthday or just because.
I made some changes from the original design which are more simplistic. It still features the story line behind the design of the heart which is your expression of love and time shared together, with the one you love.
Here is a photo of the card’s front. Please visit my Etsy Shop to see the rest.
Sometimes I think I have to justify being critical about what I do or want to do to achieve the goals I have set. It has not been easy for me to push forward to reach for that gold ring as the wheel goes around.
I think of the setbacks and how hard it has been for me to regroup, breath, forgive AND forget. It is so hard to keep a frame of mind to NOT let things keep me from accomplishing what I know I am capable of doing. It is so easy to listen to that voice telling me to give up, quit, it’s not worth it, OR that it can’t be done. Telling me that no one really cares or wants what I have to offer.
Sometimes I start feeling and believing that. I do want to stop and I do hear myself say those words, breathing sighs of discouragement.
Yes it is easy to drop it all after losing so much in preparing for this moment in my life…when just a few short years ago I was tool ready and now starting from scratch.
I could let these emotions fester like a sore and destroy me, but then I’m asked if I still make Shadowbox Clocks and I say yes and now find myself custom designing an 8 x 8.
I do have a lot of things going on and I do intend to keep moving on and NOT giving up.
Yes I am hard on myself at times but it’s a good thing. As much as I would like to post on a regular basis, I’s getting busy for me and it may get quiet here, but…
Here they are….the most recent Shadowbox Clocks I finished. The first is the gift clock I mentioned before.
What you see in the bottom left corner is something I can’t go into, but it was requested.
I’m happy to report that I am back to working on past and future projects, and getting myself on a schedule that will work for me….not easy. Most of the graphic designing is done late evenings into the wee hours of the mornings, so my daytime is mostly frame work…cutting, glue, testing to see what works and making necessary changes.
A new project I have is another custom 8×8 shadow box clock. This is a digital clock design that should be done soon…the clock is currently in shipment to me. Once it’s here it won’t take long to finalize everything. As you can see in the picture below, the facial molding is being put in place.
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| Yes, I cut glass too |
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| Rise Above 8×8 Shadow Box Clock |
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| The one on the right is the gift clock |
It’s funny sometimes how things work out or just plain Divine intervention…a wake up so to speak. Any number of people can tell you the same thing over time but when one person speaks it, you finally hear it. You actually stop to breath, and it feels so fresh. It puts things into perspective again. That happened today. So that coupled with what I have and haven’t been doing brings a welcomed collision.
What I haven’t been doing is finishing some projects I started, but that did give me time to take the time to review what I have been doing with my designs and some other things I could be doing. So that got me started.
I have been busy coming up with some new designs and was in the process of putting products on the site when the server crashed. I did get a few items up but not what I really wanted because I didn’t have the images in my basket on the site yet.
So I’m actually pecking this out instead doing that. But this is one of those things I haven’t been doing and has bothered me more than I should have let it. One of those things that I have struggled with the past few weeks. I haven’t felt like writing or doing much of anything on the social network (which I have trouble with anyway), discouragement settling in and getting a pretty good grip.
Then out of nowhere, the words come to light and they shook me. A much needed breath of fresh air. So thankful that it finally clicked. It just took one.
I almost decided not to do this post but changed my mind again. I am reminded by events that brings perspective to what I’m doing with my life right now. The death of my brother sucked the air right out of me and it took awhile the start breathing again.
My nephew, my only sister’s oldest son had a stroke last year. He was fortunate to have someone with him at the time. His stroke was bad, but he is currently recovering. He is walking on his own and takes morning walks by himself. He stutters when he speaks and keeps apologizing whenever we talk…I keep telling him that he doesn’t have to do that. I really find joy when we do talk because he continues to make progress.
I talked to my sister today and find out that he has an aneurysm and will be having surgery.
For whatever reason I didn’t find out until three days after the fact, that my third oldest brother suffered a stroke this past Wednesday and he too happened to not be alone. Although his was not as severe as our nephew’s, it is a stroke nonetheless. He was at home yesterday but will be off of work for at least 4 weeks.
I can’t help but to think about myself and my family….what can I do for them. What can I do now that will be of benefit to them in the future. Life insurance?…sure. What more can I do? Some may say that insurance is enough. Not me.
These aforementioned events have touched that nerve…you know the one. That is why what I do is so important for me. I value my life and all that God has given me. My abilities, my desires, my love for those that have come into this life behind me. For me, it’s not just a matter of raising your children, but helping them to reach and to achieve, to realize they too have goals that can be reached.
So I continue to show my love by doing what I do in hopes that will be of substance to them in their future. Utilizing my time to build on the foundation that was started in my mind, many years ago…never giving up on that dream.
With that, I’d like to say that my second clock sold this past Friday. Some of you may have seen the prototype.
Here is the final design of the 8 x 8 clock…Rise Above…
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| MyQuesMark Rise Above Clock Design |
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| Here it is in the shadow box I made for either wall mount or desktop complete with painted frame |
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| Here is Darcy holding his brand new clock…I wonder if he realizes he’s holding the only clock of its kind (as per design) I would venture to say in all the world. Thanks Darcy! If it all stops here and now, in my heart I have succeeded….I don’t know how much time I have left and if I ask God, he wouldn’t tell….besides, I don’t want to know. I want to continue to work this time that I have because things are put into perspective, |
Whatr U Workin On 