Letting Go, originally uploaded by stacy kathryn.

Painted this yesterday with my hands and a brayer. I just got on the ground with two tubes of a paint white and black. I went nuts. I realized it was the first time I had really gotten my hands in the mess and truly painted with my hands. It was a way of letting go for me. I am trying to figure some stuff out lately…like my style, what I want to paint, how I want my paintings to look. I have been sketching like crazy trying to get ideas on the paper, coaxing them out if you will.

I finished my first sketch book ever today. I have a ton of sketch books, mostly half filled, but I finished one today. I started it in January of this year, and more than half of it is sketches from just the past few months. I did a mini sketch-a-thon to finish the last 20 or so pages. I am going to make a video of it tomorrow. Hopefully will be able to get it up here.

That’s how many days are left in this month. Only twelve days to finish 30,000 words for NaNoWriMo, only twelve days left to post for NaBloPoMo, twelve days left until I can finally stop going after these goals that seem to take over my life settle in, and allow me to do nothing more than be stuck.

Not sure where I was going with that. I just find myself thinking an awful lot lately. Thinking instead of doing, thinking instead of painting, or drawing, or creating illustration. Thinking instead of contacting galleries, and art directors. Thinking instead of trying to find ways to keep promoting myself, and to get my art out there into the world.

To much thinking, not enough listening to my heart and doing.

Spin - 10" x 8" gouache on board, originally uploaded by stacy kathryn.

Wish I had some thoughts, so instead I give you art to fill the void…

Every once in awhile I hear a song that I never heard before and it just really speaks to me right at that very moment. I have so many songs that take me back to specific moments in my life or sum up a period of my life with just the lyrics. It is funny how the right song with the right feel seems to come along when you need it to be there. This happened to me the other day, I went to The Brown Elephant near my house and found a book as I was walking out I noticed they had tons of CD’s I browsed through nothing really calling to me. I was flipping and happened to find a Hayden album. I hadn’t ever really been into this band or heard of them up until a year or so ago when a coworker at the time had a few albums.

So back to the story though, I could barely remember what they sounded like but did remember that I liked them. So I picked up the album called Everything I Long For, got out to my car and popped it in.

Track .01

That is the song that is speaking to me right at this moment.

A few of the books and magazines I am currently reading, have read or need to start reading really soon! Not only am I writing but I am also reading!

From top to bottom:

• The Reader - Bernhard Schlink
• Sark’s New Creative Companion
• Reader’s Digest
• Ode Magazine
• Cloth Paper Scissors
• Taking Flight - Kelly Rae Roberts
• Ordinary Sparkling Moments - Christine Mason Miller

Cool books and magazines created by cool people…get reading people!

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about learning to play an instrument. More specifically learning to play the guitar. My brother taught himself to play, and I know a few other self taught musicians. I wonder if I could do it on my own though. I would need a guitar to start with. That one up there my brother sold not to long ago, although I do want to play acoustic as at least I could play it anywhere. Just an inkling, but I don’t even know how to tune one if I had it. I never thought myself to be very muscially inclined but I wasn’t too bad at playing happy birthday on the piano. Maybe a new world of music is in my very near future. I will keep you posted.

Feeling so out of it today, maybe because I slept in until noon. Or the fact that I just ate lunch about a half hour ago. My day is all off today. Now I sit here with a bit of a headache. Normally I wouldn’t post on days like today, but since I am trying to not miss a day of NaBloPoMo, here I am posting about really lame stuff. Nothing to keep you readers interested. You could just bypass this entry today if you like.

I could also complain about my obvious lack of word count, if you check out the little NaNoWriMo widget on my sidebar you will see I am a mere 8K behind where I should be right now. Part of this is the starting over, part of it is lack of motivation, and part is just I get tired of typing sometimes. I am still going to try though, I figured out a new daily word count that will get me to 50k at the end of the month, and if I at least stick to that I should have a pretty good first draft of a novel at the end of the month.

Well I am out…Happy Monday =)

I need to set up my other scanner, I am finding my current one is scanning a bit weirdly lately. I am surprised some days it still works seeing that it is eight years old. I know there are way better scanners out there and for cheaper, but if it still works why fuss with it. Still I have another all in one printer scanner down in the basement that I should just set up already and use…

Not sure why I am babbling on about scanners, just have a lack of things to say today. My brain is all mush, and really crowded with all these crazy thoughts. I sent out another round of promo cards earlier this week, and am really hoping some work comes in. I know I am totally new to all this, and just getting started and it takes time. I get impatient at times though, and it’s easy to feel discouraged when you sit around in your studio trying to come up with things to paint so that you can build a portfolio. I know the work will come, and that it does take time, and I will get there. One baby micro step at a time. I just wish I could take all my gremlins out for a day on the town and get them drunk and let them pass out so they would just stop talking stupid already.

I know how does that make any sense. I am trying, I am painting, I am certain it will all work out, and I am an artist. All that other trash in my brain right now just needs to go out.

- warm November days
- sitting outside and reading
- keeping up with my daily word count for my novel
- paintings that just sort of come together
- my new charger for my camera
- short lines at the post office
- spending time with my husband
- the changing of seasons

Went to a baby shower yesterday. Lots of people having babies right now, well at least in my little world. Funny how there is a cycle to everything.