New toys!

I got a shipment of supplies from John Neal today!  Getting a shipment from John Neal is usually a little like Christmas because I always try to buy myself a new little toy to play with.  This time I ordered a sample pot of Twinkling H2O's.  They're just $2.00 for a pot, but you have to take whatever color they send you.  Lucky me!  I got a pot of Indian Copper, a lovely glittering copper.

I played around with it a little bit with the pointed pen, adding distilled water and mixing it right in the pot with my brush, then painting it on to the nib.  It wasn't too hard to get the right consistency for lettering.

Couldn't get a very good picture but maybe you can see a bit of the twinkle. . .

The Business of Thanksgiving

The sun is streaming through the windows in my studio.  The pens and brushes are standing at attention in their jars, and the light is glinting off them merrily--a visual invitation to come, sit down and play.

The bed is not made, I haven't had breakfast, I need to sort laundry; so many morning tasks remain.

I think I'll get off the computer and get busy.  The sunshine will have moved on, but its bright, inviting image will remain, calling me to 'come and play.'

I'm thankful that my work feels like play.

What are you thankful for?  Be sure to stop by Rebecca Writes and see what others are thankful for!

Cross posted at Hiraeth.

The Business of Thanksgiving

I'm thankful for some new sources for leads and the time in which to pursue them!

The Business of Thanksgiving

I'm thankful for creative inspiration.  Some days I sit down to work and nothing comes together.  Any creativity is elusive and seems to be planted deep in heavy sand--irretrievable.  Nothing works; nothing looks right and I have to walk away before the tension of frustration finds its way into my pen grip.

But then there are those days when multitudinous ideas seem to elbow each other to the front of the line, where one idea leads to another and the work is fluid and nearly effortless.

Most days fall somewhere in between.  And that's life, isn't it?  It would be hard to live with endless frustration; it would be so easy to just give up.  I think it would be equally hard to live with ideas popping constantly; who has time to follow all those tempting ideas?

There's a time for everything. . . a time for inspiration and a time for struggle. . .

To everything there is a season,

      A time for every purpose under heaven:
        A time to be born,
And a time to die;
      A time to plant,
And a time to pluck what is planted;
        A time to kill,
And a time to heal;
      A time to break down,
And a time to build up;
        A time to weep,
And a time to laugh;
      A time to mourn,
And a time to dance;
        A time to cast away stones,
And a time to gather stones;
      A time to embrace,
And a time to refrain from embracing;
        A time to gain,
And a time to lose;
      A time to keep,
And a time to throw away;
       ⁷ A time to tear,
And a time to sew;
      A time to keep silence,
And a time to speak;
        A time to love,
And a time to hate;
      A time of war,
And a time of peace.

WIP

WIP:  Work in process. 

I haven't yet unscrewed a bottle of ink or picked up a pen, but the project has been 'in process' for several days--in my head and in my imagination.  I don't know about you, but I have to think long and hard about a piece before I ever sit down at my drawing board and begin the actual work.  So much goes on in the creative process before I ever dip a pen.

This afternoon I'll pick up a pen and begin work on a commissioned piece--a quote by Martin Luther:

Here I stand.  I can do no other.  God help me.  Amen.

The Business of Thanksgiving

John Neal Bookseller.  If you're a calligrapher, I'm sure you know why I'm thankful for John and his great company.  Not only can you find just about anything you need, there are tips and testimonials and guidance is available if you need it.  The service is FANTASTIC and fast!

John Neal Bookseller:  My personal Wish Book!!

The Business of Thanksgiving

I'm thankful for a good night's sleep and a day away from the rigors of starting this business.  It's Bible Study Thursday, so I'm off to immerse myself in the book of Hebrews:

Hebrews 10:19 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, 20 by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

I'm so thankful to have good friends like Dorothy and Carol, who meet with me, encourage me, and stir me up to love and good works!

The Business of Thanksgiving

Today I am particularly thankful for the exhilaration and potential of the blank page.

Update on Wednesday, November 4, 2009 at 6:49PM by Kim

The blank page now has a lively yellow and blue water color wash, but no letters--yet!

To me, it's still a blank page.  A blank page that 'whispers' but hasn't yet found its voice.

The Business of Thanksgiving

Today I am grateful for my first two estimate requests as a result of the new website and an order for a commissioned piece that came in yesterday!  (thanks, Lisa!)  So much of my time has been spent on such things as building the website and setting up the business aspects that I haven't been able to work as much as I'd like to!

I'm also thankful for all the great small business resources that are available online.  It can be overwhelming at times, but it all needs to be done!

Some holiday place card ideas