A Month of Gratitude Spread

Most of us have lives full of blessings. I know mine is beyond blessed, but I find that sometimes I lose sight of the bounty because I focus on lack or the wrong things.

Sound familiar?

I invite you to a Month Of Gratitude. This isn't a challenge and it isn't daily, but rather it is a simple recording—in your sketchbook—of those blessings, simple kindnesses and heartfelt thanks we take note of throughout the month of November.

My first entry was about the two sweet trick-or-treaters we had on Halloween...and their guard cat! I kid you not. The cat was following them from house to house, keeping an eye on things along with Mom & Dad. The two little girls were adorable and dressed as Betty and Wilma.

I just realized I misnamed Betty and Wilma—oops!

Since I was still smiling about the cat the next day, I decided that would be my first entry: I'm thankful for humorous "guard cats!"

My spread is in my Stillman & Birn Zeta sketchbook (another blessing as I love these sketchbooks!). I went ahead and added some stamps and ink to colorize the page so that I don't have to paint every entry.  I used some of the new Distress Oxide stamp pads in the Tim Holtz line for the colored background. Love that splotchy background!

I'm not really sure where the pages are going to go, but I do know I'll have a record of those easily missed blessings to remind me of how full my life truly is.

Wanna play?

There are no rules, no obligations, no prompts. Just pull out your sketchbook and start recording those unexpected kindnesses and blessings that we don't normally give much thought to whenever you're so moved. If you share on social media, please use the hashtag, #novembersketchbookgratitude so we can find each other's posts!

I wish you a month of blessings, unexpected kindnesses and a world of awareness!

...for me, anyway! I know other artists that do quite well sketching and eating at the same time. Unfortunately, I can't say the same thing as this poor sketch proves:

Southwestern Soup Ink and watercolor 5.5 x 5.5 inches

I would love to tell you it's a contour sketch, but it's not. It's just....sad.

This is what happens to me when I try to divide my attention between two masters—eating and sketching. You can easily tell who won this battle! All the same, I am happy to report that the green is spot on! I just purchased some new soup cups and that's really and truly their color—acid yellow-green!

Love that color!

Since tomorrow is Thanksgiving here in America, I would like to send to each of you a very grateful thanks for being a part of my life, the blogosphere and the Imaginary Realm. I can't imagine a world without you as you've touched my life and my heart in countless ways.

I hope you'll hug those around you that you're thankful for, smile at a stranger today as it may be the only kindness they will know this day, and tell those you love just how much you love them...this day, this hour, this moment, and take time to count the many blessings that fill your life.

Since I'll be putting down the paintbrush tomorrow (so as not to slaughter anymore unsuspecting food items), I will be picking up a pen to write a page of thanks—and you'll be at the top of my list!

Happy Thanksgiving!

The call went out and you've responded in a HUGE way - we have finished up with

I am so thrilled to be able to tell you that we have over 75 hearts so far!!! The word has gone far and wide with several different countries being represented by gorgeous artwork.  They've been submitted by over 45 different artists. We have works by children and families, and we may have a piece of sculpture in the mix as well! Please get those hearts to me by the end of today, Friday, January 29th! Please send it to ArtHearts (at) gmail (dot) com. Replace the (at) with the @ symbol and the (dot) with a period!!

Thanks to Ms. Teri, over at Teri's Painted Daisies, (and the gals from the ABC ATC swap) and Kelly over at Red and the Peanut, we're back on!! I am posting the info again. If you know ANYONE who might be interested in this, please pass the information along!

Here is most of the original post (edited for clarity):

While Chris and I were having breakfast this morning, I was telling him about the suggestions everyone was making to help the heart piece along. He commented that it would be cool if everyone created a heart and then I Photoshopped them together…………

So what do you think?!! Everyone creates a heart in an ACEO size (2.5" x 3.5" or 3.5 x 2.5"), emails me a high-res jpg, and I put together some type of design with them which we'll vote on. Perhaps the final could be a print of the collage and/or a t-shirt design and/or something else (open to ideas) with proceeds going to a charity of everyone's choice to help those in Haiti. The original pieces of art could also be auctioned off! Open to ideas and thoughts on this! The art can be any medium. As long as it contains a heart in it somewhere it can be included.

Let me know your thoughts and if you're interested in joining in - leave your name in the comments. When you email me your art, just send it to ArtHearts (at) gmail.com! Replace the (at) with the @ sign. I'm going to set a deadline of midnight, Friday, January 29th, to get the art to me! Please send this out to anyone you think would be interested in contributing.

Above is a badge for displaying on your blog. Link it back to this post and as the idea develops, I'll update the information.


More Info can be found in theses posts. Just click on the link:
1.29.10 Haiti Art Hearts - Get Them In!!
01.25.10 Art Hearts for Haiti Update
01.21.10 Q & A on Hearts for Haiti

It's that time of year……everyone is stressed about the holidays, the gift-buying, what to get, how much to spend, overeating, who's coming over, who's not, and who has had their feelings hurt. Not to mention the expense of the decorating, partying, food, gifts, travel, and everything else that goes into making this the "happiest time of the year." So, enough already, let's try something different………



Stop, take a deep breath and exhale some of the stress. Now, think about what are you grateful for this year. Chances are good that several things will bubble up to the top of your mind in just a few seconds. Write them down! Share them! Celebrate your abundance and your gratitude by blogging about it!

I'm starting with a gratitude list of 10 things (in no particular order). If you're inclined to share your abundance and gratitude list, leave a link in the comments for your blog post! Got more than 10? Share them! Less than 10? Share them! The season is really about joy and peace and love. Let's take a moment to share that with each other! And please invite others to participate when you add your list on your blog!

I'm grateful for……
1. The health and happiness of my family and myself
2. Finding a profession that I really love (teaching) and being able to share what I'm most passionate about (watercolor painting)
3. An imaginary world! (www.ImaginaryTrips.com)
4. Lots of new friends found in the blogosphere and in my own town!
5. The time to nurture those friendships
6. The freedom to pursue my dreams regardless of my gender, age, religion or any other limitation
7. New opportunities that are popping up a regular basis AND being able to pursue them!
8. A great new studio floor (and a clean, reorganized studio)!
9. A great marriage to a great guy
10. Winning Best of Show in the FSWS' 2009 Open Aqueous Show!

What are you grateful for??!!