Daily Planner by Geninne

Artwork by Geninne Zlatkis

Like many other people, I could spend hours upon hours lost in the online world. I am often amazed at how much time goes by and how lost my focus becomes when I'm looking for something. This is especially true if I'm looking at art online or if I'm reading blogs. One click leads to an amazing blog or website, then to another, and another until I have forgotten that my original purpose in turning on the computer was to see the weather forecast.

Sometimes when I am looking around I stumble upon an Etsy shop or blog that takes my breath away. I get that feeling of awe and wanting to see more and more of what the person has created. One of the artists I've found that keeps me continually amazed is Geninne Zlatkis. I don't know when or where I first saw her art, but I've been a fan for awhile. In fact, I follow her blog and on facebook. Sometimes I feel a little like a cyber stalker, but I try to keep it under control. :)

I'm not very good at buying art for myself - which is something I have in common with a lot of creative types. But for the longest time I've been telling myself that when a birthday, Mother's Day or some other gift giving opportunity comes around, I'm just going to have to buy a print (maybe this print) from Geninne. Her art work is gorgeous, beautiful, amazing and fabulous! She works in brightly colored watercolor with white acrylic ink highlights. She often does mixed media collage and makes her own hand carved rubber stamps.

Back in January, she announced on her Facebook page that she had a new daily planner available. It had several of her paintings throughout and I decided this was my opportunity to own some of Geninne's work. I'm not sure how many she had available, but they have since sold out. I wasn't surprised since around the same time she had come out with some mini books that sold out in a flash!

My daily planner arrived on Valentine's Day and I love it! It has many sections to help keep me organized: monthly calendar, checklists, weekly calendar, notes pages, contacts and even a section of drawing paper - which I used to doodle on this past Sunday while I listened to the sermon at church.

The best part of course, is every day on every page, seeing one of Geninne's beautiful birds, butterflies and flowers. It's very inspiring!

Be sure to check out Geninne's blog and Etsy shop to see more of her beautiful artwork - you'll be inspired too!

I've been busily trying to get some things done for the craft fairs I'm participating in this spring. Can you believe it? Me in more than one craft fair! Pretty wild. I've decided that I want to do some things other than illustrations, so I've been painting boxes, candlesticks and other wooden objects.

It has been fun, but I worry that I either won't have enough variety and quantity or that I will have too much quantity. If I have lots left over, then it goes into the craft cave, where I'll have to look at it every time I go to work in there - a reminder that nobody bought my stuff.

I think I'll keep this post short. I'm sensing a bunch of negative "vibes" coming out of my finger tips and I really don't want to see it in black and white. Most of all, I don't want it floating away in cyber space to come back and bite me in the rear some day! See?! Negative and paranoid! And it's sunny out, so why am I not more positive?

Oh, I did want to write one funny thing. Last Sunday I called my friend Sandy. I haven't talked to her in a very long time and I just wanted to check in. We've been friends for an eternity and before I was married with children, our average phone call was about 3 hours. That doesn't happen anymore.

Anyway, I was downstairs on the phone and the rest of my family was upstairs. My 6-year-old son had heard me laughing several times while I was on the phone (not an unusual occurrence when I talk to Sandy). Here's the conversation that happened between son and hubby:

son: what is mom laughing about?

hubby: oh, she's talking to Sandy.

son: why is she laughing?

hubby: I don't know.

son: they must be telling knock-knock jokes! :)

I'm also posting my latest painting that I submitted to last week's Thursday Sweet Treat. The topic was The Joy of Dance. The title of my painting is Joyful Dance and is done in watercolor pencil, colored pencil, ink on watercolor paper.

Figuring Out a Plan of Action

I always thought I was an organized person, until I became a stay-at-home mom. Now, I am faced with chaos where ever I go: dirty laundry, dirty dishes, messy bedroom, messy family room, toys in the yard, leaves on the deck, clothes and towels on the bathroom floor and loads and loads of craft "treasures" as far as the eye can see in the craft cave.

(uh, here's an aside...I call it the "Craft Cave", because it's a room in the basement that has no windows. I love it! I know there are advantages to having windows in one's craft studio and someday maybe I'll have that. But for now, I'm just thrilled to have a space to call my own).

I'm also challenged in the areas of planning ahead and setting goals. I've come to appreciate the fact that life is a lot easier if these skills can be mastered, so I'm trying very hard to work in that direction. After all, the more activities, projects and people you add to your life, the more you have to be on top of things or you'll just go crazy and it won't be any fun, right? It occurred to me last night that I have committed myself to three art fairs within the next 8 weeks plus an art exhibit in June. If I don't get a game plan, I'll be showing up to these events with a little card table with some cards, a couple of magnets and a few prints. I'd really like to have more of a variety than that!

I have wanted to expand my "product line" to include some hand painted wooden items (boxes, candle sticks and wall hanger-peg-thingies). I tend to get overwhelmed then I can't focus enough to start or finish any of my "brilliant" ideas. So last night, I decided that I will spend the next 8 weeks working on getting new items to take to the art fairs. Then I'll use my submissions to the Thursday Sweet Treat to make new prints, magnets and cards. If I follow through, I should have plenty of new items to keep things fresh.

I feel a little better now, since I have a plan of action. Keep your fingers crossed that I will consistently work toward that goal! With this post, I'm including my latest Sweet Treat entry. The topic this week is Vibrant Chaotic Rainbow. Be sure to check out the other submissions on Thursday, you won't believe the incredible ways people interpret the topic. You'll see some really wonderful art!