2014

 So last year my New Year's Resolution was just to draw. Simple as that. While I didn't draw as much as I had hoped I am proud of myself and thought I would share with you some of the highlights from 2014.

If you would like to see even more of my art from the last year check out my instargram. My username is lotusqueenandi.
 

Autumn Days

Autumn is my favorite season. Do I say that about every season? Anyway I thought I would share some of my favorite photos from this autumn with you. As well as our first snow. It wasn’t much but it was snow.

The nexts photos were taken on an early morning walk after the snow.

I hope you are enjoying this season even more than I am.

Knots in the Works

So quick story. I use to spend a lot of my time hanging out at the daycare my mom use to work at. And I loved it. The kids had so much energy and were always so eager to talk with me. I try not to, but I miss it an awful lot. Anyway, I started to learn how to knit and crochet and as I was learning I would bring a project with me and work on it during homework time. The kids were very interested in it (possibly because it wasn’t homework).

One time I was knitting a scarf and there was one girl left at the daycare, her mom and called and was running late because of traffic. So while we waited I showed her how to do a knit stitch on my scarf. By the time her mom had come she had found a rhythm and was doing very well. After that anytime one of the kids would ask I would show them how to do it. Right in the middle of my project.

  

 I never really thought about it much, until just now. I don’t see most of those kids any more, but I do babysit one of them and the other day we were watching a movie. In the middle of it I pulled out my crochet and started working on it. About eight rows in the kid noticed what I was doing and asked if he could try it. I had some doubts and in my mind the odds were stacked against him. I was using a smaller hook than normal and old white yarn in a dimly lit room. Also there was the fact that his left hand was in a cast. I was doing just a single crochet and I only showed him that much. He made a few mistakes at first, but caught on quickly. He was much better at finding the next place to start a stitch and recognizing when he put it in the wrong place than I was when I started. I even left him alone for a while and when I came back he had several perfect stitches done all by himself. Anyway enough of me bragging about the awesome kids I know. That isn’t the point.

 I am always excited to show the kids how to do a project. I would interrupt a pattern in a scarf just to do it. You probably know what it feels like to finish a project and feeling good about it, only to discover that you’ve made a mistake. Yet for some reason I never cared about the kids making mistakes in my work. It would be ridiculous for me to expect that some one who never held knitting needles before wouldn’t make a mistake. I also never expected there to be a later with these kids.

 At daycare sometimes we only had a kid on certain days or only on testing or only for a few weeks. I didn’t have time to get fresh yarn and tools. So if they showed interest I would put them in right in the middle of my project. And there would be mistakes, but my goodness how I loved those mistakes. It was someone else’s work tired up in my own. It was interest, learning, and bonding. And those kids didn’t have too much trouble with it, they were eager and learned fast.

  

 When I knit or crochet it is usually with the intent to sell whatever I’m making and it always saddened me a bit that the bump in my crochet and the minor inconsistencies in my knit pattern would never be valued by any one in the same light that I valued it in. People who don’t know how to knit or crochet will probably never notice those mistakes and someone who does would not be impressed.

It got me wondering though. Are there knots in our lives that we’re misinterpreting? Are we missing moments to make knots in? Everyone makes mistakes, but how are we interpreting them? They could have more value than we realize.

Step it Up

Hi there! How are your New Year's resolutions working out? I know I know, but don't worry! This is not a guilt trip! Hopefully I can give you a little encouragement! Don't give up! And don't worry if you get behind, it's never too late to set goals and begin again.

 I personally don't really do New Year's Resolutions because I can never seem to keep them. Instead I break it up and do something more like Seasonal Goals. It's a lot less intimidating.  For example in the summer I have goals such as paint more, hike, be active, and visited places with my friends. In the Autumn as soon as Summer ends I pick up the pace for making things to sell at Christmas craft shows and tackle a huge To Do list of what to make and buy in preparation. In the Winter I wind down and try to learn something new. Such as last year I learned how to make mittens and this year I’m trying my hand at loom knitting. I also have year round goals such as exercise and the usual. But this year I have one goal I specifically want to focus on.

 Every year on new years I look back and try to sum up what the year was like. I go through facebook pictures and see what I've posted on DeviantArt and other websites, and I look through my sketchbooks and journals. For 2013 I was very disappointed on the lack of art and drawings I had. I found an awesome drawing I had been working on since February of last year, but never got around to finishing. So this year my goal is to draw more. That it, my New Year's resolutions can be summed up in a single word. Draw. No need to over explain or complicate it. It's as simple as that.

 Since my birthday is a few days after New Years I spent some of my extra money on a cute little sketch book and some nice drawing pens. I decided I wanted to try my hand with pens and see how it goes. At first I wasn't thrilled with what I produced.

But I loosened up and started to enjoy it. 

 

Keeping focus and making wise decisions are some of the most essential skills you can ever develop. Basically the most important things to keep in mind is self control and priorities. Know what’s important and work to make time for it. Whether it be family of friends, improving yourself, or anything else. Be aware of it.

 Things like Inspiration and Motivation can sometimes be fleeting or nonexistent and when it’s not there it can feel like you’ve run out of gas and can’t tackle the next hill. But Motivation and Inspiration can be topped by one thing, Determination.

“You can’t wait for inspiration, you have to go after it with a club.”

-Jack London.

It sucks but sometimes you have to just sit down and get down to business. My sister (http://ajbluesox.deviantart.com/) once told me that she almost hated it when people told her that she was naturally talented. She said she worked and spent hours improving her art. She said there wasn’t anything “natural” about it, everything she could do was learned and earned.

“Talent is a pursued interest. In other words, anything that you’re willing to practice, you can do.”

-Bob Ross

So if you want something you have to work for it. Every year I set goals and I would think of every little thing and make a huge list. Including everything from eating right to personality flaws. I would overwhelm myself and become depressed when I couldn't reach my impossibly high standards. Someone once told me that you don’t have to be selfish but you do need to be self interested. So break it up, know your limits and yourself. Figure out what works and scratch anything that doesn’t. Does waking up and going to bed earlier help? What time of day are you most productive? Can you focus in a mess environment? Does that extra cup of coffee really help?

 

Also reward yourself when you reach a goal. I don’t drink sweet things often, so if I’ve been working hard or have a big project to do I’ll buy myself a tea or a soda. I also keep a candy bar lying around for extra motivation if there’s a task I’m really dreading. Learn to recognize accomplishment and celebrate it. Be proud of yourself.

I also keep track of what I do and make a list of goals for the day (I love lists). As well as weekly goals.

 Okay I’m going to let you in on a secret. HabitRpg.com. It’s a silly and effective way to keep track of your progress. It has helped me out so much! It helps show you your goals and track accomplishments. I’m not going to tell you much more than that. Check it out for yourself. I haven’t regretted it. (Just remember to start small.)

Alright guys I have collected some links that I hope will encourage you. Please check them out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFyo3s6DQFw  (<---- This one inspired me so much and is probably the reason for all this, click it!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HF-qciZkOKU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KxGRhd_iWuE

http://www.buzzfeed.com/smbc/you-have-eleven-lifetimes-gc67

http://solar-citrus.tumblr.com/post/62318334936/this-has-been-something-that-has-been-bothering-me

http://negshin.tumblr.com/post/61606933889/cloudyskiesandcatharsis-iconic-quotes-about-art

“Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.”

- Arthur Ashe

“Step with care and great tact. And remember that life’s a balancing act.”

-Dr. Seuss.