Life keeps on moving...

I'm not sure anyone even looks at my blog anymore - it's been so neglected! I was going to post all the photos from the cruise, but it seems so long ago. Life just keeps on moving at great speed, doesn't it?

In the meantime, I finished another dog portrait using watercolor pencils, colored pencils and soft pastels. I'm very pleased with the way it turned out!

Lola keeps growing at warp speed. Just six weeks ago she was still a tiny puppy.

Now she's at least twice the size and is starting to lose her very sharp puppy teeth, which we are grateful for! 

Also, my sister, her husband and their two fantastic boys (12 and 13 years old) came to visit during their spring break. We had so much fun together and it was wonderful to spend so much quality time with all of them. When we visit them in Germany, our time is always so limited because we are trying to see everyone, so when they visit here it's quite different!

It's been a strange spring - much cooler than normal, which we are grateful for. The cats (peabody in this picture) are happy though that its finally warming up some. They love to just lounge around in the garden.

So now that taxes are behind me and my time is my own again, I am hoping to spend much more time in my studio again (if Lola lets me...). I have several commissioned paintings and drawings to work on and hope to show you progress as I go along. I hope you are all doing well!! 

❧ Silke

Lists and More

Are you a list maker? Do you plan your day in terms of what you need to get done and then tick things off? I don't every day, but some days it just helps me to focus. Here's the interesting thing - the things I forget to do most are those that are important to my emotional well-being, the things that fall under the category of self-care: meditation, yoga, etc. So these days, I put that on my list of things to do - before all the other stuff and that helps!

A few years ago, I found this great daily list notepad in a sale bin at an office supply store. I wish I had picked up 10 of them! They are the best, reminding me to keep my lists short and fun, exactly what I need to not get overwhelmed.

Speaking of lists.... As part of Leonie Dawson's 2015 workbook, you get to write down 100 things you want to do this year. One hundred!!! Do you know how hard that is?! I got to item 3 without problem and then I thought: "Ok, what else do I want to do?" Anything from little to big, mundane to important, fun to earth-shattering. It took me a few days, but I got my list together. I won't be disappointed if I don't get them all done, but it does lend a focus and I included I few of those "I've always wanted to..." items (i.e. make homemade ravioli). Bring it on!! 

On my list were two things I'm already working on. One was to offer customized (in my very own intuitive, happy and colorful style) portraits of your pets.

I've painted two of ours, Louie and Winslow, and just love how they came out. I was totally able to capture the essence of them. Louie so serious and intense and Winslow just sweet, sweet, sweet! I have a couple of listings for the 11 x 14 inch and 12 x 12 inch sizes on Etsy (click here), but if you are interested in a different size, let me know and we'll work something out.

The other item that is on my looooong list of 100 things to do in 2015 is painting an elephant. I'm not sure why that seems significant, but it made the list (as did painting a snake, which I'm looking forward to).

Here it is in progress. I started it last week, but it's been sitting in my studio as we've had a fun and busy weekend with family visiting.

Today I am getting back into my studio to work on this guy. It's a bigger canvas than those I normally work on and really a lot of fun to play with. Let's see where it takes me...

I hope you are having a great week and a fantastic day - with lists or no lists. Enjoy every moment!!

With love and gratitude,

❧ Silke