OK, so I think I love the  Art Every Day month challenge. I'm a little over a week into my attempts, and so far, so good!

I've pretty much done something artsy-ish every day, and even completed a few things. 

Best of all, I'm having a whole lotta fun creating all kinds of stuff. 

Here are a few of my week 1 projects....

My playground has included acrylics, watercolor pencils, markers and colored pencils as well as some frou frou baked goods using apples and walnuts from my own back yard~ Those were quickly devoured. 

I also attempted some fancy ribbon embroidery which isn't shown either because, well....let's just say that learning elegant stitchery takes time, and my first attempts are too painful for public viewing.

The painting, drawing and coloring are my own designs and the mandala is from The Big Girl's Little Coloring Book. (Such a cool book~ I totally recommend it!)

While I didn't really have to force myself to make art, I did have to remind myself. I mean, life is busy, and in all honesty, without the incentive of completing a challenge, making time to create stuff may have been pushed aside. 

What's great is that the creativity seems to be building on itself because I have SO MANY MORE projects in mind! This week I'm hoping to try decoupage in a non-frilly / non-formal, non-Victorian looking usage. I've started brainstorming a holographic vision board, I have an idea for a beaded purple velvet bag, I'll certainly make more culinary art goodness and I'll most likely take another shot at ribbon embroidery in the hopes that my skills improve with practice. Oh, and I have polymer clay, and shrink plastic and........ Yep. I love this!

It's Thanksgiving Month, and while it may be a big ole cliche, I'm feeling especially blessed these days. How could I not be? 
Here are some things I am especially grateful for right now...

Life is good, indeed!

So, it's November, and while I know that the upcoming frenzy of holidays offers more than enough in the way of challenges, I'm thinking that I am up for a challenge of a different kind. The fun kind that is. 

November is National Novel Writing Month, and although my offspring and myself have thoroughly enjoyed this intense writing experience in past years, none of us are feeling at all up for pushing ourselves to write 50,000 words in 30 days this year. While I'm not up for it, I'm mentioning it because if you are ready for a kick in the pants with writing, I totally recommend giving it a go. Even if you end up with a bunch of complete nonsense, your writing muscles will be wayyyyyy stronger after all that discipline.

Buuuuut, November also happens to be Art Everyday Month~ a challenge which has some nice loosey goosey rules, which even the creator of the program acknowledges are made for breaking. Now, that's right up my alley. Yep, I'm in.

I'm a few days late in getting started, but it just so happens that I have created a few things already in the way of photography and art journal entries. That helps, so I don't feel like a total late start slacker. 

Now, for the rest of the month, I'll be consciously attempting to create something I can call "art" every day. I am hoping to do a lot more painting and drawing, taking pictures and maybe even some sculpting, but I'm pretty sure that my definition of art will end up flexible enough to include food and who knows what else. 

What's super cool is that our new house still has a whole lotta blank wall space, so this is a perfect way to make it fill it up and make this place feel even more like home.

My Girl Child is excited to join me part of the way on the journey, and I'll be encouraging the Boy in doing some form of art that is not on a screen as well. (It was much easier when they were younger.....and I at least had the illusion of having some control...sigh...)

Anyhoo, I'll be posting some of my creations here and on my Facebook page, at least the ones I feel are fit for public viewing.

If you're inclined to be artsy or writer-ish this month, I'd love to hear and see what you've been up to as well. So, please feel free to share!

Happy November!