2014 ... What a year it has been!

 I participated in A Documented Life Project,

held several amazing Artful Spirit workshops,

Taught Zentangle privately, at the Muse,

 at Harbors Edge

and at the Hermitage Museum,

I lost 43 pounds!!!

I sadly left my church home,

I semi-retired! Working just 3 days a week now!

Had another grandchild born, Grayson Blake,

Went to New York City,

Providence, RI,

Myrtle Beach, SC

The Outer Banks,

West Friendship, MD,

Wrote more Poetry,

taught creative writing to senior adults,

took several art e-courses,

Went from size 14 to 8! WOW!

Created many mandalas and deepened my practice,

Participated in A Desire Map Book Club

with an amazing group of women,

Celebrated 37 years of marriage,

Deepened my writing practice,

saw Tony Bennett in Concert

saw My Mother Has Four Noses in NYC

attended Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival

participated in several Poetry Readings

Vacation for a week in the OBX
saw the big rubber duckie when he came to Norfolk,

participated in the Conscious Booksmith E-course

with Christine Mason Miller

and began my future book!

I took 3 Sketchbook Skool courses,

fell in love with Urban Sketching,

got new windows for my house,

learned the Soul Collage process,

my boys turned 34 and 31!

Annabelle had her first birthday,

Participated in The Love Notes Project,

Attended Squam in the City
and
got my new Macbook!

I would say it was a most beautiful year

full of hope and promise,

growth and experiences.

I lived my life with Intention,

which was my word for 2014 ...

it was the perfect word for me.

I look forward to 2015

and all that it has to offer!

My new word is Positivity ...

another word I plan to live up to its potential.

As our 2014 draws to a close today ...
I hope you will take the time to recall
all this life brought you ... it's fun to just remember.

I wish you blessings in your new year,

love, health, well being and creativity.

Be good to yourself and those around you!

May it be a year of self growth!
May it be peaceful and full of contentment.

Let's walk this life together ... shall we?

photo compliments of Xanthe Berkeley

Providence, RI

Summer Sketch Class with Alisa Burke

A new creative summer adventure for me . . . 

My favorite Canson mixed media journal!
Purchased just for this experience.

This summer I have had the pleasure of relaxing

and creating with Alisa Burke

with her 

Summer Sketch Online Class.

Each day for thirty days

there is a new post on a private class blog 

with something creative to learn

She is truly Amazing!!!!
I have been working on each lesson daily
and I am thrilled with what I have learned so far!

I have taken so many of Alisa's online classes.

She makes you feel so comfortable,

she teaches so much of her own style

and shares such inspirations with you!

I do love spending time learning with her.
I encourage you to visit her blog,
it is truly amazing.

This summer has been slower for me and I am

enjoying each day receiving a new post,

learning something new and trying it out,

 filling a page in my journal
and playing with my art supplies!
It just makes me a happy girl.

Here are just a few of the lessons

I have learned so far:

Masking it off

Doodle Collaboration (with my hubby)

 Exploring lines with things from nature

Embellishing a line

 Starting with a splat of paint

Working in small scale

White on Dark

 Free Write

 Collaged background

Repeated patterns

 Color Study

Blind contour drawing

I have many lessons more to go
and the learning is fun and easy,
just what I needed for the summertime!
I wanted to keep creating during
the summer months,
but in a simple and non-complicated way,
this course is perfect for me!

I just finished this piece from the
mask it off lesson,
I love it,
how about you?

I hope you are doing something creative 

during your summertime.

I know it is harder with kids at home,

vacations and family all around you.

Please don't push your creativity aside

and think you will get to it later.

Creativity needs to be nurtured

all of the time!

I know for me it is a part of who I am now.

Make time to be a creative soul,

you won't regret it!

Sending you creative blessings along the way

Donna Lee