= Winter 2011 =

Seems like it's still late fall . . . except that there are no leaves on the trees. Our weather here is still cool, and will be for a couple more days till it gets seasonal the first part of January 2012. Then instead of lows in the 40's the highs will be in the 40's. Been quite a mild fall and winter.

The studio has stayed busy with work right up until Christmas. Have taken the last week of December to catch up on the books, start to put away 2011 and get ready for 2012! Schedule for January is heavy with 2 new food package family designs set to start off out of the gate. Expect to hit the ground running - and hopefully it will stay busy the whole year!

Since the technology keeps screaming ahead at roller coaster pace, I've had to keep pace with new equipment upgrades this past year. Ended up purchasing a new color laser printer as the old one is in it's last throes of life. As soon as the toner runs out it goes to the dump as it's too expensive to ship anywhere. The shipping costs would far outweigh any value either on a trade-in or sale. The rapid pace of technological breakthroughs in my industry means that every so many years I have to dispose of the boat anchor which at one time was on the cutting edge! Also upgraded my digital camera to 12 megapixels. Sure does make a difference when I have to shoot food or product shots for new packaging!

In art news, the Madison Artists Guild board met last month to discuss an offer by a local venue to host a Guild fine art show in their beautiful galleries next spring. I guess I'd better get busy this coming month and finish the 2 watercolors that have been laying around for a couple of years undone! I pulled out of the Cottage Gallery because I just haven't had the time, nor physical capacity, to paint on top of the daily work schedule. Now that I'm feeling better, it's time to get the brushes out again!

On a personal note, my family is finally getting over bronchitis. Apparently everyone had it. My daughter ended up at the doctor's the first part of this week, but is feeling better now. I've been extra careful, but as I write this have had sinus drainage like crazy and a scratchy throat . . . and a persistent cough. Have started on high C doses plus Zinc, and hopefully can ward it off. Have been feeling so much better on the meds with the RA that it's a real bummer to not feel well! Daughter said she's going on a diet next month - I've already started and have lost a whole clothing size already! My goal is to have it all off by this time next year. Went back through my records, and it's been 7 years since I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's, and that's 7 years I've carried this weight. Now that I'm relatively pain-free it's time to knock it off! Keep me accountable, please!

Speaking of pain-free - I stumbled across a book called "Arthritis Interrupted" by Jim Healthy (yes, that is his name), and have started implementing the foods he recommends to knock down the RA and OA inflammation and have been pleasantly surprised at how well it works. My second goal for 2012 is to implement the book and get off the meds! He shows how certain foods help heal the joints where the expensive big pharma meds do not. We are what we eat after all. 2012: time for a change!

My wish for everyone is that 2012 will be a better year for us all physically, financially, emotionally, spiritually, and that you'll have a blessed, wonderful and Happy New Year!

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Taken with my new camera. Upgraded to a 12 megapixel Canon Digital Elph. This is the extent of my decorating.

Couldn't find a smaller tree that I liked, so took the old one, cut it down and made a 4-footer out of it. Since the
living room is small, put it on top of the hutch. Put up our mini village, and still had room for my nut crackers!

Found our village houses at 70% off last January - best deal ever!

Now that the living room is totally unpacked, could put up my snowmen on the back of the couch.

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Have my paintings hanging in the living room. "Old Companions" and
"They Just Don't Make 'Em Like They Used To."

"Georgia's Spring Herald"

Trio of floral color pencils.

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