Back to it!

 Here is the very near final draft I posted at 11:59 p.m. I guess you could say I used the day for more than just this project because I'm close to finishing a big painting project for a friend and painted another mug. I also visited an art opening for a friend of a friend in Laguna Beach and rounded out the night with good company, including four of their five kids, at Ruby's Diner. It was a joy-filled day doing all of the things I love to do. I consider that a "first rate version" of myself. 

The "first rate" girl came home to the pooches jumping all over the place and read the clock as 10:00. Time to create! Fortunately, the quote in the piece is ready-made, courtesy of Artists in Blogland. 

I had envisioned the plan for how this would play out on paper and only had to actualize it. I don't usually create like that because I usually just go with a flow that shows up on its own. This quote challenge seemed good to me last month and I missed their cut-off time because it slipped my mind. So, this time, I put the challenge at the forefront and ta-da! Done. Plus, Judy Garland is one of my favorites, so that helped a lot.

It's odd I chose the "second rate version" to have hair piled up high, considering that is how my hair looks a lot of the time. Most of the time. OK, nearly all the time. But that reckons back to days where I got by with piling it up because I just didn't have much energy for anything else. Teaching does that to people sometimes- well, it did to me. Piling it up meant I didn't have to worry about it and could focus on everyone and everything around me and fire drills and vomit and raging kids and drama and not me. 

I figure, if I'm going to be a "first rate version" of myself, I need to consider me and take care of me. This is the first time in my life I am focused on taking care of me. There are areas I need some major improvement and a little at a time is working fine. Creating art is the most supreme self-care I can give me, these days. It is up to me to pile my hair up because I am too warm, or it is getting into my insalata caprese and I don't need hair in my mozzarella. 

The final version? Maybe. I'm not sure it's finished, but it is finished for this evening. I have had a wonderful day and thank you for visiting.

 Materials:

Canson XL 98lb Paper for Mixed Media

Prang Watercolor Ovals

Faber Castell Gelatos

Staedtler Fine Permanent Black Marker