Moving Blog to Wordpress

I've decided to move the site to a free wordpress blog everyone. I just like the layout of wordpress better. And if I ever decide to upgrade to a paid wordpress, well I'm already there!

Here's the new link! https://thecolorscribe.wordpress.com/

And Now on Redbubble!

So I have taken the leap into putting my art and designs onto art prints, t-shirts, mugs, pillows...and all other sorts of stuff!

I'm starting out with Redbubble, at present, and I must say it is humongous fun to put a piece of art up and use their uploader to design the piece onto the different things they offer. Very simple and easy. And did I mention fun?

I only have two designs up at present, but you can buy either of them on any of the various items Redbubble offers. My personal favorite is a tie between the little throw pillow and the spiral notebooks and journals offered!

Find them here:

https://www.redbubble.com/people/lesliemarie/shop

I also have some more items up in my Etsy shop, all digital downloads. I have a couple paper dolls out(which, as I point out on my listings, can be used as gifts to others, or as collage pieces in ones own artwork. Translation: paper dolls are for all ages, not just little girls!), and I also have a couple of my art prints available as digital downloads (meaning you can buy and print from your own computer to hang up, or hire a professional printer to do it for you).

Here again is the link to my Etsy shop:

https://www.etsy.com/shop/thecolorscribe

That's all for now but I have plans in the back of my mind for a fun blog post in the future. Still in the vague stages, but a memoir type of thing. I've been listening to an audiobook about Christopher Robin Milne. Yes, that is the son of A.A. Milne and the "hero" of the Winnie the Pooh books. I adored listening to his description of his childhood and the places that inspired his father's writing's about the Hundred Acre Wood. It makes me want to write about the places I played in as a child and describe all the imaginings I had at the time...and maybe link them up to various stories I've started over the years. Maybe include pictures of the places and any drawings or "maps" I've made at one time or another. Sounds like a bigger project than a blog post. But we'll see. If it is I could shape it into a memoir ebook right?

Anyway, I'm just going to have fun with it!

Welcome me to Etsy!

Huzzah! Its only been a few days and I'm posting again. Go me!

I have two reasons. Number One, I tackled one of the goals on my list and got an Etsy shop opened! And I am so PSYCHED about this! Seriously. Right now I'm working on putting up digital downloads for paper dolls I already have on hand. But I've got some ideas for other things I could do--like coloring book pages made out of some of my original art, scrapbook items (collage sheets, background papers), and who know's what else. Bookmarks maybe? I don't know, I'm just in the brainstorming mode at the moment, looking for all the ways I could use my art to make downloadable products for Etsy. I'm thinking I could put some of ebooks there in PDF form too, but we'll see about that.

Speaking of ebooks, I think I'm ready to start formatting my Ozark romance novella, "When Freida Fixes It." With this one I'm determined to learn how to set up a paperback edition too. It will be a tiny book but thats okay. I love this story and it will be delightful to hold the book in my hands once it is done! Its also NOT fantasy and not some goofy parody (like my Snarktales were) so I'm really excited about getting this one out there for the world to see (well, if they wish to see it, lol).

My other reason for posting...mmm, well. Its to confess that I have already FAILED at the massive goal list I posted last time. I know. Big surprise.

That is the nice thing about though. It quickly reveals to you both what you CAN do and what you truly WANT to do. I've discovered that these are the things I do have time for this month:

*Formatting and publishing Freida and the update to my flashfics

*Making and putting stuff on Etsy!

*logging any books I read or listen too 

*keeping up with writing 3 (well 4 actually) creative ideas each day

Anything else that happens this month is just icing on the cake.

I've decided to go ahead and use the word counter on the side of the page, but I will not make this daily task I must work on. I just don't work that way. Anything I do write I will keep track of and add to the word counter. But I just don't have the extra energy to expend right now on the daily writing thing. Maybe when Freida is done and I can move onto another project I will be able too. We shall see!

I leave you now with the link to my new shop. It's a bit bare at the moment but I'm adding to it as we speak. Please favorite, check out what's available, and keep an eye on things. It will be growing!

Here's the link again. Have a great day ya'll! 

https://www.etsy.com/shop/thecolorscribe

Changes...

I have been practically non existent in the online world the last year or so, and that's mainly because real life has been so very real, exciting, and full of changes. Pretty much all GOOD changes, but changes nontheless. And change, of course, always means a little upheaval in one's everyday life, therefore, things like goals and habits and creativety--daily writing, weekly updating of blogs, publishing books--tends to fall by the wayside.

But it looks like life is finally settling down to normality again. And before I continue, I have to tell the of the best and biggest change in my life:

Yes--I got engaged!

(Wedding date and other planning is still being worked out at the moment...)

What else have I to announce? Nothing much; well, nothing that compares to that anyway. 😄

At the moment I'm working on my goals for the New Year, and mapping out for myself how I intend to accomplish them. All fun for me, but boring for you I'm sure. But a quick rundown of what I'd like to do this year includes:

• Hit a yearly writing wordcount goal (180,000 words because that's just 500 words a day. I've added a wordcount meter to track my progress into the sidebar).
• Do a Reading Challenge--for me that simply means read all the unread books on my bookshelf (around 80)...and maybe on my Kindle too (thats more like 200...yeah, could be I need to sort through that and ask myself if I SERIOUSLY am ever going to want to read this book, or this book, or this book...)
• Speaking of which--declutter my computer and other aspects of my digital life! (*coughs* like whats on my Kindle? *coughs*)
• I would like to sign up on a site where I can sell prints of my artwork. Still looking into that one. Etsy would be fun but I don't know if I have the time or patience to sell and ship handmade goods at this time. We shall see!
• And of course I want to publish more books this year (I totally failed on that in 2016)
• Also various daily habits I'd like to get into: read my Bible (and keep some sort of devotional journal), exercise, eat healthy and track my food/calories.

I also have decided to try the 101 Things In a 1001 Days Challenge...with some changes of my own. Really its better to say it started out to be that challenge but I had more things to put on my list than 101, and then it seemed that since 1001 days are nearly 3 years, I would just make it a full 3 years. So, we shall see how that pans out.

My main goals for January are:

• finish and publish When Freida Fixes It
• update my fairytale flashfiction anthology
• Have an "Idea Month" where I write or sketch three new creative ideas every day
• Make some "tiny art" this month: Inchies, Rinchies, Betwinchies etc.
• Go ahead and sign up on one of those artsy sites and get at least one art print going! (aka, learn how to do this thing...)
• Of course, start my reading challenge, and the various habits mentioned (which includes 500 words a day for my writing challenge!). I may need to make some kind of habit chart or spreadsheet...
• Declutter/organize my clothes, and work through my Ebooks and Documents for digital decluttering.
• Work on my "101 Things" challenges as I have time,
• And a few more private matters on the list I'm not mentioning online!

As for how I intend to hit all these things...basically breaking them down into Weekly Task Lists and Daily To Do Lists. I can't help myself. Secretly I'm an Organizing List Freak...

At any rate putting my goals and to do lists on my blog keeps me accountable! Now we shall see what I actual manage to get done this month and this year...

Wish me luck!

Quick update and a lot of artiness...

I've left this blog alone so long I almost feel like I'm awkwardly attempting conversation with a complete stranger. But then perhaps in a way I am. So much has been going on this year, so much has changed...I have changed. For the better. Growth is always a good thing.

One constant though has been art. I will add a few pictures below. That's always fun--creating things, making a mess, throwing paint around.

I'd like to get back on track, writing wise. Bit distracted lately. But I do want to publish at least one more story before the end of the year. As for NaNo...we'll see. I'd like to participate again. We'll see if I can settle down to the mad pace when it comes around!

Anyway, as promised, here are a few arty pictures.

All Love, No Fear

Lately God has been reminding me of how I don't have a thing to fear when I'm following Him.

I don't have to worry about messing up, if I let Him lead me.

When I do mess up, all I have to do is give it to Him and trust him to make the best thing possible out of it.

I don't have to fear the future when He goes ahead of me.

I can stop feeling confused and harried. His timing is perfect in all things. I just need to draw close to Him, love Him, and trust His way is always best.

That's all. I just needed the reminder. Maybe you did too. :)

Me, Learning to Accept Messy Imperfection...

For the last month or so I've intended to write a post. I thought I might write about Perfection (with a capital. Yep). I even wrote it, and swore to put it up exactly as is, just to prove I'm trying to get past the need for everything to be perfect.

Only I never did. Ironic.

Then had a birthday (Year older. Ahhh!!). Went on a mini-adventure (spent the week out of town at a friend's house). Now back to normal life (writing, art, looking for a job, etc...).

Been a bit of a crazy week at that. Trying to get back into the swing of things, I guess. And then, a very close friend of the family (an "adopted grandma" actually) died this week. Tonight and tomorrow, visitation and funeral. Craziness continues.

Not a good day for a blog post you see. But here I am writing it.

I guess the point is, I don't have to feel like I must write something life-changing or deep or whatever when I post here. I'm just being me. Sometimes I write something really cool. Sometimes not. 

I'll just be me, and let God use it all--the awesome parts, the failures, the mistakes--to make whatever he wants of me.

Seems to be part of a lesson He's trying to hammer into my head, lately. Not being ruled by the need for perfection, I mean. In my life, and in creativety (art or writing or anything else). It started with the move to a free blog.

Then read some great ebooks by Dean Wesley Smith and Kristine Katherine Rusch. It's encouraged me to write more and worry less...about marketing and all that. Writing is what I do best (and it's the most fun!). I can always go back and fix mistakes later. There WILL be mistakes, but I've got to learn to be okay with that. It's part of learning. And that's the cool part about being an indie author. You can always tweak and fix things at any time.

Then in my art...

I'm taking part in Lifebook 2016 from the wonderful, adorable, AMAZING Tamara LaPorte. Each lesson is a reminder not to worry about perfection, but one in particular hit home.

It's called "Fearless Art" and taught by Annie Hammond. In the lesson she collaborates with her 3 year old daughter, Tallulah, on a painting and all I can say is...wow! I think I want to be Tallulah when I grow up. 

Also I think I shall be borrowing several of my young cousins for painting fun in the future. I already save old drawings the kids make because I think its fun to make works of art around them. This lesson just showed me so much more I can do with them.

Its certainly encouraged me to let my Inner Child come out and play. I even played a little painting game with my sister (a few years younger than me, but not into art at all). We took turns working on the same picture. Great fun, and I love how it turned out!

What we ended up with :)

At any rate. That's where I'm at right now in my life.

Don't be perfect. Be messy, flawed, wonderful YOU. 

God can use you that way. Believe me.

Don't believe me? Take it from an artist. I make lots of messy mistakes when I create art. I can either throw it out...or make something gorgeous out of it.

For example this....

....became this!

And this?

Tada! (forgive the poor lighting. Imperfections remember...)

I've learned that there's hardly anything I can do to a painting that can't be fixed, covered up, or turned into something really, really cool.

For the record, God is great at making really cool and gorgeous things out of our mistakes.

So, that's it from me today. Let's all take a deep breath, love our messy selves...and trust God to make masterpieces out of us!

I leave you with another picture or two:

Meet Gwendolyn (he's a bonsai tree) and Renaldo the hog. They live with the friend I visited last week. :)

Portrait I made of them in a notebook my friend and I share.

Have a wonderful weekend everyone! :)