Saturday, May 31, 2008

Summer is Here

Ready for Summer
approx 5" x 5"
4B graphite pencil in Canson Field sketchbook

...or close enough anyway. My children start their summer vacation this coming Wednesday. I can hardly believe it.

After working my buns off last weekend beautifying the landscaping, I spent much of this week pondering goals for this summer. Ronell's post on taking a break and Rose's review of her June goals provided food for thought for my inner dialog.

The outcome of my pondering is the decision to shift my focus for the summer months. I spent much of the school year feeling like I was running at full throttle. Activities and events piled one on top of another.

Summer to me is more about fun in the sun and taking life at a slightly slower pace. So my family and I have vacations scheduled and trips to the pool planned. We will also be throwing in some hikes and family bike rides, as well as day trips to fun places and afternoons shooting hoops just for good measure. Who knows, we might even take time to stop and smell some roses. What I do know is that dear hubby and I are going to take advantage of the fact that the kids still enjoy hanging out with us. After all, the best excuse for behaving like a kid is entertaining your own.

What does all of this mean to you , dear reader? It means that, between my plate full of fun and my freelance and commissioned work, I may not be found in the blog-o-sphere as much as normal. I'm not planning a full out break from blogging (and will definitely still be sketching, drawing and painting), but you should expect longer stretches between posts.

If all goes according to plan, come Fall I will be ready to return to a full throttle pace again. Here's to an enjoyable summer for everyone!!

About the sketch: My beach towel and bottle of suntan lotion are laid out and ready to go. The suntan lotion is in a strangely shaped bottle. I don't think I captured it quite right, but in honor of summer's laid back attitude, I'll let it go as it is. Sketch done with a 4B pencil in my Canson sketch book.

5 comments:

Lilly said...

This is going to be an interesting summer for me as well. For one thing I am finally getting back into my art and I plan on going "full throttle" with it. The other thing is that tomorrow we are packing up and leaving California.

We have lived full time in an RV for the past 4 years. We came to California with the intention of spending the winter and have been here for a year and a half. It is time to move on again.

First stop is going to be Missouri to visit with family for a few months (I have a niece that was born on Halloween that I have never met) after that we are headed to Florida for next winter.

I hope your summer is fun and eventful. I will keep checking my Google Reader to see if you have updated. I always look forward to seeing your work.

Anita said...

I hope you have a wonderful summer, Stacy (don't forget to take your sketchbook with you!).

Mine is going to be spent making bridesmaid dresses for my daughter's wedding and packing up and moving a little further east (2 time zones. Joy!!!

Robyn Sinclair said...

Have a wonderful summer, Stacy. Less blogging usually results in more sketching - and that's a very good thing. If only I could take my own advice.

Stacy said...

Michael, congrats on getting back into the art! Good luck with the move and with getting up to full throttle!

Anita! Good to see you! And what an exciting summer you have planned - a wedding and finally moving out of the land of sand and heat. Hooray!! I can't imagine sewing bridesmaids dresses. Sewing on a button is about the limit of my sewing experience.

Robyn, I think you will be sketching plenty this summer with your sketchbook exchange to motivate you. I'll be checking in on it when I am on the computer.

Mary said...

A very appealing sketch Stacy. You made me remember when I was looking forward to the summers for a relaxing time, now it seems it is the same all year around but never relaxing, always on the go but I guess I'm the one that makes it that way.:)