New York is beautiful today.Sunshine abound!This morning, I was a touch late to work - not because I woke up late - in fact, I woke up early!But because I was distracted on my walk to the train...it's hard to believe this same fence was filled with snow a few months ago!now it seems to sing with love and spring...**Have a wonderful Tuesday!xo

When Iowa City folks get together -there's sure to be laughter...big smiles...and found objects - like this wonderful cute duck umbrella.Meetings occur at quaint restaurants...with pretty windows...and friendly strangers.Before we say our goodbyes, there is some silliness...and lots of hugs...especially - group hugs!McKinze, Sharon, and Miguel - it was wonderful to see you!Come back and visit Amy and I soon!xoxoxo

the "bless test" - can one tell if water has been blessed?our conclusion - we did not have enough information to decide.fanciness at tribeca grandand fun with mirrors....

Last Friday I had some friends over for the inaugural Drink and Doodle.It was a great way to enjoy the leftover prosecco from my birthday brunch and have fun practicing drawing skills.We started with some still lives and ended with three minute sketches of each other, with one exception.Draw with your opposite hand.These aren't the most "flattering" sketches, but I think those are the best - it's great to exaggerate features!

Our next gathering will be soon. If you're in NY and interested, shoot me a note!

You're probably wondering what in the world is a "Krull shop"...well, my friends - let me tell you...."Krull" is something Hayden started calling me - I have no idea why - but for some reason it stuck - so much that I almost signed a painting Krull in my last painting class.Now the "shop" part comes from asking my friends to help me finish a project and me sort of making fun of sweat shops...Remember the Visions tactile mural that I started last year?Well, I finally finished it -- thanks to my friends - THANK YOU!!! At my birthday brunch last week I asked me friends to help re-glue some pieces of this tactile mural. This was a much easier task than previous birthday requests of tree planting and gardening... **Thanks again everyone! I presented the mural the students last night and they loved it! It will be hung in Visions over the next few weeks. :)Warm fuzzies all around :)Happy hump day folks!

it appears this little llama is lost!i found him hiding in my paint brushes...perhaps he'll be part of my next painting! **It has been a hectic couple of weeks - hence my lack of postings - but things have been very good.I finally had a moment to catch up on some readings and take some silly photos for MCP Project 52.sweet dreams.. i'll be dreaming up a land for this little llama...

Sometimes I get really frustrated with life so I dream up places I'd rather be.For example...a snowy egret in a magical swampland away from everything else...Another thing that makes this painting magical is glitter. Yes folks.. I brought the glitter back. I was covered in tiny sprinkles when I left and loved it.Have a great week all! Birthday photos to come soon...Xo

My first take at making a stop-motion video!This is a preview of a bigger project I worked on!Enjoy! :)

Today is my birthday.I love birthdays, I really do.Besides creating fun greetings for people, I find that birthdays bring me a sense of renewal. I'm able to reflect on previous years, but more importantly decide where I want to be in the upcoming year.So where do I want to be for 27? For 27 I just want to be...I've always struggled with self-esteem and insecurities - which I think everyone does - but I think I'm coping with those feelings better than I ever have.I'm okayI'm happyI'm slowly learning to actually self-love instead of just talking about it and I'm just figuring it out.2:00 ama couple of hours into my birthday(I was up way too late)For 27... from the moleskin ... (I wrote this on the plane coming back from KW)Here are few other things I'd like to do this year - in my favorite - list form!

• Keep challenging myself with my job and try to feel more confident, this would help with many things! I've learned a LOT in the past 4-6 months and think I can learn more. I sort of fell into this job, but have found that I really like what I do, and I think it's a perfect place for my people pleasing-ness and organizing skills!
• Create goals for my art explorers class and have a better planned lessons to encourage more kids to come
• Travel more
• Plan a trip to volunteer abroad
• Attempt to actually learn the languages I keep saying I'm going to learn... (German and Spanish) - hmm maybe I'll take a class
• Keep taking photos
• Take another painting class - this has helped me so much! Perhaps an OIL painting class.
• Learn to cook an Indian dish - so the next time I visit Mary in Oklahoma I can cook for her
• Practice guitar or piano at least twice a week
• Write and illustrate a children's book
• Become more knowledgeable in the things I care about (social issues) and how to help vs. getting on a soap box and ranting my beliefs
• Never lose my quirky, girly, childish self (this has been in all of my journal "lists" ever since I was 18

So.. it's a birthday :) And it will be a good day.Hope you all have wonderful days and birthdays and whatnot.xoxoxo

Happy Monday folks!Here's a new painting in progress. Color drips and strange shapes. I can't tell if it's hideous or pretty. I think it's somewhere in the middle - and I like that.It's 30x30 inches - I'm starting to work with larger canvas, which I really enjoy! By the end of the class I hope to finish a piece that's taller than me - perhaps 4x6 feet. The only problem is I'm not sure where I'd put it.These phone photos don't depict the color very well. They are actually much brighter and less "yellowy", but I'll re-shoot all of the photos from this class and my new work with my camera soon.I love the way mixing colors looks! I hope to do something with all of my dried paints!Have a wonderful week!

....except this beach was filled with glass and history of horses and waste, better known as "Dead Horse Bay".Why would anyone want to visit such a place?Because you can find amazing treasures and by "treasures" I mean vintage bottles.Once a landfill, this beach is now known for it's vintage glass pieces and occasional horse bones, washed ashore.To me, it's just another place to look a little closer.**Greeted by cats!and swans..first bottle find!a href="http://lookalittlecloser.com/blog/2011/04/02/another-cold-day-at-the-beach/img_4162/" rel="attachment wp-att-4022">//more photos... 

Friends -- you are awesome.Thank you.You know why and you know who you are.I love you so very much.nuf' said. 

Ocean air, birds, boats, large and jagged rocks, and an amazing sunset about to unfold. Overheard conversation of snorkelers claiming to have seen a baby shark.Looking down, I found a gray hair on my sweater. I picked it up and made a wish when letting go....To remember this happiness and love all my days and to stay this anchored, no matter what.**

Some photos from my afternoon bike ride...

Friday love...SunshineBike ridingExploringRelaxationReading - The Glass Castle (so good)Technology! **Happy Friday folks!Hope you have a wonderful weekend! 

... My new painting that is...According to Melanie, this new piece is "spicy", "saucy", and "has spunk"!Thanks dear! Your comments make me happy ;)Here's some of the new work from class - from the phone.Xo

yes... this is bliss.

It's hard to believe I was playing in sunshine and riding midnight donkeys two days ago. I'm back from my trip and missing my girls something fierce.Highlights of the 2011 tripHearing Georgia call me, "Auntie Tim" :)Horseback ridingNature walksMidnight donkey riding after drinking "cowboy koolaid", which btw = dangerPlaying with a baby deerSeeing Jenna and her bfDriving aroundPainting on the porch listening to Dixie ChicksOh how I love Oklahoma. And my girls there, Mary and Georgia ~ my love for you is as bright as Saturday night's full moon, far as the mountains we could see, runs like a stampede of those wild horses, and is just oh-so-full.I love you!** Horses really love sugar...and they like to tell you thanks! :)a little thank you gift for letting me ride the horses!like this doggy, Oklahoma is not so scary. :) it's actually a wonderful place to visit and quite fun! More photos will be posted on my flickr page soon! And tomorrow I'm headed to Key West! Hooray for vacation.Sunshine, here I come!hope you all have a fantastic week!xoxo

Happy Friday! I'm hanging in Oklahoma with two of the best girls in the world!!So far this trip has been awesome!Fresh mountain airHikingPainted nailsPretty skyMy yams (you are my sisters!)SunshineAnd of course, lots of loveHope you had a happy St. Patricks day and a fantastic week. More photos and such when I return! For now I will just enjoy this bliss.Xo! 

..have been added to the whimsical piece from last week...**and she's almost done...p.s. at some point, i will take higher res photos of all of this new art!