I'LL SEE YOU SOON

Lately, I feel like I have been slipping up...not tremendously, but enough to realize I need to address it. Sometimes I feel so filled with energy and fervor, but I oftentimes grapple with pushing myself to be creative and interesting.

I'm not sure what it is, but sometimes I miss being a child, when you feel like you have your entire life ahead of you with any road to chose to venture down. This is actually the exact path I wanted to explore since I was four years old, drawing inside of a tent perched on top of my tiny bed, and now that I'm here, I realize how trying it can be to keep moving forward without getting stuck in the same pattern that works for many people, but doesn't necessarily work for me. I think I've just been thinking too much because I'm about to turn 26 in a few days, and I want prove my younger self right that I am in fact going in the right direction. I had assumed that life in general would be easy and fun, and you know...it turns out that it is utterly amazing (and has a plethora of opportunities for further improvement), but you have to work hard in your relationships, career, and family in order to build your life in a way that makes you happy.

I know that I've needed time to regroup myself for a little while, and I think I just need to finally give in and do so instead of cranking out quantity rather than quality. Thank you all so much for your unending support. I know we can all be hard on ourselves, and your insight and words of encouragement mean so much to me. I never realized how much my blog would mean to me less than a year ago, and want it to continue to be my powerhouse for creativity and happiness, but in a more defined path. I think I'll be back in about a week or two.

Before I scoot away and rush off, I do want to let you know that I can't wait to work on an illustration of one of the photos that you voted on: photo #2 shot by Hilda Randulv. I loved reading your thoughts, as always.

 I can sense good vibes over the horizon...

DISASTERS...NOT REALLY

Hi, hi! Sorry I was gone yesterday. I've been so excited to add extra items to society6, and I didn't take enough time to blog. Would you like to see a few disasters I've been working on?

Okay, okay. I know I'm exaggerating, but sometimes I just make stuff that doesn't end up resonating with me. Point(s) in case:

After painting a pretty bad abstract with oranges, yellows, and whites, I grew tired of looking at the painting and decided to paint over it yesterday. I came up with a kind of darkish sky, thinking, Hey, this isn't so bad... until I related the unfinished painting with this photo. I thought it would be cool to make a sort of grassy scene, but I'm just not feeling the thick blades of grass that are a bit too dark green in my opinion.

I had put this piece up in my society6 store earlier today, but I decided to take it down so that I can maybe fix it once again. Do you think that's too finicky?

After browsing art for a while, I thought that I should make more of my art semi-realistic. I think I was trying to defend my art by creating more "legitimate" pieces, which is ridiculous, seeing as people are going to either like or dislike artwork in a matter of seconds nonetheless. Anyway, I took my illustration of Azul and played around for a while. I liked where the sketch was going, but then I added that thick black line in acrylic paint to represent her hairline. Sorta looks like a small baseball cap in my head, ha! So THEN, I told myself that I should brighten her lips. They looked horrible at first, but the lighter pink is somewhat fixed the mistakes. I'll just consider this drawing / painting an ongoing piece of art. Maybe some tropical greens or coral colors would do the trick...I think I just need to sleep on it. 

There is value in taking pride in your work and putting in the time and effort to create something worthwhile, whatever it may be. Sometimes you have to do as they say: Just try, try again.

Out of the trials and annoyance, you just might surprise yourself with something that you love again.

This particular abstract reminds me of the sun beaming on snow-coated mountains. I think I just might submit it to an upcoming art contest.

Are you working on anything right now that you're trying to get right? I'd love to know!

SUNDAY

Yesterday was completely relaxed with the darkness and rain. We just loved it.

We went to the store and I could't resist getting a small bunch of tiny organey-red roses for the kitchen table. I don't buy flowers enough...they really do brighten up your space and put a smile on your face. You like that poetry? ;)

It was such a gorgeous, relaxing, and peaceful day. I usually get a little sad if I can't see the sun, but this was actually nice for a change..and of course we opened the windows. Oh! And if you were wondering, you can totally put those green onions in a small jar filled with just water, and they grow so quickly on their own! I had this bunch cut all the way to the white part, and the green leaves grew that tall in about 5 days. Crazy, huh? ...Unless you already knew! I WISH I had known much sooner.

Flowers, please stay alive for a while.

How was your weekend? :)

SOCIETY 6

Guys! Thank you so much for all of your votes so far! It's interesting to see what your opinions and let you have a say. :) If you haven't chosen yet, you still can...I'll pick the photo with the highest votes early next week.

Eeep! So sorry I haven't been around today...I've been keeping myself busy at society6! Let's just say that I'm in love with this place already for the fact that it makes my life easy. I get to draw / take photos / design stuff to my heart's content, and then I post those items on the site, and I'm ready to sell. :)

Wanna peek at what I was posting?

Clockwise left to right: 1, 2, 3, 4

The hairy one with the gullet howl is my husband's baby, so he'll go with that iPhone case to remind him of her ridiculousness, and I'm going with the Glasses & Bananas girl. Surprised? Ha, didn't think so.

I was initially unsure about selling my photography, but I'm so glad I decided to. I think it spices stuff up a bit...well, a lot.

It's crazy how realistic the preview images are. I can't wait to see how the prints and canvases look in person!

Anyway, here's my new shop at society6 if you're interested. :) And no worries, I'm still keeping my Etsy shop.

Hope you all have a gorgeous weekend! It's finally raining here again, and it's just so refreshing. Okay! I'm on my way to splash in the puddles...just kidding. Kind of. ;)

TWO THINGS

Hey guys! I did the strangest thing today...have you ever watched "Along Came Polly" with Jennifer Aniston and Ben Stiller? Remember when she couldn't find her keys and used the key finder to locate them in the FRIDGE?

Well, I lost my phone yesterday. I found it in the recycling bin today, people. Whaa? I think it's just one of those days. Have you ever had to search for the noise coming out of (essentially) a big trash can like a worried raccoon? ...That must be because the recycling bin was right beside the trash, ha! I'm just so thankful my phone is alive!

SO! Back to business!

Two cool things. Up first is numero uno:

Do you recognize these little honeys from the top of this post? My very favorite is the Napoleon midnight snack illustration, which, by the way, I was excitedly about to show my guy when he returned from work the other day, and I accidentally saved over the illustration...with the blog post, of course. Ha! I just really need to sloooow doooown. SLOW, I say! Ah well, I like how the second illustration turned out just as much.

Number two is a very big step for me (trust me, I used to not even have texting until my senior year of college).

Oh, HI, twitter (insert fist pump)! I had tried to convince myself that I was up-to-date enough with my Facebook page, but I think it's time to explore a little bit more. I just made an account today, so I'll be trying to figure everything out.

So yeah...here I am! :) @DanieSelby

IN REMEMBRANCE

My heart goes out to all those affected on September 11, 2001. The strength, courage, and love of humanity never ceases to amaze me.

CALIFORNIA TRIP PART 7

Happy Friday!! Do you have anything planned for the weekend?

It's about time I stopped in again, and I thought I'd share a few more photos from San Francisco with you. Some of you had recommended us to eat at La Boulange, and after getting turned around while hunting for the bakery too many times to count, we accidentally found it across the street!

You were absolutely right...I couldn't get enough of it. Seriously. I had some of these goodies to eat:

Well...the iced tea I may or may not have stolen from my husband...along with about half of his bacon, lettuce, tomato, and avocado sandwich. Are you a frantic food thief also? And wouldn't that little table look so prettied up with a big vase of bright flowers? Not that you would have any space left to even put your food down if there were flowers...

The view was gorgeous--I sat at a built-in bar and looked out huge glass windows onto the street. The photo about is actually the same picture copied, flipped, and pushed together. Kinda weird and interesting, huh? After I finally get my things together and finish up the first Photoshop tutorial from 1.5 hundred years ago, maybe I can show you how to make this little effect.

I had too much trouble trying to decide what to eat, so I just pointed to the mini turkey, cheddar and pesto sandwich in the window. It. was. DELICIOUS. So was the Napolean dessert. As you can see, we left no survivors.

Please don't tell me we're the only nerds who actually enjoy working a little bit during vacations. The boy programmed while I drew things. Do you recognize the illustration above? It's finally finished!! If you'd like to see the final, it's the banner at  the top of Toshiko's blog called It's Not Her, It's Me. I'll show you some process drawings soon! :)

Anyway, while we worked, other people talked business as well. Others just sat and enjoyed their food and the cool air.

I loved sitting and watching people come and go. We were there for a while.

How can you resist that blue trim and the painted red base of the tables?? La Boulange is practically begging you to come back. And we did.

TEXAS, YOU'RE BEAUTIFUL

I'm finally back! I can't say that I mind the drive to and from Abilene to San Antonio.

The sky here makes me swoon every time I get to see it against the landscape. It's sights like these that remind me that I live in an amazing place, even if I might sometimes lose it and curse the heat that comes with it.

The boy and I have started to browse around for a house to possibly buy, and this past weekend, I saw my sister-in-law's home for the first time. It was nestled in the country (I mean it...we got lost in our own hometown trying to find it), and the view was incredible. It was sitting on top of a hill, and the downward sweeping hills moved as far as your eyes could see. I'm now determined to live in a home in the country someday.

I know I'm blessed to be able to spend time with family, marvel at the views, and do what I love the most:

Since I couldn't stop gawking at its view, I plan on painting a collection of art based solely on Texas. The watercolor above is the first of the line. I think it'll look striking in acrylic...

What do you love about where you live?