Sunday at the studio

I woke up with a sinus headache this morning, but was determined to get to the studio to do more work on my whimsical winter paintings. A little coffee and tylenol and I was ready to go.

I went to work--moving from canvas to canvas. First I did another layer of green on the lower part of the painting. I was working on so many paintings at one time that I laid the canvases on the floor while  I was working on another.

 

One of the best things I ever bought while taking college art classes was my porcelain palette. It provides a wonderful surface area for mixing colors and also cleans up easily. 

At one point I looked down at my palette today and wanted to paint it! I love mixing colors!

 

I focused primarily on the smaller 11x14 paintings today. I ended up going a slightly different direction than I originally intended--the green lower part was changed to white "snow" and I painted the evergreens in a different style than I originally had planned. And I had fun using glitter on these paintings. I'll be taking better pictures when the paintings are finished.

Unfortunately, it's back to work tomorrow...that means it's back to trying to squeeze in painting time around work.

 

 

Back to the studio

Thanksgiving over--time to hit the studio! I headed to Michael's early this morning to take advantage of some sales. That was all the inspiration I needed to get to the studio! I headed over before noon with a plan to start some holiday-themed paintings.

 

I started four 11x14's, two 16x20's and one 18x24. Painting is all about laying down layers of color and it is much more efficient to work on multiple paintings at one time--especially if it's a series of work. 

I got a lot done, but have much more to do. I hope to have these paintings done for First Friday next week. 

I'll be heading to the studio early tomorrow! 

May you be blessed today...

This was what it looked like in our neighborhood a few Thanksgivings ago! No snow this year...and for that, I'm thankful. Actually the weather has been quite agreeable--for November in Minnesota. It still feels like late Fall. It does kind of make it hard to feel like Christmas is just a month away--but winter will be here soon enough!

I'm set to start cooking up a storm. As has been the case for many, many years, I'm cooking a huge Thanksgiving dinner for my kids and mother. There will too much food as always, but hooray for leftovers!

Then there will be a little shopping on Friday (no early morning escapades!) and lots of studio time the rest of the weekend.

A quick work update: We are still waiting for the Hennepin County board to take a vote on a resolution that would fund us at 90% for 3-6 months. They were scheduled to vote on it this past Tuesday, but didn't get to it. I am trying to stay faithful that all will be good and no jobs will be lost. It's still a little hard to relax. 

But today, I am thankful for my job and that Southside continues to do good work. I am thankful for a hubby that is supportive and makes me laugh. I am thankful for two wonderful kids making their own way in life. I am thankful for my beautiful home and studio. And last but not least, I am thankful for all the wonderful friends that are a part of my life!

Have a blessed Thanksgiving!!! 

Some griefs...

 

There are some griefs so loud
They could bring down the sky

--May Sarton

It has been a long, hard week...and I can't say that I am looking forward to the ending. Tomorrow we will have a short staff meeting and then individual meetings with our managers to learn if we keep our job or will be laid off.

It's ironic how such a difficult situation has made the staff even tighter. We do hard work and we have to lean on one another--even in the best of times. The office is our home base. It's where we go to de-brief, get support, cry and make each other laugh to forget the hard stuff. Even in these last few miserable weeks, there has been laughter. And plenty of tears.

I feel like my family is being broken up. I don't want to leave and I don't want any of them to leave either. Not this way. It just sucks.

Tonight we had an incredible evening--serving our families a "Harvest Feast" meal. We'll do it again tomorrow. It's a tradition. Something we do every year. It's not something the county requires we do. But we do it because we care for our families. We are Southside Family Nurturing Center after all.

It was a wonderful and awful evening. It was wonderful because it felt good working together as a team. It was awful because we know that our team is being broken up and next year there might not even be a Harvest Feast.

But tomorrow we will stand together one more time. 


Friday, November 20th Noon: Update

Amazing News: Our directors testified in front of the County Commissioners this morning, alerting them to the affects of their proposed cuts--job layoffs, services to families being cut...They were appalled! The CFO talked with them afterwards and said not to lay people off, they will come up with a plan. We will know more on Tuesday. But for now we are holding on and praying for our Southside miracle. Please keep those prayers coming!

Wordless Wednesday!

Southside slideshow

The slideshow tells you about Southside Family Nurturing Center. Today's the day that your contribution can make a BIG difference at http://givemn.razoo.com/story/Southside-Family-Nurturing-Center

 

Another long day

my kitty, Squeakers

Today was a tough day at work...another staff meeting with more bad news. Bottom line is that 6-10 people will be laid off before Christmas. Some of those layoffs will come by the end of this month, in order that staff laid-off can take advantage of better Cobra (insurance) benefits.

When your agency only employs about 30 people, 6-10 folks is a big number! And because we are so small, it also means that everyone knows each other. My co-workers are not just fellow staff, they are friends and in my heart, extended family. I know how each and every one of them will be affected if they are laid off. 

I will know in a few short days if I will be laid off November 30th. I have never before been in this sort of situation. It's hard to wrap my head around it. And my heart is having nothing to do with it at all!

At this point, I just want to know either way so I can move forward. All my co-workers want the same. It's hard, but I have faith that somehow things will be o.k. I know that I am resilient and I will move forward.

The thing I worry most about is having health insurance. As a Type II diabetic, I cannot afford to NOT have insurance. Without a job, affording insurance becomes an issue. Which is exactly why this country needs universal health insurance!

It's time to call it a night...I think I'm going to grab my cat and watch some mindless t.v. (House Hunters, perhaps?)