Congrats to Samantha (comment #6) as the winner of the 2012 Calendar!

Sounds like 2011 was a good year for many of you, and we’re all looking forward to some really awesome stuff in 2012! Let’s hear it for new beginnings! (and if you are feeling sad and really wanted a calendar, go ahead and get one for yourself using the coupon code 25in2012 and get 25% off! Good through the end of the week — January 14 12pm EST)

I’m giving away a 2012 calendar to a lucky reader this week! The calendar features 12 watercolor paintings of wild edible plants, it measures 4-1/2″ x 11″, spiral bound and ready to hang. {They are available to purchase here, there’s as printable version, too!}

Entries are open through Monday January 9 at 12 noon EST (entries are closed). Just leave a comment on this post to be entered & tell me your favorite thing about 2011 and what you’re most looking forward to in 2012.

For me, my favorite favorite most amazing thing in 2011 was beginning to have conversations with my little one. For reals, she’s a PERSON with THOUGHTS and feelings and dreams and joys and hurts and questions questions questions. It’s so amazing to finally be able to hear all about them. She’s still working on her sentence structure (”does I have a sister?” was the best question yesterday. My answer? “no, you don’t have a sister” and her reply was “no, I don’t. She’s at work.” Hah! I guess “work” is where people are when you can’t see them? Pretty good).

And what are we looking forward to in 2012? All sorts of big things. Growing my business in ways I have only dreamed of. Making real plans, accountability, scheming and ACTING on these plans! Yes, so I suppose what I’m looking forward to in 2012 is action! Last year was a looking-inward hibernating sort of year, just reveling in our little family life and developing a rhythm to that. This year we’re adding to that rhythm and it already feels really good. Yay 2012!

**update: the winner is Samantha! Congrats and thanks to all of you for playing along!**

New originals have been unearthed! These were painted earlier in the year; prints coming soon, as well as more originals from prints already in the shop. Click the images or here to buy.

Another new painting, plus a set of postcards now in the shop.

New painting! Available as a print in the shop, and the original watercolor painting on bristol board is available, too.

Don't you just love this IT'S OK handmade affirmation banner by ashleyannabrown on Etsy?

my whole self, my true self. It’s coming through, I can feel it. I love Martha Beck and how she puts it — if you quiet the mind, you will see it all come out. Spilling, rushing, floating to the top, waiting to be freed from the confines you have put it in. Why do we have to be practical in our dreams? Oh we so totally don’t. That’s the beauty of it. The beauty of this messed up crazy world we live in. I’m choosing to not wait until I find myself with a terminal disease or some kind of tragedy to wake up. I’m starting to EAT RIGHT, to lessen stress, to listen to my real innate desires and longings, to be myself. It’s awesome. I highly recommend it.

So here we are. Another month gone and “Laurie Coyle Designs” isn’t doing much designing at all. But that’s ok. I think I’m designing my life, trying to figure out what the ideal version of that might be. Isn’t that the most important kind of work? If you don’t agree, I think you best be moving on and stop reading this blog, because I think, as they say, shit’s about to get REAL around here. That’s ok, right? Isn’t that what you’re looking for? Some kind of reality-TV glimpse into my life? I’m pretty sure that’s what I’m looking for on other people’s blogs. And I’m not going to bother to censor myself in case someone “important” is reading. You are ALL important, and those of you who agree with me or at least are intrigued by me and the realness, you are the ones I’m writing for anyway. So there. And I love you for coming back again and again. Or not. Whatevs. It is what it is.

And I think “the Real World” was a really good show. At least back in 1995 or whenever Puck was on it.

xo L

There’s something in the air these days.

and no, it’s not just pollen or humidity

I’m talking about the idea of stepping back, unplugging and slowing down.

I mentioned the idea of re-evaluating a few weeks ago, and the idea has been growing and growing in my mind. I need some time to think, to breathe, to make space. I need space in my house, both my physical/literal house, but also my metaphorical/sipritual house. Things are getting pretty jumbled up in there. It’s been over a year now since Natalie joined our family, and I need to take stock of how we’re living. What we’re spending our days on, how we move and grow in our home, how we take care of ourselves and each other, and seemingly less important these days (but really something I’d like to become more important again) how we make money and how we work, what we DO. Because really, how we spend our days is how we spend our lives, right? I think I read that on an inspirational magnet somewhere…. but it’s so true!

here are a few of the blog posts that resound with me lately:

Christine at Lavendar & Limes went on vacation
&
Maeg at Edison Rex went on walkabout (and won’t be back at her blog/business till September — inspiring!)

So… I’m thinking of following in their footsteps. I already closed my Etsy shop for my staycation, and I think it might have to stay closed until I either have new work to add to it, or have a new brand/business to reopen it with. I’m not making any promises or grand statements or creating any self-imposed time limits on this one. I think I’ve learned my lesson with that. But I think I will be back, and I imagine I will be looking for more accountability from y’all. This isn’t even another I’m-not-going-to-blog post, but it is something of a “get out of blogging free” card, if you catch my meaning. I’m unplugging, and we’ll see where it goes from there. I feel better already. Don’t you?

Does this idea make sense to you? Does it call to you? Then do it! Unplug! Make art! Make space! Play and create and lounge and read and do yoga and garden and cook and nap and go to bed early and stop comparing yourself with bloggers/facebook friends/famous people — just be you and enjoy your life, today. Have an average day!

I am so thrilled and flattered to be Maeg Yosef’s (aka Edison Rex) Art Crush of the week! Check out the interview I did with her here!

good morning afternoon. Do I look tired? I think I perpetually do these days, but I’m working today (yay!) and getting things done! (and drinking lots of this green superfood drink to rev up my energy!)

Today I did an interview on a friend’s blog that will post soon. Then I uploaded a bunch of old (and some new-ish) images to flickr so there’s a current collection of my work there. It was getting pretty stale. And worked on my lessons from the online course From the Fishbowl to the Sea — so great! This course has me taking stock of where I am, where I have come from and where I am going in this big ol’ fishbowl of being an artist online (and off!). Being in business for myself has been so fun, but I definitely don’t think I’m running a profitable business and I am certainly running on the hamster wheel of survival and making it work but not “really” working. :::sigh::::

But really… where have I been? Sometimes I don’t feel like I’ve come very far since starting this business, but when I really look at it, I have! If anything, I have gained confidence in talking about it — saying “I am an artist” and “I am a business owner”!

I also think despite not making much work this past year (been otherwise occupied, it seems!), my style has evolved and I feel much more professional. Is that weird that I’m not doing as much work but I feel more professional? Hah. I guess I’m just not approaching it in such a carefree and casual way, it’s more important to spend time efficiently when I do get to work. I get stuck in this, too, though — I don’t want to “waste” my time, so I just end up doing little bits of things here and there, not really getting anything done most days. So here is my recent commitment, saying it to you might make it real: I want to paint more, make more, sell more! I am going to turn this into a thriving, profitable business one way or another. It might have to change completely, but that’s ok! Change is good. And sometimes welcome.

Starting with…. changing my business name? Just toying with the idea of dropping the “Designs” part…from the website anyway…. what do you think? I don’t even know how to do it on Etsy… I don’t think I can change the name there, but I could just change the banner and make it say “Laurie Coyle” with some kind of catchy tagline? Thoughts?

I had a little time to head down to my studio this afternoon (John took babybear out on some errands with him — she reportedly wasn’t impressed with the hardware store, though). I was so happy to have some time to work on my “Right-Brain Business Plan“! Remember collage? Yeah, it’s super fun!

someday I’ll give you that long-ago promised tour of the studio, but for now these sneak-peeks will have to do. Hope you can carve out some creative time this weekend, too!