2009 came in with a ROAR.

ROAR I say ROOOOAR!

Wow, I am only like 14 days into 2009 and I am already busy as a beaver. Good for me. :)

Business is starting to really pick up. I am ALMOST done with my library mural over at Grovetown Elementary, and from what I can tell several folks are interested in new murals. I have one lady asking about a mural for her daughter and another wants a lake mural in her basement. I do hope they pan out sooner or later! I also had contact with a very nice gentleman who wants me to hand over my mural portfolio to his wife, who does commercial interior design. She lands huge projects for places like University Hospital and MCG...and she does many "children" themed areas...and I could be contracted out if the buyer likes my work and wants a mural added in on the design..OOOO. It's a very exciting and very scary idea. The gentleman looked at me and asked "How much do you want your business to boom?" Woah. Scary thing is I don't know that answer yet.

My current mural is a jungle theme. I've got waterfalls, trees, monkeys, vines, huts, and rivers all over the place. I love it. Today I am taking Renee up to see my work, and she is thrilled. I love sharing my art with my little girl. I love that she really wants to know more about it..and secretly, or not so secretly...I hope she takes a shine to art and really blooms into something awesome. (But I digress...)

Here are some process photos of my work. It is far from done, but it will give you an idea of what I have been doing.

(I just got a nice coat of primer on the walls.)



(The blue sky is up and running)

(The starts of the landscapes and trees.)

(Hey a RIVER!)

(The detail work is getting added in....)

Also, starting next week will be the "artist in residence" at Wesley Preschool. I will be creating over 200 snowflake projects with the kiddos, and I am really excited to do so. The director of the preschool has pulled me aside, and next year, if all goes well, I might be teaching art there on a part-time basis. WOO HOO! I also have plans for group lessons this summer at Wesley and I will be working with a local boy scout troop here in a few weeks as well. :) Life is good.

I am totally healed from my December medical issues (yea) and I am now on a tear to lose some weight. A bunch of folks in the neighborhood are doing a version of the biggest loser. I think 12 or so have signed up, and we are having a supportive and friendly competition to see who can lose the most weight by April. :) Mark and I are involved and pretty dedicated to getting some of these extra pounds off. YEA!

On another random note Mark and I are burning a week at Disney at the end of January. We have free hotel nights at Marriott, and we are cashing them in! WOOT! Renee is VERY excited and so are we! As always pictures will follow.

Cheers all. have a very Happy 2009!

Jenny

Furry Animals WATCH OUT!

Today was a blast. I had a nice shot back to my childhood, and it tickled me to no end.

On Friday my family packed up the car and went on an overnight trip to Athens, GA. Santa had given Mark some tickets for a MU vs UGA basketball game and we decided to take a small side trip and also enjoy the town that the University of Georgia is in. What a great trip it was. We got some great recommendations and ate at Copper Creek Brewery. MMM. The beer and the food rocked. :)



(Renee and Mark with one of the MANY bulldogs in Athens GA.)
Today before the game we toured campus. We saw the art buildings, the sporting complexes, and then headed over to North Campus. After we walked under the Archway on north campus and there Renee spotted billions of furry "friends" (aka freakishly LARGE and overly furry squirrels). For the next hour Mark and I chased Renee, while she, in turn, chased her buddies into all of the surrounding trees. I literally think my daughter terrorized up to 40 small woodland animals today. It was great. I started to remember back to my childhood...a vast majority of my energy as a kid was used to A) beat up my younger sister and to B) try to capture every small fuzzy creature that i came across (because I knew DEEP in my heart...all of these creates LONGED to be in my arms). he he he. I unfortunately never caught any of the said animals, but I knew it was just an oversight on their part. They didn't KNOW any better. he he he.


(The Arch at the University of Georgia.)

Today, Renee carried on my hysteria. After every thwarted attempt she would look back at Mark and myself and ask WHY mom? Why won't they let me catch them?!?!? Our logical answer of "Well honey, you scare the crap out of animals when you run after them screaming that they need to be tickled." didn't seem to float with her. OH well. I have a feeling for the next 8 years or so all of the fluffy animals that run across Renee will have the same experience that these poor overfed UGA squirrels had today.

(Renee "lovingly" hunting her prey.)

(I think this squirrel was thinking "OH S***!)

(Renee was in LOVE with Spike the Bulldog! Yet another "furry" cute animal...he he he)

Happy New Year all!

Jenny