p.s. This robot’s outfit was inspired by what Christian Bale’s character, Jack Kelly, wears in the movie.  If I were a Newsie, I’d wear a red neckerchief, too.

I love thyme jokes, especially when I have too much thyme on my hands. :)

If we’re real-world friends or online friends, or if you’re a random stranger who clicked on a random link and ended up on my blog, I’m glad you exist, too.

One of the chapters talked about a charter school that based almost everything they taught around the words “Work hard. Be nice.”  For some reason that really stuck in my head.  I think it’s pretty much the best advice ever.  Last night I painted a little cardboard sign with those words to keep by my desk.

I’m pretty happy with how it turned out, considering that I don’t usually paint actual living things.  I had a bunch of photos to look at for reference, and that helped a LOT.

I gave some of the sad robot paintings to my friend Meredith just to get them out of my apartment (she does props and thought she might have a use for them someday).  They’re now being used on the set of the TV show Suburgatory, which I think is hilarious.

But anyway, one of those old robot paintings was so depressing that Meredith couldn’t bear to look at it either.  It showed a hopeless-looking robot who was chained to the ground.  I decided I would paint over that one, and today, I finally did.

I don’t have a before picture, but here’s a “during” shot that gives you a peek at what I was covering up.

And here’s the after:

I ended up deciding at the very end that the new version had too much pink space, so I gave it a blue border.

I’m so happy that I turned this painting (which is on a piece of cradled clayboard, and super-easy to hang) into something I can put on the wall of my apartment without making visitors cry!

p.s. The new version still looks a bit hesitant and cautious, but I think this robot at least believes things can get better.

This weekend, I spent some time with a friend, and she was more stressed out than I’d ever seen her (she’s in the middle of a move and a major job change).  So I made this little postcard for her and put it in the mail.  She knows about my encouraging inner voice, so I think she’ll appreciate it.

p.s. I mailed the actual painting to my friend, but I want to dedicate this post to EVERYONE who’s working hard and feeling unappreciated.  You’re doing a great job. I am glad you exist.

Cecil gave me a postcard-sized piece of art paper, and asked me to make a painting based on the words “Mountain View.”  This is what I submitted:

After Cecil receives the art, she prints up postcards, mails them out to authors, and asks them to write something (on the postcard) inspired by the art and mail it back to her.  I can’t wait to see what people write about this one.

p.s. I love macrame plant hangers. Maybe that’s because I’m a child of the ’70s? I have an orange one hanging in my window right now.

A little robot girl I painted the other day.  She’s thinking big thoughts, I can tell. :)

I made this one as a Christmas gift for a friend who likes frogs.  I don’t know how to paint a real frog, so I painted a robot pretending to be a frog.  He’s wearing a frog costume that’s way too small for him.