The September painting challenge was a salvation for me. Your kind and generous support has lifted me up, and enabled me to have a productive month. From the bottom of my heart, I thank you.
The move in July and August was exhausting, and threw me into a Lupus flare. Everything that could go wrong, did. (See list below.) My energy level was in the negative. I woke up depleted, and counted the hours until it was time for bed. When it was, I couldn’t fall asleep before 2 am. I lost my appetite, was short of breath and had no strength. I lost fifteen pounds.
It was a full month (August) before I had enough energy to even think about unpacking. During that time, we had workers in and out of the house. Unpacking had to wait until some of that work was completed. My goal was to be settled and ready to paint by September first. And guess what, I was!
I did not have a theme planned, nor was I able to prep or start painting before day one. Mountains, cacti, flowers and a bunny. A few themes there. All sure to be revisited. You can see my favorites from this month below.
Viewer favorites by post visits:
Day 29
Day 5
Day 14
Day 30
Day 6
The most used colors in my palette continued on from the September 2015 challenge. Many more colors I enjoy, and many I would like to try. I just find myself reaching for these staples.
Thanks again to all of you who followed along with me this month – you are a blessing!
I am so thankful for your friendship and support!
Treat yourself to a look at the artist collages
for Leslie Seata’s 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge!
My Pinterest board for the event is bursting with over 1600 works of art!
Some of you had asked about the how the move went.
Moving complications list:
truck that arrived was too small
moving crew arrived late and without needed equipment and only 2 movers, not 4
rented 2nd truck which was too small, had to exchange it
moving crew took longer to load than stated
still loading trucks as new owners were moving in
after full day of loading and cleaning, drove to Prescott
arrived at midnight, had to wait for room, which was on 2nd floor, no elevator
changed room after 2 days as we had requested the first floor (moving coolers, suitcases, and supplies needed for our two-week stay)
new house not ready when promised
19 days in hotel room
But for all that stress, we have been BLESSED since we have been in the house (19th of August). We found movers that were above all expectations. Helping to place and unwrap the furniture. They even returned a couple of times just to help move heavy pieces. The crews – landscaping, closet installers, electrician, tile, pantry woodworker – have all been supreme! We consider all of them friends.
The neighbors on our street are all from California. And with potlucks and a neighborhood garage sale today, there is no shortage of activity.
Thanks again, I am so thankful for your friendship and support!
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Good Morning Sheila! I was so sorry to find out about your troubles. The more amazed I am that you were able to complete the 30in Challenge. Wow! And your work is so delightful. Thanks for all the wonderful comments you made about my work. Best wishes to you!
Thanks for visiting Christiane 🙂 Best wishes to you as well 🙂
Hi Sheila!! I finally found your blog, the google link didn’t work. Thank you again for your support!! I love your paintings, they’re so bright and happy! I have health issues too and I’m so grateful that I can escape the pain while painting. I hope you also can find peace while painting as well ? Kyla
Thanks so much for that Kyla 🙂 I don’t write about my health often, but it is always a comfort speaking with others who also struggle, and therefore can understand it better. So glad to hear your painting is a relief for you 🙂 I am following your blog now, so we can keep in touch – Enjoy!
Sheila, you surely are super-woman! Your paintings always look so fresh and lively, and here you were struggling through a move and a health crisis!!! I am so glad to see you painting every day- and your bunny is the CUTEST! You are a breath of fresh air and I wish you all the very, very best in your new home and neighborhood!
Aww thanks Simone! Looking forward to your Christmas project 🙂 I bet you are going to have fun with it!
Congratulations, Sheila – both for completing the challenge, AND surviving the move! They’re all wonderful pieces, but if I had to pick a favourite, I’d have to say #22. Even as a small thumbnail, it just looks so peaceful.
Thanks so much Emma 🙂 So glad to have discovered your work! Glad you like those mountains too 🙂 Hope to see you in January, happy painting until then!
Same to you! 😀
🙂
Congratulations on starting and finishing the challenge – especially during a very crazy move!! What a huge accomplishment and I hope your health returns quickly. Best of luck in your new home and wish you the best in your future artistic endeavors. I’m looking forward to participating again in January and love, love, love your beautiful work you produced this time!!
So nice to hear from you Judy 🙂 I missed seeing your work, and I am so glad you will take part in January!! Thank you for all the well wishes, and thanks so much for taking the time to visit and comment. Happy glass making to you Judy 🙂
Love your collage Sheila…you could make a gorgeous calendar out of your pieces! Enjoy your new home!!! See you in January!!!
Hey that’s an idea! Thanks so much for following along Cindy 🙂 See you then!
Sheila, you’re a superwoman. Imagine you’ve been going through all that yet have managed continually to bring us joy with your lovely paintings. I pray for better health for you and for happiness in your new home.
Sharon xx
So kind of you Sharon, thank you 🙂 So enjoyed your work this month! Health and happiness to you as well 🙂
I had no idea you were going through such a hard time… You are one amazing woman. Love and hugs to you, Sheila and I pray for more healing. My favorite is definitely 30. I think it is a fantastic painting!!!
I love that you love that one Karin 🙂 I was worried for a while that I had botched it, but I kept working and I am happy with it. Thank you for the good thoughts and prayers, always a blessing 🙂
Sheila, I just had no idea about all you were juggling this month. I really am amazed that you had the dedication to be consistent with this added “challenge” on top of all your others! And then your generous comments to others…wow! Hope to see you next challenge with more peace and calm surrounding you.
Carol your work this month was amazing! Thanks so much for taking the time to visit and comment, always nice to hear from you. It was stressful, but fortunately it has passed 🙂 Hope to be seeing more of your work soon!
Moving is always a pain but you seemed to get the worst all together. It is nice that the challenge perked you up and I enjoyed seeing your work. Hope things continue positive for you Sheila – take care.
Thanks so much Val for following along and saying hello! Friends have a way of doing that, perking you up 🙂
Sheila – Thanks for sharing so much beauty in the midst of chaos! I’m so glad to be able to see your lovely paintings together, since I was unable to visit on a daily basis.
All I can say is Welcome to Arizona. You are capturing the spirit of this wondrous landscape. It can be very healing – let it work on you and Enjoy! :o)
Thank you Connie 🙂 This area is beautiful! Thanks for visiting, I am so glad you took part as well 🙂 YOur mystical, spiritual pieces are amazing 🙂
Goodness! I had no idea all that other was going on too. My old boss used to say bosses had to be like ducks. From the surface they’re smooth as glass. You have no idea how hard they’re paddling underneath. I’d say you have that duck move down!
Congratulations on all the lovely art you created in all that chaos!
LOL, thanks for the early morning laugh Dave! The chaos was over before the start of the challenge. Need to edit I guess, LOL. But yeah, paddling as fast as I can 🙂 Thanks for visiting David, have an awesome weekend 🙂
Dear Sheila,
You painted beautiful & happy paintings this month and you had time to gently comment on many many paintings of your fellow participants.
What a kind spirit you are! Thank you so much and Congratulations on completing the challenge !
Thank you Martine 🙂 I love your work, your florals are so joyful, and your portraits so moving. Congratulations to you as well! Be “seeing” you soon!
Good grief Sheila! All this going on and you still had the kindness and energy to stop by my blog and leave kind words of encouragement.
Your art looks like sunshine and light not the difficulties you are going through.
So nice to hear Denise, thank you 🙂 So glad you followed along, and visited my blog 🙂 Such a joy to see your gorgeous work each day!
Sheila, you are amazing. There is NOTHING more stressful than moving. No matter how we plan, something goes awry, and even if most of it seems to flow, the entire human body is overwhelmed with sensations searching to make sense out of the newness of everything. To also have the determination to paint, post, keep up with challenge, and then on top of it to have time for your kindness to so many of the artists with your encouraging words in comments to their paintings, and deal with Lupus…well, there’s really no words but to say that you have an incredibly large and kind “heart.” I send you lots of good energy and blessings.
Laurelle, you have me in tears. Thank you for your generosity, and understanding. I so enjoyed seeing your art this month, and I am following your blog so I won’t miss a thing 🙂 So nice to connect with you through the challenge, and to chat about our work. I hope we keep in touch, and I hope you will join in January’s challenge 🙂 Blessings to you 🙂
Wow, what a month…. anyone would be walking up the walls!!!!! Wonderful collages, did you make them in picmonkey… ?? Haven’t been able to make it work for me??? Couldn’t upload 30 and it cut off a couple!!! What a great idea of making a collage of your favorites???? All worked out in the end… enjoy!!! We will be celebrating the New Year so Shana TOVA to you all!!!
That is a good description Carol! I did use Picmonkey, and it was giving me fits this time. My cursor would get stuck, and then not place the image where I wanted it. You should give it a try again, sometime. Are you uploading images that are saved for the web? If they are too large a file, that may be why. I LOVE how your collage looks, meant to tell you that and I bet I forgot. What did you use for it? The white frames really set off your sketches 🙂 Shana Tova my friend. Blessings to you and your family 🙂
Thanks,Sheila, yes the size may have been the problem…. Yes you told me you liked the collage!!!! Yes the white is nice but hate their logo… they want 3$ to take it off 🙁
LOL, I didn’t really notice, went back to look, and $3, really?? If you need help with getting it to work let me know 🙂
Glad you pulled through. Looking forward to your new work.
Thanks so much Sea, always a joy to hear from you 🙂