Jet lagging behind

Jet lag. This is no joke. We've been back for a week now from Europe and I still don't quite feel right. I've done very little in my free time other than sleep and well, sleep. It has made me a bit lazy to want to do anything and that includes getting up in the morning to paint. Each morning I set the alarm to get up, but the jet jag demands that I sleep more. And so I oblige. It's quite persuasive this Jet lag. And I have fallen under it's spell this week. I've tried to ignore it & to forge ahead, but it gets you, on your day off.....wasted day off sleeping and watching "My Little Pony" movies instead of going to the Zoo, because......Jet Lag, he wants you home to nurture him and keep him around.

Well, now it's time to get back to it. Vacation is Over! Jet lag included.

It's now time to get my routine back into place.

I have so many ideas and fantastic things to paint, I don't even know where to start. So when I finally made some time & sat down to paint....I couldn't.  I was not lagging, I was stuck.

I went through all my vacation pictures & there was nothing that I wanted to paint. All those pictures & I just couldn't get excited.
But then, I found one!

I found a beautiful garden picture, I took before vacation. That's right, I painted my Denver again. Because sometimes when you're stuck you need your comfort & your home to get you excited for adventure. I think now I'm ready to tackle Europe.

Art Garden (2015)

Acrylic with pallet knife 6x8 canvas board

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Here's to getting motivated, back on track and no longer lagging behind! 

(at least for now)

-Cheree 

462 square feet

It seems that everything in Europe is small living. They have to laugh at that show "tiny house" because seriously, this is how people live here in the cities. I noticed it in Paris, Brugge & Amsterdam. That's right, it was ME peeking in your windows at night because you left your curtains ever so open for my curious eyes. I can't help but admire your tiny artsy kitchen, Amsterdam hipster. Or your chandelier and antique furniture traditional Bruggean. Our 900 square feet seems gigantic in comparison. I realize I'm a mere grasshopper and I must continue to "wax on wax off" for many more years. I can't wait to come back & and learn more ways to live smartly small & peek in your window. 

Much to the peacock's dislike, I have now been cursed with the travel urge. We leave Europe tomorrow & My son & I have already been planning the next big trip. However, it will be several years out, as I need to have all family members fully potty trained & able to walk on their own without being carried. Oh, and Europe isn't all that cheap. 

It's been a wonderful trip with more painting to come once I get home. However, I must confess; painting was very hard to do during this vacation. (Blogging even more so) We kept fairly busy being tourist & at the end of a full day of sights & walking, I only wanted to sleep. Also, young children need attention. Who knew?

I also must confess that although I love vacation & Europe & can't wait for the next big trip, I'm ready to go home to my own food, bed, & routine. I need my kids to go back to school.....ASAP! And the peacock needs his bike rides. 

We all need the peacock to have his bikes rides! 

But before we leave here's a bit more Paris journaling. 

Eiffel & Seine (2015) 

Water color journal

Jardin Des Tuileries (2015)

Water color journal

Paris Cafe (2015)

Water color journal 

Eiffel (2015)

Water color journal

Bonjour, 

-Cheree 

We're not Catholics, we're tourists

The city of Paris is divided into different arrondissements. We stayed in the 5th arrondissement, which is the Latin quarter. Paris has so much history here, the Latin quarter is best known for La Sobonne and the pantheon. But I know it best for saint severin church (Eglise saint sulpice). This is where that crazy priest, Silas from the DaVinci Code went to find the keystone. I enjoy conspiracy/DaVinci type shows & let me tell you, Paris is screaming with codes! 

Codes & tourist! 

My next trip here will be purely investigative of all Mary Magdalene conspiracy theories. 

Anyway, I believe this was the perfect place for us to inhabit during our Paris part of our trip. Our apartment we rented over looked saint severin church (so I was super excited to watch for Silas types) & we could see the top of the Eiffel Tower from our window. Interestingly our apartment was once inhabited by a famous German writer / playwright Bertolt Brecht. But the best part was we were in walking distance to Norte Dame (&this awesome market that made these little lemon meringue tortes.)

But I digress. 

Now, we are not catholic, but we are tourists & this was a must see!  This cathedral is breath taking in its size & beauty. The lines to get in however, are atrocious! Not as bad as the Eiffel Tower lines, but definitely at least an hour wait. We however, got up early one morning to avoid lines at the Louve (also atrocious lines) and on our way noticed that Norte Dame had NO lines! No lines! We went in, line free....and well worth it. The stained glass is impressively beautiful both on the inside and out. During the night the cathedral glows a yellowish green & street performers abound. 

                                                Norte Dame Paris (2015)

                                                Water color journal 9x7 

 

Norte Dame is a definite must see, despite your religious conspiracy. I'd now like to leave you with this triumphant quote from the movie Rudy. (Who played for the fighting Irish) 

"We're gonna go inside, we're gonna go outside, inside and outside. We're gonna get 'em on the run, boys, and once we get 'em on the run, we're gonna keep 'em on the run. And then we're gonna go go go go go go and we're not gonna stop 'til we get across that goal line. This is a team they say is... is good. Well, I think we're better than them. They can't lick us, so what do you say, men?"

It's best to think this way when tackling the lines in Paris. 

-Cheree 

I left my paint in Dresden

Wow, has it been a long time since I got my blog on. There's been no time to sit & between the jet leg & the exhaustion from site seeing, there was NO WAY 4am was going to happen (4am Denver time, maybe). I really have had no concept of the time over here.

But that's vacation.

First stop on the "official" vacation.....Dresden, Germany.
Dresden is in eastern Germany & we rented a car & drove from Frankfurt to Dresden in 3 & 1/2 hours. Let me tell you, driving in Germany on the autobahn is awesomely amazing. There are no slow assholes Sunday strolling in the left lane. It's all business! Left lanes for passing. Business, All business! It's fast & extremely efficient. You get where you need without yelling, screaming, & throwing the bird....maybe just a couple "German stare downs" for warning.

We got to Dresden  & the architecture was stunning. A bit of history about Dresden is that it was bombed completely to a flattened ground during WW2. Brief history gives over view of The bombing of Dresden.

For a first hand account & a great read click Here

Dresden, Germany 2015

9x7 watercolor & ink (water color journal) 

Anyway, leaving Dresden after 2 days I sat down to paint this picture of this beautiful city I'd sketched & realized.... Oh crap! I left my paints in the hotel in Dresden. 

Crap! Crap! Crap! 

Deep breath, you'll be okay. 

This actually ended up working out splendidly for me, as I drug the family to Sennelier. This is the oldest art store in Paris. It was well worth losing paints over. I went in this tiny little shop & had a French "artist" who works at the store give me a tsssst, when I said I'd like to look at both student & professional water color. I can't help but piss off French people with my indecisiveness. I really don't care if I make him have to do his job. I want my paints & I want them to be good ones! 

He warmed up to me......I think? 

Well, I saw beautiful Dresden, I got my paints, pissed off the French, not bad for a first few days in Europe. 

-Cheree