Friend Coloring Session

 I had the bf's sis and her friend over to celebrate his and Carolyn's birthdays.

These days get togethers have to be small and rare, but we had a lot of fun.  Carolyn's friend Megan got to try her hand with water color pencils and also used a water color pallete w prefilled colors.  It is always fun to color, and especially when you can joke and giggle with friends.  I had a lot of fun seeing someone try new mediums and look forward to see them blossom as they practice their techniques and establish their own unique view of expression through coloring.

I told them I would be sharing their pictures because it's fun to share!  I'm sure people get tired of hearing me prattle on and just share my own art LOL.   Megan made it to the fridge!! LOL I'll share her pictures first, and one that she and I worked on together.  I colored with the water color pencils and she finished it off with the painting part.  I'll share her second picture first, just because it reminded me so much of other famous artists and paintings I've seen, though it took forever for me to put my finger on it.  Then her first picture, followed by the one we did together.

Carolyn's will go next with the two she did with us, followed by my inevitable plethera of pictures from a few weeks....I think.  I couldn't decide which I liked best so I'll close my eyes and click to see which goes first.  They were both wonderful.  One of these days she will have to share some of her acryllic on canvas with us so we can enjoy that too.

Without further delay, I present the accumulation of our artistic minds, as it worked with predrawn pictures for us to fill in LOL!

Oddly, the last picture is the one I did when they visited.  We had so much fun, so hopefully others will have coloring parties too!

A Whole Slew of Pictures

 I've been a bit busy with my color therapy.

Well, between that and playing games on my giant tv.  I've been playing diablo with the bf, and when his sight is lacking I try to help get him through mobs etc.  It's a bit sad that even with this humungous television, there are still times he can't see it well.  I had thought that if I got one large enough, it would circumvent that aspect of his MS.  Most of the time I think he can see it, but I think it's the smaller details he has issues with.  It's very frustrating to us both.

It is a bit funny, tiny apt........super huge television......odd fit, but it works, mostly.

I miss my family, and play days with my niece.  We have to be extra careful with his medication because it all but demolishes his immune system.  The few times I've felt under the weather made me worry because if he caught a bug it would be so much worse for him.  Fortunately it was a lot of nothing, and my body was just reacting badly to lady time....again.  Lucky me LOL.

Lately, I've been looking at the art I've been coloring.  I think I should do something with it.  I was thinking of cards, but also, I would need the proper size and shape envelopes.  Some of the pictures are just so pretty once they're all filled in, it seems a waste to shut them away in a drawer.  I've been having a ton of fun with mixing mediums, and I found a set of 120....I think.....gel glitter pens........  That is a LOTof glitter.  An entire color spectrum of glitter!!!!!  I've been having fun with them as well.  

I think the first picture I'll put on here is one I think I should make into a card and send to my mom.  She was telling me how she did a lot of art with flowers when she was in school.  So the picture made me think of her while I was coloring it.  I mixed all my mediums except for water color, and I think it is a really pretty representation flowers, colors and different mediums working harmoniously.  I had a lot of fun coloring all the pictures, I always do, but I especially liked working on this one, probably because I had mom on mind the whole time.

I LOVE YOU MOM, even if you don't read my blog LOL.  Either way, share share share!

This is what I've worked on for the last little while, look forward to seeing art from out in the blogosphere!!

Adventures in Color Therapy

 I had a failed video appointment at the VA for my PTSD/anxiety.....we ended up having a phone session instead.

This is a new provider to me, and I have to say I think I will like her.  She sounds very much like my primary provider, with her accent, but also with her personality.  She's open and honest, and she also listens, which to me is important.  This was only our first meeting, but I did like her candor and honesty about this or that approach to medical treatment of PTSD/anxiety.  She suggested sexual trauma therapy through the VA, which will take much thought on my part.  I don't think I'd do well in a group setting for several reasons.  One of which being my anxiety itself, but the other thing that seems to put a block on me deciding is that I'm also extremely empathetic.  I understand her reasoning of "avoidance" not being a forward thinking plan, and I agree with her for the most part.

At this point the VA doesn't offer one on one therapy for some things, and for me, living through the traumas of others would entail me absorbing that experience.  My empathy for others would have a negative impact on my psyche, and rather than letting go of this or that event, I think I'd be adding to my own trauma.  To me this would be a set back rather than an advancement, and one I should discuss with her at our next appointment after much thought and consideration into her suggestion.  I wouldn't call what I'm living with avoidance exactly, because at the moment the trauma is primarily being voiced by recurring nightmares, of which there are 3 primary dreams I'm having at the moment.  I'm not really sure how I could grasp fully controlling what I dream, but when I do have nightmares, I typically wake, either by myself or by one of my wonderful little therapy girls crying to wake me up.

I will say this though, for as long as I've missed sleeping, I'm at least glad that the treatment I've undergone this far as allowed for sleep, whether it be plagued with ill dreams or no.  Trying to sleep, and failing is one of the most exhausting things I've experienced in my life, and though no nightmares might lead to more restful sleep.....sleep is sleep and at least I've achieved that for the moment.  To me that is very real progress from where I was to where I am now.

In the meantime, I'm still doing different coping skills I got from CPT therapy, among which is the coloring I've done for a while now.  I'm also getting braver at using this or that technique.  I will share a picture where I used all the types of coloring mediums I have in the same picture, including trying a little layering with markers......LOL.  For me that's pretty adventurous because as previously stated, markers are not my best medium though I do think I'm getting better with them.  I love the vivid colors from markers and gel pens, so learning to properly use them would be lovely, but even if I never master them, at least I've been brave enough to try.

I hope you enjoy the pictures I share, and I would absolutely love for others to share their art and stories with me!

As always, enjoy, and remember, there is no wrong way to color.......if you simply need to scribble out frustration or anger.....go for it!

Catching up

I've been taking time lately to work on books I've already reviewed.

My BF was recently diagnosed with MS, and we have been dealing with that, the craziness that brings with his meds destroying his immune system and our need to isolate due to that, and then the added necessity due to covid.  Every person has different symptoms as well as experiences.  His has been very trying for us both.  His vision completely going was what eventually led to his diagnosis, and while it's come back somewhat, it varies from day to day, which is frustrating for us both, because sometimes he can see, sometimes not, and I try to share this or that with him not knowing when he is able to see things.

He is in constant pain, and his hands and limbs do not always obey him.  It makes it extra hard to keep him occupied with things he is capable of doing, with his hand and vision issues, playing video games etc is a frustration for him, and he often gets VERY negative.  We finally decided maybe getting a HUGE smart tv might help, though our apartment is not large.  That way he might be able to see and enjoy shows, and may be able to try games on days when his sight and hands are behaving somewhat.  I've suggested things like books on audio etc, but he doesn't seem overly interested in that.  I think at this point he is mostly just trying to keep what senses he does have, and fighting to make them work the best he is able.

With his medical issues and my PTSD and anxiety, it's quite difficult at times to get along.  I do my best to be supportive and encouraging, but it's definitely difficult when his anger, frustration, and depression takes a turn for the worst.  There are times he talks about not wanting to be here, and since I watch him daily struggle to walk, try to keep entertained, frustration over being isolated at home, and more so since people won't follow directions during this whole covid thing, I understand.  I know me, and I'd find positive things or at least look to keep me going.  I also don't suffer from clinical depression though, and so I know it's a larger struggle for him to get to that same point.

I watch the insanity of the present goings on in the world and think that people don't understand that all of this, makes it more difficult on those of us who are stuck in isolation for medical issues already to heap on the issues of people meeting for these politically charged riots etc and not following the recommended courses of action to keep the spread of covid down.  All it does is make us less able to go places safely due to added issues.  I won't even touch on the current insanity of people rioting and thinking that they are within their rights to protest, when clearly they are breaking the law, causing harm, death, destruction, and chaos rather than peaceful protest.

Either way, I'll still be sharing my art I've been working on to try and keep my own PTSD/anxiety in check through all of this.

As you can tell, I've been busy with art, hopefully you have some awesome coping mechanisms for this current insanity as well!

Lots of pictures

I can't remember what pictures I have saved that I've already posted so I'll just pop them on here since I've been remiss in sharing lately.

I've had tons of sleep issues, but it's ok, the world's been going nuts and I've been just using my relaxation and experimenting with mixed supplies.  I've also got a few pictures to share that I didn't do.  The koi pictures were not mine, but she had a lot of fun using water color pencils with me for the first time.  I think she did a heck of a job on them.

I started a review on a Johanna Basford book, and didn't get far because my bf's niece saw it and asked where I'd found it, she'd just graduated from H.S. so I gifted it to her.  The book is similar in format to Johanna's other books, and the page density etc is very similar, so perhaps I'll review it at a different time, if I replace it.  It was the World of Flowers book.  I know I have shared the benefits of coloring in the past, but I want to again state that the benefits are wide ranging.  They range from creative problem solving to anxiety control etc.  It's also a wonderful time to spend the day with friends or loved ones.

I do think there are a few new books in the pictures I'm sharing, and also examples of what bleed through is for those that don't know what it is, and why you should be careful if using thinner paper, or double sided books etc.  I'm getting better with some of my more troubling types of art mediums, and I'm getting a bit more brave at mixing them for different effects.  One such example, I tried to used one of my pencil sets to have a sort of chalks effect.  I think you'll be able to pick it out.  I don't currently have that medium among my supplies, but I think it turned out as a similar effect.....in fact, I think I'll put that picture on here first.  It's mixed with glitter gel pens, and crayola 120 color set.  The details with the pens took far longer than it took to try for a pastels/chalk sort of effect from the pencils.

I also learned that some mediums don't layer over others as easily, for instance, gel pens can be a bit finicky when you attempt to layer over colored pencils.  At any rate, enjoy!!

That's it for now, looking forward to seeing everyone else's creativity as well!!