Debbie Overton Designs

Roadtrips + Books + Art + Food

I have had some of the most amazing road trips with Steve over the past several months.  Just incase you are new here, Steve travels Georgia, Florida and the Carolina's with his job with an occasional trip to Mississippi and Alabama.  My motto is, "have laptop will travel"!  Sometimes I only get a 30 minute notice when he gets a call letting me know he is heading home to grab a bag of clothes and will be gone for 2, 4 or more days.  He almost always ask, do you want to go with me?  Most of the time I can, but occassionaly I will have meetings, appointments, exhibits, receptions and etc that keep me from it, but I have learned those things will come around again in a few weeks so I grab my bag, throw in a few clothes, load up the laptop and a few art supplies and off we go.   I make notes of places along the way of places I would like to check out and eventually I check them off the list.  No matter the city or state, the hotels know me and what I like and don't like.  It is nice checking into an executive suite and having the staff know who you are and asking about my next project or how the kids are doing in college.  I know where a bookstore is in every city we stay and I always hit it.   I don't buy the art magazines very often, but I do buy books.  Mrs. Carter and Mrs. Thurman instilled in me, reading is knowledge, so I blame them on my massive collection of books! 

The above book is one I picked up several months ago when I decided to completely redesign my sites. It is 336 pages of pure color combinations!  I am constantly referring to this book for inspiration and guidance in both my paintings and digital works.  It has a huge range of color combinations and includes RGB and CMYK giving you tons of colors that work together.   Even though I bought this one with the intention of using it for the redesigns of my sites, I have used it over and over in my paintings.  Here is a painting I recently did for the gARTen ART pARTy silent auction on St. Simons Island.  Several of you have already seen this as I posted it to my FB Fan page, but here it is again.

"Coneflowers" © Debbie Overton 2009

This painting was done on a 12x12 gallery wrapped canvas with layers and layers of antique papers, fiber paste, acrylics, charcoal, crayons and more before it was signed, sealed and delivered!

Although the past few weeks have been super busy and the weekend was spent working on web designing, we found time to eat at one of our favorite places....Spanky's!  The grilled shrimp quesadilla is the best!

Hope you find inspiration to grab a good book, be creatiave or enjoy a favorite meal.

Creatively,

Debbie

What is on the other side?

1. HOME SWEET HOME, 2. Secret garden, 3. Red Door Somewhere in Italy, 4. Worn Door - Pittsburgh, 5. blood roses, 6. Door to the secret garden...., 7. Waiting To Be Discovered, 8. Coge la puerta y vete... y no volvió!!!, 9. Lovely 13

Everyone knows the saying....when one door closes another opens! Does one have to close in order to open another?  I don't think so, however sometimes in order for you to move forward you have to make choices!  How many doors are you willing to open to find the right one?  How many do you close?  Can you leave the key in the keyhole just in case you want to come back or decide to lock the door and throw away the key?

Behind every door there is something waiting for you....you don't always know what, but there is something....good....not so good.....and sometimes you just don't know even after you get there!

Photo Credit DSC_0007 1.JPG

The only thing you can do is take the key, unlock the door and take a peek or open it wide open for whatever comes your way!  If you are a risk taker you will do the latter.  I have taken many chances, walked through many doors not knowing what I would find on the other side.  So far I have never run into anything I couldn't handle, was it always easy, no, but would I be happy if everything I did was handed to me on a silver platter?  I don't know.  There have been times when I will admit it might have been nice, but until you do it yourself you will never know what you are capable of accomplishing.

I have been going through so many doors over the past year, making sure I was taking care of everyone else....at home and with my business that I have forgotten about me....and it finally caught up.  I can see Steve rolling his eyes, shaking his head and saying....I have tried to tell you to slow down, do something for yourself and let everyone else take care of themselves for a while.  I do hate to admit when he is right!

There are only a few days left in the month of May....only a few days for me to get some things in order because I have decided I am going to take some time and do what makes me happy.  We are flying home to Arkansas in a few days to spend time with our families.  My niece is getting married on the 6th and the week of the wedding we have lots of activities to attend.  It will be fun, but busy!  Remember the beautiful journal here, my friend Sue Pieper gave me....I plan on putting it to good use while sitting on the beach, listening to my favorite music blast over the house, and play in my flowers (this rain and wind have really done them in). 

So before the rumors start flying...I am NOT closing the doors on MMCA or MMCA Marketplace....I am just going to make it easier on myself while I continue to see them grow and as some of our newest members have said, they see the links everywhere, their friends are members and MMCA seems to be the place with things happening and they want to be a part of it.  There are several new things in the works for both MMCA, the group as well as MMCA Marketplace.  I will still be running them, just from the beach with my BlackBerry and Laptop for awhile!  Who says a girl can't have a little fun while she works? 

Photo Credit Olde Screen Door

My plan is to have a swinging door that I can use to come and go with ease while I refocus on my art and what I truly want to be doing with it.  I have some opportunites in front of me that I need to focus on and in order to do so I need to refocus on what really matters and what will bring me to my happy place in the art world. 

You know it is a shame it takes a health issue to slow you down enough to think about which key(s) you should use.  I leave you with a question....do you have doors unopened that you would like to see what is on the other side?

 

From Gloom to Blooms

Six days on the road with Steve started out last Friday with sunny skies and warm temps....Saturday was filled with the same....lots of stops here and there along the back roads from SE Georgia to the Carolina's over to Atlanta GA.  The rain moved in as we were making our little weekend road trip north then headed west.  It rained, it stormed, the wind blew, the rain came down harder with stronger winds until we were finally sitting in a hotel in the dark.  The power is back on after several hours, but not only had all this weather knocked the power out it hit the server and I had no Internet connection.  No one else did either, but I was there for 3 more days while Steve had meetings.  I love these road trips, while he is in meetings I usually catch up on the business side of running my business.  Then when I come home I can create without feeling guilty for not being on the computer.  Do you know how long 3 days are without the Internet....way too long!  I read all the magazines I had with me, finished a book, and did lots of journaling.  In the end all that gloom had actually bloomed, not just with that gorgeous pot of blooms I spotted while sitting at a red light, but I had reworked my goals, what I wanted and how I was going to accomplish them and tweaked my marketing plans for my art, as well as MMCA Marketplace and the MP Blog.   Although I don't recommend doing without your Internet, I do recommend taking a day or so here and there and see what happens when you pretend you don't have it.  The first 24 hrs are the hardest I promise!

 

Frozen Charlotte Twins

My Valentine present from Steve were these adorable Frozen Charlotte Twins.  He does listen and pay attention!  On our trip home from Arkansas over the holidays we made several stops at antique shops and flea markets.  There is one on the outskirts of Birmingham, AL and if you can tolerate the lady that works there they have some great things, but way overpriced on most things.   Everything I looked at or touched she proceeded to tell me about it.  I finally said, would it be okay if we just look around and if I have any questions I will let you know.  I did find some old letters, a 1926 French book and a few old silk ribbons. 

Then I spotted the Frozen Charlotte Twins and Steve said why don't you get those to go with the others you have.  I didn't even know he knew I had the others as they are in an old wooden box sitting on a shelf.  Once again he does pay attention!  She has them locked up which tells me they are over priced and I am in no mood to dicker with her.  As I made another quick round he asked about them and then wished he hadn't as she proceed to tell him all about how rare Frozen Charlotte's were, blah, blah, blah.  He finally said my wife has a nice collection and you can find them all over etsy, ebay and in antique shops, flea markets and estate sales.  I think he ruffled her feathers a little and I was rather proud.

I laid down the things I had picked up and she had something to say about the old letters and I told her I was an artist and used them in my art.  Her response was, you don't dress like an artist!  Hello....I had on a starched white shirt, jeans and my tennis!  Now just what does an artist look like?  Well I should have left, but even her being what I call snooty didn't stop me from making my purchase. 

Back to my Frozen Charlotte Twins.  A couple weeks after the holidays, Steve called asking what my username and password were on ebay and etsy with a do not ask attached to it.  A couple weeks before Valentine's Day I received an email telling me I had won blah, blah, blah!  I just laughed and I didn't say anything.  I was thrilled to see what he had done and what was coming my way.  The week of Valentine he told me he was expecting a box and it would be addressed to me, but do not open it.  I thought, no problem, I already know what was in it and I still had not let him know I had gotten the email. 

Valentine's night we went out to eat and then he gave me the box.  I acted surprised and then had to tell him about the emails.  He just laughed, said he had not thought about the emails until he won because he knew he had put a high enough bid on them he was sure to win and when he realized I was going to get the email he thought he would see just how long a would keep my mouth shut.  Well I didn't say a word, I acted surprised and he was happy he had made me happy.

Lesson learned:  Never under estimate your husband, they do pay attention sometimes!  And let them ruffle feathers when the opportunity arises, it makes them feel good and you too!

 

Chocolate Makes Everything Bloom!

"Chocolate Makes Everything Bloom!" © Debbie Overton

The rich colors in this 12 x 12 Mixed Media Collage Painting are true Fall colors most everywhere except here in the southeast.  We are just beginning to see some changes in our foliage and yesterday and today it has felt like Fall somewhat!  I plan to list this piece in my MMCA Marketplace Shop later today or tomorrow....will have to see how my time goes.

I have a little secret that has come about following an email I received yesterday, but I am keeping it to myself until "?" and I have talked and worked out the details.  Let's just say I was thrilled and honored and look forward to sharing with you soon.

One of my blog followers emailed me several months ago saying she had seen some really cool artwork posted here on my blog and in my Marketplace shop and wanted to know when I was going to re-open my CafePress shop.  Well I planned to have it open by the end of summer, but I found myself being pulled in so many directions I kept putting it off, but I promised her I would get it open again and my plan is within the next few weeks to have notecards, totes, mugs and a few other items available for Christmas shopping.

Before I leave you today I just have to share a few photos I took on this past Saturday's Road Trip.  After a great day at Fernandina Beach, "Hi Wyanne", which I will share with you in another post, we decided to end our day in Historic St. Mary's Georgia just a short drive from home.  We had eaten an early breakfast and decided to end the day with a late lunch early supper sitting outside at Riverside Cafe over looking the St. Marys River.  "Hay Days" which runs through November 1st was going on and Scarecrows were everywhere.  The businesses in the Historic District were invited to build a Scarecrow and some of them were great!  This is just a few of the ones we took photos of.

 

 

 

   

 

 

Off the raid the Trick or Treat Candy Bowl for that Chocolate!

 

Road Trip

For those that can't find the time for a little road trip....here are a few of my favorite photos from last Saturday's road trip along the  east coast from Fernandina Beach to St. Augustine Beach.

Fernandina Beach....One of those great little beach houses had a "For Sale" sign in front and I told Steve I could see me there....He just laughed and kept driving!  Imagine That!  Looking at the boardwalk it looks as though the beach is way out there when it is probably only 300 feet or so.  I would love to walk out my door, down a boardwalk and step on the beach everyday.  Some day I keep telling myself this too will happen.  Everything happens for a reason and this is not my time!

  

 

  St. Johns River Ferry....I love riding the ferry over the St. Johns river.  It docks at Fort Goerge Island and runs across to Mayport Village.  It is a short ride, but always fun.

  A1A runs along the Atlantic Ocean.  Your windshield will actually cover with the mist blowing in.  There are some gorgeous homes along this route.  You step out the front door and you are on the highway, but step out the back and you are on the beach!

 

St. Augustine Beach Weddings.....One in the downtown historic district and the other on the beach. 

We watched from the pier as this one was taking place just as the sun was starting to set.

   More photos at St. Augustine Beach and in the Historic downtown area including one of a couple having engagement photos made.  It was fun to watch them as they kicked off their shoes, rolled up the jeans and danced and played in the waters edge in their crisp white shirts.  The best one was when he picked her up and swirled her around and around.  You could here them laughing and enjoying the moment.

 

Here we are crossing the Historic Lion Bridge in St. Augustine as we are leaving. 

Another bridge, can't remember which one it is coming into St. Augustine.  

 

I have seen this little "bead" sign many times but not being a jewelry artist I have never really had the desire to venture in even though it is right next door to one of the other shops I visit each time we are down.  But I decided to go in today....OVERWHELMING is just one word to describe it and you bead girls know what I am talking about.  There were beads everywhere, rows, shelves, boxes, bowls, hanging....each one calling out touch me!  I will share more about the bead store another day.

 

Flying creatures everywhere but this one was sitting there as if he wanted his photo taken.  He would turn his head back and forth as you snapped the camera and never moved as I got closer and closer.  I do believe he was enjoying his moment in the spotlight.

Then as the sun was setting we decided to call it a day and head back north toward home.  

 

 

It was a wonderful day on the road, a few great stops here and there, tons on photos to remember the day, and lots of heartfelt conversing between us.  Everyone needs a little road trip to remember it is the little things in life that mean so much.

We are headed down to Fernandina Beach on Amelia Island Saturday for some fun, shopping, strolling and visiting with an art friend + to check out the building up of the beach.  Here they are working on it last week.  It was fun and interesting to see how they do it.

   

Hope you enjoyed your little road trip.  Have a great weekend and I will see you next week.

 

Enjoy the Holiday Weekend

Steve has been working on some major projects that have had him either traveling or overseeing things and this is the first 3-day weekend he has had in quiet sometime therefore I am taking time off from the computer, art and anything to do with labor too!  By the time you get this scheduled post I will have been enjoying time at the beach, as well as, a little road trip to some of my favorite antique shops and flea markets. 

If you are up to a little reading I invite you to visit the MMCA Marketplace where a few of our members have posted some great articles and several members have already participated in a few randomly drawn Q & A's.  And don't forget to visit the Marketplace shops for some early Christmas shopping.

Enjoy your weekend, Have Fun and Be Safe!