My camera is my "comfort zone"...

..and I am trying...trying..to get out of my comfort zone..life's too short to be comfortable..all. the. time.

Don't get me wrong..I like to be 'comfortable'..as in..comfy-ugly shoes..comfy-biggie-clothes..comfy-LazyBoy recliner...

however..when we decided to go camping..I wanted to try to sketch ...I was getting too comfortable with a camera..and, being inspired by Jo from http://joreimer.blogspot.com/, I made a sketch book to take with us and sort of fashioned a "traveling-camping-hiking-sitting-by-the-lake-pretending-to-actually-fish-water coloring-kit"..

I made this  from one of those tote-bag-thingies from Barnes & Noble..I loved the look but never really used it, sooo..

Because of the plastic, I figured it would be sort of water proof {which is kinda weird because I am using water colors..hmmm }

So..one water-proof-water-color journal..

...oh, and I found this GiNorMous red button - I will make an elastic thingy to close the book with..added some water color paper pages..

Put it all in this great backpack my Mom-in-law let me use..

..and I had enough supplies{and a sun hat to shade my eyes} to try to..

..to attempt..to break through that zone..

And I painted.  I didn't listen to that nagging voice that said ..

"Seriously? You wanna paint? You kiddin' me? You can't paint.."

..and I painted.

..and I sketched..

and while they are not "museum" quality..

I remind myself that if that nagging voice was around when I was learning to walk..if I gave up because I fell down..

..or because I looked stupid with my diaper-waddle..

or if I tripped on the stairs then just "gave up"..said "Oh well..obviously I'm not very good at this...might as well throw myself down the rest of the stairs because I didn't do it right the first time..."

Well, you can see where I'd be..

So, be brave.  If you want to paint...paint.. If you want to sketch..sketch..

and tell that nagging voice to get lost..

and kick that comfort zone to the curb..

-me