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Flower Art Gardening Ink and watercolor wash Life in general Painting Plants Sketchbook Pages

Geranium Getting Going (Except it’s a Camellia)

Camelia Buds, ink & watercolor
Camelia Buds, ink & watercolor

In a momentary memory lapse I wrote “Geranium Getting Going” in large letters in my sketchbook under this image. Then I thought, “Wait a minute, aren’t geraniums those red, ruffled, bitter smelling flowers often found in window boxes or untended and leggy in sad little gardens that someone has given up?”

And then it came back to me, DUH! This is a Camellia, not a Geranium. From a Camellia bush that I planted and that lives right outside my studio door and always blooms in the winter. It’s full of buds now and soon will be blooming madly.

I’ll just blame the memory lapse on the 4 hours of sleep I got last night as a result of working into the wee hours rebuilding my website, which is nearly done. I’m a bit disappointed that after all my work I’m finding some design issues that may be limitations of the platform I chose after much research last summer. I’m even tempted to start over on the system I would have chosen if I knew then what I know now. But this service comp’d me several years of hosting for free (because of all their system screw ups when I first started the build last summer) and I’ve already done so much work that starting over, when I’d rather be painting anyway, seems pointless.

If you would be willing to visit the new site and “beta-test” it a bit before I make it my official webs site, I’d love to have a few extra eyes on it. Just leave me a note if you’re willing to go there and click around a bit. It helps to know whether it looks ok on various computers and monitors or if there are any problems I’ve missed. Thanks!

24 replies on “Geranium Getting Going (Except it’s a Camellia)”

LOL. while this is pretty, it’s no geranium! I know because I have one I brought inside after a summer of pampering and standing guard from Japanese beetle attacks. It was bravely blooming until yesterday. Now, do I dump it or put it in the dark to rest for the winter?

I’ll take a look at your new site later today. Sounds like a hig project. Just tell me where to look.

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Hi Sherry, Thanks for the chuckle about your well-loved geranium. Also for being willing to look at my new site. As soon as I publish it I’ll let you know. I’d hoped to be done today but it’s not quite there yet. Jana

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Sure, Jana, I’ll take a look. Love that camellia!! I always forget the name of that plant, too, for some reason. Don’t have any but this time of year always reminds me how much I wish I had one!

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Hi–

I would enjoy taking a look at your website. I use a MacBook Pro. I can also take a look at it from a PC.

Take care,
Sonia

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Hi Jana, So good to hear from you. I hope you’re getting some time to paint! I wish I was (but I’m almost done with the website…yay!). And I’ve added an online registration form and set the date for the next session to 1/23. More info soon. Thanks, Jana

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Jana, I’d like to test your website. I use Opera 10.10, so it will give you a different take. I usually check my site with IE, Firefox and Opera. Used to use Netscape, but that’s so old and no one uses it any more.

Nice “g”amelias..

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Lovely “geranium”, Jana -laugh- those buds look just ready to burst. Looks like you’ve got plenty of eyes checking out your new website, I’ll wait till you roll it out.

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Lovely camelias!! This is so fresh and lively. Really well done.

I did go to your website. I’m impressed with how well you’ve set up the website and all of your work. I clicked on a number of pages and every one worked perfectly.

Say, have you heard of Google Analytics? You can set up a file that will tell you the stats on how many visitors and from what parts of the country or world your site has attracted. Fascinating stuff.

Best wishes with the website and your classes!

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Hi Melinda, Thanks. I’m sorry to say that’s my OLD website you were looking at. I haven’t published the new one yet. I had every intention of finishing it today but spent the whole morning reviewing Squarespace’s hosting systems and considering chucking the whole thing and starting over with them. So now it’s back to work for a few days but I’ll definitely have it up and running within a week. (fingers crossed!) Jana

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It seems I also went to your old website…and your art is magnificent! I’m looking forward to browsing your new site Jana!
Are you going to combine your website and blog? I’m considering doing it, but it means I’ll need a new name, because africantapestry is already taken(didn’t claim it years ago…tsk)
Lovely watercolour buds!
good luck
Ronelle

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Hi Ronelle, If I was starting over, I would have chosen Squarespace as my webhost as it allows you to host both in one place and you can import your wordpress blog without losing anything, including comments. They use redirects so that all of your original posts still are out there with their original status but if you go to one of them it takes you to the new site’s blog page that is incorporated into your all-in-one website.

Their software is fabulous and can do everything an artist needs to host a great gallery-type of website. It’s pretty complex but their support and manual are great. I’m really mad that I didn’t just start there and put so much effort into a more old-school arrangement.

So for now, I’ll continue to maintain a separate website and blog but somewhere down the line I’m sure I’ll eventually start over on Squarespace. But for now I need to get back to painting and away from the computer! Jana

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Hi Jana,
It is very exciting following your quest. You have plenty of people to see your new site but if you would like one more let me know. My Camellias aren’t as far as yours are. I don’t see any color yet. Love the sketchcrawl painting. I can hear the noise and chatter of a busy restaurant.
Hugs
pat

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