Finally entered a Deviant Art contest. Creating a T-shirt design inspired by music with a maximum of 5 colors was the challenge. Click on the link to see my design.
http://lindagr.deviantart.com/#/d565aq7

Volunteering for a local chamber of commerce and not as a graphic designer. It gets me out of the house and helping people who stop in town. I get to tell people where to go :) I'm learning a lot about what's available in the local area which makes me feel like getting out more. I do enjoy helping people find places to eat, stay, and have fun.

I've been talking to them about adding their logo to the front window.

50 Ways to Motivate YourSelf

Someone shared this article with me about motivating yourself and, although it focuses on job searches, I think the tips can also apply to freelancers. 

http://blog.timesunion.com/careers/50-ways-to-stay-motivated/1581/?goback=%2Egmr_4351066%2Egde_4351066_member_118629778%2Egde_4351066_member_118013083

The Evolution of a Logo

One of the ways I keep busy is by volunteering. This helps in giving me incentive and adds to my portfolio. Currently, I'm volunteering graphic design services to the Tacoma Events Commission (TEC). They have several events happening during the summer and they asked me to create a logo, letterhead, flyers and promotional materials. The logo was created first because it will be used on all materials. At first they wanted "The Events Commission", a patriotic color scheme, and something that represented the Pacific Northwest because their events are held in this region not just in Tacoma. I created three options. The first has a celebratory feel; the second is a nod to Mt. Rainier and our mountainous region; the third is a nod to the aerospace industry.

The board voted for the mountain but wanted to change "The Events Commission" to "Tacoma Events Commission".

The second version of the mountain has a blue sky, a frame, and a playful arrangement of the text. Color and grayscale versions are displayed.

They wanted to emphasize "Events" and replace the sky with 5 stars. They also wanted the logo to be less like a box.

This is the final version.

Inspiration

On my website I mentioned that I get inspiration from the world around me. Indeed, this is true. Something as mundane as walking my dog brought a cartoon to mind. It was a sunny day, birds were flying overhead and my dog was watching them with his whole body. Leaping in long arcs, nose to the sky, he made walking on the leash a challenging experience.

I thought "What if dogs could fly...?", hence the creation of this cartoon.