Still smooshing paint.....

Hey there!  Hope you all had a warm and wonderful holiday!  Where is the time going?  Next week it's a new year!  Eeek!  I'm still smooshing paint around.  This is a custom piece I did for a customer's birthday.  Sorry for the blurry photos.  I seriously had a lot of fun doing this....with Dawn's favorite quote included on the canvas.  Makes me happy to make folks happy! 

Hope you are all feeling happy and healthy during this final week of 2013!  XOXO!

Hi Dani!!!



Hello guys!  My dear sweet friend Dani "not so gently" reminded me that it was time to get my blog updated more often. HA!  So DANI, this post's for you!!!  :-)  We have been in the thick of busy-ness that past few weeks.  I've taken a break from my derby playing pastime, to make more time for taking care of my business during these precious weeks of getting into the black.  I miss the skating, and the sweating.....so will be back at it after the first of the year.  Funny how just a few weeks off can really make a difference. 

I've been blessed with plenty of work to do......still a couple of special projects to finish this week....and I've been waiting for some last minute shipments of merchandise to arrive....each day it doesn't arrive is painful.  Shipping/mailing is so slow these days. 

Balance.  Always striving and struggling to find balance.  Finding that I often give up one thing for another, only to find there still is no balance and harmony.  But I am enjoying just concentrating on MAKING with my hands.  Always have loved that.  Always will.  I have more to share soon, but I better get back at it.  Using all spare moments to make just a few more items.  Cheers, hope you are all warm and cozy.  And....LOVE YOU DANI!!!!!

Back from Des Moines Gift Mart

Hello again friends!  Last night we returned from the Des Moines Junior League Gift Mart!  Here are a few pictures of the goodies we were selling at the show.  Our Thursday night preview night was kind of a bummer, because of the ice and bad weather, but things gradually picked up on Friday, and Saturday was great!  So, thank you, Des Moines for always being so kind to us, and for supporting what we do! 

The Christmas ornaments were a new thing for me to make....glass, with glitter inside, and painted designs on the outside.  I stamped the words on this time, which gave them a quirky look I want to make more of!

Everyone also raved about my two old painted "heart" windows.  They sold to a wonderful woman who will give them a good home.  The windows were gifted to me by my neighbors across the street.....I just love how they turned out.  I kind of miss them!  Must see if I can find some more windows like this! 

And here is a pic of my goofy, lovin man, eating a grape.  He was so much help...always sweet and friendly with my customers, and always patient with me.  He's a keeper.

xoxo.

iHanna's Postcard Swap Project Completed!

Hi friends!  I completed another iHanna postcard swap, and it was a blast!!!  Thought I would give you a little peek at my completed ten cards.  The inspiration for my theme was a college yearbook from the late fifties.  I've got this perfect sized circle punch that cuts out their adorable faces quite nicely.  I've done a few mixed media projects with these faces so far, and thought, why not add them to my postcards!?

I am also on a bit of a sailboat kick....simple, happy little boats with perky sails make me smile.  These cards are made of paper mache, nice and sturdy.  They hold up well to my layers, which include an old map glued down to the background, assorted acrylics, more papers, water soluble crayons, ink pens, and pencils.  I stamped the letters, which was a lot of fun, and kind of a different look for me!

I have received just a couple of the ten cards that are coming to me....when I get them all, I'll share them with you, as well as links to the artists, when available.  This really is a fun project...a great way to stretch your creative muscle.....please join us next time!  The more the merrier!!! 

Thank you, iHanna for organizing this fabulous connection to other creative beings!

Happy Anniversary, Lovin' Man!

Happy Anniversary to the man who just "gets" me, and keeps me around anyway.

I am lucky to have you.  Love you, and looking forward to many more years of our crazy, unkempt life!

Art Rocks is back at it!

I'm a lucky gal!  I get to have THESE fabulous kids stop by and visit me in our studio, and make art with me!  We have started a new season of art making....and we are making some holiday goodies for an upcoming open house.  Seriously, these guys make my day!!! On this particular day, we worked on festive Christmas trees!   For info about our Art Rocks progam, click HERE. 

iHanna's postcard swap is back! Join me!

Hi again!  Just wanted to let you know that the lovely Hanna Andersson is hosting another postcard swap!!  I'm doing it!  C'mon and join me!!!  It's a great way to stretch your creative muscles and meet new creative peeps!  It's well organized and totally legit!  Hanna does a great job! 


Go HERE for info!!

Paint Mojo was so much fun!!!

Hi pals!  Holy Moly!  Where is October rushing off to?  Eeeek!  It's slipping between my fingers!  Today I'm snuggled up warm and cozy in the family room, getting caught up on paperwork and "computer stuff."  Took the doggies to the dog park to run...and it was COLD out there!  They are predicting snow here in Iowa tomorrow....ugh!  I'm so not ready for that.  Not before Halloween, please!!!  Well, I've been meaning to share some pics from a recent outing I had with my dear friend, Erin. 

In early October, we attended a Paint Mojo workshop with the wonderful, fabulous Tracy Verdugo!!

The class was held in the lovely countryside outside Spring Green, Wisconsin.  (not far from The House on the Rock)  Rolling hills, fresh air, and a REALLY fun group of ladies ready to get down and dirty with their paints! 

It was an amazing, eye opening experience for me, with several uncomfortable moments that I had to push through.  We worked a lot with symbols that were important to us, and learning to create how a "feeling" looks in paint.  It was very intuitive, and took some bravery!

These two sassy ladies were our table mates for the weekend, and we had SO much fun with them!  Vivacious Viv!  I found out I had a lot in common with her, as we both have creative businesses.  We are so used to producing things for other people....making things that sell....that we often forget to make for the sake of making.  Creating for our own enjoyment, without an end result in mind.

And Vanessa the art fairy joined us at our table too!  She was prolific!  She completed six paintings that weekend!  I marveled at how free and crazy she was with her painting.....and she let me borrow her Montana paint markers....now I need to buy THOSE!!!

 

We started by putting symbols on our canvas that had meaning for us...using paints, and various mark making tools...including this stamp that I carved out of foam.....oh, and I used my hand too! 

 

 

Lots and lots of layering....turning the canvas constantly, and not getting too attached to anything we've already placed there.

 

 

This is me, in my painting overalls (my favorite thing to paint in!) at the end of the first day!

It was so hard to stop!!!

 

 

The next day, we spent some time as a group, doing show and tell, and talking about what we saw in each others paintings.  That was a lot of fun!  I ended up working on something abstract, which is unusual for m.  I started covering different parts of the canvas up...revealing and adding value to the lovely layers I had created.

 

 

And here we are, at the end of the workshop, with our pretty much finished pieces.  I still want to tweak mine a little bit...but for now, am enjoying staring at it now and then.  I don't think I want to part with it....so will hang it in the living room.  This was such a GREAT weekend, and I was so happy to share it with Erin, a true blue friend whom I always enjoy spending time with...and it's fun to be with like minded individuals who get excited about the same things.

 

 

Tracy was a fabulous instructor, and I would gladly spend time with her in class again and again!  So inspiring, so warm, and so much FUN!!!

 

 

Tracy has a new book coming out!  You can pre-order it on Amazon HERE! 

Check it out!  You won't regret it!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

Magic Hand Journal Page, and I love October!

Hi again, friends!  We have a lot to catch up on, as I just returned from a fabulous art retreat this past weekend, with my friend Erin.....but I'm still getting caught up on my photos, emails, work, etc...so for now, I'm going to share another journal page in my Canson Mixed Media book.  I'm not entirely sure this one is complete...its doesn't feel like it is....but I'm letting it rest for now.

 

This one was made with acrylic paints (as always!) tissue papers, and washi tape.

 

The "eye" showed up in some hand painted paper I had in my stash.  And the scalloped edge is actually a cut scalloped edge, allowing the page behind it to peek through. 

 

And I love adding my little pencil markings here and there for good measure!

 

More to come soon!  How are you?  Are the leaves changing beautifully? 

It's getting gorgeous and chilly here.  Love it!

2013 Harvest Moon Chocolate Walk!

 

It's tomorrow night!  Don't miss it!!

 

True Heroes Journal Page

 

I swear, I haven't been shirking on my responsibilities!  These are pages I got done early last month, and I'm finally getting around to sharing them!  HA!  This page in my journal started out with some spray ink through a stencil, layered with bits of paper, and lots of acrylics.  The flower developed next, using papers and paint, and a bit of charcoal pencil which I am currently addicted to.  I've found it a quick easy way to add definition to my art, and give it a casual, smudgy look. 

 

 

The quote came later, after looking through my notebook of inspiring words/quotes.  I love the idea of dissecting my pages too...."chopping" it up and focusing on different parts of the page individually.  This will be fun to reprint and use on other pieces.

 

Lift On Up Journal Page

 

Hi friends!  When I can, I've been dabbling in my art journal again, and having a ball!  As I said previously, I'm using things up....and my journal is the perfect place for excess paint that I can't afford to waste, scraps of paper I can't bear to throw away, etc.  Just thought I'd pop in and share a recent page I completed in my Canson XL 9x12 Mixed Media book.  I love this book!!  I glue only two pages together at a time, and it's plenty sturdy for all the layers I like to throw in there!

 

 

 

 

I was feeling REALLY happy the day I made this. 

 

 

 

Do you ever feel like you could just lift right up off the ground?