Folk Art by Campbell Jane

Dear Blog...

2012-01-23T21:02:00.000-08:00

...Happy New Year a few weeks late. This year is going faster than last year already! I made a resolution to love you more and spend more time with you this year. Starting tomorrow. :)

And more time with you too my Angels! I have lots of new projects to share. Painting & free motion sewing. This year I am going to be working on some tutorial/videos both free & for sale and I will be giving classes at the Spoiled Rotten Gallery in town very soon.

Are You Having A Ball?

2011-12-23T19:48:00.000-08:00

I am! Joyful Joyful! Finished shopping,

gifts all wrapped,

groceries in the frig,

and now I'm getting ready to

create something in the kitchen.

Wishing you & all my Angels (Followers)

the most wonderful Christmas

overflowing with God's best blessings! *going to use white chocolate Flips instead of plain pretzels

Cookie & Marshmallow treat were found here:

http://gordongossip.blogspot.com/2010/12/chocolate-covered-marshmallow-reindeer.html

http://radlyn.hubpages.com/hub/Christmas-Cookies-Decorating-Ideas-and-Pictures

On The Easel...

2011-12-05T14:31:00.000-08:00

...some new pieces on wood.

What Day Is It ?!

2011-12-03T03:36:00.000-08:00

...I can't believe I haven't posted in so long. So sorry faithful Followers! I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving and is enjoying the season so far. Mine was very nice and the Christmas spirit hasn't fully kicked in with me yet. So as usual I am behind in my shopping that has to be mailed. The year started with good intentions and I had acquired 1 gift by March, but that's as far as I got. *patting myself on the back anyway* The spirit will kick in though, I'm sure of it. Hubby decorated the tree & did a lovely job. I have to dig into the boxes before they dissappear back into the shed. I thought if the spirit really hit me I could do another Christmas Tour video until I realized that it would be pretty much the same as the last one. hahaha
This reminds me I have got to start thinking about what to bake for Christmas!

To See New work listed on Ebay: Click HERE

Winter Wonderful ...

2011-11-11T20:21:00.000-08:00

It's almost here. Last year my favorite winter collection was Dolce & Gabana. http://folkartbycampbelljane.blogspot.com/2010/10/winter-wonderful.html

This year I'm smitten ♥♥♥ with Christian Dior. Rachel says it best when she says "Bananas!"

Bed Bugs...

2011-11-04T20:28:00.000-07:00

... We don't have them here, but this one might have a few. Coffee in the morning or picnic in bed ?! You know I don't have that much of a green thumb this photo was found at inspirebohemian.blogspot.com

Upcycled Reuse Terrarium Project

These are 2 that I made using thrift store finds. I have 3 more made since I took this picture. They are addicting & look so pretty in my garden window! Add some ribbon, beads, knobs, etc... These are so fun and would make great gifts too.

If you make one I'd love to see it. Please send me your photo and I will post!

Mango plant update : It's still alive!!!!!! I haven't killed it yet! Hopefully I'll be able to grow these too!

Sometimes?...

2011-10-25T20:04:00.000-07:00

I find this hysterical but at the same time I feel the need to apologize for it. LOL

This is Dedicated...

2011-10-12T19:58:00.000-07:00

...to someone I love very much and YOU know who you are.

Distasteful? LOL...

2011-10-05T11:55:00.000-07:00

Look Mom No Brushes!

2011-10-04T12:07:00.001-07:00

Being a creative soul (sometimes more often than I should & occasionally to a fault), every once in a while I have to burst out of my bubble and experiment, do something that isn't expected of me. Sometimes these experiments go bad, I have a graveyard of canvas in my studio closet to prove it. A few made it out this summer to an "outdoor room" and are hanging on my fence in my backyard. Then there are times when things go right and I think this is one of those times!

A few weeks ago I was under the weather and I hate washing brushes anyway, a simple yet annoying task, kind of like your thread breaking while you're sewing, so instead of grabbing a brush I ripped off a little piece of used card stock and dove it right into my piles of acrylic paint. Globbing and scraping the paint on & off the previous "experiment" canvas that I had covered with thick gesso. I just want to do more & more so all my little zombies in my graveyard may be resurrected in the near future! I do love this technique and wish I had a better photo for ya. Perhaps a tutorial is in the future so stay tuned!

These 2 little birds were inspired by ESP at Paint My Photo. It's a wonderful site where Artists & Photographers share there photos free of copyrights. It's fun and there are lots of really nice people there & beautiful photographs for inspiration when your brain goes dead. You don't need to share a photo to belong either. When I look for inspiration I look to photos, magazines, books, more often than I look at art. It's so easy to be influenced by someone else's art and when I'm in create mode I want it all to be me. I've been doing needlework instead of painting. I have lots of things at a gallery here in town called Spoiled Rotten. I've got to get busy though because I have a show this weekend in El Dorado Hills. If you are in the area stop by and say hi!

Create a Great day!

The Crazy Ones...

2011-09-22T13:05:00.000-07:00

Here’s to the Crazy Ones

Here’s to the crazy ones.
The misfits. The rebels.
The troublemakers. The round
pegs in the square holes – the
ones who see things differently.
They’re not fond of rules and
they have no respect for
the status quo. You can praise
them, disagree with them,
quote them, disbelieve them,
glorify or vilify them.
About the only thing that you
can’t do is ignore them.
Because they change things.

~ Jack Kerouac

Currently Listed on Ebay

A Love/Hate Relationship...

2011-09-17T16:26:00.000-07:00

... that's what I have with granny squares. I love them, I don't mind making them, it's just the blocking and sewing together I hate. Just like with sewing, if you want something to look nice and go together well, your fabric has to be ironed, so does crochet & knit. I cut out a thin piece of card board or paper the size that your granny square is suppose to be to use as a template. I set my iron to the Acrylic setting with steam. I just secure the pin at each corner first just pushing it into my ironing board cover. I lightly press and steam careful not to scorch or flatten the stitches too much. My iron is great on this setting but if you have any doubts about your iron you should definitely cover with a thin cloth before pressing. If your square is springing back and not remaining blocked, steam again and leave it pinned on the template until it's completely cool and then remove.

See what a difference blocking makes! You can't tell in the pictures but the black yarn used in this project is Vanna White's Glamour yarn "for special occasions" and it has itty bitty sparkles in it. It's really much prettier in person.

I am going to crochet these together instead of sew. I will share the picture of my project when it's all completed! You can see all the squares I have to block! Maybe I'll put some cream on my face and put all this steam on double duty! LOL

Mango Madness!

2011-09-11T10:05:00.000-07:00

photo and more info found HERE

I've gone crazy for mangos. It's a fruit that in the past I have rarely purchased. I like mango flavor and usually if I have something mango it is mango "flavored". Well I bought one and Hubby and I shared it, even though I didn't really want to share. I cleaned the pit, alright, I'll admit it, I sucked on it until it was clean. hahaha The pit has kind of a pine taste to me and I love it. Wish I could crush it up and use it as a seasoning. I wonder if anyone has ever done that. The next day the pit had opened and inside was a pod. I put it in an empty pot that I had previously killed something else in barely under the soil. Within days it was sprouting. You know I do NOT have a green thumb so this is thrilling.
Look! Today it's even bigger!
I bought 3 more mangos and I may have to paint a mango tree! AND I am going to try not to love it to death. Aren't they awesome looking?

Wild Wild West

2011-08-29T10:51:00.000-07:00

Random snap shots from our little road trip to Carson City & Virginia City, Nevada this week. I fell in love with the place and hope to get back to go through all those shops soon!

This makes a Campbell feel right at home :)

Impress My Friends?...

2011-08-18T19:54:00.000-07:00

...Why yes I would like to impress my friends with these at my next dinner party! Those little rat bastards aren't too hard to make!hahaha LOL Rat Bastards is my favorite cuss to say. I'm not proud, it just slips out. Those who know me are laughing their butts off about now. I had to share because honestly who wouldn't like a cute little rat garnish instead of a tired radish standby, the rose? Keep playing with your food Chef Justin! I love it!

Sweet Sunny Spicy Spanish Guitar kind of Day

2011-08-01T16:53:00.000-07:00

Yes it's 100 outside but you know I like it hot! Red Pork Chili Colorado, Fry Bread & Yellow Lemon Buttercreams. Yum.

I had some beautiful chops but was craving something spicy & saucy even though it is hot. This is great though because it's simple and you don't have to stand in a hot kitchen fussing over it. This is just 4 large chops cut in big chunks, browned, 2 chicken boullion, just enough water to cover and 1/2c spaghetti sauce (I didn't have 1/2 can of tomato paste but this came out great), 1/2 large yellow onion slices really thinly, 4 cloves of grated garlic, 2 tbsp of chili powder, 1 tbsp of cumin. Stewed for about 2 hours or until pork is tender. Simple and so so good.

I'm experimenting with a fry bread recipe. I'm really trying to work that one out for my son who is thinking about getting a gourmet food truck. I started with a "biga" as though I were making a foccacia bread. I hope it turns out. It looks bubblalicious right now. I will repost a picture to this post if it comes out good so stay tuned. Is there "bad" bread? ...I don't think so!

Don't these lemon buttercreams look so sunny and summery? They will give you a sunny disposition for sure! I scored a bunch of great Mr. Candy molds for only $.50 each and they were unopened and brand new. (Thrift store, I donate then buy stuff. hahaha) I got this sunflower, a frog, pineapple, seashell, rose w/ leaf, turtle, leaf, and shamrock. When I got them I thought I would use them for clay but the recipe looked so easy, and my guys have sweet teeth, so I tried it. The guys loved them and I'm all for easy. If you come to visit you will get these on your pillow and I am now planning to make some for Christmas packages. Peppermint extract is now on my shopping list. Don't worry you don't need a mold to make these buttercreams! You can roll the dough into thin logs and cut into equal pieces or roll them into balls. This would be great for kids to do too! I hope you give this yummy recipe a try.

Buttercream Candies

1 box of powdered sugar

1/4 cup of melted butter

10 drops of food color

1/4 tsp of extract or flavoring - I used lemon extract

Work with hands to dough that sticks together, then roll into log or press into a candy mold. Place on wax paper or parchment paper. Dry for 1 hour then turn over and dry on other side.
Store in cool place. These can be frozen up to 3 months.

Thank You beautiful Charo for helping me have fun while cleaning my kitchen! So Caliente!

A Day Late...

2011-07-25T14:57:00.000-07:00

... I spent this weekend pulling everything out of my walk-in closet, there were mountain size piles of clothes in my living room. Pants, shirts, shorts, skirts & dresses. Then jeans, pants, tees and blouses, color coordinating everything as I put it all back. It looks amazing and it feels good to have that done. I've still got to go through all my shoes and underwear drawers. Hubby & I loaded big boxes of clothes that I don't wear, won't ever wear, never have worn or don't fit to the thrift store just this morning. Then I saw this video. Wah Wah I might have to go buy a few back now! hahaha

A Little Word on Wednesday

2011-07-20T12:37:00.000-07:00

Speechless. So beautiful.

Salvator Mundi (Savior of the World)

This Leonardo da Vinci painting was thought to be lost or destroyed but has been found and will be on exhibition at the National Gallery in London. To read more click here.
Leonardo da Vinci: Painter at the Court of Milan at the National Gallery in London (11/9/2011 to 2/5/2012).

Abstract Anxiety...

2011-07-14T13:16:00.000-07:00

"Forgiving" 6 x 6

"Understanding" 16 x 20

These are the first abstracts that I am parting with. It's a little scary. They were painted w/ layers & layers of acrylic paint, scraped, scratched, brushed & rubbed.

Surprise San Francisco!

2011-07-13T18:08:00.000-07:00

Hubby woke up early. Made coffee and then woke me up. He was taking me on a surprise trip! He wouldn't tell me where we were going but it wasn't long before I figured out we were on our way to San Francisco. For what reason I had no idea. It wasn't until we were there that he told me his surprise. He had purchased tickets for the Picasso Exhibit at the De Young Museum. Such a sweet surprise! This was so special & sweet because walking through galleries & museums is not really his thing, however, sneaking a glimpse of him from across the gallery floor it was clear he was enjoying this exhibit too. Picasso, a surprise within a surprise really. The work smelled old, maybe it smelled like Paris. I loved the smell of it. Quite a few of the paintings appear unfinished. They are; but are they? Some appear somewhat sloppy. An unpainted portion of canvas just appears white in a print or photo so I until up close & personal I was unaware. What made him stop? Fear of ruining what he had already done? I've been there. Arrogance/Self importance? You get what you get & you don't throw a fit. Impatience? Indecisiveness? or total Freedom? I am still mentally digesting every piece I saw. It was inspirational. I can paint anything I want and in any color that I want and if it isn't pretty so what? I was really taken with his metal work, sculptures and collage pieces.

These are a few of the photos I snapped along the way.

The Empress...

2011-07-02T13:28:00.000-07:00

...no it's not me! haha It's an eclectic little shop up the hill from me in Placerville. The Empress is definitely the lovely Carolina Smith, shop owner of 11 years. Her wonderful shop, located at 582 Main Street, is full of unique clothing and whimsical items. Her shop has a style of it's own, the best way to describe it is a little bit steampunk, pirate, gypsy, victorian, mermaid, saloon girl! So me right!?! Whatever it may be, it's a wonderful collection of her handmade upcycled redesigned fashion creations and is truly a reflection of her beautiful spirit. I am thrilled that she is selling some of my cards & art in her shop. We have much in common and I hope that our friendship will grow. She makes me want to put my brushes down and pull out my sewing machines. I'm like the guy in that commercial that is fighting with himself for a cigarette! hahah I have way too much on my plate right now to create another project for myself but Carolina does inspire me. Maybe one day soon...

A few Saturdays ago I wandered the Farmer's Market across the street from her shop before she opened. I bought some huge organic blueberries from Oregon and took them to the Cosmic Cafe next door to eat with a hot soy latte. I sat in a chair so close to the door it was almost on the sidewalk. I people watched and eavesdropped on a few interesting conversations. Honestly I can't remember the last time I spent a few relaxing hours out all by myself.

Carolina must love coming to work each morning. When she opened her shop it was full of the aroma of fresh coffee wafting in from next door, her collection of incense, and the old old building smell. I'd love to wake to that each day! We spent the morning in her magical shop with my camera. It was so fun.

If you would like a one of a kind portrait to be transformed into a beautiful mermaid, a pirate mermaid, a mermaid princess.... all I need is a photo. It's truly a unique gift! Email me for details or click on the mermaid above!

Sharing

2011-07-01T18:47:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to share this wonderful video of one of my favorite Artists, Michael Parkes.

Onion Ring Day Come & Gone!

2011-06-21T09:52:00.000-07:00

I have onion rings once a year on my birthday! YUMMMM I drifted off to sleep thinking about them. Is that bad? hahaha Actually I didn't drift off much at all because I was so horrified! In all the chaos around here, which there has been plenty, I sent a painting to a person it didn't belong to. Luckily is went to sweet collector of mine in Chicago, she forgave me and sent it back quickly but it made for a rough night. I couldn't get my foot to stop kicking myself in the ... hahahaha

It was some of these Moon Pie's I started painting. I am selling them on Ebay and I'm excited to say that the Heart & Soul Gallery here in town wants them too as well as my mermaids, but that's another post. I just added a new one today. They are so fun to paint. Kind of a combination of my angels & clowns, pushing the distorted boundaries and I like the one big dominate Egyptian looking eye. Better to see you with...

That's alot of Coffee & Paint!

2011-06-16T20:36:00.000-07:00

This looks like so much fun. Let's try it with iddy biddy cups!

The video says this is a painting. How do you feel? Do you think this is a painting?

Loved & Loved Again

2011-06-08T16:17:00.000-07:00

I got out and raked a little today. I have to admit it felt good. As far as gardening goes I'd say raking is about the extent of my talent. It's a shame I'm not kidding :) It got me daydreaming about decorating my outdoor room. It's a good size circle area with 2 granite walkways leading up to it in the middle of a little grove of oak trees in the upper portion of our property. Other than 2 black iron rocking chairs it's a blank canvas. Because I am not a gardener, I decided to divide my yard up and make little "rooms", that might help me tackle it or look at it in a different way and I have enough area to make a few good size spots. My goal is to make if flow and fun to walk through, not difficult to care for - container gardening all without looking like a junk yard.

You know I love upcycled/recycled/re-purposed art and objects. A well loved item transformed to love all over again. If you have some things you've made for your yard I'd love to see them! One of the things I plan to make/re-purpose are birdhouses made out of plastic coffee cans. My hubby feeds them so we might as well give them a place to live too. I plan to paint them and hang them at different lengths in those aforementioned trees. I'm calling it my "Coffee Condo Project." So stay tuned, that's soon, I can't wait to show you the project. Save a can! Here are some things I fell in love with. You can click on the pictures to be taken to the blogs, websites, tutorials, etc... I found some great places today!

Ut Oh. I might be saving cans now. I'm already saving coffee cans and we won't speak of my jar cabinet. Picture this spray painted with shiny copper paint, black w/ glitter to twinkle at night, turquoise or that lushious lemon-lime color next to it! Wouldn't this be a great outdoor room divider, or privacy screen? This Dino almost makes me want to crawl under the house to retrieve a box of old toys because I know there are a couple of dinos down there. Almost. Another super fun piece I will be making! There is scrap wood pile leftover from my hubby's wonderful deck I will be diving into.

These next 3 I saw at BHG.com and fell in love them. I think the chair shelf would be great in my outdoor room I am gonna be working on this summer. *summer? doesn't feel like summer, not yet* Next time hubby is in the mood for a nice cigar I'm gonna ask him to get me some more boxes, I used all that I had in an altered art frenzy. I do have one untouched box that is my hidey hole for the tv remote & other assorted things. I've got lots of hidey holes. The other day I couldn't remember what I did with a sink stopper. Oh yeah, I put them in a big ceramic acorn next to sink. I hid the sink stoppers & strainers in there. I'd much rather look at the acorn. My largest hidey hole is an antique armoire that we gutted, added shelves to and it houses all of our stereo equipment. I am now keeping my eye out for stray silver in my thrifty travels. I have so much stuff to box up to take to donate, it's now on my Things To Do List. Wait donate and then bring home stuff..hum.. hubby probably won't notice the camping silverware missing for awhile. LOL

Up To No Good

2011-06-03T16:23:00.000-07:00

...well not exactly, but I am going through one of my experimentation phases again. I'm not finishing the things I should be finishing first. I've been having so much fun clowning around, painting photographs and turning people into clowns. It's hard to stop!

I'm trying to get up the nerve to make a video/tutorial. Would anyone want to learn to do what I do let alone pay for a class by me? Not sure. I listed my services on Etsy instead of a piece of art or creation. My services being a custom portrait turning your photograph into a happy soul/clown. A great gift for your boss, hahahaha just kidding - probably not adviseable, kids done as a gift for parents, maybe a person that make you so happy, or that clown in your life that has everything.

I am blessed beyond belief. Look at all these sweet people that put my art or creations in their fabulous Etsy Tresuries! Big Shout & a big Thank You goes to Lightworksartwork, Verbena Place, LookOnMyTreasures, Fabpins, PamWares, TerryMillsPhoto, Kandice in Wonderland, and CatCanPaint.

Something Sweet & Surprising

2011-05-16T06:20:00.001-07:00

Rum Cake with Rum & Tamarind Buttercream Frosting

I was craving something naughty & out of the ordinary. This combination was out of the ordinary for sure and surprisingly good. I used a yellow cake mix & added a tsp of Rum extract. I added a tsp of Rum flavoring, tsp of tamarind paste and red food coloring to a basic butter cream recipe. Don't you ♥ the bohemian cupcake papers I found at Michael's?

Magazine Mania...

2011-05-08T21:38:00.001-07:00

Nothing personal Dan Patrick! I had lots of fun altering his photo from Sports Illustrated! I remember when I was little my mother oil painted a black & white photo of my sister. Something about Dan's photo made me want to paint it! and paint it some more! These are mounted on ACEO acrylic paper. Sorry the photos are any better. I have downloaded a few royalty free vintage photos that I am doing. Once they are finished I will share them with you. I hope you think twice about your magazines before you throw them away. Give it a try! It may get your creative juices flowing!

A Tasty Sweet Surprise

2011-05-01T13:02:00.000-07:00

I made Rhubarb jam for one of my dearest friends whom has been near death this past month or so. By the Grace of God he is on the mend and back at home. His doctor is saying his survival is somewhat of a miracle. He has lost a lot of weight and I am sending a care package to fatten him & his wife up. He loves jelly and eats a lot of it, yet remains thin-no fair. We both share the love of orange marmalade which I made for him last time. He mentioned once that another of his favorites is rhubarb. I had never tasted rhubarb jam. Just the name, "rhubarb" makes it sound unappetizing, kind of like "turnip", which is unappetizing to me. Well to my surprise it's delicious! Now it's one of my favorites too and I will definitely make it again. I was going to surprise him but when I talked to him on the phone, that hot stickysweet delicious jam was burning a hole in my pocket. I'm glad I let it out of the bag. It cheered him up and he has something to look forward to in the mail for the next day or so. It was simple too. Here's how I made it... oops I can't give you the exact amount of rhubarb I used but I would guess that it was about 3 - 3 1/2 cups chopped up, maybe 10 good size stalks. I just grabbed a big handful. It looks like red celery. I chopped it fairly fine but wasn't worrying about keeping it the same size, making sure to get all the juice from the cutting board I put all into a large pot, then covered it with 3 cups of sugar and let it sit for a few hours. I brought to boil on medium heat then added a pinch of ginger & 4 frozen chopped strawberries and boiled hard for 10 minutes, then placed in small mason jars fresh out of the dishwasher. I don't care for syrup, I rarely eat it, so this jam was a freshing change from the ordinary jam we buy and on this Eggo Strawberry Waffle it was so tasty!

A Big Shout Out & Thank you goes to KandiceInWonderland, FaeryMoonGoddess, Brixiana, LoopLoft, RobinMariaPedrero, and SwirlingThoughts for including my art in their wonderful Etsy Treasuries!

Is it just me or is anyone else finding that you have to retype things because you are speaking as though you are Tweeting, breaking your sentences down as though you were talking shorthand? hahaha

Eggs-cellent Time of Year!

2011-04-22T23:11:00.000-07:00

Retro-Mama describes her decor with these lovely fabric eggs as "Barnyard Chic" Love that & ♥ these eggs! Click on her name to visit her site for instructions.
An eggs-cellent way to de-stash all those paper scraps! The instructions can be found at Two Hearts Together.
These just make me happy to look at them! The super easy instructions can be found here at All*You
Aren't these sweet?! Instructions with photos can be found at Chez Larsson.

These lovelies were found at TaterTots & Jello.

Napkins to decoupaged Eggs! Who knew?! Just click on the picture to go to the full instructions at Two Girls Being Crafty.

A Big Shout Out & Thank You goes to these sweet people at Etsy for featuring my art in their wonderful collections! Just click on their names to visit their Etsy Shops. BiscottiPottery, GrooveInTuesday, ForPawsandHome, LovegrenandDaughter, Mouflon,CatCanPaint, and YimmekeDesign !
~*~ Family, Friends, Followers, & Fans I hope you have a Eggs-cellent & Joyful Easter full of many Blessings & Loving Memories! ~*~

Motion, Movement, A Moment

2011-04-15T22:28:00.000-07:00

Roses Are Red... No Pink...

2011-04-08T12:02:00.000-07:00

My hubby & I went on a little mini break for our 35th anniversary for a few days. I'm not as old as that makes me sound. We married when I was a teenager. He took me to my prom. Anyway, he made sure I had a huge tub to soak in and surprised me with these Tea Rose heart soaps. They smell so good, so sweet & old fashioned that they spark a little nostalgia, a scent from the past, from childhood, one of those that seems to be embedded in all of us. He knows me so well. I love it and will enjoy it for a long while, each time, thinking of how sweet & thoughtful he can be & how blessed I really am. I'll take soap over flowers that will wilt in a day or so any day! (That's right. My purple thumb extends out of the garden as well. I never remember to change the water or add that packet of stuff ) I put them in one of my antique rose dishes next to my sink. I'm a sucker for little dishes like these in antique stores & thrift stores. My house is full of men all the time and I'm mostly a tom-boy but I do have a few prissy areas. I like my contemporary cabin but I could be just as happy in an old Victorian. Honestly the guys like prissy stuff more than they will admit. Lingerie, sure, that's a safe one, but the rest... True story, having 2 poodles, a redhead & a blond, when we have them out & about they can get lots of attention, but you know who it comes from? 90% of the time it's from men! Yep! Isn't that funny?! I'm telling on you boys! hahaha I once approved a home loan for a headbanging dark rocker, a guitarist in one of the worlds most famous bands and he had purchased a home just outside of Ventura with the prettiest frilliest prissy pink bathroom you ever saw. He sent signed 8 x 10s for all my guys after escrow closed. Every time I see them I think of his bathroom. He doesn't scare me. hahaha

I made this stroller or car seat baby blanket yesterday start to finish. It's knitted & crocheted. I'm not showing the whole thing because it's a gift. I am way behind on my baby gifts that need to be made. I have several more to make. Everyone is having babies! I bought the Ultimate Sweater Machine a few weeks ago. I have had a Brother knitting machine in the past and this one is not as nice but it does a good job as long as you take your time, pull the yarn at the beginning of each row and keep the edges and piece properly weighted & pulled with hooks & bands. Once you get your groove it knits very fast, just don't get carried away and forget to tighten the hooks & bands. I think everyone is getting something knitted for Christmas whether they like it or not! hahahaha

A Big Shout Out & Thank you goes to AnnabelleArts, LimeZinnias, JCStrong & LuLusApple for featuring my art in their fantastic Etsy Treasuries! Click on their names to visit their Etsy Shops. Everyone's support of my art means a great deal to me!

A handsome clerk asked us this weekend what it takes to be married for so long. Our answer was humor & ability to say you're sorry - I said humor because I knew he'd make a smart remark, like saying sorry, haha I'm laughing. LOL. Later we found ourselves still thinking about that question and we decided that the secret is love ♥, of course, humor, respect, ability to say you're sorry and real forgiveness. Not necessarily in that order. :) Next month is another anniversary, my blog anniversary! Once again I will be doing a give-away for my Followers.

Still Playing With Dolls

2011-04-02T10:42:00.000-07:00

More Angel Kokeshi Dolls!

Just Off The Easel...

2011-03-30T09:06:00.000-07:00

This ACEO is listed on Ebay. 50% of the proceeds will go to the Red Cross.

These 2 sweet Angel Kokeshi dolls are listed in my Etsy shop. This landscape is not off my easel just yet. It's a work in progress. I hope to have it finished by the end of the week. There are lots and lots of layers of acrylic paint in this piece. The canvas has thick sides, it's a 12 x 36. I am painting a few landscapes on some of the larger canvases I have. I may take these to the wine shop in Placerville or Windwalker Winery. I love the way this one is turning out so it may end up hanging on my mantle. :) I remember when I only worked in oils. I didn't like working with acrylics, yet now I am more in love with acrylics. Today I'll be working on this painting, a few files, and waiting anxiously for the Fed X man, who will be delivering my new knitting machine! Weeeeeeee! Hopefully I will be tangled up in yarn later too.

A few Big Shout Outs to SmallImpressions, StoneSchoolVintage, WorksOnPaperArt and PinkSprinklesPlush for featuring my art in their lovely Etsy Treasuries! Please click on their names to visit their shops.

Create a great day!

Faking It ...

2011-03-29T15:33:00.000-07:00

Misawa & Me

2011-03-20T12:11:00.000-07:00

Some of my most treasured & most terrifying childhood memories were made in Misawa, Japan. The good far out weights the bad. The Japanese people were such kind & gentle people and the experience was so enriching that it somewhat etched me into who I am today. As I say in some of my profiles, it was there that ignited a lifelong quest of crafting and a determined search for the perfect craft. (Those of you that know me, I know are taking a moment to laugh like hell, coz you know, go ahead! lol) It was there that I learned needlework, it there I was baptized, it was there I realized, we are all one, no matter our differences, and it was there I it really sank in that life is fragile, we really aren't in control, and it can be gone in an instant. These are a few photos of the 1968 8.2 earthquake that I went through while I lived there. I know the helplessness & terror that they feel with the earthquakes, however, I know that I can not fully comprehend the horror and uncertainty they are going through with the tsunami and nuclear situation. My heart is bleeding for the Japanese people. I am praying for them all and all of the families of the kind people and their families that touched my life in past.
I have listed these 2 Angels on Ebay and 50% of the proceeds will go to the American Red Cross.

I used the same palette for both pieces. Thalo Blue, Viridian, Crimson, Yellow Ochre, Cad Yellow, Titanium White, and Payne's Gray. I painted the mermaid 1st, using only very little yellow, then painted the sunflower Angel with the same under painting and palette using very little viridian & thalo blue. I think these combinations of colors muted & melded into each other making the pieces moody instead of super bright. About 15 years ago I began making my own perfumes. Most store bought perfumes give me headaches, whether worn by me or someone else. Making my own and removing all the chemicals make it possible for me to wear more scents, there are a few that don't bother me as long as I don't put too much on. So a few years ago, on the weekends, I created a small line of perfumes. Like a little chemist, I was measuring, mixing and smelling, adding, subtracting, reading everything I could find, smelling everything to try & guess what was in it, trying to develop something that was natural, different, yet sophisticated. Not just a combination of a few oils. My guys put up with all "reek-age" leaked in the atmosphere and were generally willing give their opinions which was really sweet. Opening a new shipment of oils were exciting times. Oh what mystery smells that were about to be unleashed into the mix! So exciting! *P.S. Tomato essential oil does not smell like a tomato bush, the scent I was hoping for. I have no clue what it would be good in! P U* I spent innumerable hours in study, learning what makes good top notes, middle notes, bottom notes, mixed endless combinations of oils, designed the packaging, did profit figures and came up with some marketing strategies only to be left to occupy a little corner of my studio. It was impossible to start that business and work at such a stressful job at the same time, but I thought one day.... One day still hasn't arrived, however, I made the most wonderful jojoba lotion bar last night with some of those supplies. I love it so much I may make some to sell in my Shenanagans shop and on this blog just so other people will have to chance to have some. I need to tweek the recipe a little bit but it turned out much better than I expected for first try. We'll see. I'm still trying to find balance with all the other things I have on my plate. Oh but it's so creamy and smells so good. I used a green Irish smelling scent, which is really a unisex scent. I made all the guys put it on their elbows, and I think it made all the wrinkles on my face disappear! hahaha! just kidding. Don't you wish?!
A Big Shout Out & Thank You goes to these fabulous shops for featuring my art in their wonderful collections! Please click on their names to visit their shops. SmallImpressions, BirgittasBridal, AnnaLela, OrangiesAttic, WhatsHerName, AprilCJohnson, MyDreamGarden, and GreyGirlDesigns - Thank you so much!

A Few Finished...

2011-03-15T18:17:00.000-07:00

In Loving Memory of "T-Bone Tyson"

Today I finished the large Great Dane painting & my one of my new Hobo Boho Bag designs. I have another I am working on. It's pouring rain so it's a great day to get tangled up in bright yarn! The shoulder strapes can be tied to any length you'd like and the transition from square to strap is seamless. This will be lots of fun to take shopping. I could probably fit a grocery cart in there or give it a good try! I may be selling the pattern in my Shenanagans shop soon.

Fiber, Paint & Paper...

2011-03-07T16:51:00.000-08:00

...is what is keeping me so busy. Fiber... The above is a picture of the purse I'm currently working on. Totally "Boho". I will share the photos when I'm finished. There are 18 different yarn colors in that one, some are vintage and no longer obtainable. Yesterday I started making some granny squares to design a purse I have in mind and now I remember why I never make granny square projects. Granny square creations are truly underrated. They are so much work even doing them in an assembly line, one section at a time. And who likes hiding all those ends, only then to have to steam block them and sew them all together? I'm marching bravely on, but it may take a while to finish. If I have another granny square creation in mind, I think I will be buying some pre-made by some wonderful supply shops on Etsy! Speaking of Etsy, I just listed this new Gypsy Tassel Garland Pattern in my Shenanagans shop. I also created a new Shamrock square because I couldn't find one I was really happy with. I will post that later.

Paint... I have started a commissioned painting of a beloved Great Dane Angel named Tyson aka "T-Bone". I am painting it in the style of my Shar Pei Angel. The size of the canvas is challenging for me as I usually paint much smaller pieces. Wasn't T-Bone adorable?! I will definitely share the finished piece.

and Paper... I have been working at home doing quality control audits of mortgage files. The Lord has blessed me to be able to work on these from home, but I am still trying to find balance, sometimes I'm not sure what to juggle first. 3 blogs, 3 shops, files, painting, creating, marketing, cooking, cleaning ... don't feel sorry for me. I LOVE it! I love being busy. Where's my frying pan for all that bacon?!

I have lots of Big Shout Outs & Thank You's to some fantastic Etsy people for featuring my art or creations in their Etsy Treasuries! Stop by & visit them all! Yimmekedesigns, OnTheGrain, ChatteJolie, AnnaLela, BirgittasBridal, KatKando, CarlaGrifo, VerbenaPlace & Chocolate Dog Studio.

Low Tide...

2011-02-24T18:37:00.000-08:00

...I'm calling this "Monterey" for sure. It reminds me of the tide pools on the coast. I won't share how many times I've crocheted a section on then pulled it out. Contrary to what I thought when I began, this one is going to take a while! I am loving this process.

A Big Shout Out & Thank You goes to Art by Carla Grifo for featuring my Swimmer, Verbena Place for featuring one of my Happy Souls, A Shot In The Dark, AngelinaInspirations for featuring my Incorigible Carnie in their wonderful Etsy Treasuries!

Crochet ~ Comfort Food Without The Calories

2011-02-20T15:10:00.001-08:00

That's what I've been up. All I've wanted to do. I have a shameful amount of yarn *hoarder* that I need to do something with or I won't be able to buy more. *yarn hoarding sickness but in denial* A thought even crossed my mind today of how sad it would be if I did crochet it all up and it was gone. *therapy might help* I know! Seriously! I have it all organized in huge space bags. One full of greens & blues, another reds & oranges, yellows & beige, ... it makes my eyes twinkle to look at it all, just like a palette full of paint. I have been working on a few new designs & things for my Shenanagans Shop, and made a red circle blanket for JJ's new kid size sleigh bed.
I used Lion Brand's Circle in a Square pattern except I made the circles different colors and left the rest of the square bright cherry red. I plan to do a little more embroidery on it in between projects... it will be my ongoing project for a little while. I will post another picture when it's completely finished. I have designed a series of scarves inspired by travel & some of my favorite cities. A little Gypsy don't you think? I do series with my paintings so why not?! These are all one of a kind scarves. A lot of the yarn used is vintage and could be impossible to find. I have also designed a super cute Owl square but have not started the blanket to show it off yet because I discovered & quickly became addicted to Free Form Crochet or Scrumbling as it's often called. The 1st photo in the post header is the Free Form piece I'm working on. Soon to be called "Monterey". I started with Miami in mind but now that it's taking shape it reminds me of the tide pools in Monterey and the beautiful blues & greens of the Pacific. I'll be adding some bling to this one. Free Form crochet is like doing an abstract painting with yarn. I am having so much fun with it. Paint & thread, my 2 favorite things. If you haven't tried it I encourage you to. It gets your creative juices flowing. You can check out some awesome Free Form pieces here at Free Form Crochet. It really gets your right brain in gear! I will be taking step by step photos of my next piece to make a video for my YouTube channel. Below are a few new things at Shenanagans.

Big Lips & Mustache Pattern

"Denver" (Sold)

"Sedona, Arizona"

"Portland" Free Form Crochet

Or Did I?

2011-02-10T13:08:00.000-08:00

A Big Shout Out & Thank You goes to AngelinaInspirations, ChoosingBeauty, AliCsCreations and Purplesplat for featuring my art in their wonderful Etsy Treasuries!

Butt Of Course!

2011-02-03T21:34:00.000-08:00

I saw these cute Valentine treats at Craftster and had to share, if you gonna be naughty why not make it fun right? They are fun, the guys like them. I may make them some for Valentine's day. Would you munch these down or would you think about where the cookie is gonna end up... on your butt? Hey! Good diet idea...make all your favorite foods look like your large body parts thus curbing your appetite & shrinking your real body parts...
Keeping this post short & sweet. I've got lots to share & lots to thank on an upcoming post which will be titled "Crochet Is Comfort Food With Out The Calories" so stop back by & thanks for following!

Such a Hooker...

2011-01-16T14:44:00.000-08:00

That's me lately. I just want yarn and needles in my hands all the time. It's like comfort food without the calories. I created this new super fun & easy crochet hand warmer pattern and listed a few for sell in my Shenanagans shop. I love the vintage yarn I found on one of my treasure hunts, that's what I call my thrift store excursions. It must be from the 70's with the beautiful rust & brown color and is in perfect condition. I love bringing yarn to life that someone kept but never created anything with or gave up on a project but didn't part with it for years. I made a pair for me and are selling a few. There wasn't but 1 skein. I like being able to slip it off my finger & wash my hands without taking them completely off and they are cozy. I made a pair for a friend's daughter in Long Beach and she let me know that she hasn't taken them off and it's been a week! There will only be a few of these in the Universe so if you would like one too, please visit me at Shenanagans! A new customer HomeSchoolHats purchased my hand warmer pattern is now selling her crocheted creations in her shop, she crochets beautifully and has some great colors. Click Here to stop by her shop. Watching crochet videos is a little like watching a golf match. hahaha However, I am grateful for those who teach and I loved learning how to make these little roses! I'll be making some later!

I have so many people to thank. So many have been very kind. I am truly blessed. I hope you take a moment to visit their shops or sites. A Big Shout Out & Thank You goes to Color Coordinated for featuring my art on their fantastic blog & creative Ning! More Big Shout Out's & Thank You's for including my art in beautiful, thoughtful, creative Etsy Treasuries go to Chaotic Cupcake, ThemeFragrance, Poppy Jewelry Shop, Fyrewerks, Indigo Twin, Spirals and Spice, SqueakyBug, CynArt, JoyNStiches, and Mireloom. Your appreciation of my work means so much to me!

Back At It...

2011-01-10T15:28:00.000-08:00

... I was in Long Beach all last week spending precious time with my friend and caring for her & her husband. I cooked for them and kept them company. It is difficult seeing people I love dearly going through such a difficult time. I loved being with them and feel very blessed that I can pack up and go whenever they need me.
While I was there a couple of the ladies from her nail salon came to the house & give us manicures & pedicures. We got fun flowers with little rhinestones on our big toes :) When taking her to a radiation appointments. I noticed a piece of collage art that included paper doilies. It inspired this mixed media painting I started when I got home. She had a roll of embossed paper left over from a kitchen ceiling project and let me take it home to play with. This is how it turned out. I think she's sweet in her big fluffy slippers and I like how the tile effect in the paper makes a cross. I used the embossed wallpaper, layers of paint, some metallic paint & some antique medium. I made cards with it on Zazzle, click here to see and listed a print in my Etsy shop, click here to see. To place a bid on this piece with 10% going to American Cancer Society, click here!

"Under The Weather"

Oh The Wonder...

2010-12-31T18:55:00.000-08:00

My favorite picture of this Christmas season.

I can't believe it's already a New Year!

Time really does fly when you're having fun!

A Big Shout Out & Thank you! goes to Anna's Adornments, Tirabaralla, Baby's Breath Homemade & The Acorn Owl for featuring my art in their fantastic Etsy Treasuries!

To stop by their shops just click on their names.

♦ Wishing you the Happiest New Year ♦

A Rare Glimpse of Me...

2010-12-28T12:35:00.000-08:00

...there are no pictures of me that I know of on the internet. I hate my picture taken. I am never happy with any of them. ever. This is a rare occasion.

The reason I am posting this picture is because it's of me and one of the most important people & beloved friends in my life, Layne aka "Bobbi". We are more like sisters having been the best of friends for 25 years. I have my arms around her & she is the one with the big beautiful smile. She doesn't like her picture taken either so this is a few years old. Just last year we were talking about how we don't have many pictures together then started taking goofy pictures of ourselves with our cell phones. We were belly laughing. I wish I had saved them all even though they were hideous & ridiculous.

I am asking for your prayers as she is battling for her life today & in the next few days & months to come. Cancer attacked her this summer. She has been very brave. Keeping her chin up even though she is being bombarded with heavy radiation & chemo but it's beginning to get the best of her. She had emergency surgery in the middle of the night. I know God says I shouldn't worry but I am unable not to. I can hardly think of anything else & in constant prayer.

Thank you for your prayers, they are so appreciated.

Some Christmas Spice...

2010-12-23T12:02:00.000-08:00

...My sweet hubby is doing some cleaning for me & our little JJ is down for a nap. Christmas music is turned up a notch louder than it should be, I'm going to light up that special spicy Christmas candle, grab the tape & scissors, and wrap away! We are starting our celebration tomorrow so I am trying to get everything finished today. Wrapping. ugh. Not my favorite thing. I'm too much of a perfectionist to enjoy it. So it's one thing that I'm not so good at. I just whack away. I'm famous or perhaps infamous for my gift wrapping. Those closest to me are laughing right now and giving a knowing nod.

However, I am enjoying every minute of this Christmas, even the wrapping.

Fa La La La!

I hope you are too!

God Bless & Merry Christmas and much love to all my Family, Friends & Faithful Followers!

Still Shopping!

2010-12-16T14:04:00.000-08:00

I Can't Believe...

2010-12-14T14:02:00.000-08:00

... or *be leave* this year is almost over! Coming home from our walk today I noticed how the last of the leaves of 2010 are hanging on, draping the trees like a red frilly skirt, and the mossy path to the front door has a lovely red carpet welcoming me home.

Clowing Around Again...

2010-12-13T13:06:00.001-08:00

"La Dee Dottie"

Oh What A Night!...

2010-12-12T10:22:00.000-08:00

...there I go with song lyrics again!

Last night was my Artist Reception/Opening for the Swell Sister's at The Coffee Garden in Sacramento. I had so much fun. There wasn't as many people at this show as in the past but lots of friends & family were there to support us all. It was a wonderful evening and we sold enough for a good donation to give to the Women's Wisdom Project. Coming home the fog was so bad it was like driving in pea soup. Spooky. Silly as it may sound it makes me think about vampires. No I haven't watched Twilight or any in the series and won't watch them even though some people tell me it's not scary. right. Thank you Sister & Stephen King.

"Disguised"

This piece is on paper. I won't be selling the original, but may sell prints. This one I plan to frame and keep. I have thought of putting it up for sale several times but haven't been able to part with it. I played with layers and layers of color on this one. Scraping, dabbing, rubbing, I was totally absorbed in it. In a strange way I almost feel as though it's a self portrait.

I can't help it. I'm a hopeless romantic. I even cry when watching a sitcom wedding, such as Erkle's. hahaha Don't tell, but my hubby may not cry as much as me but he is definitely verklempt sometimes! We're saps. I'm ok with that. So I can't help but to be so happy for Prince William and Kate Middleton. I remember staying up into the wee hours of the morning to watch his Prince Charles & Diana get married. I think Kate is just lovely. I love hats and admire her for proudly & boldly wearing the most intriguing head pieces. I love it! I can't wait to see the gown she chooses. They both look so happy. I must admit that I was a little shocked when I found out that they had been living together. I avoid the tabloids in the grocery isle so I didn't know. I know in this day & age living together without being married is not shocking in itself, just didn't think that the "Royals" would approve of it. Times have changed!

A Big Shout Out & Thank You goes to Kubercove, Trigo and MathesonGemWorks for including my art in their wonderful Etsy Treasuries!

What's New...

2010-12-04T11:42:00.000-08:00

"Open Door Policy"

I'm taking this painting & another to the Coffee Garden in Sacramento today for the Swell Sister Show entitled "Doors". Then I'll be running a few errands and hopefully in the rain. I know, I know, I'm strange. I love driving in the rain, the swoosh of the tires on the wet freeway or saturated streets - it's as close as I can get to that ocean sound - with barely audiable jazz playing in the background, my blue & green polka dot umbrella laying in wait. ahhhhhhhh Love it!

Big Shout Out & Thank You goes to Whatshername & Shelostit for including my art in their wonderful Etsy Treasuries! Click on their names to check out their real Etsy Treasures!

Be Warned...

2010-12-01T13:52:00.000-08:00

...

...pardon his french! This reindeer needs a bar of soap & a cookie!

Prepared To Be Stuffed...

2010-11-24T12:44:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I made sausage for our turkey dressing and it came out really good if I say so myself! So in the spirit of the season I am sharing my recipe. You may not have a grinder but you can ask the butcher at the grocery counter to grind you some pork or buy it already ground. I used 4 large fatty country pork ribs. This time I made it I omitted 2 tsp of paprika and like it much better. I omitted it because I didn't want the red color of the paprika. I might add it back in if I was making breakfast sausage. I put all the spices together on a paper plate then added them to course ground pork, mixed it well, then ran the pork through again on smaller grind. There are 3 favorite dressings that we argue over every year. #1 San Francisco Sourdough Stuffing w/ artichoke, Parmesan cheese & mushrooms, *a family favorite from the early 90's or late 80's found in a Sunset Magazine* #2 Oyster Dressing w/ oysters from the Pacific Northwest or #3 Sausage & mushroom, either with wheat bread or cornbread. This year it's homemade sausage & mushroom. Our worse stuffing ever was a few years ago when I decided to add hazel nuts. I know it sounds like it might be good, but it was disappointing. A good portion of it ended up getting lost to decay in the back of the frig. E U. I'd love to hear what your favorite is and what's your worst!

I have all my onions, celery chopped & put into bags, I sauteed the sausage just until done & put in frig too, all ready to use. Today I made sweet potato pudding *it's like bars really* and got my pie shell baked, ready for pineapple filling. My son is making the pumpkin pie. The last few years I have had the privilege to be able to take my time, really enjoy cooking & the holiday. Doing the prep work ahead really helps, so that when Thanksgiving day comes I'm not too exhausted to enjoy the meal.

4 Cup ground pork

3/4 tsp salt

3/4 tsp ground sage

1 1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp ground red pepper

1 tsp red pepper flakes

1/2 tsp fennel seed

1/2 tsp black pepper

Happy Thanksgiving!

I am Very Thankful to all my Faithful Followers & Visitors!

God Bless You this holiday season!

A Big Shout Out & Thank You goes to SassySashadoxie for including my Angel with a Pink Rose in her lovely Etsy Twitter Treasury! Check out her sweet Doxie art!

Clowing Around Again

2010-11-20T14:23:00.001-08:00

"Petal Pusher"

"Wishy Washy"

Both come with the mats & are listed in my Etsy Shop. Mats measure 5x7 & can be plopped *circus talk* into any store bought frame. The original painting measures 3 x 5. I gave the last one the name "Wishy Washy" because the expression on it's face is hard to read. Smiling or not smiling? hum...

Oh Why Not?!

2010-11-18T14:43:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving make-up tips! LOL...

and a Thanksgiving outfit!

A Big Shout Out & Thank you! goes to Catsjammies, CashmereJellyBean, Valche, & She Lost It for featuring my art in their wonderful Etsy Treasury's. Click on their names to check out their special shops!

An Award & Lobster...

2010-11-05T13:04:00.000-07:00

"High Five"

but not for dinner! I painted this little Norway Lobster that is actually headed for Norway to be in the Twitter Art Exhibit. The proceeds of this show will benefit the local library in the city of Moss so that they can get the children's books that they desperately need. You have 140 characters in which to post on Twitter so it was first intended to be a group of 140 Artist, however, by the comments on the thread there may end up being more! Each Artist is submitting a postcard piece that represents their style, that will be sold for $17(US). My husband's family & step-family were from Norway. I chose to paint the Norway lobster because it lives in Norway, is named after Norway, is cute for the children, but is really a shrimp & shrimp is one of my favorite things! (see below) This show is getting a lot of attention and I am proud to be a part of it.
I am also proud to be the recipient of "The Versatile Blog Award" from Sharkbytes! Thank you so much! You have to share 7 things about yourself, then pass the award to other bloggers who you think deserve it, making sure to let the bloggers know you chose them to receive the award.
My 7 Things

1. Shrimp is one of my favorite things but I feel a little guilty eating too many, because of the many lives I'm consuming, but I could eat a bucket of them.

2. I'm addicted to tomatoes.

3. Sometimes I pretend to know what's going on in a football game when I haven't got a clue, I'm just zoning out... thinking about art.

4. I am more in love with my grandson that I ever thought I would be.

5. I hoard jars. One kitchen cabinet is dedicated to jars. I never throw one out and there is always room for another one...hum....I may have a fairy that comes and steals them sometimes. *Hubby you're busted*

6. I like candy corn and still eat it like a kid would, one color layer at a time.

7. I'm a loud laugher. I belly laugh a lot.

Ok passing this on is hard. There are so many of you that deserve this award! If you aren't chosen it's not because I don't love you, I love all my Followers & those that I Follow! Here are a few very special people that have awesome blogs, always take the time to stop by, support me & make me feel special...

Ayala Art

Alterity Button

Gloria's Blog Viva La Vida

Namaste
Poetic Artist

Poetic Shutterbug

Sandy Petals

Big Shout Out & Thank You goes to Paradise Purls for featuring my Little Diver in her Etsy Treasury!

"A Shot In The DarK"

2010-11-03T20:45:00.000-07:00

Was That Fun?!
Making this video kept me busy & my mind off of some bad news I received for a time today. I will as promised post my blog award from Sharkbytes & pass it on, as well as some Shout Outs to some lovely people that featured my art in their Etsy Treasuries in upcoming posts.

Happy Halloween!

2010-10-31T00:01:00.000-07:00

May you be in the spirit and the Spirits be with you!

Boo!

Spooky Self Therapy...

2010-10-30T19:54:00.000-07:00

...Did I cure myself?
A gray day, drizzly & dank, the chill of Halloween looming, left over paint on my palette from an acrylic & alcohol experiment gone awry. I grabbed some ACEO canvas paper and left the outcome up to destiny. I felt happy, I didn't care if I wasted the paper. I just layered and layered the paint letting fate bring these fellows to life. You can see my freedom in my brush strokes. I didn't care if they are perfect. They didn't scare me. They made me free & happy. Each side of their faces show a different emotion and in the spirit of a Fun House, their eyes will follow you too. Yes I got my freak on! Happy Halloween!

A Big Shout Out & Thank you goes to Sharkbytes for the "Versitile Blog Award" I will be posting it with my responses in the next day or so! And to FruitsofTheBloom & HulaHoopVintage for including my art in their wonderful Etsy Treasuries!

What's New...

2010-10-29T09:45:00.000-07:00

... No I'm not folding paper but I'm painting on it!

I recently went to a Placerville Arts meeting with a friend of mine and I scored some Carson's Oil & Acrylic Canvas Paper. In the past I really had a problem painting on paper. Wood is still my favorite but I have grown to love paper. It's easily stored, easily mailed, easily framed in pre-made store bought frames or mounted on board and I love how layers and layers of paint seem to glow on it. I am painting with acrylics and didn't gesso the paper first, however, I believe it would be wise if I was painting with oils. This canvas paper is coated & doesn't absorb the paint. I am anxious to get into my little studio today and paint some more today. I have listed these on Etsy but plan to auction some on Ebay as well. Listing fees are free until Jan 7th!

Wii Origami ! ...

2010-10-26T11:49:00.000-07:00

...Wii! is right! My son's friend left the Wii here and I watched "Between The Folds" on Netflix last night. I must have a Wii now. I was immediately smitten with Eric Joisel's work. His whimsical characters, their faces & figures. You know I love a wonky interesting face. I was mesmerized. One piece of paper folded. Amazing. I'm still pondering the comment made in the intro that "We all come from folds". That may be true, but I didn't like how that sounded or the imagery that popped into my head when they said it. Now it's stuck in there. hahaha

I fell in love with origami as a young girl while living in Japan. I would spend my yen on the beautiful packages of paper with eye-popping bright colors & patterns. Back in the day there was always a silver & gold paper at the bottom of the stack. Maybe there still is? I haven't bought any for a long time. The gold paper was like a treasure. The paper I savored the most and took the most time folding. My precious bone folder would have made things a lot easier back then. My mom still tells the story on occassion that she was finding little bits of paper in my bedroom months after I moved out. I have origami paper in my studio as I type this, serving no purpose other than it's comforting on some weird level to know that it's in there. And besides you never know when you might need a crane :)

Price of Pumpkins...

2010-10-21T12:06:00.000-07:00

...We took our little pumpkin to "Daw Naws" (McDonald's) and to the Pumpkin Patch yesterday. $18 for 3 pumpkins! What?! Am I out of touch with reality? Do pumpkins normally cost that much? Well, having all the fun in the maze & around the patch was priceless, but I'm definitely transforming these pumpkins into pies in a week or so!

I hurt my Achilles tendon last weekend so I have been trying to stay off of it as much as possible. Yesterday walking around in the Pumpkin Patch's sandy gravel made it worse. I stayed off of it last night and made 2 little ponchos while sitting there with hubby & baseball game, using up all my bits & pieces. They are were suppose to be 12 month size but they turned out to be 2T or 3T. JJ screamed bloody murder when I tried them on him. Like he instinctively knew they were for a girl! Is that possible at 2 years old? He cried, they fit him, I cried. haha I plan to make more tonight. I am going to buy more yarn, make it smaller, maybe all the same color, and alter the pattern & maybe add a pretty lacy bottom edge. I'm going to send these to my other little niece, I'm sure these will be cute with a little pairs of jeans or jean skirt besides the blue & green will be so cute with her dark hair. I studied the picture they provided today, it shows only 8 rows with a border unlike the pattern. No worries though, these work up so fast and are fun to make plus I used my bits & pieces, so both of my nieces may end up with lots of them! I've got a huge space bag full of bits & pieces! I'll post a picture of the pattern I make.

A Big Shout Out & Thank You goes to Vital Temptation Designs for featuring my art in her great Etsy Treasury. Click on her name to visit her shop full of scrumptious crochet & needlework!

It's One of "Those" Days...

2010-10-20T18:40:00.000-07:00

Last Night...

2010-10-16T16:25:00.000-07:00

Round & Round I Go...

2010-10-11T16:56:00.000-07:00

"A Full Life"

...Circles, spheres, round objects, balls.... If there is such a thing as a past life, I must have once been a dog. My sister & I had a good laugh not long ago about how I like balls. It's reflected in my jewelry pieces- consisting of balls of clay, my love of pearls - which find their way into my paintings sometimes, my round coffee & end tables, my love of plates, in the completely round patch of manicured grass in my front yard, which was created by my inability to speak Vietnamese...or was it? Subliminally did I really want a completely round circle of grass in my front yard? In my food choices, the love of tobiko, tapioca, and newly found quinoa. Even in the suit in the last post! I'd even consider myself to be round! I have a round face. Yes I am attracted most by round shapes & objects. Do I alone have this affliction, strange preference or are there some of you that have the same affinity to certain shapes? Does your favorite shape show up in your daily life or creative life?

"Trouble"

"Waiting For The Phone To Ring"

" No Foolin' "

These are a few of the linocuts I've been doing lately. I have a few more that I haven't printed yet. I finished a larger portrait today with sunglasses & a big bow. I hope she prints out well. I'm calling that piece "Mad For Miami". She was inspired by an old Marc Jacobs ad, to me the girl in the ad looks a lot like the amazing Grace Coddington in her modeling days. I was immediately drawn to the wild red hair, bow & sunglasses. She's not an Angel but I personally love the Angels in sunglasses that I'm doing. I imagine them in such brightness that they have to wear shades. I may do my Christmas cards this year with one and just say something like... I hope your Season is the Brightest. Too cheesy? or kind of clever? hum.... I'll have to think about that. I'm going to mount the linocut on wood and use it like a stamp, rather than hand rubbing all of them. I haven't tried that yet. Alas, I have lots more to do before I start that project. My 2doo list is super long. I have many things to list in both of my shops and I am going to be concentrating on getting that done this week. Please stop by later this week and see what's new!

Big Shout Outs & Thank You's go to Glass Etc , PhoFun & Oh For Cute for including my art in their wonderful Etsy Treasuries. Click on their names to visit their lovely Etsy shops.

Hip Ol' Grannies!

2010-10-09T17:27:00.000-07:00

Winter Wonderful ...

2010-10-06T22:14:00.000-07:00

... ♥ love ♥ love ♥ love ♥ smitten ♥ smitten ♥ smitten with Dolce & Gabbana's winter collection. I've watched this twice and may watch it again.

I drifted off here & there daydreaming that I was tall and thin! hahaha and then that I had a new knitting machine! I love the Scandinavian patterns which is also repeated in the men's collection, the light as a feather flowing fabrics, the fine knit, medival inspired square yoke sweaters with a slightly puffy sleeve, the leg warmers/shoe covers, and the goggles!?! Scrumptious BANANAS! :) I don't think there is a piece I don't like, with exception of a few purses. Winter wonderful! Brilliant! I'm ready to pull out the needles & then hit Lake Tahoe.

A Photo Journey...

2010-10-04T01:00:00.000-07:00

...of my weekend.

2010 Artist Studio Tour; Haunted Hotel~ Cary House in Placerville, CA; Olive Hyde Gallery & Mission San Jose in Fremont, CA ; Bancheros~ our favorite restaurant in Hayward, CA & a road side stop for Pepsi with Alien crash landing :)

In Loving Memory...

2010-10-02T22:05:00.000-07:00

...For tiny baby Taylor Paige who passed away today. Prayers and Much Love go out to Mommy, Daddy and the family. Thank you to those of you who prayed for her, and my family. Your prayers & notes to me were very much appreciated and will not be forgotten.

“For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38

When someone comes into our lives
and is quickly & quietly gone
It leaves footprints on our hearts
and their memory stays with us forever
Author Unknown

What's New...

2010-09-29T16:39:00.000-07:00

I joined an Etsy Team this week called the "BEST Team" (Boosting Etsy Shops Team). The members are required to do a feature on an assigned Etsy Shop. I was lucky to be assigned Omni Presents. I was struck immediately by the beautiful banner bursting with colorful stones! Omni Presents has a shop full of lovely handcrafted spiritual new age jewelry. I love her use of color and her whimsical pendants. I just know I would feel good wearing her jewelry! All of her jewelry seems to have a soothing effect on me. I plan to feature her haematite earrings in an upcoming collection on Sometimes Things Are Just Black & White. These are a few of my favorites.

Here is a peek at what's on my easel today. This one is big & long at 12 x 36 with 2" sides. I started working on her a few days ago and still have quite a bit to do as you can see. I am running out of time. Sunday we will be driving to Fremont to deliver all of my paintings to the gallery. I hope I can get her finished so I can take her along.

A Big Shout Out's & Thank you's go to MelissaMoloney, SammysGrammy , Santosleather , BrokenReflections , & FabricatedFamily , for featuring my art in their awesome Etsy Treasuries! Please click on their names to visit their Etsy Shops. And another Big Shout Out goes to The Domestic Goddess for doing such a wonderful feature on both of my shops! She has a great blog and I will be visiting often. Thank you all! I am truly blessed to receive such kindness.

Wishing It Would Rain Already

2010-09-26T14:53:00.000-07:00

Click here to see my newest black & white collection "Anxiously Waiting"

Sneek Peek

2010-09-24T12:56:00.000-07:00

Meet Miss Bubbles! A few more bubbles & tweeks here & there and she's ready to go to the Olive Hyde Gallery. She is full of eye popping color! I will be selling prints in my Etsy Shop.

"Miss Bubbles"

A Real Hottie

2010-09-22T11:44:00.000-07:00

If you are a regular visitor, family or friend, you know how much I love hot food & salsa! I love Chipotle, a chain of gourmet burrito shops. When I was working, in the corporate cubicle, if I would to able to get out for lunch, my likely destination was usually Chipotle. I can't finish an entire burrito bowl, which is what I normally order, that's because I'm too busy scarfing up the chips & salsa. Now that I work from home, almost a recluse, I hardly ever get to go. Recently my Hubby took me there and boy was it soooo good. This time I paid attention and deconstructed the salsa best I could. I decided I'd give it a try at home. OMgosh. I think I've got it or I've got it just as good or better! I literally made a bucket of it! I'm so addicted. I'll be putting it on everything now! I started by putting a bag of dried Arbol peppers into 3 cups of water. I boiled them for about 15 minutes. I put 20 El Mexicano Tomatillos in the blender with 3 cloves of garlic & 1 C - very loosely packed of Arbol peppers , 1/2 cup of tomatillo liquid and approx 1 tsp salt. I pureed until smooth. It's so easy & so delicious! I'm pretty jazzed that it tastes almost identical to Chipotle's hot salsa. Again, the simplest recipes seem to be the best! Now if only I could figure out Panda Express Gourmet Chinese Food's recipe for eggplant & tofu! ....

Self Portraits

2010-09-17T14:45:00.000-07:00

I love finding these precious little self portrait surprises on my camera when I go to download my photos! He may be a budding Photographer, Blogger & Tweeter! hahaha

I have been doing a few lino cuts and crocheting. My back has been bothering me and I can't sit & do nothing so I picked up my crochet hook. I listed some crochet patterns in my empty ArtFire shop. I have sold a few on Etsy already. Several years ago I was selling these ponchos as fast as I could make them on Ebay. They really are cute if I say so myself, you can wear them almost all year round. I wish I had time to crochet more than I do. I don't have too many days left until the big opening in the bay area so I am stressing myself out a little by not getting any painting done, but at the same time, sitting quietly crocheting is very healing. Last night I stayed up until the wii hours watching Netflix movies & designing an easy hand warmer that can have several different looks. I am going to keep some and sell a few, and sell the pattern. I have searched & searched and can't find any patterns like this one so I think I can call it my own. All creative people take inspiration from something, and my own poncho pattern inspired these. Click HERE to see my poncho pattern & hat pattern. I should have the hand warmer pattern listed by this evening on ArtFire & Etsy.

A Big Shout Out & Thank You goes to SantosLeather for featuring my art in her Etsy Treasury!

2010-09-15T14:34:00.000-07:00

A Broken Record...

2010-09-13T10:52:00.000-07:00

...that was my brain. Stuck in a groove. Black & White. Black & White. Black & White. I had to do it. I had to run go & get linoleum. My husband doesn't even fight it anymore. hahaha I got home and couldn't wait to carve into it. I set up a tv tray, taped a paper bag to hang off the edge so that I could sweep off the waste lino right into the bag (it is a little messy). Then went & grabbed his leather garden glove for my left hand, just in case I slip with the tool. It wasn't long before I was smiling & patting myself on the back for my brilliance after what could have been a few bloody messes. Hubby kicked back in his leather recliner with his football games & remote control. Me, my lino, tools & tv tray. Happy as 2 clams at high tide.

Here are the small pieces I did. They are 3"x 3.75", a little bigger than an ACEO. I have enough lino to make 8 more small pieces but I might try a little bigger piece. I'm ordering more lino through Dick Blick today. It's a surprise to me how much I love doing this type of work. Lost In Lino! The world is whittled away.

Hubby made me watch this video someone sent him this morning. He warned me my stomach may flip flop. He was right. During the video, with my fingers almost covering my eyes, I screamed out "Where are their mothers?! Are they orphans?!" Yiiiiikes! I guess to do amazing things, no matter what it is, you have to take a chance & just run with it!

Finally Feeling Like Fall

2010-09-10T16:23:00.001-07:00

Wednesday JJ & I had a blast being "Explorers" in the backyard. These are a few of the things we found out there. It's been a while since I posted his picture. Can you believe he just celebrated his 2nd birthday?! He's an "Amma's" boy and I love it! He copies everything I do, says everything I say (which may not be a good thing sometimes!) I treasure my Wednesdays with him. We are getting a lot of great big acorns this year. They are everywhere. Maybe that means lots of rain!? I sure am looking forward to the first rainy day.

Thinking in Black & White & Backwards!

2010-09-08T11:09:00.000-07:00

I had so much fun yesterday! It's not a surprise that in addition to color color color that I also love black & white. If you haven't had a visit to my blog Sometimes Things Are Jus t Black & White, I hope you visit soon & follow! My friend & fellow Artist Carol Rogala came over for a visit. We had coffee, chatted about knitting, and then she gave me a private lesson in linocut prints! I am so hooked now! I laid in bed last night thinking in black & white, thinking of what I'd like to do, portraits using deep cuts, crabs crabs and more crabs, chickens, the scene on the bay bridge with San Fransico peeking through the wires just before you reach the city, ... I couldn't stop! When I'm finished painting for the Olive Hyde Gallery show next month I'm going to get some lino, a few tools, ink, brayer, scraper, & paper and really give it some study. I'm a little embarrassed to show my first pieces, I need lots of practice and have lots to learn! It will take practice getting my brain to think backwards too. haha She started me off with the black background, the angel, and my 2nd print, the crab, taking more off, working on the white areas. Carving was more satifying that I thought it could be. I was totally absorbed. I hope I wasn't making weird faces but I probably was! LOL Carol's pieces are so amazing. The one she was working on is very intricate and a powerful social comentary piece which she excels at. She made me a print of her bee piece "Leaving Town" that I love so much. I'm going to frame it & hang it with a little bee ACEO she gave me as well. Isn't she adorable!?! and check out my wonderful bee print! She's my print Sensei! Clicking on her name above will take you to her website to see more of her art. Carol's art was recently chosen for the California State Fair's Fine Art Exhibit and she is showing some of her pieces at the Marco Fuoco Gallery next month. I can't wait to see what she shows. Last week when she visited I gave her one of my hats, and in return for this random act of kindness I got a wonderful lesson and a fabulous print! As she drove off, with her printing goodies and a few of my "May Pops" (passion vine pods), I couldn't help but feel very blessed to have her in my life and can't wait to play again!

Big Shout Out's & Thank You's go to Graceful Moments for featuring my art in an Etsy Treasury & on her wonderful blog! Fabricated Family for featuring my beauty shop girl in her fun fractured fairytale Treasury, SammysGrammy for featuring my art on the Cast Team Blog! and to BewitchingDreams for including my art in her yummy sushi Treasury!

Sharing Family Secrets

2010-09-05T13:39:00.000-07:00

I just made my Gramma's famous Salmon Croquettes, which are now my famous salmon croquettes and soon to be yours! hahaha. Today we are having these and a simple salad with poppy seed dressing. These croquettes are comfort food to me, a treat my Gramma made. They are so easy and economical. I'm sure that's why my Gramma loved them too. 28 croquettes from 1 can of salmon. My son who doesn't like salmon makes an exception for these and eats more of them than anyone else! We will be munching on them all day. The great thing about these little treats are that they are good hot or cold. Made a bit smaller they would be a fantastic finger food for a party.

The basic recipe is so easy. 1 C of self rising flour, 1 C cornmeal, 1 C of milk and 1 Can of Salmon (bones removed) & 1 egg. A couple of pinches of salt & pepper. Mix all together, form into patties & fry in small amount of oil until golden brown. That's it. Sometimes the simplest ingredients, the simplest recipes are the best. Ever notice that? I normally use 1 celery stalk & 1/2 of a large onion all chopped small or minced. This time I dialed them up with parsley, onion, 1/2 green bell pepper, & 5 hot carrot slices found in cans of jalapenos. The sky is the limit to making these your own by adding what you love or whatever you have in the frig. Another way I like them is with green onions & dipped in Japanese mayo (mayo, soy sauce & sugar), hoisin & sirracha, I've dipped them in tartar sauce, sweet mustard, salsa, ranch dressing... really I can't begin to tell you all the sauces we have made for these over the years. That's really part of the fun too. Of all the sauces Ketchup still reigns supreme for me! yep Plain ol' ketchup. That's the way I ate them when I was a kid and I still like them that way the best.

Big Shout Outs & Thank you's! go to CherieBosela, FootCandleArt, Silvia66, & MandaGirlDesigns for including my art in their Etsy Treasuries! Please click on their names to be wisked away to their shops!

And the Fun Begins...

2010-09-03T16:15:00.001-07:00

...and the nail biting....and the breath holding...and the insurance!Congratulations Bubba! Yea!

Now go to the store for me :)

Dinner And A Show...

2010-08-31T20:59:00.000-07:00

A Grand Opening!

2010-08-30T11:42:00.000-07:00

Shenanagans my second shop is up and running! Well it's jogging anyway. haha I am trying to spread out my listings instead of throwing them all in there and then having to spend more money renewing the listings. So bookmark this shop and visit often! Come see what crafty things I get into. It's impossible to share it all with you on this blog. My sister called me the other day. I had just sat down for a minute with the hubby & the tv. She asked what I was doing and I said "nothing"! We all had a good laugh about that! I am always doing something. You would think I'd be a stick figure but alas I am not. haha

I like to cook too much to be a stick figure. I happened to see cabbage rolls on tv a few weeks ago. Wish I could tell you which show it was on but sorry I've forgotten. I had also forgotten how long it's been since I made cabbage rolls. It had to be at least 15 years, a ridiculous amount of time anyway, and I love them. I guess if ever I thought of them I would think of the process, then forget it as fast as the thought came to me. Boiling the cabbage, then stuffing, etc... Well who knew?! You don't have to boil the cabbage first! The minute the show was over I was determined to try them and I headed to the store for a fresh pretty head of cabbage. (I always have cabbage in the frig but it's not always pretty) Their secret? They cored the cabbage and then put the entire head in the freezer! Once frozen and then thawed, the full leaves just drop off, without tearing and they roll up fantastically. In my excitement over this I pulled the kitchen aid out and ground my own pork to go inside. Seasoned it up perfectly. Trying a tiny bit cooked in the microwave before I stuffed them. They were beautiful. So impressive looking that they, the humble cabbage roll, might be fit for company. The smell throughout the house was intoxicating. I couldn't wait to try them. I made garlic potatoes to go with them. I stuck my fork into one for my first bite. Bummer. There were no eyes rolling to the back of the heads. Apparently I didn't stew them long enough, the cabbage was not soft & tender, it was a little tough & chewy. We grabbed our knives and all ate them anyway, we all love cabbage no matter what, and the filling was yummy. I will try cooking them again like this soon, using the freezer method and taking care to stew them longer, after all the cabbage is raw not slightly cooked at the start. However, if the cabbage is still chewy next time I'll know the freezer thing really isn't a helpful hint, and it will be another 15 yrs or so before we have them again. hahaha

Shenanagans...

2010-08-25T19:13:00.000-07:00

...that's what I call it. That's what I've been up to lately. You may have noticed I haven't been painting much. I've been playing with clay and crochet and I made a big decision to open a second Etsy shop for all my "shenanagans"and have been working on that. In this new shop I plan to sell some of my original crochet patterns, photographs, handmade beads, perfumes, etc... all the stuff I do when I'm not painting. I dont have anything listed yet. I will be getting together with a model in the next few days. As soon as I have some great photos I'll be ready for the grand opening!

A Big Shout Out & Thank you! goes to Graceful Moments, for featuring my art on her blog & CherieBosela, EllieLeesAttic, WhimsyFishArts for featuring my art in their great Etsy Treasuries. Click on their name to be taken right to their shops full of goodies!

"Nothing Doesn't Exist"

2010-08-20T23:18:00.000-07:00

A Few Firsts

2010-08-16T14:20:00.000-07:00

The first time I tried "Sticky Chicken".

It was a treat because we grill more than we fry. I sauteed 1 large (it was huge soft ball size) yellow onion, 1 large bell pepper, 3 stalks of celery, chopped in same size pieces, in a little olive oil. Once it was soft & starting to brown I removed it from the heat, seasoned with a little salt & pepper then set aside. Then I breaded some chicken tenders with a double coating of flour, pepper, garlic powder, pinch of cayenne & a tsp or so of Old Bay Seasoning & oregano, *I used these seasonings when I realized I was out of Cajun spice seasoning, or couldn't find it due to my extremely large stash of spices*. Then I fried the chicken tenders on high until golden brown but not done. I set the oven for 350 and melted 1/2 stick of butter. *I couldn't do it! I couldn't use an entire stick like the recipe called for after frying all the ingredients!* I put 1/2 the butter in a deep casserole dish, then the chicken, the veggies spread evenly on top, then a sprinkling of dried oregano, the juice of one lemon and drizzled the rest of the butter on top. I covered & baked it for 1/2 hour. It makes it's own gravy and the veggies get stuck to the sticky breading. Oh yum! It's usually cooked with thighs and legs so next time I'll try it that way. Then we can get all messy & sticky eating it with our fingers. A little unsweetened Southern cornbread baked in my cast iron skillet will be a must to go with it next time. The guys loved it so there will be a next time!

My first bracelets with my hand blended clay beads are now in my shop! I have a few more to list, one with faux jade and another with black beads that I think look like lava or asphalt. (I make one me and one for the shop, one for me, one for the shop!) I won't get them listed today because I have the photographs ready.

Big Shout Outs & Thank You's go to the CAST Team blog for featuring my photograph and EarthToGirl for featuring my art on her blog & in her Etsy Treasury and to Ayala Art for drawing my name to win your wonderful art! Yippee!

What's New?...

2010-08-15T13:59:00.000-07:00

"The Light"

11 x 14 Mixed Media

... It was Leonardo da Vinci that said “Art is never finished, only abandoned.” Well I had really abandoned this piece last year and just "finished" it yesterday. So this one is not new to me. Yesterday it just cried out to me to complete it.

I'm a perfectionist in many ways and others not so much. I admit it and know it's not easy being this way. I know I can aggrevate some people to no end! hahaha Procrastination usually sets in too, I can't finish a project, and sometimes don't, just because I don't like how it's going at the time or know that something isn't exactly how I wish it to be, even if it's not noticeable. I know. I have a closet full of abandoned canvases. I could probably fill my whole house with abandoned craft projects that I never finished over the years, because of a tiny problem, some of which were entirely in my head, or because it became too challenging and I didn't think I could do it perfectly, so I gave up & put it down. This is exactly what happened at my previous attempts at jewelry making. I'm even worse when I sew, everything has to be perfect, stitches unwavering, all seams matching perfectly, it has to look like it's off the rack or I won't wear it, sell it, or give it away.

Anyway, there are 2 little defects in the linen canvas on this piece so that has kept me from working on it. I'm glad I picked it up and finished it regardless of the defects, which are not even noticeable from the front of the canvas, because I am happy how it turned out. It has already gotten 5 Stars on OvationTV and a few comments. I have it listed on Ebay. I wished photos did Him justice.
I have enjoyed making beads this week and I made lots of them! I made my first bracelet too! I designed something that I would wear. Something that is "me". A little gypsy, a little bohemian, a little jingley, a little funky yet not too far out. I especially love the faux turquoise beads on the bracelet like the one shown here which I will be listing for sale. I also made the cutest little mushrooms which I will share later because they haven't been baked. I bought big jump rings, which are working out ok with me, like a kid with big fat crayons. hahaha The faux jade was made with a tiny dab of green polymer clay mixed with about 6 times the amount of transparent polymer clay & a sprinkle of ground sage. Yep! Right out of your kitchen. I would advise to add a tiny dab at a time & mix it in a little at a time. It dries darker. I put glue on the eye pins before baking so they don't come out. I may have to open up another Etsy shop!

A Big Shout Out goes to Hannahcreations , CynArt & Mayasideas for including my art in their Etsy Treasuries! Thank you so much! Click on their names to be taken to their wonderful Etsy's Shops.

Really?

2010-08-13T21:46:00.000-07:00

http://www.favecrafts.com/Christmas-Crafts/Unique-Tampon-Angel#

I'm all for encouraging crafting & creating but Seriously?! LOL

A Little Word on Wednesday

2010-08-11T14:10:00.001-07:00

May the God of your hope so fill you with all joy and peace in believing [through the experience of your faith] that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound and be overflowing (bubbling over) with hope.

Romans 15: 13

Rollin' Rollin' Rollin'...

2010-08-09T18:14:00.000-07:00

...Clay that is! I've been playing with clay all day. Thank goodness polymer clay doesn't go bad because I haven't touched it a couple of years. I expected it to look like forgotten Playdough, all crusty & dry, but a few kneads between the fingers and it's like brand new! How does that work? I have an array of almost every color thanks to my sister. Crafty gifts are the best aren't they?! She is making beautiful jewelry now so I am making her some beads. I love making beads, sculpting faces, working with clay, but I don't enjoy making jewelry (or stained glass but that's another story!) I've tried to get into jewelry making but it doesn't take long before the supplies are on their way to my sister. I can't close a jump ring right to save my life. To be good at it you have to love it, invest time & practice, I don't love it enough to spend the time to practice at it. I love these little faux turquoise nuggets though! I am going to redo the holes before I bake them. They are a mixture of teal, light turquoise, tan, white & black. My favorite ring that I inherited from my husband's grandmother is a brilliant Alexandrite set in a gold Fleur de lis setting. The stone changes from cobalt blue to violet much like amethist. I can never predict what color it will be when I put it on. It's like an expensive mood ring. Anyway I'm going to make some beads inspired by that ring.

My sister has been telling me how nice Cold Porcelain Clay is to work with so I took a break earlier and ran out to purchase some baby oil. I also splurged on a bead roller at Michael's. It's so cool! I'm sharing this instructional video by Sangeeta Shah. She makes it look very easy, her flowers are amazing and her accent is adorable. She has some flower tutorials on her website. The porcelain clay is an air dry clay, no baking needed and it shrinks about 30%, so I am using eye pins instead of holes if I make beads with it. What I have in mind to make is an angel inspired by my clay jug I found in May. I can't wait to get started. I hope it turns out! A tip that my sister gave me is to let it rest for a day or so before using. If you make some too please share how yours turns out and what you made with it!

I'm so lucky! I won these beautiful earrings by Lisa at Alterity Button Jewelry in her give-a-way and received them this afternoon. I love her whimsical button jewelry and she is really making me want to pull out my sewing machines. You must see her adorable 40's sun dresses she plans to take to the beach. So cute! The earrings are beautifully constructed and they match my eyes. *lashing fluttering* Thanks so much Lisa!

A Big Shout Out & Thanks! goes to Schemata & Collagical for including my art in their Etsy Treasuries! Click on their names to be taken to their wonderful shops.

In Loving Memory...

2010-08-04T17:48:00.000-07:00

...of Noel Jackson.

One of my oldest & dearest friends.

Love you & miss you already.

I'll see you in Heaven my friend.

Though God brings grief, he will show compassion, so great is his unfailing love. For he
does not willingly bring affliction or grief to the children of men.
Lamentations 3:32-33

Pizza On The Patio...

2010-07-30T14:40:00.001-07:00

... Mama Mia! That's what I thought when I took a big bite of this grilled pizza I made yesterday for a summer dinner on the patio. We were all in the mood for pizza but didn't want to get take-out & didn't want to turn the oven on, so I decided I would try to grill one on the bbq. I have never tried it. I love youtube. I found this video by UrbanGriller on how to grill a pizza on a gas grill. He made it look so simple and he's right, it was!

I happened to have 3 cans too (one was from the tomatoes) so I was set. I made my own dough. I've been making bread so long that I don't need a recipe for that. I eye-ball everything so I can't give you a recipe for it, but it's a basic yeast bread recipe. I buy yeast in the bulk section of the grocery store instead of those packets. The UrbanGriller used a box of dough mix and that looks like it works out great in the food processor, less mess than my way. To make the sauce I used a can of whole tomatoes, the tomatoes only, and I added a tsp of coursely ground fennel, salt & pepper. His recipe of just tomatoes & garlic was just too plain for me & my spicy family, but I tried it before adding the fennel. My favorite pizza is a plain cheese or Margarita pizza, tomatoes, cheese & basil. Honestly I will eat most any pizza, even anchovies, but if it has more than 3 toppings I don't really enjoy it as much, I like it simple. I used a long pan and made 1/2 of it Margarita and the other 1/2 pepperoni. I took heed to what UrbanGriller said about the pineapple, so I seeded the fresh tomatoes w/o squashing them, salted a little & let them sit in a collander to lose some of their juice while I made the dough & sauce. The fresh basil from pots around my patio came in handy. I made 2 pizzas. The first one was left on the pan the entire cook time, about 13 minutes. It didn't brown as much as I wished it did on the bottom, so while cooking the 2nd pizza I gingerly slid it off of the pan & let it crisp up directly on the grill for the last few minutes.We have a big bbq with 5 burners so by the time the last pizza was ready to go on the grill temp was about 600 degrees. It didn't take long for that one to bubble & brown. So yummy. Next time I will wait until it's that hot again, but it did work well like he said at about 350-400 degrees.

You should have seen the happiness on my son's face when we opened the grill to have our first peeks at it! With a huge smile he says with excitement "Get your camera Mom!" hahaha The guys say it was so good that they don't want to order pizza anymore. Even though that means I'll be doing the cooking, I think I have to agree. I'm keeping those cans for next time and I'm going to buy me some pizza pans! I may have to have a summer patio pizza party to experiment will lots of sauces & toppings! Want to come over for a slice?! I'd love to see what your favorite toppings are! A Big Shout Out goes to ChocolateDogStudio for including my art in her Etsy Treasury! Thanks so much! Also to Be In Style Fashion for the Style Award for my Sometimes Things are Just Black & White Blog! Thanks so much!

Be In Style Online Shopping

Drama Drama Drama!

2010-07-28T14:14:00.001-07:00

... Here is a sneak peek of my "Drama Queen". She has caused me some drama too! Made me feel crazy! haha Do you remember, the story I posted about how this piece literally scared me one night while working on her, so much so that I had to bolt out of the room? I changed her expression a little & crown that previously had curled points, to this sweeter version. The curly crown made her really scary. I have worked on here in bit & pieces but haven't been able to stay still enough with her to finish her. This morning when I opened the door to my little studio she seemed to smile at me. She seemed sweet, not scary, like a "Happy Soul", so I picked her up and decided today was her day. She is a 12"x 12" on canvas with thick 1.5" sides like Concessions & Northwind. I have some more work to do on that crown, shadows, bits here & there. I hope to hope to finish her later this evening or in the wee hours of morning, if she causes no more drama! ;)

A Big Shout Out & Thank you! goes to LostSentiments, ChocolateDogStudio, & FriendlyFairies for including my art in their wonderful Etsy Treasuries! Just click on their names and you will be taken right to their shops. I just posted a new Black & White Collection on Sometimes Things Are Just Black & White and listed some new Aura Angel Greeting Cards in my shop.

What's New ?...

2010-07-21T21:30:00.000-07:00

Kitty Cats! I made my first card set today with my "Faithful Feathered Feline Friends" and listed them in my Etsy Shop. I think these are so cute on these cards if I say so myself. I think they not only would make cute greeting cards but cute Christmas cards as well. I signed each little art print on the back so they could be kept & framed. I am working on 2 more card sets with my Aura Angels on them.Thank you so much SoInToIt for presenting me with the Versatile Blogger Award! The rules are that I am to disclose 7 things that you may not know & pass the award along. I had to really think about this because I have a lot in my Funky Facts About Me section at the bottom of this blog and seriously aren't I an open book? hahaha Ok here goes...
1. Some dolls, especially the really old fashioned dolls, can freak me out like ventriloquist dummies & clowns. (Yes I do paint strange Carnies/Clowns but call them "Happy Souls" & consider it self therapy! haha)
2. I can completely de-bone a chicken leaving it in one large flat piece in a matter of minutes.
3. If my reading glasses aren't on my nose they are used as a stylish headband. hahaha
4. I think I could win every Chopped challenge. hahaha
5. I've watched the movie Pretty Woman & Overboard so many times that I could probably recite the entire scripts.
6. I could never choose a favorite Beatle, then or now.
7. I am addicted to hot peppers.
I now pass this award to a few of my sweetest Followers Gloria, Artsyfartsyme, Graceful Moments, Alterity Buttons, SandyPetals , Poetic Artist & AyalaArt.

It's 3:00...

2010-07-21T14:58:00.000-07:00

...and I'm still in my pajamas. I'm thinking of getting dressed. Later...maybe. It's so wrong it's right. hahaha

Ring Ring!

2010-07-19T21:50:00.001-07:00

Who is it? ...Destiny?... I've been expecting your call .... LOL Ok I have been watching too much BOLT lately. I gotta say I am in love with that hamster Rhino! You can see a the little video of him on the left. I've been totally stealing his lines. I may not be ready for Last Comic Standing but I have come up with some pretty good ones lately using his lines. hahaha I am just discovering this movie because of my little JJ.
I'm not a cartoon person. Even as a child I didn't watch a lot of cartoons. As an adult I can appreciate the art of cartoons but still find them hard to endure. It amazes me that The Simpsons have been on as long as it has or is it still on? I can count on one hand how many times I've watched the show. I would have loved the show more if it was real actors but real actors couldn't get away with what a cartoon can. I get it. Are you gasping? What? No Disney movies? Yes that's right. Not into it. If I've watched them it's because the guys wanted to watch, even the oldest guy :) The cartoon world is magically tolerable & disgustingly exciting, "I'm disgusted, I disgust myself", says the cat in the movie Bolt & says me when I'm in Disneyland, the happiest place on earth! hahaha But the minute I snap back to reality buyer's remorse for any "souvenir" purchase quickly sets in. And those tidbits, basically papers *tickets, brochures, etc...* that I have to take home, swear I'll scrapbook, quickly get shoved in the bin or in a stack of stuff that's not to be touched in at least a couple of years. Mikey's lost him charm. Kind of like some of the contents of my purses that I have to lug around, until I switch to a new one, then it's left behind. Sometimes it's cool finding stuff that didn't make the transfer. Am I the only one who does this? Ok I'm gonna clean out all my purses after this post. hahaha So it may seem strange that my love of portraits & my big pushes of artistic encouragement with portraits are owed in part to my dad & an ex-Disney Art Director Walt Sorensen. My dad babysat while I was in Walt's class, and he refused to let me talk myself out of going to his class. Yes that was a big deal! My dad's support of my art has been much more encouraging than he knows and other people may realize.
I actually painted today! Felt good. This weekend I worked on some new bookmarks which I will be listing soon. I listed some Angels on paper on Ebay for a starting bid of $0.99! The first time I've done this. My advise from many was not to do this but I need to make room for new things. I need to paint more and space is limited. So I'm considering it a sale and I am trusting in the Lord. He can do what he will with me & my Angels! I am blessed. Ring Ring! Destiny? Are you waiting for a call? LOL

At Least Someone...

2010-07-16T13:56:00.000-07:00

...is using the bbq! I found this bold little guy under the cover staying cool. He seemed happy to let me take his picture, even waited for me while I ran and got my camera. I love how the stainless steel picks up so many colors when giving it a hit of saturation. We haven't been using the bbq as much as normally do this summer. I used the burners but have barely turned on the grill. It's too hot to cook inside today so I'm cleaning it up & firing it up for dinner. I made some of my favorite chimichurri sauce this morning. It's good on steak, chicken, fish...frog legs...! haha *No! I wouldn't!* The recipe below is one version of chimichurri that I love and the one I made today. I'm so glad planted lots of parsley & oregano this year. I plan to make many more batches of this sauce. Chimichurri is not just good for dinner, it makes a great gift or something special to take to a summer party.

Chimichurri Recipe

1 cup firmly packed fresh flat-leaf parsley, trimmed of thick stems
4 garlic cloves
1/2 cup fresh oregano leaves (sub 2 teaspoons dried oregano but fresh is best)
1/2 cup olive oil
2 Tbsp red or white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 canned jalapeno peppers (sissy? start with one & add to control heat or seed 1st)

You can substitue 1 Tbsp of red pepper flakes but I don't like as much as the pickled peppers.

I throw everything in the blender & blend until smooth, however, you can finely chop everything to make it a little chunky. (I like it either way) Serve at room temperature.

A Big Shout Out goes to EllieLee , YouBadGirl, NimiJewelry & ZiBagz for featuring my art in their fabulous Etsy Treasuries! Check out their beautiful work & shops by clicking on their names.

Another Big Shout Out, more of a holler really, goes to Sandra Hemsworth, the Curator at the Olive Hyde Art Gallery in Fremont, CA for inviting me to exhibit my artwork in their California Etsy Artist show in October! It's truly an honor!

A Little Word on Wednesday

2010-07-14T21:24:00.000-07:00

If it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently, if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully. Romans 12:8

Promises Promises!

2010-07-13T13:59:00.000-07:00

I am really in a funk lately. I have made some videos, started a new blog, listed a few older pieces as prints in my Etsy shop , put together a few series for A Cake Dream ,(who will be putting my art on their Art Gallery Cookies!), made a few goodies for someone special, have some pieces in a gallery, & probably a few other things I can't think of right now so I've been sort of busy. I promise myself I'm going to paint, then don't do it, so because I'm not painting, I feel like I'm not getting anything done. Sales have been very slow lately even with all the wonderful exposure & attention people are generously giving me. It's a little discouraging so I guess subconsciously I think I need to do other things rather than paint? funk. I have been worrying a little that I may have to go back to life in a cubicle. I'm not usually one to worry. I tell other people not to worry so why am I doing it myself? funk. I'm spending way too much time thinking of things to do, things I should do, making lists of things to do & then not doing them. funk. Today I straightened up my studio a little but have created nothing again but a mess. A nice person on Etsy requested that I make greeting cards with my Angels on them (she was Christmas shopping in July & wished I had cards)and I have been working on that a little. I learned how to use a cutter, a gift that I hadn't used yet. I purchased pre-made white cards with envelopes, purchased new ink, yet I can't decide which ones to use, or how I am going to attach them in a nice way. funk. I have been pondering opening up a new Etsy shop for the "messes" I've been making. Pondering instead of doing. funk!
One of my artist "Sisters" shared this video and I couldn't help belly laughing! God gave us the rainbow so that we would remember his promise to never again destroy the earth by flood. Isn't it amazing that His promise, a simple rainbow, can still overwhelm us with emotion in this age where we think we've seen it all & are sometimes numb to our beautiful surroundings? Really who doesn't like rainbows? I think this funny guy was feeling the spirit of God whether he knew it or not. Have you felt like this before , just didn't video tape it, maybe held it inside? I know I have!

Big Shout Out goes to Molly Brogan for featuring my art on her blog. Click "here" to read.

Men!

2010-07-12T11:01:00.000-07:00