Drooling over Mustard

...the color, not the condiment.

I'm drooling over these Etsy finds this week.

1. Breathe by Merriweather Council
2. Linen Ruffle Earrings a la Pretty Things by Meg
3. Bashful Bird by Anna Viva
4. Retro Folk Cat from Giselle Gonzalez
5. Baby Bear Silhouette by Corella Design
6. Love Garden by Helen Dardik

Two Fine Foxes

I just purchased these "Two Fine Foxes" from Oliver Lake of Iota Illustration.  I think it's just so fantastic that I wanted to share it with you.  It will find a cozy home on the wall above my sweet friends' new baby and his forest friends nursery.

I just love these two foxy fellas so much, I might just have to buy some of his other prints for myself.

I attended a cloth diaper class with her on Saturday, and let me just say, I am so excited to be a cloth diaper mom.  The technology has come so far in the last few years, so has the style.  The husband even tagged along, and while he checked out early to scope out the bike store next door he is all about it.  Even more impressive since he does all the laundry in our house!  If you have any questions about cloth diapers, I'd be glad to share everything I learned this weekend.

Sending Sunshine

Things have been crazy busy around here: we are doing our 27 hours of adoption classes, I'm mentoring a high school girl, leading a small group, teaching at a Spiritual Day Spa on Saturday, scrambling to get our house together to get our Foster license, and working full-time, plus what I consider the part time doings of being an artist. 

Do you ever feel like the things you do to keep sane get put on the back burner just so you can survive?  I know I'm not alone in this.  And while I don't want to wish my life away, I'm looking forward to summer.  So since there's been little time to do any new paintings, I've stocked the Etsy shop with these great new postcards which I ordered from moo.com.

They're glossy, printed on sustainably sourced paper, and they are 100% guaranteed to give a TKO to any bout of winter blues you may be feeling.  And what ever happened to mail?  It's a dying art form, I tell you.  The girls from the Valentine Swap through the Stationery Place had something to say about it, and the ladies over at The Benevolent Postcard Society are a small militia against the virtual epidemic of anti-handwriting.  When was the last time you put a postage stamp on something other than a bill?

If you are anywhere as busy as I, or have any form of email-overindulgence guilt, try sending a postcard next time. One or two sentences does the trick, and I promise, it's like sending sunshine.  Try it!  In the meantime, drool over all the new postcards I've posted for sale in the shop.

Speaking of Love

 These are some things I'm loving on today, NOT of the  Valentine Variety.

Join the Circus by Helen Dardik

Boards of Summer by Elgarbo Art

The Woodland by Ina Luxe

Birthday Bunding yarn wreath by Itz Fritz

 Tonight the hubs and I have a meeting until 5 and then head off to our first adoption class until 9.  So romantic, I know.  But I did open the shower door to a new athletic tank and jacket for my running excursions.  Love that guy.

Help me out here, how are you celebrating love?

Pink Cheeks

Kisses make my cheeks pink.

Here are a few mail-kisses I sent out for a Handmade Valentine Swap this year.  I've been doing a lot of collages lately and these were four original pieces I sent as valentines in a romantic glassine envelope.  Some of them were stitched, some painted on, some hole-punched, all original.  I hope my girls heart them; I've loved receiving mine so far!

What makes you blush?

For the Love of Hands

In High school my girlfriends loved Nick from the Backstreet Boys.  I just couldn't do it (although I talked myself into liking the band because my friends did); I just couldn't like Nick because I didn't like his hands.

I've always loved hands.   They are just as difficult to draw as a face and many beginners shy away from drawing them.  My theory is that is because there is as much character in hands as there is in a portrait.

I found this print from Restless Things and fell in love.  In my opinion these are some of the most lovely drawings I've seen of hands in some time.

Alfred Steiglitz was obsessed with photographing his wife, Georgia O'Keeffe's hands and I can see why.  Photos of her hands were so lyrical and sensual, with stories to tell and character to capture.

Egon Schiele is by far my favorite hand artist.  First of all, nothing gets me more excited than his line quality alone.  But his hands are such an important part of his images, skeletal and elegant, they add as much to a portrait as do the Mona Lisa's.

What adds to physical attractiveness for you?

If you draw, do you shy away from hands and feet?  If you do, know that it's normal, but I challenge you to take the drawing of them head-on.  Draw studies of them every day, in different poses, start with your own.  Start today!

Cheating or Creatively Rearranging?

I love to collage when I can.  It's so easy to do while sitting at my desk at school.

There is something so immediate, so tactile about slicing up color and repositioning, recreating, recontextualizing when I'm collaging.

In a way, I suppose I feel like I'm cheating a bit, using someone else's painting, image, photo...

But I had a great Art Teacher at Biola who said that we, as artists, never create, but we creatively rearrange.  I think this comes from Solomon's sentiment in Ecclesiastes that there is nothing new under the sun.

And when I was an itty bitty artist, my mom used to comfort me in my frustration of having ideas copied by classmates by saying first that it was the greatest form of flattery.  But she also spoke of how there are no truly NEW ideas.  Everything that has ever been made has come from inspiration from something that has come before, even if we can't trace it back to the source.

So I feel a bit more comfortable "creating" collages with these words in mind.

Did you ever have your work copied?  How did it make you feel?  Do you feel comforted or disturbed by the thought that no art is ever truly unique?

Both of these collages (Night Hills flew off the shelf, but Swan Dive is still available) are up for sale for a steal of a price in my Etsy shop.  I also posted a print of this collage, as I got so much great feedback on the original.

Your Story in Six Words

Spoonful by Virginia Ray

I receive each week a little newsletter called Etsy Success.  There are super helpful and creative morsels, dealt out in little spoonfuls, to devour and spark artistic and entreprenurial endeavors through the marketplace.

Yesterday, one of the spoonfuls was to share your story in 6 words.  Here is an excerpt from the article by Linda Garbe:

Challenge #1: Your Story in Six Words

Many years ago Hemingway was asked to write a six-word story. In the same spirit, Smith Magazine has been challenging people to write their memoir in six words. Get more inspiration and info about this project on NPR.

Fill sheets of paper with adjectives that describe you. What are your best attributes? Think about what is most important to you. What do you value most? Your shop and your six-word memoir should make sense. Your story and your shop need to be in alignment.

It takes longer to write a good short story. You have to give it a lot of thought. After much thought and trying endless combinations my memoir is: “Storyteller addicted to color and texture.” 

I had quite a few 6-word stories and certainly couldn't decide which was the best, but here are a couple:

Colorful, playful, and just living easy.

I create because I was created. 

And check out this great zine on the art of being happy by Spoonful. 

What would your 6-word story be?   

Mini Love

I've been a little inspired, as usual, by Valentine's Day.  Maybe it's the red, or the hearts, or the love...I don't know.  I just always love the images for V-Day.

And I've been more than inspired by Lyndsey's Valentine Swap.  I'm even entertaining starting one at work, among the teachers...bring back a little mailbox luv.  Would you ever do a Valentine Swap, kindergarten style, at your place of employment?

So to help inspire you to join the Swap and get a little bit of snail mail of your own, I've put a few new sets of mini-cards in my Etsy shop, where they share some shelf space with a few paintings from last year's (here and here) love-making (and by that I mean card-making...with hearts and such.)

Hello, I am Thinking of You, Tea Cup!

I am busy.
Can you relate?
No? 
That must be nice.

I've been prepping for a craft fair on Sunday, an process that I can only imagine must be smoother for veterans.  I'll let you know how it goes.

For now, I wanted to let you see a few of the little watercolors I've done amongst all the craziness.  Find them here.

Celebration Sale

I can't believe it's already October.  We sort of got cheated out of a summer, weather-wise.  

The other day a random glance out the window was greeted not by the sun-shiny 97 degrees of the previous day, but a torrential downpour that has been unloading ever since.  While on an errand I snapped a phone pic of the storm with a little peek of sun reminding me that this too shall pass.

I love fall.  And I love Etsy.  What started as a silly little hobby (and evolved into a potentially less silly hobby, and now is again just a hobby...with just a hint of future potential) has yeilded this little crafter

99 sales!  

What a fun game!  I'm always saying that I'd be making all this stuff anyway, so instead of stuffing it in a closet, I might as well let others enjoy it, right? Right.

So I think this calls for a celebration!  To celebrate, I would like to offer
 

{10% OFF to my 100th sale over at my shop.} 

There's only one 100 and it could be YOU!  Please share in my elation and enjoy your side of the cookie.  I love you all; thanks so much for the support and fulfillment you all are in my life.

Convertible

I like it when a mistake is joyous.

Exhibit A. {see above}

This week I've been learning to 

"consider it joy when troubles come your way"

because it gives an opportunity for endurance, 

which makes you complete, 

needing nothing.

Have you ever made something great out of a mistake?

Fantastical Me

New original, now in the shop.

The meeting took place at the spot where they agreed, at the edge of the forest under the lantern of a full moon. Sensing the wise old traveler's sorrow, the fairy reached a hand out to comfort him as he began telling his story...

It feels so strange to be painting like this. I have never really lived in the fantasy world. When I was young I was never scared of monsters, instead I feared robbers and fires. I could never read fantasy novels and skipped out on many of those movies too (except Never Ending Story...loved it).

I also prefer to paint things that are part of the real world. I love capturing, not really recreating. I think that has to do with the fact that I feel I could never recreate better than it's already been done, I'd just like my own record of it.

I was really offended once when another art student said that I was a recorder, not an inventor. But I've become more comfortable with it recently. I'm still trying to figure out who I am as an artist, but I wonder if I ever really will unless I become one full time. I don't know...

Eyelets

Take me home.
{The cute girl who made me is trying to save up to make a family .}

Hurricane Season

It's always summer in Oceanside, but sometimes it's more summertime than other times.One of those times is almost here. Two more days left of school and then it's really summer.I walked into my house this afternoon and realized, it's hot in here. Last night we slept with the windows open, I don't really know if there is anything more sweet.Well, I'm holding on to the last few days and then, I fear, the real work will set in. Our sights have been sealed upon more than a few tasks to accomplish in our too short vacation, among them are remodeling the kitchen, redesigning our bedroom in as complete and thrifty way as possible, and gutting the art room at school to paint the long neglected floor. Oh, and maybe doing a mural, an illustration for another text book, private art lessons, finish (I mean start and finish) a quilt, make lots of use of our gym memberships, and visit with family from the other side of the globe.

Strawberry Cut-Out for a photo op at the Vista Strawberry Festival

Sounds like the opposite of a vacation. My hope is that I can find some time to blog, paint, and get my Etsy on amidst the hurricane. Maybe I'll be too busy to eat, too. That'd be a super easy diet plan. Anyway, until that day arrives, here's the few little things I've had time to do lately, check them all out in the Etsy shop!

Spring Tweets

New in the Shop for Spring.
I had some aprons, but those flew off the shelves. I'll have to make some more soon when the dust begins to settle.Mowgli things they look pretty good...go see 'em for yourself!

Cotton Candy and Lollipops

When spring colors first start coming on the scene, I feel like I have to eat more candy, breathe more air, and go on picnics more. Fairs are around the corner, blossoms line the street on trees and sidewalks, and kites start to dot the skies.

Check out my springtime line-up now in the Etsy shop. There are a couple of super cute totes, one slouchy, one boxy. A snazzy felt "handkercheif" ring in it's own crocheted Tiffany box, and a hand felted peacock purse are lining the shelves in all their springy glory. Check them out today!

What lets you know it's springtime in your neck of the woods?

Martha Stewart Also Went To Jail

Do you ever feel like, "Why does bad stuff always happen to ME?"

My husband can charm his way out of anything, get free stuff from anyone, and has somehow always avoided getting a traffic ticket.Then there's me, who didn't try to get out of jury duty, although there are surely ways I could have tried. I called diligently every day, finagled my way through the inconveniently and sorely ill-functioning phone system, and was told all week that my services were not needed.

But today I got a pretty pink letter in the mail that said I will now be looking at a GIANT fine &/or jail time because I didn't show up last month.

WHAT?????
This means I must now show up on Thursday, or they will take my first-born. Ugh. Excellent way to ensure my pride in being a responsible citizen.

Anyway, something else that's pink, but with far more smiles, is this new Giant Market Tote in Bubblegum which is now making it's appearance in my shop. Check out the great price, just in time for Spring to come roaring in....I hope I can enjoy it from this side of the bars!

Flower Girl and Her Masked Owl

I finally posted her in the shop!

{I said I would.}

Just Wondering...

How old were you when you got your first {real} kiss?

Who you gonna kiss tomorrow?

Image: Long since sold felted zipper pouch from my shop.