In San Diego

I am in San Diego today for the opening of the Western Federation of Watercolor Society show.

The reception is tonight. We will be coming home on Sunday. I am not at my computer much right now, we are busy playing tourist as well as doing watercolor business. Couldn't ask for a better combination! Last night the hosting society took us on a dinner cruise. It was great fun!

Nibblefest Contest

On ebay, I like to participate in the Nibblefest Contest. It is a competition amongst ebay artists. All auctions start at 99 cents and run for a week. It started last night and will end on Monday April 27th in the evening between 6:00 PM and Midnight PST.

Each month there is a new theme for the contest. This month's theme is favorite childhood stories. Alice in Wonderland has always been a favorite of mine. Here's a pic of my entry. It's titled: 'Don't Grunt, That's Not a Proper Way of Expressing Yourself'

On the painting is a quote; 'If your going to turn into a pig, my dear,' said Alice seriously, 'I'll have nothing more to do with you. Mind now!'

Check out this auction, and you could even bid on it! ;-)

I'm Moving!

I am moving.... I have outgrown my little studio, a bedroom in my house that is 10 ft. x 12 ft.

I am so packed in that I can't seem to hardly function anymore. So I am moving downstairs to the basement, mostly unfinished except for one bedroom and a bathroom.

But it will be big! Around 20 ft x 20 ft. I will have everything in one area, my painting area which also will have my computer and printers near by, my sewing area, my mat cutting area, my shipping area and my photo taking area. There is a utility sink and my ironing board is setup all the time! Now maybe that doesn't sound too exciting to you, but I am so excited I could spit! (Well, not really ~ spit that is). And did I mention storage and bookshelves and places to put all my stuff? The only setback is that there are only two windows and they are quite small, so not a lot of natural light. I will string a bunch of lights up though, cause I really hate painting in poor light.

It's going to take a lot of work to get everything moved and organized, but once done, I think I will be in heaven.

I even plotted out the layout. The picture above is showing only part of the area but it is the main working area. What is showing is about 12 - 15 ft wide (at the widest part) and 20 ft long. I took some graph paper and measured the basement and then drew in the lines for the room. Then I took another piece of graph paper and drew all the furniture proportionally and colored and labeled all the pieces of furniture. Then I scanned both graph sheets in to my computer. Next I cropped each piece of furniture individually and saved it in it's own file. What worked out really well was that I could layer them on the scanned graph sheet of the room and could move each piece of furniture around til I found an arrangement I liked. Beats moving the real furniture all around!

Now I wish I could just wiggle my nose and it was all done.

It's Thursday... I thought it would never get here. Not that I am a big of fan of Thursday, it's just that it means I have my taxes done. Yipppeee. Yep I was one of those cars that was lined up at the post office drive thru about 11:00 PM last night.

Ok, so here's my resolution for next year... do my accounting each month, and then it won't be so hard when it's time to do taxes again.

This painting is called Bunny Among the Poppies. SOLD

Today was really a Monday. I had to do my taxes... no more putting it off. Not a fun thing to do.

I had to do something to cheer myself up, so of course I painted!

I did two little quilted wall hangings. The first one is 'Little Witch' and she can be seen in my ebay store.

The second one is 'Ewe Would Think it's Spring!' and it can be found in my etsy store.

(See both store links on the left side of my blog)

Very Early Morning, Easter Sunday

I just was browsing around on the computer and found that my art doll is featured on American Holiday Artist, today, or I mean yesterday... It's early the next morning now. Anyway thanks so much to Suzanne who posts all the wonderful artwork that members of AHA make.

It's been a week since I signed up on facebook. It's really kind of fun. I like seeing comments from all my friends and family too!

Oh hey, Happy Easter! Let me see if I have a bunny painting I can put on this post....

Today I have a piece featured on American Holiday Artist (see the link to the left in the the list of my favorite links). It's a Halloween pumpkin.

I am making little crazily quilted paintings the last few days. Today I am featuring 'Sweet for the Sweet', a cupcake quilted wall hanging. It goes on auction at ebay tonight and will end on April 17th in the evening.

I am just getting started on etsy and find that is such a nice community. I think I am really going to enjoy having a store there.

How was your Monday?

I'm just starting on my second week of writing morning pages, and reading the Artist's way. One thing you are supposed to do once a week is to have an artist's date. One all by yourself, you do something that you want to do. So I went to one of my favorite boutiquey store Paisley Pomegranite, that sells cute things for your house, art, cool shoes and just fun stuff. There is so much creative-ness going on there. Then I went to Barnes and Noble and browsed through my favorite magazines that I haven't already bought. I didn't spend anything, I just indulged myself looking at creative things.

I made cupcakes today! They have zero calories and lots of thick white fluffy frosting. I painted them. I also painted a country sheep.

Sleepy Sunday

I think I stayed up too late last night! I finally forced myself to look into the mysteries of face book, and that led to getting links on my blog. The problem was that I had an old template and it took some doing to figure out how to post links. Then I had a aha moment about 3:00 am and found I could update the template and now posting links are are just a snap! Oh and here's big news! I have an etsy account I opened November 25th 2007 to sell on and I listed something (finally!) Wooo hooo!

I started doing my taxes today and that would put anybody to sleep. While doing that, I did have a great idea to make a video to put on my auctions (see how my artist brain doesn't want to be saddled down to doing taxes?) Anyhoo, I will be doing the video in the next week or so, I think. It will really be fun!

I hope everyone else is having a very pleasant Sunday. I need to go cook some asparagus, it was on sale yesterday. Hmmm... must be spring!

Class Reunion

This year is my class reunion and I won't be able to go!! I am so sad to miss it. My dad just remarried and they have set a reception for the very same day and the exact time. I certainly can't miss my Dad's reception. Isn't life like that... you can go along for months at a time and nothing out of the ordinary happens, and then two important things are scheduled to happen on the very same day.
About two years ago we had a reunion for the whole school, from the time it started to the most recent graduating class. It was so fun to see old friends.
I have a picture here of my art class that was taken for the yearbook. I am the one with the circle and the star. We dressed up in old clothes and it was really fun. (I bet you thought those were our real school clothes ~ we're not that old!!!)
My friend posted my blog link on our class reunion blog, so if anyone drops by be sure to say hi!!

Sheep Time Featured on EBSQ

I belong to a group of online artists called EBSQ Self Representing Artists. It's a wonderful well-developed support for online artists. They have auction templates for the artists to use and group shows on the website as well as the usual discussion boards ect. I have belonged to the group since 2001.

Anyway on the front page of the website, each day they feature an artist. Through the week they pick a theme and this week's theme is 'Time'. They are featuring a little aceo that I did last summer called Time Sheep.

Here's the link if you are interested in checking EBSQ out. http://www.ebsqart.com/

Remember my image will only be up for the day. Thanks EBSQ!

Speaking of ACEO's or ATC whichever you want to call them (artist trading cards), it got me in the mood to paint an aceo. So I did. I did a lady in watercolor. I am not sure if I will put it on ebay or in a gallery I am in... or maybe I could put it on etsy... I opened an account last year and haven't used it yet, but it's my goal to start using it this month. Anyway, back to this aceo, I decided to brush up on my watercolors and I think I will do a series of them. This is not my traditional folk art that I normally sell on ebay, it's my version of fine art.

Liberty Angel

This is a painting on a wood plank. It has a crackle glazed background. I wrote a quote on it from Thomas Jefferson that reads "The God who gave us life, gave us liberty at the same time.

She is on auction this week. Check her out!

Poppy and Morning Pages

Today I made a new doll, Poppy! She is a wall doll and ready to hang. She is 15" long.

About three days ago I decided to read the book 'The Artist's Way' by Julia Cameron. Actually I decided to read it several years ago but didn't quite follow through. So I pulled it off the shelf and started reading.

Are you familiar with the book? Its about unblocking your creativity. Even if you don't think your creativity is blocked, the exercises in it are wonderful to get the most out of your creativity. One exercise, writing morning pages is a great way to start your day. You just start writing and don't stop til you have written 3 pages. It doesn't matter what you write about, what matters is that you write. It's a great way to get out stress or bring forth creative ideas. By just writing, without trying to direct your thoughts, it seems whatever is most on your mind comes forth. Then you free yourself up to be more creative for the day. I guess you just need to get the book to understand, becuase I can't begin to explain it all here, it would make too long of a blog! Anyhoo, I am working on being more creative. :-)

Beatrice

Here is a primitive doll I currently have on auction on ebay. She is holding a garland of paper bunnies, and she is named Beatrice. Her skirt is made of recycled grocery bags, I fused them together and painted them and cut the bottom to look lacey. She is quite a proper young lady with a bit of imagination and a love of adventure. I am sure she would have followed Alice down the rabbit hole had she been with her at the time.

I've Won an Award!

Greetings Everyone!

I just had to do a little bragging today. I won an award for my folk art on eBay. It's from a collection of artists that sell regularly on eBay and they nominate artists in different catagories for their work sold in 2008.

Then they vote on a number of artists in each group.

I am very pleased to be awarded third place in the folk art catagory. It is quite an honor as there are sooooo many wonderful folk artists selling their work on eBay.

Thank you, Artist's Choice Awards!

My entry for the UWS spring show

This week I haven't put much on ebay. I have been busy painting for the Utah Watercolor Society Spring show. It's a juried show, so this is what I submitted. It will be a month or so before I find out if it was even accepted into the show. The size of it is 20" x 14".

Dance in Joy

I made this fabric doll today. She's a little dancer, and when I think of dancing, I think of joyful things. Hence the title ''Dance in Joy". She has a little beaded loop in the back so she can hang on the wall.

I hope everyone is having a happy day!

Humpty Dumpty Easter

Today I started my first ebay auction for American Holiday Artists (aHa). It's a new group I have recently been invited join. Here's a link to the website if you'd like to know more.... http://suzanneurbandesigns.typepad.com/aha/ Suzanne started aHa.

The picture above is Humpty Dumpty. Most of us know him from that nursery rhyme. But did you know that Alice met him when she went Through the Looking Glass?

Humpty Dumpty has a quote written on his pants... it's something he said to Alice: "Humpty Dumpty said with a short laugh: My name means the shape I am --and a good handsome shape it is too."

You can flip old Humpty around if you are in the mood for an easter egg that has spring flowers painted on it.

You can find Humpty Dumpty on my ebay auction right now... I started him at a low bid of 88 cents!

http://stores.ebay.com/Pure-Art-Studio

If You Knew Time as Well as I Do...

This week has been a hectic one for me. I didn't paint much or make any dolls for ebay. It was a weeklong preparation for the Utah Watercolor Society Miniature Show, and I had to do a bunch of stuff for it as well as paint a picture (I tend to procrastinate right up to the deadline.) Tonight was the reception. It was very nice. But I am really pooped. There was so much to do to get ready for the show, hanging the paintings, making all the labels for the paintings, getting the gallery ready for the reception...

Since I didn't get anything done to post on ebay, I am posting the painting here that I put in the miniature show. It is a picture of the Mad Hatter (a different sort of hatter than you may have seen before). If you read the dialog between him and Alice, you may see that he is really a clever sort of fellow in a twisted sort of way. So I depicted him as looking not quite so 'mad' but perhaps with a bit of sense, at least in his own mind. I wrote on the painting this quote from 'Alice in Wonderland';
`If you knew Time as well as I do,' said the Hatter, you wouldn't talk about wasting it. '

More Alice

Here's a closeup of her face...

I wrote a quote on this piece from Alice in Wonderland:

"Curiouser and Curiouser cried Alice. Now I'm opening out like the largest telescope that ever was. Goodbye feet!"

If you remember the story, Alice had eaten some cake and had grown quite tall. I put a cupcake in her hands, (I really like painting them with a cherry on the top).

Alice Gets Taller

This is an Alice in Wonderland mixed media piece on wood. I collaged different types of paper and painted a gold glaze over it all. Then I painted Alice in acrylic paints. She is 31" x 7 1/2" x 3/4. She is currently listed on ebay. I started the auction at 88 cents!

Mermaid Fair

"Who would be a mermaid fair, Singing alone, combing her hair under the sea" Alfred Lord Tennyson

This is my second doll, and I am really having fun making them! This little mermaid's hair is 'green' meaning that it is made out of recycled plastic fabric ~ that was painted and cut into strands. She has a crown of pearls and is holding her pet fish Fluffy.
This mermaid is on auction and ends February 19th.

Sheep Dolly

Well it was only a matter of time... having my mom's sewing machine and serger, I decided to try a doll. It's a bit primitive and made of fabric. I painted it with a coat of gesso and then a coat of acrylic paint. It is quite a sturdy sheep, about 19 inches tall. I really enjoyed making it from creating the pattern to the finishing touches of a copper heart (that will eventually get a green patina over time).

A Little Bird Told Me...

A little bird told me. Told me what? Well isn't that what art is supposed to be about, making you wonder what it is saying? Tonight I collaged on one of my hearts, using a page from the book of revelations, over paper that I stamped and painted. Then I did a little watercolor of a bird and sewed that on top of everything else. Quite a fun thing to do.

It is now on auction on ebay. I put it on earlier this evening. Now it's almost midnight here... does anyone else stay up late painting? I think I will go eat some ice cream.

Heart as flat as a pancake

I am in an experimenting mode these days. I am making some hearts out of heavy upholstery fabric with batting sandwiched in between. Then I serge the edges. Boy I love that serger, it is so cool!

I end up with a wall hanging of fabric with a ribbon on the back for hanging. These hearts are 10" x 8 1/2 " and flat as a pancake. But they are stiff because I varnish both sides. Of course the front is painted. The fabric gives it an interesting texture.

The heart pictured here is called "Balloons"

I think balloons make people happy, don't you?

I am going to experiment a bit more with these type of hearts, maybe collage on them.

Some Days are Better than Others

This is a mixed media painting that I have used a print from an original painting and then added to it with collaged paper and acrylic paint.

At the time I painted the original, I was feeling pretty overwhelmed with trying to balance life, my family, keeping up the house, cooking the meals and my work. The paintings title is "Juggling Life, Some Days are Better Than Others".

You might notice that the girl in the painting is not really juggling anything and everything seems to be falling on her head! In fact, she looks like she is protecting her head.

I think we all have days like that. I would never trade them because it makes the 'better' days more sweeter. No matter how your juggling skills are, if you look for the blessings, they are there everyday and juggling life becomes a pretty good thing.

Winter Ewe

Gosh here it is Sunday night and the week has just flown by. It is snowing heavily tonight. One of those nights you like to just stay in and be cozy in the house. We have had an inversion for the past couple of weeks and everything was so grungy, the pollution was trapped in the valley here. It rained yesterday and then this morning and washed clean the air. Now we have white fluffy snowflakes!

Yesterday I got out my mom's serger and tried to learn how to use it. There were no needles so I thought I would just make a trip to the local fabric store, but they didnt' have any so I ended up traveling a distance to get some. By the time I got back home my time was spent for learning how to use it. Oh well, maybe tomorrow.

I entered the Nibblefest contest with a slightly grunged up heart. I added glitter too. It's called 'Winter Ewe'.

Welcome to our new President!

I worked all day on different things for ebay, plus I have a couple of commissions I am working on. I just don't have enough time in the day for what I want to get done. But the good thing is I really love what I am doing, making art.

I watched the inaguaration today, and like most people I was very excited to watch this historic event. I loved seeing how so many people came together in love and joy to celebrate our new president taking the oath of office. I have to admit that I didn't vote for him, but I support him as my president and I have much hope for a better America. President Obama, ewe are welcome here!

Parting is Such Sweet Sorrow

This is a painting I did a while back. It's a big watercolor painting and it's been hanging in a gallery for quite a while. The other day a lady came in and bought it! I used it for the image on my business cards. I am not usually attached to paintings too much, but this one I liked a lot and I felt a bit sad to see it go.

Do you ever have a hard time parting with your creations?

I was a different person then...

Speaking of my mother, this summer after she passed away, I did this painting of her from a picture of when she was 13 years old. I had a show coming up at a gallery last September and I painted it for that. I put a quote with it;

"I can't go back to yesterday because I was a different person then" Lewis Carroll

I liked that quote a lot. Who knows how our life will turn out at that age? My mom was very blessed and found a wonderful man to share her life with. They had such a happy marriage, and I think they brought out the best in each other.

So I painted this as tribute to my parents but especially to my dad and how his love made my mother so very happy. Thank you dad!

The reason behind my Heart paintings

I have been busy all week long making 'Fine H'arts'. You know, hearts made of canvas and painted in acrylics.

Here is the main reason I started making them...
This summer my mother passed away, and I inherited her Bernina sewing machine and her Babylock serger.

Being a full time artist, and not doing as much sewing as I used to when my kids were young; I decided I would use these gifts to create some of my art. My mother would have loved them.

It took a while for me to think up an idea. Of course hearts aren't a new concept, but they are pretty fun to make. My first hearts are around 10" x 7" but I am going to make bigger ones. So stay tuned. I hope they sell well, so I can keep making them. It takes a bit longer to make them and then paint them. They are really cute in person and they have a hanger so they can hang on the wall like a real piece of art - which they are!

Every Heart Sings

Today I have been pretty busy sewing canvas hearts and painting them. I listed one tonight on ebay

Check it out! I don't usually do this, but I started the auction at 99 cents. Sometime it brings more views and since this is a new type of item for me, I thought I would try it. Normally I would start this item at a minimum bid of $19.

I am quite pleased with the way the hearts are turning out. They are very folkarty looking and I give them an antique looking stain so they are bit grungy looking. They have a hanger on the back so it is ready to hang.

This one has a quote by Plato on it: "Every heart sings a song incomplete, until another heart whispers back"

Fine H'art

Well, here is that thing I told you I was working on.... A stuffed heart painting! This first one is a classic angel. I listed it on auction tonight. It was fun to make and I am going to make a bunch of them.

Lamb and Eggs

Today I had a busy day - not painting! I hate when that happens. So I only got one watercolor done, another sheep painting. It's called Lamb and Eggs. It will go on auction Saturday night on ebay. http://stores.ebay.com/Pure-Art-Studio

http://stores.ebay.com/Pure-Art-Studio

Ok, so I'm learning. I want to have a link to my ebay store so you can just click on it. We will know soon enought if it is working...or if you read this and you can click on it, there you go.... it works! Yeah!

I am in the process of working on something totally new for ebay. I am pretty excited about it. I hope it will be a fun thing that people will enjoy. It will be just in time for Valentines Day. Gee, the holidays are over and I am already thinking Valentines? What's up with that? I guess when you consider that ebay items have to ship and all, my mind just moved on to the next holiday, so people can have it delivered in plenty of time. Anyway, when I get this 'new' thing done I will post it here.

I am also working on a series of Alice in Wonderland paintings, and will post some of those on here too. I love Alice and her adventures, although I think some of it is a bit twisted.

Above is a painting I did yesterday with a quote on it. I like painting happy paintings!

New year!

Happy new year to all! Now that the holidays are over, I hope to get a lot of painting done and post some of my work on my blog. Today I put on ebay a watercolor of a little warbler.