My Love of Art

I am participating in The Love of Art Blog Party today hosted by Rachel Payne

What a wonderful thing...writing about why we love art!

I am sure each of us is very different in the type of art we create

and the type of art we love or are drawn to

but I bet the reasons we love art are probably very very similar!

For me it's very basic at it's core...

I love art because it makes me happy!

When I am in the process of creating I am at peace.

Without those moments of creativity I am a mess...

nothing else can fall into place...

because I am not in place.

As long as I am creating at some level on a regular basis...

well it makes the rest fall into place a little easier.

(beautiful wooden heart by my sister Jamie)

Art connects!!!

This is another huge reason that I love art.

The artist community is a wonderful place...

meeting and chatting and brainstorming with other artists...

oh what an awesome thing... 

it leads to more courage, bigger ideas, and new possibilities...

and the discovery of some extremely awesome ARTISTS...

those Kindred Spirits...

(beautiful tin heart made by one of my favorite artists Carissa Fox of Brown Eyed Fox)

and their beautiful ART!!!

ART that now graces the walls of my home...

ART that brings a smile to my face...

ART that might just inspire more ART!!!

Not to mention the good artists do...

I have had the opportunity to help others through my art.

There have been times when maybe I haven't been able to give money to a worthy cause...

but I can always donate a piece of my art...

and it can be sold or auctioned off and maybe bring a slight blessing to another.

What's not to love about that.

So see it's simple...

art makes me happy...

I simply cannot be me without art!!

(posted both here and at Star Hitched Wagon)

New Outlook...

I have been scrappin away these days!  LOVE it!!

Decided to have a go at the My Mind's Eye Blog Challenge #31.

I LOVE how this one turned out!!!  But boy did I have a hard time getting here.  The sketch had three circles - and boy did they have me STUCK.  So I decided to check out what the other participants were doing - sometimes you need just a little extra inspiration. 

I came across a fantastic layout by Wendy Smith - just love her take on the sketch.  It reminded me to think outside the box when it comes to sketches.  So with that I decided to move away from the circles and used the rectangles...love it!!

Everything (except for the ink) on the layout is My Mind's Eye - from very old cardstock from a paper pad that I have had FOREVER to the more recent Lost & Found line.  Oh I did use dies from Stampin Up to cut out the heart, brackets and rectangles - but using My Mind's Eye paper of course!!

My Petals - Thanks Lee

I am pretty sure I have mentioned my friend Lee about a dozen or so times on my blog - her blog is such a bright spot!!!  And she shares the most wonderful or projects, ideas, inspirations....LOVE it all!!  I take many ideas from Lee and run with them.  (I do give credit though - so that makes it OK right???)  You really must add her to your blog roll!  She won't disappoint!  Not one little bit!

Anywho...todays post was awesome!!!  Moved me to get busy right away I tell ya!!!  She was inspired by Hope Wallace Karney's Pen and Paper: Living Between the Lines post on A Beautiful Ripple Effect's blog.  WOW!!!  Did ya get all that???  Hover over each and click on the links I provided!  All wonderful!

So like I said I get busy RIGHT away!  I was just so excited to do something a little pretty, a little creative and document where I am at right now!  As a scrapbooker I take a lot of time documenting those big moments in our lives and the fun little moments in the kids lives but I forget to include me specific projects.  This year that is changing - One Little Word and Project Life are both giving me the opportunity to document where I am at today - to share a little more of me with those who will want to know some day.  And also for me to look back and see how I've changed/grown/blossomed?!?!?!

The petals of me...my petals are all things that I am!!!  They really are - but some need more attention than others.  They are things that I have really been working towards and want to continue working on - they are essential for me to be a whole me...which is what I really want most.

Hope posted a list of questions/prompts to get a little more out of this fun little exercise.  This totally works for me - I need specific guidance...
I added each question to a 2.5" x 3.5" card and then wrote down my answers/thoughts.  I really love how it turned out - very simple - not all crazy embellished up - but it is exactly what is on my mind lately.  Good to document it.

It will be interesting to look back and maybe do this again in a month or two like she encourages.  Or how about in a year.  Here's to hoping that I make strides towards achieving/incorporating more of all of these! 

Lucky Lucky Me

This post is a tad overdue but still filled with as much happiness as November 16th.  :)

Happiness???  What kind of happiness you say?  

Well on Novemeber 16th I won an ORIGINAL painting 

by the extremely talented Mae Chevrette.

This exact piece named Home:

 

Isn't it just gorgeous!!!???!!!

I could not believe my luck!  I ADORE Mae's work.

I have this print in my studio:

and it makes me smile every time I look at/read it.

These prints are on my wish list:

To Be Brave

Heat and Intuition

 

Find the Beautiful

Isn't her work just wonderful???  They would make such terrific Christmas gifts!!

And I just noticed she is having an awesome sale!

Perfect!!!

A HUGE thank you to Mae for the gift of this original piece of art work!  

I truly truly love it!!!

Hmmm.....

...think I might be able to blog on a regular basis???  I so would like to...seriously as absurd as it may sound I blog in my head ALL.THE.TIME!!!!  I am not even kidding...I have great topics, great thoughts, pearls of wisdom ;)....but then I never sit down to really blog it out.  But I will someday...maybe today, maybe tomorrow....maybe next week.  Because I am so not ready to give up blogging.  I love the process, and who knows maybe one of my posts will inspire someone, make someone laugh, or give them a thought to ponder....just maybe.
Today I am sitting here enjoying being lazy...thinking about hopping on the elliptical...but really thinking about all the things I have to be thankful for.  Of course it's the trend right now because it's that time of year - but can you thinking of a better trend???  A better thing to be a bandwagon-er for???  It's a good thing - whether your the first person aboard or the last...remembering how blessed we truly are is a good thing.

 So for today's blog post I will post 6 things I am truly thankful for.

1)  Thankful for a beautiful family!

2)  Thankful for hubby making all his connecting flights and for his safe trip home.

3)  Thankful for my hubby spending a day working at home.

4)  Thankful for a reality check - maybe I'm too addicted to my cell phone - it's time to update the address/phone book.

5)  Thankful for good coaches which in turn make Xander LOVE hockey while he is learning his way!

6)  Thankful for heat and a nice home to stay cozy in on this cold day.

More to come of course....but what are you thankful for today???

Pay it Forward

I love this idea, sending joy to someone! Gifts in the mail.

Thanks to Heather for bringing about the fun!

So here goes...

 

 

The first 5 people who comment on this post will receive a handmade gift by me (it could be any thing)! In return you must write a blog post explaining Pay It Forward 2011 and send your first 5 commenters a gift handmade by you.  It's a great way to make new friends and spread some handmade love around in Blogland! No rush to send them out today or tomorrow.. but do make sure you send them out...'

So, here goes. 

The first 5 people who comment here will get some handmade goodness from me. In addition to commenting, please leave me your favorite colors and a way to contact you.

Hurry up now and comment!!

Inspiring People.....Jeanne Oliver

Do you know her???  Jeanne Oliver - I kinda dig her - I don't know her in person - but I stalk her blog pretty religiously!  

She's just one of those souls - kind, generous, inspiring like no other - if you "know" her you know exactly what I mean. 

She is releasing her new line today - the above lookbook was her sneak peek yesterday - just absolutely gorgeous stuff!!  

Gorgeous I tell you - and that photography - mad skill she has - crazy mad skills!

Make sure you rush on over to her shop and get yourself some of her beautiful things.

You won't regret it - lovingly made - so sweetly packaged.

My new adventure into art.....

I am most excited about this!  Christy Tomlinson - is just about the sweetest thing ever (no I haven't ever met her).  She is so generous with her teaching style - she shows her whole creative process in her lesson videos.  I love that....it makes creating the art so much less intimidating.  I am so excited to dive in.....

So stay tuned I should have lots of sweet little She's coming soon...... 
or at least I better cause I need to justify those Dick Blick and Archiver's reciepts!  :)

It's time....

Join me????

 

Inspiration: Be Safe and Check your Breasts!

This is Amy.

I don't know her but I read her blog and she has a reminder for all of us - please read Breast Redo's and Nipple Tattoos!!!

Awesome!

Come on let's join them!!!

Who's in???

So who is signing up for this???  It's on my wish list - I really want to do it - I really could use a class on how to Dream Big - I need to...shall we do it together???  It starts really soon - we don't have much time to think....who's in?  And if you have taken a class before tell me about it - share with me just how wonderful it really is.....

One of the coolest things ever!!!

Have you ever heard of 500 Pencils?

Oh my!  We need this for our studio - no doubt there!  I love the thought and design.  They are colored pencils and with the cases they are a work of art.  Brilliant!  My Xander will love these - who wouldn't want to use colored pencils when they are out all the time.  And SO MANY COLORS!!!!  LOVE!!!

Go sign up for your subscription today!!!

Ahhh beauty.....

I just recently stumbled across a magazine.  A magazine dedicated to inspiration for the central coast - which I live NO WHERE near - but it is just so beautifully created. You must go check out:
Live Artfully 
The name alone sounds wonderful. 
I ooohhhed and aahhhhed over every bit of it.
Just had to share - enjoy!

Such talent

Art Swap update:

I received Becky's beautiful FRESH green felted hat - it is so wonderful!

Joleyn will be swapping one of her gorgeous prints.

I will be swapping a bracelet called A Reminder:

The ball has a sweet little chime in it - so I call it - A Reminder - to remind you of just how blessed you are. 

There is still time to join in - as you can see these are really beautiful pieces of art.

I am reposting the details below:

I was thinking AGAIN that we should do an ART SWAP.....would I have any takers????  I might just keep reposting this until I get some takers because I think this could be fabulous!  We could go with a theme and then crafters/artists of all media could participate - knitters, crocheters, jewelry designers, poets, photographers, paper artists, quilters, sewers, etc. etc.  Heck even if I had one taker that would be enough - we could trade.  It would just be great fun to see what others are creating.
How about a THEME of FRESH.  Whatever fresh means to you.

It's the 25th today - comment and let me know if you are interested.
DUE DATE: March 18th (which means they need to be in my hands by the 18th - sent out using PRIORITY MAIL by the 15th of March)
All items will be swapped and sent back out by the 23rd.
Ok the nitty gritty details - BEST WORK ONLY - and I am sure this goes without saying - only send in something you yourself would love to get.  Send your item along with $5.00 for shipping back to you.  Please only send cash.   
It's hard to put a value minimum or maximum - so the best I can do is tell you items I am considering making for the swap:
earrings, a felted soap, a paper door decoration, a small bird, a hanging pillow, a 5 x 7 photo, an altered jar, a set of note cards, etc......
What do you say - I know there a lot of talented people out there - and some of you even read my blog!  :)  I would love to see what we can do!!!  Hope to hear from you soon....

Artist/Creative Swap

I was thinking AGAIN that we should do an ART SWAP.....would I have any takers????  I might just keep reposting this until I get some takers because I think this could be fabulous!  We could go with a theme and then crafters/artists of all media could participate - knitters, crocheters, jewelry designers, poets, photographers, paper artists, quilters, sewers, etc. etc.  Heck even if I had one taker that would be enough - we could trade.  It would just be great fun to see what others are creating.
How about a THEME of FRESH.  Whatever fresh means to you.

It's the 25th today - comment and let me know if you are interested.
DUE DATE: March 18th (which means they need to be in my hands by the 18th - sent out using PRIORITY MAIL by the 15th of March)
All items will be swapped and sent back out by the 23rd.
Ok the nitty gritty details - BEST WORK ONLY - and I am sure this goes without saying - only send in something you yourself would love to get.  Send your item along with $5.00 for shipping back to you.  Please only send cash.   
It's hard to put a value minimum or maximum - so the best I can do is tell you items I am considering making for the swap:
earrings, a felted soap, a paper door decoration, a small bird, a hanging pillow, a 5 x 7 photo, an altered jar, a set of note cards, etc......
What do you say - I know there a lot of talented people out there - and some of you even read my blog!  :)  I would love to see what we can do!!!  Hope to hear from you soon....

Whatcha been up to???

So friends what creative endeavors are you up to this month?  What about family fun?  Or new discoveries?  Really what have you been up to?  I want to hear from you all.

I am sticking with my resolution to try new things - to expand my horizons - to shake things up......so far since the last update I have:

1) Subbed as a preschool teacher for the first and second time - and it wasn't mass chaos.  The kids are so sweet.

2) Felted a small piece to use in a bracelet design of some sort, a wonderful bowl and a large ill shaped place mat/table runner of some sort. 

 

(the last felting photo was before the felting)

3)  Made paper clay bowls.  I LOVE these!  I love hearts - all year long.  I have since painted them red.  now I just need to put a antique-ish glaze over them to weather them up. 

4)  Made the sweetest little paper flowers - I had been buying handmade flowers off of etsy - but decided to give it a shot after  I saw a tutorial somewhere online.  Now I am sort of addicted - they are on several of my latest scrapbook pages.

5) Started teaching a sweet 9 year old (soon to be 10 year old) girl creative/art classes once a week.  What a treat this is.  I am not sure if I am a teacher as much as I am just providing her creative freedom....her mom assures me she LOVES it and I LOVE it as well.  So far we have painted canvases, did button balls (instead of buttons trees), and she designed her own pair of earrings.  Such fun!  She is such a great student.  Also, it is getting Xander creating with me again - he used to create with me ALL THE TIME and now seems to pick video games over me.  :(  I didn't get a photo of Katie with her canvas but this is what Xander made:

6)  Made a lemon cake - only from the box - but can you believe I have never made a lemon cake???  I love all things tart and delicious - and this was gooood!  Ok this wasn't really a stretch - but I didn't go for the safe chocolate - I broadened my horizons a tiny bit.  :)

7)  Today I presented materials to a local art studio to teach jewelry classes.  They were happy with my ideas/prices....so I will be teaching two, maybe three classes in the month of March.  I have to say this is huge for me.  I am sooooo NOT good at selling - selling my time or my designs as an artist - I have this HUGE fear of rejection and most of the time it stops me dead in my tracks and I just don't even bother - I give up before I even get there - but I didn't give up.  I was really nervous and stressed a lot about the designs and concepts and pricing.  I didn't want to do the same ole boring basics.  I wanted to teach the basic skills but in a really beautiful way.  So I stayed true to me and it paid off.  Now let's hope the classes fill up and that they beg me for more!  :)  As soon as I have all the details finalized I will post them here so that if you are local you can come join me for a night of fun - learning jewelry basics!!!!

8) Tried Quinoa from Whole Foods - yummy.  Bought some so I could make it at home.  If I discover a great recipe I will share it.

9)  Doing scrapbook page sketches on a regular basis.  I am now offering Sunday Sketch Challenges on my blog.  I have grown to really love this - thanks to being on Feeling Scrappy's design team - it forced me to give it a  try and I grew to love it.  Now that my term is up there I have to share them somewhere - no place better than the blog!  :)

So I am stretching a bit - learning new things, trying new things, branching out - making me a better me.  It really is fun to try new things - I have a creative curiosity lately that it drawing me into all sorts of new creating avenues.....Oh and I am doing yoga (again) at home a few nights a week - I really like it.  Great thing right before bed - really relaxing and a stretches out all those stressed muscles.  Now if I could just get Steve to join me - I wouldn't feel so silly toppling over all by myself. 

I would really love to hear about what you are up to....inspire me please!  :)  Friends enjoy your last few days of February and THINK SPRING....it is just right around the corner after all. 

Stacey's Sunday Sketch

How about a sketch?

And here is my page:

Hope you like it!  If you do a page using this sketch post a comment with a link to your creation!!  I'd love to see what you come up with!  Everyone who posts before February 7th will be put in a drawing for a little gift.  What little gift you say?  Well how about this little gift:

Have a great Sunday everyone!

Ummm...sorry

(said like Gilly)
Wow - I was doing so good posting away and then nothing for 9 days.  I guess going back to work make me not want to blog?!?! 
It was a good week - the weather was pretty pleasant - snows melting - a little.  It was good being back at work - such sweet kiddoes.
On the creative side of things I have started another clay creation - trying to make a little girl....she's getting there - love working with the clay. 

I also ordered some wool roving so I can do some wet felting - what a cool process.  I have been watching you tube video after you tube video after you tube video and reading as much as I can about this cool art.....so I will show the finished projects once supplies have been recieved. 

I was thinking we should do an ART SWAP.....would I have any takers????  We could go with a theme and then crafters/artists of all media could participate - knitters, crocheters, jewelry designers, poets, photographers, paper artists, quilters, sewers, etc. etc.  Heck even if I had one taker that would be enough - we could trade.  It would just be great fun to see what others are creating.
How about a THEME of LOVE.
It's the 18th today - comment and let me know if you are interested. 
DUE DATE: FEBRUARY 2nd (which means they need to be in my hands by the 2nd - sent out using PRIORITY MAIL by the 29th of JANUARY)
All items will be swapped and sent back out by the 5th - that way everyone could recieve their items by Valentines day.  
Ok the nitty gritty details - BEST WORK ONLY - and I am sure this goes without saying - only send in something you yourself would love to get.  Send your item along with $5.00 for shipping back to you.  Please only send cash.   
It's hard to put a value minimum or maximum - so the best I can do is tell you items I am considering making for the swap:
earrings, a felted soap, a couple felted pebbles, a paper door decoration for valentines, a small bird, a hanging heart pillow, a 5 x 7 photo, an altered jar, a set of note cards, etc......
What do you say - I know there a lot of talented people out there - and some of you even read my blog!  :)  I would love to see what we can do!!!  Hope to hear from you soon....