Wow - what a ride!

The last six weeks have been incredible - I've had the pleasure of teaching my favorite activity to incredibly talented children, my in-laws came for a wonderful visit, I sold button blooms at the De Anza Flea (twice), Aidan attending 3 weeks of summer camp, I enjoyed the company of some of my local UGRA fellows at an amazing luncheon and I got some super quality time with my family. Here are a few photos showing the recent "Art" in my life...

This is an "Under the Sea" Project I did with the Pre-K kids. We painted fabric banners, decorated card stock fish, cut them out and glued them to the banner with pop dots to give the banner dimension.

I taught card making to the 1st - 2nd and the 3rd - 6th grade girls. Each girl (60+ students in all) received a class kit with the materials to make a dress card and a purse card. The templates for these cards are on my web site.

Sample cards with minimal embellishment.

The banner project was extraordinarily successful. I taught this to the 1st -2nd grade girls and I was astonished at the ingenuity. They painted and embellished their banners in ways I had not even thought of. They were fearless in their experimentation and their creative process was a truly beautiful thing to watch.

This is a paper bag book I did with the 3rd - 6th grade girls. They absolutely loved this project and their finished albums where darling!

Aye Carumba! The Ugra projects started piling up on my desk because I did not have much time to play while prepping for the classes.

This paper doll project started by Corvus was so fun to work on! My husband and I caught up on few Tivo'd Law and Order's after the kids went to bed one night while I worked on my doll. Tim said, "I'm getting the biggest kick out of watching you work on that doll. You are so happy! It's great!". It was true. My spirit dances when I drift into my creative space.

This is Corvus' doll. I just love the funky and edgy feel of hers!

This is the talented Sharla's doll who I had the pleasure of meeting in person a few weeks ago at the local UGRA's play date. Turns out we had met before in an entirely different context at an Autism Education Workshop where I was a vendor selling customized PECS boards and she was an Autism educator attendee. Life is full of connections if we open our eyes to them. I think her doll is wonderful with all of it's tiny details. I had a hard time committing to my final design because both of their dolls were so gorgeous!

My doll's face came from an Aug. 15, 1943 edition of life magazine. I adorned the coat with rhinestone buttons that match her broach and shoes. I cannot wait to see what the rest of the players create!

I also was very busy making button blooms for the July and August De Anza Flea Markets. They were SOOOOOOOOOO much fun and super validating! The July 5th flea market was pretty slow due to the holiday but nearly everyone who stopped at our booth left with a bloom.

I brought mostly arrangements for sale but learned that many of the customers would have liked to have purchased the blooms by the stem so they could put them in their own pots and vases.I shared a booth with my friend Linda who I met through Aidan's pre-school. She sold these fabulous kid activity kits at fantastic prices - Our booth was bursting with color!

For the August flea market I decided to diversify and created "Goodie Bags", "Card Kits" and "Collage It!' kits.

I thought the booth was even cuter for this flea market and I doubled my profits.

The highlight of the day was when Tim and Eva popped in to say hello and Tim told me how impressed and proud of me he was.

I wanted a couple of examples of things you could create with the goodie bags so I asked two fabulously gifted artists, Loretta and Bonnie (both from UGRA) to take bags and make something for me to display

This gorgeous wall hanging was created by Loretta,

and this beautiful mini album was created by Bonnie! I am so honored to know such talented individuals.

I also had the honor of technically assisting my dear, dear, dear friend, Nancy with a letter of interest for an exciting opportunity. It is an incredibly creative and humorous response to a job post I was so pleased to hear (but not surprised) they contacted her for an interview! You have to check it out - be sure to go to the bottom of the page where she shows before and after pictures - it is a crack up!

After this lengthy tidal wave of activity, my office was a complete disaster so last weekend I dedicated an entire day to getting organized and I am ready to get back to the business of creating.

When one room gets clean, another usually acquires the mess. Such is the case with my studio. It is ridiculously cluttered with the odds and ends leftover from the class kits, flea market and a number of unfinished projects which I WILL COMPLETE as soon as I get caught up with life.

While I did not have much time to work on "my art", I did try to dedicate a little time to my art journal each night before I fell asleep. Here are a few doodle pages I tinkered in with my prismacolor markers.





Other highlights of the last 6 weeks include swimming at the club, lots of Yoga, quality time with my family and a week long visit with Nana and Papa (Tim's parents) which was fantastic!

I had the pleasure of taking Suzanne (Nana) to 2 Yoga classes and the week following my mom joined me in a class! It was a very busy time and I will avoid that kind of over scheduling in the future but I have to say that I am so very blessed to have such a full life filled with so many gifts and loved ones.

Meet my new friend...

So ever since Inspired last month my artistic expression has gone in a different direction. I've been trying new things. I've played with pencil crayons, pastels and watercolor pencils. I've tinkered with collage, transfers and metal. I really had no idea that I was on a soul searching journey. I just didn't have that kind of clarity (or introspection for that matter). But over the last week, I became aware that there was a tension building up inside of me. A push, pull or internal pressure that was becoming more apparent with each day. To be honest, I thought it was PMS but on Tuesday the universe decided to give me a better understanding of what was happening to me. Through a series of completely unrelated and insignificant events that I won't get into, I began to see that I was on a path. Where it is headed, I do not know, but the awareness that I am doing what I am supposed to be doing is crystal clear to me now and I feel a sense of peace unlike anything I have ever experienced. Here is how it came to me:

On Tuesday night I had a VERY important meeting that I had been waiting for for several weeks and as I was about to leave, I could not find the paper with all of the information. The paper with the organization's name, address, phone number and directions was gone. I looked everywhere but could not locate it I am a pretty organized person- this kind of thing just doesn't happen to me so I felt really irresponsible. I had a hard time being in my skin that night and decided to go to bed early but I couldn't sleep. I played in my art journal for a while referencing a book on faces I had found in the garage. My work wasn't what I wanted it to be so I decided to write on the page to offset the troubled sketches. My words became a powerful statement. A truth that I had not conceded to. I had talked around it but I had never given it to the universe as an intention.

Once I did it I felt an incredible load lifted. It was remarkable. I tried to sleep once more but something was stirring so I turned the light back on and put pencil to paper.

That being said, I'd like to introduce you to my new friend...

I know, it is just a face, but it isn't one of Paulette's faces or Kelly Rae's- it is mine. It came from inside of me. I didn't copy it; in fact I wasn't even trying when I drew it. I was just sketching without any rules or preconceived ideas just like when I write in a diary. I guess it is one of those things that either makes perfect sense or it doesn't depending on where you are in your life.


I was worried I would not be able to replicate her, or at least a version of her but I did. I sketched the woman below. She has some Paulette's painting's qualities - this was unintentional but I think it is part of the process. I am really excited to do one on a canvas.

A little of this, a little of that

I gave blank handmade cards to the grown ups in my family this year for Easter. My mom is always asking me to make her a few for this birthday or that event so I thought a few spring sentiments might be a nice treat.
I have been dieing to do another piece of jewelry but I just cannot commit to the first bead. I find myself staring at my bead organizer, considering, debating, completely unfamiliar of my style. I'm so new to this art form that I often feel clumsy and intimidated. So I closed my eyes and let the inspiration come to me. I saw the colors of the Ocean and I could almost feel the sea breeze on my face. This is what came of it...
Inspired is just two weeks away. I'm so excited yet feeling the pressure because i have several swaps to complete, all of my class supplies to pack and I need to put in some extra hours on my current work project so I don't fall behind while I'm away. I started doing work for a new client last month and it is an absolute delight. I am archiving four generations of photos and memorabilia which includes scanning, restoring, cataloging, and scrapbooking their incredible family history. Needless to say, my office is a disaster:

I have to report a breakthrough I had last night. I have really been struggling with the back page of my art journal page design for the swap. I have started and discarded a number prototypes, but last night it came to me and I am feeling a huge relief. What a goofy thing to feel stressed out about - right? Here are a few of my attempts...

and here is the design I've decided to go with although I may still do some detailing...

Scrapbooking, beading, sewing and more...

I cannot believe it has been a month since I blogged last. but I have a few very valid excuses and lots of work to share. I went skiing for 8 days in Beaver Creek and I had sinus surgery which involved a very painful recovery. These activities plus the catch up in between kept me from blogging but not from creating. Art has finally become part of my living routine! What I mean is that I don't have to sacrifice something else to get art time. Art'ing has integrated into my life just like cooking dinner and doing the laundry.

So during the last 4 weeks, I worked on my pages for my art journal swap. I still have to finish the design on the back page, but I know I'll be using these wedding confetti flowers which I've altered with stamps.

I also completed my 8 x 8 swap pages. I signed up for 2 page designs so I had to make 10 copies of each design - 20 total. I sent them off and then realized that I forgot to photograph one of the designs. I'll post it when the pages are sorted and returned.
I finished all 40 of my charms for the Inspired charm swap too but I forgot to photograph them also (this was during my recovery when I was slightly woozy from the pain medication). They turned out pretty cute - Much better than my last charm swap. I printed the Inspired logo on shrink plastic and stamped the back with "create", "play" and "Imagine" then attached them with silver wire and pink beads. I received the swap in the mail today and I am in AWE of the talent these women have. I cannot believe how amazing the charms turned out! Thank you so much ladies and a big giant thank you to Marsi for putting on a flawless swap! She even included a little jewelry bag with an "inspired charm swap" tag on it! Classy!

After I had finished making my charms I felt Inspired to do some more beading. My dear, dear friend Maggie had given me a stack of AWESOME magazines to enjoy while recovering from surgery so I decided to bead-lift one of the designs I saw in "Bead Style". I am so excited about the finished project. I also made a pair of matching earrings and am currently working on a necklace. I'm considering posting it on Etsy to see if there is any interest. I'd love to make a set in sterling silver.

Last Saturday a few close girlfriends and I got together to celebrate my 39th birthday and to do some scrapbooking. We met at Scrapbook Island to do their St. Patrick's day crop where we ate sushi and chatted without interruption from husband nor child. Heaven! My sweet husband watched my kids plus 2 more so I could enjoy my friend's company. It was a fabulous group! Corvus was there - (of course -my partner in creative crime) and she was working on finishing the Fancy Pants project from last summer's CKU.

Maggie was there working on an adorable mini album for last months ski trip pictures. Maggie is relatively new to the genre of scrapbooking (though an incredibly creative soul), yet she put together the most beautiful book in a matter of hours. All I can say is WOW!

Lisa, my Valentine swap partner from Studio Calico, also attended with her darling little boy Maarten. This was just our second time meeting but I feel as though we are old friends. You would not believe the page she whipped together - Something you would find in the pages of Creative Keepsakes. The photo of her beautiful daughter was a great subject to work with but the way she pulled everything else together was so ingenious and the end result was a stunning page.

And last but not least, Andrea who worked on a gorgeous album for her mom. She has this incredible talent and it is such a treat to watch her work unfold. She coordinated a few different papers to make a beautiful book, inked, distressed and shaazam - she had an album. I loved what she designed and cannot wait to see the finished product. I'm sure her mom will love it!

I had set a goal to complete 5 pages but felt quite happy about my four considering we were visiting and eating too.

And the last project I worked on over the last month is the apron I am doing for Jennifer Williams for the Inspired apron swap. I get all gitty just thinking about it. I developed the apron concept while working at my son's pre-school. My station wasn't very popular that day so i started playing with some paper piecing.

Once I had my prototype, I attempted to make a paper model of the concept.

Then came the hard part; creating the apron out of fabric. Especially since my sewing machine is not cooperating. i think my kids played with the tension because the thread is ripping every few inches. I elected to do a lot of the work by hand stitching and liquid sew. It still needs to be adhered to the apron but I am delighted at with the design.

The hat has multiple functions. Besides being pretty cute, there are several pockets. The hat top is a pocket with a velcro closed flap and the ribbon hat trim covers a stitched elastic band for holding pens. The shirt is also a pocket as are the sleeves. It has been so darn fun to put together!

So that is what I've been up to - It has been a creative extravaganza and I'm so jazzed about it. My husband saw me looking in the mirror last night with the apron on and he said "what a wonderful life you have...you get to do what you love and you are good at it." I was so touched that he said I was good at it and very grateful that I know what it is that I love and that he and my family allow me to do it.