Wednesday Morning in the Studio

Shop Update- New Art

It seems that I am finally settling into a pattern with this working at home lifestyle and while I am still working 7 days a week- I have been stepping away every day, spending more time with my husband, going to lunch with friends and just trying find balance on a daily basis. I am pretty sure that I am workaholic and am also pretty sure that the feeling of constantly wanting and needing to create and take on new projects is something I am going to have to keep in check- its just not healthy to be addicted to work- even if its art! Anyway, I have been consistent with my goal of carving out time each day to just paint pictures and I have finally added some new art to my shop.

Class Samples

Samples from this weeks lesson- "Altering and remixing Photos" for my Anti Scrap Online Class!

New Art

New art almost finished..
coming soon!

Tuesday in the Studio

Carving Stamps :)

Updates from the Studio

I have been working frantically to catch on my to do list and I am happy to announce I am about one day away from finally feeling on top of stuff (for now!).

I have been in full production mode putting together little packages of my hand carved stamps to ship off to happy homes-

I also created another set of hand carved stamps- with "bohemian" inspired designs that are now in my shop-

I have also posted a handful of totes, also in my shop and I will continue to add more goodies throughout the weekend-

I also completed the updates and changes on my website. It is now live but there are still a few more things to be done but it is good enough for now :)

My next online class Anti Scrapbook starts on Monday so I will be finishing up this week's lesson today and editing videos to post! This week is all about photos and memorabilia taking photos, creative ways to alter photos, editing and all kinds of tips and tricks to get started using photography and memorabilia in new and different ways in the next 5 weeks of class! If you are interested in taking the class you can join any time before the last day of class (October 19th).

I am working on my "live" teaching schedule right now and am happy to announce that I will be teaching here in San Diego at the California Center for the Arts Escondido on November 14th! We are getting all the details worked out and I post more info and registration details very soon!

I will also be teaching with Lisa Engelbrecht and Traci Bautista at the Art Bar in Santa Ana this fall/winter.We are in the midst of planning an exciting graffiti weekend where you will be able to create with all three of us!! I will post more details VERY soon!

How Hard is it to Strike a Pose?

I have been busy working on some top secret projects with the hope of continuing to move in an ever evolving creative direction! Today I tackled a photo shoot with some new jewelry (made from trash thank you very much!) all by myself and when you are poor- you gotta get creative! So it was me, my camera on timer, a cheap wig, colorful outfits and lots and lots of photos. I LOVE styling and taking photos and while I would much rather only be taking photos of other people, I figured since I've watched America's Next Top Model since it started I could do it myself- how hard is it to strike pose anyway!?! Well actually being a model for yourself is much harder than it would seem (it takes tons and tons of photos to get just one good one, there is lots of running back and forth to the camera and you start to feel kinda stupid all by yourself!) but I am thrilled with the results and thought I would share a little sneek peek of my project. Next, it's time to recruit some friends who are willing to work for a free cup of coffee!

Anti Scrapbook Class Samples

I am gearing up for my Anti Scrapbook online class and I have attached some photos of samples just to give a little preview of the "vibe" of the class. I don't want to give everything away so there are only a couple samples of projects. I've had a number of questions about the class and I just want to clarify that this a class for anyone out there that is ready to do something outside the box with their photos and memories. While I don't want to offend any scrapbookers I do want to invite you to join in the messy fun that is my "style" I have years of experience creating fine art and am ready to apply it to my own version of scrapbooking. Please see below for more details!

Anti Scrapbook

Starts September 21st

runs 5 weeks

$50.00

For some reason I never took to traditional scrapbooking, in fact I just might loathe it! To begin with I am not traditional plus I am not very organized, I don't like all the products you feel pressure to buy, it seems to require lots of money spent, it takes a lot of time and quite frankly its just too organized and mainstream for me (please don't be mad traditional scrappers!)

But... I do LOVE taking pictures, in fact I take my camera everywhere, I love and appreciate documenting and preserving special moments, in true artistic form I enjoy putting my own creative, messy, recycled spin on photos and with a background in fine art- a completely unique approach to preserving memories! This class is for anyone out there ready to try something new with photos, scrapbooks, logging memories and preserving history, a class for those who don’t want to spend lots of money, who are ready to rebel when it comes to scrapbooking!

Prepare yourself for a little punk rock, paired with fine art, joined with nostalgia, meets recycling, loaded with TONS of creativity!

As the Sun Drops...

Since we purchased our townhouse over a year ago, I've had a tradition of taking a couple of quick photos every night as the sun drops into the ocean! The view from our deck is amazing (literally every night) and as much as I have been complaining about the recent hot and humid weather, I have to say that it has produced some AMAZING sunsets! Here are a few from tonight and the last couple of weeks!

Updates from the Studio

I am happy to report that my cold is almost gone (thanks to the gallons of liquid I have been drinking) but I have been struggling with a spell of creative A.D.D! I am not sure if it is just my long list of things that I need to accomplish or if I really am having problems focusing on one thing at a time but I am all over the place. I seem to have my hands in all a kinds of projects and just when I cross something off the list five more things pop up to replace it!

So here are a few updates from the studio:

I have designated time each day for working on original art (for the wall). While I will turn them into prints to sell and maybe let go of a couple originals- the process is really for my sanity and has been just what I need to be reminded of where I began my journey- simply as a painter who loved to paint and I am longing more and more to return to that place.

Check out the latest copy of Quilting Arts Gifts!! It is packed full of so many fabulous sewing projects (one of which is by yours truly ;) on super funky and cute bird ornaments!) Projects by Melanie Testa, Kelli Perkins, Jane Davila and lots more fiber artists that share inspiration and projects for your handmade holiday gifts!

The latest Somerset Workshop hits stands on October 1st and I am SO excited to have my work on the cover!! My section is on canvas - of course- but there are brand new projects and ideas- I got a little preview and it looks amazing!!

I am getting so close being done with new stuff for my etsy shop- like clutches and totes as well as custom orders...so close bear with me!

....and last but not least...I am just about done updating and revamping my website which is long overdue! I have no idea why it is taking my so long- maybe because I am doing everything myself and I am totally picky but it is about ready to go live!!

Hand Carved Stamps

I just added the first few packages of hand carved stamps to my shop

Catching Fire- SO GOOD!

We are avid readers in our household and in the last 48 hours our attention has been captivated by the latest Suzanne Collins book- Catching Fire. Because I am sick, I devoured the book in less than a day and as I write this entry Andy is almost done! If you have not heard of Suzanne's 1st book in the series- The Hunger Games...go get it! Like the ever so trendy Twilight series these books are also written for young adults but unlike the Twilight series Suzanne Collins can write really well and spin a TOTALLY unique, sad, romantic, violent and inspiring tale like nothing I have read- Finally a heroin to be proud of- a strong willed, brave and brutal young woman fighting for all that is good. If you are looking for a unique read this book is non stop action and a story that will break your heart and then put it back together again!

Wednesday Morning in the Studio

Change of Plans

Remember how this weekend was intended to be spent celebrating my wedding anniversary (see last post)? Well after a LOVELY early lunch on Saturday morning I got sick! It started with just not feeling right and then slowly turned to a VERY sore throat and then quickly into a full blown cold. So the weekend was not spent gallivanting around San Diego doing all sorts of fun and romantic stuff- it was I spent laying around watching movies and reading while my hubby took care of me, making me drink all kinds of strange liquids and checking on me every 30 minutes. But I must say that I wouldn't have changed a moment! This may have been the first time in a very, very long time that we spent all weekend together, without plans, people or distractions. Taking time to enjoy the quiet, sleeping in and just being normal- I needed this more than I knew.

here is my heart...

I try to not get too personal on my blog but sometimes the lines blur for me and its hard not to share. This weekend I will be celebrating my 5 year wedding anniversary and while I have known my husband a long time- a total of 10 years- this 5 year mark feels really important to me. When we got married we both agreed that we weren't quite "wedding" people and because of a very sad and dramatic divorce that had been taking up our attention between my husband's parents we decided that eloping would be the healthiest way to tie the knot. Of course it had to be on the beach and far away from our everyday life- so we make the trek up the coast to Monterey. And early in the morning on September 7th, with a bright blue sky and warm weather, we exchanged vows on the beach- with an officiant and the photographer acting as our witness- we were married. We then made our way up hwy 101 through the coast of California and Oregon exploring tiny towns and enjoying an escape from our daily lives. We ended up in my hometown on the Oregon coast and celebrated with family- a time that I still wish that time could have lasted forever!

Looking back I have such fond memories, memories of feeling so strong, so united and wonderfully naive about the future.

(insert big sigh here)

The last five years have been a strange combination of wonderful bliss and lots of challenges. Trials that we never planned for or expected, an unusual amount of drama and intense personal struggles that have come our way and honestly have not seemed to stop. As I reflect on what it means to be devoted and bound to another person that you love, I cannot help but feel a strong sense of pride in what we have overcome in just 5 years. Through the highs and lows my husband and I have held fast to each other and never given up on one another and our union. In a world where love seems fleeting and marriages often brief, I am inspired to never, ever, ever, EVER give up on this thing we started 10 years ago. My husband continues to be my favorite person around, my best friend and sometimes VERY annoying (but in a good way), an inspiration and a kindred spirit- my dear Andy has my heart forever.

I will be signing off for the weekend to take some time to just hang with my guy :) Happy three days to everyone!

How Connected We Are

There is nothing better than making a new friend! When I quit my job back in June to work for myself, my biggest fear was that I would not make any new friends, never leave my studio and slowly turn into a hermit! I really should have been worried about other things like making a living but I am happy to say my fears have not come true! In fact I have been more social in the last three months than I ever could have imagined! Last weekend my husband and I ran into Edie- an art friend from New York who took one of my online classes. She happened to be vacationing in San Diego and happened to recognize me as we were walking into a Del Mar bagel shop for breakfast (after getting super rockstar front row parking- which by the way, almost never happens for us in Del Mar!) Long story short- Edie and I ended up going to lunch yesterday and it was wonderful to spend time with another like minded creative soul- we brainstormed, shared creative ideas and ate some really yummy fish tacos. Running into Edie reminded me how connected we are as a creative community, how important it is to get out of the studio and how wonderful it it to make new friends...THANK YOU EDIE!!

there are those days...

There are those days as an artist that things just click and everything seems to fall into place- today was one of those days for me.  Back when I was in college and working on assignments for painting classes these moments happened very often and would seem to come at the very last minute and when a project was due a certain kind of creative madness, an inspired rush of energy always came late in the night! Unfortunately that era is long gone and there are no assignments to draw inspiration from- boy do I miss those days- now it is just me finding inspiration and new ideas on my own! Thankfully something magical happened in my studio today, something I can only explain as an onslaught of motivation combined with euphoria- where color feels extra vibrant, where there are almost too many ideas and time falls away- I can only compare the feeling to good run or workout (endorphins?).  While I don't have too many issues with finding inspiration, I SO needed  a day like this!

Wednesday Morning in the Studio

Updates from the Studio

I am happy to announce that the heat induced funk I have been in for a while seems to have lifted today.  While it is still hot here, I just got sick of hearing myself complain and lay around the hot house and FINALLY just made myself go about normal business regardless of the heat! So I spent all morning in the studio working on backgrounds for a new series of original artwork.  Since the last couple of years have been dedicated to painting fabric for purses, accessories and all kinds of creative objects I started to really miss painting pictures that hang on the wall- go figure!! So I will be dedicating some studio time each day to drawing and painting some ideas that I've had on my mind for a while.

I've also been working on some really fun tote bags- yes I will finally have some purses with handles in my etsy shop very soon.  And the best part if that I had a blast working on them today and can't wait to share when they are finished!

There will also be packages of my hand carved stamp added to my etsy shop very soon!

and lots more!!