GARLANDS OF COLOR

I have made three of these garlands.  I used strands of white lights doubled and then simply tie on the

fabric strips.  It creates such a fun explosion of color and even with the lights out, the color is festive.

I hung one above the breakfast nook, one over the kitchen window and the 3rd one I am taking to hang over my art when I do my display this Friday and Saturday at the Whimsical Women of the West Annual Holiday Show.  I will hang some of my art, some of my kitchen towels and nightshirts.. that will be a bright and

colorful display! 

I decked out the house yesterday, the tree is up, the garland hung, and the house is looking really ready for the holidays.  I need to start baking and if I decorate the house, it gets me in the mood.  I love to put my old favorite holiday movies on while I bake.  Or holiday Christmas music.  It snowed yesterday and more is

predicted for today. 

But for NOW
I must jump into my orders.

ta

HI OPA

Yesterday, we stopped by to see Opa's grave site.  I don't always feel his presence here but this was

a big important part of my mother's healing to have his grave and to keep the yellow flowers in place.

Now that Mom no longer lives in the same town as the cemetery, she doesn't get to stop by to visit the grave and to check on the flowers.  An old family friend named John does it.  And it looks like he is doing a great job.  This is how I found the grave with the flowers nicely tucked in place.  You can't even tell they are

fake.  And it does cheer up his resting place. 

As we drove away from the cemetery, I  thought about Dad and how much I miss him.  There seems to

be a void where he once was, and I think we all feel it in the family.  Most of all Mom.  She is adjusting

but it's a daily struggle it seems.  And she often will tell me how much she wishes she could just go to sleep and never wake up.

It's sad to hear, but I understand. 

I tend to embrace my fondest memories of Dad.  How he loved to take naps with Dumas their beloved cat.

And how he was such a funny guy to talk to.  And a good listener.  I miss that about him among other things.

ta Dad..

Hope you and Dumas are talking a nice nap together now in Paradise.

xoxoxox

MORE STUDIO TIME

Yesterday, I was thinking the upcoming Whimsical Women was this weekend.. which launched me into

a panic attack.  But silly me, I was a week early in my head.  So this morning, in my jammies, I started working on more ornaments to add to my stash that I will be taking to sell.

This is wonderful.. a whole week more than I was thinking.  I love it when that happens.

But the art time is done for now,

 and I must step into my order mode and work on getting all my orders completed.

I would like a day "off" tomorrow to get some grocery shopping done and house cleaning.

No big crowds for Thanksgiving, and in fact, I am not cooking a turkey.  We had a turkey dinner last weekend, so I decided to do a nice lasagna for dinner.  It's a working ski day for Dan, and a hearty

lasagna will be wonderful in his eyes.. and his tummy.

NOW
to work to work to work!

today cold blue skies

tomorrow snow

ta

MORE KITCHEN WREATHS

More wreaths..

the first one has small mini molds, wooden spoons & wooden cloths pins, oil cloth bows with bottle cap and buttons.. kind of fun!

the 2nd one

flowers cut from aluminum cans with button centers, and more oil cloth leaves.

Instead of making holiday wreaths, I decided to make recycled fun wreaths that can be used any time.

I used paint cards fromt the paint store cut and punched for tags.  

These will go with my black crows birds to the Whimsical Women Show coming up this Friday night and Saturday.  All the fun will take place at the new 3rd Street Center in Carbondale.  Friday night

is 1st Friday which  always draws a huge crowd of people. 

FUN

but NOW

work starts for the day.

OIL CLOTH WREATH

My original intentions for making these wreaths, was to sell them at Unique Boutique last weekend.  But,

the oil cloth that I ordered came by  slow camel and finally showed up a few days ago.  I love oil cloth and the bright colors.  And I envisioned a wreath made up with various patterns and colors.  I might add more to this.. maybe some old kitchen utensils, etc.  I didn't have an actual wreath to start with.  We live in

a fairly large mtn town, but we haven't any craft stores here.  There are two Wal-Marts here but the craft section has been really cut back.  So for me to drive to a Hobby Lobby or Michael's it's a 3 hour round trip.

I brainstormed walking around the hardware store and  found some foam pipe covers (3/4 inch) diameter and 3 feet long. " pipe insulation"  but how about a wreath shape? 

To give the foam circle strength,  I took a wire hanger shaped it into a circle and used the foam pipe cover to fashion into a wreath. Since the covers are slit they feed onto the wire hanger easily.  I peeled off the yellow tape that covers the sticky so the slit seals.  It worked pretty good, though I would  of rather used a straw wreath, but you can't always get what your want, right?

 The good news, these  foam covers cost only about $4 for 4 for them. So it's a cheap alternative!  I did use low heat hot glue since I was gluing onto to the foam.  I cut out all the leaf shapes, pinched the ends to create more of a leaf shape and stapled three leaves together to form a sprig of sorts.  Then it was just a matter of arranging the leaves artfully and gluing them on.  I want to make 4 total. I can take them over to the art center to sell and also the upcoming Whimsical Women sale I will be in coming up Dec 4th and 5th in Carbondale. 

So that is my quick "art" for this morning.  I must jump into a huge pile of orders..  blessings for the business.

After 5 days of technical difficulties with my Canon Copier, my tech finally got it fixed.  I was really frustrated

and trying to stay positive but with big orders looming over my head, and my production stopped, I was

really going nuts.

okay

NOW!!!

to work

YEAH!

SNOW AND CROWS

It's officially a snowday here.  Woke up to about 5 inches of WET snow.. which by this afternoon, is melting nicely.  I am still recovering from the big sale at Unique Boutique on Saturday.  A lot of work and a very successful day for me.  I was tired and happy by the end of the day.  Yesterday I took a nice long nap and was really enjoying be lazy. 

Today I am waiting on my tech for my copier.. so I decided to list the crows on Etsy.  I sold lots of art,

but not the Crows.  So they are destined for other places.  I am convinced they will sell.. I love the bright colors and know they will be a hit.  I had great intentions of taking lots of pictures at the sale on Saturday, but

I was so busy I didn't have time!  We had a great crowd, the little church ladies were selling cupcakes and cookies right next to my booth space and I admit I had to have some. 

This week is full to the brim with orders and todos.  And I am ready to take another nap!

SMILE

for NOW

ta

CREATING TODAY

Today I jumped into these wooden art crows.  I had found these wooden flower head cutouts at the local thrift shop  awhile back.  They eluded me until this week, when I envisioned crows.. bright and colorful.

I am taking these to the Unique Boutique Saturday to sell along with my Lunar Designs kitchen towels, nightshirts, aprons, etc..  I purposely choose bright cheery colors to compliment my white products that are printed with my colorful designs. I think it will make for a nice mix.  Happy that I was able to get these all done.  I still need to attach the wire back hangers tonight and spray the crows with clear acrylic.  And price them.  Always a hard choice for me, as for many artists I think. 

So in one day, I did a week's worth of early morning art.  It's now almost 4:00 pm, I have some more printing to do for the show on kitchen towels, etc.  And I have absolutely no idea what I am fixing for dinner

this evening.  PLUS I need to go to the store.  Ahh the busy life here.

NOW

a bit more printing.

INSPIRATION FROM ANNE

I walked into my studio early this morning, and the first thing that caught my eye is this collage painting I did several years ago.  I have been wanting to do something to it.. I even played with the idea of gessoing over

it and painting something new allowing the textures of flowers to show through.

But last night, I started reading "Imperfect Birds" by Anne Lamont.  I always feel such a tenderness when I hear her name.  She has such a gift of word and spirit.  Forever my favorite book of hers is

"Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life"

When I opened the book last night, the first thing I read is a poem by James Wright titled

 "A Blessing"

Just off the highway to Rochester, Minnesota,

Twilight bounds softly forth on the grass.

And the eyes of those two Indian ponies

Darken with kindness.

They have come gladly out of the willows

To welcome my friend and me,

We step over the barbed wire into the pasture

Where they have been grazing all the day, alone.

They ripple tensely, they can hardly contain their happiness

That we have come.

They bow shyly as wet swans.  They love each other.

There is no loneliness like theirs..

At home once more,

They begin munching the young tufts of spring in the darkness.

I would like to hold the slenderer one in my arms,

For she has walked over to me

And nuzzled my left hand.

She is black and white,

Her mane falls wild on her forehead,

And the light breeze moves me to caress her long ear

That is delicate as the skin over a girl's wrist.

Suddenly I realize

That if I stepped out of my body I would break

Into blossom.

There are times when I read something, that my heart just leaps into the words.  And I want to read it over and over again.  I want to print it out and paste it on the wall so I can be touched by this brief beauty that

surrounds me like a mother's loving arms.

So I decided to add the words to the piece.  It's what it's been waiting for.

It's what I have been waiting for. 

Thank you Anne Lamott for bringing me this touching moment.

And I haven't even really begun the book.  I am sure it will be

wonderfully Anne.

So this is my ART for day 5 of AEDM.

NOW

I have a huge pile of orders to tackle.

gratefully.

CLEANSING BREATH EVERYONE

Just finished these two sweet kitty ornaments..  making lots to go to the art center for the Winterfest

show that I am going to be in.  It's such a great place to holiday shop!

I had to figure out a way to display these.  VERTICALLY!  So yesterday I ran out to Habitat for Humanity Restore and found a white shutter door.. it's the perfect size to hang on the wall and hook on my

ornaments. And BEST, all doors where 1/2 off so I got it for $5.  I am heading over later this

morning to set up my display and will take a picture to post later.  The show hangs till Christmas

so it's a great place to sell and not have to be there everyday! 

I just need to do as much as possible for the 3 shows I am in.

Can someone tell me how to clone myself!?

Or not sleep!?

NOW

more art.

:)

and oh,

I am breathing FRESH CLEAN AIR this morning.

Isn't it wonderful?  Can you smell that clean fresh air?

Like the air after a wonderful rain?

BREATH DEEP!

because.....

NO MORE POLITICAL BASHING>

Thank God!

we are over that for awhile.

phew!

SANTA CLAWS

this cat just had to become a christmas design.

a doodle cat

with attitude

xoxo

HOLIDAY ORNAMENTS DOGGIE STYLE

WUF Day 2

Appropriate that I do these dog ornaments.  I spent the morning taking both our dog and cat to the vet for the yearly exam and shots.  Marley weighs 84 pounds..  phew... and Willie is a neat 14 pounds..

Both are healthy and fine so it was a good vet's visit.

I have some of these old star shaped jello molds, and decided they would be fun dogs/cats for ornaments.

I haven't done the cats yet.. though I have sketched some ideas how to do them.

I am using bottle caps for the eyes, assorted metal for the ears and tongue and the noses are beads.

I am doing ART everyday for the Novemeber ART challenge..so this is day 2.

TA for  now.