Fabric Bags and A Needle Case

A little while back I was playing around with some freehand stitch drawing.

At first, I thought about making them into cuffs but I just wasn't feeling inspired to get them completed.  Yesterday, I had the urge to dye some felt fabric and as soon as I steamed it to set the color, I suddenly knew that I wanted to combine the lovely felt with the freehand stitching.  I badly needed a needle book.  I've been using a tiny piece of felt to hold my needles forever!  I also used a couple of my handmade ceramic charms.  The old wedding ring quilt piece was was of my best finds ever, found on Ebay.  It was in perfect condition, with gorgeous hand quilting and lovely colors and construction....except for a large chunk someone had cut out, presumably to make pillows or something.  I couldn't believe someone had CUT this gorgeous link to the past.  If I had to guess, it's circa 30's or 40's.  But, on the other hand, I could NEVER have cut it myself so, since it was already cut, I purchased it for $45.  I thought that was a steal!!!  I have the whole quilt except for the cut-out chunk and the few pieces I have used!  Here's the needle book:

The pages inside the needle book are the felt that I dyed yesterday, the sky blue and peach pages.  Next up, I made several little bags, also using the felt and handstiched little characters.  My felt is in the center background of each bag.

Here are the backs:

I still have so much to do getting ready for Nashville!!  Dolls to finish, wood to cut, but things are coming together as they always do right at the end!  I am almost ready on pendants.  I will post them individually after I get all the pictures done but here is the group going to Nashville:

I put 3 on Ebay.  Click HERE to go to see them.  They are the only ones that will be available until I get back in April.
Thank you guys for reading my posts and always being the fantastic, supportive group that you are!  I love you all!

Getting Ready for Art Is You in Nashville!!!

I am so excited about  Art Is...You, Nashville !!  For the very first time, I get to teach in my own part of the country!  As you may know, I generally teach on the West coast.  Last September, I had the privilege of teaching at Art Is...You in Petaluma and Benecia, CA.  I found the whole retreat to be well organized, well attended, and just all around FUN!!!  I am so pleased to be teaching again with these fine people and I hope you will be able to join me there!  The teacher list is wonderful, check out all the details with the link above.
I have started keeping things aside exclusively for that event.  The Trunk Show and Sale is open to the public, whether you attend the retreat or not, so stop on by...but I do encourage you to take some classes, hang out with us, laugh and just generally TREAT YOURSELF!  You deserve it!

These pendants will be going!

Something I'm working on this morning (also to go to Nashville!).  I'll post them finished at a later time!

I will only be releasing a very few things before Nashville (April) so here's a little heads up on a few pendants currently available (and 1 small painting).  The listing closes tomorrow night (Sunday, Feb. 17th).  Here are a couple of pictures of the available items:

One final thing!  A painting I just finished last night!  The text reads:  "But there are little girls with whom she is on a friendly basis for as much as a week at a time"!

Thank you for stopping by and reading my blog!!!

Rod's Pennies of Wisdom, II

As you may know if you have read my blog over time...my family LOVES to laugh!  My brother, Rod has a form of autism.  He does not see himself as disabled in any way.  He goes to work every day and leads a fantastic life!  He once told me about his "Pennies of Wisdom" in an earlier post and every time he says something truly funny, I think to myself, "these things are priceless"!!  I have two Pennies to share (and I am SO thankful!!).

Rod, tonight in talking about his church:  "I love my church.  It's just like my family, only they know me there!"  He's in his 40's....I think we know him!!  LOL

The second one:  We had snow here yesterday.  Since Rod doesn't do so well driving in unusual conditions, my dad took him to work.  On the way there Rod realized that he had forgotten his glasses.  Dad asked, "Do you have to have them to work?"...Rod's answer...."No, I'll get by.  I see fine on the weekends!"

Hahaaaaaa!  Laughing is THE best thing.  I know bad things happen, we have had plenty of those things over time with 4 children, but if you can find the humor in life, you are a blessed person.  I hope you can find something humorous in your own life and pass that humor on to others who may need it!

I am working on so many things currently.  Some secret, some ready to show you!  I found some small Italian metal frames, circa 1930.  I wanted to "recycle" them using my own art.  Even though Marcella looks sad, she will cheer right up when she finally gets to play with her dollies!

I so appreciate you all coming over to read the odd things that are in my head!  LOL

Hello 2013!!

As we say goodbye to 2012, I wanted to take a moment to tell each and every one of you how much I appreciate your support and the constant love you all freely give.  I never cease to be amazed at the thoughtfulness of my wonderful friends, both cyber and real-life!

Over on FaceBook, I did a quick post about two small books that I put together featuring my 2012 paintings and a few dolls and pendants.  The purpose of the book (in the small square version) is to take to NY later this month to give to prospective clients but I offered to have extras printed if anyone was interested.  I must say, you guys overwhelmed me with your support!!!  I have the lists of everyone who wanted to preorder and I have decided before I place this big order, I really need to preview the book and make sure I got it all just right.  Today, I will order a copy of both books, preview them and then place the big order.  So, instead of one week as I originally said, it will probably be closer to two.  I hope that's ok with everyone but I'd rather give you a GREAT product than a fair product so I need that ordering/shipping time.  For anyone who didn't see the post and wants on the list, the small book is 7" x 7" and $26.  The larger version (which contains a few extra pictures) is 8" x 10" and $36.  I wish I could do better on the pricing but this time around, that's the best deal I could find.  All copies will be signed.

We spent Christmas up in New England with my husband's family.  It was a lovely, relaxed time with family and friends.  I found time to draw and do a little painting, as well!  Here are a few things I did while lazing around and eating too much!

I'm so excited to see what 2013 will bring.  Thank you all for your kindness and support this past year.  I love you all!  Happy New Year!

Ho Ho Ho!!!

Wow, not only has Christmas gotten here with lightening speed, the entire year has truly flown by!  I have stayed super busy lately.  I started making my ceramic pendants at the beginning of 2012.  I would love to know how many I have made since then!  I'm sure I would be astounded at the number.  I recently sat down to sculpt and started making pendants based on drawings in my journal (you all know how I love my idea journal!!).  Here is how one turned out.

The dollies continue to evolve into their own little individual personalities.  I love making them and feel like I'm sending my babies out into the world every time I make that Post Office trip!

Here are a couple of recent paintings, as well.  This first one has 2 layers.  The front layer is raised off the second layer, making it about 1 1/2" thick.  The face and body are sculpted from epoxy clay.

The antique white areas on the painting below were made with MaryBeth Shaw's Wood Icing.  I LOVE this product!  I also used one of her stencils to make the design.  The Wood Icing adds amazing texture.  You can paint over it or leave it plain.  I did a little of both, leaving the middle plain and slightly tinting the outer edges.

I hope you are all having a wonderful Christmas season.  I have many more things underway to show you so I'll be seeing you soon!!  Merry Christmas!

What???!!! I haven't posted since August?!

I have been neglecting my blog!  I didn't realize it had been that long since I last posted.  I work everyday and sometimes forget to stop long enough to take care of the "other" things!

I taught at Art Is...You in Benecia and Petaluma, CA last month.  What a great, well organized, fun event it was!  The student work was fantastic and it was so amazing to meet in person a lot of people whom I talk to online daily!  Here are a few pictures of the student work from the various classes I taught:

Here's a much better picture of some of the dolls made during the class.  This is from the lovely and talented Diana Frey's Blog.

After I returned, I was notified that I was accepted to teach at the spring 2013 event Art Is...You in Nashville.  YAY!!!  I will finally be teaching in my own part of the country!  One of the classes will be a collaborative class with the phenominal  MaryBeth Shaw!  She is an amazing abstract artist with a style that is completely different than my own so it should be really fun to see how those two different sides of art come together.  I will post a link when the website is updated with the information.  I do know that the dates are April 2-7, 2013.  I will also be teaching at Random Arts in Saluda, North Carolina in early October, 2013.  More on that event soon, as well!

Here are a few new paintings completed in the past couple of weeks:

Plus new pendants and dolls:

Thank you all for checking in and I'll try to update more often.  No more neglecting!  

An Interview and New Paintings

I am so excited!  The lovely Violette Clark did an interview with me for her blog!  I hope you will go over and read it!

I have also finished 3 new paintings this week.  Here they are:

 Some new pendants, as well.  I'm still working on the chains.

The Truth of the Worker Bee

I was just finishing up my day when a thought occurred to me.  I started work this morning at 7:30 and I stopped at 7:30 tonight.  Interesting.  Many, many people work a day like that.  Not that my day is hard...honestly, it's not.  I am blessed to be able to do what I love as a profession.  I'm not working in the hot sun, I'm not taking care of sick people, I'm not rescuing anyone....those are the amazing, hard working, heroic professionals.  I just work.  I realized today that I am a Worker Bee.  I am not a queen...I don't have underlings to bring me food and although I have certainly turned out my share of children, they don't serve me, either!  I just work.  I am so very thankful to my husband for supporting my art and for working in his own "Worker Bee" style to allow me to be able to do what I do.
If you don't have the current ability to be able to spend your time being creative, realize that it's not out of your reach.  I did work a "real" job for many years (and truthfully, I still have a job in our family business that takes a lot of my time, as well) but I always found time for my creativity.  It might be a half hour after the kids went to bed or a couple of weekend hours but I never felt guilty for taking time to do the things that pulled at my heart.  I have always felt that a happy mother/wife/friend/sister makes the people around her happier, too.  Eventually, I was able to spend a little more time and (hopefully) develop my skills and produce more art so that I could extend my art into a profession.  I am so thankful to all of you who read my posts, buy my art and support me emotionally.  Even though I have said in the past that I would still need to produce art even if no one was interested, the truth is that I make art for all of you even more than I make it for myself.  Thank you ALL for your kind words and support.
OK...so, I'll never be the Queen.....I'm okay with that.  Actually, I am PROUD of my status as a Worker Bee.  God has given me the ability to create and I hope to serve that role as long as I am allowed.  xoxo

Today's work:

Also, I finished 3 new Mermieees.  I am still working on their hand-quilted/beaded tails.  I will have them in the Etsy shop at 4 o'clock (Central) on Sunday, along with a couple of other pendants.  Here's a little preview of the others:

I will do a Facebook post with the new Mermieees before I put them in the shop for those of you who use FB.

I love, love you guys!!!  xoxo