art in my box

Christmas Kitties

2010-12-14T08:30:00.016-07:00

This Christmas my art group has been up to lots of good things! Last month we got together and created the most AMAZING woodland tree you've ever seen. Seriously. Look at it for pete's sake! We felted and glued and chatted and painted all day creating this tree to donate to an auction for a local charity for children in Salt Lake called the Christmas Box House.

We also made some stuffed kitties the month before with Lorraine that turned out so well she is auctioning them off tomorrow on her blog. The auction will benefit the Haiti Gospel Relief Fund (100% of donations) and is a great cause for Christmas this year. So head on over the Lorraine's (who, by the way is one of the most amazing women you will ever meet!) and bid on these darling kitties who need a home!

explorer club

2010-06-21T17:58:00.005-07:00

How adorable are these? I've acquired a few extra explorers over the past week and we've been having a blast! This week is color week and we talked about Vincent van Gogh and did self-portraits today. Notice Tyler has a mustache (???) The Olsen kids just shaved their heads last night (in anticipation of the Avatar movie) so their portraits look a little funny without hair, but I was pretty happy overall with how it went and can't wait for our color hike tomorrow!

a day with the gals and other stuff

2010-06-07T12:53:00.008-07:00

I'm sorry for such a long absence--no, actually. I'm really not. I'm kind of a lame blogger and I should just own up to it. Okay. There. I said it. I really have had technical difficulties, though (camera problems)! Anyway, I had the best time last month with some of my art group gals up in Sugarhouse. We took a tour of darling Diana's amazing house and art studio and then did some fun shopping. Here's a look:

Could you die over that green cabinet??

Sorry, that's kind of a lot of pictures--but I couldn't decide! They are all so awesome! Those "stained glass windows" were done by Diana with some of those colored clear glass stones you get at the craft store--so clever! And that organizer made out of a drawer is on my list of things to make in my own studio. We had such a blast together and are so grateful to Diana for opening her home to us--you are amazing!!!
I've also finished another couple of months on my calendar. Well, May is pretty sparse, but I'm back on the wagon for June. April is inspired by one of my favorite Vincent van Gogh paintings called "Almond Blossoms". From now on I've decided to take Teesha Moore's idea of journaling/calendaring and use bigger spaces for each day and only do black ink. It's been a lot more fun because I can doodle and draw more!

Anyway, next Monday is the beginning of Explorer Club, so I'll post about that and how it goes...Happy Day to you!

Explorer's Club

2010-03-16T13:36:00.007-07:00

So, as you know, I am a mother of four boys. And as such, I am always looking for things to keep them engaged (they are moving CONSTANTLY!). During the summers, I usually have some kind of structure during the morning like chores, a workbook, etc. just so things don't fall apart and my kids are still learning during the summer. I've been thinking about this summer and what to do with them and I came across this book:

SO COOL! I wish I'd had this book when I was their age. I am always kind of disappointed my boys don't want to sit and draw and do art all day with me, so I think this is the solution: The Explorer's Club!

This book has lots of different ways to explore, experiment, and discover and think outside the box--I love it! It's still the creativity I love, but they are doing science and in nature and outside! So, my sister Sarah I are doing Explorer Club every morning. I'm using the book as a jump-off point and creating 8 weeks of activities. Each week will have a theme (like water, rocks, space, etc.) and all the activities we do are centered around that theme--Monday is art and music, Tuesday is exploring, Wednesday is Library and research, Thursday is exploring, and Friday we'll go on a field trip somewhere like the capitol or the planetarium or something.

Does this sound ambitious? Probably. My plan is to only do 45 min-1 hour every day except field trips. Anyone else want to join us? I'm currently writing it all up and I'd love for other moms to compare notes with and get good ideas from!

One Down

2010-03-02T14:34:00.006-07:00

This calendar challenge I'm doing has been so fun! Just doing a little square every day has kept me at least doing SOME kind of art daily. I stayed up WAAAYYY too late last night finishing March and watching Medium with John...It just occurred to me that I forgot to put the days of the week in my March page! Hello!

Happy Tuesday!

come out and play

2010-02-22T11:29:00.006-07:00

Have I mentioned how much I love my art group? Yes, I guess I tell you every time I blog about it...sigh...they are such a bunch of amazing talented women I can't stand it! I wish I could hang out with them every day!
So Lori Gardner taught our class last week and we did these fun book cover designs. I'm not much of a needlepointer (is that a word?), but I got kind of hooked on embroidering this birdcage. Watched lots of 24 while I finished it....it's hanging on my art board, but I think it needs to find it's way into a child's room...hmmmm...

scrap journal

2010-02-09T13:59:00.004-07:00

I forgot to post the scrap journal I made for art group last month. I got the idea from Mary Ann Moss--she has such cool journal ideas. I wanted something with a simpler cover so I used an 8X12 manilla envelope for the cover (instead of using fabric) and covered that with paper. It turned out so awesome!
I had a BLAST sewing on paper--that is SO FUN! The inside has random pieces of scraps I sewed, stamped, and taped together. (by the way, I found this neat tape website that has lots of amazing decorative tapes)
Then I just sewed up the middle and voila! cool journal! Go make one yourself!

stolen recipes

2010-02-03T09:20:00.008-07:00

I had this recipe book my mom gave to me and my sisters (so we would stop calling her and asking her for recipes). I loved all the recipes my mom gave me, but I hated the cover. So I tried to alter it with paint and cool stamps. It was ruined by lots of use and the whole thing started falling apart. So I had all these cool ideas for an altered cookbook--but none of them were very functional! I've seen lots of people do these spectacular scrapbook-like recipe books but they aren't very practical and would take me FOREVER with all the recipes I have! I wanted something I could easily add to (because I am forever printing out Ina Garten's awesome stuff!). So, I went the practical route, knowing I can always figure out something cooler later on. I bought a binder that is rubber (try to ruin that with sticky fingers!) and did a super simple sheet protector-print-them-out-from-my-computer format. Simple!
I titled it "Stolen Recipes" because pretty much NONE of them are my original idea. Maybe someday I can think of something cooler....anyone have any better ideas?
The first recipe I'm going to make is this:
From one of my favorite blogs--in fact, my sister-in-law, Candice made it last week! Go visit her cute blog and see how talented she is...

seeds of joy!

2010-01-31T17:39:00.010-07:00

Okay, so who forgot to tell me about chocolate-covered sunflower seeds? Hello? I picked up a pack at Borders Books a couple of days ago and have already eaten the whole thing (don't tell Kristi)! Delicious. Now I have two favorite chocolate indulgences: chocolate covered cinnamon bears and sunflower seeds. Maybe anything covered in chocolate is good....

Anyhow, when I was at Borders I picked up the new copy of Somerset's Journaling and was SO inspired! I've decided that's really what i love to do. So I went to one of the artist's blogs--her name is Kate Crane and I love her style.

She is hosting a calendar challenge for this year that I joined and it's going to keep me journaling! Love it! If you want to join, click HERE. It would be so fun! Do it! Do it!

New page....

imagine yourself as a house....

2009-12-17T12:28:00.004-07:00

Some more about houses..... It seems like this year is about houses. I just moved and FINALLY feel settled in. I even have a place to create now, which I am so grateful for! So I was going through boxes and I pulled out an old blog entry I printed off last year from Melody Ross's blog. It was just the right moment for me to read it. For awhile, I've felt like I've just been treading water and not moving in any direction and have been apathetic and not sure about some things. After I read this, I've been doing some good house cleaning (inside). In the scriptures the Lord tells us to "Organize yourselves, prepare every needful thing; and establish a house, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God." (D&C 88:119) I have felt an urgency to do this for myself and my family...weeding through the excuses I give myself for not doing something, or completing a project or goal--or just not being my best self.

So--enough of that! I have made some great changes in the last couple of months and feel such happiness and motivation. I've made a great new friend in my neighborhood named Kristy who has made me see I can accomplish whatever I want and is always there encouraging me--she ROCKS!

Back to the house analogy. If you get a moment, read Melody's blog entry (Closing for Restoration). It takes awhile, but well worth the read. It's a great thing to think about at the beginning of a new year. I have swept out many things that have kept my house from being a house of order and faith and have seen amazing changes in myself and the people around me (especially my family!)--facing hard things and being brave.
Ok, got to go get all that Christmas stuff done--8 more days till Christmas!
MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Goodbye Room no. 5

2009-08-27T13:51:00.014-07:00

It seems like this year has been a lot of closing doors for me. Saying goodbye to houses that were meaningful in my life (3 so far). Last week John and I went with my parents to my grandparent's house on Lake Winnepesaukee in New Hampshire for the last time....I still can't believe I'll probably never go there again. I went there with my cousins almost every summer growing up--the memories that I have of that place (some wonderful, some not so wonderful) are so much a part of me that I can't believe it's just MEMORIES now.

This house on the lake is so amazing. It's on a point on the lake that has an unbelievable view and is over a hundred years old! There is all this beautiful architecture and craftsmanship--but it's falling apart. And that's why they are tearing it down next week. My grandparents are gone now and someone else owns the place and they will build something bigger and better...but it won't ever be the same.

Every year we would come and each of us had a special room that was "ours". Mine and my older cousin Shannon's was room number 5. The main house has an "L" with 5 small bedrooms . Ours was on the end. It had this beautiful antique yellow furniture and it's own sink in the corner. I loved staying up late at night and talking with Shannon. She was like an older sister to me and I looked up (and still do) to her so much! We would swim in the lake, waterskii, go antiquing, and ALWAYS eat gingerbread men from the Yum Yum shop. ( As a side note, I think I gained at least 10 pounds last week from frequenting that establishment too much...) Good times, good times.

In the end, I didn't realize how hard it would be for me to say goodbye. As I sat in room number 5 for the last time and remembered all the great times I had in that wonderful house and shed a few tears--I felt my grandmother there for a moment. The house isn't the same without her....

GOODBYE house. Goodbye room no. 5. I will miss you.

This is a picture of my mom and me in the lake on my first trip to Winnepesaukee when I was 3 months old.

jump baby jump!

2009-05-07T10:19:00.007-07:00

My Joseph was so good yesterday afternoon jumping around in his seat I actually completed an art project! That's a first in a long time.... I started this project in art group (the only place I usually get ANYTHING done). Sorry the picture is not very good, I was in a hurry. We were doing Kelly Rae Roberts techniques and I tried those oil sticks (yuck!) and because of my lack of time, didn't finish. I love oil paint, but find the oil sticks to be a little difficult to work with when you are trying to do something so detailed. So I just finished in acrylics (which I also don't love).... The texture of the papers underneath were really challenging and I had a hard time with it, but I really like the finished product and I even think I want to do more of them...maybe a queen bee or a twisted sister or something.....

she cooks she cleans she wears mom jeans

Do you YuDu?

2009-05-01T07:33:00.004-07:00

My sweet friend Lori introduced our art group last week to the coolest new product: the YuDu silkscreen machine! She is the art director for Provo Craft and got us all set up with machines and excellent guidance. I haven't done silkscreening since I was teaching and I forgot how fun it is. I did a project for my mom (I'll have to post it later so she doesn't see it yet!) and this apron. I didn't quite get the color mixing the way I wanted (GUNMETAL is my newest fav color), but I really like how it turned out.

I think if I could practice a little and work out the kinks, I could YuDu all day long! As my friend Emily said, "Mama like the YuDu"....
This lovely picture is by the great Cheryl Burton.

Hey Mr. Lincoln

2009-02-16T15:09:00.004-07:00

"America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves."
-Abraham Lincoln

my happy valentines

2009-02-14T15:28:00.003-07:00

"What is that, Christopher?" (there are 4 of his favorite trains wrapped up in paper and an excessive amount of tape)

"It's my happy valentines"

"Happy valentines?"

"Ya, Mom, for you!"

"You're giving me your trains for valentines?"

"Well, not for tomorrow, just last night" (??)

Who, I ask, can resist such an offering?

Happy Valentines!

love

2009-02-12T22:47:00.005-07:00

i carry your heart with me (i carry it in
my heart) i am never without it (anywhere
i go you go, my dear; and whatever is done
by only me is your doing, my darling)
i fear
no fate (for you are my fate, my sweet) i want
no world (for beautiful you are my world, my true)
and it's you are whatever a moon has always meant
and whatever a sun will always sing is you

here is the deepest secret nobody knows
(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud
and the sky of the sky of a tree called life; which grows
higher than soul can hope or mind can hide)
and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart

i carry your heart (i carry it in my heart)

e. e. cummings

happy valentines day! i hope it's spent with the ones you love best!

down with christmas

2009-01-07T23:18:00.005-07:00

Don't you hate taking christmas decorations down? My house was sad yesterday when I reluctantly took down my glass ball wreath and wrapped up the christmas ornaments, unplugged the sparkly lights and put away the nativity my mom gave me. It seems so empty in my house now. But my head is full of happy resolutions for this coming year--don't you love starting over? Last year was difficult for a lot of reasons for me and I'm looking forward to putting the old behind me and making some real changes.
One of them is to create SOMETHING every day. That's a lot easier than is sounds, isn't it? Well, for me right now anyway. We have TWELVE people living at my house right now. Yes, twelve. My sister in law and brother in law and their kids are living with us while they find a house (they just moved from North Carolina) and it's been so fun. Busy and loud and fun altogether. They're the best houseguests ever. Anyway, what are your new year's resolutions?

I'm back!

2008-12-30T18:29:00.004-07:00

I'm sorry I've been so neglectful of this blog. I wish I had a better reason for such a long absence, like solving world hunger or helping orphans in cambodia.....well, I guess being a mom to a new baby isn't such a bad reason....but I really have missed being creative! My resolve was strengthened when I got THIS in the mail today:

It's the "Somerset in Love" magazine I'm in with amazing artsy gals like Marilyn Healey, Kim Kwan, Teresa McFayden, Tammy Gilley, and Helle Greer! It turned out great and made me want to do another book swap! Or paint something! Or paste things together! Or alter SOMETHING!! This week while I'm snowed in, I'm going to make some herbal tea (sugar cookie sleigh ride is my current favorite) and take the time to get those creative juices flowing again!

merry christmas

2008-12-15T13:44:00.004-07:00

i am typing this one-handed with sweet little joseph in the other thanking my lucky stars for all i have. i hope this christmas season finds you with those you love, remembering the best gift that christ gave us so long ago....
merry christmas!
(thanks, lisa, for taking this adorable photo!)

My Latest and Greatest Creation

2008-10-10T16:25:00.008-07:00

He's here! He's finally here in all his glory:
Joseph Marriott Elton, 7 lbs. 1 oz., born October 3rd
I am a mother of four boys. Amazing. Incredible. Miraculous.
I am watching patiently for the things I'm supposed to learn. I am happy, tired, joyful, overwhelmed, blissful, exhausted, all rolled together....but most of all grateful for this little life God has placed in my hands...

may I brag a little?....

2008-09-21T21:14:00.004-07:00

I am so excited to finally tell you about a special edition Somerset magazine I'm going to be a part of--- I told you at the beginning of the year about the fabulous group of artists I was doing a Vintage Valentine Book round robin with...well, Somerset is printing a magazine just about us and our little project! It's called "Somerset in Love" I am more than amazed that I am in such talented company (you'll recognize all their names)--it's my first time being published so let me brag just a little.....

The ad came out in Somerset Life this month and this is what it looks like:

Holy Cow! My book is even in the ad (the one underneath)!!!

Peachy traditions

2008-09-16T13:29:00.005-07:00

I can't believe it's peach season again. I don't know about where you are, but in my town it's a big deal. We all stop at the farmer's markets and roadside stands and buy boxes of peaches to eat and bottle and make pies....

Bottling peaches is kind of a lost art nowadays. It's always been a tradition in my family and I love being with my mom and sisters talking and peeling and blanching and cooking and talking and talking and talking.....one of my favorite parts is seeing the peaches right after they've been blanched and peeling the skin off to reveal that AMAZING red and orange and yellow color that is so yummmy! The whole kitchen ends up messy and sticky and smelling wonderful with bottles and bottles of peaches in amber liquid. This year, I have to give credit to my valiant sister-in-law, Sandi, who did the majority of the peaches because I'm so pregnant. (By the way, did I mention only TWO MORE WEEKS?!!!!)

Anyway, was that too much information about peaches? Probably. Do you have traditions in your family that you love?

Happy Fourth!

2008-07-10T19:02:00.006-07:00

Hope you all had a great fourth of July! I LOVE the fourth of July....The fourth is always special in our family because it's my sweetie John's birthday and this year was his 40th!! We had a really fun party for him with all the Eltons and Marriotts at a pool next to my parent's house. Lots of food, swimming, snow cones, pina coladas, and fireworks after dark made it super fun! We only had one kid throw up and one major injury on the waterslide--what a success!
Hope your fourth was as wonderful as mine and you remembered with gratitude the people who made our freedom and liberty possible....

Artnest again....

2008-06-30T11:31:00.004-07:00

Another blissful artnest...... I actually couldn't go for the whole experience, but Julie and Candice were nice enough to let me come for a day up to their Artnest in Park City last weekend! Marilyn Healey and I went up together and I got to see old friends (like Maija!) and make some new ones.....the class was Carla Sondheim's "Practicing Whimsy" class. Now I have to say that under normal circumstances I usually HATE watercolor because of it's unforgiving nature (I like a good medium that I can wipe off or erase or paint over!) but it was a lot of fun and very enlightening. Unfortunately, it was mostly a class I learned in and didn't finish anything of showable quality--mostly due to the fact that I spent way to much time searching for a Diet Dr. Pepper that afternoon (which Park City seems to not like or know about yet)! I did, however, learn some valuable things about watercolor and I had a blast doing line drawings. I don't do that enough anymore...
Here are some pictures of the fun artist sale we had that evening. I bought the cutest elephant from Carla I'm going to hang in my boys' room. It was so fun to browse around and see the goodies everyone brought. Look at the amazing sparkly beautiful things Marilyn was selling! Her packaging is so cute you don't want to open it!

So, blah blah blah. I am babbling...sorry. My house is up for sale and we've had so much interest, which is great! but I am cleaning my house every day to show it and I am going crazy not doing anything else! Somebody just buy it for pete's sake! We actually have one offer in and hopefully it will work out and I can move and do some art before I have this baby! Have a happy day!

sharpie heaven

2008-06-02T14:27:00.004-07:00

Am I the only one who drools when they see a sharpie marker? I am known in my family for strange things such as this...so for my birthday last week my sweet sister Sarah bought me a HUGE pack of sharpie markers! They have sat on my worktable and made me smile every day! So far, though, the only thing I have used them for is to write my phone number on our "for sale" sign in front of our house. But once I get in the groove of summer I have many "sharpie" moments planned.... What do you use sharpies for?

Guess What?

2008-05-16T10:17:00.003-07:00

It's a boy again! I can't believe it! Well, no I guess I can. Everyone kept telling me this was a girl, but it wasn't in the cards. That's okay. I LOVE my boys and would probably be a little nervous about having a girl. They seem a little hormonal.....:)

My art group had the best time last night experimenting with encaustic wax! I was surprised by how much fun it was and how much I liked the look of it. We dipped ribbon, string, paper, metal, photos--whatever we had--and the stuff we made turned out pretty cool if I do say so myself!

long overdue......

2008-04-29T09:02:00.019-07:00

I'm back! Phew! I hope I'll never feel like that again! I think the worst I could ever feel is not wanting to do any art--it really made me sick to think about it! Anyway, me and my big tummy haven't done a lot of crafty stuff lately but to prove I am back on track I actually went to my art group last night--wow did I miss those ladies! They welcomed me back with smiles and open arms and I was glad to be back in the groove. My lovely friend Cheryl Tempest Burton showed us all how to wire wrap and we got to browse all her UNBELIEVABLY beautiful jewelry she's been making lately...

I KNOW my Artnest report is LONG overdue, but I want to show a couple of pictures (that's unfortunately about all I took!)of the lovely ladies I met there and some stuff I managed to make.
First of all, let me give a disclaimer that those who met me at Artnest did not see my best me--I was quite sullen and grumpy I'm sure and they were very sweet to put up with me! I am always amazed that stuffing 23 or so women in that cabin in close quarters never brings out the worst! Everyone is always kind and sharing and we had so much fun sharing art ideas and personal stories and I walk away with many new friends.
Our wonderful hostesses Candice and Julie once again thought of every sweet, comfortable, lovely detail for our stay.
This time it was a wintery wonderland outside--I love how beautiful Utah is in the wintertime.... .

Our amazing artists were Anahata Kahtkin, Pam Garrison, and Amy Hanna. I loved soaking up all their creativity and getting to know them better. Amy Hanna is hilarious! I have to admit, however, that I suck at jewelry making and am announcing my retirement.:)

Here are some glimpses of what I made:
Incidentally, the "Grow" image looks just like my sister-in-law Jennifer--if she were looking sour and had a black wig on! hee hee

(My book is back left)

I especially enjoyed Anahata's class. She's groovy! She did such a great job of helping us all forget our inhibitions and just put stuff down on that canvas!

After a couple of days of intense art making, everyone went out on the snowmobiles and had some crazy fun...

(that's Maija, Amy, and Julie)
The last night we had this scrumptious catered candlelight dinner and a vendor's night. It was so sparkly and girly and was so much fun!
What a wonderful time! Thanks to all my sweet friends I met at Artnest!

Sorry

2008-03-27T17:23:00.002-07:00

Okay, Okay! I KNOW it's been 2 months since I've posted! SO MUCH has happened to me in those months and I'll do a better post and give more details later, but here's the deal-- I'm PREGNANT!! I very unexpected turn of events and it hasn't left me feeling very artsy (I am nautious (sp.?) 24 hours a day and hopefully in the next couple of weeks I'll feel better). So, be patient and I promise I'll post cool pictures of artnest and maybe do a name-my-baby contest (if it's a boy I'm running out of ideas...three is all I can come up with)!

chocolate

2008-01-08T12:43:00.000-07:00

Did anyone else eat too much chocolate over the holidays?? Fess up! Man, my middle tells me I certainly did! But if I didn't eat too much over the holidays, what good would new year's resolutions be?! One of the young women I teach at church is "giving up" something every month this year and chocolate is this month. Anyone else want to join me? I have to say I don't think it's necessarily good for women to not have at least a little chocolate every day, so, we'll see what happens....
Sweet Marilyn invited me to do a vintage valentine round robin book and I'm having so much fun! I was out of town for a week and a half in Palm Springs (playing golf!!) and I'm a little behind, so she's given me an extra couple of days (thank you!) and I'll post it when I'm done... I'm excited to get something from the very talented Kim Kwan very soon... back to madly painting and gluing sparkly stuff!

my boys

2007-12-12T12:30:00.000-07:00

My friend Lisa is turning out to be quite the photographer and she snapped these adorable photos of my kids the other day (thanks again, Lis). Doesn't every mom burst with pride when they see cute pictures of their kids? I feel so blessed to have these three sweet, rambunctious, funny, talented, curious, fast, thoughtful, amazing boys in my life. Sometimes when things get hairy I forget how much they mean to me....forget to trust the process of life and learn what God has sent me here to learn (okay, so it's PATIENCE for those of you who don't know me)--which they are a great part of....so this beautiful Christmas season, wrap your arms around your kids (or nieces and nephews, siblings and family) and tell them how much they mean to you. Merry Christmas!

O Christmas Tree

2007-11-30T17:30:00.000-07:00

Here is a glimpse of my tree....my kids think it looks like Dr. Seuss...maybe it does but it makes me happy every time I look at it!

Straight to christmas

2007-11-26T16:27:00.000-07:00

I'm skipping Thanksgiving and moving straight to Christmas! Too much going on last week .... family ..... turkey ..... kid projectile vomiting all over the car ..... 2 1/2 hour funeral .... more family .... anyway--I'm so excited for Christmas! I've already put up most of our decorations and we're getting our tree tonight. My friend Deb gave me a great idea for a really fun tree this year--bright colors....flocked tree...happy and fun...

Our trip up to the cabin a couple of weeks ago was great! Lots of making projects and eating and talking and more eating and creating and eating and staying up WAY too late....so fun! I didn't finish as much as I wanted to, but I worked on my altered recipe book and did this cute Christmas tape book from a kit Candice put together. Julie brought up some vintage Christmas houses and I got so inspired I actually built one when I got home (no easy feat, although I thought it would be) and I'm almost finished with it....

Some of my art group at Candice's cabin--I love these girls!!

Okay, just so Candice isn't mad for me not posting pictures of Thanksgiving....here are some highlights. She is such a graceful hostess and wonderful friend.....

Who is that woman with her hands in the turkey? Grandma!
My boys...
Rich and Candice....
My little projectile vomiter (notice the ice cream that started it all....)

Me and my sweetie....

I hope all of you had a happy, wonderful holiday!

a case for sewing...

2007-11-09T13:12:00.000-07:00

One of my friends asked me to post pictures of my sewing machine case I did last year in my art group. This sewing machine is very sentimental to me because it's the one my mom taught me to sew on. Well, maybe I should say TRIED to teach me... I'm not that great of a seamstress--I don't like measuring. By the way, can I say once again how much I LOVE my art group. Everyone should have an art group. We were doing projects with modge podge that night and I had this Cezanne paintings book--love his use of color!-and cut out the images I liked best and covered a previously REALLY ugly green sewing machine case. I love how it turned out and I actually display it in my kitchen now!

Next week I am going up to Candice's cabin for a little retreat with my art group and I can't wait! I have a few things, including an altered recipe book I am working on and I'll post all my (hopefully) finished projects!

Happy Halloween

2007-10-31T11:50:00.000-07:00

Leave it to my five-year-old to upstage me! I was finishing the Halloween shadow box I started at my art group last week and William (as usual) wanted to make one as well. I gave him a box and some materials and--voila! I LOVE children's art. They have such a natural sense of color and design. I'll post my box when I get my skeleton from Sherrie (it's a long story).

I also finished my ATC card today for my "Twilight" swap (at the last minute of course!). I wanted the moon to be transparent and it didn't work out, so I just painted it. The picture didn't turn out very well (I'm still waiting for Lisa or Marilyn to give me photography lessons!). It isn't as bumpy and textured as it looks. The poem is from Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet" (it continues on the back of the card):

Give me my Romeo; and, when I shall die,
Take him and cut him out in little stars,
And he will make the face of heaven so fine
that all the world will be in love with night..."

Have a Happy Halloween!

lame-o!

2007-10-14T09:41:00.000-07:00

I've been so lame lately--no creative juices flowing. I guess I've been in a rut. In an attempt to get back in the groove I made this funny little witch. I actually got her photo from some pictures in my grandmother's photo album--is it rude to make silly art out of your ancestors? hmmm.... anyway, she's hanging on my doorknob and makes me smile every time I pass her by!

2007-09-24T14:54:00.000-07:00

Here he is! In all his glory! I wish I could tell you his name (I'm routing for Grant) but his parents are notoriously unable to make any decisions and he is just "baby" for now. Having a new baby in the family makes me think about when my babies were born and how special that was. ... New life... seeing pieces of yourself in someone else.... so much future ahead.... Do you ever wish you could go back and do it over again? Would your path be different?

I was listening to something about creativity today and she was talking about how our lives would be different if other people didn't create things that make a difference in our lives. Like music...art... if we just kept it all inside of ourselves and never changed the world with what God has planted inside of us to create. A painting, a song, a piece of architecture, a book.....

what's inside you?....

Wonder Woman Award

2007-09-19T21:15:00.000-07:00

I have to say whenever someone talks about Wonder Woman I think about about this woman I knew growing up who dressed up as her for the Halloween Carnival one year. Her name was Hannah Gygi and she was the best Wonder Woman I've ever seen (let's just say she filled out that costume pretty well!)! My sweet friend Lisa nominated me for the Wonder Woman award--thanks Lis!--and so I get to choose some women I think very highly of as well:

1. Sister Sarah. You are tough as nails and deflect those bullets of life with your awesome attitude and, of course, silver bracelets of victory! You are someone to be admired!

2. Candice. Now there's a girl who can use her magic lasso! You make people feel good about themselves and are an example of what a mother, friend, artist, entrepreneur, woman should be (with will power and Amazon training, of course!).

3. Julie. You have hair Lynda Carter would be jealous of!--but that's not why I'm nominating you--I am always blown away by the beautiful things you create and you are a woman who finds a lot of joy in life. I admire that.

4. Marilyn. Put on your golden tiara! You have amazing artistic abilities and dedication to becoming the person you want to be. You can make anything sparkle with a little glitter! Thanks for helping me with all my annoying questions....you are my blog mentor...

Now it's your turn to nominate the Wonder Women in your lives!

what's in your studio?

2007-09-10T20:43:00.000-07:00

Candice recently posed the question, What's in your studio? My question is, why doesn't anyone else's seem to be as MESSY as mine? I love my studio/office, but it is pretty small and I seem to be accumulating too much stuff....

I have two sentimental pieces of furniture in my studio: an old carpenter's table from John's grandpa's carpentry shop (I love the height) and a rocking chair I inherited from my grandma. You can barely see the table because there is so much of that stuff on it. On the occasion my studio is clean and I've cleared it off, it is a great size for making things!

This is what's on my worktable today. I am working on a heritage scrapbook album right now. Maybe when I'm finally done I'll post some pages. It has been so interesting to connect all my ancestors together and tell their stories and visually piece together where I came from! This is a page I'm doing about my mom.

One of my favorite things about my studio is my bulletin board. It's HUGE and has things that I've made, quotes and images that inspire me, and right now there is this big bunch of ribbon on it that I keep look at and wanting to make something out of it. I love all the colors together....

Then there's the token can of Diet Coke. . . .

I WAS going to show you the ugly pile of materials, etc that the Comcast guy had to climb over to fix our phone line, but I'm too embarrassed! Maybe another day.....

A quote from Dr. Seuss:
"Today is your day!
Your mountain is waiting.
So...get on your way."

drawing class

2007-09-04T22:53:00.000-07:00

I finished teaching a summer drawing class to 8-12 year-olds a couple of weeks ago and had so much fun! I forgot how much I like to teach kids that age. We focused on pencil drawing and self-portraits. Here are a few of the finished products....

Me and Josh

2007-08-29T13:56:00.000-07:00

Who is that you say? On the front row? Gazing into Josh's eyes and standing RIGHT NEXT TO THE STAGE??? It's me! My sister Jane was so sweet to treat me to front row seats at the Josh Groban concert last night and I had the BEST time--he is so unbelievably talented!! It was so amazing to be right there and screaming and jumping around with 50,000 other girls and being crazy! They even taped the concert last night as his "Awake" concert DVD. Jane and I got lots of camera time, so be sure to look for us when it comes out!

Heart Swap and Halloween

2007-08-20T13:33:00.000-07:00

I'm finally done with my "heart" fatbook swap pages and am sending them off. What a relief! I'm really happy with the result, though. I've been having fun using my iconic symbols from Anahata Katkin's books and, of course, using my beloved glitter (why does it make everything look so wonderful to me?)! The first page has a little window that opens up and has a picture of the Sacre Coeur (sacred heart)--a beautiful sepulchre in Paris that I love!

I am getting a little excited about fall. Anytime I see pumpkin orange or smell a yummy baked apple candle I think "mmmm..." And, as anyone who knows me can attest, I HATE Halloween and look what I just bought last week! Ridiculous. Maybe Julie's love of black Halloween stuff is rubbing off on me! Hmph!

Old Glory

2007-07-25T13:22:00.000-07:00

Okay. Am I the only one whose heart stops when I look at this? My parents have these amazing neighbors who let us use their lifestyles-of-the-rich-and-famous pool whenever we want--it has a waterfall, guest bathrooms, barbque and eating patio, pool toys, and a WATERSLIDE--hello? Anyway, both my little daredevils jumped (well, Tyler actually did a TWIST FLIP!) off the waterfall when we went swimming last week.
I need to get better insurance.

In keeping with the theme this month, I did this fun little patriotic gal "Old Glory". It gave me my glitter fix and was fun to play around with acrylics again. That red in the background is glitter (I bought lots of Martha Stewart glitter on closeout a couple of weeks ago and it's ALL OVER my house now!) and I actually held it up to the light so you could see how cool and shimmery the glitter is!

By the way, my two-year-old just poured glue all over my planner! Am I excused from any future engagements that are stuck together? ;)

Happy 4th!

2007-07-05T21:44:00.000-07:00

Why is the 4th of July my favorite holiday? I absolutely LOVE the 4th! Maybe it's because it's my sweet husband's birthday (appropriate), or because yesterday I sank a 75 (yes 75!) foot putt on the 12th green, or maybe it's because I long to feel patriotic. Remember when America used to always win, when we stuck together when someone tried to gang up on us, that feeling that we live in the greatest country in the world? I love that feeling. I always feel that way on the fourth. My heart swells when the F-16s fly over the parade and when I hear the "star spangled banner" and see fantastic fireworks. My town does the fourth right and I LOVE it!
Happy 4th of July!

Down to Earth

2007-06-27T06:51:00.001-07:00

I have safely landed from my celestial weekend in the beautiful mountains at the Art Nest! It's hard to translate into words how valuable and important this experience was for me. . . I feel like there has been a shift in how I look at my art, myself. It was incredible to be in that place with all those amazingly creative women! Each person brought something different to the mix for our art experience and I feel like I have 20 new friends!
The first night as we all got to know each other better we put out our nests. It was fun because everyone's nest really was a reflection of who they were and where their art talents are.

One of the most fun things was just sitting around in the cabin and talking and laughing with everyone--did we LAUGH!! The last night we were there we were all laughing so hard we were crying!

I learned so much from each class and feel like it's opened me up to do so much more with my art. Our first class was from Misty Mawn doing collage painting. It's always so interesting to me to see each artist's process. I really hated my first painting I did. I kept trying to make it work and after a few hours I just had to scrap it! I almost gave up, but I knew I would feel so frustrated the rest of the day if I didn't try again. Here is what happened:
She is "gracefulness". As I was doing this, I remembered one of my first experiences with a work of art when I was in the Louvre in Paris and saw "Nike of Samothrace". She looked like she was gliding down the staircase, she was so beautiful and graceful!

I love the way Misty is so herself. I think she is such a genuine person. Before I came to art nest I thought her paintings were so sad (I think I even teased her about that--oh dear) but now that I know her a little better I think she is a person who FEELS DEEPLY and I like that about her. She's awesome!

We also had a class from Sally Jean Alexander in jewelry making. She showed us how to make this "gothic necklace" using collage and I even learned how to sawder (sp?). It was really difficult and I didn't finish my piece, but I really enjoyed it.

Afterwards we went to my FAV place Dear Lizzies for a trunk show of Sally Jean's stuff and it was such a fun girlie evening!

One of my favorite classes was from Kristen Steiner. What an open, lovely, honest person! She got us really thinking deeply about who we are as women. She had us do an "I am a woman who..." book. I didn't finish this project either, but I LOVE the fabrics I used and I think I am going to like taking my time finishing it. The cover has my favorite fabric.

I feel so grateful to Candice and Julie for putting this together. Every lovely detail was so thoughtful and beautiful! They are women I admire--especially for their innate ability to THINK BIG and know that anything is possible...

Hush! they whisper

2007-06-17T10:42:00.000-07:00

Here is the nest painting I finished yesterday! I got the idea from a beautiful picture I found of a nest with two lovely blue eggs inside. The words came to me as soon as I was finished--it seemed so quiet in there. I can picture the little birds sleeping cozily inside.....

Blissful weekend

2007-06-12T21:30:00.001-07:00

Is it just me or is it the most delicious thing to buy cool fabric? Last weekend I went down to St. George with some artsy gals to scrapbook for a few days and I found these fabrics with my sister in law Candice. I can't wait to use them for my fabric book I'm making next week at an Art Nest class. . .

I am so lucky to be able to go to two creative retreats this month--wow! My husband has started to look at me funny and I'm giddy thinking about all the yummy paints and materials I bought for next week's classes! Last weekend was more than glorious just hanging out and being creative without anyone crying, complaining, or asking me to get them a drink of water. I get so much guy energy at my house (me being the only girl) that hanging out with other women is sorely needed sometimes! We slept in, swam in the pool, went shopping, listened to a jazz band one night, ate scrumptious food, talked, and talked, and talked, and generally thoroughly enjoyed ourselves!!
This is one of my favorite layouts from our weekend--couldn't you just eat him up?!

Today I'm working on a nest for next week. Since oil painting is my gig, I'm doing a painting of a nest with two blue eggs. I'm experimenting a little using cut up paper in the painting and it's going pretty well. I'll post a picture when I'm done.....

green

2007-05-30T15:26:00.000-07:00

What is it about the color green? If I had to choose a favorite color (which, as an artist is like choosing one child over another) it would probably be green! It is grounding and earthy and happy to me. Monday was my birthday and my family gave me these green bowls and hand mixer and now I'm itching to bake some cupcakes or something.. .. YUM!
I also got out on the golf course for the first time this year--I didn't shoot under 100, but I loved being out on the course with my hubby. There is something really therapeutic about golfing. I think being out in nature where it's quiet is part of it. I don't get very much quiet right now.
I just sent in my package for Marilyn's vintage paper swap and I'm so excited to see what comes back. It's like getting a present! maybe I can use some of it for art nest this month.
Only one week until St. George Scrap and three weeks until Art Nest !!!

First try

2007-05-23T13:00:00.000-07:00

Okay. Here it is. My first try at blogging. All my art groupie friends have a blog, so I feel inspired to blog away. I also haven't been doing art as much as I'd like (hmmmm....maybe three little boys have something to do with that) and hopefully my blog will inspire me to do more. My birthday is next week (yes, I'm finally turning 28!) and I so it's a new fresh start!

So, I am a classicly trained oil painter and I've been exposed to this whole new world of mixed media lately that has been getting me thinking and experimenting with how I can mix both of those worlds together. I'm almost finished with a landscape I'm painting for a friend and my next project is going to be this big experiment. . . . .