Monday, April 28, 2008

Here Comes the Sun(s)


Wow! What a great time I had this rainy, chilly Monday morning!!! I was a printmaking machine! I haven't done any printmaking since high school and I was really interested in trying it again. I have sketchbooks full of images I would like to offer for sale in my shop and I think I have just printed my very first design!!! I am so excited!!! I draw images of the sun alot, it is one of my favorites and so it is only right that my first carved prints would be of the sun. The phot above is my studio floor, I printed on everything I had available including: various watercolor, scrapbook, vellum papers, Kraft paper, fabric, even felt! I still have some work to do before they are ready for sale, but it will be soon!
Oh, and remember this old chestnut from last year?

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Pendants!!!

Truth be told, I am a true jewelry fanatic. I mean, I am verging on having a problem. My jewelry box had been outgrown for years, my dear Mom gave me an actual jewelry rack from a retail shop, that too is overworked at this point. I am not ashamed to admit, I am obsessed with gems, jewels, beads, baubles, you name it. If I can tie it around my neck, I will wear it out of the house. I am digressing, but, imagine my excitement when I created these little beauties!



It just sort of happened, I was making them as pins and had the thought that I would love one as a necklace. (Perhaps you too?)

It definitely combines my love of jewelry with my love of felt and hand-stitchery. Perfect. And fun to wear, I just had dinner with a dear friend wearing my very own Pea Soup Pendant. I can't wait to make more!!!

Oh, and by the way, this one is here.

And this one is here.

Sunday, April 20, 2008

Purple and Blue (and a little apple too.)

I posted about these little pins awhile back, but I just had a photo shoot with a few of them to get them ready to post and I just added this one to the shop. There will be many more, I did make a dozen of them and each one is different! Also, I have been working on a batch of cards, just refilling the inventory, and I reworked an older design, this one:
It is part of the "Produce in Love" card set, I changed it up a bit and really like the little apple!


It is also going to be in the shop in a short while.

Saturday, April 19, 2008

I Can't Help Myself . . .


I have seen so many beautiful photos of trees in bloom while browsing the blogs, that I had to share my own. All of our fruit trees, the plum trees, apple and pear trees are all in bloom and it is spectacular! The coming of spring always surprises me by how gorgeous and full of life it is, the birds, the bees and the blooms - everything is so vibrant!






And here they are at night! I just thought it was kind of a pretty sight.

Last night, we celebrated the warm weather with our first camp fire of the season.



Good Times.

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

Gorgeous Gertie



This little lady was made a while back, before I even thought about typing a blog. She had a couple of comrades too, lets see . . . there was Fabulous Fanny and Beautiful Bernice. I wonder where those two are now? Anyway, I came across her while packing up for my first show of the year.


Here she is hanging out in the flowers.


I thought I would put her back into the etsy shop. Here she is. I have been meaning to make more of these dolls as they just crack me up. The best part? Her arms and legs are made of wire and are totally pose-able. Now that's fun stuff!

Sunday, April 13, 2008

Flowers, Flowers, and More Flowers

I feel almost back in business!!! This past week had me doing an Artist-In-Residence program at a local jr. high. Very rewarding, but also, I don't know if I have ever been so tired! I would literally come home and head right for the couch. To all the teachers out there that do this every day, every week, every year, I have all the respect and admiration in the world for you!!!

So, because of this said tired-ness, I haven't made a single thing or even thought about anything crafty all week, so I was very excited when I finally sat down at the work table yesterday and finished this:


Yes! It's the next flower in the Flowers A to Z project. This one is "K is for King Protea." In real life, at least from the photos that I found of it, it is an impressive and exotic flower.

Also, I snapped this picture of my birthday flowers which are still simply gorgeous. They are from two of my favorite men, my boyfriend Ed (the peach roses) and my four year old nephew George (the red roses!)


And finally, in keeping with the theme of the post, I had the energy to clean up outside around the flower beds on Saturday, the forsythia is amazingly showy and gorgeous and I brought some branches in for the table.

A big thank you to my Mom, she gave me that very neat and old looking candle lamp. It gives off the most beautiful, soft light. And a big thank you to Ed's Mom, she gave me that sweet little embroidered table cloth!

Sunday, April 6, 2008

Celebrations

This weekend marked a birthday for yours truly! It was wonderful and fun and happy indeed! I have taken a little break in production to enjoy the festivities (and these blooms in the garden that just popped up!)
A Happy Birthday all around!

Tuesday, April 1, 2008

Somewhere is Here.



There are many, many reasons to smile and breath deep today.


1. Just take a look at that photo! Taken just minutes ago and already the rainbow has faded. I get so excited about rainbows, I just dropped what I was doing and ran out into the rain, I didn't know that you could photograph them! Although it's not the best pic (and please excuse those yucky power lines) it's still pretty cool.

2. It is April Fools day and I was fooled before my feet hit the floor today! (I love a bit of good trickery.)

3. My birthday is just around the bend (on Thursday.) Let the celebrating begin!

4. I think and hope that it really is Spring.

5. Did I mention it was a double rainbow?