new art and stuff

It's been a busy couple of days. I had a meeting here yesterday moring with Lori, who is my partner for teaching the Women's Bible study class starting in September. I went and picked Fran up at her Dr. appt. and drove her home around 1:00. When we got home, I finished up my second prototype business card holder... the first one was a complete flop. This one is better and I will use it but to reproduce them, I will still make some changes for the next one. I love the fabrics of this one! Here are three views... front, back, and opened. The closure is elastic.




Today, I got up early and started painting before the kids got up. I signed up to the a cover for a LFB with the theme "Fruits of the Spirit". I went out to my fig tree and got some leaves and a fig and started working. While the page is only 4x4, it took quite a bit of time because several of the elements are painted separately and then cut out and collaged on to create a dimensional painting. I will make color copies of this and then add the title for the multiple copies I need to make. I have to do the other side of this page too. I sorta' know what I'm doing but have to sit down and work on it. I want to get this project finished this week along with the remaining 2 houses for my skyline swap. I decided to send on the little 'chapel of undying love' because I realized I could duplicate it and make a bigger one! :)

Anyway, here's my fig painting which will go up for sale in my etsy store once I make copies of it!



It's storming outside and I've got the kids to bed. Chuck is going to a friends house for a movie and I'm trying to decide on more art or a book in bed!

Back to buildings and other good news!

Well, I've let a couple of weeks slip by not working on the last few buildings I have to do for the Skyline/Skyscraper swap. I managed to do one today. Up until now, I have liked my buildings but I wasn't feeling the tug about letting any of them go, although I love the Jewish synogogue, but, today's little church is going to be hard to part with and I may ahve to try to make a duplicate as much as I hate doing that kind of thing. This little church is called "The Chapel of Undying Love". I started with a page from a tiny prayer book. The scripture is from John where Jesus talks about going to Heaven to prepare a place for us "for in my Father's house are many mansions..." I thought, "wow, how appropriate!". Once it was glued down, I added some glaze on top of it. Then, I sewed on a transparency of a photo I took of Max's hands in a praying position. They are the perfect shape! :) I did a tiny cut out in the opening of his fingers in the top and pieces in a tiny picture of Jesus on the cross. The vintage photo of the young girl is Chuck's grandmother at her first communion. I added a metal roof cut with decorative scissors and then a silver pen to detail a little around the photos, etc.. I added the words "undying love" that I found in a book, which happened by chance to be in a poem about God's love! I LOVE this little piece... and I love the imperfect roofline which was not planned by me to be that way, it just turned out that way. To me,it represents our imperfection and God's abundant grace. Anyway, I LOVE this one and I just don't know that I can part with it!

And for the good news, I sold my S&H Green stamp journal this morning! I made two sales in my Etsy shop by 9:30 this morning! I'm one happy camper!

Well, I need to go shower and get ready and also get the boys bathed. Some dear friends of ours are moving to Denver and they are having a farewell open house tonight. I will really miss Stephanie. She will always hold a very sweet, dear spot in my heart.

New work in my Etsy shop!

I just finished two hand bound journals and put them in my Etsy shop! They both contain vintage ephemera encased in vinyl. The feel so cool! I like the way they turned out too! My etsy shop link is just to the right--------->

ANDDDDDD.... I SOLD my hummingbird painting too! Two sales in one week! Now I have to get busy with more paintings! WooooHOOOOOoo!!!!!

Fran's link

OK, I don't know what the deal is with blogger but I tried to add Fran's link into the post and it didn't show up so I'm just typing it out:
http://artsyfran.etsy.com

Go see her little cell phone pouches!

A few new things

Well, I went back to Joann fabrics today and with my 50% off coupon, thanks to Fran, I purchased the coolest Rolling Sewing Machine Case to use especially for my classes at Art Unraveled but for any class I take! It will be so great having my machine and everything else I need all in one case that rolls! I got it for a smokin' $35.00!!! Isn't it great!?! And it's packed with little pockets everywhere! I also got mine and Fran's latest shipment of vintage kimono fabric in the mail today.
I tell you, I am in love!!! And look at this amazing fabric Fran and I purchased on Fabric.com!!!
Most are from the "Bohemian Rhapsody" line and they are just luscious! I have thoughts of throwing all my fabric in the floor just to roll around in it. I think I may have to join a 12-step program soon. This buddy fabric shopping with Fran is addicting! LOL!

Speaking of Fran, you must head over to her etsy store and see the gorgeous cell phone purses she has up for sale. I have been watching these little things be created from the base fabric up! They are wonderful in real life! !

Oh, and the most wonderful, exciting news for me is that my Crane painting has officially sold! Wooo HOoooo!!!!! Now to get the Hummingbird piece sold.

I spent the morning at church working with two sweet friends cleaning out and reorganizing some things in our prayer room. It looked fantastic when we left and now actually is a functional and welcoming prayer room versus something that resembles a storage room where you can pray! LOL! Oh, that's bad... WAS bad... Now, it's great!

This evening, I watched "Goonies" with my boys. We enjoyed the movie but some of the content was not appropriate for them and there was a lot of foul language so we had to have discussions about all those words NOT to say!

Well, I'm pretty pooped out and need to go to bed. Maybe I can do some art tomorrow....Hey, maybe I can use up some fabric! LOL

just stuff

Well, first of all, I THINK I have sold my crane painting. The paypal payment hasn't shown up yet so no celebrating until I hear the "ching, ching"! The hummingbird has now been listed in my Etsy store here:

Yesterday, I had FOUR peach-faced love birds so I have the feeders stocked early this morning in preparation!

It rained BUCKETS... I mean BUCKETS yesterday! We needed it badly.

I had meetings all morning yesterday in preparation for Women's Bible Study starting the beginning of September. Now that I'm leadership (gosh, that sounds weird to say or write), I will be having monthly meetings from here on out. I am trying not to get nervous about teaching this year and am very thankful that God has provided me with a team partner that is not an artist (by her admission although I think she's in denial) but she thinks very differently than I do. We are very different yet our hearts desire the same things. She is, I believe, the perfect match for me to teach this class. I have to admit that I feel overwhelmed in moments of realizing how inadequate I really am to teach women about meditating on God's word and creating art as a reponse. I don't know what the heck I'm doing!!! But God does... I have to keep telling myself the truth. This is the truth:
1.) I KNOW that God has asked me to do teach class.
2.) That God works in spite of me.
3.) God's abilities are far above my own.
4.) This class is NOT about me and what I can do.
5.) God will give me what I need to provide tools for these women.
6.) I will be learning too.
7.) I don't have to get my act together to be used by God.
8.) It's HIS work, not mine.
9.) He knows the plans for each week and will tell me as we go.
10.) I can trust Him to show up when we seek Him.
11.) When I am weak, He is strong.
12.) When I feel inadequate and ill equipt, He is adequate and provides all that is needed.
13.) God doesn't care what condition I am in crawling at His feet... He only cares that I'm crawling at His feet.
14.) God always keeps His promises.
15.) I'm not teaching, God is.

These things I am telling myself to fight the fear that wells up inside me... you know, those evil voices that tell you:
What do you think you are doing? You can't teach women! Most of the time you are a mess in survival mode, how can you teach anything. You'd better get your act together before you try to teach anything to anyone. You are such a hypocrite to go teach about God's love when you yell at your kids on the way out the door. If everyone knew....

so, I fight these internal voices that want to defeat me, defeat God's purpose in me, with the truth and confession... yes, by telling what I'm struggling with, I am freed of the bondage it can have over me. I can then be real, let people into my life and pray for me, encourage me, stand beside me, and help me. And God can be seen for who He really is and be free to work. I am humbled beyond words. It really isn't all about me.

OK, so, I had meetings yesterday and since it poured down buckets of rain, once I got home, I stayed home. Phoenix streets were not built to withstand sudden downpours in large volumes of water. Streets start flooding very quickly and people drive like maniacs. So I stayed home.

Today, I have to take my boys out to buy a birthday gift for one of their closest friends who has a birthday party this afternoon out sorta' near Fran's house... how convenient for me that this is a "drop off" party! :) So you know where I'll be for a bit this afternoon! Then, I have a prayer meeting tonight. So the day will be busy and running.

My colorful surprise!!!!!

Here is is a very gray, overcast day with a little drizzle. I'm still in my pajamas cleaning some magazine piles out of the house and I look out my studio window to see these GORGEOUS peach faces love birds eating out of my birdfeeder!!!!! Yes, I live in Phoenix and yes, most all our birds are brown but these babies, these are jewels that visited ME today! Mom, eat your heart out! LOL! You can clearly see the pair on the feeder but if you look closely, you can see a third perched in the tree in the upper right corner. Now I have to make sure I have food out every day to see if they come back! It's been a very, very long time since I've seen any of these so I'm very excited that they came to brighten my day today!

On a different note, it rained a little bit last night and by the time I got to my book club meeting, there was a HUGE rainbow and partial double in the sky! It was so bright and the widest rainbow I'd ever seen... and no camera with me. boohooo

I did have an art play date with Fran yesterday. We talked so much I didn't get near as much done as I'd like to have but who cares... when we are together, it doesn't matter what we are doing!

Another new painting

Well, yesterday I finished the watercolor painting of a crane. It was more difficult than I had thought because I'd never really worked with white before. It was difficult to keep the white yet get enough shading in. For this piece, I cut the bird out and collaged it onto a background that I did. The background is on watercolor paper. I first collaged oriental text, layer of watered down gesso, layer of glaze, stamped large text in gesso, layer of glaze, another bit of glaze here and there of the Payne's Gray, and then used some heavy bodies payne's gray to finish it up around the edges... mixed a little glaze medium in spots to blend it. I'm happy with the outcome. This piece is also 5x7.

hummingbird painting finished!

Thanks to everyone who posted comments or e-mailed me directly with your opinions on the background for my bird. Connie's suggestion of printing a copy and the auditioning backgrounds was great and that is what I did. Here is the complete painting!

Opinions needed

OK, so yesterday I worked on my secret project for a couple of hours and it totally messed up my wrist. I was up for 5 hours in the middle of the night is agony. I even took some of Chuck's Darvocet only to have it make me sick to my stomach. I've had very little sleep and have worn a brace on my wrist all day. Thankfully, it's my left so... I resorted back to art that I love and rarely do... watercolor painting. I took my kids to McDonalds so they could run around and play for a couple of hours while I sketched. This is the painting I finished today BUT, I still need some color in the background. That's where you guys come in. I need help deciding on colors for a background. Thoughts, anyone?

ArtUnraveled name badge

Every year that I've attended ArtUnraveled, I have waited until the very last minute to make a name badge. I refuse to spend countless hours on something with my name labeled on it so, I always want something quick because I'll never use it again. So, this year, I decided to make my badge actually fit into a category for the badge contests. I chose the category of found objects. So, I dug out my box of rusty doodads and broken stuff. I used part of a computer board, although I'm not sure that's what it's called... it's shiny green with little wires and things running on it. Anyway, I glued a shift key, from an old keyboard, onto this piece of computer board, which, by the way, already had little holds in the corners for hanging! I make my badges like necklaces. Anyway, I used patina solution on the whole thing then added on some rusty hardware parts and an old chain with lobster claw that has a natural patina from age. Then, I rubberstamped my name in gesso and rubbed a little glaze on it to dull the brightness. So, here it is. Now, with this post, let's see if Blogger straightened itself out and actually shows my photo in the post. If it doesn't show, click on the title of the post and it should show up. I wonder if anyone else is having this weird thing happening with blogger... anyone? Gosh, maybe no one really reads my blog to answer that....

Fabric.com

OK, I wanna' toot a horn for this company. A couple of weeks ago, someone in one of my fiber arts yahoo groups mentioned that a certain fabric designer's (Lonni Rossi) fabrics were on sale 50% off at
Well, not having anything better to do at the moment ;), I thought I'd see what they were. Well, I find out that this line of fabric from this designer happens to have one of my most favorite pieces of fabric I think I've ever purchased in a store. It's called "brown onion". Now, fabric.com didn't have the brown but did have it in a deep mustard yellow and there were several others that were gorgeous! So, I proceeded to order 1/2 yd. increments of pretty much each piece in the line. Then, I found a couple of batiks half off too so I placed my order. These 1/2 yard pieces of fabric ended up costing only about $2.50 each! OK, so my order comes in and there is no yellow onion but a piece of yellow "mushroom" which I didn't order. I noticed that it was mismarked and the tag said onion but it was clearly not the onion although it was a pretty piece of fabric. So, I call the company to see if they were out of the yellow onion since that was the one piece that prompted my order in the first place. They were closed and when they called back, I wasn't home. So, it took a couple of days and then I got a very nice lady on the phone who said they would ship out a piece of the yellow onion pronto and to keep the yellow mushroom. She kept apologizing for the error. Well, later that day she called me back saying that the piece of fabric in her hands was indeed the yellow onion but is not really the same color as the yellow mushroom and she didn't want me to think they had sent me the wrong fabric again. They didn't have a picture of it on their site so I went and looked at the red onion, which I wasn't crazy about. They didn't have brown onion, which I would have died over. So this sweet woman kept me on the phone while she sent me a scan of the fabric in an e-mail just to make sure it was a color of fabric I'd be happy with! I love the color even more than the yellow mushroom so I was thrilled. I got notification that it was shipped that day so I should have it in my hands probably today! I just have to say that I have never had a more pleasant experience dealing with a company and such top knotch customer service. They went way beyond the call, all for a piece of fabric that was on sale for a couple of bucks! I highly recommend shopping with this online company. They have a very nice selection and you can sign up for e-mail notification of sales too.

Pajama day

Today was one of my favorite kinds of days... those where I go no where and stay in my pajamas all day! It was a busy weekend so today, I just hung out. Saturday, I did some big time cleaning in my house which is why I got to be lazy today! We had friends from out of state here yesterday so it was nice to catch up with them.

Yesterday, while sitting in church, a problem I've been tossing around in my brain and throwing up to God, was solved in a split second. No, I can't tell you what the pastor was saying at that moment but God met me and answered my prayer. It is about a special project that I wanted to start and I got to wake up early this morning and get started before anyone else got out of bed. And, the project has to remain top secret for a while... even from my best friend. Sorry Fran... when you finally get to see it, you'll understand! :) Keeping a secret from Fran will be the biggest torture ever... especially when it has to do with art!

I put together all my trades for Art Unraveled this weekend too. I didn't want to make stuff for trades...too lazy. I did put together some hefty ephemera packages that measure 9x12 inches! And also some little fabric/vintage lace gift bags for all the women taking Katie Kendrick's doll class. Every year, I always seem to wait until the very last minute to make some sort of name badge for the retreat, but today, I almost have it finished! I refuse to spend a lot of time on a name badge. I did mine out of found objects this year. My base of the piece is a bit of an old computer board. I added on a shift key from an old keyboard and then did a patina on it. AFter that dried, I added some rusty meta. and an old chain with a lobster claw clip that has a natural patina. I still have to stamp my name on the computer key but the badge looks pretty cool. I'll photograph it tomorrow and post the photo.

This afternoon, I sat down and watched a movie rental with my boys and it was such a good movie! It is called "A Wrinkle in Time" and it was so good that I actually got out the case to see who wrote the movie! When I saw the author, I was like "Ohhhhh,, that explains it." It's Madeleine L'Engle. I highly recommend the movie. It was very thought provoking and well done, in my opinion. However, because I love books so much and they are always better than the movies, now I need to get the book!

Speaking of books, I just finished a great one! It's called "The Glass Castle" and was written by Jeannette Walls. It is a memoir, however, I didn't realize this until I was into the story a couple of chapters. Her childhood was really bizarre. It was a great book, fast read, and one I couldn't put down.

Monsoon season has apparently come to stay for this year. Yesterday, I swear, was the hottest day of the year. Maybe not temperature wise but you add in the humidity, and OMG, I felt like I was melting! It was the first day I've broken a sweat all summer, I kid you not! Humidity is so gross! It's thundering outside right now but if it's anything like the thunderstorm we got yesterday morning at 4:30, there won't be a single drop of rain... all the moisture will just hang in the air until it starts dripping off our bodies. YUK!

Tomorrow, mom is coming over for a haircut and I think I'll snag her and coach her through cutting a few inches off of mine too. Turn about is fair play, right? Then, we are going to get Sam some new tennis shoes and see if Max can find a backpack that he likes for kindergarten!

Well, I'm going to go lay in bed and read. I just started a new book today called "The Rapture of Canaan." Oh! What's that sound? RAIN! It's really raining! I don't remember the last time it rained... it was the last time I washed my van. That's sorta' the way to get rain in Arizona... wash your car.

more buildings!

I have three more buildings done and only a few left to do for this swap! Here are the latest additions to Industrial Parkway as well as a Jewish Synogogue, in honor of my best friend!

What's up with blogger?

Anyone else having trouble getting your images to show up? If you click on the title of my last post, the photo shows up. However, if you just look at the "view blog", the photo is not there... you have to click on the title of the post! WEIRD!!!

trouble posting

I just tried posting but the picture wouldn't show up. I'll see if it works this time. Here are another set of buildings finished today. I have another one in the works but think I have to wait and get kids to bed before I can work on it!
My first house in this photo (left) is using one of my favorite photos of a cactus skeleton. Then I added an actual piece of the skeleton on and embellished with turquoise beads. In the center is one I really love cuz it's more whimsical. I used a time card for the background and added vintage watch pieces and gears on it. I like the crooked roof. The house on the right is a photo I took of a dove sitting on her nest in a cactus. I just added a word and a feather roof. I'm almost finished with the houses I need to make for this swap!

more art and fun

Tuesday, Fran and I met our new art bud, Lynn, at The Creative Quest and then had lunch together. On the way to pick up my boys from my mom's house, we went in a bead store and emptied our wallets! :) My husband's aunt has asked me to make 6 "awards" for her 65th high school reunion! She wanted them made from felt like little pillows on cording. Initially, she mentioned sequins on them but I can't seem to get Vegas out of my mind when I think of them so I went with beads. I beaded one of the stars yesterday and timed myself doing it to see how long it would take. This 3-1/2 inch star took me 3-1/2 hours. I have a sore, stiff thumb today! While I love it, I don't know if it's too "fancy" for what Aunt Agnes is wanting. I sent a photo and costs so we'll see. She may have been thinking of something more "gag gift" type award, not really nice. Anyway, that's on hold. I did the star while hanging out at Fran's yesterday.



And this morning, I did a few more little buildings. Here is a metal set and also one using a photo of a cactus skeleton. I also glued a piece of the cactus skeleton on as well as beaded it with some turquoise.

More skyline structures

I had a great, pain-free day yesterday and I'm so thankful! I got caught up on housework and laundry (well, almost laundry) and got some more little house structures done. They go much faster when I'm not trying to make them actually "look" like houses with doors and windows. Anyway, the Tea House is made using a tea pouch from my favorite tea and then an overlay is done using the actual used tea bags. Isn't the color fantastic?! I did a quick sketch of my favorite tea cup and then created heat swirls. The other three houses are on Desert Bloom Lane. We have to either name our houses or give them addresses and since these three sorta' go together, I gave them addresses. I love the photo of the single wildflower with it's shadow on the rocks. Such determination growing in rocks! These are all photos I took this spring. I stitched french knots in the centers of the blooms. I just love doing french knots! I had one other house done however, a slight problem arose and it is now requiring some creative thinking to see if I can salvage it.

Anyway, today, Fran and I are going to The Creative Quest in downtown Glendale to meet up with another valley artist, Lynn. We are then having lunch together. We've been trying to get together for like, a year! My mom doesn't live far from The Creative Quest so I'm taking my boys over there. They are excited.

Headache is gone! PTL! And another house

Whew, my headache has lifted and I feel pretty rested. My eyes feel a little swollen still but NO PAIN! I want to run around and do a silly dance, I'm so happy and relieved! Thank you God!!

I finished another little house last night before I went to bed. This one is appropriately titled "Volume 1". The house face is the spine from an old book. Any type of encyclopedia means possible adventure to somewhere... and the image of these poor boys look like they need adventure. Can you even imagine the humiliation of having to put these outfits on? They must've given their mom fits! They'd much rather be in worn out scruffy clothes fishing or playing marbles... or maybe stick ball! Anyway, it makes me chuckle.

I have both my boys up already and we have to take Phoebe to the vet this morning so I guess we should get out of our pajamas. What do ya' think?

Another house in spite of a headache

I have had an incredible sinus headache for two days now. I've done numerous hot showers, baths, heat packs, ice packs, numberous doses of Excedrin sinus, a dose of Oxycodone, a massage, and it still isn't completely gone! My face is even swollen. I have had very short times where the intesity will let up a little bit and I can be partially functional, but it doesn't last long. In those short times, I have very slowly created this next addition to the skyline/skyscraper swap. This one is a church and the roofline is taken from a photograph of the entrance to The Fransican Renewal Center here in Phoenix. On the right is a transfer of an angel. The stucco of the church was made by first coating the piece with light molding paste. Then, a base coat of color, a coat of crackle medium, a second coat of paint color and then hitting it in spots with a brown glaze to further age the stucco. I drew the vines and flowers on with pitt pens as well as the detail work of the stairs and hand rail. I added the word "Blessed" on the left side and did a little doodle around it to resemble wrought iron work similar to the hand rail. So far, I think this is my favorite. I really like how it turned out. I titled this "One Blessed Place".

My latest little house is titled "Admit One" for obvious reasons!

In this Skyline/skyscraper swap, the buildings don't actually have to look like house fronts, they can be anything as long as they have an architectural shape to fit into a skyline. Anyway, I just finished my second one. The eye is rubberstamped onto vinyl, colored in with a pitt pen and then another piece of vinyl over it. They are placed behind the cut hole with glazed text behind it. I then stitched the card on the sewing machine with a decorative stitch. This one is titled "Le Peep". And if anyone can tell my why blogger won't let me put post titles, I'd like to know.

For some reason, I can't get a title on this post. Oh well... as many times as I swear I won't join in any more swaps, sometimes, a really cool one comes along and I just can't resist... as just did today in a new group I joined. It's called The Unruly Artist's skyline and skyscrapers. The little houses or buildings are anywhere from business card size up to no larger than 7 inches. Won't a collection of little buildings be the coolest display ever? I have to make 21 and I did my first one today. It is called Geisha house.

Max came home today after being at my mom's since July 4. He announced big news. "Mommy, last night I asked Jesus into my heart."!!! He's so excited and I'm thankful my mom was with him to talk with him. She said he'd been talking and asking questions on and off for the past couple of days and he had to get up last night about 9:30 to take some cough medicine and he announced that he wanted to ask Jesus in his heart RIGHT NOW!!! The way Max does everything. At 5 years old, he just made the most important decision he will ever make his entire life. :)

On another note, my cat had to go to the vet and having geriatric cats is not a cheap thing! Minya has cost $300. in the past two days and Phoebe has her appt. on Monday. They will also do complete bloodwork on her as well and I think she has some teeth issues so I know her bill will be in the hundreds as well. It's very discouraging and it saddens me to know that I won't have them much longer. 19 years is a long life for cats and I'm thankful to have them this long... but it will be like losing my first born children because that is what they were for so many years! Oh I can't think about it.... I feel the flood coming...

Small Journal

I just finished making a small journal that is now for sale in my etsy shop. It is fairly small, about 5x6 inches and has 32 pages of watercolor paper insde. The fabric I used for the cover is vintage fabric that was my grandmother's. I remember the chair and ottoman she had recovered using this fabric! I love it. I blanket stitched around the edge and then embellished with buttons. I'm happy with the outcome. I really enjoy making books.

I belong in...

You Belong in Paris

You enjoy all that life has to offer, and you can appreciate the fine tastes and sites of Paris.You're the perfect person to wander the streets of Paris aimlessly, enjoying architecture and a crepe.

What'>http://www.blogthings.com/whateuropeancitydoyoubelonginquiz/">What European City Do You Belong In?