A card for a friend

Just a new card idea because of this fabulous sunset like paper I found at the local paper store! Excited to use this one in many projects in the future. I don't usually make cards unless I have an occasion to give one out but think I will be adding these to the mix in the future.

So close I couldn't wait...updated :o)

So close I couldn't wait to post it...

I am just so thrilled to have a piece so close to completion after weeks of working on the same thing!

This is an 11" x 14" piece that I am really, really happy about. I spent a lot of time on the flowers and I think it was worth it. The branch is from a cool sort of sand textured/looking piece of scrapbook paper. I do not normally use scrapbook paper but I always look at the specialty stuff because it sometimes has interesting patterns or textures. I have used this paper in both of my recent branch pieces and won't be surprised if I use it again. I added a bit of shading to the branch with a medium brown acrylic paint but not much. I try to let the paper do most of the talking. I'm not sure exactly what kind of paper the yellow flowers are made of, I just happened to have a lot of it. I put tiny punched flower centers of orange indian batik and then added 3 white/clear beads in the center of each. All that's left to do at this point is the final coats of UV gloss.

I have played around with beads before as I have a lot of them around from many years ago. I've been trying to use stuff I already have and not buy anything new for a bit....so hard! I have a bit of a paper addiction ;o). But I do like playing around with all kinds of techniques and mediums because you never know what you're going to get. I brought some brown, krinkled up, packing paper home from work the other day because I want to try twisting it into branches and see what happens. I am excited to try more textural ideas and see what I come up with.

Oh...so little time for all these ideas in my head!!

Oh, Craft Time How I Miss Thee

Many events besides my new full time job are keeping me from both my art and my blog. Life has been a hectic, often stressful, and sometimes in need of a good blubbering pity party, table for 1. Things are thankfully getting back to normal.

Not to disapoint, I do have a new piece in the works, I just never know these days how long something is going to take. A piece that I could have completed in days is now weeks. Its frustrating for someone like me who loves real, visual progress. That being said I am working on a new branch piece that I am getting excited about. It is another 11 x 14 blossoming branch but the flowers are quite a bit smaller and in more abundance. The leaves on this one will be much more prominant as well. I am also using yellow, largely because I am on a tight budget and I had it on hand and partly because I think it will be pretty. I am planning on this being quite an intricate piece, no skimping on the details and I am also going to make it as textural and 3D as I can.

Now, I know I haven't mentioned the art show. As you can probably guess, I did not get in. At first I was really upset and did indeed have myself a good blubbery pity party....I know, really, that initial reaction was just the plain old sting of rejection and who the heck likes to be rejected. On the positive side, I accomplished something; I can count on one hand how many times I stared my fear of rejection and failure in the face and did it anyways. I have to give myself a pat on the back and remind myself that I am definitely on the road to being the better me that I envision even if the road there is a little steeper now :o) And....I sold my first piece, the one with the mountains and the two cherry blossoms!!! I couldn't have sold it until November if I had got into the art show and we sure could use the extra money right now. Its weird, but I am having a bit of seperation anxiety, this is the first piece I am letting go that never was intended for any specific person. I think its good though, it means my heart was in the piece and the piece is in my heart.

Miss you all and I'm sorry for not responding to comments all of the time! Everything is so unbalanced right now and my correspondence and blogging time has gone out the window! Can't wait to have a new piece to post!!

Remember me?

Hello blogging world...remember me? Finally a new project complete! I am slowly adjusting to this whole schedule thing. Working full time sure changes things! I am about to move on from trees for a little bit but I snuck this one in. I know its off season but I have only ever done Fall trees with stormy skies so I wanted to do one for those beautiful, barely a cloud in the sky kind of days.

I am getting ready for a whole new genre for me. I have stuck solely to branches an trees at this point but am feeling the urge to try something different. I am working on a set of two pieces for my daughters room. I plan on doing two mermaids, one sitting on a rock and one swimming through the water. I am going to keep many of the papers the same for both to keep them looking like a set. Pretty excited and a little bit aprehensive to dive into something so different but it will be fun no matter what. I may have to do some actual drawing with the faces and that always makes me nervous.

I am guessing that I will have other new pieces pop up before I finish either of these mermaids. I will need some new punch shapes for this one unless I come up with some brilliant plan using the tools I already have. Purchasing anything new is on hold for a little while. I have a lot of papers to play around with for these ones and doubt I will have to buy anything new and that's a great bonus.

I miss working on my crafts daily and checking my favorite blogs, etc. but I am happy at my new job and I know it will all come into balance after I give myself some time.

Take care all and happy crafting!

Art Jury and New Pieces

The art jury itself was a little underwhelming...I don't know what I expected but it wasn't that. I showed up with the form already filled out and there was hardly anyone there yet. They asked if I could leave it all for an hour and then come back. I drove down to Fairhaven and window shopped for a bit and then headed back. A few compliments and a "We'll let you know in 7 to 10 days." and that was it. So we'll see.

The biggest thing about it though was that I DID IT! Another sign that perhaps all this soul searching for the past 2 years is really starting to pay off, I was never very good at finishing something I started, especially where rejection could be involved. I really didn't think I was going to make it, Thursday morning I busted my butt and got everything from Plan B done and then suddenly I found myself working on the blossom branch that I had given up on. Well, after working on it non-stop I finished it with only a half hour to spare! I couldn't believe it!

So here they are, the completed 18x24 I have been blogging about and my 11x14 spring branch. I probably would have kept working on the big one but I just ran out of time and blossoms!

And the branch...

That was one of the most exhausting weeks I've had in a long time! The job is going good, everyone is nice and they haven't thrown anything to scary at me yet. Just sooo not used to working at all anymore, nevermind full time! I miss my kids but I have to admit the time I do have with them is so much sweeter. I know its only normal that they'll a bit off with me...after all I have been present most of their lives and have never been gone for 8 hours a day...ever...but its still a bit hard. When my daughter wouldn't come to me the second day I have to admit I had to sneak away for a moment and shed a few tears. Its already getting better though and I had a really good time with them last night before bed...lots of giggles.

Oh, and I know many of you are far beyond this point but I have 10 followers!! Thanks to everyone, I appreciate each of you so much! I might just have to do a little giveaway soon, I'm just too exhausted to think about it yet ;o) All last night though I kept feeling like I needed to get over to my work station out of habit.

Off to enjoy the sun with my little monkeys!

Today's the day

Have I mentioned how tired I am? Between the new job and the art show I am exhausted. My biggest hope for today's art jury is that I don't get emotional...its been a long week and stress and exhaustion have a habit of leaking out of my eyes if you know what I mean!

Getting burnt out with all the changes did not help my situation for the art show. Last night as I sat at my little workspace I had a moment of reality, I could work all night and I still wouldn't finish, I was feeling bummed and then at light went on. I had wanted to enter a fall piece with a stormy sky but time was not on my side. It occured to me that I did have an old piece that I wasn't totally thrilled with but could probably fix up. So I went back and did some work on it and its now my 5th entry. I am also using another old piece that needed a bit of fixing up. I just ran out of time. Its not quite what I had hoped to enter but I decided that I need to do this regardless. The jury starts at 4:00 today!

I was also disapointed to find out that the pieces I have juried are the ones for the show. I thought since the show was so far away (November) that I could do some new pieces and spend A LOT of time on them. It is what it is.

Anyway, just a note to all to say that I will be posting pictures soon its just been a mad, mad, mad week! So glad I asked for today off as part of my hiring as I was up until 3:00 last night, felt like I had drank a bottle of tequila when I woke up and had to do my final gloss coats this morning.

Miss my blogging!

Spring!

Have I mentioned how much I love Spring?! Well, If not, I LOVE SPRING! Went for a beautiful walk down to the neighbourhood park today. Surprising because we had a pretty crazy storm last night and were expecting rain this weekend. Well, we awoke to a beautiful day and decided to go for a walk. While I am not a photographer by any means I have begun to carry our camera with us whenever we are out, you never know when inspiration is going to strike! Just can't believe all of this is right out my door!

I am working like a madwoman in the rest of my time trying to get my pieces done for the show. I hope to have most of my 18x24 done by the end of the night and I have a bunch of the components for my 4th piece prepared and ready to go. I start my new job tomorrow so we'll see how we do. Happy creating everyone!

I got the job!

WOW! This beautiful May morning has brought me sunshine and a new job! I got it! Can't believe it.....finally we can breathe a bit easier in this crazy, scary economy! Only problem is I start on MONDAY...yes, this Monday! Talk about jumping in with both feet!

I was able to keep my Thursday open for the juried art show. I am freaking out a bit now about the time frame. I only have 2 fully completed, am working on the big 18x24 which I hope to have done by the end of the weekend. But then I need one or two more. Thankfully I had an epiphany moment yesterday and realized what I could do with a piece I gave up on awhile ago. Its 2/3's done! Yay! So I think I can have 4 pieces done but 5 might be a stretch...good thing they said 4 or 5!

Anyway I better get back! Lots to do in a very short period of time!

#2 For the Art Show Complete

I am so pleased to present to you this 12"x16" (30.4 cm x 40.6 cm) beautiful tree that I am so proud of. I love her! I had it in my mind that I had the perfect green (Indian batik jungle green) to compliment the beautiful paper I bought for the trees themselves. I wanted to do one piece where I really just made the tree my focus with no background to detract from it. I am contemplating the idea of putting a little bit of ground cover flowers like buttercups or tiny daisies but I may just leave well enough alone.

I am going to go back to finishing the big mountain/cherry blossom piece because the ideas for the next ones aren't fully formed yet.

I had my first job interview today! I was surprised at how well I kept my nerves in check. I just feel so rusty since I have been a stay at home mom for almost 2 years now and was only part time shortly before that. I wish I didn't have to go back, this wasn't part of the "plan" we but we have to do what we have to do these days don't we?! Last night I had to make a mad dash to the store as I realized while I did have pants to wear that I had no tops! Thankfully I was able to find something (and some nice new shoes on sale!) because I hate shopping for clothes...I'd much rather be buying craft supplies :o) I had a really good feeling about it and I think the interview went really well. I'll know something by Friday. Fingers crossed!

A little 9x12 and some news

Here's a newly completed little 9x12 (22.9 x 30.5 cm). I am once again bummed by the photo quality as the moon and the sky look sooooo much better in person. I created this piece by layering blue lace paper over a gaudy glitter paper, in person you can see a little bit of glitter and shimmer through the blue giving the illusion of stars. The moon has texture and looks a lot more natural than in the photo.

So in my little mini break from my big 18x24 I've been blogging the process about has presented me with an exciting opportunity. While perusing local news and events on Craigslist I discovered that there will be a juried art show in Bellingham (15 minutes away). I inquired and found out that they are actually jurying the art in 2 weeks even though the show is not until November!!! I AM ENTERING! So if I don't blog or leave comments for anyone in the next little while you know why!! I have exactly 12 days to get 4 or 5 pieces done!

I have no expectations, maybe some hopes but I am realistic. I have no idea what the calliber of artists are in the local area but I want the experience. If nothing else I will get a feel for how these juried shows work and get exposure to the other local artists in the area. The Art Director that I was emailing with was very intrigued and said they have never had a paper artist enter and this is their 40th show! This for me is a giant leap forward. I am a totally fear based person, I am not adventurous, I don't jump off cliffs without knowing there is a safety net. I'm more excited than nervous at this point but I know that will come closer to the day when I have too much to do and not enough time. Good thing I work well under pressure! Wish me luck!