New Crafty Art Space...

I was laying in bed last night, thinking about all the topics I want to post about here in my little corner of the country, my sweet little blog. It's so exciting to read new comments and check out the blogs of visitors. I love blogs because they allow you to feel so connected, so in touch with people you otherwise wouldn't know exsisted, and vise-versa. I live in a tiny little town in New England, and believe me, I don't meet a lot of new people in my work or personal life. Of course, this could be because I keep myself so busy in my own little self-contained world that I haven't made a new friend since high school (with the exception of my dear friend, Pam, whom I met at my previous job). I think there might be something wrong with me. I'm perfectly content to be nearly friendless! Of course, I do have three older sisters and we are closer than close, so I suppose I just don't take the intitiative to meet new women friends. Geesh, this isn't coming out very well at all. I am trying to say how much I appreciate and enjoy "meeting" new people here via my blog and others that I visit, and instead I sound like a grumpy hermit!

Well, hopefully (if you are still reading) you will forgive my faux pas and see the underlying message: I like meeting new people! I like friends! I like you! :)

Anyway, lets just get on with it shall we?

So, the picture above is a photo in my new craft/art room. You know, I can't ever just say "ART" room because I don't really think of myself as an artist. Creative? Yes. Dabbler? Yes. Artistically inclined? Perhaps. But ARTIST is so scary and professional sounding. Anyway, we recently moved rooms all around the house: The dining room became my husband's band room (he's an EXCELLENT drummer), the dining room table is awaiting storage departure and is left stranded on the front porch, my craft room was moved up to my husband's previous band room and we now have an empty bedroom where my craft/art room used to be. Whew! It's exhausting to write and believe me, more exhausting to move it all!

I would love to post more pictures of my new room, but it's still in a bit of disarray. Also, I just noticed when I took this picture, that my hubby's old cymbal clock is still on my wall. I wonder if he's been missing it?

Playing with Altered Art...

Today was a day off work for me...I love days off! I was secretly pleased that it was rainy and chilly out~no excuse needed why I couldn't work out in the yard, why I didn't want to spend time lounging on the beach. I have been looking forward to getting my hands sticky and smeared with paint and glue for some time, and today I finally got the chance to play.

The top left photo is the front cover of the new altered board book I'm working on...I made the Mona Lisa figure with a clay transfer technique and added some beads and wire to put her together. The photo on the right is one of the page layouts...the book's theme is following your dreams and taking time to listen to yourself, something that is very near and dear to me.

The Art of Wabi-Sabi...

Wabi-Sabi is the Japanese art of finding beauty in imperfection, honoring the cycles of life and cherishing the passage of time.

My sister and I were talking about Wabi-Sabi this weekend during our walk to the local farmers market. It was a beautiful, perfect summer day; not too hot, but sunny, a cool breeze drifting around buildings and through tree limbs. Gorgeous. But I spent much of the time worrying and fretting: I forgot my sunscreen, I need to hurry, hurrry~must get back to go give a massage. I don't feel like giving a massage on my day off! On and on the naggy little voice goes until I barely notice the beauty of my surroundings, I'm too busy listening to that stupid little negative voice.

I need more Wabi-Sabi in my own life. I need to take time to fully and completely enjoy moments, to forget about all that is not going right in my life and focus, enjoy and really LIVE moments like our morning at the farmers market.

Today I woke up grumpy. I've been feeling grumpy more days than I'd like to lately. I'm making a pledge today to do less thinking and more enjoying. To breathe more deeply and worry less often and to take time to see beauty in every imperfection, even those things that are imperfect only because they aren't the way I want them to be.

Painting, Painting, Painting...

Good morning everyone! It's before 6:00 and I'm up and ready to face the (rainy) day. My teacher told me this week that in the past 35 days, it's rained 28!

Speaking of my teacher, he again chided me for not painting like I'm painting with watercolors. The truth is, I'm not sure I even like watercolor painting~but I will try this week to really "get messy" and let things run together and see what happens.

The first painting above (the more watercolor looking one) was based on a photo~it's alright. But, the underneath it, the one with the bright flowers (though these really look much brighter and more vibrant in real life), I like! However, my instructor said that I'm controlling the paint too much and suggested I spritz the whole painting with water~AGH!

I know quite a few of you are the creative types...what are your favorite mediums to work with?

First Painting Class...

Finally, after years and years of saying that I really want to take some painting classes and learn "the rules", I did it. I work at a college and my classes are free (this is why I took the boring job there), and I finally singed up and am enrolled in my very first ever painting class: Watercolor for Beginners, and a beginner I am!

Here is the quick synopsis:
Class Number One: YAY! Watercolor paints, paper and all sorts of information on brushes, various techniques, etc.~what fun!
Class Number Two: Paint will not go where I want it. Paint goes everywhere I don't want it. Paper curling and buckling, creating little pools of paint and water everywhere. UGH! Homework:First watercolor painting (see above).
Class Number Three: Felt fairly smug (thought masking of birch trees pretty clever, as well as pretty leaves/branches), and one other student a definite beginner like me, so no worries. Well, didn't this other student pull out at least EIGHT beautiful watercolor paintings! I couldn't believe that she hadn't painted before. I felt a very sick feeling in my tummy and that horrible feeling from grade school that I hadn't done my homework properly. I waited and ooohed and ahhed over everyone else's work somehow hoping that the teacher would forget all about me. But no, he asked if I could show my pieces. I dragged out my tree painting (which I once thought was pretty, now looked hideous to me). He "hhhmmmm'd" and asked what I liked about the piece (Uhm, now that I see everyone else's...not much!). The final verdict of the class is that I'm trying to paint like I'm using acrylics in watercolor. Well, yes. I love acrylics! When you put them somewhere, they STAY! Also, it was determined (kindly) that I have a bit of a control issue. Um, yes. Definitely. My teacher suggested I loosen up, let someone order for me the next time at the creemee stand (gasp! and possibly not get my regular choc/van twist with sprinkles?), and have fun.

Well, easy for him to say. Giving up control, even of a creemee flavor, is a very tough homework assignment.

I'll keep you posted...

Where Have You Been?

This is so fun and inspirational!

I love to travel, though I haven't much in recent years. One of my dreams is to see all 50 states. My sister Aimee, sent me this link where you can check off each state that you've been to and it creates a map for you. The red areas are where I've been. As you can see I'm kind of a coast hugger! My dream is to get out west soon...maybe rent an RV or car and camp out...

Where have you been?



create your own visited states map

Rainy Day(s) and a Yummy Bake Over...

What is a bakeover you ask? It's a delicious, scrumptious Farm Girl Feast! I am completely and totally smitten with Mary Janes Farm www.maryjanesfarm.com. I love the message boards and the website and just recently was offered (and am hoarding) a copy of the spring issue of MJ's magazine my sister Faith loaned me. Hence the Bakeover...It's so simple! Saute up a batch of fresh veggies, add a little tofu or cheese if you desire, make a quick crust to bake on top and viola! A tasty and nutritious meal in just about 30 minutes.

I'm a true Farm Girl at heart...Someday I want to have a big old farmhouse (yellow with black and white trim and a red door), acres of land to create an animal sanctuary (for abused/neglected farm animals and dogs and cats alike), goats to mow my yard and chickens to lay organic eggs. I want a big fireplace with a comfy couch to curl up on after a long day working outside in the garden. I want to grow a patch of lavender and have lilac trees so thick that when you walk through the grove of them the incredible smell makes you lose your breath, and all thoughts of time.

What about you??? Are you a true Farm Girl or a City Slicker? Do you enjoy lunching at an expensive restaurant in a metropolitan area or throwing together a quick picnic to enjoy under the trees or stars? Do you love aprons, or find them restrictive? Cast your vote here, I'm anxious to find out! :)

Creativity in the Air...

Here is a little canvas I created a bit ago. I added the finishing touches today, and posted it on Ebay. It's a little hard to see in the picture but I used different shades of green; sage and moss along with burnt sienna and some copper embossing powders to add some interest. I stamped a wide band of pretty script through the width of the canvas with the embossing powder and added some ink, papers, and pretty sequins to finish it off.

I love creating things! Stay tuned, I'm working on a cute little "quote book" to record your favorite quotes in...it's different! :)

Some Pretty Little Changes...

I had the itch this weekend to change things up in our little house. I see so many great ideas in magazines, but I wanted to try to make one little spot, one tiny corner, completely original. I found the metal tray above the cabinets in the kitchen and the absolutely darling little "Bloom" painting is from the very talented Jeny Penny on Etsy jenypenny.etsy.com! It's my first purchase there, although I drool over things all the time. I have a wishlist about 1.5 miles long and two of the items are more of Jeny Penny's...I like buying things in odd numbers, usually 3's or 5's.

I bought some really bright, springy paint at the craft store and painted a little shelf and have plans to add a lot more bright color throught the house. I think I will have to take it in small steps so that it doesn't overwhelm.

More to come...

A New Avenue for the Shop...

This photo has absolutely nothing to do with my post, but I just had to put my cute fat cat "Fat Boy Magoo" on the web. Isn't he darling? His honest, true, given name is Magoo, but as often happens with people and animals, they adopt certain, shall I say, less than desireable nicknames. Fat Boy was a rather normal sized barn kitty who we adopted, along with his smaller sister Spazzi about 5 years ago. Goodness, can it be that long already?

Anyway, I digress (as usual). I have come to a sort-of decision about the shop. I am thinking of trying out a new format to get some more exposure and have my weekend life less encumbered by shop-issues. Right now I'm supposed to be open on Saturdays for about 4 hours. This raises a few problems, most of which are that there are lots of fun things to do on Saturday afternoons in the nice weather, and I'd rather not be stuck at home waiting for people to come to the shop. So, my idea is this. I will load up my car maybe 1-2 Saturdays a month and head for a HUGE fleamarket about 1.25 hours from here. I would get tons of exposure, the rent is cheap ($20/day) and can set my own hours that day. If the weather is absolutely breathtaking and I decide I want to spend the day at the beach instead, I can! If I have a wedding to attend or am invited to a party, I can go! But, if I end up doing well at the flea market, it would become a great avenue to get my name out there and make some sales. Buying stuff to resell is fun! Making things to sell is great! But the key to both is SELLING of the items!

AND my additional idea for the shop is this: An Annual Boutique Sale. Once a year I will host a HUGE party and invite everyone I know to come browse all the goodies for sale. I absolutely LOVE planning and throwing events like this (similar to my annual Victorian Tea Party). It's such fun and so rewarding!

Well, that's the plan....stay tuned to see my progress! :)

A Color Revelation...

Do you know, I could spend hours in the hardware store staring at paint chips? I stopped by on my way home just to get a can of white spray paint to "renew" a few items for the shop. I got sidetracked by the beautiful-crayonbox colors of the paint chips. There are so many beautiful colors...and the names! The names are so delicious you can feel it in your toes.

"Saltmarsh Pink", "Checkerberry", "Peach Puff", "June Bud", "Touch of Nectar", "Purple Sage"...breathtaking! What an incredibly fun job it must be to create the names for all these colors. One is named "Coconut Milk"; Honestly, it's not my favorite color (creamy off white) but just the fact that I want to drink it up makes me want to put it on my walls. What could be more comforting than enveloping yourself in coconut milk? Just the thought makes me feel all gooey and warm inside.

Here's to grownups crayons...all 1050 shades of Glidden.

Lovely Spring Things...

Yesterday was my Open House at the shop. It was such a beautiful day! I had visits from several wonderful people, a couple new faces and some that I have gotten to know from last years jaunts on Saturday mornings.

I love my little shop. I love how peaceful and cozy it feels. I love playing soft, comforting music and offering up little treats to eat and watching people oooh and ahhh over things that I've embellished, made with my own hands, or purchased and given a new life to. I love meeting new folks and seeing little glimpses into their lives...it makes me feel so trusted when they share bits of themselves with me. I love relating over our samenesses and marveling over our differences. ("I'm never going to sell THAT! I can't believe I ever even picked it up!~Oh my! It sold, one of the first things to sell this season, I can't believe it!")

Back to Business...

I apologize. I get caught up in my own life things sometimes, and forget that this is a Creative Blog, first and foremost. Vintage? Love it. Craftiness? Absolutely have to have it. This is supposed to be a break from the crazy, sometimes stressful and wild world outside. A blog to pour a cup of tea with and pull up a cozy chair and forget yourself in.

I am re-dedicating this blog to all my readers and to everyone and anyone who stumbles across it and needs a break from the "real world" and a step into a sanctuary of creativity, beauty and tranquility. I will do my best to create that here, I promise.

An uncomfortable haircut...

I had had it with my hair. My natural blond was a little too natural and not blonde enough for me. I needed brightness. I wanted lightness and contrast. So I made an appointment with someone one of my sisters recommended. She had never actually been to this guy, but she'd seen his work on some of his coworkers and said he did an excellent, fantastic job.

I decided to be the guinea pig, have highlights and a cut and tell her about my results.

Well, needless to say it was the strangest, most uncomfortable haircut I've ever had. It turns out that my new hair stylist (also the owner of this salon) is a preacher-in-training and I got the benefit of listening to bits of different sermons it seems he works on continually throughout the day/his life. While I am Christian myself, I'm very uncomfortable being preached at. So, when I stumbled out of the salon 2 and 1/2 hours(!) later, I was feeling pretty strange, like I had entered another world and was now re-entering my own.

The cut is cute, I love the highlights and it was very inexpensive. But I can't see putting myself through that every time I need a touchup.

The whole situation did make me think though (I love it when something unexpected happens to make you think, especially when it's something normally as mundane as getting one's hair done).
These questions made me think about a lot:
1) He has been doing hair over 25 years and doesn't consider it a "job". He has worked 3 days for the past 20 years(!) and I figure that his income must be good if he can afford to own a business and work only part-time. He asked why I wasn't doing what I wanted to do? What did I want to do?
2) We talked more about my job(s)...and the amount of moving around I have done. First as a secretary, then as a case manager in human services, then working part-time as a medical transcriptionist and simultaneously as a Data Resource Specialist (basically updating a database for a non-profit), and now back to being a secretary. He asked me something: Picture yourself at 90; What do you want to be able to say that your life was about?
3) If your a Christian, does anyone know it? Do you just slump around in life and complain about your situation? Does that attitude make anyone you know want to be Christian?

Now, granted I don't like looking at some of these questions...their a little uncomfortable in them selves. I didn't like the presentation of the questions either. I like to discuss things, learn things...gently, not have someone trying to stick ideas in my face when I'm trapped in a squishy salon chair with bleach all over my hair and dangerously close to my eyes! But I will think about these questions and why it is that I've come full-circle job-wise and still don't really know where I'm going...

Rainy Spring Days and Acyrlic Paint...

Wow~It's been a long time since I've posted...sorry girls! I hope some of you are still out there; Deb thanks for the post, I have been really busy as you assumed.

The Victorian Tea was a big success! We raised $430.00 for Shared Hope International (www.sharedhope.org) and had about 20 people come! It was really great~the only negative was that I forgot my camera! I know, I know. I couldn't believe it either, and unfortunately I only realized it when it was time to start serving the tea...no time to run home! Several ladies showed up in beautiful bonnets of their own, and a friend came dressed in full Victorian dress! She won the prize for most embellished hat. It was so wonderful...

I've been playing a little bit with my pretty new acrylic paints...I've never had any formal art training and I'm looking forward to taking a painting class at the university where I work this fall. I feel a deep, strong, craving for color lately. I found some pretty thrift store spring tops which I snapped up a couple weeks ago but the craving continues...

Thanks to everyone who keeps checking back, I'll try to be more consistent with my posting! :)

Motivation...

Or lack thereof. I have been feeling so unmotivated to create anything lately, especially Victorian themed items for the tea that's coming up in just two weeks time. I think it might be because I know I have to make things for this, that I'm struggling with it.

Another issue is that I have been waiting on pins and needles to find out if I got the position I interviewed for recently. It's been SUCH a long wait since I found out my current job was "going away" this month...I found out two weeks before Christmas and still don't know what is next for me. I'm not one of those people who does well with having loose ends, things left up in the air, etc. I like things cut and dried and decisions made already!

Well, this is certainly not the inspirational and fun post I was hoping for! At least I can share some photos of an altered book I made a bit ago. This was for a class that I was supposed to teach at the local scrapbooking store, however no one signed up, so I didn't end up teaching this class. It was still an absolute joy (no pun intended!) to make. I LOVE collage and mixed media and all things scrappy and colorful!

Preparing the Shop...

Oooh, I'm so happy it was warm this weekend~I spent some time getting the shop ready for opening weekend. I'm planning to officially open the first weekend in May, but am having an Open House Saturday April 29th with goodies to eat and lots of fun new things to sell. I'm so anxious to re-open, it's been a long and cold winter.

One of the best things about having the shop are all the sweet and very interesting people I've met. I have people who come in to browse and don't buy a thing, but their kind compliments about my decorating and the way things are put together means just as much to me as a purchase.

I've always been drawn to decorating, from the time I had my own room in my parents rustic log cabin until now. My taste has changed over the years, from Victorian to Eclectic to Asian-inspired then to Cottage style. Now I would say that it's a mix of vintage and eclectic. My shop is more cottage/shabby chic'ish but my home is more of a mix and brighter colors. I LOVE decorating! I LOVE LOVE LOVE it! I have so much fun moving things from here to there, painting this and that and then starting all over again. I'm glad I have such a patient husband who doesn't mind all the changing I do.

Oh, I nearly forgot! Here is a photo of Suzette the little porcelin doll I bought at a flea market. She belonged to a lady who had gotten her during childhood and the woman was in her 80's when she sold her to this flea market! So, she's quite ancient. Isn't she pretty, all worn and faded? I'm normally not a fan of dolls, they give me the creeps to be honest, but I just couldn't pass her up!

Rainy Days & Easter Bonnets...

Today was rainy and cold, a good day to curl up on the couch with a thick book and warm blanket. Instead of indulging herself in that pastime, my wonderful friend Pam came to help me create Easter bonnets~aren't they pretty? Ohhh, I feel more springy just looking at them!

I am planning a Victorian Tea~and will be selling the Easter bonnets there. We're raising money for Shared Hope International (www.sharedhope.org) which is an organization working to end sex trafficking worldwide. This is SUCH an important cause. There is so much pain involved; mental, physical, emotional. It's too scary and ugly for me to even comprehend. But the wonderful people at this organization, and others are working to help save the women and children who are caught in this horrible trap. So, even though it's a teeny tiny drop of water compared to a problem the size of an ocean, a tea has been planned for the first Saturday in April to raise funds for this organization. I'm asking folks to come dressed with their own fancy hats and gloves, and we'll give a pretty prize to the person wearing the most embellished hat. We're serving tea sandwiches, scones with lemon curd, ginger and sugar cookies, pots of hot tea and more lovely treats. Oh, I can't wait! It will be such fun~I'm already planning out the decor!

These hats are a head start (no pun intended) on the Easter bonnet we'll be selling at the tea, but we plan to have a table full of other pretty items like greeting cards, journals, sachets and more. I'm hoping we break the $300 mark this year...$500 would be great!

Don't you wish that the hat tradition had never fallen out of style? I LOVE wearing hats, they make me feel so grown-up. But not in an old lady sort of way, in a stylish, chic, breakfast-at-tiffany's sort of way. I often feel that I was born into the wrong generation. I'm incredibly old-fashioned in many ways, and a bit of a feminist in others...it's a strange and somewhat confusing mix. But hats, aprons and pretty hairstyles, I wish I could wear those every day!

A Media Diet...

I have decided to do it. I'm going cold turkey. As hard as it is to even imagine, I'm going on a media diet. No HGTV. No home decorating magazines. No craft magazines. This is a very scary and interesting proposition.

I feel like I can't get enough lately. I try to feel grateful for all I have (which is plenty!) but all my little mind keeps taking note of is what I DON'T have. Do you feel this way? Maybe it's the time of year. I'm not sure, but I know that the "gimmes" feel much stronger when I watch my favorite home decorating and craft shows. I know that after flipping through a home decorating magazine and seeing all the perfection, what I have seems like so much less. I don't like this! I don't like being that way~I've got gobs to be grateful for!

I am grateful for my creativity, my ability to make something out of nearly nothing. I 'm grateful for my husband and family, my pets, a healthy body, my home, steady pay, friends, beauty all around me and life. I want to focus on what I HAVE and not what is missing.

The media feeds us with a constant desire. I think part of the reason we never feel like enough (not a good enough wife, not a perfect mother, not a perfect employee, not a good enough friend) is because we are trained by the media to be what "they" (being magazine models and fake happy people) should be. It's not enough. I want to live my own life my own way. Imperfect? Sure. But perfectly ME...that's what I'm striving for.

Anyone joining me?

Feeling Inspired...

I feel inspired this week. It might be the sunshine. I feel like I haven't seen the sun in weeks! I feel just READY to do something big to help make the world a better place. I feel a kind of staticky electricity hovering around me, all around my peripherial vision. I can tell something great is going to happen. I know that I'm re-finding myself after a few months of feeling a little lost.

I feel as though I've been in this selfish little bubble lately, wondering why I'm feeling blue, analyzing my feelings, trying to find out what would make me happy. Worrying a little too much about what clothes I don't have, what my house doesn't look like, what my life is lacking.

My art makes me happy. Creating things makes me feel very happy and complete and energized. But lately I've been feeling a certain kind of warm peace when I think of all the ways that I might be able to help others. I'm thinking of ways to tie in what I love to do (create, travel, organize events, plan parties, write) into something tangible that might help someone other than myself.

I'm not sure what's coming...but I have a feeling it's going to be great.