a wee end to a big week...

         1.  barn by the freshly seeded field   2. wee house built on love

               3. a  house on the lake   4. house built on rainbows

Hi there,

I can't believe it's Friday already!  This has been a week of unending deadlines (which is not a bad thing) and I've missed the smell of beeswax.  Today I found a bit of time to finish these wee paintings up (between caulking the kid's tub and dropping off house paperwork) and they will be in my shop later tonight.  Our house goes on the market Monday afternoon and there will be lots of agents coming thru Monday and Tuesday morning....after that things settle down (i hope) and I'll be back to painting and posting more regularly.  Thanks for all the inspiration this week....

Reality Check....

Just a quick post today to show these sweet gals before they head off to the shop in Michigan where they will be in the company of glittery fairies, vintage hats and a treasure trove of sparkly goodness.  I need to finish up my essay for "Artful Blogging" today and get to work on the mini oil paintings that are now dry (however my middle son and I have been hit with a stomach bug so all of that sounds a little ambitious at this point).  We had a realtor come over yesterday and a photographer will be coming by this week (for the color brochure pictures) and the house will go on the market next week (it's like someone hit a fast forward button on my life...).  

Since I discovered Liz Tran's art my world view has changed.  Every time I look out the window I see the trees in brightly colored knits...thanks for making my world a bit more beautiful Liz!

when it rains it pours....

                   These paintings are leaving the for their new homes today.

                                  (i love the ritual of packaging them up)

The first few weeks of 2009 I was feeling stuck, craving inspiration and wondering what was next... and then there was a shift and things began to happen.  So here is the list of big and exciting things that have rocked my world over the past 3-4 weeks:

1.  We are moving to San Francisco over the summer (that's a biggie...)

      (big promotion for Chuck...YAY CHUCK!)

2.  I am starting a collaboration with the amazing artist Cathy Cullis 

      (i'm so excited and will share more on this as the project progresses...)

3.  My "Sisterhood" painting was accepted by Somersert Studio for

      Publication

      (WOOHOO!)

4.  My blog is going to be featured in the May issue of Artful Blogging

      (crazy...i know!)

5.  I've been asked to be the featured artist in an upcoming issue of Somerset

     Studio 

      (i am working on getting 8 panels prepped to submit by the beginning of March..yikes!)

6.  Party Girls and Glamour Girls are now being sold at "The Potting Shed"

      in Chelsea, MI

      (it is the sweetest store ever filled to the brim with glittery goodness!)

7.   Ummm....there isn't a number seven

      (thank goodness!)

What's new with you?

 

back to work....

Hi there!  It's good to be back....

I have a fresh stack of blocks, a bee-woman in the works for a school auction (she's coming along nicely and i'll be sure to share her when she's finished), a few mini oil/encaustic paintings in the works and a vest that I finally finished knitting (just need to sew up two seams).  Tomorrow I have a laundry list of things to share (big and exciting things!) but for tonight I have lots of catching up to do with all of you....off to read some blogs!

Optimism....

This is me when I was two years old (sometimes I still feel like this)

Last week was a whirlwind and I'm headed out of town for a few days.....See ya!

Sisterhood (a calming haven)

These little mavens are being submitted to a "sisterhood" themed publication so they have to leave me much too soon (as in today).  I couldn't help but think about all of you who stop by this blog when I was contemplating sisterhood.  Keeping this blog, reading your comments and visiting your sites I feel as if I'm a part of  a sisterhood of creativity.  Through sharing our work, motivation and challenges we have created a calming haven in the craziness of daily life where we can see and be seen.   I see sisterhood as the safe and grounding bond that encourages us to fly.  So thank you and keep your fingers crossed sisters!

P.S.  What does sisterhood mean to you?

painting happiness...

House Built On Love   5x7

Technicolor Hood 8x8

Hi there,

I don't have too much to say today but I wanted to share my two oil painting/beeswax experiments (finally).  I painted with oil directly on maple panels, covered the painting with encaustic medium (once the paint dried), etched in the details and then filled the lines with black oil stick.  What do you think?

Thanks for all the good juju Friday evening.  I'm happy to report that two of my  paintings found new homes and there was lots of great discussion about the new documentary 

"Who Does She Think She Is?".  Many of the women at the party had attended a special screening and discussion panel with the director the night before here in Chicago (i can't believe i missed it!).  

Hope you are all starting your week on a cloud of love or rainbows!

a good word is hard to find...

Oops!  Someone in my house is not going to be very happy with me.  It's not even 8am and today's NY Times has already fallen victim to the scissors (I'm told this makes it very difficult to read).  Although in my defense I have to say that most words are taken from titles so the articles are still readable.  It has become increasingly difficult to find good words to use in my paintings (no party or glamour girl wants to be caught wearing a glass half empty kind of word) so each day I scour the paper for little snippets of goodness, hope and inspiration.  

I'm almost ready for my show tonight although later I have to whip up blue cheese and toasted pecan spread (which i will put on crostini with a thin slice of pear).  If you haven't seen these or these yet you're in for a treat...have a great weekend!

 

My Nemesis...

GOLD LEAF! 

 It's shiny, sparkly allure adds that special something (it's the must have accessory of glamour girls and party girls) but it is soooo challenging to work with.  It flits and flies around, sticks to my waxy hands and disappears with a gentle wipe of linseed oil.  This is a bit of what I've been up to the past few days.  All of the bitties with stripes or words are only 2.5"x3.5" ( I'm loving the new downsized block) and all of the Glamour and Party Girls have golden hearts in honor of Valentines Day.  I've got lots more in the works here and will post again tomorrow but right now my little guy is calling....have a great night!