More journal art designs coming off my drawing board this morning.

I am in the "get it done" mode for the upcoming show in Salt Lake next Saturday March 9th.

It will be a 6 hour drive (more or less) but the weather looks good and I can head out early Friday morning

and thankfully going down in elevation means easy peasy until I get into the mtns in Utah which will be later morning so no problems.  My trusty Subaru Forester ( and I do LOVE that car) will be loaded to the hilt for my one day show.  I was so blessed to hook up with a FB art friend who has graciously invited me to stay at her house!!!  We have only met online and are both looking forward to meeting in person.  I love FB for the connections.  I joined FB with the intention of promoting my art and it works over and over again.  

Then an even bigger show in April - a 3 day show in Denver.  That one will be amazing and I was so

fortunate to get in. And side attraction..I can stay with my mom who is happy to have me.. thanks mom! Having the big spring shows is wonderful because I usually am not doing shows in the spring.   So I am thrilled to have these on the calendar.  

My goal for this year is to create more flow with production and get my name out more.  I was so busy 

working last year, that I did little in the way of promoting.  I have several new ideas for products and at these spring shows I can test their sellability -- if that is even a word!

The studio is being used at it's max with extra tables holding WIP that I am working on daily. And I am happy to conquer the to do list everyday with a smile and and song in my heart.  

ta for now

Journal art that I pull into photoshop and

create a new design.

I love the assurance of this saying

because we all have our struggles and concerns.

Worry can be such a monster in our lives.

I think it's good remind ourselves to

breathe and trust. 

ta

journal art...about spring.

a little premature I know...

but this morning when I went outside, I felt spring..  sunshine,

birds singing.. oh yeah.. it's in the air. 

So of course, I am planning shows. 

Two on my radar for Spring.

One in Salt Lake City March 9

and now

Denver April 5-7

Colorado Arts & Gourmet Food

These fell into my lap from the sky and I am 

counting my lucky stars for them.  

Snow in the forecast for the next two days and 

spring will have to be persistent.

But that's how we run spring and me.

Persistent and determined.

It will happen.

Just watch and see!

ta

I am CRANKIN' out these tiles.  It's exciting to do these.. I have to revamp my designs that are all 8.5 x 11 that I use on my kitchen towels, aprons, etc.  These tiles are 6 x 6 so I have had to jump on my computer to re-size these to fit.  Which is just plain fun in photoshop.  I want to sell these locally at shops and fairs to

see if they will be successful enough to invest in some new equipment to produce these much easier and faster.  But this "cottage industry process" is doing great with production here in my little studio!

I also have a stockpile of cradle boards to do more on.  Originally bought them from Blicks, but found a much better deal from Cheap Joe's Art Stuff.  These take more time because I have to paint them.. so they will be selling for more.  

And I got to spend some quality time with my little chickapea Emalie this weekend.

She loves to hang out with me here in the studio..  while I am working she's playing dragon games on my kindle.  And smiling her sweet toothless grin.  I  so love this kid to the moon and back.  

okay MONDAY

I am jumping into my busy day!

ta

My husband is a car nut.   His cars is to him, as my art is to me.  The beauty of this, is we let each other be what we want to be.  Cars in the driveway, I lose count sometimes.  Some actually are driveable, others

are "projects".  Come into my studio, and I have plenty of my own "projects" parked around my studio.

So we are a good match.. we get it.

So when I saw this picture, I thought THERE WE ARE!!!!  We could incorporate a little of his car parts into

yard art.. and serve as a mailbox receptacle to boot.  The best of both worlds!!!!

I have been working fast and furiously with my books.  Bookkeeping isn't something I love doing.

I avoid it and now I am paying the price!  Catching up..  my brain is now properly fried.  Tedious.  I so appreciate anyone who does this for a living.  Because it rattles my brain after too many hours.  

So closing down the studio for the day, spruce up the house a bit, get dinner in the works and ease into the evening.  Tomorrow is MONDAY and I have a heavy duty week ahead.  Getting ready for a show in early March and doing a lot of new products in addition to the kitchen towels.  

But must show this cool picture to Dan.  Plus it has rock work to boot.  Another passion of his.

How can he possibly resist!?

ta now..

VALENTINE ANNIVERSARY ART

 HAPPY ANNIVERSARY ART

I finished this gift of art for my daughter and her husband.  Today is their 8th wedding anniversary. and it's Valentine's Day.  Romantic, yes?

I used a piece of scrap wood from the local cabinet shop.  I prefer working on wood, and love when I can

pick up free wood and save it from being discarded.  This piece measures appox 12 x 8 and is an inch thick.

I painted the background with a navy paint ( a 50 cent  8 ounce sample interior acrylic paint at Lowe's from their paint sale table) and started painting the back ground with some white.. in a nice painterly fashion.

After it dried, I took some dictionary paper and sketched the tree and then applied it on to the surface

using Mod Podge.  After that dried I used a graphite pencil (my favorite is Kimberly 525 9xxb) to sketch in more of the details of the tree bark.  This pencil by Kimberly is nice and soft and will draw on a lot of different surfaces.. I use it often.  Next I painted the 8 red hearts ( from another sample paint pot I had)  and then decided the texture of the pattern stamp would add a nice romantic look.  

Then I dug out my trusty old wood burning tool and where I had sketched the hearts and initials, I burned

into the wood.. to give it an authentic carved wood look.  I added a smaller heart under their heart with

their daughter's initial.  It now makes it a family tree.. and I smiled.  I was happy with the finished project.

To put a "hanger" on the back, this is what I do.  I simply take the hanger wire, coil the end then 

with my electric stapler, I staple a few times to attach the wire and then the same on the other end.

It creates a nice hanger.. fairly inexpensive. And I always put a sticker on the bottom with my 

name, website, etc. info.  I paint the backs of my wood pieces.. or cradle board pieces because

it gives a nice finished look.

I am planning on writing a note on the back with a white paint pen.. a personal message for them.

A nice project and I think they will be pleased!

ta for now..

This has been fun working on wooden wall prints for Lunar Designs.  I am experimenting on trying new

products for wholesale.  Here's a few of my pieces.

These are ceramic tiles .. trivets.. that I am working on techniques for.

I am setting my booth tomorrow in El Jebel at the Winter's Farmer's Market

at Eagle Crest Nursery and will be selling these for the first time!  I 

am really pleased the way they are turning out!

A beautiful sunrise this morning!

I took this standing at our front door.  The colors are pale

in the photo compared to the real thing.  But

so gorgeous to start out my busy day.

I was still in my robe sipping coffee and watching the

sky just go vivid.  Snow storm on the way.  

"Red sky in the morning, sailor take warning...."

ta for now

BUSY day ahead of me!

My ART at a really sweet wonderful fun shop here in Glenwood Springs!

 YEAH Confetti Designs!

so.  whoa. 

 It's been awhile... I have been sooooo busy with ART, LIFE, FAMILY, WORK..  I have not

had much time for this poor neglected blog.

But

I am back.

I am trying to get more balance in my life.

Important things will always get done, one way or another.

But the essential for my soul "stuff", I have been sorely neglecting.

Doing my morning ART has been scarce.  And that is not a good thing for me.

I started doing more art last week and I swear I could FEEL my world coming back into balance.

Colors began to brighten, vistas came into focus, LIFE just got better, birds started singing,

coffee tasted better, my husband fell in love with me all over again, you know, that kind of thing.

To catch up.. I did a LOT of holiday art fairs this past fall/winter till Christmas.  It kept me running

7 days a week.  I managed to stay healthy and pull it off, but I have to admit I was ready for a break.

But I am now rested and restored and jumping back into more show schedules. Can't keep me away for long!   Just signed up for a show in Salt Lake City March 9th called the Vintage Winters Market.  That will be a trek to get there (about 5 1/2 hours) but I was so fortunate to be invited to stay with an online  artist friend (FB) who has graciously invited me to stay with her.  wow.. lucky me.  I love hooking up with other artists on FB... we got to be friends virtually and now to have the opportunity to meet her in real.. it's just icing on the cake!

And I have been playing with new product development.. testing the waters to add to my array of products.

Doing coaster and printed pictures and playing with techniques.  Nice that I have places I can test

them before considering them in my wholesale lineup.  

Have also been toying with the idea of teaching some workshops on doing art fairs.  It's a learning curve and I feel very confident in how far I have come by doing so many.  Booth design is so crucial and I have often 

noticed artists trying to sell their wares when their booths are just sad looking!!!!  Kind of like you tend to focus so much on the trees, you aren't seeing the forest.  Understandable, but a part of marketing your 

art is the presentation.  It's that HOOK factor that you have to really work on.  I have been doing our local Farmer's Market here in town now for 3 years.. a weekly market and that's where I really learned a LOT!  I just kept improving on my displays and it helps with your sales!  And that's what we are trying to do, right?

So Life is wonderfully busy and exciting.  My new world for 2013 is 

BREATHE.

Do it all, but take time to take those big cleansing breaths and just be in the NOW.

And I will make a point to get back into blogging more.  

ta for now..