GARDEN LADY

She is in her element. The flowers, the bird in her nest, all create these sweet, loving and nurturing

surroundings that she is blessed with. Our gardens can offer such a retreat at a moment's notice. Step outside and be in the now with nature.

I am trying to get outside as much as possible because fall is sweeping in and I am always sadden to see winter coming. I try to embrace the beauty of winter, but find I am always creating more flowers and gardens in my art as an escape from the cold snowy outside.

This art was pulled from the background and I have 3 more to do. fun. really.

ta

BRIGHT COLORS

I PLAYED THIS WEEKEND!

Finally was able to have a jammie art day.

Well, nearly all day. Morning, really.

This is a 16 x 20 birch board panel.

I had it in my stash of mistakes, do overs,

you know, the pile of art that didn't make the ah ha moment. You work on these

flub ups and finally toss them in a dark closet to be tackled another day.

So out came this neglected board, and it

evolved into a happy piece. I love working with fabric in collage. Plus it helped that I finally organized my fabric stash...

I have another day at the locals market tomorrow and they are asking for recycled art. So this fits nicely into that category. Recycled art board, old dictionary pages, buttons, fabric..

all from my save pile. I painted her face on a piece of cardboard that I cut out. I had tried to collage her face with

fabric but she looked scary.. so I improvised and covered that face up. Which I thought was a nice way to cover the scary feelings of those dark clouds that try to blot out our light in life.

The words on the tree say the following:

"She knew that she could keep the Bright Colors alive, even when the world threw dark clouds at her. Nothing could darken her spirit."

That is my mantra most days. I am fortunate that I am able to stay in the light mostly. I do

have days when dark runs me over now and then, but I am blessed with being able to

pick myself up, and open the curtains wide.

Are your curtains wide open today?

ta

edit

I finally, after months of exasperating technical issues, this afternoon we got the big PROBLEM resolved.

I have been striving to stay positive through this entire challenge-- To not let the

fear overtake me. Once again, working my thoughts out with my art, staying in the light,

not allowing the Dark to take over my spirit, I have prevailed.

You just have to keep the faith baby.

AND DO ART! IT DOES SAVE LIVES!

MORE LOVE FOR POLKA DOTS

I knew I was going to see more polka dots! I bought this little cute table at a garage sale a month or so ago for $2! Sturdy is what I look for.. no wobbles. So this morning I decided to do a big daisy design after I painted the table a lovely mango red orange. This is the color I want to paint our kitchen/breakfast nook.. someday.. when I have time.... you know....

I did the daisy out of dictionary pages with a golden yellow fabric for the center.. then decided to add the turquoise dots... and then the spirals. I added little Love taglines for interest and xoxox's around the edge of the lower shelf.. I love it.. would love to keep it for myself, but this will go into tomorrow's show.

I love painting pieces like this. Have 3 simple wooden barstools that I want to paint. Doing this project this morning reminded me how much I love to paint on furniture. Will have to keep my eyes open at yard sales and thrift shops for small pieces I can do more of this on.. I also love to paint on wooden children chairs. Have done some really fun ones and would love to do more.

My computer needs a cleanup so I have unplug and drop off the ailing baby for the "boys" to do their miracle work on. I am really lost without my computer.. but know it's time for some overdue house cleaning for this little guy.

HAPPY MONDAY ___ taa for now.

TWO BIRDS WITH POLKA DOTS AND BUTTONS

POLKA DOT * BUTTON FUN!

Sometimes, it's great to just play. And that is what I did this morning... I had these little shadow boxes that I bought at the thrift shop ( one of my favorite "art" material source ) and knew they would be a good art base to work from. Dictionary pages for the inner walls, a small aluminum mold perfect for the base to fill with shredded mail order catalog pgs. Soaking these shreds in the Mod Podge/water mix is super messy and drippy and tons of FUN, but great to fill, and arrange then when it dries, it's very stiff and permanent. I sewed the two muslin birds last night watching TV (couch art!) and they are happy now in their new groovy digs. And adding buttons and polka dots is just the very essence of fun... I have always loved both.

Might have to polka dot something else today... maybe my door to my studio.. it's looking a little neglected this morning.

Happy Polka Dot Day to you, ta

RECYLING THE SUMMER OF LOVE

Recycled Art has always been one of my loves. I have been invited to sell art at our downtown outdoor market that is held once a week. Artists can sell their work with a recycled art theme - which I jumped at the chance to do.

I have a ton of small frames, etc that I am digging through

to make art out of.... recycling!!!! And I want to do bird art.. especially love making the nests.

The Art on the left says "Practice Random Acts of Green-ness" and the nest is made out of brown shreds of packing material. I printed the words out on brown paper bag ran through my printer.. pheww!!! it actually worked and didn't jam up the printer.. Yeah!!!! Because the printer is an ink-jet I sprayed the words with clear acrylic to preserve the print. The bird is muslin with orange cotton wings. The flowers and stems are also fabric.

For "Peace Lives Here" I cut a small branch from the Sarvis berry bush out in our front yard.. (this is covered with little green berries that the birds will soon be enjoying when they are ripe!). I sewed on antique white buttons to the branches and tied on more fabric strips. I decided to make a wire hanger and added more buttons and fabric strips. PEACE LIVES HERE can be a reminded to us that even with the world's turmoils revolving around us, we have the ability to create our own peace in our own house, in our own family. For this bird nest, I used our paper shredder to shred up a mail order catalog.. lots of various colors. The bird is cut from an antique cotton mattress pad and her wings are cotton scraps from an old dress of mine. The birch board panel you would usually paint on the front, but I used the back for the inset purpose.

So more more art to work on, but for now, the orders are glaring at me, so it's time to go to work.. another sunny warm day here. I think summer is really here. Yippiee!

ta ta

BREATHE

"IF YOU ARE WAITING ON THE WIND, DON'T FORGET TO BREATHE."

Another assemblage done. I used the other wooden shoe insert and created another art doll. Because "NOW" -the birthday angel I made the other day- sold so quickly, AND two more of my art pieces at the WW gallery, I need to replace the empty spots with more art. ohhh love that..... MORE ART, PLEASE!!! (doing the gratitude dance here!)

Again, I used an old doll head, but this time, cutting all her hair off. (And I have to admit, it's so liberating to do that!) Then created a new do with recycled packing shreds.. they are zig zag-y and look so cool. She has the spiral tattoo on her forehead to remind herself to breathe. Her heart is full and she keeps hope alive no matter what comes to her on the wind.

I used a line from one of Jack Johnson's songs. The album is "Sleep Through The Static" and the song "All At Once". I love and adore his music. He's probably about my son's age, but must be an old soul because the wisdom in his lyrics is so incredible. I have not found a musician/writer that I am so crazy about since James Taylor, who I still listen to.. but I must say I have been listening to Jack's music a lot lately. Like all the time. And it's wonderful to make art to.

But today I think I will listen James Taylor.

ta

BIRTHDAY ANGEL

So I promised to do some BECAUSE art after the wild women art show and yes, too-da-loo and

laa-laaa-la-laaaa-laaaa..... BECAUSE Today is my birthday and as a present to myself I did art in my jammies here in the studio all day. ALL DAY!!!! And here's what I created!

She is a birth angel here to remind us to stay focused on NOW. You know how when your birthday rolls around it's one of those reflect kind of days. Where you've been, where you are going. And I thought about how it's so important for us to stay in the NOW. Because that's really all we have isn't it?

So...I used a wooden shoe stretcher that I repurposed into her body. The wings are oyster shells that I found in Hawaii.

If you look closely, (click on image) you can see I transferred text from dictionary pages on the shells. I loved using the oyster shells for her wings. I drilled holes in the end so I could screw them onto the wooden body. I don't know if you have ever tried to drill sea shells, but it is nearly impossible. But oyster shells are, I am happy to say a Breeze!

The old doll head I attached and then I wrote journal notes on her forehead about learning to stay in the NOW - maybe now she will remember the message! The nest with the egg is the symbol of birth and renewal. I painted the tree growing on the foot.. the base of her life. The tree of life. I like this piece. Not sure if she will go on to the WW to sell, or on etsy or who knows. But for now, I am happy she is here in my studio. I want to be with her for NOW.

It is so lovely to spend a day of fun. Reminds us of the real joys in our life. Play. What a nice thing for us... I am thankful and grateful for the day.

ta

NOTE: I DID DECIDE TO TAKE HER OVER TO THE ART CENTER YESTERDAY (6-16-09) AND ADD HER TO MY MIX. JUST GOT A CALL TODAY (6-17-09) THAT SHE SOLD WITHIN 10 MINUTES OF MY HANGING HER. I AM HAPPY, BUT A LITTLE SAD TOO.

I REALLY LOVED HER, BUT SHE WILL GO ON TO NEW AND BETTER THINGS. SO PERHAPS THAT IS A SIGN FOR ME SINCE THIS WAS A PIECE I CREATED ON MY BIRTHDAY. MOVIN ON.