A weekend's work

So, here are the pictures I was about to take yesterday when Persephone made her get-away. Done! 56 Holiday Dominoes, now waiting pretty ribbons.

.Customers in the shop love these little charms.... they fly out the door! (hint: I'm looking for/needing more dominoes!) Done! Dozens of greeting cards and notes made from Vintage Postcards of my town of Boulder Creek.
This is one of my customer's favorites... the old swimming hole taken in the 60's! It's a scan of an actual photograph.
Well, this one doesn't show up so great here, photographed and reduced... but I spent many hours playing with this almost all black and white postcard from 1910, looking down at Boulder Creek in the old days. Photoshop helped me make a blue sky and green up the Redwood mountains some.

Done! a set of greeting cards: the "Elder Artist", and "Good Morning, this is God...."


Done! well, this was an idle time creation, a set of Mother Mary tags
So, it was a productive and fun weekend in my studio! What were you up to?

Things that move in the night!

Have you ever gone into your studio area and wondered "how did that get there?" Well, I started off this morning snapping pictures of my recent work to share here... and heard a noise from above. There, perched high atop, was Persephone doing her morning stretch after I had so unceremoniously switched on the blinding light which so rudely woke her! Just at that moment....

What does she hear? In a room down the hall,Grandpa is dishing out breakfast for all four kitties!

She quickly surveys her possible exit routes.

Shall she try going this way?


Will this support my weight? I'm sooo hungry!Hmmm, I dunno know..... I'm certainly not a "Fraidy Kat"One.... Two.... THREE! GO FOR IT!
The aftermath.... oh well, Grandma will clean up the mess!
The "After-Glow"....
Moments later..... ahhh, breakfast!
Would you PURRRLESE! get that camera outa here!

Encaustic Works (painted with wax)

Here are some examples of the work I did in encaustics -hot wax. I love working with that medium, especially with the capacity to embed right into the hot wax.

This first one was done on a piece of fence board that my husband sanded down for me. I was able to embed vintage rosary beads, photos, holy cards, etc.



This next one is on a piece of Redwood fence board. Here I put down a layer of clear wax, then a photocopy of one of my favorite paintings (by me), on top of that I embedded the image of Holy Mary from a holy card. I mixed some colors into my wax and extended the greens, etc. onto the wood, drizzling additional wax around the borders. It was so fun to place her into a painting I did in the 1980's!


I created this one at a class that San Francisco's Center for the Book held last year. Got to play with some of their colors. There are layers of photos, vintage doilies and misc. papers also. There is some text right under the wax in the middle, but the camera didn't pick that up. I added the hardware embellishments at home.

Back in my studio again! HOORAY!

Ok, ok.... I hereby promise to keep this blog going! Thank you Art & Soul friends who encouraged me to keep up with this! I've been creating, just not posting much. I spend an hour each morning reading my favorite blogs... so here's my commitment to stay current. I'm also going to post my favorite blogs (soon as I figure out how) for you all to enjoy as well!

This week I've included several of my recent journal creations. I keep at least four journals going all the time, my Letters to God/Thankfulness journal at night; an idea journal to write fabulous ideas and sketches; an inspirational journal where I keep my book/study notes; and my morning journal which is a remnant of Morning Pages, where I write about my goals for the day. Opps, I have a couple other journals, but will share about them somewhere down the line.

I've listed these in my Etsy shop http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5828756 so check them out!

Soldered Glass Necklaces

Here are my first attempts at soldering glass after Sally Jean's fabulous class at Asilomar. My granddaughter talked me into the Rocky Horror and Sedwic designs... but my favorite is the Sinatra! Sold the first one to a delightful lady in France!

Back to creative work!

Where has the time gone! It's almost spring here in the soggy redwoods! Finally put away all the Christmas ephemera, craft supplies, etc.... and started some new projects.

Very excited about my fat book for Art and Soul in Asilomar in April.... here's a look:
I took the artist image from one of my soul collage cards and plunked her down on the windswept dunes. Windswept is the theme of the fat book swap. There are still spaces at Art & Soul Asilomar.... see:
http://www.artandsoulretreat.com/Asilomar-2008.php

Sooo... I got busy and created a few little ATC's with wire hangers, currently listed on eBay....
"But I like myself the way I am"... digitally altered image applied on top of a 1919 Sears Catalog advertisment for corsets.

And here is the back side (back art), almost as cute as the front!

Art Walk ~ EYE CANDY!

Oh my gosh.... I haven't posted in a week or so because I was getting ready for the Art Walk we had in our little town. Thought you'd all enjoy seeing some of the fabulous art! Sorry I didn't get pics of the 17 (!!) Bird Houses that one artist sold!

Here are some of the darling Brownies singing Christmas Carols in front of Sherrie's Fashions. My store is waaaay at the end of the block, you can see it in the distance. Actually, that big redwood tree is in our "Secret Garden" (back yard).


Carol makes these wonderful ceramic Tree ornaments every year. She has sold to the same people every year for the last 10 years.... they LOVE her "Boulder Creek" tree ornies! This year's is amazing! You can see them hanging.... shoulda took a closeup!!

But wait... here's a closeup of some of her other works. She takes her husband's photographs and puts them on these little ornaments, jewelry, night lights, etc. I don't know HOW he can get the hummingbird wings to stop like that! I LOVE the one with the fog in the redwood trees... taken from their deck overlooking our little town!

Here's my little space, in front of our shop window. I loved making those tiny domino tree ornaments. Have sold lots through the shop, so I hurried to make more for the Art Walk, but forgot them at home!! Didn't quite sell out though, so they're in the shop now.

I didn't get a very good shot of Ruth's LOVELY VIRGIN MARY art! Ruth was so excited... she sold three of her fabulous "Hippie" blankets!

Here's another shot of my table including my sunflower paintings. got lots of compliments, but no sales. Would these sell on eBay you think?

Here's Mike (Carol ~the ceramic ornament artist~ 's husband. His photos are out of this world! Next to him is Ginger.... wait till you see the closeups of her amazing work!

As promised.... here's Ginger's work! words don't do justice! her colors, textures, creativity! all AMAZING!!

Donna Lee's Dolls, shared a table/space with Ginger... her imagination and creativity with her unique dolls has made her a local favorite. I'm always keeping a lookout for unusual brushes or unique things for her to incorporate into one of these charming characters.

Here's better pics! I love the little sage bundles, they smell soo GOOD!

I just wish I had taken more pictures!! Everyone was bundled up... but having a ball! Then, at six pm, the fire engines came rolling into town, sirens blaring, announcing the arrival of our OWN SANTA! Santa then proceeded to light our huge Christmas tree. (Honestly, I wasn't asleep... I just forgot to take a pic of the tree! I'll get one later this week.) The fire department hosted a HUGE spaghetti feed. They are a volunteer department, and brother!! WE REALLY APPRECIATE THEM!! Thanks Guys, for all you contribute to our saftety here in the mountains!

Several hundred parents and children sang, laughed and cheered on Santa!

I love living in our little town!
Holiday Blessings to you all!