rainy day

It's a dreary day....what better way to spend it than to paint and be creative all cozy indoors:

So, I have been thinking a lot lately about how darn much I love our little girl.  So many questions run through my mind throughout the day.  I find myself saying "I love you" probably at least 25 times throughout our day together.  ( I know, am I smothering her :/?!)...I wonder how much that will change through the years.  Does she know that she has me wrapped around her little finger?  Will this love continue to grow or does it plateau ever?  What will it be like when I tell her she has to change her clothes when she tries to wear a way too short skirt to high school? 

Ohhh, I guess these are all natural thoughts a mother has.  All I know is that I often just feel like that quote by Elizabeth Stone:

"Making a decision to have a child is momentous.  It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside of your body."

So true.

And, I am adding a little melted crayons to my current piece....we'll see where this takes me.

I purchased this set of cookbooks for a few dollars a few years ago at the Harper's Ferry Flea Market.  I really bought them because I loved how sweet they are in size, color and pattern.  Written by Helen Evans Brown, who apparently was pretty popular on the West coast in the 40's and 50's, I am wondering if they might be worth anything after doing research on her (not that I would want to part with them.) 

These books were published in the 1950's and I happened to pull them out to get a little inspiration for my next painting.  I might have to sit down and really read them and learn more about her now that I know they are special.

want my digits, mama?

Ok, ladies....let's face it.  Making good girlfriends is harder when you get older and especially finding those you click with and can converse about the joys (and woes) of motherhood.  I can't tell you how many moms I have met and then I can't remember their name and am too embarrassed to ask again (but I can definitely remember their child's name because you hear them say it repeatedly when trying to get their child to behave in the middle of whatever play group or library class you attend.)  And I wish I knew their name so I could ask them for their number.  Making friends after 30 is often like dating, you see.

My friend Jenny had to essentially cyber stalk and track me down through this blog hours after we met at library class a few months ago.  She has since become one of my closest friends and our girls adore each other.  It would have made her life a lot easier if I had just pulled out one of these convenient little pieces of info:

Now, my only concern is people won't get my sense of humor.  I think these are hysterical and I am basically poking complete fun at myself.  I just hope the moms who receive one of these cards don't think I am a total anal freak of a mother, but rather a funny gal they would like to hang with.  I'm just sayin'...

I am such a sucker....a pop up for Vistaprint appeared on my computer screen for 250 FREE business cards and of course I clicked on it.  And now I have plenty which should keep me stocked up for a little while....if you are lucky, you might get one :) 

Happy Monday, everyone....have a great week!

dance

One of the things I love about my husband is his mad dancing skills.  The man has got rhythm that you wouldn't believe, or suspect, based on his love of history, traditionalism, accounting and his quirky sense of humor.  Writing about it actually really makes me miss it.  The night of our wedding we ended up at a local bar and on the dance floor with some of our family. Me and my new hubby managed to make K-7's 1993 hit "Come baby come" look relatively classy in a suit and full wedding gown.  And in our dating days, more than once before baby, we would end up dancing in our living room with the music I'm sure way too loud...sigh, those days have since retired but I'm sure one day his moves will make an appearance again.

Cut to the chase, I've been working on these completely carefree pieces.  While I worked they reminded me of the fun of dancing.  Not sure why, maybe it is the way the lines move or the glitter shines.  But they are happy...and they make me want to dance.  I think my painting may be moving in a new direction:

 

Life...it's a roller coaster.  Enjoy the ride

the middle one in progress

Oddly enough, my husband broke out Pandora this morning and started dancing with Leila in the kitchen.  Priceless.  Leila started twirling around and giggling like I have never heard her giggle before.

martha, martha, martha

Besides a few minor flaws, like how she pronounces water "wah-ter" and the fact that the mere thought of eating with her reminds me of inviting the Queen to tea or that apparently she was the torturous mother who kept the lights off and curtains drawn on Halloween to shun gitty children, well....I simply love her style.

And, with a gift card to Michaels from my mother-in-law, a great President's day sale and simply asking the clerk in the checkout line if he had any coupons he could give me, I got all of this for $0:

turn it around:

Now, Martha's never ending line of paints and supplies can make anyone a little excited about the most daunting of projects. You really can't beat the colors and styles she offers and the quality of her stuff is wayyyy better than most. But, they come with a price tag. That's why I was so stinkin' excited when I got this pack of 10 paints, which normally costs $19.99, for just $10.....I am not too proud to ask for a coupon and for the entire line behind me to hear. I got 50% off my highest priced item!

And these to add some embellishment to my work:

Meanwhile, I am working on the "swimsuit" painting (which I found fitting to call it) and I happened to go through and organize all of my recipes on Sunday and found some quirky cards I couldn't resist.  Is it just me or do you love going through your mother's, grandmother's (and so on) recipes and getting a giggle out of the advertising.  Case in point:

An early 80's ad for Weetabix.  If you are interested in purchasing this today you will have to go to England.

I found a use for some of these odds and ends though.  Here is a snippet of work in progress:

samples

Here are a few more samples of work that will be added to pinterest today.  It really is interesting to look at your portfolio from years past to present....I feel like my art (especially these samples) show how your style can change depending on where you are in your life.  pretty cool:

this chalk drawing was from my magnet high school class

 Pencil drawing of model from course taken in Italy

Ok, so when I was a junior (I think) in high school I was completely into buying fanchy schmancy drawing pens and doing these wild drawings of faces.  At some point I will take some pics of my sketchbook I kept back then....it is full of characters!  This is a HUGE drawing on thick paper and each shape has a pattern....maybe I should break it out and see what happens if I work on it 15 years later? hmmmmmm.

watercolor

custom piece created upon nephew's arrival

a fab vintage sofa, paintings in progress & a sofa for sale...

Leila and I were crazy painters yesterday...both so excited about our projects in progress.  Hers on the floor above and mine below.

this piece will be done this week....it is on a cotton shower curtain and incorporates pattern, color texture.  There is a vintage ribbon wrapped around it and the blue "ruffles" come from a baby's swimsuit that my sister passed down to me.  Unfortunately, it had been worn one too many times to be used this summer... 

And, we have been in the middle of a mad scramble to get this vintage leather Davis sofa in its new home: our living room.  We have wanted a leather sofa to deal better with our dog hair issue and to give use more room, however we didn't want just any leather sofa.  We needed something on the smaller scale with style and good lines. 

Went to Chartreuse and again it did not disappoint. Had my eye on this and the price was a steal... (courtesy of vendor Sue at The Treasured Hunt ...Chartreuse has several "vendors" who sell.)  I texted my husband a pic of it and called him at the office but I didn't hear back.  Sigh, I had to let it go.  When he got home on Friday night he told me he thought I had bought it. YOU WHAT?!?  My heart sank and I immediately e-mailed the owner of Chartreuse asking if it was still there.  Of course not....it had been purchased that day.

However, it was fate.  Apparently the lady who purchased it decided it didn't work in her home and had to sell it.  Score!....on that note though, we are selling this piece:

Make us an offer!  I admit it, I did paint the upholstery after seeing the steps on this blog but now that we are moving our sectional into the playroom to make room for the leather sofa, this has to go.  It is otherwise in great condition and was handed down to us from my parents.  It measures 58" wide and is 32" deep and can certainly be re-upholstered.

LOVE Jill Ricci

So, I finished the LOVE painting today and gave it to my dear friend Jenny for her home.  I was excited to make something special for her but as the piece progressed I was a little hesitant because it is not like my usual work.  However, she LOVED it.

(ignore the shine....there is a thick, glossy varnish on it)

 Voila...it incorporates the following:

2 good ole' Victoria Secret bra straps from a $50+ bra I purchased years ago and never bothered to wear because it was too fussy and frilly. (glad I could finally put it to use!)

The lace from the aforementioned bra which I spray painted and used as a pattern in the "painting" (see bottom corners)

Beads from when I was in junior high and have never parted with

Vintage trim

Puff paint

baubles from a bracelet which broke not too long ago

Gold and Silver metallic ink

The top and base from a lamp shade provided the circle shape

receipt from 1983

Art Digest clipping from the 1940's

The letter B (for her last name)

A vintage hanky

2 yo-yo circles from a YoYo quilt (popular in the 1920's-1940's)

a silk rose

Burlap

I love a good edge to paintings....adds a little sauce!

I can't help but think I was a bit inspired by my new favorite artist, Jill Ricci.  Her work is amazing and I love her approach...she doesn't have a final vision in mind when she works.  Rather, she lets her pieces develop and whatever happens, happens.  I want to study her pieces one by one.  Here is a taste:



Photo: jillricci.com