It's been a very long time since I've posted. Shawn was hired by Roseburg Forest Products and began work on Aug. 31, 2015. The company would cover him staying in a hotel room for one month. That meant we had a month to find a place to move. We were able to get into a very nice apartment, 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms. Quite large. I've taken over the master bedroom and one spare room for my art rooms. The one spare room will be more for my library area.

Now, I have my art space. I don't clutter up the rest of the house with stuff,, stuff and more stuff. Once I can get some bookcases in my library room, I'll be able to get more of my supplies organized and easier to find when needed. It's already much better!

I lived in St. Helens my entire life! 60 years in one town. 60 years of dealing with the same people and mindset. It was difficult to leave my "home". But, it was a good move to get away from the stress of things going on there. Things that are out of my control and so very frustrating.

Hoping to return to working on "Just for Me" projects very soon.

Big Squishy Hugs and back to unpacking more boxes!

Gorgon

My Gorgon/Medusa. Drawn for a postcard exchange group. We needed to create something using the letter "G". The color didn't scan in very well. The face and wings are more bluish-gray, and the snakes are bluish-green.

Next postcard is to use the letter "E". I'm thinking Elephant Man. Not really sure what to do. This having just a letter to inspire your creative muse is getting very old quite quickly. May search the internet to see what weird stuff I can discover that begins with the letter "E".

Well, that's my exciting life!
Big Squishy  Hugs!

These are my newest creations. The ones with the button eyes are called "Rag-a-Muffins". The ones with the drawn on faces are my "Creepy Dolls" I hand sew everything. Why? Because I'm too lazy to clear a spot off on my dining room table to set up the sewing machine. One day I will waddle my behind upstairs and set up my studio. Then I'll have a spot for my sewing machine, have my fabrics on shelves, and be ready to figure out how to use my sewing machine.

I'm making these dolls because a contestant from "Face Off", RJ (one of my favorites!) was shown some of the dolls I'd made and a bit of my art work (thanks to my daughter!) and he told me that I needed to get an inventory and set up a booth at next years Haunted Gathering. SWEET! Talk about a big ego boost. Now my head barely fits through my front door.

So, off I go to play and work on the next "Creepy Doll".

Big Squishy Hugs!

New directions from out of no where! Exciting!

Have an opportunity coming up next year. Something out of my comfort zone, but something to try to achieve. My daughter took me to a "Haunted Gathering" where she could learn more about horror make-up for the local theater group. She showed some of my doll creations to one of the exhibitors (RJ from Face Off season 2 ?) who told me that next year I should have a booth there and sell my designs! I'm excited and a bit freaked out! Talk about an ego boost! So, I've been busy making some of my "Rag-a-Muffin" dolls. They are not in the horror genre or even close to being scary. My 8 year old granddaughter wants to take them all home. But, I do have a lot of ideas to make magic wands (I already have some beaded magic wands made and stored about here someplace), an off-set of the Rag-a-Muffin with a more sinister look, and some more Halloween and Steampunk type dolls. Perhaps some postcard sets and greeting card sets too. UGH! My head is filled with stuff and I just need to stop goofing on the computer and get busy!

I do not use a sewing machine to make them. Just a needle, tread and my chubby fingers! I would use a sewing machine, but that would require me clearing a space off the dining room table. Yeah, that's not going to happen any time soon!

I also have a drawing to do for Kyle Anderson. I can see it inside my brain, but can't seem to get it out onto paper. He wants a really great design, and has very clear instructions/description. It will be a lot of fun...again, once I quit goofing on the computer and get busy on it!

Hope you are all having a great day and Big Squishy Hugs!

This is a self portrait I drew a couple years ago. I'm still feeling this way. Being torn into different directions. Not sure which way to go. Knowing I need to stop procrastinating and get busy on sorting out my art supplies. Getting rid of so much clutter in my home. There is so much to do! So much to get rid of. It is time to remove so much from my life, and not just the clutter in my house. It's time to remove the clutter from my mind and move forward into a positive, creative life style.

Just need to get my rear off the couch and get busy!

Two works from my college days, back in the mid 1970's. I can see areas I need to improve on...like the hair in the lower pen and ink. And, evening out the shading in the upper pencil drawing. I was in my early 20's when I drew these. So very long ago.

It use to come so "naturally". It use to be so easy and just seemed to flow out the end of the pencils and pens. Now, I seem to struggle with every dot, every line, every idea. How did I lose that freedom of expression over the years? 

Instead of following my passion for art and striving to make a living creating. I chose a guaranteed paycheck and a life of living up to other's expectations and standards. I sacrificed some of who I was to please others. I put my artistic passions on the shelf and tried to become a "normal" person. I had a break down. I then realized that I sacrificed way too much of myself for others.

Now, I am on a journey to rediscover myself and my art passions. Perhaps, by finding these old works, I will find the passion that was shelved for too many years.

Big Squishy Hugs and Never Let Go of Your Dreams and Passions

Oh! A big fat mess in my house. You may have to turn your head sideways a bit...but, here are some before and barely after photos of my sorting and organizing my art and craft supplies. You can see how much I have and how much more I have to sort through. I have filled up our big recycle bin once. I have a large container and 2 kitchen garbage bags filled with items for a garage sale. If those items do not sale...they will be taken directly to a donation site. I am finding treasures that I'd forgotten I ever had. 

Soon, I'm hoping to get more stuff moved to the upstairs bedroom and turn it into my art studio space. There are 2 rooms upstairs...a small room that will be my "creative space". The larger room will be the storage area with shelves organized with boxes and small containers of ephemera. I have some shelving upstairs already that are industrial strength so I can put reams of paper on them. 

After I get all that in order. I need to figure out what to do with the items I've made, continue to make. Do I try to sell on ebay and etsy? Do I try to find a shop that will sell them on commission? 

So, I'm off to work on a crocheted blanket!

Big Squishy Hugs!

Accomplished something anyway.....

The frog prince was never completed. He lacks color in his life and a pond to rest his regal behind in. Sadness.

I got some items together for a swap today. It's to pack up some ephemera items to send to your partner(s) and in return you will receive some ephemera from them. My 8 year old granddaughter joined in on the fun and got out her little box of beads and treasures. She added quite a bit to the baggies. I think she just wants to make more room in her treasure box for the next time we go to the Gem and Bead Fair in Portland. I then went through several stacks of papers and boxes of stuff and continued to add more and more. It's a lot more than we are required to send, but, I have a house filled with arts and crafts supplies and I really need to get rid of some of it. So, they will receive a medium post office flat rate box filled with fun. They can choose to use it, or send it off to some one else if it's not their style.

I finished a collage swap project for the "Place I Love". Used some photos I took on several visits to the Oregon coast. Wrote about how being at the beach makes me feel, I took some glue and squiggled it across the page and then added a mixture of sand, glitter, broken shells, and beads to finish it off. It looks more like a photo album page than a collage. I really don't do collage. Collage art and I don't really get along very well. HA HA! I tend to make a mess of things and over work my collage art. Kind of the same thing I do with oils and watercolor paintings....I work those into a lovely picture of mud cakes.

So, that was my day.

A vintage photo I found on the internet a very long time ago. I wonder what she was thinking. She looks lost in thought and a bit sad. Perhaps she was just tired from having to hold still while the photo shoot was going on.

I'm time and a bit in the blue today. I have projects to work on and I'm at a stand still moment. Not sure what direction to go in, but know I need to get moving soon.

Need to stop procrastinating. Need to get my house a bit more organized so I can find what I need, when I need it.

What a boring little blip for today.

Have a great week and Big Squishy Hugs!

I haven't played with this style of art in such a long time. May have to return to this very soon. I'm having fun with the stippling portraits and there is so much more I want to do. Guess I should get off the computer and get busy!

Big Squishy Hugs and Have a great Saturday!

Finally finished another portrait project

I finally finished another portrait! This is my husbands parents on their wedding day. There are more colors, but the scanner didn't pick them up. I tend to color lightly and it doesn't copy very well. This was his Valentine's Day gift. My gift was a weekend at the beach and a 1954 Ammo Box from the Korean War. I picked it out at an antique shop at the coast. I've got to take a wire brush and clean out the inside and then I plan on using it in my art studio (when I get that set up!) to display finished art projects and/or vintage photos.

I'm off to work on a birthday gift for a friend! Have an amazing day and Big Squishy Hugs!

Wonderfully fun items at Allen Design!

Allen Designs is having a great give away. While you're there check out all the fun items!


http://www.close2myart.com/blog/2015/02/6-bag-giveaway-thank-you/#.VOerPfnF_fL

I hope the link works. If not just search for Allen Designs or check them out on facebook.

I'm not doing much right now. Avoiding the Dali portrait like crazy. Finished my husbands Valentine's gift, a portrait of his parents. I need to scan the finished work in and post. Working on a Rag-a-Muffin doll that I started years ago. Discovered her waiting in the box of fabric.

Had a beautiful Valentine's weekend at Nye Beach/Newport, Oregon.

I haven't been working on my projects the past few weeks. I can really tell the difference in my mood. I'm depressed and cranky. So, I need to, once again, turn off the computer, pull out my paper and pencil/pens and get back to my passion. It's really quite simple. So, why do I not do this? Why do I sit and feel lost and in a dark, murky mood?

Big Squishy Hugs!

Have been in a poop head mood lately. That wonderful time of the year where my clinical depression shows up and tries to move in. So, I thought I'd post a photo of Salvador Dali that brings a smile and just a fun feeling to my soul. He was such an amazing and creative man! I would love to have been able to spend a day with him, following him around, and just trying to imagine how his mind works. Might be a bit scary inside his head...but, oh, so amazing!

Today is my Art Time with Shelley and I'm looking forward to our over the phone creative time. I have a copy of a wonderful photo of Shawn's parents. I'm going to start working on that today and hopefully finish it for his Valentine's gift. I haven't worked on my Dali portrait in the last week. Still trying to figure out what to do for the background.

A huge THANKS to Shauna for her uplifting and fun mail art and ego boosting note that arrived in my mail box today! Just what I needed to get back to my art passions!

Big Squishy Hugs!

My latest "Just for Me" project is a portrait of Salvador Dali. I would like to put in some type of background images. But, I can't figure out what I want to do. I love doing portraits, but really want to start adding backgrounds just to do MORE!

So, if anyone sees my blog posts and has any suggestions, I'd love to hear from you! I'm always open to positive criticism! Helpful tips/suggestions are appreciated!

Thanks so much and Big Squishy Hugs!

The finished "Just For ME" latest project.

I finished it late yesterday. I like how it turned out. Of course, there are areas I would do differently. But, I'm not going to go back and redo any of it. I'm afraid if I did, I'd really screw things up!

I've started a new project. Another portrait, but not Adam Ant, Billy Idol, or Todd Rundgren.

Big Squishy Hugs!

It's midnight and I don't want to waddle off to bed......

This is a Way Back picture. I was about 12 years old and in the 7th grade. I've still been working on the portrait of Adam Ant. I've gotten frustrated with myself and have stopped working on it for the past few days. It's getting close to being finished, just need to finish the glasses, hat, and do some detail work. I don't know why I just don't get busy. But, instead I play on the computer and goof off with the grandchildren.

I've got other photos picked out to start next. I've also started a crocheted blanket and need to get back to work on that. My friend, Shelley, and I are going to make some Healing Pouches for each other. I have the perfect seed beads and printed out some patterns for that. I need to pick up some chamois cloth for this project.

This was our excitement a couple weeks ago. One of our pussy willow trees was rotted, we didn't know, and it feel. Fortunately, it didn't hit our home or any of our neighbor's homes. We had to call a yard/tree maintenance company to come and remove not only the fallen tree. But, also the other 2 that were rotting at the bases. I made sure to get a few branches so I can cut them up and make wooden buttons to use in art projects. I also found some really nice bamboo sticks for bead work.

So much for our shady back yard!

Big Squishy Hugs and have a safe and wonderful rest of January 2015!

This is my latest "Just for ME!" project. It's another Adam Ant portrait, from a point of view I usually don't work from. I like full face or profile, so this is a bit different for me. So far, I like it.

I worked on special projects for Christmas gifts, unfortunately, I didn't scan them in. UGH! Now with the Christmas gifts finished I can move forward with my being a very selfish artist and doing just what I want, when I want. I've discovered that I'm much happier when I'm selfish with my art passion. It's difficult for me to stop saying "yes" to all the swap projects, because they are a ton of fun. But, I've been really feeling a strong desire to return to my first art passion and focus more on that and less on the instant, just for fun, swap projects. The swaps got me out of my comfort zone and to try new techniques and materials. That's always great. But, I had walked totally away from my drawing and now I'm struggling to return to what I use to do so easily and quickly.

So, off I go to work on this piece and I'll post if when finished, if I don't forget to scan it in.

Big Squishy Hugs!