getting out of the house

Got out of the house today, so exciting! ha ha. In search of linoleum to carve. It's amazingly hard to find around here. But I did find some at a great little art store in downtown Oshkosh. Also picked up some blank hemp greeting cards to make Valentine's cards.
On the jewelry end of it I grabbed a few new beads and some hypo-allergenic ear wires. I don't know why I didn't do this a long time ago. My mom always had sensitivity to certain metals so it should've been on my radar. I am paying attention now!
Almost done Christmas shopping. Usually I watch the budgeting better and am maybe a bit of a scrooge. This year, however, I've really enjoyed spending money on others. AND, I bought quite a few presents off Etsy and a couple off of Ebay so I feel like I had a good start to shopping small business. I'm guilty of hitting a couple big box places but only a couple. Hope to wrap it up tomorrow!
Spent a bit too much on the kids but mostly on educational toys so all is not lost. They are spoiled but they are not assholes. umm, to elaborate. . . my Aunt says her husband always said there's a big difference between a kid being spoiled and being an asshole. enough said. 

built my 1st gingerbread house!

The kids loved it. Lil' B ate all the candy she could before we made her put it on the roof and R-dub glued walls and santa with his sleigh. We took a pic and about 10 seconds later it folded into a heap.
Lesson 1: a lot of weight on the roof can be bad for a house
Lesson 2: have your camera ready!
Lesson 3: start early so the sugar doesn't keep the kids up, sheesh, they just fell asleep.

We also started a mom and kids collaberative drawing today. Inspired by my recent find, a Spanish porcelain bird. Not a lot of info out there about it but it sure is cute!

Birds, branches, scribbles, a cat, flowers and more scribbles and marks. All in black drawing pens and markers. We'll add some color and see what happens. I'll post when its finished.
it was a good exercise in not being too attached to what you're drawing. Maybe we can make it a weekly project.
AND...I'm adding a link called Anaya Papaya, it's a great new company focused on family products. Check it out! 

new earrings listed

I LOVE this pair of earrings! Of course my pics don't show it but I'm still struggling with the old camera. Maybe Santa's looking at Macs for me for Christmas :)

White vintage glass rounds and dark red faceted glass. I don't know if its the color combo or sparkle or what but I'm very attached to these. Will be making myself a pair just like them.
Still working on the prints, just don't feel ready to list yet. Soon, soon.
Looking ahead to June (what else do you do when the snow starts flying?) I want a road trip to Utah for my friends wedding and then on to AZ to see me ma. I love northern Arizona. It's empty and beautiful and feels like the most spiritual place on this earth. Though I'd have to travel more to back that up. Moab, AZ, New Mexico ? ? ? I skipped Taos on my way through last time and have regretted it since.
Wish I had an endless supply of time and gas money.

details, details

too much on my to-do list and too much i forgot to put on my to-do list. hoping to somehow skate through the next few days getting things done left and right. hoping the weather cooperates and the children too.
listed a couple new necklaces on Etsy, a little different than my other jewelry. Here's pics

and I've got the details pinned down for my prints. I plan to list a few before Thanksgiving! Speaking of which, I've got food to make and I don't think I've bought the supplies yet. Want to make my grandmother's Apple Kuchen, which is DELICIOUS! and pumpkin bread, and I said I'd make pumpkin pie. yikes.

carrot flavored pieces

Had I read the fine print I would NOT have grabbed that box of carrot cake mix. Carrot flavored pieces! What? How can they not use real carrot? This disturbs me on a lot of different levels that I will not go into at this time.
Instead I'd like to share what I've been working on and what will be listed very soon in my Etsy store.
I created a lino cut of a trike a couple years ago and have finally dug it out and started some prints. And on that note I have also dug out some of my ACEO's that I painted possibly over a year ago. I am going to list a few flowers and nudes on Etsy and get started on some more. They are really fun to make.

My grandmother was an artist who loved painting flowers. Miniature flowers. She could paint a beautiful Iris on an egg. In fact that is what we got in our Easter baskets from her. She would've rocked the ACEO's. We would keep these eggs until they stunk and then would sadly disgard them. Would it have been strange to try to preserve the painted shell? Just recently I was regretting never getting a picture of one.
And here is a packaging/new necklace photo that I need to get on Etsy.

I've done a bunch of new packaging in the last day and a half and need to take new pictures. And then stop changing it.
And once again I still need to upgrade!

packaging and prints-I'm getting somewhere

Today was productive. I learned a lot. And I have to completely re-do the prints I made. BUT, I like them a lot and they're worth the trouble. I'll get pics on here once I re-do a couple to exactly how I want them.
I also worked on packaging today. Got my pics for Etsy listings. I figure keep it simple. I like to look at my purchases before I give them as gifts so I figure my customers might want to get into the box too.

Snow is gone. The mud is thriving. Will need my rubber boots to get to my car tomorrow.

editing vegas

No, I didn't go to Vegas. I haven't gone anywhere. We were headed to the Twin Cities today and that got cancelled. I've contracted cabin fever as of late and even though I have a ton of crap to do I'd like to get out of the house!!!
My sibling went to Vegas and I have a picture, sans debauchery (ha ha), to edit. It's about as exciting as it gets today. Well besides the white-out happening outside.
I have a ton of 'stuff' to list on Etsy and no time to list it. And I've finally realized I need to get my packaging photographed and added to listings so people know what to expect. Expectations are a wicked sort. Especially when everyone's are so different.
And I really need cookies. Or pumpkin bread. Or some equivalent.
I'm going to go make some coffee with egg nog and stare at the falling snow.

67 is not a passing grade

There are many unfair things that have happened in my life. I refuse to dwell on them. I only hope to learn something and then move on. Lately I've been inspired by what seemed to be negative things, but they led me somewhere I needed to go. You pick up the pieces and put them back together to create something new. That is what I'm going to do and I hope to inspire others along the way.

10am

My daughter and I were going to hit the thrift shops this morning but to my dismay none in our path opened until 10am! I just wish I could keep hours like that. But really, how do they make any money when they are turning people like myself away?  Instead I got beaned in the head by Dora the balloon for 40 minutes while grocery shopping.

Just listed a few more items on Etsy. Vintage vinyl messenger and tote bags. I have a really cute coral pink tote that was hard to list but it's out there now, waiting for a new home.  Now on to the train cases and ACEO's.

time to celebrate!

What am I celebrating you ask? My FIRST sale on Etsy! My first sale was a vintage red leather clutch from Roger Gimbel. Very nice item and I have to admit I was wondering if it would go quick, and it did. So, thank you to my first buyer, I appreciate the sale and hope you'll return to Mellow Mine again.

Took some pics of my retro vinyl totes and will be listing those soon. And I'll be sorting through my ACEO's (Art Cards, Editions and Originals) to list some of them soon too. I totally forgot about them until I read an article on Etsy today. For those who don't know they are highly collectable miniature works of art. Drawn, painted, collaged, etc. there are many to choose from and they are usually very inexpensive.  Search "ACEO" on Etsy to see exactly what I'm typing about!

Don't curse the darkness

Picked up a couple of VERY inspiring books the other day. The first is Choosing Civility by P.M. Forni and the second is Drawing Lab For Mixed-Media Artists by Carla Sonheim. I bought the first for someone else but can't seem to stop reading it. It's full of great quotes and common sense reminders for life.
"Don't curse the darkness–light a candle." chinese proverb

I'm going to use this proverb in a lot of ways artistically. I have an illustration I did a few years ago that it will fit perfectly next to. And it's going on my wall. (maybe my fb wall too).
The drawing book is full of great ideas to get ya moving with sketches. I tend to not draw every day but need to keep at it. Now I have a lesson plan to make sure I don't laze around with my art.

Etsy goals are to keep adding earrings and in a couple weeks have a big sale for the holidays. Still need that first sale, but I am patient and have only just begun putting the word out there.
AND, the boy got the airplane costume after all. Got the wings started and then I happily shifted responsibility to my husband while I made dinner. A silver airplane just like his great grandpa flew.

happy bday to me

well, the bday plans did not go as planned. however the adorable 3 year old happy birthday song to mom is unforgettable.
i found a cowboy hat at the thrift store for my son and when I brought it home he said he wants to be an airplane. ok, plan B. lots to do tomorrow!
checked in with Etsy and my turquoise dangle earrings are in a very nice treasury. . . http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4cca52730df66d917c537342/undiscovered-beauty
I love the photo of the day of the dead apron, great photography!
my migraine says time to go to bed, bye now.

Hello camera!

Here are the newest earrings to be listed on Etsy asap: Red Bamboo Coral, Freshwater Baroque Black Peacock Pearls w/ Brown Swarovski Crystal Pearls, and Peacock Pearls w/ Vintage Purple Plastic Beads. . .

hang on antenna, hang on!

This wind is wicked. Not only does it feel like it's blowing right through my house but I'm crossing my fingers that the TV antenna holds on tight! Without it, no Fat Albert re-runs, no more bad 70's B movie re-runs, and certainly no hope of any quasi-interesting sitcoms or such. Oh MY!!!
Tweaking my blog design today and doing piece work for jewelry. No sign of the camera yet. ugh. My son's trip to the pumpkin patch for a hay ride was cancelled due to weather. I'm going to try to entertain him here with Elmer's glue, egg cartons and dried beans. We'll see if it works!
Ok, I'm going to go look in our vehicle, then in the hutch.

technical difficulties

Time to upgrade the camera and the powerbook, you've both been good to me but enough is enough! Had a pretty productive day today (sans camera of course). Made some new earrings I really like, long and dangley with dark red coral rounds and the other with black baroque freshwater pearl and deep brown swarovski crystal pearls. I'm so excited to get them online, gonna have to resort to the OLD camera with no DoF, as soon as I can find where the 3 y/o put it. Yep, it's my toddler's camera. (did I really just admit that?)  As I watched him spinning on the carpet tonight—a Dancing w/ the Stars inspired breakdancing session—I briefly wondered where he might have stashed it. The toy bin, a cabinet, some random closet shelf? Hope to find out tomorrow.

The painting is done!

After a good 40 minutes of hand painting letter after letter, the bday painting is done! I have never painted so many words and had to be so careful about it too. I realize now that the letter spacing was very unforgiving and will not do that again! All in all, with only a couple letters not looking as great as I wanted, it is done! To be given away tomorrow. I am very happy with how it turned out.

I've already coffee stained my next canvas to start another blossom painting. The canvas is much longer so it'll be more fun to compose with branches. Maybe a trip tych because I do have 3 canvas boards of that size. hmmmmmm.

making earrings and placing text

The kids are sleeping and I have a few minutes to play. I put together a rather pretty pair of earrings, vintage purple beads and freshwater baroque black peacock pearls. Once my camera and I see eye to eye again, I'll list on Etsy and show and tell.
I also scanned my blossom painting and placed the text in Photoshop to see about placement. I don't have time to fix it on the canvas so I only have one shot to get it right. Looks good so far, now to take the leap and get it done!

Ready for text!

I think I will add my text to the blossoms painting and finish it up. I'm going to run with this blossoms thing as I have a hand full of nice sketches that I haven't done a thing with so. . . white blossoms on a blue sky might happen two or three different ways. we'll see.
Long day with irritable kiddies, fresh air helped but didn't seal the deal, just got them to bed 20 mins. ago. exhale.
Have a good night.

Painting crabapple blossoms

My current art project is a birthday present for a very special woman. I am painting a crabapple blossom and will be adding a Psalm to it once I get the blossoms finished. I stained the canvas with coffee previously and today started adding color to the blossoms. I tend to do too little but then too much if I keep going. Had a moment of panic where I thought I'd be scrapping the painting, until I realized, after staring at it from a distance, that it was just a matter of adding more darks and browns. whew. Glad I figured it out.
Tomorrow I need to add more color to the background, and then transfer my Psalm to paint. Only a few days til birthday!
Then I can start a new painting, and I already have the inspiration for it thanks to corn fields, green grass and blue sky. :)

ps. the oatmeal cookies with cherries and chocolate chips turned out great, can't stop eating them.

Vintage finds section added on Etsy

I finally got a few glass pieces listed, thus opening the promised vintage finds section of my Esty store. Took me a lot longer than I thought but I feel better prepared. Now to get the oodles of vintage stuff listed so there is more to look at.
And next up is the Art & Print section! I've got a couple new projects started right now. One involves a lino print of a sewing machine and the other a painting of crabapple blossoms. . . wish me luck and creativity.

Rock & Gem Show 2010

Lots of beautiful stones and beads to admire at the show. Ended up with a few large focal beads, handcarved horn from Africa, reds and black. Those will become special pieces for some lucky customer. And I discovered a new stone, Poppy Jasper, and I was mesmerized. Ended up with a rare Guadalupe Poppy Jasper that will become a pendant for me and only me! I also grabbed a rough cut of the less rare Poppy Jasper for inspiration! So beautiful!