Getting lost in polymer clay swirls...

on eBay and etsy

New techniques

Liquid polymer clay transfer, fused fabrics, mica.... I wanted to try these techniques for a long time. Now that I did - I will use them often. Such interesting, new textures... so many possibilities... I keep touching the "dress" and I can't believe that it has at least 3 or4 layers of sheer fabric, lace, tissue (including a part of a shirt my mom gave me...shhhh she'll never know). FUN!!! on eBay

I can breathe again... Our baby girl started middle school today. If you want to read about "mommy blues" click here to jump to Misty's post. I can't express it as well as she does. Her girl started first grade so there is a big age difference. But mommy emotions are the same... While I wanted to hug my daughter and keep her with me forever - she was excited and bright eyed and eager to spread her wings and jump into the "big school". Look at the photos... on the first one she was posing, but the second one... her eyes say it all. She had enough with me, my camera, advices... and I think that she was a bit worried that I will take photos and behave silly around her old/new friends. I didn't. I calmly wished her a great day and went to the gym... but it was not enough. My anxiety gave me a reason to indulge in more chocolate today than I should eat in a month... not a good thing. Hana came home happy, chatty and serious at the same time. "This is the best first day of school EVER!". I couldn't ask for more.

New ACEO series - Quote birds. First one is on eBay now.

Live within the moment

What a lovely day! The weather is perfect - sunny but with a hint of autumn chill in the air. My d.h. and I went book hunting and got these peppers! Let me explain - there is a lovely farmers' market in front of our closest Barns&Noble bookstore. It stretches along Water Street - from the pier at Webster Street to the entrance to Jack London Square at Broadway. And today it was calling my name... so we left with bags of produce (and a bag with books).
Here is a quick recipe for peppers. Grill the peppers (turning all sides) and enjoy the wonderful smell (I used to hate when my mother prepared this because I thought that my hair will smell like the grill... a big no-no when you are 16). Put them in a plastic or paper bag to steam a while. After that it is easy to peel off the skin. Dressing is easy - little salt, black pepper, apple cider vinegar, olive oil, parsley and garlic. Drizzle it over the peppers and enjoy.
The eggplant became Baba Ghanoush. My kids don't like eggplant, but much to my surprise - they loved it today! There were two more salads and grilled wild salmon.... perfect.

After food art - here is some other kind of art - listed on eBay this afternoon.

Back on eBay!!!

Mounds of paper, fiber, paint, glitter, stamps... EVERYWHERE and I feel so HAPPY! I listened to your advice and started playing with my supplies and it felt so great! My fingers didn't forget how to work with Photoshop/Dreamweaver/Firefox so I was able to put two little cards on auction.

I have to share the last feedback I received for something I created:

"I NEARLY FAINTED WHEN I SAW THE HANDMADE BEAUTY OF THIS CREATION! JUST STUNNING!"

I nearly fainted when I read it!!! How nice! And that was my first time customer... I don't think my new cards are worth fainting for, but I do like how they turned out, so let me present them:

- click here to see the auction -

- click here to see the auction -

Worried

Worried. That's how I feel today. Not because of big, important things like the world situation. There is not much I can do about that. I am worried about my own little virtual world. I stopped listing on eBay a month ago and now I am scared to start again. Did everybody forget me? Will they find me? Will I be able to produce art to have listings on all the time? Will my listings be interesting? What is it that I want to do?
So many questions... I have many ideas floating around my head but for some reason find it easier to torture myself with questions than to work on them...

Illustration Friday - Match

For some reason I don't take Illo Friday as seriously as I used to do. I keep thinking of completely silly things... Maybe that's good. It's fun and relaxing and the only crazy part is that I decide to share it with the world...
I had no idea what to do with the theme "Match" this week so it became a family thing. My daughter didn't have a problem at all. In a matter of minutes she created an illustration that you can see if you click HERE.
My husband didn't even lift his head from the computer - he just "illustrated" it in two seconds. Then he said that if I add the word 'perfect' in front of 'match' I could draw the two of us... I thought it was sweet so that's what I did. How realistic, isn't it?

An endless river...

My pages are done and I feel so much better now. I am even quite pleased with how they turned out... Thank you for the comments. They help my confidence so much! Hugs to you all!

My first Fat Book

I received the confirmation package for Art & Soul retreat. It came in a shape of a paper bag art book (filled with pockets, ephemera, useful information and fun stuff). How fun! So, it is official.... I'm going! I'm trying not to think about the fact that I am supposed to create in an environment of creative people... It's not real creating, but learning. Right?





Here is a list of classes I chose:
Wednesday/Thursday - Stick & Stones (Nina Bagley)
Thursday evening - Papyrus Book (Dan Essig)
Friday - Luminous Collaging Techniques (Phoenix Forrester)
Friday evening - Family Portrait (Carla Sonheim)

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Up till now I avoided any form of collaborative work. I do participate in swaps but worry too much how my work will be received. It is easier to sell it - people choose what they like... Well, there is a first for everything. I decided to join the "Streets of Paris" fat book swap because I really, really wanted to own one of those books. And I have been agonizing about my page for weeks now. I don't remember that I ever had a lack of inspiration like now... I was in panic panic panic mode. Eventually, I had to start working because the deadline is close. This is what I came up with:

Will it be good enough? Does it need more embellishments? Which ones? Where? YIKES!

I didn't even know that these kinds of books had work on the back of the page also! We were supposed to create something like a vintage Parisian postcard written to ourselves. I think I did that right (and it was fun to do). The picture doesn't show it well... there are more discolorations, water splashes and other 'aged' elements.

Well, good or bad - that's it. All I need to do now is to laser print 64 copies, trim, score, glue and embellish them. I will be so happy when I receive the finished book! I can't wait!

My best art

This is my son, ready to pick up his girlfriend from the airport. They have been dating a little over a year. She was gone just a few days and he had to create this pink-hearted banner. Oh, young love and sweet emotions!

And here is Hana, enjoying a quiet moment on a piece of wood that drifted on our beach.



The two of them - my best art!

Hello! I'm back!

Hello! I just returned from the amazing Smoky Mountains. This was my first visit and I was overwhelmed by the unbelievable views.

I must admit that I didn't miss my computer and internet as I thought I would. Don't get me wrong - I can hardly wait to check what I missed on my friends' blogs... but there were so many other things to do that I really, truly didn't miss it.

We had a great time doing fun things like:

• hiking in the forest:

• splashing in the pool:

• exploring fascinating creatures:

• creating fun hair styles (my sister's handy work):

• visiting the aquarium (these were our favorite creatures)

• doing many crafty activities:
• making silly faces:

playing with beautiful birds:

• and eating ice creams with cherries on top.

And yes - it was very sweet and fun and busy, but to keep things real - spending two weeks with three girls can get challenging. There were times when the "that's not fair" "mommy mommy" "I'm hungry" and etc. were a bit too much. Here is one of my journal entries to prove it. Can you see the three gremlins?

Bye-bye

I am leaving tonight for South Carolina to visit my sister. I haven't seen her in over two 1/2 years so I'm very excited. This is a photo from that last visit.... the girls are so much bigger now. We exchange photos all the time but it is different when you get to really see someone... My daughter is traveling with me so expect a similar, but updated photo two weeks from now.
I miss my husband and son already... So silly. Two weeks will pass in a blink of an eye, but my DH and I are acting as two teenagers in love... having a difficult time getting apart.
Other than that... I was panicking about not doing art, so I prepared a traveling pack that should keep me occupied. Here you see what is packed and ready to go with me: watercolors and the lovely water brush, watercolor pencils, graphite pencils and stuff for drawing, gel pens and such, the little blue cutting tool. I added a little glue and all of that fit nicely in the little red bag.

I printed questions from "Art & Life" magazine that should help for setting goals... and they are in the back envelope of my new moleskin. There is also another moleskin to journal and draw and glue in and a sketchbook where I'm allowed to make horrible sketches and laugh about them.

I feel like a child. I used to pack things like that when my children were little.

Have a wonderful August!
Bye-bye