Mina - the Dream Keeper

She is done! Finished. Isn't she sweet?She is holding a fabric ACEO... something like a 'mini me' doll.

She also has a pocket on her back and there is a journal where she keeps dreams. That's why she is a dream keeper.

You can see her on eBay.
I think that it will be a fun auction - $1.00 (no reserve).

Is she likable or do I like her because I made her?

Not finished...

I have no clue what I'm doing... I even managed to sew in the pins in the batting/muslin sandwich (and had to cut it open to fish them out)... To figure how to attach the arms was almost too much (until I realized that it is simple)... My scissors are everything but not sharp, so everything is fighting me... But I'm enjoying the process; it is fun. My girl with dreams will (hopefully) be finished tomorrow.

Faces

Katie Kendrick has a lovely article in "Cloth, Paper, Scissors" magazine where she explains how she creates her fun cloth dolls. I wanted to try it for the longest time and today seemed like a perfect day for it. Unfortunately, I managed to finish only the first two steps... but it was really fun and very relaxing.
Hana and I started by quickly drawing (with black paint and a paintbrush) a series of faces on paper torn from a telephone book.
Then we painted the faces using craft acrylic paints. This was an extremely freeing experience for me. Probably the fact that I was using cheap (free) printed paper and that I didn't expect anything from it made it so much fun. We'll see how it continues...

Cranberries and other good things

The rebel in me is against holidays most of the time... I just don't understand how are we supposed to be thankful one day in a year, show love for mothers or fathers one day in a year, buy presents on anniversaries, etc. Maybe it is because I know many people that don't live happy lives and then suddenly pretend that everything is just fine on those 'special' days... And maybe I shouldn't write all of this. Maybe I should just write a list of things I'm thankful for. It's a long list, but I will not share it at this time. What I will share is the best recipe for a cranberry sauce. Actually - it is a cranberry compote (Martha Stewart recipe). Hana made it and it was unbelievable good. Very easy... Try it!
In a large saucepan bring 1 package (12 ounces) cranberries, 3 cups seedless red grapes, 1/2 cup sugar, and 1/ cup water to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer until most of the cranberries have popped and grapes are falling apart, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat; add salt and stir to combine. Let cool to room temperature (compote will thicken as it cools).
Everything was yummy. Our little family was happy to be together and I was very thankful for the love that surrounds me. I hope that you all had a wonderful day too... I am also extra thankful for knowing you ;o)

42

Me. Today. How interesting!
Shouldn't I know by now what I want to be when I grow up?
This should be grown up age, right?

This is what I saw first thing in the morning:My mother in law (on the left) and my mother (on the right) showing how much they love me. And a little cake with the heart with open arms. How sweet! And sad... because they are oceans away and the hugs were virtual..
And here are the boys (my father and my father in law) happily celebrating my birthday with probably very strong drinks in little glasses:
I like the number 42. It dawned on me today that I have been married for the half of my life!!! For some reason that is more interesting than my birthday. How wonderful!

New journals

- here -

What did I learn yesterday?

I learned some important stuff...

I learned that my name sounds the best when you say it with a French accent...

And that this is one of the best wines I ever tried...

And I have another bottle to enjoy and share when the mood strikes.

=)

Artwords - Story

The story here is not about the giant bird towering over trees, with little creatures floating around and a boot standing in her way. (Now that I wrote it, it sounds like it could be some kind of story there.) But no, this is a love story and I'm writing it because this blog is my little journal and I want to remember some sweet moments.

Yesterday my daughter was showing me what they did in their math class and left the paper on the table. What choice do you have with a piece of paper sitting in front of you but to doodle? So that's what I did - mindlessly doodled filling the page with lines. The funny thing is - my husband saw it this morning and loved my doodle so much that he scanned it, enlarged and printed on good paper. He even placed it over an existing painting (in a frame not shaped for it). Then he stood there and admired it, as it is the most precious piece of art.

Now - if that is not love, I don't know what is.

ACEO holders

I'm not in the best mood today.... nothing interesting to write... My 'therapy' for days like this - making ACEO holders. These are commissioned by a lovely lady that has an ever-growing ACEO collection.

Sing.

Some days there won't be a song in your heart. Sing anyway.

Letting go.....

Remember my big fat journal? The one that I listed for $100.00 and (of course) didn't sell for that price? At first I was disappointed, sad.... determined not to go under that price... ever. Just recently I realized that it is not a good attitude. The poor journal is sitting in my drawer, living a sad, neglected life. I am not creating new big journals because I didn't sell this one... and my hands ache to play with paper, textures, colors... So, I decided to relist it and put the reserve price of $50.00 (like I did for my previous journals). Well... eBay had different plans. For some reason I couldn't put the reserve price. It made me so mad, that I listed it for $1.00
Great idea, isn't it?
The question now is - what if the highest bid is no more than $10.00? How will that make me feel?
Sometimes it is difficult creating for 'profit'. It puts boundaries... makes you think about what is sellable and how much is your time worth. Or even worse - how much are you worth. Not fun.
I'm trying to get in the state of mind to accept it and let it go... If I don't let it go, I won't be free to create more. Maybe it will get in the hands of someone who will love using it and that will be my reward.

Anyway... it is here... in case that you liked it, but didn't like my price =)

Cure for the blues

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup light brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup sour cream
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
11.5 oz chocolate chunks (Ghirardelli. ... yum)
1 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 375oF. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper; set aside. In a large bowl beat butter and sugars on low speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs, vanilla and sour cream. Beat on medium-high for 2 mins. Stir in flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add chocolate chinks and walnuts. Mix just until combined. Place 6 balls of dough 3 inches apart on each of the prepared baking sheets. Place baking sheets on two center racks of oven. Bake 14-16 mins switching the cookie sheets, top and bottom, halfway through. Cool cookies on baking sheets for 1 min before lifting them off with spatula.
Smile, because at this moment you are the 'best mother in the world'. Eat the cookies and promise yourself to work extra hard on the treadmill tomorrow.

My tears for breast cancer

I borrowed this picture and title from JoAnnA's blog. If you are not familiar with her work (mosshillstudio), grab a cup of coffee and get ready to spend hours browsing through pure eye candy.
JoAnnA is my constant inspiration. The moment I received her ATCs in a swap was a turning point in my art. I was stunned not only by her creativity, but also by the quality of the cards. They were different from anything I ever bought or received and it changed the way I create from that moment on...
She is preparing to fight for her life and I'm sure that, with her strength and support of all who love her, she will win the battle... But it is tough to understand the 'why'... To understand how one day you can lead your regular life, only to have someone tell you the next day that you have been sick for years without knowing. I am at a loss for words... the only thing I can do is think about her, send good energy and join some of the collaborative projects that have been started already to support her.

A 'cutting' party

Do you wonder what a cutting party is? Two ladies with two sharp pairs of scissors cutting tiny pictures and chatting about everything. I loved it! My friend Connie spent some time with me today. It is always nice to get together. It relaxes me and gets me in a good mood. And she started a blog!!! I don't have a permission to post it (I didn't ask for it) but I'll do it anyway and she'll have to keep up with it. It's HERE. Just a baby blog, but it will grow... the same way as her art and curiosity grow.
Now to convince my sister to start a blog...

Art books on sale

- on eBay -

I wish I learned all the techniques from these books. Unfortunately, the truth is that I hardly even opened them. Don't get me wrong - I did look through them, fantasized about having time to go through the steps and projects.... but never really found the time for it. One day... I hope that they find loving homes, because they are all great books.

Mario, Emmitt or Joey?

I will be so sad when when this show is over....

Still in FairyLand

Are you tired of my fairies and dinosaurs? I'm not... It's a phase...

- ACEO -

- place for fairies to live in - (sold)

Artwords - Red

What a coincidence - Artwords theme "Red" and the mood I'm in. I love red... and I always have something red on me, with me, beside me... Right now I'm dreaming about these red shoes.

This is where I wanted to live today...... so Hana and I went for a walk and took a picture of this magnificent tree. Thanks to Photoshop I can 'live' wherever I want. Otherwise, that poor branch would break in two and the tree wouldn't be happy.

I am in a mood for gentle things...

One day I think that if I see another pair of wings slapped on something with a crown or pointy hat I'll scream.... next day I create something just like that and LOVE it. Isn't that funny? I can't stop playing with images of little girls, butterflies, birds and dinosaurs with wings. I actually like it that much that I can't part with them. I will probably bind them in some kind of a book/house, so that they can live happily ever after. I don't keep my work (unless no one wants it and it doesn't sell), but I am keeping these tags (for now) and selling extra wonderful prints.
I scattered them on etsy and eBay and am more than happy that some of them sold already.

So - babies, butterflies, birds and - Barry Manilow. I surprised myself...that is so not me... but I went and bought his "Best of Sixties" CD and was singing it at the top of my lungs in my car. I was feeling like an old lady and a little kid at the same time. Kid because I remember my parents singing those songs while I was little. It felt comforting to be surrounded with gentle melodies and words today. Old lady - because I like to think that I am more 'with the times' and that I listen to the same music as my 20 year old son. Anyway... Barry Manilow, oldies and fairies - that's the place where I am now.