Here are some trades that I have been working on for artfest.  I think I got a little carried away. They were supposed to be simple, quick and really easy, but I loved the process. I just got lost in time and painted tiny little pictures for most of the day. It was really fun. I love getting lost like that.

After I painted them, I decided to get a little daring and added wax. I didn’t really know what I was doing, but the end result turned out great. I love the subdued color and the added texture. I wish you could see them in person.

Now, the question is whether I should glue on magnets for the fridge or pins to wear.  Maybe both? I can’t decide. Help!

It’s been cold, windy and cloudy all day. I am really loving this weather. It’s the best winter this area has seen in a while. Almost feels like a “real” winter. Snow in the mountains and lots of rain on the city. I’ve been getting lots of good use out of my sweaters and jackets, which is unusual,  and we should have a beautifully bright green and flowery desert come spring.

I’ve been stuck in one spot, which is what happens when I have too much to do. I need to prep for Artfest.  I should be making trades, getting my supplies in order, finishing a commissioned piece. Instead, I’ve been knitting  and playing in my art journal, which is exactly what I secretly need right now. Creative relaxation–going with the creative flow. It’s really nice. Maybe it’s a mental prep, instead of me being crazy, stressed, overactive.

I’ve also been doing a little TOO much internet surfing.

*Embrace your inner girl by Eve Ensler on TED. Eve Ensler started V-Day, a movement to end violence against women everywhere. Her story is an amazing one and her poem, “I am an emotional creature” is so powerful.

* Asian Style Emoticons via Futuregirl. Love them!

* Lost Things. A beautiful fairy tale video. Perfect inspiration for a fairytale artfest.

* Ira Glass on story telling. He talks about how it takes time to become the creative person you envision yourself to be. He says, “It’s normal to take a while. You just have to fight your way through that. You will be fierce, you’ll be a warrior, and you will make things that aren’t as good as you know in your heart you want them to be.” This definitely rings true for me.

My Mondo Beyondo list (here’s just a few from my big list).
* Write a craft book – get it published.
* Get my art into local shops.
* Someday have my own craft store.
* Teach art/sewing to people of all ages.
* Surround myself with a good tribe of women who appreciate, support and love who I am.
* Get some vegetarian friends (I don’t have any here).
* Get a babysitter so that my husband & I can have some alone time every once in a while.
* Get my home the way I’ve imagine for so long ~ creatively beautiful.
* Host monthly craft nights.
* Do yoga and meditation more regularly.
* Meet many of my long time blogging friends.

I have to admit that this list gave me some major anxiety.  I don’t think I was the only one that felt this way either. I think my problem was feeling like there would be some kind of time-line attached to this big list of dreams.  That I would fail. Not be perfect.  Be laughed at for having such big dreams. So, when the time came to write this list, I couldn’t do it. I sat on the “idea” for many days.  Then finally I gathered some courage, sat with pen and paper in hand and I just let loose for ten whole minutes. And guess what?  It wasn’t as bad or as hard as I thought it would be.  In fact, my dreams flowed without effort…ALL 35 of them!  I was so surprised by many of the things I had written down.

There is so much I want to say about Mondo Beyondo.  I don’t even know where to begin.   I know that of all the e-courses I’ve taken, it by far had the most impact on me.  Five weeks, almost on a daily basis, there it was waiting for me. Mountains of heart, mind and soul boosting support, wisdom, and food for thought.  I started feeling that Andrea’s and Jen’s words and ideas were moving me towards something big when I began to feel uncomfortable and stretched. In a good way though.  Sometimes my heart would pound and tears formed in my eyes. Change is difficult but important for growth. Letting go of certain things and gathering new ways of thinking. That kind of growth, the kind that they are encouraging, supporting and gently guiding you through, it’s big stuff. Life altering stuff, if you choose to follow, learn and grow.

I am often surrounded by people who no longer love what they are doing, have no desire to change and feel stuck.  I’ve known long ago that I don’t want that for myself.  My dreams have always been much bigger than me. In my face, daring me to follow.  Mondo Beyondo taught me that it’s okay to have big dreams. It’s okay to follow. Will you follow?

I’ve been making little art tags for ARTFEST trades. It’s in 28 days!!!  Eeeeeekkks!  I’m so excited and nervous.

I guess everyone brings things to trade, which sounds super fun.  I’ll only be making a handful of these art tags (I’ve made some before) and will be making other, smaller things too.  Haven’t decided yet.  But for now, I’m happy to keep making little elves.

Anyone else going to artfest?

A few people asked if I would show how we made our caterpillar book. No problem, because the whole reason I started trying to figure it all out, was so that I could keep a little inspiration book in my purse.

I made mine out of a paper bag, because I knew I was going to paint it and the brown paper holds paint well.  Any kind of paper can be used–scrapbook paper, text weight paper, cardstock…

1.  Cut paper into 4 x 4 inch sheets. The end booklet will be 2 x 2 inches.  Any size will work, as long as it is square and all sheets are the same size.  You can make the booklet any number of sheets. I will show how to put 2 together,  but my end result is 5 sheets long.

2. Fold each sheet in half both ways and in half diagonally. Pull diagonal fold inward as seen in photo. Repeat with all sheets.

3. Glue sheets together, with glue stick, so that one sheet folds inward and the other outward.  Continue adding more sheets if desired.

4.Fold booklet closed, carefully creasing each fold with your nail or bone folder.

5. Open and decorate whatever way you see fit.

Here are some other ideas in case painting isn’t your thing:
* Make one to tell a story. Write your birthing story, engagement, or something totally made up.
* Make a mini photo album. This would be a great gift for the grandparents.
* Make a birthday or anniversary card.
* Keep it blank and make lists and/or doodles.
* Make it inspirational.  Add photos, quotes, images from magazines.

Have fun with it!!

I been painting, painting, painting… then stamping, stamping, stamping…then cutting, cutting, cutting, and THEN gluing, gluing, gluing.   All for some little fat book pages that are due this weekend. I made a whopping 53 pages!

They are for the Artfest Retreat that I will be going to in March.  Eeeeekks!  It’s coming up quick!!  In case you don’t know, (i didn’t) a fat book is a small, but fat, book made up of a collection of little 4×4 inch pieces of art, each page being made by someone different.  I’ll be sending these off to someone who will evenly distribute all the pages into little books for everyone who participated.  We will get them at Artfest.

Speaking of the Artfest Retreat, Teesha is giving away a free spot at Artfest, including lodging!!  Go check it out if you’ve always wanted to go but have never been able.

I also wanted to share my teeny little blurb in Country Living Magazine, March 2010 issue.  It’s  my little paperbag journals that I made a while back.  Cool huh?

I’ve been working on these for the past few days.   Love inspired art.  I have a pretty amazing relationship with my husband and feel completely fueled to believe that true love does exist and it is, well, awesome.

always – 8 x 8 art print

These are in my shop now as prints, just in time for Valentine’s Day.

together – 8.5 x 11 art print

I also added a cute kitty print and italian vineyard print in my shop as well. Go over and take a looksey.

P.S. Thank you for all the lovely birthday wishes.  The cake was divine!!

I am quickly becoming a believer of my dreams. They are real, valid and bigger than me. It’s only taken me almost 38 years to realize that I have ALWAYS wanted to be an artist. Always.

So, to celebrate my upcoming birthday and my dreams, I bought this FANTASTIC down-loadable workbook on Creating Your Goddess Year.  Yes! I want to do that.  It is the cutest, most well thought out little workbook and I love it to pieces. So much so that I needed to make a special cover for it.

First I printed it out, booklet style, so that it would be small enough to carry around with me in my bag. Then I I had it spiral bound with heavy card stock (that I decorated) to cover the front and back and had a plastic protective sheet cover added as well. Cost me $2.50 at the print shop for the spiral binder and plastic cover.  Cool huh?

I also printed out Keri Smith’s Artist’s Survival Kit for when I hit a bump in the road or low spot. It has the perfect amount of humor and good advise to help pick you back up. It love it too.  I printed it out on cardstock and , punched a hole in the corner and clipped it all together with a little ring. I also added an envelope to keep the little “stuck” card in.   I have it hanging on my wall in my craft room.

Hope you are all enjoying your weekend.

I have a really hard time with blank art journals. The pressure of that first blank page is very daunting. What should I put there? Whatever it is, it should be really great. Silly, I know…

After hopping around from web page to web page, I stumbled upon this quote by Keri Smith.  I new right away that it should be the first page.  I also new that OPEN was going to be my word of the year. I didn’t want it–didn’t seem fancy enough, but it has been following me everywhere!

Then, I wrote the following in my calender book today and that made it official:

“I am keeping myself wide OPEN for new adventures, friendships, creative energy and courageous spirit. “

Things to check out….

* This Mission: ATM now stands for Always Trust Magic

* Weekly art prompts at Art House

I did one commissioned art piece over the holiday, for a friend at work. She is on the right, her son swinging above her and her sister on the the left. She gave it to her sister for Christmas. Important symbols of their lives, dangle and sit on the branches. I really had a lot of fun making this.

This was made for a very special friend of the family. It a picture of her four grandchildren.

And this was a gift for a secret santa exchange at work. We had to write our name with a couple of wishes. I drew one of the manager’s names. She wished for peace in the middle east and the end of cruelty to animals. Now, what do you get someone who asks for that! Co-workers told me to get her a coffee mug or chocolate and I stressed a little about it.  Then it occured to me that I should do what I do best, which is make art.  And that’s what I did.  I framed it, and she flipped. It’s now hanging in her office.