Self Portrait Finished

Well, it is finished and sent in. Yikes! I am nervous, of course. We will see how it does. I also have a bad cold :( and a lot to do! So this is a short post, but I wanted to show you the finished piece.


"The Pattern Lolls" 2008

Self Portrait

I am entering the American Artist Self Portrait contest, and have been working on my painting for it. It is alway a more self conscious effort to paint when I know the painting has a purpose. If I am just painting for myself (even though I know it will go in my Etsy shop) I am not so concerned with how it is going to turn out, and more connected to the process of painting. With this painting I am so worried about the final outcome. Is it going to be good enough etc... I need to take a deep breath and lose myself in the process again. Here are some images of it in its' beginning stages.








Yes, I am painting in my pajamas.


Also the contest is still going on to win a print of Gretchen, make sure and enter below!

Prints!

So after much research into printers, I finally found one that offers the quality that I am looking for in the price range that I had. I now am able to offer prints of my work in my shop. And so without further ado, to celebrate this momentous occasion, I am having a contest to celebrate! In order to enter this contest, you must comment in this post about an Etsy artist you really like. I will put all the entries in a bowl, and have my lovely assistant, Maya choose the winner. The winning print is an ACEO of "Gretchen". Good luck, my wonderful readers!

Pin Up

I made this lovely lady for an Alchemy request and I think I am going to do more in this theme, it was so fun to do!

Happy World Book Day

In Honor of World Book Day, the BEST Street Team members have decided to have sales in their shops. I started mine a bit early, with a sale last weekend, but am continuing my sale until Saturday. I am offering 20% off all books and 1/2 off shipping on all books as well. Some members have also joined a Challenge, creating books based on Shakespeare and others. Check out their blog to see those wonderful books.

In Memoriam

Yesterday I received some very bad news from my mom. Our cat, Zooey had been hit by a car. My throat hurts today from crying so much yesterday. Man, Mondays are just terrible days for me! Our cats, Franny and Zooey had been staying at my parents house because we can't have pets in our apartment. I want so bad to go and get Franny and bring her home, my poor kitty probably misses her mate terribly. Everyone is pretty upset by this, my mom, dad, everyone. He was just the sweetest and most gentle cat. Maya was pretty upset yesterday but more concerned about her crying mom, she kept drawing me pictures of Zooey, hoping it would make me feel better. She is such a good girl.


Zooey is the orange marmalade cat

New Books

It was a good weekend. We went to my parents, which is always relaxing with lovely smells of my mom's cooking and the wood stove, and the wonderful sounds of the song birds. It was also a good weekend because I sold three books, made three books and worked on my pin up girl. I will show all of you the girl when I am finished. Here are my new books.


This is a wedding guest book



This is my crazy purple journal with the mismatching endpages



This is my favorite one, which reminds me of my mother and wallpaper

The state of affairs

So I have a list of things I need to do today, which doesn't nearly include everything I need to do, but it is a start! I thought I would share it with you.




I have so far finished one of the things on my list, and will start the rest soon, but meanwhile I got myself a treasury.



I also found out that Red Otter has given me an E for Excellent blog award. Yippee! Thanks Red Otter and I am passing on the award to A Muted Palette, How To Draw A Cup Of Coffee, and A Mincing Mockingbird. Because they are my favorite blogs to read. (Red Otter would also get one, but she already has one!)

Poppy

She is in my shop now. Go visit her and say "Hi"

New

So this weekend has been a bit busy. Yesterday, Nathaniel and I took Maya to the Kids Arts Festival at the Overture Center, which was fun but we got there a bit late so we missed most of it (we like to sleep in). Then groceries, Hobby Lobby to buy a gold frame for my Tudor painting and home.

Today we woke up early (much to the displeasure of my husband) and went to the UW Dairy Pavilion for the 13th annual farm breakfast. It was cold and the food was not exactly yummy, but we had fun. Especially at the petting zoo where Maya got to hold baby chicks, lambs and bunnies. I am still a little high off of all the cuteness.

I did manage to get a little art done, and am spending the rest of the day making more. Here is my newest journal, no name yet, but I think it is almost (but not quite) as cute as seeing Maya hold a baby chick.

Tudor Portrait

I was lucky enough to win an alchemy request a few weeks ago to create a miniature painting in the style of a Tudor painting. I used an image of Elizabeth I when she was younger (I loved the dress she was wearing for the portrait) for my image and tweaked it slightly to make it my own. I need to go and buy a frame for it in gold, and have a plate made with her name on it, which I will do this weekend. I have not come up with a name for her yet, I am thinking the Lady Rebecca, but I am not satisfied with that... any suggestions? I will also in the coming weeks have a contest in my blog to win a print of my art, so look for that!

Featured Artist 4.10.08

Although I love simplicity in art, with clean lines, flat colors and what have you, I also am very much in love with a painterly style of work as well. Therefore I absolutely love the art of maronresur, who is a master of portraiture. My favorites being the "Slave Army" series.


"Slave Army 5"



"Slave Army 8"

Etsy Bookbinding Team Charity Event

One of the Etsy street teams that I am part of is the BESTbooks street team. We are having our first charity event and it will be going on until April 21st. Although my book has already sold, you can still find some really awesome books that members have donated. 100% of the proceeds, minus fees and shipping costs will be donated to H.E.L.P International. Here are a few examples but please check out the Bookbinding street team's blog for more here.



This is flurrsprite's handbound book



ladyartisan's polymer clay journal


repaper's lovely travel journal

Incommunicado

Sorry! I have been neglecting my blog, my art, my shop. I do have a reason, though. We had a visitor this week. Nathan, who has been Nathaniel's best friend for 30 years (I feel old) was visiting us from Thailand, where he is a teacher. (Nathaniel and I went to Thailand this summer for our honeymoon and to visit him as well.) While Nathan was here we had a blast. He and Nathaniel have a language that comes from being friends for so long and it is highly amusing to listen to. Here are some photos of the week:


Nathan, Nathaniel (with a very sore neck) and Geoff (who is another
best friend from childhood and Nathaniel's step brother.)



Nathaniel, Geoff and Jessica. These two photographs were taken at Sophia's Bakery,
one of the best breakfast places in town.


Maya and Nathaniel at the zoo.


Maya and Nathan at the zoo.



A gorgeous image of Maya against the otter tank.

Nathan left this morning to go back to his parent's house in MN. It is going to be very strange here without him.

Self Portrait Thursday

I forgot all about it until 20 minutes ago. Our friend Nathan, visiting from Thailand took this picture of me "checking my stuff" in my blue robe that reminds me of Grover.

Front Page

Well this certainly made my day!

Art by Diana Crites

One of the blogs that I try to keep up with daily is A Muted Palette, which is written by Diana Crites. She has an Etsy shop as well called Paynes Grey who has such haunting and whimsical art (two of my favorite themes in art). One thing I love about Diana's art as well as her blog is that not only is it interesting, but you get such a sense of who she is and the deep emotions that she feels.



This piece is a limited edition ACEO print called "Delve" and it is my favorite of her work. I love the deep blue and Ochre colors together and the little bird. It is definitely worth it to check out her blog and her Etsy page.

Strathmore paper ACEO

A few weeks ago Strathmore paper contacted me to make a piece for them for their new line of precut ACEO paper. This is what I made. I will eventually have prints available for sale in my shop.