Better Photos of Newest Journal

 Okay, here are some pictures of my newest journal (almost put together) that are not blurry.  It is pretty fun with all the pink and lots of blank pages ripe for writing and sketching. It is late and I better head to bed. I am sooooooo excited about the sketch group tomorrow!! Sounds like there will be 5 to 6 of us. Not bad for the first meet-up right? I look forward to posting all the sketches! Don't forget to look for us in the News Press. I added a picture of some of the supplies I am bringing for tomorrow.

Fastest ROD Style Journal Ever

I had a little Art Clinic time today and set out some goals. The Paperclay had not come in yet for the tags so I was able to fit in some social time too. One goal was to start/make me a new journal. I made it in the Remains of the Day style again, but put in a bunch more blank pages to write and doodle on. I had the stack of paper picked out, but just needed to cut them to size. I made a small one again so I can fit it in my purse. I ended up with 4 signatures put together with a bit of sewing machine work and found that I still had time to make the cover!! So, in 2.5 hours I was able to make a one step shy of complete ROD-ish journal! WOW! I am guessing it is due to the lack of pockets and such that made it go so quick. These pictures were taken on my I Touch, so they are blurry.





I will have to post better ones soon. And I did get out my daughter's Disney Book to figure out what it needs. Awesome!


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Paperclay Tags

 I just whiped up some demos for Knit Fit and now I am hot to make some more. Tomorrow I will have about 4 hours to work in the studio at the Art Clinic. 

I am hoping to start about 12-18 new paperclay tags. I need to make a new journal and do some work on Madison's Disney Trip journal. I hope to get all my art supplies ready for the Valley Sketchers meet-up too. I will photo a spread of what I will bring and pst it around to help others make their supply decisions.
 So tired...must go to bed.

Great News...news

First Valley Skethers meet-up coming up this Sat! June 25th I find out how many eager sketchers in the area got the word. I guess I am a bit nervous, but this is my dream and I sure hope others feel as excited to do some art.


Had some time off I spent with my daughter and family and cleaning house and doing an art class demo. So tired! My baby took this picture of me. She takes good pictures for a 3 year old. I think I only look good because I am smiling at her :). I sure miss her today....anyway...
Had a great father's day and I hope others did too! I tested out my new noodler fountain pen some more on Tue. I ran it out of ink.
The SUPER EXCITING news is that the SB News Press called me and wants to do an article on the Valley Sketchers!!!! WOW!!!!! I sure hope people show up :)
Okay back to peddling this stationary bike into the ground.

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Tired Me

Self portrait of a very tired me. I cannot seem to get my sleep to personal time ratio back to normal.

Like my new Mickey Mouse Ears?  I am getting pretty excited about the Valley Sketch project! So much so, I ordered a new noodle flex fountain pen.  It gets here Thursday I hope! I am happy if just me and my Dad make it to Mission Santa Ines to sketch, but it would be fun if there was more. I'll be doing the next one the end of July at Ballard School.
I have been making my plan of attack for the Queen of Arts show this year.  I have lofty hopes. Wish me luck! I am planning on necklaces, earrings, bracelets, and rings. Sigh! Seems like too much already (refer back to portrait LOL) 
I better get to sleep.

Yahoo Group Made

Yahoo Group Valley Sketchers


Please go check it out and sign up for updates on when and where we will meet up. Our first sketch crawl will meet June 25th, 10:00am at Mission Santa Inez.


I love this classic pencil. I love the green stripes and silver lettering. There will be a lot of work this month. I hope I will still find time for the gym and brain power to slip in some art at night.


Breakfast at Ellen's House of Danish Pancakes again last Saturday. I love the food there and they are so sweet to baby.


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Working on a Sketch Group

I am so excited! I was driving to work when I started thinking of a large community of sketchbook artists that were brought together by Danny Gregory that started Every Day Matters which spawned books, blogs, groups, pod casts etc. I joined an off shoot group based in LA area. I loved it and drove all the way to LA 3 or 4 times to meet up with that group. One of the times Danny himself was there! I loved those times so much! I always try to sketch, but it was so epic to do it in a group! So I decided: why wish I was still doing that? I should make it happen. So that is what I am attempting to do.
I am starting a group and a Yahoo Group site to coordinate it.


Here is what I am going to put on the site:

Valley Sketch Group

Valley sketchers is a group for people who enjoy getting together to draw and sketch in the beautiful Santa Ynez Valley and it's adjacent areas. I hope to create a friendly community designed to encourage and _grow_ creativity. Artists of all levels are welcome to come.

The average sketch outing will start off with an optional meet-up at Valley Books in Solvang to fuel up with coffee drinks or tea, _group-up_ at our desired sketch location, around 2 hours of sketching, and an optional, yet recommended, meet-up afterward to have some show and tell.

For those not familiar with sketch booking: we hope to do multiple sketches of structures, landscapes and social scenes. These are, on average, quick and loose although there are no wrong ways to do this. I like to get in around 5 sketches in the 2 hours with one or two of them in full color, with a bit more detail than the others. For some this might be an experiment in freeing up your style where as some might might want to stay at the location longer than the suggested time. It is all up to you. I am just hoping to provide the _stage_ to induce creativity to flow and this is one of my favorite things to do. So come out and join me in this beautiful area rich with things to draw!

This Yahoo Group site will mostly be used to coordinate time and place of get-togethers, but feel free to use it to share information and sketchbook pages.



What to bring and other suggestions

Sketchbook- media appropriate.
Some of your favorite pens, pencils, colored pencils, travel watercolor kit, or any other of your favorite mediums you are comfortable with.
Pack light as we will be walking around a bit and you will be carrying all your supplies.
Some places we go will have ample places to sit, where others will not. Consider bringing something to sit on that is easily carried if you are concerned.
A large brimmed hat and sunblock on is a good idea for hot, or sunny days as there might not be adequate shade.
I feel a camera is a great thing to have to use if you want to work more later, as color reference, or just to record some good views/times.

First Sketch Day June 25

9:30- Optional meet-up for coffee/tea at Valley Books in Solvang
10:00-12:00 Meet at Mission Santa Inez parking lot by the field
12:15- Optional (and recommended) meet-up at Valley Books for show+tell

I hope to get this together by Monday. I will post the link soon.


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Making time for creativity

Making time for creativity

Craft retreat in your home!

Craft retreat in your home!

It's Been a Long Time Since I Been to Disneyland

Having a wonderful and overwhelming time here in Disneyland.


Tried to do some sketches while waiting in line. The paper did not take watercolor too well. So these are missing some pizazz.


The Matterhorn and a bar at the Hotel. The bar really really needs some color.


Maybe I will copy it onto better paper.....like I have that kind of time lol!


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Pretty Morning View

 Such a pretty morning drive today.  I almost pulled over (probably should have) to take more pictures of the cows that were walking somewhere all in masses in neat little lines.

 There is some ranch that has all these pretty colored cows.  They are a beautiful honey color and some are cream.

 They were right by the fence, intently walking in a line in the other direction.  Would have made for some great new paintings. Darn!  If they are there tomorrow I will pull over.

 Finished sewing the cover for this travel journal I am making for a co-worker who is taking a trip through Europe with her daughter.

I like the way it turned out so far, except the fun fabric on the inside is upside down :(  I hope she likes it.  She might not "get it".  I just don't think anyone should go on a once in a lifetime trip without a journal of some sort.  My daughter helped a little, then my Mom pulled out a mini sewing machine for her and she happily played with it for like 45 min.  She was so tickled that we were both sewing at the same time.  Check out my Mom's Blog for some cute pictures of baby! I will have another journal to make in August ;) Wow! I gotta start thinking about the Christmas art shows.  I think I have to bow out of the Kid's Boutique Show at Peanuts (sad).  I do not see how I can entertain Madison from 10-5:30.  That is a long day for anyone.  Time to turn my sights to the first Saturday art shows at SB Whole Foods market.

Too Much Not Getting Done

Oh well....Whatcha gonna do.  I am in a productivity slump at home. I have a little list I hope to do tomorrow at the studio.

 I am spending a lot of time with baby, and just trying to recover after she falls asleep.  I did manage to pull off this shadowbox-like ensemble for my Mom (here are more pictures from my good camera) I was very happy with it and so it feels pretty good.

I got back in contact with Danny Gregory's Everyday Maters sketch group in FB. It re-awakens the sketch artist in me.  Just in time for me to be jonzin for my next journal.  So visually stimulating is my current one, that I have a hard time getting stuff into it. I better get to writing my list for tomorrow and sleeping...so tired!!

Happy Mother's Day!!

Happy Mother's Day to all you ladies out there! This is only my third. Here is the newest photo diorama for my Mom!


It turned out pretty cute.


Happy Mom's Day Mom!!!!! I love you!!!!!!!!!!!


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Doing the Health Thing

Started working out about 3 weeks ago and I've been a very good girl about getting there almost every day.


Attempted my first smoothie made at work today. It came out such a pretty color! And it is yummy too. I am hoping to do some/any sort of art tonight. With all this stuff that has been going on I have been too tired or busy to get some artwork in. I have a special Mother's Day project I need to finish up!

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OMSA Certification in LA

So much information overload! Most of it is interesting at least. It is so much that it really wears me out. I am almost looking forward to test time.


Test time will feel like an eternity from now. Another 6 hours of lecture.
I am excited about my next journal I am putting together for myself. I am struggling with not finding the space in my current one to draw or add stuff. I love the way my current one looks but I find I open it to add entries and do very little aside from flip through looking for a good spot to work on and end up doing nothing.


My Mom gave me a gift wrapped in this awesome tissue paper! There is a new store in Ashland she found full of beautiful temptations. Annahadda? I don't know how to spell it.


I have been sneaking entries into an old journal I started years ago. It was a store bought, 8.5x11 boring one, but it is a book bound one. It is starting to warp already. I guess I should cut some pages out. I had painted some pages with color a while ago and I am trying to add more.


Okay back to cramming more medical info into my head.

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Art Show Coming in June

EtsySB is having a kids boutique hosted at Peanuts Maternity and Kids. Here is a blurry photo of a necklace I made and wear all the time. I will be making custom personalized charms and necklace ensembles at the show so you can get a personalized piece as you wait! I am excited about making that happen. I hope others are too!


I will have blank disks ready for a name, date, initials or anything else my stamps can make you. You can pick your chain and accompanying charms for a perfect one of a kind piece! And I have some onsies and wipe cloths that are perfect for quick clean ups and are washable so green.


Got the candles lit and I am enjoying the dancing white dots on the wall behind them.


Thank you all at work for the very yummy and pretty cake!

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Weekend is Here

Birthday is still coming. Not sure if this expiration date is symbolic if anything lol!



Trying on a crown hehe. Baby thinks I should have one.


That's my new haircut, just got it today.


If only you could smell these fabulous sweet peas! Mmmm


Trying to use my new space and get this journal filled so I can move on to a new one with more room to draw.


Awesome candelabra things my talented sister made. Love them and their mandibles!!
This is an odd blog post. I am too tired to be as creative as I want to be tonight. So many ideas and projects I want to do/start/finish/write down, but barely enough energy to hold this I-Touch in my hand. Maybe I will be more on task next week. So much to sort through still. That is probably what makes it hard to work. I do not create as well with things like that hanging over me. It should be a fun weekend, lots of cute errands that baby should really enjoy. And here's hoping there is some art mixed in somewhere.

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The Best Strawberries in Town

It tastes like it looks! Super, super sweet.


My Birthday is commin' (that is what my baby has been saying lately) and I hope to be finding some art time. Personal art time that is. With all this sorting and cleaning, I have found many art projects with my daughter as the theme, unfinished. I really want to sort through it all and get them so organized that all I have to do is open them up and work. No hope in finishing them in a day, but with my new work space at home, it would be a relaxing project after a long day of working and mothering. Hehe. I need to finish the last paper mâché heart fir Mary and see where I am with journal pages. I got a quilt to start piecing too. Heh heh. I am eager to start a few jewelry designs. I found some great stones that I had forgotten about. And, lastly (though not leastly hehe) I need to work on organizing my desk still. Wish me luck! That is a lot of projects all up the air.

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