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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Mural Screen Work

Here is where I started:


Got out the oodles of paints I might need. Only used 1/3rd but emptied out almost 3 whole tubes lol.


Here is how the pallet started:


1/2 way through:


Done for the night:


Here is the screen mural:


Here it is right before I closed up the studio and walked home.


Here are my new brushes I bought in little Italy at a Dick Blick store:


Oh yeah! I love these new brushes for the big stuff!! They are soft and smooth. They hold the perfect amount of paint without creating a inaccessible pocket of paint forming in the middle. Awesome! It felt very good to finally get to the studio and do what I have been trying to do for weeks. I am always wondering what medium is the most accessible when you are a mom. I want to think it is whichever one you can do at home after baby is in bed, but I wind up being so tired at that point. Zoo trip tomorrow will be cute and fun and probably the end of me..... So tired.

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Rain Off and On

I am outside at Big Bopper burger joint enjoying the weather as best I can.


I did not make it to the studio :( I did not get my computer hooked up, i did clean out the old play pen at Madison's request (that took way way longer than I thought but feels so so good)


and I am working on some me time right now. Sitting here in the rain feels very nostalgic. I am brought back to when I was 8 and I'd spend long periods of time outside just enjoying everything around me with a quiet stillness. I don't experience that much lately and it feels real good. Maybe I can talk a certain person to help make some studio time for me this weekend to make up for loosing my Thur.

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All moved around

Worked a solid 5 hours on the apartment and I ache all over. Got everything moved, now I have to sort, organize and clean some more.


It fits pretty nice, but does not look pretty at all lol. Yet. The dinner table looks nice with the flowers from farmers market.


It will get there. I want to take my time so I can get rid of as much crap as possible. I think I will stop and move to something else when I get tired so I don't just throw it all back. I do that too much. I still hope to work on mural tomorrow, but I am making a point to lolly-gag as much as possible and make my time while baby is at daycare more of a mental health day for me. Wish me luck on that one lol.

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OK...I saw this on a site and had to share.  Sounds soooo yumm yumm, I think I will try and make the effort.  Any volunteers want to join me?

One of my favorite restaurants in Hawaii was Roy’s Hawaiian Fusion Cuisine. Although there are Roy’s restaurants all over the world, their fresh pineapple infused martini will always embody Hawaii in my mind. Roy’s signature drink can be seen infusing in huge glass jars all around their outdoor bar and a fresh batch is made every couple of days in the summer. A mixture of vanilla vodka and coconut rum infused with fresh pineapple slices, and served with a slice of marinated pineapple, this drink is smooth and creamy with a thick layer of sweet foam on top. Start a batch of these today and enjoy them with friends next weekend for an end of summer luau!



Hawaiian Martinis

makes 2500 ml, prep 10 minutes, allow to infuse about 1 week

•1500 ml (2 750 ml bottles) vodka

•500 ml vanilla vodka

•500 ml coconut rum (like Malibu)

•2 fresh pineapples, cut into 1 inch wedges

1.In a large (6 quart) container with a spigot-such as a lemonade, ice tea, or a punch dispenser-layer pineapple.

2.Pour alcohol over pineapple making sure to completely cover the pineapple.

3.Allow to infuse at least a week, will stay good much longer as long as the pineapple slices remain submerged.

4.To serve (makes 2 drinks), measure out 4-6 oz liquid. Add along with ice to a martini shaker and shake vigorously.

5.Strain into two martini glasses, garnish with a wedge of marinated pineapple.

This recipe is different from other recipes on the web but is straight from the bartenders at the original Roy’s in Hawaii. Their mix is huge though: 2 bottles of vanilla vodka, 2 bottles of coconut rum, and 6 bottles of regular vodka. Feel free to do the math if you want to make an even smaller batch.

Or.....somone want to make this for me??

OoOooOO New Moo Cards

So very pretty and silky to the touch. I love these things.



The company is called Moo Go check them out, and their prices are nice too.



Had a terrible migraine and was out of commission again. I am getting another art day (day off) on Thur and hope to work on my mural some. Wed I have lofty hopes of cleaning my apartment and doing some major re-arranging. Keep posted and I'll let you know how it all works out. I have so many lists to write OMG hehe

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Bewtter Photos of the Progress

Almost finished them.  It is now up to my Mom to do the finishing touches. here is the house she made. So sweet!

 I love making bottle diaramas, but I feel they never quite come out like I think they will.

I am pretty happy with them.  I cannot wait to see how they look when they are finished!