Beautiful Sunday 4.29

I was glad to be able to think of beauty this morning. I have been in such a dark place all week. Lots of weeping and feeling frustrated about my life, particularly my work. Trying to figure out what to do next in my career. So with that said, focusing on flowers, and even better, the scent of the flowers was a welcome relief! Too bad this isn't a Scratch-N-Sniff Sunday, you would enjoy that even more!
A Breath of Spring Narcissus and clematis. The Clematis Montana smells of delicate vanilla and is blooming in the yard right now.



Larger view here



Larger view here

I Wonder

I wonder why we have unrealistic expectations of what we as women are suppose to look like. Hmmmmm?

Random Findings

Fran Allison Weeds and Random Findings.

Anna Dovern found object jewelry and sculptures.

Fetching jewelry by Bird Ross.

The Ganoksin Project shows how they make those wonderful layered rings, the mokume gane process.

Studio Friday - Doodling

Studio Friday has us doodling our hearts out. I am a big doodler.

IF - Under the Sea C

I couldn't help myself, I had to do it! I do have one with "water" for later. Illustration Friday challenge Under the Sea C.



And (love) Under the Sea. I am sorry, I could make it so much more fun, but can only spend so much time on these and no more.

Delicious Organization

This could be the cutest thing I have seen in a long time! From Maitreya at craftlog is this Felt Sewing Box and more of images here via Camilla.

Another adorable thing is this quilt from beetlegrass. I love it!

Dinner And Laundry

With my mom gone I have had to find my way to the grocery store and search out stuff we need. Do laundry AND cook dinner. Okay, I am spoiled by her, I am the first to admit it. But the last couple of days of been rough! Exhausting. I managed to conjure up something for dinner tonight instead of the take-out Chinese and pizza we have been living on the last couple of days. And because I have been very ill with a sinus infection, I thought potato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches sounded good. Plus we have an excess of pototoes. I made my grill cheese with double gloucester with blue stilton. Then I decided I was soooo sick that I needed some homemade chocolate pudding (yes that is with 9 egg yokes). The kitchen a mess, the laundry not finished or folded. I am ready for bed. Mom, can you come back sooner, please.

Studio Friday - Sparkles

Studio Friday sparkles this week!

Self-Portrait Tuesday 04.25

Get me out of here! For Self-Portrait Tuesday. Larger view here. My entire self-portrait Tuesday set here.



And how I spend my minutes waiting for chart information to come via email. Where I might just mention that this week, hotmail has me hot under the collar. What is up with them, I can't access my account from home?

Out Cold

After lunch nap.

Thank You

Just want to say thank you for being wonderful blogger friends!

Beautiful Sunday 4.23

I knew the woman that owned this cup. She was a woman with a great sense of style and appreciation for color, design, and unusual shapes. She held this cup gently when she needed a cup of comfort tea. I can see the worn marks on the gold handle where she did so. She always washed this special cup by hand. I knew this woman well. She collected objects she loved, stored them, cared of them. Took them out to use and admire them.

I saw most of her belongings strewn around Goodwill yesterday. First I had found a Japanese box of wonderful square sushi plates. They were expensive so I passed on them. Then I saw many Japanese cookie tins, then some other plates and collectibles. I started to recognize each object stashed on the shelf that was hers. I mourned her and celebrated her taste and sense of style at the same time. Then I saw this cup and I was not in the business of buying cups yesterday. It was precious, and the gold handle was gently worn. I was there for some time imagining this woman. Trying to talk myself out of buying this. And decided that I would take it home, in her honor and use it for my comfort tea.

This often happens at the Goodwill. I see many things that obviously belonged to one person, and once I see the connection I can see that person all over the store. You can just tell, feel it. It makes me so sad that I can hardly carry on or not cry in the aisle. I wonder where their families are. I hope they at least kept the good stuff and this was just their rejects. Did they not appreciate anything their mom, sister, (?) had, or did she not have any family left. Of course, there is the possibility that one person was just getting rid of everything, to move to a nursing home? Anyway, it always affects me in the most emotional way. This cup is my Beautiful Sunday object in tribute to collectors of wonderful stuff everywhere!

Imagine This

Imagine This video

Elizabeth I

Elizabeth I, Part 1 is on HBO tonight. I have been blissfully anticipating this for weeks.

Tin Time

Harriete Estel Berman's teapots and cups and sculptures.

Golden For Photo Friday

This is golden for Photo Friday's challenge this week! Larger view here.

Mom Off To Texas

Have a great time and get back soon!

Illustration Friday - Rosie Robot

Rosie Robot would be lovely to have around while my mom is gone to Texas. For Illustration Friday challenge. Some other entries from Art Backwash, Sweet Pea at It’s a Whimsical Life, Caderno De Desenhos and Doodlevision. Wind Up Tin Toy Robots from Tinman Tintoys and fun images from the movie "Robots".



My little pre vector sketch

I Challenge You

I challenge you not to giggle in delight when you stand under one of these trees with heavy, frothy blooms! Really big view here!

Snooping For Fun

This is hysterical! I wish I were famous enough to have one made of me! Mike Leavitt's Art Army. Misery loves childern - sculpted toys by hand (Sculpey) and painted (oil) by Kathie Olivas. Art by Jesse Reno.

ClayFever found the fun and hip Destination Design blog.

Prickie button badges from EbOY.

Little Flowers

It is time for blooming. My favorite littliest flowers are kenilworth ivy and violas.



Here for large view.

Self-Portrait Tuesday 04.18

Self-Portrait Tuesday has me wonderfing if I should really pull the hair and clothes off of all those sweet little dolls I buy to use in assemblage?

Studio Friday - Working Hands

My submission for Studio Friday are for working hands, mine and my mom's. Without all the hard work she does for me, laundry, driving, shopping, cooking to keep us all going and freeing up my time to do "fun art things". So it really is a tribute to her and her hard working hands. This paper weight of Elizabeth Barrett and Robert Browning's clasped hands is something she bought when I was 5. I have held it, looked at it. cleaned it all of my life. It now sits on my desk. These are hands clasped in love and hard work.



And then there are mine hands. That are never happy unless I am working. Typing, cleaning, ironing, pulling weeds. But the one endeavour that really makes my little fingers tremble with joy is painting. I don't really care if I am painting a room, a piece of furniture, a piece of art. My spirit comes alive with a paint brush in my hand, paint clothes, paint rags, the smell of paint, and turpentine.

Happy Easter!

My dear friend Linda sent the most adorable hand-made card!



With little jelly beans included. Best seen large.



I was too busy to decorate eggs this year and it is one of most favorite things to do! How lame is that? I will satisfy myself with last year photo.



And little pink chicks.

Speak Into The WebCam Please

There are some informative and fun interviews at Design Inspiration (blog). Those of you who participate in Illustration Friday will recognize some of the names. Some of my favorites are Von Glitschka, his site and the entertaining Bad Design Kills, Jared Chapman, this new piece is stunning!, Elwood Smith and his site, the always delightful and entertaining Jeope Wolf. Also check out Designers Who Blog and Sugar Frosted Goodness.

Illustration Friday - Spotted

This week's Illustration Friday is spotted. A logo I created pro bono some time ago. My mom and I were just having a discussion about whether pro bono was designated for legal term only, or for any other public work for free, I think I can use it in this context. (Added a color for interest).

Yum From Ming And Beyond!

Been watching some cooking shows on kcts today - YUM.

Simply Ming made Pate Brise (tart dough, I think, I am working so not paying close attention) Lemongrass-Crab Quiche and Foie Gras-Leek Tart. Would like to try them all!

Before that New Scandinavian cooking with Tina Nordstrom. By this time my co-worker and I were foaming at the mouth and searching for her recipes. Pepper Crusted Beef with Cherry Tomatoes and she also made a puree parsnips (with Creme Fraiche). They should not make these recipes so hard to find on their sites (they need to hire me as a usability advisor!)

Assemblage Assortment

Ariel Dolan wall of dolls. James Michael Starr stunning work. Book sculptures from karenswhimsy.com. A neighbor doing beautiful assemblage art at Broadgate Arts. Porthole Assemblage by Ron Robertson. Josie Osborne at Hotcakes Gallery, assemblage found objects by Jerry Ross Barrish.
Todd Muffatti's great assemblage at Folktree.com (I love those hangers!) and Carmen Abelleira-White's salvage one of a kind sheath dress. Impeccable Lynn Whipple mixed media. Richness of Phil Parker's work.
Brendan Monroe sculpture via Annika Sandin blog.

Yohji Yamamoto Challenge

At ShowStudio in 2003, designer Yohji Yamamoto had a little challenge and has even supplied the pattern. Also a gallery of what other's have made from the pattern. Via ShowStudio blog. Ann-Sofie Back Studio (blog).

More Advice Piling Up

I have piles of zip disks trying to find ONE illustration on one of them (most don't work), piles of cd's, piles of bills, piles of papers, piles of thrift store treasures, piles of magazines, piles of thrift-store craft books, piles of to-do list ... what can I say, my life is piling up around me!

While cleaning out the piles and piles of photos on my hard drive, throwing away and archiving (tonight), I came across one of the many little advice pieces I did for Penelope's Best Advice Project (a wonderful little project, by the way). And because I can not throw ANYTHING away, evidence by the many piles surrounding me. I am going to put it on the blog this one, then trash it.

Face Recognition

Face Recognition ap is rather interesting, albeit, I don’t look like either of these women but I have the long chin and big honkin' cheekbones. (You have to register to get this little performance done). Found via Visual~Voice (what a great blog name, with some wonderful photography. I think it is funny they matched mom's lips to some guy.

Illustration Friday -- Speed

This week's Illustration Friday almost sped right past me. I think it is amazing how fast you can move when you are heading off for vacation, and then with what velocity that same vacation can pass by! Dug this out of the ghost archives of illos past.

The Wedding Band

Found this tintype at an antique store while we were at the Tulip Festival in La Conner. I love the way her necklace and wedding band have been tinted gold. Larger view here.

In The Works

Still working on my pieces, experimenting with the patinas, painting the outsides, adding the frame pieces, plus my paint supplies arrived tonight. I found more porcelain dolls, some brass things- bought two to use in assemblage and a bunch of tins today (69 cent each), lots of asian tins. Want to cut them up for jewelry and maybe in the art pieces. Don't know yet.

Self-Portrait Tuesday 04.11

Feeling a little scattered.

Driftwood Horses

Driftwood horse sculptures by Heather Jansch are delightful!

Thrift Store Gloating

Better photos of my works in progress - "Soul Tree" and "Nesting".





I also forgot to gloat about all the good treasures I found at the thrift stores the other day. I had so much fun for under $50.00 and found lots of great stuff. I have all ready used and painted most of the boxes. Found lots of plastic dolls. Brass candelabra for $2.00. A couple of porcelain dolls. More scrabble letters. These wonderful paper streamers for 99 cents a bag (I am sure those will find their way to my dining room ceiling soon). A bag of cologne and face powder, asian packaging - bought it for the graphics and little box. Oh, and a bag full of wooden apples that have a hole in top center, I was thinking I could use them for place cards for the table by sticking the dowel in hole and attaching paper with name. I have more of the green apples. But a bag for a couple of dollars, I could not resist! Oh, and a few small ornate frames.