Mini Hanging Art Series up on Etsy

I have put up six new pieces in my Etsy store. Click here to see the other four in my Mini Hanging Art Series.

"Tunas"

"Ladybug Feasting of Aphids"

Update: This piece Sold :) 

I'm so excited to have my Etsy store open again. I am still tweaking some things while it's open and I am open to any suggestions.

My girl has been so patient with me by letting me get all this done. It sure takes a lot of time to create, photograph and put up on the site - but I sure do get lot of pleasure in accomplishing my goals. All is good and now I must go hang our clothes to dry in our foldable clothes dryer. We are expecting some moisture this afternoon.

Please let me know what you think of the new items or my Etsy store. 

I would truly appreciate some feedback.

Thank You!

Earthworm and A Ladybug Feasting on Aphids.

Pleased to say that I've finished a couple of small pieces. Well, almost finished. I still need to add string or wire so they may be hung.

This is an earthworm. Worm compost inspired.

I do love this piece! Nice flowing lines on the worms outline. My favorite green and I do like the contrasting pink. The black lines are grass. Earth and grass meeting at the bottom.

Ladybug feasting on aphids.

Today we worked on a leaf painting project that kept us busy for a while. The leaves we collected were from our front and backyard. Finger painting the leaves was a lot easier than using the brushes I first had her use. It's refreshing to watch Toot dive into the paints and not be afraid to get her fingers full of paint. The paints are non-toxic.

We glued the leaves beside their print and I put them in a clear sleeve to keep them for memories.

As you can see Tootie is also learning how to write. She can write her name without my spelling it out for her. All other words she asks me to spell out and she'll meticulously write each letter with great care. She likes making lists for when we go to the farmer's market. The last list she made had a single word, "Strawberries".

"Red Leaves"

"Red Leaves"

Opaque watercolors and ink

I've finished this piece, finally. It's part of my Dream Landscape Series. Landscapes have become a personal discovery which I will continue to express with small paintings and drawings. I've always got one in the background. They patiently wait for me to add some more. Lately, I've got about four projects that I am working on, and each one is different from the other. I do well with variety. In the end I feel they all have a bit of me which is apparently mine. Like the Toot.

Here's a little something I made as a birthday gift for my second cousin,Citlali. It was a lot of fun to make and I know now what direction I'll be going with my Etsy store.

Saturday I went to buy more art supplies to make more pieces like this. The art supply store is always a great place for me to visit. Especially when I've got a $100 dollar gift certificate. On trips like this I always bring along plenty of meter money for parking so I can take my time. This is a methodical task which I take much pleasure in executing. When I step inside the store I feel the creative energy like a strong wind and I'm On!

An hour later I'm walking out with a bag full of 6 bottles of liquid acrylic paints, Matt finish spray, 2 nice detail brushes, 7 basic brushes for loose work, 2 sketchbooks for my Toot, 1 tube of titanium white acrylic, 20 tiny viles with airtight seals, and 1 box of Sculpy. This is all I need to keep me happy. I must get to bed so I can get an early start.

Good Night!

A sketch called Ambrosia

Ambrosia

This is a sketch that I've been working on a bit at a time. I'll be approaching this in a different manner. Thinking about adding color on the bond paper. I'm usually transferring a pencil sketch to a watercolor block and adding watercolor and gouache to the second generation. I don't want to go through that process with all this detail. I did the pencil sketch about two months ago when I got sick with a cold. I then went over the pencil sketch with a black art pen. This took several days to do. Now, I've been visualizing how I'm going to add color. It'll be different than my usual applications.

Her feet remind me of my mother's feet. Especially her big toes.

Painting her view.

Ambrosia

Pigeon Dude

More can be done, but I will stop here for now. It's taken me a long time to get to this point. I'll think about this one before I decide to do more. It's late and I'm going to bed.

Pigeons Wait

While she sleeps I draw. This is only a start and I will continue tonight. The tapping of the keys is making her stir. My little monstrita. Whaaaaaaaa!

Steps 1 and 2 of " She's Serious"

She's not finished. I am working on her a little bit every day.

Since my painting table is temporarily the space for my altar, I have been painting on my computer with "Painter". This started out as a sketch and then an outline in my sketchbook. I then scanned the outline and now I'm coloring it in Painter. It's fun and since I've already done this process with two other pieces - it's getting easier to manage the different applications I need to use so I may post the process in steps. I am pleased with this one so far.

Reclining Figure

When I did this (a couple nights ago) I didn't have the energy to type in any information about it. Today I've got a few minutes before we're off to the park. I also got asked by a blogger friend to write about it.

I created this on Illustrator and played with it for a couple of hours until I was happy with the composition. I usually start drawing and keep adding more of the figure if I have enough room. I've always enjoyed drawing the nude figure. If I had the space and time I would do the figure in a large scale. Working so small is beginning to feel limiting and uncomfortably contained. Break loose! Where's the free spirit!.......? Give me a 3 inch paint brush and a 10x10 foot canvas. Square. 

What motivates me? Lack of time, my age, gratitude and an inner spark that never quits. I have a need to draw something everyday. When I was pregnant I could not use my hands to do anything. They were swollen and the finger tips had a burning sensation all the time. So for about six months of my pregnancy I couldn't write, draw or hold anything. It felt awful to not have the use of my hands. I am so grateful now. Never again will I take my body and my creative spirit for granted. 

Enough about me. We're off to the park! It's another beautiful day. Enjoy.

Green Cheeks

"Gently Used"

Did this in Painter while the Toot had her afternoon nap. 

You just never know what's waiting to come out and onto paper or in this case a computer screen. I just have to keep at it and see what comes. Every little sketch and drawing counts. Practice is the tool and I can do it one day at a time. Even if it's at least a few minutes a day. 

Have you hugged your "Gently Used" relative or friend today? 

Art and Lavender Flowers

I've been working on this the past few days. This day was a nice break from the heat and I took advantage of the cool temperatures this morning.

 

 

.....a little out of focus and enough to get an idea of what I'm composing. 

Some pretty lavender flowers I got at the farmer's market on Sunday.

Tomorrow we enroll the Toot in another Parent Education class. She'll be looking forward to the change, me too. We've been going to the library a lot and enjoying new books every other week. Tomorrow is the Gorilla's birthday! We'll be having a small celebration when he gets home. Busy day tomorrow and it'll be fun to decorate for the Silverback. The Toot wants some birthday hats so we will make them. 

Summertime....Slow but sure!

Slow...............Slow..............Slow...........My computer is slow and it's making me sleepy waiting for my turn to put anything up. I made myself a cup of coffee while I waited. The Toot's taking her nap and this is my only opportunity to get on the computer. 

I've been waiting for my two Sculpy pieces to dry and this has been going on for over a week now. I also made some Sculpy stands for them. I've sealed the paintings and the stands with a clear varnish and it's taking a long time to dry completely. So I wait, and wait, and wait.

The heat has been slowing me down too. Some days I knockout on the couch while the little one is napping. Summertime is always hard on me and I can't seem to get much artwork done. 

We've been to the library a lot and having a fun time there. We've found one that has a great children's area that the Toot enjoys very much. She makes friends easily and I'm glad she has this quality in her. She's also learning to move on when someone doesn't want to play. No hurt feelings just keep going with your own fun. Today we met a cute little red head named Phoenix. She was about a year older than my Toot and they got along fine playing with the sponge blocks together. In a couple of weeks we'll be starting our Mommy and Me class again.  I will try to get her in some kind of dance class that will also be starting in September. 

I'm still trying to get organized and clearing out clutter. It's getting done...slowly. I've still got her playpen in the living room that is full of stuffed animals and toys. That is my next project that I'd like to have out and sorted in a different room and in a box or shelved. 

It seems that cleaning is the only thing I can get myself to do these summer days. I like the workout and the feeling of accomplishment when I finish. This has probably been my usual routine every year and I never thought about it until now that I've typed it. Yes, I like to clean. It's meditative for me. Tomorrow the Toot and I will be going to my father's house and I'll be cleaning over there. I want to give his kitchen a thorough cleaning. He enjoys yard work and he's been working on a backyard fence over the summer, so I thought this would be a perfect opportunity to help him where I knew he needed it. Today I went to the store to buy some cleaning supplies and now I'm ready for a good workout. 

Having fun learning!

 sketch: made with markers

It's the morning and I'm trying to sneak in a few minutes to post here . I've been trying to get back to our schedule here at home by cleaning and organizing in small spurts. I'm putting baby clothes that the Toot's outgrown into bags to give to a young family my sister knows. We've received some new "used" clothes for the Toot and now I've got to wash them and put them in drawers. I'm also starting to collect more learning material, art supplies, and musical instruments that also need to get sorted and put into bins, bags, and drawers. This is fun for me. When I was a girl I always enjoyed playing teacher or librarian and organizing my books and supplies. I've got an eager student and it's all coming back to me! 

I am reading about Parenting and Homeschooling because I'm still learning myself and it's nice to get some ideas where I have no idea what to do. We aren't interested in putting her in preschool and I know I can teach her the basics, but mostly I want her to have a love of learning new things everyday. I am grateful that I can be home with my little one to Love and Learn.

Speaking of learning....this  is a camera I got for my birthday (it's pretty!). I'm currently reading the manual to learn how to use it. It's a lot of camera for me, but with some reading I know I can manage it. I should be able to get some nice nature photos from it. 

A New Piece - "Dreaming in Bubbly Water"

Dreaming in Bubbly Water
media: watercolor with minimal ink lines

Things are going well in the painting department. Production is steady and constant. The elves are busy getting ideas in order and pushing compositions to the drawing table. Occasionally one goes on a divergent path and comes back with more snippets of inspiration. I'm overwhelmed with excitement and I can't wait to start another piece.
This is up for sale in my Etsy store.

A watercolor and bow-tie pasta

I have enough time to post these two photos of what I worked on this afternoon. A detail of a watercolor I've been working on since last week. I'm not done and I'm having fun working on a full figure. I'm also trying out some new watercolors I got for my birthday (which was last month, 44 years living!).

 

Also, a dish made from a recipe I got from Woman's Day magazine, "Bow-ties with Spinach & Cherry tomatoes". This was a tasty dish for a summer lunch. The spinach and the cherry tomatoes I got at our farmer's market. Delicious! A lot of similarities in color pallet. This was the first time we've had bow-tie pasta and the Toot had fun calling them butterflies and gobbling them up.

Still Working

This is stage one for her. I have more plans in store before I can put this up for sale. Posting a photo is a step forward and it also keeps me motivated while we're going through this unexpected turn of events with the transportation situation. I've got two more to go. 

Sculpy Stage 2

Here they are ready to go in the oven. Curious to see what they'll feel like after they harden. I've read that I will be able to sand and file any details after they're cooked. This is where I wish'em safe travels!

All three are about 3" high and 2" across.

Sculpy Project

Time is so limited for creating any artwork.

I finally managed to get the Sculpy project started today. It's been sitting on my art table for weeks now so I just plunged myself to work. This is just an outline and I plan on working in some details with my carving tools.

A little difficult to see at this stage, but they will evolve beautifully from here. 

I'm excited to get more work done on these. 

Nobody told me it would be easy to work at home and take care of my Toot. This has been the challenge. This is when I say the Serenity Prayer. Will I have the wisdom to know the difference? What's my next step when it comes to my art? I've downsized my creative space to a table top. The easel is folded up and gathering dust. I've not sold anything on Etsy in months. What's the next step? 

Well, right now, the next step is to take care of my Toot who caught a cold this weekend. She's asleep on my lap as I type this. I just happened to have my camera in front of me to illustrate my point. Look at me, I'm multitasking! 

Going up on Etsy

This is a new piece which I've finally finished. It'll be a part of the Dream Landscape series in my Etsy store.

This bottom piece I've already shown on a previous post, but I didn't put it up on Etsy because I wanted to put them up together. They should be up by this weekend.

I will be selling the original pieces for these two landscapes.

 

As for the head portrait below (previous post), I will be selling as a print. 

The Rose is Done

The Little Rose