Little Clay Birds

You know how I like a car studio on long road trips.  Keeps my mind off my husband's driving!  This summer on our way to the beach I made a lovely pile of clay birds using a tiny handmade rubber mold.  I used a paper clay so the little birds are very light weight.   After finally getting them painted last week I put the birds together with a few beads and chain  turning the birds into these lovely necklaces.  

The asymmetry looks lovely on your neck with a simple top.  These necklaces will be for sale at the upcoming Marist Holiday Traditions show on Saturday, November 3rd.  This is a wonderful show to come and gather all sorts of handmade goodness for Christmas presents.  I took a hiatus from shows, but not this one for sure!  I hope to see you there!  I made literally 24 of these sweet necklaces for you!

A Tandem Bike

I guess it was last week that Erin contacted me through my Etsy shop.  It was a funny message...basically she said a friend had given she and her husband a tandem bike painting as a gift.  The name on the back of the painting was mine and wondered it she'd found the right Jenni.  I said yes it was!  Which reminds me to tell you I had these awesome stickers made since then which I put on the back of all my paintings that have my email and website for this very reason!!  You never know when a gift will become a client.  Woohoo!!  She wanted one made as a wedding gift for a couple and wanted it done by October.  No problemo.  Literally.

I had this custom painting made in less than a week!  Pretty proud of myself!  It's wrapped and ready to be mailed to the bride and groom tomorrow.  Yeah!    Erin wasn't sure about the patch frame, and since it was the only one I had in the right price range and right size for a tandem bike with heart balloons we compromised and painted the frame gray.  Which honestly after I sanded it down a smidgen I love it more.  The patch frames tend to be really rough around the edges.  Painting it made the frame more polished looking in the end.

I just love this quote, not sure if I just made it up (which I really think I did) or if I saw it somewhere.  Either way, it makes for a perfect wedding gift.  I hope the happy couple enjoys it for years to come!

The Bike Museum

Saturday afternoon after a fun day of projects around the house our family headed to the annual Coweta County Fair.  We love the fair.  The smells, the lights, the food, the rides, the exhibits....there's something about the fair that just makes us all giddy.  Usually we start in the 4H exhibits.  We have a wonderful 4H program in our county and the fair is their time to SHINE!  I am always most impressed with the chicken assortment.  I totally forgot to take photos of them...sorry!    There were goats, ducks, cows, bulls, bunnies, guinea pigs, chicks, horses, and more in the arena waiting to be judged.  In the exhibit hall there was an amazing display of art by local children and adults as well as produce and baked goods.  We submit the kids art every year and this year Mailey won 4 blue ribbons and one best in show blue ribbon!!  Go Mailey!

An addition to the exhibits this year was this:

A Bike Museum!!  How cool is that?  They had about 20 different kinds of bikes on display in the arena.  I had a little happy fit!  Boy I'd wished I'd had my real camera and could have posed these a bit for a future painting or two.  So now I am going to have to google hunt some of these babies!  Look at the brass tandem bike below!  It totally looks like someone took a brass bed and soldered it together to make a bike.  Oh...and that's my sweet family in the background.  They are looking at all the baby chicks the 4H chicken club raised in incubators.  Super cool.  And cute.

 I really have to paint one of these.  I totally see men in top hats when I see this type of bike. And yo-yo's...why yo-yo's I just don't know.

I was most intrigued by this one though, especially the name!  Boneshaker...gotta laugh at that!  I guess it shook you to the bone with joy when you rode it?  I love that it was the 1st bike manufactured in the USA in 1869.  It looks alot like our bikes today.

The fair had so much to offer this year other than gut turning rides.  There were several live shows on the midway, more food than one should ever eat, 4H exhibits, art exhibits, live music and more.  We had a lovely time (despite my sudden onset of a stomach bug...yeah.  I know.  And it had nothing to do with rides or food believe you me.  I did however manage to get down a bag of cotton candy!)

If you are in the area I highly recommend going.  If you go early it's not that crowded with tweens and their peeps.  Although that is super fun to watch!  Hope you had a fun filled weekend as well on the first of FALL!!  My favorite tim of year by far.   Oh boy....fall.

Weekend Bliss

I had intended to post this last Sunday...but was super excited about my jewelry (you know that I am not making anymore but really I am), then the Guest Curator post came....so it's now the next weekend, but I did want to post this.  You know how I like to talk feelings and life in regards to my creative journey.  It's cheap therapy honestly.  That and running.

Last Saturday was just one of those days where I found myself recharging.  It was an amazing day weather wise.  One can only be happy on days like that in the south.  When the humidity and the heat finally break and you see the fall light at the end of the tunnel.  We savor fall here.  It doesn't last nearly long enough.  So onto Saturday.  It actually started for me at 6am.  I ran a 10K right here in this blissful part of Coweta County:

I ran the fastest I'd ever run.  And finished a short 5 minutes after the first place female runner in my age group!!  I was so wound up after this.  Seriously.  You see it was my first 10K (yeah, I signed up for a half marathon before running anything over 3 miles in my life).  I was beaming with excitement!!  Plus it was a total Jeep topless day...see my happy soul?  Brings back so many memories of Jeep days gone by.

Mailey, Julie and I then sped off to get my weekly allotment of fresh goat cheese and homeade pasta from the PTC Farmer's Market.  If you live in our area I highly recommend making a trip to the Saturday market!!  It is heavenly!!  After that we were off to Shakerag Arts Festival.  This is an annual art show in Peachtree City....it's the one I met Joy and Tiffin at in '09.  Sweet Joy below is the only one still doing the show.  Doesn't she look like my sister?  Her booth was magical, and from what I understand it was a great sales weekend for her.  I love for my artsy friends to succeed.  Makes my heart full.

After that we all went home, added a few more little girls to the mix and off to the studio Lily and I went (to hide honestly).  The studio HAD to be cleaned.  Like in a bad way.  I swear the messy fairies visit it.  That and spiders.  Ewww..Man it felt good to get it all sparkly.  I've another PSW tomorrow.  And I like it perfect for them. 

I just love this spot in the studio.  It's right by a window that often gets visits from Momma and baby deer....they come peek in the window at me.  Its kinda magical and freaky all wrapped in one moment.  It looks like they look right into your soul.   Once it was ALL clean and all the girls were gone I sat back and started to paint again.  In my spot.  I even woke up at 6am Sunday and ran back down to work accompanied by this:

Yummy pepermint hot cocoa given as a party favor by the super woman herself Tiffin.  I tell you all of this because lately I don't get much time in the studio.  But that's okay.   I made a deal with myself at the end of the school year that this year would be different.  That I'd create for me when I could....but my family would always come first.  And so far its working out that way.  Sometimes I get in a tissy about not getting to enjoy the studio more often.  It is dreamy.  But last year near about killed me.  No lie.  This time last year I was still unpacking boxes in the new house, getting ready to teach 2 classes at Art and Soul for the first time, getting ready for the Country Living Fair, teaching again full-time for the first time in 11 years (with that means learning 400 students), coaching William on the BB Team, getting kids to all their weekly activities, Billy was still full mode Representative, and more.  It was enough to make a person loose their mind.  I wondered why I literally weighed 115 pds this time last year.  That is a nutty weight for me BTW... 

One year later I find myself loving a weekend that I can spend Saturday leisurely playing with a house full of 5th grade girls then clean the studio.  On Sunday I took William to his tournament and sat all day, not once worrying about what I've got to do when I get home.  There's less worry that I am an art failure.  It's a life changing feeling.  Do I want more for my art career?  Heck yeah!!  Do I get irritated sometimes when I see what others are doing and I'm not? Yes.  But I've got a plan.  It just might take longer because right now my priorities are where they need to be.  These kids of mine are growing at super speed and I want to savor it.  The braces, the pimples, the moods and the of course all the joys.  I am not going to miss it because I've got to get my etsy shop updated or else.  Or make a crazy assortment of things to sell at a show.  I think I've been leading to this for a spell.  And I've made changes here in the blog too.  Good things come to those who wait.  I believe in the goodness of my work.  And look forward to sharing it with you.  Just know that what I make now comes from a special place and a special time.  It's not made in haste because it has to, but rather because it wants to.   You see it too though I am sure.  My work is softer, sweeter and more simple.  And if you saw me in person you'd see that I am happier and healthier (115pds is long gone).  Yeah.  I truly....truly love this creative journey and can not thank you enough for all your support over the years as I make my mark one little stroke at a time.

Painting for Little Girls

When a friend called and asked if I'd paint 2 paintings for her 3 little girl's rooms I said yes!  Of course!  I've mentioned before here in my journal that I'm not always timely with custom paintings.  It's like a mental block.  But this time the little paintings just came effortlessly and timely.  I enjoyed painting old subjects in my old softer style.  It was a nice change.  And a wonderful way to get me into a lovely little groove.

The painting above is going to hang over the left bed, the one below the right bed.  It's the prettiest pink room ever!  So these really add a pop of color and sweetness to the room.  When I go back with the paintings for the boys room I'll get a photo of the room with the art hanging.  We didn't get them hung when I delivered the paintings. 

I started thinking about custom paintings and my timeliness after delivering these Monday.  Funny thing is I've now got a list of 4 more custom paintings for clients.  And since I'm not frantically working to fill a show booth I've got time to work on them!  I love knowing that someone specifically wants something I paint...it makes me very puffy heart inside.  Yeah.  Goodness is flowing out of the studio these days!

If you are at interested in a custom piece feel free to email me at jennihorne@ymail.com.  I'd love to chat with you about it!

Guest Curator

Something really cool happened to me in the spring.  And yes, I've kept it a secret THAT long.  It's not been easy I tell ya.  Jenny Doh of CRESCENDoh contacted me and asked if I'd be willing to be the Guest Curator on her amazing site.  Holy cheese cracker!  Me???  (I mean, have you ever been to her site?  She has a studio she has workshops in with all the big names.  She blogs, teaches, written books, kick boxes, shoots arrows...This lady does it all!)  Of course I would love to be the guest curator on her site.  So I had months to gather favorite blogs and posts from you guys.  It was hard I tell ya.  To find 16 perfect ones.  To highlight some of my personal favorite artsy people and not leave anyone out.  But I did it.  So head on over and check it out.  As a part of the series I wrote a pretty cool essay about blogging and its' role in my art.  At least I think its' pretty cool.

Ooooo...wee....I just get all giggly inside seeing my picture on the site.  I am truly blessed in so many ways to have this creative journey to share.  Thanks so much for stopping by!  If you are knew to the blog be sure to poke around.  I love to share my artsy self right here.  Oh...and over here....and here too!!

Jewelry...yes....the J Word

Ok.  I take it back everything I said about no longer making jewelry.  Not really.  But I did get a little jewelry carried away this weekend.  Here's what happened.....I cleaned the studio out on Saturday.  For like 3 hours.  Cray...cray since I spend less than 3 hours a week right now in the room.  I don't want to talk about that right now.  It's too painful.  I'll just say this.  I hate homework. 

While cleaning everything I found the 52 metal numbers below I bought at a cute shop in Senoia over the summer.  My plan was to make a bracelet with them to memorialize my 52 Canvases in my 40th year project.  Yeah....months later I found them in a random bag in a random spot stuffed in the "jewelry" cabinet in the studio.  Can we say "outta sight, outta mind?"  I like to organize things, but sometimes I stuff stuff in places and forget about them.  I do.  However you should see the 6ft table in the studio I set up with project piles Saturday during the 3 hour clean up (is there a badge for this you think?).  It's good to see what needs to be done and what NEEDS to be done.  Keeps me focused on the prize.(that would be money folks) 

Fast forward in the story....I have to make bridesmaid gifts for an upcoming family wedding.  They are going to be the most beautiful little bracelets.  So I was gathering the materials for those when I thought why not go ahead and make my bracelet?  Let's see.....hmmm.....what beads......oh gotta use these new black pearls and the faceted turquoise....OOOOO....I can make an ombre affect!!!  And then it started.  The ideas.  And why sometimes on occasion I really don't like my crazy overload creative thinking brain.  Yeah.  It's totally annoying.

 I love the bracelet so very much.  The ombre affect...the little bird with 40 stamped on it....the meaning.  It's special.  Just the way I like my jewelry to be. 

Fast forward again....today was a one day baseball tournament.  All day, marathon baseball type thingy.  In Fayetteville.  And since I am Momma bear extraordinaire these days I took William and Nicholas to the game at the bright and bushy hour so Kristi could do her thing, Billy do his thing and Mailey do her thing.  And knew, just knew I needed a hand craft to keep me occupied before, and between the games.  I mean I can only socialize so much.  That's sarcasm people.  I started talking to the other Momma bear I'd never met the second I sat down and think we talked throughout the entire 1.5 hours we waited for the game to start.  Yeah.  I'm one of those people you avoid at games if you want to really watch the game.

Whilst waiting though I made several of these gorgeous ombre necklaces.  Luv.....luv...luv.   In person they illuminate off the skin.  And since after cleaning out the studio I found I have enough beads to possibly fill the empty hot tub on our back deck, I may be eating my words and making some jewelry for an upcoming show.  Maybe.  Why not right?

Always Home

You'd have to live under a large rock to not know the "Home" song by Phillip Phillips.  It's everywhere.  Olympics, commercials, radio.....it's on and in my head at all times.  So when this little painting was all said and done there was just a little something missing.  Words.  So of course, I used a bit from his song.  Always home.....I love to be home.  I do.  I love my house.  I love the smells, the imperfections, the to-do lists, the plans, the future.  I see it.  And am very glad it's always there for me to come to.  I was thinking about it the other day, what my favorite spot in the house is actually.  Not sure why...one of those random thoughts I get while running I suppose.  And then the thought lingers a spell.  Right now as the fall is approaching I'd have to say the screened porch.  I know, you'd thought I'd say my studio.  I do love it.  But really wish there was more natural light.  The old studio was spoiled me I guess!  Yep.  The porch is the spot for me right now, and all the four legged children in the house.  They fight for a particular spot on the orange sofa.  It's hilarious. 

So what's your favorite spot right now?  Do tell!!

Oh and BTW, this little original is for sale right here!

Clementine and Mattie

You know, sometimes I get real excited about the stuff I make.  Sometimes I don't get so excited about the stuff I make.  This is one of those sometimes when I am over the frikin' moon tickled at myself!  I know, she's just a bunny.  And she's coming from left field.  You are like what?  But deep down folks....I am a whimsical painter.  My sketchbooks are chopped FULL of silly little drawings.  Animals of all sorts appear in and out of my sketches.  But Clementine, man she appeared in like seconds and BAM...is just making me so very, very happy.  I literally have drawn her 20 times over.  So get ready.  'Cause you are going to see a bunch of her.  Happy art is contagious though.  It's okay to like her too.  And if you really, really like her.  You can buy her here!  Yipppeee!!!

I updated the etsy shop with all sorts of happy new stuff.  Go on...check it out.  You know you need something.  A gift for someone or you.

Anxious=New Ideas

Monday this week I posted on facebook that I was feeling most anxious for some reason.  Those of you that follow my blog know I tend to "burn the candle at both ends".  Yep.  That's just how I roll.  But inevitably at some point I do crash burn and need some aloe.  Since I recognized the symptoms I knew to get ready.  You see, this anxious I was feeling was that of ideas.....ideas literally waiting to get out and onto the paper.  It's my routine.  So I cleared my head of the "other" stuff that needed to get done.  New blog banner, my 1st email newsletter was sent (did you sign up yet??  over in the side bar...you gotta sign up!!  I am excited about this addition to the studio!!), school lesson plans ready to go, laundry done....etc...yes....  Laundry has to be done for me to make art.

And yesterday it happened.  I sat down at lunch and started to doodle.  And this wee one appeared:

          

I now have bunny and Mattie bird in about 20 sketches ready to go.  Yep.  I've no idea where this is going.  But it's making me very happy.  Although I think it's because while sifting through old photos in my computer I found our San Francisco pics.  That was one of the best weekends Billy and I have had as a married couple.  Seriously happy days.  On the trip we bought Mailey the cutest bunny ever at the Modern Museum store.  His quirkiness is laying somewhere in her room.  I suppose subconsciously his sweetness got to me.  And I needed to draw him.  With Mattie. 

Today I brought my paints and a few small canvases to start working on.  This one doesn't have a bunny, but it has my orange:

I can't wait to get it home and add collage and stabilo pencil!  Now off to start one with bunny and Mattie.  Bunny needs a name....and a color.  I was thinking orange. 

Ever Changing

Yep.  It was time to clean up the old blog banner.  Hard to believe that my first banner looked like this:

 And I looked like this:

Well, actually I don"t look so different except for the fact that my hair above was chin length and now it's below shoulder blades!  Still got that groovy chair in the studio too!

As I was saying in previous posts here and on the 52 canvases blog there has been a deep nudging in my heart to make some changes.  To admit where I need to go on this career path of mine.  And here's the final decision.  I am skilled at many things artsy wise.  I LOVE to sew and make jewelry.  And I love to teach.  And paint.  But one can not do it all.  And by having a blog banner that said....scattering joy through paint.fabric.metal, well it was making me feel over extended to the max.   I felt I HAD to make things in all those sections or else I was a big fat failure.  So guess what?  I removed those labels.  Whew.  I feel better now.   hahaha...seems pretty silly perhaps that I was letting a few words hold me back.  Right?  But words are important players in our lives and you know it.  I am sure you've said, "I can't...." at some point in your life.  Words different yes from what was in my blog banner.  But words that have indeed held you back from discovering something amazing about yourself.  I have a deep love for painting and sharing this love with others.  So plain and simple.  It is now my focus.  Will I sew some?...yes.  Will I make jewelry?...yes.  But it will not define me as an artist.  It will not be something I spend what tiny studio time I have on.  I will not let my bank account be affected by it.  (Although ironically enough I made a huge order from China last week to make jewelry for the upcoming Micro love show...I look forward to putting it all together then telling Vero it's my last jewelry show.) 

I had a wise person tell me one time in my booth that if you have too many focuses in your work, something will ALWAYS loose out.  And so true.  At my last Dunwoody show I had a tiny amount of jewelry compared to years before.  And in return, I sold like 50 paintings!  Because my clients weren't getting bogged down in the $40 jewelry aisle.  I'll still make fun stuff from my art like I-phone cases and framed tiles.   But right now I need to focus on my painting.  And teaching painting.  Because it is something I love more than anything.  I intend to scatter my joy one brush stroke at a time......just as my new header says.  I like the new banner....it may need a little more tweaking.  I learn something new in photoshop every time I try a new banner.  I'm pretty tickled with this one though!  Funny thing, my last banner didn't even have a painting sample in it!  What?  I know!

So there it is....oh and the whole site is a little cleaner now.  And hopefully you can navigate it easier.  It feels good to get this done.  Now I think I'll go paint something in the yellow studio.  It's a perfect Sunday afternoon for it, no?

It's Been A Year

It's been a year since we moved from 64 to 120.  It's funny how fast the time has come and gone.  The above painting is #25 in my 52 Canvases series.  And I do believe it is one of my favorite blog posts ever.  Maybe because of the personal side of it.  Maybe it's because I am finally coming into my own skin. Somehow, I move forward with my heart gently placed in its new home.  Ever grateful to be living this amazing artsy life surrounded by my loved ones in 120.  If you have a minute, head over here to read the story.......