Meeting a Stranger

Yesterday afternoon Valerie and I headed up the the Atlanta Merchandise mart for a little shopping for her store. It's the HUGE gift show right now. And boy do the vendors have amazing merchandise this year. The mart is the largest in the world....3 huge buildings with at least 15 floors each and a new west wing. Lots to take in, and lots to buy. Only buyers can enter, and since Valerie has kept me on the list for the Flea, I get to tag along and help her spend money, it's loads of fun. The other reason I really wanted to tag along yesterday was because I noticed on one of my favorite artist blogs, Kelly Rae Roberts, she was going to be doing a wall plaque signing at Demdaco. A lovely show room that represents her work. Now. Seriously, she is no stranger to me as my title eludes. I found Kelly 2 years ago when I left the Vintage-Flea to pursue art full-time. I was in the bookstore picking out some "inspirational" books to get myself started on this creative journey. That day I found this lovely book entitled, Taking Flight. And was immediately smitten with her. And have been following her creative flight ever since. Last year Demdaco debuted her line and I was thrilled for her. To see an artist succeed in this matter, especially one with as wholesome of heart as Kelly, you can not help but feel a part of her joy. This year the new line debuted and she was going to be here, in Atlanta, to sign a wall plaque and meet the merchants who purchase her line to sell in their shops. There were a few of us (um Tiffin and Joy) who were there simply because we wanted to meet......well an artist star. And let me tell you, she is just as adorable and genuine in person as in her blog and artwork. I had only the camera phone, but still, the moment is captured. Her work speaks volumes...you should go here now and see for yourself.

Today I am soaking it all in and reflecting. The Demdaco the showroom that is. I was amazed to find so many of my favorite artists right in that showroom. And the creative team does an amazing job of displaying the products. The products themselves really are beautiful. So yep, I am inspired to mush on and keep working towards the pinnacle that these lovely ladies have reached. Maybe, just maybe, my opportunity is around the corner. Just maybe.

Friday Favs

I've been working on ideas for my blog lately. And one idea is to show some of my favs. Favorite things in the house, supplies, junkin haunts, artists, etc. So every Friday I'll be here to share a little with you! I hope you enjoy and get a little incite into why I create what I do. It's always nice to see a little personal side of those I follow. So here goes! I am a collector of many things. One of my favorite and most diverse collections is that of typography. I've always loved writing....so maybe this is where the love of letters comes into play. In my junkin' trips I am always drawn to the piles of old store letters, letterpress blocks, game pieces and more. So here is a peek at some of the words around my house (yes there are more......I had to edit down a little). It's always fun to see what words I can come up with when a pile of letters presents itself.

This is my collection of letterpress letters. I also have some super cool image blocks. I was a printing major in college. So these are really special top me. It's all our names.

Yes, I do have to remind my children of this. It's a fun addition to their bathroom.

Boy do I luv my Lily. These are old store letters perhaps? They are tin.

Nestled in with all the clay projects the kiddos have made, IMAGINE is made of plastic. I think they are old toddler toys because they can stack vertical as well.

I think these letters are some of my favorites to date. They are metal. I have ART above the door to the garage and HORNE above the front door.

In the kitchen window.....of course it says hungry. This is a mix of store tin letters and license plate letters.

So that's about it for this week. Come back next week for another sneak peek into my creative home!

Snow Day!

At exactly 5:41am our house phone rang. It was the county calling to say that all Coweta County schools have been closed due to inclement weather. See the inclement that canceled school: I love my zebra rain boots. This snow is like sand really. Cold, sparkly sand. No snow balls or snowmen with this powder. We all bundled up, spent about 20 minutes outside, and now are in our various rooms playing. William playing wii in the den, Mailey playing Barbie in her room and me.....well I'm playing on the computer in my bed under the covers (Lily nestled up too in bed!).

This is Mailey's playhouse. I'd love to have a giant house just like this. Super cute. It'll be a long lazy day here. I plan to work on the studio. I've got a PILE of organizing to do. And as you know if you've read my blog in the past, I absolutely can not create unless all is in order. It's a really bad creative blocker for me to see piles.

I love this eagle statue. And in the snow, he looks extra important. Mailey let me snap one fun pic before heading in to warm her little fingers. The rabbit vest was mine as a child BTW. She loves it as much as I did. Well, hope you have a cozy creative day where you are!!

A Sneaky Peaky at My Fav Junkin' Spot

This past weekend the kiddos and I went for a jaunt to Birmingham and Harpersville to see family and friends. Every time I head to Harpersville the kids and I get siked up for a trip to this spot here: It's a little gem. Yep. Can't you tell?? We spent 2 hours in here yesterday morning. And I left with a pot of gold. I've got some new ideas for my booth at the Flea, and with my whole vision as an artist really. And this spot was just the inspiration I needed to get me started. Since my trusty camera was in the car, I decided to take a few shots to make you drool over the junk heaven right on HWY 280.

There is a front building that is more like an old hardware store. I think you can buy just about ANYTHING in this place. As long as you don't read expiration labels and such. The back room is an airplane hanger size. No heat.....no heat......but that really did not stop us.

Everything is organized beyond belief. If you want a bird figurine, it's with the bird figurines. Christmas with Christmas, clothes with clothes, hot curlers with hot curlers, all the way through rabbit ears for you TV set (or wings on dragon fly sculptures). It's unbelievable.

Small appliance aisle. I find things I really had no idea I needed here. The Tupperware isle is a favorite for finding that sort of thing.

This is the figurine isle. They have a tons of clothes, which I usually never peek through. I did however see some vintagey ice skating costumes and lovely prom gowns. There's also a giant box of zippers in the sewing notions area. If someone knows of an idea with those, send it my way. Every time I go here I see them and ponder, then pass on them. But I know there's got to be a magical idea with a box of zippers. I forgot to snap some pics of the gems I found. So I'll do that later today. Valerie and I are headed to the Altanta Gift Show at the mart this morning, so I have to run now. Have a cozy day!!

PJ's and Poloraids

The year was 1984. It was a great Christmas. It was the year Molly got a Polaroid instant camera. We loved it. And how magical. Nothing like it still. You carefully place a box of film into the unit, press a button, and voila! A photo pops out. Wave it in the air a few seconds and the image magically appears in the black box. It took the crappiest photos, but what an invention. When it came time for me to create a series of paintings for the Micro Love show in Birmingham I immediately thought of that camera and how I could place little images in the 3" square. Below are what I am calling "Mattie's Scrapbook". Photos she's taken of her friends doing super fun things. She's not in one picture, because like a Mother, she took all the pictures. So enjoy! Okay, Mattie did not take that super great picture of me above. That's to show you how I came up with the measurements. Man, was I styling or what? Braces, GIANT homecoming mum on the shoulder, hair, weave sweater, elastic waist skirt.....seriously styling.

They are of course much better in person. I need to do research before buying another scanner. Seriously.

I used a new favorite tool for the lines. You'll never guess in a million years, so I'll tell ya! It's a wood burning tool!! I was so tired of paint pens and micro pens dying on me, and they are not cheap. This worked amazing. And had a lovely smell too. I only burned one finger in the process. Hehehehe.....

Here's a close-up of my favorite one in the batch. I used roofing felt for the base, so it has a rough texture base. Can't wait to drop them on Vero's doorsteps tomorrow!! The show opens February 5th in Birmingham, Alabama.

Oh, about the Pj's in the blog title. At bedtime last night I asked the kiddos to get Pj's on and hop into bed. I looked at Mailey and realized that she still had on the purple snowman Pj's from the night before. "Mailey, did you ever get out of your PJ's?" "Nope, and neither did you Mommy." "Well, I'll be, you are right." I'd been in my sleepy shirt and jog paints all day. Today, she's been in pink rendeer PJ's all day. Me, in my long sleeve sleepy shirt and jog paints. And no, I did not do any jogging today or yesterday. What a lovely two days it's been. Hope you've taken some time to stay in your Pj's this week!

Restored

After I wrote the last blog entry I decided it was time for a new look. Yep. The blog needed an upgrade. So I spent a good part of this first day in 2010 doing just that. Sometimes cleaning out a closet, cleaning out the studio, or making a new blog banner is just what I need to feel "restored". I also cruised some blogs to find that I'm not the only one who reflects on the year, sometimes with a saddened heart. So, here are my friends ready to go to work for me. There are 20- 3" paintings on the desk right now, a puppy curled behind me snoring, a space heater keeping my 10 toes toasty, and a new i-pod drowning out the outside world noise. I find it harder to paint small. But, the show is called "Micro Love" for a reason! It's gotta be mirco art. So back to the brush and music I go.....Marie Digby and I have really gotten to know one another today. Hope you have a creative New Year's Day!

Be Incredible

So a new year has rolled around. Yikes. And so very fast. Sigh. I find myself in a bit of a funk after the new year, every year. Don't know why really. I guess deep reflection has a little something to do with it. Did I miss something? Did I pay attention to what really mattered this year? Did I say thanks to my Husband for being here with me another year? Did I tell my parents I loved them? Did I hug my kiddos enough? You get the idea. I think my creative mind runs deeply to my heart and causes....well....an ache. So I take the time to sit and reflect on the year. I look through pictures, I read old blog posts, pour over my sketches and look for patterns in my life that were good and bad. So that in 2010 I can make better choices and live a more full filling life. In 2009 there were lots of changes, lots of chances taken and lots of well, fun! I am not one for "New Year's Resolutions". But rather take the time to recognize the doors that have opened and closed, and those that need to be padlocked! I have a new inspiration book. I love little books like these.....I can open a page and have my spirit lifted. So this one is called Be Inspi(red)...words of hope and courage. It's a Hallmark publication. And this is the page I want to start my year off with........
"Potential is nice. Talent is wonderful. But so few of us ever use what we have. You can make an impact that's better than nice and bigger than wonderful. You can be incredible." So, how are you going to be incredible this year? Because I think if each of us passed it forward that we were just that, incredible, we could unlock just about any potential that was keeping us from being all that we could be. Join me. Be incredible in 2010.