Artists and Friends

I've spoken about these two adorable ladies before:  Tiffin and Joyanne .  Tiffin is the one who went to Portland with me this year and held my hand, well not physically but mentally, while I got the nest on my wrist.  And Joy was a right hand during the Country Living Fair.  So you may recognize these pretty faces from here on the blog.   We all three met at the infamous Shakerag festival 3 years ago.  And over those 3 years we have slowly developed one of those sisterhood type friendships.  We don't see each other much, or talk much much as we should.  But rather we have one of those friendships that is effortless and brings so much simple joy to my life.  We share so much in common and use this common thread to continue weaving what I know will be an eternity scarf. 

I hope each of you has some type of connection like this.  Because it is invaluable to have women like this in your life.  Strong, grounded, confident and beautiful from the inside out.  Yep...I am one lucky duck to have had these two cross my path when they did.  And like I always say, everyone comes into your life EXACTLY when and where they are supposed to. 

While at the Country Living Fair I joked with Joy that we should totally have a show in my house.  Forget the setting up a tent and freezing our butts off....have it in a nice warm house.  Right at Christmas.  Call it something like "Handmade Holiday".  Well, all 3 agreed, the date was set and the next thing you know the day was here!!  I was bubbling over with excitement.  I love to share my home with people.  Love.  And yes, I was running around like a banshee the day before cleaning, cutting bushes, and decorating.  Of course as much stuff as we had you'd hardly have noticed a crumb on the floor!

 Orange truck even got a Holiday cheer!  I set up in the main living area:

And in the entrance.  My last few paintings left from show season greeted everyone.  Well, and so did Lily.  She loves to have company over too!!

 New little baubles were a hit.

 I even made some glass puffy hearts this holiday season.  Just gotta puffy heart them, right?

Joy had the pink room (dining room).  And so very appropriate since she creates the most amazing gentle, feminine jewelry! 

 Her little vignette under my ribbon decor even matched!

She just knows how to place each unique find with the right beads, baubles and chain.  Each piece is so very different....and so very lovely.  And talk about hand skills....she has new crocheted pieces that any Grandmother would be smiling over!  I had to have one and have worn it twice since Sunday.  I feel so elegant while teaching art to crazy K-5th graders in it!!  That's the phrase for her: elegant vintage chic.  remember that Joy!

Tiffin had the eating and kitchen area for her amazing assortment of goodies for the home.  And talk about hand skills here.  I have never seen anything more well crafted in my entire life than everything that comes out of her studio.  I mean seriously.  Flawless.  And a diverse portfolio was well.

 I just love the way she puts lamps together.

 And the new embroidery she is joyfully crafting....I want them ALL!!

I know,  I know!!  They are just beautiful!  She has such a knack for creating edgy decor for your home.  (You should see her house.  Man, she is an amazing decorator!!)

She had loads of aprons and prints as well.  Like I said, she crafts for your entire home.  Got to love a well-rounded crafter.    My catch phrase for her:  vintage edgy home

So, yes....to answer your question we are hosting a second event.  In the SPRING!  With a new twist...we plan to share our thrift decor finds, display pieces ready to be retired and of course a fresh batch of handmade goodness for your heart, home and body.

As soon as we set a date a sidebar link will appear.  And be blogged about too I am sure.  For now, enjoy the rest of your week.  We are off to Alabama for a spell of Holiday Cheer!! 

Share Your Heart...a Painting in Process

A painting progression for you today.....Share Your Heart

Thanks for coming by today.....I hope you have a lovely Monday.

Puffy Heart

I've decided to start a series of posts called "puffy heart".  I could call it something else, yes, but since that has become my coined term for things I share here on the blog that I absolutely adore, it fits.  So be looking for regular posts that are filled with joy, silliness, yumminess and home.

The Forgotten Cookie

As a child I have very fond memories when it comes to holidays.  They were always brimming with yummy foods, family time and gift giving.  We had a large family on my Mother's side that was loud, joyful and full of holiday cheer!!  My Dad was an only child, but I also remember his mother spending much of the holidays with us as well.  And she could cook!!  Oh, yeah.

We had certain food items that were made each year.  Like my Mother's graham cracker fruitcake....yes, I will be sharing that as well here!!  Molly and my favorite by far though was the Forgotten Cookie.  Maybe it was the mystery of what happens in an oven overnight....I don't know.  But these cookies seem a bit magical.  I also personally think that when you bite into one of these and it literally melts on your tongue...if you think about it really hard its like sparkly snow on your tongue!

Mailey and I made these last night for her "Cookie Exchange" today.  They are super easy!  Here's the recipe:

*Preheat oven to 350'

*Ingredients:
       2 egg whites
       pinch of salt
      2/3 cup white sugar
      1 cup chopped pecans (I NEVER do this, but in case you want to)
      one bag of chocolate chips  (this time we used Andes Mint brand Peppermint chips and OMG....we will use nothing but.  It's in the red bag, not green.  All chopped and ready to go.  Also fabulous are mint chocolate chips)

*Steps:
Beat egg whites and salt until a soft peak forms. Gradually add sugar and beat until sugar is dissolved.  Fold in nuts and chips.  Line cookie sheet with aluminum foil.  Drop cookies on sheet not too close together.  Turn the oven OFF and leave over night.  No peeking!!  In the morning, enjoy!!

This recipe is one you can easily double without messing up the texture. 

For a little something extra we sprinkled snowflake nonpariels while the mixture was still moist.  With the red and white chips and the snowflakes this cookie is sure to be a snowy treat for Mailey's friends tonight!!  I hope you enjoy making these!!

Little Birdies By Little Hands

Yep.  I am so smitten with these bird sculptures my after school art students made!!  Here's how we made them in a few easy steps:

1.  wad up a double sheet of newspaper into a birdish shape.  (Each birdie was TOTALLY different in shape.  I love, love, love the fat bird above and really wanted to keep it.  Juju said no, very politely of course....)
2.  wrap the entire paper wad in masking tape. yep. entire thing.  (a note on masking tape:  DO NOT ever ever ever buy dollar store masking tape.  It's stickiness is nonexistent.  Waste o' money.  Buy the good stuff.)
3.  using heavy duty white paper towels and liquid starch wrap the bird shape at least twice in this icky concoction (liquid starch is the bomb for mache with kids.  it's non-toxic and comes right out of clothes.  and cheaper than glue)
4.  let dry....and dry...and dry....it took days for some reason
5.  paint with a beautiful blue paint, add wings, eyes, beak and glue to tiny candlestick stand painted black!

In retrospect I totally wish we'd glittered these up.  It could be easily done with spray glue and dusty glitter.

Each birdie had so much personality.  I am super glad we tried this!  This particular session in afterschool it was all about sculpture.  And although we mostly made clay projects, I found this papier mache to be the most successful and most fun for the kids!  I bet 10% had actually made something with papier mache.  So now it is 100%!  The session we are currently in is all about holiday.  Wait until you see what we made!!  I can't spoil it for parents, so it may be a spell before I can show you!

What's your Color Story?

This week marks the last week in the first course of the online artsy class I've been taking.  It has been a very beneficial class, and one that I have found myself getting really lost in.  Everyday during my "duty free" lunch I sit with a warm bowl of soup in my favorite hand painted bowl, open the blog and become...well....for lack of better word MOTIVATED.  Motivated to get out there more.  Like out there in the design world in a totally new capacity.  I know, like I need another thing to keep me busy.  But here's the thing.  I know deep down inside my heart that I have more to say and that this creative journey has lead me all the way to where I am now for a specific reason.  All the jobs, teaching, friends, lost friendships, heartbreaks, art classes, etc. are a part of something bigger than I can see the outer ring of.  It's like the horizon line where the ocean and sky appear to meet.  It's not over for me.  Nope. 

I'm in a very different place than I was a year ago.  That's is for sure.  Physically, mentally and more than really I should share here.  It's been transforming to my art going back to work full-time.  But it has been good.  And this class is a huge part of the good.  Because it's keeping me motivated to stay in the circle.  Let me tell ya, it would be VERY easy to stop blogging, stop painting, stop making jewelry and just teach.  Very.  But I just can't.  My heart will not let me. 

So......I did want to share my homework from last week.  Because I like it.  It was fun!!  Our assignment was to take photos of all sorts of things and from that photo create a color story.   And then implement that color story into more homework. Well, seeing as how I just finished decorating for the holidays, this became my first story board!  It appears this holiday I am decorating with lots of pink and blue.  Well, actually since I didn't buy much of anything to decorate with, I have always decorated with pink and blue.  Well, what can I say?

Here are a few other shots of the holiday decorations.  The ornaments are all from my Grandmother Adkins.  I love that part of the story.

The balls below are giant Shiny Brights I found at a thrift store last year for I think$3.00  Sweet find.  I know!!



The second part of our homework was to observe our own closets for color inspirations.  Hmmm.....seeing as how my closet is literally white, black, gray and denim I was not about to make a color story about that!    Plus we were asked if we wore lots of black to get outside of that little box and try a color or a pattern.  So while cruising the aisles at TJMaxx I found this sweet shirt below:

First, the colors I never ever wear.  Secondly, you NEVER see me in pattern.  Ever (well, my Boden raincoat does not count.  Outerwear should always be patterned and fun!).  So not only is the color freaking me out, so is the pattern.  But I bought it, and created this lovely color story.  Which will find its' way into a painting very soon!!  And that was the point of the homework.  To look around and gather color stories from places outside of the crayon box.   You'd be amazed at how I see color now.  Heck, I was taking photos of the soda bottles in VRichards Sunday and got all sorts of looks.  But the colors screamed Camper painting!!

So I challenge you to create a color story from things around you.  See where you use color and where you do not.  Turns out my house is a place of fabulous colors....my closet on the other hand is rather drab!  What does that say about me?  hmmmm....Either way, I am loving the new eyes and the direction it is leading me around the circle.

**On a side note...the orange little snappy dress I was photographed in above, well that was the one and only time I've worn it!  I need to get that out and wear it!  Orange is my favorite color, so why not wear it!

Camper Dreaming

When you move you start driving down new roads.  So it's been what?  3 months?  I think that's right.  3 months of traveling new roads.  One road we travel on pretty much daily.  And I have no idea why this hadn't made me wreck yet.  Yep.

I was traveling alone....and had my ipad handy.  So I pulled into a stranger's driveway, got out of the Jeep, ran down and peeked in at this little cutey!  It looks just like the one I love to paint!  Inside it has been totally gutted.  Which I can already see it now.  A traveling comanion.  A show stopper indeed.  I way to sell my wares at shows without a tent to blow away.  Oh man......and it's for sale.  Santa...dear?

Naked Art Gallery Craft Bazaar

So where are you going to be this weekend??  Because peeps, I'll be here:

 With loads of new jewelry, and other goodies!!  Yep....goodies.  Come see us!!

 The new heart design is definitely puffy heart worthy.  Yep.

At first everone in my house was supposed to go with me and us make a weekend adventure out of it at Dad's lake place.  That is until oh.....night before last. When my Mother informed me that Mailey had a singing engagement Sunday which of course Mailey did not want to miss (more on Mailey's recent coming out of her shell wanting stardom in singing adventures).  Then William ended up with baseball practice and a sleepover invite.  Then of course there is the issue of Ellie the cat that got beat up and has to be monitored...and then there is Lily.....and her evil sidekick Graham Cracker.....so..........I am going alone.  ALONE!!!  Yooooooohoooooo!!  I can not wait to see my girlfriends and have a real girlie dinner and maybe a martini (or 2)!!  I am super excited.  Ok...selfish I know.  I love Birmingham so much and miss it and all its' magic. Sigh.....So I am going to make the very most of the time away from the family and soak in as much Birmingham culture as I can muster in the 36 horus I am there.  Oh, and hopefully Sunday there will be sales in abundance for all artisans participating in the Craft Bazaar.  So, until Monday.....hoping you have a lovely....and perhaps magical weekend as well!