Dream Boogie

I just finished taking a wonderful online course from SARK called Dream Boogie with SARK . She is having another one in the Fall and I have signed up for it again.

The biggest thing I received from the course was the absolute belief in my dream of making a living from my art.

I have also taken a "live" class from her too. Every fall and Spring she has a class at Starwae, an art retreat and B&B in Sonoma Co.

If you haven't heard of her before, you gotta to check her out. A real treat!

More later

Putah Creek Adventure

The kids and I hiked along the "wild" section of Putah Creek (as opposed to the arboretum Putah Creek). It was a magical day.

At first they whined and complained, but I kept pushing them until we came to a clear open shallow section of the creek. Ahh the memory still warms my heart. They played in that creek for over an hour. Pretending they were crocodiles, gathering pretty shells and rocks, and best of all they found "Indian Clay" (mud). They gathered lots of the clay and I hiked it out - they wanted to make stuff with it at home.

I sat on the shore, wandered around picking ripe black berries and wading in the creek with them.

A perfect summer day!

I Want My Life Back

I have just completed 25 new pieces of art for the American Craft Council show since June 15 2010. I started out keeping balance alive and well, but somewhere around number 10 I fell off the teeter-totter.
I started thinking about my life - I used to garden, do fun stuff with the kids, read books and dream of traveling to Italy - I used to have one. I guess what I was thinking of is that I want my dream AND my life. I want to be greedy.

Having just one's dream - what ever it is - is all great and wonderful, but it must be balanced with a life. Otherwise it is hard work.

I think if one has a life along with her dream, the dream feels better. Maybe it's that we are whole instead of parts. We need a "life" to seamlessly connect all our parts together.

So, how do I find this balance? I want my life along with my dream.

Polka dot gal

Crap Tour

I am in the crap tour now... sung to the tune of "I'm in the army now".

"I'm in the crap tour now

I'm sewing like a cow

I'll never get rich

sewing like this

I'm in the crap tour now"

Pardon my language but, everything I have been making today is crap. I fought it and fought it and now I must give in and let it go.

So... I chopped it up.

I must say it was kinda fun and therapeutic to take scissors and attack my art. It just needed to die. I gave it a warriors death, I let it attack me too. When I threw it all up in the air - it had it's fair chance to attack me. I had thread and batting in my teeth and a black-n-blue eye when it was all said and done.

Ahhh, I feel good now. I recommend this therapy to anybody who finds themselves in the mire.

I must give credit where credit is due - I did not create the "crap tour" my dear friend and amazing dancer Linda did. She has her own "crap tour" - it keeps us laughing instead of crying

Twinkle Twinkle Little Star

Twinkle Twinkle Little Star

How I Wonder What You Are

Little birdie on her boat admiring the night sky.

She regularly sails alone at night.

She enjoys the freedom and peace of the night.

This, is what my studio looks like when I am in the groove, and I am in the groove!

I left My Heart in Sam's Clam Disco

I'm in!

I'll be headin' west this august. Not too far west really, only a couple hours.

I recently found out I got into the American Craft Council Show in San Francisco. I'm excited, a little nervous too. I have basically drained my art business account to pay for this show. Trying to not freak out about that. Just money...right.....

First off I've got to tidy up this studio. Amazing how messy things can get when you are creating, plus my husband keeps putting "stuff" in here that doesn't have a home.

I've also been reading up on Feng Shui. I'm learning not to block the flow of chi - with clutter and objects (the "stuff" my husband keeps putting in my studio) - from flowing into my space.

I tell you, it really makes a difference. When I try to plow through and create when everything is a mess I feel like I am moving through mud.

Off I go...

So Much Fun!

The Open Studio Show was a great success! People actually came. It was perfect. I really wanted people to come and have fun - and they did. There was food, lemon-aide and tea. People came and hung out - It was lovely.
I am looking forward to the second annual Tea and Art in the Garden.
My family had a blast too. Many people who came brought their children, so my kids had play date after play date.
You should see my house - Wow! It is still so clean. We all love it. Not that we are normally slobs, but that underneath dirt doesn't get much attention.
Thank you everyone who came. You made this a truly special time for me. I am all fluffed up with all the loving support and positive feedback I received. Two blog followers even came (As Shelby says, I'm not just writing to the crickets after all).

I will be adding some of my new flags up on my etsy soon. I have lots!

Happy, happy, wiggle, wiggle.

Home Art Show

Planning a home studio sale brings back fears from my early 20's... what if I throw a party and know one shows! Yikes. Just have to put my brave self forward and have a party.

I will mostly have my new blessing flags, much more then have made it to my etsy shop. I really enjoy making the blessing flags and using recycled clothing. It feels right.

I will also have my other fiber and watercolor pieces.

I'll keep you posted on the outcome.

A Fine Day in the Garden

I spent the day getting the garden ready for vegetables and herbs. The kids made fairy houses and fairy people.
This is the food cache for the fairy people. Hung in the branches of the Olive tree.
Here is the sweet little Olive tree with the fairies and fairy homes.
Here is the Panda's home.
A fairy climbing the tree.These two fairies are on top of the bird feeder.
A mermaid swinging.
Kids making grass chairs.

A fine day indeed!