Tuesday, December 28, 2010


This is what I created for my friend for christmas-it was homade christmas and I was soooo happy to do this for her. If I can give anyone a gift from my heart it is my art and great quotes to live by. I love doing this-it makes my soul sing!!

Friday, December 24, 2010


Happy Holidays to everyone. This is the time we really look at our lives and find the good things to cherish. Family, friends, good books, coffee, Art, paint,the smell of spring ,the crunch of fall leaves under your feet, the dog licking your face overjoyed to see you even though you were just in the bathroom for a minute., the cats snuggled up to you at night, christmas lights, fireworks, mud under your toes, laughing, rolling down a hill, hot air balloons over head, old Bette Davis Movies, netflicks with Sherlock Holmes, popcorn, warm covers, candles, children, still being loved after all these years..and learning to love deeper every day..May this year bless you with all your good things!

Thursday, December 9, 2010


I think Christmas is the hardest time of year. The pressure is intense-to give your kids the best stuff, to FEEL all holiday like. This time of year is when I take stock of my life and face some things that need to be faced and make me tense. It seems all the bug a boos in your life are under a microscope and intensified. Financial worries, worry about how your life is going, what you need to change, what hasn't changed even though you have tried.....its all very overwhelming........

Tuesday, December 7, 2010


Working on my chrsitmas card and it has turned into a book. Its going to be way expensive to copy off because of all the pages and color copying. I don't know why I have to get so elaborate-but it was fun and it meant something. I have been looking for jobs but in vain.....its kind of depressing
a. to be looking
b. to have to be looking
3. to have to give up and face the fact that it is time to do what everyone else has to, instead of making money from what you love to do

I guess that is life!!!

Thursday, December 2, 2010


I am trying to just let go and paint and not worry about the outcome-seems when I can get in that zone it all works. Perhaps I should remember that for my life-let go and it will all work out.

Tuesday, November 30, 2010


Still fooling around with nudes on board. This is a cheap board that I got from Loews. Its challenging because the board soaks up the paint and ruins the brushes, but I love the way it looks. I had coffee with a good friend today who always makes me think and expand. That is the best kind of friend that there is...some who leaves you with more than you came with...

Monday, November 29, 2010


i have been thinking a lot about the limitations we put on ourselves and others. I have been shedding some of them lately. It takes thought and effort and every once in a while it takes a realization that seems so simple and yet took you years to get to. Giving myself permission to really live my life is something I must constantly do. I hear all too many times how god awful it is that it is a Mon-or TGIF, and I think, is that really how we want it-to curse the week and what we have created in it, just to get to the weekend? Is that a sane way to live? Seems to me I have wasted a lot of my time trying to fit into a world I never really wanted to be part of. So now I am going to try and just live in my world and be happy....and Monday is just another chance for great things to create!!!

Sunday, November 28, 2010



Nothing makes my camera crazier than trying to photo small items-here are some ornaments I have been making between stringing popcorn, cleaning, finishing a two week intense rehersal and performance schedule and missing more than anything painting......I have decided if there is a heaven it is full of glue and glitter and paint and clay and canvas ..hey-just like my house!!!

Monday, October 18, 2010




My new obsession-making glitter houses. Why oh why can't I just stick to one thing-but these will make great christmas gifts..and I have always loved them...

Monday, October 11, 2010


Someone wanted a painting on old barn shingles-so I did-it was quite fun.

Wednesday, September 29, 2010


This and a barn-that's what I have been painting today. Two totally opposite ways of dealing with my art and it kept my brain really sharp. I think moving from one to another keeps my eye from tricking itself-each time I see in a different way. It was really fun and really made my whole day fly by-and yes the laundry isn't folded and the kitchen table is full of paint again and I am HAPPY

Sunday, September 12, 2010


What inspires me? Cheap little frames found at the antique store. I just hated the magazine pic of flowers that someone had stuffed in the frame-I needed to honor that little metal gem. It was way too fun to paint this and I think it really works in the frame. I just can't seem to do one thing-at the same time I was making fun little Halloween pins, full of glitter and beads and all sweet and colorful.... wonder how many personalities I may have.....

Thursday, September 9, 2010


I could be bolder with shadow that is what I have learned from this-I may go back in and work on that but I do like the feeling it gives me and thats what I wanted to get over. The picture isn't very good-I am using my husbands camera as I put mine in a safe place two weeks ago.....and may find it if we move someday. I wonder what else I have put in a safe place? I may have a whole separate life in a safe place that I know nothing about....

Monday, September 6, 2010


An Old favorite-I love the peace of this. I sometimes wish that the world would just stop and we could all just be still for a while. Everything seems to be going so fast and we are all running around like crazy people trying to get somewhere. And there is no somewhere-we are trying to be thinner, richer, more successful and we are completely living through our texting and-oh, heres a funny! our blogspots etc. I think today I will just enjoy this moment and the next...

Sunday, September 5, 2010



YIPEE!!! My Fav Season is coming upon us. It has been a long not great summer and I think the back to school week will be good for all of us!!! I am selling on etsy now-ebay is really quite expensive compared to them and etsy is a store not an auction-really simple to post and sell. We'll see-I do miss the excitement of auctions, and if the Halloween stuff doesn't fly off the shelves I may go back and forth and use both!!!!

Tuesday, August 17, 2010


I love this one she came out so much better than I thought she would. One reason is I am now forgetting that it is a nose I am trying to do but just concentrateing on the shape the shadows the colors-its amazing what you can do when you aren't worried about the whole picture-and therein lies another life lesson. If we stick to the parts in front of us and stop worrying about the big picture things seem a little calmer, a little brighter.

i started listing things on etsy and have sold 3 so far-it is much easier and cheaper than ebay.....and more fun..more of a feeling of like minded artists!!!

Thursday, August 5, 2010

Thank you Judy for teaching me to save this stuff as a Jpeg-yea!!!!! I feel all fancy and computerish now. I had a break in a complicated situation and realized I have spent months saying it didn't bother me while secretly and unbeknownst to me I have been stressing out about it on so many levels...interesting....and eye opening...and really, really draining. Oh well-onward and upward.....

Saturday, July 24, 2010


Because I can't just stick to one idea-here is my next fun thing!! Jointed Paper dolls that actually do move and are fun! This one was a blast to make and would be a great Halloween decoration-I think I am gonna give it a try on ebay or finally open that etsy store that I should have opened months ago. There is another one in the works and more to come-too much fun with acrylics, illustration board glitter glue guns and balk lace!!!

Thursday, July 22, 2010


I could not load the actual finished product-which is this with -she finally decided to choose for herself-printed in papyrus right on the painting...it became a psd file and I guess those don't upload-oh, just more to learn. It has been a while because summer always takes over from my art life-however today I sat down and did some and I feel like I got a fix-like a addict that has been off her heroin. Boy do I love making stuff and when I don't I am not who I am meant to be!!!!! So I am going right back to my drawing board and finishing some jointed paper dolls I started a while back..oh and that paper sculpture lady...and then I had this other idea....

Wednesday, July 14, 2010




I am having a little trouble getting the right images up-I think blogspot is doing it just to annoy me-it took me five different trys to get the thing working right. This week I got the glorious idea (or was it insane) to take my paper dolls and make them jointed. So I made this angel and a witch and am working on as couple others, Its fun but not as smooth as I want them to be. Have to find a new technique. Other than that I have been doing the landscapes on board and doing the aceos to sell on ebay. I think its time to work on halloween and christmas stuff already. Its humid and gray out and I feel nappish...

Monday, June 21, 2010

Oh yes the joys of iron ons!!!!
i love using my images like this-it is just fun and happy. The ribbon edged pic is also a pocket so you can put a card, a note, flowers, sachet- whatever. I am working on others but finished this one first. I actually made my own tassels-because they are HUGELY expensive in the store. Its amazing what a little imagination and some elbow grease can accomplish. I made myself a deal to finish up all the unfinished projects in my studio-but that just leads to more ideas!!!!

Sunday, June 13, 2010


Stars over Yellowstone!!!!! I love painting on board-it absorbs and spreads color and it is so alive. I wish I could find a bunch of birchtree sticks-I think that would be a great frame for this. Summer vacation has started and I am so happy about it. No more driving twice a day to drop and pick up kids!! I will get so much more work done. Too bad today is so damp, I need to mow -my husband just came by and said Wow-did you paint that??? I love when I surprise people. I am debating between a work out and a nap and that explains my whole character right there. All or nothing.

Thursday, June 10, 2010


I was having breakfast with a friend and she leaned over and said what the hell is going on with those bangs?? These are bangs I fight with every day-to get them smooth with a straightening iron -to combat the natural wave in my hair-to gel them into submission so I get the look I want. it suddenly struck me as she raked them back into my hair-why am I working so hard against myself????? So I have embraced my wave-and gone for the more natural Lauren Bacallishdo-as opposed to my longed for straight and framing look. Actually I look pretty damn good that way..and it is such a relief not to battle with it every morning. Not to mention trying to aviod the least amount of moisture which will make them spring out in curls. Ans so I thought how many of us battle against ourselves when it would be so much easier to work WITH ourselves..ah , life lessons!!!

Sunday, June 6, 2010


Buffalo in yellowstone on board framed with sticks!!!! I loved driving through the badlands. The buffalos were amazing..they swarmed over the road and we all had to wait for them and they knew it-I love the smugness of that. I had a long talk with a friend and I came away thinking that maybe I think too small. So I am going to try and expand what visions I have of who I am and what I want......Thats my summers goal!!!

Wednesday, June 2, 2010






I don't know if my glue gun likes me or wants to torture me. Thin tendrils of glue cling to me long after I have fixed the object into position. Reminds me of how some people tend to leave things of themselves , pieces of emotion with you.
It was a great weekend, I proudly bought a paper poppy and wore it all memorial day. I love those things-they have not changed since I was little. We went to the horse races and I bet and mine won first place-I won a whole dollar and 50 cents!!!!!!! That was so exciting =to be cheering as your horse leaps out ahead and leaves the rest of them in the dust.
I really have no idea why I have been compelled to make these little angels but I have stopped asking why and just started to follow my gut. But why are my guts idea so messy and time con

Monday, May 24, 2010


We drove to Iowa to the Amana Colonies. It was a great little overnight. The garden store was one of the most amazing sites-lush, full baskets of flowers and great prices. I should have taken pictures but was too busy looking. Which lead me to this thought-Have I been so busy trying to BE someone that I forgot to live my life? and the answer is...yes...it is quite a profound thought and it hit me right between the eyes and hit me hard. What I love to do I always feel is a reward for doing what I don't want to do. I feel guilty and somehow ashamed of doing what I love....or if I can't make money doing something then what is the point? I have been musing on this mind set and how I can change it. It is a really interesting piece of information about myself and I think it may be very freeing in the end......can I just do what I love and love doing it........why not?

Tuesday, April 20, 2010





I don't know why I get on these kicks-they are not coming out the way I picture them but they are sooo tiny and its frustrating even as I am having fun putting them together. I want a more realistic look I think I may try one in sepia-or those old black and white photos that were tinted. That is the id3eal look I want for these but I have to figure that out. Plus, I am wondering around with little pieces of paper and glue guns and glitter and my house is starting to look awful. I need a small barn of my own!!!!

Monday, April 5, 2010



My new obsession-3D art in an Altoids box-now I just need to find a whole load of these boxes cause I already have four waiting in the wings. And who can eat that many Altoids???? I am doing the outsides also, a little glitter, a little picture . It is entirely too much fun

I loved working on wood for this. The rough texture really adds something to the picture. I did it in oils and it was really great-I love how they move and how they can take on all sorts of charateristics-I love how the wood grounds them and how rich they are. I HATE how expensive they are and how I go through a tube like it was candy. I am so used to the gouache or watering down acrylics (call me cheap) that it really amazes me how much IO can use when I indulge. And I like the outcome-another reason to get rich quick!!

Saturday, March 13, 2010


I am on my 6th load of laundry and folding to old Sherlock Holmes movies...I am still in sweats and not planning on leaving my house today for any reason at all-although I have a sudden longing to see Alice. I spent an housr or so just drawing instead of trying to make a product. It was frustrating at first because my natural inclination is to try to do it do it perfectly and do it now. But just doing faces on one page over and over was kind of fun. Good for me...

Thursday, March 4, 2010


I am feeling all achy and worn out and yet I know I should be getting things done. My kids both have tomorrow off so it feels more like a friday-and a lazy one at that. My first attempt at painting came up lousy today, but I looked at it as a learning process and kept at it until I produced something that looked somewhat like what I was aiming for!!!! and now I will gesso that out of my mind and off of my canvas-wouldn't it be great if we could just paint over our past life mistakes with a good coat of white and have a do-over!!

Wednesday, March 3, 2010


There was a call for art in a Newsletter I get that asked for Circus art-things that remind you of an amusement park. So I thought it might be fun. But as I started it I thought-really??? Do I really want to paint to an outside purpose for a show I may not get into but if I do I have to pay a fee???? On the other hand I think in illustrations so it was fun to whip this painting out of my head-in fact I have more fun doing that than alot of stuff-I think I will start to do illustrations for my own book. Self publishing is so easy now. I started working on a fairy coloring book and having lots of fun...and then came that thought..you know..what am I doing this for..who cares. Well, I care its fun and it can be sent out to all the little people in my life.....and that makes them happy!!!!! Off to ebay to post paintings!!! The sun is shining and the snow is melting

Thursday, February 25, 2010


A year ago today that my sweet baby girl Abbie from next door died-any wonder I started painting angels today without even thinking about it??? I have missed that little girl more than I can say and my heart is torn to shreds for her parents. I can't imagine what they feel every day-I don't think time HEALS I think you only learn to deal with it.....and I think you cling to the lessons someone left you and maybe life becomes a little bit sweeter and maybe you are more tender with the people that show up in your life. And here is another thing I have realized-at the same time I have little time to spend with people who are manipulative and controlling....I no longer want to expose myself to that or the hurt that comes from it. Life is too short, it is too easy to dump your pain on someone else and I won't be around that anymore. There are so many sweet things that to wrap your heat in thorns and demands and the way you think things SHOULD be as opposed to the way they are-therein lies a dangerous path. I am glad that that little girl touched my heart and there will forever be a piece of it missing becaus eshe left us too soon...

Thursday, February 18, 2010


I am trying new things all the time..and old things are coming back. I cleaned out my closet and gave away some old stuff in an effort to create new in my life-=too many selfhelp shows+= only to find I really needed some of it and don't have the budget to replace it. Funny how you think you are doing something great for yourself and suddenly-boom-comes back to get you!! Any way from the sculptures I have itched to do more gold and wings and whimsy-hence this angel!

Wednesday, February 17, 2010


today I got to spend all day fooling around with my paper machie girls and painting and it was sooo much fun!!!!!!!!!!!! I made a huge mess and everyone is eating hot dogs tonight but I messed around making wings and clay baked stars and birds and glittered and painted and if thats all I got to do for the rest of my life I would be in heaven