Thursday, October 6, 2011



I lve to paint I love it I love very aspect of it-except, maybe the cleaning up art. I love new brushes, I love old ones-its amazing what one can do with an old brush I have been so busy making other stuff that I have been away from what I like to do best in the hunt for something I could make to sell...interesting.

Monday, September 19, 2011


Did the Junk bonanza this weekend. It amazes me what people will buy. One lady was selling an army messenger type bag-the kind you can get at army navy or axman or ragstock for 5 dollars. she then added a little felt flower and a pin-80 bucks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am in the wrong line of business, its nice to hear how much people love my stuff...but I haven't found that THING-that thing that everyone wants to buy...I must find that thing...

Tuesday, September 13, 2011


I want to do more of these little guys but I have to find more sweaters there are only so many I can find in my closet. I go to goodwills, but it is surprisingly difficult to find colors other than browns and gray I found a lovely 100 percent cashmere gray, but somehow that ended up daughters closet-not a bad buy for 5.99....

Wednesday, September 7, 2011


I am having the most marvelous days-the kids are gone by 630-I am done working out by eight and then i am diving into all sorts of projects-paper-machieing, painting, sewing..there are not enough hours in the day! Its great I hope this last for awhile because I am LOVING it!

Sunday, August 28, 2011


Something really cool is happening-I dive into a painting without much thought and angst and it comes out great! Maybe the years of practice are finally getting to connect it all together.....I am really feeling kind of free and easy. Nice! Now all I need is more space and time.....and more money
and a vintage car
and an old farmhouse with a barn studio
a kick ass wardrobe
five easels
a hot tub
a huge patio off my kitchen with vintage furniture
a lead role in a really great play..

I could go on and on..
but I am pretty much satisfied with where I am

didn't see that coming, did you!

Saturday, August 27, 2011


I had the most fun doing these for The League of Catholic Womens 100 year anniversary. The range from the founder to a committee member in the 30's, to the 70's Ball and finally an old gal at the garden tour. I painted all day and listened to a book on tape and it was glorious-wish everyday could be like that, and that somehow I could make a living doing stuff like this...


Monday, August 8, 2011

Wasn't feeling quite that great today but I needed to so something, so I painted a soothing scene for myself and now I will take a nap!!!



Saturday, July 30, 2011


So I had this really really old sweater and I kept thinking I should do something...dear god, someone stop me before I get more hobbies,,,,or before the hobbies take over my house, or my family has to do an intervention-have to go shrink some more sweaters now....

Tuesday, July 5, 2011


Added a light color wash because it needed something-even though I really did like the original-I need to get a deeper sepia shade. I have tried with tea and sepia paint I may have to go bold and do it really dark....

Monday, July 4, 2011


Life can change in an instant. I know that in my mind, but when it actually happens to you, you suddenly realize all the time you have wasted by wishing you were other than what you are. How grateful you are to have created a life and that you can change it up, make new decisions, see it in a different light, pursue what you know in your heart you were meant to do. My father at 78 has pancreatic cancer. He is calm, waiting for them to tell him exactly what it is and what can be done. I am calm because I think I am old enough to not deny that death is what happens to all of us. We somehow live thinking we can out run it....and then you get a bit older and things start happening that remind you that you have no control over that. A friends husband was hit by a car and is in a coma with brain damage...in an instant that family's life is changed forever. These two things happening so close together has made me appreciate all that I have. I hope I can learn that lesson and burn it into my soul.

Friday, July 1, 2011


Started Etsy again, trying to figure out what sells. I sold a card the first day I put stuff up, which always makes me excited..art is not like jewelery-that you can change everyday and are always ready to buy. Art lives with you and so people are very particular...even when you price it so cheaply its a sin. But I really love doing it, so I am thinking about starting to give stuff away as my storage closet is over full........maybe giving things up will open some new space
in my life

Monday, June 27, 2011



Now that I am back exercising every day I am really concentrating on eating healthy, Two months on the couch re arranged my usual firm waistline into something like a roll ..needless to say I am not pleased and am doing all I can to get back top my old self........however, I find myself painting desserts, cakes icecreme-at least I am not eating them!!!

Wednesday, June 15, 2011


I got stuck watching a reality show about who is the next great artist...couldn't sleep and got hooked on the last three episodes. They were all kind of wacky-the guy that won was a great drawer-but they kept kind of putting that part of him down. It reminded me of talking to a wonderful artist who sells all over the world-very successful and really great-he said no one takes time to learn to draw any more and if you don't have that as a base how much can you really do, One guy dripped bleach thru a holey plastic unto kraft paper......I just don't know, I can appreciate the process, but the product-what makes that art...of course that is the question...

Tuesday, May 24, 2011


I have been in an insurance claim inspired state of anxiety..and I just realized that it was a waste of my time and energy. Sometimes it takes me awhile to get around the fact that I can't help the s--- that happens but I can TRY to control how I react to it. Try being the operative word. So today I am going to just let it go and do what I do and hopefully burden will ease somewhat. On the upside I have finally been able to work out with this ankle-that feels great. So I think its rather funny that I did this piece right in the middle of all this and never heeded my own advice.

Sunday, April 24, 2011


Easter today-love the eggs and the baskets and the kids getting excited -my ten year old was in my bed at 600 to "see if I was awake yet' in that loud whisper that kids use. Yesterday I did this on wood I am getting much more confident-or not so demanding-either way I get absorbed faster in the process and I am looking at things differently-where is the negative-how does this curve fit with that triangle. I used to look at the whole, now its pieces, little shapes and colors and it makes the whole better-and there is another life lesson.....

Tuesday, April 19, 2011


I improved this from yesterday-I have worked with a heavy gel medium which is kind of luscious....I have been walking about without my cast on, I was supposed to wait until the 25th but it seemed to want to be walked on...
and now it seems it doesn't...
Constant ache and pain can be very draining. I did a load of wash, the dishes, cleaned a bathroom and now I think I am pretty much done for the day. My whole body aches from holding it awkwardly as I move. The good news is that I now know this thing will be healed and healed well..the bad news is that I am not a patient person and I better learn pretty damn fast how to be one.....

Sunday, April 17, 2011


Jealousy. It rears its little ugly head in the most bizarre ways...my 15 year old had her play this weekend and I was thinking back to our five person theatre dept in high school, our gym stage and folding chair theatre, the one lightbulb on a dimmer....she is in a state of the art theatre that is better than almost every professional theatre I have ever worked in. I couldn't help thinking how much more prepared I would have been had I these advantages beginning in 6th grade. Then as I help to get this new vintage art and inspiration studio store open, the monster once again appears as I look at other works and other peoples skills. Interesting, how it kind of chokes your heart and makes you doubt yourself-but it also has made me question the safety of my decisions and how I approach my life.......I want to get bigger and louder and more colorful in all areas.....and so I started with this flower..from every little step something comes nearer

Monday, March 21, 2011


Bad picture cropping but this is a floorcloth that I made today,it was fun and I think came out quite well. I am trying to figure out from a marketing standpoint what product would go over well that I actually like to make. I still have to figure out what color I am going to do with the middle rectangle-I was thinking of a deep green but that might be too dark..I will have to live with it for awhile. And now I better go put up my poor foot...sigh...

Thursday, March 17, 2011


I just had to experiment with this new idea, even if I have to crawl and get sequins, or glitter or lace-its not easy when you are working by the seat of your pants and incorporating all sorts of elements into one piece on one leg!. I still have to get downstairs for glue and glitter and modge podge but I think I will wait until I can order the kids around. It takes me so long to go down and up the stairs. It reminds me of when the kids were babies and they needed to do it all by themselves but it took so dang long and I would walk behind them so they didn't fall. Which brings up a lovely memory of my Uncle George at 76 walking bent over behind my daughter every time she got up to try to walk, he could not bear to see her fall. It makes me cry and laugh at the same time......ooo-good idea for a painting

Monday, March 14, 2011

Today was a little revelation...found out that this ankle thing is more serious than I thought, It will take more time and more steps than I imagined. Which made me have to cancel a show in April, which made me think about choices we make and the choices made for us. Or do we set ourselves up for things? I hate to think that some part of me needed a rest so I subconsciously did this break. I do know that while I was in pain and needed to just sit on the couch and veg I liked it-for about a week. It was nice to just shut down. I also think I should be using this time wisely and thinking about stuff and coming to huge life affirming nuggets that I will write about and become a best seller and travel and talk about my journey...but I get tired of that so I paint, and think up things to make. Maybe that is my revelation.........I like to make things.......so embrace it and move forward-slowly..on crutches for a few more weeks....

Thursday, March 10, 2011



I am so excited about my new venture-in april I will be having a long time dream come true-I will be involved in a occasional shop with studio space and class offerings! It is located in Edina and the only thing that is stopping me from doing all I want to prepare for it is this damn ankle. Its going to be vintage-art-inspiration and I am dying to haul down an old desk and a shelf from the garage and start painting these great peices and finding more-but I can barely hop to the bathroom..so i AM TRYING TO CONCENTRATE ON PAITING FOR MOTHERs day cards and some ideas I have for 3d stuff-oh, but its hard when the spirit is eillling and the body isn't. i have to be very careful not to overdo and make it worse...

Wednesday, March 9, 2011


I had this idea about a three D work-now I have another one-if I can only get cows legs to move.....stay tuned....

Sunday, March 6, 2011


So I have been stuck on the couch the last three weeks with this really broken ankle-poor ankle-you never know what you own the miracle of your body until you lose the use of something. Its tiring frustrating eye opening and emotionally draining. So much of who I am is based on how much I do everyday. However-I have vowed to change this, it didn;t really matter how much I did or did not do the world went on and nobody dropped dead-least of all me. So I cheated a little and did some sketching and painting-hopping to and fro from the couch to the table..I felt like I would go crazy if I couldn't do a little something arty!!!

Wednesday, February 23, 2011



While taking off a (fake) Ugg boot the sat before valentines day I broke my ankle in three places-yes, I know, I am an overachiever in all aspects of my life. It was hugely painful and tiring. this was after my car accident in early feb. What was the lesson-as my friend asked-I guess the lesson is slow the f down. I have never been more waited on and loved than I have this week. My husband-who I always KNEW loved me-loves me more than I could ever deserve....I certainly would not have the patience and care that he has shown me. I am so content in the bosom of my little family, better than I have ever been. tHERE IS NO NEED TO PROVE MYSELF OR MY WORTH-THERE IS ONLY GETTING BETTER. So it has been an extremely revealing time-not to say I won't go back to my ever driven self at the end of this long process....but I will be more aware of myself in every day..and that is a pretty good leson-although it could have been a week long one instead of 7-12-sigh

Tuesday, February 1, 2011


I had a litle car accident yesterday-my car slipped on the ice and twirled around as somebody else came driving toward me. It sucked. No one was hurt but I had a little breakdown-maybe its winter but it seems everything keeps screwing up. Just when you think you are gettin ahead-or just by-something slaps you upside the head. I don't even feel negative its just oh here it goes again......I think we are all due for a little sun and dry roads So I painted the gentelest most smooshiest, loveliest thing I can imagine ( Yes I did make up smooshiest) a floppy sleepy baby in the flowers...that made me happy

Thursday, January 27, 2011


I just can't stop painting ...I have so many ideas they are spilling out. I must remember to write them down. I like feeling this way..hope it continues...

Wednesday, January 26, 2011


Yesterday was suppose to be the most depressing day of the year. I concur. It is just so cold and grey and snowy....so I am still inside playing with glitter and paints. I have an idea for a more elaborate cardboard glitter-house, but I am afraid I must move myself from the warmth of the kitchen, to downstairs where it is sooooo coldy, because I am truly taking over the middle of the house with all my art stuff..can't remember the last time we could actually sit and eat at the table...

Monday, January 10, 2011



Sometimes things don't go as well as you want them too. For This is a good lesson for me because I have to constantly tell myself its okay not to be perfect-its okay to have an off painting where you think I will never ever paint another thing that actually represents what I set out to represent. So when I was disappointed with this one , I decided to just let go and try to learn from it what was wrong-I can't explain but my gut can. So I went in and fiddled. I still don't think its what I want but I feel better for trying....what did I learn...sometimes it just not gonna come out the way I want...and that's okay

Saturday, January 8, 2011



Got away from the saccharine for today. I am just getting such a kick out of my art lately. I don't know whats changed but something keeps me puttering happily along in my paint smeared apron!!! I was longing to do both a landscape and old ladies-how I missed my old ladies-so I had a ton of fun.

Friday, January 7, 2011



Okat I am spreading my joy by doing these. They make me so happy that I have actually been nicer to rude people during my day. Funny how art can do that to you. At the same time I am longing to do a barren landscape, or a portrait of a person in despair-perhaps I am trying to balance out the overload of sweetness that I have been living in this week.

Wednesday, January 5, 2011



Oh, there is nothing more fun then glitter and paper and paints-unless its spending five hours trying to find a way to record auditions at home and make them into mp3 files. Which is how I spent most of my day-but I did it!!!! And I feel really super techie-like. I am like a little computer God........this year I am trying to live out loud and just do things without worrying about it....so far so good....

Tuesday, January 4, 2011


Standing paper dolls-oh they are so much fun and sooo fussy to do. I was trying to work out my husbands calender for the summer and felt really on top of it-sent an email with everything set the morning after I got the initial email-so there was his beautiful summer-in different colors for different shows and I felt so great about promptly and neatly doing this-then I get an email this afternoon that all those times had been booked-what do they do send it out so people can fight each other over it-what happened to the courtesy of offering a date and either booking it or not. MAN-it makes me crazy-so now the calender is all screwed up , and I have to try and make sense of it because four things are now cancelled and other people wanted him and I had to turn them down. AAARRRGGGHHHH..I think I may stalk the woman and stick my tongue out at her......

Saturday, January 1, 2011



January 1st-already I have this gut feeling that it will be a glorious year. Last year was ICK..this year I am going to celebrate
my artistic schizophrenia hence the two wildly different images. I found these gorgeous little frames in an antique shop some months age and am now on the look out for more-so much fun to be able to beautifully frame paintings. Tonight my husband is taking me to Billy Elliot -his gift to me for Christmas!!!! So I took down the decorations , pulled down the tree cleaned out the fridge and pantry painted and put stuff up on etsy and ebay-not a bad days work!!!