Earth Hour 2009

It would be exciting to see
Earth Hour
really catch on with an
observable effect.

This Saturday,
March 28, 2009
please turn off your lights
at 8:30 pm local time.

Seven More Bunnies!

I wondered if I made a lot of little creatures - would I make them much faster? I made this batch of seven all at once, assembly line style. It went pretty quickly. And now I am so excited to have lots of bunnies for Spring... and Easter.

Tiny Treats

Ellie has been wishing for the American Girl "Tiny Treats" book for some time now. Last night we went to Barnes and Noble to spend gift cards and Ellie got her wish. Unlike the miniature blueberry pies she makes out of bottle caps, felt and beads, these tiny treats are edible. A little powdered sugar, cinnamon and melted chocolate chips turn Cheerios into tiny donuts. The tiny breakfast is made from white melting chocolate (for candy molding) M&Ms, tiny bits of Tootsie Rolls and real toast cut real small. We can't wait to make some of the other treats.

Legendary - Illustration Friday

Irish legend says if you find
a four leaf clover, it will bring you good luck.
Good Luck! And Happy St. Patti's Day!

Don't Think. Just Do.

It seems when I don't have time to create, I am flooded with creative ideas. Then, when I find I have a little time, I don't know what to create or where to start. Today I was surprised to have a little time to myself as Ellie went off to a birthday party and Maya played at the neighbor's house. When I realized I could actually sit down and paint I worked very quickly for 2 hours on these four little pieces. Nothing was pre-planned. Nothing feels quite finished. They may be under-paintings or preliminary sketches for future works.

OPRAH!

Oprah was so much fun! I never really thought about going. When Katie lived here, she asked me once why we have never gone? We are right here! I guess tickets are really hard to get (of course). My neighbor told me last week she was going. She said they were looking for an audience full of moms with crazy mom stories. She wrote in on the website, and they called her the next day to ask her to come. There is not an air date scheduled for the show yet, but they said probably within the next month, so watch for previews of "The Secret Lives of Moms". I will talk more about the show when it airs. I don't want to be the one to spoil it. I will say this... there was one small giveaway! Yay! I want to go again.

I was going to take my "Intricate" watercolor to work with me to scan. I really should be scanning my artwork rather than shooting it with a mediocre camera. But - what a busy day! I had to wake up at 5 to leave at 6 to be downtown by 7 - back home by 1pm (confession of a bad mother... at that point I had not made arrangements for someone to care for my children). I called the neighbor to catch Ellie off the bus. Went to work at 1:30. Chatted and showed off my new minoHD flip video camera - THAT OPRAH GAVE ME - to everyone at work. Got a little bit of work done. Was planning on working until 7 or 8 pm, but then remembered I had a Girl Scout meeting at 6. We met at our small town local historical society to earn the Local Lore badge. It was very nice. Now it's 9pm and I should really think about going to bed early again.

Intricate - Illustration Friday

I started this yesterday and was planning on starting over. But, I sliced open the tip of my index finger on a can of cream of mushroom soup. For now, drawing is too cumbersome and a little painful. I better just to go to bed early tonight so that I can wake up at 5:00am to get to the OPRAH! show! Yes! I am going to see OPRAH! and I am very excited.

Survival

I survived a Girl Scout overnight with 19 girls ranging in age from 7 to 11 years old! Much thanks to Yvette for doing all the planning along with the other grown-ups who give me the confidence and courage to put myself in such situations. We were blessed with some spring weather, finally! I am proud to say I am the one who was able to get the fire going in spite of pretty damp wood. We were impatient and I prematurely spread out the coals for cooking s'mores and apple desserts. At that point I killed the fire and we ended up in the kitchen. I am especially proud of my little Daisies who were quite the little independent campers. Such fun makes me not want to resign next year as I continue to lament the difficulty of managing 2 troops... and a job... and a family.

Make the world a better place.
peace.

Happy Birthday!

I didn't want to mention that the bunny house was for my 3 year old little niece. I think Auntie Rhonda was more excited than the birthday girl. She told me she was hoping it could be. Maddie, take good care of the little bunny family. May your Golden Birthday be full of sweet treats and happy surprises!

Love,

Auntie Patti

Breezy - Illustration Friday

Bunnies Find a Home

Truth be told, it was never a dog house. Pookie (the dog) was anxious to model it and I was anxious to share - before the bunnies were created.

A friend asked me if I had any sort of pattern for the house. I am happy to say "no". I am the architect, builder, interior designer and creator of little creatures. I even knitted the blanket on super small knitting needles. This is what I lay awake in bed at night and think about. I am planning on improving the process with the next little playhouse.

Dog House

5"x4"x4" Matt Board and craft paper.

Instinct - Illustration Friday

Instinct.

Very different from my cute little girls dancing, reading, chasing balloons and eating cupcakes. I don't feel versatile. I feel like a split personality. I'd like to illustrate cute, sweet, happy, fun, children's pictures. I'd like to avoid this mysterious weirdness that spills out of me. It flows so easily that it doesn't feel valid, but at the same time feels like it's supposed to be.

Celebrate - Illustration Friday

I suppose I could call this post "Make It Sweet Part III". If you've read my blog before, you might realize I tend to celebrate with sugary sweets that I love to bake myself. Yes, I made that cupcake with creamy topping and ganache. I am in the process of making a double batch for the Daddy Daughter Girl Scout Dance. Yesterday it was brownies for the Science Fair. I think I need to either open a bakery or a rehab center for people who share my sugar addiction.

Make it Sweet! Part II

One of my favorite things to do to celebrate Valentine's Day–strawberries dipped in chocolate. Mmmmmmmmm.

Make It Sweet!

For Valentine's Day, Ellie wanted to take our famous rolled butter cookies to her class and include the recipe.  Just about everyone I know has requested this recipe after having tasted the cookies. So here it is for your enjoyment.

Rolled Butter Cookies

1/2 lb. butter (room temperature)

1 cup powdered sugar

2-1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 tablespoon milk

Cream butter thoroughly. Gradually add sugar and mix well. Slowly add flour. Add vanilla and milk when flour is almost all added. Roll dough 1/4 - 1/2 inch thickness. Cut and bake at 325˚ for 12-15 minutes. Decorate with icing. 

So simple and delicious. 

Take the handmade pledge. I hear more references each year about Valentine's Day being a Hallmark holiday and people feeling pressured to buy stuff. Go against mainstream thinking and do what you want to do, not what you feel like you are supposed to do. Whether is a day of romance or friends or classmates, make it special in your own special way!

See this post and this post of last year's handmade cards. While linking, I see I made pretty much the same statement last year, as well as the same cookies.

peace [and love] 

Wee Little Creature

This Wee Little Creature is about the size of my little pinky finger. I was going to go to bed early last night. I was actually in bed with a sketchbook at 9:30. After having done a couple of little doodles of how might sew a felt fairy, I got out of bed to sew. It was about midnight when I finally crawled back in bed.

Thanks, Sharpie!

I was thrilled to have received a comment from the PR manager of Sharpie last week when I posted the photo of my impulsive drawing on my hand. Thanks, Sharpie! I also want to thank Sharpie Susan for noting that Sharpies are not tested for the use on skin and so it is not encouraged. I used the new Sharpie Pen, which I do love. It doesn't seem quite as toxic as the permanent markers, but I really don't think it's a good idea to write on yourself with any writing utensil. Although, a couple of times I have drawn a little temporary doodle on myself with an eyeliner pencil. I'm sure that would be okay. (See: What the Bleep Do We Know?) The Sharpie Fun I have resorted to is drawing mehndi on magazine hands. I did black out a tooth and draw a mustache, goatee and glasses on a beautiful fashion model, but that seemed both too crude and trite to post. The article on Intuition was from an October 2006 issue of Family Circle. It was a lovely reminder to trust yourself. In a nutshell – your subconscious mind holds plenty of useful information so don't over-analyze everything. Quiet your mind. Feel your gut. Listen to your heart.

Winter Paintings

8x10 - mixed media

It would take more than a thousands words to try and describe this new body of work. I've already spent too much time editing my rambling about these new paintings. I suppose I could just say I am exploring materials and techniques and leave it at that. While I edit my words, I would like to post every painting because oftentimes my work feel strange and uncomfortable to me, but other people respond to it differently than I would expect.

Paintings

acrylic on illustration board. 8x10.

Sharpie

Yes, sharpie, not mehndi. About 3 yeas ago I bought a mehndi kit, but have not yet used it. Last night I don't know what came over me. I very impulsively starting drawing on myself with my new fine tipped sharpie. If I used the traditional mehndi materials it would have felt sacred. Somehow writing on myself with pen felt improper, almost deviant. 

Return to the Water Garden

I started this painting back in September. It was set aside and forgotten for months. Since I determined it is, in fact, random chaos I've decided to stop fussing and trying to paint it neatly. My new approach is much more enjoyable since I've loosened up my brushstrokes a bit. Still a work in progress.

60x40 acrylic on canvas

Dealing with Tension

What has perplexed me the most about my sewing machine this week is that the last time I used it - it worked just fine. Since August I've been promising Ellie a dance bag that looks just like Gracie's tote full of birthday goodies. Every Saturday I realize a week has past and it would only take me about an hour to whip it up. This week I was finally going to do it. So I've spent hours and hours trying to figure out why the top thread breaks and the bottom thread loops up in a tangled mess. I am using the same thread, same bobbin, same fabric and same needle. Nothing is different. What could have happened? Ellie is waiting and hoping patiently.

Now I remember sewing this. A sewing machine scribble on card stock. The machine worked fine when I did this, but could I have messed things up by doing it? I'm hoping a little cleaning and oiling will help. Any insights? Chris, are you out there?

Shattered to Pieces

It seems ironic that I received the Lemonade Award this week as I have been dealt quite a few lemons as well. Since my focus for this blog is to accentuate the positive, eliminate the negative and latch on the the affirmative I'll refrain from a long rant that could have begun last Sunday. Instead I'll put all that behind me and begin again, as I say I do. Strangely, someone at work mentioned that he thought I might be more patient and more tolerant than Job himself. I assured him that I am not patient, nor tolerant, only that I suppress my feelings until I can no longer stand the pressure. Then, I explode and fall to pieces, like the rear window of my mini-van.

Yesterday when I got in my mini-van to leave work, I shut the door and the window shattered. Pretty freaky. When the kids got home from school, Maya said "Are we going to be like those crazy people who drive around with a piece of plastic duct taped to their car." I said "No. We're going to have it fixed." As soon as Darrin got home he called around and chose to take it to a nearby shop where the guy on the phone was quite helpful. He said he'll fix it first thing Monday morning but said if we dropped it off on Friday he had plenty of garage space. Very good. The mini-van does not fit in our tiny little garage. I guess in 1954 they built houses with mini-mini garages. In hindsight I thought I should have driven around just for the weekend like one of those crazy people with the duct tape because now I don't have a car. [Maya, those people aren't crazy. Some people are less fortunate than us and don't have $350 lying around for such unexpected circumstances like these.] I'll be missing out on at least one fun activity that was planned for this afternoon, but other than that I'll settle in for a winter weekend at home. I feel I could benefit from curling up with a good book. Maybe the Book of Job.

On a happy note, I was forced to read the instruction manual for my sewing machine after having spent an evening fighting with that darn thing. I found many cool features the machine has that I never knew about including an automatic needle threader, a double needle that sews two colors of top-stitching thread at once, and a little cutting tool on the side that snips the thread after each seam.

I'm still trying to focus, balance, and roll with it.
peace.

Grateful for Lemonade

My very first Blog Award. Thanks Jennifer!

Just when I think no one is reading or just when I wonder to myself, "why am I blogging?" Someone pops up and says "I love your bog." This is what keeps me going.

The Lemonade Award is for blogs with attitude/gratitude. So, I will now give the award to ten other bloggers, so take time to check out their blogs.

1. 'becca at bluehighlights

2. Geninne at Geninne's Art Blog

3. Amy at Life Craft
4. Mike at Baby Blue Spider
5. Heather at Stoplights

6. Annie at Annie Get Your Glue Gun
7. Abigail at Abigail Halpin Illustration
8. Sally at Aprovechar
9. Irisz at Artista Blog
10. Jannie at Chickengirl Design

Thanks for all the Inspiration!

Here are the rules for receiving the Lemonade Award:

1. Put the logo on your blog or post.

2. Nominate at least 10 blogs which show great Attitude and/or Gratitude!

3. Link to your nominees within your post.

4. Let them know that they have received this award by commenting on their blog.

5. Share the love and link to this post and to the person from whom you received your award.