Drawrings...

Happy Memorial Day! I really hope you are having a wonderful weekend with friends or family or both. I'm soo far away from family but I got to spend a wonderful day at the beach with a good friend yesterday.

On Friday I updated my shop with some new pieces. I'm pretty excited about them because I feel like my work is shifting in a new direction. I've been pushing myself to draw more and not rely as much on collage. I'm also pushing myself to FINISH DRAWINGS!! So far so good...

Check this out here...

And here.

Here...

And here.

Enjoy the rest of your holiday weekend!!

To Buy

I know I've mentioned her on here before but my friend Michelle Moode's work is so great it's worth mentioning again. She recently update her shop with some gorgeous new drawings. I've been a fan of Michelle's work since we were in undergrad together at Murray State. According to Papernstitch she's certainly an artist to watch. Go watch her.

Currently in my shop I've been lowering some prices in honor of summer. These two cutie-pie pieces are for sale at even better prices than before. Also, for all you readers I am offering free shipping for the month of June. Just message me with you order that you are a blog reader and I will refund your shipping. Later today I'll update my shop again with some little framed pieces I've been working on in my studio. Keep an eye out.

And one more thing you may want to buy... Cocorosie put out a new album this month and it's just as great as their older stuff. I think they just get better and better. Check out the video below. It's bizarre and beautiful, just like their music.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Who is the luckiest girl in the world? Me?

Who is the luckiest girl in the world? Me?, originally uploaded by °Giulietta° (Giulia Torra).

Yesterday I found a four leaf clover! I'll admit I had been looking for a while. I get superstitious about stuff like that. So I found that and also three pennies on heads. So what is a girl to do when she finds all those wonderful omens? Buy a lottery ticket, of course! I only had a dollar on me so I went to the gas station and bought the only $1 lotto ticket they sold. And then I won $2! So, I traded those dollars for two powerball tickets. The jackpot was up to $200 million dollars! The rest of the evening I made plans for all the money. I picked out charities, picked out a car, decided what job I would have, scolded my boyfriend for his suggestion I buy two cars and not have a job... No, I was going to be very smart about the money. That meant I just HAD to win. I would do good things and keep on living life and just be a bit more financially comfortable.

And so, in a very anti-climatic way, I discovered... of course... I did not win the big jackpot.

The lesson I learned?

A four leaf clover is only good for ONE lottery ticket. Don't blow it on the small one.

Haha. But I'm feeling alright. It was a long shot, sure, but I really believed I could win. However, I think it's really scary to have that kind of money. It can be a burden. So maybe it's for the better.

Good luck...

Last Entry Today, I promise!

I've been a postoholic today! Just wanted to say that I just put these two houses in my shop. Find them here and here.

Yay art!

Good Things!

So far this week has been really great and I know I owe it to positive thinking. I had been catching myself lately becoming so negative over everything, getting angry over everything. I didn't like that, that's not who I am so as you saw in my post on Monday I decided to change all that and so far so good.

I even had this wonderful siting yesterday when I was "lazily reading all morning." I heard some chirping and I looked over from my third floor balcony and saw this Momma bird feeding her babies. I'm sure I've seen this before but not this close. Luckily I had my camera nearby so I could snap a few photos. Click on the picture to see it larger. Again, I take this as a sign of good luck.

I've been working in the studio and having fun. I did this print a couple of weeks ago for a print exchange but have a few left over so I'm trying to think of something to do for my etsy shop. I love screenprinting ghost girls with blue hair!

Have a great Wednesday and think plenty of positive thoughts!

Two Wonderful Giveaways

Both of these blogs are currently hosting amazing giveaways!

The Westervin blog, who I've mentioned before, is doing a giveaway for this Sodalite crocheted necklace by the fabulous Miss Pompadour. Go here to sign up to win. Tell them Abeautifulparty sent ya!

Also, I just discovered this wonderful blog, Inspired Mess, at the right time. She is hosting a giveaway for 32 of her favorite things! Bonus! Follow this blog and sign up to win!

Best Friends

I have to confess...

Just yesterday I was telling my boyfriend I should start getting up at six a.m. so I could have a more productive morning... internetting, blogging, treadmilling, breakfast and coffee-ing... and then get to the studio at a reasonable hour. The alarm went off sometime around 7 and I couldn't get up. I finally got up around 8:15. Then I made some coffee and sat outside and finished reading this book. It's 11:20 am now. Too hot in my apartment to treadmill (that's what I like to tell myself) but certainly enough time to blog. I just wish I was getting to the studio way earlier. Who knew I would ever become a morning person? Of course, sleeping until 8 and reading all morning does not necessarily mean I'm a morning person I suppose.

But this is why I was reading all morning. I just had to finish this book. I cried and cried as I read the last few pages because it is all about the amazing and sometimes bittersweet bond of a childhood friendship. I have girlfriends now that I absolutely adore. They mean the world to me. But I also had that all important childhood friendship that slipped between the cracks with age. I still sometimes catch myself calling others by her name. I miss her and her family so much but honestly don't know how to make things the way they were again. Can we?

I think so many of us have this experience, that's why I whole heartedly recommend you read The Myth of You and Me by Leah Stewart. It will make you want to turn back time a revisit something you left behind. And maybe, just maybe, you will.

The Power of Positive Thought

This morning I promised to be positive and I really think it's paying off. I even got a new piece of work in my shop and got some better images of previous work by using a scanner. 

Find this little heart piece here.

Having a scanner is so great. I just use the school's scanner but that's coming to an end soon. I need to get one. Any recommendations?

I hope you're having a fabulous day, too!

Giveaway Winner!

I almost forgot to post the results of the Giveaway! Through the random number generator I found a winner and it is Melissa from Baltimore. Melissa, send me an address and I will get this drawing in the mail to you.

Monday Morning

Hey everyone! It's the start of a new week and that means many possibilities. I'm going to be hopeful and positive for what's to come. I started the morning editing some photos and get new works in my shop. I also spent the morning wishing there were more hours in the day. Who hasn't wished for that at least once in their life?

Our closing this past weekend was fun. Only a few people showed up but it was great company and yummy Italian food after. I took a few photos but they need some editing. For some reason my photos looked fine on the camera but turned really yellow when I uploaded them to my Flickr. I may possibly never figure out my camera.

I hope you all have a wonderful day and week. Take a look here and here for some new piece in the beautiful party shop.

Yesterday I I felt like I was thisclose to getting a good job and now it sounds like it may not happen. I'm going to remain positive. Fingers crossed on both hands and toes crossed for good measure. Hopefully I'll hear something today.

Here's something for you to hear. Have you seen the blog Run With Scissors? Run's blogger Janel is absolutely sweet and charming and posts the best pictures. She and her husband want to adopt a baby in the near future but it's so crazy expensive, but Janel came up with a great way to raise money. If you want to sign up to help she will send you a baby bottle for you to throw your spare change into. The bottle is a nice reminder of how important this fundraiser is. After reading just a few posts of her blog you will want to sign right up and do what you can to help. Go here to read more about it. Even if you don't sign up this is definitely a blog to add to your favorites!

Tonight is our closing in Chicago. If you are in the are stop by between 5-8 at 230 W. Superior in the River North area. It's going to be a lot more relaxed tonight. We'll have some bottles of wine and good company. If you can't make it I will certainly do my best to take better pictures!
As long as the weather holds up Cassie and I are going to hit a bunch of yard sales today. I'm trying to find a couch. I want a green couch. Like a grandma green couch. ( :

Good Read

The past few days have been really busy and a little bit stressful but my boyfriend and I just signed a lease on a house that will be ours ours ours. I'm so excited to finally have a place. It's a really cute two story white house with a big back yard that's perfect for gardening. Now I just need to find one of those pesky jobs so I can afford it...

In the meantime I discovered this amazing anthology by Nicole Georges. Maybe you all know her already, I sometimes tend to be the last to know about someone, but she is quite spectacular and has a great sense of humor when creating her stylish zines. I got the Invincible Summer volume 2 at Quimbys. I've been trying to read it very slowly because I want to savor it. Since I've been feeling so down lately this has really inspired me to get up and keep at it. I ordered Volume 1 today from her Etsy shop. All her work in her shop is very cheap and affordable and absolutely darling. Explore her website here and get to know this spectacular artist.

Also! Don't forget (because it's my job not to let you...) Summertime Giveaway here...

Over it...

In my shop... four deer, one great price!

Alright, no more feeling sorry for myself. Time to get back on the horse and make some art and find a job. I had a great weekend that helped get me back into the swing of things. My friend Cassie and I went to the gallery where our grad show is (230 N. Superior River North area) and opened it up for the day. Only two people came in but that's two more that the usual number so it was pretty successful. My friend Darren met me in the city after and I finally went to Quimby's which is a really cool zine and comic store. I got a couple of awesome books that I will talk more about later. We also ate at a yummy pizza place called Crust. If you are in Chicago try it out. It's a really great organic eatery with delicious cocktails.

Okay, I'm finished being a Chicago billboard. Thanks to those of you who told me to hang in there. I really try to be a positive person, there are just days where everything gets to me. I'm going to try to rise above it and keep on truckin'.

Please check out my giveaway here. This little ghost is dying for a new home.

I wasn't trying to be funny by saying ghost and dying. I swear it just came out that way.

Ugh. I thought I would be more rollercoastery/trainwrecky during my actual thesis semester but it seems that it's the aftermath where I am at my worst. I've been out of school for a week and I'm already fighting feelings of failure. I'm scared, stressed, nervous and worried.

But! I did watch this movie last night that gave me a nice boost. Whip It has been out for a while and I'm so glad I finally watched it. It was a fun girl movie that feels so encouraging, cheesy as that may sound. It sort of made me realize that I still haven't quite figured out who I am yet. Like I talk about in my thesis show, part of me wants to still be 16 years old while part of me wants to be a grown-up doing grown-up things. The only problem is I don't think I know exactly what grown-up things means. I have a certain idea of what it means and I think it just doesn't fit who I am. I think I'm going through growing pains. I wish I could just take some tylenol but I have a feeling it's not that easy.

Anyway, sorry to keep sprinkling this blog with gloominess. I'll balance it out later with something fun.

Like my giveaway. Sign up here!

Summertime Giveaway

Since I've been updating my shop so much I thought it was time to also have another giveaway. So... I picked out this little drawing that is 4.5" x 6.75" and made with gel pens and markers. This is my thank you to you for being such great bloggers and readers!

Leave a comment telling me one of your favorite artists. You will be counted twice if you post this giveaway on your blog. I will randomly select a name on May 23.

Go!

More Art and Some Baby Geese

I added a few more things in my shop today. Check them out here.

While on the great job hunt I've been working a lot in my studio, getting it clean up, organized and workable. Also preparing it to be moved since I have to be out of my space by July. I'm really sad about this but am also looking forward to having a new studio space. It could help me change my work in positive ways.

Thank you so so much to all of you who left advice a couple of posts ago. It's really scary being out in the real world. For now I certainly need a job to help pay the bills but I also really want to do well in my shop and find some sort of success with that. Who doesn't, right? I'm going to keep working at it. Trying to update my shop as much as possible. Keep your fingers crossed for me and I'll keep them crossed for you. ( :

Yesterday I saw this bit of magic in my backyard. I took it as a sign of good things to come.

Big Shop Update

It took all evening but I finally did a huge update in my Etsy shop with much more to come! Check it out for plenty of art and vintage. Many piece are from my Thesis show. When our group show in Chicago comes down I will do an even bigger update. It feels good to start being Etsy productive again!