Stories and Pictures

Goodness I have been away for so long! It was mostly unintentional. Yesterday I kept writing blogs in my mind but at the end of the day I realized I never actually made it to the computer. I wish I could blog every day and really do try but I get so busy. And my computer battery is pretty much dead. That may have a lot to do with it. I hate worrying about details like plugging the computer in...

I was uploading some pics of what I have been doing lately and I came across this weird grainy photo from my old apartment. The colors caught my attention because I am excited to say it's time to start wearing these clothes again! Last night I wore a denim jacket over a maxi and it was too warm! Too warm!  Finally the sun is cooperating with Spring and flowers are growing and leaves are showing up for the party. I promise promise that in a couple of months I will not complain about how it's too hot. I promise.

These bunnies are stealing my heart. They are still working on their friendship but it is getting better every day.  I can't wait for the day when I see them sitting like this because they did it on their own and weren't forced to lay next to each other on my husband. He is a rabbit whisperer.

 Last night we got the best treat while we were sitting outside watching the rabbits play. A little yard rabbit showed up and took quite an interest in Maxi and Rue (not pictured).  The rabbits didn't know what to think of this little visitor, they were on high alert.  I stayed close by and gave all three rabbits a carrot in hopes that they would enjoy their snack and get to know each other but they weren't interested in eating.  Finally yard bunny hopped away and calm was eventually restored.

Saturday I went to a beautiful open air market and picked up some doilies and this little train case.  We also stopped at an Estate Sale. The only thing that caught my interest was this little sea urchin and the lady gave it to me for free!

In my studio I have been working like crazy.  Yesterday I decorated balloon sticks all morning and spent the afternoon making little pom poms. I got together with some crafting gals last night and while we talked about anything and everything I made tissue paper tassels and ate cookies and lemon bars.  That's my kind of crafting.

Remember how my studio looked so nice not that long ago? Now it looks like this again. It's a little bit because of some flooding we got but mostly because I cannot take a few minutes to clean, I'm too eager to keep making stuff.

This was the other thing I did yesterday, I gave these little bears a bath.  Aren't they sweet?

Be sure to check in with my giveaway. It has been fun reading about the projects you guys are working on.  Sign up to win a dreamcatcher here.  This giveaway is for those attending Nada Farm but there will be a giveaway later that will be open to everyone.

These two gals are part of Nada Farm this year and I can't wait sale my goods along side of them.  Check out their wonderful blogs (she always loved) Larking and Robayre.

My friend Rachael has re-designed her blog and given it a new name. Go here to see what it is.

Have a great day today. I hope you can soak up some sunshine wherever you are!

Katie Drum Art Show Sensation!

A couple of years ago I did a post about Katie Drum, a local artist whose work is so dreamy and nostalgic, like visual fairy tales.  Tuesday I finally got to see her work in person and it was a great experience.  I love the different materials and processes Katie uses.  She told me about paints I was not familiar with and now I am excited to check them out.
I only had my Iphone on me so I apologize for the images but it gives you an idea of the scale of the work as well as the presentation.  The show is on display at Elgin Community College in Safety-Kleen Gallery 1 through May 18th. If you are anywhere near the area I really encourage you to stop in and see this work. It definitely inspired me to start drawing and painting again.

 On Katie's website she talks about the work and I really love this passage:

Currently, I enjoy collaging observations, daydreams, and memories through a variety of mediums to create new narratives. I am compelled by anything from old photographs to conspiracy theories, decorative design to childrens book illustrations, and meditation. Living primarily in a mundane, rural setting, I am often influenced by the minimal, bleak horizon line and expansive sky of the Midwest. 

See the rest of her site here and check out her blog! I just discovered it so I am excited to keep up with what she is doing.  Katie is a hard worker and a talented artist and is really going places!

Yesterday

Ok so I didn't make a schedule or to-do list or any of the sort yesterday.  I did, however, get a long overdue haircut, worked on a birthday girl's ribbon corsage, saw a super inspiring art show (more on that tomorrow) and got featured on my friend Hannah's blog! As part of her Kitchen Printshop Project at Orange Barrel Industries Hannah showed images of my newly cleaned up studio and did a short interview. I felt so honored! 

See the post here.  And be sure to check out the rest of the blog. Hannah always has insightful posts that give you something to think about.

Don't forget about my giveaway for Na-Da Farm here. If you are not able to make it to the sale I will be hosting another giveaway after.  If you live in the area you will not want to miss this fun event! It is usually advertised in Flea Market magazine and people drive from all over to come to it. It's neat that such a cool thing happens right here in my own county.

Have a great Wednesday.  Do something spontaneous today!

Time Flies

Hi you guys! Don't forget about my giveaway going on until the Na-Da Farm Sale! Leave a comment here for a chance to win a dreamcatcher of your choice.

I've been thinking a lot about how I wish I had a better schedule in place for myself. On days I'm off work I wake up pretty early and though I know I should work out I feel like I want to hit the ground running with all the other things I have to do.  My goal is to spend the whole day working but I usually get so scattered and feel directionless the minute I'm done drinking coffee and ready to work. When I am at my day job I do well with lists.  I don't know why it is hard for me to apply that idea to my home/work life.

I need
exercise time
blog writing and blog reading time
studio time
bunny time
and maybe just sitting outside and doing nothing time.
And the occasional shopping time.
I also need 'sitting down and making a schedule' time.

So many things.  My usual reaction to having a lot to do is to do nothing and then feel bad because I'm doing nothing and then do more nothing because I'm feeling bad. It's a vicious cycle. But I think maybe it ends today. I'm going to make my first home list.

What I always have time for is Pinterest because I have the phone app (though I blame my phone for most of my time lost). Lately Pinterest has been inspiring me more than ever.

Take a look and be inspired and I'm going to start making a schedule for myself!

I wish I was a teen again... No I don't.

Source: woodpigeon.tumblr.com via Ann on Pinterest

I can't wait for summer.

Source: girlswillbeboys.tumblr.com via Ann on Pinterest

I love these colors. I wish life always looked like this.

Source: layla-amber.co.uk via Ann on Pinterest

I want this whole collection in my house!

Source: quentindebriey.tumblr.com via Ann on Pinterest

I am dying over this. I want to make this exact cake pronto.

Source: rosylittlethings.typepad.com via Ann on Pinterest

Nada Farm Giveaway...Updated!!

Good Morning!  

For the last few months I have been talking about preparing for the Na-Da Farm sale and now it's just around the corner.  It has been fun building up my inventory and now that the weather is slowly starting to realize it's Spring I can take my work outdoors.  

I would like to host a giveaway for readers who will be attending the sale! Between now and Na-Da Farm time (May 17 &18) leave a comment below telling me what you have been working on in your studio/kitchen/yard/life.  I will pick a winner randomly on May 17th and the winner will receive a dreamcatcher of their choice! Take a look at my shop for examples of different dreamcatchers here.  As part of this giveaway, Anne Marie from Na-Da Farm will also offer two free tickets to the sale plus two free homemade cupcakes! Dreamcatchers and tickets and cupcakes, oh my!  Other vendors will be hosting giveaways, too, so I will try to get links to their sites. What if one lucky person won all the giveaways?!  So many cupcakes!!  

Here are some snippets of things I have been working on!

I hope you are getting excited about this event! There is a $5 entry fee and part of the proceeds will be going to local charities. If you cannot attend the sale I will be hosting a giveaway later that will include everyone!  Have a great Monday and don't forget to comment!

Angie Zielinkski

A while back I had a long talk with a former professor of mine. I may have already talked about it here but the talk has stayed with me and I try to work out all the different thoughts and ideas.  I was and am struggling with balancing my "art life" post school.  Who isn't?  I thought I was prepared for the post school feelings but you really can't prepare until you are in the thick of it. I have had a lot of trouble with balancing my time because I feel like I should be making craftier things (commercial things) that I can sale and it's hard to give the time it takes to make a drawing or a painting.  I feel like my chances for being an artist (non-commericial) are over and that is depressing. I know that doesn't have to be true but it is definitely feeling further and further from my grasp.

A friend of mine showed me this artist and I have been thinking a lot about her work. She takes the every day things that I love like party supplies and makes them into these beautiful art installations.  Seeing this really got me excited and made me realize there are ways I can combine all the things that I love and it doesn't have to be so "this or that."

These are works by Angie Zielinski.  I really encourage you to check out her website here for more amazing images.  Her artist statement was reading my mind. She talks a lot about enjoying the glittery ephemera of landscapes and the decorations used to garner attention.  The first time I saw her work it took my breath away.

I love how her drawings and paintings are evocative of the installation work.  It makes me realize I can use the craftier things I'm making as subjects for drawings.  All of the things I am doing can coexist.

Finding Angie Zielinksi's work has made a huge difference in my studio practice. I'm still struggling with time management but I definitely have the drawing itch so I will have to find the time to slow down and make this happen.

Busy Bee

Hi you guys! It's been a couple of weeks since I got back from sweet Rachael's wedding and it feels like I have hit the ground running with lots of stuff going on in my life.  

The wedding was beautiful. We stayed in a castle! It was a very DIY wedding so we got to help with lots of the fun things like flowers.  The newlyweds spent many months leading up to the wedding making these paper swans.  Rachael is displaying the nuptial backdrop here.

 I made this flower halo for the flower girl. Making this made me excited to try again at the fake flower ones I was making last year. At the time I felt like I couldn't get the hang of it but something about these real flowers made it make more sense.

 The bridesmaids spent the day of the wedding making flower arrangements and putting our own bouquets together. That made the day even more special.  I was surrounded by so many artistic friends who I get to see so rarely. I came home refreshed and inspired and already homesick for my many wonderful girlfriends.

 Another thing that has happened? OH... we got a rabbit!!  Since I lost Lux I have worried about my current rabbit Rue because she is used to having a bunny companion. My husband and I have talked about it for some time and finally I went to the animal shelter the same day this girl arrived.  It was love at first sight.  Introducing Maxine. Or Maxi. Or Max. ( Don't call her Maxi Pad.)

 She is absolutely darling and so funny and active.  We are working on her friendship with Rue.  I think it's going to be a while until they really come around to each other. On nice days they get to go outside and have proven they can hang out in the same pen together.  Maxi is pretty indifferent to Rue right now and Rue seems to be curious about Max but is not ready to get too snuggley yet.

 We did get this brief moment that melted my heart. As soon as I got the picture taken Maxi nipped at Rue so it felt like we were back at square one.

This girl is a keeper, though.  She has us both completely smitten (though my husband will never confess to that feeling.)

 I have also been crafting like crazy!!  The big sale is just around in the corner and I also have a very special birthday party to decorate.  I'll be doing balloons, a cake topper, party favor boxes and several other things to make a soon-to-be nine year old's birthday even more special!  I'm over the moon with excitement for this!

What have you been doing in the last couple of weeks? How is your weather? Any bunny bonding advice?

Happy Monday!