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!

Dreamy Dream

I've been working away in my studio! I just finished all these dreamcatchers and got them listed into my shop.  They have been so much fun to make. 

Dark Blue Tiny Dream

Hot Pink Dreamy Dream

Multi-Color Dream

Yellowy Gold Dreamcatcher

Large Hot Pink Dreamy Catcher

Tomorrow I'm going to Texas. One of my good friends, Rachael, is getting married and I have the honor of standing by her during the ceremony. I am so excited to be reunited with all my gal pals.  I'm such a girlfriend kind of girl so having them all so far away is hard.  It's going to be a fun and sweet weekend. I hope your weekend is just as sweet! I'll see you when I get back!

Pinned Motivation

These pins have been helping me along in the studio lately.

Thanks a bunch to my new friends Courtney for showing me the second one.

Source: boudist.com via Ann on Pinterest

Source: vlinspiratie.blogspot.nl via Ann on Pinterest

Source: frenchbydesign.blogspot.com via Ann on Pinterest