Elves Wanted

SO I decided I was going to make as many gifts as possible for friends and family this year, and I was off to a good start: bought my supplies way in advance, would thieve a few sewing or assembling moments while my daughter was immersed in play--or Kung Fu Panda, which is her favorite movie right now. And I will confess that I, willing and non-hesitant, let her watch that movie several times in order to try to achieve my goal. Okay, even MORE than several time. The guilt has settled in...AND I still haven't finished all my gifts. So what do I do when I finally have a chance to work on them late in the evening?: Facebook...posting to my blog...ya know--"important" things.

So, here I am, trying to figure out how I'm going to get all the gifts done. Elves. Lots of 'em. Works for Santa, worked for that old Shoemaker (in that old fairy tale). So I'm pretty sure if I leave my stuff out overnight, it will be flawlessly and beautifully assembled by early morn. I will be shuffling in my fuzzy leopard-print slippers, squinting thru the mascara I forgot to remove the night before (not to mention the fingerprints Olivia deposited all over my glasses lenses), on auto-pilot to the kitchen to make my very necessary and very caffeinated java, and then I'll see it--The Stack of Love. Gifts looking fresh off the assembly line, and set out like a Martha Stewart magazine shot. Ahhhh, the relief....

Or is it? I mean, after all, the reason I was going to make gifts this year is because I wanted to make them special, functional and personal, all while trying to tap into my inner-Martha. So as nice as it would be to have Elves, I'd rather have the happy looks of friends faces when they see they got a one-of-a-kind art item that I made, by myself....Maybe that will heal the guilt I'm feeling of my little girl seeing Kung Fu Panda so many times. (That and the fact she want to be Master Tigress, who kicks A**--atta Girl!!)

Just imagine....

Okay,if you are a creative person, then you must enjoy an active imagination. And even though this post is not craft-related per se, my thought is that you enjoy anything of admirable creativity....So my guess is you are, at least in part, a Harry Potter fan. I discovered Harry when the 2nd book came out (Chamber of Secrets), and glommed onto them like a child does a "blankie". I love the imaginative details; and I love that it can be shown to have much deeper symbolisms, as "classic" literature.

I became a fan of a couple of podcasts that would analyze the stories, which added to my enjoyment of the series. One of the podcasts is hosted by Travis Prinzi, a well educated lover of Literature, a writer, and a teacher (among other things and I can't figure out how he fits all of it into 24 hours). Travis just published a book called "Harry Potter and Imagination: The Way between Two Worlds"; I am looking forward to reading Travis' insightful commentary. With all my own projects going on, I don't get much time to read. So when I do have time, I want what I read to be stimulating and thought provoking (unless it's at the end of a long day with my 3 yr old, in which case a magazine with lots of pictures of shoes and fashion suffices). If this book is anything like Travis' commentary, it will be a good read. Even if YOU'RE not an HP fan, I'm pretty sure you know someone who is.
Take a look: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0982238517/ref=cm_rdp_product

Spoonflower Samples are Here!

Well, my two swatches are here! They came out really well. The orange in both designs is very bright--vibrant without being florescent, however. The printing is crisp and neat, and the fabric is nice an soft. The weight of the material is more an apparel type, but I'm hoping for some home decor weight at some point. So it's nice to see what the colors print like in comparison to how my screen is calibrated. What I hope to do is to make some designs to sell on my Etsy site So will post more when I have it.

Not Exactly Punctual

Well, it's around 2 weeks past Thanksgiving, so I guess an entry here about all the things I'm thankful for is a bit passé. Not very timely of me. Over the years November has become quite an "event-full" month, filled with both celebrations and loss: birthdays, anniversaries, and loss of loved ones. Just as every coin has two sides, so does November. I've been debating all this time as to whether I would post any comments around this time. One part of me wants to commemorate those I love and the other side that wants to keep it private-Not because it's so personal, but rather "Does anyone really want to hear it?". So I'll compromise and do a little of both....

My mother passed away 2 years ago on Nov. 19, 2006 from Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma. She was a type of person who was rarely sick; but by the time she was diagnosed, the cancer was Phase 4 and relentless. She was gone in 3 months. Gone. My Dad lost his wife of 40+ years; my daughter lost her chance at having a Grandma (my husband's mother passed right after we were married); I lost my personal angel. Melodramatic? Maybe. But so what--my Mother was/is a HUGE part of my life. She inspired me to dream, to succeed, to love, to laugh...of course others in my life have, too, but my Mom was IT. I got my artistic talent from her, and her sense of fun as well. People told us we looked alike; strangely enough, we had "matching" moles on our right hip. (Too much info--yeah, you're probably right). My point ultimately being that my Mom was too big a part of my life not to mention her here--a journal of things of art and life that I enjoy and love. So here is a tiny sample of one of the things my Mom liked to do, and what has stayed with me....

When I was a tiny kid--and I remember this well--she would take me for walks, as many Moms do. But she would stop along the way, numerous times, to show me the bark of a tree, up close in all it's detail, touching and really noticing it. She would point out clouds; how each leaf of a tree is different, just like a fingerprint; the tiny universe that is the center of a flower; a bright color someone was wearing; a happy dog's wagging tail; a smiling baby. Things that are often passed by, glanced over, my Mom noticed. It has given me the gift of appreciating that many more things in life, and I try to incorporate those details in some of the work I do. So she is with me, all the time. Not in the way I'd RATHER her be, but in the way she can and needs to be now.

I miss you, Mom.

Seein' things with Spoonflower

I threw together these two patterns as a test run to see how Spoonflower's fabric prints. If all goes well, a friend and I may venture into some home decor ideas using the fabric. Here's what I sent to Spoonflower; I'll post the results (with commentary, no doubt). Let me know what you think: I could use the feedback!

I Felt It

I just got back from the Felt Club art & craft fair, held at the Shrine in Los Angeles. I just discovered it and went on a whim, and I must say, spontaneity wins  again. There was such a great crowd of people and vendors, and everyone seemed so enthusiastic about being there. It has such a positive vibe that every time I thought I was headed out the door, I'd head back down another aisle (again). I think I walked, perused, browsed, coveted, and meandered thru all the aisles at least 4 times. I had a great time and my brain feels caffeinated by the Muses.

I'm eager to learn more about it, so I can make it my goal to be a vendor this time next year.

Here goes....

AUCTION: Going Once, Going Twice....

I have donated  two children's room murals to two different auctions: one for the auction fundraiser for my little girl's school, and one to the Pasadena Children's Guild, which is a private non-profit organization raising money to cover health costs of families in need.

NOTE:  If you want to see a slide show of my art in one space, instead of scrolling thru the blog, please click on the fairy to the right. That should take you to a Flickr page.

If you are interested in the Pasadena Children's Guild Auction, it ends Nov 11 or 12, 2008.

Here's the link:

www.pcg.cmarket.com

Decisions...

I'm getting ready to work on a new batch of chairs; one in particular I'm eager to get done, I just have to decide on the fabric. I'm totally crushing on Anna Maria Horner's two latest lines "Garden Party" and "Drawing Room". The latter is home decor weight, and I'm trying to decide which I'll order for the seat of one of my next chairs. (These two are called Green Sketchbook and Blue Sketchbook, respectively). You can see the entire collection by visiting Anna Marie Horner's site and blog at http://www.annamariahorner.com/productfabric.html. I've purchased these online from http://www.jcarolinecreative.com/ and get my order quick as a wink.

How to Make my Brain Implode

So on a Saturday morning I'm driving along a residential street, happily on my way to meet a friend for some great and rarely gotten "girl time". However, due to various last second things popping up (as they always do), I was running a bit behind schedule, so I had no "lee-way" in travel time.

Naturally, I drove by--and I'm not exaggerating---5 yard sales in a matter of a mile and a half. And no time to stop and peruse for my furniture fixation. FIVE! 1-2-3-4-5! Ugh! and no time to stop.

I'm still picking bits of cranium out of my car seat.

Economic Pick-Me-Up

Right now I'm visiting my Dad in the heart of the Midwest. A nice little slice of "Main Street" America, too small to qualify as a city, but much larger than the villages and townships sprinkled around its rural perimeter. It's pretty here; a simple town with a variety of large,hundred-year-old homes as well as modest yet cozy bungalows. This little town is rich with history from the Civil War, Underground Railroad, and long-ago presidents. Surrounded by miles and miles of farms, one would think that maybe, just maybe, this little homey hub of friendly folk could be immune from the maddening malaise that is Washington, D.C. Not entirely, but there is hope (and, No, I'm not referring to any candidates)....
Among all the financial concerns, it always boils down to this: everyone wants a bargain. I found one.
As my Dad drove down Church Street, a magnetic pull forced me to slap my face up against the passenger window (much like the dog does)and gasp. There, stacked and looking as tempting as a shop full of jelly donuts were...CHAIRS! Tons of them! Cane-backed, Deco-styled, with seats, no seats, chipped, old, and calling my name. It was fate.I've been planning on trying to expand my hobby of painting & selling unique furniture into a small business; and what does one need to start? Capital. And what is part of capital? Inventory. And I just found some inventory: 9 chairs and a footstool for $32.00.
Not a big deal on a large scale, I know; this will not be bailing anyone out. But, it will be helping this dreamer/entrepreneur get started. : )

Immediate Gratifi-what??

Okay, so maybe I'm a wee bit more patient than I give myself credit for: I mean, if I were THAT much into instant gratification, would it take me 10 pathetic months to get 3 little 8"x10" paintings done for one of my friends? It was supposed to be a baby shower gift, and her little boy is 10 months old. (Phew!! Just made it under the 1-year old b-day mark! ...insert rolling eyes here).
Anyway, they were fun to do, even if they did get done a square inch at a time.

Sandie: You're a great friend, even tho' we don't get to see each other much. Please don't take the delay as a reflection of what I think of you and that danged cute little Kegan!

May you always have much happiness, and I hope these pix will bring you a smile or two.

Anticipation

Can you tell that I'm a practitioner of "instant gratification"? Instead of waiting until the set was entirely done, I keep putting up partial and "almost there" photos. OR, since it is the political season, I can spin it and say: "I did this for your benefit, so you could see the process". Yeah--I'm a giver.

So here is the lotus flower table which means the set is basically done. When I purchased the set, one of the tables was missing a "finial" decor piece in the base. I'm still trying to see if I can get a matching, or at the very least a similar one, to fill the little hole that is left behind. If not, a little wood filler spackle-ish stuff and more grey paint out to tie up any loose ends nicely.

Hope you had a nice Labor Day weekend,
Leona

Good Mommy

What kind of Mommy would I be if I didn't add my 3 year old's contribution to the art world. This was going to be the companion piece to the Red Dahlia chair (in a previous post), but Olivia kind of took over; which is fine, actually, because it sometimes allowed me to get other painting done while she was preoccupied with her project!

Koi Part Deux

Ok--here's a quick shot to show the few small extras I added to the koi fish table. I'm ready to move on to the top of the companion table and paint the lotus flower next.

coy fish or koi fish?

Okay, so I was working on this table. It was halfway done (the top charcoal grey with a simple mod leaf pattern started) and I decided it wasn't quite "right". The leaves I had designed, I was hoping would offset the frilly and scrolly (I'm pretty sure that's a real word ; ) ) that is going on on the edges and legs of the table. They looked pretty good, but then it left me flummoxed on what to do with the legs; I wanted to bring some of the leaf color down onto the legs, but it just wasn't tying in well. So: I pulled out the paint stripper and started the top over again.

This time I decided to go with less mod and more...cod. Sorry--couldn't resist. Seriously, I thought the lines of the fish would work with the scrolly-ness of the table; I decided to work with the table instead of trying to force some kind of contrived balance.
The table is still not finished--I have to add a wee bit more to the top, and bring some of the green down onto the legs in some subtle way. But the majority of it is done, so I thought I'd post it anyway.

I have a matching table (I bought them as a set at an estate sale). I'll use the same paint colors, but paint a different item on the top, like a lotus flower. So they can either work as a set or independently.

Just keep swimming,
Leona

I have to figure this out....

Ok: I need to figure out how to relay clearly, on a blog, a high pitched girlie-squeal. You know the one: like two teenage girls who haven't seen each other since, oh, before lunch, and they run toward each other with their arms outstretched; their hands meet, they jump around in a circle hitched at the wrists, and squeal in such a high pitch that a wine glass doesn't have a chance at survival. That squeal.

Why am I so giddy? Cuz I just discovered a couple blogs devoted to fabric design and creating your own fabrics and patterns.
As a creative person, I am almost always on the lookout for a new project or art-like thing to do. My latest crush is on fabrics. Who designs them, how they are made, how one becomes a fabric designer, staring at loads of designs online, etc. And one of new discoveries is for a company that will print your own design on fabric for you. Is this really happening??!! Somebody PINCH me! So, in case--heaven forbid--I have a spare moment among raising my daughter, my professional work and my hobbies of furniture painting, jewelry making (also a new venture), mural painting, sketching characters, wanting to take sewing and guitar lessons, and my obsession with checking my email, I can now pretend that I will someday be the next Amy Butler, Anna Maria Horner, et al.

At least it keeps me off the streets.

The Blues

Here is one of a set of two chairs; both with be painted and upholstered the same. I love the fabric pattern--I was looking for something mod, fun, and bold; the poor thing needed some love & perky-ness. This set will be available through Majestical Roof artists' boutique in Old Town Pasadena. I'm so excited that they want to display multiple pieces I've created. Now I really have to get crackin'!
The fabric I used was purchased online thru jcaroline creative Paint is Dutch Boy Clarity, which is a more eco-friendly latex paint (yay!).
Let me know what you think!

I know, I know

So I haven't posted in awhile, but it's like this, see....
I actually have 5 (yes, count on your fingers,FIVE) pieces in progress, but now I'm out of town for a short while and won't get back into the studio (ok--garage) for a few more days. But my brain is working overtime on ideas of what the finished pieces will look like. And they'll be cool. Honest.

I'm very excited as a great artist's boutique in Pasadena, called Majestical Roof, would like to show more of my stuff in their shop. Right now they have the aqua chair with the red dahlias on it (shown in an earlier post). So as soon as I'm back in the garage, the paintbrushes will be flying like Yoda with a lightsaber.For a peek at Majestical Roof's boutique visit their myspace page (link to come). They have a huge range of artist's and goods, and bask in the joy of knowing that the items they carry are unique--no mass market things--AND they work with their artists to fill any requests for commissioned work as well.

Also, I am happy to say that my sweet friend Elizabeth is on the board of the Pasadena Children's Guild, which helps families with children receive healthcare, who otherwise wouldn't be able to afford it. The Guild holds a big fundraiser, and elizabeth gave me the warm fuzzies when she asked me to donate a one-wall children's mural. I hope there's an eager bidder for that--I'd LOVE to be able to help such an awesome cause. And I get to draw & paint--what a perk! I'll be posting a link to their site soon, so you can learn more about the event and the organization.

Belly Up to the BAurrrrgh!.....Dahrlingk..

These three items were done as a fun project among some of my talented friends and co-workers. My versions of a pirate, a villainess, and a cowboy.

Design*sponge--YAY!

Grace Bonney over at design*sponge posted my Red Dahlia chair makeover on her blog, in her "before & after" section. I've received a lot of great comments on it, which is exciting. Although, I'm sure my husband is mildly dreading the spawn of further furniture diy projects it will undoubtedly lead to. (Buh-bye garage space!). I've been planning to sell it on Craig's List, so wish me luck. Design*sponge receives over 25,000 hits daily, so it was nice to get the project recognized. Grace has a great site and a great eye for various design projects; her site is a great source of inspiration. Head on over to it: http://www.designspongeonline.com/category/before-and-after
You can link to her home page at the side bar to the right of here.
Enjoy!
Leona

Enchanted Fairy 2

I finally got around to painting the second fairy in my girl's room. she gave me the best kudos: "Yits BOOTIFUL Mama!". I almost squeezed the goo right out of her. There is very little that happens on the face of this earth that is as special as a 2 1/2 yr old's ear-to-ear smile.

Under the Sea

These are some snaps of parts of a sea-themed mural I just did for a friend. The first two are "before" photos. She didn't want an entire underwater scene, just randomly placed critters on their blue walls, to give a feel of being underwater. My camera doesn't have a wide angle view, so instead of posting a whole wall, I'm posting some of the favorite critters. The white brackets in some of the art are parts of shelves that go around most of the room. This took me a little while as I tend to work in layers (and in small time slots due to my daily Mom schedule). Comments welcomed.