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.