Happy Friday the 13th!

I couldn't help myself, and for the fear of my brains exploding took a personal day. I didn't go to work, I shut myself in my room with the bright sunlight coming in and I was productive. It felt SO nice to have the only noise here be exactly the music I wanted to listen to. A lively mix that is happy, and as soft background sounds it inspired my creativity.

With zero interruptions I drew and colored, colored and drew, and I got one little guy all the way finished up. He's part of the Christmas cards I mentioned on Wednesday that I am so excited about. I'm anxious about getting the rest of the set completed ASAP-- not only because I've been wanting to tackle this idea for months now, but because I'm terribly behind! Everyone else had their Christmas stuff out weeks ago. Sigh.

Well, here is a squeak-- err-- sneak peek:

Come back soon for more!

A Happy 11-11 to everyone that knows what I'm talking about, and for the rest of you.. perhaps you should know that I have a "curse" that I've learned to just-- well, embrace, I guess you could say.

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I've been tired lately, an early-onset of the cold, dark weather 'sighs'. But today was a better day.



I remember years ago driving with my grandparents through a canyon, when my grandma suddenly screamed "LES! I saw an acorn! PULL OVER!"

How she saw one little acorn on that forest floor with us bouncing down that windy, dusty road the way we were, I will never know.. but she hopped out of the truck and ran back to get it. She came back with a couple of acorns, a small twig, and an ear-to-ear grin. My grandpa let her bring home the mountain findings and she planted them.

I think it was right then that I grew my love for little mountain scrub-oak.

My dad knows I've been wanting some for my yard, but couldn't afford the potted ones found only at expensive landscape suppliers. I think he was really pleased to call me at work with the following news:

He was on an east-side job and found a little baby scrub oak sapling that, in the midst of some serious excavating and construction, was uprooted. He told me he buried the root again off to the side in order to keep it moist and help avoid shock, so once I left work Alden and I drove up to rescue it. Cute tiny little thing... hardly a foot tall. Apparently it lost its last autumn leaf during the upheaval; its last bit of true 'scrub-oak identity'.

I put it in a pot and plan to let it winter over in the garage. I hope it survives and comes back in the spring.

Alden and I then went to the store for a few things, where we ended up in checkout lane 11, purchased eleven things, and the cashier even let Alden help her "scan the stripes". I love Harmons.






And as far as that announcement my entry title advertised... I have Christmas card sets on the way! I am so far behind, but I am eagerly trying to finish these up and have them available soon. I am so excited about the idea behind them too, and really can't wait to see them done. Please stay tuned!

I've thought about this before.. but.. I truly am outnumbered in my own house.

My son and boyfriend? Boys. Of course.




Kubie?



Boy.

Opa?



Boy.

Kuro?



Boy.

Buddy?



Yup. He's a boy, too.

And Winston? Furbottom the Third?



Boy boy boy.


Literally every living creature in here besides myself is male. Minus the plants.

I'm feeling like I need a little more estrogen in this place.
I adore all my boys, but I think I wouldn't mind being "mothered" for a change, for a few days anyway.

PS.. Can I ask when the vacation is? I feel like I've been at the office for too many days straight. I'd love to go see someplace warm and green. I haven't done that in a long time.

I am continually surprised at how many nice people I meet while doing local shows. Everyone is always so friendly!
The Piper and Chloe show went really well; I greatly appreciate everyone's support and can't say thanks enough!

I have always wanted to take a book for people to sign their email addresses inside and just never did it until now. WOW what a response! I had more people join my mailing list than I originally thought I would. And that all by itself is very flattering.

This show snuck up on me as well. I think all shows will do that-- just by default. Never enough time to plan, never enough time to finish and be fully prepared. And while some evenings were spent down in the art room (versus just at night), Alden hung out with me and helped me get ready. He sees me making and packaging multiple prints of the same piece, and so, being a sweetheart, made me a few all by himself:

He was in a hurry because it was his bedtime, and as he ran off to get his pajamas on he yelled over his shoulder: "you can sell the originals if you want." Haha. They are "the red hat girl, but with a bluebird on her head, for the art show!" he told me. (How cute!)

One drawback to doing these local shows is that I can usually only take myself. My trunk hardly allows room to fit anything, and because I have a coupe I can't fit much more in the back... so I usually set up and take down solo due to all of my seats being filled with stuff. This time I was lucky though and able to bring Alden along for take-down. He was such a big help, so we stopped at a gas station for treats before the drive home. He got skittles and a water bottle. Me, a cherry pepsi. We mixed it up with some Elvis, a little Journey, Georgia Gibbs, The Monkeys, The Beatles, and of course The Beach Boys. I can't contain myself when Alden sings along; especially to "Help Me Rhonda".
OH, and let's not forget Uptown Girl.
No no, the Billy Joel version.
Oh yes.
It was a party.

Besides a good show the last few weeks have also brought a few other nice things:

*Carrie hanging out with Alden so Austin and I could go on a date; we saw Bright Star. Sad, but I liked the movie.
*A mini Wolverine, a 40's moviestar, and a 'poor sport' met an adorable flapper for a Halloween dinner
*Cups of warm, vegan hot chocolates cooked stove-top, complete with brown sugar and whip
*The Yankees won the series (most nights, Alden, Austin and I wrapped up in blankets and watched the games together)
*Planted a few more bulbs for some springtime surprises
*And... more things I'm sure. I've had the fidgets about finishing a series of small pieces before it gets too late in the season, and I've actually started adding color to one today... so I'm off to do that.

More later!

I've never done a "Piper & Chloe" show before, so I'm excited to have been included and can't wait to give it a shot. I've heard nothing but good things about it!

The show takes place up north, in Farmington for those who live in Utah.
You can click the little banner above for more information, and if you are so inclined, visit this nice entry that Ashley posted about me on the Piper & Chloe journal:

*click*

I hope you can stop by the show! It starts this Friday November 6th, and finishes up Saturday evening on the 7th. Holiday shopping can never begin too early! ;)

I sat down in my art room some time ago with this image in my head, and decided that I would try to fully illustrate the portrait digitally rather than my traditional way. So, I did.. and I'm happy with the way she came out.

I used Photoshop completely. And of course my trusty Wacom that Austin got me for Christmas two years ago. I've never painted a portrait that way, and couldn't wait until the little cards I outsourced came back from the printers. I like how her hat and bow are more of a design element than fully rendered, and want to incorporate more of that into my work on future pieces.





I've turned these little cards into multi-purpose tags; sets will be available in packs of 12 (non-punched and no string), and also sets of 8 tags, each on a 14 inch strand of black+white baker's twine.

I figured each set could be used in different ways and the little cards could act as miniature notes, gift tags or whatever else people could think up.




Sets of 8 on licorice twine are available now in my BigCartel and Etsy shops.

Happy tagging!

Hello! If anyone sees this today I could totally use some love and support.. please vote for my "Taken By Bats" print! (And in the meantime, forgive the shameless begging and self-promotion.)

I received a message that Graeme has selected my print for his daily "Vote Etsy" contest, and I'm so flattered. There are only three pieces to pick from; how cool is it that I made the cut?
Thanks Graeme!

The contest ends today, so if you make it here on TUESDAY THE 27TH and wouldn't mind clicking your mouse a few times, I would sure appreciate the votes.

V O T E . E T S Y
Thank you everyone!

I started this poor little girl immediately after I started Charlie, and that piece has been done for a while now. Years maybe. In the meanwhile this bluebirds girl has been waiting and waiting while I get revved up about another new idea and then another, leaving her high on a shelf for another day and often forgotten about.

Austin though, remembered her more often than I did and brought her up multiple times. "Finish up your bluebirds girl", he would say, and "why don't you work on the blonde one? She's almost done," so, finally, I did.
At the rate I was going, I really don't know if I would have ever finished her if Austin hadn't of kept me in check.

So, here she is.. "Brie and the bluebirds", back from the photographer's studio and ready in print form:

Available now in both the big cartel and etsy shops.

Having a cell phone camera makes for catching little situations that make me happy quite convenient.
Thought I'd share a few recent ones:

heart petal




this little yorkie in a bridal shop window




crazy stormlight over autumn leaves.. a rainbow on a black sky




silly little flicker bird watching his reflection in our window




some mushies




my boys




and Alden being silly about his two recently lost bottom teeth.





Next up: a looooong overdue painting, back from her photo shoot and ready for distribution. Stay tuned!

This last week or so, like normal, has been busy.

- Alden lost his first tooth! (He got "a whole dollar" from the tooth fairy, and then two days later lost his second tooth. Pulled them both out on his own. Hah.)

- Cleared out all of the annuals that have finished their season in my flower bed, and made room to plant black tulip, king daffodil, and tiny little muscari bulbs. Alden helped so much! We'll put in the pink crocus on another clear day. I can't wait for them to come up next spring!

- More magnets and "Taken by Bats" prints have made their way to Lounge Salon for resale.

- Giant harvest vegetable and not-chicken pot pie baked up for dinner
(provided yummy leftovers for lunch at work for three days!)

- Working on Este Pizzeria menu board layouts
(taking over for the beer supplier who seems to be having trouble getting it "just right")

- Finishing up a few custom orders on "the girls" side of my shops (thank you for your requests!)

- Gearing up for another show.. more details to follow

- Saw 'Where the Wild Things Are'
(Not a family-friendly feel good kid-type movie like I was expecting. As Austin put it, the trailer was better than the film. It was creative, and I understand where they were going with it, but I assumed it was made for kids and a child is not going to catch on to what Max is experiencing, learning. Plus, for some reason.. keeping bits of the original story text was slightly embarrassing. It felt forced in to the movie. For being only and hour and thirty-four minutes long, it dragged and dragged. An hour and thirty minutes of it was full of hostility, depression and tension, and the only four silent minutes of the film was the normal, comforting part. I'm sad I took Alden to it. I feel like it left a bad taste in his mouth for the classic story.)

- Baked a batch of chocolate chip cookies (while Alden stood by, licking the beaters, of course)

- Took a (finally) finished piece to a local print and photography studio for reproduction (will be available in the shop soon!)

- Ryan (Austin's brother) went back to San Diego today. He spent about two weeks with us here again, guest-spotting at Goodtimes. I fully plan to mention his arrival when he actually arrives next time, rather than at his departure, so you locals can see his work and schedule an appointment. He's really a great artist.

- Received an email today that I've been included in a treasury again; this time a lovely, haunting, right-in-time-for-Halloween bats-themed treasury:

Thank you Kendra! I'm always so flattered when people put me in treasuries.

Well, whew! More just keeps coming.. I'll be back!