Merry Christmas from the Sierra Foothills....

Just listed this guy on Ebay. Low shipping and he will be mailed next day.
(after payment received)

I love doing Santas but have trouble parting with them!

This is the coolest giveaway! You really should go check it out...there are such talented artists on BWBA. I forgot...I forgot how many artists I admire and get inspired by.

Click on the pic to go to the drawing.

Back

It has been so long since I have posted. Things kind of fell apart for me for a while there. But I'm back in the saddle and anxious to look at everyone's blogs.

Another View of the Magic Mushroom

Thanks for all of your responses on my Magic Mushroom. I did it with Marilyn Radzat's class at my website but still have to finish it. Here is the outside view as it sits on my worktable. My plans are to finish painting the rock path and edging (sculpted from Apoxie Sculpt) and add reindeer moss to the gourd base between the paths. I also have some mini mushrooms going to put on the base. It measures about 13" high.

WIPs

Inside top of my "Magic Mushroom"
One of my Works in Progress

WIPs (Works in Progress)

This seems to be a common aggravation of many artists and crafters: We start many things that we don't finish.

I think that there are two reasons that we don't finish projects:

• The amount of work needed to finish the work is overwhelming. Maybe we didn't realize how much work would be required when we started.
• We have simply lost interest and love for the project. There are no points here for finishing for the sake of finishing. If you don't love it, you are wasting your time.
  

I have several of WIPs myself and I actually had to let a lot of the old ones go. I chalk those projects up to a learning experience. I had to come to terms with the fact that I didn't have the passion to finish them. There is nothing wrong with letting an old project go because you're actually making room for the new projects that you will create with your honed skills.

For the projects that you do still love and want to finish, my suggestion is this:

1. Make a list of the projects that you still love and want to finish. (If you have too many, try to let a few go. It feels good to give away or simply throw away things that you don't love).
2. Place a checkmark by the one that you want to finish the most or at least first.
3. Ask yourself what one small thing you can do to progress on that project. So many times we become overwhelmed by the amount of work that we must put into a work to finish it. We can go under the radar of overwhelm by thinking of one tiny, little step to finish. And only do that tiny little step.
4. Repeat step 3 until your project is done.
5. Repeat steps 1-4.

The Inspiration of Poppies

It was Georgia O'Keefe's work that led me into the dream that I could be a full-time artist. In 1989, I saw an exhibition of her work, my very first trip to an art museum. My head swam with visions of her art and I something in me harmonized with her work and led me to know that Art was my passion. Her Poppies paintings are particularly favorites of mine and inspire me to look inside to my own expression.

Beckymae

JammerDesignz

LisaCookJewelry

ElizabethBunker's Etsy Shop

Sabineajewelry's Etsy Shop

Sugarlid's Etsy Shop

HaileyLuDesigns2

CeeVeeArt's Etsy Store

Robin's Blog

My daughter, Robin, is a photographer and has started a blog. Please go and pay her a visit and see how she sees things through the lens of her camera:

And I leave you with a quote that I believe with all of my heart.

Back from my trip and new bracelets

I made it back home after more than a week away. I don't leave again until next Monday. I have a class to teach in Placerville on the 9th. This is the project that I'm teaching. It's made from a gourd and I call it the Jeweled Leaf Bowl.

I spent most of the first days in bed with the flu, along with my grandson and daughter. Good thing her husband was away and that her bed was big enough for us sickies. We did some art, Bubbies (that's me) got on the skateboard with the kids several times (no pics to prove it, though), and I hit up a neat craft store, a bead store, and a cool little gallery called the Shabby House.

Here are a couple of projects that I worked on: A Dogwood Blossom pendant

And one of the two bracelets that I finished in Boise:

Here's the promised picture of my niece, Teagan Rose, and also my grandson Jake.

Road Trip!

On Sunday, after my daughter's baby shower, my best friend Cathy and I set off from California to Boise to make it to the birth of her daughter. My daughter also lives in Boise as well as two of my grandsons.

Have you ever taken a road trip with a best friend?

We've travelled a lot together, mostly flying. This was our first really big road trip after being friends for 34 years! We were punchy, laughed a lot, and arrived after 13 hours of driving with just a few stops.

One stop in Oregon was a little like Deliverance. Scary!

Leaving Visalia

Through Sacramento

Through Winnemucca Nevada (Had never heard of it!)

To St Lukes in Boise

We got there in time to see the baby born. I was able to help Lindsay, who I consider my niece, with pushing. See, I used to be a Doula for many many years. It's as natural as breathing for me when I get around a laboring woman!

Pics of the baby in my next post. Her name is Teagan Rose.

I plan to scope out some boutiques while I'm here and show what Boise has to offer.

Tell me about a road trip you took with a friend, okay?

Boys Boys Boys!

I have 3 grown daughters, 3 grandsons, and 2 more grandsons on the way!

My Oldest is Robin and Grandson Chase...

Robin's second son, my grandson Olin (who is now 5 months)...

Here is Madison, to be born in late May...

to his Mommy Erin (my youngest)...

Here is Sarah, my middle daughter, with grandson, Jake:

And no picture of her baby to share yet. But he's a boy.

They call me Bubbies. And there are so many of them, so much boy energy! Bubbies gets tired.
But I love them all!

Cigar Box Shrine Auction

Many of you know that Rebecca (Recuerdamicorazon) organized a Cigar Box Shrine auction with many talented artists, some famous like our own Marilyn Radzat, Michael DeMeng, Misty Mawn, and others. The auction will benefit The Street Children of Oaxaca project.

I don't know how many of you have actually followed the link to find out more about this charity so I will give you a little summary.

About Oaxaca Street Children Grassroots

Harold and Jodi Bauman of Mississippi founded Oaxaca Street Children Grassroots in 1996. They were on vacation in Oaxaca and although they loved the area, they were disturbed to find that so many children were out selling little trinkets in the parks and on the streets during school and nightime hours. Since the founding of the organization which helps by sponsoring children so that they can go to school, they have helped many many children and their families. they have added a medical and food assistance program.

Oaxaca's poorest families cannot afford education, basic health care, or a nutritious meal for their children. Government services are minimal and difficult to access. Education is not "free" in Mexico as it is in the US, so the poorest often must choose between feeding their children or sending them to school.

The Cigar box Shrine Auction begins on March 1st but you won't actually be able to go in to bid on the auction until it begins.

Here is the link to the cigar box shrine Gallery:

See the Shrines

Please give your generous support to this worthy cause.

On another note, in Rebecca I found a Kindred Spirit! She is such a tenderhearted woman, I cannot even tell you. thank you, Rebecca, for doing this wonderful thing!

My Works in Progress

Here are a few things that I'm working on lately:

Button bracelets using all antique and vintage buttons and some beads (thanks to Deryn, Kelly, and everyone at A Charming Exchange to get me started and unafraid!):

Polymer focal pendants: (I can't seem to get a decent picture of the others today. But I have a light tent coming!)

I'm looking forward to taking better pictures later this week. I have several pendants going and I'm trying to get a little stock to fill at least one page on my Etsy Store!

Here's to a great week!

Happy Valentines Day!

Thanks, Graphicsfairy for the free download!

6th Pic in the 6th Folder

Yep, I've been tagged!

This was taken in January with my camera in its trusty underwater case! This was a beautiful day on the Big Island near Kona and I got in the middle of some schools of fish: it was a heavenly feeling.

Here are a couple more:

Doesn't this one remind you of a Jaws scene....just before the music starts? It was actually very rocky here so people are taking care of their feet but it looks like it could have been a shark swimming around! Poor random people, have no idea they're in my little bloggie here.

Showing my Work

I spend most of my time promoting other people's art and I love doing that. But I thought I would give you a glimpse of the work that I have done.

My style tends to be earthy; I love to work in natural mediums.

Here are some of my gourd dolls using a gourd as a base and paperclay sculpted face and limbs:

Fertility, Gourds, handfelted hair and dress, paperclay face and arms

All That I Am, Gourds, Paperclay, handfelted rug

Tribal Madonna, 2 gourds (they come apart) paperclay, acrylic paint, polymer "elk's teeth"

Here are some gourd bowls, one painted, one woodburned and colored pencil:

Cooper's Hawk, gourd, woodburned, colored pencil,
pine needle rim, cooper's hawk embellishment

Moon and Venus, Gourd, acrylic paint, Elk Leather Rim, feathers

Here is a bit of my pottery, which was what led me to working in gourds in the first place. In the summer, when I wasn't firing at school, I decided to see what could be done with the gourd.

Break Blue Trio, Cone 10 firing, handbuilt


Raven and Splash, cone 10 firing, Wheel Thrown

Woodburning on a canoe that my husband built:

And finally, a drawing and a drawing that I did a couple of years ago. Even when I'm drawing or painting, there is nature involved:

Hope you enjoyed the show! And now you know a little more about me.