Of Gratitude and Pumpkin Pie

Hopefully,we are all having a wonderful thanksgiving of our choice, sharing time with family, friends, and ourselves! I just wanted to take this moment (during Hazel's naptime) to talk about what I am most grateful for.

I am grateful for my life as a whole, but especially getting to spend it here in the Pacific Northwest, which I will always call home. If I hadn't moved here (as a child, so I didn't have much choice) I would not have had the wonderful adventures I have had, including meeting my husband and all my friends!

I am so thankful to have my wonderful, sexy (and funny) husband in my life. I can't believe we've known each other for almost 15 years, and been married for 10. He's my best friend, my confidant, lover, supporter, and partner in crime!

And now I get to add to this wonderful life by including Hazel in it! I never thought I would have a child of my own, let alone one as wonderful as her! She's brought about the most demanding changes my life has ever asked of me, but I am grateful for every moment that I get to be her mom.

I am so very grateful for my amazing family and parents. They have supported me my entire life in all my endeavors, and I would not be who I am today without them. Not to mention the fact that my mother continues to make thanksgiving dinner even when cooking is not her favorite pastime. It helps things a bit knowing Jason is bringing his amazing pies to dinner at her house too!

I am even so lucky to have amazingly cool in-laws and extended family. People always have horror stories about family and all the stress involved with it. I feel lucky that I can actually look forward to seeing family!

And finally, I am thankful to have my creativity, my imagination, and the time and space to let myself shine through my art. I would not be able to live without a creative outlet. I feel so much better, so real, so "me" when I get the chance to create, and I am grateful that I get the opportunity to do so. I love and am thankful for every speck of creative mess I get to play with!

Well, that may not be the limit to my gratefulness as I can write off a long list including friends, beautiful home, comfort, health, the color green, good food, etc. etc. etc. But this is the end of my post (and alloted photos per post) so I leave you all to make your own lists of thankfulness today and everyday - and have a slice of pie for me too!

It's beginning to look a lot like tinsel...

Don't blame me about the horrible photos or the fact that the text is reverse. These are the things I do when the bambino is asleep and the digital camera is upstairs by her room and I just HAVE to share the fact that I have already started on HOLIDAY 08 at our house.  These were taken on my macbook's built-in little camera. Pathetic yes, but I WILL post to the blog when I want to!

Many of my friends know that I am OBSESSED with Halloween decorating, and that I often will haul out my many many MANY boxes of holiday decor early in September to get it all ready. Well, I am not that crazed about christmas. But damn, I really do like it.

I'm a huge fan of silly vintage holiday decor, flocked trees, old scratchy ornaments, silly old bobble santa heads, etc, etc. It's the one time of the year (ok, maybe two times a year) that I am all about the glitter. 

This year I did not put up a thing for Halloween. I had a 6 month old and was too sleep deprived to do much of anything except buy candy. Last Christmas we had a beautiful tree that we went into the woods and cut down ourselves...and only three ornaments on it due to my very pregnant status and the fact that I just couldn't bring myself to decorate for some crazy reason.  Well, I'm making up for it this year!!! MWAHAHAAAAAA. And now that Hazel is sleeping really well at 7pm, I have a few hours each night to work my mad glitter magic!

I only wish I had brought down another box (or two or three) so I could continue the madness. Well, I do have tomorrow night....and all the energy from that turkey and pie!

It's official

I am completely addicted to my new macbook laptop, Frida. Yes, I named my laptop. I have to start rationing my time with her, as it is sooo easy to just hop on for a second and check email, etc. However, it also gives me the opportunity to update my Etsy store (in which I just added this piece) as well as update this blog! whoo hoo! 

This is a recent piece on my new focus  - the heart. Most of the hearts are of the non-anatomically-correct variety. But I opted for a bit more realism with this piece. It is encaustic on wood with some collage elements added.

I had a few hours to myself today so I ran to two art supply stores and got some new "toys" to play around with the next time I am in the studio....so stay tuned for some new work!

More Mini Paintings

Here are some more fun mini paintings that I have been working on for the holiday season. Fun 4" squares of color and texture! I have so much fun making these and just had to share them. They are all currently listed on my Etsy store as well.
I was super busy this weekend with two super fun-filled Beeswax Collage classes I taught. We  had 7 women in my studio making beautiful pieces of art using molten beeswax, paper and fabric. And, as usual, I forgot to take pictures! oh well. 

just some good silly fun

So I just had to share again. This silly little photo is taken on my couch with my new macbook built-in camera. I had no idea this thing even had a camera in it. How cool is that? So, yeah, a silly grainy bad photo. YAY for silliness!

I am hosting our monthly IEA Encaustic meeting this week and I am teaching two classes this weekend; one special one just for a group of friends that booked my studio for the class. I'm gonna be busy busy and having a blast. Can't wait! And hopefully I can get some play time in the studio as well. 

When the Planets Align

Yes, it's true I have no photo to include today. That is because I am currently updating my blog on my spanking new macbook that I have coveted for oh so long. The REALLY cool part of this is that I am currently online WIRELESSLY in my dining room at home. This was after spending the past two hours on the phone and off trying to install a wireless router for our house. Can I tell you how NOT tech savvy I am, but thanks to two kindly gentlemen on the helpline and a lot of trying, we got it done! huzza! I am running into the new century with open arms...only 8 years late!

And the complete icing on the wireless cake? My darling Hazel has slept through the entire ordeal on one of her longest  naps in a while. I cannot believe my good fortune with all of this. I only hope this streak lasts! 

Look for a post soon WITH a photo included (once I get all my old computer stuff loaded onto this new beauty.)

Lewis Elementary Holiday Sale

Tomorrow, Nov. 8th, I will be selling at the Lewis Elementary School Bazaar from 10am-3pm. I will have a variety of new original Encaustic paintings and collages on wood and paper, as well as a clearance sale on some artsy handmade earrings and reproduction art prints! Come down and check it out!

Here are a couple small pieces of original art that I am selling for the holidays. These mini original paintings (4x4") are only $35 a piece and are perfect for holiday gifts or a little splurge for yourself. These are two of the many I have made recently.
I can't wait to the holiday sales to begin as they really get me in the mood for festive fun! I can almost taste the pumpkin pie and holiday cookies!