Meet my new inspiration, Alisa Burke!

If you haven't yet discovered Alisa Burke I strongly suggest you run right over to her blog and see the fantastic work she's doing. I say work, because she is one of the lucky ones who left her day job just about 2 weeks ago and is flying without a net doing her art full time.

I happen to be thrilled to be taking a couple of her on line workshops, read her book cover to cover, am knee deep in this crazy playful process she uses which is all about cheap thrills, freedom and play - which is what I always want art to be. Don't you?

She also has an Etsy shop where you can score her items like this one pictured here. Don't you just love the graffiti chic attitude of it?

I haven't blogged too much lately. I am reading Sister Diane's (Craftypod fame) e-book on blogging and it has really gotten me thinking about what I want to accomplish with this project. I don't think the world is all that interested in my day to day life as an unemployed person stuck in the limbo land of having been a career driven wife and mother, to an empty nester on the verge of some big changes which could include a move. So I'm focusing on things we could all use a little more of in our life: INSPIRATION. Don't you just love that jolty all-consuming feeling of a new passion or project, friend you've just met, or job well done? I know I do. Just like I'm feeling right now with what Alisa is offering through her style of art and technique - a am inspired and it feels awesome. It's times like these that have me desperate to be in the studio making lots of mess and cranking out the projects. So let me know what's inspiring you these days. It's a feel good feeding frenzy!

Good morning blogger friends!
I just found this neat place that offers recipes for making your own shampoo. The best part (for me) is that you can "flavor" it with all sorts of scents depending on your mood or liking. Check it out!

Something Blue for the Bride

So if you've got a bride to shower this month, here's an idea for a lovely, sentimental gift for her:

Inserted into this embossed "bodice" is a sweet vintage hanky that would be detached from the top and carried on the big day.

The ensemble hangs from copper hanger and comes all wrapped in tissue and celophane and tied with an organza (white) bow. You can find them at my Etsy Shop,of course, or make one yourself.

Tray Transformation

So two weeks ago I'm at my very favorite place to treasure hunt these days -Wednesday half off day at the Salvation Army- I spotted this little nothing on the bottom shelf of the housewares dept. A long bamboo tray about 16" by about 8". No missing parts, no construction issues. Clean. Any time I find a little gem like this I am always happier if it has a function, which a tray certainly does. So at $1.99 I couldn't resist. (by the way, why can't stores stop trying to manipulate me by putting these kinds of prices on things? We all know it's 2 bucks! It offends me.)

Anyway, I digress... Back home "we" (the tray and I) spent time together in my studio getting to know one another and I began pulling together Asian inspired things that I thought I could use to pimp the thing and so after several layers of sponge painting, some decoupage of various papers and images, rubber stamping, as well as a sprinkling of ephemera, it is now transformed into something new, functional, and lovely!

Although I wouldn't put food directly on it, it does have a final coat of polyurethane to protect it from spillage and such.

Actually I think it would look super hung low on a wall just above a table top or set into a small black easle at the back of a side table in a guest bedroom, entryway, or hall. Its tall stature would make an excellent backdrop for an Asian inspired vignette.

Butterflies signify Transformation

To me, nothing signifies transformation more than a butterfly. I mean, going from being a worm into something so lovely and delicate simply by wrapping up in some handspun and going to sleep is my idea of fantasy.

After finishing this cake for a customer (from my catering days who still calls me) I added that little pink butterfly to the card. A new teacher is born.

Today is Finish It Up Friday and the list of things I have started this week is so long it will cause me to drink wine at 8:30 am this morning if I attempt to list it all, so I'm going to skip that and move right on into it.

The weekend is upon us and I love all that it has promised, beginning with my husband coming home from a week long business trip that has spanned 10 weeks and I will celebrate with a couple of chicks tonight on a deck to be named later.

Baseball, grills, art, and swinging are all on my agenda for this one.

A list of plus and minus for Wednesday...it is Wednesday right?

Pluses:

......crickets....

........um..

..........oh right,

It's 50% off Wednesday at Salvation Army.

Minuses:

I have way too much stash to justify going over and adding to it.

Plus:

I have a dinner invitation tonight and my host tells me Ina Garten is on the menu!

Minus:

It's 10:30 and I'm still on line in my PJs with a big consignment order to deliver before the end of the week that isn't even in the cutting stages yet.

Pluses:

It's a gloomy, dark day - great for sewing and crafting

Minus:

The bouncing barometric pressure has provided me with a nagging sinus headache turning my motivation into mush

Plus:

Netflix just delivered Season 4 of Project Runway to my door.

Minus:

I just want to watch it all day with my knitting!

Plus:

I am a happy, healthy person with the world on a string...

nuf said.

PS: The apron isn't my design, only inspiration for some dresses I need to slice and dice. I'm thinking aprons on the horizon.

A Gorgeous Monday in May

It's the final day of May and I am delighted that it's a perfect one. After a really fun weekend filled with a perfect mixture of fun and productivity, it's onto a new week filled with the promise of learning, listening, and crafting. I have leftovers for dinner and no chores that have to get done, so the workshop is mine! Hmmmm. Now what to choose. I think since it's a really sunny, dry day I'm going to pass on the sewing or knitting, or workshop crafts - maybe tonight though after the sun goes down but the energy level remains. Instead I'll opt for my second round of handmade paper making. My last episode turned out so well and it was so much fun, I couldn't wait to get back to it. So I'm off to dig out the blender and all my toys to play the morning away.