Four very lazy susan's sitting in the Sun!!

After all of my talk yesterday about watching American Idol,

I didn't get to spend any time watching it at all.

Instead,

I worked on completing a wholesale order for

the Made In Oregon stores.

These are a few of the pieces that are heading there today -

one design of the lazy susans they purchase from us.

Also included are mirrors and plaques.

So even though I missed the American Idol show - I can always catch it on Hulu.

My hand won't stop drawing!!

A new piece - actually a special request from a friend. And it shows some of the influence from my online class with JoAnn Sharp!



You saw this one a few weeks ago - but it is finished now and not so blurry!



It's Wednesday.

That means American Idol.

I admit it . . .I am an American Idol junkie.

I love the show - I grew up singing and performing.

I don't do it often now - but I do love listening to the performers.

However, there is a problem.

I don't have a cable connection in my art studio. I don't want tv in my art studio.

I do watch movies in there - and I have been known to netflix entire series of tv shows in there.

(OK - confession, I watch alot of tv shows on netflix in there - but it doesn't count, because there are no commercials!)

But I don't want the commercials in my studio. My studio is my sacred space and I don't want that in there.

So when I choose to watch AI on Wednesday nights - I either have to move everything that I paint with into another room - or forgo painting all together.

So instead - I compromise and doodle and draw and experiment with my paper and pencils and new markers.

And I am having a great time -

And I am enjoying the fact that they are so portable!

And now another confession . . .

I did it.

I broke down and have started my collection of copic markers.

I do not; however, have them yet.

It was more affordable to buy them online.

And now I will be experiencing Christmas is May!

So I will have to wait . . .and wait . . .and wait.

In the meantime, I will keep playing with these tombow markers and I'll keep you posted on my experimentation with the new copics once they arrive.

So to say the least - if you wonder where I will be at about 8:00 tonight -

it's a pretty safe bet that I will be sitting on my bed,

the tv remote close at hand,

and my drawing supplies spread out it front of me.

Get Them While There In Season!!

It's Spring . . .finally.

Mother Nature has been a bit finicky this year - but she seems to have finally decided to start waking up.

At least in our corner of the world.

With that - we are working on yard stakes.

We introduced these last year and we are quickly working on rebuilding our inventory.

We start the first of our spring/summer shows this coming weekend.

So it's time to take a breath and move forward!

Everyone Enjoy's A Good Bench!!

So I gave a sneak preview of this bench project a couple of posts ago . . .

One of our great customers had requested a long coffee table bench for her home.

I have one very similar and she wanted one as well.

The benches that we used were castoffs.

My sister-in-law works at one of the local elementary schools.

Last fall, when the employees were "back to school" and cleaning and organizing for the new school year,

she discovered two solid wood benches.

Their fate? The dumpster.

Are you kidding? They were just going to toss them in the dumpster???
What were they thinking.

She called and asked if I wanted to perform a rescue -

I have my friends and family so well trained on cast-off furniture.

And FREE is a very good price!

What was wrong with them?

The paint was a bit chipped - but that was about it.
They were heavy and solid and in great condition.

My superhero - (aka my husband Jon) - dropped what he was doing and immediately drove over the school and rescued them.

He then sanded them down and connected them together with bolts.

Primed them.

And then I took over.

Blocks of color. . .

Followed by  an undercoating of white for the various designs. . .

(sorry. This one is little blurry . . .)

Then color, words and detailing. . .

Words and images face different directions so you can view it from any angle.

The end result?
A very sturdy creation, full of whimsy and bright color.
The final product measures approximately 2 feet wide and 8 feet long.

Next on the agenda?
A bridge painting . . .details to come.