Postsecret

Have you ever heard of this blog, Postsecret? It is a project where people admit secrets and fears, anything they haven't ever said out loud, by creating a postcard and mailing it in. Some of these confessions are so raw and haunting. Some make you smile. And some, well, they make your heart hurt. It is emotional and powerful. Words cannot describe.

There are 2 exhibits currently touring the country with thousands of postcards on display. One of them opens June 17th, tomorrow, in Reading, PA at the Reading Public Museum. I'd go! I am sure that in person, this is an amazing experience. Just looking at the online version is gut wrenching.

A book has been compiled. You can on buy it on Amazon.

(Warning: Some of the material is not approriate for younger eyes. Image courtesy of Postsecret)

Projekt 30 July Jurying

You know you love clicking through the array of talented artists that enter the Projekt30 monthly competitions. Well, lucky you! It's that time of the month! (Oi!)
From the 15th to the 30th jurying will be open to everyone and anyone! Click here to be dazzled!

Self Portrait Tuesday: Pop Art week 2

One of my favorite additions to my everyday life in the past 10 years, outside of my husband and finding my way through my art, is the digital camera. I love love love the freedom!! You dont have to snap off a roll, take it to be developed and then maybe, a few days later, you get a shot that you might like. The immediate gratification that is granted from the soft click of my Cyber-shot is priceless! I can be a fool, be careless and experimental. And if it sucks, DELETE! And if the lights not right, or its blurry, I get a second chance! Priceless!

My husband had me take pictures of the Elephant Ear plants his parents sent us to include in our Fathers Day card to his dad. While I was completeing my task I decided to have some fun! It was 8:30 am, the sun still low in the sky, and my shadow was so huge and tall it intrigued me. (This was before coffee. . . .) I then played around with the hues and filters in Photoshop.

This excersise every week really gets me to play and have fun. I get pulled away from the lists on my desk to just experiment, a word I use a lot, and I really like the freedom! Thank you to all of the people who participate and stop by to check out my pic for the week! I love seeing all the different imagery you all come up with, and the pieces of yourself that you choose to share!

To see more SPC Pop Art, click here.

Said and Done

On Saturday my print arrived from the Said and Done collaborative project. I have been eagerly anticipating its arrival, and it is finally here!

Said and Done is a project begun by the students at the Alberta College of Art and Design (A.C.A.D.). Silkscreen prints are sent to artists who apply and are accepted to participate. The prints are 7" x 11" and are silkscreened with different backgrounds. The one I received is pictured above. There are no limits to what can be done to each individual print. It is up to each artist to leave their mark. I will post a quick shot of the finished piece as I package it up once I am done. Once all the pieces are complete and received back by A.C.A.D a show will tour around.
Click here to see the work all ready received back by A.C.A.D. You'll really like seeing the work of the other artists. The different styles and array of approaches is quite dizzying!! I especially like the Ephraim Chui, Scott Radnidge, Porous Walker, and Ian Francis pieces.

What's your favorite???

Illustration Friday: Jungle

The theme this week on Illustration Friday is Jungle which is quite a strange happening as I just this week finished a piece called "It's A Jungle Out There". This isn't your typical jungle I know, but I am not your typical girl. This sweet and innocent black and white illustartion of a girl on rollerskates is emerging from a black and white world into one of virbrant color. Think Pleasantville, only 2D. Her number is up, and she is on her way!

Can you feel the love??

Today is big day! Lots of love is being passed around the blog world and I am ever so grateful for it!!


Katey over at That's Hot featured a few of my favorite pieces! Have you seen this blog yet? It is so cute! Katey is the crafty gal behind One Good Bumble Bee, a great resource for fun bookplates, keychains, buttons, etc. I think we share a paper obsession! Her collages are not to be missed!



And by way of Holly over at decor8 news of my sale got to the kind folks over at Apartment Therapy: LA. They had featured me earlier in the year and I am so elated that they would give me such a great shout out! Both decor8 and AT:LA have the most amazing finds! You gotta check 'em out!

You may be wondering what all the fuss is about! Well, I am having a 20% off sale EVERYTHING in my Etsy shop all month long. I will be adding items periodically so check back often!

No more dilly dallying! Get over there!

Just thought I'd share

In April my friend Jamey and I hosted an Etsy gathering at my house for few of us ladies to get together and brainstorm about the site and how to get the word out in our area. One of the ladies in attendance was Kim of In Craft We Trust. Besides being super sweet and having the cutest daughter who had us all entranced, Kims wares are really cool! She had this adorable passport cover with her that I had to have. I loved the large orange flower embroidered on the vinage fabric which Kim shared had been given to her by her grandmother! Although I did intend for the item to house my passports it has kind of morphed into serving a different kind of purpose.

My car is a little older and only has a tape deck, so I take my iPod with me most of the time. Which means that the poor Nano spends a lot of time bouncing around inside my giant purse. Now it is not only protected by the rubber skin it lives in, but by this great little pouch too! Plus, as an added bonus, my earphones can live in there too. Now, the earbud foams dont magically disappear or get so grungy no sane person would put them in their ear!

Kim will be selling her magical goods at this weekend the Felt Club Mini-Craft Fair in Hollywood, CA. This is the second Felt club and I plan on going and taking lots of pics to post on Creative Swoon. If you are in the LA area and are looking for a great outing on Saturday afternoon, get over there!!!



For more info of the Felt Club event, check out their website!

Self Portrait Tuesday

This image, which has become my avatar all over the web, was originally intended to be used on an actual self portrait, but I have yet to find the nerve to create a piece of art with my own face on it. I would rather hang my family and work from other artists in my home than my own portrait of myself. I love the large piece of my grandmother in our dining room and the portrait of my dad, posted yesterday, that hangs in his home. I am just not ready to walk past myself in the living room!

(The color isn't uploading correctly! I am really not sure why! Blogger, why you treat me so bad??)

Rant Warning!! This might be Loooonnng!

It seems to me that fate would always have things go wrong shortly after a warranty expires. I have had my Powerbook for a little over 3 years. Overall it is not in bad shape. A bit gluey on the frame but I can design my works, and surf the web. I can blog (when blogger will let me . . .) and overall my needs are being met. That is until the computers main components begin to break down before my very eyes!

In March, when my Mac turned 3 and my AppleCare expired I learn just how arrogant Apple is! Did you know that you can not renew your AppleCare, that from the time of expiration, 3 years after purchase, every time you call them they will charge you around $50 dollars to help you? I love this machine and how wonderful it is to work on, but the quality of minor pieces like the power source(!!!) is shabby and disappointing! Why do they assume that everyone who buys their products will be willing to, or be able to, replace their machine every 3 years??? In my world purchasing a computer is up there with buying a car or a major kitchen appliance. I don't anticipate replacing my brand new fridge in 3 years. Who does?

All this and I haven't even broached to topic yet! (I did say this might be long!)

Let me just say that I don't really take my computer anywhere. I unplug it and sit outside in my garden, or when I travel it comes with. But a majority of its life is spent on my desk. The wear and tear is pretty minimal. So when I saw that my powercord was ripping at the connection, for the second time since I have had this machine, I was a little miffed. $85.00+ after tax is a lot to pay (TWICE!) for a major component that doesn't really see that much action. I don't pull it out by the cord. I don't yank it or crush it. Worst part was that it was still lighting up, and staying green, so all of a sudden the machine just shut down. 0% battery. I think I stopped breathing for a few seconds before I realized what had happened.

I went to Apple.com (on my husbands iMac) and searched the online store for the part I needed to replace. For some reason the comments box caught my eye. If I tell you that out of 750+ comments 90% where angry consumers talking about how many times they have had to replace this piece, how the item has thrown SPARKS(!!!!!) and one even documented that their new powercord scorched their laptop, would you believe me? I would sure want to see it for myself. Click here to do just that!

Left with no way to turn on my machine I had to go to the Apple store and replace the power adapter. I asked them if there were any plans to change the design to a more sturdy and functional one. The nonchalance of these guys baffled me. They have obviously had a ton of angry people come in and don't want to have the conversation, again. They showed me the new models, with the new magnetic power adapter connection and shrug. Nothing they can do for me. And really, this kind of incompetence goes a bit higher than these two. They aren't decision makers. They are like car show models pointing at the shiny objects. So what of the people who have invested their money in the faulty machines??? Where is the recall? Where is the fix?? Who is going to rectify this problem that so many people are experiencing?? Where is Apple's responsibility??? Or do we just get to eat it? Buy a new one. Hope we dont explode with this one?

I have to stop here because I am just riling myself up, but I am curious. Has anyone else had this problem?? I might be sorry I asked. This may be like opening Pandoras Box. But I am curious . . .

How Did You Get Here?

**Update** I was one of the 3 grand prize winners! Yeah baby!!!



I stumbled upon a Call For Entries yesterday on one of the art forums I visit. The students at the Art Institute of California-San Diego came upon a grant from Toyota Motor Corporation to come up with a marketing campaign for the new sub-compact Toyota Yaris and decided to use a portion of the funds to launch a creative competition! As a result they have designed a website for creative people to come together, get inspired and showcase their artwork. The theme is "It's HOW You Get There" and each submission was to include how the art they where submitting led them down their path. The last day for entry was June 4th (lucky I saw it yesterday!) and all forms of expression from music and photography to illustration and video were welcome.

I entered the very first portrait that I did in the style that you see today. It is a piece very special to me, an image of my father done almost exactly 2 years ago, as a Fathers Day gift. It set me down the path I am on now and really helped me to gain the confidence to persue life as an artist.

I received an email late last night informing me that I was one ot the daily winners and am now entered in the final competition I believe ends today! Woo Hoo! I love instant gratification! Helps to balance out the anticipation that goes along with submitting work to shows and competitions that are months away!

Click here to see the full list of daily winners.

June Sale

In recent months lots of exciting things have been going on for me. My works are being carried by retail outlets and in the near future I have a few gallery shows going on. The prices for my work in my Etsy store will soon be going up to reflect the retail pricing. I do not want to be undercutting these wonderful venues and must therefore adjust accordingly. To help balance out the raise in prices I will from time to time be having sales and special offers to thank all of the amazing people who have helped sustain my art.

Soooooo, for the entire month of June anyone who purchases items from my Etsy shop and mentions this blog will get 20% off! Simply purchase an item and use the code BLOG in the notes area of the check out page. Ignore the prompt to pay and wait for me to send you a revised invoice. It is that easy!!!

BTW- I posted in March that there where 6872 sellers on Etsy. As of today that number has almost doubled to 11864. This site's growing like a wild fire!

Illustration Friday: Portrait

Right on the heels of my first Illustration Friday submission, is my second! I wasn't quite clear on the fact that Friday all the new links are archived, so my Cake image made it just by the skin of my teeth! This weeks theme is "Portrait", which is of course, right up my alley! I have had this image for a while and have been dying to use it! I absolutely love the 4's on his collar and his wonderful expression.

Illustration Friday

This is my first time participating in the Illustration Friday assignments. This weeks theme was Cake. I love the challenges that are set out by this site. You should take a look at all of the fabulous submissions. There are so many fantastic people participating!

Just a reminder that the Style Bakery Awards nominations deadline is this Thursday, June 1, so your chance to vote for your favorite online shops and artisans is quickly coming to an end!

Click on the blinking logo to be taken to the site. If you'd like to vote for me, I would go in the Home/Gift catergory. And dont forget that everyone who votes will be entered into a drawing and be eligible to win a $250 gift certificate to Girlshop.com (one winner to be chosen at random).

Self Portrait Tuesday

I am a very outspoken person. An extrovert if you will. My years in NYC have made me hard, a little bitchy even. I just cant stand rude, thoughtless or just plainly oblivious people. I am free with my feelings because I hate the after thought of what I would have said if I had only had the balls to open my mouth and stand up for my feelings in the moment. But sometimes I like to be very very quite. This was one of those moments, which is strange because I was at a friends show watching his band. I was anything but alone but I was deep in thought. A friend called my name and when I looked back she took this picture. I really like knowing how loud it was in that room, and how quite it was in my head.

I have to say that I am so excited about the next months theme for the Self Portrait Challenge. I am glad to be moving on. Seems like there have been 10 weeks in May! The new theme is Pop Art. Right up my alley . . .

Just Curious . . .

So . . . in the upper righthand corner of this piece is a page out of a magazine called Physical Culture from the 1930's. The article was titled Should Married Women Date Other Men? What was goin' on in the 30's that I am unaware of?? Can someone please enlighten me. I am a smidge perplexed.

I'd like to thank the blogcademy . . .

Mirror Mirror hearts me!! I am the first ever Commenter of the Week! Such an honor! Thank you Paola!

Magic Carnival Ride

When we moved into our house in L.A. I stored a few portfolios in the spare bedroom that I hadn't gotten to until recently. I just found these pieces that I did when we lived in San Francisco.

Our first year in SF we lived in the Haight, and the second in North Beach. A bus ride to either location can be a freaking carnival ride. The Haight is famous for its hippy days, and there are 1000 tourists an hour (literally? I can't be sure) riding those old creaky buses. It's like something out of Beetlejuice.

North Beach is a straight shot through the crowded streets of China Town. I dont even know where to begin witht this ride. There is a mixture of all the tourists heading from Union Square to Fishermans Wharf and the China town shoppers and merchants traveling to and from. Everyone has a pink bag full of chickens (w/ the feet hanging out! ick.) and fish and veggies. I should stop, because I could go on for days. Give me a sweaty subway ride through Manhattan anyday over a crowded bus to North beach!

I always saved my bus passes. The bold numbers and striped edges are so graphically pleasing. They just reminded me of a circus. The passengers didn't hurt the vision . . .

So of course I had to glue them down! Thats what I do. I glue.

These are so different from my portraits. I love the simplicity of them. The spots on the Fun House where painted using the wine cap that I eventually glued down, and the Ferris Wheel rays where painted wusing the wire I then bolted to the canvas.

I just bought an All-In-One so that I can start doing more work in this vain. I have sort of strayed from anything other than the portraits in recent months. I cant wait to start experimenting!! Thats my plan for this summer.

(These pieces are available in my Etsy store. Get 'em while their hot!!)

Self-Portrait Tuesday

This week I would like to throw the SPC spotlight on a friend who makes me a better person just for knowing her! I am throwing some kudos to my dear friend Jamey who recently cut off her long flowy red locks to donate to Locks Of Love. If you havent heard of this awesome organization, allow me to explain.
From their website: "Locks of Love is a non-profit organization that provides hairpieces to financially disadvantaged children 18 years or younger suffering from long-term medical hair loss."
Be sure to head over to their website and see the before and after photos. They are simply astounding and heart warming! Jamey has inspired me to keep growing my hair for another few months and then donate as well.


We tie a lot of our daily self esteem up in how our hair looks everyday. This is an amazing service that everyone who can grow an extra 10 inches of hair can afford to contribute to! (That is the minimum contribution.) I am so anxious to lop it all off and send it over. Just a few more inches . . . wont that be an interesting post!
Thank you Jamey for being the inspiration. I'd never make it to 10 inches without your support! I want to chop it NOW!!

Show Announcement

I am so excited to announce that I will be included in "The Color of Summer" show at the artstream gallery in Rochester, New Hampshire. The show will be June 16 - September 6, 2006. The other artists involved are Toronto painter Bruce Andrew McKay, New Hampshire painter Ashley Bullard, Mitchell Rosensweig, sculptor Jerry Glynn, Painter Susan Schwake-Larochelle and collage artist Claudine Hellmuth. I am especially excited to be in a show with Claudine. I really admire her.
You can get a sneak peak of some of the artists to be included here.

For more information please contact artstream at 603.330.0333 or www.artstreamstudios.com.

2006 Pasadena Showcase House

Yesterday I spent the first half of the day steeping in design and art at the Pasadena Showcase House! It was so nice to get out of the Studio and roam around a lavish garden and mansion! This was my second year visiting the showcase house, and I was certainly not disappointed. The way it goes is that an old historic home in Pasadena is chosen for renovation. The grounds and interior are completely restored and transformed, each by a different designer.

Here is what the website says about this particular home: "The 42nd annual Pasadena Showcase House of Design is an elegant Monterey Colonial home. Built in 1928 , the 12,500 square foot house sits on 2.2 acres that were originally part of Rancho San Pasqual, later owned by Henry E. Huntington. The house was designed by Reginald D. Johnson and was featured in Architectural Digest in 1931."


They are very strict about photography in the home, being that you cant take a camera with you, so I have no images to share, but I certainly wish there where some! There aren't even pics on the website, and every shot in the program is skillfully vague so you get nothing! It is disappointing that you go and see, and if you forget, tough! There is so much to take in, and it is so crowded at times you cant possibly absorb. Also, no sharing with people outside of the area. I would ask that if anything, people lighten up. Post images after the show is over maybe?? Something. Its a shame that the hard work is only visible to those in the area and even then just for a few minutes.

The home itself was amazing! The children's room was equipped with its own costumes closet/dressing room and stage. The guest bedroom had an incredible enclosed porch and was painted the deepest shade of teal I have ever seen. It was an unusual color choice, but I really loved it! In the master suite, there where his and hers bathrooms . . . of course! His was very well done with gorgeous retro 40s sconces and a very modern palette.

There where several outside living areas in the house which where gorgeous. The fabrics on the outdoor furniture ranged from teals and chocolates, to an awesome black, white, orange and beige stripe that was used in huge curtains and on cushions. Each area was totally different form the last. I would have taken any one of them in a heartbeat.

Despite the strictness of it, this is an amazing project that does benefit great causes including the Los Angeles Philharmonic. I just wish they would be more open to sharing with people not in LA!

(All images from the Pasadena Showcase House website. Line drawing by Lynn Van Dam. Watercolor by Eva Margueritte.)

He's a winner!

John Q. just got back today from the Plano Art Associations 2006 National Juried Show. The show was April 8th through May 5th and John Q. won 3rd place in the Mixed Media Collage category! I am very proud of the accolade and thank the juror, Catherine Gill, for the honor!

Just added to Etsy

This piece was just added to Etsy. She is so pretty ans Spring like! I love the rose and type embellishments! Click on over and take a look!

Self Portrait Tuesday

This is one of my favorite photos that Tom (hubby) and I have taken since we moved into our house. It is a shot of us on our first Christmas under our very own roof. We had a blast decorating our tree and wrapping gifts. I think is funny that in May, this is still on our chalk board! Guess we are kind of preoccupied!
I love the magnets holding the pic too. They perfectly describe the sentiment and energy behind the photo. They really make a statement in a beautiful way! Love 'em!

(Magnets by Alicia Bock, and are available in her Etsy store.)

Etsy Replenished!

I just uploaded these pieces, and few other intriguing men and women to my Etsy store. Clickity click!!

Keep your eyes peeled!

New work is going to be uploaded into my Etsy store today!! Lots of Agnes and others! Make sure to stop by . . .

A Sweet Surprise!

Today I received a wonderful surprise in the mail! An envelope full of goodies was sent to me by Corey (Tongue in Cheek) Amaro! The presentation was so dainty and delicate! I love this lacey paper everything was wrapped in! And the sweet ribbon and pooches just made me smile! I love the the attention to detail and the thought that went into putting this sweet surprise together! I am drooling over the photos and cant wait to scan the negatives! Where did you ever find this incredible lace paper??? I can barely wait to glue it down! Thank You, Thank You, Thank You Corey! You have brightened my day!


If you haven't ever visited Coreys blog, you have no idea what you are missing! Her words and images are a daily inspiration! Do yourself a favor! Click on over and check it out!

Self Portrait Tuesday-Introduce Yourself week 2

We all wear many hats throughout our every day . . . but I have never worn one quite this extravagant! This is an original Kelly Christy creation that I got to play around in at her trunk show on Saturday. It reminds me of being a guard at Windsor Castle. Or maybe of something that would have been worn in Gigi or Funny Girl. It is so cool! I love the built in bangs of feathers! Note the very cool Jennifer Jones necklace. I got to wear it for the day. I love the Starfish, but she also offers other charms like little revolvers and sea shells.

You can see more of shots of the Trunk Show on Creative Swoon!!

Chic to Classic

OK- This is sort of my first Whiplash post!! This piece was not done over the weekend, but as I kept thinking about the theme, I couldn't stop thinking about this piece. I am posting it not to enter the contest really, but to give the piece a new life! It has been couped up far too long and I want to share it!

This is a collage of my grandmother. I used clippings from magazines and a xerox of a photo of my grandmother from 1937. She was 23 years old, and TOTALLY CHIC! At least when I look at the old photos of her thats what I see! And when I remember her visiting us when I was younger, I remember many classic things about her from the pearlized pink nailpolish she always wears, to her perfume, our Scrabble games by the pool, her way in general.
I love how she seems to be peeking out of the piece. I really enjoy looking at it. I need to frame her!

The piece is 6x8 on canvas board. Next week will be new work! I swear!

Ugolino & His Sons

I have had many encounters with this magnificent piece of art. The most recent was in October 2005 when at 9am on a Wednesday I found myself alone, The Postal Service on my iPod, in the sculpture hall at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. I actually went there specifically for this work, to take photos of every detail, but usually we cross paths unexpectedly. Each time I stand in front of this piece my pulse quickens, my knees go weak. I feel my emotions well and I want to cry. It is not a pretty subject matter, not romantic in the traditional sense. I cant describe why this is the one for me.

The piece is Ugolino & His Sons by Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux . If you have seen it in person, then you know how huge and powerful it is. The piece depicts a passage from Dantes Inferno in which a man, Ugolino della Gherardesca is imprisoned in a tower with his sons and grandsons, for having betrayed is city. They are all sentenced to starve to death. In one of my first Art History classes I remember learning that the children had offered themselves to Ugolino. That once they had died, they wanted him to survive on their flesh. However, scientists believe they have found the remains on Ugolino and performed tests that discount this tale. You can read more about Ugolino and forensics here.

You can feel this sculptures life, as if these poor boys are about to breathe. About to shriek and sob. I am always expecting them to get up and run, beg for mercy even. I think that the overwhelming emotions take hold of me when I (after a few seconds of waiting for movement) realize they are frozen in their terror. Then my heart breaks for them.



Do you have a piece of art that makes your knees go weak every time you encounter it? Please comment and share them with us!!

To see more detail shots of this sculpture, click here.

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

It has been a crazy couple of days running around. Today is my hubbys birthday, so I have been trying to get things done!
I'll be back later in the weekend with pics from the weekend. There are a couple great things going on this weekend in L.A.
I have posted details on Creative Swoon. I will be attending the Kelly Christy Trunk Show. I'll post pics of the event! Its sure to be tons of fun!

Have a happy Cinco de Mayo! Dont do anything I wouldn't do! ;)

Tea Cup Swap

My Tea Cup Swap package has finally arrived! My swap buddy was Bee from Australia, and what a treat it was to open this package! She really put together a complete treat!
Included in the box was a tea cup, saucer and plate set. They are so sweet and delicate! They are vintage, made in Australia, but very English, which fits because I just happen to English too! There are also 2 gorgorgeous tea towels, and a silver teaspoon with an Abalone detail, wrapped in a ribbon around a box of Peppermint tea which smells divine!
To complete the experience Bee included a wonderful mix CD with some of her favorite tunes! She really has set the scene for an opportunity to relax for 5 minutes with a cup of tea and listen to some great music. The full deal!


If you have never done one of these fantastic online swaps, check them out over at Swap-bot! I had a ton of fun putting my package together to send out, and really enjoyed the surprise of opening this box! Its like your birthday!

Self Portrait Tuesday

This is my "Introduce Myself" portrait. Out to dinner tonight with some amazing friends, having a lot of laughs and we were playing with the camera. I am an artist, a wife, a daughter, a sister and friend. I dabble in Graphic Design, but only when I have to! I am a blog addict. I love originality, good design, a true friend, the truth and laughter. Music is a big part of me. I love to cook and garden. I am loyal. I love chocolate and my kitties.

My Badges are here!!

My order came from Prickie yesterday! I was so excited to lay my eyes on the cute little badges they do! I ordered a few out of my "shop" so that I could see what exactly they are. They're awesome! The packaging is really creative. You open the envelope and there is a little storage case for your badges! They are all neatly displayed and ready to go!
You cant see it on the Prickie site, but the etched ladies all have vibrant colors around the edges, wrapping to the back! Love them! Agnes is going on my handbag NOW!!!

(All images courtesy of my crappy digital! Please excuse the image quality!)

Library Show Finally Up!!

We spent a few hours on Saturday hanging art in the Calabasas Library. I have been immersed in canvas and glue for the past few weeks getting ready for this show and I am really happy with the way it all came together!
If you are in the LA area, swing by and check it out. 10% of all the proceeds will go to benefit the Friends of the Calabasas Library, a non-profit group that helps support the city library.