Persimmons is CLOSED this weekend.

That's right I am going on vacation!!! A little weekend getaway with the love of my life and a couple of old friends and I am so excited!

In the meantime enjoy a work in progress that I started and almost finished today...

It is huge...30 by 40. It was so much fun to do. I took little bits from my life. Like pictures of my loves, a poem Glenn wrote to me when we were dating, an old newspaper clipping of our family winning a grand prize drawing from Shopko (it was a trip to Disneyland!!) and other great little memories. I started it with a painting from my birthday party last year that I didn't love. Every time I have a party I put out a canvas and paint and ask my friends to add a little before they leave but this one was just way too busy. Glenn did write I love you on it so I never wanted to cover it...that is until I thought of this idea. I started by laying out larger pieces of paper, photos and labels. When most of the space was filled in I added smaller elements. Once I had all of the paper down I started accenting with acrylic paint and marker. There is still much to do...more layers of marker, paint, and whatever else I decide to put on it. I think it may be a never ending project which is what makes it so fun. I am calling it my life painting.

I really want to thank my art "sisters" in the melange team on etsy. It is really because of them and the new challenge that I found what I am sure is my true style. They are all very special friends to me and although we may never meet I cherish their friendship and inspiration! So hugs to all of you.

Have a great weekend...I know I will!!

New work.

That Melange challenge really got my juices flowing and I can't stop! I made these 3 little canvases today. They measure 5 by 5 and I will be selling them for $20 each. Crazy little pieces of color.

What is your ticket to happiness?

Is it your children, your garden, sunshine, or maybe the thought of getting a maid? Well mine is all of those things and of course art! This piece is for the new Melange Blog Challenge! Each Wednesday there will be a new theme (this week it was ticket) with amazing mixed media pieces from our super lovely and duper talented team! Everyone can participate in the challenge and if you sell on etsy and make mixed media art why not join our team?? It is a great group and you are pretty much guaranteed to make a ton of new friends....I know I have. Watch for the July issue of Somerset Studio where our Sisterhood project will be a feature article and a few other team members will also have art in that same issue!

Oh yeah you can buy my piece here.

Pendant making fool!

So I have been making pendants like crazy in the last week. So far I have made almost 200 and have about 100 more that I need to tape and solder...I should get those done today. I am kind of an addictive personality. Good thing about that is that I shouldn't have to make them for a long time now. I hope to list the hundreds of one of a kind pendants on etsy after the 18th when I have a show at Horace Mann Middle School in Sheboygan. The show is 9-3. It is the first craft show I am doing that I wasn't a part of the planning. Should be fun...my friend Sara is coming with some of her lovelies and my sister in law Sarah is coming to help out. Should be a blast! I am hoping to make some $$$$ for our vacation the following weekend with our good friends from Spring Green... Jeff and Laura. We are staying at the Osthoff in Elkhart Lake. Swanky.

Melange challenge #1

So a few of my talented friends on etsy and I recently started a new etsy team called Melange. We have developed some great friendships through a mixed media thread on the techniques forums and decided to take it one step further and create a team to encourage and support each other. The team is lead by our brilliant leaders Kathy and Glenda both extremely talented and wonderful women I am glad to call my friends. You can find all of our talented members in the etsy mini on the right side of my blog and on our Melange Team Blog. Also when you are searching on etsy search for melange in tags and find great mixed media and altered art goodies. Our first challenge was hosted by Glenda. She mailed all the participants a bunch of great stuff to play with and we had awhile to put them together in our own little way. It is amazing to see how different we all made our final projects. They will be on our blog soon but in the meantime this is my finished piece. So head on over to our blog and check us out on etsy. If you love the mixed media look you will be impressed by the talented artists represented in our team!

Happiness is....

A vase full of daffodils on a sunny spring morning.

Colorful Mexican artwork in my crazy bathroom.
Playing with fun colorful beads!

Who can resist a good bead shop?

Well not me is the only answer to that question. Annette and I made our monthly trip to another town in Appleton on Monday. Along with thrift stores and a stop at World Market we stopped at the Glass Onion. Um. Dangerous dangerous place. I only spent $85 this time and got beads that made me so excited I didn't even take off my jacket when I got back to the studio before I whipped up a pair of earrings and a necklace. Check out those freakishly fantastic cicada beads (below) I bought all of them. I am really into trade beads and bright colors right now. I just love looking at color! So watch my etsy for these and more. That is if I am not just playing instead of listing!