blooming goodness

i just wanted to say a quick “hiya”!
i’ve been spending quite a bit of time in the studio painting this past week.
it feels real good.

and p.s. i really want to make one of these tables!
or a pillow like this!

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artist studio: cart before the horse

a short while back i had the privilege of visiting artist  jo james, of cart before the horse, in her studio.
i wish i would have had time to tell you about her sooner, as i’d like to better portray ALL the details & feelings i had from our wonderful visit!

for one though- let me just say i was CRAZY INSPIRED!
inspired by their sold-out-to-a-creative-life way of living.
inspired by their contemporary folk art style.
inspired by her home and collection of artwork.

i can’t say enough good things about her.
she & her husband, dylan whom i didn’t get to meet unfortunately, ooze of genius creativity.
she is as kind, beautiful, fun and original as her art is.

a yummy vegan lunch she so kindly prepared for us.

their capacity for creating unique characters is brilliant.
childlike yet refined.

and their genius continues- check out this video her husband made! it’s awesome!!!

nail care has never been my thing, don’t judge!

their pieces are mostly limited edition and each one is made to order.
treat yourself to more of their imaginary handmade works of art here.
as you can see by this one-of-a-kind gallery, there is NO END TO THEIR CREATIVITY!

check it out- they’ve also launched a kickstarter for their Mobile Art Studio!

thank you jo for the visit. i look forward to our next meet up!

 

 

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make your desktop pretty! may desktop wallpaper

today IS going to be SUBLIME!
i hope you enjoy this month’s free desktop wallpaper.

our Allen Designs wiggles clock can be found here.

i like the idea of making that statement as i wake to encounter each day.
my days ARE better when i begin with that kind of attitude.
sometimes it’s fiercely hard. there are people & things that are constantly trying to drag us down.
it’s our CHOICE if we let them.
it takes practice & discipline to keep going back to a happy & thankful heart.
for me, i have to let myself lean into God and trust that he’s got my back.
he’s protected & provided, why should i doubt him now.

MAY (pun intended) you have a wonderful & sublime month! xoxo-m

 Just click on the image below to open the file, then right click to save.

please feel free to share it with your friends.

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china flowers & crazy food

i am soooo tired, a LONG day at the factory, but i wanted to check in real quick and say “hi” and share a few pics.

love the stamen on this pretty. it is “stamen”, correct?

these colors are making me very happy!

this is actually a pretty decent round up.
tofu & green beans, corn, bread things that you fill with some sort of root/vegetable mixture, spicy fish (in the center there) and pork.

and this… i’m not a big seafood buff. is there such thing as mini lobsters?
if so, this might be them.

well, i’m off to sleep.
thanks for peeking in on me!

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hello China!

yes, i’m here in China again.
at least twice a year.
i can’t believe this is my 10th year of coming here. am i really getting that old?!

i’m working on lots of new designs. pretty darned excited about them!
after 10 yrs., i still get completely blissed out in the development process.

seeing two dimensional art become three dimensional is just downright fun.

table setting: plastic wrapped dishes (that you still end up rinsing in boiling hot water), ashtray (ugh, so many smokers here in China!), toothpicks, tissues (instead of napkins. always) and peanuts (quite common appetizer).

fish soup.

i love the farmland here. small areas with lots of different crops, sustaining the areas nearby.

something new to me on this trip- riding a high speed train. 200 MPH!!!
a little nerve-wracking. glad i’m still here to write about it.

more china travels tomorrow. xoxo-m

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my art bag and it’s contents

i love creating art in different places; a friend’s house, an art retreat, etc.
the best way to be able do this i’ve found, is by having a designated art travel bag.

the local craft stores never seemed to have all that i was looking for.
so i ended up going to home depot/lowe’s (can’t remember which one) to find a tool bag.
it was hideous and very manly.
as curly girl designs says, “i am fairly certain given a cape & a nice tiara, i could save the world”-
for me it should read, “given paint and a paint brush i could change the world!”.

as you can see- over time a LOT OF paint has been added!

i also took a box cutter and removed some of the inside separators that I didn’t need and were just going to get in the way.

my friend Janne and i strongly believe that “arting” should be a word. right?!?!

i love all the outside pockets on this bag.

over the past few years i’ve worked it’s contents down to my personal arting essentials.

• • hard and soft bristle brushes
• • staedtler black fine tipped pens
• • lyra 6b graphite pencil
• • uniball signo white pen
• • sharpie paint pens (just a few for fun)
• • pencil
• • eraser (staedtler)
• • scissors
• • E6000 glue
• • golden gel medium
• • golden paints(mostly liquid), liquitex paints(concentrated & heavy body) & blick artists acrylics(heavy body)
• • blue shop paper towels- love these cause i can use them over & over again
• • recycled lids for paint palettes
• • washi tape
• • art journal or project of the moment

and there you have it.
that’s what’s in my bag.
obviously, you could make a bag like this for all sorts of hobbies- scrap-booking, sewing, crocheting, beading etc.
do you have one? if so, how does it differ? what’s in your bag?

 

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