SPRING is here...

Bought a whole bunch of fuzzy chicks from Cost Plus the other day. So many spring and Easter projects in mind! I love to celebrate the changing seasons with new and fun art projects! I'm inspired by Julie's cute mini Easter baskets (go check it out here)


Maya snagged some of the chicks for her own playful purpose...


I guess they're all going on a field trip! :)

Etsy Treasury

The Sound of Music

I love making Etsy Treasuries. I've only made two so far, this being my second attempt. So much fun to see beautiful items grouped together in some kind of theme. Go check it out on Etsy.com and make one of your own! It's like making a little inspiration board to share with others. You can pick your favorite items or search for a specific theme. The one above was inspired by the music note ring and then from there I just typed in "music" and then added "black" and "red" to narrow it down. Fun fun! Of course, Etsy can be a dangerous place for artists (for anyone, really) because there is everything anyone could ever want (almost!). I will have to share my latest haul with ya'll, but that will be for another post. ;)

Art Angels

wow, just when i think, "i give up! i can't do this artist/mom thing anymore--one of us has got to go!" art angels come to my rescue. whether in the form of kind and encouraging words from fellow mom/artists or sweet handmade artmail gifts (see above! thank you, catherine!!), the timing couldn't have been more perfect. and the message is clear: i am a mom and an artist and i cannot separate one from the other. and there will be a time when i can spend endless hours in the studio, but that time isn't now. now is the time to enjoy watching my children grow and enjoy and savor the best moments and saving them to memory so i can get through the rough spots. and if i have a few minutes here and there, i can sew a few pages in an art journal or jot some ideas down in an idea book to save for a future me (again, thank you, catherine!) ;)

or make some pretty post-it note mail labels (ala julie of the adventures of bluegirlxo)

or if i'm just in a rut and feeling kind of blue, i can make a treasury on Etsy (my first one! they're hard to get. if you don't want to stalk the treasury and wait for a spot to open up, you can always make a practice one here)

art will always be here. but these days of chubby toes and giggles and first steps will be gone in a blink of an eye. i will always have time for art but i won't always have these little bitty babies (my oldest are already in high school and my middle child, my first baby, is in second grade going on middle school!).

a little triumph tonite: sureya went to bed at 9 without much fuss! let's see how long she stays asleep (knock on wood!) here's to relaxing art-filled evenings and babies who sleep through the night! (10:17pm...i hear some crying, i spoke too soon!..maybe she'll just go back to sleep? ah, the joys of motherhood! can't a mom just be done at the end of the day and "clock out" like everyone else?)

i know, she'll be all grown up before i know it. and some days, i feel like it couldn't come sooner! here's to another long night. but i know there's light at the end of the tunnel. and a little baby that needs her mama right now.

LOVE is in the air

I don't know what to write these days...I barely have time to think let alone write a coherent blog entry. ;) So I will let the photos do the talking.


I've been busy with the little one. She's crawling like a pro now and just started pulling up to a standing position--even letting go and standing for a few seconds (!). She will be walking soon for sure. And she's only 8 months old! We are baby-proofing on the fly as her abilities increase. So besides baby stuff, I've had art on my mind a lot lately. I'm always dreaming of all the things I could be making and doing and sometimes I even find the energy and the time (both at the same time, even!) to start or finish projects.

My "Remains of the Day" journal with Mary Ann Moss

I have been taking a few online art courses. Perfect for moms of wee ones who can sometimes only find a few minutes in the middle of the night or between naps to piece together a few things. I love the online courses because I can start them and stop them whenever I want and I can watch the videos over and over and over until I really GET IT (because my brain is pretty much mush these days with only 2-3 hour chunks of sleep!).


I participated in a mini book swap hosted by the ever-so-talented and inspirational Julie Collings. I have just recently discovered her blog and I must say that I love every post! Not to mention her very lovely Etsy shop. (I also dream of attending an Art Nest retreat some day.)


I also have a Valentine post card swap to finish up that my art sister Carol is hosting. I'm hoping to make it to our next meeting which is on Valentine's Day! But my mom will be in town that weekend (hopefully!) so I might have to wait until next month to meet with my lovely and talented Bay Area Art Sisters.


I should get some sleep! Baby is sleeping--actually, everyone in the house is asleep right now. My most treasured time of the day. But the longer I stay awake, the more I will be miserable in the morning!


And regarding the art vs baby thing...I've decided not to sweat it that I don't have as much time for art these days. Sureya and Maya are growing so fast--TOO fast. I will always have time for art when I'm old and my children are grown. I want to enjoy my time with my kids and really soak up the goodness of this time. Looking back, I don't think I'll regret not making more art or taking more classes.


But I know I will be sad if I feel I've missed out on the little things: walks to the park, playing "Go Fish" with Maya, Mommy & Me sing-alongs at the library...you know that kind of stuff. But I will continue to scribble here and there in my art journal or help Maya make cute little valentines for her class. Gotta find that right balance. And right now it feels good to let go of the art part--not worry so much about it, at least--and just be happy with the little things in life.

12 Tags of Christmas

I've been taking a break in between the Painting Layers class with Misty Mawn to make some Christmas tags a la Tim Holtz. Each day Tim posts a new tag with step-by-step instructions. These are my versions, inspired by his tags. They're a lot of fun and quite addicting. The one above has a little mini charm/ornament/pin attached to it. I think it would make a cute and quick stocking stuffer or gift topper.

Still working on my collage paintings for the Painted Layers class. This painting is almost done, just have to paint in the face. Or maybe I'll just leave it like it is. We'll see...


It's nice to have several projects going at once...keeps my art brain more balanced, I think. ;) And it's easier to start and stop the tag projects in between late-night feedings and soothing a teething baby back to sleep!

More painting...this one needs a little stamping and texture added, I think. Not quite finished. Chirstmas is quickly approaching. We're cleaning up the house this weekend so we can bring in our tree and get out the decorations and get this holiday into full swing!

Thankful

so very thankful for this little evening break when the house is quiet, the kids are asleep and i can just breathe and be and not be needed for anything.

i'm thankful for art and inspiration and just the everyday beauty the world has to offer.

i'm thankful for my family and my friends and for the love and joy they bring to my life.

i'm thankful for yummy art supplies and thankful for the desire and need to make art.

i am thankful for technology and the way it merges so wonderfully with art and our human need to communicate and share ideas.

i am taking the most awesomely awesome online art class with misty mawn right now and i cannot even begin to explain in words how i love it so! i am a slow and visual learner so this is a perfect class for me. not to mention that misty is a talented artist and wonderful teacher.

what are you thankful for? make a list, you will be plesantly surprised at how much there is to be thankful for and how most of it is intangible and immesurable.

Mama's Holiday Wishlist

TodaysMama and Provo Craft are giving away a sleighful of gifts this holiday season and to enter I’m sharing this meme with you.

1. What 5 items are on your holiday wish list this year?
sweaters from anthropology, frye engineer boots, golden fluid acrylics, caran d'ache neocolor II watersoluble artist crayons, pan pastels

2. What is your favorite handmade gift you have received?
recently i received an awesome hand knit headband from wendy! (i also love everything my daughter makes for me!) :)

3. What handmade gift have you always wanted to tackle?
good question...probably something scrapbook-y or a more intense quilting project

4. What was the best Christmas gift you received as a child?
a little casio electric piano

5. What items are on your kid’s wish list this year?
littlest pet shop (but she doesn't really need any more!), movies, games, books

6. What is your favorite holiday food?
turkeystuffingmashedpotato

esandcranberrysauce

7. What will you be hand-crafting for the holidays?
baby quilts (might take a little longer, though!) ;) and most likely some ornaments and cards

8. What is your favorite holiday movie?
It's a tie between "A Christmas Story" and "Scrooged"

9. Favorite holiday song?
The Little Drummer Boy (sung by Bing Crosby and David Bowie)

10. Favorite holiday pastime?
Decorating the tree and just hanging out with the family at home listening to Christmas music and making holiday treats

Halloween Fun, Too

Another fun and spooky Halloween has come and gone. This year me and Maya made some holiday wreaths with a macabre theme in mind. The wreath below looks rather tame but upon closer inspection, you'll notice the fingers tucked in here and there (Maya's idea!).


One stop at our local Michael's was all it took to put these spooky wreaths together in a matter of minutes. I borrowed some red sparkly poinsetta from the Christmas section to top off the creepy red-and-black theme.

And added some fingernail polish to the plastic fingers for a gruesome touch. ;) (ooh, no pun intended).

This year we had some help from my stepdaughter, Brielle, to create a Halloween scene on the porch and a graveyard in our front lawn. Here she's posing as Captain Jack Harkness (from the show "Torchwood") with Sureya as a little monkey, Maya as Mulan and our old, dear headless friend, Freaky Freddy.

All night we couldn't figure out why little kids were so hesitant to approach our porch for sweets...until we noticed that from afar, it looked as though Brielle's head were attached to Freddy's body! And as you walked closer, it looked like Brielle's head was floating off to the side (thanks to a weird optical illusion!)

Next year, I think I'll get it together sooner and include Day of the Dead (Dia de los Muertos) in with our Halloween fun. I'm taking Suzi Blu's online course right now and it is full of Day of the Dead inspiration and fun. Hope you're having some creative moments wherever you are! Let the holiday fun begin!

Happy Halloween!

Dreaming in Green and Pink

Had to scan this in tonight before bed. I decided at the last minute to participate in Helga's Weekly Art Challenge. This week's theme was green and pink. It was a fun color combo to work with. Made me dream of the return of spring! But fall is on my mind as the summer weather wilts away and cool breezes tiptoe their way through the sun bleached skies. We had one last heat wave and now it looks like summer is finally conceding to fall...just in time for Halloween! But that's another project/blog entry all together. I'm sad to see summer go, but I am gladly welcoming cooler temperatures and the smell of smoke and decaying leaves and crisp night air.

Spontaneous Beach Trip

I must have lamented out loud a million times how summer was almost at an end and I had only been to the beach twice. So when I looked out the window last Saturday around 2pm and the sky was just such a bright, deep blue, I knew it was a sign for me to just GO to the beach already. No more excuses. No more lamenting the end of summer.


Half the day was gone, but I didn't care! I packed up the essentials: beach blanket, towels, sand toys, journal, a little bag of art supplies and the baby's bag. In less than an hour, I was packed up with my two lovely daughters and on our way to Santa Cruz. It was a wonder-filled drive through the Santa Cruz mountains on highway 17. So green and the road is so twisty and cozy.


We walked around the Boardwalk. We split a cherry ICEE and had some Dippin' Dots and corn dogs and garlic fries! All that yummy Boardwalk/Carnival food that you can only enjoy on those rare occasions. After we realized (much to Maya's dissapointment) that we really couldn't go on any rides (Maya was too short to ride alone and I couldn't bring the baby on any of them), we headed to the beach and just reveled in the warm sun, cool breeze, and meditative ocean waves. Maya built sand castles and Sureya looked around at the folks splashing in the water and burying themselves in the sand (should've gotten a picture of that!). EVERYONE was at the beach that day. It was great.


There is still a little bit of summer left before Halloween rolls into town. Don't let the stores fool you into believing that summer is over! (I swear Michael's is already starting to put Christmas stuff out there! Didn't I once say we'd soon be having Christmas in July?) Anyway, go enjoy the fresh air and sunshine before the sun starts setting at 5pm!

And, no, it's not too late to get up from this computer and run through the grass barefoot or run through the sprinklers! Just go already. ;)

A Nice Life

Baby is sleepin'...just waiting for her to wake up for the next feeding so I thought I'd post a few photos of what we've been up to lately.


My little one is very outdoorsy, like her mama. We both prefer fresh air and open space to the indoors. And with summer on it's way out, I worry about how we're going to get our sunshine fix each day!


Every day from about 2pm until sometimes as late as 7pm, we hang out in the front yard on a large picnic blanket. She'll nap and play and eat and fuss and in between the napping and playing and eating and fussing, I've been doing quite a bit of art in my journals.


I keep a large canvas bag stuffed with the "essentials" and drag it out on the lawn every chance I get. My neighbors must think I'm a loon, out there with my baby and paint and paper and pens all sprawled out before me. Sometimes she'll be fussing and I'm just finishing something up before I'll pick her up and tend to her (all mama's know the difference between their babies' cries and when it's just fussing or when it's urgent) and I wonder if I look like the world's worst mother. I imagine my neighbors thinking, "why isn't she picking up that baby? is she hungry/cold/tired/etc?" But mostly I just think to myself how lucky I am to be out in the sunshine with my beautiful baby and my big bag of art supplies. And how this time around, I know I don't have to jump every time my baby makes a little fuss. I can let her try to work out her frustration for a few minutes while I get some art done. Good therapy for me! A happy mom is a good mom. And happy moms raise happy babies!


My neighbor came by the other day to drop Maya off after a playdate with her daughter. She held Sureya while I packed up everything to take inside. We chatted a bit and she looked at some of the art I was making and she said something that has stuck in my mind since. She said, "You have a nice life, Nicole. A nice life."

So true.

And I am very thankful.

finished journal pages and give-away WINNERS

baby is sleeping...shhh! so i've got a quick little moment to post some new journal pages and the give-away winners. Congratulations, Carol! You won the Stampin' Up catalog plus SU goodies. And Libby won the collage paper/goodie pack! And Julie wins a goodie, too! (Ladies, contact me with your addresses to claim your prize)


I'll get those goodies out this week. I sent out both traveling journals this week. Journal #3535 is making it's way with a fellow art sister to Sun Valley, Idaho. And journal #3526 is on it's way to Gilbert, AZ! Can't wait to see what happens to them along the way.


Finally got my baby announcements made! Hooray! It's the littlest accomplishments that make a new mom feel good about her day.


I took a bazillion photos of Sureya one morning and put together some photo collage announcements on Shutterfly. Love how easy it was. These are some of the outtakes. :)

and a smile! ;) after about 79 photos!