Painting Apples

And the sky is so much more blue....

2011-10-11T15:05:00.000-07:00

So I had a Mammogram done today. My first one. Yeah it was nerve wrecking. Not so much the painful squishing of my boobs after having them manhandled by the technicians but it was the waiting. The many patients there and their stories. I was taken into a room where I was to change and put on a nice kimono style top with no bra or shirt on underneath. Then I sat in another waiting room with other women decked out in the same vomit pink smocks.
I conversated with one delightful woman with a thick German accent. She was very honest and very direct about everything she talked about and had absolutely no boundaries but I appreciated her for distracting me from slipping into a depression while I waited, thinking of the large banner they had there with the statistics in bold print "1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer"....ugh I know I KNOW...I just don't want to think of it.
ANyhow there were many other women waiting in the freeflowing boob smock waiting area. We all had a look of terror and sympathy for eachother. I tell you I have never seen so many women be so very nice to eachother. Its a shame when something as serious as death forces us to put our insecurities aside so we can enjoy eachother. I mean no body wants that kind of kharma on them right? We gotta be civil to eachother. We all know what we are doing there. We all know we may be looking at the 1 in 8. And we may be looking at the one that will die before next year. OR we may be the ones dying.

The mammogram center is a humble place full of civility. If I had not been there for my own life I would have never known what awesome pool of human connection resides there. Though bittersweet. True compassion is indeed found there. The "playing field" , so to speak, is indeed leveled.

So as I waited, I hear a woman leaving saying "... and God bless me!" Then I could hear sobbing and then I heard the nurse say "Oh, are you ok?" and she said with a trembling voice "I just can't believe it is gone! I can't believe it!" So I had to look and she was thin and frail looking and the tears in her eyes matched mine at that point. I was crying. I put a magazine in my face just as quick as I could. Which now seems silly. I should have gotten up and congratulated her! Silly me.
But anyway, that voice, that joy that sound of all she had gone through and her finally being well... It is resounding within my soul today. I just can't remember what silly thing I was worried about before going there today?

And by the way, my boobies are cancer free! Yes I can make my plans and carry them out....for now. But I am aware of how fragile life is. Just how precious my time really is. Just how wonderful being on this planet is.
I think I will live for all of those that have lost their lives to cancer. I feel you today. I don't know why you were chosen and I was spared. I shall live for you and see, hear, taste and smell everything in a new way because of you.

I heard this on a documentary I was watching last week, in my efforts to seek out a good cancer treatment program, just in case, and I came across the Gerson Therapy which, if I had gotten the bad news that I did have Cancer that I would fly to Tijuana and check myself in WAY before I would submit to chemo and radiation. I watched my grandfather go through it and everyone was upset when he said that he wouldn't do any more of it. I totally got why he did chose not to.

Back to my point, I watched 3 or 4 food and nutrition documentaries on Netflix that lead me to buying a juicer earlier this year. I juice faithfully and have lost 30+ pounds and got rid of my depression that always has seemed to loomed over me since I had my last child in 2004.

So last week, in my research of the Gerson Therapy I came across and watched the doc entitled "Dying to know" that shows the story behind Gerson Therapy and the many people that have proof that they were cured from cancer using whole and organic foods. And the point of the modern american medical community not using it. I found it very interesting how upset people get when talking about it. My personal experience leads me to believe that it is true, being that I found healing in just the simple juice regimen that I practice with a cheap juicer and the changes I have made to my diet.

At the end of this documentary were the most profound words that I have ever heard. I felt compelled to type them out for you. SO I leave you with them hoping that you are looking at life with a new, more positive perspective as well...
xoxo
Gigi

For each of us eventually whether we are ready or not, someday it will come to an end. There will be no more sunrises, no minutes, hours or days. All the things you collected, whether treasured or forgotten, will pass to someone else.

Your wealth, fame and temporal power will shrivel to irrelevance.

It will not matter what you owned or owed.

Your grudges resentments, frustrations and jealousies will finally disappear.

So too your hopes, plans, ambitions, to-do lists will expire.

The wins and losses that once seemed so important will fade away.

It won't matter where you came from or what side of the tracks you lived on at the end.

It won't matter if you are beautiful or brilliant. Even your gender and skin color will be irrelevant.

So what will matter?

How will the value of your days be measured?

What will matter is not what you bought but what you built.

Not what you got but what you gave.

What will matter is not your success but your significance.

Not what you learned but what you taught.

What will matter is every act of integrity, compassion, courage or sacrifice that enriched, empowered or encouraged others to emulate your example.

What will matter is not your competence but your character.

What will matter is not how many people you knew but how many will feel a lasting loss when you are gone.

What will matter is not your memories but the memories that live in those that love you.

What will matter is how long you will be remembered and by whom and for what.

A life lived that matters is not of circumstance but of choice.

- Steve Kroschel, from the film "Dying to Know"

A moment of clarity

2011-10-07T07:20:00.000-07:00

Sorry I have neglected this wonderful blog again for a very long time. I wanted to write but the timing wasn't right and the words would get lost along the way...

Earlier this week I got the most interesting news that could go either way...a little funny lump in my breast made itself known and then they gave me 6 days of waiting before the mammogram appointment....which probably means more waiting until I know what the lump is saying exactly....am I fine but just more lumpy than normal? Am I in for a fight? or am I facing the actuality of death?

The wait is so long....

Literally a million things run through my mind as I weigh each possibility. Then I think of how this new would effect others, especially those I love and I break down.

I can't help it. I have very few that I have been able to really love and care for in my life, meaning that I could trust them and their love, and to feel that even though it wasn't my choice to be sick, to know that something I have would cause pain to them....well its quite upsetting to say the least.

I mean I know I am strong, I have faith and positivity that would certainly carry me through a fight with cancer. I feel that. But I am also aware that WE ALL DIE. It comes to us all and when its time to go...well its just time to go and there is nothing you can do about it.

So here we are with another epiphany....love and trust.

They go hand in hand. I have a large family full of beautiful personalities and immense love. But it is a love that I have grown not to trust. You see there are moments when these people open up and are so loving and supportive and just as strongly they can become quiet and coy and leave you wondering what horrible act you have committed to cause such cold and hateful behavior. Of which you will never know because NO ONE will tell you. They judge and gossip and talk amongst themselves and never talk about it with the person of whom they are condemning!!! I know this because I have been on the judgement end. figuring if I go along with their attitude at least I won't be on the outs and they will love me for it......ummm....wrong!

It is so crazy because the most judgmental of all members of my family are people that quote the bible, go to church, have Masters degrees and even doctorates in family social sciences...... so you can't help but to ask WHAT THE HELL? LOL

So in the contemplation of telling others I have realized that I won't be telling my family. My mother and sister are the exception and everyone on my fathers side I trust their love enough to know that they would genuinely care if I was sick. But there is something that disgusts me knowing that my maternal grandmother, aunts, great aunts and uncles, cousins and second and even third cousins on that side would either start showing love so that they don't feel guilty or just still sit in their judgement knowing that I was suffering and not reaching out, to show me how wrong I was in whatever it was they decided I did. Its been silent for a while now. After a brief moment of gushing over me last year when my knee was injured. So I know now that I cannot trust them. Not one of them. Their mental issues and insecurities reign with an iron fist. I can't put something like my life out there to see if they really love me. I already know that they do, somewhere in their black little hearts, so I have had to make peace with that and let that be enough...

and you know what?

it is.

In this time I have had to look at who I DO have. and I have a few people but they are truly genuine in their caring and have never shown otherwise, even when my own insecurities pushed them as far as I could to make sure that they were real. (Yeah I have done a LOT of growing over the years) These people are truly good hearted and kind and somehow they love me. I mean really and truly they do!

So next week I get the mammogram and the results so if this was all just a reminder of how precious life is....then I am THANKFUL. Life is precious and I see that there is an endless pool of goodness and joy out there. One must just look for it. Tune into it and you will find that it is infinite.

with that I hope I leave you with some good food for thought....where does your focus lie?

xoxo
Gigi

Artwork for sale!

2011-09-09T10:32:00.000-07:00

Finally, a customer made me realize that not everyone wants a print that they can be sure that in 1000 years it will be dug up and displayed at the Louvre or some futuristic place like it!

Most of us like to have prints that look great in detail and color to decorate our homes and make us smile as we pass them.

So in my art shop on Etsy I have some inexpensive prints for sale! I've made sure to buy some good archival printing paper then I coat each one twice(as recommended by the manufacturer) with a UV/ Moisture protectant / preservation spray.

I am SO relieved. Now my struggle to part with pieces that I am in love with currently is over! I can sell prints and keep my babies a bit longer. That is until I feel that they are ready to leave. At that time I will let you all know! LOL

I do have an original for sale now with more prints to come.... You can find it listed here...

Yes I know, I do have a thing for Little Red...and Marie Anotinette.... and Alice in Wonderland....and...and... I could go on for a year! LOL But this was one of my first Oil paintings and she came out exactly as I had felt her before I began to sketch her out. I just LOVE when that happens! A truly wonderful journey.

Inspired by my own struggle to get past "old habits" I felt this painting as I created it, when people from my past tried to interrupt the peaceful life I have worked hard to achieve. I found that now I hold all the power. I had the choice all along to allow others to interfere with my life or not. I suppose I shocked my "big bad wolf" from my past because as soon as this person saw my strength they immediately bolted from my life and have not been sighted since.

We all have the power, it is only a matter of using it.
and with that I leave you, hopefully aware of your own hidden power...go on....USE IT! ;-)

xoxo
Gigi

Hail Mary

2011-08-16T12:39:00.000-07:00

Since taking Suzi Blu's Goddess and The Poet classes I really felt a deep connection with Mary, Mother of Jesus. I really "get" why the Catholics I know cling to her and hold her sacred. I had done a piece before and explored her as the feminine aspect of God. But something just didn't feel complete...

So for the last month she came to me again in my art. I had to finish exploring a more personal side of her. Mother.

For so long I have quite noticed that in conversation and well in most aspects of my being I tend to hold on to the negative. The sad and unpleasant words and actions from others that I have experienced in my life.For so long I just couldn't figure out why I do that. Inside I felt like I didn't want negative, yet it was all I thought of or spoke of. For many years.

In the last few conversations I have had with my mother it didn't take long before I figured out the origin of this behavior. In fact EVERY woman in my family seems to do this.

So it is true. Children grow to emulate what they see in the adults around them, whether they intend to or not. It manifests in one form or another.

The gravity of this revelation has rendered me silent. I listen closely for the echo of myself found in my children.

What gross aspect of my ancestors have I passed on inadvertently?

I am pleased to say that what I have heard gives me hope. Though not perfect, my children are open to change and took to it as soon as I could put it into place. I am mother and my actions really and truly DO speak far louder than words.

Together I think we shall change. I hope to find only positive things to tell you from now on. Not that life is pain free. But dwelling on it just attracts more of the same.

So listen up mothers, whether we like it or not, our babies are watching us. In their view we ARE the ultimate example of good and proper living, they will imitate us certainly. Please do not take this role lightly. Though we should not OBSESS over it, we ought to put good effort into the job and maybe even change this world, one thought at a time. It can be done. I am a believer.;-)

All this was revealed to me within a months time as I worked on Mary. I like to think she guided me to this point. Though a humbling awakening it has opened the door to forgiveness for my mother. I was not aware that I hadn't truly forgiven her for some past experiences until I understood the actions speak louder than words principle that MY "Mary" taught me.;-)

For this I am forever grateful.

With the utmost humility and love,

xoxo
Gigi

Hopeful prints

2011-08-02T15:20:00.001-07:00

I have finally finished the 3 pieces that I worked on continuously for the past 6 months. I was able to photograph them in good crisp quality and so now remains the challenge of getting prints made! I am excited!

Previously I had printed my own and loved the way they came out but that printer died on us and we got a cheapie fix one that doesnt quite cut it so I am looking into local professional printers to see if they can help me.

SO i am off to research some more! Hope to be back with LOTS of prints for the Etsy shop and for you soon!

xoxo

Gigi

Quite the lucky girl am I

2011-07-19T09:25:00.000-07:00

Well as you know I had such a fun time at the 4th annual Mad Tea Party and I met some LOVELY lovely lovely people. The most fun part is getting to see all of the wonderfully talented artists' creations out there. I tell you I walk away with at least a years worth of inspiration. Its amazing how one can truly grow just by seeing the work of another artists' hands. Its truly wonderful!!

Quite the lucky girl am I for I was lucky enough to have been chosen to receive a most wonderful work of art when the lovely and most talented Sylvia of Anaboo Creations gave away this amazing work of art during the Mad Tea Party!

Look at her eyes...Oh they have so much expression in them

The details in the face are just amazing!

Oh that smiling cat. Everyone knows who that is! I love him!

Complete with teapot! Ready for a mad tea party!

I still can't believe that I have won an Alice in wonderland totem ornament Made by Sylvia!!
It is so perfectly wonderfully made! I have been coveting her pieces since I saw them!

I have always wished to sculpt faces and make art dolls so I TRULY appreciated every little detail once I saw Alice in person!
Its just amazing isn't it? I tell you, my creative heart has been rejuvenated with this little piece. Such a wonderful thing indeed.

And my children were with me when I received this package and were present when we first gazed upon Alice and all 4 of them, even the teenagers, gasped in excitement asking so many questions after learning that Sylvia had MADE this little Alice ornament. It really inspired them which, as a mother, there is no greater gift than to see and hear the excitement of possibility in my children. It was quite moving to say the least! *wiping tear*

So go on over and get to know Sylvia at her blog! She's also on Ebay AND She has a great facebook page for Anaboo Creations as well! So go "like" it, I'm sure you won't be disappointed!

(yeah I may be stalking her a little...LOL but in a good way I promise!!!)

Thank you again SO VERY MUCH Sylvia! Alice has a permanent home with me in my painting area of the studio. I know she will be with me as I create and perhaps can give me some very good advice when I need it too!!! ;-)

xoxo,
Gigi

Finished pieces.

2011-07-11T08:14:00.000-07:00

They are done! I'm pretty positive that they are anyway. I've had them looking at me every day and have been adding more and more fine detail until I felt they were done.

Now they are drying and in this summers heat, its going faster than expected. I am working on getting prints made so that I might have these ladies in my Etsy shop soon!

I am in LOVE with oil paints, truly I am. Its been such a wonderful exploration. I encourage you to try something that you have been wanting to try but for whatever reason, you haven't. I tell you its simply rejuvenating!! What? Are you still here? What are you waiting for? GO! Try! Have fun!! Get on with it! ;-)

xoxo,

Gigi

La dee da- La dee dee- Lucky me!

2011-07-07T11:48:00.000-07:00

Lucky lucky LUCKY me for I have won some fabulous treasures! Yes I was in the right place at the right time for a change and WOW did I ever get a wondrous treasure!

Today I got home from yet another fun session at the gym (darn cake and its wonderfulness) and to my delight were two packages addressed to ME!!!

Inside of them were these lovely creations that I was lucky enough to win from the most talented and very kind spirit Lauren of Fair Rosamund!

Look at the generous eye candy that she gave away during this years Mad Tea Party!!

Gorgeous! How ever did I get so Lucky??? The print entitled "Alice in the Forest" is just beautiful!!

What cute and dainty little toadstools!! I know I will be using them again at the next Mad Tea Party!

These cards are just LOVELY! I must send nothing but loving and kind words on these beauties!

I am truly inspired! I LOVE others artwork, but my budget doesn't yet allow me to collect the pieces I admire. So I am just beyond thrilled to have these pieces in my hands! A wish come true! ;-)

"La dee da- La dee dee... lucky me" I shall sing it all day today, much to sadness of everyone's ears, but nonetheless I will always look at this beautiful print and smile and sing! ;-)

Thank you Lauren!

And for those of you reading this that have NOT seen Laurens work please head on over to her Etsy shop now by clicking HERE and I can tell you that you will NOT be disappointed! Its even more lovely in person than it is in those gorgeous photos!..... I know, I couldn't believe it either!!

With that I am off to play with my goodies and find a good place to display them in my newly painted studio!

xoxo

Gigi

How to make a deck of cards banner...

2011-07-06T15:04:00.000-07:00

Today I will show you how to make a deck of cards banner that I made for my daughters "Alice In Wonderland" themed birthday tea party last year. We have gotten lots of use out of it since. We have had many tea parties and its so simple to just pin it up and make everything look more festive in minutes!

You can see it here at our last Mad Tea Party Post. I hope you have your supplies handy that I put on my last post, if you need a refresher here it is:

cheap deck of cards- I got mine at the local Dollar Tree. Two pack for a buck! LOVE that store!
sewing machine
thread
hot glue gun

Here are some photos as we go...ready? Set? GO!

The supplies.

Make sure you pull ample amount of thread out before you start stitching as this is used to hang the banner when you are done!

I just used a regular universal needle in a regular straight stitch setting and started sewing!

As you get to the end of the card you just get another card ready and you can overlap or leave a tiny space in between each card if you want them to spin in a mobile fashion.

and I like to put them in different angles as if they are falling....like when Alice awoke to the deck of cards falling on her after going through the looking glass.

Now for extra fun get your glue gun and place globs on the end and then put the corner of another card on it, giving this banner more of a "falling" look to it.

and that's it! Get creative! Maybe use only the hearts of a few decks! There are endless possibilities! I hope you get much use out of this fun banner as we do!

Happy Tea partying!

xoxo,
Gigi

Thank You!

2011-07-05T19:48:00.000-07:00

Thank you THANK YOU all that joined me for the 4th annual mad tea party!
I really love this event, it restores my faith in humanity and brings back all those warm and fuzzy feelings about blogging and how much I love people that do!

Thank You!!!

Many of you liked my hanging cards in my post Pictured here:

The good news is I MADE THAT! And you can too! I'll show ya!

And though currently I am in the middle of painting and rearranging my sewing room/washroom I will make a quick tutorial for you this week! Its super easy and fun.

Here's what you will need:

cheap deck of cards- I got mine at the local Dollar Tree. Two pack for a buck! LOVE that store!
sewing machine
thread
hot glue gun

Ok Well I'll let you gather those things and meet you back here tomorrow!

Yay! I love making things I really and truly do!

see ya real soon!

xoxo
Gigi

Mad Tea Partying 2011!!

2011-06-22T18:01:00.001-07:00

One very enchanting evening I stepped out in my own backyard and was surprised to see beautiful lights under my apricot tree....

I began to get closer as the sounds and smells were just absolutely lovely! Something wonderful was taking place!

"OH! Hello! We've been expecting you"

"Yes we have!" Exclaimed the Hatter

I couldn't speak. There were so many enchanting treats about!

"You've been waiting for me?" I asked

"You've had a Birthday" Said the little girl.

"Which means you've probably forgotten us" added the Hatter

Forgotten you?" I asked "But I do not know you, do I?" as I eyed the most delicious looking cupcakes...

"Oh you know us" they chimed in unison...

"You've been here before" added the Hatter

"We've come to remind you" said the little girl as she sipped her tea

"Remind me of what?" I demanded

I felt as if I was in a dream! What did this curious pair mean?

Suddenly the both began to speak in unison..."Remember to always eat the last cupcake....."

"Never forget to never EVER stop imagining and dreaming...."

"and above all,....."

"you must ALWAYS....."

"ALWAYS....."

"always, every single day..."

"Make time...."

"...for..."

"...tea..."

yay!!!

Thanks for joining me on this, the most lovely day, the 2011 Mad Tea Party Hosted by the lovely Vanessa Valencia of A fanciful Twist!

A HUGE Thank you to my two youngest daughters for playing along with me again for this day! We had the most fun last year you can click here to see that too if you like!

Also thank you Miss V for hosting such a fun and inspiring event
And a heartfelt thanks to YOU for making time for tea with me!!

xoxo

Gigi

Vintage finds & Restoration love

2011-06-13T21:04:00.000-07:00

Okay so my husband and I are totally addicted to watching the cable tv shows, American Pickers, American Restoration, Pawn Stars, Storage Wars, and Auction Hunters.

So we started casually going out and hitting flea markets and garage sales to find treasures for our home. We are also wanting to restore some or update them if we find the right piece cheap enough.

Well this weekend WE SCORED!!!!!;-)

We got two vintage pieces. One is a traveling trunk, circa 1930's we paid $20 for and the other is a 1950's ladies suitcase that a sweet old lady sold me for $2!! Woohoo!!!

check it out!

So we read all we could about restoring this and we just couldnt decide if we want to restore this to original state or trick it out with some modern touches OR if we should combine the two in kind of a Steampunky kind of way....the possibilites are ENDLESS! So we just decided that it needed a re-facing and some reinforcement with its structure no matter what. So we pitched the umbrella and dug in....

Hours and hours later, we had a pile of old paper lining, fabric lining and countless rotten wood and spiders nests to throw away but we feel we've exposed its "bones" and that it is in pretty good shape for such rough treatment in its life.
We now have to decide on colors and fabrics and usage for this piece. I have my ideas and my husband has his....
I think I shall need to find another trunk!!! LOL

Are you a picker? Got any of those magical finds to share? I'd love to see!!!

Well the picture above is where the trunk is now. As soon as I've made some headway into its transformation I will show you!!

Until then, keep pickin' my friends!;-)

xoxo

Gigi

My back yard wonderland

2011-06-07T16:21:00.000-07:00

I was so inspired by my favorite artist, Miss. V, that i decided to get back into gardening. Now I used to LOVE doing it years and years ago when I was a babymaking machine and pregnant with my 3rd and 4th child I OBSESSED in gardening. I found all the poetic joy found in putting something so small into the ground, caring for it, thinking of it, loving it and it would grow so much larger than that tiny seed.....and it would GIVE BACK! I am of course talking of the flowers, fruit and veggies I have grown. Its such a spiritual thing, gardening, if only I could do it year round.;-)

I bought this house a year and a half ago. This sad little house that was neglected and abused being a rental property for the last 8 years, seemed to be speaking to me.

I heard "Love me, I am still good, please, love me" and indeed I have....

Here is our yard when we moved in:

and here is our yard now!

Oh it has taken, quite literally, TONS of blood, sweat and tears to get it here! And we still have lots of plans that we are waiting for the funds to match...LOL Sure the grass is patchy and the path is unfinished but WOW just seeing those old photos of when we first moved in just brings tears to my eyes.

Well I will say we did it all in small increments with lots of love and patience. All of us here saw what it could be and its such a great feeling to see it evolve into its destiny....our personal "wonderland" :-) Every back yard should be that in my opinion!

I grew up moving every few months. Mostly in apartment life where there is little privacy and no "wonderlands". I longed for a private place to dream and ponder. I wanted a secret garden so badly. Now I am just thrilled to have one of my own. Also to have a wonderful family to share it with. My kids and my husband seem to share my enthusiasm.

Gosh, how'd I get so lucky??

Guess all that dreaming I did in those apartments was not done in vain.

Like seeds, your dreams need time, nourishment and love to grow and bear fruit.

Remember just because you don't see the fruit now doesn't mean its not coming. One thing I have learned is that these dream seeds will ALWAYS grow, even if you've neglected them for a time. They are pretty darn hearty.

With that my friends I hope I leave you feeling good and remembering those long forgotten planted dreams.

xoxo

Gigi

An invitation...

2011-05-25T14:18:00.000-07:00

...to the annual Mad Tea Party Hosted by Vanessa Valencia of A Fanciful Twist!

Oh I am so EXCITED!!! My girls and I participated last year (you may click here to see our party post last year) and we had SO MUCH FUN!!!

So this year for my 34th birthday we all decided to have a REAL Mad Tea Party with all of my favorite people. SO you can imagine my delight when Miss V posted that her party is just a mere 5 days from my birthday!!! PERFECT TIMING....Now I have every excuse to go ALL OUT on this one....ALL OUT.....well as much as my budget and husband will allow....LOL

SO please do sign up and join me for tea, will you? won't you???

;-)

xoxo
Gigi

The misunderstood Marie

2011-05-25T13:52:00.000-07:00

What is it about Marie Antoinette that fascinates me so?

A few years ago I knew virtually nothing about her. I knew she had style. But it would be my vast internet searches and movie watching that would make me fall deeply in admiring love with Marie. From the many articles I have read and watching the movie Marie Antoinette starring Kirsten Dunst, I think I've finally got a sense of why she fascinates me....

She was regal, powerful, born into luxury. She set the trends and was the object of gossip and jealousy. I feel though she was by all means "spoiled" she also was misguided by mentors of sorts that didnt have her best interests as their priority....of which I totally relate to. Well that is what I get from her story anyway.... and unlike Marie, I won't pay with my head, I have the chance to mourn my former mentor and become my own....

I love Marie. She was judged harshly by those she sought love and favor from and paid with her life. Too young and too immature to know how to take control...a beautiful tragedy....but we are all still infatuated with her to this day. May we all take a cue from Marie and learn to keep our heads....;-)

xoxo
Gigi

Honor thy mother...

2011-05-03T16:03:00.000-07:00

Mother's day. A bittersweet holiday in my mind. A day to reflect upon our dear mothers and how they raised us and love us and all that crap...

Well, see this day is usually pretty good for me now that I am a mother. My children seem to really love me and really feel like I've always got their back. I may discipline them, I may not like their choices but in the end I just want them to FEEL happy with themselves and in their lives. Now and when they leave my home. I really didn't know what I was doing when I somehow cultivated this in them, I just did what I truly wish I had in my own childhood.

I will say that my mother and I can, at times, connect. But most of the time I have had to look past a whole lot of crap in order to be there for her. Also I really cannot be there for her completely because she thinks that I am an idiot. Well her actions always say that far louder than her mouth utterings of "you're an intelligent girl" did. And due to that Bi-polar thing, she will change her mind and be pissed that I agreed with whatever it was for whatever amount of time it was before she had the moment of enlightenment. Yeah, there is NO winning there! lol

The truth is there is no guide on HOW to be a successful parent is there? Dr. Spock's paperback wisdom can only go so far in reality. We all have issues, we all have our shortcomings. We all have emotions that sometimes we just can't deal with in a healthy way.

I'm sure I am not alone in my extremely condensed version of the relationship with my mother.

Well I know that is so.

I'm just here writing for the world and my mother though neither will ever read this. Its out there. I love my Mother. I do. But not due to the fact that she loves me like I wanted her to, not because she is so admirable and so dependable. She is none of these things, though she could be. I love my Mother for the great possibilities that she holds. The greatness that she could have spread upon the world. The immense source of strength love she could have been.

I have always seen these things in her and have been waiting on the edge of my seat for them to finally arrive, to finally be here! TO finally enjoy them, then all the past suffering will not be in vain!

Alas, that has yet to happen. (I've always wanted to use 'alas')

But realizing this in her, I have been able to tap into my inner "could be's" and my kids and I talk freely about these things and I am trying to show them to NOT let past pain affect your current and future possibilities.

And to what, can we all owe the reason that my Mother has yet to blossom.....

Her mother screwed her up. (wish I was kidding)

;-)

So.....

HEY!! you! Its time to be what it is you've always wanted to be. You have everything that you need to do it, already within you!

XOXO

Gigi

Finished Oil....

2011-05-01T16:35:00.000-07:00

Well at least I think she is finished....

Luckily, Oil take a while to dry. I shall place her in my bedroom and ponder on what else needs to have with her, if anything.

I believe the name of this will be "Fancy meeting you here, Mr. Wolf"....
Yes that is what it is saying to me.

She was not unaware. She is quite prepared. She was out and happened to run into the "Big Bad one" himself...Yes, Fancy that indeed....;-)

Oh I'm in LOVE....

BTW its SNOWING here today....not sticking and more like a slushy snow but I can't believe it! Its the 1st of May, My peas are sprouted and my Dahlias and Zinnias, we turned off the heat and switched on the air conditioner and today of ALL days this white, cold yucky stuff is falling from the sky??? What the heck??
I'm moving to the Caribbean I tell you...A.S.A.P.!!

You will come with, wont you???

a girl can dream with your help!;-)

Until next time,
xoxo
Gigi

New Art Pendants!

2011-04-27T20:02:00.001-07:00

I have a few ready to list in the Etsy shop! I am so excited about these fancy necklace pendants! The photos of these pendants came out great but I tell you they are even MORE gorgeous in person!

Lovely Marie:

And Humphrey

Now my art can be WORN! I love it. I just Love love LOVE seeing my creations in this form! I hope you do too! Click on the photos to visit the listings in my art shop on Etsy!

Artwork into jewelry

2011-04-23T14:44:00.000-07:00

I have been feeling just like a mad scientist deep in the lab, unkempt hair and talking to myself and EVERYTHING! Slightly slipping into creative madness, working fervently on inventions that no one has seen before.....well at least none like I have ever seen! I finally emerged recently and feel quite VICTORIOUS!!!!:-)

I have been wanting to share my work in ways that I haven't seen before. I use to make jewelry but have found that EVERYONE makes the same old type of thing. I mean it! EVERYONE makes jewelry these days. I just craved something different. SO months have gone by (sorry about that) and I have tested and re-tested, even handing precious pieces to my young children for them to take to school and wear like its their own and I have learned and found that my newly discovered process WORKS!!! IT WORKS!!!! {insert hysterical crying/laughter here}

My new discovery...

Resin soaked paper pendants...

waterproof

durable

beautiful!

and in the Etsy shop starting today!!! YAAAAAAY!!!! More will be coming soon in MANY forms both discovered and cutting edge! ;-)

Enjoy my invention. Even if someone else thought of it somewhere, out there. I never have seen it before and feel quite like the inventor today....so

let me feel that for a few days at least, before you tell me otherwise... ok?

{wiping brow}

now to paint again... my dear friend has been so patient awaiting my return...

xoxo

Gigi

Published work.

2011-03-06T17:48:00.000-08:00

Did I ever tell you that I have work that is published...in an actual book! LOL

Seeing my work in a book. Yes its Suzi Blu's La Petite Academy Student Gallery book! She self published it for us after her first year of teaching. It was the most wonderful feeling when I ordered the book and opened it and saw this...

My work! My very first mixed media piece. Printed. In a book!:-)

It was our yearbook of sorts. SO many beautiful images are in there. All of us took the same classes but somehow had such varying and beautiful work. Its just wonderful.

It has been my single most wonderful artistic experience, learning from Suzi Blu. I think she knew how hard of a time I was having, sharing my work. She somehow chose my girl for her book and it literally set me free! I opened my Etsy shop and started sharing my work on this blog soon after. My girl. "O Juliette" is the only original mixed media piece I still own. I think I will keep her forever.

Its amazing what a book can do.:-)

Ok gotta run....just saw this photo in my computer and realized I had to share more of my Suzi Blu experience!:-)

xoxo
Gigi

What I'm working on this week...

2011-02-28T15:55:00.000-08:00

Just thought I'd stop and share whats going on in the studio this week!

There is more of taking control in an out of control world....I recently figured that out. The reason I feel so strongly that I NEED to make art is that its the only way I get to have creative control over what happens. Most of my childhood was out of control and my early adult hood was even more wildly out of my control.
I had the best of intentions but like my Dad says, the road to Hell is often paved with good intentions. (My Dad can be so wise:-)

So there.

That's my art therapy lesson for this month. Art can grant you control.:-)

~Now for something more VISUAL~

I apologize in advance, I took these photos of my artwork with my cell phone, mostly at night, when I was done for the night.

Meet "Humphrey" (aptly named by my sister that immediately felt this 8-legged guy as much as I did. He is the first animal mixed media piece. He is complete and hanging in my bedroom, as all my creations do, greeting me each and every day.
Humphrey represents me often trying to love the unlovable, help the "unhelp-able", and just putting energy in lost causes... that describes my first marriage and all the friendships that went down in flames in my past.
I don't know. Just something in me that thinks everyone can find happiness if they are loved, so I try and often, they want more than I can give, and it ends. sad.
So thats what Humphrey is about...

This is a blurry pic of something I started last night. She is not done yet, but she is a representation of re-invention, emerging new, redefining of self. Not quite sure yet, but that is the feel I get while creating her. I was going to make a painting about being held down, underwater, being stifled....but that all gave me "icky feelings" on the inside (as my youngest says) and I opted for the other side of that- the day of emergence. walking out of the water and not just walking out wet and tired. Walking out NEW and FABULOUS!
Both ideas I know well.

OH and BIG HUGE NEWS....I have started playing with Oil Paints for the first time ever! Thanks to my wonderful husband, after we spent nights watching reruns of that wonderful man with his happy little afro.... the late.... the great.... Bob Ross...I loves me some Bob Ross! Always have. He just makes it all feel POSSIBLE. Love it!
My Hubby brought me oils and canvases one day, along with some for him to and we are in the studio back to back creating wonderful things! Its been great! I am in LOVE with oil paints. LOVE LOVE LOVE I tell ya!

SO I set out to create another of my Art Mentors of the past.... Frida Kahlo.
Oh how I love her. She was an AMAZING person and her art....Oh her art speaks of the soul. Its just tells of all emotions and feelings that words can't quite describe.
I was so moved when I discovered her art and her story. Viva la Frida!
So I painted Frida....in a day. beginning to end all in OILS! It was one of the most gratifying feelings I have ever had. Falling in love with a medium and paying tribute to one of the greats.

Here is the evolution of My Frida...

And another visit to the fairy tale forest...

This one is entitled "what the wolf didn't know"... or something like that. She is also done in Oil paint. And is evolving nicely....I like her. She is strong yet sweet. She is no victim....and thats about all I know about her for now!

Well that's where it is at.

We are all still sick in the house. My Older kids are better from last week, my younger two are now coming down with flu symptoms today. I'm recovering from the cold that wouldnt END. Its still lingering...

I hope I leave you inspired today and if anything, thankful for your good health today.

Until Next time,
xoxo
Gigi

A creative flow...

2011-02-20T16:07:00.000-08:00

....has finally arrived once again. As to what I can attribute it to exactly....that is a mystery to me. Perhaps the few days of warm weather?? Yes that could be....perhaps the need to make art while my youngest daughter was very sick with bad chest congestion...yes, that was part of it...pearhaps finding out that my ex-husband was stalking my other blog, sending his third wife to ask me questions about my kids like I wouldn't get wierded out or anything....yeah that kinda caught up with me this month.
So I could do what I used to do. Melt down, slip into a numbness so as to not deal with anything. Get upset and angry and confront the ex idiot, cry and scream at God for my daughters sickness and run naked in the warm sun....LOL

Yeah,....umm....NO...none of the above (you're welcome, neighbors)

I, instead turn to God and leave all my cares in His great hands. Turn to my husband for support and comfort and then we , together, run to our home studio and make art non-stop for days and days.
Its been a wonderful retreat. I think Art is my continual therapy/prayer/grounding that I have always longed for my ENTIRE life and didnt embrace it until I met my husband Robert that continues to believe and encourage me in EVERYTHING that I choose to do. He is a Godsend.

So what did I make?

Here is a peek at the many finished and unfinished works that seem to be just pouring out of my soul! I forgot to photograph a couple so I'll save them for another post.
But here are some....

More works for the Goddess and the Poet teachings, taught by Suzi Blu

Below is the one I created just today and I'm not quite sure yet, as to what she wants to say...But I know it will be something about possibilities....infinite possibilities...

And below....this fancy lady is an original and is available for tea at any time with YOU.
You can find her for sale in my Etsy shop right now!

And two more are complete but not yet ready for sale. I forgot to photograph my own Frida Kahlo and in inner sea creature reaching out for all the wrong friends....yeah...You'll get it once you see it. But I've run out of daylight and I only photograph in natural light. I hate flash, well the one that comes with the cameras anyway...its just gross. One day I shall splurge for a full indoor set up just for my art!

On that note... I leave you, hopefully inspired to find the art within you. Its a great place to be!

xoxo
Gigi

New items in the Etsy shop!

2011-01-15T14:59:00.000-08:00

I am very happy to have been able to list these two pieces today. They have been keeping me company, displayed in my bedroom so that I would wake each morning feeling inspired and grounded at the same time.

They have done their duty and the time has come to offer them up to the world, in case there is someone with a need for them as well. :-)

Please click on the image to go visit them in the Etsy shop!

xoxo

Gigi

My beginning at the end...

2010-12-27T15:12:00.000-08:00

I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas, or Happy Hanukkah or enjoyed the time off you should have gotten from work...:-)

I felt it necessary to come and try to update this poor neglected blog. I've not forgotten, I've just been ever so busy trying to keep up with the ever changing tide in my life.

I've been working on my mentor- Suzi Blu's- Goddess and the Poet class, that I purchased over one year ago (she gives you a series of videos to keep) and for some reason I COULD NOT get passed the drawing. I found myself totally intimidated by this class and froze up.

Well, today I am proud to say that my inner artist was ready to take it to a new level and thawed out my little frightened heart and OH MY GAWSH!
I am in LOVE with these "stylized portraits" as Suzi Calls them.

Here's what I've done so far:

This is what I've done today:

I think I shall call her Mother Mary.... or something else...don't know yet!

She is shabby and beautiful and a bit more realistic than the folk-artsy- petite dolls that I have been making.

This assignment has been immensely EMPOWERING. Suzi gets you exploring your inner "goddess" so to speak.... and well, though I am FAR from Catholic, I am seeing their version of Mary, mother of God, in a way that I understand all the symbolism that she carries.

She is Mother. She is strength. She is comfort. She has had to be brave. She has had to have Faith. She has suffered. She has lost. She IS love. She had the courage to be what God asked her to be. She is that loving embrace you want to go to when life is hard and the tears burn as she holds you and somehow transfers that peace to you, that peace that lets you know that everything is going to be alright and you feel it.....

yes. this work has brought me peace.

Also purchased almost a year ago and for whatever reason I couldn't work through it was Suz Blu's Petite Angels class and I have one nearly completed.

You can somewhat see the evolution here:

Isn't she calming? I think so anyway.

I think she shall be the angel of acceptance or the angel of embrace....she hasn't finished telling me what she wants to be about but we are coming along fine!

These representations of acceptance and embrace are a reflection of the end of this year for me.

Its been a fabulous year....though FULL of changes and some "inner growth" surprises.

I have a "teenage" daughter, though still only 12. She is "pushing my buttons" like never before!

Much like the Velociraptors (however you spell that) featured in the Jurassic Park film, she seems to spend the day checking her boundaries and seeing where she can slip one by me and go on the attack. Just lying through her teeth and treating my husband and I like we are so dumb and do nothing for her.
Oh man! she is just like ME or at least like I was when I was about 15!
And that, my friends, is the salt in the wound.

But some wonderful wise women I know have told me that this shall pass and my girl will come back to me and treat me as if I am the wisest women she will ever know. Its just gonna take her having some real life challenges before I get that kind of respect....*sigh*

Just like I did.

Again, I'm so sorry Mom:-)

Other than that stage of parenthood, I've been able to reconcile the fact that I won't be liked by everybody and that is okay.

I know this doesn't sound like much, but when I am disliked I do like to know why and if I don't know why someone is rude or cold to me it used to BOTHER me soooooo much!

But like all things you outgrow- I found myself not caring about family that gossips, or tries to purposely ignore me, almost going to a childish length. And to the crazy relative that I have that goes on cross country tours to gain more members of the "we hate Gigi club"....Hey, I hope it brings ya' the satisfaction you believe it will. And if it doesn't....well I don't wanna know about it. LOL I just know I didn't cause this. I recognize the insecurity and leave it at that. Their insecurity not mine.

I don't know when, or exactly how I did it (other than working through my Art) but I DID IT! I was able to separate myself from other peoples issues, including those I love which has been the most difficult. But I find that I can still love them, though they have issues and deep insecurities, and want me to have them too. Love can be unconditional if you let go of your own insecurities and just keep on being happy. It's a choice that comes naturally only with a hell-load of practice!

So yeah,

Its been an indescribably healing, learning, growing and loving year.

And on this note I hope that whatever it is that keeps hindering you, that you may find a way to work through it and outgrow the suffering it may have put you through. I wish you happiness in the coming year. May we sit together next year with even less insecurities than we had this year and with even more joy to spread!

God Bless!

xoxo
Gigi

New items in the Etsy shop this week!

2010-11-12T10:23:00.000-08:00

I have two new items coming to the Etsy shop! I've just listed one and the other is drying after a second coat of varnish.

take a peek!

ITS SO GREAT TO BE BACK IN THE STUDIO!!!

I've been making jewelry and hair clips for my other Etsy shop, making art for this one and designing clothing that I plan to make for my third, secret, Etsy shop!

I guess all this remodeling business has been holding back my other creativity and it is just bursting out lately like its been bottled up for a century!

The only thing is that I don't seem to have enough hours in the day to do everything I want, lately. I spend 8 am to 2 pm in the studio then I have to trade my artist hat for my Mommy hat and then my chef, maid, chauffer, and counselor "hats" once my 4 children and my husband get home.... WHEW! that made me tired just thinking of all the "hats"! LOL

Well I have more works I am trying to complete so I'm getting off of here and going back to my little smiling creations in the works!:-)

Have a great day!

xoxo

Gigi

What I'm working on (finally back in the studio!)

2010-11-01T19:22:00.000-07:00

Though the kitchen isn't completely finished, its more than functional and to be quite honest we are just tired of working on it.

So as to not rush things so we can be done all the way, we opted to let it rest. Like working on a painting, sometimes you need to stop, step back and gain perspective. This is what I call "the painting speaking" somehow stepping back sometimes sparks that certain something it was missing. I had to let it tell me. and then it can be completed as it wanted to be.:-)
The same goes for the kitchen, we will let it tell us when its ready to be completed and not make a move until then!:-)

So we celebrated Halloween and went trick or treating. Something changed this year, I have a daughter that has a boyfriend. Meaning a boy she goes steady with at school only. But his family and our family found ourselves trick or treating together, rather awkwardly, but still in good fun.

I am trying to be supportive, "family dates" are a healthy way to help coach your child to get ready for real dating one day, or so I'm told... but something melancholy struck my heart to the core. My children are growing up. Though slowly, I find myself at a point where I am needing to start the "letting go" process otherwise it will be a great shock to me one day when they announce they are moving out and going to college or whatever adventure they so choose, someday.... I feel like its all going so fast now. But are MANY threads to my "apron strings" so we have lots of time to cut each one, and I am starting now with just allowing ideas of "dating" of any kind in my mind...

Ah, having babies was the easy part of this whole parenting thing.

What else can I do but spend a day with nature, in my own back yard, and in the studio. I felt a bit of reassurance in me today as I took time to notice the leaves in the trees change color. I found myself imagining small fairies were sprinkling their comforting and sparkly pixie dust over me, and I felt as if everything was going to be alright.

When I got in the studio, I started painting these pixies. Here is one in the beginning stages:

My autumn pixies, faeries of the fall, telling me like all good things in nature, they don't so much really end as they do simply change, and they most often change for the good. Always there, but just in a different form for us to enjoy.

Here she is with her finished face...

And there are 2 more with her on this piece.

Not quite done with all of it yet but when its done I will list it in the Etsy shop. My little smiling fairies of autumn will comfort someone in need of a reminder that change can be beautiful, if we take the time to appreciate it.

Hope your autumn is a beautiful one, as mine is:-)

xoxo
Gigi

Working it out...

2010-10-10T19:19:00.000-07:00

I recently joined the rest of America and ordered cable TV, mostly because of the mass switch to digital and the hassle of getting a box to figure out seemed hard, at least that is my excuse, and I remember feeling like there wasn't anything that I was missing on cable, but I was wrong

There is the most wonderful reality show, and I normally detest reality shows of any kind, but this one was awe inspiring. It was called Work Of Art, a reality show on A&E (I think) and it showed real artists competing for a chance at $100,000. And fame of course.

I found myself in awe, watching the artists work in various mediums, reaching in and trying to translate feeling into art. Oh and I also found myself laughing at all of their rather large EGOS, so funny how I have seen that before with other artists and thought it odd, but in fact its quite common for creative beings to think they are the only true artist that they know. LOL

I felt so very inspired by the works I saw. The first one, in fact, was the one they had to send in to enter the competition, they had to create "self portraits" meaning in any medium they had to send in a piece that represented them.

I realized that I have never made anything like a self portrait and quickly felt what it was I wanted to make and how important it would be to me....

I started a self portrait. A mixed media piece of course, and though it started out easy, I quickly started recalling how I came to be the way I am and all the pain I have had to over come and opening these topics revealed that there was so much more that I haven't healed from yet. In between my home repair projects I have been working on this:

It is evolving and near completion.

Oddly enough as I work on this house and this piece I am feeling something quite unexpected.

I am feeling Healing...

But much deeper healing than I have ever felt before. Its like changing my old, neglected home at the same time addressing my old, neglected wounds and making them better, stronger and more beautiful than imagined....wow this is all somehow connected.

So now that I am near the completion of this piece I suddenly see the world as a more beautiful place than ever.
This mornings beautiful sky seemed to agree.

I believe that most artists, especially early on, lack the self confidence and self awareness to even think of creating a piece that represents themselves only. At least that was my experience and this project was like a HUGE sign that I am now ready.
Though my piece is a likeness of my face, it combines and depicts myself younger and older, destructive and more creative, destroyed and in peace. These are the things that I am currently. I accept this vast array of feelings as my own truth and I make it work for me. There is so much more represented in this piece and I would go into detail but somehow I feel that from now on these things are spoken in the art and do not need to be discussed in detail any further. They are there. They make part of me. They are reconciled within. And that is all that truly ever matters.

How's that for art therapy?

Try it. In some way, if you dare, and see what it is that you learn about what makes you. I hope it brings you peace and joy as it has for me.

xoxo

Gigi

kitchen photo love....

2010-09-30T08:06:00.000-07:00

Some photos of our progression. I know I know... I don't shut up about my kitchen but in my world this is HUGE! I get to live in my creation....I am an artist..... its just TOO BIG of a deal to me to describe! Also my obsessive tendencies won't let me stop now! :-)

3 weeks ago we were here:

Demolishing one half while installing the other half of the kitchen, priming walls,
re-routing electrical outlets, amongst other things....like

CREATION of our own concrete counter tops!

which goes something like this:
Take this:

(quickcrete 5000 concrete mix)

Add this:

(concrete colorant)

Add water, mix and put it into this:

(mold was hand made using melamine coated particle board)

Then use a sander around the edges to get the air bubbles out.

Cover with plastic and let dry for 3 days or so...

Then in between making each section we were tiling the back splash with
slate tiles with a glass and pewter mosaic. Also plumbing issues kept arising so we
had plenty to think of during the wait!

(before we grouted the tile)

But after days of waiting, handsanding then sealing the surface of the concrete,
we think it all came together very well!

(photo above shows the grouted tile with the finished counter top)

yaaaaay!

Well we still have some work to do. Now its just all the "pretty details" which are fun in themselves!

But on the artsy side. The studio was finally cleaned up from being the "kitchen remodel homebase" that it was and I am re-organizing and thinking of some lovely things that I'd love to create! Be back soon with some new art I hope! (besides the kitchen ok? I promise! LOL)

xoxo
Gigi

Not too much longer now....

2010-09-22T13:21:00.001-07:00

We have officially reached the halfway point of our kitchen makeover. I am dreadfully tired. I still have one more 300 lb concrete counter top to hand sand and seal and help my hubby lift into the house but its pouring rain out today so we are just hoping for good weather tomorrow to finish our home made countertop project!
THEN we still have to

wallpaper the cieling (its not as bad as that sounds, its "textured wallpaper" Ill show ya soon)

Add crown molding to the upper cabinets
Choose a paint color
Paint
Grout the tiled backsplash
put in frosted plexi glass in two cabinet doors
add underlighting
get the disposal to stop leaking
install new light and medallion (decorative ring that attaches to the ceiling around the light)
build booth and new table for dining area.

and that should do it!

whew! I know, tiring just reading all that right? LOL

But that was nothing compared to what we already have DONE! And the best part is, after this is done, nothing will seem difficult like it did before!
Cleaning, cooking, child rearing- A BREEZE compared to this! LOL

But I am loving my new kitchen. I hope to have some good "progression" photos to show you soon but I can't stop to edit just yet, my "OCD" is kicking in- I MUST complete this project before I can move on to anything else!

Hope all is well with you dear reader. Thank you for stopping by!:-)

xoxo
Gigi

Someone you must meet...

2010-08-23T10:42:00.000-07:00

I have won something! ME! I won the most lovely item from one of the most lovely people I have ever known (as far as one can know via the internet) and she has a new venue!

Meet Helena of Blondie Blu.

I was reading her most fabulous blog and just so happened to see she was posting a give-away one day and so I entered and I won!

look at this fabulous prize!

A lovely Tea Towel (ignore the dreadful kitchen, it doesn't look that way anymore we are in the middle of a remodel right now!)

WOW the vibrant colors, the gorgeous trim, All vintage inspired and just absolutely LOVELY!

What a sweet note she put in with it!

AND I got a couple of cool ribbon trim loveliness! I can't wait until my kitchen makeover is done so I can make some things with them!

So if you are looking for that unique something that inspires a bit of nostalgic beauty fit for the modern world, then look no further, Keep an eye out for the new Blondie Blu!

I am knee deep in a kitchen remodel and will return when I can!

xoxo

gigi

Recovering from birthday MADness...

2010-08-12T21:24:00.000-07:00

I did it. I pulled it off.
The most amazing handmade Mad Tea Party inspired birthday party that I have ever planned....only thing was that I was sooooo incredibly busy that I didn't get to take lots of photos.:-(

I have been preparing for this party for MONTHS. Knowing it would be a birthday/end of summer party I wanted to put in my all. Plus it was for my youngest daughter and she is all about doing themed parties still. So I took full advantage of it!

Here's what I did get captured...

Above is my girl in her Mad Hatter Costume! I admit, I bought the hat on ebay, I tried making a hat out of an old lampshade but it was far too heavy to pin in her hair so we got the foam one. The bowtie was made from remnant skull fabric I've been hanging on to for years now and the coat was made from silk brocade that was on sale at Jo-ann's and I used this pattern that I also bought at Jo-ann's on sale! I just used the abraham lincoln pattern but hemmed it quite a bit to suit my little shorty.:-)
A variety of tea cups and saucers along with name cards await guests. Each little girl could pick out her own special cup!

The rather stressful to make cake that I had the GREAT idea of making myself. I was so inspired by this video on You Tube. What was I thinking doing it in the middle of summer?? It had melting issues with the fondant and with our type of cooling system it started to SWEAT rather heavily! But it was colorful and all the guests oooh'd and Ahhhhed it all the way from the refrigerator to the table! Mission Accomplished!!

I handmade a variety of costumes for each little girl to choose from. Here they are all gathered in my girls room as they got ready for the party!

My baby girl was feeling so very special. Surrounded by family and friends with the most whimsical cake that made mommy cry from the absolute difficulty she encountered when she was making it...LOL but it was all worth it! Look at that smile! again MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!

All the little girls cracked me up swinging their little hearts out at the teapot pinata I made, all dressed in their costumes! Too cute!
Vanity has no place in the heart of a girl when candy is involved! LOL Yet they did seem rather graceful here...

Here are my girls all decked out with costumes I made.(Though the hats were bought on ebay) waving goodbye to the guests. These outfits didn't last too long it happened to be near 100 degrees on this day and they kept changing to keep cool! We were all too hot to care! LOL

By far it was one of my best parties. I wish I had taken photos of all the yummy kinds of lemonade in glass containers with sliced fruit in them. It was rather beautiful! I was running from the time the first guests arrived to about 10pm when I was mopping the kitchen and just hit the bed hard and didnt wake up until 10 the next morning! I felt like I was hungover except without the fun of actually drinking! LOL

But all in all it was worth it. My baby girl is still going on and on about how fun her birthday was. So most likely I will do this all again!:-) These kids own me and I'm proud of it! LOL

Ok im off to bed. Tomorrow is registration day for school! WOW summer flew by way too fast! Where does the time go??

Until next time

xoxo
Gigi

Wicked fun!

2010-07-29T08:50:00.000-07:00

The big birthday party countdown has begun and I am just running out of precious time! 9 days! BUT I came across 4 tiny glass bottles and remembered what fun they were last year so I've whipped up a few to hold me over until after the big party. SO in my 'other than art' Etsy shop I've been adding some wicked fun that I had to share with you!
Click on the photo to check it out!

Until after the party,

xoxo
Gigi

Happy 5th

2010-07-05T12:49:00.000-07:00

I hope you all had a wonderful fourth of July! (those of you with me in the U.S.)

I have not been able to get online for some days now since my provider had an "outtage" meaning also my cable and home phone services were in and out for a week. We called and called and the only help we could get was "perhaps you should upgrade to our 'business' accounts because we usually fix those accounts first"

UGH! Talk about frustrating!

All that aside its been a productive week! I'm working on a rather large commissioned painting that has been giving me a bit of trouble but just when I thought hope was lost the piece "spoke" to me finally and now I just hope I can make it into what it wants to be!:-)

We had a great 4th of July celebration here in my own backyard. Ahhh I love my home. I never want to leave it!

We had fun with time lapsed photography and some sparklers. Once the children caught on they got their LED flashlight and spent the rest of the night creating! Okay I have to just type here for some reason because when I type in a title to this post and anywhere else but here it shows up in Hindi. I can't figure it out! UGH!
Oh well, I hope you enjoy these photos in any language LOL :

xoxo,
Gigi

Mad Tea Party 2010 Begins!!!

2010-06-26T07:11:00.000-07:00

OH MY! It seems that I've fallen down a rabbit hole...

down
down
down....

Along with many others, today I welcome you to the 2nd annual "Mad Tea Party", hosted by the lovely Miss V. of A Fanciful Twist...

I would like to start by thanking my three daughters for playing tea party with me.

We do hope you'll enjoy our little party!

One Day, three little girls decided to follow in Alice's footsteps.
Once the decision was made MAGIC began to happen.
Before their eyes a magical spread began to appear on their table!

The most delicious treats began to pop into place out of thin air!

And they weren't in their t-shirts and jeans anymore, The girls ordinary clothing was transformed into beautiful gowns fit for a Tea Party. Not an ordinary tea party...

A MAD tea party!

"It is definitely magic!" The girls exclaimed!

And suddenly they realize that they were not alone...

Just as suddenly they started to become other Characters
They started to FEEL like the characters from Wonderland!

The Mad Hatter Made a brief appearance in the garden..
(apparently she ate too much cake and was stuck rather small)I Really DO love that Hat...
Oh and The White Rabbit arrived quite on time!

The Red Queen then announced "Let the party begin!"
There were magical characters providing entertainment for all...

And Cheshire kept their tea cups full!And they drank tea and enjoyed the party for hours and hours and never got tired!
In fact, the little girls vowed to stay in Wonderland until they were tired
so to this very day....
Wonderland is where they stayed.

Thanks for stopping by! Be sure and visit A Fanciful Twist and see ALL the Mad Tea Party guests!

xoxo

Gigi

Photo Love- My many craft loves...

2010-06-24T14:23:00.000-07:00

I was cleaning out photographs from my computer and looking through YEARS and years of photos of my crafts and I found myself pleasantly surprised with my personal portfolio.

I once had a friend criticize me, by saying "well you seem to get all excited for something then eventually you quit and find something else to be excited for"

As if this love of crafting of mine were a bad thing. As if we are all supposed to chose one thing to do until we die.

As if!

:-)

So I am going back a few years and will show you my many flames that I must admit STILL excite me and unlike a husband I can LOVE all of them at once! LOL Mind you that my Business name that I share with my husband(whom is also very crafty AND is my one and only HUMAN LOVE:) is Art Of The Craft Studios.

Selling my youngest daughters newborn clothing on ebay, I stumbled upon a new world. The world of handmade custom boutique clothing.

2006: I taught myself to make polymer clay jewelry that I began to sell on ebay

2007:
I taught myself to sew using instructions found at this site.

I then taught myself to make Soldered pendants.

2008

I got better and more DARING with my designs and began to sell regularly on eBay.

I also made unique totes for children

2009: My busiest year yet!

I also learned how to paint on clothing:

And then I painted on clothing that I sewed too!

My daughters were my models and I was the photographer and seamstress and eventually we were invited to participate in themed event within the ebay custom boutique community.

Le Marionette

Fairies and Friends:

And my final themed set sold just about one year ago.
My pièce de rèsistance

Steampunk:

It was very impressive amongst the other ebay designers- Which were, unfortunately, most of my audience.
It sold for $200 which wasn't much after 4 months of working on the 11 pieces that made this one sized set.

It was featured on a site that talks all about this genre of clothing read here.

Also I took a PMC (precious Metal Clay) jewelry making class with my husband and we made some shiny things together out of pure silver!

Also I began to explore mixed media art when I found Suzi Blu on You Tube

Then Miss Suzi started teaching classes and I learned how to draw big eyed girls the right way!

And the funny thing was I realized that Painting made me tremendously happy whereas Sewing made me sad and I wasn't aware that it was the sewing. I literally would feel so sad that I would end up in tears when I would sew.

I think I began to burn out on sewing in 2009. Not so much because some of the weirdo buyers I would find now and then and their demands for TONS of work for pennies, I could deal with that, but it was the insecurity of all the other SELLERS that I had once admired and respected from afar, I got to know many of them and eventually left a bad taste in my mouth for sewing for ebay. I didn't want to be one of them!

SO much game playing, unsolicited critiquing and advising that was very questionable, it was disgusting and really made me sad. I began to wonder if all creative people were so damned insecure and questioned how they could really believe and feel as if they WERE their sales?? Sadly, with the ones I was closest to for years the answer was YES. I found no need for any of them!

The great thing about sewing was that I would take something that I made for my daughter, that tickled my heart to see her all decked out in and she LOVED to model it and felt all special inside and then we'd sell it! I did two wonderful things with selling it- I made another mom and daughter happy and secondly I made some money to treat my kids to extras that we could not afford otherwise and then it was also money to buy supply to do it all over again! Fabric is expensive, it takes DAYS to create one outfit. Its NOT a fast art or by any means is it easy! I once loved it but whenever I tried to sew I remembered all the words of "help" I received from other sellers. Their words echo and it made me sick.

So I dove right into Suzi Blu's teachings and guess what I found?

Art Healed.

IT DID! Creating art healed me. The sad was taken away by color and paper and pretty little big eyed girls smiling back at me! So much so that earlier this year I began to list my art for sale on Etsy.

If I had not gone through all of the things learning my crafts I very seriously doubt I would be as happy with myself as an artist that I am now.
Now that is they key. Feeling happy with yourself within your self!

So its been quite a journey for me, as you can see. But I felt the need to post this to remind everyone to keep going. Don't worry about sticking to ONE thing just go with your heart and in the end it will all make sense!

Keep on going!

xoxo,
Gigi

Portrait of my Dad

2010-06-23T09:29:00.000-07:00

I know it's a few days late. But here is my fathers day post...

Fathers day fell on my birthday this year. Ironic considering I was born a bastard child and felt abandoned by my earthly fathers many times in my life. Years ago I would say it was almost a cruel joke that my birthday would fall on that day. But that was the past....

This post is dedicated to the man I call Dad. Though we share no DNA, when I call out "hey dad" this man answers "Yes?". every time.

He allowed me to photograph him and even posed for these photos. Though I could tell it made him uncomfortable.:-) Isn't he handsome? I used to think he looked exactly like Harrison Ford. In fact my kids recently said that Indiana Jones looks a LOT like "Grandaddy"...;-)

I've known my Dad since I was 2 years old. His mother happened to live in the same apartment complex that my mother and I did. I befriended his mother, who had the most delicious cocoa puffs cereal, out of the box, around. LOL

She just came to visit me this last spring... Here she is with my two youngest daughters that ADORE her!

The story goes something like this, He would come home from work to his mothers house, being just 21 years old, he was just a boy, and I would wait by his front door stoop for him and run to him with open arms calling him "Daddy".

For some odd reason this didn't feel so bad and he rather found it cute, though sad, but still nice to have someone waiting for him. So one day he felt the need to meet my mother and one thing lead to another and in 2 and a half more years they were married and having my little sister.

He was always on my side. Even when I got in trouble with him and got punished. I remember feeling that in all reality my dad loved me and wanted good for me.

Skip a few more moves and a brief stint in the Army and you have this same loving man broken down and falling apart. Addiction and alcoholism and a fierce anger with the world, my dad drank himself into liver failure and after a most violent series of nights of his drunken rages, verbal torture and my fear of him killing my mother that resulted in my 13 year old self running away taking my 6 year old sister with me until he sobered up, he decided it was time that he left us.

Though I felt mostly relieved that I didn't have to worry when one of my parents would die during a fight- that feeling that a dad would always be on my side and would love me, was destroyed. It was gone forever.

That was until about 10 years later. Where I found myself coming out of an abusive marriage with nothing but two babies on my hip and a new awareness of God.

Dad ran to the rescue. But I refused and kept trying to settle elsewhere, anywhere but near him!
It seems God wanted me and my Dad to reunite because everywhere else I went, things just didn't work out.
Finally, humbled, tired and emotionally exhausted, I had $20 left in my pocket and showed up at my Dad's door with my two babies on my hips. Dad was thrilled and took us in, gave us a car, gave me a job and put me on my track to independence and stability that I had never had before. Dad was looking out for me again and it was better because now he was clean and sober and remembered that he loved me. Somehow that allowed me to heal from the past and Dad and I picked up where we had left off.
That is when my Dad became "Grandaddy" to my children. He walked me down the aisle proudly when I was remarried he even bought the wedding cake. He came to visit me, bringing gifts, right away when I had my last two babies. He took to the role of Grandfather very well.

Clean and sober for many years now, he still comes around now and then and on occasion tells his most interesting tales while he puffs on his cigar. He is on his third divorce so I have something to pray for, for him to find someone to love that isn't broken.
These days we get to see more of him because he gets to feeling lonely on some days and we remind him that he is not alone and I am certain he looks forward to the silence of his home when he leaves the chaos here!

We aren't the Cleavers, in fact quite opposite! But somehow it works. and it works well.

And through it all, one thing remains constant... I say "Hey Dad!" This man always answers, "Yes honey?"

Any male can become a father but it takes a real man to be a Dad.

xoxo,
Gigi

Why I love Suzi Blu

2010-06-22T19:59:00.000-07:00

just watch...:-)

need I say more?

Love ya Suzi!

xoxo
G

Photo love....a story in the clouds

2010-06-07T08:14:00.000-07:00

I love New Mexico.

I tried to move away once. After a while I started to really ache in my heart for the sun and sky. As if they were part of me and in Missouri, Illinois and Texas the natural beauty there just didn't cut it for me. It didn't move me in the slightest. My heart remained here and it called for me until I could no longer bear it and I returned immediately.

And this is where I shall stay.:-)

My husband and I were working on our backyard yesterday. It was sorely neglected by the previous owners and needs lots and lots of love and care. Its been so hot that we didn't get much done all last week but yesterday a beautiful sight rolled in. Literally.

Clouds. Lots and lots of water filled clouds rolled over the mountains. So we got outside and worked while it was cooling off to a chilly 90 degrees...LOL

Eventually the winds picked up and while we were working on leveling the yard I happened to look up and it was breathtaking....

The clouds were moving, in utter silence they were twisting and turning so rapidly that I could hardly believe I wasn't dreaming! Was this an Angel taking shape??

My husband and I were in awe. Dirt covered and with garden tools in hand we could only look up. Barely blinking as the events unfolded in the sky.

A Kitty! My youngest daughter pointed it out.

A dark Angel appears where the first Angel of light was....perhaps a battle in the sky? Good and Evil? Or merely an exhibition? So much food for the imagination!

In the end, the light always finds a way through the dark clouds....

A wondrous tale told by the clouds.

I simply cannot add anything to it. Its perfect the way it was told to me.

What story did you see?:-)

xoxo

Gigi

a whole lot of photo love...

2010-06-02T19:12:00.000-07:00

I have been spending time with my camera and photoshop lately. I used to sell lots of clothing on ebay and I saved and saved and finally bought myself a Canon Rebel Xsi over a year ago and it did so much that was overwhelmed and stopped trying to learn! LOL
But lately something has bit me. The photo bug perhaos? I just love learning a testing and reading and absorbing. Plus I have Adobe photoshop cs2 which is another thing that seems overwhelming and is hard to remember but I LOVE it! I found a lovely place that helps a lot. Its called MCP Actions and I have been reading her blog for over a year now as well as saving up to buy her actions. I really feel like there was this person inside of me that I have never met before now- A photographer! Dying to capture the beauty and meaning of still moments of reality.

So I play...or train...yeah "train" sounds better. I'm a photographer in training...LOL Somedays I can't seem to function if I don't sit and give some time to learning all I can about photography. You would be so surprised at how much free information and help there is on the internet! I'm very glad that there is! Because my unofficial attention deficit disorder wouldn't allow me to sit in a classroom and make pinhole cameras and such. Sometimes I think I should make myself do it but the thought makes me want to vomit so I figure that isnt a good thing. I shall find another way to educate myself! As usual! :-)

Occasionally I will do a "photo love" post here on this very blog, to show you my love of photos! LOL Not sure why I put them here. It just feels good to put my work "out there" lately. It just feels right. So I don't argue anymore. I will just go with it.

So that's it.

All I came to say today!:-)

Boring in know....

OH and there is a NEW original in the Art Shop! Sea Gypsies... they are lovely!

Other than that....I remain busy busy busy preparing for the Mad Tea Party on June 26th! Collecting and thinking and dreaming... I really hope I can pull it off as I can imagine it to be!!

We will find out soon!

xoxo
Gigi

Feeling loved

2010-05-27T13:46:00.000-07:00

While I rested when I was sick these last couple of days, my husband and my two oldest children, that are on summer break, made this for me...
A sewing area! I am so happy! They put up drywall , a cabinet, shelving and painted!
Though I am not all the way recovered I am feeling LOVED! They attached an old cabinet that used to be over my fridge and painted that too. I have always wanted a sewing room and this is not quite a room, more like a nook. But its the greatest little sewing nook that ever was!

Today my 8 year old daughter seemed to have caught what I had and missed her second to last day of school. I held her and loved her through it and I am happy to say after a morning and afternoon of vomiting she woke up from a nap hungry and she is now outside playing with her siblings...ahhh..my work here is done...LOL Now I can focus on getting my sugar levels right and feeling 100% better myself.

Many blessings to you all on this lovely hot and humid day.

xoxo
Gigi

Love uncondtionally...

2010-05-26T19:38:00.000-07:00

My work...she is done...

After much Push/Pull, as Suzi Blu teaches, both inside and on this painting. I feel she is done.
I added more dimension to this piece and drastic change. I find it perfectly matches what I have envisioned for over a year now.

Yesterday I was violently ill, a stomach virus, fever, vomiting with an achey back and neck.

Blessed am I , that I have my husband that is in tune with me and he called in to work to spoon feed me liquids and get me back to walking and thinking straight again!
Today I am feeling much stronger, though not at 100% as of yet, I feel so much better that this time last night! All the while that my husband lovingly took care of me I was thinking of this piece. How special it is to me. Also that a lot of people do not what unconditional love looks like. I do hope I can put a good visual as well as convey for feeling for them, so that they can find it too. I put it for sale in my Etsy shop. I know the price is higher than most, but I couldn't sell it short, its pure feeling translated into art.

Feeling loved like no other by none other than my true love...:-)

xoxo
Gigi

what im working on...

2010-05-19T19:40:00.000-07:00

I'd like to start posting a weekly "what I'm working on" post to show what I've gotten myself into each week artwise.:-)

Last week I completed my second original piece of 2010- "Lovely Marie"
here she is in progress:
Here she is complete!
I had purchased the "Petite Marie" class from Suzi Blu after taking her Petite Dolls class and life got in the way and I realized that I had never actually sat and watched the videos as I worked along and I was so surprised that she came so easily when I finally did. I have prints of her coming along but she is hanging in my room where my former muses once were giving me daily advice and comfort...:-)

So now that the pretty Miss Marie is done there was something deeper I had been pondering for over a year now. A piece that would illustrate a very deep emotion for me. I had been thinking of the details for so long now that I finally felt that it was time...

Its not complete as of yet and this one is so deep for me that I cannot work on it yet without welling up with big tears.

I want to illustrate Unconditional love, rare and true, as I know it. If you could visit my life in a minute you would understand why this is such a big deal to me. Growing up it was hard to find this love, I would seek it but constantly not find it from those that I felt should have it for me but sometimes we are born to people that cannot give what they do not know. As an adult I had faltered even more with my early choices and found myself low. Very low. But still felt open to find something more in this life and not give up.

One event led to another and the voices of a choir led me into a church which set the start of me finding real love. Just as I was, broken and sad, God was real and I found that He did love me.

Then not long after I found my husband whom, unlike most people, allowed me to be and loved me just as I was. Not altogether sane or perfect by any means was I, but somehow he loved me instantly as if I was perfect and unbroken. They both still love me just like that to this day and I cry when I think about how long I went before these events judging myself as I was treated by so many. I had begun to agree that I was unlovable. So in this piece I recall that moment where I found this love, I cried with elation and relief and inside I said "I knew it! I knew I could be loved!"

So that is where I am, working and crying with joy, celebrating my lifes' victory.

I hope to have this piece done by the end of the week but sometimes my art has other plans so like I usually do, I'm just going to go with it and see where it takes me. For its almost always the perfect journey when you let your heart guide you.

Until next time,

much love, unconditionally...

xoxo
Gigi

Embellished goodness

2010-05-18T14:45:00.000-07:00

Thanks to a special client that I worked with this last month, I was inspired to actually work on Embellishing prints! So this last week I worked hard on scanning and tweaking my own art images and then hand painting aspects of them that I found couldn't really be captured truly.

What I have found is that its almost like creating new works from previously existing works! I print the image on high quality canvas and then hand embellish each print using my colored pencils or iridescent paints, or whatever was used in the original piece that I feel might have been lost in the printing. Its great, though time consuming, I feel like I can offer somewhat original works more than once. I really don't want to create more than two or three prints of each piece ever, but it has been fun to revisit each piece and fall in love with them again!

So today in my Etsy shop I started adding Embellished prints! I'm very excited about this! I hope you like them too!

local photo love...

2010-05-08T12:12:00.000-07:00

Here are a few shots I was able to edit from around my town...Albuquerque.
I think I like my town much more as seen through the lens.

Walking through the lovingly preserved yet highly overpriced Plaza at Old Town. It is candy for the lens though. I just love to photograph anything down there. I just wish my pocketbook would allow me to shop there too! It is charming and the place to find all kinds of unique and interesting items.
Old town. As you enter on the east side of the charming tourist destination this lovely mosaic caught my eye and I fell in love with it. This is where the old west meets contemporary artists.

The beautiful Sandia Mountains. The word "sandia" translates into the word "watermelon" which you can see the coloring at sunset will tell you the whole story as to why they were named so. They are more brilliantly pink for just a few minutes but I couldn't get my lens changed out at the right time and this was what I caught just before they faded to their regular hues of brown and green... Oh and I was at a grocery store in the parking lot when the inspiration struck and I also thought that I have never taken a shot of this. I see it every day and rather take it for granted. So I just so happened to have my camera and decided to end that horrible fact. But then you see all the lovely Circle K signs and telephone wires and such. Which is more like the Albuquerque I know. Nothing but city. With lots of natural beauty well within reach.
I hope to post more of these soon! There is lots that I am sure I am taking for granted that you might appreciate.

xoxo
Gigi

Are you Mad???

2010-05-04T14:49:00.001-07:00

Yes.

The plain and simple answer is yes.
Yes I am stark-raving MAD. But I make it work for me so its all good.

Here's the big news!

Are you ready?

That's right!!! My most favorite artist/blogger/creator of dreamy worlds- Vanessa Valencia of *A Fanciful Twist* has put out the annual invite to the 2010 Mad Tea Party!
(hint: its a blog party- another hint:click here to visit her visually pleasing invitation)

Alice in Wonderland has always been one of my most favorite stories of all time. I read it in its entirety the summer that I turned 13. I love every interpretation of the story as well. My cousin and I used to watch the 1980's version where Carol Channing played the white queen and another where Martin Short was the Mad Hatter (maybe that was the same one?- I don't know. The memory is the first to go ya know.) Disney's animated classic is a favorite of my daughters and now Tim Burtons rendition has blown them almost away in my heart but still its just a wonderful tale, no matter who tells it.

So I will be attending this years Mad Tea Party for sure! I simply cannot wait to dream up some visual loveliness for you. I'm no Vanessa Valencia but I'll give it a go and see what happens! I may be stricken from the future invitations but my plan is to say, at the very least, I gave it my all!

What more can one do?:-)

I'm so freakin' giddy!

OH and If you have a blog and would like to attend- Please do! CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP

Think that's enough sign up links maybe?

Yeah me too.....sooooo.....

Will you, won't you, will you, won't you
won't you join...???

teehee

Feeling clever and dumb at the same time on this sunny day,

xoxo
Gigi

more photo love..

2010-05-02T12:55:00.000-07:00

as promised... Photos!

Thought you'd like to see what I've been up to. its raining and feels like 40 degrees outside here in the New Mexico desert. Winter makes a dramatic exit around here.

I've had some commissions to work on. Which I am delighted to find that my old "mental blocks" have faded to the back for the most part.
I used to struggle with each step, so afraid to ruin my work. Questioning my own ability the entire way through the creation of each piece.
I doubted myself entirely.

But God sent me a little angel of a client and she seems to appreciate my work and she gives me freedom to create that seems to allow me to channel in the perfect balance between confidence and artistic ability that I had been lacking.

in my Etsy shop I put this painting up that sold within 24 hours, much to my surprise!
And my client missed out on it so she kindly inquired on commissioning another and I was shocked that I was actually able to create another!

Don't you just LOVE surprises like that? Now I can't seem to decide which one I love more! They both were wonderful journeys for me. I think I shall love them differently but equally. Just like my children, I suppose. :-)

So she loved it and kindly inquired about commissioning another with a more personal meaning and today I believe I have finished it!

They are so pretty! So much more so in person! I love this piece so much!

I hope my client loves them too. Part of me hopes she doesn't so I can add them to my own hoarded art collection! LOL

I never said I didn't have serious issues.
Remember that. LOLOL

OH and my oldest daughter turned 12! I cannot believe my little cherub-like baby girl is getting a grown up body and has started to notice BOYS!

Time flies by...

That's her talking on the phone to my mother that sent her a sewing machine of her own! She chose the most brightest and contrasting colors one can find for each of the four walls of her room. She has big plans! It seems I have someone wanting to follow in my footsteps. I only hope that she skips over the crap I often stepped into! LOL

I have two more pieces I have started so I'm off to play with these pieces on this cold, cold, wet day...

xoxo
Gigi

Working through...

2010-04-30T10:01:00.000-07:00

I've been so busy in the studio lately! I'm working on original pieces and also working on finishing the studio! I was able to purchase some insulation with my own profits and my husband and I put in rolls of insulation in and rearranged a bit and I have a painting station set up and am getting some much needed work done.

I found a lovely client. Or rather she found me and has me blissfully busy creating art. I'm working on her custom pieces and new pieces are coming to mind that I can't wait to create. So I plan on spending hours and hours in the studio. My only interruption is the dropping off and picking up of children. Oh and my children seem to have all DRAMA for me lately.

Between my sons heartache after his first romance ended, my oldest daughters announcing liking a BOY! Then my third child having drama in school between her best friend and a new friend. Girls like to control other girls and its hard to explain that without it sounding so bad, but it is just that bad! My only saving grace is that she and my youngest daughter will be moving to a new school next year that is within walking distance of my home. She and I are both so looking forward to the fresh start! But that is the bitter part in that sweet fact- My baby, my kindergartner is having a hard time with the change. Here we are at the end of the year and she cries when we pass the new school, not wanting to go there already. My heart aches.

So here I am in between the rock and the hard place once again. I know moving my daughters will be the best thing. They will most likely find some settled friends that are a permanent part of the neighborhood and I want that for my babies. I didn't have that growing up so I spent the last few years trying to keep things stable by transferring all my kiddos to one school. Driving sometimes 20 minutes each way to get them to the constant thing until a time came that we could finally buy a home and settle down.

So I'm gonna go make some art. I have a few things in mind that might convey well through mixed media. I find that, in the time spent creating, I give myself the time to work things out mentally and then when it comes through on canvas, that is the moment I know I can handle things. I relax and somehow the piece comes alive. Like a dear friend that helped me through a rough patch. Or like what I'd imagine a loving father would be like, giving wise and loving advice about how to get through a tough situation that makes sense and is in my best interest.
I come to love my pieces because they do help me!

So ill try to come back soon. With some photos! But now I just have to work through some issues and hopefully I'll have something beautiful to show you and some sort of wonderful resolution to share!
Here's hoping!

xoxo
Gigi

saying goodbye... again

2010-04-22T09:04:00.000-07:00

Today is the day I am letting myself feel sad about a very sad thing to me.

My new and wonderful friend B is moving away. Its a new friendship and so far has been so fun and wonderful but it seems that she has more in common with me than I wanted. Like she seems to attract people that want to badly to control her and can't so they react very wrong. They set her new car on fire in front of her house in the middle of the night.

Yeah, I've had mine keyed and my tires slashed repeatedly by a friend that I had to let go of because she was destructive to my life. So I know what she is feeling now.

Sad, scared, paranoid- not sure who she can trust around her. Can't sleep wondering if they will take a more drastic step. She has two precious daughters that she fears for. So I know exactly what she is feeling and cannot blame her for wanting to move closer to family and start fresh and not let anyone from her past know where she is. Except me, because I get to help her move! Bittersweet.

So today I will sit and just let the sad out and work through it. And have some peace so I won't show it to my friend. The last thing she needs is me making her feel guilty about moving. After all she was a block away from me when her car was attacked and I couldn't help her. I had turned off my cell phone. I feel bad. But I have another friend that is going through issues that sometimes calls at one o'clock in the morning to tell me she thinks she will sell her sketches of her dogs on ebay. OK so you have issues. I'll just turn off my phone I figured. But that made things worse for my new friend. She felt alone in her time of need and she is moving a block away from her aunt and uncle that seem to parent her in place of her parents that are down state.

I get that! Man I wish I had that when I was going through some rough times. So I am glad for her that her family is so caring and together and love her so much they want her to be close. Sometimes people are born into a family that has more than enough to give and sometimes you are like me, born into a family that believes if they help you, you won't learn. They simply don't have much to give. Just criticism and judgment if you dare to let them know what you are thinking or feeling.

Tough love is indeed tough.

But all is not lost, just a quick 30 minute drive on the freeway and I can visit with my friend again! Its just hard because her daughters are also my daughters best friends. I feel their pain, not wanting to think of life without them. I know that the freeway drives are the last part in saying goodbye for good. I have said goodbye many times and know that the longer the distance the harder to bond. Eventually life will get busy. They will go to a new school and make new friends and though not intended, one day we will lose touch long enough that one day we will feel like strangers.

Ive done this enough times in my life that I can call it! I did go to 7 different elementary schools and moved about 16 times after that. So you get a feel for these things. The only thing you never get is how to not let it hurt anymore. I thought I might grow used to it but I haven't.

So now is the time I get used to being alone again. This time it isn't so bad. I went to the gym alone and I got the courage to go eat breakfast alone. I rather liked the quiet and time to just people watch and ponder things. Who knows? I may grow to love it! Artists are often loners aren't they?? LOL

Oh and I'm working on a lovely commissioned piece. Its near completion. All this alone time gave me time to work on it fully and I LOVE it!

But not today. today is the day I let the sad out.

Till the sadness subsides

xoxo
Gigi

Photo love

2010-04-14T19:08:00.001-07:00

I'm busy busy. I suppose, much like a bee......buzz buzz buzz....

Here are some photos I was playing with one night when I couldn't sleep. I am a amateur photographer and an amateur graphic artist and well...lets just say I'm also a photoshop enthusiast. I tend to take photos, download them into the computer and leave them for nights when I can't sleep but am afraid to mess up artwork in my groggy state.... so don't expect much...LOL

the following are two of my favorite things this spring. My almond tree in my new backyard and my baby boy puppy, now 6 months old, with a blossom stuck in his doggy beard. These are a few of my favorite things....

thousands more sit unedited...
someday ill get them all done and printed.

I must get going. We have a double birthday party here for my two April babies. Tomorrow I will have a 12 year old daughter and an 8 year old daughter! My mind likes to tell me that I have babies at home still but, much like sand slipping through my gripping hands, time is slipping away. They are growing, changing and becoming more beautiful. I'm excited though to see what great people they will be....

leaving you in a wistful mothering love until next time...

xoxo
Gigi

Unbelievable Giveaway spotted!

2010-04-06T09:45:00.000-07:00

Check this video out to see the NEW Cricut CAKE! OMGosh I so want this machine! Watch the new episode and learn how to enter to win one! You could win a Cricut Cake! I just entered and I hope I win though. Not you. ME MEMEMEMEMEEEEEEE....LOL

Just kidding,but if you win- can I borrow it a couple times a year? LOLOLOL

love & beauty and pink toilets gone

2010-03-22T15:38:00.000-07:00

Today is a wonderfully warm day in the great southwest. The air is finally warm, though snow is predicted as was last week where I found myself on one day wearing a tank top and flip flops, exposing my alarmingly pale feet to the rays of the sun then on the next morning I looked out my window as I usually do to see what kind of day it might be and was shocked to see 2 inches of snow.

Bummer.

Yeah, I like snow. but not on the first day of spring. That's just salt in the wound, ya know? We got lots of snow this winter so with the digging out of flip flops, one would hope that snow would be gone for the season. Alas, I am wrong. Mother nature is indeed bi-polar here. today 68 degrees tomorrow the same and wednesday will be 46 degrees and I don't doubt it!

Im taking a five minute break to rest my arm from hammering through drywall to create the opening to my future sewing nook. I love to sew. I am making costumes for my youngest daughters "alice in wonderland" birthday party in August.

The plan is to get her and the back yard all decked out for her special day. I haven't been feeling well so I am just working on less labor intensive things until my belly fully heals from passing wicked kidney stones. Damn those are not fun. Childbirth is easier because at least it ends in a few hours and you get a nice reward, a baby! Not days of soreness and infections and feeling like an old lady as I shuffle around the house.

Now I didnt let it stop me fully! I can't sit for the hours needed to sew but my husband and I finished the master shower:
Before

EWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW

After

Cool right? Before it was vomitous! I know! But AFTER is just wonderful. I am seeing what I imagined could be done with this house when we bought it! I love that!!!! Oh and rest assured the pink toilet was picked up by a very nice man the spoke in broken english "can I have toilet?" I was so very happy to let him have it! Saved me a trip to the dump and he seemed thrilled too! The old saying is true ya know. One mans trash.....

Anyhow, we got the cool low flow Kholer's in both bathrooms- yet another funny story with that one but I'll save that for another day.

Also, we managed to lay new tile on the floor. Hubby made the cuts and I put them in. It was a tiny 4ft by 4ft bathroom but it looks so lovely now that the grout has dried!

Next is to tile up the wall halfway- like a continuous back splash. I already purchased the rustic medicine cabinet and picked out the vanity. Turns out to be cheaper to buy something already made than to buy an actual antique and put in a vessel sink. I'm balling on a budget here!
Man I sometimes wish I could hit the lottery but not have the crap that goes along with it. Just so I could fill my home with all of the wonderful antiques I find. But I suppose that would be Hoarding after a while and then I'd be on T.V. for that and eventually the vultures would come to pick my bones clean, financially, that is.

Ok wait. what was I saying before I went off on this tangent?

ah forget it. Must have not been that important I guess.

Ok im off to smash things then fix them up better than before! yay! will show more later!

xoxo

Gigi

gratitude

2010-03-18T17:48:00.000-07:00

I am grateful of many things.

And sometimes pain reminds you of what to be grateful for, that perhaps, you overlooked before.

The other morning I woke in the most unlovely panic. Pain starting at my side and within hours moved to where I think Is my bladder. Kidney stone?
Most likely.

Painful? indeed.

but contrary to popular belief I don't think it is at all bad as childbirth as you often hear.
Perhaps I have a smaller stone that is passing through or that I maybe have a higher threshold for pain or something but it is not at all like childbirth of which I did naturally twice. Quite not by choice. No. this pain is annoying and unpredictable at best. It makes me cry when I am tired and want to sleep and the throbbing from within wakes me up. But is basically a picnic under the stars compared to labor and delivery.

But in my gasping and praying loudly through tears I found gratitude...like for instance I am grateful that I'm not paralyzed or was ever blinded by some wretched accident..... Thankful I'm not allergic to my own tears like that girl on that episode ripleys believe it or not I caught the other day. Glad I am not really "lost in space" like Will Robinson was. I do have a strong fear of robots you know. Oh so I'm also very grateful that we, as human beings, don't have robots as predicted by the Jetsons or that we have flying cars and wear stupid jackets that automatically fit tosize like Back to the Future 2 which by the way was only set in the year 2015. Yes very thankful for these things indeed.

Oddly enough in my wrenching I found myself thinking of the most interesting things which lead to more deeper wounds that I had all but forgotten in the moment. Suddenly my mothers manic depression that confuses the crap out of me still to this day- isn't the worst thing to happen.
My adopted fathers lack of interest and communication and self deprecating behavior- suddenly is not the worst thing to happen.

Oh and Running for 30 minutes on the treadmill and doing it daily- a breeze. a joy even. I can't wait to do it again!

I'm alive. I'm well. IN pain but alive.

and for discovering these lovely thoughts I am grateful.

So I pushed myself today to get out of bed, as the pain has mostly subsided, meaning that I most likely passed the darn thing but my insides still feel swollen. I am keeping my mind in check so that I don't imagine the worst. The doctors are of no help. I went to my general practitioner "take these antibiotics and go see the gyno" I went to the gynecologist "take these other antibiotics and go home. No ultrasound. No worry. take these and DON'T call me in the morning.
Modern Medicine- HA! The quacks.
I threw them both away and am flushing my body with fluids and positive thoughts and relying on God. This has never failed me. I go to the doctor to shut everyone up but I always end up having to rely on the Almighty and positive thinking anyway.

Today I finished grouting tile in my brand new master shower! Yes I did!
I also covered the walls in my little master bath with cement board because we are going to cover the walls in the entire bathroom with tile! I've never been able to make my living space into my own dream but I am now. Pain or not. I am grateful that I can move and get out of bed and that creating anything and in any way takes the pain away. No drugs for me folks. Art is my cure. For everything!

I find myself going incognito on facebook lately. I just dont have the need for farmville anymore like I once did. again I am grateful. I find myself not logging on to the computer at all. I used to almost have withdrawals last year if I didn't habitually hit "refresh" all day! LOL

I am sewing too! Yes I am! I have big plans. I must contact a certain lovely bowmaker soon to see if she can conjure up some bow magic again. But this time will be more grand and more plucked from my own imagination than ever. I can't wait to see how it will turn out!

I am leisurely creating again. My world becomes more beautiful by the day.

And Again...... I am so very grateful.

What are you grateful for?

remembering winter

2010-02-18T14:26:00.000-08:00

After the Winter MUST come spring. Change. It comes eventually....

Today for the first time in months I could smell the heat in the air. Feel the warmth of the sun on my skin with no bitter cold chilling my bones.

Ah Spring. How could I have forgotten you?

Its days like this that seem perfectly suited for pondering. For mulling over emotions and what not.

What I am reminded of today is that not that long ago I was desperately trying to come out of a dark place in my life. A time where the feeling of sad felt more like home and I had a hard time leaving that home for whatever reason. I was at a point where I was verbally crying out for help and instead of getting help from others I somehow got other sad people to enter my world. And that is indeed dangerous. That old saying is very true- Misery does love company.

Or was it rather that those that hurt like I did and were sad like I was didn't know how to help?? Perhaps they intended good but simply could not make the invisible burden I carried any lighter. Perhaps, they too, wanted to unload some of their own invisible burden and I simply had no more ability to carry? Not so much malicious as it was bad timing....maybe....

I see budding blades of bright green grass sprouting amongst the yellow, dry and in all appearances- DEAD- grass.... I was dead once. On the inside. But like these blades of grass I wasn't really dead. Just waiting for that warmth to come through to re-ignite growth.

What changed?

Well, to be honest, I just decided it had to change. Without any word. I stopped crying for help and instead turned within. Using any and all artforms at hand to work within myself and let everyone and everything go. I left that sad place as my home. I let it go. In the very instant I did this, something interesting happened.

Everything I had prayed for while I was stuck on sad came to pass. REALLY!
For years I prayed for a physical home of my own that I can change at will. I got it. I had been praying for good friends that are not functioning out of insecurity and though I had to rid my life of those that are functioning from insecurity, I have that friend. Be she just passing through this time in my life or one of those friends that will be in the same nursing home as I am, she is wonderful and so healing. A true sister.

My children are all in good schools. I don't sit and question if I am educating them socially as well as academically. I prayed for that feeling of lack to be made whole. And it was.

I lost 12 lbs without working out.
I fell in love with my husband even deeper than I imagined I could.
I don't go into sugar low anymore.
I feel good without coffee in the morning.
I don't question my own ability anymore.
I love myself again.
I have something to give to the world again.

All this and more happened within a short period of just 4 months after mentally making the firm decision to just let go of every tortuous emotion I was hanging on to. Walking away from friends, family and other relationships at risk of facing the feeling of "being alone"....

I did it and I got everything I had ever asked for. God was listening. He was just waiting for me to finally be able to receive.

I feel so overwhelmingly blessed now. It is a reason to get up with a smile every single day. I love my life and am so glad I didn't give in to winter and stay in the sad places. I let in the sun and now everything that is naturally beautiful is blooming.

If you ever find yourself in "winter" remember spring must come. The light will find a way in. Eventually, when you are ready to let it in.

Puppy Love

2010-02-09T09:57:00.000-08:00

Its a boy!

Meet my boy Chewbacca. Rescued 1-21-10. all 8 lbs of him was only 3 months old. My poodle terrier mystery mutt baby.

Our other dog, Ginger (also a papillion/chiahuahua mystery mutt rescued 4-15-09) seems thrilled. Ok maybe not so much in this picture, where she was pretty suspicious of my camera...
But Ginger and Chewy play together all day. It seems all her bad behavior like peeing in the house and crying all night is over now that she is not alone. You see all 4 of my kids are in school all day and Ginger was feeling lonely.
My husband wanted a boy dog that wasn't afraid of him. Most dogs dont like the "dominant aggressive alpha male energy" that my husband puts out (according to the Dog whisperer- LOL)
So after two or three weeks of playing with many hopefuls and visiting both city animal humane shelters repeatedly. We found Chewy and it was love at first sight!

For forty bucks we got a wonderful loving and CUTE new member of the family that has been neutered and has all his shots are completed and he is micro-chipped. AND we feel all good inside knowing we RESCUED him from certain death.

I encourage you to please rescue an animal if you can!!
My heart went out to all the other dogs that I didn't take home. I swear I would have taken 20 if I could have. There are some great dogs at the pound. Please don't forget about them!;-)

We feel complete here now. Everyone here has a sense of belonging and well-being lately.

Welcome home Chewy!

Giveaway spotted!

2010-02-04T11:10:00.000-08:00

I spotted an awesome giveaway! I entered every way possible! You should too!
If you don't know the awesome folks at You Can Make This.com then you should get to know that awesome site and check out their new site DIY Dish that now has VIDEOS on creating!!! I am so thrilled! I love these people!!!

Check out the first video! This is so smart! Why didnt I think of this??? Oh yeah I hate being on camera....shucks.... LOL Check this out:

Click here to see how to Enter to win!!!

redefining

2010-02-02T12:44:00.000-08:00

Earlier, in this very blog, I went on a vast venting rant about my tragic choice in friends and .....
Yeah, that sucked.... I went on to describe how odd it was to stumble upon a normal person that seemed to totally get where I was coming from in the topic of "friends". Yeah I gushed about her I know! What can I say, my inner nerd was snorting in joy.

I am glad to update that much to my own relief my new friend is still my friend! In fact we get a long surprisingly well. She is laid back but not to the point where there is no point in hanging out, I just mean that she simply lets me be me and doesn't try to fit me neatly in a category so she feels better like so many people often try to do.

She and I have a lot more than that in common....but I know you don't have all day... LOL

I wish I could share an actual photo of her for you to see for yourself but in fact, last summer in 2009 I took a Suzi Blu art class and painted a "little red riding hood". I loved it so I thought I'd try to duplicate her on a smaller item. I chose a wooden box that was shaped like a book and was hinged and opened up to store secret treasures. So I painted her but she came out looking a bit older than the original and seemed like she had a certain look in her eye like SHE was waiting to attack the wolves.

Now that I have unpacked my little painting from our big move I noticed my painted "little red" bears a strong resemblance to my new friend!

At first I shook it off and said "NAH" but then my daughter walks in as I was looking at my painting and says "Hey Mom that looks just like B!" (I will call her "B" and not share her actual photo because I'd like to keep my friend LOL)

Its So WEIRD! I showed her and we are both not too shocked since we seem to get along like we have known each other for decades!

I am just so glad that I have been able to re-define friendship in my own life and find that I am attracting good ones in my life so fast. I like feeling that I have all healthy relationships that are beautifully balanced. Proof positive that my thinking has had to change before I can physically see the change in my life! I am challenging myself to see what else I can change for the good by changing it in my mind first.

I will let you know. I hope I inspired you today to THINK good with me!

Till next time!

xoxo

room update...

2010-01-25T16:49:00.000-08:00

We have have been a bit busy working on our daughters dream room. I know its been a while. I apologize. But I hope these photos make up for it! :-)

The ceiling above my daughters top bunk bed...

Working on their closet door transforming it into a cafe door....

with a little help from the folks at Envirotex....

I was able to make the mosaic tiled table kid friendly! You see we used cut pieces of stained glass and arranged them and when we grouted some sharp edges stuck out and we were afraid the girls might get cut or knock grout out and get cut so the solution for that is a thick coat of clear resin found at the craft store!

As you can see it made the lovely design BETTER! I love how it turned out!

The Tree entertainment center is coming along GREAT! We are waiting on Tax return money to buy the lighting and the flat screen TV that will go in the second shelf.
Oh and I want to paint faux wood grain inside the tree too! I can't wait!!!

More to come! Soon!!!

xoxo

UPDATE: I forgot to share the faux cafe window!!!
We painstaikingly chalklined the harlequin pattern but left a 24 by 36 inch rectangle to paint a faux window! My daughters wanted a Paris Cafe scene so we named the cafe "Le Cafe Da Ma Soeur" supposedly meaning "My Sisters Cafe". I stenciled the letters on a piece of plexiglass we got for $9 at walmart. then we attached it temporarily using tacks. Next is to frame it with molding and my hubby wants to caulk it. Just in case!

My inner child is in love with this space. I cannot wait for the final reveal!

a world of true imagination....

2010-01-02T16:30:00.000-08:00

Just like Wonka's song in the original movie I have been building a world of imagination for my daughters that has my inner child is feeling excited and loved.
As you know I bought my first home. Others had fallen through when the chance came up and well this was the one that wanted me I suppose because everything has gone fairly smoothly.

My husband and I are at work together in our two youngest daughters' room that they share. We let the older two have their own spaces but the little ones couldn't bare the thought of sleeping alone at night! LOL

They have a bunk bed and a dresser ....yeah too bare for us so take a peek at what has our inner children giggling along with our own children....

We took an old end table that someone gave us thinking we are so poor that we don't have endtables, (snicker- yes they would be a family member) and bolted in a 24 inch round plywood piece purchased at Lowes and then we primed and painted it and cut our own glass for the mosaic shapes in the middle and used silver and pink glitter tiles found at hobby lobby and glass bubble beads found at the dollar store. We used Liquid nails to glue each piece down and then used Mosaic Tile Grout found at Hobby Lobby then we used Grout sealer also found at hobby lobby and VOILA! a cafe table fit for two little ones!
Oh an those ADORABLE Tiny Pink Velvet Upholstered chairs were a steal. I found them for $20 each at Ross- the "last years" clothing and accessory store. I love those stores!

My darling Husband and I are working on a Bookshelf Tree complete with inner lighting and 3 dimensional bark- hopefully. Neither of us have ever done anything like this so we will keep you posted and with luck we'll have a thorough "How To" for you.....

On the opposite corner I am muraling- no that is NOT MURIELing...that is a pet peave of mine when people say "Muriel" when trying to say Mural....it takes all I have not to say "MU-RAL!!! MURIEL IS A WOMANS NAME FOR CRYING OUT LOUD! DO YOU SEE A WOMAN NAMED MURIEL HERE??? NO!!"

anyways..... that pink castle isnt done yet. Its high up where the daughter on the top bunk can see and on the bottom of the wall will go a knight and a dragon per request of my daughter on the bottom bunk.

I love this stuff.

So that is what I do now. Make art that might breed more art in the imaginations of my offspring.

Yes it is that meaningful to me.:-)

Until more progress is made in my daughters room/ world of true imagination!

xoxo
Gigi

Treasury!

2009-12-23T17:22:00.001-08:00

Today I got a wonderful gift!
My Marie painting was chosen to be included a treasury on Etsy today!!!!

http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=101895

What does this mean? I don't exactlty know!!!

LOL

All I know is that someone chose to include my work in a list of favorites of sorts and I am feeling special and all that mushy stuff on the inside so I had to share it with you.

so there it is.

;-)

Happy Christmas Eve's eve!

Moving on

2009-11-27T12:38:00.000-08:00

There is a new sense of belonging that I have never felt before in my life that now I feel with every ounce of my being.

I own my home.

I can't explain the extreme fatigue combined with extreme happiness that I feel this week after laying wood floors, moving all the boxes myself, cleaning the old place and bumping into boxes and cutting my fingers opening and breaking down boxes, installing new toilets and figuring out what it truly means to come home.

Home.

I once thought truly it was where you made it, and that is true to a point. But there is nothing like knowing the walls are yours to break or make.

I am home.

Photos to come as soon as I find the cord to download the images from my camera!

xoxo

Word vomit

2009-11-16T14:49:00.000-08:00

Ok so I think I made a new friend. I will call her 'B' here.
B is younger than I and is about the age of my real little sister who is 4 years younger than I(I also have an ex step sister that is almost 17) and she is a newly single mom (I was once a single mom) with two darling little girls that are exactly the ages of my two youngest girls and happened to be in their same classes and just happened to be best friends!

So I'm excited because she is young and cool and has the nice hair and dresses really cool and for some reason she gets along with me. I feel like that little dog on the looney toons cartoon just all excited to hang out with the big cool bulldog named spike- As seen here-

As I have said previously, its been a long while since I made new friends that I can be in the same room with, much less cool easy going friends, everyone here seems to be so grumpy, so I tend to get excited and I do something that I absolutely hate.

I tend to word vomit.

I just get so excited that I am talking out loud to someone else that the words start just spewing out words and before long I'm tense and giggling and not making any sense at all.

Ass.

The weird thing is that I am totally conscious of this behavior and inside my mind is screaming "SHUT UP! JUST SHUT UP!!!"
but I can't. I am almost compelled to keep talking until I have made a complete ass of myself.

But for some reason she seems to be Ok with this because we went to the zoo together and she put up with hours of my assness she asked me to go with her to see New Moon. You know the second installment of the Twilight Movies.

I'm stunned! Have I found someone that can tolerate my dorkiness?? Hmmm...

So I see her today and she was so kind as to watch my kids as I was late picking up the girls from school, we got stuck late buying the wood floors for the house we just bought. So we start to talk and there it goes again I couldn't stop it.

Word Vomit.

UGH! I need to take up drinking or something so I won't be such a darn spaz!!!

So we'll see if we make it to movie day.

I know I know.... I really have to look into getting this "ASS" stamp removed from my forehead.

misadventures in befriending

2009-11-15T14:44:00.000-08:00

OK so today's post may seem random but its actually something that I have spent a lot of time recently thinking about and finally have been forced to reconcile within myself.

I've had quite the MISadventures in making friends in my life. Maybe it was because we moved so much as a kid. That would be a good reason, after all I was the "new kid" 7 times during my elementary school years, 3 times in middle school and 3 times in high school.

Yeah so making TRUE and GOOD friends was not something learned. Someone to pass the time with, eat lunch and really not breathe the same air alone with fora few hours a day was all I have learned to define the word "friend".

So recently a friendship I had for 17 years was ended. Let's just say that in recollecting the "memories" I wouldn't exactly define this person as a "good" or "true" friend. In all acutality I am embarrassed to admit that it was based on familiarity. She was familiar. That was it!

We used to hang out in high school. She got her license first yet was just as poor as I was so I babysat and paid for her gas in exchange for a ride anywhere she was going that was away from my often unfriendly household. If some weeks I fell short of cash I would offer to do her dishes or help her with her paper route and she agreed. It would seem that our teenage partnership was perfect then came in the vile thing I will call "third wheel".

3rd wheel had been friends with my dear Aimee in middle school and they found each other as we were juniors in high school and quickly there was no time for me. Which of course made me insanely jealous and made Aimee suddenly feel more valuable than ever. So in the name of friendship I did try to get along with the 3rd wheel but she was a horrible person. I mean HORRIBLE. She had been around the block a few times at the age of 18 and had all this disgusting "sex advice" that my friend Aimee mistook for "coolness". UGH it was hard to watch! I would often point out the obvious and was shot down by 3rd wheel with "well thats what virgins say" or "you need to get laid" like being a slut was the answer to everyones problems! Aimee would take her side and again, in the name of friendship, I'd forgive Aimee quickly and put up with more crap from 3rd wheel.

Ok so just to name a few key points- 3rd wheel was first off older than us but had dropped out of high school, instead of dating she would just have sex with any guy that was willing, she admitted to 5 abortions and explained it to us as "like getting a instant cure for the flu", one time she had Aimee drive her around in Aimees car while she had sex in the back seat with her boyfriend and laughed so hard telling everyone the story...need I say more??? She was VILE I tell you VILE to the 10000th degree. She was- by all definitions- an asshole! A slutty one at that!

Ok so long story short, we graduate and I meet my first husband and I leave this one horse town and I think we will never see 3rd wheel or Aimee again! yaaaaaay!

10 years later Aimee and I found each other again when she became a mother. And surprise, surprise she had NO contact from 3rd wheel for 15 years, so I figured that was a thing of the past.

I ,having 3 kids already, seemed to be able to help her relax into motherhood and I felt that she understood me more than ever and we were able to hang out and have fun with our husbands, that got a long well and our kids. It was great! For a while anyway.

So recently Aimee says "guess who I found on facebook?".....
YEP it was 3rd wheel. I say "ew well don't give her my info I really don't ever want to see her again." Aimee laughed and said she understood that!

So then Aimee and I talk about going to the gym together, so we start and meet at her gym, I being a guest at her gym that day was very happy when she said wanted a partner to work out with and I, having been homeschooling two kids, felt like I could use a regular outing with an adult even if it was at the dreaded gym.
Thinking I had made myself pretty clear that I don't want to revisit the '3rd wheel' situation EVER. Guess what Aimee does as we walk in the gym together? You guessed it- she walks right up to the window to the pool, looks out and says, in the most unconvincing tone I have ever heard, "Oh look, There is '3rd wheel' I wonder what she is doing here today- golly, gee, whiz..." Ok so I don't know what she really said after that, I was just in shock that she thought I was THAT retarded to think this was any kind of accident and more shocked that she would do that when I had though I made myself clear....???

I do think, seriously that I must have the word "ASS" stamped on my forehead. I being stunned still walk to the treadmill with Aimee, so regretting that I had put my car keys in Aimees locker as 3rd wheel walks in and we all are on treadmills. I quickly looked '3rd wheel' over and was satisfied with her being fatter than I and having shaved off her eyebrows and opted for poorly drawn on scary eyebrows that must have been drawn on with what looks like Sharpie Marker and that idea made me smile. She looked at me and my smile as if I were the garbage and she was there to take me out. Oh if looks could kill, I'd be dead!
I wanted to scream at Aimee WHAT THE HELL?? WE ARE 32 YEARS OLD FOR CRYIN OUT LOUD!

So not much had changed. In the middle was Aimee, talking to us both very pleased with herself for so cleverly setting this up and I knew I should have said "screw the keys" and ended it there.

But 17 years.... you know? I've known her that long. I thought she was a friend. We went through a lot of crazy silly stuff you know. We tried beer for the first time together. We had science class and burned things we shouldn't have because we thought it was funny. Her mom drove me to graduation day. Her sister babysat my two oldest kids as I went on my first date with my husband now. She and her what is now her husband were the first to meet my husband because she drove her little sister over. She visited me in the hospital when I had my youngest child. I visited her when she had her youngest child. I attended her fathers funeral after helping her through his long battle with lung cancer and comforted and understood her in that great loss. We hosted uncountable dinners at our house without one invitation to hers. She and I would split large quantities bought at sams club and she would often run short on cash though just telling me how they purchased custom made couches. Crap! She has my twilight book she borrowed in a book exchange but for got her book to trade... Oh My Gosh .... I do have the word "Ass" stamped on my forehead!!! LOL

Ok so the final straw was that another friend from high school was coming into town that we both found on Facebook. Aimee says "hey did you want to get together with her?" I said "yeah sure why not?" I then mention "as long as it isnt '3rd wheel' I'm good" She said "great I will let you know details when she is in town". Cool. No biggie.

Last week on her facebook status was "Looking forward to dinner tonight with good friends its been too long!" Underneath is a comment from 3rd wheel "See you (and friend from out of town) tonight!"....

wow. so am I to think that my dear friend of 17 years thinks I am illiterate? Should I pretend I can't read now to save this?
No. I can't bring myself to do that for her. In fact I can't bring myself to pretend this is a friendship anymore. Its far too degrading even for me.

SO as I TRY to not show that I am deeply hurt, yet for the small sake of dignity I couldn't help but make a mention that I am determined to make NEW good and true friends since everyone is so far away. Which is true by the way- everyone I would consider even remotely a good and true friend doesn't live in my zip code.

Quickly Aimee is offended. Of course. And on the facebook status page is playing the wounded victim that knows nothing of what I speak.... I refuse to lay it out, wiling to let it go for the sake of 17 years....but then she sends me a private message- this is the kicker- knowing exactly why I was upset and giving some sort of excuse that she had invited 3rd wheel before asking me and didn't want me to feel uncomfortable and STILL playing the victim of me feeling hurt and has the nerve to be angry at me for even pointing it out...
I respond as nicely as I can. I say that its just time for change and I expect a bit more from my friends.
She then deleted me from her friends list.

So after all that crap- that was that after 17 years. I realize now that I was always the '3rd wheel'. All along, the feelings of loyalty were my own idea and never actually returned. Never in that 17 years. I held on all this time but clearly I wasn't worth considering holding on to.

SIGH

chicks.

anyhoo...this is the catalyst that is pushing me forward now. I am determined to define the meaning of friendship and find worthy and true friends in the same city. I am not expecting perfection, as you can see I can tolerate a LOT in the name of friendship. But when it is constantly one-sided and ALWAYS excusing the others behavior it becomes toxic. To make matters worse I've realized that I have been running away from behavior like hers that might show up even in the slightest in many friendships I've encountered as an adult.
I was often puzzled as to why I would end things so swiftly and get so freaked out. (here is that ASS stamp again) DUH- I mean after all I already had a one 17 year old paracyte -that didn't leave much more to give to others! geeze I'm pathetic.
Was pathetic, I mean, WAS!!!
I'd like to think I won't repeat this type of thing again. I really am blown away by this self deprecating behavior of mine that I JUST now noticed by no hand of my own. I feel like I have finally woken up after a long bad dream.

So I intend to write about my new adventures in friendship. Because I intend to find them. Good or bad and I know I can use this journey in my art as well. I just thought I HAD to share this lesson with you in case there is a toxic relationship that you find yourself intertwined in. Familiarity isn't comfort if its associated with disappointment, pain and humiliation.

Just know that its OK to be alone. Being alone is far more healthy than being around toxic people and at least that is REAL and TRUE!!

and so there is nothing left for any of us to do in situations like these. I have to look forward. I just have to keep on keeping on.....xoxo

All set to move....

2009-11-09T11:12:00.000-08:00

Ok so we got news over the weekend that the roof has been repaired and given a two year warranty that transfers over to us so we are back on schedule to move! yay!!! One week until closing!!!

So I have been like UBER busy....UBER...yes.

Lets see how i can make this short...

OH BIG NEWS!!!

I am no longer homeschooling.
The wonderful charter school that my son was lucky enough to get into called that there was an opening for my daughter!

She started today.

So I am still in shock. Left alone in the eerie silence of my home with a little joy mixed with a little sadness and a little feeling without purpose mixed with a little excited because I can think of what I want to do.
I had given up on my own goals to get her where she needed to be educationally. With constant judgment from people with their useless opinions it was hard. I had to constantly fight against the inner need to validate myself through others eyes.
Yeah that was rough.

But No one can tell me what my child really needs. In her elementary school she went up until the 4th grade where in a grading system that 4 being the best and 0 being the worst she started the first trimester with 3's and the second trimester with 2's and ended with 1's yet still was passed on to the 5th grade.

I don't think so.

So I felt that I HAD to take action. And I am SOOOOOOOOOO glad that I did.
Even though we were sure she would be home until next year for the 7th grade, this year I chose curriculum materials that reflected a combination of 5th 6th and 7th grade. I wanted her to waltz right in and feel confident with her abilities right off the bat next year but that turned out to be sooner!

It worked for my son that was home schooled for the 6th grade. He is one of the school's prized students academically, also he was selected twice to speak and write on charter schools, as the right to have charter schools at all is coming up for review and the state board of education has been visiting the charter schools to decide if they get to continue.

From what I know just this short 6 months I think the board of education needs to be looking at all the OTHER schools and threatening them!

This charter school is using the same funding per student but with their modern computer programs and ability to compile each childs educational data DAILY for parents to log in and view or opt to receive emails- their test scores in EVERY subject are so much higher and the atmosphere is so much more positive than any regular public school. And they are FREE! But because of the limits the state has put on charter schools they are in a small building for now and have a waiting list of 1800+ students. Its like winning the lottery if you get in. So you get the magnitude of what has happened to us with TWO children getting in!!!!

I feel so blessed that both of my oldest children are able to attend school there. With average public schools letting them down so badly it is nice to see that it wasn't too late.

The other great thing is that this wonderful public school has grades 4 through 12th grade! So its a good chance that they will get this great education all the way until college starts!

Now I have to pray and hope that my other two daughters can get in for 4th grade and have the same opportunity.

Us Moms never rest when it comes to our babies do we?

I think that is a good thing. So keep up the good work Moms! Together we will change the world one baby at a time!;-)

Ok time to clean and get ready to start a new life.... such possibilities...

xoxo
Gigi

changes....AGAIN...

2009-11-02T11:14:00.001-08:00

Ok so we got news that our new place may need a new roof. Meaning maybe moving in January... Good grief!! SO its a may or may not thing until the 3rd roofing guy goes out there. The seller and our real estate guy have been discussing and neither one wants to get ripped off hence the need for 3 estimates, each one getting more expensive for the seller of the property we are buying.

Don't get me wrong I am thankful that if there needs to be a new roof that I won't be shelling out the dough for it (I could put that dough to better use) but I have packed up all of the items I don't NEED to survive and well now its starting to feel like I need to unpack the studio in order to keep my SANITY!!! LOL All that was keeping me going was knowing that I will have an actual studio space that is not shared by my van! Yes, after years of cramming workspace with living or car space it sounded so WONDERFUL!!!!

*sigh*

So we are back to not knowing.

The joy of buying a home.

And the winner is...

2009-11-01T11:16:00.000-08:00

Treasures*created! my one and only entry for the Dorothy Print Giveaway... the new name of this piece is "Who Needs A Jet Plane?"

Thanks Corinna my dear for participating. I know I didn't do a very good job with promoting this here giveaway. I have had a LOT of stuff going on with packing and moving and getting estimates for this and that....buying a house can be very stressful! I never lived in an actual house that we owned so this is all new for me! Lucky my hubby knows what he is doing! LOL
Ok when I am up and running and have my printing station all set up I will have ANOTHER giveaway that I will advertise as much as possible and make sure it is FUN!

I'm off to the land of tape and cardboard boxes!!! Will let you know when/if I emerge from it!!!

I know....

2009-10-28T17:52:00.000-07:00

I know I have neglected this blog severely.... not on purpose. I'm preparing to move. Just a few more details...

I have SO many stories to tell you. Pictures to go with too! Just need more time in the day....

Taking 3 weeks off...will be back on Sunday though to announce the winner of the print giveaway!....

HUGS

Gigi

A Fairy Story... diorama of inspiration

2009-10-13T15:32:00.000-07:00

I'd like to share with you a subject that tickles the heart of the inner child that lives inside my soul.

tiny things. Yes, realistic yet miniature items of any kind just make my heart leap!

Over a year ago I started with this

What do you suppose was the useful purpose of this thing? It stated jewelry box. But I was not convinced.
What I saw was a rather dull and boring base for a possible amazing story.

Not entire sure what the story was about I started out by priming this with white acrylic paint. It took months and months of joyous placing of glitter and lights.

In the end I couldn't decide on one story and the idea that perhaps that was the purpose of this piece struck me hard. That a piece could inspire endless tales of fairies and festivals and lost children finding magic- Oh be still my heart!
So of course, as I explained in the last post. I became attached to this piece. I even hung it on the wall of my studio and would smile at it and find comfort in its doors for months. But lately my heart is telling me its time to set it free. That the heart tickling might be needed elsewhere.
Its available here in my Etsy shop for my art work.

But alas, Etsy only allows 5 photos but blogger has a bit more room....;-p

Enjoy!

Stocking the store

2009-10-13T09:12:00.000-07:00

I had a friend walk into my home the other day for the first time and she looked around silently. Just scanning thoughtfully and said. "you know what, if you actually put half of this stuff you made for sale you might be a millionaire."

Point taken.

Hi my name is Gioncarla and I am an Art Hoarder.

That is I hoard my own artwork.

Silly I know, but they feel like children somehow. Each piece though brought me peace in the end, the process sometimes did not. I stress at placement of things. I stress because I know I can ruin a certain look I was going for. I stress because I forget of the forgiving nature of art which leads me to start a new piece every day. I go through the process every time.
And on completion I feel, though on a MUCH smaller scale, much like I did just after giving birth to my children. The stress and pain is all worth the beauty that is brought into the world.

So that's probably part of why I hold on to so many pieces. The other half has something to do with putting my innermost being out there to be seen. A little scary eh?

So, like a good friend said once, 'I am putting on my big girl panties and moving forward.'

Rapunzel is available in my shop. All 3 feet of her story.

You can see it here.

I've been sick lately, internally. Its gotten so that its painful so to the quack I go. The oh so knowledgeable doc says "stress".... Oh thank you wise one.
So I am staying away from stressful things. Well trying to. But you know that law of attraction, the thing you are conscious of is the thing you gravitate to. UGH.

So this week is all about pretending. Pretending that there is nothing to do, see, say and be. I'm going to sit and mediate on all good things and hope the pain in my gut subsides.

So here is to making pretty little things and stories on the wall. Its time that life is made that simple.

xoxo
Gigi

In an alice state of mind...

2009-10-08T09:52:00.000-07:00

She's on the brain i tell ya. Not hard to find a way to relate to. Somedays Alice's adventures in wonderland seem almost the norm.
So yesterday I saw this in my brain and amazingly my brain completely directed my hand and my hand actually obeyed! Rather quickly too!

She is coming along very nicely. I am pleased. Almost done...she needs a certain something... I'll figure it out. Eventually.
On ebay right now is my one of a kind Alice outfit complete with some accessories... Click on the photo to go see...

I hope you have a marvelous adventure filled day. Even from the safety of your computer desk. Enjoy!

xoxo
Gigi

Meet Dorothy...win a print!

2009-10-05T15:32:00.000-07:00

In my recent mixed media adventures I am so happy to have brought this little lady into fruition.....

She is a Grungy mixed media rendition of the famous Dorothy of Oz of course. I just love how her pretty little face came out. As she looks back at the coming twister with a non-chalant 'not again' expression....or perhaps a 'what the hell?' expression.....

Of course she has the ruby slippers and the striped stockings that shows a bit of her 'wicked' side too.

Which reminds me.... I don't know what to call this piece.... I've thought of a few...let me share them with you and you can tell me whatcha think ok?

Possible names:
A.) Dorothy's Crappy Rainbow....
B.) Dorothy's path of destruction...
C.) Not all twisters lead to Oz...
D.) A place where there isn't any trouble, suppose there is such a place toto?
E.)

I really can't decide. And was hoping you could help me out with that. Whatcha think? I have one print on canvas paper, right here, needing a good home.... its yours if you give me a good name for her, or vote for one of these, thats fine too ... I'll eeny meeny miney mo the winner on November 1st...how is that for no trouble?

Post a comment anywhere on the blog and I will tally them up and pick them out of a hat! Enter as many times as you like. The more the merrier!
I Might even put a video on here of the drawing...its been way too long since I last brushed up on my video making skills. I need to do that more often...;-)

Name it. Then the prints will be for sale in my etsy shop in November! After the winner gets theirs first of course.;-)

Got questions? Let me know by emailing me paintingapples@gmail.com.

Toodles,
Gigi

Growing & having to say goodbye...

2009-10-04T10:35:00.000-07:00

I just watched my favorite tele-evangelist on t.v.- well, there aren't any others I like so I guess he would be the ONLY tele-evangelist on t.v. to me- a certain Mr. Osteen.

Yeah, say what you want about tele-evangelists but I often wondered if God was in charge of the programming because sometimes things that Mr. Osteen speaks of are too eerily similar to my week's experiences. But then again, that could just be coincidence, now couldn't it? ;-)

I say this only because today he spoke of outgrowing things and how we need to do that sometimes. Things get hard sometimes but its just God closing a door so you will reach out for new ones. We get complacent with things sometimes and well, in my own experience, pain is a good way to get you moving and dreaming again.

Just this last week as I prepared for what feels like my final listings for an ebay boutique groups launch after years of other-than-fun experiences with other sellers that I have had in the groups there, I kept seeing this picture in my head...

...maybe it was because I was working on a girls Alice outfit and had Alice on the brain, particularly the scene where she was too large for the white rabbits home... I feel the same. I've outgrown my testing grounds. Art Of The Craft Studios 'custom boutique' has been my home but its sort of small and tired and I realize now more than ever that branching out is necessary. Finding a larger home for my creations has become critically necessary.

So, much to my husbands enthusiasm, we branched out.
I have 3 Art Of The Craft Studios babies now. The first well is not new, just the testing grounds for my jewels, as it has always been. My Art Of The Craft Studios Etsy shop. This is and always will be a hodge podge of things. The second is my folk art. I have found so much healing in Suzi Blu's art teachings. All those that have studied with me seem to get it too. Though I don't interact much with anyone in her classes, I read and am so comforted that they ALL seem to be getting what I get out of it and more. Healing through art. Some do not understand that this art thing IS our religion. It is our worship and praise for the higher power, whatever we call it, it is our soul speaking in a language inaudible by mortal ears.

My art work is my record of freeing of my own personal sorrow. My own triumphs. My inner child and who I want to be someday. All of these aspects co-exist peacefully on the 'canvas' so to speak. When I make them, I display them, I admire them and then when the time comes that I fully understand why I made it, I am then ready to let it go. I truly feel each piece was meant for me to do that. Its like the final act of love, letting it go.
These will be for sale in my Etsy Shop just for my artwork.

The third art baby is a very new one, not yet have I brought one item into fruition for this baby but the heart of it just makes pure beams of joy shoot through my soul.

I have named her. I have opened the Etsy shop for her. I have dreamed up a zillion items. But its not time to send the announcements as of yet.

I will say it is mostly clothing as I do have a passion for the art of clothing. I also have a passion for the land that I live in. Though rough terrain and can be harsh for some. I found my niche here and along with the other hearty and tough plants, animals and people here, I not only survive- I thrive here.
Route 66 like you have never seen. The real, hard, yet artistic side of this land that keeps me from ever finding home anywhere else. Believe me, I have lived in 8 states and driven cross country several times. Nothing ever felt like home but here. I tried to leave it once but that green chile would wake me in my sleep and I would say 'I wanna go home'...

So I think its time to explore that and interpret that into as many things as I can.

I'll let you in on it when I am in on it ok?

Happy Sunday

xoxo
Gigi

That time of year

2009-10-02T09:00:00.000-07:00

I love October. Here in the great New Mexico desert, October signifies the first cool winds and harvests galore such as the much coveted and fragrant time of year where the green chile is harvested and roasted fresh outside of every place that sells vegetables. The smell just makes you want to eat. Salivating and floating through the air much like a cartoon character would to find the source of the roasted chile and hope to soon fine cheese and a tortilla afterward and eat. The flavor and the heat make life worth living, I tell you, I am not exaggerating. Come to Albuquerque and I will show you. Pure organic happiness New Mexico chile is, and legal too.;-)
We buy a sack and have it roasted for 30 bucks. Then we take it home immediately and we separate it into 30 quart freezer bags and put it into the freezer. Almost every New Mexico Native does this. I think you aren't considered a 'local' until you do this.;-) So when ever we want we pull out a bag, defrost it the peel the skin off the chiles and then chop it up with some garlic salt and OH-MAH-GAWSH... we put it in chopped chicken sandwhiches, with beef and potatoes and stewed Tomatoes and you have the famed 'green chile stew' that all tourists say wakes them up at night weeks later with a craving so strong that they start planning trips back. Hmmm...secret Albuquerque tourism scheme??? Coincidence?? I think not...

Also, ever year we have a very photographic experience. The International Balloon Fiesta starts. Although today was the unofficial start and tomorrow will be the official Mass Ascension marking a huge tourist destination and the final end of summer. The sun itself seems to recognize this change in October and starts rising to the south more, therefore reaching through my blinds into my eye each fall as it moves farther away from the earth in winter solstice.

The cool thing about my city is that they arrange for balloonists, free of charge, to go out to local elementary schools and get their balloons up and launch directly from the schools fields.
Today we had the pleasure of going to my daughters' elementary school to watch just such an event.

Yes the sky is that blue and the sun is that bright, which will fool you even when the temperature drops to 30 degrees the sun is so bright and welcoming and the sky is so blue and you may step out into the freezing cold feeling a bit fooled but it is all worth it. Its this enchanted sky that keeps me from leaving this place. It makes me know why ancient peoples settled in this land worshiping a 'sun god' and calling the mountains 'sandia' which means 'watermelon' as they turn a bright pink when the sun sets in the west each day. Its this kind of beauty that always shatters any suggestion that there is no God. I know there is a God with every natural thing that surrounds me. Carpe Diem my friends, if even in the small things God gave you to look at. Appreciate it. It is after all, only a gift.

Happy October everyone. May you reap a wondrous harvest of life experiences this month that warm the cockles of your soul whenever you want to recall them from here on out.;-)

XOXO
Gigi

wearable art...

2009-09-28T19:51:00.000-07:00

Ok so I am LOVING painting on fabric. I found the most wonderful of paints to use too thanks to the purchase of an ebook by Princess Tomato on youcanmakethis.com.
She has a BUNCH of helpful tips in there but what made me happy was when she said she used these trichem paints.!

I LOVE them, The only drawback is that they cost a lot, for me anyway, and though they are like using a ball point pen, which makes the drawing part easy I hate having to squeeze them at an angle to pool the paint so I can mix colors and shade with a brush. Sometimes this happens...

Yup they are metal tubes so its only so much squeezing they can take and they crack and paint oozes out the sides instead of the tip. The manufacturer states on the bottles to NOT squeeze. But I see it as a precaution, just so you know the outcome, type warning. ;-) Yes. I do like to make some things difficult. Thank you very much. ;p

I have a tendency to use tables for the wrong thing too....

Yup that is my pallet, my mixing grounds. Yes I have plastic pallets, wooden ones, even a glass one around here somewhere but who needs that when you have tables meant for parties that you can easily cover up with a table cloth during party time then reveal your record of past works captured on a cheap table top. This alone should be framed and mounted in my opinion! LOL

Ok so all this fuss is worth it in the end... I make fun painted clothing for children of all ages. I sell them as one of a kinds or occasionally I will remake them for any size. I list them on ebay and then use the money to buy into more paint or a new craft of some sort. This is my addiction...selling one medium to feed another. yeah, yeah I am a mother so in between I do hit the shoe store and take them for ice cream too. I have four children so they clean me out pretty regularly. No pedicures or manicures or trip to the hair salon for me. Oh no I have far too much mothers guilt and art addiction to even think of spending it on vanity. So I'm a homely, stay at home mom, artist. SO what? ;-)

Here are some of my past painted works....

These paints are cool because they are totally washable! I'm not saying they won't fade. My husband has done our laundry and though it was SOOOO helpful, you are NOT to put these in the dryer! I mean you can, and he did and yes the paint was still there but after that they started to fade. So I had to touch up and then watch the painted stuff like a hawk! LOL SO much for hubbys help with the laundry. However I was a good wife and should have won an Oscar for the 'so thankful that he did the kids laundry for me' performance. I would have thanked God, my family and tri-chem paints for sure!

Ok that is all for today. I'm tired and have a lovely walking field trip to look forward to in the morning with my daughters 2nd grade class. Oh the freaking joy i feel right now.

XOXO
Gigi

Painting Apples....

2009-09-26T19:43:00.001-07:00

"No no no silly girl that is not what I meant!" The elementary school art teacher exclaimed.

I replied, rather angrily "Yeah well that is what you said teacher! You said we were painting apples today. So that is what I have done."

Who am I? I am an artist, with that unique name above. I know horrible isn't it, its pronounced like 'Jon-car-la'.

Or you can call me Gigi. No one calls me that but I wish they did. Instead they brutally massacre my name then pretend they are sorry when they are just confused as to why someone would name their child that. ;-)

I love art. I love to learn and get right into every medium I can afford and some I cannot! As long as I can remember, when making art I felt like my brain works differently than others. I used to take it as criticism and I took it negatively until one day when my High School art teacher said to me once"Its amazing how your brain works, the hard stuff you get done with ease then you stop on the easy stuff, questioning it too much I think, if you can get over that you will be an art genius unlike world has ever seen!"

Nice huh? Except I don't think I've quite gotten over that 'making easy difficult in my mind' part. Yet.

Why am I blogging? Because I love the art of everything including blogging. I had to leave my former blog because I needed a new home here on blogspot, in hopes of finding other artful souls that might appreciate my writings. I think we all need a personal place to write...oh yeah that's called a diary isn't it? Well think of this place as my online diary or sorts. Where I express myself as I wish. I ask two things...be patient please, I get stuck in 'modes' of sorts when I am creating and often days will go by without me knowing what day it is.

The second thing I ask is that you allow me bad days. Yes, I am a moody one. few allow me that. To have some bad days. In exchange I will do the same. Bad days allowed for all! They are what make the good days so worth noticing aren't they?

oh boy I'm thrilled to get started here...there is so much to show....much to show!

XOXO

Gigi