Fa la la la la

Do you have your holly jolly elf hat on?
I hope you're blissfully decking the halls today.
 

 

happy

decorating

gift creating

mistletoe-ing

and falalalala-ing

:)

 



catch a falling star

Sirena McKenna tried to catch a falling star and ended up falling into the lake. Luckily she left a few notes on how to do it.

 

I was feeling a little blue last night so I set out to catch my own stars.

 

 

My house doesn't have a balcony and  although I live near the river I made sure not to be anywhere near it so I wouldn't fall in like Sirena.

 

 

It's tricky catching a star you know. Some burn bright for days while others slowly start to dim as soon as you put one in a bottle.

 

 

Maybe stars aren't meant to be caught but allowed to be free and burn bright. Still I thought I could keep this one for just a short while. Surely the man in the moon wouldn't miss one tiny little star.

 

 

Hope you're having a lovely week.

 

 

 

 

 



birthday art

I just did another version of my cupcake girl for a friend's birthday.

She's a big animal lover and rescue advocate so I added a few furry friends.

We had another super hot weekend in the 100s and I'm already ready for fall weather. But there are some things I love about summer.

Like a fun pair of summer shoes!

Have a beautiful week.



spring madness

Happy first day of Spring!

Are you having spring weather where you are? Everything is definitely blooming here and we are suppose to get up to nearly 70 this week but it's still chilly in the morning and I still smell smoke from a few fireplaces working at night.

I'm happy to report that I'm typing this post on my new laptop. Yay! Wow you don't know what you're missing until you upgrade to something new. What a difference! Now if I can just get that wireless printer that came with it to work. I'll leave that job for my 15 yr old I think.

I know several of you are fans of Once Upon A Time too. I'm really loving all the twists and turns from the Snow/Mary Margaret and Prince/David story and I thought their version of Little Red Riding Hood from the other week was fantastic. What a great twist in the end. But what I'm really excited about is next week's Mad Hatter episode.

Doesn't it look like fun? I hope this series stays on for a while. My son even loves watching it with me.

Speaking of Wonderland, I haven't been doing a lot of art lately but I've been playing with this Alice inspired piece now and then. It's been sitting on my table staring at me so I'll see how she turns out.

Hope you're having a great week.

hold on

I started playing with new colors this weekend and really fell in love with a new combination. Something different from my usual raspberry, green and aquamarine.

A recent conversation I had inspired this piece. While trying to diffuse another case of  household melodrama I commented that I sometimes feel like I'm up on a tightrope trying not to drop my cupcake.

The minute I said that I thought how fun it would be to actually paint it.

Of course just the idea of painting this averted any and all drama and now when I think I might start stressing out over something I close my eyes, take a deep breath and tell myself to hold on. So the next time you feel like you're up on that tightrope just hold on and don't drop your cupcake!

"Hold On" is available in my Etsy shop.

Thank you for sharing your favorite tv shows on my last post! It's great to see so many of you also addicted to Once Upon A Time. What do you suppose happened to Katherine?

pink stockings

Do you fly in your dreams? Have you ever dreamt about floating among the stars and the clouds and looking down at the little houses below?

I love flying dreams and when I have them everything seems to make sense.

Of course I can fly! I just have to remember to do this and this....

Sometimes I dream about flying on a broomstick.

Just push off with my heels and up I go!

I remember the feeling being so real and in that moment between dreaming and waking up I think I can remember the delicious secret to flying. "It's so easy" I would say to myself.

They say flying dreams, especially happy ones can mean you feel good about a situation in your life or that you were able to rise above a challenge. Or they can also mean you feel determined to reach a goal. I know there are lots of different ways to interpret flying dreams, each of them equally fascinating.

Whatever it is you dream about it's really important not to forget them. Sometimes stuff happens and we need to spend time on the ground to sort things out but you have to believe that you have the power to take flight. No matter how scary it might feel or how many times you get knocked down.

When you're ready to let go and follow your bliss make sure to put on your pinkest stockings and your yummiest prettiest skirt. It's always a good idea to be ready for all the fabulousness that's waiting for you out there!

Happy February. Have a beautiful week.

wondermoon

Hello lovelies! Can you believe it's already the end of January? I love that the days are getting noticeably longer. I think I start to notice it right after the solstice but maybe that's just me knowing it's suppose to. We have had sunnier days the last couple of weeks but it's still cool enough for scarves and boots.

I missed visiting my favorite places while I was away from blogland so I'm slowly starting to catch up and dropping in to visit some of you here and there. It still amazes me how so many of us have been able to form friendships and build a community through our blogs. I know that for me blogging has been a blessing that's allowed me to share my dreams and to also be inspired by yours.

Creating has always been a way for me to escape. Whether it's stress, boredom or yes...housework! Meeting lots of you that feel the same way is truly the best part of blogging. I feel that we are all kindred spirits gathering under a big magical tent, sharing hugs, tears, glitter and dreams.

Although I recently went through a low period that kept me away from both my art and my blog, it was these same two things, along with your support, that has helped me find my way back. And it feels good to be able to go to this magical place under a wondermoon to play with you again.

I hope the first month of 2012 has been a good one for you. Are you keeping your resolutions? If you decided to be healthier this year please keep it up. I am finally starting to feel and see results from my commitment to be better about taking care of myself and it's so worth it. I feel better and it has helped my outlook on everything so please stay strong and don't give up!

I'll see you out there under a wondermoon....

two years and counting

Cupcakes.

Yes cupcakes. That was the first thing I started blogging about two years ago.

And much to my surprise I'm still here!

I've gone from cupcakes to art and everything else in between and I've probably shared more than anyone would want to hear right here on my little bloggy.

I celebrated my two year anniversary yesterday (the 22nd) and in honor of the event I spent the day painting while the sounds of football and tortilla chips filled the air.

You can see that Petunia is all grown up and today she's ready to celebrate, dream and as always, ready to find her bliss in her brand new party dress.

Shhhhh...she's also going on a little trip in her cupcake wagon.

I hope she doesn't lose her balloon.

Happy Monday and Happy New Moon my dearies!

waiting to bloom

Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts on your word for 2012. I love reading about what inspires you and why you decided on your word. I also want to say thank you for all your warm wishes and encouraging words. They mean the world to me.

I'm slowly finding my way back to my paints and brushes (under a thick layer of lint and dust that gathered on my work table) thanks to your support and most especially to the awesomely talented, amazing and magical Marfi who never gave up on me and gave me just the right kick when I needed it. She rocks!!

I still painted while I was away from my blog but the art that came out was dark and sad. This weekend I felt so much more hopeful and when I created this piece my son actually said it was nice to see me paint something happier for a change!

This is a self portrait in a way.

Much more hopeful, ready to dream again and patiently waiting for my heART to bloom.

♥

Stay inspired and have a beautiful rest of the week.

Oh and by the way I think I picked my two words for 2012....

FORWARD and FROSTING!

forest magic, tents, a bit of HP and a sneak peek

It's been three years since the last time we went camping and I have been dreaming about pitching a tent among the redwoods again.

These pictures of our tent are from my favorite camping trip to Big Sur four years ago. We went in November and it was just beautiful. I love camping in Fall when the weather is cooler and the leaves have already turned colors. Big Sur is the quintessential California coastal town. Quirky, artsy, down to earth and curiously magical. It's one of my favorite places.

We had the best campsite on this trip. Tucked away in a quite spot between giant redwood trees. Our family tent is HUGE. 'Too big to be allowed', lol, which is why my son and I named our 10x16 Coleman tent 'Hagrid'. But I love this tent...well I love all tents. It has a hinged door that swings open, these huge wings that make a cozy front porch and 2 dividers inside that create 3 separate areas.

When you camp here in Fall the entire forest floor is covered with dried leaves instead of dirt, creating a soft carpet that is magical against the lush evergreens. I remember sneaking out of our tent early in the morning...probably to go to the restroom, and taking this picture of our campsite. And I think my most favorite part of camping is waking up as the sun comes up and watching the sunlight slowly filter through the walls of our tent and then stepping outside and breathing in the crisp forest air. Pure bliss.

But I also love to stay up at night, curled up in a blanket just outside of our tent with my candle lantern and watching the little village of campers nearby. Tents of all sizes and shapes softly lit by fading campfires fascinate me. I imagine all sorts of fanciful things...like finding a circus tent deep in the woods!

Anyway I have been crazy busy. Making lots of out of town trips, painting a little and most of all being immersed in all things Harry Potter as Sebastian and I gear up for next week's opening day for DH2. We have our tickets to the movie marathon. Yes...we will be watching 8 films back to back! Movies 1 to 4 on Wednesday, then 5 to 7 on Thursday and finishing with DH2 at midnight. It's going to be insane but we had to do it of course.

Oh and here's a little sneak peek at the fairy shoe I made for Wendy's Fairy Shoe Swap. I wanted to have it done early because of all the stuff I have going on this month. I'll post more once all the swapping is done.

Here it is all wrapped up and ready to send out.

Wait...one more thing. Yesterday was the London premiere for DH2. We watched a 4 hour live stream and this is a video of the very end when the cast, filmakers and JK Rowling gave their final speeches. It was amazing, touching and it made me cry. I don't know how I'm going to make it through the movie next week!

I hope you're all having a great Summer so far!

up all night

I am a night owl. Given the choice I would stay up all night working on art. I love the peace and quiet, not just in my house but also in the world just outside of me.

And I love the night sky.

My husband has to go to bed early for work so he often wonders what I do in the wee hours of the morning. If I'm not working on art I'm on the computer, or both. I'm sure he thinks I'm carrying on who knows what with who knows who.

"What do you do up all night?"

Sound familiar?

So for all of you night owls out there I dedicate my latest painting.

Now when my husband wonders what I'm doing I have an answer...

I fly around the night sky with my pink balloon of course!

I play hide and seek with the moon and tell her all my secrets.

I grab a handful of stardust to use for my art.

Then I fly back home and sneak in the house just in time for toast.

And I know I've seen some of you out there flying around

with your own pink balloon ;)

not beige

Had the urge to start working on another art journal earlier. I was looking through an old IKEA catalog and the title on one of the features was Be Brave Not Beige. It was obviously an invite to embrace more color and I just loved the sound of it. I'm a huge fan of color so I started gluing and painting and came up with this.

I'm still addicted to these vintage roses. Can't stop putting them on everything, lol.

Funny thing is I like beige too. As a color anyway because I'm also a fan of neutrals, especially all the lovely muted sepia tones. But the idea of not being 'beige' or bland really appealed to me and I think most of you are the same way, which is why we love to express ourselves creatively.

You might have already heard of little Aelita Andre, the precocious 4 year old artist who just opened her own solo exhibit in New York city. The story has been making the rounds but here's the vid in case you haven't. It's quite fascinating to watch.

What's inspiring you this second week of June?

fairy wand giveaway winner!

I hope all of you had a nice long weekend.
I can't believe it's the end of the month already!

We have a winner for my fairy wand giveaway and that is
#22 Kim from Tabby's Place.

Yay Kim!

Congratulations!

*    *    *    *    *

I'll be back shortly with a new bag for June. We are doing 'Altered Art' again so get ready to look for anything you can turn into a bag (except for a real bag of course.)

And I also have my May dress to post...last minute again.

I just finished another little pudding fairy. She's a special one that's on her way to a new home in the desert. I hear she might be running away with the gypsies!

Be right back.