It was hot and I had a glass of wine in a pint glass with 3 ice cubes in it last night. Even my cheap wine was sweating it was so hot. And my head was empty, empty empty- no inspiration. But look at what I ended up making! I love carving. I am really getting into this lino thing...

Annie

Personal DNA

Hiya! Just saw this on Eva's blog - super fun- wait, am I alone in loving quizzes?? I love filling out forms at the doc's office, too. Am positive I'm alone on that!

At any rate, I'm feeling bold. Here ya go, check out my insecurities, one and all! Funny thing, I kinda felt better about myself after taking this and reading the results. I've been having a tough few days (cried like a child all through church last night- silliness, and rather awkward because there were maybe 30 people there), so it was nice to see a few of the things I'd like to think are true about me in print. And here is what my dna looks like- would love to see anyone else's- I wonder if there are any common traits???




Have a great day!

Annie

Helping hands

Here are little helping hands at my table. Trying to help me choosing right colors for my next project. I don´t remember, if it was really helping but I felt warmth in my heart seeing my boy fiddling with threads :) Is n`t it amazing to see others are interested in your work too? Why is that? Why is it not enough to please yourself and go on with whatever you like it? Why do we need audience, others who feel the same about you and your creations? Creating something is opening your personality, your inner most your dreams, wishes and hopes. How come we are not talking about these things, but sending messages through our creations?
Well, I don`t have answers to these questions, but already figuring out the right question can be half of your answer.
Are you wondering about these things too? Or am I alone here...

So, what I`m trying to say is - do what do you feel is right to do. For yourself, for others, for all people. Bring them your dreams and inspiration. It makes us all feel better and become better. Better people altogether.
Thank You!

May/June Issue of Cloth Paper & Scissors

I know I have professed my attraction to this zine before but, I spent last night drooling over great things, techniques and vendors. A majority of vendors in the back of the zine (this mention mostly for Eva in Estonia) are companies that sell stamps and scrapbook things so ever so creative. Like this one for all you "Stitchy" gals..

http://blockheadstamps.com/

Look at thes cutie stamps designed by Debra Cooper! I see cute little birdies! and for more stitchy things below...

look at what you can stitch, oh I mean stamp!!! How cool-e-o! Annie and Eva, these are for you.

More FOOD FOR THOUGHT? They have a recipe card swap I think is pretty interesting sounding http://www.quiltingarts.com/cpsmag/extras/artful_ingredients.html

Would it be fun to do this with eachother? I can be the hostess, which means you all send the cards to me, and I will redistribute them amongst us, as well as post the scans of each card (front and back) Let me know if we would like to do this? I also am asking Leslie, Jill and Kelli.

Painted Plate!

I got my painted plate from TopTop Pottery today, and boy does it look awsome! Sooo CUTE!

I have taken the picture of it sitting upon its inspiration, Annie's DRIP Tea Coasters.

I am so pleased with it I plan on doing a whole series, and use fun food quotes. The one here is a line from the musical Carousel.

Can't wait to eat off it!

Watercolor Nature Studies

Well Girls, I've been busy with my watercolors. And have plans for lots more. I love this little size painting idea, they are all about 5"x7". And I have to paint fast because some of these flowers are so tender. I want to do more poppies, later in the summer, I will have little purple poppies coming up. I had been sitting in my garden, but the black flies and mosquitoes are H.U.N.G.R.Y! So now I am cutting them (the flowers not the bugs) and bringing them into my studio. Oh - and my studio has a new addition. I have a BIG pin-up wall, and my overhead lighting is full spectrum florescents shining up to the ceiling. I have wanted my halogens for so long, so I took a strip from my show booth corner, and tied them to a ladder hanging on a cross beam, shining down onto my pin-up wall. So now I have GALLERY LIGHTING!!! Every time I bring my sweetie in the studio to show him the newest water color, I preface the trip in by saying, oh, let me go first so I can turn on the gallery lights!! It just cracks us up!!!

what a joke.

I'm sorry- what is the date again? Is it not JUNE 7th?????? Why is there 2" of snow covering my house? That "bush" by the driveway on the left is actually a tree. And it is - er, was - kinda tall. And it had the prettiest little white blooms all over it... till this morning. And see the little flash of orange on the porch? That would be my brand new, ready for summer adorable metal watering can, meant to quench the thirst of the strawberries & chocolate mint I just planted in the hanging baskets.

3 steps forward, 8 steps back....

aaaarrrrgh!

Silkscreen project rethink

Okay so, I got my kit in the mail a week or so ago and I got to thinking about my tablecloth and I realized that perhaps it's a little too ambitious of a project to start off with, especially since I have no idea what I am doing.

So I decided that I would start with a one screen easy image that doesn't have to be matched up with anything else. First thing was to whip out the sketchbook I have devoted to craft projects and I came across an idea for a face on a dream pillow/sachet I scribble a few years ago:


I think it was initially meant to be embroidered, but I thought this would be a good project to start with. After a couple of hours in Illustrator it morphed into a moon:


The little cheek moon on the left is missing an eye (it must have been locked or something when I selected it) but I think you can get the gist. I am hoping that this doesn't have too fine detail, but I guess the only way I will find out is to try it.

I still haven't figured out how I am going to shoot, or expose my screens, not to mention where in the world am I going to print them. I should have thought of this before I jumped in and bought the kit, but I am like that sometimes. Just DIVE IN! I also need to buy a bunch of supporting supplies in order to even begin so....oh man...already overwhelming!!

a new one

She has yellow flowers, cream berries, closed green eyes and a word "sunshine" written over it. What is it? You guessed - it`s my new bird:) A bigger one this time , somehow it feels more like an "adult" bird. Yet at the same time I know, mothers call their small babies like that. Because of their sweet and sincere smile that overwhelms everything :) So it is for babies too.
It`s weird, but the more I do birds, the more I want to make them. I have so much inspiration coming in from I don`t-know-where. So many color combinations, images, words and themes! I only hope that you don`t get tired of birds and I can still positively surprise you with each one of them.
I also posted a fragment of my sketching sheet here, so , yes it`s all mine! And don`t try to read it, it`s in Estonian :) Sometimes I write in Estonian, sometimes in English, it depends on my mood...
Enjoy the Sunshine!!!

Last night I went to a place in White River Junction called http://tiptoppottery.com/.

Thursday nights they do a ladies night you paint any ceramic shape they have in the place. The studio time is half price for the gals, so like $4.00 for the evening and then the piece I painted was a plate, $9.00. The $9.00 includes the bisque piece, all the glazes and the firing. There is a restaurant next door, that bring tables service into the pottery studio, so all these gals were sitting around eating on china drinking their BringYOwine, and a cutie patootie brought their dinners right in to their pottery tables! How could you go wrong? (My girlfriend and I brought yogurts! that's how!)

OK Now back in Feb I did a pair of plates. I never took their pics to show you, but I am so excited about last night's plate. I will take it's picture when I get it next week, along with the inspiration, and I will also include the pair I did for Valentine's Day. You all will LOVE my most recent plate and it's inspiration. I already see a line og dish ware I have to draw out!

I mentioned a little local store called http://rugglesandhunt.com/ . The web site doesn't do it justice even thought they have in-store shots. The owner has a real fun eye. So, Annie, send me the set of 3 key rings I ordered and I will bring them over to her and get your order going. One suggestion. Laminate the cardboard before stitching, for a little more longevity? I love the word stamped in it. And babe there is nothing wrong with "sketching" out your ideas in real time real finished product!

Gotta love the mechanisms in our art spaces that help us visualize something post-concept!