I'M MOVING!!...

 

 ...Well, not really ME, but my BLOG is moving! After six fun years of writing SIMPLE*BLESSINGS & calling this my home on the Blogosphere, I've decided to move to some "New Diggs"... really just around the corner!

WHY??? you might ask... Well, mostly for practical reasons. For a while now, I've wanted to share BIGGER pictures & to change the background on my blog to a more neutral WHITE. But, even though I've learned a lot about HTML over the years, I finally reluctantly decided that tweeking my current blog was waaaaay beyond my Geeky abilities! If I wanted these changes, I was just going to have to pack up & move!

So, that's what I've been doing this past month... and my new blog is almost ready to launch! The BIG CHANGE (besides the moving part) is that I'm also adopting a NEW BLOG NAME so my artwork can be found more readily online. Instead of SIMPLE*BLESSINGS, my new blog will be called PHOLKART*BLESSINGS, just like my Etsy shop. Google seems to think that's a good idea, too!   ;)

I'm going to keep SIMPLE*BLESSINGS online... It's been such a cozy place, & I love the idea that I can come back to visit anytime I want to! Lots of stories & life lessons here I don't want to forget. But now, it's time to turn down the heat, lock the old front door, & hide the key under the front porch mat...

THANKS for the sweet memories, SIMPLE*BLESSINGS!... It's been so good to call you HOME!   :)

I hope you'll come on over to PHOLKART*BLESSINGS & follow me on my NEW BLOG!  :)  The coffee is brewing & I'm busy creating!... As always, I would LOVE to hang out with you !!

I (HEART) ETSY

I admit it!... I am totally NUTS about Etsy!!

As a "Maker of Things" at Heart, I have sometimes wondered if other people were as obsessed with creating colorful arts & crafts from simple everyday materials as I am. I love everything about colors & textures and taking what's at hand & making "something out of nothing!" The process of creating simply fascinates me!

So, you can imagine my great delight to first learn of Etsy's Handmade Market Place! Suddenly I had access to an incredible, ever-changing online gallery of creativity from around the globe! What's more, I could learn about other artists & crafters like me, and virtually "peek over their shoulders" as they skillfully create their wares.

I find it so inspiring & encouraging to have found so many other "Makers of Things" in this world!... And I'm grateful to know there are so many others like me who share the joys of creativity!! 

The art & handcrafts above were created by Etsy sellers whose colorful & whimsical work I admire!   :)

FOLLOWING MY HEART...

Just recently, after investing considerable time & energy pursuing an Artful Direction, I came to realize that "something" was just not quite right. I wasn't really sure what was wrong at first... all I knew was that I wasn't very happy.

I imagine the feeling I had was similar to trying on an ill-fitting piece of clothing. As much as I pulled & tugged & tried to make it work, the "garment" just didn't fit me. 

It took me a long time to come to a decision... but I finally realized I needed to follow my heart. And so now, I find myself in a sense, "back to my beginnings" art-wise... back to colored pencils & markers & scissors & glue. Back to blogging just 'cause it's fun & I have a story to tell. I'm simplifying too... and you know, even though I'm not quite sure where it all will take me, I'm feeling lighter & happier. And for that, I'm very thankful!!

** Lord, I don't know how many artists find themselves needing to "reinvent" themselves,... but that is how I'm feeling right now. Please lead me as I seek to make new decisions in following my heart & following You.

"WHAT I DID ON MY SUMMER VACATION"

"Sailing with Spot"

It doesn't seem possible, but today is the last day of my summer vacation! One of the BLESSINGS of being a preschool teacher is having the whole summer off! I've enjoyed being at home with Joe and Salem (our sweet dog) and living life at a more relaxed pace. I've had fun...

* Celebrating my parents' 54th anniversary with all my family :)
* Spending a week at Myrtle Beach with Joe & Ben (Beach, pool, & eating out!)
* Sketching, reading books, & knitting a scarf (my first knitting project!)
* Creating art for children to put in my Etsy shop, PHOLKART*BLESSINGS
* Helping Jesse & Ben as they've settled into Ben's new house
* Visiting Joe's mom at her farm (Mmmm!... fresh veggies & sweet corn!)
* Caring for an adorable baby girl while her mom was working (such a blessing!)
* Watching movies at home & seeing "Harry Potter" with Joe at the theater

... So many GOOD things!! As I head back into the new school year, I know that the Lord has given me the gift of rest & refreshment this summer. And I'm so GRATEFUL knowing He has good plans for the children & for me in the coming school year! :)

MY "ARTY" SPRING BREAK!

"Garden Bunny"

It's Spring Break for me this week, and I'm enjoying taking off my "preschool teacher's hat" and putting on my "artist's hat". I spent a whole day spring cleaning my blog, updating the colors and decluttering a bit. I had fun creating a clip art "baby chick" in PaintShop Pro from one of my little drawings to use on my new banner. Slowly, I'm getting more comfy creating simple digital art! :)

I've made time to just "doodle" this week. It's been wonderful to have the time and the energy to sit with my cup of tea and my sketchbook, just enjoying the process of "playing on paper." There's been no pressure to produce... just the pleasure of seeing what develops. I'm amazed as I see these little sketches come to life! They are a gift to me and bring me so much joy!!

Thank you, Lord, for rest and renewal... Thank you for the chance to be inspired and to enjoy the process of creating!!


"Garden Bunny" is available in my Etsy shop, PHOLKART*BLESSINGS

ARTFUL RESOLUTIONS

"Carolina Snowfall"

I'm not one to make New Year's Resolutions... Unfortunately, I've learned from past experience that I don't follow through very well on my best intentions!

But this year I hope will be different for me! I'm feeling the need to define what I'm doing art-wise better & simplify, simplify, simplify!! I want to clean out my studio & make it a cozy place to create (instead of a cluttered place just to store art supplies!). I want to step away from my computer & rediscover the joys of quiet time set aside just for sketching and journaling.

Most of all, I want to listen to my own heart & create art that reflects ME... and pleases GOD.


** As YOU enter the New Year, what are YOUR Artful Resolutions?... and how do you hope to achieve them???

Perhaps we can encourage one another as we grow as artists in the coming year!!

WW * A VERY unSCAREY SCARECROW

Here is my very first entry for Wordless Wednesday!... Just couldn't resist jumping in for some group blogging fun!!

Happy Fall Y'all!!!

"A Very UnScarey Scarecrow"

This collage is made from acid-free scrapbooking paper, Prismacolor pencils on smooth Bristol paper, and acrylic paint on a canvas panel.

iDOODLE

Here is one of my favorite ways to "jump-start" my creativity and get new ideas flowing....

Pick a theme & doodle mini-pics relating to the theme (l chose Autumn here). Try to fill up an 8 1/2 x 11 inch sheet of graph paper. No need to be perfect... just keep on drawing whatever pops into your head. All it takes is a pencil, a good eraser, a micron pen, & a tablet of graph paper.

You can easily take this creativity-booster along with you wherever you go, so have fun doodling!! :)

LEARNING CURVE

"Space Explorer"

I like to learn new things. I find a lot of satisfaction in being able to search for helpful books and web resources about things that make me curious, and then dive right in and learn things on my own.

So, it made perfect sense to me, after purchasing a basic graphics program called PaintShop Pro (PSP) for my new computer, to wander down to my favorite local bookstore and buy a how-to book. I chose what I thought must surely be a very simple book ~ "PaintShop Pro for Dummies" ~ and eagerly headed home to learn the ins-and-outs of digital manipulation.

Well... it didn't take me long to realize that I might as well have been trying to decipher hieroglyphics! I just didn't seem to be able to "get" it. And so, reluctantly, I put this learning project aside.

Happily, this past summer my college-aged son (who amazes me with his ability to whiz around in Photoshop!) generously agreed to tutor me in PSP. Suddenly, some of those baffling PSP hieroglyphics started to make sense to me! Soon, I was scanning my line drawings into the computer and "painting" them on the screen... what fun!!

I still have a lot to learn about the "art" of PSP. But one thing I did learn this summer ~ some things are just more fun when learned together!

Thanks, Jesse, for all your patience!! Love, Mom

Space Explorer is available on a variety of fun kidswear in my CafePress shop, PHOLKART*BLESSINGS.

TAKING A LEAP OF FAITH

When I was a little girl, one of my favorite things to do for my birthday was to go to the circus with my family. I loved everything about it! ~ the smell of popcorn, the festive music, the funny clowns in their colorful costumes. I looked forward to watching the jugglers and acrobats perform their amazing tricks in their sparkley outfits. I held my breath as the animal trainers confidently stepped into the ring with bears and lions, tigers and elephants...

...But my favorite thing by far was watching in awe as the fearless trapeze artists performed far overhead on the flying trapeze! Back and forth, they would leap from one trapeze to another, always trusting that their partner would catch them in mid-air!

Sometimes life calls us to be daring and take a similar leap of faith. At the beginning of this summer, I found myself needing to make a BIG decision... would I find a ho-hum minimum wage summer job in order to earn some much-needed extra money for our family? Or would I follow my heart and invest myself in "really doing something" with my art? For me, it felt like a choice between the cautious "sure thing" and the riskier "possibility with no guarantees."

Happily, as I talked with my husband Joe about what to do, and as I prayed about this choice with friends, it seemed clear that God was saying YES to taking a creative leap of faith.

And so, I'm very pleased to announce the opening of my new online CafePress shop, PHOLKART*BLESSINGS. In my shop you will find my original folk art and illustrations on a variety of products... from bibs and onesies for the little people in your life, to T-shirts, coffee mugs, and calendars. I will frequently be adding new designs and products, so please come take a peek and check back often as my little shop grows!

I hope the designs I love to create will be a blessing to you and bring you joy!!


Thank you, Lord, that you are the one who is faithful and who loves us beyond measure. Thank you that I can trust you to catch me as I take a creative leap of faith.

TAGGED!!!

My sweet CaaT art friend Katey (blueyeduckstudios) has tagged me! :)

Here's the scoopidy-doopidy: When you are "tagged" please give 7 random facts about your sweet self on your blog.
Please write things that are a habit, unusual, or that no-one else knows, as well as the rules of the game.
You then need to tag seven others and list their names on your blog.
Please leave a post on the blogs of those you tag so they know that they have been tagged and to read your blog...and tag 7 more and so on.
No worries. No pressure. No time constraints - just enjoy ~ xo ~

And so, Katey Duck, here I go!...

1. I met my husband in high school when I was 15 and he was 17. We had a mostly long-distance relationship before we got married 8 years later.

2. I took ballet lessons for 10 years and was sure I'd grow up to be a ballerina!

3. I didn't know I had any drawing ability 'til, as a young mom, I started drawing to make my son happy.

4. I'm the oldest of five children and grew up in an Italian family.

5. I majored in nursing and worked as a pediatric nurse before our children were born.

6. I have planned (and lived through!) two major old house renovations... with more to come!

7. I am "Aunt Patti" to 7 nieces and 4 nephews, who live in New Jersey, Virginia, North Carolina, and Texas.


OK, now it's my turn!... I tag these wonderful CaaT artists: Larin, River, Aubry, Dixie, Michelle, Deb, and Susan.

WATERCOLOR 101

One rainy day last week, Jane (3) was in an artistic mood and asked if she could paint. Her brother George (now almost 2) enthusiastically climbed up into his high chair so he could join in the fun, too! Out came paper, two sets of watercolors, a variety of brushes, and two tiny containers of water. With kids' music playing in the background, we were ready to PAINT!!

Jane immediately set to work, carefully dipping her brush in her green paint and filling the whole sheet of white paper with a lovely shade of emerald. Once the first paper was filled, she gently laid it aside and proceeded to fill her second page with more green.

George, on the other hand, had quite a different approach! Right away, he plunged his little hand into the water, and then coated his fingers with a rainbow of colors. After dabbing them all over his paper, he wiped them on his arms, face, and my arm too, just for good measure. Taking a paint brush in each fist, he pounced them randomly (and with great glee!) in the paint, all over the paper, and then on the tabletop as well. Of course, he had to taste the paint, happily sticking each brush in his mouth over and over, 'til he had a very colorful smile! For George, it was all about the TOTAL painting experience!!


Thank you, Lord, for these two little ones! They teach me so much each day about creativity and joy!!

BLOGGING >"< CAATS

One of the unexpected JOYS! I've experienced from selling my artwork on eBay has been discovering the large and diverse eBay Art Community. Many artists, creating in a wide variety of media, sell their artwork as Self-Representing Artists (SRA) on eBay.

These artists "meet" each other and interact together in eBay groups ~ some large, some small, and some focused on certain art topics.

I am a member of several eBay art groups; but my favorite BY FAR is CaaT (Complementary Art And Things). CaaT is a supportive group of artists who seek to help each other learn and grow, both as artists and as successful business people.

Since many artists are now turning to blogging in order to bring their art and their thoughts to the public, CaaT has recently started its' own Blog Theme Group. Each week we will be representing in some creative way that week's blog topic. Some may write or paint or collage or sculpt or capture the spirit of the theme with photography. The interpretation of the theme is entirely up to each artist's very unique imagination! :)

Up to this point, I've been illustrating my blog posts with my own original artwork. I LOVE the idea of creating a blog in this way!! The reality of this approach for me, however, is that, with the crazy~busyness of life, time for artmaking sometimes gets squeezed out. As a result, my blog updates have been few and far between.

And so, I'm embracing something new.... I will still try to illustrate my entries ~ afterall, that's part of what makes blogging FUN for me! But, I may also sneak in a few unillustrated posts now and again. Who knows?... I may even have to try my hand at photography!

No matter what form blogging may take for me from here on, I look forward to joining with fellow artists on this one-of-a-kind creative journey!!

HOME AGAIN...

Over the past month, I have taken two very different trips.

The first was to Rockbridge, a Young Life camp hidden in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. Joe and I were privileged to stay in the guest lodge, which perches on the side of a mountain. From the front porch, I had a birdseye view of the camp activity below; and to the East, I could see mountain after mountain after mountain...

While my husband worked, I was free to use the time as I pleased. I decided to make this my first-ever Artist's Retreat. I walked & read & prayed & journaled & sketched & drew & "colored." I caught up with old friends over coffee and meals. I enjoyed meeting some special new friends. I relaxed & went to bed early. At the end of the week, I felt rested & re-energized.

The second trip was to Chicago, where our oldest son, Ben, lives & works. We stayed in Ben's apartment on the 40th floor of a highrise that overlooks the Canals and Downtown. As far as I could see in every direction there were buildings & busy streets -- cars, taxis, trains, bikes, & people bustling from place to place.

We took the time to be tourists & visited the Sears Tower & Millenium Park. We visited a fascinating Museum of Photography. We walked along Lake Shore Drive and watched the bikers, the boaters, and the beachgoers. We sampled different kinds of cuisine in our own "Taste of Chicago." We strolled along the Magnificent Mile and peeked in all the shop windows. We hung-out together & just enjoyed being family.

To be honest, I came away from Chicago feeling happy, but ooooh soooo tired! As an introvert, it's hard for me to keep such a fast pace. I need some quiet places in my days to process and unwind.

We are back at home again now. The mountains of laundry have been done. The grass has been mowed. The groceries have been bought. And we are almost caught up on our sleep...

What a blessing it is to go new places and to see new things, to live life in out-of-the-ordinary ways! And what a blessing, too, to come home again!!

ARTIST

I found this quote today, and wanted to pass it on:

A woman who works with her hands is only a laborer.
The woman who works with her hands and her head is a craft woman.
The woman who works with her hands, her head and her heart is an ARTIST.
Author: unknown

MY ART SPACE

A quiet Saturday afternoon. I'm sitting in the studio, enjoying the sun that is shining through the window. This is one of my favorite places to be! I am blessed to have a room of my own where I can surround myself with paints & brushes, punches & glue, polymer clay & an assortment of little creative projects.

Of all the rooms in our house, I think this one best reflects me. This is a place where I feel happy!!... Looking around the studio for me is like looking at a timeline of my creativity: cartooning, lettering, paper piecing, acrylic paintings, and colorful polymer clay. These are all little experiments I've done over the years -- some more successfully than others. Actually, I guess they have all been successful, since they all have taught me lessons about color, design, and using a variety of art & craft materials. None of these projects would win any prizes; but, for me, they all add up to a colorful, one-of-a-kind, personal, not-to-be-found-anywhere-else mixed-media quilt -- my art space.

This is where the little girl in me comes out to play. This is where I journal & think & pray. This is where I brainstorm & plan my next creative project. This is where I read & learn from others. This is where I come to catch up with myself. This is where I can happily be me...

Thank you so much, Lord, for this place!

Written 3/25/06

YOU'VE GOT MAIL!!

Owen is my little buddy who lives with his mom, dad, and a great big dog named Floyd two doors down from me. He's a 3 1/2 year old blonde haired, blue eyed, fun-loving charmer who adds a whole lot of joy to my life!!

Owen has been coming to my house since he was a baby -- he knows where I keep the cookies and the dog treats and all the "cool" trucks (leftover from when my boys were little). I love the way he walks right in and makes himself at home! If he's curious about something, he just comes right out and asks his question -- "Why is Salem a barking dog?"..."Can I have that orange?"..."Can I play with your video game?"..."Do you have any more cookies?"...

One of Owen's favorite things to do is to bake cookies with his mom, and then get on his "bike" and deliver his sweet packages to all the neighbors (as you might imagine, Owen has made a lot of friends on our block!). Or, if cookies aren't available, a good second best is to deliver one of his recently handmade preschool masterpieces. The other day, I was surprised to hear a little knock, knock, knock on my front door, followed by loud barking. Not seeing anyone through the window, I opened the door and there was Owen with a big grin on his face! He had come to deliver some artful "email"; but try as he might, he just couldn't reach my mail slot. I mistakenly thought he would just hand me his picture while I "Ooooo'd" and "Ahhhhh'd" and thanked him profusely -- silly me!! Instead, Owen got me to shut the front door and then lift him up high so he could slide his "mail" through the slot. It was so much fun, we had to do it over & over again! The best part for me was the big hug that my little "mailman" gave me!

What a great reminder to me, Lord, to give out of love, with joy and simplicity!! Thank you for blessing me with my little friend, Owen!

Written 2/16/06

WITH MANY THANKS TO STACY!!!

Yesterday afternoon, on my way from here to there, I stopped at a local scrapbooking store I'd never explored before. As I'd hoped, it was brimming full of colorful papers and stickers and magazines and idea books -- the perfect place to come to get my creative juices flowing!!

One book in particular caught my eye -- the big picture, by Stacy Julian. Stacy's the founding editor of Simple Scrapbooks magazine, and I've been an admirer of hers for a long time now! After scanning the books' pages (and realizing that I had in my hand the only store copy), I hurried to make my purchase.

At home, with a cup of hot coffee in hand, I began to read; and as I read, my excitement grew. Here, on one colorful page after another, was laid out a philosophy of creativity and joyful living I could appreciate and really relate to!

Now, I'm not a photographer or a scrapbooker. I'm more of a craftsperson/self-taught artist/journaler (is "journaler" even a word?). I have filled up numerous 3-ring binders over the years with my doodlings and my writings. The writing has always been just for me. The doodles have been the way I've "played" with color and words on plain old graph paper ('cause I like having the lines to guide me) with markers & colored pencils. Sometimes I've used my little drawings as a springboard to an actual finished product (like the collages I've occasionally offered on eBay for fun -- more about that later... ). But, mostly they've been filed away in notebooks as an ongoing record of my interests and my growth as an artist.

Up 'til now, I've only rarely combined my writing and my artwork. Never really thought about doing that... don't know why. But, as I began reading Stacy's book, I got to thinking that I have the opportunity in blogging to do just that -- bring the words and the pictures together where they can be seen and shared. And that excites me!!

It may take me a while to figure this out -- I'm hardly a computer whiz. And, as I attempt this kind of blogging, I promise you that the artwork will be less than perfect – sometimes my little scribbles will be on graph paper, 'cause I don't want this to be anything but fun and real.

Many thanks, Stacy, for your encouragement toward simplicity and self-expression !! Your helpful ideas are both powerful and freeing!!!

Written 1/22/06

THIS OLD COMPUTER

My Dad gave me my computer about 1 1/2 years ago when he upgraded to a newer model. It's a Windows 98 desktop with a great color monitor, but a quirky temperament. I have learned so far that "Phoebe" can only be upgraded so far -- she has the memory of a little old lady, and when pushed too far, she freezes and makes a colorful, "quilty" design on her screen. I've learned the hard way that downloading new programs can be hazardous to poor old Phoebe's health (and my frustration level!!).

So, I was not surprised at all this morning as I started to write to find that Phoebe refused to show me the blog options she had allowed me to use just yesterday. Today I'm left with only one typeface, bold, italic, and some color choices. I can add a link or quote and check my spelling, but that's it. Beyond that, Phoebe will not budge!! So, my blogging will be less artistic than I would have liked -- no cute Smileys, no playing with fonts. I hope I can figure out how to add some of my artwork, since that has been one of my desires in setting up my blog... I will have to experiment and see what happens!

Written 1/02/06