Fun With Recycling! :)

I first got into recycling back in Wisconsin, when we got those curbside bucket thingies :)...I eventually began recycling with my art. First with handmade recycled paper when I was a teenager, and most recently with my hand cut mats that I "screw up." Instead of throwing these mats away, I have been collaging them, to cover the imperfections, and to make them look cool. Here is the latest! I made this one using vintage papers I purchased on Etsy.

An Unconventional Christmas Eve...

Being across the country from "home" I knew Christmas Eve was going to be a little different this year. I wasn't sure exactly how the day/evening would go, but it began with a little bit of artwork at my studio in the afternoon. Later I pulled a Mr. Chicken and went to a seedy bar, where I enjoyed cheep, cold beer with one of my artist friends. We also ate about 2 baskets full of peanuts. The fun part (other than the company and the beer), is that it's one of those bars where you can toss the peanut shells on the ground-- yeah!!! Now that's some Christmas merriment...

After this I went back to my studio and painted until midnight. I had a custom order I recently did, which "disappeared" from my studio before I could get it in the mail--AAHHHH!!! Now I am trying to recreate it as quickly, and as perfectlyl as possible. I will work on it again later today...

What a weird Christmas. The only major bummer is that I woke up with a stomach ache from all the peanuts...

Vitruvian Chicken...#8A

After taking a wee sample of his magical time traveling elixir, Mr. Chicken finds himself in the the High Renaissance...Here he meets a curious fellow who insists on his close friends calling him "Leo," and can't help but notice Mr. Chicken's "ideal" proportions. After much cajoling and a few bottles of elderberry wine, Leo convinces Mr. Chicken to pose for his next drawing, which has now gone down in history as......Vitruvian Chicken....

Heheheheh!!! I hope you enjoy the video! :)

I am a Nostalgia Junkie...Here I go Again...

So I have a tenendency to listen to this song over and OVER... a habit I've had since the late late 1990's...it is a good song, and it is a habit that I have not yet kicked...

It is a very GOOD song...you know...those songs that stick with you your whole life?...Well, this is one of those songs. It inspires me in many of those ways :)

I'm having a Black Friday Sale...Ooh! How exciting! :D

Here's to American consumerism at it's worst...or best? :) Hell yeah!!!!

So I know this is supposedly the biggest shopping weekend of the year in this country...suposedly...So I went ahead and did it...I decided to have a sale. I am putting my 8 1/2 by 11 inch prints up for grabs at half price this weekend :) we'll see how it goes :O

Sorry for such a short post but it's Thanksgiving and I am feeling completely unmotivated..

I Finally listed the Wierdo Kinky Dog Picture...

Here it is! Nice and strange ;) This is another one of my medium sized, originals I recently listed on Etsy. It is a gouache painting I created for a local erotica show here in Savannah. It measures roughly 8 by 10 inches....so it's not too big, but big enough! ;)

Of course I had to tag it as "mature" and make the first pic "child friendly"...(if that's really possible)....For the record, the little strap on atop the doggies head was not my idea-- you can thank my friend Brian for that one. He said something to the effect of, "well why don't you just go all out and put a strap on on the dogs head?" So I did, and named the piece "Brian's Boner"...Anyway, I think it's a strange and fun little work of art. Remember people, love your pets...but don't "love" you pets... :)

I'm Throwing Caution to the Wind...I've decided to list Originals..

Yes it's true! I've decided to start listing some of my larger originals on Etsy. I was reluctant to do so for the longest time, as I was not sure if people would want to shell out that much money on the internet. I've come to the conclusion though, what do I have to loose, other than the listing fee?...So here I am listing larger originals :)-- and when I say larger originals, I mean anything over 4 by 6 inches :)

I listed this one tonight. It is called "In Separation of Continents" and was created on 140 lb. watercolor paper using watercolor and gouache. I was going for a beautiful yet melancholy feeling with this one :)....perhaps with a tad bit of nostalgia...

Well That's Cool! :D

Life is funny. I think a lot of us artists have felt rather bummed out lately, with the economy affecting sales and all...but then when you least expect it-- something really cool happens! :)

So I checked my email this morning, mainly to see if my Dad was sending out one of his "Vero Beach Updates," (a humorous update on his adventures in Florida)...and I found something completely unexpected that made me feel a lot better about my artistic situation :)

I've been featured on the Art Channel of Talent Database! Yeah!!! :)

http://www.talentdatabase.com/channels/1-Art

It's not as if I have won the Pulitzer Prize or anything, but still, this really made my day! :) I guess this means that even if your art doesn't fit in at most artistic venues, it might be appreciated elsewhere :) This gives me hope. Here's to the freaky artists everywhere! :)

Meet the Patron Saints of My Art Studio...

I bring you...trailer trash barbie and drag queen Ken! :D ...

I know, terribly politically correct isn't it?...Now, you can't really tell, but Barbie is actually sporting a "delicate" condition underneath the cross dressing Ken :)...*prego*....Don't worry people-- this is all in good cheer :) I'm mega liberal! :D

I used to embarass my older sister Kim terribly. I had a fondness for putting my barbies in the Christmas stockings that hung from our stairwell, and would also hang them in odd positions from the Christmas tree...OK, once in a while they would be naked. Heheheh!!!! (I always enjoyed getting a rise out of my sister-- she was so squeamish)!....and I did this of course when I was like 10 or 11 years old...yes, it's true-- I've always been one to push the envelope a bit! :O ...

Now that I'm on the subject, let me tell you about the time I gave Jem a facial. (For those of you who dont' recall, Jen was this gigantic barbie in the late 1980's who had earrings that actually lit up)...So I decided to give her a facial this one time by wrapping her entire head in a cast of wet toilet paper and baby powder...she kind of ended up permanently albino after that...she kinda had some kind of pre-Michael Jackson skin thingie...very strange.... :)

3 Custom Orders in the Same Week! Ahhh!!!

Actually, it's a good thing :) I admit I was kind of stressed out for the first couple of days, but after order #1 was done I felt a lot better.

That was a pretty cool request. I made 3 friendship bracelets with hand embroidered astrological symbols. The colors represented the particular astrological signs :) And as I am a fan of astrology I thought this idea was pretty neat-- Ooh! I might have to make one for myself!...(I'm a wierdo Aquarian with a Capricorn rising and moon in Leo :)

In addition, I'm working on another custom order for a total of 5 friendship bracelets, and also a personalized Mr. Chicken painting.... (I am working this one into the series). Initially, Mr. Chicken was next going to get in touch with his inner Mr. Myaiagi (how spell)?)...but now he his taking a detour to Quebec for a weekend of personal enjoyment :)...don't worry-- he won't do anything illegal... :D

I love Halloween!

I think it has got to be my all time favorite holiday! What other time of year can you dress up like a total freak and completely get away with it? :D..(I'm all for dressing up like a freak ;)-- normal office wear never really suited me...

Oh yes, it is also a really good excuse to eat lots and lots of candy...(which reminds me...I was doing well on my diet, but then slid back and gained a couple of pounds-- damn that tastey barbeque)!!!!!

Anyway, in honor of Halloween I have created a new/temporary shop banner! (nice and festive--yeah)!!!! I thought this was the least I could do, as I didn't make anything Halloween oriented to sell in my shop :O....oh well!

My Latest (Healthy) Addiction :)

I can't stop listening to You Tube videos....

I'm very much a fan of music. Especially good music. (Or music that I think is good anyway:) I find myself listening to a variety of videos late at night because I am a total insomniac. Perhaps it would better serve me to paint during these little episodes, but my painting supplies are at my studio...(that's my current excuse anyway:)

I especially like music that sounds rather melancholy...It suits my brooding tendencies I think. Here is a nice and weepy one! :D ....This is called Verdi Cries, and is sung by Natalie Merchant. Natalie Merchant is one of my all time favorites. I've been listening to her a lot this week, for a variety of reasons...(I also tend to go through phases where I listen to the same artist over and over for a week or so, then switch to another musician for a week or two)...anyway, here it is-- and it's good painting music too! :) I usually save the rowdier stuff for my paper making adventures! :)

I Present to You..."Pickle Head"....

Yeah!!! I actually finished it :)...and it only took me a month!

For the record, finishing a surreal piece, for me, usually takes MUCH longer. I have been known to work on surreal pieces for months, even years. Often because I get frustrated and set the piece aside (for months, or even years)...and I"m very much a perfectionst! I worked on this one for about a month straight though (minus a few days when I made paper)...and here it is! :)

Makes me wonder if I should rethink my artistic strategies...I often work on multiple pieces at once, and set aside works of art for extended periods of time. I don't know if I will change my strategy really, but I do wonder if I would be more productive if I just worked on one at a time...just thoughts I'm having currently :)....Knowing myself I probably won't change a $#@!!@# thing! :)... :O ...(we'll see though ;)

Dude! I broke my Toe! :O...

Ow!!!!...I never realized V8 Splash Juice could be so volatile... :O...

So here's what happened...It was a usual uneventful morning..I opened the fridge to get my energy drink...just like I have EVERY morning for the last 6 years...(a habit that started with my early morning employment in coffee shops many moons ago)...

So this HUGE bottle of tropical V8 Juice (in the door of my fridge) flies out of the fridge and lands on the middle toe of my right foot..OW!!! When it actually happened I screamed "OW"!!! out loud...(and for the record, this is one of those full jugs...like a gallon)...#@$$#!!!!

Not a good thing...I told Matt not to place top heavy beverages in the lower/outer door of the fridge ever again...*whimpering*...ow...

Let's just say I am bruised, stiff, and uncomfortable...GGRR...(ow)... :( ...

I Need to Get Crackin' With the Handmade Recycled Paper!

And I mean soon! :) I managed to snag an ad in the November issue of Craft Magazine, as part of the Etsy Cooperative Advertising Program. (I still can't believe I actually was able to get one)!...Yup, fourth time was the charm...or it was luck perhaps, I don't know ;)

Anyway, the picture you see here is the one I will have in the magazine ad. I therefore have not added it to my shop yet :) I will do so on October 20th, because that is when the subscribers to the magazine get it in the mail. I need to get my shop fully stocked with paper...I'm quite sure just how much, but more than I have now. I hope the ad works! :)...If not, I'm sure it will be a fun experiment nonetheless! :)...I've never been in a nationally circulated puplication before..(I don't think so anyway?)...

In honor of this event, I bring you papermaking music! :) I couldn't stop listening to this album during my last papermaking marathon-- yeah Irish music! :) (This is Drunken Lullabies by Flogging Molly-- good stuff)!!! :D

I'm a Horrible Procrastinator... :O ...

You know that sketch I blogged about a couple of posts back? Yeah, I haven't started that one yet... :) The main reason being is that I'm going to do it in oils, and I haven't worked in oils in years...I'm kind of a perfectionist, so I'm, uh...putting it off for a little while...(soon though, I swear)! :) ...

The painting shown here I am finally starting. I began this sketch a few years ago...(It's basically about losing your mind-- something many artists can relate to right?-- here's to you Van Gogh! :)...I think I'm going to call it "Pickle Head"... Get it? The head looks like a pickle, kinda...and also it's a refererence to your brain getting pickled :)...Yes, screwey but true :) It may look quite different by the time I finish it...I will most likely put a wallpaper background in it, like some of my other surreal paintings. I'm attempting to creat a "cohesive" body of work, or so they call it... :O (we'll see how it goes-- I have a bit of artistic ADD or something)...

In honor of my procrationation, and the many ideas I have in my head, I bring you this fun and quirky video by The Foo Fighters! :) I love this song/video. This song, called "Big Me," was big in my late teen years. I've decided to do a Mr. Chicken based on this video...Mr. Chicken Eat His Mentos (perhaps?)...I think Mr. Chicken might have to sport some Dave Grohl braids :)...(Remember those fun and dorky Mentos videos?) Of course though, since I procrastinate and am working on 10 differnt things at once, it may be a while :)
..sorry I had to post the link insted of the video-- I couldn't embed it for some reason! :O

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GhfWzCPRPtg

To Have a Sale...or Not to Have a Sale...

Not to get all Shakespearian on ya or anything people! (Sorry, I couldn't resist, I'm kind of a dork :)...anyway, I am having a 2 week sale in my Snitterdog shop as part of the birthday bash for Etsy For Animals...(I'll get back to that later in the post).

Right now I would like to talk about the pro's and con's of having a sale on an ecommerce sight, in particular, Etsy. If anyone has anything to add, please feel free to comment! :)

I think some of the pro's (obviously) would be making some sales, particularly at a time when the economy is not in good shape, and sales are slow. I also wonder if it may draw in new buyers looking for a bargain....Once in a while I will do a search for "sale" to see what's out there...I wonder if others do this too :) Another benefit is the possibility of repeat business-- getting new buyers who maybe become repeat buyers, or previous buyers who may come back for more :)

Drawbacks-- will people just wait for "your next sale?"....This is something I wonder about...I had a new customer once tell me how much she liked my work and that she was happy it was on sale. This made me happy of course, I was thrilled she liked my work, and also happy with the purchase. It made me wonder though...do people wait to purchase sometimes, hoping for a sale?....particularly if you have sales a lot?...

I don't have sales a LOT...I do have a tendency to participate in group sales though...I did the Yart Sale (which was a great one)! and also a sale that a bunch of us in the ACEO Bounty Challenge participated in-- that was a good one too :)

Anyway, I thought I would do a post on the topic of "having a sale" because I'm trying to figure out the best way to do it-- how often, what kind of sale, etc...I was toying with having a sale at my other shop, The Greene Fairy, but I haven't decided yet...Will having sales too frequently reduce the value of my items?...I wish I would have taken some business classes in college :O...

As for the sale I am having: I'm part of the efa, also called Etsy for Animals. There are about 120 Etsy shops participating in this. We're animal loving types who often donate to animal charities :) The shops participating are doing a 20% off sale-- all you have to do is leave a message in "notes to seller" at checkout...my coupon code is SNITT (can ya guess where that comes from)? ... :) The code you can use at any of the participating shops is "MEOW"...The seller then refunds the 20% :) Here is a link to find all the participating shops! :)

http://efaartistshelpinganimals.org

Anyway, I may have to do some "research" about marketing and sales :)...I like to be informed...(I try anyway)! :)

Ah, Pricing Dilemmas...

You know what I'm talking about right, my fellow ecommerce people?...Etsy people in particular?....Pricing an item is tricky, particulary when the price point on your particular sight may be lower than out in "the real world."...and when I say the "real world," I'm referring to a store, or gallery-- a place you can physically go to :) ...

Over the last few months I have been S-LO-W-L-Y raising my prices on Etsy because I have really been lowballing them. Also, I know I can get more for them in my studio, and in stores and galleries if I pursue that route...I feel my prices in my studio need to be comparable to those on my Etsy sight...(I would feel kind of icky if people bought something for $40 at my studio, then logged onto my Etsy sight, only to find they could get it there for $20 )...

So how do we deal with these pricing issues?...I'm still trying to figure that out...One thing I've thought of doing is offering larger pieces in my studio, to sell at a higher price point...(many of the other artists who have studios near me have prints in the $40- $50 range-- they are shocked that I sell my prices for such a low price-- $20)....I've also had customers who were shocked at the low price of my prints...which makes me wonder if I should raise the price in my studio, and at Etsy...ah...but the price point there is lower...so what to do?...hhmm....

For now, I think I will continue my current price for prints on Etsy, but also offer some larger versions at my studio. I may also yank some or all of my originals from Etsy, but I'm kind of wavering on that-- not quite sure...most of my ACEO's take 5 or 6 hours, so I'm not even paying myself minimum wage on those little guys...I really like having a full shop though! :) ....Maybe I could list the print, and note that the original is also available-- (for example say something like, if you're interested in the original, contact the seller :)

These decisions are kind of tough and kind of screwey! We'll see what happens! :)

The Latest Round of Wierdness...

So lets just say I've had a creative block since 2001...I kid you not, I'm dead serious...This was the last time I planned a major composition...

I think when I finished college, and went out into "the real world" I lost a bit of my creative edge. I was no longer doing art 5-7 days per week, nor working in my sketchbook. In fact, I did little to no art at all for 4 years....I refer to those years (late 2001-late 2005) as my "lost years"....I was busy just trying to make ends meet, and often working up to 3 jobs at one time...It didn't occur to me that I could try to earn a living as an artist. (I think this is what happens when you don't think outside of the box (which I often don't) and when you have main stream parents who work in education)...

Anyway, when I say "major composition" I am referring to the surreal images in my Snitterdog shop. I started them in college, and finished them in the last 2-3 years. (they just didn't look done, so I went back to mess with them :)...Anyway, this is the type of art I am most interested in creating. This is the type of art that is also the most difficult to create -- it is very time consuming and intricate. I have not started a "new one" until recently. This is the sketch I plan to turn into a painting. (Supposedly)....we'll see what happens...

I'm trying to tell myself that I'm not any less creative than I used to be...I was just preoccupied for a few years, and my brain got lazy...(by the way, I tend to do the leaves and flowers because it' "easier"...I hope that doesn't sound horrible)...My goal is to get back into the wierd stuff-- I hope I can still pull it off! :)

Flashback in Time...#2A... Astronaut Chicken...

So I realized I had another chicken painting with no video, so here it goes..

Meet Mr. Chicken. He works undercover and takes on many secret identities. Today he is on a covert, top secret mission as a NASA astronaut. Who knows what Mr. Chicken will be up to tomorrow...

yes, Mr. Chicken (Astronaut Style) now has a video... :) I had to get this one up and running, if I am to proceed with the series )-- Enjoy the chicken solar power goodness! ;) Yeah!!! :)

My Neighbor Doggie Died :( ....

Her name was Lily and she was the cutest dog EVER!!!! (except for maybe Snitter of course )....She looked just like the dog in this photo, except her hair was graying because she was 15. She also had a fondness for chartruese doggie sweaters! :) Lily was sweet and tiny, weighing in at just 8 pounds-- about the size of a newborn baby :)... And she had the most lovely temperament too-- she just loved hugs and kisses, and was exceptionally needy and attention seeking-- my favorite qualities in a dog! :)

I had the privelege of dog sitting her for a week this winter, and we had so much fun! I would dress her up in her little sweater and drive around Savannah with her sitting on my lap. She enjoyed seeing the local sights, and going with me to pick up Matt when he was done with work. When we were at home she insisted that I hold her and comfort her at every moment, and I didn't mind at all :) One of her favorite things was to fall asleep on my lap while I sat at the computer, chatting on the Etsy forums :)

With Lily's advancing age she was having health problems, such as heart failure. I think she was having issues with her lung too. She would cough a lot, and her human had me gently pat her back and throat to help her coughing cease. Lily appreciated all the love and attention :) She was so much fun to spend time with! :)

Given that I live in an older building, once in a while since then I could hear her barking...(she did that when she was left alone and felt lonely)...I noticed about a week and a half ago, that I hadn't heard her barking in almost a week...(automatically this made me nervous)...A day or two after this thought, I ran into her human, and I asked her how Lily was doing. She said that Lily was so sick she finally had to be put down :(...

Everyone who knew and loved Lily misses her very much :(...She was so sweet and wonderful. I need to do something nice for her human, in honor of Lily :)

A Wave of Custom Orders...

Business is strange...

I can't quite figure out the pattern here...I'll have a couple of weeks of no sales, and then I'll get multiple sales in one day... The trend this week has been custom orders! :)...sweet....

I made a couple of wine colored friendship bracelets for a really nice lady on Etsy, who oddly enough is from Savannah. She somehow found Etsy through some link on the internet, and found the "shop local" section-- Yeah! :)...So anyway, I made her the bracelets, and she really liked them. Then she had me make her some Gardenia Blossom cards ;)-- this is what they turned out like :)...

I haven't decided what to do with the original painting yet...I might frame it and put it up in my studio...or I might sell it matted, but unframed on Etsy...I'm tempted to sell it on Etsy, but the price point is lower there, and I know I could probably get more for it at my studio...that depends on the foot traffic though, and the weather here is HOT right now...hhmm....what to do, what to do...

Anyway, back to the trend this for a moment...as I mentioned, I haven't noticed a major trend with my sales in particular, but I have noticed smaller trends...For instance, I seem to make more sales on the weekends than weekdays...Generally speaking of course. I used to notice that I'd get more sales in the middle of the night, but now it's all over the board...I'm just fascinated with "patterns," and love trying to figure it all out-- It's the Sherlock Holmes in me I'm sure...'cause I'm kind of dorky like that!...(I'm guessing I probably won't figure it out though-- the pattern that is)! :O.....Intruiging nonetheless! :)

PS: It's Sunday night people, you know what that means-- The Two Coreys!!!! :D

Hey Man, I'm Trying to Watch the Two Coreys!.... :)

Sorry, I just really wanted to say that in a public setting :)...

So I've seen a couple episodes of this show...and natually, being a child of the 80's (ass end of gen x over here :)-- I find it oddly fascinating!...Perhaps it's the voyeur in me...I don't know, but I find it very entertaining...

It's fun to see how they've changed over the years, or stayed the same. Although when I was a kid I didn't know a whole lot about their lives-- I just knew them from what movies they were in...The Lost Boys being a entertaining one naturally :) On a side note-- I really liked the Grandpa in that movie-- ya know the old guy who was into taxadermy, and dated the Widow Johnson? :) I like that he put on windex for cologne :D...I'm fond of the eccentrics in life :)

Anway, back to the Two Coreys...so I watched a couple episodes last night, which I believe were repeats from last season. Apparently Cory Feldman is concerned about Corey Haim, who appears to have an addiction of some sort (I think atavan was mentioned)-- (I dont' know the extent of the issue, and if he still does this season-- he might be fine now, I'm not sure of the details)...The best part is that they are in therapy together, like couples therapy. I think that's kind of charming :)...Ok, I'm hooked now...I admit it...I will be tuning in for season 2 on Sunday night...

PS: all you artists out there-- Corey Haim has taken up painting!-- think Jackson Pollock type action painting, but without the splatters

My First Book Cover! :D

Yeah! It's been published!!! :) So last fall I had a bit of time on my hands...deciding not to go to grad school down here and all...so I hopped on the internet and found myself a freelance illustration gig :) Here it is! :)-- the cover anyway. The book is called The Battle For Augusta, and is for sale on Lulu.com. It's basically an allegory about the civil war and golfing...or something to that effect ...I think...(I haven't read it yet, but I'm going to get a copy)! :)

http://www.lulu.com/content/3123859

I did the cover in watercolor, and some interior illustrations in graphite. I should post those on my Flickr site now that I think of it...I think the cover turned out OK...It was kind of a rush job with a deadline, so I think it turned out as well as could be expected...If I could do it over and had more time, I might do a few things differently, but overall-- I think it looks OK for my first go at it...

Before this I illustrated a career curriculum for a non profit organization...It was black and white, and executed in pen and ink. I'm much better at drawing than painting I think. I'm also better with "non realism," so this project was a challenge. I can do realsim, but I need a photo to look at to make it accurate...with this I had to kind of make up the composition-- you know, make a composite image from a bunch of different photo references-- MUCH harder than just one photo as a reference...:O...Anyway, I hope this looks all right for the publishing world. I would love to do more professional illustration down the road :)

I Need to Go to the Beach...

Really, I do! :) Given that I'm from the midwest, it seems to be a unique experience to suddenly be living near the ocean. I've been here about a year, and the novelty has still not worn off. I don't get out there as often as I would like because I've been really busy the last couple of months-- between my day job, my studio, and my Etsy stuff. I would like to get out there at least twice a month. I have no idea how long I will live in Savannah...could be one more year, or it could be 20 years. With this in mind, I think I need to fully appreciate it :)

I've Gone Goth!...uh..For One Evening Anyway...

So generally speaking, I'm very, VERY boring...especially when it comes to my appearance...think baggy pants, t-shirt, no makeup...etc...I'm very much a plain, boring person...I have a big nose too, which does not help...

I therefore just had to share this photo! :) My friend Denniele took it. She is a grad student over at SCAD, and is majoring in photography. She applied the makeup and gothed me out, as she was working on a specific project....I generally wear no makeup, and do no more with my hair than wash it, brush it, and put it in a headband...I think this is the only photo of me on the internet...I don't photograph well, so this is the best I can offer! :O....Heya freaky!!! :)

PS: This photo scares the crap out of my boyfriend! :)...every time he sees it he's all "AHHH!!!"...It freaks him out...he says I'm cute and sweet...and it's just not me ;)...I just love hearing him shreak every time he sees it... heheheh!!!

Flash Back in Time...its Punk Rock Chicken...

#1A...I realized I never had a video go go with this guy...so here we go! :O

Meet Mr. Chicken. He works undercover and takes on many secret identies. Today he is Punk Rock Chicken, but who knows who he will be tomorrow...

(Ya know...Sid Vicious is still among us...well, according to my boyfriend anyway-- dude had a mohawk back in the day apparently... :)

Snitterdog Lost it's Front Page Virginity! :)

For the first time ever Snitterdog was on the front page! Yeah!!! Alas, no sales resulted, but it was fun nonetheless :)...The Greene Fairy has been on the front page twice, but this is a first for my "main" shop :)

It's funny that my "main" shop is not the more successful of the two...I guess I call it my "main" shop becuase it's the first one I opened...It's also closer to my true personaltiy-- odd, goofy, and strange... :) Oh well, I can see why The Greene Fairy may end up fairing better....it's not quite as odd...I really like odd, so I'm really pulling for Snitterdog! ;)...I'll be happy with whatever little straws of success I can grasp though! :)...so if The Greene Fairy kind of becomes my "main" shop, so be it! :)...I'll still do my odd little paintings though... :)

Mr. Chicken Plays With His Beaker...#7A

Yes, it is true...I have been neglecting Mr. Chicken..:O...But no More!!! :)...Here is the latest in the adventures of Mr. Chicken :)....

After spending a day and a half in bed with the hangover from hell, Mr. Chicken is back in the game. To prevent such a God-awful plague in the future, he decides to get in touch with his inner Mr. Wizard, and concoct the perfect chemical cure for a hangover...Alas, he does not find it...He does however, come up with a magical elixir which allows him to travel back in time....

(I've had the next one #8A in my head for about 2 months-- I really need to get it down on paper soon :)...hint: he travels back to the 1500's...:)...(I think it's the 1500's anyway :)-- I'll have to check history to be sure!

And for the accomanying video-- it's in the science neighborhood :) I almost went with a Back to the Furture video-- but that's another Mr Chicken adventure! :) Ah, happy childhood memories-- another flick from the 80's I used to watch when I was a wee little thing! :)

My First Craft Fair-- Yeah! :)

How exciting!:) I always wanted to do it, and this time I finally took the plunge! :)...Tehnically it was a "bazaar," which I think means, craft fair/flea market...(not sure :)...It was a good time, and I actually met 3 other Etsy sellers!..Angela, from PaintingWPassion, Kathryn Reichert, of Kathry Riechert Jewlery, and Robin Lynne, of Savannahsoapkitchen! :) That may have been the highlight...

I met 2 of my 3 goals too :) Yeah!

1) sold at least one thing! ...(I though it would be good to aim small, so I met at least one of the goals)!
2) I recouped the entry fee-- that's always nice! :)
3)...so I didn't make a "butt load" of money, but I had a feeling that might be unatainable in 95 degree weather at my first outdoor craft fair :)....I did sell something from each of my Etsy shops, so that was an added bonus!

Thought I would share some of the things I learned...and some of the great advice I got from people on the forums! :)

1) Get ready a week in advance-- definitely a good idea! I was rushing around for the 4 days preceeding...AHHH!!! :)

2) if it's an outdoor craft market, bring lots of sunscreen and put it on EVERY inch of exposed skin...:)...I missed a couple of spots, and I have a funky sunburn at the bottom of my kneck, and my upper left arm...Eek! :)

3) Water, beverages and snacks-- thirst quenching and yummy! I'm really glad I bought that mini cooler for the water!-- very hot and humid out :)

4) For outdoor fairs, a battery powered fan works great in the summer...I got one for $5, at *that store*...un...don't tell :)....it was a life saver in the heat! :)

5) Making friends with your fellow crafters is fun!...It's fun in itself, and it's always nice to have someone watch your back when you have to take a potty break...or an "out in the sun too long" break :)

6) Bring lots of change for your customers, and keep an eye on your moola :)...I've heard some people like fanny packs, I kept mine in a locked box...that I watched like a hawk-- out of sight :)

7) I've heard 2 different theories on how to "lay out" your items..some say group like items together, and others say scatter your items...so you get more than "just a glance...."....I tried it both ways (I rearranged)...I didn't notice a pattern with sales though....(it was a smallish bizarre, as it is new, and not well known yet-- hopefully it will be :)...I'll have to get back to you guys about rearranging the items and which layout works better-- though maybe it's different for everyone :)

8) Smile and say hello to customers! :) Friendly without "stalking" is a good thing! :) Yeah friendly people! :)

Anyway :) Thanks to everyone who gave me such great advice on the forums-- it was a great discussion-- thanks! :)....May some of this advice go on and help others :)

I did a custom Alchemy Order! :)

Yeah! This is very exciting to me...I generally get...the "convobot regrets"...etc....YOU SUCK!!!! no!!! ....This time I got a yes :)...so exciting! :) This is what I created for someone :)...It's a Rowan leaf, for a little girl named Rowan :) I like how this one turned out...tomorrow I'm off to start another custom order...a 4 leaf clover! :)...In my "Greene Fairy" style...I hope it turns out well! :)....

I've Decided to Have a Holiday Weekend Sale! :)

So I've been participating in this really cool thing on Etsy called the ACEO Bounty challenge...It's this thread in the forums where people come up with "challenges," or ideas, that people can choose from to create ACEO's :)....Anyone on Etsy can pop in with a challenge, or create their own work of art in response to any of the challenges :) Anyone can buy these works of art, or anyone can win it-- we're not sure when the pot will be up for grabs! :)

I've done a few for my Snitterdog shop, and I think 7 or so for my other shop, The Greene Fairy. (The picture seen here was made in response to the challenge to create an ACEO with the theme "butterfly").

The gals participating in the bounty got their heads together and decided it would be fun for a bunch of us to do a sale this weekend! Yeah for Sales! :)...Some people are offering free shipping, and some are additionally offering 2 for one deals, reduced prices, etc...I decided to to a half price sale on all my ACEO bounty items in both stores, and offer free shipping...It is afterall, a holiday-- we could all use a treat!....And I sold one print of this butterfly today-- yeah! I'm so happy! :)...

I wish there was more time in the day so I could just create and create and create!!!! :)...I have all these ideas, and just not enough time....ARG!@!!! I'm loving being busy and doing all this art though-- fun stuff! :)

How Far Have You Come in a Year?

This is what I asked myself today...why? :)...Because May 17th, 2007 was one of the crappiest, most depressing days in my life...but that is a different blog post :)Actually, I might have to write a book about that one, or submit an article to some kind of periodical (not that it would necessarily be published though:)...I often dwell on the negative, and believe me, there's plenty of it...but today I want to look at how my life has improved from that sucky day, and the progress I have made in one year...Here are some of the good things :)

1) I conquered my fear of computers. After dropping out of at least 3 computer classes over the years, I took Introduction to Computer Graphics at a community college up in Madison...Granted I freaked out, and had to get a tutor...but I finished the class, and actually am still using Photoshop! :)

2) I moved across the country...I still can't believe it...I'm a total chicken in most ways, but I decided to leave my state of origin, which I lived in my whole life ....and try something different...weeeeelll, I WAS going to go to graduate school, but then didn't....please refer to #3 directly below! :)...One intersting thing to note, is that my first FULL day in Georgia, was the very day my Saturn returned to it's exact point where it was on the day I was born...this happens only once every 29 years folks!...another post I should do I guess-- Saturn returns! :)

3) I recognized on the first day of graduate school it was going to be a very bad fit...by day 3 I was miserable and hated it...I then "declined to attend" the college, and got out before I lost a bunch of money and also my sanity...I felt very, very bad, guilty, and depressed about this at the time...I still occasionaly wonder what if, but I know in my gut...there's a better grad school out there for me-- and I would love to attend it someday! :)...perhaps I will elaborate on this more later, at some point...I will say it closed some doors, but opened others!

4) With new found time on my hands-- I joined Etsy! :)...I wanted to join Etsy when I first heard of it, in 2006...at that time, however, I did not possess the computer skills...How do you upload a photo? :)...At the time I did not know...and just what is "resolution"...:)...I'm still learning :) I still can't believe I have artwork on the internet :). I'm not a big seller, but the fact that I've actually put it out there, makes me really happy! :)

5) I realized who I am not, and who I will never be...I am never going to be a doctor, or a nurse, or a teacher, or a lawyer...or any of those other "white collar" professions...I did well in school, well enough to get a fellowship to that grad school I was going to go to...but it's just not me. I'm really an introvert, and I'm kind of an artsy, scruffy tomboy...I have a small group of friends and do like people, but am often very shy, and am not comfortable in social situations...I'm also not comfortable in "dressy" clothes...I'm kind of like a weird little hobbit creature who doesn't really fit into the world...Now with these traits, how could I have one of those above mentioned careers? ......I think I'm finally starting to except that I will never have one of the socially "acceptable" careers, even if my family can't accept it....

6) I'm starting to learn this blogging thing! :)...Now if I can just figure out how to cut and paste multiple pictures throughout one blog post, I'll be set! :)

Here's a question for you cyber space people..if anyone is reading...maybe not? Who knows...but just in case:

How far have you come in one year? Has your life changed for the better? :)

The Never Ending Painting....:D.....

So I began this painting in the fall of 2001....(yeah...2001)...Octoberish to be precise. It was the last painting I did (er...began), while in college. (I was an art major at UW Madison)....I did graduate that December, but I never finished this painting :)....so I have been working on it lately...(on and off anyway, in between my handmade paper projects, and other artwork :)....

I tried to pack this painting with symbolism...I was really into symbolism when I was in college...In this one I have some astrological references related to that time...there was some VERY screwey stuff going on in the cosmos during the fall of 2001...like 911 :(....If I recall, I think Pluto and Mars had some significant scariness going on...I'd have to go back and look....

I do know that a lot of people, including myself, were having accidents and other problems during that time-- I had a very bad whiplash injury that screwed up my neck and back...and ulimately my legs...LONG story...I put a little bit of that "chronic pain" element in this painting as well....So I kind of have this mystical wish that once I finally finish this painting I will be able to run again!-- I was a runner before the accident :) I know, I'm kind of a dork- but you never know! :)

Sheep Paper!...Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You!... :)...

Here is a little glimpse into my fun and crazy world of paper making! :)...This particular batch is destined for New York, as a thank you gift to Ozknits :)...In this batch I am using my usual pulp of 100% post consumer recycled office paper and other little tidbits, such as embroidery thread, sequins, and other glittery "thingies.".... :) Here I am also using "mystery knitting fibers" from Oz...Feel the power of the sheep! :)

Karaoke Chicken....

After a few hour of heavy drinking, Mr. Chicken is more than just mildly inebriated...He's completely bombed....So, he heads to the bathroom, pukes a few times...and then heads for the stage. Here he gives us his best Pat Benatar...which is in fact, very... very bad....yes, love is a battlefield people...love...is a battlefield...

"Karaoke Chicken" is an original gouache painting, created on 140 lb, cold pressed watercolor paper. It measures 2.5 by 3.5 inches making it an ACEO, (or artist's trading card). He is number 6A in the series :)

Stay tuned for more adventures in the life of....MR. CHICKEN!!!!!!

Let's do a Little Experiment...

Can I get the video in my blog post?...hhmm....if it works-- here's some music I like to listen to when I paint! :D

Here's Where the Magic Happens! :)...kinda...

No...not that you dirty little cyber space people! :D....It's my new art studio!...I may have mentioned it a few posts back...This is where I've been spending my time lately, when I'm not at work, or hanging out on the forums :)...these are the "before" pictures...Note the dead fish colored floor, and slightly fecal toned walls...Great space though for sure!

See the cute little bearded guy?...that's not me :)...no full grown beard on this chica...though I'm sure there's hope as I grow older and my hormones become out of whack...That's my boyfriend Matt...otherwise known as, Pookie.....(don't tell him I called him that in public...)... :D

Oh yeah...I still need to take the "after" pictures :)

I've been tagged by Ozknits! :D

Note the wonderful customer appreciation photo! :)

4 Things.... :D.....

4 Jobs.....

1) kennel worker (I cleaned up doggie poop)!

2)barista (coffee slave for 5 years)!

3) resident counselor in a group home...not the best fit for an introvert such as myself...I'm a better doggie pooper scooper!

4)art workshop facilitator at a non profit organization....(did that once a week for almost 5 years-- we made a lot of handmade paper....that was fun)!

4 Favorite Movies....

1) Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

2) The Thorn Birds....yeah, I know...I'm so pathetic :D....

3) The Royal Tennenbaums...nice and quirky! :)

4) Schnindler's List

4 Places I've been

1) Utica, Wisconsin-- population 35?...very exciting! :D...(I actually do miss WI-- good cheese!)

2) The Winchester Mystery Mansion, in San Jose California...I actually have a photo I took with a slightly ghostly image in it...at age 17 I considered sending it to Unsolved Mysteries....I'm still sitting on it :D

3) Washington DC-- I went there once when I was about 10...I went to Ford's theatre and saw a real lock of President Lincoln's hair!...history came alive :)

4) the scary little corners of my brain...AHAH!!!

4 Places I've lived....

1) Stoughton, WI (we like lefse and other assorted Norwegian thingies...like rosemaling!)

2) Madison, WI...that's where I went to college! (I was an art major)!

3) Colorado (for a month and a half when I was 20)...I stayed with my stepbrother in the mountains for the better part of one summer-- I still would love to move to Colorado one day :)

4) Savannah, GA-- Here I am!...long story...

4 Favorite TV shows....(hmm...I don't watch much TV these days...so I'll base this on the past:)

1) ER-- back in the George Clooney and Anthony Edwards days....I loved the sexual tension between Dr. Ross and nurse Hathaway!

2)Dawson's Creek...yeah, I know....in college it appealed to me in that sappy, I need a boyfriend kind of way....

3) sappy TV movies...If they had Kellie Martin in them, all the better....

4) Biography! ( I do watch that occasionally these days-- there was a good one on Janis Joplin)!

4 Radio Shows....

oh boy...I hope this doesn't sound bad...but I barely ever listen to the radio...I'm kind of stuck on music from the extensive collection on our computer....it's fun to listen to my boyfriend get pissed off at Rush Limbaugh though! (We're kinda liberal :)

4 Favorite Foods....

1) bacon....

2) chocolate

3) bacon...

4) tequila...(does that count?)....

4 Placed I'd rather be...

1) retired...

2) in my artist's studio and retired...

3) in Wisconsin...I know, sounds weird, doesn't it?...I miss home on occassion...

4) petting a doggie!

What a fun game this has been!

Mr. Chicken Has His Beer....

After narrowly escaping death from a chicken hungry shark, it is time for Mr. Chicken to unwind...He therefore decides to head down to the fanciful red light district, to his favorite saloon. Here he indulges in a wee bit of tastey suds, which he will most likely follow with Jagermeister, Irish Whiskey, Campari, and then perhaps some Absinthe....If we are lucky, it may be karaoke night.... :D

This is number 5A in my Mr. Chicken series! :D...Nothing like some after work drunken debauchery :D...stay tuned for more adventures in the life of Mr. Chicken..... :P

My Latest Hand Embroidered Greeting Card :)

Yes! I finally finished one....I came to the conclusion I should do another card of some type, as it has been quite some time since I last did one...(I've been focusing more lately on painting, and also setting up my art studio :)....So here it is--ode to spring :)....Cute little tulips all obsessively hand embroidered using the satin stitch technique....

I'm so tired....(think nasty congestion cold and the Beatles circa 1968 (?)

Oh yeah, I've got a bad cold....I was really tired on Monday night and took a 3 hour nap...The next morning I had some kind of nasty cough, congestion, phlem thing going on...(yeah, I know...pretty isn't it :D)...Thus, I have not worked on my art in a number of days :( I thought I would post this image I created in college-- as I am headed for bed after this :)...It was an homage to my beloved Beatles...It is an original etching/print that I altered with colored pencil...I had this phase in college where I couldn't stop drawing John Lennon's nose....It really is a very nice nose :)

Ooga Booga!

That's what comes to mind when I think of this most recent illustration...:) The assignment was to create a card to be given to an inmate, expressing that the person giving the card, forgives the inmate, for infact, being an inmate...Does that make sense? Sometimes I don't articulate myself very well . :P...Interesting stuff :D This is an assignment I did for Parkards...One could look at this picture and see peace and serenity, or forgiveness-- It kind of has that calm, blue water thing going for it....but at the same time...It kind of has that dead people with cold blue hands, kind of thing going for it too.....Not to be too morbid or anything :P

Need a Greeting Card? Check out Groovey Crafts! :)

Groovey Crafts is crafty indeed! Her shop on Etsy offers a variety of paper crafts, including greeting cards, envelopes, ACEO's (artist trading cards), and book marks. I am particulary fond of her greeting cards, such as the cutie shown here :) When creating her greeting cards, Groovey often incorates collage, decorative paper, peel offs, and rubber stamping. Good stuff! Feel free to check out her shop on Etsy, and her blog too :)

http://grooveycrafts.etsy.com/

http://myartyboudior.blogspot.com/

joining Etsy is easy and free! :)...seriously, it is....takes all of 2 minutes to come up with a username and fill in your info....come on....ya know you want too :D

Mr. Chicken Goes Scuba Diving...

Today Mr. Chicken explores the seas of exotic Oregon, as some kind of..."Pirate ship"....has been roaming around the coast since about 1985....Rumor has it there is some loot that could save Mr. Chicken's little town....Wait, what's that there behind him....

This is #4A in my Mr. Chicken series....(there will be a "B" series.....the mysterious forces that be will enable this down the road... he he he!!!!!) This one in particular was inpired by partially by my love for The Goonies :) When I was in 3rd grade-- a VERY long time ago, I had this phase where I would watch that movie about 3 times per week....I remember once I rewound the entire movie by hand (held my finger on the rewind buttom) because I didn't know how to operate the VCR correctly :) It was worth it--nothing like The Truffle Shuffle on a Sunday afternoon... :P ...maybe Mr. Chicken should try the Truffle Shuffle.....

I Have Switched Over to the Dark Side...

Well, in terms of my layout anyway! I thought the "dark dot" theme would go great with Frampton chicken :) It matches his lights....I think I will be playing around with the layout for a while, (I'm still kind of new to the blogging world-- we'll see how it goes :)

Yeah, I did it....I went and opened another Etsy Shop...

So I'm on Shop #3 now! I know, I know.....having 3 shops could spread a person thin I've heard. This is what I've heard in the forums anyway. But the way I see it, why not? I have A LOT of different arts and crafts I do, and they don't always mesh.... and I have the time--not raking in a bunch of sales thus far, so I have time for fun! :) In this new shop, which I call Pookie Town, I have my fun and casual jewelry. ( friendship bracelets so far :). Part of the rationale here was to seperate my playful jewelry from my fine art-- figured it would make my shop(s) more organized....Hopefully this works! Here's the link: ) http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5659645

Frampton Chicken Comes Alive....

Tonight Mr. Chicken goes back in time, and works undercover as Pete Frampton...The mission is of utmost necessity, as he must defend the stage against a hostile infiltration of anti-Frampton chickens...

This is the latest installment in the life of Mr. Chicken :) I have so many more ideas for this-- wish there was more time in the day! ....I really wish I could figure out how to put music on this blog, so some Frampton Music would just start blaring when the page opens :)

Yes, Frampton is still alive :) he he he!!!!

Check Out the Cool Artwork of Dollface Design! :)

Isn't her work amazing? She is one of my favorites over on Etsy. Dollface Design makes many of her collages by incorporating elements of both traditional and digital collage. In this particular peice, titled "Bunny Royal-Vintage Paper Collage," she prints the collage out onto antique ledger paper....Way cool! I just love that look :). This piece is part of her Vintage Paper series-- which I just LOVE!!!! And here's something really cool-- I was the 1,000 person to list her as a favorite, and won a free print of my choosing :) What a sweetie she is-- and talented to boot! :) Check out more artwork by Dollface Design at the following websites :)

http://www.dollfacedesign.etsy.com/

http://www.trunkt.org/dollfacedesign

http://www.dollfacedesign.blogspot.com/