A toast to the New Year

Happy Toast buttons by hownice on Etsy
French Toast earrings by TheTinyFig on Etsy

Kawaii Plush Toast Buddy by TheNerdsNest on Etsy

There are so many adorable toast items on Etsy that it just seemed right to use them to ring in the new year...besides, my celebrations lately are more tea-and-toast than champagne toast. Mr. Robin and I had a nice, quiet new year celebration which included Chinese food, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (American version), and bed by 11:00. With two little girls who were staying at their grandparents' house, the stakes were too high to risk being on the road late on that particular holiday. Besides, we had to see what the "other" Lisbeth Salander was like! She did not disappoint. I've already rambled on about the Dragon Tattoo trilogy so I'll stop here...

...so that I can ramble about the newest trilogy I'm reading, The Hunger Games. Such a huge following but I'm holding out on a final opinion until I finish book three. I started it this morning so I should know by tomorrow sometime! Ha!

Boo!

Halloween was a bust this year! The costumes were ready: a store-bought nerd and a hand-stitched bat. Then BAM...we were hit by an unexpected snowstorm a few days before, and the power was out all over the place. Many towns canceled trick-or-treating, though our officials suggested using our own judgement. Since we were out of town keeping warm, we skipped it. Not worth tripping around in the dark! Would've made things extra-spooky though. Hopefully there will be a do-over at some point, so my little goblins aren't too disappointed. Besides, I need a treat bag to surreptitiously poke through after lights out! Boo.

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year?

...or is it? The parents I know are pretty much divided into two camps: those who cannot wait to send their children back to school, and those who want to wrap their arms around their Carter's-clad "baby" and never let go. I think I've got one foot on each side. We have had our adventures, we have had our summer reading battles and bribes, we have had enough ice cream to sink a ship. They've had enough of each other, and enough of me. Enough already! Time to get back to a predictable schedule, order, seeing friends on a daily basis, and getting adequate sleep. (I was referring to them, but on second thought I may be referring to myself here.)

This year is different. This will be the first time that both of my daughters are in school for a full day. That means from approximately 8:45 until 3:15 there will be no one here but me! Should I laugh hysterically or mope and inhale their pillow scents as I make the beds? I confess that I am looking forward to having more uninterrupted time to work. Another upside is that the house will stay cleaner because there are fewer hours for them to rip through it like tiny tornadoes. Tiny, cute, rosy-cheeked tornadoes with high voices and marker on their fingers and chocolate on their chins. *sob*

Maybe I'll finally paint the master bedroom after living here for 7 years. Maybe I'll take a class! Maybe I'll adopt a dog! But first I think I'll take a week or two and enjoy the day-long calm I mean emptiness I mean peace I mean loneliness. We'll see how long I last...

Dark and Stormy

Two very different pieces...the last items created before setting up my exhibit this weekend! (both sold now)

Get Your Squeak On

I am now six days away from my first-ever art exhibit, and a solo exhibit to boot. That seems like a miracle to me, considering that three years ago I had never sold a single piece of art in my life, had only shown my creations to a select few friends and family members, and I am completely self-taught (and still learning with each painting). I am slowly still working my way out of the shyness cocoon, gaining confidence with every little step. It is amazing to me how my friends and family have gathered around me to support and encourage my work, especially my husband. He gets excited about my sales and projects and turns a blind eye to the mounting piles of scrapbooking papers, art store receipts and messes! I tell everyone he is a master at networking. He has a natural friendly way with people that is slowly working its way into my own personality. He's not afraid to talk to anyone about anything, and his enthusiasm has definitely boosted me up.

The squeaky wheel gets the grease is going to become my motto, maybe I'll even put it on a t-shirt! I'm no longer holding back about my art business and it is already working....recently I contacted a state-wide parenting magazine, telling them "Here I am and this is what I do if you would ever like to profile an artist mom!" I was so excited when they contacted me shortly after to arrange an interview. The worst anyone can say is no...alright, they can say much, much worse if they choose, that is a bitter fact of life. So far I've been lucky to be dealing with civilized people who hold their tongues if they are not fond of my work. And, I've been so so lucky to have the most handsome and friendly business consultant and husband by my side. Look how cute he is!

F-L-Y

The mega-talented Lulu has been posting such great photos of giant insects on her Facebook page this summer, I've had them stuck in my brain, fluttering around in there. What happened after I saw this.....

was this!

Luna moths have always held such mystery for me. One of my earliest memories is of being outside our house with my mother late at night, watching as she tried to catch a luna moth for her butterfly and moth collection. Her love of insects of all sorts definitely rubbed off on me.

This piece will be for sale in August if no one adopts it at my exhibit.

More love? Yes!

I suppose I've had a theme going here but you can't go wrong with love! Here's a couple I've created for my summer show...two little children playing near the sea, sharing a moment. I'd like to imagine that they're off playing on the lawn while their families play croquet on the grounds of a grand oceanside home. This pair began with the patterned paper I spied at the store; her dress is made of it. As soon as I saw it I knew something nautical was about to be created. Do you like his little boat shoes?