I hope any of you who’ve followed my blog over to this current site won’t be TOO disappointed/frustrated with me, but I’m going back to my blog at blogger. I finally just did away with the new security software on my computer and back to my old security system and now it’s a cinch posting photos! Please, please join me!?!
Winter and Snowy Cupcakes… February 2, 2007
What do winter and cupcakes have in common? Well, I am loving both of them this month. This is Part I of my box series that I’m creating for the Somerset Studio Nature challenge. A different box for each season…I found winter the easiest to create right now, due to the 
frigid weather and breathtaking views of late…do you love the sparkles?
And the snowy looking cupcake to my right is a little paper mache tidbit…I started with a tiny paper mache box and texturized, painted and embellished the heck out of it. Wouldn’t it be the perfect gift for Valentine’s? I think it would be sweet filled with a tiny chocolate or two and some sweet nothings. Check out my Etsy shop for other shots of it, as well as a price tag (love’s cheap, baby.)
New View on Exercise… February 2, 2007
Well, I can’t believe it, but I completely forgot to post the before/after photos of our exercise room re-do! I’m SO so happy with the results…it feels like a whole different room (ha ha ha).
I’m a little embarassed to post the before photos…it really was the ugliest room in our house and we honestly aren’t that messy/unorganized (except maybe the dreaded storage space upstairs).
Anyway, forget that hideousness and look here! A brand new mango colored exercise paradise!
Ahhh, just in time for a week of sub-zero indoor walking! Thank you S. and S. for making my dream of wood floors come true…
Feeling Kinda Crafty… January 27, 2007
Well, have been busy or what? (Answer: Yes!). I’m really getting back in the groove of all things colorful and creative.
First, I have to tell you that I had my first art class of this year~2-Dimensional Design. I’m SO excited! Our teacher seems very cool and made these incredible sketh/paint/media books…they were so inspiring to look through. I was just all glowy after class, knowing that I have weeks ahead of me to play, but with deadlines (important for me to have structure at times).
The piece above “Happy House” is something I dreamed up last week and I love, love, love the colors! Bright! Cheery! This is the house where nothing bad ever happens; only fun, excitement and comfort live within it’s walls. I have something in mind to put inside the house (to see when you open it’s little pink doors) but I’m having a hard time finding the right pieces I need.
I’ve also just finished fixing another painting (background gone awry) and FINALLY completed one of the nature seasons for the Somerset Studio submission, due on February 15th. This, I think, is the reason I have been working on all these other projects…procrastination at it’s finest. The submission for February is nature themed and I’m working on a complete set of little boxes, each depicting elements of nature during that particular season. I just finished “Winter” which was much harder than expected. I’m halfway through fall, a quarter of the way through summer and just barely started on spring…will keep you posted on my progress.
Lovey-Dovey {Part II}… January 22, 2007
Well, imagine my surprise and happiness when the first Valentine’s Day mixed-media box got snapped up in under 24 hours! I LOVE when that happens…something about someone else valuing your work enough to buy it really means a lot.
So, here is the funky Valentine’s box, Part II. I like the turquois in this one and had fun going a little wild with the bright red glitter (what’s Valentine’s without a little flash?)
I’m off to Etsy to post the new treasure…if you’re interested head over to the shop and take a peek at some other photos of the collage!
PS Thanks Deb, for being the first to post on my new blog! 
Feeling Lovey Dovey… January 20, 2007
Do you realize that Valentine’s Day is only 24 short days away? (I know, I know…you’d have to be daft to have missed all the Valentine’s treats lining the store shelves…but they begin nearly the day after Christmas, so I just wanted to give you an update…that was 24 days, in case you overlooked it).
I 
have be
en hoarding a few of these Valentine’s chocolate boxes for quite some time (one is actually a little sun-faded, I’ve had it so long). I decided to finally create the mixed media love collage inside that I’d been thinking about. It’s funny how most of the time I don’t know what will happen in a mixed media project until it’s done. And even then sometimes, I think “Is it really done or should I add more?” Often I think it’s really, really done and then a stick a little something more or a piece of paper just happens to find its way onto the surface and I think, “Hmmmm, now it’s done. Right?”
I’ve been having so much fun painting this week and playing with paper and my box-o’-found-objects this week. I can’t wait to finish my creative space (it’s close! I’ll post photos!). But we’ve spent most of this week painting our new exercise room (spare bedroom) the most gorgeous shade of orange juice imaginable! I can’t believe how much it’s lightened and brightened that space! Today we will put in the new wood flooring and I’ll be sure to post the before/after photos…I’ll be glad when it’s done though, it’s hard having the house turned upside down…
I’m off to post the Valetine Mixed Media piece in my Etsy shop…I’ll have another item or two up there soon, make sure you check it out~www.chicchickbiz.etsy.com if you don’t have the address handy…
Pretty Little Cakes… January 20, 2007
I’m sorry. This is the last of the birthday comments and/or photos. I swear.
But they are so lovely. And VEGAN. And they were quite tasty. Ok, I’m done.
What Are You Afraid Of… January 19, 2007
Who here has heard of/read books by Martha Beck? I first came across Martha Beck’s writing in Oprah magazine, where she has a permanent column. I liked her writing style a lot. She was quirky and funny and wrote from the heart. 
She’s written a couple of books which I’ve read, the first one was “Finding Your Own North Star” and the second one is called “Joy Diet”, which I’m pretty sure I mentioned previously.
Anyway, one of her guiding principals is doing something you fear every, single day. Wow. I have spent a lot of time thinking about this…but wow. Every day?!? Hhhmmmm. There are quite a lot of things I’m fearful of (speaking in public, singing in public, falling on my face in front of a bus full of teenagers, intruders, snarling doggies, passing gas during yoga class or any other place where people are around for that matter, rejection, loss, blindness….). As you can see I don’t always see the world through rose-colored glasses. In fact, you might say mine are tinged with a bit of grey.
Regardless, this process is just amazing to me, and the more I thought about it, the more I thought how fabulously cool it would be to try it for a year. I actually pictured myself tackling my demons one by one and posting my victories here on this very blog. But then I recognized that annoyingly accurate voice inside that reminded me that I don’t do things every day, no matter how wonderful and/or life enhancing they seem. The only things I manage to do consistently on a daily basis are things that don’t require much effort and/or things that are important to my daily survival. I get out of bed every day. I eat every day. I use the bathroom every day. The rest is all negotiable.
So, while I love Martha Beck’s idea, it isn’t right for me. I will say however, that I want to try to do more things that scare me this year, and that includes participating in performing arts and putting my artwork/writing out there for probable rejection in the hopes of being published and/or winning some sort of contest.
Anyone want to join me in tackling a fear or two?
A New Home… January 14, 2007
Well, what do you think? I’ve been having so many problems with posting pictures on my old blog, I decided to try a different blog site…isn’t this brown and green print wonderful? I LOVE lime green!
Speaking of which, here is the photo of my birthday scooter! I can’t WAIT to use it!
Isn’t it wonderful?! I can’t wait to take it out on the road, but it’s way too chilly at the moment (have you seen the movie Dumb and Dumber? That would be me right now!)….what a wonderful, incredible, lovely husband I have!
