MIA No More

I have not been creating, but want to share with you some absolutely gorgeous Christmas cards I purchased from PaPaYa:

For my soul sister Diane xo Whose faith is a beautiful thing...


For the new Mrs. McHugh!


For my Soul Sister's Lorri and Grace. OK, OK, I got one for me too, who could resist this hot elf!

And these next two are Christmas presents to myself!

What an artist to inspire my own humble creations, Anahata Katkin. I want to be her when I grow up. But I want to be Koko Taylor, Etta James, Nina Simone, Melody Gardot, Frida Khalo, and Barbie, too! I won't admit it to myself but I wouldn't mind a little Martha Stewart thrown in the mix!

Before M was just M and instead was My Heart, we saw Buddy Guy live. It was very considerate of M to get tickets, he'd seen Buddy numerous times already. Perhaps it was my repeated comments, "I HAVE to see Buddy Guy before I die" that led him to treat me to 5Th row seats to see My Hero. The concert was a tribute to Jimi Hendrix and the musicians were all amazing. Besides Buddy, Jonny Lang, Doyle Bramhall II, Hubert Sumlin, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Hendrix's original drummer Mitch Mitchell and bassist, Billy Cox played. Mitch Mitchell has since passed away. We were very fortunate to be able to witness his talent first hand.

Not long after that concert we saw Susan Tedeschi. She is touring to promote her new album, "Back to the River". It was an amazing concert, it seemed to be over in minutes. We were WAY lucky that Susan's husband, Derek Trucks, was in town with his own band. He snuck out on stage and played an encore with Susan. It was incredible. My only complaint? That they won't adopt me and let me hang out on their tour bus.

The question comes to mind "what possibilities remain?" Carol Shields wrote this question in one of my favorite novels of all time, "The Stone Diaries". Perhaps my expectations have been too high. I am of the age where I fully understand that love is mostly what you can "tolerate". I don't mean settle. I hate that word. Love, I believe, at this age, is mostly about being able to tolerate someone else having different ideas and ideals, styles of doing things, ways of communicating. One of my most difficult struggles over the years, has been coming to terms with the fact that "my time" is not the same as someone else's. Whether it's a mundane subject like when they are gonna get the trash out to when they are going to be ready to commit, it can't be done in "my time". Man, is that a heard lesson to learn and re-learn and re-learn.

Have you heard -" 40 is the Old Age of Youth, and the Youth of Old Age"?

It is time to acknowledge that my Picker is broke.  Has my Picker permanently left the building?

In case there is any doubt, let me go on the record and say, I love men. In person, it shows. My Art is where I let my Anger have free reign. I hope not to be bitter, but to be resigned to reality. Humor is my best defense. Although the words used in my Art can be negative and dark, do not overlook the humor. It is there, thank goodness. When the humor goes, I will hang up my thongs for good.

xo

Susan

Collage Completed

Well, here it is finally, the completed Yankee's Collage. I'm quite happy with the results.

xo

Susan

Art via Air Mail

I received my first ever international trade! I have been fortunate to get to know Lorri from Australia. She's an amazing and thought provoking artist. I saw her "Sparkle is Her Favorite Color" ACEO and Had to have it!!So I asked for it! That's how easy it was!

Here is my bounty from our trade:



And the front and back of Lorri's card:


Beautiful work! I also received some faux Australian money but my scanner wouldn't scan cause it hates me, so you'll have to see it later when I use it in a project! Thank you, Lorri, let's do it again real soon!

Forgive Me For my Faux Pas

Oops, I did not do my research. I credited Susan Tedeschi with the lyrics to the song "Sweet Forgiveness". .... the original singer/songwriter is Iris Dement. My apologies, Iris. I have a feeling she'll forgive me, though.

More Yankees and One More PhrenMen

I'm a little stuck on my Yankee's collage. I had an idea about covering Lou's #4 with part of his speech from his last day as a Yankee. First I painted and sanded the stencil.

Printed the words, in a variety of fonts to add interest, on tissue. Glued the tissue to the stencil and did several washes of paint over all.

I like the transparency of the cutout.

I can't wait to use the deli paper under the stencil in another project!

Here is placement for the #4. I hate, hate, hate that spot were the 4 hits Lou's shoulder. I need something else there but am temporarily out of ideas. Ideas anyone?????

Here is the back side of my latest PhrenMen ATC. This series of ATC's is done on left over paste paper I made in Albie Smith's classes.

And here is "Satisfies Low Expectations" . I finished this last night. Ironically I was accused of this very thing tonight. Isn't that bizarre??

I think the corners are a cool touch. Bribe me and I will let you know where I got them. insert evil laugh here.

Phren Men

Having a blast doing an ATC series with altered ancestors and a phrenology stamp. Add some acrylic paint, stamping, embellishing and I'm addicted.

Here are my PhrenMen so far:

OOOOHHH I love them. Gonna do more......

Sweet Forgiveness

This ATC size canvas is for Lorri from Australia. Check out Lorri's blog, her work is phenom. We are doing an ATC trade, as soon as I can decide which ones to send her! You will understand the significance of the spoons when you read her blog.
Stretched canvas with tissue, acrylics, stamps,Goldens soft gel, antique tin spoon, doily, chalk pencil, sticker corners, rub n buff, vintage jewelry rose, and Judikins DG3 Art Gel in the bowl of the spoon. I was happily surprised to see the heart shaped center the couple made around the spoon handle. The couple is from a tissue collage sheet from Blackberry Designs. Be very careful before you visit thier site. I spent an unbelievably large amount of money there last year!! Love their variety.

Sweet Forgiveness

Sweet Forgiveness, that's what you give to me.

When you hold me close,

And you say: "That's all over."

You don't go looking back,

You don't hold the cards to stack.

'Cause you mean what you say.

Sweet forgiveness, you help me see.

I'm not near as bad,

As I sometimes appear to be.

When you hold me close,

And you say: "That's all over,

"And I still love you."

There's no way that I could make up,

For those angry words I said.

Sometimes it gets to hurting,

And the pain goes to my head.

Sweet forgiveness, dear God above.

I say we all deserve,

A taste of this kind of love.

Someone who'll hold our hand,

And whisper: "I understand,

"And I still love you."

Performed by Blues Goddess Susan Tedeschi.

Taking Flight

I received a wonderful surpise in the mail from my Soul Sister, Diane. On a day in a week of a month that has drained my creative spirit, I opened a package with Kelly Rae Roberts' new book, "Taking Flight: Inspiration and Techniques to Give Your Creative Spirit Wings".


It is a lovely book full of great writing, beautiful artwork and creative techniques. The loveliest part of the package was Diane's sentiment :

To my inspirational friend, Susan. It is YOU who helped start my wings to grow."

Who's the blessed one in the room tonight? yeah, that would be me. Thank you, Diane, for your friendship, advice given with love, and plucky, humorous, Texas arty attitude!! Visit Diane's blog to see her stunning jewelry. Speaking of which, I am sending her something I own that I want her to have. This is a decorative planter I purchased years ago from my friend, Tracey, who was having home parties selling Southern Living products.

I have earrings Diane has made for me displayed on the bottom and some charms I bought from Sally Jean on the fenceposts. Diane has her jewelry displayed in several shops and I thought this would be a fabulous way to show her Mexican Calendar Girl jewelry (which I covet most covetously). Anyhoo, I'm including some different fabrics to cover the styrofoam block which seemed the most "mexican" to me. I hope she likes it to use as a display. If not she could always put a plant in it and hang in on the RV wall. wink wink.
Keeping the Taking Flight theme going...... I'm taking flight to Art and Soul Hampton ,Virgina 2009!!

The workshops I signed up for:

LK Ludwig- Decorative Nature Journal

Traci Bunkers- Surreal Uber Paintings

Leighanna Light- The Scarlet Onion- Adventures in Clay Texture and Design

Leslie Riley- How to Grow Wings

Sas Colby- The Transparent Book

The theme is "Rock and Roll" this year. That's got my wheels turning......already thinking about trades......

Sunday I spent most of the day organizing stamps. I started with a safety eyeglass briefcase from my real life.......

Stamped the bottom papers, and voila , organization. I have another one to fill, and lots and lots more that are unmounted but stuck to binders.....it's a sickness, folks, and I don't want a cure....



How awesome is that, must maintain....must maintain.....

Birds of Sadness Happily Finished

"Birds of Sadness" is quite happily completed. I added little birds with tears to the front and words, glitter and Iridescent UTEE to the sides of the canvas.

This last photo really shows the colors well, I just hate that flash reflection on the flower.

So there you have it. While struggling with issues, we can all hope to "prevent birds of sadness from building nests in our hair." Unfortunately I have a nest in mine as we speak. Therefore I have immersed myself in cleaning, cooking and art this weekend. Along with finishing this canvas, I did some glueing on my 9 ATC's based on a White Stripes song. I also came up with another idea for my Yankees canvas. It will be a one of. I was originally going to do a series of three, but I really can't face it right now. Instead of giving it as a gift, as it was originally intended, I will most likely open an etsy shop and sell the darn thing. Nuff said.

Anybody got any etsy advice? I'm not a prolific creator, so maybe etsy is not the best venue for me??

Changed my header again. This time I used my Photoshop Elements and layered for the first time. Layering virgin no more. I dropped the celtic quote, although it was very true in my case, I think it may have carried some really bad juju into my current love life!!

Sisters Cabinet Card

Do you remember when I posted several cabinet cards from my collection for everyone to Art Up? (if you missed it scroll WAY back and get to WORK!!)


Remember the one I called " Two Sister's" :

Well, look what Kelsey did with it!!!
I stumbled upon this beauty while perusing Kelsey's blog, which is in my top 3 favorite blogs I stalk, er , I mean enjoy with obsessive inclinations......Thank you, Kelsey. Visit her blog for techniques galore and charming repartee.

If anyone else used Two Sisters, or Grumpy Guy, I'd love to see your creations.

Ode to a High School Freshman

I spent 8 hours last Sunday cleaning my daughter's bedroom. It was Art of a different kind, the Art of organization!! I hadn't REALLY cleaned her room in about 3 years. So on the eve of her entering high school, I decided that the kid games, air brush tattoos, Hogwarts plastic thing, Cinderella bank, elementary school books, etc had to leave her wardrobes to make way for hoodies, tight leg jeans and tank tops.

I threw out a lot of trash:

Took toys out of the wardrobes:
Washed all the clothes on the floor, folded them and put them in the now empty wardrobes:
That's Ikea furniture. Looks like a store display doesn't it. Unfortunately, that won't last long.
Room now for teenage books. Boxed up all the childhood memories books, and gave a lot away with the toys.

And what girls bedroom is complete without Teen Vogue and Napolean Dynamite? Although, I think SuperBad is the new Napolean Dynamite. Or that could be so last week, IDK.

Her makeup shelves were the most fun to organize. I used drawer spice rack thingys.
And here is my soon to be 15 year old, high school freshman on her first day:
As to real Art, that involves paint and other costly supplies, I have been working on the Birds of Sadness canvas. I used a black Charcoal pencil to accentuate the quote and am going to add 2 or 3 little birds to the right side of the canvas. Not enough new to photo and share. Probably by early next week. Stay tuned.......xo