Getting Back in the Swing of Things

 I was in a pretty bad funk for the last couple of months, what with being laid off from my job at the end of October, and even though I have found a job since, that experience really put me out of the creative mode for a while.

I did manage to finish this little acrylic painting. It doesn't look nearly as vibrant and lovely on the blog as in person. I loved painting those poppies,though. Whenever I just don't know what to paint, I paint a poppy, and that seems to put me in just the right mood.

I also have a ton of porcelain pendant and earring pieces sitting around, waiting to be fired. I know, shame on me! I should absolutely get these into the kiln. I don't have an excuse. I just keep getting sidetracked.  I think there may be something like 40 pairs of earrings here. 

I used a really fun technique on these porcelain pieces called monoprinting.  It's easy, but sounds complicated.  I painted colored slips and underglazes on newsprint, then laid the newsprint on top of a rolled out slab of porcelain. I lift the newsprint after the clay  becomes leather hard, and the colored slips have transfered to the slab.



I had a bug on to get my watercolors out and this little pirate popped up.

I think it would be a fun addition to a kids room, or maybe a birthday card. I have aspirations for making prints, but honestly, I love making the originals, and fussing around with making prints seems boring. I do need to make good use of my Epson printer, so I suppose prints will soon be in my future.

Here's a closeup of the little monkey. I think he came out cute!

I had a wonderful opportunity present itself to me. I , along with several other artists, was invited to participate in a new book coming out about creating soft dolls.  I'm really excited to be a part of it and especially since one of my favorite doll makers , Mimi Kirchner, is also participating.

It won't come out until next year, but there's a lot to do in the next few weeks, so I'll be super busy.

How to Avoid Long Lines at the Post Office This Year

How to Avoid Long Lines at the Post Office This Year


1. Buy all your gifts from stores that will wrap and ship them for you.

2. Shop from catalogs or on the Internet and have all the items sent directly to the recipients.

3. Use a post office that has a self-service center where you can weigh and purchase postage yourself. I love these!

4. Shop and mail early, ideally before Thanksgiving. If not, then check the Post Office website for shipping holiday deadlines.

5. Time your post office visits for nonpeak hours: early morning and mid-afternoon on weekdays. Avoid Saturdays, lunch time and the period between 4:00 p.m. and closing.

6. Go to the post office at opening time if you can't avoid a Saturday visit.

Easy Holiday Food Gifts to Make

I love to get homemade food as gifts during the holidays. Giving gifts from the kitchen is really a fun way to get creative and save money, too. Hereare a few ideas to get you started~



Cookie Mix in a jar by Culiary.net



Kumquats in spiced syrup from Cooking Light



Homemade Lollipops

Chocolate dipped pretzels from Good Housekeeping


Obviously, a pretty container adds a lot to these kind of gifts.  You can use plain old mason jars for mixes or jellies and even find pretty containers at the grocery store or at Walmart. Let your imagination be your guide! Add a simple hand written label or hang tag cut from colored paper, and you have a gift that's truly memorable and appreciated.