Growth

A few weeks ago I submitted a photography piece for consideration in a national juried art show in Estes Park and I promised my friends and family that I would post the entry when I heard whether I was accepted or not. So here it is:

I received the "thanks, but no thanks" email this morning and after indulging in a few moments of disappointment I realized just how far I've come. Entering this show was a HUGE step for me. I've always felt that putting myself out there was just setting myself up for rejection. And even though my piece was rejected, I was able to put it into perspective that it was, indeed, my piece that was rejected, not me. It doesn't take away from the fact that I love this picture. It was taken on our anniversary weekend last September in a small, teeny, tiny mountain town with this small, teeny, tiny junkyard. I'm still going to frame the picture and hang it in my house. This my friends, is growth.

Family or Friend...

Definitions:

Family - a group of people related by ancestry or marriage.

Friend - One attached to another by affection or esteem.

The other day my husband was lamenting the fact that he had so many cousins he was having trouble remembering all their names and I was lamenting the fact that I had so few. And none my age. I have a LOT of in-laws, some I love dearly and some I . . . well, you know. I have a husband, four children and two younger sisters I love with all my heart, some extended family members and a smattering of "first cousins once removed," etc.

And then there is my 'other' family. My friends. Those caring, supportive, tell it like it is, here's a shoulder to cry on people who are so willing to share so much so often. I have been incredibly blessed by these friendships and I cannot imagine my life without them. I'm a very lucky woman.

Family and Friends. They may have different definitions, but to me they are one and the same.

Clotheslines

Yesterday was possibly the most perfect Colorado summer day. The temperature was, for me, near perfection. It wasn't too hot and there was a delightful breeze. Even though the weather people tend to use the word 'breezy' rather loosely here in Colorado (most of the time it's downright windy!), it truly was what most people would define as breezy.

As I was sitting in my backyard I started contemplating my clothesline and decided to sketch it in my journal. You see, I view my clothesline as a work of art. It's made of wood and slightly weathered. I know there are a lot of people out there who think of clotheslines as just a lot of work or, at the very least, an eyesore. And they are entitled to their opinions just as I'm entitled to mine.

I started wondering what it is that my clothesline stirs in me. I grew up in a charming Craftsman bungalow in Northern California in the 1950s and 60s. You could hang all the laundry standing in one place! It had a pulley system from the back porch to the other side of the yard. Hanging out the laundry was one of my responsibilities and one I loved. There was such a sense of peace and calmness that enveloped me as I went through the repetition of clipping on each clothespin just right. Then there was the sense of satisfaction as I looked at all the clothes lined up moving gently in the breeze. Taking them down was even better. I took the time to fold each one as I put it in the basket. I still do. So you see, I could never live in a place where clotheslines are forbidden, because for me my clothesline is another of life's little pleasures.

Farmer's Market

I love farmer's markets. The sights, the smells (think roasting chilis) and the feeling that somehow I'm doing my part. I take my trusty vintage shopping cart and reusable canvas bags and immerse myself in all the wonderful goodness. My first stop is always the organic beef producers who also sell free range chickens. I've shopped with them for years and they've never had their product recalled!

Our farmer's market is held in an old historic train depot.

It has some great artistic architectural elements to it.

And its own lovely landscaping

I love the flower vendors, but unfortunately they remind me that I have no talent whatsoever when it comes to gardening. I'm not quite sure how that happened. I try, truly I try. Most of my art friends have wonderful gardens and I'm envious. The only thing I have luck growing are what my mother affectionately referred to as "pretty little yellow flowers." Dandelions. It still makes me laugh.

And this makes me wish I knew how to make pickles.

Summer saturday mornings. One of life's little pleasures.

Altered Books

I love altered book round robins! This is the latest spread for one of my round robins. I wonder if I will ever get over the apprehension that comes with working in someone else's book?? I haven't had much time for art lately after my husband's surgery, but I did make this one of my priorities.

A few things I've created

Sorry I've taken so long to post. My hubby had surgery at 0 dark 30 on wednesday morning and I'm finally getting into a rhythm of the 6 times a day therapy sessions. Everything takes an hour and a half every two and a half hours. I got behind the first day because I just hated to wake him so we didn't finish until 11:30 that night. I'm finally getting into the swing of it so I thought I would post a few more pictures.

For awhile I was making a lot of dolls. Here are three that I kept. The Tin Man, Scarecrow and Beast. Then I got into sculpting.

This santa looks suspiciously like my husband. His body isn't finished yet and my hubby is very anxious to see him completed.

And this is Belle. Doesn't she look like she's lived a great life?

Inside the Studio, continued

So apparently I still have a lot to learn about posting. I couldn't get it to accept any other photos. I must have run out of room. So while I investigate that, have a look at some more of my photos.

A set of upper kitchen cabinets that were turned into fabric storage. Jerry built a custom top for them.

Lower kitchen cabinets turned into great big drawers. Genius!

Some of my fabric.
Jerry built the button boxes to store my massive button collection.

One of my passions has been ribbon work.

An odd unit from a flea market, painted white makes a great display unit on the mantle.

The big comfy chair!

My inspiration wall!

Let me know what you think. I'll post more pictures tomorrow.

Inside the Studio

As promised today we're taking a little tour of my studio. I would like to get some feedback as to whether or not I should send pictures into Cloth, Paper, Scissors Studio magazine. I would love to send it into Where Women Create, but they use really established, well-known artists. And that is definitely not me! The first picture is the first thing you see when you enter the studio. This is an old dental cabinet that some guy was using to hold automotive parts. It was sort of white with lots of grease. My husband painted it pink for me and I now use it to hold rubber stamps.

Hanging above the dental cabinet is a cute frame that Jerry turned into a shadow box.

The Studio

I ran into my friend DeAnna today and she gently encouraged me to post more often on my blog. So DeAnna, this is for you. Since this blog is supposed to be all about artful endeavors, I've decided to start with my artful space. The first pictures are of the studio door that my husband just built. It's a dutch door using reclaimed wood and a vintage window. (Notice the cat door at the bottom.) The reason for the new door (I had a screen door there before) is that my husband will be having shoulder surgery on Wednesday and is looking at weeks of recovery so he will be watching a LOT of tv and since the tv is at the top of the stairs in the living room, I needed a way to block out the sound since I work primarily with music playing. Here's another view with the top open:

I LOVE my door and the finish feels like silk. My husband is amazing! He will build anything I can dream up and he has so much creativity of his own. Tomorrow we'll venture inside "The Studio."

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!!