Oh dear...I have been remiss. I can't believe how much time has passed since my last entry...craziness! Oddly enough however, not much has changed. I have been concentrating on my studies and looking for gainful and relevant employment. And not updating my etsy shop. 
This is Day Two of a four day weekend (BC Day on Monday)! We were originally going to take a mini Va-K to Vancouver but decided to save it for a sunnier weekend. So I decided to make the most of this time off and set some goals for myself that include; updating my shop, spending some time outside and working on some new art. Today I managed to accomplish 2 of those tasks: I updated the shop with some new ceramic pendants, new collage pendants and a new glass pendant (that i aim to do more of in the near future along with some new resin stuff). Let me know what you think of them! 
Just a quick note to let you know that I, and my furry buddies, have been featured on the sweetest of blogs by Cindy of Paw Prints Project.
And so, here I am, updating my blog after an entire month...what can I say? It has been one kooky month...busy, chaotic, peculiar and action packed!
So, as usual, everything is in flux yet again. I wonder what it's like to live somewhere for a number of years, to move in and unpack everything, knowing you don't have to leave...ever. To know your neighbours, to frequent the same stores for years. Don't get me wrong, I am ecstatic about this move but i yearn for the day we are finished this quest for...a lifestyle? Employment is also in a state of flux, one job is devolving into a joke but both of us have several potential opportunities. This is also exciting. Also waiting to find out if I am starting grad school in the fall...loans need to be applied for, plans made. Really looking forward to developing some kind of routine some day soon! 
20 days later...I really need to get on this updating more. I always feel like I need to post a ton to make it relevant but maybe a few words would be ok too, maybe even just a photo? I'll try.
So, I don't even know where to begin. I titled this blog entry 'Home' because, not only have I made some new little home pendants but I feel like I have hardly even been home in the past few weeks. As a Cancer (not to get all astrological on you), home is very important to me and being at home is where I like to be the most. I have 'issues' around home because i still don't own my own home...so I tend to feel like a bit of a nomad. I have moved 3 times in the last 3 years, and up until about 3 days ago I thought we might be moving again! In fact, we were pretty excited about the possibility and started to make a real effort to see what's out there. A lot of the places we looked at were places I would have DIED to have had years ago...but now, because it is just another someone else's house...it just doesn't move me like it used to. So anyway, after looking at a dozen places we decided (I think) to just stay put until the next move is a permanent one. 
So my latest foray into the world of ceramics has led me to making little tile canvasses. I actually made a bunch of ceramic pendants but haven't even listed them yet, I should some day, they are pretty cute. Anyway, whilst in my practicum last week I decided to muck about in some clay. I fashioned 4 wonky shaped tiles and had them fired. This Friday I experimented with acrylics on the surface instead of glaze. First of all, if you didn't already know (and who doesn't?), clay is fairly porous! Yes. So the surface had to be primed with about 10 or more layers of gesso and even then it was still soaking up the paint like crazy. I applied a coat of gel medium over that and was able to apply a water-coloury patina to the surface. It was actually a lot of hard work trying to get the look I wanted, but it was really fun making them. The 2 above aren't really finished but I thought I'd show them in progress. I intend to list them in my shop next week. I have a lot of ideas for these and need to take advantage of my current kiln availability. So yeah, school is finished for the semester, practicum arrangements are in progress and I have some freelance work lined up next week. And in between some gainful employment and a practicum, I plan to do some more art...the ultimate goal being a new body of work (paintings) to show soon. There aren't enough hours in the day. Yesterday kicked off a little pre-summer fun, dropped a friend off at the airport, picked a friend up from the ferry, ate some Indian food (so good!), drank some wine, had some laughs...summer is on the way! Oh, here's a dose of fluffy cuteness, for good measure!
Hi all! The last 2 weeks have been very, very hectic; tying up end of semester projects and papers and an exam...only 1 more to go. I have two workshops left next month and then four glorious months to regroup and get my head on straight again. Oh yeah, and find a job :P My art therapy course has been great but it has also been a confusing time in terms of knowing what kind of accreditation is going to get me where I need to go. The course I am taking is a master's 'level' course but doesn't actually grant that degree...SO, some of us have been looking into carrying on and possibly going for Masters of Counseling degrees in various forms from various schools. It's all very complicated and confusing and draining. I really didn't want to drag this out much longer than necessary but it's starting to look like I might need to if I want to have more opportunity available to me (and the $$$ doesn't hurt either)! So, big decisions, yet again. These kinds of things also put my 'real life' on hold (read: getting a home and working and being a 'normal' person) and make me really anxious. I need an around-the-clock team of life advisers.
I have now lived on the west coast a total of about 13 years. However, I have only lived on Vancouver Island for about ten months. 
It is a completely different experience than living on the mainland, especially the weather; it rains less, doesn't snow (or if it does, it's gone immediately) and it rarely dips below zero. I am incredibly impressed by this (being an Albertan for most of my life). AND, the flowers bloom in February! Can you stand it?! I know! I took the crocus pic. a few weeks back just to document the amazingness that is living in Victoria. And as you can see, the kittehs are also yearning for sunshine and paws on grass again.
Hi all, sorry for the delay in updating, things are getting a little backed up around here what with my 2nd semester almost half over. I have a lot of homework, papers coming due soon and a number of other things pending, so finding time to work on my shop is starting to become more difficult. Anyway, I thought I would show you my work in progress. These are the jewelery holders I mentioned last time. The blue one needs hangers attached and the green one isn't quite finished yet. I'm quite pleased with how they are coming along. You can see the size difference in comparison to the actual house painting beside them (with the crow). I do want to do up some different themes though, maybe designs more 'teen-ish' and I'd like to do a couple goth ones too! These could be a lot of fun, again, it's just finding the time to get them finished and listed. I hope to have these in my shop tomorrow.
Oh yeah, I also made the front page this week! I received a ton of new hearts and made 4 sales! wOOt! I love when that happens, thanks to BudanArt for choosing my birdy piece for her treasury. Another neat accolade was this in my comment box: Ashley (from Lepetit Monstre) said...
So, this is day one of my week off from school (reading week) and I don't even know where to start. I could work on any number of things, school related and/or etsy related. I really need to get working on my website (artgirlx.com), shoot more pics. for my etsy shop, list more pendants, make more pendants, and a couple other projects i have been thinking about. I am thinking of making mini houses a la the above painting and adding some hooks for use as necklace hangers or...key holders...or for other things that need hanging! They would be functional art. Another project underway involves my SO as bookmaker and me as painter of blank journal covers. Of course I have no idea if either of these ideas will fly, but I will try them nonetheless...let me know what you think, I do value your opinions! I see in the survey (see Poll box at right and take if you already haven't) that my resin pendants and ceramic collage pendants are neck and neck in the popularity poll...interesting. In other news it was like spring here today, absolutely gorgeous! Spent the day secondhand book looking, thrift shopping and prepping for some new artwork. Happy (almost) spring everyone!
I also forgot to post this before Christmas, i was featured in Etsy Finds, which is a mailout that goes out to a whole slew of folks, that was really exciting too! It is really great to be selected/noticed, especially when one starts to feel a little discouraged that one's efforts are going unnoticed...heh.
Hello all! Thank you for all the great comments on my last blog post. It is an opinion I hold dear and it was nice to hear that it comforted some artists out there too! This quote kind of drives home the point:
Bad art, good art. I hear so many opinions every day on ETSY. Someone last night was asking for advice on how to improve her collage experiment. It was hard to not leap through the screen and exclaim, 'What you've done is wonderful! It doesn't matter if someone thinks it doesn't look 'realistic' enough or if the hearts you glued on aren't 'perfect' hearts. I am still so amazed at the different ways people view art. Sometimes, it's those kinds of comments (the super picky judgmental ones) that can really destroy a person's enthusiasm for experimentation in art making. The marks you make, the paint you put down, the images you choose...they are all YOU. And YOU can't make a mistake when expressing yourself through your art. Blimey. In other news, today I am listening to an audio tape called, 'Art Can Heal Your Life,' by Shaun McNiff (a very famous art therapist), it is just fascinating. He explains why art heals, how to go about starting (don't be afraid) and how to talk about your work. Amazing stuff and really confirms for me that I am on my right path again. :)
So it's 1:00 in the a.m. and I am chatting and promoting on etsy, looking at some pretty cool art and thinking about new ideas and projects. Tomorrow (well, today) is pendant making day. I'll be posting some Valentine's houses on Monday and a couple more ACEOs. I tell you though, this dull weather has been hard for motivation, I was pretty content laying on the couch and reading for the better part of the day. 'They' say it's supposed to be sunny tomorrow, so I will have to make a point of getting out for a bit and sticking my face into it! Oh, and if you are wondering (and i know you are), the blue painting is now available in my shop! I will be offering it as a print as well. Happy Sunday all, see you back here on Monday with Hearty/Housey goodness!
Yesterday I worked on some new ACEOs, or art cards. They are a great way to start collecting art; they are inexpensive, don't require vast expanses of wall space or framing, and look great grouped together. I have seen people string them across a wall or doorway on a ribbon using clips, very cool. I made a batch awhile back for an etsy ATC trade and really enjoyed it. It's a nice way to get the creative juices flowing if you are feeling intimidated by a large, blank canvas. I am also taking part in a collage-a-day challenge suggested by the lovely Magic Jelly. We will be displaying our works or art here on Flickr. The art cards will all be available in my etsy shop and I will also be listing more in my Paypal store (in the bar at right). Hope you enjoy them!
And so, 2007 is finished, 2008 is brand spankin' new. We flew out to my sister and her husband's home this year for Christmas, the whole herd of us. They were very gracious hosts but I am sure more than happy to have their home back! Lots of; visiting, Oilers games, eating, drinking, shopping, sitting by fires, game playing and child wrangling. I think a good time was had by all. Aside from the part where the airline attendant (on our flight home) was stressing about whether the plane door was shut properly or not (!), it all passed without incident. Oh, but we did all manage to catch a horrendous cold, which I currently still have.
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