Self-portrait Wednesday

A little bit haunting - am I really here, or not?

Hello, dollie!

I've been so happy, busily working all weekend. I started this doll yesterday, and finished her today! Photos along the way - I love seeing how they evolve.

She's so cute in her skivvies!

It's been quite a Frida weekend, as I finished this journal spread and then the doll. This one is off to go live somewhere else, but I have plans to make more. It feels great to be on my way!

Busy in the studio

I have been working a lot lately on activities from the book The Creative Entrepeneur by Lisa Sonora Beam. It's very engaging work, even when difficult and even when I'm not in the studio - I'm thinking about how to do the prompt. My head is wrapped up in it, and I don't really want to go anywhere or do anything else.

The prompts dovetail beautifully with the process work I've been doing in therapy. Sometimes I don't know where one lets off and the other begins. Here I am sharing little bits and pieces of what I've been working on.

I'm making quite a mess in the studio, but it's a happy mess.

(Happy mess=happiness!)

(WooHoo! Digital filters, so much fun. I wonder if I could learn to paint like this...)

I want to fill every moment - it's as if I were trying to catch up - make up for lost time when I didn't believe I could do this.

Self-portrait Wednesday and the goodie box

I had a definite plan for this week's self-portrait on Wednesday, but things just didn't work out. The next day, Thursday, was "Beach Day" at our school. The kids weren't allowed to wear open-toed sandals or spaghetti-strapped tank tops, so they moaned, "What kind of a beach day IS this!?" I can't say that I blame them, but to cheer them up ( ha ha!) I told them to pretend they were going to the beach at the Oregon coast, and therefore they should all bundle up in coats and scarves. Most of them wore shorts and a Hawaiian shirt. You can't tell from this photo, but I wore my tankini top under that sweatshirt and a purple sarong. You also can't tell from this photo, but it was a pretty fun day. So what's up with this photo? What's up is that Linda Lu would like very, very much to be somewhere far far away in another galaxy where bureaucracies and silly rules and state standards don't exist. She wants to be in LuluLand, surrounded by art supplies and golden sunlight streaming in through her studio window, a place where time stands still and gel medium flows freely.

Imagine my happy surprise, then shen I got home and saw a parcel from my friend Tina from Missouri! Lookie lookie what she sent!

Rose-colored lace and ephemera from an antique store. (Good grief - you should have heard me squeal even before I opened the bundles! I was all excited about the old pattern paper they were wrapped in.)

An old movie reel and buttons - shaZAM! Hmm, what kind of assemblage project could I dream up with this???

The pièce de resistance: a set of metal letters for a menu board. they are SO cool!

A wonderful doorknob plate, with layers of crackled paint. I love the weathered verdigris effect!

Thank you so much, Tina! I love it!

Dollie in the Garden

This is the dollie I started in Deirdra's Princess Bug class. I finished her just in time for a photo shoot in the lovely sunshiny garden. Then she had to jump into a box as a gift for Mom. Oh my goodness - she was so happy to get out of that box again today! Here's hoping she'll get to spend time in Mom's garden!

Self-portrait Wednesday

Springtime in Oregon

Days with D

Last weekend on a rainy Saturday Deirdra took me to the Dancing Oaks Nursery, which, as you will see is a most beautiful location. I got to wander around and choose my birthday present!

Deirdra enjoying the arbor plantings.

(Photo above by Deirdra.)

Although we did need our umbrellies, at least we didn't get hit by the deluge that followed about half an hour after we left Dancing Oaks!

(Photo above by Deirdra's hubby John.)

After the nursery, Deirdra had fun in the studio. Here I'm showing her how I like to alter photos. You can see the fun results here.

Fast forward a week to yesterday, Deirdra held a practice class in her studio in preparation for her upcoming Princess Bug Doll class at Artfiberfest!

Deirdra did a great job with her demos and her techniques were great to add to the repertoire!

Deirdra's friend Robin busy at work on her doll.

Dale and Gay learning how to make the doll's skirt.

Deirdra shows us her magnificent painting skills.

My dollie girl and Deirdra's Prince Bug Dude hit it off while in progress. Hopefully they won't make the Princess jealous!

My dollie awaits me in the studio today, but it's Mother's Day and my girls are here cooking up a delicious smelling storm and we're all laughing hysterically as we play Balderdash. My gratitude brims over!

SP Wednesday: Mad As Hell

Did'ja ever wish you could just kick the sh** out of all the injustices you see happening around you?

I've got plans for this image, but wanted to post something, anything tonight.