Anniversary Celebration Continues--Featuring The Artist Alley

The 1 year anniversary on Etsy continues....remember to leave a comment for a chance to win one of my new prints coming out this week. Contest ends on Friday, August 8th!!

(((new work in progress--one of my largest yet. 24 x 30))
I don't have a title for it yet. I'm sure though, something will come to me in my dreams..lol.

One of the best things that I have done this year is to join the Carolina Mixed Media Artist Guild which although membership is open throughout the Carolina's, the most active members are from Central Carolina and meet monthly in Raleigh or a nearby area for play dates. I can't tell you how much inspiration I've acquired through this group and the new friends I've made.

(Amy, Olivia, and Jean in the background)
I stumbled upon this group when I happened to visit a local shop called Artist Alley which is located in downtown Southern Pines. Artist Alley displays a variety of art in just about every genre you could imagine, from jewelry, to painting, fabric art, mixed media, metal, and pottery to name just a few. I believe it was Penny that I met first that invited me to join the group, and if anyone has ever met Penny before, her personality is as lingering and delightful as her soaps and candles she creates. Jean, the owner of Artist Alley is warm and friendly. I've never seen her without a smile on her face. She also extended the welcome to join the group and I started to feel like, yes maybe I could do this even though it was moving far and away from my comfort zone. I'm glad I joined though as the meetings have evolved from a once a month visit to a complete network of not just peers, but inspiring woman I also consider friends.

I visited Jean's shop again on Friday of this week to take part in the First Friday Celebration. I think First Friday is a fantastic idea. Not sure who thought of it but what better way to advertise your shop and rub elbows with those that create the beautiful works of art. Normally at least one artisan is featured on the First Friday opening and is on site to discuss what it is that they do up close and personal. In a store like this, you must go back, and back, and back again because it is forever changing.

I'd be remiss not to mention one of my favorite artists featured at Artist Alley, the wonderfully talented Amy Smith. Amy has an entire wall of her artwork displayed as you can see from the snapshot above. She is fearless with color and creates work that has many layers incorporated into her whimsical pieces. I just adore what she does and am finally a proud owner of one her lovely pieces! Amy has been extremely supportive of my development as a mixed media artist, even going so far as to introducing me to many different mediums such as tar gel, molding paste, and golden fluid acrylics when she graciously allowed me to purchase some of her overstock and duplicate supplies.

Doesn't this flower just sing happiness?

Some more of Amy's mini's on the right.

I wish I would have wrote down the name of the last several artists I took photos of but I didn't. I just love the vibrant colors of these flowers and animals which are created on wood.

Talk about inventive and imaginative, bet you didn't know that shovels and cast iron pans could be so funky!

I'm not sure what this sculpture is made out of, I think some sort of blade or farm equipment? I have no idea and it really doesn't matter because it's now a person strumming the guitar and dancing to the beat of their own drum. Amazing.
After the First Friday celebration all the ladies mentioned as well another dear friend who is a mixed media fiber artist, Nanette, went out for some snacks and a drink. We couldn't hear each other to save our lives, but it was fun. Being in the company of such wonderfully talented individuals motivates me to forge ahead and continue on this journey. Nanette has been instrumental in guiding me on the writing portion of my next phase of my own personal journey which is to achieve being published in art magazine(s). She's taught me several things about writing and the process of how to submit work and so one. If I do achieve this next goal, I know it won't be because of what I have done by myself. The goal will be achieved because many had their hands outstretched, guiding me along the way.

Thank you all for joining me on my little tour today. Hope you have someone(s) in your life that have been instrumental in help you achieve your dreams and goals. If not, open yourself up to the opportunity. You'll never know when walking through a strange door will open yourself up to a whole new world!

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Update--after posting this, I saw that I was featured in a post from my online mixed media team from Etsy-'Metsy'. The blog author, Yin, asked for feature ideas and after writing to her about my anniversary giveaway, she suggested doing a post about my first year on the site. Thank you Yin for the feature!

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Don't forget--contest ends Friday, August 8th!!!

Anniversary Celebration at Sweet Repeats Studio Shoppe

"City Life"
Many heartfelt thanks for the positive feedback on my new blog look and new artwork! You don't know how tickled I was to see the many comments come through and such kind words. You all made my week and it was a difficult week, so it was good timing. :)

Here's a snapshot on a piece I completed that I have featured in a shop downtown Southern Pines called Swank. I've actually put several pieces in their shop recently. It's fun to go into a store and see your work featured! I'll have to see if the owners would mind me taking a few pictures and feature them on my blog so you all can see what they look like hanging up.

Don't mean to post an run but I'm on my lunch break--however, I did want to give my faithful readers and friends a heads up on a giveaway I'm going to do next week to celebrate my one year on ETSY! My anniversary is at the end of August but I"m going to do the giveaway this next week when I get more prints in.


So...for now, anyone that leaves a comment between today and next Friday August 8th, will be entered into a grand giveaway from Sweet Repeats including one of my fine art prints and several other goodies I've set aside.

Thank you for your support and inspiration!

Treasury Galore :)

Don't you just love Etsy Treasuries? Even better when you find one that you are featured in!! Now that I figured out how to do screen shots, I'm good to go and can savor them a bit longer then the few hours/days they are up.

To see the full size treasury--click here.

The piece that is featured is one of my recent favs--click here to see the full size piece.

The curator, Alisa--has a great store herself, full of sweet collages and mixed media soldered pendants (I would love to learn to solder----I've had a soldering gun since my birthday last year but I'm too scared to pull it out and give it a shot!!))
Good news--I finished my article with a little help with some friends who have done this sort of thing before and I sent it off last night. Phew--now I have to send my pieces and pray they make it on time. I'm kinda down to the wire but I think I did a good job considering I had to recreated 6 pieces (only sending 3 of them but I made a few for back ups just in case) as well as for the the fact I've never written an article before..LOL. Should be interesting to hear their feedback! Hopefully they still like it and the deal doesn't fall through. I'd have shame face if that happened!!!

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On the money saving front, I've taken Selena's suggestion and stayed out of the grocery store this week. I was tempted as there isn't anything quick to eat here and DS is staying in Myrtle Beach so I really hate making food for myself and having it go to waste so I normally opted for a restaurant take out of a quick frozen dinner. Instead I made a steak I had in the freezer and then made stir fry veggies and mixed it altogether after the steak was cooked and it was delicious. I wish I had rice to go with it but all I had was broccoli and cheese rice and that just didn't seem right....lol. Oh well, saved on the carbs anyway. It really is a good idea to do meal planning and less grocery shopping. I know that I have very little restraint when walking into a store. I'm perfectly fine when I stay the heck away but the minute I go inside, that one item turns into twenty! 10 dollars turns into 60 dollars that I end up spending. Just say no...just say no.. Okay. Until this weekend, then I really need to go to the store, I can only last so long :)

Hope everyone is having a good week!

ACEO's whatchya talkin about??

"True Discovery"
140 lb watercolor paper, golden acrylic paint, text, pigment ink, top coated with tar gel.

Are you true to yourself? Do you listen to your heart or do you follow the lead of someone else?


I'm really not sure where this weekend/week went?? Does anyone know? Sorry I've been away so long. I haven't even visited my favorite blogs as much other than a quick read through bloglines. Bad me. I have been busy on the art front creating a few things, finishing a few things and I even managed to send off a couple things to a local shop for consignment.

The above item is a cute little ACEO available in my shop. Does everyone know what ACEO's are?? For those of you who may not, they are small works of art that exemplify an artist's style at an affordable price. The variety of ACEO's available are plentiful, but the one thing they have in common is that they are 2 1/2 by 3 1/2; about the size of a baseball trading card or playing card. ACEO's stand for Art, Cards, Editions, and Originals.

These small works of art are also known as ATC; which are traded and never sold. Most artists do trade cards in addition to selling them, however just like most of us, artists need to make a living and ACEO's are a great way to add lower price points to your store/gallery and still make your artwork available to your customers while adding a few dollars to the bottom line.

Here's a sneak peak of something I'm working on. I'm going to do a post next on how to use distress ink and alcohol ink. A lot of people want to try these cool art supplies but don't really know what to do with them or what they are capable of. I'm by no means an expert, but I have found a few tricks to pass along that you all might enjoy.

Other news--The Secret has manifested itself to me again in another way (top secret way) but anyway, it's funny how I've been thinking about something for awhile now and all of a sudden, it is starting to happen. Get that book! LOL

I have a new student--very proud of her!!
In addition to my etsy shop, I'm starting to sell on ebay again. I just listed a couple of items but figured what the heck. I have no life. I might as well make some money if I'm staying home every day!
If you want to try making your own ACEO's, check out my friend HareandDrum's etsy supply shop specializing in ACEO's.
If you just want to buy some ACEO's, check out some of the cards featured by artists that are part of the Etsy team I'm on: Metsy.


Last but not least--
Coming soon: A New Sweet Goodness Swap!!

We will be announcing the details the first week of JUNE! Set your bloglines to our channel!
Whoooo hooo!

The House on the Hill

Sorry about the assortment of pictures, just couldn't pick any one to show and tell today. I'm pretty proud that I actually finished several things this week. Crossing off the list and accomplishing what you set out to do is a good feeling. Wish I could do more of that at my day job!!!

Anywhoo--having lots of fun at my part time job working from home in the luxurious studio ala dining room!!

Quick art card 4x6 "Send Me a Sign". There's very light journaling on here that starts off to say "When one door opens, another closes.....or is it when one door closes, another one opens, how will I know what is right, who will show me the way...........Someone please, send me a sign. Oh Dear Lord, send me a sign." Don't read too much into it..lol...I just was thinking about the bird whispering in my ear as I stamped and embossed this image and imagined it being my messenger to all of life's secrets....my 'sign' in essence.

Awhile ago, I made a quick sketch and then painted out the basics of the sketch on a small art card so I used that idea and made this 6x6 piece on wood called, "It's My Birthday". Every girl deserves a little indulgence once in while. Why do we have to hide behind our desires??? Can't we have our cake and eat it, too?? Well, we can but eventually the hips catch up to us--but a little cupcake here and there surely can't hurt!

Pretty polka dot sprinkles, sweetheart lips, pink and brown cupcake, aqua and pearl background, what more could a girl want?? I am going to make a couple more in this same style.

Anyone have any ideas on cute whimsical but indulgent topics I could make into a painting??

Finally finished these three 6x6's on canvas.

The series is sold separately but desperately wants to go to the same home :)
"The House on the Hill"
I messed up the order of these pics. The Flower should go in the middle. It's symbolic of the desire to plant roots, to have a place to nurture and cultivate of my own.

This is the first piece...."The House on the Hill: The Dream

Then we have the last:

The House on the Hill: The House (lol creative, huh)

I just love this funky bird and crazy sweet pink house. The little lady is listening for her sign from thebirdy, and dreaming about the house on the hill--the garden, the place where she can plant her roots and fulfill her dreams.


Phew. Uploading, editing, resizing and listing these puppies took me a little short of forever to do!! All but one of the features tonight are listed on Etsy. Check em out to see a few different pics as well.

Oh...I FINALLY figured out how to use that little link icon!! Dang, what in the world was I thinking typing out the html code over and over again??? Am I the last to know these things??

Jane-(and others who have commented about this over the last few weeks)--thanks for the observations about my artwork. I think last year at this time, I was really confused, saddened by a lot of difference things and really struggling with a lot of emotions. I wasn't depressed, but more angry and confused, thus the darker more all over the place type collages. This year and over the last few months, I definitely have developed a sense of peace about my life. I've become more hopeful and inspired along the way AND with every passing day. Not saying I don't still struggle with questions about so many things that have happened over the last couple of years, but through this blog, my friends and family, and of course my artwork, a lot of healing has happened. I'm more inclined to reflect that in my pieces than I was earlier in the year.

Thank you for checking in here with me. I hope you have a creatively good rest of the week. I wish peace and strength for you and your journey for finding all the answers to the many questions and struggles that we all face each and every day.