ByeBye Doggie#2

our little foster doggie went home today. sort of bittersweet-- she was a pain in the butt, but could also be super sweet and cute. we spent a busy day yesterday together running and swimming (she's a water dog!) at a nearby farm, and she spent most of the evening sleeping in my lap, which is more than adorable. Got to enjoy most of the afternoon in this amazing pool:

They say 'summer is slipping away' but i'm still enjoying it! Doggie#1 loved chasing the birds and running through the fields, though is terrified of the cows and horses.
Doggie#2? yeah, not so much afraid, more angry. So she decided to infiltrate their paddock and take matters into her own hands. She spent a good half-hour barking at the nice cows who weren't sure what was going on. mostly they just looked at her like she was crazy, and we were a little worried she'd get trampled, but alas she came back unscathed. Maybe she was trying to herd them? hmmm....
so this morning we said goodbye. Doggie#1 is lying by my side and napping. i think she's somewhat relieved (as are we) to see her go, but a little confused and depressed. they did have fun together. we wish her well back with her family, and hopefully we'll have some playdates. maybe we'll just have to find doggie#1 a new friend?? maybe.

plateLove take 2

made it to the Berkshire Crafts Fair this morning and fell in love:

Dish by Kristin Sherlaw. silkscreened slip onto porcelain. I'm told i 'have to use it' but i'm not sure i'll be able to bring my self to. i might just continue to sit here and look at it. because i love it THAT much. first really nice thing for myself that i've really picked out. and it's really nice (was lower price because it has a tiny flaw, but since i couldn't find it till i got it home, that doesn't bother me one bit. not one bit!)

i guess i should admit my dish obsession now and get it over with. who knew?

portfolio-making

I recently (ok, yesterday) had the joy of putting together a new version of my portfolio. I was a little scared and i think that's why i put it off for so long. but it was really fun. and very glorious to show it off. i think that's the scariest part-- what if they don't like it? but it's not a critique, and so what if 'they' hate it. i can't make art for everyone all the time. i hate a lot of the art out there. but it's out there. i've been, finally, slowly putting my work out there, and have received great feedback. so here's some more:
"Allium1"
--the most recent addition to my portfolio. Liquid acrylics and ink with a lazertran photo transfer on watercolor paper. It's in a "private collection" now, but i'm thinking i should get some glicee prints made. not that i know anything about doing that. but people love it. i'm also thinking of making it a series.

OH and I was placed as a winnner in the BBG flower show-- 1st place for the second year, this time with 'painted lady butterfly' -- quite a challenge to create a 'lady's hat' using only plant materials AND keeping with the butterfly theme.
A sample of more portfolio images:
This was for an assignment in my Adobe Illustrator Class-- render a 3D object.


Brag Book- created in 2004 at the Paper Source when I worked there. one of my first 'books' and a favorite project of mine.


Self-Portrait for the Berkshrire Fringe's Annual Gala 2006-- the theme was 'the art of the photobooth.' Sold to benefit the Fringe in their silent auction. booya!


Our wedding invitation 10.7.06. What fun... Did we ever know what joys cardstock and double-sided tape would bring? Oh and rubber stamps, don't forget rubber stamps. Give it up for VersaMark!

Ladies and puppies

ahh summertime...
meet Mickey-- the newest addition to the farm. He'll be a great herding dog when he grows to his full size, about 5 times the size he is now!

hugs and kisses

I got me some plate love. wow. not sure where this will hang in the house, but it will need a place of prominence. i'm so loving delving into the world of 'design'-- reading magazines and blogs and dreaming of going to shows and just loving on art and design and becoming imensly inspired. it's so fun!

i want to design some patterns, and design my own plates, place mats, table linens, pillows, skirts, aprons, notecards, notebooks, invites, t-shirts, bags, wrapping paper. ok, these ARE the things i design. yes i do. need to manufacture.

time is on our side

ok-- here we go. yes i am procrastinating, because that's just my nature. i kill time with magazines and blogs and web surfing and cooking and daydreaming just to avoid completing any simple task that does not have a time limit. and then i get all kinds of frantic when the due date does come. or i just write it on list after list and then eventually decide to forgo said project. but today is different. today i will get something done.

right after i brush my teeth.

Just another lazy summer day

cool but wet. rainy. haven't gone swimming in a while. the dog has calmed down. she has settled in just fine, can't believe she's been with us for 3 months. last week we took in dog#2 as a 'foster dog'-- a friend of a friend needed help, it was sort of an emergency, and now #2 and #1 have a rollicking good time day in and day out. and tire one another out so we don't have to worry about as much chewing and general mayhem caused by doggie#1.

this photo was taken on the second day. she's been here almost a week and they are back in this same position right now. pretty cute. makes up for the terrorizing of the cat and other mayhem caused by the general crazed nature of doggie#2.

trying to make art. the hubby got me to drink coffee this morning and i got hyper and then tired as usually happens. but now i think i'll go back to the projects with a clearer mind. delivered my second actual-framed-piece-of-artwork this past weekend to a 'private collection' in boston. thanks J+v-- when i'm famous you'll get another shoutout!

that's my dawg!


what a week!
last thursday my computer illustration class was cancelled so i decided it was a good day to visit the shelter since they're open late thursday nights and i'd been eyeing this pup for a few weeks now. she ("Happy"-- we're taking suggestions for new names) was still there so i got my boy to come see her after he got home and we fell in love. she's a handfull. well, a few handfulls, really. a little crazed. but we're working on that. all the peeps at the shelter were like 'i don't know... you haven't seen her 'bad side' yet" and we did and she bit us but not hard enough to stop us from taking her home. she also escaped from my leash-holding hand, but they say if you don't chase her she'll just come back, and she did. left her for 5 hours yesterday and all she did was carry the remote around the house, pee on the deck a tiny bit (totally housebroken tho...if i had gotten her in the crate she wouldn't have even bothered) and destroyed her squeeky toy. as was to be expected. so if we can get past the barking/jumping/growling/nipping thing we'll be just fine. she wants to learn, work, is super smart and lovey most of the time... mostly just a teenager. (13 months old)...

yay! (yet, almost too easy!)

Om Shanti Shanti Shanti

"May there be peace in your hearts, peace in your life and peace in this world"

trying to make art.
trying to connect with myself, figure out what i want to do, make, be.
trying to experience life with a little appreciation, living in the moment if i can. i spent a half-hour today holding a sleeping baby and all was right with the world. is it that easy? well... maybe.

the days really fly by. even when i get up early, i can't get nearly as much done as i want, unless maybe i don't talk to anyone or connect with anyone or go outside. but who wants to do that?

i wish...

adopting a dog was easier. boy they make it difficult, and time consuming, and you have to be so patient!

i know they don't want 'just anybody' who just thinks they want a dog to take one home and then send it back the the shelter but we won't do that! can't they see?

I'm now obsessed with Border Collies. not sure if thier 'herding' mentality will work wiht our lifestyle, but they say a mix is a good compromise, usually a little quieter and less frantically active.

here's what i want:

who wouldn't?

But alas...i must be patient. i'm really thinking two would be good, too, as they will keep each other company when we're gone.... which is often. now that i'm not working full time tho, i will be home much more. i start part time work (in theory...not all settled, but probalby will be tomorrow) next week.... i can pretty much set my own schedule, tho....

ok, so-- Life in Avalon has inspired me... not that i'll be a regular poster ever in my life, but i will try to make things less image-oriented.... maybe.




but what's going on today? i'm busy and jumping from one thing to the next as usual... off to my computer illustration class in a few hours.... working on my business plan for my secret business i plan to open (and got license and tax# for yesterday!). daydreaming of my garden to come this spring. gazing out the window pretending it's spring. thinking of all the projects i have to get to. get busy! oh and i sent in an application to adopt a puppy today. no puppy in particular, just to get the ball rolling.... crazy!

let's party! 

a short walk! 

ed and holly 

that's dad 

sweet handsome man 

the new family 

some sass? 

it's love! 

we so cute... 

can't jump? 

the posse 

bubbles! 

toss 

First dance! 

summer in the berks... 

ok, so i've been busy

but it's for good reason--
the wedding is Oct. 7... yeah that's right!
so lay off... i'll be back in a little while....