This is the embroidery that I put on Paul's shorts.

This is a dish towel that I made for a friend...not my best work, but I still kind of like it.

Detail of towel.

So I have decided to just blog about my life...if I restrict myself to art I just don't write anything..and then the point of a blog seems...well...um...pointless.

So since I just downloaded a bunch of photos from my phone I am going to blah blah blah for awhile.

So, I get on these tangents...where I wanted to knit..so I tried to learn, and then after knitting about 2.5 scarves that were pretty crappy I quit. I wish I had kept with it, and at some point I want to really learn how to do it..but my point was that I checked out lots of books, and bought yarn and knitting needles...luckily I did not go too crazy, but now they are just sitting there waiting for me to use them..I hope they are not holding their breath. I also did this with collage art...I have a million stamps, and stamp pads, embossing powders, heat gun, paper, paint, markers, gel pens...although to be fair I do actually use all that stuff..just not how I had planned.

I just cannot get into some of the collage art out there. Their messages are always "find the joy" and "dream", "inspire" and shit like that. That is just not how I roll, do those people really believe that junk? or do they just think they should...I know I am not always full of sunshine and light, but I just want to light that stuff on fire and tell them to dig deeper and be real! There is little humour, or at least little humour that I enjoy in that type of work that I have seen so far. There is silly, but that is not the same as funny. rant rant rant.

Now I am into embroidery..which is waaaaaaaay easier then knitting for me. I am much better at it and am really having fun. I have to physically stop myself from running out and buying more floss..which is not a bank breaker...but I already have too much stuff.

What else can I bore you with? hmmmmm.

I am really looking forward to when my son starts preschool. I will finally have the uninterrupted time to finish some projects that have been hanging around for years.

Okay, I am going to now try to post some photos..wish me luck.

Ganesh Mural

This is a photo of a mural I worked on this weekend. I think it turned out well. There really was not a whole lot to it...but I am still proud of my work. It is of the Deity Ganesh, remover of obstacles. I painted it on the wall of the yoga studio where I practice. I was so flattered to be asked to do it. It was so much fun. I hope I get the chance to do this sort of thing more often!

I am working on my ATCs. I am using pieces of canvas, but I am not sure that they are stiff enough. Please, no jokes :)
And I am having fun with a sweater I dyed purple, and some bleach and a foam stamp. I learned this technique on paper using bleach to remove colour from an area...it is so pretty. I tried it on my sweater and it worked. I am just going to have to use some restraint and not start to do this on all my clothes. I am trying to make a point to make some art for at least half an hour a day...that is not much, but it is better than nothing.
I am also trying to talk my husband into possibly adding an addition onto the house so I can have a studio, but I am thinking that we would have to win the lottery for that to happen. A girl's got to have dreams you know.

I had such a wonderful time on Friday. I took a multi media class through our local parks system. The instructor was an art therapist that after failing to find any multi media classes to take decided to teach one instead.
It was so much fun to go and play with someone else's art supplies. I love it because there are always products that I am curious to try but don't want to spend the money, especially when I don't have the money :)
I will write more later...I cannot concentrate now, I am watching The Office :)

Last year I made two dolls in my own image...one was sent to a friend in Canada, and here are her photos of JenniferAnne on her trip. I think she had a wonderful time and hope she gets to go on some more Canadian adventures :)
Sadly, the Jennifer Anne that was sent to California has not done so well, she is currently down to her skivies, and minus one arm...but that is life with a toddler and a dog...life can be hard.

I am quite excited...I have just signed up to participate in my first ATC swap. ATCs are Artist Trading Cards...basically tiny 2.5 x 3.5 pieces of artwork that you trade with other artists. I am participating in a mixed media swap, and will post images of the finished products when they are done.
I am really trying to meet and connect with other artists, right now my only way is through the internet. Technically I do know some local artists, but they have no interest in mixed media and are not interested in anything other than watercolours or pastels. That is fine, but I would like to expand my art community to include people who don't stare at me like I am on fire when I mention other mediums to work with.
Mostly I just have to get over the fear. The fear of doing it wrong, the fear of unoriginality, the fear of having nothing to say that anyone wants to hear.
So fingers crossed I am going to leap on in, balls out, no parachute, and just try my best!

Sick again. Blargh.
But I am re-reading Creative Time and Space: Making Room For Art by Rice Freeman-Zachery. I love this book, I tried to provide a link to amazon, but it was not working...sorry.
I just love her...she is so who I would love to be, unafraid of public opinion and so excited about art and creating.

Am enjoying the nice weather. Got to go to the park today. The best part is that the child takes a nice nap afterwards. Not as much cleaning today...sometime the mood hits and a ton gets done, but when the mood is not there...I have to force myself to do things.

I finally downloaded the photos of the Christmas presents that I made...well some of them.

I painted them and then embroidered the outlines...nothing fancy..but I like the way they turned out.

What's the point of having a blog if I never update it?
I had a really great day yesterday. I cleaned the hell out of my son's room, and am now going to attempt to start my own. Part of my clutter problem is that I always think that I might be able to use things in my art. This may be true for some things, but there is no way I could ever use all the crap I keep.
I also don't really make that kind of art...when it comes down to it I am a painter..so all this stuff I think I am going to use is just collecting dust.
Same with my closet..filled with clothes that I will wear when I lose weight. Stuff that used to fit, but now looks to "snug". I have to accept several things here..one..I will probably never lose that much weight unless I drastically change my lifestyle and I really don't think that is going to happen. Second, if I did lose a lot of weight I would probably want new clothes, not this decade old stuff that is cluttering my closet. Thirdly I need to just accept myself the way I am right this second. I have two reunions coming up this year, neither of which I am going to, mostly due to cost and geography, but even if I could afford the time and money I don't think I would go. I don't want this short, pudgy suburban mom jenn be the one that they see. I need to learn to like her first.
I also have two weddings to go to this year, but those people know me as I am now...so they won't see a difference. Although my secret dream is to look like my old self for my sister's wedding. I don't want to be the fat older sister of the beautiful bride. blargh!!!
How is that for an update.

New Computer finally!!!!

My mind, body, and soul are tired today. Pre-school registration is proving to be far more difficult than I ever imagined. It has me quite stressed and I am feeling under the weather lately. I actually missed yoga Monday night, and I have not done that in six months!
I started working on my daily journal again. I find that it really helps me with the stress. I have had such fun getting back into drawing in my journal. Very relaxing and it totally centers me..almost like meditation.
I really, really hoping that Cooper gets into preschool so I can get back to my art on a more regular basis.
I also want to learn to sew. good to have goals.

Wow, it has been a while since I blogged here. I will add that all Christmas gifts were finished on time and very well received. I will post photos later.
My New Years resolution, well one of many, is to practice drawing. I am not very good at it. I do not have an innate ability to translate what I see with my eyes to a piece of paper.
I am waiting till I get my new laptop to really get back into this. Right now my computer is just so frustrating. Too slow.
I am not sure where I am going to go with my art these days. I would love to earn some money from what I make, but I do not really feel I have a marketable product. I just make random bit of art for myself and people I love. I wish I could sew...really sew...not the faking it stuff I do now. I want to be able to make clothes, or bags that way I could get really creative with it. I always have this idea of how I want to dress...I would like crazy arty clothes..but I am not sure I have the confidence or attitude to pull it off. Especially here in Jersey...not exactly an artsy area. They are all so crabby too. What's up with that? I already don't fit in, not sure how much more I want to push the envelope.
I want pink hair, and tattoos. I want crazy clothes. I want to make art all day. I want to be around other artists, people who believe in being creative in everything they do. I want people who get my sense of humour, all of my humour...not just some of it.
A girl has got to have dreams!