New ACEO photos

Big Juicy Heart

Asian Summer

Hoist the Colors

I couldn't take my ACEO photos yesterday because it rained. But I made some more while I waited out the weather. So I got some photos today. I'll be happier that the days are getting longer and I won't have to remember to take all my photos by 4 PM. I think I will wait on cutting the ACEO's apart because it's easier to keep track of a big paper than a little one, and it will also protect the edges until they sell.

Art Cards Editions and Originals

I've decided to add ACEO's back into my Etsy shop and painted 8 of them with watercolor pencils and crayons tonight. I need to take better photos in daylight but for now these will do. If there is something you'd like to request I'm happy to try out new ideas. After they dry completely I'll cut them to the standard

2 1/2"x3 1/2" size. If you are not familiar with the idea, people collect these. Mine are originals. Make sure if you are buying some you know if you are getting prints or originals. Many vendors now sell ACEO albums and frames so you can display your favorites.

S & B Revisited

Today at the S&B I worked on a knitted hat and decided I'd need to rip half of it out because of a needle size miscalculation. Then I worked with my long loom on the Knifty Knitter project. Then I worked on my beaded neck collar piece.

Another woman is working on a wool cape because she goes to school in England. Someone else worked on knitting socks. Some of them were working on making a bowstring. One woman was sewing a kirtle . It was definitely a variety of talented people. Oh and one woman was making a stuffed animal that someone dreamed up as a cartoon, only she didn't put the head on it yet. So one headless plushy animal. I'm crafted out for the night. Time for bed I'm afraid.

Nativity?

I know it's a strange thing for a pagan to make, but a friend of mine just became a Catholic and try though I may to figure out a Christmas present for her I couldn't think of anything. Then last night I had the idea of making her a gourd nativity scene. Believe me I never thought I'd find myself painting a baby Jesus. Stranger things have happened I suppose. I hope I get it done in time. I need to let it dry overnight and then start on the details tomorrow. The sheep came out pretty well. And I need to cut a star in the top of the gourd. That might be challenging.

Video of Me Talking About the Knifty Knitter and Bead Embroidery

I know I haven't posted lately so hopefully this video will make up for it and catch you up on what I've been up to as 2009 comes to an end.

Knitting, Crocheting and Gingerbread Cookies

Yesterday in the Etsy chatroom, there were a lot of knitters and crocheters. There were so many fabulous finds in their shops. That was very inspiring. I wish I'd jotted their names down for you. One was an artist name Jack who made all kinds of super cool animal hats for kids including a bright pink pig.

Yesterday I made gingerbread cookies in the morning and deviled eggs in the evening. In case you didn't know I have a cooking blog here: http://witcherycookery.blogspot.com/ After I started one my boyfriend started one. His is here: http://greenmancooking.blogspot.com/
Between the two of us we could feed a small army.

Peggy's Hat

I whipped up this hat for my neighbor Peggy. I wrapped it and gave it to her yesterday but I have no idea if she's opened it yet or if she's waiting till Christmas. I keep forgetting to tell them it's a Winter's Solstice gift and no need at all to wait until Dec. 25. Ah well. I thought I'd share the photos. It's crocheted. The drawstring gives it some adjustability.

Holiday Cards

I just finished my article on making greeting cards. Watercolor Cards. I'm glad I finally felt well enough to put the cards together today. And I remembered I had some great ornamental papers stashed away to use for the card itself. Making cards is pretty time consuming. And the watercolors really should dry overnight and then flattened before assembling the cards. Leave enough time to trim everything to size.

For me the hardest part is thinking of something to write inside the card that is sincere and not canned. And also to not offend people, because not everyone is celebrating Christmas. I'm celebrating Yule, and I have friends that celebrate Hannukah. Sometimes 'Happy Holidays' or 'Seasons Greetings' is the best way to go.

So make yourself some cards or gift tags and have some holiday fun.

Not One of My Better Months

This wasn't one of my better days. I went in to get a tooth pulled and ended up getting the first half of a root canal. I have to go back at least two more times and spend $2,000 I don't have. That's a lot of art to sell. Maybe I will start teaching piano again. I definitely will have to write a lot more articles for Hubpages to try to increase my income. I've been trying to get more followers for my blog but it's been stuck on 48 for months now, and yesterday I lost someone so now it's 47. And I should fill up all my Etsy shops with new stuff. I have tons of creations I've never even listed.

Random Craft Photos of the Day

Three softies I made. The first is a doll with a cosmic astrology print.
Then there is my sock monkey Wallace and his date. I think she had a name once but I don't remember it. I don't know what became of her but she's probably in a box of inventory in the garage. I have about five sock monkeys somewhere that I never listed.

Greeting Cards

Here is a sneak peek at the greeting cards I'm working on. There are two cards per sheet of watercolor paper. When they are good and dry I'll cut around them and glue them onto the card. Here is a photo of the envelope it has to fit into when I'm done. It is easier to pick out the envelopes first and then make the cards fit, than the other way around. You'd think business sized envelopes would be a uniform size but they aren't. I bought red ones and the ones in the photo with the green stripes and they don't match in size.

My Friend Darvix

On a whim I went to the Etsy chatroom for the first time in months where I bumped into my good friend Darvix. She's a quilter and makes aprons and Christmas stockings and dresses. She's very talented. She is someone I trust to always represent her items honestly and she wants you to love whatever you order from her. Her mother was a seamstress too. Anyway, it was good to visit with her. She's on the east coast so I'm always up way too late when she's up way too early otherwise we'd never see each other.
Speaking of which it's almost 3 AM so I am off to bed. My sleep schedule is all screwed up because I've been taking decongestants. Hopefully I'll be well soon and can get back to a normal schedule, whatever that is for an artist.

All is Calm, All is Bright

Just when I thought I was all done being sick, my cold came back to haunt me. I'm too tired to go anywhere or do much of anything.
But this morning I started drawing holiday cards with my watercolor crayons and pencils. I got some business sized Christmas envelopes at the .99 store, so I know what size to make my paintings. I'll probably glue the paintings onto scrapbooking paper. That will minimize the expense of the more costly watercolor paper. I can paint 2 cards on each piece of watercolor paper, cut around them, then glue them onto the scrapbooking paper. At least that is the plan at the moment. Since I don't celebrate Christmas, but rather Yule, it gives me a chance to customize all the cards and even put people's names on them if I wish.