Illustration Friday "Cultivate"

"I want to cultivate the seed that was placed in me until the last small twig has grown." Kathe Kollwitz.

What seems like a lifetime ago, I worked in the human resource field. Then a sequence of events, one of which included the birth of my son, made it seem impossible to continue on that path. We had a mortgage, bills, and the responsibilities of a child so I did go back for a while but all the time dreaming, wishing, wanting a different lifestyle. I also had the creative burn that could not be extinguished by my daily duties. So I started planning, cultivating if you will, a different path. A different life. One in which I could be with my children all day, and also continue to explore my creative pursuits to see where they would lead me.

Things started to happen. I am now home full time with my TWO beautiful children. I have opened two Etsy shops. In my most full and busy of days I find time to be inspired, to plan, and to work with my hands for a while. Throughout these bustling days I feel my dreams unfolding and growing into reality partially due to hard work and care, and partially with help from forces unknown working little miracles everyday.

Illustration Friday "Stir"

"Make no little plans: they have no magic to stir men's blood." Daniel Burnham

This quote seems very appropriate for this time in my life. It seems as if all the things I'm dreaming of are big plans and big changes. They all seem a bit magical, illusive perhaps. This sketch is one I did for a drawing class almost six years ago. It reminds me that these dreams I have today were the same I had back then and I am a lot closer to them than I have ever been before. Some I am already living.

What's Coming

As I finish up the peacock pillow my mind is on what's next! I ave three ideas brewing: the dandelion pillow, a hot air balloon pillow, or a steam locomotive pillow inspired by my son who is a train fanatic! I would love your feedback.

Tail Feathers

I am finishing up my most complex embroidery project yet. This has been several weeks in the making from my initial sketch and there are times that I feel it will never be done. But the closer I get to completion the happier I am with the way it is turning out. It is really beautiful. It is one of those pillows I would be happy to keep for myself, but then couldn't justify the time. The entire front cover will be peacock feather design. Here is a sneak peak!

This coincides with a milestone for me of almost 100 twitter followers! I know that is small potatoes for some, but just starting out it feels huge. So my son and I are letting off some steam and celebrating by dancing around in my studio...sometimes you just need to shake your tail feathers!

White Out

I have been really been inspired by the white rooms I've been seeing lately. So I took the plunge and started painting my office/craft/painting room white. This is not an easy task. This particular room is an extension off the side of the house. Three walls of the four are almost all windows surrounded by wood paneling.

The other wall is brick that includes the back of the fireplace from my living room. This leaves the room with lots of different textures as well as colors. We painted the brick wall white a few years back and now it is time to tackle the other walls. With the great light I get from the windows I think the space will be an amazing fresh bright space. When the painting is done I plan to get some white sheers to soften the windows and replace the ugly green ones that came with the house. It is still a work in progress and since my one year old has come down with a fever it will take a few days longer than expected. Stay tuned for the finished look!

Stages

I've been thinking of stages a bit lately. Not as in theatre, but as in stages of life. Perhaps it is watching my children grow and learn and change or myself grow a bit older everyday. I'm thinking about how to capture that in my art. For my drawing I am sketching a dandelion as it changes from a bud, to blossom, to finally a bearer of the wishes as it floats into the wind. I am also going to embroider this for my etsy shop and will eventually post some pics. I think the resonating point is to enjoy each stage to fullest, you can't change fate, but you can change how you feel.