Favorite Little "Things"...

I made some chocolate chip cookies for my main squeeze last night. This isn't a rare occurrence, he likes to have some cookies n milk in the evening, I just like to make them for him because 1) I like to bake and 2) I don't want him getting those icky store bought ones. (Yes, I know some are really good...but mine are better!) As I was putting the ingredients together I had to pause for a moment at my favorite part....the part when I add the vanilla to the brown sugar. Oh, the smell is just wonderful. I enjoy the whole process but I really like this step. It is sorta the moment when I have to stop and realize where I am, what I am doing and why. No matter how fast I am powering through making them, this step always stops me...if just for a moment. What little moments make you pause?

Rabbit on a Road

That is the name of this lovely painting. I found it here as I was poking around the net. I am definitely going to find out more about this artist.
I have looonnnggg wanted to try my hand at painting. I actually remember the day my interest was first truly roused. It was way back in fourth grade. My teacher was not so good at being a teacher but she was a good artist. I don't exactly remember what the assignment was but I painted a portrait of a woman with a monocle and messy hair bun. Even though the teacher painted on it a bit "showing" me how to make better shadows, I was and still am immensely proud of that painting. As much as I loved it, I was intimidated by my brother's amazing artistic ability. He has such a surrealist, dream-like quality to his work. (I'll have to see if I can get some of his stuff to show you!) I also had a feeling I would really LOVE painting on canvas but... I just didn't know where to start and I had lots of other fourth grader things on my mind. So I let the desire to paint sit just back far enough to be a constant, secret desire. Whenever I was in a craft store I would always go through the painting section and ogle the canvas and pet the brushes.
As the years passed I knew I should just do it but circumstances made me balk at the idea of the investment for the paints and brushes and canvas and...etc. I mean canvas was such a...commitment, wasn't it? If you used it you best know what yer doin'!? ...right? Well, then I moved here...and met Wendy who had apparently been having a similar conversation but with a real person and they had just decided to go for it. They got a box of paints from eBay for a song, scored some canvas at the craft store at crazy discounts and started. I got invited to their second painting party. I was excited and nervous but inspired. When I got there Wendy handed me a canvas and said go for it. A CANVAS!!!! I was intimidated, but they both said just do it, we go it all cheap.
And...I...did.
I painted on real-life canvas! The painting isn't profound or anything but I like it. And my dear friends and family seem to like it, too. I would show it to you but I am a little bashful. Maybe later I'll show you some of my painting. Let me learn some more first. :)

P.S. Edit: HEEEEHEEE! Right after I published this I went to go look up Michael Sowa, the artist of Rabbit on a Road and guess what I discovered? I have a print of his Kohlar's Pig! My gram gave it to me a month or so ago! (I love art and music and reading but I have never been good at remembering the names who created the stuff. I'll have to make more of an effort now!)

You and Me, Punk Rock Bear!

This is the newest member of the Violet Raven Bear Collective. She is one of those bears I've had the idea of for awhile. (Looking back through my sketch book she is the 4th bear idea I came up with and I haven't made the first 3 yet!) I love her turquoise mohawk and her earrings, but she is also completely child friendly because her "earrings" are yarn. Her dress is part of a re-purposed t-shirt, which makes me happy because I am a huge advocate of the three Rs (reduce, reuse, recycle) and any other R that goes with them. Most of the materials I've used for my bears has been re-purposed, thrifted, or have been leftovers from other projects. I get a big kick out of finding useful uses for little bits of things that many people would throw out. I would like to live a way more self-sufficient life and am working toward it. I actually just finished a great book about living a more "handmade" life but I'll hold off until another post for telling you about it so I can do more justice to the book and the topic in general. Until then...Rock ON!!!

Things to be Grateful for!

The smell of fresh air just after a rain...or the sprinklers.
I grew up in Washington State near Seattle and I love rain. I love the sound it makes in the forest when you are out hiking in it. I love the cozy pat on the windows when you are curled up warm inside. And I love the fresh, clean smell of it.
About four years ago I moved to Los Angeles, CA to see about acting professionally. LA was not as brown as I was led to believe but after I was there for a few years I realized it was browner than I wanted. When I would fly home to Washington to visit it was so funny to see the contrasts from the air. Leaving LA you'd see brilliant green lawns, sparkly blue pools, and grey concrete. Then as you got higher you'd notice LA was an artificial oasis because everything on the outside of town was brown and tan for miles and miles. When you came in to Washington everything is a rich deep green of evergreens and deep blue of the bay. The funny thing is in the summer, when you come in closer, the only brown you see if from the hibernating lawns!
Then I moved to Texas. Hmmm. No, it was not on the list of places I'd like to live, but it's kind of a long story on how I got here. Dallas is even browner than LA, but it is where I am right now and I want to be happy where ever I am. There are great creepy trees here. My banner picture was taken from the patio of my apartment. It has also been overcast-y a decent amount...like today. It is warm and a bit muggy and it feels like there are tiny bits of rainlet sprinkle-ish-ness out there as well, but the part that really made my day was when I came out of the leasing office and the sprinklers had just shut off....it smelled so lovely! The air in LA just doesn't hold moisture like down here. So it may get hot and horribly muggy in the summer here but for right now I am grateful for those sprinklers and the air that holds the moisture enough for that lovely scent!

She's Heading for the Big Rock Candy Mountians!

Hobo Bear that is! This is the bear I'd been telling you about...the one that has been in various states of near done-ness for a loooonnnggg time. Mostly it was because I wanted to make her little stick sack but I had to figure out how I was going to do it, then I had to find the perfect stick, then I had to wait for more lavender from Washington. That's right lavender. One of my aunts in Washington grows lavender and I thought it would be lovely to have a bear that smelled like lavender...or at least her stick sack. Her hat was another part that took awhile but I tell you I love that hat! I love all my bears for different reasons but that hat is my favorite accessory of them all.
P.S. If you don't know why she is heading for the Big Rock Candy Mountians go listen to the O Brother, Where Art Thou? sound track.

A Doll of Dubious Intention...

I think this guy to the left is just wonderful!! I don't know if I can say much more than that. I was perusing blogs trying to find other fun and inspiring things and I came across a write up about Tom Haney. He constructs his dolls so they move! In the one to the right here, the doll straightens the leg. That made me giggle. I would love to have one of these...especially if I had a mantle to put it on.
In other news, I have three new bears that are just awaiting their photo shoots. One has been done for awhile and...I don't know why I haven't gotten her photos done. I also have two non-bear items that I will be putting in the shop soon, too.

Just Beautiful!

I have been exploring the wonderful world o' blogs and have come across so much beauty and whimsy! This particular photo I found here I would like to add more pictures and links in future posts because there is sooo much to inspire. I may even start some posts about my 'fashion'. The other day I had a lovely large red flower in my hair that made me very happy. I almost took a picture but couldn't figure out how to take a good picture. So I now have a new goal: figure out how to take good fashion pictures to show my friends! I hope your March is going lovely so far.