Time to get back to things!!

I've been a bit buried under life as of late and haven't been updating as I should! I'm about to remedy that over the next few weeks. My household is gearing up for the first ever preschool experience. We are overly excited (even though it's 3 weeks away) and not sleeping well at all. This all boils down to mom not sleeping well either, after working well into the wee hours of morning. Needless to say, exhaustion and crankiness has slipped in for this momma! I'm trying to get by, working as best I can to keep up with things. My friend Renmeleon and I have been working practically all year on a little project. We're hoping to launch a kickstarter for funding soon. It's been a bit of a challenge to keep up with this as I try to stay on top of real life, but I'm loving the artwork we're both creating! Currently there is a little sneak peek of something on the Once Upon a Cause blog and pretty soon it'll be a little bit of a contest. You see, we started out the year with four themes we were planning on attacking. First it was Unicorns,you can read why we choose unicorns here and have worked through gnomes and are now on robots! The site will be updated with gnomes soon as Ria and I get our bums in gear. Take a moment to pop on over To the Once Upon a Cause facebook page to follow along. Also stop in at the blog and look at the unicorn works!Here is just one of the many you can find there.

Oh so many fun and interesting things!

Well, my 2014 has been full of joy, creativity and interesting new projects. My "pay the bills" job has been keeping me hopping. Which is really nice due to the fact I work for a very small mom and pop business and we've been surviving the poor economy. That's a blessing! I count my lucky stars for all the work. It does run into my free time to keep up with my happy making creativity bit though. If I didn't do art on a daily basis, I'd be MISERABLE, and no one would want to live with me! My art and craft has been going along at a mind bending clip lately. I pumped out an afghan to donate for a friend's Fundraiser for their mission trip to Honduras this year. I'm currently in the process of a fun artful adventure with my friend Ana from Art For Cures. We've know each other for years, and in the past two or so, have been tossing unicorns at each other. When we first became friends, I told her I wasn't the "Everything on my end is sunshine and lolipops and unicorns farting rainbows". Well that unicorn farting rainbow comment has stuck with us. So for the last few years, we've been hurling unicorn posts at each other on facebook! That has now become our next artful adventure together. We're working on 4 sets of "fairy tale" themed cards. The first three months were unicorn themed of course! You can see our updates and progress on Once Upon A Cause Our goal is to get these cards turned into fun concentration/match style game cards and donate the decks to children's charities and children's hospitals. I'm thrilled at the thought of bringing a bit of happiness into some little's life, and look forward to the next rounds. We're currently on the Gnome round......unicorns, I had no problem with. Gnomes are giving me a bit of a fit!!! So we'll see how easily I can complete this round...hopefully I won't get too frustrated with it. After that, July starts robots, and October starts Yetis. I'm looking forward to the fun! So pop on over and check out Once Upon a Cause if you have some spare time. You'll see our progress, when we have time to load, and some other fun things will be happening over there as well.

A little fairy to make your day.

The custom fairy orders have been rolling in. I've been enjoying creating those one of a kind specialty pieces that make someone's day that much more special. This was a piece from a repeat customer. She had bought a single fairy and was so thrilled with it she came back for 4 more. It was so fun creating for her. This one was made with the word Milagros in mind. The little cross shield had a little metal heart attached to the back. I do love a good challenge. I've had a few this year. I've also been asked a few times this year to create boy fairies. I do create boy fairies, but tend to wait for that special order. I have posted some in my shop before and they just sit sadly alone, the little wall flowers that they are. I'll soon be preparing animal themed artwork and toys in the hopes to have quite a few things done in time for an event at the local Bottlebrush Gallery in Harmony PA. They host a fundraiser for the humane society. I missed donating last year because I found out about it too late..so I'm hoping to get a jump on things for this year. Don't forget! Now is the time to put your orders in for your custom Valentine's fairies! Don't wait until it's too late! My custom design blocks are booking up fast.

Bring on 2014!

Greetings little corner of the interwebs...I've been neglectful in updating my blog in response to trying to build a fan page on facebook. As it now stands, my limited followers rarely see my posts any more. So 2014 will bring more blog postings from me here. I'm going to breathe life into this little window into my life and try to update at least weekly, if not more. I'm looking to make a lot of changes in my life this year, and this is but a small part. We had a lovely Christmas holiday here. My 3.5 year old thrilled in Christmas this year. He spent nearly an hour collecting, and opening and ahhhing over his gifts. His faces were priceless, and his joy boundless. It was a real breath of unadulterated joy after a long, stressful work up to the holiday. My non art related job is one that is absolutely insane leading up to the week of Christmas. After that we get to enjoy the holiday and take a small break into the new year to recover from the end of October-November-December madness. So I leave you with a view to our living room. My husband is the amazing gift minder. Making sure gifts are purchased that will bring thrills and joy, without breaking the bank. I think nearly all of my son's presents this year were clearance purchases over the year by my husband. He's an AMAZING deal hunter.

So I've been noticing, when my life is in full swing, and I'm buried under the busy strain of my day job, I leave this blog by the wayside. This blog had been started with the intention of being a happy spot for me to place my latest creations and inspiring things I've found. So I plan to make a concentrated effort to post at least something, a little bit of happy, each day from here to the end of the year. If that happens, I'll be on my way to making this blog, and my search for happy things a priority for ME. For now I leave you with a little bit of my happy from a recent trip to the beach.

I swap with Swap-bot!

Are you a swap-bot swapper? Do you love sharpies??? This is a group swap for the Sharpie Artists Unite group. If you're so inclined please join us in swapping fun and our love of magical sharpies. 

more photos on etsy!

Since I'm hosting the giveaway on Aquariann's blog I've started listing a lot more of my photos. Don't forget to stop by and put in for your chance to win two photo prints and a custom fairy from me!

 I'm slowly rounding out my offerings with both  artfully edited,watercolor effect, images, and regular photo images.. It's been fun weeding through my archives and finding little lost treasures.  I'll be soon offering images not printed on metallic papers. I just love the depth and color saturation on the metallic. I realize however it's not for everyone.

I've also been working my fingers raw  on a large order of sheep for a customer. I was thrilled to get such a great order and have been working to fulfill it in record time. They're slowly coming together. I'll be offering new color options for my sheep soon. I'll be offering baby pinks and blues. They're so cute! So watch for that upcoming listing.

Giveaway information! I'm a'hostin'

Hi there! I'm hosting another giveaway via Aquariann's Blog  

This is your opportunity to put in for your chance to win: Two matted photos of your choice from my Etsy Shop as well as your very own custom fairy.  Just follow the link to Aquariann's blog and follow the rafflecopter prompts to get your entries in for your chance to WIN!

Fairies fairies fairies..

So many fairies this year. Lots of custom orders, which I absolutely love.  This was the last one placed before my Christmas cut off. She turned out soooo cute! A gift for a little girl who was an iris for halloween.  She had added sparkles to her dress and her hair was a mixture of light browns and stripes of purple throughout.
         I'm slowly working on stocking up on sheep for Easter and listings. My sheep bag is filling up with body parts and legs, now it's just a matter of finding the time to stitch the bits together and make actual sheep.  I did a special request sheep a few months ago...a  nice little Frenchy sheep.  Ooo la, la, Tres Magnifique.  I love when people issue me a challenge.

Custom fairies flying out the door!

There's been a lot of fairy making going on around here. These are the most current 3 that have received flying papers and have set off across country to their new homes.

TUTUS! That's right, I said TUTUS ....

I've been going a bit tutu crazy lately. I found a great source for tulle and waistbands and now I just can't stop. Perhaps it's the fact that I want a tutu for myself...or always wanted a tutu for myself...

So this is my little tutu storage rack. Looks pretty stinking cute with all the colors all lumped together.

I'll be listing all these as seen above in my Viridian Muse Etsy Shop I can also do custom tutus, but need 3 to 4 week lead time on special orders. I'd love to create a beautiful little tutu for your birthday Princess or dress up fanatic.

Purple Echinacea Cone Flower Print

I love cone flower. It's one of my favorites. This image is of my own crop of coneflower...they've been slow growing the past few years, but I still love to see the blooms when they pop!

This print is now available in my etsy shop. The prints are done on a glossy, metallic photo stock. It really makes the colors pop off the page. If you were looking for regular prints, not on metallic papers, I can do that as well.

Lily Photographic Print Launch

I've put up one of my lily prints in my etsy shop. I love this one! A little Asiatic lily kissed by the rain. I did a really subtle watercolor effect on this print to pop those colors and the depth of the center. I'm loving the prints I received from my new processor. LOVE THEM! I can't wait to get into the really creative stuff with them. They do gallery blocks, and prints on metal..oo I can't wait to try that!

I'll be posting more of my floral photography in the next few days and weeks.

I LOVE EWE

My new painting. I've learned 2 things with this painting. I need to not be so impatient and let layers dry before I move on to the next... and I really love watercolor, and need to source more colors than just my landscape pallet.

More of my photography

I've been playing a bit with my camera as I've got a wedding shoot coming up in the very near future! (Hi C&C...)  Since I've switched over to digital, I've not had a lot of time to play with my creative settings on the new set up. It's a bit new-fangled and cornfusin'. That being said, my camera can take awesome shots all on it's own, without much programming from me. That does take a bit away from the creativity aspect of it all. 

Anyway, I figured it was time to show yet another shot that I've been playing around with. This has yet to be listed in my shop, but it'll make it there some day. It just seems like such a great shot for boys room decor. A bit of the "face the world and be fearless"

I love the dreamy effect it has. His little clenched fists and all.

Well it's late, I should be in bed. Heck I should have been in bed hours ago. Night world..See you tomorrow.

NEARLY A MONTH?!?!

I've left my blog, nearly a month? That's nearly impossible to believe.. but there it is. I've been busy on little man projects with my boy. Oh so many cute little kid projects, and not much spare time to create on my own. I spent the first year of his life burning the candle at both ends, and refuse to do it unless absolutely necessary these days.

I've got up coming work however, soon to be displayed on my etsy shop and this blog. I've finally made the decision to break out some of my photo pieces for sale and display. I've been playing around a bit with digital manipulations, but think I will also offer the original versions as well..especially ones like my lilac piece:

I love this shot, both ways, digitally altered for a "watercolor" effect, and as the straight shoot. Lilacs are one of my favorites.

Lots of new fairies, silk tie floral pins, and ornaments are being made in prep for my two shows mid October and the first weekend in November!
          

                  previews coming shortly :)

Mini sheepies are so cute!

So, I was asked today if I could create a mini version of  my sheep. YERP! I sure can! They're a little fiddly, but so darn cute! This mini guy measures 3x3x2. I'm not keen on the white around the eyes, but I was requested to do black head and legs. Black eyes on black face, never really works out well. I think the white takes away from the cute innocent look of the face of my sheep. This one looks a bit scared or shocked. Now I just have to figure out what to do with them!

Win a kindle fire from ereader1

Check it out! eReader 1 US is one of the best e-reader facebook pages out there. If you're not currently following them, I suggest you high tail it over there and them out. You'll find a great resource for awesome free books and fun tips and tricks. They're currently running a giveaway to win yourself your very own shiny spanking new Kindle Fire! You can put your entries in on the side bar of this blog!

artistic photo editing.

I've been playing around editing images I took. I'm really having fun punching up the "arty" quality of them. I took these lovely pictures of my sister at the lake and have manipulated them to look a bit painterly. This one is currently available via my ViridianMuse ETSY shop as well as some of my painterly florals. I'm working on getting more listed, but haven't had time to sit down and get them into listing mode.

I love taking floral iamges. I haven't had much of a chance to do any floral photography this year, or last for that matter. Dragging a toddler and camera equipment out for a hike to find good images is not an ideal , nor creative trip. I can just envision broken camera/lenses.

This is one of my favorite florals so far. This bunch of white lilacs are so stunning. I'm thinking of getting this image blown up to at least a 16 x 18 or whatever that large of a size would amount to. I think framing it in a nice simple black frame would look really elegant. I've got far more colorful images to upload, but this one just speaks to me for some reason.

I'll be working on more silk tie pins in the coming week. I think Tuesday I'll be taking a trip around to see if I can find any ties I can't live without. The ones I have currently are in shades of gold, gun metal grey, a black white and purple print, and an orange paisley print. They're time consuming to make, but I enjoy the process greatly! Be on the lookout for more pins to join this one!

I'm back! It's taken me awhile...but I'm finally back. I've been working on getting photographs of my ribbon rosette pins. I've got some great ones coming up. I'll also be listing my first etsy listing for my silk tie florals. I've been trying to perfect my technique and had a few I just wasn't ready to give to the world.  Now that I've figured out a few different ways I want to do them, I'll be listing them on etsy as I get them made.

Here's my first pin listing from the weekend:  This one turned out so cute!  It's a lovely bubblegum pink color with little orange polka dots. In the center is a stardust style dark purple button with gold edging. So cute! Keep your eyes peeled! More things coming soon!