Following Signs...

I believe LiFe is full of Signs.

Signs from God, The Universe, whatever your belief system.

Signs tell us we are on the right path, the wrong one, street signs,

health signs...warnings. Etc.  You get my drift.

Our Life has been a real uphill battle this past year.

I keep hoping things will get better, they do, then don't.

Still having problems with my oldest son.

My ex husband is scheduled for major surgery.

and the saddest is my Daughter in Law's Father is fighting for his life.

He is 53.

All of the above had signs.

Did we or they see them?

Heed them?

Too often we ignore life's signs I think.

I know my husband did when he felt ill for so long.

At any rate, it is ironic and I just drew the parallel that my latest work has been Sign Making.

At the most recent Glitterfest I debuted this sign.

It was a hit and photographed the entire day.

So, I decided to make more.

YES, the "N" is backwards.

This is the one I am keeping.

This is what happens when you are gluing and drinking Ale.

:-)

These are all going with me tomorrow to be for sale at

The Vintage Marketplace in Rainbow.

I made two of each word and you know what?

I am only taking one of each for sale, because

they are going on my wall in my studio and in Emily's room.

Remember to pay attention to Life's signs.

Simple signs as well as the complex one!

XO

(oh and just a note, PLEASE if you PIN or copy my work...GIVE ME CREDIT)

Thank you.

Mother's Day Wedding

I was married on Mother's Day.

Sunday, May 12th, 2000.

Before DIY weddings were vogue,

heck don't think the phrase had been coined yet.

On a hillside of wildflowers in San Dimas

we were married.

Me, in a pale yellow dress bought from a Jessica Mc Clintock outlet for 26 dollars.

Even wore matching pale yellow Keds with laces of tuille.

John was dressed in his Western Best, apropos as the ranch he kept his horse at was but 

a short jaunt down the road.

Afterward, we had a very cool Backyard BBQ reception.

It was a Potluck, two friends manned the BBQ's and grilled dogs and burgers.

The tables were covered with red/white checkered tablecloths with vintage coke bottles

at the centers. Tied off with raffia and filled with wildflowers.

Bales of hay conscientiously arranged had galvanized basins filled

with iced beer, water and soda.

It was simple, affordable and perfect.

I remember us talking about being married on Mother's Day, how romantic I remember it feeling.

It would have been 12 years tomorrow that we would have been married,

but we only got to halfway to our 4th year when John passed.

Not a day goes by I don't think of him, how could I not

when Emily is an absolute 50/50 blend of he and I. 

I can see as much of him in her as I can see myself.

Each year as Mother's Day approaches, I relive that day

and honor his memory.  It was a very happy day.

Our marriage was like most who marry a second time and have children

from a first marriage.  That usually is the biggest issue.

He and I definitely went rounds about my 3 sons, but it

always worked out and I am sure, would have even today had he lived.

We had so much respect for each other and were very good friends.

Though Life goes on and I have found Love again,

we never forget the ones who leave indelible marks on our souls

and change us and the trajectory of our lives forever.

I am thankful for what time we had and thankful for Mother, Nana,  my children and grandson,

thankful that life has given me such wonderful family and friends to share it with.

May each of you have a wonderful Mother's Day!!!

Busy as a BEE....ART & SOUL on 101

Happily and Busily getting ready for two upcoming events.

First, please stop by Art & Soul on 101 in Encinitas as

they will be selling my Assemblage art.

Bots and more Bots....

Art and Soul is a really cool store where ALL of the store's profits go to local

charities.  The Artist's work is on consignment.

I am honored to be in their store as well as TOTALLY believing

in their philanthropy.

They are having an open house on Saturday.

If you live in the San Diego area...stop by.

I will not be there, but some really FUN new BOTS that I have made

will be making their debut there.

NEXT event for me is Kim Caldwell's Artistic Affair Vendor Night.

More on that next week....

Have a Beautiful weekend friends.

XO

Lisa

Bird Cage Organizer

In a 2007 issue of Flea Market Style was this cute Birdcage Desk Organizer.

I yanked it out and filed in my idea book for future reference.

While organizing the other day, I spied it and thought it was time to make one.

It is spring after all and don't we love to fluff our nests this time of year?

While my cage is not vintage or as large as this one, it was FREE and

FREE is always GOOD!!!

Starting at the front, I used wire cutters to remove the front wires.

Trying to reuse everything I can, I sat the wires aside...

The original concept used bird perches and glass for the shelves.

Having neither, I decided to use the excess wires I clipped away...

Bending the edges and then going diagonally to another post and bending...

I basically ended up forming a sort of web to rest the shelf on...

Next I needed a shelf...Hmmm.

The cardboard back of a tablet would do...

7.5 x 7.5 would do for me as I only wanted 2/3 of the interior to have a shelf.

Next, to cover the cardboard I chose

some vintage dictionary pages and copies of Christina Rosseti poetry from 

a Vintage English Literature book I have.

My goal for this piece was to create a stationary holder.

It saddens me that in our digital/facebook/texting age that the HAND written word

is slowly disappearing and it is a goal

of mine to connect more the old fashioned way.

My daughter Emily has a friend named Juyoung who moved to DC after 1st grade.

They were so close.  They are now in 6th grade and they letter write with each other regularly.

I am really happy with it.

Ironically, the poems I decoupaged on the shelf are actually profound 

in what this cage is meant to hold.

Letters for friends, a couple journals,

a little book of Passages, a box of idea cards for Mothers/Daughters...

And in the nest in the rear is a tiny Precious Moments Momma and three baby bunnies

that my mother gifted me years ago when I only had my three young sons.

The clock case that says "Live your Dreams" is another tiny reminder.

I will leave you the poems and hope you like it as much as I...

Remember

by Christina Georgina Rossetti

Remember me when I am gone away,

Gone far away into the silent land;

When you can no more hold me by the hand,

Nor I half turn to go, yet turning stay.

Remember me when no more, day by day,

You tell me of our future that you planned;

Only remember me: you understand

It will be late to counsel then or pray.

Yet if you should forget me for a while

And afterwards remember, do not grieve;

For the darkness and corruption leave

A vestige of the thoughts that once had,

Better by far you should forget and smile

Than that you should remember and be sad.

A Birthday

My heart is like a singing bird

Whose nest is in a watered shoot;

My heart is like an apple-tree

Whose bough is bent with thickest fruit;

My heart is like a rainbow shell

That paddles on a halcyon sea;

My heart is gladded than all these

Because my love has come to me.

Raise me in a dais of silk and down;

Hang it with vair and purple dyes;

Carve it in doves and pomegranates,

And peacocks with a hundred eyes;

Work it in gold and silver grapes,

In leaves, and silver fleur-de-lys;

Because the birthday of my life

Is come, my love has come to me.

One of the words that struck me the most was "Vestige" in the first poem.

ves·tige/ˈvestij/

Noun:

A trace of something that is disappearing or no longer exists.

My birdcage is almost a shrine to the handwritten word,

journals, letter writing instruments.  For like the first poem, 

it will be the physical things we hold in our hands such as paper letters, photos, artwork

that recall a person to memory.  Emails and digital communications will be gone.

The case below my cage holds poems, journals and 

handwritten letters of my own and from others that were gifted to me.

TOO much fun!

Author Julia Cameron of "The Artist's Way" recommends "artist's dates" 

as a way to recharge our batteries and gain inspiration.

I have been pretty bad about doing these, but wound up with one today quite by accident.

I have always wanted a BIG wooden easel for working on large canvases and just happened to search craigslist the other day for easels.  When low and behold a really cool one pops up.

An hour's drive away from me.

Crap!

But $40 was a rocking deal and I couldn't stop thinking about it, so you know when that happens.

This morning after a customer came to my house to buy something I was selling on Craiglist, off I went.

It just so happened that the lady who bought the piece from me has a rather new Antique store in Norco, so I promised her I'd stop by on my way home.

(You know what an incestuous circle us antiquer/artists are.)

Seriously.

Off to Canyon Lake to get the easel.

What a COOL little community, where I drive up to a darling house.

The Coolest guy is selling this easel that belonged to his sister, 

so we chat about re-purposing, building robots, lighting, cars, old stuff, etc.

BEYOND happy with this purchase...

TOTALLY doing the happy dance!!!

As I head back home, I think...hey...I have never stopped in at "Mora's Antiques" in Lake Elsinore.

They have purchased things from me at The Vintage Marketplace on many occasions, so I must stop.

Old town Elsinore (Main St. off of the 15 fwy) is so cute!

Their store is FULL of super cool stuff and I am in LOVE with Vicky's sons Dia De Los Muertos Artwork.  Absolutely Rad! (no pictures though as I respected his sign asking to not take photos)

I HATE it when people just whip out cameras and cell phones and shoot pics of my art without asking.

I bought these cool red letters from them today...

11 inch red Plastic letters...1/2 off too.  Woohoo!

Ironically, these are part of an idea that was hatched while driving out this morning...so excited!

Next to Mora's was a darling shop named," Maria's Antiques and Home Decor" 

where I picked up two finds.

A lamp part that screamed CROWN for a statue in my garden

and a random metal piece, because this girl can never have 

enough random metal thingamabobs to work with!!!

There were two other Antique stores in Elsinore, but 

one was closed and the other I didn't find anything in.

Last stop before I had to get Em was Norco, to Peggy's store,

"Antiques Trinkets and More"

I found several things there that I wanted, but was sticking to my budget and wouldn't you know, one thing I was carrying around and pondering, the moment I set it down and walked away this other lady in the store nabbed it.  Then you start doubting yourself, "dang it, why did I set that down." 

So you want to stalk her and wait for her to set it down.  No dice.  She was buying it.

Oh well, let it go Lisa, you didn't need it anyway, it was a WANT.

I did get a cool old floor lamp and three vintage yard sticks (I need 16 for a project)

So, today's theme wound up being "TOO",

as in TOO much fun on what ended up being an impromptu Artist's Date!!

Like the cool letters I got...TOO!

Now, if you are local, GO visit these cool stores and don't be afraid to spread the LOVE, 

we are all just women in business, trying to support one another!!!

xoxo,

Lisa

BLOOMING Adventure...

After 15 years of painting murals professionally, my approach to painting has always been 

fairly technical and with a plan.

1) meet the client

2) discuss the area they want a mural and what they are looking for

3)  View the area and discuss placement, proportions, colors, subject matter,  etc.

4) hit the drawing table and draft a design to almost precise detail

(never want and have had only ONE client ever not like something after painted)

100% of my portfolio was by referral

5) paint for my client

6) add it to portfolio and only see it again in a photo or when I typically painted more murals for the same client.

To say the least, my work have been rather methodical in approach and execution.

A few of my faves over the years.

Everything from tile, concrete, leather...Loved doing Trompe l'oeil

The pen and envelope are painted on, the "real" pen is on the lower left.

It belonged to the client's grandmother.

The sheet music is decoupaged on, the remaining items are painted.

Italian landscape on a fireplace screen.

Leather jacket.

Leather Jackets for a Music Store.

This was my store sign when I had a small Shop in San Dimas about 11 years ago.

My Kids and I on our Carousel of Life.

Hundreds of murals over the years and now I only paint the random mural,

having concentrated the last few years on Altered Art and Jewlery.

Way too often, I stand before a canvas and stare, like I don't know WHAT to paint.

After years of having a PLAN, I am all too often stumped.

Having never taken a painting course, it is about time so I am THRILLED to spend the next 5 weeks taking Flora Bowley's Bloom True E Course

I LOVE her painting style, wonderful colors and approach to life (plus I love Yoga).

I am so excited to learn her intuitive approach and hope to find a way to blend it with my style.

Later this month I am taking a 3 day painting class with Jesse Reno here in Pasadena at Zinnia.

To say I am honored to learn from these two amazing painters is an understatement.

This is a gift to myself and to be true to this little journey I am taking, I will be a little quiet online as I want to really turn inward this month and BLOOM finding my "painting" voice.

I will let you all know how wonderful the journey is.

XO,

Lisa  

Kitchen and cottage cleanup

This week I have been a painting fool. Not really the kind of painting I WANT to be doing,

more the kind that is of necessity.

My house was built in 1978, we bought it in 2002 and moved in Labor day of that year.

The kitchen was HIDEOUS, okay well dated.  

(Emily was 2 here and that's my pretty Mom)

You can't see the counter, but it was butcher block formica....

Pretty....NOT.

John was a craftsman and set about to the task of redoing the kitchen.

Instead of building all new cabinets, he built new doors and refaced all of the surfaces, adding molding to the top and bottom edges.  I don't like Granite, preferring old fashioned white tile.

He thought my idea of butter yellow cabinets was great, until I said I wanted a clouded sky ceiling and olive green walls.  But after all was said and done, he loved the combination of colors.

It will be 9 years this September that we refinished the kitchen and I never got around to painting the inside of the cabinets which always drove me crazy...

So the past few weeks, I decided, it was time to do the insides and scrub and repaint the outside as well.

Removing all of the contact paper I laid down 8 years ago as well.

Seriously, my kitchen is NOT as dirty as this cabinet looks, but dang, how much dust gets in on things you never use.  Also a great time to Clean out and get rid of those very things you never use....

My son Dylan and his girlfriend Tawny, spent two days with me working on this and in total, it took me 4 FULL days to complete.  My shoulders ached from all of the painting and scrubbing, but am I SOOOOO overjoyed at the outcome.

There is not much that brings me more joy than a freshly painted and clean surface.

Last weekend, I tackled painting the inside of the playhouse....

Since I confiscated it back from the kids, who totally ignore it...

When we built it, the inside was all pale pink.

Then one day, I let Emily and Jeremy paint the inside walls green, to make it more boy friendly.

I had long ago painted vines on the floor.

Trouble is, let a 9 & 11 year old paint, and this is what you get...unfinished walls.

Utilizing paint I had left over from my Yoga room, which is now Christian's room due to 

the Man moving in...I decided to put the very lively green on the walls...

The floor got an delicious turquoise color that I will probably paint another vine on top of it, 

I loved it so much.

Will gradually add to this and let it evolve, but want it to remain fairly open.

Feels like a little Mexican/Caribbean/Gypsy so far.

My Dia De Los Muertos cross looks great on the green.
More than likely, this will just be an overflow space for finished merchandise between shows,
or my little escape in the back yard to read, write or paint.

So, even though it is technically still winter,
Spring Cleaning is coming along very well here at my abode
and it feels so good to have "less",which is actually "more".

What projects have you been working on this year so far????

Hugs,
Lisa