I Bake Therefore I Run...

Not me really but my friend Kim. Kim is one of my good friends from high school. We became friends in band through many hours of rehearsals and performances. She is one of the sweetest people in the world and I have been lucky enough to reconnect with her on Facebook! Recently she made a comment on Facebook about wishing she had a shirt that said "I bake therefore I run" with a cupcake or a piece of chocolate cake on it. I thought to myself "What a cute idea!" So I asked her if she wanted me to create one for her and she said yes! I thought it would be a great way to work on my Adobe Illustrator skills. Right now I have 3 different cupcake designs and one cake design. Eventually I would also like to add a couple of pie designs and another cake design at least. Here are the designs so far:





And the final on a shirt:

If you like them, you can find them in my CafePress shop.

Tuesdays Ten Tiny Things Challenge 2009

I have been following Funky Art Queen's blog for a while now enjoying her work, interests and sense of humor. This Tuesday she issued a challenge (which you can read about here) and it intrigued me enough that I decided to take part. So here is my Tuesdays Ten Tiny Things Challenge...



My items from left to right are:
1. Vintage enameled frog stick pin
2. Vintage enameled mouse stick pin
3. Vintage enameled caterpillar stick pin
4. Cicada shell
5. Mini Michael Graves teapot pendant necklace
6. My baby ring
7. Vintage glass Mexican man stick pin
8. Vintage glass Mexican woman stick pin
9. Shell
10. ??? -I think it's a nut or maybe a seed pod but I don't know what kind.

Here some closeups...












If anyone knows what this last item is please drop me a line-- I would love to know!

"I live in Michigan, I want to work in Michigan"

For the last few weeks I have been working on a website for a PSA that promotes the Michigan Film Incentives. The PSA itself is an amazing collaboration among many people both in front of the camera and behind and I am sure you will recognize the impact it can potentially have. It's been a great project to be a part of.

Initially it was a project that just my husband (not me) was involved with. He was asked to do the story boards for the PSA and then was also asked if he would be one of the people filmed for the spot. That was pretty exciting in itself, but when he heard that they needed a website done, he got me involved as I needed the experience and work to build my portfolio. It's been a great way to put to good work the knowledge from my classes last semester!

I have been working closely with Teresa Leming at Mid America Cine Support who has been the go to person on this project and been great! It is my first "official" website and it has been an amazing learning process. I still have a few little tweeks that I would like to make to it but please check out the site and let me know what you think.

Please support the Michigan Film Industry!

"I live in Michigan" site

Life Force and Life Lessons...

Last week my youngest brother ended up in the hospital. He has a condition called allergic gastritis and gets ulcers from it. This time he lost so much blood that he had to get 3 units of blood while he was in the hospital. He's been hospitalized for this before but it was worse this time. Luckily they cauterized the ulcer and once his blood count started going up they sent him home. He was only in for a few days but as I'm sure many will agree that even one day in the hospital is one too many. He has already had more tests, needles and drugs than I will probably ever have in my whole life. I do not envy him.

We were talking a few days ago and he mentioned how he was kind of freaked out that he has someone else in him now because of the transfusion. It's not because of the potential for disease but just because of the fact that someone else's blood is mixing with his own. He's grateful that his life was saved but it still freaks him out that some else's life force is running through his veins. Our conversation really made me think about who we are not only on a physical level but also on a spiritual level. What are we really? How much of the physical vs spiritual are we? Can we really separate the two? And if not then how much of someone else do we really take in when we receive a gift like my brother did? It also made me think of how things seem to happen for a reason and how we should always try to look for the lessons an experience in life can teach us. I am really thankful for my "little" brother. Even though he is 8 years younger than me he has already taught me many lessons in life.

This week we were able to enjoy a concert at the Ark in Ann Arbor. He and I went to see Alejandro Escovedo perform. The concert rocked and we had great time! We don't get to spend much time together so it was nice to have the opportunity. It was especially meaningful after the events of last week.

Meditation and the 'Art' of Gardening...

The weather has been so nice lately that I have been able to get out into the yard and start my gardening. It's really just yard work but calling it gardening makes it seem like less of a chore. I like to say that I am going out to meditate in nature!



There is a lot to do because I haven't been the best with keeping up with everything. I hurt my back many years ago and it has been very difficult to bend over, crouch and kneel to do what I need to do to keep the yard up. This year is different though. I started yoga about 2 1/2 months ago and I am feeling better every week. I now feel well enough to tackle many things that I have put off for years! Yeay!!!



Much has already been done but there is still lots to do! I am lucky to have my husband to help! He has been digging up the ground for me. I am hoping to have the garden about twice the size that you see already dug up. Right now it's about 6ft x 8ft.



I am planning on planting green beans, beets, grape or cherry tomatoes, peppers, Chinese turnips, and maybe carrots. I know it is late for some of these veggies but it is hard to get anything in earlier with my husband's and my schedules. So what ever comes up is great!



Some of the veggies will be planted in containers although probably not in the ones you see here. I think they have seen better days. If I can I will fix them but I am not optimistic about it.



I love being able to create not only my art but also my world or experience. I read a great book many years ago about becoming a 'Conscious Creator'... that is being conscious of all the choices we make and how they create the life that we experience. That includes the thoughts we choose to think and words we choose to say as well as the the actions we choose to take. I am choosing to take more time to do those things that make me happy. 'Meditating' in my 'Garden' is one of those things.

ARRRRGH! My first blog rant!

Ok... it's official...

I HATE CS3!!! (At least for Illustrator)

Why Oh Why do they have to mess with something good? Seriously!!! I have been using Photoshop and Illustrator now for quite a few years. I have gone through many upgrades and changes to the programs but this last version has me flabbergasted!!!

I finally upgraded to CS3 this winter just before I started my classes. It wasn't an issue then because I was mostly using Flash and Dreamweaver, which I didn't have any prior experience in, but now that I am back to doing my work mostly in Illustrator I am having conniptions! The new palettes stink! They changed the color palettes and the way the palettes work in general. I am sure it's to be able to "customize" your workspace easier but it is a bigger pain in the a*s than not with palettes that are open disappearing when you try to open other ones. Also... Where are the general default settings??? Now they have a variety of defaults (nice to have options) but they do NOT get you back to your original color palettes when you mess them up! ARRRGH!!! I am irritated mostly because now I have to spend MORE time with tutorials or with playing with the palettes and menus to understand this new interface instead of learning what new stuff the programs can do! I just don't have this kind of time!

It's just been one of those days! Lots of wasted time trying to figure out THAT which I shouldn't have to figure out AGAIN! I sure hope your day was better!

ART SALE! ART SALE! READ ALL ABOUT IT!!!

Ok... Here it is...

Earlier today I went into the basement to start cleaning it out. Because it's my studio, I want to finish it off and make it cozy to work in. Basements, being what they are, are very depressing to work in especially if they aren't finished off as I am sure some of you already know! I feel as if I am working in a dungeon and that's actually what I lovingly refer to it as. A few months ago I bought the magazine Where Women Create and was totally inspired to forge ahead with my plans for fixing up my work space. So when I went down there today to start going through stuff I was completely overwhelmed by the amount of stuff I have. There really isn't any room to move stuff around and much of it is actual artwork. I don't want to throw it away but I need the room so...

anything that is listed on my Collection Blog and labeled available is 30% off the listed price!

WOO HOO!

So... if you like my art please consider giving it a good home! Most of it is ready to hang but there is some that needs to be framed. All sales will be handled through my Etsy store as reserved listings. You will be asked to sign up for a buyers account but it is free and you can contact me through the store. So if you have any questions ask ask away!

I hope everyone is having a great day!