Wednesday, March 31, 2010

The State of the Studio - March 31, 2010

A divine night in the studio - music and paint flowing freely. I am working on 2 commissions and a 3rd painting which will be the 2nd in the Working Mothers series. Phew - what a busy place - add to that the boys and the beads and the sculpey and paper and tape and glue and bits of craft stuff... my lovely studio (once only my own) is now the busiest (and funnest) place in the house!

I couldn't ask for anything more. Painting happily with my boys contentedly creating next to me.


Here is the state of the studio tonite ~ several hours ago ~ the large painting has progressed even further and I love it.



Tomorrow's 10x10 for the The Forty Minis Collection is titled Possibilities - and I'm looking forward to showing it to you. Well, yes, that is it on the studio counter in the photo above :)


The finished piece will be released (between 7 -730 am PST) here at the blog, on my Facebook fan page, as well as in the Online Etsy Shop.

Have a wonderful night (those mamas I know who are still up working on their dreams).



Love & Sincerely, Katie

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Visual Inspiration ~ Beauty in Everyday Life ~ Sweden Market Video

My boys and I had a blast today reorganizing the kitchen, finding just the right place to store our nuts and snacks where they would be easy to access, and less likely to spill, disappear and be forgotten about in some faraway cupboard. We do not have a large kitchen, but we have some poorly-used, near empty spaces (I’m a hopeless non-clutter type).




When I found myself staring proudly into the cupboard once we had finished, and then later showing my husband, I realized that this is all art to me! Two little boys helping in the kitchen, eager to clean dishes and sort nuts and stack boxes is beauty in itself, but the rhythmic, colorful arrangement of items has always grabbed my eye. Even back to the early days when I wanted to be a designer and artist so I could create food labels.

Some would think I’m crazy to photograph my cupboard, but my boys and I were proud of our healthy snack display. And seeing this image made me realize I wanted to share it with you... the beauty in everyday life.

And, going right along with that, I want to show you one of the videos I took while in Sweden (I took 300 short snippet videos from March 1-5 alone!). This video was extremely enjoyable to film as I found the bottles and cans, stacked foods and packages as enticing visual ignition for my creative eye. Rhythm, shape, order, color, pattern, line and form….

Now, I’m a vegetarian, and much of this video was hard for me to take (both "take" on the spot and “take” after watching it at home!).



I did NOT find the meat clips beautiful, they turned my stomach and gave me the willies.

But I like honest reality, as well. So I am warning you… never before have I seen so many non-enticing (in my opinion) bits of meat. Yes, that is kangaroo, crocodile and cow tongue that you see in there. As well as lamb, bear sausage, rabbit, elk and a variety of innards and sea creatures. Yikes!


Have a nice trip to the indoor market in Stockholm! And I hope you can find the beauty in your everyday life!




Love & Sincerely, Katie

Friday, March 26, 2010

Free Cards Friday ~ having Faith & Patience...

Today left me thinking about having Faith & Patience...

Patience for what is coming ~ does wondering and twiddling the thumbs make what is bound to be happen any sooner? They say a watched pot never boils, and it's true.

And it starts with having Faith that if something is meant to happen it will. At the end of the day, does the undue anxiety change things? I think not.

Except maybe to make my forehead wrinkle deeper and my mood even lower :)


“My friend, let's not think of tomorrow, but let's enjoy this fleeting moment of life”
“Be happy for this moment. This moment is your life.”
Omar Khayyam



It's Free Cards Friday! Comment on this post (here at the blog or on the Facebook page) and be in the running to win some cards ~ I'll choose the winner on Monday.
Love & Sincerely ~ Katie

Friday, March 5, 2010

A Drive Into Portland Through A Four Year Old's Lens

(note: I've pre-published this post to help keep the blog warm while I am gone! I come back on March 5, so while you are reading this, I am no doubt PAINFULLY missing my husband and boys and silently urging the damn plane to get me home sooner.)




A couple of weeks ago my boys and I headed into Portland to visit my printer.

My four-year-old had hold of my camera on the drive there, and I loved seeing his photos at the end of the trip.

I thought I'd give you a little tour of a drive into Portland, Oregon through the camera lens of a four-year-old!

Don't get dizzy.













Have a great day! I look so forward to being home.
Love & Sincerely, Katie