Getting ready to go

With only a few days left before Canada, I'm starting to get ready to go. I'm doing as much as a possible while I'm feeling inspired to do so. This morning I started packing up my 'don't forget' piles, and I've got the laundry in full swing. Although I'm excited, I'm always hesitant because I'm a 'home body' and I think about what I'm miss at home, like Pat, my sweet kitties and Amanda. I'll only be gone a week, but when traveling alone, I always miss home.

This is what I made this morning. It's tiny, just 4x4 inches, but it's nice and thick because it's on a gallery wrapped canvas, so the frame gives it nice depth. I added a chain and beads for the hanger and I think it turned out ok. I'm not sure about the composition - had I not glued as I went along, I think I could have come up with something better by rearranging, but oh well. It is what it is.

Happiness could be yours :)

It's time for another art squared theme week. This time the theme is flowers. It's up for auction on ebay. My ebay id is 'tinkrtradr'.

So excited

I'm starting to make little piles all over the house, of things I want to pack for my trip to Canada, to see my boys. I'm taking up soap supplies so my sister and I can play, kitchen gadgets for Trevor's new apartment, art supplies, camera..... I need to leave room for clothes. I'm sure no matter how much stuff I jam into my suitcase - I'll forget something.... I always do :) As the train starts to roll away - it comes to me.... every time.

The last few days have been spent painting new pictures and trying to keep my headaches at bay. They are getting the best of me and I don't know why. I've eaten healthy food for 2 solid weeks (maybe my bodies going into shock, lol), have gotten rest when I need it, have been making lots of art..... I feel happy, not stressed....except my headaches drive me bonkers.

It's Rhody Days here in lil' ol' Florence Oregon. Our Rhododendron Festival is in full swing. The carnies are here with the games, cotton candy and rides that make you think twice. The Rhody Queen was crowned last night, the craft fair is on today and tomorrow, the car show & cruise with all the old hot rods is tonight, and the streets are filled with thousand and thousands of Harlies. Whenever they ride past the house, my cats come screaming inside and hide under the couch - pretty funny. Tomorrow I'll go watch the parade with my best friend Amanda - that ought to be a kick! You can drive all the way from one side of town to the other in less than 15 minutes, even stopping for the occasional red light. Not on Rhody weekend though - it can take 15 minutes just to take your turn getting on the main drag. All the old fuddy duddies leave town or stay home and complain about all the people, all the noise. I love it - our little town wakes and parties for days and nights and come Monday morning - it's all over and you all you can hear is the distant roar of the last Harley leaving town.

Art of the Day on EBSQ

Art of the Day - "Asian Handbag" by Tracy Webster

A purse I made was selected for Art of the Day on the EBSQ site - What fun! This is something I made years ago - nice to know it's still getting looked at.

Try It Tuesdays : Week 1 : 2nd attempt

I'm really happy with how this technique turned out this time. It's a really cool background - fun and easy to create. Don't be surprised if you see of this background in my work. I think I'll incorporate it into all my new pieces for the upcoming sale so even though they will all be different, the style of backgrounds will unite them.

Remember Romance

Still feeling beachy, here's another somethin' to jazz up a plain wall. This is for the tour sale I will be doing all summer. We are the tour's first 'beach' stop, so I'm hoping the shoppers will like my stuff.

Try It Tuesdays : Week 1

Aah yes - the muse is back. After being a slump, I was rejuvinated today simply by joining Try It Tuesday! It's a new weekly art prompt group that posts a new technique to try every Tuesday. And just add more fun, you might even win a prize for posting your trials & comments.

This is what I made today, using this week's technique (easy acryclic
background). I really enjoyed it and will be trying another this evening.
Close-up of details here.

Getting past the slump

I've been suffering from a creative slump. That's what production work does to you I guess. I've been trying to produce a quantity of art needed for an upcoming summer sale and it's sucking the creative juice out of me. Today I got nothing done because I didn't want to make the same 'tired' stuff. I call it tired because I personaly am sick of it - I need fresh clean ideas. So today I poured over my favorite publications, books, websites, etc for inspiration, so I'll have a new jumping off point. I think it worked. Tonight I'm feeling a little more inspired and I'll put those ideas into play tomorrow. I think part of it is just the lack of success I'm feeling with the sale of my art. I can't let it get me down. I've done 3 shows in the past few months, and I have sold at least one thing in every show - so that's something, but it's not flying out the door - so I dwell on that instead. Focus Tracy, focus. Hopefully if I believe it will come, it might - no - it will. I'll keep telling myself that anyway.

Studio Friday : Robots

My favorite robot in my studio is my stereo. It's got 3 cd spots so I can shuffle my favorite discs, and it's got a remote - so I can stay planted at my table and have full controll.

To read about other artist's favorite robots, check out Studio Friday.

more soap

Here is some more of the soap I've been making. The kitchen smells so good! The Juicy Pear is a transparent green with little bits of darker green soap blocks inside. The Citurs Slide is grapefruit & honey on the bottom, sweet pineapple on top and orange cream in between.

Smells so good!

Yum - this soap smells so delicious! I made it for my sister and I named it Grapefruit Blossom. It's a blend of grapefruit essential oil & marigold blossoms to leave you squeeky clean, with honey so your skin is soft and supple. The color is really more pinky than orangey - I couldn't capture it well- think 'ruby red grapefruit'. Honestly, it's so clear, shiny and so delicous smelling, you just get the uge to eat it! But we won't ;) Too bad it's not a scratch & sniff blog!!

a glorious drizzly sunday

I'm so glad it's drizzly, grey & wet outside today. When the weather is glorious I feel guilty about spending a day at home, indoors ALL day. But not today - the chilly rain makes for a perfect day to stay in, and relax.
I'm sipping perfectly cream & sugared coffee while reading all my favorite blogs, talking on the phone to my sister and my friends, and watching chick flicks on tv. Perfect!
While talking to my sister, she mentioned she loves my soap. I sent some to her a few months ago, but she didn't want to use it - just look at it. The yummy smells finally took over and she used it and loves it. She needs more - yahoo - that means I get to make more soap today. I just love making soap!

I posted a coupon code on my website today, in hopes of generating some sales so I can buy a train ticket to go see my kids. My oldest just got his own place and he wants me to see it. I also slashed prices on some of my art on Etsy for the same reason. Both sales are just for 3 days because I need to get my ticket quick - the darn price is rising every day. Yuck. So if anyone reading this is in need of a gift or some art supplies - check it out - I'm calling it my "Canada or Bust" sale :)

knit one... digest two

What happens when a biology grad learns to knit? Something like this....

Yes, by golly, that is the entire digestive tract - all knitted up - WOW!

Studio Friday : Sounds

These are the sounds I hear in my studio. I wasn't in the mood to photograph and edit all the things that made the sounds so I made this representation, digitaly enhancing one of my own paintings.

OOPS - forgot to mention that this painting is for sale on Etsy (without the blurb of course)
Thanks for the emails encouraging me to toot that - I forget these things, lol.

Inspire Me Thursday : LET'S GO DIGITAL

An older version of Adobe Photoshop was used to create this week's challenge : digital.

Are you participating in Inspire Me Thursday or Studio Friday yet? You should - it's fun. The link are in the right- hand column, over there -------->

Sweet!

I was looking at EBSQ today and looked up my profile to see if I needed to update anything and there was a cute little icon indicating I won an award...kinda! One of my hand-bulit pottery pieces got a 'member's mention'. I couldn't be more thrilled to have been noticed by other artists. Sweet!

I sold one of my beach assemglages at the "looking at the small picture" show at the FEC this weekend too - so that's wonderful. I am so glad the one I wanted to keep didn't sell! Often I'm not overjoyed with what I create - so many things don't turn out as grand as I planned them in my head ;) But I've become attached to the one beach box (Ocean Secrets) that has the quotes. I think I'll hang onto that one. I did put the 3rd (darn, I like that one too) on Etsy - but I can't keep em all can I? After all, I do have bills to pay and I am trying to make a go at this 'selling' stuff. Ha!

AND since I'm in such a good mood - I'm thrilled that my oldest son Trevor has just got his first place, on his own. He really needs this and I'm going to be happy for him, even if I do worry a little. Hey - I'm a mom, it's my job to worry BUT I'm so thrilled to see him so happy. Now if I can sell a little more art, I can go up and visit him in his new home and do the fun stuff like teach him how to cook and stuff - ok, I better get crack'n and sell some more art.