5 x 5 in.
Inspired by a special request, meet the orange friends. Kitties and bunnies stand together.
A special happy birthday to Outi today!
(sold)

I received my first set of postcards from my new favorite printers, Overnight Prints. And you should know, that they are gifties for you! All orders from the Etsy Shop and my website are accompanied by a new postcard. This week’s orders already have them included. I hope you enjoy them and as always many, many thanks for all your support of my creations.

5 x 5 in.
Meet Clyde. (who made his first appearance as a clay character here. And, in honor of Holly and Rachel’s posts in celebration of orange: My first polar bear on an orange background, one of my favorite colors to paint with, decorate with and wear for that matter.
(click here to buy original)

my dad, me and my dog Freckles at our home in Tehachapi California, winter 1978

I was recently tagged by my good friend from Colorado, Laura, with a tagging experiement with the topic of "Secrets to Dealing with Adversity". Instead of blog this one, I thought I would podcast it.

I also want to add one more secret that I forgot to mention in the podcast. If all else fails take a nap, and get a good night sleep. Somehow rest always manages to comfort me and shed new light on a situation.

click above to listen now

click here to download MP3
Download Instructions
Mac Users option click and Windows users right click on link above to download the file.

These are the bloggers I am tagging. I don’t really like to "bother" anyone with writing about something that doesn’t inspire them. But if you do feel like writing about this subject, I have chosen to tag you~ because I would love to hear your thoughts on your "secrets to dealing with adversity". (thanks in advance if you choose to participate)
Christine Mason Miller
Kelly from Indigo Soul
Holly
Ashley G
Marie from Creative Spirit Faery

Little Lewis will be in the Etsy Shop today at 10:15 am pacific time....if I can part with him, that is :)
*Edit* today @ 10:50 Lewis is sold and on his way to his new home. (thank you!!) More characters coming in a couple of weeks.

I had a special request for a small 5 x 5 in print of Lewis. I happen to have one extra one, shown in the photo here. I listed it here in the shop! (perfect size for a square IKEA Ribba frame)

5 x 5 in.
Lewis is making another appearance today, with a baby lion named Lionel.
(sold)

More inspiration, my newest Target addition, a strawberry filled tablecloth.
I notice that everyone is responding to turquoise these days. Myself included. And I am consistently delighted by the combination of turquoise and red. The way the red pops on the turquoise backgrounds. You can see why this combination shows up in my paintings so frequently, especially the orange and turquoise combo.

"the loungers" Lulu and Riley (taken today ~ they’ve got the right idea for summer days~Lulu has her own lounger and Riley has chosen to sit on ours :))

Note to self: Getting a good night sleep is key in the improvement of productiveness and the prevention of grouchiness. I was fortunate to get 10+ hours of sleep last night and I’ve since had a wonderful day today. Yup, as much as I’m a night owl...getting enough sleep seems to make a difference. I had a very productive Wednesday (as you can see by my flurry of blog posts), so tomorrow will be exciting for you! A new clay character...I’m giving you a hint that it might be a certain lion...and a new podcast for you too. Nighty, night!

With all the clay sculpting going on around here, Sean was inspired. As a gift for his sister Jennifer’s birthday, he hand sculpted her beloved basset hound, Elvis. This is his FIRST time sculpting clay. Yes, I think he’s brilliant! Elvis, (she was a girl dog by the way) turned out so wonderful, I had to share her with you.

6 x 8 in.
All my painting outside, these days, has certainly inspired this one.
(click here to buy original)

5 x 5 in.
*Edit* July 8, This one is too pretty not to make available as a print at the Etsy Shop.
(click here to buy original)

5 x 5 in.
this is the "woodsy" gang hanging out on a Saturday ~ oscar, jackalope, hughey, and lovey
(click here to buy original)

As artists, we are often asked what inspires us. Here you go, it can be as simple as this, just a few items in the car on a trip home; a beautiful purple flower, (that I completely forgot the name of), my bright red Marimekko bag, that I love, and a corner of domino magazine.
I took a much needed Friday afternoon off, yesterday, and had a lovely lunch with the girls. Hope your Friday was lovely too!

I received my first "art mail" yesterday from Matte! What a wonderful surprise. I *heart* getting art in the mail, and I *heart* Matte’s art.
Matte is one of my favorite internet colleagues up at Velocity and on Etsy. And this little birdie gocco print is the second in my growing collection of Matte’s wonderful work.

My first gocco print from Matte, Bear Monster,
framed and hanging on my "tranquil blue" (by Benjamin Moore) walls.

evening lights in our garden in Laurel Canyon
We live across from an elementary school. I mean directly across....and in a canyon where sound carries....A LOT! Let’s just say that yesterday was the last day of school. And this morning I am so happy because it is quiet and yes, I can hear myself think. I just want to mark this moment. Summer is here.

5 x 5 in.
a little lion for you today.
Wish granted! Lewis and his owl friend are available as a print in the Etsy Shop.
(original is sold)

5 x 7 in.
I was talking to my lovely friend while painting this one ~ so lots of good energy went into it :). I am really enjoying this color combination, and also, you should know that the paper used for the ground is Japanese wrapping paper.
(original is sold) The fastest sale in the West. Thank you Caroline!
This one will now be available as a print at the Etsy Shop.

5 x 7 in.
Hi Nanette, if you’re visiting the blog today, this one is inspired by you :) and your daughters' love of the giraffe.
I decided to add Otis as a print to the Etsy Shop.
(click here to buy original)

And, I just found the link to this adorable photo of them that you left in your comment.

my beautiful elephant by ZuZu’s Petals, photo courtesy of Caron

It all comes full circle, (one of my favorite observations by the way)....as I am now making a living as an artist, I feel compelled to circulate it among other artists. Simply put, I LOVE buying art! I used to enjoy it before I became an artist, but now since I AM Officially "an artist" and one that sells their work; I understand firsthand what an incredible feeling it is when someone buys what you created. Every sale contributes to someone’s dream come true. I know it does for me.

Part of my "expansion" of this blog is to start sharing more of the beginnings of my art collection with you. When I have my dream studio, I plan to have high ceilings with at least one entire wall covered with art, and preferrably originals...but if the original is gone, I’ll take prints too! I once heard a gallery owner say that collecting art, above what it will be worth "someday", is about surrounding yourself with what you love, and I wholeheartedly agree.

Ok, then with that said, on with this post! As my title says, I am head over heels with 3D creations lately, making them and collecting them. I used to collect stuffed animals when I was little and I think, as I mentioned in my other post, that this is resurfacing a bit. In fact, I just explained to Sean’s niece Reilly that it really is "ok" to still have stuffed animals when you are an adult. (She is presently wanting to pare down her animal collection because, as she said "having them as an adult isn’t too cool"). She just turned 10 :)

I happen to think that it’s way cool to have stuffed animals as an adult, especially those that are handmade. Here are two of my recent additions that I had to share, my new elephant made by the lovely Caron at ZuZu’s Petals, who I have decided to name ZuZu.
And this is Dotty Pufkins made by Tiffa at Odkins. If you remember, I made this painting in tribute of Dotty~ because I love her so!

Dotty Puffkins by Odkins, photo courtesy of Tiffa

So run, don’t walk into your next handmade purchase from an artist, as you too might just fall head over heels.

4 x 4 in.
(original is sold)

4 x 4 in.
I know you’re gonna love this one....SO, Lauren, who is an Oh So Fun Friend of my Oh So Kind Neighbor Erika gave her a little knitted finger puppet. Erika knew that when I saw this little puppet I would "fall out" over cuteness, and I did! ~ how can you not love his striped pink sweater?! Of course, a portrait of little pinky (named by Sean) was a must. Voila!
Happy Weekend Kids! Endless thanks for all your fun comments and Etsy purchases and all that good stuff.
(original is sold)

That was fast! A daily painting, painted last Friday is already up on Holly’s art wall, in her office. As the artist, I LOVE seeing where my art goes, and here you can see 2 of my pieces.
And I have to agree with Holly in her post. Since I started working for myself and becoming the creative person I’ve always been actually, the younger I feel. I am more connected to being a kid (the fun and free parts of being a child) than I ever have...and I’m sure this is why my art has taken on such a light and youthful feel. I didn’t start out with a plan to paint these kinds of characters, it just happened. I’m guessing that it’s a reflection of my own connectedness with that joy in life, you know the kind that kids have? So, I’m right there with you Holly, going from 34 to 13.
I honestly think that you spend your whole childhood wanting to become an adult, and once you’re an adult you realize everyone is just pretending to be so sophisticated, but really they’re just boring and often times grumpy. So this is when you decide to spend the rest of your time as an adult re-discovering what you already knew as a child. And I might add, you also start collecting art which reflects that very sentiment.

Another new home to one of my paintings, "a little bliss" at Rachelle’s, all the way in Australia.

Now, I’m off to paint the silliest, maybe cutest little character ever. I hope you will go and have fun being creative today, as it is Creative Thursday you know!

I haven’t forgotten, the big Etsy Shop update. I’m a workin' on it right now! And this "little white bird on the moon" will be part of it. The little red rabbit and the hello birdie print are already there.
*Edit* later this same day ~ WHEW!! That was a little more strenuous than I had anticipated. All in all, 10 new items to the shoppie. And now I’m having a beer with lime...a Trader Jose’s to be exact :)
*Edit* later, later, this same day - It seems that Etsy has had site speed problems today, so that was part of the difficulty.( I’m sure it was my updating that made everything crash!) I still *heart* Etsy and thank them for everything they do! Now I’m off to yoga, to get my own "computer overloaded" brain back on track.

6 x 6 in. 13 x 13 cm.
My first fawn and I’m so happy with how she turned out. She’s "vintagey" ~ a new word I’m coining, meaning "a little bit vintage". I’ve been painting outside for the last two days and oh, it is such a treat. Beautiful days here in Los Angeles...
*Edit* June 14, a print of fawn is at the Etsy Shop
(click here to buy original)

5 x 5 in. 13 x 13 cm.
Oh, how I love these 3!
(original is sold)

My workspace (well part of it anyway....as I’m a transient painter)
~and that green you see...it’s an art supply store bag, all the way from Florence, Italy. I bought paints, and paint brushes there on my vacation. A special memory for me, as I absolutely adore Italy.

This Thursday, June 14 - I’m doing an update in the Etsy Shop! I will be adding new sizes, a new series of 4 prints and I’m discontinuing some prints to make room for new ones. So, if you’ve had your eye on a few....now’s the time!

Mike’s fabulous vegetable garden, Venice CA

It’s a beautiful Sunday in Los Angeles. I went to (what is becoming my early Sunday morning ritual) my farmer’s market, bought 2 tomato plants, and I can’t wait to plant them later this week and this is why!

Ericka’s tomatoes

Recently, I’ve visited two of my long time LA friends, Mike and Ericka (yes, I have several lovely Erikca’s in my life including my mom). And, both of them made me the most delicious meals ever served right from their vegetable garden.

Ericka’s best ever beet salad

Mike started the first domino....by growing such a fabulous vegetable garden at his delightful pad, in Venice, CA, that we all couldn’t help but be inspired. Ericka followed by growing hers at her charming home in Silver Lake, and she’s even growing some of her garden in pots. You see, I was always under the impression that you have to have a huge yard and tons of space to plant a vegetable garden. I was completely intimidated to even try growing vegetables, but how excited am I to know that you can also just start with a few pots?

Completely inspired by the thought of having such fresh, "straight from the garden" food, I am the third domino with my new tomato plants and a few yummy herbs. It’s funny how in the middle of such a big, crazy, city like Los Angeles, there is this little contingent of us wanting to get back to our roots, literally, and grow some of our own food. I’ll keep you posted on how those tomato plants do.
Wishing you a peaceful Sunday.

Ericka and Sly in her garden at the end of the day on our fun visit

5 x 7 in.
I had to change it up a bit today after all the polar bears this week. Memories of my days as an interior designer...I still have a fondness for interior rendering. This one is also my Illustration Friday submission this week, with the topic of "suit". happy weekend everyone!
(original is sold)
*Edit June 11* Thanks Holly! By request, this one has been added to the Etsy Shop as a print today.
And also to add here, that YES - this actual chair is on the internet. I wanted to buy it from the lovely Claire, but unfortunately it was sold...so I painted it instead. You should check out Claire’s site as she is doing online yard sales here in L.A. from time to time. She’s got great stuff....so hang on to your pocket book!

From left to right, Bryn, Olie, Lainey and my little Bea, who I get to see in a few weeks!
(Bea is in her crib, with the bedding that I painted)
I’ve been wanting to share my youngest art collectors with you, because how can you not just smile looking at these precious, precious babies!
It makes me so happy to know that my art is making these little ones happy :)

8 x 8 in. 20 x 20 cm.
This is little Milo, the last of this series. I hope you’ve enjoyed them! And if you can’t live without them, you’ve got options. I have posted the grouping of all 4 originals at a special price.
(click here to buy original)

4 Polar Bear Friends, a series of prints
All the polar bears are up in the Etsy Shop! I have listed them as individuals and also as a special series of 4 prints that you can purchase all together. Happy Creative Thursday everyone!

8 x 8 in. 20 x 20 cm.
In honor of the little ones! And, you should know that I’ve been a bit obsessed with the blog today ~ adding post, after post, after post, so keep on scrolling....and I might even be back with one more later on.
(click here to buy original)

This is a drawing that Riley sent to me today. Thank you Riley! It means a lot that you shared your art with me. And, I can’t wait to see you one of these days soon so we can sculpt some clay together. I also just found this photo of you on your daddy’s blog. You look so pretty for your first dance recital!

Just as I was writing the last post, I got an email from Cathy announcing her new blog. This news continues with theme of today, because not only will she be sharing her beautiful art with us but to quote Cathy directly, "I also wanted to create this blog to give hope and inspiration to other artists out there who are also mommies. I’ll always remember the scene in the movie Pollack, when Lee Krasner says "we’re artists, we don’t have children." For many women artists, this is a fact of life. It’s tough to balance two such all-consuming passions. Yet I am trying to make it work. I love my daughter to pieces, but I also can’t imagine life without being able to create new paintings."
Being an artist and a mother is a special combination, and I really look forward to Cathy sharing her insight into this world. She’s a really good writer by the way, so this blog will truly be a treat to visit.

Self Portrait May 2007 - titled "my new headshot"

As I contribute more to this blog, (especially today for some unknown reason~but oh well I’m going with it) almost a year after I started it - my traffic has increased significantly. As the following to my expressions called Creative Thursday, my paintings and my podcasts, expand daily, I decided it’s time for a chat with you.

Normally I would probably podcast this, but today I feel like writing it here in this post.

Sharing my art and my voice this way is something I have truly come to love, and as this blog evolves to become another extension of my creative expression I want you to know to a couple of things. First, I don’t plan to re-invent the wheel here. There are so many incredible blogs, countless talented and inspiring people all over the world; bloggers who were at the frontier of this new expression who have set the tone for those of us following in their footsteps. And I thank them all for paving the way. I will also say something that I tell everyone learning to express their individual voice. You might not re-invent the wheel, but your expression is always UNIQUE, simply because it came from YOU. An analogy, if you will: If we all were to paint the same rose on the same day, and blog about it on the same day, not one person’s would be exactly alike. I used to be afraid to blog, thinking I wouldn’t be any different from anyone else, but this awareness of what defines uniqueness and originality to me, is also allowing me to no longer have that particular fear.

With that said, it’s still taken me almost a year of posting only my art to this blog before I have felt comfortable sharing a little more of a glimpse into my personal life.

And now that I am sharing more here, my second point is this: This is a glimpse and only a glimpse. There is a topic of conversation, a stream of thought among bloggers. I just read about it today over at the black apple. And reading this made me think about how I present myself to you at this blog. If you know me in person at all then you know that I’m a girl who likes it "real", authentic, genuine, truthful whatever you want to call it. I’m also a girl who loves to live life with a "glass half full kind" of attitude, or as I first titled my podcast, I like to "look at life with rose colored glasses"... and it is from this vantage point that I choose to express myself creatively. I’m ALSO a girl who is feisty on some days and wants to break the glass without really giving a sh*t what' s in it, or how full or empty it is.

When I do have bad days, which I do, I won’t really be sharing them here. Those are my days to keep to myself and figure it out and roll around in the muckety muck if I need to. And I’m only sharing this with you because I want to say it out loud, "It’s ok for EVERYONE of us to have off days!" Good days always follow the grumpy, crap, days, really they do. I’m sure we know this by now....(although I still manage to forget this sometimes). As much as my life feels like a gift on so many days, there are times when I can’t see it at all and the best I can do is take a nap and hope I come out on the other side soon.

So, if it wasn’t clear before, I am telling you now, since I’m the creative director of this blog, I get to decide on the programming that I want to share. I want all the creative expressions of me, from my art to my writing to the recording of my stories via the podcast to be authentic and the best parts of me. This is what I choose to share with you and this is what I choose to record for myself.

This blog is EDITED, I repeat EDITED. When you visit here expect the genuine happy parts of my life, not to be confused with I like to call "saccharin" presenting one version of me, while living another. The genuine happy parts are real, and truthfully, how I feel most days, otherwise trust me I’d have nothing to say. But I’m also choosing to leave out some of the other parts. You know, we just have enough of the "other parts" everywhere else. Just turn on your television and watch the news or some lovely REALITY tv shows...

I also want to say here that I don’t visit any one of my favorite bloggers and think that they are somehow exempt from bad, complicated or simply "off days", even if their blog is the happiest most beautiful expression I’ve come across. And the inspiration from what they do share with me doesn’t go away in the least, even if I know that they have bad times too.

The joy of blogging for many of us is this chance to share with others the beauty that exists in our lives. And I’d say, that right now many of us are in need of this more of this than ever.

When you visit this blog, Creative Thursday, you are getting my, again EDITED, record of what I love most in my life, what moves me, what inspires me, people I cherish, ideas I want to share, what’s plain, silly and fun and of course most importantly a catalog of all that is creative with me, my journey and my art and my voice. I truly hope you enjoy it. (I know you’re out there!) I hope it feels authentic to you, but most important it has to feel authentic to me, and I’d say.....so far so good.

Cathy and her beautiful baby Annabelle on their recent visit to Los Angeles
Ok, today is all about the little ones! I have a series of posts I’ve been wanting to share and I think it will tie in nicely with today’s painting to follow shortly.
Cathy came home for a visit two weeks ago, and all of us (you are coming to know them as "the girls"), had the chance to meet her little Annabelle for the first time. Honestly, one of the sweetest, most enchanting little girls I’ve ever met. I think it was when she smiled at me through her pacifier that my heart melted.

And I had to share this one, because I love how hard Melissa (you must check out her gorgeous new website and new originals!) is laughing, and how I look like I’m not really sure how best to hold Annabelle, and Anabelle has just decided to hold Outi’s hand. Melissa is expecting her baby boy in just a few weeks now! Yup, all the babies seem to be arriving...
It was such a fun visit Cathy, miss you already.

8 x 8 in. 20 x 20 cm.
Introducing, the second polar fellow.
(click here to buy original)

8 x 8 in. 20 x 20 cm.
Get ready, as this is going to be a polar bear week! I’m creating a BIGGER series of 4 polar bears and will be releasing one each day over the next four days. I hope you enjoy these little polar fellows.
(click here to buy original)

First photo outside of Father’s Office, Paul, Erika, and Sean

Talk about R&R from yesterday’s post...Today on a happy and fun Sunday in LA (of course it was happy and fun after I got over the fact that Lulu - the great dane - ate my entire strawberry and cheese farmer’s market croissant right off the counter, for breakfast this morning), we spent the afternoon celebrating Paul’s birthday!! Just to fill you in, Paul is also part of the "my oh so kind neighbor" contingent. He is "my oh so kind neighbor" Erika’s "oh so kind" man.
I’ve decided that R&R doesn’t get any better than going to Father’s Office in Santa Monica with friends, family, celebrating birthdays, trying one of their 100 beers and oh my gosh that burger, to die for, not to mention the sweet potato fries. Life is good when you love your neighbors. Happy Birthday Paul! (who just had a divine article published on the front page of the LA times Home section this past Thursday...I’ve got to find that link to share with you)

Photo immediately following first photo, where the fact that I took the first photo a milllion a miles away, to get the restaurant sign in of course, is being mocked

Photo immediately following second photo where Sean is tired of smiling at my silly photos that I want to include in my blog, but Erika and Paul are hanging in! (looking forward to that bottle of Moet & Chandon they’ll be having later, with their neighbors, I’m sure :) )

Photo immediately following third photo, a self portrait, where I am now laughing at my silly photos that I want to include in my blog

Cool photo of Erika’s rockin' red shoes and fancy black and white ensemble

That’s all for today. Hope you’re Sunday is fun and happy. And if you’re anywhere near Santa Monica, you must check out the restaurant Father’s Office.

Jacaranda trees blooming right now in Los Angeles on Willoughby street
Well it is Saturday, R&R is acceptable on Saturdays, isn’t it? When you’re an online business, the beauty is that you work from home or wherever your computer and an internet connection are. The other side, your work is never really done if you’re near your computer.....And after the past 4 hours of going through 700 emails (bad idea to let the emails pile up) I’m now going up on our roof to enjoy the best weather ever.
If I just responded to your email, sorry if it took awhile. As I’m getting more emails asking for advice on licensing, selling online and selling on Etsy, oh yes and podcasting - I think I will be making an FAQ here on the blog or talk about it in the podcast. So, I will keep you posted on that. Off to the roof I go, kind of like Mary Poppins.
Have a lovely weekend!

Dalmation study by Lisa Gillespie
This is my friend Lisa’s dalmation that she created with pastels. Isn’t it beautiful? I fell in love with it the moment I saw it. Today is Lisa’s birthday and I just want to wish her a happy day and say a special thanks for her friendship over all of these years. Lisa and I met in Boulder, Colorado when I lived there for 3 years, and she has seen me through some very big changes in my life. She continues to inspire me, and she is always there to remind me that "All is well"! We met in a "business plan" class when the beginnings of Creative Thursday were just a tiny, tiny seed. Remember that class, Lisa? :)

5 x5 in. 13 x 13 cm.
Painted at 6:30 am this morning while listening to the birds sing. Why I’m up so early this morning? No idea. But, early morning is the quietest time in Los Angeles and on the days I do get up during this time, I really enjoy it.
And, thanks for the comments on the new podcast so far!
(original is sold)