6 x 6 in.

Have you made one lately? I did today. I’ll let you know when it comes true. Since I was little, it has always felt like this is that special time of year where magic seems possible, and where wishes come true.

(click here to buy original)

10 x 10 in.

This one, my newest favorite (available as a print over at Etsy), is on its way to NY for the upcoming show. I’m back in town from a very nice holiday. Although, once everything, the move and the business, and everything else came to a halt, so did we. You know whats it’s like when you go, go, go and then stop? You really stop hard (that’s why sometimes it just feels easier to keep going, going, going). Since I’m trying to pick things back up after my "stop", I’m keeping this post brief today, to share this new painting and to say a quick hello ~ I hope you had a good week, and holiday if you celebrated Thanksgiving here in the states. I promise more posts now that everything is finding its balance again. I have some fun ones, that I’ve been meaning to share. Beneath my exhaustion is an excitement for this season, and all that’s coming next! And Michele you made me laugh with your comment :) I don’t have my own line of fabric in the works just yet...

That’s what I’m in need of ~ Comfort and Joy, and thankfully, it is that time of year where that’s exactly where I’m headed. I’m off for our Thanksgiving Holiday. And it couldn’t come at a better time. I’m also so very ready for some holiday fun and maybe a little pumpkin pie and eggnog!

In the meantime, a quick note with more details about my upcoming show I mentioned. I’m showing with my "lovely" friend Cathy Nichols. And I say "lovely" first of all because she is so lovely, but also because I say (and write) "lovely" all the time because of my friendship with Cathy. She said it first! :) And it seems that I’ve inherited this lovely expression.

But I’m also so proud to be a part of this show with her. Cathy was one of the very first artists I met who encouraged me to believe in my work. I met her just 4 years ago now at our co-op in Venice. It’s always so exciting to see how far we’ve come in such a short time. Just another reminder to you to believe it’s possible.

I hope, if you are in the area, you can stop by a very special gallery, the East Village Collective, in Woodstock New York. The opening reception is Friday December 7 from 5-9 pm and the show runs through February 1.

I have so many things to tell you that I’m completely, in the words of one of my favorite Mike Meyers characters, "verklempt", so in the meantime, I’m wishing you a very, very Happy Thanksgiving, if you are here in the US. And it goes without saying, that no matter where you are, I am so very thankful to each and every one of you who have shown your support to me and Creative Thursday, especially over this past (amazing) year.

Love to you ~ Marisa

7 x 5 in.

Oh, how nice it is to paint...
happy sunday!

(click her to buy original)

My favorite time of year is almost here. In celebration of the season, I’ve just posted the holiday cards for sale right here. Each design is in a limited quantity of 25 packs of 10 cards each.
Enjoy! and happy Creative Thursday!!

30 more calendars went out the door today, and I’m presently putting another 20 together. As you can see from the photo of the little Garbo girl, production has taken residence on the dining room table, beneath our new IKEA dining room fixture, that I love ~ although it only took us 2 of these (we returned the first one, thinking it was broken) to figure out that if you cross the wires holding the light fixture (Sean’s brilliant discovery), while installing the light, the electricity will not make it to the bulbs and you will have no light. (Umm, IKEA it would be so nice if you put that little detail in with those "elaborate" directions with images of stick figures, that come with your products).
Anway, I digress! Calendar Update: As of early this week they are all sold out. I have decided to take a wait list for anyone who missed it, and depending on the size of the list I might just make a few more. Feel free to email me if you’re interested.
In the meantime many thanks again for all your support of the Creative Thursday creations, especially the recent calendar. And thanks for your patience while I continue to fulfill these orders.

*Edit* November 15 ~ I’m releasing my holiday cards later today... :)
*Edit* November 19 ~ as of last Friday, I’m happy to say that all the calendars are on their way to their new homes and many have already arrived! (I’m thinking that due to the growing list, I will be making a few more to be released some time after Thanksgiving. I promise to keep you posted!)

6 x 8 in.

My second holiday card design for 2007. I wasn’t sure from the response to my post yesterday, if you know that I will be selling both these images as holiday cards this year over at my Etsy shop. They’ll be ready soon and I’ll be sure to let you know!
(click here to buy original)

6 x 6 in.

Look for this one coming as a holiday card soon...In the meantime you can also purchase the original right here. (Original is sold)

Oh, how I’ve missed you guys. You see, for those of you who don’t yet blog, it is a bit addicting, in the best possible way.
It’s been an overwhelming week, a good week but supremely busy. I have to say that tonight is the first time, officially 3 weeks into our new home, that I actually am starting to feel at home. Sean has his famous oven roasted chicken cooking. I’m listening to my favorite holiday music, a little early I know but I’m working on my first painting for my annual holiday cards (that I will be back to share with you shortly). I’m beginning to feel some peace and hoping it will continue to stay. I thought this was a good time to say a quick hello to you and wish you a happy weekend.

And the photo above ~ this is me yesterday, a bit exhausted but happy. Friday afternoon, I put work aside and went with Sean to a movie and a little fun shopping (I say fun here, because we’ve been doing so much "supply" shopping for the new house, it was a nice change to browse for inspiration and some new clothes) ~ which of course always includes a visit to my favorite store Anthropologie ~ by the way on a side note if you live in LA anywhere remotely close to the Grove, you must pop in to see the decorations in this Anthropologie. My description with words won’t do them justice, but let’s just say they are AMAZING if you like animals, holiday season and winter. I’m modeling my new favorite orange dress for you and my new favorite earrings that I bought yesterday. The earrings that I had been eyeing for the last 3 months, really!, were on sale ~ always such a delightful surprise when that happens.

8 x 8 in.

A special piece for a special show coming up this December in NY (more details to come) ~ It’s late and my espresso is starting to where off :)

*Edit* November 8, Lola and her bunny are now available as a print over at Etsy

6 x 8 in.

I was in serious need of some creative time, and felt like trying something totally different, so the result was "baby blue". At the moment, I’m really enjoying the challenge of painting people, and faces in particular. Painting a face has often intimidated me, but not anymore ~ so, faces it is. I’m just going to see where this takes me.
Hope you all had happy fall weekends!

(click here to buy original)

that the you’d love the calendars so much that the first 35 would sell out in less than 12 hours! But you did, and they’re gone ~ and I must keep my lovely customers happy, so per request I have decided to make 35 more (you can find them right here). It will be a couple of weeks to get everything out, so I appreciate your patience in advance. Thank you Holly for including the calendar in her inspiring calendar round-up part one there’s also a part 2 (you should go take a look ~ so many beautiful, creative calendars, it is incredibly hard to choose ~ oh you can have several right, one in each room?) And THANK YOU so, so much for all the orders yesterday and today. happy weekend to you! I’m off to go put some calendars together :)

It’s up! You can find it right here, along with all the details, over at Etsy. It will be a limited edition of 35. Hope you enjoy it!! happy creative thursday!

*Edit* November 2nd! I had no idea that they would sell like this so before I went to bed I only listed 10 more. So, YES there are still more calendars and I’ve just listed them right here. I’m sorry for the confusion. Thanks for all the calendar love!!

4 x 4 in.

meet a little Creative Thursday monster and my submission for IF topic "trick or treat"

Did you have a good halloween?! I painted this last night but fell asleep before I could post it. We did rally, but not enough to leave our new house. The traffic, people + an army of helicopters flying overhead was enough to keep us staying home and carving pumpkins, having pumpkin ale, eating roasted pumpkin seeds (my all time favorite), and watching scary movies of course. Oh, and we finally had tricker treaters! When you live up 36 very uneven stairs in a canyon, tricker treaters are a rarity. There was the cutest little girl in a pink bear costume, and a little boy who came in and blew out our candles and tried to blow out our jack o' lantern (his mom said that he thinks they are all birthday candles!) I think this is a lovely concept, making wishes and blowing out every candle you see :)

(I’ll be back with the 2008 calendar later on!)
(click here to buy original)