Happy New Year!!!!

Well the time has come...... I can not believe that another year has flown by me! I want to wish everyone a great , happy and safe New Year!!!!


I am not making any major resolutions..... just a promise to myself to try new things and not be so focused on disappointment. Things are not always as they seem and sometimes what things are not ....... make them more beautiful.

Talk to you soon!

Courtney

An old friend.....

Due to my children starting Christmas break early ( snowstorm cancelled the last 3 days of school before Christmas break!), I have been working on little no brainer projects. So here are a few that I will have in my shop later today.

I was a bit panicked about starting Christmas break early..... what to do to fill the boys days before Christmas .Their excitement is spilling out of them and often resulting in massive fights and feelings getting hurt. This morning I was getting some laundry together when my youngest asked my oldest " Hey , you want to build a Thomas track with me?"........ well Thomas is an old dear friend whom I just can not get rid of. I have him and all his friends packed neatly away in the back of the closet.

I had to contain my OCD knowing that all the well organized tracks would be a big heap of craziness...... and my heart tickled a bit knowing that although they are big , they are still my little guys. They worked together and built their track..... it took up the entire room ( really my youngest room however we have not made the big switch with their beds). Now remember they are 9.5 and 7 so they played a bit differently ...... Thomas was not your average "useful engine" as the story would have him..... instead the trains were involved in a battle with their army planes. I can not complain, I did laundry, had coffee and took a shower without a fight breaking out. Now the afternoon could be different , but for now ...... bliss!

Talk to you soon,

Courtney

It is almost here......

Can you believe it??? We have just had a huge snow storm and it looks like it will be sticking around for a while. I like having snow on the ground for Christmas. The boys have certainly enjoyed it.

I have been trying to catch all my favorite Holiday shows before Christmas. I love all the classic kid shows but I have my few Modern favorites as well. I just finished "The family stone" for the 2nd time this season. I just love it. It has a good balance of happy yet sad. I am that kinda gal. I like the joy of the season, but somehow there is always a bit of sorrow deep down. It is like the Judy Garland rendition of " Have yourself a Merry little Christmas". Just a touch of melancholy. Not enough to overpower the Merriment, just enough to appreciate what we all still might have around us.

Talk to you soon,

Courtney

I just finished this collage. I will post this as well as two others tomorrow. I was able to put some more pendants in my etsy shop earlier this evening.

It has been a loooong time since my last post. I am not sure why. I think I am wrapped up in a tornado and I am just fighting to keep my feet on the ground. I am going through an artistic slump I believe. I need to figure out what my next move is and what feels right.

The boys are really getting excited for Christmas. I can say that I am almost done with my shopping, I just have to figure out the time to wrap!!!!

Talk to you soon ( Really ! )


Courtney

Wish I could be running like the wind.....

That is the title of this new piece.... minus the wish part. I have been working on new pieces despite my absence to the blog world and etsy. My shop has been so slow and all my B&M stores are stocked, so I slowed things down a touch. I want to figure out what my next move is. I got into a rut or rather a safe zone, so I need to break out and try new things. I want to get excited about making something again.



This piece is not quite finished. I have to add some strings from the kids to the birds or maybe not , I am not sure yet!


Talk to you soon,

Courtney

I keep running......

I hope to catch up to my intended projects soon!!! Funny how life sometimes has other plans. I have been in the kids school a lot ..... the Christmas decorations are complete..... so I just have to squeeze in my youngest sons birthday shopping, an open house for the studio where I teach.... and a birthday party in the next 3 days. Oh almost forgot, I have to figure out dinner plans and try to hide the 3 loads of laundry I conveniently washed but have not had the desire to put away. There..... my list is complete.

Anyway, December is about enjoying family and the stuff that happens while avoiding laundry. So I think I have accomplished both!

( *** forgot about the haircuts my boys so desperately need.... I'll do that in the 25 th hour of the day! I can dream can't I?? )

Talk to you soon!

Courtney

I am not quite done with this one. It is on a canvas board and I really think it needs to be a little chunky , so I am going to mount it on wood. I will have it in my shop next week.

The holiday flew right on by ...... I can not bare to think of Christmas just yet, although it seems the entire world is already there!!! I guess Thanksgiving is like the younger brother that will always be in the shadow of an older sibling..... personally I route for the underdog.

Hope you enjoyed your holiday and are cozy warm ( it is getting cold outside!).

Talk to you soon,

Courtney

One more......

Just added one more thing to my shop!

New things ......

I have just added a few little things to my etsy shop. I love these little pieces. I found a great ruler at my favorite vintage store...... I might make some cute pendants with the left overs.

Above are 3 of the 6 I added. I see them as wall art , however you could use them for your tree. I guess it depends on the size of the tree!!!

Talk to you soon,

Courtney

More things I love.....

I do not know why I have a fascination with old signs on buildings. I love them. I love seeing the peeling paint come off a painted brick building. Its like the building is showing its truth.



This is a statue in a fountain..... It looks like an average day in my house !!!!

Love the feeling of a city street in the fall.

Again, my love of vintage signs. You gotta love this milk jar!

This has it all....... peeling paint , writing. A perfect wall.

I am actually working on another Frederick piece and I needed some pictures for reference. I am trying to be o.k. with not being able to do it all. It is hard, to let go. The need to have perfect moments...... I think my paint is peeling and me truth is exposed. Positive thoughts lead to positive actions....... I must remember this as we enter this holiday season.

Talk to you soon,

Courtney

Around town.....

I had to run an errand in town yesterday and happened to have my camera with me...... so I ceased the opportunity to take some shots around town.


I imagine that they pay someone well to collect these leaves!!!

Love this little house...... a Fuchsia door to boot.

If I was not in such a hurry, I would have snuck a peek around the corner.........

I do not know what it is about Farms , Farm life, the entire farming industry...... I just love it. Call me crazy but a beat up old Chevy Truck would make this picture perfect ( especially a red one ).

Talk to you soon,

Courtney

I love encaustic!!!!

I made a change today, and took an art class myself! I learned how to do encaustic collage. I just want to tell you that I LOVE it!!! I am so excited to get some supplies and go crazy.


I used a picture of my boys and some vintage paper. I love the entire process really. I love how this turned out .........

I will keep you posted on how my future projects turn out.

Talk to you soon,

Courtney

Old Favorites......

I was at my library with the boys earlier today when I cam across two of my all time favorite books. I hate to admit this, but I love these books purely for the illustration. I remember checking these out soooo many times when they were little.

Now my guys are all about graphic novels, club penguin ..... and things I just do not understand. I looked through all of my old favorites with a sigh.... if I could just keep them little.

So , I let them check out what they wanted. However I got these just for me!

Talk to you soon,

Courtney

More things......

I just posted more ornaments and some new prints into my shop. I am hoping to get some more mini original work, pendants and boxes loaded up before the end of November. I can not even believe that we are in November now!!! Does anyone else notice the days just flying by???

Ornaments in the shop

I just added these little ornaments into my shop. I will have more tomorrow!

New work.....

I just posted these in my etsy shop. I will have new prints and ornaments later today.

Talk to you soon,

Courtney

New work

Well the trip to the aquarium was successful. I do not have a fancy stop action camera, so use your imagination with the jellyfish.

I just love this industrial buildings.

I just posted these two in my etsy shop .

Here is a new tree that I just posted as well.

The kids are home today for the teachers to have a work day. I have 4 boys running around my house playing nerf guns. I am just trying to avoid gunfire as I attempt to do the laundry.

Talk to you soon,

Courtney

More Fish......

I love my fish! I am teaching a class this week and I needed to do some examples.... plus I had this in my head forever. I love the translucent background ...... and who can forget my love of Trout!!!

I will have this listed in my etsy shop on Tuesday p.m. .

I am actually going to the Baltimore Aquarium on a 3rd grade class trip tomorrow. I wonder what I will be inspired by next.

Talk to you soon,

Courtney

Fall rain......

It has been a very rainy fall day. You can't really enjoy the leaves because they stick to you and the colors just get all muddy on the ground. It is warm and balmy and just perfect for my allergies! Hopefully we will see some sun tomorrow.


I do love when the trees get really dark . The leave just pop on the trees.


and if you think I have not been busy working..... here are a few pieces I am working on now. I like to work on a bunch at a time. I should have these ready for my etsy shop sometime next week ( when they are done of course! )

Talk to you soon,

Courtney

New birds for notebook covers......

Well I just can not get enough of these little birds. It is a nice diversion from the " Flu clinic" I have in my house right now ( my son has the flu!!!!). Anyway, I think I will make take these images and make some journal notebooks. I will add some thread and laminate them and hopefully they will turn out the way I in vison. You might see these in the shop very soon!!!

Talk to you soon,

Courtney

For the birds......

Here are some more little bird collages. I love working small and really like doing my image transfers onto my collages...... hmmmm I might do some more today!

Talk to you soon,

Courtney

I am teaching another class with "The Muse" at the end of November. I wanted to change things up and do an ATC exchange using layers and transparencies. I like the way it turned out so I think I will do some mini collage pieces that look similar.


If you have any elementary school kids at home than you know that this week the new Diary of a Wimp Kid came out! I surprised the boys and made them T-shirts to go with it. From a distance they look good..... my marker skills are not the best. I think these will remain sleep wear.

My oldest is such a funny monkey. He spent a lot of time creating this little pencil. He was so proud of himself..... " Look I have made the smallest pencil in the entire world!!!" . My next thought was ...... I wonder what the floor next to the sharpener looks like. It does not take much to amuse little boys!!

Talk to you soon,

Courtney