Pamela Holderman

please play with your food...

2012-01-28T08:58:00.000-08:00

It's been a hard week...

After the storm ended our heater went on strike,

so we got a new one ($$$ sigh)

and then the power went out again.

Our yard looks like a bomb went off in it -

looked kinda nice when it was covered in snow,

but now the two broken trees look really sad.

Well this link to the photo above and many more

cheered me up so take a look if you need a smile -

and who doesn't?
I will be back later with two new kiddo projects
and some happy art news too.

34 degrees and rising...

2012-01-20T13:03:00.000-08:00

I so want to visit Anthropologie to see their new windows...

but must patiently wait for the snow and ice

and extra layer of snow on top to melt.

Maybe tomorrow I will get to see the glorious color in these displays

instead of all this whiteness...

7 inches of snow, then 1 inch of ice and then more snow -

never seen anything like it.

And of course no power too,

but thankfully it came back on in the night.

Two poor trees couldn't handle the ice...

You wouldn't believe how loud it is listening to the ice come off these trees -

it thunders and tinkles and just sounds so odd.

And I hope he hasn't cracked in the snow and ice.

I should have been a good mom and brought him inside.

Hope you are somewhere warm and sunny

or staying cuddled up inside

just like this guy...

for some odd reason he hates the vacuum

when it is running,

but adores curling up on it to sleep.

outside, inside?

2012-01-18T10:03:00.000-08:00

the grass is always greener...

or should I say 'the snow is always whiter?'

snow day - yay!

2012-01-17T12:12:00.000-08:00

It all goes by so fast...

Oh earth, you're too wonderful for anybody to realize you...

Do human beings ever realize life while they live it -

every, every minute?

Thornton Wilder, Our Town

a Sunday blessing - One Thousand Gifts

2012-01-15T06:00:00.000-08:00

I am so enjoying this read

and her beautiful poetic thoughts

on faith

and grace

and thankfulness

and joy

and how important it is to enjoy and love

where we are right now...

These very real lungs will breathe in more than 11,000 liters of air today, and tonight over our farm will rise the Great Hexagon of the blazing winter stars - Sirius, Rigel, ruby Aldebran, Capella, the fiery Gemini twins, and Procyon, and in the center, scarlet Betelgeuse, the red supergiant larger than twice the size of earth's orbit around the sun - and I will embrace the skin of a boy child that my body grew from a seed. The low heavens outside the paned windows fill with more snowflakes then stars, no two-stacked crystals the same; the trees in the wood draw in collective green breath to the still of January hibernation, and God in the world will birth ice from His womb, frost of heaven, bind the chains of the Pleiades, loose the cords of Orion, and number again the strands on my head (Job 38:31; Matthew 10:30).

Isn't it here? The wonder? Why do I spend so much of my living hours struggling to see it? Do we truly stumble so blind that we must be affronted with binding magnificence for our blurry soul-sight to recognize grandeur? The very same surging magnificence that cascades over our every day here. Who has time or eyes to notice?

Ann Voskamp

Who has eyes or time to notice?

That line really gets me...

well today I will notice.

so I get up and take a photo of the snow melting on the branches

and I adore this photo taken at the coffee house yesterday

(we only have to look around in our every day for

incredible beauty right?)

and sitting next to me is this metal table

of my dear grandmother's

that I painted in gold leaf -

for I know the plans I have for you

declares the Lord...

and even last night's sunset looks beautiful in greys.

I hate to admit it but I have been coveting homes

and wondering where we will live next.

I never dreamed I would live 25 years in the same place

and we have been feeling a tug to do something different,

but what?

So I started looking and then drooling...

and then today I innocently tried to put in a realtor's disc of a home

that is twice as much money as our home and...

ahem...

it jammed and I could not get it out or in and it was stuck for several hours

and needless to say -

I had to shut down my beloved computer.

That got my attention.

Only God knows the plans he has for me and

I am sure there are plans

and if it is to stay put right here

then I will relish in

His grace,

His abundance and blessings,

and find joy in the beauty that surrounds my every day.

amen

come 'Create with Me' on this winter day

2012-01-13T09:33:00.000-08:00

Well Matteo may not be very happy ,

but I am so thrilled to have my art clubbers

featured again in this wonderful magazine.

So run - don't walk - to the nearest Barnes and Noble

to check out their brilliant birdies on pages 94-97.

Or even better - order one from Stampington here.

And most importantly

find the nearest child and start creating
right now

on this snowy winter day...
go for it!

instant architecture

2012-01-10T06:00:00.000-08:00

the art clubbers constructed some homes

using simple shapes

stamped with foam,

then added outlines with cardboard strips

and more stamps for trees and house

so that we were able to tour

their villages

full of color.

I don't know about you but I would move right in.

a Sunday Blessing

2012-01-08T05:00:00.000-08:00

How?

How can a young person stay on the path of purity?

By living according to your word.

I seek you with all my heart;

do not let me stray from your commands.

I have hidden your word in my heart

that I might not sin against you.

Praise be to you Lord;

teach me your decrees.

With my lips I recount all the laws

that come from your mouth.

I rejoice in following your statutes

as one rejoices in great riches.

I meditate on your precepts

and consider your ways.

I delight in your decrees;

I will not neglect your word.

Psalm 119:9-16

On this Sunday

my blessing is my son, Jonathan,

who is in his ordination year.

He was given this Psalm to meditate on for the year,

and I thought a visual of the verses

would help instill in him a sense of his part.

So I stamped the brown highlighted words in the verses

onto the background of the painting.

Then I liked the idea of different tools

to represent how each of us worships God in our own unique way.

Finally I pasted verses from an old Bible

that was falling apart on to the edges.

Thanks for being such a blessing Jonathan!

Hope you all are having a blessed Sunday.

I really must focus...

2012-01-06T12:53:00.000-08:00

I don't seem to be able to let go of Christmas...

maybe it's because most of my favorite people left ;(.

the laughter is gone...

must take the decorations down and pack them away,

and the guest cot will go and

art will return
(can't wait to work on this one),

and I received some precious gifts
such as these mouse pads from my son-
one with my favorite fur ball and the other -
one of my son's pieces of art,

and another piece of art from the other Holderman artist.
How lucky am I?

We enjoyed good food,

playing tourist at Pikes Market,

ferry rides

in the rain of course,

and we waved to our niece as she sailed the other direction.

Then we enjoyed Roy St. Tea and Coffee

(which is an incognito Starbucks -

you would never know it

- the best lattes ever!)

and we made new friends

(he lives in the pond at my sister-in-law's on a golf course),

and I bought these words of wisdom cards

to inspire me each day.

My favorite says...

I will greet this day with love in my heart.

And how will I do this?

Henceforth will I look on all things

with love and be born again.

I will love the sun for it warms my bones;

yet I will love the rain for it cleanses my spirit.

I will love the light for it shows me the way;

yet I will love the darkness for it shows me the stars.

I will welcome happiness as it enlarges my heart;

yet I will endure sadness for it opens my soul.

I will acknowledge rewards for they are my due;

yet I will welcome obstacles for they are my challenge.

Og Mandino

My mom would have loved this poem. She died a year ago on January fourth and I have been dreading this anniversary, but I am grateful that I made it through the day with joy in remembrances and I do seem to be crawling out of the deep place of grief. My dad was able to join us for Christmas which was a huge blessing as he was not able to travel for many years because of my mom's health. So I am hopeful for the new year and all of its blessings. I am going to try so hard to see the beauty in little moments of perfection and not to be so hard on myself. Sound good? I wish each of you a wonderful and blessed 2012.

Happy New Year!

2011-12-31T08:28:00.000-08:00

Have a great New Year's Eve!
Party responsibly

and don't drink too many saucers of warm milk.

Merry Christmas one and all!

2011-12-21T19:50:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas!

My family arrives tomorrow

and I am so excited to give each one a hug.

Joyfilled blessings to each of you!

it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

2011-12-18T19:42:00.000-08:00

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

everywhere I go...

Well I haven't been anywhere

as I have been busy cooking

fudge,

cranberries in brandy for the brie wrapped in phyllo,

cranberry orange cookies drizzled in orange sugar,

candied walnuts,

balsamic croutons,

Italian beef stew tucked in the freezer,

and chicken enchilada casserole...phew...

so I would be ready for a full house on Thursday.

I can't wait and my heart is pounding just thinking of the fun we will have!

and I took some closeups of the the holiday festivities

being played out in my rooms...

I wish you each a blessed Christmas

filled with family and love and peace

and good will towards men.

still gift hunting?

2011-12-17T10:33:00.000-08:00

There's still time to please that special person on your list

who is so hard to buy for...

May I suggest a pack of gnomes filled with 3 cards, a bookmark and a journal

to put a grin on the receiver's face.

You can get it here.

And for the crafty person in your life...

the artist's giftpack comes with 3 cards

and a journal.

May I suggest you keep the journal

and give the cards to your crafty friends?

Get them here.

I am so thankful that I don't need to fight the shopping crowds today -

bought most of my gifts on etsy

and it was so easy and the gifts are unique and heartfelt.

Merry Christmas!

walkin', prancin, and flyin' in a winter wonderland...

2011-12-16T13:42:00.000-08:00

Stepped outside today and discovered these beauties.

If I was a gnome I would so live here.

with these lights nearby

and this guy could come visit anytime.

Well school is now out for the Christmas break and

before it was over the art clubbers did a little

prancin' in a winter wonderland...

only chose 2 to include here,

but the rest were adorable too.

and I got to teach all 19 in my during school time class

with the same theme -

here to stay is a new bird...

again I couldn't choose them all,

but aren't they precious?

The students happen to love angry birds so

I knew these would be a hit.

Borrowed the idea from pinterest and it took me to this great art blog.

Don't you just love how the blogging and pinning communities share,

and the whole world gets to be enriched from a project

done in one small classroom,

and before you know it,

another class gets blessed creating a similar one?

What a wonderful creative world we live in!

one little two little three little fishies...

2011-12-09T08:45:00.001-08:00

Our last lesson was a lesson in trust for the art clubbers.

First they painted their entire pieces with warm colors and designs.

That was easy enough.

But then I asked them,

"Do you trust me?"

and I told them to paint out most of their paintings with cool blues

and only leave at least 3 fish shapes.

"What, but why didn't we just paint the fish shapes to begin with?", they asked.

A hard lesson to take, but they had the 'ahha' moment finally

when they saw those hidden fish come to life before their eyes.

"Hello there little fishies!"

I first learned this technique with Jesse Reno at art fest...

and it was torture -

covering over your art and not knowing if what you put on top

will be better than what is there.

I still think about what I covered up in one of my paintings

and wish I had let it be.

I think these guys are more adaptable

and not yet set in their ways like us adults.

If only they could keep that trust and spontaneity through out life.

I like to think I am helping with that just a little.

let's merry!

2011-12-06T11:25:00.001-08:00

well I am trying at least.

showed up to the gallery opening
(see the previous post)

to find 3 of my 4 paintings were missing.

hmm... we hunted for them.

looked high and low...

and discovered they were already SOLD!!!

I really couldn't believe it -

oh me of little faith.

I can't tell you what that did for my spirit.

I was thinking if they did not sell here this month

then I might as well give up.

so now I have a renewed joyfulness

that I can be me!

you know what I mean?

and there is lots being prepped in the studio

for the art clubbers

to play with

and you gotta have some bells

and here is one of the samples they will be making

to reflect this advent season.

I will share them all later.
hope you are having a blessed season!

art opening tomorrow - come join the fun!

2011-12-02T17:22:00.001-08:00

it may not be serious after all...

I should say that and

then repeat it again and again.

this newest piece is for sale here -

at the gallery, not the saloon btw

along with a sensible arrangement in the window

see it in the middle below

and it is kept company by the other four in the series

and they could each come live with you for $45.

the opening party is tomorrow

and the small 6"x6" pieces will be for sale all month.

might you suggest santa pick one up for you?

bundle of brushes

2011-11-30T17:59:00.001-08:00

sorry my friends...

life has gotten a little too hectic.

here is a favorite photo to tide you over for awhile.

nothing makes me happier than a

'bundle of brushes'

just waiting to be dipped in paint

to depict the best of

our imagination.

random behavior

2011-11-22T13:26:00.001-08:00

hmmm...

came home to find the closet open with this note.

that would be pretty random

because our cat, Matteo,

really likes to sleep in his cozy chair.

He is there literally 95% of the time -

a cat who likes routine and a fine chair

which does not smell too much like dog.

the other habit we can count on with him

is that he will come and greet us whenever we come home.

Zoe taught him this -

and she taught him that this behavior is done without exception

every time the masters return.

most often he is sitting with Zoe at the garage door

with half open eyes and a yawn on his lips

as he greets us and saunters back off to his chair.

but lately he has been an explorer...

case in point -

see this pine dresser above which holds our linens

in the kitchen.

well a couple of weeks ago he disappeared for 3 whole hours.

we called outside and swept the neighborhood

as we were sure he had gotten out when the garbage was taken out.

needless to say we were wrecks

as our neighborhood is frequented by coyotes and such.

but twice I heard scratching and all 3 of us

(that would be our dog Zoe as the third detective)

went looking.

I was sure he was in the wall...

could not tell where the noise was coming from.

but eventually we narrowed it down to this bottom drawer.

I opened it and out he jumped.

sheesh...

he has never done anything like that before.

he jumped into the bottom drawer

while my husband was fixing a knob on the third drawer down.

and Doug put the drawer back without seeing him...

and he stayed there three hours without letting us know.

now today he hid out in the closet

and I just got home and he did not greet me.

instead I found him sleeping under the table peering out at me...

do I sense a mutiny in the works?

naw, it must be the wind and rain howling outside.

smart cat - maybe I should join him.

duck, duck, goose

2011-11-15T08:47:00.001-08:00

You may know by now that I have a thing for Canada Geese...

wish they were tame and I could have a potty trained pet in the house

that would curl up and sleep with my cat and dog -

maybe put his wings out for them to sleep under,

and they could run around chasing each other and

the goose could fly through the room

yelling "duck, duck GOOSE" as they played tag.

Oh well I must be really losing it,

but don't you enjoy daydreaming?

I think the kiddos really enjoyed some daydreaming with these mixed media geese.

First we drew with crayons for some wax-resist.

Then we used cake tempera for the background...

and we pulled out the texture templates

for the wings.

I made templates of the geese which they painted and cut out.

Stamps were used for background texture.

Feathers and geese were glued to background...

and feet and tails painted and background touches added.

Love these artists and their creations!

I can just hear the geese flying overhead in a V-

QUACK, QUACK, HONK HONK...
almost forgot - I got the idea for the project here.

any owls flying your way?

2011-11-08T08:35:00.001-08:00

want a fun project that will keep the little ones

focused and happy?

then collect those toilet paper rolls and begin...

one with a shield,

a samurai,

notice the crown,

and some love.
hoo, hoo I love you!

pumpkin, pumpkin, where's the pumpkin?

2011-11-04T10:48:00.000-07:00

start with a lot of white glue and wait until dry.

color in between the lines with chalk pastel -

a good quality one works better.

it always amazes me how the same directions

result in so many different kiddo visions...

just a sampling above.

house beautiful and picture show

2011-11-01T15:47:00.000-07:00

as I have said before,

House Beautiful is my favorite home decor magazine...

I love the vignettes in this month's issue

and I am a tad smitten with

the Picture Show app

on my iphone.

and if you put the two together - poof- instant magic.

thanks to Jill for hooking me up with it.

just feel like I am in a dream with these photos

and I could so cook here

and wander out into the big dream-like world through these doors.
on a side note -
It's my birthday today and I am so looking forward to dinner with my boys.

autumn glory on my table

2011-10-31T07:30:00.000-07:00

crinkle, crackle, flutter, boo...
happy halloween to you!

artists you should know

2011-10-26T07:30:00.000-07:00

Successful people are dreamers who found the dream too exciting,

too important to remain in the realm of fantasy.

Day by day, hour by hour

they toil in the service of their dream until they can see it with their eyes

and touch it with their hands.

Earl Nightingale

With that being said

(and might I state that it really is an apt description

of what we artists try to do),

let me introduce you to some of my favorite artists

who toil away trying to turn their dream into a seeable, touchable object

for others to enjoy.

The Bellevue Art Fair happens every summer and here you will find...

encaustics by
Sue Cretarolo
that look yummy enough to eat.

and these exquisite collages made of collected papers
by Danielle Desplan

and the wonderful
Cori Dantini

and vibrant textures and color
by Jacquline Hurlbert

and collage and paintings
by Ann Munson
(I have no pictures -sorry)

and more by Susan K Miller
(found her in a West Seattle gallery)

and dynamic landscapes
by Shea Guevara
(his parents must have had a sense of humor)

and a local artist

Diane Culhane

and Mario Cespedes
who unfortunately has no website

and Chris Giffin
who can be contacted at
giffin@peak.org.
I just love seeing into the dreams of other artists.
Do you have any artists we can come visit?
Just list them in comments so we can see their dreams turned into reality.
thanks...

the big wave updated with surfers and glitter

2011-10-24T07:31:00.000-07:00

what's better than a project with glitter?

we started looking at

the Great Wave

by Hokusai

and

the Sea off Satta

by Hiroshige

and we gave our big wave
our own mixed media touches

by painting the basic wave, bay and mountains,
then adding stamps for texture

and lots of bubbling sea foam

with sponges and pencil erasers

and trees and crows and

surfers

and boats

and windsurfers

and foamy bays

and fish

and did I mention glitter?

Cowabunga dude!
Warning - these took several classes to complete
and I heard several aughs
as it turned into the never ending wave...
I thought I was being so clever
by letting them make surfers and boats and fish and...
well by letting each one put his/her own mark on the big wave.
I thought they would love it,
but some lost interest...
Oh well you never know right?
I hope they learned perseverance and patience -
two important 'p' words.

time for your autumn socks

2011-10-21T17:43:00.000-07:00

time for more socks
(Sammamish tree art that is)...

one can never have too many brightly colored socks,

and I got to enjoy a latte at Starbucks

while viewing and filming these works of art

so what could be better?

art and coffee works for me.

and if you missed the past show -

here are the winter ones

and the spring ones too.

I also discovered this site -

I think I like the 'fill in the hole with lego' art the best.

and my sister-in-law sent me these pretties from a construction site

in Denver.

and I went to our town's craft fair

and found more knitting on happy posts...

and this very fun 'play wherever' musical instrument to try.

hope you have a wonderful weekend and

don't forget to wear your happy socks!

what my art desk holds this week...

2011-10-14T09:42:00.000-07:00

an art desk filled with projects in progress

fills me with hope

and the feeling that all is right with the world

and the idea that anything is possible

and just maybe I can create what I see in my mind.

maybe...

still working on that,

but aren't we all?

still loving the texture of joint compound

and I love watching it dry

and change color as the moisture is absorbed into the air.

and then there are these little owls being prepped

for the after school art kiddos next week

(can you see them?).

and my new tape from Somerset displayed in a clear bowl

(which I will probably hoard and not use if I know myself)

and this beautiful card purchased in Seattle

and these cut out and ready for the art kiddos

who are going to make this project.
what's on your desk this weekend?

Let's Mingle - the winner is...

2011-10-11T08:27:00.000-07:00

some heavy duty sleeping going on over here

as they're waiting with baited breath

for the big giveaway.

yep Matteo wants to know if he gets to choose

and Zoe knows he doesn't

so she is just chillin'

and I mean really chilling.
they've been by my side this past week

because I have had a migraine and a UTI again....
so no wonderful doggy birthday shots to show you

although I did wrap this rawhide for Zoe

and I warned her about the perils of partying too much.

alas Matteo just thought it was all rather dull.

drum roll please!

the names were written

the judge was booted outside and
the names were lined up with a doggie treat by each name.

the door was opened

and she chose to go down the line of treats and names

from left to right - very systematic...

and the winner is

congrats to Carlanda, and thanks to everyone for the great entertaining ideas!

a Sunday blessing

2011-10-09T10:03:00.000-07:00

Why don't I remember this simple saying

when things get tough?

Be careful, keep calm and don't be afraid.

Isaiah 7:4
Instead I seem to

Nick photographed this mural while playing basketball the other day.

He let me borrow and change the photo a bit.
Some more very important 'keep calms' can be found on my pinterest board...

I wish you a blessed week full of calms.
Anybody have another one to add to our list?

a Mingle giveaway

2011-10-04T12:48:00.000-07:00

a giveaway

sorry Zoe, not for you...

but just maybe my lucky dog will get to pick the winner,

and just maybe I can get some cool ideas

for Zoe's 12th birthday celebration

which is tonight.

Stampington sent me an extra copy of their new wonderful magazine

so I could give one away to a lucky reader - maybe you.

I have to say they have outdone themselves

with beautiful articles and delicious photos

like we have come to expect from all their publications.

all you have to do to be entered into the drawing

is to leave a comment here

with a special entertaining tip

that helps you have wonderful gatherings -

any simple advice will do.

I will go first...

my favorite appetizer is so simple and always gets ravs.

just pour mango chutney over a log of cream cheese

and top with almonds.

serve with crackers.

p.s. - extras are really good over pasta believe it or not.

so leave a comment

for a chance to win a wonderfully inspired magazine.

You have until Monday the 10th

and Zoe will pick the winner Tuesday morning

and tell you what we did to celebrate her special day.

so check back and have a great week!

charmed

2011-10-03T07:00:00.000-07:00

you ought to be charmed with it...

just chuckling over this sentence...
sometimes it is so helpful to just cut out phrases
and match each with a piece of art
that expresses the same sentiment.
charmed is not a word that we use much in current english.
it means unusually lucky or happy.
I will take that any day please.

this newest small joint compound piece began with these steps.

I am just loving working with these 6" squares.
small can be good.
how about you, what size are you working with?

a Sunday blessing

2011-10-02T06:00:00.000-07:00

let go and let God...

sometimes I just need a reminder to do my part

and then release it.

my husband playing basketball in the 80's -

photo taken by my beloved mom.

a Breath of Country Air

2011-09-27T13:49:00.000-07:00

a breath of country air would do me good, I fancy.

here's another mini joint compound piece with its inspired wording.

I don't know why -

but these random cuttings from old books are just giving me the giggles...

and one can never have too many giggles.

here is the piece after the first layer...

and all the way back to the beginning.
fighting a migraine today and need another giggle.
do you have one for me?

mingle

2011-09-26T14:00:00.000-07:00

don't you love that word?

mingle, mingle, mingle...

i could say it over and over.

and it's also the name of Stampington's new magazine.

So click on the photo to see more about the magazine,

and stop by in early October

to win a chance to get a free copy sent to you from me.

as Zoe's birthday is October 4,

I just might let her do the picking of the winner.

won't she be thrilled?

a Sunday Blessing - my little green friend

2011-09-25T07:00:00.000-07:00

can you see him?

my little green friend

has insisted on making his home

in and on our hose carrier.

he has lived here for months

and guess what happens

whenever I want to water?

he goes around and around and around

and he holds on for dear life

and refuses to let go.

it is a froggy merry go round.

just love that persistence...

he is my hero.

he refuses to be bullied

and intimidated.

he refuses to relinquish his beautiful home

with its hollow plastic center and awesome aqua color.

I am so careful not to squish him

and fearful as

he is often napping between the hose coils.

The Lord is my rock, my fortress
and my deliverer;
my God is my rock,
in whom I take refuge.
Psalm 18:2
may I be reminded of my little green friend
and cling to my rock, my fortress
with the same fierceness
and determination that he shows.

a sensible arrangement

2011-09-23T18:06:00.000-07:00

this newest piece,

a very sensible arrangement,

is finished I do believe...

and I love remembering how it started -

with creamy joint compound,

and then it came alive with
paint, paper, stamps, glitter, an upholstery tack,

and a line from an old book that just seemed to fit -

"A very sensible arrangement, I should think."

yes I should think so.

care for a swim?

2011-09-20T13:00:00.000-07:00

I have no patience -

just had to share these adorable creations.

we still need to paint our bubbles

but otherwise they are done.

This season starts with 9 enthusiastic art clubbers

in First to Fourth grade.

I thought we should bid summer farewell (insert a sob here)

with an ode to summer swimming.

prepare to grin - just warning you...

this artist informed me that the subject's eyes are popping out of her head

because the fish are following her - how cute is that?

she looks like she is a good swimmer...

I want to be this happy...

this little guy was loving swimming with the fish...

and this one even has blood shot eyes like you get in the pool

if you forget your goggles...

love the hair on this guy...

and she is swimming with her friends -

how cute!

we started by looking at some pool art by the artist David Hockney

and even had a good laugh at his hand-painted pool...

and talked about ripples in the water and wax resist.

so first was the drawing

and then the pressing really hard with crayons

(still my favorite medium)

and finally the watercolor which was a total surprise

and really made those white lines come alive.

we also made tissue frames to house our masterpieces.

thanks to

use your colored pencils

and

kidsartists

for the ideas.

hey teachers out there -

I would love to hear from you if you use any of my project ideas.

it gets kind of lonely seeing hundred of hits on my projects and no comments...

would love to hear what worked,

what you would like to see

or how I can do a better job sharing what we create -

hope you all have a creative and inspirational year.

I would love to visit your sites -

share your link in a comment so we can all come visit.

a Sunday blessing

2011-09-18T06:00:00.000-07:00

You anoint my head with oil;

my cup overflows.

Surely goodness and love will follow me

all the days of my life,

and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Psalm 23:5-6

photos from Chapel St. Ignatius

vroom...

2011-09-16T12:25:00.000-07:00

passed this car on the freeway-

wish I could follow wherever they are going

as I bet they are going to have much more fun...

simply colors...

2011-09-12T06:00:00.000-07:00

sepia...

rust, oxide

caramel, cafe

tawny, chalky

gun metal, iron

charcoal, slate

stone, smokey

...some of my favorite colors.

more joint compound

2011-09-10T14:32:00.000-07:00

spending time with these guys today,

and I am covered with sanded joint compound.

anybody know if it's ok to breathe joint compound?

little boat

2011-09-10T08:48:00.000-07:00

Little Boat from nelson boles on Vimeo.

cute video for your Saturday...

the art studio is calling me

as well as the sun -

oh my how will I decide?

labor day means no labor

2011-09-05T06:00:00.000-07:00

if you were coming over today

I would first offer you some sun tea...

and a place to sit down

and then I'd offer you some wursts,

sweet potato fries (the best from Trader Joes).

green beans marinated with onions and olive oil,

peppers cooked about 2 hours on the stove in balsamic vinegar...

and then let out Zoe to keep you company...

and you would hear the nearby fountain

bubbling away

as the glass balls clink

and

then you'd see the newly discovered bird's nest
sitting atop its new home...

and the sun would slowly go down
on this perfect day

but the fun would just begin.

we get so few perfectly beautiful summer days here in the PNW
so I just had to share some more photos of the yard
so I can remember it when the weather turns,
which will be soon enough.

I had fun overlaying these 2 old papers.

you are welcome to pull them off and use them for your photo enhancing.
I first used them here.
So what are you doing to celebrate
the final days of summer?
ready for the cool crisp days of autumn?
not me...more summer please.
and I do believe today will find me in the studio
dabbling in some plaster and joint compound too
after I have had my sun fix
and given you your second helping of iced tea ;)

they labor...

2011-09-02T15:13:00.000-07:00

these beautiful sedums

are just starting to pop

and are being devoured by the bees...

and this variety of sedum

is being consumed by the furry cousin of the other bees.

So my question is this -

how do they know that the furry ones are allowed on one plant

and the regular bees are only allowed on the other?

pretty funny...

and yes they do not know they are supposed to be resting.

Happy Labor Day weekend to you all!

who knew - joint compound?

2011-08-26T11:19:00.000-07:00

joint compound...

makes for great art

as I found out in

Judy Wise and Stephanie Lee's class this summer

(they also have a wonderful book for those of you that missed the class).

Here are some pics of the beginning stages of these two pieces.

I first etched basic texture into the wet compound...

then tried to figure out what I saw in the compound

and added a bowl and pots with this nifty little sewing device.

anybody know what it's called -

used for tracing patterns I believe?

then I rubbed in some black acrylic

to get some instant lines.

time for an art break

after the on-line plaster class was over

a group of us who had only met on-line during the class

decided to have a party at my house and share our art endeavors.

check out the table above filled with our fun...

and meet my new friends

Melinda, Jill and Jeanne

above is Jill's beautiful book and homemade case

and interior pages

and a plaster piece.

check out her blog to see "the kraken" - just gorgeous.

here is Jeanne's bounty of beauty

and her crackled plaster cat.

next is Melinda's adorable cat

and frescoed scene -

just love these colors!

ok the art field trip is over

and back to finishing my pieces.

thanks for guarding Matteo.

the next steps involved trying to pick out

the shapes I wanted and

then adding lots of paint layers,

rubbing them out,

etching in others,

adding buttons and paper

some stamping and gold leaf,

and finally putting them in the vintage frames I found for them.

think they will stay here until I hang them up.

On a different note,

would love prayers or good thoughts sent my son and daughter-in-law's way in New Jersey

as they wait for the storm to hit Saturday...

geesh they have had the weather.

summer hop

2011-08-21T09:58:00.000-07:00

finally summer arrives...

and Zoe and I could not be happier.

we get to enjoy the patio
and the plants

and the sun

and the most incredible wisteria ever

and the paths

and mr. crow who surveys the yard

and the fountain

and one foxglove left

and sedums too.

but of course the yard takes work

and it seems we rarely sit and enjoy it.

a couple of blogs back I showed you the tree that we took out here

(where I dream of a studio)

so we needed to change the gravel and planting area

and we worked two days to do that

and cut more trees

and everyone pitched in

to move bark and edge

(just love corgi butts)

and explore.

and finally some rest

and pool time.
now if we could just get day #7 above 80 degrees this summer...

ready for a change

2011-08-16T19:54:00.000-07:00

in hopes that summer will stick around awhile longer

I decided to do my yearly

let's change the look of the blog

and update it with a crisp and summery feel...

so I will be experimenting and goofing around this week

until I get it just right
or until I give up and throw photoshop out the window.
well I can't really do that but sometimes I want to.

so what do you think so far?

shall we fly south?

2011-08-15T15:11:00.000-07:00

OK I happen to think this post is just brilliant

and nobody else but me left a comment -

hmmm...

does anybody else agree this is a great way to plunge into something new?

it just makes sense to me and I do believe

I will try it with this new sorta phobia I have been experiencing this week.

let me explain -

here are various birds...

that I photographed while on vacation at Balboa.

don't they look happy?

well I do believe I am going to pretend to be them,
or more precisely,
the canada geese that have already decided
that it is time to migrate south for the winter.
do they know something I do not?
you see we have not really had a very sunny summer
(I do believe only 5 days just a tad over 80 degrees)
and I love living in the Pacific Northwest,
but I do require a gorgeous summer full of vitamin d
to get me through our grey days until the next summer.
and I am feeling extremely panicky
because I have not yet had my sunshine fix for the year - not even close!
this California girl (albeit 31 years living in the PNW)
is starting to hyperventilate and freak out to put it mildly.
So I will take Kim's advice and just pretend that I can soar south anytime I want.
maybe I can sit under a lamp to feel the heat,
close my eyes,
hold out my arms,
and just pretend I am floating above the clouds
with all the other canada geese honking around me.
it couldn't hurt.
and I do believe I am craving some grass and bread right about now...

a Sunday blessing

2011-08-14T06:00:00.000-07:00

It's been way too long since I posted a Sunday blessing.

Spent yesterday in the yard and these hydrangeas broke off while pruning;

I think they will give more joy here than out in my front yard -

don't you agree?

The desert and the parched land will be glad;

the wilderness will rejoice and blossom.

Like the crocus, it will burst into bloom;

it will rejoice greatly and shout for joy.

Isaiah 35:1-2

eye to eye

2011-08-09T19:58:00.000-07:00

finally finished her and her

with lots of new color

and even a nest made of blue chip stamps

created in this beautiful spot

surrounded by...

while visiting my bestest girlfriend.

comfort, clutter, creativity

2011-08-08T09:09:00.000-07:00

are you one who would rather create than clean?

how about one who makes a mess while creating

and does not clean until the project is complete?

I would check 'yes' to both...

she so agrees with me.

I just don't understand the magazines (although I do love peering into them)

that show artist's studios with no clutter or mess... seriously?

so that's why this book is dear to my heart.

Mary Randolph Carter tackles the question of how we live

and what is important.

she says,

Clutter is the poetry of our homes. It is a fingerprint of an experience, a souvenir of our childhoods,

an expression of our humor, a collection of things that we just can't live without.

Clutter gives life to ordinary things...

she includes this photo of Calder's studio..

oh how I would love to work here

Source: flickr.com via Pamela on Pinterest

love this mess...

Source: flickr.com via Pamela on Pinterest

and this table...

and paint splatters...

Source: kikicolore.blogspot.com via Pamela on Pinterest

and love the light here.

Mary concludes,

Clutter is a grand parade that follows us all our days,

from a playpen filled with toys to the scrapbooklike walls of our college dorms,

our first work cubicles, our first apartments,

and the places we call home.

Embrace it, make peace with it,

take control of it, share it, reorganize it,

and when the time seems right,

bid it farewell.

have not gotten there yet.

Doug and his friend have been painting doors in his friend's 'man studio'.

Ok I want a place to create like this.

He has garage doors on both ends that open,

a place to work on cars,

he has slowly refurbished this beautiful boat

and this is an important and....

a place to watch tv, refrigerator, wood burning stove

and he invites friends over for a little guy time -

see the boat sign in the corner? that's the spot.

hmmm I want a 'woman studio' where we can all play.

and btw the friend assured me he loves to make a mess and then when the project is over,

he loves cleaning it up too.

Source: pamelaholderman.blogspot.com via Pamela on Pinterest

and then I seem to have an addiction to pieces that reign in that clutter -

remember this find at ABC Home Store?
still wish I could have snuck it in my suitcase.

and Nick likes everything in its place and then he's ready to create -
got him this cool etsy book bag just so his art supplies could be mobile.
OK I strayed -
guess that's where my mind is lately.

now as a postscript you may remember we cut down these trees right outside of the small office my husband and I share...
hmmm... don't you think it would be a perfect spot for a 'woman studio'?
I could teach art and everyone could come over and play...
oh my the addition brain is churning over ideas and just won't quit.
and then I could leave it as messy as I wanted,
and leave 6 projects going at once and not feel guilty for the mess right?
can't say my blogging mojo has returned,
but I do have two art retreats to share with you next time.
until then.

blogging mojo is lost- reward if found

2011-07-23T09:49:00.000-07:00

need to post a sign on a tree that says -

blogging mojo is lost -

reward if found

seems she just up and walked away...

and i have been waiting patiently for her return
just like this fellow.
instead i am left trying to be smart and funny on my own -

nothing
the brain cells are struggling to get magic to happen...
maybe she went on summer vacation with us and decided not to return.

i would have stayed here too if i had a choice...
(view from our balcony)

instead i came home to so many house upkeep projects
such as
redoing the floors while we were on vacation

and fighting giant moles -

just kidding, although we do have those too.

these are our septic tank lids which needed cleaning too

(and thank goodness not by me )
and

this week we had trees falling left and right
and others being pruned -
looked like a war zone.

and then add 3 cavities filled plus 5 more to go, etc. etc. blah, blah
you get the idea.
well i need another vacation

so off to Lake Chelan

to visit one of my bestest friend
to create jewelry and paint and visit wineries
and soak in the sun

(did I mention she has a hot tub and a pool?).

so maybe i will find my mojo out touring the wineries enjoying the sunshine
and just maybe i can bribe her
with a bottle of wine or promise to paint her picture or
buy her a magical croissant at the french bakery on the way home

because I really do miss her and need her back.
see you in a week unless i decide to stay...

painting in paradise

2011-07-17T20:17:00.001-07:00

got to doodle while on vacation

and just enjoy doing art without overthinking...

I started these corgi and crow obsessions at my dad's

and then got to overwork them

sitting at this beautiful spot with the sun and water

and breeze - and the much needed daily iced latte.

I will try to finish them this week.

how about you -

getting any doodling done this summer?

cartoonatic addict

2011-07-16T10:39:00.000-07:00

ok i am enjoying instagram

but

Nick discovered cartoonaddict

and i am

head over heals in love

with this app...

even makes one's feet look good...

Balboa Island in instagram

2011-07-12T08:44:00.000-07:00

finally home.

we had a wonderful week with family

at Balboa Island

remembering my mom,

eating,

sunbathing,

laughing,

walking,

visiting Starbucks each morning,

and just doing nothing.

the best time I've had in a very long time...

here are the highlights

filmed in instagram.

ahh when can I return?

inkblot butterfly love

2011-07-08T05:00:00.000-07:00

nothing says summer like a butterfly!

the art clubbers finished the year out

by creating some beautiful bugs.

first we just sloshed (art term #1) paint on the background,

drew crayon marks,

and sketched a simple butterfly...

so very hard for them to loosen up and just make a mess.

then I instructed them to paint one side only with lots of gooey paint.

then we folded and smooshed (art term #2)

and opened it up to see what we would find.

some were not happy...

but we turned that frown upside down

by adding lots of oil pastel outlines

and splotches (art term #3) of color

and our masterpieces emerged from their cocoons!
this really is the final art club post.