A Kid with Her Toys

I haven't blogged in a while. Not because I haven't been busy with art, in fact, the problem is I've been too busy with art to blog. My mind has been whirling lately - positively teeming with ideas - my cup runneth over. Way more ideas and supplies than time to implement them. Isn't that usually the way of an artist...

So... remember my marker sale I told you about... well here are the results of not one but THREE visits to the store to take advantage of that sale. I also purchased this ArtBin to put them in. You must remember that I also have another, older selection of markers about half this size or maybe 3/4 of this again. A sickness, yes -- quite probably... BUT I have been using the markers - more results of which are below - small 3 1/2 x 5 drawings. And, oh, what fun I've had doing them!



Now -- a problem I've had with markers is their tendency to fade when exposed to light. In fact the fading was very bad - so my solution to this is pictured below - Krylon UV-Resistant spray.



I don't have any idea if this works yet, but I felt I had to do something to try and preserve the gorgeous color of the markers. I can't sell them until I know if they will fade away in a few months. I hope this works!!

Now -- for my newest passion - only days following the marker craze...

Glass Paint





I went out yesterday and bought glass paint and tons of glass and ceramic pieces from the thrift and consignment store. Rescued! to turn into art pieces! I plan to give most of these as Christmas gifts and would like to set up a display in the local coffee shop and sell them.

I started this about 2 or 3 years ago and then I got rid of all my glass paint reasoning to myself that I didn't have time or space for so many different art endeavors. Well, for the entire time since then, everytime I go into a thrift store and see glass pieces I feel this intense yearning to paint glass and regret that I got rid of all my paint. So finally after much arguing with myself I just DID it. And when I do something, I don't do it half-heartedly...

See this tub...



It's at least 3/4 full of glass pieces, mugs and saucers. Yes, I go all out - the whole hog! No starting out slowly for me. I want to paint glass, and paint glass I shall!! I have probably patroned my local art store this month to the tune of over $100! Not to mention all the book making and fun supplies I purchased at AC Moore and Office Depot on Wednesday last week during my fun day off.

I also dream of writing. I want to write a book - I don't know if it will be fiction or non-fiction. I thought Christian fiction and became really inspired after joining American Christian Fiction Writers - a yahoo group and voraciously reading Christian fiction. For my birthday a friend gave me a gift card to Barnes and Noble and with it I purchased SARK's book Juicy Pens, Thirsty Paper, which I've wanted for a while. SARK's writing is so colorful (literally) and so expressive. She combines her art and her writing by hand-writing and illustrating her books. I like that! I have a story to tell, I'm just not sure how to tell it.

I suppose it's all these passions and dreams that keep me alive and happy. I get so excited and then I tend to feel overwhelmed by it all - that's where I've been today. I tried to paint the glass pieces (pictured above) and couldn't get into it -- kept dropping things and making a mess... so I stopped for now and will come back to it later on when I "feel" like it.

I just gathered my bin of markers, my Derwent Inktense pencils, my Niji waterbrush, and my little pack of paper and walked into the living room. My husband looked at me shaking his head and said, "You're like a little girl walking in here with more baby dolls than she can carry. Bringing your toys with you and carrying them gently so nothing happens to them."


That's me -- a kid with my toys... I'm going to play now. Would you like to join me?