I'm a blog slacker...

You know you've been neglecting your blog when you forget what your login and password are! A lot has happened since my last post in July....some good, and some bad. I've been helping out my husband at the practice by doing some dental assisting in addition to my cleaning, decorating, and supply purchasing. I've learned a lot...more than I would ever want to know about dentures. lol I've also developed a "stronger stomach." I had a brief overnight stay in the local ER after having chest pains and an accelerated heart rate in Oct. My neurologist in Miami finally diagnosed me with Sarcoidosis, an autoimmune disease that can affect nearly any organ of the body. I've developed some arthritic symptoms, some swelling, and the fast heart rate is also caused by it. It's been a bumpy ride, and I have my good days and my bad days. At least I know what is causing my host of symptoms and caused the nerve damage in my arms.
The good news, is that I've branched out in my creative work, and have had a ton of fun creating art dolls. I've also acquired a vendor space at a local antique store called Laura's Emporium. I sell vintage & antique items, along with my artwork & jewelry creations. It is a great place, and has been a wonderful experience so far.
I am offering two of my newest art dolls on Ebay starting tonight. Clicking on either of these pictures will take you to my Ebay auctions. I will be offering more on Ebay, and have a bunch of new felted flower brooches to add to my Etsy store too. Thanks for checking in! I've missed you all!

Head on over to my new Art blog!

We are finally settled in our new home (though I have now moved on to pretty-ing up the outside), and I have sat down and made some new goals and plans. Each year is different, things are always changing, and I feel myself headed down a new, exciting path. I have a big love of vintage items, creating art, and making unique accessories, so I thought I would combine them all and create a new website. Hip Heart Studio is my new website, and I will be selling from it, with payment available through Paypal. I am still on Etsy, but due to the onslaught of resellers (selling imported items and claiming they made them...when they are usually made in a factory in China...) I really want to transition to my own site. I hope you will enjoy it. I am also picking up on an old blog I had started, but got distracted from. If you like tips, coupons, sales, tutorials, and free clip art, head on over to Thrifty Artist. I will be posting something new each day....I PROMISE! Thanks for sticking with me. Let's enjoy this new path together.

Movin' right along...

The past month has been a whirlwind, and I have a feeling that these next few weeks will be also. We are in the process of preparing our new house for us to move in May 21, and that are SO many things to do. I have lots of painting to do, and today I am shopping for a garage door opener. Thank goodness for my Dad, as I would have had no idea what the heck to buy. There are chain, screw, and belt models. Some are noisy, some aren't. There are several brands to choose from. Let's just say that picking out paint colors was a lot more fun! lol I haven't had much time to create, but am looking forward to getting settled in this month, getting my studio set up, and getting back to painting on canvas instead of walls. I am also itching to get back to making some jewelry and felted flower accessories! Hope everyone has a safe & happy month....I will check in later!

You know it's been a long time since you blogged when....

....you realize that you can't remember your blogger password. We've been super busy with new events in our life. We are in the process of buying our first house and are supposed to close around the end of April. I have also been working part time at my husband's dental practice. As such, I haven't painted or made any new accessories in weeks. I am having creative withdrawal. I have a ton of ideas to explore, but they may have to wait until we are moved into our new home. I will finally have a large, tiled room on the first floor to paint in. For the past few years, I have been sequestered to my tiny little corner of our kitchen. I hope everyone is enjoying the arrival of spring! I will check in again....hopefully SOON!

My Article in Somerset Apprentice!

I received my copy of the March 2011 Somerset Apprentice magazine, and it was so exciting to see my work published. I wrote a step-by-step article on how I created my Alice in Wonderland mixed media painting. I am on page 100. I do have the original painting and prints available in my Etsy store, if you are interested. I do have to say, that the photos in my Etsy store are more true to color. The background is more yellow in the magazine, and it is a pea green in person.
I haven't had much creative time lately, as I have started working at my husband's new dental practice. I spend most of my time in back, sterilizing equipment and getting surgical supplies ready. We've also been house shopping, which is stressful, confusing, and exciting...all at the same time. I just finished a black cat painting and will post it soon. I just found out I have the day off, so off to paint I go! Have a super week, and thanks for stopping in!

To sleep, per chance to wake back up and...

keep thinking about ideas for paintings! Last night, I tried to get myself in "sleeping mode" but it didn't work. I was obviously tired, but found myself out in my tiny "corner-of-the- kitchen" studio, playing around with an abstract painting in a dim light (so as not to wake my hubby). When I finally did go to bed, all I could think about was more painting ideas and colors.
My arms have had some nerve pain "flare-ups" lately, so I have been working on some more abstract & expressionist paintings. My book proposal was denied, but I think it was a good thing. There are a lot of things going on in our lives right now, and writing a book suddenly seems like very bad timing. I am meeting with my local neurologist next week to discuss a referral to the Cleveland Clinic for a nerve biopsy, and any further testing they can do. Until we can figure out what is causing this, I have to remain on medicine that prevents us from trying to have children.
I was able to find time to list some art on Ebay this week, including my Alice in Wonderland painting that is featured in the next March issue of Somerset Apprentice Magazine. I have 2 other paintings listed, and a few prints.
I have some felted accessories to list in my Etsy store, but need to photograph them.
Today looks like a great day to stay indoors and create. I woke up to a still, cloudy day. Rain is expected, and we need it! Hope everyone has a good weekend, and thanks for stopping by!

I'm not sleeping...I'm just resting my eyes!

I haven't blogged in a while, and thought I would start my newest post with one of my favorite "Mom-isms." Did your mom every say this to you when you were little? I find myself using this phrase myself. Life has become pretty busy lately and naps are sounding like something that once existed in some far off fairytale land. I will be working part time at my husband's dental practice, still running my Etsy stores (which entails finding time to create...that's the hard part), house hunting, and attending meetings in various towns for a new church calling I just received that involves working with our Young Women's group (the teen girls age 12-18). I hope that I can do a good job of juggling everything and do well with the new journey I've been given. I will close with a common "Teen-ism." I have to laugh whenever I hear a teenager complain, "I'm bored!" Just wait a few more years and you will never utter that phrase again! Hope everyone has a fabulous week! I will do my best to pop in again soon. I am working on finishing a 3 part painting and will have some more brooches and hair accessories in my Etsy store soon!

A terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day....

I started coming down with a nasty cold yesterday and feel a bit useless right now. I am a busy body by nature, and when an illness wipes me out and leaves me a foggy minded, sleepy, stuffy nosed person, I become extremely annoyed at that fact that I can not keep up with my to do list. I have decided to give in and try to sleep this thing off. I can't think straight and I am certainly not in the mood to paint, sew, or design some jewelry. So, off to la la land I go....hope everyone is doing well. Take those vitamins and if you are sick, stay home so you don't share it with someone else!

Happy New Year!

I can hardly believe that today is the last day of 2010! It flew by in the blink of an eye, it seems. After a computer crash, lots of errands, and hours of creating & photographing, I was finally able to add a load of new items to my Etsy store, TheRoyalBead. I will be getting back to doing some more painting and jewelry making soon too. I've been pondering goals for 2011 during the past few weeks, and I hope to press forward and succeed. I wish you all a safe & happy New Year!

I'm back!

We just returned from our 5 day cruise today, and my Etsy stores are back open for business. I've been cleaning, running errands, doing loads and loads of laundry, making some more Christmas gifts, and catching up on life in general today. I hope to pop in soon with some new pictures and a better update. I hope everyone has a fabulous holiday! See you soon!