Valentine's Day

Now that the holiday rush is over, it is time to begin preparing for Valentine's Day.  I'm embarrassed to say that I have gotten quite behind on my jewelry orders and am now working my tail off trying to catch up.  Serves me right for lagging behind.  In my defense I did tackle the rearranging of my art studio, which included a new paint job by yours truly.  It is still in a small state of disarray, but I am hoping to straighten everything out in the next few days, in between the jewelry making.
 I will be posting these necklaces, along with a few others in my etsy shop, which at the moment has been closed down for the holidays.  Truth is, I have had a few shows and they wiped my inventory out.  Not a bad problem to have, but now it is time to get my shop back up.  Hopefully these lovelies will do well.

I was able to take a quick trip to La Galeria Azul in Mesilla NM. today, where I sell some of my jewelry.  Mesilla is about 40 minutes away (give or take a few minutes) from El Paso and so I don't make it out there as often as I would like.  It was a lovely day and Mike (that would be my husband) and I had a great time walking around the town square.  Selling in this gallery is one of my proudest achievements, I just love this place.  Unfortunately on my way home a migraine started to make its way in.  I think it is a sign that I need to take a break, luckily I was able to dull the pain with some pills.

So, back to the work table I went, but I only spent an hour and decided to listen to my body and called it a day. 

Goodnight blogger friends, goodnight moon...

Getting ready for the Christmas holidays and trying to fill orders.  I spent the whole day in my studio and yet I feel as if I did not accomplish much.  I think I'm beginning to feel the pressure from all of the work that is ahead of me, so even though I am working away it feels as if I still have too much to do.  I always find myself in this situation and every year I promise myself that I won't find myself in this situation again :(
Well, pictured here is one of the pieces that I created today.  Dec. 12 is Dia de la Virgen de Guadalupe and so I created this piece in her honor. 
I used an antique safety pin that I picked up in a little shop while I was in San Antonio.  I have a few other ideas for these pins and I will share them as soon as I get them done.  I am going to create one for myself using pictures of my three lovely babies.  Well, they're not so baby any more, but they will always be my babies :)  I will definitely show you that piece as soon as it is done.
See you soon.

I made several of these earrings for the Day of the Dead Festival which took place a few weeks ago in Old Mesilla, NM.  They were very popular and sold very quickly.  I'm glad I decided to keep a pair for myself.  Aren't they adorable?
I took a short trip to San Antonio with a couple of friends to attend the TAEA (Texas Art Educators Association) Convention and boy did we have a blast.  Aside from learning new things at the conference, we spent our spare time at the Riverwalk.  I always enjoy going to San Antonio, I don't know why I don't do it more often. 
I hope you are enjoying yourself as you prepare for the holidays.  Happy Thanksgiving!

It has been a while

It has been a while since I last posted, I do apologize.  I have been overwhelmed with work and play.  It is the busiest time of the year for me, with all of the fall festivals and art shows. I am pictured at the Dia de los Muertos festival in Old Mesilla, NM.  which was held this past weekend.  A couple of my friends and I had booths and sold our wares, we dressed up both days as Catrinas.  We received huge amounts of attention and took photos with many people.  It was so much fun.
 I have also entered into another two galleries and that has really kept me on my toes.  I think, though, that I have bitten off more than I can chew (once again) with those two galleries.  I think it is time to reevaluate my decisions.
I'm getting ready for the TAEA convention, which is a convention for art educators.  I am going to have a booth one evening and will be selling my jewelry, which means a few more evenings preparing for this event.  I don't know about you, but I have to be in the right frame of mind to get into my studio to do jewelry, and it has been difficult to get into that mood lately.  Don't get me wrong, I still get into my studio, but lately the painting bug has been knawing at me.  I have created a few pieces (which I will show you soon) and am about to start another painting.  I go through these phases from time to time.  I'm either into jewelry or painting or sewing or baking or...
Well, either way, I will be in the studio preparing for this upcoming event, but I will be back soon.  Good night.

It has been a while since I've been by, but it has been for a good reason.  As a teacher, I do the majority of my work during the summer, so I have been hard at work.  These two pieces are a small example of the work I have been creating.  I very rarely create anything in blue, reds are more my style.  I have to say, though, that I like this blue.
I have joined two more  galleries and have left one.  Life is always full of changes, isn't it?  I just keep my vision forward and keep working away.  One of the galleries that I joined is in conjuction with six other friends, we have rented out a space in an area where other artists are also setting up shop.  We are having our opening on Friday, I will post pictures of our opening this weekend.  Wish us luck!
I hope you are having a wonderful evening. 

I just love these colors.  El Corazon is a very popular Loteria card.  I like it also, it is timeless.

Etsy has a new "about you" page where sellers can write about themselves and their work.  I have been going back and forth on what to write and what pictures to post.  I think I finally know what I am going to say about myself and my shop, but before I do I am going to visit a couple of shops just to see what everyone else is doing with this page.  Have you done your "about you" page?
On another note, summer vacations have finally begun for me. My second oldest has graduated from high school (where has the time gone?) and things are beginning to wind down after the celebration.  Now it is time to clean house (literally) and spend some much needed time in my studio.  I am planning on doing four out of town art markets and summer is the best time to replenish my inventory.  I also want to try my hand at a few new techniques this year, I would like to learn how to create resin pendants and fire enameling.  On top of all of this I am hoping to complete linoleum print.  Let's see if I can accomplish my goals this summer.

I spent the weekend creating these new pieces, along with a few others.  I am trying to increase production now that summer vacations are quickly approaching. 

I have my sights on a few out of town festivals this year and I usually spend the summer trying to increase my inventory. 

  If all goes well I will be traveling to Odessa, San Antonio, Fort Worth and Hollywood.  I've never sold in these festivals, but there is always a first time for everything.

Along with my pendants I am also beginning to make the beads for my necklaces.  The Madonna and Child piece has polymer clay beads that I created.  My goal is to have jewelry pieces that have more of my handmade components than not. 

I hope you are having a lovely week.

Bloom

Bloom where you are planted.  I created this piece while proctoring an ap exam (shhhhh, don't tell anyone).  I was paying attention, I promise.  I only had some sharpies to work with, but I do like the end results.  The only mistake I made was laying down some silver sharpie down, then trying to write.  The writing keeps fading away.  I will probably collage the words later.  Oh, I almost forgot to mention that I created three of the flowers by tracing a pair of scissors, can you see them?
Well, as for my sketchbook prompt, I have been trying to bloom where I am planted, but there are times when I want to pick up my roots and look for greener pastures.  For now though, I will continue to bloom and grow right where I am.

Happy Mommy's Day

I was up late last night finishing up some last minute orders for Mother's Day.  I took these pictures minutes before I climbed into bed.  I'm glad I did because my customer showed up bright and early for the pieces. 
It gives me great pleasure to know that something I created will be given as a gift on such a special day.  I hope the lucky moms that receive these gifts will like them.  Custom orders always make me so nervous.  The pressure to please and to do well is so high.  Well, all I could do now is hope they become treasured gifts.
Now I am sitting here in my kitchen, drinking a cup of coffee, while the rest of the family is slowly coming to life.  We will be heading off to visit my mom and enjoying the afternoon with my family.  We usually have a cookout or feast on some traditional Mexican food, but not this year.  My mom insisted on a turkey dinner.  That's right...turkey.  Anything to please my mom, and well, I do love turkey.
Happy Mommy's Day to all of the mothers in the world, to all women that want to be moms, but can't and to all the moms that have lost a child. 

quote

"We never know the worth of water till the well is dry"-T Fuller.  So true and of course this quote is a metaphore about life.    This challenge was inspired by nature (can you see my whales?) a quote and gesso.  I used all three, although not much gesso.  This piece is a collage and I painted only a little bit.  I enjoyed the process, but I was left wanting to add more of my own work.  I will make it a point to draw more on the next one.
Enjoy.

I've been in a slump lately.  You wouldn't know it by looking at the pictures above, but it took so much of my will power to make those pendants.  Many of those pendants are still sitting idly by, waiting to be turned into necklaces. 
Is it just me?  Do you ever go through "blue periods", for lack of a better description.  I go through my "rose periods" and then without warning there goes my energy.  It might be that the school year is almost over (5 1/2 weeks left) and I am beginning to count the days.  I keep thinking that once I am done with this school year I can dedicate my summer vacations to what I enjoy doing. 
Another reason I feel so blue is that my second born is graduating from high school.  I am beginning to worry about college tuition now that I will have two kids in college and it is time to buy another vehicle.  I keep telling myself to put it in God's hands, I will find a way. 
I'm going to tuck myself into bed, turn off the lights and go blog hopping.  Hopefully this will inspire me and get me out of the creative blues.
Goodnight.

entry

This sketchbook entry is inspired by details.  A year in the life of an art journal

http://oneyearartjournal.blogspot.com/  came up with this great prompt.  I have to admit that mine is not completely done, there are more images that I hope to add to my piece.  I decided to post it already or I run the risk of forgetting all about it. 
The empty circles you see there will hold images soon, I just need to find images that inspire me.  Not an easy task, I can be pretty "picky".

I'm taking a workshop given by Deryn Mentock at Something Sublime.  The workshop is on creating unique closures.  I just completed the first phase of the workshop and decided to incorporate it into my latest piece.  What you see there are two s-links and a wrapped eye.  I have to admit that it took two different attempts to decided which closure to use.  I hope to become an old pro as time goes by. 
I am also interested in trying new designs and using new techniques, so this year I decided to take as many workshops as possible to increase my knowledge and expand my repertoire. 
Davinci's Angel is on polymer clay, I have also used some small wooden beads and colorful red and purple beads.  I'm going to take it to the Artist's Market tomorrow, hopefully it will get some attention.

Journal Entry

For this month's sketchbook prompt from A Year In the Life...  I am suppose to journal about "Everyday".  I decided to journal about my Sunday in particular. 
My student and I were featured in our Sunday newspaper (well, mostly my student) which was a great way to start the day.  My student's art work will be displayed in our nation's Capitol in the summer and he and I will spend a week there.  We will  dine with our Congressman one evening. 
My husband then decided to treat me to some coffee at the Corner Bakery, where he and I had a delightful breakfast.  He then took me shoe shopping.  You know a man loves you when he walks around a store carrying your purse while you try on shoe after shoe :)
We then returned home to find my parents waiting for our return, it made me so happy to see them (hence the heart in the corner).  Later in the afternoon, my daughter invited me to get a leg massage and pedicure.  Can you see my foot towards the bottom?
After spending some time in my studio creating some jewelry, I sat down and had some delicious homemade soup with my husband.
I had such a great day that it felt newsworthy (well, at least to me) and therefore I created my entry to look like the front page of a newspaper.

Sometimes, when my students are busily at work, I find that I have to quench my creative thirst.  Since my students have been working on printmaking, I decided to create a few pieces for myself.  I was inspired to create these prints based on the pan dulce that was waiting for me at home.  I love pan dulce, it is the best, especially with a hot cup of coffee on a lazy Sunday morning, mmmmmm, is it Sunday yet?

The first print is done on a white sheet of paper, the second on a piece of fabric.  I am going to be participating in an exhibit and I do believe I will show one of these. 

Hope your week is going well.

New Piece

I spent the afternoon with my fractured foot propped up, in front of my work bench and came up with this beauty.  How did I fracture my foot?  Well...I dropped a weight right on it:(  The fracture is not that bad, all it got me was one day off of work, I'll be back to work tomorrow.  It felt good to sleep in and get some much needed rest, though.  After I had lunch, I decided to make my way to my downstairs studio. 
I made the pendant and beads out of polymer clay.  I really like the colors I used, they remind me of spring.  I just need to place the crimp covers on and it is all done. 
I felt inspired to create a few more, but the pain killers were slowly leaving my system and I thought it wiser to climb back into bed.
On another note, I am going to take an online course in a few weeks.  I'm soooo excited about it and looking forward to learning something new.  Deryn Mentock from Something Sublime is offering this class.  You can register for her class at http://somethingsublime.typepad.com/jewelry_works/the-art-of-closure.html

Stop by her blog to see some beautiful jewelry pieces. 
-Until next time.

This is my entry for today's sketchbook prompt "Childhood Memory".  Part of the prompt stipulated that it should be done in silhouette.  I actually used a page out of my sketchbook that I had worked on previously, but never finished. 
Let me explain how a donkey plays into my childhood memories.  My abuelitos were from Mexico and I would travel every summer to spend time with my abuelitos.  My abuelitos lived up in the mountains and had to retrieve water for the house from nearby rivers.  My abuelito would put some tin cans on his donkey, Chabelo's back and they would go retrieve the water.  Chabelo would go straight to the river without any direction from my abuelito, he knew where to go and which river to go to on specific days. 
I have several pictures of my abuelito and Chabelo, so whenever I see an image of a donkey, I can't help but remember my abuelitos and my summers in beautiful Mexico.  These memories are bitter sweet.  I haven't returned to my abuelitos home in over 20 years, but if I close my eyes I can still hear the sounds and see the sights.

These are two of my latest creations.  I am a big fan of Frida Khalo, her work appeals to me.  I give my high school students a lesson on Frida Khalo and the misconceptions that the kids have about her and her work are mind boggling.

I had a dream last night that I was a student and that I was creating two paintings.  I havn't worked on a painting since last Oct. and I am feeling the need to get my paint brushes.  What to paint, though.  In reality, I don't have time to paint.  Not with three months left of school, I should just wait for the summer.

Speaking of summer, I've been thinking of getting my masters.   As much as I enjoy teaching, it is not what I want to do for the rest of my life.  As an artist, I would love to retire early and make a living off of my work.  It is time to start working on my dreams.

Happy Anniversary

I love how you spoil me

I love how my flowes come to my classroom every year

I love you

Happy Anniversary my love

Imagine

A Year in the Life of an Art Journal prompt #2-I decided to play with colors for this prompt, mostly because I felt that I could not do the word 'imagine'  justice with a few chosen images.  There is no possible way to show all that I imagine on two pages of my sketchbook. If I put one thing that I imagine, what about the million other things that I imagine?    Well, I couldn't have that, now could I?   I'd like to imagine that the colors represent all of the things that are in my imagination.  What about you, what do you imagine?

I couldn't resist it, I just had to show you my bottle.  I will be meeting with my art group tomorrow and we will be swapping bottles that we "re-labeled".  We won't know what is in the bottles until we drink them, but I am mostly looking forward to seeing all of the great art work.
My bottle, as you can see, was inspired by The Death of Marat.  Marat was murdered by Charlotte Corday in 1793.  I thought it fitting that I surround Marat with women. 
I hope my bottle is well received tomorrow and that they also like the drink.  To be honest with you, I bought the bottle because of the color of the liquid, not the type of drink that was inside.  What can I say, I am an artist first.

At the downtown art market today on this beautiful sunny day.  I was to lazy to put my tent out, what was I thinking?  No shade under the El Paso sun, big mistake.  Half of my face is sun burned, although it looks as if I am wearing blush.  Ouch!  Even though we had more vendors come out today it took a while for the shoppers to come out.  The downtown art market is new to the city, I hope it continues to grow.  It is a great outlet for all of the creative minds of the city that usually have to drive to another city to sell their wares or put together seasonal craft shows.  If you are ever in the city, please stop by and say "hello".

My Word for the New Year

It took me a little longer to create my word for the new year, but there it is...PROSPER.  My goal is to prosper this year in all facets of my life.  As a wife, mother, teacher and small business owner I put so much of my time and energy helping others (as many of you probably do too) and I believe I need to put some of that energy back into myself and the things I love to do.  I will hopefully continue to be the person I have always been, but I now want to "prosper" in some of the endeavors I have set for myself..  Creating my art and my jewelry bring me so much joy and I would like to see that part of my life prosper.  I also want to make sure that my relationships with my friends and family continue to grow and prosper.
I also added a picture of last year's word...flight.
What is your word for the new year?