Word of the Year

I've been doing the word of the year for several years now and also assign it to my high school art students. It remains one of my favorite sketchbook assignments and also that of my students. This year I decided to choose TRANSFORM as my word. Can you see the word on the butterfly? After taking a good long look at myself (spiritually, emotionally and physically) I decided my physical being needs some transforming. I have fallen into some very bad eating habits and have the body to show for it. I must transform myself into a healthier me. I think I will make a copy of this piece and tape it onto my refrigerator door. Transform Acrylic on paper

I created this piece two months ago and entered it into an exhibit and art competition. I'm happy to say that I won first place! I thoroughly enoyed making this piece and will probably attempt another one soon. Hope you are enjoying the new year!

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.