Current Happenings....

Keepin busy painting.....

Finished!!!!!!!!



Working and creating.



Start of deer skull study

End of day one...stay tuned for more!

Blast from the past

How many remember the commencement speech (later put to music): Everybody's Free (To Wear Sunscreen) by Baz Luhrmann? How wonderful and insightful his words were. If everyone was able to adopt just a few of his life lessons/advice to their own life, I think it would have a huge positive effect on your life outlook. Without further adieu:

Everybody's Free (To Wear Sunscreen)
by Baz Luhrmann

Ladies and Gentlemen of the class of ’99
If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be
it. The long term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by
scientists whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable
than my own meandering
experience…I will dispense this advice now. Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth; oh nevermind; you will not
understand the power and beauty of your youth until they have faded.
But trust me, in 20 years you’ll look back at photos of yourself and
recall in a way you can’t grasp now how much possibility lay before
you and how fabulous you really looked….You’re not as fat as you
imagine. Don’t worry about the future; or worry, but know that worrying is as
effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing
bubblegum. The real troubles in your life are apt to be things that
never crossed your worried mind; the kind that blindside you at 4pm
on some idle Tuesday. Do one thing everyday that scares you Sing Don’t be reckless with other people’s hearts, don’t put up with
people who are reckless with yours. Floss Don’t waste your time on jealousy; sometimes you’re ahead, sometimes
you’re behind…the race is long, and in the end, it’s only with
yourself. Remember the compliments you receive, forget the insults; if you
succeed in doing this, tell me how. Keep your old love letters, throw away your old bank statements. Stretch Don’t feel guilty if you don’t know what you want to do with your
life…the most interesting people I know didn’t know at 22 what they
wanted to do with their lives, some of the most interesting 40 year
olds I know still don’t. Get plenty of calcium. Be kind to your knees, you’ll miss them when they’re gone. Maybe you’ll marry, maybe you won’t, maybe you’ll have children,maybe
you won’t, maybe you’ll divorce at 40, maybe you’ll dance the funky
chicken on your 75th wedding anniversary…what ever you do, don’t
congratulate yourself too much or berate yourself either – your
choices are half chance, so are everybody else’s. Enjoy your body,
use it every way you can…don’t be afraid of it, or what other people
think of it, it’s the greatest instrument you’ll ever
own.. Dance…even if you have nowhere to do it but in your own living room. Read the directions, even if you don’t follow them. Do NOT read beauty magazines, they will only make you feel ugly. Get to know your parents, you never know when they’ll be gone for
good. Be nice to your siblings; they are the best link to your past and the
people most likely to stick with you in the future. Understand that friends come and go,but for the precious few you
should hold on. Work hard to bridge the gaps in geography and
lifestyle because the older you get, the more you need the people you
knew when you were young. Live in New York City once, but leave before it makes you hard; live
in Northern California once, but leave before it makes you soft. Travel. Accept certain inalienable truths, prices will rise, politicians will
philander, you too will get old, and when you do you’ll fantasize
that when you were young prices were reasonable, politicians were
noble and children respected their elders. Respect your elders. Don’t expect anyone else to support you. Maybe you have a trust fund,
maybe you have a wealthy spouse; but you never know when either one
might run out. Don’t mess too much with your hair, or by the time you're 40, it will
look 85. Be careful whose advice you buy, but, be patient with those who
supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia, dispensing it is a way of
fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the
ugly parts and recycling it for more than
it’s worth. But trust me on the sunscreen…

What are your opinions? Are there things you written here that you can apply to your own life? I would love to hear it!

Find beauty in the ugly

I found this pretty deceased butterfly in a gas station parking lot in Arizona; you can find beauty in the ugliest of places, in the most unexpected of times.

A Breath of Fresh Air

Hey everyone,

Its been awhile...incase you were wondering or having any doubts: I think you are a beautiful person inside and out.

Pay it Forward

Back in December I ordered a hot chocolate in the drive thru from Starbucks. When I pulled up the batista informed me that the lady in the car in front of me paid for my drink and wished me a Merry Christmas. I know it sounds cliche but it was one of those things that gave you a warm fuzzy feeling, that someone you don't even know can be so kind. So I did what anyone should do, I "payed it forward". I took the money I was going to buy my drink with, and applied it towards the girl behind me, I have since done this numerous times. I posted it on my facebook and lots of my friends did the same thing. When you pay something forward what you really are doing is spreading the kindness in a world that can quite honestly use alot more love. It doesn't even matter what you do: You can by someones meal or drink, compliment someones shirt, be extra friendly to the cashier who is ringing up your recent purchase, volunteer, when a stranger sneezes say "bless you"....there are infinite ways to spread kindness around, you just have to start somewhere. Get started today!

Thanks to goingplaces2 for letting me use her Collie Dog Art Print! Check out her shop at http://www.goingplaces2.etsy.com/

I got that boom boom pow!

This is for you, who is "you" you ask? Well its simply the person reading this at this very absolute moment. Don't believe me, then pick up a mirror and it will tell you the answer.

Life is meant to be lived. Live your life, don't worry about who is watching or what others may think. Dream it, create it. If you love it do it, if not-its simply not worth your time. Don't let others hold you back, ignore the naysayers. Aspire to amazing heights, don't be scared. You have wings, fly the distance. Love the simple things, enjoy nature. Love animals, believe it can happen. Take deep breaths, it was meant to be. If you don't like it change it. Bask in the sunlight, enjoy the rain. Walk in the moonlight, gaze at the stars. You are a star, don't let anybody tell you any different. Laugh, smile, cry when you want, don't hold back. It is what it is, so just let it go. Follow your heart, it will never disappoint you. The past is the past, the future is now. You are loved, I heart you-don't believe me-ask me then. Never have doubts, there are no mistakes. Never say never. Why walk when you can fly. I believe you can do it, I'm here for you, so are they. Cherish the day, seize the night. Go for it. You are amazing! The easy path isn't always exciting. Take an adventure, I will meet you there.

The lovely picture that I have featured is availble for purchase from a fellow etsy artist! Just check out the link below :)

http://www.etsy.com/listing/53081061/free-to-bearchival-beeswax-giclee-print?ref=sr_list_40&ga_search_query=fly+birds&ga_search_type=&ga_page=12&order=&includes%5B0%5D=tags&includes%5B1%5D=title

10 little facts about me:

I thought I would deviate from anything to do with art and fill you in on 10 little tidbits about me. (not to be mistaken for being self-centered, haha) I simply would like to fill in my followers about a few little known facts...Enjoy

1. I am very much in love with antique photos, I own a bunch. I recently bought 5 and lined them along this little shelf I have in my studio. Later that day I took them down because I felt like they were watching me...(I'm weird, I know it) And, yes I will continue to buy them as I come across ones that suit my fancy.

2. I'm fascinated with the chupacabra, big foot, ghosts, yetis and so on....Why, I have no idea...and to answer your question, I believe in them all....

3. I love buying antique things (in relation to fact #2, I have this fear that someday one of the things I buy will be haunted. This always crosses my mind before a purchase.)

4. I love Disney

5. I believe that the 50's were the classiest era

6. I love pin-up

7. I begged my husband to buy me a metal detector for Christmas. I always bring it with me to the desert when I go camping. (You laugh now, but I WILL find treasure muahaha) Its the gift that pays for itself.

8. When my husband and I ride our dirt bikes he gets annoyed that I have and stop to to investigate everything for unfound treasures... i.e. gems, gold, relics, fossils, petrified wood and bones. I once found a huge spine in the desert that I brought home; it now sits in my moms planter, haha. I also thought I found turquoise once and made him stuff these rocks in his motorcylce boots till we got back from our ride, it was only copper *tear*.

9. My favorite movie is Braveheart, and I love Mel Gibson (Yup, I said it)

10. This fact is already well known but, I believe that everyone should follow there dreams, live life with to regrets and speak the truth.

*Finding a petroglyph site that is thousands of years old in the desert*

(This counts in my treasure category)

Drooling Bunny and Messy Studio

I am making it my new goal to try to clean up my work area after I am done for the day. I pledge to clean it everyday no ifs, ands, or buts about it. (okay who am I kidding, this is sooo not going to happen) Don't even lie, you are the same way I am. I know your making all these false promises to your self about cleaning out your scrap drawer, you know its not gonna happen haha! Maybe I will just try to pick up like a bead or a sheet of antique music paper when I'm done, that sounds pretty reasonable. I think I need more pictures, this one is kinda crummy. Oh in case you were wondering, everyone NEEDS a drooling bunny in their studio. Its essential.

No air conditioning and my oddness...?!?

Why is it that most antique places have no AC!?! I'm baffled...its the majority of them. Its like a brazillion degrees outside and I'm on a third floor losing 5 pounds in sweat and getting ready to pass out from heat exhaustion. This past Saturday was one of those days, but this time I dragged my husband Matt along with me to suffer as well (I have to take someone else down with me). Anyways, that morning I decided to wear this fab lip gloss, (this is where my oddness comes into play) and they have all these HUGE fans blowing everywhere to keep it cool in these places. Well in my awesome mind I get this idea that these fans are kicking up all kinds of ancient dust and what-not, which is then sticking to my glossy lips. I then became grossed out at the thought. Upon leaving I then proceeded to wipe my lip gloss off on the inside of my husbands shirt sleeve so that I would be able to even go in the next place. I could not be deterred from finding my treasures! (What?? his shirt was black! You would have done the same) Anyways, on a final note...Matt is pretty rad for putting up with me and my antics....I will keep you posted on any further happenings.