It Ain't That NewNew

So as promised! Here is some art. Not really new. Although it is new to most of you. Tody finally scanned some of my sketches so I could start getting them online. I'm thinking about getting some of them printed so I can frame them in some upcycled frames and sell them through my Etsy!

They were going to be the start to my Tumblr, but I had a different idea that will lend itself better to that layout. Hopefully that will be up and running either this evening or tomorrow. I'm hoping to get it done today since it is my short day with the pups and tomorrow I have art plans with my partner in crime.

Which if you haven't seen our latest pictures, check them out!  They turned out amazing and it was a blast to go to our old elementary school and run around in the dark. It was great being there with Tody since that used to be our exact stomping grounds! That's where we met. That's where the dynamic duo first began, although back then we were not as close and it was more about causing destruction and less about adding beauty. It actually wasn't until after we had graduated that Kona & Tody were born and we discovered we were meant to make art together.

Tody is getting his new lens soon. He got an early Christmas present; a 50mm f/1.8 lens.. Can you tell I copied and pasted that from his facebook? I have no idea about lenses, or camera's, or anything technical. I would be lost without him and Mr. Prez. You know, that's probably why I am so attracted to technical people. That is where I am significantly lacking. That is why my job fits me so well. No batteries required!

Except in my point and shoot, which I almost always take on my walks. There is so much to see outside, but I usually find myself shooting my dogs. Some of them I just find beautiful and it's like they were meant to be behind my lens.

Tody and I decided the Sidehounds I walk are amazing. They are so sweet and gentle and amazingly handsome dogs. They don't bark that often and they just look like they came straight from a movie set. They walk tall and sit pretty like show dogs. They make my work day go by super fast. Our walks always seem just a little too short.

So new new stuff soon! I found a printer with  a scanner, so hopefully the time between getting a piece finished and getting it on the computer will shorten. It needs to! I have drawings from almost a year a go I still haven't found the time to scan. I need to get on it.
Love you guys!!

Sitting In Front of The Fire

...not really. I'm sitting with my feet against my small space heater. It's freezing this early in the morning! I don't want to go in my warm bed with my warm Mr. Prez though... I won't want to get out of it in an hour or so for work! I know myself. So it's just safer to stay up when I get home from my night job until I have to go to work again. And I just couldn't will myself to go to the store this morning for creamer or juice or anything, so I don't have anything to drink, but hopefully that will force me to leave early for work to grab something...

I made jewelry with the kids I watch last night. It was fun. It was a little over the 4 year old's head but he liked my sparkly plastic beads I had left over from some past Relay For Life event. I've been trying really hard to bring more art over to my night job. I need to utilize all the extra time I have now that I have my shop up and running. I need to be constantly producing and experimenting and creating. And it will be good for me.

Usually once I get past the initial laziness of not even grabbing my stuff to take with me it's pretty easy to make myself work when I have it. But now even that is getting hard. I have a pretty cushy job, most night's I don't even see the kids I'm getting paid to watch. They are already in bed for school in the morning. I only see them two nights a week most normal weeks. So you would think with all that free time and quiet space to myself I would be incredibly productive, not so much. Her calm house is a little too calming at times and my new bed time has become 9pm! It's a physical fight with myself to make myself alert after 10pm. Unless I am already heavily caffeinated I just can't keep my focus there for more than an hour or two. So needless to say I am still working on the same watercolors I have been chugging along on for weeks and I only made one new piece of jewelry last night!

I guess last night was an exception because I should have known as soon as I broke out the beads my little crafty girl would be all up in my grill. The sight of my collection made her stop in the middle of a sentence! Being 11 means not having nice things yet. Yet you're old enough to want for them. I'll probably let her make something for herself. Last night she spent all her time oohing and aahing over single beads then meticulously putting them back where she found them.
 

All these necklaces can be found in my shop! Thanks for the support guys. It means a lot.

Tree Thoughts

My migraines are officially back. I've been trying to fight through them for about 2 weeks now, but yesterday I had to cancel plans because I just couldn't bring myself to get off the couch. I felt like someone was pulling my hair really hard and it made it hard to even open my eyes. This happens every year. Seasonal migraines... which often leads to seasonal depression and unmotivation and lack of self esteem since there is a lack of creating. It is hard to deny that my art is my life when it is so integral to my mood and general self worth. I don't feel like I am myself when I am depressed. I am some lesser, inadequate, unattractive, usually much more rude version of me. And I hate it. So since I am aware that my migraines often facilitate my depression I am trying really hard to not let it happen this season. I have too much going on. I don't have a day off, I don't have the time to waste being any less than my best right now. 

I have been feeling a lot better in the past few months. I was really hoping to avoid these headaches all together this year. I thought I might get my wish earlier this month, but I think it was the odd late summer we got here in the Northwest that gave me false hope. Usually the fall season hits us, as it should, in Mid September. But this year we were having summer days all the way up to mid November! Our winter just started, most of us haven't even had a chance to see snow yet.

 

 I have felt the coldness creep in though. Since I am out walking pups for at least an hour every day I am starting to yearn for Spring when everything starts getting new growth again. Nearly all of the Autumn leaves have fallen and are turning to dark brown mush on the sides of the roads. So the few chances the sun does show it's face there is no avoiding it. It shines through all the dead looking trees and glistens off all the wet rotting leaves on the ground making outside unbearably bright when you compare it to how unbearably cold it is. When there is that much light outside it really needs to be warmer. 

Now the only trees that are left looking alive are all the trees that look like Christmas trees. So no matter where you go there is always a subtle subconscious reminder that this month you are going to be broke. Since that is honestly what Christmas means once you hit 19 years old.. It's just another month you still have to pay rent, an extra large power bill, internet, and you have to go out and blow tons of money on gifts and shit for the holidays.

So I decided to distract myself from all these tree thoughts I have by painting. I've been noticing all these perfect little places to paint. Like I have stumbled upon a natural unused frame! Well... the first one I found wasn't natural. Someone had carved out a rectangle of bark from a tree and I just couldn't resist painting it really fast.  Turned out pretty shitty but I was rushing with a hand cut stencil on paper and some rough acrylic paint.  I just needed something to brighten up my cold gloomy day. 

Conversation In Draft

So for those of you that don't know I made an Etsy account!

And what is on your Etsy account?

My art... so far it is just some paintings and jewelry. It is definitely a work in progress. It's proving to be more difficult that I anticipated. I'm trying to sign up for a PayPal account right now. I think I did it right. I guess I will find out in a day or so. They have to verify your account by depositing a few bucks into it. A little weird, but whatever. I need it so people can order my stuff all online with their cards. Who sends checks or money orders these days.. really? Here... if you want to check out what I have so far.
The Banner isn't done, I want to add an elephant design to it. But it's a slow process
That's great! Think it's going to be great once everything is all done!!! I should have my Etsy site up and running by the end of next week just in time for those Holiday shoppers!!! I'm hoping that since the pictures we take are so unique, they will be eye grabbers and people will notice them. Any publicity will be good. 
No kidding. If you haven't seen the photos Tody and I take you can check them out on his Blog. I don't post our light photos that often. They're never uploaded to my computer so I never bother. I figure our blogs overlap quite a bit and we have the same followers, just about... You guys already know our deal. And if you haven't figured out, this is a convo between us. It's just easier to get our ideas out this way and for once you guys can see our process. The Kona and Tody method to art making.. lol.
Hahaha Found this on Blythe's blog:

This video is so tight! Hahahah! I'm not a big Macklemore fan but this video rocked! Here's a couple light pictures Kona and I have taken over the last week: 

This picture was taken in Bremerton at a small preschool park on Elizabeth ST.

This has pretty much been our life lately. Setting up blogs, web accounts here and there, making ads, doing art, editing pictures and spell checking. There aren't enough hours in the day to be online. Who knew this would become my life. I used to fight having to use the computer so much. I wanted to make all my art by hand and I wanted my photos and creations to be natural and organic. Now I am scheduling Twitter time and making sure I have internet where I go and trying to figure out how to cram a few more minutes of chatting with potential clients while I should be getting ready to go to my real day job. But it's fun. I never knew but this is exactly how I want to be spending my twenties. I think I am finally on the right path. 

Today has been productive for both Tody and I. He set up his domain name today and made himself a Facebook page for our pictures! So I followed suite and made one for myself. I need to wait for my next paycheck to register my domain and start putting up ads, but that's my next step. I'm excited. It's nice having another person going through all this with me, its hard to keep myself motivated.

So keep an eye out in the next few weeks. Things are about to get exciting!

Puppy Love

Sorry I've been gone so long. I was sick over the holiday and it's been a long journey back. My clients, Mr. Prez and, Tody have been the only light in my dreary life lately. Although I have had my hands glued to my pens lately. And that has felt good too. I'll show you some drawings in my next post. For now I just wanted to show you guys some of the cuties that have stolen my heart in the past few months.

 Want to see more tongue? Lol.. This is how I spend my day. With these guys... They are actually great inspiration. My little matted muses'.

 Sorry for disappearing. I know I do that a lot. But I'll have art to show you tomorrow. 

Pay It Forward

I had an unusually good morning considering I slept horribly last night. My mind refused to settle, it was full of plans and ideas and worries and lists. Then I was texted out of my restlessness about dying fish and bitchy girlfriends, which had more in common in my mind than probably true and it was making it hard to concentrate. Or maybe it was the fact that it was after 4am... I listened to my overly type A boss rant about personal problems at 6am which helped me wake up a bit. And when she had strayed so far off on some random tangent that I felt confident she would never navigate her way back to her original point (which was about a guy at her job, but for some reason we were talking about orange drop cookies) I hurriedly changed the subject to the weather and my cold cold car outside. By then it was nearly 7am... but that's actually relatively good for her. Her therapy is venting and I'm her captive audience 5 days of the week.

So that was my mediocre start to my day... but once outside it was like a winter wonderland. Don't get excited, it wasn't snow. But the frost was so thick it looked that way at fist glance. It was beautiful. The sun was starting to come up so the lighting was perfect and the birds were reverberating off every icy wall. Outside was an amazing symphony of morning sounds. My car was of course frozen shut and it was like sitting in an icebox once I got in. So I played Mario on the DS while I waited for my car to warm up. Probably 5 minutes went by (I got a star!) and someone scared me half to death. All of a sudden something hit my windshield and started scraping my ice off. It took me a minute to see anyone then a chubby face appeared in the hole he'd just made, smiling like the Cheshire Cat. Some guy warming up his car had seen me get in mine and he said he just watched my car for what seemed like forever and nothing happened so he decided to help. He proceeded to scrape all the glass on my vehicle and waved, smiled and left. It made my morning!

It really did. I hope that guy realizes he made my boring start turn into a wonderful morning. He made me really want to do something nice for someone else today. Pay it forward... and hopefully that person will pass it along too. It's a contagious feeling. 

My Boy

I had an impromptu date with my pup today. I was struck with an idea while I was walking a client this morning and it made me want to bring my boy back to that park with my camera. I knew he would love the foot deep sea of leaves on the ground.

And sure enough he was a mad man. He barely stayed still for two seconds. But I managed to capture some good shots as he darted around the leaf garden.

He was a good sport. He always is. He was clueless to what I was doing the most of the time. Everything else was more interesting than me. That's fine. Find out Monday the real reason I was at that park. 

I can't tell you but I was too excited about it not to post a little hint to it.. lol. I'm weird. I know. I have to go to work. Till tomorrow...

Listening To Some Biggy at 8am

So I'm obsessed with this song...

It's been getting me through my morning. I decided to stay up when I got home from work instead of my usual routine of taking a quick nap with Mr. Prez before I have to go to my second job. But I just have too much going on today, I don't have time to nap. Although other than my online to do list... I haven't really been all that much more productive than normal. Everyone is asleep, so there's not much I can do. Dishes, vacuuming, and cleaning the bathroom would all be too loud for the boys. I know if I try to clean out my cupboards I'll end up dropping stuff and making a cacophony in the kitchen out of mere subconscious spite. I'm uncontrollably self destructive like that for some reason. So I'm hiding from my own overpowering ways in the office. Youtube has still helped me from being silent in here... I can't seem to just enjoy the quiet. Oh well.

So I have been painting with watercolor for the past week, and it's fun. I think I found a new skill to work on. I never stick to one medium for that long, so we'll see how long this one lasts. Want to see some ipod pics? Here...

This was something I sold a few months ago through the Sunflower Gallery

And the fish plate currently resides at Mom & Erich's

Whirlwind

This week has flown by and I feel like I have just gone along for the ride. I have been working hard on Christmas presents and thinking hard on Thanksgiving. I can't believe it is less than a week away. I have a fun weekend project in store to get me ready for the holiday at my apartment. Luckily I get that day half off.. I don't have to walk puppies. But I do have to pick up the kids and take them home and work all night. You can't get everything you want I guess.

I don't have any pictures right now. I know.. shame on me. I've just been too scatterbrained to be on top of that. I have all my pictures in random spots on different people's computers so I just wanted to check in and let you know I'm still chugging along. I haven't abandoned you again.. this creative streak wasn't that short lived. I'm still working. I actually really like what I'm currently working on and I hope to have more of an update later. If they look good when I finish more I might have something to start my Etsy account with.

Speaking of which... that is on my agenda for next week.Tody and I are going to work hard and get all my art pictures organized so I can really get to selling. I'm excited and ready to let go of some of this art.

So I hope to show you my fun leaf project tomorrow. I'm back to  my old candle making ways. Although hopefully a lot less messy this time. 

Yay For Elephants

Tody went on an adventure today to find elephants and he succeeded! 

I have this cream dispenser. 

And I need this mug!

They make me happy. 

My Hero

today is my best friend Cody Rate Stewart! He rescued my pictures from my cracked, battered and lifeless Ipod. I guess its heaven is thinking it is a camera... since that's what his computer read it as. But it gave back my pictures. Guess we really can't take anything with us to heaven. That's good.
So here are some great pics of us he recovered!

I am so grateful! So periodically I can show you guys what I was up to while I was on hiatus from the internet.

London Fog

Have you ever tried on a London Fog raincoat? One of those long lush vintage ones with the rich thick fabric and the heavy buttons? I have always wanted one. I found one once at St Vinny's but it was too small so I had to leave it for the next special bargain searcher who happened to be a bit smaller than I. But those coats are the image of fall in the Northwest to me. This morning I couldn't get those raincoats out of my head as I navigated my way through the fog. The little bit of cars that were out at 6am were disappearing before my eyes as they got only yards ahead of me. It was strangely comforting, like being in your own private cloud that hid you from the rest of the world.

Kitsap Fog. Doesn't sound as luxurious, but still has its mystic. And perhaps an underlining dangerous vibe... just because of the area. Makes for alluring pictures though.

The leaves caught my eye too. They have been for some time now but I've just been too distracted and lost in space to stop and really look. I've only been giving them passing glances and fleeting thoughts of how pretty a picture that would make then going on my busy way. So today I took a few snap shots. It's a wonder how something so lifeless and cold can hold so much fiery passion before it decomposes and becomes one with the earth again.

Then  saw something that made me laugh out loud like a kid at 7am as I was wandering aimlessly around my neighborhood. Oh the joys of being a tortured youth... someone's parents out there are just thrilled at how popular their child must be.

Gone are the days of throwing the nerd's shoes up a power line... this generation puts Razor's in trees. 

I'm Tentatively Stepping Back In The Ring

Sup?
Anybody still there?

Well I am still milling around for those that have wondered. I don't have anything substantial to show you. Although I can direct you to some great photography I have at least had my hand in. But lately my life has consisted of walking 2 to 3 hours a day being led aimlessly around the county by furry four legged friends then crashing on my friend's couch to hold her house down while her little one's sleep and she keeps our roads safe. I've managed to sneak in my creative ventures though. Here and there.. when I have the mental capacity to. And hopefully with this little push in the artistic direction that my amazing Mr. Prez has given me (by means of relinquishing his laptop to me) I'll slowly settle back into my old habits here of sharing my artistic triumphs and failures with the world.
I wish I had pictures to show you, but, sadly... my one means of documenting my random works of art has been ruined. My beloved ipod touch bit the dust a few weeks ago. And with it went all of my ideas, pictures, saved links to projects I wanted to try my hand at, and my precious precious Instagram family. How I miss them... But I'm recovering. I've decided to jump back into Blogging and see if that helps sooth the pain of my missed instant gratification.

So stay tuned. I've found my camera. And somehow my motivation for the time being...  

Are You Still Listening?

So as this blog lay dormant so did my creativity. I'm not sure why the two are so closely related, something about habitual muscle memory probably. I have trained my brain to need to vent out my creativity. So when I'm not unloading there is nothing to unload. Which is why it gets so hard to start up again. When there is nothing to talk about it is hard to force monologue. But when I am all bottled up I can't create anything to show you guys. It's. A cyclical mess I've gotten myself into. But I refuse to let this blog go.