Woolnimals

I'm honored to have been approved to list my shop among other amazing, eco-conscious artists over at Cosa Verde. Cosa Verde (Spanish for "green thing")is a sort of hub, if you will, of eco-friendly Etsy (and other online shops) artists. You don't buy directly from the Cosa Verde shop, but instead, the interested buyer is linked directly to the Etsy shop. It's basically more exposure - but exposure to a specific "green" market. I really love the site and the artists it hosts, and am so thrilled to be among them. You can check out my Cosa Verde store by clicking here! Celebrate GREEN THINGS!

I've had some really, really late nights lately - as a result of heat, coffee late in the day (bummer), and having a great deal on my mind. I'm gearing up to take a couple of weekends away to the ocean in July, which will be so revitalizing. A few nights here and there I've been up painting - which is a rare thing for me. Last night, I watched a spider catching bugs and eating them for nearly two hours. I think the summer heat makes me wistful and calm - and unfortunately sleepless, because I'm so tired today. Wah! In among other things I have been needle felting and re-photographing my creatures for my Etsy shop. It was starting to look a little dull, so I took some better pictures. The fox and hedgehog are new - and the reshoot of the mouse looks really cute. I'm quite pleased with it. More blog updates and happenings when my eyes uncross! Keep Smiling!

I've been trolling around Etsy and finding some amazing little watercolors done by talented artists. I really love illustrations of animals or children with animals - and I thought that perhaps it was time to make my way back to watercolors. I've spent a lot of time understanding how animals work in the 3-D sculptural world - which I think has aided my drawing skills. Usually it's the other way around, right? Last night I tried to paint a lion at about midnight (I was wired and couldn't sleep), and I messed his face up pretty badly - despite the fact that he looked lovely otherwise. I thought to myself: "Self, you can do this!" So I painted a polar bear. And a bee. And a pig, Canada goose, and mouse. I love them! I realize that practice makes perfect - and I will begin offering original ACEO-sized watercolor paintings in my shop soon. I will continue needle felting - but it's time to stop being afraid of watercolors. It's quite hard to photograph and...

I'll be doing a couple of proper blog posts soon!

I just did a new treasury! I haven't done one in days! I love this one... Ode to My Inner Child!

Mephitis mephitis ! This lovely skunk is now available in my shop!

As everyone already knows, I love Etsy. It's my favorite place to buy gifts for others, and every now and then I buy myself a little treat too. I have been nothing but pleased with every purchase I've made on Etsy...until now. Meet Hamilton the Pig: I am not simply "pleased" with this purchase...he is hands down my favorite purchase ever! I bought him from Knitted for Ewe on Etsy after reading this blog post on Nicole's Knitting Blog. Hamilton is made from bubblegum pink yarn - upcycled from a thrifted sweater. He's so plump and squishy and fat and pink that I can barely stand it. I brought him to a Father's Day picnic at Charlotte Beach in Charlotte, Vermont - and he enjoyed the lake views and being hugged by my husband's entire family. His first adventure was hanging out on the dock, catching some sun. And my husband may love him even more than me. Here he is posing proudly with our new piglet... I think Hamilton has a lot of adventures ahead of...

Finishing this skunk has been an uphill battle. Did you know skunk tails are white with a black stripe? I didn't, and had to re-do his tail. I'm hoping to finish him up this weekend...

My husband's brother works on a delightful biodynamic farm in Shelburne, Vermont. It's called New Village Farm and we have a farm share/CSA with them. Periodically, we pick up sausage, raw milk, and eggs. When the veggies finally come up - we'll be happier than pigs in mud. Speaking of which....there are a LOT of animals on the farm. Let's meet them, shall we? The chickens are free range. This one was running along the road... We were greeted by his Majesty upon exiting the car. I told him if he attacked me, we'd have problems. He was a nice guy though. Besides a million chickens, there are goats... ...smiling goats.... ...goats behaving badly... ...baby goats... ...chickens...oh, wait - we already went over this. There are chickens EVERYWHERE! And a beautiful horse that must endure the chickens running around everywhere. He'd just rolled around in some mud and needed a brushing. I loved him. This Mama Hen is taking care of some foster chicks. The mom was ea...

I have a busy weekend ahead of me - two birthday parties and helping my mom add some lovely decals to the walls of her preschool classroom - but I have high hopes that at some point I'll get some needle felting done. My wish list: 1 skunk (he's almost done!) 1 owl 1 koala bear mini 1 squirrel As ususal, I'm reaching for the stars here, but hopefully I'll find some time... I'm still feeling under the weather, so probably my best bet will be lots of tea and sleep. Boring, but necessary.

I think I'm coming down with my once-yearly summer cold. Body hurts. Scraggly throat. Tired. Grumpy. Ugh. Here is a picture of something ridiculously cute to make me (and you) happy. This original illustration is entitled "I'm Floating" and can be purchased (as a gift for me only) at Runaway Dreams on Etsy. I really want this in my studio, but I can't afford it. I'm hoping for MY sake that it's still available in a couple of months. I'm hoping for THEIR sake that they sell it right away. He's just so adorable. I love how he's barely off the ground, but so pleased with himself. I hope I feel better soon. *sad face*

Etsy is quiet. Blogs are quiet. I am very, very quiet today. I ended yesterday with a steaming mug of honey/lemon/ginger tea. My husband grates the ginger just so for me. He squeezes in the right amount of lemon. The honey's just right. It sent me off to dreams about huge houses and sun-filled windows. I'm working on a skunk that looks nothing like anything else I've made - he's cute, but refined. I've also been sketching birds with colored pencils: And here is my sketchbook - with the last of the Bird on Wire paintings I ever did...Maybe I'll do more someday - but for now, this is the final piece in a series of about 275 - all of which have sold and are hanging on walls all over the world. I like it better that way. I have a few hanging in my bathroom (weird - I know), but they are a dying breed. I hope everyone is smiling - and that the hubbub of crafting and blogging picks up again when everyone is ready. Keep Smiling!

I love my art studio. For a long time it was our spare bedroom, but over the last few months or so it has been completely transformed into my art space. I feel badly for my husband, who doesn't have a lot of room to himself, but when we buy a house next year, we'll be sure he has a room for his hobby as well. Since my studio is in the state of flux (aka: messy), I'm doing a studio tour a little at a time. I thought I'd show off my favorite shelf. This is above my desk and is a collection of some of my favorite things. Let's take a closer look... ACEO print of a lop-eared rabbit by Suzanne Le Good. Three ceramic bunnies from Song and Branch Studio. A random penguin and my favorite picture of me at 5 - taking a moment out of professional portraiture to pet a cat. One has to have priorities! My family of skunks from Song and Branch Studio. Ah...one of my favorite Etsy trades. This is the Moon Dancing Hares Theatre from Under the Stair Studios. I traded Kat for ...

I will be updating my Etsy shop today with a wee brown bunny, a Canada goose, and a little grey mouse with flowers in her hair. I had a lot of fun making these this little friends - especially the goose, who has been dancing around in my imagination for a while.