More Sunday creations

Here's a quick carving I did for an ATC (artist trading card) swap, and the finished ATC.
The challenge was to incorporate only the following elements:

shades of brown/and or blue
a face
rhine stones
rubber stamp
a triangle
fabric

I like the way the carving came out -- simple, but expressive. It's a neat medium -- I can make anything custom that I need, or think of. And I find that the stamps look better than bought ones.

I feel the best of me when I sit at my art table and create. Glue and pencils and scissors and water color, crayons and stamps and sponges and brushes; so many colors and images and patterns. Before I know it, 2 or 3 hours have gone by. The dog sleeps in my arm chair, the cat is curled up on her pillow, I listen to the radio and I truly feel peaceful.
Todays' creation is a page for a deco ( a small handmade book that gets sent around to different artists to decorate a page) in the style of "zettiology".
More on that here, if you are interested: www.teeshamoore.com

And yet another bug!

Todays' mystery bug:
This was also caught at work. Some kind of giant fly. It's about one and a quarter inch long.
I'm glad next week is ocean week in my class room.
::smile:::

Addition: This seems to be a type of annual cicada, also known as DogDay Harvest Fly.

Good things about living in the South, part 4

Old Barns
I pass this on my way to work every day. It looks like a mouthful of loose teeth to me. I love that old structure -- and it seems to be in use, still.

Bug update!

My sweetie, who is ever so web savvy, found out for me what my bug is:
Meet the female Dobson Fly.
Here is a picture of a male (on the left) and a female, and a hellgrammite, which is what they start out as.
Good bug info here: http://whatsthatbug.com/
Strange world.
Ok, enough bugs. At least for today.

Good things about living in the South, part 3

GIANT Bugs!!

I caught this creature at work -- it is bug week! It was about two inches long and I have never seen anything like it. Anyone know what it is? It had wings like a dragon fly, a body like a caterpillar, and pinchers like a beetle. No, it wasn't a cockroach!
( We did let it go after keeping it in the bug catcher in the science area for a day. It seemed relieved.)
Honestly, the bugs I see down here are really something. I marvel at the delicacy of their wings and their colors, and yet they give me a bit of the creepy crawlies. Especially now that I sparked the children's interest in insects, and they constantly hand me crawly critters, ""Maestra, Maestra! mira!" (Teacher, Teacher, look!) Like a good teacher, I accept the bugs in my hand and we look at them together. They are part of our world too. The creepy crawly part.
:::chuckle:::

Addition: My co-worker Terry says that locally they are known as "Grampas" and make good bait for bass fishing. And yes, they do pinch.

Leaf stamp carving

I finished this leaf design today. It's carved in linoleum, printed with black ink. I think I need to get some other kind of ink, though, I had trouble getting a half way decent print. Overall, I like the way it turned out. Well, I like all things TREE ...

...and just one more picture

...because she is sooo adorable!

How messy is YOUR art space??

Mine could certainly use a little organizing....

black and white deco page

Collage doodle with black and white textured paper for a deco.
The muse took a nap today.

Good things about living in the South, part 2

The new hair cut


Fiona admires her Mommy


....and critiques the style


I think changing your hair cutter is worse than changing your doctor. I'm still trying to find a good stylist here. Today I tried someone new. I liked her, and its a good cut, except she blow dried all my curls out! I had to go home and put lots of hair goop in my hair to feel like myself again. I commented on living in the bible belt, and how different that was from the Northwest.
Her comment:" Honey, it's not the belt!! It's the buckle with all the rhinestone and blinking lights that's the problem!" I have to say that was rather refreshing to hear.
Her co-worker in the next chair over proceeded to tell me and her client all about her surgery ad nauseum, and when she needed both hands to style, she stuck the bottle of hair spray between her legs, where it protruded -- well, you all get the picture.
I LIKED them! Now there was a sense of humor I could relate to. Think I'll go back, but with a picture of what I really want to look like!

Dancing in the moonlight....

Celestial Clockwork

One for Meander

Mind's eye view of Myrtle Beach, earlier this year.
Wish I was there...
photograph/water color pencils/ sponge print

Some night thoughts --
It's quiet tonight. I can hear the cicadas, and the dog is sighing in her sleep. I like coming here.
To blog world... I can show the world I exist. And I see others too, looking, wandering by on "next blog" road. Strange world. We meet people on a screen, and may pass them on the street and not know.

Time flies

Where does the time go?
A whole work week has almost passed, and I have no art work to show for it! Not even a doodle! I can't wait for the weekend. I get up, go downstairs, where my art space is, and the sun streams through my window, and I get to create, create, create. Bliss, bliss, bliss.

Anyhow, a wonderful morning to you from me and my furry kids!