My Cosmopolitan Diary

My November Cigar Box Decoupage Addiction

2011-12-18T22:32:00.001-05:00

Other than my calendar I have been working on a bunch of cigar box decoupage pieces. All of this artwork is decoupaged on some part of a cigar box- some are lids and others are the box part. I LOVE the results. The colors are even more fabulous in real life, but that's how it always is. I am going to post some of these pieces in my Etsy shop for $95. As of right now they are all available. If you see a particular "Kaegi" original that you would like to add to your collection, please contact me and I will reserve the piece.

From the Shop of Painted Fish Studio

2011-12-05T09:00:00.000-05:00

Last year Jen of Painted Fish Studio came to visit and brought some of her goods to sell at my local street fair. One of her "Hello Journals" was bought by my daughter, who as you can see, has given it a lot of love. People always show pictures of new products, and I love the idea of the untouched, but even more, I like to see what has transpired with the item sold. Where is it sitting? Does it make the owner think of the creator? Does it put a smile on someone's face? When an owner of one of my artworks tells me how happy they are to see it in their house every day, it puts a smile on my face. There is nothing better than passing a little goodness on to another person.

There are a couple of reasons why I bring this up. Jen has brought a lot of goodness and inspiration into my life and I love to catch up with her during her "twice a year NYC pilgrimages". She and I tour the city well. Walk and shop a little, sit for lunch and wine, walk and talk a little more, and then oh you've guessed it, another glass of wine. NYC is a good place for that kind of tour considering there is a bar on every corner.

Recently while drinking one of these glasses of wine Jen asked, so how's the calendar going? I told her it wasn't, but I realized that I HAD TO DO IT. And she's one of the biggest reasons why. To honor that well needed kick in the butt, I wanted to drop a hint about Jen's creations, and her shop, and how wonderful it is to find just the right gift for a special loved one, especially one who likes paper products. She's put a smile in my life, let her put a smile in yours:)

How to Draw Yorkies

2011-12-02T15:19:00.002-05:00

How to Draw Yorkies -- powered by ehow

Pure Potentiality 2012 Calendar and AEDM 4-30

2011-11-30T19:01:00.002-05:00

YAY! I have been so busy this year and had decided not to do my annual calendar, until people started coming out of the woodwork asking "How's you're calendar going?". The first person who had asked I could shrug off, but after the fifth or sixth person, I knew people were expecting it and I couldn't disappoint. Well here it is, the best yet. If you would like to order, please contact me personally via email or phone- pkaegi at gmail dot com or click the icon on the side of the blog and it will take you to Paypal. There are two choices- a letter sized calendar on heavy glossy paper that when open measures 11"x17" for the price of $20 and a large size on linen paper that is 13.5"x19 for the price of $35. I will be sending the calendars out late next week (around December 10th), so if you order now, expect them mid month. If the calendar is a gift, please tell me and I will wrap it and include a note for the recipient. All of the above paintings are 9.5"x11.5" gouache on paper and they are for sale for $175 each. If you would like to invest in one of these original artworks, please contact me. January (Girl on Bike), February, (Birthday at Red Bow), June (Weiss Stock), September (Beach Scene), November (Bridge Lessons), and December (Black Lab) have already been sold.

Art Every Day #4 (Friday)

2011-11-04T20:13:00.001-05:00

I was showing some of my students (1st graders) my sketchbook, and once they saw the the chibi characters, they wanted to learn how to draw them. So chibitime began, and let me tell you, some of the children drew them all weekend long (like my daughter- I woke up Sunday morning to find a table full of chibis and it makes me so excited that she retained so much of the information!). So one of my creative outflows for Friday was teaching students chibi characters that they ADORE! And of course, my results above, which now hang in the front door of the studio. Below are some of my daughter's chibis.

ART EVERY DAY # 1,2,&3

2011-11-03T22:11:00.002-05:00

Well, I'm back (at least for now;) I am going to try to participate as best I can in Art Every Day Month masterminded by Leah Piken Kolidas. I hopped on that train at the last minute, and my biggest challenge isn't creating, but actually posting pictures of the dang things... I mean lovely creations of course. So the above is AEDM#1- sketches that I did to prepare for a How to Draw video for eHOW. I tape thirty videos in one session, so I like to sketch out all my drawings beforehand. I had no clue what a chibi was, but now I do (as shown above). I would post the video so you can see that I actually completed it, but it's not out yet.

Above is AEDM#2...in the midst of everything else, I've been working on 23 cigar box creations and I finished gluing my last one yesterday. Now I get to go back to them all and add my acrylic touches. I'm sure I will post more on this as it is consuming 25% of my life (a lot).

Last, but not least AEDM#3, A SKETCHBOOK! (Do you hear the angels singing in the background?) It's because I finished it, finally. I bind all my sketchbooks because I am a particular about my paper (Ever tried using watercolor on paper in a sketchbook with drawing paper?- YUCK. And even worse, purchasing a watercolor sketchbook for $25 and getting 10 pages? Double yuck. So I bind my own.) I love binding my sketchbooks, because it has two meanings, letting go of my previous sketchbook- a chapter closed, but not forgotten, and a opening a new sketchbook- a whole new world of possibilities. The above is for my friend Holly on the west coast, and she's been waiting for it since May. I can't wait to see her possibilities when I visit her over Thanksgiving!!

Now for my pledge- I PROMISE TO TRY TO POST MY AEDMs IN A MORE TIMELY MANNER, BUT PLEASE, DON'T HOLD YOUR BREATH!

The Sketchbook Project

2011-02-22T01:20:00.000-05:00

At the end of 2010 I participated in the Sketchbook Project with a group of women in my Tuesday Night Art Journaling class at Red Bow Studio. Each sketchbook is given a theme, and ours was "It's Raining Dogs and Cats". We acquired our sketchbook at the end of the year, with not much time to fill it, but I have to say that everyone put in a good effort, and we had a lot to show for it. I'm really happy with ours. All pages are original works, which we are proud of. Above and below are some of my pages. If you'd like to see more visit here.

And the 2011 OWOH winners are...

2011-02-19T22:52:00.002-05:00

Hello all! Thank you so much to everyone who left a comment on my OWOH post. I hope that you all had a wonderful trip through the blogosphere.
This morning I rolled out of bed, immediately went to Random.org and picked three numbers...Well maybe I had coffee first, but I illustrated the numbers and the winners are...
43)Bonnie of Nanbon's Corner
49)Janna of Palimpa Lim
80)Debra of It's All Good
Congratulations!
And a HUGE thank you to Lisa Swifka of a Whimsical Bohemian for putting together such a wonderful event.

OWOH 2011 Let's Celebrate!

2011-01-31T13:19:00.007-05:00

Thank you for stopping by my small corner of the universe. I am an artist living in Sea Cliff, New York, and this is the second time I have participated in OWOH. One World One Heart is a blogging bonanza masterminded by the wonderful Lisa Swifka of A Whimsical Bohemian. It was created so that blogging artists and creative types could meet from all around the world.

I had such a blast last year flying on my magic carpet around the world meeting so many new and fabulous people that I'm so glad to be back! I have been in a blogging slump, so I hope I can fly away on the wings of OWOH, back to weekly postings!

So...since last year's OWOH so much has happened in my life.
1. The biggest event is that I started my own business and I opened up my own Artist's Teaching Studio in Sea Cliff, NY. This has really filled my schedule up with new and wonderful people and ideas.
2. I've gone to 3 weddings.
3. I've finished another calendar.
4. I've sent my oldest daughter to kindergarten.
5. I've seen more snow in NY state since 1920. (There's a mountain in front of my house!)
6. I've lived in my house for more than a year now!

My best and worst moment in 2010 was realizing my dream of a business- it's not easy!! So much to be proud of, but so much stress.

This year I am again giving away 3 of my 2011 calendars. It is a 12 month calendar filled with my artwork. I know you will get it a month late, but it will still be with you for 11 glorious 2011 months and it comes with good luck (at least that's what people say;)

Please leave a comment and tell me where you're from. I'd love to hear about your best moment of 2010 (but it's not required, just fodder for a fun comment). Make sure I can contact you if you win!! I will use the random number picker to find my winners on February 17th. Anyone is welcome to leave a comment.

Enjoy your travels! Patricia

My Big Yellow Sketchbook

2010-12-18T23:12:00.000-05:00

I am addicted to books. My dream room (besides a large home studio), would be a huge library with comfy chairs, a fireplace, and floor to ceiling bookcases filled with my books (and a hidden bar;). My affinity for books has created a very discerning regard towards my sketchbooks. I have tried them all- the ring bound hard back of many sizes, the hardbound book style (still an inexpensive favorite), the Moleskins of many sizes, and many types (and now so many beautiful colors), but with all of them, the paper sucks. You can splurge and get the watercolor paper sketchbooks, but lucky you, 15 pages! I'd finish it in two weeks and it'd blow the budget (not to mention take up a lot of storage space I don't have- that would be about 25 a year). Being the ingenious girl I am, I decided to bind my own. I pretty much made up the recipe myself (with a little help from Gwen Diehn- a personal hero), and the first one I ever did was hardbound, not soft.

Now, five years and many sketchbooks later, I pretty much have it down to a science. I used to bind some for friends every once in awhile (the ones who would appreciate what they were getting), and now at Red Bow I have some on the shelves for sale. They aren't cheap, so I don't try to talk the unwilling buyer into one, and I believe you have to be drawn to it (not a pun!), and ready to pay the price. A true connoisseur knows what they're getting, and that it's actually a steal. I don't like to part with one unless I know it's going to a good home; I bind my books with love. For myself I always bind a new size sketchbook with a new color leather- in all my years, I never seem to want to use a color twice! It brings back memories of a certain "sketchbook" time period, and who wants to relive the past (okay, maybe sometimes), but I can never do the same color twice (don't worry, the guy pulled out the color palette of all the leathers he had, and there's hundreds, so I won't run out anytime soon).

I like to bind mine big enough that I can get a decent sized painting on my pages, but that I can carry around somewhat viably. (this one measures 10"x10") I show my sketchbooks no mercy. I am not afraid of a new book- I embrace it, for it's nothing until filled.What is an unlived life? Wasted. No one should have such a great book and not fill it to the brim! I have scratches on the covers, newsprint stains, water stains, you name it, and the more there is, the better it looks, because it shows my book has been places. This yellow one has seen ferry rides, wolf packs, California missions and mountains, as well as sunny beaches and benches, Boston buildings, Rhode Island poolscapes (thanks Christine;), and many other jaunts. Its around 90 pages of Arches text-laid paper- my sketchbook favorite, and not easy to find off the internet.

Recently I opened an Etsy shop and this is where I have the most luck selling my sketchbooks. Over Thanksgiving, the most wonderful thing happened. Lovely Nancy of SilverMagpies featured one of my sketchbooks in her Etsy treasury, and loved it so much she bought it. THAT is the highest complement in my book;)

Now that this yellow one is almost filled...I'm thinking gold. Or silver. I want to make a splash into 2011.

Stamps

2010-12-14T18:21:00.000-05:00

I've been fighting a cold all day, so I stayed in bed this morning carving plastic stamps and watching Dexter. I LOVE DEXTER. If you aren't familiar, I highly advise you to watch this show. A great way to spend a morning: with an xacto knife, a Staedler plastic block, and Dexter. (I'm also addicted to Martha Stewart craft punches- I punched hundreds of hearts out of the current Bloomingdale's catalog.)

HELLO 2011!

2010-11-23T13:49:00.001-05:00

All I can say is that I am FINALLY finished with my 2011 calendar which is soon to be hot off the press! My life has been at a standstill while I madly painted all the work inside of the calendar, but it's done and I've been drinking champagne to celebrate. In my opinion, it's the best yet, and sure to class up you wall. If your interested in purchasing one, you can find the Paypal button on the side of my blog, or you can always go to my Etsy shop. If you live near me, feel free to stop by my house or Red Bow and pick one (or ten) up;) I will be shipping calendars out next week.

There are two sizes- small (8.5"x11" or 17"Hx11"L when hanging on a wall) printed on heavyweight glossy paper for $20 plus shipping and XLarge (19"Hx13.5"L when hanging on a wall) printed on a heavyweight linen paper for $35 plus shipping. Both are fabulous (and a great gift for anyone).

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

On the inside...

Mother Earth

2010-10-05T21:59:00.001-05:00

Sorry I've been missing again (I know I've been doing this frequently, lately. Having two young children, a new business, and other projects leave me little blog time anymore. I'll work on it though. You can always find me at Red Bow Studio.)

Above is a peek at the month of May for my 2011 calendar (my most current project).

My First Official Interview Ever with Jen from Painted Fish Studio!!!

2010-08-23T16:26:00.001-05:00

I am so proud to have my first interview with Jen of Painted Fish Studio. We met via a craft swap years ago and then kept up with each other's blogs until she visited NYC and I was able to meet up with her IN PERSON. I don't know if it's because we both like to guzzle red wine, or if it's because we're the same age, or even because we're both creative people, but whenever I see Jen, I have a blast!

Jen will be back in NYC in October, and I'm so pleased to say that she will be hosting 2 bookmaking workshops at Red Bow Studio. If you're near Long Island, please join us! You can find more information at Red Bow Studio.

Most momentous moment in your life?

there have been so many! the most recent: being invited to participate in a local artist gift mart at the walker art center. they found me, which is very cool, and the event was so much fun – i sold some of my work, i met other artists, and felt like a true artist. i wish every day was like that!

Ocean or mountains?

both are fascinating: i grew up (and still live) in the Midwest, so seeing either is a treat for me.

Sweet or salty?

oh boy. both. not at the same time, but both.

Favorite ice cream flavor?

chocolate chip with those little candy pieces in it.

An instance of blind faith?

i’m slowly learning to let go of fear of failure and just jump right in! in the last few months i’ve decided to do everything i can to see where my creative career (painted fish studio) will lead me. if i fail, i fail -- it’s a lot better than not trying.

What did you dream of doing when you were younger?

being an artist, and opening my own store where i’d sell the stuff i make.

Something you recommend doing before you die?

travel to a different country! and learn to like yourself.

What do you wish you were doing less of?

i do wish i wasn’t working full-time!

What do you wish you were doing more of?

i wish i was creating more, and exploring the possibilities...

When you’re walking down a city street, what makes you stop in awe?

if i’m in a city, that probably means i am out of my usual routine, and i am actually in the present, which is rare. being in the present really makes me stop and realize “i am HERE. i am in this amazing city.”. i feel that way when i’m traveling, and when i’m exploring downtown Minneapolis.

You are well known for the pARTys that you host for your friends...how did they start, and how do you feel that they have evolved over the years?

pARTy’s started after i took a stained glass course through community education in 2003, and i went a little bonkers and bought lots and lots of glass. so i asked my friends if they wanted to come over and make stuff from what i learned, and to help me get rid of the glass i bought. we all drank wine, we had a blast, and only one soldering iron incident. the evening then became a monthly event. i’m constantly trying new things, and trying to think of new projects for us to play with. the core group has remained pretty much the same over the last 7 (7!) years, and while we haven’t evolved much from the original format (project, cheese, wine), it’s so amazing to see what my friends create!

I for one can say that you are an inspiration for many people. I love your Polaroids and the many other wonderful goodies you create. Which is your favorite?

thank you! it’s such an honor to be called an inspiration. i’m just doing what makes me feel productive/creative. usually my favorite projects are my most recent: i really love the punch cards, and am excited to see how those evolve. and Polaroid film will continue to play a role in my creativity. i love the little magnets!

Where do you see yourself in 5 years? In 10 years?

in 5 years, i really hope my IT career has taken a lesser role than it has now. i’m not sure i’ll ever fully be able to support myself with my creative pursuits, but i’m going to do my damnedest to try. hopefully in 5 years i’m either working part-time or consulting and setting my schedule. in 10 years? who knows! i don’t like planning that far ahead, because i think having “a plan” can make it difficult to see potential in different opportunities that are right in front of you.

Thank you Jen!

Oh the Wonders I've Seen

2010-08-16T07:20:00.001-05:00

It's been more than ten years since I've visited the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco and it's quite amazing what they've done in their renovation. From the colors to the green building to all the living and once living things- it's all quite amazing.

Yes, Claude, the albino alligator, is real.

Oh So Pretty!

2010-07-29T21:57:00.000-05:00

I don't usually frame my art unless it's going to be in a show because it can be expensive. It's only when you hang it up on a wall and see it that you realize that it's worth it because it makes the art look even nicer than it already did (even if it's slightly askew...oops-due to lack of sleep last night,my mind wouldn't stop racing)!

Drawing Faces

2010-07-08T10:16:00.000-05:00

Teaching my daughter how to draw a face at the studio...

My House

2010-07-02T15:57:00.001-05:00

Here is a watercolor of my house that I painted for "The Beauty of Sea Cliff" show at our local library. I had such a great time working on this, and would love to paint more houses. If you would like a watercolor of your house painted by me, please get in touch. (Yes, I'm shamelessly promoting myself;)

Happy 4th of July to all!

Paisley

2010-06-21T17:51:00.000-05:00

Petunia ponders the perfect pattern: paisley.

My Little European Fountain

2010-06-08T12:14:00.001-05:00

One of the things I love about walking through cities in Europe is all of the fountains you find in out of the way places. Last fall at an end of the season nursery sale I found a perfect little fountain for our little backyard. I bought this baby for a steal, and although my husband rolled his eyes while making the purchase we took it home and stuck it in the...garage. (Yep, stone can't always handle the cold New York winters.) A couple of weeks ago we brought the fountain out, filled it with water, and plugged it in. Voila! We now have a very soothing tinkling (I am at loss for a better word) sound in our backyard and when I close my eyes I can pretend I'm in Europe!

Busy Busy Busy...

2010-05-26T17:16:00.001-05:00

...is my middle name. I'm working on some pieces that I am creating for a show at Erawan Seafood & Steak in Bayside, Queens. They usually have a featured artist at their wine dinners and I will be the one on June 27th. The restaurant is a 2 story building with a bar in front, so there is a lot of space to decorate. Hence, my new middle name- BUSY, but very excited because other than my open studios, I've never had a solo show before. Excitement is in the air!

A Huge Shout Out

2010-05-24T08:35:00.002-05:00

I have not been a star blogger recently and even worse at reading other blogs, so I was honored to catch up in person with two ladies from Minnesota who I met via swaps years ago!! We all went out to dinner in Fall of 2008, and a year and a half later I meet up with them again and it's even funner!! (Yes, I know that's not a word, but it suits the situation). How time flies. Jenn from The Write Ingredients and Jen from Painted Fish Studio were in town for a little NYC energy and food. Jenn's goal was to have at least five meals a day, and I was impressed with the food she found. I may be a good clothing/accessory shopper, but she is the food shopper. It was great to be a tag-along as opposed to leading the group. Jen was busy shooting pictures with her polaroid camera at it was great to see the results.

They did the research and showed me some new haunts that I've never heard of. I met up with them in Brooklyn where one of the highlights was Cog and Pearl, a treasure chest I had never visited. I found night lights by Happy Owl Glassworks which are so cool that I get excited for bedtime;) (well my daughter does). We then jumped on the train and went to the Hester Street Fair, another gem I had never heard of. Talk about goodies for the eyes- so many colorful things to look at and many young entrepreneurs. Great vibe, but the best find was the food. I had the most delicious lobster roll I've ever had outside of Maine from Luke's Lobster and a heavenly lemonade (with other flavors) by I forget:( Sorry, guess you'll just have to visit to find out for yourself.

We did a lot more walking and looking and a pit stop for this group involves wine- these are my kind of ladies.

Inside My Sketchbook

2010-05-21T12:45:00.000-05:00

I've been working with that alphabet recently- addicted to it in fact. I'm obsessed with fonts and have been coming up with some interesting ones.

Fearless

2010-05-11T10:55:00.001-05:00

My version of "fearless" for Illustration Friday.

Red Bow Studio Etsy Shop Up and Running

2010-04-29T15:21:00.000-05:00

The Red Bow Studio Shop is up and running on Etsy. More items will be added in the near future, but for now it's tiger pillows! Please stop by.

Inside My New Studio

2010-04-28T12:15:00.000-05:00

Well, the Red Bow Studio doors are open and it is an exciting experience, but it is also a little scary. I opened my studio in a small town and the weather has been a little rainy, so not many people are walking around. I am busy with things to do, but opening a new business is quite an interesting task. Below is what the studio looks like. It's super cozy and has a lovely feel. I am opening up a Red Bow Studio shop on Etsy where I will sell hand made Patricia Kaegi Weiss originals. The first are my Tiger pillows which I have handmade using a painting that I made earlier in the year. Please feel free to stop by the Etsy shop- or even better, the real live Red Bow Studio!

Bouquets to Art

2010-04-21T07:10:00.001-05:00

About ten years ago I went to a wonderful exhibit at the Legion of Honor in San Francisco called Bouquets to Art. It was the most delightful art show I've ever seen- a group of floral artists design bouquets inspired by works of art in the museum. Since then I've moved to New York and haven't had the chance to go again until last Monday night. This time it was back at the DeYoung and again, it was wonderful. Here are a few of the bouquets.

Soo...I Really Haven't Disappeared...

2010-04-06T05:42:00.002-05:00

....I'm starting a business! I have been dropping hints for awhile that I want to open up a studio/inspirational destination, and that is where I have been. Let me tell you, there are so many DETAILs involved in the organization of a business, and it's even tougher when there is NO FUNDING for a start-up business anywhere. You have to be in business for a year before any nonprofit funders will get involved and 3 years before a bank will even look your way to lend. (Opening a bank account wasn't difficult of course, they will take your money anytime). As you may have guessed it is called Red Bow Studio and is located in Sea Cliff New York. I will post more pictures, but this is the signage. So far I have painted the space and location, added a freestanding wall, bought furniture, ordered art supplies, hooked up phone service, found a credit card provider, opened a bank account, designed a logo and stationary....wow, it seems so simple when I put it in one sentence...I'm off to paint the furniture, but I will give updates soon!

Straight out of Elle Decor...

2010-03-09T20:22:00.002-05:00

...well not exactly, but close. For those of you who are familiar with my calendar, you might recognize the month of June in this photograph. The painting is of my parents backyard, and my mother loved it so much that she framed it and hung it above her bed. It is a real coup, because when I was growing up, most of the artwork I brought home ended up in the closet or the garage. I guess this means my artwork is moving up in the grand scheme of things!

Another Sketchbook Page

2010-03-03T12:22:00.002-05:00

I'm busy painting, so this will be short. I taught myself how to create a watermark in Photoshop this morning using this tutorial from About.com. It was fairly simple and about time that I learned how to do it!!

Sketchbook Surprise

2010-03-01T12:40:00.001-05:00

I've been looking through old sketchbooks, trying to organize my shelves and I often come across pages that look like this...the black ink is my hand and the colored ink is one of my dotters aka daughters (I can never catch them in the act, so I don't know who the culprit is...argh!!). Basically if I leave a sketchbook opened with a black ink line drawing, one of the dotters can't resist "coloring it in". They have both done this from an early age- 1, and it is so endearing, but at the same time I want to pull my hair out!! I know that the day will come when I open up an old sketchbook and see their scribbles and miss their younger years.

Frida by Ayala

2010-02-26T10:31:00.001-05:00

I was so excited to receive the Frida doll I won in the ADO OWOH giveaway. This beautiful doll was made by Ayala of Ayala Art Cards~Dolls. Be sure to check out Ayala's dolls and paintings- they are quite inspiring. I have such admiration for Frida, that it is wonderful to be able to hang her as inspiration in my creative space. Thank you Ayala!!

IF- Propagate

2010-02-25T09:33:00.001-05:00

Wow...propagate. What a word. Illustration Friday is getting all SAT on us. As a crossword addict...I like it. In this painting, I'm aiming for propagation through inspiration. I am trying to reproduce the whimsy that I have created to the many other pages of this sketchbook. It's all for a project that I am really excited about and keeping under wraps. Until the next page, please propagate.

Dallas Love

2010-02-24T11:09:00.001-05:00

I'm a firm believer that everyone needs a change of scenery to spark the creative spirit, so I try to take a trip every couple of months or so. (Yes, I am a Pisces rising=dreamer). Since I have two young children, it's often to visit friends and stay at their homes, because bunking in the same hotel room with the kids can be tough (and expensive). For President's Week we traveled down to Dallas to visit my best friend from college. My husband's only wish while in Texas: gorge on some down home BBQ, which we found at Sammy's in Northern Dallas. This is where I found all of these bottle openers. They clearly believe in choice at this joint.

OWOH Giveaway Winners

2010-02-15T16:24:00.004-05:00

What a wonderful OWOH world tour I've had! I hope that others enjoyed theirs as well! Because there were so many commenters, I decided to give away 4 calendars instead of 3. I am so flattered that many travelers decided to follow my blog, that I also added a "follower" giveaway.

My four winners are:
1)Lenore of eat write create
2)RR of Ravenous Reader
3)Jenea of Dispatches from the me
4)Snap of Tales From Twisty Lane
and my Follower winner is Hippie Dog

Congratulations to all the winners and thank you to everyone who visited! It was so wonderful meeting all of you. All the best for a wonderful year and HUGE thank you to Lisa Swifka for investing so much precious time creating this event.

If you still don't have a 2010 calendar you can find mine at my Etsy shop. I will be adding more artwork to my shop in the next couple of months as well. Please visit anytime!

Thing A Day #6- Crayola Tower

2010-02-06T20:46:00.007-05:00

While shopping at Target yesterday, I bribed my two year old daughter with a Crayola Tower. The deal was as long as she didn't whine and cry, the Tower stayed in the cart. She's very willful and yes, we became the proud owners of a large quantity of crayons (which we already had at home, just in a much less orderly state). In the last 24 hours the tower became an instant hit and the girls followed my single directive- take care of them and put them back where they belong. So far, so good.
Now the only qualm I have with this tower is the way it is organized in the package. Crayola sells it with all different colors next to each other. There is no rhyme or reason to how the colors are placed and I feel that it does the user a disservice. It is much easier and saves a lot of time when the colors are in order. Therefore I reorganized the tower and am giving the shout out to Crayola that this is how their tower should be organized in the package. I'm more than happy to consult with them on it. This first one's free;)
The thing I LOVE about this tower is the sharpener that comes with it. When I was young the Crayola sharpeners just made the end into a cone. This Crayola sharpener makes the tip look EXACTLY like a new crayon. It's fabulous.
Thing a Day# 6= Color Order=Zen State (My Virgo moon needs organizational activities in my life.)

Day 5 Sophia

2010-02-05T18:07:00.007-05:00

After school today the girls wanted to create so I brought out the collage box. I joined in to create "Sophia", named by my daughter. Her best friend's name is Sophia, hence the first name she came up with. I let her do the character description, as I am getting annoyed with them. It was feeling a little too cutesy and I'm not in a cutesy mood.
Words from my 4 year old daughter's mouth...
This is Sophia. Her favorite color is pink. She likes to play at the park and she is holding hands with her friend. She's happiest when constructing 7 feet sandcastles on the Pacific coast.(The last sentence was my add-on.)

One World One Heart 2010 Giveaway

2010-02-05T08:40:00.002-05:00

Welcome to my blog! Thank you so much for visiting. I hope that you are having a wonderful magic carpet ride.

This is my first year participating in the One World One Heart giveaway, and I am so excited!

"The original idea behind this giveaway event was to bring bloggers together from around the world who may never ordinarily meet. It closes the gap of the blog community and enables us to interact, discover new and wonderful people..."- Lisa Swifka of A Whimsical Bohemian. I am so thankful to Lisa for creating such a momentous event and for helping everyone to make new friends!

I just became a ticketholder the day before it started, so I wasn't able to fine tune my giveaway, but I did take a picture of my giveaway on my magic carpet.
I am giving away 3 of my 2010 calendars. The top illustration is from my calendar. All of the artwork was created by me and if you have one on your wall it will make all your dreams for 2010 come true (with a little help from yourself of course)!

To participate in my giveaway you must complete 3 challenges...well just 3 super easy tasks.

1- You must have a blog to link back to.

2- In the comments section please tell me the following 3 things. (Voluntary)

1 What is your New Year's resolution?
2 What are the chances of getting it to come true?
3 If you could take a magic carpet ride anywhere in the world or beyond, where would it be?
4 Can you do your New Year's resolution on a magic carpet?
(This last one is a bonus question.)

3-Leave your comment on this post by midnight NYC eastern time February 14th.

May the best bloggers win! (That's all of you.)

I will be choosing by a random counter, because sometimes it's better to leave things to fate.

Thank you for stopping by my Diary and reading a little bit about me and my daily life. I hope you enjoyed your visit. Patricia

Thing-a-Day 4- Don

2010-02-04T23:46:00.005-05:00

This is Don, but all his friends call him Derek. In his life he has been to 736 Yankees games, has eaten 3518 hotdogs, has snacked on 1522 bags of cracker jacks, and has drank 5970 beers. Right now he's drinking beer # 5971.

Posted via email from thing-a-day 2010

Day 3- Rosie

2010-02-03T22:13:00.005-05:00

This is Rosie.
Yes, she took longer than 1/2 an hour to create. I get caught up and can't stop until I'm satisfied that it's finished.

Posted via email from Delight Studio

Thing-A-Day 2

2010-02-02T13:50:00.004-05:00

This is the Robbins family, known as such because they are notorious for robbing carrot patches around the globe. You might have seen these rabbits before on the FBI most wanted lists. They have also graced the windows of Bergdorf Goodman (in the background of course). This is just a small representation of the clan...they are rabbits.

Posted via email from Delight Studio

Thing-A-Day #1

2010-02-01T17:06:00.002-05:00

Since this is my first year participating in Thing-a-Day, I wanted to keep it simple. I will be creating a character per day and telling a little bit about them. If you have anything to add about a certain creation that I might not know, like their favorite beverage or day of the week, please tell me!
Let me introduce you to Clementine. She loves to eat four leaf clovers. It has made her so lucky that she won the lottery. She bought herself a tract of land in Africa with a beautiful pond on it. She now lives there with her best friend Myrtle (the Egret) with an endless supple of red nail polish.

Posted via email from Delight Studio

Spark #1- The Book Book

2010-01-26T07:47:00.000-05:00

Before I moved to the suburbs of Long Island I taught art classes to 1-5 graders three times a week. I miss molding young minds and the inspiration it brings, therefore I have been playing with many different ideas and have decided to begin interactive inspirational posts (I'll call them Sparks) on the blog. You can participate or not- mostly it's just food for the soul.
My first prompt is taken from the Book Book by artist Sophie Benini Pietromarchi. I found this book in a round-about way via one of my favorite blog's, Julia Rothman's Book By It's Cover. I went to Tara Books where I found a diverse range of very artistic books from all over the world. While I'm on the topic of multicultural books, my friend Nathalie would like you to sign this.

The Book Book nurtures ideas and it's always a treat opening it up.

In chapter 2 Sophie states "There are No Rules!"
In chapter 2.1 Sophie show's a collection of things inside her pencil case...

In chapter 3.1 is the prompt for...
Massaging Your Imagination

Describe:
A Maze
A place to hide
Your favorite prince
Your favorite princess
Your house
Your castle
Your hero

Feel free to post your sparks in the comments...and if it's a visual spark, please link to the image!

Hope For Haiti Now

2010-01-23T08:07:00.003-05:00

I can only imagine what it's like in Haiti right now. I experienced the 6.9 Loma Prieta earthquake and it's something you never forget. If you add all the fallout that you get in a 3rd world country where there are no building codes, the devastation is far worse. It makes me happy and sad that it takes a huge disaster for the world to come together. Above are drawings I created while watching last night's Hope For Haiti Now concert.

A Small Structure in Inverness

2010-01-13T20:19:00.002-05:00

A fantastically interesting building. Another what were they thinking? And I'm sure there is a completely logical answer to creating a building with no windows in the shape of a tunnel. The murals are probably worth more than the actual structure, but then again, who knows?

Confined and Confounded

2010-01-12T13:00:00.003-05:00

Here's another one for IF. My New Year's resolution is to pump out one painting a week (if not more) and here's a warmer-upper. I'm playing more with gouache and it was confounding me, if only because I was in a cranky mood. Probably because the sun was shining through my window and blinding me. Or possibly because my stomach was rumbling and I couldn't eat the cupcakes.

Power by Numbers

2010-01-10T20:11:00.003-05:00

I love window shopping- not only is it free, but it can be quite inspiring. I wonder what some of the window stylists are thinking when they create the themes for their windows. Over New Years I walked passed these windows at Shotwell in San Francisco and couldn't pass up the photo-op. Any ideas? My only idea was power by numbers.

Pavlova Heaven and My Thoughts on Hosting

2010-01-05T18:25:00.005-05:00

My theory on cooking is that if you are going to spend time doing it, it better be good aka phenomenal. I don't particularly like to cook, I prefer to bake, but since I hosted Christmas this past year (2009) I had my first dinner party of 11 at my new house, and it included all of the above. Appetizers, entrees and desserts. My mother-in-law said it was her favorite Christmas Day ever, and I said it was my WORST. I sat for maybe 5 minutes plus dinnertime. The rest of the evening I was in the kitchen while everyone else was in the living room drinking my favorite Pommery champagne. When the 2 bottles were kicked (nobody else thought to bring champagne) I was an unhappy camper. (I had had a total of one glass). Show's you how much people remember the cook.

At one point during the evening, I looked in the fridge and remembered I needed a salad. OH CRAP. Just then my sister-n-law walked in and saved my Christmas (and my sanity, I just couldn't make one more thing).

"Uhm, M, would you do something for me?"

"Yeah, sure, what do you need?"

"Do you mind whipping up a green salad?"

"No problem."

Twenty minutes later, VOILA, she had done the dirty work and a beautiful salad was made.

Thank God for sister-n-laws. And Ina Garten.

My menu was based solely on her cookbooks. I like recipes with a few fresh ingredients and that's how Ina rolls.

I decided to make a Pavlova for dessert after I found a scrumptious picture of it in her cookbook, barefoot contessa at home. She had me at the first sentence, "I'm always looking for easy fruit desserts". Done.

This dessert was heaven to eat. I had two servings during dessert time. Then everyone left and it became my favorite part of the day because I was alone and ate a 3rd piece in peace.

Holiday Garland

2009-12-28T18:15:00.003-05:00

One of my favorite things around this time of year is receiving holiday cards and seeing how all of my friends and family are doing. Kids grow so fast. In years past I have put them in a pile to go through them maybe once or twice, but this year I decided to get crafty. I decided to hang them garland style around my living room so that I could sit and stare at all the cards when I wanted to veg out. I've meditated much on these cards throughout this December.

All I did was hang them on fishing wire with small binder clips to make them stay. I used my picture frame molding so that I wouldn't have to put holes in the walls and voila! Far off people who I rarely see have been with me on a daily basis this December.

Gingerbread Cookies

2009-12-16T16:07:00.004-05:00

About four years ago I tore a Michael Mina gingerbread recipe out of a Food & Wine magazine and waited 2 years to make it. Yes, I have about 500 recipes in a box that look REALLY good, but I have yet to cook/bake the darn things. Well I dug the gingerbread recipe out last year and made it- 3 times! I am already baking my second double recipe of it this year! These cookies are DELICIOUS, fun and so easy to make. I usually bake the cookies and then ice and decorate them later with the kids. (I stress too much if I let the kids use the cookie cutters because rolling out the dough and getting it into the oven takes some finessing without the kids...with the kids it's a deathwish.)

Vita Collage

2009-12-15T10:41:00.007-05:00

I've mentioned this store before, but I had no images, so I feel compelled to create a post with pictures. Vita Collage is "a thoughtful assemblage of extraordinary items" and very difficult to find online, therefore I thought I'd do the world a service by creating a little visual teaser. This place is like no other. It is full of magical inspiration that sucks me in every time. On my last visit I found a wreath for my door, and this time I found a house for my house (more on that later). There are very few places that make my heart hum and this is one of them. I'll let these photos speak for themselves. The only comparable place as divine is John Derian in New York City (where I just bought 2 Moroccan poufs over the weekend-more on that later too;)

I've considered opening a small studio space where I would paint and teach art classes. If this idea ever crystalizes, the space will be put together with this piece of heaven in mind.

2010 Year of the Tiger

2009-11-23T19:10:00.012-05:00

The highly-anticipated 2010 Patricia Kaegi Weiss Calendar is finished and ready for sale. The 2010 calendar is inspired by the Year of the Tiger and I am so pleased with all of the images. The painting for each month is posted below, so don't look if you want to be surprised.

You can purchase the calendar by check or paypal, via this blog or my shop at Etsy. I will also have a limited number that you can purchase directly from me. It will be available in two sizes, a large size that is 13.5"x19" and a small size that is 11"x17" when hanging on the wall. The large size is printed on a thicker linen paper and costs $35 plus shipping, and the small size is printed on a glossy standard paper at a price of $20 plus shipping. I am offering a bulk rate for small calenders- $175 for ten calendars which includes tax and delivery. If you would like to order the large calendars in bulk, contact me personally and we can work something out.

I will also be offering the above Tiger image in throw pillows. More information on that soon.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

IF- I Feel Unbalanced...

2009-11-14T02:03:00.000-05:00

...somebody stole something from me.

Milk Thistle Farm & Magnolia Bakery are What my Dreams are Made Of

2009-11-12T12:27:00.000-05:00

Last Sunday my family went into the city for a morning at the farmer's market. This is one of the top five things I miss from living in the Upper West Side. At the weekly market we would by delicious half & half from Milk Thistle Farm, tricolor pasta from the Hudson Valley Farmhouse (while trying to find their website I came upon this incredible one which has nothing to do with this post, I just thought it was my obligation to share it because it is so cool), and yummy pastries from Not Just Rugelah. If you have the opportunity to buy fresh half & half, don't pass it up...it makes coffee SUPER SUPER delicious. I dream about it. In addition we would buy fresh produce from a number of different stands. And our extra special treat was a box of cupcakes from Magnolia Bakery...yes I am addicted and I dream about them too.

A Dog in the Form of a Duck

2009-11-11T17:47:00.002-05:00

The kids were home from school today so we decided to go on a hike with our neighbors. It was a short hike in honor of the kids, but it was full of action. Within the first five minutes we had a tag-a-long duck who thought he was a dog. We saw him swimming in the pond and within two minutes he had joined us on our hike. We were worried at first because his beak is at the same height as the children's eyes, but he had no interest in attacking- he was ready to walk with his tail wagging. After my initial fear, it was one of the cutest things I've ever seen and the kids sure got a kick out of it.

Welcome

2009-11-10T11:54:00.008-05:00

A front door greets all guests arriving to a person's home, therefore one of the first things I did when I moved to my new house is paint the door red. In Feng Shui a red door is believed to bring good luck, which is something I value.

I hung a metal wreath (auspicious because it won't die on me!) that I had found in a fabulous store in Olema, CA called Vita Collage. It is a wonder of inspiration and I knew the wreath on their door had to be the wreath on mine. When I asked the saleslady if it was for sale she said, "Of course" and I said, "I'll take it".

It makes me so happy when I enter my house to see my pretty wreath and bright red door. Hopefully everyone else feels the same!

the before door

May in Fall

2009-11-02T08:55:00.003-05:00

Its been so long, but I needed a blogging break. Sooo. Here is part of a larger painting that will be in my 2010 calendar. All's well. I've moved into a new house (yes, in suburbia, so I will have to change the name of my blog....maybe small town livin?). I have been trolling Craigslist and antique stores for items to furnish my home. In the process I have learned about wheeling and dealing- so much fun! Anyways I'll post some pictures of aquired items and things I've learned about a new house (there is SOOO much as all homeowners know).

Sisters

2009-07-28T10:58:00.003-05:00

Besides the house, I've been busy with my little girls.

Happy Tuesday

2009-06-16T08:46:00.006-05:00

Okay, Spring hit and I went AWOL...I've been really busy looking for one of these...

As well as finishing up student classes for the year...

The above is by one of my amazing students, L. This is something she whipped up in January, but I still love it.

I am also trying to reanalyze my online diary and I think I might start posting my drawings with not many words like Emma Adbage. Love her work.

I Dream of Spring

2009-04-09T09:07:00.005-05:00

SPRING!
Flowers
Warmness
Please come NOW!!!
Maison Reve, one of my favorite stores in Mill Valley for inspiration. Spring has hit there, but it seems to have eluded New York. It snowed yesterday.

Yellow All Around

2009-03-29T19:20:00.007-05:00

Yellow has never been a favorite color of mine, but in the last couple of years since my oldest daughter has declared her affinity for it, I have come to appreciate it. Especially after the long NYC winter. My favorite part of spring is seeing the yellow daffodils pop up all over the park. Above we had a lemon taste test. It was a very sour experience. My favorite was lemon four (the one on the far right) because it was the sweetest:)

Farmers Market Finds

2009-03-29T19:09:00.005-05:00

I am such a fan of the farmers market. Any farmers market. I love to explore the vendors wares and look at the ripe colors of all the produce. Recently I have been buying fresh half and half at my local greenmarket in NYC and it makes my morning cup of coffee divine. It is so good that my husband (who rarely shops without being asked) went to the market this morning and bought a bottle. (I am out of town, so he knew that he had to motivate if he wanted it for the week ahead.) I am already looking forward to my Tuesday cup of coffee.

Intricate

2009-03-11T13:51:00.002-05:00

One intricate head dress.

My Newest Amy Ruppel - A California Quail

2009-03-03T20:11:00.004-05:00

I haven't been buying anything lately...well besides An Awesome Book by Dallas Clayton. I couldn't resist Amy Ruppel's newest bird series based on state birds. I was missing California (a daily occurrence) and decided that I had to have this little quail creation. I emailed Amy and minutes later it was mine. There are still a few states left and the next sale for the second half of the states is Friday. I'm already thinking of investing in New York...

Wine Cork Board- Another Project Completed!

2009-02-25T13:05:00.008-05:00

For the past year I have been saving up corks to finish this wine cork bulletin board. It is about four hundred corks, and even if you are a lush- it is still A LOT of drinking. I had my parents help out, so whenever I visited them they had a plastic bag full of corks for me to take home. Adam and I took a wine class and the teacher sent me home with a large bag of corks. Pretty soon I had a ton of corks lying around the apartment, taking up space, and an unfinished board that I was too busy to finish. Shocker. The story of my life. So one day I thought, I have to get rid of these corks! I pulled out the unfinished board and just motored through it. I find that once I start up a project again, it re inspires me and is so much easier to complete. The most difficult step is taking it out of the closet (or other dark hole) I've stuck it in. Well I began going through corks and it was very easy to finish the second half and I was SSSOOOO proud of myself when it was done. It is now hanging by my front door and I love looking at it every time I open or close my door. It is really great to try to remember where all the corks are from. The Nickel & Nickel cork (towards the middle) is from our 5th year anniversary dinner in Big Sur.

If you are feeling green and would like to recycle your corks, it is super easy. What I did was go to an art supply store and bought a simple wooden frame (remember, the larger the frame the more corks you need, and the longer it takes to finish). Make sure the frame is about 1.25" deep so that it can hold the corks. Once I had the frame I cut out a piece of foam core that fit into the frame exactly. In order to make sure the corks fit, I placed the foam core into the frame and then fit the corks in from there. You can do lots of different designs- mine is fairly straightforward, but it is like a puzzle, I would piece in about eight corks and then glue them onto the foam core. I did row by row, width wise. I used tacky glue- I went to a craft store and asked the salesperson what would work best (any strong craft glue will work). When I had pieced together a good amount, I would pick up the corks and just put a line of glue on the bottom and then press it down, hold it for a moment and move on to the next one. The only difficult part was the end of the rows. Sometimes a cork wouldn't fit into the last space, so I would just cut it up with a knife to a size that would fit. (Special note: I didn't use any plastic corks). Once all the corks were glued in place (about a year after starting the project), I turned over the form core and placed it in the frame corks first. Voila- after hammering a couple of framing tacks to keep it in place, I wired it and hung it up on the wall and now have a beautiful self-made showpiece!

Embroidery with Heather Ross

2009-02-21T19:52:00.010-05:00

During November of last year I took a couple of different crafty classes because I wanted most of my Christmas gifts to be handmade. The only successful gift that came out of the process was these (former) napkins. These are the fruit of my labor from an embroidery class with Heather Ross at Purl Patchwork. My goal was to embroider four napkins with designs that my mother would cherish enough to use. I decided to find/create images of my two daughters. Heather showed me a book of embroidery by Piu Sudo, an illustrator whose work I immediately fell in love with, and I used the bottom two designs which were originally from her book, Delightful Creations with Embroidery and Applique (I tweaked them a little bit). The top two are all mine.

Now let me preface this story. I have been a huge fan of Heather's fabric prints forever, so much so that at times I probably wish I were her. So how do you act when you take a class with a person who is an idol? Yeah, I didn't want to seem like a drooling puppy or a stalker, but it is somewhat awkward. Well, when I am nervous I talk a lot, so needless to say I was quite a chatty patty. I told everyone about how my mother was very particular so I needed to make the napkins just "SO" so that they wouldn't end up in the closet never to be seen again.

I think they thought I was a little nutty- why wouldn't my mother love anything I made?

"No" I said, "She's a Virgo, so the napkins have to be a certain way or else she won't use them. It is really difficult to explain."

They just gave me "whatever" looks and then changed the conversation to the rules of defriending on Facebook.

Well I finally finished the napkins for my mother and she loved them. I went home to New York (she lives outside SF) and she calls me a couple of weeks later and says,"Oh Patricia, I made the most adorable coasters out of your napkins." Figures.

I just want to say to my class (who will never read this) "I TOLD YOU SO".

Does anyone else have parents who always put gifts in the closet never to be seen again?

Another gift that my parents received this past Christmas was a wine holder that they had been given last year from my bother and his wife. My brother's wife had been so insulted to find it in their garage that she took it and rewrapped it for this year. Maybe she thought the timing was better the second go around.

Anyways, I wanted to write about how much I really loved Heather's class and she just came out with a new book Weekend Sewing that we were able to sneak peak in class. I think it is great and I highly recommend it if you would like some fun sewing projects.

Welcome Back Maira!

2009-02-04T20:53:00.003-05:00

I was following my morning ritual blog-hopping and happened upon one of my favorites by Heather Ross and via her blog, found an even more favorite (sorry Heather) MAIRA KALMAN. Yes, finally after waiting two years...okay, maybe more like one and a half (but it felt like ten) she's back blogging In the Pursuit of Happiness and I couldn't be happier (I'm hanging all over her coat tails). I cried immediately when I read it. Thanks Maira. I missed you.

Today is the Luckiest Day of the Year

2009-01-23T09:37:00.003-05:00

Tonight the Sun will meet with Jupiter making this the "luckiest day of the year" (quoting Susan Miller) therefore use it wisely. I was searching through old work and found this piece that I had done for a past January 23, and thought it very apropos to post it for today. Daffodils- I always feel so lucky when I spot them in the Spring. Unfortunately we have little while before these beauties reveal themselves, but until then, this will do.

Change has Come

2009-01-20T13:07:00.003-05:00

The 44th President of the United States is not pale. He is vibrant.

Heaven on Earth

2009-01-06T23:29:00.005-05:00

Over new year I was able to go to an amazing place that felt as close to heaven on earth as you can get. My husband and I celebrated our 5th anniversary, so we wanted to do something really special. We stayed at a very small inn in Big Sur, California and it was divine (And that is an understatement). Within the first five minutes of arriving, I had a glass of champagne in my hands...I knew immediately that I was in the right place. If that doesn't convince you, look at the photos. It is very eco friendly to boot. The infinity pool hangs over the ocean and some of the rooms have grass roofs. I have some beautiful paintings from here, but they aren't finished. Yikes. The story of my life.

Happy New Year!

2009-01-05T10:16:00.003-05:00

I'm back after my extended vacation. Last month was jam packed with gift-making, traveling, painting, and many other events, so not much happened on my little blog, other than showing off my calendar, which it did pretty well. A huge thank you to everyone who bought a calendar! I am so excited by the rave reviews;) I have one New Years resolution this year, but I am not telling yet, because it is a pretty big one. I will drop hints here and there, but for now it is secret. I try to post about all of the crafty things I have been doing, like dollmaking, embroidery, and crocheting. Until then enjoy 2009! Oh and be sure to read your January horoscope by Susan Miller. She is absolutely fabulous.

My Calendar Debut

2008-12-03T23:16:00.005-05:00

I have finally finished my 2009 calendar! Yay me! It took a lot longer than I anticipated, but it's done now, so lesson learned for next year. Which brings me to...can you believe that 2008 is almost over? Neither can I. All of the months are posted above so there won't be any surprises this year, just excitement. If you would like to purchase one, click the badge that says "Buy my calendar here". It will lead the way.

The Big Red Balloon

2008-12-01T00:57:00.005-05:00

Another painting for Illustration Friday. My idea was to create an animal holding a balloon which became the polar bear, but I wasn't satisfied because it didn't tell a story. The next thing I know I have a red fox throwing darts at the balloon.

Paradise Island

2008-11-26T12:03:00.004-05:00

I went to the Bahamas recently for a little fun in the sun and while I was there took some action shots of the sea life. I love taking photographs of fish swimming because you feel so lucky when you get a good shot. At the resort there was a beautiful mural on one of the ceilings.

Wise Guys

2008-11-10T10:14:00.004-05:00

My question to you is who is wiser than woo?

In my need to put a portfolio together I have made it my goal to participate in the weekly Illustration Friday prompts, so when you see the weekly random topics and illustrations, this is why.

Happy New Day

2008-11-05T12:11:00.002-05:00

Wow, what a month it has been, and you've probably been wondering where I disappeared to. Well I've been madly working on a calendar for 2009. I've never been able to get one together, but this year it's going to happen...knock on wood of course. I plan to complete it for next week. Above is a part of one of the illustrations which I am really excited about. Hope everyone is feeling good about the world in general and I'll try not to be so scarce.

Village Pet Shop and Charcoal Grill

2008-10-14T07:37:00.004-05:00

I'm a big fan of the artist Banksy, so I was delighted to find out about his/her newest installation in the West Village, the Village Petstore and Charcoal Grill. It is a pet store-eatery that appeared overnight. You don't understand? Well you kind of have to see it to believe it. Instead of fish floating in a tank, it has fish sticks swimming around in said tank (see-below). Instead of little chickies grazing, there are chicken nuggets pecking the ground. Want a bunny rabbit? Well they have one...primping in front of a vanity. Yes, it seems that this store is a commentary on our over-processed, technologic world. Did I make up a word in that phrase? Probably so, but you get me. There are also more large rats popping up in downtown New York. Like we need more rats...

Studio Violet

2008-10-06T09:11:00.003-05:00

I am an addict of Camilla Engman's blog, so it is no surprise that I fell immediately in love with her new blog Studio Violet. It is a collaboration between Camilla and Elisabeth Dunker of Fine Little Day. I love the photos and colors that these ladies choose. I am so excited to see how it all progresses.

Phatsheep Textiles

2008-10-03T12:16:00.001-05:00

My swap is over, and this is the last time I will post about it, but I had to show what I received from Suzanne of Phatsheep Textiles. She sent me a lovely bag filled with even more delightful summer "finds". I love polka dots for one, so I was ecstatic with just the sac, but it was filled with postcards, shells, yarn, and yummy soaps, and literature about where she lives. I definitely have the warms fuzzies. I love Suzanne's eye for color and her fabric and textile creations are not to be missed. Thank you for my gifts!

Happy Fall

2008-10-02T08:48:00.002-05:00

Recently I told a friend that I was really into vampire stories and that I was loving the new HBO series Trueblood. She replied that she was reading the BEST book called Twilight, and I should read it immediately. So that is what I've been doing for the last week. Reading the WHOLE series. Yes, I am the type of reader who gets obsessed and can't put the book down until I have read the whole thing, in this case the saga. Stephenie Meyer is my new favorite author. The above shoe has nothing to do with the post, but I would love to own it.

Oh Those French

2008-09-16T09:08:00.002-05:00

I went to a friends house for breakfast the other day and she has an infant, who in turn has many wonderful toys. The dad is French, so this little girl receives many French goodies. I was delighted by this soft book- recently I have been wanting to create some soft-books of my own, so I've been looking for examples- and of course the images are so French. Would you ever find these kind of pictures in an American children's book? Probably not, unless it was sex ed. It's great to see a book with no inhibitions.

I Sent It Off

2008-09-11T13:39:00.004-05:00

So the send-off date and when I actually send it usually vary by about 3 days. Cheers all around because it is gone and hopefully will make somebody happy within the next couple of days (I sent it priority). Now my life is complete. And a little bit calmer. I just wanted to thank everyone again for participating in the swap. I hope you all had as fun as I did. My sac is made from a dress given to me by a friend when she was trying to clean out her apartment before a move. I had an idea of how I wanted it to look and freestyled it. I am really excited, because it actually turned out as I had imagined. I haven't really wanted to sew since my fashion school days, but my last two projects came out so successfully (in my eyes), that I might want to start a line of bags. But then, doesn't everyone? I know my line would have a lot of pockets. I love pockets, especially secret ones.

Summer Sac Swap Send-Off

2008-09-08T12:47:00.003-05:00

Well today is the send-off day for the swap. I know, I thought the day would never come either! Well it is here, and if you are like me, I've been so busy, that I haven't been able to get all my items together into the sac...just yet. Most likely by tomorrow. So swapper- it will be a day late. I think I can speak for us all when I say that if you are going to be a day late, even two, no big deal, but if it is more than that, please contact your swapper so that they don't harass the mail person without cause. If you have misplaced any of the information I sent you, just email me and I would be happy to give you the information. If you don't receive a package, or email, please email me, and I will email your swapper to find out what's up. I know that many packages have already been sent, and I am excited to see what people have received. Please post pix on the flickr group site. (I just peeked and saw SawbiiWabii's fabulous swap collection.) I hope that everyone has a wonderful experience with this swap.

Chihuly at Legion of Honor

2008-09-02T13:38:00.005-05:00

San Francisco is quite the place to see good art exhibits right now. Most of the Chihuly work is currently at the De Young Museum, but a couple of the nicest pieces are at the Legion of Honor complementing the Women Impressionist's exhibit. I highly recommend both as well as the Frida Kahlo exhibit at the SFMOMA. The day I went to the Legion of Honor was so beautiful- no fog and in the eighties. The perfect condition to see this Chihuly wonder.

Sense of Space

2008-08-22T07:13:00.011-05:00

My favorite part of traveling outside of my realm, aka NYC, is experiencing the energy of other places. To me each city or place has a very distinct personality and I enjoy getting to know it. The energy is almost tangible- the feel of the air, the scents of the plants, and the reactions of people who you meet. Sometimes I like to daydream and think about what people in China are doing while I sit on a bench/subway in New York, or how it might be to be in Brazil at a certain moment (lying on the beach preferably), because I am one tiny individual living my life, and there are millions of other people living in their cities, towns, boondocks, experiencing a totally different reality. I think it is important to appreciate a sense of place, especially your own.

New York Through the Eyes of a 3 Year Old

2008-08-18T09:34:00.002-05:00

Every day I see my 3 year old becoming more and more like me, via doing and saying the things I do. I say "Oh my goodness", she says "Oh my goodness". I like to draw in my sketchbook, she likes to draw in her sketchbook (yes, she's had one since she was 1 and a half and it is pretty amazing). I like to take pictures of all things and now, yes, she likes to take pictures of all things. Recently she took her Barbie camera to the park and on the way, this is one picture that I think turned out quite nicely. It is somewhere in the low eighties on Amsterdam. The really funny ones were the random shots of parents and children that she took in the park.

Oh Where Do the Days Go?

2008-08-12T07:24:00.005-05:00

It's been so long. Again. Here are some close-ups of the work I did at Crown Point Press. It was so great to immerse myself into my own work for a week, but I'm now back with two kiddies full time for the summer months, and it's next to impossible to do anything but focus on them.

Yellow Burst

2008-07-24T09:00:00.004-05:00

How beautiful are the patterns in this photograph? I was at the bus top where I saw this plant and loved the beauty of it. Of course it is a weed and you see millions of them growing all over the roadsides and beyond in California, but I had to take a photo regardless and I love it. There was a girl sitting on a bench near this plant who looked at me like I was crazy. I guess a reality check is always nice. I joined Spoonflower and think that I would like to make a fabric pattern inspired by this photo.

Crown Point Press

2008-07-17T21:33:00.003-05:00

Where have I been you ask...well I have been fully immersed in a Crown Point Press workshop in San Francisco. Learning to etch with copper plates has been on top of my to do list for a long time, and finally my wish has come true. All week I have acted as a sponge and have learned many different etching processes. See that middle seat up above? That is where I have been making some wonderful discoveries. Below are some of the first proofs of my plates. There is so much more to tell, but I am exhausted, so I will wait until next week.

Sac Swap Update

2008-07-09T09:26:00.002-05:00

Well, there isn't that much to update, but I thought I'd write a check up post. All the swapper emails have been sent out, so if you did not receive your information, PLEASE email me. There was one address that I had difficulties with, but other than that, I think that all emails were received. I hope that everyone is enjoying their summers and rejuvenating. I know I am, hence the lack of posts. I have been finding little things here and there for my swapper, but I still don't have a theme. I think that many of my items will be bits and pieces of my travels, but also artwork and random drawings that I have made. Another swapper, paintedfishstudio, suggested possibly having friends, who live in places where her swapper would love to travel to, send some trinkets. I thinks that is a great idea if your friends are motivated, or owe you a favor;) Does anyone have any other ideas that might be helpful? I am so curious to hear.

Bunches of Blue

2008-07-07T09:29:00.004-05:00

I love hydrangeas and thought you might too when you saw these delicious pictures that don't begin to do justice to the blue flowers...but one can always imagine. I love the flowers of summer and I love painting them even more. I wish there was a watercolor pigment that came close to the hydrangea blue.

Budapest Rooftops

2008-07-03T07:49:00.005-05:00

This is a shot looking towards the Buda side of Budapest and I am so inspired by the rooftops, particularly the spires, domes, and...well I don't even know what they are called. What is the official name of a bubble tower? Regardless, they caught my attention all over Budapest.

Budapest

2008-06-23T17:24:00.004-05:00

I've been living the life of a Hungarian in the beautiful city of Budapest for the past ten days. Wow, I love the feel of a European city. New York is great, but it doesn't have the history found in Europe. Every building has something to look at, be it some sort of emblem, or a scene of Roman gladiators fighting- it's all there if you look for it. I'm still sleep deprived, but it was all worth it.

Last Chance

2008-06-16T11:32:00.002-05:00

Thank you all for the wonderful response to the swap! I've been busy with life in general and haven't been able to post much, but I want to let everyone know that this is the last chance. I will be pairing up swappers tonight, so if you are interested in joining the swap please email me before 6pm eastern time.

Riverside Park

2008-06-13T07:19:00.002-05:00

One of the special qualities I love about NYC is that there are many hidden places you can go that are calm and quiet and make you feel like you are not in one of the biggest cities in the world. This is the 91st street garden that is beautiful year round. Joggers, bikers, and walkers use this path throughout the day so it is also a good location to people-watch. I love to sit on a bench and relax and draw. You may also recognize this location because it was a scene in "You've Got Mail". You can see the Hudson River and New Jersey through the trees (not in this shot) and the one reminder that you are in the city is the Amtrack train line that runs underneath this path.

112 and Broadway

2008-06-10T08:23:00.002-05:00

I was thinking about living in New York City, and how I don't post many pictures of just being in the city. I take it for granted that I can jump on the subway and go to Soho, Chelsea, Nolita, Harlem, and even Brooklyn;) So I thought I would start to post photos of nice views that I see from random New York City corners. This is the view that you see facing east when you are on the corner of 112th and Broadway. Isn't the Cathedral amazing? As you can imagine it is much more breathtaking in person. It is also a good location because there is a Pinkberry a few steps away.

It's all about the Matryoshka

2008-06-04T15:05:00.008-05:00

I received my dolls from Abbey and they are fantastic. Everyone did great work. I'm so glad that I motivated and was able to participate. You can see all of the dolls on flickr.
More groups Silent Dreamer, Studio Tau, Vert Pistache
Bowdenisms (mine is the big one), Bricolagelife

Three Dolls

2008-06-04T07:39:00.003-05:00

A print I created in yesterday's class. We were doing basic foam printing, and one of the students used a little too much paint. I loved how her white on brown print turned out, so I decided to use her extra paint to create a white on red print...or triple print I should say.

Summer Sac Swap

2008-06-03T07:58:00.006-05:00

Okay ladies (and gentlemen) drum roll please…. I have decided to do a swap, so I’m crossing my fingers and hoping that it will be embraced by the masses. You may live in or be visiting places that other swappers are dreaming of and would love to go to. Why not collect stuff for someone else so that they can live vicariously?

Construct a Sack/Bag to hold treasures. This can be a simple as a brown bag with drawings or a more intricate sewn bag. It could be a spice sack from Marrakech or a beautiful Japanese fabric made up into a bag.
Sack contains things from cities you visit during the summer or from place you live. Items may include: Photographs, maps, postcards, trinkets, menus, business cards, ephemera, rocks, shells, sticks, pressed flowers, fabric, beads, sketches you have drawn…You all get the idea. It’s kind of like a treasure hunt for your swapper- find them interesting things for inspiration.

This is fun and supposed to be a way to put together a fun collection of things throughout the summer. There are two important dates: September 2 is the date you should have everything finished and be posting photos in the Flickr group. September 8 is the send-off date. By mid-September each of us will receive a sack of goodies to jump start the fall, and time when we are beginning to think about the holiday gift making- okay maybe not that soon…but soon enough. Here are the Rules...

At no time may you stress about this swap. If you feel you need to stress, then go find a little trinket or rock to put in your swapper’s sack.
The summer sack is a container that holds lots of goodies. I want the creator to decide what it is all about, the only requirement is that you can honestly describe it as one of the best gifts you have ever given, and the maker has to want it so much themselves that it is very difficult to send to their swapper.

If this sounds like the swap for you, send an email to pixiewinkle@gmail.com with the following information:

Name, Address, Email, Blog
Where will you visit/live this summer?
List the top three places you wish you could travel to this summer.
What are your favorite colors?
What type of creativity projects do you do?
Other things your swapper might like to know about you.
Your sign.

The last day of sign up is June 16. No extensions because I will be off to travel the world (not really, but it sounds nice;)

My Little Felt Pouch

2008-06-02T07:45:00.005-05:00

I know it's been awhile since I've last posted, but here's a little something for inspiration. I was a part of the Functional Felt Swap where each participant had to craft a felt something or other for their swapper. This is what I came up with. I was inspired by the below artwork that I saw in the Anthropologie gallery at the Rockefeller Center, so I decided to try to construct a flower. I wish I knew how to felt from scratch because it would have made my flower that more interesting, but I'll just add "learning to felt" to my long list of things to do in my life!
I love seeing everyone's finished projects, and I have to say that I'm glad to be a part of the "finished" group. Hope my swapper likes her pouch.