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Well, this is an oddity....I never blog in the evening. It's something that I've always enjoyed with my morning coffee. But alas...I've been so busy, I just haven't had the time to blog in the last few days.

What's keeping me so busy you ask?

Well, I've opened up a second shop on Etsy to clear out some of my supplies. I have pounds and pounds of photos, ephemera, scrapbooky type stuff and more. I've gone through and seperated out the items that I use, and I'm offering everything else to other collage/mixed media artists on Etsy. I figure, I can make a few dollars, do a little recycling, and give other artists the opportunity to adopt some extremely delightful items as well. Here's a link to my new shop:

Musty Boxes Ephemera

It's been lots of fun having a look at my collections of old paper and such, but it's been long hours and lots of hard work. Lots of picture taking!! I will be listing more and more each day.

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In the midst of all this wreckage, I've managed to finish a couple of pieces:

Martha Feeds The Goat (ACEO 2-1/2" x 3-1/2")



Guardian Of The Musically Inclined Rabbit (4" x 6")


Both of these pieces can be found ~Here~ These pieces can also be purchased through my blog. Or....you can requests prints of these pieces as well. Just give me a holler by clicking on my email, here on my blog, in the upper left hand corner.

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I'll be back in a day or two with an entry that isn't brutally marketing my shops!

Until Next Time:
Kim
Garden Painter Art

Thanks to all who participated in the contest. It is officially over and I will randomly pick a number and announce the winner tomorrow.

Again, thank you ever so much for taking the time to participate:
Kim
Garden Painter Art

The horrible bug that has zapped everyone in the family off and on for a few weeks now looks like it might have been beaten into submission. Maybe. I'll believe it when I can work for a full day without collapsing as soon as Jo goes to bed.

The recent plague means there's been no evening sewing happening - but I did get some weekend sewing done. And I decided to make something totally new! I made a few bibs recently for a Lark Books project and now I've been thinking of all kinds of bib ideas. Here's the one I decided to play with.

It's reversible - the yellow side says "happy" and the green side says "hungry." I stamped the letters and I LOVE how they look - when they turned out right. I used these very cool clear stamps for the first time. You buy the stamps and a clear acrylic block separately, then build a word on the block, which has a handy-dandy guideline. The letters just cling to it! I used a sponge pouncer to apply fabric paint and then stamped it on. The only problem was that I didn't have enough letters in the set for most repeats. When I filled in with a solo letter (like the second p in happy) it looked different because I ended up applying a different amount of pressure - it wasn't distributed between all the letters in the word and that made the letter skinnier.

The same thing happened with the second r in merry - but moody turned out perfectly. I think this merry/moody one is my favorite.

And here's the last one - giggly and grumpy. Way too many g's in giggly! Even if I buy another set of stamps I won't be able to do this word in one print so I may come up with a different word to replace giggly. Alan suggested giddy but I'm not totally sure yet.

And see the snaps? I used snaps instead of velcro and I think it looks much better. Classier somehow. And I bought a snap setter. I know I said here that I use a spool instead, but my spool was getting pretty mangled so I broke down and bought the fancy metal thing. What a difference! It's cheap but it will last forever and I definitely recommend it now that I've tried it.

I also made a couple of hats, but Jo wasn't feeling very model-ish today so I'll post them another day. Not this week though - I'm heading out tomorrow for a work week on the road, so no evening sewing again this week. Sigh.

The bibs will be up in my new shop, as soon as I finish setting it up. It's still under construction but you're welcome to take a peek.

Good Morning:

I woke up this morning in the mood to have a contest!!

I will do it the simple, old fahioned way, as I always do. Simply leave a comment. When the contest is over, my daughter will pick a number out of the hat. If the number picked matches the comment number, you win. I know, I know, I could use a randomizer, but I'm computer illiterate and it's too complicated for me to wrap my brain around, so the old hat is good for me!!

When the contest is over, I will contact the winner.

The contest will run through Sunday March 2nd, 8:00 p.m. pacific time.

The winner will receive this:



A 4" x 6" print of "Dancing Fiona". This is one of my favorite "Anthropomorphic Animal" pieces to date. She is happy and light-hearted.

Okay, let the contest begin:
Kim
Garden Painter Art

I'll be selling this lil' bugger on my etsy tomorrow! 4"x4" mixed media (mostly oil)
Candace Trew Camling

Good Morning:

It's that time of year once again....the dreaded beginning of "Spring Cleaning". Grout cleaning, appliance shining, doo-dad dusting and all sorts of other laborious tasks. I always enter into the season dreading the big cleaning, but once I get started, I find myself re-connecting to my home. I have so many pieces around my house that were passed down to me from my mom and aunts. Old tea sets from my grandmother, whom I never met, as she died before I was born. Nic-Nacs given to me by my kids when they were tots. So many memories surround me, yet so much of the time I find myself walking through my house but not really seeing what's in my home. Spring Cleaning allows me to literally touch memories, to carefully dust these precious gifts that sometime become overlooked.

Now, don't get me wrong....I am not a fan of the basic labor of cleaning away grime from general living. I don't like mopping the floors or cleaning the kitchen grout (which, by the way, I use diet coke to clean the grout as it works wonders). But... when it comes time to really dust the nic-nacs and re-arrange the china cabinet, I find myself getting lost in some of the sweetest memories of my life.

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I have 3 new ACEO prints listed in My Etsy Shop.

Johnny On The Bridge


Sunny Day In Germany


On With The Honeymoon


I wonder sometimes if I should be more specific about what an ACEO is. I'm sure some folks that read my blog must wonder what the acronym stands for:

"ACEO" is an acronym for "Art Cards Editions and Originals". ACEOs are collectible art cards always measuring 2 ½ X 3 ½ inches. That is the size of a standard sports trading card. The rule about size is the ONLY rule in the ACEO world. An ACEO can be created in any medium the artist desires: paint, collage, colored pencils, ink, etc. There are even ACEOs made from wood, clay, fabric, and metal. They can be originals or prints.

ACEOs are tiny art works that can be matted and framed to hang on the wall. Many people display their ACEO collections in the same kind of plastic sheets and albums that sports card collectors use. You might slip an ACEO into a greeting card as an extra surprise for a birthday, anniversary, or Christmas. ACEOs sell on Ebay and Etsy for anywhere from ninety-nine cents to over one hundred dollars or more!

I love making them because I enjoy working small. I love tiny detail, so making ACEOs are perfect for me.

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Well, I best be off. I have an appointment with a grout brush...

Until Next Time
Kim
Garden Painter Art

Good Morning:

Just a short entry today, as Thursday's are always my busiest days. It's been a simple and quiet day thus far, which is always a lovely way to start a day. I am rather fond of days that are hushed and ordinary. It gives me time to see and smell all the goodness that is so easily overlooked in the busy-ness that can sometimes take over.

If I breath in deep, I can almost smell the Springtime today. Even though it's a little chilly outside, and an ever-so-slight grayness has moved in, there is a hint of Spring lurking beneath. I will enjoy this simple morning as long as it lasts. As I know that within the oncoming hours, the daily rush will set in, and I will be off in a whirlwind of chores and commitments.

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I finished another collage ACEO last night and listed it in My Etsy Shop. It's another in my "Amelia" series and it may be my favorite of all...

Amelia Visits The Ghostly Orchards



I just love the ghostly Victorian women picking apples. I left them sepia toned except for the apples, to give them a sort of ethereal look.

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Thanks ever so much for taking the time to stop by and have a look at my blog. As always, I truly appreciate it.

Until Next Time:
Kim
Garden Painter Art

Hello There:

I'm off to quite a busy day, but wanted to check in and say "Thank You" to all who commented on my previous entry. Should I change my business name or not is still the question being volleyed around my house. I've come up with several names that I really like, but am dreadful of all that would need to be done if I choose to make the change. Most people think that I should change and that my name is, indeed, misleading. The overall opinion is that, if I'm going to do it, I need to do it now and make a huge deal out of it. Holler it out to the world!! I will keep you posted and may be back to ask for more opinions!!

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I've been quite busy in my studio, and I'm off to a productive week already. Here's what I've just listed in My Etsy Shop:

LITTLE BERTIE IN THE GARDEN (4" x 6" collage on canvas)



GUARDIAN OF LAZY DAYS (collage ACEO 2-1/2" x 3-1/2" miniature art)



As always, if you don't have an Etsy account, but are interested in either of these pieces, or prints of these pieces, just email me. Up at the top, left hand corner of my blog, just click the "email me" button. Until I get my blog shop in order and get that pesky little paypal button attached, this is the only way to offer my pieces here.

Again, thanks ever so much for your comments and opinions on my newest adventure.

Until Next Time:
Kim
Garden Painter Art

Good Morning:

As I sit, tap tap tapping on this electronic communicator, my fingers are aching with cold. It's one of those desert mornings that allows an icy wind to find it's way through every crack and crevice in the house. Even with the heater on, the air is cold to the nose. The chilly wind gave me the honest excuse to skip my morning walk. The thought of heaving myself out of a warm bed at 7:30 a.m. to walk 3 miles in this wind just seemed, well...it seemed wrong. Although, I must admit, this was not the best morning to skip a walk, considering the amount of calories I must've consumed last night for Valentine's Day.

Last night, Gary and I had our usual V-Day dinner, shared a bottle of Almond Champagne, and had too much sinful but heavenly homemade cheesecake. For the last few years, Ava (my daughter) has been making a V-Day desert. This year she chose to make not one, but two cheesecakes. A Peanut Butter Cheesecake and a Lemon Cheesecake with Strawberries. AND...she always makes homemade whipped cream to go along. It was lovely. A feast for the heart as well as the belly...



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I haven't finished any new pieces in the last few days, but I did list a new print in MY ETSY SHOP. The warm weather we had a few days ago made me long for Springtime and Easter (which is my favorite holiday). This little ACEO print was originally made with Easter in mind:

THE EGG HUNT



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Looks like I'm off for the day. I have a few little chores to attend to and I am hopeful to find some time to start a new collage.

Until Next Time:
Kim
Garden Painter Art

Good Morning:

Well, just as I suspected, the few days of 80 degree weather that we had here in the Southern California desert was short lived. I'm okay with that. It just doesn't seem right to be so warm in February. Our walk this morning was chilly to the bone with a constant goose-bump inducing wind. Was nice to get back home and have that first cup of morning coffee.

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It seems that today is Valentine's Day. Ava (my daughter) is busy in the kitchen making a cheesecake for Gary and me to have as our desert tonight. She's altering the recipe to make a peanutbutter cheesecake, so I'm looking forward to the end result. Later today, I'll run out and buy a bottle of Almond Champagne and set the table for a nice dinner for two. Ava will make dinner for my two sons and herself, and Gary and I will feast on our traditional Valentine dinner of "Pick-Up-Stix". I shan't allow myself to think of the sinful amount of calories that I'll be consuming!!

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I have a new original 4" x 6" collage on canvas listed in My Etsy Shop. Have a look at the old church in the background. I took that photo a few years back in Cuervo, New Mexico. It's a little abandoned town off of Interstate 40. I googled Cuervo not too long ago, and found that there are some interesting stories connected to the town.

SUNDAY MORNING WITH LITTLE RABBIT AND BROTHER BILLY


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Looks like I'm off for the day. I have a few chores that need to be attended to.

Until Next Time:
Kim
Garden Painter Art

Good Morning:

I'm back from my morning walk, and found the squirrels were fresh out of their burrows and the woodpeckers were busy doing whatever it is that they do. My own yard is filled with the chit-chat of thankful birds at my just-filled feeders. I can almost feel myself ready to bloom for spring. BUT...I know better than to jump to conclusions, as it is only February. Although we have had lovely days of 80 degree temperatures, the small and hidden logical part in my brain tells me that we are still in for more winter weather. Alas, with each passing day, spring gets one day closer...

I have been fairly busy in my studio lately and have managed to finish 2 collage ACEOs (2-1/2" x 3-1/2" miniature art)

BENNY AND THE SUMMER STORM (sold)


AMELIA BABYSITS THE NEIGHBORS (this is the 3rd "Amelia" aceo in the series).

(Check out the pouting little girl with the blue pixie hat on. That's me when I was a little girl, just getting ready to have one of my royal tantrums)!

I just love working with these vintage photos of "Amelia". I don't know who she is, but I have lots of photos of her, as I adopted a musty box of her family photos at the flea market. I only know her name is Amelia because that's what the back of her pictures say. In each and every photo, she is happy and smiling. I will continue to make more "Amelia" pieces. I am honored to be able to give her photos a new life.

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I have a handful of little "chores" to do today, but will have time to finish the current collage I'm working on. Gary is home from work today, as it's Lincoln's Birthday. Although he isn't able to enjoy his day off, as he has a terrible cold.

Thanks for stopping by
Until Next Time:
Kim
Garden Painter Art

Good Morning:

Well, it's been over a week since I've made my way to my blog. Filling the big, white, and blank page seems such a heavy task, yet when I do have the words, I enjoy it so. Although I haven't many words lately, I have managed to finish two new collages. They are both listed in My Etsy Shop.

The first collage is a second piece in my "Fiona" series. It's a 5" x 7" on canvas:

FASHIONABLE FIONA




The second collage is another in my "Rabbit" series. It's a 4" x 6" on canvas and I like to classify it as "story art", as there is a story to the piece. It goes like this:

"What you get with this collage is a lovely summer afternoon somewhere in the English countryside. The kind of warm day with miniature breezes that call you to laze about. But on this day, Rabbit had an unexpected visit from her dear friend, Dog. Dog felt that the day was so warm and fresh that a party was in order. Dog brought hats and tea and scones. A nice time was had by all...BUT, something was amiss. There was a static in the air and a low howl far in the distance....

Now, you get to fill in the blank. The end of the story belongs to you!!"

RABBIT'S UNEXPECTED PARTY



Both of these pieces will, eventually, be offered in print form in my Etsy shop. If you are interested in either of these collages or a print of either one, but you don't have an Etsy account, feel free to email me for details. You can do so by going to the top left hand corner of my blog and click on the email button.

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As much as I loathe using my blog as a simple marketing tool, that must be what I use it for today, as I'm off to another busy day. Meds for my mom and picking up some medical records for her as well.

As always, thank you ever so much for stopping by and having a look at my new work. I truly appreciate it.

Until Next Time
Kim
Garden Painter Art

Seems like a lot of people are doing mermaids for this week's Illustration Friday. Below is a mermaid I did for our group promo mailer. You can see the process here.

What a lovely rainy morning it is. The dampness in the air is tempting me to cuddle up in my favorite reading chair...



But alas, I've only been up and alert for approximately one hour. I am hoping to get a few things done today, but am finding myself a little slow as I seem to have a nasty ear infection. I have an ear condition that I take daily medication for, and for the most part, it's kept under control. Every once in a while, my ears give me fits, and with the change in weather, this is a likely time for them to misbehave. I will do as much as my ears will allow, and otherwise, I will be perfectly content to stay in and wallow in the warmth of my home. While the rain is boldly dripping outside, making just enough splatter to be heard through the windows and doors, I will be thankful for the roof over my head and the blessing of ears that can still hear the rain...





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I am anxious to get back to work and I have several pieces just waiting for me to finish them...



Whether I will feel well enough to work today is yet to be seen, but I may give it a whirl and see what happens. I know that my heart is ready to work, now I'll see if my ears will allow it. I have several projects going on all at once, as I always do. I am hopeful to finish a few pieces so that if I'm able to pay my Etsy fees, I can begin listing again.

I'm off for the morning. On to my daily doings. My hope is to be finished with all that I must do before nightfall. I would so enjoy a little time to quietly sit in my favorite reading chair, listening to the rain with a cup of Peppermint Tea in hand.

Until Next Time:
Kim
Garden Painter Art

I said I thought I could realistically get this finished by Wednesday night and I just managed to squeak in under the wire. And it was a special challenge this time because - after seeing the lovely design of Heather Bailey's patterns - I decided I needed to improve the design of the pattern and instructions. So check out the fancy new cover page above! And see the little logo up in the top corner? That says Afternoon Delights - perfect for when you only have a couple of hours to fool around. Future patterns will be categorized as One-Night Stands, Weekend Flings, and Long-Term Commitments. Cute, eh? It's nice living with a writer. Now I need to go back and redesign the Triangle Toys pattern to improve the layout and look of it. A task for the next few nights . . .

So what are Blockheads? They're beanbags, handwarmers, sachets, dolls, pocket pals, and more. They're as much fun to make as they are to play with.

The pattern is available now in my Etsy shop as a PDF - so no shipping charges. You get complete instructions and full-sized patterns for 11 faces, 10 hairstyles, a pair of ears, and a tongue. You also get ideas for scented mix-ins and a page of suggestions for more variations to try - plus instructions for games to play with your Blockheads. Quite a deal for $5!

These guys make me happy.