Back Yard Saturday

Excavation! This is where the pavers will go... that's a tiny piece of the new deck!

Last weekend I pruned a couple of trees and look at the mess I made. That big pile of brush is covering a whole brick patio! I need to clean up a few more trees before the job is done. They look great but what a mess. We are having a new small deck built downstairs in the back and new pavers put in near the hot tub - so exciting to have our secret garden. I'll be building a little brick pathway starting at that red chair to the house.

Waldorf Doll Experiment

I'm attempting my first Waldorf doll for my daughter. I made the head and started the hair/wig today. I've never made a doll before.... we'll see how it goes!

Look What I Found!

Here is a cute casserole dish... handmade pottery! I got it at an estate sale for $5.00! It's a nice green-blue with gold ochre and in perfect condition and the shapes look like lillypads. I have a thing for serving dishes with lids- the unveiling is a nice effect at the table plus, it keeps the food warm.

Fresh May Prints

The prints above my press

Last night I got lucky and had some time to print!!! Here is a peek at my printing studio, it's a bit messy but it's a great set up and I can leave everything out so I'm ready to go when I get a chance to print. Now, I just have to wait for them to dry. I printed on some old book pages and solid printed backgrounds to print over... plus some larger ones that I will also be printing over. It's exciting to do some layering... haven't done it for ages. :)

New Things in My Little Shop

Sea Lilly wool felted purse

Detail of bird diptych I

Bird with egg predella - II

Detail of bird diptych I

Flight wool felted purse

Here are some new items I've added to my ETSY shop. I have a nice sale going on there right now. My fiber art purses are on sale and there's free shipping til May 31! It has been so great to have the shop back in order after a very long spell of photography problems. (the bird diptych has not yet been added to the shop but is coming soon)

I'm also planning a woodblock print give-away in the near future, so stay tuned for that! Other than that, I have been enjoying the holiday weekend! I've planted many seeds... wildflower mix, dill, basil, chamomile, marigolds and of course tons of violas. My son's veg garden is doing well... the lettuce and onions look quite good. All the lilacs are in bloom here -Spokane is known as the 'Lilac City'- and accordingly I will be planting 2 or 3 in our side front yard for a bit more privacy!

Now, I'm off to the grocery store to buy lots of apples for the pie I'm making. We're having a BBQ at my brother's house tomorrow, Yay!

Purple Cone Flowers

The Purple Cone Flower purse (yep, that's me... probably the most of me I'll ever post!)

Here's a new woodblock I'm working on. I love these flowers, I planted my first last year. I did a purse inspired by them and now a woodcut. (the purse sold - I'll have to make another) I think I'll do a more stylized drawing and print on fabric. (Click on the pictures for more detail!)

Empty Bowl Quilt

' Your bowl must be empty before you can fill it up.' - Buhdda

Like all my quilts, this one has a story. I wanted to make this after seeing photos from a Kaffe Fassett class at the fabric shop in the village I used to live in. (For you Portland peeps - Fibers in Motion in Multnomah Village) I was so inspired!!! I was about 6 months pregnant and was determined to start and finish this quilt before she was born because I figured I would have to give up art and quilting once my 2nd child came. (I was wrong, but it is a bit more complicated)

I hand cut each block one by one and hand sewed it too. I did finish it before she was born and had it machine quilted last summer. It is one of my very favorite quilts...

Telephone Lady

Velma the force clerk

Luncheon party at ?? the Spokane Club? (love the hats and shoes!)

A retirement gift, a telephone, 1956

Party at the Hall of Doges at the Davenport Hotel - Spokane, WA.

Operator

The switchboard

Here are a few snaps from a great find at an estate sale. These images are from a memory book from Pacific Northwest Bell telephone company. I won't reveal the woman's name in case any of her family may recognize these photos... but they are so fascinating, I love the era! I will probably be using some of these for inspiration in my art.

Oregon Winter

Oregon Winter, acrylic on canvas. 30 x 40 in.

Here is a painting I did a few years ago of my husband and son who was about 1 1/2 years old. We were visiting Portland in January and went to one of our favorite parks in Lake Oswego - George Rodgers Park. It's right on the river and has beautiful views and an old brick smelter with a Gothic arch. I used to have drawing and watercolor class there in the springtime - I have such great memories of that place. Now I need to do some with my little girl who is now about the same age.

It's a Spring Thing

These Violas are my favorite, orange and purple!!!

English Daisies

Violas

Forget-Me-Nots

Bleeding Hearts

Ahhh, good weather and sunshine has finally pushed me outdoors! Hence, I don't have many new things to post in my studio right now. We had my son's birthday party today and my piano recital is looming closer (May 31)! Maybe then I can focus more on art.

***I really don't know why I try to take piano.... there's so little time to practice now that I have 2 children and am doing art as well. But, I decided to go back after skipping one year after my daughter's birth never dreaming I'd have to do yet another recital!! Oh well, I'm going to be a ball of stress til the date trying to prepare... I guess I have to lower my expectations and try to look at it as 'just for fun'. *** Enough rant about that.

My son and I have just planted his first veggie garden, so we've been tending it. (He calls it 'planting the fields') We still need to plant the seeds which are: carrots, dill, chamomile, wildflowers and basil. It's intoxicating to be outside after such a long winter.

New Carvings

In the drawing stage...

Here are some of my latest woodblock carvings - the start of a series inspired by the beach/ocean. I'm going to print these in layers... probably using light-colored inks. I may experiment with colored paper too... just in the mood to do something completely different than the usual. I'm running low on wood and need to place an order, which will set me back about a week or less - wish I had ordered earlier, I like to have it on hand when I'm ready to work!

Another Art School Quilt

Here is another therapy quilt made during art school in Portland, OR. The quilt top is totally hand cut and hand sewn! I bought the fabric after a trip to Taiwan with my mom. My brother lived there at the time and we went to see the first grandchild in our family, baby Sarah. The chrysanthemum fabric was the inspiration for this quilt. It reminded me of paintings at the National Museum in Taiwan. For unknown reasons, the colors made me think of the smell, climate and memory of Taiwan. Funny how memory can sway the choices you make in art.

Looking Through the Window

Here is an older jewel box I did a while back. They all had wallpaper in the background which was so much fun to paint since I love pattern. I just picked up some of my work that had been at a gallery for quite a while and brought in some new things. You will probably see some of these things in my Etsy shop... although she is one of my faves and I may have to keep her!

Pillow Fight

Pillow Fight acrylic on canvas

Here is a painting that hangs above my daughter's crib. I had done it from a photograph of some friend's kids I took several years ago. When I was asked to do a show at a local coffee house a few years back I scrambled to prepare. Wanting to add a few smaller pieces to the show, I painted 2 small ones and 2 large ones 'on the fly'. Shortly before the artist's reception, I discovered I was pregnant with my daughter... this painting ended up being perfect above her crib. It looks as though the girls are 'playing' with the baby in the crib - which was never my intention while painting it. Funny how fate works!

A Book Today

Love the wave pattern paper... it's kind of like 'surfer paper'

Bugs and beach ladies

Dorothea portrait and the Avignon carousel

Water and bugs

Top view

Here's another book I made using a Maya Road album binder book... the book tape works like a charm. I love using the right materials, there's a satisfaction in having something function properly! :) (I guess this only comes from doing it wrong in the past.) I'm still working on some new prints and am looking for more books to work with. I might re-use a children's board book using some gesso,paints and prints.

I have put a book in my Etsy shop with a mod floral cover in earth tones... check it out! www.teaandinkstudio.etsy.com

Silver Shoes and Tea

Tea woodblock print card

Here's a woodblock print on a greeting card with envelope. This one's called Tea (detail). I will be posting it and others in my Etsy shop this weekend!

Here are some lovely silver shoes we got yesterday for 'baby girl' as we like to call her. They were so adorable, I just couldn't resist them. (We actually went shopping for sandals for both the kids...)