A Good Day

I am in a good space. I am feeling like things are opening up for me again. I am managing my home well, I am managing my kids well, and I am managing my art well. It is a rare place to be, and I am sure it will change tomorrow, but I am riding the wave today.


Pictured above is a new painted canvas that will be turned into stitched accessories. The copper stamping is done with a wooden stamp that was original used to stamp on fabric in the Middle East or Asia, most likely Afghanistan. I love it, and will likely need more of these. Luckily my friend Rayela sells them in her etsy store. I used acrylic paint with it, and washed it off right away.
Another painted canvas is pictured above. This one has been coated with digital ground. Once it is dry, I am going to try printing on it with my ink jet printer. I am excited to see what the results will be. This one will become stitched accessories too. Most likely card wallets since those seem to be in demand on my etsy and in my galleries.

My "Holier Than Thou" Bird print is new in my etsy store today, along with two other bird prints newly listed this week. The originals are still available too at Artist Alley in Southern Pines, NC.

This has been such a "newsy" post. I would like to be a more engaging blog writer, but I just ain't got it in me at this time of the evening. Maybe net time!

Three Years and a Huge Chunk of My Heart is Still in Africa

The week of Thanksgiving, we celebrated the third anniversary of bringing home our precious daughter from Ethiopia. While we were in Ethiopia, I felt almost as if I was right where I had been called to. I felt at home. I felt at peace. I knew that Ethiopia was a part of me somehow. When I left, I left a huge chunk of my heart behind. That sense has never left me. I am haunted by it almost daily. Of course I care for the people in Ethiopia because my child is from there, but the connection is more than that. I don't think I can adequately describe or explain it with words. Over the past three years we have participated in several initiatives to relieve poverty in Ethiopia and bring the Gospel to the lost there. I have been most impressed by the work of Children's Hope Chest. They are very active in Africa and in Russia to relieve the devastation of poverty and hunger amongst orphans and to protect young children from sex trafficking. I think what attracts me to this organization the most is the heart of Tom Davis (President) for orphans. It's a love thing. It comes through in his writing. He bleeds for orphans. I bleed for orphans. So, I hope you will look into http://www.hopechestpartners.org/ and consider partnering with them to champion to most vulnerable.

I am very excited to be firing my lampworking torch after a long hiatus. I have been focusing on mixed media for the last several years for several reasons. Now, however, I have the space, health and desire to get back on the torch. It is funny how my body remembered exactly what to do.
My Lampwork store on etsy is Amysmithglass.etsy.com.

Photography and Life

Life is good. I mean really good. I am doing life in a wonderful way these days. That is why I am so scarce here. My blog is suffering, but my family is thriving. A worthy trade say I.

So, a friend is doing a collaborative photography project. My interest is piqued. I am showing more interest in photography lately because it is a means to be creative with less stuff in more manageable time segments. I can feed my need without getting overwhelmed I guess. So, I decided I would join in Chrysti's project... at least for this round.
The prompt was "decorate." Here is my response...

I feel the way I feel

My friend Debbie had one of those goosebumps kind of connections recently. We were talking about our experiences in the past of being told "You shouldn't feel that way." Now, if you felt a shiver go up your spine just now, you are tracking with me.
We feel the way we feel. There is no should or shouldn't. It just is. I think I still struggle with this old tape sometimes. It was good to know I am not alone in that struggle.

As a result of our conversation, I felt inspired to journal a bit on one of my canvas sheets.


I added a little color. More to come. This will turn in to something. It felt good to spell it out.


Are you feeling it?

I don't have a catchy title.

I started off trying to write an inspiring and poetic blog post. Then the phone rang, and it was my mom. Then, my son needed my attention so I could try and guess the lyrics to the tune he was humming. It was the theme from Indiana Jones... no lyrics. Then my husband interrupted me to tell me that he is taking the kids on a bike ride and leaving me.....alone? So no inspiration folks. Sorry, I am heading in to my studio.
Oh! The earrings are on my etsy site. You can follow the link in the sidebar to get there. Click on the image to get to my flicker site to see all the new stuff that is not yet listed on etsy- sneak preview style. Oh, and stay tuned for a giveaway announcement in the next few days.

Join me this Saturday for this Special Event!

The Carolina Mixed Media Art Guild is pleased to present an Indie Business Breakfast in Raleigh, NC on Saturday, June 6, from 9 am to Noon, entitled:

How to Use Social Media to Leverage Your Brand and Attract More Paying Customers For Your Business!

CMMAG member and artist extraordinaire, Lisa Stewart, CREATIVEGoddess of ECStewart Designs in Raleigh will be the featured speaker. She is an award winning designer and illustrator who, along with her husband and business partner, creates an extensive line of sophisticated images that are licensed on all kinds of elegant home accessories and personal products designed to enhance the lifestyle of the sophisticated customer. Lisa is a graduate of Western Michigan University's School of Graphic Design and Fine Arts.
Through the years, Lisa and her husband have become intimately familiar with the challenges artists and crafters face when seeking to make the most of the financial opportunities that flow from their gifts. Lisa and her work have been featured in dozens of magazines and news outlets. Lisa will share from her experience and answer your questions about everything from maximizing online sales to achieving favorable publicity. If you want to learn how to use free and low cost social media tools to entrench your brand in your niche market, you need to follow Lisa's lead! She can help you turn your artistic talent into a vehicle that will help you enjoy your craft while also living a lifestyle you have always dreamed of.

What's an Indie Business Breakfast, you ask?

About Indie Business
Indie Business is where independent business owners connect, collaborate and succeed. We share tips and how-tos, and use the latest branded new media tools to create new relationships and expand our spheres of influence.
Indie Business Breakfast is hosted by Donna Maria Coles Johnson, founder and president of the Indie Beauty Network and Indie Business Media. Known as the Chief Executive Indie and the Original Lifestyle CEO, Donna Maria is passionate about empowering people to maximize their potential through small business ownership. You can follow Donna Maria’s entrepreneurial journey at http://www.indiebusinessblog.com/. You can also connect with her on Twitter at http://twitter.com/IndieBusiness and on Facebook at http://companies.to/IndieBusiness

Interested? Intrigued? Inspired? Join us!

Click here to register. Tickets are $20 in advance, and $25 at the door, and don't forget your business cards!

If you're a CMMAG member, we'll have an area dedicated to showcasing examples of our work, so bring something fabulous to show off. Note: if you're planning to bring something, please arrive at least 20 minutes early to ensure your work is displayed properly.

See you there!