Hospice El Dia de los Muertos

I will be setting up my Day of the Dead artwork/altar at Hospice of San Luis Obispo for their beautiful event on Sunday, Nov. 2. I just unloaded another kilnload of latte mugs especially for the show. Details/map to Hospice here: www.hospiceslo.org

And on Monday I'm phone banking and on Tuesday I am driving folks to the polls, or doing whatever needs doing to get out the vote. What are you doing for our America?

All is Calm

Just wanted to bring a moment of calm to this busy world. This is an ACEO card (Artist Card Edition and Original) that I painted in a tiny rowboat on Mirror Lake, near Sandpoint, Idaho in September. It helps me stay centered as I get ready for the encore weekend of Open Studio. All is calm!

Open Studio First Weekend A Great Success, One More to Go!

I had a blast last Saturday and Sunday welcoming over a hundred people to my Open Studio Tour. It was wonderful seeing my faithful customers and I met many new ones too. My Day of the Dead jewelry was a hot seller: all the beaded dancing skeleton earrings sold quickly. I'm making more this week to replenish the earring tree which I made from a rock rose bush branch from our meditation garden.

On Sunday during the tour I had time to play a few songs on my accordion with my band Hear the Darlins Roar. Our drummer, Barry, emailed me today with the great news that his Day of the Dead skull mug that he purchased was a big hit at the office. More mugs will be going to live there soon.

Our Lady of Perpetual Chocolate Shrine and Snack Bar was visited with great devotion by all. The most popular item there was Aiden (11) and Nina's (12) home baked Pan de los Muertos, a sweet, anise flavored bread shaped into skulls.

This week I am filling orders and replenishing stock, in preparation for the second weekend of the tour. I sold three of my beaded turquoise and coral watches, so more of those will be next on my to do list.

I'm on a YouTube!

This month I participated in Little Black Boxes, a special offering of arts and crafts from Etsy artists. (www.thelittleblackboxes.com) Every month an indie artist Ali, makes a YouTube of herself opening up the little black box, describing each piece of art. I submitted a sampling of my illustrated pet angel cards, and Ali loves them. Too funny. Watch the video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_604_6R9PI

New Greeting Card with Skulls & Our Lady of the Guadalupe Dunes

Fresh off the press, our new line of greeting cards: Fishtale Greetings! This card features six of my handpainted Day of the Dead sugar skull tiles. Comes with 100% recycled paper envelope, and is blank inside for your personal message.

Other images in our premier printing are: Our Lady of the Guadalupe Dunes, from an original illustration of mine celebrating our local dunes, as well as Bruce's amazing photography. His images include light paintings of our garden calla lilies, peacock feathers and his hilarious street sign and manhole cover photographs.

All of our new card designs will be displayed at my Open Studio Tour this weekend. (gulp!)

Countdown to Open Studio: 6 days to go!

Today, with six more days to go, I finished six silk chakra banners, three WooHoo! What a Ride! banners, one "Do not Stand at my Grave and Weep" banner and seven tiny "Peace in my Heart, Peace in my Home, Peace on Earth" beaded silks and two "All I ask of you is forever to remember me as loving you" beaded silks.

Helloooooo.....

New Colorful Day of the Dead Tiles

I have painted twelve of these six inch ceramic tiles with colorful calaveras, in the tradition of the Day of the Dead sugar skulls. They are listed in my etsy shops for sale, and will be on my Day of the Dead altar during Open Studio. Each of them is one-of-a-kind, and we just sent art to the printer for greeting cards with six of these beauties. Stay tuned.

Poker Face Ace, another Day of the Dead Handpainted Ceramic Plate

This plate cracks me up. For anybody who can play cards and not show your hand in your facial expressions, this is not for you. For the rest of us who can't hide our emotions when those aces appear in our cards, this plate is for you.

Here is the joy when life brings us sweet surprises, mystery grace, familiar connections~out of the blue.

Oh. My. Dog. Fastest Sale Ever.

I just sold the Catrina plate, after twenty minutes of posting it to this blog, and my etsy shop. I am stunned, and delighted and the expression on my face looks just like this one!

Guitar Hero Calavera Plate

A companion piece to the catrina plate below, this one is playing his guitar. For all the musicians in my life, still here or long gone, the music plays on.

New Kiln load of Calavera Plates

I've done three firings this week, and am relieved that all four of the new square plates emerged from the fire in perfect condition. These two calaveras (skeletons) plates were handpainted, inspired by José Guadalupe Posada, a Mexican engraver and illustrater, 1862-1913. They measure 11 inches square.