holli zollinger

moving day

2011-07-04T21:50:00.001-06:00

sorry for the inconvenience
but i am moving to a more exciting page!

www.hollizollinger.com

come and stop by where i hope to entice you with all the buzzings and colorings of my life...

design dreaming

2011-06-22T19:01:00.002-06:00

ok,
daydreaming...
these colors remind me of snorkling in tropical waters with coral all around.
in my dreams i am lying on a beach, with a coconut cocktail, enjoying the beautiful color of the ocean... designing new fabrics in my head as the translucent waters lap at my heels.
maybe i am in croatia, where the coastline beauty mixes with the old world of europe.
maybe antigua...
maybe corsica...

horsey

2011-06-17T12:31:00.000-06:00

a bit odd i know...but you must create your fun from somewhere...

primrose

2011-06-06T20:15:00.000-06:00

some of the fabrics from the "primrose" collection at my shop...

desert rocks and prickly pear

2011-05-30T10:30:00.003-06:00

new work entitled "key log"
if you are curious, here is the where i got the inspiration.
frank herbert, one of my favorite authors, an excerpt from his
dune series.
so glad i have something to show for this extremely wet spring
when we are pushed into the house every day because of rain
and thunder.
she is already up and installed in the restaurant in moab.
now to ready myself for another...
so excited how it turned out.

case-mate designs

2011-05-09T15:21:00.001-06:00

yeah! ...in stores now....my designs on iphones! these are available for purchase through www.nordstrom.com (via www.case-mate.com) or visit this link for instant access!

journal-sketch book

2011-04-21T11:31:00.002-06:00

its time to start thinking about new goods to sell at the farmers market, so i decided to try my hand at making a sketchbook/journal. i really love how these turned out. a simple stitch down the middle, a little kraft paper and glue, and a highly vibrant color copy makes this an easy task for the end of a long day. i think i will put these up in my etsy store soon. my fabric designs at spoonflower really make this a visual feast.

project selvage

2011-03-24T21:46:00.000-06:00

its finally time for project selvage...! its been a few weeks of thinking, designing, changing, designing, coloring, scrapping, AHA! umm..
no... changing, coloring, re-doing, changing,
and all for this wonderful opportunity to design a collection for michael miller through spoonflower.
today was the deadline, and now the wonderful folks at michael miller will be choosing 75 finalists to compete through two rounds of voting on spoonflower.
so excited to participate in this contest, i hope to get as far as the "design 5 more as part of a collection" round.
if you havent already, its a good time to join spoonflower and get a chance to vote in this great contest.
this is my entry, after much deliberating!

capra

2011-03-01T13:14:00.001-07:00

my new piece entitled "capra". i just spent the weekend in moab, utah delivering this lady and hanging it in sabaku sushi restaurant. glad to have this one finished and visible to the public. 3 + years sitting in the closet, it took some revitalizing and polishing to get it ready, but happy to have it done.

capra, inspired by the latin name for goats, seems so applicable after my most recent affections for these wily creatures.

happy march everyone!

birthday boy

2011-02-09T19:50:00.000-07:00

my little one turns three today!
happy birthday lorenzo!

i love my little guy! and i spoiled him a little with this riding tractor from peg perego. he is infamous about his love for john deere, so now he gets to help mom in the garden.

foxen

2011-01-29T20:14:00.005-07:00

dreaming of arcadia, a rustic, pastoral place where things are simple, and people happy. a place to remember Pan and his nymphs gathered around with music and fertility reaching zenith.
this design in all its foxy-ness is truly inspired by the strength and power of myth to sustain meaning and beauty in this modern world.

see the fabric larger here

happy saturday!

tartan and rabbits

2011-01-24T09:26:00.003-07:00

some more fabric designing last night, who would have thought i would ever want to design plaid...? but it turned out to be very simple and fun, i think i will try and do a few more.

right now, i am drawn to scandinavian design and fabrics. this was a fun attempt to design something with that thread and also weave my own style into it. you can find both of these designs as fabric here and here, of course at www.spoonflower.com.

my desk

2011-01-14T14:23:00.004-07:00

my desk...it almost never looks this tidy, so i thought it worth documenting.

i love looking at pictures of people's work-space.
its fascinating and educating to see how everyone uses their space and the muses that inspire them.

happy friday folks

metro bag

2010-12-29T13:23:00.004-07:00

i have been waiting months to finally make a catch-all bag for myself, yet not sure what fabric would be suitable. i have always loved to encorporate text and fonts within my work...and this one is the result of a few hours with this idea in mind.
i love the way it turned out, especially how the opposing fabric is identical with the design.
grey and orange make it modern, and beyond the "diaper bag" look, which it will probably be turned into.
the fabric is a linen/cotton blend, i love working with this weight and feel.
designed by me and printed by spoonflower, both fabrics can be purchased here and here.

give-away day

2010-12-13T07:26:00.004-07:00

i think its time for a give-away! ...dont you? i would like to say thank you to my few followers out there, not sure how many there are... (and i know i am not the most reliable blogger!)
so if you would love to be the proud owner of these lovely cards, submit your response in the comment box and tell me what your favorite DIY project of this past year has been. and if you dont have one...tell me of one that you would like to do in the future. so in time for the holidays, the deadline will be december 19th at midnight. i will choose randomly out of the lovely fedora hanging from my coat rack.

btw...here is my favorite

2010-12-10T08:32:00.003-07:00

"beyond" my latest creation, finished and hung in moab, utah.
2 or so years of seeing it everyday prompted a swift ending...and now i couldn't be happier about my lady.
now...for a swift sell!

hallows

2010-10-25T23:08:00.005-06:00

crisp.

color.

there's something in the air.

samhain.

all hallows eve.

a time of bonfires, straw bales, cider, and

the thinnest of veils that connects us to

our deepest selves.

leda

2010-10-01T20:29:00.002-06:00

this piece inspired from the tragic ending of an artist, not so known, but namesake of the w.b. yeats "leda and the swan"
..."a sudden blow: the great wings beating still
Above the staggering girl"....

before and after

2010-08-15T10:57:00.002-06:00

i found this lovely post from a fellow spoonflower-ian turquoiseshed. they have used my fabric in part of their bedroom makeover posted to their blog. its very exciting for me to be a part of this new movement for "original fabric" not mass produced, as well exciting that i have people supporting and buying my designs. a beautiful makeover...glad to have a share. you can find the original post here.

As we mentioned before, this is what we decided to go for.

And here's what we ended up with!

We started by deciding which of the client's existing pieces we would keep and then spruced them up. We sourced a used headboard that we made-over with a custom paint job and had upholstery panels built and added on, topped off with our custom fabric.

We sourced some new pieces like lamps, a mirror, bedding and art for the design details and finishing pieces. Sometimes you can't find what you imagined, used or new, and so with some DIY know-how we built a shelf to display some art purchased on Etsy.

The inspiration for the room's palette came from our custom fabric that we used for curtains. Voila! Good-bye 90's sun border and hello new, fresh bedroom for a young couple who just moved into their first home! Or, how about this; hello new, fresh bedroom for a fresh couple who just moved into their new home? OR, ...for a young couple to get fresh in their new home? Ahem.

works on wood

2010-08-11T19:53:00.003-06:00

wood is brilliant. wood is the perfect union for color and form and the dance of hand on surface.
i love working with a thing that is closer to being alive than a sheet of processed paper or the thick substrate of canvas. it speaks and says things rather shocking...
like hmm...do you see this line over here?...it could be a man juggling flower pots.
or it can simply just be the lines of age of a thing that grew with beauty.

summer garden alchemy

2010-07-31T05:09:00.005-06:00

summer is here and the garden is flowing...
there is a certain finesse in weeding, watering, picking, and eating your bounty.
this year i am deep in the magic of food, the alchemy of body and vegetable, the symbiosis of person and garden, the union of chlorophyll and cell.
happy and content am i.
will post some artwork soon.

m'lady

2010-05-29T05:16:00.003-06:00

my next lady of the woods...
spring is holding on quite
fiercely here, and chances to get outside come between thunder and rain.
the garden is booming,
the weeds keep coming,
and time for art nestles
between the rain and grandpa cats who unknowingly
offer hours of distraction to a sweet boy.

pattterns on wood

2010-05-03T14:59:00.003-06:00

my little farmers market is coming up next saturday, and this always has me busy trying to create new things for people to enjoy and me to sell.
lately, i have been using my patterns for more than just fabric. i was thinking one day how lovely it would be to see some of my fabric on the wall. and this in turn inspired a new idea to use my wood panels and paint patterns on them. i love how this one turned out...the richness of the wood showing through and the pop of color.

cherry

2010-04-04T18:33:00.004-06:00

since spring has officially left us drooling for more...more color, more warmth and more sunshine. i thought this image would be appropriate to usher in the springtime blooms and buds.
cherry blossoms have to be one of the most profound sites to behold after a long white and gray winter.
this piece entitled "she relies on shades of cherry" was a line from a poem my sister shari wrote, which i used to inspire an image from.
it was finished a few months ago but after retrieving if from the back of my closet, i agreed with myself to give it a show. i chose to allow the natural wood grain to show through, and mainly used colored pencil and acrylic as the foundation. the pattern in her hair is also for sale as a real fabric on www.spoonflower.com, yeah!

process

2010-03-24T10:20:00.005-06:00

i recently came upon a few websites who featured a look at their process of designing fabric for their viewers. it was such valuable information to me since i am mostly "self taught" and am going about this whole business more by instinct and intuition than by hard skills.
now i am like anyone in this business...eager to be shown and taught new ways of doing things, so i love to find those who will give a small slice of their daily life, what inspires them, and the implements they use to nurture their artwork from seed to flower.
and so i decided to add my process to the mixture and hopefully inspire someone on the way.

so this piece was actually inspired by spoonflower's fabric of the week contest "daffodils".
when i draw, i use a graph tablet, i dont always use the grid but it helps on those that i want to be tight and symmetrical.
the first image was sketched with pencil. the second

image drawn with a fine tipped pen using a lightbox and tracing the original image onto clean white paper.

i then scan this image into photoshop. i select all of the lines (by wand) and then "expand" the lines by 1 pixel. sometimes i expand more...but this time i wanted a small line. then "fill" with color, i chose a light brown for this one.

at this point the sky is the limit...with this one i had alot of different variations with color, but ultimately i chose the simplest one. i like how it highlights one of the first colors of spring, representing daffodil, forsythia bush and the new tilt of the sun bringing all of the color back into our lives.

tree hearts

2010-03-18T14:58:00.003-06:00

the farm is all a bustle, nurturing and tending our little seedlings and preparing the soil for the season.
this has to be my favorite time of year, to watch the earth come alive! and a time again to merge with the elements.
in defense of food by michael pollan has me in a grip right now as though i have been ingesting truth by the spoonful. if you feel like you would like to know the truth about your food and diet...this book is profound.
he just came out with a newer one called food rules, both of which are on the new york times bestseller list.

Recovered Chairs

2010-02-22T17:41:00.001-07:00

Recovered Chairs
Originally uploaded by lesjoujou

what a lovely surprise today, to find that someone used my original fabric to reupholster and upgrade their chairs!
truly it made my day!

lately...
here, we have been riding the wave of winter...trying to get ourselves
through this white landscape...navigating each day in search of entertaining things for a two year old.
me...designing fabric...taking much needed care of
self...anticipating the exact color of green the grass gets in the springtime after all of the moisture.
oh yes! and the yellow forsythia bush that lives up the street that blooms such a cheery yellow it cannot help make you smile.

mushrooms

2010-01-15T10:12:00.004-07:00

moving right along...
i was hung up on this piece for many days...stalling and making use of time elsewhere. perhaps my juices were not kicking out the required amount of inspiration, i had to look away for a time. now its almost finished and i am amazed how critical i can be of my process. someone in my head tells me that ART cannot be ART unless it is excrutiating, laborious and timely.
...a major paradigm shift is in order.
here is a small look at my "mushroom" piece

deadlines, dress and undress

2010-01-09T17:33:00.003-07:00

so... i am working a serious deadline trying to achieve 15 new works of art by the first of april. my first show since the babe was born, and a lofty task considering how much free time i get in a day. today lorenzo proved helpful by spending his time in my clothes, strutting around, changing outfits, and admiring himself in the mirror.
he also sat with me at the table drawing circles. it was a moment i wish i could have captured with both of us sitting...working on our pictures.
i am fairly certain though, it wont be the last moment like that.

toddler times

2009-12-16T19:54:00.003-07:00

If he wasnt so cute he would be in big trouble. His favorite thing to do now is to move dirt from the flower box onto the cat, floor, toys, etc.
My first reaction is one of anger, and then i say to myself...
"well...at least it gave me a few more minutes to work."
Not sure if this is a good or bad thing.

desk

2009-12-13T15:10:00.003-07:00

my desk:
right now i have far too much on it to work properly. unfortunately i am low on space...and so it becomes my station for painting, sewing, cutting, drawing, sketching, eating, hunting, and gathering.
and now its renzo's place to draw.
i dont know about you...but i find it extremely hard to keep things orderly while managing a 2 year old.

bone soup

2009-12-02T09:50:00.005-07:00

...otherwise known as the Magic Mineral Broth. its that time of year when you feel ugh and you need to send some vitality to your body and soul.
this recipe is GOLD.
being pregnant and nursing a child can extract many needed nutrients from your system. your baby will take whatever it needs to help build strong bones and body...so its good we can replenish the supply every now and then for ourselves.
i have tried this recipe without the bones and i have to say that it just didnt give me the same feeling. i think i was needing the added calcium and magnesium that the bone marrow can give. thanks again becca for turning me onto it!

horns

2009-11-24T20:08:00.004-07:00

there is something about horns that feels so powerful, shaman-like, and magical. with this painting i am exploring that seed of thought and taking it with me on a visual journey.

...this piece has been evolving in quite a different way. i am using a new technique to get skin tone effects without so much effort. i am also layering sewing patterns as a texture and a base, and using pencil and paint to keep a more natural feel.
i really like the effect...and the warm tones that come from using the sepia colored pattern paper.

inspired

2009-11-22T12:05:00.005-07:00

this weeks inspiration comes from danny roberts. he is a fashion illustrator who just got a piece of his work published in elle magazine. his blog is very creative and full of interesting ideas.

his fashion portraits are also very inspiring. and the sheer volume of work he puts out on a weekly basis is amazing.

you can find more of his work here.

upcoming...a sneek peak at what i have been working on for my show in april.

keep checking back...

Fabric for sale

2009-11-17T22:58:00.005-07:00

Yes...its up for sale now in my etsy shop. I will be adding more each week...but these are my first designs to be listed.
I didn't know it took so much preparation and work to get a fat quarter of fabric off to the market.
It's very exciting...though. And I can barely contain my pocketbook not to jump at buying one of each of all my designs.
One thing to note...if you do purchase my work you are helping me start this new path into fabric.

And so ladybugs, beetles, beards and fro's and flowers I bid your ship good sailing.

more fabric

2009-11-13T10:12:00.007-07:00

more delicious fabric on the way...i might need an intervention at some point because i am steadily spending more of my time creating. perhaps i should make this a new career move if its all i can think about and do...

one day while at the farmers market in california, i spotted a woman carrying a bag with a huge kiwi on it...i loved it and was inspired to use it somehow in a design.

"decoflowers" has been sitting in the sketchbook for a couple of years...glad to have it out and give it a brilliant new look.

Fabric

2009-11-10T22:31:00.003-07:00

sorry for the delay in posting...many things going on to fill my head. time is a concrete substance i wrestle with endlessly to extract more of its essence...which means lots of late nights and less sleep.
i have been going through all my old sketchbooks redrawing and reworking designs to use for fabric. its an enjoyable experience getting to know what colors and patterns get me excited. its also a great opportunity for me to practice in this new format and challenge myself further with photoshop. i hope to have some fabric for sale in my etsy shop soon. keep checking back!

DIY Studio Space/Sunroom

2009-09-19T21:51:00.000-06:00

So one day I decided (with a little help from others)...to turn this never really used sunroom space into something aesthetic and usable. As you can tell from the picture...it wasnt the most sought after space to enjoy. First it had a layer of carpet on the ground, plywood on top of that, and then a layer of brick, which was hard to walk on and starting buckle and break in places.

And so (with a little help from others) we found a source to buy a load of cement, premixed, and ready to hook to the back of our truck.

It took two trips to get enough cement, and one of Jon's friends to form it. As you can see there is also a planter bed being formed on the right.

Half way there. At this point we had to wait for the other load of cement.

This picture shows a small detail after everything formed, dried and cured...I researched different ways to apply color to cement. Most of it being highly toxic, I found a way to do it without alot of chemicals. We applied Iron Sulfate (copperas)...its a substance alot of gardeners use on plants to apply iron to the soil. The substance is added to water, applied and dried in a unique and "rusted" look. After this was done, I washed it several times and sourced out some low VOC, low Odor Sealant and applied this a few weeks later.

The planter bed formed, it took a yard and a half of soil to fill. My goal for this feature is to have spinach and a cold weather crop for part of the winter. And then a handy place to start seeds in the spring.

Voila! I love it. Ren loves it. Its transformed. The only thing missing is the wood burning stove to keep us warm in the winter.

Wit

2009-09-09T22:17:00.000-06:00

i like my wit strong
like black coffee.
.
give me a good dose of correct spelling...
and perfect punctation.

now thats foreplay.

new do times two

2009-08-31T13:46:00.000-06:00

ok i think i am done for a while following ren around with scissors...it took a week and a half of little snips until we got it right. this is the final cut for a while...until it grows again. he looks like a new boy! my lil' puerto rican elf.

lorenzo's new do

2009-08-24T08:29:00.000-06:00

lorenzos first major hair-cut, and i think it turned out fine. we did pass through a dorothy hammel stage for a few days, until i wielded the scissors once again for another try. his hair is a hairdressers mess, there isnt alot of precision, but thats ok, he has no idea.

Delerium

2009-08-19T23:23:00.000-06:00

the past few weeks have been extreme. lil boy blue caught the flu (or something) and a cough. it has cost him a few pounds and three weeks full of hacking, throwing up, fever, and a general malaise. he clings like fabric now...but happily i can boast, he is back to his spunky self. i have to say i miss the loooonnnnnggg naps though. now i remember why i didnt ever get very much done.

fabric design

2009-07-21T23:37:00.000-06:00

new ideas for fabric done with photoshop. bunky words mixed with my new favorite color
"greyed lavender".

life on the farm

2009-07-17T17:24:00.000-06:00

renren in all of his renrenness.

moments after this shot ren got nipped on his finger by the chicken. he was a little shocked and offended.

barn shot.

i have finally documented the cutest, fattest, little finger pointer in the world.

jumping anna.

cheeeeeese

2009-07-06T15:51:00.001-06:00

Where is the yacht? Shari we are ready for the Mediterranean!

garden

2009-06-22T08:51:00.000-06:00

a sign for the deer

our lovely kale

the glory of morning

mustard mix

entry to the garden...trellis...with morning glory, gourds, thunbergia, moonflower, and cardinal flower

Happy Birthday Grandma

2009-06-06T23:57:00.000-06:00

happy birthday mom and grandma!

renzo and i cant wait to see you and be on the farm!

eating cheese, and sitting on the grass with zeek.

running around the farm and getting dirty.
(he is really good at it)

we love you!

art is due

2009-06-05T09:05:00.000-06:00

its been a while since i posted anything art related. i figured i would show a peak at something i am working on. the medium is sewing patterns pasted on board and then drawn and painted over. i am really enjoying this format, and will be re-working some of the older "unfinished" work to fit this style.

i am sure it will look different the next time around but i am going with a horned theme.

progress

2009-05-26T10:46:00.000-06:00

the last couple of weeks we have been trying to finalize our garden so its deer and varmint proof. it takes alot of work to build a garden from scratch! it has been very rewarding to see the transformation take place.

i built this fence and gate in place of the old one that was rotting and falling over. i used a jigsaw to cut all of those little pieces out. this entrance is right outside our back door, very convenient.

a view from just inside the gate...the old grapevines are in the forefront.

we haven't finished planting everything...but what you see here are our trellises for the scarlet runner beans. and in the front some calendula.

a bigger view of the layout.

there is still a bed in the middle we didn't make up...we are considering a small waterfall/pond.

a small little bed with nasturtiums.

here you see our yellow tomato bed...under a little white wigwam.

this chair used to be our computer desk chair. it had a hole in the fabric...so i cut it all apart and reconstructed this chair from old wood i painted on and have been saving.

2009-05-11T21:30:00.000-06:00

Look how long he got in the last few months? Six inches, easy.

He loves his new pair of Keens.

Yep. Even loves them more than wearing clothes.

Here is a bench that Nyjah and I made on Saturday. It was fun...it will go great in the garden.

The seeds have sprouted....thats half the work right there. A little late on some of this stuff, but will find a home soon in our new garden.

renzo to the garbenzo

2009-04-17T13:11:00.000-06:00

just in case you were wondering...yes he is getting big! can you see how goofy he is? i love it. he is also exhibiting his smarts. as he observes he then tries to mimic. it is amazing to watch. he watches me clean and he then tries to copy. he is already using a fork and spoon. and wants to help keith using all of the tools. i found his handiwork after looking in the newly constructed garden bed and seeing all the nails he "helped" push in.

he thinks its his sombrero.

garden from scratch

2009-04-07T13:39:00.000-06:00

this year we are focusing on self-sufficiency. this concept obviously includes having a garden space. so for the past couple of weeks we have been starting to make our garden beds by digging out soil and laying in rodent and gopher wire. this is a HUGE task to begin...but also very necessary. after we get our beds built we will bring in more soil to amend and then put in a deer fence.
some of the beds have straight lines...and curvy. we have recycled some decking keith got from a job and will be using that for the straight lines and rocks for the curvy lines.

ren has been out with me every day playing and digging in the soil.

trying on dad's hat.

work party with becca and mitchell...progress on two beds.

nyjah and shiloh helped out all day...moving dirt in and out of the beds and being dads assistants.

ren ren helped too.

he would sit and observe keith and then try to do the same later...it was so fun to watch.

the ruffians...in red.

keith expaining the necessity of the wire in the application to the beds to ren.

swim day

2009-03-30T13:00:00.000-06:00

the past few days here in california have been pretty hot. yesterday morning i wanted to take a dunk in the swimming hole down by the creek. i challenged whomever would come with me to dunk for three cookies. well the water was cold, but nyjah and i did it and shiloh made it up to his shins.
we came back to the house and i pulled these tubs out and made little swim pots for everyone. it was such a nice day to enjoy the water and the sun and the feel of summer coming soon.

morning with lorenzo

2009-03-28T00:10:00.000-06:00

its been a while since i've caught up with lorenzo in photo. this morning he just looked so darned cute with his squinty eyes and all of his yawns. of course he loves the morning with all of the light coming in and the crystals we have in the window to make rainbows. he is growing sooo much. his new fondness with walking is so fun to watch. he feels like a pro now...especially now that he picks things up and carries them WHILE he is walking. you should see his face when he does this...you can tell he is so proud of himself. he is growing up so big...and his intelligence is fun to watch change and grow. my favorite moments are when we look at each other and he smiles so knowingly...there is an understanding and connection there that cannot be bought.

DIY Dish Designs

2009-03-14T10:05:00.001-06:00

A couple of weeks ago I found a tutorial about designing porcelain and china cups, plates, and bowls...or whatever you want! It was a fun project...I hope to do more. I made a design for each person...and mine turned out to be a long couch (saucer and cup).
I went to the thrift store and bought a whole sack full of porcelain and china...for 5.00. So this project can be very cheap! Then I found the paint and pen (fine tip) at Michaels for under 7 or 8 bucks.
Clean the dish very well...let it dry. With mine I started to outline with the pen all of the images I wanted to draw. Then I let it dry for a few minutes before painting. When you use this paint (pebeo brand) it can be brushed on with different degrees of thickness...I used a light touch because I wanted it to be bright. Later I went over it again after it was dry. The last step is to let it dry for 24 hours and bake in the oven for thirty minutes at 300 degrees. The paint is non toxic and dishwasher safe...I dont own a dishwasher so I havent been able to test this yet. This project is great because even if you cant draw...you can write a thought or a word or a poem instead!

mischief

2009-03-11T22:44:00.001-06:00

here is the goober eating dirt.

here is the goober with natali's undies.

acting silly.
here is the goober in the fridge.

sketchings

2009-03-11T22:40:00.000-06:00

yes...a new commitment to sketching regularly....hoping to gain more fodder for illustrator and photoshop. this is a winter berry...beautiful in colors of red and yellow berries.

fabricky

2009-03-03T23:57:00.000-07:00

i spent part of the day in tutorial-land trying to figure out illustrator, after finally feeling somewhat comfortable on photoshop. i put some random bunky words on a sign and realized it explains exactly how i felt today.
there is a new site online that prints fabric on demand... which means that you can send in your designs digitally and they can print it and send it back in a few weeks! it makes me so excited that i am making constant changing plans in my head for my debut as a fabric designer. more later....

Vintage Photos

2009-02-19T00:45:00.000-07:00

i just came across a wonderfully clever site that lets you "age" your photos...it gives it the 70-80's newspaper photo feel. If you click on the link here it takes you to a japanese site. you then browse for a photo from your computer and click the button below. it takes a few seconds (and its all in japanese, but dont let that scare you) and voila.
i am hoping in the next few weeks to be a little more committed blogger and crafter. i spent myself on the last round of projects and needed a few days of rest. i have alot of new ideas so keep checking in!

one year

2009-02-09T10:05:00.000-07:00

Lorenzo turns ONE!
this is what prompted me one week ago, to get my act together and create an experience for his first birthday. they say the first birthday is more about the mother, which i found to be true. but i think i really needed a full week of excuses to see just how crafty i could be. and let me tell you...by the end i felt as though i was vomiting color and design all over the place. and i almost felt nauseous by it.

here are the two stuffed animals i decided to make for him. becca got me this great magazine called STUFFED...its all about how to design stuffed animals...it was fun to try out this new medium.
if you havent guessed already my theme was ORANGE...not sure why, maybe just an excuse to enjoy a strong dose of color. look at the lovely girls in lorenzo's life!
yes i made a quilt too! he needed some extra warmth...so i made him a wee little one for his bed. i fashioned quilting frames out of used 1 X 1 pieces of wood outside and just set it on the floor of our living room.
keith and the boys picked out this colorful truck that actually helps him walk. we saw it in the toystore and he just took off on it all the way down the aisle...i laughed so hard at his cute little legs trying to keep up. i think this will give him good practice for walking.
well doesnt every one year old get the opportunity to eat their cake just how they want? this was a carrot cake sweetened with agave nectar...it turned out really great.

nyjah and shiloh and their cheesy grins.

keith and lorenzo at play

2009-01-24T15:03:00.000-07:00

I finally figured out how to process and edit videos from my camera after catching this
great little clip with lorenzo and keith. i think you have to know sound effects to get lorenzo to laugh like this...i can only really do it randomly or with my tickle finger.

hesperides

2009-01-07T09:58:00.000-07:00

this image is a sneak peak for a show i am contributing to at Sam Wellers bookstore in Salt Lake City. the show starts on the 16th of January and centers around Typography and the Art of the Book. i chose to display three new works on the subject of hesperides.
the Hesperides are the three daughters of Atlas who were chosen to guard the garden that Gaia gave to Hera. this garden on the edge of the world had a luscious tree bearing golden apples that brought immortality.
the subject and the simple drawings are a refreshing time away from painting and detail.

white white white snow

2009-01-05T17:32:00.000-07:00

pure cheese.

here in utah the farm is white, like those old days when the plow made huge hills of snow that we could build snow caves in and build big troll snowmen and women. it takes living in california to really appreciate the beauty of this season.

for many years i thought i hated the snow....maybe because of its ability to make you stay indoors for longer than you wanted. i realized this time while visiting that when the sun is highlighting a field covered in white, it gives you 100 times the amount of light you would ever experience otherwise. for this reason and others i am willing to admit that i can appreciate the color white in winter.

mr snow.....(as mitchell would say)

an etsy christmas

2008-12-30T15:28:00.000-07:00

every year we draw names for christmas and exchange our presents on christmas night. this year my brother decided to look to my etsy favorites for inspiration. it was surreal to open my gifts and see these beautiful items sitting there.
props to all the artists.

stellanova

a beautiful book on mobile making.

pomadour24

and this beautiful silk screened shirt including all of the poetic ways to list groups of animals....a bask of crocodiles, a murder of crows, a descent of woodpeckers...

xenotees

i am glad to be a part of all the artisans here on etsy.

happy birthday papa

2008-12-19T09:19:00.000-07:00

we are unfortunate to be apart this year for keith's birthday...but we miss you and we will see you soon. happy birthday!

legwarmers

2008-12-17T08:09:00.001-07:00

shari made me some wrist warmers and they fit lorenzo perfectly on his wee legs. i remember legwarmers fondly...especially eyeing my classmates in 5th grade who wore them so casually to match their outfits.

little ren ren potter. all he's missing is the scar on the forehead.

and his magic wand.

quilting

2008-12-14T09:40:00.000-07:00

its been since my 4-h and hippie days that i bent my head over the sewing machine. this year for christmas i am making a semi-recycled quilt out of jeans and clothes from the thrift store. its been a really nice change for me to do something different and equally exciting to get back into textiles.

i found this really great nautical mens shirt that i tore up and used throughout...you can see one square in the picture above. i love the unique factor with using used goods.

road trip

2008-12-10T15:49:00.001-07:00

it's time once again to head home for the holidays. this year i will be spending a month in utah.

we started out at 1:30 pm and arrived at 4:30 am. it was a LONG ride...and even longer because i didnt have any help driving. we stopped and played in the car and every time i got gas he woke up and came in the store with me. he was a very good boy for the trip considering his obvious dislike for the carseat.

the last few pictures were somewhere around petaluma california.

heart

2008-12-06T10:39:00.000-07:00

i awoke to the sound of my heart being closed with an iron lock. and it was only through my dreams i could discern the reason. i didnt realize the dis-ease that judgement, resentment and anger could cause to a heart that wants freedom. there are a million cliche's that surround the mere mentioning of this organ. and yet it took the tension and stress of life to even acknowledge how my heart was faring.
does being green equal having an open heart? i dont think so, although it should be a prerequisite for all the capitalists wanting to jump on the wagon of sustainability with dollar signs in their eyes.
but the heart DOES equal green in its vibration and corresponding color according to most eastern religion and thought. its the color of nature and everything that germinates from the soil. and that is why i believe it has much to tell us.
its everywhere.
and also taken for granted.
and so with my newly born awakening to the open heart i am challenged once again to take myself less seriously and allow it a berth as wide as the sky.

crows poppies and type

2008-12-03T08:52:00.000-07:00

i was looking through my sketchbook and found this piece i did a few months back. it combines three of my favorite things...crows, poppies, and type.
perhaps if i dug deep enough through my inner matter i would find these items fused into my DNA. maybe our Deoxyribonucleic acid is just little swatches of pattern, color and form mixed with the memories of our ancestors.
hmmmmm...

the milk melee

2008-12-01T21:55:00.000-07:00

dont these kids look like they could take you down? usually, i am not drawn to cutesy illustrations, but for some reason these lil' ruffians are coming out of me. i sketched them all day at the farmers market on sunday.
i think i need to practice my knees and legs.
{melee}....a scuffle.
the origin is french...and it comes from the word medley.
it seems appropriate to the picture.

fern mustache

2008-11-26T16:33:00.000-07:00

yesterday, we went for a walk and i had to capture the funny look on ren's face when i showed him my fern mustache. apparently he has never seen anything like it before. it makes me wonder how long i have until he tells me, "mom, your weird."

but until then...its fern mustaches and silly dancing and moonwalking through the woods.

market day

2008-11-24T10:01:00.001-07:00

yesterday was my first market day after taking a few weeks off. unfortunately, its a slow time for most vendors with the state of the economy. hopefully it picks up with the holidays around the corner.
i am continually amazed to see the things people buy. it seems like if you cant wear it or eat it you have a hard sell. art gets pushed out the window with the penny pinching consciousness.
but i will remain positive...
my hodgepodge booth and the booth next to me with silk scarves (who actually did well that day)...maybe i could draw pictures of silk scarves?

exerthighs

2008-11-23T06:28:00.000-07:00

it's been delayed for too long...almost a year and a half of not exercising has finally caught up to me. i think beginning to wean the little nugget has brought more than i bargained. i am feeling the freedom of my body once again. and with that the desire to be a little more healthy.
the lovely path through the oaks and driveways of some very protective people. you cant go too far in california without winding up at the base of someones driveway. and they dont hesitate to stop and ask you what you are doing on their road.
i love it! although the oak might not find it amusing.

early mornings

2008-11-19T21:40:00.001-07:00

the "i can't believe i am up at four in the morning" face i thought was worth documenting. the somewhat sinister hold i have on this little monster (for that is what i call him at night) clearly shows that until you have a child you don't really know what patience is. i am in the process of night weaning him and its taking its toll...but the good news is that the time between him waking up is getting longer.
on another note...i keep thinking that i need to post more art, yet everything i am working on right now is for Christmas. so it might be more one sided in the days to come.

viva frida para mi cartera

2008-11-17T10:21:00.000-07:00

i found this lovely frida fabric at the store the other day and was inspired to make a little wallet out of it. although it turned out to be more like a little pencil case. i admit i am not the BEST sewer, but working without a pattern usually means the first one is the trial run.
as you can see, on the inside is a full view of the lovely material. i cut her picture out to use on the front for the complete look.
i am not sure if frida would enjoy her image plastered to my wallet/pencil case...perhaps she would have an issue with the masses capatalizing on her art. (here here sister!) i think she and i might have been friends if i were born earlier and she not dead...so it makes it a little easier to give her props on my wallet.
more to come...maybe they make diego fabric?

Beach Day

2008-11-15T16:34:00.001-07:00

the one thing i admit about california is the ability to do THIS in november. it was a lovely day at the beach...
and having family near by is also a bonus. mitchell brought his camera and becca her harp...it was amazing to hear music like that next to the ocean. the wind would travel up into the harp and vibrate the chords without being played.
this is becca gathering her assemblage pieces for her beach art sculpture.
and mitchell with his balancing piece.

bath time with mashed potatoes

2008-11-12T12:36:00.000-07:00

do you ever worry that your multi-tasking has gone too far?
last night i fed lorenzo his dinner while he was bathing...you laugh? well i thought it was funny until i said, "should i be doing this?"
of course i should.
one. easier clean-up
two. wouldnt YOU like to be fed a delicious meal while bathing?
three. stepping out of the habitual mediocrity of life into the unexpected.
four. shaves a couple minutes off your total time in the day.

Brown Sugar

2008-11-11T11:28:00.001-07:00

sugar is inevitable. he told me so when he discovered it on our bottom shelf. but luckily he thought he was playing in the sand and none went to the mouth.
i could be considered a tyrant for not allowing the stuff to enter his bloodstream...yet i have a deep respect for those pure taste buds...that consider something so simple as an apple to be ecstasy.
dont worry y'all i am no genghis...as i said earlier sugar is inevitable.

hopefully he wont discover the hot pepper flakes.

Brown

2008-11-10T11:44:00.000-07:00

this morning after i snuck a wee spot of coffee in my tea...the hampster in the wheel of my brain spun at high speed...resulting in ALOT of excess thinking.
do you ever think about the color brown? well i did.
sometimes i think brown gets a bad rap. ya know all those beige walls in beige homes with beige pillows?
well, on behalf of brown i protest!
brown would certainly be a nudist.
brown would be an amish woman wearing a neck to floor length dress with a t-shirt underneath saying, "hell ya, i'm amish!"

"what would brown say"...i said.
it would tell me to zen still my thoughts and then go jump on a wall of velcro.

well folks, this is precisely where the hampster got off the wheel.

Three Sisters

2008-11-07T18:36:00.001-07:00

it kind of freaks me out every time i look at these pictures of my big hair, it looks as though i havent really left high school and i am back in b.u.h. land (go, BIG UTAH HAIR)...i thought this was a good one not to be left behind. Thanks again sisters and for spending halloween with me.

Post Halloween

2008-11-03T17:10:00.001-07:00

We had a beauooootiful halloween here in california. As you can see we were witches three plus two and a lil corpse bride. Keith was something akin to a mechanic on holiday. We started out the night in the streets of calistoga....where we happened to see the parade of costumes down main street. And then we went back home to have some soup and bread. A little divining at twilight and then to the land of slumber.

Samhain

2008-10-31T08:23:00.000-06:00

Happy Halloween! I am lucky today because I have my mom and two sisters and sister in law here with me in california. Tonight we are all dressing up as different witches and will be making a special brew to cast spells.
Lorenzo will be a dead bride...tune in for the next post to see our costumes!

Red

2008-10-20T17:02:00.000-06:00

it just so happened the other day that every picture i took was of something red. we scored the "kelty" kids sleeping bag the other day at the thrift store along with an old school green "north face" sleeping bag. only $3.50 she says at the register...we kind of look at each other and think, this is why love thrifting!
i also took home a whole bag of odd clothes i will use to cut up into ren ren pants. yeah!

gauchos para bambino

2008-10-11T12:35:00.000-06:00

the other night i decided to make some pants for zo zo and found some cool tutorials online on how to construct a basic pattern. well i ended up just taking his best pair of pants and copying a pattern from them and it was so easy. the picture above is actually a sweater i just found at the thrift store reconstructed into pants. the red ones below are from an old shirt that i thought i could wear again but it might take a while kinda thing. anyway it looks better on him.

and this pair is from some fabric sitting unused on the shelf. i actually hated the stitching on the bottom cuff and so i changed it. i think i could use a few lessons on construction and finishing work....(go project runway!) but it is a great way to be home made. and funky.

new work

2008-10-08T11:22:00.000-06:00

some new work in photoshop...i have been taking some tutorials online to further my knowledge of the tools and techniques available. i am thinking to put these two to canvas.

Red Door

2008-10-03T17:46:00.000-06:00

This is our new front door...just put a couple coats of paint to spruce it up a bit. Looks 100% better i'd say.
And of course ren ren in front.

New Dawn

2008-09-27T16:37:00.000-06:00

gobble gobble gobble (so cute)...ren and i are working part time at the lodge as the gardeners... we last about one hour or two a day...until he starts crying. he eats the leaves, and dirt and grass and rocks while i clean them up.
a new piece, entitled "new dawn". it begins my new quest for greening my life. changing my patterns to be less aggressive and a little more fluid and balanced. green is sort of the middle color of the spectrum, as well as in the middle of the chakras at the heart. its heart centered.

go green

2008-09-18T11:19:00.001-06:00

this morning i had a brilliant idea to start a green series. after watching an episode of meet the press....(i know i am a bit late on the political band wagon). i realized there was something i could do beyond the reduse/reuse/recycle. they kept talking about the green revolution (you know how you hear something a million times before actually getting it)...i thought "well this is a revolution i want to be a part of."
not to get too ahead of myself just yet...i dont really know what and how this will come about, but i know i can always make a statement through art. and so perhaps it will affect the outcome of those few unfinished peices still hovering my space waiting for their finish...and those in the future hovering my head waiting to materialize.
just a few thoughts...feel free to give me ideas.

Sweet Potato

2008-09-18T11:19:00.000-06:00

lil' alfredo here has finally figured out he can have more than just milk. he is eating squash, sweet potato, berries, and yesterday i made my first batch of baby food. i mixed oatmeal, strawberries, and a nectarine. the first taste brought out the gag reflex...and i realized i hadnt blended the oatmeal to smithereens,
once we got all the fruit and oatmeal to synthesize...he ate a whole baby food jar.
ok...... i know this isnt JUST a baby blog...
i will post some art soon.

blackberries

2008-09-13T12:01:00.001-06:00

yesterday, i got my knee high rain boots on and lorenzo in the jogger...and we went pickin blackberries. i was able to get this many before ren started crying. and then i fed him some berries and he was ok.
ren posing for a preview of my three sisters.
blue on blue on blue.

ren grassy

2008-09-05T09:09:00.000-06:00

summer is done...here in california the nights are very cool. it feels good to don the winter scarf and sweater until it heats up during the daytime. i am back to duties of art, creating and blogging. my free time is more sporadic...it seems ren is finally cutting teeth and has been a very vocal little bear cub, with his squealings and gruntings and gnashings.
hopefully i can be current with my postings. (00000aazz0) that was ren typing.

Vacation

2008-08-06T21:18:00.000-06:00

Should have posted this earlier...but I am on vacation until the end of August. No new posting until then.

Leif Cards

2008-07-08T15:07:00.000-06:00

i just finished coloring this piece from a sketch and painting i did last year of lief ericson...i thought it looked quite handsome in card size, so they (and a few more items) made it into the etsy shop. i am having fun with the new printer! a few kinks to work out being a novice printer but worth every penny. keith has been a huge help...he says i can open my own store now.

Treasury

2008-07-01T10:29:00.000-06:00

Take a look at my etsy treasury ...these items i handpicked from some of the fantastic things sold on etsy. It truly is the best way to shop...the image above came from little robot's shop (one of my favorites) , you can check it out here.

tuxxed out

2008-06-28T15:09:00.001-06:00

ren is ready for the wedding and celebration! keith found this onesie online and ordered it for the big day.

Venetian Red

2008-06-24T09:12:00.000-06:00

i know...its been a little while since i last posted....but i am grateful today i have something to show for those few weeks off. i call this piece a "design workbook", as if it were used by an interior designer to create color, pattern and shape in a home.
i love using these elements to weave and merge design into the framework of a woman's body.
you can now see it or buy it in my etsy store.
i just ordered this stencil from blackbook stencils, i love all the patterns they have...wish i could get a few more. anyway...i am excited to incorporate these into my work. if you look into the first image you can tell i used the stencil loosely throughout the piece.

lil' garden and my garden mandala

2008-05-30T08:59:00.001-06:00

i finally finished this piece...it took a couple of years in half way mode waiting for the impetus... (impetus: i am running out of originals to sell at the market.)
and here is our garden...herbs, collards, squash, tomatoes, and a few ornamental poppies.

yak hat

2008-05-30T08:55:00.001-06:00

lil' lorenzo looking like a chunky russian boy...he he...hilarious.

2008-05-23T10:44:00.000-06:00

just playing around in photoshop...