New Books

Jane Wynn's new book is so good! I usually flip through books in this genre, look at the similar work and go on to the next one. This one has mold making techniques! Bezel making! Patinas! If you have any interest in jewelry or collage, this is a must for your collection. I've looked at it a dozen times since I got it.

I bought this for Azalea, I thought she'd enjoy the bright pictures and extremely cute characters. We both love it! This girl is good!


I met Holly Black at Faery Con a couple weeks ago and was completely charmed by her wit and friendliness. I found this latest installment in the Spiderwick Chronicles very convincing, so much so that Azalea and I went sprite hunting. The illustrations and text are so inspiring!

This wordless graphic novel is gorgeous. I am not exaggerating. Go to the bookstore and see for yourself, absolutely stunning. Its a story about immigration, told through a series of illustrations that has a magical quality emmanating throughout.

We got home late Sunday night, exhausted and happy to get out of the van. New York is about 11 hours away which was rough because baby girl had a high fever, making the trip seem so much longer. We had such a good time running around the city, going to our favorite places, shopping and eating. I think all the exertion (and the rain) wiped us all out. My girl is tough, she was better by morning.
Its always inspiring to travel, people watch and for me, shopping. I love checking out packaging, displays and new fashions. I've been working on organizing, basically nesting so the place I hate to leave is more comfortable. I think a studio should be an artists most favorite and comfortable place, a haven for dreaming and a safe place to make work. Mine is in a large attic with windows across one wall, overlooking trees and our porch, but it is far from organized. I have a plan that involves a big cabinet, to hide my goods. I'm on the hunt for the perfect one. If you have any suggestions, let me know! Thanks and good night!

autumn days

Hello! I've spent the day playing with my girl, looking for red leaves, twisty sticks and acorns (building materials for fairy houses). Asheville is downright heavenly in the fall! The sky is a perfect turquoise blue, so magical seen through a maze of red and gold leaves. We played for a long time, enjoying the sun on our faces and imitating bird songs. The house feels empty, Greg is at the Minneapolis show (The Twin Cities Bead Bazaar) and Andrew is back in NY, showing our goods at the Big Apple Glass Arts & Bead Festival and Sheila left for L.A. (to draw?paint?we always wonder what she gets up to). So being left to our own devices, we cleaned house, played, organized, relaxed and put off doing a custom job. My studio is a wreck, absolutely miserable. I dread putting away the mountainous piles acrylics, polymer and wax. Tomorrow I'll just have to grit my teeth and do it. I said that yesterday and got sucked into Etsy.com when my girl went to sleep, blowing any chances of work. I did find the cutest reversible pinnafores (dress/top) that I can't wait to put on my girl, check them out here.

Return from Faery

Greg as Gelfling.



New favorite source for prints: Stepanie Pui-Mun Law.


We arrived from our trip today totally wiped out. The show was different than I expected. I've never done anything like Faery Con, so I was surprised by all the rampant silliness. People gallavanting down the aisles with wings, knocking down merchandise, skipping around my booth. I longed for a taser. Ok, I love faeries, mermaids, all manner fantasy, but I do not love silliness when I'm trying to work. I suppose I expected folks to goof off at the Faery Ball (which they did) but not while shopping. So, I like a more subdued shopping experience (I despise the schoom- doom noise blasting out of Abercrombie and Finch - give me Anthropologie any day) but thats alright.

The best part of the show for us was meeting the amazing Brian and Wendy Froud. I have loved their work since I saw The Dark Crystal and the book Faeries. They were gracious and charming, exactly how I imagined them. We also had the pleasure of befriending the talented Holly Black (of Spiderwick fame) and her husband Theo Black. They are very cool people. They also used one of my fairies on her website.

All in all we had a great time, my best buddy Jessica Weisel flew in for the festivities, adding to the fun. I wish we had longer to check out Philadelphia. We took Andrew back to NY last night and I was sad to leave. It will be weird not to spend some 12 hours a day working in the same studio. Its always so strange after a big show, I focus so much energy on an event, that when its over I feel depleted. Although it is nice to relax. Andrew has all the pics on his camera, so hopefully he will post them soon. I made a neat set of antlers to wear (too bad I didn't make more!) they were a hit. More pics coming soon!

resin portraits

Hello! Here in Philadelphia after a long ride. Here are the resin portraits that I've been working on. They are little polymer sculptures in sterling silver boxes that have been painted and coated over with resin. We're beat. Good night! Hope to see you tomorrow at Faery Con.

Contest

Hi! We've been working really hard and now we're at the home-stretch. It's about an hour before we leave and we are looking forward to seeing all the happy faery folk at Faery Con in Philadelphia.

To celebrate, we're having a contest! Here's all you have to do:

Leave a comment in response to THIS posting or Andrew's POSTING with your name and the FOUR names listed as examples of the special guest artists and writers who will be appearing at Faery Con. Look in the most current issue of From the Beach of All Things Lost (the Green Girl Studios newsletter) for the article with the names in it. All correct responses will be entered in a randomly selected drawing once Faery Con is over on Sunday night.

Good luck! For an extra chance to enter your name, leave another comment with your name and the quote that's on the back of the sphinx bead.

Well, the road is calling and I have to much to do! See everyone there!

fairies and sphinxes

Hello! Here are a couple new pieces. The silver fairy came about because the first version I made was a right pain the ass to cast (thin arms, thin neck) it was hard to get good casts, so I made this lovely lady and I love her. My wax skills are so much better now! I have Bob Burkett to thank for my vast improvement, he is a master at metalsmithing. He is battling some pretty nasty health problems right now and we are worried about him. Hopefully, he will have a quick recovery.

The sphinx painting is another collaboration Andrew and I are working on, part of the Oracle Card series. This is the obstacles card, a card symbolizing constraints or delays. She looks like she knows a secret, perhaps its in knowing there are obstacles you have an advantage to overcome them. Andrew is doing a great job with the backgrounds, he has a good sense of atmospheric light. I enjoyed painting this card, I felt like I was channeling the old fantasy illustrators like Frazetta, while blocking it out. It was fun. I can't really believe how much work we've made for ourselves. I stayed up all night finishing the castle for our garden art line. Working towards new products for Faery Con has been really fun and challenging. I'm not expecting it to be a bead show, so we're trying to make more finished pieces (our new silver fairies are destined for necklaces,) plus the prints and cards so all bases are covered. Im so tired! I can't wait for the show and wish I had more time! Well, my castle cracked all over the place after firing, so I have alot of patching up to do!

Mermaid Commercial

Check out this Mermaid video for Levi's Jeans.

Hawaii

Hi! We've been back since Tuesday and have worked ourselves into bent, hallowed eyed zombies. So today, we took a break, actually I couldn't get up. Hawaii was amazing, the show was outstanding, friends showed up and we ate loads of sushi. I'm happy in Hawaii. Maybe its my islander heritage (mama's filipino) but I'm one content girl when I'm standing at the waters edge, soaking up all the blue of the sea, the wind in my face carrying the scent of plumerias, coconuts and wild ginger.

Not to say I'm not happy now, because I am. I can remember a time when I was sad and lonesome, so much so that a nice lady sitting next to me at wedding reception told me "Your misery will end and you will be happy." Now that was about six years ago, it took another year before her prediction came true. I finally got the courage to actually look at my life for what it was and stop pretending all was great. That was hard. I was used to being sad, I thought it was my disposition to be eternally depressed. My family has carried sadness like a veil ever since my older brother disappeared. We didn't talk about it, we just lived our lives, secretive and crisp to one another, not really knowing or caring what was going on each others lives. That changed when Azalea was born, our family came together, we let our sadness go. So now I'm happier than I've ever been, working with my family, doing what I love. Sometimes a part of me can't believe my good fortune and wonders when it will end, but then I remember that I'm not that same girl, I'm a mama and a wife and I look out for others, not just myself.

One day I will build a retreat, where all my buddies and favorite people can come and stay with me. I think it will be in Hawaii, because I love kona coffee, the smell of coconuts and sea turtles. The atmosphere lends itself to creativity (I painted so much during the show, which would usually be hard to concentrate with people watching) and to relaxing while walking along the shore collecting treasures. Well, the shows in 11 days and I have much to do!

Mandrake Card

Hello! Here is a sneak preview of one of the Oracle cards. This one symbolizes magic and enchantment, so if this one's drawn it means breakthroughs or revelations. The mandrake plant (which is what this is,only anthrophomorhphized) was thought its roots resembled a person (they actually do look very much like a withered doll) and had powers to cure maladies and to cause visions. The plant is toxic and this poison in small amounts could cause hallucinations...or magic, if your a wizard in medieval europe. Andrew and I have slaved away at this project, researching symbols and folklore. It has been wonderful. We've learned so much about how tarot or runes work and how it really isn't some mysterious power, just a tool to guide you to the answers you already know, but maybe haven't examined closely. I like the idea. The process is fun too, after researching symbols we decide color palettes and Andrew weaves paper to form backgrounds, adding loads of layers, then I paint the figures,then the painting gets more layers and is sealed. They are quite luminous in person. Well, I don't think I will have the whole deck of 24 done by Faery Con, so we will make prints of the finished ones,or greeting cards (you know, to wish someone an enchanting day!).