It's Been a Busy Spring!

I realized today that it's been far too long since my last blog post...more than a month! Where does the time go? It seems that ever since I turned 40 this year, time is flying by faster than I would like. I have taken on the opinion that I am not going to let it bother me, but I have to admit, that some days it does, and I wish I could slow the world down and enjoy it a bit more. My spring has been filled with spending a lot of quality time with my family...birthday parties, outdoor activities, school functions, and sneaking in a bit of time to produce new jewelry designs...my newest creative interest! Scroll down for pictures. :)

A year has gone by since my grandpa Joe left this world for someplace better, and I know he is always smiling down at us...but I still miss him terribly, and wish he were here.Simon is almost finished with Kindergarten, and just turned 6 a few weeks ago! My little guy is getting to be almost as tall as me!I hope your Spring has been as lovely as mine and even though it's officially not Summer yet, it sure feels like it here in California where we've had 100 degree plus days for the last three days. Swimsuits and back yard BBQ's, here we come! :) Here are some new pieces that have been listed in my Etsy shop.

Winter is in the air....

If you receive Mary Engelbreit's Home Companion magazine, you will see a full page AD showcasing many of the wonderful things that you can buy on Etsy.com! I was lucky enough to secure a spot in this Co-Op AD, and featured the piece above to represent my work. This feminine snowgal will be available for purchase in my Etsy shop this Saturday November 1st by noon Pacific time. So please check back then if you are interested!

If you live in Northern California you mustn't miss American Harvest's open house this Saturday and Sunday November 1st and 2nd! This will be a wonderful kick off to the holiday season where you will find fabulous artwork by many local artists including myself, and my good friend's Iva Wilcox, and Donna O'Brien. The open house runs from 10a to 5p on Saturday and 11a to 5p on Sunday, and people always line up early in anticipation for all of the new one of a kind delights that will be there. Below are just a few of the pieces that I have made especially for their open house, and if you are not able to attend in person, you can always contact the store by phone as they are able to ship items directly to their customers!





In addition to whipping some new holiday goodies, I was able to sneak in some fun family time at the Exploratorium. This is a fabulous learning museum with tons of hands on activities for children and adults of all ages. It was one of my favorite places to go when I was young, and so it was a joy to take my son Simon there for his first visit. Here he is making large bubbles....

And with dad watching gravity pull the metal marbles down into the funnel.
I also had the one of the most amazing experiences attending the Art & Soul retreat in Portland at the beginning of October with my good friend Teresa. Here we are out shopping after a day of classes...gotta get my shopping fix in! :)
I was only able to take pictures during one of my classes, and that was a class I took from Michael DeMeng. He is an amazing teacher, and I learned a tremendous amount of tips and techniques in his class! Here are a few pictures of his work...he was kind enough to let me shoot them. If you are not familiar with his work, please take some time to check out his book...it's fabulous!


Teresa and I stopped into a fun little shop called Paperdoll in Portland one night after class. This shop is filled to the brim with rubber stamps and supplies...I was in heaven!! If you are ever in the Portland area, take some time to visit this shop...the owner is a sweetie, and you won't be disappointed in their unique selection! Here are a few pics I shot of her shop....


I love this front window display!!
During my time in Portland, I spied a rainbow as Teresa and I were headed out to lunch. I shot this picture through the window, so it's hard to tell, but it was a vibrant and amazing rainbow! A treat for the eyes, and that was how my entire trip was...a creative treat for my soul. I am already looking forward to next year! I have more pictures to post from trip and will be back soon to share those with you. :)

Summertime....

Wait a minute...snowman in summertime!??? Is something wrong with this picture? Nope...it's Holly Jolly July over at PFATT Marketplace right now, and the snowman guy above is a new collage piece I created just for this event! I was also lucky enough to be chosen as the featured artist for the month of July, so you can read all about how I got started on my artistic journey, and what inspires me. You can check it out here.
This looks a little more like summer! I only had one chance to snap this pic of a pretty butterfly feeding in my front yard before it flew away....
Here are some of my recent summertime flea market finds....love the vintage ballet slippers!!
Part of our fourth of July celebration included a stop in Santa Cruz for some fun in the sun at the beach.....
And at the boardwalk! It felt great to dip our toes in the ocean, and we had a blast on all of the rides!


Here's a recent steampunk necklace I created using antique glass beads, watch parts, and a tintype photograph. I just love how this one turned out!

Try to stay cool this summer, and I hope you are able to have a lot of summertime fun of your own!

In Loving Memory of my Grandpa Joe

Joseph Henry Matthews was born on June 9th, 1929 and lived a long and full life. He was a loving husband of almost 60 years to my grandmother Karen.....

A wonderful father of 4, grandfather of 9, and great-grandfather of 11. Here he is holding me when I was about three or four in this fun family portrait I call "The Matthews Bunch"
He was blessed with the gift of musical talent.....
And shared that gift through the teaching of many students for over 37 years.....
Including myself, although I must admit I wasn't a very good student, as I never did learn to play that clarinet....
He had an adventurous spirit, and loved the outdoors....
And he had a great sense of humor! :)He aways made time to share the important moments of my life, and the lives of all that he cared for....
And I will always remember the good times and special moments that we shared together....
Thank you for all that you were, and all that you did.....I love you Grandpa Joe, and I miss you.

June 9th, 1929 - May 15th, 2008

Pictures, Pictures, and You Guessed it, More Pictures!

They say a picture is worth a thousand words...so I have included a lot of pictures in this post, and few words....I think you'll all get the gist....this is what I have been up to in the month of April. First up, more lovely photo's from my day with the Pfattie's~



I was sneaky and snapped a pic of Iva and Colleen when they weren't looking ....shhhhhhh don't tell! :) They both found some fabulous treasures that day!









And here they are...the Pfattie's!
My little guy isn't so little anymore...Simon turned 5 on Monday the 28th....Happy Birthday Simon! :) Oh, and if you're wondering why there are more than 5 candle's on the cake, it's because we celebrated my mom's birthday too, which was on the 26th.
Roller coaster fun with Dad.....
Hangin' with Spongebob at Great America!
Being silly with Mom.....
Updated mural pictures....




This painting represents the preschool that Simon attends....it's a work in progress, designed by one of his classmates, a talented 5 year old girl named Jamie
Here is the start of my Thomas the Tank painting..Simon Loves Thomas!
This is the school district logo...we painted it on a separate board and then mounted it to the wall
Here's how it looks currently~

Aye Mateys~ don't miss the Swashbuckler Soiree this Saturday May 3rd, or ye be walkin' the plank!
I am working on some new pieces for Donna's Soiree this Saturday, so please drop by and join in on the fun!