Painting
I finished two paintings in about a week of each other. This feels miraculous to me. One painting I’ve been working on since last spring when I first did a study for the idea. I...
Read The Rest of the StoryI finished two paintings in about a week of each other. This feels miraculous to me. One painting I’ve been working on since last spring when I first did a study for the idea. I...
Read The Rest of the Story. . . for Easter. Turns out they’re really not very hard, and would be a fun craft with older kids. Maybe Olivia and her friends next year . . .
Read The Rest of the StoryI didn’t do too many home-made Christmas projects this year . . . but I did do a few 😉 The grandest one of all was Everett’s teepee. He was quite pleased to have a...
Read The Rest of the StoryThe next Christmas project I did was a photo book for my dad. It took quite a bit of time, but I think the end result was definitely worth it. Now I just have to...
Read The Rest of the StoryThis was the last Christmas project I did. It’s a painting I did for my in-laws of the house they built in Oregon and raised their kids while they were very young (Wyatt moved when...
Read The Rest of the StoryThis summer I made Calvin a quilt for his birthday. I always idealized that when we had a cabin, my kids would have warm, cuddly quilts to snuggle under on the cool mornings. So when...
Read The Rest of the StoryOh, what fun paper mache is. It is one of my favorite mediums, because the possibilities are endless, the required supplies are always on hand (paper, flour, water), and the required attention span is minimal...
Read The Rest of the StoryOne of our family traditions is having a back to school dinner for the little lovelies. This is a time to celebrate the kids, acknowledge their accomplishments, and look forward to all they have ahead...
Read The Rest of the StoryA couple months ago I wrote about our upcoming yard projects. One was to make a fairy house. Well, not long after that, I pulled Olivia into the art room and told her about the...
Read The Rest of the StoryThis week was a little slow. I cleaned the house and looked around . . . we had no where to go and nothing to do. So, I determined to paint. Remember how I was...
Read The Rest of the StoryEvery once in a while I wish I was much more realistic and technical in my drawing . . .
Read The Rest of the StoryEvery once in a while I flip past this page in my sketchbook and think: I really should finish that and fill it in more. But let’s be honest, the chances of that happening are...
Read The Rest of the StoryRemember at the start of 2012 when I had the goal to do one painting a month? Well, I made it through January, and then I drew this out for February. Maybe someday it will...
Read The Rest of the StoryOne of these days I want to learn how to paint digitally really well – these little doodles that are all over in my sketchbooks would be great as little digital paintings I think. (I...
Read The Rest of the StoryThe best thing about this picture is that in person, the floor is doodled in various shades of gold glitter pen, so as the page/angle changes, the floor sparkles as various stars shine!
Read The Rest of the StoryTuesday night was the big night – Wyatt lost his election. It was a sore disappointment. And in other news . . . Olivia came home today totally excited to share that she had learned...
Read The Rest of the StoryI found this little illustration in my sketchbook today as I was thumbing through looking for a blank page to tear out for another project. As I have had this particular sketchbook for years (and...
Read The Rest of the StoryRemember back in August I mentioned a mobile I had made – I said I’d share more later? Well, it’s later. This is a mobile I made for baby Oaklee – a little touch for...
Read The Rest of the StoryI’ve been working on a lot of different art projects this past week. One of them was this invitation to a baby shower for Leslee. The date/time is all made up because we haven’t pinned...
Read The Rest of the StoryThis year Becca Roper in the tenth ward, and I decided to put together an “Arts in the Park” program for the kids. We’ve invited 3 wards – mine, Becca’s and the 18th ward...
Read The Rest of the StoryOf course after a long and brown winter, I’m always excited to get out and put some color in my yard. Every year my attempts find varying degrees of failure! LOL. Oh well, it’s March,...
Read The Rest of the StoryI made myself a planting guide – because I was kinda bored today. At the last minute I added a “brought to you by” at the bottom. I think I will try “pinning” it and...
Read The Rest of the StoryThis summer will be “The Summer of No Pants” – where my days will be spent in comfortable, soft, sweet skirts. I was so excited I made my first one! I made a pattern out...
Read The Rest of the Story“You forgot the question mark” was the first thing he said when he saw it. “No I didn’t. It’s more of a statement than a question.” On Monday they spent the afternoon preparing our valentines...
Read The Rest of the StoryI am so tempted to explain myself in this painting – to tell you all the things I was thinking when I painted it – But I’ve decided part of letting myself do art in...
Read The Rest of the StoryI’ve never used a calendar until this year – something about my spontaneous carpe diem lifestyle never seemed to fit inside that box. And then I had kids – who went to school. My calendar...
Read The Rest of the StoryA fun little illustration while Wyatt and I watched tv the other night. (He watched, I doodled).
Read The Rest of the StoryWhen I lived on the Indian Reservation I made a lemon galleon out of paper mache. And then I made fish to swim along side. Paper mache fish with giant kissy lips and beauty marks...
Read The Rest of the StoryAww . . . romance. See my early fascination with lanterns?
Read The Rest of the StoryAndi sent me a postcard once, with the following message — When she heard the word butterfly, her whole insides leapt. ‘But what is a butterfly?’ The cocooned caterpillar explained: ‘It’s what you are meant...
Read The Rest of the StoryThis is one of my favorite illustrations. It was done more as a doodle, probably took no more than a half hour, one day after school in high school. But I’ve always loved it because...
Read The Rest of the StoryI’ve always loved red walls. I hope to have one someday.
Read The Rest of the StoryThe Mountains of the Moon – ‘El Dorado,’ EA Poe;The Forest of No Return – Babes in Toyland;The Field of Hypo-Allergenic Flowers – My mom’s idea;The Enchanted Tree – a tree that lived down the...
Read The Rest of the StoryThis is a charcoal done in high school. People can never tell it’s me. Oh well.
Read The Rest of the StoryThis illustration . . . well, it makes me giggle. I remember I drew it on Andi’s floor, with her chalks, which I always admired, and was extremely jealous of (for some reason it never...
Read The Rest of the Story-Deck -Murray House -Business -Baby -3 Children -Summer
Read The Rest of the StoryThis is a picture that I did first as a tile mosaic for a table (in my basement). Later Andi left me her computer as she left for six months to Taiwan. As a recent...
Read The Rest of the StoryI have vague memories of coloring this during my creative writing class as a junior in high school. My creativity in writing must have been lacking that day.
Read The Rest of the StoryThis is a little illustration I did in the fall of 1999. (I remember, because I was in Russia. I did a lot of art in Russia). There’s a nursery rhyme about counting magpies, which...
Read The Rest of the StoryToday I woke up feeling summery. That feeling of: energy, freedom, relaxation, don’t-particularly-care-that-the-bathroom-is-a-mess-ish. And the sky outside had clouds that make for lovely paintings. And I wanted to paint. And then I thought of making...
Read The Rest of the StoryWith me feeling better more and more each day, my thoughts have turned to the impending living arrangements. I have ideas. But I’m not going to be OCD about this! (Remember, self, remember!). The best...
Read The Rest of the StoryI have a little confession. Wyatt- stop reading now, because you will be annoyed by this. I mean it. Stop. You’re still reading. I know you are. Stop it. Because now you will want to...
Read The Rest of the StoryDear Olivia, Hi sweet baby girl. You’re no longer a baby. Sigh. That thought makes my heart a little heavy. It’s been a great five years so far! And a wonderful year four with lots...
Read The Rest of the StoryWyatt and I hit Barnes and Noble (a staple for our date nights, I know, living on the edge!). And I came across a magazine that had the most beautiful photo collages. Sigh. It filled...
Read The Rest of the StoryI saw these sweet little quilled snowflakes in a magazine, and I thought: “I could make that.” And so I did. I was my project for girls weekend/conference weekend. I am only a little disappointed...
Read The Rest of the StoryShe grew up among the children of the stars . . . This is my art project for the summer: glass stars. I cut them out of sheets of various glass that I’ve bought. Then...
Read The Rest of the StoryI made two pillowcase dresses for Olivia for the summer. One is pink eyelet, and the other is white. The pink one was my first, so naturally it took me a bit longer. I made...
Read The Rest of the StoryThis is the little book I made for Wyatt for Valentines Day. Love the boy.
Read The Rest of the StoryFor Olivia: a doll house. Or a pony house as the case may be. For her to play with to her little girl hearts content.
Read The Rest of the StoryThis year I tackled quite a few home-made gifts. Every couple years I do a lot of home-made stuff, and then I remember not to do it again! While the projects are fun, it’s hard...
Read The Rest of the StoryFor Calvin I made a Hobbes. You have to understand, I’ve wanted to make a Hobbes for Cal since before Calvin came to be. People sometimes ask: “Did you name Calvin after Calvin and Hobbes?”...
Read The Rest of the StoryI made these a few weeks ago (actually started them two nights before Everett was born). They are just little bibs and burp rags. I made the front out of fun blue and brown flannel...
Read The Rest of the StorySo, when I was in high school, I made what I called “Kerr Lanterns” (I pronounced it CARE lanterns) using my mom’s Kerr canning jars. This year I thought I would make some Kerr lanterns...
Read The Rest of the StoryI have an idea for an art project, and I need everyone’s help. If you have or know of anyone who has, baby jars – you know, the little glass jars baby food comes in,...
Read The Rest of the StoryA neighbor girl gave Olivia some darling hair clips last summer. They were so cute, I wanted to get more for Christmas. At the mall they were $2.00 per clip! Online I found them for...
Read The Rest of the StoryFor the past week and a half we have been in celebration of Andi’s wedding. The nuptials took place last weekend in Yellowstone, and we’ll get to that later. But she came to Utah (from...
Read The Rest of the StoryI made bookplates again this year for the books I gave my babies for Christmas. (I’m a book giver, it’s genetic.) They turned out really cute. There are more than these four, but these are...
Read The Rest of the StoryI made each of the kids a paper mache something for Christmas this year. For Calvin I knew right away that I would re-create the Lemon Galleon (check back later and I will pics of...
Read The Rest of the StoryI made each of the kids a paper mache something for Christmas this year. For Calvin I knew right away that I would re-create the Lemon Galleon (check back later and I will pics of...
Read The Rest of the Story