I ETSY - because it's fun!

All art doesn't have to be a great masterpiece to be appreciated! Some art is just for fun. Some art is for giving. Some art is definitely for coveting.

I enjoy selling on Etsy, because it is a site of all things handmade. Why go buy a mass produced Valentine when you can get an original painting for about the same price, handled with care and shipped right to your door? Plus, guys...you hate to go to Hallmark, anyway!!

Here are some fun Valentines I painted this week. You know, as an artist, I find that artists peruse other artists, but we don't often buy from each other. I made it a point last year to reject the notion of starving artist and buy as often as I could from others in the spirit of support and mutual admiration.

I have supporters. My Mom has bought from me, although I would have gladly given her whatever she wanted. My brother has bought from me..he's the penultimate in coolness (next to my Mom).

So, what creative gods and goddesses do you have in your family who deserve a show of support? Don't be afraid. Don't just look at their work and say, "Neat!" Many of us are working artists...I don't have another day job.

Do you not have an artist in your family? If you don't, then visit Etsy and you'll soon be a fan of many very talented people who put their gifts of creativity into everything they make.

If you buy from an artist, you are helping to promote world peace, because Art and Science keep us civilized!!

Do you want to be green, reduce your carbon footprint, yada yada? You can shop locally on Etsy and instantly, you are being GREEN and supporting your local economy!! Don't let that stop you from buying from me, though....after all, I am a shameless self-promoter!

Cheers and happy hunting!

Search for these groups on Etsy, to all of whom I belong!
In Georgia:
Team NorGA - (North Georgia Etsy team)
GaEtsy team (Georgia Etsy team)
For ACEO Art Cards:
ACETSY Team (Aceo Etsy team - these are producers of art cards, exclusively, 2.5 x 3.5")

It's your turn to be a patron of the arts!

My store: www.smellyrhino.etsy.com . Or, just look over to the right column, you'll see my store.

I ETSY - because it's fun!

View From The Couch

I hate how commercials are twice as loud as the programs. This doesn't make me want to buy your product. Don't you know, we don't run to the bathroom during breaks anymore? We have Tivo..

I think light is interesting. Everything is a potential sketch or painting.

I think television is better than movies lately. I think actors must feel the same way, because they're all getting tv shows.

I think My Name Is Earl has hot funny women on it.

I like a sofa that doubles as a bed without taking anything out.

I wish ceiling fans didn't collect dust. Why does swiffer cost so much? I hate that you have to have a member card at the store to get the everyday price.

I adore good cheap wine. I'm glad someone thought marshmallows would go well with rice crispies.

Why does having a universal remote mean that now, you only need 3 remotes?

Artwork: ACEOs (2.5 x 3.5"); Watercolor on 140# stock; Ebay groups Jan. Theme Swap "Monochrome"

View From The Couch

New sisters, enduring love...and since we're already here!

Here's a little Valentine painting I finished for Eric today. Nice reproductions are available at my etsy shop, just for your valentine! www.smellyrhino.etsy.com

NOW THE STORY!

Here is my plug for a zany little bookstore in Woodstock, GA called Foxtale Book Shoppe, and here's to the group of foxtailed ladies who run the joint!!

Three ladies met in a writer's group, created a sisterhood...and opened a bookstore!

Foxtales indeed!
Cool name. Cooler women. Women who are wise..women who know stuff. Women who don't need botox, but probably think it's ok if you want to do it!

Mood; full of soft diffused natural light and a romantic woody ambiance. Music; soft and happy.

I entered the store and said to Ellen, the first of the 3 ladies I met, "You're going to think this is strange, but I'm not sure why I'm here!"

To give a little background, some months before, I had met a nice woman, somewhere...but I can't remember now the circumstances around our meeting. I recalled her saying she worked occasionally at a bookstore called Foxtale. So, months passed, and here it was inauguration day...I had just come from lunch with a friend who had met me at a bar to observe the swearing in of our 44th President, Obama. (By the way, during our lunch, I chuckled at the thought that every major event of the past 10 years seemed to happen while I was sitting in a bar!)

Afterward, I drove out of my normal path homeward to stop at Starbucks and observe a painting that my friend had wanted me to see. At the moment I was handed my cup, I remembered my brief encounter with the stranger so long ago. I didn't even remember the name of the bookstore where she had said she worked, only that it was an independent bookseller. I inquired for directions from a young woman giving 5 minute massages, and luckily, she had an idea where it might be. She then briefly removed a hand from neck of the man in the massage chair to give me air directions. And off I went.

To add to the mood, I was having a hormonal moment..As I drove there, I felt a bit odd, but I knew I had to do this before I turned around to head home.

..."So" I explained to Ellen, "I have no idea why I'm here, but I know I am supposed to be here today!" Ellen seemed happy that I had taken the time to find her great little shop and showed me around a bit. Gradually, we were joined by two more of the Foxtale ladies and the 4 of us howled away a couple of hours, talking about books, writing, authors, children, marriage, divorce, following your dreams and getting caught in every day instead...

We laughed, I cried, they inherited a new sister.
I was thoroughly entertained, but they flattered me and said that I had entertained them that day. What a wonderful way to spend an afternoon.

One day soon, I will begin writing a book. I will go back to the fine ladies at Foxtale for help editing, as the chapters appear. And I hope the fun will continue with my new friends.

So, here's to Jackie, Ellen, Karen (who I still have to meet) and Amanda for making my day.

Please support your local bookseller, or drive to this one!

Foxtale Book Shoppe
105 East Main St., #138
Woodstock, GA 30188
www.foxtalebookshoppe.com

New sisters, enduring love...and since we're already here!

I spit on your grave; I fart in your general direction

Ever been pondering your sweetie and a good 'ol country song comes up?

something like this:
"You left me no choice,
You said, 'it's me or the dog'
I'm gonna miss you sweetheart
cuz the dog doesn't bark."

AHHHH, but enough of romance. I regress...

Apparently, I was notified today that it was the most depressing day in history...whatever. I got so depressed reading the article! So, to avoid slitting my wrists, I went out and ate the most fattening lunch I could find, went shopping and maxed out a credit card, came home and smoked and drank the rest of the morning away.

After that, I cleaned up my act and once I realized the "The View" was over, I no longer had the urge to kill myself. From there, it was all uphill!!!!

Gave me some time to make a few girlish Valentines!

I spit on your grave; I fart in your general direction

I'm not a faerie!!

So, I showed this piece to my girlfriend Megan and she said, "I love how you put yourself in the painting!" That's right, I'm a little red-headed faerie nymph! (In case you were wondering)

I painted this piece for a charity auction. Now, nobody will be able to say I'm not charitable! HA!

I am hoping to capitalize on the whole fantasy/castle phase. Maybe some kid will go "MOM, will you bid on that for me???" and she'll buy it and that kid will put it in her room and be inspired by something that a complete stranger (me) painted. Or some adult Renaissance faerie junkie will just have to have it!!

There will be 200 or so 5x7 canvases donated by local artists to the Sandy Springs Society for this really cool event. It's a mystery artist auction, so the buyer will not know who the artist is until after he purchases the piece. And I've heard there may be a submission by a VERY famous person!!! All the money raised will go to help people in the community.

And, as if we didn't already have enough places to write, draw or paint in the house, I found a giant dry erase board on Craigslist, and Eric and I picked it up today and hung it in the office. He said he wanted one so he could write down his ideas (so he could scribble down his brilliant scientific ideas like Matt Damon in Good Will Hunting! --for the record, Eric would never say this). So far, I wrote "Eric N Becca" and drew a big heart around it. I'm so smart! I can't wait to post some pics of his notes! (shhh..I'm not telling him)

I'm not a faerie!!

Help Wanted! Now hiring virtual help, low pay, no benefits

Passion.

It's what makes anyone do anything they do.
My Grandmother was passionate about cleaning..She loved to clean. Her house was always in order. She even worked in her later years for fun and extra money as a housekeeper at an inn at the college. She had a passion for it! (She had no hobbies)

I make my bed everyday. Usually right after I get up. The reason: I can always say I accomplished at least one cleaning activity today!

So, what freak decided it was ok to make sushi with chicken in it? It looked like cooked salmon roll. Bugger. Scratch #3 off the list from this week.

Twice already I have waited to put on makeup until late in the afternoon. I work at home, so it's comfortable to just put on some sweats, get coffee and go down to my studio and start painting.
Scratch #1 off my list from this week.

Someone on Facebook decided to buy me, and thus I found a ridiculous new app called Owned!, and now I need enough fake money to buy this cat with bandages wrapped around her face. Time wasted, luckily I didn't put "stop wasting time" on my list (I would never do that anyway).

I gained 3 lbs....Obviously, I made up for the lack of meat by supplementing my diet with bread.

I finished a painting but then didn't like part of it, so I reworked the bugger and I still don't like it, but I have to put it in the mail because it's for a charity auction. Hey, at least I will have finished something this week.

Tomorrow, I'm going to a bar with Eric and I'm going to sit and draw people all day (only if they have wi-fi, of course). My first plein air in years (inside..still counts from my point of view, it's live).

I am working on a piece to submit to a show that has some of my acquaintances whispering...The Seattle Erotic Arts Festival..This piece is NOT sex. Just sexy...a figure of a woman. (For those few I say, "Geez, lighten up and go evolve some sensuality.")

I'm going to get a bacon cheeseburger. More later...

Help Wanted! Now hiring virtual help, low pay, no benefits

Everyone wants a good lap dance!

Ahhh, the feeling of sheer bliss..loving and being loved. Haley wants to be a lap dog, but has found little room left in luxuryville.

Sitting on the lap of luxury is where I desire to be, only this last year has made the lap a little too snug to really get comfy. For some, having a smaller lap is desirable. For me, I say, not enough lap, not enough ME time!

So, in pursuit of my new new year's resolution (remember I rejected all others to merely resolve to live in the moment), I'm making my first top 10 list, but completely inspired by Hollywood.

1. Put on makeup first thing in the morning, cuz makeup makes me look glamorous, and if you look good you will feel good, darling.

2. Don't wear a thong that is too tight. It's better to go up a size to eliminate the bulges.

3. Don't eat meat for a week, cuz Gwenneth Paltrow doesn't at all, and she's pretty. Plus, those colon cleanse centers seem a little creepy, so I'm just doing it my way. (It's day 4, btw, so I'm 4/7 done)

4. Throw away or sell at least one thing per week that I've been hoarding for 20 years. I don't know if this will do anything, but Mom says if you get rid of the old, you'll have room to go shopping and that's good for any girl, clearly.

5. Delete or tear up all bad pictures of myself. Do I have to explain?

6. Make a poster child out of my little white mutt, Haley. I've been told Peanut gets too much attention.

7. Eat less fruit combined with milk chocolate and more fruit combined with dark chocolate. It's healthier.

6. Even though science says milk combined with coffee makes the milk worthless, I will drink more lattes and less half and half in plain coffee.

7. Buy a lottery ticket every week, because a dollar saved doesn't do a whole freakin' lot when lattes cost 4 bucks!

8. Stop obsessing about how many bids I have on Ebay. If they want, they'll buy and eventually I'll get the Google app to run on my home page.

9. Lose myself in more movies (now, if only they'd make a good one more often). I find that imagining you're in the middle of something completely unrealistic gives you something to strive for.

10. Skip like a princess, talk like a Queen.

Everyone wants a good lap dance!

The Seer's Path

"...And you may ask yourself,
Where does that highway go?
And you may ask yourself
Am I right? ...am I wrong?
And you may tell yourself
My god!...what have I done?
...Letting the days go by...
..Same as it ever was..
...Once in a lifetime..." - Talking Heads


Ok, so you have a new year this year!
Better yet, you have a new day, every day!
Make it a good one!

If you ponder too long on "how will I get there?", you will have spent all your time in stillness.
Just get that thing out of your head and let it happen; one step at a time; each day, more opportunity; each step, better yet!

I have made many resolutions in the past, don't know if they work, except to get you excited for about 15 days in January before you forget about them. I think I'm only going to make one this year: Take care of myself!--pretty all encompassing, eh? If I just do that, then everything else will fall into place, right? Still, it seems more challenging than "get a BMW" , "lose 20 lbs.", "grow my business" and "buy another house". I wouldn't have things to check off either...hmmmm...I'm not giving up on lists...I still have lists. I love lists. I would be lost without them.....ok, so no resolutions, just one day at a time.

HEY! That's my resolution: Live in the moment!

But, I love dream boards and I think everyone should have one. It's not New Year's resolutions, just stuff you want outta life! Just take a piece of paper or posterboard or foam core or whatever, and write the things you want for yourself on it, including pictures or cutouts, etc. Post it somewhere in your house. Last year we put them under our bed and pulled them out on New Year's Day. I asked my Mom and Dad to try it too, but she thinks we should be able to see them. Ok, I'll bite. I'm puttin' in on a wall in my studio this year.

I will live in this moment, take one day at a time, and I will never, ever give up!

Ah crap, I'm already thinking about what I'm going to make for dinner 5 hours from now!

The Seer's Path