A Big Giant Change!

Smart women make changes. I consider myself to be pretty smart. So I made a change...

I quit my job!

Yes, that's right... I quit my full time job to follow my heart and my lifelong dreams of making my creativity work for me. I can't think of anything more exciting than waking up every day to create the pieces of art that have been swirling around in my head! And so now I'm going to do it. I promise to keep you up-to-date on my progress. And if I really can pull this off... I promise to share with you how I made it work!

So what do you want from me?

Now that I'll be creating art to make a living, I'll need to know what it is that you lovely viewers want from me. Would you want some of my found object jewelry? How about mixed-media collages? Would you like to see 3-dimensional assemblages? Maybe more dolls... I do love to make dolls! Or maybe you want me to teach? If so... what would you like to learn from me? What do you want to know about my work? My art? A technique? Step-by-step instructions? A method of inspiration? Peruse my blog and check out my website and leave me a comment here.

And thank you all for being here with me. It is greatly appreciated.

Coney Island Mermaid Parade...

I'd heard about it for years... and decided to take the trip up to Coney... and go under the Sea for a day! Mom joined me for this maiden voyage... and what a treasure trove of jewels there were...

Mobile fish... with matching mohawk!
Mermaids of fire... and some like ice...
Plenty of bubbles...
A little burlesque-style (okay... a lot!)...
And plenty of BP references! A common theme among mermaids!
Some Marie Antoinette's... with a private message...
"All hands on deck!" At least that's what the sailors said...
Everything was great... to the very tail end... thanks for the memories... Coney Island!

Well, Now... Ain't That Sweet!

Awhile back, I posed as a cotton candy model for woodcut artist Paul Bonelli. I was just one of many characters in a recent piece of his "Floating World" series... a boardwalk-themed group of images honoring this entertaining destination for people of all ages. This particular illustration I posed for revolved around the food stands at the boardwalk. When I met up with Paul at a local critique last night, he surprised me with a print... of me! How sweet is that!

Flea Market Finds...

Excellent haul from the Giant Flea Market in Ocean Grove this weekend. I think I really need to start bringing a wheelie cart of some sort to carry all this stuff! Made out with... a retro sewing book, multi-level brass candle holders, a French card game, lots of different plastic animals, bunches of vintage jewelry pieces, retro charms and beads, ceramic fish (oh, the ideas!), a silver salt and pepper set, some weather gauges, sewing notions, a Campbells Soup cupie doll, porcelain elf, polka dotted aprons in 3 colors, and more!

And here's my little helper, all tuckered out from assisting me in sorting out and finding inspiration in all this stuff... okay, well she's really just inspired by the plastic bags. Nighty-nite, Juliet...