Party Cats

An 8" x 10" acrylic painting on chunky canvas, listing on eBay later this evening. The edges are black with white polka dots. :)

Wishing everyone a happy and creative Thursday!
~ Carolee

Tile Art

I have this weird little wall in my living room, where a chimney used to be....Our house was built in 1892, and whatever woodstove or fireplace once existed in the long, narrow room is long since gone. But the wall covering the chimney remains. Actually, come to think of it, the chimney is probably still there too, under the wall somewhere.....But I digress...

What to do with such a weird, tiny wall? Since it's too small and narrow for anything but the tiniest painting or photograph, and too big and obvious to leave blank, I decided to adorn it with some of my friend Carol Harnish's wonderful tile art.

Carol not only creates these beautiful pieces, but also designs and makes the stamps she uses to impress the clay. I love the earthy, organic colors and the variety of textures in the glazes she's used...

Why am I telling you this? Because Carol has opened an Etsy shop! And although she's been creating these gorgeous pieces for shows and commissions for some time now, Etsy is a new venture, so she's priced these accordingly (seriously, you'll feel like you're stealing them!)

I love this dragonfly....

And this set of four leafy tiles....

There are some great little goddess pendants too. :) So do run over and take a look....

And thanks, as always, for buying handmade!

~ Carolee

Another Giveaway!

The EHAG's (Eclectic Halloween Artist's Group) are hosting a winter giveaway, with the theme "The Weather Outside is Frightful".....By the skin of my teeth I managed to complete this little offering yesterday:


Its an original acrylic painting on canvas (8" x 10") with painted edges, so there's no need for a frame. :) To enter, just click here, and you'll be magically transported to the EHAG blog where you can leave a comment. LOTS of other goodies there too, so run on over and drop your name in the hat!

The Sculpting Bug, Part Two.....

Just had to share the result of my little foray into sculpting figures - a cat! (I know, what else?) Her name is Rose, and it was so much fun watching her come to life. I'm discovering that paperclay is just like paint, in that once you begin, the piece leads you in whatever direction it chooses....like an adventure!

I so wanted to keep her, but there's the pesky budget to think about, so she's listed on eBay now. I set the opening bid a bit lower than I probably should have given the time involved, but since we're all in the same boat with this economy, I'm leaving it to fate, and trusting she'll find a good home. :)

~ Carolee

Thinking Spring

As I sat here painting yesterday, snow flurries falling outside, afghan across my lap and furnace running almost constantly, my thoughts couldn't help but turn to spring (just a few weeks away!) so I found myself painting this little fellow on a welcome sign. I love the country French feel of the soft greens and bright pinks contrasted with the black and white.

Suitable for indoor or outdoor use, it's listed on eBay now. :)

Look for a sweet little Black Cat Valentine later this evening, and possibly a small catnip canister as well - I'm on a roll, hehe!

~ Carolee

The Sculpting Bug....

....Has bitten me again!

It's been awhile since I offered any pieces with sculpted accents, so I thought it was time to get my hands into the paperclay again! First up, a whimsical cat and perhaps a moon - after that, who knows? Sometimes these things take a direction all their own, and all I can do is follow. So stay tuned for some wicked and whimsical new pieces. :)

In the meantime, I've been tagged again....I usually opt out of these things as graciously as possible, mostly because I think who really cares to hear random stuff about me anyway? I'm not all that interesting, really! But it's been awhile since I've played, and this tag (from Sonia at A Dark Raven's Next) is for six random things not written before....So not having much else to say today, here goes, hehe:

1. I play the piano. Or rather, I used to play the piano. We have an old upright grand in our living room, but it's been ages since I've touched it - just haven't had the time. And to be honest, I never played all that well anyway. ;)

2. I hate television. I mean, I really, really intensely dislike it. We don't have it here (although we do rent the occasional movie) and when we stay at a hotel and John turns it on for a few minutes, it's seriously like nails on a chalkboard.

3. If it weren't for my very practical husband, I'd probably turn into a crazy cat lady. We have three here in a small house, but left to my own devices, I'd have at least a dozen. I love ALL animals, but have a special affinity for cats.

4. I completely tune out when I'm creating. Completely. Like I'm in an imaginary world or something - the Secret Garden or Alice through the looking glass. Last year when our house filled with smoke (from our next door neighbor's furnace mishap), John smelled it from upstairs, and came down saying "Hello?! Do you SEE this?!" and I looked up completely surprised. I also remember my daughter explaining to one of her little friends (who had apparently asked me a question) "Oh, my Mom can't hear when she paints." Yep - absolutely oblivious....

5. I think the right tea in the right circumstance is magic.

6. As I age, and I see others around me aging, my greatest fear isn't the failure of my body, or the diminishing of my circumstances - it's that I'll become cynical and judgemental. I don't want to become, for lack of a better word, cranky. If anything, I want to become more open minded, more understanding, to embrace life's adventures and to never, ever stop creating. Age should be an awakening, don't you think? :)

I won't tag anyone else in particular, but if you're so inclined, do feel free to tag yourself.

Back to sculpting now!
~ Carolee

I'm a Winner!

Just had to share the fabulous giveaway I won from the Fiber Farm CSA blog (home of Martha's Vineyard Fiber Farm and Hudson Valley Fiber Farm)....A single season membership in Dye Dreams Four Season Sock Club! This includes a skein of fingering weight yarn, a winter sock pattern and a reusable tote. If you're a knitter, you'll understand how cool this is, and if not, well... trust me, it's pretty cool. :)

I'm a HUGE fan of the CSA (community supported agriculture - buy locally, support your local farmer, etc) and am soooooo jazzed (do people say that anymore?) to be a member of the country's first-ever fiber farm CSA! If you're a knitter, or know a knitter, check out the links above to see how it works...

Off to work on some Halloween goodies now, and yet ANOTHER giveaway - this one for the EHAG group - stay tuned for details!

Wishing everyone a happy and creatve Wednesday!
~ Carolee