Color Test- What's in a name....

Color is an interesting animal in that there are so many different names for the same colors that it could confuse even the most experienced artist after awhile. I know that in the decorative arts field though that it helps to have specific names for shades so that people can follow instructions and get the results they hope when trying a new painting pattern.
One way to get my hubby going on the trendy, yuppie pretentiousness of certain quarters is to put a certain clothing catalog in front of him. Oh, he loves the clothes, the quality and so on, but the names they give the colors drive him up the wall. He understands blue, yellow, red and so on, but willow? pintail? Every time he comments on these types of names for colors I think back to a Newlywed's Game Show one night where the husbands were asked what color the sheets on their beds at home were that day. So they answered with colors such as blue, tan, white and so on. You know the drill. Enter the wives, they are asked the same questions. The wives answered with Cornflower, Vanilla, Oyster. Fighting broke out among the couples that didn't match as this was THE critical question. I always laugh when I think about how we as males and females think about things like this. So here's the test, can you see how many of these shirt colors you can get right? I'm going with the catalog names and will reveal these on Sunday. There's a sweet little treat for you if you can guess at least one. As for me, I happen to like the fancy names, but that's the creative artist in me. You know, my hubby still loves me anyway? :-)

WIP Queen of Hearts

Creating a doll is not as easy as it would seem if you try and make your own pattern. Art is ever a learning process and that's half of the fun! This Queen of Hearts is a little bit prim, a little bit vintage with a retro twist. Prim in design with a vintage retro skirt of dotted swiss fabric. Do they even make dotted swiss fabric anymore? I found a couple of small pieces of the fabric, not large enough to do anything really big, but it is so cool I couldn't pass it up. Oh, the joy of the hunt when visiting a soroptomists store or other thrift venue.
This queenly lady has a hand painted face. The tall collar isn't attached yet, thus it isn't standing the way I would like, but she is as they say, still a work in progress. What are you working on today?

Bits & Pieces of Valentines

Love is a circle that doth restless move in the same sweet eternity of love.
Robert Herrick

Biggest WIP yet!

Okay, so it's not art, but it's art related. Scary though isn't it?! We moved things around, including shelves to get our food storage in the big closet. Having done that I was left with huge piles of things that needed organized. I've been working on it as I can so it doesn't still look like this. I hope to have it finished and ready for unveiling tomorrow night. Then I can get back to creating. It's amazing the things you find that you knew you had, but didn't know where they disappeared to!
I don't know about you but before I start a project I have to have some semblance of order, at least to start out with. It doesn't stay that way most times, but the plan is, with the new see through drawer units, to save time and have a ready place to put things back when I'm done. The gals over at Prim &Whimsy Girls want me to show off my studio when I'm done so I better do this right....lol.

Valentino - Alice in Wonderland White Rabbit

Perhaps you didn't know it but the White Rabbit from Alice in Wonderland has a name even though it's not well Known. Valentino has worn his heart on his proverbial sleeve for a while now but is ready to find his true love. Are you looking for a special Valentine? Who knows, he may be the one!

WIP Valentines or Alice in Wonderland White Rabbit

Pulling out my illustrative skills to paint this rabbit up in a new and different way. Couldn't decide whether he should be a White Rabbit from Alice in Wonderland, or a Valentines bunny, so why not both?! He's almost done being dressed, well we couldn't have a naked bunny running around, really now! :-)
Here's a little something to put you in the mood for love......

"Kisses are sweetest under covering hair"

Kisses are sweetest under covering hair,

And whispers in its woven twilight best;

As flowery boughs above the chirping nest

Make sweet and sacred all the darkened air

Wherein abide the soft-secluded pair,

And know in the warm fragrance where they rest

The small heart beating in the downy breast

Each of its mate:--a Paradise they share.

This is a longing of the human heart

After that dream, an Eden all for two,

Some lonely island 'mid the ocean's blue

Where Love may sport, and laugh, and kiss apart.

Therefore it was a moment past I drew

Thine hair about mine eyes, Eve that thou art.

Sarah Snow Angel, a Valentine for You!

Sweet little Sarah, plain and tall? No, not really! She is dressed in a soft vintage chenille dress, with hand crocheted lace, vintage buttons, shimmery threads and a sweet locket at her neckline.
She is sweet though, and sits demurely waiting for her new home. Learn more about her by stopping by my ebay shop.

PFATT for January

Good grief where does time go? I have so many things I would like to share but can never seem to get to the computer these days. So here I am, sneaking in before grandson gets here and the twins start fussing.
Valentines day will be here before we know it so now is the time to get those gifts for that special someone. Above you see a little guardian angel wall hanging. With smile that would melt the toughest shell she will constantly remind her owner of the blessings there are for those who believe.
For the prim lover in your life, here are some hand crafted, cold process soap balls. Softly scented and ready to use, these would look great on any vanity and are perfect as guest soaps.
Here's a couple of sweet and soft vintage chenille pillows to add romance to a bed, dresser or tucked in a corner somewhere. The small pillow has a vintage doilie pocket that can hold photos, a love note, or sweet treats for that special someone. Stop by PFATT today.

Holiday Palooza! WIP

At AHA we like to mix things up a bit and keep our artists busy...as if they aren't already....lol. Holiday Palooza is a challenge we cooked up to challenge our artists to create cross over art pieces, such as Halloween with an Easter flair, Christmas with a patriotic touch, Easter in love. It has been fun to see what our artists have come up with. I decided to toss my hat in the ring and see how I could combine Christmas/Winter with Valentines Day. So here is a little snow angel waiting to get dressed. She was in the paint drying stage at this point; "warming her seat" as it were. I have continued on so come back and see how she turned out. I'm trying my hand at primitive again, it fascinates me how "prim" artists think. This little lovely will debut on Monday on ebay. In the meantime stop on by AHA to see all the latest in holiday art.

Inspiration in the night.....

Don't you wish you could sleep like a baby? They can sleep any time any where or any place. Husbands can too so I've noticed. Anyway, I sure do, especially when I'm wide awake at 2:30 in the morning. Sometimes though, it's not a bad thing to be awake like that. For instance, this morning as I tried to get back to sleep after getting up to get some Advil for aches and pains, I mentally started the running list of projects I want to finish this week. Miraculously ideas came pouring out of a well of inspiration that I thought was usually dry in January. So I just let them come, one after another, and now am itching to get them all done. I need to write down and flesh out some of the ideas, which will have to wait until I'm home and Kent goes to his meeting. For now though I will enjoy the time with the babies, and know that all good ideas will still be there. I'm finding that amazing that I can remember the ideas as I usually forget them when I get up and can't seem to get any to budge from the dark recesses of my brain and show themselves again.
I do wonder why I felt the overwhelming urge to run.... which I did at 5:30 AM and am so glad I did! Do you ever wake up and have so many ideas you can't hardly contain them all or keep up? It's wonderful isn't it?!