It's a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

So we're loading up the moving truck the day after tomorrow and what does today find me doing?

I couldn't help myself! All these cheap canvas boards were unearthed in the packing process that were just begging to be taped together and made into a big ole something-I-hadn't-decided-yet. I made it up as I went along. I started by Mod-Podging fabric bits to the front, painting a winding black road, and a layer of white paint. Then I cut out a bunch of simple cardboard houses so I could play with the arrangement. Then traced the Mod Podge lid for trees.

Dylan kept saying it looked like I was making something to hang in a Kindergarten classroom, and asking if he could play with his little cars on it. Big meanie.

Layer upon layer.

Birds were the finishing touch.

NOW I can pack up my paints.

Hopefully I'll being saying hello 

from under a new roof in a few days.

. ☺ .

Show and Tell x 4

OK, here's the game-

In your picture files, go to the 4th album, then go to the 4th picture. Show and tell. Then go down 4 more albums, go to the 4th picture, and show and tell. Do this 4 times (if you can) to get a total of 4 pictures.

Ready, get set, go!

○ ○ ○

This one. . .I have no idea.

This one is a quilt I've been dreaming of making one like. It's in a folder called Quilty Dreams.

LOVE this pillow! It's in a folder called Dream House in which I put images of house stuff I'd love to have (or make) someday.

This one is from my son's picture folder. I don't know what he was up to.

If you want to play too,
just leave a link to your
Show and Tell
 in the comments.

Window-Shopping Wednesday

T is for. . .

stayawake, noahwoods, meganacoyle,

FuturesAntiques, boygirlparty, jonstich,

mck254, NumericDesign, ???

It's gray and wet here on the beautifully soggy Oregon Coast, but that's not gonna stop us from rounding up the party preparations for the eldest's birthday shenanigans. We were trying not to interfere and to let the girl kid do it all herself (something she has never stopped demanding since she was a toddler), but I've been granted permission to help here at the eleventh hour. She may officially be an adult now, but left to her own devices she bought pickles and sour gummy worms (and not much else) for her big birthday bash. Which is tomorrow, I might add. Pickles and gummy worms, check! What else could we possibly need?

Hope you're all having a lovely Wednesday!

Summer Table

The first day of Summer is coming in on soggy gray feet here on the Oregon Coast, still I'm hopeful the sun will triumph today. The joy of a sunny day was lost to me until we came to Oregon. Before here, I lived most of my life in Arizona and Florida, and Summer was not a time of delight (to say the least). But now I have discovered that wonderful popsicle-flavored, lemonade-sipping, picnics-in-the-park, smiley-faced Summer that I could only dream about before.

In other news, we're still packing up The Cart around here. The walls are self-consciously and uncharacteristically naked, and boxes have taken over as the dominant decor. So it's only fitting that even more boxes should grace the worktable today.

 

Aren't they cute?

I'll do a little tutorial if you'd like when we get all settled in to our new place.

Obviously I still haven't quite packed up the art supplies. I suspect they'll be the very last thing put into boxes as we're heading out the door in 6 days.

. . .

Hope you're all having a wonderful day, full of Summery goodness

(even you Wintering types in that other hemisphere).

Happy Father's Day!

Good dads are an all-too-rare and priceless treasure.

I'm completely blessed to be married to one, and doubly blessed to have been adopted by another.

This post is for him.

I was already grown when my Papa Steve adopted me, so I call him my better-late-than-never dad. He surfs, loves to fish, and tells a great story. He wears suspenders, drives a Jeep, and can make just about anything. His hands are rough but he's a softie. He plays the blues. He tucks in his sweatshirt and wears a stripy cap that his sister knitted for him over his fuzzy-haired head. He is honest and sincere. He has all the wonder and curiosity of a kid, a slow temper, and a generous nature. He loves my mom with all his heart. He works hard without complaining and delights in simple pleasures. He keeps a garden and always plants flowers along with the vegetables. He gives all-encompassing hugs, rolls his own cigarettes, and enjoys a belt of Irish whiskey on special ocassions. He takes pictures (like this one) and sees the beauty in all that surrounds him.

 You can see more of his pictures here.

He's a wonderful dad (and grandpa and father-in-law),

and I'm the luckiest daughter in the world.

♦ ♦ ♦

Window-Shopping Wednesday

U is for umbrella.

artsharkdesigns, letterpress, syko,

littlebranches, mustlovehomedecor, sushipot,

prettylittlethieves, annadykema, bluedogrose

I've got umbrellas on the brain

on account of it's still raining.

Squares and Triangles

How cool is this?? If you go here you can turn any picture into a patchwork quilt pattern! Now I'm dreaming of quilts.

Something-New Sunday

Amidst all the graduation goings-on this week, we managed to finish 3 new personalities to add to the menagerie. Here's a little peek--

If you wanna see more of them go here. There are even of couple of things with wings in there if you wanna take advantage of the special. One more day!

And here's a certain brilliant red-headed member of The Cart in all her pomp and circumstance, ready to mark the occasion of her life's newest chapter. We couldn't be more proud. *sniff*

She looks adorable and all, but seriously what is with those silly hats?

Window-Shopping Wednesday

V is for. . .

asherjasper, Trickyfaerie1432, Musetypes,

pixiecampbell, starmango, HollyvisionArt,

 FuturesAntiques, lyndsaydayle, CoastalArts

Wishing you vim and vigor on this vivacious day!

On the Table. Again.

I'm thrilled to have so many things with wings to play with amongst the WIP's (works-in-progress) on today's table. Keep 'em coming!

There are a couple of future members of the menagerie in the works too--

A soon-to-be-bow-tied goat who insisted upon a purple vest, and a little bit of six-legged genetic engineering are hoping to make their debut on the next Something-New Sunday.

In between arty playtime, the Cart continues to be a whirl of activity. This coming Summer keeps getting packed (literally in some instances) with more and more big moments. So I'm taking a minute to remind myself to breathe in all the small moments as well.

Monday's Table and Things with Wings

The first order of busines on this lovely Monday morning is to put the finishing details on the goodies that will go out today. They're mostly done, just needing signatures and an eyeball here or there.

I always think they're so adorable all lined up and reading to ship. Getting the little imps to pose all nice and neat in rows was no easy task. There were bribes of lollipops and salmon (some of them have sophisticated tastes).

All these little sweeties are already heading off to their new homes, but there are plenty more things with wings (among other things) available now from the website or our Etsy shop.

And just for the fun of it, this week only,

mention this post and get 20% off

any winged thing (if you buy through the website).

Just tell Dylan what you want (DylanCurry@msn.com)

and he'll send you an invoice with the discounted price.

Hope your day has wings!

I made you a mix tape.

Actually, I made a bunch of them!

(I just couldn't stop drawing them.)

Remember mix tapes?

We have so many gift-giving ocassions around here over the next few weeks and I wanted to make some cute gift tags so I drew these, leaving the tape labels blank. They turned out so adorable that I just had to share. I made mine kinda manly on account of all the menfolk having special days coming up, but they could just as easily be girlified.

Just click and print and have some retro-tastic fun!

♥

(P.S.- For personal use only, don't go selling them please.)

Wings

Birdy love via Smaller magazine.

Guess which one is ours.

☺

On the Table

I'm working on a bunch of limited edition pieces this week, so today's table is full of 'em. You can get a glimpse of my method for making a series of almost-the-same pieces.

Each limited edition piece has its own page. On one side there's a chart that keeps track of the edition size and what number I'm working on next. The other side is for pictures of the piece and my notes to myself so I can accurately reproduce my own work.

Maybe it's not the most creative part of what I do, but it's still satisfying work. I helps to sharpen drawing and painting skills, and sometimes the creative side of my brain needs to recharge.

Window-Shopping Wednesday

W is for. . .

FuturesAntiques, alyoisiusspyker, Goobeesta,

hadleyhutton, lulubugjewelry, VIZArt,

jenniferdavis, mengseldesign, jenniesjunque

I'm making my way through the alphabet (backwards),

one Wednesday at a time.