Kitty Genius

Weekend Hunting

A large and lovely old paint-by-numbers, all ready to hang in a white frame. Thank you, thrift store!

In the estate sale department these were my finds:

This tiny Mexican vintage prayer card (?) in a distressed tin frame. I LOVE IT. And the tinyness only makes it better. It's about 3½ × 5½ including the frame.

And this tiny porcelain doll, which is just under 6 inches. I have no idea why I love it the way I do, but I had to buy it. (It has chubby porcelain legs under there).

I've been trying over the years to slowly only buy the little things (decorations, art, the little loveliness that adorns my home) that I can not bear to live without. I walk away from it, only to come back to it. I circle the store in an attempt to rationalize it away. I have enough stuff – TOO MUCH stuff, in fact. But then there are these little wonders that transport me to a more creative place. I like how they feel when I hold them in my hand. I stare at them so hard on the drive home (when I'm the passenger) I almost make myself car sick, like when I read in the car.

Have I honed and perfected the skill of only buying things I will love now and the foreseeable future? NO. I am still a slave to seeing other people's homes and needing mine to be that perfect imperfection that they have achieved. But to each their own, and it's fun to discover what that means to me.

Even if you're with someone on a shopping trip and they don't see the "potential," sometimes I find that it makes my love for the object even stronger. I will truly appreciate it, even when it's a bit broken or confusing or above all else completely unnecessary.

And the entire weekend the apartment smelled of slow cooking. There was rice and a bean soup and potatoes and veggies.

Tonight the night air is cool and I'm actually listening to the wind rustling through the trees. If I didn't have a few deadlines crushing around me this would be a completely relaxing evening. But I am VERY happy with partially relaxing evening.

We're officially October bound!!!

Nigel

It was too cute. A very sweet young lady, Kira, sent me over this photo of her brand new tattoo.

I knew it looked just like my work but I couldn't place it until she mentioned it is one of the little guys from "Party For One".

See? There he is with his little balloon in hand!

Kira sent me this photo the night she left for London for a year for a Master's program. How exciting does that sound!?! Amazing.

She wrote, "I've named him Nigel, for he will be my wee british friend to accompany me thru my adventures in foggy londontown this next year." So he is now "Nigel" forever for me as well :) Thank you so much Kira!!

Also a big HELLO to Rachel D. who introduced herself to me last night! It was the first time I was "recognized" just out in the world (well, the world being one of my regular haunts).

Happy Thursday!! I will be back with the a third limited edition print for The Shiny Squirrel very soon!

Foot Fanciness Never Hurt Nobody

It's at night so the lighting is crappy and do I have the slender (or shaven) calves of a model? Nooooo.... But I sure do like my new shoes!

But the magic word...comfortable! They are rather tall but walkable thanks to the wedge and handy dandy elastic strap. The legwarmer thingies from Forever Slutty One will actually be under pants for warmth ( cuz they're not bulky and can stay up or slouch!) and the shoes actually are really cute with ankle socks. Daring for me, I know. Check out TJ Maxx. The shoes are Nine West and a were mere $29.99.

I also bought a really cute dress from the aforementioned FF21 (I tried to take photos but the flash and lighting tonight was a no) which Loren told me was ugly BUT she is wrong and the best part..rayon so wash in cold water and I won't put it in the dryer and no shrinkage! I don't F around with 100% cotton from there. No way no how.

Intersection

"Intersection"

Print measures about 7 1/2" × 9 3/8" including a 1/4" border all around (actual image size 7" × 8 7/8"). Printed on archival velvet fine art stock using archival pigment ink.

Limited edition of 20. Each print is signed, dated, and numbered.

$35 plus shipping and handling.

Another limited edition print for The Shiny Squirrel! And preorders are welcome! Simply send an email to info@theshinysquirrel.com

I am staring at this print now on my desk and the subtlety of the background and pink cheeks that look like watercolor and the contrast of the black hair and red lips makes me pretty satisfied. Also, the colors remind me of something I just can't put my finger on. But doesn't that happen with us all? You see something or a series of somethings in an art book, online, at a thrift store, in nature or on the street and you just absorb it without quite realizing it's happening and then SURPRISE! There it is in your work.

And thank you for the concern over my last post (Drew is a good egg indeed!). I like blogs (or at least this blog) to be a mostly happy place where both you and I can escape and look at the lighter, brighter side of life. But clearly that isn't possible all of the time. The "family crisis" is involving my eldest sister's health. Out of respect to her I will leave it at that.

We all have hard days and spots in our life but luckily it makes all those little sweet gestures from friends and family or a silly phone call from my best friend all the more precious and appreciated. This blog gives me a lot. You give me a lot and for that I thank you. At times like this sometimes etiquette gets thrown out the window. And while I would love nothing more than to send everyone a personal thank you and hug, things are a bit chaotic so I am most likely not going to have the chance for that :)

I hope everyone has a wonderful week, and this week I am making it a goal to really enjoy and notice some of the beautiful small things life has to offer. Today I saw the first completely golden tree among a sea of green. And that made me very happy.

And Sunday's Just Begun

Saturday it was actually Drew who made a delicious acorn squash soup and toasted and salted the seeds to accompany it. He opted for parmesan cheese and rice in his, where I prefer mine just… the soup.

And what did Drew drink?

This, of course! From O'Fallon Brewery.

And of course, I had one of these :)

We read, got coffee, went to the bookstore, watched a movie, and then went to bed early. I haven't had that slow of a day in a long time.

Today Drew woke me up with the smell of homemade pancakes and brewing coffee. I make myself a little sick writing this :) But he's been really quite sweet. I haven't talked about it terribly much on the blog but there is an ongoing family crisis that is taking up a vast majority of the time in my days and I've been squeezing in creativity and work in around what now seems like my other real (and at this time, far more important) job.

I hope today can be slow as well and I think I will be able to handle whatever the week ahead brings me :)

Happy Sunday to you all!!

Mi Pollito

A new limited edition print!! 

"Mi Pollito" (My Little Chicken)

Print measures 8 1/2" x 8 1/2" including a one inch border all around (actual image size 6 1/2 x 6 1/2) . Printed on archival velvet fine art stock using archival pigment ink.

Limited edition of 20. Each print is signed, dated, and numbered.

$35 plus shipping and handling

This print (along with two others soon to come) will be available at The Shiny Squirrel which officially launches in October. BUT feel free to preorder this print by sending an email to info@theshinysquirrel.com

I can tell you that site is going to offer some pretty awesome things. And I'm flattered to be a part of it!

It's almost the weekend!! I am determined to bake cookies or maybe make soup or chili. I don't always love the grocery store but going to a specialty store or market in fall? NOTHING IS BETTER. Even the produce section at our normal grocery store has a bit of wonder when fall produce arrives. The apples, the squash, the local breweries that create lovely labels for their pumpkin ales. I LOVE it all. And I don't even drink beer. I am just a sucker for packaging.

And when they put the mums and pumpkins on barrels of hay outside the store, beckoning you in? I love it!!

Happy Friday!

I leave you with two words: CARAMEL APPLES.

The Best $2.99 I've Spent In A Long Time

A miniature bookshelf!!! Complete with tiny titled books and all. I was at the art store perusing the miniature/doll furniture section as I usually do (I really, really love it). As in that excitement I haven't felt since I was nine. And I have fought the urge soooo many times that I had to give in. It was this or a tiny candelabra.

Drew's cousin bought him this wind up robot "personal assistant" for his birthday and I knew instantly what that robot needed.

A teeny tiny cup of coffee!! Oh, is it wrong what joy little stuff like this brings me?

Now back to some serious work and truly once and for all learning about color spaces. Oh, computers… you're painting and math, an odd and tricky combination.

Happy Tuesday!

Where Our Walk Begins And Ends

LITERALLY.

The St. Louis Art Museum

This morning we went on an early morning walk. I would love to take the camera the whole walk but alas I don't know how much working out would then happen. During our three mile walk we encounter so much loveliness. There are parts that feel like you're in the deep woods. Another part takes you around the perimeter of the zoo. And if you're there early enough you get a lovely view of the animals just being themselves. Today a flock of peahens were humorously chasing a zoo worker thinking he was feeding them (he was not) while a Zebra just mindlessly swished it's tail. We also saw Bantengs. And Gazelles!

I find myself thinking I am so lucky to see this on my walk.

Our walk begins passing this amazing silver tree that is a permanent commissioned work at The St. Louis Art Museum.

Our walk ends with a big climb up "Art Hill" and with this view behind us.

Forest Park is a very neat place if you're ever in St. Louis. Click through the links if you have a moment . I think you will be impressed. And this is coming from a girl who is not St. Louis's number one fan. But Forest Park? I love that is soooo close to my apartment.

Happy Sunday!!

 

Balloon Glow

(Photo by dan.osdieck from Flickr)

Makes me feel all Halloweeny inside. Once a year there is The Great Forest Park Balloon Race and the night before they do a "balloon glow". At dusk they light up all the balloons. We arrived a bit late but there were so many people. It was really amazing. And the smell of Autumn and kettle corn filled the the air. Afterwards we sat outside a Welsh pub and I ate vegetarian onion soup and fried pickles. Then off to a bookstore, and later I went out to a bar with my best friend Loren.

Now what to do today?

(Scan by kathleenie at Flickr)

And in the spirit of Halloween check out this amazing Flickr set of people and paper moons that I spotted on Drawn the other day.

Happy Saturday!!!

Thuuuuuursday!

I just get so excited/flattered/can't believe it when this happens! And I wanted to say a big thank you to Chley for choosing my work for her new tattoo.

"Split Pea Sweet Pea". One of my earlier prints, so it has lots of sentimental value to me :)

It's beginning to feel all chilly out. Last night I had a late night cup of coffee sitting outside of the coffee shop and it was so wonderful to need a sweater. I also know it should warm up in the next few days but it is supposed to be delightful through the weekend. Which is great. I have TONS of work to accomplish and I never feel more creative than in fall. And apple picking. I am trying to round up a group to do that in the near future!