JuNk DrAwer FriDAy! Lucky No.13

BE PREPARED TO BE AMAZED, TO GAWK IN WONDER, TO SCRATCH YOUR HEAD IN CONFUSION, OVER WHAT YOU WILL FIND HERE.....:))

Let the Randomness Begin:

Buttering You Up:
Newest favorite fall weather treat?
Trader Joe's Pumpkin Butter.  Served on toast (spread with real butter) and hot tea

  it adds to the yumminess of  beautiful fall days!

Eddie Pierre and October Sunrise!

Get on the Ball:
Guess what I rec'd at my last workshop?

Half a tennis ball.

I know.
I didn't know what to make of it either---not that I would have been any more impressed with an entire tennis ball, seeing's how I am not exactly a fitness nut .

 (FYI-- when it comes to  sports, I was always one of the last one's chosen for teams in school....the groans were audible from the side that got stuck with me....somehow the eye/hand coordination that helps me paint  did NOT translate to anything that involved a ball...)

Valee (the gifter) informed me that the half tennis ball was to be placed in my palm and used to scrub my brushes in so that my skin wouldn't be the recipient of paint/turps.

I am proud to say....it works like a charm!

As for what I use to clean my brushes--I switch around depending on where I am, what I have on hand and....how lazy I am at the moment.

I first:

• Dip my brush into my medium or vegetable oil 
• Work out excess paint on glass palette
• Wipe with paper towel (this usually takes several passes to get the heavy stuff out)

and then wash it in one of the following:

• Murphy's Oil Soap
• Winsor and Newton Brush Cleaner (this stuff is great for getting older paint out)
• Dawn Dishwashing Liquid

What's cool is now I can go to THE BIG SPORTING GOODS STORE and fake like I am a serious tennis player deciding which ball is going to serve up my best game;))

CHEAP THRILLS.

Smokin':
Brief and to the point--chain smoking as applied to your creative side is a good thing!


Show Your Work! Episode 3: Chain Smoking from Austin Kleon on Vimeo.



In Honor of the Fact That Life is Short:
Sweet and to the point, this piece of inspiration by Danielle Laporte struck a chord with me--to read it, just click here.

And yes, the headstone below is real.  Obviously they have/had a sense of humor like you and me...a bit off the beaten path;)

And before you ask, it's in Kentucky and that's all I have to say about that;)

The Beauty of Simplicity:
What I love about this, besides the good vibes and awesome song---is the proof that simply being ourselves connects and produces things that touch the heart.


If video doesn't appear, just click here:))

So there you have it.
A post that starts with BUTTER and ends with LOVE.
What else is there??

Oh yeah, sharing...that's pretty awesome too;))  Feel free to share this post with someone you love.  Or maybe like.  Or maybe hope to annoy.  We're in this together you know.

Have a deliciously buttered, lovely week-end!!

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JuNk DrAwer FriDAy! No.12

BE PREPARED TO BE AMAZED, TO GAWK IN WONDER, TO SCRATCH YOUR HEAD IN CONFUSION, OVER WHAT YOU WILL FIND HERE.....:))

Let the Randomness Begin:

Happy Feet:
Take one pair of cushy Sanuk flips.
Add two really cute butterflies.
Yields: 10 Happy Toes;)  

You never know what you'll discover at a workshop!

Thanks to Noreen Coup, one of the great artists at the California workshop, for gifting me with these colorful clips.  

You can check 'em out by clicking here:))

Just Name It:

And you think my name is unusual---I'm feeling positively Jane Doe after watching this.  Love British humor!!

If video doesn't appear, just  click here:))

Just Charge It:

This nifty little charger saved my buns more than once while trailing the back roads of Italy using the phone as a navigation tool.  It's a portable mobile charger for the iPhone.  It's feather light and will keep your phone running those extra minutes just when you need it most.   

To read more, just click here:))

Sign Me Up:
Signing a wet painting can be tricky unless you have a cool tool like this one:)  The Kemper Wipe Out Tool has a wooden body with a pointed rubber tip that carves into a wet painting easy as pie!

It's parked in my Amazon Art Supply Store, just click here to check it out:))  

Impressionist Art:
There's Monet, Renoir and Degas.  
And Jim Meskimen.  
Shakespeare never sounded so good;))

If video does not appear, click here:))

So there you have it, earrings for your shoes, how to get wiped out, charging without using a card, a group of impressionist(s), and using hooked on phonics for those "unusual" names.  I know--it's quite an impressive line-up that should keep you busy for oh, at least, a......hmmm.....

Well, maybe one more thing---how 'bout a song to use when you order your Kemper signing tool??

It is, after all, the Kemper WIPE OUT tool.  

Have a super week-end! (Click here to view video)

P.S.  The ole newsletter hits the stands bright and early Saturday morning---be sure and look for it in your inbox:))  If you haven't subscribed yet, now would be the perfect time..just click below:)!!

P.S.S. Be sure and tune in next week for Italian leftovers--answers to all kinds of questions that came up during the recent trip to Italy:))

To Subscribe to Dreama's Art , Click Here:))

Art, Humor and Inspiration--In Your Inbox!

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"JuNk DrAwer FriDAy!" No.12

BE PREPARED TO BE AMAZED, TO GAWK IN WONDER, TO SCRATCH YOUR HEAD IN CONFUSION, OVER WHAT YOU WILL FIND HERE.....:))

Let the Randomness Begin:

A Piece of Pretty:

When I spied this in a stationary store, of all places, it just made me happy.  

It's a tiny, over the shoulder purse--perfect for an evening out when all you need is a credit card, lipgloss and your cell phone:)) 

Check out the stripes on the red fabric:)) 

It's now hanging out in my closet....have no idea how that happened!

I'm thinkin' it could just be the world's smallest art supply bag which would of course then make it a tax deduction.  Jus' sayin';))

The company is Goody Goody and you can look at their colorful goodies by clicking here:)) You may just find your own "art supplies" bag;))

Earth to Dreama:

Hillbillies, of which I am one, go barefooted a lot.  Now science is finally catching up with the hill people and agreeing that it's a good thing.  

Of course they had to go and rename it to make it sound fancier:)  

Earthing.  

According to studies, as little as 20 minutes a day of "connecting" to the earth can do wonders (even Dr. Oz agrees)!  

Just so you know, I am earthing as I type this.  To read more, click here:)

It All Started with a Paper Clip:
It never ceases to delight me as to what can happen when we allow our mind to think outside the norm of what is possible:))

If video doesn't appear, click here:))

Read to Me Baby:

What if you found a great article online--and what if you saved the article thinking you would get around to reading it later---and what if later never came?  Well, if you had this little guy (SoundGecko) he would read it to you.  

For Free!  
Here's one of my last posts, as read by the Gecko.  He didn't pronounce my name correctly, but hey...he's a Gecko.  And a free one at that:))
Click Here to Listen!
If you click here you will see how it works.  You put in the url of the article you are wanting to read and it will turn it into a MP3, email it to you and you can then listen to it on your computer, cell phone, iPad, etc.  Sometimes I feel like I am one of the Jetson's.....as in George with daughter Judy and boy Elroy....

*Thanks to Pamela at Big Brand Systems for the tip!

Fat Feelings:
Sums up nicely my feelings on fat-free foods....

If video does not appear, just click here:)

And there you have it.  A story reading gecko, how to get rich from your paper clips, diet tips from a dog,  purses full of posies and last but not least--- barefoot and pregnant...with possibilities;))  That should keep you off the streets and out of trouble for at least...er....20 minutes or so.  After that you're on your own...

P.S. SOMEONE WARN THE ITALIANS.
I am flying out Saturday and will arrive on Sunday in Tuscany.  Let the games begin:))
As I have been warning you, I will be posting lots of photos---and giving away my watercolor postcards, one each day.  

All you have to do to get your name in the old capppello is leave a comment on this blog for each day's drawing.  

P.S.S. Leaving a comment just got a whole lot easier:)))  I have eliminated the step that requires you to squint your eyes and type in some indecipherable code to prove that you are not a robot.  Eddie and I both know you are not a robot:)))

P.S.S.S.  I know, enough with the PS's:))  Just do me and Ed a favor and share today's post with someone who needs a fun spot in their day:)) Big Hugs from us both!

To Subscribe to Dreama's Art , Click Here:))

Art, Humor and Inspiration--In Your Inbox!

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"JuNk DrAwer FriDAy!" No.11

BE PREPARED TO BE AMAZED, TO GAWK IN WONDER, TO SCRATCH YOUR HEAD IN CONFUSION, OVER WHAT YOU WILL FIND HERE.....:))

Let the Randomness Begin:

Promises:
Not one, but two:))

July 27, 2013 at Sabbath Song Farm

The joy that comes  from seeing a rainbow 

Never gets old:)

Drawing Upon Your Good Nature:

Loved this idea the minute I saw it on Think Jar Collective.  

To quote the book description from Amazon:

 "A rolling pin, a robot, a pickle, a water tower, a hammock, a wasp, a safety pin, a kiss. Budding artists and experienced sketchers alike will find themselves invigorated by this collection of offbeat, clever, and endlessly absorbing drawing prompts. Some are deceptively simple (just try drawing a bicycle!), some are conceptually mind-bending (sketching the sound of girlish laughter?), and some are refreshingly basic (the only hard thing about drawing an egg is deciding how you want it to be cooked). Hip and helpful, 642 Things to Draw is the perfect inspirational sketchbook, sure to entertain and provoke the imagination of anyone ready to pick up a pencil."

Just added to my store, you can click here to check it out:))

Get Carded:

So much delight in something so small:))  

The lowly business card is still one of the handiest things around. Here are some great ideas for  card content....

  

If video doesn't appear, click here

Singalong:

If video doesn't appear, click here to view

Shoot!  I knew I should have kept this hair-do.  

"Bobbette Ross"---kinda has a ring to it, don't you think?

On Becoming a Better Writer:

Penned with the writer in mind----this piece is a perfect fit for painters too--or any of you doing creative work of any kind))  So wherever you read the word "writing" just mentally insert "painting ". Click to read.

And there you have it.  How to get carded when you're well past 21, big hair tips, what to do with a pencil and at least a couple of good reasons to look up:))

Wanna Paint with Me?  Click here to view upcoming workshops:))

To Subscribe to Dreama's Art , Click Here:))

Art, Humor and Inspiration--In Your Inbox!

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"JuNk DrAwer FriDAy!" No.10

BE PREPARED TO BE AMAZED, TO GAWK IN WONDER, TO SCRATCH YOUR HEAD IN CONFUSION, OVER WHAT YOU WILL FIND HERE.....:))

Let the Randomness Begin:

On My Shoulder:

Every one's excited.  Eddie Bill, Eddie Pierre and of course, Phyllis.  For once, I am in total agreement with all of them.

It's not everyday THE bluebird of happiness drops by for a visit;))

Momma and Mia:

A couple of years ago I had the occasion to meet a gal named Mia Fontaine.  I loved her immediately.  
Close to the age of my own daughter, she was  full of life with a ready smile and who knew---had co-authored a book that was on the New York Times best seller list!  

Well, Mia and her  co-author have just released their newest book.  

It came out during my birthday month and it was one of my indulgences:))!

Me and an Awesome Book at  Awesome Book Store, Joseph Beth Booksellers!

Mia's co-author??  Her mother Claire Fontaine:))  A story of travel to exotic places, food, and living in France--- all between a mother and daughter.  The things dreams are made of!

If video doesn't appear, click here:))

I loved the book!! Just added it to my Amazon store-- you can click here to check it out:)


Just Doin' the Math:
At 82 million, Vincent's painting settles out to roughly $156,000 per square inch, give or take a thousand or two.
At roughly $600 for a 12 x 12, my paintings settle out to  $4 per square inch, give or take a penny or two.

Even Dr. Gatchet doesn't know what to think;))

Believe it or not, Van Gogh's painting is not the top one---there were three ahead of it!
To see the top ten most expensive paintings of all time, just click here:))

RX for Fun:
Take one old school theater.

The Kentucky Theater in Lexington....where else, KY!

Chocolate and Antioxidants.

Confessions.....there was actually more chocolate stars to nuts ratio...before I picked through it....hence the current healthy looking nut to chocolate ratio pictured above;0)

(Okay, that's how this stuff was labeled at Fresh Market grocery.  I am such a sucker.  It could as well been called Chocolate and Battery Acid.  Chocolate and Motor Oil. They had me at Chocolate.)

And one true story filmed in French with English subtitles.  I love summer:)!


If movie doesn't appear, click here:))

Roots:
Eddie Pierre may be half Parisian and half Kentuckian, but his mother Heather, is clearly.....

A True Nashville Cat;))

So there you have it.  Reading at the movies, the write mother and daughter combo,  and a bluebird in hand is worth 3 in the bush--especially if it was painted by Vincent.

Remember. Life is like a guitar case.  You never know what you're gonna get inside;)


P.S.  Last chance to study with me in 2012:)) Nov. 2-4, 2012 in Lexington, KY.  This workshop has just been added.   Click here for details.

P.S.S.  If you feel like you need to add your voice to the random insanity of this post, please click here. Otherwise, just look away.

Or you could just share it with someone who has really been annoying you this week;)) Either one works for me.

To Subscribe to Dreama's Art , Click Here:))

Art, Humor and Inspiration--In Your Inbox!

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"JuNk DrAwer FriDAy!" No.9

BE PREPARED TO BE AMAZED, TO GAWK IN WONDER, TO SCRATCH YOUR HEAD IN CONFUSION, OVER WHAT YOU WILL FIND HERE.....:))

Let the Randomness Begin:

Your Wake Up Call:

In case you can’t get to your caffeine fix soon enough of the morning (not that I know anyone who fixes coffee the night before and puts it on timer to be ready before their feet hit the floor in the A.M.)--thanks to Bath Buzz-- you can now lather it on;) 

Yep, you heard right, Caffeine Soap for your get up and go;))
'Cause you can never make the good stuff up:))

Music to My Ears:
The wonders of  music, of passion for life itself poured out in lyrics, guitars and voices--I am always humbled by the beauty and diversity and sheer magic of music. 


This week-end, take some time to treat yourself to the discovery or re-discovery of the JOY that music adds to the everyday moments of your life:)).  And please do share in the comment section--I'd love to know who inspires you:)!
My man John Mayer...keepin' me where the light is!

If video does not appear, click here:)

Slumpitis:

Occasionally, I get a question thrown at me like the one below:

“Have you ever hit a slump where everything you paint turns out wrong? I'm there and am very frustrated!”

Eddie Demonstrates a Severe Case of Slumpitis..

It happens, sooner or later, to anyone trying to do anything creative:)   Many times it seems to correlate itself to a break through in your work.  The equation being something like  this:
  

The Amount of Building Frustration = The Amount of Breakthrough Pending:))

What becomes the challenge is to not get so discouraged that you quit for long periods.  

What I would suggest is doing the simplest of things in your studio that make you happy.  From organizing, selecting photos to paint from, setting up still lifes, looking through art books, etc---just let the muse lead you.  And here's the kicker...when you paint, just paint for the joy of it.  No attachment, no expectation.  Think of it as a jam session like musicians do.  No one is recording.  Keep the focus and the joy on the pleasure of doing it---not a finished product.  Having the joy in the doing is what it is all about anyway.  

A finished painting is merely a by product of having a good time:)) 

Rearrange your thinking and love everything you do.  It is all a part of the journey:)


Leftovers:
My Paris Studio Makeover (Part I and II) stirred up a few questions:

• What kind of studio lighting are you using? I have basic track lighting with "cans" that hold a mix of cool (flurouscent) and warm (halogen) lights mounted to my sloped ceiling.  The lights face away from my easel and bounce the light onto my work surface.  What I consider in any indoor space I have painted is to work with the lighting until whatever painted using them appears pretty much the same wherever else you view it.
• I've got so much extra stuff like canvases, travel gear, etc--where/how are you storing yours?  My studio room has a bonus area under the eaves that was finished out for storage.  All the "guts" of my studio reside there---things that I need to be handy, but not necessarily in the same room.  Thinking of a secondary storage area for your art stuff may help free up your actual working space.
• What do you like about having your easel in the middle of the room?  Less chance I will walk into my sloped ceiling and leave a mark on my forehead;)  Seriously, it was just the most practical spot considering my options.  And it works.  When I need to back up to get the long view, I just turn my easel to view it from the adjoining room (my office)
• Why the bamboo flooring? What about spills and is it cushioned enough?  I like it.  I am a fairly "clean" painter (put that down to years of working in watercolor) so I keep a small rug to stand on to protect the floor a bit, but for most part,  I don't worry about it.  It is a studio, so if some paint does appear, NBD (no big deal;)  And I find it to be a comfortable surface for long bouts of standing.
• In case you missed the posts on my studio makeover, just click here for Part I and here for Part II.

And there you have it.  How to hide an addiction and get clean at the same time, songs to sing in the shower, loose ends in the studio and pulling out of a nose dive.  If that's not enough to keep you out of trouble, then remember my newsletter hits the stands Saturday morning.  That's all I can do.  If you're gonna drink AND shower, there's nothing left for me to say....

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"JuNk DrAwer FriDAy!" No.8

BE PREPARED TO BE AMAZED, TO GAWK IN WONDER, TO SCRATCH YOUR HEAD IN CONFUSION, OVER WHAT YOU WILL FIND HERE.....:))

Let the Randomness Begin:

CAUTION...Wet Paint:
Traveling with wet paintings can be tricky business.  Right up there with giving Eddie a hug while wearing a black shirt:))  
For my trip to France, I used the 8 x 10 size of RaymarArt Carriers, which carries six wet panels at a time, back to back, with spacers in between.

My colorful painting gear--the gray box is the wet panel carrier from Raymar:)!

 They are so doggone light-weight that they won't add any more lbs. to your luggage, but they will save you from having new "unplanned" work done on your paintings (and clothes) while in transit:))  I added the label to the box, sporting one of my paintings with my website address...cause a girl's gotta have a  little lavender in her life;)
You can check them out by clicking here. ( These are the carriers I recommend for folks traveling to my workshops:)))

Double Duty:Here I go again, sharing with you, as it were, my amazing secrets for saving money and prepping for world wide travel at the same time.....
I have discovered these jars make for great containers in the studio for mediums, water, etc.

The only thing is they come filled with gelato.  Some folks would consider this a problem, but not people like you and me. We realize it's the perfect way to prepare ourselves for traveling to places like Italy.
Kind of like the runners do....practicing in high temps and up hills in readiness for the long distance runs.

I figure it would be pure craziness to plan on eating at all the gelato stands one might encounter in Italy, come September, ....UNLESS......I begin working up to it here:))

 5 bucks buys a lot of training.....

Certainty:
Love the words and video here by Nic Askew...

There was a time when I
looked for certainty.

---

Certainty in the outcome
of the events of
my own life.

---

And then I realized that
there was only one certainty.

---

And that was that it’s all OK.

---

That there’s something
that could never die.

---

And now I realize that
the total uncertainty
of the events of life
is the adventure.

---

And that’s the wonder.

If video doesn't appear, click here to view:))
WORDS BY NIC ASKEW. NIC’S WORDS & FILMS CAN BE FOUND AT SOULBIOGRAPHIES.COM


What's the Point:
For those of us with thick accents and no foreign language skills, the perfect book has been born.  Need to find a toothbrush or buy a banana and don't know the word?  Just point 'til you get it:)))  It's small enough to slip in your purse and has 1200 of everyday things you may just need help finding when traveling abroad.  And it's only 5 bucks:))  To check it out, just click here:)

Summer Job/Bag Boy:
Eddie has been bragging about the job skills E. Pierre is gaining under his tutelage.  I thought it only fair to warn you, in case Pierre turns in a job app at your store.


If video does not appear, click here to view:))

And there you have it.  Bad boy cats raising bag boy kittens,  the point of no return,  gelatothon training, the paintings that got carried away, and the certainty of uncertainty. More than enough to keep you busy for the week-end.  If not, there's always reruns of Dog the Bounty Hunter:))

Me??  I'll be getting ready for my second Paris Workshop  that starts this Monday.  And cleaning out some containers for mediums for my studio.....

If for some insane reason, you would want to take a workshop with me, I think there are some open spots in the ones that were added last week in places like Jacksonville, FL and Carmel, IN.  You can see 'em by clicking here.

Stay tuned for workshop photos from my first Paris workshop that just ended and the drawing for my monthly giveaway.  You might win a cat!!  (Kidding:))!!

Make someone smile today..... share this post with them:)))

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