Holiday crafting is all a go in the airstream in December. I have been trolling the thrift stores, dollar stores and craft stores for interesting pieces to put together. Wreaths, mini Christmas trees, garlands, and gifts are on the list to make. So far I have made the first two. Leaves from the lemon tree are drying for a garland and my gifts include felted wool wallets, needle-felted mushroom ornaments, and ceramic vessels. Here are a few pictures…

I went out this morning to walk in my garden~something I try to do every morning with my cup of coffee~and I noticed a ripe tomato hanging from the vine. I went to pick it and saw it was covered with dozens of tiny, red, crawling dots…smaller than a pins head. At first I was aghast thinking they were mites. But upon closer inspection I realized they were baby ladybugs! Have you ever seen a baby ladybug? Neither have I! So I thought I’d take a picture of who’s left after I inadvertently knocked most of them off.

Now, this isn’t a complete surprise since I released a bag of ladybugs about a month ago to eat aphids, but to actually come across the offspring of the bugs that flew away in three day’s time is quite charming.

I hope each and every one of you are doing well. Seems the economy is picking up so I hope that your life is returning to the stability we all new before the crash of 2008. Its been a long road for all of us but I feel blessed that the things that were really important in life stayed true throughout the past few years. Thank you all for following my story. I truly love to share all the little details I see in life, and I love when you share yours with me. Thank you,

xoxSarah

In between times, I have been stealing out to the trailer to paint. I have a big table covered with small canvases and I am working on a half dozen at any given time. My process is to just simply play with color and shape to see what happens~my favorite way to discover things.

This little (4″x4″) canvas had been laying around for weeks with only wavy blue stripes on it. I just couldn’t figure out what to do with this direction and color scheme. Whenever I get to that point of not knowing, I just move on to another canvas until something hits me. Well, instead “it” hit the canvas.

One early morning before work, I was again throwing a bit of paint around and some yellow dripped on this canvas. Ah-ah! The image instantly turned into space. Maybe even the view of space from Saturn. That is, if you could lay in the Saturn grass one balmy evening and look up at the stars through your planet’s rings. Or, maybe this is looking out over the ocean at the risen moon. Whatever it might be, I liked it.

The final touch was this quote cut from my now diminishing Gore Vidal book. I clipped it out weeks ago thinking it philosophical. And now, with this little space painting, it’s as if the image and the quote were made for each other.

Well, I hope you are having a really great day. My weekend has just begun and among other things, I am going to lay in the grass and look at the stars.

xoxSarah

Working for philosophy is turning out to be a great experience. I have to admit I was hesitant after so many years out on my own, but it turns out I am given broad and varied projects that are all creative. (It’s kind of nice not to have to do billing and selling for a change!)

The people are all fantastic and there is a great sense of gratitude and respect for each other. That is why, when we decided to do a white elephant gift exchange, I was compelled to do a fabulous little something. The only rule was that we couldn’t buy anything. Great news for me~I have a studio filled with stuff waiting to be used..and I dare say there has been a sad lack of making going on lately while I’ve been getting accustomed to my full-time job.

This little elephant painting was made all the better when I absent-mindedly ripped a page of text from one of my sacrificial books and read the first full sentence at the top of the page. There could be no better line applied to a white elephant gift.

The real gift here is the friendship of all my co-workers and the joy the process of making brings to my life. This was the first art piece I have made in well over a month, and had such fun doing it I am taking a half day off every week from now on to come home and craft. Creating art with abandon is what we were made to do~of this I am sure.

Those of you following me may have been wondering where I’ve been. I have the most spectacular news…but first, the non-news…

For the Holidays, my theme is buttons! I wouldn’t normally take myself for a button person, but after I started making my own out of clay, felt and (pictured above) screen printed fabric I was hooked. Now I search thrift stores for the coolest buttons to fill out the collection.

You may remember my foray into wallet making. I started with Vinyl (read about it here) then graduated into sewing felted wool sweaters. Pictured at left is one of my wallets with a sculpted porcelain button. I’ll have this and others for sale at the upcoming Crafteria at Frances. Cyndi and I were thrilled to be of of the 40 chosen out of the 150+ makers who applied. It takes place the First Friday in December~
Friday, December 3rd, 6-9pm. Below is the close up…

Finally, my favorite of all my current makes~the button bracelet. All my buttons come together in one fun grouping that are selling like hot-tamales this season. I thoroughly enjoy the process of choosing and tying these little bundles of delight. They are available on my Etsy site >> Click here!

Okay, now the big news. Let me start out by saying that I am a graphic designer by education and trade. I gave it up five years ago because I no longer found it fulfilling or fun. Since then I have painted large canvases that hang in private collections and several galleries around the country, written a novel, got hired by Provo Craft to create crafting content (how-tos), and remodeled a vintage Airstream to inspire my creative heart. As for working in the design community~I never looked back.Then, a few weeks ago, the most extraordinary connection happened and I was asked to join the creative team at philosophy inc.

I never expected to find such an awesome group of people in my life. I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to work for a premier skin care company with the nicest, most talented people I have ever met. So, in light of that, I may not be posting as regularly as I used to. I’ll keep you posted on my making, though. Tune in soon~

xoxSarah