Well I finally did it! I have my Etsy Shop at omies.etsy.com up and running. I had my Grand Opening on April 1st and have been really busy. I am so proud and happy and thankful for everyone that has visited me and especially the customers that have made me feel like it is all worth it. I had been gathering things for months thinking I can do this, I can do this and now I think I really can. It has been a lot of work gathering, taking pictures, writing my descriptions but the most fun has been packing and sending things to others that like my little things too. Thanks to Kelly Rae Roberts and her magnificent ecourse, Flying Lessons: Tips + Tricks To Help Your Creative Business Soar, I am beginning to get the hang of the marketing job that goes along with selling too.
I have so many things still to add to the shop. I have found items of mine from when I was a child and items I have picked up along the way. And I have things that have been my Mother's and my Grandmother's. I have found things that have been in the top of the cupboards and in the bottom of drawers for years. And with it all has come the memories too. So many years and so many memories. I just love it now that someone else will enjoy these things I love too. So I hope everyone will keep coming back.
Something I am planning to add to my blog posts are articles about some of the items in my shop to give some history about the items so others will know more about these little things I love too. So again thank you everybody for making this new journey such fun!
Omies Place
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Friday, March 25, 2011
What a wonderful life
I didn't know life could be so good. This retirement thing suits me real good. My days are filled with busy work that I love. I have been able to paint more, clean more, organize more, relax more, enjoy my family more, Wow! what a great feeling!
I think I told you about opening my Esty Shop soon and I have been working hard to go through boxes and drawers and closets to get things put on the shelves. I will be able to make an announcement soon for my grand opening so watch out, here I come, ready or not.
I and a few other classmates are taking the Get Your Paint On Class again on our own so this will keep me painting. And I will be taking another mixed media class in April that I am excited about. It is with Christy Tomlinson at Scarletlime. I'm taking her She Art Workshop. Her mixed media is so cute and colorful. Really fun! I can't wait to see how someone else makes their art. I love mixed media and hope one day I can find my way into the mixed media world with my own color and style.
Weather has been wonderful here and I am so much enjoying breakfast on the patio! Wishing you all warm and sunny Spring mornings.
talk soon,
Omie
I think I told you about opening my Esty Shop soon and I have been working hard to go through boxes and drawers and closets to get things put on the shelves. I will be able to make an announcement soon for my grand opening so watch out, here I come, ready or not.
I and a few other classmates are taking the Get Your Paint On Class again on our own so this will keep me painting. And I will be taking another mixed media class in April that I am excited about. It is with Christy Tomlinson at Scarletlime. I'm taking her She Art Workshop. Her mixed media is so cute and colorful. Really fun! I can't wait to see how someone else makes their art. I love mixed media and hope one day I can find my way into the mixed media world with my own color and style.
Weather has been wonderful here and I am so much enjoying breakfast on the patio! Wishing you all warm and sunny Spring mornings.
talk soon,
Omie
Friday, March 11, 2011
How I finished...
I have a little story to tell you about how I finished my paintings for the Get Your Paint On class given by Mati McDonough and Lisa Congdon I have been taking. I didn't realize that I would be finishing something in this class that I actually started 2 years ago. The painting I worked on in Week 4 and finished in Week 5 of class I began in my first art retreat.
I went to my first art retreat 2 years ago in beautiful Utah given by the lovely Julie Collings and Candice Elton called the The Art Nest. I can't even begin to tell you how wonderful a retreat these two ladies offer. If you ever have a chance to go to one of their retreats, grab at it. Anyway, I had been following Kelly Rae Roberts for a while (love her art!) and I wanted to take a class from her. Kelly Rae, and 2 other artists, Jane Wynn (she makes beautiful mixed media jewelry) and Mati was also teaching there. So I took my very first painting class at my very first art retreat from Mati McDonough. I had never put a paint brush to a blank canvas before so it was a little scary for me. But Mati was so gentle to those of us that had never painted before. As a starting point she had us write some special words or our thoughts on the gesso canvas first to help us start forming our ideas of what to paint and so...I had just left my son that had been through a very heartbreaking divorce so needless to say my feelings were very raw and close to the surface and I let them spill out. It was such a good time for me to just be alone and let my heart try to heal too. And so without knowing it my Week 5 painting of GYPO began but it was not completed in that first class. Since then I have revisited this canvas several times, covering the whole thing with a new layer of gesso at one time, except for the tree. The tree seem to be the only thing that would always make it through, maybe it stood as the roots of love that we have as a family. So in our class 4 assignment I picked it up again, this time with more determination. I am happy with it now and I am going to give it to my son. I feel so good that this painting is finished because I feel like it represents a difficult part of life for my son and myself is over also. Thanks for listening.
I went to my first art retreat 2 years ago in beautiful Utah given by the lovely Julie Collings and Candice Elton called the The Art Nest. I can't even begin to tell you how wonderful a retreat these two ladies offer. If you ever have a chance to go to one of their retreats, grab at it. Anyway, I had been following Kelly Rae Roberts for a while (love her art!) and I wanted to take a class from her. Kelly Rae, and 2 other artists, Jane Wynn (she makes beautiful mixed media jewelry) and Mati was also teaching there. So I took my very first painting class at my very first art retreat from Mati McDonough. I had never put a paint brush to a blank canvas before so it was a little scary for me. But Mati was so gentle to those of us that had never painted before. As a starting point she had us write some special words or our thoughts on the gesso canvas first to help us start forming our ideas of what to paint and so...I had just left my son that had been through a very heartbreaking divorce so needless to say my feelings were very raw and close to the surface and I let them spill out. It was such a good time for me to just be alone and let my heart try to heal too. And so without knowing it my Week 5 painting of GYPO began but it was not completed in that first class. Since then I have revisited this canvas several times, covering the whole thing with a new layer of gesso at one time, except for the tree. The tree seem to be the only thing that would always make it through, maybe it stood as the roots of love that we have as a family. So in our class 4 assignment I picked it up again, this time with more determination. I am happy with it now and I am going to give it to my son. I feel so good that this painting is finished because I feel like it represents a difficult part of life for my son and myself is over also. Thanks for listening.
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Week 3 of the Get Your Paint On class
This week of painting has been real interesting. I am learning so much about myself and paint as a whole in this class. The instructors, Mati and Lisa, are great! Only through painting have I discovered more truths about myself. I recently read a real good book about my Chinese symbol, the Cat, and it fits me to a tee. It has also opened my eyes about who I am and what I am about and it has made me feel better about accepting that self more. I am who I am and that's OK. I like me! Painting has helped me see those things about myself even clearer. And I want to explore more of me and my painting.
This week's assignment was on color and we learned to mix colors to match colors that we like. Another discovery! It was not easy for me. I am a learner of basics first. I have to understand the basic first before I seem to be able to go to the next step. So I searched the internet, read all I could, ran to the library until I had some basics to start from. I have a grey palette made by Jack Richeson & Co that I use and the inside cover gives some color basics and mixing basics. I wanted to share a few things that I thought were useful.
3 parts to color: hue, chroma, and value
1. Value is the lightness or darkness of a color.
2. Chroma is a measure of how pure or saturated of a color.
3. Hue is the name of the color, such as; red, blue, green, etc.
- Adding white to a color lightens the value, makes the color temperature cooler, and sometimes changes the hue.
- Adding black will the darken the color and alters it's hue.
- Mixing a color with its complementary color "greys" or neutralizes the color (I thought this was interesting since I have made a lot of "grey" in my mixing sessions).
- Placing a color's complement near it in a painting will add visual interest.
Here is my week 3 painting. I used the colors of my loveseat as my inspiration for this week's assignment. Even though I love my loveseat, I have discovered that I love red better in paintings so I want to try my hand with red next week.
Get Your Whatever On next week for yourself...
This week's assignment was on color and we learned to mix colors to match colors that we like. Another discovery! It was not easy for me. I am a learner of basics first. I have to understand the basic first before I seem to be able to go to the next step. So I searched the internet, read all I could, ran to the library until I had some basics to start from. I have a grey palette made by Jack Richeson & Co that I use and the inside cover gives some color basics and mixing basics. I wanted to share a few things that I thought were useful.
3 parts to color: hue, chroma, and value
1. Value is the lightness or darkness of a color.
2. Chroma is a measure of how pure or saturated of a color.
3. Hue is the name of the color, such as; red, blue, green, etc.
- Adding white to a color lightens the value, makes the color temperature cooler, and sometimes changes the hue.
- Adding black will the darken the color and alters it's hue.
- Mixing a color with its complementary color "greys" or neutralizes the color (I thought this was interesting since I have made a lot of "grey" in my mixing sessions).
- Placing a color's complement near it in a painting will add visual interest.
Here is my week 3 painting. I used the colors of my loveseat as my inspiration for this week's assignment. Even though I love my loveseat, I have discovered that I love red better in paintings so I want to try my hand with red next week.
Get Your Whatever On next week for yourself...
Monday, February 14, 2011
My paintings
Well I am going to post my first 2 paintings to show everyone what I have been doing. This class has been so FUN! The best thing is that it has made me take time to play each week.
My first week painting includes a picture of my Grandmother and Grandfather with my brothers and myself in a quilt painted framework.
The 2nd week's painting was based on finding our subject matter and mine was houses. I love to draw houses. I think it goes with my love of home, my home, and being home. I loved playing around with the details of this painting. This reminds me of making your house a home.
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Hello 2011
Someone pulled the trigger on the starter gun January 1st and I haven't quit running sense...this first month has been really busy for me so I am sorry I have waited so long to journal. Just everyday living has kept me running. I think I am ready now to get back to my creative list. I have begun to sort through boxes of paper and other things to start my first Etsy Shop. I hope to have an announcement for all of you soon. I hope to have a great shop loaded with old papers, old pictures, old studio photographs, and other goodies for collages. I have found old jewelry, watches, old lace collars, and other sewing notions. I have gathered for years and need to clean it out. Watch for my opening in February. I will give notice on my Facebook and Twitter account too.
This month I have started out taking Mati McDonough and Lisa Congdon "Get Your Paint On" ecourse. Just the first week's assignment has set me on my heels, made me think about painting with a whole new light, and I am so looking forward to what is next...if I do something I like I will post a picture.
I love winter, the snow, coats, scarfs and gloves, warm fires, hot cup of tea, a blanket on my lap, a dog laying next to me and another one at my feet, time to read, snooze, plan, and dream. The change of the seasons, changes our way of life, our moods, our appetites, our wants and needs, and too even our dreams. We seem to slow down during the winter months just as nature seems to slow down, regroup, and recoup. Here is to another month of wishing and dreaming and rest.
This month I have started out taking Mati McDonough and Lisa Congdon "Get Your Paint On" ecourse. Just the first week's assignment has set me on my heels, made me think about painting with a whole new light, and I am so looking forward to what is next...if I do something I like I will post a picture.
I love winter, the snow, coats, scarfs and gloves, warm fires, hot cup of tea, a blanket on my lap, a dog laying next to me and another one at my feet, time to read, snooze, plan, and dream. The change of the seasons, changes our way of life, our moods, our appetites, our wants and needs, and too even our dreams. We seem to slow down during the winter months just as nature seems to slow down, regroup, and recoup. Here is to another month of wishing and dreaming and rest.
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Thanksgiving this year.
My how time flys. I should have had pictures for Thanksgiving this year, we had such a good time. The boys got lots of birds. We went goose hunting in the pits which I always love. The pits where you hunt from are down in the ground so that when you stand up you are looking straight across the horizon and up into the sky. Of course this is perfect for watching for geese but it is also beautiful to watch the world from too. You just listen for the sounds of the geese flying. It is such a peaceful time. I'll try to take some pictures from the pits next time we go. Sitting there looking into the sky makes me so aware of everything I have to be thankful for...my family especially and all the good times we spend together. We are so lucky that our kids like to spend time with us. We enjoy them too so much.
Now we are down to crunch time, those short weeks before Christmas, when you are checking your lists once a day to make sure you haven't forgotten anything. All my Christmas is bought or made and mailed and I am doing my baking this week for friends. And we are ready to see the grandkids in their school Christmas activities. That is the best time. We will make our rounds at Christmas this year to see what Santa has brought everyone. We will be missing one this year, our oldest grandson is in his Navy boot camp for the holidays and my heart will be with him too. And all our wonderful service men and women who are spending the holidays away from their families.
This is my favorite time of the year, with all the warm memories from the past and the ones that we are making everyday. Merry Christmas to everyone and a Happy New Year.
Now we are down to crunch time, those short weeks before Christmas, when you are checking your lists once a day to make sure you haven't forgotten anything. All my Christmas is bought or made and mailed and I am doing my baking this week for friends. And we are ready to see the grandkids in their school Christmas activities. That is the best time. We will make our rounds at Christmas this year to see what Santa has brought everyone. We will be missing one this year, our oldest grandson is in his Navy boot camp for the holidays and my heart will be with him too. And all our wonderful service men and women who are spending the holidays away from their families.
This is my favorite time of the year, with all the warm memories from the past and the ones that we are making everyday. Merry Christmas to everyone and a Happy New Year.
Monday, November 22, 2010
I love old houses
During my Friday dates with my husband we have been just driving through the countryside. The weather has begun to change from Fall to Winter and it has been so nice just to relax before the busy holidays. This week we found a great big house standing all alone up on a little knoll, in the cold wind but bright sunshine, still standing after all the years. I can't even imagine what this house has held in it's lifetime. I could see the summer breeze blowing through the windows with the white curtains blowing in the breeze. Little kids running around the yard playing while their Mother was working inside and their Dad was out in the field. It almost made me cry to see this house standing all by itself, empty and alone, after all the shelter it has provided for so many years. It doesn't seem right that it should be left to die alone. I wonder what has happened to a family that would make them leave their home to just fall apart. I can't seem to get this house out of my mind...I wish I could save it.
Saturday, November 13, 2010
Friday Date
My husband and I have been trying to take every Friday and go on a date for the day. Usually it is breakfast and a drive through the countryside. We try to take off a different direction, a road we haven't been down before, or a little town we haven't seen yet. I love to take pictures and what's is down the road and of course we look for little junk stores to see what we can find (and I usually find something).
This week I saw a little house that just caught my eye. It always breaks my heart to see a house empty. I always wonder how it looked when someone lived there. And how excited maybe a man and his wife and children were the first day they moved into their new home. I used to know a poem about just this and I think about it every time I see something like this.
In our part of the country they are bringing in the harvest and the colors of the grains are unbelievable.
It is opening day for pheasant hunting season and my boys will be home soon hungry for supper so I had better get busy on the mashed potatoes for supper...enjoy.
This week I saw a little house that just caught my eye. It always breaks my heart to see a house empty. I always wonder how it looked when someone lived there. And how excited maybe a man and his wife and children were the first day they moved into their new home. I used to know a poem about just this and I think about it every time I see something like this.
What a cute little house.
Even empty I love the mossy green color that it has take on with age.
In our part of the country they are bringing in the harvest and the colors of the grains are unbelievable.
It is opening day for pheasant hunting season and my boys will be home soon hungry for supper so I had better get busy on the mashed potatoes for supper...enjoy.
My postcard
I made another postcard "thank you" for my mother-in-law but I didn't think of taking a picture. duh! I also used this last week to drop picture postcards in the mail to my grandkids just to say hi! and I miss you! Everybody loves getting something in the mail...it's like a little Christmas.
Speaking of Christmas and getting something in the mail. I got my early Christmas this week too. I ordered myself some patterns to use for rubbings with my "paintstiks". I found a beautiful cape made of silk that was done with "paintstiks" that I would like to make for someone. I just want to make it, I don't wear things like that, don't go anywhere, but I just want to make it. Or maybe a lap quilt would be fun too. No sure just love the patterns and colors. I also ordered some beautiful craft metal to emboss and use in some jewelry. Fun stuff to do!
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