I finally finished some paintings!!!

Woo hoo I actually finished some pieces!

~Sweet Songbirds~

"Flight of Fancy"

So, I have been on a bird kick for the last few months and have been loving these sweet birds. So cheery, happy and Springy! I put a suet feeder outsider and within one day got all kinds of gorgeous birds. I am hoping our bluebirds comeback to nest for the 3rd year in a row-fingers crossed.

Still tweeking my blog with patterns now, so you will continue to see changes over the next few days, bare with me.
Finally I will announce the April Blog giveaway early this month as Michael and I are leaving for Aruba in the 2nd week of April. So, expect a giveaway announcement also in the next few days after the blog tweaking is done.

Finally, if you are an artist you need to be on Flickr. I have bought from a number of Etsy shops from things I have found on Flickr and I know it is helped my shop as well. Flickr is free and easy. What is better than free marketing?

Happy Creating ~dani~

I am glad someone said it

Ashley Dietrich a fellow Etsy Artist posted this in the Alchemy to get buyers attention.

~BRAVO Ashley~

I have been a freelance artist for 10 years, and have run into the same problem since day 1: people in general do not understand the cost or market value of custom artwork. I see many audaciously low bids for custom portraits, paintings, etc. and wanted to help educate the non-art public about commissions.

First, custom work is made to order, and therefore is more costly and difficult to make than ready-to-go pieces or mass-produced department store prints. There are expenses such as canvases (think up to $15 for a nice gallery-wrapped 8x10), paint ($10+ for a quality 4oz tube), brushes ($5 to $50 for decent quality), and then time.

You are purchasing an artist's lifelong experience and skill, not just the hours they put into a piece. Would you ask your electrician to work for $5 an hour?

There are certainly older pieces that artists mark cheaply just to clean out the studio, but you generally get what you pay for. Many good artists on Etsy and elsewhere on the net sell work for far below its gallery value. I consistently receive lowball offers for pieces already marked dirt cheap for the quality.

Please be considerate of professional artists. Shop around to get a feel for appropriate prices for size, subject matter and quality of work. There are many people trying to get started that will work for little to nothing, and my advice to those people is that you will regret it later on. Stick to your guns and ask what you deserve for your artwork. That is the only way you will ever make a living doing what you love.

Your Art Rocks Award

I created this Blingee award from the Swanky Lady Liberty Painting I recently completed.

I have found so many Brilliant artists through Etsy, Myspace, Ebay, Flickr & Blogs that I wanted a way to recognize these creative souls for their outstanding ability to create TRULY one of a kind-diverse art.

I will periodically hand out this award to help bring attention to these WONDERFUL OOAK artists. Who am I? Just someone who wants to live art everyday and tell artists why I think, their ART ROCKS!

My first award goes out to Lori Earley.

I originally found Lori on Myspace and have since counted her as my all time favorite artist. I am lucky enough to have seen her works in person at the Opera Gallery in NYC. I encourage you to visit her pages to soak in her work. Very Edgy and Very Polished . I truly believe she is destined for worldwide recognition and I cannot wait to see what she has in store for us in the future.

I leave you with my personal favorite

"REGRET"

~HaPpY eAsTeR fRiEnDs~

Here is 'lil Gucci in her Easter best!

and Scoobs (The Piddler) in his "bunny suit"!

I love how his neck chub & fur sticks out of the top and I swear it is not tight on him!

What's new or not so new...

I am sitting a my work table trying to decide what to create, when these 2 cuties pop up!

Hi my sweet lil friends. Sorry, I have been MIA as of late. The last 10 days have been a busy doozie! Here are the Gorey Details..lol:

My mom called in the evening last week asking me to pick her up and bring her to our house as she wasn't feeling well (Mom NEVER admits such things), so I knew it was bad. When I got there (1.5 hours away) it was clear she needed the emergency room.

So, I packed her up and put her in the car and drove. I called 2 nurse friends along the way and asked where do you think Mom should go. We ended up at a hospital only a 1/2 hour from my house which was great in itself. I realized soon enough that mom was having a hard time breathing due to fluid in her lungs from a pneumonia that would not die.

I called the ER along the way so they knew to expect us. From the moment we arrived they realized she needed immediate care and they went into action. They were everything you hope you will get when you need such care.

They admitted mom and she stayed for 5 days. During those 5 days they were always happy (never happens in health care) and happy to help with everything. They truly cared about her and the family. We joked each day as to what "meds" the staff was on! A nurse named Jessica was especially kind to mom and helped her to forget why she was really there. Sending virtual xoxo's to Jessica for her care and kindness and for yelling at my mother for sneaking to the vending machine to get raisinettes after a 410 on her blood sugar!!!!!!!!! ARGH!!!

During her 5 days...the hospital handed out green carnations to each patient on Saint Patty's Day! They had 2 volunteers come around with a herbal tea cart to each room that had enough flavors to keep you happy for a month! They had a therapy dog come around to visit if the patient wanted. My mom smiled from ear to ear...she loved this sweet Irish setter named Carey. The final straw was that they had a violinist and singer walk around the floor playing music and singing!

HAVE YOU EVER? I have stayed at some outstanding hotels all over the world and never felt so wanted or welcomed!!

So, took mom home and spent a day with her and now I am wiped out. I need to focus again on some art as my shop is a lil light these days. So, I think I will work on some paintings and list them when they are all completed vs. just one or two here and there, So stay tuned for some newbies!

Feel free to send me some ideas and suggestions for inspiration as I seem to be a lil dry at the moment.

Happy Creating~ xoxo's ~dani~

"Most Beautiful" Newest Sculpture

Here is my recent muse, Marie Antoinette. I had a great time sculpting her and am VERY tempted to keep her for myself. But for now she is on Etsy.

I just purchased some German Glass Glitter for the 1st time and was nervously excited to use it. There truly is nothing like glass glitter. So, glitzy-glammy-LOVE IT! I was a lil afraid I would cut myself but it is not bad at all. Shwew~

This glitter will be my newest addiction.

xoxo's & Happy Creating~

~dani~

What a wonderful thing~

I received a wonderful comment from Tracy at The Vintage Sister to visit her blog. When I did, I found out that I received this lovely award!!

Tracy and I will be traveling into Philly in a few weeks to see the Frida Kahlo exhibit, can't wait to meet her and Frida for the 1st time ;)

Simple, sweet & kind 'lil gifts like this can really make a difference in someones day. It is so easy to get wrapped up in the daily grind of life and not stop to breathe in the beauty of the day. Lil gestures like this are wonderful reminders of what is really important. I am so honored to be thought of and am happy to pass this on to two other wonderfully deserving women. I pass this onto Marie of Marie Patterson Studio for hosting art group at her house each week and for being a great friend who always makes me feel so welcomed in her home. And to Janell Berryman of Pumpkin Seeds Folk Art for her artistic guidance and for being a great friend who always reads my way-too-long emails! Enjoy ladies and pass it on!

~happy creating~

Spring Giveaway WINNER!!

The pictures tell the story!

~13 Bloggers commented~

Everyone followed the rules, so all names go in!

Almost, there.... I was sooo excited!

and

the

winner

is

Congratulations Mimi!

I had so much fun doing this and cannot wait to plan the next one.

Baby Picture Challenge

My challenge chosen this week by Marie Patterson was to share a baby photo. Janell Berryman also, shared! What a fun weekly challenge. Thanx gurls!

So, here it is my baby picture. I was in my Gram's arms in this picture and was just under a year old in 1972. When my Gram passed away (one year ago March 22nd-ugh) I found this photo in her wallet laminated. She carried it with her everyday since the day she had the photo developed! I didn't know this until I moved in with her to care for her during her last weeks of life. What a wonderfully loving thing, Thanks Gram-you are the best. xoxo

~Finally here is a picture of Gram (Florence) & Baby Mom (Jill) in 1946~

Look what I won!

~Look how beautifully these are wrapped~

I won a blog giveaway!! Sharon from My Vintage Studio sent me these lovely vintage inspired Easter pieces! I cannot believe how lucky I am. Her art has without a doubt influenced me and I will forever cherish these pieces~

Look at this wonderful jar, it is to die for! And the lil chick egg cup is too cute for words!

She also sent me this amazing saucer and lavender sachets that are gorgeous! How lucky am I?

Don't forget to comment on my giveaway post with the word SPRING in it, to have a chance to win this Sunday, March 9th. Happy Creating and good luck~

Spring Bunny GIVEAWAY!

~Original Spring Bunny & Friends Painting in frame~

3.5" painting & 6.5" Frame

That's right..yeah for Spring and giveaways!! In honor of my bunny making the front page of Etsy, here is an original folkart painting of the Spring Bunny and friends. Comment on this blog with the word Spring in your comment and I will put you in the drawing to receive this painting and frame for free on March 9th!






The more people that come visit me and comment, the more often I will do a freebie (I thinking at least 2x a month)! So, tell your friends..the more the merrier!






Please visit Sharon at My Vintage Studio, who me gave this wonderful idea!


Happy Creating~

~No longer a front page virgin~

I am out of my mind with glee that my Spring Bunny made the front page of Etsy today!

I have worked almost everyday since October 2007 to work Etsy and make the best art I can. I have never stuck with anything this long (long for me) and loved it soo much. I cannot imagine a world without Etsy and to make the front page (All my fellow Etsyiers know how neat it is or would be) has really made my heart swell. I have created art for over 10 years but Etsy has given me a reason and a platform to keep working on it and share it with people. I just love my Etsy and hope they never go the way of Greed-Bay (thanx Janell) and there crazy azz fees.

My Spring Rabbit went from 120 views (since "the reset" fiasco) to 560 in a 1/2 days time. Still for sale but that is what happens when you try and sell a bunny for a 100 bucks!

I am so happy I am working on a "GIVEAWAY"..woo hoo! Stay tuned for details (very soon).

nitey nite friends~