I'm on Instagram now!

Hello Lovelies!

I just wanted to let everyone know that I'm on Instagram now!  In fact, I've been there much more than here, so I wanted to invite you to follow my stream at @paintmyselfpretty.  I'm posting photos of old favorites, new available items and exclusive COUPON CODES!!

So, please.....find me there and say Hi!

The coupon is for 20% off your entire purchase of fun, one-of-a-kind creations....like my Snowball Ornies, Feltie Jacks, Sea Glass Hair Barrettes and Reusable Coffee Cup Sleeves...and much more!

Thank you, thank you for being a part of this Artsy Community I love so much!
Lotsa love,
Cam
 

GLITTERFEST!!!

I know this is a neglected little place...
I'm so sorry about that.

I just got my first smartphone a couple months ago and have discovered Instagram!!  Please follow me there to find updates and photos of what I'm up to.  I am better able to keep up with my account there :)     @paintmyselfpretty

I got the best news today!
I will be participating in Glitterfest Fall on October 11th!  It is an incredible show!! I am so grateful they are giving me a shot among such high-quality artisans!

Please stop by if you're anywhere near Anaheim, CA then....I'd love to meet you!!

I will be offering one-of-a-kind sculptures, paintings and other fun things!

Hope to see you!!

Fall is officially in my home now....haha!
Big pumpkin spice hugs,
Cam

HUGE SALE Going ON NOW!!

Hello, Sweeties!

I just wanted to let you all know that I'm having a GIANT Sale to clear my shelves for new items in the Fall.

Just enter FABFORTYOFF at checkout for 40% your ENTIRE purchase!

So, this lovely 11x14 painting would be just $38.40!

 

...and this owl art necklace would be just $14.40!!

 

 

What about a sea glass barrette like this one?

Just $10.20!!

I have over 100 items in my shop including a Clearance Section that you would take an additional 40% off of with the coupon code!

Please stop in.  Maybe you can get a little early Christmas shopping done :)
Thank you and big hugs to you all for your support and friendship over the years!

Big Hugs,
Cam



 

A Good Day....

Hello Dear Friends...

I've been meaning to come back here....to thank you all for your unwavering support and words of encouragement.

I've been wanting to fill you all in on how Life has been since that profound post almost 2 months ago. 

I've been making changes and making progress....and today just seemed like a good day to return :)

In fact, I've been lucky to find that most of my days have been good, but so different from where I was 2 months ago.

My fellow Gardentender and I are working together to enjoy the path we are on....which is the best news....but it didn't start that way.
I was ready to walk through the gate and not look back.  I was making plans on how I was going to raise my little girl and was putting things in order to strategize what my next steps were.  I didn't want to stay where there was no hope left and where I was not wanted.  He had told me these things.  Told me I should leave.

So I was going to.  In the past, I would've begged him to want me again and make promises to be more of what he wanted.  I would've changed myself to conform to his needs (or, at least, what I thought his needs were) and abandon my own.
I decided to, instead, choose happiness...for myself, for my little girl...and ultimately, for him, since he said he wanted to go.

I was feeling proud of myself for not being afraid anymore!

I calmly informed him of my decision.  I wished him the best and without tears or regret, I slept well that night.

Well, I think he realized he better do something...and do it quick!  The next day he told me he didn't really want me to leave...but that he was just so dissatisfied and unhappy with his work, his problems, and Life, in general, he figured telling me to leave would be a better option for me.  He felt he had nothing left to offer.  He didn't know how to dig himself out of his rut.
Maggie and I are the best things in his Life...and it took almost losing us for him to admit it.

That was the first Good Day :)
Since then, things have been getting better and better.
We are trying to communicate and reconnect with the help of counseling and little daily rituals.
We are taking it one Good Day at a time.

I have learned so much about myself since the first of the year. 

Most importantly, I HAVE FOUND MY LIGHT!

 I guess blowing out the candle I burned for him during the decision making process, made me take notice of the glow that still surrounded me.  I wasn't left in total darkness like I once believed living without him would leave me.
 I shine brighter than I ever gave myself credit for.....

I truly believe the kind thoughts and hopeful prayers of you, my Dear Friends, helped me find my light, too.  It felt like the Universe was just there waiting for me to arrive....it already knew what I searched for.

...And I have to tell you...communing with your own uniqueness, appreciating what makes you You, feeling strong and confident in your own heart and mind is a damn good feeling!!
Thank you so much! XOXO

So....on that note...
Just a peek at a few of my Good Days so far, to share with you:

Mother/Daughter Boot Scootin' Boogie Party at Maggie's school

 

Succulents Blooming

 

Planning, writing, dreaming and manifesting :)

 

Dark Chocolate dipped in Peanut Butter

 

Starting a Veggie Garden

 

Witnessing Rainbows from my Kitchen Table

 

Keeping an eye on a wee Hummingbird Nest in our Backyard

 (that beak is the chick's...almost ready to fledge)

 

 

Yes, some very Good Days, indeed :)

 

I've also started exercising and eating better (which is why chocolate and peanut butter is such a big treat...heehee) and have lost almost 10 pounds!

When I reach my goal of 25 pounds, I hope to share the results with you here.

 

I have appreciated all your little check in's and kindness.  Even in my despair, I never felt alone.

Please know that I send wishes for Light and Love to all the corners of the globe, to you, Dear Ones.

I am truly grateful for all my Good Days and Good Friends...yesterday, today and to come :)

 

I hope.....

I hope you'll forgive me for my long absence.

I anticipate that this will be a difficult post...
I debated whether or not to even come here...

I decided though, that instead of worrying about what to write, who will read this and what will be thought of me, I'd simply come here to let my heart spill out over the keys.
I'd do it for me...

I feel like I'm on the verge of bursting into a million tiny pieces.
It's proving necessary to get some of my thoughts out of my muddled head, rein my emotions back in check and dissuade my soul from bursting beyond recognition.

My heart is aching so.....
This is what it ponders....

What do you do when you find yourself reaching the end of a path? 
The path I'm on now has been narrowing for some time and despite my efforts to scratch the overgrowth away, I'm losing the battle.
My fellow Gardentender seems to be willing to put down his rake entirely.  Our combined effort is just enough for us to squeeze through, though our legs and feet bleed with the thorns of Life's weeds.  These wounds are left festering with the pain and burden of neglect.

He discards the rake from time to time, and I pick it up in desperation to try to rake with both.  I hold it out to him and ask him to rake with me...beside me...together.
I tell him the weeds are tough, but together, we are tougher.  I explain that though the path may seem like it is not clearing at first, we have to believe that it will, because together we can make anything happen....

I cry in exasperation that he doesn't take the rake I'm holding out.  I yell in frustration that I seem to be the only one who cares about clearing the path.  I stop and glance back at our little girl who needs a path to follow, and I wonder if the time will soon come that I have to clear a different path....one that doesn't require 2 people, 2 Gardentenders, to maintain.

My fellow Gardentender has just one week left after giving him a month's thinking time to decide if he wants to stay, hold his rake with both hands and make our path wide and beautiful. To use love, trust and reconnection to transform the garden around it to one that is thriving and nourished.

This is the path I still want to follow.  One I can see so clearly in my mind that is just under the surface, waiting to emerge.  I wish he could see this vision with me.

Or.....we let the weeds overrun this path....and find new ones.
Another hard choice. One, in my opinion, seems so lonely...but, perhaps his destiny lies on a different horizon?

I hope, in a week's time....he decides to plant roots with me. 
I hope he is ready to do the hard work that we must both do to make our way through the weeds and mend the bandaged, bloody sores we've been ignoring.

I hope...
...but I'm storing up seeds, just in case.

 

More Little Bits.....

I just finished 2 more of the mini painting necklaces....

I'm enjoying mixing different components from different sources.  I even went through my own jewelry box to see what unworn treasures could be brought back to life :)

This pretty necklace is called, "Flight"

Teeny and unique :)

This is my favorite so far.  The chain draping was a new thing for me.  I just love how it looks....reminds me of a Gypsy Princess.

I call this one, "Beauty"

 

The center abalone piece is from an earring my grandma had among her things.  The large round beads are made of carved cinnabar.  They've been in my stash for years and have just now found a purpose.

 

Remember these little paintings are just 1 cm x 1.5 cm in size... created with acrylic paints and ink on canvas paper and sealed with Diamond Glaze.  Can you see the hints of iridescence on his neck?

 

My daughter has claimed 1 of the paintings for her own ( a starfish) so I just have a toadstool and wolf & moon pendants left to bead. They are listed in the shop as soon as they are made, so please take a peek, if you like :)  

 

Speaking of my Darling Daughter, she was a sugar skull girl for Halloween this year.

This is how she went to school yesterday.  We didn't paint her face white....just painted the eyes and used temporary tattoos for the rest.

 

 

Here is the nighttime version.

 

 

It always makes a kid (and a mom) feel proud to get lots of compliments.  

Her costume was a big hit :)

 

I hope you all enjoyed your festivities, too!

 

One last thing I'll leave you with before I go.  Maggie's jack-o-lantern this year!

 

A 2-faced cat with 3 ears!

 

 

She conceptualized and designed this creepy creation all on her own.

Makes a Halloween-loving Mama's heart pitter patter with pride....haha!

Can't wait to see what she thinks of next year :)

 

Have a fantastic weekend!

Candy corn kisses,

Cam

 

Just little bits of Art....

....and when I say "little", I mean tiny...haha!
I've been trying something new and working really, really small.

Here's an example:

 

That's a dime next to that pendant.  The painted rectangle is just 1 cm x 1.5 cm.  ( Or roughly 3/8 x 5/8 inches.

Can you see the lovely iridescent medium shimmering on the feather?

 

Since these tiny art pieces are original, one-of-a kind creations, I wanted to make them into special jewelry.  I am using bits of broken, vintage necklaces and adding new and pre-owned components to make wonderful pieces that are unlike anything I've made before.

 

 

They come with coordinating earrings, as well....

 

 

I've painted 7 in all. Here's the 2nd one:

 

 

This is just 1.5 cm in diameter.  Acrylic paint with a Diamond Glaze coat on top.

 

 

The pearls and sweet carved rose beads are vintage.

 

 

I'm really taking my time and going through my stash thoroughly for each little mini painting. I took a quick snapshot of a small portion of my desk.  It looks like a bead store burped up on my table :)

 

 

I'll share the others with you as soon as they are done.

I hope they become beloved treasures for art and jewelry lovers alike :)

 

I'll be spending tomorrow re-vamping my store for the winter Holidays.  I'm offering $10 DOLLARS OFF all orders over $50 with code OVERFIFTYISNIFTY. This coupon code is valid until December 15, 2013.

 

Make your Christmas List and pop on over....perhaps there's a few treasures there to help :)

Thank you so much for coming here time and time again to check in with me.

As blogging becomes less and less popular, I understand how amazing it is that you come by for a visit...and I appreciate it!

 

Back to the beads and pliers....

 

Many hugs,

Cam