Favorite Things

Hello Bloggy Babes!!
It is a beautiful sunny day here today....
...a perfect day to think about what some of my favorite things are....and squeak in just in time to join Butterfly Effect :)

I hope I get repetitive when I tell you that sharing my Life and my Art here in Blogland is one of my most favorite things of all....because of you!!  I had never imagined finding a place that offers so much support and inspiration, friendships and talent....I love it here!  I am in awe of you all and enjoy being here on a common journey :)

One of my favorite things to engage in with you is SWAPS!   I can't turn down an invitation to trade a little handmade goodness!  It's a compulsion....an addiction....and so darn much fun! Haha!!
Here are just some of the wonderful works I've been fortunate enough to acquire through swaps....

From L clockwise art by Lauren Startzman of Fair Rosamund, Deedra of Foxy Blue (blog removed), TheresaMacNaughton of Faerie Moon Creations and Joyce van der Lely of Joyce's Art

From L clockwise, art by Amy McDonald of Amy., Micki Wilde of The Secret Hermit, Natasha May of NatshaMay Art World, ,  Karen of I am Rushmore, and Mindy Lacefield of Tim's Sally

Cool, huh?!  Remember I did say these are just some of the lovely art pieces I've received.  Rest assured if yours isn't shown here....it's because I was rushing around like a mad woman trying to gather them quickly to get this post up....not because I don't LOVE them!

I treasure and adore everything I'm sent, so please don't feel left out...Sheree, Michele, Heather, Allison, Kathy...to name a few I've not featured here....thank you, too!   I have the best  Blog Buddies ever! 

Other favorite things include:

Rainy days with nowhere to go

Staying in PJ's all day

DESSERTS!  Isn't it funny that stressed spelled backwards is Desserts :)

Hearing birds singing when my windows are open

Blaring dance music with naughty lyrics in the car when I'm alone ;P

Looking up at the night sky in remote locations & seeing a thousand stars

Picking homegrown fruits & veggies

These 2 together

My morning cup of coffee

Pedicures with extra massage time added.....ahhhhh

Having a dedicated Art Room!

Big commanding moons

This was ours last night...a horrible picture of what was the biggest,

yellowest, lowest in the sky moon I'd ever seen!

Eating scones with all the fixins at a lovely Tea House

Catching my Husband's gaze when I least expect it

Strolling around quaint shops and craft shows

SKYPE

Creating!!

Here's my latest:

"Daydream" 8 1/2 inches square Mixed Media on torn Kids' book cover.

This is the completed project from Amy's magazine paintover class I did on Jan 20th.  I told you I'd show it to you when I finished it.  Hope you like it.   It's in the shop if you really like it...heehee ;)

A few more faves:

Halloween

the color green

Foggy mornings

Blooper Reels on DVDs

Drumstick ice cream cones with the caramel center

Thin Mints cookies kept in the freezer

Okay, I better go....can you tell I'm hungry?! Haha!

Thank you for visiting my little space here....

Have a fantastic weekend....hope it's filled with some of your favorite tthings!

Hugs and other sweet stuff,

Cameron

P.S. If you are participating in the Drawing Lab Lessons, you can link up by clicking the Lesson 1 Link at the top of my sidebar or simply scroll down to the previous post!  Happy to have you join in!

Little Pink Houses for You and Me

Hi There, Sweet Friends!

I'm so excited about this post!  As, you know....I adore doing trades....it's so fun to fall head over heels for something and be able to acquire it with something else you made...

The wonderful and talented (and newly engaged!) Lauren at Fair Rosamund and I have done a trade like that before where I became the proud owner of this adorable piece entitled "The Strange Garden".

Her style is so different then mine....and that's what I love!  I couldn't paint like her if I tried...the whimsy just flows from her brush!

...and so, for this trade, we took it up a notch...heehee!

She fell in love with my "Cozy Street" painting a while back...and so, with that as inspiration, she asked me to do a painting of a pink house for her...no parameters....just 8 x 10...and PINK :)

Well, with that kind of freedom, how could I go wrong?!  I just really wanted to incorporate things that she adores and personalize it for her :)

I know she enjoys Nature and butterflies....

...pretty flowers, of course....

...and, it had to be all about LOVE!  The perfection of a heart full to overflowing and a Special Someone to spill it all over!  So...lots of hearts....lots of Love....lots of Pink...haha!

Lauren, this is your painting, My Dear!  "Love Lives Here"
I hope it's everything you wanted and more :)

I had so much fun making this Garden Cottage....Thank you, Lauren!
But I didn't stop at one!  Lauren's came out so cute, I made another.....

This one is "Home Sweet Home"...all about the playfulness of togetherness and what it means to "make" a home together....

We all know the house is just 4 walls....it's what you do there that makes the memories fond :)

....like sharing a bench in a garden you planted together....

...or flying kites side by side....

I feel so much emotion stir up from these little paintings!  I wish a long marriage for you, Lauren, stuffed full with Life's best and brightest gifts :)

"Home Sweet Home" is avail here and as a print here....

Lauren is doing a special request painting for me in return that I'm giddy with excitement about...and I haven't even seen it yet...haha!!  She is so nice....please poke around her shop...you'll see why I (and so many others) are fans of her wonderful work :)

*UPDATE* I have now seen the adorable commission painting she did for me and am one cloud 9!!!  It is so perfect!!! Yay!*
Have a fantastic weekend...fill it with memories!
Sending you all the warm and fuzzies....with a decidedly pinky hue :)
XO, Cameron

P.S. I also made cards...heehee!  They are avail here :)  Okay, one more hug...and I'll go :D

Hemming and Hawing and Bartering, oh my!

Hello Lovely Blog Friends....

I was hoping you could help me with something.  My website that started it all http://www.cameron-art.com/ is coming up due for it's yearly renewal.  I have 21 days left to either pay the $135 dollars or let it lapse.  It has been a wonderful place to keep my work available for all to see, but now that I've started blogging, it seems like that money can be better spent elsewhere....

Sunflower Field  - Watercolor pencil and Ink circa 2002
 I just put this here to give you something to look at while you listen to me lament :)

for example:

I have a shop on Artfire, which has been a great place to offer my handmade goodies...but now that I have over 55 items in there...it's starting to look a little cluttered.  You see, the FREE account that I'm currently taking advantage of doesn't allow for making tidy categories to sort everything into...so as to provide a more polished, more professional look.  The upgraded price that would allow me to make categories, have sales, offer gift certificates, etc. is $16 per month!  I think that's a little high for the small amount of sales I've been lucky to make, so far.

I know that Etsy is extremely popular...and I tried it once a long time ago...but I'm thinking that instead of renewing my website, I'd use the money for listing and selling on Etsy.  I know you can categorize and all that there...I just worry that I'd get lost in a sea of artists....Plus, putting in all listings again...oy!  Any thoughts?

Suggestions?  Anybody? (*crickets*)

I did make a new banner though...I think it's pretty good for someone with modest computer skills :)

On a more exciting note!  I'm in the middle of a trade with the talented and oh, so nice Lauren from Fair Rosamund...

Have you seen her work?  So colorful and whimsical...She's picked out some journals of mine...and I'm gonna get her lovely Original Painting "The Strange Garden"...Wooohooo!  Jealous?! :)

Maybe just a little?!   Can you see that her skirt is made from painted and adhered tissue paper giving it a flouncy fullness...a fantastic 3D element to the canvas....a lovely bit of fanciness for her stroll thru the enchanted botanicals.  Gorgeous, isn't it?!    :)

And she's finished on the sides, ready to happily hang in my house, keeping the magic alive and inspiring me...

I must say my Adventures in Blogland have bloomed into quite a strange and magical garden of creative types and artists.... I am so pleased to be growing among you!  Your encouragement and support are my sunshine and watering can...... heck, your words seem to have a way of turning some of my poopiness into nourishing fertilizer...  (I like that expression...think I'll use it more often...lol "I'm feeling poopy today"...yeah, just saying it makes me smile...and, therefore, feeling less poopy )

Well, that's the poop for today (I know you've had enough... :-) and thanks to you all for helping me with my dilema...I'm curious to hear your thoughts on the matter!

And special thanks to you, Lauren :-D

All the Best,

Cameron
P.S. This is really so exciting!! Anyone else out there want to trade? ....Hmmm?(*eyebrows raise*)