Life of a Gypsy

Hello Everyone...

I hope your weekend went smashingly!  I spent my Mother's Day at the Renaissance Faire.  My family and I have made it a tradition to go once (sometimes twice) a year!  It's so much fun to get dressed up... This is what I wore to last years Faire.

I went as a Gypsy this year....

Such fun are all the wondrous wares that are offered...

And all the other costumes, as well....

My Dad's the photographer...never without his camera at any and all family functions!

This is my Mom.  Behind her you can see my Bro in his leather jerkin and wolf pelt!

Every year.....It's just a nice way to spend a day together :) This is from last year. Isn't my Mom's mask so pretty?!....oh and that giant is one of the locals...no relation as you can tell from our height!

I really love the exotic jewelry and personality of the other gypsy/bellydance/middle-eastern inspired girls...

It seems they also inspired some new art!  After receiving my lovely new 5 x7 inch painting from Lauren at Fair Rosamund (I know I already showed it to you, but it's so cute, I'll show you again....heehee)

...I decided I really liked that format and wanted to try painting in that size too.  But the only paper I have is a watercolor block in 11 x 14 inches.  Yes, I could take a sheet off, measure it, cut it down, tape it to a board and then get started.....or.....I could divide the page into two 5 x 7 inch rectangles and take advantage of it being on a block.  Of course, I decided this would be the fastest method (because if I don't paint while I'm in the mood, it will pass....and that little spark of inspiration will be filed away in that cluttered brain of mine...til who knows when it will come back! :)  And then I decided to be a little crazy and work on 2 paintings side by side simultaneously!

Y'know, it worked out quite well!  When I applied a wash or worked on an area of one, I could work on the other while it dried!  Plus, if I was mixing up a batch of flesh tone paint, I could use it for both paintings!  I'm thinking that this may be the way to go.  It minimizes down time and the extra work involved in mixing certain colors....

Here's the finished products! Both are watercolor and ink with a touch of irridescent gold pigment.

I'm just now thinking of names as I write this....

What do you think of  "Desert Eyes" as her name. She went over the 5 x 7 template and measures about 7 x 8 instead...oops :) The gold shimmer is in her eyes and ring.

...And how about "Gypsy Girl" (okay, so this name's not so inventive..) or "Fairest Gypsy" ?

Whatever the case, she is 5 x 7 with the gold shimmering on her forehead coins.

Oh, and thank you to all of you who chimed in about my dilema with renewing my online gallery and the possibility of switching to Etsy, etc.....

Well, I've decided to let the online gallery lapse and fall away into cyberspace history.  I've also just bit the bullet and upgraded my Artfire shop.  So now, I have a nice list of categories for those who are looking for something specifically, plus, I can now offer free gifts, promotions, coupons, etc.  I also have more control over the look of my shop, so I switched to new colors that go better with my new banner.

Hop over there if you have a sec :)

I listed some new cards...

A Grab Bag of Assorted Tags (we all saw that one coming, huh...lol)

And a print of one of my Original Watercolors you may have seen before "Vamp Chick" just to get her out into view.... Someone out there might be looking for a blond vampire portrait sporting an ankh tattoo...you never know.....haha!

I appreciate you coming by for a visit.... now I'm off to finish up last minute stuff for my daughter's birthday party on Sunday. I haven't done much since I mailed off the invitations.  Um, yes, I am starting to freak out a little!  At least it's at a park this year and I won't have to do the "company's coming" scrubbing on Saturday!

Happiness all around,
Cameron

A Special Mother's Day

I just came home from a cute little Mother's Day celebration at my daughter's school. The Moms are asked to stay longer in the morning to be presented with a gift handmade by the children and partake of morning snack of juice and muffins.  They had roses on the picnic tables and they sang a little song to us all... My daughter was sooooo excited I wasn't doing the whole drop off and run routine today..lol! And so the Mother's Day recognition begins....

Here's the gift she made....

This year is especially meaningful!

You see, as Mother's day is on the 9th this year, so does my Little Girl turn 4!  I get to celebrate being a mother on the very day I became a mother.... very emotional, to say the least :)

My husband and I had been married for 7 years (and dated for 5 before we married) by the time she came along...So it was both an adjustment...and a miraculous wonder!

My family jokingly called her Noname, because hubby and I couldn't agree on a name.  We didn't even settle on one til we saw her face....

Her sweet little rosey cheeked face...  We named her Magdalena Rose...Maggie for short :)

As you can imagine...I was so excited by the whole pregnancy experience.  A special arrival (and one my parents had given up on..lol) deserved a unique introduction.....and seeing as I had my own handmade greeting card business at one time, I got to work! 

I made her baby announcements by drawing out the celestial designs in black ink and photocopying them onto cardstock then hand colored each one with markers.

The writing around the outside says:
Starlight twinkles in her eyes...
Moonbeams kiss her cheeks...
Sunlight dances in her hair...

Then inside says:
Our precious girl is here!

What an intensely wonderful journey the past 4 years has been!  I've never learned more about myself then by taking care of someone else who's so much like me!  Let's just say, I  thank my husband daily for loving me ;-D  We just look at eachother sometimes while he's shaking his head stating matter-of-factly, "She gets that from you, y'know..."

"Yes, I know... but luckily she's cute, too!" I reply with an impish grin :)

Happy Mother's Day to all of you....may your children inherit all your good qualities...but if some of the more challenging ones slip in there...may they choose to learn from the lessons you have already experienced...

Hey, we can dream, anyways!
Smiles all around,
Cameron

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*)

On Experiencing Tag Lag

So, I might've mentioned that I started making gift tags a bit ago.  I think that I also admitted to buying the 100 pack of tags because it was a better deal (not at all because I'm a little mental and go way overboard on stocking up for my next, new, exciting project...*eyes roll*)....

I made some girly ones.

And some Christmas ones.

Sorry this one is blurry...but I wanted you to see what a fun time with the dyeing process I had.

I dried some on strawberry baskets and got this great crosshatch design.

Dried some on cookie racks and got these neat lines....perfect for to's and from's and all that!

I'm still in the process of using these suckers up!  I know...I don't have to do them all right now....but I borrowed some rubber stamps from a friend of mine, and I want to return them in a timely manner (though she probably wouldn't ask for them for another month...she's just nice like that).  I never understood the appeal of stamping... But, with the invention of clear stamps and all the fun accessories that you can use with them.... I'm finding them extremely enjoyable! 

Though, I need to use them and give them back before I buy anything else (because it's okay to get a few things since I saved money by borrowing the stamps, right?!)

I still have about 30 left...and that doesn't include the smaller ones I made with the new tag punch I just had to try.  I must say that this size was perfect, though, for making a set of Wonderland inspired tags.

Can you see the teapot watermark?

I've been making so many tags...that my little Girl had to make some, too!  This is one side.

And the other.

And tags for the Mother's day gifts she wrapped...

...and labeled herself :)

Oh, and as an aside.... I was so proud of myself for having her make a project from something we used to throw away.  She used paint for the gifts (I won't say what they are, in case the recipients are reading) and we always use a paper plate for her pallette....all the colors usually gets all mixed together by the time she's done, she even took a popsicle stick and scratched white lines into it.  In the past I would toss it out...but in the spirit of finding new uses for things, we let it dry.  I cut out some eye holes and contoured the bottom...and she made a mask!

She glued on feathers, glitter and some sequins around the eyes...  I thought this was a delightful project and wanted to share :)

Anyhoo, back to tags....tags...

....TAGS....

But in the back of my mind...I've been thinking of this...

Finally had to sketch it to get it out of there.  I went looking online for ideas like it...and came across this great site called the Enchanted Gallery where you can print up these wonderful paperdoll templates for free! 

It's so nice to have kind people offer things like this out of the kindness of their hearts... I don't know if I will actually use these in bringing above sketch to life, but I wanted to make you all aware of this resource in case you wanted to make something yourself :)

Oh, and I got an advertisement the other day from a vinyl sticker company.  They make waterproof/ scratchproof 3 x 2 inch vinyl photo stickers....so I tried them out with some of my artwork.  They arrived today.  They have a matte finish and are not quite as vibrant as I would like.

....but, I did a little experiment..... I've always wanted to sell my own artwork candles.

This is not quite ready for retail, but good enough for a gift for a friend...
For those of you who'd like to try the service, you can find it at Picstickers.com.  I have a coupon code for you...enter GET1PICS at checkout for 99cent sheets and free shipping w/ order of 5 sheets.

Well, I thought I'd get more done today (or should I say, get all those darned tags done).....but, it wasn't too bad, I guess....

All the Best,

Cam