Winter is in the air....

If you receive Mary Engelbreit's Home Companion magazine, you will see a full page AD showcasing many of the wonderful things that you can buy on Etsy.com! I was lucky enough to secure a spot in this Co-Op AD, and featured the piece above to represent my work. This feminine snowgal will be available for purchase in my Etsy shop this Saturday November 1st by noon Pacific time. So please check back then if you are interested!

If you live in Northern California you mustn't miss American Harvest's open house this Saturday and Sunday November 1st and 2nd! This will be a wonderful kick off to the holiday season where you will find fabulous artwork by many local artists including myself, and my good friend's Iva Wilcox, and Donna O'Brien. The open house runs from 10a to 5p on Saturday and 11a to 5p on Sunday, and people always line up early in anticipation for all of the new one of a kind delights that will be there. Below are just a few of the pieces that I have made especially for their open house, and if you are not able to attend in person, you can always contact the store by phone as they are able to ship items directly to their customers!





In addition to whipping some new holiday goodies, I was able to sneak in some fun family time at the Exploratorium. This is a fabulous learning museum with tons of hands on activities for children and adults of all ages. It was one of my favorite places to go when I was young, and so it was a joy to take my son Simon there for his first visit. Here he is making large bubbles....

And with dad watching gravity pull the metal marbles down into the funnel.
I also had the one of the most amazing experiences attending the Art & Soul retreat in Portland at the beginning of October with my good friend Teresa. Here we are out shopping after a day of classes...gotta get my shopping fix in! :)
I was only able to take pictures during one of my classes, and that was a class I took from Michael DeMeng. He is an amazing teacher, and I learned a tremendous amount of tips and techniques in his class! Here are a few pictures of his work...he was kind enough to let me shoot them. If you are not familiar with his work, please take some time to check out his book...it's fabulous!


Teresa and I stopped into a fun little shop called Paperdoll in Portland one night after class. This shop is filled to the brim with rubber stamps and supplies...I was in heaven!! If you are ever in the Portland area, take some time to visit this shop...the owner is a sweetie, and you won't be disappointed in their unique selection! Here are a few pics I shot of her shop....


I love this front window display!!
During my time in Portland, I spied a rainbow as Teresa and I were headed out to lunch. I shot this picture through the window, so it's hard to tell, but it was a vibrant and amazing rainbow! A treat for the eyes, and that was how my entire trip was...a creative treat for my soul. I am already looking forward to next year! I have more pictures to post from trip and will be back soon to share those with you. :)

Summertime....

Wait a minute...snowman in summertime!??? Is something wrong with this picture? Nope...it's Holly Jolly July over at PFATT Marketplace right now, and the snowman guy above is a new collage piece I created just for this event! I was also lucky enough to be chosen as the featured artist for the month of July, so you can read all about how I got started on my artistic journey, and what inspires me. You can check it out here.
This looks a little more like summer! I only had one chance to snap this pic of a pretty butterfly feeding in my front yard before it flew away....
Here are some of my recent summertime flea market finds....love the vintage ballet slippers!!
Part of our fourth of July celebration included a stop in Santa Cruz for some fun in the sun at the beach.....
And at the boardwalk! It felt great to dip our toes in the ocean, and we had a blast on all of the rides!


Here's a recent steampunk necklace I created using antique glass beads, watch parts, and a tintype photograph. I just love how this one turned out!

Try to stay cool this summer, and I hope you are able to have a lot of summertime fun of your own!

Memories Of Summer....

Hello everyone! I've been away....spending time with family, working at my son Simon's preschool, making things for my upcoming shows, and enjoying all that Fall has to offer! Here are a few of my favorites memories from summer....Simon at Disney's California AdventureThe whole family posing with the "Cars" gang....that's my mom on the left, myself, and hubby Ryan, with Simon in the middle.....
Fun times at Knott's Berry Farm....
A day at the California State Fair.....wonderful dancers in beautiful costumes....
A race at the boating safety exhibit....
Will Simon's boat finish first?
The home stretch!!
Nope....his was the one on the far right...it went over to the side at the end, but we still had fun just the same. :)Aren't these miniature antique motor's cute!The art of Dr. Seuss at the ToyTopia exhibit....The tower of toys.....The giant slide......
A Day Out With Thomas The Tank Engine....
Riding on the Thomas train....Simon & Sir Topham Hatt.....As you can see, I love spending time with my family....and enjoying activities that bring a smile to my son's face! Thanks you for taking a walk down memory lane with me. :)

I have an upcoming show in Petaluma California on Saturday November 10th from 9am to 3pm. It's the HollyDaze & Vine show, and it's a wonderful folk art show where you can see a variety of art encompassing all of the Holiday's between Halloween and New Year's. I hope some of you can stop by to see my newest Holiday art, and say "Hi".

I plan to post updates more often, but things are a bit hectic for me this time of the year so please bear with me. I will be shooting to post an update a couple of times this month as time allows...thank you for your patience! :)

Here is one more picture of my little guy all dressed up and ready to go Trick Or Treating last week. He is Remy from Disney's Ratatouille.......which, by the way, will be released on DVD this Tuesday. Pick of a copy of this delightful film....I think it is one of the best animated movies I've seen this year!