My First Art Show Submission

I am participating in my first Art Show with The New Bohemia Group in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.  You can check them out @  http://www.newbohemia.org/

Artists purchase a 2' x 2' piece of wood from The New Bohemia Group and create our project with our chosen type of media. This year's theme was "My Garden" so can be interpreted by each artist in their own way.  This is the largest piece I've painted with acrylic paint, to date.  This is the 7th year this group has sponsered an annual 2x2xU outdoor show.  The great thing about this art show is that it is for anyone of any skill level.  All submitted pieces will be on display outdoors from June 5 - September 11. 

I thought it would be fun to record my creative process so here a few photos to show my work in progress:  

Step 1:  coat one side and all edges with one coat of paint

Step 2:  apply second coat of white paint (white makes it easier to add other colors)

Step 3 (a tip from Erin):  large pieces of artwork should be placed on top of a small box so you can turn the piece instead of lifting the piece to paint the edges; before I figured this out I had paint on both hands and forearms and across my chest  

Step 4:  pencil sketch of the image I will paint

Step 5:  paint a background around the main image

Step 6:  add an outline, fill in the petals with multiple colors

Step 7:  add depth with more petal colors and darker color in center of flower

Step 8: add more color to each petal

Step 9:   more color in the center, more highlight on the petals, adding additional colors to background

Step 10:  DONE

This is my finished piece after adding more color to the background and additional color to the center.  I was really pleased with how this piece turned out.  I learned alot about what to do differently next time.

The reception for the gallery is next weekend so I plan to attend and will share more photos.

Hugs,  Erin 

p.s.  At the suggestion of my "man" I am planning to do a series of painting with a similar theme.  This will be fun!

You make me want to shout...

I won another award, my second award since February.  Ms. Amber over at "Amber: Kickass Wife, Coolass Friend and all around Awesome Chick...." passed along an award to me and I was so pleased and honored I wanted to shout my excitement but since it was about 11 pm and everyone was asleep (but me) I managed to contain myself. 

Winning an award in "blogger world" is shocking to me, I only started blogging in February of this year (2010).  I am really pleased with by the group of friends that have encouraged me to blog and tell me in person how much they enjoy reading my post.  None of my local friends follow me officially thru blogger but they check my blog daily and give me a hard time when I haven't posted.  I have 17 official "followers" listed on my page that openly acknowledge they follow me which means they must enjoy what I write.  It really is an awsome thing and I love the creative outlet that blogging provides.  I have always been a person with lots of thought and blogging is another creative outlet for me.

A huge thanks to Coolass Awesome Chick Amber for sharing her love......you rock girl!!  Check her out if you haven't already.  She's funny, opinionated, honest and loves to talk (a bit like me....maybe that's why she follows me!)...stop by, say Hi and tell her you found her blog via me.  Check our Amber's other blog @ http://scrappinamber.blogspot.com/  She is an outstanding scrapbook queen and I love her designs.

Okay all....

The rules for winning this award, I have to answer a few questions and pass it to five worthy people. And I love to talk (or type in this case) and share so here you go blogger friends...

1. What do you do when you're bored?  Eat, sleep and read but my favorite would be to create things. So I bake, design/craft handmade cards, scrapbook, paint with acrylics, draw, create digital art, take photos. I really am rarely bored.

2. Are you an Autumn or a Spring?  I like them both equally.  I love that Spring brings out new life...flowers, trees, baby birds, green leaves, etc.  I love autumn for the crispness in the air and the change in beauty of the color of the leaves. 

3. Quick! You're stuck at an airport for hours, and the only options are crossword puzzles, or an old novel nobody's ever heard of. Which do you pick? NOT crossword puzzles, I seriously suck at these things.  They are not fun for my brain....way too much thought for my liking.  And I never go anywhere without a book, magazine or my Blackberry so I can read anytime I have to wait.   If I was taking a trip,i would definitely have 4-5 books with me in hard copy or electronic.

4. Jane Austen or Emily Bronte? Um, well....I suck, I have heard of Jane Austen but can't recall if I have read any of her work.  Emily Bronte.....I haven't even heard of her.  Yeah, yeah, give me heck about it but at least I'm honest. I could share a long list of favorite authors if anyone is interested.

5. Do you feel prepared for the five other questions coming your way? Of course I can come with an answer to just about anything and if not, I'd google it and come up with some kind of educated response. 

6. Who’s your hero? Hmmm.....I would have to say my Grandma. I called her Grammy and she was the woman that made my world shine with love. She left my world 5 1/2 years ago and I miss her ever day.  I can still smell her perfume when I think of her.

7. Favorite word? I'm not sure I have a favorite word. I have a few that i say regularly but not favorites, just habit. The "f" word, hardly lady-like but has great impact due to its offensive nature to some people. I say "dude" way too often...to call my kids, to express shock or disdain for something. I also say "gay" but not to mean homosexual, I use it to mean something is stupid, dumb or ridiculous.

8. Are you one of those “checklist” people, or are you a “wing it and hope everything goes well” sort of person? Well you should go read one of my early posts called OCD List Maker @ http://chaoticworldofasinglewoman.blogspot.com/2010/02/ocd-list-maker.html. I am an over the top list maker....I have a list for just about everything. If you have OCD tendencies you understand by obsession.

9. What phrase has stuck with you in your life? My Grammy used to say, "treat others like you want to be treated". I try to treat others well but I am not always successful...I am a work in progress.

10. If you were to choose between coffee and tea . . . which would you go with? I love tea, green, black, flavored, hot, cold.....I love it all.  But I also love coffee but it doesn't like me. I love the smell, love the flavored types with mocha, carmel, vanilla and whipped cream but over the last two years my body does not tolerate coffee.  It gives me heartburn and irritates my overall system.  So I try to limit my coffee intake to one fancy over-the-top tasty cup per week and this works pretty well.


So who gets this prestigious award? To receive the award from me, you have to inspire me in some way. So here are 5 people who insire me via their blog, go check them out.

1. Oopsey Daisy @ http://oopsey-daisy.blogspot.com/ She does the coolest craft stuff (which I'm all about).  Her ideas are awesome.  If you love crafts, you have to check her out.

2. Dine and Dash @ http://dineanddish.net/ I recently found her and she has the best recipes.  She Rocks!

3. I'm an Organizing Junkie @ http://orgjunkie.com/ I recently found this and was "Wow'd" by all the helpful tips I got.  Imagine creating a menu for dinner meals each week so you have on hand what you need to make each dish.  (Yeah I know its simple, but I don't do it and really should.)  If you need help organizing any part of your life, check out this blog.  I need all the help I can get.

4. Mommy Mishmash @ http://mommymishmash.com/  This is a previous neighbor of mine who initially inspired me to write my own blog (she probably doesn't even know it).  She writes funny stuff about her life with "Super Hub" and her 3 little ones.  She is awesome and cooks meals that are wholesome and preservative free (for the most part).  If you think your life is crazy, check her out, she never fails to make me laugh.

5. Dilly Dally and Flitter @ http://dillydallyandflitter.blogspot.com/  She has a collection of crafts which are great because she reuses things she already has to make something new and useful.  Love that! 

Thanks to everyone that follows me officially or unofficially, it is really great to be part of this cool community of people.

Happy Memorial Day to everyone!
Hugs,  Erin

Mary Poppins found (with big dog and cool jeep)

Okay blogger friends....I feel like I can finally breath again. I worried all day about the boys meeting the Nanny applicant that I thought was great over the phone. As usual I wasted a lot of thoughts and brain cells worrying today...instead of being patient and assuming that I am a good judge of Nanny character, know the type of person that my kids would accept/like and would be a good role model for them.

Sir Nanny arrived right on time and jumped right in to conversation with my youngest (he is the chatty-social child). I finally coaxed the older child out of his room (he is more reserved with new people and would prefer to pretend that he doesn't care about who I hire and stay out of the decision making) but he finally warmed up and joked with Sir Nanny. The interview and meeting (really more of a chat) lasted 1 1/2 hrs....that's a lot of chatting but it was well worth it.

As I walked Sir Nanny out of he house I offered him the job and he accepted. I told him that it appeared to me the boys were in favor of hiring him but I would confirm after he departed. Sir Nanny barely got the Jeep door shut before:

The youngest boy said, "So are we hiring him? And when will he start?"

Chaotic Mom responded, "Yes I would like to hire him. He will start next week, assuming your bother agrees to hire him."

Youngest boy said excitedly, "Good, can he start tomorrow? He will say yes Mom, I could tell he liked Sir Nanny." (he meant his older brother)

Now, for the record, these two rarely agree with me about anything and even less frequently agree with each other. If the sky is blue, you can bet that one of them will argue the point until I am ready to lose my mind. Some day I hope they join a debate team and become lawyers!!!

And I am pleased to say...youngest child was right, oldest child was asked what he thought about hiring Sir Nanny.

Oldest child said, "Yah, he's cool. When does he start?"

Now that's the kind of confirmation I wish I received about everything I suggest, but today I am counting my blessings for this one decision we all agree on.

I think it's time for this worn out Mom to get some sleep.

Hugs, Erin


p.s. Yes this story was probably way longer than it needed to be but since I'm a scrapbooker, this is one story for the books that is already journaled.

p.s.s. And I forgot to say, Sir Nanny has a large Labradoodle puppy and a cool new Jeep. Both of these things were a bonus for the kids.

Found the Needle in the Haystack

Okay I haven't posted in days (until yesterday) and now I'm just swimming in ideas.  I think having some projects off my plate (work and personal) has helped. 

One of my personal projects was finding a Nanny/Activity Director to hang with my two teenagers for the summer.  They are 12 and 15 so no drivers license yet and I do not approve of all day video gaming.  I finally (reluctantly) started phone interviews last week but most of my applicants are "Female" and the boys specifically requested a guy. For those of you thinking....."good luck sister".....note that I have been blessed to find two outstanding/mentoring male Nanny/Activity Director's the previous two summers.  This has really been great for me and for the boys.  They love having a guy to hang with and I feel (a bit) less guilty about needing to work full-time.

Today I spent a full hour on the phone with a male Nanny applicant for our summer position.  I was blown away by his answers that were honest, mature, professional......I must say this guy sounds awesome.  He has a great work ethic and long work history, personable, responsible, outgoing, physically active, can cook, tutoring experience with middle/high school kids, volunteers time with challenged/underprivledged kids........I could go on and on.  So I also hired him sight unseen but instead invited him to meet the kids tomorrow evening.  Sounds like I "found the needle in the haystack" so I am excited.  Sometimes dragging your feet to get something done means you find the right person or thing. 

(And no I didn't draw this, digitally create or take this photo. 

I found this on the web with no copyright attached.)

Hugs, Erin

p.s.  And the bonus, he comes with a dog.  We've had many pets (10 at one time-indoor mind you) over the years but none right now.  This guy has a dog and would love to take the dog to the park or on bike rides with the kids.  My boys adore animals so this will be a real bonus (assuming they like the guy!).

p.s.s. And the bonus for me, I have another blog topic....pets.

Yes I Suck, so shoot me....

Okay all, I suck.......sorry! I realized today I haven't posted anything in over a week.  I must confess, I haven't had time or the motivation to read my favorite blogs.  Some days I think I have lost my sanity or am very close to a "mom" breakdown.  On top of that, I have been in creative lock-down (nothing interests me) and I have no motivation to do anything that MUST be done.  So forgive me (or don't.....it won't faze me this week).

In the meantime, while I think of something great to blog about, (I have plenty of Teenager stories to share) I will share some more art done prior to my last post that I had yet to share with my fans (haha).  I do love the new art application I purchased for my iPad!

 

Harvest Brillance

Freedom

Orange Gerbera Daisy

Spring Daisy

Hugs, Erin

p.s. I wrote this last week, got sidetracked and realized this morning that I hadn't posted it. But I am pleased to report that I spent all day with by BFF scrapbooking/card making yesterday so I think I have my creative juices back.

Calgon....take me away (please!)

Some days my art is the only thing that keeps me sane (if that's possible) in this chaotic world I live in. Between being an Administrator with Human Resource responsibilities (all the personnel stuff) and being a full-time single Mom to two male teenagers (yes I love them but some days...sigh...they wear me out), I get overwhelmed with everything coming at me and I want to jump off this wagon. 

I would love to hop a plane to somewhere beautiful, serene and quiet with softly flowing water and lots of colorful flowers (okay so I'm day-dreaming but let this girl fantasize for a moment...).  I would have no responsibility for meals, laundry, chauffer-service, paying bills, cleaning, etc.  I would travel with no worry about the amount of money I spend, what I spend it on and I would have no set schedule.  I wouldn't need to be awake at a certain time or go to bed at a certain time.  I could spend the day in bed or hit the town sight seeing/shopping or drinking until I decide to stop.  

Okay, I drifted away for a bit........but really, doesn't everyone have those kind of dreams.  Here are two pieces of art that I created this past week that I find peaceful and help me center my world on its tipped axis. 

I adapted the art piece below from a photographer I follow on another site.

The color of this bird is so Pretty I just had to create my own version.

Digital Art:  Sing Me a Song

The art piece below is adapted from a different photographer I worship and the scene was so soothing I just had to create in my new art app for my iPad.

Digital Art:  Calm on a Peaceful Day

Up next round, flower art..........I know you can't wait.

(Yeah I know, I have an attitude today but hey it's my blog so.........psssstttt!). 

Hugs anyway, Erin

Countryside Scenery, more art

Here are two pieces with inspiration taken from beautiful photos I found online.

This one is called "American Landscape"

This one is called "Iowa Landscape"

Enjoy my friends.  Hugs,  Erin

Love the Outdoors, See these digital art pieces

Here are a few of the pieces that I've been working on in another new art application called ArtistsTouch for the iPad.

This is called "Walk in Spring"

This one is called "Beauty of Rainbows"

This one is called "The Fire Tree"

Hope you like the digital pieces...it is my current art obsession.
Hugs,  Erin

Breakfast in bed.........oh the luxury!

Happy Mother's Day to all my blogger friends. Hope you had a wonderful day.

My simple wishes for Mother's day included:
1) no cooking
2) no cleaning
3) no chauffering
4) no laundry and
5) sleep as late as I want.

All my wishes came true. My youngest (T2) prepared and delivered breakfast in bed. He made a ham/cheese omelet with a large glass of milk. It was very tasty and such a sweet gift from a 12 yo.  See the evidence below........just want to squeeze that sweet child for being such a thoughtful and giving young man.

 

Life has been busy lately and I haven't blogged as much as usual. But I have been doing art in the evenings, with the whirlwind of chaos swirling around me.  I will be posting my creations over the next few days.
 
Hugs,  Erin

Things that go bump in the night

Sorry to disappoint you, I do not have a ghost in my house. The thing that goes bump in the night at my house.....that would be the pair of super wet and muddy tennis shoes that appeared for washing at approximately 815 pm this evening. Of course I was tickled pink to know that $70 tennis shoes were now required to be machine washed and dried for tomorrow's outdoor field trip. The shoes aren't new but they have plenty of wear left in them and washing and drying in the machine is not the ideal cleaning method. Sigh....so what's a good mom to do?, wash the darn things of course. They didn't sound too bad in the washer but when placed in the dryer, Holy Hell, one would think I had hard rock drummers in the house or a major hail storm was passing thru Iowa. This kind of noise is not conducive to peaceful sleep (for me anyway). My youngest (T2) was asleep within 10 mins of hitting the bed with the tennis shoes banging away in the dryer. And Me? I proceeded to a different floor in the house to avoid the bump in the night noise.

We will see in the morning if the shoes are dry and still intact for wearing. For now, it is quiet and I'm off to bed for some much needed zzzzzzz

Hugs, Erin

New digital art done on iPad

New digital art done on iPad, originally uploaded by frenchieredhead.

This piece was done on the ArtStudio app with the new wet paint brush. Love the addition of this new tool. Great addition to this application.

Hugs, Erin

Erin
Sent from my iPad