selling yourself

so i have this shop..and over the past 8 months it has become my consumming passion. it rules my life. it is my child, my lover, my master. i am its slave.

i promote and link and copy and paste and share and comment and post and convo. i tweet and blog and flickr and paypal. i long for time to create.

i get up in the morning, brush my teeth, and hurry thru my morning ritual: shower,makeup, dry hair,drink coffee, desperately wanting to check the site, but knowing that first i must get ready for the "day job"..i play this game, torturing myself, that if i wait just a little while longer, there will be a sale to reward me. i am a fool.

when i have no sales, i bitch and moan . i despair that no one will ever want my work. can they find me? am i invisible ?
when i have sales, i bitch and moan that all i do is work. how will i ever get it all done? why did i think i could do this?

i can't deny the thrill of getting up on a monday morning after painting orders all weekend and looking at the shelves in my studio,,filled with piggy banks, and bookends..looking like a "real" store..everything finished, ready to go..and then the horror begins..i go to the dark side and enter the world of packing breakable things and trusting them to the trained apes that walk upright at the us postal service. my partner in life, paul, has taken on the role of "shipping manager" and he takes this job very seriously..measuring the pieces that i paint, scouring stores and supermarkets for the perfect boxes..because as those of you that sell online know, everything you need to complete a job takes away from the profit of your bottom line. he tries to help me organize, make lists, understand how to price, prioritize..i function in organized chaos, slips of paper everywhere,notes to myself, i know where it all is, i can find nothing. because of paul and his efforts, for the first time in my life , i have a true workspace. my own room to work in. in these past 8 months, i have created more original artwork than i have ever done in my entire life, and people buy it! it amazes me.

and so here i am, one sale away from 100, remembering the very first sale..a wipes case, and the excitement that i felt and the thrill of completing that job and sending it out and waiting for the customer to write immediately and tell me HOW MUCH SHE LOVED IT!!!! and waiting and waiting and finally getting that feedback..and even now, so many sales later needing that approval..needing that next sale to feed my habit

you get up in the morning or sneak a peek late at night and there's that "feedback" sign and it's like new years and your birthday and a big shot of tequila and falling in love..you're selling a little piece of yourself and someone wants it, and all is good and right with the world.

til the next day , when you don't make a sale....sigh.

you can't pick your relatives

like most artists, i make my living creating.

it is a frustrating , exhausting, exhilerating, horrible,wonderful and incredibly fulfilling process.

i've never been as aware of my work, as i am now. it seems that it's taken on a life of it's own. my brain signals my hand and we're off!! it's not like i sit down and think "what do i want to draw today?" the concept appears in my mind, almost fully realized and as i draw, it transforms into this almost "real" thing , complete with a personality and a history all it's own.

go to my shop, look at the prints, and there they are..born from my imagination, taking on a life of their own...


"oliver" the mouse seems carefree, almost giddy, balanced on that ball..if you asked, i could tell you that he is the youngest in his family, and gets away with murder..he smiles, and cons you into doing exactly what he wants. "fairy dreaming" is the pretty one in her group of friends/fairys, and all the others secretly dislike her, but they all pretend to be her friend, coz they don't want to piss her off, or she'll throw them out of the group. "fairy and butterflies" is a true free spirit..doesn't care what anyone thinks, does what she wants and all the boy fairies want to hang out with her, and watch fairy football (fairy dreaming hates that!)" hey hey , we're the monkeys" drive everyone nuts! they are obnoxious and loud and for fun, go into all the other prints and take things. and the "dancing ducks", are far more sophisticated than they seem..two of them are bi-lingual and one just got a masters degree in duck aerodynamics, which they tell me is quite a feat for something so cute,short and fluffy..as for the fourth, well, he's got a serious disco habit and stays up all night eating worms and dancing,..the others are tired of carrying him. "the little witch" and the "lucky fairy" are actually first cousins but it's been a family secret for a long time..something about someone getting lost in the forest and meeting a handsome , magical stranger and , well, you know how these things are. no one really talks about it, but during the holidays, someone has too much to drink and....
i could go on, but whats the point? they are my "children" and i accept them, no matter how strange, or messed up they are..after all, if i don't love them, who will?

our great group labor day sale!!

so every holiday wouldn't be complete without some hot dogs, corn on the cob, potato salad, watermelon, and a fun filled end of summer sale!! ( now you know that i'm not talking about a winter holiday, coz i wouldn't have mentioned hot dogs, or watermelon, so i don't want any comments about holiday meals, or how your mother would never have served hot dogs for thanksgiving..i mean it..no comments..behave yourselves)

but! a sale!! for labor day!! what a creative idea!! (i'm amazed that no one ever thought of it before!)

let's not waste another minute...check out this great blog and these great shops!!

and have a wonderful holiday!!

in the time we have

it's so easy to forget that every day we are given is a gift. i didn't always know this. it took the sudden death of my husband ten years ago to realize that nothing is guaranteed. i was determined to learn something or feel that his loss wouldn't be in vain...and what i learned was positive and important. the fragility of life , the ordinary, extraordinary, awesome, insanity of this getting thru the week existance, where we wish away our days just getting to the weekend? STOP wishing the days away.

every day is important, whether you think it is or not..it might be a great day filled with accomplishments or a little day filled with annoyances and pissed off moods and people cutting you off in traffic, and lines at the bank..BUT! it's your day and one that you shouldn't take for granted.

we have this life to live..some people think we get to go around more than once, some think it's for eternity, some think it's our only shot..no matter what you believe..it's yours!! use it with joy! treat it like a precious child! get it dirty!! use all of it every day!!

my sons are unique for having lived thru the loss of their father and best friend and champion, and coming thru with courage and determination..each of them learned to appreciate life because their father died.. and they do it with character, having grown into men that their father would have been proud of..i consider them friends as well as my sons..they nurture me and encourage me and inspire me to be a better person....they create , they write , they love , and look toward the future instead of being crippled by the past..my youngest, ben, made a list after his dad died..he called it a "life list" and he put on it the things he wanted to accomplish.he has become an incredible artist and brilliant humourist.and in these ten years he has accomplished many of those things..he doesn't see obstacles..only possibilities..it amazes me! and josh, my oldest, a teacher and mentor to the kids he reaches, has found a way to speak from his heart in the words he writes..as beautiful and strong as a tropical storm..you get swept up in the emotion of his writing..and carried out to sea.

these two men, make me live in the moment..they remind me that every day is, has, the possibility to be the best day of your life.

it isn't all about the money, the glory, the fame or the promise of these things..*(although they definitely make it easier, i know..) it's about the beauty of something you've seen every day and taken for granted, but looking at it a new way.. one morning, not long after pete died..i was lost in sadness, looking out the kitchen window, thinking that i would never laugh again or want to sing..it had snowed the night before, and a cardinal flew down and landed on a branch covered with snow. the sheer beauty of it made me laugh out loud..and i felt as if someone had woken me from my sleep! i felt so alive, so glad to be alive that i cried and laughed at the same time..and it was just a bird on a branch, something i had seen a million times before..and it was a gift that i have thought about so many times since.

...so, please,enjoy your life, and be grateful for what you have..you're probably far richer than you think you are, in so many ways.

creative habitat

when i was little i wanted to be a ballet dancer, but i was too short. and i wanted to be like those skinny , tall girls in the fashion mags with the long , straight hair, and the intense russian wolfhound faces, but i had crazy, wild curly hair (which wasn't cool then) and i looked more like a friendly beagle puppy, and ..i was too short. and then i got accepted into art school and i wore long ,black eyelashes and a big black beret, and carried a black portfolio and the business men reading their newspapers on the way to work on the train, tried desperately not to look at me..cause my maxi coat was so long and i was so short.
as i write this, i'm sitting in my studio ,and thinking about how lucky i've been to make my living as an artist. it's never been much of a living, but i've always worked in my field and i know that's a priviledge. i've had some strange jobs, and some great ones, but every time i pick up a pencil, i have a rush of joy! to "see" something in my head, in its finished form and chase it from my brain to my hand, thrills me beyond words..and when that design is captured just the way i want it on the page, it amazes me ..always. today, someone bought one of my prints and it was the most extraordinary feeling..the idea that something i created moved them to a point of wanting it to be a part of their life blows my mind..it makes me feel like i'm real..because as each of you that create understand..no matter how good it is, no matter how much we love that finished piece, we never believe that it's good enough, or that the next sale is coming..so tonite i will allow myself to feel like a professional and tell myself that i am good at what i do, and i will believe in my creativity..until the next time that i feel short.

you want fries with that?

so, we're in bed the other night watching the food network. now this is very dangerous...not the laying in bed part, coz it's either exciting or restful, depending on the day of the week, our general mood and the variables(like the weather, aches and pains , if i feel skinny that night,and what's on tv)..no, the danger comes from the show all being about food..even if the show is "iron chef" and the secret ingredient is boiled octopus, i guarantee you will crave boiled octopus . the photography, and camera work making every dish glisten like a pearl in the sun..the announcer rattling off the ingredients, as i make a mental note to buy fennel and use more sage and try to smash garlic cloves with the side of my enormous knife ( i did this only once and not only lost the clove of garlic, which has never been found but almost had to take myself to the hospital..enuff said) ..we laid there in a food induced coma watching "unwrapped", which was all about fried foods (OMG!!) french fries, onion rings, the batter they fry them in., and how they make flavored chips....and paul turns to me and says (at 9:30 pm) "you know, we have some potatoes downstairs..it wouldn't be that hard to whip up some fries.." and i'm thinking "yeah! let's go!" and we start to get up, but then the next show is "the best thing i ever ate with bacon"(BACON!!!!) where the foodie chefs tell about a gastronomical experience that was extraordinary..and all at once we're watching the best bacon cheesburgers and bacon .lettuce and tomato and bacon donuts (i'm serious) and i'm up and getting my sneakers on coz now (10:30 pm) i have a bacon, cheeseburger, french fries, onion ring jones that's off the charts..and i don't care how many tums or pepcid it will take to get me to sleep or if i'll sleep at all..i just know i need grease and salt fast!! and as i'm driving back with that weird but intoxicating smell of burgers and fries and paper bag stinking up the car, i'm wondering if maybe we should only watch the food network in the family room, sitting up , on the couch, early in the evening...coz it seems that the real excitement in the bedroom lately has been figuring out where to go on these late night food runs.

One Lovely Blog Award

well, you know this is important! i never use capitals!! today, i was honored by jody of jody's unique soaps and given the "One Lovely Blog Award" for my blog. i'm very proud and pleased that jody was so generous and gracious, and i , in turn would love for you to visit her shop www.soapsrus.etsy.com . it's filled with fabulous, scented soaps ,and wonderful, fresh and natural creams and mineral mud bars. the fragrance descriptions are so delicious they sound good enough to eat! also go and visit her wonderful blog and charming shop!!
www.soapsrus.etsy.com www.handmadeuniqueness.blogspot.com

it is my pleasure to pass this award to the following blogs for giving me enjoyment and pleasure as i read and laugh and follow their exploits thru their words.
1http://naturalstar.blogspot.com
2.http://trudette.blogspot.com
3.http://darlingdazzlesbowtiq.blogspot.com
4.http://mysticwynd.blogspot.com
5. http://lillyshaystyle.blogspot.com
6.http://christiecottage.blogspot.com
7.http://designsbyjenai.blogspot.com
8.http://latherinluxury.blogspot.com
9.http://gotogreatpanes.com/blog
10.http://thespeckledpear.blogspot.com
11.http://etsystudios.blogspot.com
12. http://kunklebabystyle.blogspot.com
13.http://winniel.blogspot.com
14.http://benmehlblogs.blogspot.com
15.http://beesandtrees.blogspot.com

check out these great blogs and show some love by sharing them with the people you know. one of the best joys i've had is opening my etsy shop! yes. each sale is wonderful, but the best gift are the people i've met in this short time. join me on this wonderful adventure as we all get to know each other.

the emerald city

and so i drove into nyc this morning to reproduce ( i should say "to try and reproduce..explanation to follow) some of my original artwork. the drive in was relatively easy but as i was going all the way downtown to the tip of manhattan, into the "soho" district i had to take the holland tunnel . let me explain that i have sucessfully avoided tunneling under manhattan for all of my driving life. i'm ok on a bridge. i love playng chicken with taxis. BUT the idea of being in a tunnel under the hudson river with tons of water (polluted with toxic waste, sea slime and quite possibly the loch ness monster) fills me with a quivering, jaw numbing dread. paul ( my man) was with me. that made it easier. but the fact that i had almost killed us both seconds earlier, while neglecting to see an oncoming car, did not make me calmer as i entered the tunnel. i started to think about a really bad movie i had seen years ago with sylvester stallone, when he gets trapped in the lincoln/holland tunnel with the really cute sexy girl love interest, the really cute he could be my son little boy and the really fiesty old lady who dies of a heart attack..if i was in the movie who would i be? the really nervous artist with a fear of drowning in a tunnel?(i can't swim) ok, i tell myself, you could be the really sexy (it's my blog!) redhead with nerves of steel but an irrational fear of tunnels. i see daylight ahead..and we're....out!! ok, now i have to drive on the cobblestoned streets of lower manhattan..maybe the tunnel was better...

learning to fly

i don't think about how i see myself often..i mean i just "am". i like myself most days but if my hair is really big coz it's raining , or my makeup gets to "out there tranny" i'm not happy with myself..ya know , speaking of hair, i think i've spent my entire life trying to accept mine or at least get it to co-exist with me( i think of it as an entity in it's own right..it should even have it's own zip code..it's that huge) it's been raining here for two weeks..my hair is so massive that small animals have taken refuge from the weather..my hair is long and red and curly..sometimes it's shorter and frizzy..i'm like a human tressy doll..it goes up and down depending on the barometric pressure. i usually have two really great hair days a year..one in the fall, one in the spring, and i feel beautiful on those days. when i was a little girl, i just wanted a pony tail like all of my friends and my barbie doll , but my mother , who grew tired of the nightly screaming as she tried to comb my hair, always instructed the lady in her beauty parlor to give me a "poodle cut". i assure you that my lack of self esteem comes from those haircuts, as well as a fear of poodles. when i was a teenager , my hair made me look like like jimi hendrix and for some reason, men only found that mildly attractive. they wanted girls with long, straight hair, so i ironed mine (really! on an ironing board) and i coped with burns on my ears and smelling like i'd just put out a small brush fire. and now,the products that line my cabinet!!! they control frizz and increase shine and make it flatter and smoother and i can almost get my fingers thru it..almost...and surprisingly, after a lifetime of hating it and wishing it was different, surprise!! i love my hair..it's my identity, my armour , my signature..i'm "the lady with the red hair" or "ooo! i love your hair! is it natural?" and when i wonder what caused this transformation of thought..i'd like to say that i matured and finally accepted myself for who i am and it doesn't matter what you look like but we all know that 's a load of crap...it's because my man thinks my hair is amazing and that it's such a part of who i am and how i am that it thrills me..but most of all he thinks it's sexy and that makes me feel sexy and now we're back to the beginning.. .. i don't think about myself most days but when i feel good about myself who the hell cares why..it just feels good to like yourself. i'm learning to fly and i ain't got wings (thanx tom petty)

why you need your ears

ok, i'll say it . "i take my ears for granted" . that's the cold hard truth. i'm ashamed and maybe i need to go to "EAA", but it needed to be said.for the past three weeks, after a lifetime of problem free ears that i never thought about, except to put earrings on, i've had various forms of an earache; ear pain, whooshing, ringing, crinkle tissue paper noises, and of course that weird "do i have a cold?" clogged ear thingy. the first week my doctor said.."its a virus. it'll be gone in 2 days" the next week, i called and said "doctor ! is there nothing i can take? i said "doctor ! to relieve this earache?" (with apologies to harry niilson) and he said "call an ENT" so i did and he pushed and vacuumed and poked and said "go home and put drops in your ears for a week and then come back and i'll get a hydraulic lift to remove the immobile ,inpenetrable, massive, but resilient piece of wax that has taken up residence in your ear canal." as i sit here with ear drops running down the side of my neck, pooling upon my shoulder..i'm thinking about ludmilla, a deaf woman that i work with.. i've known her for 5 years. in all that time, her deafness would never be the first thing i'd say to describe her. she's a great communicator, reading lips and using profane and very funny sign language to let you know EXACTLY what she's saying. she's got a great sense of humour and irony. she does not think of herself as handicapped and she's never once used her deafness as an excuse or apology. i haven'tbeen able to hear well out of my left ear for three weeks and i've been whining like a baby. i can't hear, i can't sing , i can't sleep, i can't eat peas and carrots (hate them!!) waaaa waaa waaa. i've taken the gift of sound for granted..i who cannot live without music..the car radio blasting whenever i'm driving..the pleasure of the beachboys blaring on a hot summer day, my ipod cranking out justin timberlake's "cry me a river" while i paint a baby nursery (yeah..i like him..so? it's not like i'm listening to miley cyrus ) ..abbey road or the white album on the cd player while i paint banks, dire straits, dave matthews, steely dan, the rolling stones,even tupac!! i need my ears! and so my promise..i will adorn you with jewels and caress you with sweet oils and never use a q-tip, and i will be grateful every day to have you both with each ,beautiful sound that enters my head ( not the voices though..gotta do something about that!) all i have to do is think about ludmilla and say thanks.

wrap your karma around me baby

we live in a world where we expect the worst. it's almost funny that we're surprised when someone is nice to us. i joined etsy exactly 2 months ago and i'm getting used to the abnormal pleasure of consistently decent, kind people. you ask a question on the forums, you get patient, detailed answers..you get links, you get tutorials, you get laughs..and a lot of them come from your competitors. i'm enjoying myself almost to the point of feeling guilty about it..and i'm learning how to run a business from these men and women who share their tips and tricks and positive encouragment. someone makes their first sale..everyone posts and cheers them on, someone can't make a sale..everyone rallies and tells them not to give up. we really are a community in the best sense of the word, and for my part , i'd like to shine a light on some of the best i've met so far.

goodkarmasoaps.etsy.com- true to the name of her shop..she posted a thread to give away a help booklet to anyone that had done something nice for someone else. and fabulous soap!

betafly.etsy.com--kind, helpful,in any thread, willing to share tips and advice. great shop

lilacpop.etsy.com--encouraging,positive, helpful...always.gorgeous pieces

crochetgal.etsy.com--welcoming,with encouragement and laughs for a newbie (me), great pieces

kiwigemwraps.etsy.com--excellent,fair but gentle critiques.,beautiful jewelry

latherinluxury.etsy.com--a new seller, with a great lavendar soap that drove my man crazy.

so now do something for me..it's just gonna take you a minute to check out these wonderful etsy shops..you'll probably find something new, something you like..maybe even make a purchase..or start a new friendship or, make a sale of your own. but most importantly, you'll be passing the good karma on..being nice for no particular reason than it just feels so damn good..peace out ..share the love.

they say it's your birthday

every year , on this day, i am older. i look forward to my birthday like a child. i'd expect balloons, and clowns and confetti and times square at midnight excitement..i wanted everyone to know and make a big deal and feel like i was sooo special. and until recently, i was always a little disappointed. over the last two years, as i 've gotten older than i'd like to admit on these pages, i've realized that the gift is your birthday itself.. for every year, if you're lucky, you get smarter and hipper and cooler and yeah, even sexier, because if you are really lucky like me, you finally learn to love yourself. it's been a lifetime of getting to know myself and trust myself and like myself..and boy ,was it hard! i had my list..i'm too short, i need to lose weight, my hair is too curly, i'm not a good enough artist, mother, friend, lover,..i know that you're all out there with lists of your own..throw them away!! start the "i love myself" movement! believe in your ability and worth and embrace your goofy face, and imperfect smile and little boobs, big boobs, straight hair, curly hair, upper lip moustache..and trust all the people that love you to have excellent judgement..every day feels like my birthday now, because i like who i am..and i wish all of you a happy birthday every day of your lives too.(and just for the record, i'm celebrating the **th anniversary of my 25th birthday)

looking forward to better days

you know how some days just wear you down..? you feel beat up and all "woe is me" and then something simple can turn it all around.. i'm feeling sick, my ear hurts, no one wants to buy my stuff (waaaaa!!), i have no money, the bills are piled on my drawing board..a lone tear trickles down my cheek................AND THEN! i see that someone has joined my blog as a follower, and she's left a really nice comment on a blog i wrote, and she's featured me on HER blog (i've never been featured anywhere!!) and she's a new customer of mine, who liked the bookends i made for her..so here's a BIG shoutout and thank you to DarlingDazzlesBowtique, a fellow etsyian, njteam member, and very talented crafter in her own right..check out her shop..you'll love it..and thanx "D" you made me feel sooooo good!!
go see her @DarlingDazzlesBowtiq.etsy.com...and say that i sent you!

help me find myself

i'm lost..lost in a sea of web sites and bookmarks and hundreds of web commerce ideas and threads i need to read.. to learn about international shipping and free boxes and hidden ups pick charges, and google base and twitter and tweets( what the H#***!!) do you twit or tweet? what IS the exact term for twitter speak anyway?..where was i ? oh, yeah, and blogs , and blogging, and followers and following, and posting ( posting, not going postal) and tax id numbers and sales tax, and paypal, and hits, and clicks, and misses. when do i paint? eat . create? my pinky has a cramp from holding it up in the air while i type like a five year old child who's just learned how to spell..i still can't post a link..or reply to a twit..tweet, without either sending a direct message by mistake, or leaving something really important off the url. i'd give up and eat ice cream directly out of the container til i was disgusted with myself, but i can't..because i've finally started my online business, after years of saying i didn't know how, or i would never sell anything..and so i;m committed to this little baby i've given birth to..i will nurture her and tend to her needs, and i will take such good care of her that she will grow and be better than anything i'd ever imagined...and then , one day, she'll turn me ....but by then i will have read all the articles and plowed thru the twits and tweets , and i'll just start another store. take that , you ungrateful child.

mother's day

i woke up thinking about my mom today. that's not surprising..today is mother's day. but the thing i've been going over and over in my head, is how she never realized her worth as a person. she was a funny, sincere and kind woman. she was loving and supportive and extremely talented. and she never thought she was good enough. i remember becoming aware when i was a little girl, maybe 4 or 5 years old, that i could draw "just like my mom". every little girl wants to be like her mother ( and then she grows up and becomes her mother and has to have therapy for 1,00 years ) but that's another blog! she recognized my talent and nutured me and told me how good i was and provided positivity and encouragement every day of my life..but she couldn't do that for herself. and when i grew up and had children of my own, i realized "my mother", the woman who nagged me to clean up, and lose weight , and get married,and could at times drive me crazy (therapy reference) , was also just like me and a million of us...a girl who had dreams and hopes of being noticed for her talent and worth., but never could believe in herself, who never had a champion....and i began to see her in a new light..every time i create something, i think of how proud she would be.of me . and in my niece and my sons, i see pieces of her, as they create and shine. so here's to all of us..mother's ,sisters, women who struggle everyday to keep who they are and nuture it , in spite of being pulled in 200 directions . don't ever give up in your desire to be who you were meant to be..and never lose sight of your dreams.

the sisitine chapel

one of the things i dread most as a mural artist is being asked " can you paint some big fluffy clouds on the ceiling in the baby's room?" i hate that!!!..now don't get me wrong. i'm not a baby hater..love them. they're .sweet, cuddly,mushy and adorable (mostly..reference the ugly baby episode on seinfeld) the thing i hate is ceiling work. it's labor intensive, backbreaking work..you never get paid what it's really worth and you get paint in your hair (yes, i wear a cap), your eyes, and there isn't enough advil in the world to cure the pain you feel for the next two days. you balance on one leg, holding several brushes in one hand, a palette and /or rags/sponges in the other, trying not to fall off and to go up and down the ladder as little as possible. how did michaelangelo paint the sistine chapel? he must have been drugged beyond belief, tied to a scaffold, and fed chocolate and coffee til he finished..it confounds me..but back to the reason for this blog..i would like to teach those of you brave enough and foolish enough (joking..no really , joking) to paint big fluffy clouds in the baby's room, or grandpa's room or any room you choose.
Materials: 2 bottles (large) white acrylic paint ( i love deco brand white)
1 bottle (small) baby blue acrylic paint ( deco, americana..anything at Michael's)
heavy duty plastic plates, 1 large sea sponge, 2 kitchen sponges, cardboard,
ADVIL, and the muscle rub of your choice (mineral ice is good)

ok, this is hard work, but it's easy to do........paint the ceiling the color blue that most reminds you of the sky ( use flat, latex paint )..let dry for two days.
while the ceiling is drying, practice making clouds on the big flat piece of cardboard.

pour some white paint onto the plate...dip the sea sponge in it, getting the paint all over the side going into the paint (wear some disposable gloves) press the sponge onto the card board and dab it so that you make a wispy, not round shape...use a softer pressure of the sponge at the edges so that it almost looks transparent. if the paint looks very dense and solid on the cardboard, you used too much paint..press gently to get a "mottled" effect..you want some blue sky to show thru the cloud ( for now, some of the card board)...use the kitchen sponge( wet it and wring it out ) to blend the paint you've put down so that it starts to look fluffy ( press or dab until it looks soft).......
when it's almost dry, put some blue in another plate, mix it with some white to get soft, almost white blue color...dab on the "bottom part of your clouds, following the shape, so that you get some dimension and shadow...when you feel comfortable practicing, ( come on, stop practicing) start your ceiling.

remember to keep your shapes irregular.and not too round like cartoon clouds....
.look to the sky for inspiration...try to place them randomly on the ceiling so that you don't wind up with a row of clouds in a stripe effect (have someone watch you and make suggestions of where the next one should go, and basically infuriate you , since you are doing all the neck-bending, back wrenching, hard work- it's good to work in pairs . ha!)
SO! climb that ladder, take a deep breathe, don't look down and release your inner michaelangelo...remember, you can always repaint the ceiling!! good luck and peace, leslie/stymiepie

Welcome to my first blog!

i've officially entered the blogosphere!! hi to you all and welcome to stymiepie studios!! i hope you'll take a moment and look around, and come back and visit, please say hi, especially if you are a fellow artist and crafter. watch my blog for exciting news and giveaways, and once i recover from the excitement of actually writing something (ha!) i'll post something about myself and why i do what i do ..