A Journal Page

My journaling aspirations for India were high — I really wanted to “art journal” daily to document the trip. It only lasted a few days; once I got sick it was all over. However, I did get a few cool pages. This is my version of the Hindu deity Ganesha. I used water-soluable markers (probably crayola) and water to smear it… I love cheap markers!

Keri Smith’s books

I’ve been on a spending spree! I bought Wreck This Journal last week from our local bookstore (she had it in stock… miracles), and ordered The Guerilla Art Kit, which I picked up today.

As you can see I’ve already begun the process of wrecking the journal. Actually, I had some help from Wes, who thought the concept was brilliant… he helped me by taking a hose to it! (He also spit on the book, which I found kind of gross, but I’m sure Keri would be proud.)

I also went a little crazy at the library last week, bringing home five huge art books to read/browse.

I know things have calmed down in my schedule/life when I feel the freedom to fill my bedside with books again.

* * * P.S. You can see how others are wrecking their journals at this flickr group. 

If You Send a Girl to India

The following “story” is based on “If You Give a Moose a Muffin”:

 

If you send a girl to India,

She might decide to dip herself in the Holy Ganga River.

If she dips herself in the river,

She might end up sick in bed for five days.

If she ends up sick in bed for that long,

She might lose 20 pounds.

If she loses 20 pounds,

None of her clothes will fit when she gets home.

If none of her clothes fit,

She will need to go shopping at the mall.

If she goes shopping at Urban Outfitters,

She might come out of the store with cool new low-rider pants.

If she wants to wear these new pants,

She will have to buy new underwear*.

If she’s going to buy new panties,

She might as well go to Victoria’s Secret like the rest of the world.

If she goes to Victoria’s Secret,

She’ll probably spend $25 on five new pairs.

If she’s going to buy cute underwear anyway,

She might as well get the black ones with the pink poodle stitched on the front.

When she wears the poodle underwear,

She might find that she is giddily happy about it for some strange reason.

If she is so happy,

She might be more productive and make lots of artwork.

If she is so happy making art the next six months,

She could possibly sell a lot more this year.

And if she sells well,
Chances are….

She will want to go to India again.

______________________

* Granny undies be gone!!!

A Busy Week

I do like being busy! Busy but not too busy. (Rarely is the balance just right! This week it has been…)

This week I’m working on a bit of everything – online orders, wholesale orders, commission paintings, and the coloring book. (The coloring book is coming along. I’m trying to design one page a day, so that by the end of a month or so, I’ll have the body of the book finished… then, perhaps, since I’ll be so close to finishing it, I’ll be motivated to GET IT DONE by my late September deadline. I appreciate the accountability I have with you guys!)

Wes starts school tomorrow; Christer left for Oregon yesterday. The house will be mine again.

I am also working on trying to up some Christmas sale venues. I’m hoping to trek to Seattle for the I Heart Indie Holiday show November 24th….

You can see that very little of my time this week is painting. That’s okay, I’m avoiding it! I love this quote by Stephen DeStaebler:

“Artists don’t get down to work until the pain of working is exceeded by the pain of not working.”

This can be VERY true for me.

Today’s To-Do

1. Update blog!
2. Organize thoughts!
3. Say goodbye to Christer!
4. Start paintings!
5. Wash dishes!
6. Buy sponge first!
7. Attend to etsy!
8. India card sets mailed!

P.S. I’ve signed up for this workshop with Katherine Dunn in October. I can’t wait!!! (Join me, won’t you?)

P.S.2. I’m listing six new journals today.

Engaged!

This is our oldest, Christer, with Christi Erbsen, his fiancé! Hurray! (Aren’t they adorable?) The wedding is tentatively July 2008. (And Wes in the background…)

Coloring Sheet Download

Soon I will be putting a link to a higher rez image of this coloring sheet for you to download for your daughters, granddaughters, neices, etc. Please feel free to make copies for friends and classrooms as desired. (I need to wait for Steve… in the meantime, e-mail me at carla@carlasonheim.com and I can send you jpeg…)

(I’m working on developing a coloring/activity book… hold me to it!!)

Finally, a few more India pics

Camera woes, general busy-ness…  it’s been so long! But here are a few more photos from the India trip. The above photo was taken during “play” night, where the older students performed plays they had written (based on fairy tales).

I can’t remember wearing white dresses like this as a child, but all of my “girls” are dressed in the same sleeveless white dresses; at the orphanage there was a little group of younger girls always wearing these dresses… how did I know?!!!

And here are two more portraits of “Babaji”. Christine had them draw with crayons from a photo first, then they brought the drawings to my “station” where we added a thin layer of watercolor paint. The crayon would resist the paint and “ball up” and  create the interesting textures you see above. It was kind of tricky at times… the kids wanted to paint them like a regular painting and I kept having to stop them before they felt “done” (and before the piece got overworked). They seemed a bit confused but in the end they got it!

Yay! (I’m Home)

I think I’m home for a little while. (But I’ve had a great summer!) The show in Santa Fe was wonderful — perfect weather, nice show organizers, good sales…. but a summer’s worth of house-neglect means I could be busy just organizing and cleaning for the next month. Since Christer is coming home next weekend, I’ll have to squeeze it into just a few days… better that way.

“All is well. Wonderful things are happening.” Some of my prints and transfers are going to be shown at the New York International Gift Show (starting Saturday, August 11) as part of the “I’m Still Me” booth… woo hoo! (Christer used to say this at three years old when he was happy; still works for me!)

The above “Fairy on Cat” print will be available on etsy later today…

Do you need a gift for the cross-stitcher in your life?

The lovely Monique from My Mark designs has converted some of my artwork for cross-stitch designs. You can see her blog posting about them here. I’m listing them on my etsy site soon!