My First Plushie!

Look what I did!

I made my first Plushie!

Even though I have never been a sewing person, Janini, my hurry-up-and-be-my-daughter-in-law, who I showed in a previous post having her first sewing lesson, got me excited about getting into sewing.

My mother Connie, of aforementioned Connie's Closet, has sewn her whole life and is the most expert perfectionist sewing artist you can imagine.

When I was young, I took her sewing skills for granted. After all, back then it seemed like the old fashioned thing that mothers do.

After all these years, seeing all the sewing that is going on everywhere online, including the mixed media world, I finally got the sewing bug.

Actually, quite a few years ago, I did do some sewing, including a few stuffed toys, but I have never been someone who sews.

After bringing out my old sewing machine, and I am not even going to tell you how old it was, I found it no longer worked, so my mom surprised me with a new one!

So here is my Plushie, which I designed myself!

It started out like this:

And here it is!
Of course, being the little travieso (mischief maker) that he is, he started running around, showing up everywhere.

First, he tried hiding on a chair against a red wall:

Then he tried hiding in a basket of newly washed laundry:

Then he tried hooking up on my new sewing machine!

In the kitchen in a bowl near the curtains:

And wouldn't you know he'd try messing with my ever faithful paintbrushes!

But most of all, he just wanted to wish you all a lot of love, and a beautiful joy filled weekend!

Also wishing you love and joy,

Carol B.

Honor

Agree.

Or disagree.

With Love

and Respect.

Carol B.

Bloom!

"Bloom!"

Acrylic on canvas board

Have no fear.

We're all rooting for you.

Love,

Carol B.

Follow Your HeArt!

Here is Janini, getting her craft on as she takes her first sewing lesson at Connie's Closet!

Connie is my mom, fabric artist and crafter extraordinaire, winner of many a blue ribbon at the Los Angeles County Fair.

Janine decided that she wanted to learn how to sew so that she could be the creator of her own world, instead of a slave to whatever stores dictate is the style of clothes she should be wearing, or what kind of curtains should be in her home, to name a few things.

My mom showed her how to make a drawstring bag and she did it on her first try!

Janini is now on a roll, on the verge of tackling a sewing project for her boyfriend, my son.

After that, Janine, my mother, my daughter, and I will tackle the project of getting my son to hurry up and propose! ;D

Follow your heArt!

Carol B.

True Cravings

Do you ever find yourself eating when you're not really hungry?

Later you're still unsatisfied and filled with regrets?

Next time ask yourself;

What am I really craving?

Maybe you need to get out those paints, crayons, and markers.

Grab your camera and go for a walk.

Thread your sewing machine and whizzz away!

Get out those gardening tools and plant that garden.

Let's officially give ourselves permission

to satisfy the true cravings

of our heart.

Carol B.

Trust

"Trust What Your Heart Already Knows"

Acrylic on canvas board

Your heart is wired to know you best.

It is ready to fly,

if you will only follow.

Trust.

Carol B.

New Eyes For A New Year

From my sketchbook.

Sharpie and Prismacolor Markers

Everyday I am drawing something familiar that is around me.

I am finding that even if it is something I usually see everyday, when I really take the time to look at it, it looks so much different than I thought it did. So much more interesting and beautiful.

Drawing it with a Sharpie means I don't spend a lot of time erasing and redrawing to try to make it look perfect.

And I am finding the imperfections give it so much character.

Sort of like us.

I picture that I want to be so perfect.

A perfect body, a perfect face, perfect hair, etc.

But if you see too much perfection, how boring is that?

Now, don't get me wrong.

If my fairy godmother said she could wave a wand and I would look perfect I would say

HECK YEAH!!

But if something looks perfect, after a while there's no mystery, nothing more to discover.

I believe that is one of the reasons the mixed media art world has had so much popularity.

The work is not about perfection, but about design, essence, and character.

The work is not "classically" beautiful, but beautiful in its own way, which makes it all the more interesting.

Like us.

If you happen to be "classically" beautiful, then more power to you (and can I have the name of your fairy godmother?)

But for those of us who have our imperfections, we need to take another look at ourselves, our work, all we are, and all we do with different eyes. We need to see the beauty of our unique design and essence and character.

We need to sigh at the beauty that is ours and ours alone.

Not simply to toot our own horn (although we should, TOOT TOOT!)

But in accepting our own imperfections as beautiful and unique, we can more readily accept the imperfections of others, which can help give us all so much more balance and peace.

Which is Day 2 of a much more powerful New Year.

Peace to you,

Carol B.

Happy New Year!

From my sketchbook.

Sharpie and Watercolor

I started my life as a more positive person.

Not perfectly positive, but more positive.

Then there was life.

Being positive is good, but you have to be good to yourself first.

Otherwise it is too easy to put others first and neglect yourself, including your own safety and peace of mind.

Then comes bitterness and negativity, which will screw up your life faster than anything else.

I recently heard someone I know talking, and every word coming out of that person's mouth was so negative I had to leave the room.

I could not stand to listen to that person.

And then I thought,

Oh, no,

Is that the way I sound?

I realized that years of bitterness and negativity was making me sound just like that person.

And my life showed it.

So I have decided that, starting today, no more negativity.

Positivity.

That doesn't mean not acknowledging when things can be better.

It just means not giving up in despair,

only to become more broken.

Today, I Honor myself.

Support myself.

Respect myself.

Accept who I am and all I have been.

Commit to being good to myself,

and truly starting a positive, new life.

My hope is that you will be Good to yourself.

Honor yourself.

Respect yourself.

And have the Best New Year ever.

Much Love,

Carol B.