My New Frida ~ Mi Frida Nuevo

Last Sunday I attended the Artists' Reception at the Art Center and was encouraged by some very nice compliments of my Frida. It was a blind buy so I don't know if the recipient of my Frida liked her or not. I feel like calling her and offering her the twenty dollars back if she doesn't want it. When I say this people often say well just paint another one. It isn't in my nature to be repetitive. I am always looking for new challenges. Anyway I decided to do a new Frida and this is what I came up with. the last picture is of my first Frida. This was a mosaic project and it was really a cool exhibit.

I feel bad I haven't been blogging. I guess I like reading better than I like writing. I've got to run to the school and help my fifth graders with math. Happy day to all!

Happy Easter!

Let's go for a ride!
Can you say sugar overload?

Hello blog friends! I want to wish everyone a Happy Easter! My kids have had such a great time with the egg hunts, Easter baskets and the nice weather! They were so appreciative of what the Easter Bunny brought them. It was such fun watching them opening up the plastic eggs with the dollar bills tucked inside. The golden egg had a five dollar bill in it! I know I will be picking up Easter grass and candy wrappers for the next month! Oh well, it was worth it to see their big grins when they went through their baskets.

Happy Easter to all!

New decorative boxes

I call this one "Marin". She looks like she is spending a day by the sea.



This is my version of a "black sheep bunny". Why should the Easter bunny have all the fun? Spotty here wants to have an Easter egg hunt too;)




Snowball looks like she wants to hear what Spotty has planned.

Of course Little Red and Wolf are joining the others in my etsy shop.

Just wanted to show you what I've been doing with my spare time. I had so much fun painting these litttle 3" paper mache boxes. My Dad and my friend Kelsey came over and I gave them a box to paint too. Tell me, what do you like to paint? Leave me a comment and I'll come visit your blog.

Oh how I love paper dolls!

My obsession with creating continues. I made this paper doll out of some scrapbook paper and some of my vintage blue pearl baby buttons. Not exactly sure what to do with her yet. She makes me smile when I look at her. My Mom plays paper dolls with her granddaughter all the time. She uses her vintage ones and then she and Little Miss cut up magazines to make their own. They love cutting up the "American Girl" catalog. Did you play with paper dolls when you were younger? It really is fun to make one. I highly recommend it!

Le Chaperon Rouge

Well I did it! I listed my bunny creations on etsy. I also created my version of Little Red riding hood and her "friend" the wolf. I might try ebay for those. I really like the idea of etsy but I wonder if ebay wouldn't be better in the long run. I wrote their names on the paper mache boxes in French. Those four years sitting in French class during high school are slowly coming back to me (with the help of dictionary.com). I then sprayed two coats of gloss protective coating on them.

Holy Cow I'm going to list my first thing ever on ETSY!

This is a paper doll I made after I lost out on bidding on one on eBay.

This is the Easter display I set up in my living room this morning. Oh how I love my Jackson Pottery bunnies! If you click on the picture you can see it in detail.
I'm thinking of using this photo to list my bunny.
SOLD Thanks Mary


This is one taken outside. Kind of a overcast day but it was the best I could do.

Hello fabulous readers! I have been saying for a long time now that I want to start my folk art business. I have an ETSY account set up in my great-grandma's name. Her maiden name was Rosa Emma French. Isn't that a beautiful name? She married my great-grandfather and became Rose Smith. I'm thinking of the business name "Blooming Mind Studio". Mostly because I think I'm out of my blooming mind most of the time.

I want to thank so many of you in "bloglandia" for inspiring me with your creativity and your kind words about my adventures into crafting!

Puppets and Easter Bunny toys!

This is a recycled rock candy stick that I painted to make a cute little Easter bunny creation.

This was a variation on the theme. I made this with a paper mache box and a dowel rod I rescued from a wall cloth calendar.

Here is the puppet I made at the Eulenspiegel Puppet Theatre yesterday with my boys. I was going for an Irish lass but the boys thought she looked liked the Poison Ivy from Batman.:)

This is what the place looked like from the outside. (close up shot of the way cute Owl)

The front of the theatre, it is located in the town of West Liberty, Iowa. (Click on picture to see the detail better)

The boys and I had such a great time at the Puppet Theatre working on our finger puppets and the foam core stage. They each got their own stage to decorate and they made several puppets. I absolutely love doing things with the boys. The cost was $10 for each kid. Parents were free!

What do you like to do with your kids? I'm always looking for ideas. Especially those that don't cost and arm and a leg to do. :) Spring break is next week, yikes!