30 Day Challenge: Day 3

Day 3: Bigger paper, a more abstract shell.

My thoughts: Today was more laid back and in general I decided to keep in mind the lessons from the first two days. I wanted to preserve some of the white paper and to more carefully hold back on over painting everything. I also wanted the painting to feel like watercolor- for the paint to flow and bleed within the puddles of water. The pools of water in some ways speak to the shell and it's habitat.  I am still conscious of keeping the edges varied in both their value and thickness of line. (click on the image to view it larger)  While painting the idea struck me to make a little video during these 30 days of me actually painting, to show the process, and who knows maybe I'll narrate it, but then again who likes to hear themselves!?!

Check back tomorrow for Day 4 

and 

for my Wednesday "Handmade Shout-out!"

Green Living: my baby's Carbon Footprint

I have a daughter. Here she is!

Recently, I've been thinking about her "carbon footprint" of which I am responsible for.  We do cloth diapers, as seen in this picture... and we do the occasional 7th generation disposable for long car trips and at night. But the rate in which she has been growing makes it feel that she only wears something once! And we don't even have that many clothes for her!! So this got me thinking about her carbon footprint.  And I thought this would be a good topic for this week's Green Living post.

In general we did not buy into the hype that surrounds having a baby that says you "need" a certain amount of crap for it. Imagine if you had a clear plexiglass box that housed all of your possessions starting from the day you were born until now! That's a LOT of CRAP. And I hate the idea that someone overseas slaved to make some onsie that my daughter not only wears, but only wears a few times....  Luckily we received some hand me downs- which is the most green and economical way to go, after not consuming in general! For example, we were handed down a car seat, a stroller, a little activity chair, a play mat thing, toys, and books! It's the clothes and future gift giving- I want to get a handle on.  

Clothes: In addition to hand-me-downs, my thought is to buy second hand clothing from consignment shops, vintage etsy stores, goodwill, etc.  I'm a realist though and wont swear off the occasional new sweater, etc. but that should factor for less than 5% of her clothing.

Gift giving: the husband and I will have to think of something... ultimately we don't want a ton of plastic crap laying about, and nothing that will just be used for a short amount of time to end up in a landfill. I want her to have quality toys, to value handmade, etc... to have one or two presents that are good for the earth, and good for her.  ALSO- the husband recently shared with me an Asian birthday custom- where the individual whose birthday it is- does something good for someone else on their birthday, what a great tradition!

I don't want to turn this post into a dear diary entry, so here are some links I've found to help me navigate this issue.

Thredup: lets you swap children's clothing! my husband and I had this idea a few years back, glad to see someone started this!

How to reduce your carbon footprint, book

baby's carbon footprint, according to mother jones

The Cradle: has a good break down of disposable diapers vs cloth

eco-nomical baby guide, (book)  and her website Green Baby Guide

Baby Plays: it's like Netflix for toys!  (this would make a great gift!)

Bebarang: children's clothes rental.

Freecycle: to help you find 2nd hand clothing

Green Baby Bliss: retail site

Calculate your own carbon footprint.

15 easy Green Resloutions for you and your family

I hope you found this helpful. I'll check back in on this topic down the road.  Any new "Green" tips you've been turned on to? Please share!

30 Day Challenge: Day 2

Day 2 of my 30 day challenge to paint one painting a day.

My thoughts: I started a shell series the year between college and going to grad school. I have quite the collection of broken shells; I love how they look like artifacts that have washed up on the shore. They have a history to their patina and when you zoom in on one they can become very abstract... anyway, I decided to reunite with this subject matter. And my plan is to focus on painting these artifacts over the course of this challenge. Might as well have one continuous body of work!  I began today as I did yesterday, although a bit more set up, I attempted to paint on the same reeves bfk paper, and within two brush strokes I realized what my hang up was yesterday- the paper. Although I love it for print making for painting it stinks- it pills and just doesn't work well with watercolor. So I rummaged around and found some old watercolor paper, Thank GOD!  And I set to work. Above is the completed little study, measuring 8x5 inches. (click on image to view it larger)

Check back in tomorrow for day 3!

Announcing Gray Day Studio

As part of my 30 day challenge, I decided to combine some of my etsy shops into one studio where I will sell all of my artwork- called GrayDayStudio.  In addition, I decided to put UrbanKnitfits on Vacation for an indefinite amount of time. I love knitting but honestly I want to knit for myself and my family and at the moment I don't have the interest in keeping up my knit shop... but yah never know, I might change my mind down the road.  Anyway, I am very excited to get back to my Art! Check back in with my shop through out the week as I will continue to flush it out with more prints and then later with more paintings! 

Monday Inspiration: Your Creative Self

What a way to start off the first Monday of the New Year- than by watching this clip of Elizabeth Gilbert speak on TED about  Nurturing Creativity.

Gilbert's message reminds me of a quote Nelson Mandela used in his 1994 Inaugural Speech by Marianne Williamson.

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

Have a great week and a great start to the New Year!

30 day Challenge: Day 1

I am participating in this 30 Day Challenge- as described on ground rules.  The idea is to focus on one thing and do it every day for 30 days. They gave the example- practicing the piano for 15 minutes each day. Then you post a video every day talking about your "project"- about your successes and failures, etc. Originally I thought "I'll teach myself to crochet a new motif each day!", something I've been wanting to do for a few years... but then the idea hit me- I want and need to get back to painting. I put it aside during grad school and now that I am a mom, I don't want to abandon my art until my kids are off to college... and this is what I want to do with my life make art SO my 30 day challenge is to paint one painting each day!

Here are MY ground rules: These paintings can be small, or large, in oil, watercolor, ink or gouache. And having a newborn shouldn't be too much of a hindrance, since during my undergrad we were given the assignment to do a drawing every 5 minutes during a 3 hour figure class. SO I shall keep this time limitation in mind! ; )

So I might not make a video each day of my 30 day challenge, but I will check in daily on my blog and share photographs and then perhaps a video at the end of the week!  Be sure to check in every day on my blog to see a new painting. At the end I might sell them on my NEW etsy shop GrayDayStudio.

Here is my Painting from Day 1

My thoughts: today's painting was like a stretch after a long winter of sitting on my ass. And coincidentally- I must work on that resolution too ; )  This painting was of some dried dune foliage, painted on Reeves BFK gray paper with gouache and watercolor. And of course after seeing it as a photo- I see areas that I could "revisit"...(click on image to view larger, not the best detailed pic, but will have to do!)  I didn't spend long on it, since the baby began to stir the moment my brush literally dipped into the paint! Luckily she settled down, but this will be interesting!  I had fun revisiting the process of painting, of remembering how easily you can destroy a little area and how you didn't realize how special that area was until it was gone. I also dove into the white paint towards the end and used it as a tool to create both positive and negative areas around the foliage.  I got crap for my use of white during grad school, which is probably one of the reasons I focused on installations rather than painting during those two years, but fuck it, I like white paint! I understand why not to use it so much and to not mix every color with white, I get it, duh, but sometimes white is such a purifying element and helps you cover up your mistakes ; )

Anyway, I'm looking forward to tomorrow's painting. I think I will have to whip out the oil paint this week, as the watercolor and gouache are sometimes chalky and dull for what I want, but we'll see I could change my mind!  Check in tomorrow for my Day 2!

Little Ludwig

This is what happens when your husband dresses her in a big onsie with ruffled sleeves! She looks like a little composer! Then of course I had to put the mary janes socks on her little feet. Now she just needs a beret and Madeline- watch out!

Stay tuned- later today I'll be sharing my 30 day challenge- day #1! 

Coming to Tiptoe Through for 2011

I hope you all had a splendid New Year! I spent mine in with the husband and new baby. We had a lovely dinner, watched movies and worked on knitting projects- so yeah not too much of a change from any other night!

I have some Blog resolutions I want to achieve this year, and I thought I would share them with my readers!  First, I am going to set up more of a structure to my blog- with a theme each day of the week- excluding weekends. I think this will make me more focused with my own personal pursuits as well as hopefully make my blog more of a resource for people, and let's be honest- to turn my readers into followers.  I am also turning 30 this month and I want to continue to learn new things- thus another reason for my revamped daily themes.

SO here's what you can look for in 2011!

Monday: Weekly Inspiration- be it silly, or really inspiring (nothing corny I swear!)- a little nugget to help jump start your week- so crucial during the winter doldrums!

Tuesday: A Green living- topic. Be it a housekeeping tip or some new technology, etc...

Wednesday: Handmade- a shout out to something cool from the handmade community- like my "Etsy Favs" etc.

Thursday: my Weekly "Links and Such" will continue

Friday: Weekend Project- be it my own from a previous weekend, something I intend to tackle, or something someone else did a bang up job on!

I am also going to be participating in a 30 day challenge- where I will work on a project for 30 days and report on it EVERY day! January 2nd is the launch date of that- so check back in to see what my project is!

Any resolutions or goals you are working on?    Have a great start to the New Year!