michelle my belle

New Hire

Okay, I've been a laggard on posting. So, so busy. And, even now I only have a few moments to say "hi" to you and that I miss you!! So, a few quick updates....

*My new Graphics girl is awesome! Having her is going to eventually free up a lot of my time to be able to concentrate on designing.

*My office manager is gone. I wrote an ad/job description today. I will try word of mouth for a few days and then resort to my local paper/craigs list. I'm very sad to see Trish leave.

*Met with Art from SCORE again today. He's great, he really gets me thinking from a different perspective than my own confined views.

*Kids are doing great in school. The homework is starting to pile on for Lex.

*I had started running again, but as usual when the stress pours on and time is so valuable it's the first thing to go. I know it should be the other way around. I feel like I've gained 10lbs over the past few weeks, I'm scared to step on the scale. My husband even came up to my studio Saturday morning and tried to fix my treadmill. Maybe tomorrow, it's a new day. (with a new list)

This piece above is from my new ceramic line that I introduced this summer at the shows.

I am looking forward to having the time when I can snoop on your blogs and comment again. I've been deprived!

Eat Cupcakes or Die!

I went to my moms the other day and look at what I made! I did the cupcake one. I painted the little picture in watercolors and then we sandwiched it between two pieces of glass and soldered the edges. Don't look at the shoddy soldering job, the tip was broken off the soldering gun. (lame excuses!)

My mom and I had a great time talking, laughing, comparing and enjoying the bits of broken conversation that happens when you're concentrating. I didn't have my camera over there or I would have pics of her finished little gem too.

I have been totally obsessed with cupcakes lately. I actually made this for my friend Kim who is equally obsessed. Her obsession is in the actual making of the tasty treats, while mine is more in the art and appearance of them. The other day we even took a trip down to Portland and went to Saint Cupcake and to Cupcake Jones. We both agreed that Saint Cupcake took the cake. npi... Cupcake Jones was more gourmet but too hard to eat and I felt they may have stepped over the line of being a "cupcake". Just my tastless opinion! lol ( I must be in a mood tonight!)

My friends, Sabrina and Glena at Pick UP Sticks made the Rare Bird/Good Egg charm.

My Chaotic Cards!

These are the cards I have been spurring on my creativity with. Unfortunately I haven't made it past the cards onto designing the winter line yet. Maybe tomorrow. I did have lots of fun with these, I scribbled, scratched, used spray paint, globby brushes and even some sand paper. Cards are a great way to explore your wild side without messing up an expensive canvas or a nice piece of watercolor paper. And, if you're like me and feel like you must make good use of your time, they're functional!

Things that happened in the past few days or today:

-Alexis is doing better at school, slowly but surely.
-My husband came home from hunting (bow/elk). I told him no elk, no entry... but I caved.
-Katy is taking the job (graphic designer) HOORAY!
-Jess's team won their soccer game and she even scored her first goal (this is her first year playing)
-My friend April emailed and told me she's signing up for Artfest!! I'm so excited, she's from Michigan and she's never been out here before.

Oh, and I cleaned out my tubS of dirty brushes. I'm so bad, I only buy cheap brushes so I don't have to feel too guilty about leaving them in water for days. Does anyone else dread cleaning out their brushes like I do?? I even thought (for a short moment) "I wish I had someone to do this part for me!", I know, I know it's all part of the experience!

Inspirational Message

My mom wrote a great little devotional today on her blog. It really spoke to me.

I can't believe she beat me to posting a picture of Jess's first soccer game! I still can't find my cameral cord!

It's off to work I go.

Purdy Birdy Tea. One of the new designs we introduced at the summer shows. You can see my small original paintings that we made the sculpts from.

Yay! We got our first reorder on this custom fireman clock that we did for Potpourri catalog company.

Things have been quite busy around here.

-kids starting school (Lex had a better day today, praise God!)
-my office gal gave her 2 week notice (she's going back to school)
-met with SCORE today about taking steps to improve and grow my business
-applied for Artfest for the first time, I'm so EXCITED about this!
-interviewed a graphic designer about a full time position here @ Allen Designs
-Jess is in soccer and LOVING it (after the first day of standing in the middle of the field crying)
-my husband and I even went for a 17 mile bike ride! some of you don't know that we actually met racing bicycles in S.Cal. this was our obsession for many years and even owned a bicycle shop. since kids and moving to WA we haven't riden but maybe once a year.
-back to making a list and working hard all day to cross as much off as possible!

I've also been dreaming about this!

I even found some time in the past few days to get my creative juices warmed up by making some cards. I tried to post the picture but realized the cord is up in my studio and I'm too lazy to run up and get it. Pics will have to wait till tomorrrow.

This give a whole new meaning to "hand soap". I saw these goodies by Foliage and had to share. This quirky humor is right up my alley.

Some wonderful art at Pier 39 in SF I got to enjoy on our family vacation.

Also on our vacation, we went up to Sausalito and walked around and stopped by our friends beautiful gallery. Rodney Lough Jr. Wilderness Collections Gallery. I first met him believe it or not at the Saturday Market in Portland Oregon. That is where I officially started 11 years ago trying to do my art as a business and as a way of making a living.

I just thought this was really cool. This is on the side of a building in Solana Beach, CA near the world renowned Belly Up.

Inside the Anthroplogie in Portland, OR. I love the use of simple pink erasers. Such creativity!

I know this is quite the random post but I felt like I needed to get through some of the photos that I've had sitting here on my computer to share with you before I could move on to the present.

My children did start school yesterday. Hooray... for them of course! First day didn't go so well, Jess wasn't in the class that I had requested and Lex had a bit of a hard day adjusting to a new smaller school. Today was better, Jess got switched into the right class and Lex's new school doesn't meet on Wednesdays so she had the day off and was happy about it. I'm sure we'll all get settled soon.