michelle my belle

ceramics of my dreams!

some of you may not know what a ceramics freak i am.
i just really have a soft spot in my heart for all things clay.
but extra cushy soft spot for the strange, off kilter, abnormal kinds.
i wandered upon this artist a while back and have been wiping the DROOL off my chin ever since.
just look at the detail she applies, the whimsy, the colors!
to me Natalya Sots is pure genius!
i will dream to acquire one of her lovelies in the future.

Queen Califia's Magical Circle! #16

 

While on vacation in San Diego I was able to cross #16 off my infamous LIST!

We went and visited artist Niki De Saint Phalle's Queen Califia's Magical Circle in Escondido. It's funny, but if this wasn't on my "list", as much as I wanted to see it-I don't think we would have. And. That's why I have lists!

It was 99º out so we had the place to ourselves. can u imagine!

This place was so unassuming, in the back of a park, in Escondido!!, down a trail that felt like it was in the middle of nowhere.

 

Maybe that's what seemed to make it even more special.

I'd love to make some sort of mosaic sculpture for my yard someday. Anyone know of a good book or resource on how to go about a project like this?

 

This was a treat to see. And it's so much better in person.

Niki De Saint Phalle was a prolific artist working in all types of mediums all over the world. Make sure to check out her website for other installations. There may be one near you!

Dafen Oil Painting Village

I cannot tell you how excited I was, going to the Dafen Oil Painting Village, and happening upon this large Carrie Chou sculpture! 

 
my personal change purse that i continue to adore

 
one of my faves

I first saw the Wun Ying Collection in the Hong Kong Airport a few years ago and instantly fell in deep love with her work. 

This village is quite large and consists of small street after small street of small galleries and workshops. There are close to 5000 artists and 600+ galleries who produce over 5 million paintings each year. Most being copies. There was everything from really ugly art (and trust me when i say this!), knock offs and reproductions to some quite talented artists flourishing in their own styles.

I was sad that we didn't have more time for exploration.

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I ran again today! 5 dripping sweat miles that felt like 10. I'm trying not to slack too much or my running mates will be kicking my butt when I get back home.

Wouldn't they like that! hehe

Hence, the importance of accountability and training partners!

Blog Love Tuesday

This is a blog I LOVE. Lisa Wharton of Urban Bird is full of creative inspiration. There are so many yummy things on her blog like pictures of her studio, cool screen prints, shrinky dink charms, etc.

Here's a baby shower invite she did. Makes me almost want to have a baby party! Her variety and talent goes on forever!

Instead of a party... I will be leaving soon to take my now high schooler to Washington D.C, Philadelphia and New York for a fun celebration getaway. I'm looking forward to some good bonding time, MOMA in NY and seeing D.C for the first time.

If you have any treasures you've found in any of these cities please let me know!!!

Fab Etsy Artist

A few months ago I splurged on this darling typewriter painting by Michele Maule.

This Bicycle Painting is another sample of her cheery work.

If you've never perused Etsy... you SHOULD! So many talented artists and a very affordable way to get original artwork.

Fun Finds and Talented Friends

A few of my favorites from this seasons show circuit.

This is Lisbet from En Gry & Sif. Their yummy felted items are designed in Denmark and made in Nepal. Not to mention they have hearts of gold!

This is Bret from All New Materials. I'm not quite sure how to describe their monsteresque stuffies. I had to have one for myself! Forget the kids. 

 

 

Bojan and Joe of Kimono Kool. Joe designs all his products out of silk kimono fabric and has them made in Japan. Super cool stuff! I got my 13 yr. old some shoelaces and she loves 'em. 

My friend Gary and his son from Sonoma Lavender. If you're ever in Sonoma, CA in the summer check their website to see if your trip coincides with their Lavender Festival. I've been told that there are many good deals to be had there. Not to mention beautiful!

I've been having a bit of a hard time getting back in the groove after returning from the gift shows. Everything seems daunting and a bit overwhelming. I'm hoping to be able to find some time this weekend to get away from the "business" side of things and enjoy a bit of the "creative" side. I hope to have something fun to show you by Monday.

I'm 4 days into my 14 Day Challenge of tracking my food. The other night I felt as though I could Eat the HOUSE! I've been using a free online site called SparkPeople for tracking. I've had to increase my calories to more in the 1500-1800 range to compensate for exercise. I don't want to starve myself or increase my risk of injury, I just want to slowly lose a few LBS. and reunite with the reality of what I'm eating.

MT: Ran yesterday 6 miles slow (9:45-10:00) pace. Still feeling sluggish. Thankfully ran with a friend so I didn't have to mentally fight with myself to keep running.

Please feel free to comment with any questions you may have for me. I LOVE asking questions. Maybe that's why my grandma would always say "curiosity killed the cat" and I would always reply, "satisfaction brought it back"!

Gifties and Trades

Thank you all so much for your comments on my tattoo post! So meaningful and honest. Loved them!

Over the holidays I had the pleasure of trading with an artist who's work I love! Valentina is a talented gal originally from Venezuela but now residing in Miami, FL. Her work make me happy! Not to mention that you can tell even from her blog how genuine and kind she is.

 

And my cherished friend April sent me these goodies. She sent me the "wake me up" and "night owl" tiles previously but just added to my collection with the fun "sushi fresh" tile! She knows how much we like sushi! This little fish ornament is handmade by a German gal she knows. Quite cute! Thank you my dear friend-I will see you in a few days. :) I will be leaving soon for the Atlanta Gift Show, hence the lack of posting.

btw- April has a great blog with all kinds of fun tips from shopping, music to recipes and decorating. She's full of inspirations!

A few other blogs that have been inspiring me lately: Enjoy.

Susan M Hinckley of Small Works in Wool

Merrilee of Mer Mag

A perfect day of Shopping, Art and Antiques!

 

Yesterday I spent the day with my friend Kim for her birthday. We went to the ultra fab Monticello Antiques in Portland! They have a delicious mixture of all sorts of vintage treasures. They also have a cute little eatery attached with great atmosphere. I LOVE this place!

They also had several pieces by artist Jackie Hoyt. You can see more of her work here. I would love to own one of her nostalgic creations someday.

Then we were off to the Pearl District for a little lunch at Henry's Tavern and Anthropolgy drool!

They always have such creative displays!

Swooning over these Clothes Pin Snowflakes!

If you're still in need of some Christmas Gifts at fantastic prices come visit us this Friday and Saturday at our Studio Sale!

Artist Bill Fink

I'd like to introduce you to one of my favorite artists, Bill Fink of Primitive Twig. He is a character through and through which comes across perfectly in his work. He's always telling stories and I'm never quite sure which ones I should believe and which ones I shouldn't!

He and his wife create their dolls out of old found objects in their New York studio. Aren't they just wonderful! I just looked at their website and realized they don't have any of the dolls on it but you can find some of them here.

Another amazing artist. I LOVE creative people! : )

The Inconvenient Bag

Katy and I met Marc of The Inconvenient Bag company in Los Angeles. What a great guy with a great product! I've actually been considering making a goal to go without using any disposable bags from stores for a month. I figure after a month it should be a habit...hmmm. I'll keep you posted on this. : )