I Am My Art

Bloggers Block

2009-01-25T10:27:00.003-06:00

With all that's going on I should have plenty to write about and actually I do but it sure is hard coming up with a title for it! I am steadily working on all my new images for my new line of clear stamps and the catalog should be available within the next three weeksto a month. I am doing all this while beginning a new semester but I am only taking 12 credit hours this time so it is a walk in the park (haha). I am getting ready here to change my blog so that I can include a list of other sites and blogs that i think are super cool and deffinitely worth sharing. This has been one of my goals for the past six months-but sometimes things just have to take a backseat when you've go so many irons in the fire. Well, the important thing is that it all is starting to come together. I started out at the beginning of winter break with the intention of working on a children's book and illustrations but ended up deciding on doing the new stamp line and catalog. That was a big decision for me, anyone who knows me and what happened nine years ago and in the years since, must know that the decision did not come easy. But it feels right and I am really psyched about it now! A very wise woman told me once long ago. "those people may have stolen your artwork, but they did not steal your talent." She was right, of course, but I could not get past the helplessness or the hurt and anger, so it has taken me this long to really come to terms with it and truly be able to move forward. I think that actually designing and making stamps again will be so good for me in so many ways!! (For those of you who do not know what I am talking about, I will post the whole story one day soon...)
In the meantime, I have to go for now. I have a couple projects and a paper that need my attention. Darn it, all I want to do is draw and color! :)
I hope you make something cool today.

My Place

2009-01-23T08:50:00.002-06:00

Hi Well I am still trying to get the hang of all this technology. "They" make it pretty easy but sometimes I still have trouble! I tried to write here yesterday and add some images of some of the graphic design projects I am currently working on-but to no avail. I could not get the images to upload properly. What gets me that I just had added the image of the owls in the tree the night before!? Oh well, here I am gonna try again to share a photo of my art studio/office. It's a mess but I love it! It's definitely my favorite room in the house. I love all my crazy knick-knacks (don't know how to spel nic-nacks, nik-nax, well you know what I mean!) and all my markers and pencils and papers and paints etc. etc. So, yes, it's a mess, but it's MY creative mess and there is comfort and joy in that!

Hope you make something cool today! As for me, I am going to go and paint fingernails then I will be back here designing new stamp images!

Peace (and I really mean it!)

more shiny and more new!

2009-01-19T22:11:00.006-06:00

January is almost over and I have been promising new stuff for ages...I know, I know! Not to make excuses, but it is so challenging trying to keep up with school, kids, work etc. etc. I am not complaining, mind you. Admittedly, I fall behind but the main thing is that I never give up!! And sometimes I actually get done what I set out to do! That is one great thing about a new year-it makes you feel that you have a fresh start ahead of you and that all your hopes from the previous year are actually attainable!

Well, so far this year I have had a pretty good start. I have a new (totally updated) website complete with a store and a cafe press shop, thanks to my wonderful husband and partner!

I am well on the way to having a brand new catalog of clear stamps (and MUCH more about that soon...)

I haven't blogged as much as I have wanted to because I didn't have pictures and images of all the things that I wanted to share, but I just got a new scanner and CS4- so watch out 'cause I'm workin' now! LOL! Please check out my new site and shop(s), check back in often, see my new Squidoo lens, and 'friend me' on Facebook...I look forward to 2009 and I hope you will be making cool stuff with me this year!

p.s. "owls in a tree"- a preview of my new clear stamp line....more very soon :)

Shiny and New

2009-01-04T09:33:00.002-06:00

Happy New Year!

Okay well, first I should say that I can't believe that it is 2009 and that I quit posting in May of '08!! It does not seem possible. WOW. Yeah, about not blogging-I just got a little overwhelmed with life, family and school. All my projects seemed like they were too ambitious and I was swimming upstream. So I decided to step back and just focus on the the things that HAD to be priorities, like the kids and my schoolwork. Everything else got set aside. But the ideas continued to flow and here I am again with a shiny New Year ahead of me and no lack of imagination and a new sense of creative renewal! I do have exciting news and still plenty of projects an my desk.

I am starting a new line of clear art stamps and the videos and craft book ARE definitely coming this year! I don't know exactly when all these projects will be available but I will post on my website and here too. I plan on taking lots of pictures of the various works in progress here on my blog. (I REALLY mean it!) I had some rough patches last year-I just attribute it to (more) growing pains. But I can't be too hard on myself, after all, I made straight A's (again!)

So, I suppose something had to give.

Now it's a fresh start, so here we go....

Squidoo

2008-05-23T08:19:00.002-05:00

I know I haven't posted for a while-just been crazy 'round here! Besides that, I'm slow out the gate getting my photos, videos etc. But I do have a new lens on Squidoo.com and am working diligently on all the new projects...just taking longer than I had hoped. I have so many things going on at once! Once I get it all together, my blog and my site(s) will be exploding with new color and fresh ideas. I hope you will think it's worth the wait. Thanks and :)2u!

kristen

Technical Difficulty

2008-05-15T08:31:00.002-05:00

Sorry to report there has been a delay in creating the video. Cameraman is sick so it's all postponed till next week. But I promise it's coming really soon! I have not fully recovered from my summer cold yet either-so it's probably better anyway! I don't want to sound 'froggy' on my big debut LOL!! Please don't give up I'm going to deliver all the exciting projects that I promised you! Hope wherever you are that you have sunshine!

:)2u

Kristen

The moment you've been waiting for...

2008-05-12T09:10:00.003-05:00

It is now officially Summer break around here. Well, at least for the adults anyway! Got the husband all graduated and the kids will be out in two weeks. Now I can really get going on all the projects I've been talking about! Today we are 'shooting' the promercial-so look on my website(s) in a day or two for a sneak peek at some of the craft ideas I will be teaching. Photos will be posted here too. Lots of great stuff to make with your kids on those long, lazy summer days! Can't wait to see what y'all think!

:)2u

Kristen

A Okay

2008-05-09T08:34:00.002-05:00

I just got my grades-Straight A's WHOO-HOO!!! Yeah, I feel pretty good about that 'cause it was a tough semester. I knew I did pretty well, but I wasn't sure about my Drawing Class or my English Comp class. I'm so excited. I feel like a school girl! LOL

Anyway, I know I've been yakkity yacking about a lot of stuff besides "art stuff" but I promise that's coming soon...we all just need to finish school around here!!

:)2u

Kristen

Getting Personal

2008-05-08T11:48:00.002-05:00

I usually don't write about my personal life too much, it's not all that exciting really! But today I have news worth sharing (well, at least I think so! LOL) My husband just finished his last final and is graduating from U.M.S.L. on Saturday with his B.S. in Public Policy & Administration! He has worked really hard for this. He has worked and helped with the kids and gone to school for the past eight years, and still maintained his GPA enough to graduate Cum Laude! Wow. Can't believe the day has finally come! He has applied for the Master's Program and a part time Graduate Research Assistant position-so the craziness won't end here! It should be a wild and crazy and busy summer. But I guess I wouldn't have it any other way.

:)2u

Kristen

On the Mend

2008-05-07T10:58:00.002-05:00

Well I've been out of commission for a few days. Darn summer cold. Actually it felt much worse than a cold but whatever it was I'm back in business! Just a few updates...I have a new lens on Squidoo about to be published. If you haven't yet checked out Squidoo-you really should! It's awesome! For those of you who have, you know what I'm talking about! (FYI it's www.squidoo.com)

Also for those of you waiting with baited breath, the art&craft videos will be out really soon. Look for a promercial (that's my own made up word for promotional-commercial!!) next week-it should wet your appetite. I think (hope) you will be pleasantly surprised with, not only the projects but the format as well.

Nice to be back with the living! See you soon.

:)2u

Kristen

This Blogger Out of Order!

2008-05-06T22:15:00.001-05:00

Just a note: I'm out of order! (too sick to think of anything to write :) Be back soon!

Inspiration

2008-05-03T07:49:00.002-05:00

Today I want to talk about inspiration. I thought about this because it seems I always have ideas running through my head and yet, sometimes when I would be given an assignment, I could think of absolutely nothing. Then BAM all of a sudden it would hit me! Where does that come from?

Lately, I have been going through some difficult personal trials, and still the creative thoughts do not stop. In fact, it seems that I have been more productive than ever. Why is that? Well, I suppose there are a lot of factors and I guess that is the way my mind works. Just like some people have a head for numbers (I do not!), some have the head for color, pattern, design etc.

and so on. I believe that repetition and practice have a lot to do with this also. Whenever you work at something (whatever it may be) every single day, it will become easier and inspiration begets itself. I, personally, am inspired by many things; my children, the memory of my mom, colors, nature, music, other artists and designers, my instructors, and the thought of showing and teaching others my work. I am inspired by a challenge. I love to see if I can make something that I've seen just by looking at it. I guess that could be akin to playing music by ear. Anyway those are some of the things that motivate me. You notice that money is not on my list? Well, I am not going to lie. I like the thought of making money. But that in itself does not inspire me. Would I like to earn money from what I do? Absolutely. However, it is not a source of my inspiration. I would draw and color and make stuff for free (done it for years now!) I think that the act of creating something by hand, the process of thinking things through and making something from that thought is inspiring in itself and is, in a sense, priceless.

I am not trying to get all philosophical or anything just some of my deep thoughts....kinda like Jack Handy!! LOL...Hey, I'm blogging! I'm going to keep blogging everyday. Very soon I'm gonna have pics and videos and projects to talk about-in the meantime, y'all get some of my deep thoughts!

Okay, so what inspires you?

:)2u,

Kristen

Spring 2008 Photos

2008-05-02T20:16:00.002-05:00

Check out www.iammyart.com the photos of all my assignments and projects

from this semester are now posted! My goal is to get other art and design students

to send in pictures of their projects too. If anyone out there (from any school) would like their own page on the iammyart website-please contact me!

:)2u

Kristen

This You Gotta See

2008-05-02T09:03:00.002-05:00

I told you I was going to share more creative people and their websites, so this you've gotta see...

go to www.philinthecircle.com and you can also see his work and his process by taking a look at

http://potw.news.yahoo.com/s/potw/23115/strokes-of-genius

he is truly amazing....

:)2u

kristen

Okay Here I Go

2008-05-01T06:43:00.002-05:00

I took the day off yesterday, well sort of....I got inspired and started making some new stuff. Turned into a whole day of creating headbands, pony-holders, hair-clips and bracelets!

Yeah, I know, crazy huh?! Sometimes once I get started I just can't stop! So now I have another great new project(s) to share with you. This is all gonna start hitting the internet really soon. I was just waiting to finish up with school. So, now that I have, I'm starting to roll. I will have photos and video both here and on my website within the next couple weeks...keep checking in 'cause if you want to make some really great stuff-this 'll be the artsiest/craftiest place to be!

Thanks and :)2u!

Kristen

All Dressed Up and No Place to Go

2008-04-29T12:51:00.002-05:00

Well, I'm back from my final portfolio review (it went very well!) And so it's really the end of my freshman year! Wow. Funny how that works. You look forward to something for so long then it happens, then it's over. Elation and let down all at once. So here I sit, alone in my studio, all dressed up and no place to go!! I have a lot of work to dive into. Cleaning my office and house and then digging in my heels and getting ready for my videos, new artwork etc.

I think I may just take the rest of today off though....

Well, look for this semesters art and design assignments- I will post them on www.iammyart.com on or by this coming weekend!

Whew!! It's been a great semester. Tough but still great!

:)2u,

Kristen

2 for 1

2008-04-29T01:17:00.002-05:00

This time you get a 2 for 1....meaning I sort of missed a day!! But it is one in the morning so I'm not too far off! So today was crazy. I had my Art History final. I'm 99.9 % sure I aced it :)

Oh Yeah...Whoo Hoo!! LOL Okay, so anyway today (yes, today) at 11 .a.m. I have my portfolio review. Then that's it. Stick a fork in me 'cause I'm done! (At least for the summer.) Ahhhhhh.

But ever since I finished with my test this afternoon I have been working on my final for my Design II class. About 10 hours worth of stage design for Oscar Wilde's Lady Windermere's Fan.

Not my all time favorite assignment in design. Oh well it's as done as it's gonna be. I'm going to sleep now!

Goodnight.

:)2u

Kristen

Sunday not Funday

2008-04-27T08:53:00.002-05:00

This Sunday is not Funday. It's my last day before my Art History Final and then my portfolio review. So as you can imagine I am a teensy bit busy. Therefore I must go. 2 more days and I will be....ahhhh....so relieved! And don't worry, I will keep you posted! LOL

:) 2 u

Kristen

Where am I coming from? Who am I?Where is this going?

2008-04-26T04:38:00.004-05:00

Ha Ha...It's supposed to be a take on Gauguin's masterpiece! But it seemed so appropriate and fitting of the way I feel about this blog. I guess I am still trying to define it and create something that is interesting to read and informative. At least that is what I am aiming for-I am not saying it is there yet. Sometimes I think I want it to be about school and the being a non traditional student. Sometimes I want it to be about arts and crafts. And sometimes I want it to be like an art history lesson or introduction to different creative people and places. Just about ALL the things I am doing and enjoying. Then I worry and think I should have more of a focus, then I worry and think it'll get too boring....I know there must be a happy medium. Anyway, I suppose I have time to find my niche, as I don't have any complaints so far! (I'd have to have readers for that! LOL)

oh well, I'm going to continue blogging-I figure it still beats actually talking to myself!

And for anyone slightly interested...photos 2 b posted next weekend of this semesters art projects and some samples of my work for the upcoming technique/how-to videos.

a :) day 2u...

Kristen

Lookie Here

2008-04-25T07:37:00.002-05:00

Today I just want to say look at this great websites I found...

Alijart.com ...her artwork is lovely (I love it I think you will too)

I will share a few more cool people/websites soon- for now I gotta run.

:)2u

Kristen

Wrapping It Up

2008-04-24T02:26:00.002-05:00

It's Thursday, April 24. Today is officially my last day of classes for the year! Happy? Yeah. Sorta sad though too :( Never get to be a freshman again. And I'll miss some of the people I met too. Don't really know if I'll see them again next semester of not. Also my Drawing, Design and Art History classes are finished and I really enjoyed those. So yes, I'm happy and a bit relieved that this semester is coming to a close but there is always a flip side to everything.

And time just continues to fly by.

Looking ahead, here is a brief list of the projects that I will be doing for my instructional videos (coming soon!!!):

1. Papier Fleurs- flowers made from paper...make frames, gift toppers and wearable art!

2. Ode to Whatever- create both 2-d and 3-d shrines...funky art to use as greetings & gifts.

3. Light it Up- create a functional lamp that is a work of art.

4. Bodacious Boxes- 5 ways to turn a cigar box into super cool stuff.

(that's just for starters!)

Look for photos of these finished projects in about 2 weeks :)

Thanks and :)2u

Kristen

black and blue

2008-04-23T06:47:00.002-05:00

Today my title DOES have something to do with the way I feel! I have to say, it's been a rough semester and I'm feeling a little beat up! I usually don't like to wish my time away-but I can't help but count days until I'm finished for the year! I am welcoming summer break with open arms...

I got my date for my portfolio review. It is Tuesday, April 23rd at 11 a.m. After that I'm out and officially 1/4 of the way through. I'll be a sophomore. (but hopefully not sophomoric!) Whoo-Hoo! Yeah, so I'm happy about all of that. It's just been a difficult semester and I am tired. I need a bit of a break so that I can refocus and get reenergized. A change will do me good and not having a million things going on at once will be helpful. I've been going, going, going and somethings gotta give-at least for a little while...So like I said, Tuesday and I'm outta there for a few months (no I'm NOT taking any summer courses!) But I will take this opportunity to give myself a pat on the back...I'm in finals with all A's! Oh Yeah. Not to say I will end up with straight A's, because I'm not done with finals-but either way my grades are lookin' pretty good. So that is something I really feel good about. And you know, we need to find all we can in our lives that makes us feel good. So, I'm going to color something today, how about you?

:)2U

Kristen

pink polka dots

2008-04-22T08:18:00.002-05:00

My title today has absolutely nothing to do with anything...I just thought it was a cute heading!

Seriously, i know those of you who may be reading this may be a little bored (yawn) as I've not said, done or posted anything to exciting...only my thoughts (yawn again) and ideas for what is to come. That's okay though, because very soon I'm gonna be busting out the creative juice!! LOL :)

So, it may seem like a slow start but I'm just getting ready. Hope you are too. I believe we're gonna have a lively little blog and my site(s) will be a great source of information for those of you who enjoy making stuff.

Off to school today-1 more week and then summertime freedom is mine!!

:)2U

Kristen

P.S. color something today.

Designer Hell

2008-04-21T05:49:00.002-05:00

I never got that doughnut. But that's alright, the craving passed. More pressing matters at hand! I finished my research paper (on Dr. Seuss) and now I'm just faced with 2 more hurdles. 1.) Art History test a week from today. 2.) Design project from Hell!!! Yeah, we are doing a set design from a play. Whatever play we chose, we must do all scenes involved. So I chose Lady Windermere's Fan by Oscar Wilde. It really shouldn't be too difficult, as it only has 3 scenes. However, I only have 1 week to get it done and no experience and no clue...so between the Art History Final and this project I am a little stressed and busy and really looking forward to being done!!! Whew.

This summer will still be busy, of course. But I am looking forward to devoting all my time to drawing and creating my craft books and videos and hanging out with the kids doing summery stuff. I hope to work out in the yard some, as it has been very neglected!

For anyone who may be local-I am doing a 'boutique' at JuJu B's Salon and Spa (olive and woodsmill) on Friday May 9th. I will have a lot of my Bee You Collection artwork on t-shirts and gift items as well as some of my hand painted charms and such. So come by if you get a chance!

TTFN :)

Kristen

Rainbow Sprinkles

2008-04-20T07:50:00.003-05:00

I'm having coffee now and writing this blog. I sure wish I had a doughnut. I'm not even picky about what kind of doughnut. I'd take glazed, plain cake or chocolate iced. Any kind. It just sounds good right now. Problem is, I don't feel like getting out and driving anywhere. It seems like once I do that, it sort of breaks up my thoughts and my momentum of getting stuff done in my studio. Besides I certainly don't NEED a doughnut. Why is it that I am always thinking of losing weight while simultaneously thinking of things like doughnuts and apple pie?

Hmmm. I think I'll start a new line of foodstuff art work. I could paint cakes and doughnuts with rainbow sprinkles!! Yeah, my a.d.d. mind works like that! LOL. But really it's not a bad idea...after all, Wayne Thiebaud did it. So when you see my stuff you can say you heard about it here first!! :)

H.D. (happy day)

Kristen