Duty Calls..Even on Spring Break

Heading BACK over to Tallahassee this afternoon for some meetings at the Capitol tomorrow with my students. We’re supposed to have a rally supporting the students’ issues on the capitol steps, but I’m not sure the weather is going to cooperate on that. Currently, there’s a 100% chance of rain all day. Fabulous day to spend outside mingling with politicians! I just posted a story over on Creative Construction today if you want to go over and take a read.

Behind the Camera: The First Day of Spring Break

…and we’re already driving. I think the look on Sarah’s face speaks for itself, don’t you think?

What Are You Hopeful For Today?

This lovely little inspiration arrived in my mailbox yesterday and it sums things up perfectly for me today! Hope! I’m traveling over to Tallahassee this afternoon for the Springtime Tallahassee Arts Jubilee, and the headlines on the Weather Channel this morning are “EPIC STORM”. Lovely. Looks like this epic storm is currently hammering Tallahassee right now, so I’m hopeful it will clear out by the time we have to set up at 6:30am tomorrow morning. Though that will mean that I’ll most likely be driving through it this afternoon, so keep me in your prayers.

This beautiful piece is by my friend Carmen Torbus. I was so thrilled to finally snag a little treasure of hers. This is a perfect addition to my wall of small art in my workshop. See more of Carmen’s work in her Etsy store here and visit her blog here. Go show her some love! What are you hopeful for today?

More Treasury Love for the Harvey Collection

I'm so excited that I'm getting such a great response on my Harvey Collection photos. Thanks so much to theBeadAerie and jschubertdesigns for including me in these stunning treasuries earlier this week. Aren't they gorgeous!?! That's Desmond's Rear Emblem third row right in the first and Desmond Side Swept first row left in the second.

Behind the Camera: Waiting for Flight

Adding more photos to my photo and art Etsy store...I captured this little beauty in my front yard a while back. She was incredibly patient, sitting there peacefully while I clicked away for a good five minutes. She'd slowly open and close her wings, as if trying to give me lots of different shots to choose from. Very patiently waiting for flight...

Happy Shack's New Pendant Designs

I’m working on a new affordably priced pendant line that I hope will be perfect for the Riverside Arts Market. I’ll still have my trademark bling there, but I wanted to develop something with a lower price point, particularly with our struggling economy. Glass tile pendants like these certainly aren’t unique; you can find hundreds of them on Etsy. So what will make mine unique? Well, my photographs and collages, of course! I’ve been using fun scrapbook paper to play around and get a feel for the glass and adhesives involved, so that’s what you see here. This is from the stash of paper I used to wallpaper my girls’ dollhouse! I think I have the hang of it so I’ll start playing around with my photos next, and then we’ll move to the collage styles. I thought sticking to glass rather than scrabble tiles or dominos would be more in line with my primary jewelry pieces. Whatcha think?

The People You Meet in the Blogosphere...

You meet the nicest people online. Really, you do! Since I’ve been blogging, I’ve “met” tons of wonderful friends and fellow artists through this little world. One of them is Regina Rooks, who recently awarded me with the Kreative Blogger award. How cool is that!? Thanks so much, Regina! Regina is a fellow jewelry designer/mixed media artist/water colorist/etc. She is multi-talented! Go pay her a visit to see her lovely blog.

Photo and Art Shop Open for Business!

Finally found the time to open up my second shop! Initially I thought I’d just include my photos in my jewelry shop, but they just didn’t fit so I opened up a new shop. Please help me spread the word! I’ve already been included in two treasuries within the first two days of the shop’s opening so I hope that’s a good start. Many thanks to studiorickrack and junkartist for including me! Their treasuries appear below. I'm working on doing some revamping of my website to be able to include my photos there, but for now they are only available on Etsy. This has been a fun journey. I took several photography classes in college, learning the whole film and darkroom bit, and now that digital photography has come so far, I’ve been having so much fun playing with all the new creative options available. Look for more to come!

Starting Anew

I put a new quilt on the bed Sunday…partly due to our ongoing redecorating project, partly due to the fact that the previous one had seen better days and a new paint job just deserves a new quilt, don’t you think? This is no easy task, mind you. DH is VERY particular about what goes on the bed. Most things he really doesn’t care about, but when it comes to sleeping, he’s got something to say! It’s not necessarily the “look” for him as much as it is the “feel”. It has to “feel” right…his way of saying he hates comforters and duvet covers and only likes quilts and spreads. Have you perused the quilt and spread offerings of your neighborhood stores recently? Tons of lovely comforters and duvet covers, but quilts and spreads? Not exactly a Happy Shack feel to them, shall we say. I finally found a winner with this quilt from The Company Store.

Something about putting a new quilt or comforter or duvet cover on the bed, isn’t there? For me, it’s always been more than just an out with the old, in with the new bed linens thing. Maybe it’s replacing the old with the new at the start of spring that gets me thinking of feeling anew. I’ve definitely felt reinvigorated over the past week or so, and I know at least here in these parts (sorry Karen in PA!), this fabulous spring weather definitely puts a spring in your step. I’ll have lots of new things to share with you soon! How’s Spring treating you?

Sunday Evening Shopping Spree: J. AUSTIN Ryan

I want this! I’ve had it in my favorites for quite a while and eventually I’m convinced it just may live in my home one day (how come I’ve never had a rich uncle?). The artist is Marnie Vollenhal. She has a shop full of adorable paintings, illustrations and more. If you are decorating a child’s room or just like fun cute stuff like me, this is a must see.

Here’s a bit from Marnie’s profile: "I have been painting and illustrating my entire life. I grew up in California and loved it. During college I landed my first job as an art director for a high end children's furniture company. For nine years I trained artists, attended trade shows, and had many other duties. Three years ago my husband’s job relocated us to Texas and here I am. I started my own business and now my paintings are sold across the U.S. My husband David is very supportive along with my three boys Jacob, Ryan, and Austin...J. AUSTIN Ryan. My paintings and prints reflect the behavior of a little dog named Hawk. He is very smart and friendly with other creatures that cross his path.” I love little Hawk and all his artful adventures! Visit J. AUSTIN Ryan here, and be sure to visit Marnie’s blog here for the latest adventures of Hawk and friends!

Bits and Pieces Coming Together

My house is coming back together! We’ve finished painting the great room, the sectional finally arrived (after two months of waiting), and we’re starting to get some art back on the walls. Still not completely done…waiting on my bookshelves that will flank my armoire and my coffee table (snagged a major bargain), so I don’t want to share the whole room with you until it’s done! But I will give you a sneak peak at some of my new Gypsy art!

The sun was my special request; she painted it while she was here at my house. To give you an idea of size, it’s 4’ x 5’. It’s huge! That’s on my very big wall above the kitchen (refer back to these pictures to give you an idea). The mermaid and bottle piece I’ve had for a while, just waiting for the room redo. It’s painted on an antique ship’s door and it's about 3’ x 18”. It now hangs above our kitchen sink window, looking out over the river, and looks absolutely perfect there. Have to give DH credit on that one since he picked the spot. More to come!

Behind the Camera: The Collection is Complete

I was amazingly productive this weekend! Must have been the glorious weather. The girls and I (along with more than 30 of my students) walked in the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation walk Saturday morning, and we went to a birthday party Sunday afternoon. In and around those two events, I also completed 13 new pendants in preparation for the upcoming Riverside Arts Market, and tah dah!, finally finished editing all my Homer Harvey collection photos. Yeah! Read this blog post for the initial story. I’m so happy with the full set! I completed them with the tutorial and texture help of Paul Grand, a wonderful photographer I met on Flickr, and Nesster, another Flickr photographer. They are both incredibly talented. I included one shot for you here. You can see the rest in my Flickr account (kellynwarren). I’ll be listing them in my Etsy store when I figure out the best route for printing, packaging and mailing, hopefully in the next week or two.

Seeing Green Again!

Thanks so much to Sue from fragiacomoglassart for including me in this great treasury, another one featuring greens and the second one featuring my Far, Far Away bracelet (second row middle)! Sue is a fellow Florida Etsy Street Team member with me. Go FEST!

Time for March Free Bling Friday!

It’s Free Bling Friday time! Congrats to February's Free Bling winner, Sharon F. from Palm Coast, FL! March’s entry has been a popular selection for the Etsy treasuries I’ve been included in so I thought I’d share a pair of them here! These are my “Buttercup Fairy” earrings, green glass briolettes topped with clusters of amethyst, rose and jonquil Swarovski crystals….perfect for Spring! They hang nearly 2” on sterling French wires. To be eligible to win March’s Free Bling, simply email me or leave a comment in the comment box by midnight Thursday, April 2, with the subject line FREE BLING and include where you're from. The next winner will be drawn Friday, April 3. Don't want to miss a single Free Bling Friday? Click here to sign up for free weekly email reminders or subscribe in the reader of your choice in the right column over there. Click here for the Happy Shack Designs website.

Luck of the Irish!

Karen has done it again! Karen Faulkner creates the most beautiful Etsy treasuries and I'm so grateful she that often includes me. I love, love, love this one, Karen! Thank you! Those are my Butterfly Fairy earrings third row first spot. Go visit Karen's store and her blog to see her beautiful watercolor paintings.

For A Lovely Night in Paris...

Wow, look, jewelry! Kelly actually posted some jewelry! Are you shocked?! I know it’s been a while since I’ve actually posted any new jewelry on this jewelry designer’s blog, but you know how easily I get distracted by other things…pictures to take, collages to make, cakes to bake, contest entries to create. You know, that kinda stuff. :-) (And more on that tomorrow as I just took more than 200 pictures on my weekend photo shoot this past weekend.) This bracelet is a special request I just finished for a wonderful repeat customer of mine, who shall remain nameless right now just in case the person she is giving it to reads my blog! It comes with a lovely matching baby girl’s bracelet for her recipient’s daughter. I’m working on a couple other special orders this week, too. What can I create for you?

Sunday Evening Shopping Spree: Christy DeKoning

Aren’t these lovely? They are by watercolor portrait artist Christy DeKoning, and they now live in the Happy Shack. The resemblance to my two little redheads is purely coincidental…well, sort of. I saw the first one and fell in love with it, so I contacted Christy and told her that I actually had twin redheads, one with straight hair, one with curly hair, and she offered to paint a second one for me with curly hair. I also picked up a couple of her original ACEOs to add to my burgeoning collection. Her work is truly beautiful, her prices are very affordable, and she does commissioned portraits as well. Visit her store here and her blog here.