2 Monkeys and 3 Sheep Bloghop!

 It takes 2 monkeys to make this guy happy.

It takes 3 sheep to make this artist-momma happy.

(I'm not finished yet but still happy :)

 Materials used: gesso, light molding paste, fabric, paper, acrylic paint, black pen, 

mod podge, and a lot of whimsy.  

Click here to follow along on this special bloghop I'm part of!

Pause Button

We interrupt this blog with a cute face! 

Dear Blogger Friends, 

I miss you! Wow, I haven't posted in a while. I'm still enjoying my blog-vacation. Not that I've stopped being creative. Just trying to simplify what's on my plate as a new momma and... 

Treasuring. 

Each. 

Moment.

Baby Stephen says thank you for your patience. :)

XOXO,

gina

A Colorful New Year

I hope to achieve some important creative goals this year. Like de-cluttering my studio, hang art around the house (maybe even a mobile or two!), do some book-binding, work on Stephen's baby book, art journal everyday (well try to anyway), organize my paints/paper/stencil/fabric stash, start a series of whimsical children's illustrations and make them into cards and prints, move some furniture around, breathe...

I'm sure glad this little guy wants to help.

Christmas Photo Bloopers

We thought it would be nice to take our first family Christmas photo. But try getting a baby to look right at the camera!

"Stephen! Stephen! Look at the camera! Look at the camera!" (I am making monkey noises at this point....like THAT's gonna work)

"Stephen! Stephen! Turn your head.....not that way! This way!" (I am literally twisting our boy's head while nonchalantly smiling)

Then, Stephen starts fussing up a storm that he's had enough. He wants to nurse right now! Production stalled to a halt. (Um.....don't know why my husband thought this was the time to take a picture. Oh yeah, I look attractive)

Note: I tried to photoshop a discretionary rectangle for sensitive anti-breastfeeding viewers. Hey, at least it's festive green!

Finally. A photo worth sending, with all of us looking and smiling at the camera!

Happy Holidays!!!

When A Beloved Pet Dies

"Heartbreak is life educating us." ~George Bernard Shaw

When a beloved pet passes away and is laid to rest, I must find a special rock nearby and bring it home. Once the stone is cleaned and primed with clear gesso, I am ready to paint.

I tell myself that painting a tranquil landscape would be a nice distraction. But, by the time I take out all my paint tubes and brushes, I'm fighting back the tears. I guess I am ready. Ready to confront the tremendous sorrow I feel that can't be expressed with words...

...but with images.

With each brushstroke, with each nuisance of color and texture I create, my mind drifts to happier times as well.

A time when my precious little one was free from any pain. A time when I was showered with kisses just because she enjoyed being with me.

When I am finished, I set my rock to dry near a window. I like to see how this inanimate object comes to life. It shifts color at different times of the day, depending on the light. Color can do that.

Many of us have endured the loss of our pets, but you'll always be connected to the pureness of their spirit and unconditional love. They will remind you......in beautiful ways.

Being loved by an animal will help you laugh more, love more, become grounded and appreciate nature. Most importantly, they make you a compassionate human being.

Pets can do that.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

In memory of Midnight, Autumn, Summer, Clover, Missy, Cali & Ginger. Thank you for choosing us to be your mommy & daddy. Until we meet again.

This post is also dedicated to Dr. Cheung. Thank you for all that you continue to do for our precious little ones.

Who's Your Daddy?

Stephen says, "Now with my antlers coming in, I definitely don't resemble anything like my dad!"

"If I start growing a tail & my nose turns red, mom has some explaining to do!"

It's Here! It's Here!

Just arrived. Hot off the press. Two very important books are on my table right now. And I'm proud to say, I'm featured in one of them!!!

Inside the Creative Studio: Inspiration and Ideas for Your Art and Craft Space, is by Cate Coulacos Prato, editor of Cloth Paper Scissors STUDIOS. One reviewer fondly called it "craft porn" and after peaking inside, you'll see why. It's the full monty, folks.

Not only does it expose my studio (a converted spare bedroom, back when I lived in Massachusetts) but you get to visit a variety of artists in an intimate way, i.e. inside their creative environment. May this beautiful book help you envision a dream space to call your own art studio. Thank you Cloth Paper Scissors. You've been so good to me. Preview and buy it here.

The other special publication is a hardcover, coffee-table photo book I created. I wanted it to be stunning and Apple made it easy. Just in time for the holidays.

As a way to say, sorry-I-haven't-posted-in-a-long-time-dear-bloggers, may I give you a small sampling inside this book (destined to go to family members that don't read my blog! LOL).

Gosh he looks so small. Two days old here.

A photo medley of him sleeping.

Stephen sure slept a lot.

Snug as a bug.

I love the full-bleed, panoramic page spreads.

Oh Little Boo. We love you.

Splish splash.

Tummy time.

Everyone was pretty exhausted!

Horsing around inside Baby Gap dressing room!

Delighted how the back cover turned out!

Art Journaling w/ a Baby

Have you tried out all your Distress Stains yet? I so want to use them in my art!

While Stephen sleeps, I try [key word: try] to do something creative. My efforts usually fail because my son is such a light sleeper. But I tell myself, if I take out my art supplies to make color notes & do nothing else, I've succeeded.

BTW, hope all of you had a fun Halloween. I know Stephen did (who is turning 3 months old next week!!!).

He is so cute when he gets excited.

He's especially thrilled about an art journaling class we are taking together from this talented lady, which started yesterday.

I think Stephen is mesmerized by Julie's voice!

Good Morning, Stephen!

This is how the morning started.

This is how it ended once we arrived at the Chicago Botanic Garden.

Hello Stephen!

It's been quite a while since I've posted. But I have kind of a good reason...

Welcome to the world, Stephen Robert Hully! We've been waiting for you.

Born: August 9th, 2011 @ 6:53 pm

Weight: 8 lbs. 10 oz.

Length: 21 in.

Ten perfect little fingers. Ten perfect little toes.

Everyone is healthy, happy and well.

As a welcome-home gift, Jim gave me this lovely antique rocking chair. A place for Stephen to enjoy all those tender lullabies. Love, love, love its beautiful pattern!

Love, love, love my beautiful family.

Hello Belly!

This is me at 36 weeks pregnant. I feel so much these days: Really excited. Really tired. A little scared. But absolutely, positively in love.

(Note: all photos taken by hubby)

I am learning to let go. The baby room isn't anywhere finished but that's okay. It's more important to start packing for the hospital & be prepared for anything in the next several weeks. The weather has been so hot/humid, which means I need to rest & take it easy. We still have tons of moving boxes to meander through (at some point, you just give up trying to find the salad spinner, you know what I mean?)! And what about your art, Gina?

Well, I'm sort of on a painting hiatus. I did set up a temporary art studio but for now,

we've got this huge, creative, life-changing "project" to get ready for (emphasize the word: huge)!

Once Upon a Time

Once upon a time, there was a princess who lived alone in a fixer-upper castle. She longed to be with her handsome prince who was a thousand miles away in a strange land, slaying tiny dragons (aka adjusting to a new job in a new location). They loved each other very much and she was with child (his, that is...not with some random UPS guy or the milkman).

Anywho, the princess had to slay tiny dragons of her own like hiring the right tradesmen to restore their beautiful modest fortress. A plethora of painters, plumbers & carpenters stopped by to show-off their skills. So did drywall specialists, plaster artists, carpet cleaners & real estate agents. The princess also interviewed a handful of giddy maids. In the end she tried to hire the most competent people of all the land. But only the ones who were capable AND recognized the princess's raw talent in comedic arts got the job (aka laughed at all her jokes).

And the day came when the movers showed up and hauled away their world's possessions...

...except for their WI-FI internet access, thank goodness. For how else was the princess going to update her facebook status?

Then, the princess patiently waited a couple days more. Her prince charming was coming to physically get her in their freshly updated castle, now ready to go on the market. They road on a silver stallion, named Subaru, for 1100 miles in 24 hours with tons of restroom stops.

At last, the prince and his expectant princess (with their baby boy bambino happily kicking inside) are blissfully living together in their new home. This little royal family is whole again.

The End.

Moral of the story: you can lose your mind and pee in your pregnant pants, but never ever lose hope.

(above embellishment magically found on the floor, after movers disassembled the princess' craft table)

Blog Break

I'm taking an official blog break to get ready for our move. Countdown = less than 2 weeks! Enjoy an accidentally torn watercolor that I "sewed" back together via photoshop. Ripped right in half with my foot! But in the end, anything can be fixed :)

“However confused the scene of our life appears, however torn we may be who now face that scene, it can be faced, and we can go on to be whole.”

~ Muriel Rukeyser