The last five!

It took me a while but I finished the last five figures.  I got caught up in everyday life a long to do list that needed to be conquered.  Art requires you to show up, but sometimes it has to wait until the baby falls asleep, the laundry is folded, the garage is finally cleared out enough so that you can actually find what you need.  The break was good.

Before Elliott I could sit in my studio for days, I would just ignore the outside world and get lost in making.  I liked the discipline, getting up with the sun, working all day, making deadlines easily, feeling productive.  I liked getting up at 4am with a great idea and locking myself in until I got it right.

With this little guy I can only make stuff in little spurts, sometimes grabbing a measly 10 minutes.  It's frustrating and it means I have to work faster, smaller, and my projects can't be grand but I like it, I feel like I am learning something important.  I am thinking more, planning, considering. instead of making and making until I work it out.  I am also being sure I engage with the what is going on outside my studio more, keeping a balance.  It is very easy to get lost in a world you are creating.

I have some dolls on my workbench that need painting, limbs, bodies, clothes...they are waiting patiently for me to get to them and I will.  There are two deer sisters, siamese twins, and an upside down doll, I am excited to get to work on them, then I am switching gears.

I studied large scale sculpture in college.  My interest was public installation pieces, my medium of choice is clay.  My first love is ceramic, the vessel.  I have been away from it for too long and my dusty kiln is calling to me.  I woke up one day thinking about nesting bowls...

When the sisters are complete and listed on Etsy I will put away all my tiny bits and go outside, sit under the warm sun and begin where I begin, my hands in a mountain of cool clay.  I am not sure if I will sell what I make at first, I am mostly doing it for myself but who knows where this will go.

I visualize watching my little guy run through sprinklers, play in a baby pool, nap under our big apricot tree, while I build bowls next to him.

[To those of you collecting my littles no worries, I will never stop making them, I have making dolls since I was four, it is a part of me, I will always do it. ]

I think people are made up of lots of parts and pieces and all of those parts need nurturing, it can feel like juggling; friendships, parenting, the work you love, the stuff you have to do to keep the wheels turning, trying new things, and sometimes just being still.  Maybe balance is just revisiting all the parts of you as often as you can, honoring them as you do.

Whats on the workbench...

Good morning.

 I have to share this because there might be some of you out there who might appreciate and relate.  I started making these figurines having not done it in a long time.   My fingers remembered and it felt good to be doing something I love.  I had an updated vision of what I wanted to make but I was a little unsure how people who collected the  tiny sculptures I had made before would like these new girls.

I told myself I would make eight, see how I liked them, post them to Etsy see how others liked them and if everyone was happy I would keep going.  Well eight turned into three, I got a little frustrated not sure I like the way they looked white and drying, they seemed to fragile on their new itty bitty bodies and super slim legs.  I second guessed myself but told myself I would follow through with these three.

It took them a couple days to completely dry, I reinforced all the wobbly parts, filled in cracks, and waited another day to paint them.  I am not sure what happens when you begin painting but it's like they come to life.  Do you remember that moment in The Wizard of Oz when everything goes from black and white to technicolor?  It just makes you smile.

So I started painting and couldn't stop, I added string, and trim, made the bases, gave them a shiny coat to protect them and make them pretty and I thought to myself, "I am so glad I followed through, these are even better than I imagined they would be".  I guess the lesson is to honor your vision, make what you love and don't get frustrated, trust the process.

If you work with paper clay (or any other medium) here are a few simple things to remember:

1. Sketch first, wait until an image sticks, if that means sketching a long time then it's what you do, its worth it.  You will find yourself drawing one particular figure over and over, no matter where you started, and you will fall in love with it.

2.  Play with scale, break rules, this is your world, create what you love, what makes your heart beat a little faster.  I know I have it when I am sitting alone smiling like a dork.

3.  Pay attention to detail, it makes difference.  Detail doesn't mean "perfection" it means not taking a short cut, doing it over until it feels right to you.  Sometimes you have to walk away, come back and get a fresh look.  Be true to your own standards, even if it's something no one will ever notice.

4.  Find your personal pallet.  It is like sketching, you will find that you are attracted to the same colors over and over.  Don't pay attention to trend or what you think other people will like, again this is your world, let people join you there.

5.  Be a kid, a big kid.  This is fun, this is play, this is pulling out whats in your head and making it tangible.  It might be bright and happy, dark and disturbing, it might be about memory, or a dream, curiosity or all of it at the same time.

6.  I don't do this for money, I do it because I love it.  When people love what I do it's awesome.  When money comes it becomes liquid creativity for me, allowing me to keep doing what I love.  I trust the universe made me a creative person for a reason and things always seem to work out so that I can keep making.  If you put money first then it stops being a creative journey and starts being something else.

( this is were I plug that these have been posted to Etsy this morning!)

Make Art=Be Happy

Strings and Sealing wax...

I am up early and the mouse is still asleep. 

These are the few rare moments I get to relax and plan my day.  It was a wild week with celebrations, egg coloring, treasure hunts, Easter brunch, family, much eating of chocolate... and now comes the winding down and getting back to work part.  I don't mind monday, I am excited actually, is it terribly braggy to say I love my job?

I have three figurines on my work bench.  I didn't plan on making any but I had a few requests so I decided to go back in time a little and make a couple for fun.  They are a little different than the original ones I made in 2008, these are smaller, larger heads, big eyes instead of tiny dots, and more painting detail,  I am curious to see how they will look completed.   I will list them on Etsy when there are done.

The Etsy shop in't  as full as I wish, I need to make more time to replace what has sold but I am a hands on mama with 18 month old who requires a lot of me.  I am not complaining he is pretty cool and I dig hanging out with him.  Nap time is when I can get into the studio for an hour or two.  It is really hard to switch gears when I am in making mode I am a different me than the mama me.

Phase one of being back in the studio involves a lot of paper clay making.  I love this stuff.  I discovered it a long, long, time ago when you still had to order it from Japan.  I was using fimo at the time, it was pre-art school and I hadn''t purchased a kiln of my own so I was using products that would self cure or cure in the oven.

Paper clay is awesome, is is smooth and buttery, natural (paper pulp and volcanic ash), fragile but forgiving. It can be re-moistened even after it has completely air dried,  it doesn't mind an armature, it loves all kinds of paint, crayons, pencils.

I hear the mouse stirring, time for me to put on my mama hat.

Have a great day everyone,

Make Art= Be Happy

G

Welcome back home!

There is so much to share.

This blog has been down for  a while.

Here is the story for those of you who are new to elevenmorning, for the rest of you ( you know who you are)  it 's a long over due update.

I have been making art for a long time, since dinosaurs laid eggs.  In 2007 my daughter Stevie passed away.  She was 19 and the love of my life, still my most favorite person in the world.  I was in a very raw place and there were two things that helped me through that loss, one was the love of my son Noah who cuddled up next to me and made me remember that love is never lost, it just changes into something bigger, the other saving grace was art, the creative process.  For me the ability to create was not lost (even though I thought it was) instead it was changed into something I didn't expect.

After my daughter died I wrote and illustrated a children's book called Pink Sky, it was cathartic and soon  Bella (Stevie) and I started an adventure.  I began making small dolls and figurines that captured her childhood, her drawings, memories.  I began selling them accidentally it was exciting knowing that tiny bits of her where finding people everywhere.  Before I knew it I was turning my little Etsy shop into a retail store in town called Tangerine, something Stevie and I always dreamed of doing.

I did not have a background in retail, I was flying by the seat of my pants.  It was awesome, I created this little world my daughter would have loved, and for five years I got to live in it everyday.  My intention was to simply create a space that would bring happiness to other people and I believe I did that.

In 2012 I gave birth to my son Elliott.

I can't describe what a life changing event that was, how much love and healing this little guy has gifted us with.  He was a miracle from the very start and every day he just makes the world a better place.  I didn't want to miss a second of his life, so I quietly closed the store to Tangerine and told Stevie, "Lets go home".

It was bittersweet but the end of a chapter is always like that, deep breath then new chapter.

I put a fresh coat of pea green paint on my home studio, moved the things I loved most back in and when Elliott turned one I began making again.  This time I made things for myself, things I didn't have time to create while I was running a retail store.  I made a beautiful wool blanket, scribbled in sketch books, rediscovered my paintbrushes and markers, found a box of clay and one day started making little dolls again.

It isn't easy squeezing art into a day when you have a toddler and a teenager but there is always a quiet couple minutes to sketch or sculpt.

I love blogging so I have decided to dust off this old blog and breath a little life into it.  My plan is give you a look at what is happening in my studio, share some ideas and techniques, throw in blogs about babies, gardens, cooking and life in general.

It has been a long time but it is good to be home.

New Blog!

In an effort to be a little more efficient I am going to consolidate blogs. I will keep this blog up until the transition is made.

To read the new blog please visit:

tangerineshop.blogspot.com

To visit Tangerine's website please visit:

elevenmorningstangerine.com

If you were on my link list or would like to be on my link list please shoot me an email at

elevenmorning@yahoo.com

Have a super fantastic and totally creative day!

Make Art= Be Happy

G

Where the heck is it?

Tangerine is real...

Everyday new people come in and are so pleased, that in turn makes me very happy, it's like someone visiting you in a dream. I am doing pretty well considering the economy I think I owe that to a niche market, quality products, and reasonable-fair prices.

I don't mark up like the big guys, it wouldn't make sense. My overhead is a little lower than most and I pass that savings on. I don't have a neon sign, a spot on the local channel, or a glossy magazine add and I kinda like that.

People have to work to find me. I am not in the yellow pages and although I am on a main street in our tiny city my sign is small and not flashy. I figure the people who are meant to find me will. So far all the best people have.

Who else can say "I love my clients" I really do, they are fun, creative, sweet, kind and really appreciate what I have built. They make my day, everyday. Oh did I forget, these are some patient people! They put up with low tech check-out, my taste in music, websites that don't get updated as often as I would like and product that when ordered doesn't come from a factory but is actually made by a person and takes real time.

The feedback is always positive and everyone leaves with a little treat from the candy-bar. The only thing that could make this better is...well on my wish list would be a bigger space for workshops and a fireplace!

I love being an artist, I know how lucky I am to be able to do the work I love most.

Thank you to all of you who continue to look for Tangerine and find me...

OHHHH!

Saturday was the grand opening of Tangerine and all I can saw is "Oh my goodness" So many friends, family, neighbors, and fellow artists came out for the big day.

We served red velvet cupcakes, brownies and pink champagne. The morning of the opening I was sure I wasn't ready, I had so much left to do and all the inventory hadn't arrived but it was perfect, incredibly-wonderfully perfect.

The weather was beautiful, there were bubbles floating outside the door, the air inside the store was sweet with the smell of frosting and flowers. Everyone tasted, toasted and I felt like I was inside someone Else's dream.

Two days ago Connie Govea Stuart popped in to play. She brought her canvas tote, her pretty place mat and all her bits and pieces. She sat at the big table and seemed to make magic happen. This woman is unbelievable, creativity just flows from her. Everything she makes has a sweetness...I was very happy to have her here.

Colleen Moody took a break from her studio and her adorable husband who is flat on his back healing from surgery to bring me a little pumpkin decorated with hydrangea, ribbon and glittery Beatles's. It was good to see her and we all wish her husband a speedy recovery.

Iva Wilcox arrived all smiles. This wonderful woman has motivated me to do things I just never thought I would or could.

Basha Kooler from Kooler designs was here bearing a great big pumpkin tied with tuille. She brought her beautiful daughter and the man she loves. She is so funny, genuine and kind. We are both talking about working on a project together, stay tuned.

I don't want to leave anyone out but this post could go on forever. Thank you wonderful friends for helping me open Tangerines doors with such love, laughter and good wishes.

Tangerine is opening October 18th!

Oh, Oh, Oh, can you believe it!

Yes the doors are finally opening. There is still plenty of work to do but I just can't wait any longer.

Tangerine is swinging it's little door wide open so come and play, have some pink champagne and cupcakes, shop, laugh, nibble, meet other artists.

It will be a casual, friends, family, artists coming in and out all day.

So put on something sparkly and Celebrate women, art, life...

7038 Village Parkway Dublin

Look for the paper lanterns.

Gabriell

Pulling it together

I went out today to the salvage yard in Berkeley to pick up some old doors, a mint green sink, two windows, and some rusty metal things. It seems this is the beginning of Tangerine. I know it sounds odd but I think it is going to be beautiful.

The space is industrial. I laid a faux wood floor and painted the walls but the rest of the space needs a little character. I could have gone over to Ikea and bought some new things but they just seemed so slick and plastic.

I want texture, color and curiosity. The trick is to not make it look like a yard sale or make it too shabby-chic cute.

The sink is an antique pedestal with original hardware. I am going to clean it up and display handmade soaps and bath salts in it.


The old doors will become tables. I love them they are all different sizes and colors and worn perfectly. Steve will have to build legs for them that I will paint a terrible blue. I will wash and seal them tomorrow.

I can not wait to see beautiful things arranged on these big solid tables. I love the idea of pretty glass and ceramic mixed with chipped paint and rusty hinges.

I have the most beautiful drawings that Stevie did several years ago that I am going to burn into a screen and print onto kids t-shirts, they are called "Pick Me" I know they will fly out of the store.

There are many artists that keep sending me work to look at, I wish I had the budget to buy it all, and there will be a time when I can.

So far we have hand blown glass earrings, the sweetest t-shirts, hand-made soap, vintage baby quilts, vinyl bracelets, toys, paper crowns, big jars of bubble gum, paper clay figurines, pins, buttons, cards and cupcakes.

I love this job, I can't wait to open!!!

G

Tangerine!

Oh my Goodness I am not sure what I am thinking but I am opening a new studio. I am going to keep Eleven Morning but it seems I have outgrown the space for teaching workshops and making my own art.

My new space will be blocks from home in a small industrial building that is a little funky but has much potential. The walls are already painted a creamy yellow and I am collecting all the fixtures an furniture we will need. I am calling it Tangerine.

I can walk or ride my bike, the space is sweet and I am excited (and terrified) to get moved in.

The Eleven Morning Website will include all the Tangerine information and I have a new blog for Tangerine news.

There will be more workshops, sweet treats, ephemera, unusual art supplies, and great art you can play with and purchase.

Someone pinch me quick!!!

Sisters

Oh my Goodness...

I swear the paint was still wet when I listed a couple of the new sisters on Etsy. The next day I sold five out of seven. I wanted to get them posted here but it all went so fast. I started a new group of girls (nine of them) and they just keep getting sweeter. They won't be ready for another week or two but I will let everyone here know before I put them up on Etsy.

Thank you all for being patient.

The Eleven Morning website is still up and running but it is getting a face-lift to be a little more shopper friendly and easier to navigate. Check back in a couple weeks hopefully it will be bigger and better.

August is fast approaching and I am so excited about Convenzione. It looks like the weather may just be perfect for the workshop we are having here at the studio. I was worried we would have to move it to Sawsan's Gallery on Village but fingers crossed we can play here were all the fun stuff is.

If you are curious about Convenzione 08 and 09 just go to zneart.com or znecon.com to get all the juicy details. Chel has been working her tail off to make this event spectacular. I think there are still more tickets for this years show.

Well my sweeties have a wonderful summer day, eat outside, play music in the kitchen and don't forget to stand outside under the stars...

G

Lavender

Oh the lavender is here and my studio smells like a little bit of heaven.


I planted a little lavender last year that turned into a lot of lavender this summer. I harvested some this morning before the bee's came for breakfast. I think I might make sweet-dream-pillows.

Many years ago I had one that I kept in my pillow case, it is made of soft fabric stuffed with dead sea salt and lavender. You keep it close to you while you sleep, the lavender is a conduit for peaceful sleep and the salt is suppose to neutralize any negative energy.

Don't be surprised if I put a few on Etsy.



I am working on six new dolls. The first four sisters were sold so quickly and the requests keep comin' I promise there will be more. The photo above is of a couple of the girls getting a shine and a tan out on my worktable. I may be in love with them already. One of them got a little drippy and she looks teary, that one I may have to keep, she is heartbreaking.

It is so hot here in Northern California, we are in the middle of another little heatwave. I am melting but my tomato's are happy, they have been waiting for some bright sunlight to help them get all red and sweet.

Stay cool friends and drink lots of lemonade, here is fun recipe:

Make Lemonade the way you like it (you gotta use real lemons!)
Add some sliced strawberries
Add some ice and sparkling water
Add some cucumber curls, yes cucumber.

You can make the curls by using a veggie peeler you use the skin and the pale green part of the cucumber but avoid the seeds. The longer this brew sits the better but it is ready to drink right away.

It might sound a little strange but it is so yummy and refreshing.

Happy Summer
G

The Fourth

Oh it was a good day. Water slide, bonfire, sack race, trampoline, BBQ, fireworks. Noah had so much fun and I loved watching him smile like that.

Danielle's Cake topper is finished I hope she likes it. I will have to re-shoot the photo's my camera died yesterday and I had to run out and buy a new one. I know nothing about digital camera's swore I would never own one. I still have my old Nikon SLR with a four year old roll of 35mm film in it!

I am a purist about art but I have to admit the digital camera sure makes my life easier. I bought a Cannon PowerShot A470. It is actually a better camera than my last one. Stevie bought it and she paid 500 buckeroos for it. This one cost me a 100 and it does what the other one did and when it dies I won't run around in circles like Rumpelstiltskin yelling obscenities.

Here are a few photos of the fourth and one of the last photos from the old camera of the cake topper.

Hope everyone had an amazing fourth.

Portrait of a Woman

I just found a new bisque supplier, and I am a very happy girl. My old supplier skipped town so no more giant bowls and platters for me. My new supplier is wonderful and I think Ann and I will both have a wonderful year.

I am gearing up for an ongoing workshop. I will teach it here and online. We will be working with big ceramic French platters. It will be a self portrait workshop for women of all ages, abilities and backgrounds.

The objective is pure self expression, who we are, who others think we are, how we see ourselves in truth, beauty, fear, longing, sorrow and love. We will be serving up intimate portraits of ourselves. I love the idea of using a traditional object.

If you are interested in being a part of the project please email me. It will be very exciting, there will be an online gallery of the completed project and a show at a local gallery of all the work.

At the moment I am collecting names. Let me know if you would like to meet for workshops at Eleven Morning or if you need to do a virtual workshop. I will have more details in a couple weeks. I plan to begin the project at the end of summer.

Oh I am back...

I just got back from the Reno trip. The drive was loooong, the sky was smokey and Reno just happened to be having unusually hot weather. Our space at this show was outdoors (a surprise) The sun was blazing and we were not prepared for the day. Chel was a trooper and stayed positive trying to make the best out of an intense situation, I wilted.

I was not as happy. The heat was way more than my body could handle and I like heat. My spirits crashed when my dolls began to crack, split and some looked liked spent firecrackers. The larger doll heads have a core that seems to expand when conditions are very, very hot.

I usually air dry my dolls, they sit in my studio window in full sun and have no problem. In Reno the dry desert heat, the intense sun beating down literally baked them. I packed up after spending an hour unpacking. I went back to the hotel, took a shower, a swim, ordered room service and Noah and I watched Horton Hears a who.

Chel did her very best to make it through the rest of the day but packed up at the end of it feeling really sun-sick.

There are a million details I am leaving out that seemed strange and tragic while they were happening but seem comical and memorable now.

I think I will need to have and exploded doll sale...

Home sweet home, time to start making some new dolls.

Tuesday!

The amazing Sarah and Gabriell bringing in the New year a few years ago...

It is Tuesday...I made a huge spaghetti dinner and I am blissed out on the carbs. Chel called today and it looks like we are on for the Tumbleweed Cotillion in Reno this weekend. It will be a long, long drive but it should be fun. Lavender Ridge sounds beautiful and who wouldn't want to be surrounded by lavender fields?

I am in the process of building a display for the show. Chel and I will be sharing and we have very different styles, not sure how it is all going to turn out but my fingers are crossed it will be pretty and appealing.

My big project when I come back will be working on Danielle's wedding cake topper. I am not a fan of custom orders, avoid them mostly all the time but this one I felt pulled to. I love her wedding colors and the idea of my figurines on a big white cake. I am sure she will love it, if not I will bake myself a big white cake.

Sawsan and Aura came by Eleven Morning to make earrings and make a big dinner. We had a great time. We didn't get much work done but we did the most important things like eat desert first then sit by candle light and eat a slow dinner. There is a new organic yogurt shop called Blush that just came to town, we tried all the flavors, had an ice-cream buffet.

I am curious to find out who signed up for the August workshops at Convenzione in Pleasanton this August. I love meeting new people and this workshop will be a lot of fun. I know Chel is working hard to make this an awesome experience.

The feedback, pre-orders and the generous donations (Thank you Colleen Moody from a Seasonal Mood for the big bucks) for Pink sky have been wonderful. The book is due to be shipped out on the twenty-fifth. I am not sure how long it takes 400 pounds of books to get here from Texas but as soon as they arrive I will be sending out the purchased copies and getting the donation packages ready. Thank you, Thank you!

The sisters I made were a hit and I have several requests. Please be patient they are being created as we speak. There will be a collection of nine. I will put them up on Etsy before the paint has a chance to dry!

Shout out to Sarah McMoyler of The McMoyler method. Congrats on the new book and DVD.

Sarah is one of my favorite people. She has been my friend, my family, my therapist, my angel. She is also a childbirth Guru. If you are planning to have a baby, know someone who is having a baby or are about to give birth you must buy her CD and or her new book, The Best Birth. It is good information for smart people. Her childbirth classes in San Fransisco sell out months in advance, it is the ultimate childbirth class and a wonderful experience.

New Dollies!

Good morning everyone,

It is so pretty outside my studio windows, the sun is up, it is warm already but there is a pleasant breeze coming through the canyons. I woke up with some new ideas that I can't wait to get started on. I think there is a new book in my head that wants to be on paper. This time I think I might watercolor...

Its' fathers day so Noah and I got up early to cook. Steve pretended he was asleep, it's a tradition to bring the paper and breakfast in bed. Noah made coffee while I sliced berries and peaches for the the crepe filling. We whisked batter and made gigantic crepes that we filled with sweet fruit and whipped cream. The kitchen was a mess, Noah and I did more sampling than cooking, and Steve loved his treat.

I spent all day yesterday finishing these four little sisters; Cakes, Button, Pickle and Noodle.

Pink Sky is a real book!

Yipee!

Pink Sky is now a real book! I just got the proof today. Iva was here but she missed the delivery by about a minute. The order is in and in two wonderful weeks we can release this sweet treasure!

I am going to open ordering up at pinkskyproject.com for those of you who would like to pre-order and have been waiting so patiently. Remember that proceeds from the book go back to The Pink Sky Project so that we can donate books to families.

This is so exciting.

I got not strings...

Good morning!

So much is going on here at Eleven Morning. The most exciting is that I finally have a confirmation that the Pink Sky proof is on it's way. I am so frustrated by this way-too-long-process but happy that I will finally get to see it! I really want the book to be ready for ZNE's Convenzione in August.

If the weather continues doing what it is doing the Turn, Turn, Turn workshop in August will take place at a gallery just two blocks from my house where there is glorious air conditioning. We will still make a little field trip to Eleven Morning so everyone can visit and have some lemonade.

I am playing with some new dolls that are based on some old sketches my daughter did several years ago. I created fabric dolls from these sketches at the time but now i am using paper clay. It has been so much fun.

I found an old box of pin dolls I made with the girls when they were little and felt inspired by
dollproject on Etsy to make some new ones. I think it would make a fun workshop.

Chelise and I are off to Reno to do the Tumbleweed Cotillion. How she roped me into that I will never know. I am not sure I am a fit for the show but it will be an exciting adventure. It should be a very beautiful venue they are having it at Lavender Ridge this year so it should smell heavenly.

Have a creative week, look through old sketch books, and at some older work you have stored away you might be surprised at how re-inspired you may become.