Vác Gates & Doors - The "Portrait" Collection

Vác Gates & Doors - The "Portrait" Collection
Originally uploaded by Istvan

Today, I feel like I am searching for the strength to open a door. I read a recent blog post from Melody Ross, where she spoke of opening a door......any door......just open it. It could be to try something new or venture into the unknown. Sounds easy, but is sooooooo difficult. Here is a quote from the post I read-

Just want to encourage you to explore the doors in your life. It is scary....I know. I am not sure what is scarier between opening new doors and closing old ones....all I know is that BOTH of these scary things are far better than doing nothing. Opening doors leads us to our new, beautiful life.........closing old doors allows us to let go of all that's holding us back........why are we so afraid???? Start with just exploring the doors that are there...then I hope you will promise yourself to open a few....and close a few.....as soon as possible.

http://melodyross.typepad.com/

New PRINTS on the way~~~~~

Coming soon to my ETSY shop

Ready for the BIRDS???

Available in my ETSY store- Click here

Monday Morning Update

I just posted four new Halloween items in my ETSY store. Click here to see them. These were done on 6x12 wood with .5 inch sides. They have hangers on the back and will be so cute to add with your fall decor.

I just opened an ARTfire store, not sure how that will go. As soon as I get settled I will have a sale there. I'm not sure if I will like it there or not. I imported all of my etsy items so right now some of my originals are listed twice and I need to fix that. The Artfire store is in the same name Andrea T Designs.

I am also working on adding prints of the 6x12 pieces. Hopefully I will work that out, for now the four originals I have listed will be it on Halloween girls, until I add them in print. I have a summer cold that is slowing me down:(......next up is Christmas.

New for fall

I'm staying in out of the heat, so I thought I would give you a heads up on fall items. I am working on four pieces that will be listed this weekend. I have three witches and a black cat! Here is a quick peek. I took this photo with an iphone app. I thought it gives my cat a little grungy feel.

Check back....avoid the heat....stay inside and shop! I am :0)

Yellow Bird.....

in a garden of prayers. I have been working on this all week. I covered a 9x12 wood canvas in vintage book pages, and that is how is stayed for days. I went back in and started painting. I created three different angels all of which did not work. Feeling the frustration, I started to stamp with my vintage print making stamps. I really wanted to use some grunge board letters so I added the word faith. I felt the need for flowers....and as always butterflies :) Last but not least, I added a yellow bird.....which always adds a bit of happiness.

Check out my ETSY favorites down below, and if you would like to, please grab a button to the right to decorate your blog. I created a fall themed button, it is the first time I have ever made one of these....so let me know if it doesn't work :) I have added a few buttons in the right column of my favorite blogs I like to visit....you may enjoy them too :)

A friend is a GIFT

My weekend was full, but I managed to get a new painting done. This one feels like fall to me. I created it on a larger 9x12 birch panel. It has the wide sides that I left in it's natural wood state. These are heavy, so the shipping has to increase. Keep in mind if you are local I will be happy to let you pick up here at my home. I LOVE these panels, so I will do more in the coming weeks on this type of surface.

This little girl is wearing her raspberry beret and carrying her kitty. Text on her dress reads- "a friend is a gift you give to yourself" I am hoping to get prints of this made for animal rescue donation. I will keep you posted when I have them ready. Click here to see more shots of the original, which is listed in my etsy store. Be sure to check out my ETSY favorites- located in the column on the right......just down a bit. I found several other raspberry berets :)

Midnight Garden

In case you didn't know, I am a Twilight fan :) I'm not really a "Twi-hard" fan because I have not seen the latest movie. I have read the books and I love the story. I'm a team Jacob gal.......not really into the cold vampire types, although I do like the sparkly look and the deep crimson eyes.

This week, feeling the allure of the dark, I created "Midnight Garden"- my Bella inspired beauty is waiting by the gate in the garden for her love. Her raven hair sparkles in the moonlight as she gazes toward the sky. The deep crimson colored eyes are a sure sign that she has already been bitten.

Monday Morning Update-

Last week I needed some inspiration, it was too hot to go out, so I pulled out my scrapbooks. I love to scrapbook, and in all honesty my art really started from there. I did take art in high school and a tiny bit in college, but after that I spent years art free. I 'm sure many of you can relate to the feeling you get when you without creating. It's like a little itch that just gets stronger. I tried tole painting, but it wasn't my style. I then went to jewelry, which I love to create, but again I still had a itch to get out the paper and paint. Scrapbooking really helped fill the void. The smell of fresh new paper is one of my favorite scents. I know it sounds weird, but I'm willing to bet a few of you love the smell of new paper at the scrapbook store :) Where did this post start??? oh yes....my scrapbook inspiration. Looking back at our vacation last year, I fondly remember one of my all time favorite hotels, the Casa Monica in St. Augustine FL. We stayed there last year and it was beautiful. I loved everything about it, the architecture, colors, sounds and sweet smells. It feels so Spanish, or at least that is how I feel when we are there. Drawing from that inspiration I built my own little casa. It looks nothing like the hotel. It looks nothing like a normal house. I wanted to add my favorite birds, so it is a Spanish bird house. Named "Pajarera" I hope I translated right, I googled :) please feel free to correct me. I just thought a title like birdhouse was too plain, and really didn't speak of my inspiration.

This is a huge piece, created on 18x18 birch wood box/panel. It has 1.5 inch sides that I have left in its beautiful natural wood state. The birds are created from vintage travel guides. The house numbers were stamped with these great vintage print making stamps. Click here to see more shots on my ETSY listing.

Don't forget your friends-

mini prints available in my ETSY shop
Contact me for pricing on the original- 12x24 wood collage

Exciting News for the stampers!

For all the stampers out there, I wanted to tell you some exciting news! One of the talented designers over at the THE PIXIE COTTAGE was recently published in a Norwegian stamping publication called Ett trykk. She created a card using one of my SouthEnd Girl Stamps click here

My rubber stamps are only available at Michelles Scrapbooking and More , she has a great website full of all the supplies you need for creating fantastic cards and scrapbook pages. Be sure to check out the The Pixie Cottage Blog, there are weekly challenges and prizes and always new stamps!

Today's news!

I wanted everyone to go visit Mariapalito, she interviewed me for her fabulous blog- Click Here to read my interview. Thank you Maria!

Maria has a terrific ETSY store featuring cards, jewelry, felt toys and even graphic design. Visit MariaPalito on ETSY.

still a ~HEATwAVE~ ....

We need a "Summer Breeze"...... and that is exactly what I was thinking when I finished my latest collage. Done in cool blue and warm yellows. I love the bunting flags in the background, they remind me of a summer fair. This is a large piece and will wait for a home at a local gallery. In the meantime, I will order prints and have them available in my ETSY store soon. If you are interested in the original contact me for details.

~~~Heat wave~~~~

It is a sooo hot here! I'm trying to stay indoors, but I need to venture out this morning for supplies. I listed a new little witch, she was started last season and finished this week. She may be a vampire, she seems to love bats :)

She is an original, and would be cute decor for fall. Click here to visit her at ETSY.

Maybe if I think fall, it will feel fall???????

Monday morning update!

I hope everyone had a safe and fun fourth! Friday night we went to my featured artist opening night at Creative Hands- We had a great time talking to everyone. I sold a painting!!! Yeah! that is always a plus!

Saturday we drove into Louisville to visit with my family and have a party. I have three and half sisters (that means you Karen :) and eight nieces, I have a few nephews but the girls really rule at these parties.The theme of my painting last week was "intertwine". Women seem to live with an intertwined life. We all have a bond and a common thread that keep us together. That was really the thought when starting this collage. The girls in the painting represent four different women, no one I know personally, but more of a representation of women and their bonds in general. I created another slide show with a few family photos, I couldn't include all the girls but there are a few of the many girls I am intertwined with.

Happy Fourth from Independence KY!

We are gearing up for a busy weekend! Tonight is the shop Bellevue art party! I will be there to see my art on display. I am the feature artist of the month so if you live in the area stop by and say hi! We will be at Creative Hands Artisan Studio in Bellevue KY. They are now located in the FUSION Gallery. The weather is beautiful it will be a great night to walk around and enjoy the evening in Bellevue. While you are there please make a donation to help the family of Pfc. Russell Madden whose life was taken last Wednesday in Afghanistan. It is the strength of our soldiers and their families that allow us to celebrate our freedom this weekend.

Yesterday I listed 6 new card prints in my ETSY store, and I re- listed my mini art card sets. I found more clear boxes, but only a few :)

I also finished a new painting, I may make another video with this one, I just need to collect a few more pictures. Have a safe and fun weekend, I will be back for a Monday morning update!