Krampus!!

I adore folklore, I mean ADORE and it is something I often go back to for nighttime reading when I am in between other books.

The stories inspire me and make me dream.

When I was visiting Europe the first time on my own, I encountered St Nicolas

....I was in Holland and there was a parade and I had no idea who this person was

and why there was a parade.

I slowly uncovered the story and then lore and began thinking about this holiday.

Then years later while wandering in and out of shops in Prague, I came across a little corn husk doll that had horns and ropes...when I asked the shopkeeper who this was she grimaced and said, it was the devil.

This sold the doll; I use to have corn husk dolls when I was little so I had an immediate sense of nostalgia. I figured she meant it was a winter spirit or something, it was winter time and all the shops had winter things on display...

We pulled out our little doll when it was Dia de los Muertos and thought nothing of it and then I found a little article....

All the parts suddenly fell together and I discovered who this little doll was...and it was AMAZING

Now every year we pull out the doll at the beginning of the month and remember to be good kids, because we don't want the KRAMPUS to take us away.

Here is this years parade in Austria...we have added this to our list of festivals to see

Workshop mode

Living gifts

these were a great success at the holiday boutique

I made them from my personal collection of succulents

I am currently making all sorts of things that have had to wait.

The holidays are also a great time for me to play with new ideas

I am thinking of looking at fabric next....

Big Girl

The piece that made the show card:
"The warm wind filled the air with dry earth"

I dropped off three new pieces of work to a big time gallery. I awoke early, anxious and excited....but mostly anxious.

I had a short but real questioning with myself about the quality and value of my work...it was a short speech.

I drove into Santa Barbara and delivered my work to a white walled gallery, and chatted with the super nice  lady who changed the spelling of my name and took my work into the back, behind the scenes. I could hear her walk away and feel a bubbling sense of pride with every one of her steps.

I had hoped to get some work into this gallery, I had said a little word....and here I am 1 year later.

WOW

I am still in shock, but have many distractions before Thursday so I think that floating feeling will last for a little while longer.

To ground myself even further, I spent the afternoon making terriaums for the two holiday boutiqes I have coming up this week. Living gifts...life in a cubicle.

Busy like a Bee

image from: Riverwalk Jazz

In the next week and a half I am so busy my head is spinning like a plate at the top of a tall pole!

I have two art openings, two holiday boutiques, an ISO audit, open house at the community garden, Hanukkah starts and a photo shoot.

I made a HUGE pot of soup for dinner and sat in front of the TV tonight watching The Wizard of Oz.

I own the movie as well, but can never help myself when it is on TV, I am compelled to watch.

My most favorite part is at the very beginning when the house falls from the twister and all the sound and chaos stops and there is the amazing quiet....

then Dorothy walks thru the silent house and she opens the back door to technicolor Oz.

I feel a little like Dorothy right now, caught up in the chaos and wild winds.

New Year New Journeys....

It feels like I have been catapulted into this new year!

December was full of opportunities and chances and changes, it seems I was doing or exhibiting something all month long. So when Christmas finally came I was exhausted! The week between Christmas and New Years I literally fell down and slept for days. ( more accurately, I slid down a flight of our stairs and landed on my back and butt ) I took this as a sign to sit the hell down and think. So I did.

I reflected on all the great stuff I got to do that month, here is a photo reminder of it:

June of The June Bug Natural Baby Boutique,

Official Assistant buyer for the store.

As a thank you I made her a fairy skirt.

My perfect niece, modeling her new photo.

I was able to sell some of my pictures at my husbands office holiday boutique.

My scrabble tile necklaces became a hot gift!

My brother, father and myself and hubby were able to get a better car for mom.

To celebrate my new membership, we went and saw the LAPS 20th annual show in Hollywood

Donated work to the VITA art center for youth programs

Got my first hangover

Saw my brothers shop get their ISO certification!!

Celebrated a sucessful gallery meal with the artists at SeaBreeze Studios

The garden started giving winter food

Celebrated the Channukah, Solstice and Christmas

Finally got our holiday card out!

and this was all in just a month

January is well on its way to being just as busy and wonderful!!