Am I Having Fun Yet? YES!

I am always pretty miserable in the late months of winter. The holiday season drains me and there is a void in the quiet afterward. I always feel I should push myself - "Keep making things, Amy. Don't stop." There is a kind of guilt there too, that I should beef up my Etsy shop, organize, do taxes... Really, being in business there is always something to do. I did organize a bit and my tax stuff is much more together than last year, so taking a deep breathe, I tried to let it go.

I did my "Mommy duties" - the house looked pretty good! The laundry was done and in the drawers! We actually had people over for dinner and I could use my dining room! While doing the "chores", I found my mind wandering to new ideas, things I had always wanted to try. Eventually I was dropping the laundry, half folded, and running to google something to find out techniques and where to find supplies.

Printing is where I landed. I have always loved woodcuts and block printing and I wanted to see if I could incorporate it into my work.

Here are some blocks that I cut.



And here are some bags in process,



and some finished ones.







I also intend to incorporate these prints into my encaustic mixed media. Here is one piece that is in process.



It has been so rewarding and I look forward to what may develop in the future. One thing is for sure, dinner parties may need to be out on the porch. Good thing the weather is getting better!

My dining room:

Long House

Last fall, on a trip to see friends, we took an afternoon to go walk the gardens at Long House in East Hampton, NY. It was a typical cloudy fall day but it took nothing away from the beauty of these gardens.



Long House is the residence of Jack Lenor Larsen, an internationally famous textile designer and founder of Larsen the Company, part of Cowtan & Tout since 1998. It sits on 16 acres of gardens that serve as a backdrop to stunning contemporary art and sculpture.

"The mission of LongHouse Reserve is to exemplify living with art in all forms."















I highly recommend a trip if you are ever in the area and I hope to return to see how it changes through the seasons. Oh, and next time I'll be sure to have more than just my iphone for pictures!