Another gorgeous weekend forecast!

We have been so fortunate this September with the beautiful Fall weather.  I will be headed out to The Greenway Open Market on Saturday 11-5 and SOWA on Sunday 10-4.  Come out and enjoy what's happening in Boston this weekend!!

Bumble Belly Designs at JP Open Studios

Fall Kicks Off this Weekend at Jamaica Plain Open Studios

Long time no blogging!  I'm back in the studio creating new things after a busy summer with family.  This weekend I will have new pieces to display at JP Open Studios Saturday and Sunday from 11-6.  My tent location will be at the Eliot School outside.  Here's a piece inspired by the season.  Hope to see you out enjoying art in the Fall.

The Heart Outside of Yourself

This mid winter I started to explore paper cutting and blogged about my first Valentines.  I have continued to make new paper cuts and this is the first that I have incorporated into an encaustic piece.

  

When I had my first child, someone said to me, "Now a piece of your heart will always be outside of yourself - out in the world".  That sentiment inspired this piece.

At first, it was just going to be a mother holding the strings tethered to her heart.  The attack on our city of Boston reminded me of how fragile those strings are.  The world is full of sharp objects but I won't change how I live my life.  I will protect and hold onto those strings making memories every day because tomorrow things could be different.

A fund has been established to help the victims of the bombing.

Graffiti Snowman

Here we are with another winter storm in the Northeast.  The world is white and the kids are home from school.  So what is a mom to do!?!

I was going to write a blog about my new website or my new Facebook page (I have been fairly productive in the past month) but I thought I might throw a fun idea out there for all the other mom's that are ready for spring and have had one too many snow days.

First you need to find spray bottles.  I had a few for various reasons laying around the house.  I filled them with cold water and food coloring (10-20 drops).  You can test the intensity of the color on a piece of paper towel before you head out.  Then sit back and watch the fun!

The girls got very creative and loved the color!! 

They decorated her dress and even put lipstick on her in the end!!

Now our winter white world has a dash of color.

Paper Cut Valentines

Here it is, the middle of February.  This is always the time of year to assess where I am but this year I have decided that it is not possible to know.  I am always moving and shifting, finding new things to try and why hinder myself by saying "Stay focused, Amy".  So I am embracing a new art form and I will see where it settles in amongst the other "things" that I do.

Over the past 2-3 years I have been drawn to the art of paper cutting.  There are some amazing things that I have seen but here is an example to wet your appetite.

Mind blowing right?  

Another artist that I am a huge fan of is Elsita Mora.  Her work is lovely and her blog is stunning.  I find I can get lost there but I always walk away with a smile and wonderment.

With that in mind, it was Valentines Day yesterday.  When I was a little girl, my God Mother Janie, would always make me a handmade Valentine.  It was a small gesture that made an impact on me.  I have always encouraged my children to do the same and this year I thought I would combine my desire to try paper cutting and my need to set an example by making my own homemade Valentines.  

I started on my Pinterest board with a project I pinned last year.  The first one was for my husband.

I was pretty happy with it and when my daughter came home from school I showed it to her.  She asked if she was getting one too!  So guess what I did on Valentine's Day.  

My son is turning 11 in April.  He has a passion for the outdoors and camping.  He told my husband a few weeks ago that someday he would just like to have a lot of land and a simple life.  His Valentine was the next one I tackled.  I made him his cabin in the woods.

He is growing up so fast, so I wrote "Wherever you roam, there will always be warm hearts waiting at home."

The last one was for my daughter.  She is 100% girl and is full of hugs and kisses.  She loves to share her art and ideas with me and we talked about possibilities for other Valentines when I showed her the first one for my husband.  Here is what I came up with.

I hope you all had a wonderful Valentines Day and were able to share it with the ones you love.

Holiday Happenings!

The 5th annual gallery show Plenty opens this Friday, 11/16, at 13 Forest Gallery in Arlington.  The opening reception is from 7-9.  Come check it out.  There will be something for everyone!  Here are some of my new pieces that will be available.

I will also be at the Wellesley Marketplace this Saturday, 11/17 from 9-4, loaded up with ornaments, prints, cards, tea towels, pillows and original encaustics.  Come by and find some truly unique gifts for the holidays!

New Tea Towels Designs

Available this weekend at SOWA.  New tea towel designs on white linen towels for the guest bath or kitchen.  The beach umbrella is available in blue and red.  The underwater 2 color towels are printed with fun summery colors.  Have a wonderful weekend!