sick

just a quick post to say i have been sick in bed for the last 48 hours.....with only 1 weekend left before christmas not the best timing. today i feel a little bit like my old self. hopefully later i can get a few things done. my husband has been a real trooper this weekend helping out around the house and taxing the kids around - not to mention taking care of me.

this original is entitled "shakifo". my youngest son went through a phase where he named everything that (?!) who knows why. in honor of how sweet he has been to me while i've been sick - i have named her shakifo for him.

hope you are all staying healthy and enjoying the holiday spirit! ox, mary ann

Starry, Starry Weekend

this weekend my hometown has a huge shopping event featuring local artists with lots of fun events for kids and adults. i have been very busy getting ready for it as my work is being featured in 3 shops! this is one of my new originals that will be available in prints and cards. i mentioned before that i have been working on a new series with houses and am loving how whimsical they are- but have to keep most of them under wraps for a little while longer. more on that soon! hope you enjoying the season. ox, mary ann

Busy, Busy, Busy

wow....can you believe its december 1st already? i have been trying to work non-stop to gear up for this busy time of year...but keep getting sidetracked following blog, after blog after blog. i am here to admit that i have become addicted to my new morning ritual. i wake up, get my coffee and log onto my home page, now cresendoh. i then find myself, hours later with a list a mile long of new ideas and tutorials i have printed out to try. the tutorials out there are amazing. last night (when i should have been doing computer work and new listings) i made an awesome anthropology inspired necklace that i found on a tutorial (i need to check my history pages before i post a picture of it - because i want to give credit but can't remember where i found it! more soon).

i wanted to post a sneak preview of some new sets i have been working on and will get up in the etsy shop soon. i am loving these houses and the bright colors - can you tell i am fighting winter weather?

oops - forgot to mention the new header!!! it took me hours to figure out how to do it. this is a picture of julie and me that we photoshopped together and then i played around with it to add the santa hats! we use this picture (with out the hats of course) with some of our marketing material. thought i'd share it with all of you! remember to take a minute each day to be still and be in the moment. this time of year we all get so caught up in all that we have to do and all that is going on that we don't enjoy being in the moment. so i challenge you to take time each day and be present.... ox, mary ann

Time

wow. where did the time go? so much has been going on and obviously not blogging. i am sorry that i have disappeared for 2 months. life has been so busy and things that i love have fallen by the wayside. i have been trying to do too much and none of it well. i started this blog because i desperately wanted to become a part of the community i was reading about and wanted to do something i didn't think i could do. write. i wanted to be a part of something that i wasn't part of, but desperately wanted in on. you know when you were a kid and all the cool kids were playing together and you watched from the sidelines and wanted so much to join in with them, but were too afraid of being laughed at and not included. of really putting yourself out there and no one cared? no one paid attention? i decided that this year, i would take a risk and would create a blog. i struggle with finding the right words to express my feelings, with saying what is truly in my heart, because i can't grasp the word to explain it. i finally decided to just begin. i have been reading blogs of women that have made the most amazing friendships. they understand each other. they accept each other. they inspire each other. they encourage each other. i want and need that so much as i navigate where i am and where i want to be as i embrace the life i have always wanted and didn't think i deserved or was entitled to because i wasn't good enough.

well, needless to say as life got crazy the first thing to go was the blog. it's something i'm not comfortable with and struggle with.

i have come to realize that i miss it. i miss the feeling that maybe someone out there might just read it and associate with it. i have renewed my vow to blog. even if no one reads, i know i am taking that step in putting myself out there and maybe, just maybe, someone can relate and maybe, just maybe, i'll create my own community, my own friends, and we can build each other up and inspire one another to be brave, and put ourselves out there just like the women i admire and aspire to be like.

thanks for listening.

ox, mary ann

First Show

hi. just got back from a family vacation in ohio visiting relatives. so much fun. enjoyed the rock'n roll hall of fame and went to see john mayer in concert. he was fantastic and made a remarkable "rock'n roll promise" to the cleveland fans for his last show in miami in september. can't wait to see what happens there! if you were at the concert you know what i'm talking about.....

big news. my first CAbi show is tomorrow night. i am really excited and nervous. i'll be sure to let you know how it goes....

i have so many ideas for art and jewelry that i feel like i am going to explode! the kids go back to school in 2 weeks, so i have made the decision to enjoy every second with them and will get back to my after they start school. time is going way to fast to not enjoy them every second i can. so stay tuned on the art front. hopefully i'll have some great photo's of work beginning of september.

on a proud mom note - my son who is going to be freshman is in the process of trying out for the jv soccer team. today he was asked to participate this saturday with the VARSITY team in a jamboree! how cool is that. he was 1 of 2 freshman invited. So proud and happy for him.

hope you are all enjoying these last few weeks of summer....

ox, mary ann

Where has the time gone?

hi! i can't believe it's been over a month since my last post. so much has been going on and i have so much to share. first, this has been the most amazing summer here in new england. the weather has been incredible. i can't remember a better summer weather wise. i have been spending as much time as i can home with my family enjoying the pool and togetherness.

i haven't picked up a paintbrush in a month. i have been reading, reflecting and just enjoying the stillness. my head and heart have needed a break. a time to figure things out. this break has been good. i am feeling energized and have many new ideas swarming in my head. hopefully i'll have some new work to share with you soon.

and now i can share the second amazing thing. i have started a new venture. i am going to be selling CAbi. ever heard of it? it stands for Carol Anderson by Invitation. Carol is a clothing designer from california and makes the most amazing clothes. i have had trunk shows for over 8 years and decided this spring/summer that the timing worked for me to embark on this journey. i went to california to attend a fashion show, meet over 2,000 other amazing women who do this and it was pure joy. i felt in every part of my being that this was something i was meant to do. if you want to check out the clothes and company go here. my plan is that i will be able to do this at night, as the only way to purchase the clothes are to have home shows. i actually get paid to spend time with women, trying on clothes and drinking wine. i get to be out at night meeting women and be able to work on my art all day. i'll keep you posted on how this all works out. i can't wait.

i have so much to do to get ready with my new business- but will write more soon. hope everyone is enjoying their summer.

ox, mary ann

beads anyone?

while i was attempting to clean up my studio, i started playing with my beads. i started my art journey with stringing beads and making funky jewelry. i have gotten away from that as the market around me became more and more saturated. i ended up just making jewelry for myself. anyway, after deciding to spend some time organizing my studio - i ended up making jewelry.

the bracelet below is made with jangle beads. these are my absolute favorite beads to use. what do you think?

i am thinking that i might spend some more time making some pieces and listing them in my bead esty shop. not much in stock now but feel free to take a look here. hopefully i can get these and a few more listed before i take off for the weekend.

hope you are all doing well.

ox, mary ann

End of School is Almost Here!!!!

Hi. sorry i have been MIA lately. above is one of the reasons and below is the other.

My youngest son (in blue holding the trophy) is involved in spring soccer (which just ended) and baseball (his last game was tonight) and my oldest son (with the baseball bat) finished his jv season and is now in a babe ruth league. oh, and did i mention they both are playing summer basketball???? needless to say all of my free time has been spent at some sort of field our gym recently. with school ending tomorrow i hope to get back at it on a more regular basis. in no way am i complaining. i will have a freshman next year and its starting to hit me that i only have 4 years left with him at home. i have the rest of my life for art - so for now, they definitely come first. as they always will.

i am figuring out how to balance the need in me to create art on a daily basis with the love and desire i have of not wanting to miss a second of my kids activities.....i am beginning to understand that its all a balancing act and we just have to do the best we can.......

i have a promise out there to get one of my heart pendants posted and i will fulfill that promise asap!!! bear with me as i get through the last day of school. yippee!

ox, mary ann

follow-through

WOW. i am really proud of myself. tonight i figured out how to add my etsy site and i was able to add a button for kelly rae's flying lessons. there is hope for me yet. this just goes to show that nothing is impossible. so go out there and do something you didn't think you could do - i just did.

now i am ready for a glass of wine and going to dive into my new lucky magazine. have a great night.

ox, mary ann

Hearts, Hearts and more Hearts.....

i have been making hearts like crazy! i can't seem to stop.....

i am also really into earthy colors right now....not my usual "pop" of bright colors.......

i think it is all the inspiration i am getting on my e-course.........

and this is how i can best express my thoughts right now......

on another note, as i mentioned in a previous post, i have been researching to update and learn to work with my blog and have added a pretty cool background! ironically, this week on my e-course it's all about blogs.....hopefully this will help me. i really want to learn how to add my etsy shop info, my flickr info and other blogs that inspire me and that i just plain love. stay tuned.....

ox, mary ann

girls.....

Beth

i am often asked "who is that?" when i wear one of my paintings that has been turned into a pendant. i usually answer she (in this case Beth) is a girl i painted, scanned and then soldered into this pendant. then i get, but who is she? i have been thinking about this and i guess the simple answer is she is me. she is a part of me. an expression of an emotion i was feeling or longing for at the time i created her. i realized recently that i don't pick my jewelry in the morning to match what i am wearing, but more for what i am feeling or want to project that day. i mostly wear my own jewelry. i have most of my paintings (at least my favorites) all turned into pendants and funky necklaces. they all empower me in some way. for me, Beth reminds me of my mother and represents traits i hope have been passed on to me. i wear her when i need a little extra confidence and grace. traits my mother has.

hope you had a great weekend.

ox, mary ann

Quick Update

Hi there! it has been a while since I last posted. i have been so busy with kids, work and well, life. in the down times (usually while I am driving the kids to their next sporting event or racing to get to that event) i have been doing some soul searching about where i am right now and where i want to be and how to get there...... i have been taking kelly rae roberts e-course (amazing!) and while i am not quite ready to share my goals and dreams with you all yet, mostly because i am still fine-tuning them! i am ready to admit to all of you that i need to spend more time learning the layout of this blog - land. i have to admit: i really have no idea what i am doing.

i need to figure out how to add my etsy page, links, flicker info and i can't even figure out how to add kelly rae's e-course info which she has on her blog right here. i seriously need to get this together. i have not a clue on how to format my blog either. so, my goal is to try and figure some of this stuff out before the end of the month. meanwhile, bear with me, and please, if you have any insight you can share - please help!

i was able to spend a few hours in the studio this week and i've attached the results. new ideas that have been lurking in the back of my mind.....finally able to get them out.

i had painted some hearts for valentines day and listed them in my etsy site here and someone contacted me about making her wedding favors....while she ended up going a different route - my mind started working on ideas......and so far, this is what i've come up with. what do you think? hopefully i'll have some posted in the etsy shop soon.......

ox, mary ann

Poppy's are in the Air

happy sunday. is it just me or do the weekends fly by......I can't believe we are already back to monday. yuk. anyway, I have been making poppy paintings and have been loving the colors and textures of them. must be the spring air and finally being able to get outside. i have posted a couple of them here and you can find some on my etsy site here. in other news the countdown to the end of school has taken over our house - the kids are so ready to get out, unfortunately, they still have over a month to go.

hope you have a great week!

ox, mary ann

Mother's Day

Happy Mothers Day to all!

I had a wonderful day with my boys... They took me to my favorite restaurant in Vermont (Simon Pearce) where my husband has taken me every year since we found out I was pregnant with my first son (15 years ago, but who's counting!!). I still love it and can't believe how fast time has gone by. I spent a lot of time today just enjoying them... and our life. I feel truly blessed. Hope you all had a great day.

More art soon!

Niceness

Have you ever had a day where you wondered "why can't people just be nice?". I started my day on the phone calling our insurance company to tell them that the check was mailed out today and please don't cancel our insurance. The woman on the phone was SO NICE. After a very pleasant phone conversation where she assured me that she would make a note in the file and not to worry. . From there, it all went downhill. By the end of the day I was practically in tears. I had many more phone conversations during the day from my "real job" and not one of them was nice. I couldn't wait to get home to paint. I had to express my feelings with paint or I was going to have a real pitty party. Painting takes me to my happy place. I felt much better after painting these two pictures and wanted to show them to you.

I realized, I want to live in a world where people are nice....

So Happy!

First, I have posted some new pictures. The 2 I have posted were sold in less than twenty-four hours to a friend - so they will not even make it to my etsy site. Love that.

Second, I am so happy! Yesterday, my idol and the main reason I am where I am today, Kelly Rae Roberts announced her on-line course is open for registration!!! I can't begin to say how excited I am to finally get the chance to learn directly from her and have the opportunity to interact with her. She is truly an amazing person. And the biggest heart. All these thoughts about her and I have never met her in person. If you get a chance, head on over to her site to read all about this course at kellyraeroberts.com

ox, mary ann

Spring is in the Air

Today was one of those perfect days.....the sun was shining, flowers are blooming, it was a perfect 70 degree day and you just live to be outside. Today we took the kids to Newburyport, Massachusetts and it was spectacular. There were lots of people out and about, but not the summer crowds. There are so many cute shops and galleries, I can't wait to go back when I can linger. .....

I'm posting a few paintings to see what you think. I keep plugging away hoping people out there like what I am doing.

ox, mary ann

In an Instant

Sorry I've been out of the loop this week. Something unexpected happened. My oldest son who is in 8th grade made the JV baseball team this year. In his first game pitching, he had an incredible game (I know I'm his mom, but seriously, he did.) He allowed 2 hits and had 11 strikeouts! He is in 8th grade and was playing against 10th graders!!! Anyway, we were thrilled for him. After dinner, he was outside for a while and came in....instantly I could tell something was wrong. He said he fell skateboarding, but was okay. His wrist hurt. We put a bag of frozen veggies on it and after 15 minutes, he was really in pain. 3 Hours later we left the ER in a splint and an Xray showing the break......so, poor kid had such a great start to the season and in a split second it was over. I have spent most of the week thinking about how fragile life is. How quickly your path can change courses when you least expect it. So many people are suffering the loss of a loved one, a job, a house........ We are fortunate that he will heal and be able to play next season.

Needless to say, not much else has been accomplished this week on the art front.

ox, mary ann

First Paintings

Here are some of my earlier paintings for you all to see. i had been making jewelry for about 6 years and while i love making jewelry, i have to admit i was getting bored and was looking for another creative outlet. once i started painting it was like a damn had burst and i couldn't stop. it's been over a year and i am finally at a place where i have a little more confidence and am ready to share what i have been doing. what do you think?

ox, mary ann

OOOps....you can tell I am new to this.....I forgot to post a picture of one of my Make Your Own Magic necklaces for you all to see.....

Here is one:

Make Your Own Magic Necklaces!!!

Just wanted to let the blogging world know that I just posted custom "Make Your Own Magic" necklaces in the Etsy Shop, which you can get to by visiting www.dahliasbydesign.etsy.com

I am so excited to offer these and can't wait to see what art people put together. You can choose any 2 pieces or our artwork for the front and back and we will coordinate a mix of beads, including vintage beads, semi-precious stone, pearls and Czech glass......I have made over a dozen for myself and always get comments because they are so unique!!!

Would love to hear what people think.......

ox, mary ann

The Plunge

Greetings! I am so excited to finally be a part of this community. I have finally mustered up the courage to just begin. I have wanted to join for so long but have been scared to start.

I live in New Hampshire with my husband, two sons, two cats and 1 dog. By day I work with my husband at his law practice - and by night I create. I started a jewelry making business over 5 years ago and started a business with a friend 3 years ago (more on that later) called Dahlias by Design. You can find us on etsy at: www.dahliasbydesign.etsy.com. I spend most of my days figuring out how to turn my passion of creating into a full time gig..........

For now, bear with me as I learn how to post, insert pictures and learn html......

Here is a picture of one of my most recent paintings. Let me know what you think!

ox,

Mary Ann