The Last Word of the Year

It's been a beautiful, terrifying, brilliant, sad, wildly fun, deeply moving, artful year in retrospect. The past nine years was by far the best of my life and I have so much to be thankful for. However, the past week has been difficult. Right up to the 23rd of December things were

going ahead of schedule. The first amarylis bloomed! All gifts made

a little typewriter for Matt

and wrapped, gingerbread house decked out

thank you Chloe and Mary

cookies made and packaged and delivered, cards written and sent, decorations up

the sweet angel Chloe made at age 4

and sparkly,

Chloe and Nicole fashioned a mum wigged friendly snowperson!

snowman made, time well spent with family and friends, even some naps ... and then -- my mom got really sick - hospital sick. So we packed up a little Christmas and spent it in the hospital. Lots of tests later and loads of worry, she came home on Saturday. Then I fell apart and got sick. Then daughter Chloe. So now, we are hoping for a healthy 2010, the fabulous new decade filled with everything wonderful for you and yours and ours.

My word for the New Year is - promise - as in: there is so much promise all around us waiting to bloom. Just let it happen!

p.s. I think that we might have to start the New Year right with a little batch of this yummy looking goodness!

Merry Christmas!

a little world i made for a special friend with daughter grace today - so much fun - idea from design*sponge DIY coloumn

Oh the year winds down and the winds blow cold. The snow blankets the ground with a frosty crunch. Time marches on through the final days of 2009. It's been the best decade of my life. Thank you all for being a part of the last half here at my little blog! Wishing you the kindest and love filled last days with those who mean most to you. Taking a little blog break until the New Year breaks through! Be back with some new art, some new interviews and much fun.

Christmas creeps towards us!

Does it seem that so often the days swiftly fly by and we don't get to savor their full enjoyment - but this time of year more so? I try and "drag my feet to slow the circles down" in December. Try and not only check things off my list, but actually stop and listen to the snow fall, or cuddle a little longer with the loved ones. And try and keep everyone healthy through the hustle and bustle... only to come down with a quick flash of the flu at week's end! Feeling fine now - and back on track. It's a wonderful life!

Incredible Print Show :: more affordable, shippable works!

brenda rose

linda plaisted

heather smith jones
Go and check out these and other ready to ship affordable prints!

Peace, Love, Joy and Art!

This past weekend we took a page from Amanda Woodward's book and made our clients some granola. Oh the yumminess of it all. We started out with a little snow flying outside, mixing ingredients, sipping tea, stirring the liquid gold, popping the cranberries and nuts in the pan -- and then it really started to sleet. Messy horrible ice pellets. I took one peek outside and told MJ I had to buzz home. I don't mind snow driving but the ice storms? You can have them. So with granola in the oven, I said my farewells to Mary Jo and left it in her hands. It came out splendidly - save for one pan, and well, after the gocco session on the bags, we tied them up with ribbons and tags and have been delivering the said joy packages of granola-y goodness to all. Shipping some of course too! What have you been baking these days?

Mouse :: a fine little blog

photo by Sue of Mouse
This year's ornament swap was again fun to make for and to give. It's always great to know that the recipient of my work actually likes the ornament! It's a huge bonus to find a beautiful blog attached to the thank you note. Mouse is such a place. Go visit her blog and drink in the beauty of her stitchery and be sad as I am that you missed her sale in her shop! Thank you Sue for your kind words! A little later I will show you what Mary-Jo and I were up to during the sleeting snowstorm this Sunday.

Christine Tillman :: wooden bows

Hello Monday! Last night Ashley G. twittered this link and I almost fell off my chair! So pretty is this birch bow, natural wood and curves all at the same time. Truly the wrapping is better than when it IS the present! Find it here at Christine Tillman's etsy shop. She is quite an artist too - her site is wonderful and diverse. Go have a gander right here.

Megan Bogonovich and Petalstal

Megan and Petalstal, originally uploaded by artstreamstudios.

A little snapshot of Megan and one of her newest pieces - Petalstal. It's smaller than her other works and will be in the shop this weekend.

Enjoy your Saturday!

The Incredible Print Show 2

sara jensen

shuxin liang

megan bogonovich

angela gwinner

The Incredible Print Show 2 is launched with fabulous affordable art to give or to keep! Check out the whole beautiful show right here!

Daughter Chloe's first sewing project

daughter chloe's first sewing project, originally uploaded by artstreamstudios.

I promise I will get back to art - but for me, I think this is just amazingly well put together designed beautifully and almost perfect with the little orange flower she made from her own drawing.
ok, parental gush time is over... but isn't it something?
She gave it to her sister for her birthday yesterday and drew a gasp when opened!

The Incredible Print Show 2

Come by and view the show online, stop in or call to buy these beautiful pieces!

Abigail Halpin
Angela Gwinner
Brenda Rose
Camilla Stacey
Gail Stoughton
Heather Smith Jones
Jaime Derringer
Jenni Freidman
Jennifer Judd-McGee
Judith Heller Cassell
K.Thor Jensen
Laura Berger
Lillianna Pereira
Linda Plaisted
Lisa DeJohn
Lisa Kirkpatrick
Mandy Horne
Nate Krasner
Rachel Saldana
Sara Jensen
Scott Patt
Shuxin Liang
Studio G
Sub-Studio
Susann Foster Brown
Susan Schwake

birthday girl

birthday girl, originally uploaded by artstreamstudios.

My baby turns 21 today! How can that be? Heading over to visit her with a Queen of Sheba cake (per Julia) and we will have a girl's lunch. Time flies when you are happy and living life with children. Her wings have sprouted and she's flown the coop (mostly), heading to France in a month to study abroad. We couldn't be more proud of her accomplishments and how she turned out. Pretty. darn. sweet. Happy day punkie!

design*sponge holiday wishlist!

It's a little late in the day to post, but I have been working nonstop since early this morning on the shop and gallery proper but I had to get to my thank yous before the day was out! I was so pleased to be asked again this year for my holiday wishlist from Grace at design*sponge. The post went up today right here and it is filled to the brim with so many wonderful ideas for holiday giving and getting. Thanks to Grace for inviting me along.. So much fun!

Megan Bogonovich "Bird Swings"

Megan Bogonovich "Bird Swings", originally uploaded by artstreamstudios.

Happy Monday! I am so pleased that the sun is shining today... we had a small but sincere group who braved the horrible weather Saturday night to visit the "Wandering the Treeline" and IPS2. It was really messy out, but we still managed to enjoy the art and some wine!
I wanted to kick off today with this incredible piece included in the show called Bird Swings, by Megan Bogonovich. There is so much to look at it is hard to figure out where to start. So take your time, click through and enlarge it at flickr, and check out the back view too. It's a stunner.
All of the work is online - save for the pieces which are going back in today after a massive hack to our system. No worries, nothing is lost and it's all being put back in. Is the sun shining over in your neighborhood?

"Bird Swings" (from the back shot)

bird swings from the back, originally uploaded by artstreamstudios.

Just a little peek at these beautiful birds by Megan Bogonovich and Linda Plaisted's paintings. It's been one exhausting day -- but tomorrow it's all fresh warm cookies and hot cider for our holiday opening of "Wandering the Treeline" and IPS2! Click through here to see the whole peek and tomorrow it will be all online for sale! We have had some trouble with IE and Windows (!!!) so we are a little late in getting things sorted into the shop. Bear with us, it's worth the wait! Oh yeah - and we are gifting everyone a 10% discount on everything in the gallery just to say thanks for your undying love and support this year. Mention holidays to us or in the checkout of your cart!

Moco Loco :: Megan's work

Huge thanks to Moco Loco's art post on Megan's work - Check it out here and while you are there stop by this Hannah Stouffer giveaway! Later - more photos from the show we just put up last night ...

Amber Lavalley :: new pen and ink drawings!

There is so much new art in house it's overwhelming! It is wonderful though to show you a peek of the new works in the shop by Amber Lavalley. The rest are in the shop, scoot over and have a peek. I am in serious love with this one above ...

Wandering the Treeline :: sneak peek of Megan Bogonovich's new work

Megan came by yesterday with the first installment of her new sculptures. It's over the top again - amazingly detailed and yes, believe it or not, she has outdone herself again. It was a full moon drama drop off, but all in all our lovely afternoon was spent chatting and eating and photographing some of the most incredible scultpures I have seen from her yet! All will be in the shop and available for purchase on Saturday! Part three of this sneak peek? Tomorrow! IPS 2 -- back by popular demand!

Linda Plaisted -- the Treeline

Linda Plaisted from her notable studio: Many Muses, sent a body of work she named Treeline over to us last week for her upcoming show here at artstream. I have been bursting at the seams waiting to show you a peek this week! The walnut ink paintings with layers and layers of glaze atop make for the most beautiful "walk in a winter woods". The entire set are on canvas, affordable and breathtaking works of art. See the whole set over at flickr and they will be available for purchase in our shop on Saturday!

Little Seedlings :: stuffed mushrooms and stumps

What is cuter than a little stuffed stump of wood? Only a red and white dotted mushroom. These little plushies from Little Seedling's Etsy shop warmed my heart this morning. Too cute!