lately ...

Lately, life is going to stay in places, i've been busy last months, everybody thinks a makeover at home would take just few weeks... like yeah right! is like 5 months since i started this project of renovation! water pipes, floor titles, building and enlarging rooms... it sounds like i did all that job, but not, but what i did is paying bills and i'm so grateful for all that different jobs that i had so i can afford this huge change in the home... later in another post i'll tell you the story of this adorable place, but in the meanwhile, doing all this hard work was with heavy materials, cement, bricks, and hard material of construction, the fact i was able to afford just makes me happy and lucky girl (tears of joy) dad would be so proud of what i've been doing this past years (thank you life!!)
So, i also been looking for ideas for home, i'm gonna sew a oilcloth banner, need some inspirational quote for my home... but i just found on Etsy great ideas for decoration in all senses!
Here is the list!

Linen bedding, a pink duvet in queen, matrimonial and king size, looks so fresh and cozy! love love love! this adorable shop is from Poland and is Solinen

From the warm Africa, this woven basket in neutral colors is a must for home, a great place to storage laundry or just for decoration, such a chic way to place clothes, from Senegal, Africanbaskets

Gotta say it, Mojito is one of my fav cocktails (gotta lots of fav but Mojito!) always forget the full recipe and here is a great option to make one perfect at home, also they got a lot like Margaritas, bloody mary and colorful coasters, from EU DrinkingModern

Last but not least, in this mini curated list for home a white floating nightstand, with all the modern and mid century style, take a look at this awesome shop, i couldn't decide in so many option, from Italy EbanisteriaCavallaro

Is quite fun to make curated list... !

art seeker....

  i was just passing  by, walking thru museums, art galleries, art exhibitions, just seeking some shapes, ideas, colors, anything that inspires me in every place i step in...
leaving behind all the glam, going to museums and art galleries should be more as a new experience for learning and feeling, we are sensorial beings, humans need sensations and new feelings to nourish our souls.
Lately i've been quite busy with my classes at school, i've got more than 100 teenagers that keeps me awake, alive, energized and of course, quite busy but classes are doing great, i like to talk them about art and art history, i constantly repeat and encourage to visit museums, the experience is quite unique and for a teenager could be new and vivid see art in all its forms and expressions...
Got to go back to my duties,  i'll try to keep posting my dear blogger friends...

here we go again

 A week in curated photos, i mean, i'm back, blogging and writing after a long break with you guys, (not actually you, but with my blog..), find some goodie days to spend outside, is windy, warm already and as a visual collector, well, i enjoy reflected shadows in everywhere... This past months was kinda a whirl, gotta settle myself to write and update... gotta paint a little bit more this year and let myself flow with things that i cannot control outside of myself, spend more time doing the thing that i procrastinate such courses, workshop, therapy and else... keep enjoying this year! wish you a fun, wild and lovely 2023..

i do love colors

 I do love colors, i wish more colorful things, like in all my home of course, the palette of my paintings and also with all my outfit... funny cuz i wear more neutral colors or dark colors, i just realize that i should wear more colorful clothes and barely got it in my wardrobe (oh well..) but what i love is to mix colors in my paintings, also mix colorful oilcloth pattern and make different garlands with lots of colors... so lately i thinking in quotes, like in books, in poems.... quotes to encourage or cheer up, i guess is i'm thinking in how to make a place looks and feel cozy and make it better... so i've been sewing, searching for vintage thinks for my home and just want to make my place to look great...
What do you do when you want to make a place look better?
Advices are welcome...

i spy with my little eye...

a lost giraffe near to the carousel ...

A bbf rockin her artworks in the museum...

a couple moths that resemblance to autumn leaves mating a plain sight 

Teenagers learning about Virginia Woolf and the book " a room for their own"...

A tiny T-Rex walking by in a window

A new way to see artworks and follow a  continuos line but

a emerald colors that totally caught my attention (didn't follow the arrow...never in life actually)

i paint what i want...

 So, i was invited to collaborate in an art project to make some illustrations... was pretty fun actually! like mixing colors, drawing and using the color palette i adore... blue, mints, yellows....
 in some way i did some experiment with the colors... but was fine, then i decided to keep painting in acrylic painting, i mainly use oil painting but well... gotta try to push my skill and take my chances doing something different and else...
What do you think?! i did it on canvas...! I put two of this on my Etsy shop, so ready to get! take a look!! 

my workshop

How can i explain that everytime that i'm on my workshop eventually i realized that may probably the workshop is also for me, like if i was another kid learning there too... This year my workshop was pretty cool, based on Roald Dahl, J.K. Rowling and Diana Wynne Jones books.. about what? well, basic and mostly on spells, invocations, potions and rhymes... is a funny mix but! it was awesome... why?! well, me and my very idealistic things about how to make a spell or invocation in order to get something but specially ask for something in specific... 

i told to the kids that it is not the same ask for good luck if you don't said specific to what... is not the same have a good luck in the school or while playing or while you walk on the street so if you ask for good luck you better let clear to what or when or how... 

i had a great time tho, even when one day i just get terrible sick, i was food poisoning but don't care, wasn't a great year for my health but i had a great time there...

at the end of my workshop i was totally speaking everything with rhymes... spanish rhymes aren't the easiest but kiddos nailed pretty good tho!!

J & G wedding quilt

Once upon a time... (i always wanted to started a post with that..!), well, after Julie told me to save the date for her wedding, i started to think what would be the perfect gift, i should let you know that i totally refuse to give as a present any of my paintings, just for very and merely personal reason... you may remember that some year ago or so i gave to one of my friends a baby quilt for of course, their first baby... (i finished that quilt the right day of the baby shower!).. so i though myself not to do the same thing and being in hurry sewing and quilting days before the wedding! so i started the quilt in all Easter week and my vacations... it really was vacations even when it seems like not, but sewing can be soooo relaxing (if you are not in pressure...), so i didn't use any pattern, i like to do a free design and choosing colors by my own preference of colors and schemes... i thought that i'll finish it in August but then i barely had time to sew... darn... i had everything, the fabric, the bias tape with a gorgeous color, the lining... except the time... duh! so after a very awful flu, a very stressful days working on my workshop and test, and else, i finish the quilt the same day of the wedding haaaahaha i know... i'm a case!
But they totally love it! can't express myself and tell you guys the feeling of making something to someone you love, i mean, is quite different, i love and i adore to paint but the sensation of making both is really different...
If another of my friends invite me to their wedding, i may do another quilt... or should i learn to knit and make a granny square blanket or so? dunno, for sure give love materialized in a quilt or a painting or a blanket or whatever handmade is, for sure is something totally made with love

my local girl gang...

So this is how i do support my gang... i'll go to their exhibitions, i'll follow social media, follow their creative process and else.. if i could i would love to see more and get involve but not... even to me that would be an invasion... could be that i feel in close because is the kind of works i like to see? or because they are cool girls?? dunno... the thing is because i want to see more of their works and i want to be updated with it...
So, support your local artist gang and if you looove instagram keep follow them and follow your local gang too! 

this artsy days...

Lately i feel like i'm around in art circles... visiting art studios, going to art openings, performances, art projects and conference and else... and i feel so damn well.. more i know more i want and more i love this..!
and then the obligated question... why i didn't do this before..? guess i was so shy.. i feel like i have to surround with people who loves what they do.. and i guess is contagious
so i went to 2 art opening, one of this was of a nice friend, that i meet recently, she is so kind and smart.. i loooove her paintings and all her vibe, her work is focused on old buildings and the plants that grows wild and free in this buildings, nature growing in a very free way as a resistance the modern times tho..
also i went to other that is an installation on an old building that used to be a cantina and a whore house damn... the artist did a great job and a conciliation between this context with her actual context changing the vibe...
i took a few photos to share..

i'm getting ready...

This week was scheduled for test my workshop... yup i was so nervous about that! not because i'm gonna be in front of 30 kids but because i've got viewers, or should i say critics... and darn! that's the reason that makes me freak out! they will put numbers and reviews and ...!! aaghhhh!!! ....
I need to explain this better... in December, there's one of the most important book fairs (worldwide!, apparently the 2nd most important!...), i work in the children area and this will be my 5th time in row, with workshops that, of course, involves book but art, creativity, imagination and two years ago i beg, and i beg to had Sherlock Holmes workshop (it was so fun! i adore it although i lose my voice tho..) so this year, it totally involves art, illustration and narrative skills, if don't, well that's the idea, the kiddos will learn..
So well, i've got a friend (a partner in crime..) who is helping me to make this workshop go on but also to team up and had fun with kiddos... how ended up my workshop test? i really know a few things, just some adjustments here and there but... this ship is sailing guys!!!

but a solo...

I read a quote that makes me think a lot (or may probably is because i felt it so identify with it...) "Artist are people driven by tension between the desire to communicate and the desire to hide" D.W. Winnicott.... and yes! is so true! or at least is how i feel, to be true, i don't have any individual art exhibition, just to think on it, seriously put me so nervous! in some way is not only my ideas but also my feelings, thoughts, is like been naked in front of people!... i guess is just matter of time and maybe because the first time, and then, the next exhibitions will be so simple and will flow so easily...
I've been working on a couple of paintings but i asked myself that it should be time to make a solo... (get me a Chewie! ;) )

Oh May i bring you some colors..?

I've been melting down here!! is still spring but gosh! is like summer, considering that our Summer Indians are in June (or July..) is hot here..33℃ !! and possible goes worst... but anyway, sunblock is my friend and i'll go out to the street like a glazed duck  with tons of sunblock... this past week i was working as a judge in child's art contest and gosh! i was amazed about how gorgeous colors and great artworks!... The theme was "my neighborhood", and from that you can imagine what kind of works can create since their point of view...
My task was to evaluate of course the theme, the creativity and the skills because it was kids with different ages, it was divided into 2 categories, 6 to 9 years old and 10 to 14...
I wasn't the only judge but we coincided that the little ones were the best using the colors... and after been working with this, it seriously makes me think and appreciate to work with kids
I took a few photos of the artworks, and see for yourself! and Feliz Día del Niño
*i laughed out loud when a kid wrote that he used patience as his technique...!

what i've learning from Etsy...

I wanted to write this post so long ago, the reasons are because after i've open my Etsy shop, i was really full of doubts, fears and if is not because my siblings i may probably being stuck doing and selling few thing without trying  other thing and going beyond of that..
So this is a few thing i've learned...

-Communication, words are not my strong skill, i struggle real hard to write, but this is what i think, i just improved in some way,  i must to describe items but when is about to sell to a possible buyer or a custom listing, i put myself like a "customer services" and yet! english is not my first language, google can be a tool to help in this matters... Keep in touch with your buyers, either for custom items or anything on the shipping or else 😉 

-Image, go to Etsy and surf the web to see tons of nice shops, my sister was telling me about the importance of the image, she also help me with a few items, but i decided to have white backgrounds, not showing my face and the item to be the center of the attention...

-Dare, if i decided to stay with the embroidery pattern i may probably will be stuck on it without pushing me to do something else, i love to embroider but is not the only thing i love and the only thing i can do

-Social Media, i've got to be honest, part of the social media involves to show your products or artworks and that would be a great source for possible buyers! i'm so really, really shy in this matter and i decided not to open a FB fan page instead of that, i've got Instagram, Pinterest and this blog

-Learn from your mistakes, check what's trend on your shop but also see what things works with your buyers and possible buyers, i also ask to my friends or my sibblings

-And also be kind, other sellers can promote your items but the nice thing is to promote others because, isn't nice to see other people stuff? i've got my favorites around on Etsy! 

*all the images are examples and you can find it here