greenbeanbaby art

after hours...

i work after hours, when diego is asleep... it's all calculated... from 9:30-10pm, the kid is getting ready for bed... that includes bath and a quick "chase the laughing boy around the house"... by 10pm, he is in his crib yelling "i love you" so that one of us can keep him company... (however, the living room is only a room away so it's not like we are far)... some kind of symphony music is blaring loudly as the cats are suddenly chasing each other... ramel will stay up for a little bit while i load the dishwasher, pick up toys, fix the house, and get my art supplies ready... i have a card table that folds and it's taken out every night so i can have enough workspace... an x-files dvd is playing inside the xbox, ramel is off to bed, and i am ready to begin...

there is often a list of things needing to be completed, lying around... somehow, the list is never entirely finished and often, one project is ignored for longer than necessary... i mean, i have to make more business cards, and some boyish illustrations, custom illustrations, plus finish my niece's illustration (yep, still not done!), and some thank you cards... plus i need some stock for the etsy shop that will open one day... and of course, i need to make a package that can be sent out to publishers and art directors... one thing at a time, right?! i try to work my best, between 10pm -4am, often squeezing in emails and flickr comments... and of course, taking a break to see my sleeping sweeties...

my li'l diego isn't so little anymore... he sleeps in his crib like a big kid, with his legs sticking out between the bars, even though his head is only in the middle.... (that means, half the crib is empty- haha)... he hugs his sippy cup like he clings to his dvds during the day, or sucks on his fingers while he sits on my lap... he sleeps soundly despite the blaring of x-files mingling with his symphony cd... if i touch him, he makes a big sigh, smacks his lips, and remains asleep... i know i take alot of pictures of him asleep... but see, he is perfect at this time... peaceful! and not running around (do you know how many photos during the day are just blurs?! i feel like i am trying to photograph superman!)

right now, i can work at night because he sleeps... i can spend time with ramel even though some days it seems all too short... weekends are beautiful... if we have another kid, i don't know how i will do it....  i am sure there is a way... but in the meantime, i better finish up that list first, eh?! (and get my kiddo potty trained, the fence painted, the hole in the ceiling fixed, the stairs mopped, get a new tenant, and reclaim my studio from the horrid wasps...)

*note: around mid--july, i should have a good bunch of goodies in my soon-to-be etsy shop... i wish it could be faster... having the x-files around, really helps me work- don't ask why... sadly, we only have up to season 4 and i am almost done with it... have to wait until we can get the other 5- haha!

25 things about ellia...

tomorrow, is my birthday and i can't believe i'm 25, and look like 12... but the truth is, i am a quarter of a century old... i know, its young, right?!  and i've accomplished alot, right?! but once you get out of that 18-24 category, you know you aren't a kid anymore- haha... but i am excited overall... my family has always made a big deal about birthdays... not so much the parties, but moreso special treatment and the thousand "happy birthdays," no chores, and the sweet gifts...

so do you wanna know some things about me?!

1. in the past week, i found a long white hair growing in my curls

2. at least four people this week told me i looked under the age of 15... no lie! ( one asked if my mom was home, and i said, I AM THE MOM... and he goes, "oh you look 12".... )

3. i have over 450 pieces of 12x12 scrapbook papers... yes, i counted them... but didn't count my 8x8's... i assume there is over 300 pieces though) plus i have scraps and big, big sheets too...

4. last summer, i took an inventory of all my supplies and made a list, and even added the quantity... talk about organized!

5. i graduated high school at 16yrs old...

6. i graduated college at 20yrs old...

7. my mom calls me pilly, or pilly willy, or pilly head... the story?! i am always cold! so she would call me chilly willy (the penguin from woody woodpecker) and then it shortened to chill will... morphed to pilly willy and pill will, pilly head, and then sometimes just pilly...

8. my sister calls me "snel" although we both don't know why... its not because i smell though!!!

9. i don't eat meat... as a little kid, i hated chicken legs! but my dad would always buy them... i would find the cartilage and the veins and gag because it was so gross... my mom would turn the lights off because i'd gross her out... it'd take an hour to finish a small chicken leg and since those days, i haven't touched one! (hmmm, never cooked one either!)

10. i bought a brown 1976 chevette for only $75... it was a stick shift and it died a few months later... in between the time it ran, i was pulled over for driving too slow, i ran into a pole,and i pulled the stick shift out!  yes, ripped it out of it's socket!

11. in the past week, i ate 24 strawberry pop tarts

12. in order to work on art, i need the house at its cleanest... if the house is disorganized, i get irritable and have to do a mass cleaning before artwork is started... i will do all dishes, vacuum, organize, clean the bathroom, even rearrange some furniture!

13. as a kid, i hated my brown corduroys and sweat pants... now, i own a brown pair of corduroys that i love to wear... i wore sweat pants in high school but not so much anymore...

14. i can't stand an unmade bed... when ramel worked third shift, i would fix the bed before he went to work (10pm) even though i was gonna be going to bed a few hours later...

15. i am 5 foot... ramel is 6 foot...  i am amazed at how short scully looks to mulder (in x-files) but apparently, scully is taller than me... i bet i look like a kid next to ramel!

16. i sucked my thumb until the age of nine... my mom said if i stopped she'd buy something for $5... it worked! (hmm, diego sucks 2 fingers... with the worth of money being higher, i'd have to pay him $10/finger)

17.diego and i walk to target at least 5 times a week... i should get a preferred customer card, eh?! everyone swoons over diego...

18. although i am a clean freak, i don't dust much (although i will vacuum my stuff sometimes)

19. i don't like kids with dirty clothes... when diego was learning how to eat, i was really particular... and it took ME a long time to let him use a spoon and "get messy"... even then, i was right there with a washcloth...

20. as a kid, my mom would say how much i'd look like my dad... i couldn't see it so she'd take her eyebrow pencil and draw a mustache on me... i still couldn't tell but i do think diego has my dad's smile at times...

21. speaking of makeup, one day, i was very bored (teen years, not yesterday)... so i took a red lipstick and decided to paint my face with it... don't ask me why! i freaked out when it wouldn't come off! i had a very red face that night!

22. as a kid, my hair was always a curly fro... people would think i was a boy... and if i said my name, they'd think i was saying elliot! even after puberty there was a fear that if i cut my hair, people would mistake my gender... hmmm, thank goodness that isn't much of a problem anymore!

23. i still have my very first cabbage patch named zebedee... he is about 23yrs old... i was considering on naming diego after him but didn't want to have to tell my kid that he was named after a doll... so instead we named diego after the saber tooth in ice age... hahaha

24. i've always been pretty thin... as a kid, i was super skinny... so skinny, i couldn't open up the automatic doors to the stores... my dad would wait in the car and watch me jump up and down, trying to get in the store... i'd have to wait for someone to come in or out to get through the doors!

25. lastly, i can honestly say my life is full and fulfilling... i have a kid and a hubby and artwork... i have bills too and some worries but such is life... i have a house and a ton of supplies... yes, i am happy... really, really...

now you know a lil more about this girl named ellia...

straight outta ecuador...

this picture does not do the package justice... (trying to take a picture while shooing nosy cats and a toddler begging to grab the camera)... risa of muerto de risa sent this lovely bunch of goodies this past week.... there were pretty papers (of course, one can never have too much paper, eh?!)... some vintage buttons (i think?! either way, they are sooo beautiful!), a reindeer finger puppet, and some pretty ribbon...but look! she sent this lovely doll, originally from peru! she wrote a note saying these sort of dolls used to be buried with the dead to keep them company... it is a sweet and very ethnic doll... she also sent me a long burnt orange beaded necklace... risa wrote that the ingenious women wear these on both wrists, wrapped tightly like a cuff and represents prosperity and coral fertility... it is BEAUTIFUL! it fits my wrist perfectly and since i love browns (and of course greens), this will match the  majority of my wardrobe...

but look at this! original mixed media artwork made by risa herself! isn't it too too cute?! i had to smile at the itty bitty card under the portrait... i am always a fan of those who like working in assorted mediums and her use of felt is just wonderful!!!! i really can't wait to get a frame and put this in my studio... well, whenever i can get to the studio, that is... (yep, still got wasps up there- i think)...

anyhow, thank you so much risa for your beautiful package! it's very much appreciated and loved :)

a two minute post...

remember this?! remember how happy i was when i got this retro sewing machine?! well, i finally bust it out and was ready to start sewing... with a mouth still in pain, and some vicatin in my system, i had the energy of a 2 year old on a sugar high... with material (that li li, whom i must email, gave me) cut and ready to turn into a tank top, i was revved to go...

i used a sewing machine before... i kid you not! it's been some years, yes, but i am not entirely ignorant on the subject of sewing machines... but when you read the next paragraph, you may think otherwise...

i cannot thread the machine right!!!!!!!!! i  was up from midnight to 6am  trying to thread it... it was a no go... i don't have a manual and i checked online for one... i  discovered one that was a similar model and was following that... however, there is like 8...yes, 8... different spots to stick the thread through... the needle moved, the bobbin was in place, but when i tried to sew, the thread wouldnt move...

any solutions?! suggestions?! i am gonna hunt down a manual because i cannot figure out how to do, what should be, the simplest part of sewing... *sigh*

it's okay, you can laugh...

just a kid swap- round 3

      
sorry, this round is now closed!

AT LAST! the third round of the sweetpea swap is finally here... and this is dedicated to all those adults who are known to be "just like a kid..." for those of us who love collecting toys, regardless of our age... those of us who eat dessert before dinner and prefer candy to vegetables... for those of us who have more children's books than our own kids... yes, this swap is for us "big" kids...

so this time, we are including junk food in our packages to fulfill our partner's sweet tooth... and on top of that, toys and maybe books! other than the food part, items can be old or new (who wants old candy, anyhow?!)... if your partner likes vintage/retro items, then you can old school golden books... or even vintage children's patterns... for the fabric fanatics, you can add cute kiddie material or even soft fleece and flannel... for the crafters who want to add in handmade goodies?! feel free to make your very own softie! and of course, some of us love the modern items too so you are welcome to add that (come on, you have to admit some of the barbies are pretty, eh?! and those babyz bratz are kinda cute too!) this round is vastly open to fit just about anyone who wants sweets and goodies... so please! come join in on the fun! and remember, it's for us adults! our actual toddlers and children get plenty so now, its our turn!

so, what is the sweetpea swap? this is a spot to exchange goodness and love around our lil earth... its a chance to obtain stock or give away part of your surplus.... not to mention, it's a wonderful excuse to shop, thrift, or craft! all things vintage and new can be loved and appreciated here...

it's simple to join, and free too (aside from gift and shipping costs)... you need only to be a blogger or flickr addict... fill out the questions below and email me...you will then be partnered with someone swell and given info about them... and they too will receive your info (not anyone else)... there is no doubt you will be a loyal buddy who will ship out in the allotted time frame... after all, no one wants to have an empty mailbox! for those of you who are not from the states, i will be sure to partner you with someone who is willing to send boxes beyond the border... also, i will be taking members up to the week before shipping so that there is room for all!

1. your name, email, and  mailing address

2. website and/or flickr addy

3. what do you do with your time?

4. what do you love lots and lots (collections? hobbies? colors? certain material?)

5. what kind of sweets and candies do you like? and what don't won't you dare ever eat?

6. for crafty purposes, do you have favored colors and/or patterns?! (as in, what's your style?) please also include what you do not like...

7. lastly, are you willing to ship internationally?

*note: the above icons are free to use solely for linking sites from yours to mine (please make sure to download the picture to your computer first before adding to your site )... you can use this link, as it will take you straight to this round of sweet pea swap... if you want the icon to the overall sweetpea swap, feel free to download it on your computer here...

a quick post... freebies

everyone loves free items, right?! well, here are three blogs that i found which give away free goodies...

gwen of bugheart has monday give-aways... every monday, she posts pictures and details of items she is willing to give to someone who requests for it first....

anke of anart island has free fridays... every friday, she posts pictures of an item she is giving away for free as well... people interest need only comment or email... anke will randomly choose a winner.... (i was last week's winner- yayyyy!)

teresa of maggie grace creates is making handmade atc cards... for anyone who posts and requests, she will make you atc cards with a specific theme... she is willing to do this for 50 people so if you would like some handmade goodies, visit her site before the first of july... here is the link to all the details...

again, these are the only three bloggers i've found so far (not that there isn't more) to be doing such a thoughtful act... it's so nice to see people willing to give freely and happily... so go to their sites and check out their goodies... and hey, doesn't it give ya an idea?! haha

*photo taken by anke... this is the image of free friday #3

sneak peek and invitations

well, as busy as things have been around here, i haven't been able to post round 3 of the sweetpea swap just yet... however, the above picture is a sneak peek of what this round will be about... i think many of you are gonna love it! so stay tuned as i will be announcing the subject and details later on tonight (perhaps, late late in the night, central timezone)... anyhow, this illustration was completed in a couple hours with just an x-acto blade, hot glue, a glue stick, scissors, and of course paper... the size is 4.25 x 6 and it's perfect for a greeting card... would you like to see some detail?!

and here you have it! for the book and the pattern, i just scanned the images and then scaled them super duper small (3/4" to be exact)... and then printed them... the doll is all hand cut including her itty bitty pigtails and bows which i lost twice in the process... yep, i work detailed, eh?! it's time consuming and as tedious as it is, i really love it! i can have all the patience in the world for cut paper, but when it comes to paint, oh goodness!!!!

 
this is an invitation made for a client... every card is handmade and hand cut.... i cut 30 of those arms... and 15 of those #2's.... 15 footballs with 30 stripes... 60 blue stripes, 30 sleeves, and 15 shirts... yep, each is a piece of paper cut with an x-acto blade (or occasionally, a paper punch)... for the back, i used a football ticket stub as a basis for the design... this was all done in adobe illustrator (i prefer this program over photoshop even though both come in handy) and printed on cardstock.... every card comes with a white envelope and  shipped today... it took only 11 hours (start to finish) for these babies... well worth it, in my opinion...

*cards similar to these will be [eventually] sold on my etsy store... just a few more projects to finish before i can get the store ready for the public... yayyyyy!

girl en route...

i've been asked to be a part of a new monthly e-zine created by meena of hooked on heat... it's called girl en route and is a "place creative women can come together and showcase their diverse talents..." there are various topics including etiquette (it'll make you smile), in the workplace, flair, sancity, and many more... actually, it'd be best if you check it out since it already has some amazing stories of creative and talented women! it's a nice place to read some stories that can give any creative person the right amount of inspiration...

my area will actually be the flair and my first article is about my days as a mom and a freelance artist... each month, i'll be writing about art (including some tutorials) and life while creating... already, there are ideas brewing in my head... i am looking forward to being able to share it all... it's been awhile since i've written seriously.... i graduated with a creative writing minor, and it's not used often (can you tell?!)... especially if you don't include my blog... i'm pretty excited about the opportunity and am honored to be a part of such a wonderful e-zine...

so please, come and check it out! i think you'll like it....

two out, two to go...

first off, i want to thank everyone for their kind comments and best wishes on my dentist visit... your encouragement was so uplifting and well, much needed... i was dreading the whole visit since i've never had much done to my teeth other than cleaning... but it wasn't as bad... you all were right... however, i did feel the shots close to my cheeks... and i was moaning but since my mouth was open, i sounded like a hungry cat... hahaha... by the end of the ordeal, my wrists were hurting too from clasping onto the chair so hard... i could only have 2 of the 4 pulled out since the bottom teeth are sitting on my nerve and made the surgery a high risk... it took 15minutes for him to rip out both teeth and there is where i felt nothing but a ton of pressure...

this isn't the most flattering picture of me [diego sure looks cute, eh?!] but you can see one side is swollen... my throat hurts a lot and i feel like there is a gigantic jawbreaker stuck in my mouth... my chin is still numb along with some of my lip... the vicatin?! it hasn't made me sleepy in the least... it feels more like caffeine since i'm kinda antsy (but physically very tired)... overall though, i am glad i will only have to do this one more time.... next month... close to my 3rd anniversary...

okay, i am off to relax and watch x-files... still have some invitations to make and an article to write... some emails... and a box to package up... but it's only friday... i am sure later tonight i will be back to my normal self (with one slightly bigger cheek...)

who wants to do laundry?!

sometime in february, i posted this sketch... and it remained untouched for several months... not because it was hard to do, but moreso because there was too many other things to do... plus, new ideas kept popping in my head.... well, practically four months later, the illustration was made....

and here we have it!!! again, all cut paper... yes, even the light is paper... two shades of green... and for the bandanna, it's a good thing i buy paper from target! it just so happened that i had a lighter blue and a darker blue of the same pattern... with my light box, i was able to line everything up perfectly so as it all looked like a real light shining on the illustration... time consuming but worth it... i would have liked to work out the  washing machine a little more but of course, every artist says that....

the pink used for the washing machine came from a swap with li li... i have to tell you, the paper smelled like perfume!!!!!!! isn't that neat?! i kept sniffing it while i was watching x-files and giving my hands a rest... i don't know why it smells so good and i wonder if li li even knows... so whomever gets this illustration, be sure to smell the washing machine!

as you can see, there were several changes from the sketch to the final... i wanted this piece to have a similar style as the fairy tale atc cards... and i wanted it to look similar to an older illustration i did my junior year of college... i'd show ya but my zip drive is not plugged in... overall, i am not good with creating light and shadows with my flat paper art (i had a doozy of a time in fine arts figure drawing because of this)... but with this technique, i can fake it... it'd be nice to do a series like this, eh?!

well, so much for rambling! off to cook turkey burgers and fries for the family...