greenbeanbaby art

to be cleansed...

i have this soap and always thought was funny.... it was given to me by a friend a few  years back because he knew how much i liked retro stuff... even though this product is from 1999, it still has a nice old-school feel to it... and it's funny!

i like the fact that it says industrial... and that the directions seem simple... lastly, it mentions to repent... hah! if this all it took for our spouses to say "forgive me " i would have ramel take a shower instead of us arguing over bills and such... (hmmm, am i saying that i am always the right one?! hee hee) if only this was it took to get our kids to listen and not lie... or for our bosses to be honest... and the world to be truthful, we would all have the simplest life...

doesn't this remind you of the christmas story?! when ralphie said a naughty word so the mom put soap in his mouth?! haha!

the soap itself smells wonderful! i love it! but i will never use it because it's a part of my collection of collections... considering that i've had it for about 7 years, it's hard to believe that the scent is still so strong and lovely....

just a random post of something quirky (IMO)

when it's too hot...

i live in wisconsin and the heat is bearable... but today there is a heat advisory and diego is extremely bored... it's too hot to go outside, much less go for a walk... and it's too hot to chase him around the house especially when only the living room is cooled by the air conditioner... so what can we do?!

take a cool bath! not only does he get clean from that stickiness, but he can have some fun cooling down... on top of that, i wont have to give him a nighttime bath.... yes, it's only 3:30pm when the bath begins.... but he had a dandy ol' time....

so for 1.5 hours, what can mama do?! well, read 5 kid books... sing the 6th one even though it's not even a rhyming book.... take pictures of diego splashin' all over the place and trying to swim.... take pictures of the little things around the house that i wanna flickr... drink a big mug of coffee.... remind myself to buy some more bleach so i can get that corner that seems to have mold in it no matter how much lysol i use... contemplate on how fast i could paint this bathroom a nice light shade of dull minty green... and then figure out how much it will cost- and if i can do it during the day when diego is running around or if i should wait until after 10pm...

i asked diego every 20 minutes if he wanted to get out... i got a very firm, "NO" and then even an, "i'm sorry, no"...  so he stayed in there until 5pm... by the time i changed him from his swimmer shorts (i didn't want him using the tub as a giant toilet) he was nearly asleep....

now the house is quiet except for the whirring of the exhausted air conditioner...

trying to take photos...

to all the moms who photograph, craft, create, and adjust while there are kids around:

is there someone trying to run off with your stuff? is there somebody always in the way while you try to photograph? or someone hogging up the little spot of good light that you need in order to get a clear photo? when you work, doesn't it seem as if everything under 5 feet is interested in what you are doing?!

i don't know about you but such is the case  here... already, i am a horrible photographer and to top it off, i am always shooing somebody away from me... either its the cats getting in the way, or diego running off with the item i was trying to photograph... and when i sit down to post, the cats jump on the computer desk as diego jumps on my lap.... somebody always wants attention and it's not a bad thing, but it can get exasperating when you are itching for two minutes to yourself... it's understandable for a near two year old kid to do this, but cats too?! i'm sure there is food in their bowl....

but of course, despite the times when everyone seems to get in the way of the house, it helps to snap a few photos in between... it's rare that i get good shots of diego closeup since he is often running away to jump or scream or leap over his couch... i have enough blurry pictures to prove this to be so.... so when i come across a moment of stillness, i have to smile and snap a photo...

and then, i have to wait until he is in his  bed before i can really work on art... and watch my x-files (yes, i am an addict)... craft, sew, illustrate, blog, flickr, whatever, the house is at peace and there is time just for ellia.... every mom needs this... every mom cherishes this... because, during the day, things are busy... busy... busy....

more pills

well, my blog has really lacked some attention due to quite a full plate... no complaints though... however, on thursday i had another appointment with the dentist to get my other two wisdom teeth pulled (my left side).... first, he numbed my gums like crazy and left me to think thoughts of "oh, will it hurt more this time?" i tried to keep my mind off the upcoming procedure and ventured to read... as much as i could... but suddenly, my mind started thinking crazy thoughts of what else i could add to my shop... i say, crazy because why on earth would i think about it when i am about to need a ton of rest after such an ordeal? but no matters, i jumped off the seat and rummaged in my purse for a pen and paper and started sketching and writing with a very shaky hand... (i didn't eat yet but i managed to chug a full pot of coffee before reaching the dentist's office)....

so by the time i am completely numb, the oral surgeon comes in and yanks out both teeth in less than 15 minutes... this time, i was in pain... i mean, i could feel a sharp pain on the lower left side... a few "owww" noises escaped me but once it was over, i was grateful and happily left... but as the day moved on, the pain became worse... so with some pills and water, and a tad of sleep, the recovery process is going well... i even managed to ship out, work on some art, take pictures, and wash the outside garbage pails... of course, my cheek is bigger than my forehead but like i said, all is healing extremely well....

but i will say this: i have been accidentally elbowed, punched, and banged on my swollen side three times... and each time i thought i was gonna pass out- haha!

the shop is open!!!!

 
after a couple months of debating over what to have in the shop and how much to sell it for, my etsy shop is finally open... yayyyy! i've been cramming over here trying to make some notecards, new illustrations (which aren't up yet) as well as get rid of my old stock... we will see how it goes!

these cards were made this week... lemme tell you, that boy holding the xbox controller?! see those lil color buttons?! yes, i cut those babies out!! and they are TINY!! see a closeup here...

 
i did the best i could for pricing... some stuff is cheap considering the time involved- BUT some of them are cards, and realistically, people don't want to spend $7.00 a card, ya know? and shipping!!! well, i did the best i could in guessing what is standard... i hope it's not too high... or horribly too low either... ah, the uncertainties!

 
i've been busy adding all the stuff today and poor diego is fiending for my time... as soon as ramel gets home, we will go for a walk to the park and i will treat my baby to something special... like i said, there is still more stuff to add to the shop... and more to make... but it's a good start...

 
so please tell me what you think!! i would love to hear your feedback :) and i hope i didn't overly hype it, ya know?!

ps. this time my friend helped me with some of the tracing and gluing; isn't she sweet?!

the obessive mode

we all have our faults... some faults we are aware of while we remain blind to the others until someone points it out... and then there are those faults that you wonder if they are really wrong or just part of personality... those things that make you who you are... i don't know- maybe its how we look at it or who we ask...

i am fully aware of certain elliaesque behavior... stuff that can drive even myself mad! i have a mode- the obsessive mode... it's not a good one, but then again, the house does get clean! and i try not to get mad at anyone around me and just focus my obsessiveness (which turns to frustration then back to obsession) on the task at hand... the things in disarray... i have these days a lot but sometimes it's worse... oh, are you wondering  if "this greenbean baby is crazy"? i assure you i am not... just unique (hah! a good excuse!) lemme explain how it starts...

i look around and my eyes fall on something in the living room... like my books- they aren't organized right... some are lying in piles above the shelf while others are sticking out too much... so i take them all off the shelf and fix them... as i am doing so, one of my cats brush up  on me and i notice hairs on my clothes... not only am i reminded to do laundry but now i must brush the cats ...  hairs are flying everywhere so i have to vacuum... again, a normal job but it becomes a dire emergency to vacuum right away... i go through the entire house, even vacuuming walls and my couch... i notice a spot on the couch so i find myself cleaning it... i put the cloth back in the bathroom (the one used to clean the spot) and so suddenly i figure, "what the heck"  and i start to clean the bathroom... i was in there, so why not do it right away?

clothes are being done in the process as well as caring for diego... a pot of coffee is done brewing so i grab a cup from the pantry and notice how the kitchen linen is too messy... it gets me upset so i go to fix it right away... forget the cup, time to fold again! it reminds me that the linen closet in the outer hallway needs to get fixed too... so now i am separating and reorganizing the entire closet (well, i admit, i've neglected it)... curtains with the curtains... blankets folded right... laundry is near done and so its time to fix the clothes in our bedroom... ramel's clothes are always a pile of mess so by now, i try not to let it irritate me... but now i am going through all the drawers and fixing his clothes and mine... tank tops with the tank tops... blue shirts with the blue... buttoned up shirts in a pile to go upstairs in ramel's studio closet (where more messy clothes await me)... but first i will tackle diego's clothes... his drawers are a tad too messy from all the searching for his outfits... then it's his toys i am organizing toys by type and size.... cars go in the tiny bin... action figures go in one basket... balls go in another... a new sheet in his crib... and then cleaning the crib rails from his tendency to bite them when he is crying...

i try to get my cup of coffee now but as i reach for a spoon, the drawers could use a fixing up too... so again, my coffee is dismissed and all the cupboards are being reorganized...  the top of our kitchen cabinet has too much stuff on top- ramel's magazines and other things he hides... so i move them up to the attic, into his studio... is that dust on the floor? the floor should be vacuumed but nah, i will wait until tomorrow this time! still have to fix his clothes again... and organize a few of my things as well... there are a few phone calls made in between to prevent me from getting too anxious over all this... i see more things that have to be done... like mopping the basement and getting those cobwebs- but if i wasn't so scared of bugs, i would have been down there doing that during diego's nap... instead i go online and talk to my mom on the phone... i try to relax with my cup of coffee finally.... but would you believe i hear a crash in the kitchen? i kid you not, my curtain rod falls off AGAIN so i hammer another nail in it and get the curtains back up so no one can see us...

like i said, i know this mode of mine is not normal... it can get obsessive... i mean, some days i feel i am nowhere as clean as my mom- although she assures me i am! if i am always cleaning then doesn't that mean i must be messy/dirty too?! hah, this thinking- this obsessiveness- is like an anorexic who says i am not skinny enough! only in my case, i am saying "this house isn't clean enough".... but really, no one loses, right! diego is happily running around and still getting attention- or watching a cartoon... ramel comes home to a clean house (hey, i used to call him on his cell to tell him how messy his studio or closet was- i  no longer do that-  i got better, right?!)... and after all this, i can freely work on art after 10pm knowing that the house is clean...

wait, maybe i should organize my papers again by color, pattern, and size....

current works of art....

these are some bridal shower invitations i made for a friend... the front is of a hand holding a ring and the back has patterned paper with info... there were two styles of patterns... each of the nails on the hands were meticulously cut and glued, as if giving them a manicure...  the cards are scalloped oval shaped; the purple is merely a background for scanning... and the entirety of the cards required precision, time, and patience....

as i am getting the etsy products made, i am trying to figure out prices... as always, pricing things "just right" is tricky... you wanna get paid for your talent and time... but you also don't want it too high that the average consumer cannot afford it... especially if what you make is not a demand... and what about materials?! all this adds up and in the end, usually getting paid for your time seems to be lost with the excess of material tossed in the garbage... of course, going to bigger companies could  help... maybe doing a mix of both side work and freelance work would make a good balance...

but creating art isn't just for the money... i mean, it's wonderful to get paid for your talent but it's also utterly wonderful to see others appreciate it... it's uplifting to make something from scratch and create a beautiful work of art... you get a sense of completion... and it's almost exhilarating when someone explains what they want, and you are able to create it just like that! turn a dream into reality (or do i sound too corny?!) anyhow, i have been having fun working on all my cards... wow- cards! i never thought i would do them again and here i am... making cards....

the illustration above is a thank you card for the same lady who ordered these cards... all the letters are handcut... as well as the hands and the stripes... the eyes and the hair... the pupils were hole punched and the entire card was assembled in less than a day... thanks to the help of  a friend, i was able to do so...

i've been busy once again... still have plenty more to do tonight although i feel like crashing on the couch, just like my diego...

3 years of marriage...

today is our anniversary... three years married and five years together...

ramel and i met (as i said before) in college... he was a junior and i was a senior; both illustrators... we had a children's book illustration class together... of course, ramel made the first move, asked for my number, and for a date a minute later.... he lived on the south side of milwaukee, while i lived on the north side and he was always willing to take me home, regardless of the time... in fact, ramel said "i love you" first and all i could do was go, "oh".... i know, not the answer a guy is ready to hear right?! but he was the first guy to have ever said that... and goodness, i didn't wanna fall in love and get heartbroken! (with my kinda personality, it was hard to find that "right" guy)... anyhow, long story short... ramel and i have been in love ever since...

after ramel graduated, we decided to get married that summer... he tried to propose to me romantically in a park but i was busy playing on the jungle gyms... and by the time i sat down next to him, the police were telling us to leave the park because it was closed... so we walk home and i find a stray cat and insist on giving it some attention... and ramel kept rushing me... by the time we get to the house, he just hurries to get on one knee and propose! what  mix of happiness and embarrassment (for being so oblivious to why he wanted me to hurry up)...

we both agreed to have a small wedding... i was never the type to invite everyone and their mama to events... i believe the people who are always there for you are first priority in inviting... i have a large extended family on both sides and i am not close to all my aunts, uncles, and cousins... in fact, how many knew how old i even am?! i know, it sounds a tad cold, but really, i just wanted the close people in my life... and same for ramel... we were even willing to just go to the courthouse... but my aunt delia said she'd make my dress... and help out with all the wedding goodness...

my aunt made my dress... bought ramel's tux... bought my dad's tux shirt... made all the party favors... helped cooked the food... and rented the room for us to marry in... but about the dress, it was (and still is) beautiful!!! she was so talented and such a giving person! she worked hard to  make our wedding day special and so did our close family... as i look at the pictures, i am mixed with emotions... the same year she passed away unexpectedly and it was  blow to the entire family... it is never easy to deal with such a matter and sometimes, when i talk to my mom or sister, the feelings come up again... she is greatly missed...

a year after our wedding, diego was born... the following year we bought a house... and this year?! we rest after all the work we do throughout the days and weeks... learning how to fix the house up and how to be creative in making money to do little things... saturday we were planning to celebrate but we need to paint the fence (it's mandatory where we live)... maybe afterward we will go to the movies or go somewhere to eat- something not too costly but just as sweet... i was never the girl that needed a lot of pricey goodies- don't want to have fancy stuff but have no electricity, ya know?!... i cherish what's from the heart and moreso, i cherish our time together...

ramel is my husband and i love him dearly... even though we have our arguments, i never regret the moment i gave him my number to the saying, "i do", and everything between and after...

*note... i am holding my niece in the 3rd picture (she was about 18mos then)... and those are my wonderful and beautiful parents in the last picture... i am wearing high heels too so you know my family is short :)

thank you

just wanted to tell all of you  who have commented on this blog, thank you so much!!! your kind words and encouragement are such an inspiration... i was amazed at the outcome of the creative stay-at-home mom's story... it was uplifting to read all the responses and to see others who can relate... believe me, after 2yrs of staying at home, the low feelings come... and it's a joy to see diego grow up but don't we all wonder if we are doing enough?! so truly, thank you for your comments and understanding!

what have we here?!

while trying to get diego to eat his lunch, despite his food strike, i heard a loud banging on my door... diego (not me) yells, "i'm coming" as i go downstairs to see who couldn't ring the doorbell... no human stands there but instead i find something much better, a surprise package!!!! and from jennifer too! she sent me a belated birthday gift and i have to say, she went all out...

first off, the items were packaged beautifully and to top that, they smelled good too! since diego isn't planning on eating anyhow, i leave him to play with food as i unpack each item eagerly... i have to laugh out loud when  i see the to-do list pad... after all, i am always talking about my long to-do lists and here jen gets me the perfect gift! and then there are books of tieing and folding! the folding book even shows how to fold fitted sheets (yeah, if it wasn't for my mom teaching me, they'd end up a rolled mess shoved in the back behind the towels that are easy to fold up)... both books have detailed instructions and easy to follow pictures... such goodness!!!!! there was also a beautiful card and the cutest scary stories puzzle box for diego.... hmm, i shoulda taken a better photo!

to top it all, there was foot creams just for me :D ah, the joys of being able to pamper myself between all the business of life... and the heart sachets (it's pronounced sa-shays! hmm, i was saying it wrong for 25yrs) smelled just WONDERFULLY! i don't know where to put them first! my room, the drawers, the kitchen?! lastly, she sent me this beautiful chick by nicol sayre... it's so precious! i love the newsprint hat and the collar! i was so happy to get such a thoughtful package, i almost forgot diego was in the living room waiting to get out the seat!

thank you so much jennifer for such a sweet gift! every single thing you sent was perfect and much appreciated!

*i had to search for good lighting in my house... and the only place was in my studio in the attic... i could hear this buzzing sound and i don't know if i was sweating from fear or the extreme heat, but i rushed to take these photos...