greenbeanbaby art

studio procrastination & cut paper links...

what excuses can you give for procrastinating???? as an artist, it seems, many of us are pretty good at not at completing projects on time... maybe it's because an artist has to be in the mood to create... while i work hard at being on time for swaps (yes, i have been late a couple times), creating art projects in general, can be delayed...

but there are some good excuses... and here are just a few...

1. there is a centipede on the wall... the centipede disappears, then is finally killed by a very tired husband... from the time the centipede was discovered until the time it took to kill the thing, all creative juices were sweated out from fear...

2. there is a big gap in the window frame... this means bugs can come in if i open the window... therefore, the studio is EXTRA hot since its summertime.... an artist cannot work in extreme heat without feeling a bit woozy and light headed... hand me a gatorade, please!

3. isabella is just too darn cute and so i start taking photos of her... by the time i am done, it's time to get ready for dinner...

4. my kitchen floor is sticky... diego has bits of cereal on the floor... the 3 dishes in the sink are glaring at me... suddenly, the whole house MUST be cleaned at THAT second... energy is spent on cleaning and cleaning and cleaning.... 20 minutes later, diego is eating cereal again and i feel crud on the floor... shall i grab the broom and mop again???

5. i don't have the perfect piece of paper for the project i am working on

so if you haven't guessed, i have a huge fear of bugs and a slight compulsion to clean... there is always a bug around and something is always getting dirty... earlier today, i went to grab some curtains from the hallway closet and there is a wasp just casually flying around... later, i go to grab the broom near the attic door, and i see the wasp staring at me through the hallway window door... by the time ramel stopped by for lunch, he couldn't find it... it's nearly 7pm and i havent checked the mail yet... i feel like a person who has a fear of leaving their home! oh wait!!! i AM afraid to leave my home over a wasp!  yes, such silliness, eh?!

so let me end this post on a wonderful note... here are some links of paper lovers and their shop or photos:

cartoon blog

happy dreamer

lily lemon

marzy cards

monette enriquez

in the studio...

while life is full of taking photos, doctor visits, blowing bubbles, going for walks, and getting the brakes on the car repaired, studio life has been not quite as busy... there are days when i have enormous amounts of energy and other days where the idea of falling asleep at 11:30pm is a sweet reality... (until isabella decides to wake up at 11:45)

however, i was able to finish my part in the paperbag swag project... this is a wall hanging for part of kristin's book... you can go here to check out the rest of the photos i've done for this project... in order to work, i went to starbucks a few nights just to escape the heat of the attic and relax with a cup of java... ah, it's been years since i packed up a bag of paper scraps,my crafting knife, and scissors, and illustrated in a coffee shop... back in college, that was the daily ritual...

but now we are trying to save money and so i'm back in my studio.... during the day, i bring the kids up there and attempt to organize my papers or sketch or create... whichever the mood calls for... usually, i go from watching a zombie flick to spiderman cartoons.... diego will relax in ramel's game chair and isabella will sleep in her playpen... it can be quite the peaceful time for us all... (yes, sometimes NOT going to the park can be just as fun and with less of a dilemma- hehe)

 
recently, i've received new papers from two personal swaps... the first photo of papers was sent by simone of the u.k... she also sent a slew of candy, "scraps", a cute shirt for isabella, and some handmade love too...  the second photo is of wallpapers and such sent by ambra of italy... she also sent ribbons and embellishments too!!! you can see more photos here of both swaps...

lastly, here is a pic of isabella sleeping... she is propping up one of ramel's father's day gifts hellboy:blood and iron... the cartoon was wonderful and got me in the mood to go from my zombie flicks to our comic book dvds... yes, we are like blockbuster and have dvds of every genre... anyhow, sadly, the same day i was taking this photo, was the same day my camera flash died... phooey! now, the only time pictures can be taken is during broad daylight...

ah, one day the artwork will be a means of support... for now, the studio is a great place to create on the side, and keep the kids happy while i flip through oodles of paper :)

the case of Dr. jekyll & senor hyde

is it the pediasure diego drinks? or perhaps there is something in the bottled water? either way, there are days reminiscent of the classic book, dr. jekyll and mr. hyde. one moment, diego is as sweet as pie and then a bit later, turns into an angry, impatient, crying toddler...

it's the story most moms can relate to but few actually blog or tell about it... understandable, right?! what mom wants to tell the dark side of her son on the internet and tarnish his halo that everyone sees on him... my sweet and friendly diego who befriends strangers whereever he goes, will show his true colors when mother is around... and she is telling...

it was a sunny afternoon... the birds were chirping and there was a nice breeze blowing through the leaves... a happy family leaves the house to take the hardworking husband to his job.... it was a peaceful moment until---- (dun dun dun....) the mom is left with the two kids alone... suddenly, the birds are squawking too loud, the sun is beating down too hard, and the wind is throwing leaves and pollen into your eye... diego begins crying because he wants to go to work with his dad (daycare)... isabella begins to grunt at such loudness... size 9.5 shoes are being thrown off and a toddler's cries turn into angry shrills... a mother's soft tone of voice becomes an angry "you better cut it out diego!"

then there is silence... although the sun is still beating down quite a bit, it's manageable... the birds are flying away and the wind is trying to cool down the sweat you and the toddler acquired from the moment before... the three make it to a park near the lake... diego is happily rejoicing and listening to every direction you tell him... even isabella is asleep and content... the happy trio walk to the park and then, it  happens... the happy toddler takes off running... going on slides too high and climbing up stairs too tall... mother is too short and trying hard to nicely tell him to go to the toddler side of the park... after all, several other mothers are watching her... diego becomes angry and whiny... he makes his body limp as the mom can feel her face reddening and the anger rising... with isabella strapped in the pouch, she is too slow to keep up with diego... diego begins to run away, knowing he has the advantage....

and then she takes a spill, right in front of everyone in the park... holding onto isabella, the mother trips and falls into the sand landing on her knees, thankfully... isabella goes back to sleep but the mom is now, angry, embarassed and trying hard not to lose her cool in public... diego just looks and mother ends up grabbing diego by the hand and going home... his howls can be heard throughout the south side of milwaukee... the audience in the park just stare... even the birds remain silent... heck, i bet the wind stopped to check out the scene....

the toddler is quiet in the car ride home... the baby sleeps away even though her pacifier was lost during that 15minute stay at the park... and who ends up crying?? dear dear mother crying on the phone to her mother! how come diego won't listen? why is he good at the park when his father takes him? how come he listens at daycare? why do they make parks for little kids?

with a veteran mom's advice and consolation, this mother goes home a bit more relaxed... she makes diego go to his room, without television, and tells him to lie down... he takes a nap while isabella eats... when diego awakes, he is as good as gold... he eats without complaining... he sits down without being told twice...  mother takes him outside in the yard, and he is actually having a darn good time! the afternoon is ended with a content toddler and a bit of bubbles too...

i know i'm a good mom and that diego is a good kid... i also know this is part of motherhood... but perhaps, dr. jekyll and mr. hyde was really written by Robert Louis Stevenson's wife... maybe she told him of her days with the kids, and he got the story for his famous book...

yeah, now you've had those days, eh????!!!!

notes: i received a couple wonderful packages this week... if  you go to my flickr, you will see more... thank you ester and jhoanna for the loveliness and happiness you sent this way :D

what was your dream? post 1

after much frustration with paints, charcoals and pastels, i began working in cut paper the 3rd year into college... i decided the greeting card industry was the ideal life... i even found a job working as a designer at a local greeting card company... and the company used handmade paper of all colors and sorts in their cards! however, i always envisioned my own company... my own cut paper greeting cards being sold in a teeny store front shop...

i saw my shop peaceful with big windows; the sun shining in as the kids rushed through the door from school, waving their backpacks about... i'd send them to the back room, where it was my studio, and make them sit at a big table to work on homework... i'd sit in the front, behind the counter, glueing some card together while sipping on coffee.. after the kids were finished with schoolwork, i'd hand them a duster and make them dust the shop while they'd tell me about school and who did what in class...

later, ramel would come through the door, kiss me, and ask how business was... i'd say slow but steady... he'd grab the kids and i'd close the shop and go home to a very clean house... in my dreams, i never remember cooking for the family or figuring in the time when i'd clean it- hehe... it was a happy dream though- and i thought, quite realistic...

however, once diego came along, the idea of the shop became blurred and bleak... i found my shop void of customers... i'd dream of how my parents would come and buy cards so i could make a sale that day (and that is because my parents really would do that! they are quite supportive)... i'd dream of how ramel would hold me as i'd cry about the shop's unsuccess... in fact, by the end of my dreams, my shop would be empty because i didn't know if the greeting card avenue was the path for me... yes, the idea of a shop became an unrealistic dream with nightmarish realities...

what really jolted me out of the idea of this storefront, was when my buddy told me of a new store, paper boat boutique... walking in there was like seeing MY dream being played by other actors... it was the store front shop with greenish walls (i think) and a room in the back!! there was a lady working on something in the front and the store was full of items handmade by various artists.... my dream shop was owned by someone else... and i must admit, they were doing a darn good job and had a beautiful shop!

so fast forward--- we bought a house, it had rooms for studios and i discovered the world of blogs and creative people... i found mothers who sewed, cut paper, and had etsy shops... i found support and encouragement... i began creating with annewed hope that having an etsy shop would be far more ideal than a storefront in milwaukee... after all, most of my customers are from other states and countries...

instead of my son coming home from school, running through the shop door, it's different... he's running through the kitchen door after a day at daycare... he's stomping up the stairs and rushing to my studio, yelling "hi mummy!!!".... everything is louder, with a hint of chaos... i can hear the baby swing creaking. isabella grunting, as i cut tiny hands and feet for my artwork... shortly after, her grunts turn into wails and diego's asking if we can watch superman, or batman; anything to avoid his nighttime bath...

i wouldn't change a thing right now... my reality is better than my dream, although quite louder with a bit more interruptions... i like having an etsy shop and meeting other creative people... i like mailing out packages at the post office, or stopping by target to pick up supplies... of course, now i dream of how i'd like to fix up my studio and of new products i'd like to make... i haven't given up dreaming, just sort of tossed the idea of a storefront shop, out the window... i've accepted and embraced this reality...

we have all adjusted our dreams in life... so what was your dream? and what is your reality??

thank you... post 2

i made a post of how my dreams in this crafting life, has changed... but it wasn't without much support and encouragement from this blogging community...  thank you natalie of craftzine for blogging about one of my posts!! it was an honor to be mentioned!! and thank you wendy for blogging about the invitations as well... and to all of you who comment, email, and link my blog to yours, THANK YOU!!! your support is so encouraging and uplifting... it is what helps me to create and be inspired daily... although i may not get a chance to visit everyone's blogs to comment, i have become the lurker who takes peeks throughout the days... it is always wonderful to see what people are creating and how they live life in between... i know this is a short post but i have to thank you all!!!!

how do i do it??

many people have often asked how i manage to work on art, while having two kids...  although each day can be different, i decided to give you one day's example of how i assembled 20 invitations for wendy's order...

keep in mind, both kids were wide eyed at half past midnight... i already did the illustration for the invitation and had them printed out... they were delivered to me earlier in the day... because i knew i'd be up late at night, i drank a venti orange mocha from starbucks... that gave the caffeine enough time to kick in... and then the assemblage began...

 
1. diego was put to bed at 10pm however, he was wide awake... as was isabella... ramel needed his sleep so i took out my rated R movie and put another dvd in... i went from resident evil to superman cartoons... i needed to do some "unsafe" work so isabella went in the playpen... diego relaxed on my chair... i cut my 12x12" paper to size... and then i cut some ribbon...

2.  isabella got antsy so i placed her on the carpet while i cut the postcards into the shapes of tags... then i folded the papers just cut... i started to cut the edges but she began to get hungry... can you see i was too? mint caribou coffee bars for mama and milk for baby... diego drank water- hehe...

 
3. while isabella nursed, i punched holes in the tags and in the papers... i finished cutting the edges of the paper with decorative scissors (safe scissors for while she nursed on my lap)

4. after her feeding (she's pretty quick and thus the reason she wakes up so often), she fell asleep on my lap... that gave me a tad of time to wrap and tie the ribbons around the papers....

5. by then, i decided to put diego to bed... it was well over 1:30am... isabella mussed up a diaper; i woke up ramel so he could change her diaper while i worked a bit more... while he gave me this time, i rushed (yes, RUSHED) to sizzix the flowers for the envelopes... the flowers were glued and pieced together all the while isabella cried (yes, i bet that mocha was keeping her up too)

6. i brought isabella to the studio again so ramel could go back to sleep... while holding her, i added the ribbon onto the tags and put the tags inside the papers... i nearly completed the task until my leg fell asleep and my arms grew tired... i figured i better blog this before i forget...

7. i checked up on diego, and he seemed quite asleep... the kid keeps so much in his bed, no wonder he has little room!!!  isabella hasn't been doing a good job sleeping in her bassinet or her swing... she prefers a warm body to cuddle next to... so often ramel will assist in this department too... while i blogged, he cuddled her...

that is how i worked on art this past night!! this is not the everyday venture however, it gives you an idea of how i multi task... some nights ramel cares for isabella the entire time (except for feeding time)... most nights, diego stays in his bed and falls asleep early enough... and of course, MANY nights, i cannot afford a starbucks drink or coffee bars, so i am left without as much caffeine in my system....

it's 3:55am and i am off to sleep

sweetpea swap 6: fill 'er up!

are you ready for another round??? it's been awhile and i am happy to introduce to you round 6 of the sweetpea swap: fill 'er up! this swap is sweet and simple and perfect for us all... you take a 10.5"x15.5" (26,6cm x 39,3cm) envelope and fill it up with your buddy's favorite things... it can be filled with paper, ribbons, embellishments, or candy (ah, i say mention these the most- maybe because they are my favorite goodies too- haha)... whatever your buddy loves the most, you can send her a wonderful envelope-full!

for those of you who create, you can make your swap buddy a handmade item... that is one of the best parts of swapping; something sent with love and care! perhaps she collects apron or cuddly softies... if it can fit in the envelope, send it her way!!! if  your buddy enjoys sewing, pretty fabrics and notions would be a lovely gift... you need only to spend $10- $15 max... keep in mind shipping costs and making sure that all goodies fit in the envelope.... (yes, i said that a couple times, eh?!)

shipping dates are from june 25th to june 29th.. this gives you time to meet your swap partner! feel free to email her with any questions or to further introduce yourself.... stop at her blog or flickr page for more info as well... you will have enough time to shop, create, rummage, thrift, and enjoy this swap... it's an easy and open round so there should be no excuses as to why we can't ship out on time... even though we may procrastinate, it's unfair if your swap buddy rushed to send out their package and you decided not to be as prompt...

i've kept this round pretty simple and open for a couple reasons... i'm a busy mama but made some time to get a new round up, with the help of my mom... also, most of us like open swaps so that we can give and receive a variety of goodies for our stash, crafting needs, and our collections... while it is a simple swap,  please make sure you follow the few rules and just to reiterate they are:

1. you ship out in an 10.5"x15.5" (26,6cm x 39,3cm) envelope
2. you ship out on time
3. you send it with love and care

so hurry and fill out the below questionairre  below! i set up a NEW emailing address, so make sure to  email me with answers using that address, and i will set you up with a partner ASAP.... you only have a week to sign up!!!!!

questions: 

1. your name, email, and  mailing address

2. website and/or flickr addy, swapbot profile link (new!!!)

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?

*the above icons are free to use solely for linking sites from yours to mine... please download the button first to your computer before adding it to your site.. you can use this link, as it will take you to this round of the sweetpea swap...  

a dilemma of shipping prices...

before this topic/rant is begun, i wanted to comment on my previous post and its title... yes, a couple of you guessed it- the title really derived from "a pirate's life for me".... and of course, influenced by the pirates of the carribean 3... i saw it in theatres with my sister and isabella (and 'bella slept the whole time too!!).. ramel and i saw the first movie on our honeymoon... we saw the second one with a bunch of buddies and diego too- our friends helped keep diego quiet and happy by giving him soda and popcorn.... i think he fell asleep by the time johnny depp left the island....

but onto the real issue at hand!!! has shipping prices been affecting your pocket?? it sure has here!!! the second week of may, ramel shipped a ton of packages out and he phoned me with the total... it equalled out to the same amount i SOLD!!! so therefore, i made NO profit, and we can skip having the funds cover up the material costs (including the envelopes).... i was incredibly mad at ramel because he MUSTA did something wrong! of all the times i shipped before, it was never that high... ramel felt aweful and i was in tears... how in the world can i contribute to paying some of our bills if no money is being made?! it's not even covering daycare costs!


but a few more trips to the post office, with prices still being quite high for even a small envelope, i just assumed i was overpacking items (or forgetting how expensive it is to ship?) it wasn't until tuesday that the postal guy told me how prices went up big time, along with choices of how to ship internationally... SO THAT IS WHY my shipping bills were so pricey!!! with a phone call to ramel to apologize, i decided to figure out how to recalculate shipping prices in my etsy shop...

now, with alot my orders, i like to throw in a few bits of extras... however, any extras in the packages i ship to, are my doing... meaning, the customer shouldn't and won't pay for the freebies i decide to throw in... only fair, eh?! but still i have to figure in the rest of the costs... the envelopes alone are nearly $1.... and to ship internationally is always well over $5 for even my smallest notebook... is it fair that i charge $6 for a mini notebook that costs only $5?! hardly!!!!! so now, the goal is to make my costs in the etsy shop, affordable to BOTH the customer and i...

<>

this weekend, i will be raising my shipping prices... it's only fair to the business... i want my shop to be a fun and affordable spot for people to buy goods from... it's tricky, this whole pricing bit... but the cost of living is getting higher... did you know that here, in milwaukee, our gas prices are the highest in the states?! ridiculous!!!

ah yes, and to end the post, isabella does NOT like to be put down....  i held her for nearly 6 hours straight today... currently, it's past midnight and ramel is trying to soothe her... but i swear, she cries louder at night than in the morning... my arms are tired and there is more art for me to do, none of which is easy to do while holding the gal... but i best end the post and rescue ramel after i pack up my art supplies for the night.

note: the first 4 photos are notebooks created for people... the last photo is for some birthday invitations...