Catching up on the past six months...

Moving back to San Diego has been terrific although I still feel like I'm in my adjustment period.  It took me several weeks to find a new home and even longer to get unpacked... I still am not completely settled in but I'm getting there.  I found a cute duplex in the suburbs and am blessed to have a nice landlord, a friendly neighbor, my own laundry room, a garage, a yard, and the best part - a whole room to dedicate to my art studio/office!

I used my birthday gift cards to buy shelving for the studio and I am almost done getting everything put in its place.  I would have been done ages ago if I didn't keep hauling stuff out and making messes (along with art) along the way.

Shortly after moving into my new home, I discovered this nest of baby birds right outside my window.

I've really enjoyed catching up with old friends and making new ones since coming back to San Diego. 

Sadly, my best friends relocated to the Monterey Bay area shortly after I arrived.  I was lucky enough to get to spend a long weekend with them over Halloween.  On the way home, I took the scenic route down the famous Highway 1...

Being back in Southern California gave me the opportunity to attend one of my online artist friend's art showing... and to finally meet her in person.  Kate Carvellas was as sweet in person as I'd come to know her online and a talented artist too!

Although I went home for Thanksgiving, I spent a lovely quiet Christmas at home this year.

I'm looking forward to the new year and good things  =)

Asian Influence

 If you follow my art, you probably know how much I love asian themes in my art.  Here are some items I've done recently - all for Paper Traders swaps.  At the top, small chipboard houses using some really great joss paper I found for backgrounds.  Above, some paper thread bobbins for a tiny bobbin book.

Below is the triptych and handmade envelope I created for another swap.  The lady in this one is a pop-up... a little trick my mom taught me  =)

A couple more ATC swaps

 As you can tell from the short random posts, I'm trying to get caught up from my half-year hiatus.  Here are my contributions to a couple of ATC swaps I did for Paper Traders.  For the one above, the challenge was to use a postage stamp; the swap below was to use a silly take on a movie title... both were lots of fun!

Recent ATCs

Our Paper Traders group hosts a monthly ATC lottery.  Here are some recent ATCs I made for them.  Now, if I could just remember to get them sent off to the corresponding winners!

Creepy Cottages

For Halloween, our Paper Traders group had a Creepy Cottages swap.  This is my creation, featuring a cute birdie from ArtChix.

Out with the old... In with the new...

On the day before leaving town to visit my family for Thanksgiving, I managed to total my car.  The accident was my fault and an embarrassingly stupid move on my part.  Thankfully, no one was seriously injured - it could have been so much worse - but my subcompact 2004 Hyundai Accent didn't fare too well against a Dodge Ram pickup!  I finally got out of my rental and into a new (at least new to me) car - a 2010 Hyundai Elantra with power, cruise, and lots of nice little amenities I had been doing without.  Alas, they came with a car payment attached but at least I have something nice, newer, and reliable to get around in.

On a lighter note, I had a wonderful time visiting my family in Wyoming over the Thanksgiving holiday.  I arrived just in time for the traditional dinner, sacrificed sleep for some Black Friday shopping deals, had a Harry Potter movie marathon with my nieces, went to kindergarten with my youngest niece, watched another niece perform admirably at her swim meet, helped my mom rearrange her art studio, and managed to read a novel and complete an art piece in the process.  Not a very restful vacation but definitely a fun and special one!

This is the art piece I completed on my vacation.  It was my birdhouse-themed contribution for the Fifth Anniversary swap on Paper Traders.  The couples featured are my grandparents and great aunt & uncle  =)

Christmas Crafts

 These are two items I made for Christmas swaps on Paper Traders - some inchie ornaments (made with Tim Holtz fragments) and a paper ATC ornament.

Below are some handmade Christmas cards I made - and donated - for my women's church group...