Evan Robertson's artwork

I was introduced to this guy's artwork today. He does Lit-prints and they're awesomely unique and detailed. Go see his site to see more. I love them all.

Not a trace of doubt in my mind.

Today was my first day of vacation! Staycation for the first few days, actually.

I was super impressed by my friends today. We had planned a luncheon/moral support party for a friend whose house was robbed a couple of weeks ago. The thieves took her jewelry, and this is someone who loves to coordinate her earrings and bracelets with her outfits each day. She's so put together. It's a sad situation, not only because it's scary/angering to have your house broken into, but they took all of her jewelry that she had inherited from her mom and grandmother, and all of the jewelry that she had ever gotten from her husband and children. Anyway, we told her that we were going to take her to lunch to cheer her up, but she thought that it would just be four of us for a little lunch. She was surprised when it was 12 people, all to eat lunch and support her while bringing gifts of new jewelry for her. I was so impressed that everyone had been able to keep the secret! I don't work with any of them anymore, so it was easy for me to not spill the beans, but they all kept it quiet for two weeks. Nice job, ladies! I think our cheering-up party worked pretty well. My friend was very touched by it. It doesn't erase what happened, but it makes a big difference to know that your friends are by your side and care about how you're doing and want to help. 

I made a new friend, too. It's name is Mod Podge. We're going to become better acquainted, I think. We're starting off slow by just trying to make some of the scrapbook stickers to stick on the canvases that I've been working on, but someday we might move forward to trying to decoupage tissue paper and whatnot to canvasses and other stuff. It's working pretty well so far. One thing I've come to really like about this canvas artwork is that I can use all the art and craft supplies that I've bought during all my other craft phases. So, the stamps and ink that I bought last year during the very brief 'I'll try stamping!' craft phase, and the fabric markers that I bought to customize a pair of Keds earlier this year, and all the stickers and papers that I've kept for years and years after my scrapbooking phase kind of faded away, and even the high gloss paint I recently bought for the furniture painting? All of those things I can use now to make into wall art! Hurrah! And now I have acrylic paint to add to the mix. I think purchasing Mod Podge has made me a hard-core crafter. I never knew exactly what it was before this; it was just something I had vaguely heard people talk about but, like the Monkees, I'm a believer. Plus, did you ever do that thing when you were younger with glue, where you put some on your palm, let it dry, and pull it off like it's skin? Gross, yes. Mod Podge lets you do that again! It was kind of nostalgic and fun to pull the dried glue-like substance off my palm. 

Speaking of being a believer in craftiness, here are my first three attempts at artsy fartsy canvasses for my house.

   

Plus, I'm the proud owner of three more canvasses that I hope to make pretty and put magnets on the back and stick them to my new desk at work to funkify the space a little. I'm not sure entirely what patterns or decorations to put on the ones for work. I'm leaning toward not putting words on them, but sticking with illustrations or patterns. Colorful, of course.

Oh, yeah...and too bad for the OKC Thunder losing to the Heat. I tried to watch all of Game 5 since I didn't have to go to work today. But with the Thunder losing by so much, I couldn't bear to watch.

Oh, boo. I just looked over at the end table and Bea is drinking out of my glass. Sigh. Another glass of water taken over by Miss Potter. Very few things in this house are mine anymore. At Hobby Lobby I was looking longingly at some of the colorful little glass vases that they had on clearance, thinking how lovely it would be to have a few of them in the windows with some flowers in them. And then I remembered Bea and thought of how much glass I'd be cleaning up if I dared to put anything like that in the windows of my home. I can't have nice things. 

Secret of life

I've been a pretty big fan of Brian Andreas' "Story People" illustrations and artwork for a few years now (Como folks, you can find his work at Bluestem on 9th Street. I've also found a few of his things in Albuquerque). He's got some amazing insights into life. I bought a set of blank note cards of his and have plans to frame a few and put them up around my house. For now, I write on them and send them out to people snail-mail style when the mood strikes me. Today's particular illustration was pretty awesome and I thought it would be nice to share it with others and maybe you'll love his work as well (clickity-click on the image for full-size fabulousness).