Jodie Blogs!

Shop Update

2009-05-03T16:59:00.003-05:00

Two new 4" x 5" x 1.5" canvases, now in the shop. Check 'em out!

Is it springtime?

2009-04-17T10:12:00.002-05:00

Yes? I think it might be. I've been waiting for it to be sunshine-y and warm around here, waiting for pretty green things to start popping up. I think it finally arrived. Thank goodness...

Big Hair Rules...

2009-04-08T18:56:00.004-05:00

Out of boredom and armed with a comb and a can of cheap hairspray, I wondered just how big I could get my hair. Verdict: pretty big, but not as big as I had hoped...too much fine hair to wrangle. Maybe big hair hair will come back into style? Is it already in style? Hmmmm...

5 Addictions...

2009-03-17T10:42:00.003-05:00

The lovely Anna from colour + sound has tagged me to participate in the 5 addictions game. Typically, I am horrible at doing these kinds of things...I don't know how many times I have been tagged to participate in something like this. I have good intentions to follow through, and then don't do it. I'm just not so good about talking about myself...but I'm about to change that! So here it goes, in no particular order...

1. flickr, etsy, and icanhascheezburger.com.
I am SO addicted to these sites! I check them daily...multiple times a day. I love flickr and etsy just because I get to see what lots of creative, inspiring people are up to, and I get to connect with people around the world I normally never would have had the chance to meet, which is really cool. I love icanhascheezburger.com because it's always good for a giggle, and being a jr. high art teacher, sometimes you need a good giggle at the end of the day...

2. My ipod. I could not get through the day without music...so when the ipod came out, I could not have been more thrilled. I can carry around thousands of songs with me everywhere, in a object that fits in the palm of my hand? Yes! So now I am never without music...or my favorite tv shows...or movies. Thank you Apple...you are my hero! Now if only my mobile phone carrier will start providing service for the iphone...

3. Coffee. A must-have. Can't start my day without it, and if I try, bad things happen...whole day ruined. I only need a cup or two...with a little sugar and cream.

4. Art/Craft books. I have waaaaaay too many of these! I really don't know how many I actually have, as I am scared to count them. I have very few that I actually use, and the rest just sit on the shelf looking pretty. I just can't help myself! There I am, in the bookstore, unneeded book in hand, talking myself into/out of buying this book. Oh, but the pictures are so amazing! (I am a sucker for a well-thought out, well-designed book with fabulous pictures.) Deal's closed...I walk to the checkout counter and buy the book...

5. My dog, Gracie. I am a Gracie junkie...she is probably one of the most loveable, sweet, adoring creatures I have had the pleasure of ever meeting. She is 80 lbs. of pure boxer love, and she is hilarious to boot. I can't imagine a day without her. She is a giant puddle of sweetness, and I am putty in her paws.

Well...there we go. I did it! Five of my addictions. I won't tag anyone else to participate, but if you want to go ahead and give it a go, be my guest! I'd love to read what you are addicted to, so feel free to link back to this blog in the comment section. :)

Gah!

2009-03-01T14:10:00.003-06:00

Winter, I was really starting to kinda, well, not exactly like you, but at least be more tolerant of you. I mean, you really haven't been to bad this year. It's been...dare I say, warmish? Not much snow. Or ice. Very pleasant, actually. Then, on the last day of Feburary, when spring time seems like a breath away, you go and do this. You snow, about four inches worth, and you make it bitterly cold. Is that very nice? I don't think so. Didn't you notice that my magnolia tree had buds on it? Well, now I don't think it's going to bloom this year. Very mean, winter, very mean...

Oh hey!

2009-02-15T11:36:00.003-06:00

I kinda forgot about you, blog. I'm really sorry...things have been a bit crazy around here lately. Anyway, it seems like things are starting to look up, so hopefully I will pay more attention to you. How about a new listing in the shop? Okay, here it is...a new tag collage. :)

2008-12-25T11:10:00.001-06:00

Wishing you a very merry Christmas!

Mint!

2008-12-01T18:08:00.005-06:00

A huge thank you to the lovely Ellie at mint for featuring my inventory tag collages on her wonderful blog today! What a great way to start my week!

Shop Update

2008-11-30T10:33:00.002-06:00

Did you have a good Thanksgiving? I did! I've updated the shop with a couple of art cards from my leetle gallery show last summer, and a new inventory tag collage. Hope ya like them!

Enjoy the rest of your weekend! :)

Views of My Classroom

2008-11-07T18:26:00.002-06:00

It's Sunday Night...

2008-11-02T16:19:00.004-06:00

And I've got the Sunday night blues. You know the feeling. Weekend's over. Gotta get up early and go back to the grind...

*sigh*

Ah, well. It was a good weekend. And I managed to update the shop with a few new things. Hope ya like them, and have a good week!

Poladroid of the Day!

2008-11-01T09:45:00.004-05:00

Thanks so much to poladroid.net for picking one of my pics for the Poladroid of the Day! It's been much fun using the poladroid app...I think Im addicted! You can check out the website for yourself here.

Happy Halloween!

2008-10-31T21:50:00.002-05:00

It's a little late, but better late than never, right?

Fun Faked Polaroids...

2008-10-26T21:02:00.007-05:00

I just discovered this website for faking polaroids, poladroid.net, and it may be the most fun way to fake polaroids I've yet seen. Simply download the free application, install, and open. A wee polaroid camera appears on your desktop, and you simply drag and drop your image file onto the camera. Seconds later, an "undeveloped" polaroid shoots out, and just like the real deal, you get to watch it develop in front of your eyes! So clever! I'm having tons of fun playing with it...try it out yourself! And there's a flickr group for sharing your creations. Now go make some! :)

edit: Whoops...currently, the app is only available for mac. pc peeps are going to have to wait a bit, but according to the website, a pc version is coming soon!

Views of My Classroom

2008-10-26T17:32:00.002-05:00

More shop updates!

2008-10-26T15:55:00.003-05:00

I've listed a couple of new art cards and a new canvas in the shop this weekend. I'm slowly adding new pieces, which were left over from a gallery show I had in Beckett, Massachusetts, last summer. Enjoy!

Oh lookie!

2008-10-20T21:30:00.002-05:00

Another one! Currently listed in the shop!

Views of My Classroom

2008-10-19T14:46:00.003-05:00

New Additions!

2008-10-19T11:37:00.005-05:00

A couple of art cards, a canvas from my gallery show, and a new creation... an inventory tag collage! Now added to the shop!

Talk about a slacker!

2008-10-14T18:37:00.003-05:00

I can't believe that the last time I posted was in early August! School has been keeping me so busy that I kind of forgot about the ol' blog, I guess. Well, anyway, I just updated the shop with three new art cards, and the unsold work from my gallery show in Massachusetts finally came back, so I'll be listing more things in the shop soon!

Unleash Your Inner Pollock

2008-08-09T19:52:00.005-05:00

Time to start thinking about starting school again on Monday, so here's a little time-waster from www.jacksonpollock.org. Enjoy!

Obsessive Listening: Foo Fighters

2008-08-03T19:08:00.003-05:00

Ever bought or downloaded a cd, listened to it a few times until the newness wore off, then promptly forgot all about it, only to resurrect it months...or years later, and then you can't stop listening to it? You hit the replay button, and you listen, over, and over, and over again, until the music and the lyrics become so familiar to you. Like a new friend. I do this all the time. Well...maybe not all the time, but a lot. This week it's the Foo Fighters' "Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace" cd. I mean, I liked it when I bought it...I generally like most music the Foo Fighters put out. But I can't stop listening to it. I can't even think of listening to something else right now. Doesn't feel right. I know it will pass, and I'll move on to something else...but right now I'm lovin' it.

So what are you obsessively listening to right now?

helloooo summer!

2008-06-21T14:10:00.002-05:00

Wishing you blue-sky-and-fluffy-white-cloud-happiness today...

More New Art Cards...

2008-06-21T13:47:00.002-05:00

And maybe a couple of canvases (gasp!) are going to be added to the shop this weekend. You can see what's new here.

I feel special...

2008-06-11T19:36:00.009-05:00

My good friend bibliostyle recently spent a couple of weeks in Greece. Yesterday, the UPS guy rang my doorbell and left an unexpected box on my porch, a box filled with all kinds of wonderfulness from my friend's trip...such as travel ephemera, which I love, Greek chewing gum, fabulous-smelling olive oil soap, among other things. The best thing was a windchime with an amazing folk art bird made from sheet metal as its focal point...it is so amazing! It is currently hanging in my kitchen window, where I can see it daily. I love it!

Shop Updated!

2008-05-25T16:34:00.002-05:00

With a couple of new art cards...check it out here.

I Can't Believe I Haven't Posted Since...

2008-05-24T10:18:00.009-05:00

Spring Break!? Oh boy, am I a slacker. It's been a little crazy around here...the last couple of months of school are pretty frantic, with the last couple of weeks just being a blur of activity. But I am done. Finished! The kids are gone, the classroom is packed up, and I officially checked out for the summer yesterday. For ten whole, wonderful, lazy, do-what-I-wanna-do weeks. I am in heaven! So what should I do first? So many things...

And now for little bit-o-Etsy-Treasury happiness for me this week...one of my art cards was featured in a treasury that was on the Etsy front page! Thanks to Etsy seller and kcetsy team member tinystitches for sending me a screenshot. Here it is...isn't it pretty?

Spring Break Is Almost Over...

2008-03-23T15:43:00.003-05:00

And I'm a little sad. I've been having so much fun over the last ten days, I'm not ready to go back to the grind! I've gotten so much accomplished...I created lots of art, started sewing from patterns, hung out with my sweet husband and my dogs, worked a little on the house, appreciated all the little green things that are starting to grow again, took lots of pictures, and just generally relaxed and enjoyed myself. Tomorrow I have to go back to the world of teaching 6 art classes a day in a noisy, busy jr. high. Gah!

On the bright side, we only have about 8 weeks left in the school year, and then it will be summer break. Ten solid weeks of sheer bliss...oh yeah!

More New Goodies

2008-03-22T13:39:00.004-05:00

Since I've been on spring break for the last week, I have had ample time to devote to creating more new ACEOs for the shop. This lovely art card is now listed and currently available in the shop!

Helloooooooooooooo Spring!

2008-03-20T11:17:00.009-05:00

It's about time you came back around. I knew you were going to be here soon when little green things started popping up in the back yard. I love you!

Newly Listed!

2008-03-20T10:48:00.004-05:00

Winter is officially over, and I'm starting to get back into the swing of things and have listed two new art cards in the shop. You can this one and its companion piece here.

Saturday Adventures: River Market Antiques

2008-02-23T20:07:00.008-06:00

Today, the sun finally came out for a little while, and it was relatively warm (above freezing...it's about time!) so Doug and I went down to Kansas City's River Market area to go to River Market Antiques, my favorite antique store. There are three floors plus a basement chocked full of all kinds of antique and vintage items...you are almost guaranteed to find at least one thing you would like. Today I bought a great vintage melamine sugar bowl, and a small vintage photograph. Here are some pics of some of the great finds I uncovered today...

Amazing Architecture

2008-02-09T18:57:00.000-06:00

Today we took my in-laws to the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art for the afternoon. I was particularly excited about this because I hadn't been to the new addition to the museum, designed by one of my favorite architects, Steven Holl. I was not disappointed...it was stunning. If you are ever in the area, I highly recommend a stop at the museum complex to check it out.

Snow Day!

2008-02-06T18:58:00.001-06:00

Last Thursday, the local weather station was in a tizzy over the severe winter weather that was supposed to hit overnight, leaving Kansas City blanketed in about six inches of snow. I was ever-so-glad to get this bit of news, since I was in DESPERATE need of a day off from school. I was tired, my back has been bothering me, so I needed Friday to be a snow day. Well, needless to say, the storm fizzled out and we got a light spitting of snow and that was it. Well, imagine my surprise when, unexpectedly, the weather turned for the worse overnight, and I woke up to several inches of snow and to the realization that I did not have to go to work today. YAY! So I did all the typical snow day rituals:

1. Wear pajamas as long as possible. Then put on a funny "snow day" outfit. This usually involves wearing a long sleeved t-shirt under a short sleeved one, sweatpants, and mis-matched socks.

2. Do as little as possible. I puttered around a lot today. I didn't accomplish much. But that's okay...it's a snow day!

3. Make comfort food. I made cookies! Yummeh!

4. Go play in the snow. This I, personally, did not do, but I sent Charlie out as my proxy and he had a grand time frolicking in the snow. Charlie loves snow. I don't.

5. Watch questionable daytime t.v. I watched an episode of "Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew." I don't think I have to say any more. If "Rock of Love II" had been on, I'd have watched that too.

6. Watch a movie and/or play video games. Doug had this one covered. He just recently discovered "Halo 2" for xbox. He played ALL DAY. And he figured out how to run the game system through the surround sound. Uh huh, he did.

It was a good day. I am feeling much better about going back to work, having had an extra day just to rest, relax, and have some fun. Lawrence, it seems, had much more snowfall than we did here in Kansas City. I wonder if I'll have school tomorrow? Hmmmmmm....

New Challenge

2008-02-02T09:36:00.001-06:00

Having just completed the collage-a-day challenge started by magicjelly, I got to feeling a bit ambitious, and when fabulous printmaker mLee invited me to join her 365 sketch group on flickr, of course I jumped at the opportunity. Having taught art for a little over 10 years, I had gotten out of the habit of drawing for enjoyment. I draw, as a part of my job, daily; and as the years wore on, I stopped drawing for myself, simply for the enjoyment of putting pen or pencil to paper and letting the ideas flow. It had become almost "work-like" to draw outside of my classroom. I have realized, in the last couple of years, how essential to my well-being that expressing myself, and creating for myself, is. For so long, I had put it all into my teaching, and saved none for away from it, and it was like there was something missing. I was anxious and stressed, and considered leaving the profession. In the last year and a half or so, I have come to realize that in order for me to feel balanced and happy, I have to create for myself, as well as share my love of art with others through teaching. So...now I have made a promise to myself, through this challenge, to draw a little bit everyday...just for myself. I ran out and immediately bought myself some cool little moleskine sketchbooks and a couple of new micron pens. I've done three drawings so far, and I'm looking forward to doing lots more. It feels pretty good, I must say. Thanks, Marissa! :)

Done!

2008-01-26T18:17:00.001-06:00

I am officially done with my two week collage-a-day challenge! I had a fantastic time creating these, but I am ready to move on to other things. You can check out the set in its entirety here.

Collage-A-Day

2008-01-20T10:08:00.000-06:00

So the wonderfully-talented etsy seller Magic Jelly put forth a challenge (via the etsy forums) to create a collage a day for two weeks, putting only thirty minutes into each collage. Well, I am proud to say that not only did I take the challenge, but I have managed to stick with it for an entire week! This exercise in creativity was initially frustrating and quite stressful. The time constraint really pushed my need for total control to the limit. As the week progressed, I noticed not only that I was able to loosen up a bit, but that it was quite enjoyable. I looked forward to each day's collage, even when I was normally too exhausted after work to do anything creative. You may take a peek at my first week's efforts here, and take a look at the entire flickr group's photo pool here.

Cleaned Out!

2008-01-06T08:28:00.000-06:00

An incredibly wonderful buyer bought out all the ACEOs from my shop yesterday...how awesome is that?! I've been busy making more art cards to add, and a series of three featuring some fabulous greens are now listed here.

New ACEO

2008-01-05T10:58:00.000-06:00

My first listing of the new year...a new art card for the shop. Now available here.

4:15 p.m.

2008-01-03T18:21:00.001-06:00

Waitin' for the husband to take me away. First day back to school after two weeks off. Exhausted.

Glad tomorrow is Friday!

Second Semester Begins...

2008-01-02T19:38:00.000-06:00

Classroom cleaned and organized...check
Lesson plans prepped...check
Supplies ready...check
PowerPoint presentation working...check
Teacher physically, emotionally, and psychologically prepared to deal with a building full of 600 hormone-crazed adolescents for another 18 weeks...

Yes?

Hello 2008...

2008-01-01T18:15:00.000-06:00

It was a pretty uneventful day today. Outside was frigidly cold and windy...not fun for leaving the house, so I did laundry and puttered around in the workroom. I primed the art cards I glued yesterday, and I played with some gouache paints. I'm not looking forward to going back to work tomorrow. It's not even a contracted work day, but the kids come back to school on Thursday, and I have lots to do to be ready for them. I'm feeling a bit resentful that I have to use one of my vacation days for work...who am I kidding...I feel a LOT resentful that I have to use one of my vacation days for work. Blergh.

200 Sold Items!

2007-12-29T22:40:00.001-06:00

I met one of my goals for the year this evening! I wanted to have sold 200 items from my Etsy shop by the end of this year, and I did it. Yay! I also wanted to have 300 positive feedbacks (already met,) and 500 hearts (so close...I'm at 486 the last time I checked.) I've had a really fabulous year selling on Etsy, and I'm looking forward to an even better year in 2008!

Saturday Adventures: Westport

2007-12-29T16:33:00.002-06:00

Today, I decided to tie on my springy-green Sauconys, and Doug and I ventured out to Westport...

At World Market, we bought a Vosges Red Fire chocolate bar (yummeh!)and a six-pack of San Pellegrino Aranciata in cute little glass bottles (also yummeh!) We also bought a picture frame for one of Doug's Christmas presents, but it is the wrong size. My bad. He told me to measure the poster. I didn't. Whoops! Back to World Market tomorrow...

We had "the best burger in Kansas City," according to the McCoy's menu. It was a pretty good burger. The fries were pretty...okay.

I looked for The Replacements' "Hootenanny" cd at Streetside Records, to replace the one that Charlie chewed up. They didn't have it. Drat!

The weather was not too bad, and it's always fun just hanging out with my husband. I love Saturday adventures...

Classroom Sink

2007-12-15T15:26:00.000-06:00

I had to clean the bottles of acrylic paint the other day, and this is what happened to the sink in my classroom after I finished...pretty cool, eh?

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ....

2007-12-09T15:48:00.000-06:00

Caught Grace sleeping again...

Been playing with Big Huge Lab's polaroid frame. You can too...here.

In A 'Mats Kinda Mood

2007-11-27T19:06:00.001-06:00

I've been sick with the flu for the last few days, and while I languished in my bed with a pounding headache, a swallowing-razors sore throat, and a nagging cough, I finished reading The Replacements: All Over But the Shouting by Jim Walsh, a must-read for any 'Mats fan. So I think I'll share a little "Pleased To Meet Me" video love. I would have rather played the much more cheerful "Alex Chilton," but the video quality wasn't as good. I like these videos for their anti-video-ness, and because Tommy Stinson is wearing a Blue Note t-shirt, which is my favorite place to see live music, and where I saw Paul Westerberg play in 2005, my favorite live show of all time. So go on...rock out a little. :)

Whaaaa?!

2007-11-27T18:48:00.001-06:00

See up there in the upper left corner? That's my blog! Somehow, my blog was selected for the Blog of the Day at fuelmyblog.com, a social networking site for bloggers. I just recently signed up, and haven't spent much time on it, so imagine my surprise when I logged on to the homepage this afternoon, and my blog was featured! I'm the BLOG OF THE DAY! I'm simultaneously flattered and mystified...mystified because 1.) I am horrible at blogging on a regular basis. I'm doing great if I can get in one post a week, and 2.) I think my posts are kinda lame, and my photography isn't so hot, and hardly anyone reads this anyway...

Still made me feel pretty good. :)

Another New Canvas

2007-11-23T14:28:00.000-06:00

I've gone back to the 4" x 6" canvases for this one, but I'm trying out a horizontal format this time. I really love the way this one turned out...the vibrancy of the turquoise and the orange works well against the neutrality of the ephemera. The goldfish seems to be floating in this abstract world, which I like. You can see a bit of the influence of Piet Mondrian in the blockiness of the composition (we've been studying his work in my Art Foundations class.) Now available in the shop.

Across The Fence

2007-11-17T13:52:00.000-06:00

My neighbor has the lovliest autumnal tree, just across the fence in my back yard...such gorgeous yellows and oranges. Photos just don't do it justice.

Fishie In Blue

2007-11-15T19:32:00.001-06:00

I just love this little fish illustration...one of my favorites from the collection. This new version in blue hues with a touch of pear-ish yellow, along with its companion card, soon to be available in my shop.

God Bless Football...

2007-11-11T20:46:00.000-06:00

Doug loves football. I hate it. Football was on all weekend, so I holed up in the workroom, cranked the Ryan Adams, and managed to accomplish...

16 art cards prepped for painting, 9 finished, 5 listed in my shop...

3 canvases completed...if it had been sunny outside to take some decent pics, they might've gotten listed too...

And one ornament, finished and ready to hang.

I need to hole up in the workroom with Ryan Adams more often!

Squares Are Cool!

2007-10-21T21:19:00.000-05:00

I'm lovin' these new deep-sided square canvases I recently bought! Here's my latest one, now available in my shop.

More New Canvases...

2007-10-21T17:10:00.001-05:00

Here's some custom work I have done for some friends of mine. They're normal canvases that have been strip-framed instead of traditional framing. Hope they like 'em!

Sumpin' New...

2007-10-14T17:24:00.000-05:00

I bought a number of 6"x 6"x 1.5" canvases recently and I hadn't done a thing with a single one until yesterday. The square format kind of threw me for a loop, since most of the work I do is rectangular. I grabbed one and started painting. Then today, I pulled out a box of vintage ephemera that's been sitting around for a looooooong time...added the bird and the bit of music, and poof! "Dear Chicago" is born. I am very excited about this new direction my work has started to take...it's a bit more modern, more simple. I hope you like it too!

Out To Pasture

2007-10-08T21:23:00.000-05:00

Ol' No. 13 was the truck my husband was driving when we met in college (the first time I ever rode in no. 13 was our first date waaaaaaay back in 1993, a lunch date at Lidy's Cafe in Warrensburg, Mo...I had the grilled chicken breast, he had the tenderloin.) It had been through the wringer by that point, and when it was time to get a new truck for Doug, we gave it to my Dad to use on the family farm...you know, something to drive around in the pasture to check the cows. A couple of weekends ago, we went back home to visit, and this is how we found Doug's truck...sitting in the pasture, with it's hood blown back by a gusty storm. Needless to say, it's seen better days...

Poppytalk Handmade!

2007-10-01T20:52:00.000-05:00

So...Poppytalk is a fabulous design blog featuring amazing indie artists and crafters, now the creator of this blog has curated her own "virtual street market," and I'm in it! Check out my table, and other fabulous artists and crafters at Poppytalk Handmade!

Lomo-ish...

2007-09-30T17:03:00.000-05:00

One of my favorite types of photography involves pictures taken with a Holga camera. These cameras create dream-like images with a vintage feel, which I adore. But I don't have a Holga, so I have to cheat a little. One of my favorite web toys right now is dumpr.net. You can import images from your computer or your flickr page into the dumpr site and manipulate them in a variety of ways, including using the lomo effect to take your great photos and make them fabulous, like this one of one of Hector, who is one of the horses I used to help take care of. Cool, eh?

Happy Mail, Belatedly Posted...

2007-09-23T22:04:00.000-05:00

I recently received some wonderful mail from my great friend Lucie Summers, known around here as blu shed. She has an etsy shop with lots of lovely mixed media pieces and gorgeous prints of her whimsical line drawings, like this one that I bought. Love! She also gave me this extra print in black, and we swapped moo cards and stickers. Here are the ones she sent me...yay!

Mystery Girl

2007-09-16T18:28:00.000-05:00

My art cards are starting to go in a little bit of a new direction... I'm using gocco prints as collage elements. I printed this lovely lady on vintage book pages using my trusty gocco printer, now I have about thirty of her. What to do? Create a series! So, I'll be making a number of art cards featuring her lovely face printed on various papers. But what should her name be? I'm taking suggestions!

Best. Concert. Ever.

2007-09-13T21:28:00.000-05:00

Laser pointers. Confetti cannons. Giant balloons. People dressed in various types of animal-styled attire. Fabulous music. My first Flaming Lips concert. Freaking. Incredible.

Haven't been? Go. You won't regret it. Want to see some more of my pics from the concert? Check out the Flaming Lips set on my flickr.

Meet Gracie

2007-09-02T09:34:00.000-05:00

This is Princess Gracie Boo-Boo Head. She is the resident lap sitter in the Hurt household, which is interesting, since she weights over 70 lbs. Princess Gracie, called so because she runs the place, loves belly rubs, being chased, and hole-digging; and is particulary fond of cheese and french fries, which make her drool uncontrollably. She has impeccable manners and is generally a giant puddle of love. When her enormous head gets too heavy for her, she will politely request for you to hold it for her. Her favorite toy is a giant rubbery ball attached to a large rope, which she grabs and shakes violently, repeatedly whacking herself in the head. This doesn't seem to bother her, and actually seems to be the desired result. Gracies loves smooches, and gives them generously, requested or not.

Finally!

2007-09-01T10:12:00.000-05:00

I've had a new series of art cards sitting on my table all week, just waiting to be scanned and uploaded, and I finally got around to doing it. Soon to be listed in my etsy shop.

Back In Session...

2007-08-28T20:34:00.000-05:00

I can't believe that it's already been two weeks since school started, and since my last post. Time flies, eh? I have definitely experienced some ups and downs. My classroom air conditioning unit is broken, so it's kind of like a sauna. The kids say it's the only classroom in the whole building that's warm...warm? No. It's hot. It's so hot, that pictures don't want to stick to the walls...I put them up, the next morning, they are on the floor. And, due to a paperwork glitch, my biggest supply order has yet to come in. This is the order with things like...paper, and pencils, and glue sticks, and tempera paint. The basics. The stuff that I can't function without! I am hoping that my order will come within the next couple of days, otherwise I have to go shopping. Blech. Also, I just haven't built up my endurance for teaching. I'm exhausted when I get home. All I really want to do is go play with my paint and paper, or my new gocco...and I just don't have the energy. I'm very sad about this.

BUT...on the flip side, I really like the classes I am teaching this semester. And, while my new schedule is exhausting, teaching 6 45 minute classes a day instead of 3 90 minute ones isn't so bad, and my day goes by super-fast. And, for the most part...I have really great, excited kids in my classes, which makes my life much easier. So, while I miss summer and the freedom that comes with having 10 weeks to myself, I am enjoying the start of the new school year.

SUPER Happy Mail!

2007-08-14T21:15:00.000-05:00

I got home from work today to find a huge surprise on my front porch...a big box of wonderful birthday goodies from my super friend Petula, better known as bibliostyle. There's all kinds of wonderful goodies in there...lots of paper for my new gocco, original artwork, art supplies, and chocolate...all boxed up in a specially decorated box! I feel loved! :)

Happy Mail!

2007-08-13T17:40:00.001-05:00

I love getting happy mail! Courtney Cerruti made my day today...she's an incredibly talented artist I discovered on flickr. We traded art cards, and mine arrived in the mail today. Isn't it lovely? She has many more amazing and lovely things on her flickr page. You should definitely check out her wonderful art cards and gorgeous oil paintings.

Well, today was the first contract day of the school year. We spent all day in meetings and I am exhausted. Tomorrow will be a work day in my art classroom, and the seventh graders arrive on Wednesday. I'm not ready! Most of my supplies haven't arrived yet, my classroom is dirty from some wiring that was installed over the summer, and my storage closet is a complete and total wreck. On the plus side, I did get a new computer and a digital projector for my classroom, which I am really excited about. The first few days of school are always a chaotic mess...but it doesn't take long for things to settle down and for the kids to get into a routine. I can't wait for those days!

Off to take a nap...

Can you hear her singing?

2007-08-11T18:56:00.001-05:00

ACEO- The Relation of Sound to Sense
Originally uploaded by jodiehurt

I love the little bird featured on this art card, editions and originals (ACEO.) It seems as though she's singing a lovely little song. She makes me smile! Now available in my etsy shop!

Hi There!

2007-08-10T09:55:00.000-05:00

Thanks for stopping by to check out my first little bit of blogginess. I'll start off by sharing something new from my etsy shop. I've expanded into doing some of my mixed media pieces on 4" x 6" x 1.5" inch gallery wrapped canvases. Please feel free to comment and leave some feedback. Thanks!