Simple Gifts

This blog is supposed to be about Art and Mammals.

And, usually, I leave the Deep Thoughts to the Blisschick.

But lately, as anyone who reads either this blog or Blisschick's already knows, we have had some Major Things going on that have made my Art, at least, come to a temporary halt. Instead of writing or even painting, I have had to do some... Thinking.

Sigh. I'm not that good at Thinking.

As for the Mammals, well, they are usually in a state of halting. They call it "conserving energy." Otherwise known as laying around, resting, or lounging.

Please observe Exhibit A:


And for further evidence, Exhibit B:

Over the past week, Death has Kindly stopped, as Emily Dickinson would say, for two of our friends. They were in pain and exhausted by their diseases, and so Death was truly Kind in Stopping.

But, it leaves the rest of us here with some emptiness. We are left with trying to Understand the Big Picture of it all.

Earlier in the week, I was at work and I emailed the Blisschick to say this:

I was given the opportunity to spend an evening with Ken (along with the Blisschick, our friend, Miss Kitty, and Ken's wife, Debbie) that was perhaps his last good meal. His last good day where he felt like socializing. Where he felt like Himself.

In addition to that, I was given an opportunity to spend an hour with Susan while she was in the hospital. It, too, was perhaps her last time of feeling good. A time when she asked about others and we laughed and talked as if everything were Normal even though her liver had turned into an alien tumor.

And so I said to the Blisschick, "Why was I given these experiences? What is the Universe trying to teach me?"

She responded by saying the following: "Consider the possibility that the Universe is bestowing an Amazing Gift upon you. Perhaps you should stop thinking about it, and just accept that Gift."

Easier said than done.

But I'm trying.

Perhaps the Universe is trying to tell me to accept. Accept Everything as a Gift.

Life.

Death.

Time.

"And, of course," Miss Zoe piped in while I was Thinking, "Art and Mammals. We are Gifts." Then, she added, "Especially Rabbits. Really, Rabbits are the Best Gift."

What Simple Gifts are you Appreciating today? (And don't forget to put "rabbits" at the top of the list, or someone may.....well.... do something...)

FUN Friday!!

I know. It's not Flip Friday, but we went through all that on Wacky Wednesday.

And, Miss Zoe and I resorted to Wacky Wednesday only because the thing we had planned for Wednesday wasn't quite ready.

So, now, it's Friday, you've already enjoyed your Miss Zoe movie fix for the week, and it's time to move on to other things. Like the little surprise we have planned.

Don't you love a surprise?

Miss Zoe LOVES a surprise.
Especially if it's Willow Balls coming in the mail.

OK, so first, a little history: You remember how I asked all of you to help me to choose my new logo and you all voted and sent me the most wonderfullest of comments? (Did I hear a yes?)

Well, someone who lives with me who is extremely wise and has long ears (hint, hint), brought up some of those comments a couple of weeks ago. In her great wisdomosity, Blisschick (did you think I meant Zoe?) said to me, "What is it that you really want to be painting? What is it that you want a logo to really represent?"

I thought about that for a moment. I exchanged glances with Zoe. She looked away.

"Because," the Blisschick continued, "you have to think about all that. You made a nice logo and you have lots of ideas, but what is it that you love to paint more than anything else?"

Miss Lilly jumped into the Rabbit Room and cleared her throat. Miss Zoe coughed a bit from behind a pile of hay. I scratched my ear.

They were being a bit obvious, but they were right.

"Animals," I said with confidence. "I LOVE to paint animals. Especially cats and rabbits. But also dogs."

Another cough from Miss Zoe. (She's not too sure about dogs.)

And the Blisschick replied, "Animals. Then that's what you need your Etsy store to be. That's what you need to be painting and focusing on. Paint what you love."

With that in mind, then, I set off to sketch some ideas, which incorporated my new love of milagros with my obvious love of painting animals.

From there, it has all fallen together.

Add this bit of history: Over the past two years, we have said goodbye to the Fur Suits of two extraordinary cats who we were fortunate enough to know and love during this life. Those beautiful cats, Jobie and Ernie, have gone to a place we call Sparkle Pond.

If we want to visit Jobie or Ernie, all we need to do is close our eyes and trek to Sparkle Pond.

It's a gorgeous place. There's the Pond, of course. There's a rock Ernie likes to sleep on that's always in the sun. There's a Paper Ball Tree ripe with juicy, crinkly paper balls that Jobie loves to sleep under. And at night, there's always a clear and swirly sky filled with stars and a bright and lovely Moon. And, the cats are almost always wearing little hats or crowns. Sometimes they glow or wear wings.

And so, my new paintings and pendants come from here. They originate at Sparkle Pond and are meant to celebrate the Lives of Animals, whether they are in Fur Suits or Sparkle Suits.

Without further adieu, I hereby announce the opening of my new and improved Etsy Store, Ordinary Enchantment.

It's a pretty small inventory at present, but it will grow.

I want to thank you all for your help and guidance, for without your comments, suggestions, and votes, I think I'd still be a little lost about what I wanted to work on.

So thank you. Let Miss Zoe know what you think. She'll break it to me gently.

Logo-motion

Lately, things have been busy here at the Lilypad.

Busy in a good way.

Part of what makes it feel busy is that in addition to the work we all need to get done here in the way of writing, painting, blogging, entertaining, drawing, making rabbit salads, feeding cats, scooping litter, etc. etc. etc., there's often, also, a good deal of monkey business going on around here.

See for yourself:

Exhibit A:
Blisschick and Rosie

Exhibit B:
Lilly and Zoe

Really. Need I say more?

Anyhow, amidst the silliness, some seriousity does take place. Some.

Working on my logo for Ordinary Miracles was one of those recent seriousnesses.

I still haven't gotten too far with that. I keep putting it off in favor of other things. I guess because I'm still thinking about its function, and also because I'm still mulling over a lot of the ideas and questions I got from those who do things in the graphic designy arena for a living like this person and this person.

And then, in the midst of all this thinking, which is pretty hard work for me anyway, another logo thing happened.

Our friend, Al, asked me to design a banner logo for his partner, Emma, to use on her blog.

We met Emma and Al Steinfeld about 6 years ago or so at CelebrateErie. Blisschick and I were there to sell my art in the art booth, and Al and Emma walked in to check things out. A month or so later, Emma called me up and commissioned me to paint their pug, and then later, their Siamese cat, and our friendship was born.

A few weeks ago, Al came to see me at the library with a sketch already made of what he thought the logo might look like, and we went from there. It actually ended up pretty much like his original vision.

I'm pretty happy with the result. Check it out here, at Emma's blog, Eriepressible.

Back to the monkey business!!

The Magical World of Shrinky Dinks!

Yesterday was between 18 and 2o degrees Fahrenheit here in Erie, Pennsylvania. But, as I am so completely tired of riding the bus to work, I broke out my bike, Captain Janeway, for the ride to the Library.

My bike, Captain Janeway, the coolest bike on the planet.

Why do I mention this, you ask? Why do you care how I get to work?

Well, you probably don't care. But, in light of last Friday's post, where I shared some of my "collections" (i.e. my cat whiskers and found-on-road dolls), I felt like it would be prudent to share today's find from my ride home:

Would you call her two faced?
Or, is she just cracking a smile?
Poor thing.

But, that's not what I really want to write about today. (I think I just heard Miss Zoe sigh with relief.)

"Yes, what a relief that we're not going to discuss
dirty things found on the side of the road.
Now, who has my morning banana chip?"

No, in fact what I wanted to write about is this:

I need your help. Again.

I know, I know, you're probably getting tired of me asking questions. Well, I've really only asked the one. You know, about my logo. And I got so many great comments, that I thought I'd ask some more stuff.

So, here it goes.

A couple of days ago, I got a commission to make a new milagro pendant. A stomach. With intestines. Very cool.

I am thrilled about the commission. I love to draw guts and body parts. I never knew that about myself until recently.

(Don't worry-- I'm working up to the question. Were you wondering? I thought since Zoe was taping her nails on the writing table, that you might be, too.)

And, of course, I make my pendants with Shrinky Dinks. Shrinky Dinks are the best, aren't they? I have so many great childhood memories with Shrinky Dinks. And the Easy Bake Oven. And the Play-Doh pasta making thingie (remember that?). OK, enough reminiscing.

As you may well know, Shrinky Dinks come in sheets. And a stomach with attached intestines is really only going to take up a small portion of one sheet.

Here's where you come in.

Blisschick has been urging me for some time now to make animal milagros as memorials. Great idea, Blisschick.

What animals should I make? I mean, I know what Miss Zoe and Miss Lilly would say, but what are your thoughts?

Should these animals bear little wings like angels, or should they just be the animals themselves with no frills or additions?

Also, besides animals and body parts, milagros cover a lot of territory.

What other ideas for helpful milagros might you have? Remember, they are for helping with anything. They are little talismans (talismen?) intended to focus your intentions and help you through difficult periods in your life or the life of someone you love.

Any ideas? Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?

And the winner is...

The #2 logo sketch from last week's post.
Congratulations, little, wingy, flaming heart!
You won, hands down (Or wings down. Whatever.)

I want to thank the 20 or so people who wrote in last week in response to my Logos, Ethos, Pathos post. Some simply stated their favorite logo(s), and some gave some absolutely great and extremely appreciated constructive comments. I liked the mix of both gut and thoughtful reactions.

My next step will be to really think through some of those comments, such as, what do I want this logo to be saying about my work, what kinds of things will I use the logo for, and that kind of thing. Still a lot to consider. But now I have a solid place to start, so thank you!

Of course, Zoe liked #4 because of the fact that it contained a bunny. However, she now understands from a graphic design point of view, that it was a little too complicated. It's not easy to convince that rabbit of much, so those comments really helped.

Now, Zoe says she knew about the elemental complicated design issues all along. I'm not sure if I believe her...

Would you believe this bunny? I mean-- really?

Anyhow, in addition to thanking you all for coming to my aid (I am notoriously indecisive), I also wanted to thank the lovely Connie of Dirty Footprints Studio for having Blisschick and I on her Blog Talk Radio show yesterday.

If you missed the show, don't worry!! There's a link to the show on Connie's blog (click on link above). You can also see a great picture of Connie in her interviewing outfit!

Love those doggie pants, by the way, Connie. They rival my loungy, fleecy rabbit pants, I think.

Logos, Ethos, Pathos

Even when one studies at the feet of Miss Zoe's Great Wisdomosity,

one can still have Confusion.

So, I need your help.

Blisschick said to me the other day, "Frog," (she calls me Frog), "I think you need a new logo for your Etsy store."

It was a good point.

We hurried up to get our Etsy store, Ordinary Miracles, open right before the holidays, and because we hurried, which is our usual M.O. because we tend to be forgetful and do everything at the last minute, I drew a little rabbit on a moon logo to stick up for the time being.

But now, it's time to try to make a more permanent logo. Therefore, this weekend, while I was also working on a logo for a friend's blog as a birthday present (more on this logo to come later, as it's a present and MUST NOT BE REVEALED :) ), I thought I would try drawing a few things for myself.

So far, I have four ideas, which I drew and took pictures of. Here they are:

Number one:

Number two:

Number three:

Number four:

Time to vote. Tell me, honestly, which one(s) is (are) your fave.

Or, would you vote then all off the island and hope for a new one to wander onto the beach?

Come on. Be honest. I can take it.

A penny for your thoughts...

V-day

This morning as I was freshening Miss Zoe's hay, Miss Lilly jumped the gate into the room. She ran right over and leaped into the window seat to observe the outdoor goings on.

"He's a cute one," Lilly said to Zoe.

Zoe twitched her nose as she jumped into the pile of fresh, sweet hay with herbs (her new fave).

"What does he look like?" she asked.

"You know," said Lilly, "Brown. Fuzzy. Long ears. Cute hop. He might be good for this year."

"What are you guys talking about?" I asked, not sure I really even wanted to know. I should probably mind my own business.

"Valentine's Day!!" they yelled in unison. "Zoe wants to find just the right valentine this year," Miss Lilly said with a smile and a wink.

Far be it from me to judge the mating habits of a bunny. But they reminded me of one thing: V-Day is on the way. Which reminded me of something else.

New Valentine's Day stuff in my Etsy store, Ordinary Miracles.


Maybe you have a brown, fuzzy, long-eared, cute hopping person in your life that you need to buy for? Or, maybe you know one who needs to buy for you?

Here's some highlights:

All I have to say is, WOW!

"What did you say?" Miss Lilly said while practically choking on a crunchy cat food morsel.

"I'm pretty sure you heard me," I said, pretending not to be totally excited. (One has to show some sense of decorum, after all.)

From the next room, Miss Zoe echoed a similar sentiment: "What are you talking about?"

Miss Zoe in an indignant pose.

"I know, I know," I said. "It's completely and totally weird and cool and crazy. But I just sold a little piece that I made up and painted and had on my Etsy store to Courtney Love Cobain. You know-- Courtney Love Cobain?"

"Yes, yes, of course," said Miss Zoe, her nose high in the air. "Of course we know Courtney. She totally rocks. I love Hole." Miss Zoe does have wide musical tastes. (Note her use of the royal we.)

Well, of course she knows. She is a rabbit of the world. And, she loves sassy female musicians.

Zoe is the one that told me to write up the slip to order Courtney's book Dirty Blonde for the library (where I work). It has since been stolen and reordered a few times. Who would have guessed?

She's also the one who sat with me a couple of years ago when I was devouring bios of Kurt Cobain. Zoe loved Kurt-- he had and loved a rabbit after all.

Anyway, that was a pretty major thing here in this little house. Rather surreal.

And just in case you need a little something for a special someone, check out the updates coming in another day or so to my Etsy store, Ordinary Miracles. Valentine's Day is fast approaching. And what else says "I love you" like an anatomical heart?

Not much, in my opinion.

Coming on Wednesday: News of my weekend past. Good stuff, that.