BaGLaDyArT

MiXeD MeDiA aRt By: amy maiseL

NeW BeGiNNiNgS

I created a new name for myself and started a new blog.

You can now find me at:

http://thefunkyartisan.blogspot.com/

NeW aDVeNTuReS.................

MoViN....................GRaHaM WaSHiNGToN to GiLBeRT ARiZoNa..............................WoaH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



THiS iS a BooK THaT WaS GiVeN To uS a FeW DaYS BeFoRe MoViNG! iT WaS SiGNeD By aLL ouR NeiGHBoRS!!!


oN THaT DaY, PiCTuReS oF aLL ouR NeiGHBoRs WeRe TaKen.............inCLuDiNG MiNe.......LooK aT My BeauTiFuL FaMiLy!!!!!!


HeRe iS aN aWeSoMe PiCTuRe oF My NeiGHBoRHooD WiTH ouR aMaZiNG RaiNieR........WHaT a SiGHT!!!


THiS iS THe aMaZiNG, TaLenTed, BeauTiFuL SiSTeReST FRieND oF MiNe WHo MaDe THiS MoST MeMoRaBLe GiFT FoR uS. SHe WeNT aRouND ouR NeiGHBoRHooD BBQ/GoiNG aWay BaSH aND TooK THeSe PHoToS..aRTFuLLy CRaFTeD THiS BooK!!! i DoN'T HaVe eNouGH THaNK You'S foR Her!!!!!!!!!!!



We WiLL MiSS YoU!!!!!!!!!!!!

NoW oFF To ARiZoNa...............

I L..O..V..E....LOVE Somerset!!!

I kind of knew they might publish my second little house that I sent in to the Le Chateau theme. I thought they might put it in a later publication of Somerset Studio, so I was a little surprised to just receive my copy of the Summer Gallery edition......with my piece on page 99.........how fun! I L...O...V...E....LOVE Somerset Studios!!!



SoMeRSeT MaRCH/APRiL 2008 aRRiVeS!!!!!



My Somerset Studios Mar/Apr 2008 copy came in the mail two days ago and I have been ripping through the pages ever since!!! I am so excited to finally be published------It is such a big, huge, gigantic deal to me and I can't wait to do it again!

PaGe 109



Here I am!!!! The first one of (hopefully) MANY!!!!

THe CReaTiVe aRTSy HoMe!



When I made my three pieces, this was the last of the three I made-(it was kind of an after thought).
It was not my favorite piece out of the three and I am surprised it is the one they chose. But, it is my neighbor Glynis favorite!
I am certainly not complaining-because I am sooo grateful that I was published in this amazing magazine, especially the first time I submitted something!!! They did keep the other piece so I am crossing my fingers that they're putting it in a future edition!

(Now I need to get some more work done!!!)

BuTToN FLoWeRS

Just another quick, easy and cute thing to give as a gift, put in a vase or plant!!!!!

Wire, Buttons and elbow grease! (My fingers were not too pretty after making these)!

SoMeRSeT STuDio MaRCH/aPRiL

I DID IT!!!!!!! I finally submitted something- and they're publishing it. I received my Congratulations by e-mail two days ago and am so happy I am bursting! I have every issue since 2002 and every two months since then I have said I am going to send my newest creation!!! Well, instead it either went on my wall, in the closet or to a friend!!! So, in late September I submitted three pieces, but one was sadly sent back, it's poor little feet could not take the trip and must have bumped off (live and learn)! So much for my hotglue techniques! Anyway, it was my favorite out of the three and I'm not taking it personally. My other two submissions I love too and hopefully will look their best in the Mag. Can't wait to show pics of my debut in Somerset Studios March/April 2008 Magazine. (It's the "On Assignment" - Le Chateau).

I have some really quirky dolls I am sending out next.........for Art Doll Quarterly!




Here is the Picture of "The Playful Home"

(with its little, green, dice feet)!

oFF To ReVoLuTioN GaLLeRy

I took these fish to Revolution Gallery today!




Hopefully they will go to nice homes for the Holidays!








CHRiSTMaS iS CoMiNG!!!!!

We are thinking of doing something different this year---we are throwing around the idea of getting a potted tree instead of a CUT tree. For the past three Christmas' we have had a real tree and it dries out in a week and then we are cleaning up pine needles for the next year!!! So, in the spirit of the Holiday's and trying to do our "Green" part...... we are going to buy a potted tree we can plant after the holidays! Paul, Sam, Emma and I all agreed-we think this is a great new tradition for us. I can't wait to buy and make little ornaments! (I better get started)!

My DaD!!!

My Dad is visiting me and my Fam this week!!!!! He travelled from Minnesota to Seattle for the first time!!! I greeted him with a few little gifts I made for him (and my Stepmom)!!! Luv you guys!

A Photo Frame......


A BagLady.......


A Deer Ornament "Love in the Fall".....


and last, but not least, a Birdie mobile.....

SoLDeRiNG......My NeWeST eNDeaVeR!!!

I bought a soldering tool yesterday and did a little practicing on one of my little prints. I think I am going to have to make a lot of these. I also bought a glass cutter. I used glass I saved from a picture frame I made into a bulletin board---I am always re-using! I guess that means I am always collecting and saving everything too! Anyway, I am going to be making a lot of these little ornaments for gifts and eventually my etsy shop! I am very happy to have a new way to showcase my illustrations!

PReTTy PeaCoCK

Just a little illustration from my collection.

Soon.............very soon, I will be putting prints and fish and dolls and cards in my little etsy shop! Still working out the kinks of the whole process! I need to have all my ducks in a row, before I can dive in and start swimmin'.




I love the quote "WHAT WOULD YOU ATTEMPT IF YOU KNEW YOU WOULD NOT FAIL?"----anonymous.

This is the quote of my life......I make something almost every single day, and I throw it in the closet when I'm done! What? Why?

Fear of rejection? Fear of criticism? I don't know!

Something to work on I quess! Baby steps!

Off to work on another illustration!

My STuDio---MoRe CHaNGeS!

This Desk is TOOOO BIG!

This Desk is toooo small!

This Desk is Just Right!!!!
I made this medium sized desk out of some wooden stools and lumber all found in my garage!
(a few cuts from my jiggy saw, a couple screws, and some oops paint and Ta Da---New Desk!


I now use my "old computer desk/table" for my new worktable. I am tired of using the kitchen table to spread out my projects just to have to clean it up again when we have dinner! No fun! Now, I can leave my stuff out for as long as my artistic frenzies last. (Oh, and I have to mention my little work companian "Lila", she is my Yorkie-Poo and loves to shadow me all day long!)

My dining table is now clean and pertie!

Le CHaTeau

-SoMeRSeT'S (oN aSSiGNMeNT)

I have been getting Somerset Studio Magazine for 4 years and every issue I told myself I would make an art piece to send in. Well, the day has finally arrived. I made a trilogy for the Le Chateau theme. I guess it is very fitting that I am choosing this to be my first submission, because for the past 14 years that I have had my own home, I have made my home, my canvas. I have a hard time parting with a lot of the things that I have made and they have been stacking up. I do illustrations, wood folk art, paintings, dolls and more. For this challenge however, I turned my studio upside down and dug out things I have been collecting for years and years. Out of this, I surprised myself with a trilogy of mixed media assemblages that I can say I am proud of. ( I can also add to my resume that I am an assemblagist). I have never made anything like them before and obviously I cannot show them if I have submitted them, but, I can show you a few illustrations that I knew immediately were not right for the challenge, but cute enough.




FoLk aRT GaToR!!!


I loved making this alligator- I love his shape, patterns and colors, and was really sad to turn him over to the cute shop Revolution Gallery to sell for me! However, a tragic accident happened there-He broke his tail--It was surgically (hotglued) back on and he is alright now, but I cannot sell anything that is broken----So sadly, but gladly he is now a part of my home. I am rather happy that this misfortune has turned into a delight!

MoRe aNNiVeRSaRy TReaTS!

Here is the lovely, but silly pillow gift I gave to my Hubby!

I love my sweet, comfortable bed. I made the pillow as an afterthought. The illustration was originally going to be made into a wall plaque, but I have too many of those on my walls!

I did give my hubby (Paul is really his name) this little frame with our picture in it. I am a bad picture displayer, so we did not have a picture of "just us" anywhere in the house. Now, this is on the wall in our bedroom-It reminds us of how happy and in love we are!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

HaPPy 12TH aNNiVeRSaRy BaBy!!!



SEPTEMBER 2, 2007
12 Sweet years with another 75 more! I love my sweet hubby-honey!!! I copied this illustration onto printer friendly fabric and then sewed it onto a pillow (I'll show picture later)! I put it on our bed as a funny little gift to my honey. Our real gift to each other was to go to the Dave Matthews Band Concert at the Royal Gorge! We were in the 34th row right down the center. With 20,000 people there, those were pretty good seats! We had a blast dancing and singing during the whole concert! (If I can get my honey to download the pics from his phone--I will post those!)

This was his present two years ago!!!!!!!! How goofy huh!

VaCaTioN aRT

FiSH PuRSe

Last year we went on vacation to Big Sky, Montana. While my husband and son fished, my daughter and I attempted embroidery- What fun! When we got home, I made my embroidered swatch into a purse. I love vacation art, it inspires new possibilies for our creativity!

VaCaTioN aRT

"Colorado Dreams"

This year we went to Breckenridge, Colorado for vacation and this time while my hubby and son were fishing I collected driftwood floating in a lake in Georgetown, Colorado. When we got home I got a little paint, a drill, some wire and my new driftwood finds suddenly become a little sculpture. My family's dream is to eventually move to Colorado and have our "Forever-Dream House"!



DRiFTWooD PeoPLe-"JaCK & aNNiE"

I used some more driftwood to make these dolls. My 8 year old daughter Emma named these Jack and Annie-from the book series "The Magic TreeHouse". I thought that was very fitting!

aRT DoLLS oFF To ReVoLuTioN GaLLeRy SToRe!

"MaDDie BLue EyeS"

"FioNa"

"MaRYeLLa"