Party Invitations

My daughter is turning 5 and wants a Pink Princess Dinosaur Party.  You may have guessed, there are no pink princess dinosaur party invitations out there.  So, I decided to make one.

Here's the drawing.

Here's the watercolor painting.

Here's the finished invitation and a very happy little girl!

Amazing Studios

I have been planning to redo, or at least reorganize my studio for some time now.  I have recently moved into a smaller space and I have to rethink what I really need.  I don't know about the rest of you out there but, I really hate to throw away art supplies when I think there is some possibility (however remote) that I may use them in the future.  I also need to rearrange for a better work flow.  I spend a lot of time just searching for what I need.  Somehow I always end up having piles and piles of STUFF covering every work surface.  So first item on the agenda:  PILES OF STUFF have to go.

In my search for how other artists arrange their studios, I came across this really organized and pretty studio belonging to designer Nicole Balch on her Making it Lovely blog.

Disneyland

My daughter's little cousin, Makena, just turned 5.  

We went to Disneyland for her birthday.

Keri (Makena's mom), Makena and Sandra on Main St.

With Minnie Mouse.

Makena and Sandra in front of Walt Disney and Mickey's Statue

First stop, the tea cups of course.

Tea cup twirl!

At the Princess Fantasy Faire getting some face painting done.

Sandra with her pink dinosaur and hearts.

Posing at the Princess Fantasy Faire.

In Minnie Mouse's kitchen.

Driving the fire truck in Toon Town.

The Apartment

I love Gillian Holroyd's apartment in "Bell Book and Candle".  I think it is amazing that this stage set from 1958 could easily be in a current issue of "House Beautiful".

The tea set I need to have!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Here are the little heart flower lollipops we made for my daughter's preschool class.  I saw them in an old issue of Family Fun magazine.  They are called Friendship Blossoms.  I thought they were so cute.  And I want to teach my daughter that people appreciate hand made gifts.   But after I realized how many I needed to make in a short period of time, I was wishing I had just  bought some pre-made cards.

I do this to myself for every holiday, whether it is baking or making a craft.  I always pick at least one project I really don't have time for and then I am scrambling to finish it.

But after seeing how proud my daughter was to take her pretty basket full of Friendship Blossoms to class I'm glad I took the time to make them.

directions here

Bell Book and Candle in Three Parts

The Look, The Apartment, and The Tea Pot I Need To Have

I know it is Dec. 30, but I am still in the Christmas after glow.  I am enjoying all my gifts.  My brother gave me the Bell Book and Candle dvd.  It's a movie I love to watch all year long.  Although you may think of Halloween when you hear it is about witches, it takes place during Christmas.

What happens when a witch, Gillian Holroyd (Kim Novak) meets a handsome publisher, Shep Henderson (James Stewart)?  She just has to have him.  When she finds out he is about to marry her old nemesis from her college days, there's no time to let nature take it's course.  So Gillian uses her familiar, the siamese cat Pyewaket, to put a love spell on Shep.  But in the end Gillian will find that true love is more powerful than magic.

The movie was filmed in 1958.  I just love the stylized look of the costumes, makeup and furnishings.

The Look

all the makeup in this look is by Stila

Brows:  Vintage brow sets

Eye shadow:  Starlight and Goddess

using a flat eyeliner brush line the upper eye in Smudge Pot (Black Cat)

use Convertible Eye Color in Clove to line bottom lash line

Glamoureyes Mascara

Cheeks: Dual Lip and Cheek Cream in Petunia

Lips:  Long Wear Lip Color in Flushed

with Lip Glaze in Fruit Punch

To be continued...

Favorite Fragrances

So far I have found only three fragrances that I can wear.

I wear Clarins Eau Dynamisante everyday.  It doesn't feel like I'm wearing a heavy perfume, it just feels really fresh.  It is not sold as a fragrance but in their Well Being line.  The fragrance is based on lemon, patchouli, white thyme and rosemary.  It is supposed to revive and refresh.

When I am going somewhere special I wear Maybe Baby by Benefit.  Benefit describes it as a sparkling floral blend.  Top note:  apricot and white ginger.  Middle note:  fresh water blossoms of cyclamen, lychee and bergamot.  Base note:  white musk, Himalayan poppy and warm peach.

For me, Amazing Grace by Philosophy can be for both everyday and special occasions.  It is described as a fresh floral.  Top notes:  mandarin orange, grapefruit and bergamot.  Middle notes:  freesia, jasmine and rose.  Base note: musk.

Sadly my Amazing Grace bottle is empty.  Fortunately, Santa was very thoughtful this year.  So I will be going shopping.  This little set with bath gel, hand cream and fragrance is very enticing.