success and failure

it happened.  i did not post on this blog yesterday and it was my first missed day.  i am sad, but i guess that family has to come before blog every now and then and that's what happened last night.  failure.

oh, but success!  i finished one of my projects this morning!  no, it's not the big one, but i am extremely excited to reveal.  and even more success . . . i took in-process pictures!

some robots sketches from my sketchbook.  i needed five figures for this project, and it was decided that robots were the coolest way to go.

from here i figured out order and drew out a rough draft on the board i was to paint.

in process . . .

done!

roboWiley

2010

(the right side has been cut off a bit, not sure why)

so there you have it.  i hope you are excited as i am.

it is a remarkably gorgeous day outside today and i have already been artsy and crafty for the day so i intend to get out of the house for a while.  if your weather is anything like ours i suggest you do the same.

jo

cinderella?

yes, it is nearly midnight.  it was quite a day.  my little man is just not feeling well at all.  i am making an attempt not to complain about being a mom (which i love) so i am afraid that you don't get to hear any of it.  i'm sure you are heartbroken.  typing one-handed so be forgiving (shout-out to all the multi-tasking nursing mamas!).

i did a bad thing.  i started another painting project before finishing the other.  you see, even when he's being a demanding crabby little terd he still lets me have some fun.  he'll make a great husband one day, don't you think?  i am so excited about this new project - i cannot wait to show you.  but i will, wait that is.

i am really tearing through my archives these days, but it's a lot of fun to think of what i've done.  i often get new ideas when going through my old ones :)

i showed you an example of my drawing a couple days ago, so how about i share the first drawing where i developed my 'jo method' . . .

'vague'

2007

i cannot recall nor can i whip out a measuring tape right now.  14"x28" is a sporting guess.

the theme was loosely assigned.  anyone who knows my husband should peg him for the model, although his mouth is slightly smaller.  i would show you his photo for comparison, but i might have an easier time catching bigfoot on camera.  he's not a fan of having his photo taken :(  but all through art school he would sit and model for as much as i needed.  he's a good husband.

four minutes until i turn back into a servant.  goodnight.

jo

come, join me on the green side . . .

i am convinced that my little fox must be in the middle of a growth spurt.  he is acting like a newborn again with the 'i'm starving' screams and the constant soiling of diapers.  so, since we are cloth diapering i spent the day organizing and laundering in efforts to streamline the process a bit.  i managed to get some painting in, but i decided to dedicate today's blog post to cloth diaper education.

first, some background.  i first realistically considered cloth diapers not even a year ago (didn't even know i was expecting #2 a year ago!) and when i did the decision was solely for economic reasons.  don't get me wrong, i love the earth, but i despise spending money just to throw it away.  that's insane.  so that's why i drank the kool-aid, but i am hooked on them for so many reasons:
1 - we never run out of diapers
2 - they are so super cute (see below)
3 - my son has never had a diaper rash
4 - no infamous 'blow-outs', and they leak no more than disposable diapers
5 - no nasty gel goo touching my babe's bottom, only sweet, soft, fluffy cotton or bamboo
6 - my little guy was born with his father's lack of butt, and cloth diapers have awarded him one heck of a cotton booty

so, time for show and tell . . .

this is a prefold (specifically a green mountain diaper yellow edge prefold) on the left and on the right it is modeled by my handsome growing boy (2mo+).  prefolds are the old-school cloth diaper system, and still the cheapest way to go.  modernized a little by the snappi (the blue thing holding it all together) that replaced the diaper pins.  i do own diaper pins but i've never used them!

prefold require a cover, so here's a partially complete shot to show you all the pieces:

an alternative to the prefolds is to use what are called 'fitteds'.  a fitted diaper is an absorbent prefold equivalent that has some sort of closure so you don't have to use the snappi or pins.  fitteds also come in the most adorable prints and patterns.  unfortunately, the adorable-ness disappears under the cover, but it does make diaper changes just a bit more colorful.

left - our stellar model in a fitted with a cover ready to go on
right - a group shot of all the fitteds i had clean at the moment.  see what i mean by cute?  zebra stripes, knights and dragons, safari animals, atari, zoo critters

here he is at 2 weeks old in a fitted with garden gnomes on it

a few super-cute covers.  most of our covers are ugly and purely functional, but a few cute ones in the mix makes me happy.

the last type of clothe dipe is extremely similar to a disposable diaper in function.  it is also, generally, the most expensive way to go.  this is the 'all-in-one' or 'one-size'.  an all-in-one is all the absorbency of a prefold or fitted but already has a waterproof outer covering, so you just throw it on them.

this is a yellow bumgenius all-in-one

every diaper type i have mentioned so far is sized.  this means you have to buy larger diapers as your baby grows.  the exception is the one-size diaper.  the one-size snaps in the front so you can adjust the length and thereby the size of the diaper.  the absorbent pads are separate and you tuck them into pockets in the back of the diaper.  it's slightly more work than the all-in-one, but i set all my one-sizes up when i pull them from the dryer so they are ready to go.

left - sporting a bumgenius one-size on the smallest setting

right - a happy hienies one-size to show the adjustment snaps

we use a little bit of everything, as you can see.

now, i know what you are thinking . . . i didn't make any of these diapers, so why are they on the my blog?  well, my dear, i did make my own cloth wipes!

from left to right top to bottom: funky chicks, aqua dots, blue dots, bunnies, chickens, vintage chicks, monkeys, pigs, sharks, turtles.

most are double-sided flannel, but some are flannel/terry cloth

all stacked up!

so, i've sold you on the easy and cute, but how about the buck?  a lot of people will like the idea of cloth then run away screaming when they see the price tag.  if you go with one-sized or all-in-ones and want to buy them brand new you can expect to pay a bundle (if you go this way and use the diapers for 2 children they are still cheaper than disposables for the 2 children), the difference is that you are paying all at one time instead of spreading it across 3 years.  but, if you go with a cheaper option (prefolds, econobum) or buy used (which all of the above diapers are) you'll have saved 1000's over your child's infancy.

screaming boy means this post is over!

jo

a goat called donkey

yet another day sacrificed for the sake of family . . .

i am sure that you all have these days, where your well made plans are beaten down by those who require more of your attention than you have to give, and when your home is more akin to a train station than a sanctuary.  i forgot to eat lunch.

the bright side: i got some of my errands done and got some good deals on items that will be art someday (a few canvasses, fabric, items for towel cakes, etc).

the dreary side: no creative pursuits today. 

if my little fox lets me sleep tonight i have promised that we can stay home all day tomorrow in our pajamas and cuddle and make beautiful things.  the larger painting i have been slaving over (she does have a title, now - 'dorothy') is begging me to finish her.

but i cannot leave you with nothing!  what shall i pull from my archives to wow you?  ah - I have just the thing . . .

my daughter had a dear stuffed goat.  his name was donkey.  that alone is a terribly long story, but i digress.  i chose donkey as a subject for a project in my drawing class.

'portrait of a goat called donkey'

isn't he sweet?  this little diddy is quite indicative of how i like to draw - ordered chaos, if you please.  i like to do a bit of an organized scribble.  i don't know of anyone else who draws like this, so we will call it the 'jo method'.

at the time i was also working a bit with embroidering on paper, and my drawing professor allowed me to experiment a little with the idea of drawing with thread.

'cotton portrait of a goat called donkey'

every line you see is a piece of thread.  i believe this portrait took me about 4 hours to complete.  labor of love, i assure you.

are you wow-ed?

it's time to get ready for bed.  wish me sleep.

jo

day of rest?

not for me!  sundays are the day i use to catch up with life.  i ran errands and cleaned house and organized and cooked the day away.  and then, when dinner was done and my surroundings were less horrible than they were this morning, and the babe was asleep, and i finally had an opportunity to be artistic and make loveliness . . . i decided to take my kiddos on a walk.

my babies!  no criticism of the picture as it was taken with my phone.

i've lived in this town since i was five, and as long as i can recall it has been the walking-est town i know of.  everyone walks.  we live about 2 blocks off the main street and within walking distance of 4 parks (with playgrounds), and while we are less than satisfied with the building in which we reside, we are completely in love with our 'home'.

so we walked and rolled.  the weather was g o r g e o u s, which is oh so rare for st louis.  my sweet husband even came out and joined us for a bit.  it was wonderful.

my apologies for the lack of project.  i only hope you got a moment of joy from your day as i did mine.

good night.

jo

under the wire . . .

a day had nearly passed without recounting my day. shutter the thought . . .

today was the bridal shower of my cousin. i received many "ahhh"s for my towel cake and several recommendations that i do it professionally. i'll consider it.

the shower wasn't terribly long, but the preparation of myself and my two kiddos for the shower took me most of the morning and has completely depleted my energy. fret not, as i do have some show and tell.

i thought of this 'thing' i wanted to paint a few days ago and last night i couldn't take it anymore. so i started it yesterday evening and this morning . . . voila!

it reads "this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart . . . i carry your heart (i carry it in my heart)". it's a line from an e. e. cummings poem (that i love - read it here). this expert is a bit long for a piece title, which i am still mulling over.

i like it. the orange 'blasts' coming from the small heart were an afterthought, intended to add a bit more color, and i am less than thrilled with the outcome (mostly that they resemble candy corn and ultimately don't seem to fit). i am also seeking out new and more fabulous ways to paint text.

i do have a dear love for poetry, thanks in part to my high school literature teacher (shout out to Sr. Elaine!), and i do hope to make a series of paintings inspired by my other favorite poems. i've officially added it to my list of possible future pursuits. won't it be grand when i win the magical time lottery and can accomplish all those items on the list?!?! no, but really, suggest me some awesome poems to inspire me and we'll see what rolls out . . .

'tis one minute to my bedtime. sweet dreams.

jo

school daze

ack! only 20 minutes before big sister gets out of school and i've not posted anything! the horror!
last night was 'meet the teacher night' at her school. it's slightly humorous to me because i attended the school myself once upon a time. then it was "my school". it became my mom's school when she began teaching there (still does), and now it belongs to my daughter. as far as schools go not too much has changed. she had the same kindergarten teacher i had, has the same principal, and it was only by sheer chance that she did not get the same first grade teacher i had. the teacher she does have attended the school as well only a couple years ahead of me. her brother was in my class. meet the teacher? we've met.

i have been painting for a good part of the day, but it's been backgrounds and in-process stuff . . . nothing worth sharing, yet. instead i will show off a project from last week. it goes along with all these school memories, anyways.

every year my/her school's priest comes up with a yearlong theme (this is a catholic school - did i mention that?). the last two years i have designed a bulletin board to go along with the theme that remains up for the entire year. the first year i was commissioned by my mother, as it was her turn to do the board. last year the other third grade teacher asked me to do it for her turn (she made my family dinner in thanks and it was totally worth it!), and this year i assumed that the job was mine. it seems i was correct.

father normally releases the year's theme about a week before school starts, so i was eagerly waiting to see what my challenge would be this year.

2008-2009's theme was "come holy spirit, guide us on our journey. teach us to listen, learn, and love", and this is my visual interpretation:

2009-2010's theme was "lord god, our hope is in you, for you can do all things, provide all things, and overcome all things" . . .

(a detail shot)

and this year it is "christ has set us free so be the change you want the world to see". here ya go:

(detail)

i am pretty proud of it, and i love all the feedback that i get throughout the year. next year i am thinking of signing the thing.

i really have enjoyed these. can't wait until next year!



jo