First snowflakes...

First Snowflakes!

Cat Lovers Gifts!

Gifts for the Cat Lover! These items are all available at my Studio Storefront but many can also be purchased on-line...coasters, mugs, ornaments and magnets are all in my CafePress.com Shop here and here.

Beautiful new Limited Edition Pet Feeder Tables in my shop. If you want one I am happy to ship to you! The small Cat Feeder is $138. Stationery Notepads and Notepad Gift packs from $5 to $25...I will gladly ship these as well. Ready to Hang! 8x8 Float Frame Cat Prints..just $48 each. Available on Etsy! And if you are looking for something REALLY SPECIAL, I suggest the Custom Cat Portrait Gift Certificate...these are available in a variety of sizes and media options starting at just $250!

Lazy Smiling Yellow Dog...

This "Lazy Smiling Yellow Dog" Mega Magnet is going to the Bronx...a gal visiting the shop saw my Crazy Smiling Black Dog magnet and asked for a little customization. I hope to get some Mega Magnets listed in my etsy shop soon as well as several other great holiday gift items that just came in....I'll show them to you tomorrow!

October 2009, what I didn't have time to blog about...

 

It's been mostly work the last 3
months but we have managed to sneak in
a little bit of R&R. Labor day weekend, Rich bought us an old
Schwinn Twinn Tandem bicycle on Craig's List, we've only been able to
take it out on 4 occasions but every time it's been great fun and a
challenge! We have to go out to the suburbs to the forest preserves to
ride, it's too tricky with all the intersections in the city...so we
had some beautiful fall days, these photos were from early October. (I
told Rich it was one of the most romantic gestures he's made in our 18
years together...that he would want to share a bike and ride that close
to me after all these years!) We are going up to the Racine area to ride tomorrow...good reason to work so hard today.

My dear friend Kate Strong came under the darkness of night a few weeks back and generously planted these perennials outside my shop so I will have them next spring...hope this means I get to stay for a 2nd year! (Kate had been planning to do this since June as a "studio warming gift" she is the busiest artist that I know - she does shows nearly every weekend between April and December and production in between. She still insisted on doing it..I'm grateful and look forward to seeing them next April or May).

And my clay class is already half over. This is Shorty...it's great to be back in class with all those amazing women. We have a great time on Monday nights at Lill Street.

And my dear old Izzy is slowing down, it's heartbreaking. This past week has been especially difficult for her to get going in the mornings...just doing our best to be patient and keep her comfortable, she gets lots of massaging. She's still eating well and excited for treats but getting around is getting harder and I'm afraid the sparkle in her eye is waning.

Alice on the other hand is still our comic relief. She is very compassionate and patient with Izzy. Her chest has grown enormous in the last 2 years, I like to think it's because her heart has grown bigger.

 

These last two weeks have been so incredibly beautiful with all the fall leaves, it is my absolute favorite time of the year. But as of today the trees are getting bare and daylight savings time is here...so mixed emotions, the good part is I will be closer to the time zone my body works best in. (In a perfect world I would live in Pacific Time).

So good by October and Happy Halloween to you!  

Shop for Schools!

 We are open here at the shop today from 10am-8pm to support the neighborhood schools. The school of your choice* will recieve 20% of your purchase here and at other participating shops in Roscoe Village. (*see participating schools and businesses listed above) Have a great day!!

A colorful weekend....

It was a gorgeous and fun filled weekend at the Lakeview East Art Fair. With my pals Eva & Barbara (Weenerware) - all sporting our favorite Eva May hats! Good weather, lots of people and steady sales!

Heading home after a wonderful reception provided by the Chamber of Commerce...they really know how to make artists happy!

My lovely customer Jane with her fancy bird, they match my art perfectly!

...heading to Norcross, Georgia in just a few days for the last outdoor show of the season!

My too short...long weekend

It was way too short, I flew out to Seattle late Thursday and was back in Chicago by 3pm on Monday...a beautiful windy weekend up in the mountains with lots of fun and good food and wine...kayaking, hiking (even a 5 mile jaunt on a hilly mountain road is a hike for a flatlander like me!) drawing, playing with my new nephew Edgar (the furry one) and hanging out with my dear brother Carl and his wife, Linda. A colony of bees, also visiting for the weekend, didn't even spoil the fun. Sweetest pick on Highway 2: a peanut butter malt with extra malt powder from the 59er Diner...a photo would not have done it justice!

Cutting the ribbon...

Well it's now official...had a fun little ribbon cutting photo op yesterday with the Roscoe Village Chamber of Commerce yesterday morning following their board meeting, which I hosted.

Executive Director Mary Markarian arriving with the big scissors!

I'm flying to Seattle tonight to visit my brother for a weekend of hiking, kayaking and fun in the mountains...I can't wait! Amanda of Whirleygirl Designs will be minding the shop for me, so stop in and say hello if you are in the neighborhood. I hope you have a wonderful weekend wherever you are!