pretty little messes

Incredible Pencil Sharpener!!

2012-01-20T17:06:00.000-08:00

Wish I knew the name of this artist! Whoever he is , he has steady hands and very good eyes!! Amazing.

Head In the Clouds

2011-12-30T16:38:00.000-08:00

Big sigh! It's been forever since I've felt any inspiration or energy to paint and it's been putting me in a somber mood to say the least. I thought today I would be the day.... and it kinda was. I mean I didn't paint a masterpiece or anything but I managed to do a bit of art journaling . My mind has been foggy and clouded lately and sometimes journaling helps with the creative block and so I brought out the water colours , markers and music... ( very important ) and began to put paint to paper. It felt good to do one last little scribble in 2011 even if was just something as simple as this , and maybe... just MAYBE... it will kick start my inner artist and wake her up! Let's all hope it works or it's gonna get ugly!!

Maybe it was the clouds that brought this song to mind "Both Sides" by Joni Mitchell but whatever it was I am loving this song more today than I ever did.

ROWS and ***Flows*** of angel hair
And ice cream castles in the air
And feather canyons everywhere
I've looked at clouds that way

But now they only block the sun
They rain and snow on everyone
So many things I would have done
But clouds got in my way

I've looked at clouds from both sides now
From up and down, and still somehow
It's cloud illusions I recall
I really don't know clouds at all

Moons and Junes and Ferris wheels
The dizzy dancing way you feel
As every fairy tale comes real
I've looked at love that way

But now it's just another show
You leave 'em laughing when you go
And if you care, don't let them know
Don't give yourself away

I've looked at love from both sides now
From give and take, and still somehow
It's love's illusions I recall
I really don't know love at all

Tears and fears and feeling proud
To say "I love you" right out loud
Dreams and schemes and circus crowds
I've looked at life that way

Oh but now old friends are acting strange
They shake their heads, they tell me that I've changed
Well something's lost but something's gained
In living every day

I've looked at life from both sides now
From WIN and LOSE and still somehow
It's life's illusions I recall
I really don't know life at all

I've looked at life from both sides now
From up and down and still somehow
It's life's illusions I recall
I really don't know life at all

Happy New Year everyone !! xo

bethquinndesigns: she is doing a giveaway ..

2011-12-11T06:54:00.000-08:00

One of my fave jewelry designers, Beth Quinn, is having a giveaway.! Check out her gorgeous designs. She really inspires me and will do the same for you xo
bethquinndesigns: she is doing a giveaway ..: SO as a HUGE thank you to all my fans I am doing a giveaway over on my fan page on Facebook !!! I am so very thankful this holiday season ...

Dragon's Den Update "Evergreen Memories"

2011-12-09T22:36:00.000-08:00

http://www.cbc.ca/dragonsden/episodes.html?ID=2172607400
What an amazing time we had when CBC came to Dryden to film my friend Margot's update at the greenhouse this past July! Way to go Margot and Evergreen Memories! I am so proud to be a part of this journey xox

Sketch Book Oldies....

2011-10-25T17:53:00.000-07:00

Miss Michaela Ann Schmidt xox
Sketched this from a photo I had taken of her while drying her off from a bath.

Miss Michaela Ann Schmidt
sketched from a photo I took of her picking daisies xo

My Beautiful Niece Mia Cara xo
sketched from a photo taken by her Dad

Kyla and Laura xo
A consignment piece sketched from a photo provided by their mother.

Cameron Mark Schmidt xo
sketched from a photo I took of Cam after he built his own swing

Consignment piece sketched from a photo provided by the family

You've got your acrylics....your watercolours....your pastels in chalk and oil.... and you have your coloured pencils and crayons. I love all of those mediums and have used them all over and over again, but I still think that using pencil or charcoal is the bones of any piece of art. You need to learn to draw before you can paint. Right??
When I revisited my old sketch books and looked over these sketches I drew in the '90's, I discovered that it's been waaayyyy to long since my last piece of art was done in pencil, and that I really miss the process. The rough sketching, the blending, creating balance, colour, tone and value.... by just using one tool with various degrees of light and dark. It's absolutely amazing the result you can achieve by using this simple tool. I have decided to go back to the basics , sharpen up my pencils, grab my favourite blending stumps and eraser ( for highlights not mistakes.... ) and open up a fresh page in my sketch book. Who's with me ?
xox

New Addition xo

2011-10-25T16:30:00.000-07:00

Francesca Piccolina Notte Schmidt

Frankie kisses xox

A big surprise for me from my hubby Mark.... omg was I surprised!! Thank you Mark xox

Awww Storm looks gigantic next to my little girl xo

Pug Love xo

2011-09-26T15:26:00.000-07:00

This sweet little girl is the runt of the litter and she stole my heart with all her cuteness!

Chubby little guy likes to gives kisses

Oh she is such a good mama xoxo

Pugs behind bars.....

love love love

I seriously could play with them all day !! Look at those faces !

Big smoochies good bye.....

Okay, so everyone out there knows all about my little obsession with Pugs. I have loved them forever! I don't know if it's their smoochy little faces, the googly eyes or their cute little pig tails... but I am definitely smitten by them. When I discovered friends of ours had a mama pug who had given birth to 6 little ones I made a date to come and visit and get some lovin! Of course I had to ask how much for they were asking for them and unfortunately it wasn't something I could come up with. Dang it! It didn't take long for them to be sold though , all except one little chubby black one. Hmmmm..... one left eh??? I think it's a sign dont' you??

One Year Later....

2011-09-17T15:18:00.000-07:00

There is no psychiatrist in the world like a puppy licking your face.

- Ben Williams

He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion.

-Unknown

The average dog is a nicer person than the average person. - Andrew A. Rooney

My little old dog: A heart-beat at my feet.
- Edith Wharton

This time last year my buddy Storm was fighting for his life. He became extremely ill with a liver disease, which baffled our vet, and we almost lost him. We don't know how it happened or what caused it , but his liver was green and not functioning properly . For several days I watched him waste away and lie around on the floor at the vet office getting only a small wag of his tail every now and then as a sign that he was somewhat aware of my presence. I'd spend hours there in the cage with him -petting him, talking to him, walking him and giving him as much love as I could. It was so hard to leave him there and at one point it was recommended that I put him down because he was so close to slipping away which only crushed me further and I cried for days!
I felt so helpless but determined to fight whatever this was and go to whatever lengths needed to get him back to his playful self. I told my vet to do whatever he could and if it didn't work I would let him go. I needed to know in my heart that I did everything I could and then I would be at peace if I needed to say goodbye.
It took intense treatment, which consisted of several meds and feeding him with a syringe, and lots of round the clock care. It was difficult and exhausting not to mention stressful as I knew the bill was getting larger by the minute. After a few days at the vet we were able to bring him home to continue his treatments. Yay! With all our love, my cooking ground beef and rice for him , and all the prayers our friends and family were sending out, he slowly recovered , gained back his weight and even some muscle mass which our vet thought may never come back .
Soon he was back to normal... better than normal. He was like a new pup! Playful, rambunctious and healthy! I was sooooo happy! I had my best friend back, my sidekick and shadow .
It's been a year and so far so good. Storm remains healthy and happy which makes me very grateful. I love my doggie and anyone who has a pet knows what that bond is like. He is not just a dog, not just a pet, he is my best friend and loyal companion. He is always happy to see me, doesn't care how I look, or act, doesn't judge me , always ready to go for a walk with me and always makes me smile.
So looking back at Storms battle I am reminded what he adds to my life and how happy I am to have him . I only hope he feels the same about me xoxo

Art Therapy...

2011-09-14T17:07:00.000-07:00

I have an emotional connection to this painting

The final result of my art therapy on a 18 X 24 " canvas

It's my life.... my painting

Sometimes you just have to open your eyes... just sayin

Some people say I'm a dreamer... I'm not the only one - John Lennon-

Ever have moments where you don't even know who you are anymore?? Happened to me....

Sometimes "snapping out of it" is harder than it looks. Getting my thoughts and feelings on canvas saves my life. Helps me get through emotional highs and lows. I don't know what I'd do if I couldn't express myself through my art.

Dream

2011-08-28T11:02:00.000-07:00

Original 8X10" Acrylic "Be Free"

Going After your Dream:
You become aware of a personal Dream or calling, then decide to pursue it.
You need to face fear as you leave your place of comfort.
You will encounter opposition from those around you.
You must endure a season of difficulty that may test your faith.
You will learn the importance of surrender.
You will need to fight the Giants that stand between you and the fulfillment of your dream.
You will reach your full potential as you achieve your Dream.

Back to School Bling

2011-08-27T10:07:00.000-07:00

* lisa. s. *'s photostream

2011-08-25T12:37:00.001-07:00

* lisa. s. *'s photostream on Flickr.

Good Intentions..

2011-08-15T09:56:00.000-07:00

As a kid if I wasn't surrounding myself with pencils, paints and paper I was usually outside playing in the grass, water or trees and finding new little critters to take home. I've had ice cream buckets with cool little water bugs, hurt little birds, and the usual stray dog or cat in my room. Just ask my mom....
Not much has changed for me in my adulthood, I am still surrounded by art supplies and still trying to save all the little lost creatures of the world. All of my doggies and cats that have come into my life have all found me in one way or another and I truly believe it was meant to be, as if a higher force lead them to my heart. So I wasn't really surprised when the other day I was walking toward my cabin studio to inspect any damage from the torrential downpour we had the day before, and my eye caught sight of something squirming around.
Beside the wall of my studio is a big flower pot tilted on it's side and inside of it was quite a bit of rain water. I walked closer thinking a frog must be inside of the pot and can't get out, but as I got closer I realized that it wasn't a frog at all but a mouse... or baby rat. This tiny little thing was scrambling for it's life and would get a little bit out of the water and slide back in . It was a sad sight indeed. I didn't really have much time to decide which it was, cute little mouse or scary rat, because my super girl instincts kicked in and I scooped the exhausted little rodent up by it's tail and held it on my arm. Poor little creature was so tiny and exhausted.
So now I'm carrying this nearly drowned mouse/rat around by the tail thinking.... now what??? I decided that I would grab my camera and take a few snaps of it and so I came into the house with it and had a little photo shoot. It wasn't a willing participant so the photos are not that great but it shows this happened and I'm not making it up. After documenting the rodents existence on memory card I had to decide what to do with it. I figured I already have a studio bunny ( who is flipp'n adorable by the way ) a dog ( who I love immensely ) and 2 cats ( who are super cool and cuddly ) so I'm sure a little mouse/ rat wouldn't be that hard to take care of ?? And in my childish Walt Disney mind they would be best friends and hang out together....
So yes, I got a plastic box with a lid put in an old towel and some of Penelope's rabbit food and added one very wet baby mouse/rat. I watched him pick up a tiny seed with it's shaky little rodent paws and nibble on it and thought YES! It's going to be okay, it's eating and now it is safe inside the cabin and has a dry warm bed... all is good. I adjusted the lid so it was closed enough to keep the mouse/rat in but open enough for air to get in and then I left to go back inside the house and think of some super cute names for my new pet. A few hours passed and I came back out to check on the new guest. I walked over to the box ( which was up on my desk ) and very gently opened the lid to the mouse hotel. I peeked in , moved around the towel , took the towel out and shook it.... no mouse/rat. HUH?? How did this happen? Why did it escape such a lovely little mouse pad that I set up?? How ungrateful! But then after the initial "how dare that mouse/rat do that to me " reality set in and now I'm thinking ... omg. now I have a rodent loose in my cabin!! Now it wasn't a cute little pet it was an intruder and I was a little scared of it! What if it jumps out at me while I am beading or runs across my desk while I'm painting ?? What if it bites Penelope? omg my mind was going crazy and I was freaking out! I started thinking horrible things like... do I need to buy mouse traps? Do I need to put my cats in here?? Then I realized what I was contemplating and talked myself down from my hysteria. " Lisa... you can't save a mouse/rat's life only to turn around and murder it " I began to look around my studio for any clues of it's existence but found none. Well I better figure something out and so I remembered that there are a couple little holes in the floor of the studio where I'm assuming some old plumbing once was and so I uncovered them and hoped for the best.

Well the best didn't happen. Actually the worst happened. The next day I went back to my cabin and walked by the dreaded flower pot . I stood there thinking how does this happen? Why did this happen? There inside the pot was more rain water and in that pool of water was a little mouse/rat floating whiskers down. Was this my little mouse/rat? I don't know. I like to think it's not and it's running around my yard frolicking in the grass... but part of me is thinking that yes. This is the little guy I tried so hard to rescue and although all my intentions were the very best and came straight from the heart, I failed to save him. Life is so unfair sometimes isn't it ?? Maybe I should've minded my own business and just let things work out on it's own? Go about my own life and not worry about others. Nah.... that's just not me.

Tomato Trouble

2011-07-26T12:27:00.000-07:00

then there was one....

Every year I plant tomatoes. Every year I say " That's it!! I'm never planting tomatoes AGAIN!" So why should this year be any different? I caved. I went against my better judgement, those little voices in my head that remind me of last years failures , and I planted yet another tomato plant.
This tomato plant was glorious! Oh how I babied it, watered and fertilized it.... I ever talked to it and told stories of things to come. How delicious they would be in my Salsa, stewed tomatoes, spaghetti sauce, pizza sauce..... I think I made them blush because soon they were turning a yummy red and growing bigger and more bountiful! "YES!" I thought to myself. This is the year that my tomatoes will make it there was at least 20 on the plant and more sunny yellow flowers blossoming! I was sooooo excited! Until this morning.
I woke up to the sun shining and the birdies singing, all was right in the world , my heart was happy so I thought I would go outside and water my flowers and my prized tomato plant. I turned on the hose and started watering all my babies. First the perennial beds where my roses, delphiniums, hydrangeas, hostas and cone flowers were growing. I moved on to the baskets and planters and then around to my other gardens slowly making my way over to my tomatoes. Now since my huge vegetable garden had been replaced years ago with a new septic field ( I know....not happy ) I've since planted my veggies in containers . When I walked closer to container holding my tomatoes I realized the wind must have blew it over because there it was laying on it's side on the ground among my peony plants. Well, I panicked and ran over to turn the container over and realized.... this cannot be my tomato plant. My tomato plant had tonnes of beautiful fruit on it and this one was empty. How can that be?? After a few minutes of stunned silence and rationalizing that no one would sneak into my yard and replace my gorgeous plant with their hideous one, I figured that yes.... it was a stink'n deer. All my hard work and dreams of yummy tomato goodness was sitting in the bottom of some wild animals stomach . I could have cried! "Stupid deer!!!", I yelled out loud scaring my poor dog and neighbours. I took a deep breath and picked up the water hose ready to go back in the house when something caught my eye. I pushed away some of the dark green foliage of my shrubs and there underneath a healthy green leaf lay the most beautiful red tomato I've ever seen. I picked it up and carried it into the house ( after it's photo shoot ) and thought to myself all is not lost.
So I won't be able to have jars of Salsa or fresh stewed tomatoes in my sauces. I won't be able to brag about how bountiful my tomatoes were this year. But most of all I won't say I'll never plant another tomato because we all know I'll get sucked in again . When the snow is giving way to that sweet green grass and the buds are bursting on the tips of their branches, I'll be sitting in the house looking at the picture of my one little tomato and all that could have been.

Tell me a story..... in paint

2011-07-05T20:42:00.001-07:00

Folk Art, a set on Flickr.

I've been doing a lot of abstract paintings lately, playing with colour and texture but I really miss doing these whimsical story like pieces. When I am painting a scene such as this I get lost in the picture and lose track of time...hours can go by and it feels like only minutes. What better way to escape from the hectic pace of everyday life?

Sister love....

2011-06-27T13:44:00.000-07:00

Multi Strand Braclet

Multi Strand Necklace

Multi Strand Bracelet with Charms xo

Mult Strand Necklace with Charms and Matching Bracelet xo

A birthday gift for a special girl from her sisters was the inspiration behind this set. Isn't it a pretty?? Loaded with colour , glass, stone, shell and metal beads with silver charms. How cool is this ? It's my fave xox

Pretty Please.....

2011-05-31T15:47:00.000-07:00

3 strand necklace with semi precious stones and glass beads.

3 strand bracelet ( to match necklace above and below ) semi precious stones and glass beads

Silver metal linked necklace with semi precious stones and glass beads

3 strand bracelet with semi precious stones, homemade clay beads, word charms and homemade clay charms. Very earthy and beautiful.

Close up!

Do These Glasses Make Me Look Smarter??

2011-05-29T08:24:00.000-07:00

Why is it that whenever I have something I need to get finished a.s.a.p... I find so many other important things to do.... like dye my hair, put on my daughter's glasses and take multiple photos of myself.... you know , IMPORTANT stuff. (( BIG SIGH!))
I have to paint this chair for a truly wonderful organization here in town Grace Haven. http://www.gracehaven.ca/whoweserve.html This chair will be raffled off along with others .painted by local artists to raise money for Grace Haven and it is really an honour that I have been asked once again to create one for this fundraiser. Problem is...I have this crazy creative block happening and I have been putting it off everyday!
I know what will probably happen is I'll go out to the studio and start painting whatever comes to mind, no planning, no stress, no worries about what other artists are creating.... it is really the only way I can do this. So I guess since I've already dyed my hair and the memory card is full of self portraits I really should get my butt out there and throw on the paint right?? Yeah I guess I will..... right after I bath the dog.

This is me before the dye job....

and after ...

and I'm still stalling....

2011-05-24T19:42:00.000-07:00

Double strand turquoise , semi precious stone and silver embellishments

5 Strands of yummy colours and textures. Shell,glass and stone beads.

5 Strands of stone, shell, glass, and loveliness

Double leather with pottery and wooden beads. Homemade clay closure. Earthy Delight.

Leather and Glass. What a cute couple xo

Leather adorned with pottery, shell, semi precious stone and homemade clay beads

Seventeen Already??

2011-05-17T20:19:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Dear Michaela.... Happy Birthday to you oxo

My Studio Is Published!

2011-05-17T05:57:00.000-07:00

Well I can finally talk about another exciting moment for me as an artist ! Way back in January I had received the most amazing e-mail from the editor of one of my fave magazines

Cloth Paper Scissors STUDIOS Catherine Prato! I almost fell off my chair ! I had responded to a question on the fan page which read, "Do you share your studio space with your daughter, or other family member?" I answered that I shared my studio with my very creative daughter Michaela. That was it. Short . Sweet. I never in a million years thought it would amount to this . The e-mail suggested I send in some photos and a write up about my space and because it was in the middle of January and it was soooo snowy and cold.... I freaked out! I called a good friend of mine Alan Woodworth to take the photos and sent in an old photo of my studio in summer. I really wish I had more time or had better photos of my cabin in say.... JULY!! But it was a decision I had to make and so I sent what we could in as quick as I could. It was a good decision.

When I got home from Toronto on Sunday , there it was. Two Spring and Summer issues of my favourite magazine with a page all about my little studio. I'm so excited about this and wanted to share this little nugget of happiness with you all. Oh and the really great part about this..... I had a picture of this magazine on my vision board that I created last year !! Cool or what?? Here are some photos of my spot in the magazine....eeek!

* lisa. s. *'s favorites

2011-05-09T18:41:00.001-07:00

* lisa. s. *'s favorites on Flickr.

Here are some of my favourite posts made by my flicker contacts.

Special Mother's Day Gift

2011-05-09T17:35:00.000-07:00

Custom order set

Silver metal linked necklace with Swarovski crystal hearts and glass beads show case the most important element of this piece..... the initials of Alex, Jacob, Gabrielle and Zach.


Silver metal linked bracelet with crystal and glass beads and "mom charm"

A personal gift from the heart, to a special mom from her 4 children. Happy Mother's Day Lynn!

Summer Time Blues!

2011-05-03T16:47:00.000-07:00

Floral and Landscapes

2011-04-30T14:00:00.001-07:00

Floral and Landscapes, a set on Flickr.

I cannot wait to start digging in my gardens and enjoy the warm weather...... it is coming!

collage

2011-04-29T19:44:00.001-07:00

collage, a set on Flickr.

Evergreen Memories on Dragons' Den

2011-04-26T19:46:00.000-07:00

I still cannot believe we did this!! It was such an amazing experience and has taught me to just go for it and not worry or be afraid of failure. Think positive and live your life everyone , it can be an amazing ride!

xo Lisa

CKDR attends Dragon's Den Party for Margot Woodworth.wmv

2011-04-26T19:41:00.000-07:00

This *#@! Really Works!

2011-04-23T09:59:00.000-07:00

So way back in 2010 my bestie Margot encouraged me to do a vision board. Now for those of you that do not know what a vision board is, it is a collection of photos, magazine clippings, quotes, words.... well just about any visual reminder that has everything to do with you.
My vision board was designed so that I focused on 9 main areas of my life I felt needed some attention . The 9 areas are as follows:

Wealth and Prosperity

Fame and Reputation

Relationships To Attract or Strengthen

Health and Family

Center of Being

Creativity Playful Inner Child

Knowledge and Self Cultivation

Creative Goals and Aspirations

Helpful People / Travel

So now with all that being said, last January I received an e-mail from the editor of

Cloth Paper Scissors STUDIOS

Catherine Prato , asking me if I would submit some photos of my studio for their spring summer publication!!! Of course I said I would, but then was immediately stressed out because we had soooo much snow and cold weather and these were supposed to be spring/summer shots! Well I asked my good friend Al Woodworth if he's please help with photographing the studio and so one snowy cold day he came out and took some photos for me. I am very excited about this , as this magazine is one of my faves, but at the same time wishing the timing was better. I had so many plans to fix up the studio and I knew I could've made it look so much better. Oh well, maybe they will have a redecorating, then and now issue in the future! Get your camera ready Al ! I'm so glad I put that photo of

Cloth Paper Scissors STUDIOS

on my vision board!!

Love Letter To Nanny

2011-04-04T09:14:00.000-07:00

It's been a busy week for my family and I as we got ready to say a final farewell to my Nanny Notte. I was asked by my Aunts to say a few words at the prayer service and so this is my tribute to my Nanny.

When I was asked to say a few words about Nanny I was very honoured and a little overwhelmed. How do I put into words my love and appreciation for this woman who has had such a strong influence on my life? A woman who is strong, caring, devoted to her family and a beautiful human being. I wanted my words to come from the heart and so I decided that every beautiful woman deserves a love letter and here is mine to you Nanny.

Dearest Nanny,
As I am writing this letter to you, I am reminded of so many tender moments. Moments that make me smile, cry, and so many that make me laugh out loud. These moments are so dear to me and I will always treasure them. Throughout my life you've been a constant source of inspiration. Your life from an early age was difficult and you've always had to work so hard. Your entire life was spent working and you rarely complained. I remember even after a hard days work the door to your home,kitchen, and your generous heart were always open to anyone who needed you. Nothing made you happier then sitting around the kitchen table with your children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and friends, sharing stories,laughs and food. Oh the food! There was always so much food. These are great moments and they are remembered because of you. No matter where I go somebody always asks, " How is your grandmother? She is such a wonderful lady" Or they smile and share a story about you and the generosity you bestowed upon them. A small act of kindness that meant so much to so many.
One of my childhood friends said to me, " I remember going over to your apartment to play and your grandma grabbed me, hugged and kissed me! She didn't even know who I was!"
Did you even know how truly loved you were Nanny? How much we all admired and adored you? Even when you were your feistiest-and oh yes you could be feisty! Even then you were down right adorable. These are the moments I laugh out loud and say, " Oh Nanny, I want to be just like you when I grow up"
A Grandmother is an invaluable gift. Shes a role model, and endless source of love and an essential part of her Grandchildrens lives. You've filled your role perfectly. Chris, Mikie, Jodee , Jana and I have been blessed to have you in our lives. We are proud, humbled and so grateful that God has given you to us. Just as my Dad, Auntie Lisa, and Auntie Lucy are so honoured to have you as their mother. They love you so much Nanny.
Although our hearts are saddened to have to say goodbye we are so happy you are once again reunited with Papa, your one true love. How loud heaven must be!
It's time for me to go now Nanny and so in closing I just want you to know how special it was for me to tell you one one last time that I loved you and how my heart smiled when you squeezed my hand and said you loved me too.
Thank you Nanny for loving us all so much. I will love you always, Ciao Bella.
Little Lisa xox

I'm On T.V!!

2011-03-24T16:31:00.000-07:00

Finally after a year of keeping our secret to ourselves, Margot , Merrill and myself were able to share the outcome of our appearance on CBC's hit show Dragon's Den with our dear friends and family last night at the DD party held at the Riverview Lodge ( Dryden Ontario, Canada) . What an incredible year for us ! Check out her amazing product on her website after watching this clip, you will love it ! http://www.evergreenmemories.ca/ I'm so proud to be a part of this amazing journey with such a remarkable and passionate woman!

Dragonsden.mpg

www.youtube.com

My First ....

2011-03-06T17:13:00.000-08:00

I always dreamed about my first, wondered how I'd feel when the time finally came. Who would it be? Would they like it? Will they come back for more? What if the time never came for me? Would I give up and call it quits? Would my self esteem take a beating? Well I don't have to worry anymore because today I finally had my first and it was from a married man named Craig .
Craig and I met years ago while I was working with my best friend Margot at a tree nursery and Craig was the guy that inspected the seedlings. We became friends, the three of us, going for lunches when he came to town sharing funny stories etc. and he even purchased a piece of art from me . As time went by Craig and his wife moved and a new inspector took his place and besides the odd status update I never heard from him much... until the other day. He saw a picture on my facebook page and had inquired about it, he liked what he saw and wanted it. I told him he could have it for a price. He didn't hesitate and actually emailed me back saying his wife wanted some too! Wow you should have seen me dancing around the house when he told me that! Craig I am so happy that you were my first ! My little web site finally got an order and I couldn't be happier! Thank you so much to you and Raquel for purchasing my jewelry ! xox

Heart The Art Prompts Week 48 " Pairs "

2011-02-24T19:43:00.000-08:00

Page 1. Boasting a famous pair.... what? I'm talking about Mark and I of course ;)

Page 2.

This one is just a whole lot of silly! And I loved every minute of it! Enjoy :)

"Everyone Is The Age Of Their Heart" Guatemalan proverb

2011-02-19T15:53:00.000-08:00

The beautiful birthday cake my mom made me! Doesn't matter how old I am , I love it when my mom bakes me my birthday cake. It was delicious, thanks mom xox

My birthday ended up being a snow day so of course I painted a picture to mark my 42nd year. Life is wonderful and is a gift. Don't ever take it for granted.

I am a great example of that wonderful Proverb. I may be 42 but I still invite my inner child out to play every day. She's really quite fun!

Just Say'n!

2011-02-15T11:40:00.000-08:00

http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fsendables.jibjab.com%2Fview%2Fkp9I9VfzZKAFMSUV&h=0309f

I love love. I love being in love. I love the twitterpated feelings in my tummy when I feel love. What I don't love is Valentines Day. I dont' like the fact that every man woman and child is feeling forced to go out and spend hard earned cashola on overpriced chocolates and flowers for a day that set aside for love. Just tell me you love me when you feel it. Buy me overpriced chocolates and flowers when you want to. Just don't do it because you are afraid to be the only one who didn't and will be scrutinized for it. Just Say'n!

Dragon's Den Episode Getting Closer....

2011-02-11T05:40:00.000-08:00

Lisa Schmidt, Margot Woodworth, Merrill Kluke at the ckdr studio Thursday Feb 10th 2011

Dryden...Meet the Dragons!

Posted by Mike Ebbeling on Thursday, February 10th, 2011 am 9:28:17 AM

A group of Dryden businesswomen will be on the CBC hit show 'The Dragons Den' on March 23rd.

Margot Woodworth, Lisa Schmidt and Marrill Kluke were in Toronto last May to pitch their environmentally friendly, on-line retail business to the 5 Dragons.

The ladies say it was a worthwhile experience.

Out of 5,000 pitches, only 125 are selected to air on National T.V.

The women say for the most part, they felt comfortable in front of the business moguls and weren't intimidated.

Dryden will have to wait until the March airing to find out if the Dragons decided to invest in 'Evergreen Memories'.

The 3 appeared on the CKDR morning show Thursday morning.

Heart The Art Prompts 2010 Week 47 "Quote'

2011-02-01T05:20:00.000-08:00

Yes it's 2011 and yes these were all supposed to be finished by Dec. 31st but I said I would finished it and I mean it! It's personal now.....
This prompt obviously came on a day when I was feeling unusually pessimistic and just downright negative. What? Me? Negative??? Yes it happens, I'm human and crappy things happen to good people! Anyhoo! The Quote is a great one from the exceptional artist Pablo Picaso and it was perfect for my page. It is profound isn't it, that even now this quote rings true? Hope you enjoy this entry and if you have any thoughts about it..... let me know what your'e thinking :)

Counting Sheep.... not working for me!

2011-01-29T22:13:00.001-08:00

a happy pug (james brown)
Originally uploaded by summer pickles

Another sleepless night . Don't ya hate it when you can't sleep?? My problem is I start to think about things, that are completely out of my control , try to figure out ways to solve these conundrums and then when I can't it sends me into panic mode .... Big Sigh! I swear I worry about things that could happen next year! REALLY LISA?? I know it makes no sense, I know it's silly , but I cannot reason with my brain at a time it should be shut down and resting. I wish I could be like James Brown the happy , i'm tired and going to go to sleep with no worries, flipp'n adorable little pug. Maybe my next life.

Penelope The Studio Bunny

2011-01-28T07:23:00.001-08:00

Penelope The Studio Bunny
Originally uploaded by * lisa. s. *

I've been worried about my Penelope during this deep freeze we've been having, but besides a mess of straw and her munching on some old books , the studio is fine and more importantly, so is she. Whew!

Necklace For Ruth

2011-01-25T05:43:00.000-08:00

Custom piece for my friend Ruth.

Neck Candy!

2011-01-23T10:54:00.000-08:00

Beautiful silver and red necklace to match a bracelet a customer bought from me at Christmas.

Funky meets bling meets sparkle. This one is for you Lisa! Thanks for the order!

Heart The Art Prompts 2010 Week # 46 "History"

2011-01-18T17:24:00.000-08:00

I'm a big fan of history. World, American, European, Canadian..... but when the prompt for week 46 was "history" the only one I really wanted to paint was , well...art history. Specifically Canadian art and the Group of Seven. I've been intrigued with them since I was a kid and first read their story and saw their beautiful paintings . How exciting , I thought, to give up a job ( Grapic Designing ) and travel around Canada painting!! Algoma, Georgian Bay, The Laurentiens, Lake Superiou, Canadian Rockies, The Maritimes, Lower St Laurence, The Arctic and here.... Northern Ontario! One of my favourite paintings is

Spruce and Maple, Algoma, 1919 by J.E.H. MacDonald. When I look at this piece of artwork I am reminded of my childhood playgrounds in Nova Scotia and Ontario. Trees were my play houses, rocks and streams my friends. I built forts in the snow , near large pines and birch trees. Scraped primative pictures into large moss covered boulders with pieces of shale. Such fun being a kid with the Canadian landscape all around me. Oh how I miss it! It's a great feeling to have had these experiences and know that somewhere in the Canadian wilderness a great group of painters were capturing a piece of my childhood on canvas and getting recognition for their betrayal of a landscape that was considered at one point to be " too rough " Just imagine that. Well I am very grateful to those magnificent Group of Seven , Lauren S. Harris, Franklin Carmichael, Alexander Y. Jackson, Frank Harrison, J.E.H. MacDonald, Fredrick H. Varley and Arthur Lismer for making the "unpaintable" pine tree , a work of art.

Page one

Page two

Entire Spread

Necklaces

2011-01-16T08:18:00.000-08:00

Leather Choker With Homemade Clay Beads

Double Leather Strand With Homemade Clay Beads and Pendant

Long Necklace with Rhinestone and Crystal Cluster

Inspiration Studio Feature

2011-01-15T08:58:00.000-08:00

I was pretty excited when I got this message on my Flickr page the other day and thought I would share it. I love it when I can inspire others. Thanks again Kim for choosing my painting for your daily inspiration on your wonderful blog.

Kim Klassen (2 days ago | reply | delete)

so very pretty Lisa... just so inspired!! :)

i choose it as the daily inspired pic at the iStudio. Thank you for sharing it in the group.
xxo, kim
i-studiodaily.blogspot.com/2011/01/baby-nerin o-shower-gif...

Us

2011-01-13T18:37:00.001-08:00

My creation
Originally uploaded by * lisa. s. *

I don't need chocolates stuffed into a large, over priced, heart shaped box or flowers sitting on my table to know that Mark Schmidt loves me. I much rather enjoy quiet moments alone talking , laughing, remembering.... Time is the best gift you can give to someone so make it a priority. Love happens everyday, not just on Valentines Day . At least that's the way I see it. xox
.

Baby Love xox

2011-01-12T17:43:00.000-08:00

Today was the baby shower for Bambino Nerino , a gorgeous baby boy belonging to my friends and co workers Christie and Michael Nerino. This little guy is so adorable and beautiful I just can't stop looking at him when I'm around him! I wasn't very good at sharing him with others at the shower either....sorry! I'm such a baby hog!
Anyway! I really wanted to make something special for him and his parents and decided last night at around 8 pm what I needed to do. When I create a painting or piece of jewelry for someone I love adding a personal detail that makes it a true original , something they will never get anywhere else. I remembered that Christie had always called Michael her " little bird" when she spoke about him and so I decided those words would be main theme of the painting . Once I decided the theme, the rest just poured out of me and it all came together. Here is the painting I created especially for baby Michael and I know with his parents love, he will grow wings to fly like the little bird he is. xo

Another Crazy Dream....

2011-01-11T17:36:00.001-08:00

kitties
Originally uploaded by * lisa. s. *

I had a bad dream the other night about Milo ( the orange cat ) I dreamt that he had to go to the vet and was diagnosed with cancer. The horrible part of the dream was that my vet told me it would cost ....are you ready for this? $18,000.00. How on earth did my brain come up with this number??? I still have a huge vet bill to pay off for my dog!
My dreams sometimes keep me awake because they are so vivid and disturbing . I wake up exhausted from the stress of them. I often wonder why they are so vivid, why I can remember every single one when so many people say they don't dream, or don't remember them. It's interesting isn't it?? Anyway I was so happy to wake up from this one and realize my little buddy was sleeping beside me cancer free. Isn't he cute?? Oh you are too Roxy.

Heart The Art Prompts 2010 Week #45 " Pull"

2011-01-09T14:40:00.000-08:00

Well after the last prompt you are probably thinking, "she's going to pull her hair out!" No that's not going to happen. I've cooled off....slightly! However I must admit the last prompt did come easier and I was totally stuck for anything personal or witty to do for #45. I decided to just start painting and see where the pages would take me. After staring hopelessly at the blank pages I began to see images pop out from behind the background colour. I decided I would just "pull" whatever images I saw from the pages and have a little fun. The result was a whimsical page that was spontaneous and reminded me of my childhood when my dad would take my scribbles and turn them into magical pictures. Oh the good ole days when there were no electronics or countless hockey games to take our men away!

Heart The Art Prompts 2010 Week #44 "Small Things"

2011-01-09T14:20:00.000-08:00

Well I guess I was feeling unappreciated when I created this page about "small things" as you can tell by the writing! Yes I do go through this every so often as most females do , feeling neglected, ignored..... taken for granted... well you get the picture. I could chalk it up to hormones ( they play a small role.... ) but the biggest culprits are the t.v ( hockey season) AND the lap top ( games, hockey sites, music sites..... ) It drives me crazy!! This page is pretty tame considering the mood I was in when I created it ! My advice to all you men out there? PAY ATTENTION!! Put the electronics away for awhile and have a conversation....share a coffee together , go for a walk, or a lunch date. It's free advice and trust me , you won't be sorry :) Hey this prompt could've gotten really ugly.... he's lucky! lol

Rock That Jewelry!!

2011-01-06T18:32:00.000-08:00

These were a couple pieces commissioned for a couple of musicians. "D" is a funky bass player and "J" is his girlfriend who is also a fabulous singer. The neck candy is for "D" and the wraparound leather bracelet (below) is for "J" Both pieces are created with my handmade clay beads, and soft durable leather. I think they rock!

Add caption

Happy 2011

2011-01-01T10:53:00.000-08:00

Heart The Art Prompts 2010 Week #43 " Spooky "

2010-12-31T13:45:00.000-08:00

Okay here it is, 3:30 New Year's Eve and I should be getting ready for our evening out but NOOOOOO I'm getting caught up in my art journal!! Crazy?? yeah well a little. Here is # 43 and #44 is on the table almost complete! I really wanted to be at 52 by tomorrow a.m but we have some wonderful plans for the evening and as much as I'd love to stay home and paint..... I'm really looking forward to dancing the night away to my hubby's band and cheering to a new year with my friends.

2010 was a year filled with many good times, heart breaks, stressful moments, some firsts in the family.... university, reuniting with new found friends and lots of love. I wish you all a very healthy and happy new year and thank you all so much for your encouraging words and for following me on my journey of getting to know myself a little better through this art journey. xoxox

Heart The Art Prompts 2010 Week #42 " Birthday"

2010-12-29T07:33:00.000-08:00

Page one

Page 2

No it's not my birthday yet, however week 42's prompt was "birthday" and that is why I am journalling about what I'd like to do for myself when My birthday arrives. First I just need to say that I will be turning 42 and the prompt is #42. If I was on time with all of these it would not work out that way.... weird!
Anyway this is the spread I came up with and it's colourful , fun , whimsical and I think it works. I have a lot of work to do if I want to lose those 10 pounds because anyone that knows me , knows that when I have free time I'd much rather be painting or creating jewelry.....exercise is not a priority but it has to change. Getting older means the cheesecake doesn't come off as easy as it did when I was 30!

Heart The Art Prompts 2010 Week #41 " Continue On"

2010-12-27T09:11:00.000-08:00

  You know how sometimes while flipping through a magazine you stumble upon an image or cool font and know that you need to cut it out for a future project? Well I cut out these glasses out of a magazine ad a long time ago loving how the images of the clouds were in black and white and so apparent. They seemed to tell a story all on their own. I took them out for every prompt ( wanted to use them so bad!) but they were just not working for me.... until now!
  There were a few different paths I could have taken for this prompt, lots of ideas came to mind and so as I do with all my prompts I just start painting and see what the artwork essentially is saying to me at the end. I love starting the journal entries in this manner, because not having a preconceived idea of what you are going to do is freeing and it allows me to just be in the moment and see what comes out onto the paper. I'm very happy with what transpired in those moments of quiet contemplation .

  I'm not entirely happy with how the colours turned out.... or didn't turn out ! My camera is not meant for these up close and personal shots so I'm going to start saving for a better camera! I'll just "continue on " with my saving!

Heart The Art Prompts 2010 Week #40 " Priorities"

2010-12-23T09:41:00.000-08:00

As of today I have 12 more pages to go before Jan. 01 . I'm going to try my best because I cannot live with myself if I don't finish what I've started! I'm horrible, even if it's a very bad movie,or book.... I trudge through it in hopes it gets better. I am really enjoying this process though and through it all I have found out a lot about myself and will finish it! I really should have made this a priority! However if you look at this page you will see that I always put myself at the bottom of that list. Maybe I'll slowly rise to the top one day......

"Oh Christmas Tree.... how you stressed me out this year!"

2010-12-21T08:27:00.000-08:00

Every year the family puts on many layers of clothes and piles into the truck (dog included ) in hopes of finding the perfect tree. This year, because of the crazy amount of snow , freezing temperatures , and all of our work schedules not falling into place, Mark was on his own. And he did his best.....

The tree was perfectly straight, but was missing several branches due to the cold and heavy snow causing them to snap off when he was getting the tree into the house. It took me 4 days to decide how to decorate it because I had to come up with a solution to it's missing limbs.

The solution came to me in the form of a peacock feathers! I had a whole vase full in the studio left over from Michaelas grade 8 grad (3 years ago!) I decided to fashion some limbs with the feathers which I thought would fill the spaces and add an exotic, colourful flare to the tree.

It worked!! Oh Christmas was saved once again, due to my imagination and fact that I save the strangest things! Now I just hope the cats stay away from those feathers......

These feathers were actually retreived from peacocks at Egli's Sheep Farm here in Dryden. Aren't they beautiful? They really do fill in the tree nicely and the rich colours reflect when the lights are on. I think this tree is perfect for our family this year because it teaches us to make the best with what we have and be thankful for all we've been given. Good job Mark Schmidt, you did do your best and we love it. xoxox

"Yes Lisa, There Is A Santa Clause.... and he lives in Toronto!"

2010-12-20T18:47:00.000-08:00

I can't even put into words how touched Mark and I were today to receive a parcel in the mail from our friends in Toronto Blaine, Julie and their daughter Olivia. What a beautiful feeling to know that someone out there cares about us and wanted to make our holiday a little brighter. Friends like you are a treasure and even if we did not receive this lovely package today, just knowing you are thinking of us and will call every Sunday to talk and catch up , means the world to us. Thank you all from the bottom of our hearts, you really do make our lives brighter. xox

First thing I picked up out the the parcel was this Vanity Fair Magazine with Johnny Depp on the cover...lol oh how they know me!! Next was this Moleskine art journal!!!!!! O>>>M>>>G! So excited to receive this! I've been wanting one of these for so long and it is so great that it came to me as a gift from my favourite people. I promised Blaine that I will sketch while down at the lake and only positive, inspirational art will fill it's pages. xo http://www.moleskine.com/

Finally ( the presents don't seem to end!) a beautiful journal for me to write down my thoughts in . Check it out here, I have the 2nd one from the top!! www.thegamine.com/.../stylewriting-in-style-christian-lacroix-papier/ So stunning and it's pages are whispering to me right now! Only positive, wonderful, dreams come true words will grace it's pages. What a wonderful book to write my New Year's goals in .

A card I will treasure always! Handmade by a special ,very talented, super smart and soooo cute, little girl Olivia. Thanks sweetie we LOVE it! xox

Seriously??? How flipp'n awesome is this pendant? Olivia picked it out just for me ( her Daddy told me so ) Oh yes this "puppy" is mine it is my new favourite piece :) I will be thinking of you , Livy every time I wear it.
How much fun will I have creating beautiful pieces with these lovely beads ! They are gorgeous and I don't have anything like these in my collection . Can't wait to play !

Although I've posted only my goodies, my rock star hubby is very excited about his gift too! He got a Wylde Overdrive pedal for his guitar and some guitar strings.... these boys love the guitars and I love listening to them compare "notes" and argue about amps/muscians etc.. They crack me up! BOYS! Wouldn't want it any other way . :)

Heart The Art Prompts 2010 Week 39 "Autumn"

2010-12-13T15:31:00.000-08:00

Well as you can tell by the prompt it was supposed to be finished before the snow flew but alas I am still trailing behind..... I still have a few weeks to get them all completed and I WILL do it! My jewelry orders are winding down and my Christmas holidays will begin after this Friday so I'll be all about the art journal!

Heart The Art Prompts 2010 Week 38 "Positive"

2010-12-07T14:45:00.000-08:00

This prompt goes nicely with my last post and so I let the artwork speak for itself. Peace , Love and Laughter to all :)

Heart The Art Prompts 2010 Week 37 "Question"

2010-12-06T18:55:00.000-08:00

Hmmmm ? If you had to ask yourself a question what would it be? This weeks prompt was all about asking myself a question. I'm always talking to myself so I figured what's one more! Now because I was feeling a bit sorry for myself being stuck in NWO with all these recent snow storms and cold weather the question I was asking myself was "WHY AM I HERE???" Great question ! Arrrghhhh! Well because I am trying EXTREMELY hard to work on my positive attitude, put out only good vibes etc, etc. I turned it around and made it about the big picture. Why am I here? Why was I designed this way? What should I be doing while I'm here??? ok, that was 3 questions..... you get the point. This is the entry I came up with and I'd like to know what question you've been asking yourself lately, you might surprise yourself!

Heart The Art Prompts 2010 Week 36 "Together"

2010-12-06T18:17:00.000-08:00

The timing for this page was perfect!! The feeling of togetherness was a true test in our home as our family has been dealing with some tough times and we just can't seem to get ahead. I know I am not the only one with a sob story and I don't want any sympathy or bore you with details, I just wanted to explain how this page has aided me by opening my eyes to the important things. My feeling is that when a couple is faced with a troublesome situation you have choices on how to deal with the issue to make it easier for yourself and those around you. My choice is not to make myself sick because of stress over things that are out of my control, nor will I choose to transfer my anger and frustration at my family. My page hopefully portrays what working together instead of against each other can bring rewarding results while riding out the storm. I'm not saying it's easy, but I know it is better. xo

Heart The Art Prompts 2010 Week 35 "Death"

2010-12-06T18:03:00.000-08:00

Well this was really cool to do when it was Halloween!!!!!! (It's December and I am just posting now....) ok, so! Death was an intriguing prompt because I could have gone completely spiritual, morbid and horrific, personal and full of emotion.... So many ways to do this! I guess because it was October I was thinking spooky fun and decided to go with a whimsical take on this dark subject. Hope you enjoy the page even though we are only 10 days away from Christmas! Hey If I only knew then that I'd be so late posting I could have done a religious take on it! Well anyway please enjoy my very late Prompt, "Death"

Mommy Necklace xo

2010-12-04T07:43:00.000-08:00

This piece was super fun to make because it was created for a special co worker, a thoughtful gift from her adoring hubby, to celebrate her first Christmas as a Mommy. Christie and Mike had their beautiful baby boy, Michael, this past October and I am honoured that I could be part of their first Christmas as new parents.

The necklace hangs from beautiful silver metal chain that has an antique hue to it and from it hangs the locket with baby Michaels birth date. The initial completes the antique feel with a little pink glass bead to represent his birth stone and silver heart that says "love". The necklace is completed with a sheer black organza ribbon tied in a bow for an added touch of elegance.

It was a joy to create this piece for you Christie and thank you to Mike for allowing me the opportunity to create special memories for you. xox

Christmas Posts??

2010-12-03T15:34:00.000-08:00

Trying to get myself inspired for the big day which is just around the corner and was wondering what others do to get themselves inspired . Do you bake, create, decorate, give to your favourite charity?? I love to spend time with family and LOVE to decorate my home with greens, lights, and lots of candles. What do you like to do? Please share I'd love to hear. xox

Good Excuse!

2010-11-28T06:46:00.000-08:00

Okay so I am like a kabillion weeks behind in my art journal between all the orders for Christmas and having to light a fire in the studio each time..... there just isn't enough time in a day for me! I brought the paints in and my journal thinking I'd get more accomplished but.. well that isn't the case. I'm just gonna blame it on Roxy, she likes to lay on my journal and soak up all that creativity. Yep! She's the reason I'm so behind!

2010-11-16T17:41:00.000-08:00

She loves to laugh and make others feel good. Her big hazel eyes take in her surroundings and instantly she sees things others miss. Ideas come at her in waves and she embraces them and has the courage to make them her own no matter what anyone else thinks. She's beautiful, colourful, fun , funky, caring, talented, sensitive, and my biggest inspiration. She is Michaela and she is my daughter. I feel honoured to share with you these candid shots of my little artist working hard on a self portrait. Isn't she great?

Did I mention she hates it when I take her picture???

First Snowfall .....

2010-11-14T09:56:00.000-08:00

First thing I grabbed this morning was a coffee and my camera.... can't you tell by my beautiful messy bed head?
Snow transforms the most ordinary objects into something of beauty don't you think?
Storm couldn't stop eating the fresh fluffy snow! Ice cream for pups!
" MMmmmmm!"
Some of my candle holders nestled in a blanket of snow
Water fountain is finished for another season but looks great just sitting there
Some holiday cheer to greet my guests at the front door
Isn't she beautiful......
oh! there is my messy head again! I don't care much about my appearance when inspiration hits!
My happy place looks so serene and peaceful and the fire is burning as I write this.....better go break out my paints!

These are objects that inspired me today....what inspires you when the first snow falls??

Heart The Art Prompts Week 34 "Dream"

2010-10-29T18:11:00.000-07:00

It's all about Dreams for week 34 and I do a lot of dreaming.... This is what I came up with and like i've said before, when it comes to my art journal I'm very spontaneous and whatever is going through my mind at the time is what you .... you lucky viewers ... get to be entertained with! Consider yourself very lucky that this is short and sweet!

Heart The Art Prompts 2010 Week 33 "Wonder "

2010-10-24T18:53:00.000-07:00

Week 33 and the prompt is " Wonder " I tried to think of something positive , something happy and 9 times out of 10 I do. However, lately I'm not feeling very positive and I'm ready to throw out my favorite book "The Secret " and give the Universe the middle finger !
Who's with me?? Anyone??

2010-10-24T18:04:00.000-07:00

Check it out! Found it in the garbage at work.....perfect drying rack for paintings and storage for those huge sketch books , watercolors , canvases .... I'm so excited!

LOL! Storm and I goofing around in the studio today.....he is back to his old healthy self again!
His favorite spot is on the area rug in front of the warm fire

OH THERE'S MY NEW RACK AGAIN! ( did i mention how much i love it?)

Studio Tour

2010-10-22T05:27:00.001-07:00

Some reminders of our warmer sunnier days gone by! (big sigh!)

OMG I buy so many books and magazines that I should be in a 12 step program! Seriously! Next to art supplies and chocolate.......this is a fix I can't seem to shake!!

My newest edition to my art portfolio! I'm considering the name "lollipop jungle" has a juicy sound to it!

more favourite books!

OOh my favourite magazines in the world! Cloth paper scissors, Sommerset....and of course the cps Studio magazine.....which I've been buying faithfully since the first one came out and now can't find it around here!! Subscription for Christmas ...... kids are you reading this???

Here is my scrapbooking area

A quick view from the door.............

I LOVE THIS SHELF! $5 at a yard sale (it was very mistreated!) I gave it some love, pulled out 6579 staples.....seriously who does this???? Gave it several coats of paint, stuffed it with goodies.... It's happy I adopted it :)

Well this a my painting area for watercolour and acrylics....lots of natural light and space to move around....

ahhhhh the bead corner.... it's very hard to pick a favourite part since I love doing all of this! There is also a little corner for Penelope and Storm to lay down in front of the fire while I paint, glue, cut, dance.... They love my little happy place just as much as I do! I have other studio pics on Flickr and on my blog. Check them out for goodness sakes!

That Time Again!!

2010-10-20T15:56:00.001-07:00

Arrrgghhhh!! I despise it, put it off as long as possible, pretend it will turn around, tell myself "one more week!"... But alas! The time has come for me to begin bringing in all my paints, glues, inks, varnishes, and quite possibly all my THOUSANDS of beading supplies.

It's so depressing when I do this because I have to admit to myself that the nice warm weather is over and the cold is only going to get colder. PLUS I have to find room in my house for everything. ( Big huge Sigh!) The only positive thing about this is I definitely get more projects completed because I don't have to wait for my cabin to heat up. But that is the only good thing about it. In my studio there are no distractions, I have inspiration, a beautiful view of the lake, music, and everything has it's place. So excuse me if I seem a little depressed...... I'm mourning the loss of my studio for another season :(

"Remember"

2010-10-18T11:05:00.000-07:00

I've been having so much fun playing around with my acrylics ,since being inspired with the fall colours surrounding me lately, and the painting reflects this as well as the theme of Remembrance. Poppies are one of my favourite flowers because of their array of colour and what they represent.

With Remembrance Day just around the corner I thought this painting would be a small tribute to the veterans who fought so hard for all the freedoms we enjoy today. When creating this painting I used lots of acrylic and gel to give this piece tonnes of texture ( Golden products are my favourite!) and brilliant colour. Can't you see all that yummy paint! I do go through a lot of it and the result is always worth it don't you think?

Finally it was given a varnish treatment to protect the colours giving it "permission" to be hung outdoors . I love hanging art outdoors on garden walls and will be creating many such paintings in the future. Let me know what you think I would love to hear from you xo

Heart The Art Prompts 2010 Week 32 " Tell Yourself Something!"

2010-10-18T07:28:00.000-07:00

I'm getting there! WOO-HOO! Week 32.... all about telling yourself something, which is easy for me because I am always talking to myself lol! I tell myself all kinds of things and I try to make them positive.... sometimes it is SOOOOO difficult but I really do try :) What kind of things do you tell yourself?? Pay attention next time you discover you are talking to yourself, you may be surprised at the things you are saying. Be kind to yourself , you deserve it <3

Awesome Blog!

2010-10-12T05:24:00.000-07:00

While browsing some of my favourite blogs this a.m I came across this little nugget of joy! "Love My Art Jewelry" It is wonderfully packed with gorgeous creations made with the coolest handmade beads! Looking through this delightful blog has definitely inspired me and the giveaway this week is pretty cool too! Check out the gorgeous pair of earrings donated by Mary Jane....wow aren't they funky? If you want a chance to win them leave a comment on your blog about the giveaway and post a comment at http://lovemyartjewelry.blogspot.com/

Heart The Art Prompts 2010 Week 31 " CrAzY!"

2010-10-10T10:05:00.001-07:00

This prompt was easy to do because I am CrAzY! Some days more than others....but in a good fun way. I love being silly , having fun, laughing and just acting like a kid! It's fun to be young at heart and if that is crazy....then I most certainly am! I'm also crazy for words, fonts, old rusty tidbits, yard sales, books, paints, papers, art stores, book stores, music , my family and friends, and my pets. So many things to be crazy about! What are you crazy about?

Heart The Art Prompts 2010 Week 30 "Rushing"

2010-10-04T16:31:00.000-07:00

I am sooo behind!! YIKES! How hard is it for me to do just one entry a week? Apparently pretty difficult! This is week #30 and it is all about Rushing....we all can relate to this one. I had to rush like mad to get this completed! I think I'm supposed to be on week 40 by now...big sigh!! I do love creating these pages and really wish I had more time , it really is great therapy.

The water colour was perfect for this one, it depicts exactly what I'd rather be doing instead of rushing around doing things that need doing....but not really enjoyed! It represents me as a child when life was slower, easier... I always say if I could pick an age to go back to, even for a day, it would be six. The age of innocence , laughter and imagination . Yes , six is the age I'd love to do over. What is your favourite age?

Big Announcement!

2010-10-03T11:11:00.000-07:00

I'm finally able to announce the opening of my website www.lisaschmidtartstudio.com thanks to my friend and co worker Mike Nerino. Mike and I have been discussing this project for a couple of years and have only recently been able to sit down together to do it! The "bambino Nerino" who is due any day now, has forced us to act !! lol Thanks Mike for creating the website and being so patient with me. I am very grateful to have such a knowledgeable and talented friend.

Please check out my site and give any feedback you feel that could make your shopping experience @ www.lisaschmidtartstudio.com more enjoyable. I will be adding my artwork in the next month or so as it does take more time to create and I will also be accepting custom orders through email. l_art2000@yahoo.ca if needed. Thanks for all your continued support and I look forward to create more Pretty Little Messes for you all

xoxo

Lisa

To Busy To Blog.....

2010-10-02T09:35:00.001-07:00

I' ve been super busy for the past month with my very ill dog , Storm who almost died from a liver disease. I'm very happy to say that with intense therapy from my vet and his caring staff, and with tonnes of love and prayers from all my friends and family, my baby is recovering well and is alive. My vet Clayton can't believe that he survived because he was at death's door just 2 weeks ago and it looked extremely hopeless. He's a miracle and I love him so much and so grateful he is still here with me to make me smile every day. Anyone who has a pet knows how heartbreaking it is to see them suffer and how heartwarming it is to have them in our lives. All they want is to love you and receive love back. Why can't more people be like that?

Heart The Art Prompts 2010 Week 29 "Falling For"

2010-09-06T17:48:00.000-07:00

It's no surprise to those who know me how crazy I am for those smoochie faced pugs! This prompt was all about " falling for " and therefore I borrowed some adorable images of pugs off Flickr to demonstrate all the reasons I love them. Pugs #1 through #7 belong to the following:

1. http://www.flickr.com/photos/backinthepack/4316794347/ 2. http://www.flickr.com/photos/lolapug/4288915793/ 3. http://www.flickr.com/photos/tomandsteve/4268953384/ 4. http://www.flickr.com/photos/radmegan/4242049767/ 5. http://www.flickr.com/photos/tomandsteve/ 6. http://www.flickr.com/photos/aarynleathjames/4294166848/ 7. http://www.flickr.com/photos/dyxie/4202983875/

Heart The Art Prompts 2010 Week 28 "Drama"

2010-09-04T06:27:00.000-07:00

I'm sure everyone out there can relate to this one, there is one or two of them in every crowd and I guess I just have to be grateful that I'm not one of them. The Drama Queen!

These girls don't really care what's going on in your life - it's all about them, they can't see past the drama to see anything positive about the situation they are droning on about, they are always upset , sick, have a sad story to tell, need to be angry at someone, so and so did this to me story...... Life is just to short to hang out with these girls! I don't need any more energy sucked out of me I want to see the positive that's around me and even though they don't realize it.....WE ALL HAVE PROBLEMS!!

This was a prompt that I could totally relate to and had fun creating . I'd love to hear your feedback about the artwork and the whole "Drama Queen" invasion. Happy Saturday!

Heart The Art Prompts 2010 Week 27 "Perhaps"

2010-09-02T05:32:00.000-07:00

Yep! I'm struggling with the workouts again! I was on a role there for awhile but then my crazy busy summer arrived and I spent most of it in the car running with kidlets. Oh well I'm sure I'll figure it out .... Now that Cam is leaving for university someone is going to have to walk the dog now! Hope you like this whimsical page I had lots of fun with it!

Heart The Art Prompt 2010 Week #26 "Summer "

2010-08-23T13:16:00.000-07:00

Although I'm a big fan of autumn , I'm just not ready to say goodbye to summer. It has gone by very quickly this year and I am disappointed at how much I failed to do! Of course my flowers are the hardest things to tuck away for winter, I would dig them all up and bring them inside if I could!
The weather was incredible this year and I spent as much time as I could down at the lake swimming, visiting with friends and family , watching the loons while the sun set,and laughing at my dog as he waded back and forth for hours chasing minnows. Why would I want this to end?
This year the end of summer brings the beginning of an exciting journey for my son Cameron. He will be leaving the nest to begin university , and although it's only 4 hours away he will not be here for me to see everyday or to talk to and it will be difficult to see him go.
So you see, I have a few very good reasons why I !don't want summer to end

Heart The Art Prompts 2010 Week 25 "Beauty "

2010-08-18T16:04:00.000-07:00

Week 25's prompt is Beauty. So many ideas for this one since the world is full of beautiful people and things . I could have expressed how I feel about the beauty of nature , places I want to travel to, beauty found in art or a piece of music... that would be predictable .
I decided that maybe my slight addiction to fashion and beauty magazines would suffice . I love to play with makeup ,paint my nails and get funky hair colors as much as the next girl ,but sometimes all that advice is confusing and overwhelming .
We are bombarded with ideas of what the perfect body image should be, who's style we should be copying , the latest mascaras promising colossal lashes, liposuction , wrinkle creams , fake tans, bleached teeth , waxing , pedicures , manicures, plastic surgery ...... Whew! It's exhausting work! I'm so glad that a beautiful personality and a pretty smile still counts for something ..especially when I run out of concealer!

Heart The Art Prompts 2010 Week 24 " Doubt "

2010-08-17T07:40:00.000-07:00

Week 24!! I'm getting there ....slooowly! I experimented with my Golden Black Gesso on this page to get the "chalkboard look" then used a white Crayola crayon for my chalk . The result is pretty convincing don't you think ? When faced with this prompt so many things ran through my mind . Doubt lingers in everyone and can destroy "what could have been" if we let it. I've learned the hard way not to let it in anymore .

Heart The Art Prompts 2010 Week 23 "Hidden Thoughts "

2010-08-16T06:55:00.000-07:00

One of my MANY hidden thoughts is my fear of time passing too quickly . There are too many things i want to experience and it worries me that I may not get a chance to do it all. My hectic life and lack of $$$$ make it seem impossible to get out in the world surround myself with other cultures and art. I'd like to be able to do all this while my mind is still somewhat sharp! Another hidden thought.....What the @#!* is up with my memory ??? Getting older...not my forte~

Penelope The Studio Bunny

2010-08-13T19:40:00.000-07:00

Penelope hangs out in my studio and keeps me company,mostly running around or doing her cute little happy flips in the air , BUT....today when I checked in on her she was sitting proud as can be on top of my desk! I thought she was pretty cute until I realized she had been snacking on my art journal ! I thought I had bunny proofed it pretty good but I guess I got myself a clever bunny with a taste for art! Good thing she's cute !

Autumn Beauties

2010-08-09T09:39:00.000-07:00

I love mixing earth elements together in my home and garden and so it's no surprise I'd do it in my jewelry . Chunky metal and soft leather intertwine with another bearing loads of charms created from semi precious stones,handmade clay,shells,wood and glass. This beauty can't help but remind me of the gifts nature has to offer.

See No Evil , Hear No Evi l, Speak No Evil

2010-08-04T06:33:00.000-07:00

More whimsy ! How To ? Follow same instructions as "Love Blooms " These were painted on 8x8x2 wooden canvas so they can be hung up or stacked....now go play with your papers and paint like good little artists !

Just For Fun

2010-08-02T09:53:00.000-07:00

Felt like having some fun with my paints today ,nothing too serious just easy and whimsical . Want to make your own? Here's how!
I gessoed my 12x12 stretched canvas (not necessary but I like to give the surface more tooth ) then using a glue medium I glued down various pieces of scrap book papers . I then sketched out a simple shape with a pencil ( I chose a flower but people work well also) picked out 2 colours of paint and put equal amounts on a flat surface right beside each other . I use a piece of plexiglas. Using a brayer, add the 2 paints by rolling it through the colours then apply around the image you've penciled in wiping off areas with a wet paper towel where you want the papers to show through . I like to wait until paint is almost dry for a distressed look. Gesso in the shape to prepare the image for paint and when dry proceed . Choose 2 more contrasting paints and repeat braying step . Add words using stickers or paint and then varnish to seal. Voila ! See I knew you could do it!

Website Treasures

2010-07-31T10:53:00.000-07:00

Busy working on creations for my website....you know , the one I've been talking about for 2 years! One of my feature products will be leather pieces adorned with homemade clay beads (made with love by moi !) This is a little glimpse of my Earth Jewelry Line that I've been making for awhile and have recently expanded . LOTS more coming ! Stay tuned for the upcoming launch of my site!

"GOLDEN" Opportunities

2010-07-28T14:12:00.000-07:00

I hit the art supply lottery just by gushing over the new GOLDEN products at our local business supply store ! I struck up a conversation with the store clerk about how amazing this brand of paint and gesso was and how excited I was to FINALLY be able to try the other products out. It took me awhile to choose the 2 ( on a budget ! ) which were ( the largest bottles ) Heavy Gel Medium and Molding Paste . I must have seemed pretty happy because the store clerk pulled out a box of smaller bottles and told me to take them home to try out ! She said I am the only one who's shown any interest so I should take all of them! There were bottles of Molding Paste ( light /coarse/semi-gloss ), Absorbent Ground , Gesso (white/black /sandable hard ) Oh what fun I'm going to have !

Heart The Art Prompts 2010 Week 22 " I Just Read..."

2010-07-19T08:02:00.000-07:00

Have any of you read novels by Canadian author Ann Marie MacDonald ? She is my favorite ! When I'm reading her stories I get so immersed in them I don't want to put the book down! She invents characters I'll think about for days afterward and the storyline is so incredible and deliciously written I feel as though I'm seeing it instead of reading it. I've read "The Way The Crow Flies" for the second time now and another fav of mine "Fall On Your Knees " twice. They are both mesmerizing and if you love to be shocked and intrigued ,read one of her novels.

Heart The Art Prompts 2010 Week 21 "Up Until Now "

2010-07-19T07:33:00.000-07:00

This prompt really stumped me but I thought my little bear story fit perfectly ! I blogged the story already http://lisaschmidtartstudio.blogspot.com/2010/06/bear-cub-stopped-in-for-breakfast.html F you're interested in the complete story . The painting in this page is a copy of a watercolor I created in 1995. It was a perfect fit to this entry and saved the day as I was struggling with MAJOR artistic block ! Hope you like!

Glitz and Glamour

2010-07-07T15:58:00.000-07:00

These pieces are for the truly feminine gals who adore dressing up and adding a touch of glitz and glam to their summer fashions! Maybe it's the influence of the movie Sex In The City http://www.sexandthecitymovie.org/ that's inspiring me lately, but whatever it is it's working ! I think Carrie, Samantha, Miranda and Charlotte would agree. xo
Rhinestones, glass, crystals, metal and semi precious stones (citrine) are all found in these beautifully crafted pieces.

Leather Love xo

2010-07-02T09:22:00.000-07:00

Okay my newest obsession for my jewelry line is leather! It is awesome to work with and so versatile. My clay beads serve great for the clasp and the baby Falcon feathers and tiny leather flower....omg way too cool! I love it so much I'm wearing it right now! Don't worry, I'll make more! xox

Heart The Art Prompts 2010 Week #20 " Hold Back"

2010-06-29T13:34:00.000-07:00

The prompt was "Hold Back" and there were many things that came to mind for this one. You may relate to the driver that doesn't signal or the lady in front of you at the supermarket that counts out 24.98 in pennies when you are in a hurry to get to work.... there is some serious "holding back" there! Let's face it, we are tempted to do many things throughout the day and are held back. Some are good and some....not so good. I could have had fun with that layout! However I decided to write about and illustrate how important it can be and how liberating one can feel from being honest . I have learned a great deal about myself by participating in this art prompt group and it is because I didn't hold back. When you write in your journals be in the moment, show how you feel, just be you. You will be amazed how truly interesting your story is!

Gifts

2010-06-28T07:49:00.000-07:00

The guitar pick necklaces are popular and have been ordered for the young rock and roll stars and for their music teachers. I love them and I have worn them as well when feeling edgy and funky! Some of the beads are from Cuba hand made by locals and the clay beads are handmade by me. The beautiful bracelets above are gifts to Bridesmaids and Maid of Honour for an upcoming wedding in July, from the Bride. Congratulations Renee!

Quiet Moment

2010-06-27T09:18:00.000-07:00

Mark and I stole an hour to go for a quiet boat ride together after a busy day of yard work and driving kids back and forth to work. Sometimes a little break together is just what we need in our busy lives to reconnect and share a few laughs. It was a beautiful ending to a perfect day.

Happy 19th Cameron xo

2010-06-19T05:09:00.001-07:00

Another birthday in the family! My Cameron turned 19 yesterday and as with each year that passes it's amazing to me just how fast it all goes by. One minute he's playing his Dad's guitar that's bigger than he is and the next he's planning his year at university. I love these pictures of Cam and had to share them with all of you. "Please don't embarrass me mom!" Okay Cam, I won't. xox