Ignazio's Mom

Difficult, But Not Impossible

2012-01-23T11:10:00.001-05:00

2012 has been a very difficult year for me so far.

Without going into depressing details, I have received so much bad news and cried more in this first month than I have in the past ten years. So much so that I have come to believe that the only way to go now is up, because slipping even further down the slope is not an option.

I mean, I have a family, after all. It can't always be about me.

So I have decided to pick myself up and move forward, leave the ugly past behind and look to the future.

My concentration needs to be on my future dreams and goals and how to go about achieving them.

I have floundered around with my Etsy business for long enough. It is time to put the work in and make something of it. Like everyone, I was blessed with God-given talents and it was about time I honored Him by using them to their full potential.

If anyone is in need of a list of resolutions in this new year, it is me:

• I am determined to free myself of the negative influences in my life that continually drag me down, be they be persons or things.

• I am determined to keep the faith in both myself and my abilities and that God is always here to help me become the person He and I have always wanted me to be.

• I will recognize that the only thing to fear is fear itself.

• I will always keep moving forward, never looking back, learning from my mistakes with no regrets.

RIP Dad!

2012-01-07T09:45:00.003-05:00

We love and miss you, Dad!

Edward Francis Salmon, Jr.

9•9•25 - 1•4•12

May the road rise to meet you.

May the wind be always at your back.

May the sunshine warm you face,

the rains fall soft upon your fields.

And until we meet again,

may God hold you in the

palm of His hand.

~ Amen

Diane Costanza Studio: A Miniature Christmas!

2011-11-28T15:12:00.000-05:00

Diane Costanza Studio: A Miniature Christmas!: Retro Robot! I haven't created miniatures in quite some time, so I decided to have some fun and share what I've been working...

Vintage Finds and Free Shipping!

2011-11-25T21:48:00.001-05:00

Everything in my Etsy Vintage Shop is shipped to you FREE of charge

now thru, 11/28, Cyber Monday! The listings are all set up and

ready to go so no need to convo me to receive the discount

(unless you want to, of course!)

Victorian Soap Dish

Victorian Brass Lidded Dresser Jar

1980s Southwestern Concho Belt

Come visit and check out the great deals I have!

Wishing You Success in 2011!

2011-01-08T10:59:00.000-05:00

Hello to all my friends in blogland and Happy New Year!

Well, this year has started off at a very swift pace and I am already feeling overwhelmed by all that I want and need to get accomplished.

It seems that I have taken on too much at once as it applies to my online life: 2 online shops, 3 online blogs, a website, memberships in a multitude of online groups and social media... sound familiar??

... not to mention what is currently going on in my private life.

So in an effort to relieve some of the stress of "keeping up", I have decided to downsize some of my participation on the internet and to streamline my businesses.

As a result I am going to be moving all my blog posts to just one of my blogs: http://dianecostanza.blogspot.com

If you follow me here on Ignazio's Mom, but would like to continue to read my posts, please "follow" me on over to my Diane Costanza Studio blog.

I will be posting over there about my various projects for both my home and my business exclusively.

I have always loved reading your comments here on Ignazio's Mom and would love to continue to receive your comments on my Diane Costanza Studio blog, as well.

Smiles,
Diane

A Childhood Coloring Book Memory

2010-12-17T12:41:00.001-05:00

I loved to color in coloring books as a kid.

It was one of my greatest joys and I believe one of the happy childhood memories that helped inspire me to be an artist.

My two best friends and I would color for hours on end, choosing from a growing stack of coloring books received for various birthdays, holidays and good report cards over the years. Characters like Scooby Doo, Barbie and anything Disney were favorites.

While we chatted about boys, other friends and of course, boys, we casually leafed through each well-loved book, searching for an un-colored page that might inspire us, a round tin of broken Crayolas in the middle of the table in easy reach of all three of us.

Susie’s creations always made a bold statement, the thoughtful one of the group.

Lori always wore the black crayon down to a nub because she pressed so hard, much to our annoyance.

I was the artistic one that had to shade just a bit darker around the edges to create “dimension” (I was taking art lessons even back then).

On rainy or winter days we gathered in the rec room of Susie’s parent’s house, summers were spent outside in the sunshine on the family picnic table, tall glasses of iced tea at our elbows.

Nothing else was important at the tender age of nine. We had no worries or concerns to interfere with a perfectly good day of coloring.

I still get a rush of nostalgia whenever I get a whiff of my son’s old box of crayons.

I still color, but now I get paid to do it with colored pencil or paint.

Lori, now my son’s Godmother, is coming over in a few days.

I think I’ll pull out the coloring books… but I may have to buy a few extra black crayons, just in case.

Smiles,

Diane

A Sneak Peek at My Kitchen Make-Over!!

2010-12-11T21:51:00.001-05:00

The holidays are almost here and we are jazzing up the

house for company on Christmas day!!

As you may remember, Andrew was in and

out of the hospital most of last year and we could

not entertain any friends or family in our home.

This year we are looking forward to hosting the holidays

with a new, vibrant decor that will include:

a kitchen make-over,

a bathroom facelift and

stairway re-do

AND... a NEW FLOOR for the entire downstairs!

Halleluiah!

THE KITCHEN

We have been giving our 20-year-old kitchen a make-over

since the summer. We only have the weekends, so it is slow going.

I have distressed the doors with a brown glaze and stenciled

them with a bronze acrylic paint and a stencil from the

clearance section at AC Moore.

Corner Cabinet With Fabric Lining

The cabinets with glass-paned doors get a pretty fabric

pasted to the back with liquid starch. I edged the fabric to

give it a clean look with black ribbon applied with a glue gun.

Andrew added the light to accent my favorite china & glass

pieces once the wood shelves are replaced with beveled

glass he is having cut for me.

Pantry Cabinets

Distressed & Stenciled Doors

More Soon!

Diane

Sack Lunch - A Veterans Story

2010-11-12T14:01:00.002-05:00

I put my carry-on in the luggage compartment and sat down in my assigned seat. It was going to be a long flight. 'I'm glad I have a good book to read. Perhaps I will get a short nap,' I thought.

Just before take-off, a line of soldiers came down the aisle and filled all the vacant seats, totally surrounding me. I decided to start a conversation.

“Where are you headed?” I asked the soldier seated nearest to me.

“Petawawa. We'll be there for two weeks for special training, and then we're being deployed to Afghanistan.”

After flying for about an hour, an announcement was made that sack lunches were available for five dollars. It would be several hours before we reached the east, and I quickly decided a lunch would help pass the time.

As I reached for my wallet, I overheard a soldier ask his buddy if he planned to buy lunch. “No, that seems like a lot of money for just a sack lunch. Probably wouldn't be worth five bucks. I'll wait till we get to base.”

His friend agreed. I looked around at the other soldiers. None were buying lunch.

I walked to the back of the plane and handed the flight attendant a fifty dollar bill. “Take a lunch to all those soldiers.”

She grabbed my arms and squeezed tightly. Her eyes wet with tears, she thanked me. “My son was a soldier in Iraq; it's almost like you are doing it for him.”

Picking up ten sacks, she headed up the aisle to where the soldiers were seated. She stopped at my seat and asked, “Which do you like best – beef or chicken?”

“Chicken,” I replied, wondering why she asked.

She turned and went to the front of plane, returning a minute later with a dinner plate from first class. “This is your thanks.”

After we finished eating, I went again to the back of the plane, heading for the rest room. A man stopped me. “I saw what you did. I want to be part of it. Here, take this.” He handed me twenty-five dollars.

Soon after I returned to my seat, I saw the Flight Captain coming down the aisle, looking at the aisle numbers as he walked, I hoped he was not looking for me, but noticed he was looking at the numbers only on my side of the plane.

When he got to my row he stopped, smiled, held out his hand and said, “I want to shake your hand.”

Quickly unfastening my seatbelt, I  stood and took the Captain's hand. With a booming voice he said, “I was a soldier and I was a military pilot. Once, someone bought me a lunch. It was an act of kindness I never forgot.”

I was embarrassed when applause was heard from all of the passengers.

Later I walked to the front of the plane so I could stretch my legs. A man who was seated about six rows in front of me reached out his hand, wanting to shake mine. He left another twenty-five dollars in my palm.

When we landed I gathered my belongings and started to deplane. Waiting just inside the airplane door was a man who stopped me, put something in my shirt pocket, turned, and walked away without saying a word. Another twenty-five dollars!

Upon entering the terminal, I saw the soldiers gathering for their trip to the base. I walked over to them and handed them seventy-five dollars. “It will take you some time to reach the base. It will be about time for a sandwich.”

“God Bless You.” Ten young men left that flight feeling the love and respect of their fellow travelers.

As I walked briskly to my car, I whispered a prayer for their safe return. These soldiers were giving their all for our country. I could only give them a couple of meals. It seemed so little.

A veteran is someone who, at one point in his life, wrote a blank check made payable to 'The United States of America' for an amount of 'up to and including my life.'

That is Honor, and there are way too many people in this country who no longer understand it.

Prayer for our soldiers:

'Lord, hold our troops in your loving hands. Protect them as they protect us. Bless them and their families for the selfless acts they perform for us in our time of need. Amen.' 

Say a prayer for our troops around the world.

Of all the gifts you could give a Marine, Soldier, Sailor, Airman, & others deployed in harm's way, prayer is best.

Diane

VINTAGE 25% OFF SALE

2010-11-10T20:14:00.002-05:00

As part of the Etsy Vintage Market Team (VMTeam) pre-holiday SALE, I have everything in My Etsy Vintage Shop on SALE at 25% off!

A Brass & Cabachon Brooch from my shop Costanza Vintage Craft & Supply

If you like vintage jewelry, accessories, handbags or housewares, stop by and take a peek!

Don't see anything in my shop? Do a quick Etsy search using the term VMTeamHoHo and you will see hundreds of great holiday vintage gift ideas!

Depression Glass by VintageHand

Ironstone Pitcher by Jacquierae

Have fun browsing, but be careful, it is addictive!

Diane

New Austen Inspired Paintings

2010-11-05T13:21:00.000-04:00

I was inspired recently to continue my series of literature-inspired watercolors.

Just completed is Miss Emma Woodhouse and Mr. George Knightley from the humorous Austen novel, Emma.

I have also been inspired to create a series of Christmas ornaments based on this very same painting series. They will be available in my Etsy Shop very soon!

More on that to come in a future post!

Have a lovely day!
Diane

A Little Red Wall Shelf

2010-09-14T23:40:00.001-04:00

This Circa 1970's wall shelf in my dining room was a recent Goodwill find.

It was "50% Off Everything in the Store Day", so it cost me only $5.

Mind you, I was happy enough with the original $10 price tag!

All the plates except the larger multicolor one, also came from

Goodwill at $1-2 per piece.

The shelf was a forget-able brown wood in need of some TLC

when I first brought it home. I actually had photos of it before

I painted it this rich red, but they got lost on my hard drive

now infested with a nasty virus.

I know its bright, but I love the color red and try to incorporate

it somewhere in all of my decor.

I added the bronze stenciled motifs just to dress it up a bit.

I adore color!

Smiles,

Diane

Diane Costanza Studio: I Finally Joined Facebook Today!

2010-09-14T21:24:00.000-04:00

Diane Costanza Studio: I Finally Joined Facebook Today!

2010-09-11T15:05:00.000-04:00

I can't allow this day to pass without offering up a blessing to all who lost someone on 9/11/01, may they find comfort in whatever way they can today.

Do you remember where you were that morning? I live on Long Island, so I was too close to forget a minute of that day.

I was going to write my experience, but even writing it down is too painful still, so I will leave it at this...

Diane

Eat~Pray~Love

2010-08-29T14:36:00.000-04:00

I went and saw the movie "Eat, Pray, Love" with my mother-in-law last night. We had never seen a movie together before, so it was rather special for both of us.

I am usually going to kid movies with my son and my MIL usually goes with just my FIL, so we had a little girls night out, while my FIL was in China and Ignazio is staying overnight at his other grandmother's, being extremely spoiled by my mother.

Anyway, as expected, I wept through pretty much the whole movie. I had racoon-eyes walking out of the theatre.

You don't really get tired of watching Julia Roberts for over two hours because she is so charming, so it was a thumbs up for me.

Although, make sure you eat before seeing it because the "eat" part of Julia's adventure takes place in Rome, and the gastronomic imagery is to die for! If I wasn't drooling, I was weeping into my kleenex!

Inspired, I have a pot of sauce on the stove bubbling away as I write this.

Smiles,
Diane

Vintage Flea Market Etsy SALE!

2010-08-23T21:15:00.001-04:00

The Vintage Market Etsy Team is having a great flea market sale this week!

Members are offering great bargains on all and any category of vintage that you could want.

Stop by the Vintage Market Team's Flea Market and see if you can find a deal just what you've been looking for! Just click the link or do a search under VMTeamFlea.

Vintage 1970s QualiCraft Beige Strappy Sandals

Size 6 or 6 1/2 from SempreVintage

A Vintage 50s Gold Filled Scarab Brooch from

my CostanzaVintageCraft Etsy shop:

Vintage Asian Ornate Plate from ThisThatOtherThings:

Smiles,

Diane

My earrings are being given away at Fairy Filigree!

2010-07-28T21:23:00.002-04:00

My earrings are being given away at Fairy Filigree...: "I wanted everyone to know that a pair of my vintage hand painted art nouveau earrings are part of a fun give away by my friend, Marika at he..."

Visit Fairy Filigree's Blog

My Baby Left On A Friday...

2010-07-24T23:54:00.001-04:00

Ignazio went on vacation without his parents.

In fact, my 11-year-old boy went on vacation with his grandparents, who live with us, leaving the house to Andrew and I oh-so-very silent!

The lack of sound can only be filled by the clack of my computer keys and Andrew's occasional movements about the house.

Where is the childish laughter? The echo of Cartoon Network in the next room? Where are the endless questions, "Mom, why do they call it....?"

They will be gone for almost a week and a half and the very thought tortures me. Thoughts fill my mind of all the things that can go wrong.

No one can look after him like I can. No one can protect him from the boogy man like his mother can!

He calls every night (well, yes it has been only two days, but still...) and he has a smile in his voice when he tells me how cool the condo they rented is, it has a pool table, etc., etc....

He told me the waves are rough at the beach... oh! to hear that is too scary for a mom who cannot stand on the beach and keep watch.

How could I let him go and how could I not??

I pray to the Lord every night, and several times during the day. I pray to His mother, because if anyone understands my distress, it is She who bore the worst a mother could bear.

And so I wait, impatiently for them to return.

Diane

CAUTION! Kitchen Make-over In Progress!

2010-07-19T22:18:00.000-04:00

So here is my kitchen as it stands right now. After twenty years,
I am tired of the retro style I had created when I was first
married. Andrew and I agree, it is time for a change.

I used to collect Coca Cola memorabilia, hence the color scheme,
but I am no longer in love with the collection as I once was and now
I want a new rustic design to go with the old world decor
in the rest of the house.

The 20 year-old black and white vinyl checkerboard floor is
a mess and will be replaced with a great new laminate that looks
just like ceramic tile, but has a softer footing, important in a
kitchen and it is half the price of the real ceramic tile at Loews.

The bottom cabimnets are already in the process of being painted
in a black distressed finish and the top cabinets will follow with a
shabby distressed finish in cream with a sienna glaze.

At the top of the picture you can see the walls have already been
finished in a honey glaze finish. They look very old and worn. I love
them. That was three rooms and one hallway worth of faux finishing.
It took me two weeks to complete, but it was worth it.

My boy, Ignazio, goes away to Carolina Beach for a week with his
grandparents and cousins, so I will have plenty of time to get it done
while he is away. I will post more pix of the cabinets when they are done.

Free Vintage Images For All My Artist Friends!

2010-07-17T16:42:00.000-04:00

I want to begin sharing my vintage photos with all of my friends here in blogland who create beautiful mixed media art and craft projects.

What is so special about these particular images are that they are of my Nana. She was a stylish young girl during the 1920's in New York City.

Copy what you like, but be sure to create something fabulous! I would love to see what you do with these images of Nana. I think she would be flattered to be part of your artwork. I know you will treat her with proper respect.

(Nana is on the right)

So don't forget to drop me a note with links or pix of your beautiful work featuring my Nana!

Smiles,
Diane

It's Christmas in July Over at Etsy!!

2010-07-10T15:16:00.003-04:00

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Yes, you heard correctly. Right now Etsy.com is having their annual Christmas In July Sale!!

I am a member of The Vintage Market Team on Etsy and we are participating with our own keep cool in the heat Christmas In July Sale that begins today, July 10th and runs through July 17th.

The VMTeam have hundreds of Christmas related items on sale at great prices, as well as other items, such as clothes, jewelry and decor that just have that cool holiday spirit!

Stop over and see if you can grab yourself a fantastic bargain while the sale lasts!

Here are some of the great things you'll find:

Red Patent Shoes from Photographicamy

Apron by Three Martini Lunch

24K Plated Earrings from

Costanza Vintage Craft and Treasures

Rhinestone Brooch from World Vintage

Bracelet from Tootsys Treasures

Happy Vintage Shopping!

Diane

about my new blog and my new kitchen

2010-07-03T21:40:00.000-04:00

I have been so busy the last two weeks cleaning like a mad woman just getting ready to paint my kitchen cabinets, while trying to stay focused on my day job and keeping up my Etsy shops, that I had to throw a new art blog in just for fun! LOL!
My new blog is specifically about my journey as an artist. It is where I can focus my thoughts more clearly on my creative side than here, which is where I like to talk about house and home and everything else under the sun.

The new blog is at http://www.dianecostanza.blogspot.com/

if you are interested in checking it out.

As I said, I have been cleaning out my kitchen cabinets, one at a time. I empty them, wipe the interior down with a Mr. Clean sponge (love those!) and then re-organize. I have moved quite a bit from one cabinet to another cabinet as I realize what I had originally set up in my early bridal days, when I didn't have a clue, wasn't really working anymore.

No, this is not my house, but it is an example of the look I am after!

Need I say that I have sent off as much to the Goodwill this week as I have bought there in the last year of thrifting??

Do you know how much accumulates after 20 years of marriage? Whew! I found things I didn't remember receiving and/or buying! All this in just the dark recesses of my kitchen. Well, it felt good to drop those three big boxes off at Goodwill today with Ignazio. I have three more boxes waiting for another drop-off.

"Do you really need an animal shaped jello mold?" I asked myself. "And where in the world did it come from anyway? It must have been my mother..."

Thank goodness I did all the decluttering in the rest of the house when we were renovating two years ago or I would be faced with an even larger up-hill climb!

Another example of the old world style I adore!

Well, the cabinets are all cleaned and functional again and I am ready to begin painting. Mind you, Andrew had started to the paint the base cabinet a few weeks ago without even cleaning it first, men! Now I have to re-do what he did.

I am going with an old world, tuscan, distressed look, black on the bottom, cream on top. I will be sure to post pix as soon as It is complete.

Does your dad reminisce about the "Good 'ol Days"...

2010-06-09T19:33:00.010-04:00

Is your dad like mine, always talking about all the good times
he had in the past? Well, let him know you've been listening!

Right now, the Etsy Vintage Market Team (VMTeam) is
having a huge collective sale on all vintage items that
would appeal to every kind of dad.
Just do an Etsy vintage search for VMTeamdads
or click on the link here! What better gift for
Father's Day than something that brings back
fond memories for your dad.

Traveling Bar Tools Suitcase from RetroTrend

How about something that reminds him of the year you

were born, the most important event of his life as a father!

Very Rare Vinyl Record, 1962, Astronaut John H. Glenn, Jr. from AnnesAccumulations

Or perhaps an item from his own childhood that can

only make him smile and say "Hey, I remember that!"

Castle Films of Abbot and Costello from Flea Circus

Or maybe he is already a vintage collector and would

be thrilled to receive that perfect addition

to his favorite collection.

Prince Albert in a Can (instant collection of 7 cans) by SarahAntiques

You can't go wrong with vintage.

It is memorable and it is the epitome of eco-friendly!

1960s Johnson Bros Empire State Commemorative Plate from CostanzaVintageCraft

Take the time to peak at the many items available from

the Etsy Vintage Market Team.

You might just find the perfect, unique gift that will make

your dad smile and say Hey, I remember that!"

Western Belt Buckle from NowVintage

Another Successful Thrifting Weekend!

2010-06-06T16:11:00.000-04:00

I found some great finds this weekend as I drifted from one thrift shop and garage sale to another.

Even though it was quite hot and humid here in New York, I perservered!

Found at the Goodwill:

12" Robin's Egg Blue Glass Vase - a bit modern for my decor,

but I loved the color too much to pass up!

One more hand painted Italian dish for my kitchen.

Have I mentioned I adore hand painted ceramics,

whether it is italian, portuguese, mexican or french?

A Great Yard Sale Cache:

Yesterday I went to a yard sale that was just closing up for the day.
The woman there was selling her grandmother's house and wanted to
get rid of everything that had not been sold earlier in the day, so she
gave me a big box and said to go ahead and fill it and she'd give me
great price. I think you'll agree that $2.50 was a great price! She told
me I was doing her a favor by taking what was left over.

Some of the pieces have chips, but that doesn't matter because these
pieces I am keeping for myself, rather than for my Vintage Etsy Shop,
which is usually why I am out vintage hunting, to bring great finds to
my Etsy customers.

Another hand painted ceramic pot with lid to add to my kitchen collection.

Gourgeous yellow ceramic basket. I will use this out on the front porch as a planter.

Even with a few chips on the bottom that you can't see, I fell in love

with this basket weave Spode ironstone platter! So beautiful!

Not sure this is Majolica, but it is from Portugal and it is fabulous!

Have a great week!

Vintage Treasures & A Holiday Weekend!

2010-05-30T11:50:00.000-04:00

It is a beautiful sunny Sunday here on the Island and I think I will take a ride around the neighborhood

to see if I can find any great treasures at local garage sales and thrift shops. I will share my booty

with you all tomorrow.

Tonight we are off to a bar-b-que hosted by my life-long friend (we've literally been bestfriends since

our mother's placed us in the crib together at one-years-old) and godmother to my, Ignazio.

I hope everyone has a great holiday weekend.!

Oh, happy day!

2010-05-26T21:04:00.000-04:00

After ten years of discomfort Andrew & I finally invested in a good mattress for our master bedroom! We literally went from the cheapest available at the time we bought this last mattress to a luxury Tempurpedic. Since Andrew's last surgery he has never felt comfortable mon out old mttress and was sleeping on the couch every night. Now we have a bed that hugs you to sleep. It was worth every penny, especially because now hubby is back in the bedroom (hehe). I'm in love with my bed now, and by the volume of my better half's snores last night, so is he! Now to convince Ignazio that, no, he does NOT need a new mattress!

This is only a small part of my FIL's garden. This strip of beauty runs along our driveway.

I get to enjoy the fruits of his labor. Gotta love a dad that brings such beauty to your home!

My newest painted handbag...

2010-05-23T19:26:00.001-04:00

I just listed a new hand painted vintage Coach handbag in my Etsy shop.

I love the artwork of Alphonse Mucha in the Art Nouveau era and used his style as inspiration.

Thanks for stopping by!

My Newest Painting!

2010-05-15T15:23:00.000-04:00

This is Sadie, my newest watercolor 5x8 painting.

I just added her to my Etsy shop

and have added a few watercolor aceos to my Ebay listings, as well.

More Great Thrifty Finds!

2010-05-13T20:09:00.001-04:00

Look what I found!

I picked up this vintage creamware planter and ceramic mold from Portugal at the Goodwill.

They will both look just perfect in my kitchen! Don't you just love the colors on the mold?

I have a great love of italian Deruta Majolica and this reminds me of it.

Thrifting for Spring!

2010-05-08T15:43:00.003-04:00

I love spring because it brings everyone outside and shopping so that the thrift stores are humming and the garage sales are buzzing and I am finding some fabulous goodies!

Goodwill is the best place to find a great deal where I am and we have two near me that I have been visiting weekly for some time.

I have been looking for two matching frames to showcase some original artwork I had collected from Ebay artists and I fell in love with these at the Goodwill immediately. At $4.99 each I couldn't pass them up!

They had some reproduction artwork in them that I removed and will have glass cut at Home Depot to show off the original matted watercolors I will be hanging over each nightstand in our bedroom.

I am redecorating both the main bathroom and living room with chocolate and that lovely chartreuse shade that is so popular right now. I got these drapery panels for $8 for the pair and this bowl for $1.99. The bowl is for the bathroom to use as a caddy and the drapes will go in the living room.

For myself, I found this black leather and suede Kate Spade handbag in mint condition. Not being an expert on such things, I couldn't tell you if this is an original or a knock-off. But if it is a copy, it certainly is a good one because the stitiching and the detail are very well done. Either way at $12.99, I love it and will be looking fashion forward at the communion I will be attending this month!

I have even more great finds, which I still need to photograph, and I will share those as soon as I do.

Have a great weekend!

ETSY Jewelry SALE!!

2010-04-09T20:59:00.000-04:00

I am currently having a SALE on several pieces of my art jewelry inspired by my own watercolor paintings in my Etsy shop. The sale will be going on until next Sunday, 4/18.

Retro Beauties!

2010-03-15T20:46:00.000-04:00

Just a quick howdie today 'cause I'm busy, busy, busy painting my handbags!

This new hand painted Coach evening purse is my own personal favorite to date. Enjoy!

I cheated with a stencil...

2010-03-03T20:29:00.003-05:00

Usually I never would use a stencil, but painting on this ceiling fan, I was too afraid each fan blade would look too different, so I used a stencil and then freehanded the dark accents on top of that. I didn't like the fan plain white, which is over our master bedroom bed, but I can at least live with it now until I find a light fixture I really would like there.

"Alice In Wonderland" Painted Purse

2010-03-02T18:36:00.000-05:00

Another painted purse. This one is my own version inspired by the "Alice In Wonderland" craze going on right now in anticipation of Johnny Depp's new movie release. Some of the best quotes come from Lewis Carroll's story.

My newest painting obsession is painted handbags, and specifically vintage Coach brand handbags. They are made to last and still look good twenty years after they were made.

I got this one for a song on Ebay and I knew it was perfect for Alice.

Handpainted Handbag

2010-03-01T21:41:00.000-05:00

I just completed two new portraits this weekend, but this time I chose to paint them on a vintage wooden handbag I recently purchased on Etsy. Like a blank canvas, the purse called to me. Instead of my usual watercolor portraits, I was able to work in acrylics, which are much more forgiving.

50??? How'd that happen?

2010-02-27T15:35:00.002-05:00

My brother Ed turned fifty years old on Thursday, Feb 25th. It didn't hit me until I was driving to work that day that he had reached a milestone in life, half a century, with me soon to follow in a few short years...yikes!
He had an easier time turning fifty than when he turned thirty. If I recall correctly, on his 30th b-day he went to bed with a migraine.

click photo to see larger version

This is a photo of the three of us siblings. I guess I was about six here. That's me, of course, in the middle. That is where I was always placed. I was in the middle, even in the car, so that my brothers could grab me out of harms way. Don't you love my doo? I thought I was the most stylish hairstyle my mom ever came up with (believe me there were some doozies - I will never forget the perm fiasco of 1974!)

Happy Birthday, Ed, may you have many, many more!

I was going thru an old shoe box of photos and...

2010-02-26T11:27:00.002-05:00

I found these wedding photos of my parents.

I just love the whole retro feel of them...

Enjoy!

Ladies Portrait

2010-02-21T17:57:00.002-05:00

Just added a new painting to my Etsy Shop.

Diane

What I am Reading & the artist van Gogh

2010-02-17T23:02:00.011-05:00

I just finished a novel called "Sunflowers" by Sheramy Bundick. As an artist, I enjoyed this book because it brings you into the lives of a very intriguing artist and what inspired him.
It is historical fiction based on the last two years of Vincent van Gogh's life. The story is part historically accurate, part fiction, but I enjoyed it very much and it made me appreciate the artist's work more than ever.
He was a very tortured soul and lapsed time and again into what was described in 1889 as madness. Medicine in the late 19th century was not what it is today and van Gogh was diagnosed as an epileptic, but as I read the novel, then followed by several essays on the many modern theories that abound today as to what had caused his depressions and mania, I have to say, epilepsy is unlikely. Some of the more likely reasons for the condition that finally caused him to commit suicide were his fondness for absinthe popular at that time but now illegal, more of a poison than an alcoholic beverage, the paints and turpentine's he used incessantly (he produced more paintings in his lifetime than any other painter of that time) or it is even said that he could have been bipolar.
Whatever the cause for the suffering of this poor man, he created some of the most brilliantart the modern world has ever seen. The movement of his work is magical, the brushstrokes and colors just pulling you in.
Although he is best known for "Starry Night" and "Sunflower" works, I have included some of his lesser known, but no less brilliant paintings for you to enjoy.
Diane

And the Winner of My First Giveaway Is....

2010-02-15T13:41:00.003-05:00

...Queenplinker! who entered the following tutorial link:

http://texas-cottage-garden.blogspot.com/2010/01/leather-rose-tutorial.html

Thank you to the ladies who entered my "little" giveaway contest. Your comments and participation were very much appreciated.

Diane

Premature McLinky!!

2010-02-13T15:25:00.004-05:00

Well, it seems my McLinky had stopped prematurely! OOps, my bad for setting the wrong end-time!

He is good to go again. Just another day before the drawing for my very first blog giveaway!

I'd love for more of you to share your tutorials and know-how! You can find the Giveaway Link here to be entered and win.

Smiles,
Diane

Playing Hooky from Work!

2010-02-10T12:25:00.007-05:00

Happy afternoon everyone!

Here on Long Island, we are stranded by the snow storm hitting the east coast today. They actually closed all the schools, even my office, which is almost unheard of. I am looking at it as an opportunity to work on my art. I am teaching myself a technique for painting on leather handbags and will have something to show you soon.

Don't forget to link to my Giveaway post here to be entered to win one of my framed drawings, pictured below. It has been a slow start, which is a bit discouraging for my very first giveaway, but I remain hopeful.

Diane

Welcome to my very first Give-Away!

2010-02-07T19:44:00.011-05:00

Thanks so much for stopping by for my very first reader appreciation blog give-away!
The prize is the silver framed print of one of my own sketches pictured above.

I love to create and I love to learn new techniques. It is one of the reasons I love to blog. There are so many generous tutorials that are shared here in blogland.

2 WAYS TO ENTER & WIN!

1) To be entered into the drawing for the framed print you only need to leave a link to your latest tutorial or project sharing something that will perhaps teach us something new to inspire us.

The drawing will be this coming Sunday evening. I will announce it Sunday night.

2) IF YOU DON'T HAVE A TUTORIAL of your own to link to, then leave a comment in the comment section with a link to your favorite tutorial in blogland and you will also be entered.

Can't wait to see what you've got!

Diane

Is this the best man in the world, or what??

2010-02-05T15:19:00.003-05:00

I am bragging about my husband, Andrew.

If you have been following my blog you will probably know that Andrew is just recovering from a seven-month stint of multiple surgeries and recovery. He still has two more weeks of resting at home before he is able to return to work, per his surgeon.

Well, I guess he is just THAT bored because I came home from work last night to a spotless kitchen. Not only that, but he had actually gone as far as to wiped down the doors of the kitchen cabinets! Yes, you heard me right… he cleaned the kitchen… and the kitchen cabinets… I was floored.

This is a man who has been able to do nothing more than lay on a couch or a hospital bed for months and here he is now, cleaning. He’s one in a million. Let me tell you, that after everything we’ve been through, this was the greatest gift he could have given me, to see him up and DOING anything.

He called me here at work today… the dishes are already done. I think I’ll keep him around a couple of more years.

Diane

Sterling Silver Jewelry & My First Give-Away!

2010-02-03T10:30:00.004-05:00

If you are a fan of sterling silver jewelry, stop by my Vintage Etsy Shop for a peak at my latest listings.

You’ll find rings, earrings and bracelets to tempt you.

Also, I will be having my very first blog give-away this coming week, so be sure to stop by this Sunday night and check out which piece of my artwork I have chosen to offer to the winner and how you can win it!

Smiles,

Diane

Considering a christian education for you child?

2010-01-24T18:06:00.004-05:00

For anyone who has ever considered a christian education for their child...

“Catholic Schools - Dividends for Life” is the theme selected for Catholic Schools Week 2010. Catholic Schools Week is the annual celebration that focuses attention on the good work done by the nation’s Catholic schools. The week will be observed Jan. 31 to Feb. 6, 2010.

In these challenging times, the theme reminds us that the dividends of a Catholic school education—students prepared in faith, knowledge, morals and discipline—last a lifetime.

I have a child in the Catholic School system and it has been the best decision we have ever made as a family. I have personally witnessed the benefits of a christian education. I have a son that is learning in a loving environment based on faith and moral values. Yes, it is an additional cost in most areas of the country, but if the choice is between a new car payment and my child's spiritual and educational future, the car will always come last.

If you too are interested in a a christian education for your child, visit you local Catholic school this coming week and witness for yourself that there is no better way to invest in a child’s future or the future of our world, than through a faith-filled education.

Diane

2010-01-19T16:11:00.004-05:00

I posted the other day about my admiration for the jewelry of Amy Hanna and other mixed media artists like her, and how I was inspired to create my own style of jewelry based on my own paintings. I have already created several pieces and have begun to list them in my Etsy shop.

I am not initially a jewelry-kind-of-girl, shiny gold and perfectly cut gems don’t really do it for me, but give me anything created from destashed costume jewelry, religious artifacts and tarnished vintage findings and I will be in heaven.

Recently I gave my mom one of my paintings embedded in a simple vintage oval brooch and she liked it so much that I was inspired to create more, hence the new line of jewelry.

I am enjoying this new creative process, joining items that were never meant to go together into one cohesive wearable piece of art.

I like the challenge of being as green as I can by using what already exists and seeing my artwork take on a whole new life.

I hope to keep developing new ideas using unique found items. That will be the fun part.

Diane

Dumping the Past Year

2010-01-13T12:42:00.003-05:00

As I have posted before, I find it very difficult to write about anything very personal that is going on in my life t or anything that is less than positive or uplifting. I have always imagined that a sad post, or one that will bring anyone down after reading it, would not be anyone’s first choice.

BUT, I have been going through a life-changing event since June 2009 and now that it is almost over (God willing), I have decided that I need to dump it out here, all at once, and get rid of everything I have been carrying around for the last seven months. Perhaps someone else going thru the same can find a bit of hope or maybe be able to add hope to my own and share their story.

This is not a pretty tale, so if you are not up for it, please do not read on.

In June 2009, I published a post asking my readers to pray for my husband Andrew because he was having going into the hospital for routine surgery. I received many prayers in return and I thank all of you for that. Yet, what had begun as a routine surgery, you know, the kind that only has a 3% failure rate, turned into seven months of a nightmare we are still trying to wake up from.

Andrew was diagnosed in March 2009 with intestinal diverticulitis and it was a simple enough laposcopic procedure that he should be home within a week of surgery and back to work a week after that… but there is a 3% chance that the surgery could fail. If we had been playing the lottery the odds would have been against us. But in this, we won the lottery. They could not do the procedure laposcopically, so they had to do an old fashioned surgical incision. Ok, that we understood. No big deal. He will just take a little longer to heal. After six days in the hospital, they said he was doing great and he was up and walking around, etc. , so they sent Andrew home.

Speed forward 48 hours and we are back in emergency with my tough-guy husband in tears, screaming from agonizing pain. The surgery had failed and he had gone septic. Poisons were leaking out of the intestines into his lower body, settling on his prostrate (hence the agonizing pain).

The only thing we were concentrating on then was relieving the unbearable pain. Unfortunately, my husband has a resistance to pain meds; they don’t cut the pain entirely and they don’t last long in his system. After they put tubes into him to drain out the poison, we had a family member with him at all times, 24/7, keeping track of his pain schedule because the nurses, as wonderful as they are, cannot keep on top of it as well as he needed them to when they have ten patients each. My mother-in –law brings our son, Ignazio to see Andrew whenever she can.

After a week, it was determined that the drain was not doing a good enough job and they needed to open him up again. The thing we feared most from the beginning was going to come true, he would have to be on a colostomy bag after the second surgery scheduled for the next morning. They were going to go in, wash him out, literally, and hook his intestines up to the bag. He needed time to heal and the bag was temporary. After the second surgery, he was put in CCU for four days so that he could be watched constantly, then he was moved to another room. Even so, it was another two weeks in the hospital after infections and further complications kept him in the hospital longer than expected.

Finally, he was able to go home under a nurse’s care. At home he would give himself IV infusions of antibitoics and antifungals until his infections were all healed. My Andrew spent that summer and fall as a prisoner in our own home. Yes, you can go out with a colostomy bag, but it is no fun and everything must be planned out (meals, where the nearest bathroom is, etc.) He opted to stay close to home. Except for the occasional ten-minute jaunt to the store, he never left the house.

Of course, this also had him on disability for months and we had to worry about money, bills and his job being there when this was all over. But I imagine that most of America is feeling similar concerns during this current economy, so we were not unique in that.

Another fast-forward to December 7^th, the date of his scheduled reversal of the colostomy bag and re-hook up of his intestines. The surgery goes well and he is in good spirits and glad to have the bag gone and to be going home soon, UNTIL…the hiccups. Yes, hiccups Andrew’s diaphragm was spasming so badly as a result of the surgery that he would stop breathing. He was sent back to CCU and they watched him for another four days. It is the middle of December now and we are afraid Andrew won’t be home for Christmas.

Here is where I get a terrible cold and am not allowed to see Andrew for fear of getting him sick. Ignazio has not seen his dad for many days because the hospitals have closed visitation rights to children under 18 because of the swine flu epidemic. Andrew and I speak constantly on the phone. I have been continuing to work my day job thru all this and I am looking forward to the week between Christmas and New Year’s when I will have a whole week off.

December 17^th, Andrew calls me at work and tells me he is on his way HOME! The doctor’s released him under the care of home nursing and his dad was bringing him home. I leave work immediately and get there five minutes before him. I still have my cold and we cannot even embrace, but I am so thrilled to see him that I don’t care. We have a wonderful family reunion. Andrew, my son, myself and my in-laws, who live upstairs from us, are all relieved that Andrew would be home for Christmas.

NOW, it is three weeks later, a regiment of wonderful nurses coming in every day to pack his wound, and soon he is hooked up to a healing vacuum that is attached 24/7 for the next two or three weeks to his surgical incision and keeps the inside of him cleaned out while the vacuum helps the wound to heal. I am not sure why they cannot just sew it up, but they assure me that this is the best way to close the incision without the risk of further infection.

Phew! I am tired just from typing this. There is so much more that happened in and between all this but I think I have dumped enough of it for now that I can feel a little bit better for having spoke about it to someone other than family.

We hope for all of this to be over by the end of February. We cross our fingers and pray to God often. It has been a long, hard road for all of us, but most of all for Andrew who had endured the pain and discomfort the best he knows how. We see the light at the end of the tunnel, and we are anxious to get there, but we need to be patient for a few weeks more.

I have a better respect and understanding now of other families that go though something like this every day for years on end and for the doctors and nurses in the healthcare field. They are truly what I would call heroes. I am in awe of the nurse who showed up at our house on Christmas morning to care for Andrew, leaving her own children to do so, the surgeon who admitted to losing sleep over Andrew’s situation, and doing whatever he could to get him well again, answering my pages within minutes to relieve my concerns and the friend’s and family that came to see Andrew as often as they could to boost his spirits and keep us both positive, they are heroes, all.

Diane

What I am Reading

2010-01-12T12:03:00.002-05:00

When I arrived home from work a few days ago, I found two packages waiting for me.

I have been anxiously waiting since December 25^th for the packages to arrive containing two books I gifted myself this Christmas,

A Bit of Velvet & A Dash of Lace by Robin Brown of Magnolia Pearl and Rejuvenated Jewels by Amy Hanna

I have wanted these two gorgeous books for some time and decided that I would get them when I found them new on Ebay for a great price.

I have adored Robin Brown’s Bohemian style of fashion and home decor ever since I first saw articles about her in Country Living Magazine and Home Companion. The lush use of velvet, lace and tapestry just makes my heart sing and I have wanted to bring a touch of that gypsy romance into my own home ever since. This book is a feast for the senses. I love opulent fabrics and trim and have been collecting textiles, vintage and new for this purpose for some time.

The jewelry created by Amy Hanna is no less fabulous! Her use of vintage jewels, religious artifacts and antique images speaks to me in a very personal way. I have never been a girl who swooned over jewelry before, that is until I saw Amy’s eclectic work. The plain gold and gemstone pieces I have in my own jewelry box have never really excited me. If I could only afford the pieces she sells on Etsy. Well, her book is teaching me to create my own and I have already read this inspiring book cover to cover, staying up late last night to do so. I already have the idea of incorporating my artwork into jewelry. With Amy’s expert advise, I can now do that.

If you like the lushness of vintage pieces put together in a unique way, find a copy of these books and immerse yourself in the beauty created by two very talented ladies.

Smiles,

Diane

FREE Valentine Graphics

2010-01-09T16:06:00.004-05:00

I was just going thru some old graphics and thought I would share some pretty vintage Valentine's with everyone.

Enjoy!

Diane

A Quick Watercolor Tutorial

2010-01-03T14:01:00.010-05:00

For fun, I took two In Progress photos while I created my most recent watercolor portrait, "Melissa", to share how I work.

I always begin by mapping out my border in very light pencil, in this case a measurement of 8" x 10", which after being matted will fit into an 11" x 14" frame. Then I begin to sketch lightly in the same pencil a basic composition of my figure. When I have the subject's features positioned as I want them, I go over the whole sketch with a watercolor pencil with more detail, usually using a burnt sienna or ochre watercolor pencil. I erase any of the extraneous pencil lines that will not be in the finished product.

Because I like my whole painting to have one underlying tone, I take a large watercolor brush and using a wash of water, go over the painting, spreading the excess watercolor pencil color throughout the portrait, creating a soft, unified background. If I want the white of the eyes to remain bright, I avoid this one area when painting the initial wash, leaving it white. The original watercolor pencil sketch is still visible, but less intense and defined.

After the paper has dried completely, I begin to block in all the base colors of the figure, from the iris of the eyes to the rosy skin tones of the face and neck. Next I block in the lightest highlight shade that can be found in the hair, usually a watered-down ochre or pale sienna color.

Now I work the details, shading and highlighting all the features and hair. You have to think of each layer as a layer of sheer tissue and give it the chance to settle and dry before determining if the section requires more attention. Patience!

The key to watercolor is to not overwork the colors, although it is also the hardest thing to do. Sometimes you get lucky and the brush creates just the right shape and tone the first time, but more often it challenges you to shape and re-shape the paint, and layer color upon color until it is as you want it. Knowing when to stop working the color is the next hardest thing in watercolors, otherwise you end up with a muddy mess that you may not be able to correct. Been ther, done that!

Here is the finished image of Melissa. I usually use a reference image to paint most of my work, but sometimes I just see a face in my head and they just appear on the paper as if by magic, as if it is meant to be, as happened here with Melissa.

The names of my portraits just come to me as well. I am not sure how, but the finished figures seem to tell me who they are as a name just pops into my head.

You can see more images of Melissa currently in my Etsy shop.

Smiles,
Diane

Heros & Heroines of Literature Series, Set #2

2010-01-01T22:31:00.005-05:00

Happy New Year! I want to wish each and every one of you out in blogland a safe and happy & healthy 2010.

I have recently completed the next set of 5" x 7" watercolor paintings in a series called Heros & Heroines of Literature.

The first set in the series was of Miss Eyre and Mr. Rochester of "Jane Eyre" and that post can be seen here.

This couple is of Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy and Miss Elizabeth Bennet of "Pride & Prejudice" by Jane Austen. I just had to add a haughty eyebrow to depict the "proud" Mr. Darcy.

I had a lot of fun painting these two to appear as I have always seen them in my mind's eye.

The third couple in the series will be coming soon.

Diane

Keep Christ In Christmas

2009-12-18T11:13:00.003-05:00

This Christmas is a very special one for our family this year. We have a very good reason to be counting our blessings around the Christmas tree today. Yesterday, after 6 months of being shuffled in and out of the hospital with surgical complications, worrying how we are going to pay the mortgage while he is on disability, my husband is finally home and on the road to recovery.

Just a few days ago we weren’t sure that he would even be home for Christmas, but yesterday he walked in the front door of our holiday decked out home with his own two feet and we are grateful beyond words. But most important of all, this experience has opened our eyes to the true meaning of Christmas

Now this is not a post to garner sympathy; on the contrary, it is a post to declare that we are one of the lucky ones at this time of year. After so much time surrounded by other individuals that are alone and in pain in the hospital, we consider ourselves blessed beyond belief. It brings tears to our eyes when we see that so many people had no one to visit them in their pain, especially with the holidays approaching.

My husband, a man who was always been the tough guy in the group, the one that would jump fists first into a fight, never shying from a challenge, that same man now tears up when he talks about the man in the hospital room next to his in CCU having a triple bypass, while his blind wife is at home alone with no one to care for her and their credit cards maxed out. That is someone who truly needs all the blessings and prayers we can offer.

My man has walked through hell and come out the other side with a renewed spirit and a softer heart. We are the lucky ones this Christmas. He believes he has been given a second chance so that he can help those others more unfortunate than we are. To think, only seven months ago we were complaining about the high cost of this, that and the other thing during this recession and now are just happy that we are all still together as a family.

We have resolved that this year we are going to make more of an effort to keep Christ in Christmas. There is nothing wrong with the frivolity and joy we get from decorating a tree and our home, with buying gifts for the children and friends, or even in receiving them, just as long as we stop, look around and see that we are blessed and that the reason for the season is Jesus Christ. We need to recognize that what He wants from us this holiday season is to do whatever we can as Christians to ease the sufferings of others even as we celebrate.

I have taken an ornament off the giving tree at church and will make a donation to someone less fortunate than us, and that is a start.

What are your December Goals ~ Personal & Professional?

2009-12-01T13:07:00.005-05:00

I have been thinking a lot lately about the phrase “ We don’t plan to fail, we just fail to plan.”

As I went thru Cyber Monday yesterday without a single sale in my Etsy shop, it became painfully obvious that I had no one else to blame but myself for this lost opportunity. I had failed to plan for one of the biggest shopping weekends of the year by not having an abundance of enticing new stock in my shop, I should have begun to create what I would need much earlier in the year.

I HAD planned to plan, if that makes any sense, but somewhere between school starting in September and Thanksgiving, I dropped the ball.

Today as I was contemplating this whole scenario, I read today’s blog post at Modish Biz Tips on setting and achieving goals. It spoke to me and I have committed to joining the meet-up by making a list of goals that will help me thru both my personal and my business lives.

My list of Goals for December:

1) Decide what the focus of my business REALLY is. I am all over the place right now.

2) Finish up a large commission that needs to be delivered soon!

3) Create enough art to list new items in my Etsy shop 3 to 5 times a week.

4) Write a new post for my blog at least twice a week.

5) Look into spring Craft Fairs in my area and what I would need to do to if I decide to purchase a booth. Will I have the time??

6) Spend more quality time with my husband and son. See #5 above.

7) Get my bookkeeping in order.

8) Have my art made into prints for my Etsy shop.

FREE SHIPPING IN MY ETSY SHOPS

2009-11-26T12:20:00.003-05:00

FREE SHIPPING ON ALL MY LISTINGS, THANKSGIVING DAY THRU CYBER MONDAY

New Mini Shabby Chic Bedroom Suite

2009-11-21T19:19:00.007-05:00

I don't have too much time this weekend to blog, but I thought I would give you an update on what I have been up to in my studio recently.

I have just finished a miniature 1/12 scale shabby chic bedroom set and have listed it in my Etsy shop. Even th drawers in the dresser open to reveal some vintage shabby goodies!

They are the first miniature items I have listed in some time, so I am happy to finally do so.

Have a good weekend everyone!

Diane

I am having a little SALE over in my ETSY Shop this week!

2009-11-17T11:49:00.002-05:00

I will be taking 25% off all my ACEO watercolor paintings now thru this Sunday 11/22.

Don’t know what an ACEO is? "Art Cards, Editions, and Originals"

• ACEOs are small collectible pieces of art. An ACEO is always two and one-half inches by three and one-half inches. That is the size of a standard sports trading card. The rule about size is the ONLY rule in the ACEO world. An ACEO can be created in any medium the artist desires: paint, colored pencils, ink, etc. There are even ACEOs made from wood, clay, fabric, and metal.

• ACEOs can be matted and framed to hang on the wall. Many people display their ACEO collections in the same kind of plastic sheets and albums that sports card collectors use. You might slip an ACEO into a greeting card as an extra surprise for a birthday, anniversary, or Christmas. ACEOs sell on Ebay and Etsy for anywhere from ninety-nine cents to over one hundred dollars or more!

Heros & Heroines of Literature Series

2009-11-15T18:14:00.003-05:00

I love to read a great novel, particularly a classic like Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte or Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen.

Nothing whiles away a rainy day better than a cup of tea, or coffee in my case, and a romantic classic full of the drama of an unlikely relationship.

I often picture the characters in my mind as looking a paricular way, regardless of how they appear in the countless PBS film versions I have always adored. Although Colin Firth will always be my favorite Mr. Darcy on film, when I read the novel Pride and Prejudice, it is not Colin I see, it is the Mr. Darcy of my mind's own making.

I have begun to paint the heros and heroines of my mind as a watercolor series.

The first to emerge were Jane Eyre and Edward Rochester. I remember the first time I read the book, the shock over Mr. Rochester's living wife and my joy that they overcame all the obstacles placed before them and found each other in the end has made them a great favorite.

Nothing beats a well-written love story. Mr Darcy and Miss Bennett will follow brought to life in living color.

You may see more of the above two paintings in my Etsy shop.

Tell me what you love about autumn…

2009-11-06T16:13:00.001-05:00

I cannot let the season go by without commenting on the coming of autumn, as opposed to “fall” (which always seemed a bit less poetic to me).

Autumn is my favorite season because:

• there is a constant glorious cascade of falling leaves in variations of amber, gold and crimson

• I will catch the inevitable smoky scent from my husband starting the first fire of the season in our wood-burning stove as I arrive home any day now

• I can now wear a warm, cozy sweater that will hug you like a blanket all day

• a big mug of warm cocoa is there to cheer me from the very first sip

• there is a delightful array of pumpkins, corn stalks, hay bails and gourds decorating my neighbors’ porches

• we take walks thru our neighborhood, wading through great piles of rustling leaves that have yet to be raked.

• the air is crisp, Thanksgiving is on its way and there is a lot to be thankful for.

Tell me what you love about autumn…

Are you a shy and reluctant blogger?

2009-11-04T16:53:00.003-05:00

I thought I had set up my blog as an outlet for expressing myself, both verbally and visually. But as the months have gone by, I have found that a recorded means of expression does not come to me as easily as I had thought it would.

And it bothers me.

I have created some art journals over the last few years, using color and form to express how I am feeling at any give time, but realize now that I rarely ever put anything down in words unless it was a quote from someone else that I identified with at the time. I was finding it difficult to be that open about my inner self, using my own words.

I shy away from opening myself up so completely to putting my personal thoughts down in permanent ink where anyone could potentially see it.

I wonder who else in blogland feels as intimidated by the indelible expression of their soul? Who else stifles the turmoil within?

I have many issues going on in my life right now and feel I should be able to speak about them here on my own blog, but I always find myself glossing over the bad or the sad in my life because I don’t want to bring anyone else down, or God forbid, cause them to feel sorry for me.

As a child I was taught to keep such things to yourself (we don’t even cry in front of others at funerals in my family), to not be a braggard, to be humble and well-behaved. So therefore, I find it hard to toot my own horn or to lay bare my heart.

Even now, as I write this, verbally baring my thought here in blogland for the first time, I wonder if anyone will bother to read past my first sentence to even get this far. Well, if you have, I thank you.

It is the forthcoming and cheerful blog that naturally attracts most of us, but sometimes it is the blogger that speaks the truth about who they really are and what they go through, good or bad, that I find I am drawn to personally. That blogger inspires me and reminds me that I am not alone in the challenges and inconsistencies of life.

We all experience the good and the bad. It is just all a matter of how we express it best, through art or through words.

Thank goodness that blogging allows us to choose which.

Happy Halloween!!!

2009-10-31T12:44:00.007-04:00

Today is the big reveal fof what we received for the Trick or Treat Swap hosted by Christine Edwards at A Work In Progress , so join the party!

Below are the wonderful item that I received from my secret swap partner! Of course, the candy is already gone, but the candle is a great accent to light for today.

Happy Halloween!
Diane

A new opportunity for some vintage treasures!

2009-10-23T21:32:00.005-04:00

Look at all that bling!

I just opened a second Etsy shop where I am going to be selling vintage jewelry findings, treasures and collectibles called Costanza Vintage Craft Supplies & Treasures.

I love collecting vintage items and giving them a whole new life in my art or the opportunity to enhance someone elses art or crafts.

I have come by the items in my shop right now through my husbands family business. It was a ladies fashion accessories manufacturer where we made belts and accompanying accessories. Though the family has moved on into other lines of work, it was at C'ia Accessories where my husband was working when I met him in the 80's and where I later joined the family business until we had to close our doors a few years later due to overwhelming competition from Asia.

In any case, I have the detash remnants from that great family venture and I am now making all the pewter buckles, pins and buttons, glass and plastic cabachons (and a whole lot more!) available for sale in my new vintage supplier Etsy shop.

If you are a crafter or a mixed media collage artist, come by and take a look. I will be adding new doodads every day for some time as I wade thru the boxes of the perfect-condition supplies that we never had the heart to discard back then.

Smiles,
Diane

Painting Away on Etsy!

2009-10-15T12:03:00.009-04:00

I have many new paintings in my Etsy shop this week.

and a new scale miniature of a country kitchen shelf

I also have begun to sell some jewelry supplies, mostly cabachons right now, with more fun brushed pewter pin bases and pewter doo dads to come very soon!

I will be adding even more items before the end of the weekend.

Diane

I need help from my decorator friends

2009-10-06T21:15:00.006-04:00

This is my new bedroom after the house renovations and it looks much sadder in photos than it does in real life. I am in desperate need of some advise on the next step in my bedroom make-over. I am not really sure how to take the room beyond what it is now and into the romantic retreat I had originally envisioned, but fell short of. I think I would like to hear from all my blogger friends who have created such lovely homes. If you have any advise, a sort of "rate my space" among our own, I would very much appreciate it. How can I ADD to the room, without leaving my original romantic, French design scheme?
First, the parts of the room I DO LOVE:

1- my robin's egg blue walls (I had it matched to a Pantone match color!)
2- the pretty cream and gold ceiling border (how hubby and I managed to hang that without killing eachother, I will never know)
3- the new glass chandelier ($99 at Home Depot)
4- the pedestal statue in the corner (because my husband grew up with her and will not part with her.)
5- the anitique craftsmen chair from my nana (I know it does not match, but I guard it with my life, and my bedroom is the only room it seems safe in)
6- I like the bedroom suite because of the ornate carving, but the wood color is hideous (this was given to us by my mother-in-law along with the chair I just re-upholstered- see my previous post about the chair re-finishing)

We know the bed has to be replaced. It is a simple mattress and frame we bought "temporarily" twelve years ago! The carpet has to stay too because that is brand new.

What can I do to make this room special??

~ Diane

New Paintings

2009-10-03T17:00:00.005-04:00

Hello Friends in blogland! Happy Saturday.
If you like rustic or country, I have some new, larger 5"x 7" paintings listed in my Etsy shop this week.
http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=7494824

Smiles,

Diane

DO YOU KNOW ABOUT ETSY.com??

2009-09-30T16:32:00.010-04:00

It has come to my attention, after speaking to family and co-workers recently that many people have never heard of Etsy.com. So, I am writing this post for anyone who may stumble upon my humble blog. It is for everyone who that needs to have the light of Etsy brought into their lives!

Like Ebay, but NOT like Ebay, Etsy offers the ultimate online shopping experience!

According to Etsy, they are Your place to buy & sell things handmade™

"Our mission is to enable people to make a living making things, and to reconnect makers with buyers. Our vision is to build a new economy and present a better choice: Buy, Sell, and Live Handmade.

The Etsy community spans the globe with buyers and sellers coming from more than 150 countries. Etsy sellers number in the hundreds of thousands.

If each of these sellers stood outside at night with a really bright flashlight pointed towards the sky, it might look something like the image to the right."

As a seller on Etsy, I am somewhat biased, so I urge you to go to www.etsy.com

and discover the shopping experience for yourself.

The beauty of Etsy is that everything is either handmade by artisans of high quality or vintage.

The list is endless when it comes to what type of items you can find on Etsy.com :

I personally love that you can speak to the artist or crafter of each item yourself. They are always accessible. They tell you what materials are used to create their items and they invite conversation via a "convo" link. You can even commission exactly what you are looking for via their "alchemy" option.

Give Etsy.com a try. You might just find a whole new world of shopping experiences.

Diane

2009-09-28T11:39:00.004-04:00

I have two new watercolor aceos on Etsy this week. I am working on developing a greeting card and gift line using my original paintings. I have been working on samples this weekend. I will post them here for a sneak preview as soon as they are done. I would love everyone's opinions, good and bad.

Diane

Chair Make-Over

2009-09-24T19:23:00.006-04:00

I adderd this post to Make Your Monday over at Twice Remembered. Click over there and see all the great project links!I inherited this beautiful chair, one of a pair, from my mother-in-law when she redecorated her living room and no longer wanted them in that room. MIL still has one of the chairs in her bedroom, but was kind enoughto offer me the twin. It has a simple wood frame with a cream-patterned upholstery. (I am told they were once a dated 1960’s blue crushed-velvet before she had them refinished and re-upholstered in the 80’s!)

I immediately recognized that it was a well-made piece of furniture and that it had potential for an accent piece in my own living room.

I have a Tuscan, Old World theme in my home, so I could easily visualize the chair in the warm, earthy tones I love. I took my time and searched fora fabric to fall in love with. The chair only needed 4 yards of fabric to re-upholster it, so an inexpensive remnant of a really fine textile was my goal. I found it one day on the remnant table at JoAnn’s and knew it was justwhat I was looking for.

Now, how to refinish the wood now that I had the fabric? I did not want to bother with the work of sanding and re-staining, so I knew I would be painting it. I thought about black, but have plans for painting a pine armoire in black and did not want to overdo it with too much black in the same room. I came across a beautiful dark bronze paint at AC Moore one day and thought it matched the feel of the fabric well so that is what I chose for the frame.

I lightly sanded, then primed the chair. It has carved scrolling crevices along its arms and legs so I used an acrylic black paint inside the crevices so that they would stand out against the bronze paint. I then painted the frame several coats of the bronze, highlighted further here and there with a very subtle bit of gold and finished it with several coats of acrylic sealer.

Next, came my very first attempt at re-upholstering. I had carefully removed the old fabric before painting and now used that as a basic template for cutting the fabric, making it several inches larger all around in case the fabric did not stretch as well as the old fabric. Using a hand staple gun I fastened the fabric to the frame in 4 key points at the top, bottom, to the right and to the left, making sure I pulled as tight as possible. From there it was just a matter of pull and staple, pull and stapling my way around to cover the front, back and seat. I sewed a matching pillow with the remaining fabric and gold fringe trim.

Several days (and aching hands and fingers) later, I had a chair I absolutely loved! I was so proud of myself that I then had enough self-confidence to attempt to re-upholster our old sofa (that colorful story will come later in another blog!)

Smiles,
Diane

New Paintings on ETSY!

2009-09-16T13:00:00.008-04:00

I haven't had any time to post these days with school starting and trying to get ready for the holiday selling season. I apologize to all whom I usually follow that I have not been able to leave comments on your blogs as I usually do. I hope to be able to find some free time soon to sit and enjoy blogland again.

In between ordering business cards and and looking into creating a new greeting card line with my art, I listed three new ACEO watercolor paintings on Etsy.

I would appreciate any feedback from my fellow bloggers on whether you think a greeting card line of my work would be marketable.

Smiles!

Diane

Another new piece just posted to Etsy

2009-08-30T17:48:00.003-04:00

Forgive me if I haven't been blogging as much as usual, but I am busy at my artwork.

Thought I would show you a new piece I just listed on Etsy. It is one of my favorites and I am actually torn about giving it up, but I can't keep everything!

Enjoy!

New work on Etsy!

2009-08-29T21:46:00.005-04:00

I have a few new pieces up on Etsy. The watercolor painting is new. The mixed media art doll was done while the house was under construction and I needed to keep myself occupied while I waited for the new house to care for.

Even More Halloween Fun to Come!

2009-08-24T22:07:00.004-04:00

Just when you thought there couldn't possibly be anymore fun to be had in blogland!

Christine over at A Work In Progress is having a fun Trick or Treat Swap. Click on over and join us. There wil be tricks and there will even be some treats!

Cart Before The Horse 200th Giveaway!!

2009-08-24T21:32:00.003-04:00

Who wouldn't want to win this fabulous original doll by Jo at Cart Before The Horse? Their work is phenominal.

Hurry over and join the fun to be entered!

Work In Progress

2009-08-23T21:28:00.006-04:00

Go to Twice Remembered for Make Your Monday where you will find many wonderful creative ideas!

I am busily sculpting and painting to get some work done for my Etsy and Ebay Halloween sales.

I am working on creating a new kind of art doll for me, candlestick dolls, which are really a bust than a whole doll. Head and torso are sculpted in Paperclay and attached to a candlestick rather than giving them legs. It is alot of fun to see how they are coming out. One candlestick is wood, the other a tarnished silver piece I have had for many years but never really displayed.

I have attached a sneak peak of where they are at right now.

Check back in after a few days if you want to follow their progress.

We are Invited to a Halloween Party!

2009-08-20T22:58:00.005-04:00

Make sure you head over to A Fanciful Twist to sign up for this year's Halloween Extravaganza!!

It is sure to be a Haunting experience.

Mosaic Monday

2009-08-17T16:32:00.004-04:00

I created a mosaic of my latest fascination with Italian Santos for Mosaic Monday. Make sure you stop by The Little Red House to join in and visit all the other bloggers who have created some wonderful pictorial mosaics of things that inspire them.

Artistic Influences

2009-08-16T18:13:00.006-04:00

As I have written in a past post, I am forever trying to define my style as an artist. I believe, as I look back on my body of work, with some exceptions, I generally find certain influences repeatedly showing up in my work. My paintings and home are unquestionably influenced by the art of the Italian renaissance or the lushness of the Victorian era. For the most part my art dolls always have a bit of the Victorian as well. I suppose all these influences combine to create my style, old world, romantic, European and rich in tone.

DaVinci's Madonna

I love the faces of the woman painted during the renaissance. They are calm and serene, but somehow always look as if they know something the rest of us don’t; just that little bit if a Mona-Lisa-smile. I love the rich colors and fabrics of the costumes of this time period as well; velvets in dark burgundy, damasks in gold and emerald, silks the color of pearls…just lovely.

Davinci's Mona Lisa

The fashions of the Victorian era were so over the top in opulence that they are hard not to admire for their mere craftsmanship. The silhouette of a woman’s body in a corset and bustle is both alluring and horrifying as we imagine having to wear such contraptions day in and day out. Although it is not much different than our modern day stilettos, both alluring and horrifying.

I have begun to create a series of art dolls and thought about what direction I wanted to take them in. As I work, the vision for these dolls becomes more apparent and have been showing signs of those influences mentioned above. I will post updates as the dolls progress and eventually become who they are meant to be.

Madonna from Michelangelo's Pieta

"What Encourages Me"

2009-08-10T19:23:00.004-04:00

What encourages me to continue to be courageous?

The look in my son's eyes when he thinks the world of something I've done.

The way my husband smiles and the light in his eyes when I accomplish something he knows is important to me.

After coming home from work to find a plate of food left in my kitchen by my mother-in-law because she knows I worked all day and hate to cook.

The feeling I get when I create something even more spectacular than even I could have invisioned.

Attending mass each Sunday and feeling renewed.

2009-08-09T16:06:00.007-04:00

I have been keeping busy this weekend creating my art. I have done two watercolor aceos and several miniature pieces. I love when I get in the zone and everything comes together, as long as I am free to do so, that is. Sometimes the mom and wife thing takes prescedence, but this weekend I was able to get quite a bit of work done that I was happy with. Yay for supportive families!

You can find any of the above pieces on Etsy and Ebay .

Taking time out to reflect on our design

2009-08-06T12:48:00.013-04:00

No, this is not my house... yet. There is much to do still with the renovation of our home, but as always happens, life gets in the way and we have had to put the design of the house on hold for now.

But, rather than allow this to get me down, repeatedly thinking about all that needs to be done yet (such as the cement slab in the hallway we walk across every day that needs to be tiled), I thought I would take the optimistic approach and think of this hiatus as the perfect time to sit back and re-think our design choices and decide if what we thought we wanted is really what we need.

What can I do right now to further our design strategy so that we are really ready when we are able to move forward again?

I have complied a wish list for the public rooms of my home, of what I would like to accomplish in these areas and the “look” we are going for. The following images found online are what inspire me. They make me go “oohhh” and “aaahhh”, and cry “I want that!” and “I can do that!”

Even if they are most likely outside my budget, they inspire me to find more creative, inexpensive solutions.

Living Room-Dining Room-Kitchen Area:

In the public rooms of our house we want to try to create a rustic, but refined version of an mediterranean villa, with a little bit of the italian renaissance for its rich jewel tones and graphic designs.

These kitchens reflect the feel we are going for. We have already painted a golden colorwash on all the walls that really armed up the whole house. Right now we have the old, all white cabinets right now that I want to refinish to appear aged and distressed like the sample below. The only difference will be that I plan to paint the lower cabinets a dark color, almost black, that will be distressed as well to give the lower half of the room weight.

I love the creativity and artfulness of the room below. I would love a living room/dining room that inspires anyone who steps inside. A room that enchants and defines us as artists.

I have a lot of plain pine furniture that I would like to paint to appear like colorful mediterranean heirlooms, pattern against pattern in warm, rich colors.

I love www.accentsofsalado.com for beautiful accessories and accents pieces in the mediterranean style.

Now for some shameful self-promotion…

2009-08-03T12:02:00.006-04:00

I cannot believe it is August already! Where has the summer gone? I haven’t even been to the beach yet.

Now for some shameful self-promotion…

Instead, as hubby recuperates here at home, I have been concentrating once again on my online business. I have made several important decisions regarding my business name and website. Since 2003, when I began selling dollhouse miniatures online I was only known as Storybook Miniatures and chose that name for my website, www.storybookminiatures.com.

Well, as the years went on and my creative style has evolved to encompass many more mediums than just miniatures, I have found the name Storybook Miniatures to be too one-dimensional and I am currently changing my business name, website and all branding information to Diane Costanza Studios. I purchased the new online domain name dianecostanza.com, something I should have done at the get-go six years ago, but I guess at the time I wasn’t confident enough in my own abilities to use my given name.

Now I am quite happy about this change. The new website should be up and running soon and I am slowly changing all my online IDs (Ebay, Etsy, etc.) from Storybook Miniatures to Diane Costanza. I hope to automatically re-direct any traffic from www.storybookminiatures.com to www.DianeCostanza.com so it is easier for everyone to continue to find me.

Meanwhile, I continue to sell my artwork (miniatures, altered art, watercolors, ACEOS, etc.) on Ebay and Etsy.

Now, to find the time to get to the beach!!

Andrew is Home !!!!!

2009-07-26T21:08:00.004-04:00

FINALLY! After three and a half weeks of being in the hospital, my Andrew is home! It was a long and scary road and we still have further to go until he is completely recovered, including a third surgery in another three months, but we are so happy that he was able to come home at all that, with the grace of God, we are taking one day at a time. It is not until someone is gone from the most basic moments of your life that you truly understand how much they bless your life.

The above painting is one of my latest watercolors, soon to be auctioned on Ebay.

Pray for Andrew

2009-06-28T18:01:00.004-04:00

My husband, Andrew goes in for intestinal surgery tomorrow. Any prayers you can send our way would be much appreciated.

Blessings in return,

Diane

Porcelain Knob Tutorial

2009-06-27T19:33:00.009-04:00

Andrew came thru his surgery with flying colors, so while I am visiting him in the hospital, I though I would just post a little tutorial I already had put together.

I have a little tutorial for you. Because I cannot afford to change my kitchen cabinets right now, I am planning to paint them to give them a face-lift. While the house was under construction, I kept busy with small make-over projects. At $2 to $5 a knob, kitchen hardware can be pricey when you need a total of 33 knobs! So, I decided to re-use the porcelain knobs I purchased in 1990.
Using a craft porcelain paint that needs to be baked in your home oven to cure, I "doodled" freehand designs on all 33 knobs and sealed them with a clear porcelain sealer. It was fun and easy because you can wipe off any mistakes with a q-tip or rag because the paint does not become permanent until it is baked. Below is a pictoral tutorial of how I did it.

Ignazio's Under-Sea Bedroom

2009-06-27T13:06:00.011-04:00

I thought I would write today about the interior design I have been planning for over a year. As all things creative, it requires a lot of time, and unfortunately in this case, money, so it is slow going as we piece the rooms of our house back together.
We were determined that the first room to be completed without delay was my ten-year-old son, Ignazio’s bedroom. He had been sleeping on a cot in the living room for eighteen months while his bedroom was used as storage for items from the rest of the house. He was a trooper the whole time and I knew we were really blessed with a living angel when he never complained, not once.
To reward him for his patience and fortitude, we vowed to give him his dream room: an undersea experience (he wants to be a marine biologist) complete with walls covered with an underwater-themed mural from ceiling to floor. As an artist, it was my joyto design it with him and I enjoyed the two weeks it took me to complete it.
The ceiling is bordered at the top with hand-painted waves that gradually blend from light blue to the dark, deep navy of the ocean bottom. My husband, Andrew, and I painted this background in tandem. He would roll the top pale blue color and then the next darker aqua color while I came in behind him and blended the two together with a brush and a “wave” motion.
After the background dried I sketched in all the sea creatures using watercolor pencils as my son dictated what marine life he wanted to include: only predators, no prey other than the small school of tuna he allowed for the main shark over his bed to feed on – I know… not much of an angel!
Next, I painted the sea critters using any paint we had left over around the house, as well as scoping out the “Oops!” pile in Home Depot for colors I could use. At $1 to $5 a can, you can’t go wrong. (I recommend you check the Home Depot Oops! pile for all your painting projects first before custom ordering paint.)

The sea creatures include:
Black manna ray
Two great white sharks
Giant octopus
Moiré eel
Killer whale

Last, I added tall green sea grass to “ground” the room and painted the trim &doors the same aqua as I used on the walls, but overall kept it rather simple. I knew Ignazio would be filling the room up again with all the things that every young boy is interested in. I had to cringe and swallow my artistic pride the day I walked into his room and saw posters tacked up all over, though he did make a fair effort not to cover any of the paintings. He is a kid, after-all, and perhaps never really shared my original vision for the room. Oh well…

The House Today June 27, 2009

2009-06-27T12:57:00.006-04:00

Here is the house today, complete with budding landcsaping. We still have doors to paint, but we love how it is turning out so far!

The big driveway accommodates three cars and creates a little courtyard lined with a brick walkway for potted plants and garden accents.

Doesn't my father-in-law's lawn look great?

2009-06-24T19:46:00.009-04:00

We thought this was our dream house in 1990 and Andrew and I thought we had everything, and I guess we did.

But, what a miraculous transformation we have made of our home in the last year and a half!

First, a little background on how this major renovation came about…

The house from 1991 thru 2007

hadn't changed much.

This is pretty much is how it looked in 2007 before we began renovations.

In March of 2007, my husband’s parents asked us if we would consider the idea of them moving in with us in our small ranch house he and I bought together in Nov. 1989.We were married in April 1990. To accomplish this, they proposed that they would sell their large house here on Long Island to finance the building of a second floor on our small house for them to live in.

Why? When all is said and done, it just made good business sense in this tough economy. Also, to be near my son, who they generously met at the bus every day after school while my husband and I work. My husband’s brother was the natural choice for our building contractor, as this was what he already did for a living.

I was home sick when they wripped off the roof to build this second floor on top of our ranch! Was I crazy, or what???

We said yes and they bravely sold their big, beautiful house and moved in “temporarily” with another brother-in-law and his family.

After many stops and starts (due to thered tape of Town Hall), a few very scary,rainy nights when the partially completed roof leaked so bad we thought the whole structure would collapse on top of us (yes, we remained living WITHIN the construction sight because we could not afford to do anything else), after a year and a half of sleeping in the middle of the living room crammed with all our “stuff”, construction was finally complete enough for my in-laws to move in upstairs. It was November 2008, just in time for the holidays.

September 2008

Almost done!!

As soon as it stops raining here in New York, I will post the latest pictures with the landscaping done.

And here we are, June 2009 and everyone living together amicably.
We have a beautiful new home and feel blessed to have mom and dad with us.

Now I get to enjoy the “decorating” part of the whole renovation, which I will share in my next post, complete with pictures.

Diane
Ignazio’s Mom

My personal creative style

2009-06-10T13:27:00.004-04:00

I’ve often tried to define my personal art and home style and have been unable to pinpoint any one style. It seems that I am influenced by so many different artists and art genres: interior decorating styles, types of music, literary genres and personal styles, that I cannot get a hold on what makes me who I am as an artist exactly.

Even my art is all over the place, from painting classic watercolor portraits to altered art shrines to vintage-style dollhouse miniatures.

I decorate my home in a mixture of vintage cottage romance, old world Italian, French baroque with a smidgen of gothic Victorian thrown in. I adore anything opulent. The more ornate, carved or gilded, the better I like it.

Yet here I am, dressed like a suburban housewife. I wonder why that is? I will go out of my way to adorn my home, my art and my surroundings, but rarely look past the basic pants and blouse I throw on in each morning for work. Not even jewelry. No adornments for me, though I have a jewelry box full from hopeful relatives. Is any one else like me?

I like so many things and have so many diverse interests that sometimes I am working on several completely unrelated projects at once. My husband just calls me a “renaissance woman”. High praise indeed, as Leonardo DaVinci is one of his heroes.

Here is my current list of projects in the works:

• Re-upholstering my living room sofa

• Crafting vintage miniatures to sell

• Drawing a commissioned pastel portrait of two sweet little boys

• Sewing gypsy-style handbags

• Planning a design concept for my unfinished main bathroom

A small sample of my past projects from my website http://www.storybookminiatures.com

See what I mean?

Sometimes I don’t know how my brain holds all that stimulation at once! Please tell me I am not the only one with this scattered way of creating!

Diane

Ignazio’s Mom

My First Post!

2009-06-04T19:11:00.000-04:00

I am excited about my first post on this new blog. I thought I would write about who I am, where my life is at right now and what gives my life meaning.

I am wife to a loving, supportive man and the mother of the greatest ten-year-old boy God could have ever graced us with, Ignazio. We live a typical, middle-class life in the suburbs of Long Island. That is, at least in the past six months it has been blissfully typical.

Prior to this past November 2008, we had lived for almost two year’s in builder’s hell as we put a second floor on our small three-bedroom ranch so that my in-laws could move in with us. The hell wasn’t from the in-laws, thankfully, but in the drastic day-to-day fiascos that only home reconstruction can bring.

Oh! The stories I could tell, and will one day when I have the time for a much longer post than this, complete with pix.

But we have, with God’s grace, gotten thru the worst of it and now I get to enjoy the challenges of decorating our home and making it the haven it was meant to be, and my husband and child deserve.

Some of my passions in art & home are:
Blessing my family
Mixed media and altered art
Art dolls
Painting & drawing
Art Journaling
Miniatures
Re-finishing & re-purposing for the home
Creative DIY decorating
Crock-pot cooking
Reading great novels
Reading inspiring blogs

Thank you for taking the time to read this blog,
Diane
Ignazio’s Mom