i got no name. if you can think up a funny name for me, curlin will give you 4 free Maker Faire tickets...(2 adults, 1 student & 1 youth) for October 18 or 19th.
she'll pick her fave next monday, oct 7th & post the whole list here for fun,
she's hankerin' to give 'em away. let your mind do some moseyin... drop her an email: curlin@curlinreedsullivan.com. put "name" in the subject line.
the winner can pick up the free tickets at:
Happiness Garden Gift & Home 2213-b south first street 440-8600 info@happinessaustin.com (just behind amelia's retro vogue and relics.)\
4 free Maker Faire tix. git a move on...pony up a name!
this sweet little bear pin just makes me happy. i love his stance. the way he's listing to stage left. the smiley look on his face. you might just see him as the inspiration for something on my site soon. dunno what. but he's got my flibberti brain in a great big bear hug.
that sweet fellow you see playing his guitar at happiness is ryan.
a talented renaissance man. my dear friend elena's sweetie. if you've hopped onto my site today to look at my new shadowboxes, you should know that ryan handmade them for me. 20 of them!! they are beautiful and crafted by his skilled hands and absolutely overflowing with his gentle wonderful spirit. he can make or fix just about anything. if you ever need to reach him about a project, you can drop him a line at info@happinessaustin.com.
and if you've never been to happiness, you absolutely have to go right this minute. it's on south 1st street here in austin. a magical garden & gift shop tended by elena bailey and...you guessed it...ryan.
happiness garden & gift 2213-b south first street austin, tx (512) 440-8600 info@happinessaustin.com tell them the pippingtooth flowergals sent you.
is there any wonder why i'm in love with henna? reed and lots of his friends are too now. henna makes me happy. the very talented, izzy lawlor, created this one for me.
i woke up one morning to find this owl sitting on our long leaf pine book- shelves in the family room. reed, my wise old soul, had created it the night before. it takes my breath away.
so does my sweet son. he's such a nice human being. so talented. so funny. so smart. so kind.
it delights me to watch him grow as an artist. it amazes me that he can draw such detailed images from memory. when he sits down to draw, i can't wait to see what happens on the page.
look closely and you'll see the latest in hat fashions in the pippingtooth garden.
a bright green praying mantis.
wonder what he's praying about. looking good in hats? hiding in hats? sneaking into the house hiding in hats? let's hope it's not the latter. praying manti (?) skeeve luke out. i love 'em tho.
i'd wear him as a hat pin any day. the praying mantis, not luke. luke would mash my hat.
if you would like to exhibit & sell your cool finds & creations...or simply shop for them in a magical garden space with lots of other fun folks....
Please Join Us For Our
Happiness 3rd Anniversary Market Days when: june 7 & 8th-sat & sun from: 12ish to 6ish where: happiness - garden & gift 2214 b. south 1st st. austin, tx. 78746 call: happiness: 512-440-8600 call: pippingtooth: 512-732-2942 we'll tell you things like:* booth fees are $35for two days....* we'll have tables & tents set up for you....* you can exhibit sat, sun or both days....* this austin market is just beginning to bloom...* it's perfect if you've never exhibited or if you have for years...
There will be...*birds singing *henna tatooing *orchids *plants *pots *candles *ceramics *live music *art *laughter*children*grown-ups...and best of all you.
i'm so excited about this month's market day. it's Saturday April 5th from noon to 6. in the wonderful garden space at:
happiness garden gift & home 2213 b south 1st street, austin, TX 78745 (behind amelia's retro-vogue & relics in the blue house) 512-440-8600 we have lots of different vendors coming. elena has made the space look absolutely amazing. pops of color blooming everywhere. there's hardly a person who walks in who doesn't comment about how magical the space feels.
we're going to try going without the tents this time....if it's a gorgeous day. i'm excited about getting another henna tatoo. last time izzy lawlor created one based on the stamp i use on my ceramics. she's so talented. love that we'll have our first teenage artist featured this month. i'm so looking forward to featuring "budding" artists everytime.
if you're reading this i hope you send a link to anyone and everyone you know who might want to visit or exhibit. out-of-towners too. never know when someone will be visiting austin. we'd love to have them on our mailing list.
my sweet boys are doing some amazing drawing these days. it really delights me to see the world refracted thru their own individual prisms. reed drew an amazing picture of our yellow lab, pip. only she is blue in his drawing. that makes me love him all the more. what made him see yellow and choose blue? i'd love to get up there in his head and cozy into his brain like a bean bag chair as he draws. luke took the picture to the frame shop and i'll post it as soon as we pick it up.
the flowers you see are preston's. i love so many things about them.
they were created by an eleven-year-old boy.
he lay in the grass on his belly using my flower garden as inspiration.
he created the entire canvas as a surprise, "i know you're gonna love."
they are so incredibly detailed and yet so graphic...essence of flower.
the darling daughters of my mother's best friend ordered a vase today! we made an extra special hat full of vintage and reproduction flowers and other finds. somewhere up in heaven my mother is dancing a jig!
my wonderful friend anita snapped the pictures. she's going to be helping me post more stuff more often and introduce an exciting new collaboration!
saw this little guy today as i was coming out of my clay studio here at pippingtooth. i had never seen a hummingbird moth before moving to texas. isn't he wonderful. i could watch him for hours.
here are a few shots from my recent trip to minneapolis and wisconsin. boys and i spent the nite with "ma" and managed to see some aunts and uncles while we were blasting thru town. then boys went to camp while i met up with my two bestest friends from mpls at a cabin on a lake in wisconsin.
cherries from ma's garden
a dragonfly visitation for mala....or make that two
several months ago i received an email from a wonderful woman named, janey lack. she and her husband, melvin, own lack's furniture stores all over texas.
fast forward to last saturday.
as you can see janey and melvin de medici took me under their wing and hosted a wonderful day in their austin store featuring my art.
to top it off, they sent out over 300 invitations and featured my art with an ad & my animated flowergal dancing across the home page of the online austin american statesman.
janey and melvin's generosity knows no bounds. and lucky artist me, i know what it feels like to have patrons: marvelous, flattering and inspiring.
michelangelo surely never knew patronage as warm and grand as the texas version the Lacks bestowed upon me.
to janey, melvin, karen, julie, david and the entire lack's team, thank you.
i'm busy creating new flowers for the hats on my handbuilt vases. it's so much fun. a garden keeps blooming right before my eyes. i could do this for hours on end. hats...flowers...vases...i'm in h.e.a.v.e.n.
we have done a study and it is very obvious that the world is divided into two camps: teethgritters and non-teethgritters.
if you're a teethgritter, you know who you are.
you cannot love your pet, your friend, your niece, nephew, baby, your true love...without GRITTING YOUR TEETH in the process. it's the only way to channel all that intensity and love into a safe zone. otherwise you would surely squeeze those ones you love far too tight. and i mean far too tight.
my pup, pip, makes me grit my teeth. even when i look at this picture.
i knew i would marry my husband, because i felt myself gritting my teeth while flying in for a smooch.
his mother grits her teeth when she's giving you a squeeze.
i caint help myself. i feel that teeth-clenchy kind of love whenever i'm with my friends, my fam, my sweet dad....who is arriving in about two hours. oooooh...spider is already on the plane.
can you hear my teethgritting all the way over where you are?
had a butterfly visitation the other day. while standing in front of happiness with elena. she is so magical and it carries over into her store and plants. what a lovely symbol of renewal and metamorphosis the universe sent me.
just a little snow. not a driveway full. or a gable full. no mountain full. no backyard full. not even a sleigh full. a bike basket full. that would be loverly. right here. in austin texas. here. in december. where a bike basket full of autumn still swirls in the blue and yellow chill.
was walking on a dock out over a lake in kentucky a few weeks back. i was chatting with my cousins as we ambled along. looked down and who do you suppose i spied...a bog monster. i added the nose and smile...but that old bog monster hardly needed my help to come to life. i know he was just waiting there to be discovered. bet he makes a glurrpy sound when he munches waterbugs. glurble. glarble. smile.
sweet elena and kathy and carla hosted an art opening for my vases and prints at Happiness. It was such a fun day. friends, family, cake & more friends. dudn't get any better than that. the vases were a huge hit which made me so happy. it was their first unveiling in austin.
met my dear friend elena for a birthday dinner last night. when i pulled up in front of Happiness, her store on south first street here in austin, this amazing present was perched on a green stool awaiting me.
nearly drove into the front of the store just looking at it. loved it immediately, but guess what the topper was.
get ready. the icing on the birthday cake...those flowers are coasters. cartwheels were turned.
coasters!!!! stuck on with velcro. i am now channelling the happiest 1970s hostess in the world. "here darling.....pluck....won't you have coaster!!" what great birthday present.
elena found it at my favorite Uncommon Objects on S. Congress. My last birthday, nat and andrea bought my studio ducks there, too.
how did i get so lucky. elena has the most amazing eye. and heart.
don't you love 'em? coasters!! whoda thunk it?
i suspect they were a kit of some sort. dontcha think?
spent tuesday afternoon in the most magical swimming hole. took the children to hamilton pool just outside of austin. spent hours swimming, lazing on the gigantic slabs of limestone gazing up at the ferns clinging to the cliff, listening to the waterfall's echo, watching the turtles float to the water's surface for a quick breather, studying the flock of birds who've made inverted mud condos on the underside of the grotto and watching my man-cubs splash about.
