time to make a mess

I think it is important to feed inspiration. It seems so easy to fall in and out of it- today I felt like I was accomplishing a little but going slow... so I decided to do laundry, run, shower, and make another pot of coffee to get going and work faster during the last few hours of my workday before the sun leaves me completely and my studio turns cold and dark with evening.

So what was it I needed to do to feed my inspiration? A few of my friends- Sarah Groves, Christy Nockels, Nicole Nordeman, Brooke Frazier, Jennifer Knapp, and Ginny Owens... wonderful songwriters whose melodies never cease to paint imagery in my head and remind me of those who hurt and are in need of healing.

I gain perspective and my purpose wells up in me and I begin to think about and see images of my other girl friends- Esther, Rahab, Naomi, Miriam, Ruth, the sinful woman, the widow with two coins... it was long overdue for me to make a HUGE mess on the floor in my studio and collage journal just for ME. Not to sell it to someone, or put on my website. just because I wanted to. I feel like I am not getting back into my productive obsessively working habits since the holidays which is... ridiculous! its practically February!!
but evidently I am VERY old because when I work on the floor crouched over like this my back ACHES all day long! hahaha... go figure.
but a back ache it will be because that is where I love journaling most!

it is FREEZING in my wonderfully cute, but not so warm, sunroom studio here in Brentwood! This month so far has been a month of different types of work:
album art, designing a business card, redesigning my website almost completely, designing t-shirts, making commissions for Missions around the world, and also...
restoring furniture..
those of you who read my blog often know that I LOVE going to antique shops! Loyd got an apartment and had NO furniture so I recently painted and scratched up a few old shelves I had and bought him so cool stuff for his birthday from my two favorite antique places in Nolensville.

This is a piece I bought BEFORE:

i thought the flowers didn't really suit Loyd too much so... AFTER:


I ripped the hot glued fabric off the edges, tore the flower paper off, sanded it painted it black, then added a layer of dark green and scratched it up with screw drivers, sanded it and did whatever I could to make it look "old" haha. I bought it so he could use it to put microphones, cables, and all that sort of stuff that looks cluttery on a shelf and needs good protection in.

AND Dont forget to stop by my newly designed website
6 new pictures from my last show at The Stirring Gallery in Memphis
and 49 YES I SAID FORTY NINE new pictures up of all of my newest paintings!!!!

a few are on the commission page
and LOTS are on the painting page where it is newly divided into catagories:
current series:women
drawings
abstracts
small works
shows
fibers (MY NEW FAVORITE PAGE)
ALL redesigned with new pictures added!

the only page that isn't completely finished is the MIRRORS page and it will hopefully be done tonight!

I would LOVE to know any of your thoughts or comments on the new design! I worked on making it more user friendly as well if you have any comments on that they would also be much appreciated!

and for those of you who haven't already... please become a FOLLOWER of my blog. :) just look on the right hand side and click "become a follower" and it will instruct you how to do so- it only takes a sec!