Shimmerz Sale

I interrupt the regularly scheduled barrage of Wyatt pictures to bring you an awesome opportunity...

Shimmerz is having a sale!

Starting on Black Friday and running until Cyber Monday, every order will receive 30% off plus a chance to win a Vibez 6 pack.

Awesome huh?

Have fun shopping!

Sick...Yuck

I've been down-and-out with a nasty little mastitis infection. However, today, I turned the corner and am feeling more myself again thanks to some antibiotics and a wonderful husband who took great care of me while I laid around for days wondering if I might die. (I can get slightly dramatic when I'm feverish.)

I'm so glad that is over.

On a happier note...I snapped these pics of my newest love before my descent into disease.

The other sweeties are doing marvelously well with the transition and I'm so proud of all of them. It isn't easy to share your momma...again.

Thank you so much for all of your lovely comments. I'm totally humbled by all of your well-wishes and am grateful for your friendships. I hope to respond in the next few months to all of you. (Thank you for your patience!) Along with little Wy, I've got a few more time-intensive opportunities coming up. I'll spill the beans as soon as things are settled.

Have a lovely day!

xoxo
Bethany

Welcome Wyatt Grant

Just wanted to pop in to let you know our wonderful news!

Wyatt Grant Kartchner joined our family on November 10, 2010 at 12:12 PM. (My goal was noon, but we can't all reach our grandest aspirations...)

He weighed in at a healthy 9 lbs 14 oz. (yipes!) and is an absolute delight. He and I were released from the hospital yesterday afternoon and both of us are doing marvelously well. He eats like a champion and luckily I do too. (giggle)

Welcome Wyatt! You are greatly loved.

Scenes from the Studio

Even though I haven't been posting regularly lately, I have been hard at work in my studio. Someday, I'll have projects coming out of my ears for you, but right now I seem to have a lot of WIPs (works-in-progress).

I'm not sure about you, but I enjoy working on multiple projects at a time because whenever I get frustrated or stuck need to wait on drying time, I can simply jump to another piece.

I thought that I'd post a few pictures of scenes from my studio just in case you thought that I was...perhaps...a cleanly person. I want to dispel all those terrible myths. (giggle)

First off, a wooden house that has languished in my closet for years waiting for inspiration. I'm finally getting to it. Painting it all white and then glittering it like crazy pants. Right now it is half gesso-ed.

A Punky Sprouts album that I'm working on for my next Shimmerz video. I'm planning on doing a cool art journal/scrapbook of the new babe's first weeks. I'm almost done with my backgrounds and I'm starting work on the cover.

I'm taking Tam's class at Willowing and this is my very first portrait. I obviously haven't added color yet, but I think she's got some potential. Just to let you know, this was the first week's project...we are now on week 3. I'm slightly behind...

Some very cool DecoArt products that I'm so extremely excited to play with. Love DecoArt textures. I can't wait to show you what they do...someday soon...

A box almost ready to be shipped off to Somerset Memories. Exciting!

A paperclay dude that I sculpted 100 years ago. He's been patient, but everyone's patience eventually wears thin. Notice the exasperated arms? Uplifted? As if to say...what's the deal lady? Yeah, I know sir.

Oh yes, the most exciting thing of all. The newest babe coming soon. I'm scheduled to be induced on Wednesday morning at 2 AM. Apparently, it isn't important for a laboring mother to have a good night's sleep. Labor, smabor...

Be thinking of me this week!

xoxo
Bethany

Inspired Ideas Magazine

If you haven't already seen this online magazine, you must right now. It is filled with fabulous ideas and fabulous artists.

I'm totally and completely in love with the cereal box mini-houses. Aren't those adorable?

I can't wait to see the Spring issue!

The Lovely Bones -- A Book Review

I read this book a few months ago, but did not do a blog book review because I simply didn't feel comfortable recommending this novel. I tend to keep my blog uplifting and I thought that perhaps a negative book review would chip away at my initial purpose of blogging -- to spread a positive outlook on life. However, upon further thought, I, personally, would have liked an honest review of this novel before I picked it up so perhaps you would too. If not, please stop reading now.

The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold is certainly a page-turner, but as a reader, I couldn't get past the initial violent act that sets the stage for the entire novel. That scene has literally haunted me (and not in a thoughtful way) for months. I still think of it and shudder at its atrocity and the detail in which Sebold describes it. Anyone who has suffered violence of any kind or who is especially sensitive to violence (as I am) will probably find this novel to be too graphic.

I prefer novels that deal with sensitive topics delicately and later illustrate how the protagonists overcome said topics. The Lovely Bones is not one of those novels. Instead, Sebold mainly focuses on the negative consequences and no characters seems to be able to move past them. After turning the last page, I felt an emptiness and I would not recommend this novel to someone who reads for pleasure and to escape the heaviness of life. (As I do.) This novel will not provide you the experience you seek. Nor, is it meant to.