Whew! What a month!

The craziness around the ole Cart seems to be settling down **knock on wood**. We're mostly moved in to our new place. The studio is functioning, although not pretty yet, so no pics for you.

It's good to get back into my working routine. I've missed my daily playmates. OK, so they're actually inanimate objects, if you wanna get all technical about it. But still, we have fun together, my dollies and me. Poor Dylan, his work space is much closer to mine now, and not separated by a door at all. This means more gallivanting half-finished dollies dancing on his head while he tries to sew. He just sighs a well-practiced long-suffering sigh, and tries to ignore them.

The new venue also has those creative juices flowing like mad, so I've got too many ideas racing around in my head. Don't worry, I'll capture most of them in a sketchbook so they don't get out of hand and do any real damage.

. . .

I just can't pick a favorite this week.

Remy here is just such a cutie, with her funny little grin. And no, that's NOT a clown she's holding, thank you very much. While her dolly does have an odd sense of humor, he most certainly doesn't have a scary big red nose.

. . .

But then there's Leona, who comes with the promise of granted wishes. Plus, how can you not love that sheepish little face? Oh, she looks shy alright, but her and Cinnamon down there can get into a world of mischief. Sure, Cinnamon thinks up the naughtiness, but Leona is easily talked into things, and of course she has wings so there is no out-of-bounds.

. . .

So you can see why picking a favorite would be difficult. And then there's the fact that I myself collect Little Red Riding Hoods, so this tiny pocket-sized set was automatically a forerunner. While I was certainly tempted to keep them for myself, Red has dreams of seeing the world. (Wolf just goes along with whatever Red wants, being a surprisingly agreeable fellow).

Happy Mother's Day

Mothers come in so many forms. Today we honor them all!

Mom's and Mommy's and Ma's. And sometimes even Pa's. Teachers and nurses and mentors, neighbors and babysitters. Mothers-in-law and mother outlaws. Big sisters, Grandmas, Aunties, friends, step-moms, bio-moms, adopted moms, and foster moms. We honor you all.

Mothering is a way of loving, and any who get it and any who give it are blessed. Today we give thanks for all the mothers out there, whatever name they may wear.

Sweet Jade Kitty

Our sweet kitty, Jade, left us this past week. She has been part of our family for the past decade, the last year of which she has been fighting kidney disease. She was happy right up until her last days, and died in our arms. She picked us to be her family, knowing how much joy she would bring. We went to the animal shelter looking for a kitten when Jade found my shoulder and wouldn't climb down. There she perched so often over the years, blessing us all with her affectionate purrs. Ever the diplomat, she convinced everyone in the house that they were her favorite, taking turns snuggling with us all. She was the only cat ever to enjoy a gentle shower, happily sitting on a fence post in the rain. Sweet little cat. Soft green eyes of jade. We buried her in a field under a tree where she might watch over her beloved birds and mousy playthings.

Goodbye, sweet furry friend. This week's favorite is a guardian angel, carrying Jade to another place where sunny spots abound.

Long long ago, in a house next door. . .

We're having a moving sale.

It'll be five years this June that we loaded up the kids and all our stuff and headed West. We went from Florida to the Oregon Coast, with dreams of a life less humid. We didn't have jobs lined up, but we figured we could be poor anywhere, so we might as well enjoy the scenery while we were at it. We stayed with my mom for the first week, while we found a little house to rent and a job (or two). I found work at a little gallery, and at a fabric store.

Dylan stayed at home with the kids, and started to learn how to have our own little arty business online. We started with little tiny paintings. He cut the wood and primed it, and I took the little boards with me to work at the gallery (it wasn't a successful gallery, so I had to keep myself busy). There I doodled folky cats and birds and bunnies and skeletons and whatever else tickled my fancy.

Cart Before The Horse was born.

This was my very first little painting.

We listed it on ebay for $14 I think. It didn't sell.

So we listed it again for $9. No one was interested.

...

Now here it is, five years later, and we're moving again. This time we're just moving across town, out of the flood and tsunami zones. No cross-country trek. In the course of packing we revisited so many little rejected paintings, and decided to give them one more shot at finding a home (they've been on a dark shelf in a closet for too long). This time they're being listed for a penny. Undignified? Perhaps, but so is the closet. ...

Here's another very early one, inspired by the funny little birds that run along the edges of the coast. I really liked this one, but I was alone in my appreciation.

...

This one is actually the very first Bone Daddy, a character I have revisited many many times over the years. He wasn't really rejected by the world, but rather by us on account of he has that chip on the bottom corner of his block. He was inspired by traditional Guatemalan Day of the Dead figures, like these. I'm very fond of Day of the Dead, for many reasons, but that's another post. . .

Crazy Week

This week started like any other, but you know what they say, "If you wanna make God laugh, tell Him your plans." On Wednesday Dylan woke up to a call from our landlord; she had sold the house we've been renting for almost 5 years. Surprise! After a few minutes of What??!! we embraced our challenge and set about finding a new place of residence. Lots of looking and calling and looking some more, but nothing revealed itself immediately, so we gave up for the day, resolved to wait for next week's paper (that's right, it comes out once a week) to come out for more leads. Then an evening call to a friend led to just the right fit. By the time we picked up our oldest kid from play rehearsal we were on our way to check out the new digs.

Woohoo!

It's a lovely place, and we're having lots of fun figuring out how to arrange our new studio space. I'll miss living down the dirt road from my parents though. Right now we're out in the boonies, with cows and elk and Canada geese for neighbors. Many mornings I stop by my folks' house for tea and conversation before starting my day.

Lately the hummingbirds are taking over.

Funny, cheeky little things.

They're like tiny feathery birdbugs.

My dad has become quite the photographer as of late.

Here's the latest of many hummingbird pics.

Isn't it wonderful?

It's been quite the challenge trying to balance packing and working and such, not to mention the man-eating plant that we're making for my daughter's school play. But we have managed to get a few pieces done.

This one's my favorite this week:

Mary, Mary, quite contrary,

How does your garden grow?

With silver bells and cockleshells

And pretty maids all in a row.

...

Hope this day finds you all happy, healthy, and willing to embrace new beginnings should they arrive unexpectedly.