work in progress

Today I'm working on a couple of signs for our friends over at Doggy Business. Getting back to work again during the remodel has been a challenge, but I'm finally getting organized again (Even though it's not quite finished). For a while there, I had no idea where everything was. I tried to be organized when I temporarily moved into the basement, but when faced with the overwhelming task of coordinating so much stuff, I just kind of threw up my hands after awhile and figured I'd remember where I put the paintbrushes.  And I did, eventually!

signs in progress

I found the paintbrushes!

16 drawers of blissful organization

and labels!

sneak peek

What's happening in the studio this weekend:

I've been doing flower arrangements for our friends 

Doug and Melissa over at Brick House Vineyards. 

They're having a big wine tasting weekend along with many other

 Willamette Valley wineries.

I love it when the studio is full of flowers. 

They fill it with such life and color!

Here are a few of the tablescapes we created 

when Matt and I delivered the flowers on Friday.

I like to work with vegetables and fruits and lots of natural materials, like bird's nests and whatever wild things I can find to add in the mix...Melissa said that people are always asking if they can eat the displays! This time, we had little pots of herbs and baby lettuces,

 along with soft, fuzzy apricots and beautiful Bartlett pears. 

Have a wonderful weekend!

camp cactus extreme studio makeover, part 2

Did I mention that the building my studio occupies was built in 1910? And there isn't a square corner or level beam in the whole joint? Also, the builders didn't appear to own a tape measure, because all the studs are random distances apart. (Or maybe they just did that for fun.) Anyway, it makes it that much more difficult to insulate and hang drywall when your materials are sized for modern-day specifications, like the studs all being a standard 16" apart.

They also didn't bother to put any sheathing (like tar paper) under the siding, so there's no lack of cold, fresh air whistling through the cracks in the winter. (It's very bracing, actually)

no worries, though...a little duct tape will solve any problem!

Unfortunately, sheathing the building with a weatherproof membrane would require removing all the siding, and that's just not in the budget. (and I'm pretty sure the siding is what's actually keeping the building from falling down.) So, once the insulation went up, we started in on the drywall. Matt's years of architecture school have come in very handy. He's a perfectionist, and did most of the measuring and cutting (and lots of heavy lifting) because I'm a quick and dirty type of remodeler when left to my own devices. (see above photo with duct tape)

My son, the perfectionist. (He takes after his dad.)

two days and five gallons of joint compound later...

no, I'm not afraid of swine flu...

I'm just sanding.

Matt's coming back over in the morning to help me prime the walls for painting. I can't tell you how anxious I am to get this done. And where the hell is Ty Pennington when I need him?

camp cactus extreme studio makeover, part 1

I've had grand plans of a studio remodel for a long time. I've drawn sketches and floor plans and elevations, and pulled pages from magazines. I've gazed longingly at gorgeous pictures in catalogs and books of beautifully organized workspaces where all the pencils and markers and papers and fabrics and threads are organized by color and there is a place for everything, and everything is blessedly in its place.

My dream studio, Pottery Barn version

I've dreamt of a peaceful place to work with a view of a secret garden and patio, where sunlight streams in through the open french doors, and I can hear the birds chirping in the trees. A place with a comfy chair or two to pull up in front of a fireplace and drink coffee in the winter while I sketch the snow falling softly outside.

It's my dream, and I'm not giving it up.

I do realize that I'm lucky to have a place to work at all. I'm blessed with a separate building, dedicated solely to my artwork. I have heat, and light, and plenty of space to store things. I'm not complaining. On paper, it all looks and sounds great. I don't have to work at the kitchen table or in a corner of the basement. I'm grateful, really I am!

But this is the reality of my workspace:

(note that my markers are organized by color...can you even see them in the mess?)

Last summer I decided I would attempt a makeover of sorts, but money was very tight and after buying a new worktable, I shelved the ideas and dreams until circumstances got better.

Circumstances aren't exactly better now, in fact as the economy has tanked, so has our bank account, but I'm determined to find a way to get this project moving along. 

the same wall, post demolition

Matt came over and helped with demolition, and Brian thoughtfully fixed all the funky wiring so I could stop blowing fuses and worrying about the place catching fire.

Then I started looking for some used french doors to replace the decrepit, too-short door with the peeling paint and cracks that the wind whistled through all winter. I haunted the ReBuilding Center, a local non-profit architectural salvage yard that has all kinds of cool stuff.  I wanted a french door, or maybe two, but had a budget of practically nothing.  I was almost ready to give up, when I found a set of pre-hung doors on craigslist. The carpenter who was selling them delivered them from Astoria, a town about an hour northwest of here, and even insisted on reassembling them for me!  (I'm a big believer in the power of positive thinking) 

Once the doors were here, Gary the carpenter came over and cut a huge hole in the back of the studio.

And we went from this

to this...

aren't they beautiful?

Here's Matt saying goodbye to the old door!

Next up, insulation and drywall....

peacock feathers and fuzzy slippers

Here's a new Fairy Closet. It belongs to Pari, a playful flower fairy from India. (Whew...say that three times, fast!) You can read all about it in the etsy shop.



The studio remodel is coming along slowly, but steadily. I have a lot of drywall finishing to do before I can paint (maybe the fairies could help), but I'll post pictures in a day or so!

knee deep in fairies!

Holy moley, it's been a busy week...new french doors for the studio,  (I promise to fill you in soon on the remodel) fairies buzzing around everywhere, and somehow I've misplaced my brain. Help!

Anyway, here are some new fairies that were dropped on my doorstep in the past several days. It seems they've been misbehaving a bit, so they're being temporarily incarcerated. They'll be appearing in the Camp Cactus etsy shop until they've finished doing their time.

Here's Pinky, a Garden Fairy captured by a little girl in her grandma's garden...Evidently, Pinky was unmercifully tickling a bumblebee and didn't notice the child sneaking up on her.

Next up is Doug Fir, a Forest Fairy who was captured in the woods in Oregon. He was getting a little carried away throwing fir cones at hikers. Doug's official job is to defend the stately old trees from invasive species, but sometimes he gets a little confused...


And finally, we have Viola. She's a Flower Fairy captured in a perennial bed as she was sternly lecturing the hummingbirds on garden etiquette. An irate gardener thought she was harassing the birds and confined her to this lantern, where she lectures everyone who will listen!


Stop by the etsy shop and adopt one of these fairy delinquents, won't you please?

introducing...

Here's a preview of who's going to be fluttering their wings on the fairy red carpet. They've been waiting patiently for their turn in the Camp Cactus photo studio. 


This Is Ginko, a Garden Fairy from Japan. You can meet her and read her bio here in the Camp Cactus Esty shop, where photos will also be available on Friday for her fans.


Here's Calendula, a Flower Fairy from Australia. She'll also be appearing in the shop with Ginko and the others. Stop by and say G'day!

Stay tuned tomorrow for some troublesome Fairies who are currently incarcerated...

newly arrived fairies

More and more fairies are showing up for the Fairy Festival on Mt. Hood...and some of them have gotten quite rowdy! I've had to set up an impromptu photo studio in the dining room today, as they're all in a tizzy about having photos to autograph for their adoring fans. I'll be posting those tomorrow.

Here are some shots of Imelda and Morgana's closets while you're waiting. They'll also be in my etsy shop later today.

Imelda's Fairy Closet


Morgana's Fairy Closet

Catch you later!

fairy closets

Here's Buttercup's closet...



you can check it out in person this weekend at Artists for Children of the World. See you there!

more fairy fashion!

Here's a gown created for Morgana, a Forest fairy. The skirt is composed of pheasant feathers, with a bodice of American Beech leaves and a waistline encircled with red raffia and 

peris japonica blossoms.

Just in case you think the boy fairies aren't interested in fashion...here's a suit designed specially for Padraic, an Irish Hill fairy who loves to show off his fancy footwork at 

those moonlight River Dances.

And last, but not least, here are Imelda's favorite shoes: (much larger than actual size)

See you at the Fairy Gathering!