wellerwishes

Please find me at my new home!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 07 Feb 2014 02:16:00 +0000

Hello! This is my VERY last post here on blogger!

You can now find me at:

http://www.kathyweller.com/blog

Come on over!

XOXOXOXO

kathy

(second to) Last Post on Blogger... Housekeeping for RSS subscribers

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 18 Dec 2013 05:22:00 +0000

Hi there! I am SUPER excited to unveil my new blog + site (and NAME!! New name to go with everything else NEW) to you. I'll post the links right here when it's up.

I am in the home-stretch now and I wanted to give a quick heads-up to those awesome possums that email-subscribe to my RSS feed. Here's the news on that: I will have a new RSS-subscribe (and an altogether new RSS feed) when my moved blog goes live.

when that happens, I'll post all of that information here. Since you are still subscribed to this blog URL, you should get it in your email like usual... and I hope that you will re-subscribe to my NEW URL, when I am live at the new address. :)

More soon!!

Kathy

Change is good. (And imminent.)

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 23 Nov 2013 03:54:00 +0000

This post has been a long time coming.
A little back story first... I've been really busy over the past couple months. I've been working on, well, the machine, so to speak. The inner workings of WellerWishes (and also on a nothing-short-of-meteoric, pinching-myself collaboration with a d-r-e-a-m partner that I c-a-n-n-o-t W-A-I-T to share the news with you, when I have clearance to.)

If you visit here with any frequency, you know that I took two classes in October.
(Whaaaat? Yup.)

The first one was Monica Lee's Smart Creative Style. The second one was Lilla Rogers' Make Art That Sells. Both of these— or I should say each of these—B-L-E-W my mind, in completely different ways. But together, okay... they were like THE BEST peanut butter cup. EVER. Do you know the old commercial: "Heeeyyy, you got YOUR chocolate in MY peanut butter!" "Heeeeyy, you got YOUR peanut butter in MY chocolate!" YUP! It was like I was poured into a beaker and put on the bunsen burner in the most extraordinary + remarkable art + branding laboratory EVER. But I was the experiment AND the scientist.

The classes totally—and I mean TOTALLY—complimented each other, in just about every way. Needless to say, I also had to maintain the status quo of daily activity, so it wasn't exactly smooth sailing. Opposing parts of my brain were fighting for alpha position some weeks, and truth be told I'm still playing catch up a little bit.

But this is where it got really interesting: one class would pose some peripheral questions that were complimentary to your learning in the class, but were not really covered in the class, while the other class was magically putting me to work on them at the same time. Then, the second class posed some peripheral questions complimentary to the curriculum but also not primarily covered in class, and—Ta-Da! — those questions were part of the curriculum of the first class.

For instance, whereas MATS touches upon branding and identity as a very important part of your package, but does not cover the details of that in the class, in SCS I was totally deeper than I have EVER been working on identity, brand and style and core values and brand traits and business plan, and... I could go on and on. But isn't this post getting long already? And guess what? I'm leading up to something else here to share with you.

(This is where it would not be out of scope for me to ask you to hang onto your hat.)

During SCS class, it became quite crystal clear that my brand identity, was something I was FINALLY ready to revise. To who I am NOW, TODAY. (And believe me when I say, this has been a long time coming.) Today, I am Kathy 3.0 and it is time for me to lead that parade. Like, with a tutu and a tiara. (Or, maybe more realistically, in black boots, knee socks, and a hat with a pom pom.)

Hey... I am still the same Kathy! I am still the same me. I am just a little MORE... More evolved, more focused, more distilled. MORE ME. (YOU'LL SEE!) And it feels so good to be in this place.

So...

The name WellerWishes, as the UMBRELLA name for ALL of my work, will be changed to a name/title that is more real and true to who I am, on the whole. But the happy news for the WellerWishes name is that it will remain my brand name for my greeting card work that I do. This is truly how the name it started out so many years ago. But at that time, I produced my own cards and sold them wholesale to stores. At the time, I was only WISHING to work with the likes of Recycled Paper Greetings and RSVP. (So, do you see how well the name worked out? :D Pretty good, I'd say!)

Along with this change is another brave, bold, BIG step. Something I have wanted to do for a VERY LONG time, but was, bak-bak, kind of chicken. Well, no more... (drum roll...)

I'm moving to Word Press! For my web site and my blog. So after eight (EIGHT! eighteighteight!) years of blogging here on Blogger, I'm migrating to WordPress.

(Dear Blogger: I LOVE you, THANK you. YOU ROCK. Now this little bird needs to spread her wings and fly!)

This is the last OR the second-to-last post I'll be doing here on the Blogger platform. When I launch Kathy 3.0 (no, I PROMISE that is not my new name) my current links will take you there (except for this particular blogger link, of course - wellerwishes.blogspot.com, because it is native to Blogger).

You'll be able to find my site/blog/shop at the usual places:

http://www.kathyweller.com
http://www.wellerwishes.com
http://www.wellerwishesworld.com
http://www.wellerwishesblog.com will redirect to my blog in it's new location.

Social media: For now and at least until the last speck of dust settles on my rebrand, I'll still be wellerwishes on ALL social media for the time being. (One earthquake at a time.)

This is happening... and I'll have updates (and, if I can still post here after the migration, I'll post a last good-bye and links here.)

THANK YOU for reading my blog whether you're new here or have been reading since the beginning. I honestly don't know what I did before blogging. It's changed my life for the better and started some real amazingness rolling in my life—creativity, experience, experiments, trying new things, above all, sharing, writing and community. It's kind of hard to articulate it all. But let's just leave it at this: Let's Go, 3.0!

XO
kathy

Make Art That Sells Week 3: Children's Illustration

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 28 Oct 2013 04:09:00 +0000

So I'm gonna be honest here. Taking (1) two intense classes, (2) working my day job and (3) prepping a DREAM PROJECT for launch, all at the same time, is a bit of a challenge. (More on (3) down the road!) That said, I could not be more excited and thrilled by the level and the QUALITY of my busy-ness at the moment. This is high-level, high-quality busy-ness!

This week, in Make Art That Sells class, we tackled Children's Book illustration. I had a tremendously busy week between (2) and (3) and my beloved (1) 's did take a hit. I'm glad that one of my classes has a little more flexibility every week in regards to assignment due dates, and I will be concentrating on some major catch-up tomorrow and the rest this week on that score. (By the way, SCS is an *amazingly awesome* class for those interested in personal branding and I highly recommend it!)

However each week our MATS assignment has a hard deadline. Sunday, 5 pm. You either get the work in on time, or you don't! So I worked really hard to get my piece in on time. But I did get it in on time!! :D Wahoo!

For our assignment, we illustrated either a cover or an inside spread of the Russian folk tale The Language of the Birds. I did some initial sketching on the Monday that the assignment was posted, but I did not have the ability to pick it back up again until (gasp) Saturday.... Eek?

Luckily my sketching on Monday was high quality work, and the later sketches I created didn't quite capture the same magic and gesture as my first ones from Monday. This is something not uncommon to me when I'm working on an illustration project. It's also part of why I found it so unusual and oddly exciting to sketch bromeliads to exhaustion before I started my final assignment for Week Two (to see some of those sketches, see my Facebook album here ). Anyway, with the Bromeliads, I felt like the more I drew them, the more interesting the results were getting. So that was a good thing! But I didn't have the same experience this week, and I know when to say "when"... so, I knew "when" it was time to get busy!

I powered through my piece on Saturday and Sunday. I finally got my composition set on Saturday. I'd sort of been piecing it together in my head over the week, truth be told! I completed about half the line work by the end of Saturday night. I picked up on Sunday with half the line work and ALL of the painting to do (gasp). This made the possibility for any "new technique experimentation" a non-issue.

But to be honest, I was cool with that! Because (1): I strive to continually mini-experiment in my regular work anyway, so even though I love to experiment, and this class is a big "permission to experiment" for me, it was really, really okay for me to stick with my signature techniques because I in no way feel they are stale and I always seem to find new ways to shake them up! And (2): Since I had an incredibly enjoyable (and challenging!) experience doing my Bromeliad plates for Home Decor week, last week, and I definitely pushed myself out of my comfort zone in a big way, I really maxed out on experimentation last week! So I feel like as long as I'm pushing my comfort zone in some way, it's okay to mix up the HOW, week by week. And this particular week, my comfort zone was pushed by the race against the clock!

Ta-da! So that's the story of MATS Week 3. If you are so inclined, please share your favorite little detail in the comments!!

Make Art That Sells Part A Week One

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 15 Oct 2013 02:57:00 +0000

This month, I am taking Lilla Rogers' Make Art That Sells e-course. When I heard the class was being offered for the second time, I had a gut feeling that I just HAD to take this course, no matter WHAT, and regardless of the business angle. From a personal standpoint of being a commercial artist who needs to continuously grow and step outside my comfort zone, I knew it was WHAT I needed. It was just a matter of WHEN.

The first time the class was offered back in June, I was very deep in personal stuff: our six-month-long home renovation was coming to a close and our move was imminent, PLUS, I was recovering from a surgery. NOT the best timing. But then, in August, it was announced that the class would be running again in October. Zing! I knew that THIS time, I simply HAD to find a way to make it happen. If I did not seize the opportunity NOW, I figured it would be at least an entire year until I could take it again, and that's before factoring in WHEN it would even be offered again. I thought, "a LOT can happen in a year. A year is a LONG time to wait... and I CAN'T wait. My future growth is waiting for me!" Well, the stars seem to have agreed with me on that because I actually won the pre-class giveaway, awarded to one student who social media'ed about the class. Hey, I won my course fee back! This was definitely a gut-check gone right. The universe was giving me a big, giant pat on the back for taking the leap.

Here is some of the work I've been doing from the first week.

You know what? I never drew Pyrex before this. It was really fun. I was kinda surprised I'd never drawn Pyrex before. I am definitely getting the sense that I'm going to have surprises like this during every single week of the MATS class. :D And I am so, so excited about it. And ready for it.

Ta-Da!

Really want to show you the details...

...of course...

I'd love to hear what you think.

I hope to post more about the MATS class! Right now I'm taking it one day at a time though. :D And I am glad to be doing that. I'm putting learning and creative experimentation first right now, and it feels so good.

Halloween Heirlooms

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 27 Sep 2013 12:30:00 +0000

Hell-ooo and TGIF! So... Big news today! I currently have eight original, super-special treasures from the vault, so to speak. (That story is here) They are now finally seeing the light of day, and getting all sparkly, just like Edward. These are mantle candy of the highest order. One-of-a-kind mixed-media works of art, varnished & constructed on sturdy wood panel. Guess what? NO FRAMING NEEDED. Just prop it or place it and you're set.

Five of them are 12"x12" , $70 each+$10 shipping worldwide (or FREE shipping on this item with another purchase- yay!). Three of them are 5"x5", $35 each+$5 ship US or $8 worldwide (same deal on the shipping-double yay!). And, if you buy more than one of these pieces, free shipping on your entire order. Can I get a triple-yay! (That makes things a lot simpler, eh?)

12x12: Yikes | Spooky | Trick or Treat | Scary | Halloween Rag Doll

5x5: Spooky | Yikes Jr. | Trick or Treat Jr.

..or see them all here.

Crafty Christmas ornaments using Studio M DrinkBlots by Magnet Works Ltd.

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 25 Sep 2013 11:30:00 +0000

Hi guys! Guess what? I have a video for you today! My studio updates videos from a couple weeks back inspired this one... namely, the segment about my Winter Whimsy DrinkBlots with Studio M / Magnet Works Ltd. Of course I had to immediately get crafty with the coasters. Take a look at the cool ornaments I made with them! So much fun.
Here they are close up...

The one above I crafted from one of the DrinkBlots in Katie Daisy's set. Isn't it cool?

Which is your favorite?

SOWA Open Market: Elizabeth Benotti Pottery

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 19 Sep 2013 12:00:00 +0000

At Sunday's SOWA Market, one of the first booths I was drawn to was that of potter Elizabeth Benotti. I got to the show fairly early, and her booth seemed to have a steady flow of traffic, every time I looked...

I'm lucky I finally took my chance and edged my way into the booth and could take in all the eye candy up close. What a cool drink of water, her booth was!

Any time I see line art work on pottery, I am so there. I just LOVE line on pottery.... and the palette!

Raw wood... little cacti... Clouds with rain drops. (Hmmm I'm humming a tune now...) GREAT display with beautiful work. (This girl has got it going ON!)

Ooh, a real Lady tea cup! I love a fanciful, hand-crafted tea cup like this...

Elizabeth's style is so fresh. I'm feeling a minimalist Japanese aesthetic (in fact these really remind me of my stepmom) mixed with some Native American elements, a little seafaring style, a dash of boho hippie in there.... So organic in form and in the line and the glazing. I love the rustic quality, the functionality and the hand of it.. this is what makes a handmade piece so special- the hand! :D

I talked a bit with Elizabeth and I learned that she is originally from New England. She went to school at the University of Colorado in Boulder. (I found out later from her Etsy bio that she went on to study at the Mendocino Art Center in California, too). Once she mentioned Colorado, it really clicked for me. Her work feels infused by Colorado. But now that I have learned that she also spent time in California, it's clicked even more. I can really see it and feel it in her work five times over! I never lived in Colorado, but I did live in (its state neighbor) Utah for a time. And once you spend some 24/7 time in that part of the country, you really do experience it inside out, and it is a special sort of mood and feeling to life out there. I was also born in California and I lived in the Hollywood Hills (like, in the hills - canyons, the Hollywood sign, succulent shrubs, long dusty hikes, coyotes, lightning storms) for the first 9 years of my life so I really do understand that 'West Coast' feeling ... I have it a little bit deep inside of me and I can really just feel it throughout her work. No wonder I was so drawn to her stuff (you know, aside from the fact that it's just plain awesome.)

(Aren't we lucky she moved back?)

You can find Elizabeth and her pottery here:

Etsy
https://www.etsy.com/shop/ebenotti

Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/ElizabethBenottiCeramics

Web site
http://www.elizabethbenotti.com/Elizabeth_Benotti_Ceramics/Home.html

Pinterest
http://www.pinterest.com/ebenotti/

SOWA Open Market: BENDYWHO Jewelry

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 17 Sep 2013 12:00:00 +0000

I fell into a fluffy cloud of flowery joy immediately when I first came upon Wendy Baker's booth at SOWA Open Market. Wendy's jewelry business goes by the name BENDYWHO. I am not sure how the name came about -- I'm sure it's a fantastic story... perhaps involving Dr. Seuss... but I digress.... The JEWELRY!! Now this is RIGHT up my alley. I felt like there was a magnetic force field that would not let up until I purchased something fabulous...

...and, it is ALL fabulous!

In fact, and this may sound trite, but honestly, these photos do not do this jewelry, or the displays, justice...

Wendy sometimes uses junk to make treasures! Here is an old brass belt buckle. Or, it might be a cabinet pull. Regardless, she rescued it and created this stunning focal point necklace.

Look at all of these fancy brooches! I don't think these photos do them justice, either. The details and the paint color gradations are really nice on these. And really, they are weathered 'just so'!

Wendy has a great selection of accessories to choose from. It was fun to really mull it over and decide on the perfect accessory for me.... Or rather, wait for the perfect accessory to scream at me, once I laid eyes on it. (And eventually, it did.)

Look at these cuffs! these are cool and quite on trend right now, yet they fit right in with Wendy's visual story. It's perfect synergy when a trend merges so well with your brand that is truly a seamless marriage... Like these cuffs!

Some gorgeous brooches here. I like how Wendy takes her philosophy of trash-to-treasure upcycling and applies it to her entire display. these brooches are packaged on old paint chip samples from the hardware store. Kinda perfect!

These were a delight to see. Here, Wendy has these neat multi-charm necklaces on ball chains. These were a less expensive price point than her other items at $18 a pop. I love it when an artist really considers ALL of their potential customers, and works to find ways to cover all of the price points that they can with their offerings, WITHOUT short-changing the integrity of their work OR their artistry and effort. These necklaces do this successfully. I really loved these necklaces.

Here is one of Wendy's major masterpieces. A chunky and spectacular crown for your neck!

How adorable are these items displayed? Don't you want to eat up the whole table? I do...

OOH! I see my soul-mates!

..and they now live on my ears! Like 'em?

Want to check out some BENDYWHO jewels for yourself? Follow her FACEBOOK Page and her Etsy shop.

What I saw at SOWA: Antique Market

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 15 Sep 2013 23:47:00 +0000

Went to SOWA Market today with my fabulous artist friends Gina Perry and Vita Mechachonis. I've been to SOWA so many times yet I have actually NEVER visited EVERY part of the market in one day (Open Art Market, Antique Market, Farmers' Market and Food Trucks@SOWA). Well today I (WE!) finally did. I'll sprinkle posts about a few of the markets and artists, over my next few blog posts. First up is the Antique Market. :D

Door knobs. I've lived in old houses for most of my life, and vintage door knobs have just creeped into the big pile of disorganized creative inspirations that live in my brain.... not unlike this big pile of disorganized door knobs.

Ah I love old novelty travel souvenir postcards! (Wyoming=Wyomin'. Awesome.)
These old western-flavored ones are just perfect and remind me of ye old Gold Rush bubble gum from my childhood.

Always love these old printed frosted glass drinking glasses. How neat are these with the hand line art, lettering, map art, compass, and anchors.. hey, these are right on trend!

Hello, creepy bartender man!

Mannequin figure with lots of costume jewelry. (Workin' the look! She owns it!)

OH GLOBES! How I love globes. Globes, globes, globes. Wish there were more. Shelves and shelves FULL of globes. (...on second thought, it's probably a good thing there weren't.)

Pile of random stuff... Except for the itty bitty bunny-rabbit-and-chick metal egg in the deep right bottom corner. That is definitely NOT random. (At least it's not random that it's in this photograph.)

Old glass bottles!

Do you find clowns creepy? So many people do! I sometimes do, and sometimes don't, but I am just plain fascinated by the whole clown-phobia thing. Which makes them all the more curious of a subject for art! Cute clown? Creepy clown? You decide. (As an aside, the little taggie sticking up on the middle one looks like a candle wick... these would make magnificent candle holders! Imagine the flickering light behind the clowns head on "creepy movie night"! Cool...)

I am koo-koo for vintage postcards. I used to collect them. Not officially. I just sort of acquired them over time by default. They would be the thing I was drawn to buying in an antique store. I have never repurposed the ones I collected in the past, and now, I'm really into not acquiring stuff that doesn't scream at me loudly. So I was easily able to resist these...

Ok. These two were harder to resist. I still resisted though... For today, at least.

WellerWishes Fall 2013 Update Part Four

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 10 Sep 2013 13:35:00 +0000

Super-exciting Part Four of my Fall 2013 Studio Update. Ornaments for Lenox. Please check them out and tell me what your favorite ornament is!

See them all here.

Fall 2013 Studio Update Part THREE - Drink Blots!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 09 Sep 2013 15:08:00 +0000

Today I am skipping PART TWO of this series until later in the week and instead I'm bringing you Part Three today. Today's video features the set of Winter Whimsy Drink Blots coasters I did with Studio M/Magnet Works! Take a peek. I share a couple of ideas for ways to use them, too. (They're the coolest and they are more than just coasters!)

Come back tomorrow for another cool Christmas treat!!

WellerWishes Fall 2013 Update - PART 1

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 08 Sep 2013 17:52:00 +0000

Hi all!
I made a short video to share with you what's been going on lately! Clocks in at about 3:45. This is Part 1. There is Part 2, which I'll have for you SOON! It will have a few fun surprises so I look forward to sharing that with you as well.. Enjoy!

NOTES....

Products in order of appearance---

SWIRLY CAKES puzzle:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/p/toys-...

WITCHES' WARDROBE puzzle:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/p/toys-...
or
http://www.amazon.com/Kathy-Weller-Wi...
or
http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_odkw=...

Read my BLOG POST about how the WITCHES' WARDROBE puzzle tortured me to no end:
http://www.wellerwishes.blogspot.com/...

PUMPKIN HEADS PUZZLE:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/p/toys-...

PUMPKIN HEADS POSTCARDS:
Coming soon

FUNNY BUNNIES HALLOWEEN POSTCARDS:
https://www.etsy.com/listing/30965474...

My HALLOWEEN CARDS with the awesome RECYCLED PAPER GREETINGS:
Please look for WellerWishes card with RPG wherever RPG cards are sold.

The Truth About Puzzles.

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 05 Sep 2013 20:37:00 +0000

Last week I did something reeeaaally reckless. I pulled out the Witches' Wardrobe 1,0000 piece puzzle that I did for Andrews & Blaine for Barnes & Noble. I put the box on my dining room table, and dumped out the contents. In doing so, I declared war. I had never done the puzzle before, and I've had it for over a year. I've thought about doing it, several times. But...

The puzzle lives in a glass-doored cabinet in the living room. I see it every day. Just by virtue of it being in my field of vision, I think it was actually raising my blood pressure.

So... We'd been having staring contests over the past few weeks. It had to stop. Finally, I decided to do it. Suck it up. Face the challenge. It was time.

The honest truth is, it's almost never a "good time" to start a puzzle around here, because I am usually pretty busy. But the larger, bigger reason for this, is because I am simply not a "casual" puzzle person. This is a naked truth I only just confirmed this about myself by doing this puzzle.

In the past, I chalked up my puzzling compulsiveness and conviction with reasonable excuses, such as "I did the art for the puzzle, of course I am going to be a little obsessive about it" or "Who wouldn't get obsessive when putting together a 1,000-piece jigsaw puzzle that's this detailed?" (Both convincing arguments). Of course there's also my general, um, 'aggressive enthusiasm' for some things, of which puzzles would understandably be included. And then, there is also the "puzzle-obsessed brain" that I think everyone must experience when they are knee-deep in the jungle of a big puzzle. Right? (...right? )

But I can't just leave it on the table and co-exist with it... do a few pieces here, a few pieces there. I now know this to be true. If I break out a puzzle, it's "Game On". It's basically "The Old Man and The Sea" redux— with me, dining room table and puzzle, instead of old man, his gear, and the fish.

During the time I am in the puzzle haze, I sacrifice, I make the time where possible in my everyday life, to just complete the thing as swiftly as possible. Without losing sleep or missing meals. It's like being completely consumed by a novel you cannot put down. I have to finish it just so I can "get my life back". Okay, I am not a generally uptight individual! But puzzles... they kinda turn me into Tracy Flick. Watershed moment.

So, last week, I was sucked into the vortex yet again. And yes it was torture.. But yes, I admit that I loved it! (Plus, I could actually feel parts of my brain doing squats and lunges. I kid you not.)

And yes, it was fun...

But after my puzzle session on day one (of five total), my earlier "Yay! This is fun!" had melted into a "Hmphh... this one is a bit.. um... tougher than I thought..." which by (past my) bed-time had morphed into "Hmmmm... THAT'S ALL I got done in ONE night??"

By day two, I was REALLY ready to slay this dragon. And I still was running off first-blush-puzzle-endorphins. I was also under the false delusion that I could finish and still have the rest of the day to catch up on my errands. (Pfft. Yeah, right.) I worked diligently and I saw progress, but it wasn't so visible to others yet. (I didn't quite feel the sting yet, but I was getting whupped.)

By day three, I was practically salivating to finish (when I wasn't stretching the kinks out of my neck and back, or circling the table mumbling to myself). I was also starting to really question what on earth was possessing me to so fervently, diligently work on this puzzle to completion. WHERE was the drive coming from to finish this ridiculously tough and altogether unnecessary task? It was like I was being faced with this stranger in my own brain... So, by this time, I was past the point of no return. I mean, I was having philosophical puzzle conversations with myself, like

"WHY am I doing this, again?

But WHY can't I finish this NOW?

WHY is this puzzle so HARD?

And WHY do I HAVE to FINISH it?!?!"

All the while my brain multi-tasking this whiny conversation with myself with my darting eyeballs searching, searching the puzzle junkyard for a tiny bit of red on a mold-green piece, for a little toe of pink boot, surrounded by grey... Put that one in the pile that makes up the closet door... Oh, wait, there's a separate pile for the closet handle, and one for the front door, and one for the bottom frame... Oh wait the designs are different on each side of the closet... and the four tiny skull's eyeballs all go in different directions... Aaaargh!! Sound like fun? (Oh, quick, before I lose it-- grab the piece with the rat tail's end!)

Day four... Day four, day four... It was a haze. Finish or Bust. Every part of the puzzle I attacked and conquered like tiny villages within this puzzle town. I couldn't get myself to focus on anything else until this puzzle was finally put to bed. But soon, I was putting myself to bed... with a still-unfinished puzzle on the table.

Day Five!! The Day I Would Finish The Puzzle! Why do people think the edges are the easiest to put together?? They're NOT. I saved them for last and believe me this was not a case of "saving the best for last". Come to think of it, virtually no part of this puzzle was "easy". It's all just varying degrees of "hard". (It WAS FUN!!! But, no bones about it (...well, yes, bones about it.. But, no bones about it), this sucker was HARRRD!!!)

I found myself questioning my own puzzle abilities with this one. It was so tricky (read: cruel) in parts. Time and again, I thought "Gee, am I rusty?? Or do I just stink at this??" The art is so deceiving. It looks so carefree, silly and whimsical. And it is... But, let me tell you this... it bites!! Hard!!

When I finally finished it, I was euphoric, overjoyed!! (Aaaahhh!! Sigh..) I also took stock of the fact that I once again had climbed my own personal version of Mount Everest and I could be really proud of my accomplishment. On a more general but no less personal note, I also once again experienced the really unique, unusual, authentic mental challenge that only a crazy-insane puzzle can deliver!!

Oh, and I also needed a long nap. (My brain did a LOT of squats and lunges.)

So now, I am already itching (just a tiny, tiny bit) to start my latest. But, at this point I'm pretty sure it's just leftover endorphins. Give me six months... maybe I'll be ready by then.

Everything in its place... almost!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 26 Aug 2013 10:00:00 +0000

Finally I'm getting my studio back to where it needs to be since moving into the new place. Ever since I've been "back", I have been so busy with work that I really haven't had a lot of time to devote to organizing.

I had given myself a free pass in July to live amongst the boxes, because I just needed to get back to work. My computer was one of the few things that was set up. So, for the short term, no big deal!

Then, August came, and I got the bug to unpack again. I did do some of that, but then I injured my wrist...

So,... uh-oh, mission aborted. On the subject of the wrist, "this too shall pass". But, for practical reasons, I do need to complete this room by the time my classes start in a month or so. Otherwise, I won't be able to work at my best.

Well, this story is "to be ciontinued"... but in the end, I know it will all get sorted out!

Swirly Cakes Puzzle Giveaway! Win a Swirly Cakes Jigsaw Puzzle

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 18 Aug 2013 22:10:00 +0000

I'm so excited to be "back" and blogging with you and busy with work that I realized I never even blogged about my latest jigsaw puzzle, Swirly Cakes!! Boo to that!
To celebrate it, I'm having a giveaway! :D

-------------------

Enter to win here.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Ends Monday, August 26, at 11:59 PM. You can enter once a day in several different ways. So enter often, and, please share!!
(Here is some Embed code, if you are feeling generous:)

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/share-code/ZWY3OTkxOTJiNTc2NjM2NWZkYjAxYmYxZWYyNTlkOjA=/

Good Luck!!

Smart Creative Monica

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 13 Aug 2013 12:00:00 +0000

I was just over on the Smart Creative Women web site listening to Monica's latest video while I was working. She often has a short promo for Smart Creative Style before her main videos. Hearing this one tonight compelled me to share a little story with you.

I did a major branding "excavation" and "audit" last year, and to support this, I did some coaching with Monica. She helped me get clear on some fundamental WellerWishes things. She asked me all of the right questions... questions I didn't think to ask myself. Hey, maybe they were too hard for me to ask myself. But with Monica by my side helping me to work through them, they were so much easier. Heck, it was actually fun.. Plus, she was able to provide an objective point of view. Sure you can ask anyone for their point of view. But Monica knows this stuff inside out. She can come at it from the point of view of your target audience which can be hard to do or to imagine sometimes. She will give you detailed feedback based on what you're "putting out there" vs. what your REAL ultimate objective is. Most of us won't get that type of intel when you ask our significant other or your best friend (sorry, s.o. or best friend.) Plus, being able to communicate thoughts and opinions and advice in a way that's easily understood and digested by the listening party is kind of half the battle. If we understand the info as it's being delivered, and if it's coming from a place/person/point of view that we "get", it will absolutely seep in a lot deeper, and we will be able to use it more effectively. This is also one of the things she's really good at—articulating feedback in a manner that you can best absorb and assimilate it.

We all know she's really good at the social part (all you have to do is watch some of her videos). But what you might not know that she is even MORE talented at the one-on-one, hand-holdy-but-tough-love, get-down-to-the-nitty-gritty-and-do-the-work part. I'm thrilled about the results I've had and the strides I've made since working with Mon. She was great at helping to remove the grey fog of indecisiveness and ambiguity that can sometimes take over when you do not have a Board of Directors, when it's just you, sometimes wondering what to work on next and trying not to get "dog chasing cars" syndrome while glassy-eyed at the computer. She cuts through the white noise that we (okay... that I) can distract myself with to get to the bottom of what is really, truly important, the core passion of the work. And then, how to take MEASURABLE steps to creating the lifestyle (and, ultimately, the brand!) that wholeheartedly, completely supports that mission. Another plus: Time-management IS addressed. No matter how much, or how little, time you have in the day, or week, that piece is on the table and is worked out.

So all of the above has to do with my experience of doing coaching work with Monica, not my experience of taking SCS (the first run of the e-course starts in late September, and yes, I will be there). But working with Monica is working with Monica, regardless of the delivery method. I know I will ALWAYS learn something new and be enlightened when working with Monica.

This is totally just an opinion post, I know it ended up sounding like a banana split sundae, but I just got a bug to share about my experience with Monica (if you haven't yet discovered her), and about the class (in case you are on the fence)!

A sunny SOWA Saturday

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 11 Aug 2013 23:47:00 +0000

Saturday, I made a trip to SOWA Market on the Rose Kennedy Greenway in Boston.

Me with the Os Gemeos' ICA mural!

SOWA does a few open markets. This is a newish market and it takes place in the heart of Boston's financial district. The area was underutilized for many years - there was an old T rail above that had not been removed and cast a shadow over the entire throughway. Then several years ago the area underwent a major transformation when the city removed the train tracks above. The project included the infamous Big Dig.) Anyway the Big Dig has had it's share of problems, tragedies and controversies. But, this area of above-ground Boston was changed immeasurably for the better. It went from dark, grey & grimy to it's current state of clean, lush, attractive and bustling. The New England Aquarium, Children's Museum, Institute of Contemporary Art, Faneuil Hall + Quincy Market, and the North End are all within walking distance of this area. Nowadays, it's a great, welcoming space in Boston to explore on a summer Saturday!

So excited to get to the market and meet my friend Amy!

First stop was at the Bon Me truck for a Spicy ginger lemonade and a side of Devilled tea Eggs.

(Nom nom!)

Stooped for lobster rolls at J. Hook

Then the main (lunch) event: J. Hook + Co. Grabbed lobster rolls and sat outside to eat at one of the umbrella-ed picnic benches. Was so nice!!

On a side note, how funny is this... Matt brought home lobsters Friday night and we had them for dinner! (He was nice enough to do all the cracking and harvesting for me, before we even got to the table. What a guy!! :D) So... it was a real "lobster weekend" for me.

Okay so after all that eating, walking and gabbing, we finally made it to the tents. The first one that caught my eye was Twitch and Whiskers. So just being honest here. It REALLY caught my eye. Translation: I need one of these necklaces!!

I mean, REALLY. These are vintage car parts! (Ha ha. But seriously, they are.)

(If I wore rings on the regular, I'd need one of these, too.) So bright and fun.

Here is Mei-Ling, the woman behind the T+W magic. I love the T+W line: Upcycled Jewelry. Downright Fun. How cute - and TRUE - is that??

These pendants were awesome too. (I'll take one of each please!)
See what else Mei-Ling has in store for you here.

Here's Rachel from Sugarplum! This booth had a corner tent in maybe the most visible spot of the entire market. Good for them! I really enjoyed the t-shirt designs but I also really liked the limited color palette, and the simple but effective display of merchandise. You want to see what's on the shirt? Nothing in your way of the designs here. So fresh! You can shop online here. They have more than just t's too. I like this cute pillow! There's also have a walk-in Sugarplum USA store in Connecticut. Click here for the deets from Yelp. I sure love their casual, relaxed and beachy vibe.

If there is a candle or soap shop, I'm there. Here is the first one I saw, and I was magnetically drawn to it. Fifth & Madison. Once you pop you can't stop, right? (Those candle covers, I mean). Hand made soy candles from a "mom and pop" shop with a luxe look and attitude.... and some pretty sophisticated-but-understated scents. Loved the variety!

I took this one home.

Here's me and my friend Amy!

Time came to go home. I took the road less travelled... through a hotel walkway so I could walk along Rowes Wharf before getting on the train.

And how was YOUR Saturday?

Happy Bastille Day!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 14 Jul 2013 18:27:00 +0000

I'm sure I've never mentioned this, but I took French for 7 years in grammar school + high school. (And after ALL that, I think I still remember how to say "book"...) Anyway, I wish you a Happy Bastille Day today. Hope you are doing something fun and French. :D

Hello

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 12 Jul 2013 03:49:00 +0000

Just a HELLO and a HAPPY JULY 2013 to you. Time is going by so quickly. I know, everybody says that, but it's so true. (That's why we gotta make a regular practice of just seizing the day!) I feel like there's never enough time to do everything I want to do. I think just staying aware of the fact that time is finite but the ideas flow infinitely does help me to stay aware of time management a little more. Keeps me a little more focused on accomplishing more of the things I want to. Ultimately, the journey IS the destination in life though, so it's important to stop and smell the roses while I do stuff. I think that's part of the reason I take to social media so much, because I love to share and connect with people. I feel if like sharing my work can brighten a day or help someone feel better on a given day, maybe at just the right time, that's a really important little gift that I can give. I know that sounds like a big bowl of hokey, but I mean it..

What do you think of this quote by Gandhi? A few months ago, before I was out of commission with my surgery and recovery, I asked for favorite quotes on my Facebook page. This one was pegged as someone's favorite, and I really liked it, too, so I decided to draw it. Do you have a favorite quote? If you do, let me know. It might turn into one of mine too and I'm always on the lookout for quotes that rattle me in a good way. :D

Happy Father's Day

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 16 Jun 2013 15:36:00 +0000

Happy Father's Day! If you have a great relationship with your dad, that's wonderful! Consider yourself very lucky. Celebrate it together! But, for those that have a strained relationship, Father's Day can be a tangled conflict of mixed emotions.

IF the relationship has potential to be salvageable in a healthy way, here is what I think. Today is Father's Day. You're going to think of your father today whether you want to or not. If there is even one atom in your body that is dancing for you to make contact, don't ignore it. Start where you are. Try to focus on the big picture. Is the love, respect, and caring there? It there hope for the future there? Is all the important stuff there? If it is, that's enough to build on. Don't worry that you don't have the rest of the world's version of a "perfect" relationship with your father. The fact is, you never will - and that's perfectly fine, because you are not "the rest of the world". (Not to mention, I don't think it even exists!) YOUR relationship with your father is unique, and so is the (manageable!) baggage you share. So don't let THAT idealistic, mythical mind-set get in the way of something REAL that could start TODAY if you are both willing to put in the work and are both eager and optimistic about rebuilding. Cheers! Here's to your future 2.0 relationship. Happy Father's Day! Now go pick up the phone.

Moving forward. (Yes, forward!)

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 29 May 2013 00:05:00 +0000

Making lemonade out of lemons is, in general, one of my specialties! But, I was REALLY tested over the past month on my lemonade-making skills. And I REALLY didn't get it right every time. Some days, it was just waaay too sour. (Understandably so, of course—I was pretty much terrified out of my skin for a couple of weeks there, and I had a right to be). There were days when I didn't feel like I was getting better, when I felt like I was getting worse... (and some of that time, I was). Besides the physical pain, I was just so frustrated by the state of helplessness I was in. I felt alone on a raft with no compass a lot. Not a good feeling. At all.

...BUT!

I have some GREAT friends and family who really showed up for me. They cheerfully drove me to my appointments and helped me get daily essentials and called and texted and emailed on the regular. Even when I didn't feel like talking. Which in hindsight, considering my state of mind, was probably a very good thing!

Last week, the tides turned. I have slowly been improving since then, and I could not be more thrilled / relieved / happy / ecstatic about it. I'm on the upswing... FINALLY. YES!

We are also... TA-DA—Moving!
We've been in the process for awhile (quite awhile). But NOW, it's FOR REALS. This weekend, we will be IN the new place. I know what you're probably wondering. HOW on EARTH did all this packing and planning happen, what with me sick in bed for the past month?? Well, I am wondering the same thing. One word: Matt. Seriously, he's better than Lance Burton. And no, I'm not really even sure how he managed to get it all done. I'm just... grateful. Grateful. And LUCKY. :D

Mystery solved.

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 17 May 2013 16:47:00 +0000

Whew, what a week! More twists and turns than a rollercoaster ride. (Not the kiddie one that looks like a choo-choo train. The scary ride with hairpin turns and people wearing creepy masks jumping out to scare you.)

Earlier this week, I told you about my post-surgery complication and the accompanying drama/mystery. Brief replay: I went in to see Doctor on Monday morning complaining of the pain and tenderness around my belly button. I did not get to see my surgeon but I saw another doctor in the same practice. She said the pain and inflammation was likely due to an irritated suture and/or scar tissue; that there could be an infection brewing, but she was erring on the conservative side. She was really on the fence about that, doing the wait-and-see. And antibiotics are not to be given willy-nilly, and I am totally on board with that. I was very much willing to listen and to follow her directive for a day or two, watching for improvement. BUT... in all honestly, I still thought it was a hernia. And nothing else was even on my radar, for that matter. My next appointment would be the regular post-op appointment scheduled for three days later (Thursday) with my surgeon.

I only lasted a day before I called back. I was in unbearable pain and not improving at all. I felt like the subject of one of those Mystery Diseases shows: helpless, no answers, and in the meantime just getting worse and worse. Bacterial infection was then strongly suspected at that point, and I immediately began a round of strong antibiotics and anti-inflammatories. Since mine is a below-the-skin infection (it's called Cellulitis), it is sometimes not visibly noticeable in the beginning. But you can sure feel it. From day one, it hurts... and then the pain quickly escalates and becomes unrelenting and hideous. I dealt with it at full blaze for a few days before treatment began. Man, I never knew an infection could hurt so bad!

Tuesday evening was my first dose. I had a lot of faith and hope that the medications would be effective. it was all I had to hold on to; I was so desperate. Wednesday was pretty much the same but not worse. But by Thursday, I was noticing improvements! They were modest improvements, but hey, improvement is improvement. It is not a minor infection and I have to understand it is not going to clear up overnight. Any questions or conerns, I knew I could hash out later with my Doctor.

Today is Friday, and that is where I am right now. Improving. Slowly, BUT, it IS happening. I am thrilled that I am now FINALLY on the road to recovery. i am not 100% out of the woods so to speak-I have not jumped that hurdle yet - but I am extremely optimistic. Now's the time to be extra-careful too. NO SETBACKS. I am so grateful I am finally getting better and I can't wait to get back to my regular everyday.

best-laid plans: to rest

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 14 May 2013 17:01:00 +0000

(please forgive the wacky formatting of this post)

I am still here, although posting from my bed! It's been quite a long and winding road over March and April and now we are into May. Where have I been? Well, you already know all about the renovation on the new house. If you don't, take a scroll down and check out some older posts to catch up. (Update: we are not completely moved in yet, but the relocation is imminent!)

What you might not know is that I had surgery a few weeks ago. I hadn't talked about it online before the fact because, well, YES... Even I have my limits on what is Too Much Information. Ha ha. Well, water under the bridge... I had surgery on April 29. (The surgery was for removal of severe endometriosis and ovarian cysts.) Recovery was tough (just being honest here) but it was moving along well and without any real issues... until last Saturday.

A small pain in my tummy that popped up on Saturday afternoon had escalated into something much more painful in the space of 24 hours. I saw a doctor on Monday and her conclusion was that the issue is an inflammation from a suture in my tummy and/or inflammation of scar tissue. Made sense to me, though in the back of my mind, I knew that time would only tell. Now, after a 24 hour period of following orders, my best guess is that this is a post-surgery hernia. We shall see on Thursday when I have my official follow up with my surgeon. Until then, I am once again on bed rest, this time with an ever-present ice pack.

I am telling you this just to give you the 4-1-1 on where I have been. But bogging down this post with details on my medical issues isn't really where my head is at. I wanted to touch base with you, to let you know what's going on and to share why things in WWWorld have come to such a screeching halt for the time being. A couple of weeks ago, in anticipation of both my surgery as well as the move, I temporarily closed my main web site and shop as well as my Etsy shop. By now, I had planned to "be back". But, curveballs do get thrown, and we have to either catch them or get knocked upside the head by them. (And, hey, sometimes both, right?) So I got thrown a little curve ball here, and, it's OKAY. In the big scheme of things, this is a small, annoying little blip. It's just that, right now, for me, this blip is taking a lot longer to un-blip than I had originally anticipated.

We can't plan for everything, we have to take life as it comes and try and make the best of things, which brings me to something that's been a bright spot over the past week. I've been sketching my quirky quotes, and then posting them to Instagram (regularly), Facebook and Twitter (occasionally). (I've tagged them #wellerwisdom on Instagram.) Really, they've been a life-saver (and a soul-saver!) for me. My sketchbook+my Dr. Grip pencil+my iPhone+social media has been my little life boat over the past week. Posting my quotes has given me something positive to share, has helped me to feel more connected to all my friends on social media and has helped me to feel way less isolated, while I'm stuck in bed icing my tummy over here. So, until I am back in action for REAL, please come visit me on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. I'm a captive audience. :)

Instagram

http://instagram.com/wellerwishes

Twitter

http://www.twitter.com/wellerwishes

Facebook WellerWishes Page

https://www.facebook.com/pages/WellerWishes-Illustration-Design-Kathy-Weller/255377860787

Progress report

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 00:28:00 +0000

Things are finally coming together in the new place. We are almost there, but not quite yet-- there's so many details yet to be executed, and other details that have been executed that need to be revised. There are large appliances (like a washing machine) and pieces of house (like a sliding shower door) that are coming in a minute. There's backsplash to be tiled, there's sink and granite to be installed, there's a breakfast bar to build, floors and stairs to finish, and so much more. But a lot of this is now in motion and it's going to be happening fairly quickly. Throughout all that we've been through with this so far, and knowing that there is still so much more to come (not just with the reno but with the actual packing and moving part) there's a new theme that keeps surfacing for me. I illustrated it at the end of this post. In the meantime please enjoy some of these progress shots. We're still not there yet but the transformation is amazing and truly glorious. Funny thing is, I never took any "before" pictures at the beginning before demo because 1) it really, truly wasn't anything I ever wanted to document or thought I'd want to look back on because 2) I just never had a reference point to dare to imagine that we could so drastically, dramatically, honorably transform this formerly dark and dreary space into the joyful, positive, happy little space of a house it is now becoming. It's like a caterpillar turning into a butterfly.

Kitchen/living/dining open concept first floor space

Bathroom

Open floor plan

dining & living room space

More to come! And here's that quote...