Summer Recap

Oh Summer you are flying by too fast! I feel a little sad this week as September quickly approaches. You can feel a change in the air already, the light seems different, the air smells different, leaves are slowly starting to turn and drop to the ground...Fall is coming. This summer has been full of loveliness, hard work, art, challenges, and so much more. I have woefully abandoned my blog and for that I am sorry, but I was living life and that is a wonderful reason to do so, don't you think?! So here I am with a small recap of my past summer months. A few snapshots I caught along the way to remember the moments and now to share with you...

 

There was silliness and time spent with family!

There were adventures had with Lulu, finding new magical places to walk and explore!

 



There was an amazing field filled with sunflowers and discoveries right in my own community!

 

Oh I could have lived in that field of sunflowers and been perfectly content!

 

 

There was art created, brave art, art that made me explore and wonder!

 

There were trips to the farmer's market filled with beautiful flowers, delicious vegetables, and so much more.

There was wildlife sightings everywhere and anywhere. You just have to look!

 

There were goodbyes said to loved ones who will be greatly missed.

 

There were beaches to wander along and lakes to swim in!

 

And oh there was so much more! Art fairs, rain storms and lightning that make you jump, laughter, sadness, full moons, trapeze artists in trees, walks in beautiful neighborhoods, kayak trips, curb side treasures found, naps taken, money troubles, mystery shows, books read, and life was lived. Looking back I realize it was a pretty great summer! And one that I will carry with me into Fall. I hope your summer was just as good and filled with many happy moments. I promise to come back and visit this little blog of mine more often. Thank you for your patience. 

Summer Vacation & Summer Art Fairs!

Sorry for my absence lately from the blog. Life right now is a blend of being crazy busy with art fairs, my day job as a social worker, and a little vacation. For a few weeks I was running around like crazy, with barely a minute to breathe, but then this past week I had a few days to catch my breath, swim, and relax a little. Now I am back and ready for more art fairs this weekend! Here are a few snap shots I took over the last couple of days. Lovely isn't it?

Now the trick will be to try to find balance in my life between everything and not get burned out again. Anyhoo...Artsy Fartsy will be at two fabulous locations tomorrow selling our artsy creations. As always,  you can find us in downtown Madison at the Dane County Farmer's Market, or you can head on over to the Summer Craftacular on the east side of Madison! For more info simply click here.

I hope you have a lovely Saturday and that we see you getting your art fair groove on!

Ta Da! New patio set up all done & ready to be enjoyed! It's rainy here today so perhaps tomorrow I can break it in!





And I scored these citronella candles at the thrift store recently! They will be perfect for some evenings on the patio!

Location:New Patio!

Pink cupcakes & pink chairs!

After eating cupcakes by the lake (sustenance for thrifting/antiquing) I was über delighted to find a fabulous find for my patio...


An awesome repainted pink & white vintage metal chair! Isn't it cute?!


I also found a patio table on sale so now my patio redo can commence! Time to get rid of the old rickety picnic table & bench which I never sit at, & replace it with my new table & chair! I am envisioning a cute oilcloth table cloth, like this one on Dottie Angel's patio...


I promise to share pics as it develops! I simply can't wait!

Yay for a vacation!

I am so happy to have a vacation this week! My plans include getting lots of rest, playing with my paints & sewing machine, & going on some thrifting adventures! But first...sleep!





See, even Lulu likes the idea of sleeping in, taking naps, & just relaxing!

Don't Forget To Smell The Flowers!

It seems like life has been busy & full lately, sometimes too full, but I have been trying hard to make sure there is a balance of work, fun & relaxation.

For example I have been having a blast playing in my new kayak! Great view huh?!


On Monday I had the day off & so my mom & I took a little road trip, enjoying the adventure of going off the beaten path, with a dash of thrifting added in! Here are some of vintage treasures found...


And with scenes like this, who wouldn't feel happy & relaxed?! This is at Mirror Lake, WI. It's this beautiful lake near Wisconsin Dells that I can't wait to go back & explore some more!





When I feel stressed again in the future, which is inevitable, I am going to go back & look at these pictures to remind myself to take time to smell the flowers!


Balance in life = happy, healthy Alisson!

Details

Some new art journal pages & the details that make me smile!


A hodge podge of snippets, memories, & lovely things, such as a sweet note from my momma, a pretty Moo mini card from Curly Girl, & picture of a beautiful statue!


It's the little things that I love & the ones I strive to notice more!


Recap of an art fair adventure mixed in with some snippets & thoughts! I love collecting the ephemera of my life...tickets, name tags, business cards...


Art fairs are truly adventures. Sometimes good, sometimes bad, but always an adventure! Each a challenge & a delight in their own unique ways!


I had to do a page celebrating my love affair with tomatoes! Next up, lettuce!


My patio garden is so lovely & special to me this year! I am sure the journal will have several pages dedicated to it. Here i try to document Mr. Gnome & some of the magic he brings to my little garden...


I even captured a little magic in an envelope to show you!


I have 2 la la lovely days off now after working 7 straight days in a row! I am sure naps will be taken & art will be done! I am also contemplating some swimming, thrifting adventures & perhaps a drive in the country! Come back soon for a glimpse.

A Little Break

In addition to my art & the business of Artsy Fartsy (doing art fairs, stocking up on products, applying for shows, wholesale & consignment orders, etc.) I also work a full time job as a social worker. So often I am working to accomplish & balance both! Sometimes it works out great & sometimes it can be daunting, but for the most part I find that my art is a wonderful reprieve from the social work world, helping me relieve stress & have fun!

Still, especially in the summer, life gets very busy as Artsy Fartsy always has shows on weekends & I am still working full time at my day job, adding up to basically 2 full time jobs. This past weekend was really busy, as we had the Farmers Market on Saturday & an art fair in Oshkosh on Sunday. This led to lots of production hours in order to get ready & have enough art in stock, 2 days of early (like before the sun came up) rises, & a car trip. Still, it was a good weekend & I was delighted to see so many returning customers in Oshkosh! What an amazing compliment when people come to art fairs & look just for you! And of course, I really couldn't do any of this with out my best friend & partner in crime, my mom! She is amazing & I feel so blessed to have her support in this crazy art adventure!

So, since we got back home on Sunday night, I have taken a little break & not done too much artsy fartsy stuff. Although I still am working during the days as a social worker, my nights have been filled with some relaxing & fun activities!

Swimming at the pool! So lovely after a warm day! Can't wait to go back!



And kayak shopping with family!








Even my mom's dog Emma helped with the decision making!


After lots of trying out & thinking about what would be the best choice, we settled on a cherry red kayak that I have named Poppy! I can't wait to get out & explore the lakes & waterways around Madison! We have some lovely ones!

Next weekend Artsy Fartsy has no art fairs & no farmers market as there is another event occurring in the downtown area for the weekend. I will have to do some social work stuff, but I am positive I will get to break Poppy in & maybe find a little pool time too!

Breaks like these always help me get artsy again too! I am already getting the itch to paint, cut, glue, sew & get crafty & it's only been 2 days! So be sure to stop back soon!

Summer Blog & Strawberry Fest!

As you can see, my blog just got a little summer makeover! I hope you like it! I love all the bright colors and blooming flowers!

Another fun note is that this weekend Artsy Fartsy will be at the Cedarburg Strawberry Fest Art Fair!

Cedarburg is a lovely little historic town, north of Milwaukee. It's filled with wonderful old buildings, lots of charming boutiques, and great sights! So if you are in the area, be sure to come on by and enjoy the sights! For more information click here.