John and I made a trip down south for the Downtown Hollywood ArtWalk to support Lori Pratico's Girl Noticed mural project...and to leave some bday love for a local gallery owner who took a chance on a gal from NC and her art!

If you don't have any idea what I am talking about, please, PLEASE take a minute to click on the link below;

This is an AMAZING mural project all about noticing all the amazing girls out there for their unique talents and awesomeness...noticing them before you miss the chance!  And it is a NATIONWIDE project...which is kinda cool!

And believe me, if you miss 'em, it's your loss honey!!  (and if there are any young girls out there reading this ol' sparkly blog...don't you ever forget that you are worth noticing...and anyone that doesn't realize that is missing out...and aint' worth your time...so shine on sister!)

...sorry, couldn't resist!  Today MMM's gal pal Jewel and her cat Gem went to the...wait for it...gym.  Hence the title.

Get it?

(Crickets.)

Oh well...for more about the leopard, pink and sparkly pieces that inspired this piece, click here!

Aside from working on my daily art (and watching football!) I also tackled a pretty large project with the help of my friend Sof...we framed up some of the work for my upcoming show at Dada in Delray!  I am showing my current series...and I have the crazy idea...don't want to get ahead of myself so will just stop there.  

Thank you again Sof for helping me!!!  I love you!

...two more intros are in order...please allow me to introduce you to Jewel and her cat, Gem.  Jewel is a friend of Miss Matchy Matchy and Gem is Trinket's sibling.  Spoiler alert- Gem is Trinket's fraternal twin, and you can tell'em apart because Gem somehow aquired some Tiger stripes...hey, let's just say their cat mom had some WILD times...oh geez...

So anyway, this is Jewel.  

She has a head of big ol' natural hair and I am obssessed with it.  Seriously.  I love how it is rowdy and refined all at the same time.  I think I may take a break for a few days and hang out with Jewel and Gem, they are fun...and they also share my love for leopard print.  

To see more gray leopard prints that inspired this piece...click here!

Aunt Nancy is Lucy's sister (John and Maria's mother, she passed in 2005) and so she is the closet thing to Lucy that we have, in female form anyway.  I could go on and on about how much I love her , how much fun she is and that she is an amazing person...wait, I kinda just did.

But one thing about aunt Nancy- she always looks put together.  I have always thought that she was one of the most stylish people I have known, usually dressed in all black and at least one thing sparkly...I went into this on the Miss Matchy Matchy blog...but...just...okay, just look at these pics. 

So I am doing something a little different...something I did not plan on doing...I am introducing another character into this month's series...not sure if she will be a reoccurring character or if this is just a one-time appearance...

Please allow me to introduce you to 'Fancy Nancy', Miss Matchy Matchy's stylish aunt.

She liked to wear black and dark colors...'nails did'... 'hair did'...some type of sandal, usually with some bling...and some type pf jewelry.  

...the best part of today's art was I started the piece (unbeknownst to the actual Nancy!) at her place tonight after dinner.  

By the way...she's Italian and she makes amazing homemade sauce.

...And meatballs.

...And chicken cutlets.

...And even beef stew, which is what she invited us over to have tonight.

So,thanks aunt Nancy...for dinner...for the inspiration...and for being amazing.  I love you.

And I think I need to go and scout out the leftover that we brought home.

I wrote about the items in the picture to the left on my Miss Matchy Matchy jewelry/accessory blog (OMG...why am I writing two blogs...I...love...it!) To find out more about these pieces, stop by there and see...there is even a funny video clip...

But let's talk about textiles.  I love'em.  I double majored in Art Education and Textiles in undergrad and then focused on that again in my studio classes with I went back for my MAEd.  Its funny because I started off in my artistic journey with drawing and painting...then discovered textiles and went INSANE in college...hoarding yarn, felting in the bath tub at the dorm (no one used it, it was pretty gross!), saving scraps of fabric and trims, stirring pots of hand-dyed fabric (and running around with dyed hands!), standing on tabled to layer screen prints, getting very fine glitter everywhere (ummmm...and getting banned from using glitter and being dubbed 'tinkerbell' and 'sparkle' by my studio mates)...then the BEADS...do...not...get...me...started!!!

So yeah, fibers- I love 'em.  And sometimes I forget how much I love all things fiber.  My daily art and what I create is usually based on drawing and painting with the occasional collage/mixed media.  It's like I made a full circle back to where I started.  But there is something about fiber arts that touches my soul, I really love it.  

Yesterday one of my morning stops was the World Quilt Show in West Palm Beach.  I knew about it from my art friend, Trina...and I needed to see her anyway...so I just went.  And I am SO GLAD that I did.

Just....just LOOK.  Stop and LOOK at these amazing pieces:

It was honestly all I could do not to rip them all off the wall and bury myself in a gigantic pile of color, texture, stitch, pattern and sparkle. 

And that is the thing about fiber art...sometimes I see a painting or drawing that I have a strong reaction to, but with textiles I want to touch the work, I want to be in the work.  

Its time I just admit it...I have a sickness...it lies dormant...like a beast...but when it awakens- WATCH OUT.

Don't believe me?    

Friday night I stayed up painting three special angels (I wanted to make one for Barbara, too, even though I had not met her yet!) For these angels I looked at images of African textiles to try and give them a more unique dress.  

The gals were happy to be a part of this special #AngelDrop!  

...thanks again Trina (see you soon at the Continuum event...already have some ideas for my sneakers!)...Kianga I cannot thank you enough for all the AMAZING items you have donated to the art program at LWHS...and Barbara, nice to meet you!

One more stop...ARTHOUSE 429 to see Raquel, a songbird that I know...also a fellow friend of fibers (she makes handbags!)

Not too much to say about this stop...just I just knew of an art friend that was in need, so...I  gave my #heART.

I could dedicate a whole blog to my love for Art Hive Magazine...it has been such an important part of my life and I am so thankful to my friends (the QUEEN BEES!)- Jessie Prugh and Angela Yungk for letting me a part of it since the start.  There are no words. Well...wait...just one.

'Lerv'

So...I just try to incorporate a bee-themed piece every now and again in my monthly series...usually those get nabbed up pretty quick by Jess...and luckily I had some BEEautiful jewelry that went along with not only the theme but the whole 'inspired by accessories' thing I have been doing here...in case you didn't notice that is what I was doing :)