 So I am actually typing this in July...but gonna date it for the end of June, just 'cause. The end of June was chaotic to say the least. We moved, and as you know, moving can really make everything crazy and stressful. I really have to say, this was one of our easiest moves- EVER. It was definitely easier that moving into our place this time last year, that is for sure! For the first time John and I hired a mover, and it was great. We found out about Dee's Discount Delivery and Moving through my friend Maria. He showed up with his team, a moving truck and a pick up truck and all the equipment and made it happen. Wow. Our old place is especially a pain to move into, we were on the 13th floor of a high rise which we learned quickly in our year living in Hollywood, FL that this was NOT us...it was fun, the view was great, we were right by downtown Hollywood, lived above Starbucks, had a fancy pool on the roof and could walk to the beach. But we would rather have some space (I have my own studio! More on that later!!!) and be closer to our family and friends...so we could not be happier about the move back to Palm Beach County!! Yay! Right after we moved into the new place we headed to spend some time with Uncle Tom and Aunt Lil at their place in Fort Pierce. This was a much needed break from unpacking and I am so glad we went. Below I made a collage of the pics from the moving craziness as well as our downtime...all surrounded by the last of my Barbie pieces:  I did manage to keep up with my artwork, I modified the way I worked but I did it. I had pieces that were in various stages of completion, and I had to work on them all kind of at once, but I managed to make at least a little time each day to work on my pieces, it was something that I really looked forward to especially with all that was going on. I had so much fun doing this series, it was truly a trip down memory lane for me. All of the Barbies that I drew were ones that I actually owned when I was a kid, so it was fun to think back to that time. I have vivid memories of each one, the textures and colors of the clothing, the accessories that came with each one. When I was little I would take out my Barbies each day and play with them, brush their hair, change their clothes and I remember each night the last thing I would do was place them back my white shelf, posed and ready for the next day...yep, my #OCPDartist tendencies were showing at a young age!
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 Okay...it has been a little crazy. Hectic. I have been...packing...meeting/setting up/ working on some commissions...napping...trying to get out and get some sunshine despite the daily thunderstorms...running around Hollywood picking up all of my artwork...I may or may not have broken a toe. (seriously, it is purple!) ...and watching soccer ESPN basically during all hours of the day. But I did make my Barbie art, every day...no matter how crazy the day was. 
 Also on the agenda...and a project the overtook my LIFE for about a 48 hour period...working on my sister's baby shower invitations. 'Cause I wanted them to be personalized. Then I saw the list. Gulp. I am not going to say numbers...just know...it was a big list. But I still wanted them to have some personlization to them...so, I designed the invitation, scanned the image, added text, copy and pasted it so there would be two per page, went to Staples and had them printed, bought pint envelopes, then handpainted the pink details. On every single invitation. Because it was for my sister and I love her. So...I wrote my last blog post about my self-imposed 'Camp Muse'...I made it up for myself...but then I started thinking... Maybe other folks would want a little extra motivation to be a little more creative this summer, too.  ...I must say...this first week of summer vacation has been GREAT. I mean it. I have been enjoying it so far, drawing, packing, driving, napping...all on my own time and terms. And today, it dawned on me. This is probably the first summer since I started teaching that I have not had some form of camp during the summer. Really.
So for almost the last twelve years, okay, let's say ten since there are two summers no accounted for...for all those years I have had a commitment to do some form of teaching in the summer. I do not regret any of those summers. Looking back through the pictures today I even got a little teary-eyed,especially when I was looking through my Legis School photos. And the art camps...so many little creative minds...so many art projects! Here is a look at all this camp-craziness; ...which brings me to right now, my first week my summer vacation 2014. Nothing. Not one camp lined up...and I am kind of excited about that. Instead of teaching camp...I am going to have my own camp, 'Camp Muse'...where hopefully I can spend my time making art, moving to our new space (more on that later), prepping for a new school year at a new school (definitely more on that later...positive thoughts this way please, I need'em!), spending time with family, felines and friends...and just...taking a minute to enjoy this time. And I may still end up doing some camp-like thing...I know myself and I know I like to stay busy so I won't rule that out...but right now I really am relishing the thought of 'Camp Muse. It's gonna be awesome!  ...click on the picture below to view a document I made...chronicling all the Barbie dolls I had as a child...OMG...I wish I still had them!   I am 7 years old al over again! I wasn't sure what I wanted to do this month. I had a few ideas...I was really inspired by the Beatles performance at my school...so that was one...and then a while back I had thought about steam punk...then I had thought about maybe going monochromatic...or maybe doing a month of correspondence art aka mail art...and then again, I wanted to wait and see what the unofficial Creative Every Day group theme was for the month...it's 'green' by the way. (and this is just a glimpse into my process at the end of each month, as I am trying to get some kind of closure on the current series but already obsessing over 'what's next?') ...I kept going back to the idea of monochromatic...I was thinking pink...and Barbie girls (even ones that have allegedly grown up, like me!) can tell you that there is only one pink- Barbie pink. But then I remembered earlier this month I had gotten distracted looking up some old Barbie commercials. So I started looking up images, just to see if I felt the inspiration to create a series...and I started to feel it- inspiration... And...I found out that there was a 'Barbie Dreamhouse Experience' literally minutes from where I work. Annnnnnnd...at some point...not sure if it is still up...there had been an exhibit dedicated to Barbie not far from me in Boynton... Okay, so it was a done deal. She had me at pink. Literally almost thirty years later and I am just as excited about those pink boxes, large eyes, unbendable arms and extensive wardrobe as I ever was! I cannot even begin to THINK of my childhood without Barbie. Seriously. I want to get this post up to introduce the series, so I will save my early obsession with fashion, pink, sparkles and organization for another blog post...but let's just say Barbie was my homegirl. For real, just ask Momma Love; 
 Imagine little Jenny, it's I don't know...1983. I am six years old. (dates/age might be off a little...hey, it was a long time ago!) And the brand new Sears catalog comes out, the 'Wish Book'. And boy did I ever wish. We never had a much money growing up, but my mom always managed to make sure I what I needed, and fun stuff like toys, too. But the Sears Wish Book...that was another level. I would go through it from beginning to end, circling the things my little heart desired. Sometimes I got' em...but even when I didn't (which honestly, was most of the time) I got satisfaction just...wishing....dreaming about these amazing Barbies and clothes. So you could imagine my excitement when I unwrapped my Christmas gift to see the brand new Barbie Dreamhouse. It was one of the best Christmas gifts ever. And it was mine. Fast forward...thirty years later adult Jenny has the chance to walk through Barbie's Dreamhouse. And I did. 
The Barbie Dreamhouse..me...then and now...thirty years later...that's insane!
Well...here they are...my first pieces in the new series...it's gonna be all Barbie, all month! Get ready!
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AuthorArtist and Art Teacher 
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