New artwork in honor of the funny Geico commercial...

Happy Sunday!

Per usual all the inhabitants of the Green household are in a snit.  Oh Sunday, how I do not like you.

To cheer myself up recently between school and work I have been watching the Geico commercial on youtube.  The one with the camel who is walking around asking everyone what day it is (Mike, Mike, Mike, Mike, Mike).

For some reason watching this commercial makes me laugh out loud and then I watch it again, and again, and the more I watch it the more I laugh.

I had to honor something that made me so happy.  I am going to turn it into a card but right now this is the original watercolor painting.

I don't think it just has to just be about Wednesday either!

Lots of Love,

Jess

Funny and slightly inappropriate cards that I am proud of....

Happy Sunday Everyone!

Does anyone else get very grumpy on Sunday?  Meridyth pointed my mood out to me today when I was stomping around the house making a list to go to grocery store.

If I look back on my behavior it seems that I get grumpy every Sunday, especially when I am in school too, and I think it is because Sunday means that my whole world collides again on Monday.

Something that has been putting me in a good mood is some of my new art work I have been working on that is now posted in my etsy shop LoveUPaperly!

I have been doing a lot of hand-lettering and have turned that into a new section in my shop of funny and slightly inappropriate cards.

This card makes me laugh!  It is currently listed for $2.25 on my site.  I was inspired partly by my grumpy moods and partly by the Jewish Holidays.

This card was made with colored pencils and I loved the way it looked once it was scanned digitally and printed.

Look for more fun things on LoveUPaperly and I will go back to trying not to be grumpy.

Lots of Love!

Jess

I Don't Want To Do Anything Today....

There...I said it.  I am late.  VERY LATE, and instead of running to get dressed, make my lunch, scoop the cat litter, and make my coffee, oh and clean up the mess that LooLoo (cat) made while she dumped the whole bowl of food on the floor, I am sitting here typing because I do not want to move.

I want to sit and work on my Etsy site, and finish some projects, and work on school work, and snuggle with my wife.  I would also like to peruse pinterest and dream of places I would like to go and things I would make (or not make).

I need to get moving.  I know I do.  It's Friday.  I hope people are nice today.  I hope you guys have a wonderful day.

Bench and Compass

By the way this Tumblr site is amazing...the photographs are Amazing!  All taken by one person but I can't find his name on his site.  If anyone can message me and I will post it.  Really, really beautiful.

Love,

Jess

Finally Spending some Quality Time with my Etsy Shop LoveUPaperly

I have been thinking about posting so many new products to LoveUPaperly and trying to do a push for new items, but we all know how that goes!

While I was away in California on family vacation (I will post pictures of that eventually) I was able to do so many water color paintings and works on some hand calligraphy.  I also had the chance to really think about what I wanted my Etsy shop to be.  That was inbetween the fire pit and pool time!

Back to Etsy.  This is what I decided.  As an artist, I have never been able to focus on one thing.  If I should have been painting, I wanted to be printmaking, If I was printmaking, I wanted to be drawing.

My teachers always saw this as something that was a hindrance to my art.  The more I think about it the more I have decided to use it as a positive.  I love all different kinds of art and enjoy doing different kinds of things.

I have decided to not focus on only one thing on LoveUPaperly.  Instead I am going to sell my cards, and prints, and jewelry, and my sculpture.  I will take it as it goes and keep making art that makes me happy.

Here are some of the latest listings:

Original Watercolor Print

Original Watercolor Print

Original watercolor print

Polymer Clay Flower Miniature

Polymer Clay Flower Miniature

Polymer Clay Flower Miniature

Polymer Clay Flower Miniature

The Prints above are each selling for $8.50.  The Clay Flowers are selling for $4.50.  Look on LoveUPaperly for more items.

I have to say I am happy with the work I have put into the new items and school is starting on MONDAY.  Uhhhhggg.

Hope everyones weekend is going well.

Lots of love,

Jess

California and Wanderlust...

Happy Sunday!  If anyone knows why Saturday and Sunday go by so much faster than the other days of the week I would like to know why.  It feels like some sort of phenomenon that requires a name.

Today all I wanted to do was lie in bed with the covers pulled over my head.  Sometimes the world feels like too much.  Instead I vacuumed the house, watched an episode of The Foster's with Meridyth (good t.v. show), and worked on a water color.

Tonight I also have a bit of Wanderlust.  I recently returned from a wonderful vacation in California and I keep wishing I could go back.

This is where I wish I was tonight...

I wish I was on a plane somewhere...(picture taken by me with my iphone 4)

lots of love,

Jess

No pictures in this post....It's been a hard week.

Hello All!

How is everyone doing this week?

This week has been a rough one for me and to be truthful I am having a hard time.

Having this blog I always wonder how to handle these rough weeks.  Should I completely pretend they are not happening and continue posting about happiness and all the beautiful things that I love or should I address the suckiness that is life sometimes?

Truthfully, I set up the blog in the first place to get away from the realness of the world and to enjoy that I could have a place to escape and enjoy the beauty and the amazing things that are out there everywhere you look.

Yet, how I am as a person, how I have always been, is that when I am feeling very real emotions and going through things I can't ignore them.  I was a sensitive child and I grew up into a sensitive adult that has been able to channel those feelings into being an artist.

Therefore, I am usually silent on the blog when I am having a bad week because I can't force myself to post about a great dish that I made or a beautiful dress that I found because when I don't feel happy I don't usually want to post about happy things.

I constantly look at others blogs.  Lots of wedding blogs.  Style me Pretty, Green Weddings Shoes, Snippet and Ink, Rock and Roll Bride...I know the people that run these blogs can't be happy all the time but all of the posts week after week drip with gorgeousness and glam and prettiness and goodness.

I think maybe I am a little jealous that I can't bring myself to feel that happiness all the time.  Or the jealous feeling stems from the fact that I can't force myself to hit the post button and publish a happy post when I am not happy.

This post wraps into my New Years resolutions which is trying to figure out where I want this blog to go.  How truthful do I want it to be?  Do I want to show more of myself?  Do I only want happy posts with beautiful pictures and gorgeous products or should I talk about real issues in between the clouds of happiness?

So much to thing about don't you think? 

Lots of Love,

Jess

South Beath Diet Phase I , Cooking New Recipes, and Getting Motivated

Hello Everyone!

I am so excited that it is almost the weekend that I can almost taste sleeping late and drinking my coffee in bed!

A post or two a go I was talking about New Years Resolutions.  One of mine was to try and lose weight to help my health and just to plain feel better.  To start this off my wonderful Mother-in-Law bought me two books with recipes for the South Beach Diet.  I read them after Christmas and Mer and I decided that the diet would start January 2, 2013.

The South Beach diet has three phases and right now I am in phase I which is all about getting your sugars under control.  During phase one, for 14 days, you have to cut out carbohydrates completely and also most fruits, plus processed foods.  You can however eat many veggies including cucumbers, cauliflower, broccoli, and more.  You can also eat most meats, low fat cheeses, eggs, and many other foods that you can make some great recipes with.

I have actually found in the last two days that I am not getting the sugar shakes and looking for a granola bar which has been what I have done for most of my life.

It has also given me the opportunity to try new recipes and become more confident in my cooking.

Tonight I made "fake" mashed potatoes with cauliflower.  I think it might take another few tries to perfect this one, but here are the ingredients and recipe.

Ingredients:
Head of Cauliflower
1/4 Cup Fat Free Half and Half
2 Tbsp I Can't Believe it's Not Butter
Salt
Pepper
Garlic Salt

Directions:
1.  First I boiled the Cauliflower head in a pot of water with a little bit of salt for about 15 minutes or until very tender.
2.  I then let the cauliflower cool and cut it up into small pieces putting it into the blender
3.  Then put the fat free half and half, the butter, salt, pepper, and pinch of garlic salt into blender with cauliflower
4.  Lastly blend it up, taste, and season as you go!

I did not take this picture (my camera battery died tonight!) but this is what it looked like.  I thought it was easy to make and tasted delicious.

So, I am definitely motivated on my diet and with my cooking and I have been working like crazy on new projects for LoveUPaperly for 2013, but I am having a hard time staying motivated finishing the projects!  I am hoping to take some pictures tomorrow to show you what I have been working on even if they are half finished.  Maybe posting them will make me make a push to finish at least one or two of them.

Happy Almost Friday.

Lots of Love,

Jess

Happy 2013!!!

Happy, Happy New Year Dear Readers!

I hope everyone had a safe and fun night last night!

Have you made any New Years Resolutions?  Do you think you will keep them?

One New Years resolution I have made for 2013 for myself, and therefore for Meridyth as well, is for us to try not to spend so much time in our house with just each other.

We love our house, we love spending time with each other and honestly we are both happy doing both.  I am never happier when I am lying in bed reading a book on my kindle with Meridyth next to me playing video games. 

However, I realized that while we are happy doing this I think it would be healthy for us to go out at least once or twice a month, as a couple.  Mer and I need to force ourselves (that sounds horrible but you know that sometimes by the time you shower and get dressed you just don't want to even go out anymore?!) to go and see people.  We need to mingle with our friends, have dinner, and socialize.

To start off this resolution, last night a nurse from work who has become a good friend invited us to her house for a night of food and drinking and fun.

We had so much fun and all I can say is I am happy to not have to go to work today!  I definitely don't recover as fast as I used too!

I did make a few more resolutions as well.
-  Lose some weight so I can help my Fibro Myalgia pain
-  Apply to PA school in May
-  Define my vision for both this blog and for my Etsy site LoveUPaperly 
-  Try not to procrastinate with school work
-  Attempt to be more optimistic everyday!

My wish is for everyone to have a healthy and happy New Year!

Lots of Love for 2013,

Jess

Office Pot Luck, A horrible cold, and Blog Reassessing

Hello All!

These past few weeks I have been doing some major thinking about this blog, my Etsy shop LoveUPaperly and so many other things!  I am hoping that all of these things I have been thinking about will start showing up as changes in the New Year!

I think that is one of the reasons that I love the Holidays, Christmas, and New Years so much.  I always feel like it is a time to reassess and figure out if I think I am going in the right direction.

Besides that, I finally finished school this semester and I have a break until the end of January which is badly needed.

As for this weekend, I have had a horrible cold all week and it has only been getting worse so I am going to bunker down the next two days and try to get rid of these germs.  Last year I had just had surgery so Christmas was rather miserable for both Meridyth and myself so this year, cold or no cold, I am determined to try and feel well!

Friday we had an office potluck which was full of all different types of food.  I decided to go for a rustic Italian dish and made roasted cauliflower and broccoli with garlic and olive oil with tomatoes and of course pasta.  I topped the whole thing off with some mozzarella cheese!

I think it tasted pretty good!

Second, I took some pictures of the final product for my Parent's Chanukah present.  They were absolutely thrilled!  My Mom keeps calling to say that she keeps trying the pictures in different places all over her house.

I'm off to take some Theraflu.

Lots of Love,

Jess

Hospital Visits and Some New Projects

Hello Everyone!

These last two weeks have been so crazy.  I am in the middle of finals, was admitted to the hospital for a short stay and had a few outpatient tests which required too many IV's.  I am happy to report that though tired I feel like I am finally on the mend and I only have one more final to take tomorrow!

In the midst of all of my medical mysteries, I have been feeling very inspired and creative.  I wanted to share a few things I am working on.  None of the projects are done yet, but I wanted to show you the beginnings.  After this post, I am back to studying for my A&P final and then looking forward to a month off.

My Mom was cleaning out their basement and found an old journal that I had only used a few pages in.  The journal is velvety and the pages are thick and can take all different types of medium.  This was certainly a find!

Lying in bed in the hospital I started to play with the idea of words and images using pen.  I love the Reindeer hiding in the J and O.  I think my next step might be watercolor.

Mer and I don't have a lot of money for holiday presents this year and since I am currently watching my parents dogs I thought I would draw them portraits, scan them, print them on nice paper, and frame them.

I will take pictures when the final product is done!

So that's it for now.  I am immersed in studying, drawing, and watching movies!

How is your holiday shopping going?

Lots of Love,

Jess

 

 



Paper Products for the Home now available on LoveUPaperly!

Hi Everyone!

My honey just bought me coffee from Dunkin Donuts and I am busy studying for my two quizzes today.

I first want to say that my sympathy and prayers goes out to all of those that have been affected by Hurricane Sandy.  The photographs from New Jersey and New York are heart breaking.  Living in Maryland we were very nervous for the storm and I am thinking about all of those people that are picking up the pieces.

That being said, I would like to introduce a new section in my Etsy shop LoveUPaperly.

I have been making paper bowls forever and I have decided to list some of them (one for right now, I am in school, remember?!).

I am a big recycler and I love the fact that I can use scrap paper and make something so beautiful, delicate, and useful out of it.

Listed for $8.50 got to my site for more info.

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend, I'm off to school!

Lots of Love,

Jess

New items listed on LoveUPaperly

Hi All!

I am going to try to do a better job of blog posting this week.

Between school and other necessary life things, oh and working all day, can't forget about that, my blog posts have been suffering.

I didn't think that my time management would be an issue, but it is!

Anyway, I did some shop revamping yesterday and listed some new items that I want to share with you.

The first one is a paper heart bracelet listed for $8 on LoveUPaperly.

Cute, right?  I think it's young and fun and sometimes you just want to wear your heart on your wrist!

I listed a new card as well.

This is a sentiment that I am always expressing to Meridyth because she loves me no matter what, so I thought why not make a card because other people may feel the same way I do!

It is listed on my etsy shop, LoveUPaperly, for $3.

Inbetween my Anatomy studying I have also been making other things that I would like to list on my etsy shop.

For a little background, I discovered of love of creating three-d sculptures in grad school when I did a series of miniature beds that I made to go with a grouping of photographs that I had worked on all semester.

This ties into that idea of making small worlds.  Here is a hint of more things to come!

Lots of Love,

Jess

Migraines, Sale on LoveUPaperly, and Statistics

Is it really Thursday night already?

I have been sick since Tuesday morning with a migraine.  I don't have what would be considered "typical" migraines.

I am not sensitive to light and my head doesn't hurt.  What does happen is that I get dizzy.  Not just a little dizzy.  I get full on vertigo where the whole room is on a sped up merry-go-round that won't stop.

When I was eight I had an inner ear infection and since then I have been diagnosed with Vestibular Migraines that start in the inner ear and cause dizziness and nausea.

I always know when it's going to start because my eyes start to feel funny and I can't focus.  When that happens I need to get home as quick as possible and lie down with a cold cloth on my eyes.  I haven't had this severe of a migraine for a few years and the past two and half days have been really crappy.

In the midst of my migraine I did get an e-mail that I had another sale on my shop LoveUPaperly!

I sold the very first card that I had ever made.

This weekend I am going to try and finish some jewelry pieces I am working on and study statistics.

I am not sure how I feel about statistics yet, I don't like math that much, but after being sick the past few days I need to buckle down and do it!

Wish me luck!

Lots of love,

Jess

New Listing on LoveUPaperly: Pretty, Delicate and Sculptural Paper Necklace

Hi All!

Is anyone else wishing they weren't working today?  When I walked outside I was amazed at the low humidity and the beautiful sunshine.  I drove to work with the windows down and Good Times by Carlie Rae Jebson and Owl City blasting out of my speakers.

Today I wanted to share with you a new listing I just posted on LoveUPaperly!  I have been hard at work on this item and I am so excited to finally have it completed.

It is my first paper necklace in lovely shades of blue and black.  It snaps on both the right and left side which allows for easy on and off access.  I think the thing I love most about it is how sculptural it is.  It looks like you are wearing a piece of art and I can see any woman wearing it with a simple black dress.

I'm very proud of this piece!  It is listed for $25.  Check out more of my work on my etsy site.

Lots of Love,

Jess

Hyper Realistic Paintings by Artist Roberto Bernardi

Happy Monday!

As soon as I finish this post I am going to turn off the computer, eat some double stuffed Oreos and skim milk with Meridyth, and wait for the Series finale of the Closer at 9:00 p.m.

However, before I do those things I wanted to post about an artist I came across.

His name is Roberto Bernardi.  Bernardi is a photorealistic oil painter who was born in Italy in the 1970's.  As soon as I looked at his paintings I was in love.

Having studied fine art in college I was always jealous of the other students who were able to draw in an amazingly realistic way.  Proportions were always hard for me and the minute I saw Roberto Bernardi's work I felt the stirrings of jealously and amazement.

He is so talented!

Fuori O Dentro

Work in Progress

Obsession

Candy Machine

Correndo Fra Le Illusioni

How amazing is the detail?  I feel like I could reach out and touch the wrappers, the water, and the glass.

Amazing, right?!

Read Roberto Bernardi's biography and see more of his work on his website.

Lots of Love,

Jess